DiMaggio, the younger brother of New York Yankees Hall of famer Joe DiMaggio, spent his entire 10-plus year major league career with the Red Sox , teaming up with Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky and Bobby Doerr.

The center fielder and leadoff hitter was a seven-time All Star who still holds the team consecutive-game hitting streak record with 34 in 1949.

Alex Rodriguez announced his return to the Yankees by hitting a three-run homer on the first pitch of his late-starting season, CC Sabathia pitched a four-hitter and New York ended a five-game losing streak by defeating the Baltimore Orioles 4-0.

As a dozen fans waved plastic foam syringes a few rows behind the plate, A-Rod stepped into a fastball and sent it soaring into the left-field seats. It was his 554th career home run.

BASKETBALL

Pitino not leaving Louisville

Louisville says coach Rick Pitino is not interested in returning to the NBA. The university insists there is no truth to a Yahoo! Sports report that said Pitino had inquired about the Sacramento Kings' vacant coaching job. A Louisville spokesman said Pitino was in his office but did not feel it necessary to address the situation.

Pitino has coached two NBA teams. He went 90-74 with the New York Knicks from 1987 to 1989 and 102-146 with the Boston Celtics from 1997 to 2001.

HOCKEY

Penguins even their series, 2-2

The Pittsburgh Penguins finally discovered a few holes in rookie goalie Simeon Varlamov's game, and his glove, and are now in a familiar position in the playoffs against Washington.

The Penguins shook off an opening-minute Washington goal, scored three times in less than 12 minutes in the first period against a suddenly vulnerable Varlamov and beat the Capitals 5-3 to even the Eastern Conference semifinals at two games each.

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock says forward Tomas Kopecky is out for Game 5 against the Anaheim Ducks. Babcock and the Red Wings arrived home Friday after beating Anaheim 6-3 to even the series. Kopecky sustained facial injuries during a fight with Francois Beauchemin in the third period of Game 4. He was to be evaluated.

Canada beat Sweden 3-1 at the hockey world championships Friday to set up a rematch of last year's final against Russia.

Canada goaltender and former UMass Lowell player Dwayne Roloson had 22 saves for the win.

The United States lost to Russia 3-2 in the semifinals of the world hockey championships, beaten on a power-play goal with less than two minutes left. Russia's Konstantin Gorovikov scored the winner with 1:47 to go.

Former UMass Lowell River Hawk Ron Hainsey had an assist for the U.S.

GOLF

Cejka leads Players Championship

Alex Cejka ran off three straight birdies and kept right on going, shooting 5-under 67 to build a four-shot lead midway through the second round of The Players Championship.

Tiger Woods was among the late starters in steaming conditions at the TPC Sawgrass, but perhaps the most daunting sight was seeing the 38-year-old Cejka at 11-under 133 and no one particularly close.