Conn starting five set the tone -- Auriemma has varied the s

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers roughed their old teammate, Zack Greinke, handing the right-hander his first loss at Miller Park. Carlos Gomez hit a go-ahead two-run double, Jonathan Lucroy tied a career high with three hits and five Milwaukee relievers combined for five scoreless innings as the Brewers beat Greinke and the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 Tuesday night. Mike Fiers (1-2), Michael Gonzalez, John Axford, Brandon Kintzler and Jim Henderson pitched Milwaukee to only its fourth victory in its last 19 games by allowing four singles. Henderson threw the ninth for his ninth save, striking out pinch-hitter Scott Van Slyke with runners on first and second. "When the bullpen comes together like that and shuts those guys out for the rest of the game, even though their record isnt that great, thats a good hitting team," said Fiers, who got out of a bases-loaded jam with one out in the fourth. "We definitely did a great job coming out of the pen." Greinke (2-1), making his second start since returning from a broken left collarbone, gave up season highs of nine hits, five earned runs and three walks in four-plus innings against his former team. The right-hander, traded by the Brewers to the Los Angeles Angels last July 27 before signing with the Dodgers in the off-season, had won his first 15 decisions in Milwaukee. "I didnt think about it at all," Greinke said. "Everything was bad, not just command. Just no feel out there, no adjustments to be made. Started out bad. I got out of some jams early but never really got better." Greinke gave up four runs in the fourth by allowing hits to the first five batters. Jean Segura led off with a triple over the head of right fielder Andre Ethier and came home to tie the score at 2-2 on a single by Ryan Braun. Singles by Aramis Ramirez and Lucroy loaded the bases for Gomez, who gave Milwaukee a 4-2 lead with a ground-rule double over the left field wall. "Zacks a great teammate," Gomez said. "I faced him when he was in Kansas City and he really had my number. So we had that conversation (when Milwaukee was in Los Angeles at the end of April) and I said, I want to face you, now. And he said, all right, but Im going to do the same. Im going to strike you out. He probably laughed at my first at-bat (a strikeout). But I continued to look for good pitches to hit. He threw me one and I hit a double." Matt Guerrier replaced Greinke and gave up a run-scoring grounder to Yuniesky Betancourt that increased the lead to 5-2. Milwaukees rally ended when Gomez was picked off third by Guerrier before Jeff Bianchi was caught stealing second. Brewers starter Hiram Burgos lasted only 3 1-3 innings, as the rookie right-hander gave up two earned runs, six hits, four walks and struck out three. "It sure would be nice to get into the seventh inning with some of our starters," said Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke. "Our pitch count is going up way too fast. He got himself into trouble but made some pitches to get out of it." Lucroys two-out single in the first gave Milwaukee a 1-0 lead. Los Angeles went ahead in the fourth on run-scoring singles by Greinke and Nick Punto. However, the Dodgers left 14 runners on base, including nine in the first five innings, to lose for the seventh time in their last eight road games. "Thats really kind of been the story as far as our offence has been concerned," Los Angeles manager Don Mattingly said. "We had the right people up in the right spots. We had our chances. We just werent able to do it." NOTES: All 10 of the Dodgers hits were singles. . Milwaukee won for just the second time in its last nine home games. ... Greinke was 25-9 in 1 1/2 seasons with the Brewers. ... The Dodgers were trying to win consecutive road games for just the third time this season. ... Home plate umpire Wally Bell warned both benches when Ronald Belisario threw behind Lucroys back in the seventh. In the top of the inning, Ethier was hit in the elbow on a pitch from Axford. ... Matt Kemp, from Midwest City, Okla., will donate $1,000 to the Oklahoma tornado relief fund for every homer he hits through the All-Star break.Air Max 1 Sale UK . -- On the field, it was business as usual for Jameis Winston and No. Nike Air Max 1 UK Sale . Jay Feely kicked a 41-yard field goal in overtime, and the Cardinals edged the Tennessee Titans 37-34 in overtime after blowing a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter. http://www.cheapukairmax1.com/ . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Air Max 1 Cheap UK . Brandon Morrow allowed five runs on six hits over three innings. He struck out two, walked one and hit a batter. Edwin Encarnacion had a two-out, bases loaded two-RBI double in the third inning. Air Max 1 UK . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club.BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- You dont think of Diana Taurasi as the sentimental type -- or at least thats not something she shows externally. But the greeting from the fans in Connecticut, the all-Huskies starting lineup, the crisp and familiar way they played together ... that prompted some thoughts from the warm and fuzzy side.You know, I walked out to shoot before the game, and they were going crazy, Taurasi said after scoring 14 points to lead the U.S. Olympic womens basketball team to an 83-43 exhibition victory over Canada on Friday. And it just makes you think, Its such a special place to play basketball. Because they never forget you.Now, before you non-UConn fans -- especially those who favor an Orange hue -- get your gag reflex tripped, try to pull back the lens and really see the big picture here. So much has been written about Geno Auriemmas program and its 11 NCAA titles, the success of former Huskies in the WNBA, the massive UConn presence and influence on the U.S. national team.And, again, if youre not a UConn follower, you might feel that you overdosed on all this years ago. Understandable. UConn has won the last four national championships. There were six Huskies on the 2012 Olympic team, and there are five on this years squad for the Rio de Janeiro Games. Auriemma has been the national team coach for two editions of the world championship, and will soon preside over his second Olympics.Yet if you are fan of the unique nature of the emotional bonds that sports creates between those who play/coach and those who watch, then this remains a compelling story, regardless of how often its told. Not just because its about excellence, but because it encompasses so many stars of different backgrounds and personalities who have competitive natures that are so much in alignment.It is pretty incredible, said Sue Bird, who started Friday along with fellow guard Taurasi, Breanna Stewart at center, and Maya Moore and Tina Charles at forward. Youre talking about some of the best basketball players in the world. Yes, they happen to come from the same program. A coincidence? I dont think so. But I dont think its anything to necessarily hate on.No, its not -- although some people still will do that. Its part of sports; we get it. But Tennessee grad Tamika Catchings -- like Taurasi and Bird, shes on her fourth Olympic team -- appreciated the vibe from the crowd lauding both its long-ago and recent Huskies superstars.Its awesome, Catchings said. Being here with the UConn [fans], being in Delaware with [Elena] Delle Donne on Wednesday with her crowd ... we go to college, we get four years to experience that, and then we go to our WNBA teams. And its a little bit different.But whenever we come close to where our schools are, the fans show out. And having games in these two cities -- and Madison Square Garden, I think, will be great on Sunday -- its great to have our fans here who supported us through college.Catchings said she ddid spy a little orange in the crowd, too, at Webster Bank Arena.ddddddddddddHey, we had a couple of Tennessee people in here, she said, chuckling. I said, Oh, you guys have to be brave wearing these orange shirts in here. But its all for a good cause.Indeed, its the cause that the best American womens basketball players have been devoted to for quite a long time now. During halftime of Fridays game, two members of the 1996 Olympic team -- Dawn Staley, now a U.S. assistant to Auriemma, and Lisa Leslie, who was doing television commentary -- were announced on court and received a standing ovation.The fans here were well aware of their USA Basketball history: how the 1996 team trained together on a months-long tour and then took Atlanta by storm, winning the first of what now is five consecutive gold medals.That appreciation of contributors to Olympic glory fits with the mindset that Taurasi was talking about of not forgetting. And when you think about it, thats particularly important to cultivate in womens sports, which is generally less-covered and less-celebrated.You could also say this: Huskies players -- at UConn and long after -- regularly deliver the goods. Friday, the whole U.S. team did that. Auriemma wanted a better effort than the United States had in beating the U.S. select team Monday in Los Angeles and France on Wednesday in Delaware. He got it.The UConn starting five set the tone -- Auriemma has varied the starters over the three exhibition games and probably will again Sunday -- and the Americans were in crush-mode the rest of the way. Canada never got anything going offensively.The UConn player for the Maple Leaf side, rising junior Kia Nurse, had a particularly tough night, going 0-for-3 from the field and being held scoreless. Nurse was part of the Canadian team that beat a Stewart-led U.S. squad in the Pam Am Games final last year, but there was none of that Friday.Nurse, who is coming back from surgery for a sports hernia, said that today was not a good day in regard to how she performed. But she brightened up when asked about the crowd.Connecticut is a basketball state, Nurse said. Its a great atmosphere to play in.There was another link between Fridays game and how it usually feels at Huskies games: It wasnt exactly a nail-biter. UConn fans are used to blowouts, where the action on court is appreciated, but doesnt really produce much of a rush.Thus, affection, not adrenaline, is what the crowd mostly experienced. Thats OK, though, because this entire team is worth that. And to this part of the country, especially, Fridays starting five was perfect.It really is just a different level of family, Taurasi said. Theres just so many layers. And you dont understand the layers until you leave. As Ive gotten older, Ive kept it closer to my heart every day a little bit more. ' ' '