have been more than competitive in their Western Conference quarterfinals

 WASHINGTON -- D. .C. United is looking for success on the road to advance in the MLS playoffs. D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls each had a second-half own goal and finished in a 1-1 draw in the opener of their Eastern Conference semifinals on Saturday. The series opener was switched to Washington because of Superstorm Sandy. The second leg between second-seeded D.C. United and third-seeded New York will be played on Nov. 7 in New Jersey. "Its a home and away series and now we have to go away," D.C. United coach Ben Olsen said. "If we dont get through this, Im not going to blame it on a home and away series being changed. I wont do that." The last time D.C. United won a playoff game was at New York in the 2006 Eastern Conference semifinals. "I have learned that they are a beatable team," Olsen said. "Here or there -- we can beat this team and there is a great opportunity for us to go to New York and try to do that." Back in the MLS playoffs for the first time since 2007, D.C. United took the lead in the 61st minute on an own goal by second-half substitute Roy Miller as the defender inadvertently cleared a Chris Korb cross in the back of his net. Four minutes later, the Red Bulls tied it after D.C. United goalie Bill Hamid knocked the ball into his net while trying to save a deflection after a Thierry Henry corner kick. The Eastern Conference rivals split the regular season meetings 1-1-1. D.C. United was forced to play the final 19 minutes with just 10 men after defender Andy Najar picked up his second yellow card, resulting in a red card, for throwing the ball at referee Jair Marrufo after committing a foul. "I just turned around and threw the ball back and unfortunately the referee was there and it hit him," Najar said. Najar, the 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year, is unavailable for Wednesdays game. The best chance for D.C. United in the first half came after Red Bulls defender Connor Lade was called for a hand ball in the penalty box. Forward Chris Pontius stepped up to take the penalty kick, but his 33rd-minute attempt was saved by Red Bulls goalie Luis Robles. "I struck it well," Pontius said. "I just need to put it up in the corner a little bit more." Notes: D.C. United has defeated New York in each of the previous three playoff matchups -- 1996, 2004, 2006. ... New York defeated D.C. United 3-2 on June 24 in the lone meeting at Red Bull Arena this season. . Kaman, who played last season in New Orleans, announced on his Twitter account Wednesday that he was "Partnering up with (at)swish41 and heading to the Mavs . . Bernaudeau said he is stunned by the doping investigations that was reveled just two days before the start of the 2012 Tour. "It was just too big," Bernaudeau told a news conference Thursday in Belgium city of Liege, where the Tour begins Saturday. "I was unsettled by the story, but when I read it in the paper . .S. Open semifinals. Murray, though, wont know his opponent in the final until Sunday, as the second semifinal between reigning champion Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer was suspended because of weather in the New York area. . She also missed out on the outright lead in the LPGA Founders Cup when her short birdie try slid left on the final hole. The top-ranked Taiwanese star made about everything else on the back nine Thursday at Wildfire Golf Club, playing a seven-hole stretch in 7 under and finishing with a 7-under 65 for a share of the first-round lead with Hee Young Park. . The Memphis Grizzlies have been more than competitive in their Western Conference quarterfinals series with the Los Angeles Clippers but find themselves on the brink of elimination as they return to Beale Street for Game 5 of the set.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Canadian Milos Raonic struggled for more than two hours Wednesday before finally overcoming former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round of the Western & Southern Open. The 21-year-old got out of trouble repeatedly with his serve, which produced 22 aces. He had 12 Tuesday night when he opened with a victory over Rogers Cup finalist Richard Gasquet. Raonic improved to 2-0 over the recently married Baghdatis after beating the Cypriot last October at an indoor tournament in Stockholm, Sweden. Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., hit 46 winners, and broke Baghdatis for a 5-4 lead in the final sset. . But he had trouble finishing out the win, and had to save three break points in the next game. He finally got an opening as he earned a match point and finished the job on a Baghdatis error. Baghdatis was treated for a back and hip problem in the second set, but didnt seem to affect his play. Raonic saved all six of the break points he faced and he profited from 33 Baghdatis errors. Raonic, ranked a career-high 19th in the world, next faces Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, a regular in the ATP top 10. The two have never played each other before. Raonic, winner of three career titles, improved to 32-13 on the season. ' ' '