DENVER -- Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw took a big step toward a return by throwing two solid innings during a simulated game Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner has been sidelined with a minor disk herniation in his lower back since late June.Of course, Kershaw critiqued his performance afterward, telling team officials he wasnt as sharp as he wanted to be. Just Kershaw being Kershaw.And yet another positive sign.He felt great after, which is obviously everything we cared about, Andrew Friedman, the teams president of baseball operations, said hours before the Dodgers game with the Colorado Rockies was rained out Tuesday. The teams will make it up as part of a split doubleheader Wednesday. It was a great step in his progression.Before deciding on Kershaws next step, the team wants to see how hes feeling Wednesday, but hes raring to get back to the majors and help the NL West-leading Dodgers. This is just his second trip to the disabled list in his nine-year career. He also went on the DL in early 2014 with a shoulder strain.My guess is that Kersh will want to pitch in a major league game tomorrow, Friedman said. And I think with the time hes missed, my guess could be the next step, a minor league assignment. I think it will take a little bit of time to build him up in a way for him to be strong through September and hopefully October, as well.Asked how much input Kershaw will have in his next step, Friedman responded, A lot.But you also have to balance that with, hes as competitive of a person as Ive been around, Friedman added. He wants to get out here and help his team in the worst way. Well have to balance the medical opinion with how hes doing and feeling. Getting him as back as quickly as we can, but in the most responsible way possible.Kershaw wasnt the only injured Dodgers pitcher to work in a simulated game that featured a mix of minor league hitters. Righty Brandon McCarthy (right hip stiffness) went five innings, using his whole array of pitches; lefty Brett Anderson (blister on his left index finger) turned in four and lefty Scott Kazmir (neck inflammation) threw five.It was a full day at Dodger Stadium, manager Dave Roberts said. All of the guys came out of it pretty well.RAIN RULES THE DAYThe game Tuesday was postponed because of rain after a delay of 2 hour, 32 minutes from the scheduled first pitch. The first game Wednesday is at 1:10 p.m. and the latter at 6:10 p.m.We didnt get our hopes up in any one way, so the understanding that whatever decision was ultimately made, we got to make good on it, Roberts said.For Los Angeles, right-hander Ross Stripling (3-5) will pitch the first game, and lefty Rich Hill (10-3) will take the mound for the second contest as he makes his first start at Coors Field since April 23, 2008, while with the Chicago Cubs. Lefty Tyler Anderson (4-5) will throw the first game for Colorado, and righty Jeff Hoffman (0-2) starts the second.TRAINERS ROOMDodgers: SS Corey Seager was out of the lineup Tuesday, but it was a scheduled day off and had nothing to do with being hit on the left hand the night before. Hes fine, Roberts said.CLOSE WATCHThe Dodgers are keeping a close watch on the number of innings rookie Julio Urias logs this season. The lefty already has thrown 63 innings for the Dodgers heading into his start Friday. Injuries have forced the team to lean a little more heavily on him than anticipated.It was important to get him to a certain threshold this year, just to build off of for next year, explained Andrew Friedman, the teams president of baseball operations. Because of injuries, probably get there sooner that we wouldve liked. Thats the way things have played out this year. Hes had a big part in where we are this year.Should the Dodgers make the postseason, Urias might contribute out of the bullpen. Kirk Cousins Jersey . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Adam Thielen Vikings Jersey .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N. http://www.thevikingsshoponline.com/Youth-John-Randle-Vikings-Jersey/ . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL. Fran Tarkenton Womens Jersey .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. Dru Samia Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. PITTSBURGH -- Both starting pitchers will have something to prove Tuesday when the Seattle Mariners open a two-game stop in Pittsburgh.Thats based on what Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez and Pirates lefty Francisco Liriano did their last time out.Hernandez (4-4, 3.23 ERA) got a no-decision Wednesday in Seattles 6-5 win over the Chicago White Sox. While his numbers werent great -- five runs on 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings, with two strikeouts and two walks -- the fact that he felt strong and lasted 94 pitches (68 of them strikes) and into the seventh inning was encouraging because it was his first game after coming off of DL.He reported no issues related to the right calf strain that had sidelined him, and that is backed up by his ability to take his regular turn in the rotation right away with the start against the Pirates.I had a good sinker, got a lot of ground-ball outs, Hernandez told MyNorthwest.com. They were swinging. They were swinging at every pitch. I mean, thats why my pitch count was pretty low.Feels good, man. Feels good to finally be back out there. Trying to do my job here and help my team to win.Hernandez is 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three career starts against Pittsburgh but has not faced the Pirates since 2013.He will look to get even further back in the groove Tuesday after his performance against the White Sox exceeded the expectations of Mariners manager Scott Servais.First time out, it was probably better than I thought he would be, Servais said. To Felixs credit, he hung in there. Really the key to the game for us was how deep he went in the game. Weve talked a lot about our starting pitchers, just give us a chance even when you dont have your best stuff. (Hernandez) gave us a chance.Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle has been singing a similar tune.Weve been trying to push starters to get more length, he said.Hurdle and everyone else affiliated with the Pirates also would like to see more, period, from Liriano (6-9, 4.96 ERA), who struggled the first half of the season after being pegged as one of the clubs key contributors entering the season.Things seemed to be getting better slowly, and then Liriano hhad what might have been a breakout game Thursday.ddddddddddddHe struck out a season-best 13 batters, giving up two earned runs in 6 2/3 innings in a 5-3 win over Milwaukee.Liriano told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review that it had been a long time since his command had been as good and said, I feel like Ive been (improving).In July, Liriano is averaging 3.2 walks per nine innings, a low for any month this year.Hurdle on Thursday was reminded of how good a pitcher Liriano can be. The 32-year-old is six wins shy of 100 and five strikeouts shy of 1,500 for his career.I believe he has a good foundation to build off of, Hurdle said. The changeup was electric. The slider was disappearing. ... Really good stuff. Really good composure. Really impressive outing.Weve seen this before. Its not like hes digging somewhere hes never been before.Liriano is 6-2 with a 2.61 ERA against the Mariners but has not faced them since 2011.Seattle, 25-25 on the road, had won three in row, five of seven and seven of 11 before running into the brick walk that is Torontos J.A. Happ and losing 2-0 Sunday. The Mariners matched a season high with 19 hits Saturday in a 14-5 win over the Blue Jays, then matched their season low with one hit Sunday.Pittsburgh, 28-22 at PNC Park, has won two in a row and five of seven since a three-game losing streak.Both teams had the day off Monday, with the Mariners spending it in Pittsburgh after traveling there Sunday from Toronto.For both clubs, this is their second day off since the All-Star break, with another Thursday. The Pirates have another next Monday.Hurdle said he sees extra days off as neither a bonus (it could hurt momentum when the team is winning) nor a hindrance (it helps with players who are banged up and allows for bullpen rest).We take them as they come and you deal with them the best you can, Hurdle said. They present a different set of opportunities and challenges with the starting rotation, how you map things out.Well just work with it. Ill take advantage of them personally. ' ' '