re he left off last year.That was a breakout season for McCollum in his first year as a starter. He averaged 20.8 points while s

CLEVELAND -- The Miami Marlins are sinking quickly and hoping a trip home can keep their playoff hopes afloat.After closer Fernando Rodney allowed three runs in the ninth inning in a 6-5 loss to the Indians on Sunday, Miami finished a seven-game trip to New York and Cleveland 1-6.That kind of game ends a really bad trip for us, manager Don Mattingly said. There are different kinds of losses and this one stings.The loss was the seventh in the last eight games for Miami, which now sits four games back of the final NL wild-card spot and a game below .500 for the first time since April 28.We needed this one, starting pitcher Tom Koehler said. Weve got to get on that plane and head back home. Weve got six games at home and we got to play better baseball.Despite the rough trip, Mattingly has faith in the ability of his team to reach the postseason.Probably 10 days ago, I was sitting basically saying, `Somebodys going to get hot, and nobody really has, Mattingly said. You still have to be able to turn that page, put it behind us, knowing that theres a possibility of magic out there, of us getting hot and doing something.After scoring two runs off Indians reliever Andrew Miller to take a 5-3 lead in the top of the ninth, the Marlins called upon Rodney to close out the game.The reliever walked the first two batters of the inning and threw a wild pitch that put each into scoring position.Jose Ramirez then tied it with a two-out RBI single before Lonnie Chisenhall delivered a game-ending base hit to right.It spoiled a late Marlins rally. With the score tied, Miguel Rojas and Ichiro Suzuki hit back-to-back doubles to take a one-run lead in the ninth. Martin Prado hit a sacrifice fly to extend it to 5-3.The late-inning issues on the mound came after a solid start from Koehler. The right-hander allowed just three hits over six scoreless innings, much to the enjoyment of his manager.Tom just pitched really well, Mattingly said. Keeps them off speed after they kind of knocked Jose around yesterday and I thought Tom just kept changing speeds, changing areas and kind of kept them off balance.Koehler recognized that he pitched well in the game, but wasnt at all satisfied with the result.Happy is far from what Im feeling right now, Koehler said. Everyones just upset about the fact that we just got swept and we won one game on this road trip. We came into this road trip in a good spot still and we got to try to get past this and do whatever it takes at this point.TRAINERS ROOM?Marlins: OF Marcell Ozuna (sore left wrist) was out of the lineup again and is considered day-to-day.UP NEXT?Marlins: RHP Jake Esch will make his second major league start in the opener of a three-game home series against Philadelphia.? Custom Pat Valaika Jersey . Radwanska, making her debut in the Seoul tournament, hit eight aces in a match that lasted 1 hour, 4 minutes at Olympic Park tennis stadium. "It was definitely a very good match -- I was playing really good tennis," Radwanska said. Rockies Jerseys China . Brazilian national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has confirmed that the veteran goalkeeper is set to join Toronto on loan, saying it will help him be ready for the World Cup. http://www.customrockiesjersey.com/ .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. Custom Rockies Jerseys . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Custom Rockies T-shirts . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. PORTLAND, Ore. -- The matchup between the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night at the Moda Center features a duel between two of the better shooting guards in the NBA.Chicagos Jimmy Butler collected 37 points, nine assists, eight rebounds and three steals Saturday in a 116-105 win over the Washington Wizards.Portlands CJ McCollum scored 21 points to help the Trail Blazers defeat Denver 112-105 at home Sunday night.Butler is the first Bull to reach those figures since Scottie Pippen had 37, eight and eight in December 1995. The 2016 U.S. Olympian, who is averaging 24.3 points, is the first Bull who has scored at least 20 points with three steals in four straight games since Pippen (1994-95).I cant express how much easier it makes it on everyone else having someone like that on both sides of the floor, Chicago center Robin Lopez said.Over the past four games, Butler is averaging 29 points, seven rebounds, 5.3 rebounds and four steals and is a collective 42 for 46 at the line.Were putting the ball in his hands bringing the ball down the floor a lot more than we did a year ago, second-year Bulls coach Fred Holberg said. Last year, wed bring him off action to get him to the top of the floor. Now hes bringing it down and going to work. We want the ball in Jimmys hands because of his ability to draw contact.Butler is providing more vocal leadership, too, than ever before for the Bulls (6-4).The thing I love about him is how he has continued to talk and been a great leader with his voice this year, Holberg said.Said Butler: Its going to have to be me to lead the charge when it comes tto coming out with the right energy, making sure were doing everything were supposed to do at both ends.dddddddddddd Im definitely capable of doing that.McCollum also is on a scoring tear of late, with three 30-plus-point games in his past five games for the Blazers (7-4).CJ seems to have found his rhythm, Portland coach Terry Stotts said of the 2015-16 NBA Most Improved Player Award recipient. I go back to when everybody was so concerned about him in preseason. He has showed he is picking up where he left off last year.That was a breakout season for McCollum in his first year as a starter. He averaged 20.8 points while shooting 44.8 percent from the field, 41.7 percent from 3-point range and 82.7 percent from the free-throw line.So far this season, McCollum is boasting better numbers across the board -- a 22.1-point average while shooting 47.2 percent from the field, 43.1 percent on 3-point attempts and 85.7 percent from the line. He is also averaging 4.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists as a combo guard, since Stotts is employing him at the point when Damian Lillard is out of the game.I just want to do whatever it takes to get on the court, McCollum said. When Im playing alongside Dame, I get a lot of opportunities off the ball, a lot of shots in the flow of the offense. When I play (as point guard) with the second unit, Im trying to make the right decisions on the pick-and-roll, and when Dame comes back in, to get him off the ball some as well, because hes a unique scorer. ' ' '