randon Licciardi. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Frid

OAKLAND, Calif. -- After the way Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta finished last season en route to winning the National League Cy Young Award and started this season, he was overdue for a rough streak.Arrieta went 11-0 with a 0.57 ERA over his final 13 regular-season starts last year, and the Cubs went 13-0 during that stretch. This year, he went 9-0 with a 1.72 ERA in his first 10 starts as the Cubs won all 10.But over his past five starts, Arrieta has gone 0-3 with a 4.88 ERA, and the Cubs have lost all five games. Hell try to end that skid Saturday afternoon against the Oakland As in the second game of a three-game series at the Oakland Coliseum.I just think we all (have) high highs and lows, catcher David Ross said Friday before the Cubs 7-2 victory against Oakland. Its going to be hard to sustain what he was doing. I dont think anythings wrong.I think we all went through a little stretch there where we were kind of fatigued. I think the All-Star break helped him recover and hes pitched well since then. It could be fatigue, it could be rhythm, it could be any number of things. But for how long he sustained just being completely unhittable, I think everybody said, Whats wrong? when he gives up a couple runs.Arrieta (12-5) certainly isnt sweating his mini-slump. In his previous start, he gave up two runs on two hits over seven innings in a 4-1 loss to Seattle. Two starts before that, he held the Mets to one run on five hits over seven innings and got a no-decision in a 2-1 loss.Yeah, two hits, Arrieta said of his start against the Mariners. Two walks in the 8th or it could have easily been a different story. A couple close calls led to a couple base runners. They ended up getting a couple.Sometimes this game does weird things to you. But trying to get locked in and be at our best individually down the stretch is the most important thing for us. Thats kind of what were striving to do.Oakland catcher Stephen Vogt said the As are expecting nothing but the best from Arrieta.I faced him a lot in the minor leagues, Vogt said. You cant say enough about what hes done over the last couple years. Its pretty special. Im looking forward to the challenge. Hes got some of the best numbers in baseball and hes had some of the best success over the last couple years. It will be a good challenge for us. Im looking forward to it.As right-hander Sonny Gray will be looking again to recapture the command he had last year when he finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting. Gray is 5-10 with a 5.84 ERA and 15 wild pitches.Obviously hes frustrated and obviously hes working to get better every day, Vogt said. Its just been kind of when he hasnt been good, they take advantage of him, and when he has been good, bounces havent gone his way.So its kind of been an up-and-down season for him. But hes handling it well. I think hes learning. Obviously its not easy, but hes doing a good job, hes keeping a good level head and hes putting his work in every week, like he has all year.In his previous start, Gray gave up seven runs over 3 1/3 innings in an 8-0 loss to Cleveland.Were always looking and expecting him to go out and be the guy that weve seen in the past, As manager Bob Melvin said. So is he. Its just about going out there and stringing a few performances together that get him going in the right direction again. Basketball Shoes From China . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Discount Basketball Shoes . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. https://www.cheapbasketballshoesstore.com/ . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Basketball Shoes Sale . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. Basketball Shoes Online Store . Peter Holland and Brad Staubitz were sent to Toronto on Saturday as the Maple Leafs traded defenceman Jesse Blacker and draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks. NEW ORLEANS -- A co-defendant in the drug and sexual assault case that brought down former NFL star Darren Sharper entered a plea agreement Monday, leaving one other man to face trial.The agreement involving former restaurant worker Erik Nunez was confirmed by his defense attorney, Herbert Larson. The agreement had not been posted in court records by midday.With Nunez out of the courtroom, jury selection began for the lone remaining defendant, former St. Bernard Parish Sheriffs Deputy Brandon Licciardi. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Friday in a trial expected to feature Sharper as a star witness.The federal case involved allegations that Licciardi, Nunez and Sharper gave drugs to women with the intent to rape them. Licciardi has pleaded not guilty.Sharper has pleaded guilty or no contest to charges arising from allegations that he drugged and raped womeen in Arizona, Nevada, California and Louisiana.dddddddddddd He faces a possible 15 to 20 years in prison.Louisiana is the only state where others were charged in the case. The three were charged in state and federal courts.Sharper once was expected to spend as little as nine years in prison under a multi-jurisdictional plea deal announced after his arrest in early 2015. But U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo rejected that sentence as too light in February.Sharper was selected All-Pro six times and chosen for the Pro Bowl five times during a career that included stints with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. He played in two Super Bowls, one with the Packers as a rookie and one with New Orleans Saints when they won in 2010. ' ' '