MLB: Rockies hurler undergoes neck surgery

Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio underwent neck surgery yesterday to stabilize a fracture after he was struck in the head by a line drive. The team said in a statement he was “resting comfortably” at a Denver hospital after surgery on the C-1 vertebrae in his neck.

* Jered Weaver dropped his appeal of a six-game suspension, and the Angels ace will miss an upcoming series against the Yankees. He is now scheduled to make his next start next Saturday at Toronto.

* Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre will miss an additional three weeks after aggravating his strained left hamstring during a pregame workout.

* The Astros optioned starting left-hander J.A. Happ to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

NASCAR: Logano captures pole

Joey Logano won the pole for today’s race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. Logano turned a lap of 172.055 mph to win his second pole of the season. Kasey Kahne joins Logano on the front row today.

* In Newton, Iowa, Carl Edwards pushed Roush Fenway Racing teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to victory in the Nationwide race in a wild finish at Iowa Speedway. Stenhouse’s No. 6 car blew an engine coming out of the final turn. With billowing smoke obscuring Edwards’ view, he slammed into the back end of Stenhouse and shoved him across the finish line.

GOLF: Record-setting day for Piercy

In Reno, Nev., Scott Piercy reeled off eight consecutive birdies to post a 28 on the front nine then bounced back from a bogey on the 17th to eagle the 616-yard closing hole and break the course record at the Reno-Tahoe Open with an 11-under 61.

* In Blaine, Minn., Peter Senior shot a bogey-free 67 and John Huston birdied No. 18 for a 68 that left them tied for the lead at 12 under after the second round of the 3M Championship. Jay Haas was one shot back, and Mark Calcavecchia and Tom Lehman were two behind.

ETC.: Evans KO’s Ortiz at UFC 133

In Philadelphia, Rashad Evans delivered a crushing knee to Tito Ortiz‘s chest, then ended the light heavyweight fight with a series of blows to the head to shake off a 14-month layoff and win the main event of UFC 133 in Round 2 via TKO. The bout was a rematch of a 2007 draw, and Ortiz took the fight on short notice after a stunning win last month in UFC 132. In the other featured bout, Vitor Belfort stopped Yoshihiro Akiyama with a first-round knockout.

* In Stanford, Calif., 16-year-old phenom Missy Franklin won the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. national championships, defeating a field that included three Olympians with the fifth-fastest time in the world this year. Brendan Hansen won the 200-meter breaststroke in his comeback from a three-year retirement.

* In Washington, 22-year-old American Donald Young lost to Radek Stepanek, 6-3, 6-3, in the semifinals of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic, failing in his bid to reach his first ATP final.