Sports in Brief: Reliever re-signs with Nationals

Reliever Sean Burnett and the Washington Nationals agreed Thursday on a $3.95 million, two-year contract with a mutual option for 2013, avoiding salary arbitration. The lefthander went 1-7 with three saves and a 2.14 ERA in 73 appearances in 2010.

The Colorado Rockies bolstered their bullpen by acquiring righthanded reliever Matt Lindstrom from the Houston Astros for minor-league pitchers Wes Musick and Jonnathan Aristil.

The Arizona Diamondbacks sold utility man Rusty Ryal to the Yomiuri Giants of the Japanese League. The 27-year-old Ryal hit .261 with three homers and 11 RBIs in 104 games with the Diamondbacks last season.

LACROSSE: The Wings signed Athan Iannucci to a one-year deal. Iannucci returns to the Wings after missing the 2010 National Lacrosse League season with a knee injury.

Iannucci played in 10 games for the Wings in 2009 and accumulated 37 points (23 goals, 14 assists).

Besides Iannucci, players returning include Ardmore's John Christmas; Ridley High grad Bill McGlone, who ended the 2010 season with 35 points (19 goals, 16 assists); and Drew Westervelt, who had 72 points (32 goals, 40 assists) in 2010.

New players include U.S. national team players Brendan Mundorf and Ryan Boyle.

The Wings will open their 2011 NLL season at 7 p.m. on Jan. 8 against Boston at the Wells Fargo Center.

BASKETBALL: The lawyer for WNBA standout Diana Taurasi told the Associated Press that the former Connecticut star has tested positive for a mild stimulant while playing in a pro league in Turkey.

Howard Jacobs said that Taurasi's A sample came back positive from a lab and she was provisionally suspended by the league. Taurasi has asked that her B sample be tested.

Jacobs said the substance "was not a steroid or recreational drug" - however, he refused to identify it.

The Phoenix Mercury star already has missed the last three games with Fenerbahce, her team in Turkey.

SOCCER: Inter Milan parted ways with manager Rafael Benitez after just six months. Inter has struggled to reproduce the form that saw the club win the Champions League and Serie A under Jose Mourinho last season. Mourinho left for Real Madrid.

A statement issued by Inter said that the two parties had agreed to an early cancellation of the contract, although it is widely believed that Benitez had no option.

English second-tier club Nottingham Forest announced the signing of American forward Robbie Findley, pending a work permit. The 25-year-old Findley was a free agent after leaving Real Salt Lake at the end of the MLS season.

Goalkeeper Matt Reis agreed to a new contract with the New England Revolution of MLS.

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, 40, will retire at the end of the season, club manager Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed.

BOXING: Mexico's Hugo Cazares beat Japan's Hiroyuki Hisataka by unanimous decision in Osaka to retain his WBA super flyweight title.

- Staff and wire reports