Only for Guild Members » Theres a lot of parity in this field

ATLANTA -- A long rain delay and extra innings tested the Washington Nationals mental and physical strength. Kasperi Kapanen Jersey . Matt Williams said he was impressed his NL East-leading team finally found a way to win. Wilson Ramos bases-loaded single sparked Washingtons three-run 11th inning, and the Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 on Saturday night. The start of the game was delayed by 3 hours, 41 minutes, and the final out wasnt recorded until Sunday at 2:29 a.m. "Considering all that happened today and the way we had to fight through the last couple of days, it was pretty good for us," Williams said. "We fought all the way." It was the Braves ninth loss in 10 games. The Nationals increased their lead in the division over Atlanta to 4 1/2 games. Anthony Rendon and Adam LaRoche led off the 11th with singles against David Carpenter (4-2). After left fielder Justin Upton made a leaping catch of Ian Desmonds liner, James Russell walked Bryce Harper to load the bases. Ramos then drove in Rendon with a single up the middle off Anthony Vavaro, Atlantas third pitcher of the inning. Devin Frandsens double to right field drove in two runs to make it 4-1. Ramos was initially ruled safe at home on the play, but the call was overturned following a replay challenge by Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. Tyler Clippard (7-2) pitched a scoreless 10th inning, and Rafael Soriano got three outs for his 26th save in 30 chances. The Braves, who snapped an eight-game losing streak Friday night with a 7-6 win over the Nationals, were frustrated by leaving 11 runners on base. More offensive struggles wasted a strong start by Aaron Harang, who allowed one run in seven innings. "Its tough, especially against a team that we know were trying to make up ground on," Harang said. LaRoches homer in the sixth gave Washington a 1-0 lead, but the Braves tied it in the bottom half. Washingtons Tanner Roark and Harang opened with five scoreless innings before LaRoche led off the sixth with his 16th homer. The Braves settled for one run after loading the bases with no outs in the sixth. Tommy La Stella scored on Jason Heywards broken-bat fly ball to shallow centre field. Roark also lasted seven innings, allowing one run, six hits and three walks. BOOS FOR BRYCE Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, booed consistently by Braves fans, might have tried to send a message back to the fans by scraping his cleat over the Atlanta "A" carved into the dirt behind the batters box, as if trying to scuff it. Fans responded with more boos. SPAN THE MAN Denard Spans fifth-inning triple gave him a 13-game hitting streak. He has reached base in 35 consecutive games, a streak that began on June 28. ALUMNI SOFTBALL Newly inducted Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, and Chipper Jones were among the former Braves players who played in a legends softball game. Jones, wearing shorts and striped socks, homered in his first at-bat. Maddux settled for a double. John Rocker and Ryan Klesko were among other players to easily clear the short fence for homers. TRAINERS ROOM Nationals: Right fielder Jayson Werth was scratched from the lineup as he continues to be slowed by a sore right ankle and right shoulder. He walked as a pinch-hitter in the 11th and should start on Sunday night, according to Williams. ... Outfielder Steven Souza, who hurt his shoulder in a collision with the right-field wall and left Fridays game, entered as a pinch-runner for Werth. Braves: Shortstop Andrelton Simmons sprained left ankle is improving. Gonzalez said Simmons might play by Tuesday. Simmons was no longer wearing a soft cast, but had the ankle wrapped. ... Right-hander Shae Simmons, on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain since July 27, said he "felt really good today" throwing in the outfield. He still hasnt thrown off a mound. UP NEXT Nationals: Left-hander Gio Gonzalez will try to end a streak of four straight losses in his last five starts at Turner Field on Sunday night. He won his first two career starts in Atlanta before a long string of bad luck. Gonzalez has received one run of support in each of his last five starts in Atlanta. Braves: Left-hander Alex Wood will look for his first win since July 20. Wood is 0-2 in his last three starts, dropping him to 7-9 with a 3.20 ERA for the season. Wood is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA in two starts against Washington this season. Leo Komarov Jersey .com) - Former New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya is joining the Major League Baseball Players Association staff as a senior advisor to executive director Tony Clark. Matt Martin Jersey .com) - Klay Thompson is quickly proving he is worth every penny of his recently signed four-year contract extension. http://www.leafsauthority.com/customized/ . - Quarterback Brady Quinn says he has been released by the Miami Dolphins. LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- The owners of California Chrome are putting all their hopes into the chestnut colt to win the Kentucky Derby. After all, hes the only horse they own. California Chrome, based at lesser-known Los Alamitos racetrack in suburban Los Angeles, is the early 5-2 favourite for Saturdays 140th Derby with good reason. He has won four straight races by a combined 24 1/4 lengths under Victor Espinoza, who won the Derby in 2002 with War Emblem. "Hes so light on his feet," Espinoza said. "He just does things so easy and makes my job easy." California Chromes owners, Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, are no Kentucky blue bloods. Theyre a couple of working stiffs who live near Reno, Nevada. A trainer called them "dumb asses" for getting into the racing game, inspiring the duo to put the letters DAP on their silks, which stands for Dumb Ass Partners. "Were going to go down in history," Coburn predicted. California Chrome is the product of an $8,000 mare and a $2,500 stallion. Hes earned more than $1 million already, making it somewhat easier for Coburn and Martin to turn down a pre-Derby offer of $6 million for a 51 per cent stake in the horse. "Weve been blessed with this colt," Coburn said. "The first time we saw him, we knew it was going to be something special." If their tale seems improbable, well, its happened before at Churchill Downs. Mine That Bird, a 50-1 shot owned and trained by two guys from New Mexico mocked as cowboys, pulled off the stunning upset in the 2009 Derby. At 77, Art Sherman, who oversees California Chrome, would be the oldest trainer to win. His colt would be the first California-bred to wear the garland of red roses in 52 years. "Hes feeling good and hes doing good," Sherman said. "Hes coming up to this race right." Rosie Napravnik wants to grab history, too. No female jockey has won the Derby, although she came closest -- fifth last year. Napravnik will ride 20-1 shot Vicars In Trouble. Her husband, Joe Sharp, works closely with the Louisiana-bred colt as assistant to trainer Mike Maker. "The story wouldd almost be too good if we won it," she said. Garret Sparks Jersey. Wicked Strong is the early 6-1 second choice. The colt is named for the victims of last years Boston Marathon bombings and is trained by Jimmy Jerkens, who has his first Derby horse. Trainer Todd Pletcher has four horses in the Derby -- Danza and Intense Holiday are both 8-1 while his other two are longer shots, 30-1 Vinceremos and 50-1 We Miss Artie. Danza is named for "Taxi" actor Tony Danza, who planned to attend the Derby. Maker will saddle three horses, all long shots. Besides Vicars In Trouble, he has 15-1 General a Rod and 50-1 Harrys Holiday. "When those gates open, anything can happen," Maker said. Three-time Derby winner Bob Baffert is down to 20-1 shot Chitu after being forced to scratch early second favourite Hoppertunity because of a minor foot problem. "California Chrome has proven hes a really good horse," Baffert said, adding, "Theres a lot of parity in this field. Everybody might have a chance." Getting the ideal trip in the 1 1/4-mile Derby is important, especially with the traffic from 19 horses making a chaotic charge into the first turn. Jockeys want to avoid anything that would prevent their horse from getting into rhythm, like being bumped, cut off or blocked. Sherman believes the key is the first 70 yards. "You want to get out and get yourself some position," he said. Trainer Steve Asmussen takes a shot with Tapiture, who started three times at Churchill Downs as a 2-year-old. Asmussen is under investigation by Kentucky and New York racing officials after an animal rights group alleged he and his former assistant mistreated horses in their care. The forecast calls for sunny skies and a high of 73 degrees, with a crowd of at least 140,000 expected. Keep an eye on jockey Calvin Borel. He and 15-1 shot Ride On Curlin will break from the No. 18 spot in the starting gate. Borel will try to hustle the colt over to his favourite path on the track -- the rail. The rider nicknamed "Bo-rail" for his fence-skimming rides has three Derby wins in the last seven years. 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