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WASHINGTON -- A tumultuous start to a post-All Star break homestand threatened to derail the Washington Nationals season. A strong finish has them believing once again. Wilson Ramos hit a grand slam and rookie right-hander Taylor Jordan had six strong innings for his first major league win to lead the Nationals to a 14-1 rout of the New York Mets on Sunday. Washington won its third game in a row and fourth in five to salvage a roller-coaster 11-game homestand. It lost the first six games after the All-Star break, fired hitting coach Rick Eckstein last Monday and demoted former closer Drew Storen to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. "I think we all know what this group is capable of and what kind of people we have in here," said third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, whose team won a major-league best 98 games in 2012, but entered the weekend in third place in the NL East. "Thats one of the biggest strengths of this team is not worrying about things that happen, good or bad." Mets right-hander Carlos Torres (1-2) could not build on his solid start last week against the Atlanta Braves. He allowed eight runs and nine hits in just three innings. Ramos had his third-inning grand slam. He ripped a 2-1 pitch into the left-field stands to cap a five-run inning. Jordan (1-3), making his sixth career start, earned his first victory. The 24-year-old held New York to five hits in six innings. "Im extremely happy," Jordan said. "For a little bit I was wondering. I go 0-4, 0-5 -- am I helping the team? Then finally just to get that one win means that I am." The Nats set season highs in runs and hits (18) and battered Torres. Ramos singled home Ian Desmond in the second inning to start the scoring. Bryce Harper followed two batters later with a two-out single on a 3-2 count that scored two more runs to make it 3-0. Zimmerman led off the third inning with a single and scored on a Desmond base hit prior to Ramos grand slam. Zimmerman finished 3-for-4 with a double. Ramos tied a career high with five RBIs -- the second time this month hes done so. Ramos also had five RBIs on July 4 against Milwaukee. The grand slam was the first of his career. "This is definitely what we envisioned coming out of spring training," said Nats outfielder Denard Span, who had four hits in a game for the first time since July 31, 2012. "Being able to score runs like this and put a lot of pressure on the other teams (pitching)." Span, who entered the weekend without a home run since last Oct. 2, hit his second in as many days. That line drive over the fence in the sixth inning made it 13-1. Desmond reached base five times, drove in three runs and posted his third four-hit game of the year. The only Mets run came on a fourth-inning single to right by Marlon Byrd. That drove home Eric Young. Jordan struck out a career-best seven batters and walked just one. Torres, meanwhile, was gone by the third inning and New York needed four relievers to finish the game. Thats far from ideal with a three-game series beginning Monday in Miami, "Thats where I need to step up and eat up more innings if a situation like that arises again," Torres said. "We still need to get into the next series with a fresher bullpen than we got today." Washington is now 52-54 after falling a season-worst five games below .500 after a Game 1 loss to start a Friday doubleheader against the Mets. Jordan, who began the season at Class A Potomac, has done his part for a rotation missing left-hander Ross Detwiler, on the 15-day disabled list with a herniated disc in his back. Veteran Dan Haren (5-1, 5.49) has also struggled. "We continually have guys come up from our minor-league system and help us out," Zimmerman said. "I think that shows how good of a system we have and what a good job they do getting those guys ready to contribute. Taylor has kind of saved us." NOTES: Mets third baseman David Wright was not in the starting lineup for just the third time this season It was a non-injury day off, "which he certainly needs," said New York manager Terry Collins. ... Nats pitching coach Steve McCatty was taken to a local hospital before the game with what was called atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure. He was expected to remain hospitalized overnight, but will join the team in Detroit on Tuesday. . On Monday, the Mets continue an eight-game road trip with the start of a three-game series in Miami against the last-place Marlins. ... RHP Jeremy Hefner (4-8, 4.17) pitches for New York against RHP Jacob Turner (3-3, 2.49). ... The Mets are 3-8 against the Marlins this season. ... The Nationals are off on Monday. They begin a five-game road trip on Tuesday in Detroit. ... RHP Stephen Strasburg (5-8, 2.85) starts for Washington against RHP Anibal Sanchez (8-7, 2.68). Adidas Martin Jones Jersey . 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With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. Logan Couture Jersey . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Boom Williams and Benny Snell Jr. once again put on an impressive rushing show for Kentucky, as Williams set the tone and Snell applied the exclamation point to a much-needed win for the Wildcats.Snell scored the go-ahead touchdown from 1 yard midway through the fourth quarter, Williams broke a 43-yard TD and Kentucky held off South Carolina 17-10 on Saturday night for their third straight series victory over the Gamecocks.Inconsistent offensively in the first half, the Wildcats (2-2, 1-1 Southeastern Conference) got going after trailing 7-3 at halftime with another strong performance by their hard-charging backfield tandem. Williams rushed 15 times for 123 yards including his big run down the left side for a 10-7 lead early in the third quarter.Snell followed with nine carries for 41 of Kentuckys 65 yards on the 11-play drive, all achieved on the ground. He capped the drive by taking the direct snap and running left into the end zone with ease, then sealed the win with several runs for first downs that kept the clock moving.Thats what I try to look for every time I touch the ball, a first down, said Snell, who finished with 73 yards on 16 carries.This effort comes a week after the two combined for 317 yards rushing against New Mexico State with Snell scoring four TDs. Kentucky now has a two-game winning streak after two tough losses following another episode of the Boom and Benny Show -- or vice versa.Having Boom, Benny, Jojo (Kemp) and all the other running backs is a great asset to have with our offense, quarterback Stephen Johnson said. All those guys can get first downs, extend plays and do anything necessary for us to win.The Wildcats defense preserved the lead with two big sacks on South Carolinas final possession, including Denzil Wares tackle of Brandon McIlwain for a 19-yard loss on fourth and 17. Kentucky recorded a season-high four sacks overall and held the Gamecocks (2-2, 1-2 SEC) to 268 yards.Kentucky also overcame its largest halftimme deficit since rallying from 18 down against South Carolina to win on Oct.dddddddddddd 6, 2010.Thats the way this football team needs to play, Kentucky coach Mark Stoops said. You cant change the past, but we can certainly change our future and push forward.THE TAKEAWAYSouth Carolina: Other than a second-quarter TD drive ending with A.J. Turners 12-yard TD run and Elliott Frys 35-yard field, the Gamecocks didnt move the ball much. McIlwain completed 15 of 30 passes for 177 yards in his second straight start but South Carolina managed just 91 yards rushing. We really lacked execution starting the game offensively, first-year coach Will Muschamp said. We struggled and couldnt get anything going in the throwing game. ... We just never got into sync and defensively we really struggled to play blocks up front and hold the point against people.Kentucky: Stoops midweek blasting of his defense seemed to do the trick as the Wildcats held the Gamecocks to 3 of 13 on third-down conversions and got to the quarterback. We really had to take it (the criticism) to heart, nose guard Naquez Pringle said. Seeing what we could do and accomplish, we had to finish. It was a great win.Williams continued to show durability and explosiveness with his second straight 100-yard rushing game. The offensive line yielded four sacks and Kentucky converted just 4 of 13 third-down chances but gained 351 yards. Johnson held the ball too long on many snaps but completed 11 of 19 passes for 135 yards in his first start in place of injured Drew Barker (back).UP NEXT:South Carolina: The Gamecocks play the first of five home games over six weeks next Saturday against Texas A&M, seeking their first win in three meetings against the Aggies.Kentucky: The Wildcats visit defending national champion and top-ranked Alabama next Saturday.---AP College Football: collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '