BASEBALL

CUBS’ LILLY THROWN OUT FOR HITTING BRAVES’ RENTERIA

Chicago Cubs starter Ted Lilly was ejected with two out in the first inning after hitting Atlanta shortstop Edgar Renteria with a pitch last night.

Renteria quickly retaliated, hitting Cubs second baseman Mike Fontenot in the face with his right hand as he slid into second on a successful stolen base attempt with the next hitter, Andruw Jones, at the plate.

Jones grounded out against right-hander Carlos Marmol — Lilly’s replacement — to end the inning.

Chris Woodward pinch-hit for Renteria in the fourth. A contusion on his left hand, the result of Lilly’s fastball, caused Renteria to leave the game. The Braves said Xrays taken at Turner Field were negative.

Lilly had a 2–0 count on Renteria when he plunked him near the left shoulder, and the ball glanced off his hand. Renteria took a couple of steps toward the mound before home-plate umpire Jim Wolf and Cubs catcher Michael Barrett stepped in front of him to prevent a fight.

Both benches emptied, but no punches were thrown.

METS’ ALOU HEADED FOR EXAM, GREEN SET TO BE ACTIVATED

Mets outfielder Moises Alou left the team yesterday morning to fly back home for an examination on his strained left quadriceps.

Outfielder Shawn Green is expected to be activated from the disabled list today. A roster spot was cleared by sending outfielder Ben Johnson to Triple-A New Orleans after the Detroit Tigers beat New York 15–7.

Alou was scheduled to be examined today in New York and will likely make the next step of his comeback at the Mets’ minor league facility in Florida. Alou, injured on May 12, is hitting .318 with two homers and 13 RBIs in 30 games.

Green has been out since breaking his right foot May 25, an injury that put him on the DL for the first time in his major league career that started in 1993. Green is hitting .314 with five homers and 22 RBIs in 45 games.

SOCCER

AGENT: BECKHAM STICKING TO GALAXY DEAL

David Beckham is sticking to his plan: He’s bound for the Los Angeles Galaxy next month — regardless of what anyone says.

“There is no intention of getting out of the Galaxy deal or reneging on the Galaxy deal,” agent Simon Oliveira told the Associated Press yesterday.

The president of Real Madrid, Ramon Calderon, was quoted in the Spanish press as saying that he would try to persuade the England star to stay and would use an escape clause in Beckham’s Galaxy contract to withdraw from the deal.

“We have to sit down with him, his representatives, and with [Madrid sport director Predrag] Mijatovic, take a look at that clause and decide among us,” Calderon, speaking at the French Open final in Paris, said. “But for me, I would love it if he stayed at our club.”

The Galaxy president and general manager, Alexi Lalas, told the Associated Press there is no escape clause in Beckham’s contract.

BASKETBALL

WIZARDS EXPECTED ARENAS TO OPT OUT OF CONTRACT

The Washington Wizards are committed to keeping Gilbert Arenas on the team, even after the All-Star guard said he planned to opt out of his contract.

Arenas told the Washington Post and the Washington Times that he will get out of the six-year, $65 million contract he signed in 2003 and become a free agent.

“As a three-time All-Star and one of the league’s best players, we understand why a player of his stature would like to be compensated accordingly,” the Wizards president of basketball operations, Ernie Grunfeld, said in a statement.

“Gilbert has made a significant impact with his exploits on the court and a sincere connection with our fans and our community.”