ekansekans's blog: "df"

HOUSTON -- Philadelphia still has a chance to make the playoffs with 15 games remaining. However, after losing three of four to the Houston Astros, even the Phillies admitted it just got harder. Justin Maxwell hit a two-run double and Matt Dominguez added a two-run single in Houstons four-run seventh inning as the Astros rallied for a 7-6 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. Philadelphia fell to 3 1/2 games behind St. Louis and Los Angeles in the National League wild card race. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said losing three of four to the Astros really hurts, but added that his team has to keep on playing. "We can turn it around," Manuel said. "We are four back. We have been in tougher situations than this. We have to keep going and keep trying. You get tested all the time. We have to play like hell, but we can do it. We arent going to give up. We are going to play it out. We have done it before. Survive." Carlos Corporan and Scott Moore homered for the Astros, who remained one loss away from reaching 100 for the second straight season. "The guys dont quit," Houston interim manager Tony DeFrancesco said. "It seems like theyve got some life and fire. Were trying to establish the familiarity with participating in a winning ballgame. Its fun, and the clubhouse has got a little energy now." Wesley Wright (2-2) pitched a scoreless seventh to pick up the win. Wilton Lopez got the last five outs for his sixth save. Jose Altuve reached on an error by third baseman Michael Martinez to begin the seventh and Jimmy Paredes was walked by Antonio Bastardo (2-5). Pinch hitter Brandon Laird walked off Phillippe Aumont to load the bases with one out. Maxwells double down the right-field line that just found chalk put the Astros ahead 5-4, and Dominguez followed with his two-run single. "I was hoping and I was seeing the runners ahead of me going," Maxwell said of his hit. "I didnt see it hit the chalk. I just kept running." After Dominguez moved to second on a passed ball, Justin De Fratus intentionally walked pinch hitter Jason Castro one out later but got Tyler Greene to ground out to end the inning. Domonic Brown sliced the lead to 7-6 with a two-run double off Mickey Storey in the eighth. Lopez, however, struck out pinch hitter Laynce Nix and got a grounder from Nate Schierholtz to end the inning. Jimmy Rollins led off the ninth with a single and moved to second on Erik Kratzs fly ball to right. Lopez got Chase Utley to fly out to left and intentionally walked Ryan Howard before Carlos Ruiz grounded to first to end the game. Rollins said losing three of four to the Astros was not good but not deflating. "It shouldnt be deflating," Rollins said. "We lose games. It obviously doesnt matter the name on the jersey. If we lose, we just dont have any more room. Would it matter if it was the Nationals? No." Phillies starter Roy Halladay gave up three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in six innings, remaining two wins shy of 200 for his career. Halladay said the Astros young lineup was hard to figure out. "It is definitely a different, odd team to pitch to," Halladay said. "Sometimes they are aggressive, sometimes they are not. Sometimes they are taking. I think the whole series, we never figured out what their plan was. It was kind of all over the place. That made it tough." Jordan Lyles gave up four runs on five hits with four walks and six strikeouts in five innings for Houston. Lyles has gone longer than five innings just once in his last six starts. Philadelphia scored three runs in the fifth to take a 4-2 lead. Rollins singled with two outs, stole second and moved to third on Corporans throwing error. Juan Pierre followed with a run-scoring double to left field. Lyles intentionally walked Utley, and Howard followed with a two-run double to left but Howard was thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple. Corporans solo homer in the sixth pulled Houston to 4-3. Philadelphia took a 1-0 lead in the first on Utleys sacrifice fly. Moores two-run homer in the third put the Astros ahead 2-1. NOTES: Houston OF Fernando Martinez was scratched from the lineup and replaced by Paredes in right field. ... Altuve was expected to get the day off Sunday but started after INF Jed Lowrie was given the day off due to soreness in his right leg, DeFrancesco said. Greene started at shortstop in place of Lowrie. . Philadelphia starts a three-game series Monday at the New York Mets with LHP Cliff Lee starting for the Phillies against RHP R.A. Dickey for the Mets. . Houston starts a three-game series at St. Louis on Tuesday with LHP Fernando Abad going for the Astros against RHP Kyle Lohse. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . The New York forward scored the winner Monday night as the Rangers defeated the Senators 1-0 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarter-final. Cheap Jerseys Paypal .Y. -- A common phrase this year -- "Tigers back" -- took on a new meaning Friday at The Barclays. http://www.bwjerseys.com/ . Rookies Jordan Pacheco and DJ LeMahieu each homered, leading the Rockies to a 7-5 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday for a three-game series sweep.WEMBLEY, England -- Englands national team is back in the hands of an Englishman -- albeit one who spent the biggest part of his coaching career abroad. Roy Hodgson was hired Tuesday as the coach tasked with ending Englands 46-year title draught, with the Football Association hoping his international experience and homegrown heritage will blend into a perfect mix. Hodgson is one of the best travelled coaches England has produced, having spent the bulk of his career in obscurity outside of his homeland honing the technical expertise that earned him a four-year deal as the top man in English football. The avuncular 64-year-old Londoner is the oldest manager to be handed the pressure-packed role often dubbed "the Impossible Job," where expectations usually exceed reality. But there is no time for Hodgson to relax in his new Wembley office, having to pick a European Championship squad within two weeks. England then has two friendlies before the first Euro 2012 match against France on June 11. "England always have to go in tournaments to win them because we are a major football nation," Hodgson said after agreeing to leave West Bromwich Albion later this month. "I certainly think the players would be very disappointed if we expected anything less of them than to win the tournament." Hodgson described being handed the mission as "the pinnacle of success for any English manager." "It certainly brings with it a lot of scrutiny and criticism and I have to be prepared for that," he said. "Its always a big job to win people over. Im prepared for criticism." The criticism spilled out as soon as the FA announced on Sunday that Hodgson had been approached, overlooking Harry Redknapp, the clear favourite among fans and key players whose Tottenham side is fourth in the Premier League while West Brom is mid-table. "The only way you can win people over is by doing the job I am confident I can do," Hodgson said. "Its always very important the whole country buys into what we do. Im expecting a lot of support from everybody." FA chairman David Bernstein said the organization decided about a month ago to hire Hodgson due to his "experience, track record and ability at building winning teams." Hodgson is the first England manager with previous experience in charge of an international side as he completes a nomadic 36-year coaching career in Europe and the Middle East to replace Fabio Capello, the Italian who quit three months ago in a dispute over captain John Terrys firing. As well as coaching national teams of Switzerland, Finland and the United Arab Emirates, Hodgson has had spells in club football in England, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland aand Italy, where he was twice in charge of Inter Milan.dddddddddddd "He has outstanding contacts through his work with UEFA and FIFA, and can walk into any training ground around the world and command respect," Bernstein said. Hodgson has won eight league titles in two countries with three clubs but delivering another title for England has eluded some of the best footballing minds in England since 1966, plus foreign imports Sven-Goran Eriksson of Sweden and Capello. Switzerland had not reached a major tournament since 1966, but Hodgson took them to the 1994 World Cup and also the 1996 European Championship, where they went out in the first round but did manage a creditable 1-1 draw with host England. While recognizing the need to instil confidence in his England players ahead of Euro 2012, Hodgson accepted it would be "difficult" for the team to be successful at the Euros in Poland and Ukraine because he is coming in at such at late stage. And FA director of football development Trevor Brooking, who helped to hire Hodgson, downplayed expectations. "Tournament football has always been a big challenge," said Brooking, a former England midfielder. "The lack of success weve had, the expectancy level ... the likes of Germany, Holland and Spain will be ahead of us in terms of expectancy. "But the coach weve appointed can improve the group, which feels they havent done themselves justice in recent tournaments." Being appointed England manager might have seemed unthinkable at the start of 2011 for Hodgson when he was fired after just six stormy months in charge of Liverpool that blemished his widely lauded reputation that was rebuilt at West Brom. But Hodgsons lowest points at Anfield, where he was jeered by fans, should have prepared him for the demands and intensity faced in the England job. "Liverpool is a chapter in the past I am very much looking forward ... a lot has happened since that time," Hodgson said. Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, a contender to skipper the national team, was one of the first England players to congratulate Hodgson on Tuesday. "Ive worked with Roy. Hes a good man and a good manager," the midfielder said. "Its important hes given a chance and Im looking forward to working with him again." As Hodgsons captain again? "Its one of the things that will occupy my time in the days ahead," Hodgson said. England has a friendly against Norway in Oslo on May 26 and a home fixture against Belgium a week later before a 23-man squad heads to the Euro 2012 base in Krakow, Poland. Englands group stage opener is against France on June 11 in Donetsk, Ukraine, followed by matches against Sweden and Ukraine. ' ' '