Reds’ Stenson Shot and Killed in Arizona

Cincinnati Reds’ outfielder Dernell Stenson was found dead Wednesday on a residential street after he was shot and apparently run over in Chandler, Ariz., police said.

Chandler police said the death was being treated as a homicide.

A man was being held by police for questioning. No charges had been filed as of early evening.

Stenson, 25, made his major league debut this season and played 37 games for the Reds. He hit .247 with three home runs and 13 RBIs.

“We extend our prayers and deepest sympathies to Dernell’s family and his friends, teammates and coaches,” Red spokesman Rob Butcher said.

Stenson was in the Phoenix area playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League.

His body was found after police received a call about 1:45 a.m. that shots had been fired. Witnesses told police a black sport utility vehicle was seen leaving the area.

About 3:45 a.m., Mesa police found a vehicle matching the description -- it was registered to Stenson. The man found driving the vehicle was being held by Chandler police.

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Dodger reliever Eric Gagne was selected the outstanding pitcher in the National League in balloting conducted by the Major League Baseball Players’ Assn. St. Louis outfielder Albert Pujols was voted player of the year and outstanding player in the NL. Texas shortstop Alex Rodriguez was voted the outstanding player in the American League and Toronto right-hander Roy Halladay was voted the outstanding pitcher in the AL.

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Atlanta pitcher Mike Hampton ended teammate Greg Maddux’s league record run of 13 consecutive NL Gold Gloves, and Florida second baseman Luis Castillo and first baseman Derrek Lee won for the first time. St. Louis had four winners: third baseman Scott Rolen, shortstop Edgar Renteria, outfielder Jim Edmonds and catcher Mike Matheny. Outfielders Andruw Jones of Atlanta and Jose Cruz Jr. of San Francisco also were chosen.

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Right-hander Trevor Hoffman and San Diego agreed to a one-year contract for $2.5 million and a chance to make another $500,000 in incentives.... Ryan Madsen pitched five scoreless innings and the United States cruised to a 3-0 victory over Panama for its third consecutive victory in the Americas pre-Olympic baseball tournament at Panama City.

Jurisprudence

The government’s bribery case against two Salt Lake City Olympic bid executives suffered a setback when a judge in Salt Lake City threw out what prosecutors considered a strong piece of evidence.

U.S. District Judge David Sam excluded the 28-page “geld file,” a gossipy dossier of International Olympic Committee delegates that listed their personal and family needs and standing in the organization that awarded Salt Lake City the 2002 Winter Games. Geld is German for money.

The vote-buying scandal resulted in the expulsion or resignations of 10 IOC members and led to 15 felony charges against bid chief Tom Welch, 59, or deputy Dave Johnson, 44.

Sam said the authenticity of the geld file and other documents was in doubt. Prosecutors couldn’t show who created or modified the documents or whether Welch or Johnson, who are on trial, ever saw them.

Paul Newey, who managed computer services for the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, testified the document turned up on discarded computer disks found in a storage room, inside boxes that contained old computer parts and software.

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The widow of NFL running back Fred Lane was sentenced in Charlotte, N.C., to seven years and 11 months in prison for shooting her husband to death three years ago as he walked in the front door. Deidra Lane, 28, pleaded guilty in August to voluntary manslaughter.

Tennis

Top-ranked Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi were drawn into separate round-robin groups for the Masters Cup, which starts Monday and runs through Nov. 16 at Houston.

Roddick will play Guillermo Coria of Argentina, Rainer Schuettler of Germany and Carlos Moya of Spain in round-robin play. Agassi will play Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, Roger Federer of Switzerland and David Nalbandian of Argentina.

Miscellany

The PGA Tour could leave Las Vegas after a 21-year run if a title sponsor is not found, Commissioner Tim Finchem said.

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Former Indy Racing League champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Kenny Brack was in an Indianapolis hospital after additional surgery on his broken back and right ankle, which he injured in a crash last month at Texas Motor Speedway.

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Olympic women’s ski champion Janica Kostelic of Croatia is taking medication for a thyroid problem and might sit out the World Cup season.... The U.S. defeated Finland, 8-0, in the Four Nations Cup women’s hockey tournament at Skara, Sweden.

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Defending Big West Conference men’s basketball champion UC Santa Barbara was picked by conference coaches to win the title again this season.

The Gauchos, who have four starters returning from an 18-14 team, had six of the 10 first-place votes, with Utah State picking up three and UC Irvine one. Utah State was chosen to finish second and Irvine third.

Santa Barbara was a near-unanimous pick in the women’s race with Long Beach State, which had the other first-place vote, picked to finished third behind Pacific.