Billy Loes, who pitched for the Orioles from 1956 to 1959 and was an All-Star in 1957, has died. He was 80. Loes died July 15 at a hospice in Tucson, Ariz., his wife, Irene, confirmed Friday from her home in Chapel Hill, N.C. He had diabetes for several years and had open heart surgery a few years ago, she said. Loes, a right-hander whose contract the Orioles purchased in 1956 for $20,000, went 12-7 with a 3.24 ERA in 1957. He was 21-30 in four seasons with the Orioles before they dealt him to the San Francisco Giants with Billy O'Dell for Jackie Brandt, Gordon Jones and Roger McCardell. Loes pitched on three pennant-winning Brooklyn Dodgers teams in the 1950s and also played for the Giants (1960-61) during an 11-year major league career during which he went 80-63 with 645 strikeouts and a 3.89 ERA in over 1,000 innings pitched.
Nationals: Two-time All-Star infielder Cristian Guzman, 32, is heading to the first-place Texas Rangers from the last-place Nationals in a deal that sends Double-A starting pitchers Ryan Tatusko and Tanner Roark to Washington. Guzman is hitting .282 with two homers and 25 RBIs in a utility role. Late Thursday night, Washington traded All-Star closer Matt Capps to the Minnesota Twins for top catching prospect Wilson Ramos and minor league left-hander Joe Testa. And there could be more: Rizzo is listening to offers for first baseman Adam Dunn, who entered Friday tied for second in the NL with 24 homers.
WNBA
Harding's 33 points help Mystics end 3-game skid
Lindsey Harding scored a career-high 33 points, including Washington's final 13 of the game, to lead the Mystics to a 77-73 victory over the host Indiana Fever, halting their three-game losing streak. Crystal Langhorne (Maryland) added nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Mystics (14-10), who defeated the Eastern Conference-leading Fever for the third time this season. Washington trailed by as many as 11 points in the third quarter and eight in the fourth quarter, but Harding's hot shooting — she went 11-for-18 from the field and 9-for-9 from the free-throw line — kept the Mystics within reach until she sealed victory late in the game. Mystics guard-forward Marissa Coleman (Maryland) had eight points.
Football
Jets give Ryan extension; Morgan picked for 5th
The New York Jets signed coach Rex Ryan to a two-year contract extension after he led the team to a 9-7 regular-season record and within one game of the Super Bowl in his first year after serving as the Ravens' defensive coordinator.
College football: Morgan State was picked to finish fifth in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason poll selected by coaches and sports information directors. Defending champion South Carolina State is favored to win the title, earning 15 first-place votes. The Bears, who were 6-5 overall last season and 4-4 in conference, had three players named to the preseason All-MEAC first team: junior tight end Lamont Bryant, senior defensive back Darren McKhan and sophomore punter Nicholas Adams.
Et cetera
Bayhawks must win in home finale tonight vs. Machine
The Chesapeake Bayhawks (4-6) need a victory tonight at 8 p.m. in their regular-season home finale at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium against the Chicago Machine (4-6) to have a shot at participating in the Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend on Aug. 21-22. The Bayhawks would clinch a berth by defeating Chicago by four or more goals. If they win by fewer than four goals, the Bayhawks would remain alive for the postseason going into their regular season finale at league-leading Boston (7-3). A loss would eliminate the team from contention.
Horse racing: Rachel Alexandra, the reigning Horse of the Year and 2009 Preakness winner, will make her next start in the Personal Ensign Stakes on Aug. 29 at Saratoga Race Course. After defeats in her first two starts of the year, the 4-year-old filly, who completed her championship season last year with a victory over older males in the Woodward Stakes in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has won her past two races, including the Lady's Secret at Monmouth Park last weekend.
Soccer: Swiss club Sion has declined to sign Freddy Adu after the former D.C. United player from Maryland spent the week there in training. Sion said on its website that Adu had undeniable qualities but did not fit in with its plans. Adu, 21, was signed to Portuguese champion Benfica but was lent last season to Belenenses and Greek club Aris Thessaloniki.
—From Sun staff and news services