RIO DE JANEIRO -- When Beijing gold medalist Phil Dalhausser teamed up with Nick Lucena less than one year ago for a longshot run at the Olympics, it was more out of friendship -- and a lack of alternatives -- than anything else.Dalhausser was coming off two straight seasons with injuries. Lucena had never been to the Olympics, struggling to find a partnership that worked.We were playing with the houses money, Dalhausser said Monday after losing in three sets to Brazilian world champions Alison and Bruno in the quarterfinals on Copacabana beach.Its been a lot of fun, Dalhausser added. I couldnt have done it without him. I wouldnt have wanted to do it with anyone else.At 6-foot-9 and already an Olympic champion, Dalhausser is one of the most feared players in the sport. He won his gold medal with Todd Rogers in 2008, and the pair returned to the London Games, finishing ninth.But last August, already a year into the two-year qualification cycle, his partnership with two-time Olympian Sean Rosenthal had stalled -- in part because of Dalhaussers abdominal and calf injuries. So he went back to Lucena, his partner for a couple of dozen events when they were first starting out.Im pretty fortunate to play with him, Lucena said after the 21-14, 12-21, 15-9 loss to Brazil left them in fifth place. Hes one of the best players in the world. I wanted to win this for him.Lucena and Dalhausser first teamed up in 2003, a time when they were travelling all night to play in domestic tournaments and sleeping on the beach outside the gates to save money. After they split in 2005, Lucena played with four different partners that year; Dalhausser went on to become a world and Olympic champion.But Dalhaussers injuries left him with little chance of making it back to the Olympics -- or so he thought.Nobody gave us a chance to qualify, he has repeated often.I gave us a chance, Lucena interrupted playfully, just hours after their Olympic elimination. I dont know what hes talking about.The two played their way to No. 3 in the international standings and a spot on Copacabana beach with a whirlwind of 13 tournaments in 12 months -- just one event above the minimum. They cruised through Olympic pool play with a 3-0 record.And that was the problem.When Alison and Bruno lost in the preliminary round, they wound up second in their group. The blind draw lined them up with the Americans in the quarterfinals in a match that could have easily been the final.In the second quarterfinal match, the Dutch team of Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen advanced with a 25-23, 21-17 victory over countrymen Reinder Nummerdor and Christiaan Varenhorst.Fans waving Brazilian flags had to struggle to hold onto them in a stiff breeze that began just as play began on Monday. The Brazil and Olympic flags on the poles ringing the top of the stadium came partially loose and fluttered wildly while the poles shook in the wind.Trash swirled around the arena.The Brazilians dominated the first set against the United States and then -- just as decisively -- struggled in the second. The Americans fell behind 12-6 in the third, and then the 6-foot-8 Alison and the crowd took over.With a block to force match point and then a spike off Dalhausser for the winner, the man known as the Mammoth moved within one win of a second-straight Olympic medal.The fifth-place finish, combined with the 19th-place finish by Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson, ties with Athens for the worst finish by the U.S. men in an Olympics.I have learned so much from the Americans. They are good friends outside of the court, Alison said. Theres respect for them, and they must be celebrated.Wholesale Tigers Jerseys . -- 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. Custom Detroit Tigers Jerseys .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. Detroit Tigers Gear . Darren Helm scored on Detroits sixth attempt in the shootout and then Jonas Gustavsson stopped Andrew Shaws shot, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-4 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday night. Detroit Tigers Pro Shop . After taking two big hits this week -- losing at home and dropping back-to-back games for the first time all season -- Indiana struck back by playing its most complete game of the year.TORONTO - Maicer Izturis made sure a strong outing from Blue Jays starter Josh Johnson didnt go to waste. Izturis drove in the games only runs with an RBI single in the eighth inning Monday as Toronto pushed its win streak to six games with a 2-0 interleague victory over the Colorado Rockies. Johnson struck out 10 while giving up five hits and walking two through 7 1-3 innings but is still winless in seven starts since being acquired by the Blue Jays in the off-season. After a rough start to the year and stint on the disabled list with a triceps injury, Johnson has rounded into form as of late. Hes given up a combined four runs in his last three starts, including Monday nights gem which was twice pushed back due to a blister on one of his fingers. "It is what it is at the beginning of the year, but now were winning and thats the fun part and the key thing," said Johnson. "You win games and everything else takes care of itself." Mondays victory marked Torontos first six-game winning streak since May 2011 and moved the club (33-36) to three games below .500 for the first time since April 21. The streaking Blue Jays, who have won nine of 11, are coming off a 5-1 road trip that included the clubs first-ever four-game sweep of the Rangers in Texas. Toronto broke open a 0-0 game with Colorado in the eighth when Davis greeted Rockies reliever Matt Belisle (4-4) with a single to right and stole second before Colby Rasmus walked. J.P. Arencibia advanced the runners on a short chopper back to the mound to set up Izturis, who sent a flair into short left field to cash in two runs. After Melky Cabrera hit into a double to end the inning, Casey Janssen sealed the win with his 15th save in the ninth. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons says Izturis — another off-season acquisition who struggled early in the season — is finally starting to settle in with the team. "I think new guys, a new place, its not uncommon for guys to press or whatever it is," said Gibbons. "I think hes settling in and feels comfortable now, part of the team. The way hes playing now is the way hes done his whole career. He looks a little more relaxed and settled in." Jorge De La Rosa pitched seven innings of one-hit ball while striking out four and walking three for the Rockies (37-34), who kicked off a tough nine-game, 10-day road trip that also includes stops in Washington and Boston. Rockies skip Walt Weiss said De La Rosas game was affected by a bruise on his right thumb that developed as the game progressed. "He was pretty uncomfortable the last couple of innings he was out there but he threw the ball well," Weiss said of his left-hander. "Its not anything thats going to be an issue with his next start. It just made him uncomfortable tonight." Johnson looked sharp out of the gate, throwing seven pitches — all strikes — for a three-up, three-down first inning. He got into some trouble in the second as right-fielder Michael Cuddyer reached on a single to lead off the inning, giving him a career-high 15-game hitting streak. Todd Helton put runners at the corners with no outs, but Johnson retired WWilin Rosario and Tyler Colvin before Nolan Arenado flied out to end the inning.dddddddddddd "I could feel it that first inning," said Johnson. "I felt good. Just aggressive, a lot more aggressive than my last outing (a 6-4 home loss to Texas on June 9). Trying to pound the zone, throw my slider, my curve ball. Mostly inside on lefties. It worked out." After Colorado kept the Jays hitless through three innings, Johnson continued to do his part by mowing down more batters. He came back from a 3-0 count to retire slugger Carlos Gonzalez, forced a ground out from Cuddyer and struck out Helton to end the fourth with six strikeouts. But the Jays struggled to give Johnson run support. Jose Bautista, in the lineup as the designated hitter for the second straight game, and Edwin Encarnacion both grounded into fielders choices before the red-hot Adam Lind grounded out to D.J. LeMahieu to end the threat. Lind came into the game having recorded a hit in 17 of his last 19 games dating back May 23 while batting .453 with 13 multi-hit outings over that span. Johnson made it eight strikeouts in the fifth after retiring Rosario and Colvin, before giving up an extra base hit to Arenado. Jon Herrera smacked one up the middle that looked like it would score a run, but a fantastic stop and throw to first by Izturis kept it scoreless. The Blue Jays shortstop then did it with his bat in the sixth when he erased any ideas of a De La Rosa no-hitter by cracking the ball to right for Torontos first hit. However, the Jays couldnt capitalize as Cabrera popped out and Bautista sent one to the warning track, drawing groans from the 20,946 in attendance at Rogers Centre. Those fans were on their feet in the eighth to salute Johnson, whose impressive night ended when LeMahieus bunt pushed Herrera and Fowler to second and third with one out. "Great outing," Gibbons said of Johnson. "Since hes been back, two out of three have been dominating performances. He had everything going on — good fastball, good breaking ball. He was attacking pretty good. Hes looking to bounce back and contribute. I think he felt really good tonight." Blue Jays reliever Brett Cecil (3-0) came in and induced a line out from Gonzalez, then walked Cuddyer to load the bases before Helton grounded out. Cecil has been lights out in recent weeks. The intentional walk to Cuddyer snapped a streak of retiring 25 straight batters dating back to May 31. He hasnt give up a run since May 10. The last meeting between the teams was in 2010 when the Rockies swept a three-game set at Coors Field. Colorado was swept in its last visit to Toronto in 2007. Notes: Gibbons said before the game that shortstop Jose Reyes and right-hander Brandon Morrow played for single-A Dunedin on Monday night. Reyes has been sidelined since April 12 with a severely sprained left ankle, while Morrow is recovering from a right forearm strain. ... The Rockies made the trip without infielder Troy Tulowitzki, who will be out 4-6 weeks with a broken rib. ... Esmil Rogers (2-2, 3.21) is scheduled to start for Toronto on Tuesday against Canadian Jeff Francis (2-4, 5.87). ' ' '