Für unsere Gäste » tart steering it instead of letting it g

WASHINGTON -- At last, the Washington Nationals lineup is starting to click. In related news, Davey Johnsons squad is closer to first place than it has been in over six weeks. Ryan Zimmerman hit a grand slam, Bryce Harper added three hits and two stolen bases, and the Nationals sent the San Diego Padres to their ninth straight loss, 11-7 on Sunday. Stephen Strasburg (5-6) allowed four runs over six innings. He matched his season-high with nine strikeouts as the Nationals won their fourth straight, the last three over San Diego. The victory moved the Nationals within four games of NL East-leading Atlanta. That is the smallest deficit for the defending division champions since May 20. "Weve played below our potential and now were coming around," Johnson said. "Thats a good feeling." Feeling good isnt in the Padres repertoire right now. "That was a rough one. No doubt about it," San Diego manager Bud Black said. Anthony Rendon hit home run and drove in three runs for the Nationals, who are four games over .500 for the first time since April 12. San Diego lost the final nine times on its 10-game road trip. In the series finale, San Diego outhit Washington 12-11, but finished 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position. Of course, scoring seven runs is often enough to claim victory. During other parts of the skid, the offence only scored seven runs over six games. "Youre finding different ways to lose each time," catcher Nick Hundley said. "Some days, we pitched great and didnt hit. Other days, we swung great and didnt pitch. You try to find a nice combination of both and go from there." Zimmermans slam off Robbie Erlin (1-2) put Washington ahead 5-1 in the third inning. In his first at-bat, the Nationals third baseman struck out on full count fastball. In the third inning, Zimmerman batted after Harper reached on an infield single off the glove of first baseman Jesus Guzman to load the bases. With an approach Johnson described as more aggressive, Zimmerman swung at the first pitch - another fastball - he saw from Erlin and launched it over the right-field wall. "Ive kind of been the same way my whole career. I take a lot of first-pitch strikes," Zimmerman said. "That kind of gives me fastballs right down the middle with the bases loaded to hit." Two batters later, Rendon hit a two-run homer. Rendon and Strasburg had RBI singles during the Nationals four-run fifth inning. Harper, chosen a day earlier for the NL All-Star team, hit an RBI single in the first. "I think everybody has been swinging it well," Harper said. "Its good to puts runs up there on the board for Stras." That certainly hasnt been the case most of the season. In Strasburgs previous four starts, Washington scored four runs total. The rare scoring surge with Strasburg on the mound helped the starter win for the first time in three starts and earn his second victory since May 26. Strasburg, who started the six-run third inning with a walk, lost his way in spots. He hit three batters, walked two and in the fourth yielded a two-run homer to Alexi Amarista. "It was a tough day for Stras out there," Johnson said. "He was battling. I thought he threw good. Sometimes he fights himself ... seems like the last couple of weeks hes been snake bit." The right-hander allowed seven hits, his most since April 7, and never pitched a 1-2-3 inning. But the San Diego native overpowered the Padres when needed. With Washington leading 7-3 in the fifth and two runners on with two outs, Strasburg struck out Kyle Blanks. "I think it was a good series for us, obviously getting the sweep and gaining some ground," Strasburg said. "Keep swinging like that, I think were going in the right direction." Amarista had three hits and drove in three runs, including an RBI groundout in the seventh against reliever Craig Stammen, who allowed three runs in one inning plus three batters. Replacing Stammen in the eighth with two runners on and Washington leading 11-7, Drew Storen recorded three straight outs. Making his fourth big league start, Erlin went four-plus innings, allowing nine runs on six hits and four walks. NOTES: Chase Headley had three hits and an RBI for the Padres. ... Washington placed LHP Ross Detwiler (lower back strain) on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to July 4. The Nationals are expected to activated RHP Dan Haren (shoulder) from the 15-day DL to replace Detwiler in the rotation for Mondays series opener at Philadelphia. ... San Diego placed C Yasmani Grandal (right knee sprain) on the 60-day disabled list and called up C Rene Rivera from Triple-A Tucson. ... San Diego returns home for a three-game series against Colorado. RHP Edinson Volquez (6-6, 5.26) opposes RHP Rockies Tyler Chatwood (4-2, 2.75) on Monday.Ainsley Maitland-Niles Arsenal Jersey .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Mohamed Elneny Jersey . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. http://www.footballarsenalstore.com/Women-Rob-Holding-Arsenal-Fc-Jersey/ . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Nacho Monreal Jersey . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. Bernd Leno Arsenal Jersey . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series.ST. LOUIS -- Dave Ryan won the U.S. Senior Amateur on Thursday for his first USGA championship, holding off Matthew Sughrue 2 up at Old Warson Country Club.The 62-year-old Ryan, from Taylorville, Illinois, beat two-time Senior Amateur champion Paul Simson in the round of 16 and two-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Tim Jackson in the semifinals in the event for players 55-and-older . Against Simson, Ryan had the third known hole-in-one on a par-4 hole in a USGA championship, acing the 270-yard 14th.Im still in shock, a state of shock, said Ryan, the Illinois Senior Amateur winner by nine strokes last week. For a guy from Taylorville, Illinois, to win a national championship, its unbelievable.The 57-year-old Sughrue is from Arlington, Virginia.Sughrue won the opening hole, and Ryan took the next five, making a 12-footer for birdie on No. 2, a two-putt par to Sughrues bogey on No. 3, a 7-footer for birdie on No. 4, a 20-footer for birdie on No. 5 and a 15-footer for birdie on the par-5 sixth.My son gave me a video to watch from Dave Stockton, who is a great putter, Ryan said. I took some of his tips and its like shooting free throws, you just get over it, see the line, and let it go. And it worked this week. And it worked last week when I played in the state Senior Amateur in Illinois.Sughrue rallied to tie, taking the par-4 11tth with a par, the par-5 12th and par-3 13th with birdies and the par-4 15th with a par.ddddddddddddI was trying to hang on and thats when you get in trouble, Ryan said. You start getting the old steering wheel out and start steering it instead of letting it go. Once I missed that par putt on 15, it changed my mindset. I got more aggressive after that and I got back in battle mode.Ryan won the 621-yard, par-5 16th with a par. Sughrue missed the green left and down a ridge and his 15-footer for a halve lipped out lipped out. They halved the par-3 17th with pars, and Ryan ended the match with a conceded par on the par-4 18th.Its disappointing. I felt like I had enough game to come back and win and it just didnt fall my way, Sughrue said. Hes a great player and he put on a great exhibition today. But, Ill take solace in knowing that I probably shook him up a little bit with some of the shots that I had and made it a match. Ill take that as a good indication of where my game is in senior amateur golf.Ryan received a 10-year U.S. Senior Amateur exemption, two-year exemptions into the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur, and one-year exemptions into the U.S. Senior Open and U.S. Open sectional qualifying. ' ' '