tier league since 2014, alongside former NBA forward Andray

MILWAUKEE -- Once Zach Davies got going, the Arizona Diamondbacks didnt have much of a chance.Davies pitched 6 1/3 effective innings, Hernan Perez hit a two-run homer, singled and scored the go-ahead run in the sixth and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Diamondbacks 6-4 on Thursday.Davies is now 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA with four walks and 17 strikeouts in four starts in July.Hes had a bunch of starts like this, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. When he gets into a groove, he runs through the lineup pretty good.I was making sure I settled down a little bit and focused more, Davies said. Once the first inning is over, you let it go.Davies got some key run support for Perez, who started at shortstop for benched Jonathan Villar. Perez crushed Robbie Rays first pitch 458 feet off the facing of the scoreboard in deep center for the two-run homer in the third.That was huge, but I knew I had to keep it there and keep making pitches, Davies said of Perezs sixth home run this season.Davies (8-4) allowed three runs -two earned- on six hits. Facing the Diamondbacks for the first time, he walked one and struck out five.Jeremy Jeffress pitched the ninth for his 24th save in 25 chances.The Brewers added a run when Kirk Nieuwenhuis homered off Tyler Clippard leading off the eighth.Ray (5-10) cruised through the first five innings, then struggled in the sixth with the game tied at 2.Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale was none too happy with the bullpen.I took him (Ray) out after he gave up the lead and our bullpens got to be able to hold it, Hale said. Burgos has got to be able to get that guy out and get us in the dugout.If the bullpen doesnt get squared away, Hale hinted at some changes.We have got to find some guys out of our bullpen that are going to stop the bleeding, shut it down, Hale said. Its imperative. If we cant find them here, were going to have to go elsewhere and give other guys a chance.Ray struck out five straight batters, including the side in the second and fifth innings and set a career high with 11 strikeouts, one better than in his previous start, a 1-0 loss at Cincinnati on July 23.VILLAR SITSBrewers SS Jonathan Villar was benched for a baserunning blunder in the first inning of Wednesday nights 8-1 loss to the Diamondbacks. Known for his aggressiveness, he tried to steal third with two outs, but catcher Welington Castillo nailed him with a perfect throw. Villar also made two errors in the top of the first.I think it is a good day for him to just take a step back in general, Counsell said. It is a good spot to just step back and watch the game.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: 3B Jake Lamb struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh and stayed in the game at third. He missed the previous two games with a bruised left hand. Hale said that Lamb would start Friday. ... OF David Peralta (lower back strain) is scheduled to join the Diamondbacks on Friday. Hes been on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Reno. ... OF Socrates Brito (fractured right toe) has gone 1 for 7 two rehab games with the AZL Diamondbacks.Brewers: The Brewers have been very cautious with Braun and have given him several scheduled days off to rest. Braun had a tough May. He missed four games with right wrist soreness, two games with lower back soreness and two with neck soreness. ... C Jonathan Lucroy had a scheduled game off to rest. ... INF Will Middlebrooks has shown some improvement. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list July 25 with a lower right leg strain. Will has made some nice progress, manager Craig Counsell said. He was actually able to get on the field yesterday and play catch, which is a good sign. Hopefully, were on the short end.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: RHP Zack Godley (3-1, 5.88 ERA) makes his second career appearance and first start against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Brewers: RHP Junior Guerra (6-2, 2.85) aims for his 11th quality start on Friday when he faces the Pittsburgh Pirates for the second time this season. He is 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA in two career games. Venta De Zapatillas Vans Old Skool . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. Vans Old Skool Tienda Online . -- If this was Aaron Gordons final home game at Arizona, and it almost certainly was, then he went out in style. http://www.vansoldskoolbaratas.es/ .5 million, one-year contract on Friday. Hawkins, who turns 41 in December, will compete with Rex Brothers for the closers role at spring training. Vans Old Skool Rebajas . Malkin got tangled up with Detroits Luke Glendening early in the third period and his left skate took the brunt of collision with the boards behind Pittsburghs net. Vans Old Skool Baratas Online . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. With five minutes left in the second quarter of Team USAs July 26 exhibition game in Oakland against China, Kevin Durant, coming off a ball screen set by teammate DeMarcus Cousins on the right wing, looked poised to prey on the mismatch in front of him.Durant?deftly crossed over a lumbering Chinese big man and drove into the paint. But just as he got off the ground outside the restricted area for what looked like an easy left-handed layup, he was met in midair by an even lengthier body wearing a white No. 15 jersey. Apparently bothered by the high no-fly zone established by the defenders ridiculously long arm, Durant lost control of the ball.What exactly happened in this play? It depends on whom you ask.For Durant, one of Team USAs (and the worlds) most prolific scorers, it might simply be an offensive turnover. Chinese media, however, insisted it was solid swat by Zhou Qi, the 7-foot-2 forward who was tasked with guarding Durant on most occasions that night.In no time, headlines featuring Zhou Qis huge block on Durant permeated Chinese sports news outlets. Speaking to media after the game, Zhou, the Houston Rockets second-round draft pick this year, made no mention of his block on his idol, but rather displayed humility.This type of matchup means something significant to me, the 20-year-old said. [Durant] is the role model that I should learn from, and he has a very large influence on my practice and games. For me, matching him up on the court is a very rare opportunity.The root of Zhous much-hyped rivalry against Durant -- as depicted in a Chinese media poster previewing the Oakland game -- could be traced to Zhous response to an interview question the week before.Asked about his expectation from Chinas Olympics opener against Team USA, Zhou said besides hoping to help China play a good game, he would make an effort to deliver Durant a block.The fanfare that ensued is understandable. Durant is Zhous favorite NBA player. Although the two play different positions (Durant usually plays the 3 while Zhou is normally a 4), they share some similarities -- theyre both long, lean, nimble and prefer to do most of their work from the perimeter over the paint.Durant might not be aware of the rivalry, but Zhou certainly made an impression on him.The young player they had that was picked by Houston is pretty good, Durant said of Zhou days after the game. He is long, he is agile and he can shoot the basketball really well.Since Yi Jianlians departure from the Dallas Mavericks in 2012, China has been eagerly looking to fill the void of Chinese players in the NBA. As the countrys best big man, Zhou shows promise that hell be the one to live up to Chinese expectations.Among those thrilled is Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, who watched Zhou score a team-high 13 points in Oakland.Zhou Qi high scorer vs team USA tonight #toughopponent- Daryl Morey (@dmorey) July 27, 2016Morey -- now almost a household name among Chinas NBA fans, many of whom are rabid Rockets fans due in large part to retired Rockets All-Star?Yao Ming?-- might understand Chinas expectaations for Zhou best.dddddddddddd He was in the midst of all the rumors and chatters leading up to the Rockets seemingly surprising selection with the No. 43 pick, after other teams favored by Chinese media and fans passed on Zhou.It only became clear later that the Rockets move on ?draft night was rather part of a thorough plan. The teams officials met with Zhou and his team in Chicago weeks before the draft. The Rockets scouts also had been following the Chinese team during its earlier exhibition games in Europe. Morey had even called up his good friend, Yao Ming himself, to discuss in detail Zhous perspective and situation.During the draft, news first broke even before NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum made the official announcement. Morey wasted no time confirming to disbelieving Chinese fans through his Weibo (a Twitter-like Chinese social media platform) account.Welcome to Houston, Zhou Qi! Morey wrote in a post, which quickly generated nearly 6,000 responses, many grateful to him and the Rockets.However, the joy was overshadowed by talks that Zhou might not be able to play in the NBA next season because of complications. Chinas two leading sports media outlets even started a tug of war; it began with one outlet quoting a Rockets source confirming Zhou will skip next season, only to be refuted by the other outlet, saying the negotiations were still under way.It remains unknown when exactly Zhou will arrive. But an overall lackluster summer performance so far with the national team has led to some to conclude that Zhou is not ready for the NBA right now.An impressive stint with Chinas junior national teams allowed Zhou to demonstrate his prowess and huge untapped potential at an early age. He has been playing for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers in the countrys top-tier league since 2014, alongside former NBA forward Andray Blatche, winning rookie of the year and leading the league in blocks.However, Zhou has not developed into the dominating force most were expecting in his two seasons thus far. His inability to defend the post against former Memphis Grizzlies and Phoenix Suns center Hamed Haddadi in last seasons Chinese league playoffs raised more doubts as to his suitability for the NBAs physicality.Still, for Zhou and his team, slipping to the 43rd pick -- a significant plunge from their expectations -- was certainly disappointing. After the draft, Zhou had several bad games with the national team, but he insisted the draft was not a factor.Zhou might never impact the NBA the way his predecessor Yao did, but they play very different games.Durant, who has fought critics and doubters of his NBA potential since he entered the league in 2007, had some wisdom to share.Nobody knows how it is once you get inside of it, Durant said of the league. Once you get inside of it, your body is used to everything. Its just a physical grind of the NBA season, you will be fine. Your confidence is going to grow when you play. ' ' '