Sports briefs 4/17/06

Baseball

• Two children were injured in a scramble to grab cash being dropped from a helicopter as part of a promotion after a minor league baseball game in Comstock Park, Mich.

About $1,000 in cash was dropped Saturday from the helicopter over Fifth Third Ballpark's outfield as children lined the outfield fence.

After the cash was dropped, the children scrambled. A 7-year-old boy was trampled and taken to a hospital, while a 7-year-old girl got a bloody lip after being pushed onto the ground.

The boy, Tino Rodriquez, of Grant, suffered bruises to his chest and back, said his grandmother, Rita Rodriquez.

"Doctors said he got trampled pretty good," she said.

The cash drop took place after the West Michigan Whitecaps' 3-0 win over the Southwest Michigan Devil Rays. It was the first time the Class A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers had conducted such a promotion.

Tennis

• Nadia Petrova defeated Patty Schnyder 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 to win the Family Circle Cup on Sunday for her second straight tournament victory.

Petrova, who won last week at Amelia Island, now has four tour victories, all in the last six months.

By making the final at the Family Circle, Petrova will improve two spots to her highest ranking at No. 5 in the world. The Russian's previous high was No. 6 last year.

Schnyder is 5-4 in matches against Petrova since 2000 but Petrova has now won three of their last four meetings.

* Unseeded Mardy Fish rallied from a set down to beat Jurgen Melzer 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 and win the U.S. Clay Court Championship title Sunday.

Melzer netted a high, easy backhand volley on match point and the American fell to the ground along the baseline and lay on his back in jubilation following his second tour victory.

-- The Associated Press