Fast Break

Baseball

Sexson rant costs 6 games

Seattle slugger Richie Sexson was suspended for six games and fined Friday by Major League Baseball after charging the mound and throwing his helmet at a Texas pitcher the previous night.

Bob Watson, baseball’s vice president in charge of discipline, cited Sexson for “violent and aggressive actions.”

Sexson asked the players’ association to appeal, and any suspension will be delayed until after a hearing.

Seattle’s Felix Hernandez and Texas’ Gerald Laird and Sidney Ponson also were fined.

Sexson charged the mound and flung his helmet at Rangers pitcher Kason Gabbard after the left-hander threw an eye-high pitch to him in the fourth inning of Seattle’s 5-0 loss. While benches cleared, no punches were thrown. Sexson was ejected.

Hockey

Avalanche coach fired

The Colorado Avalanche fired Joel Quenneville as coach after three seasons.

Quenneville was 131-92-23 in Denver, but just 2-2 in playoff series after inheriting a team that was on the slide after a decade of dominance in the NHL.

The Avs were swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Red Wings.

Women’s tennis

LSU blanks WSU 5-0

Louisiana State swept to a 5-0 victory over Washington State in the first round of the NCAA Championships at Berkeley, Calif. WSU finished 16-10, the most wins by a Cougars squad since 1996.

Cougar Eka Burduli will compete in the NCAA Singles Championships next week.