WASHINGTON -- A U. Terence Newman Black Jersey .S. judge has refused to dismiss the governments lawsuit against disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong and associates for alleged doping and use of banned performance-enhancing techniques. From 1999 to 2004, Armstrong was the lead rider on a team sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service, and he won the Tour de France every year during that period. On Thursday, Judge Robert Wilkins ruled in favour of the governments position that Armstrong and associates owed an obligation to pay money due to the alleged breach of the sponsorship agreements with the Postal Service. The Postal Service paid about $40 million to be the title sponsor of Armstrongs teams for six of his seven Tour de France victories. The judge said the governments complaints are rife with allegations that Armstrong had knowledge of the doping and that he made false statements to conceal it. The Justice Department says the cyclist violated his contract with the U.S. Postal Service and was "unjustly enriched" while cheating to win the Tour. The Justice Department stepped into the case last year, joining a whistleblower lawsuit brought by former Armstrong teammate Floyd Landis under the federal False Claims Act. Wilkins, a newly appointed appeals judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, is sitting as a U.S. district judge in the lawsuit against Armstrong. Anthony Munoz Orange Jersey . </br></br> Apparently this took place at a soccer stadium for a club match in Brazil. Giovani Bernard Black Jersey . The Lions traded their fifth overall pick in the 2014 CFL Draft to the Ottawa Redblacks for QB Kevin Glenn.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Sam Fuld had enjoyed plenty of success at Tropicana Field. For the Minnesota Twins, big moments in the ballpark had been fleeting. Aaron Hicks hit a three-run homer, Fuld had a pair of RBI doubles and the Twins beat the Tampa Bay Rays 9-7 Thursday, Kurt Suzuki drove in three runs for the Twins, who won two of three for their first road series win against the Rays since September 2006. "In this ballpark, you never feel safe," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We basically threw everything at them we had." Gardenhire moved past Chuck Dressen into sole possession of 59th place on the career victory list with 1,009. Fuld, claimed off waivers from Oakland on Sunday, had two hits in his Twins debut Wednesday and added three more Thursday. He spent the previous three years with the Rays. "Its nice to come back and contribute," Fuld said. After having a four-run lead cut to one, Minnesota went ahead 8-3 in the fifth on a run-scoring double by Fuld and Hicks shot off reliever Heath Bell. It was Hicks first homer since July 14 against New York Yankees ace CC Sabathia. "He was excited," Gardenhire said. "Its good to see. You knew it was going to be one of those kind of games. The guys came out and scored some runs, and then we just hold on." Ricky Nolasco (2-2) allowed six runs and 10 hits over six-plus innings. Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his fifth save. The Twins were coming off a 6-4, 12-inning win over the Rays Wednesday that ended at 11:58 p.m. "Weve been battling," Nolasco said. "A long game last night. Guys came back ready to go today." Erik Bedard (0-1) gave up four runs, five hits and five walks in four innings. It was the eighth time in 10 games that Tampa Bays starter went five or less innings. Geno Atkins Black Jersey. . "Early on he just kept missing," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "It wasnt like he was throwing the ball badly, but he kept missing inside. But 90 pitches after four (innings), I like the fact that he got that deep." The Twins took a 3-0 lead in the first with the help of four walks and two hits off Bedard. Suzuki had a two-run single and Fuld hit an RBI double. James Loney drove in the first of his two runs with a double before David DeJesus got the Rays within 4-3 on a two-run homer in the second. After seventh-inning sacrifice flies by Desmond Jennings and Matt Joyce, Tampa Bay cut the deficit to 9-7 in the eighth on pinch-hitter Logan Forsythes RBI single off Jared Burton. Bell departed after Suzukis RBI infield single went off his leg in the sixth. Juan Carlos Oviedo, coming back from elbow ligament replacement surgery, replaced Bell and went 1 1-3 scoreless innings in his first major league appearance since Sept. 21, 2011, with Miami when he was known as Leo Nunez. NOTES: Fuld got a nice ovation before his first at-bat Wednesday. When asked before Thursdays game about Fuld being back in the lineup, Gardenhire smiled and said "the fans are like they want to see him, so well play him." ... Minnesota C Joe Mauer and Hall of Famer Dave Winfield will co-host the Players Trust All Star Golf Tournament at Windsong Farm Golf Club in Independence, Minn., on July 16 to raise funds for area childrens charities. ... Twins RHP Kevin Correia (0-2) and Detroit RHP Rick Porcello (2-1) will pitch in the opener of a three-game series Friday night. ... Tampa Bay begins a four-game series Friday night at the Chicago White Sox with RHP Chris Archer (2-1) going against RHP Erik Johnson (1-1). ' ' '
