tside edge and hit middle stump.Joe Root stood tall, on 53 from 98 ball

DENVER -- The newcomer helped out his fellow rookie. Christian Yelich went 3 for 4 with two RBIs in his major league debut and impressive rookie Jose Fernandez tossed seven strong innings, lifting the Miami Marlins to a 4-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night. Yelich, one of Miamis top prospects, became just the third Marlins player to have three or more hits in his career debut. His third single of the night, though, almost earned him a spot on the bench. After all, his manager, Mike Redmond, didnt want Yelich breaking his mark. Redmond was 3 for 3 with a homer in his big league debut with the Marlins in 1998. "When he got that third hit, I was like, Theres no way this guy can top me," Redmond said, laughing. Yelich began his career in fine fashion, too, with a single to right in the first inning. This sort of start was better than he couldve envisioned. "You can think about it and dream about it all you want, but going out there and actually living it and being able to be a part of something like this is pretty special and something Ill never forget," Yelich said. Hes taking away mementos, too: a baseball to commemorate his first hit and another in recognition of his inaugural RBI, a single to centre in the third. "Went up there and just tried to stay within myself," Yelich explained. "To go out and do that and for us to get a W is a special night." Fernandez continued to shine in his rookie season. Making his first start since appearing in the All-Star game, Fernandez (6-5) baffled the Rockies all evening as he pitched out of several jams and limited one of the leagues top-hitting teams to five hits and two runs. He also struck out eight. "I went out there and felt great," Fernandez said. Giancarlo Stanton provided some insurance with a solo homer in the eighth and Adeiny Hechavarria had an RBI double for the Marlins, who have taken two straight in the four-game series against Colorado. Jhoulys Chacin (9-5) was hit in the upper left thigh by a line drive early, but stayed in the game. He pitched seven solid innings, allowing three runs and eight hits. "It didnt affect me or anything," he said of the line drive. "Hopefully its not going to be that bad." Fernandez started out of the dugout to begin the eighth, only to be called back when the Rockies sent up a pinch hitter. The Marlins countered with reliever Mike Dunn, who tossed a perfect inning. Steve Cishek closed out the ninth for his 19th save in 21 chances, getting Todd Helton to pop out to end the game. Helton hit a solo homer to give the Rockies an early lead and Carlos Gonzalez brought in another run on a groundout. That was all the offence the Rockies could manage against Fernandez, a pitcher they had only heard about until Tuesday. Fernandez relied on a nasty curve time and time again to bail him out of potential trouble. Fernandezs only mistake was leaving a 94-mph fastball up to Helton, who lined it over the wall in right. "Im thinking, This guy, hes kind of old," Fernandez said. "I know he can hit. So maybe I have a shot to blow it by him? I blew it by him -- into the second deck. Sorry about that." The Rockies received quite a scare in the third when Hechavarrias two-out liner appeared to catch Chacin in the upper left thigh, sending the right-hander tumbling to the dirt. Chacin got back up, paced around the mound for a moment, threw a few warm-up tosses and then motioned he was all right. Chacin couldnt escape the inning unscathed as Hechavarria, who was credited with a single, stole second and scored on Yelichs single to centre. "They gave me a lead. I know its only one run, but I feel like I have to do my job and I feel like I didnt do my job by keeping the lead," Chacin said. In addition to Yelich, Jake Marisnick also made his big league debut, but wound up hitless in four plate appearances. Both Marisnick and Yelich were called up from Double-A Jacksonville on Tuesday. "Jake and I were watching the game last night on TV and we knew we were coming here at that point," Yelich said. "We were saying, Hey man, were going to be playing on that field." NOTES: Stanton is the only other Marlins player to have three hits in his career debut, going 3 for 5 on June, 8, 2010, at Philadelphia. ... Chacin has held opponents to three or fewer earned runs in 14 of his 19 starts this season. Boston Bruins Jerseys . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. Torey Krug Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.thebostonbruinshockey.com/sean-kuraly-hockey-jersey/ .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. John Moore Jersey . -- 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. Milan Lucic Bruins Jersey . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. CHICAGO -- The T-shirt in the window of a shop on Damen Avenue elicited plenty of nervous laughs from Cubs fans before Game 4.It read: If We Lose, Its Rigged.While its unlikely that line from GOP candidate Donald Trumps stump speech will catch on in a deep-blue, Democratic stronghold like Chicago, Clevelands 7-2 win Saturday night left more than a few of those fans were grasping at straws.How could a team that had five starters picked and seven players total at the All-Star game find itself on the brink of elimination? How could a team that won a major league-leading 103 times in the regular season turn around and hit .204 -- 50 points lower -- in the biggest games?Heres how: Third baseman Kris Bryant, last seasons Rookie of the Year and the front-runner for the NLs Most Valuable Player Award this season, is batting just .071. Shortstop Addison Russell, who collected 21 home runs and 95 RBI in the regular season, has two total bases in the four games. Javier Baez, who tore through the Giants and Dodgers pitching staffs in both the division and championship series, is at .118.Small wonder the Indians have won as many World Series games in two nights at Wrigley as the Cubs have in total since the ballpark opened more than a century ago.Its just been abnormal in some ways, Chicago manager Joe Maddon said afterward. But theyve been pitching great. ...We just need that offensive epiphany somehow to get us pushing in the right direction. And if we do that, he added a moment later, based on what they have left pitching-wise, I kind of like our chances.Try telling that to fans whove waited 71 years just to see a World Series game in their hometown, never mind the 108 years since their beloved Cubbies actually won it all. Then again, plenty of them believe they saw it coming.Behind the old ballpark on Waveland Avenue, the limousines and town cars were lined up and idling in the bottom of the eighth. It didnt help that Cub fans were again done in by one of their own. Just an inning earlier, Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis, who grew up in suburban Northbrook -- and went to the same high school as Steve Bartman -- put the game out of reach with a three-run home run, then pointed to his family in the stands.I did, I knew where they weree sitting and I saw the red towel, Kipnis said, nearly blushing, so I knew where to look.ddddddddddddendors, meanwhile, were fast changing their pitch. One selling Cubs-themed floppy hats had already begin hawking them as warm-weather gear instead of historic souvenirs. Stay warm, look cool, wear them for Halloween, he yelled.If you want to scare Cubs fans, sure.Anne Riecken, 92, was being wheeled out of the park by her daughter trying to beat the rush. She stopped long enough to register her displeasure.I dont know why I though this year was going to be different, she said. But I guess its enough we finally made it back.She thought about it, then added quickly, Last night I was so mad about the way they were hitting I would have kicked some of them in the shins.Considering the lack of success most of the moves Maddon has made have registered in that department, it might have been as good a suggestion as any. As she headed for a waiting gold cart to shuttle her back to the familys car, Riecken was asked whether shed lost faith in the teams unofficial motto, Wait `Til Next Year.I dont think Im going to be around next year, she replied with smile and a rueful laugh.But John Hurley, with his 5-year-old son in tow, vowed to return if the Cubs made it back. Both wore Cubs caps and matching oversized, black-rimmed glasses, a style made popular around town by the late Harry Caray, the teams legendary announcer. John Hurley grew up here, but lives in California now.Just another year of being a Cub fan, I guess, Hurley said. But dont call me `disappointed. This is progress and its historic. And if they get back, and this team is more than good enough to do it, well definitely come back.Of course, he starts kindergarten next year so Im not sure well be able to do this for a whole week again. Or maybe well just pull him out of school, he laughed. I guess well cross that bridge when we get there.Right now, he said, brightening, were just concentrating on tomorrow night.Theyre not alone.---Jim Litke is a sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and https://Twitter.com/JimLitke . ' ' '