Sport Leak

Todd Wellemeyer rebounded from his shortest start of the season with a solid 7 1-3 innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the San Francisco Giants 5-2 on Thursday night. Wellemeyer (7-7) allowed two runs and seven hits in besting San Francisco left-hander Barry Zito. Wellemeyer lasted 2 1-3 innings in his previous start, giving up three earned runs against Minnesota on June 27.

Major League Baseball has loaned millions to Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks, Yahoo! reported. The league would not go into details about any borrowing, but said it was assisting Rangers owner Tom Hicks with the sale of the franchise. "Tom is the control person, and there was no issue of making payroll," Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, said Thursday.

Ron Artest is joining Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. David Bauman, Artest's agent, told The Associated Press that the Houston Rockets forward has verbally agreed to play for the NBA champions next season. Bauman said the final details are still being worked out, but could be finished as early as Thursday night.

The Texas Rangers borrowed millions of dollars from Major League Baseball within the last week, according to a Yahoo! report. Rangers spokesman John Blake told the Web site that the club would have no comment, and Rich Levin, a spokesman for the commissioner's office, said baseball does not comment on team finances.

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry understands the frustrations of fans as the team he put together struggles, adding Thursday that any criticism for the disappointing performance should start with him. The Cubs, the two-time defending NL Central champions, began a crucial 11-game homestand before the All-Star break against the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday night.

At least 16 people associated with the New Orleans Saints, including coach Sean Payton, quarterback Drew Brees and Hall of Famer Archie Manning, are among investors who lost $1.9 million. Kevin Houser, cut Monday as the team's long snapper after eight years, said Thursday he and at least 26 others bought what they thought were state film industry tax credits from Louisiana Film Studios in…

A top Cuban pitching prospect with a 100 mph fastball has defected from the national team while playing in a tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands. ESPN The Magazine reports that several unidentified sources confirmed that Aroldis Chapman walked out of his hotel room and did not return. Champman's defection was first reported on the Spanish-language Web site cubaencuentro.com.

Talk about adding a late-inning buzz to a ballgame. The Houston Astros — who once had the "Killer Bs" — beat the San Diego Padres 7-2 on Thursday, but only after waiting out a 52-minute delay in the top of the ninth inning caused when a swarm of bees took over part of left field at Petco Park.

Defenseman Jordan Leopold, acquired in the deal that sent the rights to defenseman Jay Bouwmeester to Calgary, signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers on Thursday. The move came on the second day of free agency, one day after Florida assistant general manager Randy Sexton had said that the chances of signing Leopold appeared "remote." "I'm pumped to get it…

The Carolina Hurricanes locked up another of their free agents Thursday, re-signing forward Chad LaRose to a two-year deal. LaRose, 27, will make $1.5 million this upcoming season and $1.9 million in 2010-11. He made $875,000 last season — by far his best in the NHL. "Chad has grown into a key player for our franchise," general manager Jim Rutherford said.