CINCINNATI -- The Atlanta Braves were hoping for a spark when they fired manager Fredi Gonzalez on May 17 and named Brian Snitker interim skipper. Things got better, but in truth they couldnt have gotten much worse after an 11-28 start. Under Snitker, the Braves went 23-32, but still reside in last place in the National League East.Atlanta is looking to get back on track Monday when it begins a three-game series against another last-place club with a manager on the hot seat -- Bryan Price and the Cincinnati Reds. The teams split a four-game series at Turner Field in June.One of the key components in the Reds rebuilding effort -- left-hander Brandon Finnegan -- will start the series opener. Its his second career start against the Braves.Finnegan was singled out by Price as being among the young pitchers the Reds want to limit innings in the second half. The left-hander, who was acquired last July from the Kansas City Royals in the Johnny Cueto trade, has tossed 101 1/3 innings already this season over 18 starts. His nine quality starts are tied with Dan Straily for the team lead.On Monday, Finnegan will be looking for a little good fortune after three times being the victim of a blown save, tying him for most on the staff. He also was the starter when the Cubs Jake Arrieta no-hit Cincinnati on April 21.Atlanta will counter with right-hander Matt Wisler who defeated the Reds on June 16 when he allowed two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings in a 7-2 win at Turner Field. Wisler is 4-8 with a 4.47 ERA in 18 appearances including 17 starts.The Reds, who took the series from Milwaukee with a 1-0 walk-off victory on Sunday, have been working with a thin bench, with second baseman Brandon Phillips out with a strained calf muscle. Outfielder Kyle Waldrop was recalled from Triple-A on Sunday to give them another able bat.Phillips was out of the lineup again on Sunday, but he is likely to return for the opener against Atlanta.Hes better than he was the day before, said Price of Phillips. Hopefully, hell be ready tomorrow. Its essentially a three-man bench. (Waldrop) did a nice job off the bench for us his last time here. You know I dont like for young players to come up here and sit on the bench for more than 10 to 14 days before getting back to getting regular at-bats.The Braves also won 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday when Chase dArnaud drove in the winning run with a single.The Braves bullpen struggled Friday and Saturday, but did the job Sunday, as four relievers combined to pitch two shutout innings.The first series back from a break is always kind of tricky, said Jim Johnson, the last of the Braves relievers Sunday and the winning pitcher. Guys are usually in rhythm and then you have all those days off. I think it was more kind of being out of sync for some of us. You saw the wild pitches the first two games and some uncharacteristic walks for some guys, myself included. Thats an excuse, but we need to just focus on doing our jobs and throwing competitive pitches. Andrew Desjardins Blackhawks Jersey . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Scott Darling Blackhawks Jersey . LOUIS -- St. http://www.blackhawkshockeyjerseys.us/Brent-Seabrook-Blackhawks-Jersey/ . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Pierre Pilote Jersey . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. Erik Gustafsson Jersey . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays hope a return home will revive their sputtering offense.It might not be easy, however, against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.Tampa Bay will send out Jake Odorizzi in the opener of the three-game series at Rogers Centre.The right-hander has matched the club record with three consecutive scoreless starts. He has not allowed a run in 20 2/3 innings, one-third of a frame short of the teams season-best string set by Alex Colome.Its nice to have the results to go with the stuff, Odorizzi said. From a confidence standpoint, when pitchers have good stuff, see good results, the confidence goes through the roof.The Blue Jays are returning from a 4-3 road trip against the Houston Astros and the Kansas City Royals.They returned from a winning trip without much hitting. After the Royals took the rubber match of the three-game series 7-1 on Sunday, the Blue Jays were outscored 19-17 over the seven games and batted .138 with runners in scoring position.They have failed to score more than four runs in a game since July 30 when they plated nine against the Baltimore Orioles, who beat the Chicago White Sox 10-2 Sunday to take a one-game lead over the Blue Jays (63-49) in the American League East.Today was a little bit frustrating, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said after his team hit just six singles. We really havent been swinging it good since that last homestand. Weve been kind of in a little rut, so were due to explode.There are 162 games, its baseball and its hard to be hot for 162, said Marcus Stroman, who allowed three runs in five innings to take the loss Sunday. Our guys are some of the best hitters in the league, were aware of that, and the drought is not going to last. Its just one of those spurts and Im sure theyll break out soon.The Rays lost 6-3 Sunday to the Minnesota Twins to complete a 6-4 homestand that included a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees.They are 11-11 since the All -Star break but at 45-65 overall are well removed froom postseason contention.dddddddddddd They have been pitching well, however, and have allowed three runs or fewer in 11 of their past 13 games.The Rays are undergoing a rebuilding process and before the deadline for trades without waivers last Monday, they traded left-hander Matt Moore, outfielder Brandon Guyer and utility player Steve Pearce.Third baseman Evan Longoria, who is accustomed to playing on Tampa Bay team that contended and reached the World Series in 2008, longs to return to a contenders status.Im ready to win, Longoria told the Tampa Times. I hate sitting around watching all my friends go out and do that. I do believe we can be a contender here again. It takes a lot. It takes a lot. And we have to believe that from the top down.... Personally you get spoiled going to the playoffs so often (four times in six years) and just expecting that it is going to happen again. ... I want to go back. And I want us to do everything possible to give ourselves the best chance to do that.Odorizzi (6-5, 3.70 ERA), who will face knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (8-12, 4.49 ERA) on Monday, allowed two hits and two walks over six innings Wednesday in a 12-0 win against Kansas City.He is 3-2 with a 3.33 ERA in nine career starts against the Blue Jays, In three starts against them this season, Odorizzi is 1-0 with a 2.04 ERA. He has made five career starts at Rogers Centre, going 2-2 with a 5.27 ERA.Dickey is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA two starts against the Rays this season. In his career, he is 8-9 with a 4.33 ERA against Tampa Bay in 24 games, including 20 starts.The Rogers Centre has not been kind to Dickey this season. He is 2-8 with a 5.40 ERA this season and has allowed 15 of his 26 homers there this season.The last time the teams met, the Rays swept a three-game series at Rogers Centre May 16-18 and scored 31 runs, a club record for a three-game series. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '