in the ninth. Verlander is 7-1 with a 2.05 ERA in his last 12

LA VILLA, Italy -- Marcel Hirscher was more pleased at finally beating his French rivals than with the fact that he had matched Alberto Tomba with a record fourth giant slalom win in Alta Badia on Sunday.The overall World Cup leader from Austria increased his first-leg lead and finished 0.71 seconds ahead of Mathieu Faivre of France on the steep and dark Gran Risa course. Florian Eisath of Italy was third, 1.10 behind.Hirscher had finished second behind Frenchmen -- Alexis Pinturault twice and Faivre once -- in each of the previous three giant slalom races. Thomas Fanara and Victor Muffat-Jeandet, two more French skiers, have also been highly competitive.Im super happy to get my first GS win of the season, Hirscher said. The French team is the benchmark at moment. All four guys showed in France how strong they are.Pinturault, who won on home snow in Val dIsere last weekend, fell early in his second run, spun around and crashed into the safety netting at high speed. He was charging hard after placing seventh in the opening run.Pinturault was slow getting up but skied down under his own power. He said later that he was not injured but had only sore legs.Olympic champion Ted Ligety slid off course shortly into his first run. The American, a two-time winner on the Gran Risa, has been unable to train properly lately due to severe back pain.I just have stabbing pain all the way down my leg, nerve pain, so I havent been able to ski much, Ligety said. Ive been getting injections and trying to get it sorted out but it hasnt really turned the corner yet.Italian great Tomba captured his wins on the Gran Risa course in 1987, `90, `91 and `94.Hirscher has now won this race four straight years. He also took a slalom in Badia in 2011.Im not thinking about breaking records, Hirscher said. I dont know how long I will ski.Attempting to become the first skier to win six consecutive overall titles, Hirscher increased his lead in the standings to 218 points ahead of Kjetil Jansrud, who didnt qualify for a second run.The most challenging section of the Gran Risa course is usually the steep and dark upper area but many skiers had trouble with an artificial jump on the flatter bottom part this year.Hirscher was slightly out of control going over the jump in his first run but he was perfect in his second trip down.Artificial, built-in jumps are a rarity in giant slalom.Its good to have some parts of a ski race where spectators are screaming and shouting and nervous watching in TV, Hirscher said. I was also watching in the start when one of the guys jumped far away into the flat and it was fun to see.Eisath had just taken the lead and the crowd was going wild when Faivre began his second run.I was listening to music but fortunately I took my headphones out early enough to hear the crowd cheering for Eisath, so I knew I had to really attack to take the lead and I did, Faivre said. But then Hirscher was really perfect in the second run and on a higher level today.It was the first podium result for Eisath in his 100th World Cup race.Its been a really long journey with lots of ups and downs and lots of fighting, said Eisath, who is from the nearby Val dEga and had his entire family and fan club in attendance.Zan Kranjec of Slovenia finished fourth to match his best career result from the season opener in Soelden, Austria.The top American finishers were Tommy Ford in 13th and Ryan Cochran-Siegle in 20th with the No. 50 bib.In the opening run, Philipp Schoerghofer was faster than his teammate Hirscher before he lost control and skied through one of the final gates. Erik Read of Canada also crashed into the safety netting.A parallel giant slalom is scheduled for Monday night on the Gran Risa.---Andrew Dampf on Twitter: www.twitter.com/asdampf Ken Boyer Jersey . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. 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A look at whats happening all around the majors Monday:---MATINEE IDOLSThe holiday schedule on Labor Day includes only one true night game, with the other 14 all scheduled to start by late afternoon local time. A pair of prominent pitchers return to their old homes, with Zack Greinke (12-4) going for Arizona at Dodger Stadium and Drew Pomeranz (10-10 overall) up for Boston in San Diego.HOMECOMING IN THE QUEEN CITYAll-Star outfielder Jay Bruce returns to Cincinnati for the first time since the Reds sent him to the Mets at the Aug. 1 trade deadline. Before the game, the Reds plan to honor Bruce and his wife, Hannah, on the field. After a slow start in New York, Bruce has come on lately. He has two homers and four RBI in his last three games. Robert Stephenson (2-0) attempts to become the first Reds pitcher since Wayne Simpson in 1970 to win his first three major league starts.BACK IN TOP FORM?Longtime aces Felix Hernandez (9-5, 3.48 ERA) and Cole Hamels (14-4, 2.91) look to rebound from lackluster outings when Seattle opens a series against Texas. Hernandez allowed six earned runs over four innings in a loss to the Rangers last Wednesday, while Hamels gave up six runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Mariners on Tuesday.LETS GET WILDCardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright (9-8) tries to snap his four-game losing streak at Pittsburgh in the opener of a three-game series with NL wild-card implications. Rookie right-hander Chad Kuhl (3-2, 3.70) goes for the slumping Pirates (67-67), who have dropped six in a row to fall 3 1/2 games behind St.dddddddddddd Louis in the race for the leagues final playoff spot.YOU AGAINTigers right-hander Justin Verlander (14-7, 3.30 ERA) and White Sox lefty Chris Sale (15-7, 3.10) square off for the second time in six days. They handed a tie game to the bullpens last Wednesday, when Detroit won 3-2 on Tyler Collins sacrifice fly in the ninth. Verlander is 7-1 with a 2.05 ERA in his last 12 starts, while Sale is 1-5 over his past nine despite a 3.43 ERA.GOING TO THE BULLPENThe first-place Indians, who have won six straight, will lean on their bullpen when they open a four-game series with Houston. Right-hander Mike Clevinger will start but is expected to go only a couple of innings in what will be a game pitched by relievers. Right-hander Josh Tomlin, removed from the rotation, could also be used early in the game.BRAVE NEW DAYPerhaps few folks have noticed, but the last-place Braves (54-83) have won six in a row and eight of 10 heading into their series at Washington. Center fielder Ender Inciarte has a 15-game hitting streak, and slugger Freddie Freeman has reached base safely in 27 straight games -- the longest active streak in the majors. Next up, Max Scherzer (15-7, 2.89 ERA) and the NL East-leading Nationals. Scherzers start was bumped back a day to give him extra rest. ' ' '