Kommandozentrale » CTUREStanfords first-year coach play

PITTSBURGH -- Gerrit Cole pointed a finger after losing his third straight start -- at himself. John Bucks two-run single capped a three-run first inning against Cole, and Dillon Gee pitched another gem against the Pirates as the New York Mets beat Pittsburgh 4-2 on Sunday. Cole (4-3) has lost three in a row since becoming the first Pirates pitcher since Nick Maddox in 1907 to win the first four starts of his career. "I didnt come out ready to pitch, and that inexcusable," Cole said. "Its just indefensible. I didnt give our team a very good chance to win. I put us in position where I had to scratch and claw and so did the rest of the team." Cole surrendered three runs and six hits in five innings with two walks and five strikeouts. He started in place of All-Star left-hander Jeff Locke, who was scratched from this start on Saturday because of lower back tightness. After losing Tuesday to Oakland, Cole wasnt expected to pitch again until after the All-Star break. However, he learned Friday he would likely start Sunday. "I had plenty of time to prepare," Cole said. "No excuse." Gee also didnt make any excuses despite pitching with sore feet. The right-hander developed blisters on the soles of his feet during an 87-degree afternoon. It was so warm that the dirt on the mound baked in the sun. However, Gee overcame the blisters and prevented the Pirates from sweeping the three-game series before the break. Gee (7-7) allowed just one unearned run in 6 2/3 innings to the Pirates (56-37), who entered the day tied with St. Louis for the best record in the major leagues and the National League Central lead. Gee is 3-0 with a 1.38 ERA in five career starts against Pittsburgh. He scattered five hits, struck out two and walked one. "Its just sometimes this is the way it works out," Gee said of his success against the Pirates. "Theyre a really good team. I was just trying to throw strikes with all my pitches and just keep them off balance, and it worked out." Bobby Parnell earned his 17th save in 20 opportunities with a scoreless ninth despite giving up back-to-back singles to Clint Barmes and pinch-hitter Russell Martin with one out. He got Jordy Mercer to fly out to end the game. "We continue to fight until the final out," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "Sometimes Id like to see us hit the go button a little earlier in the game, but we always fight." Starling Marte had two hits for the Pirates, whose three-game winning streak was snapped. Buck, Eric Young Jr. and Marlon Byrd each had three hits for New York, which finished a 6-3 road trip. The Mets will host the All-Star game on Tuesday night at Citi Field. The Mets took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Byrd bounced a run-scoring, ground-rule double into the left-field seats, and Buck lined a two-run single to right. "Its the growing pains of a young pitcher," Hurdle said of Coles rocky first inning. "His command wasnt good and the changeup didnt come into play until the 35th pitch of the game even though it had been a good pitch for him in his previous outing." Marte also bounced an RBI double into the seats in the third inning to draw the Pirates within 3-1. Daniel Murphy tripled in a run in the seventh to restore the Mets three-run lead. Pittsburgh put runners on second and third with none out in the eighth on a single by Mercer and a double by Andrew McCutchen, but the Pirates scored only one run when Jose Tabata grounded out against LaTroy Hawkins. "We had chances late in the game but Hawkins is a veteran eighth-inning guy who did his job, and Parnell is a tough guy to square up," Hurdle said. "They held us off." NOTES: Pittsburgh RHP Mark Melancon was added as an injury replacement to the NL roster for Tuesday nights All-Star game at Citi Field in New York. That gives the Pirates a five-man All-Star contingent, their largest since 1972. Melancon joins Locke, RHP Jason Grilli, 3B Pedro Alvarez and McCutchen. ... Locke said he expects to make his next start July 21 at Cincinnati. . Collins said the blister on RHP Matt Harveys right index finger has healed and he will be able to pitch in the All-Star game. Harvey is a prime contender to be the NLs starting pitcher despite being scratched from his scheduled start Saturday against the Pirates because of the blister and to limit his innings this season.China Jerseys Cheap . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. China Jerseys Stitched . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. https://www.chinajerseyscheap.us/ . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. Cheap Jerseys From China . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. China Jerseys Wholesale . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators.LAWRENCE, Kan. -- Jerrod Haase received a long, loud ovation upon his return to Allen Fieldhouse on Saturday.The rest of the cheers were for the Jayhawks.Frank Mason III scored 20 points, Devonte Graham delivered an early 3-point barrage and fourth-ranked Kansas pulled away late for an 89-74 victory over Stanford, spoiling the return of the Cardinals coach to the building where he once starred as a player.Certainly an emotional day, Haase said. My emotions right now are more frustrated we didnt play at a higher level, but for me personally, it means a lot -- the reception.The Jayhawks (7-1) hardly greeted him as warmly, using their speed, depth and outside shooting to turn a 43-35 halftime lead into another rout at a building that has seen its share of them.We talked about how they packed the lane and how we were going to have to drive, pitch and drive it again, Graham said. We just did a good job of moving the ball, attacking bad close-outs and having the confidence to let them fly.Graham hit five 3s and finished with 15 points, and Josh Jackson and Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 points apiece, as the Jayhawks won for the 44th consecutive time in their old barn.Reid Travis had a career-best 29 points and nine rebounds for Stanford (6-3), doing most of his damage at the free throw line. The career 54 percent free throw shooter was 19 of 22, breaking the school record for makes set by Todd Lichti against UC Santa Barbara during the 1987-88 season.Travis also set records for makes and attempts in a game against Kansas. Rayford Young of Texas Tech hit 18 foul shots in February 1999 and Iowa States Craig Brackins attempted 21 in January 2009.I felt like my teammates did a great job of establishing me early, getting me in the post, Travis said. I knew I had to draw a lot of fouls, get us to the line early and get a rhythm going.After falling into an early deficit, Kansas coach Bill Self began going with a bigger lineup to deal with Travis in the paint, and that seemed to open up Graham on the perimeter. He knocked down all five of his 3-pointers in the first half, helping the Jayhawks to a 43-35 lead.ddddddddddddStanford kept going to Travis inside, and the 6-foot-8 brute kept going to the free throw line. During two separate stretches of the second half, he made four free throws in less than a minute.He drew basically 17 fouls on four guys, so that just goes to tell you we didnt play the scouting report, Self said. Our guys just played butt-behind and let him go wherever he wanted to go.The Jayhawks showcased their versatility in other areas, though.Down the stretch, Jackson scored on a nifty dunk off an alley-oop pass, Mason got a tilting runner to go while crashing to the floor, and Mykhailiuk knocked down 3-pointers from the wing that sent the lead ballooning toward 20 late in the game.BIG PICTUREStanfords first-year coach played three seasons for the Jayhawks under Roy Williams, and later served as their director of basketball operations. Haase then followed Williams to North Carolina, but he was fondly received on Saturday, getting a massive ovation from an appreciative crowd.I remember clearly walking into Allen Fieldhouse when I was first recruited, Haase said, and I think Ill remember the feeling at shootaround today, walking into the arena.Kansas snapped a two-game skid against the Cardinal that included an NCAA Tournament loss in 2014, when Andrew Wiggins and Co. couldnt slow down Stanford in St. Louis. The Jayhawks were even able to get their benchwarmers some action for the third straight game.STATS AND STREAKMason led the Jayhawks in scoring for the fifth time in eight games. ... Kansas had 20 assists and only nine turnovers. ... Travis was just 5 of 14 from the field. ... Stanford was 2 of 8 from beyond the arc. ... The Cardinal only had seven assists on 21 field goals.UP NEXTStanford gets nearly two weeks off before playing Cal State East Bay on Dec. 16.Kansas continues its six-game home stand against Missouri-Kansas City on Tuesday night.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25. ' ' '