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CHICAGO -- Star slugger Anthony Rizzo hit a soft liner for the Chicago Cubs final out, which only seemed fitting.While the rest of Chicagos lineup can take consolation knowing Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is about to get a few days off, Rizzo and shortstop Addison Russell wont share in that small solace. The duo that totaled 204 RBI in the regular season is a combined 2 for 45 through six games in the postseason.Kershaw only underscored their struggles during Los Angeles 1-0 win Sunday night that tied the NL Championship Series at a game apiece.Rizzo and Russell were key contributors for baseballs best regular season team, but both have made everyone look unhittable in October, even as Chicago rolled past San Francisco in four games during an NL Division Series.Rizzo batted .292 with 32 home runs and 109 RBI during the regular season. Hes gone 1 for 23 in the playoffs with just a single and three walks.Russell hit only .238 in the regular season, but contributed plenty of power, with 21 homers and 95 RBI. Yet, like Rizzo, hes got only a single in his 22 at-bats.Kershaw yielded only two hits in seven innings and Rizzo was the beneficiary of the left-handers only walk. He also turned on a 1-1 fastball in the fourth inning for a towering shot that cleared the outfield wall in right by plenty -- it landed on Sheffield Avenue, behind Wrigley Field -- but hooked just outside the foul pole. Kershaw threw high and tight on the next pitch, then coaxed Rizzo into grounding out. That and a flyout to center in the first inning were the best Rizzo could do.It was closer than Russell, who grounded out in his first at-bat then produced a pair or routine flyouts. . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Usain Bolt finally got his party started at the Olympics on Saturday. He put his finger to his lips to ask for quiet at the starting block, rubbed his closely shaved head, crouched down for the start and grinded through an opening round in the 100 meters that was as routine as making the bed.Its always to win, he said. Thats what Im here for.Bolt did just that in a first-round heat that was, typically, entertaining, given the low-pressure semi-sprint that it was.The two-time defending gold medalist got his customary slow start and lumbered out of the blocks -- seventh out of eight in his heat. He trailed heading into the final 25 meters then glanced to his left and measured up Andrew Fisher, a Jamaican who competes for Bahrain and was a body length ahead of him, three lanes over.Not a problem. Bolt put it into third gear -- hes got more for later -- and cruised past Fisher to win the heat in 10.07 seconds.Fisher also made it through to the semifinals and was anything but upset.You know that when youre in line with him, youre in front of others, Fisher said.Typical of an opening day in the 100, there were no real surprises.Justin Gatlin, considered the biggest threat to derail Bolts quest for nine total Olympic golds, won his heat easily and finished with the days best time, 10.01 seconds.Went out there and executed my race in the first round, the American sprinter said. Cruised to the finish line.Bolts Jamaican buddy Yohan Blaake made it through easily, as did Americans Marvin Bracy and Trayvon Bromell and Frenchman Christophe Lemaitre.ddddddddddddTheres going to be some stacked semifinals, but its good, Bolt said of the three races that precede Sunday nights main event. It gets you running and gets you up to speed to go out and run the final.Bolt is a 1-2 favorite to take his unprecedented third straight Olympic title in the 100. His chances of doing that would seem to have as much to do with his health as they do with Gatlin or anyone else lining up against him. Bolt pulled out of his national championships last month with a sore hamstring. Although earlier in the week he conceded he wished hed had more real races under his belt this year, on Saturday he said hes in good form.I felt OK. It wasnt the best start. Felt kind of sluggish. Its the fact that its the morning, said Bolt, who was called to the line at 12:42 p.m. Im not used to running this early at any championship.He saves his best for prime time, and the rest of the field left the stadium with a bit more than 24 hours to ponder what has not been possible: beating Bolt at the Olympics.Once hes in a tight position, he might tense up, said veteran sprinter Churandy Martina. But you never know, because he always shows up at the right time and the right moment, which is these Games. ' ' '
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