Check out what writers from around the Cleveland blogosphere are saying today as they try to make sense of LeBron James' decision to leave for the Miami Heat.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz | PDLeBron James' decision to leave has left Cavaliers fans hurt and angry.

Pro Basketball Talk (John Krolik of Cavs: the blog): "For the first seven years of his career, LeBron James desperately wanted to be all things to all people. He wanted to be the hometown kid who loved his town, loved his mom, but could still be a global icon. He wanted to be a team-first player while also establishing himself as a dominant individual force. He wanted to be a goofy kid and the NBA's big man on campus. After he failed to deliver a championship, his all-encompassing persona didn't work for anybody anymore. You can't please everybody all the time, especially if you don't have a championship." » Read more

WaitingForNextYear: "So what happens is we buy in and pretend that our rooting, love and adoration will mean something just a little more. But, if all else fails, we can always fall back on the idea that whatever happens with our emotions, at least it will be predictable because sports are a business. Businesses are predicated on self-preservation, desire for profits and furthering a brand. At least we can all take solace in the fact that when our standing ovations aren't enough, that it isn't really our fault because Manny Ramirez was supposed to take the contract for the most money. That is almost easier because then we can just be angry at economics. It's just business. Except when it's not." » Read more

Fear the Sword: "Gilbert thought his relationship with James was deeper than 'player/owner.' He had invited James on leadership conference last year because he knew of LeBron's desire to be a business mogul. Many of LeBron's upper-echelon business contacts came from Gilbert and that conference. Gilbert considered LeBron a partner in the Cavaliers, not an employee. In the end, LeBron broke that partnership, without so much as a reason why." » Read more

Stepien Rules: "What all this tells me is what I already know. Deep down, there's something inside LeBron James that tells him he's not good enough to win a title on his own. That he believes he can't do it. That he needs Dwyane Wade to win a title, and that any concern for his image by winning 'with somebody else' is out-weighed by his fear that he'll come up empty if he tries to go it alone. I think his camp saw that. I think they couldn't believe it. I think they hoped he'd reconsider and find enough self-esteem and pride to believe that he is the most gifted athlete to ever play this game. But instead, he chose a cowardly out at the age of 25. He didn't believe in what everyone else believed in - himself." » Read more

The Ballville Dam on the Sandusky River that for decades been a road block for Lake Erie's spawning walleye is finally coming down. The dam is scheduled for removal starting in 2013 as Fremont nears completion of a new 140-acre reservoir to provide water for the city.

D'ARCY EGAN/THE PLAIN DEALERMayor Terry Overmyer of Fremont (right) takes Director Sean Logan of the Ohio Department of Natural Ressources on a tour of the old Ballville Dam on the Sandusky River. The dam is scheduled for removal in 2013, providing Lake Erie walleye 22 more miles of potential spawning habitat each spring.

  FREMONT, OHIO - The Ballville Dam on the Sandusky River has for decades been a road block for Lake Erie's spawning walleye is finally coming down. The dam is scheduled for removal in 2013 as Fremont nears completion of a new 140-acre reservoir to provide water for the city, as well as boating, fishing and recreation.
 

Mayor Terry Overmyer took state officials on a tour of the new reservoir on Thursday, which is to be to completed next spring. Next will be the removal of the century-old 52-foot high Ballville Dam and draining the old reservoir behind it, returning the Sandusky River to a more natural state. Overmyer feels confident the city will meet a 2013 dam removal deadline from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

"We can't say enough about the persistence of Terry Overmyer and local and state officials, considering the many hoops they've had to jump through," said Director Sean Logan of the ODNR. "The end result will be quality drinking water for Fremont, and increased spawning habitat for walleye and white bass."

An avid Lake Erie walleye fisherman, Overmyer said a driving force was the opportunity to boost a Lake Erie walleye population that has slumped in recent years. 

 "Removing the dam opens 22 more miles of the Sandusky River to spawning walleye," said Overmyer. "The increased river flow will enhance gravel spawning habit in the Fremont area. Walleye are a wonderful game fish, and walleye drive the economy in this region."

Overmyer said the Sandusky was once a major walleye river, and it will be again. It won't be cheap.

 The new reservoir, water pumps and lines will cost about $18 million, with $5 million provided by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. The Corps of Engineers is expected to fund as much as 75 percent of the estimated $9 million for removing the dam. 

 "In the 1970s, fishermen caught more walleye from the Sandusky River than the broader Maumee River," said Jeff Tyson, head of Lake Erie fisheries management. "We're hoping it can once again make a major contribution to Lake Erie's stocks of walleye."

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed a flood works project in Fremont in the 1970s, channelizing the river. The Ballville Dam prevented the river from replenishing the highly productive gravel spawning beds that walleye need. As stretches of gravel began to shrink, so did walleye spawning success.

 The Maumee and Sandusky are Ohio's two major walleye spawning rivers. A large percentage of walleye also spawn on Western Lake Erie's limestone reefs.

 Wildlife officials have long campaigned to remove the dam. The ODNR, which monitors more than 1,700 dams, including 382 Class I dams like Ballville, finally cited Fremont for dam safety violations and said the crumbling Ballville Dam had to be removed or repaired by 2013.

"Repair wasn't an option," said Overmyer. "We needed to first solve the city's water problem, then develop plans to take down the dam. Because of all the silt and sand behind the dam, it will be taken down in stages. We may leave columns in place to provide ice control and prevent flooding."

The maximum depth of the old reservoir is only about 12 feet

D'ARCY EGAN/THE PLAIN DEALERA new 140-acre reservoir is nearing completion in Fremont, Ohio. It will replace the city's old reservoir behind the Ballville Dam on the Sandusky River, which is being removed in 2013. The new reservoir will provide quality drinking water, as well as fishing and boating.

 
 "Fremont officials deserve a lot of credit for being forward thinking," said Tyson. "They have addressed the problems and have been creative in solving them. It's a win-win situation."

ESPN analyst and former Browns executive Jeremy Green has been arrested on child pornography and drug charges.

View full sizeJeremy Green, who was with the Browns from 2000 to 2004, as coordinator then director of pro personnel.

Bristol police say Green was picked up on Thursday around 5 p.m. in a Southington hotel and charged with possession of child pornography, possession of narcotics and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was being held on a $750,000 bond. Police are noting releasing details and say the warrant is sealed.

There was no telephone listing for Green at his address in Bristol, and it was not immediately clear whether he had a lawyer.

ESPN spokesman Mike Soltys says Green has worked since 2005 as a contributor to ESPN.com. The company had no immediate comment on the arrest. Plain Dealer reporter Mary Kay Cabot reported that he was coordinator of pro personnel for the Browns in the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons, then director of pro personnel in the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

Dennis Green is the former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings.

Watch video as Cavaliers General Manager Chris Grant and head coach Byron Scott talked about the loss of LeBron James at a press conference on Friday afternoon. Grant and Scott discuss how they found out about LeBron's decision, owner Dan Gilbert's scathing letter on James and what they plan to do about the team.

13,000 fans expected for welcome party in Miami, the only place where they seem to like ex-Cavalier LeBron James these days.

Yasmina Muniz folds a Miami Heat T-shirt with the name of LeBron James on it at the Miami Heat store at the American Airlines Arena in Miami Friday, July 9, 2010. James agreed to sign a contract with the Miami Heat basketball team, joining Dwyane Wade and CHris Bosh. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Business experts call it "anger-based marketing." Strong emotions become selling tools when businesses tap into them.

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerJeff Draeger, left, the Bier Markt's "gunslinger of beer," holds a Lebron James jersey as co-owner Mike Foran hacks away with garden shears. Customers got a free beer Friday if they brought in LeBron gear to be shredded.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After LeBron picked Miami over Cleveland, you knew a lot of us would be furious.

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert sure was.

"I personally guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win an NBA championship before the self-titled former 'king' wins one," Gilbert wrote in an open letter to fans Thursday night.

The rant of an angry owner? If so, it was good marketing. Anger, like any strong emotion, can be a powerful selling tool, as several Cleveland-area businesses are finding out.

Gilbert's tirade let the angry fans know he felt their pain. And, coincidentally, he gave them a reason to buy tickets.

"Emotions are a very, very powerful force," said Derek Rucker, a marketing professor at Northwestern University in Chicago. "Anger is an approach-oriented emotion. It's about taking action, doing something."

The team says Gilbert's comments were the words of a passionate fan expressing his disappointment, not the Cavaliers' new marketing strategy.

"Our focus is, and will continue to be, on the many opportunities we have ahead of us," Cavaliers' President Len Komoroski said in an e-mailed statement. "This entire organization will continue to focus on winning. That will be central in our communication to our fans."

Still, the anger's out there, and for companies willing to tap into it, there could be rewards.

Friday night, visitors to McNulty's Bier Markt in Ohio City could turn in a No. 23 jersey or LeBron T-shirt and get a free beer. Showing off a T-shirt, hat or tattoo featuring another Cleveland sports star - or anything that promotes the city - got people a second round for free.

Those LeBron shirts? The bar issued each bartender a pair of garden shears to shred them on the spot.

"We're going to do a finger count at the end of the night," Bier Markt owner Sam McNulty said Friday before the shredding party. He added that he and his employees "drank up" the idea last night after watching the infamous news conference where James announced his plans.

John Kuntz, The Plain DealerLeBron James is gone, and his 10-story mural will soon follow. The Nike mural depicting James' pre-game powder-tossing ritual will come down next week, said David Sternberg of Gigantic Media of Solon, which coordinated installing it in September 2007. It covers the side of the Landmark Office Tower at Ontario Street and Prospect Avenue, facing The Q. A specific date has not been set, and Sternberg said Gigantic and Nike are still working out details.

Rucker said McNulty stumbled across the key on how to sell with anger. Don't try to calm people down. Angry people want to be happy, not serene.

In travel ads, if marketers think the audience seeing the ad is angry, they're better off showing a smiling person shooting the rapids in a kayak. It's when marketers think someone is anxious or stressed that they show people lounging on the beach.

"Apple is really good at this," Rucker said. "Their ads all show the kind of emotional experiences you're going to have with their products."

Anger and other emotional appeals can work to sell products, but there are limits, said James Martin, a marketing professor at John Carroll University.

"You can't keep playing on it," Martin said. Appealing to angry fans may sell some Cavs tickets, he said, but fans won't come back if the team is no good.

Anton Gorkavchuk, owner of Medina's Nifty Nerd computer services company, said he wasn't thinking about anger-based marketing when he decided to offer customers a $23 credit for turning in a LeBron T-shirt. He was just a fan angry that another top-earning athlete was abandoning Cleveland.

He said he'll probably donate the shirts he collects to clothing drives or "send them overseas to people who don't know how badly he betrayed us."

Pat Conway, co-owner of the Great Lakes Brewing Co., has seen this before. In 1995, he released Cleveland Brown Ale and donated a portion of the proceeds to groups fighting Art Modell's decision to move the Browns to Baltimore.

"We're all about catastrophes and sinking ships over here," Conway said. The brewery has beers named for the burning of the Cuyahoga River and federal bailouts of banks and automakers. He takes things that get customers angry and uses them to make people smile.

"We connect to the city. It's all part of being in the community. It's part-and-parcel with our marketing plan," Conway said.

Next week, he'll release a new beer -- Quitness.

It's a bitter ale.

Asdruba Cabra is scheduled to start rehab assignment Monday, while Matt LaPorta is back in the lineup tonight.

 Updated: 9:38 p.m.

St. Petersburg, Fla. -- This is a daily briefing of the Indians 2010 regular season. The Indians play Tampa Bay tonight in the second game of a four-game series at Tropicana Field.

 Tropicana Field's dimensions: Left field line 315 feet, left center field power alley 370, center field 404, right center field power alley 370 and right field foul line 322.

In game notes:

Score: Indians 4, Rays 2 through seven innings.

Shaky relief: Chris Perez relieved Fausto Carmona with one on and two out in the seventh. He proceeded to walk three straight batters to force home a run and make it 4-2. He finally struck out John Jaso to end the inning.

Leadoff shot: Shelley Duncan stretched the Indians lead to 4-1 with a leadoff homer in the seventh. James Shields was gone after one more out.  

No nix on Nix: Jayson Nix gave the Indians 3-1 lead with homer off Shields in the fifth. Nix has homered six times in 14 games for the Indians. Five of those homers have come in the first five games of this seven-game trip.

Nix started the year with the White Sox where he hit one homer. It was a grand slam off Shields.

Early lead; Jhonny Peralta's 10-pitch at-bat, which ended in a single, seemed to unnerve James in the second. The Indians took a 2-0 lead as Matt LaPorta singled home Travis Hafner, Shields balked Peralta to third and LaPorta to second and then threw a wild pitch as the hustling Peralta scored. Shields threw 31 pitches in the inning.

The line: Carmona allowed two runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out four, while throwing 116 pitches. Shields allowed four runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out nine.  

 Pre-game notes:

 Game 86:   With three games left before the All-Star break, the Indians received two pieces of good news today. Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, out since May 17 with a broken left forearm, took batting practice for the first time since the injury.

 Cabrera said he felt good and that he'll start a rehab assignment Monday at Class A Mahoning Valley.

 "I'll play there Monday and Wednesday and then go to (Class AA) Akron," said Cabrera.

 Manager Manny Acta has said Cabrera will need at least 30 at-bats before rejoining the big league club. A rehab assignment for a position player can last 20 days.

 "He had no pain with his swing," said Acta.

 Dr. Thomas Graham performed surgery on Cabrera. He used a titanium plate and six screws to help the forearm heal.

 Matt LaPorta provided the other pieces of good news as he returned to the lineup after missing three games with a head injury suffered at first base Monday night in Arlington, Texas.

 "It's going to be good to get in there and hopefully play three games before the break," said LaPorta. "If I didn't play before the break, it would have been nine days without playing before the second half started."

 Break time: After Sunday's game, Acta and his wife, Cindy, will drive to their home in St. Cloud, Fla., for the break.

 "I'm just going to chill," said Acta.

 New addition: The Indians have hired former catcher Armando Camacaro to replace Ruben Niebla as an assistant to the Indians coaching staff. Camacaro, who played 10 years in the Indians minor league system, will warm up pitchers in the bullpen and throw batting practice.

 Cacamaco retired last year and was home in Venezuela when the Indians called. Niebla, a valuable asset to pitching coach Tim Belcher and bullpen coach Scott Radinsky, injured his knee last month in Pittsburgh and needed surgery. 

 Lineups:

 Indians (33-51): CF Michael Brantley (L), 2B Jayson Nix (R), C Carlos Santana (S), DH Travis Hafner (L), RF Austin Kearns (R), 3B Jhonny Peralta (R), 1B Matt LaPorta (R), LF Shelley Duncan (R), SS Jason Donald (R) and RHP Fausto Carmona (7-7, 3.69).

 Rays (52-33): RF Ben Zobrist (S), LF Carl Crawford (L), 3B Evan Longoria (R), 1B Carlos Pena (L), DH Matt Joyce (L), C John Jaso (L), CF B.J. Upton (R), SS Reid Brignac, 2B Sean Rodriguez (R) and RHP James Shields (7-8, 4.83).

 Umpires: H Jim Reynolds, 1B Tim Welke, 2B Scott Barry, 3B Mike DiMuro. Welke, crew chief.

 Quote of the day: "I don't want to play golf.  When I hit a ball, I want someone else to go chase it," the late Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby.

 Next: LHP Fausto Carmona (1-2, 5.18) vs. RHP Matt Garza (9-5, 4.30) tonight at 7:10 p.m.

The Cavs Team Shop at Quicken Loans Arena yanked all LeBron merchandise. Other stores slashed their prices.

Associated PressLeBron James shirts were removed Friday from Quicken Loans Arena, but 11-year-old Chris Williams of Miramar, Fla., found a Miami Heat version at American Airlines Arena in Miami,

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James memorabilia isn't exactly worthless now, but it's certainly worth less.

Companies were trying Friday to unload their LeBron replica jerseys, bobbleheads and other fan favorites, a day after James announced he would leave the Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.

Fathead.com, an online retailer owned by Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert, slashed the price of its LeBron Fathead wall decals from $99.99 to just $17.41.

Turns out 1741 is the year Revolutionary War traitor Benedict Arnold was born.

"I'll let our loyal customers determine if that was by coincidence or not," Fathead President Todd Lunsford said in an e-mail. One version of the LeBron Fatheads sold out.

Whether the company ever again sells a LeBron Fathead depends on the star becoming "Fathead-worthy" in a Miami Heat uniform, Lunsford said.

At Cardboard Heroes, a sports memorabilia store at Beachwood Place Mall, manager Nate Cannell said he didn't know what he'd do with his LeBron merchandise.

He stocked up on Cavs items in anticipation of a championship that never materialized.

Now, more than a quarter of his merchandise is devoted to LeBron. And from LeBron onesies to autographed adult jerseys, from action figures and bobbleheads to life-sized Fatheads, it's all 60 percent off.

"We've had it discounted 60 percent since they lost to Boston, since [James] only gave about 60 percent effort in the playoffs," Cannell said.

The Cavs Team Shop at Quicken Loans Arena yanked all LeBron merchandise. The team said the jerseys are sitting in boxes and could end up being sold to a third-party discount retailer.

Meanwhile, workers were busy making the arena a LeBron-free zone, both inside and out.

A 40- by 30-foot vinyl poster of James, Shaquille O'Neal and Mo Williams that had hung from the side of the building was quickly pulled down and carted off Friday morning.

Inside, a life-sized poster that let kids measure themselves against the 6-8 James and 7-3 Zydrunas Ilgauskas also was gone.

But the marketing of LeBron the enemy already was heating up.

On its website, Champs Sports advertised a black Adidas Miami Heat jersey emblazoned with "James" and "6," his new number, on the back, for $44.99 to $54.99, depending on size.

And at Cardboard Heroes, Cannell lamented not having the one item he said would really sell now:

"A LeBron James dartboard."

The Mariners pay the Rangers an estimated $2.5 million to help complete the trade, indicating the Indians will have to pay other teams if they hope to trade Jake Westbrook or Kerry Wood.

Duane Burleson / AP Cliff Lee, who won the AL Cy Young Award with the Indians in 2008, was traded Thursday from Seattle to Texas.

Clubhouse confidential: In trading former Indians pitcher Cliff Lee to Texas on Friday, Seattle included reliever Mark Lowe and an estimated $2.5 million to help pay the $4 million that remains on Lee's $9 million contract.

If the Indians are going to move pitchers Jake Westbrook or Kerry Wood, it's probably going to cost them more. Westbrook is making $11 million and Wood $10.5 million.

The Mariners received first baseman Justin Smoak and three minor-leaguers. If you're keeping track, starting last July, Lee has been traded three times in less than a year: from the Indians to the Phillies; from the Phillies to the Mariners; and from the Mariners to the Rangers.

One-hit wonder: Rapper Vanilla Ice was scheduled to perform at Tropicana Field after Friday night's game between the Indians and Rays. Is that good news or bad news?

Stat of the day: The Indians went into Friday night's game with six complete games, which ranks fourth in the big leagues.

Dear Dan Gilbert: You are the best owner in Cleveland sports in my lifetime. Probably the only one who rivals your passion and willingness to invest in a franchise for a quick turnaround is Bill Veeck, who delivered World Series championship to Tribe fans in 1948. When you took over the Cavs in spring 2005, I was worried. Very...

Dear Dan Gilbert:

You are the best owner in Cleveland sports in my lifetime. Probably the only one who rivals your passion and willingness to invest in a franchise for a quick turnaround is Bill Veeck, who delivered World Series championship to Tribe fans in 1948.

When you took over the Cavs in spring 2005, I was worried. Very worried. I sensed you knew just enough about pro basketball to get almost everything wrong. You had the team for three weeks, and fired coach Paul Silas. You said some silly things.

I also thought it was a bad idea to hand Mike Brown a clock when hiring him as coach, indicating time was ticking down. A rookie coach has enough pressure. He doesn't need more from ownership -- even if it was meant as a joke.

But you learned from your mistakes to the point where I will defend your ownership of the Cavaliers to anyone.

I just wish you had taken about 15 deep breaths and walked around the block a few hundred times before firing off that public e-mail after LeBron James announced Thursday he will join the Miami Heat.

And I liked most of the letter.

About James appearing on ESPN, you wrote, "This was announced with a several-day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his 'decision' unlike anything ever 'witnessed' in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment."

That was better than what I wrote about it.

You also wrote: "I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our 'motivation' to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels. Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there. Sorry, but that's simply not how it works."

Great line.

Your new coach Byron Scott said he could never imagine Michael Jordan leaving the Bulls early in his career to play for the Detroit Pistons, because "they hated each other too much."

The same with Magic Johnson switching to the Boston Celtics, or Larry Bird heading west to the Los Angeles Lakers. Jordan didn't win his first title until his seventh pro season.

I'd have loved to have seen Scott coach James, because perhaps he would have held the star to the "accountability" you said was lacking in James' life.

Well, Dan, part of that was on your management team. If James lacked accountability, it was up to you to make it happen. My guess is you know that now, too.

The part of your comments that bothered me the most came in an interview with the Associated Press, where you said James "quit" in the Boston series: "Not just in Game 5, but in Games 2, 4 and 6. Watch the tape. The Boston series was unlike anything in the history of sports for a superstar."

If that's the case, then why were you trying to sign this guy to a maximum contract worth $130 million over six years? Why want him at all? A quitter? That makes no sense.

James did you dirty, not even informing you or any of those teams until the ESPN spectacle had started, and then a call came from a member of James' camp only a few moments before James uttered the self-serving, "I'm taking my talents to South Beach."

That's like watching TV and someone telling you they just filed divorce papers. James had no class by refusing to answer your calls and texts in the final few days before heading to Miami. You and Cavs fans had every right to feel sabotaged and betrayed.

But when you charge an elite athlete with quitting, you have to realize you'll be spending some time explaining those remarks when trying to sign other free agents to play for the Cavaliers. The national media will portray you as being petty and say James was right to leave.

I know better.

So do the fans. James will look back at the first part of his career and realize he was never in a better comfort zone, considering being at home with fans who loved him and with tremendous support from the front office.

If any owner can bring the Cavs back from this loss and make them contenders again, it's you.

I have been impressed with how you upgraded the arena, built the magnificent practice facility and consistently had one of the top three payrolls in the NBA. You play to win, and that should speak loudly to players.

When they ask you about some of what you said after James left, use this line from Bishop Joey Johnson of Akron's House of the Lord, "When your heart is broken, your head won't work right."

I know you well enough to realize that was what happened. And I also know you'll learn from all this, not just in terms of interviews and e-mails. But also in how to deal with some players in the future.

P.S.: Dan, as for your letter, I give you a B-plus. Loved the passion, and most fans agreed with you. As do most general managers and owners, only they are afraid to say it.

Jayson Nix, Shelley Duncan and Jhonny Peralta homer as the Indians send Fausto Carmona to the All-Star game with a victory.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Fausto Carmona prepared for the All-Star game in good fashion Friday night as his teammates delivered a thunderclap of homers in a 9-3 victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field.

The victory ended Tampa Bay's six-game winning streak.

Jayson Nix isn't swinging the hammer of Thor, but he's getting close. Nix hit his fifth homer in five games, a one-run shot down the left field line off James Shields in the fifth for a 3-1 lead. It was Nix's sixth homer in 14 games since joining the Indians on June 24.

Shelly Duncan and Jhonny Peralta followed Nix's example shortly afterward.

Duncan hit a leadoff homer in the seventh for a 4-2 lead. Peralta delivered the finisher with a three-run homer in the eighth. For Peralta, who just missed a three-run homer Thursday night, it was sixth of the season.
 
Carmona (8-7) allowed two runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings. He threw a season-high 116 pitches, walking four and striking out four.

He left with a 4-1 lead in the seventh, but Chris Perez endangered it. Perez relieved with two out and one on and proceeded to walk three straight batters to force home Carl Crawford and make it a 4-2 game. Perez ended the tension by striking out John Jaso.

The Indians responded with a four-run eighth. Carlos Santana hit a leadoff double, but Travis Hafner struck out. Andy Sonnanstine, who pitched at Kent State, relieved and the Tribe went to work. Austin Kearns singled and Peralta homered to left for a 7-2 lead.

Doubles by Matt LaPorta and Jason Donald accounted for the last run of the inning. LaPorta, back in the lineup for the first time since Monday because of a head injury, had three hits.

Kearns doubled home the Tribe's final run in the ninth. They finished with 13 hits.

Shields (7-9) is 0-4 lifetime against the Indians.

The Indians unnerved Shields with a 31-pitch second inning. He hit Hafner to open the inning and lost a 10-pitch duel to Peralta, who singled to left with one out. After LaPorta singled home Hafner for a 1-0 lead, Shields balked Peralta to third and LaPorta to second and threw a wild pitch as the hustling Peralta scored.

Carlos Pena gave the Rays their final run of the night on a long homer to center field off Frank Herrmann. It was his 18th homer.

The former Indians catcher says the Rays don't have the overall firepower of the 2007 Indians, but he says the pitching staff is one of the best he's been around.

Chuck Crow / The Plain DealerFormer Indian Kelly Shoppach, now with the playoff-contending Rays, says the 2007 Tribe, which came within one game of the World Series, had more firepower but this season's Rays have more pitching.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- There's no magic formula to the Rays' success over the past three years. It's just good baseball.

"Pitching, defense, speed and timely hitting," said former Indians catcher Kelly Shoppach. "It all starts out on the mound."

The Indians traded Shoppach to Tampa Bay on Dec. 1 for right-hander Mitch Talbot, who goes into the All-Star break with an 8-8 record.

Shoppach is playing mostly against left-handers. He was on the disabled list from April 13 through June 3 following surgery on his right knee. He's hitting .400 (8-for-20) against lefties and .097 (3-for-28) against righties.

"The knee is as good as it's going to get," said Shoppach.

Shoppach went to Game 7 of the ALCS with the Indians in 2007. Here's how he compares the 2007 Indians to this year's Rays: "Firepower, this team isn't even close to the '07 team. We had guys up and down the lineup hitting 20 homers each.

"Total [pitching] staffwise, this is as good as I've been around. Even though in '07 we were really good."

Shoppach, on his way to the dugout before Friday's game, came across Tribe catcher Carlos Santana, who was waiting at the indoor batting cage. Santana is wearing Victor Martinez's No. 41.

"You've got a good number there," said Shoppach, who gave Santana a hug. "Big shoes to fill. Play the game right."

Shoppach is a big Martinez fan. He called Indians' clubhouse manager Tony Amato to complain when Amato gave Santana Martinez's number when he was promoted from Class AAA Columbus in July. Shoppach felt, out of respect for Martinez, that the number shouldn't have been worn for at least a year.

"Tony said he couldn't help it," said Shoppach. "The kid loves Victor and wants to be just like him."

View full sizeChuck Crow / PDAsdrubal Cabrera.

They're back, sort of: With three games left before the All-Star break, the Indians received some good news before Friday's game.

Shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, out since May 17 with a broken left forearm, took batting practice for the first time since the injury. He should begin his rehab assignment Monday at Class A Mahoning Valley.

"I'll play there Monday and Wednesday at Mahoning Valley, and then go to [Class AA] Akron," said Cabrera.

The other good news was Matt LaPorta returning to the lineup Friday for the first time since suffering a head injury Monday.

Manager Manny Acta has said Cabrera will need at least 30 at-bats before rejoining the big-league club. A rehab assignment for a position player can last 20 days.

Break time: After Sunday's game, Acta and his wife, Cindy, will drive to their home in St. Cloud, Fla., for the break.

"I'm just going to chill," said Acta.

New addition: The Indians hired former catcher Armando Camacaro to replace Ruben Niebla as an assistant to the coaching staff. Camacaro, who played 10 years in the Indians' minor-league system, will warm up pitchers in the bullpen and throw batting practice.

Niebla, a valuable asset to pitching coach Tim Belcher and bullpen coach Scott Radinsky, injured his knee last month in Pittsburgh and needed surgery.

Safety first: In the seventh inning Thursday, with runners on first and third and no one out, Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist executed a sacrifice bunt. At least that's what it was scored.

In reality, it was a safety squeeze. If Zobrist had bunted the ball a little harder and to the left of reliever Rafael Perez, John Jaso probably would have scored from third.

The Rays beat the Indians with the same play May 17 when Jason Bartlett squeezed home Jaso for a 4-3 victory in 11 innings.

Finally: The Rays, who like to overshift their infield defense, started doing it against Santana on Thursday. He thwarted it with a bunt single, but the Rays won't complain. That's one of the goals of the shift, to make a power hitter change his swing. . . . The Indians will work out Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Progressive Field following the All-Star break.

Though it is not finalized and might not be until next week, the Cavs are believed to have picked up two future first-round picks and two future second-round picks from the Heat in the swap.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / The Plain DealerA day after seeing their superstar player walk away, the Cavaliers are taking a pragmatic approach and have tentatively agreed to a sign-and-trade deal with the Miami Heat, which would give the team two first-round and two second-round draft picks. "We're not going to change our thinking -- we want to win," says GM Chris Grant, above.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Still recovering from the blow of losing LeBron James, the Cavaliers are starting the process of picking themselves up and moving on.

Thursday night, fans and members of the organization, especially owner Dan Gilbert, were brimming with anger. Apparently that was replaced with a business mindset on Friday as the team made a difficult but potential fruitful decision for the future.

According to league sources, after being approached by the Miami Heat the Cavs tentatively agreed to send James to his new team in a sign-and-trade deal. The Heat approached the Cavs about the deal, looking to pay James more money and free up some of their own cap space to sign other free agents.

If completed, the trade could put the Cavs in a position to make a significant trade of their own in the near future.

Though it is not finalized and might not be until next week, the Cavs are believed to have picked up two future first-round picks and two future second-round picks from the Heat in the swap.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / PDNew Cavaliers coach Byron Scott and team management will have some options in the future with a sign-and-trade deal with Miami.

The first-rounders likely will be in 2013 and 2015, with second-round picks in 2011 and 2012. The Cavs, it is believed, also will have the right to swap first-round picks with the Heat in 2012. In a separate sign-and-trade Friday, the Heat sent two first-round picks to the Toronto Raptors for Chris Bosh.

In addition, the Cavs will pick up a trade exception that could be worth up to $16 million. The way the deal works, the Heat are basically trading their salary-cap space for James, and it creates that exception. The Cavs can use that asset in a trade within the next year.

If the team goes this route, it will not give up the rights to its own free agents such as Shaquille O'Neal, and that will keep it over the salary cap. They will still have their midlevel exception of $5.7 million to use on free agents.

The Cavs were considering renouncing the rights to all their free agents and releasing guard Delonte West to get as much as $13 million in cap space. Instead, they will keep West and likely continue to dangle him in trades while looking for ways to use that $16 million.

It was likely a complex decision by the Cavs to take part in the sign-and-trade deal that will allow James to sign with the Heat for an additional (sixth) season and get higher annual raises that could make him as much as $30 million more over the life of the deal.

After Gilbert issued a fiery and emotional open letter to fans Thursday night, it seemed unlikely he'd take part in a deal that would get James extra money. Getting the Heat to give up four picks in the deal, especially considering the Cavs have had limited picks over the previous four years, apparently made enough business sense for Gilbert take part.

As Cavs General Manager Chris Grant said in a news conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Friday before he completed the sign-and-trade with the Heat, the team decided to move on shortly after they were informed James was leaving.

"LeBron is no longer on our team and we're ready to move forward," Grant said. "We're not going to change our thinking -- we want to win."

The Cavs plan is not to launch a complete rebuilding effort, Grant said, and instead attempt to have a seventh consecutive winning season in 2010-11. Getting the picks and the trade exception will give the team a chance to improve in the short term by trade but still assemble options for the future.

Having extra picks, even far into the future, can prove valuable to use in trades for more picks sooner or players. The Cavs, who haven't have a first-round pick in three of the previous six drafts, haven't had those types of options recently.

"If you look at the decisions we've made, they're all based on winning," Grant said. "We have players who are used to winning and we plan to continue to do so."

Jayson Nix hits his fifth homer in the past five games and Fausto Carmona pitches 6 2/3 innings as the Indians end Tampa Bay's six-game winning streak. Shelley Duncan and Jhonny Peralta hit homers of their own in the victory.

View full sizeChris O'Meara / Associated PressThe Indians' Jhonny Peralta slides home safely on a wild pitch by Rays starting pitcher James Shields, left, during the second inning Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Carmona prepared for his trip to the All-Star Game at Angel Stadium in Los Angeles by going six innings Friday night in the Indians' 9-3 victory over the Rays at Tropicana Field. He's made 18 starts in the first half of the season and 14 of them have been quality -- six or more innings, three or fewer earned runs.

Jayson Nix isn't swinging the hammer of Thor, but he's getting close. Nix hit his fifth homer in five games, a one-run shot down the left-field line off James Shields in the fifth for a 3-1 lead. It was Nix's sixth homer in 14 games since joining the Indians on June 24.

"I'm not going to think about this," said Nix of his hot streak. "That's how it happens in this game. It's one of those things you can't explain. I'm just going to enjoy it."

Nix has seven homers this season. The only one he didn't hit with the Indians was a grand slam for the Chicago White Sox. The pitcher he slammed? Tampa Bay's Shields.

"He's a good pitcher," said Nix. "I just happened to get the barrel on a couple of balls."

Shelley Duncan and Jhonny Peralta followed Nix's example in the seventh and eighth innings.

Duncan hit a leadoff homer in the seventh for a 4-2 lead. It was his fifth in 29 games.

Peralta delivered the finisher with a three-run homer in the eighth. For Peralta, who just missed a three-run homer Thursday night, it was his sixth of the season.

"Fausto was the key," said manager Manny Acta. "He did a nice job against a tough lineup. He kept us in the game until we hit those home runs. The rest was icing on the cake."

View full sizeChris O'Meara / APIndians shortstop Jason Donald, left, and left fielder Shelley Duncan retrieve a first-inning double by the Rays' Carl Crawford on Friday.

Carmona (8-7, 3.64 ERA) allowed two runs on five hits. He threw a season-high 116 pitches, walking four and striking out four.

He left with a 4-1 lead in the seventh, but Chris Perez endangered it. Perez relieved with two out and one on and proceeded to walk three straight batters to force home Carl Crawford, making it a 4-2 game. Perez ended the tension by striking out John Jaso.

"He made it interesting," said Acta, "but we trust him. He's been our best guy out of the bullpen in the first half. He made pitches when he had to."

The Indians responded with a four-run eighth. Carlos Santana hit a leadoff double, but Travis Hafner struck out. Andy Sonnanstine, who pitched at Kent State, relieved and the Tribe went to work. Austin Kearns singled and Peralta homered to left for a 7-2 lead.

Doubles by Matt LaPorta and Jason Donald accounted for the last run of the inning. LaPorta, back in the lineup for the first time since Monday because of a head injury, had three hits.

"It was great to see LaPorta back in the lineup and hitting like that," said Acta. "We need him. He's going to be a part of this lineup for a long time."

Kearns doubled home the Tribe's final run in the ninth. The Indians finished with 13 hits with Peralta and LaPorta leading the way with three each.

Shields (7-9, 4.87) is 0-4 lifetime against the Indians.

The Indians unnerved Shields with a 31-pitch second inning. He hit Hafner to open the inning and lost a 10-pitch duel to Peralta, who singled to left with one out. After LaPorta singled home Hafner for a 1-0 lead, Shields balked Peralta to third and LaPorta to second and threw a wild pitch as the hustling Peralta scored.

"That was a great at-bat by Peralta," said Acta. "Shields kept throwing him changeups, and Jhonny kept hanging in there until he got a big hit. When a batter has long at-bats like that, it can wear on a pitcher."

Shields allowed four runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked one.

Carlos Pena hit a long homer run with two out in the ninth off Frank Herrmann for the Rays' final run.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

The Akron Aeros and Kinston Indians also get victories on Friday night, but a power outage causes the suspension of the Lake Erie Crushers game.

AAA Columbus Clippers

Clippers 10, Indians 9 Columbus and Indianapolis combined for seven home runs in a slugfest Friday at Huntington Park in Columbus. The Clippers scored the winning run in the eighth on an RBI single by Luis Valbuena. Columbus home runs were slugged by Jordan Brown (his third), Cord Phelps (second), Jared Goedert (15th) and Wes Hodges (seventh). Vinnie Pestano (1-1) pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for the victory.

AA Akron Aeros

Aeros 10, SeaWolves 1 Akron rolled to its largest victory margin of the season at Erie, Pa. Beau Mills slugged a two-run homer as the Aeros won for the eighth time in their past 11 games.

Advanced A Kinston Indians

Indians 9, Red Sox 0 Chun-Hsiu Chen clubbed his first home run of the season for Kinston, N.C., and Austin Adams (1-0) and Marty Popham combined to limit visiting Salem, Va., to no runs on eight hits.

A Lake County Captains

TinCaps 1, Captains 0 Fort Wayne, Ind., scored the only run it needed in the top of the first at Classic Park in Eastlake when Danny Payne walked, stole second and third and then came home on a sacrifice fly. Fort Wayne managed only two hits.

A Mahoning Valley Scrappers

Lake Monsters 10, Scrappers 5 Vermont scored six runs in the top of the fifth and held on to beat Mahoning Valley in Niles. Brian Heere hit his first home run of the season for Mahoning Valley, a two-run shot in the fifth.

Independent Lake Erie Crushers

Crushers at Otters, susp. Lake Erie's game at Bosse Field in Evansville, Ind., was suspended in the bottom of the fifth when a light tower in right field went out. The game, tied at 2-2, was delayed for over an hour.

Kevin Durant's decision to sign a five-year deal to remain in Oklahoma City is almost as stunning as James leaving Cleveland.

View full sizeChris Lansberger / The Oklahoman via APWhen it comes to self-promotion in regard to signing contracts, Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant is the anti-LeBron James.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — 1. Not much was made of it nationally, but Kevin Durant's announcement that he is signing a five-year contract extension to stay in Oklahoma City is nearly as stunning as LeBron James leaving the Cavs for Miami. The NBA's leading scorer, Durant has been in the league only two years. He wouldn't have been a free agent until summer 2011. But he signed a five-year, $85 million deal to remain in Oklahoma City through 2016. That's right, Oklahoma City, not a major market.

2. This will be my last "What if . . ." about James, but what if James had done the same -- at any point. What if he gave the Cavs even five full seasons to plan and build a winner? That would have taken the pressure off to win now and chew up salary-cap room by overpaying for veterans from Larry Hughes to Donyell Marshall to so many others. Then the Cavs would not be in this spot with James a free agent and no cap room --at least until he left.

3. Before the 2006-07 season, Dwyane Wade (Miami), Chris Bosh (Toronto) and James all met and agreed to sign three-year deals (with a player option for a fourth season) with their current teams. Carmelo Anthony didn't follow the example, signing for four full seasons (and a fifth-year player option) with Denver. This put Bosh, James and Wade on the market at the same time this summer --and it also put their teams under the gun to win now.

4. Miami gambled that Wade would not go anywhere, telling the Heat's star that they will lose now --but create enough salary-cap room to sign Bosh and/or James. The Heat figured they were more likely to lure James and/or Bosh to Miami --than see Wade leave South Beach. They were right.

View full sizeAl Diaz / Miami Herald via APLeBron James makes his first appearance in a Heat uniform Friday during an event at American Airlines Arena in Miami.

5. James seemed so distracted in the Boston series. Some blamed his aching elbow, or something else. Now, it seems the free-agent swirl scooped him up and carried him along. Was he thinking about teaming up with Bosh and Wade? Did he make the mistake of suddenly looking for reasons to switch jobs -- when he still had a job to do? Did he start to think, "As soon as this is over, I'm outta here!" Is that why he lost his passion?

6. At their news conference in Miami, Bosh indicated these three had been talking about getting together for a long time. If James had just told the Cavs immediately after the season that he planned to sign elsewhere, then the team could have moved forward with anything from a sign-and-trade for him to chasing other free agents, even if the Cavs could not offer a maximum contract.

7. Word is that James made his final decision Tuesday, but refused to tell the Cavs (or any other team). Even two extra days may have enabled the Cavs to make a move for free-agent center Brendan Haywood, who signed a six-year, $55 million deal with Dallas. James did the Cavs absolutely no favors on this. His refusal to respond to owner Dan Gilbert's texts and calls in the final week reeks of arrogance.

8. The Cavs will at least come out of this mess with two Miami first-round picks (one being in 2012), and two second-round picks (one in 2011). There may be other parts of the sign-and-trade with James and the Heat. The more picks the better, not only to draft players -- but to be used in trades.

9. It's appalling, but not surprising, that ESPN let Jim Gray put together a deal to have James announce his decision on the network -- then have Gray do the interview. And allow this knowing James is paying Gray. But it got high ratings, which is all ESPN cares about.

10. It was nice to hear Orlando General Manager Otis Smith rip James for leaving Cleveland. He said the "great ones" usually stay with one team, and "competitors" don't leave like James did. This came a day after Magic coach Stan Van Gundy ripped James for everything from the TV show to leaving the Cavs.

Solon senior linebacker Jovon Johnson recently gave the Ohio University football program his oral commitment, becoming the second Comets player this year to do so. Solon running back Kyle Hammonds gave the Bobcats his commitment in April and had a hand in helping Johnson make his decision.

Solon's Jovon Johnson, right.



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(Tracy Boulian / PD)

Solon senior linebacker Jovon Johnson recently gave the Ohio University football program his oral commitment, becoming the second Comets player this year to do so.

Solon running back Kyle Hammonds gave the Bobcats his commitment in April and had a hand in helping Johnson make his decision.

"Knowing somebody, especially a teammate and good friend, is going to Ohio University made my decision pretty easy," said Johnson, a 6-0, 200-pounder. "He talked to me a lot about the two of us going to the same college, so we'll probably be roommates."

Johnson accounted for 20 solo tackles, 31 assists and seven tackles for loss last season.

-- Bob Fortuna

Two seniors to compete: Maple Heights senior quarterback/Cincinnati recruit Shaq Washington and St. Vincent-St. Mary senior defensive back Doran Grant have been selected to participate in the second Champion Gridiron Kings at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla., July 24-25.

Central Catholic hires coach: Cleveland Central Catholic has hired Mario Houston as its new baseball coach.

Houston, an Edinboro graduate who owns his own business, spent the previous two seasons coaching St. Peter Chanel's team. He replaces Ken Detwiler, who is moving to Arizona.

The former football and basketball star from Syracuse, N.Y., talks about leaving his hometown to go play hoops at Duke.

View full sizeMarvin Fong / The Plain DealerShannon Scott from Team Kentucky drives past Anrio Adams of Team Michigan State during King City Classic play Friday at Cleveland State’s Wolstein Center.

AKRON, Ohio — LeBron James is not the first prime-time prep recruit to leave his home to stake his claim elsewhere.

Remember Greg Paulus? The football and basketball star in Syracuse, N.Y., opted to leave after his prep career to play basketball at Duke.

He was one of the coaches this week both at the LeBron James Skills Academy and the King City Classic and reflected on his decision to leave home.

"The people in Syracuse helped make me," Paulus said on the last day of the event. "I still call it home, but it was a personal decision I made. I think everybody takes [his decision] differently. For me, I just tried to make the best decision possible for myself. Looking at all my opportunities, I had to go with my gut and my heart."

After playing four years of basketball at Duke, Paulus still had a fifth year of eligibility left to play another sport, so he returned to Syracuse and played one season of football for the Orange.

"When I had a chance to come home and play football, I had so much pride putting the Syracuse uniform on, representing the school, the city. I felt really lucky I had the opportunity to play at Duke and play at Syracuse."

With the LeBron James Skills Academy/King City Classic coming to an end, here are some final observations:

Smoothest player: A choice of two -- 6-6 Branden Dawson from Gary, Ind., and 6-7 Victor Nickerson from Atlanta. Along the baseline and around the rim, these two slashers handled the ball well enough to get their own shots, and knew how to put the ball in the hoop. Of the two, Dawson may have been the most prolific, but Nickerson had a knack for getting hoops when his team truly needed them.

Best big man: One could not ignore the presence of 6-10, 290-pound DaJuan Coleman from Syracuse, N.Y. He has been compared to incoming Ohio State big man Jared Sullinger, and justifiably so. But he was still No. 2 to 6-9, 220-pound Kyle Wiltjer from Portland, Ore. Wiltjer will have to be careful where he chooses to play, as he is far down on both the speed and athleticism lists.

But he's got the hands of a pro around the basket, rarely losing a potential rebound he touches. He has every tool on offense, from the short-corner jumper to the jump hook in the lane to a power post-up. He's automatic with the high-low play. Wiltjer won't go get a blocked shot, but he'll block whatever comes to him. And while he has average speed now -- and will likely get slower as he gets bigger -- Wiltjer does have "big moment" speed where he will blow past a defender who has been lulled to sleep.

Best point guard: Myles Mack (5-10, 151 pounds) came into the week with a reputation of a shooting guard in a point guard's body. He didn't shoot as well as many expected, but it's clear he has worked on his ball handling and getting others involved. Mack has quicksilver speed, and showed leadership as he was always in a teammate's ear.

Fill it up: P.J. Hairston, a 6-5, 227-pound guard from Greensboro, N.C., has the body of a linebacker and a buttery jump shot. And as soon as one locks in on defending that, he muscles to the ball with speed and quickness. Few players scored in bunches like Hairston did when he was on the floor.

Local ties: James Price, the 6-9 center leaving St. Edward to play his senior year in Louisville, Ky., continued to be somewhat of an enigma. As one recruitnik observed, "it depends on when you see him." His hands are clearly a question mark, and while he can score, he can only do so with his left hand and mainly from one spot on the floor. He has tools, but they mostly remain in the toolbox.

JaKarr Sampson, a 6-7 forward from St. Vincent-St. Mary, did not disappoint in his performance but was also clearly distracted by the LeBron circus as he was constantly asked LeBron questions when he was off the court and compared to LeBron on the court. The fact he held up under the spotlight bodes well for his future.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

Eight-year-old Traci rides Little Manhattan to top honors in the Walk/Trot division.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerEight-year-old Olivia Traci gets a kiss from her mother Nicole and a high-five from a friend after winning the Walk/Trot division Friday at the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic.

Marge Fernbacher / Special to The Plain Dealer

MORELAND HILLS, Ohio — Olivia Traci of Aurora led the field in horse show competition Friday, winning on the opening day at the Chagrin Valley Hunter Jumper Classic.

The 8-year-old Traci rode Emma Kurtz's Little Manhattan to top honors in the Walk/Trot division. Her first place, two second places and a fourth earned 24 points. The Reserve Champion -- with 20.5 points -- was Lauren Childs of Chagrin Falls on Tye Dye.

The championship in the Walk/Trot/Canter division went to Morgan Moran of Ravenna on My Hobby, owned by her mother Barb Moran. Morgan Moran earned 24 points, finishing ahead of Juliana Hillestad of Wadsworth.

"[My Hobby is] really fun, and he loves to jump," said Morgan Moran, who won the Walk/Trot division last year. "That's the best part about him."

A special section of classes for riders with disabilities also was held Friday. Competing were 26 riders, ranging in age from 5 to over 50.

Horse show action at the Metroparks Polo Field resumes at 8 a.m. today and continues through Sunday, July 18. The $30,000 Cleveland Grand Prix, the feature event of the eight-day show, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. July 18.

For more information, visit clevelandhorseshow.com or call 330-903-9915.

Marge Fernbacher is a freelance writer in Willoughby Hills.

Waynedale senior and Ohio State recruit Grant Weaver survives a double-bogey six on the 17th hole and some aggravating weather to defeat defending champ Augie Ward by three shots.

After all, this was the Good Park Junior golf tournament -- the 73rd annual -- and rarely has the event had a runaway winner in the boys competition.

Waynedale senior and Ohio State recruit Grant Weaver survived a double-bogey six on the 17th hole -- the 429-yard eighth hole on the reversed nines -- and some aggravating weather to defeat defending champ Augie Ward by three shots Friday in the Championship Flight with a 36-hole score of even-par 142.

It was a day in which the field of about 270 played under varying weather conditions. It was humid and overcast in the morning before a steady rain fell for nearly two hours in the early afternoon.

The sun was shining and the humidity had decreased by the time the leaders made the turn. By tournament's end, it was actually pleasant.

Still, many players said it was tough playing in the rain.

"I had a hard time getting anything going," said Weaver, who opened championship play Thursday with a blistering 5-under 66 and came in with a 76 on Friday. "I was just trying to make pars."

He made 12 of them to go with one birdie, four bogeys and the aforementioned double bogey when it appeared he was about to see a two-shot lead disappear.

"I was thinking it was going to be a one-shot lead," he said. It could have been a tie.

Ward, a Walsh Jesuit graduate and Kent State recruit, began the day four shots behind Weaver. He eventually pulled even but fell behind by two shots on Good Park's front nine (his back nine).

Weaver had a two-shot lead when he pulled his drive too far left into the rough on the eighth hole and was blocked from reaching the green in two. His second shot took a nasty bounce and kicked into the greenside bunker on the right. His sand shot flew the green and he eventually three-putted.

Ward was on the green in two but four-putted from about 30 feet for six. Instead of cutting into Weaver's lead or maybe even pulling even again, he let Weaver off the hook.

He also suffered a distraction when one of his playing partners inadvertently dropped his ball as Ward stood over his second putt from about 8 feet. Ward backed off but missed the putt.

"Yeah, it bothered me a little," said Ward, who finished in 70-75--145. "But that's no excuse. I should have taken more time. I couldn't find the speed of the greens all day, but I should have adjusted."

Alliance's Tiana Jones shot 71-73--144 to win the girls championship flight by six shots over Hudson's Natalie Goodson (72-78--150).

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: trogers@plaind.com, 216-999-5169