Sports briefs 8/28/04

Baseball

n The Chicago Cubs agreed to terms Friday with infielder Eric Patterson, an eighth-round draft pick and the younger brother of Cubs center fielder Corey Patterson.

The 21-year-old Patterson batted .326 with nine homers, 49 runs batted in and 48 stolen bases last season in earning All-American honors for the second time at Georgia Tech. In three seasons with the Yellow Jackets, he had a total of 14 homers and 124 RBIs.

Basketball

Potential jurors began arriving at the county courthouse Friday, the first step toward choosing 12 people who will decide whether Kobe Bryant is guilty of sexually assaulting a resort worker last summer.

Inside, the approximately 500 jury candidates were to fill out 82-item questionnaires that defense attorneys, prosecutors and their consultants have agonized over for weeks. The media have been barred from the courthouse until opening statements begin, probably Sept. 7.

Golf

Fred Funk and tour rookie Zach Johnson had near perfect outings Friday to share a one-stroke lead in the Buick Championship after two rounds.

Johnson shot a 5-under 65 and Funk had a 66 to move to 8-under 132 for the tournament, one better than Hank Kuehne (65). First-round leader Corey Pavin and Jose Coceres are two strokes back.

Peter Jacobsen shot a 6-under 66 in the Tradition to move to 9 under, one stroke ahead of Bruce Lietzke, after two rounds of the Champions Tour's last major of the year.

First-round leaders Vicente Fernandez and Jose Maria Canizaresone were among five players at 6 under. Bruce Summerhays, also a co-leader Thursday, shot a 72 to trail by four strokes.

Jill McGill shot an 8-under-par 64 to take a three-stroke lead after two rounds of the Wachovia LPGA Classic.

Miguel Angel Jimenez's 66 gave the Spaniard a one-shot lead at the BMW International Open, where European players are in a scramble to make the Ryder Cup team.

David Lynn of England (68) and Retief Goosen of South Africa (69) were one stroke back at 135.

Motorsports

Jeff Gordon won the pole for the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway with a speed of 128.520 mph. It was the 52nd pole of his career and series-best sixth this season.

Rookie Kasey Kahne qualified secondand Sterling Marlin was third.

Tennis

Nathalie Dechy advanced to the final of the Pilot Pen tournament, using quick, accurate play to beat Lisa Raymond 6-4, 6-0 Friday.

The eighth-seeded Dechy will face doubles partner and seventh-seeded Elena Bovina in Saturday's championship match.