BARCELONA, Spain -- Barcelona was held to a 0-0 draw by Sevilla on Saturday, letting Real Madrid take the overnight lead in the Spanish league after Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat trick in 15 first-half minutes of a 4-0 rout against Malaga. The defending champions looked set to snatch a victory in injury time when Andres Iniesta was fouled in the area, but Sevilla goalkeeper Javi Varas stopped Lionel Messis penalty to cap his excellent performance of nine saves. "All penalties are complicated, and both luck and all the work you have put in play a part," Varas said. "But I have to give credit to my teammates. The merit is of all the team." Madrid had no such problems at big-spending Malaga, as Angel Di Maria assisted on goals by fellow Argentina international Gonzalo Higuain and Ronaldo, before the Portugal forward added two more to decide the game before halftime. The win put Madrid one point ahead of Barcelona atop the standings and two points ahead of Levante, which travels to Villarreal on Sunday in search of its sixth straight victory. "There is no comparison between the two halves," said Madrid coach Jose Mourinho, whose team has outscored its opponents 25-3 in six straight wins in all competitions. "The first half was fantastic. Later I knew it would be impossible to repeat it. Our concentration lagged, and their pride came out." Elsewhere, Sporting Gijon beat Granada 2-0 for its first win of the season, while Sergio Garcias second-half goal dropped the winless Racing Santander into last place as Espanyol won 1-0 for its second straight away victory. Expectations were high in Malaga after Qatari owner Sheik Abdullah Bin Nasser Al-Thani spent C60 million to overhaul the squad this summer, but Madrid easily showed the Costa del Sol side is still far from challenging the leagues traditional powerhouse. Mourinho continued to alternate strikers, with Higuain returning to the starting 11 as Karim Benzema began on the bench despite his strong performance in a 4-0 win over Lyon midweek in the Champions League. Higuain soon proved his coachs choice was the right one when he reached Di Marias pass in the 11th, rounded goalkeeper Ruben Martinez with one touch, and rolled home the visitors opener for his ninth goal of the season. Madrid camped in Malagas half from the start and had little trouble snuffing out any attempts at counterattacking. "I liked everything about (my team)," said Mourinho. "Our first touch, second pass, when we lost the ball we pressed a lot. We scored in a variety of ways. I liked every facet of the game." Ronaldo quickly decided the encounter to emphatically break his three-game scoring drought. Last seasons top scorer tapped in a beautiful curling cross from Di Maria in the 22nd, and six minutes later he took advantage of the shell-shocked Malaga when he rifled in a right footer from the edge of the area. Ronaldo capped his treble in the 38th with an acrobatic move to redirect a headed pass by Sergio Ramos with the bottom of his right boot, drawing level with Messi as the leagues top scorers with 10 goals apiece. At Camp Nou, Barcelona controlled more than 70 per cent of possession, but could not break through the undefeated Sevillas disciplined defence. The opening stages of the game were evenly matched as Iniesta drew the first of many saves from Varas while Spain winger Jesus Navas forced Barcelonas Victor Valdes to make a pair of blocks. Barcelona slowly established its control-based passing game, with Dani Alves overlapping runs providing danger from the right flank as Messi and Iniesta tried to penetrate through the centre of the defence. Messi, Adriano and David Villa all came close as Barcelona pressed the visitors back into their area before Iniesta hit the crossbar in the 73rd. Tempers flared after Iniesta was fouled by defender Federico Fazio in the area in added time, with Sevillas Frederic Kanoute and Fernando Navarro both receiving red cards for protesting. But Varas anticipated Messis spot kick by diving to his left side to keep his fifth clean sheet of this season for the fourth-place Sevilla. "We did everything and more to win, shooting 22 times between the posts, but we couldnt get that first goal," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, whose team had outscored its league opponents 21-0 in four previous wins. "Varas played a great game," the former midfielder said. "He made two or three saves with his leg. We have to congratulate him." Also on Sunday, its: Real Betis vs. Rayo Vallecano, Real Sociedad vs. Getafe, Atletico Madrid vs. Mallorca, Osasuna vs. Zaragoza, and Valencia vs. Athletic Bilbao. coach factory outlet .Y. -- The Buffalo Bills have released nine players, including receiver David Clowney and linebacker Danny Batten, the teams 2010 sixth-round draft pick. coach handbags outlet . The adjudicator said Joffrey Reynolds does not pose a flight risk, but must abide by certain terms and conditions. He has to give a permanent address and must advise immigration officials within 48 hours if he moves. http://www.officialcoach-facto... . However, the 25-year-old burner is an intriguing sleeper candidate for fantasy football as he joins a team needing an upgrade at wideout. Behind five-time Pro Bowler Steve Smith, Brandon LaFell (74 catches over two seasons) is the most proven receiver on the Carolina roster, so Murphy has an opportunity to not only earn playing time but, because of his deep speed, has a chance to make big significant plays in the offence. [url=http://www.officialcoach-factory-outlet.com/]coach outlet online . In securing their fourth victory in their last six games, Marcin Gortat had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Steve Nash had 13 assists to pace the Suns to a 125-107 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night. coach outlet . The 14-time All-Star catcher who won a record 13 Gold Gloves will formally announce his retirement as an active player Monday at Rangers Ballpark, the home of his original team.ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman said it was smart for Washingtons Ryan Mattheus to walk Brian McCann with first base open in the ninth inning. Why face McCann, a six-time all-star who hit a three-run homer earlier in the game, when the Nationals instead could face Freeman, a rookie who didnt have a hit in the game at that point? Freeman seized the opportunity, delivering a single to right field to drive in Martin Prado from second base, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 9-8 win over the Nationals on Sunday. "I hadnt been in that situation very often, so when they walked Mac, I got a little extra excited," Freeman said. "I wouldnt pitch to him, either." Mattheus (2-1) walked pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad to start the bottom of the ninth. Jordan Schafer sacrificed Conrad to second before Conrad was thrown out at third on Prados grounder to shortstop Ian Desmond. Prado stole second base before the walk to McCann. Freeman lined a 1-0 pitch into right field and was soon in the middle of a celebration between first and second base. Like Freeman, Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez also said walking McCann was the smart move. "Pick your poison. I think they made a pretty good decision, but Freddie made them pay," Gonzalez said. Washington left-hander Tom Gorzelanny left the game with a twisted right ankle in the third inning. He limped off the field after scoring from first base in a home-plate collision with McCann on Roger Bernadinas triple. Nationals manager Davey Johnson said he believes Gorzelanny, with the help of an off day on Thursday, can make his next scheduled start against the Dodgers on Friday. "Hes got an extra day, so hopefully hell be able to make his next start in L.A.," Johnson said. The Braves led 2-0 in the first inning before trailing 6-2 after four, rallying with five runs in the fifth only to again lose the lead when the Nationals scored two in the sixth. "It was a fun game to play," Freeman said. Craig Kimbrel (3-2) gave up a walk and a single in a scoreless ninth. Nationals all-star reliever Tyler Clippard recorded five straight outs, four on strikeouts, before giving up Nate McLouths tying homer in the eighth. Danny Espinosa had three hits, including a two-run homer in the sixth that gave Washington an 8-7 lead. Espinosa, who also had a siingle and a run-scoring triple, drove in Bernadina with his 17th homer off George Sherrill.dddddddddddd McCanns 16th homer was the highlight of Atlantas five-run fifth. Making his first start since the all-star game, Jair Jurrjens gave up a season-high six runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings. He allowed a combined 11 baserunners in the third and fourth but was allowed to pitch through the Nationals four-run fourth. "He just couldnt get his breaking ball over," Gonzalez said. Jurrjens pitched a perfect fifth before leaving the game for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the inning. His earned-run average climbed from 1.87, best in the major leagues, to 2.26, still good enough to lead the NL. "Just mechanics," Jurrjens said. "I was flying open, leaving pitches up. ... Its just something I need to work on in the next bullpen." It was the second straight game in which a Braves starting pitcher set a season high for runs allowed. Tommy Hanson gave up five runs in Atlantas 5-2 loss to the Nationals on Saturday night. Gorzelanny issued three walks in the Braves two-run first inning. Gorzelanny and Johnson argued when second base umpire Dana DeMuth called a ball for Gorzelanny putting his pitching hand to his mouth while on the mound. The call gave Dan Uggla a walk, loading the bases, before Gorzelannys wild pitch allowed Prado to score from third. After Gorzelanny scored on Bernadinas third-inning triple, Bernadina kept running and scored on Ugglas wild relay throw for an error. The throw forced McCann to move up the third-base line and set up the collision with Gorzelanny. The Nationals had six hits in the four-run fourth, including a two-run triple by Desmond. Espinosa added another triple off the top of the wall in centre before scoring on Ryan Zimmermans double. NOTES: The Nationals optioned INF Brian Bixler to triple-A Syracuse after the game. INF Jerry Hairston Jr. could come off the disabled list Monday. ... Clippard has allowed eight homers. ... 3B Chipper Jones, on the 15-day DL following arthroscopic surgery on his right knee July 9, will not accompany the Braves on their four-game series at Colorado. He still hopes to come off the DL the first day he is eligible, on July 24. ... Braves rookie Wilkin Ramirez made his second straight start and had a double. ' ' '