Begrüßungen » third when Jered Weaver (8-8) hit Preston Tucker

Not up to international standard was the damning verdict of Australias coach Darren Lehmann after the tourists lost 11 for 77 on a hectic day in Galle to all but hand over the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy to Sri Lanka for the first time in its existence.Lehmann, who recently signed a contract extension to remain coach until October 2019, was frank in conceding that his side does not appear to have improved in playing spin bowling on Asian pitches since a 2-0 drubbing by Pakistan in the UAE in 2014. He also admitted that his players were being conclusively beaten between the ears as well as on the scoreboard by the hosts.Disappointing full stop the way we played. Not up to international standard on that performance today, Lehmann said. Certainly havent played as we would like. Sri Lanka have played well and we havent. Cant complain about the preparation from the lads and the work ethic, it gets down to the pressure in the middle of a Test match and being able to cope with it, and at the moment, we havent.Certainly, some blokes have to look at themselves and how they want to go about it in these conditions and how to succeed. Weve talked a good game in the media and the press, how we want to play, but were certainly not showing up at the moment.I cant put my finger on it really. Its up to the players to get there and do that. We give them as much info as we possibly can, were pretty open in the way we want to play and the way we want to speak and all those sorts of things. It gets down to the players doing it on the ground, and at the moment, were letting ourselves down as a group. So they know what they want to do, its having the belief to do it and succeed. Thats the biggest thing with Test match cricket, especially here on the subcontinent.Australias displays have been beset by similar problems to those witnessed in 2014, from batsmen failing to cover straight deliveries aimed at the stumps, to poor attacking shot selection and lapses in concentration that are seldom seen at home. This has been compounded by the fact that Sri Lanka are nowhere near as strong as Pakistan, or, for that matter, the Indian side that inflicted a similar hiding on the team coached by Mickey Arthur the year before.Results will say we havent moved on, wont they? Its pretty simple, Lehmann said. So, from my point of view, and us as a group, weve got to get better, as simple as that. Weve got to stop the rot. Weve lost seven in a row, and tomorrow, weve got to play better to stop the rot. They know what they have to do, weve had lots of people whove played on the subcontinent help us out, so its not as though they havent got the knowledge or the knowhow to do it, its actually doing it out there on the ground under the pressure.You get blame and thats what happens when youre a coach. If you play badly, you get blame, theres nothing wrong with that, thats part and parcel of professional sport. Weve got to sit back and work out whether were doing the right thing. I believe we are, were just not implementing it on the ground. Weve got to make sure we get the players doing what theyre supposed to be doing, and if theyre not, then weve got to find blokes that are going to.The dire batting performances seen on this tour will add urgency to Cricket Australias search for a full-time batting assistant coach, following the departure of Michael Di Venuto earlier this year. While Lehmanns former state and national teammate Greg Blewett had been appointed on an interim basis, and Stuart Law is in Sri Lanka while Blewett is on paternity leave, it appears a far greater level of Asian batting nous is required ahead of next years tour of India.Still to be a full-time appointment there, Lehmann said. Divas left, Blewys there doing it at the moment and Greg had a baby, so thats why hes not on this tour, so Stueys come in to fit in there. Thats something well have to look at after this series and all those things moving forward. No timeframe, but if we keep batting like this, itll be a bit quicker!While acknowledging a superlative display from Mitchell Starc, who claimed 11 for 94 with minimal rest between innings, Lehmann said Australias spin bowlers, led by Nathan Lyon, also needed to improve. Disappointing, same as the batters, no doubt about that, he said.Nathan Lyons experience has been very good for us over a period of time, but his record on the subcontinents not great. So hes got to improve, theres no doubt about that. Hollands playing his first game and going to be a little bit nervous, so you give him a bit of leeway there, but, end of the day, their spinners have certainly out-bowled our spinners. Fake Hurricanes Jerseys . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. Stitched Hurricanes Jerseys . 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HOUSTON -- Evan Gattis doesnt know why he hits better when he catches compared to when hes the designated hitter.Ive seen the stats and heard its kind of a big split, but I just want to pretend like Im catching when Im not, Gattis said.He was catching Saturday night, and his bat came alive.Gattis had two home runs and four RBI in his return to the lineup, Collin McHugh threw six strong innings and the Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-2.Gattis sat Friday with a bruised right hand after being hit by a pitch Wednesday. He came back Saturday and launched a three-run homer into the Crawford Boxes in left field in the second inning and added a solo shot off the facade in left-center in the fourth to give Houston a 5-0 lead.Glad I got a good pitch to hit, Gattis said. The first one I took I thought I took it well. It was borderline ball/strike away. Just really let the ball travel a little bit today as best I could.It was his sixth career multihomer game and first since hitting a pair Aug. 26, 2015, against the Yankees.For his career, Gattis entered hitting .260 with a .512 slugging percentage as a catcher, compared to .230 with a .422 slugging percentage when hes the DH. Hes also hit 38 homers in 153 games as a catcher, compared to 31 homers in 187 games as DH.Im sure someone smarter than me can figure it out, Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. I dont know if its actually true in the numbers. It feels like it and in all seriousness I think its the result of keeping him occupied, keeping his mind occupied, keeping his mind in the game.Carlos Correa had a solo home run to right in the fifth.McHugh (7-6) allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts in six innings. He continued his string of solid outings, allowing two runs or fewer for the sixth time in his last seven starts.I probably could have made some better pitches in better situations, McHugh said. But I think for the stuff we had Gatty did a really good job of guiding me througgh a couple of spots where I just wasnt feeling it.ddddddddddddHouston has won 10 straight against the Angels. It tacked on a run in the third when Jered Weaver (8-8) hit Preston Tucker with the bases loaded, scoring George Springer. Springer knocked an RBI single in the fourth.Ji-Man Choi had a solo home run to the upper deck in right field to lead off the fifth, and Andrelton Simmons hit an RBI single in the sixth for the Angels.Weaver was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in four innings. The right-hander has struggled against Houston this season, allowing 16 runs in 15 1/3 innings.I just think that obviously, I dont have the same (stuff) that I used to have is first and foremost, Weaver said. They have become a pretty patient team. Not as free swinging. They make you work for it. I had to work my (butt) off there in the second and third.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: C Jason Castro was out of the lineup Saturday after being hit on the back of his right hand on a foul tip in the ninth inning Friday. This morning he felt it was OK, Hinch said. He took a few swings and felt a little bit of soreness, so I decided to scratch him.ROSTER MOVESAngels: Los Angeles called up Carlos Perez from Triple-A Salt Lake. Perez started at catcher and went 0 for 3. The Angels optioned C Juan Graterol to Salt Lake.Astros: 3B Matt Duffy was claimed off waivers by Texas. Duffy was designated for assignment July 16. ... Houston announced the signing of 22-year-old Cuban SS Anibal Sierra.UP NEXTAngels: RHP Tim Lincecum (2-3) will make his seventh start of the season Sunday and is looking for his second straight win.Astros: RHP Mike Fiers (6-4) will make his 18th start of the season and look to bounce back from two straight starts of four innings or less, including Mondays outing in Oakland where he was tagged for six runs in 3 2/3 innings. ' ' '