Für unsere Gäste » WATCH: Cyrus Jones, the Patriots top pick

MIAMI -- When Jose Fernandez threw his final pitch of the night, he pulled up in pain, rubbed his right knee and limped to the dugout.He still looked better than his opponent.Fernandez pitched seven innings and shook off calf cramps to help the Miami Marlins beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0 and snap their nine-game winning streak Wednesday.Fernandez (13-7) grimaced after retiring Christian Colon with his ninth strikeout to end the seventh.I was cramping for the last five pitches, Fernandez said. I was sweating and changed my uniform twice. Sweating, sweating. The last pitch, when I finished I felt the cramp and I was, `Oooowwwww. I came in and took some Gatorade, and Im ready to go -- fantastic.The irrepressible Fernandez was laughing with teammates in the dugout in the ninth inning and joined in the postgame celebration on the field. When asked if the Marlins ace was indeed OK, manager Don Mattingly laughed.Did you see him after the game? Mattingly said.Fernandezs nine strikeouts increased his season total to 213, breaking the Marlins record of 209 set by Ryan Dempster in 2000. Fernandez allowed six hits and won for the first time since July 23 to snap his three-game losing streak, a career worst.From the last five or six starts, today was a little improvement, he said.Fernandez also had the Marlins first two hits, hiking his average to .286, and improved to 27-2 at Marlins Park.Christian Yelich broke a scoreless tie in the sixth with a two-run single.The Royals went 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position against Fernandez. They loaded the bases in the second, but Fernandez escaped by retiring Paulo Orlando and Colon. Their first two batters singled in the sixth, but Alex Gordon struck out and Alcides Escobar bounced into a double play.Orlando struck out in all four at-bats against Fernandez.He was just tough, Royals manager Ned Yost said. He had a really, really good slider and went to it when he got in trouble.Fernando Rodney pitched around two singles and a walk in the ninth for his 25th save and eighth with Miami. He was helped by a spectacular leaping catch by shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria to rob Escobar.That changed the game, Escobar said. I hit that ball really good. When I saw it, I said, `Oh! Thats a great play.Dillon Gee (5-7) allowed only two of the first 18 batters to reach -- and both times it was Fernandez. He had an infield single in the third and another single in the sixth, when Gee proceeded to unravel.The Marlins collected four consecutive singles, the last of them Yelichs hit to chase Gee. Marcell Ozuna followed with a sacrifice fly.I wasnt overpowering by any means, Gee said, but I felt like I threw the ball fairly well.The Royals bullpen extended its franchise-record scoreless streak to 34 2/3 innings.TRAINERS ROOMMarlins: LHP Wei-Yin Chen (sprained elbow) threw a bullpen session for the first time since being sidelined July 20, and hes on schedule to return in mid-September. ... Ozuna was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesdays game to be with his pregnant wife, who became ill and was briefly taken to the hospital. She and the baby were doing fine Wednesday, Ozuna said.Royals: LHP Mike Minor, who has not pitched in the majors since 2014 after suffering a torn labrum in 2015, is being shut down for the year after struggling in several rehab starts.UP NEXTRHP Edinson Volquez (9-10, 5.04) is scheduled to face Marlins RHP Tom Koehler (9-8, 3.82) in the series finale. Volquez is 6-0 in seven career starts against Miami. Koehler is 3-0 over his past six starts with a 1.62 ERA. Arik Armstead Super Bowl Jersey . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. Mitch Wishnowsky Super Bowl Jersey . -- Linebacker Myles Jack ran for four touchdowns, defensive end Cassius Marsh caught a scoring pass, and No. https://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Terrell-Owens-Jersey/ . The giant slalom world champion slipped during her first run in the morning, landing on her back and then twisting forward before getting her leg caught in the protective material on the side of the slope. Jeff Wilson Super Bowl Jersey .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head. Kyle Juszczyk Super Bowl Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- For the New England Patriots, much about this year has felt like a trip down the rabbit hole.It started at the end of last season when they were overpowered in Januarys AFC Championship game loss to the Denver Broncos.That was followed by quarterback Tom Bradys decision this spring to end his long Deflategate fight and accept a four-game suspension that will begin at the start of this season.It set the stage for one of the oddest preseasons of Bradys career. One that saw the 39-year-old take a backseat to backup Jimmy Garoppolo while Brady prepared to miss his first regular-season start since 2008.A torn left ACL in the season opener that year rendered him unable to play. This time hes a healthy, forced spectator.I think thats a good word -- `uncharted, Brady said of his situation for the first month of the season. So well just do the best we can do.It has put the keys of one of the AFCs top franchises in the hands of Garoppolo, a first-time starter. But there are even more unknowns about a team that enters the season dealing with more issues than it has been accustomed to during the Bill Belichick era.Its out of our control, Belichick said of the prospect of being without Brady. Were not worried about it, were moving forward. Control what we can control and do what we can do.Garoppolo will become just the third opening day starter at quarterback that the Patriots have had since 1996.Ive prepared like this for the last two years, so I think thats a big stepping stone for me and definitely helped out, he said.It wont be that easy.In addition to Bradys absence, the Patriots will be without captain and defensive end Rob Ninkovich after he received a four-game ban for violating the NFLs policy on performance enhancing substances. Thats on top of the reported triceps issue that sidelined him early during camp.There are also unknowns on the offensive side of the ball that could affect New Englands early production.Tight end Rob Gronkowski, the offensive centerpiece, has been limited with an undisclosed issue, and he never saw preseason action. Receiver Danny Amendola also didnt appear in any preseason games as he continues to work his way back from knee and ankle surgeries.Then theres running back Dion Lewis, who looked to be on his way back from tearing his left ACL in November, but will start the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.It has left little margiin for error for a team that opens the season against defending NFC West division winner Arizona, and also includes division matchups with Miami in Week 2 and Buffalo in the final game before Brady can return.ddddddddddddSafety Devin McCourty said it would be incumbent on the veterans to carry the leadership duties with Brady out.I think its going to be a true team effort to try to replace what hes built here and what hes been able to do, week in and week out, McCourty said.Here are some other things to watch for from the Patriots this season:VETERAN SECONDARY: One unit that enters the season intact is the secondary, led by McCourty, Malcolm Butler, Patrick Chung and Logan Ryan. Butler started all 16 regular-season games last season at left cornerback, McCourty and Chung each started 14 at safety, and Ryan had 14 starts at right cornerback. They will be counted on to lead a defense that allowed just 19.7 points per game and had 21 turnovers.O-LINE FOCUS: Offensive line improvement was a priority after New England allowed Brady to be sacked 38 times in 2015. There will be a new look. The Patriots released center Bryan Stork and have elevated second-year lineman David Andrews. Rookie Joe Thuney, a third-rounder, will likely get the nod at left guard. Nate Solder should start at left tackle and Marcus Cannon at right tackle with Sebastian Vollmer beginning the year on the PUP list. Right guard should fall to Jonathan Cooper, who arrived from Arizona as part of the Chandler Jones trade.ROOKIE WATCH: Cyrus Jones, the Patriots top pick in the draft, lived up to billing this preseason. In addition to establishing himself as a viable third cornerback with an interception and fumble recovery, he had several long punt returns to give New England more options on special teams.CHASING HISTORY: The Patriots have a chance to pass the Oakland Raiders as the only team to advance to six straight conference championship games. The Raiders run from 1974-78 included a Super Bowl title in 1977. New England has an opportunity to add its second Super Bowl crown since its run of five straight AFC title game appearances began in 2012.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Kyle Hightower on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/khightower ' ' '