title Scores: 118-111 (twice), 116-112 Re

MILWAUKEE -- Entering his first big league game in 16 months, Joe Nathan felt his heart racing while doing a full sprint to the mound.Nathan has 377 career saves, and yet Sunday still felt like opening day all over again for the 41-year-old reliever.Anthony Rizzos three-run double in the seventh inning helped the Chicago Cubs overcome a four-run deficit and made a winner of Nathan in a 6-5 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.It was opening day for me today, and the adrenaline was ... through the roof. It was almost too much, Nathan said. I almost needed a defibrillator for the run into the mound.The six-time All-Star joined a club with World Series aspirations hoping to shore up its bullpen. The heart of the order finally came up with hits after the Cubs struggled with runners in scoring position against Brewers starter Junior Guerra.That changed after Will Smith took over for Guerra with one out in the seventh.Tommy La Stella, who went 3 for 3, had an RBI double before Smith (1-3) walked Kris Bryant to load the bases for third-place hitter Rizzo. He hit a 2-2 slider down in the zone into right-center to clear the bases and give Chicago a 5-4 lead.Ben Zobrists RBI single scored Rizzo in the seventh and gave the Cubs a needed insurance run after closer Hector Rondon gave up a homer to Kirk Nieuwenhuis with two outs in the ninth to draw Milwaukee within a run.Rondon struck out Jake Elmore looking for his 18th save.It was a complete victory. Rizzo had a couple tough at-bats but got a really big hit, manager Joe Maddon said.It completed a successful comeback from Tommy John surgery for Nathan, pitching in his first game in the majors since April 2015. He was activated off the 60-day disabled list earlier Sunday.Cubs pitchers labored for much of the afternoon, with starter Jon Lester struggling through four innings, allowing four hits and walking five.Nathan gave up a leadoff triple to Jonathan Villar in the sixth and a walk before striking out 3-4-5 hitters Ryan Braun, Jonathan Lucroy and Chris Carter.Certainly a lot of moments in the game. We had some opportunities to add on runs in general, just to score runs and we didnt capture those opportunities, Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said.BRINGING THE HEATThe Brewers left the retractable roof at Miller Park open on a sticky afternoon, with the game-time temperature at 90 degrees. The contest lasted more than four hours.It was without a doubt the hottest game of the year, and it was one of the longer games, so guys were tired, for sure, Counsell said.ON THE MOUNDSmiths struggles overshadowed another solid start by 31-year-old rookie Guerra, who allowed five hits and one unearned run over 6 1/3 innings.But the lead evaporated against Smith, normally one of the leagues toughest left-handed relievers. Left-handed hitter La Stella and Rizzo both got to Smith for clutch hits.Smiths ERA ballooned from 1.93 to 3.86 after failing to record an out while giving up five runs on three hits, a walk and an error.SWIPE CITYThe Brewers built their 4-0 lead, stealing six bases in a game for the first time since May 13, 2013. Braun and Villar each had two steals off Lester by the bottom of the second.TRAINERS ROOMCubs: Nathan signed with the Cubs as a free agent in May and was on the DL until this weekend. Right-hander Adam Warren was optioned to Triple-A Iowa in a corresponding move. ... SS Addison Russell left the game before the bottom of the fourth with a left heel contusion.Brewers: Will Middlebrooks left the game before the top of the fourth a lower right leg strain. The third baseman popped out in the bottom of the third.UP NEXT:Cubs: Jake Arrieta (12-4) takes the mound when Chicago travels to the South Side for an interleague series against the crosstown-rival White Sox. The right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.82 ERA in six starts against the White Sox.Brewers: Chase Anderson (4-10) opens a four-game series against his former club, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The righty has struggled over his past six outings, going 0-4 with a 9.13 ERA.Custom New York Mets Nike Jerseys . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Custom Texas Rangers Nike Jerseys . -- Playing time has been limited for Maxim Tissot this season, so the Montreal Impact defender made the most of his first scoring opportunity on Saturday. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.com/?tag=custom-chicago-white-sox-nike-jerseys . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Custom Colorado Rockies Nike Jerseys . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Custom Chicago Cubs Nike Jerseys . Just not the game. Kyle Palmieri scored two straight goals in the third period to rally the Anaheim Ducks past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 on Tuesday night.A roundup of the past weeks notable boxing results from around the world:Saturday at Las VegasVasyl Lomachenko TKO7 Nicholas Walters -- Fight recap Retains a junior lightweight title Records: Lomachenko (7-1, 5 KOs); Walters (26-1-1, 21 KOs)Rafaels remarks: This was pure brilliance from the gifted Lomachenko, who may have only eight professional fights but might be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world as he retained his world title for the first time in stunningly one-sided fashion. In handing Jamaicas Walters, 30, a former featherweight titleholder, his first defeat, combined with a monster fifth-round knockout of Roman Rocky Martinez in June to win the 130-pound belt, Lomachenko is squarely in the conversation for fighter of the year honors. If he wins, he will only add to his growing legend that includes Olympic gold medals for Ukraine in 2008 and 2012 and numerous other accolades. Big-punching Walters is nicknamed Axe Man, but it was Lomachenko who cut him down with ease using a variety of hard punches from both hands and such incredible boxing skills that Walters simply had no prayer to do anything against him.After taking some heavy shots in the seventh round, Walters simply quit, much to the surprise of everyone, including referee Tony Weeks. Coincidentally, Walters quit 36 years and one day after Robert Durans infamous no mas against Sugar Ray Leonard. It was a huge win for Lomachenko, whom Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said could meet Manny Pacquiao at a catchweight in late 2017, and a potential career-killer, at least in terms of HBO interest, for Walters.Also on the card, welterweight contender Konstantin Ponomarev (31-0, 13 KOs), 24, of Russia, who is trained by 2015 Boxing Writers Association of America trainer of the year Abel Sanchez, cruised to a shutout decision win against Silverio Ortiz (35-19, 17 KOs), 33, of Mexico, winning 80-72 on all three scorecards. In another undercard fight, light heavyweight prospect Trevor McCumby (24-0, 19 KOs), 24, of Phoenix, scored two knockdowns and stopped long-faded Donovan George (25-7-2, 22 KOs), 32, of Chicago, at 1 minute, 48 seconds of the first round of their scheduled eight-round fight. George lost his third bout in a row.Saturday at Cardiff, WalesTerry Flanagan TKO8 Orlando Cruz Retains a lightweight title Records: Flanagan (32-0, 13 KOs); Cruz (25-5-1, 13 KOs)Rafaels remarks: Englands Flanagan, a 27-year-old southpaw, made his fourth successful title defense in easy fashion as he absolutely dominated the much smaller Cruz, 35, of Puerto Rico. Cruz, boxings first openly gay fighter, had lost a featherweight world title shot when he got stopped in the seventh round by then-titleholder Orlando Salido in 2013. Although Cruz, a southpaw, was riding a five-fight winning streak entering the bout with Flanagan, he was moving up in weight and was completely outclassed. Cruz, who said he wanted to win the title to inspire the gay community, was basically trying to survive as Flanagan laid a beating on him before dropping him twice in the eighth round. First Cruz hit the mat from a left hook and after the second knockdown, from a right hand at the end of a sustained flurry, referee Steve Gray mercifully stopped the fight at 43 seconds.Saturday at LondonKatie Taylor TKO3 Karina Kopinska -- Fight recap Junior lightweight Records: Taylor (1-0, 1 KO); Kopinska (7-15-3)Rafaels remarks: Taylor, 30, of Ireland, the darling of womens boxing in the United Kingdom, was a hugely decorated amateur, winning five consecutive world amateur championships and an Olympic gold medal in the 2012 London Games. However, she was upset in her opening bout of the 2016 Rio Olympics and elected to turn pro. She signed with Eddie Hearns Matchroom Boxing and mmade her pro debut in a scheduled six-round bout and was very impressive against Kopinska, 27, of Poland.dddddddddddd Despite a poor record, Kopinska had only previously been stopped once and showed tremendous heart against Taylor, although she lost her fourth fight in a row.Taylor pounded Kopinska throughout the fight and bloodied her nose in the third round before bombarding her with a double-fisted attack as she looked for cover in a corner, prompting referee Robert Williams to intervene at 58 seconds.Saturday at Cebu City, PhilippinesMilan Melindo W12 Fahlan Sakkreerin Jr. Wins a vacant interim junior flyweight title Scores: 117-111, 115-113 (twice) Records: Melindo (35-2, 12 KOs); Sakkreerin Jr. (31-5-1, 16 KOs)Rafaels remarks: With 108-pound world titleholder Akira Yaegashi (24-5, 12 KOs) sidelined with a rotator cuff injury and unable to make his mandatory defense on schedule, this interim title fight between the leading available contenders, Sakkreerin, of Thailand, and Melindo, of the Philippines, was sanctioned with the stipulation that Yaegashi will have to eventually face the winner. That means it will be against Melindo, 28, who prevailed after losing two previous shots at full world titles. Melindo has won three in a row, including against Sakkreerin, 23, who had previously lost by ninth-round technical decision in a strawweight world title fight to Katsunari Takayama in 2015.It was a competitive fight with Sakkreerin appearing to be quicker and accurate with his jab. But Melindo, the aggressor, was patient and took control in the seventh round, pinning Sakkreerin along the ropes with an onslaught of punches. They went back and forth in the final few rounds, but Melindo, whose counterpunching was a big factor, hung on to his lead.Saturday at Uncasville, ConnecticutVaughn Alexander W6 Antonio Chaves Fernandes Middleweight Scores: 60-54 (three times) Records: Alexander (7-0, 5 KOs); Fernandes (7-30-4, 2 KOs)Rafaels remarks: In one of the bouts on Main Events inaugural Mohegan Suns Rising Stars Boxing Series at the Mohegan Sun resort, Alexander, 30, of St. Louis, fought for only the second time since 2004 because he went to prison for 12 years for armed robbery and assaulting a police officer. Alexander, the older brother of former welterweight and junior welterweight world titleholder Devon Alexander, was a promising welterweight prospect back then. Now he is a middleweight looking to fulfill the potential he had more than a decade ago. After his prison release, Alexander fought in October and then shut out Fernandes, 37, of Brockton, Massachusetts, in his first bout since signing with promoter Main Events. Alexander appeared in excellent condition and easily outboxed Fernandes, who was there only to survive. It was not much of a fight and not particularly entertaining, but Alexander got in the needed rounds as he continues his comeback.Friday at Brentwood, EnglandBradley Skeete W12 John Thain Retains British welterweight title Scores: 118-111 (twice), 116-112 Records: Skeete (25-1, 11 KOs); Thain (16-3, 1 KO)Rafaels remarks: Skeete, 29, of England, rolled to victory in the first defense of the British title since winning it by unanimous decision from Sam Eggington in March. Skeete won going away but Thain gave him a few issues during the first half of the fight before Skeete found his groove and put his stiff jab to good use, which left the light-hitting Thain bleeding from the mouth and nose and with a cut above the left eye. Thain, 29, of Scotland, who has typically fought at junior middleweight, saw his five-fight winning streak come to an end. ' ' '