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Sports Quote of the Day:
"Our fans are behind us all the way, and we feel it. We feed off them. The energy in the United Center on game nights is unbelievable." ~ Patrick Kane, Professional Ice Hockey Right Winger for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Trending: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” ~ Seneca the Younger (4BC-65AD). The Blackhawks display their preparation at every opportunity and tonight they have the opportunity to win "The Stanley Cup" on home ice for the first time since 1938, (77 years). "Let's Go Hawks!!!!!"
How 'bout them Chicago Blackhawks? Lightning-Blackhawks Preview.
By JAY COHEN
Kris Versteeg could have sulked or pouted when he was pulled out of the lineup for the Chicago Blackhawks. Instead, the veteran forward proved he belonged on the ice.
While Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have struggled to find any room in the Stanley Cup Final against Tampa Bay, the Blackhawks have used their depth to move within one victory of their third NHL title in six seasons. Playing alongside two other players who have been a healthy scratch this postseason, Versteeg assisted on Antoine Vermette's winning goal in Chicago's 2-1 victory on Saturday night.
''I think it's always about staying ready,'' Versteeg said Sunday. ''I guess that starts in practice. Whether it be myself or (Bryan Bickell) or Vermy or whoever is not in the lineup on any given night, we all feel we're good players, we all feel we're players that can contribute. I don't think that confidence is lost in us.''
The Blackhawks' third and fourth lines are a big reason why they can clinch the Stanley Cup at home for the first time since 1938 with a victory in Game 6 on Monday night. But the Lightning won Game 3 in Chicago and are confident they can do it again.
''We'll find a way,'' captain Steven Stamkos said. ''There's really no choice that we have.''
Stamkos and Kane are still looking for their first goal of the series, and Toews has contributed one goal and two assists. But Vermette has two game-winning goals in the final, Teuvo Teravainen scored in each of the first two games, and Andrew Shaw has a goal and two assists.
In an incredibly tight battle for the Stanley Cup - only the second final to begin with five one-goal games - the contributions from Chicago's role players are making a difference.
''We know that one of our strengths as a team and organization is our depth,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''Sometimes you use it.''
Tampa Bay's depth was tested Saturday night when second-leading scorer Nikita Kucherov crashed into the Chicago net in the first period, leading to a bigger role for speedy rookie Jonathan Drouin and breaking up the Lightning's successful ''Triplets'' line.
Kucherov, who turns 22 on Wednesday, flew with the team to Chicago, and coach Jon Cooper said he was ''in considerably better shape today than he was last night.''
''We'll have an optional skate tomorrow, so don't read anything into it if he's not on the ice,'' Cooper said.
''To be honest, I thought there was a chance he was coming back last night,'' Cooper added. ''But it didn't work out. These two days will give him the rest he needs.''
Cooper also said goaltender Ben Bishop was feeling much better. Bishop missed Game 4 with an undisclosed injury and then had a big collision with defenseman Victor Hedman in the first period Saturday night that handed a goal to Patrick Sharp.
Cooper also said goaltender Ben Bishop was feeling much better. Bishop missed Game 4 with an undisclosed injury and then had a big collision with defenseman Victor Hedman in the first period Saturday night that handed a goal to Patrick Sharp.
''I thought he played an exceptional game,'' Cooper said of Bishop, who had 27 saves. ''We're sitting here giving up two goals or less a game. You can't ask for much more than that from your goaltenders.''
Versteeg, who has appeared in just 11 of Chicago's 22 playoff games, played in each of the first two games against the Lightning, and then was replaced by Bickell for Game 3. After Bickell struggled, Quenneville turned to Versteeg again, and it looks as if he is growing stronger as the final goes along.
''I loved his response, in this series particularly,'' Quenneville said.
Quenneville's smart use of his roster is one reason Chicago is 42-14 in Games 4-7 of playoff series since the former NHL defenseman took over in October 2008. The Blackhawks also have won 15 of their last 19 potential series clinching games, according to STATS, setting the stage for what will be a raucous atmosphere at the United Center on Monday night.
''Obviously there's a lot of buzz, a lot of excitement, a lot of things going on around the entire event,'' Toews said. ''I think we're just going to do our best as individuals to focus on our job as players and focus on the game and nothing more.
''None of that stuff is really going to help us achieve what we want to achieve. That's where our heads are at right now.''
Five Things from Blackhawks win in Game 5: Versteeg’s new home.
By Tracey Myers
One more down, one more to go.
The Blackhawks are one victory away from claiming their third Stanley Cup in the past six seasons. And for the first time in more than a decade, they’ll have the chance to claim the trophy on home ice thanks to their 2-1 victory over the Lightning in Game 5 on Saturday night.
But the Blackhawks aren’t getting ahead of themselves. They know they haven’t won a thing yet. We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, either. Before we head back home to see how Game 6 plays out, let’s look at Five Things to take from Saturday’s Game 5 victory.
1. Big performances by not-so-big names. Yes, we know Patrick Kane has yet to score in this series. The Lightning have done a good job of shutting down the Blackhawks’ superstar scorers – Jonathan Toews and Patrick Sharp have been held to one each. Your third- and fourth-line guys are critical this time of year and Antoine Vermette came through again on Saturday night. Three game-winning goals out of the four he’s had this postseason. Not bad.
2. Niklas Hjalmarsson’s all-around game. Hjalmarsson gets a ton of credit for his shot blocking, and for good reason. He had seven more on Saturday night. But whether it’s blocks or just handling the increased ice time – he played 28 minutes, 19 seconds, second only to Duncan Keith – Hjalmarsson has flourished. Said coach Joel Quenneville, “He's always been good. We've been fortunate to be around this guy for a lot of years, defending top players, defending tough situations, blocking shots. He's a warrior.”
3. Kris Versteeg’s new home. Versteeg hasn’t played much this postseason but his fresh legs have been a good addition to a Blackhawks team that has to be feeling some fatigue. Versteeg moved to the third line with Vermette and Teuvo Teravainen in Game 5 and provided a big spark. He also provided the primary assist on Vermette’s winner. Versteeg was happy to be part of the process. “We’ve got so many players here who can play and put points on the board, but we wanted to be a line that could help and contribute,” he said. “And fortunately tonight was one of those nights.”
4. Benefitting from a bounce. Or in this case, a collision. Sharp scored for the first time in more than a month when Ben Bishop and Victor Hedman collided, leaving an empty net. It was an odd play that doesn’t happen often. For the Blackhawks, it was a great scoring opportunity in a series that has had few prime ones. Like Sharp said, “make sure you put that one in.”
5. Keep the butterflies at bay. The Blackhawks are going to be an excited bunch for Game 6 on Monday night. They’ve got the chance to win the Stanley Cup at home, something that hasn’t been a possibility since 1938. Several talked of wanting to win it at home for the United Center fans. But they have to be careful not to let those feelings overwhelm them. Remembering Tampa Bay’s road record ought to keep them grounded and focused.
Vermette powers Blackhawks to Game 5 win over Lightning 2-1.
By Tracey Myers
The Blackhawks played the necessary styles in the third period, getting just enough offense at the start, working like they were on the penalty kill through a good deal of the middle and then breaking into the Lightning’s zone more at the end.
It was opportunistic at some times, nail biting at others. Throughout, however, it was effective. And now the Blackhawks have a chance to claim the Stanley Cup on home ice.
Patrick Sharp scored his first goal since early May and Antoine Vermette scored another game-winning goal this postseason as the Blackhawks edged the Tampa bay Lightning, 2-1, in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. The Blackhawks take a 3-2 lead back to Chicago, where they’ll have a chance to win the Cup at the United Center on Monday night.
Corey Crawford was strong again, stopping 31 of 32 shots, including 15 in the third period. Vermette won eight of 11 face-offs and Niklas Hjalmarsson recorded a game-high seven blocked shots.
These games haven’t been for the faint of heart or the high of blood pressure. It was also no surprise that these two teams once again played to a one-goal game, the Blackhawks hanging in another thriller.
“Whether winning championships or playing in a number of playoff series over the last few years, you have to find ways to win, find ways to fight out victories,” Sharp said. “Whether it’s the guys who have been here with those championships or the new players like Vermy and a lot of young guys who have stepped up, everyone’s on the same page and we have the same goal in mind, that’s for sure.”
Vermette was there with the clutch goal once again on Saturday, scoring on Kris Versteeg’s rebound to give the Blackhawks that 2-1 lead just two minutes into the third period. It was Vermette’s third game-winning goal of the postseason and second of this series.
“He's gotten better every game,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “I thought he had a great game tonight, very timely goal, big face-offs wins [in] both zones tonight. He was positionally aware and [he] battled.”
Both goaltenders looked like they were battling in the first period, especially when they came out to play the puck. When Crawford did it, he barely got back in time to stop a Nikita Kucherov scoring attempt — Kucherov was injured on the play and Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on his status immediately following the game. When Ben Bishop came out to play the puck he collided with defenseman Victor Hedman. Sharp grabbed the loose puck and scored the empty-net goal, his first goal since Game 2 against the Minnesota Wild.
Sharp’s thoughts when he saw that loose puck and gaping net?
“Put the puck in the net,” Sharp said to laughs. “Just trying to force the play, skate as fast as I can up the ice, apply some pressure. I haven't seen the highlight, exactly what happened. I just know there was a collision. I found myself with a heck of an opportunity, so make sure you put that one in.”
The Lightning were the better team in the second period, especially after killing off a Blackhawks power play early. Valtteri Filpulla, alone on Crawford’s glove side, scored his fourth of the postseason to tie it 1-1.
Then came the third, the early Blackhawks goal, defense first, Crawford keeping the Lighting at bay and the Blackhawks pushing late. Their third and fourth lines were out there in critical situations and had some solid scoring opportunities, another example of how Quenneville will use whatever like is working well, no matter the time of game.
“I think everyone's reassuring each other to go out and make plays. Just go out there and make things happen. You've got five other guys out there with you. If you make a mistake, it's not the end of the world,” Jonathan Toews said. “We're gonna bail each other out when we get in tight spots. So whether you have a lot of experience or you're a young guy with not so much experience, we're all trying to make each other a little more comfortable out there."
The Blackhawks won another close game in a series that’s been full of them. They’ve got the chance to win the Cup at home, something they haven’t done since 1938. It will take an even bigger effort than it did to win Game 5; the Lightning are 8-4 on the road this postseason and won’t go down without a fight. The chance to win the Cup in Chicago, however, is plenty of motivation to stay focused.
“We try not to think too far ahead. But obviously you’re just human,” Hjalmarsson said. “You just have to find a way to calm down and just be excited to play in front of our own crowd and having the possibility to do something extremely special.”
NBA Finals Game 5: Warriors push LeBron, Cavaliers to brink.
By Adi Joseph
The Warriors withstood, withstood, withstood. LeBron James was playing one of those games that has come to define him during these NBA Finals, while Golden State kept with him in any way possible.
Then the fourth quarter came. Stephen Curry lit up with 17 of his 37 points, and the Warriors won 104-91 Sunday night in Game 5 to put the Cavaliers on the brink of elimination. Game 6 is Tuesday night (9 p.m. ET, ABC) in Cleveland, and the Cavaliers now must regroup after consecutive blowout losses.
James totaled 40 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists and, perhaps most importantly, 45 minutes. His layup with 3 minutes, 20 seconds left in the third quarter gave the Cavaliers their final lead of the game at 65-63.
But he had little help after J.R. Smith — who had all 14 of his points in the first half — cooled down. Tristan Thompson was the Cavaliers' only other consistent player in the second half, scoring 16 of his 20 points. James and Thompson accounted for 36 of the Cavaliers' 41 in the half. Timofey Mozgov, who had a career-high 28 points in Game 4, played all of nine minutes and took only one shot for Cleveland.
Meanwhile, the Warriors got something from seemingly everyone. Andre Iguodala continued his Finals MVP push with 14 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals. And veteran reserve Leandro Barbosa offered 13 points on 4-for-5 shooting.
But mostly, Curry was the catalyst. Thompson cut the Warriors' lead to 85-84 with 5:09 left in the fourth, but Curry scored 12 points amid a 19-7 closing run for Golden State. After being criticized for much of the series, the NBA MVP rose to his expectations Sunday.
Just Another Chicago Bulls Session… Report: Spurs assistant Jim Boylen to join Bulls staff.
By Adrian Wojnarowski
Coach Jim Boylen – (Photo/Tom Smart, Deseret News)
Jim Boylen has accepted a job to join the Chicago Bulls as associate head coach.
Boylen was the second assistant on coach Gregg Popovich’s staff with the San Antonio Spurs behind Ettore Messina. Boylen was recently appointed to an assistant coaching role on the Canadian national team.
Boylen joined Popovich’s staff in 2013 after spending two years on Frank Vogel’s staff with the Indiana Pacers. Boylen spent four years (2007-11) as the head coach at the University of Utah, where he led the team to a Mountain West Conference title and an NCAA tournament.
The Bulls hired Fred Hoiberg this offseason as head coach.
Bear Down Chicago Bears!!!! Bears will tackle formidable issues at minicamp.
By Brad Biggs
It has been a long time since the Bears have had an offseason with as much change from top to bottom, so the last six months have passed quickly at Halas Hall. Coach John Fox will tie a bow on things this week with his second minicamp, this one mandatory from Tuesday to Thursday, before a six-week break before reporting for training camp July 29.
General manager Ryan Pace has revamped the front office and his scouting staff, and Fox has brought in a coaching staff that has created a positive energy throughout the locker room. But plenty of work remains before the Bears host the rival Packers on Sept. 13 in the season opener.
Here are 10 questions facing the club with minicamp about to kick off:
1. How fast is Jay Cutler picking up his fifth offensive system since joining the team in 2009?
Work ethic never has been an issue with Cutler, but the offense can progress only as fast as the quarterback. Answers on Cutler will not come until the games begin, and the big question is how does the offense as a whole react when something bad happens? When Cutler has been at his worst, mistakes have multiplied. That is the challenge for offensive coordinator Adam Gase. Put more distance between the rocky patches.
2. Does tight end Martellus Bennett show up?
Odds are the veteran, who has skipped the entire voluntary offseason program, will be present. Bennett passed on a $100,000 workout bonus when he skipped what amounted to two months of activities. He can be fined north of $70,000 for skipping 72 hours of minicamp, and that would be a bad business decision under a new front office and coaching staff.
3. How quickly can the defense pick up coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme?
One thing that made Fangio so successful with the 49ers wasn't just a talented roster, it also was that his system is so well disguised. There are not a lot of tells. But all 11 players have to be on the same page. That takes time.
4. Will the offensive line be more durable?
With Jermon Bushrod and Jordan Mills out last week, Pro Bowl right guard Kyle Long was moved to right tackle. The team used nine offensive line combinations last season, and health is a legitimate question because rotating guys up front only causes issues. No team has enough depth to have two starters go down without having to change the thought process when it comes to protection schemes.
5. How will the linebackers sort themselves out?
There are 15 on the 90-man roster, and the focus isn't just on the outside linebackers with a healthy competition set to happen opposite free-agent prize Pernell McPhee. Jared Allen, Sam Acho and Lamarr Houston figure to be in play. It will be interesting to see what unfolds on the inside, where Mason Foster, Shea McClellin and Christian Jones have gotten the bulk of reps with a back injury sidelining former second-round pick Jon Bostic.
6. Is there adequate depth on the defensive line?
The most decorated player up front, Jeremiah Ratliff, has missed significant time the last couple of years. Ray McDonald was locked into one end spot as a starter before he was sent packing. Ratliff's durability and the emergence of rookie second-round pick Eddie Goldman at nose tackle are key.
7. How long will it take Kevin White to be productive?
Traditionally, rookie wide receivers have not been big statistical producers, and White came out of West Virginia as a junior after only one really big season. He doesn't have to put up Odell Beckham or Mike Evans numbers to make a big impact for Cutler. But he does need to have a feel for the offense and understand what it takes to get open. The Bears likely will keep it simple to allow White to find some success and build on it.
8. Is the return game adequate?
In the first year of the post-Devin Hester era, the Bears were terrible in the return game. They were undermanned to begin the season and shuffled through a variety of options. Veteran Marc Mariani is back, but he is now five years removed from his Pro Bowl season with the Titans. You don't get a good feel for special teams until the exhibitions arrive.
9. What is Tim Jennings' role?
You get the feeling Jennings is still around because his $4.4 million base salary is guaranteed. Alan Ball was signed to a $3 million, one-year deal, and that makes it likely he gets the first crack at the starting job opposite Kyle Fuller. Does Jennings fit as a slot corner in the nickel package in which he wasn't necessarily comfortable in 2014?
10. Who is the best fit as Matt Forte's running mate at running back?
Don't look for the Bears to go running-back-by-committee with Forte primed for another big season. But they likely will look to get a second back more meaningful work than they have the last few years. Fourth-round pick Jeremy Langford, Jacquizz Rodgers, Ka'Deem Carey and Senorise Perry are all options. Obviously, the team has a high degree of faith in Langford because the new regime brought him in.
Bears' Alshon Jeffery, Kevin White wow each other.
By Patrick Finley
Clues about Adam Gase’s new scheme have slipped out this spring like a running back on a screen pass. Some Bears players have characterized their new offense as fast-paced. Gase, too, has vowed to give Jay Cutler some of the same line-of-scrimmage control as he did for the greatest audible-caller in the game’s history, Peyton Manning, last year.
Press Alshon Jeffery about how it’s different from Marc Trestman’s attack, and the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s eyes twinkle.
“I gotta save that,” he said Wednesday. “It’s a secret.”
Is it up-tempo?
“We’re going to see,” he said, smiling. “We’re going to see.”
One thing is for sure: however the new offensive coordinator manipulates his Xs and Os, the goal will be to get the ball into the hands of the team’s two dynamic receivers, Jeffery and first-round draft pick Kevin White.
The Bears have other options, sure. Matt Forte — who last year caught more passes than any running back, ever — is the final season of his contract. Tight end Martellus Bennett is sitting at home while he asks the team to rewrite the two years left on his.
Eddie Royal, a free agent signee from the Chargers, can fill the slot role better than any player who ever lined up for Trestman.
But none provide the same dynamic receiving threat as Jeffery — or, if OTAs have been any indication, White. In only six weeks as teammates, the two have developed a sincere admiration for each other.
“He’s a great player,” Jeffery said, rare praise for a rookie. “He’s an explosive player. We can’t wait for the season. What he’s going to do on the field is going to be great.”
Demaryius Thomas has been to the Pro Bowl in each of the last three years and just posted the best season of his life, catching 111 balls for 1,619 yards. John Fox inherited the two-time first-team All-Pro in Denver, the same way he has Jeffery.
“I’m not big on comparisons, other than, (Jeffery) is talented, he’s proved that he is worthy of making plays in this league,” the Bears’ first-year coach said. “What I’ve seen so far in this offseason, is that.”
Ironically, it’s the Bears’ rookie, not the fourth-year Jeffery, who has kept his eye on Thomas. He lists the Broncos receiver alongside the Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald and Falcons’ Julio Jones as players he tries to mimic.
“I’ve got a long ways to go to get like that,” White said.
Thomas is staying away from the Broncos’ facility, angling for a new contract. Jeffery could be doing the same — his rookie deal expires after this year — but he and Forte have made it a point to attend the Bears’ OTAs.
His new bosses are appreciative.
“He’s very gifted, no doubt,” Fox said. “He’s got a great catch radius. He’s got a good knack for the game. I think the thing that probably I didn’t know before getting here was how hard he works at it. He’s done everything we’ve asked. He’s had a tremendous offseason thus far.”
After catching 85 passes for 1,113 yards last year, Jeffery used the winter to redouble his workout efforts.
“I just feel like I’ve just gotta be more conditioned,” he said. “A lot more running.”
The new scheme, he said, is built to maximize his skills. Last year’s passing attack turned stale quickly, finishing fourth from the bottom of the league with a 6.6 yards-per-attempt average. Gase’s Broncos, led by Manning, were fifth overall, with 7.9.
Though he’s guarded about the details, Jeffery predicts the Bears have upgraded.
“I love the way the offense is,” Jeffery said. “I think the sky’s the limit for it.”
Fox can’t remember a single receiver he’s coached — White included — that lined up with the starters from the first day of practice. Defensive monster Julius Peppers did with the Panthers, but that was a rare case.
“I’m a lot more comfortable now,” White said. “Day 1, everything was happening a lot faster. It’s slowing down just a bit now.”
Saying he’s harder on himself than anyone else would be — “I don’t want anyone to beat me up twice,” he said — White is improving simply by playing against better cornerbacks than the ones that tried to cover him last season at West Virginia, when he caught 109 passes for 1,447 yards.
White wishes comfort would come faster, but knows that it’s only June.
“You don’t really want to rush it too much,” he said. “There’s a lot on me right now. It’ll happen, slowly but surely. It’ll all come together.”
Jeffery, who shares an agent with the rookie, has helped him adjust.
“He made a lot of plays in college,” Jeffery said. “We look forward to him doing the same thing here — make plays, stretch the field, do what he does best. …
“He’s a pretty good player. It’s a process he’s learning right now. We’re just staying on top of him, coaching him up.”
The ultimate goal, White says, goes beyond any individual performance. Though if he and Jeffery shine, it stands to reason that victories will follow.
“Definitely lifting each other up,” White said. “We all take criticism in a good way, and we’re all trying to help each other.
“We just want to win some games."
Starlin Castro's second straight walk-off leads Cubs past Reds.
By Vinnie Duber
A pitching duel between Jon Lester and Anthony DeSclafani left the game tied at 1 after nine innings, and for the second time in three days, the Cubs and Reds went to extra innings. But for the second time in as many games, Castro was the game-winning hero. His single into the left-center field gap plated Chris Coghlan to give the Cubs a 2-1 walk-off victory in 11 innings Sunday night at Wrigley Field.
After Kris Bryant grounded out to begin the bottom of the 11th, the score tied at 1, Coghlan doubled to put a runner in scoring position. Castro then smacked his third walk-off hit of the season into the left-center field gap off Reds reliever Burke Badenhop.
Prior to the extra-inning dramatics, the pitching was pretty terrific.
Lester retired 15 of the first 17 Reds hitters he faced Sunday night, allowing just a pair of hits in that span. But in the sixth, the Reds scratched one across against the Cubs lefty. Entering Sunday’s contest, he had a sixth-inning ERA of 7.56. Speedster Billy Hamilton got his second hit of the game, a leadoff double, to start Sunday’s sixth inning. Then he stole third — one of his career-high five steals on the night — and scored when Brandon Phillips dropped a hit into shallow center field, giving the Reds a 1-0 lead.
The Cubs defense kept that margin from growing. Joey Votto followed Phillips’ single with a double to deep left-center. Coghlan fired in to Castro, whose excellent relay throw found catcher David Ross, who made a terrific tag to nab Phillips trying to score from first.
DeSclafani was equally difficult to hit for the Cubs offense. They couldn’t get any runs out of a bases-loaded, two-out chance in the first, and from there, DeSclafani retired 16 of the next 19 hitters he faced.
It wasn’t until the bottom of the seventh that the Cubs got on the board. After Ross led off with a double, he moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by a pinch-hitting Jonathan Herrera. After an Addison Russell walk chased DeSclafani, Dexter Fowler’s sacrifice fly to right field knotted the game at 1.
The Cubs bullpen again shone, as it has during this entire series against Cincinnati. Hector Rondon pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, and Jason Motte was impressive in the ninth, working out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam to record three straight outs and escape unscathed. Edwin Jackson, Zac Rosscup and Brian Schlitter all followed — as the Cubs used five relievers in all four games of this series with the Reds — none yielding a hit.
White Sox: Chris Sale earns tough loss despite 12 strikeouts.
By Dan Hayes
The story on Sunday afternoon should have been entirely focused on another brilliant turn by White Sox ace Chris Sale.
Sale was outstanding in a fifth straight start, historically dominant for the fourth consecutive time.
But a storyline that has dominated the first 61 games of the 2015 White Sox campaign interfered once again. Despite myriad chances with runners in scoring position, the White Sox offense failed miserably in a 2-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.
Sale recorded his fifth-straight double-digit strikeout performance with 12 whiffs but was saddled with the loss because of his offense’s inability to score. The White Sox finished 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and were limited to one or fewer runs for the 13th time in 61 games even though they had a runner at second base in each of the first six innings.
“It was phenomenal,” bench coach Mark Parent said. “Watching (Sale) pitch today was awesome.
“The letdown is really not getting him some runs. But as far as the team goes, we need to start scoring some runs.”
The Rays made the most of their limited chances against Sale, who along with Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson is one of three pitchers since 1914 to strike out a dozen or more in four straight starts.
Sale continued a run in which he has posted video game-type number for six innings on Sunday, outpitching Tampa’s Nathan Karns. Using only 20 pitches between the fifth and sixth innings, Sale -- who has 59 strikeouts in his last five starts and 79 over seven -- set down 11 straight into the seventh.
But with the White Sox ahead 1-0, Sale issued a leadoff walk to Steven Souza Jr. in the seventh and Asdrubal Cabrera got just enough of a 1-1 fastball to hit it out to left field to give the Rays a 2-1 lead. Cabrera’s third homer is only the seventh allowed by Sale this season.
“It sucks pretty bad to have them pretty much where you want them and then a stupid mistake walking the guy and leave a fastball right down the middle and lose the game,” Sale said. “It was just a two-seamer that didn’t really didn’t do anything other than go a long way.”
That was the only time Sale really flinched in a 125-pitch effort.
He put the first two men he faced on in the first inning and struck out Evan Longoria and got two more pop outs. After two reached with one out in the third, Sale struck out Longoria and Logan Forsythe. He retired the side in order in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
The White Sox couldn’t make it stand up, however.
Following Gordon Beckham’s first hit in 25 at-bats, a double, the White Sox pulled ahead in the second inning on a one-out RBI single by Carlos Sanchez.
But that was all they would muster against Karns and three relievers despite their chances.
“Kind of this whole series it seemed like we hit the ball better than the results showed,” catcher Tyler Flowers said. “We battled at the right times, we just couldn’t get anything to fall in.”
The White Sox mixed a series of hard-luck outs with missed chances -- a poor concoction for Sale.
Adam LaRoche struck out and Avisail Garcia flew out with two on to end the first. Jose Abreu grounded out and LaRoche struck out with a man on second in the third. Beckham and Sanchez struck out with a man on second in the fourth while Alexei Ramirez grounded out and Abreu popped out in the same situations in the fifth. Beckham grounded out after Melky Cabrera’s two-out double in the sixth.
Rays relievers then retired eight of the nine batters they faced as Kevin Jepsen earned the save.
Sale didn’t point any fingers at the offense, which has produced 16 runs for him while he has been in the game over his last five starts.
“I’ve had more than my fair share,” Sale said. “Today was my night to pick them up and I didn’t. Plain and simple, I got beat.”
The lack of offense has added up to too many losses for the White Sox, who are 28-33.
Despite a cash infusion of more than $70 million this offseason, the White Sox are on pace to score 587 runs. The 2013 club, which lost 99 games, scored 598.
The offense has produced three or fewer runs 31 times in 61 games and the club is 5-26 in those games.
“Sooner or later it’s got to change,” Parent said. “We’ve got to start getting some hits. We’ve got to start chasing each other around the bases. That’s what people are doing to us. We need to do it to them.”
Golf: I got a club for that; Argentina's Gomez wins St. Jude Classic.
AFP
Fabian Gomez fired a four-under par 66 on Sunday to win his first US PGA Tour title, beating England's Greg Owen by four strokes at the St. Jude Classic.
Gomez, who shared the overnight lead with Owen, finished with a 72-hole total of 13-under 267, while Owen -- who led by two through seven holes -- finished with an even par 70 at TPC Southwind for 271.
Gomez finished with a flourish, rolling in a 30-foot putt for his fifth birdie of the day at the final hole.
He became the first Argentinian since Angel Cabrera at last year's Greenbrier Classic to win on the US Tour.
Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson, tuning up for the US Open that starts on Thursday at Chambers Bay in Washington state, gave himself some momentum with a final-round 65 that left him in a group sharing third on 272.
"I'm feeling a lot better about heading into the US Open after this week than I did after last," said Mickelson, who had eight birdies and three bogeys on Sunday.
Mickelson was joined on eight-under by South Korean Noh Seung-Yul, who also carded a 65, Australian Matt Jones (68), and Americans Michael Thompson (66) and Brooks Koepka (70).
Reigning FedExCup champion Billy Horschel also closed with a 65 to share eighth place on 273. He was in a group that included Boo Weekley, Chad Campbell and Scotland's Russel Knox.
Park In-Bee wins major to return to number one.
AFP
South Korean star Park In-Bee won the Women's PGA Championship for the third year in a row on Sunday to return to number one in the world in dominant style.
Park finished with a five-under-par 68 for a record-equaling 19-under total of 273 and a huge five-shot victory over compatriot Kim Sei-Young in the second major of the LPGA season.
Park joined Swedish great Annika Sorenstam as the only players to win three successive editions of the tournament which was formerly known as the LPGA Championship and was rebranded this year in a collaboration between the LPGA and the PGA of America.
And the 26-year-old did it in commanding fashion, chipping to five feet at the final hole and rolling in the putt for her fifth birdie of another bogey-free day.
"I don't know what word can describe how I feel right now," said Park, whose 19-under total matched the lowest score in relation to par in the tournament's history, achieved previously by Cristie Kerr in 2010 and Taiwan's Yani Tseng in 2011.
"I played great," added Park. "The last three days I couldn't believe myself -- I made no bogeys for three days!"
Kim, who started the day two strokes behind Park, tried to keep the pressure on. But Park's precision -- she played the last 56 holes of the tournament without a bogey -- left Kim no room for error.
The LPGA rookie was keeping pace when her string of four birdies in a row ended with a double-bogey at the par-five ninth -- where her bogey putt circled inside the edge of the hole and popped out.
Park birdied the same hole, and the three-shot swing proved too much to overcome.
"Everything fell apart at the ninth hole," Kim said.
Kim -- who shocked Park in a playoff at the Lotte Championship this season -- finished with a two-under 71 on the par-73 Westchester Country Club's West course for 278.
American Lexi Thompson, who nabbed eight birdies in her first 13 holes, finished in third on 280 after a seven-under 66.
With her sixth major title, Park is assured of returning to number one in the world.
She'll supplant 18-year-old New Zealander Lydia Ko, whose missed cut on Friday was a first in her precocious pro career.
American Brittany Lincicome, who won the first women's major of the year at the ANA Inspiration, finished in fourth after a 68 for 281.
Sensational 17-year-old Canadian Brooke Henderson carded a final-round 71 to share fifth place on 282 with American Morgan Pressel, who signed for a 70.
Seven groups to watch during the 1st, 2nd rounds of the 2015 U.S. Open.
By Ryan Ballengee
On Friday, the USGA announced the first- and second-round tee times and groups for next week's U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash.
The groups of three are a mix of traditional trios, high-profile three-balls and the occasional themed group. We've identified seven groups to watch over the first two days, and we count them down from seven to one.
7. Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Kevin Na (Round 1: No. 10 at 8:50 a.m. PT, Round 2: No. 1 at 2:50 p.m. PT) -- These guys are all interesting characters, but in the rare themed group this year, the USGA put perceived slow players together.
6. Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia (Round 1: No. 10 at 8:17 a.m. PT, Round 2: No. 1 at 2:17 p.m. PT) -- While Scott and Garcia are not playing their best golf, they're compelling players. However, the headliner is Dustin Johnson, who is one of my picks to do well in this Open.
5. Patrick Reed, Chris Kirk, Jamie Donaldson (Round 1: No. 10 at 8:39 a.m. PT, Round 2: No. 1 at 2:39 p.m. PT) -- The USGA grouped Kirk, who went to Georgia, and Reed, who went to Georgia before being asked to leave, going to Augusta State and crushing Georgia's dreams as part of back-to-back NCAA championships. Jamie Donaldson is there because he's the guy that clinched the Ryder Cup where Reed starred. Consider this the "Let's annoy Patrick Reed" Group.
4. Martin Kaymer, Gunn Yang (a), Rory McIlroy (Round 1: No. 10 at 8:28 a.m. PT, Round 2: No. 1 at 2:28 p.m. PT) -- Can Rory McIlroy make it five majors? After thousands of miles of travel in a busy stretch caught up with him, will he be refreshed at Chambers Bay? Martin Kaymer hasn't been the same guy since winning the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. What kind of defense will he have?
3. Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Angel Cabrera (Round 1: No. 1 at 7:33 a.m. PT, Round 2: No. 10 at 1:33 p.m. PT) -- Mickelson is a sentimental pick to finally capture the Open after six career runner-up finishes, including in 2013 at Merion. He's finished second in the last two majors. Watson is a two-time Masters champion, while Angel Cabrera has both an Open and a Masters title. The imagination of Watson and Mickelson should be on full display.
2. Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Justin Rose (Round 1: No. 1 at 2:17 p.m. PT, Round 2: No. 10 at 8:17 a.m. PT) -- The Masters champion? Check. A Masters co-runner-up and former U.S. Open champion? Check. A guy who could've won both by now? Check.
1. Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Louis Oosthuizen (Round 1: No. 1 at 2:28 p.m. PT, Round 2: No. 10 at 8:28 a.m. PT) -- Woods draws Players champion Rickie Fowler and 2010 Open champion Louis Oosthuizen. So, two guys who have won the last three Open Championships played at St. Andrews and the guy the USGA thinks will win this year?
Here are the full 2015 U.S. Open first- and second-round tee times and groups:
Round 1
No. 1
7 a.m. -- Michael Putnam, Marcus Fraser, TBD
7:11 a.m. -- Garth Mulroy, Richard Lee, Lucas Bjerregaard
7:22 a.m. -- Jason Allred, Kyle Jones (a), Cody Gribble
7:33 a.m. -- Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Angel Cabrera
7:44 a.m. -- Wen-Chong Liang, David Hearn, Hiroyuki Fujita
7:55 a.m. -- Robert Streb, Lee McCoy (a), TBD
8:06 a.m. -- George McNeill, Masahiro Kawamura, Cameron Tringale
8:17 a.m. -- Henrik Stenson, Francesco Molinari, Brandt Snedeker
8:28 a.m. -- Jim Furyk, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Colin Montgomerie
8:39 a.m. -- Brooks Koepka, Russell Henley, Byeong-Hun An
8:50 a.m. -- Jason Dufner, Marc Warren, Matt Every
9:01 a.m. -- Brandon Hagy, Matthew NeSmith (a), Sebastian Cappelen
9:12 a.m. -- Nick Hardy (a), Alex Kim, Rich Berberian Jr.
1 p.m. -- Jason Palmer, Roberto Castro, Andres Romero
1:11 p.m. -- Denny McCarthy (a), D.A. Points, Shiv Kapur
1:22 p.m. -- Bryson DeChambeau (a), Blayne Barber, Billy Hurley III
1:33 p.m. -- Geoff Ogilvy, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen
1:44 p.m. -- Bo Van Pelt, Charlie Beljan, Tony Finau
1:55 p.m. -- Lee Janzen, Oliver Schniederjans (a), Darren Clarke
2:06 p.m. -- Daniel Summerhays, Thomas Aiken, Danny Lee
2:17 p.m. -- Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Justin Rose
2:28 p.m. -- Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Louis Oosthuizen
2:39 p.m. -- Jimmy Walker, Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter
2:50 p.m. -- Ryan Moore, Anirban Lahiri, Erik Compton
3:01 p.m. -- Jake Knapp (a), Tyler Duncan, Matt Mabrey
3:12 p.m. -- Michael Davan, Davis Riley (a), Andrew Pope
No. 10
7 a.m. -- Troy Kelly, Seuk Hyun Baek, Cameron Smith
7:11 a.m. -- John Parry, Jack Maguire (a), TBD
7:22 a.m. -- Timothy O'Neal, Stephan Jaeger, Kurt Barnes
7:33 a.m. -- Gary Woodland, Victor Dubuisson, John Senden
7:44 a.m. -- Morgan Hoffmann, Bernd Wiesberger, TBD
7:55 a.m. -- Marcel Siem, Alexander Levy, Brian Harman
8:06 a.m. -- Hideki Matsuyama, Graeme McDowell, Matt Kuchar
8:17 a.m. -- Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia
8:28 a.m. -- Martin Kaymer, Gunn Yang (a), Rory McIlroy
8:39 a.m. -- Patrick Reed, Chris Kirk, Jamie Donaldson
8:50 a.m. -- Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Kevin Na
9:01 a.m. -- Sam Horsfield (a), Shunsuke Sonoda, Oliver Farr
9:12 a.m. -- Kevin Lucas, Pat Wilson, Cole Hammer (a)
1 p.m. -- Tom Hoge, Brad Fritsch, Tjaart van der Walt
1:11 p.m. -- Brad Elder, Beau Hossler (a), Jamie Lovemark
1:22 p.m. -- Ryo Ishikawa, Luke Donald, J.B. Holmes
1:33 p.m. -- Lucas Glover, Bradley Neil (a), Marc Leishman
1:44 p.m. -- Ryan Palmer, Joost Luiten, Danny Willett
1:55 p.m. -- George Coetzee, Alexander Noren, TBD
2:06 p.m. -- Brendon Todd, Branden Grace, Thongchai Jaidee
2:17 p.m. -- Billy Horschel, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood
2:28 p.m. -- Bill Haas, Charl Schwartzel, Hunter Mahan
2:39 p.m. -- Shane Lowry, Ben Martin, Stephen Gallacher
2:50 p.m. -- Charley Hoffman, Camilo Villegas, Tommy Fleetwood
3:01 p.m. -- Mark Silvers, Brian Campbell (a), Cheng
3:12 p.m. -- Jared Becher, Samuel Saunders, TBD
Round 2
No. 1
7 a.m. -- Tom Hoge, Brad Fritsch, Tjaart van der Walt
7:11 a.m. -- Brad Elder, Beau Hossler (a), Jamie Lovemark
7:22 a.m. -- Ryo Ishikawa, Luke Donald, J.B. Holmes
7:33 a.m. -- Lucas Glover, Bradley Neil (a), Marc Leishman
7:44 a.m. -- Ryan Palmer, Joost Luiten, Danny Willett
7:55 a.m. -- George Coetzee, Alexander Noren, TBD
8:06 a.m. -- Brendon Todd, Branden Grace, Thongchai Jaidee
8:17 a.m. -- Billy Horschel, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood
8:28 a.m. -- Bill Haas, Charl Schwartzel, Hunter Mahan
8:39 a.m. -- Shane Lowry, Ben Martin, Stephen Gallacher
8:50 a.m. -- Charley Hoffman, Camilo Villegas, Tommy Fleetwood
9:01 a.m. -- Mark Silvers, Brian Campbell (a), Cheng
9:12 a.m. -- Jared Becher, Samuel Saunders, TBD
1 p.m. -- Troy Kelly, Seuk Hyun Baek, Cameron Smith
1:11 p.m. -- John Parry, Jack Maguire (a), TBD
1:22 p.m. -- Timothy O'Neal, Stephan Jaeger, Kurt Barnes
1:33 p.m. -- Gary Woodland, Victor Dubuisson, John Senden
1:44 p.m. -- Morgan Hoffmann, Bernd Wiesberger, TBD
1:55 p.m. -- Marcel Siem, Alexander Levy, Brian Harman
2:06 p.m. -- Hideki Matsuyama, Graeme McDowell, Matt Kuchar
2:17 p.m. -- Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia
2:28 p.m. -- Martin Kaymer, Gunn Yang (a), Rory McIlroy
2:39 p.m. -- Patrick Reed, Chris Kirk, Jamie Donaldson
2:50 p.m. -- Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Kevin Na
3:01 p.m. -- Sam Horsfield (a), Shunsuke Sonoda, Oliver Farr
3:12 p.m. -- Kevin Lucas, Pat Wilson, Cole Hammer (a)
No. 10
7 a.m. -- Jason Palmer, Roberto Castro, Andres Romero
7:11 a.m. -- Denny McCarthy (a), D.A. Points, Shiv Kapur
7:22 a.m. -- Bryson DeChambeau (a), Blayne Barber, Billy Hurley III
7:33 a.m. -- Geoff Ogilvy, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen
7:44 a.m. -- Bo Van Pelt, Charlie Beljan, Tony Finau
7:55 a.m. -- Lee Janzen, Oliver Schniederjans (a), Darren Clarke
8:06 a.m. -- Daniel Summerhays, Thomas Aiken, Danny Lee
8:17 a.m. -- Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Justin Rose
8:28 a.m. -- Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Louis Oosthuizen
8:39 a.m. -- Jimmy Walker, Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter
8:50 a.m. -- Ryan Moore, Anirban Lahiri, Erik Compton
9:01 a.m. -- Jake Knapp (a), Tyler Duncan, Matt Mabrey
9:12 a.m. -- Michael Davan, Davis Riley (a), Andrew Pope
1 p.m. -- Michael Putnam, Marcus Fraser, TBD
1:11 p.m. -- Garth Mulroy, Richard Lee, Lucas Bjerregaard
1:22 p.m. -- Jason Allred, Kyle Jones (a), Cody Gribble
1:33 p.m. -- Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Angel Cabrera
1:44 p.m. -- Wen-Chong Liang, David Hearn, Hiroyuki Fujita
1:55 p.m. -- Robert Streb, Lee McCoy (a), TBD
2:06 p.m. -- George McNeill, Masahiro Kawamura, Cameron Tringale
2:17 p.m. -- Henrik Stenson, Francesco Molinari, Brandt Snedeker
2:28 p.m. -- Jim Furyk, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Colin Montgomerie
2:39 p.m. -- Brooks Koepka, Russell Henley, Byeong-Hun An
2:50 p.m. -- Jason Dufner, Marc Warren, Matt Every
3:01 p.m. -- Brandon Hagy, Matthew NeSmith (a), Sebastian Cappelen
3:12 p.m. -- Nick Hardy (a), Alex Kim, Rich Berberian Jr.
1 p.m. -- Jason Palmer, Roberto Castro, Andres Romero
1:11 p.m. -- Denny McCarthy (a), D.A. Points, Shiv Kapur
1:22 p.m. -- Bryson DeChambeau (a), Blayne Barber, Billy Hurley III
1:33 p.m. -- Geoff Ogilvy, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen
1:44 p.m. -- Bo Van Pelt, Charlie Beljan, Tony Finau
1:55 p.m. -- Lee Janzen, Oliver Schniederjans (a), Darren Clarke
2:06 p.m. -- Daniel Summerhays, Thomas Aiken, Danny Lee
2:17 p.m. -- Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Justin Rose
2:28 p.m. -- Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Louis Oosthuizen
2:39 p.m. -- Jimmy Walker, Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter
2:50 p.m. -- Ryan Moore, Anirban Lahiri, Erik Compton
3:01 p.m. -- Jake Knapp (a), Tyler Duncan, Matt Mabrey
3:12 p.m. -- Michael Davan, Davis Riley (a), Andrew Pope
No. 10
7 a.m. -- Troy Kelly, Seuk Hyun Baek, Cameron Smith
7:11 a.m. -- John Parry, Jack Maguire (a), TBD
7:22 a.m. -- Timothy O'Neal, Stephan Jaeger, Kurt Barnes
7:33 a.m. -- Gary Woodland, Victor Dubuisson, John Senden
7:44 a.m. -- Morgan Hoffmann, Bernd Wiesberger, TBD
7:55 a.m. -- Marcel Siem, Alexander Levy, Brian Harman
8:06 a.m. -- Hideki Matsuyama, Graeme McDowell, Matt Kuchar
8:17 a.m. -- Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia
8:28 a.m. -- Martin Kaymer, Gunn Yang (a), Rory McIlroy
8:39 a.m. -- Patrick Reed, Chris Kirk, Jamie Donaldson
8:50 a.m. -- Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Kevin Na
9:01 a.m. -- Sam Horsfield (a), Shunsuke Sonoda, Oliver Farr
9:12 a.m. -- Kevin Lucas, Pat Wilson, Cole Hammer (a)
1 p.m. -- Tom Hoge, Brad Fritsch, Tjaart van der Walt
1:11 p.m. -- Brad Elder, Beau Hossler (a), Jamie Lovemark
1:22 p.m. -- Ryo Ishikawa, Luke Donald, J.B. Holmes
1:33 p.m. -- Lucas Glover, Bradley Neil (a), Marc Leishman
1:44 p.m. -- Ryan Palmer, Joost Luiten, Danny Willett
1:55 p.m. -- George Coetzee, Alexander Noren, TBD
2:06 p.m. -- Brendon Todd, Branden Grace, Thongchai Jaidee
2:17 p.m. -- Billy Horschel, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood
2:28 p.m. -- Bill Haas, Charl Schwartzel, Hunter Mahan
2:39 p.m. -- Shane Lowry, Ben Martin, Stephen Gallacher
2:50 p.m. -- Charley Hoffman, Camilo Villegas, Tommy Fleetwood
3:01 p.m. -- Mark Silvers, Brian Campbell (a), Cheng
3:12 p.m. -- Jared Becher, Samuel Saunders, TBD
Round 2
No. 1
7 a.m. -- Tom Hoge, Brad Fritsch, Tjaart van der Walt
7:11 a.m. -- Brad Elder, Beau Hossler (a), Jamie Lovemark
7:22 a.m. -- Ryo Ishikawa, Luke Donald, J.B. Holmes
7:33 a.m. -- Lucas Glover, Bradley Neil (a), Marc Leishman
7:44 a.m. -- Ryan Palmer, Joost Luiten, Danny Willett
7:55 a.m. -- George Coetzee, Alexander Noren, TBD
8:06 a.m. -- Brendon Todd, Branden Grace, Thongchai Jaidee
8:17 a.m. -- Billy Horschel, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood
8:28 a.m. -- Bill Haas, Charl Schwartzel, Hunter Mahan
8:39 a.m. -- Shane Lowry, Ben Martin, Stephen Gallacher
8:50 a.m. -- Charley Hoffman, Camilo Villegas, Tommy Fleetwood
9:01 a.m. -- Mark Silvers, Brian Campbell (a), Cheng
9:12 a.m. -- Jared Becher, Samuel Saunders, TBD
1 p.m. -- Troy Kelly, Seuk Hyun Baek, Cameron Smith
1:11 p.m. -- John Parry, Jack Maguire (a), TBD
1:22 p.m. -- Timothy O'Neal, Stephan Jaeger, Kurt Barnes
1:33 p.m. -- Gary Woodland, Victor Dubuisson, John Senden
1:44 p.m. -- Morgan Hoffmann, Bernd Wiesberger, TBD
1:55 p.m. -- Marcel Siem, Alexander Levy, Brian Harman
2:06 p.m. -- Hideki Matsuyama, Graeme McDowell, Matt Kuchar
2:17 p.m. -- Dustin Johnson, Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia
2:28 p.m. -- Martin Kaymer, Gunn Yang (a), Rory McIlroy
2:39 p.m. -- Patrick Reed, Chris Kirk, Jamie Donaldson
2:50 p.m. -- Webb Simpson, Keegan Bradley, Kevin Na
3:01 p.m. -- Sam Horsfield (a), Shunsuke Sonoda, Oliver Farr
3:12 p.m. -- Kevin Lucas, Pat Wilson, Cole Hammer (a)
No. 10
7 a.m. -- Jason Palmer, Roberto Castro, Andres Romero
7:11 a.m. -- Denny McCarthy (a), D.A. Points, Shiv Kapur
7:22 a.m. -- Bryson DeChambeau (a), Blayne Barber, Billy Hurley III
7:33 a.m. -- Geoff Ogilvy, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen
7:44 a.m. -- Bo Van Pelt, Charlie Beljan, Tony Finau
7:55 a.m. -- Lee Janzen, Oliver Schniederjans (a), Darren Clarke
8:06 a.m. -- Daniel Summerhays, Thomas Aiken, Danny Lee
8:17 a.m. -- Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Justin Rose
8:28 a.m. -- Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Louis Oosthuizen
8:39 a.m. -- Jimmy Walker, Zach Johnson, Ian Poulter
8:50 a.m. -- Ryan Moore, Anirban Lahiri, Erik Compton
9:01 a.m. -- Jake Knapp (a), Tyler Duncan, Matt Mabrey
9:12 a.m. -- Michael Davan, Davis Riley (a), Andrew Pope
1 p.m. -- Michael Putnam, Marcus Fraser, TBD
1:11 p.m. -- Garth Mulroy, Richard Lee, Lucas Bjerregaard
1:22 p.m. -- Jason Allred, Kyle Jones (a), Cody Gribble
1:33 p.m. -- Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Angel Cabrera
1:44 p.m. -- Wen-Chong Liang, David Hearn, Hiroyuki Fujita
1:55 p.m. -- Robert Streb, Lee McCoy (a), TBD
2:06 p.m. -- George McNeill, Masahiro Kawamura, Cameron Tringale
2:17 p.m. -- Henrik Stenson, Francesco Molinari, Brandt Snedeker
2:28 p.m. -- Jim Furyk, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Colin Montgomerie
2:39 p.m. -- Brooks Koepka, Russell Henley, Byeong-Hun An
2:50 p.m. -- Jason Dufner, Marc Warren, Matt Every
3:01 p.m. -- Brandon Hagy, Matthew NeSmith (a), Sebastian Cappelen
3:12 p.m. -- Nick Hardy (a), Alex Kim, Rich Berberian Jr.
Kurt Busch wins rain-shortened NASCAR race in Michigan.
By NOAH TRISTER
Kurt Busch won his second NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season, a rain-shortened event at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday that was called 62 laps short of its scheduled distance.
The fourth weather-related red flag of the day came after lap 138 of a scheduled 200. Busch was leading at the time, and he was declared the winner after heavy rain soaked the track. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was second, followed by Martin Truex Jr.
With the rain approaching, Kyle Larson did his best to stay in the lead, but with fuel running low, he came to pit on lap 133, giving up the lead to Busch.
The first three red flags, on laps 14, 20 and 46, delayed the race for a total of over two hours.
Kevin Harvick led for 63 laps, but a tire problem knocked him well back. He finished 29th, only the second time all year he's been out of the top 10. Harvick did stay atop the Cup standings, leading by 15 points over Truex.
Pole winner Kasey Kahne was 15th.
Busch's victory in his No. 41 Chevrolet was part of a huge weekend for Chevy, which took the top three spots in this Cup race while also winning in the IndyCar Series and in the GTE Pro category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This was Busch's third career Cup win at MIS and first since 2007. It's his first multi-win season in NASCAR's top series since 2011.
Busch's victory in his No. 41 Chevrolet was part of a huge weekend for Chevy, which took the top three spots in this Cup race while also winning in the IndyCar Series and in the GTE Pro category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
This was Busch's third career Cup win at MIS and first since 2007. It's his first multi-win season in NASCAR's top series since 2011.
This was supposed to be a 400-mile, 200-lap race, but the weather made that a tough task from the start. The first red flag delayed the race for about an hour, and the second stoppage came not long after that. Laps 12 through 28 were all under caution, and the third red flag came during a competition caution.
Almost immediately after the race went green following the third red flag, Kyle Busch went into the wall. That was the end of his race.
The bad weather held off for a while after that - until the rain returned with a vengeance. First came the yellow flag, then red. The grandstands were evacuated, and the rest of the race was eventually canceled.
Busch was already in good shape to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup, having won at Richmond in April. The shortened Michigan race was a missed opportunity for several drivers with no wins, like Larson, Kahne and Jeff Gordon.
NASCAR drivers address potential midseason rules changes.
By NOAH TRISTER
Martin Truex Jr. has plenty of questions about the possibility of midseason rules changes aimed at creating better racing.
"What's it going to be like?" the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver said. "Is it going to do what they think and what some of the drivers think it's going to do?"
And then there's perhaps the most important concern.
"How much time do you want to spend on worrying about one race? Are we going to have this rules package for the Chase?" he said.
Sprint Cup drivers spent time Friday addressing potential rule changes that could occur as early as next month's race at Kentucky. NASCAR met with key industry leaders at its North Carolina research and development center this week to discuss that possibility, according to a person who attended the meeting and spoke on condition of anonymity because NASCAR requested the details not be made public.
Various rule packages were discussed. It's not clear if the changes would be limited to Kentucky, a 1.5-mile speedway that can be very dependent on aerodynamics. Kentucky is similar to Charlotte Motor Speedway, which hosted two races last month where passing was difficult.
"I'm fine with what I'm hearing about a reduction in down force if they can bring a softer tire," Jeff Gordon said to reporters after being asked about the issue. "To me that is the whole key in kind of where we are at today. We knew the power was being reduced. A lot of the drivers were really asking for less down force if the power was going to be reduced, but the key component to that was being able to get Goodyear to match the tire up for that to have a little bit more grip at the beginning of a run and maybe have some fall off."
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is also on NASCAR's schedule next month, and racing could be difficult to watch there under the current rules package. The Brickyard 400 has diminished the last several years because passing is at a premium and the field is easily strung out. The track is also hard on tires.
For now, NASCAR has to work closely with Goodyear on any potential rule changes and it's not clear if the tire maker can handle significant changes without sacrificing quality. That's why any potential changes could be limited to Kentucky, with a hopeful eye on Indianapolis and the August race at Michigan.
"I'd be in favor of anything that makes the cars able to race around each other and to put more of the speed into the drivers' hands," Carl Edwards said. "I know NASCAR is all for the same thing. Everybody wants this thing to be the best possible show for the fans and I don't think NASCAR is scared to make changes."
There was no official comment from NASCAR, but Edwards sounded like he'd be fine with changing the rules at this point in the season.
"As long as the teams are able to implement the changes logistically and financially without a huge burden, change anything you want anytime you want," he said. "As long as it's the same for everyone, who cares? As far as I'm concerned, you could make up rules or have changes five minutes before the race starts."
SOCCER: FIFA election chief reminds Blatter of need to step down.
By ROB HARRIS
Sepp Blatter was warned from within FIFA on Sunday not to attempt to backtrack on his pledge to quit as president.
Domenico Scala, who is overseeing the presidential election, said that a leadership change is an essential component of the far-reaching reforms required to overhaul FIFA amid deepening criminal investigations into soccer corruption.
Scala's blunt comments came after Swiss newspaper Schweiz am Sonntag, citing unnamed sources, reported that Blatter is considering trying to retain the presidency after receiving support from Africa and Asia.
FIFA did not comment on the report. Blatter announced on June 2 - only four days after being re-elected for a fifth term - that he would stand down from the post after a successor was chosen sometime between December and February.
Scala, head of FIFA's audit and compliance committee, is urging Blatter not to consider back-tracking on that pledge. The 79-year-old Blatter has already reneged on a 2011 promise to leave office in 2015.
''For me, the reforms are the central topic,'' Scala said in a statement. ''That is why I think it is clearly indispensable to follow through with the initiated process of leadership change as it has been announced.''
The FIFA executive committee will meet in Zurich on July 20 to set the election date. Lawmakers from the 28-nation European Parliament last week voted on a resolution calling for Blatter to speed up his announced resignation and let FIFA appoint an interim leader.
Scala set out the election process at FIFA headquarters on June 2 directly after Blatter's sudden resignation statement and said that significant work was required to ''regain the trust of the public,'' including imposing term limits for the president.
Blatter has been portraying himself as leading that reform process, via his Twitter account and in FIFA's internal media outlets.
And Blatter used his column in the in-house weekly magazine to praise FIFA's handling of the worst crisis in the organization's 111 years - despite his leading adviser, communications director Walter De Gregorio, abruptly leaving on Thursday.
''The fact that our organization continues to function smoothly and provides football with a firm foundation at this time of crisis makes me all the prouder,'' Blatter wrote on Friday.
Asked on Sunday if Blatter was categorically ruling out standing in the new election, FIFA said: ''We refer you to the remarks from FIFA President Blatter from 2 June. FIFA has no further comment.''
Wambach says she, teammates would have more goals on grass instead of turf.
By Jeff Kassouf
(Photo/Getty Images)
Abby Wambach nearly played the role of savior for the United States national team (again) four minutes after checking into Friday’s match, a 0-0 draw with Sweden in Winnipeg.
Wambach lunged for a ball that Megan Rapinoe crossed into her path and the world’s all-time leading goal scorer redirected it down into the ground and back up toward goal. Swedish goalkeeper Hedvig Lindahl tipped it over the bar, denying the United States’ best chance of the game.
“If it’s grass, I think it goes in,” Wambach said on Saturday, standing on a different turf field two time zones west in Vancouver.
Wambach says maintains that she plays differently on artificial turf, that she would throw her body around more on grass. It’s an argument she has publicly voiced for a year now in what ultimately ended as a futile fight against the inclusion of the plastic and rubber fields at the 2015 Women’s World Cup.
All six stadiums and all 18 training sites being used by host nation Canada are artificial turf surfaces.
Wambach led a group of players last year who took legal action against FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association for making the women play on artificial turf, citing gender discrimination. This is the first men’s or women’s senior World Cup to ever be played on artificial turf.
Players dropped their legal claim in January, citing a lack of time to carry out any potential changes. “We filed too late,” Wambach said two weeks ago in New York.
But the opposition to the turf remains. Wambach recently called turf “a nightmare” and she maintains that in part as a fight against having to play on it herself but more so as a fight against future generations having to play on it. The 2019 Women’s World Cup in France will be held on natural grass.
“A lot of games are definitely played differently now that the games are on turf,” Wambach said Saturday. “I think that there are a lot more goals in this tournament if it weren’t for the turf, myself having probably been on the losing end of that battle a few times now.”
Wambach missed a pair of diving headers – typically trademark Wambach goals – in a 3-1 win over Australia last Monday.
Wambach says there is a hesitation about diving and sliding when she knows she could be facing turf burn or other injuries by doing so.
“In the previous game, I don’t lay out and commit to those headers and that’s why they glance off my head rather than me contacting them,” Wambach said of the Australia match.” For me, I definitely think that the U.S. has more goals if we’re playing on grass.”
The most legitimate claim from players opposing turf could be the issue that no two turf fields are the same, and viewers have seen noticeable differences particularly with the field at Vancouver’s BC Place playing different from the rest. But it also must be acknowledged that no two grass fields are the same, either.
“The reality is, we’re on turf,” Wambach said. “You have to play the ball more to feet, the ball rolls faster, it depends if it has just been watered, depends if the water has dried, depends on what turf we are actually playing on. So there are a lot of factors that go into it that to the average person watching the game, they may not realize that it does make a huge difference to how the game is played.”
At this stage, Wambach & Co. are resigned to the fact that they are on turf. And much like the United States’ slow-but-good-enough start to the World Cup (a win and a draw), sometimes you have to take what life deals you.
“It never goes the way you envision in life.” Wambach said. “That’s what makes great teams.
“Championship teams are able to deal with all things, in all moments, in all sorts of ways.”
FIFA Women's World Cup Canada. 2015 Score Summary. 6 June - 5 July, 2015.
Friday 12 June 2015
Group C
Switzerland 10
Ecuador 1
Japan 2
Cameroon 1
Group D
Australia 2
Nigeria 0
USA 0
Sweden 0
Saturday 13 June 2015
Group E
Brazil 1
Spain 0
Korea Republic 2
Costa Rica 2
Group F
France 0
Colombia 2
England 2
Mexico 1
Fire get shut out in New England, fall to Revolution.
Associated Press
Diego Fagundez scored from the top of the penalty area and the New England Revolution got goals two minutes apart to start the second half in beating the Chicago Fire 2-0 Saturday night.
New England is unbeaten in its last 19 MLS home games, but the win is the first for New England (6-4-6) in its past seven games. With the victory New England trails Eastern Conference leader DC United by four points.
After playing a goalless first half, the Revolution won a corner kick in the 48th minute. Chris Tierney sent the ball to the front edge of the 6-yard box, but Andy Dorman's header floated high toward a wide-open Fagundez. His hard shot went inside the far post for the winning goal.
Two minutes later, Fagundez played a free kick to Teal Bunbury at the top of the 18-yard box. Bunbury fired wide toward the far post and Charlie Davies got his head on the shot to redirect it in.
Losers now of three straight, the Fire (4-8-2) have yet to win on the road this season. The Fire are tied with New York City FC and Montreal for last place in the Eastern Conference.
NCAAFB: Will College Football Ever Have Another Realignment Craze?
By Ben Kercheval
(Photo/Dave Einsel/Associated Press)
Thursday marked the five-year anniversary of the Nebraska Cornhuskers announcing they were leaving the Big 12 and joining the Big Ten. In turn, this week marked the five-year anniversary of "realignment-palooza," as it was unofficially known.
“This part of the country, all of its significant institutions would have belonged to conferences somewhere else,” former Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe told Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated about the possibility of the conference disintegrating. “If it all fell apart, the sad part is the ‘Flyover Zone’ would have been a true flyover zone.”
No other time in college football's history was more chaotic, as noted by Stewart Mandel of Fox Sports:
Today, 43 FBS schools -- 33.6 percent of the current membership -- compete in a different conference than they did five years ago. Along the way, one league (the WAC) died, while another (the former Big East) lost its name (it's now the American Athletic Conference) and its privileged postseason status. All 10 remaining conferences include at least one team they did not claim in 2010.The effects of realignment were felt even further down the ladder. Grand Canyon University—yes, there is such a thing—became a Division I member in the WAC, which still fields basketball, in 2013-14.
The term "back-channel discussions" became a realignment buzzword. Articles claimed a supposed "gentleman's agreement" for SEC expansion, and message boards blew up about the location of the nearest airport to West Virginia University.
Everyone was on crazy pills.
Naturally, the question is this: Could it all happen again?
Yes, but likely not for some time. Television contracts for the five power conferences won't start to expire until next decade at the earliest; an example of an exception would be the SEC's contract with ESPN, which runs through 2034.
As Staples recently tweeted, conferences wouldn't even start exploring ideas like pooling television contracts until their current deals run out.
In the meantime, everything is in a standstill. Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany has his East Coast presence. The SEC has its network on ESPN, and the Pac-12 has Pac-12 Networks. The ACC and Big 12 are, well, alive.
Notre Dame kept its Independent status but has a stronger presence in ACC territory thanks to its partial membership. The Big 12 has no imminent plans to expand because of the lack of viable options.
And Texas, the program at the heart of the 2010 realignment craze, is still ironically in the same spot it was.
How long will things stay that way? It could be years—a decade or more even—before we see anything that would potentially rival what began in 2010. Once those grant-of-rights and TV contracts expire, though, a new round of conference shuffling could commence.
The question then would be this: What sets it off? Dissatisfaction with previous conference acquisitions? Not forming the super conferences the first time? Lessons learned from the first time around?
It's hard to tell for sure.
When the realignment craze of 2010 began, it was fueled by deep-rooted issues within the Big 12 and ignited by the desire to rake in more television money. Whatever drives the next round of realignment internally—the "why" factor—the more pertinent question is whether media-rights contracts are still the focal point of how it gets done.
But here's what one can say definitively: We have about another decade for those frustrations to build. Long-standing rivalries and history be damned, major college athletics wants the next best thing before it enjoys what it has in front of it.
NCAABKB: Last NCAA independent hoops school, NJIT, joins Atlantic Sun.
By Jim Hague
The lone independent among 351 Division I basketball schools over the past two years will be part of the conference in all sports beginning in the fall.
NJIT will be immediately eligible to compete for all Atlantic Sun postseason tournaments, plus have a chance to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The NJIT men's soccer team already had a commitment to be a working member of the Sun Belt for the 2015 season, but the Highlanders will join the Atlantic Sun for soccer in 2016.
The Atlantic Sun now has eight members after Northern Kentucky left the conference to join the Horizon League, beginning July 1.
Atlantic Sun commissioner Ted Gumbart admitted that the move to secure NJIT as a league member was hastened by the departure of Northern Kentucky.
''We always have to be aware of future possibilities,'' said Gumbart, whose conference already had a relationship with NJIT in men's and women's swimming and diving.
''The door was always open for NJIT to prove it belonged with us,'' he said. ''This is a celebration for us as it is for NJIT.''
It's more of a party for NJIT, which gained Division I status in soccer in 2004 and in the rest of its sports in 2006. NJIT was briefly part of the Great West Conference, but the league did not have an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament and subsequently disbanded in 2013, leaving NJIT as the nation's lone independent.
''A lot of the kids I recruited always asked me first, 'What conference are you in?''' said NJIT head men's basketball coach Jim Engles. ''I had kids come here knowing that they might never get a chance to play in a conference tournament and have a chance at the NCAAs. It's been hard, dealing with the fact that we couldn't be in a conference. But this is now the future.''
NJIT still holds the dubious distinction of holding the record for the nation's longest Division I losing streak, losing 51 straight games from 2007 through 2009. The Highlanders snapped the streak with a win over Bryant, then lost the final 12 games that season, going 1-30 during Engles' first season.
But the program continued to improve yearly. Last season, the Highlanders shocked the college basketball world by knocking off then No. 17-ranked Michigan at Crisler Arena. The Highlanders went on to win 21 games and reach the semifinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
Gumbart said the Highlanders' late season run helped them get in the league, as well as the school's general proximity to New York and the promise the school has made to build a $100 million wellness and events center by 2017.
NJIT athletic director Lenny Kaplan said the deal was 10 years in the making, but came together within the last six weeks.
''The biggest thing we missed over the last 10 years was the benefit of having a conference,'' Kaplan said. ''We're no longer representing ourselves. We can now take the next step.''
Winfield Willis, who will be a senior guard on the Highlanders' basketball team in the fall, said he didn't think it was going to happen, so stopped hoping for the school to join a conference.
''Now, we're going to be able to compete for something on another scale,'' Willis said. ''You can definitely feel the excitement here.''
Engles said the conference affiliation makes his job easier. Over the past two seasons, while other teams played a regular season conference schedule, the independent Highlanders had to fill their schedule with games against Division III opponents.
''You can't put a price tag on this,'' Engles said. ''We now have the opportunity to do some special things. It's hard to put this all into words, but it was hard being the only one.''
The Highlanders join Jacksonville, Stetson, North Florida and Florida Gulf Coast from Florida, as well as Kennesaw State of Georgia, South Carolina Upstate and Lipscomb of Nashville as members of the Atlantic Sun.
Devin Hester's role in Falcons' offense is 'up in the air right now'.
By Sean Wagner-McGough
Hester's role on offense is still unclear. (Photo/USATSI)
2015 will be Devin Hester's 10th season in the NFL, which means that this is maybe the 10th year in a row that we'll spend some portion of the summer wondering what the heck Hester's role on offense is going to be in September.
Hester is the greatest punt and kick returner in the history of the league -- that's nearly undeniable. But what is also undeniable is the fact that most coaches just don't know what to do with Hester on anything that doesn't have to do with special teams. He's unbelievably fast and has plenty of YAC ability. But he's also 5-foot-11, has average at best hands, and isn't the world's greatest route runner.
So, it came as no surprise when Hester said that his role in the Falcons' offense is unknown at this point.
"It's still up in the air right now," Hester said via ESPN. "We're just figuring out the offense, figuring out who fits best in what positions and what routes we're running. We're all fresh right now in the new offense, so we're trying to figure out who can run the best routes. Toward mid-training camp, you'll be able to tell."
Last season, his first in Atlanta and his first away from Chicago, Hester was somewhat involved in the Falcons' offense, but you could hardly call him an essential feature of it. Hester caught 38 passes for 504 yards and two scores.
Really, the statline that he posted in 2014 isn't all the much different than the statline that he's posted his entire career. For a few seasons with the Bears, the team often touted him as Jay Cutler's No. 1 target, but Hester was far from a traditional go-to guy. He's most lethal on wide receiver screens and any sort of plays that can get him into space with blockers ahead of him, but considering his skills on offense end there, there's not much room for his role in an offense to grow.
Sure, the Falcons no longer have Harry Douglas operating in the slot and sure, the Falcons don't need Hester to take on the role of a No. 1 receiver -- not with Julio Jones and Roddy White on the roster. But Hester saying his role is "up in the air" is kind of puzzling because I just don't see what other kind of role Hester is going to play, unless he magically became a naturally gifted pass catcher.
In the end, Hester is a returner and he's the best to have ever done it. And if the Falcons want to feature him on offense, they'd be wise to create a specific package for him -- one that involves a few screens per game -- and then let him spend most of the game resting on the sideline in between punts and kickoffs so he can do what he does best.
On This Date in Sports History: Today is Monday, June 15, 2015.
Memoriesofhistory.com
1909 - Benjamin Shibe was given the patent for the cork baseball center.
1925 - The Philadelphia Athletics defeated the Cleveland Indians 17-15. The Athletics had been down 11 runs heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.
1938 - Johnny Vander Meer (Cincinnati Reds) pitched his second straight no-hitter.
1949 - Eddie Waitkus (Philadelphia) was seriously injured when a female fan entered his hotel room and shot him.
1952 - The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the New York Giants 14-12 after being down 11-0 in the fifth inning.
1963 - Juan Marichal (San Francisco) threw a no-hitter. It was the first Giants no-hitter since Carl Hubbell in 1929.
1977 - The New York Mets dealt Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds.
1980 - Jack Nicklaus won his fourth U.S. Open title.
1993 - Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 100th career home run making him the sixth youngest to reach 100.
1995 - During the O.J. Simpson murder trial, O.J. was asked to put on a pair of gloves. The gloves were said to have been worn by the killer on the night of the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman. The gloves appeared not to fit.
2005 - The New York Yankees announced plans for a new $800 million stadium. The plans called for the building to be next to Yankee Stadium and be ready by the 2009 season.
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