Talk » Brault took the loss in the series opener Friday against Milwauke

CARSON, Calif. - Robbie Rogers just wants to go back to being a pro soccer player. First, though, he had history to make. Rogers became the first openly gay male athlete to play in a U.S. professional league on Sunday night, making his Major League Soccer debut with the Los Angeles Galaxy. He entered as a substitute in the 77th minute with the Galaxy leading the Seattle Sounders 4-0, which turned out to be the final score. "I guess this is a historic thing, but for me it was just a soccer game," he said. He received loud cheers from the crowd of 24,811 as he ran onto the pitch, with fans chanting his last name. Rogers ran by teammate Landon Donovan, who slapped his hand and patted him on the back as he took his position. "Because of the nature of the way sports has been for so many years — the macho culture thats been embraced by everybody — its of interest to everybody," Donovan said. "Now, hopefully, the hype about it is over and he can get back to being a soccer player, which is what he wants to do." Rogers touched the ball a couple times in the closing minutes of the Galaxys victory that ended Seattles three-game winning streak. The 26-year-old midfielder hadnt played professionally since last year. He spent the last two seasons in England. With the Galaxy owning a comfortable lead, head coach Bruce Arena was able to insert Rogers. "No pressure at all," Rogers said. "I got to totally enjoy myself and take it all in." He stopped to do a couple postgame TV interviews on the field before signing a few autographs for kids calling out to him from the stands. Rogers retired from the sport in February, when he revealed in a post on his blog that he is gay. He has been training with the Galaxy since April at the invitation of Arena. "In a lot of ways the easy part is over," Arena said. "Now the difficult part remains, which is getting him positioned to play. Our expectations for Robbie are not anything big in the near future. Hopefully, hell get back to the way we think he can be." Rogers signing on Saturday was so recent that he wasnt listed in the game day program, which featured a picture of Mike Magee in the centerfold. Magee, the Galaxys leading scorer and a fan favourite, was traded to his hometown Chicago Fire, which held Rogers MLS rights. Nerves began getting the best of Rogers in the hours before he left home for the stadium. Not because he was worried about the prospect of being the first openly gay male athlete to play, but because his soccer skills were rusty. "I was like, Oh gosh," he said. He called his sister for reassurance. "I just needed to hear someones voice," Rogers said. "We were talking about my dog. Just get my mind off things." The loudest chants of "Robbie, Robbie" were for Robbie Keane, who had his first career three-goal game in MLS. His three goals, including two on penalty kicks, and another by Sean Franklin gave the Galaxy a 4-0 lead at halftime. Keanes hat trick in a 44-minute span was the second-fastest in Galaxy history. The fastest occurred in 43 minutes in 2004 by Alejandro Moreno. Keane scored three consecutive goals 10 minutes apart. His first in the 24th minute came on a right-footed shot from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner of the goal following a corner. Keane followed in the 34th minute, burying a penalty shot in the bottom right corner. He converted another penalty shot in the 44th minute, booting the ball into the bottom left corner. The Galaxys first goal came in the 12th minute when Franklin right-footed shot from close range into the centre of the goal. Keane and Marcelo Sarvas had the assists. Keane, the team captain from Ireland, and Omar Gonzalez will leave the Galaxy for international play. Keene is expected to miss the Galaxys next two games and Gonzalez will miss the next three. Stitched Avalanche Jerseys . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. Colorado Avalanche Gear . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Colorado Avalanche Store . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. Avalanche Jerseys 2020 .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. MILWAUKEE -- Francisco Liriano and the Pittsburgh Pirates just keep struggling at Miller Park.Liriano allowed four runs in five innings and the Pirates got just five hits in a 4-2 loss to the Brewers on Sunday for their ninth straight defeat in Milwaukee.Pittsburgh is 17-64 at Miller Park since 2007.We come in here, what did we get, six runs? Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said following a three-game sweep. It has been one of the challenges weve had here different times, too many strike outs. Too many soft outs throughout the series. They pitched better, we still had pitches to hit.The Pirates got just one earned run over five innings off Brewers starter Matt Garza, who entered with a 5.74 ERA.Gregory Polanco homered for the second straight day to cut Milwaukees lead to 2-1 in the third. An error allowed Pittsburgh to score on a fielders choice by John Jaso in the fifth, but the Pirates managed just two baserunners in four innings against the Brewers bullpen.Liriano (6-11) allowed four runs on six hits to lose his second straight. He surrendered solo home runs to Keon Broxton and Chris Carter.It was like a tug of war for (Liriano), Hurdle said. There were some good sequences and then when you think he might start rolling. The two long balls were problematic.Milwaukee won the final two games of the series against Pittsburgh without Ryan Braun (right side tightness) and Jonathan Lucroy (trade speculation) in the lineup.That was a homestand where a bunch of different guys stepped up, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. They were guys we havent counted on heavily this year, but they did a great job.REACHING A MILESTONEWith a strikeout of Kirk Nieuwenhuis in the first inning on Sunday, Liriano reached 1,500 strikeouts for his career. Only seven active left-handed pitchers have more strikeouts than Liriano..ddddddddddddOROFF RECALLED, BRAULT OPTIONEDThe Pirates recalled INF Max Moroff from Triple-A Indianapolis. Moroff struck out in his major league debut in a pinch-hit appearance in the seventh inning.LHP Steven Brault was optioned back to Triple-A. Brault took the loss in the series opener Friday against Milwaukee, giving up three runs in six innings.ROTATION SETHurdle announced his rotation for the Atlanta series. RHP Gerrit Cole will start the opener followed by LHP Jeff Locke and RHP Ryan Vogelsong.RIVERO DEBUTSPirates LHP Felipe Rivero, who was acquired from Washington on Saturday in the Mark Melancon trade, made his Pittsburgh debut in the eighth inning. Rivero allowed a single and walked a batter but also struck out two in a scoreless frame.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: Vogelsong, who has been out since May 24 with facial fractures, will come off the disabled list to start Thursday in Atlanta. Vogelsong went 1-2 with a 2.86 ERA in four minor league rehab starts. I feel very blessed and fortunate that I am even getting another chance to play this game, Vogelsong said. Because there were a couple days there where I didnt know.Brewers: Braun was out of the lineup for the fourth straight game Sunday with right side tightness. Counsell said he hopes Braun will be able to play Monday in San Diego.UP NEXTPirates: Cole (6-6, 2.78 ERA) will try to build upon his first professional complete game when he starts against Atlanta on Tuesday. Cole allowed one run over nine innings in a 10-1 win over Seattle on July 27.Brewers: RHP Jimmy Nelson (6-9, 3.42) will pitch the series opener in San Diego. Just two of the eight runs scored against Nelson in a loss to Arizona on July 27 were earned. ' ' '