Kritik und Lob » ation.dddddddddddd He went on to ear

WASHINGTON -- With a lineup that was already sputtering, it was no surprise the New York Mets failed to bust out against Nationals ace Max Scherzer.Daniel Murphy homered twice, tormenting his former team yet again, and Washington completed a three-game sweep of the Mets with 4-2 victory Wednesday night.New Yorks offense did little against Scherzer (9-5), who allowed two hits with 10 strikeouts over 7 1/3 shutout innings.Were just not even giving ourselves chances, said Mets manager Terry Collins, who earlier in the day called it a game his team needed to win.After taking an early lead in Mondays series opener, New York went 23 innings without scoring before James Loneys two-run homer in the ninth off Shawn Kelley.The Mets have lost four straight and fallen six games behind first-place Washington in the NL East. Awaiting them is a four-game series against the major league-best Chicago Cubs to begin an 11-game homestand.Obviously, you wanted to come in here and have different results, outfielder Curtis Granderson said. Youve still got a lot of games to play plus a lot of games against this team and everybody else in our division.Scherzer retired 18 in a row before Brandon Nimmos single in the eighth and finished with at least 10 strikeouts for the fourth straight outing.Murphy homered off Logan Verrett (3-5) in the second for a 1-0 lead and golfed a two-run drive in the eighth against reliever Sean Gilmartin. The second baseman matched his career high with 14 homers as Washington won its fourth in a row.Hes doing the damage against everybody, Collins said. Weve just got to make better pitches. You cant miss on the inner half of the plate to Dan Murphy right now. Logan hung a slider and Gilly got a changeup down and in.Murphy is batting .428 (15 for 35) with four home runs and 11 RBI against New York. He signed a $37.5 million, three-year contract with Washington last offseason after spending his first seven seasons with the Mets and powering them into the World Series last year with a record-setting postseason.Its just obvious he wants to beat them up, Scherzer said.Kelley got four outs for his fourth save. He threw a called third strike past Nimmo with a runner on second to end it.Scherzer walked Kelly Johnson in the second, the same inning in which Asdrubal Cabrera registered New Yorks first hit. The Mets didnt reach base again until Nimmos hit on the final pitch from Scherzer, who left to a standing ovation.Granderson entered as a pinch hitter and singled off reliever Oliver Perez, giving New York two baserunners.Kelley, Washingtons fourth pitcher of the inning, whiffed Alejandro De Aza with the potential tying runs in scoring position to end the eighth.Making a spot start because Steven Matz was pushed back a day, Verrett lost his fifth straight decision. He allowed two runs and four hits with four walks over five innings.I felt like I kept us in the game, gave us a chance to come back and win it, Verrett said.Yoenis Cespedes struck out three times against Scherzer.THE GRANDY MAN CANGranderson was a late scratch from the starting lineup one day after being removed from Tuesdays game with right calf tightness. He said after the game hes day to day.TRAINERS ROOMMets: RHP Noah Syndergaard, who struggled in Mondays series opener, confirmed he has a bone spur in his elbow. He called it pretty insignificant.UP NEXTMets: Matz (7-3, 3.29 ERA) faces Chicago Cubs RHP John Lackey (7-4, 3.29) on Thursday night in the opener of a four-game series at Citi Field, a rematch of last years NL Championship Series that the Mets won in a four-game sweep.Swell Trinkflasche . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. Swell Bottle Schweiz . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. http://www.swellflascheschweiz.ch/swell-flasche-marmor-schweiz.html . Aaron Harrison scored a 22 points for Kentucky (6-1), which has won four in a row following a Nov. 12 loss to current No. 1 Michigan State. Julius Randle overcame a scoreless first half and added his sixth double-double in as many games with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Swell Flasche 500 Ml . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. Hydro Flask Kinder .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training.LOS ANGELES -- Fred Slaughter, who helped UCLA win its first NCAA basketball championship as a senior under coach John Wooden in 1964, has died. He was 74.The school announced Saturday that Slaughter died Oct. 6 at his home in Santa Monica. No cause of death was given.He was the Bruins starting center from 1962-64. They were 30-0 in 1963-64, the schools first undefeated season that culminated in the first of Woodens record 10 NCAA titles. Slaughter averaged 7.9 points and 8.1 rebounds that season.Joining Slaughter in the starting five were guards Walt Hazzard and Gail Goodrich and forwards Keith Erickson and Jack Hirsch. The lineup ranged from 6-foot-1 to 6-5 and Wooden employed a 2-2-1 zone defense known as the Bruin Blitz.As a sophomore, Slaughter helped the Bruins to their first Final Four. The following year, the Bruins lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.Slaughter also competed as a freshman on UCLAs track team in the 100- and 220-yard dashes, high jump, shot put and discus.He served as the schools senior class president inn 1963-64 and earned a degree in business administration.dddddddddddd He went on to earn a MBA degree at UCLA and a law degree from Columbia.Slaughter became a professional sports agent and attorney in 1969. He served as assistant dean at the UCLA School of Law from 1972-80 and also taught law and business classes.In 1980, he returned full-time to being a sports agent and attorney, representing NBA and NFL players, including NBA Hall of Famers Clyde Drexler, Dennis Johnson and Jamaal Wilkes. Slaughter also served as leader of the NBA referees union.Born March 13, 1942, in Topeka, Kansas, Slaughter competed in basketball, track and field and football at Topeka High. He was a first-team all-state basketball selection in 1958. In 1959, he won the state title in the 100-yard dash.He is survived by Kay, his wife of 46 years; daughter Hilary and son Fred, an Orange County Superior Court judge; and three grandchildren. ' ' '