Plauderwelten » old Ko is bidding for a second LPGA Tour tit

LOS ANGELES -- Don Mattingly had enough confidence to keep Chris Withrow on the mound with one out in the eighth inning after he walked the bases loaded. It paid off against two of the toughest outs in the majors. Withrow struck out Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki to escape the jam and help preserve a 6-3 victory for Paul Maholm and the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night. "Obviously, you dont like to see the bases loaded with those guys coming up," Maholm said. "But youve got confidence in Chris because with the stuff he has, he can strike out anybody and get out of anything he gets himself into." Withrow, a first-round draft pick by the Dodgers in 2007, relieved Maholm with a 5-2 lead and walked the bases loaded. But Gonzalez, who has hit 15 homers against the Dodgers since the start of the 2010 season, fanned on a 1-2 pitch and Tulowitzki whiffed on a 2-2 delivery. "Thats a perfect situation for me and Tulo to change the game, but it didnt happen tonight," Gonzalez said. Adrian Gonzalez homered for the third straight game and Matt Kemp also went deep in support of Maholm (1-2). The left-hander threw 84 pitches over seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits in his fourth start with the defending NL West champions. "Everything was working," Maholm said. "I was able to throw breaking balls for strikes. I fell behind some guys, but I was confident enough in my sinker to throw it behind in the count and get some groundballs. I felt way more in rhythm today than I have in any other outing." Maholm, a veteran left-hander who signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract as a free agent in February, had lost his previous seven decisions against the Rockies and was 1-8 with a 6.63 ERA in 10 career starts against them. "I cant tell you I was the most confident person going to the mound, knowing my history against them," Maholm said. "But I havent faced them in a few years, and I think Ive changed as a pitcher since then. Besides, I wasnt pitching in Colorado, so you just go out there, try to get ahead and get groundballs." Yasiel Puig added an insurance run in the ninth with a ground-rule double, and Kenley Jansen got three outs for his ninth save after Brian Wilson walked the first two batters in the ninth -- one of whom scored on a bases-loaded groundout by Charlie Culberson. Juan Nicasio (2-1) gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings for Colorado. The Dodgers grabbed a 3-1 lead with three runs in the third, capped by Kemps towering drive to right field that barely cleared Brandon Barnes outstretched glove as he made a leaping try. Kemp initially thought he was robbed of a homer -- as did the crowd of 45,241 -- until Barnes opened his empty glove. A relieved Kemp then continued his jog around the bases with a huge grin after his second homer in 52 at-bats since the pair he hit against San Franciscos Matt Cain on April 6 at Dodger Stadium. "I thought he caught the ball. Then I saw him slam his glove on the ground and that showed me that he didnt, so I was happy about that," Kemp said. Puig added a two-out RBI single in the fourth -- the first time this season that hes driven in runs in back-to-back games after his home run and RBI single Friday night. Gonzalez led off the fifth with his 1,500th career hit, an opposite-field homer to left that gave the Dodgers a 5-2 lead. The Rockies opened the scoring in the third on Barnes two-out RBI single. Colorado got another run in the fifth on Justin Morneaus RBI single, following a double to centre by Wilin Rosario that Kemp lost in the twilight. But second baseman Gordon kept the damage to a minimum when he robbed DJ LeMahieu of a single up the middle with a diving play and started an inning-ending double play with a backhanded flip to shortstop Justin Turner. NOTES: Ramirez left the game because of a bruised right thumb. X-rays were negative. ... Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw will throw another bullpen session Monday, following the 56-pitch minor league rehab start he had on Friday night with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga. Mattingly would prefer one more rehab start for the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who hasnt pitched since the season opener on March 22 in Australia because of a muscle strain in his upper back. "I know our medical staff does. Im not sure if Kersh buys into that," Mattingly said. "Theres been a small debate going on, but I dont want to be a part of the debate. Well just see how his pen goes, and go from there. He felt good today. He said he felt like he didnt even pitch." ... 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TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie tweeted that its believed the Flames are working towards a new contract with the defenceman. http://www.cheapunderarmouraustralia.com/ . - Jerome Verrier scored the winner 8:24 into overtime and Louis-Phillip Guindon stopped 46 shots as the Drummondville Voltigeurs edged the host Val-dOr Foreurs 4-3 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action. Under Armour Shoes Cheap . There will be no Down Under four-peat for Djokovic, as the eighth-seeded Swiss slugger Wawrinka outlasted the second seed 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 9-7 at Melbourne Parks Rod Laver Arena in yet another five-set thriller in their burgeoning rivalry. Under Armour Sale Australia . Earnshaw, 31, most recently spent time on loan in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv from Welsh club Cardiff City, which plays in Englands second-tier League Championship. Earnshaw began his career with Cardiff Citys youth program and turned professional in 1998.SYLVANIA, Ohio -- Laura Diaz almost chose to walk away from golf to spend more time at home with her family. Now shes making the decision to juggle both jobs seem like a shrewd move. "I love being a mom; its the greatest thing in the world," she said after following a 9-under 62 with a solid 69 on Friday to maintain a three-shot lead through 36 holes at the Marathon Classic. "Its hard for me when I have to choose. So I made a list. My family is first, and then golf comes second and we work everything out in between." Chasing her first win since 2002, Diaz is at 11-under 131, three shots ahead of Lee-Anne Pace and Lydia Ko. Diaz led by four shots over Pace and Austin Ernst after the first round. She was pleased her game was sturdy enough to hang on to the lead despite being in the heat of contention for the first time in several years. "It was just a challenge because I havent been in this position in a very long time," Diaz said. "For sure, I havent had cameras on me in a long time." So she took the opportunity to say hello to her kids -- 8-year-old son Cooper and 4-year-old daughter Lilly. "(The cameras) get in my face and I dont really know what to do," she said. "I said, Hi, kiddos. I love you. That kind of stuff." She made sure the cameras stuck around with her strong play down the stretch. After a nine-birdie, no-bogey effort in the first round, she showed signs of faltering early on Friday. She had her first bogey of the tournament on the sixth hole to fall back into a tie with Pace and Ko, but then regained her touch after getting par on the next six holes. Starting at the 13th, she birdied four of the next six, including the par-5 closing hole. Diaz was a rising star early in her career, winning twice in 2002 and playing on four Solheim Cup teams. After she married Kevin Diaz, she found that she liked being a wife and mother more than travelling the world playing golf. She hasnt been in the top 20 of a toournament since 2010.dddddddddddd. Before the season she was torn between coming out on tour and staying home so as not to miss any of the daily routine. In the end, she decided to keep playing. "(It was) knowing that I could manage being a mom and play. I think thats something Ive struggled with, for, well eight years," she said. "When I only had one (child) I think I got to a point where I was OK. But with two youve got twice as much to get done. Pace, a South African who is an alum of the University of Tulsa, is looking for a breakthrough win on American soil. After a 68, she couldnt contain herself. "Im very happy about (my) position," said Pace, who has won eight times on the Ladies European Tour. "I would like to be in contention on the weekend. Thats when the fun starts, right?" The 17-year-old Ko is bidding for a second LPGA Tour title as a pro to go with the two she won as an amateur. She shot a second consecutive 67, turning in 1 under and then posting three birdies on the inward nine. The key, she said, was to keep her emotions in check. "I try and be calm. You know, thats what you have to do," she said, sounding far older than a rookie. "Being overly happy or overly angry, thats not going to help me." Lurking another shot back at 135 are 2012 Marathon winner So Yeon Ryu and Rebecca Lee-Bentham, both of whom shot 67s. Ryu was grouped with U.S. Open winner Michelle Wie and last weeks Womens British Open champion Mo Martin. A large gallery followed the threesome. "It was really great to be playing with the two major champions," Ryu said. "I felt like I was one of the other major champions." Brittany Lang had the days low round (66) and was at 136 along with Kayla Mortellaro. Cristie Kerr (67) led the pack of six golfers at 137. Defending champ Beatriz Recari of Spain followed a 70 with a 68 and was at 138 along with Martin, who shot a 71. Wie missed the cut by seven strokes. ' ' '