ST. LOUIS -- Mike Leake started strong and fizzled out fast.The St. Louis Cardinals right-hander gave up all five runs in the fifth and sixth innings in a 5-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.Unfortunately, its been the name of the game so far this year, Leake said. I think at some point it will not happen.Leake (5-7) has lost his last three outings with a 6.06 ERA but manager Mike Matheny saw the positives in an up-and-down year from the teams top free agent pickup. The previous start was strong, two earned runs allowed in seven innings against the Royals.I think Mike was about kind of what we hoped for -- he kept us in the game and weve got to make plays to help him, Matheny said. It comes down to the fact that we didnt get many big hits or many hits at all.Leake held the Pirates to two singles the first four innings before getting burned by two former Cardinals. Eighth-place hitter Eric Fryer had an RBI single in a two-run fifth that tied it and a two-run double in a three-run sixth, and David Freese had an RBI single in the sixth.Josh Harrison also had an RBI for Pittsburgh.Freese was missing location. Harrison, thats a good pitch. Fryer did a good job of putting the ball in play, Leake said. They werent terribly located balls, but not the best.The Cardinals released Fryer when backup catcher Brayan Pena came off the 15-day disabled list and the Pirates claimed him off waivers on Sunday. He batted .368 with St. Louis with five RBI in 38 at-bats behind seven-time All-Star Yadier Molina but Pena has a two-year, $5 million contract.The Cardinals got RBI from Jedd Gyorko and Matt Holliday, and Randal Grichuk was a minor bright spot with a pinch-hit single in the ninth. Grichuk was recalled from Triple-A Memphis after Brandon Moss was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained left ankle.It feels great, Grichuk said. I wasnt down there too long but it felt like it was awhile.Juan Nicasio (7-6) worked two scoreless innings in relief of lefty Steven Brault, who allowed one earned run in four innings while throwing 82 pitches and adding a single in his debut. The 24-year-old Brault pitched in place of fellow rookie Jameson Taillon, placed on the DL on Sunday with shoulder fatigue.The Pirates have taken the first two games of a four-game set and are 7-4 in the season series, closing within one-half game of the second-place Cardinals in the NL Central.Mark Melancon finished for his 21st consecutive save and 25th in 26 chances.Pirates third baseman Jung Ho Kang, under investigation by Chicago police on an allegation of sexual assault, singled pinch-hitting to open the ninth.HOT BOXHarrison stayed alive in a rundown between third and home long enough for the hitter and runner to take two bases in the fifth. The Cardinals finally got him out on a play scored 3-2-5-3-6-4.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RHP Ryan Vogelsong (facial fracture) threw 61 pitches in a four-inning simulated game. ... RHP Gerrit Cole (biceps) struck out six and allowed two hits for Triple-A Indianapolis to begin a rehab start.Cardinals: SS Jhonny Peralta was taken out after three innings with discomfort in his left thumb. The team said it was unrelated to the surgery for a torn thumb ligament in March.SLUMPINGMatt Adams, who replaced Peralta in the lineup, is in an 0-for-31 slump.UP NEXTPirates: Jeff Locke (8-5, 5.13) has won his last three starts with a 1.93 ERA and bested Oakland ace Sonny Gray his last time out.Cardinals: Jaime Garcia (6-6, 3.84) allowed one run in eight innings against the Brewers his last time out. He has a 0.57 ERA against Pittsburgh in six games, four starts. Cheap Shoes Fake . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. Cheap Shoes From China . 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. https://www.cheapshoesdiscount.com/ . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. Cheap Shoes . One game after a miserable showing in Oklahoma City, Gay tied a career high with 41 points and the Sacramento Kings cruised to a 114-97 victory at the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. Cheap Shoes 2020 . A big centre with all the tools to be an elite player, Johansen paced the Blue Jackets with a standout game Saturday night. He had a goal and two assists for a career-high three points as Columbus beat the New York Islanders 5-2 to snap a five-game losing streak. Villanovas epic national title victory over North Carolina in April seems like a lifetime ago. It camouflaged a pedestrian regular season. The hope and the expectation is that you wont have to wait until April to be hooked. The season is exactly 30 days away, so here are the things you absolutely must keep an eye on right from the opening tip:Villanovas Kris Jenkins will have miracle shot hangover Jenkins had the shot of a lifetime and an NCAA tournament memory that wont be forgotten for some time. But Jenkins will now be relied on to deliver more big moments, and the regular season simply doesnt carry the same adrenaline. Hard to imagine another comparable moment in his Nova career.Kentucky coach John Calipari still needs a returning player to be a star The Wildcats once again have a star-studded freshman class. The reliable and productive veterans are few. That means Isaiah Briscoe better be an elite player. Kentucky needs someone who has been in high-pressure games to reach its ultimate goal of a national title.Dukes Harry Giles knees will be the most discussed body part in college basketball Giles tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee in 2013. He had a knee scope this month and his return is unknown. The mystery will challenge NBA personnel, who said they will want their doctors to check him out before they can make an evaluation. Lets assume he returns at some point for the Blue Devils. Once he does, his left knee will be a constant conversation point right up until the night of the NBA draft.The ACC may be the strongest, but the Big Ten race will be the most intriguing Duke, Syracuse, Louisville, North Carolina and Virginia will compete for top-5 NCAA tournament seeds. And the league could get as many nine or 10 -- maybe 11? -- teams in the NCAAs. But Duke is the favorite. So give me the Big Ten race, because there Wisconsin, Michigan State, Indiana and Purdue should be competing down to the final weekend for the title in a razor-thin race.Wichita State will face its toughest season since becoming a regular in the NCAA tournament The Shockers have been the dominant team in the Missouri Valley. But you cannot ignore the impact of losing Fred VanVleet and Ron Baker. Gregg Marshall is an elite coach who maximizes talent, but he will face a hungry set of opponents in the Valley who are eager to take down the Shockers.Arizonas Allonzo Trier will be a national name by March The Arizona staff is convinced Trier will be the Pac-12 Player of the Year. He averaged nearly 15 points a game last season. With the top two scorers gone, Trier will have plenty of touches to stuff the stat sheet every game.The pro-Bob Knight loyalists will continue to shrink as Tom Creans Indiana thrives Knight loyalists need to get over themselves. Crean has coached the Indiana Hoosiers to a Big Ten title and multiple Sweet 16 appearances. This Indiana team has the size, depth and speed to again be in the second weekend of the NCAA tournament. If the point guard play materializes, then Hoosiers fans better deal with Crean creating a lasting legacy.The NCAA investigation into Louisville wont impact its season Louisville still hasnt been in front of the NCAA committee on infractions. The timetable to get a hearing and deal with a response and possible appeal means this likely wont ding the Cardinals this season. The worst-case scenario? A suspension for Rick Pitino under the coach control penalty. But that could even be a reach. Cant see a postseason ban after last seasons self-imposed one.NC State freshman guard Dennis Smith will be a part of the All-American discussion Smith is a special talent. A year ago, he tore his ACL, limiting the buzz that might follow him from high school to NC State. Hes healthy now, and Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried has a star, a player who should be the best point guard in the ACC, and as a result, one of the best in the country.Bob Huggins will sweat less at West Virginia this season Huggins will still wear his golf windbreakers and comfy clothes. But he is optimistic he has another team cut from the same West Virginia cloth. If youre looking for a team that could challenge Kansas, lean on West Virginia as your choice.Creightons Marcus Foster will make you care about him this season Remember Creighton? There was a natural speed bump in the program after Doug McDermott left. But the Bluejays may be ready to emerge again. Foster is the reason. He was a double-figure scorer at K-State, and he should be one again at Creighton, joining Maurice Watson Jr.?in one of the best backcourts in the Big East.Dukes Grayson Allen will be hard for critics to hate Allen deservedly got criticized for multiple tripping incidents last season. But its hard to argue against Allens productivity. He enters the season as one of the favorites to win the Wooden Award. If he can emerge as a go-to guy on a team with multiple lottery picks, it will be difficult to dismiss him because of any past chippy play.Shaka Smart will allow Texas fans to enjoy the winter before spring football The Longhorns football program has been in a constant state of chaos. The basketball program has a chance to be the steadier of the two. Smart has a young team, but one that should fit his up-tempo, hectic and harassing style. Entertaining should be the key word, not heard in the fall in Austin.Court storming will no longer be cool The Pac-12 finally got the message that court storming is more dangerous than hip. The league followed the SEC and will fine schools $25,000 for the first offense, $50,000 for the second and $100,000 for the third. Other leagues will likely follow. The court of play should still be reserved for those who actually play in the games.Wisconsins Nigel Hayes and Bronson Koenig will be the social conscience of the sport this season Hayes has made it clear that he wont sshy away from speaking out on social justice issues.dddddddddddd He is passionate about the subject and wont hold back when moved. Koenig has already been active in protecting native land against the Dakota pipeline project. Wisconsin coach Greg Gard fully supports their activism, and its not likely to halt anytime soon.North Carolinas mens basketball team wont suffer NCAA penalties Coach Roy Williams has been adamant that his program wont get hit from the NCAAs investigation into fraudulent classes at the university. There is no indication that Williams is wrong. Tar Heels critics will be hot, but the only lasting effect this crisis will likely have on the program will be a PR hit, not a slew of penalties.Lonzo Ball will save UCLA An NBA assistant general manager watched UCLA practice in the preseason and said Ball is a pass-first guard who is going to get Bryce Alford the ball when he needs to shoot it. He will apparently find the key players when theyre open. Do that, and Steve Alford will no longer be feeling outside heat.No one needs a good start more than Illinois John Groce Groces season was dreadful a year ago. And it wasnt just the sub-.500 record. There were three arrests and multiple injuries. The Illini have their deepest team since Groce arrived five years ago. If everything is calm, the Illini can resume being a player in the Big Ten. If chaos resumes, then the crisis for Groce will only get worse.Chatter about Jim Boeheim coaching at Syracuse beyond 2018 will be hot Boeheim announced in 2015 that he would retire after the 2017-18 season. Yet he has another team that could reach the Final Four. His recruiting is going exceedingly well. Hes healthy. And he now has a close friend as a boss in John Wildhack, the former ESPN executive and new Syracuse athletic director. Its hard not to see Boeheim continuing if the Orange continue to excel.Kansas will tie UCLAs record of 13 straight conference titles Oklahoma should have ended Kansas streak last season, but the Sooners couldnt close. While West Virginia will be formidable, the Jayhawks are too loaded with returnees such as Frank Mason and Devonte Graham, as well as studs such as Josh Jackson. Kansas 12 straight Big 12 titles is as impressive a regular-season streak as any recently in college basketball. And there is no reason to believe it wont continue.Dillon Brooks timetable to return to Oregon will be a dominating pre-conference topic Oregon can get to the Final Four with a healthy Brooks. If Brooks foot injury is a nagging issue, the Ducks may struggle in their quest to win the Pac-12. Regardless, his injury will be a constant topic in evaluating Oregons status as an elite team, let alone a title contender.The Maui Invitational will return as the tournament to watch in November Wisconsin could be a Final Four team. So, too, could Oregon and North Carolina. Georgetown is a sleeper in the Big East and UConn could win the American. Dont be surprised if in March, we look back and see five high seeds who played in Maui.Markelle Fultz will be this seasons Ben Simmons Ben Simmons was the top pick in the NBA draft. But LSU couldnt get in the NCAA tournament or even the NIT. Fultz has a chance to be the top pick in June, but the Huskies are still green. That could be a factor in whether Fultz gets the national stage of the NCAA tournament or is relegated to the NIT.Kevin Stallings will coach Pitt into the NCAA tournament in his first season Stallings tenure at Vanderbilt was erratic, but his teams were always well coached. Jamie Dixon bolted for his alma mater at TCU, but he left a roster led by Jamel Artis that has enough to get to the NCAA tournament.Melo Trimble will realize he made the right decision to go back to Maryland Trimble wasnt going to be a first-round pick. He may have made a few big shots last season, but that doesnt equate to being a first-round selection. He will need to prove he can lead a retooled Maryland team back to the NCAA tournament. Do that and hell see he made the right call by creating more of a résumé.Bruce Pearl will be relevant again Pearl has recruited well at Auburn. And he has a win over Kentucky. Hes not going to be quiet. Auburn may not be a serious player for the SEC title, but this could be the season Auburn makes enough noise to be a story in late February.Avery Johnson, Mike Dunleavy Sr. and Terry Porter will make more fired NBA coaches want to coach in college Johnson has created a buzz at Alabama. Dunleavy is super-charged to be at Tulane. Porter could make the Pilots more intriguing. College coaches are now quick to take the money in the NBA, but fired NBA coaches will see college as a legitimate option.Cals Ivan Rabb will show its OK to turn down an NBA first-round spot Rabb will miss Jaylen Brown as a sidekick. But Rabb should thrive as the focal point. The talent in the Pac-12 will be on display on a nightly basis with competition fierce for Player of the Year honors. Rabb will prove that coming back does not always hurt a players draft status.UNLV wont regret not getting its first head-coaching choice Marvin Menzies wasnt supposed to be the head coach. Mick Cronin could have had the job. Chris Beard did have the gig. But Menzies was the fall-back choice, and with an impressive recruiting haul, led by Troy Baxter Jr., the Rebels should be a factor sooner than expected.Michigan State will be the toughest team to project The Spartans could be a Final Four team or an early flameout. The reason for the unknown? Health. The Spartans are already banged up. If they can get healthy, weather a brutal early schedule and get to Tom Izzo time (March), the Spartans will be in the thick of the Big Ten and national title race. ' ' '