Harrington leads way at Bridgestone

Golf: Padraig Harrington broke par for the second straight day, something he hasn’t done in four months. Two more days like that and it could lead to something he hasn’t done in a year.

Without a victory since the PGA Championship, Harrington tread carefully across Firestone on Friday for a 1-under-par 69 that gave him a one-shot lead over Tim Clark (68) going into the weekend at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

Harrington didn’t put much stock into his opening round of 64, and he wasn’t ready to declare himself the favorite to win his first World Golf Championship. Even so, he conceded that consecutive good rounds were helpful.

“I’m obviously pleased,” said Harrington, who was at 7-under 133.

Scott Verplank went 35 holes without a bogey until hitting into the trees on the 18th hole and dropping a shot for a 69, leaving him alone in third at 135.

Tiger Woods, a six-time winner at Firestone, was among 20 players within five shots of the lead, although he found himself in a peculiar spot after an even-par 70. He was tied for 13th, the first time after any round at Firestone he has been out of the top 10.

He was at 2-under 138, the same score he had in 2007 when he went on to win by eight.

Steve Stricker (69), Jerry Kelly (65) and Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand (70) were at 4-under 136, with big-hitting Alvaro Quiros of Spain also shooting a 65 to lead the group at 137.

Phil Mickelson, playing for the first time since his wife’s surgery for breast cancer last month, made a few great escapes from the rough and put together a 69 to finish six shots behind Harrington.

•Rollins has two-stroke lead: John Rollins matched the course record with a 10-under 62 to take a two-stroke lead in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open at Reno, Nev., and Chris Riley tied the PGA Tour mark for relation to par for nine holes with 9-under 27.

•Song has shot at second title: Jennifer Song moved within two matches of becoming the second woman to win two U.S. Golf Association championships in the same year, beating Stephanie Kono 2 and 1 in the U.S. Women’s Amateur quarterfinals at St. Louis.

Broncos come to terms with Moreno

Football: Knowshon Moreno is no longer “No-Show Moreno.”

The Denver Broncos’ top draft pick agreed to a five-year, $23 million contract, ending an eight-day holdout.

Moreno, who rushed for 2,734 yards and 30 touchdowns in his two seasons at the University of Georgia, was the 12th overall pick and the first running back selected in the NFL draft in April.

•Roethlisberger has more time to respond to suit: The lawyer for a woman suing quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for alleged sexual assault has given the two-time Super Bowl winner more time to respond to the lawsuit.

Reno, Nev., attorney Cal Dunlap says Roethlisberger’s attorneys have until Aug. 21 to file their response.

•Chiefs sign third overall pick Jackson: The Kansas City Chiefs have signed defensive end Tyson Jackson, the team’s first-round draft pick.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed for Jackson, the third overall pick from LSU.

Wallace going back to Detroit Pistons

Basketball: A person with knowledge of the deal says Ben Wallace is coming back to the Detroit Pistons.

Wallace will receive a $1.3 million, one-year deal. The four-time defensive player of the year helped the Pistons win the 2004 NBA title. He left as a free agent to play for the Chicago Bulls, signing a four-year, $60 million deal. He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers and most recently to the Phoenix Suns as part of the Shaquille O’Neal trade.

•Hawks retain Williams: The Atlanta Hawks re-signed forward Marvin Williams, their last bit of unfinished off-season business.

The Atlanta Journal- Constitution reported the restricted free agent agreed to a five-year, $37.5 million deal, with incentives that could raise the package to as much as $43 million.

•Celtics sign Williams: The Boston Celtics have signed free-agent center/forward Shelden Williams to a contract.

The Celtics did not disclose terms of the deal, citing team policy.

Hardy sets mark in breaststroke

Swimming: Jessica Hardy broke the world record in the 100-meter breaststroke by nearly half a second.

The American was timed in 1 minute, 4.45 seconds at the U.S. Open in Federal Way, Wash., lowering the mark of 1:04.84 set by American Rebecca Soni at last month’s world championships in Rome.

It was Hardy’s second world mark in as many nights.

She set the world record in the 50 breaststroke with a split of 29.95 seconds when she time-trialed on Thursday.