NATIONALS-ROCKIES
Zimmerman homers, Nationals beat depleted Rockies
DENVER (AP) - Ryan Zimmerman homered and drove in three runs, Ian Desmond got four hits and the Washington Nationals beat the depleted Colorado Rockies 5-4 on Thursday.
The Rockies lost four players and a coach, as well as the rubber match of the 3-game series.
Outfielders Carlos Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler were injured early and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki left for an undisclosed reason in the eighth. Reliever Wilton Lopez and pitching coach Jim Wright were ejected in the seventh.
Craig Stammen (4-2) threw two scoreless innings. Rafael Soriano got his 17th save after giving up an RBI single to pinch-hitter Todd Helton with two outs.
ALL-STAR-COACHES
Collins, Johnson picked as NL All-Star coaches
NEW YORK (AP) - Current Mets manager Terry Collins and former skipper Davey Johnson have been selected as coaches for next month's All-Star game at Citi Field.
Johnson, currently Washington's skipper, managed the Mets to their last World Series title in 1986. They were picked Thursday by San Francisco's Bruce Bochy, the NL's manager
Detroit's Jim Leyland, the AL manager, also chose coaches with Mets' ties: Robin Ventura of the Chicago White Sox and John Gibbons of the Toronto Blue Jays. Ventura played for the Mets' last NL pennant winner in 2000 and Gibbons is a former Mets player and minor league manager.
The All-Star game is July 16.
RAVENS-FRESH START
Ravens begin quest to win another Super Bowl
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) - Coach John Harbaugh was "very pleased" with Baltimore's minicamp and the Super Bowl champion won't unite as a team again until late July.
The Ravens finished their 3-day mandatory offseason session on Thursday. Afterward, Harbaugh said, "I was very pleased with the effort, very pleased with what we accomplished. I think we're in a good place as a football team."
Baltimore lost nine significant contributors from last season's team, most notably Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Anquan Boldin and Matt Birk. They've been replaced by a host of newcomers - including Elvis Dumervil, Chris Canty, Marcus Spears and Michael Huff.
For that reason, it seems as if the Ravens are starting over.
Tackle Bryant McKinnie says, "The chemistry kind of has to grow with all the new people and everything."
PANTHERS-RUNNING GAME
Newton says Panthers RBs need to be more involved
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Quarterback Cam Newton says if Carolina Panthers are to be successful this season their running backs need to be more involved in the offense.
Newton says that means a concerted effort to get the backs involved early in games and "let those guys do what they do."
The Panthers once invested nearly $80 million in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart and brought in free agent Mike Tolbert last season. Yet, it was Newton who led the team in rushing with 741 yards in 2012.
Carolina's backs were an afterthought at times last season under ex-offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski, touching the ball on only 38% of offensive plays.
Newton says "for us to be successful, we have to run the football. We will run the football."
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