Die Macht » plays at first base, and both rulin

Haas boss Guenther Steiner hopes the teams improved performance in Japan can carry over to its first home race at the U.S. Grand Prix.Despite a shaky start to Friday practice, the introduction of a new front wing saw both Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutierrez make it through to Q3 at Suzuka. The team came away from the race empty-handed as Grosjean finished 11th but Steiner is buoyed by the improvement the team found with the new part.I think the new front wing they are very happy with that one, how it behaves, more total than overall downforce, its more like the behaviour of the car now which he likes better and he can be more aggressive, Steiner said. I think thats the main thing that we found the better balance.On Friday we struggled here, but I think I said it before and I may repeat myself we had this front wing since Malaysia but we were never able to test it properly and find a setup or balance with it, because we always had some struggles in FP1 or FP2. So if you have a little bit of struggle in one car, you need to find out about your tyres, you cannot develop a new front wing.Theres no point to have a good front wing and you dont know what your tyres are doing, so we focussed on it here, we had a little bit of a better weekend without big mechanical failures or anything, so we got it sorted and we got a bit of an understanding for this track, I hope we can carry it into Austin. But that is the main reason for Romain to be a little bit happier.The improvement came following an eventful Malaysian Grand Prix for the team, which saw Grosjean suffer a brake failure and Gutierrez lose a wheel mid-way through the race. Steiner thinks the quick turnaround underlined the strength of Haas operation.Our plate was full after Malaysia to sort out the problems we had and also try to make the car quicker and get a better set-up. I think everyone worked hard and we achieved a lot in a very short time. So, again, that shows for me how the team is getting better.After Malaysia everything went wrong which could go wrong, we had so many broken parts. The guys here arrived ready to go again. We didnt have any stupid late nights here, we had one night anti-curfew but the rest the guys went home before so we are getting more efficient in how we do things and just better prepared.We cant have this without giving the time, because experience ... you need to make it. To make experience takes time and the only thing you cannot buy is time. So I think we made progress again. Of course you always make a step forward and then two back and then that is how you steadily come up. As long as you make progress I think we are happy, we are good. 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MIAMI -- An NL All-Star jersey was draped over the chair at Giancarlo Stantons locker Sunday, and lately its looking like a better fit.The $325 million slugger ended a slump-marred first half of the season Sunday with a homer that put the Miami Marlins ahead to stay, and they completed their first series sweep of Cincinnati since 2003 by winning 7-3.Stanton didnt make the All-Star team but will compete in the Home Run Derby. He goes into the break with 20 home runs and 50 RBI, even though his play was nothing special for a prolonged stretch.You could have picked anyone in the stands and put them in right field a month ago, he said. Its pretty good now. There have been good strides.Stanton was batting .193 on June 15 but has raised his average to .233. His latest hit was a two-run homer in the fifth inning that gave Miami a 4-3 lead.How will he do in the Derby in San Diego on Monday?Well see, he said. Youre going to have to watch. I look forward to it a lot.I hope he hits some monumental ones, manager Don Mattingly said. Theres a building out there in left field down the line -- I think he can clear that.Thanks to three consecutive wins over Cincinnati, and despite Stantons struggles, the Marlins (47-41) have their best record at the All-Star break since 1997.Its time to press on the gas, man, Stanton said. We can peel off with everyone or we can keep going. No one is going to remember the halftime record.The last-place Reds, swept in Miami for the first time since 1996, were again hurt by a succession of baserunning mistakes and defensive lapses.We were awful today defensively, manager Bryan Price said.Miamis Adeiny Hechavarria scored from second base on a passed ball, a franchise first. All-Star center fielder Marcell Ozuna threw out Brandon Phillips on the bases for the second game in a row.Four Marlins relievers combined to allow two baserunners over the final five innings. Mike Dunn (1-1) pitched a perfect fifth to break the franchise record for career pitching appearances with his 369th.Reds rookie Cody Reed (0-4) allowed three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings to remain winless in five career starts.I just made that one bad pitch -- too Stanton, Reed said.dddddddddddd The guy is getting paid 300-something-million to hit home runs; he does that from time to time.Reds starters have an ERA of 5.86 this month. Miami improved to 15-6 against left-handers.BAD DEFENSESloppy fielding hurt Cincinnati in the second inning, when Miami scored twice. Miguel Rojas doubled and took advantage of All-Star right fielder Jay Bruces poor throw to score on a single by Hechavarria, who took second on the play.A pitch by Reed then caromed off catcher Tucker Barnharts shin guard, and when the ball rolled behind the first-base coaching box, first baseman Joey Votto was slow to react, giving Hechavarria time to score easily.Miami also scored on a passed ball in Saturdays win.SUZUKI UPDATEMarlins pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki crumpled to the dirt when hit on the left knee by a pitch from Raisel Iglesias in the seventh inning, but he stayed in the game. He needs 10 hits for 3,000.REVERSALSUmpire Mike Estabrook twice called Marlins out on plays at first base, and both rulings were quickly overturned by replay reviews. The second reversal gave Miguel Rojas an infield single, and he later scored on Realmutos two-out single in the sixth.TRAINERS ROOMMarlins: 1B Justin Bour (sprained ankle) is expected to return soon after the All-Star break.Reds: RHP Homer Bailey (elbow surgery), who made a rehab start Thursday at Triple-A Louisville, is expected to pitch again July 15 and July 20 before potentially returning to the Reds, manager Bryan Price said.UP NEXTWhen the Marlins visit the St. Louis Cardinals for three games beginning Friday, the starters are expected to be Wei-Yin Chen, Adam Conley and Koehler, with All-Star Jose Fernandez skipping a turn to help limit his innings pitched.After the break, the Reds return home to face the Milwaukee Brewers for a weekend series that begins Friday. The Reds plan to start, in order, Anthony DeSclafani, John Lamb and Dan Straily. Brandon Finnegan and Reed are scheduled to start the first two games of the following series against Atlanta. ' ' '