Reds give Dusty Baker a three-year deal

Dusty Baker was hired as manager of the Cincinnati Reds, agreeing to a three-year deal Saturday with a team coming off its seventh consecutive losing season and looking for stability at the top.

Baker, 58, worked as a television analyst for a year after the Chicago Cubs fired him after the 2006 season. The Reds decided to go for someone who knows the NL Central and has been to the World Series as a manager.

The team didn’t make an announcement Saturday, but a person within the organization with knowledge of the negotiations confirmed the Reds had reached the agreement with Baker.

TENNIS

Venus Williams loses to Pennetta in Thailand

Venus Williams was upset by Flavia Pennetta, 6-4, 7-6 (8), on Saturday in the semifinals of the Bangkok Open in Thailand, losing three set points.

Pennetta’s aggressive play and strong serves were too much for second-seeded Williams. The seventh-seeded Italian had lost, 6-2, 6-2, to Williams in the Korea Open semifinal two weeks ago.

“I just want to enjoy this moment,” Pennetta said. “This is one of my most beautiful wins.”

In today’s final, Pennetta will play Chan Yung-jan, who defeated Yan Zi, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5.

Top-seeded James Blake lost to Thomas Johansson, 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (3), in the semifinals of the Stockholm Open, a defeat that ended the two-time defending champion’s 13-match winning streak in the tournament.

Johansson, who saved five match points in his last two service games, will play seventh-seeded Ivo Karlovic in today’s final. Karlovic defeated fourth-seeded Tommy Haas, 6-4, 6-3.

This was Johansson’s second straight victory over Blake in Sweden. He beat him in a Davis Cup singles match last month when the United States won the semifinals against Sweden.

Fourth-seeded Serena Williams and Elena Dementieva advanced to the final of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Williams defeated top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, 7-6 (2), 6-1, and Dementieva beat Dinara Safina, 6-1, 6-0.

In the men’s semifinals, top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko beat Janko Tipsarevic, 7-6 (6), 6-1, and fourth-seeded Paul-Henri Mathieu defeated Michael Berrer, 7-5, 6-3.

Top-seeded Novak Djokovic and Stanislas Wawrinka won their semifinal matches and will play for the title of the BA-CA Tennis Trophy in Vienna. Djokovic defeated Andreas Seppi, 6-4, 6-3, and Wawrinka beat Juan Carlos Ferrero, 7-5, 6-1.

PRO FOOTBALL

Titans’ Vanden Bosch fined $7,500 for low hit

The NFL has fined Tennessee Titans defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch $7,500 for a low hit on Atlanta Falcons quarterback Joey Harrington in last Sunday’s game won by the Titans, 20-13.

Vanden Bosch told the Tennessean that he plans to appeal the fine.

Carolina Panthers quarterback David Carr was downgraded to questionable for today’s game against the Arizona Cardinals after his sore back stiffened on the team’s cross-country flight. If he can’t play, Coach John Fox will have to decide between 43-year-old Vinny Testaverde or rookie Matt Moore.

Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis will sit out today’s game against the Miami Dolphins because of a sprained right foot. Jason Wright is expected to start in Lewis’ place.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

St. Joseph’s guard will sit out first semester

St. Joseph’s sophomore guard D.J. Rivera will sit out the first semester to concentrate on academics. He will practice with the team, Coach Phil Martelli said. He and tutors will determine Rivera’s schedule.

The 6-foot-2 Rivera played in all 32 games last season and was one of the first players off the bench for the Hawks. He averaged 5.9 points .

AUTO RACING

Foust wins drift event at Irwindale

Tanner Foust of Laguna Beach defeated Chris Forsberg of Long Beach in the final round of the Formula Drift Pro Championship at Irwindale Speedway. Foust’s victory enabled him to also win his first series championship.

MISCELLANY

U.S., Canada win in eights at rowing event

The reigning world champions in eights racing, the U.S. women and Canada’s men, overcame windy conditions to finish first in the USA Rowing World Challenge on the Oklahoma River.

The U.S. women won the 2,000-meter race in 6:43.68, about five seconds ahead of Canada. Australia was third, another second back. Canada won the 2,000-meter men’s race in 5:54.92, holding off a late rally to finish about three seconds ahead of the U.S.