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ByJimmyDurkin BayAreaNewsGroup SAN FRANCISCO The punch- less San Francisco Giants were no match for All-Star Jacob de- Grom in Wednesday's 4-1 loss to the New York Mets. With Buster Posey nursing a tight right hamstring and missing his second straight game, the Giants generated just two hits in deGrom's eight shutout innings to drop their third straight series. San Francisco (43-43) is back at .500 again and owns the second-worst record in the major leagues since May 30 (13-23). But manager Bruce Bochy and others insist there are reasons to be encouraged. The successful returns of Hunter Pence, Matt Cain and Wednes- day's starter, Jake Peavy, plus the impending returns of sev- eral others, leave the Giants optimistic. "Where we're at with what we've been through — all the injuries, we've had some tough travel, not to make excuses — I really think this club is going to bounce back," Bochy said. "This offense is going to get it going." It needs to after scoring just four runs in this three-game series with the Mets. Three of them, including their one run Wednesday, were driven in by Pence. He had a leadoff double in the second inning but was stranded and singled home a run in the ninth. "Very, very encouraged," Bo- chy said of Pence. "It's not easy BASEBALL Giantsunabletosolve Mets'All-StardeGrom San Francisco musters just one run against New York's ace right-hander PHOTOSBYJEFFCHIU—THEASSOCIATEDPRESS San Francisco Giants le fielder Justin Maxwell catches a fly ball hit by the New York Mets' Kevin Plawecki during the fourth inning Wednesday in San Francisco. Giants pitcher Jake Peavy throws against the Mets during the second inning in San Francisco on Wednesday. METS4,GIANTS1 Up next: Philadelphia Phillies at San Francisco Giants, 7:15 p.m. Friday, TV on CSNBA. THESCORE By John Hickey Bay Area News Group NEWYORK The Oakland A's saw left-handed starter Scott Kazmir, as steady a pitcher as they've had in their rotation this sea- son, walk off the field because of shoulder problems Wednesday, the second time it's happened in six weeks. Oakland was leading by one at the time with Kazmir having al- lowed one unearned run in three innings, but the New York Yan- kees rallied against reliever Evan Scribner for a 5-4 win. First base- man Mark Teixeira raked Scrib- ner for a pair of solo homers, the 10th and 11th off the reliever this year. Kazmir, who came into the start holding down the sixth-best ERA in the American League at 2.56, is being watched heavily these days by many contending teams, including the Blue Jays, Nationals and Yankees sending scouts out when he pitches. Although the last-place A's (39-48) haven't said he's avail- able, with the trade deadline BASEBALL Kazmirleavesgameearly,Yankeesrally New York's Teixeira blasts two solo home runs off Scribner to hand Oakland the defeat JULIE JACOBSON — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A's third baseman Brett Lawrie bobbles a ground ball hit by the Yankees' Chris Young during the second inning on Wednesday in New York. Lawrie was charged with an error on the play. YANKEES 5, ATHLETICS 4 Up next: Oakland A's at New York Yankees, 10:05a.m. today, TV on CSNCA, MLBN. THESCORE With crashes taking down riders on rain-drenched roads, keeping team leaders safe was the order of the day on Wednesday's fi h stage of the Tour de France. TOUR DE FRANCE Contenderskeptsafein rainy, crash-marred day FULL STORY ON PAGE B2 Long before he was arrested in the shooting death of a woman at a San Francisco pier, Juan Francisco Lopez Sanchez was using the U.S.- Mexican border like a revolving door. PIER SLAYING Suspect's immigration history is common FULL STORY ON PAGE B6 By Stephen Wilson The Associated Press LONDON The top 3 men — No- vak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray — sailed into the Wimbledon semifinals in straight sets. The final four lineup has an unexpected name, too. Richard Gasquet outlasted French Open champion Stan Wawrinka in a marathon fifth set Wednesday, preventing Wimble- don from having the top 4 men's seeded players in the semifinals for the first time in 20 years. The 21st-seeded Frenchman overcame the fourth-seeded Swiss 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 11-9, falling onto his back in relief after Wawrin- ka's backhand sailed long on the third match point, ending nearly 3 hours of play. Gasquet, who failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the fifth set, reached the semifinals at the All England Club for the first time since 2007. "The last game was incredible," he said. "I kept fighting a lot. And I did it. It's a great match for me. It would be difficult for me to lose that one after (leading) 5-3." Gasquet will next face defend- ing champion Djokovic, who swept past Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the final four for the WIMBLEDON Gasquet joins Big 3 in lineup of semifinals 21st seed beats Wawrinka in 5-set quarterfinal bout TIM IRELAND — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Richard Gasquet celebrates winning the fourth set Wednesday in a men's quarterfinal match. By Doug Ferguson The Associated Press The photo Rory McIlroy posted to Instagram on Wednes- day shows his feet up, a black air cast around his left ankle, as he watches Wimbledon on television. The claret jug was positioned be- neath the screen. When it comes to a Grand Slam championship in his own sport, the world's No. 1 golfer will be re- duced to watching this year. Two days after the stunning news that he ruptured a ligament in his left ankle, McIlroy pulled out of the British Open at St. An- drews, the first time in 61 years that the defending champion will not be in the field. He injured his ankle over the weekend playing soccer with friends in Northern Ireland. Mc- Ilroy held out hope he could still make it to St. Andrews next week, but he decided it was not worth risking a full recovery. "After much consideration, I have decided not to play in the Open Championship at St. An- drews," McIlroy said on his Ins- tagram post. "I'm taking a long-term view of this injury and, although re- hab is progressing well, I want to GOLF McIlroy pulls out of British Open due to ankle injury The Red Bluff Bulls 15U team beat the Mead Panthers 13-2 Friday before losing 8-6 Saturday to Juanita Boyz and 10-7Sunday to the Great Falls Chargers at the Spokane Wood Bat Classic. AMERICAN LEGION Red Bluff Bulls 15U wins one, drops two The Mercy High School Trinity Golf Classic Tournament is scheduled for 4:30p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1at Oak Creek Golf Course. Four-person scramble. Call Sabrina Rhodes at 529-4439for registration. FUNDRAISER Mercy High Trinity Golf Classic set for Aug. 1 TENNIS PAGE 2 MCILROY PAGE 2 GIANTS PAGE 2 A'S PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, July 9, 2015 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1