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Back-to-back defensive slumps have Cronulla desperate for answers as they try to keep their chances of a top-two NRL finish alive against South Sydney.The Sharks go into Monday nights clash with the Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium motivated by their desire to bounce back after a three-game winless run.However, as strong as their intent is to make a statement three weeks out from the finals, front of mind for coach Shane Flanagan is addressing their defensive frailties that have been exposed in the past two weeks.Their 30-14 loss to Canberra and 32-18 defeat at the hands of St George Illawarra are the two worst defensive performances the side has put in this season and the only times the team has conceded more than 30 points in a game.You need to defend well to play well and thats where we start tomorrow night, Flanagan said.You cant leak 30 points - if you do that against good sides youre not going to get there and if you do it in a semi-final youre going to get bailed out the other end.It represents a lapse for Flanagans side who have been the third best defensive team this year and conceded an average 16.9 points per game.After the Canberras win over Parramatta on Sunday, the Sharks hold a two-point advantage over the Raiders and must keeping winning to be assured of second spot and a home game in the first week of the semi-finals.Id like to think we can win three of them before the finals, Flanagan said.And thats about confidence going into the semi-finals, playing well, having faith in the bloke next to you.We need to get back to where we were a couple of weeks ago.Flanagan said skipper Paul Gallen was in doubt for Mondays game at ANZ Stadium because of a calf strain but his fellow veteran back-rower Luke Lewis was set to play despite missing training during the week because of a virus.Souths halfback Adam Reynolds is struggling to overcome a hamstring injury.STATS THAT MATTER* South Sydney have won just two of 11 home matches this season, including just two of eight at ANZ Stadium.* Cronulla have made the second most tackle busts (28.2 per game) and second most offloads (12 per game) in 2016.* Adam Reynolds has scored 835 points and needs two more to become South Sydneys third all-time leading points scorer.Source: Fox Sports Stats Junior Seau Jersey .com) - The Chicago Blackhawks aim for their third three-game winning streak of the season when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers in Sundays battle at the United Center. Gary Lewis Jersey . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. http://www.custompatriotsjersey.com/custom-ted-kwalick-jersey-large-1791f.html .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Kevin Faulk Jersey . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. R. C. Owens Jersey . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. PITTSBURGH -- As Gaby Sanchez "trucked" around third some 6 1/2 hours after the game began, one thought went through his head. "This is enough," the 216-pound first baseman said after the game. "Im tired. Its been a long day." Then Sanchez laughed. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been doing an awful lot of that lately. Pinch-hitter Russell Martin singled home Sanchez for the winning run in the 14th inning and the Pirates earned their ninth straight victory, defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 Sunday. The Pirates extended their longest winning streak since 2004, when they took 10 in a row. Pittsburgh reached the midpoint of its season with the best record in the majors at 51-30. "Its fun right now," said Martin, who played a key role in an extra-inning victory he did not start for the second straight Sunday. "Obviously, winning is fun, but just being on a team with a bunch of guys who play with their hearts out there and enjoy the game, its definitely been a pleasure." Teammates were having fun with Sanchez, a slugger not known for his speed. Sanchez led off the 14th with an infield single. With one out, he stole second for his first steal in more than a year. After a walk, Martin hit a soft liner to centre off Francisco Rodriguez (1-1). Sanchez chugged around third and slid home ahead of the throw by Carlos Gomez. "I guess he felt fresh today for some reason," Martin said with a wry smile. "Were just grinding; hes out there grinding and made it happen and I think everybody is enjoying it." Pirates manager Clint Hurdle gave the sign for Sanchez to make an attempt for his first stolen base as a Pirate and first overall since May 6, 2012. Sanchez has 10 steals and 30 infield hits in 513 career games according to STATS. "Once it gets late like that, youve got to take some chances," Hurdle said. "Gabys always heads-up." Sanchez validated the efforts of Pittsburghs stingy bullpen, one that refers to itself as "The Shark Tank." Vin Mazzaro pitched five perfect innings. He was among six Pirates relievers who combined for 11 scoreless innings after Charlie Morton was pulled following a rain delay of 2 hours, 20 minutes. Justin Wilson, Bryan Morris, Jason Grilli and Mark Melancon each pitcheed a scoreless inning following Mazzaro -- allowing a total of two hits and no walks.dddddddddddd. Tony Watson (2-1) struck out four in three hitless innings. "A truly incredible job from everybody out there," Hurdle said. "It feels like they all throw 110 mph, and theyve all got good stuff," Brewers outfielder Logan Schafer said. "They know what theyre doing. They locate their pitches for the most part and they get ahead early in the count. Those guys are very good." Andrew McCutchen hit a tying single in the Pittsburgh eighth. Bidding for the franchises first winning season or playoff berth in 21 years, surprising Pittsburgh enters July with the most wins in the majors. The crowd of 35,351 was about three 3,000 shy of capacity, snapping the PNC Park-record sellout streak of five games. The vast majority of those on hand waited out a downpour not long after Milwaukee scored an unearned run in the second inning off of Morton, making his fourth start since returning from 2012 elbow surgery. The Pirates trailed for roughly the next four hours -- after the delay Tyler Thornburg and Mazzaro traded shutout innings -- until tying it in the eighth against Jim Henderson. Starling Marte walked with one out, advanced on a groundout and came home on McCutchens single. Martin Maldonado had three hits for Milwaukee, which got its only run when Yuniesky Betancourt came home on Schafers bunt in the second. "Its tough right now," Schafer said. "Were not getting a whole lot of breaks. But things will turn. They always do in this game." NOTES: LF Schafer robbed Sanchez of a home run by reaching over the left-centre field wall for a catch in the seventh. ... After a team off-day Monday, Pittsburgh opens a three-game series against visiting Philadelphia. LHP Jeff Locke, who has a personal seven-winning streak, was in line to start that game but Hurdle said he was been scratched because Locke was forced to throw in the bullpen during the 14th inning Sunday. Locke would have entered the game had it been extended any longer. Hurdle said no determination had been made on who would start Tuesday. ... After the Brewers begin a four-game series in Washington on Monday, the lone NL team they will have yet to face will be the New York Mets. ' ' '