INDOOR SOCCER

The Baltimore Blast stretched the Major Soccer League’s European victory streak to four Wednesday by defeating Sheffield Wednesday, 8-3, in the Transatlantic Challenge in front of a sellout crowd of 8,206 at the Sheffield Arena in England.

The victory is perhaps the MSL’s most impressive since it began regular international play last year. Sheffield Wednesday, which features U.S. national team player John Harkes, is the defending English Cup League champion.

“Hopefully this will start something over there and they’ll want to beat the Yankees,” said Earl Foreman, MSL commissioner, noting Europeans long have dismissed American soccer as inferior.

Rusty Troy and Jean Harbor, both Americans, and Dominic Mobilio, a Canadian, scored two goals each for the Blast.

BOWLING

Jess Stayrook of San Diego averaged 248 for 12 games to grab the second-round lead in the PBA Quaker State Open at Grand Prairie, Tex.

The three-time PBA champion, who won twice last year, rolled a 300 game en route to a 2,984 pinfall total. He’ll defend next week’s Flagship City Open tournament in Erie, Pa.