Sports briefs 8/4/04

Baseball

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds has been voted a National League player of the month for July, Major League Baseball announced Monday. Edmonds led the NL with a .381 average and 13 home runs. He also led the League with 27 runs scored, a .952 slugging percentage and tied for the lead with 27 RBI for the month.

Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Murphy, who covered the New York Mets from the team's inception in 1962 until his retirement after last season, died Tuesday. He was 79. Murphy had battled lung cancer since his retirement.

Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Luis Gonzalez, bothered by a sore throwing arm all season, had reconstructive surgery on his right elbow Monday. The Diamondbacks said Gonzalez should be able to start physical therapy in 3-4 weeks.

College

Virginia Tech quarterback Marcus Vick pleaded guilty Tuesday to reckless driving and no contest to marijuana possession, shortly after he was suspended from the university for the 2004 season. The younger brother of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was fined $300 and his driver's license was suspended for 60 days.

Football

First-round draft pick Ben Roethlisberger reached terms Tuesday on a six-year contract worth as much as $40 million with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The deal, reached following lengthy talks that began Monday morning and extended into Tuesday morning, includes a Steelers club record $9,009,000 bonus.

Tennis

Roger Federer's former doubles partner ended his 23-match winning streak Tuesday in the first round of the Tennis Masters Cincinnati. Federer was stunned by Dominik Hrbaty 1-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4, the two-time Wimbledon champion's first opening-round loss since the 2003 French Open.

-- From wire reports