Fast Break

Baseball

Sexson will be Yankee

First baseman Richie Sexson and the New York Yankees reached a deal Thursday, a week after the Seattle Mariners cut the slumping slugger.

A person familiar with the contract said Sexson would be paid a prorated share of the $390,000 minimum salary.The Yankees were eager to add a powerful right-handed bat.

Sexson hit .344 with five home runs in 71 at-bats against lefties this year.

That was his bright spot during a season in which the 33-year-old Sexson hit .218 overall with 11 homers and 30 RBIs.

The Yankees picked up a fraction of Sexson’s contract, leaving the Mariners to pay the rest of his $14 million salary.

Olympics

Yao returns to Chinese team

Yao Ming is back, transforming China’s basketball team and providing a big relief for Olympic organizers.

The Houston Rockets center marked his return from injury with 11 points in just more than 12 minutes of play for the Chinese national team in a 96-72 Olympics warmup win against a Serbian squad in the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou.

The game was Yao’s first since a stress fracture in his left foot ended his NBA season in February and threatened his star turn as part of China’s team.

Golf

50 courses in 50 days

Craig Forney and Bill Evans completed Day 45 of a sojourn at Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho, a journey that is taking them to 50 courses in 50 days in a $1 millions fundraising effort to fight cancer.

The two golfers, partners in a club ownership in Atlanta, call their project “50 in 50.”

The duo, which rated Circling Raven among the best courses they have played, continue on to Alaska, Washington (Trophy Lake in Port Orchard), Oregon, California and Hawaii.

For more information see their Web site at www.the50in50.com.