Funkerstation » out it in recruiting, Williams said. Its put

WASHINGTON -- At some point in mid-June, Jayson Werth decided to stop listening to everyone who told him to swing at the first pitch and be more aggressive.The result is a 40-game on-base streak that has Werth setting the table for the Washington Nationals potent offense. On Wednesday, Werth got on base and drove in runs himself with a homer while the Nationals beat the Cleveland Indians 7-4.Werth hit a three-run homer off Josh Tomlin in the second inning but takes more pride in getting on base than anything else.Im an on-base guy that can drive in runs, said Werth, who was 2 for 3 with a ground-rule double and a walk. I think Ive silenced all those people that have told me over the years that thats the way I should hit. Just getting back to being myself. I think thats what it comes down to.Werth spearheaded an offensive outburst for the Nationals, who had scored three runs in their previous three games combined. Anthony Rendon also went 2 for 4 with a two-run double and Daniel Murphy and Wilson Ramos each had an RBI.It was even better that we scored some runs and our offense came alive to put us in that position, manager Dusty Baker said. We had some guys have some good days.It wasnt the best day for starter Gio Gonzalez (8-9), who allowed four runs and seven hits, including a two-run home run by Francisco Lindor, and struck out five in five-plus innings. But Gonzalez got plenty of run support, and reliever Matt Belisle bailed him out by inducing a double play in the sixth and getting out of the inning unscathed.Cleveland got three hits from Jose Ramirez, who extended his hitting streak to 14 games, but Tomlin (11-5) failed to get through the fifth inning for the second consecutive start. Tomlin allowed seven runs and eight hits and struck out four in four-plus innings.I make a mistake, I pay for it, Tomlin said. Doing that against a team like that, its tough to come back from.The Nationals are an imposing team even without reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper, but Baker said the recent futility was a little bit past a blip. Hed rather see struggles now than in September.But Werth is doing anything but struggling. He has just 13 RBI over his 40-game streak -- which is three short of Ryan Zimmermans Nationals record -- but has 30 walks in that time.His mix of patience and power is what Washington needs from him now and down the stretch.Hes been around long enough to understand how to do almost anything in the order, Baker said. Hes a veteran. He struggled early. Glad to see him come to life.TRAINERS ROOMIndians: Manager Terry Francona returned after a health scare caused him to miss the series opener Tuesday. Francona, who has a history of blood clots and pulmonary embolisms, complained of chest pain and had an elevated heart rate but reported feeling better by Wednesday. ... Francona said RHP Tommy Hunter threw a simulated game Tuesday and was progressing well from a non-baseball injury.Nationals: Harper missed his third consecutive game with a stiff neck. Baker said Harpers neck was in a spasm and medical personnel hadnt yet figured out how to alleviate it. ... LHP Oliver Perez felt a pull in his back before throwing his first pitch but stayed in the game. Baker said he was being evaluated.GOODWIN BREAKS THROUGHNationals outfielder Brian Goodwin made his first major league start and got his first hit with a single off Zach McAllister in the eighth. Fans gave him a standing ovation, giving backup catcher Pedro Severino a good laugh from the rail of the home dugout.Seeing some good pitches and putting some good swings on balls, Goodwin said. Finally seeing one go through was kind of like a relief for me.UNCLE CARRASCOIndians pitcher Carlos Carrasco passed his U.S. citizenship test last week, which was cause for celebration. Carrasco wore an Uncle Sam costume for the flight back to Cleveland, posing with thumbs up for the teams Twitter account .UP NEXTIndians: RHP Corey Kluber (11-8, 3.22 ERA) starts the series opener back in Cleveland against RHP Jhoulys Chacin (3-7, 5.27) and the Los Angeles Angels.Nationals: After a day off, RHP Stephen Strasburg (15-2, 2.80) starts Friday against RHP Mike Foltynewicz (5-5, 4.37) and the last-place Atlanta Braves.Federico Fernandez Argentina Jersey . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Diego Maradona Jersey .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.argentinasoccerauthentic.com/Marcos-Rojo-Copa-America-Jersey/ . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach. Ezequiel Lavezzi Jersey . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. Angel Di Maria Jersey . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday.CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- North Carolina coach Roy Williams told ESPN he hasnt been asked to attend the NCAAs Division I Committee on Infractions hearing and is optimistic he wont need to go, despite the fact that the school still hasnt been notified of who will be expected to be in attendance.Williams said he was uncertain of the actual date of the hearing, only to say hes hopeful its very soon.North Carolina officials have not been told the date of the meeting and dont yet know who will be asked to attend.Williams name was mentioned once in the initial NCAA report, and it was to reference the date of the interview. He wasnt mentioned at all in the amended notice. The NCAA has alleged five Level 1 violations -- none involving the mens basketball program.If Williams isnt asked to attend the COI hearing, it would further the notion that the Tar Heels coach and his program wont be hit with significant sanctions following a lengthy academic fraud investigation at the school.Williams said he has been investigated as much as anyone over the past few years.Five investigations, five different groups that concluded Roy Williams didnt know what was going on, didnt know anything about it, he said. Were down the stretch run now.In fact, UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham confirmed to ESPN that there were a total of eight investigations.Williams said that the investigations havent just affected recruiting, but also worn on him emotionally. Williams said that three knee surgeries in the past year, along with a vertigo attack on national television last season, contributed to the growing speculation he was going to retire.Add that, limping around and Im not feeling good, I can understand it last year, Williams said. The other thing with me is all the junk I was putting up with that I was not involved.dddddddddddd Nobodys been investigated as much as I have. We were not involved. ... With the whole thing, you put it together, I can see why somebody said it last year because of the way I looked.However, the 66-year-old Williams said he played golf eight times since his latest knee surgery and has no intention of stepping away anytime soon.As long as Im healthy, Im going to keep coaching, Williams said. Coach [Dean] Smith told me years ago he retired too early and Im not going to do that.Williams said he also recently has had to deal with the ramifications of the HB2 controversy -- in which events have been moved out of the state of North Carolina as a result of the controversial House Bill 2 law that limits the legal protection of the LGBT community.I get asked about it in recruiting, Williams said. Its put our state in a very negative situation. Im embarrassed by it, Im sad about it, I dont like it. Very, very passionate about it. In a way youve got to be very careful because people going to say your school -- state supported. But were wrong. Were wrong. Thats all you can say is were wrong. The worst thing about it is its given people a different image of our state than what it truly is.Thats the saddest thing, he continued. A guy asked me the other day, How can you live there? Im thinking, Gracious. Thats the saddest thing. Its given people outside the state a terrible opinion of our state, and a terrible opinion of the people of our state -- and I think theyre wrong. I just think its wrong. That has caused things to happen that is harmful to our state -- and is harmful to the reputation of the people of the state. ' ' '