BASEBALL

RED SOX INSIST SCHILLING’S BLOODY SOCK IS FOR REAL

No paint, no ink, no ketchup.

Nothing but Curt Schilling‘s blood was seeping through his socks in the 2004 postseason, current and former Red Sox said yesterday after a rumor resurfaced that the pitcher milked his injury for drama while helping Boston end its 86-year title drought.

On Wednesday, Baltimore announcer Gary Thorne said during his broadcast of the Red Sox-Orioles game that Boston backup catcher Doug Mirabelli admitted it was a hoax.

“It was painted,” Thorne said. “Doug Mirabelli confessed up to it after. It was all for PR.”

Thorne backed off yesterday after talking to Mirabelli before the Red Sox played the Orioles. Thorne said Mirabelli had been joking.

“He said one thing, and I heard something else. I reported what I heard and what I honestly felt was said,” Thorne said. “Having talked with him today, there’s no doubt in my mind that’s not what he said, that’s not what he meant. He explained that it was in the context of the sarcasm and the jabbing that goes on in the clubhouse.

SOSA HITS TWO HOME RUNS

Sammy Sosa is “Slammin’ Sammy” once again.

Sosa hit two homers to reach 594 for his career, but Paul Byrd and the Cleveland Indians beat the Texas Rangers 9–4 yesterday for their fifth straight win.

Sosa’s 439-foot drive leading off the sixth inning against Byrd (2–1) made Jacobs Field the 44th major league ballpark in which he has homered. That broke a tie with Ken Griffey Jr. and Fred McGriff for the most in a big league career.

“It’s nice to have that record, but if we had won I would have enjoyed it more,” Sosa said.

BASKETBALL

GOLDEN STATE’S ELLIS NAMED NBA’S MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

Monta Ellis felt forgotten when he slipped down the draft board nearly two years ago.

The NBA now knows all about the Golden State guard, who won the Most Improved Player award yesterday for his transformation from an unsung Mississippi high schooler to a speedy scoring threat for the improving Warriors.

Ellis edged Sacramento’s Kevin Martin by three points in the closest voting in the award’s history, earning 47 first-place votes and 352 points from a media panel. Martin, the Kings’ high-scoring guard, got 44 first-place votes and 349 points.

Ellis averaged 16.5 points, 4.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds this season with new coach Don Nelson and the revitalized Warriors, who returned to the playoffs after a 12-year absence.

FOOTBALL

CHIEFS INSIST THERE’S NO EFFORT TO TRADE RB JOHNSON

The Kansas City Chiefs quickly dispelled rumors they are shopping Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson before this weekend’s NFL draft.

The team spokesman, Bob Moore, said yesterday the Chiefs have not offered Johnson to anybody and that no team has been given permission to speak with him.

“Anybody who is reporting it’s true is simply not telling the truth,” Moore said.

PROBE LEADS TO VICK PROPERTY, DISCOVERY OF AILING DOGS

Police conducting a drug investigation raided a house owned by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and found dozens of dogs, some injured and emaciated.

Police also found items associated with dog fighting.

State police Sgt. D.S. Carr said Vick’s relative, Davon Boddie, 26, lives in the house. Vick owns the property, but doesn’t live there and wasn’t present when a search warrant was executed in a drug investigation Wednesday night, Carr said.

Boddie was arrested outside a nightclub by Hampton police April 20 on charges of distribution of marijuana and possession with intent to distribute. The search warrant was executed by a multijurisdictional task force in a narcotics probe.

More than 60 dogs were found in three buildings. Some appeared malnourished, scarred and injured, officials said.