Cardinals Tie MLB Record With Seven Doubles in One Inning

Cardinals third baseman David Freese hit two of the Cardinals' seven doubles in the bottom of the seventh inning. (Dilip Vishwanat)

During the seventh inning stretch, the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs must have felt as though one run could win it for their side. After all, the score was 0-0 and neither team had been able to get much of anything going offensively. However, in the bottom of the seventh, the Cardinals offense didn't want to leave anything to chance.

Cardinals third baseman David Freese reached on an infield single to start off the inning. Center fielder John Jay's failed bunt attempt was popped up. Utility man Allen Craig came in to pinch hit for starting pitcher Jake Westbrook. He doubled to left to put runners at second and third. Shortstop Rafael Furcal singled home Freese to put the Cardinals on the board. The next batter, second baseman Skip Schumaker, tripled to deep center to plate two more.

Next up, left fielder Matt Holliday drew a walk. He was followed by right fielder Carlos Beltran who hit a ground-rule double. Catcher Yadier Molina was intentionally walked to load the bases. First baseman Lance Berkman popped out to second for the second out. The next three batters, Freese, Jay, and Craig all had doubles that scored a combined five runs. Following that, Furcal drew a walk. Schumaker and Holliday continued the offensive parade with a double each.

When all was said and done, the Cardinals had scored 12 runs on 10 hits in the inning. Incredibley, seven of those hits were doubles. That tied a 76-year-old major league record set by the Boston Bees in 1936. The offensive explosion was unbelievable, especially when one considers that the Cardinals scored zero runs the rest of the game. The one inning made all the difference for them. It proved to be more than enough in order to lift them to victory.

Braves Rally From 9-0 Deficit to Beat Nationals in 11 Innings

Atlanta Braves reliever Chad Durbin celebrates the final out in their comeback win over the Nationals 11-10 in 11 innings. (Carolyn Kaster)

With baseball's second half wearing on, divisional games become more and more important. The Washington Nationals have been leading the NL East for the majority of the season, but have to be careful not to let up now. The Atlanta Braves are one of the teams hot on their trail. They travelled this weekend to the nation's capital to take on the Nationals.

In the series opener tonight, the Nationals jumped out in front early when right fielder Michael Morse crushed a three-run home run off Braves starter Tommy Hanson. In the fourth inning, Hanson served up another three-run bomb, this time to third baseman Ryan Zimmerman. One inning later, the Nationals offense was at it again. They loaded the bases and scored three more runs. When all was said and done, the Nationals' lead was 9-0.

Meanwhile, the Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg was in control, until he ran into some trouble in the sixth inning. His first mistake was when he left a pitch over the plate to Braves catcher Brian McCann, who hit it out for a two-run homer. Later in the inning, the Braves struck again when left fielder Martin Prado doubled home a pair of runs.

Still down 9-4 in the eighth inning, the Braves got in business again when they loaded the bases. Right fielder Jason Heyward drew a walk to score a run. The next batter was veteran third baseman Chipper Jones. Jones' single to left scored two. First baseman Freddie Freeman's RBI single score one more run. Despite the big inning, the Braves still trailed 9-8.

Nationals closer Tyler Clippard came in the ninth to try and save his team's dwindled lead. He got himself into trouble by walking Braves second baseman Dan Uggla and hit shortstop Paul Janish with a pitch. Center fielder Michael Bourn made Clippard pay when he smashed a ball to deep right center for a triple. Two runs came across to score as the Braves finally took the lead 10-9.

With their one-run lead going into the bottom of the ninth, the Braves brought in their own closer Craig Kimbrel. The Nationals though weren't willing to just go down. Second baseman Danny Espinosa connected on a solo shot to tie up the score. This crazy game wasn't over yet. We were headed for extras.

In the top of the 11th inning, Uggla led off for the Braves. He hit a ball hard to third base. A throwing error by Zimmerman allowed Uggla to reach second base. Uggla advanced to third on a passed ball. Janish hit a bloop single to score Uggla. In the bottom half of the inning, Braves reliever Chad Durbin came in to try and finish off the Nationals once again. This time he got the job done with a 1-2-3 inning.

The win was the Braves' largest comeback since 1987. More importantly, it pulls them to 2 1/2 games behind the Nationals. There's still three games left in the weekend series, including a double-header tomorrow. The Nationals need to bounce back from this game. Losing this type of lead is very disheartening. They must remember that this is merely one bump along a long the road of a long regular season. With as unexpected as this game was, we could be in for a great rest of the series and second half in the NL East.

Music City Blues: Nashville's Weber to Sign with Philly

                                  Shea Weber looks to be leaving Nashville for the Philadelphia Flyers (Christian Peterson/Getty Images)

The off-season has been less than kind to the Nashville Predators.

It started with the fiasco that was the Ryan Suter/Zach Parise contract hunt. After multiple teams scrambled for cash to sign the duo, they ended up in Minnesota. Consequently, the Nashville Predators lost one of their best defenseman.

Things didn't get much better for the Predators; Nashville then proceeded to lose top-forward Jordin Tootoo. To rub salt in the off-season wounds, Tootoo was signed by Nashville's Central Division rival, the Detroit Red Wings. And while Detroit fans tried to decide if they could ever cheer for the player they've loved to hate, Nashville was stuck trying to find something positive from their off-season.

Haha. It gets better. And by better, I mean worse.

Because now, it's their captain that's packing his bags.

Defenseman and captain Shea Weber signed a $110 million contract over 14 seasons with Philadelphia. Reports from Yahoo! Sports and the New York Times have indicated that Nashville has been interested in signing Shea Weber (a restricted free-agent)...at least they were before the Philadelphia offer. I mean, yeah, who wouldn't?

General Manager David Poile made the following statement two weeks ago, in regards to signing Shea Weber: "He's the captain of our team, I want to build our team around him. He has been terrific in the captain's role, as a player, I hope he will re sign with us" (July 4, The Tennessean). While that's all well and good for Poile and the Predators, this off-season has shown us that simply being a captain doesn't mean that the team will automatically lock-down a player.

It didn't happen for New Jersey with Parise, and frankly, it won't happen with Nashville for Weber.

There is no doubt that the Predators will be in trouble without Weber. As Yahoo! Sports reminded us, Weber would already be without his defensive partner Ryan Suter...and without Jordin Tootoo at forward.

The loss of Shea Weber would make a re-building year even harder for the Music City.

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New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/20/sports/hockey/shea-weber-of-predators-is-offered-100-million-by-philadelphia-flyers-reports-say.html 


Yahoo! Sports: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/shea-weber-offer-sheet-aftermath-nashville-defining-moment-164417806--nhl.html

Adam Scott's 6-Under 64 Leads 2012 British Open

Australian Adam Scott converted eight birdies as part of his 6-under 64 in the first round of the British Open Thursday. (Getty Images)

Royal Lytham & St. Annes in northwest England has set itself apart as the type of golf course that tends to bring the creme of the crop to the top. If the first round of this year's British Open is any indicator of how the rest of the tournament will play out, we could expect to see some of golf's best battling it out for the coveted major championship. While there were many great first round scores, one man's round was exceptionally better than the rest. That man was Adam Scott of Australia.

After an early bogey, Scott quickly bounced back and found his groove. His drives were precise, irons were steady, and putting game was confidently consistent. Scott came to the 17th hole on par to tie the record score (63) for the lowest round of any major ever. With a chance to make history, he settled for a par on the 17th and a bogey on the 18th to finish with a 6-under 64. Scott's score tied the course record set by Tom Lehman in 1996.

While Scott has never previously won a major, many of the players atop the leaderboard are former major winners. Paul Lawrie and Zach Johnson are one shot off the lead. Ernie Els, Bubba Watson, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, and Tiger Woods are all three shots back. That makes 7 of the top 13 in the leaderboard former major winners, who have won a combined 22 majors (14 by Woods). The other non-major winners near the top of the leaderboard are Nicolas Colsaerts (one shot back); Brandt Snedeker (two shots back); and Toshinori Muto, Steve Stricker, and Peter Hanson (all three shots back).

Royal Lytham has really distinguished itself as one of the greatest venues in the world. While it is only 6,973 yards in length, it more than compensates for it with its 205 bunkers and rough that swallows any balls that venture near it. In fact, since the Official World Golf Ranking debuted in 1986, every winner at Royal Lytham has been ranked #1 at one at some point in their career. No other course can boast of such an accomplishment.

Looking at our current leaderboard, the three former #1 ranked players are Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, and Rory McIlroy. If the aforementioned trend continues, these could be three of the top contenders to win the Open. Woods had a very good first round, hitting 13 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens. His putting may need to improve if he is going to win. Els is a savvy veteran who is a former Open Championship winner. McIlroy won his first career major last year. He could be in prime position for a run at his second.

While that is all merely speculation, there are some things we can seem to bank on for the rest of the tournament. If first round scores are any indicators, we could be in for some excellent golf. Royal Lytham has provided a beautiful venue for the golfers and spectators. We appear to be in for some very exciting and well played golf. I look forward to seeing what takes place the rest of the way.

Chelsea Scores Early and Often in Win over Seattle

Marko Marvin scores the game-winning goal for Chelsea in the 40th minute  on Wednesday night.
(July 17, 2012--Source: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images North America)

It doesn't take Chelsea long to score.

It took all of 3 minutes for Chelsea to score the first goal off the foot of Romelu Lukaku. And when Eden Hazard put the team from London up 2-nil just 11 minutes into the game, all of Seattle settled in for a long game.

But the Seattle faithful roared when Fredy Montero pulled the green and blue within a goal in the 14th minute.Montero wasn't done with a solo goal, however. The 32nd minute saw Montero strike again for the Sounders, lifting the Seattle fans off their seats, as the team drew even with Chelsea.

The momentum was short lived.

Marko Marin struck for the Chelsea blue in the 40th minute, regaining the lead after only eight minutes of equal scores. Romelu Lukaku followed suit with Fredy Montero, putting away his second goal of the game for his own Chelsea squad in the 44th minute.

Chelsea took the 4-2 lead into the half, and a scoreless second half gave the Brits the victory in Seattle.

This was the first game in the Herbalife World Football Challenge 2012. The challenge will see teams ranging from Chelsea FC, Toronto FC, AC Milan, Real Madrid, and several other football clubs from around the world. The schedule for the Herbalife Challenge is as follows:

2012 Herbalife World Football Challenge Schedule (as of May 29, 2012)

Date

Game

Venue

City

Time (ET)

July 18

Seattle Sounders (MLS) vs Chelsea FC (ENG)

CenturyLink Field

Seattle, WA

9:30 pm

July 21

Toronto FC (MLS) v Liverpool FC (ENG)

Rogers Centre

Toronto, Ontario

4:00 pm

July 22

Chelsea FC (ENG) vs Paris Saint Germain (FRA)

Yankee Stadium

New York, NY

7:00 pm

July 28

Chelsea FC (ENG) vs AC Milan (ITA)

SunLife Stadium

Miami, FL

6:00 pm

July 28

D.C. United (MLS) vs Paris Saint Germain (FRA)

RFK Stadium

Washington, D.C.

7:30 pm

Aug. 2

LA Galaxy (MLS) vs Real Madrid (SPA)

The Home Depot Center

Carson, CA

10:30 pm

Aug. 5

Real Madrid (ESP) vs Santos Laguna (MEX)

Sam Boyd Stadium

Las Vegas, NV

11:00 pm

Aug. 5

Real Madrid (ESP) vs AC Milan (ITA)

Yankee Stadium

New York, NY

8:00 pm

Aug. 11

Real Madrid (ESP) vs Celtic (SCO)

Lincoln Financial Field

Philadelphia, PA

1:30 pm

        (Schedule from http://sports.herbalife.com/en-US/Events/World_Football_Challenge.htm)

The next game on the schedule for Herbalife Challenge is Saturday afternoon in Toronto, Ontario at 4pm. The Rogers Centre in Toronto will see Major League Soccer club Toronto FC take on English Premiere League contender Liverpool FC.

Dez Bryant Loses His Temper and Assaults His Own Mother

The talent of Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is undeniable, but he must solve his personal problems first. (Matthew Emmons)

From a purely talent standpoint, Dez Bryant is one of the greatest wide receivers of this century. His mixture of speed, agility, and strength make for a virtually unstoppable target for any quarterback. The problem is that his character choices and personal problems have led to distractions off the field and underachievement on it.

Dez Bryant's talent first caught the widespread attention of fans during his time at Oklahoma State. There was play after play that talent wise showed he was a man among boys. Other than being irresponsible, Bryant largely didn't run into any trouble with the Cowboys. Entering the 2010 NFL Draft, Bryant's talent was one of the biggest topics of discussion. While he was slated as high as #1 overall in some mock drafts, he quickly fell down the draft board, as it became apparent that many teams were concerned with his rough background. Finally, the Dallas Cowboys decided to trade up to select Bryant. They could only dream of the potential of pairing him with their starting quarterback Tony Romo.

Now two seasons later, Bryant has had two good, but underwhelming seasons with the Cowboys. Many analysts and fans see the potential and realize that he isn't really living up to it. The dedication to improving as a football player simply isn't there. The problem is that Bryant has been making more headlines from off the field issues than for his play on the field.

The laundry list of incidents is long, but I will focus on a few. Bryant and his friends were banned from a Dallas mall for inappropriate dress and language. He was sued for having unpaid debts. He was detained by the police over an incident in a Miami nightclub. He has also been fined by the Cowboys for numerous team violations, such as being late for team meetings. The latest incident though is the biggest to date.

Saturday afternoon, Bryant got into a verbal altercation with his mother and physically assaulted her. Angela Bryant told the police that her son Dez hit her in the face with a ball cap, pulled her hair, tore her shirt and bra, and repeatedly struck her hands and arms when she tried to push him away. Her testimony was confirmed by witnesses and bruising that appeared several days later.

I can't truly comprehend what Dez Bryant has gone through in his life. His mother was only 14 years old when he was born. She later went to prison, and Dez lived in a multitude of rough situations. I understand that had to be difficult and that it affects who he is today, but there is no excuse for assaulting a woman, especially one's one mother. Dez has personal issues, such as his temper. These problems are affecting him both on and off the football field.

The Cowboys need to decide whether or not they are committed to Bryant. If they truly are, they need to begin seeking to help him with his issues. Bryant needs to surround himself with better friends, put himself in better situations, and seek the help he needs to deal with his problems. The NFL does not need another Terrell Owens or Chad Ochocinco. Very few teams have the patience left to put up with that type of behavior.

With training camp just a few weeks away, Bryant could face additional discipline from either or both the Cowboys and NFL. I hope he learns from this experience and seeks the help he needs. It is so sad to see someone with so much talent and potential, struggle and fail to meet expectations. Dez Bryant just needs help and encouragement in the right direction. I hope he finds it.

New York Knicks Allow Linsanity to Join the Houston Rockets

Jeremy Lin had a magical run in New York City with the Knicks, but now he must take his act to Houston to play for the Rockets. (Jim McIsaac)

Unless you were living under a rock (literally or metaphorically) last February, you more than likely know the incredible rise of Jeremy Lin to international acclaim. Nevertheless, the legendary tale is worthy recounting. The New York Knicks were mired in a rut of frankly terrible basketball. One of the major issues was they were lacking a true leader at starting point guard. Due to injuries and other issues, the Knicks were struggling to find anyone to play the position. At the end of the bench, they spotted a long forgotten kid from Harvard, named Jeremy Lin. Lin had gone undrafted, been cut by two teams during the preseason, and played in the NBA's D-League, before filling out the end of the Knicks' roster.

In February, the Knicks finally decided to give Lin a chance. All he did was lead the Knicks to seven consecutive wins. In nine of his first ten games, Lin scored at least 20 points. He started 25 of his 35 games with the Knicks, while averaging 14.6 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game. Sadly, Lin's phenomenal season was ended prematurely because of his need for knee surgery.

This summer, Lin became a restricted free agent. This meant that while Lin could sign an offer sheet with any team, the Knicks had the right to match it and accordingly keep Lin. As Lin explored options, so did the Knicks. They convinced veteran Jason Kidd to come aboard in a backup point guard facility. Meanwhile, Lin signed a three-year, $25.1 million offer sheet with the Houston Rockets. This left the decision as to whether or not to match and re-sign Lin up to the Knicks.

The dilemma the Knicks faced was that the contract offered from the Rockets included a $14.9 million balloon payment for the third year. If they signed Lin, it would cost them another $35 million or more in luxury-tax penalties. The decision came down to whether or not the man in charge, Jim Dolan, was willing to pay the additional money. As it turns out, he was unwilling. Instead, he decided to do a sign-and-trade for another veteran point guard, Raymond Felton. Dolan also declined the option of signing Lin and trading him to the Rockets for something in return.

In my humble opinion, Dolan simply made the worse possible decision for his franchise. The Knicks supporters had already suffered from many of the rash decisions his regime had made. Long mired in mediocrity and continued failure, Lin awoke a stagnate and unhappy fan base. He energized them and gave them someone to hope and believe in. So when Dolan is given the chance to re-sign Lin, what does he do? He simply allows him to walk, while getting nothing in return.

Way to alienate your fan base even more, Mr. Dolan. You should reward yourself with a nice, big bonus. Every move the man makes seems to turn out as a complete flop. The one thing that turned out beautifully, he lets go. All because he doesn't want his franchise to have to pay the additional money out of pocket. Jeremy Lin's historic rise from unknown commodity to international sensation is unprecedented. He has become one of the most popular athletes in the world. I guess all that wasn't enough to earn him a second year in New York.

Twitter, blogs, and more are ablaze with the frustration and harsh criticism of Knicks' fans. Many have stated that they have switched their allegiance to supporting the newly relocated Brooklyn Nets. Normally, I would say that you should support your team no matter the circumstances, but I understand where these fans are coming from. Jim Dolan has time and time again hindered the success and growth of this franchise. As long as he remains in control, I would not dare to wish the fate of being a Knicks fan on even my worst of enemies.

LeBron James Helps Team USA Survive Test From Brazil

LeBron James and Team USA held Anderson Varejao and the Brazilians just out of reach in their 80-69 victory Monday night. (Patrick Smith)

When Team USA destroyed the Dominican Republic by 54 points last week in their first pre-Olympic exhibition, many naive Americans thought Team USA would simply waltz its way to gold medals, like they did in 2008. While many worried about the debate of whether or not this is the best "dream team" ever, they failed to look at the potential flaws and shortcoming of this team.

Team USA got a wakeup call right away from the Team Brazil. After all, the Brazilians do have four current NBA players (Nene, Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejao, and Tiago Splitter) and a handful of other international talent. However, it was a former NBA guard Alex Garcia, who took the game over early. Garcia scored 12 points to help build the Brazilians lead to 10 after the first quarter.

Nene came up with a huge slam dunk and a block of Kobe Bryant on the other end as Brazil's lead stood at 29-21. That's when the Americans responded. They scored 12 points unanswered and turned up the pressure defensively. During the second quarter, the Brazilians had 12 turnovers with only nine field goal attempts. Team USA was up 37-32 at the break.

The Americans continued the offensive attack and defensive intensity, but could not seem to put Brazil away. The Brazilians even pulled within six points late in the fourth quarter. Team USA did finally put them away for the hard fought win. LeBron James led the way with 30 points. Kevin Durant had 11 points and Chris Paul added 10 of his own for Americans.

What did this exhibition tell us about Team USA? They are far from invincible. Their inability to truly put away Brazil shows that they weren't that much more superior of a side. The front court is clearly a weakness. It's not that they are bad, but the lack of size is apparent. We learned that Team USA's road to the gold won't be a walk in the park. They are still the favorites, but they should be careful to not get overconfident.

Reds Start Second Half Off With Sweep of the Cardinals

The Reds had plenty to celebrate during their sweep, including Ryan Ludwick's walk-off home run Saturday night. (Joseph Fuqua II)

The Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals are once again engaged in another race for the NL Central title. However, this year they were both were looking up at the surprising Pittsburgh Pirates at the All-Star Break. With the postseason likely on the line, every divisional game seems to carry an extra weight of significance to whichever teams are involved. The first series out of the second half gate saw the Cardinals traveling to Great American Ball Park to take on the Reds.

Friday night felt like Opening Day all over again. With excitement in the air, 40,217 came to watch the divisional rivals battle. Mat Latos, who has been up-and-down all season, was on the mound for the Reds. In the second inning, Cardinals second baseman Skip Schumaker singled home catcher Yadier Molina to begin the scoring. Latos got out of the inning with only one run crossing home. In the third inning, he limited the damage again, allowing just one additional run. Latos didn't have his best stuff during his five innings of work, but he limited the damage enough to keep his team in it.

Meanwhile, Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Wainwright appeared to be in cruise control. Prior to the seventh inning, he had only made one mistake, a solo home run to Reds third baseman Todd Frazier. Wainwright though ran into some trouble in the seventh. The Reds loaded the bases to bring catcher Ryan Hanigan to the plate. Wainwright induced what appeared to be a routine slow grounder to Cardinals first baseman Allen Craig. But an errant throw by Craig allowed two runs to score. The Cardinals never recovered as Reds closer Aroldis Chapman closed the door on the Reds' 5-3 victory.

Saturday afternoon began with what seemed to be a pitcher's dual between the Cardinals' Kyle Lohse and the Reds' Mike Leake. The Reds offense was the first to break through in the fifth inning when right fielder Jay Bruce doubled home second baseman Brandon Phillips. They doubled their lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Zack Cozart. However, in the seventh the Cardinals offense awakened on a solo home run by Molina. They then tied it up on a bunt single by shortstop Rafael Furcal.

Neither side managed to break the 2-2 tie through the ninth inning, so we were headed for extra innings. In the top of the tenth, Reds reliever Sam LeCure pitched a 1-2-3 inning to retire the side. With one out in the bottom half of the frame, a previously 0-for-4 Ryan Ludwick came up to bat for the Reds. He quickly fell behind 0-2. Ludwick battled to foul off three straight pitches, and then watched three straight balls from Cardinals reliever Victor Marte. He finally saw the pitch he had been looking for and crushed it for a walk-off home run.

The series finale turned out to be the nationally televised feature of Sunday Night Baseball. Molina started off the scoring for the visitors with an RBI double in the second inning. Reds first baseman Joey Votto answered in the third with an RBI double of his own. The Reds took the lead 2-1 when Phillips singled to score Votto. However, Molina struck again with a solo home run to knot things up 2-2.

Reds starting pitcher Homer Bailey pitched eight excellent innings, allowing just the two runs. In the bottom half of the eighth inning, his counterpart, Cardinals starting pitcher Jake Westbrook, got himself into trouble. He walked Votto and then hit Phillips with a pitch. Cardinals reliever Mark Rzepczynski came in relief and got Bruce to groundout for the second out. The runners still advanced though, so the Cardinals new reliever Mitchell Boggs intentionally walked Ludwick to load the bases. This brought veteran third baseman Scott Rolen to the plate. Rolen came up with a clutch single to plate two as the Reds took the 4-2 lead. Chapman came in and struck out the side for his 13th save of the season.

The Reds have to feel great about what they just accomplished. A sweep of a divisional rival is the perfect way to start a second half push for the postseason. The sweep also propelled the Reds into first place ahead of the Pirates. The second half of the season is just getting under way, but it looks like the NL Central race should be a dandy to the finish.

The Reds will look to keep their winning going as they host a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks beginning tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Cardinals will look to bounce back as they travel to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers in a three-game set beginning tomorrow.