lucylily's blog: "ght"

ATLANTA -- Kris Medlen was the National Leagues most dominant pitcher in the final two months last season. This year Medlen knows he cant rely on past success to return to top form. Medlen has lost three straight starts for the first time in his career after Dan Haren outpitched him in the Atlanta Braves 3-1 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday night. "I just didnt have my A game that first couple of innings," he said. "Thats how its been kind of the whole year for me. I havent been locked in from pitch one to pitch 100." The Nationals, who snapped a nine-game losing streak to Atlanta on Wednesday, allowed their NL East rivals to get only three runners in scoring position over two nights. Washington got off to a good start in the first off Medlen, breaking its 15-game streak without a first-inning run when Denard Span led off with a double, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Steve Lombardozzis RBI single. Adam LaRoche doubled and rookie Anthony Rendon singled to start the second. With two outs, Span doubled past third baseman Chris Johnson on a play that was originally scored an error and later changed to a hit. "(Johnson) came in and said, Hey, I straight booted that ball, " Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "It was off the end of the bat a little bit, and it just kind of spun and got away from him a little bit. Im sure in his mind he could probably make that play 99 out of 100 times." Medlen (1-4) allowed seven hits, three runs and three walks in seven innings. He struck out eight, but hardly felt like the blossoming ace who last year was the NL pitcher of the month for August and September. Before Medlen lost 2-0 to Philadelphia on April 4, the Braves had won his last 23 starts -- the longest such streak in a career and one better than the New York Giants posted with Carl Hubbell in 1936-37 and matched by the New York Yankees in 1950 and 53. "Its frustrating, but Ive shown some signs of my old self, or however you want to call it," he said. "But I just need to go out there and consistently hit my spots and consistently throw quality strikes. Not just strikes." Haren (3-3) gave up four hits and one run with one walk and four strikeouts. Rafael Soriano earned his ninth save in 10 chances by pitching the ninth. He retired Justin Upton and Freddie Freeman on groundouts before Evan Gattis singled and Dan Uggla popped up. Haren shook off his 7.31 career ERA in three career starts at Turner Field to pitch well in consecutive outings for the first time since signing as a free agent with the Nationals last winter. He gave the Nats pretty much what they got on Wednesday, when Jordan Zimmerman pitched eight scoreless innings against Atlanta. Haren had the Braves guessing all night until Ugglas fifth homer cut the lead to 3-1 with two out in the seventh. Needing just 13 pitches to get through the first two innings, Haren didnt allow a hit until Freemans two-out single in the fourth. Haren made just 69 pitches through the seventh. Of Atlantas three runners in scoring position the last two games, two of them -- Medlen and Paul Maholm -- were pitchers. Medlen, though, was blaming himself for not pitching better in the first two innings. "If you throw 88 and its over the plate, its going to get hit," he said. "Like I said, I hate doing that whole I kept us in the game, but I cleaned it up and thought I threw some pretty good pitches out there and battled my tail off like always." NOTES: Braves LF Justin Upton was chosen as NL player of the month for April. ... Gattis was picked as NL rookie of the month. ... Nationals LF Bryce Harper had X-rays on his left shoulder before the game. He left Wednesdays win over the Braves in the sixth soon after wincing on a check swing. The X-rays were negative and Harper was diagnosed with a bruise under his left shoulder blade. He went 0 for 4 with a ninth-inning walk. ... Washington RF Jayson Werth went 0 for 2 and left for pinch-hitter Roger Bernadina in the fifth. Werth returned to the lineup after missing two straight games with a strained right hamstring and a bruised left ankle.www.texansfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Danieal-Manning-Jersey-Gq-31.html . Canada (3-2) went on an 11-0 scoring run started by a pair of Cory Joseph free throws with 5:25 left in the fourth quarter. Joseph accounted for six of the next eight points and a three-pointer by Brady Heslip at 2:25 cut the deficit to 60-57 before Venezuela called a timeout. www.texansfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Joe-Mays-Jersey-Nb-12.html . In total, TSN Canadiens delivers a package of 18 Canadiens match-ups from the 2013 NHL regular season to fans living in the teams broadcast region.http://www.texansfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Brooks-Reed-Jersey-Gm-15.html . -- Defensive back Brandian Ross, offensive lineman Alex Parsons and running back Jeremy Stewart all have signed their exclusive rights tenders with the Oakland Raiders.www.texansfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Brice-Mccain-Jersey-Ow-66.html . Reached after a training camp in Vail, Colorado on Friday, Crosby expressed his frustration with the lack of progress in reaching a deal. www.texansfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Owen-Daniels-Jersey-Yq-24.html . -- Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher killed his girlfriend Saturday morning and minutes later, holding a gun to his head, thanked his general manager and coach before shooting himself outside the teamss practice complex.DETROIT -- The Red Wings have agreed to terms with defenceman Jonathan Ericsson and wings Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller, keeping all three players in Detroit. The team also signed veteran defenceman Mike Commodore on Friday, the first day of NHL free agency. The 31-year-old Commodore played for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season. Ericsson agreed to a three-year, $9.75 million deal, and Eaves was brought back for three years and $3.6 million. Miller reached a two-year agreement for $1.65 million. Miller told The Associated Press he agreed to his deal just before a noon deadline when he would have become a free agent. "I wanted to stay, but it had to work out and make sense for both sides," the 27-year-old Miller said. "Im happy to be back and with a two-year contract, Im hopeful that I can grow my role as a player with the organization." Miller had 10 goals and eight assists in 67 games last season. Ericsson has played four seasons in the NHL, all with Detroit. He set career highs in 2010-11 in games (74), points (15) and penalty minutes (87). "Jonathan Ericsson has made signifiicant strides with us over the last three years," general manager Ken Holland said.dddddddddddd "We believe in his abilities, we like the physical dimension that he brings to our team and we look for his continued progression as a player over the next few seasons as he enters into the prime of his career." Eaves is coming off a season in which he had 13 goals and seven assists in 63 games for the Red Wings. "All three guys are 27 years of age," Holland said of the three returning players. "All three of them, I think, their best years are ahead of them." Commodore, who signed a one-year deal, joins his sixth NHL team. He played 20 games for Columbus last season. He asked for a trade and was waived, but at the time, his contract made it hard for other teams to pick him up. "We think hes going to give us some presence on the back end," Holland said. "(Coach) Mike Babcock is excited to have him. Hes a pro. Hes been around the game." Detroit lost in the second round of the playoffs to San Jose, but got good news recently when Nicklas Lidstrom decided to return. ' ' '