Luis Avilan got Mets newcomer Eric Young Jr. to hit into a doub

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- As Andrew Johnston stepped to the first tee at Baltusrol on Thursday for the first round of the PGA Championship, he received a cheer that is reserved for crowd favorites.Beef, Beef, Beef, Beef, Beef!Johnston is new to most fans here. Because he has been confined to the European Tour, most have come to know him from his eighth-place finish at Royal Troon earlier this month at The Open. But they already know they love him.That amazing nickname. That beard. That belly. That smile.Every once in a while, the proper golf world witnesses an intruder in the establishment. Twenty five years ago, the world was introduced to John Daly at the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick. Daly still plays the part, as we can always rely on some crazy pants, but he isnt relevant. He hasnt won in more than 12 years. Others have represented the Everyman, including Boo Weekley, who turned 43 this week.Johnstons win at the European Tours Spanish Open in April -- after which he said he would get hammered -- and his finish at The Open have made him top of mind and the 88th-ranked golfer in the world, up from No. 224 in February.That means Johnston -- who is tied for 36th at even par after Round 1 at Baltusrol -- is relevant enough to be the next guy who represents what many of us would be if we had a chance to play golf professionally.Before we go any further, lets start with the story of Beef, a nickname given to him because his hair looked like a piece of beef, according to a childhood friend.In time, the nickname stuck and an affinity for beef itself conveniently developed. Then he made the textbook marketing move of fully embracing it.He had BEEF tattooed on his shoulder and got Titleist to etch names of cuts of beef onto his wedges. BEEF is also embroidered on the back of all his hats.When Arbys saw what a crowd sensation he had turned into at The Open, the fast-food restaurant chain reached out to his manager, Shaun Reddin. The company and Johnston struck a deal -- even though he had never set foot inside an Arbys.We might be a 53-year-old brand, but we act like a startup, said Arbys spokesman Chris Fuller. It was amazing to see the volume of people tweeting at him on Twitter, and that got him on our radar. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the deal included a night at Arbys in New York, where he tried the companys brisket and was asked to make sandwiches. Too scared that hed mess up an order, he took on another job.I was just putting the stuff in a bag and shouting peoples names, Johnston said. That was probably the most fun.Arbys also gets four days of visibility with its logo on his left chest, if he makes the cut this weekend.A long-term deal is being discussed but might not be practical as long as Johnston is on the European Tour. There are no Arbys in his native England.Then theres the look -- a 10-month-old beard that makes him stand out even more on the course. And the gut, a factor that made Daly so endearing to blue-collar America.Finally, theres that smile, which comes from a place of just being happy to be where he is.Johnstons world turned on its end when he was 17. Thats when his father, Noel, died suddenly of brain cancer. The man who put the golf club in his sons hand was gone.Reddin, the senior partner at RedRay, had followed Johnstons career as he ascended the ranks of British junior golf. Reddin believed in him enough to financially back Andrews goal to play professionally and made it his everyday job to manage Johnston.There have been many ups and downs, which included injuries and losing a tour card, but Reddins investment is starting to pay off. Beef is having his prime year -- he has already earned $945,000 on the course in 2016.And the endorsement opportunities seem to be rising. The Arbys logo, as of now, will come off after the PGA Championship, and the logo on the other side of his chest could come off too, if the moneys right. That logo, RedRay, is Reddins company.But talk to Reddin long enough and its clear that striking endorsement deals and making his money back isnt why he did it. Being along for the journey of the golf prodigy, who Reddin saved and helped get to this point, was his motivation.I cried when he won in Spain, Reddin said. The hairs stood up on the back of my neck on Sunday at the 18th on Royal Troon. Franchy Cordero Jersey . 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Eric Hosmer Jersey . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate.ATLANTA -- Kris Medlen issued a blanket apology to every coach hes ever had. At least he could laugh about an inexplicable defensive blunder. Medlen shook off a Little League-like mistake with seven strong innings, Chris Johnson hit a three-run homer and the Atlanta Braves bounced back from a doubleheader sweep, beating the New York Mets 5-3 Wednesday night. Johnson went deep in the fourth for his first homer since May 13. Jordan Schafer put the Braves ahead to stay with some gutsy baserunning in the fifth, scoring on a wild pitch that didnt even roll off the dirt around home plate. Atlanta evened the five-game series after losing twice on Tuesday. Medlen (4-7) was still trying to figure out what he was thinking in the top half of the fifth. With a 3-0 lead thanks to Johnson, two runners aboard and no outs, the right-hander got just what he wanted -- a grounder right back to the mound. An easy double play, right? Not so fast. For some reason, Medlen whirled and threw to third -- apparently thinking triple play -- but the ball skipped past the bag and rolled toward left field. Instead of getting two outs, both runners came around to score. "It was like I blacked out, and when I woke up, the ball was in left field," Medlen said. "Its one of those plays that as youre making it, youre like, What the hell are you doing?" Manager Fredi Gonzalez wondered the same thing as he watched the play unfold. "I hope no kids were watching that," he said. "Ive never seen that before. Maybe in 10-and-under baseball, but I dont think Ive seen that play -- ever. Believe me, we dont practice that." Medlen bounced back from the miscue, giving up six hits and only one earned run, while striking out seven. He didnt walk anyone and even picked up the first stolen base of his career in the sixth. He had the bag in his locker after the game, a souvenir to help him forget that other play. Maybe. "We won, so Im happy," he said. "But it feels like we lost." Shaun Marcum (0-9) knows what that feels like. He became just the third pitcher in Mets history to start a season dropping nine straight decisions. "Balls are not falling his way. We havent given him run support, either," catcher John Buck said. "Its just not going real well for him. When Im back there, I feel like were in control of everything. Its always just one mistake or that one inning that seems to bite him." The Braves scored first with two outs in the fourth. B.J. Upton and Dan Uggla hit back-to-back singles, and then Marcum left a 2-0 pitch over the plate to Johnson. He drove it into the left-field seats, slapping hands emphatically with first-baase coach Terry Pendleton on his way around the bases.dddddddddddd "It felt good. Not just the homer, but hitting it with guys on base," Johnson said. "I like to drive guys in." Medlen gave the runs right back in the fifth. Marlon Byrd led off with a single and Lucas Duda was plunked, putting two runners aboard to set up the baffling throw to third. Kirk Nieuwenhuis followed with a bloop single just inside the right-field line to bring home Buck with the tying run. "I deserved that," Medlen said. The Braves quickly reclaimed the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Schafer led off with a double and advanced on Andrelton Simmons sacrifice before Freddie Freeman walked. It looked as if Marcum might escape the jam when he struck out Justin Upton. But a pitch to Brian McCann bounced off Bucks chest protector, rolling off to the catchers right. Schafer was nearly halfway down the line already -- the Mets shifted their defence against McCann, leaving only third baseman David Wright on the left side of the infield -- and the runner broke for home as soon as he saw the ball get away. Even though it rolled only to the edge of the grass and Buck made a quick flip to Marcum covering home, Schafer slid headfirst under the tag. "Great instincts," Gonzalez said. B.J. Upton followed with an RBI double that gave the Braves a two-run cushion, finishing off Marcum. He surrendered six hits and walked four in 4 2-3 innings. Medlen pitched into the eighth, coming out after giving up a bloop single to pinch hitter Josh Satin leading off the inning. Luis Avilan got Mets newcomer Eric Young Jr. to hit into a double play, and Craig Kimbrel struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 20th save in 23 chances. Marcums start is the worst for a Mets pitcher since Anthony Young lost his first 13 decisions in 1993 on the way to a 1-16 record. The only other pitcher in New York history to begin a season with as many as nine consecutive losses was Bob Miller, who started 0-12 in 1962 before winning his final decision with the woeful expansion Mets. "Its been a three-month ordeal for me," Marcum said. NOTES: Young started in centre field and led off for the Mets, less than 24 hours after being acquired from the Colorado Rockies. He singled on the second pitch of the game and finished 1 for 4. ... B.J. Upton had two hits and a walk. ... The Mets placed RHP Scott Atchison back on the disabled list after he injured his right groin while warming up for an appearance Tuesday night. He had just come off the DL for an ailing elbow, but didnt even make an actual pitch before getting hurt again. ' ' '