oint range), Calvin Hermanson (12 of 25), Kyle Clark (6 of 16) and Stefan Gonzalez (6 of 12) to have room for their long-range shooting.Landale is averaging 21.3 points on 75 perce

WASHINGTON -- For all the progress starter Francisco Liriano showed Friday night, a seventh-inning defensive meltdown cost the Pittsburgh Pirates against the Washington Nationals.The Pirates made two errors during that decisive inning that contributed to their 5-1 loss in the first game out of the All-Star break. A mistake by first baseman David Freese on a sacrifice bunt attempt and the combination of a wild by pitch by reliever Neftali Feliz and throwing blunder by catcher Eric Fryer gave the Nationals the breaks they needed.It all comes back to game awareness, manager Clint Hurdle said. We needed to handle it better.Liriano (5-9) lasted into the seventh inning, allowing three runs and five hits. He didnt surrender a hit for the first three innings but wasnt as sharp throughout as Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg (13-0), who allowed one run and three hits in eight innings.Hurdle said Liriano pitched a very competitive ballgame.I feel like the last three starts, Ive been getting better every start little by little, Liriano said. I just got to keep pitching, keep finding a way to get hitters to swing and miss. Try not to walk that many guys and get ahead in the count like I have these last couple of games.A walk and a single by Clint Robinson in the seventh ended Lirianos night and sparked Washingtons rally. Danny Espinosa scored on Strasburgs bunt and Freese failed to tag first to get an out.I threw to first, Feliz said through an interpreter. Unfortunately, the man wasnt on first and Espinosa got there. Its just something that happens.Felizs wild pitch allowed Robinson to go from second to third, and Fryers throwing error gave the Nationals their third run.I didnt even know where the ball went, said Robinson, who went 2 for 4 as a late starter at first base in place of Daniel Murphy. I had no idea where it was. (Third base coach Bob Henley) just said `Go ahead, so I went.Feliz then served up a two-run homer to Michael Taylor, the center fielders seventh of the season, as Washington broke the game open. Nationals manager Dusty Baker said the Pirates helped his team out with the errors, and Taylor made his aggressive at-bat count.It was just a good inning altogether, Taylor said. Danny with the big base-running. We capitalized on a couple mistakes they made.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RHP Ryan Vogelsong, who has been out since May 23 when he was hit by a pitch and suffered three facial fractures, threw six scoreless innings in a rehab start for Double-A Altoona. ... C Francisco Cervelli, who has been on the DL since June 11 with a broken bone in his wrist, doubled and singled in a rehab appearance with Triple-A Indianapolis.Nationals: Murphy said he felt tightness in his hamstring after sliding into second base during the All-Star Game on Tuesday. The team listed him as day-to-day but he wasnt sure if hed be able to play Saturday night. ... Baker said RHP Joe Ross continues to toss but remains on the DL with no definitive timeline.FATHERS DAYSThis is the Pirates fourth annual dads trip, and almost 20 fathers of people throughout the organization are taking part.Its an absolute blast for everybody, Hurdle said. Its kind of like revisiting Little League but backwards because then weve got to follow our fathers around and make sure they havent left stuff behind.UP NEXTPirates RHP Gerrit Cole (5-4, 2.77 ERA) returns from the DL and starts Saturday against Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (8-5, 3.01). 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DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action.Saint Marys coach Randy Bennett has a primary objective as he prepares his No. 15 Gaels for Sundays neutral-site game against UAB at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas.Defense, defense, defense, Bennett said. Were not super quick, so we need to be super sound.San Jose State beat St. Marys defenders off the dribble consistently in their game Tuesday, and the Gaels had trouble breaking away from the Spartans as result. The Gaels led 43-40 at halftime and were unable to take control until midway through the second half of their 81-64 victory at home.I dont think the starters played as well as they could defensively, Bennett said. We dont give up 40 points in a half very often. We need some good practice time.The Gaels (4-0) will get that practice time because they have five days between their last game against San Jose State and Sundays contest against UAB.UAB has the same chance to prepare, as it has not played since Tuesday either.UAB returns 11 of 12 players, including four of five starters, from last seasons 26-7 squad, which won the Conference USA regular-season title. The one departed player, Robert Brown, is significant, because he was the Blazers only first-team all-conference selection, but they still have plenty of talent.The one new element is Robert Ehsan, a UAB assistant last year who was elevated to head coach when Jerod Haase left to take the Stanford job.The Blazers (3-2) suffered a surprising home loss to Furman back on Nov. 14, and also lost to Kansas by 20 points in Kansas City, Mo., in their fourth game. The Blazers got behind 17-0 and 25-3 against the Jayhawks and were never in the game.I think the first six or seven minutes the environment overwhelmed us, Ehsan said on his postgame radio show.UAB bounced back from that loss to defeat George Washington the next day. The Blazeers started fast in that game, grabbing a 16-point lead in the first half before winning 81-74 on Tuesday.ddddddddddddComing out the way we did, I was very happy, Ehsan said. I wish we had come out like that yesterday.Much like Saint Marys, UAB has a low-post player whose work in the paint opens this up for perimeter shooters. The Blazers 6-foot-8 Chris Cokley is averaging 13.2 points on 58.7 percent shooting from the field, providing room to shoot for Dirk Williams (13.4 points per game, 48.8 percent 3-point shooting) and William Lee (10.2, 41.2 percent).He opens up the floor for our guards, UAB guard Deion Lavender said of Cokley We get him the ball early (and) they have to double him and start making adjustments. Its hard for big guys to contain him -- one-on-one -- on the blocks.For Saint Marys, 6-11 junior Jock Landale provides a similar inside threat, allowing Emmett Naar (4 of 8 from 3-point range), Calvin Hermanson (12 of 25), Kyle Clark (6 of 16) and Stefan Gonzalez (6 of 12) to have room for their long-range shooting.Landale is averaging 21.3 points on 75 percent shooting from the field and is a surprise to everyone except Bennett, who notes that Landale led the team in points per minute last season. But his minutes were limited last season when he played behind Dane Pineau, one of five starters who return from last seasons 29-6 Saint Marys squad.Pineau, a preseason all-conference selection, missed the San Jose State game with a recurrence of back spasms that have plagued him for the past several weeks. He will make the trip to Las Vegas and there is a pretty good chance hell play. Dislodging Landale from the starting lineup will be difficult, though. ' ' '