NEU » on Tessa Worley of France placed sixth, 2.8

SAN DIEGO -- During Tuesday nights 70-minute rain delay at Petco Park, some fans wondered why the Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks were working so hard to get the game played.Well, for one, neither team really wanted to play a doubleheader on Wednesdays get-away day.Secondly, the worst teams in the National League West are in a head-to-head struggle for prime position in next Junes amateur draft.Going into Wednesday nights series finale at Petco Park, the Padres are sitting in the No. 4 slot following two straight wins over the Diamondbacks to escape the National League West basement. And Arizona is now tied for the third-worst record in the major leagues.While both the Padres and Diamondbacks would benefit more by losing at this point in terrible seasons, each team is playing something of their aces Wednesday night.Well, the Diamondbacks are certainly playing their ace. Right-hander Zack Greinke is 12-6 with a 4.54 ERA. And, during the course of his National League career, Greinke has been tough on the Padres -- with the exception of that 2013 scrap with Carlos Quentin that landed Greinke on the disabled list with a broken collarbone.Greinke is 7-1 against the Padres in 15 starts, with a 1.96 ERA and a .189 opponent batting average. He is 1-0 with a 3.54 ERA in three starts against the Padres this season.Over his last two starts, Greinke has a 3.00 ERA, having allowed four earned runs in 12 innings. And hes far from satisfied.I felt pretty good, but not perfect, Greinke said. Ive just been missing by a little bit on just about every pitch. Ive not been able to put a whole start together of good pitches. Im getting behind and trying to make a good pitch, and just missing by little bit again.The Padres starter is not an ace, but the Padres are beginning to believe that 23-year-old Rule 5 pick Luis Perdomo has the pitches and mindset to develop into this one.Padres manager Andy Green calls the development of Perdomo as a starting pitcher one of the biggest plusses of the season. Pitching coach Darren Balsley says Perdomo, who a year ago at this time had finished a season at low Class A, is not satisfied just to reach the majors.He is absolutely driven to be the best pitcher he can possibly be, Balsley said recently. Hes not happy with the strides he has made this season -- and they have been huge. He wants to be something special.Perdomo has been over his last five starts. During the run, he has allowed 11 runs on 32 hits and five walks, with 22 strikeouts, in 35 innings. Perdomo is 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA during the run and has the only complete game pitched by a Padre this season.Overall, Perdomo is 8-9 with a 5.68 ERA in 18 starts. His ERA has fallen in 12 of his last 14 starts. Custom Sabres Jerseys . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. Custom Tim Horton Jersey . -- Derrick Rose shook off poor shooting early to hit clutch shots late and Carlos Boozer had 20 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 104-95 preseason victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night. http://www.customsabresjersey.com/ . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Cheap Custom Sabres Jersey . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Authentic Custom Sabres Jersey . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. SOELDEN, Austria -- Lara Gut got the defense of her overall World Cup title off to a shining start on Saturday.The first womens champion from Switzerland in more than two decades, Gut dominated the season-opening giant slalom on a sun-soaked Rettenbach glacier.On an icy slope under crisp blue skies, Gut held on to her first-run lead to clinch a comfortable win, leading Mikaela Shiffrin by 1.44 seconds for her 19th career victory. The American also finished second here last year after winning the race in 2014.Its a good start, Gut said. Soelden is always a special race. Its very steep, its very difficult. You have to charge and not think too much. I had to fight against my head as I had been thinking too much in the past 24 hours. I dont know why. Usually I just ski and enjoy what I am doing. I am the one who laughs.Gut said she thanked the mens overall champion, Austrias Marcel Hirscher, for giving her some useful advice.Marcel told me yesterday, `You just have to ski. I knew I could be fast but you still have to deliver, she said. Today wasnt my easiest day. It was a fight against myself. What I am going to take with me from today is that I was stronger than my head, I was stronger than that what I was thinking.Gut held a 1.42 lead over Shiffrin after the first leg, and was put under pressure by the Americans near-flawless second run. The Swiss champion lost two-tenths early in her run but her victory never came under threat.The second run was a battle, Gut said.Shiffrin said she could live with coming runner-up for a second straight year after being beaten by Italys Federica Brignone last season.Its a big relief. I can be happy with it but I also know I can be better, Shiffrin said. I really wanted to start off the season strong. Its always better to win but Lara was very strong, just like Federica lasst year.dddddddddddd Today she raised the level. I am not super far off but I am still looking for that second GS win.Shiffrin praised her Swiss rival for holding herself together.She is like the queen of hammering the course and risking and really, really racing. I am getting close to it but I have a lot of respect for her to be able to come through the first race of the season.Marta Bassino of Italy was the only other skier to finish within two seconds of Gut to earn her maiden top-three result. It was the 100th podium in GS by an Italian woman. Only Austria, Switzerland and France have more top-three results.I just tried to ski like in training, Bassino said through an interpreter. This is an amazing result, it means a lot to me.Former world champion Tessa Worley of France placed sixth, 2.88 off the lead, while Eva-Maria Brem of Austria, who took the GS title last season, came 5.14 seconds behind in 26th after two disappointing runs.Petra Vlhova of Slovakia started 55th but posted the fastest second-run time to finish eighth.Several top contenders were sitting out the race. American standout Lindsey Vonn said she will focus more on the speed events downhill and super-G this season, while two-time former overall champion Anna Veith of Austria and 2010 Olympic GS champion Viktoria Rebensburg of Germany were recovering from injuries.Organizers said the race was attended by 14,000 spectators, including the 77-year-old Heinrich Messner. The Austrian won the first ever World Cup race in 1967 -- a slalom in Berchtesgaden, Germany. He was invited to Soelden as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the World Cup.A mens giant slalom on the same course is scheduled for Sunday. ' ' '