Malisse rallies past Blake to win title

Xavier Malisse rallied past top-seeded James Blake, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, completing the rain-delayed final in the wind for his second Delray Beach International title at Delray Beach, Fla.

The third-seeded Malisse trailed, 7-5, 3-3, when play ended Sunday night. When the two returned Monday, the conditions were windy and Malisse made the adjustment quicker and better than Blake.

“I have to tell you, if we would have played yesterday, I probably would have lost,” Malisse said. “He was hitting it hard yesterday and really clean. Today with the wind it slowed down his ball a little bit.”

Dinara Safina defeated Michaella Krajicek, 6-4, 7-5, in the opening round of the Gaz de France at Paris. In the only other first-round match, Emilie Loit beat Eleni Daniilidou, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (1), 6-4.

Mara Santangelo rallied for a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 win over Jarmila Gajdosova in the first round of the Pattaya Open at Bangkok, Thailand.

BASEBALL

Brewers, Hall agree

to a four-year deal

Bill Hall and the Milwaukee Brewers agreed to a $24-million, four-year contract.

Hall, who is slated to play center field for the Brewers, gets a $500,000 signing bonus, $3 million this year, $4.8 million in 2008, $6.8 million in 2009 and $8.4 million in 2010. The Brewers have a $9.25-million option for 2011 with a $500,000 buyout.

Cincinnati relief pitcher Eddie Guardado, recovering from surgery on his throwing arm, agreed to a minor league contract....Rick Helling is retiring after pitching in the major leagues for 12 years, highlighted by a 20-win season....Serguey Linares, a former pitcher in Cuba’s national league, agreed to a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates and was invited to spring training. The 23-year-old right-hander had a career record of 7-20 with a 5.59 earned-run average in 37 career games.

MISCELLANY

Oregon, Bellotti agree

to five-year extension

Oregon football Coach Mike Bellotti has agreed to a five-year contract extension.

Bellotti, 56, gets a salary of $150,000 a year, with a guaranteed base of $650,000 in compensation that includes a car, country club membership and TV contract, a university spokesman said.

Vin Scully was a double winner at the Southern California Sports Broadcasters annual awards luncheon at Lakeside Golf Club in Toluca Lake. Scully won awards for best play-by-play announcer on radio and television.

It was the eighth time Scully, the voice of the Dodgers, has won both awards in the 16 years the group has honored local sportscasters.

Other winners were Stu Lantz, for television commentary; Paul McDonald, radio commentary; Lee Hamilton, radio talk show host; Jose Mota and Fernando Valenzuela, who shared foreign-language broadcaster honors; Channel 4, best television anchor staff; and KNX, best radio anchor staff.

Scully also introduced former Dodgers owner Peter O’Malley, who was presented with a lifetime achievement award. Bill Redell, the football coach at state champion Westlake Village Oaks Christian High, was also given a lifetime achievement award.

Other special awards went to Dodgers broadcaster Rick Monday, former Kings star Luc Robitaille, former UCLA associate sports information director Bill Bennett, and Angels vice president of communications Tim Mead, who was presented by former pitcher Jim Abbott.

-- Larry Stewart

*

Hall of Fame Coach Kay Yow earned her 700th victory when she led North Carolina State to a 68-51 women’s basketball victory over Florida State at Raleigh, N.C.

Yow, who returned to the bench two weeks ago after two months away because of breast cancer, became the sixth women’s coach to reach 700 wins.

Casey Mears got a new crew chief, four days before NASCAR begins preparations for the season-opening Daytona 500.

Darian Grubb, who led Jimmie Johnson to the Daytona 500 victory, will now lead Mears’ No. 25 team at Hendrick Motorsports.

Ed Allred, owner of Los Alamitos Race Course, is recuperating at his Palm Desert home after suffering what doctors described as “a very minor stroke” Saturday.

Doctors have told Allred that he can expect a full recovery with no long-term side effects.

The start of the Alpine Skiing World Championships was postponed for a third day at Are, Sweden, because of strong wind and poor visibility.

Creative Artists Agency’s sports division has signed agent Leon Rose to lead its basketball representation business. Rose has represented NBA players such as LeBron James, Allen Iverson, Andrea Bargnani and Richard Hamilton.

-- Greg Johnson

*

PASSINGS

Barber, 67; former

pitcher for Orioles

Steve Barber, the first 20-game winner in modern Baltimore Orioles history and the losing pitcher in one of baseball’s wildest no-hitters, has died. He was 67. Story, Section B.