Maddon said. After we get done with our ga

RIO DE JANEIRO -- The spectators told Monica Puig they believed she could win Puerto Ricos first Olympic gold medal in any sport, providing a soundtrack of Si se puede! -- Yes, we can! -- during the Rio de Janeiro Games womens tennis final.She could. And she did.The unseeded and unheralded Puig capped her run of upsets with the biggest one of all Saturday, overpowering No. 2 Angelique Kerber of Germany 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 to become the Olympic champion.I did hear everybody saying, Yes, you can! Yes, you can! Yes, you can! I kept repeating it inside myself: `Yes, I can! Yes, I can! Yes, I can! Puig said. They really helped me believe and just showed me they were there for me, whether I was going to win or lose.Puigs father told her he believed, too, emailing the lyrics to the Puerto Rican national anthem a day earlier, just in case they would come in handy.And so, as the strains of that song echoed around an Olympic arena for the first time, and Puerto Ricos red-white-and-blue flag was raised to the highest level during a medal ceremony for the first time, Puig remembered what Dad had written.She recognized plenty of the words as fans belted them out.She just couldnt join in the joyous chorus, for a simple reason: too many tears.If I wouldve stopped crying, I probably would have started singing, Puig said afterward, smiling at the thought. But I couldnt. I was choking up the whole time.A 22-year-old born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and now based in Florida, Puig is also the first woman representing her country to earn a medal of any color. When she finished a tense closing game -- saving six break points and converting her fourth match point -- she flung away her racket and went over to collect a flag she paraded across the court.I couldnt really believe what just happened, she said. It was such an amazing moment.Gigi Fernandez, who is Puerto Rican, won two Olympic womens doubles gold medals in tennis, but did so while representing the United States.Im particularly happy for Puerto Rico, Fernandez said in a telephone interview from Connecticut. All the hurt that people felt, all the anger people felt because I played for the U.S., I couldnt be happier.Puig had shown promise in the past, reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon as a teen in 2013, but she hasnt been that far again at any major.Also notable about Puig: She is the first unseeded woman to win the singles title since tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988. Ranked 34th, she added her surprising win over Kerber -- a German who won the Australian Open and was the Wimbledon runner-up this year -- to those she picked up in Brazil against two other past major title winners, Garbine Muguruza and Petra Kvitova.Earlier Saturday, Kvitova earned the bronze for the Czech Republic by beating Madison Keys of the United States 7-5, 2-6, 6-2.Kvitova called her medal one of the best things that happened in my career, definitely.Clearly, Puig felt the same.And she played attacking tennis full of powerful shots that seemed to rattle the counter-punching Kerber.Puig smacked a down-the-line backhand -- her 18th winner to that point, 10 more than Kerber -- for a break that gave her the opening set.During the ensuing changeover, Kerber was visited by a trainer, standing on the sideline while her lower back was massaged and manipulated, before heading to the locker room for a medical timeout. Kerber said later that bothered her from the outset, but it wasnt why she lost.She played her best tennis and one of her best matches in her career, for sure, Kerber said. I tried everything.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich---AP Sports Writers Jon Krawczynski and Tim Reynolds contributed.Melvin Gordon III Womens Jersey . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. Derwin James Chargers Jersey . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. http://www.prochargersteamstore.com/Youth-Lance-Alworth-Elite-Jersey/ . Capitals head coach Adam Oates said Ovechkin was injured in the first period against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday and clarified it was not a head injury. Keenan Allen Chargers Jersey . Brett Kulak and Jackson Houck of the Vancouver Giants were each charged with assault causing bodily harm on Aug. 18, according to the B.C. court services. Junior Seau Youth Jersey . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne.LOS ANGELES -- The maturation of Julio Urias is coming along quickly for the Los Angeles Dodgers.The 20-year-old rookie from Mexico allowed one run over six innings, Corey Seager set a Dodgers franchise record for a shortstop with his 23rd home run and Los Angeles defeated the Chicago Cubs 3-2 on Saturday to even the series between NL division leaders.Urias (5-2) pitched better at home than the last time he faced the Cubs. The left-hander made his second career start in Chicago on June 2 and gave up six runs -- five earned -- and eight hits in five innings while serving up three homers.This time, he allowed six hits and tied a career high with eight strikeouts and two walks. He is 4-0 in six games (four starts) since the All-Star break.He kept getting stronger and executing better, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Theres a quiet confidence. Hes being more aggressive. Early on, he was trying to understand the major league strike zone. He can trust his stuff and be more aggressive in the strike zone.The defense backed Urias with two double plays.It gives me a lot of confidence, he said through a translator. A couple starts ago I started picking up my confidence. In the beginning I felt strange. Now I feel like I belong here and thats the biggest difference.Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his 38th save a day after allowing a run on a wild pitch in the ninth in a 6-4, 10-inning loss.I didnt have a lot of hours of sleep last night, letting my teammates down, Jansen said. I got to figure out how to be aggressive all the time out there.The Cubs four-game winning streak ended behind the shortest outing of the season from Jason Hammel (13-7). He gave up three runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings.Jason wasnt happy when I took him out. He didnt want to go, but I didnt see things straightening out, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Im not concerned about him and its not a lack of confidence in him.Hammel was coming off a poor performance against Colorado, allowing a season-high 10 runs (six earned) in 3 1/3 innings of an 11-4 loss. He remained winless in nine career games (six starts) at Dodger Stadium.Joe and I talked after the game about it but its not a topic for discussion in the newspapers, Hammel said. Theres nothing wrong with me mechanically. Im fine.The Cubs rally in the seventh came up short. They got to 3-2 on pinch-hitter Jason Heywards RBI single off reliever Pedro Baez.Heyward got caught stealing, and Baez walked Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant before getting Anthony Rizzo on an inning-ending grounder.Los Angeles took a 3-1 lead in the third on RBI singles by Chase Utley and Justin Turneer.ddddddddddddUtleys hit was the third straight given up by Hammel to start the inning.Seager tied the game at 1 in the first, giving him the most homers by a Dodgers shortstop in franchise single-season history. He broke the old mark of 22 set by Glenn Wright in 1930.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: RHP John Lackey (right shoulder strain) will throw a bullpen session on Monday in Chicago.Dodgers: OF Scott Van Slyke wont play again this season. Hes on the DL with right wrist irritation after being out nearly two months earlier in the season with low back irritation. He doesnt have the range of motion he needs to contribute, manager Dave Roberts said. ... LHP Clayton Kershaw (mild disc irritation) will face hitters in a simulated game on Tuesday in Los Angeles, Rancho Cucamonga or Arizona.ALMOST HOME ADVANTAGEChicago fans are making the Cubs feel almost like home at Dodger Stadium. They chanted MVP, MVP after Kris Bryants game-winning home run in the 10th inning Friday. They cheered when Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully rattled off statistics about the Cubs impressive August performance during a preview of Saturdays game shown on the videoboard. The team has seen similar partisan crowds around the country this season.Theyve been so loud that if we turned our backs to the crowd, Maddon said, we couldnt tell if it was a home game or an away game.HEARING VINCubs fans in Chicago will get a brief chance to hear Scully wax poetic on Sunday. Comcast SportsNet Chicago will carry the live audio of Scullys broadcast during the third inning of the series finale. The 88-year-old Hall of Fame announcer is retiring at seasons end after 67 years in the booth for the Dodgers.The people in Chicago are in for a treat, Maddon said. After we get done with our games, I watch the Dodgers and listen to Vin on my iPad. Hes one of the great ones, like Red Barber, Dick Enberg and Ernie Harwell. Hes transcended the memories of baseball.AT THE TURNSTILESThe announced attendance of 49,522 pushed the Dodgers over the 3 million mark for the fifth consecutive year and made them the first team in the majors to top that number this season.UP NEXTCubs: LHP Jon Lester (14-4, 2.81 ERA) is 1-1 with a 4.05 ERA in two career starts at Dodger Stadium. The team is 7-0 in his last seven starts.Dodgers: RHP Brock Stewart (0-2, 11.25) makes his third career major league start after being recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Friday. He last pitched on Aug. 19 against Albuquerque, allowing four hits in five scoreless innings. ' ' '