NEWS » best of records at Anfield and, despite facing Borussia Dortmund i

CHICAGO -- The Washington Nationals hit the halfway point of the season tied with Atlanta for the NL East lead. Vern Fleming Jersey . Adam LaRoche will take that. "I like our position in the standings and I like how our team is playing," LaRoche said after Washington swept a day-night doubleheader from the Cubs on Saturday. LaRoche and Wilson Ramos homered, Blake Treinen earned his first major league win and the Nationals beat Chicago 7-2 in a rainy nightcap. Gio Gonzalez pitched two-hit ball over seven innings in the opener for a 3-0 victory. In the second game, Washington tagged Jeff Samardzija (2-7) for six runs over five innings to salvage a four-game series split. LaRoche led off the second with a long drive to right for his 11th homer, and Ramos connected to start the fifth, sparking a four-run rally that made it 6-2. Making his fifth major league start, Treinen (1-3) allowed two runs and four hits in five innings. The right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse as the 26th man on the roster for the doubleheader. "It means a lot," he said about the win. "Im definitely excited, thats for sure." Ross Detwiler pitched three perfect innings for his first career save. The only runs for the Cubs came on a two-run homer by Luis Valbuena that tied it at 2 in the fourth, right about when the rain started falling. With two outs in the inning and Nate Schierholtz batting, play was stopped for 55 minutes. Once the game resumed, it didnt take long for the Nationals to regain the lead. Ramos connected on the first pitch of the fifth for his second homer, and Washington sent up nine batters in the inning. With two outs and a man on first, three straight singles by Anthony Rendon, Kevin Frandsen and Jayson Werth resulted in two more runs. First baseman Anthony Rizzo then let LaRoches hard smash get by him for an error, bringing in Frandsen to make it 6-2. "Coming out of the rain delay they jumped on me right off the bat, and then they hit some fastballs over the plate and hit them up the middle," Samardzija said. "Made me keep throwing pitches. Like I said, they did a good job. They were ready out of the break." In the first game, Gonzalez dominated in his third start back from the disabled list, outperforming Dallas Beeler in the rightys major league debut. Rendon had three hits, including a two-out double against Beeler in the sixth before scoring the games first run on a wild pitch. Rendon added an RBI triple off Justin Grimm and came home on a sacrifice fly by LaRoche against Wesley Wright in a two-run eighth. Denard Span chipped in with two hits and scored a run, and the Nationals snapped a three-game losing streak. Gonzalez (5-4) struck out seven and walked two while improving to 2-0 in three starts after missing a month because of inflammation in his pitching shoulder. Tyler Clippard worked the eighth and Rafael Soriano finished for his 19th save in 21 chances. "Obviously, coming (off) the DL and trying to work your way back is going to be a process," Gonzalez said. "Its not going to happen overnight. Its good to see, little by little, using fastball and changeup at the same time. Its good to know when you need them theyll be there." Beeler was about as good as Gonzalez. Called up from Triple-A Iowa as the 26th man, he pitched four-hit ball while allowing an unearned run in six innings. Beeler also singled in his first at-bat when he lined the first pitch he saw up the middle in the third, drawing big cheers from the crowd. "I was a lot calmer than what I thought Id be," he said. "I walked out there, took a deep breath, threw my warmup pitches, kind of looked around again, exhaled and I was like, All right, same game Ive been playing for the last 20 years." NOTES: Nationals OF Bryce Harper hit three homers and drove in five runs in a rehab game for Double-A Harrisburg. The 2012 NL Rookie of the Year is working his way back from a torn ligament in his left thumb. He went 4 for 5 as the DH against the Cleveland Indians Akron affiliate. Washington manager Matt Williams said hes not sure if Harper will play another game for Harrisburg on Sunday. The Nationals are optimistic he will return early in the week, if not Monday, when they open a three-game series against Colorado. ... The Cubs have their first scheduled Sunday off in 82 years because of the annual Pride Parade in Chicago. The last one was on June 19, 1932. Chicago played the Giants in New York on a Saturday and then went to Philadelphia on a Monday. T. J. Leaf Jersey .Balotelli uploaded on Instagram a picture of the video-game character Super Mario, with whom the Italy international shares a nickname, with text around the image including jumps like a black man and grabs coins like a Jew. Myles Turner Jersey . Or, for that matter, the aged. https://www.cheappacers.com/993k-rik-smits-jersey-pacers.html . -- LaMarcus Aldridge returned to the Trail Blazers lineup, happy to know that things didnt go awry without him.Spurs title hopes could depend on their results against Liverpool and Man Utd - but Dele Alli can help them to victory, says Jamie Redknapp... Dele Allis brilliant performance in Englands win against Germany was just the latest step in his amazing rise. Now, hes got to deliver in a key double-header for Tottenham.Spurs travel to Liverpool on Saturday Night Football and then host Manchester United on Super Sunday on April 10 - both games live on Sky Sports - and these fixtures will determine their season. They have no distractions now. Their entire focus is on the Premier League. And if they can take six points from these next two games, I can see them winning the title.If they do go on to lift the trophy, Alli will have been a key factor - and what an achievement that would be for a 19-year-old midfielder who was playing in League One this time last year. Dele Alli starred in Englands win against World Cup holders Germany I remember the first time I really took notice of Alli - it was when MK Dons thrashed Manchester United in the Capital One Cup in August 2014. Immediately I thought, he can play, but what really stood out was his tackling. There was one old-school, unbelievable challenge. It was remarkable to see someone so young playing like that against Manchester United.He went to Tottenham and has become this powerhouse of a midfield player. He has so much belief and confidence and a great arrogance on the ball - and I mean that in a good way. Its not something you can teach and only a few players have it, but that ability to want the ball anywhere on the pitch - even against the world champions in Germany - is special. Roy Hodgson has to put Dele Alli in the number 10 role for England at Euro 2016 and fit the rest of the players around him. Jamie Redknapp There doesnt seem to be a real weaknesses in his play but I really like him in that number 10 role, where you can see a lot more of his game. Mauricio Pochettino deserves credit for trusting him in that position - and its where I want to see him play at Euro 2016 for England.Too often with the national team we play people out of position - think about Paul Scholes or Steven Gerrard being deployed out on the left wing. It drives me mad. Well get the best out of Alli if we play him where he plays for Spurs.Hodgson has to put Alli in the number 10 role and fit the reest of the players around him. T. J. McConnell Jersey. Hes not your typical number 10 - he runs beyond the striker and tackles hard - but we need to embrace his talent. Jurgen Klopp will field strongest team against Spurs, despite Europa League trip to Dortmund, says Redknapp Im sure Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool will have plans to stop him and it should be a fascinating game on Saturday night across the pitch.Tottenham havent had the best of records at Anfield and, despite facing Borussia Dortmund in the Europa League on Thursday night, I expect Liverpool to field their strongest team and go all out for the win. Belgiums Nacer Chadli has praised his Tottenham team-mates for their performances for England If were still counting Arsenal in the title race - who are 11 points off Leicester with a game in hand - then we have to still consider Liverpool for a top-four finish, even if they have it all to do being seven points adrift with a game in hand.And thats why I cant see them resting players for Dortmund. Liverpool have to keep going for that Champions League spot as long as its still possible.This will be a high-pressure, high-tempo game from both sides. I dont see Spurs losing it and I think it will end up a draw; Ive got a feeling were in for a high-scoring, exciting match. Watch Liverpool v Tottenham live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 5pm on Saturday. Or watch for £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV. Also See: Premier League questions How did your international players get on? ' ' '