had not seen many disappear into the cup until recently. Thats what makes Spieth and Day so dangerous. And that could decide the fortunes of Rory McIlroy, who won the claret jug at Royal Liverpool in 20

SEATTLE -- For Nicolas Loderio, going two straight games without a goal or an assist amounted to a drought.He snapped out of it in a big way on Sunday night.Lodeiro scored twice and Nelson Valdez added a goal -- all in an 8-minute span early in the second half -- to help the Seattle Sounders roll past FC Dallas 3-0 in the first leg of the MLS Western Conference semifinals.Dallas, winner of the Supporters Shield with the best regular season record, now must score at least three times when the teams play the second leg in Texas next Sunday to keep its season alive.Since joining the Sounders in late July, the 27-year-old Loderio, a Uruguayan international midfielder, factored into the scoring in eight straight games. His last goal came on Oct. 16 -- in a 2-1 loss at Dallas -- but he was kept off the board in last Sundays 2-1 victory against Real Salt Lake that clinched a playoff spot, and Thursdays 1-0 knockout-round win against Sporting Kansas City.To me, its not only to score the goals, Lodeiro said. More than anything, its the assists, to support the attack, the defense, and be in the midfield.But of course, Im pleased when I can score the goals.Valdez, whose 88th-minute goal beat Sporting Kansas City, put Seattle on the board in the 50th minute. Joevin Jones crossed a target ball from the left side into the penalty area. Valdez ran to the top of the 6-yard box, went up and over Dallas defender Maynor Figueroa and headed it into the back left corner.I just want to be thankful to the coach and the team for their trust in me -- and the only way I could answer that trust was to score more goals and to continue to play the way I played tonight, said Valdez, who was inserted into the starting lineup by interim head coach Brian Schmetzer.Lodeiro made it 2-0 at the outset of the 55th minute, running onto Jordan Morris short crossing pass and blasting it into the back right corner from 6 yards in front.Just three minutes later, Lodeiro took a through ball from Jones, streaked down the left side, and, from the top left corner of the 6, fired to the far corner.It was a typical first-leg game in a two-leg series -- two teams feeling each other out in the first half, Schmetzer said. In the second half, our team made the necessary adjustments, but then they also made the necessary plays. When youre trying to win an MLS cup, you have to make plays. Valdez, Loderio, Morris, Jones -- they make plays.Just as important for both teams heading into the second leg was goalkeeper Stefan Freis shutout -- his second straight clean sheet in the playoffs and ninth of the season. That denied Dallas a crucial away goal if the series should happen to come down to that tiebreaker next Sunday.This is the third straight year the Sounders and Dallas have met in the semifinals. Seattle prevailed in 2014; Dallas won last year on penalty kicks at home in the second leg.The first 20 minutes of the second half, we allowed them to get space, and they scored those goals, Dallas coach Oscar Pareja said. Obviously, were disappointed. But at the same time, we have to keep the optimism.We overcame a difficult result last year when we left this field, he added. This team has shown during the year that we can overcome difficult situations. Adam Wainwright Jersey ., for the next three years with the signings on Monday of Daryl Townsend and Michael Carter. Lou Brock Cardinals Jersey . 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.authenticcardinalspro.com/cardinals-steve-carlton-jersey/ . Soukalova missed only one target and completed the 15-kilometre course in 40 minutes, 32.6 seconds for both victories in this seasons individual discipline. Darya Domracheva of Belarus was second, 34. Carlos Martinez Cardinals Jersey . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. Enos Slaughter Jersey . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. None in the crowd of roughly 10,000 suspected that when Bobby Locke of South Africa tapped in for a two-shot victory and a record score in the British Open, he would be the last player from outside the United States to hoist the claret jug at Royal Troon.That was in 1950.Since then, there have been six Opens on the Ayrshire links in Scotland, and six American winners.Surprising?It was to Phil Mickelson, who cupped his hand under his chin and stared in deep thought as he went down the list of champions at Royal Troon -- Arnold Palmer and Tom Weiskopf, Tom Watson and Mark Calcavecchia, Justin Leonard and Todd Hamilton. The list complete, Mickelson came to a predictable conclusion.I would be shocked if anyone other than an American won this year, Lefty said with a laugh. Theres something to those trends.Really, its nothing more than a coincidence. The club motto at Royal Troon translates to as much by skill as by strength, which goes against the American style of power golf that is all about hitting it high and far and firing at flags.I wouldnt say its more Americanized. Birkdale has probably a little of that, Jim Furyk said. We had a hell of a run there starting in the mid-90s (10 victories by Americans in 12 years). I think its just one of those things that happens.Odds are it can happen again.Royal Troon has received enough rain this spring -- with more in the forecast during the Open -- that it likely will play substantially softer, meaning more targets and less bounces that define the subtlety of links golf.As for the players?Dustin Johnson and a dozen other Americans are among the top 25 in the world. The attention has shifted away from Jordan Spieth, who a year ago came within one shot of a playoff in his quest for the Grand Slam, to the 32-year-old Johnson, who is just now starting to deliver on his awesome potential.Johnson broke through for his first major after four close calls, beating Oakmont and the USGA to win the U.S. Open by three shots. After a week off to celebrate, he chased down world No. 1 Jason Day on the back nine at Firestone to win a World Golf Championship. Johnson was the 36-hole leader at St. Andrews a year ago. He contended in the final round at Royal St. Georges in 2011 until a 2-iron that sailed out-of-bounds. He can handle links golf.This will be his first time seeing Royal Troon, and he was intrigued about the gentle start -- three par 4s under 400 yards -- and the tough finish.Troon is a tale of two nines. The wind is helping on the shorter outward nine holes. This is where players score, and it prompted Colin Montgomerie to say that if youre not under par after nine holes at Troon, you may as well go to the clubhouse at Prestwick and have lunch.dddddddddddd. Prestwick, the first home of the British Open, is next to Troon.The inward nine turns back into the wind and is relentless with tight fairways and prickly gorse bushes.Probably the toughest finishing stretch, Paul Casey of England said. Carnoustie is tough, I think Troon is a better set of finishing holes.Such is the stage for the 145th Open Championship, where the list of favorites keeps getting longer.Spieth started the year at No. 1, has won twice and nearly won the Masters, and already is down to No. 3. Day remains No. 1 after the PGA champion added The Players Championship, a World Golf Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational to his trophy collection.Of those 13 Americans in the top 25, seven have yet to win a major, which has a small piece historical relevance at Troon. Four of the last Open champions had never won a major until their names were on the claret jug (and they never won another).Branden Grace of South Africa was stunned to learn it had been 66 years since someone outside the United States had won the claret jug at Royal Troon.Not to be funny, but hopefully an international player can win it this year, he said.Then he was told the last Royal Troon champion was a fellow South African.Now theres some motivation, Grace said. Might have to do some history searching myself.Heres one clue: Locke was a great putter.Thats what had been holding back Johnson, a good putter who just had not seen many disappear into the cup until recently. Thats what makes Spieth and Day so dangerous. And that could decide the fortunes of Rory McIlroy, who won the claret jug at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and missed out on his title defense at St. Andrews after injuring his ankle playing soccer.But it starts with Johnson, who will try to become only the seventh player in the last century to the U.S. Open and British Open in the same summer.Ive thought for a couple years ... thats hes the most talented player there is in golf, former Open champion David Duval said. He has that weapon that is just basically unbeatable -- driving the golf ball -- and as hes improved his wedges ... that almost becomes unbeatable.And at Royal Troon, it doesnt hurt that hes an American.I think theres a good chance, Casey said, that American streak continues. ' ' '