Sonny Gray and the A’s beat the Texas Rangers Saturday night, 5-1. Sonny went 6.2, giving up one earned run, on seven hits with four walks and five strikeouts in the seriously hitters friendly Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, Tx. Sonny was bringin’ it 94-95 and the curve was really clicking, as usual. Would like to see him go deeper in games, but that should come as the season matriculates into August. Sonny threw 106 pitches, 66 for strikes, with 40 balls. Overall, nice performance by Sonny. The A’s hit four home runs Saturday night. They just do it all. They beat the Rangers again yesterday, 9-3, to move to 65-39 on the season, but still are only two up on the LA Angels. Angels playing good ball as well. They swept the Tigers over the weekend at home.  The A’s @ Houston tonight through Wednesday, then get a day off Thursday, before hosting the KC Royals over the weekend. Sonny on the hill Friday night at the O.Co. Coliseum vs Jeremy Guthrie of the Royals. Guthrie is 6-9 with a 4.70 ERA. In his last start against Cleveland on Saturday night, Guthrie went 5.2, gave up 10 hits, five earned,  with two walks and four K’s. The Royals won over the Indians, 7-5. He’s a righty. Sonny now 12-3 with a 2.65 ERA. He has issued 49 walks and struck out 121. Having a stellar year. Outstanding competitor on the hill. Sonny picked off Elvis Andrus at first Saturday night. He has a lightning fast move to first and he fields his position extremely well. Just having an amazing year as is his team. The Angels, after an off day today, are @ Baltimore tomorrow (Tuesday )- Thursday, then head to Tampa to face the Rays this weekend.

Mike Minor had a good afternoon on the hill for the most part yesterday and the Braves and Mike got a much needed victory over the San Diego Padres, 8-3. Mike moved to 4-6 with a 5.23 ERA, going 6.2, like Sonny, giving up eight hits, three earned, with one walk and six K’s. Good walks to strikeouts numbers. He did give up a couple of long ones, but overall battled hard, and got the job done. Mike threw 110 pitches, 70 for strikes with 40 balls. Justin Upton and Chris Johnson both had two-run doubles for the Braves, which took two of three over the weekend from the Pods.  Braves now 57-48, a game and a half behind the NL East leading Washington Nationals. The Braves do play the Padres again  today with the game on right now. Ervin Santana on the hill for the Braves. He’s 9-6 with a 3.85 ERA. He’ll face Jason Lane of the Pods, who has only pitched 4.1 innings this season and gave up a hit with no walks and four K’s. He’s usually a relief pitcher, but the Padres are going to start him.

Braves go to the LA Dodgers tomorrow (Tuesday) through Thursday, with a classic Thursday night as Julio Teheran (10-6, 2.71, 31 walks, 132 K’s) of the Braves  faces the seemingly indomitable Clayton Kershaw (12-2, 1.76 ERA,15 walks, 141 K’s) of the Dodgers. Kershaw pitched a complete game shutout over the Giants Saturday night at San Francisco, going nine, giving up three hits, no runs with one walk and seven K’s. Should be a classic. Maybe the Braves can do enough to get it done. Start time is 10:10 PM ET on SportsSouth (9:10 PM CT). Might have to stay up for that one. Mike on the hill Friday night @ San Diego and Eric Stults (3-13, 5.32). Stults took the loss yesterday against Mike. Mike now has issued 27 walks and struck out 86.  Good numbers. He has given up 16 homers. The situation with Mike is much  like the one with Dave Price, who has given up 20 long ones this season. They’re both so accurate that hitters are expecting strikes and can guess right sometimes on what pitch is going to be thrown. Still, David is all-world, and Mike had a good day yesterday, and is a very good pitcher. I’ll take their strike throwing all day. That’s where it all starts on the mound, and both of those guys have that down. Washington Nationals @ the surprising Marlins today through Wednesday, and then host the Phillies from Thursday to Sunday.The Marlins are 51-53 and very competitive. Braves could possibly get ahead this week.

Pedro Alvarez and the Pirates won yesterday, 7-5, in a much needed victory over the Colorado Rockies, after they had been crushed by the Rockies at Coors Field in Denver the first two nights of the series. Pedro was one for four, and committed his 23rd throwing error of the sesaon. He’s a really good third baseman, just having confidence issues right now with his throws to first. It was a big win for the Bucs though. They needed it. Pirates are three back of the NL Central leading Milwaukee Brewers, which are @ 59-47. Bucs @ 55-49. St. Louis Cards in second @ 56-49. The Brewers lost to the Mets yesterday, 2-0, and the Cardinals beat the Cubs, 1-0. Pirates @ San Francisco tonight through Wednesday, then go to Arizona for a four game set beginning Thursday. The Brewers are actually @ the Rays tonight through Wednesday. The Rays could help their own cause, and the Bucs cause, if they can at least take two of three from the Brew Crew and maybe sweep’em. Dave Price on the hill Wednesday for the Rays vs. Yovani Gallardo (5-5, 3.57, 34 walks, 100 K’s) of the Brewers. David now 11-7 with a 3.08 ERA with 21 walks and a major league leading 183 strikeouts. Phenomenal. Need another epic from David on Wednesday with first pitch at 12:10 PM ET/ 11:10 AM CT. Rays need to focus on highly used, but very true cliche one game at a time to keep gaining ground. After the loss  to Boston yesterday, the Rays are seven and a half back of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East, and 4.5 back in the American League wild card; behind second place Toronto. They really need to keep playing well. They HAVE to. Lost a tough one to the Sox, 3-2, at Tropicana Field in Tampa yesterday. “Big Papi” hit a three run shot for the Sox. The Braves are tied with the Giants for first place in the NL wild card and the Pirates are 1.5 back.

Brandt Snedeker finished tied 25th at the RBC Canadian Open yesterday. Brandt  shot a 69 yesterday, -1, on the Par 70 Royal Montreal course. Brandt had a good tournament shooting 69-69-67-69, Thursday through Sunday, and finished six under. Tim Clark won it with eight one putts and a 30 on the back side, to shoot a 65 and claim a one shot victory over Jim Furyk. He sank a clutch 16 footer on 17 for birdie when his playing Furyk, who was one back at the time, had six feet for his birdie. Then Clark sank a six footer for par on 18, to finish -17, and win it. But I like the way Brandt played. I imagine Butch Harmon is keeping it simple in his coaching with Brandt. Harmon is a fantastic coach, and Brandt is a quick study, and already has a terrific game, so maybe this week at the World Golf Championships- Bridgestone Invitational Brandt will put it all together. Brandt now 83rd in the Fed Ex Cup Standings and 27th in the Ryder Cup Standings. Needs a good week this week at Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio, and next at the PGA at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville. Great tournament this week with a fantastic field. Next week of course is totally epic.

Luke List finished tied for 24h yesterday at the Midwest Classic in Overland, Kansas on the Web.com tour. For new readers, the Web.com tour is the Triple A of professional golf. Luke is now at No.111 on the 25 money list. The top 25 money winners automatically qualify for the PGA next year. He will play at the Stonebrae Classic in Hayward, Caly, this week. Luke needs a good week this week to gain a lot of ground. Luke shot 70-66-69-71, to finish -8 on the Par 71. Zack Sucher, who played at the University of Alabama @Birmingham, shot -19 to win it. Wow, you’ve got to go off to win these things. You do on the big tour as well. Doesn’t get any easier that’s for sure. Jon Curran is now No.7 on the 25 after missing the cut this past weekend. He is not playing this week. Jon’s been struggling lately, so maybe a week off with practice will help him gain his earlier season form when he won in Brazil. There will be four more regular season tournaments  on the tour, which will give Luke four more chances to get in the 25 with Jon, and at least get in the top 75 to make the Web.com playoffs which start August 28th @ the Hotel Fitness Championship in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Luke playing well right now though. This could be his week at the Stonebrae.

Brandt will play this weekend at the Bridgestone at the Firestone Course, then next week, of course, at the PGA, then the following week at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina. Brandt won the Wyndham n 2007, his rookie year, a year  in which he was the rookie of the year on tour. He always plays well there. I expect a good three weeks from Brandt as he postures himself for the Fed Ex Playoffs and the Ryder Cup, and starts winning himself some tourneys!

Nothing on that four-star running back who visited this weekend Ke’Shawn Vaughn. 247 sports has crystal balled him to Vanderbilt. Seven writers on their staff did, so hopefully Ke’Shawn pops soon.  Looks like a special running back. Maybe we made a good impression with that five star defensive end, Byron Cowart, too. He’s the number one player in the country by Rivals.com and the No. 3 player by 247. Might as well get’em both.

Also, the Chicago Bears are crankin in camp right now. Expect a big year for Jay and the Bears with the addition of some key players on defense, particularly all-world defensive end Jared Allen. Jared has brutalized the Bears offense for years as a Minnesota Vikings and is a constant All-Pro. Incredible player. Maybe he and some others can give defensive coordinator Mel Tucker what he needs to have a big season on defense. The offense will be exceptional. Tucker’s defense was destroyed by injuries last year. We’ve beefed back up the defense and have guys back healthy. I’ll be interested to watch our linebackers this August and see how they develop. We’ll have the awesome Lance Briggs back, but some other guys need to step it up. Jay, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery, Matellus Bennett, Matt Forte and a strong o line will have the offense clicking under the terrific play calling of coach Marc Trestman. Looking for a big year from the Monsters of the Midway.

Preseason opens a week from Friday, August 8th, @ 8 PM ET/7 CT @ Soldier Field, as the Bears host Jordan Matthews and the high flying Philadelphia Eagles. TV only in Chicago for this one, but I have a package I bought on my computer that allows me to watch all the preseason games, so will have a report. Would love to see JMatt have an excellent game for the Eagles. Have mixed emotions about this one. Bears have been my team for a while, but JMatt is one of my all time favorites along with Jay. I’ll pull for the Bears, but hope JMatt has a huge game and the Eagles have an excellent season. The Bears open the season Sunday, Sept. 7th,  @ home against the Buffalo Bills @ 1 PM ET/noon CT on FOX.