Miller and Kildow lead U.S. skiers

Bode Miller won a super-giant slalom Wednesday in Hinterstoder, Austria, 90 minutes after Lindsey Kildow and Julia Mancuso finished 1-2 in a downhill at Val d’Isere, France. Those successes gave the American team five victories and an unprecedented nine top-three results in the last six days.

Miller’s win, his third this season, moved him atop the overall World Cup standings.

“The athletes are feeding off each other in terms of confidence and momentum. It’s pretty cool,” said Jesse Hunt, U.S. Alpine director.

In addition to Miller and Kildow, wins in the last week have come from Mancuso and Steven Nyman. It was the first World Cup victory for each.

The top-three finishes for the U.S. team in the last six days have come in all disciplines -- slalom, giant slalom, super-G and downhill. It is the most impressive streak for the American team since 1983.

Miller finished 0.79 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, Peter Fill of Italy, who equaled his best World Cup result. Hermann Maier of Austria was third in 1 minute 10.70 seconds, his first podium result this season but angrily smashed his poles on the snow in the finish area.

Maier partially dislocated a shoulder in a crash during the warm-up before the race but is expected to compete in today’s giant slalom.

Kildow, who has four consecutive top-three finishes in downhill this season and leads the World Cup standings in that discipline, won in 1:38.06 on the 1.55-mile course.

She was 1.24 seconds faster than Mancuso, who was coming off her first World Cup victory in Tuesday’s downhill. Anja Paerson of Sweden finished third Wednesday in 1:39.50.

“Over the past couple of years we have been building steam and building confidence,” Kildow said. “I think it’s just going to keep building. It’s just all a mental game.”

Kildow, who did not compete at Lake Louise, Canada, the previous weekend because of a stomach problem, said she was regaining her form.

“I feel my energy is coming back after my illness,” she said.

Chad Hedrick won the 10,000 meters in a head-to-head duel with Shani Davis in the event’s final pairing, but it didn’t stop Davis from winning his fourth consecutive men’s U.S. Allround Long Track Speedskating Championship at West Allis, Wis.

Hedrick, of Spring, Texas, finished in 13:38.22 to 13:40.43 for Davis, of Chicago, who finished with 151.740 points in the four races to beat Hedrick for the title by 1.944 points.

Catherine Raney of Elm Grove, Wis., won the 1,500 in 2:04.07 and the 5,000 in 7:20.02 to earn her second consecutive and fifth overall U.S. Allround women’s title.

She had 169.588 points and beat Anna Ringsred of Duluth, Minn., by 2.160 points.

BASEBALL

Average salary at nearly $2.7 million

Baseball salaries were booming even before the free-agent escalation of the last 5 1/2 weeks.

The average salary shot up 9% this year to $2,699,292, according to figures released by the Major League Baseball Players Assn. The increase was the highest since a 12.8% rise in 2001 and makes it probable the $3-million mark will be surpassed next year or in 2008.

The New York Yankees had the highest average salary for the eighth consecutive season, but their average dropped to $6.95 million from a record $7.39 million the previous year.

Houston was second at $4.28 million, up from ninth place in 2005. Boston was third at $3.99 million, down from $4.17 million the previous season, followed by the New York Mets ($3.86 million), the Chicago White Sox ($3.81 million) and the World Series champion St. Louis Cardinals ($3.78 million).

The Dodgers were eighth at $3.47 million and the Angels were 10th at $3.0 million.

A 38-year-old Chicago man was charged with stealing the identities of 27 Lake County residents, and is suspected of stealing the identities of nearly 90 baseball players, according to authorities in Lake County, Ill.

A search Tuesday of David Dright’s home turned up personal information on retired and current players, including White Sox slugger Jim Thome and Mets outfielder Moises Alou, authorities said.

The information apparently came from trash bins outside SFX Baseball Inc., a sports agency in Northbrook, Ill., that represents major and minor league players.

Bond was set at $250,000. Dright is in custody in the Lake County Jail and it was not clear whether he had an attorney.

Minnesota and outfielder Rondell White finalized a $2.75-million, one-year contract.... Atlanta and free-agent infielder-outfielder Chris Woodward agreed to an $850,000, one-year contract. Woodward played the last two seasons with the Mets.... Catcher-first baseman Robert Fick and Washington agreed to terms on a minor league contract. Fick has played with five teams over nine seasons.... Journeyman catcher Einar Diaz, who played three games with the Dodgers last season, signed a minor league contract with Pittsburgh.... Kansas City and reliever David Riske, who split last season between the White Sox and Boston, agreed to a one-year contract.... The Seibu Lions of Japan’s Pacific League said it had received the $51.1 million that Boston bid for the right to negotiate with pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Georgia Tech’s Ball ruled ineligible

Reggie Ball, who has taken nearly every snap at quarterback for Georgia Tech this season, was ruled academically ineligible for the Gator Bowl game against West Virginia on Jan. 1.

Ball, a senior, had 1,820 yards passing and 20 touchdowns.

Jim Grobe, who guided Wake Forest (11-2) to first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference without the starting quarterback and top tailback, was selected coach of the year by the Associated Press.

Wake Forest set a school record for victories and won the ACC for the first time in 36 years.

The Demon Deacons (11-2) play Louisville (11-1) in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 2.

Robb Akey, defensive coordinator at Washington State since 2003, was hired as the coach at Idaho.

MISCELLANY

Nowak reportedly out at D.C. United

D.C. United and Peter Nowak are parting ways after three seasons, with assistant Tom Soehn becoming the new coach, a Major League Soccer official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t announced the move.

Nowak, whose contract was expiring, leaves with a 42-27-25 record. He led the team to the 2004 MLS Cup title in his first season.

Two-time major winners John Daly, Bernhard Langer and Mark O’Meara have been awarded sponsor’s exemptions for golf’s Bob Hope Chrysler Classic on Jan. 16-21 at Palm Desert.

Other sponsor’s exemptions were issued to Tommy Armour III, Brent Geiberger and Anthony Kim.

Koki Kameda (13-0, 10 knockouts) of Japan defeated Juan Landaeta (20-5, 16) of Venezuela by unanimous decision at Tokyo to retain the World Boxing Assn. light-flyweight title.

Jockeys Jorge Bracho, Derek Bell, Luis Castillo, Jose Delgado, Terry Houghton, Joseph Judice and Ricardo Valdes were barred indefinitely from working at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla., pending an investigation into an undisclosed matter.