Justin Masterson has been one of baseball's worst pitchers on the road, and the same can be said of Wade Miley at home heading into Tuesday night's opener of a two-game series.

PHOENIX, Arizona -- Get updates and chat with cleveland.com users in the comments section as the Indians take on the Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

Game 77: Indians (37-39) at Diamondbacks (32-47)

First pitch: 9:40 p.m. at Chase Field.

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

The newest head coach cracked jokes and had two of his former players in attendance to show support.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio – If his introductory news conference is any indication of what is to come, David Blatt will be entertaining players, fans and media alike with his stand-up repertoire once Cavaliers season rolls around. 

Among the gems from Wednesday: 

• On coming to the NBA from the international game: "Somebody told me the reason I did it is because I missed Boston lobster and macaroni and cheese. There's something to that, honestly."
• On whether he could lure free agents: "Am I the most convincing guy in the world? Probably top four."
• On how he'd attract a free agent over L.A. Clippers coach Doc Rivers: "I wouldn't want to put myself in a beauty contest against Doc Rivers. He's a great looking guy." 
• Asked whether he'd pick (Jabari) Parker or (Andrew) Wiggins: "Anthony Parker. I took him once and so did the Cavs and it worked out great."    

Cavaliers general manager David Griffin said Blatt's personality and his ability to connect with players were a big attraction in the decision to hire him. 

Evidence of former players' adoration: Tamir Goodman and Drew Kennedy, both of whom played for Blatt overseas, attended his news conference. 

"This is a man who builds deep, meaningful relationships with the players that last a lifetime," Griffin said. "I have no doubt whatsoever he's going to be able to connect with anybody we put in front of him." 

On associate coach Tyronn Lue: Blatt said he fully supported the Cavaliers' hiring of Tyronn Lue as associate head coach. Lue was the other finalist for the Cavaliers' head coaching position. 

"I like to start things off with a bang and I think we did that," Blatt said. "Great credit to Griff and to the management. ... I had the opportunity to have several discussions with Tyronn. Everything they told me about Ty was true and then some. Really have a great feeling about him. Got tremendous feedback from others concerning his knowledge of the game, his commitment to the cause. When we were able to bring Tyronn over to the team, no one was happier than me."

Congrats from all over: Congratulations on Blatt's hiring rolled in from across the world, including the Israeli American Council, which issued the following:

"Many Israeli-Americans are NBA fans and David will no doubt bring more Israeli-American fans to the game and even more pride to the Israeli-American community," said Shawn Evenhaim, chairman of IAC. "David exemplifies a leader whose experiences and values stand for the best of Israel and of the United States. He has contributed so much to basketball in both countries and has reached a remarkable milestone with his new appointment."

Vote of confidence: Kansas forward Andrew Wiggins is confident his teammate Joel Embiid will be successful in the NBA in spite of foot surgery that has prevented him from being in New York this week.

"Nothing's going to stop him,'' Wiggins said of Embiid. "His heart's too big. I know he'll be good.''

Familar face: Former Cavs general manager Chris Grant has been doing some draft analysis for CBS Sports. To see him talk about evaluating international players, click here: http://www.cbssports.com/video/player/collegebasketball/288299075672/0/chris-grant-talks-evaluation-process

Plain Dealer reporter Mary Schmitt Boyer contributed.

"He told me that right now because of limited scholarships that I couldn't commit right now," Bowen said, "but if I wanted to play at Ohio State he would find a way to get me a scholarship."

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Urban Meyer had plenty of time to recruit three-star offensive tackle Branden Bowen of Draper (Utah) Corner Canyon during the prospect's visit this week. 

But if Ohio State's coach didn't get it all in, he has some help in Utah. 

That's because Bowen's person trainer – John Madsen – used to play for Meyer at Utah. 

"He played for Urban Meyer and he can't preach to me enough about how much he owes him for who he has become today," Bowen told cleveland.com in a phone interview Wednesday evening. "There's my connection to Ohio State, and he has had only great things to say about Coach Meyer." 

Rated by Rivals.com a three-star prospect, Bowen has scholarship offers from Boise State, BYU, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon State, Utah, Utah State and others. He doesn't  officially have one from Ohio State, but Meyer made it clear during the visit that he wants Bowen in Ohio State's 2015 recruiting class. 

If Bowen wants to commit, Meyer will find room. 

"He told me that right now because of limited scholarships that I couldn't commit right now," Bowen said, "but if I wanted to play at Ohio State he would find a way to get me a scholarship." 

Bowen didn't try to commit, but he came away from the visit completely understanding why Ohio State has become one of college football's powerhouses. 

Having visited all three Utah schools, Bowen said the Buckeyes' facilities were what stood out the most. 

"It was definitely one of the best visits I've been on," Bowen said. "Just the facilities as a whole – the technology and everything inside of them – as well as how I was treated by the coaches and all of that. My goals were really just to get a feel for the environment and get a feel for the team as a whole, and I think I very well accomplished that – easily." 

Bowen doesn't have a plan for how he's going to finish his recruitment, but a December decision seems like a good plan. He is going to try and visit UCLA, USC and Washington State before making any decisions. 

"It could be today or December," Bowen said. "I don't know. But Ohio State is definitely one of the schools that I'll be considering." 

Lauren Davis surprises Italy's Flavia Pennetta in the second round at Wimbledon, marking the second major this year that Davis has reached the third round.

Lauren Davis, from Gates Mills, shown last year at Wimbledon, where she lost in the first round. This year, she has really taken to the grass, advancing to the third round.AP file 

Wimbledon, England -- American Lauren Davis, from Gates Mills, advanced to the third round at Wimbledon, upsetting 12th-seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy in a tight match, 6-4, 7-6 (4).

The win continues a nice run on England's grass courts by Davis, ranked No. 55 in the world.

Last week, she made it to the quarterfinals at Eastbourne before losing to fellow American Madison Keys.

It also is the second time this season that Davis has reached the third round of a major. She also reached the third round of the Australian Open in January.

Next up for Davis: China's Shuai Peng, ranked No. 61 in the world. She beat Russia's Maria Kirilenko, 6-0, 6-3, in her second round match.

Kansas forward Andrew Wiggins could well be the second straight Canadian taken with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, if the Cavaliers select him with the first pick on Thursday.

NEW YORK -- A year ago, the Cavaliers made Anthony Bennett the first Canadian to be taken with the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft.

On Thursday, it's possible they'll do it again by taking Kansas forward -- and Canadian -- Andrew Wiggins with the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

"Right now it just doesn't seem real,'' Wiggins said during Wednesday's media availability at the Westin New York.

Bennett was a surprise pick last year, when all the talk was that Wiggins would become the first Canadian to be drafted No. 1.

"That was looking too far into the future,'' Wiggins said Wednesday. "I was just going into college.'

Though Wiggins enjoyed his visit to Cleveland last week, he and Bennett haven't really talked about playing together.

"I know him pretty good,'' Wiggins said. "He just told me work hard. When we talk, we don't talk about basketball too much. We were friends before basketball. So we don't just talk about basketball.''

Wiggins (6-8, 197) averaged 17.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists in his one season at Kansas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Greg Louganis, a storied Olympic diver and one of the first high-profile athletes to announce that he is gay, will be in Cleveland for the opening of 2014 Gay Games. Louganis will be at the City Club for a program on the power of embracing difference and diversity on Saturday, Aug. 9, the first day of...

Greg Louganis, in a 2011 photoMatt Sayles/Associated Press 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Greg Louganis, a storied Olympic diver and one of the first high-profile athletes to announce that he is gay, will be in Cleveland for the opening of 2014 Gay Games.

Louganis will be at the City Club for a program on the power of embracing difference and diversity on Saturday, Aug. 9, the first day of the games, then participate in the Opening Ceremony later that evening.

"Greg Louganis has a tremendous story, one that he shares with a warmth and grace that embody the spirit of the Gay Games," said Ronn Richard, president and CEO of the Cleveland Foundation, which is sponsoring Gay Games 9.

Louganis captured gold medals in both men's diving events in the 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics, the first male diver to do that in consecutive Games. 

At the 1994 Gay Games in New York, he revealed that he was gay, and a year later, in his autobiography, "Breaking the Surface," he said he was HIV-positive.

The City Club event goes from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and is a discussion with Richard that also will cover the impact of the Gay Games on participants. The Opening Ceremony is at Quicken Loans Arena.

For more information on the City Club event, go to www.cityclub.org.

Wiedmeier is overseeing the renovations at FirstEnergy Stadium. He joined the Browns in 2010.

BEREA, Ohio -- The Browns announced Wednesday that they have signed executive vice president Bryan Wiedmeier to a contract extension. President Alec Scheiner made the announcement through a team release. 

Wiedmeier oversees the ongoing FirstEnergy Stadium renovations, a two-phase project that will be completed prior to the start of the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The Browns have said their goals with the project are to modernize the facility and increase the team's home-field advantage.

He joined the Browns on Jan. 11, 2010 and is entering his fifth season with the team. His primary responsibilities are long-term strategic planning for the organization, including stadium projects and capital endeavors. He joined the team following a successful 29-year tenure with the Miami Dolphins, where he ultimately was named president and COO.

View full sizeBryan WiedmeierCleveland Browns 

"I've worked on multiple stadium-development projects, and Bryan has been an integral catalyst in all aspects of the renovation, making sure our team and Cleveland receives the first-rate stadium they deserve," Scheiner said in the release.
 
"This is a special franchise, and Bryan makes it even better," Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said in the release. "For 34 years, Bryan has built an impressive career in our league. That's evident every August at the Hall of Fame ceremonies, when he makes the short trip to Canton to reconnect with so many people, all of whom carry a great deal of respect for him."
 
 

Corey Kluber is 5-0 in five interleague starts headed into Wednesday night's game against Arizona.

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Here are the lineups for Wednesday night's game between the Indians and Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

INDIANS

CF Michael Bourn, L.

SS Asdrubal Cabrera, S.

LF Michael Brantley, L.

1B Carlos Santana, S.

2B Jason Kipnis, L.

3B Lonnie Chisenhall, L.

C Yan Gomes, R.

RF David Murphy, L.

RHP Corey Kluber, 6-5, 3.30.

DIAMONDBACKS

CF Ender Inciarte, L.

RF Gerardo Parra, L.

1B Paul Goldschmidt, R.

C Miguel Montero, L.

2B Aaron Hill, R.

3B Martn Prado, R.

LF David Peralta, L.

SS Chris Owings, R.

RHP Chase Anderson, 5-2, 2.18

UMPIRES

H Chad Fairchild.

1B Vic Carapassa.

2B Bill Miller.

3B Mike Everitt.

Tim Lincecum totally shut down the weakest-hitting team in the majors, striking out six and walking one.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Tim Lincecum pitched his second no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in less than a year, allowing only one runner Wednesday and leading the San Francisco Giants to a 4-0 win.

Lincecum totally shut down the weakest-hitting team in the majors, striking out six and walking one. San Francisco fielders didn't need to make any exceptional plays to preserve Lincecum's gem.

Lincecum (6-5) threw 113 pitches for this win. Last July 13 at San Diego, he threw 148 pitches while holding the Padres hitless.

The 30-year-old right-hander became just the second pitcher in major league history to twice no-hit the same team. Addie Joss did it for Cleveland against the Chicago White Sox in 1908 and again in 1910.

This was the third no-hitter this season. Josh Beckett and Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers previously threw them.

Chase Headley was San Diego's lone runner, walking in the second inning.

Lefty Nick Hagadone joins the Indians for the third time this season from Class AAA Columbus.

PHOENIX, Ariz. -- Right-hander Mark Lowe paid the price for Tuesday night.

He was demoted not for being the losing pitcher in the Indians' 9-8 loss to Arizona in 14 innings, but for having an option when manager Terry Francona needed a fresh arm after using 10 pitches in the 5 hour, 32 minute game.

Lefty Nick Hagadone was recalled from Class AAA Columbus. This is Hagadone's third tour with the Indians this season.

He is a combined 1-0 with a 7.71 in five outings with the Tribe. He's allowed two earned runs on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

The 6-5 left-hander has fared better at Columbus where he's 3-4 with one save and a 3.71 ERA in 21 appearances. He's struck out 41 and walked 10 in 26 2/3 innings.

Lefties at hitting just .175 (7-for-40) against Hagadone.

Lowe was making his second tour with the Tribe.

Lionel Messi belatedly celebrated his 27th birthday with two goals to help Argentina clinch the top spot in Group F.

The 2014 World Cup has become the Leo Messi Show. 

Messi held a belated birthday celebration one day after turning 27, scoring two goals Wednesday to help Argentina clinch the top spot in Group F and become the third team to win all three group stage matches in Brazil with a 3-2 victory over Nigeria. 

Messi came to Brazil with only one goal in eight career World Cup matches. He now has four in three matches in 2014. 

The second goal was a thing of beauty, a curling free kick that Nigeria goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama couldn't get to. It came after the two teams each scored in the first five minutes of the game, which had never happened at the World Cup.

What a ridiculous free kick from Messi! He makes it look so easy. Pulling off his own Maradona act in Brazil. WATCH » http://t.co/PY8dgGG8Ep

-- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 25, 2014

Argentina had already earned a spot in the knockout round before the match. Nigeria, too, moved on despite the loss, as Bosnia-Herzegovina defeated Iran and therefore handed the Super Eagles second place in the group. 

The day was bittersweet for Nigeria, however, as a bomb attack killed at least 21 people and injured 17 in the African nation's capital city of Abuja before the match. 

So long, Suarez?

A FIFA investigation into the Luis Suarez biting incident from Tuesday's Uruguay-Italy match began Wednesday, and Suarez's fate is to be determined. He could be suspended for the rest of the World Cup and beyond. 

A decision is expected late Wednesday or early Thursday. The loss of Suarez's scoring ability would be a major blow to Uruguay's chances of advancing further in Brazil.

Meanwhile, back here in the USA, a lower-level soccer club, the Fort Worth Vaqueros of Texas, has come up with a very appropriate promotion given the events of the week: 

Luis Suarez FANgs Night at @NPSLSoccer game on Sunday, June 29th v @dallascityfc http://t.co/7fF5VJPlIf

-- Fort Worth Vaqueros (@FtWorthSoccer) June 25, 2014

Wednesday's World Cup scores

Argentina 3, Nigeria 2

Bosnia-Herzegovina 3, Iran 1

France 0, Ecuador 0

Switzerland 3, Honduras 0

From the U.S. camp

We've reached the eve of the United States match against Germany in Recife, where it could be humid and rainy for kickoff. The U.S. needs a win or draw to assure a berth in the Round of 16. (See all the scenarios explained here.) 

This is the match of the day on Thursday, with the winner taking the Group G title and drawing a lesser opponent in the second-place team from Group H in the next round. A draw benefits the Germans because of their higher goal differential. 

Did anyone know that U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, himself once a huge name in international soccer in his native Germany, took on an alias soon after arriving in the U.S. to live? 

Klinsmann spent some time Wednesday talking to reporters. He seems fully convinced the Americans can defeat Germany: 

"This World Cup is full of surprises. We want to be one of those surprises." - @J_Klinsmann

-- U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) June 25, 2014

It should be interesting to see if Klinsmann sings both national anthems before the game, or just one, or none. And what about the Team USA players who were either born or raised in Germany?  

Join the conversation: Join us right here for a live chat during the United States vs. Germany game Thursday at noon ET (11 a.m. CT). We will provide live updates and commentary throughout the match, and we invite you to engage with other fans as Team USA looks to advance to the knockout round. 

In other action

France faced its stiffest challenge of the World Cup so far in Ecuador on Wednesday and didn't look like the force it was in its first two Group E games, but the scoreless draw got the French first place in their group and a date with Nigeria to open the next round. Ecuador was eliminated despite four points from a win and a draw. Switzerland finished second in Group E with its 3-0 win over Honduras, and now draws Argentina in the Round of 16. Honduras was outscored 8-1 in three losses at the World Cup. Bosnia-Herzegovina left Brazil with its first-ever World Cup victory after defeating Iran 3-1. Iran scored its only goal of this World Cup in defeat. 

The Swiss 'Shaq'

Or we can call him the 'X' factor. Switzerland's Xherdan Shaqiri scored a hat trick in his team's win. His was the 50th hat trick in World Cup history.

You have to see this: Shaqiri's magical strike to put #SUI up 1-0. WATCH » http://t.co/a4PTfbsoIp

-- ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) June 25, 2014

Sweet Sixteen

Let's call it the first 13 for now, as three more teams will punch their tickets to the knockout round on Thursday. The fortunate field of teams going into Thursday is Brazil, Mexico, the Netherlands, Chile, Colombia, Greece, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Argentina, Nigeria, France, Switzerland and Belgium. That's seven teams from the Western Hemisphere with the potential for one more, the U.S. 

The Indians will shut down Justin Masterson for two days and then have him throw a bullpen session to re-evaluate him.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Indians ace Justin Masterson will miss Sunday's start against Seattle with a sore right knee. Masterson has struggled all season with lack of velocity and command, but this is the first time the Indians have mentioned an injury.

Manager Terry Francona said Masterson will be shut down for two days and then throw a bullpen session to see how he's feeling.

"We're going to back Justin up a couple of days," said Francona. "His right knee has been bothering him and he's been pitching through it, but it's hard for him to generate power."

The injury is going to reshape the Tribe's rotation.

Francona said he'll need a starter to replace Masterson on Sunday at Safeco Field to face Felix Hernandez. They will also add Zach McAllister to the rotation for Tuesday's game against the Dodgers. Since McAllister cannot be recalled from Class AAA Columbus in time to make Sunday's start because he hasn't been in the minors for 10 days, it's expected left-hander T.J. House or right-hander Danny Salazar could be recalled for Sunday's game against the Mariners.

Salazar opened the season in the Indians' rotation, but wasn't effective and was optioned to Columbus. He recently came off the disabled list after being slowed by an injury in his right triceps/elbow area.

House replaced McAllister in the rotation on May 22 when McAllister went on the DL with a back injury. House impressed Francona and the coaching staff in his six appearances, including five starts.

Masterson, in his walk year, is 4-5 with a 5.03 ERA in 17 starts. He's struck out 85, walked 50 and allowed 52 earned runs in 93 innings. The opposition is hitting .263 against him, with lefties teeing off at a .313 (61-for-195) clip.

In his last three starts, he's been knocked out of games after two and four innings. He went seven innings in the other start.

The Indians started this eight-game, nine-day trip with a four-man rotation. They were able to do that because of off days on the trip.

He's back: Lefty Josh Outman, designated for assignment by the Tribe on June 18, cleared waivers and has accepted his outright assignment to Columbus. He'll report Saturday.

Cleveland has been outscored 41-25 while dropping five of its last seven on the road.

PHOENIX, Arizona -- Get updates and chat with cleveland.com users in the comments section as the Indians take on the Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

Game 78: Indians (37-40) at Diamondbacks (33-47)

First pitch: 9:40 p.m. at Chase Field.

TV/radio: STO; WTAM AM/1100, WMMS 100.7

Indians' right-hander Bryan Shaw made a bad pitch in the 11th inning Tuesday night and David Peralta made him pay in the 11th inning.

PHOENX, Ariz. -- Seen and heard Wednesday at Chase Field.

Clubhouse confidential: Bryan Shaw, pitching against Arizona on Tuesday night for the first time in the regular season since they traded him to the Indians in December of 2012, learned something he probably already knew when he allowed a homer to David Peralta in the 11^th inning on a 1-2 slider.

"You throw a 1-2 slider middle-middle (right over the heart of the plate), it's going to get hit a long way," said Shaw.

Shaw entered the 11^th with a 8-6 lead, but Arizona scored twice to tie the score. They won it, 9-8, in 14 innings.

"I gave up the homer and just got frustrated," said Shaw, who pitched a scoreless 10th. "It spiraled from there."

Mark it down: It looked like Justin Masterson beat out an infield single to third base Tuesday in the second inning, but first base umpire Chad Fairchild called him out. Manager Terry Francona couldn't challenge the call because he'd already used and lost his challenge in the first inning.

"Yes, I was safe," said Masterson. "I thought I was safe from the get go. I touched the very front of the base as I was coming through. Maybe he thought I didn't touch the base.

"That's all right, I'm still putting it down that I went 1-for-2. You can mark that down as a hit in your scorebook."

Zach McAllister is the only Indians' pitcher with a hit this season. The last extra base hit by a Tribe pitcher belonged to CC Sabathia when he homered against the Reds on May 21, 2005.

The RubberDucks get runs in the first two innings but fail to score after that.

The RubberDucks scored a run in each of the first two innings but went scoreless the rest of the way as the Erie SeaWolves rallied for a Class AA Eastern League victory at Akron.

Trailing, 1-0, Akron tied the game in the first inning with an RBI single from designated hitter Corey Jones. The RubberDucks took a 2-1 lead in the second with an RBI single from right fielder Jordan Smith.

Smith went 3-for-4 with an RBI.

But Erie got rolling in the third inning against RubberDucks starter Will Roberts, using four hits to score three runs, including an RBI double from SeaWolves right fielder Steven Moya.

Erie used six pitchers, with reliever Ryan Robowski (3-0, 3.89) getting the victory after pitching 2-2/3 innings. Jose Valdez earned his ninth save.

Roberts (7-8, 3.83) gave up four runs on eight hits in six innings. He had three strikeouts.

The loss knocked the RubberDucks out of first place in the Western Division. They trail the Richmond, Va., Flying Squirrels by one game.

Notes: Tuesday's game agains the SeaWolves was rained out. It will be made up as part of a doubleheader on July 19. It was the sixth weather-related postponement this season for the RubberDucks. ... Akron had gone six games without making an error until Wednesday, when the RubberDucks had one.

Vanderbilt won the school's first national championship in a men's sport in school history.

OMAHA, Neb. — For a guy who doesn't hit many home runs, John Norwood's timing was impeccable.

Norwood's tie-breaking homer in the top of the eighth inning carried Vanderbilt to a 3-2 win over Virginia on Wednesday night for the Commodores' first national championship.

Norwood turned on Nick Howard's 97 mph fastball and sent it into the left field bullpen. Then Hayden Stone and Adam Ravenelle closed out the third and deciding game of the College World Series finals.

It was Norwood's third homer of the year, his first since April 19, and Vanderbilt's first since May 16. It also was only the third home run in 16 CWS games and the 22nd in 72 games by the Commodores (51-21).

Vanderbilt's John Norwood (10) celebrates with his teammates after hitting a home run against Virginia in the eighth inning of Game 3 of the best-of-three NCAA baseball College World Series finals in Omaha, Neb., Wednesday, June 25, 2014. (AP Photo/Eric Francis)Eric Francis 

"I thought it was absolutely gone as soon as I hit it," Norwood said. "I was only thinking about hitting the ball hard. We were totally confident going back to regionals and super regionals and really felt we could get this done."

The Cavaliers (53-16) loaded the bases with one out in the eighth when Adam Ravenelle hit Kenny Towns. But Mike Papi was forced out at home on a chopper to Ravenelle, and Brandon Downes grounded out.

The title, secured when Ravenelle struck out Daniel Pinero, is Vanderbilt's first in a men's sport. The school's only other title came in women's bowling in 2007.

Vandy second baseman Dansby Swanson was chosen the CWS Most Outstanding Player. Swanson batted .323 in the CWS, scored five runs, drove in two and stole three bases. He played flawlessly in the field.

"When you've got guys backing up each other like we do, anything is possible," Swanson said.

After the last out, Vanderbilt players grabbed the championship trophy and hoisted coach Tim Corbin on their shoulders.

"Every coach, you immerse yourself in the kids and they become more than baseball players; they become your sons," Corbin said. "This is a nice feeling. It's good to watch them celebrate achievements."

Stone (4-0) relieved Carson Fulmer with one out in the sixth and allowed two hits before turning the game over to Ravenelle after Virginia's first two batters reached in the eighth. Ravenelle earned his third save of the CWS.

Howard (2-2) came on in the eighth after Artie Lewicki had pitched six innings of four-hit relief. He left a fastball up that Norwood put over the fence, just right of the 335-foot sign.

"I was just praying the whole time the ball was up there, and I couldn't believe it when it went over," Vandy's Tyler Campbell said.

Virginia coach Brian O'Connor said, "You've got to credit John Norwood. The pitch was up in the zone and he took an aggressive swing and hit the ball out."

Virginia broke through against Fulmer to tie it 2-2 in the sixth when Kenny Towns' bases-loaded grounder hit shortstop Vince Conde's glove and bounced off for an error.

Vanderbilt led 1-0 in the first after Virginia catcher Robbie Coman sailed a throw into center field trying to catch Bryan Reynolds stealing. Swanson, who was going to third on the double steal, continued home.

Another error in the sixth set up Vanderbilt's second run. Norwood grounded to third for an infield single and wound up on second after Towns' throw in the dirt skipped past first baseman Mike Papi. Norwood later came home on Conde's deep grounder to shortstop.

Corey Kluber throws seven scoreless innings as the Indians beat Arizona to end a four-game losing streak.

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The theory behind the Indians' offense is to get as much production from as many spots in the lineup as possible. No dead spots, please.

It's one thing not to have Miguel Cabrera in the middle of the lineup, but that's no reason to neglect the other eight spots.

Indians fans are painfully aware that the theory doesn't always work, but Wednesday night in the desert it did. The Tribe's well-rounded attack, scoring from just about every nook and cranny of the lineup, wore down rookie right-hander Chase Anderson on the way to a 6-1 victory over the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

The victory ended a four-game losing streak.

It certainly helped that Corey Kluber pitched like the May version of Corey Kluber, throwing seven scoreless innings and striking out eight to win his first game in five starts. The offense, however, was just as impressive.

Not only did the Indians score from the top to the bottom of the lineup, they scored while Kluber was still in the game. In his last two starts, Kluber has received only two runs of support while he was still in the mound.

Leadoff hitter Michael Bourn tripled and scored twice in his first two at-bats. Asdrubal Cabrera delivered him with a sacrifice fly in the first for a 1-0 lead. After Bourn tripled again to start the third, Michael Brantley scored him with a grounder to first for a 3-0 lead.

Bourn has more triples, seven, than doubles, six. After taking a 1-for-7 in Tuesday's 9-8 loss in 14-innings, Bourn had to be feeling better about his game Wednesday night.

"We scored early with Bournie setting the tone with those two triples," said manager Terry Francona. "We didn't score in bunches, but we kept scoring one run an inning.

"We stayed after it. I thought we had good swings pretty much all the way through the order."

Kluber loved every one of the runs.

"Early run support is always much appreciated," he said. "You can pitch a little different when you've got that lead. You can take a little different mindset when you're pitching with the lead."

Life was good in the middle of the lineup as well.

Brantley, hitting third, singled in the first, delivered Bourn in the third, homered in the fifth and walked and scored in the seventh. Brantley's leadoff homer in the fifth was his 12^th of the season – two more than last season – and made it 4-0.

Cleanup hitter Carlos Santana had a quiet night, but that was understandable after he went 4-for-5 Tuesday night. Jason Kipnis, hitting fifth, made up for Santana's silence.

Awakened, perhaps, by Tuesday's mad dash for an attempted inside-the-park homer on a 13^th inning triple, Kipnis hit consecutive doubles in the fifth and seventh innings. Kipnis' double in the seventh scored Brantley to make it 5-0.

It would appear the pop is back in Kipnis' bat. He's been looking for it since he came off the disabled list on May 27 after straining an oblique muscle.

Lonnie Chisenhall, batting sixth, walked in the fourth and added an RBI single in the seventh to make it 6-0.

The bottom of the lineup did its part as well.

Catcher Yan Gomes homered with one out in the second. It was his eighth of the season.

In the third, Gomes threw out Ender Inciarte on an attempted steal of third. Third base umpire Mike Everitt originally called Inciarte safe, but Francona used his instant-replay challenge and the call was overturned. Gomes has thrown out seven of the last nine baserunners who have tried to steal against him.

"I thought I saw what I saw, but I think everybody is out when they're on the other team," said Francona. "But Millsie (Brad Mills, bench coach) gave me a pretty emphatic thumbs up.

"It seemed like a good time to do it."

After starting the season with nine errors, Gomes has played 37 games without one. He's thrown out 17 of the 51 baserunners (33 percent) who have challenged him. A catcher is doing a good job controlling the running game when he throws out 25 to 30 percent of the runners who test him.

"What he had at the start of year was a hiccup," said Francona. "Everyone wanted to panic and jump off bridges. Sometimes you have to be patient and trust guys because his talent is there.

"He's become a force behind the plate. We pitch out very seldom. We don't need to because Yan controls the running game as long as our pitchers give him a chance."

Kluber (7-5, 3.09) swung the bat as well. After pinch-hitting Tuesday when Francona ran out of position players, Kluber singled with two out in the fourth for his first big league hit. It was just the second hit by a Tribe pitcher this season.

"That shocks me how guys can do that," said Francona. "I saw Kevin Cash (Indians bullpen coach) hit for three years and he never did that. You're talking about guys who haven't hit for a long time and to go up there at the major league level and throw a line drive out there amazes me."

The Indians saved the ball for Kluber.

"It was cool," he said.

Kluber is 6-0 in six interleague starts for the Tribe.

"I don't know if it's just coincidence or maybe a little bit of unfamiliarity from the hitters," said Kluber.

After the Indians took a 1-0 lead in the first, Inciarte and Gerardo Parra singled to start the bottom of the first. Kluber struck out Paul Goldschmidt and induced Miguel Montero to hit into a double play. After that, he cruised.

Anderson (5-3, 3.63) has lost three straight after winning his first five starts this season.

The Cavaliers made Andrew Wiggins the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft. In doing so, they not only acquired a player who can help them in the future but can also help them make good on the owner's pledge to reach the playoffs next season -- Bud Shaw's blog

CLEVELAND, OH – Let's hold off on the Tracy McGrady comparisons with Andrew Wiggins.

(The Fourth Amigo references, too, Thursday night's fashion statement aside)

It's enough to say he's the best pick the Cavs could've made in this draft. Drafts aren't about next year. They're about the next 10 years.

So if Jabari Parker was the most NBA ready, well, that's fine if his ceiling is as high. Wiggins is already a superior defender and athlete, the offensive polish to come.

Conventional wisdom says it came down to Parker or Wiggins for the Cavs. Three weeks ago, before the news of Joel Embid's stress fracture in his foot, my guess is the order would've been Embid, Wiggins, Parker.

The Cavs simply couldn't take the risk on Embid. Not after Anthony Bennett. Not after the last four years.

If a comparison to any former NBA star would intrigue a GM, it's Embid conjuring memories of Hakeen Olajuwon. Wiggins is a good hedge against any future regret the Cavs might feel about passing up the big man.

Philadelphia took Embid at No. 3, a year after they drafted Nerlens Noel. That makes two big men who couldn't immediately play because of injury.

The Cavs have more immediate designs on making the playoffs. Wiggins can help them do that in transition and on defense while the rest of his game takes shape.

He was widely seen as having the most potential in the draft, and the trade discussions (we think they're over but who knows?) were reportedly held with teams that had interest in Wiggins at No. 1, not so much Parker.

The selection of Wiggins brought this from Dan Gilbert: 

Welcome to the Cleveland @22wiggins! The sky is the limit for you, this franchise and this city…Let’s go!

— Dan Gilbert (@cavsdan) June 26, 2014

Earlier in the day, Gilbert refuted speculation that the Cavs were split, that he wanted Wiggins and his front office wanted Parker.

You never want the owner deciding personnel moves, unless, of course, they involve millions of dollars.

But if Wiggins was Gilbert's preference, at least he got it right.

In their quest to find players who truly fit, the Cavs get it right with Andrew Wiggins.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If Andrew Wiggins plays as well as the Cavs front office performed in creating confusion about the No. 1 pick -- the new Cavs small forward will be the Rookie of the Year.

I believe the Kansas product has been at the top of the Cavs draft board ever since Joel Embiid broke his foot last week.

The Cavs wanted to keep the pick a secret. They totally frustrated ESPN, which wanted the pick in advance. That's why some people at ESPN wrote and said some ridiculous things about how the Cavs couldn't figure out what to do with the pick.

Listen, they have liked Wiggins for quite awhile.

It just makes sense if you spent any time listening to new Cavs General Manager David Griffin. From from the moment he took over, he has talked about the need for players to "fit."

Wiggins fits.

At 6-foot-8 and 200 pounds, he is a natural small forward. He can play shooting guard. He is an elite athlete, a determined defender. When was the last time the Cavs have had a guy who can run and jump like Wiggins -- at least since LeBron James left for Miami in 2010?

This is not to compare Wiggins to James.

But even with Luol Deng playing with various injuries, he was a legitimate small forward. The Cavs were 19-21 with him on the court. They were 14-28 when he didn't start. Deng is probably not coming back, as he is a free agent.

As for other small forwards, it has been a parade of Jamario Moon, Christian Eyenga, Joey Graham, Alonzo Gee, Omri Casspi and others.

The Cavs needed to find a small forward.

A real one.

Not a power forward who might be able to play small forward (Anthony Bennett). Most of the time, they can't. They're too slow.

Yes, Jabari Parker is a scorer. But Parker is nearly 6-foot-9 and 250 pounds. A team may try to play him at small forward -- but it won't work for long. Parker is a power forward.

New coach David Blatt and Griffin want to kick the Cavs into a higher gear on offense. There were 17 teams that averaged at least 100 points last season. The Cavs were not one of them.

The league is becoming more athletic. Wiggins brings that to the court.

Yes, he's not a finished product. For heaven's sake, he's 19!

The other reason to feel good about Wiggins is that he's 19 and has been an AAU star for years -- but he loves to defend. How often do you hear that about a player who is as hyped as Wiggins at a young age.

That has to be encouraging to Blatt, because it means Wiggins is willing to be coached.

The Cavs already have too much duplication. They still have to sort out the Kyrie Irving/Dion Waiters situation. Both are natural point guards who like to have the ball. They are called "high usage" players, meaning they have the ball in their hands a lot.

Parker also is "high usage," and teams have stats to measure that.

Wiggins is not a player who dominates the ball, another reason he fits with the Cavs.

The final look at Wiggins this season was a strange 1-of-6 shooting performance in an NCAA tournament loss to Stanford.

But in his final six games -- after Embiid was injured and stopped playing -- Wiggins averaged 21 points and 6.8 rebounds, shooting 48 percent. And that includes the Big 12 Tournament, along with that dismal performance against Stanford.

Wiggins doesn't fix most of the Cavs problems, but he fits with what Griffin is trying to do.

So for the new general manager, it's an excellent start in his first Cavs draft.

 

Cavs general manager David Griffin joked he "almost changed [his] mind," when he saw Wiggins' flamboyant jacket at the NBA draft.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – When David Griffin saw Andrew Wiggins' jacket – a back number imprinted with the outline of white flowers – he did a double-take. 

"I almost changed my mind when I saw it," Griffin said on ESPN's broadcast. 

He didn't, and the Cavaliers selected Wiggins No. 1 in the NBA draft. The 19-year-old Kansas product became the second Canadian selected first overall in the draft one year after Cleveland chose Anthony Bennett. 

The Cavaliers also selected Virginia guard Joe Harris with the 33^rd pick, and according to the Charlotte Observer, have acquired 6-11 Stanford forward Dwight Powell and Brendan Haywood. The Associated Press reported the Cavaliers are sending Alonzo Gee to Charlotte in the deal. 

The Cavaliers could not comment on trade because it has not yet been approved by the league. 

Griffin said Wiggins' had one skill that stood out more than any other. 

"We really believe in this point that his defense is a skill set," Griffin said, citing his fast-twitch muscles. "That's something that really spoke to me about Andrew. All of our scouts felt that he had the most upside." 

Even so, Griffin said that there was "spirited discussion" about trading the No. 1 pick, which led to the Cavaliers using the full five minutes allotted to turn in the choice for the pick. 

Griffin said the final decision came down to Wiggins and Parker, but that the decision to draft Wiggins was reached early in the afternoon Thursday. Still, he continued to listen to trade offers. 

"We are thrilled to death to have Andrew, and there's no part of us that didn't want Andrew," Griffin said. "But I'm not doing my job if I don't listen." 

Wiggins, a 6-foot-8 swingman, is a player that Griffin envisions ultimately settling into a shooting guard position. 

"If Andrew finds greatness in this league, it's going to be as a very big two-guard," Griffin said. 

Though his athleticism and skill were apparent in his one season with Kansas, Wiggins' lack of killer instinct worried many draft experts. Griffin acknowledged that was a Cavaliers' concern, as well. 

"When you've got that level of athleticism, you need to make your presence felt more often than he understood how to," Griffin said. "That was something we did have issues with, for sure. We talked very openly and candidly with him about that. Andrew understands there's another level to his game that we're expecting him to find, and he really, really wants to achieve it. He knows he's got more in the tank." 

Harris is a sharp-shooting guard who ranked second all-time at Virginia with 263 3-pointers made. Griffin compared him to Cavaliers' guard Matthew Dellavedova. 

"An overachieving, gritty kid who's going to leave everything he has on the court," Griffin said.

Powell averaged 14.0 points and 6.9 rebounds in his senior season with Stanford. He also is a native of Toronto, bringing the Cavaliers' Canadian count to four.