Latest Washington, Oregon and Alaska sports

MARINERS-RAYS

Lee drives in 3 runs, Mariners beat Rays 6-4 to avoid sweep

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Dae-Ho Lee drove in three runs, James Paxton went six effective innings and the Seattle Mariners avoided a three-game sweep by beating the Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 on Thursday.

Lee had an RBI single in a three-run first and drove in two with a double during the fourth.

Paxton (1-2) gave up three runs and five hits. Steve Cishek, the third Seattle reliever, pitched the ninth to get his 15th save.

Blake Snell, a 23-year-old Seattle native, was recalled from Triple-A Durham before the game and started for the Rays. Snell (0-1) allowed five runs — one earned — and eight hits over 3 1-3 innings in his first home big league start and second overall.

STORM-WINGS

Wings beat Storm 88-79 to snap 6-game losing skid

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Karima Christmas and Odyssey Sims each scored 17 points as the Dallas Wings snapped a six-game losing streak with an 88-79 victory over the Seattle Storm on Thursday night.

The Wings outscored Seattle 31-19 in the decisive third quarter. Aerial Powers’ 3-point play with 53.5 seconds left in the period extended Dallas’ lead to 65-55.

Seattle did not get closer than six points in the fourth.

Courtney Paris recorded her second straight double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds for Dallas (4-7), which is ranked No. 10 in the AP power poll.

Dallas led by 10 points in the first half but trailed 38-36 at halftime.

Breanna Stewart made 12 of 14 free throws and scored 29 points for seventh-ranked Seattle (4-8). She had 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the first half but didn’t attempt her first shot of the second half until the 7:10 mark of the fourth quarter.

SEAHAWKS-END OF MINICAMPS

Seahawks’ Graham, Rawls expected to be ready for season

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — If Pete Carroll’s optimism proves justified, the Seattle Seahawks will have Jimmy Graham and Thomas Rawls on the field when the regular season begins.

That both could be ready for the September 11th opener against Miami is a pleasant surprise for the Seahawks.

Carroll said Thursday as Seattle wrapped up its three-day mandatory minicamp that both are on track, although they may not be able to go at the beginning of training camp in late July. Carroll said it was a critical six weeks coming up for the pair as they recover from injuries suffered late last season.

Graham tore a patellar tendon in his right knee in Seattle’s Week 12 win over Pittsburgh last November. Two weeks later, Rawls broke an ankle early in a victory over Baltimore. Rawls was believed to have a shorter recovery schedule, but Carroll said Graham was actually ahead in the rehabilitation.

Both were on the field as spectators during workouts earlier in the offseason and during minicamp this week.

EX-SEAHAWK-CHARGES

Ex-Seahawk Derrick Coleman pleads not guilty to hit-run

(Information in the following story is from: KOMO-TV, http://www.komotv.com/)

SEATTLE (AP) — Former Seattle Seahawks fullback Derrick Coleman has pleaded not guilty to felony hit and run and vehicular assault in connection with a car crash in October.

KOMO-TV reported that Coleman was arraigned Thursday in King County Superior Court.

He could face up to 16 months behind bars if convicted of both charges.

Coleman’s attorneys did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

During the investigation, Coleman told police he had smoked “Spice” — a form of synthetic marijuana — about an hour before the crash.

Police say Coleman’s truck was traveling at 60 mph in a 35 miles per hour zone and hit a Honda Civic. The driver of the Civic suffered a broken collarbone when his car flipped over.

Coleman is a free agent after his contract with Seattle expired.

NBA FINALS-CAVS FORCE GAME SEVEN

Cavaliers force Game 7, beat Warriors 115-101

CLEVELAND (AP) — LeBron James had 41 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds and the Cleveland Cavaliers forced a Game 7 in the NBA Finals with a 115-101 victory over the Golden State Warriors Thursday night.

James — who scored 18 straight points during one stretch — finished with 41 for the second straight game in another overpowering performance for the Cavs, who have come back to tie the best-of-seven series at three games apiece. No team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA’s championship round.

The Cavaliers can make history, and capture Cleveland’s first pro sports championship in 52 years, with a victory in Oakland on Sunday.

Stephen Curry scored 30 points for the Warriors, but was ejected in the fourth quarter after picking up his sixth foul. Curry threw his mouth guard as he argued the call and the Warriors have come unglued in the series.