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MILAN - Juventus maintained its charge to a third successive Serie A title as it won 1-0 at 10-man Catania in a fiery match in Serie A on Sunday. Victor Butler Saints Jersey . Carlos Tevez scored the only goal of the game to take him level with Torino striker Ciro Immobile at the top of the scoring charts. Catania was forced to play with 10 men for much of the second half after Gonzalo Bergessio was dismissed following a second booking. Both coaches were also sent to the stands for protests during the first period. Juventus restored its 14-point lead over Roma, which has a game in hand. "I think the referee wanted to give a warning to the players, by sending off the managers and calming things down a bit," Conte said. "The match was very heated and we were good to keep a cool head. "I am very proud of the lads. We are playing at extraordinary levels, but we have to give credit to Roma, which is doing something incredible. So we have to stay awake because nothing is over and decided yet." Earlier, Fiorentina snatched a late 1-0 win at 10-man Napoli to boost its chances of sneaking into the Champions League. Inter Milan is four points further back after a last-minute goal consigned it to a 2-1 loss at home to Atalanta. Parma is level, but with a game in hand, after it drew 1-1 with Genoa in the lunchtime kickoff. "It was the perfect day, seeing as we opened up a gap on those behind us and got closer to third spot," Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella said. "It will be difficult to reach because Napoli is strong and has a big advantage. But well try right until the end." Lazio is five points off a European spot after being held to a 1-1 draw by AC Milan. Hellas Veronas European bid was dented again as it lost 5-0 at Sampdoria. Elsewhere, Udinese beat Sassuolo 1-0 and Bologna won a relegation fight against Cagliari by the same score. It was top against bottom in Serie A and 55 points separated Juventus and Catania going into the match. Tension was high from the start as the Juventus bus was pelted with objects on its way to the stadium. Juventus struggled but broke the deadlock shortly before the hour mark. Pablo Osvaldo nodded back a long ball from Andrea Pirlo for Tevez to race forward and fire home an angled drive for his 16th goal of the season. Both Napoli and Fiorentina were in need of a confidence boost after crashing out of the Europa League midweek. Faouzi Ghoulam was controversially dismissed in the 37th minute after bringing down Marko Bakic on the edge of the area and Joaquin headed home the winner two minutes from time. Fiorentina moved seven points behind third-place Napoli. There was also a late goal in Milan, where Giacomo Bonaventura scored his second of the game 10 seconds from time when he was left completely unmarked at the far post to head a free kick between Samir Handanovics legs. Mauro Icardi had cancelled out Bonaventuras opener within 60 seconds in the first half. To celebrate he held up a T-shirt dedicated to his girlfriend Wanda Nera, the ex-wife of former Sampdoria teammate Maxi Lopez. Inter should have sealed the match in the second half but Fredy Guarin smashed a shot off the crossbar and Rodrigo Palacio sent a glancing header onto the left upright. Both sides could have snatched the win. Inters Jonathan cleared off the line three minutes from time before chipping the ball off the underside of the crossbar at the other end. Atalanta also hit the woodwork in the first half, when German Denis headed Bonaventuras cross off the crossbar. Parma maintained its charge toward a European spot as it extended its club record unbeaten run to 17 matches. Milan coach Clarence Seedorf was under pressure with seven defeats in his 12 matches in charge. His side took the lead two minutes from halftime when Abdoulay Konko deflected Kakas shot into his own net. However, Alvaro Gonzalez headed in the equalizer on the hour. Substitute Mario Balotelli was unlucky as his effort hit the right post eight minutes from time. At Udinese, captain Antonio Di Natale scored his 10th goal of the season to ensure he reached double figures in goals for the eighth consecutive season. It was a good way to mark his 324th league appearance for Udinese — a new club record. Di Natale could have had a second but kicked up a chunk of turf as he ballooned a penalty over the bar. Sassuolo also missed a penalty kick. Saints #8 Jersey . The Basque club improved to four points better than fifth-place Villarreal in the duel for the last Champions League qualifying place. Celta should have come away with more from the high tempo game. Keenan Lewis Saints Jersey .S. -- Kelsey Rocque remains the only unbeaten womens skip at the Canadian junior curling championships.OAKLAND, Calif. -- Two of the American Leagues top teams have struggling closers who are accustomed to being among the best in baseball. Joe Nathan held on through another rocky ninth inning for his 13th save a day after blowing one, and the Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 on Thursday for a split of the four-game series between division leaders. "If Joes on youre going to have quick outs. Hes been one of the best closers, he had an unbelievable year last year," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "If hes on, hell get quick outs. It just wasnt today." On the other side, Oaklands Jim Johnson -- the 2013 AL saves leader -- walked off the mound to boos from the home crowd after allowing two runs in the seventh. He is pitching in lower-pressure situations for now. "What am I supposed to do?" he said of the crowd treatment. "I dont know what to tell you. Balls are finding holes. Im throwing pretty good pitches, I just feel like Im in a little bit of bad luck. I dont think its as bad as it really seems. I think everybody else thinks that way." Miguel Cabrera hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fifth to back Rick Porcellos eighth victory. Porcello (8-2) overcame a career-high six walks, three shy of his season total coming into Thursdays start. Nathan allowed Josh Donaldsons leadoff double, an RBI infield single by Yoenis Cespedes and Josh Reddicks run-scoring double before pinch-hitter Jed Lowrie grounded out to end the game. It was Nathans first outing since he surrendered Donaldsons game-ending three-run homer in Wednesdays 3-1 loss for his fourth blown save opportunity. "You guys can get the guys that did their part. You can write whatever you want," Nathan said. Victor Martinez doubled home two runs in the seventh and Cabrera also had an RBI groundout for the Tigers, who head to Seattle for the weekend before returning home. Nick Punto hit a two-run homer in the fourth for Oakland, which wasted chances all game to lose for only the seventh time in 20 games. Porcello moved into second place in the American League for wins behind Torontos Mark Buehrle. He did just enough this time, coming off his second loss of the year Saturday against Texas in which he was tagged for eight runs and 12 hits in 5 1-3 innings. "Its no secret I was all over the place," Porcello said. Curtis Lofton Saints Jersey. "I was fortunate to get out of some of the innings." Porcello improved to 5-1 on the road. He allowed five hits and two runs with four strikeouts in 5 2-3 innings. Oakland starter Jesse Chavez (4-3) lost consecutive starts for the first time this season following a two-game winning streak. His pitch count went up in a hurry. The right-hander walked two of his first three batters but escaped a rough first inning unscathed. After Ian Kinsler lined out to start the game, Chavez walked the next two and received a mound visit from pitching coach Curt Young after going to 2-0 on cleanup hitter Victor Martinez. Martinez then singled and J.D. Martinez grounded into an inning-ending double play. The As left the bases loaded in the second and sixth innings, and also squandered scoring chances in the first, fifth and seventh. They had the tying run on second and go-ahead run on first to end the game, leaving 14 on base in all. "We had plenty of opportunities," manager Bob Melvin said. "We had some situational at-bats where we didnt come through." AL Central-leading Detroit, which eliminated the two-time defending AL West champion As in a five-game division series each of the past two Octobers, won for just the third time in 11 games following a six-game winning streak. NOTES: Tigers OF Rajai Davis was held out of the lineup with lingering soreness in his left shoulder that he hurt while diving for a fly ball during the second inning Wednesday night. ... Ausmus decided to give 38-year-old Torii Hunter an unscheduled day off. "Weve got to give him a day off because hes an old man," Ausmus joked. "We need him for the long haul." ... As setup man Ryan Cook, on the DL since May 9 with a forearm strain, threw a bullpen session and could begin a rehab assignment within the next week. ... Tigers OF Andy Dirks has been throwing long toss from 120 feet as he continues to recover from lower back surgery. ... Oakland LHP Drew Pomeranz (4-2), who pitches the series opener against the Angels on Friday, has won three of his four starts since being moved into the rotation. ... Tigers ace Justin Verlander (5-4) takes the mound at Seattle on Friday trying to snap a two-start losing streak. cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
