WASHINGTON -- The Washington Nationals are in first place and the Pittsburgh Pirates are trying to get there.Two teams who have played well this month will meet on Friday in the first game after the All-Star break and the first of a three-game weekend series in the nations capital.The Pirates had a six-game winning streak snapped July 7 but have won nine of their last 11 games and 12 of their last 16, while the Nationals have won six of their last 10 games.Washington (54-36) is six games ahead of the New York Mets and Miami Marlins in the National League East. The Pirates (46-43) are seven games back of the first-place Chicago Cubs but just a game back of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals.Pittsburgh went 9-19 in June but has played much better this month to get back into the playoff hunt again.One of the bright spots is Pirates rookie infielder Josh Bell, who is 2-for-2 at the plate after he made his big league debut July 8. Did he worry when he would be called up?I really tried not think about that. I feel like in years prior, when I tried to push for a call-up or anything like that, thats when I press and thats when things started to go south for me, Bell told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. I was just focusing on being the best player I could be on a daily basis, and its working out for me.The Nationals had four players appear in the All-Star game: outfielder Bryce Harper, second baseman Daniel Murphy, catcher Wilson Ramos and pitcher Max Scherzer. The Pirates had two: outfielder Starling Marte and closer Mark Melancon, who received a nice play from Murphy to get out of a jam in the seventh.Washington manager Dusty Baker knew that appearing in the All-Star game would be special for Stephen Strasburg, who grew up in San Diego.How you set up your rotation for the second half is equally important to us, Baker said in a telling comment that came a few days before Scherzer took the active roster spot of Strasburg on the National League club.Scherzer threw a scoreless sixth inningon Tuesday for the National League in a 4-2 loss to the American League. That means he could be available to pitch Sunday against the Pirates.The Pirates on Friday will start right-hander Francisco Liriano, who is hardly the pitcher he was in 2013 when he was 16-8 with a 3.02 ERA.This year Liriano, 32, who made his Major League debut in 2005, is 5-8, 5.15 in 17 starts. He has thrown 92 2/3 innings and allowed a league-high 58 walks.Strasburg will make the start against the Pirates Friday.He did not pitch in the All-Star game something the Nationals approached him about. Strasburg was held out of the midsummer classic in order to be ready for the second half as he missed two starts earlier this season while he was on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation from June 26 to July 3.But it really wasnt a decision I had to think over, Strasburg told reporters of not pitching in San Diego.He is 12-0 with a 2.62 ERA in 16 starts this year. Strasburg is the first National League starter to begin a season 12-0 since Rube Marquard in 1912.He made his big league debut on June 8, 2010 against the Pirates, also at Nationals Park, and struck out 14 batters in seven innings, including the last seven.Last year, on June 20, Scherzer no-hit the Pirates at Nationals Park after he came within one strike of a perfect game.Strasburg last pitched on July 8 at New York and allowed just one run in seven innings in a win over the Mets. The next day Scherzer also allowed just one run in seven innings to down New York. Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 White . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. Onitsuka Tiger Online . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. http://www.kliqplan.com/ . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. Onitsuka Tiger Womens . World champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia won the gold medal with 237.71 points, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch followed at 208.45 and Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov of Russia were third at 187. Asics Gel Noosa Tri 8 Mens . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. TORONTO -- Before the Cleveland Indians could even consider giving the ball to Andrew Miller, their bullpen faced a daunting task in the very first inning.After Trevor Bauers bloody exit , these remarkable relievers had to stitch together almost an entire game against the Toronto Blue Jays.Four outs apiece for Dan Otero and Jeff Manship. Three for Zach McAllister. Five each for winner Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen.After all that, Cleveland finally turned to Miller, who was overpowering again in closing out a 4-2 victory that moved the Indians within one win of their first pennant since 1997.If anybody has a hiccup, we probably lose, manager Terry Francona said Monday night after his team took a 3-0 lead in the AL Championship Series. They all made pitches against some really good hitters.Jason Kipnis and Mike Napoli homered for the Indians, unbeaten in six playoff games this year. They can complete their second consecutive series sweep on Tuesday.In the bullpens most impressive feat yet this October, six relievers combined for 25 outs and 128 pitches while limiting Toronto to two runs and seven hits. Miller got four outs for the save.The bullpen was unbelievable, Bauer said. Co-MVP to everybody.Indians ace Corey Kluber is scheduled to start Game 4 on short rest after Bauers drone-related finger injury created more upheaval in a rotation thats been short-handed all postseason. Bauer faced four batters before getting pulled when his stitched-up right pinkie began dripping blood.Enter those stingy relievers, who pitched the Indians to a Division Series sweep over Boston and have them on the verge of another. Cleveland is one win from its sixth World Series appearance.The hard-hitting Blue Jays have mustered only three runs in the series and have never led.We felt like we had an opportunity with some of their lower-leverage guys coming out of the bullpen, but theyve got good arms, Toronto outfielder Kevin Pillar said. It makes it tough when youre facing a different guy every inning, every at-bat.Kipnis led off the sixth with a home run to right-center field for a 3-2 edge, and Jose Ramirez added an RBI single. Suddenly, the Indians were just a few outs from being able to turn the game over to Allen and Miller.They appeared in that order, yet another instance in which Francona maneuvered his bullpen unencumbered by rigid roles.It was all hands on deck, Miller said.Allen, who usually closes, entered in the seventh with a runner on and nobody out. A two-out walk to Jose Bautista put the potential tying run on, but Josh Donaldsons liner to left field stayed up long enough for Coco Crisp to make a sliding catch .Miller fanned three of five batters, giving him 20 strikeouts in nine playoff innings this year. The lanky left-hander has allowed five hits over 17 1/3 scoreless innings in his postseason career.Tito did a masterfful job running that bullpen today, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.dddddddddddd They shut us down.Cleveland has won nine straight dating to the regular season.Napoli entered 2 for 18 this postseason and in an 0-for-25 slump against right-handers dating to the regular season. He opened the scoring with an RBI double off righty Marcus Stroman in the first -- Napolis long fly popped out of Bautistas glove before both the ball and Bautista bounced off the right-field wall.Bauer made it through only 21 pitches. Hed been pushed back two days to Game 3 after cutting his finger last week repairing one of the drones he enjoys flying as a hobby. He received 10 stitches and tried to pitch, but couldnt make it far without blood dripping from his hand.Trevor got a little leak, Kipnis said. A couple of us had seen the wound kind of inside and knew it was a possibility of happening. He can deal with the pain, but its getting something like that to close up. Its hard to do in a short amount of time.Its yet another injury problem for a Cleveland team that couldnt include ailing starting pitchers Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar on its ALCS roster.Even with the Indians up 3-0, their rotation for the rest of this series isnt a sure thing. Kluber is set to come back for Game 4 (and presumably a potential Game 7) on short rest, and lightly used rookie Ryan Merritt is lined up for Game 5.Michael Saunders homered early for Toronto. Ezequiel Carrera tripled leading off the fifth and scored on Ryan Goins grounder to tie it 2-all.Kipnis answered with a home run, his first hit of the series.Stroman took the loss after allowing four runs in 5 1/3 innings.Weve still got one more to get there, and its going to be tough, Kipnis said. We know these guys. Just kind of like the Boston series -- we dont want to wait around for them to figure it out. We want to get to them now.BLOOD WORKFrancona was Curt Schillings manager with Boston during the famous bloody-sock game against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.TRAINERS ROOMFrancona said Salazar (forearm) was progressing well after throwing to hitters Sunday night.MILLER TIMEMiller has struck out 20 of 33 batters in these playoffs and 30 of 60 in his postseason career.EXTRA EFFORTCleveland relievers have pitched at least 7 1/3 innings five times since Aug. 18, with the Indians winning four of those games.UP NEXTKluber has never started on three days rest in his major league career, but Francona said before Mondays game that was the plan for Game 4 if Bauer had problems with his finger. Toronto will start AL ERA leader Aaron Sanchez, who allowed six runs in 5 2/3 innings against Texas in Game 3 of the ALDS.---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys Store Jerseys From China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '