WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals posted football-like numbers in routing the Chicago Cubs on Saturday with Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III watching from the stands. The way Gio Gonzalez is pitching, it was much more than they needed. Gonzalez pitched eight sparkling innings and Ryan Zimmerman tied a career high with four hits and drove in three runs as the Nationals roughed up the Chicago Cubs without recently traded Jeff Samardzija for a 13-0 victory. "Today he didnt have the velocity he did in Chicago, but nevertheless when you can throw your breaking stuff for strikes then it makes your fastball look better," manager Matt Williams said after Gonzalez defeated Chicago for the second Saturday in a row. "Hes relied on (his curveball and changeup). If he gets in a jam he can throw either one of those, can use either one as a strikeout pitch," Williams added. Jayson Werth and Anthony Rendon added three hits and two RBIs apiece for the Nationals on a day the Cubs were forced to start Carlos Villanueva (4-6) following the trade of Samardzija, the scheduled starter, and Jason Hammel to the Oakland Athletics. "Somebody told me that earlier," Rendon said of the change. "I didnt even know who we were facing to begin with. I just show up." Washington netted a season high in runs and hits (19), including eight doubles but no home runs. "(The trade) had nothing to do with any of the things that happened today we spit out a bad ballgame," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said before the question could be asked. He added he doesnt think it will be an issue going forward. "I dont. You had two things happen," Renteria said. "You had Gio who threw really well. So he stifles out offence pretty much and so that combined with us giving up a lot of runs it kind of looks like, Wow -- you know -- whats going on? Its just baseball." Gonzalez (6-4) allowed four hits, while striking out seven and walked one. He was lifted after throwing 109 pitches. Hes now thrown 29 consecutive scoreless innings against Chicago and 22 overall. After spending a month on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation, Gonzalez is 3-0 in four starts since his return. Villanueva was pulled after the first four Nationals reached base in the third inning. He was charged with four runs on five hits. Chris Rusin, called up Saturday from Triple-A Iowa, was roughed up for five runs on nine hits over 3 2-3 innings. Justin Ruggiano had two hits for Chicago, which had won four straight. Williams flipped left-hander Bryce Harper and right-hander Rendon in the batting order, putting Rendon back in the 2-hole and Harper sixth against righty Villanueva. "Bryce is a little tick off (his timing)," Williams said before the game. Harper (1 for 3 with a walk Saturday) is 4 for 18 since returning from the disabled list. After Scott Hairston hit for Denard Span in the seventh, Hairston went to left field and Harper shifted to centre. Harper helped build the games first run Saturday. After Zimmerman singled leading off the second, Harper bunted him to second base and Zimmerman scored on Desmonds single. Washington sent 10-men to the plate in the third as they broke the game open and chased Villanueva. It was his fifth start of the season in 23 appearances. Span started the inning off with a single, and Rendon, Werth, Zimmerman, Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos had RBI hits. Adam LaRoche scored on Rusins wild pitch. "After that its just go out there and attack the strike zone," Gonzalez said. "Just try to stay consistent in the strike zone." When Gonzalez singled in the seventh, every Washington starter had hit safely. NOTES: Washingtons Danny Espinosa pinch hit in the eighth, his first at-bat since June 28. ... Rusin, 27, was 6-10 with 3.96 ERA in 16 starts at Iowa. ... Renteria said the team will add another reliever Sunday. ... In the seventh inning, Frandsen came on to play third base for Washington, with Zimmerman shifting to first. ... Desmond leads MLB shortstops with 53 RBIs. ... Griffin sported a No. 10 Nationals jersey with his name on the back and visited the locker room after the game. ... Chicagos RH Jake Arrieta (5-1, 1.81) opposes RH Jordan Zimmerman (6-4, 2.95) in Sundays series finale. .What they got was a bevy of players chipping in to pick up the slack.Josh Smith scored 18 points and James Harden added 17 as the Rockets used a balanced scoring effort to outlast the Mavericks for a 99-94 victory. . As the only competitor to try two quads, much less complete them, Kovtun ended the day nearly nine points ahead of Japans Tatsuki Machida, who opened with a clean quad but then stepped out of the triple toe loop that was the second jump in his combination.
http://www.cheapmarlinsjerseysauthentic ... jersey.com) - Markus Granlund scored the game-winning goal as the Calgary Flames used an early offensive flurry to defeat the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, on Monday. . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Duck Calling With several marquee centres available via trade and expected to be available via free agency, the Anaheim Ducks could be primed to be big players in the coming days. . In question is whether 26-year-old Matt Frattin will be on it. A a€?mediocrea€? training camp, as Carlyle put it earlier this week, has Frattin lingering nervously on the bubble at the end of the exhibition season, pushed out of a likely job by Brandon Kozun, the small, but feisty winger determined to make the NHL for the first time.WINNIPEG - Brett Carter was grinning ear to ear again Tuesday as he donned a Winnipeg Blue Bombers uniform for the second time in two years.The former Winnipeg Rifles receiver got to work out with the team last season and even dressed for a July game, then spent the rest of the season on the practice roster. Hes hoping to take the next step on his dream quest to make his hometown team.Im coming in here and Im going to fight for a spot, he said Tuesday as Day 3 of main training camp ended but his just started.Im going to be competing against a lot of these guys and there are a lot of really good players so Ive got to step my level up a lot and just be determined to do the best that I can do.Hes just 21 but was a CJFL All-Canadian and took home MVP honours with the Rifles, on top of being named a Prairie Football Conference All-Star.Last season, it was more of a teaching move to invite the young player to camp. The Bombers also invited a few Rifles players and a University of Manitoba Bisons quarterback to camp this year to work out with the team.But when July rolled around last season, injuries forced the Bombers to look for a Canadian to dress and Carter got the call. Coach Mike OShea said injuries in camp were also the reason Carter got a call this season as the Bombers look to bolster their Canadian talent.When youre faced with a certain number of injuries and youre looking at whos on your list of guys to bring back, he was here before, he understands what were trying to do here, hes local, hes good, said the coach.Carter impressed the coaches last season with his work ethic and ability. He also worked out with a team trainer in the off-season.Winnipeg-born Taylor Renaud, who played for Acadia, is also getting another look at Bombers camp as a receiver this season.The Bombers traded away two Canadian receivers in the off-season to acquire starting quarterback Drew Willy and defensive back Korey Banks.ddddddddddddWilly, who was a backup in Regina, said after Tuesdays practice that hes starting to get more of a feel for the receivers hell be working with this season.One is former B.C. Lions receiver Nick Moore, who was signed as a free agent in the off-season. Willy has known Moore for years, going back to when they were both trying to land jobs in the NFL.I like what Im seeing, Ive thrown with Nick before, said Willy.Guys like (Clarence) Denmark and Rory (Kohlert), these guys are good players as well so its fun to be around talented guys like this. Ive thrown a bunch of balls to Aaron Kelly and weve made a lot of big plays with him. Im just trying to put together things with each guy, get a feel for how they run each route.The CFL labour dispute continues to hang over the camp and the Bombers and the Toronto Argonauts could be the first to feel the impact. They are scheduled to open the exhibition season Monday and the regular season on June 26, also in Winnipeg.The teams player rep, veteran offensive lineman Glenn January, suggested the players arent rushing to take any action.The conversations Ive had have been strictly limited to what we can do to get the CFL to see our point of view, he said.The Winnipeg exhibition game comes before the two Alberta teams could legally strike. January said he knows that.Our strike laws are different than Alberta and I do know that we have a strike vote in hand which is my understanding can be exercised at any point in time.But he also suggested the exhibition game wasnt necessarily in jeopardy, unless the players were forced to vote on the leagues contract offer. If it was rejected, he said it would deprive players in some provinces of any protection under the collective agreement.The two sides in the CFL labour dispute havent held formal meetings since Thursday and no new talks are scheduled. ' ' '
