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Sports Right-hander hasn’t lost since his first start of the season
10:15 P.M. Today | MASN2
After a forgettable first outing, Doug Fister has fit right in at the end of the Nationals’ rotation. The right-hander, who missed the first month of the season with a lat injury, has surrendered only eight earned runs in his past five starts — all games the Nationals won. And it hasn’t just been his fastball that’s been working for Fister. In his most recent start against the Phillies, he worked his curveball for a few strikeouts, and his changeup kept hitters off-balance. “The main focus is staying down in the zone and being able to move in and out,” Fister said. When searching for a pitcher to round out the rotation in 2013, the Nationals turned to Dan Haren. But that acquisition didn’t work out, with Haren going 10-14 with a 4.67 ERA. This year, the Nationals replaced Haren with Fister and are reaping the benefits of the trade with Detroit.
ALEX BRANDON (AP)
Nationals
Right-hander Doug Fister is 4-1 with a 3.19 ERA in his first season with the Nationals.
In six starts this season, Fister (4-1, 3.19 ERA) has walked only 1.4 percent of the batters he’s faced, according to fangraphs.com. His WHIP is 0.982 and he’s struck out 28 batters in 362 ⁄3 innings. “He’s awesome, isn’t he?” right
fielder Jayson Werth said. “You gotta love playing behind a guy like that. He’s into the game. He works fast. He throws strikes. There’s not a whole lot there you don’t like.” Fister has also shown his athleticism in the field. In the series
finale against Philadelphia, Ryan Howard hit a ground ball to first baseman Adam LaRoche, who then attempted a double play by throwing the ball to Danny Espinosa, who was covering second base. Fister covered first and did his best to try to catch Espinosa’s throw before Howard could reach base. He extended his leg as far as possible before he was in a full split. “I t hou ght he ble w out ,” LaRoche said. He didn’t. Fister got up and walked back to the mound to finish the inning. The 6-foot-8 righty will be on the mound today against the NLleading Giants. Prior to Monday’s game, the Nationals had won seven of their past 10 games. “Playing together and well adds a lot of momentum to us,” Fister said. “We’re able to come in every day and put forth the energy, the focus and drive to play this game.” JASON BUT T (FOR E XPRESS)
U.S. Lands in Brazil for World Cup
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Two Parties in One The University of Connecticut had double the celebration at the White House on Monday. President Barack Obama welcomed the school’s men’s and women’s basketball teams to mark their NCAA titles. Obama joked that while he’s trying to cut duplicative programs, UConn might be carrying things too far. (AP)
The U.S. World Cup team has arrived in Brazil. The Americans landed in Sao Paulo on Monday morning on an overnight commercial flight from Miami and reached their downtown hotel on a bus with the American flag and the slogan “United by team, driven by passion.” Motorcycled police with the Stars and Stripes sticking out of their wheels preceded the bus, and a helicopter hovered. Four soldiers in fatigues, about two dozen police in riot gear and what appeared to be several plain clothes security stood outside the hotel, which is adjacent to a park
NELSON ANTOINE (AP)
Soccer
U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan, bottom, and Michael Bradley arrive in Brazil.
on a tree-lined street. The team was met with applause when it entered the lobby. The Americans will train at nearby Sao Paulo FC until Friday. They then fly 1,450 miles north to Natal for their Group G opener Monday against Ghana, the team that eliminated them from the last two World Cups. An initial training session in Brazil was scheduled for late afternoon. U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann remained in Miami to scout Monday night’s warmup game between Ghana and South Korea. Appearing in their seventh straight World Cup, the Americans also play Portugal and Germany in the group stage. RONALD BLUM (AP)
CHUCK BURTON (AP)
Fister Finds Winning Formula Retief Goosen walks to the 18th green during a U.S. Open practice round.
Pinehurst Is Going All Natural U.S. Open Pinehurst No. 2 is anything but perfect for the U.S. Open, at least in the traditional sense of major championships in America. USGA executive director Mike Davis could not be any more thrilled. “It’s awesome,” Davis said Monday as he gazed out at a golf course that looks like a yard that hasn’t been watered in a month. Sandy areas have replaced thick rough off the fairways. They are partially covered with what Pinehurst Resort officials refer to as “natural vegetation,” but what most anyone else would simply call weeds. The edges of the bunkers are ragged. The turf is uneven just off some of the greens, with patches of no grass. Instead of verdant fairways from tee-to-green, the fairways are a blend of green, yellow and brown. That was the plan all along. Shortly after this Donald Ross gem was awarded its third U.S. Open in 15 years, the fabled No. 2 course went through a gutsy project to restore it to its natural look from yesteryear. DOUG FERGUSON (AP)
$5,000
Fine given to Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade for flopping. A review showed he overexaggerated a foul during Sunday’s Game 2 of the NBA Finals that was charged to San Antonio’s Manu Ginobili. (AP)