and the club anticipates his return to the field in the near fu

NEW YORK -- The roof over Arthur Ashe Stadium, three years in the making, might be the talk -- and ultimately the savior and star -- of this years event, but the toupee hasnt radically altered the stadiums structure nearly as much as a massive renovation has transformed roughly half of the US Opens 45 acres.This is impressive, said one fan waiting with a companion to enter the new stand-alone Grandstand Stadium built into the southwest end of the grounds. I thought they blew it when they decided to get rid of the old one, but this is something. Its pretty neat.The Grandstand is a sunken bowl surrounded by 8,125 seats. It didnt take savvy fans long on a humid day, when the mercury hit the mid-90s, to find the significant band of seats on the extreme west side that offer a US Open commodity in shade thats as rare as a male American singles contender these days.Anchoring the southwest corner of the grounds, the Grandstand has food concessions at ground level, in the shadow of its bowl. Walkways flow from the Grandstand to the south plaza, which in years past has often been overcrowded. But all the courts on the south side have been moved back about 30 feet, allowing for a significant expansion of the nearby plaza. That includes the space around the fountains and the statue of Arthur Ashe.The big dig also enabled the USTA to create a wide boulevard that now fronts the south-side courts. Those courts were all rebuilt with permanent seating and slick, aluminum-skinned entries that create a great sense of intimacy for those watching -- and playing -- inside.This enhancement underscores a noteworthy feature of the tournament. The US Open has always tried to play up its egalitarian appeal. That effort doesnt always pass the smell test. How could it? But the improvements to the field courts -- and it began with the creation of the practice courts complex (Nos. 4-6) a year ago -- have in effect given every court that much more prestige.Now, every court feels a little bit like a center court. Thats a significant achievement.There has been a cost as well. You no longer get the feeling that on certain courts, the match youre watching is taking place in a public park.As one veteran journalist put it, It feels like theres an awful lot of concrete and steel out there.That old parks-and-rec feeling may be gone, but the ghosts and traditions of the US Opens past are easily conjured and find ways to live on. There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth when the USTA announced that the beloved old Grandstand appended to the side of Louis Armstrong Stadium would be removed to be replaced by the new one that is kitty-corner on the grounds.The new Grandstand certainly is different, but its a fair guess that some of those shade-hoggers were the same characters who in years past staked out the west stand of the old Grandstand for the same reason. By the way, the old Grandstand is still in use, under the forlorn name old Grandstand. It will be torn down along with the rest of Armstrong after this tournament, and a bigger Armstrong Stadium will be built.Courts 11 and 12 more or less stand alone in the center of the grounds, between the original food court near Armstrong and the south plaza fountains. The single, tall permanent stand on the west side of No. 11 now has a mirror-image stand on the east side of 12, enveloping the courts in a microenvironment. But when the wind is right, rich and pungent smoke from the nearby hamburger stand still wafts over Court 11 -- just as it did when Louis Armstrong was the only stadium on the site, and the area was occupied by Court No. 1.Back then, the burgers were cooked on open charcoal fires near the court. The players sometimes coughed and literally choked on the greasy smoke, dispensing it from their vision with a wave of a hand as they prepared to receive serve.Over the years, the old Grandstand became famous for producing great upsets and close, electrifying five-set battles. The first match on the new Grandstand featured a 20-year-old American, No. 146 Taylor Townsend, clashing with former No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki. Townsend, calling upon all kinds of lefty juju, won the first set and took Wozniacki to 4-4 in the third before capitulating.The new Grandstand didnt quite deliver the upset that Grandstand faithful probably hoped for. Give it time. After all, the old one isnt even gone yet. Brian Burns Youth Jersey . Clarke was injured while practicing on the Doha Golf Club range after the pro-am on Tuesday. The Northern Irishman arrived at the course on Wednesday hoping to start, but after hitting a few balls on the practice putting green Clarke advised officials he was not fit to play. Cam Newton Jersey . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. http://www.thepanthersofficialstore.com/authentic-greg-little-panthers-jersey/ . Rob Manfred, baseballs chief operating officer, testified last week during the grievance filed by the players union to overturn Rodriguezs 211-game suspension. A person familiar with the hearing, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press on Saturday that Manfred testified the sport wasnt concerned whether Bosch distributed performance-enhancing drugs to minors because MLBs interest was his relationship with players under investigation. Ryan Kalil Youth Jersey . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Cam Newton Youth Jersey . Deulofeu injured a muscle in his right leg in Evertons 4-1 win over Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. Barcelona says that its team doctors will "co-ordinate" with Evertons medical staff as Deulofeu recovers. MILWAUKEE -- The Pittsburgh Pirates are clinging to playoff hopes and got a great start from rookie Chad Kuhl to keep them in the hunt.Sean Rodriguez hit a home run and a two-run single, Andrew McCutchen went deep, rookie Chad Kuhl pitched six strong innings and the Pirates beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 on Wednesday night.The Pirates won their sixth straight at Miller Park, and sixth of seven overall to improve to 76-75. Pittsburgh began the day 4 1/2 games behind San Francisco for the second NL wild card spot. The Pirates also have to hurdle the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins, too.Kuhl (5-3) pitched two-hit ball through the fourth before the Brewers manufactured a run on Jonathan Villars two-out single in the fifth. Kuhl struck out six and walked one in his second career start against the Brewers.Hes cutting teeth, man, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. Hes going to find his way. There were challenges tonight. He met one in the first inning and he met one in the fifth.In the sixth, Kuhl retired the first two batters before Domingo Santana hit a ground ball with so much top spin that it slithered through the infield. Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage came out to mound before Hernan Perez stepped in. Whatever was said worked as Perez chased the first pitch and flied out.He pitched six innings and only had four three-ball counts, Hurdle said. He had an efficient sixth to get us where we needed to go.The win was much better result than the last time he faced the Brewers.He took a no decision at Miller Park on Aug. 25, throwing six shutout innings before Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a two-run homer with one out in the seventh.You just focus on whats ahead of us and you cant really focus on whats happened or the way that weve been playing, Kuhl said. Just look forward and this teams done a really nice job of that.The Pirates bullpen silenced the Brewers bats the rest of the way. Juan Nicasio (7th) and Felipe Rivero (8th) set the stage for Tony Watson who converted his 15th save in 18 chances when he pitched the ninth.McCutchen helped the Pirates jump out to an early lead for the second consecutive game. He crushed a 2-2 pitch that just slipped by the left-field foul pole for his 24th home run. Tuesday, he hit a two-run double in the first.I thought it was going foul, but it didnt, Nelson said. It was a good fast ball down and away. It ran up and in. I was impressed that he got to it. He did a good job of squaring up on a mistake right there.Rodriguezs two-run single finished the scoring in the first off starter Jimmy Nelson (8-15) and extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Rodriguez hhit his 18th home run of the season in the fourth.dddddddddddd He has homered in in four of his last five games.COUNSELL EJECTEDHomeplate umpire Jerry Lane ejected Brewers manager Craig Counsell in the top of the fourth. Adam Frazier had just fouled off a pitch from Nelson that bounced over his foot, out of the box and carried to first baseman Christ Carter who stepped on the bag for the apparent third out. Frazier looked puzzled, but when the Brewers started off the field, Lane signaled foul ball.Counsell came out to argue with Lane.Overall, what upset me was he just missed the call, Counsell said. I felt like he changed his call. More than anything, I felt like he changed his call.Second baseman Scooter Gennett noticed the hesitation in Lanes call.Usually when a guy fouls a ball off his foot, the guy says it right away, Gennett said. He (Lane) kind of waited for the whole play to develop and then called it foul.Counsell finished and walked back toward the dugout, but then turned back for some final thoughts. Lane and Counsell became animated in their discussion before Lane ejected Counsell. First base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt ushered Counsell to the dugout. Bench coach Pat Murphy took over for Counsell.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: LF Starling Marte missed his 16th consecutive game with low back discomfort, but pinch hit in the eighth and took a called third strike. He went through another full workout and the club anticipates his return to the field in the near future.Brewers: LF Ryan Braun missed his second consecutive game to be with his wife, Larisa, and their new son, Greyson Joseph. Manager Craig Counsell said that it was possible Braun may be back Thursday for the last of the three-game series with the Pirates. . RHP Taylor Jungmann (0-4, 8.34 ERA) makes his first start since April 28 against the Chicago Cubs when he faces Cincinnati on Saturday. He made the Opening Day roster, but then struggled mightily in his first five starts that he was demoted. Jungmann hasnt allowed a run in 10 appearances since being recalled from Double-A Biloxi on Sept. 6.UP NEXTPirates: RHP Ryan Vogelsong (3-5, 4.87 ERA) makes his 10th start since being reinstated from the disabled list (facial fractures) on Aug. 4. He is unbeaten in his last four starts against the Brewers, including a 5-3 decision this Aug. 26 at Miller Park.Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (8-11, 4.47) makes his fifth start against the Pirates this season. He is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA in the four previous outings. ' ' '