U.S. Ousted From Baseball World Cup

The United States was eliminated from the Baseball World Cup with an 11-3 loss to defending champion Cuba in the quarterfinals Wednesday in Amsterdam.

Cuba has won the tournament 11 of the 12 times it has been held. The U.S. fielded a team of professionals not on major league rosters.

In the semifinals, Cuba will play Panama, which beat Nicaragua, 2-1. In other quarterfinals, South Korea defeated Japan, 5-1, and the Netherlands downed Puerto Rico, 10-0.

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Tennis

Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport reached the quarterfinals of the Wismilak International with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Rija Fujiwara in Bali, Indonesia. Fourth-seeded Francesca Schiavone beat Laura Pous Tio, 6-3, 6-2, and seventh-seeded Na Li downed Zi Yan, 6-3, 6-4.

Top-seeded Mariano Puerta beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 6-2, 6-4, to reach the quarterfinals of the BCR Open in Bucharest, Romania. Second-seeded Filippo Volandri was eliminated, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3, by Florent Serra.

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Pro Basketball

The New Jersey Nets moved closer to getting their new home in Brooklyn when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority voted to sell an 8.3-acre railyard to team owner Bruce Ratner. Ratner will pay $100 million for the site where urban planner Robert Moses once turned down the Dodgers’ push for a domed stadium, helping prompt the team’s move to Los Angeles in 1957. The Nets plan to open the arena in November 2008.

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Miscellany

Robbie Loomis stepped down as Jeff Gordon’s crew chief, four days after the team failed to make NASCAR’s Chase for the championship. Loomis will join Petty Enterprises as vice president of race operations. Steve Letarte, who has been with Gordon’s team for three of his NASCAR titles, will replace Loomis.

Harry Kuenniger has been suspended indefinitely and fined $500 in connection with his actions during a figure 8 race Saturday at Irwindale Speedway, according to Robert DeFazio, the track’s vice president and chief operating officer.

Cars driven by Kuenniger and Jesse James hooked during the race, prompting Kuenniger to drive his car into James’ at least twice. The two later fought after getting out of their cars.

Kuenniger was taken from the track in an Irwindale Police Department patrol car, but no arrests were made, police said.

Kuenniger’s fine will be donated to the American Red Cross, DeFazio said.

Meg Mallon, 42, who made the clinching putt when the Americans won the Solheim Cup, was released from an Indianapolis hospital after being treated for a rapid heart rate.

Anita DeFrantz, president of the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles, was among eight new members named to the Knight Foundation Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. She is also a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee and International Olympic Committee.