Yanks continue struggling against Angels

NEW YORK - Once again, the hits came in a hurry for the Los Angeles Angels. Gary Matthews Jr. lined a two-run triple that gave the Angels yet another fast start and Kelvim Escobar made the early lead stand up, beating the New York Yankees 3-1 Saturday.
ADVERTISEMENT The AL West leaders took a familiar route, rushing to a 3-0 edge off Chien-Ming Wang before Escobar threw a pitch. They've now outscored opponents by an impressive 52-19 in first innings this season.
"You get your 1-2 guys on base, it's a recipe for a treacherous first inning," Matthews said.
Los Angeles won for the eighth time in 10 games and did it without manager Mike Scioscia, who was back in California for his son's high school graduation. Bench coach Ron Roenicke ran the team, and will do it again Sunday when the Angels go for the sweep.
The quick burst made it an easier afternoon for Roenicke.
"I can look at things a little differently," he said. "I can be more aggressive."
The Yankees lost for the sixth time in nine games. After Boston won Saturday night, the Yankees fell 11 1/2 games back for first time since after play on Sept. 17, 1995
"As soon as you put this uniform on, there's pressure. I don't understand what more pressure is," manager Joe Torre said. "We certainly haven't played up to our expectations, and we're all accountable."
New York fans were restless from the get-go, and started booing after Matthews tripled and Casey Kotchman followed with an RBI single. Pitching coach Ron Guidry went to the mound at that point and Wang (3-4) settled down, but it was too late.
"I wasn't thinking about the lead, I was staying with the gameplan," Escobar said. "It definitely helps, though, with the lineup they have."
Escobar (6-2) struck out eight, getting many of them in key spots. He limited the Yankees to one run and six hits in seven innings.
"For some reason we have good results here," he said. "When you play in Yankee Stadium, you know the atmosphere and crowd is going to get to a different level."
Scot Shields worked around a leadoff walk in the eighth, getting Alex Rodriguez to ground into a double play.
Francisco Rodriguez came on in the ninth and allowed a two-out single to pinch-hitter Johnny Damon, then a single to Melky Cabrera, before striking out Bobby Abreu for his 15th save in 16 chances.
For the second straight day, the Angels were sharp on defense. Rookie left fielder Reggie Willits made the best play, hanging on a wall in foul territory to catch Doug Mientkiewicz's fly.
Willits, who missed the previous two games because of a tight hamstring, began the game with a walk and moved up when Orlando Cabrera grounded out on a hit-and-run. Vladimir Guerrero singled and Matthews hit a drive up the alley in left-center.
Kotchman singled hard, and finished with three hits for the second day in a row.
The Angels threatened to break it open in the second after an intentional walk to Guerrero loaded the bases for Matthews with two outs. He hit a hard liner and Cabrera got turned around before recovering to make the catch.
"I really wanted that one," Matthews said.
Rodriguez led off the Yankees fourth with a single and scored on a single by Mientkiewicz.
Wang lasted eight innings and struck out a season-high six. Eager to get Mariano Rivera some work, the Yankees brought in their closer to pitch the ninth.

Damned if they do, damned if they don't — that was the conundrum facing Linkin Park when it came time to deliver Minutes to Midnight, their third album. It had been four years since their last, 2003's Meteora, which itself was essentially a continuation of the rap-rock of their 2000 debut, Hybrid Theory, the blockbuster that was one of the biggest rock hits of the new millennium. On that album, Linkin Park sounded tense and nervous, they sounded wiry — rap-rock without the maliciousness that pulsed through mook-rockers like Limp Bizkit. Linkin Park seemed to come by their alienation honestly, plus they had hooks and a visceral power that connected with millions of listeners, many of whom who were satisfied by the familiarity of Meteora. They may have been able to give their fans more of the same on their sophomore effort, but Linkin Park couldn't do the same thing on their third record: they would seem like one-trick ponies, so they'd be better off to acknowledge their advancing age and try to mature, or broaden their sonic palette. Yet like many other hard rockers, they were the kind of band whose audience either didn't want change or outgrew the group — and considering that it had been a full seven years between Hybrid Theory and Minutes to Midnight, many fans who were on the verge of getting their drivers license in 2000 were now leaving college and, along with it, adolescent angst.So, Linkin Park decided to embrace the inevitable and jumped head-first into maturity on Minutes to Midnight, which meant that poor Mike Shinoda is effectively benched, rapping on just two songs. In many ways, it seems like even the guitarists are benched this time around, since Minutes to Midnight doesn't really rock, it broods. Apart from a handful of ringers — "Given Up," the Shinoda-fueled "Bleed It Out," easily the best, most visceral track here — this is quiet, atmospheric stuff, dabbling with electronic textures that were cutting edge in 1996 but sound passé now. Also sounding passé are the tortured musings of lead singer Chester Bennington, who still is tormented by love, loss, family, any number of items that sound convincing coming from a man in his early twenties, but not so much so when thirties are approaching rapidly. And yet the way Bennington and his mates, shepherded by producer Rick Rubin, try to sound mature isn't convincing either, possibly because it sounds like a skate punk uncomfortably trying on his big brother's suit, but more likely because the band does not have the writing skills to make these subdued songs work. They have the chops to rock, and when they deign to do so on Minutes to Midnight they sound comfortable, they sound right, but too often they run away from this core strength, opting to create a muddled, colorless murk instead. That may be change, but it's not quite growth.

The beautiful bourn is in the city. The bourn is so clean and beautiful. It can see your reflected image in the bourn. Next the bourns suffuse old trees. The tree is very tall. There is a boat on the bourn. In the boat have a couple. They took a trip for their honeymoon. They live another country. The couple live in the U.S. They knew each other in high school. They fall in love very soon. After their high school graduate, the man to make an offer of marriage. They have the same interest is took a trip. They pay a little money to take a boat. The punter is very amorous. He took them around the city. The city is around the water. They take one hours to visit the city. They have a good time in their honeymoon.

Peter Parker has finally managed to strike a balance between his devotion to M.J. and his duties as a superhero. But there is a storm brewing on the horizon. When his suit suddenly changes, turning jet-black and enhancing his powers, it transforms Peter as well, bringing out the dark, vengeful side of his personality that he is struggling to control. Under the influence of the suit, Peter becomes overconfident and starts to neglect the people who care for him most. Forced to choose between the seductive power of the new suit and the compassionate hero he used to be, Peter must overcome his personal demons as two of the most-feared villains yet, Sandman and Venom, gather unparalleled power and a thirst for retribution to threaten Peter and everyone he loves.

Activists: U.S. to reject climate deal

LONDON - The United States is preparing to reject new targets on climate change at a Group of Eight summit next month, dashing German and British hopes for a new global pact on carbon emissions, according to comments on a document released by the environmental group Greenpeace.
ADVERTISEMENT The White House on Saturday declined to confirm the comments were from U.S. officials, but said discussions continued about what the G-8 leaders will say.
"Our challenge and opportunity is in developing an approach that is appropriate and conducive to all these major emitting countries," said Dana Perino, a White House spokeswoman.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, holding the rotating presidency of both the G-8 bloc of industrialized nations and the European Union, wants the June meeting to agree to targets for cuts in greenhouse gas output and a timetable for a major agreement on emissions reduction to succeed the Kyoto Protocol.
But unattributed comments written on a draft summit communique, which Greenpeace said were written by U.S. officials and handed to it by an undisclosed third party, suggest the White House has major reservations.
"The U.S. still has serious, fundamental concerns about this draft statement," the notes on the document read. "The treatment of climate change runs counter to our overall position and crosses multiple 'red lines' in terms of what we simply cannot agree to."
The 27 EU members have agreed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2020 — building on Kyoto, which runs through 2012 — and by 30 percent if a broader international agreement can be reached.
Though Merkel and outgoing British leader Tony Blair — who made climate change a key priority for his final weeks in office — have pressed President Bush to back a new agreement, the document claimed the White House is "fundamentally opposed" to many of the European objectives.
The U.S., the world's biggest polluter, did not ratify the Kyoto agreement through which developed countries agreed to cut emissions by 5 percent below their 1990 level by 2012.
Merkel is seeking to win agreements for a global reduction in emissions of 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 and bold commitments to energy efficiency strategies at the summit in Heiligendamm, on Germany's Baltic Sea coast, June 6-8.
The draft communique also included a commitment to curb the rise in average temperatures this century to 3.6 degrees, said Greenpeace — which has published two leaked versions of the document. Without significant efforts, the rise is estimated to rise as much as 11 degrees, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Following talks in Washington with Bush on May 17, Blair said he believed "it is possible that we will see action — and at least the beginnings of that action at the G-8."
On Saturday, Perino said G-8 nations agree that climate change, sustainable development, economic growth and energy security must be addressed at the same time.
"It's important to note there is a lot that we agree on," she said. "All G-8 countries are committed to pursuing an agreement. We just come at it from different perspectives."
James Turner, a Greenpeace spokesman, said the group was confident the leaked comments were made by a U.S. official. "The document is from a stable and trusted source," he said.
Merkel on Thursday acknowledged negotiations could be problematic. "On the international level, the array of interests is more contradictory," she said. "I don't yet know, if there will be a success in Heiligendamm," where the G-8 summit is being held.
The comments Greenpeace attributed to U.S. officials said the White House had "never agreed to any of the climate language present" in the draft communique.
"We have tried to 'tread lightly' but there is only so far we can go given our fundamental opposition to the German position," read the comments.
Germany's minister for the environment, Sigmar Gabriel, warned in remarks released Saturday that the U.S. stance could create problems for successful talks at the upcoming G-8 summit.
"Discussions will be more than difficult," Gabriel told the Frankfurter Allgemeine's Sunday edition. "Although many in the USA would like to see a different policy toward global warming, the administration in Washington has not embraced this movement. For that reason, success in Heiligendamm will be very difficult."

LONDON (AFP) - Los Angeles Galaxy general manager Alexei Lalas has said he is concerned David Beckham's recall to the England team might interfere with his appearances for his new Major League Soccer club.
ADVERTISEMENT Beckham signed a five-year, 250-million-dollar deal with the Californian club earlier this season when he was out of favour with the England team.
However England coach Steve McClaren has decided to recall the former England skipper for matches against Brazil on Friday at Wembley and then a Euro 2008 qualifier in Estonia the following Wednesday.
England have four crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers during September and October and that would put Beckham out of domestic action for the Major League Soccer outfit.
Galaxy have sold thousands of season tickets on the back of his arrival, but Beckham's surprise recall could mean he could be on duty for England against Israel, Russia twice and Estonia instead of playing in the MLS.
Lalas admits they are concerned over Beckham's international situation from a business point of view, and hinted he may not be released for any non-competitive games.
Lalas, speaking on BBC Radio Five's Sportsweek programme, said: "From a business perspective it is not the greatest news because we are selling the team with David Beckham and a lot of people are excited to see him play with the Galaxy.
"We will deal with it from a business perspective, but for us to say one of our players is representing England internationally is a great thing.
"There are business challenges but there is an educated public here when it comes to this international game we play. We recognise that when we are going out and getting these stars, they have responsibilities domestically and internationally.
"It is no different than when our American players are called up to play in different tournaments. We lose them at different times and we deal with it on the field and off it.
"I don't want to stand in the way of a player representing his country but we have to be prudent and understand they have to be the appropriate games. I would think they would have to be competitive matches.
"If it works out scheduling wise, we would be happy to let him go. But he has a responsibility on and off the field to our organisation and to our support. I think he is excited about pursuing that responsibility."
The Galaxy chief added: "He recognises that responsibility to the Galaxy and to the sport in the United States. I represented my country and I know what it means. It is something above money, it is something you take with you forever."

Maroon 5's 2002 debut album, Songs About Jane, was the kind of hit that doesn't happen often in the new millennium — a genuine word-of-mouth hit whose popularity grew steadily after its release, largely due to the sweet, sunny hit "This Love," a song sly and catchy enough to stay on the adult pop charts for years without wearing out its welcome. It also was catchy enough to engender years of goodwill. Five years of goodwill, in fact, as the band toured heavily while slowly tinkering away on their second album, finally delivering It Won't Be Soon Before Long (its title perhaps a pun on the gap between records, perhaps not) half a decade after Songs About Jane. If that delay sounds like a symptom of sophomore jitters, that's not exactly true, since during that long stretch between albums Maroon 5 worked Songs About Jane and, in a sense, that album wasn't strictly their first album, either. Maroon 5 evolved out of Kara's Flowers, a post-grunge pop band whose 1997 debut never took off, not even when their debut was reissued in the wake of Maroon's success, but it did provide the group with the foundation for their success; it's where they paid their dues and learned how to be a pop band. Traces of Kara's Flowers could be heard in Maroon's rockier moments on their debut, but under their new name, the group began to develop an infatuation with blue-eyed soul-pop, which they wisely develop on It Won't Be Soon Before Long. More than develop, they modernize it, borrowing elements of Justin Timberlake's stylized synthesized soul, but Adam Levine is wise enough to know that he's no young colt, like JT. He knows that he's a pop guy, somewhat in the tradition of Hall & Oates, but he isn't trying to be retro, he's trying to fill that void, making records that are melodic, stylish, and soulful, which It Won't Be Soon Before Long certainly is. In every respect, It Won't Be Soon is a bigger album than its predecessor: hooks pile up one after another, there's not an ounce of fat on the songs, the production is so immaculate that it glistens. If there were lingering elements of Maroon 5's alt-rock past on Songs About Jane — primarily in its lazy, hazy vibe — they're gone now, replaced by the sleek, assured sound of a band that's eager to embrace its status as the big American mainstream pop band of the decade. But Maroon 5 isn't desperately grasping at the brass ring, they're playing it smart, building upon the core strengths of their debut and crafting a record that's designed to appeal to many different listeners, from teens crushing on Nelly Furtado's R&B makeover to adults looking for something smooth and melodic. It Won't Be Soon Before Long appeals to both audiences with an ease that seems effortless, but like any modern blockbuster, this album was shepherded by several different teams of producers, all brought in to emphasize a different personality within the group. The bulk of the record was cut with Spike Stent and Mike Elizondo — Stent worked with U2, Oasis, Björk, and Gwen Stefani, while Elizondo had produced Fiona Apple and Pink — but Queens of the Stone Age producer Eric Valentine was brought in for a couple of cuts, as was Mark Endert, who mixed "This Love." There may have been three different sets of producers, but the album is streamlined and seamless, never seeming calculated even if it was clearly made with an eye on mass appeal, and there are two reasons for that. First, Maroon 5 has gelled as a band, developing a clean, crisp attack that may bear traces of its influences — there are knowing references to Prince, the Police, even OutKast sprinkled throughout (the keyboard on "Little of Your Time" is a direct nod to "Hey Ya") — but it's a sound that's instantly identifiable as the band's own signature. Nowhere is that more evident than in how they can give soulful grooves like "If I Never See Your Face Again" a rock edge — or how they can suddenly explode into shards of noise as they do on the coda of "Kiwi" — or how when the electronic instruments dominate the production, the music still breathes like the work of an actual band, not like something that was constructed on a computer. But like with any good blue-eyed soul, the reason that this album works is the songs themselves. Even the flashiest production-driven tracks here — the opening one-two punch of "If I Never See Your Face Again" and "Makes Me Wonder" — aren't about feel; they're about the songs, which are uniformly tight and tuneful, sounding better with repeated plays, the way any radio-oriented pop should. If some of the ballads aren't as distinguished as the livelier tracks, they nevertheless are as sharply crafted as the rest, and the end result is that It Won't Be Soon Before Long is that rare self-stylized blockbuster album that sounds as big and satisfying as was intended.