Facebook drops to $31, $30, $29 ...

Mark Zuckerberg is in Rome — and Facebook investors are burning.

The stock yesterday sunk below $30 for the first time as the company continued to lose value in its seventh trading day since its public debut May 18, when shares sold for more than $42 as they hit the public markets.

Facebook shares were down about 9.6 percent, closing at $28.84, and at one point during yesterday’s trading short-selling was halted after the stock was down more than 10 percent for a period.

One Wall Street insider called it “social deflation,” and said Facebook is suffering from negativity after its botched initial public offering.

The day it went public, Nasdaq glitches delayed trading, bankers overfilled orders for shares, the price was considered overvalued and some banks downgraded their revenue projections for Facebook’s second quarter just prior to the IPO.

“There isn’t much to reverse course until we see Facebook begin to show signs of fundamental improvement,” one analyst said.

Yesterday, another embarrassment continued to burden the company: The $1 billion Instagram purchase.

Zuckerberg, who is in Rome on his honeymoon, was the driving force behind the acquisition of the popular photo-sharing app.

Facebook thought the deal would close by tomorrow, but regulators thought differently — and yesterday the Federal Trade Commission said it would give the sale a second review.

There have been some concerns raised about the social network swooping up one of its few major competitors.

Also, investors were confronted yesterday by the possibility Facebook could exhaust additional resources by developing its own smartphone, and speculation it could be trolling for a second billion-dollar buy.

Facebook is coping with its increasingly mobile audience, which is accessing the site from phones and tablets.

There also were reports that Facebook could buy European Web browser developer Opera, whose stock was riding high yesterday.

Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, Federal Trade Commission, the company, public debut

Nypost.com

Yankees fall flat again to surging Angels

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Yankees kicked sand in the faces of the geeks at the beach.

Now they are in the weight room competing against thick biceps and blood is gushing from the nose.

After copping five straight from the putrid Royals and A’s, the Yankees have dropped two in a row to the resurgent Angels and supported the voices that guarded against the winning streak meaning much because of who it was against.

Last night at Angel Stadium the Yankees and Andy Pettitte dropped a 5-1 decision that was witnessed by 42,065. With right-hander Ernesto Frieri replacing Scott Downs to start the ninth, the Yankees put together a threat that loaded the bases without a hit but died when Robinson Cano fanned on a 94-mph fastball.

Getty Images

NO ANSWERS: Alex Rodriguez juggles his bat after striking out in the fifth inning of the Yankees’ 5-1 loss to the Angels last night.

BOX SCORE

Cano also was called out on strikes in the third with the bases full.

Failure with the bags juiced isn’t new for the Yankees. They are 8-for-53 (.151) and are hitless in their last 15 at-bats.

After scoring eight runs and losing Monday, the Yankees were held to a run by Dan Haren, who in seven-plus innings allowed eight hits.

Working against the first lineup with real muscles since coming out of retirement, Pettitte gave up five runs and nine hits in seven-plus innings and is 2-2.

Pettitte lamented two mistakes that Albert Pujols hit for a two-run homer and Mike Trumbo crushed for a solo blast that traveled 443 feet.

“You pride yourself on keeping the ball in the yard,’’ said Pettitte, who has given up six homers in four games. “It’s a loss and I am not happy with it. I have to get better, that’s all there is to it.’’

Pujols punished a fastball in the middle of the plate in the three-run third. Trumbo, who won Monday night’s 9-8 debacle with a leadoff homer in the ninth, reached the silly-looking rock formation in the sixth off Pettitte.

It wasn’t a shock Haren handcuffed the Yankees. He started the night with a 5-1 record and 3.43 ERA in 11 career starts against them. Last Sept. 10 he threw a complete-game shutout.

Haren received plenty of defensive help. Left fielder Mike Trout robbed Nick Swisher of an extra base hit with a jumping catch at the wall in the second. Center fielder Peter Bourjos made a running catch in right-center on another Swisher drive in the seventh. Trout added a diving catch in the ninth on Curtis Granderson’s sinking liner. And shortstop Erick Aybar turned Derek Jeter’s leadoff grounder up the middle into an out with an acrobatic play.

“What are you going to do?’’ Swisher said. “I felt like I was swinging the bat super well and had nothing to show for it. If [Trout] can’t run he can’t get to the ball. Speed is something you are blessed with, and he has a whole lot of it.’’

Haren improved to 3-5, and the Angels won their eighth straight.

The Yankees are 15-17 against teams that were .500 or better and 11-6 versus clubs with losing records.

So, after sweeping the A’s in three games to start a nine-tilt trip that ends in Detroit this weekend, the Yankees need a win tonight to avoid being ushered out of Southern California with a broom.

But that’s what happens when a team with a losing record against winning teams no longer has the geeks to bully.

george.king@nypost.com

Andy Pettitte, The Yankees, the Yankees, ANAHEIM, Calif., Nick Swisher, Dan Haren, Angels, Ernesto Frieri, Mike Trumbo, Albert Pujols

Nypost.com

Today's Sports on the Air

Baseball

7 p.m.

Phillies at Mets SNY, WFAN (660 AM)

7 p.m.

Tigers at Red Sox ESPN

10 p.m.

Yankees at Angels YES, WCBS (880 AM)

NBA Playoffs

9 p.m.

Western Conference Finals:
Thunder at Spurs, Game 2 TNT, ESPN (98.7 FM)

Tennis

5 a.m.

French Open, first round ESPN2

Horse Racing

12:25 p.m.

Parx Ch. 71

7:10 p.m.

Yonkers Ch. 71

Red Sox, ESPN, Mets SNY, WFAN, NBA, WCBS, Spurs, Angels YES, Game 2 TNT

Nypost.com

Tomorrow’s Belmont Entries

All horses appear in post position order

FIRST-1 1/16m; $28,000; clm( $14,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 MachoMuchach(L),122

JCastellan

4-9-2

Parisella

8-1

2 Marquet Rebel(L),115

W Garcia

5-7-7

Parker

30-1

3 Eltheeb(L),122

D Cohen

3-6-6

Jacobson

2-1

4 FrenchTransitin(L),122

J Espinoza

7-8-6

F Martin

50-1

5 Crepe Au Sucre(L),122

A Lezcano

7-4-1

P Kelly

12-1

6 Hill Crossing(L),122

E Castro

2-1-4

Guerrero

5-1

7 Gospel Lesson(L),122

I Ortiz, Jr

5-1-1

Orseno

8-1

8 Stud Muffin(L),122

SHusbnds

8-5-5

Chtterpl

20-1

9 PersonofInterst(L),122

RDomingz

5-4-1

R Dutrow

9-5

SECOND-1 1/16 miles(T); $81,000; alw; 3up(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 La Cloche(L),121

E Castro

5-6-1

Toner

6-1

2 Fontley(M),121

J Lezcano

2-6-8

Clement

6-1

3 Cee theCountry(L),121

RDomingz

4-7-1

Sacco

20-1

4 Blue Maiden(L),123

JLeparoux

1-8-2

Clement

3-1

5 Little OftenAnni(L),121

RNaprvnk

2-6-8

Cocelli

15-1

6 Whipsaw City(L),121

JVelazquz

5-1-1

C Brown

8-5

7 Salary Drive(L),121

JCastellan

5-3-2

Plesa

10-1

8 Sure Route(L),121

A Garcia

9-4-7

Ribaudo

15-1

9 Prize Catch(L),121

R Maragh

5-8-5

Penna

10-1

10 Acting Happy(L),121

RDomingz

3-4-2

R Dutrow

2-1

11 The Underling(L),121

R Maragh

3-6-5

Duggan

10-1

12 Twice the Lady(L),121

NoRider

2-2-2

A Dutrow

5-2

THIRD-6 fur; $55,000; mdn; 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Even Got Quiet(L),118

KDesormx

4-6-2

Ronen

10-1

2 Geantor ,118

CNakatani

x-x-x

Romans

8-1

3 Stone Picker(M),118

CVelasquz

x-x-x

Hertler

10-1

4 Fair Trade(L),118

A Garcia

2-4-x

Benzel

5-2

5 Crushin Rock(M),118

JVelazquz

x-x-x

Levine

8-1

6 Smokem'sChrm(L),118

RNaprvnk

6-2-3

Baker

7-2

7 Readthebyline(L),118

I Ortiz, Jr

3-4-4

Schsberg

5-1

8 Mr Algebra(L),118

M Luzzi

5-6-2

Quartarl

20-1

9 Breathaway(M),118

JCastellan

x-x-x

Sacco

10-1

10 Bob and Jim(M),118

RDomingz

x-x-x

Iselin

10-1

FOURTH-1 1/16 miles(T); $31,000; clm($20,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 Flatout Royal(L),116

I Ortiz, Jr

12-6-7

Stoklosa

30-1

2 Happy High(L),109

W Garcia

9-5-6

Contess

30-1

3 Rally Point(L),116

JLeparoux

5-1-5

McPeek

5-2

4 Logical Order(L),121

A Lezcano

9-2-11

F Martin

12-1

5 UnguidedMissil(L),116

J Espinoza

6-7-5

Lostritto

30-1

6 Freud's Debut(L),121

J Alvarado

1-5-4

Hennig

8-1

7 LouieMondello(M),121

CVelasquz

1-3-4

Miceli

5-1

8 Cat Sweep(L),121

RNaprvnk

4-5-2

Terranov

5-1

9 Jazzbo(L),121

J Pezua

8-5-6

J Ortiz

30-1

10 Brass Note(L),116

SHusbnds

8-7-6

Alvarez

50-1

11 ManinBrownSt(L),118

J Lezcano

6-1-8

Kennelly

6-1

12 ParachuteCony(L),116

M Luzzi

1-3-3

Galluscio

4-1

FIFTH-6 fur(T); $55,000; mdn; 3up(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Trainer

Odds

1 BackwardsnHls(L),123

J Bracho

11-x-x

Lugovch

30-1

2 Sheila's Gold(M),118

J Espinoza

x-x-x

Feron

30-1

3 Sherry Bay G.(L),118

E Castro

4-11-x

Clement

6-1

4 Subtle(L),123

RNaprvnk

5-x-x

B Brown

10-1

5 Quiet Ending(L),118

J Lezcano

6-4-2

Clement

7-2

6 Clear Pasaj(L),118

M Luzzi

7-x-x

Levine

15-1

7 Eurosensation(L),116

W Garcia

7-3-4

Rice

20-1

8 Ave's Halo(L),118

CVelasquz

7-x-x

Rice

10-1

9 Bahiyya Island ,118

SHusbnds

x-x-x

Toscano

30-1

10 Belongs toDixie(L),123

JCastellan

2-4-6

Servis

8-1

11 Ornellia(L),118

RDomingz

3-2-4

Bond

5-2

12 White Glove(L),118

JLeparoux

3-4-5

Kimmel

5-1

13 Mighty Reward(L),118

RNaprvnk

2-10-x

Shuman

6-1

14 Ancient Devil(L),123

J Pezua

7-7-7

Appel

50-1

15 Typhoon Teri(L),118

JCastellan

4-3-x

Galluscio

5-1

Next >

1

2

3upPN Horse, 3upPN Horse, PN Horse, PN Horse, Au Sucre, Marquet Rebel

Nypost.com

PSAL Class A baseball playoff roundup: Sanchez leads defending champion GW to quarters

Fernelys Sanchez hasn’t missed a beat.

The senior center fielder, who suffered a fractured left fibula in the preseason, tripled, doubled, scored three runs and drove in four in his second game back to lead No. 4 George Washington to an 11-1, run-rule victory over No. 13 New Dorp in the second round of the PSAL Class A playoffs Friday afternoon.

Wesley Rodriguez had two hits and scored two runs, Michael Richardson drove in two runs, Kevin Torres struck out three in five innings and Marvis Campos also scored two runs for the defending city champion Trojans (16-2), who meet fifth-seeded Norman Thomas in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. New Dorp ends the year at 13-7.

No. 1 Cardozo 9, No. 16 Newtown 2: Connor Doyle struck out 10 and allowed just two hits over six innings for the win, Nicanor Luna had three RBIs, Adrian Castano added three hits, two RBIs and scored twice, Diego Gonzalez drove in two runs and Chris Campbell scored twice and notched an RBI for Cardozo (18-0), which faces No. 8 Telecommunications in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Newtown finishes 13-5.

No. 2 Grand Street Campus 4, No. 15 Taft 1: Kevin Martir had two RBIs, Basael (Ralphy) McDonald scored two runs, Jose Cuas added an RBI, Santo Duran scored once and Geraldo Gonzalez struck out 11 in 5-2/3 for Grand Street (17-1), which meets No. 7 James Monroe in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Taft finishes 12-6.

No. 5 Norman Thomas 7, No. 12 James Madison 2: Arturo Cotto homered and drove in four runs, Michael German had two hits and scored twice, Francis Vasquez had two hits, an RBI and scored a run and Luis Zorrilla struck out five and scattered seven hits over seven innings for Norman Thomas, which scored five runs in the sixth inning to pull away. The Tigers (16-2) will face No. 4 George Washington in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Madison finishes the year 14-4.

No. 8 Telecommunications 3, No. 9 Beacon 2 (eight innings): Joshua Palacios tripled, scored once and drove in a run, Elijah Sanabria had two hits and scored once, Chris Lee allowed just two hits and one runs over 6-2/3 and Josh Mercado went 1-1/3 for the win in relief for Telecom (15-3), which will face No. 1 Cardozo in the quarterfinals Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. Beacon finishes 14-4.

zbraziller@nypost.com

Norman Thomas, George Washington, George Washington, New Dorp, Marvis Campos online, quarterfinals, Kevin Torres, Michael Richardson, Kevin Martir, Francis Vasquez, Adrian Castano, Nicanor Luna, Chris Campbell

Nypost.com

These Rangers can make Garden glow for long time

Mike Vaccaro
Follow Mike on Twitter

The arena will return to the hard hats now, a fitting, if premature, hand-off. Surely the workers who will occupy Madison Square Garden for the next few months gladly would have ceded the next few weeks to the Rangers, with whom they share a sweaty bond, hockey players who sport blue shirts and blue collars and wear both proudly.

In a fair sporting world there would be another hockey game tonight at Madison Square Garden, a Game 7 that undoubtedly would have riveted the city, sent it screeching to a standstill in the way only big, timeless events can immobilize the big town. In a fair sporting world, the Rangers and the Devils would have squeezed 60 more minutes — and maybe a few on top of that — out of the Eastern Conference finals.

REUTERS

BITTER END: From left, the Rangers’ Dan Girardi, Brad Richards (obscured), Henrik Lundqvist, Carl Hagelin and Ryan McDonagh can’t bear to watch the Devils celebrate after the Blueshirts’ 3-2 overtime loss Friday in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

If sports relied on the sweat of a brow and the size of a heart, they would drop a puck at the Garden at around 8:15 tonight, and there would be 18,200 people filling the old rink with one more burst of energy and life and hope. And if things had broken properly, maybe we would have gotten three or four more nights just like it. And the next phase of the Garden facelift would have had to wait another week or two.

VOTE: WHICH RANGERS TO KEEP?

Instead, the helmets and the hockey sticks get locked away.

And the hard hats and hammers take their place.

“For me, from day one of the season through to the end of the playoffs here, the Rangers were the hardest working team in the NHL,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said in the aftermath of Game 6, when his team pounced on the Rangers’ crease less than a minute into overtime, culminating with Adam Henrique shoving the puck past the goal line 63 seconds into the spare session.

“And they gave us everything we could handle.”

Maybe that’s why the voices of so many Rangers fans you heard from Friday night, and yesterday afternoon, were filled with pride, every bit as much as pessimism, why so many fans of this team wish training camp could open tomorrow morning, so excited are they about what may lie ahead for this franchise.

And they should feel that way. It was easy, as this season progressed, as the Rangers blossomed into the best team in the conference across 82 games, to forget they hadn’t just made positive strides this year but monumental leaps. This is a team that won one playoff game last year, that barely eked into the playoffs.

In some ways, this season began in the final hours of last season, when the Rangers erased a 3-0 deficit against the Bruins, the eventual Cup winners, losing Ryan Callahan in the process when the captain slid himself in front of a slap shot and got a broken ankle for his trouble. The pain of that moment became the gain of a splendid season, of a No. 1 seed and three elimination game victories and two titanic Game 7 efforts.

“I won’t accept, you know, ‘You won a couple of rounds. You got into the third round.’ That isn’t good enough,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said late Friday night. “We still have to find a way to win another round and get there. I don’t want this organization to sit still. We have to change our mindset to continue trying to be the best and learn that there’s a lot more hockey to play after you go through a couple.”

The Rangers will be back, and Tortorella is a prominent reason, the right coach at the right time for a team on the come. They will be back because they are too young and talented, and because they will make a play for Zach Parise or some other pricey good fit over the summer. And they will come back because we’ve seen this all before.

We saw what happened to the Devils 18 years ago, a team learning how to win, just tasting success before the Rangers broke their hearts. The Devils built off the ’94 heartbreak, won three Cups across the next eight years and are still humming. The blueprint is right there. It couldn’t be more obvious.

The hard hats take the Garden over now. But it’s the Rangers’ building. Hit the fast forward button. Let’s get it to next year. Now, please.

michael.vaccaro@nypost.com

Madison Square Garden, Rangers, the Devils, the Devils, Eastern Conference

Nypost.com

Santana dominates with his first shutout since 2010

Johan Santana knew this was coming.

“He told [Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen] two weeks ago, ‘It’s getting to June. I’m going be a different guy in June,’ ” manager Terry Collins said yesterday. “Pretty close.”

The Mets will no doubt sign up for late May instead. Santana was different yesterday — the comeback lefty was brilliant, taking the Citi Field mound and delivering the best start of the Mets’ season and one of the most impressive of his stellar career.

Santana fired a complete-game, four-hit shutout in the Mets’ 9-0 romp over the Padres, needing just 96 pitches and reaching 91 mph in dominating San Diego. He retired 16 straight at one point, struck out nine and faced just three batters above the minimum.

Paul J. Bereswill

SHUTTING THE DOOR: Johan Santana receives a hug from manager Terry Collins after pitching a shutout in yesterday’s 9-0 win over the Padres at Citi Field.

His control was staggering — Santana threw only 22 balls the entire afternoon, not walking a batter and never going to a single three-ball count. During one stretch, he threw 51 of 61 pitches for strikes. In his final five innings, Santana needed just nine pitches to get through each inning. He had six nine-pitch innings overall and did not throw more than 17 pitches in any frame.

Santana missed the end of the 2010 season and the entire 2011 campaign because of a torn anterior capsule in his shoulder. But he has not returned to be a mere decent middle-to-back-end starter in the Mets’ rotation. At this point, he may once again be an ace. Santana is just 2-2 on the year, but his ERA is 2.75, and in his 10 starts he has surrendered more than three runs only twice.

“I think he is back,” Mets outfieler Scott Hairston said, “and he’s proven that.”

Yesterday was Santana’s highest moment since his return, his first shutout since Aug. 12, 2010. It was the ninth of his career.

“I feel great,” he said.

Added Collins, “Just because he doesn’t have the 96-mph fastball anymore doesn’t mean he can’t still be an ace.”

The Mets need Santana to be healthy and successful — including this year, he is owed $55 million through 2013. The Padres have one of the NL’s worst offenses, but this outing still could have been a declaration by Santana, letting the world know he can still dominate.

“I don’t do anything to show anybody,” he insisted. “When I’m healthy, I know what I can do.”

Santana’s season is mirroring Carlos Beltran’s last year. Beltran missed half of 2009 and most of 2010 and there were serious questions if the outfielder could stay healthy in 2011. But Beltran returned as an All-Star, and the 33-year-old Santana could be headed to the Mid-Summer Classic as well.

“I want to be healthy,” Santana said when asked of his goals this season. “Simple as that.”

Collins said Santana’s “right side was bothering him,” but the pitcher downplayed it. Santana took the mound in the ninth inning having thrown 87 pitches, set to try for the complete game with Collins willing to let him reach 105-110.

Santana allowed a leadoff infield single, but induced Chris Denorfia to hit into a double play, clapping his hands after. He then got Yonder Alonso to hit a chopper that he fielded himself, tagging Alonso and slapping an appropriate exclamation point on a day he announced he was back for real.

mark.hale@nypost.com

Johan Santana, Santana, manager Terry Collins, Mets, The Mets, The Mets, Padres

Nypost.com

Garden promotes a company man

Mike Vaccaro
Follow Mike on Twitter

It was Glen Grunwald who brought up the name before it could even be tossed at him.

“There were a lot of coaches, if we’d opened up this search, we would have reached out to,” the Knicks general manager said last night. “Namely, Phil Jackson.”

If there was a pause after the name, it was probably only one of perception or expectation. Because Grunwald immediately added, “We felt Woody was our guy.”

Woody is their guy, and you can interpret that any way you want because it applies any way you want. Mike Woodson, no longer interim coach, is Grunwald’s guy, a relationship that goes back to Bloomington, Ind., and the Indiana Hoosiers of Bob Knight. He is the franchise’s guy — a man who denied he threw his longtime agent under the tracks at Penn Station in order to get the Knicks coaching job, yet did cut loose that agent, who also happens to be a longtime stone in the shoe of the men who own and operate the Knicks.

Mostly, Woodson is a players’ guy. He is Carmelo Anthony’s guy and Amar’e Stoudemire’s guy, he is Tyson Chandler’s guy, is almost certain to be Jeremy Lin’s guy since Grunwald admitted he foresaw no course in which the Knicks would allow themselves to lose Lin in free agency.

Anthony was the one who absorbed all the slings and arrows in the immediate aftermath of the March coup that cost Mike D’Antoni his job and nudged Woodson a couple of feet to the left on the Knicks bench, but this was a team mutiny, one that can best be illustrated by the indifference they exhibited in the 42 games under D’Antoni and the ferocity they more often displayed in 24 games, and 18 wins, under Woodson.

In the end, there are probably a dozen reasons why the Knicks didn’t even bother to call Jackson officially, ranging from Woodson’s far-more-agreeable price tag to his far-more-amenable personality to the fact Anthony and Stoudemire are probably past the stages of their careers at which they would humbly agree to have a coach — even that coach — completely rearrange the furniture of their careers.

There’s the small possibility — or probability — Jackson may have wanted nothing to do with altering either his legacy or his fond Knicks memories by assuming his mentor’s chair without anything near the talent Red Holzman had all those years ago that stamped his legend.

Here’s something:

There’s no guarantee this was the wrong decision. Woodson does come with a track record. You can dismiss all you like the way his Hawks teams finished seasons, but he has now coached for parts of seven years, and every year his winning percentage has improved — .159 to .317 to .388 to .451 to .580 to .646 to .750. Yes, it will be hard to keep that going, to take the next logical step next year, from .750 to .756 (the Knicks would need to win 62 games), but Woodson does know how to win. The Knicks did respond to him. And if you watched Woodson’s old team in Atlanta melt down and downright quit in key spots in the playoffs, it’s hard to think he was the one holding them down.

Still, this becomes a whole different job for Woodson now. People watch every play, every time-out, every move a Knicks coach makes around here. And he is the incumbent now; without saying it in so many words, his campaign for the job conveniently deleted the fact he was sitting right next to D’Antoni during the worst of Knicks times this year.

No more of that. Woodson understands as much.

“This summer is pivotal for our team and our players going forward,” Woodson said. “Camp will be important. It’ll be nice to settle in and have a better camp where everyone comes back and has an opportunity to work and I can put a system in and help us win. I know expectations are very high and that’s the way it should be.”

And if Woodson doesn’t deliver to those expectations, it won’t be D’Antoni people will be comparing him to all of a sudden, but a certain other coach whom the Knicks would have reached out to if they had opened up the search.

You know who.

michael.vaccaro@nypost.com

Mike Woodson, Knicks, Glen Grunwald, Grunwald, Mike VaccaroFollow Mike, coach, coach

Nypost.com

Mets call up Staten Island native Egbert

Right-hander Jack Egbert has been added to the roster of the Mets, who optioned left-hander Robert Carson to Double-A Binghamton of the Eastern League.

Egbert, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Buffalo of the International League, was to be in uniform for Friday night's game against the San Diego Padres. The 29-year-old Staten Island native was 2-3 with a 2.08 ERA in one start and 16 relief appearances with the Bisons.

Carson allowed two runs in three innings over two games with the Mets.

Robert Carson, Jack Egbert, San Diego Padres, International League, the Mets, Binghamton, relief appearances

Nypost.com

Yankees confident with Soriano in ninth-inning role

Joe Girardi left open the possibility that Rafael Soriano could remain the team’s closer even after David Robertson gets back.

The manager said on Wednesday he’s “comfortable” bringing in the right-hander to finish games and it’s clear to Soriano’s teammates that he feels he belongs there in Mariano Rivera’s absence.

“I think you feel a little extra intensity coming from him since he’s taken over,” said Russell Martin, who caught each of Soriano’s last two saves. “That’s the only thing I see. There’s more conviction. He’s comfortable and confident in that role. It’s good for the team and I’m sure it’s good for him.”

Getty Images

SAVING GRACE: Manager Joe Girardi has left open the possibility of Rafael Soriano (above) remaining the Yankees’ closer after David Robertson returns from the disabled list.

Soriano figures to get tested on the Yankees’ upcoming road trip, which begins tonight in Oakland. In a small sample size, the former Rays closer has done well in a similar role in The Bronx.

Since Robertson gave up four runs to the Rays on May 9 — which was just his second save opportunity after Rivera got hurt — Soriano has picked up three saves in four appearances.

In those four games, Soriano has given up one run in 3 1/3 innings, while striking out two and walking none. He’s also held opponents to a .214 batting average.

And while Soriano had been better even prior to that than his disastrous 2011 season, he has improved even more lately, since in his first 12 games this year, although he struck out a dozen hitters, he also issued eight walks and allowed a .271 batting average (and .375 OBP).

The increased effectiveness hasn’t been a surprise to many.

“His record speaks for itself,” Curtis Granderson said. “He’s shown he had to the ability to do it in the past and he’s done it. He just hasn’t had a chance to have the opportunity to do it on a consistent basis since he’s been here.”

But Rivera’s torn ACL and Robertson’s strained oblique — and inexperience in the role — may change that.

Girardi didn’t make any guarantees — probably with good reason.

Robertson could return to action by next weekend in Detroit and a lot could change before then, since Soriano still hasn’t shown he can succeed consistently as a Yankee.

His 45 saves in 2010 with Tampa Bay, though, mean something to Robinson Cano.

“It’s good to have a guy that’s been there before,” the second baseman said. “He’s faced tough situations and in the AL East. It’s not like he didn’t do it against good teams, so he knows what it takes to do it.”

No matter how well he does, Soriano won’t make anyone forget about Rivera and the ease with which he finished games.

Soriano gave up a run in his first save chance and on Tuesday, he was able to protect a one-run lead against the Royals only when Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira combined on an strong defensive play to prevent the tying run from scoring from third.

Even if he doesn’t make it easy, Soriano is back where he thinks he belongs.

“Whenever you’ve been a closer and done well, that’s what you are,” Boone Logan said. “This is what he’s designed to do. He’s been there and done it and has the track record to prove that he’s a go-to guy. It’s in his blood.”

dan.martin@nypost.com

Rafael Soriano, David Robertson, Mariano Rivera, Joe Girardi, Manager Joe Girardi

Nypost.com

Yonkers Results

FIRST-mile; pace; $9,500; cl.

5

Moving Art (T Buter)

3.10

2.20

2.10

4

Three To Five (J Bartlett)

2.60

2.60

2

Nora Lee (J Stratton)

3.20

* Exacta (5-4) $5.10 * Triple (5-4-2) $17.20Scr: So Confusing.

Winner picked by Smith

SECOND-mile; trot; $15,500; cond.

2

E L Rock (G Brennan)

4.10

2.70

2.50

1

Rapid Strategy (C Manzi)

6.20

5.30

5

Big Sky Hurricane (D Strong)

4.10

* Exacta (2-1) $21.60 * Triple (2-1-5) $196.00 * Daily double (5/2) $8.60

THIRD-mile; pace; $9,500; cl.

1

Late Flyin N (C Manzi)

2.80

2.20

2.10

3

Our Girls ChanceN(SSmith)

6.60

4.10

2

Sad Tune (M MacDonald)

2.40

* Exacta (1-3) $20.80 * Triple (1-3-2) $38.60 * Superfecta (1-3-2-6) $206.00

Winner picked by Smith

FOURTH-mile; pace; $9,500; cl.

2

PlyOfTheDy(GBrennn)

4.20

2.30

2.10

3

TooMuchPepper(LStalbum)

2.60

2.10

1

Butn Your Shirt Ed (D Dube)

2.80

* Exacta (2-3) $6.40 * Triple (2-3-1) $18.60 * Pick 3 (2/1/2) $30.20

FIFTH-mile; pace; $9,500; cl.

1

Enry (P Lachance)

7.60

3.80

2.30

3

Myra's Hiho (G Brennan)

2.80

2.10

4

Red Mile Road (L Stalbaum)

2.10

* Exacta (1-3) $17.00 * Triple (1-3-4) $38.60 * Superfecta (1-3-4-5) $91.00

SIXTH-mile; pace; $14,000; cl.

4

BeauRvageN(JBrtlett)

5.30

2.70

2.40

2

CloonyDrummond(JStrttn)

4.10

2.80

1

Philanthropist (D Dube)

2.60

* Exacta (4-2) $16.00 * Triple (4-2-1) $36.00 * Pick 4 (1/2/1/4,8) $154.00Scr: Lislea Miles.

SEVENTH-mile pace; $15,500; cl.

5

CanneCmme(JBrtlett)

14.80

4.80

3.40

2

Ms Rush (G Brennan)

2.10

2.10

3

Whatrugonnado (L Stalbaum)

4.90

* Exacta (5-2) $35.20 * Triple (5-2-3) $241.00 * Pick 3 (1/4/5) $187.50

EIGHTH-mile pace; $15,000; cond.

8

RealMystcal(JBrtlett)

5.90

3.90

3.00

1

Lambretta (L Stalbaum)

3.10

2.50

7

Bill Onthehill A (G Brennan)

8.20

* Exacta (8-1) $23.40 * Triple (8-1-7) $358.50 * Superfecta (8-1-7-2) $1,906.00

Winner picked by Smith

NINTH-mile; trot; $14,000; cl.

5

SpeedHnover(DDube)

3.70

2.50

2.10

1

Round About (L Stalbaum)

3.80

2.70

8

Brandos Muscle Man (B Holland)

3.60

* Exacta (5-1) $8.70 * Triple (5-1-8) $44.40Scr: Long Story Short.

TENTH-mile; pace; $12,000; cond.

4

BestBusness(GBrnnn)

4.50

2.70

2.30

5

LrDancngDream(JPantleno)

2.60

2.70

2

Pay Tribute (J Bartlett)

3.70

* Exacta (4-5) $10.80 * Triple (4-5-2) $46.40 * Superfecta (4-5-2-8) $371.00 * Late double (5/4) $7.90 * Pick 3 (8/5,7/4) $31.80 * Pick 4 (5/8/5,7/3,4) $428.50Scr: Wizzard Queen.

Winner picked by Smith

Attendance: Unavailable
Total Handle: $641,110

cond.2E L Rock, G Brennan, G Brennan, 2.602.602Nora Lee, C Manzi, J Bartlett, L Stalbaum, D Dube

Nypost.com

Mark on target as Tebow struggles

Jets fans might want to get down on one knee this morning — not to “Tebow” but to pray their team does not need to use the backup quarterback.

Tim Tebow looked terrible in his first Jets practice that was open to the media.

Now, it’s only May. It’s only organized team activities, where teams are still in shorts. But incumbent Mark Sanchez looked way ahead of Tebow at this early juncture. Tebow looked indecisive and unsure of himself. He threw interceptions on consecutive passes at one point. Sanchez, on the other hand, looked crisp and showed a good command of the new Jets offense.

Anthony J. Causi

Tim Tebow

At this rate, there won’t be any of the anticipated quarterback controversy.

“I think Sanchez is really throwing the ball well,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “He’s got a live arm, a lot of zip on it.”

Sanchez’s highlight of the day was a deep pass to rookie receiver Stephen Hill that went about 75 yards for a touchdown.

Linebacker Bart Scott and newly acquired safety Yeremiah Bell intercepted Tebow during 7-on-7 drills.

“It’s definitely frustrating, but it’s 7-on-7 and both those plays are the first time I’ve ran them. I’ll learn from it,” Tebow said. “Honestly, it won’t bother me again. When you make a bad play, just put it behind you and move on. I feel like I did. I went out there the next team period and felt like I did OK. You just have to remember where you are and what you’re doing. That was 7-on-7 and the first time running those plays.

“It was a good play by Yeremiah and Bart. I’m sure I’ll hear about it a lot from Bart.”

The Jets have not installed any of the special plays for Tebow yet. He did, however, work on the punt team as the personal protector, the player lined up a few yards behind the guard. Tebow sprinted down the field on punts, something that is new for him. A quarterback for his entire football life, Tebow said he has never played special teams before.

“It’s definitely something I’m trying to get used to,” he said. “It’s unique. It’s fun. I had a good time out there.”

Tebow’s teammates continue to have a good time with his presence in the locker room. When he walked in to find a throng of media members waiting by his locker, Jets players began chanting his name. That was followed by chants of “Lolo,” referencing Olympic sprinter Lolo Jones, who told HBO this week that she is a virgin, just like Tebow.

The 24-year-old laughed off his teammates’ playful taunts. He continues to impress the Jets with his demeanor.

“I hope Tim can handle it,” cornerback Darrelle Revis said. “Today at practice I said thanks for throwing a turnover to us today, just joking. He’s doing what he needs to do and he’s fitting right in. I think that’s the best thing.”

Sanchez continues to say that Tebow’s presence has not had any effect on him. He displayed a ton of enthusiasm at practice, running down the field to slap hands with receivers after catches. Sanchez even spent some time with Ryan, general manager Mike Tannenbaum and owner Woody Johnson after practice chatting.

“I’m getting a good vibe,” Sanchez said. “I’m not going to compare last year to this year, if I can. I just get a good vibe from what we’re doing now.”

While Sanchez has not shown any signs the attention Tebow has received has bothered him, someone who represents him did yesterday. Brian Murphy, the president of Athletes First, the agency that represents Sanchez, posted something interesting to his Twitter account.

“No offense media,” Murphy posted, “but of course Sanchez is going to outperform Tim T., Mark is a franchise quarterback and Tim is a great athlete.”

It was hard to argue with him yesterday.

brian.costello@nypost.com

Mark Sanchez, Sanchez, Jets, Bart Scott, Bart.”The Jets

Nypost.com

Pitching Form

(Game time)

2012

'11 vs OPP

CAREER

LAST 3 STARTS

LINE

W-L

ERA

*REC

W-L

ERA

vs OPP

W-L

IP

ERA

*AHW

Padres

Stults (L)

(7:10pm)

0-0

2.70

1-1

—

—

1-1

0-0

12.2

2.84

10.7

Mets

Hefner (R)

6-7

0-1

2.25

0-0

—

—

0-0

---

----

----

----

Braves

Delgado (R)

(7:10pm)

2-4

4.26

3-5

—

—

0-0

0-1

16.1

2.76

11.6

Reds

Bailey (R)

Even-6

2-3

4.34

4-4

1-0

3.00

1-0

1-1

16.2

5.40

13.5

Giants

Vogelsong (R)

(7:10pm)

2-2

2.27

4-3

1-1

1.72

1-3

2-0

21.1

0.84

8.9

Marlins

Sanchez (R)

Even-6

2-2

2.32

4-4

—

—

3-0

0-2

21.0

2.14

9.9

Phillies

Blanton (R)

(8:15pm)

4-4

3.74

4-4

0-0

9.00

3-2

1-1

18.0

5.50

12.0

Cardinals

Westbrook (R)

6 1/2-7 1/2

4-3

2.41

4-4

1-1

1.74

1-1

1-1

18.1

2.95

12.8

Tigers

Verlander (R)

6 1/2-7 1/2

5-1

2.14

6-3

3-0

2.86

13-11

3-0

22.0

1.64

6.1

Indians

Masterson (R)

(12:05pm)

1-3

5.04

3-6

0-2

4.22

0-4

0-1

19.0

4.74

13.3

Twins

De Vries (R)

(8:10pm)

---

----

---

—

—

0.0

---

----

----

----

White Sox

Humber (R)

7-8

1-2

5.31

2-5

1-1

5.06

2-1

0-1

15.1

6.46

14.7

Angels

Haren (R)

6-7

1-5

4.37

1-8

3-1

2.72

10-5

0-3

16.1

6.61

14.9

Mariners

Vargas, J (L)

(10:10pm)

5-3

3.34

5-5

1-1

2.25

3-3

2-1

21.0

3.86

9.0

* REC: Won-lost record of pitcher's team in games he has started.

* AHW: Average total of hits and walks yielded per nine innings.
Nypost.com

Pitching Form

(Game time)

2012

'11 vs OPP

CAREER

LAST 3 STARTS

LINE

W-L

ERA

*REC

W-L

ERA

vs OPP

W-L

IP

ERA

*AHW

Padres

Stults (L)

(7:10pm)

0-0

2.70

1-1

—

—

1-1

0-0

12.2

2.84

10.7

Mets

Hefner (R)

6-7

0-1

2.25

0-0

—

—

0-0

---

----

----

----

Braves

Delgado (R)

(7:10pm)

2-4

4.26

3-5

—

—

0-0

0-1

16.1

2.76

11.6

Reds

Bailey (R)

Even-6

2-3

4.34

4-4

1-0

3.00

1-0

1-1

16.2

5.40

13.5

Giants

Vogelsong (R)

(7:10pm)

2-2

2.27

4-3

1-1

1.72

1-3

2-0

21.1

0.84

8.9

Marlins

Sanchez (R)

Even-6

2-2

2.32

4-4

—

—

3-0

0-2

21.0

2.14

9.9

Phillies

Blanton (R)

(8:15pm)

4-4

3.74

4-4

0-0

9.00

3-2

1-1

18.0

5.50

12.0

Cardinals

Westbrook (R)

6 1/2-7 1/2

4-3

2.41

4-4

1-1

1.74

1-1

1-1

18.1

2.95

12.8

Tigers

Verlander (R)

6 1/2-7 1/2

5-1

2.14

6-3

3-0

2.86

13-11

3-0

22.0

1.64

6.1

Indians

Masterson (R)

(12:05pm)

1-3

5.04

3-6

0-2

4.22

0-4

0-1

19.0

4.74

13.3

Twins

De Vries (R)

(8:10pm)

---

----

---

—

—

0.0

---

----

----

----

White Sox

Humber (R)

7-8

1-2

5.31

2-5

1-1

5.06

2-1

0-1

15.1

6.46

14.7

Angels

Haren (R)

6-7

1-5

4.37

1-8

3-1

2.72

10-5

0-3

16.1

6.61

14.9

Mariners

Vargas, J (L)

(10:10pm)

5-3

3.34

5-5

1-1

2.25

3-3

2-1

21.0

3.86

9.0

* REC: Won-lost record of pitcher's team in games he has started.

* AHW: Average total of hits and walks yielded per nine innings.
Nypost.com

Mets beat Pirates; Niese with solid outing

PITTSBURGH — Jonathon Niese allowed one run in 7 2-3 innings, helping the Mets beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1 Wednesday for their third win in four games.

Niese (3-2) gave up five hits, struck out five and walked two, five days after matching his career high by allowing eight runs in a 14-5 loss at Toronto.

Bobby Parnell struck out Andrew McCutchen with runners on second and third to end the eighth. Frank Francisco completed the five-hitter with a perfect ninth for his third save in four days, his 12th in 14 chances this season.

New York improved to 15-6 in games decided by two runs or fewer, second in the majors behind Baltimore. For the second straight game, the Mets scored all their runs with two outs.

GETTY IMAGES

Kirk Nieuwenhuis (L) gets congratulations from Mets manager Terry Collins and teammates after scoring on a Lucas Duda single in the first inning.

Charlie Morton (2-5) lost for the fourth time in five starts, allowing three runs and eight hits in seven innings. The Pirates have lost three of four and four of six.

Kirk Nieuwenhuis reached on a one-out single in the first and scored on Lucas Duda's single. Nieuwenhuis sacrifice fly and David Wright's RBI double - the only extra-base hit for the Mets - made it 3-0 in the fifth.

Josh Harrison doubled for Pittsburgh leading off the sixth and scored on McCutchen's single.

Pittsburgh Pirates, Jonathon Niese, Mets, Andrew McCutchen, Frank Francisco, the Mets, Lucas Duda, Nieuwenhuis

Nypost.com

Sports Shorts

HOCKEY: Russia wins Worlds

In Helsinki, Russia claimed the world hockey championship by defeating Slovakia 6-2. Alexander Semin of the Capitals scored two goals and had an assist in the rout. Russia scored three times in the second period to take control.

Alexander Perezhogin, Alexei Tereshenko, the Red Wings’ Pavel Datsyuk and tournament MVP Evgeni Malkin of the Penguins scored the other goals, with Datsyuk and Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals assisting on two.

Slovakia defender Zdeno Chara of the Bruins scored both of his nation’s goals, one on a blast from the blue line, the other from close range.

NBA: Bob Boozer dies at 75

Bob Boozer, a member of the dominating 1960 Olympic basketball team who went on to star in the NBA, has died of a brain aneurysm in Omaha, Neb. He was 75.

Boozer was a two-time All-American at Kansas State in 1958-59 and played 11 years in the NBA after the Royals drafted him No. 1 overall. The 6-foot-8 forward retired after winning the 1971 NBA championship with the Bucks.

SOCCER: U.S. team adds Donovan

Landon Donovan was among 11 players added to the initial squad of 16 by U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann for training ahead of an exhibition game against Scotland.

The Americans, who begin World Cup qualifying June 8, added defenders Clarence Goodson and Oguchi Onyewu, along with Donovan, Herculez Gomez and Jozy Altidore at forward. All have World Cup experience. The other additions were defenders Geoff Cameron and Michael Parkhurst, midfielder Graham Zus and forwards Juan Agudelo, Terrence Boyd and Chris Wondolowski.

Napoli beat Serie A champion Juventus 2-0 in the Italian Cup final . . . Santos Laguna beat Monterrey 2-1 to claim the Mexican first-division title.

NASCAR: Stenhouse Jr. triumphs

In Newton, Iowa, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s No. 6 car was strong enough to keep the rest of the field out of reach as he led 209 of 250 laps and won the NASCAR Nationwide race at the Iowa Speedway, his third straight win on Iowa’s short oval.

Bob Boozer, Pavel Datsyuk, Alexander Semin, Alex Ovechkin, Russia, Evgeni Malkin, Zdeno Chara, NBA, world hockey championship, Capitals, Slovakia, Alexei Tereshenko, NBA championship, Juan Agudelo, Michael Parkhurst, Jurgen Klinsmann, DonovanLandon Donovan, Oguchi Onyewu, Jozy Altidore, Herculez Gomez, Omaha, Neb.

Nypost.com

Drogba’s shootout goal lifts Chelsea

MUNICH — Didier Drogba scored the decisive penalty in the shootout as Chelsea beat Bayern Munich to win the Champions League final after a 1-1 draw last night.

The unlikely storyline of an English team beating a German team on penalties in a high-profile match provided a fitting end to a dramatic night, as Chelsea became Europe's champion club for the first time.

The often theatrical figure of 34-year-old Drogba, playing possibly his last game for the club as his Chelsea contract expires next month, was at the heart of the show.

Drogba sent goalkeeper Manuel Neuer the wrong way to win the shootout 4-3 in front of massed Bayern fans in their home Allianz Arena. Bayern's Bastian Schweinsteiger missed the previous penalty.

The shootout was needed after Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech saved Arjen Robben's spot-kick early in extra time.

Robben’s kick was awarded for a foul by Drogba, whose 88th-minute header earned an unlikely reprieve.

After 83 minutes of Bayern domination, Thomas Mueller broke dogged Chelsea resistance with a header past Cech.

Chelsea's first Champions League title came four years after losing in a shootout to Manchester United.

Drogba succeeded where his captain, John Terry, who was suspended for the finale, failed in missing the fifth penalty in Moscow four years ago.

The victory also sealed Chelsea's last remaining route into next season's competition, which is crucial to its elite status and finances.

Everything seemed stacked against Chelsea when Bayern won the toss to send the shootout to the home end of its stadium. After Bayern captain Philipp Lahm scored first, Juan Mata saw his kick saved by Neuer.

Cech then saved Ivica Olic's fourth penalty for Bayern to put the otherwise excellent Schweinsteiger in the spotlight.

He struck the post to Cech's left and covered his face with his shirt. Drogba then sealed the victory and awaited the adulation of his onrushing teammates.

Didier Drogba, Drogba, Bayern Munich, Bayern, Champions League, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Chelsea, Petr Cech, Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben

Nypost.com

Kings looking to complete sweep of Coyotes, reach Stanley Cup

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Dwight King has been living in a hotel since the Kings recalled him from the minors more than three months ago, and the playoff hero isn’t about to move out of his temporary digs.

He’s not tempting fate while the Kings are on the verge of exceeding his wildest dreams for his first NHL postseason run.

“It’s a dream,” King said Friday at the club training complex while Los Angeles recovered from its 2-1 victory in Game 3. “You want to be part of the Stanley Cup playoffs. To be a contributor is even better. Everything is coming around.”

GOOD TIMES: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty (8) celebrates with his teammates during LA’s Game 3 victory over the Coyotes that gave the winners a 3-0 lead in the Western Conference final. With one more win, the Kings will earn a berth in the Stanley Cup final.

Indeed, Los Angeles is on the brink of its second Stanley Cup final after leaping to a 3-0 lead over reeling Phoenix in the Western Conference finals. The eighth-seeded Kings are on an unbelievable 11-1 streak with eight consecutive wins in the postseason, outscoring their opponents 37-17 and winning the first three games in each of their first three series.

“It’s a situation that we’re in that we have to embrace, still look to get better and improve,” center Mike Richards said. “By no means is it going to be easy [today].”

The Kings have almost grown leery of talking about their winning streak, a bit like the teammates of a pitcher throwing a no-hitter. Yet concrete accomplishment is just one win away: With a victory in Game 4 this afternoon, the Kings finally would have another banner to hang next to the single division title and conference title banners forlornly decorating a small section of a wall at Staples Center.

That arena faces a time crunch: If the Kings-Coyotes match, scheduled for a 3:30 start, goes multiple overtimes, it may cause the postponement of the evening’s Clippers-Spurs NBA playoff game, slated to tip at 10:30, until tomorrow, according to an ESPN report.

But the red-hot Kings are thinking about finishing off a sweep in 60 minutes. They have joined Detroit (1995) and Edmonton (1983) as the only teams since 1980 to win 11 of their first 12 playoff games.

Forward Jeff Carter said it’s “a little bit” difficult not to think about the Stanley Cup final.

“We’re a confident group right now,” Carter said. “We’ll be ready to go.”

the Kings, EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Los Angeles, Stanley Cup playoffs, Dwight King, Western Conference, Western Conference finals, Stanley Cup final, Stanley Cup, Stanley Cup, NHL, Kings

Nypost.com

CHSAA Archdiocesan quarterfinals roundup: Small ball sends Moore back to semis

Small ball hasn’t been something Moore Catholic has had to rely on this season with a lineup driven by power hitters like Maxine Jasko, Nicole DeMartino and Corinna Strype.

“It’s always been there,” Mavericks coach Kristine Knuth said. “We have some big hitters so we haven’t had to use it as much, but as long as the top of our lineup gets on it’s going to be more of a comfort with our big hitters up.”

Moore broke it out in the sixth inning, leading to five runs and a much more comfortable 7-1 win over Maria Regina at Monsignor Scanlon in the CHSAA Archdiocesan softball quarterfinals Saturday afternoon.

Denis Gostev

Moore Catholic faces Preston in the CHSAA Archdiocesan semifinals Sunday.

All of it started with leadoff hitter Alexa Aliberti. The senior went 4-for-4, scored twice and drove in a run during the big sixth inning. Kelly Graham was also 3-for-4 with a double.

“With the way the other team was playing defense on us it opened it up for small ball,” Knuth said. “We have a lot of speed in our nine and one spots so we were able to make things happen.”

The defending champion Mavericks (9-4) got five hits in the frame, with three coming on bunts. Strype, DeMartino and Kirsten Reina also each drove in runs during that inning. Moore led just 2-1 through five innings. Jasko, who had three RBIs on the day, delivered a two-run single in the third to drive in Aliberti and Krupa, who singled along with Graham to lead off the frame. Nicole Guzzone allowed just a fourth-inning run, while allowing four hits and striking out six. Maria Regina is 9-6.

Moore returns to The Bronx on Sunday to face Bronx/Westchester division champions Preston at 2 p.m. at Bicentennial Veterans Memorial Park. The Mavericks beat Preston twice back in March in come-from-behind fashion.

“We just have to keep hitting,” Knuth said.

St. Joseph by the Sea 15, St. Barnabas 5: Alexandra Prescia had two doubles, a triple and three runs scored and Stefanie Abolt collected three hits and three RBIs for St. Joseph by the Sea (13-0). Jackie Cautela added three hits. Alexa Tedeschi allowed no runs in three innings of work and Lianna Jordan surrendered earned two runs over three frames. The Vikings host St. John Villa 2 p.m. Sunday in the semifinals.

jstaszewski@nypost.com

Maxine Jasko, Moore Catholic, Kristine Knuth, Nicole DeMartino, Maria Regina, CHSAA Archdiocesan, Mavericks, GostevMoore Catholic, Monsignor Scanlon, sixth inning, Nicole Guzzone, Kelly Graham, Alexa Aliberti, The Mavericks

Nypost.com

Play taps for Rajat

Ex-Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta lost his bid to get three key wiretaps tossed as evidence in his upcoming insider-trading trial.

Manhattan federal judge Jed Rakoff gave tentative approval yesterday for the jury to hear the wiretaps, which are crucial to the government’s case against Gupta.

A former head of McKinsey & Co., who also sat on Procter & Gamble’s board, Gupta is accused of feeding tips to ex-hedge funder Raj Rajaratnam, who began an 11-year prison term last October for insider trading.

Gupta, who wasn’t at the hearing, is the most high-profile name to get caught up in the government’s huge crackdown on insider trading on Wall Street.

AP

Ex-Goldman Sachs director Rajat Gupta was denied by Judge Jed Rakoff in his effort have three key wiretaps dismissed as evidence.

Rakoff said he will allow the government to play the wiretaps if, during the trial, prosecutors first prove the alleged conspiracy between Gupta and Galleon Group founder Rajaratnam.

The taped conversations between Rajaratnam and his traders have him talking about tips from a unnamed leaker on Goldman’s board.

“This conversation reeks of knowledge and intent,” Rakoff said, referring to a wiretap call between Rajaratnam and trader Ian Horowitz.

On the call, Rajaratnam is heard telling Horowitz he got a call that “something good might happen” to Goldman, referring to Warren Buffett’s plan to invest $5 billion to prop up the bank during the financial crisis.

Gupta’s top lawyer, Gary Naftalis, said the government will show only that his client called Rajaratnam after the board meeting to approve the Buffett deal, but that there’s “no direct evidence that they ever had a conversation.”

The judge also inferred, based on the defense’s requests, that Gupta may take the stand. “I take it you are hereby admitting [Gupta] will take the stand,” Rakoff asked Naftalis.

Naftalis declined to show his hand, but Rakoff promised that if his client were to take the stand he would leave the door open to further discussions surrounding the admissability of statements about Gupta’s charitable work.

kwhitehouse@nypost.com

Rajat Gupta, Raj Rajaratnam, Jed Rakoff, McKinsey & Co., insider trading, Wall Street.APEx-Goldman Sachs, direct evidence, Ex-Goldman Sachs, Gary Naftalis, Galleon Group, wiretaps

Nypost.com

Mets defeat Reds, trailed 4-0

When David Wright came to the plate for the last time, the Reds had little choice: They had to pitch to him.

And Wright pounded them, the same way he’s punished most everyone else this season.

Wright lined his second double of the game, a tiebreaking drive in the eighth inning that raised his major league-leading average to .411 and sent the Mets past the Reds 9-4 Thursday.

“All is good,” Wright said.

Down 4-0, the Mets began their comeback in the middle innings. Then, they were the surprise winners in a matchup of bullpens that were going in different directions, and spoiled the Reds’ extended stay in New York.

BOX SCORE

Ronny Cedeno’s three-run homer capped a five-run eighth against Logan Ondrusek (3-1), a burst that began with a neatly placed bunt single by backup catcher Rob Johnson with one out.

Wright was up next and, after his shot down the left-field line was inches foul, sent a one-hopper off the wall in center for a 5-4 lead.

Playing despite a cold that had him sniffling, he went 2 for 2, drew three walks, scored three runs and stole a base. Wright, meanwhile, said he can do better despite a .513 on-base percentage.

“I’m getting some pitches to hit and I’m just not putting them in play,” he said.

Wright clapped after he pulled into second base with his go-ahead hit. More than an hour after the final out, Wright walked from the shower area to his locker as his teammates applauded.

“Give it up for my man!” second baseman Daniel Murphy shouted.

Wright scored the tying run in the seventh as the Mets became the first team this year to dent Aroldis Chapman.

Chapman had not allowed a run in 19 1-3 innings this season, striking out 34. But the rocket-armed Reds reliever issued a leadoff walk to Wright and a soft single to Lucas Duda to begin the inning.

Reds center fielder Drew Stubbs missed a sliding catch on Murphy’s blooper and was charged with an error that loaded the bases, and pinch-hitter Justin Turner made it 4-4 with a sacrifice fly. It was an unearned run and Chapman left with his 0.00 ERA intact, but the damage was done.

Turner added an RBI single in the eighth before Cedeno’s first homer.

Cincinnati began the day with the best bullpen ERA in the NL while the Mets had among the worst. But a trio of Mets relievers pitched scoreless ball, with Bobby Parnell (1-0) getting the win.

“We didn’t play well the last five innings. They didn’t play well the first four innings,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

“Everything they did was right,” he said.

The Reds move from Queens to the Bronx on Friday night for a series against the Yankees. Cincinnati is the first team to play both New York clubs on the same road trip since interleague play began in 1997.

Like any tourist coming to town, the Reds hope to avoid getting lost. It happened to one unidentified Cincinnati player this week when a taxi driver took him to Yankee Stadium instead of Citi Field, and he arrived late at the ballpark.

Joey Votto lined a solo home run off the facing of the second deck in right field to put Cincinnati ahead in the fourth.

A hit batter and a walk by R.A. Dickey set up Ryan Hanigan’s run-scoring double in the Reds fifth and pitcher Mat Latos hit a sacrifice fly for his first RBI of the year, matching his total from last season.

A passed ball by Mike Nickeas let Hanigan score for a 4-0 lead. Nickeas wasn’t the only catcher having trouble handling Dickey; at one point, Johnson warmed him up in-between innings and missed three straight pitches.

Duda hit a two-out, two-run double in the Mets fifth. Right fielder Jay Bruce took an odd path, cutting over into the alley and watching the ball sail past him. When the inning ended, Bruce and Reds coach Billy Hatcher briefly discussed the play outside the dugout.

Pinch-hitter Mike Baxter’s sacrifice fly drew the Mets to 4-3 in the sixth.

*

Wright is the first full-time player to be hitting at least .411 through May 17 or later since Chipper Jones was batting .412 on June 12, 2008, STATS LLC said. ... Cincinnati RHP Bronson Arroyo will start vs. LHP Andy Pettitte in the Reds’ first game at the new Yankee Stadium. ... The Mets begin interleague play at Toronto on Friday night, with LHP Jonathon Niese facing LHP Ricky Romero. Mets players and staff wore hockey jerseys for their trip to Canada.

David Wright, Wright, the Mets, the Mets, Cincinnati

Nypost.com

Weekly jobless claims unchanged at 370,000, slightly worse than expected

WASHINGTON -- The number of Americans filing requests for jobless benefits was unchanged last week at 370,000, the US Labor Department said Thursday.

claims from two weeks ago were revised up to 370,000 from an initial reading 367,000. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch projected that claims would fall to 365,000 on seasonally-adjusted basis in the week ended May 12.

The average of new claims over the past four weeks, meanwhile, fell by 4,750 to 375,000. Continuing claims increased by 18,000 to a seasonally-adjusted 3.27 million in the week ended May 5. Continuing claims are reported with a one-week lag.

About 6.27 million people received some kind of state or federal benefit in the week ended April 28, down 149,759 from the prior week.

Total claims are reported with a two-week lag.

To read more, go to MarketWatch

MarketWatch, US Labor Department, jobless benefits, claims, initial reading

Nypost.com

Heat win; Clippers move on

LeBron James got his trophy, and then he and Dwyane Wade made sure the Heat got a win in Game 1.

James scored 32 points and grabbed 15 rebounds in his first game as a three-time MVP, Wade finished with 29 despite struggling from the floor, and the Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 95-86 in Miami to open their Eastern Conference semifinal series yesterday.

Chris Bosh scored 13 points for Miami, but left late in the first half with a lower abdominal injury and did not return, with the Heat saying he was scheduled for an MRI to determine the extent of the problem. The Heat outscored Indiana 25-16 in the fourth, with Wade and James combining for 22 of the points.

“It’s a battle and we know, regardless of being at home, being away, who we’re playing, what round, it’s tough to win in the playoffs and you have to fight for every single possession,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And that’s what it was.”

Game 2 is tomorrow in Miami.

Clippers 82, Grizzlies 72

The Clippers refused to let a third chance to knock the Grizzlies out of the playoffs slip away.

Kenyon Martin scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, and Los Angeles advanced to the Western Conference semifinals with a win at Memphis in Game 7.

The Clippers blew an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter Friday night. So Martin huddled the Clippers together at the start of the fourth quarter yesterday, and the veteran led the bench in outscoring the Grizzlies 25-16.

Dwyane Wade ebook download, LeBron James, the Heat, Indiana Pacers, Miami

Nypost.com

CHSAA baseball roundup: Farrell hands Sea first league loss

First Xaverian and then St. Joseph by the Sea.

A few hours after St. Francis Prep handed Xaverian its first league loss, Monsignor Farrell did the same thing to St. Joseph by the Sea.

Rob DeAngelis drove in Peter Kennedy in the bottom of the 10th inning to lead Farrell to 4-3, walk-off win in CHSAA Staten Island ‘AA’ baseball Friday night at the College of Staten Island. Kennedy drew a walk off reliever James Gurrieri, Mike Camerada was intentionally walked and DeAngelis made Sea pay with a line-drive base hit to end the game.

Camerada had two hits, including the game-tying RBI in the eighth, and Mike Viegas had two hits and two runs scored for Farrell (5-7), which was down 3-1 after the top of the eighth with its back up against the wall.

Brian Russell gave up just two earned runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts for Sea (9-1). But Jason Failla was almost as good, giving up three runs on nine hits with six strikeouts in eight innings. Kevin Garzone got the victory in relief, giving up just a hit and a walk in two innings.

Xavier 11, All Hallows 4: Nick DiLeo was 2-for-4 with an RBI and also allowed just one unearned run with seven strikeouts in five innings for Xavier (7-7), which is now a game behind All Hallows (7-6) for second place in Bronx/Manhattan ‘AA.’ Jerry D’Onofrio went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and Cody Mangano was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Fordham Prep 6, Mount St. Michael 2: John Tobin allowed two runs on three hits with nine strikeouts and two walks over seven innings of relief for Fordham (11-3). Tobin came in with the bases loaded and no one out in the first. Ryan Mahoney went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and Steve Fondu and Robbie Lynch had back-to-back doubles in the two-run second inning. Andrew Velazquez contributed two stolen bases and two runs scored. Ryan Aponte had a two-run single for Mount (1-11).

Iona Prep 2, Cardinal Spellman 0: Matt D’Ariano pitched four scoreless innings and Vinny Martin threw three more scoreless frames in relief for Iona (9-5). Sam Garito and Vinny DeMaria both had RBIs. Spellman is 7-6.

Bishop Ford 5, Archbishop Molloy 4: David Hernandez gave up just two earned runs on five hits and four walks in 6-1/3 innings and Mark Maguire was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored for Ford (8-6). Will Garces was 1-for-3, knocking in the winning run in the form of Austin Torres. Eric Tully had two key sacrifice bunts and an RBI single that tied the game in the fifth. Helbert Estevez got the save, coming in with one out in the seventh and the bases loaded and getting two ground outs. Molloy falls to 7-6.

Christ the King 3, Holy Cross 0: Jesse Toscano gave up no runs on five hits with three strikeouts in 6-2/3 innings to lead Christ the King (2-12). Ralph Estrella had an RBI double and Lucas Burton got the last out with a strikeout for the save. James Callahan gave up just one earned run with nine strikeouts in six innings for Cross (7-6).

OTHER SCORES

Cardinal Hayes 5, Regis 3

mraimondi@nypost.com

Monsignor Farrell, College of Staten Island, St. Francis Prep, Peter Kennedy, Mike Camerada, St. Joseph, Xaverian, James Gurrieri, strikeouts, strikeouts, DeAngelis, First Xaverian, All Hallows

Nypost.com

Tesla current fee

Tesla Motors Inc., the electric-car company led by Elon Musk, is using the last of its $465 million in US loans and plans to start repaying them by the end of the year, the first start-up to fulfill requirements of the criticized program.

The maker of Roadster sports cars had $104.5 million left as of March 31 of the Energy Department loans awarded in June 2009, Tesla said in a regulatory filing.

The remaining funds will be used in the third quarter, with repayments to begin in December, CFO Deepak Ahuja said.

Tesla Motors Inc., Elon Musk, the Energy Department loans, Deepak Ahuja

Nypost.com

Hollywood Graded Entries

Post Time: 4:00 p.m.

FIRST-1 1/16m; $27,000; clm($16,000); 3YO

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

4 Yankee Dan(L),118

JRosari

1-9-5

4-5

3 WarrensMrshllL118

AQnnz

5-7-1

2-1

1 Super Candy(L),113

EFlores

5-4-4

6-1

2 RespuestaSoldL109

VBednr

9-5-6

10-1

5 Adam NRyan(L),118

ADlgdll

7-1-6

6-1

SECOND-7 fur; $18,000; clm($8,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

2 WarrensHopeflL120

MPedrz

5-2-3

6-5

3 RouletteItRoll(L113

VBednr

7-3-3

3-1

1 Soldier Betty(L),120

GGavic

6-7-7

15-1

4 Sumalee(L),120

C Hunt

7-4-5

10-1

5 MusicalGrace(L120

K Stra

8-3-2

2-1

6 WarrnsMystryL113

OMacis

5-6-6

15-1

THIRD-1 1/16m; $23,000; clm($30,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

6 Cee'stheYear(L)124

JVldvJr

3-3-3

2-1

5 WildakceleratnL117

VEspnz

6-2-2

5-2

1 FrecklesGaloreL117

RBejrn

2-3-2

3-1

2 LoveandFaith(L)112

EFlores

5-4-8

6-1

3 KalookanDesert,117

OMacis

5-x-x

20-1

4 DemonsterousL115

AQnnz

6-11-11

10-1

7 ImAlwaysHopflL117

K Stra

6-11-x

10-1

8 Tenampa(L),117

ADlgdll

9-7-11

30-1

FOURTH-1 1/16m; $21,000; clm($16,0); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

8 Jim'sDecision(L)122

JRosari

4-2-7

5-2

1 Megaride(L),118

KKriggr

5-3-7

7-2

2 Warren'sKong(L120

PValnzl

5-6-6

4-1

3 Confer(L),124

AQnnz

1-7-4

8-1

4 Trueno(L),118

OFigur

5-9-4

15-1

5 BeauMaverick(L120

K Stra

3-9-8

15-1

6 StonewllJcksnL124

JVldvJr

1-6-4

4-1

7 Ministerd'Oro(L120

MPedrz

4-10-8

6-1

FIFTH-1 mile(T); $54,000; alw; 3YO(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

1 IslandParadisM120

GGomz

3-1-2

4-1

3 TroisAureole(L),118

JRosari

1-4-2

3-1

2 Ms Pianist(L),118

EMldnd

5-3-5

20-1

4 ConjuretheSprtL122

JTalam

5-1-8

5-1

5 Risky Art(L),122

B Blanc

7-10-4

10-1

6 StarshipFlare(L)118

MPedrz

8-3-3

15-1

7 Lovestealer(L),122

DFlores

1-2-2

6-1

8 Gittel(L),113

EFlores

2-3-1

7-2

9 Mia Isabel(L),122

KKriggr

4-1-2

8-1

SIXTH-6 fur; $30,000; clm($50,000); 3up

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

8 Cupid'sBling(L),118

JRosari

x-x-x

5-1

4 Propero(L),118

JTalam

6-x-x

3-1

1 MissMaddieBeL122

JVldvJr

x-x-x

20-1

2 Balentina(L),118

EMldnd

x-x-x

8-1

3 Valeria(L),124

VEspnz

3-5-4

7-2

5 HeartofaMadmL113

EFlores

2-x-x

8-1

6 Bursquel(L),118

MPedrz

6-x-x

12-1

7 VaadkaLogic(L),118

MSmth

2-10-x

8-1

9 D'princess(L),118

ADlgdll

8-8-4

5-1

10 Cash inHand(L),118

AQnnz

x-x-x

20-1

SEVENTH-1 1/16m; $54,000; alw; 3up(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

1 RockandGlory(L124

AQnnz

1-5-3

8-5

5 Bella'sFantasy(L114

RBejrn

4-3-1

2-1

2 Slane Castle ,124

FLencld

4-7-6

10-1

3 Heidi Maria(L),119

EFlores

5-3-3

5-2

4 JinnyJumpUp(L)124

B Blanc

5-4-1

5-1

EIGHTH-6 fur(T): $52,000; mdn; 3up(f)

PN Horse, Wt.

Jockey

Last 3

Odds

6 Angel'sMoon(L),124

JTalam

4-2-2

7-2

2 Gypsy Friday(L),118

FLencld

2-6-3

9-2

1 Luckyvic(L),124

CSthrln

9-2-4

6-1

3 CommandrCldL124

DVergr

11-8-x

30-1

4 SaturdyNtWshL118

MPedrz

7-5-3

8-1

5 MarlenadarlenL118

DFlores

x-x-x

5-1

7 UnusualDarlingL113

EFlores

x-x-x

5-1

8 AttigirlMeadwL124

GGomz

x-x-x

12-1

9 Floracita(L),118

RBejrn

x-x-x

6-1

10 Sea of Red(L),118

AQnnz

x-x-x

6-1

3upPN Horse, Horse, Adam NRyan online, PN Horse, PN Horse

Nypost.com

Bidders make offers to buy bankrupt Hostess

EXCLUSIVE

AFP/Getty Images

A box of 10 Hostess Twinkies

To quote Twinkie the Kid, some investors still believe there’s “a big delight in every bite” of those golden sponge cakes.

Private-equity firm KPS Capital Partners and at least one other bidder made formal offers by yesterday’s deadline to buy bankrupt Hostess Brands, offering a potential lifeline to the maker of the iconic snack cakes, The Post has learned.

A source said the bids likely ranged between $500 million and $600 million for the nation’s biggest bakery, whose stable of brands also includes Wonder Bread and Drake’s coffee cake.

Hostess, the unions and lenders will meet with the bankruptcy judge Monday to tell him if they find either offer acceptable.

Privately owned Hostess filed for bankruptcy in January — the second time in the past decade. Hostess owes more than $860 million to lenders, mainly hedge funds that have the right to block the sale of the company.

Hostess and the powerful Teamsters union are at odds over how to restructure worker pensions, with the firm seeking to stop contributing to most of the union’s 22 pension funds. Both bidders submitted offers that called for contributing to more than just the two funds Hostess has proposed, a source said.

The behemoth baker sent notices this week to its more than 18,000 workers warning they could be fired during the next two months.

KPS declined to comment and Hostess did not return calls.

Hostess Brands, KPS Capital Partners, Hostess TwinkiesTo

Nypost.com

US posts first budget surplus since 2008

WASHINGTON -- The US government in April posted its first monthly budget surplus since September 2008, the Treasury Department said Thursday, as tax receipts climbed and spending on education, Medicare and certain defense programs fell.

The surplus of $59 billion is the first of Barack Obama's presidency, and lands at the outset of a presidential-election campaign expected to be fought largely over the issues of government spending, taxes and jobs.

The surplus in September 2008, the month Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, was $46 billion.

The government spent $260 billion in April, $70 billion less than in the same month in 2011. Receipts in April were $319 billion, up $29 billion from a year ago.

The surplus is likely to be heralded by Democrats and the White House as Obama seeks to gain the upper hand over Mitt Romney in the battle for the presidency this fall.

Yet the long-term fiscal picture remains cloudy. For the full fiscal year, Treasury is projecting another deficit of more than $1 trillion. For the fiscal year to date, the deficit is $720 billion.

In April, spending on education programs fell by 51 percent to $2 billion and Medicare outlays dropped by 48 percent to $31 billion.

Receipts of individual withheld taxes rose by 8 percent to $147 billion, and corporate tax receipts climbed six percent to $33 billion.

To read more, go to MarketWatch

Barack Obama, Treasury Department, Medicare, government spending, tax receipts, Lehman Brothers, education programs, surplus, Mitt Romney

Nypost.com

Brian gets broiled at BofA annual meeting

Police, protesters and irate stockholders!

It’s just your typical shareholder meeting for Bank of America boss Brian Moynihan, who was peppered yesterday by scores of protesters both inside and outside the bank’s Charlotte, NC, headquarters.

For two hours, Moynihan and his team were soundly pilloried for their role in the mortgage mess and the woeful performance of its shares over the past few years.

BofA’s shares are off 37 percent since hitting $12.43 about a year ago — and are 42 percent below the price on the day in 2010 when Moynihan assumed the CEO role.

Getty Images

Protests swirled inside and outside of Bank of America’s annual meeting yesterday as CEO Brian Moynihan argued the country’s No. 2 lender is following a “disciplined” rebuilding strategy.

“Let Bank of America take care of America,” one attendee yelled at Moynihan. “This is America. Listen to the people in this room.”

One shareholder even called the bank “a felon.”

“We abide by the law every day,” Moynihan shot back.

He coolly defended the progress the bank has made in trying to address its mortgage mistakes and turn around the financial firm’s sluggish stock price amid a creaky economic recovery in the US.

“I love my neighbor as myself,” Moynihan said in response to one complaint. “I think we are doing everything we can,” he added.

“May I remind you, Mr. Moynihan, that the buck stops with you,” another attendee commented.

During the meeting, Moynihan in some cases vowed to personally get help to troubled borrowers. He also spent time extolling some of the virtues of the bank he described as helping to build communities.

Outside, raucous activists circled the bank’s headquarters, toting signs and posters.

The rowdy meeting came even as shareholders approved Moynihan’s 2011 $7 million pay package, comprising $6 million in restricted stock and a $950,000 base salary.

Moynihan’s firm has taken heat for its part in the foreclosure fiasco that led to the nation’s five biggest banks to agree to a sweeping $25 billion settlement.

mark.decambre@nypost.com

Bank of America, Moynihan, Brian Moynihan, Charlotte, NC, shareholder meeting, shareholder, mortgage, ebook download

Nypost.com

GlaxoSmithKline takes hostile bid for Human Genome Sciences to shareholders

LONDON -- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said Wednesday it is taking its hostile $2.6 billion takeover offer for Human Genome Sciences (HGS) direct to the US biotech's shareholders, by launching a tender offer at $13 a share this week.

HGS, a US pioneer of gene-based drug discovery that sells a new drug for lupus with Glaxo, so far has rejected the offer made last month, pointing out that its shares traded at $30 a year ago. The target company has started a strategic review that it hopes will encourage rival bids.

But the likelihood of a rival offer is limited, given that three of HGS' major drugs are joint ventures with the UK's largest drugmaker.

AFP/Getty Images

CEO Andrew Witty during a visit to GlaxoSmithKline's plant at Ulverston in the UK in March.

Glaxo comarkets lupus drug Benlysta with HGS. The biotech also has financial interests in other experimental drugs under development at Glaxo, including darapladib for cardiovascular disease and once-weekly diabetes drug albiglutide.

Glaxo said Wednesday it will not take part in HGS's strategic review, as it believes it is HGS' only realistic partner.

"We are the compelling owner for this business [HGS] as we have the rights to and control of the company's three main assets, including the only one so far launched, Benlysta," GSK CEO Andrew Witty told journalists last month, adding, "We believe this is the right time to maximize value for both sets of shareholders."

Glaxo will formally launch its $13 per share tender offer for HGS this week. The offer would remain open for 20 days.

Shares in Glaxo traded down 1.6 percent in London afternoon trade.

HGS, GlaxoSmithKline, Glaxo, Human Genome Sciences, Andrew Witty, tender offer, tender offer

Nypost.com

Hollywood Results

FIRST-1 1/16m; $37,000; alw; 3up

1

Mk Us Proud (Tlm)

7.00

2.80

2.40

4

Confucius Junor (Gomez)

2.60

2.20

6

Panther's Claw (Valdivia,Jr.)

3.40

* $1 Exacta (1-4) $7.70 * Quinella (1-4) $7.20 * $1 Super (1-4-6-2) $96.60 * $1 Trifecta (1-4-6) $24.70

Exacta picked by Vic C.

SECOND-4 1/2 fur; $52,000; mdn; 2YO

7

Just Cll M Al (Bjrn)

22.00

9.40

5.00

2

Confederte Recon (Flors)

4.80

3.40

3

R S Watson (Valdivia,Jr.)

3.80

Scr: Karen's Good Boy.. T., No Rachmones, Midway Surf, Dancin Upside Down

* Daily Double (1-7) $86.40 * $1 Exacta (7-2) $50.90 * Quinella (2-7) $48.60 * $1 Superfecta (7-2-3-8) $846.70 * $1 Trifecta (7-2-3) $357.20

THIRD-1 1/16m; $33,000; clm($25,000); 3up

1

Sky Cape (Flores)

9.40

4.60

3.20

6

Ultmte Decson (Delgdllo)

4.40

3.40

4

E Z Led (Bejarano)

3.60

* $1 Pick 3 (1-7-1) 3 Correct $227.20 * Daily Double (7-1) $105.40 * $1 Exacta (1-6) $22.70 * Quinella (1-6) $18.40 * $1 Superfecta (1-6-4-3) $323.00 * $1 Trifecta (1-6-4) $93.90

Winner picked by Vic C.

FOURTH-7 fur; $37,000; alw; 3up(f)

4

Rcsprtntsgl (Krggr)

8.60

4.20

2.60

2

My Diane (Rosario)

3.00

2.40

6

Always a Chance (Talamo)

2.40

* $1 Pick 3 (7-1-4) 3 Correct $266.80 * Daily Double (1-4) $42.40 * $1 Exacta (4-2) $12.90 * Quinella (2-4) $12.60 * $1 Superfecta (4-2-6-7) $175.60 * $1 Trifecta (4-2-6) $35.90

FIFTH-6 fur; $30,000; clm($20,000); 3up

5

Hunch (Quinonez)

7.00

4.20

3.00

2

Position A (Flores)

4.40

3.00

6

Master Chef (Krigger)

3.80

Scr: Hidden Blessing, Spartan Jet.

* $0.5 Pick 5 (1-7-1-4-5) 5 Correct $2,618.15 * $0.5 Pick 4 (7-1-4-5) 4 Correct $600.55 * $1 Pick 3 (1-4-5) 3 Correct $76.60 * $1 Superfecta (5-2-6-3) $96.10 * $1 Trifecta (5-2-6) $47.90 * Daily Double (4-5) $36.80 * $1 Exacta (5-2) $12.00 * Quinella (2-5) $14.40
SIXTH-6f; $54,000; alw; 3up

5

Tru Wy f Grc (Tlm)

44.00

16.60

5.80

3

Melissa Rose (Rosario)

4.40

2.80

9

Endless Fancy (Garcia)

2.10

* $1 Pick 3 (4-5-5) 3 Correct $368.10 * $1 Exacta (5-3) $113.30 * Quinella (3-5) $82.60 * $1 Superfecta (5-3-4-9) $859.60 * $1 Superfecta (5-3-9-4) $874.60 * $1 Trifecta (5-3-4) $236.60 * $1 Trifecta (5-3-9) $217.20 * Daily Double (5-5) $117.60

SEVENTH-mile; $54,000; alw; 3YO

6

Mdnght Crnr (Bjrn)

3.40

2.80

2.10

1

Old Tme Hockey (Flores)

7.00

4.00

7

Desormais (Gomez)

4.20

Scr: War Politics, Risky Reward.

* $1 Pick 3 (5-5-6) 3 Correct $151.30 * Daily Double (5-6) $66.40 * $1 Exacta (6-1) $10.40 * Quinella (1-6) $15.00 * $1 Superfecta (6-1-7-3) $114.20 * $1 Trifecta (6-1-7) $58.90

EIGHTH-5f; $70,000; 3up

Time To Leave Stakes

1

Tddy's Prms (Espnz)

7.80

3.60

3.00

6

Rumor (Gomez)

3.60

3.00

2

Pink Lollipops (Talamo)

3.40

Scr: Excellent News.

* $1 Pick 3 (5-6-1) 3 Correct $167.20 * Daily Double (6-1) $14.20 * $1 Exacta (1-6) $11.50 * Quinella (1-6) $10.80 * $1 Superfecta (1-6-2-7) $122.00 * $1 Trifecta (1-6-2) $39.60

NINTH-mile; $52,000; mdn; 3up

10

Mss Spd Dtng (Gmz)

10.00

4.80

3.80

3

Zanbo (Flores)

4.40

3.40

6

Vonn Nez (Flores)

6.40

Scr: Freckles Galore, Silic's Valley * Pick 6 (4-5-5-4/5/6-1-10) 6 Correct $68,286.80, 5 Correct $323.40 * $0.5 Pick 4 (5-4/5/6-1-10) 4 Correct $683.15 * $1 Pick 3 (6-1-10) 3 Correct $46.80 * $1 Place Pick All (9-OF-9) 9 Correct $769.30 * $1 Trifecta (10-3-6) $218.70 * Daily Double (1-10) $45.00 * $1 Exacta (10-3) $30.20 * Quinella (3-10) $33.00 * $1 Super (10-3-6-8) $1,135.20

Attendance: 3,781; Handle: $1,043,614

Total Handle: $9,179,791

Valdivia,Jr., Trifecta, Trifecta, Quinella, Daily Double

Nypost.com

Giants QB Manning host of 'SNL' tonight

Eli Manning has two Super Bowl MVP awards and two championships to older brother Peyton’s one of each, and now Eli might be pulling ahead in another race: the battle for laughs.

Tonight Eli will be the host of “Saturday Night Live,’’ four years after Peyton took a turn.

“He has a really good sense of humor,’’ "SNL" cast member Seth Meyers said of Eli in a video posted on Giants.com. “Obviously we worked with Peyton and I think people know he has a really good sense of humor but Eli’s just as good if not a little bit better.’’

Of course, the proof will be in the performance. Peyton received high marks for his hosting gig and Eli has been hard at work this week putting the finishing touches on his role in the show, which SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels said will be significant.

“Everybody’s been very supportive. That’s been the neat part, getting to know the cast members, get to kind of talk with them off-set, a lot of funny people here,’’ Eli said.

“Hopefully the crowd will laugh, that will be good to kind of get my first laugh. I think after that, I say in a football game it’s always good to get that first completion, I think come Saturday just getting that first laugh will help relax me.’’

Meyers offered this tip to maximize Eli’s enjoyment and help his performance:

“I think that’s part of the fun is just like relaxing and realizing this stuff works best when you’re out there enjoying yourself,’’ Meyers said. “If they can tell you’re out of your comfort zone and uncomfortable it’s not as much fun as if they can tell you’re out of your fun and you don’t really care.’’

paul.schwartz@nypost.com

Exclusive Super Bowl merchandise featuring New York Post front pages

Eli Manning, Seth Meyers, Peyton, Lorne Michaels

Nypost.com

Close friends Rebecca, Viaggio head seperate ways for college after leading CK to historic crown

Fabiana Rebecca and Christina Viaggio have played soccer together since they were in kindergarten. They first took the field along side each otehr in CYO at Our Lady of Hope parish, then their Gottschee club team and at Christ the King. Their dream was to continue that for four more years.

“We originally wanted to play together [again],” Viaggio said.

That, however, was not meant to be as their majors and career aspirations took them on separate paths. It was a bittersweet day for the pair as they signed National Letters of Intent Thursday at CK. Rebecca will be headed to Pace and Viaggio NYIT. Both were happy for each other, but realized it was the end of something special.

Thomas Bricker

Christ the King's Christina Viaggio is headed to NYIT next season.

William Thomas

Christ The King's Fabiana Rebecca signed a NLI with Pace.

“Signing was really emotional because it was our last time being together,” Rebecca said.

They can thank each other for some of their success. They would often train together in the summer at Juniper Valley Park and go running on the beach. The duo were a major part of the Royals growth as a program, culminating with its first ever CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens title this past fall. Rebecca scored the equalizer with less than 10 minutes left to play in regulation and Viaggio assisted on the winner in the first overtime of a 2-1 win over Mary Louis in the title game.

“I think it’s an ideal situation for them,” Royals coach John Fayad said. “They get to play and I think they will continue to do what they do.”

He remembered Viaggio coming in as skinny freshman. He was at first worried her safety going against older players until she started showing her skill with the ball. By the time her breakout senior year rolled around she was often the best player on the field. An All-City first team selection by The Post, Viaggio scored 23 goals and dished out 10 assists. She fell in love with NYIT’s special nursing program and the feeling around the soccer team. She picked the Long Island school and a partial athletic/academic scholarship over Aldephi and Molloy. NYIT was 7-10 overall and 7-2 in the ECC under coach Mike Caputo.

“Every year you could see her getting better,” Fayad said. “This year she excelled at every part of her game.”

Rebecca, an All-City Honorable Mention selection by the Post, said Pace was her top choice. Coach Mike Winn, who founded the program in 1999, is looking to rebound after the club went 8-9-1 overall and 7-6-1 in the Northeast-10. She picked them over a host of Division III schools and Division I Quinnipiac, where she would have been a walk-on. Rebecca, who earned a partial athletic scholarship, was looking for a place where she had a chance to play and enjoyed the family atmosphere. She scored 16 goals last season.

“Seeing the team [together] made me feel like I was doing King all over again,” she said.

She and Viaggio wouldn’t change anything about their time together. While there was disappointment at first of it coming to a close, their bond and what they accomplished together will never change.

“I’m extremely happy, because she gets to go where she wants to go and I get to go where I want to go,” Viaggio said. “We will always be friends. We will always play soccer together.”

jstaszewski@nypost.com

Christina Viaggio, Fabiana Rebecca, NYIT, Christ the King, Viaggio, Rebecca

Nypost.com