The Nevada hotel worker who claims that Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger raped her in a Lake Tahoe hotel room last July said the six-foot, five-inch, 240-pound athlete grabbed her when she showed up to repair his TV. The woman, who had met Pittsburgh Steelers superstar at the front desk earlier in the day, said in her lawsuit that she was “shocked and stunned that this previously friendly man, that appeared to be a gentleman in her previous contacts with him was suddenly preventing her from leaving, was assaulting her and battering her.” She said that she objected and protested repeatedly, “but instead of stopping, Roethlisberger began fondling plaintiff through her dress and between her legs,” the suit said. He then “held her against her will and physically moved plaintiff and pushed her onto his bed” where he raped her, the suit says. “You don’t want to do this,” she said she told him, adding, “I am not on any type of birth control.” She said that afterward, he asked if there was a security camera in the hallway and then instructed her to say she had repaired his television if anyone asked why she was in his room. On Tuesday, Roethlisberger’s lawyer vehemently denied the allegations. He noted that the woman, who was working at the hotel as an executive casino host, never went to the authorities. “Ben has never sexually assaulted anyone. The timing of the lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct,” David Cornwell said in a statement. “If an investigation is commenced, Ben will cooperate fully, and Ben will be fully exonerated.” The lawsuit, which seeks $440,000 in damages from Roethlisberger and $50,000 from the casino, also claims that hotel officials for Harrah’s Lake Tahoe went to great lengths to cover up the incident.

Super Bowl QB Accused of Sexual Assault
A Nevada woman is suing two-time Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, claiming he sexually assaulted her last year, The Associated Press reports. “This weekend Andrea McNulty served Ben Roethlisberger with a civil complaint accusing him of sexually assaulting her in July 2008” Roethlisberger’s Atlanta-based attorney, David Cornwell, said Monday. “Ben has never sexually assaulted anyone, especially Andrea McNulty. The timing of the lawsuit and the absence of a criminal complaint and a criminal investigation are the most compelling evidence of the absence of any criminal conduct. If an investigation is commenced, Ben will cooperate fully, and Ben will be fully exonerated.” Details of the suit were not available late Monday night. Roethlisberger was one of nine defendants listed in the online court docket report.

Ramirez passes Mantle on Homerun List
Manny Ramirez hit his 537th home run Monday to pass Mickey Mantle and move into 15th place on the all-time homer list. The feat helped Ramirez’s Los Angeles Dodgers to defeat the Cincinnati Reds 7-5. ”I signed here so I could be on a winning team and have a chance to go to the playoffs and get a World Series ring,” said Ramirez’s teammate, pitcher Jason Schmidt, who made his first start in two seasons. In fact, it was only Schmidt’s seventh start since the Dodgers signed him to a three-year $47 million contract in 2006. “To get a pickup like Manny is going to put us right there,” Schmidt added. ”I was disappointed not to have that opportunity over the last few years to contribute, but hopefully I can help out a little bit. … ‘It was an emotional day. ‘It’s been a struggle. I didn’t want it to take this long, but unfortunately, it did. Before the game, driving here and getting all the phone calls and text messages from everybody, there was a lot of buildup. It was fun, and I’m glad we came out on the winning end of it.”