BASEBALL

BROWN, SHEFFIELD MAKE SPRING DEBUTS

The Yankees remained winless in spring training but were pleased with the 2005 debuts of two stars coming off major injuries.

Kevin Brown struggled through the first inning, allowing a run and three hits. Then he made some adjustments and followed with two scoreless innings yesterday in a 6-5 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

Gary Sheffield, recovering from off-season shoulder surgery, went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI singles. The Yankees started their regular lineup for the first time this year, but fell to 0-3 with a tie, wasting a 5-3 lead in the ninth when Cincinnati rallied against Tom Gordon. Jason Giambi went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice fly. More important, he was among seven regulars chosen for the travel squad for the Yankees’ split-squad game against the Red Sox today. Others on the travel list are Bernie Williams, Hideki Matsui, Ruben Sierra, Bubba Crosby, Tony Womack, and Rey Sanchez.

MET SQUADS EARN SPLIT RESULTS

Victor Zambrano gave up three hits and two runs in 2 1/3 innings yesterday as the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 14-5.

The Mets’ split-squad scored five runs in the first inning, batting around for the second time this spring behind RBI doubles by Carlos Beltran and Doug Mientkiewicz. They batted around again in the third. Jose Reyes hit a two-run double and Nationals reliever Luis Pineda walked five straight batters.

The other Mets squad lost 8-7 to Atlanta despite three home runs, including one by free-agent signee Andres Galarraga.

TENNIS

CROATIA ELIMINATES U.S. FROM DAVIS CUP

Ivan Ljubicic beat Andy Roddick in five-sets yesterday to give Croatia an insurmountable 3-1 lead in the opening-round Davis Cup matches. Playing iron man for his country, Ljubicic outlasted Roddick 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (11), 6-7 (7), 6-2 in a match that lasted almost four hours. The 25-year-old Ljubicic began the round with a straight-set win over Agassi, then teamed with Ancic to hand Mike and Mark Bryan their first Davis Cup loss in six matches.

The Americans have won the Cup 31 times, but haven’t taken it since 1995. The drought is their longest in 68 years. Croatia moves on to the quarterfinals against Romania, which defeated Belarus in the first round.

FOOTBALL

WARNER SIGNS WITH ARIZONA

Kurt Warner agreed yesterday to a one-year, $4 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, the two-time MVP’s third team in three seasons.

The 33-year-old quarterback completed 174-of-277 passes for 2,054 yards, six touchdowns, and four interceptions last season with the Giants, going 5-2 as a starter.

BURRESS TO VISIT GIANTS

Free agent wide receiver Plaxico Burress will visit the Giants today to discuss becoming the deep threat that Eli Manning so desperately needs. Burress, who spent the list five seasons with Pittsburgh, had his best season in 2002, when he had 78 catches for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns.

– Associated Press