Cabrera’s victory is first for players

Miguel Cabrera became the first player to win in salary arbitration this year when the Florida Marlins’ All-Star third baseman was awarded a $7.4-million salary on Saturday instead of the team’s offer of $6.7 million.

Cabrera made $472,000 last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time. He was second in the National League last season with a .339 batting average, and he had 26 home runs and 114 runs batted in.

The arbitration panel of Howard Block, Stephen Goldberg and Elliott Shriftman made the decision one day after hearing arguments in the case.

Cabrera received the third-highest salary in arbitration, trailing only the $10 million Alfonso Soriano earned after losing to Washington last year and the $8.2 million Andruw Jones received when he beat Atlanta in 2001.

Owners had been 4-0 in arbitration this year, with the Dodgers’ Joe Beimel, Florida’s Kevin Gregg, Washington’s John Patterson and Tampa Bay’s Josh Paul all losing before Saturday.

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Pitcher Erik Bedard avoided arbitration with the Baltimore Orioles, agreeing to a $3.4 million, one-year contract. He had asked for $4 million in arbitration and the Orioles had offered $2.7 million. The left-hander went 15-11 with a 3.76 earned-run average in 33 starts last season, when he earned $1,625,000.

TENNIS

Murray beats Roddick in San Jose semifinals

Third-seeded Andy Murray beat top-seeded Andy Roddick for the second straight year in the semifinals of the SAP Open at San Jose, 7-6 (8), 6-4, to advance to the final against Ivo Karlovic.

Murray, the defending champion, played tough defense from all corners of the court, consistently making Roddick hit a few extra shots. He also showed his power, mixing in 14 aces to Roddick’s nine.

Karlovic had 27 aces in defeating Benjamin Becker, 7-6 (5), 7-5.

The 6-foot-10 Croat is seeking his first ATP title.

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Two-time defending champion Amelie Mauresmo defeated seventh-seeded Anna Chakvetadze, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, to reach the final of the Diamond Games at Antwerp, Belgium. The top-seeded Mauresmo will play second-seeded Kim Clijsters, who beat Tatiana Golovin, 6-4, 6-3.

WINTER SPORTS

Miller injures knee during slalom race

Bode Miller strained his knee during the first run of the slalom at the world Alpine champions in Are, Sweden, and was declared out of today’s team event.

Miller skied off course, splitting a gate and coming to a stop toward the bottom of the first run. He may have hurt his left knee in a turn. He didn’t make his second run.

“It’s a mild strain. He has a little swelling and definitely needs to rest it,” U.S. men’s Coach Phil McNichol said.

“He had good splits. He was doing OK, but then he kind of jammed it in the turn where it looked like he pulled out.”

Mario Matt was fastest in both runs, finishing with a combined time on the Olympia course of 1 minute 57.33 seconds. Manfred Moelgg moved up from sixth after the first run to earn the silver medal, 1.81 seconds behind, and Jean-Baptiste Grange was third, 2.21 behind.

SOCCER

Beckham gets red card in Real Madrid’s tie

David Beckham was ejected during injury time and Real Madrid tied, 0-0, with Real Betis in a Spanish league match. The tie left Madrid with only one win in its last four home games.

Beckham, making his 150th appearance for Madrid, fouled Betis substitute Isidoro Gomez with a tackle from behind on the edge of Betis’ penalty area -- after receiving a challenge in which Beckham claimed a penalty.

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Ronaldo scored twice and set up another goal to help AC Milan beat Siena, 4-3, in the Italian Serie A. He opened with a header in the 15th minute and tapped in his second goal with nine minutes to play.

MISCELLANY

Phelps breaks his world butterfly mark

Michael Phelps broke his world 200-meter butterfly record at the Missouri Grand Prix in Columbia, winning in 1 minute 53.71 seconds, nine-hundredths of a second faster than his time from August 2006. He beat Tamas Kerekjarto of Hungary by more than six seconds.

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Frank Broyles, who has spent nearly 50 years as football coach and athletic director at Arkansas, announced that he will retire at the end of the year.