WASHINGTON -- Max Scherzer can live with giving up home runs as long as runners arent on base. Against a dominant Junior Guerra, even one solo blast was too many.Guerra outdueled Scherzer, Martin Maldonado homered, and the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Washington Nationals 1-0 on Monday.Guerra (6-1) allowed two hits in 7 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking two. The 31-year-old rookie threw eight scoreless innings of two-hit ball in his previous start and has won three straight.Maldonado gave the Brewers the lead in the fifth when he sent a 2-1 pitch from Scherzer (9-6) over the visitors bullpen for his third homer of the season.Most of the times solo bombs, they dont beat you, said Scherzer, who has allowed an NL-high 21 homers. It happened today.One day after hitting six homers in a 12-1 win against the Reds, Washington batters were stifled by Guerra. In one stretch, he retired 12 straight before Jayson Werth singled with two outs in the sixth. Then, with runners on second and third after a walk and a wild pitch, Guerra struck out Wilson Ramos.We only had a couple of opportunities to score, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. Ive always said the advantage goes to the pitcher when you havent seen him before. ... We flirted with the fence most of the day and he kind of had us fishing for that split-finger.Shortstop Jonathan Villar made a sliding catch of Ben Reveres pop fly along the left-field foul line to end the eighth.Jeremy Jeffress pitched the ninth for his 22nd save as Milwaukee snapped a four-game losing streak.Scherzer threw 114 pitches in six innings as Milwaukee hitters consistently fouled off pitches. He gave up a run and four hits, while striking out seven and walking three. The right-hander hasnt pitched more than six innings in three of his last four starts.I just havent been quite as efficient over the past couple of outings, Scherzer said. Im kind of scratching my head over that.Fans were still settling in for the traditional 11:05 a.m. July 4 game when the Brewers lost a hit for batting out of order in the first. After No. 3 hitter Ryan Brauns two-out single, Baker visited home plate umpire Cory Blaser.Ultimately, Jonathan Lucroy, who was listed third on the lineup card given to the umpires before the game, was charged with an at-bat and an out. Braun, who does usually bat third, hit fourth and led off the second inning.I screwed up, Brewers manager Craig Counsell admitted. I was going with some different lineups yesterday with Ryan in and out of the lineup. And it was just my mistake. ... The guys certainly picked me up.NSYNCRHP Jonathan Papelbon (right rib muscle strain) returned from the 15-day DL and pitched a scoreless ninth. (Papelbon) gets our bullpen back in sync, Baker said.TRAINERS ROOMBaker kept a `banged-up 2B Daniel Murphy out of the lineup, but Murphy flied out as pinch hitter in the eighth ... RHP Joe Ross trip to the 15-day DL with right shoulder inflammation was mainly precautionary, Baker said, and that if this was late in the season Ross could have pitched.UP NEXT:Brewers: RHP Zach Davis (5-4, 4.22) allowed six runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings in his last outing, but had gone 5-0 with a 2.64 ERA over his 10 prior starts.Nationals: LHP Gio Gonzalez (4-7, 4.81) allowed six runs on six hits in a June 25 loss at Milwaukee. Hes given up three or more earned runs in his last eight starts. Fake Yeezy 451 .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. Fake Yeezy Boost 350 . Hazard cut in from the left and scored with a swerving right-footed shot for ninth goal of the season, which proved to be enough for the victory despite Chelseas forwards again lacking a cutting edge up front. http://www.fakeyeezysforsale.com/fake-yeezy-350-cleat/ . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Fake Yeezy Boost 750 . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Fake Yeezy Boost 350 V2 . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. I dont know, man. I honestly dont know.When you give advice for a living, as I do, thats what we call a less than ideal answer.Youre always supposed to know. Sometimes youre right, sometimes youre wrong, but youre not supposed to say I dont know.This is the start of my 17th year of writing a weekly Love/Hate column, giving advice for the upcoming week in fantasy football. And usually the first column of the year is a fun one, full of hope and excitement for the upcoming season. But if youve looked at the news at any point in the past year ... it has been a tough one for a lot of people and there are a lot of problems that dont seem to have a lot of answers anytime soon. And while some problems are very public and affect a great deal of people, there are also very personal tragedies that our friends, family and neighbors have to deal with every day.Id like you to meet Scott.Scott is awesome. Hes a military man, currently in his 14th year of service for our country, a master sergeant in the Air Force. Thirty-seven years old, Scott is also a family man. Married to Erica, they have a big family. Anton is 16, Xander is 12 and the twins, Layla and Andrew, are 2.Hes also one of us.I started playing fantasy football my fourth year in the military, Scott wrote to me. As a way to get to know the guys in my new unit. I immediately became obsessed and it wasnt long until I was routinely called the fantasy guy. When I tell you Scott is one of us, I mean it. Obsessed doesnt begin to describe him. I was in eight leagues and every free non-family moment (in addition to the kids, my wife was pregnant with our fifth) was spent managing those teams. I loved it.Everything was going great for Scott until about Week 12 last year, when he learned that he and Ericas unborn child had a serious birth defect and was given only a 50 percent chance to live.Scott continued: Fantasy football became my escape. ... My days were spent shuttling my wife and 2-year-old twins between doctors and hospitals, running tests and taking scans. My nights, after I comforted my wife to sleep, were spent scouring the waiver wires and proposing trades on my dimly lit phone. It was all I could do to keep myself sane.It was weeks of dread and searching before there was some hope. Scott and Erica heard of an experimental procedure that could potentially save their childs life. Initial tests all went well; they were prime candidates to be accepted in a clinical trial. But as their hope was rekindled, they were dealt another devastating blow. A final test revealed another genetic disorder in the unborn child, a rare condition of which there had been only 274 known infant cases. That, combined with the first diagnosis, meant certain death.As you can imagine, we were crushed. We returned our crib ... and started looking at caskets.Upon hearing the diagnosis, Scott and Erica were told they could terminate the pregnancy if they wanted to. They did not.And so, as Scott tended to his still pregnant wife and his four other kids trying to grasp this tragedy, he expressed how important fantasy became to him. It was my only normalcy, he wrote. I never let fantasy football come before guiding my family through this tragedy, of course, but, honestly, it was the only non-dying-baby-related thoughts I had.Scott went eight-for-eight in his leagues in terms of making the playoffs and won three championships. And soon after that, his son was born. Most unborn children with this disorder dont make it full term but young Kevin was a fighter. He made it full term and was born in March. After giving birth, Erica had to be rushed to immediate surgery and my son was handed over to me. Kevin lived for 43 minutes and died in my arms.Erica came out of surgery successfully and my wife, my kids and I buried my son. We have shed countless tears. It has been and continues to be a painful time for myself and my family. As the months dragged on, I was looking forward to the simplicity of fantasy football to return. However, now that it is here ... I couldnt seem to care less. I am emailing you because in my opinion you are the best source when it comes to the living the fantasy life.I quit six of my leagues, including three I was the commissioner of. At this time I am usually making my own rankings but this year I just grabbed the first cheat sheet I could find. I went down to just the two sentimental leagues that I have been in for years and even then I just dont get the happiness I always got before. So that, sir, is my question. ... How do I get it back?I dont know, man.Ive had this email for more than two weeks and Ive thought of little else since I got it. And I dont know.I spoke with Scott on the phone for more than an hour.And I dont know.I cant imagine living the hell they did. I feel bad and I send condolences and well wishes and heartfelt thoughts and blah blah blah. None of it matters. Words are inadequate. I cant pretend to fathom what Scott and his family are going through. What any family that has to go through that is dealing with.No parent should ever outlive their child.One of the things I love about fantasy football is that it is a distraction. A hobby. Its own self-contained little universe that exists (mostly) away from the real world, and the issues and problems that brings. Fantasy football is something that, if we are doing it right, we do for fun. A helluva lot of fun, actually.And I am so happy to hear that, if even for a brief moment last season, it was able to provide a little relief for Scott, allowing him to be there for his family when they needed him the most.But to answer your question, Scott, about how you get that feeling back ... heres the best answer I got.I dont think you do. At least not initially.Look, the reason you dont care about fantasy football right now is because you shouldnt. You are grieving, and rightfully so. Like I said, I cant begin to imagine what you are going through but I have no doubt if I ever had to go through anything close to that I would desperately look for something, anything to get my mind off it. I am by no means an expert in this (or many things, to be frank) so I strongly recommend talking with a professional therapist if you arent already. For you and your entire family.But you asked for my opinion, so here it is: You need to grieve. You need to come to emotional grips with what youve been through and then, and only then, do things return to at least somewhat normal. When that will be, I dont know, but when you are ready, fantasy football will still be there for you, my friend. And thats when youll get that feeling back. When youre ready. And not before.Rest in peace, Kevin.Im looking forward to a great season and I cant wait to have fun, but as we embark on our 17-week journey, I want you to take a moment and think about Scott, Erica and Kevin. Because as much as I love our little game, it is a game of passion. People do and will get very passionate about players, games, trades and other league mates. And while I love that passion, realize that whats important to you about fantasy football may not be what is important about fantasy football to someone else, you know?Which brings us, meandering slowly, into the first Love/Hate of the year. Hopefully by now you know the drill. This is not a start/sit column but rather a column about players who I feel will exceed or fall short of their normal expectations. For specific answers on player-vs.-player start/sit questions, please consult my rankings. This year, I will also be doing PPR ranks, with Week 1 being published shortly. And as a company man, a reminder that I will be on Fantasy Football Now every Sunday, 11 a.m. ET on ESPN2 up until kickoff. Tune in!Finally, keep in mind that while I try to avoid obvious players for either Love or Hate the fact is that those can be helpful, especially for those who play DFS. I hope everyone gets what they need out of this column either way.?Quarterbacks I love in Week 1Aaron Rodgers, Packers: Rodgers is coming off a bad season (for him), the Jags are really improved and the game is in Jacksonville. Yeah, yeah, I get it. And this is a tougher game than youd think for Green Bay. But whatevs, dude. Rodgers has multiple passing touchdowns or 300 yards passing in 12 of his past 13 regular-season games with Jordy Nelson on the field. Jordys back, and so am I.Drew Brees, Saints: The Raiders are another very improved defense from the offseason, and I dont care. Brees is at home. In the past decade, there have been only five times a QB has scored at least 200 fantasy points at home in one season: MVP Aaron Rodgers in 2014, MVP Cam Newton in 2015, Drew Brees in 2011, Drew Brees in 2013, Drew Brees in 2015. Death, taxes and you start Drew Brees at home. Shootout city.Matthew Stafford, Lions: Sundays game against the Colts has a high projected point total, according to the folks in Vegas, and I think theyre right. You cant corral a Cooter, you can only hope to contain it. The Colts get Cootered in this one, as the Lions wont run, but will throw, throw, throw against an Indy team that will struggle to generate pressure on Stafford.Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: Big Bens going to have his way here, using a spread passing game, bunch formations, crossing routes and pick plays while attacking the middle of a mediocre Washington defense. Expect a lot of screens and yards after the catch on short routes by Pittsburghs wide receivers. I hope Im wrong, but as a Washington fan, Im nervous Josh Norman gets a bit exposed here, and given the Redskins struggles in generating a pass rush, Roethlisberger should have all night to throw.Kirk Cousins, Redskins: Washington will struggle to run the ball and is unlikely to stop the Steelers as well, which means what, class? Come on now, you throw. They will throw a ton, especially in the middle of the field, where Jordan Reed should have a field day. See? Class, field day ... I got a whole theme going here. Cousins picks up where he left off last season in a Monday Night shootout.Others receiving votes: No byes this week and only minimal injuries, but if you are in need or in a deeper league, yes, Robert Griffin III has learned how to slide. He has a cannon arm, talent around him to go get it, rushing yards and a nice matchup with a Philly team that gave up the second-most passing touchdowns last season. You could do worse, and lets face it, you probably have. ... The only fear Texans owners should have is that Houston gets up big and stops throwing, because otherwise, Brock Osweiler should have a strong debut against a Bears team that is devoid of talent on defense. Osweiler had 250 yards and two touchdowns against Chicago last year.Quarterbacks I hate in Week 1Cam Newton, Panthers: Its hard to bench the No. 1 quarterback taken in most drafts, but this certainly is the lowest hell be ranked all season, and hes only a contrarian play in daily. The Broncos gave up fewer than 12 points a game to opposing QBs last season and no rushing touchdowns to a quarterback, either. Newton will stay for the whole news conference this time, but expecting huge numbers on the road in Denver is unwise.Philip Rivers, Chargers: One hundred twenty-two. Thats how many consecutive pass attempts Rivers has against the Chiefs without a touchdown pass. The Chargers will try to establish the run here against a defense that is missing a few stars but is still formidable and allowed the fifth-fewest fantasyy points to opposing QBs last season.ddddddddddddOn the road in Arrowhead against a K.C. team that he failed to throw a TD against in two games last season, averaging less than 225 passing yards, puts Rivers well below where he was drafted in Week 1.Andy Dalton, Bengals: On the road and without a lot of the weapons he has been used to in the passing game, the Red Rifle can be expected to play conservatively against a Jets defense that was top 10 in fewest passing yards allowed in 2015. No Tyler Eifert, Marvin Jones or Mohamed Sanu on the field, and no Hue Jackson calling plays this year, so expect a bit of a learning curve here. Which is fine, but that doesnt mean he has to learn while starting for you now, does it?Running backs I love in Week 1Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys: As Mike Tyson once said, Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. The Giants spent the offseason upgrading a defense that last season was bottom-10 in limiting yards before contact per rush. And it may very well pay dividends. But not this week, as the Cowboys will ease Dak Prescott into service with an insane dose of Zeke - the personification of the aforementioned punch in the mouth -- behind the leagues best offensive line. You know who just caught the Zeke-a virus? The New York Football Giants, thats who.DeAngelo Williams, Steelers: The fantasy football equivalent of smoke em while you got em, this is gonna be a fun three weeks while LeVeon Bell is suspended.Spencer Ware, Chiefs: With Jamaal Charles unlikely to play, Ware will not only be the man, he will be THE MAN. Every time this guy has gotten a shot hes produced. The four career games (including playoffs) in which Ware has gotten at least 10 touches, he has averaged 5.69 yards per carry, has scored in all four games and averaged more than 16 fantasy points a game. I like the matchup with San Diego, and the Chiefs conserv
