PHILADELPHIA -- With the final month of the season about to get under way, the Washington Nationals have established a commanding lead in the National League East.Now its about putting in the finishing touches, with the focus on a deep run in the playoffs.And that means first getting a little bit of rest.Wednesday is the last day of 20 straight days with a game for the Nationals (77-55), as theyll close out a series with the Phillies.Weve got one more game to go now, manager Dusty Baker said on Tuesday night after his Nationals topped the Phillies, 3-2. Its 20 in a row, and were assured of .500 during this time. We really wanted this one tonight because now were 10-9, and after tomorrow hopefully were 11-9 and take a break in New York.The long stretch of games might cost one Nationals player a chance at a club record -- rookie shortstop Trea Turner, whose 45 hits in the month of August are the most ever by a Washington rookie and just two back of several players for the most ever in a month by any player in the Nationals/Expos franchise, regardless of experience.But Turner has played in all 19 of those consecutive games, and even with an off day looming on Thursday, Baker doesnt want to wear out his newest sensation before the playoff run.He hasnt played much in September in his career, and he definitely hasnt played any in October. Ive got to preserve him and Ill probably give him tomorrow off, because Im certainly not going to give him off in New York, in that big series.Who knows, Baker added, He might get in the game and get two anyways.The Phillies (60-72) are in a bit of a skid, having lost six of eight. Its a crucial time for a still-young squad to flip the script and approach .500 by the end of the year, but theyll have to do it against familiar competition.Theyre in the middle of 16 consecutive games against NL East opponents (Aug. 26-Sept. 11), and they are 1-5 start to start that span. Up next are three games against the Braves, followed by series at Miami (Sept. 5-7) and Washington (Sept. 8-11). Still remaining are six games against the Mets and three at Atlanta to close out the year.Things will have to get started with an offense thats managed just 2.3 runs per game during the last eight.We have to get hits to score runs if we want to win games and were just not doing it, manager Pete Mackanin said. Were just not scoring. Curtis Samuel Youth Jersey .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition. Curtis Samuel Womens Jersey . Tuesdays surgery at Atlantas Piedmont Hospital was performed by Dr. Xavier Duralde and Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Bernot. http://www.shoppanthersonline.us/panthers-dj-moore-blue-jersey/ . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. Brian Burns Youth Jersey . The third-ranked Ivanovic, who won the event in 2008 and 10, served five aces and broke Wickmayer, also a former winner in 2009, five times. "The result looked easier than it really was," Ivanovic said. DJ Moore Panthers Jersey . Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Senators this season and scored five goals in each victory. The Flyers recorded a 5-0 win in Ottawa on Nov. 12 and then earned a 5-2 home decision on Nov. 19. The Flyers have claimed three straight and four of the last five encounters with the Sens overall and Philly has won two in a row and three of its past four tests in Canadas capital city. RIO DE JANEIRO -- Head held high as she took the court moments after her Chinese team entered the arena, Jenny Lang Ping waved and smiled in several directions then paced around the floor observing Chinas championship opponent from Serbia.She proudly sang through the national anthem, then guided her team to a come-from-behind gold -- and made her own history, too.Lang Ping became the first person to win volleyball gold as a coach and player, her China team rallying from one-set down to defeat the upstart Serbians 19-25, 25-17, 25-22, 25-23 on Saturday night in the Rio championship match.Its not important to me to make history, Lang Ping said. Im so happy for the young girls, they trained very hard.Early on in this tournament, Lang Ping -- who captured an Olympic title with the 1984 Chinese national team in Los Angeles then later spent a four-year stint coaching the Americans -- challenged her players to find ways to grow from their struggles with the world watching.All along, Lang Ping believed her emotional China players had the talent and determination to compete with the top programs in the world.And oh, did they show it. Once they found a groove.China took a 23-22 lead in the fourth set when Ting Zhus kill sent Maja Ognjenovic to the floor with a hard ball to the face, and the match was over shortly thereafter. Lang Ping raised both arms in the air and Fangxu Yang sprinted over to embrace her. Many more hugs followed.The Chinese exhibited that same fire and fight a year ago while winning the World Cup in Japan, then got to Rio de Janeiro earlier this month and worked through some initial rough, inconsistent Olympic moments.When the Chinese squad lost its Olympic opener in five sets to the Netherlands back on Aug. 6, Lang Ping challenged her players: to learn, to support one another through the ups and downs, to grow from each defeat and triumph on the pressure-packed Olympic stage.China responded, and seemed to play better when the moments got bbigger.ddddddddddddefore the tournament I never thought that we could win the gold, Lang Ping said. I was thinking if we were lucky we could win a medal. You never know, our young players, at the beginning of the tournament we didnt play well. But at important times, we were really lucky we played well.Lang Pings group of women found its top level of volleyball over the recent days in Rio de Janeiro and spoiled things for a volleyball-crazed country in the process. China took down the two-time defending Olympic champion Brazilian women on their home turf in Tuesdays quarterfinals to show this team had arrived -- and, until Saturday night, that had been Chinas shining moment.The Chinese had much more fight still in them.With our young team you never know. One day great, one day not, Lang Ping said. We just had to be patient.Serbia had pulled off an improbable upset of its own by taking down the top-ranked U.S. women in a thrilling five-set semifinal Thursday.The Serbian women wore their socks pulled up Saturday, the words Play to Win written on the back. Their hands entwined, they sang in unison during the national anthem in an undeniably proud moment for the players, their supporters in the Rio stands and all of those others back home.For Serbia, there will still be so much to celebrate from this remarkable run to the championship in Rio. This is the programs first Olympic medal, ever.In this moment I must inform you about small history. In Europe, in the youth category Serbia is No. 1, in junior category Serbia is No. 1, said Aleksandar Boricic, President of the European Volleyball Confederation. We wait for the result in the Olympic Games if the senior team can be No. 1. Its a great future, they have many young players. In this kind of competition, Olympic Games, world championships, sometimes you need more lucky balls. ' ' '
