Rafael Furcal to undergo major elbow surgery

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Rafael Furcal will have major surgery on his right elbow next week.

The team did not say in its statement how long the three-time All-Star will be out. Dr. James Andrews, the noted orthopedist, examined Furcal on Wednesday and will perform Tommy John surgery.

The 35-year-old Furcal has been sidelined since reinjuring the elbow he hurt late last season. Furcal and the team had tried rehabilitation rather than reconstructive surgery in the off-season.

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New York Yankees reliever Mariano Rivera plans to announce this weekend that he will retire after the season, a person familiar with the decision told the Associated Press.

A news conference was called for Saturday at the Yankees’ spring-training complex in Tampa, Fla.

The 43-year-old closer is baseball’s saves leader with 608. He is regarded as one of the best clutch pitchers in history, posting a record 42 postseason saves with an 0.70 earned-run average while helping the Yankees win five World Series championships.

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Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run double against San Francisco Giants closer Sergio Romo in the ninth inning and Jason Grilli escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom half to help Italy rally to beat Mexico, 6-5, in the opening game of Pool D in the World Baseball Classic at Scottsdale, Ariz.

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The Galaxy and Herediano played a scoreless draw in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal at Heredia, Costa Rica.

Herediano’s Ismael Gomez drew a penalty kick in the 87th minute but knocked it off the crossbar. Gomez tumbled to the turf after minimal contact from Galaxy defender Sean Franklin, leading to the whistle.

The second half of the home-and-home series is Wednesday night in the Home Depot Center, with the winner facing Mexico’s Monterrey or Xelaju of El Salvador. Monterrey won, 3-1, in the first leg on Wednesday.

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Andres Romero made two late bogeys to drop into a tie for the Puerto Rico Open lead with Cameron Percy at seven-under 65.

Romero, the Argentine player who won the PGA Tour’s 2008 New Orleans event and the European Tour’s 2007 Deutsche Bank tournament, had an eagle and seven birdies on his first 15 holes to reach nine under, then fell back with the bogeys on the par-four seventh and par-five eighth.

Percy, from Australia, had nine birdies and two bogeys on the Trump International course at Rio Grande.

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The San Diego Chargers released linebacker Takeo Spikes in their first major move under new General Manager Tom Telesco.

The 36-year-old Spikes has played 15 NFL seasons, including the last two with San Diego. He has started 215 of his 219 games played, including all 32 with the Chargers.

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Jockey Calvin Borel earned his 5,000th win by riding Hezunusal to victory in the sixth race at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

The 46-year-old Borel, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, became the 26th North American jockey with 5,000 wins.