Thomas Godoj Thread » a run back on Ryan Howards groundout in

BARCELONA, Spain - Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal underwent right knee surgery on Wednesday, five weeks before his countrys first match at the World Cup. The operation in Barcelona was led by specialist surgeon Ramon Cugat, and was accompanied by Chile and Juventus team doctors. The club, which won the Serie A on Sunday, said Vidal needed arthroscopic surgery on the lateral meniscus of his right knee. "We dont dare to say a recovery time because theres a World Cup in the making," Cugat after the surgery. "There are many factors at play here: He has to be in good form, in a good mood, and his knee has to respond well. But hes a very courageous player with a strong character, and hes always positive. Hes a winner." Vidal has been instrumental in helping Juventus to three successive Serie A titles since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in 2011. He was struggling with problems in his right knee for more than a month, but continued to play for Juventus until his injury worsened during the second leg of the Europa League semifinal against Benfica last Thursday. "The treatment that has been carried out is correct," Cugat said, fending off growing criticism in Europe and Chile about how Juventus managed his injury. "I can say that I have many players, at the international level, who have continued to play with a tear to the lateral meniscus." Since joining Juventus, Vidal has transformed impressively from being a stopper to making himself into a versatile player who recovers lost passes, sets up goals, and often scores. He has eight goals in 46 appearances for Chile, and become the national teams best hope in the World Cup. Chile has one of its strongest teams, but it faces huge challenges in Brazil. Chile is in a group with Spain, the Netherlands and Australia. Even if it advances as the groups second qualifier, it would likely have to play against host and five-time champion Brazil. But fans remain confident that Vidal will recover in time, and Chile will continue its solid record: It lost only two out of 15 games last year, including a draw with Spain and win over England in friendlies. Zapatillas Puma Baratas . By then it was clear: The 76ers were going to win for the first time in two months, and they were going to do it with ease. The 76ers snapped their NBA record-tying, 26-game losing streak, routing the Detroit Pistons 123-98 on Saturday night to avoid establishing the longest skid in U. Venta Zapatillas Puma Baratas .ca. Kerry, In Mondays Habs/Bruins game, there were three questionable/brutal calls against the Habs late in the game - Tomas Plekanec, then Douglas Murray, then Brendan Gallagher. http://www.pumabaratas.es/.com) - Theres nothing better for a team than to send out the staff ace in the most important game of the season. Comprar Zapatillas Puma Baratas . A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press the Steelers will part ways with the former Pro Bowler, a move that hardly serves as a surprise after fifth-year linebacker Jason Worilds agreed to accept a "transition player" tag last week. Puma Basket Baratas . The Asheville, N.C. native, who signed as a free agent with the CFL club last May, didnt see any action with Edmonton this season after opening the year on the injured list. PHILADELPHIA -- The Washington Nationals are just where they want to be at the All-Star break: atop the NL East. Jayson Werth homered and drove in four runs, and Tanner Roark pitched seven strong innings to lead Washington to a 10-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. Ryan Zimmerman also went deep and had two RBIs, Ian Desmond knocked in two runs, and Anthony Rendon had three hits and an RBI for Washington. "If you told us earlier wed be in this spot at this time, everybody would feel good," Werth said. "Were healthy now and we kept our heads above water. I like where we are." The Nationals (51-42) won the last two games of the series and entered the break in a virtual tie with Atlanta (52-43) for the NL East lead. "Were right in the thick of the division," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "This is a great way to finish up the first half. Its momentum for us." The Phillies finished a forgettable first half in familiar fashion, producing little offence against Roark and Ross Detwiler. Philadelphia scored two unearned runs off Aaron Barrett in the ninth to end with three runs or fewer for the 49th time this season. "We didnt get anything going on the offensive side of things," manager Ryne Sandberg said. The Phillies dropped to 8-41 overall and 2-29 in their last 31 games when failing to score four runs. Cody Asche had two doubles and an RBI for Philadelphia, which fell 10 games behind Washington. It was the second straight defeat for Philadelphia after a five-game winning streak in which the Phillies averaged 6.2 runs. They had no answers for Roark (8-6), who allowed a run and four hits. He struck out six and walked none. "I pitched with confidence," Roark said. "I didnt nibble." Kyle Kendrick (4-9) continued his pattern of struggling badly in the first inning and then pitching well. Werth followed consecutive singles by Denard Span and Rendon to lead off the game with an opposite-field shot that quickly made it 3-0. But Kendrick settled down and retired 14 straight batters until Roarks two-out single in the fifthh.dddddddddddd The Phillies couldnt recover. "It was a tough tone set for us early on in the game, and we didnt bounce back from that," Sandberg said. Kendrick ran into trouble in the sixth when the Nationals scored four runs off him and left-handed reliever Mario Hollands. Kendrick allowed Rendons single to start the frame and then hit Werth to put runners on first and second before getting Adam LaRoche to fly out. Zimmermans one-out sacrifice fly scored Rendon and chased Kendrick. Hollands then surrendered three straight hits, including Desmonds two-run double and Jose Lobatons RBI single, that broke open the game. Kendrick left after allowing five runs on five hits with five strikeouts and no walks in 5 2/3 innings. The focus was on his first-inning struggles. "Its just quality pitches," Kendrick said. "I just have to make pitches in that first inning. Thats what it comes down to." The Phillies got a run back on Ryan Howards groundout in the sixth. Werth remained hot in July, upping his average this month to .375 (15-for-40) with six homers and 19 RBIs. LaRoche went 0-for-5 with a strikeout to drop his average in July to .122 (5-for-41). He was the only Washington starter not to get a hit on Sunday. NOTES: Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard was selected to the All-Star game by NL manager Mike Matheny, replacing Braves starter Julio Teheran. Clippard will be the only Washington representative after starter Jordan Zimmermann had to bow out on Saturday because of a right biceps strain. Clippard, who earned the win for the NL in his only other All-Star appearance in 2011, is 6-2 with a 2.03 ERA in 40 innings. ... Desmond, who led major league shortstops in RBIs entering Sunday, raised his total to 57. ... Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee, on the DL since May 19 with a left elbow strain, will return to the mound on July 21 against San Francisco. ... Chase Utley will represent the Phillies at the All-Star game, making his sixth appearance. The only NL second basemen to make more All-Star starts than Utley are Hall of Famers Joe Morgan (seven) and Sandberg (nine). ' ' '