LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers got some encouraging news on the eve of resuming play after the All-Star break, with word that injured ace Clayton Kershaw could soon return to the starting rotation.After Kershaw played catch Thursday at Dodger Stadium, manager Dave Roberts said the left-hander would throw a simulated game Saturday at home, along with fellow lefty Alex Wood.Kershaw has been on the disabled list since June 27 with a minor disk herniation in his lower back.He threw a 60-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday at the stadium after attending the All-Star Game in San Diego, where he was chosen for the NL team for the sixth straight year.That was encouraging for us, Roberts said. He says hes feeling well. All of it is contingent upon how Clayton feels. Not a whole lot is left.Roberts said he wasnt sure whether Kershaw would need a rehab assignment before rejoining the rotation.I dont think he feels he needs one, Roberts said.Wood has been facing hitters in Arizona and will soon begin a rehab assignment as he comes back from a strained triceps.The Dodgers (51-40) return from the break trailing first-place San Francisco by 6 1/2 games in the NL West. They open a nine-game trip Friday at Arizona, followed by three games at NL East-leading Washington and three at St. Louis.Bud Norris, Brandon McCarthy and Kenta Maeda will start games in Arizona. Scott Kazmir and Hyun-Jin Ryu will start the first two games in Washington.Also nearing a return is center fielder Joc Pederson, who separated his right shoulder on June 28. He will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City and is expected to be activated Tuesday, Roberts said.Brett Anderson is getting close to returning to the rotation, too, after recovering from surgery for a herniated disk in his lower back in March.The left-hander threw a 60-pitch bullpen session that Roberts described as electric.Hes really come on as of late, Roberts said.Next up for Anderson is pitching a simulated game, followed by a rehab assignment.Reliever Yimi Garcia, on the DL with strained biceps, has faced hitters and will begin a rehab assignment soon.Outfielder Andre Ethier was to get a scan of his broken right leg on Thursday. If the results show further healing, he will take a more aggressive approach in his rehab. Hydro Flask España .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N. Botellas Hydro Flask Straw Lid . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. http://www.botellashydroflask.es/hydro-flask-32-oz.html . Louis Blues teammates who would also be participating in the Olympics, Alex Pietrangelo felt right at home, no different in some ways to the travel experience of any old road trip – save for the length of the journey, that is. Hydro Flask Café . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. Hydro Flask 24 Oz . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves are giving themselves plenty of reasons to be hopeful about 2017, from a surging offense to improved young pitching.All of it was on display Wednesday night in a 12-2 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies.Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 30 games. Matt Kemp hit a two-run homer. Little-used Daniel Castro had a career-best three RBI.On the mound, Mike Foltynewicz (9-5) pitched two-hit ball over five innings in his final start of the season -- and his first since leaving a Sept. 12 game against Miami after being hit in the left calf with a liner.When the atmosphere is like this, its definitely contagious, Castro, who was hitting .189 and had just four RBI for the season, said through a translator. The team feels good. You feel good.The Braves won for the ninth time in their last 10 games, building some momentum for their move to SunTrust Park next season. Since an 18-46 start, when they had the look of one of the worst teams in baseball history, theyve gone 47-46 under interim manager Brian Snitker.It was another high-energy, get-after-it game, Snitker said. I hope we keep adding to that.The Phillies are heading in the opposite direction. They lost for the fifth time in six games, prompting Ryan Howard and A.J. Ellis to call a team meeting that forced manager Pete Mackanin to huddle with the media in a tunnel outside the clubhouse.Its nice to see, Mackanin said. It means somebody cares.Adam Morgan (2-11) lasted five innings, giving up 10 hits and nine runs, the most hes allowed in a dismal season.Its all about pitching, Mackanin said. Pitching keeps you in games.Atlanta jumped ahead in the second when Dansby Swanson hit a run-scoring triple and Castro followed with a single. The Braves added three more runs in the third, with Swanson and Castro each contributing RBI hits, and really poured it on with a four-run fourth. Morgans throwing error allowed one run to score, another came home on a wild pitch, and Kemp finished it off with his 34th homer into the seats in left-center.Castro added another run-scoring single in the seventh, equaling his career high with three hits.Freemman extended the longest streak in the big leagues this season with a single in the sixth off Phil Klein.dddddddddddd Freeman had been tied with Bostons Jackie Bradley, who put together a 29-game run in April and May.Freeman had already extended his on-base streak to 46 consecutive games when hit by a pitch in the third, equaling the longest this season in the big leagues. Washingtons Jayson Werth reached base in 46 straight games before his streak was halted Aug. 18.You just take it for granted with this guy, Snitker said of Freeman. Hes a machine.MEMORABLE HITAtlanta rookie Rio Ruiz, who spent most of the season in the minors, tripled in the eighth for his first big league hit.Its great to get it out of the way, Ruiz said. Its even better to get the win.THE REAL DEALFormer heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield took part in the countdown to the final game at Turner Field, pulling down a banner in left field to reveal 4 -- the number of games remaining at the ballpark and the season.Holyfield lives in the Atlanta area and was among those who carried the torch during the opening ceremony for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Turner Field was initially built as the 85,000-seat main stadium for the games, and then converted to baseball before the `97 season.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies LF Roman Quinn didnt play after leaving Tuesdays game with a strained left oblique. Its not known if hell get back on the field this season.Hes more scared than anything that its going to recur or that hes going to make it worse, Mackanin said. Theres no sense in him getting hurt with four or five games left in the season.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (12-10, 3.78 ERA) goes against the Braves for the fourth time in his career. Hes 1-0 with a 4.08 ERA in his previous appearances.Braves: RHP Josh Collmenter (3-0, 4.19) looks to remain unbeaten in his third start for Atlanta.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry . ' ' '