Dein erstes Forum » kilometre classical race on Saturday by beating W

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have won eight games in a row, and fans are starting to notice. After all, the Pirates own the best record in all of baseball. Pittsburgh beat the Milwaukee Brewers 2-1 on Saturday night in front of its fifth straight sellout crowd at home. The Pirates have never had that many consecutive capacity crowds since moving into their new ballpark in 2001. Long the third-most popular team in a three-team town behind the NFLs Steelers and NHLs Penguins, the Pirates are suddenly becoming a hot ticket. "The energy of the crowds has been unbelievable and weve been soaking it all up," said Pirates closer Jason Grilli, who earned the save. "You absorb it and try to use it to your advantage. Were playing for ourselves but were also playing for about 40,000 people in the stands and an entire city. "People are dusting off their Pirates shirts and coming out in droves, and were trying to give them what they want to see." Pedro Alvarez and Garrett Jones homered, and Francisco Liriano pitched six strong innings to lead the surging Pirates. Alvarez hit his 20th home run with one out in the second inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games and help the Pirates to their longest winning streak since 2004. Pittsburgh, which has endured 20 consecutive losing seasons, is a major league-best 50-30. Jones hit a drive to the shrubbery in straightaway centre field, his seventh homer, to lead off the fourth inning and increase the Pirates lead to 2-0. That was enough for Liriano (7-3), who improved to 4-1 in five home starts this season. "Were having fun, were playing hard and were giving everything we have," Liriano said. Liriano gave up one run and seven hits in six innings with one walk and six strikeouts. Tony Watson, Mark Melancon and Grilli each pitched one scoreless inning of relief. Grilli recorded his 27th save in 28 opportunities. "Frankie, for as efficient as he was in giving up one run, there were only about six or seven sequences where he threw back-to-back strikes," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "But when he needed to make a pitch, he made a pitch." Grilli was pitching for the first time in six days after having his worst outing of the season. He gave up three runs against the Los Angeles Angels in a non-save situation last Sunday before the Pirates held on for a 10-9 win. "Hes our guy," Hurdle said. "He was well-rested and I wasnt the least bit nervous about going to him." Donovan Hand (0-1) allowed both home runs but turned in a solid five-inning performance in his second major league start. Hand was pleased with his outing, except for the home run to Alvarez that cleared the right-field stands, hit a tree and bounced into the Allegheny River. "I tried to go up and in and left a fat pitch over the middle in his hot zone, and he crushed it," said Hand, who pitched 4 2-3 scoreless innings in his first start June 28 against Atlanta. "I was aggressive, which is exactly what I wanted to do, just building off of the last start because they swing it a lot." Hand has made a good impression on Brewers manager Ron Roenicke. "I thought Donny threw the ball really well," Roenicke said. "He understands how to pitch. He understands how to throw strikes." Carlos Gomez had two hits for the Brewers, who lost their fifth straight game. He singled with one out in the sixth inning and scored Milwaukees run on Yuniesky Betancourts single with two outs. Brewers shortstop Jean Segura extended his hitting streak to 11 games, but second baseman Rickie Weeks run ended at a career-best 13 games. Pittsburgh has won four straight games against Milwaukee and eight of 10 after losing nine in a row. "Were playing good baseball," Hurdle said. "Its nice to get to 50 wins but were just trying to meet the demands of the game, honestly self-evaluate and get better every day. There is still a long way to go." NOTES: Milwaukee LF Ryan Braun (bruised left thumb) is scheduled to a swing a bat Tuesday for the first time since going on the disabled list, retroactive to June 10. ... Pittsburgh LHP Wandy Rodriguez (strained left forearm) wont make a scheduled rehab start Monday for Triple-A Indianapolis after experiencing discomfort in his forearm Friday during a bullpen session. ... Pirates RHP A.J. Burnett (strained right calf) is scheduled to pitch a simulated game Tuesday. That could be the last step before he is activated from the disabled list. ... Brewers RF Norichika Aoki didnt start for the first time since May 30 as Roenicke decided to rest him. Aoki pinch-hit in the ninth inning and flied out. ... The three-game series concludes Sunday with Milwaukee RHP Kyle Lohse (3-6, 3.69) facing Pittsburgh RHP Charlie Morton (1-1, 2.81). Wholesale Adidas Shoes Australia .Y. -- When the New York Islanders lead was cut in half in the opening minute of the third period, the sense of impending doom began wafting through Nassau Coliseum. Cheap Adidas Shoes Online . In the last race before the Sochi Olympics, Bjoergen followed up her win in the 10-kilometre classical race on Saturday by beating World Cup sprint leader Denise Herrmann of Germany by 0.43 seconds for her fifth victory of the season. http://www.wholesaleadidasshoesaustralia.com/ . Even that couldnt slow them down against the New Orleans Hornets. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 31 points apiece and the Thunder overcame injuries to two key backups to beat New Orleans 101-93 Monday night for their 10th straight home win. Cheap Adidas Shoes Australia . Nothing pretty. But this is 1/4 World Cup. Usually plays out this way. Adidas Shoes Australia Sale . -- Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman is undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone above his left eye but has no other serious injuries after being hit in the face by a line drive in a spring training game.TORONTO – The Maple Leafs intend to fill what remaining holes they have on their roster through internal competition. That was the pledge, at least, of team president Brendan Shanahan from the clubs annual prospect camp. “We want our young players to have job opportunities,” Shanahan said. “We want to have competition. We want to create that internal pressure, that there are jobs to be had here.” Unraveling toward another playoff miss last year, Toronto did some roster restructuring this offseason through trade and a prudent first week of free agency. And although much of the lineup can be jotted down in pen for returning head coach Randy Carlyle, there are gaps that will be left in pencil, to be decided in competition at training camp. “Youve got to have a few holes with the big club so that not only these guys,” said Shanahan, referring to the 29 prospects on hand for the week-long camp, “but our Marlie guys who are in the gym in the mornings know that theres a reason to be working out this summer, that theres an opportunity and a job to be won possibly.” A glut of departing free agents left most of the openings at forward. At centre, the third and fourth-line positions are there to be had for a combination of Mike Santorelli, Petri Kontiola, Peter Holland and perhaps even Sam Carrick and Greg McKegg. Further jostling on the wing will come down to who shows best amongst a group that includes Matt Frattin, Carter Ashton, Josh Leivo, Troy Bodie and William Nylander, the eighth overall pick in the draft this past June. At least one spot – and maybe two, depending on Cody Fransons futuree – will be up for grabs on defence, there for Petter Granberg, Stuart Percy, Korbinian Holzer or Andrew MacWilliam to snatch.dddddddddddd Carlyle, who received a two-year extension in early May after a trio of his assistant coaches were fired, had been reluctant to lean in that younger direction in the past, preferring the veterans at his disposal. But at the urging of management it appears hell no longer have much of a choice. The club had no talks, for instance, with Jay McClement, the coachs most trusted crutch, opting to let him walk via free agency this summer. Tragically collapsing for the second time in three seasons, Toronto did however, look to inject some leadership and veteran know-how in their roster remake this summer; Roman Polak, a feisty sort long of St. Louis, was added in a trade for Carl Gunnarsson; 37-year-old Stephane Robidas and returning Leaf Leo Komarov were signed to multiyear deals on July 1st. Upside bids like Santorelli and Kontiola were added from the free agent market in the days that followed. “These were not plan Bs,” Shanahan said. “These were guys that we had targeted. “With all due respect to the players that were signed for big dollars and big term, we looked at July 1st this year and decided that we didnt want to be too involved with some of those big signings … Its a bad habit to try and build your team on July 1st year after year after year.” Instead, it appears the Leafs will start the prudent trend of building internally, improved draft and development key in the still-to-be-sorted Shanahan platform. ' ' '