Wilson Ramos talks about rescue from kidnappers

His eyes tearing up with emotion, Washington Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos embraced his rescuers Saturday and said he had wondered whether he would survive a two-day kidnapping ordeal that ended when commandos swept into his captors’ mountain hideout in Venezuela.

Ramos said that he was happy and thankful to be alive a day after his rescue, saying that his final moments as a prisoner were hair-raising as police and the kidnappers exchanged heavy gunfire in the remote area where he was being held. He said his kidnappers had carefully planned the abduction and told him they were going to demand a large ransom.

“I didn’t know if I was going to get out of it alive,” Ramos told reporters at a police station in his hometown of Valencia, flanked by police investigators, national guard commanders and Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami. “It was very hard for me. It was very hard for my family.”

El Aissami said authorities arrested four of the captors, all of them Venezuelan men in their 20s. A 60-year-old woman and a 74-year-old man were also arrested as accomplices for supplying the kidnappers with food from their home in the area, he said. The six suspects were led past journalists at the police station with black hoods over their heads.

Authorities were still searching for four Colombian men who escaped during the rescue, El Aissami said. He didn’t say whether anyone was wounded in the gun battle.

Ramos, 24, was seized at gunpoint outside his family’s home Wednesday night and whisked away in an SUV. It was the first known kidnapping of a Major League Baseball player in Venezuela.

Red Sox interview Gene Lamont

The Boston Red Sox interviewed Gene Lamont for their managerial opening.

The former Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox manager is the last of five candidates scheduled to interview. New Red Sox General Manager Ben Cherington had already brought in Torey Lovullo, Sandy Alomar Jr., Pete Mackanin and Dale Sveum.

Cam Newton has sore shoulder

Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton was added to the team’s injury report Saturday as probable after developing stiffness in his right throwing shoulder. A team spokesman said he was expected to play after having an MRI exam Friday.

Newton took all the reps last week in practice, but developed some soreness in the arm Friday. The Panthers play host to the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.

Catriona Matthew leads Lorena Ochoa tournament

Catriona Matthew shot her second straight four-under 68 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead after the third round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational at Guadalajara

Matthew, the 42-year-old Scot who won the last of her three LPGA Tour titles in 2009, had an 11-under 205 total at Guadalajara Country Club. Norway’s Suzann Pettersen (71) was second, and defending champion I.K. Kim (70) was another stroke back along with Anna Nordqvist (73).

Hall of Famer Juli Inkster, tied for the lead after the first two rounds in the 36-player event, was five under after a 75. The 51-year-old Inkster is trying to become the oldest winner in LPGA Tour history.

Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano completed a 10-under 61 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead after the second round of the rain-delayed Singapore Open. Play was suspended because of the threat of lightning just as the third round began at about noon. The rain continued throughout the afternoon, wiping out play and forcing officials to shorten the tournament to three rounds. The event is sanctioned by the European and Asian tours.

England’s James Morrison and Italy’s Edoardo Molinari were 12 under after 68s. Phil Mickelson was four under after a 67.

Tsonga edges Isner, will face Federer in Paris final

Roger Federer barely sweated as he beat Tomas Berdych, 6-4, 6-3, to set up a Paris Masters final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who had to save three match points in a gritty win against American John Isner.

The sixth-seeded Tsonga beat the unseeded Isner, 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3), in a contest lasting nearly three hours, a total contrast to Federer’s breezy victory in 80 minutes.