Sports Briefs

NASCAR

Johnson takes pole in Phoenix; Edwards qualifies 15th

Jimmie Johnson moved a step closer to a third consecutive Sprint Cup title by winning the pole Friday at Phoenix International Speedway.

Johnson, the defending race winner, turned a lap of 134.725 mph to earn the top starting spot Sunday. If he gains 57 more points than Carl Edwards, Johnson would only need to start the season finale to become the first driver since Cale Yarborough (1976-78) to win three straight titles.

"That's really the bottom line is we need to be 162 up leaving here, then all I have to do is go down there and start," Johnson said. "Am I planning on that being the case? No. Carl's car has been so strong. My goal is to outrun him. I don't want this margin to shrink anymore."

Edwards, who had the fastest car in Friday's final practice session, qualified 15th because he said the engine in his Ford bogged down on the backstretch during his lap. Winner of the last two races, Edwards has chopped away at Johnson's lead and now trails him by just 106 points with two events to go.

Tennis

Serena, Ivanovic withdraw

Serena Williams and Ana Ivanovic withdrew from the WTA Tour's season-ending event on Friday before their last round-robin matches. Williams cited a stomach injury when she pulled out of her match at the Sony Ericsson Championships against Elena Dementieva, who advanced to the semifinals.

"I did feel pain last night," the U.S. Open champion said. "I was still in pain just getting out of bed."

Williams lost to her sister, Venus, 5-7, 6-1, 6-0 on Thursday. Serena said she might have tweaked a muscle and that doctors had told her to rest. Ivanovic withdrew earlier Friday from her match against Svetlana Kuznetsova, citing a virus. The French Open champion had no chance of advancing to the semifinals because she had lost two matches in the group stage. Kuznetsova had also lost two matches and had no chance of advancing.

College Basketball

Ole Miss' Gaskins out for year

Mississippi guard Trevor Gaskins will miss the upcoming season after tearing a ligament in his knee. The sophomore will have season-ending surgery after injuring the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during practice Thursday. Coach Andy Kennedy called the injury "disheartening for Trevor." The Alpharetta, Ga., native started eight games last season and played in all 35, averaging 5.9 points.

Baseball

Rangers pick up Blalock's option

The Rangers on Friday exercised a $6.2 million option on oft-injured infielder Hank Blalock. Blalock has played just 123 games the last two seasons. The two-time All-Star missed 108 days in 2008 after two long stints on the disabled list. A career third baseman, he made a mid-season switch to first base this year. Blalock finished the season batting .287 with 12 home runs and 38 RBI in 65 games. In September, he batted .337 with eight home runs and 23 RBI in 24 games.

Padres keep Giles for $9 million

The Padres on Friday exercised their $9 million option on right fielder Brian Giles, whose .398 on-base percentage was one of the best in baseball. The 37-year-old will be back for his seventh season with his hometown Padres. The team had a choice between the option or a $3 million buyout.

■ The Astros signed right-handed reliever LaTroy Hawkins to a one-year, $3.5 million deal Friday and plan to use him in a setup role. The Astros also signed pitcher Chia-Jen Lo to a minor-league contract, making the 22-year-old righty the franchise's first Taiwanese player.

Swimming

Phelps takes over his old pool

Michael Phelps and his coach, Bob Bowman, have formed a partnership to operate the pool where the Olympic swimmer began training at age 7. Their partnership, Aquatic Ventures LLC, formally announced Friday that it is taking over at the Meadowbrook Aquatic Center and the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, which produced Phelps and six other Olympians over four decades. Bowman said he and Phelps will continue to balance the center's offerings between recreational and competitive swimming.

The last word

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Bill "Spaceman" Lee was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame Friday night. He was asked about the Red Sox shipping off Manny Ramirez this summer when they tired of the free-spirited slugger's eccentric ways:

"I think Boston kind of got fed up with Manny. A prophet in his own time is not well-received in this town."