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PITTSBURGH -- The Milwaukee Brewers invested $50 million on Matt Garza three years ago to be their staff ace. Theyve been rewarded with 15 victories since then, just one this season.The Pittsburgh Pirates, never one to throw money around, are paying left-hander Francisco Liriano $13 million to be their staff ace this season. Theyve been rewarded with only five victories, and just one in his last nine starts dating to May 24.The NL Central rival Brewers and Pirates wrap up the first of their five series over the second half of the season Thursday, when two of the majors most disappointing starting pitchers match up only 10 days before the trading deadline.The Brewers, of course, would love to see Garza pitch well -- something hes done infrequently while going 15-25 overall since signing his big contract. And not just to benefit them on the field.Garza, 32, has pitched so little this season due to a lat problem that landed him on the 60-day disabled list -- and pitched so ineffectively when hes been on the mound -- that hes significantly reduced his value. If they could swing a deal, the Brewers no doubt would pay much of the money still due Garza through the end of the 2017 season.Garza has made only one quality start in six games, and the Brewers are 1-5 in those -- including a 5-4 loss Friday at Cincinnati in which he gave up four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings. Opposing hitters are batting .328 against the right-hander.Lirianos struggles are more pronounced because he has been in the Pirates rotation all season, making 19 starts. But hes lasted at least six innings only once since June 11 -- during a 5-1 loss in Washington on Friday.And the problems he developed early in the season with his mechanics, and with throwing strikes, arent going away.Once the protege of Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage, Liriano and Searage havent seemed to be on the same page as Lirianos uneven first half of the season has carried over into the second half. And with the Pirates searching for a reliable starting rotation down the stretch -- theyd probably like to add a starter -- it becomes even more important for them to get Liriano untracked.Im more focused on throwing strikes right now, not thinking about the hitters and whether they can put the ball in play or not, Liriano said after the Nationals loss, in which he walked at least three for the ninth time in 10 starts. Im just making sure Im executing pitches and throwing everything down in the zone.Each team will be looking for a series win Thursday following the Pirates 3-2 win on Tuesday and the Brewers 9-5 decision on Wednesday, when Jonathan Lucroy drove in three runs and Scooter Gennett and Chris Carter had two RBI each.Every time those guys came up, they were in RBI situations. What you want in your lineup is for the first two guys to set up your big run producers, and Brauny and Luc came through, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said.Pirates starter Jeff Locke and four relievers aided the Brewers offense by combining to walk nine.He (Locke) will be the first to tell you he walked too many guys -- when you walk guys and they get a big hit, that can hurt you in a hurry, Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer said.The Brewers kept the pressure on the Pirates by twice executing double steals, one involving leadoff hitter Jonathan Villar, who reached base four straight times on two singles and two walks.Well pick spots to run and try to capture bases, and just push it and keep pressure (on), Counsell said.Thats a strategy theyll try to employ Thursday against Liriano, who has lost his last three decisions at PNC Park. Custom Nike Philadelphia Phillies Jerseys . 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TAMPA, Fla. -- Dawn Coe-Jones, the Canadian Golf Hall of Famer who won three times on the LPGA Tour, died Saturday after an eight-month battle with cancer. She was 56.Fellow former Canadian LPGA Tour player Gail Graham, Golf Canada and The Legends Tour said Saturday that Coe-Jones died at a hospice near her home in Tampa. She was diagnosed with bone cancer this year.Dawn was a great competitor and role model for over 25 years on the LPGA Tour, Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Sandra Post said. Her happy and positive attitude toward life will be missed by all that knew her.From Lake Cowichan, British Columbia, Coe-Jones played on the LPGA Tour from 1984 to 2008. She won more than $3.3 million and had 44 career top-10 finishes.Dawn touched so many people, said Graham, who played alongside Coe-Jones at Lamar University and on the LPGA Tour. She was always the one who worried about others.Coe-Jones won LPGA Tours 1992 Womens Kemper Open, 1994 LPGA Palm Beach Classic and 1995 Tournament of Champions. She also won the 1983 Canadian Womens Amateur.On behalf of the entire golf community we are deeply saddened by the passing of Dawn Coe-Jones, Golf Canada CEO Scott Simmons said in a statement. Dawn was a tenacious competitor, a mentor and friend to so many of her peers and a proud ambassador for Canadian golf throughout her distinguished career. As we mourn her passing and send our most sincere condolences to family and friends, the golf and sport community come together in celebrating her outstanding legacy.Coe-Jones was inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame in 2003.`I was totally caught off guard, Coe-Jones said at the time. `In fact, I had to make sure someone wasnt playing a trick on me. I am just thrilled and proud to be included in such good company.Canadian mens star Mike Weir tweeted that Coe-Jones was a great player & competittor & wonderful lady!Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam also tweeted about Coe-Jones.ddddddddddddFormer LPGA Tour player A.J. Eathorne posted a photo collage of her and Coe-Jones on her Instagram account.A very sad day today as we say good bye to our dear friend Dawn Coe Jones, the caption read. One of the most caring and wonderful women I have ever met. I am so lucky to have got to spend so many great times with her and her family. Love you always Miss Dawn.Coe-Jones was diagnosed in mid-March with dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma that required full knee and partial tibia replacement surgery.The LPGA Legends are heartbroken about the loss of our great friend, Dawn, who fought a valiant fight over the past few months against a rare form of sarcoma, said Jane Blalock, CEO of The Legends Tour. Dawn was truly a player and a person admired, respected and loved by all of us who had the fortune to know and play alongside her. This is indeed, a very sad day.During the Dawn Coe-Jones Golf Classic in Tampa on Oct. 14, a golf fundraiser for sarcoma research, Coe-Jones was honored as the recipient of the 2016 Colleen Walker Spirit Award. The award is presented each year to recognize a Legends Tour Player who best exemplifies Walkers spirit, courage and love of the game. A nine-time LPGA Tour winner, Walker died of cancer in December 2012.Growing up in Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island, she worked as a teenager at March Meadows Golf Course in Honeymoon Bay.I drove an old Ford tractor, cutting grass and raking bunkers by hand, she recalled in an interview with Golf Canada magazine. We didnt have the equipment theyve got now.She is survived by husband James Edward Jones, son Jimmy Jones, and brothers Mark and John Coe. ' ' '