was John Daly at the 1991 PGA Championship or McIlroy four years ago after a week of r

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox return home from a nine-game road trip to face the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.The homecoming could not have arrived soon enough for the up-and-down White Sox (57-63). Manager Robin Venturas club is coming off an uninspiring 4-5 road trip, which concluded with a ninth-inning loss Thursday night to the rival Cleveland Indians.Definitely an empty feeling, White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon told the Chicago Sun-Times. All of us are playing hard, giving 100 percent. We are leaving it all out there and it just doesnt happen.Meanwhile, Oakland (52-69) has lost five consecutive games, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers earlier this week. The Athletics have scored two runs or fewer in seven of the last 13 games, and their minus-104 run differential is worst in the American League.With the postseason well out of reach, Oakland has turned its focus toward developing its young talent in the final stretch of the season. Earlier this week, the Athletics promoted infield prospect Chad Pinder from Triple-A Nashville. Pinder hit .258 with 14 home runs and 51 RBI in 107 games in the minor leagues this season and could see time at second base, shortstop and third base.He swings the bat well, has got some power, and we saw that in spring, Oakland manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com. Its great that he gets an opportunity.Right-hander James Shields (5-14, 5.78 ERA) will start for Chicago. The 34-year-old is mired in the worst statistical season of his career -- and one of the most bizarre seasons in the majors.In four starts from May 31 to June 18, Shields surrendered a mind-boggling 31 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings to go 1/3 with a 24.62 ERA. He recovered nicely in his next seven starts, during which time he posted a 2.11 ERA and limited hitters to a .215 batting average.Then the bottom fell out yet again. In his past three starts, opponents have rocked Shields for 21 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings. He is 1-2 with a 20.25 ERA during that span.Will Fridays start mark the start of another turnaround? Or yet another disastrous outing?Shields has fared well against the Athletics in his career. In 15 starts, he is 6-4 with a 3.82 ERA. He has not faced Oakland since 2014, when he went 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts as a member of the Kansas City Royals.For Oakland, right-hander Kendall Graveman (8-8, 4.37 ERA) will make his 24th start of the season. The 25-year-old Mississippi State alum is trending in a much better direction than Shields. He is 7-2 with a 3.83 ERA in his past 14 starts after opening the year 1-6 with a 5.36 ERA. However, Graveman gave up four runs in six innings to sustain the loss in his most recent outing Saturday against the Seattle Mariners.Graveman has faced the White Sox once in his career. He drew the loss after allowing two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings on April 7. White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu stung Graveman for a two-run home run in the sixth inning that day.Abreu will look to feast against Graveman once again Friday night. The White Sox slugger has hit safely in 13 of his 15 games in August, including six multiple-hit performances. Stefon Diggs Jersey Sales .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Custom Minnesota Vikings Jersey . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. http://www.fansvikingsteamstore.com/kirk-cousins-vikings-jersey.html . 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CARMEL, Ind. -- U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson doesnt care about the physics behind his new putter. Seeing more putts drop is enough for him.Johnson made two eagles in a span of seven holes, shot 31 on the back nine and set the course record at Crooked Stick on Friday with a 9-under 63 that gave him a share of the lead with Roberto Castro in the BMW Championship.Johnson didnt even know he set the course record until Tony Pancake, the golf director at Crooked Stick, congratulated him on the way to the clubhouse.I guess no one was ever better than 63, Johnson said with a shrug and a smile.Castro was the first player to reach 14-under 130 on the rain-softened course. He kept bogeys off his card, rolled in a pair of 30-foot putts and had another 65 in his last-minute bid to get to the Tour Championship at East Lake, just 15 minutes from his house.Castro is at No. 53 in the FedEx Cup, and only the top 30 make it to the FedEx Cup finale at East Lake for a shot at the $10 million bonus.Paul Casey, who had the 54-hole lead last week at the TPC Boston until finishing two shots behind Rory McIlroy, had a 66 and was three shots behind.Johnson has put together one of the most consistent years with 12 finishes in the top 10, along with victories in the U.S. Open and a World Golf Championship at Firestone. Even so, frustration began to set in when the putts stopped falling, so he switched to the TaylorMade Spider.I was just struggling to get the ball to come out on the line I was seeing, Johnson said. No matter what I did, how much I practiced, training aids, whatever. It just wasnt working. So just decided to switch it up.When asked about the physics involved, Johnson said, I dont go into that stuff -- as long as it goes where Im looking.That said, he did point out he took physics in high school. I got an `A, too, bud.Johnson already was virtually assured of being among the top five going into the Tour Championship, meaning he only has to win at East Lake to win the FedEx Cup. Along with what he described as 10 million reasons why he wants to win, other rewards are available. He already is regarded a favorite for PGA Tour player of the year, and he is likely to move ahead of Jason Day in the Vardon Trophy race for the lowest scoring average.ddddddddddddCastro opened a big lead early with three straight birdies on the front nine, and for the longest time, it looked as though no one could catch him.Johnson holed out a bunker shot for eagle on No. 9, narrowly missed a 45-foot eagle putt on the 11th hole and then surged into the lead. He made a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-3 13th, rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the next hole and then made an eagle putt from 25 feet on the 15th.Johnson has 11 victories on the PGA Tour, including a major and a three World Golf Championships.Castro has gone 125 starts on the PGA Tour without a victory, and he doesnt hit nearly as long as Johnson -- not many do. Crooked Stick is renowned for favoring big hitters, whether it was John Daly at the 1991 PGA Championship or McIlroy four years ago after a week of rain that made the course even longer.That didnt seem to faze Castro.Its a big course. It keeps your attention, which I think helps me, Castro said. I think if you look at the tour, it sure helps to be long. But the guy who is striping it usually wins. Couple of my best weeks have come on really long golf courses.J.B. Holmes, who finished 10th in the Ryder Cup standings and is in need of a captains pick to make his second U.S. team, shot 30 on the back nine and made a strong run at Castro until he was slowed by a bogey on the par-3 third hole and at the par-5 ninth. He wound up with a 65 and was four shots behind, along with Chris Kirk.Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson also needs a pick, and he delivered a 67 to at least get in the top 10.McIlroy stalled with three bogeys on his back nine for a 71. Jordan Spieth shot 72 with four bogeys and a double-bogey when he pulled a shot into the creek on the 14th. He bounced back with an eagle on the next hole, but there were too many mistakes. They were at 4-under 140, 10 shots out of the lead. Day, the world No. 1, joined them after a 67. ' ' '