Gästebereich » that.Trotz, speaking after Mondays practice, w

PITTSBURGH -- With the Chicago Cubs supposedly fine-tuning things for postseason form, ace Jake Arrieta was roughed up by the Pittsburgh Pirates in an 8-4 loss Wednesday night.Pirates first baseman John Jaso hit for the cycle and Arrieta (18-8) gave up seven runs and 10 hits -- both season-highs -- in five innings. But manager Joe Maddon said there isnt cause for concern that the Cubs starter wont be able to right the ship come October.That was probably the best strike-throwing I have seen out of him, Maddon said. He was throwing very well. Up until the home run by Jaso, theres just a couple singles to the opposite field. That was it. Then, the last inning kind of got away from us too. But he wasnt that bad today. None of it made sense to me.The Pirates hit three consecutive doubles to score three runs in the sixth inning and Jasos three-run home run in the fifth did the majority of the damage.It felt like a spring training game from the get-go, just wasnt crisp and didnt have much working, Arrieta (18-8) said. Thats about it.The Cubs havent made a plan yet for when Arrieta will pitch next. He is not scheduled to make another start this season. Arrieta said it doesnt matter to him when he pitches next, hes just focused on the postseason.Were moving on, he said. I dont like giving up seven runs. Im (mad) about that. but moving forward, everything is fine. . Ill throw sides up here, and whoever I face in the first round, theyre going to be in trouble.Jasos triple in the seventh inning gave him the first cycle in the 16-year history of PNC Park.The triple off reliever Pedro Strop clinched the Pirates first cycle since 2004. The last Pirate to hit for the cycle was Daryle Ward on May 26, 2004, in St. Louis. The last Pirates home cycle was by Jason Kendall on May 19, 2000, against the Cardinals at Three Rivers Stadium.Jaso isnt exactly a typical candidate for the cycle. He has neither prodigious power nor speed, as he hit just his seventh home run and third triple of the season. Jaso didnt even realize what had happened until he had already performed the feat.It didnt really dawn on me until I was standing on the base, he said. I was looking at (third base coach Rick) Sofield and it finally just hit me.Against Arrieta, Jaso singled in the second inning, hit a three-run home run in the fourth and doubled in the fifth.Its just a great memory to have, Jaso said. You dont really want to take this blessing for granted being here.Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-4) allowed one hit and struck out four in six innings.Chicagos Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer, his 32nd of the season.OH, CANADAThe Pirates announced that they will play a two-game preseason series in Montreal against the Toronto Blue Jays March 31 and April 1, 2017. The Pirates havent played in Montreal since 2013.TRAINING ROOMCubs: OF Chris Coghlan left the game with a mild left ankle sprain. He ran into the wall in left field attempting to catch a fly ball in the fifth inning. . Maddon expects OF Jorge Soler (right side) to be able to play this weekend.Pirates: After being officially eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday, the Pirates will shut injured reliever Neftali Feliz down for the season, and will be backing away from C Francisco Cervelli, according to manager Clint Hurdle. Cervelli had hamate surgery in July and has dealt with several minor injuries all year. . OF Gregory Polanco did not play with a stiff neck. He had previously missed three games with a facial contusion following a collision with the wall in left field.UP NEXTCubs: Rob Zastryzny (1-0, 0.79 ERA) will make his first career start. In seven career appearances, his longest outing is 3 2/3 innings. Zastryzny started 14 games for Triple-A Iowa this season with a 7-3 record and a 4.22 ERA.Pirates: Ivan Nova (12-8, 4.37 ERA) has lost two straight starts after winning his first five decisions with the Pirates since coming over from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline. He has given up 11 runs (nine earned) and 18 hits over seven innings in his last two starts. Baltimore Orioles Shirts . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Baltimore Orioles Gear . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. https://www.cheaporioles.com/ . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. Stitched Orioles Jerseys .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. Custom Baltimore Orioles Jerseys . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. WASHINGTON -- Rookie coach Jared Bednar brings a high-scoring Colorado Avalanche team in search of its third straight win to Washington on Tuesday night to face the Capitals.Bednar, named the head coach on Aug. 25 after Patrick Roys unexpected resignation, watched the Avalanche (2-0) began their four-game road trip with a 4-3 overtime win at Pittsburgh on Monday night.Gabriel Landeskogs power-play goal tied it with 6:32 left in regulation and he won it when he batted home a deflected Nathan MacKinnon shot 22 seconds into overtime.Jerome Iginla and Patrick Wiercioch added their first goals of the season for Colorado. Free agent signee Joe Colborne was scoreless after netting his first career hat trick in the season opener, a 6-5 win over Dallas.MacKinnon and Erik Johnson had two assists each against the Penguins, and backup goalie Calvin Pickard made 28 saves.I think we had some guys who were horses for us tonight and carried the rest of the guys on our team, Bednar told NHL.com regarding Landeskog and MacKinnonThrough two games, Colorado has converted 4 of 9 power-play chances.The games so fast and so good now, getting that time to skate on four-on-threes, five-on-threes is awesome, MacKinnon said.Semyon Varlamov, who surrendered five goals on opening night, will start Tuesday night against his former team. Hes 2-2 with a 1.78 goals-against average against Washington.The Capitals swept two games from the Avalanche last season, winning 7-3 at home on a night when seven different players scored, and then 4-2 in Colorado.Theyve got a lot of really good pieces and they look like theyre having fun and playing really hard right now, Trotz said of Colorado. Theyre a dangerous team. ... They scare you because they have some of those dynamic people that can, if youre not paying attenttion to detail, they can light you up.ddddddddddddThe normally high-powered Capitals (1-0-1) have struggled to find the net early on, yet still managed to pick up three points in their first two games.Second-line winger Andre Burakovsky scored twice in an opening night shootout loss at Pittsburgh and fourth-line winger Daniel Winnik provided both goals in Saturdays 2-1 win over the New York Islanders.In the meantime, Washingtons top line -- Alex Ovechkin, center Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie -- have yet to produce a point while combining for 14 shots on goal.I think its just a matter of all three of us playing well and things will start falling for us, Oshie said Monday. Were not in an early panic mode or anything like that.Trotz, speaking after Mondays practice, was confident the trio will soon produce.Theyre all leaders. Theyre all tremendously talented. Theyll figure it out, he said.Theyre on the dance floor, theyve just got to dance to the same song, thats all.Capitalizing with the man advantage would be a start. One of the leagues top power play units a year ago, the Capitals are scoreless in eight attempts thus far. The Avalanche come in having allowed four goals on nine power plays against them.Im not worried about our power play. Its in good hands with our coaches. They have those guys prepared, Trotz said. Its just a matter of them bearing down and executing at higher level and finding the back of the net at the end of the day. And they will.Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby started the first two games, but Trotz indicated Monday that he might give backup Philipp Grubauer the nod against Colorado. Grubauer has never faced the Avalanche. ' ' '