SONOMA, Calif. -- Although Dario Franchitti hasnt won an IndyCar race since last years Indianapolis 500, hes in prime position to snap that unpleasant streak when he starts on the pole Sunday in an excellent Honda at Sonoma Raceway. But if he can help Scott Dixon by stepping off the gas a bit, Franchitti would be happy to follow team orders. Franchitti wont put his personal success ahead of Target Chip Ganassi Racings fortunes. That means Dixon will get every chance to gain ground on IndyCar points leader Helio Castroneves (453 points), who leads second-place Dixon (422) with five races to go. "I want to win the race, obviously," Franchitti said after turning a lap in 1 minute, 17.5271 seconds to win his 33rd career pole. "But the big picture -- and we say this every year in our team -- we sit in the first meeting of the year, and our two goals are to win the 500 and win the championship. We didnt win the 500, so weve got to win the championship. Scott is our best shot at that, and whatever I can do to help him win that championship, I will." Will Power also hasnt won an IndyCar race since early last season in Sao Paulo, yet he feels the same way about Team Penske teammate Castroneves, who needs a strong finish in the waning weeks of the IndyCar season to earn his first championship. "Anything to help Helio win the championship," said Power, who finished second in each of the last three years. Dixon finished qualifying in second place at 1:17.7196, while Castroneves starts back in fifth behind Power and Ryan Hunter-Reay. That distance isnt much, but its a bit tougher to make up at Sonoma Raceway, a 2.385-mile road course in Northern California wine country. Passing is uncommonly difficult on the winding, 12-turn Sonoma track, which makes qualifying particularly important. Four pole-sitters have won the race, and nobody has moved up to win from farther than fifth. Its tough even under ideal conditions, but the Bay Area wind has been unpredictable this week, its direction changing 180 degrees over the course of many afternoons. The wind also blows Sonoma sand onto the track, creating unpredictable tire conditions and general uncertainty with every turn. "It was all over the place," Castroneves said after qualifying. "You really have to expect the unexpected all the time -- and then the sun is really beautiful right now, and actually no (wind). It was very difficult for everyone." Charlie Kimball continued his impressive recent work with a sixth-place run Saturday, easily his highest qualifying position in Sonoma. Ganassis Kimball earned his first career victory in IndyCars most recent race in Ohio. "The wind does totally change the track," said Power, who set the track record in qualifying last year. "Our car was quite tough. Im pretty happy. I think the Ganassi guys have definitely got a leg up on everybody here." Franchitti earned his third pole at Sonoma and his fourth pole of the season. The Scot said his team spent a sombre week working on the race after the recent deaths of Chip Ganassis father, Floyd, and the wife of former Ganassi engineer Andy Brown. "Its obviously been a very tough week," Franchitti said. "Were pretty focused on bringing a good result for the team." While the top two teams will do anything to help their top two drivers, nobody is conceding the IndyCar series title to the two front-runners just yet. Five drivers are within 111 points of Castroneves, including Andretti Autosports Hunter-Reay in third place and Franchitti in fifth. Castroneves said hes feeling fine after spraining his neck and cutting his shin when he crashed a stock car during practice on a street course in his native Brazil two weeks ago. He insists hes in top condition to handle the demanding Sonoma track -- as does defending Sonoma champion Ryan Briscoe, who qualified well back in 22nd place for Panther Racing in his final IndyCar event of the season. Kyle Garlick Jersey . -- Chris Tillman paid no attention to the Baltimore bullpen as it started to stir in the ninth inning. Los Angeles Dodgers Shirts . The Raptors second-year forward has been one of the primary beneficiaries of the early-season trade, breaking out and becoming a vital part of his teams success on both ends of the floor. Around the league, teams are starting to take notice and feature Ross more predominately in their pre-game scouting reports but its not just the opposition that hes impressing. https://www.cheapdodgersonline.com/. Now Arizonas new manager is hoping Yasmany Tomas can have the same effect on the Diamondbacks. Gary Sheffield Jersey . - Jesse Shynkaruk scored a hat trick as the Moose Jaw Warriors snapped a seven-game losing streak with an 8-2 win over the Prince Albert Raiders in Western Hockey League action on Saturday. Justin Turner Jersey . After rookie right-hander Alex Colome excelled in a 5-2 victory in the opener, the Rays fell to Chris Tillman and the Orioles 4-1 on Friday night.NEW YORK -- For a pitcher with little buzz, Dillon Gee has transformed into a top starter. He nearly came away with his first professional shutout Sunday, limiting the Miami Marlins to three singles over eight innings in the New York Mets 4-0 victory. "Im not sure if Dillon is all that sexy of a pitcher," Mets captain David Wright said. "He just goes out there and gets the job done." Gee never topped 90 mph against the Marlins. Still, he didnt allow a runner past second base. "Hes not going to impress you with the radar gun. Hes not going to strike a lot of guys out," Wright said. "But what hes going to do is induce a lot of ground balls, pound the strike zone. And hes going to go out there and know how to pitch." Chris Young hit a two-run homer, and Wright had an RBI double and an outstanding sliding, over-the-shoulder catch of a foul popup with his back to the plate as the Mets took two of three in the series. Pitching a day before his 28th birthday, Gee (2-1) had the longest outing of a Mets pitcher since last August. He struck out six, walked four and threw 110 pitches -- his high since May 30, 2012, against Philadelphia. That was six weeks before season-ending surgery to repair a damaged artery in his right shoulder. He tried to talk Mets manager Terry Collins into letting him get a complete game. Gee has just four in 162 pro starts over eight years. "CG chances dont come along that often. It would have been nice," Gee said. Collins wasnt taking any chances, especially after Gee needed 23 pitches to navigate a 1-2-3 eighth. Coming in, batters were hitting .187 off Gee through the first six innings and .385 from the seventh on. "The one thing I didnt want to have happen is fourth time through the lineup, to have him hang a slider with a 113th pitch and have something go into the seats," Collins said. Gee is 12-6 with a 2.75 ERA since last May 30. Thats the eighth-best ERA in the major leagues, according to STATS, just ahead of Adam Wainwright and Madison Bumgarner. "Probably pretty under the radar, like I think a lot of players in this room," Wright said. "We dont necessarily have a lineup full or a pitching rotation full of household names." Carlos Torres followed with a perfect ninth that finished a thrree-hitter.dddddddddddd The Marlins felt flummoxed by Gee, who is 3-0 in five starts against them "Hes got a good sinker. He uses a cutter, curveball. Hes always got that changeup," Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. Tom Koehler (2-2), who was born in Bronx and grew up in New Rochelle, allowed four runs, five hits and four walks in five innings. New York went ahead in the second when Daniel Murphy walked, Young was hit by a pitch and Lucas Duda looped a ground-rule double down the left-field line that landed about a foot fair and bounced into the seats. Curtis Granderson walked leading off the three-run fifth and came home when Wright doubled to the base of the left-field wall, only his third extra-base hit since an opening day home run. After Murphy grounded out, Young had four straight fouls before sending a hanging slider into the left-field seats on the 11th pitch of his at-bat and the 22nd pitch to him from Koehler on the afternoon. "I kind of saw everything he had, and I think the advantage leans a little more toward my way," Young said. There was some superb glovework: Murphy made a barehand pickup of a three-hopper on the shortstop side of second to throw out Marcell Ozuna in the first; and Wright made the glamorous grab on Casey McGehees fourth-inning foul pop about 70 feet beyond third base. "Its kind of a panic slide because you dont want to go barrelling into that tarp," Wright said. New York completed a 6-4 homestand, leaving its record at 14-11. "Its impossible to beat your chest and kind of walk with a little pep in your step when youre not winning," Wright said. "You start taking care of business at home, you kind of gain that confidence and I think that that kind of shows on the field." NOTES: Mets pitchers are 0 for 41 at the plate this year, the longest hitless streak for any teams pitchers starting a season since at least 1974, according to STATS. The Braves began 2008 and 11 with 0 for 39 slides. ... Murphy has succeeded in 27 consecutive stolen-base attempts, six shy of Kevin McReynolds Mets record. ... New York is 6-0 when Recker starts this season. ... Jon Niese (1-2) starts the Mets series opener on Tuesday at Philadelphia, where Cole Hamels (0-1) makes his first home appearance this season. ' ' '