Wednesday Sports in Brief

By The Associated Press

Here's a look at Wednesday's sports in brief around the country.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Gilbert Arenas had a third operation on his left knee Wednesday, putting the Washington Wizards in spin mode as they face another season of uncertainty concerning their franchise player.

Team president Ernie Grunfeld said might be the only person who can say that with a straight face. The star player who signed an $111 million contract in July seems almost certain to miss the early part of the regular season at a minimum, dousing the team’s hopes of having a healthy campaign after the last two were wrecked by injuries to top players.

The team said the arthroscopic procedure removed a “moderate amount of debris” from Arenas’ knee. Grunfeld offered no timetable for Arenas’ return, but Arenas told The Washington Post that he plans to be back on the court in early December, which would rule him out for the first month of the season.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers center Jason Smith underwent reconstructive surgery on his left knee to repair an injury sustained early last month.

Smith tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee while doing drills in Las Vegas on Aug. 6. No timetable has been set for his return.

BASEBALL

CHICAGO (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers starter Ben Sheets left his start against the Chicago Cubs after only two innings because of right forearm tightness.

The Brewers were leading 3-1 when Sheets departed. He gave up a solo homers to Aramis Ramirez in the second inning. Mark DeFelice came in to pitch for the Brewers.

Sheets, who entered Wednesday night’s game with a 13-8 record, has been slowed by injuries. He left a game earlier this month after five innings with a tight left groin.

In the last two years, Sheets has battled a groin problem, a torn finger tendon, shoulder tendinitis, a tight triceps and a sore chest muscle.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki matched Willie Keeler’s major league record of eight straight 200-hit seasons, beating out on infield single in the eighth inning for his third hit against Kansas City.

The Japanese star came into the game three hits short of the record set by Keeler from 1894-1901. After walking to lead off the game, he hit a double just inside first base in the third and had a bloop single over third in the fifth.

Suzuki matched Keeler in the eighth when he hit a ground ball up the middle then beat shortstop Mike Aviles’ throw by a half-step.

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian McNamee responded to Roger Clemens by again asking a federal judge to toss out the pitcher’s defamation suit or move it to a New York court.

In papers filed late Wednesday night with the U.S. District Court in Houston, McNamee replied to Clemens’ submission on Aug. 7, which urged the court to reject McNamee’s July motion to dismiss the case.

U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison could decide the motion on papers or schedule oral arguments in the case.

PRO FOOTBALL

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) — With the passing offense sputtering in two losses to open the season, Minnesota coach Brad Childress decided the Vikings can no longer afford to let 25-year-old quarterback Tarvaris Jackson learn on the job.

Childress turned to veteran Gus Frerotte to run the offense for the rest of the season.

Jackson completed just 51 percent of his passes this season. He threw a game-ending interception at Green Bay that sealed the Packers victory and was partly responsible for the offense settling for five field goals and scoring no touchdowns in an 18-15 loss to the Colts.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Tony Dungy doesn’t doubt Bob Sanders will be back in the Colts lineup this season. He’s just not sure how long Sanders will be out.

The 2007 defensive player of the year could miss up to six weeks after spraining his right ankle last weekend at Minnesota, and team officials are contemplating whether Sanders may need arthroscopic surgery on his knee, too.

GOLF

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Muhammad Ali welcomed guests in Louisville for the Ryder Cup.

Ali, wife Lonnie, Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson and Deputy First Minister of Wales Ieuan Wyn Jones hosted a gathering at the downtown Ali Center.

Lonnie Ali told a crowd of around 300 that her husband shares the spirit of competition and will to succeed with the Ryder Cup players. Muhammad Ali, who has Parkinson’s disease, didn’t speak but later shook hands with more than a hundred fans.

SOCCER

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Natasha Kai scored in the 72nd minute and the U.S. women’s soccer team beat Ireland 1-0 at Giants Stadium in the second game of a post-Olympic tour.

Briana Scurry preserved the victory with a late diving save on Michele O’Brien’s shot.   After failing on multiple second-half opportunities, the Americans broke through when Carli Lloyd fed Kai with a pass from inside the penalty box. Kai’s left-footed shot from 12 yards away went past goalkeeper Emma Byrne and inside the right post.

AUTO RACING

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Engine failure at 300 mph triggered a crash that killed top Funny Car driver Scott Kalitta in June, the New Jersey State Police said investigators said.

Officials determined that “catastrophic mechanical failure” caused a fuel-fired explosion in Kalitta’s car during a qualifying race at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. The 46-year-old driver died from multiple injuries during qualifying for the Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals.