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MONTREAL -- The isolation of Quebecs soccer community begins this weekend. Hundreds of Ontarians are pulling out of a weekend tournament in Montreal, the mass shunning prompted by a political dispute over Quebec soccers ban on turbans. The Montreal host association has confirmed that 20 Ontario youth teams are not being allowed to come to play. An official with the Lac St-Louis Regional Soccer Association said about 170 teams, mostly from the Montreal area, were invited to take part in the weekend tournament. Director-General Edouard St-Lo says Ontario teams are not being allowed to take part because they cant get travel permits from the Ontario Soccer Association. "Why they revoked their permit? I cant tell you," St-Lo said when reached Thursday by telephone. This week, the Canadian Soccer Association suspended the Quebec Soccer Federation over its controversial turban ban. The suspension includes prohibiting Quebec teams from participating in -- or hosting -- interprovincial matches and national competitions. The dispute has attracted international news coverage and drawn in numerous politicians. It has also placed different value systems on a collision course. The current Parti Quebecois government, critics of laissez-faire multiculturalism, are defending the right to banish certain displays of religious faith from the public space in the name of secularism. The PQ has placed its support behind the QSF. One nationalist newspaper columnist in Montreal has even used the dispute to illustrate the need for Quebec independence. In an echo of the intergovernmental disputes that frequently typify Canadian federalism, Premier Pauline Marois has argued that the national association has no right to tell the provincial one what to do. However, the national body argues that it is indeed the recognized authority within the country and its decisions are binding on provincial associations. Even the Quebec federations bylaws debunk the premiers claim. The QSFs rule No. 5 says: "(The QSF) is affiliated to, and under the jurisdiction of, the Canadian Soccer Association and is subject to its rules unless it has received a specific exemption." The marching orders are clear elsewhere. In Ontario, an employee at the Toronto Soccer Association said the group takes its instructions from the Ontario Soccer Association. The TSA, which has 16 member clubs, is among the local associations to have received a notification from the provincial body indicating that until the situation is resolved it cannot approve anything that has to do with Quebec. The sanctions imposed by the national body have also received support from a number of federal politicians, in different parties. Even within Quebec, there are small pockets of resistance to the turban ban. In the more Anglo, more pro-Canada western tip of Montreal, there are hints that some local leagues might try to defy the anti-turban edict. Fern da Silva, president of the Pierrefonds Soccer Association, said in an interview that he doesnt agree with the provincial order. About 2,500 children -- including about a dozen who wear turbans -- play in the soccer group in the northwest section of the city. "In the club, weve decided that were going to do whatever we feel is right," da Silva said. "You may go to any field and not see any kid with a turban and then you might get a game where there are two or three... So far weve been able to get along, regardless of the ruling, and we havent had any issues." The provincial federation has threatened to fine referees if they let players play in religious headwear. However, da Silva said he is leaving it up to his referees to decide what to do. "My refs have already been told to be very objective about it and look at it and if theres really, really a safety issue, well deal with it," he said, adding that the Quebec federations argument that turbans are a safety issue "is totally erroneous." But da Silva isnt letting the Canadian Soccer Association off the hook, either. He said the CSA has to shoulder some of the blame because, he said, it had been unclear in its wishes and previously left the impression that provincial bodies were free to decide as they wished. Da Silva said hopes the issue is resolved as soon as possible "and we all get back to what were supposed to be doing -- looking after the kids on the field and getting as many kids as possible on the fields." As for this weekends tournament, St-Lo says hes scrambling to replace the out-of-province teams with other local teams. 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He retired 15 of the first 16 batters before giving up a leadoff double to Teoscar Hernandez in the sixth.Martinez had allowed 14 runs over his previous three starts.Hes been impressive, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. I enjoy watching guys improve. When you see him pitch like that and maintain like that, thats improvement.Martinez leads St. Louis pitchers with 11 starts of seven or more innings.Every day I go out on the hill focused on my work and ready to go through nine innings hopefully, Martinez said. Some days theres bad days, some days theres good days like today. I stayed focused and I felt really good. I feel like its just part of the game and I went out and did the best I could.The Cardinals have won four straight and have a slim lead for the second NL wild-card spot over the Pirates and Marlins.St. Louis is averaging 7.5 runs per game during this winning streak and began its offensive frenzy Wednesday in the third inning against starter Doug Fister.Eight Cardinals batted in the three-run third, highlighted by Stephen Piscottys two-run single and Yadier Molinas RBI double.Hazelbaker bashed a 3-2 pitch from Fister in the fourth for his first home run since July 29. Moss blew it open in the seventh with a three-run homer off Tony Sipp.Moss has four home runs in the last six games and leads the Cardinals with 22 homers in just 281 at-bats. Its a nice resurgence for the 32-year-old, who hit .250 with four homers in 51 games last season after being acquired from Cleveland in July.Seems like everybody discounted everything he did before he got to us, Matheny said. That was a bunch of homers. Then he comes over smoking the ball and not getting anyything for it.dddddddddddd You could just see where he was trending and where he continues to trend. This guys got legitimate big power.St. Louis has 49 home runs since the All-Star break to lead the National League.Its good were just having good approaches and obviously were having success at the plate, Hazelbaker said. It comes from preparation and just knowing what were capable of and just being prepared every at-bat.Fister (11-8) gave up four runs, seven hits and a walk while striking three in four innings.It was a disappointing day, Fister said. Any loss is a tough loss to swallow. I felt good today. I felt strong, I felt in control, but they put a few good swings on balls, and the ball bounced their way today.Fister has allowed four or more runs five times in his past 10 starts after reaching that mark once in his first 14 outings this season.Alex Bregman drove in Hernandez with a single in the sixth. The rookie has seven RBI in the last 11 games and is batting .312 in that time.Houston has been outscored 29-11 during a four-game losing streak and surrendered eight or more runs in three straight games for the first time this season.The rollercoaster ride that weve been on is no fun when were in this portion of it, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. This game will test your character, itll test your resolve, itll test your ability to come back from adversity and this is another test for us. Weve got the better part of six weeks left in the regular season, and we need to compile some wins.UP NEXTCardinals: RHP Adam Wainwright (9-7, 4.72 ERA) starts against Philadelphia on Friday. Wainwright is looking for his eighth season with 10 or more wins and needs four to tie Dizzy Dean (134) on the Cardinals career list.Astros: RHP Joe Musgrove (1-0, 1.47 ERA) starts against Baltimore on Thursday after getting his first major league win against Toronto on Friday. ' ' '