Staff/Wire reports

Freddy Adu scored his first professional goal Saturday, but it didn't help D.C. United win.

Adu, 14, who joined Major League Soccer this season, scored in the 75th minute of Saturday's 3-2 loss to the MetroStars. "It's a great feeling to get my first goal, but it's a little unfortunate to do it on a losing day," Adu said. "I didn't get a chance to celebrate because we lost." Adu, the youngest player in a major U.S. pro league in more than a century, sneaked behind two defenders to take a crossing pass and knocked a sliding, left-footed shot past Jonny Walker.

Pig entries well ahead of 2003

It's two weeks until the sixth annual Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, and race organizers said registration numbers are about 17 percent ahead of last year's totals. Runners from 47 states are set to participate in the May 2 marathon. More than 1,000 people are to run in the newest addition to the marathon festivities, a 5K run May 1 at 11 a.m. The other change this year is a makeover of the course, which sends runners into Northern Kentucky first instead of at the end and goes farther east than in previous races, Pig public relations official Betsy Ross said.

The Flying Pig relays are closed, but interested runners can still sign up for other events at Bob Roncker's Running Spot Health & Fitness Expo at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center on April 30 and May 1. Entries are available for the marathon, Papa John's 10K, 5K Fun Run presented by girls!CAN, and Saturday's Kahn's Flying Piglet. Visit flyingpigmarathon.com for details.

Ducks win, advance in AHL playoffs

HOUSTON - Stanislav Chistov scored two goals to help the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks to a 6-3 victory and a best-of-3 qualifying round series sweep over the defending Calder Cup champion Houston Aeros at the Toyota Center. Curtis Glencross had a goal and two assists; Mark Popovic, Mike Mottau and Chris Armstrong also scored and Tony Martensson recorded four assists for the Ducks, who won their first playoff series.

Cincinnati will face top-seeded Milwaukee in the West Division semifinals. The best-of-7 series begins Wednesday in Milwaukee at the Bradley Center.

Cincinnati	1	1	4	-6
Houston	0	2	1	- 3

First period: 1. Cin, Chistov 1 (Aucoin, O'Brien), 11:05 (ppg).

Second period: 2. Hou, Veilleux 1, 0:43 (ppg). 3. Cin, Popovic 1 (Kuntiz, Martensson), 12:08. 4. Hou, Michalek 1 (Cavanaugh, Boogaard), 13:15.

Third period: 5. Cin, Mottau 1 (Glencross, Martensson), 6:50. 6. Cin, Armstrong 1 (Glencross, Martensson), 12:04. 7. Cin, Chistov 2 (Hankinson, Aucoin), 14:42. 8. Hou, Cavosie 1 (Veilleux, Wanvig), 16:53. 9. Cin, Glencross 1 (Martensson, Kuntiz), 18:07 (eng).

Shots: Cin 5-7-11=23; Hou 13-14-10=37. Power play opportunities: Cin 1-for-2; Hou 1-for-6. Goaltenders: Cin, Bryzgalov (37 shots, 34 saves); Hou, Cloutier (22-17, 1 eng). Att: 4,307.

Horse racing

KEENELAND: Quintons Gold Rush is headed to the Kentucky Derby after holding off Fire Slam by 2 3/4 lengths on Saturday to win the Grade II Lexington Stakes. Quintons Gold Rush won for the second time in five starts and for the first time under trainer Steve Asmussen, who began working with the son of Wild Rush after fourth-place finishes in the San Rafael Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby.

The $201,500 the colt earned for owners Satish K. Sanan and Jay Manoogian clinched a spot in the Derby.

Fire Slam held off 4-1 favorite Song of the Sword by a neck for second. Fire Slam raised his graded-stakes earnings to $143,000. Song of the Sword has $132,500. Those 3-year-olds rank 23rd and 24th on the graded-earnings list of Derby contenders. Up to 20 horses can run in the May 1 Derby.

Trainer D. Wayne Lukas is out of the Derby picture for only the second time in the last 24 years, as his final prospect, Race for Glory, finished 13th in the 14-horse field.

Keeneland set a single-day on track attendance (31,028) Saturday.

Tennis

FAMILY CIRCLE CUP: Venus Williams beat Jelena Kostanic 6-4, 6-1 in Charleston, S.C., capitalizing on a strong serve to reach her first final of the year. In today's final, she will face Conchita Martinez, who defeated Patty Schnyder 6-4, 6-3.

U.S. CLAY COURT: Tommy Haas reached a final for the first time since 2002, beating Andrei Pavel 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-4 in the semifinals in Houston. Haas, who missed last season while recovering from rotator cuff surgery, will face top-seeded Andy Roddick, who defeated seventh-seeded Luis Horna 6-3, 6-4.

ESTORIL OPEN: Marat Safin advanced to the final after back pain forced Irakli Labadze to retire from their l match in Portugal. Safin will face Juan Ignacio Chela, who beat Florian Mayer 6-3, 6-3.

Boxing

MAJORGA WINS: Ricardo Mayorga, whose fight with WBA welterweight champ Jose Rivera was called off when he weighed in 6 1/2 pounds over the 147-pound limit, won a unanimous 10-round decision over late substitute Eric Mitchell on the undercard of two heavyweight title fights at Madison Square Garden.

Synchro swimming

OLYMPICS: The U.S. team, which includes Loveland's Becky Jasontek, finished third behind winner Russia and Japan at the 2004 Olympic Qualification Tournament in Athens, Greece.

High school basketball

INDIANA: Indianapolis North Central's A.J. Ratliff edged A.J. Graves of Class A White River Valley by two votes for 2004 Indiana Mr. Basketball, the Indianapolis Star announced today.