inues daily treatment ... INF Carlos Gomez (right hamstring strain) was 0 for 2 with two strikeouts as the designated hitter after not playing in five of the last six games.UP N

Approximately two weeks away from his rematch against Nate Diaz at UFC 202 on Aug. 20, Conor McGregor has offered one of his infamous predictions.During an international media call on Friday, McGregor (19-3) predicted he will knock out Diaz (19-10) inside the second round when they meet later this month at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.The Irish star is known for making pre-fight predictions, several of which hes made good on. He correctly predicted a first-round knockout against Jose Aldo at UFC 194 in December. In July 2015, UFC president Dana White said McGregor offered to bet $3 million he would knock out Chad Mendes in the second round at UFC 189 -- which he later did.Diaz put an end to that run in March, when he submitted McGregor via rear-naked choke in the second round of a welterweight fight at UFC 196 -- a fight he accepted on just 11 days notice. McGregor said he plans to turn the tables at UFC 202.I think I just got into saying Id stop the guy in the first round, said McGregor, who called first-round finish over Diaz in March. If I really look at it, he has a solid chin. Hes durable and very experienced. He has the size and the weight on me. I think that was the wrong thing, to go in expecting the first round.I did go out there to KO him in the first round. I marched forward, backed him up against the fence and teed off on his head. I did what I said I would do, but respect to him, he stuck it out. He weathered the storm. This time, Im still going to march forward and bust him up, theres just going to be much more in my tank. Im going to be a lot more prepared for a man who can stay in there with me.Even still, I struggle to give him past round three. If I was to make a prediction, which I will right now, I believe I will repay the favor and KO him inside the second round.The loss to Diaz was the first of McGregors UFC career. The 28-year-old won his first seven fights in the Octagon, including six via knockout.After winning the featherweight championship late last year, McGregor was initially booked to a lightweight championship fight against then-champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 196. Dos Anjos was forced to pull out of the fight due to a foot injury, however, and was eventually replaced by Diaz. McGregor agreed to have the fight at 170 pounds, due to the late change.Rather than go back to his original division and defend the title, McGregor called for an immediate rematch with Diaz. A Dublin native, he has spent the last month in Las Vegas preparing for the fight.Realistically, I should be a two-weight UFC world champion, McGregor said. If I fought Rafael dos Anjos, if he didnt p---- out of that last one and showed up, the shots I cracked Nate with in the first eight minutes would have KOd Rafael dos Anjos stiff. Thats no question. I would be sitting here right now as a two-weight world champion.But I dont dwell on that. Im happy this happened, because it forced me to look at my preparation, look at the route I was going on. It forced me to reassess. Im happy this happened. Make no mistake, this one means a hell of a lot to me. This one means more than any amount of money or gold combined. I gave up a hell of a lot of money, gave up Hollywood opportunities, for this contest. I wanted to restrict the media. That should tell you how much this fight means to me. Ive been preparing accordingly.McGregor has already stated he would have interest in a trilogy fight against Diaz, should he even the series at 1-1. For his part, Diaz has said any fighter would want a rematch against someone who beat he or she lost to -- meaning, a McGregor win on Aug. 20 could set the stage for a potential trilogy fight. Oddsmakers currently have McGregor slightly favored to win.New Balance Ireland For Sale . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. New Balance Ireland Outlet . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter. http://www.newbalancesaleireland.com/ . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. Wholesale New Balance Ireland Shoes . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. New Balance Shoes Ireland . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge.HOUSTON -- Despite striking out 61 times and only scoring 10 runs in four games, the Toronto Blue Jays found a way to take three of four from the Houston Astros.J.A. Happ won his ninth consecutive decision, Edwin Encarnacion reached 30 home runs for the fifth straight season and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Houston Astros 4-1 on Thursday night for their eighth win in 11 games.Its been a tough place for us to play; we won three games and had a chance to win all four of them, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. So we feel good about that. Not a lot of offense on either side but I think thats because the pitching was so good on both sides. We got some big hits and won some close games.Happ (15-3), who already has set his career high for wins, retired 12 of his first 13 batters and allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He is 9-0 with a 2.49 ERA in 10 starts since losing at Detroit on June 6.Its nice to have a couple quick innings, Happ said. Hopefully the less pitches they see the better youre going to be for the later at-bats when youre turning the lineup over or trying to at least two, three or four times. I think that was huge to be able to have something left to get out of that jam.Happ struck out six and walked none, and Joaquin Benoit, Jason Grilli and Roberto Osuna completed the five-hitter. After walking rookie Alex Bregman leading off the ninth, Osuna struck out Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Evan Gattis for his 24th save in 26 chances.After being given a day off Wednesday, Bregman was 1 for 4 with a sixth-inning single. The second overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft, is hitting .056 (2 for 36) since he was brought up July 25.Houston pitchers struck out a major league-record 61 in the four-game series, three more than the previous mark set by Cincinnati pitchers against San Diego in 2008. Astros pitchers set a record with 52 strikeouts in a three-game series against Baltimore from May 24-26.Mike Fiers (7-5) gave up two runs and five hits in seven innings, walking none and tying his second high with seven strikeouts.Devon Travis doubled leading off the first inning for the first of his three hits and scored on Josh Donaldsons groundout -- the first run in the series that did not score on a solo home run.I felt good tonight, Travis said. I found out once again for the millionth time that this is a really humbling game. Its alwayys great to come out here and help your team with a ball game.ddddddddddddOn the previous pitch, Smoak took an 0-2 curveball on the low, outside corner and stepped toward the dugout thinking it was strike three, only to have plate umpire Todd Tichenor call the pitch a ball.Toronto doubled the lead in the fifth when Justin Smoak swung over a curveball in the dirt for strike three and the ball hit off Gattis and bounced away for a wild pitch that allowed Russell Martin to score from third.Tyler White hit a run-scoring double in the bottom half for his first RBI since June 10.The Astros have lost eight of their last 10 games, getting outscored 47-21.We all hate it collectively because we dont like going through this rut, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. I think the guys are handling it like pros. We believe in this group and they believe in themselves, but sometimes, you need to have a good day to realize all the work and extra conversations are worth it. Its the big leagues and its a game of adjustments -- its not a try-hard league.Travis singled in a run against Will Harris in the eighth, and Encarnacion connected against James Hoyt in the ninth for his 298th home run.It feels good, Encarnacion said about being close to 300. I know its going to happen but I wish it could happen with people on base so we could win some games.TRAINERS ROOMBlue Jays: SS Troy Tulowitzki went 1 for 4 after missing three games after breaking his right thumb when hit by a pitch from Baltimores Chris Tillman on Sunday.Astros: INF Marwin Gonzalez (right hand soreness) was held out of the starting lineup but pinch hit in the seventh inning and grounded out. Gonzalezs right-handed swing is less comfortable than left-handed swing, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. ... Luis Valbuena (right hamstring strain) is taking part in any baseball activity but continues daily treatment ... INF Carlos Gomez (right hamstring strain) was 0 for 2 with two strikeouts as the designated hitter after not playing in five of the last six games.UP NEXTBlue Jays: LHP Francisco Liriano (6-11), acquired from Pittsburgh at the trade deadline, is to make his Toronto debut on Friday at Kansas City.Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (6-11) is slated to start at home Friday against Texas. ' ' '