AP - Coach Ken Hitchcock signed a three-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets on Wednesday, saying he welcomes the chance to turn the only team not to make the playoffs into winners.

AP - Jose Lopez hit a three-run double, Adrian Beltre drove in two runs and the Seattle Mariners ended a three-game slide with a 6-4 victory over the Oakland Athletics on a warm Wednesday night.

AP - Packers coach Mike McCarthy was grilled about rumors of a Brett Favre comeback Wednesday — not by the media, but by kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay.

AP - Cardinals left-hander Mark Mulder left his comeback start against the Philadelphia Phillies with more pain in his shoulder after throwing only 16 pitches and recording one out in the first inning on Wednesday night.

AP - Josh Hamilton hit a two-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting the Texas Rangers over the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 Wednesday night.

AP - Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run double as the Boston Red Sox followed an overturned triple-play call with seven runs in the seventh inning to beat the Minnesota Twins 18-5 on Wednesday and complete a three-game sweep.

AP - From his seat in the bright orange No. 20, Tony Stewart spent a decade driving his way to superstardom while helping Joe Gibbs Racing become one of NASCAR's top teams.

AP - Elton Brand believed his career would end as an L.A. Story. Forced by a contract ultimatum Brand would not accept, the would-be movie mogul and two-time NBA All-Star instead opted to take his production east and see his name roll on the credits of Philadelphia's roster.

AFP - French striker David Trezeguet has announced his retirement from international football following news that Raymond Domenech is to stay on as national coach, the Gazzetta dello sport reported on their website Wednesday.

Reuters - The Indiana Pacers have brought in seven new players after multi-player trades with Toronto and Portland.