Rodgers leads New York rally to beat Storm

WNBA: Sugar Rodgers scored a career-high 15 points, including seven in the final 3 minutes, to lead the New York Liberty to a 70-64 victory over the visiting Seattle Storm on Tuesday night.

The Liberty trailed 62-54 with 2:55 left and had scored just one basket over the previous 13 minutes when Rodgers came to life. Her 3-pointer made it a five-point game. After Sue Bird answered with a jumper, New York scored the final 11 points of the game, including five by Rodgers. Her 3-pointer with 1:06 left tied it at 64.

Bird led Seattle (1-4) with 21 points, including 17 in the first half. Crystal Langhorne added 13 points and 15 rebounds.

Memphis gives Joerger extension

NBA: Grizzlies owner Robert Pera has followed through with his promise to open up his checkbook by signing Dave Joerger to a contract extension just days after allowing the coach to speak to the Minnesota Timberwolves about their vacancy.

Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed by the team, but Joerger said on ESPN 92.9 FM in Memphis that owner Robert Pera guaranteed the fourth year of his contract with a fifth year a team option.

“He put his money right where his mouth is, and I put my money right where my mouth is …,” Joerger said. “It’s good for both parties. Mike Conley and I were talking about we’ve been together for a long time brother. Now we’ve got another three-, four-, five-year run on this deal.”

Joerger went 50-32 for the best record among 10 first-year coaches and helped Memphis earn the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference during his first season on the job after being an assistant the previous six seasons.

California Chrome fast in workout

Horse racing: California Chrome couldn’t wait to get rolling, and on an unseasonably warm morning, he burned up the track. The chestnut colt was unusually wired, straining exercise rider Willie Delgado’s forearms but elevating his mood.

“He was much stronger today,” Delgado said after a two-mile gallop on Belmont Park’s main track. “He was pulling me, and I had to pull him back.

“This is the strongest he’s felt, and he really gets over this track well. I just hope he can keep going and win the Triple Crown. Then I can retire,” he added with a laugh.

Dempsey scratched, but U.S. wins 2-0

Soccer: Captain Clint Dempsey was a late scratch because of a groin injury for the United States in a 2-0 victory over Azerbaijan at San Francisco.

Second-half substitutes Mix Diskerud and Aron Johannsson scored for the United States in the first of three World Cup warmups for the Americans.

The 14th-ranked Americans had trouble breaking down No. 85 Azerbaijan.

Diskerud, wearing the No. 10 jersey that freed up when Landon Donovan was cut from the roster last week, entered in the 71st minute and scored 4 minutes later off Brad Davis’ free kick.

Diskerud headed it down to Michael Bradley, whose shot was cleared off the goal line by Elvin Yunuszade. Diskerud then banged the ball in from 6 yards for his third international goal.

• New York ties to end skid: Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his league-leading 11th goal, and the visiting New York Red Bulls ended a three-match losing streak with a 1-1 draw against Sporting Kansas City.

• Germans injured: Two members of Germany’s World Cup team were involved in a car accident.

Defender Benedikt Hoewedes and his Schalke teammate Julian Draxler were passengers in two vehicles driven by race car drivers Pascal Wehrlein and Nico Rosberg when the accident took place in northern Italy.

Two people were taken to a hospital, one with serious injuries, after being struck by a car driven by Wehrlein. None of the players or the drivers was injured.

• Brazil prosecutors want ads suspended: Federal prosecutors in Brazil have asked a court to suspend the airing of government advertisements touting the benefits that the World Cup will bring to the country. Prosecutors say the ads are “absurdly divorced from reality.”

Poker tourney pool hits $200 million

Miscellany: The 45th Annual World Series of Poker kicked off seven weeks of play in Las Vegas, promising the tournament champion at least $10 million and enticing tens of thousands of players with a prize pool estimated at $200 million.

An estimated 80,000 players will enter the tournament.

• Quintana takes cycling lead: Nairo Quintana moved into the overall lead in the Giro d’Italia after winning a tough 16th stage across the legendary Gavia and Stelvio climbs.

Quintana finished eight seconds ahead of Ryder Hesjedal.