Offtopic/fun » Cup squad early after coming down with

CHICAGO -- Clayton Kershaws playoff renaissance is over, at least for this year. The Los Angeles Dodgers ace flopped at a big moment -- again.Kershaws postseason resume took another hit in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series, finishing off the reeling Dodgers. The Chicago Cubs battered the three-time Cy Young Award winner on their way to a 5-0 victory Saturday night, making it 28 years and counting since the Dodgers last won the World Series.This day is never fun, the ending of a season, Kershaw said. You look back and think about the whole season as a whole. Its tough to swallow tonight, obviously, but Id rather be in this position and fail than not to get to be in this situation at all.Kershaw could have started Game 5 on three days rest, but manager Dave Roberts decided to save him for Saturday night at Wrigley Field. Roberts was hoping a couple more days would help Kershaw duplicate his performance from Game 2, when he pitched seven innings of two-hit ball in a 1-0 victory.The decision worked out quite well -- for the Cubs. After winning a pair of shutouts in Games 2 and 3, the Dodgers dropped the next two by a combined score of 18-6. Even the great Kershaw was unable to slow Chicagos momentum, and Roberts first season as Dodgers manager ended in disappointment.The left-hander allowed four earned runs and seven hits while dropping to 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA in 18 playoff games.I think that the first thing I saw is the Cubs hitters, they had a great game plan tonight, Roberts said. And there was a couple mistake sliders that they took advantage of. But they were running counts, they used the whole field, and there was traffic all night for Clayton. And he gave it everything he had, but when they did -- when he did make a mistake, they made him pay.Dexter Fowler hit a ground-rule double on Kershaws third pitch of the night, and the Cubs were off and running. Kris Bryant followed with an RBI single. Then left fielder Andrew Toles dropped Anthony Rizzos fly ball to the gap in left-center, setting up Ben Zobrists sacrifice fly.It was the first time Kershaw had given up two runs in the first inning all season. He was limited to 21 starts this year due to a back injury.You get out of that first inning and you give up two, you feel like you have a chance maybe, Kershaw said. They just kept tacking on runs. I gave up some two-out hits and some homers and some two-strike hits -- just a lot of things that you cant do in a game like this.Fowler added a two-out RBI single in the second, rookie Willson Contreras hit a leadoff drive in the fourth and Anthony Rizzo connected in the fifth. Rizzo became the first lefty batter to homer against Kershaw since Daniel Murphy for the New York Mets in Game 4 of their 2015 Division Series.It was the first time Kershaw had allowed two homers in a game since April 9 at San Francisco. That was it for Roberts, who hit for his star pitcher in the sixth.We have asked a lot of Clayton all year long, so, again, its just more of you got to give those hitters credit, Roberts said.While Kershaw struggled against the Cubs, the Dodgers were shut down by Kyle Hendricks and Aroldis Chapman. Los Angeles managed just two hits and four baserunners, with none of them advancing past first.Chicago became the first team to face the minimum in a postseason game since Don Larsens perfect game for the New York Yankees in the 1956 World Series.We had a 2-1 lead with two games at home and it didnt go the way we thought it would go, Los Angeles center fielder Joc Pederson said. We didnt take care of business. We made some mistakes, all of us.Roberts managed the Dodgers to their fourth straight NL West title after taking over for Don Mattingly. But injuries to Scott Kazmir, Brandon McCarthy, Brett Anderson and Hyun-Jin Ryu hurt rotation depth.Kenta Maeda, who won 16 games during his rookie season, struggled in the playoffs, and 20-year-old Julio Urias was knocked out in the fourth inning of his first postseason start in Game 4 on Wednesday night.Los Angeles went with three starters in the Division Series against Washington and Kershaw pitched three times, including a two-out save in the clinching Game 5. When he stepped up again in his first start in the NLCS, it looked as if he might be on the verge of a postseason breakthrough.But his turnaround came to a screeching halt on a cool night in the Windy City. He dropped to 1/3 with a 6.28 ERA in five career starts with the Dodgers facing postseason elimination, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Its only going to make him stronger for the years coming on, Pederson said. Hes had some trouble with his back and overcame it and came and helped us win the division and get past the NLDS. We wouldnt be here without him. Hell be stronger for next year.---Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap Henrik Borgstrom Panthers Jersey . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months. Colton Sceviour Jersey . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline.com/customized/ . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. Mark Pysyk Panthers Jersey . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. Vincent Trocheck Jersey . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans.VANCOUVER -- The good times kept rolling Monday for Camilo and the rest of the Vancouver Whitecaps. Camilo was named to the MLS All-Star team that will meet Italys AS Roma on July 31 in Kansas City. The 24-year-old Brazilian striker earned his first MLS all-star game selection. Peter Vermes, the MLS all-star squads coach, chose Camilo, who struggled to get into Vancouvers lineup earlier this season, among players who rounded out the roster after fan voting. Camilo refused to take sole credit for his selection. "Its very important, but not just for me," said Camilo after a practice at the University of British Columbia on Monday. "It just means the club is playing very well. The team is playing good soccer, and its very important." Camilo, who is in his third season with the Whitecaps and leads the league in scoring with 12 goals, was also named MLS player of the week for the second time this season. The honours came a day after he scored two goals in Vancouvers 3-1 victory over the Chicago Fire. He has scored nine goals in his past seven games and helped the Whitecaps move from also-ran status into third place in the Western Conference. The Whitecaps are also the only MLS club that is unbeaten at home, sporting a 7-0-3 mark at B.C. Place Stadium. Camilo said he has been able to shine because the Whitecaps have placed more emphasis on the attack in recent weeks. "Thats why we score a lot of goals, because we are more free, we attack more (and) we have more chances," he said. Vancouver players have earned player-of-the-week honours in four of the past five weeks. Coach Martin Rennie said Camilo is just one of many Whitecaps who are excelling these days. "Weve got a lot of players in good form," said Rennie. "But, certainly, Camilos in great goal-scoring form at the moment." Rennie attributed Camilos success to better fitness after he was hampered by a thigh injury much of last season, a more defined role, and opportunities to play with fellow striker Kenny Miller upon his return from injury. "(Camilo) has rewarded us all with his performances and his goals," said Rennie. "When players are scoring (consistently), that makes such a difference to the team." Camilo has now surpassed the career-high 10 goals he scored as a rookie in 2011 and the seven markers he produced in 2012. Goalkeeper Brad Knightonn called Camilos all-star game selection "fantastic, not only for him but for the club.dddddddddddd" He suggested Camilo would have received a major snub if he had not been chosen. "The leading goal-scorer in the league, obviously, he deserves to be there. ... Hes been tremendous for us," said Knighton. "Hes been a huge catalyst to where we are right now." Meanwhile, Knighton apologized to teammates and fans for angrily leaving the pitch quickly Sunday after the Whitecaps surrendered a goal in the dying seconds of their win over Chicago. "Its frustrating for me, because you obviously want clean sheets, but wins are more important than clean sheets," said Knighton. "I want to apologize to our guys for storming off and leaving them on the field, and apologize to our fans because, obviously, we have a reputation. Our fans are our biggest supporters, and our organization is trying to be one of the best in the world, and to have stuff like that going on, its not good." Knighton vowed that such antics would never happen again. Rennie said it was good for him to take responsibility for his actions, but understood his frustration, adding no goalkeeper should be happy allowing a goal. Heading into next Saturdays game in Los Angeles, the Whitecaps are 7-0-3 in their past 10 games. Some players will spend this week attempting to get back in the lineup as they battle health woes. Midfielder Russell Teibert, who was forced to return early from international duty with Canadas Gold Cup squad early after coming down with an illness, took part in Mondays practice, which was optional for players who toiled against Chicago. Teibert went to hospital for tests, but did not stay over night, while with the Canadian team in Seattle. The 20-year-old Niagara Falls, Ont., native was sniffling after the workout with the Caps, but expected to be able to play against the Galaxy. "Im still a little bit sick, obviously, but I turned the corner," said Teibert. "Im getting better day by day." Note--Rennie said he hopes injured central defender Andy OBrien (hamstring) can resume full training this week. The coach did not rule him out of the game against the Galaxy. OBrien went through rehabilitation on the pitch Monday. ... Miller and Knighton were the other Whitecaps who have taken home MLS player of the week awards. ' ' '