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Krasnaya Polyana, Russia (SportsNetwork.com) - Ted Ligety skidded out, sliding onto his left side. No, the American skier hadnt just blown another chance to take his rightful place as the Olympic giant slalom champion. He was celebrating. In clear conditions at the Rosa Khutor course, Ligety carved out a big lead with a masterful morning run Wednesday that all but guaranteed him the gold barring a big mistake in the afternoon. Teammate Bode Miller called it a "clutch performance." You might call it a moment eight years in the making. Ligety took a lead of .93 seconds into the second run, then held on to beat Frances Steve Missillier by .48 seconds for his second Olympic gold medal but first in the event hes dominated for years on the World Cup circuit. Ligety finished with a combined time of 2 minutes, 45.29 seconds, winning the first gold medal of the Sochi Olympics for the U.S. alpine skiing team. Alexis Pinturault earned the bronze behind his French teammate. Widely considered the best giant slalom skier of his generation, Ligety skied out of the race in 2006 and finished ninth in 2010. Until he filled the biggest hole in his resume on Wednesday, Ligetys greatest Olympic feat had been a surprising win in the mens combined as a 21-year-old in 2006. "Today was awesome. Theres not really any other way to put it," said Ligety. "This is something Ive been working for since I was a little kid. Being the favorite in alpine skiing is never easy, because its an event thats so far from being guaranteed and not an event thats super simple to win even if youre skiing the best in the world." Miller finished 2.53 seconds behind Ligety in 20th place in what could be the 36-year-olds final Olympic race. Miller became the oldest Olympic medalist in alpine skiing on Sunday when he tied for bronze in the Super-G for his sixth Olympic medal, including a silver in the giant slalom in 2002. "Its asking a bit much of my left knee still on those kinds of bumps. Right in the middle, theres a left-footed turn that just seems like crazy big bumps. I just look at it thinking maybe I could do it, but confidence-wise I dont feel comfortable dropping it in that way and its cost me both runs there. This is pretty aggressive stuff for the lower leg," noted Miller. Ligety is only the second American skier with two Olympic alpine gold medals after Andrea Mead Lawrence, who won both womens slalom events at the 1952 Oslo Games. He finished his first run in 1:21.08 and had the 14th-fastest time in his second run, 1:24.21 -- more than a second slower than Missillier but good enough. Ligety appeared relieved at the bottom of the hill, sliding into the snow and exhaling. Defending Olympic champion Carlo Janka of Switzerland finished in 13th place and Sochi downhill gold medalist Matthias Mayer of Austria ended sixth. 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Wholesale NBA Jerseys .C. -- After a listless first half, the Washington Wizards used a big third quarter run to beat the Charlotte Bobcats Bradley Beal scored 21 points and the Wizards used a 17-0 run in the third quarter to take control of what had been a close game and beat the Bobcats 97-83 on Tuesday night. NEW YORK -- Kyle Seager was so locked in Monday night he had no idea Derek Jeter nearly caught his short fly down the left-field line on a carom until he was safe on third with a triple. Seager had another triple, a home run and a double in a rare feat not seen in more than 40 years, leading Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners past the New York Yankees 10-2. "It was a weird play," Seager said of the triple in the fourth inning. "I basically just kept running." Hernandez (8-1) won his fifth straight start to match a career high. The Mariners broke open a game of odd bounces with a four-run seventh inning, and Seager hit a three-run drive in the ninth. Robinson Cano was again relentlessly booed by Yankees fans, this time in a makeup of a game washed out April 30. In the lineup after sitting four straight with a bruised left hand, he went 1 for 3 with two walks. The former New York second baseman drew a mocking cheer when he was caught too far off first by David Phelps (1-3). The durable Cano said he was a little scared at first returning from the injury. By the fourth time up, he was fine. "Hopefully we come tomorrow with no pain," said Cano, who had not missed four games in a season since 2006. Seattle, which won at Yankee Stadium on April 29 and May 1, took all three games in New York for the first time since sweeping three in 2002. The Mariners have won three straight overall. Seager became the first major leaguer to hit two triples and at least one homer and one double since Hal Breeden for Montreal in 1973, STATS said. The last AL player to do it was Hoot Evers for Detroit in 1950. "Thats definitely a special one," Seager said. "Thats definitely one Ill remember, for sure." His second triple was aided by a rare mental mistake by Jeter. Seager hit a blooper down the line that bounced off the glove of sliding left fielder Brett Gardner. Jeter was also giving chase and had a chance to make the catch off the deflection, but couldnt come up with it. With his back to third base umpire Brian Gorman, Jeter did not see the fair signal. When he corralled thee ball in foul ground, he continued to jog several steps toward the corner.dddddddddddd He looked surprised when he turned, and his throw to third was too late. Phelps hollered "throw the ball!" as Seager headed to third. After the play was over, Jeter could be seen on television saying "I thought it was foul" as he walked back to the infield. "Im in for the bunt and went back on the popup. It never crossed my mind that it was fair. I almost gave it to a fan," Jeter said. "I thought for sure the ball was foul because I was in foul territory." The Yankees missed Hernandez in April because of the rainout and they certainly wished they had not faced the Mariners ace Monday. King Felix has been on quite a roll. The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner has not lost in nine starts dating to April 21. He was touched for two runs in the fourth when he kicked out his foot and redirected Ichiro Suzukis grounder up the middle for a two-run single. "Oh, my God," Hernandez said. "I should have not kicked that." Hernandez gave up eight hits and two runs in seven innings. He struck out eight without allowing a walk. Hernandez last won five starts in a row in 2009. Seager homered with two outs off Alfredo Aceves in the ninth three batters after Michael Saunders connected. Brad Miller had a two-run single with the bases loaded in the seventh to give Seattle a 4-2 lead and chase Phelps. Saunders added a two-run single off Matt Thornton. NOTES: Yankees RF Carlos Beltran (right elbow bone spurs) went 0 for 3 as the designated hitter in an extended spring training game against the Phillies in Clearwater, Florida. Beltran said elbow felt good. ... Yankees C Francisco Cervelli (right hamstring strain) went 1 for 2 with a double and walk in his third extended spring training game. ... The Mariners head next to Atlanta and will fly about 6,000 miles on this three-city road trip. ... Triple Crown hopeful California Chromes Jockey, Victor Espinoza, and Alan Sherman, the son of 77-year-old trainer Art Sherman and his top assistant, threw out ceremonial first pitches. ' ' '