17 before he pulled his second into the hazard at the last and ran up a double-bogey six for a 72.Fisher is alongside

WASHINGTON -- Back in 2012, the Washington Nationals drew all sorts of attention -- and criticism -- for deciding to shut down Stephen Strasburg ahead of the playoffs to protect his surgically repaired right elbow.This time around, the NL East champions didnt have a choice in the matter: Strasburg went on the disabled list in mid-August with a sore elbow, then returned for one start early last month that he left early and hasnt been back. Hes been ruled out for the NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers that opens Friday in Washington.Most major league teams deal with injuries of some significance at some point from spring training to September, and several clubs still in the hunt for the 2016 World Series championship are no different.Covering those holes in the playoffs can be a big deal -- or can create opportunities for a relatively unknown player to move into the limelight and succeed.In addition to Strasburg (15-4, 3.60 ERA), whom general manager Mike Rizzo says possibly could return if Washington advances, the Nationals will face the Dodgers without starting catcher Wilson Ramos, who is done for the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee during a game on Sept. 26.Ramos hit .307 with 22 homers and 80 RBI this season.Its a challenge, obviously. Hes an extremely talented catcher thats having a career year. It hurts us, shortstop Danny Espinosa said. That one kind of hit home, because it happened in front of us. It happened right there. Strasburg -- we had an idea that he might not be ready for the playoffs. But the lateness of Wilsons injury was more of a shock.It appears the Nationals will try to fill in for Ramos with a platoon of the right-handed-hitting Pedro Severino, a 23-year-old rookie with a grand total of 32 career at-bats in the majors, and switch-hitting Jose Lobaton, a 31-year-old veteran who used to be a regular with the Tampa Bay Rays but appeared in 38 games this season.Injuries are always a risk, Washingtons Clint Robinson said. Weve just got to do a good job of trying to cover our losses with who we have.Taking into account that Washingtons top hitters, Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper, are dealing with health issues, too, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, Yeah, I think that were catching them at the right time.Here are other significant injured players:---CHICAGO CUBSWHOS HURT: C/LF Kyle Schwarber; season-ending left knee injury in April.WHY THAT MATTERS: Schwarber hit .333 with a franchise-record five homers in nine playoff games last year, including a drive that reached the top of a Wrigley Field videoboard.WHO STEPS IN: Kris Bryant, Jorge Soler, Willson Contreras or Ben Zobrist all could see time in left field; Miguel Montero, David Ross and Contreras can play catcher.WHAT WAS SAID: Now I have to be there for them in a different way. -- Schwarber.---TORONTO BLUE JAYSWHOS HURT: RHP Joaquin Benoit; tore left calf running in from the bullpen during a bench-clearing episode Sept. 26, and ruled out for two to three weeks.WHY THAT MATTERS: Benoit went 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings after being acquired from Seattle in July.WHO STEPS IN: RHP Joe Biagini (4-3, 3.06 in 60 games as a rookie), LHP Brett Cecil (1-7, 3.96) are expected to handle the seventh inning.WHAT WAS SAID: Its a big loss, no doubt about it. Hes been so good. -- manager John Gibbons.---BOSTON RED SOXWHOS HURT: RHP Steven Wright; right shoulder bursitis limited him to two starts over the past two months.WHY THAT MATTERS: The knuckleballer (13-6, 3.33 ERA) was one of the top pitchers in baseball over the first half of the season, earning his first All-Star selection.WHO STEPS IN: RHP Clay Buchholz moved into the rotation.WHAT WAS SAID: I felt like it was hard for me to get the same life, the same action, I had pre-injury. -- Wright, after allowing four runs in four innings on Aug. 31, his last start.---CLEVELAND INDIANSWHOS HURT: RHP Carlos Carrasco; hit by a line drive last month. RHP Danny Salazar; forearm tightness.WHY THAT MATTERS: Without Carrasco (11-8, 3.32 ERA) and Salazar (11-6, 3.87), the Indians were forced to juggle their rotation.WHO STEPS IN: RHP Trevor Bauer, who began the season in the bullpen, starts Game 1 against Boston. RHP Josh Tomlin also now moves into the rotation.WHAT WAS SAID: Its a big responsibility. -- Bauer, on starting Game 1 against the Red Sox.---AP Sports Writers Jay Cohen, Jimmy Golen, Beth Harris, Ian Harrison, Stephen Hawkins, Janie McCauley and Tom Withers contributed. Wes Hopkins Youth Jersey . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Brian Dawkins Jersey . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. https://www.eaglessportsgoods.com/Womens-Wes-Hopkins-Inverted-Jersey/ . The 18th player to shoot 60 on the tour, Jamieson settled for par on the final hole when his 15-foot birdie chip grazed the edge of the hole and stayed out. After opening with rounds of 66 and 73 to make the cut by a stroke, he had 11 birdies in the bogey-free round. Brian Dawkins Womens Jersey . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. Fletcher Cox Jersey . The veteran safety was a starter for the Bengals from 2008-2012. He totaled 41 tackles and three interceptions while starting all but four of the 13 games he played last season.Alex Noren stormed into a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Nedbank Golf Challenge after a historic second day at the Gary Player Country Club. Leaderboard Nedbank Golf Challenge Fabrizio Zanotti made the first ace in the 35-year history of the tournament, and that achievement was soon followed by the events first albatross courtesy of Lasse Jensen, but it was the red-hot Noren who ended the round in the outright lead. Alex Noren put himself on course for a fourth win of the season Noren, who became the first three-time winner on the European Tour this season at last months British Masters, fired a 67 to reach eight under par, while home favourite Louis Oosthuizen carded a best-of-the-week 66 to earn a share of second with compatriots George Coetzee, Jaco Van Zyl, Chris Wood and Zanotti. Henrik Stenson slipped to one under as he returned an erratic 74, but the Race to Dubai leader retained his six-shot advantage over nearest challenger Danny Willett after the Englishman was also two over for the day and five over for the tournament. Noren fired a superb 67 to earn a two-shot lead The second round finished in darkness following an earlier delay of an hour and 42 minutes due to the threat of lightning, and Noren came out firing on the resumption as he made five birdies on the back nine to romp home in 32.The in-form Swede picked up three shots in four holes immediately after the turn, although he did blot his card with a bogey at the 12th, and further gains at 15 and 17 lifted him to the top of the field. Highlights of the second round at the Gary Player Country Club in Sun City. Noren took over the clubhouse lead from Oosthuizen, who made the biggest move of the day after producing the first bogey-free round of the week to vault 19 places up the leaderboard.The former Open champion birdied the fourth and sixth and then reeled off three in a row around the turn and, although the putts dried up down the stretch, he managed to get one to drop for another birdie at the 17th to move to six under par. Henrik Stenson remains six clear of Danny Willett despite an erratic 72 Coetzee made his fourth birdie of the round at the closing hole to cap a second straight 69, while Zanotti provided the early fireworks when he followed birdies at the opening two holes with his perfect blow at the fourth - holing his seven-iron at the 210-yard par-three to register the 40th ace of the European Tour season. Watch NOW TV Watch Sky Sports for just ￡6.dddddddddddd9. No contract. The Paraguayan looked certain to be in the lead by the close of play when he birdied 10 and 14 to get to eight under, but he dropped shots at each of the final two holes to sign for a 68. Louis Oosthuizen produced the first flawless round of the tournament Wood, like Oosthuizen, kept a bogey off his card and picked up three birdies in five holes to close out a front-nine 33 before he parred every hole of the inward half in a resolute 69, while Van Zyl made it a five-way tie for second after mixing four birdies with a lone bogey.Alejandro Canizares birdied the final two holes to card a 68 to earn solo seventh on five under, but Ross Fisher dropped to four under after a poor finish in the fading light. Fabrizio Zanotti enjoyed the first hole-in-one in the events history The Englishman moved to within two of the lead after making three straight birdies from the eighth, and he responded to a bogey at 12 with a good putt for a three at 17 before he pulled his second into the hazard at the last and ran up a double-bogey six for a 72.Fisher is alongside Matthew Southgate, who also birdied eight, nine and 10 and picked up two more at the 16th and 18th to return a 68, while Branden Grace moved into the top 10 with a five-birdie 69. Italys Fabrizio Zanotti holes out at the fourth in Sun City to take the lead in the Nedbank golf Challenge Ryder Cup star Andy Sullivan is a further stroke adrift as he also fired a 69, and Jensen produced the shot of the day shortly after dropping shots at the 10th and 12th holes.The young Dane struck a mighty three-iron from 240 yards out at the long 14th, and his ball took a kindly bounce in the fringe and rolled into the cup for the third albatross on the European Tour this season.New on-air time: Due to the threat of bad weather on Saturday, live coverage of the third round will now start at 7am on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Also See: Nedbank leaderboard Zanottis historic ace Fan falls into hazard Danger at Lost City ' ' '