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MADRID, Spain -- Atletico Madrid took full advantage of Barcelonas rare slip-up as it pummeled Real Sociedad 4-0 on Sunday to take sole possession of the lead in the Spanish league for the first time this season. David Villa, Diego Costa, Miranda, and the newly arrived Diego scored the goals that put Atletico clear at the top of the standings, having shared the lead with Barcelona for much of the campaign. Atletico holds a three point advantage over Barcelona and Real Madrid after Athletic Bilbao rallied to draw 1-1 against Madrid, which finished without Cristiano Ronaldo after he was red carded. Substitute Ibai Gomezs volley cancelled out Jese Rodriguezs opener for Madrid, which played the final 15 minutes a man down after Ronaldo was sent off for swiping his hand across Carlos Gurpegis face following a shove from his opponent. The contact seemed light, but Gurpegi fell to the ground as if hed been hit hard. Atletico honoured former player and coach Luis Aragones before the match and fed off the emotion at the Vicente Calderon Stadium to boost its attempt to break the Barcelona-Madrid monopoly with a first championship since 1996. Barcelona lost 3-2 to Valencia on Saturday, and Atletico did not waste the opportunity to go top by itself for the first time since that championship-winning season. Not since Valencias league title a decade ago has a club other than the big two won the Spanish league. Diego Costa was lively from the start, and the Brazilian-born Spain striker fed Villa inside the box in the 38th minute to finish off a quick break by scoring the opener. Villa sustained a leg injury moments later and had to be replaced by Raul Garcia. With the home fans chanting Aragones name throughout, Atletico came alive in the second half as Garcia found Diego Costa racing free between defenders in the 72nd and the forward beat goalkeeper Claudio Bravo with a right-footed shot for his 20th league goal of the season. Two minutes later, Miranda headed home a corner kick out of Bravos reach for 3-0 before Diego, who came on in the 58th for his first appearance in his return to the club, marked his return to Atletico by dribbling into the box to unleash a rising shot into goal with three minutes remaining. "This is something nice for the players, who have made such effort and go into every single game with the same intensity and work ethic," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. "Luis would appreciate the teams courage, since he was a courageous type with character, just like this team." Atletico leads with 57 points, while Barcelona and Madrid share 54 points. Jese lunged to guide Ronaldos cross into the area beyond goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz for the 65th-minute opener in a game that was dominated by Bilbao up to that point. Gomez made up for earlier misses by Aritz Aduritz and Ander Herrera when he ran onto a cleared ball outside the area to rip an unstoppable shot past goalkeeper Diego Lopez in the 73rd. The intensity boiled over moments later when Ronaldo and Gurpegi tangled, the Ballon dOr winners straight red card means he will miss Madrids next game. "Its difficult when you lose a player without reason," Madrid defender Marcelo said. "Its already difficult to score one point here but Madrid has the obligation of winning every game. So (the red card) made it tougher." Gomez nearly scored the winner in the 85th from another volley but Lopez tipped it over as Bilbao improved to 43 points in fourth. Earlier Sunday, Cristian Herreras second-half goal gave Elche a 1-0 victory against Almeria to lift the club above its relegation adversary, while Ruben Castro scored two goals as last-placed Real Betis beat Espanyol 2-0 to end a four-game losing streak. Elche improved to 24 points, two more than Almeria which is 17th. Valladolid is 18th with 20, Rayo Vallecano has 17 and Betis 14. All games held a minutes silence in honour of Aragones, the former Spain coach who died on Saturday at age 75. .com) - Roosevelt Jones had 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to lead No. .com) - Devan Dubnyk stopped all 30 shots fired his way and made several big saves down the stretch for his third shutout of the season as the Minnesota Wild beat the Calgary Flames 1-0 on Tuesday. . -- James Harden scored 31 points, including 25 in the second half, and the Houston Rockets dug out of a double-digit, first-half hole to beat the Orlando Magic 101-89 on Wednesday night. . The 26-year-old Redditch, England, native played three of his past four seasons under Rennie with the Carolina RailHawks of the North American Soccer League. .500. The Jets have now won nine of their last 11, and five of their last six road games. With the win they moved to within two points of Vancouver in the west, the Canucks holding down the eighth spot. Vancouver lost in Boston, while the other big game saw Dallas win in Phoenix.GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Clevelands Jason Giambi will be sidelined for about three-to-four weeks with a broken rib in his right side. Giambi was hit by a pitch thrown by Edwin Jackson of the Chicago Cubs in the third inning of a March 7 game. X-rays at the time were negative, but Cleveland said Thursday the 43-year-old Giambi had felt increased discomfort over previous five days. "As he continued to show tenderness, we got him an MRI yesterday," manager Terry Francona said. "We treat the symptoms. He will be down for a number of days without activity, just getting treatment. Then when the symptoms are better, we can start getting him into activities. Then we can get him into baseball activities." The 2000 AL MVP, Giambi is a non-roster invitee to big league training camp. The designated hitter hopes to play in his 20th major league season and second with the Indians. Giambi has been hit by 179 pitches during the regular season, 11th on the career list. "I kind of knew. It was a cutter in it hit me just under the pad," said Giambi, who picked the ball up and flipped the it to Jackson. "I didnt want him to think it hurt." Giambi probably will not make the opening-day roster, but the Indians are hoping he will rrebound and be in position to join the big league team later.dddddddddddd "It is why you try to evaluate everybody, because if you need a plan B or a plan C, you have it," Francona said. Giambi is optimistic he will be back soon. "Its not tragic. At least its not displaced," he said. "The doctors told me it is going to be sore and we have to get the trauma down. Guys play with this all the time. Im not discouraged. Its really small, but with the trauma it wont let me swing right now. Its the human body protecting itself." Nyjer Morgan and Jeff Francoeur also are in camp on minor league contracts. Morgan strained his left calf Wednesday. "The trainers say day to day," Francona explained. "We have to protect him from himself. Hes kind of on a mission here if not to show us, to show the world hes back. He plays so hard. He has to pass some tests on the medical side. Thats not to hinder him. Thats to protect him." Right-hander J.C. Ramirez broke his left thumb and sprained a ligament during a "B" game on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox and will be sidelined for eight-to-10 weeks. He is scheduled for surgery Monday with Dr. Thomas Graham at the Cleveland Clinic. ' ' '
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