Jill Ellis has been named the U.S. national team coach in the run-up to the womens World Cup next summer in Canada and beyond. Ellis has been the interim coach since Tom Sermanni was surprisingly dismissed in early April after an exhibition victory against China. It was Ellis second stint as an interim coach with the team; she also took over when previous head coach Pia Sundhage resigned in 2012 to become head coach of Swedens national team. Ellis has a 6-0-3 record overall as the teams interim coach. Ellis was an assistant to both Sermanni and Sundhage. She was on the staff of the gold medal-winning U.S. teams at the Beijing and London Olympics. The 47-year-old coach, who is well respected among national team players, has had a lengthy coaching career, including 12 seasons at UCLA. "Not beating around the bush, I know the expectation, embrace the expectation," Ellis said Friday. "I know that we want to win, and I think this group is capable of winning. Thats what we want, it is always the expectation. People ask me if thats intimidating and I say no, because when you work for U.S. soccer its about winning gold medals and standing on the first-place podium." The U.S. womens team, which has been ranked No. 1 for the past six years, next plays a pair of exhibition matches against France in Tampa, Florida, and East Hartford, Connecticut, in mid-June. The United States will host the eight-team CONCACAF qualifying tournament in October for the 2015 World Cup, according to an announcement Friday. The tournament was originally scheduled to take place in Mexico but there were "issues" concerning the venues, U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati said. The venues and schedule for the tournament have yet to be determined. Despite the teams success on the international stage in recent years, the U.S. women havent won a World Cup title since 1999. Japan won the 2011 World Cup in Germany, defeating the United States on a penalty shoot-out following a 2-2 draw after extra time. "The job description is to win next summer," Gulati said during a conference call Friday announcing Ellis appointment. Beyond that, the U.S. team will also look to defend back-to-back-to-back Olympic titles in Brazil the following year. Sermanni helped the U.S. to a 13-0-3 record last year, but the Americans went 1-2-1 at the Algarve Cup in March, the last major tournament for the U.S. before qualifying this fall. The seventh-place Algarve Cup finish included a 1-0 loss to Sweden and Sundhage, ending a two-year, 43-game unbeaten streak. That was the first loss following a 16-0-4 start under Sermanni. Ellis led the team to a 3-0 exhibition win in the second match against China after Sermanni was dismissed. "Were comfortable with Jill, we love Jill, we have a lot of respect for Jill, and she didnt really miss a beat. She put the pen on the board and she just started coaching," U.S. goalkeeper Hope Solo said following the match. "Im always honoured to be coached by Jill. Every time she has something to say, I always perk up and listen." Ellis will step down from her position as U.S. Soccer womens development director now that she is the head coach, the organization said. "We think Jills got all the right credentials, both in terms of experience, and how she relates to the players -- weve been able to see that firsthand in the two times shed been with the senior team and previously with our youth teams," Gulati said. "She gets top marks in all the work shes been doing on the technical side with all of our programs in the last several years. Its all of those things." Toronto Blue Jays Pro Shop . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. Toronto Blue Jays Gear . The teams were scoreless for most of the first two periods before Canada scored three times in a span of less than four minutes. Sarah Potomak opened the scoring on the power play. https://www.cheapbluejays.com/ . Messis 75th-minute goal answered some of the criticism the clubs all-time leading scorer had received for his lacklustre performances in the teams recent losses in the league, Champions League and Copa del Rey final. Blue Jays Jerseys 2019 .com) - SirDominic Pointer posted career highs of 24 points and seven steals to lead No. Blue Jays Jerseys 2020 . Cruz set the tone with a two-run homer in the first inning, and Baltimore scored eight times in the eighth to pull away for a 12-3 victory in Game 1. The major league leader with 40 homers during the regular season, Cruz added an RBI single to his early blast off Max Scherzer.NEW YORK -- Wily Peralta looked completely focused on the mound -- even if he had more on his mind than the New York Mets. Peralta pitched into the seventh inning and Jonathan Lucroy had three hits to send the Milwaukee Brewers past the slumping Mets 3-1 Wednesday night. Immediately after the game, Peralta headed home to the Dominican Republic to take care of some "family business," manager Ron Roenicke said. The pitcher will rejoin the team in Milwaukee this weekend. Roenicke said the plan has been in place for a while. The Brewers didnt want to reveal specifics, but it sounded as though Peralta was dealing with something serious. "Pretty tough. I dont know how he did it, but he did it. Pretty amazing, considering," Lucroy said. "I dont think I could do that with stuff like that on my mind." Lucroy doubled twice and drove in a run, raising his batting average to .341. Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura each had an RBI as the NL Central leaders wore down Jacob deGrom (0-3), still looking for his win after six mostly solid starts. The shaggy-haired rookie was lifted in the sixth after throwing 80 strikes in 107 pitches. But he got little help from his teammates as New York lost for the seventh time in eight games. "One of these days we are going to get that big hit for him and hell get that win," Mets manager Terry Collins said. Collins made it halfway through the latest defeat, ejected in the fifth for arguing a replay ruling. The attendance of 20,170 marked the smallest crowd at Citi Field this season -- for the second consecutive night. Peralta (6-5) used a 96-98 mph fastball and his nasty slider to hold scuffling David Wright and the punchless Mets to four hits in 6 1-3 innings. The right-hander won his second consecutive start following a four-game losing streak. It was the second time Peralta has shut down the Mets. He beat them 3-0 with eight innings of two-hit ball at Miller Park on Sept. 16, 2012. "Wily was really good. Command a lot better. Fastball was down in the zone better. Slider was better," Roenicke said. "I thought he pitched today instead of fighting through things and just trying to throw as hard as he could." Will Smith worked a scoreless eighth and ex-Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez got three quicck outs for his 20th save in 22 attempts.dddddddddddd First baseman Mark Reynolds made a diving catch to end it. Milwaukee has won nine of 14 overall. "It was definitely a grind-it win," Lucroy said. In his second game since moving into the leadoff spot, Scooter Gennett gave the Brewers a pair of pesky at-bats that paid off. He saw a total of 16 pitches during his first two trips to the plate and got a hit both times. After a double to start the third, he scored on a groundout by Lucroy. With the score tied in the fourth, Mets left fielder Curtis Granderson misplayed Aramis Ramirezs leadoff double. Segura tried to squeeze home a run with one out, but bunted foul. On the next pitch, he lined an RBI single to snap a 2-for-28 skid. Lucroys fifth-inning double sent Ryan Braun to third. He scored on Gomezs infield single to make it 3-1. "Lukes locked in and he has been for quite a while," Roenicke said. "His at-bats are outstanding." Taylor Teagarden was called out on a bang-bang play at first to open the bottom half. Collins challenged, and the crowd cheered when replays appeared to show Teagarden was safe by a hair. But the call stood upon review, bringing a confounded Collins out of the dugout again. He gestured toward the big video board in centre field and was given some leeway during the discussion before getting tossed by plate umpire Gary Cederstrom. It was Collins first ejection this season. Managers are not allowed to argue replay rulings. "I knew when I left the dugout what was going to happen," Collins said. "Sometimes you have to have an answer." Lucas Dudas sacrifice fly put the Mets ahead in the second. NOTES: Gomez has reached safely in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors. ... Milwaukee must decide by Friday whether to return LHP Tom Gorzelanny (shoulder surgery) from his rehab assignment or keep him on the disabled list. ... An MRI showed Brewers RHP Tyler Thornburg has irritation in his right elbow, but no ligament damage. "Its not super serious, but we are going to be cautious," Roenicke said. Thornburg went on the 15-day disabled list June 7. ... Brewers RHP Kyle Lohse (7-2, 3.27 ERA) faces LHP Jonathon Niese (3-3, 2.68) in the series finale. ' ' '