Gallerie » Ducks could go with a three-guard lineup early in the seaso

CHICAGO -- One day after being yanked from a game for not hustling, Alex Rios busted out big slump in a big way. Rios hit a grand slam, drove in five runs and had three hits to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 10-6 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. Rios had been in a 2-for-20 slump before going 3-for-5. Rios, who also ended a homerless drought of 120 at-bats, insisted that his big day had nothing to do with being pulled from the game on Friday. "I go about my business the same way every day," he said. "It doesnt matter what happens the night before or whatever. I try to do the same things every day and I try to perform my best. "I felt a little better today. I felt like I was seeing the ball better. When you see the ball better, its because youve done some mechanical adjustments." Rios and White Sox manager Robin Ventura disagreed on whether the benching was necessary, but they were on the same page in believing it didnt have any carry-over effect. "The other day he was 6-for-6 and there was nothing going on there," Ventura said referring to Rios performance at Detroit on July 9. "Hes just a good player and he had a good day. He came up at the right time. "He hit a grand slam and had some big hits to help us win. I dont think it had anything to do with last night." Either way, Rios slam turned around what appeared to be another lacklustre White Sox game into their 10th win in 32 games. Jake Peavy (7-4), making his first start since June 4 because of a fracture rib, got off to a shaky start. He allowed a two-run homer to Dan Uggla in the second inning and two more runs in the third. But he shut down the Braves during his final three innings. He allowed seven hits in six innings, and just two of the four runs charged to him were earned. "I probably came out of the gate a little too fast because I was excited," Peavy said. "I had a little extra adrenaline, but the feel wasnt there. I was able to pull the reins back a little toward the middle and get my feel back a little bit to where I was throwing the ball more consistently to where I wanted it. "The boys picked me up today. The team came back and Alex got a big hit. It was a fun day." Braves starter Paul Maholm (9-9) was forced out in the fourth inning because of a sprained left wrist. He was staked to a 4-0 lead but couldnt hold it. He allowed seven runs and seven hits in three-plus innings. "It flared up on him in the fourth inning," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said of the injury. "He did it in Miami his last start when he was hitting. In the fourth it flared up on him a little bit and we didnt want to take any more chances. "We got him out of there as soon as we saw something." The soft-tossing left-hander started struggling with his location after retiring six of the first seven batters he faced. But the first five batters in the third inning got on, capped by Rios grand slam that gave the White Sox a 5-4 lead. Rios 12th homer of the season ended a power drought of 120 at-bats. During the White Sox 6-4 loss to the Braves on Friday, Rios hit what appeared to be a routine double-play grounder in the fifth inning. Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons bobbled the ball, and Rios likely would have beaten the throw to first, but he didnt run hard out of the box. Instead of a run scoring, the White Sox were out of the inning. Ventura removed Rios in the seventh. Before Saturdays game, Rios admitted he was wrong for not running hard. He said it was caused mostly by frustration, and added that he wished Ventura had handled it differently. "(The message) would have gone through better if he put me in his office and talked to me personally," he said. "If he wants to make a statement for the team, it probably worked." On Saturday, the Sox followed their five-run third with a four-run fourth to break the game open. Chicagos latest struggles are a reason both Rios and Peavy have been involved in rumours as the July 31 trade deadline approaches. "With trade rumours, I dont like to speak about them because theyre just rumours," Rios said. "Until it happens, Ill just stick to the idea that theyre just rumours. When they happen, we can talk about it." NOTES: Braves RHP Brandon Beachy, recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2012, pitched five innings to get the win in a minor league rehab start on Friday. "He threw the ball really well," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "The report after the game was its the best hes felt in a while." . Braves LHP Mike Minor (9-4) faces LHP Jose Quintana (4-2) in the series finale on Sunday. Fake USA Soccer Jerseys . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. USA Soccer Shirts . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. USA Soccer Jerseys 2020 . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. Wholesale USA Soccer Jerseys . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. Oregon coach Dana Altman is preparing his team for the high expectations that have come with last seasons success.Oregon won a school-record 31 games while claiming the Pac-12 regular-season and tournament titles. The Ducks earned a first-ever No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and they advanced to Elite Eight for the first time since 2007.The Ducks finished the season ranked No. 5 in the nation and theyre likely to be high in the APs preseason poll. Oregon was already selected to finish atop the league in the Pac-12s annual media poll for the first time in school history.I think its something that our guys will have to learn to adjust how hard people are going to come after them. Not only within the league, but the projections on a national scale. Well have our non-conference opponents fired up to play against us, Altman said about the expectations. So, it will be an adjustment our team will have to make. Im interested to see how theyll handle it.Guard Tyler Dorsey, who averaged 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds in 35 starts as a freshman last season, said the key will be preparation.We have to take one game at a time, be mentally prepared and focus on the opponent were going to play that night, and just come in prepared, Dorsey said. We are going to have a target on our back, so we have to be ready.The Ducks are certainly in good shape to handle the pressure. They return four of five starters from last seasons team, including junior forward Dillon Brooks, who led the team with 16.7 points per game. The only regular starter to graduate was Elgin Cook.I like our depth, Altman said. So those are the kind of things that can help you meet expectations because even if one or two players is off, we have players that have the ability to step up.FEET AT THE FOREFRONT: Brooks is expected to misss a few games at the start of the season following offseason foot surgery.dddddddddddd Hes champing at the bit, Altman said. Hes ready to go. If it were up to him, hed be practicing right now. But well listen to the doctors.The Ducks expect to have senior guard Dylan Ennis, who missed all but two games last season because of a stress fracture in his left foot. The NCAA approved his waiver for an extra year of eligibility this summer. A transfer from Villanova prior to last season, Ennis had already used a redshirt year.GOING SMALL: Because of Brooks absence, the Ducks could go with a three-guard lineup early in the season, Altman said. But I think our guys will look at that as a challenge. Weve got good depth at the guard spots, and I think those guys will look at that as a challenge to pick up the areas that Dillon would generally do, he said.HIGH PRAISE: Arizona coach Sean Miller was complimentary of the Ducks at the Pac-12s media day in San Francisco earlier this month.There is no question with who they have returning and Dana as a coach and the success they had one year ago. We have gone through that. When you get to that level in March, you are hungry to return and get a lot of confidence. I think Oregon has all the pieces to be one of college basketballs brightest teams this year, Miller said.TOUGH NONCONFERENCE SCHEDULE: Oregon opens the season at home against Army on Nov. 11, then plays Baylor (ranked No. 21 at the end of last season) and Valparaiso before heading off to the Maui Invitational, where the Ducks join a field that includes North Carolina (No. 3 last season), Wisconsin, UConn, Georgetown, Tennessee, Oklahoma State and host Chaminade. ' ' '