Morning briefing

This Bull has pull with refs

The Chicago Bulls mascot, Benny the Bull, has added some fire to the Bulls’ rivalry with the Boston Celtics.

According to the Boston Globe, Benny the Bull shot T-shirts out of a T-shirt gun and hit Celtics players Kevin Garnett and James Posey in the back as they walked off the court during a timeout Tuesday night.

Garnett and Posey gave Benny the Bull a glare and, “We exchanged words,” Garnett told the Globe.

Garnett was sent back to the bench by the referees after trying to explain what happened.

“I feel a little sore in one spot,” Posey said. “I might have to get treatment.”

The Bulls weren’t quite as accurate as their mascot. They shot only 41.7% and lost, 106-92.

Trivia time

What current pitcher is the only one in baseball history to throw a no-hitter, start a World Series game, win rookie of the year and make an All-Star team in his first two full seasons?

Friends and foes

Jake Peavy of the San Diego Padres and Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros are such close friends that Oswalt was staying at Peavy’s house during the teams’ season-opening series in San Diego.

But after Peavy pitched seven shutout innings while collecting a hit and two runs batted in against Oswalt on Monday in a 4-0 opening-day victory, Peavy said he was afraid to go home and chat with his pal.

“I know how it feels to be on the losing end of a big league ballgame,” Peavy said. “Nobody’s happy. But maybe the next few days I may throw some comments out there.”

E Alou

If Moises Alou had his way, Steve Bartman could come out of hiding.

Bartman famously prevented Alou, then the Cubs left fielder, from possibly catching a foul ball during Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series against the Florida Marlins and has been ostracized ever since by Cubs fans around the country.

“Everywhere I play, even now, people still yell, ‘Bartman! Bartman!’ I feel really bad,” Alou, now with the New York Mets, told the Associated Press.

He added: “You know what the funny thing is? I wouldn’t have caught it anyway.”

That probably would have been nice for Bartman

to know, say, about 4 1/2 years ago.

Not saved

The Philadelphia Phillies thought they had all the religious bases covered when they invited a priest, a pastor and a rabbi to Citizen’s Bank Park Monday to bless the opening-day baseballs, according to CBS3.com.

But it sounds as if the ministers might have been more useful in the bullpen.

The Phillies then lost to the Washington Nationals, 11-6, after giving up five runs in the ninth inning.

Finding fitness

The margin of victory wasn’t so slim when Serena Williams routed top-ranked Justine Henin, 6-2, 6-0, in a quarterfinal of the Sony Ericsson Open, but Williams was and a reporter wanted to find out about her re-dedication to fitness.

Reporter: “So many people here at the tournament have been buzzing about just how good you look physically on the court. You’ve not looked this good since. . . . Can you finish that sentence?”

Williams: “Since 1982.”

Reporter: “Serious question.”

Williams: “That was a serious answer.”

Williams was born in 1981.

Trivia answer

Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers.

And finally

Oakland Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin was asked by reporters what it was like to work for Al Davis.

He paused, then said, “I need a sip of water.”

Which means he might be doing OK because many Raiders coaches have needed something stronger than that.

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peter.yoon@latimes.com