Pitt's football program yesterday received a verbal commitment from Devin Street, a wide receiver from Bethlehem Liberty High School.

Street is the fifth player from the Class of 2009 to commit to Pitt. At 6 feet 4, 175 pounds, Street is a bona fide big-play threat who possesses sub-4.5 speed in the 40-yard dash and has run the 100 in 10.58 seconds.

Street, who plans to be a dentist, chose the Panthers after considering scholarship offers from Rutgers, Boston College, Connecticut, Temple and Akron.

"I am a competitive guy, I hate losing and I don't lose, I never go into anything with the goal anything less than winning," Street said. "I know nothing is going to be handed to me, but coach [Dave] Wannstedt said that through hard work I can get some playing time early. I plan to work hard, as I always do because, like I said, I'm someone who does not see losing as an option."

Basketball

Diana Taurasi scored 25 points, leading the Phoenix Mercury past the host Connecticut Sun, 87-80, for its fifth win in the past six games in the WNBA. Tangela Smith added 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Mercury.

• Kara Braxton scored a career-best 26 points to help the host Detroit Shock (12-5) keep the Atlanta Dream winless, 100-92. The expansion Dream extended their WNBA-record losing streak to 15 games.

• Samuel Dalembert of the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Anthony of the Miami Heat headline Canada's 12-man roster for an Olympic qualifying tournament. Canadian coach Leo Rautins named his roster, wrapping up a 10-day camp in Toronto. Canada needs a top-three finish in a July 14-20 qualifying tournament in Greece to earn an Olympic spot in Beijing.

Pro football

Cleveland Browns cornerback Daven Holly is confident he will be able to bounce back from major knee surgery for 2009. Holly was hurt when he jumped for a ball with receiver Braylon Edwards in practice May 21. Holly, a fourth-year pro, had reconstructive surgery at the Cleveland Clinic and was placed on injured reserve for the upcoming season.

Soccer

David Beckham and the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy wilted in the heat and humidity against a resurgent D.C. United in a 4-1 loss in MLS action. Luciano Emilio scored twice, Marcelo Gallardo had one goal, and Jaime Moreno converted a penalty kick as United won for the fourth time in a row, dominating the second half before a season-high crowd of 35,979 at RFK Stadium.

• FIFA president Sepp Blatter confirmed for the first time a contingency plan exists to move the 2010 World Cup from South Africa in the event of a natural catastrophe. The 2010 tournament has been plagued by stadium construction delays, security fears, transport problems and the possibility of power outages, leading to concerns the first World Cup staged in Africa might have to be shifted to another country.

• The Richmond Kickers (6-4-2) defeated the Riverhounds, 3-1, at Chartiers Valley. Justin Evans scored on a penalty kick for the Riverhounds (0-8-4).

Wild Things

Nathan Messner went 4 for 4, including two doubles, and drove in a run as Washington defeated the host Chillicothe Paints, 6-2, in the first game of a doubleheader in Frontier League baseball. Mike Schellinger raised his record to 5-2 and struck out seven. Chris Sidick homered, one of four Washington (19-19) hits, but the Paints (20-18) won the second game, 9-3.

Horse racing

Frozen Fire pulled off an upset in the Irish Derby in Dublin, defeating Casual Conquest by two lengths and giving trainer Aidan O'Brien his third consecutive win in the race. Frozen Fire, ridden by Seamus Heffernan, was sent off at 16-1 odds in the 11-horse field.

Field hockey

Australia beat Spain, 4-1, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, to win its ninth Champions Trophy field hockey title.