Rockies acquire Marco Scutaro from Red Sox

The Colorado Rockies acquired infielder Marco Scutaro from the Boston Red Sox for right-hander Clayton Mortensen on Saturday in a surprising trade that could pave the way for top Boston prospect Jose Iglesias to take over at shortstop sooner than expected.

Scutaro, 36, hit a career-high .299 last season, when he had seven home runs, 26 doubles, 54 runs batted in and a .358 on-base percentage. Boston picked up his $6-million option in October.

Scutaro was expected to remain Boston’s starting shortstop this season but will play second base and bat second in Colorado, where the Rockies also have added Michael Cuddyer and Ramon Martinez in an off-season makeover after a disappointing showing in 2011.

Mortensen, 26, was 2-4 with a 3.86 earned-run average in 16 games last season. He provides depth for a Boston rotation that will be without injured starters John Lackey and Daisuke Matsuzaka next season.

ETC.

Dempsey scores hat trick in England

Clint Dempsey became the first American to score a hat trick in the Premier League in Fulham’s 5-2 win over Newcastle.

Dempsey, 28, scored three goals in a 30-minute span in the second half.

“We never found our rhythm in the first half, but we began to get into their penalty area in the second half,” Dempsey said. “Luckily, the ball kept going in. We never took our foot off the gas and we took our chances.”

Dempsey has a career-best 15 goals this season, including nine in Premier League play. On Friday, Dempsey was voted the U.S. Soccer Federation’s male athlete of the year for 2011.

“Clint Dempsey is our top scorer,” Fulham Manager Martin Jol said. “He is doing what he does best. Clint scores goals. You can only say he is a fantastic player.”

Elsewhere, Robbie Keane, on loan from the Galaxy, scored twice on his starting debut for Aston Villa in a 3-2 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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The U.S. women’s soccer team lost a valuable piece when defender Ali Krieger was diagnosed with torn knee ligaments, an injury that probably will prevent her from playing in the London Olympics, which begin in late July.

Krieger tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in her right knee Friday at Vancouver, Canada, during a 14-0 win over the Dominican Republic in a qualifying match. The injury usually requires six to eight months of rehabilitation.

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Syracuse running back Antwon Bailey and Tulsa quarterback G.J. Kinne rushed for touchdowns, helping the National beat the American, 20-14, at the Home Depot Center in the inaugural NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. … Louisiana Tech’s Lennon Creer scored on a nine-yard run with 47 seconds remaining, giving the West a 24-17 victory in the East-West Shrine all-star game at St. Petersburg, Fla.

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Didier Cuche of Switzerland used his last visit to the Streif to earn a record fifth victory on one of the World Cup’s most challenging downhill courses. American Bode Miller nearly crashed on an icy bump and finished 29th at Kitzbuehel, Austria.

Cuche, who said last week that he plans to retire at the end of the season, broke the mark set Franz Klammer of Austria, who won the Hahnenkamm downhill four times in the 1970s and 80s.

Cuche was timed in 1 minute 13.28 seconds in heavy snowfall, beating Austrains Romed Baumann and Klaus Kroell by 0.24 of a second and 0.30 of a second.

Miller barely avoided a crash in the icy lower section of the course, finishing 1.35 seconds behind the winner.

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Tessa Worley of France won a World Cup women’s giant slalom after first-run leader Elisabeth Goergl of Austria crashed at the bottom of the second run at Kranjska Gora, Slovenia.

World Cup leader Lindsey Vonn finished fourth, missing the podium by .03 of a second despite a spectacular recovery that prevented a crash near the end of the race.

Worley clocked 2:03.02 and beat Federica Brignone of Italy, who finished in 2:03.58. Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany was third in 2:03.91.

Tina Maze, the home favorite and reigning world champion, finished fifth. Vonn increased her lead in the overall standings to 296 points ahead of Maze.

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Shani Davis won his first World Cup gold medal of the season, capturing the 1,000 at the long-track speed skating event at Utah Olympic oval in Kearns in 1 minute 7.20 seconds.

Christine Nesbitt of Canada remained unbeaten at 1,000 meters in World Cup races this season, winning in 1:13.36. She edged American Heather Richardson, who skated two personal bests and wonsilver in the 1,000 (1:13.99) and bronze in the 500 (37.58).

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Branden Grace of South Africa fell into a tie for the lead at the European Tour’s Volvo Golf Champions with Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium after a two-over-par 75 in a wet and windy third round at George, South Africa. Grace and Colsarets were at 10-under 209, a shot ahead of South Africans Retief Goosen (70) and Charl Schwartzel (68).

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Syracuse sophomore Fab Melo did not travel with the No. 1 Orange men’s basketball team for its game against Notre Dame on Saturday, and junior Mookie Jones has left school for personal reasons. Melo also will sit out Monday against Cincinnati. The school, citing university policy and federal student privacy laws, did not elaborate on either decision.

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Utah Jazz forward Derrick Favors was fined $25,000 by the NBA for throwing a ball into the stands during the third quarter of a 94-91 loss Thursday night against Dallas.

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New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Joffrey Lupul were selected as assistant captains for the NHL All-Star game. The league said Lundqvist will join the team captained by the Ottawa Senators’ Daniel Alfredsson. Lupul will assist the team led by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara.

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The NHL fined Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban $2,500 for what the league called a “dangerous trip” on Pittsburgh Penguins forward Chris Kunitz.