KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The crippling heat wave has finally broken, and just in time for the All-Star game.

After several weeks of record-setting temperatures from coast to coast, the forecast is for high temperatures in the 90s on Tuesday in Kansas City, the site of the annual Midsummer Classic.

That’s quite the reprieve for organizers and civic leaders, along with players, coaches and fans, many of whom had been bracing for triple-digit temperatures.

Twins catcher Joe Mauer has played enough games in Kansas City to know how insufferable the weather can be, so he’s been keeping a wary eye on the forecast. “The weathermen knew we were coming,” he said, “so they gave us a break.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa coach Fran McCaffery has signed a new seven-year deal to remain with the Hawkeyes.

Iowa athletic director Gary Barta said Tuesday that McCaffery will be paid at least $1.66 million a year with a base salary of $1.3 million starting next season.

McCaffery could make up to $1.86 million per season if the Hawkeyes reach the NCAA tournament.

McCaffery left Siena to join the Hawkeyes before the 2010 season. His original contract was for six years and started at roughly $1.1 million per year.

Iowa won 18 games and reached the NIT in 2011-12. The Hawkeyes return three starters next season and bring in a freshman class featuring prized recruits Adam Woodbury and Mike Gesell.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – AJ Allmendinger says he would never knowingly take a prohibited drug.

Allmendinger issued a statement Tuesday, his first since he was suspended by NASCAR for failing a random drug test. Allmendinger was informed of his suspension hours before Saturday night’s race at Daytona.

The 30-year-old driver says he has requested his “B” urine sample be tested, and he hopes the situation can be resolved with NASCAR as quickly as possible.

NASCAR does not disclose what substance was found in a failed drug test. Allmendinger and Penske Racing have not revealed details, either.

Allmendinger apologized for the distraction he has caused Penske Racing, his sponsors and fans.

Sam Hornish Jr. will replace Allmendinger in the No. 22 Dodge this weekend at New Hampshire.

NEW YORK (AP) – New York Mets pitcher Dillon Gee has undergone surgery to remove a blood clot from an artery in his throwing shoulder.

The team said Tuesday no timetable has been set for the right-hander’s return, but he will miss his next start and probably will be put on the disabled list.

Gee complained of numb fingers on his right hand Sunday, a day after he pitched. Tests on Monday revealed the shoulder clot.

Doctors used a catheter to break up the clot. The 26-year-old pitcher will remain hospitalized for a day or two to make sure the problem is fully resolved.

Gee pitched eight innings of one-run ball in Saturday’s 3-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)- San Francisco right-hander Matt Cain, who hurled one of baseball’s two perfect games this season, has been tabbed by NL manager Tony La Russa to start tonight’s All-Star game in Kansas City. AL manager Ron Washington is turning to 2011 Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander to start for the junior circuit.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)- For the second time in four years, Prince Fielder is the king of the Home Run Derby. The Detroit Tigers first baseman outslugged Toronto’s Jose Bautista, the current major league home run leader with 27, to win the final round 12-7.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The batting orders are out and the AL has Derek Jeter leading off and playing shortstop, followed by Yankees teammate Robinson Cano at second base, Texas left fielder Josh Hamilton, Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista, Detroit first baseman Prince Fielder and Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre batting sixth. Boston designated hitter David Ortiz bats seventh, followed by Texas catcher Mike Napoli and Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)- The NL counters with Colorado’s Carlos Gonzalez leading off as the designated hitter, followed by San Francisco center fielder Melky Cabrera, Milwaukee left fielder Ryan Braun, Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto, St. Louis right fielder Carlos Beltran and, Giants catcher Buster Posey batting sixth. San Francisco third baseman Pedro Sandoval bats seventh, followed by Atlanta second baseman Dan Uggla and St. Louis shortstop Rafael Furcal.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Two of baseball’s youngest phenoms — 19-year-old Bryce Harper of Washington and 20-year-old Mike Trout of the L.A. Angels, will be part of the bench strength for each team. Harper is the youngest position player in All-Star history and a key part of the Washington Nationals’ transformation to a first-place team while Trout is leading the American League in hitting.

All-Star Game at Kansas City, MO, 7:15 p.m. (LISTEN LIVE on ESPN Radio 1410)

The North Platte First Nationals play their final home game of the season tonight as they host the Buckley Bombers. The First Nationals went 3-2 at the Wild West Festival Tournament in Hays, Kansas over the weekend to improve their overall record to 20-20. Tonight’s game is the first of five games this week for the First Nationals as they gear up for next weekend’s District tournament in Hastings. First pitch from Bill Wood Field tonight is set for 7 PM.

Carlos Gonzalez was eliminated in the first round of the Home Run Derby in Kansas City last night. Gonzalez hit four home runs in his only turn at bat, tying him with Andrew McCutcheon of the Pittsburgh Pirates for fifth overall out of eight participants. The event was won by Detroit’s Prince Fielder. Though CarGo’s derby experience may have been a disappointment, he’ll have another chance to make an impression on a national audience in tonight’s All-Star Game. And thanks to National League manager Tony LaRussa, he’ll get to do so as the first batter of the Midsummer Classic. Gonzalez was selected to bat leadoff and be the designated hitter for the National League squad tonight. ESPN Radio 1410 will have the broadcast of the 83^rd Major League Baseball All-Star Game tonight, with pregame coverage getting underway at 6 PM.

Nebraska football got its highest profile recruit for the Class of 2013 yesterday with the commitment of Johnny Stanton, a quarterback from Rancho Santa Margarita, California. Stanton, the 13^th member of Bo Pelini’s class, led his high school team to a California state title last season. He has been selected for the ESPN/Nike Elite 11 camp, one of 25 quarterbacks across the country to be so honored. Stanton is the first quarterback to commit to Nebraska in the 2013 class.

Husker senior running back Rex Burkhead was named to the pre-season watch list for the Maxwell Award yesterday. The Maxwell Award has been presented to the nation’s outstanding football player since 1937. Burkhead is one of 65 players to make the watch list. Last season, Burkhead carried the load for the Nebraska offense, rushing for 1,357 yards and scoring 17 total touchdowns. The Maxwell Award semifinalists are announced October 29.

Chris Phipps represented the Huskers at the North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-23 Championships over the weekend in Guanajuato, Mexico. A native of Patterson, New Jersey, Phipps finished first in the triple jump with a leap of 53-1 1/2. The mark tied his personal best jump. Phipps became a five-time All American at Nebraska by earning second-team honors in his senior season this spring.

MIAMI (AP) – Dwyane Wade of the NBA champion Miami Heat had surgery Monday on his left knee, and is expected to need up to eight weeks to fully recover.

Wade was bothered by knee pain and swelling throughout the playoffs. He had fluid removed midway through Miami’s second-round series with Indiana and needed treatment several times a week during Miami’s run to the title.

He opted to have the knee surgery early in the offseason in Miami with hopes of being ready for the start of training camp this fall. The surgery forced Wade to withdraw from consideration for the U.S. Olympic team.

Wade played in all 23 Heat playoff games despite the knee problems.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Lance Armstrong is asking a federal court to block the latest doping charges against him.

The seven-time Tour de France winner filed a lawsuit in Austin on Monday. Through his attorneys, he argues the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency violates the constitutional rights of athletes when it brings charges against them, and that USADA should not be allowed to pursue charges Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs during his career.

Armstrong says he’s innocent, and wants a judge to block the case from going forward. USADA says more than 10 former teammates and team officials will testify against Armstrong, who could be banned from the sport for life and stripped of his Tour de France victories if found guilty.

Armstrong faces a Saturday deadline to accept USADA sanctions or send the case to arbitration.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Penske Racing says Sam Hornish Jr. will replace suspended driver AJ Allmendinger this weekend at New Hampshire.

Allmendinger was suspended shortly before Saturday night’s race at Daytona for failing a random drug test. NASCAR and Penske officials have not said what Allmendinger tested positive for, and Allmendinger has made no statement since his suspension.

Allmendinger has until Tuesday to ask for his “B” sample to be tested.

Penske Racing says in a Monday statement that it will continue to work with NASCAR on this matter, but the team will use Hornish in the No. 22 Dodge this weekend.

Hornish was the emergency substitute for Allmendinger on Saturday night. He flew to Daytona from Charlotte and arrived right before the start of the race.

 

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) – Roger Federer is back on top of men’s tennis after posting his seventh Wimbledon title and 17th Grand Slam crown by downing third-seed Andy Murray 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. The loss was dismaying for the host Brits, who were hoping that Scotsman Murray could become the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936 to win Wimbledon.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Baseball’s elite are heading to Kansas City for Tuesday night’s All-Star game. Tonight, the sultans of swat take center stage with the annual Home Run Derby jump-starting the All-Star festivities.

UNDATED (AP) – At the break, the American League division leaders are the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and two-time AL champion Texas Rangers. The National League leaders are three teams that were considered long-shots during spring training: the Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and L.A. Dodgers.

KOHLER, Wis. (AP) – Na Yeon Choi managed to win the U.S. Women’s Open by four shots despite ballooning to a one-over 73 in her final round. Paula Creamer was the top American finisher, a tie for seventh place.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Detroit 7, Kansas City 1
Tampa Bay 7, Cleveland 6
Toronto 11, Chicago White Sox 9
L.A. Angels 6, Baltimore 0
Oakland 2, Seattle 1, 13 innings
Texas 4, Minnesota 3, 13 innings
N.Y. Yankees 7, Boston 3

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Chicago Cubs 7, N.Y. Mets 0
Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 3
Colorado 4, Washington 3
Pittsburgh 13, San Francisco 2
Milwaukee 5, Houston 3, 10 innings
St. Louis 5, Miami 4
Cincinnati 4, San Diego 2
Arizona 7, L.A. Dodgers 1

The Colorado Rockies go into the All-Star Break on a rare high note. A late rally gave the Rockies a 4-3 win over the Washington Nationals, the team with the National League’s best record, in the rubber game of their three-game series in our nation’s capital. The Rockies trailed 3-1 going into the eighth inning, but scored twice in the frame on a pinch-hit home run by Eric Young Jr. and a wild pitch that brought Dexter Fowler home. In the ninth, Jordan Pacheco led off with a double, and after a sacrifice bunt, another wild pitch sent Pacheco scampering plateward with the winning run. Rafael Betancourt notched his fifteenth save of the season, ssaving the win for Rex Brothers. The Rockies go into the All-Star Break with a 33-52 record. Rockies star Carlos Gonzalez will appear in tonight’s Home Run Derby in Kansas City, which can be heard live on ESPN Radio 1410.