SCOREBOARD
Area events
Thursday
DRAG RACING
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Brainerd International Raceway
Sportsman qualifying 9:30 a.m.
Friday
DRAG RACING
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Brainerd International Raceway
Sportsman eliminations 9:15 a.m.; pro qualifying sessions at 2:45 and 5:30 p.m.
Saturday
DRAG RACING
Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Brainerd International Raceway
Sportsman eliminations 9 a.m.; pro qualifying sessions 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
STOCK CAR RACING
BIR/NHRA Nationals Night, presented by Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union, North Central Speedway, Barrows, 6:45 p.m.
TV and radio
Radio guide
WYRQ-FM (92.1), KBLB-FM (93.3), KFML-FM (94.1), KKIN-FM (94.3), KSKK-FM (94.7), 3WI-FM (95.9), KFGI-FM (101.5), KUAL-FM (103.5), KLKS-FM (104.3)
WCCO-AM (830), KWAD-AM (920), KKIN-AM (930), KLTF-AM (960), KVKK-AM (1070), 3WI-AM (1270), KVBR-AM (1340), KLIZ-AM (1380), KNSP-AM (1430)
Thursday
GOLF
1 p.m., TNT: PGA of America, PGA Championship, first round
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL
7 p.m., ESPN2: Playoffs, Southwest Regional Final, teams TBA
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Noon, FSN, KKIN-FM, KLIZ-AM, WYRQ-FM, KNSP-AM, KWAD-AM: Twins vs. Kansas City
NFL FOOTBALL
7 p.m., ESPN: Preseason, Arizona at Pittsburgh
TENNIS
Noon, ESPN2: ATP World Tour, Rogers Cup, round of 16
Baseball
Northwoods League
Final second half
North Division W L GB
Rochester 23 13 -
St. Cloud 19 15 3
Alexandria 18 16 4
Thunder Bay 18 16 4
Brainerd 18 17 4.5
*Mankato 16 19 6.5
Duluth 12 23 10.5
South Division W L GB
LaCrosse 20 14 -
Madison 19 14 .5
Wisconsin 17 16 2.5
Battle Creek 16 18 4
Green Bay 16 18 4
Waterloo 15 20 5.5
*Eau Claire 15 23 7
*First-half champion
Final overall
North Division W L GB
Rochester 42 26 -
Mankato 39 29 3
Alexandria 38 30 4
Brainerd 34 34 8
St. Cloud 32 36 10
Thunder Bay 27 41 15
Duluth 25 43 17
South Division W L GB
LaCrosse 41 27 -
Madison 38 29 2.5
Battle Creek 37 30 3.5
Eau Claire 36 32 5
Wisconsin 30 37 10.5
Green Bay 30 37 10.5
Waterloo 25 43 16
Playoffs
(Best-of-three)
Rochester Honkers vs. Mankato MoonDogs
North Division Playoffs
Game 1: Rochester 3, Mankato 2
Wednesday's game
Game 2: Rochester at Mankato, 7:05 p.m.
Thursday's game
Game 3: Mankato at Rochester, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
LaCrosse Loggers vs. Eau Claire Express
South Division Playoffs
Game 1: LaCrosse 5, Eau Claire 2
Wednesday's game
Game 2: LaCrosse at Eau Claire, 6:35 p.m.
Thursday's game
Game 3: Eau Claire at LaCrosse, 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
League championship series
Game 1: Friday, Aug. 14
Game 2: Saturday, Aug. 15
Game 3: Sunday, Aug. 16 (if necessary)
American League
East Division
W L Pct GB
New York 71 43 .623 -
Boston 65 48 .575 5 1/2
Tampa Bay 61 53 .535 10
Toronto 54 59 .478 16 1/2
Baltimore 47 67 .412 24
Central Division
W L Pct GB
Detroit 59 54 .522 -
Chicago 58 56 .509 1 1/2
Minnesota 55 58 .487 4
Cleveland 49 64 .434 10
Kansas City 44 69 .389 15
West Division
W L Pct GB
Los Angeles 68 44 .607 -
Texas 63 49 .563 5
Seattle 59 54 .522 9 1/2
Oakland 51 63 .447 18
Tuesday's Games
Baltimore 3, Oakland 2
Cleveland 5, Texas 0
N.Y. Yankees 7, Toronto 5
Boston 7, Detroit 5
Kansas City 14, Minnesota 6
L.A. Angels 6, Tampa Bay 0
Chicago White Sox 3, Seattle 1
Wednesday's Games
N.Y. Yankees 4, Toronto 3, 11 innings
Oakland 6, Baltimore 3
L.A. Angels 10, Tampa Bay 5
Texas 5, Cleveland 0
Boston 8, Detroit 2
Minnesota 7, Kansas City 1
Chicago White Sox at Seattle
Thursday's Games
Texas (Feldman 11-4) at Cleveland (Sowers 4-7), 11:05 a.m.
Kansas City (Meche 4-9) at Minnesota (Pavano 10-8), 12:10 p.m.
Detroit (Verlander 12-6) at Boston (Buchholz 1-2), 12:35 p.m.
N.Y. Yankees (Sabathia 12-7) at Seattle (Snell 2-8), 9:10 p.m.
National League
East Division
W L Pct GB
Philadelphia 63 48 .568 -
Atlanta 60 54 .526 4 1/2
Florida 60 54 .526 4 1/2
New York 53 61 .465 11 1/2
Washington 40 74 .351 24 1/2
Central Division
W L Pct GB
St. Louis 64 52 .552 -
Chicago 58 54 .518 4
Houston 56 58 .491 7
Milwaukee 55 57 .491 7
Cincinnati 49 64 .434 13 1/2
Pittsburgh 46 66 .411 16
West Division
W L Pct GB
Los Angeles 69 46 .600 -
Colorado 62 51 .549 6
San Francisco 62 52 .544 6 1/2
Arizona 52 63 .452 17
San Diego 48 66 .421 20 1/2
Tuesday's Games
Florida 9, Houston 8, 11 innings
Atlanta 8, Washington 1
Philadelphia 4, Chicago Cubs 3, 12 innings
San Diego 13, Milwaukee 6
Cincinnati 5, St. Louis 4
Pittsburgh 7, Colorado 3
Arizona 6, N.Y. Mets 2
L.A. Dodgers 9, San Francisco 1
Wednesday's Games
N.Y. Mets 6, Arizona 4
San Francisco 4, L.A. Dodgers 2, 10 innings
Houston 14, Florida 6
Atlanta 6, Washington 2
Philadelphia 12, Chicago Cubs 5
San Diego at Milwaukee, 8:05 p.m.
St. Louis 5, Cincinnati 2
Pittsburgh at Colorado
Thursday's Games
San Diego (Carrillo 0-0) at Milwaukee (M.Parra 7-8), 1:05 p.m.
Philadelphia (Cl.Lee 9-9) at Chicago Cubs (Dempster 6-5), 1:20 p.m.
Pittsburgh (Maholm 6-6) at Colorado (Marquis 12-8), 2:10 p.m.
Houston (Hampton 7-9) at Florida (West 3-4), 6:10 p.m.
Washington (Balester 1-1) at Cincinnati (Arroyo 10-11), 6:10 p.m.
Transactions
BASEBALL
MLB-Suspended Detroit RHP Rick Porcello and Boston 1B Kevin Youkilis for five games each and fined them undisclosed amounts for inciting a bench-clearing incident and fined Detroit RHP Edwin Jackson for aggressive actions during the incident in a game on Aug. 11. Suspended Washington hitting coach Rick Eckstein for one game and fined him an undisclosed amount for his actions in a game on Aug. 11.
American League
CLEVELAND INDIANS-Claimed LHP R.J. Swindle off waivers from Tampa Bay and optioned him to Columbus (IL).
MINNESOTA TWINS-Placed LHP Glen Perkins on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Aug. 9. Purchased the contract of RHP Jeff Manship from Rochester (IL). Transferred RHP Kevin Slowey to the 60-day DL.
National League
HOUSTON ASTROS-Activated 1B Lance Berkman and RHP LaTroy Hawkins from the 15-day DL. Placed LHP Wesley Wright on the 15-day DL. Optioned 2B Matt Kata to Round Rock (PCL).
MILWAUKEE BREWERS-Designated INF/OF Bill Hall for assignment. Purchased the contract of OF Jason Bourgeois and recalled SS Alcides Escobar from Nashville (PCL). Fired pitching coach Bill Castro. Named Chris Bosio interim pitching coach. Optioned SS J.J. Hardy to Nashville.
PITTSBURGH PIRATES-Placed RHP Evan Meek on the 15-day DL. Recalled RHP Steven Jackson from Indianapolis (IL).
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES-Activated RHP Pedro Martinez from the 15-day DL.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS-Placed INF Rich Aurilia on the 15-day DL. Activated OF Nate Schierholtz from the 15-day DL.
FOOTBALL
National Football League
BUFFALO BILLS-Waived DB Dustin Fox.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES-Signed QB Adam DiMichele.
HOCKEY
National Hockey League
EDMONTON OILERS-Agreed to terms with D Ladislav Smid on a two-year contract and F Gilbert Brule and F Ryan Stone on one-year contracts.
SAN JOSE SHARKS-Re-signed G Thomas Greiss to a two-year contract and G Henrik Karlsson to a one-year contract.
Football
NFL preseason
Thursday's Games
Washington at Baltimore, 6:30 p.m.
New England at Philadelphia, 6:30 p.m.
Arizona at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
Dallas at Oakland, 19 p.m.
Friday's Games
St. Louis at N.Y. Jets, 6 p.m.
Minnesota at Indianapolis, 6:30 p.m.
Cincinnati at New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Denver at San Francisco, 9 p.m.
Saturday's Games
Atlanta at Detroit, 3 p.m.
Chicago at Buffalo, 6 p.m.
Tampa Bay at Tennessee, 7 p.m.
Cleveland at Green Bay, 7 p.m.
Houston at Kansas City, 7 p.m.
Seattle at San Diego, 9 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 17
Jacksonville at Miami, 6:30 p.m.
Carolina at N.Y. Giants, 7 p.m.
Basketball
WNBA
Thursday's Game
Indiana at Minnesota, 7 p.m.