Pirate Galaxy » cently. I want them to do way better than me. I think

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Bethanie Mattek-Sands figures shell retire the stars-and-stripes socks and frame them with her gold medal.In an all-American mixed doubles final Sunday, Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock won the title as first-time Olympians. And they did it against an opponent who has won as many medals -- and as many golds -- as any tennis player in history.Mattek-Sands and Sock beat Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram to deny Williams a record fifth gold. With the silver, Williams still tied the Olympic mark with her fifth medal; Kathleen McKane also won five (one gold) in the 1920s.Williams owns one singles gold and three in doubles with sister Serena, but she was upset in the first round in Rio de Janeiro in both tournaments while battling a virus. Her Olympics were seemingly over since she wasnt originally expected to compete in mixed doubles.Ram, meanwhile, wasnt even originally supposed to be in Rio. The 32-year-old was added to his first Olympic roster a few days before the opening ceremony, when the 2012 mens doubles gold medalists, Bob and Mike Bryan, withdrew.Sock was also sick before arriving in Rio -- he was diagnosed with walking pneumonia shortly before departing. And he, too, was upset in the first round in singles, sounding afterward more like a tourist than a medal contender.I wanted to enjoy the experience, soak it all up, he recalled Sunday.He soaked up two medal ceremonies, also winning bronze with Steve Johnson in mens doubles.For the 31-year-old Mattek-Sands, who like Sock has won major titles in both doubles and mixed doubles, colorful knee-high socks are a signature fashion statement. The American flag set she wore Sunday was not an Olympic original; she debuted them at a past U.S. Open.It was kind of a last-minute pack, she said. I was like, `You know what? I think this is the moment. If Im going to go hard-core USA, its going to be at the Olympics. So I pulled them out for the match today.Her playing partner couldnt help but make the obvious pun -- shed be framing some socks alongside a medal she won with a guy named Sock.They laughed and high-fived, and Mattek-Sands said, Its too perfect to actually not do that.The two American teams split the finals two sets, then Mattek-Sands and Sock won the match tiebreaker 10-7. It could have been the last Olympic outing of Williams career, though she wouldnt rule out a sixth Games as a 40-year-old in 2020.Its totally about whether I want to be there, whether I want to continue to work this hard, she said.The same question was posed to Martina Hingis, who turns 36 next month and also lost in the womens doubles Sunday with Swiss teammate Timea Bacsinszky to Russians Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina by a score of 6-4, 6-4.Way back in 1997, Williams played in her first major final at the U.S. Open, defeated by Hingis. A year earlier, Hingis took part in the Atlanta Games -- and she hadnt been to another Olympics until now, two decades later.On Sunday, both Williams and Hingis won silver, the first career medal for the Swiss star -- a feat that takes on extra resonance after she repeatedly came out of retirement.When youre winning Grand Slams, No. 1 in the world, at 16, you think you have another 10 years at least at the top of the game, she said. Now I know its coming toward the end.How soon is the end? Hingis didnt want to talk about 2020, even though Bacsinszky is trying to recruit her for the Tokyo Games.The Olympics were always a goal for Makarova and Vesnina. They insisted the Games were bigger than their two major titles together. They took it so seriously that Makarova was crying when she didnt play well in practice.I just really wanted this medal and I was emotional: `Why am I not playing my best tennis right now? she recalled.They played their best tennis at the right time. 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CHICAGO -- Even in the midst of his own strong season left-handed starter Jon Lester is quick to stand up and cheer for fellow members of the Chicago Cubs rotation.After Kyle Hendricks tossed seven shutout innings in the Cubs 3-0 victory over the Pirates on Tuesday, Lester took to social media to praise the Cubs righty.Another gem turned in by Kyle Hendricks last night. Hoping the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) takes notice, Lester proclaimed on his Twitter feed.Hendricks (13-7, 2.09 ERA) is increasingly part of conversations for NL Cy Young Award consideration by baseball writers while reigning award winner Jake Arrieta of the Cubs (16-5, 2.84 ERA) is also having another impressive year.So why not Lester, too?The 32-year-old left-hander brings a 14-4 record and 2.70 ERA to his Friday start against the San Francisco Giants. Hell face right-hander Albert Suarez (3-2, 4.35 ERA) in a 1:20 p.m. match at Wrigley Field.Lester has a team-leading 21 quality starts in 26 appearances. He finished August with a 3-0 record and a 1.71 ERA for the month and is 3-1 with a 2.67 ERA in four career starts against San Francisco.Hes even contributed with the bat. As a pinch hitter in a July 31 walk off win over the Seattle Mariners, Lester delivered a squeeze bunt in the 12th inning that scored Javier Baez with the winning run.I was trying not to screw anything up and just get (the bunt) down and see what happened from there, Lester said.Lesterr, who has World Series wins with the Red Sox in 2007 and 2013, says hed rather pull for the entire staff rather than concentrate on individual accolades.ddddddddddddI dont compete with my other pitchers, Lester said recently. I want them to do way better than me. I think the biggest thing, and the way Ive always felt, is you dont want to be kind of the loose link in the chain. You want to keep going, keep pressing along.The four-game series between the Giants and Cubs could serve as a preview to next months National League playoffs.While Chicago appears to be a virtual playoff lock, each one of the next three games in the series is critical for a Giants team that now has 11 losses in its last 17 games following Thursdays 5-4 loss to the Cubs.Its a case of us putting it all together, said Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Theres no easy answer, but weve got to pitch well and get these bats going.The Giants, winners of World Series championships between 2010 and 2014, are just two games in back of the NL West-leading Dodgers and narrowly lead the NL wild card chase.San Francisco is scheduled to send left-hander Madison Bumgarner (13-8, 2.49 ERA) against Arrieta on Saturday. Johnny Cueto (14.5, 2.98 ERA) is scheduled for Sunday against a Cubs pitcher to be named, but could be John Lackey coming off the disabled list. ' ' '