lucylily's blog: "ght"

ST. LOUIS - The Milwaukee Brewers hoped Yovani Gallardo would settle down and stop the St. Louis Cardinals. Instead, he went wild. Albert Pujols hit an RBI double during a four-run first inning against Gallardo and the Brewers never quite recovered, dropping to the Cardinals 4-3 Wednesday night and falling into a 2-1 deficit in the NL championship series. "When you make mistakes like we did the first inning, theyre going to get their hits, theyre going to score some runs," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said. Gallardo, whos 1-7 with a career 5.66 ERA against the Cardinals, trailed 2-0 after his first 12 pitches and barely made it out of the opening inning. The 17-game winner walked three, one of them intentional, and the Brewers had Chris Narveson up in the bullpen before Yadier Molina grounded into a run-scoring double play for Gallardos first outs. Gallardo trudged to the dugout after his 33-pitch ordeal that included RBI doubles by Jon Jay and David Freese. "I think I made a good pitch to Jay," Gallardo said. "I tried to go up and in with a fastball and I was able to do that and he just hit it out to the outfield. And to Pujols, it might have been a little bit up and over the plate but I thought it was a good pitch." In all, Gallardo lasted five innings and gave up eight hits, walked five (two intentional) and tied an NLCS record with three wild pitches. He struck out two. The Cardinals 4-0 lead seemed as if it would be plenty with ace Chris Carpenter pitching. It was, barely, thanks in large part to a 12-up-and-12-down performance by the St. Louis bullpen. Four relievers -- Fernando Salas, Lance Lynn, Marc Rzepczynski and Jason Motte -- were perfect over the final four innings. Milwaukee chipped away at Carpenter with two runs in the second on singles by Rickie Weeks, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Yuniesky Betancourt, and a sacrifice fly by Gallardo. Mark Kotsays homer leading off the third made it a one-run game. Carpenter, coming off a shutout against Philadelphia in the deciding game of the divisional series, wasnt nearly as sharp this time. "We got to 4-3 and I felt good," Roenicke said. "I felt we were going to score some more runs." Carpenter laboured through five innings, giving up six hits and walking three (one intentional) and striking out three. "It was a battle all night long," Carpenter said. "My stuff was OK, but these guys worked me hard." The Brewers had runners on base in every inning against him. Weeks struck out with two on to end the fifth. But Milwaukee couldnt touch the St. Louis bullpen. "Its not going to work very often that you can put four zeros against their offence," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. Jason Motte, who had two saves lasting more than inning in September, and another in Game 2 of the division series at Philadelphia, got four outs for this save. He fanned pinch-hitter Casey McGehee to end it. Carpenter won his seventh post-season game to tie Bob Gibsons franchise record, but with none of the brilliance of his three-hit win over Roy Halladay and the favoured Phillies in Game 5 of the first round. Nearly half of his 89 pitches were balls. The starters ineffectiveness was surprising considering their track records. Carpenter has been clutch throughout his career in the post-season, going 7-2 with a 3.14 ERA in 12 games. Gallardo allowed only two runs in 21 innings, a minuscule 0.86 ERA, before Game 3. Kyle Lohse, pitching on 12 days rest, starts Game 4 Thursday for the wild-card Cardinals against Randy Wolf. The Cardinals batted around against Gallardo in the first. Pujols delivered an RBI double after starring in a Game 2 win with a home run and three doubles. St. Louis had its chances to break away later, but hit into three double plays and stranded nine runners. Luckily for the Brewers, Carpenter didnt have his "A" game, either. He walked none in that gem against the Phillies, but already had a walk and a hit batsman in the Brewers first three plate appearances. Carpenter escaped with help from Kotsay, who strayed too far off second on Prince Fielders lineout to centre and was doubled off the bag by Jays strong throw to end the inning. Kotsay got a spot start in place of Nyjer Morgan, partly because hes 4 for 11 against Carpenter. Morgan flied out to start the seventh as a pinch hitter and was roundly booed throughout the at-bat. Ryan Braun and Fielder each entered the game hitting .500 in the NLCS with a combined seven RBIs. They were a combined 1 for 6 with no runs or RBIs Wednesday. "We competed," Braun said. "We had plenty of chances. Its a tough game and just get ready for tomorrow." NOTES: The Brewers have lost eight straight post-season road games since beating St. Louis 10-1 in Game 1 of the 1982 World Series. ... Hall of Famer Stan Musial made a pregame appearance at home plate via golf cart, and was flanked by fellow Cardinals Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Lou Brock and Red Schoendienst. ... Pujols has 16 post-season walks, moving past Jim Edmonds for the franchise record. ... Betancourt singled his first two trips and had been on a 10-for-18 run before a flyout in the sixth. Patrick Willis White Jersey . The 76ers looked like the high-scoring, solid defensive team the brass envisioned when it traded for Andrew Bynum.Vernon Davis Black Jersey . A ponderous field-position struggle resulted in only three field goals going into the fourth quarter.http://www.49ersnflofficialjerseys.com/authentic-frank-gore-jersey-womens.html .ca! Hi Kerry, Regarding the goal scored by Matt Duchene in Mondays game between Nashville and Colorado, it seems that the referees didnt call the play offside because the puck was deflected by Scott Hannans stick and Craig Smiths left skate (both Predators players) into the Predators defensive zone, making it a back pass and thus no offside position should be considered. Dan Skuta Jersey . -- The Detroit Lions have signed first-round draft pick Riley Reiff. Mike Iupati Jersey . On the fourth day, the Victoria native used a late move to grab the pink jersey back from the Spanish rider. Hesjedal caught everyone by surprise Saturday when he broke away from the peloton with just over a kilometre to go.The Chicago Cubs announced on Friday that the club has signed first baseman Trevor Gretzky. According to ESPN, the son of Wayne Gretzky signed a contract for $375,000 and could be assigned to one of the Cubs minor league affiliates or go to the Cubs minor league complex in Mesa, Ariz. "The Cubs are thrilled to welcome Trevor Gretzky to the organization," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said in a statement. "It was a pleasure working with the Gretzky family on this contract and we are excited by Trevors decision to begin his pro baseball career with the Cubs.dddddddddddd" Gretzky played high school ball in Thousand Oaks, Calif. He batted .393 with a home run and 27 RBIs in 31 games for Oaks Christian in 2011. Gretzky had committed to San Diego State University prior to signing with the Cubs. ' ' '

DENVER -- The Milwaukee Brewers and newly acquired reliever Francisco Rodriguez have reworked his contract to alter the terms of a US$17.5 million option for next year. The Brewers said Friday the sides agreed to change an option for next season from one that would have vested once Rodriguez finished 55 games to a straight mutual option. If both sides dont agree to exercise the option then Rodriguez will get a $4 million buyout, an increase from $3.5 million. Rodriguez was acquired from the New York Mets following Tuesdays all-star game in exchange for cash and two players to be named. He already had finished 34 games with the Mets, leaving him 21 games shy of fulfilling the vesting requirement when he was dealt to Milwaukee. With the contract revision, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said before Fridays game at Colorado that he feels no limitations in how he can bring Rodriguez out of the bullpen. "From my point of view and that of the staff, it will be nicer on us," he said. "These things, these contracts, most of the time a manager doesnt know about them so you dont have to worry about anything. But when its so public and I knew exactly all the numbers, its just not comfortable." Also, Rodriguez, who wore No. 75 in his first game with Milwaukee on Thursday, switched his jersey number Friday to 57, which he wore as a member of the Angels. Authentic Vernon Davis Jersey . LOUIS -- Another short week makes it more likely St. Tom Rathman Womens Jersey . The 26-year-old Drazenovic has 16 goals and 45 points in 46 games for the Falcons this season. A native of Prince George, British Columbia, Drazenovic was originally signed by the Blue Jackets as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2011, after spending four seasons with the St. http://www.49ersnflofficialjerseys.com/authentic-colin-kaepernick-jersey-womens.html . Ortiz has been out since July 17 and he said Friday he was going "all in" by taking BP on the field instead of starting with the tee or in the cage. He is eligible to come off the disabled list Wednesday. Ahmad Brooks 49ers Jersey . Footes familiar No. 52 jersey will be raised to the Pepsi Center rafters at a date still to be determined, where it will join those of Joe Sakic (19), Peter Forsberg (21), Patrick Roy (33) and Ray Bourque (77). Nnamdi Asomugha Black Jersey . According to the Sun Sentinel, Florida Panthers defenceman Dmitry Kulikov has signed a two-year deal with the club. INDIANAPOLIS -- Danny Granger sat at his locker, worn out and tired. He was dragging all day after taking medicine to help him get some rest, but it may have been too much for the Indiana Pacers forward. "It just slowed me down basically the whole time," Granger said. "It was supposed to help me sleep, but it kept me groggy the whole day. I was waiting for it to wear off and I started the game and I still was kind of groggy." He got energized just in time to score 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to help lead the Pacers to a 104-99 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday night. And in time to keep his all-star campaign on track. Darren Collison shot 10 of 14 from the floor and scored a game-high 25 points and added five assists for the Pacers, who bounced back from an 85-81 loss to the Orlando Magic and have never lost two in a row this season. Paul Millsap had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Al Jefferson had 16 points and eight rebounds for the Jazz, who lost their second straight game at the end of a back-to-back. The Jazz came back from being down 21 points to take a lead in the fourth quarter. The Pacers were up 57-46 at halftime and then opened the second half on a 10-4 run. Collison scored six points and Paul George, who had 14 points and five rebounds, scored on a lay-up and a dunk before Granger had a layup to give the Pacers a 21-point lead. Then, the Jazz made a run. "We got relaxed and we got too comfortable and it came back to bite us," Granger said. "We let our guard down, and they made a run, and it almost cost us the game." Raja Bell scored a three-pointer to spark a 17-4 run by the Jazz to get within eight. Gordon Hayward, whose homecoming in Indianapolis was welcomed by loud cheers during introductions, scored six points in the run. He had 11 points on the night. "On the road, you just cant afford dig yourselves a hole like we did," Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said. "You spend so much energy trying to get back. We did take a lead, which is a positive, we just didnt make the plays at the end." The Jazz trailed 84-77 at the end of the third quarter and scored eight straight to take a lead in the fourth, but were never able to pull away. "I just think its a combination of things," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "We had a couple of plays at the rim where we didnt finish layups, we got a couple of bad calls, and we lightened up a little bit on the defensive end.dddddddddddd It was a combination of those that led to a comeback like that. But the bottom line is we made the plays at crunch time." And it was in crunch time when Granger took control -- at least enough to keep the Pacers in the game. Granger scored to give Indiana back the lead at 86-85. After Derrick Favours scored, Granger came right back and made it 88-87. C.J. Miles gave the Jazz the lead again, but Granger came back again to make it 90-89. The Jazz took a 95-92 lead with 3:47 left and Roy Hibbert, who had 17 points and 10 rebounds, was fouled on a shot next to the post and went to the line to tie the game. After Paul George made a three-pointer to put the Pacers up 98-95, the Jazz missed two shots and turned the ball over before Collison made it 100-95. Granger sealed it at the foul line to give the Pacers a five-point lead with 10.6 seconds left. The Pacers took a 13-point lead at one point in the second quarter and led by 11 at halftime. Collison scored 17 points in the first half, mostly driving to the basket. All but two of his seven shots in the first half were near the basket. "I know how to do it, to be aggressive and score sometimes," Collison said. "But this year Ive tried to be more of a facilitator and try to get my teammates involved. At times I can be aggressive and penetrate like I did." Collison and Granger are two of six Pacers players on the all-star ballot this season. Grangers work Tuesday night certainly didnt go unnoticed by Corbin. "Hes a big part of what they do," Corbin said. "We knew at some point they were going to get the ball in his hands and he was going to take some shots. Hes one of the key players for them and hes going to get some shots." Even Vogel is taking the time to make sure his players get noticed. "Weve sent emails out and make phone calls and we definitely want the coaches around the league to understand the sacrifices our guys have made to buy into the team approach and how its led to winning," Vogel said. "And particularly the things weve done on the defensive end. I dont want that to go unnoticed." And for Granger, thats enough of the sleep aids. "No more of that medicine," Granger said. "I took some bad medication." Notes: Jazz G Jamaal Tinsley didnt travel with the team for what the team said was a personal reason. ' ' '

(Sports Network) - The Toronto Maple Leafs will look to continue their great play at home when they welcome the New York Rangers to the Air Canada Centre this evening. Toronto returns home after splitting a home-and-home series with Buffalo. The Maple Leafs completed a perfect four-game homestand with a 2-0 victory over the Sabres on Tuesday, but were dealt a 3-2 setback in Buffalo last night. Mikhail Grabovski and Joey Crabb scored first-period goals to help the Leafs erase an early two-goal deficit, but Jonas Gustavsson was beaten by Jason Pominville for the game-winner in the second period. "I didnt really see the pass because a guy was screening me," said Gustavsson, who made 22 saves. "It was a quick play and sometimes you are going to get beat by that." Toronto, which failed to win five in a row for the first time since Jan. 27- Feb. 6, 2007, returns home to begin a five-game residency and is 12-5-4 as the host this year. The Maple Leafs have posted a pair of 4-2 victories in New York this season, but have lost two straight and three of four at home to the Rangers. Even with his team sitting atop the Eastern Conference, Rangers head coach John Tortorella isnt afraid of calling out his players following a disappointing loss. Rangers backup goaltender Marty Biron will answer the call this evening as they take on the Maple Leafs. The Rangers took a five-game winning streak into Thursdays meeting with the Senators, but were shut out 3-0 in front of their home crowd. Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves, but Ottawa goaltender Craig Anderson stopped all 34 shots fired his way. "We had chances to score, but I thought Anderson played really well," said Tortorella, whose club had won 10 of 11. "I just think we didnt get enough out of our top guys." Marian Gaborik leads the Rangers with 23 goals and 34 points, but hasnt scored in three straight and six of his past seven games. Ryan Callahan, meanwhile, has been held without a goal in three straight and seven of his last eight. New York still leads the East with 58 points, one more than Boston and two up on Atlantic Division-rival Philadelphia. It hopes to have Brandon Dubinsky in the lineup after he was held out of Thursdays game with a shoulder ailment. Toronto returns home after splitting a home-and-home series with Buffalo. The Maple Leafs completed a perfect four-game homestand with a 2-0 victory over the Sabres on Tuesday, but were dealt a 3-2 setback in Buffalo last night. Mikhail Grabovski and Joey Crabb scored first-period goals to help the Leafs erase an early two-goal deficit, but Jonas Gustavsson was beaten by Jason Pominville for the game-winner in the second period. "I didnt really see the pass because a guy was screening me," said Gustavsson, who made 22 saves. "It was a quick play and sometimes you are going to get beat by that." Toronto, which failed to win five in a row for the first time since Jan. 27- Feb. 6, 2007, returns home to begin a five-game residency and is 12-5-4 as the host this year. The Maple Leafs have posted a pair of 4-2 victories in New York this season, but have lost two straight and three of four at home to the Rangers. Lance Moore Limited Jersey . Jets point leader Blake Wheeler is not on the road trip and will not join the team for Tuesdays game in New Jersey. Marques Colston White Jersey . -- Charline Labonte was named Canadas starting goaltender for womens world hockey championship opener against the United States. http://www.officialsaintsnfl.com/authentic-Garrett-Hartley-jersey-womens.html . What theyve never lost is their take-it-to-you identity, and thats something the Minnesota Timberwolves have been searching for all year long. Marques Colston Jersey . -- Ryan Clady rejected both a $50 million offer and the chance to talk about it. Drew Brees Camo Jersey . -- Ryo Ishikawa of Japan is headed back to the Masters with another special invitation.BIRMINGHAM, England -- Aston Villa moved closer to avoiding relegation from the Premier League after Christian Benteke scored a second-half hat trick in a 6-1 thrashing of Sunderland on Monday. The Belgian international scored in the 55th, 60th and 72nd minutes at Villa Park to tally 22 league goals and 27 in all competitions in his first season at the club. More importantly, Villa moved five points clear of Wigan in the final relegation place. Sunderland, Villa and Newcastle are all on 37 points with three matches left. Wigan has 32 points but with four games remaining. "Hes been world class," Villa manager Paul Lambert said of Benteke. "First and foremost, we had to win the game. We were playing against a Sunderland team bang in form. To get the goals we did, it gives us a great impetus to go to Norwich (at the weekend). "We have put a lot of teams in the mix, pulled away from Wigan and are playing really well." First-half strikes from Ron Vlaar and Andreas Weimann plus a late runaway goal by Gabriel Agbonlahor ensured Villa recorded its largest win since 2008. Danny Rose scored for Sunderland to level at 1-1, but the visitors were then over run in midfield and couldnt contain Villas rampant attacks. Making matters worse, striker Stephane Sessegnon received a red card in the 70th minute for fouling Yacouba Sylla and will miss the rest of the season.dddddddddddd That leaves manager Paolo di Canio with only Danny Graham and Connor Wickham as his remaining striker options. Neither player has scored for Sunderland in the league this season. Vlaar scored his first goal for the club in the 31st minute, the captain taking a touch and unleashing a low, skidding shot from 30 yards out to beat goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. Less than two minutes later, Rose scored his first goal for his club, playing a pair of one-twos before slotting the ball beyond goalkeeper Brad Guzan and into the far corner of the net. Weimann restored Villas advantage with his 12th goal of the season, slamming the ball into the net from inside the box in the 38th. Villa had a third 10 minutes into the second half. Mignolet was deceived by Agbonlahors fiercely struck shot, and Benteke nodded the rebound into an empty net. "Hes scored so many goals, you can always give the ball to him-- hes so strong," Vlaar said of Benteke. Five minutes later, Benteke rose above Carlos Cueller to steer home a far post header before driving his third past Mignolet. Sunderlands misery was complete in the final minute when Agbonlahor raced round Mignolet to end the rout. ' ' '

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Tom Brady and the New England Patriots made it to the AFC championship game with a high-powered offence that piled up points and yards. Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens got there with a hard-hitting defence that made it a major challenge for opponents to move the ball. On Sunday, one of those teams will advance to the Super Bowl because, most likely, of what they do best. "Weve got our hands full this week," Lewis said. "You watched what they did last week against Denver, just the way they came out and ran their offence, how efficient (Brady) was, how many different receivers he hit with the ball. I think their offence, period, is playing at a very high level." From start to finish, Brady picked apart the Denver defence in a 45-10 divisional playoff win. The Patriots (14-3) needed five plays to score on their first series on Bradys 7-yard pass to Wes Welker. It took them seven plays to reach the end zone on their second series on Bradys 10-yard pass to Rob Gronkowski. By halftime, Brady had thrown five of his six touchdown passes. He had plenty of time to survey the field as the Broncos put little pressure on him. The Ravens dont plan to let that happen. "You dont want him back there just like, Oh, were just going to play catch today," Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "You dont want him to zone in, get in his zone, so to say. So I think pressure is going to be crucial, but its always crucial. But, particularly when you are playing these type of quarterbacks, its pivotal." Bradys regular season was exceptional, even by his lofty standards. He threw for 5,235 yards, second most in NFL history, with 39 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and the leagues third best quarterback rating of 105.6, behind only Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. The Patriots, with Welker and Gronkowski doing most of the damage, were second in the NFL with 428 yards per game and third with an average of 32.1 points. "Its a very clever offence," Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. "Its well put together." Just like the Ravens defence. Baltimore (13-4) allowed the third fewest average yards, 288.9, and points, 16.6, this season. It had four takeaways in last Sundays 20-13 divisional playoff win over the Houston Texans, the last by Ed Reed with 1:51 left. Lewis had a team-high seven tackles. "Theyre great players. Ive played against both those guys quite a few times," Brady said. "You always enjoy going up against the best because you can really measure where youre at. You cant take plays off against those guys. You cant take things for granted when youre out there against them. You have to see where theyre at on every play because theyre guys who change the game." And dont forget Suggs. He led the AFC with 14 sacks, and, with Lewis and Reed were picked as Pro Bowl starters this season. The Ravens have a "very attacking type defence," Welker said. "Theyre very physical. They run to the football really well. They rush well, cover well, tackle well across the board. They have a lot of great players and a lot of playmakers." But they havent faced a passing attack with the weapons the Patriots have. Welker led the NFL with 122 catches and 1,569 yards receiving. Gronkowski was fifth with 90 catches and set an NFL record of 17 touchdown catches by a tight end. And Aaron Hernandez, a tight end who often lines up at wide receiver and had a 43-yard run out of the backfield against Denver, was 14th with 79 receptions. "They are not your typical offence," Ravens linebacker Jarret Johnson said. "Theyll give you a personnel group and line up nowhere close to what you think they are going to do. You just have to roll with it and know whats coming and adapt to it. "Thats why communication in these games is so vital and not going crazy and overthinking things -- just getting lined up and playing -- because you can get anything. You dont know what youre going to get." The last playoff game between the teams two years ago was a huge surprise with the Ravens offence dominating. Ray Rice scored on an 83-yard run on the first offensive play and Brady threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the first quarter. The Ravens took a 24-0 lead into the second and won 33-14. "We dont really care too much about whats happened in the past. Weve won some, weve lost some, but right now this team is focused with the Ravens," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "Thats really all that matters. I dont think some game that happened two years ago or five years ago or anything else, I dont think that really has an effect on this game." The home crowd could have a big effect. The fans were very loud last Saturday. And the Ravens are 4-4 on the road. "Anytime you go into a road playoff game, you know it is going to present its challenges in dealing with the crowd noise and things like that," Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco said. "We play a lot of good teams that have great crowds. It definitely prepares us for something like this. "You can let that have a positive effect for the home team. I think you have to do something mentally that was not very sharp in order to let that be a factor." There will be much bigger factors that determine the outcome of the game. The Big Two: the Ravens defence and the Patriots offence. "When you do watch how the games are played, nine times out of 10, I just truly believe defence is going to find a way to win the championship," Lewis said. "You can go back however many years you want to go back, and defences have a way to come out to make a play that changes the outcome of games." Unless, of course, youre facing Brady. "I try to be the best I can be every week," he said. "I dont think long-term too often, especially in weeks like this." Doug Martin Pink Jersey . -- Seattles Eddie Johnson and Los Angeles Juninho traded first-half goals and the Sounders and Galaxy settled for a 1-1 draw Saturday night. Dekoda Watson Jersey . -- While Kevin Durant couldnt help but joke a bit about Thunder teammate Russell Westbrooks outburst in the third quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers, putting away games is all part of Oklahoma Citys groundwork for the playoffs. http://www.officialbuccaneersnfl.com/authentic-dashon-goldson-jersey-womens.html . -- Wide receiver Donald Driver is hinting he has a deal in place to return to the Green Bay Packers. Womens Doug Martin Jersey . Rodney Stuckey scored 25 points and Greg Monroe added 18 points for the Pistons, who have not beaten Chicago since Dec. 23, 2008. The Bulls rallied from a 13-point deficit to tie the score 78-all with 9:27 remaining on Butlers dunk after a steal. Vincent Jackson Jersey . Chiarelli and Thomas confirmed last month that the Stanley Cup-winning netminder was not playing in 2012-13. Thomas has one year left on his current deal, which carries a $5 million cap hit for the 2012-13 season.TSN.cas MMA staff, including John Pollock - TSN Radio 1050 (@iamjohnpollock), James Lynch - TSN.ca (@lynchonsports), and Jordan Cieciwa - TSN Radio 1290 (@FitCityJordan), take a look at some of the hottest issues in the world of mixed martial arts. 1) Did Dan Henderson deserve a victory at UFC 157 against Lyoto Machida? JC - If you go by cage control and pushing the pace, Yes! Significant strikes were Machidas. The counter striker and the decision win is in my opinion one of the toughest debates. Dan Henderson pushed the pace, brought the fight and was penalized because he is the slower tougher fighter. He got punched in the head and lost points, but was never in danger. Machida never threatened, and he also never wobbled Henderson with any of his strikes. So here is my question: Why did he get the win? Cage control was Hendersons, and aggression was Hendersons. He had more strikes because he is faster. If it had not been for Hendo, the two would have stood there staring at each other. Good counter punchers are impressive to watch, but if the fight is as close as this one, they cant be given the win. In my opinion it takes way more skill to be a counter puncher, and I am not taking anything away from Machida, he is a dangerous fighter. However, he didnt win this fight, he just didnt lose. Dan Henderson should have been awarded for his aggressive fighting behavior. Pollock - I found all three rounds close enough that if you want to debate them that is fine but to go to the extreme that it was a “robbery” or that it was clearly Hendersons fight than I think youre stretching. I scored it 29-28 for Machida. I thought it was a terrible fight and a performance that didnt position Machida in a light where you can feel confident that he gets that next title shot if Alexander Gustafsson impresses on April 6th and wins in spectacular fashion. I can appreciate the speed and elusiveness of Machida, but you dont win rounds for avoidance and Machida did just enough to win. Some will applaud his ability to take the least amount of damage, but its not a pleasing style and has to digest criticism when you compromise action for results. Lynch - While I can agree Henderson made this a street fight and Machida turned it into a track meet, based on the current standard of MMA judging, the Team Quest captain didnt deserve the victory. Its unfortunate, because Im firm believer in points being awarded for the aggressor in the fight. Weve seen this scenario before at UFC 143 when Nick Diaz lost a decision to Carlos Condit. The Stockton native was pushing the pace and being the aggressor in the fight, but Condit won based off takedowns and less damage taken. Pundits argued that a defensive strategy is a factor when awarding a fighter points. Machidas elusiveness paid off once again and left many fans disappointed with the current rules in place. Im a huge Hendo fan (I even picked him to win this fight), but until athletic commissions come to their senses about a fighters willingness to engage (and push the fight), then Im going to continue to agree that a guy like Machida deserves the victory. 2) Biggest fall from grace recently - Jon Fitch, Josh Koscheck or King (Muhammed) Lawal? Pollock - Easily Fitch, who goes from making a six-figure salary when you figure in a win bonus and fighting for the UFC to fighting in front of 200,000 people on NBC Sports Network for World Series of Fighting. In the case of Lawal, he got caught, but is still going to be promoted within Bellator as one of their marquee light heavyweights because he is a name people are familiar with. There are loads of examples of guys losing and even being knocked out in spectacular fashion, who havent suffered any losses as a draw. Whether it be Chuck Liddell, who was an attraction up until his final fight or extreme examples like Kimbo Slice being knocked out by Seth Petruzelli and parlaying that loss into a stint on TUF, which was the highest rated season in the shows history. Lawal will draw with the right opponents and you have an easy rematch if Newton doesnt win the tournament. Josh Koscheck is 35-years old and seems to be in the twilight stage as an effective welterweight, but as an alumni of TUF Season 1 I dont see him being released. Lynch - Despite the fact that Koscheck and King Mo were both recently upset in the first round, my pick is Fitch because hes currently unemployed (although it should be noted hell probably sign with WSOF soon). The AKA fighter was surprisingly released by the UFC and doesnt exactly have a fan friendly style that will make him marketable.dddddddddddd Bellator decided to take a pass on the former UFC title challenger mostly likely for this reason. Aside from an exciting win over Erik Silva at UFC 153, Fitch has delivered typical decision victories where fans have berated him for laying and praying on his opponents. Koscheck and King Mo still have the opportunity to rebound back to glory in their respective promotions. Even if Fitch signs with WSOF, he wont have the same platform and its much harder to move up in the ladder when youre fighting in the minor leagues, especially at his age. JC - My heart broke when I read the news that Fitch had been cut. I fully understand the decision from a fan favorite stand point, he isnt exactly entertaining. The fact still remains, he is a massive talent. My hope is Fitch doesnt remove himself from the sport. He has the ability to pass on one of the games best MMA wrestling strategies. If an athlete could learn from him, and add a more aggressive submission game, GSP could have a real rival. As for King Mo, its not as heart breaking. He tested positive for a banned substance, that means he cheated. I was always told cheaters never win, so I am happy when they get passed over by the big shows. From talking with referees in the sport, Koscheck isnt loved by them for his constant "diving" during fights. In a sport where serious injury can come from a "no call" its important that Refs know an athlete isnt trying to get a cheap win. Koscheck has slid way down the ranks and is now starting cards instead of headlining. At least he hasnt cheated or bored fans for years. He has the best chance to recover his former glory. Definately Fitch wins this, hes being punished for winning boring. He is the fall guy to make sure athletes keep it interesting. The only good to come from this, guys will get the message. No one is safe from the UFC axe, if you are boring, you are gone. 3) Should the UFC pursue Gina Carano? Pollock - If Carano were willing to fight again you would be a fool not to bring her back. In fact, Carano could serve as a catalyst for the UFC to start promoting 145-pound womens fighters. Obviously the dream match is Carano vs. Ronda Rousey, which is the fight I would work hardest to promote even in the case of a catch-weight bout because its a fight that eclipses a championship title and would be huge if promoted on the UFC platform. On the other side is Carano and I would see little incentive on her part in this stage of her life to want to go back and fight especially against someone the caliber of Rousey. Its not a career move Carano needs to make but the door is open and there is no way the UFC doesnt answer if she knocks on that door. Lynch - Absolutely! Dana White was coy at the UFC 157 presser saying “Im not going to pursue her” but I think hes missing out on a huge marketing opportunity by not doing so. Im not suggesting womens MMA (in the UFC) has to survive based on attractive women fighting, but it certainly would help. Without sounding sexist (beauty is in the eye of the beholder of course), but to the average fan there isnt a pool of attractive women fighting MMA at a high level. Carano fought at a high level in Strikeforce and obviously used that as a platform to get her current gig (of being a movie actress). There are obviously two big roadblocks from this happening of course. The first is that the money isnt comparable between acting and MMA. The second is that Carano fights at 145-pounds and the current champ Rousey fights at 135-pounds. The solution? White should court her like a scene from Sixteen Candles, with determination and persistence. Then throw “Alistair Overeem money” her way, make a catch-weight superfight against Rousey and air the event for free on FOX. It would be the biggest Womens fight in MMA history, mark my words! JC - Anyone seen a stellar performance from Rampage Jackson these days? No? Its because his heart is in Hollywood, and who can blame him. Gina is the same way. I am proud of Rampage, sort of. If he had stayed out of the cage once he went to Hollywood it would have been brilliant. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, leave your sport and pursue the limelight in tinsel town. If Carano, and the UFC are smart, Carano stays retired. Once you get soft from the bright lights, its hard to come back to be the best. Lets worry less about bringing Carano back, and worry more about whos coming up! ' ' '

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman and catcher Ivan Rodriguez were scratched from the Washington Nationals lineup Tuesday night with injuries that likely will sideline the All-Stars for four or five days. Rodriguez tweaked his left calf while working out before the game against the New York Mets. Zimmerman was pulled because of tightness in his right groin. The problems are not expected to prevent the Gold Glovers from being ready for the season opener on March 31 against Atlanta. "Hope its only a couple of days," manager Jim Riggleman said. Zimmerman missed a few games last week because of a strain on his side. This latest setback is not thought to be related to that previous injury. "Well be real careful about how we bring him back," Riggleman said. He added Zimmerman typically doesnt think he needs a lot of at-bats in spring training to get ready. Had this occurred during the regular season, Riggleman said, Zimmerman probably would have played. Rodriguez, however, would have sat out with this ailment. Rodriguez was on the field early by himself, continuing to prepare for his 21st season in the majors. He hurt himself while jogging and stretching in the outfield. The 39-year-old Rodriguez played 111 games last season and has won a record 13 Gold Gloves at catcher. Minus Zimmerman and Rodriguez, the Nationals were left with a thinner-than-usual lineup for a road spring training game. In general, teams try to bring at least four starters when they travel for exhibition games. Riggleman said hed tell Mets manager Terry Collins he was sorry for the diminished lineup that had Jerry Hairston Jr. batting third. "You dont want to be disrespectful to the fans," Riggleman said. "But thats what happened." Cheap Jerseys free shipping . -- New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis says the club has cut veteran tight end David Thomas and third-year cornerback Johnny Patrick. Cheap NFL Jerseys china . After being told by an Italian reporter that there might be some undeclared gay players on the team, Cassano appeared at a loss for words before responding. "Thats their problem, but I hope not. ... But I dont know," he said, then added that he hoped his answer sufficed. http://www.usnewjerseyscheap.com/ .J. - New Jersey Devils coach Peter DeBoer never worries when Ilya Kovalchuk goes into a goal-scoring drought. Cheap Jerseys . -- Canadas Stephanie Dubois advanced to the semifinals with a win over Taiwans Hsu Wen-Hsin at the Granby Challenger tennis tournament Friday. Cheap Jerseys china . -- Tiger Woods is going to have to wait one more day to try to reclaim No.ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Falcons found their replacement for Michael Turner on Thursday by agreeing to terms with Steven Jackson, considered the top free-agent running back, on a three-year, $12 million deal. The 29-year-old Jackson had 1,042 yards rushing and four touchdowns with the Rams last season. It was his eighth straight season with more than 1,000 yards rushing. "I think this is a very big signing for us," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff told The Associated Press. "It continues to bolster our offensive firepower. It gives us not only strength, power in running ability but also the versatility to catch out of the backfield, which is a very important part of this offence." In separate posts on his Twitter feed, Jackson referred to Dimitroff and Falcons owner Arthur Blank as he thanked the Falcons for the new deal. "To the AMAZING Atlanta Falcons Owner, GM & Management team, I SINCERELY THANK EACH OF YOU for making this happen. I EAGERLY anticipate 2013!" Jackson tweeted. Jackson would have earned $7 million with the Rams in 2013 before he opted out of his contract to become a free agent. He tweeted his thanks to the Rams "for believing in me & allowing me to be an integral part of this team forr so many years.dddddddddddd" Jacksons 10,135 yards rushing for his career are the most of any active player. He set career highs with 1,528 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns with St. Louis in 2006. Turners average of only 3.6 yards per carry last season set a career low. The Falcons released Turner, defensive end John Abraham and cornerback Dunta Robinson on March 1. He had 800 yards rushing, his low total in his five seasons in Atlanta. Jackson averaged 4.1 yards per carry with the Rams and gives Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan another receiver to target. Jackson had at least 38 catches in each of his last eight seasons in St. Louis. "Were hoping he has his best years ahead of him, theres no question about that," Dimitroff said. "We think he still has much fuel in the tank and I know that he believes that." Turners modest total of 19 catches last season set a career high. He had his first career touchdown catch. The deal with Jackson came only two days after the Falcons announced tight end Tony Gonzalez is returning for the 2013 season after saying last year he was 95 per cent sure he would retire. The Falcons also have re-signed strong safety William Moore and right guard Garrett Reynolds. ' ' '

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Texas Rangers have activated right-hander Alexi Ogando from the 15-day disabled list. Texas also recalled right-hander Ross Wolf and outfielders Engel Beltre and Joey Butler from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday, giving them 36 players on the active roster. Ogando began his third DL stint of the season on Aug. 20 because of an inflamed nerve in his right shoulder. He threw a bullpen session on Monday and the Rangers added him to their expanded roster for September. Ogando is 5-4 with a 3.47 ERA in 15 starts this season. Danieal Manning Authentic Jersey . Jets point leader Blake Wheeler is not on the road trip and will not join the team for Tuesdays game in New Jersey. Arian Foster Womens Jersey . With the winning run at second and two outs in the bottom of the 12th at soggy PNC Park, Harrison didnt pass up a first-pitch fastball from Fernando Rodriguez.http://www.texansfootballofficialshop.com/Authentic-Andre-Johnson-Jersey-Br-25.html . And Tigers coach Dabo Swinney thinks this is only the beginning. Chandler Catanzaro kicked a 37-yard field goal as time expired to give No. 14 Clemson a wild 25-24 win over No. Andre Johnson Red Jersey . Texas also Tuesday purchased the contracts of infielder Leury Garcia and left-hander Joe Ortiz from Triple-A Round Rock, adding them to the 40-man roster. Andre Johnson Youth Jersey . The fourth-seeded Cilic dropped serve only once in the match, at the start of the second set, before becoming the first Croat to reach the Umag final since Goran Prpic defeated compatriot Goran Ivanisevic in 1990. In the other semifinal Saturday, the second-seeded Dolgopolov beat Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 6-4, 6-4.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs have released wide receiver Steve Breaston and tight end Kevin Boss as part of their roster overhaul under new coach Andy Reid and general manager John Dorsey. The team announced the moves Tuesday in a statement on its website. Breaston was lured to Kansas City in 2011 by former coach Todd Haley and general manageer Scott Pioli, and signed a $22.dddddddddddd million, five-year deal. But he fell out of favour last season under coach Romeo Crennel, catching seven passes for 74 yards in 10 games. Boss signed $9 million, three-year deal last off-season, but only had three catches for 65 yards before sustaining a season-ending concussion in Week 2 against Buffalo. ' ' '

DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers shrugged off blowing chances to at least tie Chicago atop the AL Central. Jamey Carroll hit an RBI single in the 10th inning and the Minnesota Twins beat Detroit 2-1 Sunday, winning both games of a doubleheader to prevent the Tigers from tying or passing the slumping White Sox. "Its not disappointing," Tigers manager Jim Leyland insisted. "Were one game back with 10 games to play." Chicago still has a one-game lead in the division despite extending its losing streak to five with a 4-1 loss earlier in the day against the Los Angeles Angels. Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera wouldnt or couldnt say whether that was a disappointing fact after a long day at the ballpark. "Im tired right now," the AL MVP and Triple Crown candidate said. "Sorry." Detroit closer Jose Valverde (3-4) allowed pinch-hitter Denard Span to lead off the extra inning with a single and gave up a one-out, fall-behind single to Carroll. Jared Burton (2-1) entered in the ninth and got Cabrera to pop out, quieting an "M-V-P!" chant from fans standing in the stands. "There was a lot of energy with them around and it helped a lot, too," Burton said. He then struck out Prince Fielder and got Delmon Young to ground out and end the inning. Glen Perkins pitched a perfect 10th for his 14th save in 17 chances, helping the fourth-place Twins win the three-game series. Earlier in the day, Joe Mauer drove in four runs as the Twins rallied against Max Scherzer and pulled away for a 10-4 win in the first game. "To come in in a playoff situation -- whether youre playing for the playoffs or not -- and take two of three from these guys is huge for us," Burton said. Detroit got off to a good start in the nightcap. Cabrera hit his second double of the day and his 40th of the season in the home half, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead and putting him in company with Hank Greenberg as the only players in franchise history to have at least 40 doubles and 40 homers in a season. Detroits dubious defence let the Twins tie it in the fifth inning. Starting pitcher Drew Smyly fielded a sacrifice bunt with two on and despite having plenty of time, he sailed a throw up the right-field line that pulled second baseman Ramon Santiago off first and loaded the bases. The Tigers had a chance to escape the fifth inning without giving up a run, but catcher Alex Avila made a wild throw toward first on what wouldve been an inning-ending double play -- in part because Matt Carson slid into him aggressively -- and Pedro Florimon scored. "That has nothing to do with why we lost the game," Leyland said. Tigers starter Drew Smyly gave up an unearned run, three hits and two walks in 4 1-3 innings. Twins starter P.J. Walters allowed a run on five hits and a walk over six innings. At the start of the doubleheader, Scherzer (6-7) was back on the mound after leaving his previous start after two innings with shoulder fatigue. The right-hander couldnt get his normally high-90s fastball past 93, but was good enough to hold Minnesota scoreless for five innings only to be let down by his teams shoddy defence. "Hes still got great stuff, even if he wasnt throwing 97," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. Despite the diminished velocity, Scherzer insisted he isnt worried about making his final two starts, including game 162. "They kept me rested this week, so maybe thats why I didnt have my normal zip," he said. Cabrera helped the Tigers take a 2-0 lead with an RBI double and a run in the fourth inning, but their notoriously bad defence melted down in the sixth, leading to five Minnesota runs. Ben Revere led off with a fly to left that Andy Dirks dropped just short of the wall. By the time Dirks could locate the ball, Revere was at third with what was ruled a triple. Mauer pulled the Twins within 2-1 with an infield single, and Josh Willingham moved him to third with a double. That brought Phil Coke into the game, and he got Justin Morneau to fly to shallow left. Dirks, though, got a very late break and the ball dropped for a game-tying single. The Twins added a bizarre run when a third strike got away from catcher Gerald Laird. Villarreal covered the plate, but stretched for a force out instead of tagging Morneau. He only realized his mistake when home-plate umpire Tom Hallion singled safe. "Thats something Ive never seen in 49 years of baseball," Leyland said. "He saw the batter heading for first and thought it was a force play. Hes probably not an expert on the rulebook, to be honest with you." Scott Diamond (12-8) allowed two runs on four hits in seven innings for the Twins. NOTES: Detroits Justin Verlander (15-8) and Kansas Citys Luke Hochevar (8-14) will pitch in Mondays series opener at Comerica Park. ... Walters had a "little cramp" during his outing, but stayed in the game. ... Greenberg had at least 40 homers and 40 doubles in the 1937 and 1940 seasons. Wholesale NFL Jerseys . -- First his North Carolina players gave Roy Williams a tough, hard-fought, milestone victory. Cheap Jerseys china . LOUIS -- Cardinals rookie right-hander Lance Lynn has been put on the 15-day disabled list, a day after injuring his left side making a pitch, and could miss the rest of the season.http://www.usnewjerseyscheap.com/ . Quiros had three birdies in a flawless round for a 10-under total of 200, one shot ahead of Swedens Peter Hanson, who recovered from an early bogey to shoot 65. McIlroy shared the lead with the 28-year-old Quiros after both of the first two rounds, but the U.Wholesale Jerseys . -- The Chicago Bears and offensive tackle Jonathan Scott have agreed to a one-year contract. Wholesale NFL Jerseys from china . -- Montreals Kaya Turksi earned a silver medal in ski slopestyle at the X Games on Sunday, while fellow Canadian Dara Howell earned bronze.Raleigh, NC (Sports Network) - The Carolina Hurricanes have activated forward Zac Dalpe off injured reserve and assigned him to Charlotte of the American Hockey League. Dalpe had not played since October 14 against Buffalo because of a lower body injury and was placed on injured reserve October 25. He has not registtered a point in five games with the Hurricanes this season.dddddddddddd The Hurricanes have recalled forward Drayson Bowman from Charlotte. Bowman has five goals and two assists in 10 games for Charlotte. He has appeared in 32 NHL games for the Hurricanes and has compiled two goals with one assist. ' ' '

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. -- Enduring the wrath of Toronto Argonauts head coach Jim Barker never felt so good for receiver Steven Turner. Barker has yelled Turners name in vain plenty this week during the clubs rookie camp after the sophomore receiver dropped a pass during drills or a scrimmage. But dealing with Barkers ire is nothing compared to what Turner had to endure just to get back on to the field. The former Bishops star had high hopes after being selected in the fourth round, 30th overall, by Toronto in the 2010 Canadian college draft. But Turners rookie campaign never got off the ground as he suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles tendon early in the teams main training camp. The injury is a serious, often career-ending ailment for an athlete, especially a football player who depends on being able to make deft cuts and explosive starts on the field. But Turner never doubted he wouldnt be back. "I just used it as motivation when people told me I wasnt going to come back," he said. "Of course I am. "Who is someone to tell me what I can and cant do? Everyone says its a career ender but I guess Im the person whos going to have to prove them wrong." But the path back to football wasnt an easy one. Turner said he spent the first five months after being hurt on crutches, sometimes unable to even get out of bed. But with the guidance of the Argos training staff and support from his family, Turner successfully completed his rehab to the point where this off-season he was able to take run pain-free during a free-agent camp in Florida. "Its a really long process," he said. "Its stressful doing the same thing over and over again and wondering in your head, Whats going on? Hows it going to work out? "I just took it day by day and did what the trainers said. And then in Florida I ran some routes and felt good and figured Id be 100 per cent once camp began." The good news, too, is the five-foot-nine, 185-pound Turner hasnt lost a step. Thats good because speed is a huge part of his game. Turner made headlines at the CFLs 2010 evaluation camp when he ran a blistering 40-yard dash time of 4.31 seconds, shattering the event record of 4.39 seconds set last year by former Gaiters star Jamall Lee. Turner also posted a vertical leap of 43.5 inches, finishing just a half-inch shy of Lees record 44-inch jump. And Turners time of 4.03 seconds was tops in the shuttle. The Chicago Bears definitely took notice, inviting Turner to one of their mini-camps. Turner never signed with the NFL club but ultimately did so with the Argos. And after three two-hour sessions -- rookie camp officially ended Friday, with the start of training camp slated to begin Sunday -- Turner said he had no problems with his Achilles. "To me its completely gone," he said. "Its still there a bit psychologically but other than that I feel fine when Im running through routes and through plays. "I feel like I havent lost a step . . . if anyone wants to question that, I guess they can line up against me." While theres no questioning Turners speed, he must develop more consistency catching the football if he wants to make the squad. "Im not going to lie, my hands might be a little rusty," he said. "But practice makes perfect and Im going to keep practising until I dont drop those balls. "Coaches get on me but thats part of the game, thats their job and its my job to catch it and when I dont theyre going to get one me, thats expected." Barker heaped lavish praise on Turner for coming back from such a serious injury but says that alone isnt good enough. "He just tenses up (thinking) Aw Barker is going to scream at me again if I dont catch this, " Barker said. "He just has to learn how to relax and use his hands. "Right now he just doesnt catch the ball well enough and he knows that. The other things hes doing hes doing very good . . . but the bottom line is you cant be a receiver unless you can actually catch the ball." However, Barker also was willing to give Turner the benefit of the doubt as well. "People forget he was a running back at Bishops and it takes time to develop that (catching passes)," he said. "He wasnt able to do that last year because he was injured. "Thats why you expect him to drop the ball because hes learning how to be a receiver. It takes time." Turner was also a special-teams dynamo at Bishops, leading the CIS in punt returns in 2009 with a stellar 20.4-yard average while taking two back for TDs. Turner was twice named a Quebec division all-star as a kick returner and registered six career touchdowns on both kickoff and punt returns during his university career. Trouble is, Torontos Chad Owens was the CFLs most electrifying returner last year, easily capturing the leagues special-teams award. And even though the retirement of Ryan Christian just before rookie camp created an opening in the return game, Turner faces stiff competition from Jerome Hewitt, a rookie from Southeast Oklahoma State University for that post. Still, Turner isnt about to complain. "Its a blessing to be out here," he said. "You dont know how much you love something until its taken away from you with the snap of a finger. "Right now, Im just blessed to be out here and I take every day gratefully." cheap jerseys .com . The more recent spat is buried. With the regular season winding down, the Dallas Mavericks are tuning up nicely for the playoffs. nfl jerseys outlet . Bonds much-anticipated criminal trial ended inconclusively April 13 when a jury convicted the seven-time MVP on an obstruction of justice count but deadlocked on three perjury charges, the allegations at the heart of the governments case.http://www.uscheapjerseysoutlet.com/ . -- Those "minor" injuries to his left leg now have kept Tiger Woods from playing in two majors. cheap jerseys for women . Lightweight Mitch (Danger Zone) Clarke of Saskatoon (9-2) has been matched with Englands John (The One) Maguire (18-5). cheap jerseys china. The Heat played without NBA MVP LeBron James, who was out with "general soreness," according to coach Erik Spoelstra. Josh Harrelsons 3-pointer with 1:01 remaining put the Heat ahead for good at 102-99.TORONTO -- Colby Rasmus tried to forget everything that happened early Sunday afternoon. An 0 for 3 start to the day didnt help the Toronto Blue Jays much, especially when he popped out in a big spot in the seventh inning. But when the Houston Astros chose to again intentionally walk Edwin Encarnacion to get to Rasmus in the ninth, the centre fielder came through with the game-winning single to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 walk-off win. "It set up the way they want it to, in their favour, with a base open able to walk Eddie," manager John Gibbons said. "And then Colby stepped up." It was shaping to be a day for ruing missed opportunities. The Blue Jays left 12 runners on base and had plenty of chances to take the lead. Three times they had a runner in scoring position and failed to bring him home. "All those guys we left on base, we had opportunities," Gibbons said. "We couldnt capitalize." The seventh inning offered an excellent opportunity, after Melky Cabrera got on with a ground-rule double. After designated hitter Jose Bautista struck out and was ejected, the Astros intentionally walked Encarnacion to get to Rasmus, who popped out to end the inning. That was on Rasmus mind when he stepped up with Emilio Bonifacio on second base as the potential winning run. He was looking fastball all the way against Houston reliever Jose Cisnero. "The at-bat before that was a tough one," Rasmus said. "They walk Edwin in front of me, and some things didnt go my way. It wasnt the easiest at-bat, but the last at-bat I went up there telling myself Im looking for a cookie and Im not swinging at nothing else until I have to." Sitting in the home clubhouse at Rogers Centre, starter Todd Redmond said all Rasmus needed was a "little base hit." On a 3-2 pitch, the 26-year-old got a ground ball through the infield, and the speedy Bonifacio had no trouble rounding third and scoring. It was a nice way for Rasmus to end the week after misplaying a ball in the outfield Weddnesday that led to the Blue Jays seventh straight loss.dddddddddddd But Rasmus, whos hitting .272 after his game-winning single, said this is definitely the most comfortable he has felt at the plate during his career. "I just try to focus on ways to get things off my mind and off my chest and let some things go that bother me and just come back the next day as a fresh day and go out there and battle and try to keep my legs under me," he said. "I just try to know that my talent will take over if I get my rest, and my body is prepared to go." Just like Rasmus didnt want to overthink a crucial at-bat, Redmond didnt want to put too much pressure on himself in just his fourth start of the season. The 28-year-old allowed just three hits -- one being a solo home run by former Blue Jays prospect Brett Wallace -- in six strong innings. "I got brought up to keep the team in ballgames, and so far thats what Im doing: Give the team a chance to win," Redmond said. "I just come up here and try to keep guys in the game." Redmond finished with a career-best 10 strikeouts in his longest outing of the season. He said the key was getting ahead on hitters and locating his fastball. "Redmond did another great job, he really did," Gibbons said. "He competes, he gets big outs. Strikeouts are valuable -- he can get those." Big hits are valuable, too, especially on a day that runs were hard to come by. Bonifacio managed to get one to lead off the ninth with a double. "It was a huge hit to get that inning started," Gibbons said. "Weve said all along: When he uses the middle of the field and doesnt pull off the ball, is not a dead-hook guy, he can hit." The majority of the lineup struggled to hit Sunday, starting 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position. But because Redmond and Torontos bullpen held up, Rasmus had the chance to be the hero. "The way the game went, you didnt expect it to be a close game late like that, but we got the big hit late," Gibbons said. ' ' '