The Columbus Clippers defeated the Buffalo Bisons, 3-2, in a Class AAA game in Colulmbus. Starter T.J. House pitched six innings and was the winning pitcher.

T.J. House

Class AA: New Britain 5, Akron 2 Aeros starter Matt Packer (10-6), gave up five runs, three earned, in five innings, as Akron lost at New Britain, Conn. Shortstop Francisco Lindor, the Tribe’s first-round draft pick in 2011, was 2-for-4 with a run scored and is hitting .327 in 55 at-bats. It was Akron’s third straight loss.

Class A Advanced: Carolina The Mudcats were idle.

Class A: Fort Wayne 4, Lake County 3 The host TinCaps scored all their runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to defeat the Captains Wednesday afternoon in Fort Wayne, Ind. Luis Morel (2-3) pitched five innings in relief and allowed seven hits and four earned runs.

Class A Short Season: Aberdeen 2, Mahoning Valley 0 The Ironbirds’ Sebastian Vader (3-3) pitched 8Ð innings of shutout ball, and Donnie Hart finished up to blank the visiting Scrappers. Mahoning Valley was limited to six hits, including two doubles by first baseman Nellie Rodriguez.

Independent: Lake Erie 8, Washington 3 The host Crushers and the Wild Things each crushed two home runs in the first three innings, and Lake Erie prevailed for a victory at All Pro Freight Stadium in Avon.

The Cleveland Indians, cranking out home victories like Willy Wonka cranks out Wonka Bars, were at it again Wednesday night against the White Sox.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Progressive Field has become a Factory of Happiness. Or Walkoffs. Or Awesome Amazingness.

Anything that connotes positive vibes for the hosts.

The Indians, cranking out home victories like Willy Wonka cranks out Wonka Bars, were at it again Wednesday night against the White Sox. Carlos Santana homered to lead off the 10th inning as the Indians won, 6-5. Santana's 12th homer came on a full-count pitch from right-hander Dylan Axelrod.

It was Cleveland's ninth walkoff, fifth via the home run. The Tribe is 7-1 in extra innings. Closer Chris Perez (4-1, 2.41 ERA) earned the victory after a hitless 10th.

The Indians (59-48) have won seven in a row overall and 10 straight at Progressive Field. They stayed 2 1/2 games behind Detroit in the AL Central. They hopped over Baltimore and into the second wildcard spot.

• White Sox-Indians boxscore | Scoreboard | Standings

The White Sox (40-65) have lost six in a row, and are 2-10 against the Tribe.

Axelrod fell behind Santana, 3-1. The next pitch was called a strike.

"I thought it was a ball,'' Santana said. "So on the next pitch, I hit a home run. I'm so happy.''

Santana owns four career walkoff hits, three via the long ball.

"I love being in that situation,'' Santana said. "I don't try to hit a home run, I just try to make solid contact.''

As soon as Santana's fly ball began tracking to right field, Tribe bench coach Sandy Alomar Jr. began high-fiving manager Terry Francona.

"I was thinking, 'Do we bunt him over?''' Francona said. "Sandy probably knows this park better than anyone.''

The Indians have three walkoff victories, all the result of homers, on a 6-0 homestand that concludes Thursday afternoon. They are 36-19 at home.

"The way we're winning should breed confidence,'' Francona said. "You know you have a chance to win, you just don't know how it's going to happen. That's a good feeling. And it's fun to see everyone contribute.''

Indians starter Corey Kluber carried a three-hitter and three-run lead into the sixth. He allowed four hits to the first five batters, tying the score, 3-3.

No. 9 batter Josh Phegley led off with a single. He moved to second on a grounder and scored on Alexei Ramirez's double. Alex Rios singled to drive in Ramirez, Rios advancing to second. Adam Dunn delivered an RBI single up the middle.

Kluber retired the next two and worked a perfect seventh and eighth. He had thrown 87 pitches.

The first two White Sox went quietly in the ninth. Conor Gillaspie singled, prompting Francona to lift Kluber for Cody Allen. Dayan Viciedo pushed Gillaspie to third with a single.

"Viciedo had had a couple of good swings against Corey,'' Francona said. "It ended up being not a very good move on my part.''

Gordon Beckham walked. Allen went to 3-0 on pinch-hitter Jeff Keppinger. The next two pitches were called strikes. Allen threw a fastball down and away that Keppinger punched to center for a two-run single and 5-3 advantage. Dangerous Alejandro De Aza struck out swinging.

The Tribe's response commenced when Michael Brantley led off with a double against Chicago closer Addison Reed. Pinch-hitter Jason Giambi was plunked and lifted for Lonnie Chisenhall. Drew Stubbs loaded the bases when he beat out a sacrifice bunt.

"When you do the little things right, like Stubby getting the bunt down and turning it into a hit, it leads to big things,'' Francona said.

Michael Bourn hit a sacrifice fly to deep center. All runners moved up. Nick Swisher was intentionally walked. Jason Kipnis, in a 2-2 count, flied to deep right. Chisenhall trotted home with the tying run and Stubbs went to third. After Swisher took second unopposed, Asdrubal Cabrera struck out.

"I was nervous as heck,'' Francona said.

On June 28 in Chicago, Reed blew a save in ugly fashion as the Indians won, 9-8.

Kluber (3.77 ERA) gave up four runs on eight hits and struck out six in his career-long outing of 8 2/3. He threw 69 of 95 pitches for strikes.

The Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first. Bourn ripped lefty Jose Quintana's third pitch into left-center for a double. Swisher singled through the hole at short, Bourn stopping at third.

Kipnis grounded to second baseman Beckham, who threw to first. At that point, the White Sox had one out in their pocket and Swisher in a pickle. As Bourn scored, Swisher stayed in the rundown long enough for Quintana to whiff on one of the tosses. Swisher was awarded third when the ball rolled into the camera bay.

Quintana stranded Swisher by getting Cabrera to ground to second and  Santana to strike out.

The Tribe created a 2-0 cushion in the fourth. Mike Aviles singled with one out. Brantley shot the gap in right-center for an RBI double. Brantley made his 17th start in the seven-hole; he has batted everywhere but ninth. He went 3-for-4 with two doubles and is hitting .285 with 52 RBI.

Brantley also contributed his requisite quality defense in left. He easily ran down two flyballs, in particular, that White Sox hitters thought might drop.

The Indians' lead grew to three in the fifth. Swisher and Kipnis drew one-out walks. After Kipnis was erased on a fielder's choice, Santana doubled to left to drive in Swisher. With runners on second and third, Aviles popped to second.

Quintana allowed the three runs on seven hits in five innings. He is 5-3 with a 3.62 ERA in 22 starts and leads the majors with 14 no-decisions.

We talk Browns with Mary Kay Cabot and Indians with Paul Hoynes on today's episode.

What is "Camp Chud" like? Do the Indians have the look of a playoff team?

- Improved fan experience at First Energy Stadium.

- Will Danny Salazar be a key part of this Indians team in their playoff push?

Stay tuned for the next show Thursday, August 8 at 12:30 p.m.

Be sure to like PD Sports Insider on Facebook

About the show: PD Sports Insider airs live every Thursday at 12:30 p.m. Co-hosted by The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw, Dennis Manoloff and cleveland.com's Glenn Moore, the show features a timely and lively debate of the biggest sports topics of the day and gives readers a chance to interact directly with PD sportswriters and columnists.

Viewers have to the opportunity to ask questions and post comments in a live chat room during the show. They can also their video questions during the week.
Fans who miss the live show can watch the archive, available a few hours later.

Cleveland Browns training camp is going on now in Berea until 6:30 p.m. If you can't be there, check out updates from the facility as preparations for the 2013 season are in full-swing.

BEREA -- The Browns are back on the practice field for Day 7 of training camp. Who will shine? Who will sit out? Who should stay afterwards for extra work?

Practice begins at 4 p.m. and runs through about 6:30 p.m. with players and coaches speaking afterwards. Get updates from The Plain Dealer's Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) and Tom Reed (@treed1919) on Twitter using the box below. Post your thoughts in the comments section below.

Dufner shot a 67 on Thursday, the same day the PGA Tour released a commercial featuring him.

AKRON, Ohio – Cleveland native Jason Dufner isn't just welcomed by galleries at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitation. After two wins last season, and a top five at the U.S. Open this year, Dufner has raised his reputation.

Plus he's Dufner.

With a 67 on Thursday in the first round at Firestone Country Club that finished with two birdies in his last three holes, Dufner played up to his relatively new status.

“There's a lot of support and a lot of people know I'm from here, so I hear a lot of stuff like that,” Dufner said. “But over the last year-and-a-half I've been getting a lot of that around the country, so it's pretty similar each week.

“People are kind of taking notice and acknowledging what you're doing with your career. It feels good that people are supportive now. And my wife hears it more than I do, she's traveling outside the ropes. (In the past) I'd be having a bad day and people would say, 'That Dufner guy stinks.' And now if I have a bad day, it's just, 'Oh, that guy's having a bad day, he's a great player.' So people's perceptions and attitudes definitely change out there with some good golf.”

The PGA Tour has taken notice and took the chance to release a new commercial featuring Dufner today that includes fans talking about how they relate to him, and the final line, “Everybody loves The Duf.”

The 16th hole at Firestone South gets the publicity, but the ninth is where Tiger Woods' legend still can grow. Watch video

AKRON, Ohio -- Really, isn't the ninth hole the place to be at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational?

The 16th hole at Firestone South gets all the publicity because it's 667 yards long and is called the "Monster." But the ninth, a 494-yard par-4, is as much a part of Tiger Woods' legacy at the course where has won seven times as the cigarette lighters glowing in the dark to light his way to the 18th hole in his rout in 2000.

Although Woods bogeyed the 16th after driving into a fairway bunker Thursday, the ninth, located a moon shot's bounce from the clubhouse, is where Woods plays his own golf course, not the one Harvey Firestone commissioned or the one Robert Trent Jones redesigned.

It is the hole Woods played in 2006 like something out of a "Clue" board game. In the game, the culprit might be Colonel Mustard in the library with the dagger. On the ninth, it was Tiger out of the rough with the iron, over the green, over the temporary grandstand, off the cement path, off the clubhouse roof, onto the loading dock floor, and into the cup holder on a pie man's cart.

The ball was discovered just before the five-minute penalty for a lost ball was invoked. The clubhouse was not out of bounds, nor was the North Course across the road, nor was any Goodyear blimp that drifted into the flight path, apparently. The bogey figured prominently in Woods' victory.

Thursday, Woods played his second shot on the ninth from the middle of the fairway, even if it was the one on the 10th hole. He had started on the back nine, scuffling his way around in even-par, then blazing home in 4-under 31 for a 66, two shots off the lead. His par on the ninth hole was tame stuff, compared to 2006.

"It was a high, hammered snap hook. I hit all of it. It was nice. It was beautiful. Right in the middle of the fairway," said Woods, smiling.

Asked if he was afraid he might bring the roof into play again, Woods said, "No, if I had hit that from the middle of the fairway onto a roof, you should take my name off my bag."

The ball certainly came out hot and bothered in 2006. "The time I hit the roof, I caught a heater out of the rough," Woods said. "Hey, I count (Thursday's drive) as a fairway hit."

Tiger is playing well, although he has reached the point in his career since his win in the 2008 U.S. Open where that only elicits the comment, "Yeah, but. .."

As in, yeah, but it's not a major. The rest -- even the prestigious World Golf Championship tournaments, the quasi-major Players Championship, the bluest chips of the regular Tour events, hosted by Arnold Palmer (eight wins by Tiger) and Jack Nicklaus (five for Tiger) -- don't measure up because the majors are the metrics Woods set for the definition of his career.

Still, despite the occasional hiccup, usually caused by his periodic swing changes, Woods has owned Ohio, at least at the Memorial Tournament and the Bridgestone, the way Michigan coach Brady Hoke only dreams of.

"I feel very good about what I'm doing with basically my whole swing," said Woods. "I hit a lot of good shots. I had a really good feel for the distance and. . . I read the wind right. I though I putted well. I had good speed to it."

Woods often has said Firestone South "suits my eye" because there are no tricks, no blind shots, freak-show greens or oddball local rules.

The catch is that the set-up won't really reflect the conditions at Oak Hill in Rochester, N.Y., next week at the PGA Championship. "It's similar in that it's just straight in front of you," Woods said, "but Oak Hill is a little more difficult. You don't quite have the slopes and undulations that we're going to face next week."

Woods dominated golf for years, heeding the mantra of his father, Earl, to "let the legend grow." But he can't close in the majors now. The people who think he's always the favorite are thinking of a different Tiger than the one of today.

The ninth hole at Firestone South however, remains one of the spots where, in order to accommodate the bizarre landing places of his wayward shots, the legend still has room to flex its muscles.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league is proud to have Cleveland Browns' owner Jimmy Haslam as one of its own and that he's a man of integrity.

BEREA, Ohio -- With Jimmy Haslam standing yards away in a Pilot Flying J button-down shirt, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell stood on the Browns practice field Thursday afternoon and pledged his support for Haslam in the wake of his rebate fraud scandal.

"Jimmy Haslam is a man of great integrity,'' said Goodell, here for a USA Heads Up Football clinic. "We're proud to have him as an owner in the NFL and think he's going to be a great owner for the Cleveland Browns and their fans here.

"He's as disappointed as anybody in what happened at Pilot J and he's working hard to fix it and correct those issues, both from a structural standpoint and to make amends. He's kept me very much involved. I think ... as he tells me I was one of his first calls to inform me what was happening after he learned about it and he's been great at keeping us informed.''

Goodell said Haslam's fellow owners still view him favorably. It was one year ago Friday that Haslam reached an agreement to purchase the Browns from Randy Lerner for $1 billion.

"You never want to see this kind of thing happen, particularly to a partner in the league,'' said Goodell, who spoke to Haslam inside the Browns' facility. "So obviously his partners care a great deal about him and as a partner they want to see him getting off to a good start. This is not what anybody intended, not (what) anybody anticipated, but he’s a man that I think everyone truly respects in the NFL."

Goodell said Haslam assured him he knew nothing of Pilot Flying J's practice of cheating trucking companies out of fuel rebates. Seven Pilot employees have already pleaded guilty, and some have told federal authorities that high-level employees knew of the scheme.

"Yes, absolutely," said Goodell in a seven-minute press conference. "He's been very clear that he’s had no knowledge of that and he’s been clear publicly and clear with you all.''

Goodell said the NFL didn't cut corners on the vetting process because Haslam was a minority owner in the Steelers.

"When you’re going through a controlling ownership position, that’s a big step up so we don’t just pass that off,'' Goodell said. "We do the same vetting process. Obviously he knows people in the league after being an owner, so there were certain aspects of that which were easier. But we didn’t short-circuit anything.”

Goodell added: "This was a surprise to him and his senior-level management. From that standpoint I don’t think he was aware of it and I don’t know any way we could have been aware of it. It was not disclosed to us.”

Goodell said he has not been in direct contact with the FBI and declined speculation if Haslam is indicted.

"We're not going to play the hypothetical game," he said. "Right now he’s addressing the issues. We’re confident he’s going to deal with it properly.

"Right now this is an issue where he’s had some people in his organization that have obviously not conducted themselves in a way that’s consistent with what he wants. He’s fixing it and he’s gotta do that. Those things happen in big organizations. Jimmy is more disappointed than anybody but I don’t think it’s a matter for us at this moment.”

Goodell acknowledged that the Browns are one of the NFL's marquee franchises.

"Probably no one knows that more than I do from my experience here,'' he said. "I think Jimmy Haslam came into this with a mind-set that he was going to do everything possible to get this franchise turned around in a positive direction and a team that this community will be proud of not just in any single year but consistently and to create a winner.

"And he's brought in great talent. He's brought in great people. He set the organization obviously in a different direction. I think that's all positive and good for the fans here and ultimately good for the NFL."

He's confident the investigation won't hurt the team.

"I don't believe it's distracting anybody in that building, and that's what really matters at the end of the day,'' said Goodell. "And Jimmy obviously is focused on that but he's got a lot of great people that he hired to do the job. He always intended to stay involved with Pilot J.''

He was asked if he would discipline an owner who's been accused of a crime in the same way he sometimes does players.

"Yeah, we actually hold ownership to a higher standard and management,'' he said. "I think we’ve proven that in what we’ve done. It's not just accused. As you know, in our policy, oftentimes we let the criminal process unfold because you need to do that to find out the real facts. Sometimes we don’t have all the facts and we need to do that. What we look at is multiple offenders. As you know, that's a real focus for us.''

On the first day of training camp, Haslam told reporters that he's been keeping Goodell apprised on a regular basis.

"Our style is to be very transparent and very open and when the government investigation happened on April 15 one of the very first calls we made was to the NFL,” Haslam said. “We’ve been in constant contact with the NFL and they have been very supportive in working with us and we are very optimistic about the outcome.”

Today's roundup features blogs from Yahoo! Sports, Newsday and WaitingForNextYear.

View full sizeRunning back Miguel Maysonet is trying to get noticed at a position of depth for the Browns.AP Photo, Mark Duncan 

Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open champ, has never played at Firestone Country Club before.

AKRON, Ohio –Webb Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open champion, holds the first-round lead at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at 6-under par after a 64 Thursday that included eight birdies and two bogeys. Not bad for his first time.

The field includes invites for the top 50 players in the world, and in 2011 Simpson was ranked 51st. Last year he missed the tournament for the birth of his daughter, Willow. Thursday he went out and proved he belongs here.

“With the incredible field it draws every year, this is a tournament you want to be in more than any others with the majors and FedEx Cup events,” Simpson said. “You want to play where the best players in the world are playing. It was nice to finally get in and know that I was going to finally play a tournament at Firestone.”

The rest of the leaderboard is filled with names more familiar to the Firestone crowd. Henrik Stenson is a shot back, and the tie for third at 66 includes defending champion Keegan Bradley and seven-time champion Tiger Woods. Cleveland native Jason Dufner is part of the six-way tie for seventh at 67. In all, eighteen of the 73 players in the exclusive field shot in the 60s to break par.

British Open champ Phil Mickelson wasn't one of them. His 2-over 72 was affected by his major aftermath.

“I had a hard time focusing,” Mickelson said. “Mentally I wasn't sharp.”

Simpson, who played in the morning Thursday, will tee off at 1:40 p.m. Friday with Lee Westwood. Stenson starts at 1 p.m., Woods at 1:10, Dufner at 12:50 and Mickelson at 9:50.

Playing in his first event since his British Open win, Micklelson shot a 2-over 72 on Thursday.

Phil Mickelson, teeing off on the 18th hole, wasn't happy, but wasn't worried, after his 72 on Thursday. Joshua Gunter, The Plain Dealer

AKRON, Ohio -- Phil Mickelson, in the wake of the greatest victory of his career at the British Open 11 days ago, had trouble focusing on the shots he needed to hit Thursday, shooting a 2-over 72 in the first round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. He is tied for 41st.

All golfers fight that fuzzy feeling of satisfaction after a great triumph. They wouldn't be human if they didn't.

"It does happen (after a big win). It's a good problem to have," said the popular left-hander.

Mickelson said his swing mechanics are in order.

"I've been hitting the ball well, but I had a hard time focusing," he said. "Mentally I wasn't sharp. I could tell I was a little bit tired and wasn't able to see the shot clearly. I wasn't able to see the putt roll clearly. I had trouble seeing the shot chipping, and I just had a hard time mentally visualizing the shot."

Usually, it sharpens Mickelson's game to play the week before a major, and the PGA Championship, the year's final major, takes place next week in Rochester, N.Y. "Glory's last shot" is what the tournament is called. But that only applies if glory hasn't already fired a salvo.

"I'm not overly concerned," he said. "I'm disappointed in the round. I certainly didn't want to shoot over par and leave myself this far back after the first day."

Mickelson missed a 5-footer for par on the sixth hole and a 6 1/2-footer for par on the seventh.

"I rolled them well, right online, but the speed was bad. I just didn't quite get the feel of the putt to be able to make it. I had that theme throughout the day on just about every shot," he said.

Hot starts: Tiger Woods has won four of his previous five starts at the Bridgestone when posting an opening round of 66 (his score Thursday) or lower. His first round average at Firestone South is 67.43. Overall, he has won 17 WGC titles in 41 starts.

Popular with Panthers or Jaguars, too: Ricky Fowler and his Puma outfits, including the trademark oversized cap, were duplicated in his gallery by several fans.

"I love it. I saw it all 18 holes, so it was fun," said Fowler, who wore a blue and gold outfit Thursday. "Whether I'm having a good day or a bad day, I can look over and see the kids running around. It's an easy way to put a smile on my face."

What if it's an adult?

"Even better," said Fowler, a product of Oklahoma State with its blazing orange color scheme, as is Browns quarterback Brandon Weeden.

What if it's a quarterback?

"Oh, looks great in orange," Fowler said

Grandly slammin': Many of the PGA Tour pros are following Inbee Park's attempt to win a fourth straight major in the calendar year at the Women's British Open. Park's 3-under 69 left her three shots off the lead in the first round Thursday at St. Andrews, Scotland.

"Personally, I'd love to see her do it," said Rory McIlroy, who shot even-par 70 at the Bridgestone. "I think it would be great for ladies' golf, great for the game of golf. It's something that might never happen again."

Said Mickelson: "It's pretty incredible. It's hard enough to win one major, as I've found out throughout my career, and to win three in a row is just amazing."

He added of Woods, his great rival: "I still think the greatest feat in golf was Tiger holding all four championships at the same time (2000 U.S. Open, British Open and PGA, 2001 Masters). That's just very difficult to comprehend. And for her to do it in the same calendar year is just amazing."

The dog days of summer may be spoiling some of the local fishing, but yellow perch are still in the spotlight all along Ohio's lake Erie shorelilne.

Bluegill and crappie were being caught from small ponds to large reservoirs around the area this week. D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer 

GENERAL FISHING REPORT

The Lake Erie yellow perch fishing has sparkled again this week, with good catches along the Lake Erie shoreline. Walleye are being caught close to shore from Huron to Vermilion, and a mixed bag of steelhead trout and walleye are being caught in deeper water from Lorain to Conneaut. The inland lakes are giving up lots of catfish and bluegill are keeping shore anglers happy.

CLEVELAND AREA

The yellow perch fishing has been very good around Cleveland Harbor. The hot spots have been in 42 feet of water off the east light in Cleveland Harbor, in 41 feet off FirstEnergy Stadium and in 44 to 45 feet of water off Euclid Hospital. Anglers have headed to deep water for walleye and some steelhead, which are being caught in 68 to 70 feet of water while trolling spoons. The bigger spoons have been best in colors that include purple, black and copper and sometimes a small splash of chartreuse.

Some smallmouth bass are being caught around Cleveland Harbor on tube jigs. Largemouth bass are hanging around the shoreline weeds and some rocky structure, taking small jigs and trailers, plastic worms and spinnerbaits. A few small schools of white bass have been reported off Gordon Park.

The water temperature is 71 degrees off of Cleveland.

CENTRAL LAKE ERIE

West of Cleveland, the yellow perch fishing has been very good in 41 to 44 feet of water from Lorain to Avon Lake and off the mouth of the Huron River. The near-shore walleye fishing is still good despite warming waters, with good catches reported around Cranberry Creek and Ruggles Beach in 17 to 25 feet of water, inside and outside the Lorain Sand Bar and off Avon Point in 28 to 34 feet of water. Anglers are trolling diving plugs, with Reef Runners a top choice. Some walleye are being caught on tandem spinner rigs off Avon Lake. The top colors have been green and pink.

The walleye bite is still fair to good around the weather buoy on the Ohio-Ontario line north of Vermilion. Some walleye and steelhead trout have been caught 13 to 17 miles off Avon Lake.

Smallmouth bass are biting around the humps and bumps in 20 to 30 feet of water. Drop-shot rigs, tube jigs, leeches and crayfish are taking bass.

East of Cleveland, the walleye fishing has been best in 70 to 73 feet of water north of Geneva and Ashtabula. Yellow perch are being caught in 38 to 43 feet of water north and northwest of the mouth of the Grand River and in 47 feet of water north of Ashtabula.

WESTERN LAKE ERIE

Trophy walleye have become hard to find around western Lake Erie. The best Ohio fishing has been around American Eagle Shoal off the southwest corner of Kelleys Island, east of South Bass Island and northwest of West Sister Island. Some small walleye are biting northwest of the Bass Islands on the Ohio-Ontario border. Drift-and-cast anglers are relying on mayfly rigs tipped with nightcrawlers, while trolling fishermen have found success with spinner rigs and nightcrawlers or spoons.

The top yellow perch spots have been the dumping grounds east of the Marblehead Peninsula, off Kelleys Island Shoal and around A Can off the Camp Perry firing ranges. Smallmouth bass are moving to the deeper drop-offs around the Bass Islands.
 
RIVERS AND STREAMS

The local rivers and streams have settled down, and smallmouth bass and catfish are being caught in the lower stretches of the rivers, especially the Rocky and Grand. Fly fishers are targeting common carp throughout the river systems, while bait anglers are tempting carp with corn or dough balls.

INLAND LAKES, RESERVOIRS

Bass fishing is suffering from the dog days of summer, with lakes having stained waters due to algal blooms and dying weed beds. Some bass are being caught, but catches have been off significantly over the last week. LaDue Reservoir bluegill are being caught in good numbers on ice jigs and waxworms under a float, with some crappie taking jig-minnow combos worked under a float along the causeway.

Catfish are biting just about everywhere on shrimp, nightcrawlers, chicken livers or processed catfish baits. The flats around the mouths of the creeks have been good for catfish.

The Pymatuning Reservoir walleye fishing has been fair between the dam and the Espyville Causeway, with anglers slowly trolling or drifting while working small spinner rigs and nightcrawlers along the bottom in 8 to 15 feet of water. Some crappie are still hanging around deep water brush piles on the south end of the lake and along the causeway. Bluegill are being caught around wood shoreline structure on suspended jigs and waxworms or maggots. The muskie fishing continues to be slow.

FISHING TOURNAMENTS

Electric Elite Invitational
LaDue Reservoir

How they finished: Mick Maloney and Rich Glavic, 5 bass, 15.60 pounds, $973; 2. Ken Begue and Chris Minick, 5 bass, 14.92 pounds, $560; 3. Trevor White and Greg Perry, 5 bass, 10.99 pounds, $245. Big Bass: Begue and Minick, 4.66 pounds.

Webb Simpson shot a first-round 64 for a one-shot lead, with Tiger Woods tied for third two back, and Cleveland native Jason Dufner tied for seventh three back.

AKRON, Ohio -- Jason Dufner said his, wife, Amanda, used to hear the comments while following him around tournaments, absorbing life in the gallery.

“I'd be having a bad day and people would say, 'That Dufner guy stinks.' And now if I have a bad day, it's just, 'Oh, that guy's having a bad day, he's a great player,'” Dufner said. “So people's perceptions and attitudes definitely change out there with some good golf.”

By the time golfers get to the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, most of them have earned the benefit of the doubt. Or they wouldn't be here. Restricted to the top 50 players in the world, members of the 2012 Ryder Cup teams and winners since last year, the 73-man field that teed off Thursday should have earned some respect.

“No, they still rip you on social media,” popular one-time winner Rickie Fowler said.

Well, at least maybe not when your wife is around.

Dufner, a Cleveland native, shot a 3-under 67 Thursday in his second career start in Akron, following up his seventh-place finish last year. That landed him three shots behind leader Webb Simpson, who fired a 64 in his first time in the event. Henrik Stenson, who started his day birdie-eagle, is one shot back, while the four-way tie for third includes seven-time champ Tiger Woods and defending champion Keegan Bradley.

Bradley won last year in his second Bridgestone try, picking up his third PGA Tour victory. He's soaking in what Dufner felt after winning twice on tour last year. Bradley's rise started with his 2011 PGA Championship win and continued through his role as a Ryder Cup star last year.

“Especially after the Ryder Cup, I've felt like I've established myself out here, and I feel like a different player in terms of I feel like I can win when I play well every time,” Bradley said. “Before no one knew who I was anyway. Now, especially after the Ryder Cup, a lot of people know who I am and are rooting for me, and I really appreciate that.”

They obviously know Woods, who birdied four of his last nine holes and, as usual, just felt “comfortable seeing the shots here,” at a course he has at times dominated. They know British Open champ Phil Mickelson, who in his first tournament since his win across the Atlantic 11 days ago, had trouble focusing, saying, “mentally I wasn't sharp.”

Mickelson shot 2 over and is tied for 41st.

They know former Masters champ Bubba Watson and former U.S. Open champ Jim Furyk and Fowler, all part of the six-way tie for seventh with Dufner.

“Once you win an event as a professional, win a PGA Tour event, you see guys win majors, obviously there's levels of respect,” Fowler said. “Actually, we were talking about it last night, I think I was with Bubba and a couple guys. It doesn't matter if you do everything perfect, there are still going to be guys that want to rip you.”

But maybe that's better than ignoring you.

Simpson, a three-time PGA Tour winner, has been building up his resume, particularly by winning the 2012 U.S. Open. But he's out here at Bridgestone for the first time. In 2011, he was ranked 51st and just missed an invite. Last year, he was taking a break for the birth of his daughter.

In his first round at the event, he seemed like he knew what he was doing, putting up eight birdies and two bogeys. He said the key Thursday was listening.

“My caddie has been here so many years,” Simpson said. “I just kind of had to listen to him. It's hard for us players to listen to our caddies, but he basically showed me where to go (Wednesday in a practice round) and told me where to hit it. I didn't feel like it was my first time because he had so much experience.”

Simpson quickly found out Bridgestone was the place to be.

“With the incredible field it draws every year, this is a tournament you want to be in more than any others with the majors and FedEx Cup events,” Simpson said. “You want to play where the best players in the world are playing. It was nice to finally get in and know that I was going to finally play a tournament at Firestone.”

After Thursday, he should have heard only nice things. Maybe.

The Indians' bench bunch does a number on Chris Sale on Thursday, but he's not the only pitcher they've knocked around.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Left-hander Chris Sale is one of the best pitchers in the American League. He went to the All-Star Game this season and won 17 games for the White Sox last year.

This year he has a great ERA at 2.92, but everything else is going in the wrong direction. Sale's struggles have proven especially true this season when he faces the Indians.

They beat him Thursday for the third time this season, knocking him out of the game after scoring five runs on 10 hits in five innings in a 6-1 victory. Sale is 0-3 with a 8.31 ERA (16 earned runs in 17 1/3 innings) against the Indians.

Manager Terry Francona says the Indians' success against Sale can be traced to his bench players.

"We've done a really good job against him," said Francona. "When you look at most lineups, when he pitches, they try to get their lefties out of there. So a lot of times, he's not facing your A lineup.

"We rested two guys (left-handed hitters Michael Bourn and Jason Kipnis) and Ryan Raburn has four RBI and Mike Aviles gets a hit. We match up pretty well because we can send up pretty good right-handed hitters from our bench because he's so tough on lefties."

Raburn went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBI against Sale. He later added a solo home run.

Aviles, who replaced Kipnis at second, had a single, but it wasn't against Sale. Drew Stubbs, who moved from right to center field to replace Bourn, went 2-for-3 with two runs against Sale.

"We have a good bench and we know it," said Francona. "We use it to our advantage. They're a huge part of what we do. If you look at their at bats it reflects it. Aviles (242), Raburn (173), Yan Gomes (151) and Jason Giambi (127) they have a bunch."

Sale (6-10, 2.92) is 1-9 with a 3.23 ERA in his last 11 starts. He has thrown eight quality starts (three or fewer earned runs in six or more innings), but has suffered from a lack of run support.

Maybe, just maybe: Slumping Mark Reynolds drove in the Indians' first run Thursday with a two-out single in the second. It was his first RBI in 52 at-bats.

He's still tied for third on the Indians with 48 RBI even though he hasn't had a multi-RBI game since June 28.

"The thing is it's there," said Reynolds. "I have the ability; it's just fighting the six inches between my ears."

Reynolds went 1-for-4 Thursday. He hit a ball hard to center field, but a strong wind blowing from left to right field knocked it down. After hitting .301 (25-for-83) with eight homers and 22 RBI in April, Reynolds is hitting .182 (45-for-247). He drove in six runs in June and July.

"People lose faith in you and it's tough," said Reynolds, who has started seven of the last 15 games. "Getting maybe two starts a week, getting pinch-hit for, and not playing is tough. I've never done it in my career. It's an adjustment I have to make."

Reynolds said he knows he's put Francona in a tough spot as a manager. Francona said he can sense Reynolds' frustration.

"I think it weighed on him," said Francona. "But I think he's been better. Getting the hit was big and he said he hit the ball to left center good. There will be a stretch somewhere where he gets hot."

Turn the corner? Francona was encouraged by the work of lefty Rich Hill, who retired Alejandro De Aza with the bases loaded in the seventh and the Tribe leading 5-1.

De Aza homered in the sixth off Justin Masterson, taking advantage of a strong wind to right. A repeat performance against Hill would have tied the game, but De Aza hit into a force play. Hill went on to work a scoreless eighth.

"When he throws the ball like that it complement the rest of the bullpen," said Francona. "It ties it together real well. We had Bryan Shaw and Cody Allen facing guys they probably shouldn't have been facing."

Finally: The Indians are 35-13 at Progressive Field since April 30. ... In going 7-0 on this homestand, they outscored Texas and Chicago, 40-20. ... They have won 11 straight home games. Last season the Tribe won 37 home games.

Stenson had to change shoes but still shot a 65 to stand alone in second place after the first round.

AKRON, Ohio - Thursday's first round of the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at a glance:

Shot of the day: Henrik Stenson rolled in a 32-foot eagle putt on No. 2, following up his first-hole birdie to get to 3-under after two holes. He was only 2-under over the next 16 holes, but his bogey-free round of 65 landed him in second place, one shot behind leader Webb Simpson.

Quote of the day: “Blister is not too bad. It was tougher at the French Revolution, I think.” - Stenson, talking about having to change shoes during his round because he'd bought a new pair of shoes this week and they were giving him a blister. He went back to his old shoes, which were better, and the blister popped on No. 17. But that still doesn't really explain this quote.

Quote of the day 2: “His English isn't very good, and my Japanese isn't very good, so we didn't have a lot of conversation out there.” - Tiger Woods, on playing with Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, who shot a 72. Matsuyama drew as much media attention after the round as Woods, and the journalists from Japan were eager to make Woods talk about his playing partner.

Turnaround of the day: Ryan Moore made bogey on No. 1, then didn't make another, adding five birdies for a 66 that tied him for third. “Hitting it in a bunker, couldn't get it to the green, hit a bad pitch and then a bad putt. And then I kind of got rolling after that,” Moore said.

Question of the day: “Two-over today, what's been wrong with your game lately?” - a reporter, joking, to Phil Mickelson after his 72 coming off his British Open win. Mickelson laughed.

Josh Gordon eased his way back into action after sitting out with patellar tendinitis, but receiver David Nelson had to come off the field with pain in his surgically-repaired right knee.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns got one receiver back in action Thursday but lost another.

Josh Gordon returned to team drills after missing two days with patellar tendinitis in his knee, but David Nelson checked out after experiencing discomfort in his surgically repaired right knee while running routes.

Nelson, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament in the first game of last season with the Bills, ran some routes early on in position drills, but walked to the sidelines and began rubbing his knee. Soon, he took his helmet and pads off and called it a day. Later, he had the knee wrapped as he walked into the facility.

"I don’t think it was anything major,'' said coach Rob Chudzinski. "We will get that checked and report back tomorrow.''

Gordon, meanwhile, eased his way back into action after sitting out two practice days and an off day.

“I saw him in one-on-ones and a little bit of limited team,'' said Chudzinski. "He’s feeling better. Hopefully he continues to go in that direction.”

 

Safety concerns: The Browns were down to two backup safeties with Tashaun Gipson still sidelined with a shoulder injury and T.J. Ward sitting out with a tight hamstring.

Johnson Bademosi has been replacing Gipson and rookie Josh Aubrey, an undrafted rookie from Stephen F. Austin college, has been subbing for Ward.

“(Aubrey) has really developed since the spring," said Chudzinski. "I’ve really noticed a big improvement. He’s a guy taking advantage of the opportunities. He’s getting chances for reps and he’s making good with them. That is what you like seeing out of guys this time of year.”

Sanford, Gilkey mix it up: The staff has been impressed with third-year defensive end Brian Sanford, even though he sometimes loses his cool in practice. The first day, he scuffled with an offensive lineman, and Joe Thomas jumped in to defend his linemate.

Thursday, rookie guard Garrett Gilkey drove him to the ground in a blocking drill and tried to trip him. Sanford responded by ripping off the rookie's helmet, and Gilkey's long locks spilled out. The two started to scuffle, and Alex Mack jumped in to defend Gilkey before players and coaches broke it up. But Chudzinski didn't admonish Sanford for retaliating.

"He’s a scrappy guy,'' said Chudzinski. "He’s very competitive. He’s a full-speed every-snap guy. He’s been productive in his pass rushes. He’s a guy that is out there competing and trying to make a move.”

Chudzinski has taken the handful of camp skirmishes in stride.

"I like seeing guys that are competitive and tough,'' he said.

Ins and outs: Defensive tackle Desmond Bryant, who sat a few days with back spasms, was back in team drills today. ... Running back Montario Hardesty was sidelined again with his hamstring after returning to practice Wednesday. ... Cornerback Trevin Wade (undisclosed) rode the bike. Rookie safety Jamoris Slaughter (hamstring) was idle.

Lineup notes: Jason Pinkston worked with the first team at left guard, the spot that's been manned every day in camp by John Greco. Greco, in turn, spent some time working with the second team at center, most likely to get him some reps in the event he needs to step in for Mack. "That gave Pinkston an opportunity to work with the ones,'' said Chudzinski.

Groves impresses: Chudzinski is exciting about free agent-pickup Quentin Groves, who came from Arizona with defensive coordinator Ray Horton.

"Quentin, in a lot of respects, has been having a great camp,'' said Chudzinski. He's showing his pass-rush ability. He's getting off the edge quickly. He's showing leadership. He's an outstanding special-teams player. He shows up in practice. I couldn’t be more pleased with how he is approaching and being a leader.”

He said Groves can play either outside linebacker spot although he's mostly been backing up Kruger on the left side.

"He understands the defense obviously very well,'' said Chudzinski. "The things he does on special teams will really help us.''

Four days vital: With the first preseason game bearing down next Thursday, Chudzinski has deemed this week as one of the most crucial of camp. It includes Saturday's Family Night at FirstEnergy Stadium.

 "These four days (beginning Wednesday) are really important for us,'' said Chudzinski. "We're developing a mindset, a physical mindset. We have been in pads the last couple of days. We will be in pads on Saturday as well. We are really working to improve and develop that attitude. It’s a critical time for us. I was pleased with today’s work. We were much more efficient today. I thought the execution was better. We're working hard to eliminate some of the pre-snap penalties that we have been having in camp up to this point.”

Pitching in: Chudzinski isn’t the only one capable of teaching football techniques in the family. His wife, Sheila, is a USA Football master trainer.

She attended the USA Football Heads Football Program seminar Thursday at Browns training camp. Sheila can teach proper tackling technique and drills to youth players, coaches and parents. She also can advise on concussion awareness, proper equipment and the importance of hydration.

Every NFL team has at least one designated master trainer for youth football in its area. The Heads Up Football Program began last season with three leagues. It’s now up to 2,700 youth football organizations.      

Practice highlights: Paul Kruger batted down a pass from Brandon Weeden on a pass over the middle. ... Rookie Kenronte Walker picked off Jason Campbell on a short pass over the middle to Josh Cooper. ... Rookie Abdul Kennah swiped one from Brian Hoyer.

To help manage ohio's white-tailed deer, Deer Program Administrator Mike Tonkovich is surveying hunters to find out if they lease land or depend on public hunting areas for success.

Ohio has a wealth of trophy white-tailed deer, but many can't be hunted. This young buck, its antlers in velvet, had his photograph taken when he recently roamed Mark Sauer's back yard in Parma. Mark Sauer / Special to The Plain Dealer 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Public hunting lands have dwindled around Ohio, more non-resident hunters are targeting Buckeye State deer every year and the amount of private land being purchased or leased for hunting is on the upswing.

"We know nothing about leasing," said Deer Program Administrator Mike Tonkovich of the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "To get a handle on it, we're doing a fee-hunting survey developed by Gabe Karns, a researcher at Ohio State University. To manage Ohio's deer, we need a better understanding of the access hunters have to private land; how many are leasing hunting property and what they're paying; or if they primarily hunt public land."

In rural Adams County, said Tonkovich, it's estimated at least 60 percent of the land is owned by people who don't live in the county. They may be growing crops, said Tonkovich, "but obviously some of those crops have antlers. Across the U.S., the number of sportsmen owning land for recreational purposes - including hunting - increased 56 percent from 1991 to 2006."

Tonkovich sent an email survey to 1,680 resident hunters in early July. He was surprised when more than 460 responded, a far higher percentage than for past deer surveys. That could be because Ohio deer hunters are fed up with being shut out when it comes to deer hunting opportunities. The number of resident deer hunters has remained stagnant over the last decade, said Tonkovich, while the number of non-resident deer hunters has jumped from about 13,000 in 2001 to more than 40,000 in 2012, a rise fueled by Ohio's reputation for growing trophy bucks.

Erie County deer hunt: The Erie MetroParks is holding a drawing for a white-tailed deer hunt in the Edison Woods Metropark in Berlin Heights to manage the 1,300-acre park's high deer population. Five permits will be issued to hunters 18 and older for each day of the deer gun season on Dec. 2-6. Each hunter may bring a licensed hunting partner. To enter the lottery send a piece of paper with Edison Woods Controlled Deer Hunt at the top to: Tara Nagaich, Erie MetroParks, 3910 Perkins Ave., Huron, Ohio 44839 with the $5 fee. Hunters must also print name, address, telephone number, birth date and note whether they are mobility impaired. The entry must be postmarked by Oct. 7. For maps and other details visit eriemetroparks.org.

Complaints heard, questions answered: The Ohio Division of Wildlife is giving sportsmen the chance to comment on fishing, hunting and trapping rules at public meetings from noon-3 p.m. on Aug. 10 at the agency's district offices. The local district office is at 912 Portage Lakes Dr., Akron. online comments are being accepted at wildohio.com. A statewide hearing is Sept. 19 at 9 a.m. at the DOW District One Office, 1500 Dublin Rd., Columbus. The Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on proposed change on its Oct. 16 meeting in Columbus. Proposed rule changes include lowering the statewide yellow perch limit to 30 and removing boat engine limitations on several lakes.

Out and about: The Lake Erie Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation hosts its annual banquet on Aug. 17 at St. Denis Party Center in Chardon, reports Ed Jackson (440-567-0847), with tickets $70, $105 for couples. ... The Streetsboro Sportsman Association kicks off its Sunday turkey shoots on Aug. 18 at 1 0 a.m. at its Portage County club grounds on Peck Rd. in Shalersville Township. ... The high power rifle phase of the National Rifle & Pistol Matches at Camp Perry is on through Aug. 9, followed by the NRA Long Range Matches on Aug. 10-14. 

Wildlife agency changes: Retired wildlife chief Mike Budzik is back on the job, working part time with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on key issues and communications with groups. The issues include water quality, land use and outdoor recreation, as well as hunting and fishing, reported Chief Scott Zody of the Division of Wildlife.

Columbiana County wildlife officer Scott Angelo has replaced Dave Brown as wildlife supervisor dealing with Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Trumbull counties. Veteran fisheries biologist Chris Vandergoot of the Sandusky Fisheries Research Unit has been promoted to fisheries biology supervisor and will continue to be co-chairman of the Walleye Task Group on the Lake Erie Committee.

New walleye tournament challenge: The Cabela's Masters Walleye Circuit has mandated a major shift in fishing tactics for its Aug. 2-4 tournament on Devil's Lake in North Dakota. Only artificial lures are allowed. Live bait, including the nightcrawlers, minnows and leeches most walleye fishermen rely on, has been banned. Not surprisingly, the tournament is being sponsored by Berkley. The company makes the Berkley Gulp! soft plastic lures that mimic live bait and is allowed for the artificial-lures-only affair. The touring pros seem to be accepting the new format, with entries up more than 26 percent over the last Cabela's MWC event on Devils Lake.

Gulf dead zone expands: Lake Erie is not the only major body of water suffering from phosphorus and nitrogen pollution. Scientists from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium report this year's Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico measured 5,800 square miles, which is larger than the state of Connecticut and above the long-term average. Members of the Mississippi River Collaborative have field suit against the EPA for its refusal to set numeric standards for nitrogen and phosphorus pollution and require the states in the Mississippi River Basin to meet those standards. The pollution has caused toxic algal blooms. the Gulf Dead Zone is threatening a $2.8 billion fishing industry. 

The two juniors at linebacker and cornerback are both projected as future first-round NFL draft picks.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The NFL can't wait to get its hands on Bradley Roby and Ryan Shazier.

When NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah ranked his top 50 NFL draft prospects two weeks ago, just three Big Ten players made the list. And two of them were the two best players on the Ohio State defense.

Roby was No. 12 on Jeremiah's list. Shazier was No. 14. The redshirt junior cornerback and the junior linebacker are viewed by nearly all draft analysts as locks to turn pro after this season and as strong first-round prospects. First they have to keep this OSU defense together.

While the Buckeyes return nine starters on offense, just four return on defense. But those four are pretty good. One of those returning starters, safety Christian Bryant, said he thinks the defense should be faster than a year ago. Shazier and Roby returning are a big part of that.

There's little doubt about what they bring to the table – just about when Roby will bring it. After an arrest in Indiana after a bar fight, Roby is still facing a misdemeanor charge of battery. A pretrial conference is set for Aug. 26, while Urban Meyer has said he's still gathering all the facts while assessing a potential suspension for Roby.

But Roby will be out there eventually. And so these two All-American candidates on defense are a major part of the 25 most important things for Ohio State's 2013 season …

No. 3: How much will Roby and Shazier look like All-Americans?

Three days until the start of camp (sorry, my Thursday at the golf tournament meant this didn't get up until early Friday, which is really two days until camp starts on Sunday)

“Roby is a twitched-up dude,” Jeremiah told The Plain Dealer. “He's tough and he's got good ball skills.”

Roby considered turning pro after last season, when he may have been a first-round pick, so his inclusion high on lists like this is no surprise. Shazier, however, may be a bit less known to those outside Buckeye Nation.

He added some muscle. At least it looks that way.

Sleeping in the weight room has some benefits. pic.twitter.com/zKEkXAwWUw

— Vernon J. Shazier (@VernonShazier) July 30, 2013

Shazier was named the preseason Big Ten defensive player of the year in a poll of 26 writers organized by The Plain Dealer. Roby was my choice. Either are worthy.

Shazier had 115 tackles a year ago and ranked second in the Big Ten in tackles per game. He should only grab more. Roby is a lock-down defender who has the chance to take the opponent's best receiver out of every game. With Shazier chasing down opposing running backs, and getting after quarterbacks with the occasional blitz, and with Roby making life difficult in the passing game, the defense should have both parts of the game covered.

The Buckeyes need them out there together, healthy, playing to their potential. That's potential that the NFL knows is there.

Bryant joins a unit that already has solid depth on the line.

BEREA, Ohio – Desmond Bryant wasn’t about to quantify it. The hulking free-agent acquisition refused to speculate on whether the Browns' defensive line would be among the NFL’s five best.

He left little doubt, however, about its potential.

“I think that when we’re working together and we really got it going then we can be a dominate defensive line in this league,” Bryant said Thursday. “. . . Once we’re completely clicking on the same page there will be nobody that can stop us.”

The defensive line, considered one of the team’s strengths a year ago, has been reconfigured from a 4-3 base front to a 3-4 under coordinator Ray Horton. The Browns will start Ahtyba Rubin and Bryant at ends with Phil Taylor at nose guard. They have depth with second-year linemen Billy Winn, John Hughes and Ishmaa’ily Kitchen along with seventh-round draft pick Armonty Bryant.

“Our guys up front are big, strong,” Horton said. “I love our guys up front. I hope our guys will embrace being a total defense, not just an attacking defense.”

The Browns signed Bryant to a five-year, $34 million deal in April. While he made off-season headlines for his criminal mischief arrest and subsequent mug shot, many league analysts liked the Bryant signing. He was ranked sixth among all NFL defensive tackles a season ago by ProFootballFocus.com.

Bryant, who returned to team drills Thursday after missing time with back spasms, enjoys the multi-front defense that Horton employs. He also appreciates the coordinator is receptive to feedback.

“The other day I think Phil came up with a (defensive wrinkle) that (Horton) actually put in for us, so we’re doing some great things,” Bryant said. “. . . I wasn’t actually there but that’s what they say. Phil recommended it and it was in the next day.”

The versatile Rubin, entering his sixth season, has played nose guard and tackle for the Browns. He’s shifting to end this season.

“I would like to be a tight end," Rubin said. "That's my dream -- catch a a couple of touchdowns. Nah, they can put me where they want to put me and I probably can adjust. I’m just happy to be on the team. They have kept me around this long. I'll just keep getting my coaching in and be in the film room and see how it goes on Sundays.”

The Browns should benefit from having Rubin and Taylor healthy to start the season. Each missed significant time in last season’s first half as the club started 2-6.

Bryant believes the addition of line coach Joe Cullen also strengthens the unit.

“I think all that together is going to make us a great D line this year,” Bryant said.

The top shooters in the country invade Camp Perry every summer for the month-long National Rifle & Pistol Matches.

E.C. "Cris" Stone of Birmingham, Ala., takes a short break as teammate Bill Willoughy of Concord, Ohio, fires "sighters," or practice shots, as they get ready to shoot at 300-yard targets in the Vintage Sniper Rifle Match during the National Rifle & Pistol Championships at Camp Perry this week. D'Arcy Egan, The Plain Dealer

OAK HARBOR, Ohio - America's finest marksmen flock to Camp Perry each summer for the National Rifle & Pistol Matches, and so do shooters who just want to have fun.

Christine Elder, communications director for the Civilian Marksmanship Program, insisted a grey-bearded writer who hadn't shot a competitive rifle match in years would be welcome to give it a try. A perfect fit was last week's unique Vintage Sniper Rifle Match, if only because it would be easy for Elder to find a shooter willing to team up with a guy also carrying a pen, pad and camera.

At a short clinic the night before the match, veteran shooters Bill Willoughby, 76, of Concord, Ohio and E.C. "Cris" Stone, 70, of Birmingham, Ala. took me under their wing as Don Rutherford of Tallapoosa, Ga. covered match rules, emphasizing the CMP's mission of teaching firearm safety and marksmanship with an emphasis on young shooters. Only military sniper rifles used during World War II or Korean War were allowed. I would shoot Stone's vintage bolt action rifle with a 2-power scope.

From the prone position on the Viale Range, I'd fire 10 rounds at a 300-yard target, followed by 10 rounds at 600 yards. The targets were visible for 20 seconds, then lowered for 20 seconds as the pit crew marked where .30-06 bullets made their mark. When you weren't shooting you were scoring for your partner, or in the pit pulling targets.

To give me a an advantage in the two-shooter team event, my partner was a young, sturdy, steely-eyed member of the Air National Guard Shooting Team, Stuart Mackey of Salt Lake City. He'd qualified for the President's 100 in high power rifle competition at the month-long summer games held by the National Rifle Association, a mean feat when you're shooting against about 1,200 of the country's best.

"I've been competing at Camp Perry for about 11 or 12 years when I wasn't deployed with the Air Force," said Mackey. "I started target shooting as a service brat. My father was in the Air Force and my mom was in the Army, and we lived at bases around the country. I enjoy living in Utah now because of the hunting and fishing, but don't hunt elk or mule deer with a rifle these days. It got too easy, so I switched to bowhunting."

Before the match began, shooters were allowed all of the practice shots or "sighters" they could manage in five minutes. Mackey made sure Stone's rifle was shooting straight, then turned it over to me for a few shots. To everyone's surprise, my bullets were in the right neighborhood.

"Good shooting," said Stone, peering through a spotting scope to see where someone in the pits had marked my shot. I had to focus, after watching Willoughby score well despite a left arm damaged when he was shot during his second tour of duty in Vietnam. That was his ticket home, where he created Cleveland Track Materials, a successful railroad equipment company he sold in 2011.

Willoughby and Stone are board members at West Point and the CMP. A painting of the two avid CMP volunteers by artist Jerry Antolik is on the cover of the 2013 CMP Catalog. They weren't even close to being the oldest shooters on the line this week. Milton Beckwith, 88, of Wetherfield, Conn., was nearby. He'd competed in pistol competitions until hurting his shoulder back in the late 1970s, switching to high power rifles for his shooting enjoyment.

Stone and Willoughby worked with Dave Emory of Hornady ammunition, whose father was a sniper during World War II, to create the Vintage Sniper Rifle Match. It's been a rousing success. The number of shooters soaring from a couple of dozen in 2010 to 240 for this year's match.

"We're all pretty serious about scoring well," said Stone, vice-chairman of the CMP board. "We enjoy coming to Camp Perry every year to shoot, volunteer with the CMP and visit with all of our friends. The National Matches are a big social event for us, a once-a-year gathering with people we've been competing against for years. The matches are a challenge but, no matter how we score, it's always fun."

Checking out my card after the 300-yard match, I was delighted I'd scored 80 out of 100. Mackey was slightly disappointed. He'd shot a 97, three points shy of perfect. Mackey followed with a 77 at 600 yards, while I shot a 46. Our combined score was definitely not good enough for an award, but I'd already declared myself a winner for the chance to enjoy an afternoon with a friendly group of shooters.

The Indians open an interleague series with Miami tonight.

Game 109: Indians (60-48) vs. Miami (42-65)

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