The Eastern Conference finally has some WNBA bragging rights.

After six consecutive losses in the All-Star Game, the East boasts its first winning streak.

Katie Douglas scored 18 points and Cheryl Ford had 16 points and 13 rebounds to lead the East to its second victory in a row, 103-99 against the Western Conference yesterday at Verizon Center in Washington.

Ford shot 5 for 9 from the floor and 5 for 7 on free throws to earn the MVP honors.

More pro basketball

The WNBA announced a new television contract with ESPN/ABC in a landmark eight-year deal that will give the league rights fees for the first time. Financial details were not disclosed.

Alonzo Mourning is coming back, one more time. Ending nearly three months of suspense about his future, the Miami Heat center said at his annual Zo's Summer Groove charity game that he will play again next season, insisting he was still deciding hours before the actual announcement.

The NBA players association is considering an appeal of the seven-game suspensions given to Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson for legal issues. Both players were suspended by the league Saturday without pay and are scheduled to miss the first seven games of next season.

Softball

Jennie Finch had her Ace. And now, the U.S. softball team has its ace back at full strength. Fourteen months after giving birth to her first child, Finch threw a three-hitter in her longest outing of the year as the United States advanced to the championship game of the World Cup of Softball with a 7-0 win against Canada in Oklahoma City. Finch (1-0) struck out eight in six innings and extended her scoreless streak to 19¹/₃ innings.

Tennis

Fourth-seeded Fabrice Santoro rode his two-handed style to the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships title in Newport, R.I., beating fifth-seeded Nicolas Mahut, 6-4, 6-4, in the first all-French final in the tournament's 31-year history.

Football

Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen learned that the NFL -- after hearing his appeal -- reduced his season-opening suspension from four games to two. The suspension for violation of the NFL's substance-abuse policy stems from Allen's two DUI charges.

Craig Coffin kicked a 22-yard field goal in overtime to lift the United States past Japan, 23-20, to win the American football World Cup in Kawasaki, Japan. University of Nebraska-Omaha running back Kyle Kasperbauer was named MVP of the game after scoring two touchdowns and running for 54 yards on 15 carries.

Soccer

Brazil stunned favored Argentina, 3-0, to win its second Copa America title in a row in Maracaibo, Venezuela. Julio Baptista scored in the fourth minute, Argentina's Roberto Ayala accidentally knocked the ball into his own net in the 40th while trying to clear a cross and Dani Alvez got the final goal in the 69th as the Brazilians won the South American championship for the eighth time.

Track and field

Double-amputee Oscar Pistorius' much-anticipated debut against elite able-bodied competition fizzled when he placed seventh in the 400 meters in heavy rain and then was disqualified. Pistorius, who runs with carbon fiber blades for his lower legs, finished in 47.65 seconds, well behind Angelo Taylor's winning time of 45.25 at the British Grand Prix meet in Sheffield, England.

Horse racing

Unbridled Belle roared to the lead in the early stretch and won the $1 million Delaware Handicap in Stanton by 7 3/4 lengths. It was the second Delaware victory in a row for trainer Todd Pletcher, and his third overall. Unbridled Belle covered the 1 1/4 miles in 2:01.16.

Up-and-coming driver Tim Tetrick rallied Southwind Lynx along the inside to capture the $1 million Meadowlands Pace by 1 1/2 lengths over Tell All Saturday night in East Rutherford, N.J. The victory was the second in a $1 million race for Tetrick, 25, and Southwind Lynx this year, this one coming a little more than a month after capturing the Rooney at Yonkers Raceway.