OAKLAND, Calif. -- Sonny Gray still remembers the first time he faced the Pittsburgh Pirates as if it happened yesterday, not three seasons ago when he was a rookie.The Oakland As right-hander made his major league debut at PNC Park on July 10, 2013, and he pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen in a 5-0 loss to the Pirates. He struck out three and allowed one hit.Gray will face Pittsburgh again on Friday, only this time he will start for the As in the opener of a three-game interleague series at the Oakland Coliseum. He is bound to have flashbacks to his big league debut.Ive got pretty cool memories, small memories I guess with the Pirates, Gray said Thursday before the Athletics 12-6 loss to the San Francisco Giants. That was a fun day.In terms of wins and losses, this season hasnt been much fun for Gray, who is 3-6 with 5.03 ERA. He will take a five-game losing streak into his start Friday, and he hasnt had a victory since April 22 at Toronto.Since being reinstated from the disabled list on June 5 after missing two weeks with a strained right trapezius, Gray has pitched well but has nothing to show for it. He is 0-1 with a 3.23 ERA in his past five starts.I still feel good ever since coming off the DL, said Gray, who went 33-20 with a 2.88 ERA in his first three seasons with the As. I still think it was the right choice to make. I didnt necessarily have to go on the DL, but thats the route we decided to go. Looking back at it, I think it was still the right call.Gray and the As will face a red-hot Pirates pitcher, Jeff Locke. In his past two starts, the left-hander is 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA, six strikeouts and zero walks. He outdueled Madison Bumgarner in a 1-0 victory against the Giants on June 20. Five days later, he pitched the Pirates to a 6-1 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Kenta Maeda.Before winning back-to-back games, Locke went 0-2 with an 18.69 ERA in losses to the Colorado Rockies and the New York Mets, who combined to hit .455 against him. Somehow, he was able to bounce back.The guys pitching, and hes confident out there, even going through that rough patch, those back-to-back games you wouldnt really wish on anybody at this level, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said after Lockes victory against the Dodgers. Hes handled it like a pro and just pitched through it.Locke (7-5, 5.12 ERA) said a key to his turnaround was to stop being a perfectionist.Trying to make better pitches instead of perfect pitches, Locke said. If its a fastball away, just get it away.Locke has faced the As one time, on June 13, 2013, at PNC Park. He is 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA against Oakland.The Pirates, who had an off day Thursday, have won four of their past six games. they snapped a six-game road losing streak Wednesday with an 8-1 victory against the Seattle Mariners.The As are 6-2 over their past eight games and have won back-to-back series, taking three of four from both the Los Angeles Angels and the Giants.Weve definitely been playing well as of the last 10 games or so, Gray said.The As scored 34 runs in the four-game series against the Giants. Dallas Stars Pro Shop . Down by seven with 90 seconds left in regulation, thats where they looked comfortable. Dallas Stars Store . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. https://www.cheapstarsonline.com/ . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. Dallas Stars Gear . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Stars Jerseys 2021 .ca NBA Power Rankings, ahead of the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (STATS) -- Its being hailed as the season of the quarterback in the Northeast Conference.That has caught the attention of defenses across the league.Every team seems like they have a (quarterback) that can make plays, Wagner coach Jason Houghtaling said. Its an exciting thing for the conference, but its a real tough thing to game plan against.Its such a good season for signal-callers that Dillon Buechel, who leads defending champion Duquesne, was voted the NEC preseason quarterback even though Sacred Heart standout RJ Noel has been the All-NEC first-team selection each of the past three postseasons and is returning for his senior campaign. Add in the likes of Saint Francis Zack Drayer and Bryants Dalton Easton, who are third-year starters, and the defenses will have to raise their play.Duquesne was favored over Sacred Heart in the NEC preseason poll, gaining six of the seven first-place votes. Saint Francis was third followed by Bryant, Central Connecticut State, Robert Morris and Wagner.People arent necessarily focusing on the defenses leading up to preseason camp next month, but they will after realizing that will be a difference maker across the NEC. Saint Francis led the conference and Duquesne was second in scoring defense last season.And its not a coincidence those two teams met for the title on the final Saturday of the regular season. Duquesne won 30-20.I think year in and year out the defenses in this conference keep getting better and better, Saint Francis coach Chris Villarial said. I know from sitting back and watching, guys are getting bigger, the holes are closing much faster.The feeling among NEC coaches is the defenses will have to blitz and get pressure on the quarterbacks while also being disciplined on the back end. They dont want to let the QBs get a rhythm going.The NECs top two quarterbacks are fourth-year starters. Buechel has great timing from the pocket and terrific skills position players surrounding him. Noel, whos won 25 games and 2013 and 14 conference titles, is the more mobile QB, but he needs to overcome the loss of All-America wide receiver Tyler Dube.Buechel (7,455) and Noel (7,111) head into the season nearing the NECs all-time career passing mark of 8,803 yards, so it was realistic for the coaches to make Buechel the preseason quarterback. But, said Sacred Heart coach Mark Nofri, Knowing RJ, it might drive him. Hes a competitor.The other teams in the conference have an experienced quarterback as well. Central Connecticut State (Jake Dolegala) and Robert Morris (Matt Barr) can grow behind their sophomores, while Wagners Alex Thomson got nine starts after replacing an injured Chris Andrews. The junior must hold off Syracuse transfer A.JJ.dddddddddddd Long.From top to bottom, Bryant linebacker Marquis Watson said, the quarterbacks that teams are putting out on the field are amazing. From a defensive perspective, we have to line up and go against these guys, youve got to bring your A game, your best game.Most of them can run, pass, so its a couple things you have to worry about, its not just one, said Duquesne linebacker Christian Kuntz, the 2015 NEC defensive player of the year. Its always fun going against everyone, especially talented guys because you want to go against the best competition. Its going to be a fun year.Duquesnes fun might only come with another conference title. The Dukes are the hunted after last years breakthrough season. While they lost good leadership in their graduated seniors, they return 13 starters from the 8-4 squad.And coach Jerry Schmitt senses they are hungry for more success.I think our guys do a great job of not just measuring ourselves on wins and losses, he said. They understand thats what is the final product, but I think they do a really good job on getting better, focusing on each and every week and each and every game. We were getting on the plane (to attend NEC media day), and one of my friends noticed Christian and said, Hey, we expect an undefeated season. The first thing he and Dillon said was, One at a time.NORTHEAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLLHead Coaches Poll1. Duquesne (6 first-place votes)2. Sacred Heart (1)3. Saint Francis4. Bryant5. Central Connecticut State6. Robert Morris7. WagnerNORTHEAST CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PRESEASON TEAMOffenseQB -- Dillon Buechel, Duquesne, Sr.RB -- Marcus Bagley, Saint Francis, Jr.RB -- Cameron Nash, Central Connecticut State, Jr.WR -- Wayne Capers, Duquesne, Sr.WR -- Kyle Buss, Robert Morris, So.WR -- Moses Webb, Sacred Heart, Sr.TE/HB -- Ryan Owens, Wagner, GradOL -- Jimmy Marks, Saint Francis, Sr.OL -- Tyler Cardoze, Bryant, Sr.OL -- Matt Diaz, Wagner, Sr.OL -- Sean Merrill, Sacred Heart, Sr.OL -- Ben Huss Duquesne, Jr.DefenseDL -- Ryan Cottrell, Sacred Heart, Sr.DL -- Asia Bolling, Central Connecticut State, Sr.DL -- Wesley Nagaseu, Saint Francis, Sr.DL -- Jake Radziukinas, Duquesne, Sr.LB -- Christian Kuntz, Duquesne, Sr.LB -- James Rentz, Sacred Heart, Sr.LB -- Nathan Stone, Duquesne, Jr.LB -- Randall Laguerre, Central Connecticut State, Jr.DB -- Lorenzo Jerome, Saint Francis, Sr.DB -- Marcelis Branch, Robert Morris, Sr.DB -- Chuckie Wingate, Bryant, Sr.DB -- Andy Smigiera, Robert Morris, Sr.Special TeamsPK -- Lance Geesey, Saint Francis, Sr.P -- Bryan Rafano, Wagner, Sr.RS -- Lorenzo Jerome, Saint Francis, Sr. ' ' '