It was looking like a bit of slow day on Wednesday, with only 11 games on the slate, but then Joc Pederson continued his tear in the late game. In his final at-bat on Sunday, his three at-bats on Monday and his three on Wednesday (he didn't play Tuesday), Pederson did this: home run, home run, double, home run, home run, walk, home run. Wow! He's the first player with extra-base hits in six consecutive at-bats since Josh Hamilton in 2012 (who also had five home runs in his stretch). So, yeah, that put an exclamation point on the day. So did Ketel Marte's grand slam in the seventh inning that gave the Diamondbacks a 4-1 win over the Padres -- their ninth win in 10 games.

Here's something else that stood out to me: Daniel Palka, playing right field for the White Sox, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in an 8-6 loss to the Indians. He is batting .019 -- 1-for-53 on the season. Since 1901, the lowest batting average for a non-pitcher with at least 50 at-bats belongs to Lyn Lary, with an .056 mark in 1940 (3-for-54). The remarkable thing is that Palka could actually be 0-for-54:

Not to pick on a guy when he's down, but Daniel Palka is now 1-for-53 (.019). His one hit came against the Royals on April 17 and it was a 63-mph "groundball." Actually, it was a little looper right to shortstop, except a shift was on: pic.twitter.com/RnZBRUOdfP

— David Schoenfield (@dschoenfield) September 5, 2019

Anyway, the reason I noticed Palka's problems was that in researching something else earlier in the day, I came upon the season numbers for White Sox right fielders. If you're a White Sox fan, you should probably go read something else, like Sam Miller's profile on Christian Yelich from the Body Issue. It's a much better story with some nice photos.

White Sox right fielders, in this season of the home run, are hitting .214 with ... three home runs. THREE! From a position normally associated with power. It feels impossible. It's really one of the most amazing stats of the year: .214/.273/.273, 3 HRs, 39 runs, 34 RBIs. Those are bad numbers for a middle infielder in the 1970s and unforgivable for right field in 2019. Every other team has at least 13 home runs from its right fielders. The last team to get that few home runs from right field was the 1983 Brewers, who had just two home runs (both from Charlie Moore, but at least he had a .722 OPS in 151 games; the White Sox have a .546 OPS from right field).

The collective numbers of this sad group:

Ryan Cordell: 161 PAs, .204/.264/.272, 2 HRs

Leury Garcia: 121 PAs, .259/.283/.336, 0 HR

Jon Jay: 120 PAs, .274/.328/.321, 0 HR

Charlie Tilson: 94 PAs, .198/.266/.267, 1 HR

Daniel Palka: 48 PAs, .000/.146/.000, 0 HR

Ryan Goins: 6 PAs, .200/.333/.200, 0 HR

Remember, the White Sox non-tendered Avisail Garcia because ... umm, they were going to sign Bryce Harper? At least they've played good defense, though, right? Nope. White Sox right fielders have minus-14 defensive runs saved, second-worst in the majors.

Now that we've found the worst right field of 2019, let's do every position! Fun for all!

DH: Chicago White Sox

The totals: .193/.273/.322, 11 HRs, 56 runs, 54 RBIs

Congrats, White Sox fans! (Hey, I told you to read up on Yelich.) The AL average for DH is .250/.330/.461 with 26 home runs, 78 runs and 75 RBIs. The White Sox are last in ... well, every category except strikeouts. Their DHs actually strike out less than average. Amazingly, these numbers are propped up only because Jose Abreu has batted 135 times here and hit .283/.348/.442. Yonder Alonso was the major culprit, batting .160 in 166 plate appearances. Next winter I suspect the White Sox will stay away from signing Manny Machado's friends and relatives.

C: Detroit Tigers

The totals: .166/.221/.298, 17 HRs, 49 runs, 45 RBIs

This is a close call between the Rangers and Tigers, as Rangers catchers are hitting .187/.241/.297 with just nine home runs, and they play in a hitter's park, but ... man, .166? Are you kidding me? Did the Tigers have a plan at catcher? Not really. Why have a plan when you're not even trying to win? I guess Grayson Greiner was supposed to be the starter, but he hit .177 in 44 games. John Hicks has started the most games but has hit .197 when catching. Defensive stalwart Jake Rogers was called up, and he has hit .111 in 81 at-bats. Things got so bad that 36-year-old veteran Bobby Wilson, fresh off a .178 season with the Twins, entered the scene in June, hit .091 in 15 games and was then placed into a witness protection program.

1B: Kansas City Royals

The totals: .207/.271/.344, 16 HRs, 64 runs, 58 RBIs

Why do I get the feeling that every position on this list could come from the AL Central? Come on, AL Central, do better. The main culprit here: Ryan O'Hearn, who has hit .179 in 303 plate appearances, proving that his fluky September last year was, indeed, a fluke.

2B: Detroit Tigers

The totals: .229/.271/.360, 9 HRs, 52 runs, 50 RBIs

Look, I could have gone with the Marlins here. I could have gone with the White Sox, who rank last at second base in home runs (5), runs (43) and RBIs (40). That's mostly Yolmer Sanchez, who at least is a plus defender. I give the slight edge to the Tigers, who have used seven second basemen, including five who have started at least 19 games. One of those was Gordon Beckham, and no offense to Beckham, who keeps kicking around and earning a living playing baseball, but the last year he was good was 2009 -- his rookie season. Has anybody else milked 10 seasons after one good rookie campaign? Maybe that's a little harsh. He was usable in 2011 and 2013, but since 2014, he has accumulated nearly 1,300 plate appearances and minus-0.2 WAR. The point is: The Tigers gave him 31 starts at second base. It's almost like they didn't even care.

3B: Detroit Tigers

The totals: .230/.289/.366, 13 HRs, 52 runs, 51 RBIs

I swear, I'm not purposefully picking on the AL Central. This was a two-horse race, but not exactly Affirmed versus Alydar (go look it up on YouTube, kids). The Angels were close, but the Tigers were slightly worse in wOBA, runs and RBIs, and they strike out a lot. Main culprits: Jeimer Candelario and Dawel Lugo. I'm thinking the Tigers might be a ways away from contention.

SS: Baltimore Orioles

The totals: .235/.294/.354, 9 HRs, 36 runs, 34 RBIs

We could have picked the Royals, who rank second-to-last in wOBA. We could have picked the Brewers, who rank last. Those are interesting candidates because Adalberto Mondesi was actually OK until he got hurt (his replacements struggled), and the Brewers have Orlando Arcia, who at least is considered a defensive whiz (though the metrics suggest he's more average). Anyway, the Orioles don't quite have the worst OPS, but they are way at the bottom in runs and RBIs and sitting at minus-10 DRS. Richie Martin hit .193 in starting 81 games, and Jonathan Villar has hit much better in his 58 starts there (.279/.343/.430). At least they've used only two shortstops!

LF: Miami Marlins

The totals: .200/.263/.344, 13 HRs, 59 runs, 56 RBIs

You know who could have done better? Christian Yelich. But I'm sure Marlins fans have enjoyed Curtis Granderson and Austin Dean.

CF: Kansas City Royals

The totals: .215/.278/.288, 3 HRs, 32 runs, 30 RBIs

This was mostly Billy Hamilton, before the Royals waived him and the Braves picked him up, but Bubba Starling, Chris Owings and Brett Phillips have made some ill-fated contributions (or lack of contributions) here as well. Whit Merrifield's .749 OPS in 64 PAs as a center fielder hasn't helped enough. Maybe this selection is unfair because at least this group has played good defense, with plus-14 DRS. I've focused on offense here. According to Baseball-Reference, the Rockies (-3.0 wins above average) and Marlins (-3.4 wins above average) have been the worst all-around in center field. So if you want to go with the Marlins? Good with me. Because we need to end this with something good.

More magic moments in store as famous track gets set to host the Müller Grand Prix for the next two years

Gateshead International Stadium has provided the stage for some unforgettable athletics moments over the years and it looks like there are plenty more to come following the confirmation that the famous venue is to host the Müller Grand Prix from next summer.

Given the redevelopment of Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, the showpiece event will move to the North East and an arena which has hosted international grands prix in the past and is also the only venue to have held the European Athletics Team Championships on three occasions – in 1989, 2000 and 2013.

“It’s brilliant to be returning to the North East. We know from previous events how passionate their spectators are and how much they appreciate and respect the heritage of the sport,” said British Athletics Major Events Director Cherry Alexander, with Gateshead confirmed as Müller Grand Prix hosts for 2020 and 2021, while there will be the option of hosting other events up until 2025.

“The venue has proved time and time again it can host world-class athletics and international championships, so we know we’re going to have a great experience working with them once again.”

Gateshead was the location of the first Diamond League event to take place in the UK nine years ago.

On that day Phillips Idowu won the men’s triple jump, future Olympic champions Eliud Kipchoge and Mo Farah contested the 5000m and Tyson Gay defeated Asafa Powell in the men’s 100m.

Speaking of Powell, one of the greatest moments in the stadium came when the Jamaican sprinter equalled the world record in 2006, setting a new one when taken down to the thousandths in a time of 9.77.

Powell’s 2006 Grand Prix win wasn’t the only world-beating performance in the North East. The current world record-holder for the women’s pole vault, Yelena Isinbayeva, broke the mark twice in back-to-back events in 2003 and 2004, clearing 4.82m and 4.87m.

She wasn’t the first, however, as Daniela Bartova broke the women’s pole vault world record in 1995 with a vault of 4.14m on the same track.

The first world record to be broken on the track came by one of Britain’s greatest distance runners when Brendan Foster ran 7:35.20 for 3000m in 1974, four weeks before he won the European Championships over 5000m in Rome.

The most recent major event to be held at the Gateshead International Stadium was the European Team Championships six years ago.

The two-day event proved to be a success for Great Britain and Northern Ireland as they finished third in a close battle with Russia and Germany.

On that day, Farah gave Britain a shot at the title after a fantastic last lap in the men’s 5000m. Jess Judd, who will contest the women’s 5000m in Doha at the World Championships, emerged at this competition when she won the women’s 800m at the age of 18, making her the youngest female winner under the current format.

Other victors that day included three of the four sprint relay teams with Adam Gemili and Meghan Beesley among the names that still carry the legacy of British athletics to this day.

Now more of the current crop of athletes can show their talents and add their name to an impressive roll of honour.

Copson, Clare Elms, Irie Hill and Virginia Mitchell among GB medal hopes at European Masters Champs in Vienna as we preview the women’s events

The European Masters Championships kicks off in Italy this week with British athletes with British athletes going for gold en masse.

A look at contenders for the men’s events can be found here whereas below is a look at the likely stars of the women’s competition.

The championships takes place at three different track venues at Jesolo, Eraclea and Caorle on the outskirts of Venice, plus separate venues for the cross-country, road races and walks from September 5-15.

W35 age group

World masters champion Fiona de Mauny from Britain has good medal chances but will be up against Poland’s world indoor champion Aneta Lemiesz at 800m and 400m. She also runs the 1500m where she could face more strong Polish opposition.

Newly turned veteran Nisha Desai, a British senior championship finalist from a few years ago, looks to have an excellent chance in the 400m hurdles.

Former Scottish Commonwealth Games representative Gill Cooke goes in the long jump while Lucy Marshall looks likely to win medals at shot, weight, hammer and the weight pentathlon.

W40 age group

World masters 400m champion Susie McCloughlin should win medals in all three sprints as she did in Malaga.

Zoe Doyle won Toruń gold at 1500m and 3000m and here goes in the 1500m, 5000m and 800m although in the latter Ireland’s Denise Toner will start as a big favourite.

Elizabeth Renondeau and Lisa Palmer-Blount also have medal possibilities at 5000m and tackle the road 10km.

Andrea Jenkins could win a medal in the weight and weight pentathlon.

W45 age group

Michelle Thomas heads the British challenge in the sprints but will be up against her Torun conqueror Joanna Balcerzak of Poland in the 200m.

Nina Anderson was down to defend her 400m title but has yet to compete in 2019 but will still be favourite based on her past record.

Ana Ramos-Villaverde will hope to go one place better than her Malaga runner-up spot in the steeplechase but no medals look likely in the field based on the rankings.

W50 age group

World record-holder Irie Hill looks a class apart in the pole vault and should easily add to her many titles.

Esther Colas of Spain should win the 400m but Torun runner-up Jo Flowers should be among the medals again.

Germany’s multiple world champion Eva Trost will win the 800m and 1500m but Lucy Elliott is likely to win a medal there although probably has a better chance in the cross-country.

Lisa Thomas has set multiple British records this summer in the steeplechase and will start as favourite there.

In the 300m hurdles, Janet Dickenson is unlikely to challenge Italian Maria Moroni but looks the best of the rest and should also win a medal in the heptathlon.

Multiple Commonwealth Games medallist Lisa Kehler should make the podium in the 10km walk.

W55 age group

Clare Elms won world indoor titles at 1500m, 3000m and cross-country and here instead of the 3000m she also tackles the 5000m, 10,000m and 10km road race and is easily top ranked in all five events.

Esther Pedroso, a 2:37 marathoner at her peak, followed her home in all her Torun wins and is likely to do so again.

Elms is unlikely to run the 800m as she would have to run the 5000m final at a different venue a few hours earlier.

That should mean she will not be able to challenge Virginia Mitchell (pictured below), who is the reigning world indoor and outdoor 400m and 800m champion and tackles the two events again.

Multiple steeplechase medallist Jane Pidgeon should also add to her collection while Julie Rogers will be expected to medal in both hurdles races.

World indoor champion Wendy Laing should win the high jump while Joanne Willoughby and Melanie Garland look the best of the long jumpers and could also dominate the triple jump too in what is probably GB’s strongest age group overall.

W60 age group

Jane Horder looks a good medal bet in both the hurdles and will also be in contention at 400m.

Louise Jeffries heads the 800 rankings and she also goes at 1500m.

Cath Duhig could win medals in all three of the walks.

W65 and above

Caroline Powell looks favourite in all three W65 sprints and Joylyn Saunders-Mullins could also make the podium in several sprints events.

Sue Yeomans will be in contention again in the pole vault.

Alison Bourgeois, who dominated the track in Torun, focuses on the half-marathon while Dorothy Kesterton has an excellent chance at 10km.

In the W70s, Angela Copson (main image above) has cut down on her usual number of events but will still be favourite at 800m, 1500m and half-marathon.

Ros Tabor is new to the age group and had beaten Copson in the past but probably has her best chance at 400m.

The 1976 Olympian Penny Forse takes on Copson at her Montreal event of 1500m as well as the half-marathon, while Tabor and Forse also clash at cross-country.

Noel Blatchford heads the rankings in the 10km walk and should also win medals at the 20km event.

In the W80 events, Evaun Williams should add to her many titles in the shot, discus, javelin, hammer and throws pentathlon.

The 97 year-old Nora Kutti of Estonia should win all the W95 throws but even older is Austrian 1920 born Elfriede Fuchs, who goes in the shot.

NHL players have yet to decide whether to terminate the current collective bargaining agreement with less than two weeks before the deadline to do so.

Roughly 50 players met Wednesday night in Chicago to get an update on talks with the league, which executive director Don Fehr called "a long discussion, good discussion" about the situation facing the NHLPA. The executive board and the other players attending the meeting did not make any decisions about the CBA, and NHLPA representatives will be back in talks with the league in the coming days.

Players have until Sept. 15 to decide whether to reopen the CBA and set the clock ticking toward a potential work stoppage a year from now. Even after owners decided last week not to trigger their opt-out clause, there's still no concrete indication which way players are leaning.

"We've got some time to go," Fehr said Wednesday. "Nothing happens on Sept. 16 if there's a reopening that's made or something like that. And you've got to hope that the discussions will proceed on the basis that both sides want a deal and however difficult it is, you're going to try and find a way to make one."

Fehr described discussions with the league as cordial and pleasant.

"It doesn't mean there haven't been disagreements and significant disagreements, but it's so far at least free from rancor," Fehr said. "That's a big improvement."

The last time owners and players engaged in CBA talks, the start of the 2012-13 season was postponed and shortened from 82 to 48 games before a new deal was reached.

This time around, players appear to have bigger concerns with the current agreement than owners, notably escrow payments and other financial issues. The continued dialogue between the sides is one significant positive along with the 12 months of leeway.

"There will be a series of talks and we'll see where that takes us," Fehr said. "I can't predict what the results will be. I supposed what I could say is if I thought it was a complete waste of time, I'd find something else to do."

Argentine legend Diego Maradona is closing in on a return to management at Argentine first division club Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata.

Maradona met with the club on Wednesday and the deal is "80 percent" agreed, the Argentine legend's lawyer Matias Morla told ESPN FC, with a definitive meeting set to take place on Thursday.

Maradona had admitted on Tuesday that he would like to coach in his homeland, but on Wednesday denied that a deal had been signed with Gimnasia, or that he had met with anyone at the club.

"I don't think that toying with the hopes of the fans is ok," wrote Maradona. "I still haven't met with anyone."

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But Morla posted a video later on Wednesday of Maradona talking directly to Gimnasia fans: "I want to make clear that I've very recently undergone an operation. I did have contact with people from Gimnasia, but I've not spoken to anyone recently

"For them to have considered me ... due to my achievements far away or because they are Maradona fans is a very beautiful thing, really touching and it fills my heart."

Maradona then made a point of getting up and walking around to prove he is fit, after a right knee operation in late July.

"They say that I can't move. Look! Look!" stressed Maradona in the video. "Am I ready to coach or not? All of you Lobo [Gimnasia] fans, I hold you here [points to heart]."

The 58-year-old joined Mexican second division club Dorados de Sinaloa one year ago and led the team to consecutive Ascenso MX finals in his two seasons, losing both to newly promoted Atletico San Luis -- owned by Atletico Madrid -- after extra time in the second leg.

But Maradona left in mid-June in order to undergo a knee operation, following indications he was happy in Mexico and wanted to continue, with Dorados also content with how things had gone.

Gimnasia is dead last in the Argentine league after five rounds of matches in the new season, having lost its last four games.

Maradona had invited his Argentina teammate Gabriel Batistuta to be part of the coaching staff at Gimnasia and take training sessions, but the former striker declined the invitation due to a scheduled operation on Sept. 17 in Switzerland.

"I want to thank Diego Maradona for the offer I'd been waiting for for so long," wrote Batistuta on Twitter. "I wish him all the best!"

CINCINNATI -- With a homer, a win and an appearance in the outfield, Michael Lorenzen pulled off a feat last accomplished by The Babe. Cincinnati's versatile reliever also blocked the Phillies from gaining ground in the playoff chase.

That last part stung the most for Philadelphia.

Lorenzen hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning Wednesday night as the Reds pulled away to an 8-5 victory. He got his first win and first homer of the season. He also finished the game playing center field.

The last player to get a victory, hit a homer and play outfield in the same game was Babe Ruth for the Yankees on June 13, 1921, according to Elias.

"That's pretty exciting," said Lorenzen, who has seven career homers. "I'm going to have to look into what Babe Ruth would be making today and sit down with (the front office). It's one of those funny little baseball stats. I'm definitely honored to be part of that. It's cool to be part of a Babe Ruth stat."

The Phillies had their three-game winning streak snapped. They also slipped to three games behind the idle Cubs for the final NL wild card. Chicago begins a four-game series in Milwaukee on Thursday.

"Right now we're in the race, and it stings a little bit," said starter Aaron Nola, who lasted only four innings.

Joey Votto homered and had an RBI double off Nola as Cincinnati surged ahead 5-0, but the Phillies' resurgent offense caught up. Logan Morrison and J.T. Realmuto had two-run homers off Trevor Bauer, who has only one victory since coming to Cincinnati in a trade with Cleveland.

Jay Bruce tied it with his third career pinch-hit homer in the seventh off Lorenzen (1-4), rounding the bases to a "BRUUUUCE" chant from the crowd of 13,448. Bruce played more than eight seasons in Cincinnati and has 137 homers at Great American Ball Park, second only to Votto.

Jose Iglesias connected for his first career pinch-hit homer off Jose Alvarez (3-4) in the bottom of the inning to break the tie. Lorenzen connected off Blake Parker in the eighth, then moved to center field with Raisel Iglesias pitching the ninth for his 29th save in 34 chances.

"I told him I underestimated his ability," Reds manager David Bell said. "I've never seen anything like it. To have the athletic ability to do something like that is something I have to get used to."

Nola fanned six in four innings, giving him 200 strikeouts for the season. He's the ninth Phillie -- and the youngest at age 26 -- to have multiple 200-strikeout seasons. Nola fanned 224 last year.

Nola struggled with his breaking pitches in his shortest outing since May 13.

"I think what's most frustrating is we had an opportunity to pick up Aaron tonight," manager Gabe Kapler said. "He's picked us up so many times along the way, been a rock and a foundation, carried us in many ways."

Bauer pitched on short rest for only the fifth time in his career and lasted five innings. Bauer is 1-5 in seven starts with an 8.23 ERA since arriving in a trade for Yasiel Puig.

"I'm slamming my head against a brick wall," Bauer said. "I think I've been the unluckiest pitcher in baseball the last two months."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Phillies: Corey Dickerson hurt his left foot while hitting a single in the fifth inning and left the game after reaching first base. X-rays were negative. ... Jean Segura fouled a pitch off the plate in the eighth and the ball bounced up and cut his lip. He stayed in the game and popped out.

Reds: Catcher Kyle Farmer went on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique. Infielder Jose Peraza was recalled from Triple-A Louisville. ... Center fielder Nick Senzel was a late scratch with a sore right shoulder. ... Alex Blandino left after getting hit by a pitch on the left arm in the eighth.

STREAKS STOPPED

Votto's homer broke his 0-for-13 career streak against Nola. Philadelphia's Bryce Harper walked twice and flied out twice, ending his hitting streak at 11 games.

ANOTHER FAST START

Votto's homer added to the Reds' dominance in the first inning. Cincinnati leads the majors in first-inning homers (43), hits (173), runs (117), RBI (114) and batting average (.302).

GREAT PLAY

Adam Haseley reached over the wall in center to rob Freddy Galvis of a homer in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Phillies: Left-hander Jason Vargas (6-7, 4.31 ERA) is 1-2 in five career starts against the Reds with a 6.30 ERA.

Reds: Sonny Gray (10-6, 2.80) is 5-0 in his last seven starts, which include two blown saves.

Christian Pulisic thinks all the talented young American players could go far in next year's Olympic men's soccer tournament -- and he could be one of them.

"I would never completely count that out because it's a huge honor to play for your country in the Olympics," the 20-year-old Chelsea midfielder said on Wednesday, two days before the U.S. senior team plays Mexico in an exhibition.

Olympic men's soccer qualifying is limited to players under 23, with three overage players allowed for the final tournament in Japan. Age-eligible Americans include Pulisic and midfielders Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Tim Weah.

Clubs, however, are not required to release players for the Olympics or for qualifying, scheduled for March 20 to April 1 in the CONCACAF region. The Olympic soccer tournament runs from July 23 to Aug. 8 and likely would overlap a contemplated preseason tour by Chelsea and perhaps the start of the Premier League season.

"A lot of factors come into play, I guess, but we'll see," Pulisic said.

The United States failed to qualify for the 2012 and 2016 Olympic men's soccer tournaments, a stumble that preceded the senior team's failure to reach for last year's World Cup. Pulisic thinks the U.S. could emulate Mexico, which won the 2012 Olympic men's soccer gold.

"We're a confident young group of guys and I think there's no reason why we couldn't," he said. "We set big goals for ourselves and, yeah, that would be one of them. That would be something I think we could do."

Pulisic was acquired by Chelsea in January from Borussia Dortmund for a €64 million (then $73 million) transfer fee, the most for an American player, then loaned back to the German club for the remainder of the season.

He made his Premier League debut in the opening 4-0 loss at Manchester United and has started the last three league matches under new coach Frank Lampard, who replaced Maurizio Sarri.

"It's amazing. I mean, it's everything I hoped it would be and more. It's incredible," Pulisic said. "It worked out really well, for sure. Frank's a great guy and he's helped me so much and he understands where I'm coming from and he's done a really good job and helped me, teaching us, especially a lot of the younger guys on the team."

Pulisic laughed when asked who was the better player: himself or Mexican winger Hirving Lozano,

"I'm not going to give you like an Ibra answer here," he said in a reference to egotistical LA Galaxy striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who two years ago boasted "lions do not compare themselves to humans" when asked where he ranked himself among strikers.

The oft-introverted Pulisic is reticent at times when speaking with media.

"I'll never be comfortable. I don't like being in front of cameras," he said. "I'm still getting used to it, I guess."

Pulisic will be part of a rare trio of Americans this fall in Champions League Group D, joined by 18-year-old Ajax defender Sergino Dest and Weah's Lille, who is missing the match against Mexico and Tuesday's friendly against Uruguay because of a hamstring injury.

Dest introduced himself to Pulisic this week and joked about the possibility of playing against him.

"I was asking him are you playing on the left side, right side, things like that?" Dest said with a smile.

Pulisic left Hershey, Pennsylvania, to sign with Dortmund at age 16. While living in Germany, he could meet up with McKennie, a starter for Schalke. McKennie is proud of his friend but doesn't have a chance to follow his club exploits too closely.

"I'm not a big guy to watch sports," McKennie said. "It's always a big deal whenever you have an American you know being in Europe let alone at a giant club like Chelsea. I've heard he's been doing well."

Pulisic has played primarily on the flanks with Chelsea, and falling back deep at times is part of his responsibility

"Learning to help more on the defensive side of things, which is like a good challenge for me, as well," he said.

With the U.S., he has increasingly ventured into the central portion of the field. Coach Gregg Berhalter changed Pulisic's listing from midfield to forward for this training camp.

"We want him to be able to affect games in a number of different ways," Berhalter said. "We want to be able to isolate him one vs. one at times but we also want him getting them ball between the lines."

Essex 165 for 4 (ten Doeschate 45*, Delport 44, Bopara 39* beat Lancashire 159 for 5 (Davies 80*, Bopara 2-28) by 6 wickets

This was one of the great county cricket fixture shambles of all time. Lancashire forced to play a home Vitality Blast quarter-final on a neutral ground because of a clash with the Old Trafford Test.

Not that it will overly concern Essex. They became the first county to qualify for Finals Day, driven there by Ravi Bopara, their reluctant No 6, who nevertheless fulfilled the role to perfection with an unbeaten 39 from 18 balls, leaving four balls in hand when Essex got home by six wickets.

Lancashire's 159 for 5 was the highest score made at Chester-le-Street this season. They handled the vagaries of the ground with aplomb. As so often with T20 pitches in county cricket's most northerly outpost, batting was an endurance Test. The pitch was slow and low, the boundaries were far flung and the ball bit into the surface as certainly as a chill northern wind bit into the couple of thousand hardy souls who had made the trip.

But Essex's captain Simon Harmer had jettisoned their normal preference for batting first in the hope that dew would quicken the surface later in the evening; he was rewarded not as much by dew as by several bursts of heavy drizzle which sharpened the surface slightly and hindered Lancashire's spinners. "The conditions might have changed a little bit," Harmer conceded.

With 23 needed from two overs, Lancashire's captain, Dane Vilas opted for the leg spin of Liam Livingstone, ahead both of Matty Parkinson, the joint leading wicket-taker in the tournament this season, and the pace of Saqib Mahmood, who had bowled two overs for 10.

"I didn't know which way to go," Vilas admitted. If the decision was influenced by a preference for a staunch character in a pressure situation (not that the other two aren't), it backfired. Bopara pulled the second ball for six and, next ball, cleared the ropes again. Ryan ten Doeschate was missed at long off, fifth ball, by James Faulkner, who barely laid a hand on it. A third six to finish, over long-on, and Livingstone had disappeared for 22.

Essex had earlier lost the bludgeoning Cameron Delport at long off for 44 and Adam Wheater, run out by a direct hit by Josh Bohannan from deep square leg. A brilliant diving catch by Faulkner at long off left Bopara facing 61 from 34 and, with ten Doeschate, he found his long game in the nick of time, a six over long-off against James Faulkner with 29 needed off 13 when Steven Croft overran the ball in trying to make the catch signalling the start of the charge.

Perhaps it was always destined to end this way: with Lancashire the victims. Once the fixture clash was apparent, they conceded their advantage, especially as TV coverage demanded an evening match under lights, so ruling out outgrounds such as Liverpool.

And that fixture clash was apparent many months before the start of the season. The fact that the potential for such a fixture oddity in county cricket's most popular format was not intercepted and remedied when the draft fixtures were published late last year, and was not publically rejected by Lancashire from the outset, was a betrayal of the status of county cricket.

Lancashire's provision of three free supporters' coaches was a gesture, but a hollow one. The North Group winners, and a county that this summer has enjoyed the biggest growth in T20 crowds in the country, could not deliver the match that mattered most of all: a last-eight tie on its home turf. Excuses about a particularly crowded fixture list are unacceptable. Talk about the obvious need to prioritise the Ashes is just a side issue.

Midway through the match, it appeared as if Alex Davies would appease their supporters with victory. He batted through the Lancashire innings in imperturbable fashion for 80 from 55 balls, a judicious fourth-wicket stand of 89 in 68 balls with Vilas, as calm a batting partner as you could wish to have, setting up the victory. Davies recognised immediately that this was not a night to thrash through the line, but to deflect, to run hard and gather what he could.

Of Davies' nine boundaries, eight were on the off-side, most of them wristily angled square or behind the wicket, rounded off by two little ramps on both sides of the wicketkeeper against Aaron Beard. With patience and perseverance, Davies eked out what he could when he could, a dapper cricketer cutting his cloth.

When Lancashire were 47 for 3 after 6.4 overs, they were under pressure. Livingstone's leg-side swing and miss was a reminder to Davies of the challenges to follow, as was Croft's drag to long-on off Bopara which dyed many metres in front of the boundary. Even more disturbing was the near-shooter from Bopara which had Maxwell lbw - all deterrents that Davies immediately logged away.

During a rain stoppage, the TV cameras caught Glen Chapple, Lancashire's coach, staring blank-eyed into the distance, a picture of misery. And he was born in Skipton where it has been known to rain occasionally. Nothing captured Lancashire's night so well.

The cross-your-fingers-and-hope-for-the-best approach to the staging of a big night in the county calendar defied belief. Here was the arrogance of administrators who still regard T20 cricket as an entertainment, as a money-raiser rather than a sporting competition with intrinsic importance. Here was yet another example of the ECB's shameful undermining of the county game that has underpinned professional cricket in this country for more than a century.