Northwest AP Sports Minute

Here is the latest Washington, Oregon and Alaska sports news from The Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) – Felix Hernandez pitched with a comfortable lead for a change as the Seattle Mariners handed the Chicago White Sox their eighth straight loss with a 7-4 victory last night. Seattle scored three times in the first inning and three times in the third to give Hernandez a rare cushion on a night when he wasn’t at his best early. Raul Ibanez hit a two-run homer and a two-run double in his first two at-bats.

SEATTLE (AP) – Chicago White Sox pitcher Jake Peavy will undergo an MRI in Seattle today because of a pain in his ribs. During last night’s 7-4 loss against the Seattle Mariners, Peavy had to exit in the third inning after giving a double to Raul Ibanez. The White Sox say X-rays on the left side of Peavy’s ribs were negative.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Oregon’s women have won both the NCAA cross country and the indoor championships. Only one other team, Texas in 1986, has added the outdoor title in the same school year for the so-called Triple Crown. The Ducks hope to be the second at this year’s championship, which starts today in Eugene.

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – From fast food to sprinter stardom, Mississippi senior Isiah Young’s rise is “a true Cinderella story.” The 23-year-old Young is the latest American sprinter to break the 10-second barrier in the 100 meters, clocking a 9.99 in the NCAA East preliminary meet. He is among the favorites to win the 100 and 200 at the NCAA championships this week in Eugene, Ore.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) – The most intriguing new face turning heads at the Denver Broncos’ offseason workouts isn’t Montee Ball or Sylvester Williams. It’s third-year tight end Julius Thomas. The 6-foot-5, 255-pound former power forward is finally healthy after spending the bulk of his first two seasons with the Denver Broncos dealing with a bum right ankle. Thomas is finally flashing the skills that made him an attractive prospect coming out of Portland State in 2011.