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ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Tyler Skaggs will pitch at Angel Stadium for the first time in two years Sunday when the Los Angeles Angels and the Boston Red Sox conclude their three-game series.The left-hander, who turned 25 on July 13, returned to major-league action Tuesday night in Kansas City after spending the past two years recuperating from Tommy John surgery. In his start against the Royals, Skaggs conceded just three hits and one walk in seven shutout innings while collecting five strikeouts in the Angels 13-0 romp. Skaggs threw 63 of his 88 pitches for strikes.It went a lot better than I expected, to say the least, Skaggs told MLB.com afterward. Everything just felt really fast in that first at-bat and after that, it started to slow down. It was a fun game for me.The left-hander last pitched in Anaheim on July 25, 2014, when he struck out five in 5 2/3 innings while allowing runs on five hits and a walk against the Detroit Tigers. In his next start six days later, Skaggs amassed seven strikeouts and issued no walks during 4 2/3 no-hit innings in Baltimore but left after throwing 72 pitches. Skaggs underwent ligament-transfer surgery 13 days later.Skaggs began this season with Triple-A Salt Lake but after his first three starts, biceps tendinitis kept him from pitching for two months. Skaggs returned to minor-league action June 22 with a rehabilitation assignment with the Angels rookie-league team in Arizona before returning to Salt Lake on July 2.In his final two minor-league starts, Skaggs held opponents to just two hits and three walks in 12 2/3 shutout innings while accumulating 26 strikeouts. Fourteen came against Triple-A Omaha to tie the Bees team record set by Jered Weaver.The left-hander will play a pivotal role in the starting rotation for the rest of this season and well into the next, at least. Injuries stripped the Angels of starters Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, C.J. Wilson and Nick Tropeano. Heaney already had Tommy John surgery but Tropeano and Richards seek to avoid it.We have great expectations for him, manager Mike Scioscia told MLB.com in reference to Skaggs. Hes an important part of what were trying to do. We expected to have him maybe a little bit earlier. But hes ready now, and were happy to have him.Opposing Skaggs will be 31-year-old knuckleballer Steven Wright, who is having the best season of his career. The right-hander, an American League All-Star for the first time, already has career bests in victories (12), complete games (3), starts (20), strikeouts (109) and innings (132 2/3).Wright anticipated being one of the bullpens spare parts before left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez suffered a knee injury that forced a quick change in plans.I was going to be a long guy, spot starter, the knuckleball specialist told the Boston Globe. I knew my role in spring training. They made it clear. Thats what I prepared for. I knew there was a chance Id get starts. I didnt think Id be in the rotation. Unfortunately, Eddie got hurt but it opened up a door for me.But Wright had perhaps his worst start of the season in his last appearance Tuesday night against the Tigers in Fenway Park. The right-hander allowed eight earned runs on nine hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings yet received no decision in Bostons 9-8 defeat. Before that game, Wright won his previous four starts.This is a tough loss for me because I feel like if you can get eight runs, you should get the team a win, Wright told MLB.com afterward. You cant keep asking the offense to score eight, nine runs every night. Thats tough to do for any team. Air Max Clearance Online . They hope to persuade the other team owners and commissioner Roger Goodell to put pressure on Redskins owner Daniel Snyder to drop the nickname they find offensive. 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RIO DE JANEIRO -- Many top foreign leaders have been slow to commit to attending the opening ceremony of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics amid Brazils political turmoil and a stream of bad news engulfing South Americas first games.Top politicians who do show up could face a diplomatic quandary when the games open in three weeks.President Dilma Rousseff has been suspended and faces an impeachment trial, which could conclude days after the Olympics end. She has said she hopes to attend, meaning she would join interim president Michel Temer as the main faces of the host nation.If you are a top world leader, whose hand would you shake in the middle of such uncertainty? Maristella Basso, a professor of international law at the University of Sao Paulo, told The Associated Press. It is a bizarre situation. The best that foreign leaders can do is to send a letter and stay home to avoid any embarrassment. It wont be a party occasion for Brazil anyway, look at the mess.An early prediction that 100 heads of state or government could be on hand at the Aug. 5 ceremony has not been repeated for weeks. The Brazilian foreign ministry declined to offer numbers, and said a list would be published just the before the games open. Organizing committee spokesman Mario Andrada said he did not know how many leaders would attend.The Brazilian news website UOL puts the number at 45 and lists United Nations Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon as a confirmed guest.France is an exception. Frances embassy in Brasilia told AP that President Francois Hollande will attend the opening ceremony. Paris is a candidate to host the 2024 games.Italys embassy also confirmed that Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wouldd attend.dddddddddddd Rome is another 2024 candidate.The United States embassy did not say if President Barack Obama would attend. Brazilian media has reported that Secretary of State John Kerry is the American official most likely to be at Maracana Stadium. First Lady Michelle Obama represented the U.S. at Londons opening ceremony in 2012.China, one of Brazils main trade partners, did not reply to APs request for information. Brazilian media say China will send Vice Premier Liu Yandong, who is in charge of education and sports. She ranks far below President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.Beijing is host to the 2022 Winter Olympics.Even Argentina, Brazils main partner in the region, has yet to confirm the presence of President Mauricio Macri, although its embassy in Brasilia says he is expected to come.Japan has also not confirmed its delegation. However, Japan would seem likely to send a top-ranking representative with Tokyo the next host of the Summer Games.Britain, which held the last Summer Olympics, has just changed its prime minister and its representative is in doubt.Russia is another question mark. Many Russian athletes have been caught up in a giant doping scandal. A report due on Monday may confirm allegations of state-backed doping by Russia. Already, the Russian track and field team has been banned from the games, pending an appeal.Even many left-leaning Latin American governments that supported Brazil as South Americas first Olympic host have yet to confirm.----AP Sports Writer Stephen Wade contributed to this report. ' ' '