Cincinnati Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett left Wednesday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers with left groin tightness, the Reds announced.

Gennett was activated from the injured list last week after recovering from a severe right groin injury suffered during spring training. He is 2-for-19 with a pair of singles in five games.

He flied out and struck out on Wednesday against Jhoulys Chacin, then left the contest an inning later.

The Reds have sorely missed Gennett, who had 50 homers and 189 RBIs over the past two seasons. He was an All-Star for the first time last year, when he finished second to Milwaukee's Christian Yelich (.326) for the National League batting title at .310.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON -- Stephen Strasburg was so filthy, he was immaculate.

On Wednesday, the Washington Nationals hurler threw an "immaculate inning" against the Miami Marlins.

In the top of the fourth, Strasburg struck out the side on nine pitches, all of which were strikes. He got Garrett Cooper looking and Neil Walker swinging, then caught Starlin Castro looking to finish the job. During the frame, Strasburg threw five fastballs, three changeups and one curveball.

Strasburg's immaculate inning was the first of his career and the fourth in Nationals history. Max Scherzer has accomplished the feat twice, and Jordan Zimmermann had done it once.

According to ESPN Stats & Information research, Strasburg is the fourth pitcher to work a perfect frame this season, joining the Boston Red Sox's Chris Sale (twice), Toronto Blue Jays' Thomas Pannone and Milwaukee Brewers' Josh Hader.

There were four immaculate innings thrown during the 2018 season.

Success against the Marlins is nothing new for Strasburg. In his past 10 starts against Miami entering Wednesday, the 30-year-old righty was 9-0 with a 1.64 ERA.

Through five scoreless innings on Wednesday, Strasburg had recorded 10 strikeouts.

NEW YORK -- Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres continues to be an American League All-Star Game snub, and his manager is extremely upset about it.

"It's a joke that he's not on that team," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before his team's Subway Series meeting with the crosstown New York Mets on Wednesday. "Gleyber Torres not an All-Star? You can kick rocks on that one. That's ridiculous."

Torres, who appeared in his first All-Star Game last year as part of a strong rookie season, still remains off this year's team despite other infielders being recently added to it as injury replacements.

Earlier Wednesday, Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe, Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts and Minnesota Twins pitcher Jose Berrios were the three additions that the AL team made to account for injuries to players previously voted into the game.

Notably, Lowe replaced Angels infielder Tommy La Stella, who broke his right tibia Tuesday night when he fouled a ball off his shin. Lowe also suffered a leg bruise in his own game for Tampa Bay on Tuesday and is considered day-to-day.

Although there still is a chance Torres gets added to the AL's roster with the possibility of other currently unforeseen injuries, Boone believes his middle infielder is more than deserving of being in the Midsummer Classic lineup.

"He's been unbelievable for us," Boone said. "First-place club, the offensive consistency he's had, the power, the on-base, the playing both positions in the middle infield. Yeah, it doesn't seem right to me that he isn't on that team."

Torres entered Wednesday batting .295 with 19 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .907 OPS. In the field, he has played both second base and shortstop this season. He played the latter until mid-May, when Didi Gregorius finally returned from his rehab following offseason Tommy John surgery.

Since Gregorius' return, Torres has been at second base, helping form a tandem that has pulled off its share of stupefying double plays.

"Look, I know there's all kind of players and coaches vote and fan voting, and sometimes that ends a few weeks ago, and obviously every team needs to be represented," Boone said. "I understand there's a lot of moving parts that make [voting players into the game] difficult, and ultimately every year you're going to have guys that are certainly deserving that don't get in that game.

"But the Gleyber one is one of those that's a head-scratcher for me."

Rivalries in sport are more often than not, just that - sporting rivalries.

Off the field of play, athletes are civil, courteous and even in some cases, mates.

However, the antagonism between 18-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal and the so-called "bad boy of tennis", Nick Kyrgios, seems to go a little deeper.

The pair will face each other in the second round at Wimbledon on Thursday in the must-watch tie of the men's draw so far (and the third match on Centre Court).

But where did the rivalry come from, and why do these men really not get on?

A rivalry is born

Back in 2014 at Wimbledon, Nadal faced the fresh-faced and a little gangly 19-year-old Kyrgios in the last 16.

The Australian was already gaining his 'swaggering showman' reputation and had earned a wildcard spot at the tournament.

Ranked 144 in the world, Kyrgios stunned the Centre Court crowd hitting a staggering 37 aces, and became the first man outside the top 100 to beat a world number one at a Grand Slam since 1992.

The Aussie even pulled off the precocious 'hot-dog' lob, on his way to defeating Nadal 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

Now, we may be making assumptions here, but that particular move - humiliating the great Nadal, and showing little regard for his then 14 Grand Slam titles - was perhaps what set off the chain reaction for their future rivalry.

After bursting onto the scene in that entertaining style, Kyrgios has faced Nadal five times since.

The wins have been shared equally between the two men but controversy just keeps on coming.

A Mexican stand-off

The latest was down in Acapulco in February 2019, where Nadal was incensed by Kyrgios' cheeky underarm serving.

After their second-round match at the Mexico Open, in which Kyrgios beat Nadal 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, Nadal accused Kyrgios of lacking respect.

"He is a player who has enormous talent," said Nadal having played his part in what appeared to be a frosty handshake with his opponent at the net.

"He could win grand slams and fight the top positions of the ranking, but there is a reason why he is where he is [then at a world ranking of No. 72]."

Ouch.

After the match, Kyrgios provided further evidence that he sees the Spaniard as his bitter adversary in a hostile Instagram post, showing the video of said frosty handshake.

"Don't doubt yourself, there are plenty of people who will do that for you. I can smell the blood when I play this dude", he wrote.

During a 'No Challenges Remaining' podcast interview published a few weeks later, Kyrgios also had this to say about the two-time Wimbledon winner:

"He's my polar opposite. Literally my polar opposite. And he's super salty.

"When he wins it's fine, he won't say anything bad, he'll credit the opponent - 'he competed well today, he's a great player' - but then as soon as I beat him, it's just like 'he has no respect for me, my fans and no respect to the game'. I'm like 'what are you talking about? I literally played this way that I beat you the other previous times and nothing changed'."

Polar opposites?

Nobody can argue the players have opposing temperaments - Nadal's measured, clinical and perfectionist ways seem the polar opposite to Kyrgios' unpredictability - not to mention his trademark short fuse.

Already in 2019, Kyrgios has had to hand over a few chunks of his earnings in the form of fines.

During the second round of the Italian Open, he was in the deciding set when he was given a game penalty, reportedly for swearing.

He then kicked a bottle, threw down his racquet, hurled a chair on the court, picked up his bag and walked off.

He was fined 20,000 euros (£17,461) for unsportsmanlike conduct and also lost his prize money.

Just a few weeks ago at Queens Club, he was once again fined £13,766 ($17,500) for unsportsmanlike conduct.

He accused a line judge of "rigging the game" and mocked the chair umpire for his headgear.

"It's a joke, man. It's a serious joke," he said. "Like your hat looks ridiculous, also. It's not even sunny."

Frenemies reunited

Kyrgios told the press he had been looking forward to this match-up since the draw was made last week.

"I was super happy that I saw him in my section. When you're a kid, you want to play the best players in the world on the best court in the world."

Nadal however, was a little less than pleased with the All England Club's draw policy, which takes into account player's performances on grass, as opposed to following the world rankings.

The world number two, who is seeded third behind Roger Federer (world number three), has said it "doesn't seem fair" as it means he has a tougher run to the final.

Asked in his post-match news conference on Tuesday, if he had a "good relationship" with Nadal, Kyrgios said: "Uhm, not sure that me and Rafa could go down to the Dog & Fox (a pub in Wimbledon Village) and have a beer together."

"I don't know him at all. I know him as a tennis player. I just don't - no, I don't know him very well."

Asked if he found it easier to talk to other players on tour, he added: "Yeah, 100%. That's just how it is. I get along with people, some people I don't get along with. We have a mutual respect and that's about it I think."

We will have to wait and see how "mutual" that is when they face each other on Thursday.

HOLLY, Mich. – Troy DeCaire will make his homecoming to the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series presented by Engine Pro on Friday night when the tour visits Michigan’s Birch Run Speedway and Event Center.

DeCaire, who won the first two points championships in series history, will drive for veteran owner Wayne Stickney in the iconic, white-and-orange No. 99s at the four-tenths-mile oval as he chases his seventh-career series victory and first since Berlin Raceway in August of 2014.

The Tampa, Fla., driver and current Southern Sprint Car Shootout Series point leader will fill in behind the wheel of Stickney’s mount for Tyler Roahrig, who piloted the car during the season opener at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway in May but has late model obligations keeping him from racing at Birch Run.

It’s a reunion of a pairing that has produced two victories in DeCaire’s prior two starts for Stickney.

“I drove for Wayne in 2014 at Sandusky (Ohio) Speedway – the last race of the season, actually, when I was living up in the Midwest still – and we sat on the pole, won the race and he won the championship,” DeCaire recalled. “We all said after that one that if we ever got the chance again, we’d get back together and go racing. He tried to have me come race for him a couple of times after that, but I was always busy doing stuff … and it just seemed like we could never get things to quite line up how they needed to.

“Last year, he finally got me back up to run at Kalamazoo (Speedway) and Toledo (Speedway), and we won at Kalamazoo, but broke the motor and couldn’t even start at Toledo,” DeCaire added. “We figured now, we’re undefeated in races that we’ve run together, so when he called me this year and offered me the races in his car that Tyler (Roahrig) couldn’t run, I figured it was a no-brainer to go ahead and do it.”

DeCaire is riding a six-race win streak in asphalt sprint car competition, encompassing three different regions of the United States, in his first season back regularly behind the wheel in several years. His day job consists of selling RVs in his home state of Florida.

“My current car owner in Florida kind of forced me back into racing, because I was pretty much content with taking time off, building shocks and not being so eaten up with racing,” DeCaire noted. “We struggled at the start, but once we put a new motor in, things really took off and we started winning a bunch. I went out to Seattle and won a race out there, too. It’s been a lot of fun lately.

“I don’t ever go to the race track to run second. If I’m showing up, it’s because I feel confident that I have a chance to win,” said DeCaire. “We know we’re capable; we’ve done it before. I just have to shake the rust off as far as running on the American Racer tires and see if I can’t keep this run going.”

To extend his run of success to seven-straight victories, DeCaire will have to top a field that includes Canadian star Ryan Litt, National Sprint Car Hall of Famer Jeff Bloom and four-time defending series champion Jimmy McCune, who won the season opener on May 4 and has 30 Must See Racing victories.

With their decorated asphalt resumes, a battle between DeCaire and McCune at the front of the field at Birch Run appears imminent, and it’s one that DeCaire is eagerly looking forward to.

“Jimmy knows how I race and I know how Jimmy races. He’s obviously on a pretty good run himself, right now, but I think there’s a lot of mutual respect between the two of us,” explained DeCaire. “I’m looking forward to racing him, just like I am everyone else at the front of the field. It’s going to be fun.

“I believe we can win,” DeCaire noted. “It’s all about seeing how it shakes out Friday, now.”

In addition to the Must See Racing sprint cars, the Midwest Compact Touring Series, VROA modifieds and Birch Run Pure Stocks will also be on the racing card. The night will also include a fireworks show in celebration of the Fourth of July holiday.

Pit gates at Birch Run are scheduled to open at 2 p.m. on July 5, with hot laps starting at 4 p.m., qualifying beginning at 6 p.m. and racing kicking off promptly at 7:30 p.m.

A rain date of Saturday, July 6 has been established, if necessary.

SPEED SPORT has been covering auto racing for 85 years, and over that time, tens of thousands of stories from all forms of motorsports have been told in its pages, as well as online.

Did you know that sprint car mainstay Kraig Kinser won an ARCA Menards Series event back in 2005? We look back at that race in this week’s edition of Torn From The Headlines.

TALLADEGA, Ala. — He may be the son of soon-to-be 20-time World of Outlaws sprint car champion Steve Kinser, but Kraig Kinser left his mark on the stock car world Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway.

The MB2 Motorsports development driver and second-generation racer dominated the Food World 300, leading 83 of 113 laps en route to his first ARCA ME/MAX Series victory.

After winning the pole in qualifying on Thursday and leading final practice on Friday, Kinser asserted his dominance during the 300-mile race despite a miscue that forced him to rally back mid-race.

“We were definitely strong,” said Kinser. “I think we had to prove that when we made a mistake coming out of the pits. I didn’t use the blend line, so I had to go to the tail end of the longest line. It definitely was a lot more experience, going through the field and feeling the draft a little bit more.”

Kinser led all but two of the first 51 laps, then came charging through the field after his penalty to win in just his second ARCA start. His previous appearance came at Michigan Int’l Speedway back in August.

The second-generation driver retook the lead from Erin Crocker on lap 80 and never gave up command again after that. He beat Kyle Krisiloff to the checkered flag by .168 seconds.

Kinser’s crew chief, Doug Randolph, collected the SK Hand Tool Crew Chief of the Race Award.

Krisiloff, who finished second, piloted a No. 7 Chevrolet for NASCAR owner Rick Hendrick on Saturday.

Bobby Gerhart led 23 laps on the day and was the dominant driver for much of the middle stages of the event, following Kinser’s penalty. He came home third, but Gerhart’s chances of victory were dashed by overheating problems.

“Certainly, the plan was obvious,” said Gerhart, a three-time winner at Daytona (Fla.) Int’l Speedway. “He (Krisiloff) was going to the front and I pushed him up past as many cars as I could before I had to drop down and get some clean air. Conditions were hot. No matter what, restrictor plate racing puts tremendous heat on the floor. I guarantee I’ve got blisters everywhere.”

Crocker crossed the line in fourth after being out front for seven laps, with Frank Kimmel rounding out the top five and securing his sixth straight ARCA RE/MAX Series championship.

Kimmel’s seventh title overall broke a tie with Iggy Katona for the most crowns in ARCA history.

Joey Miller, who finished 38th after he was involved in a multi-car crash on the second lap, was named the 2005 ARCA Rookie of the Year. He finished second in points to Kimmel.

The finish:

Kraig Kinser, Kyle Krisiloff, Bobby Gerhart, Erin Crocker, Frank Kimmel, Burney Lamar, Michael Guerity, David Ragan, Christi Passmore, Dexter Bean, Craig Butts, Brian Tyler, Erik Darnell, Ken Weaver, Brandon Knupp, Mike Harmon, Darrell Basham, Todd Bowsher, D.J. Richardson, Norm Benning, Justin Marks, Jason Jarrett, Jeremy Clements, Steve Bramley, Tim Mitchell, Jason Hedlesky, Mark Gibson, Billy Venturini, Johnny Leonard, Robert Richardson Jr., Keith Murt, Walt Brannen, Andy Belmont, Tim Turner, Brack Maggard, Bobby East, Aric Almirola, Joey Miller, Roger Williams, Brad Smith, Chad McCumbee.

DRESDEN, Ohio – Wednesday night’s Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series stop at Muskingum County Speedway was rained out due to late-afternoon showers and thunderstorms.

The $12,000-to-win event will not be rescheduled.

Anyone who purchased advanced tickets are subject to a full refund. Tickets may also be used at any other event at Muskingum County Speedway during the 2019 season.

The Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series returns to action on Thursday at Portsmouth (Ohio) Raceway Park.