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PHILADELPHIA -- The Washington Nationals already have developed a knack for comebacks. Deion Sanders Cowboys Authentic Jersey . Adam LaRoches tiebreaking single in the eighth inning helped the Nationals rally from an early deficit to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 Friday night. Cliff Lee outpitched Stephen Strasburg, but the Phillies bullpen struggled again. Mike Adams (1-1) and Jake Diekman allowed three runs and five hits in an inning. The Nationals have nine comeback wins in 29 games. "Its a bunch of guys who are not going to quit," Strasburg said. Benches and bullpens emptied in the fifth after Denard Span exchanged words with Lee. Span was upset that Lee threw an inside fastball as he called time-out. After he grounded out, Span stopped between the plate and the mound on his way back to the dugout and said something to Lee. Players ran on the field, but nothing happened. "He kept looking at me so I just said, If youre going to stand there in the box, be ready to hit," Lee said. "Ill take that strike every time, but I threw a ball." Lee allowed two runs -- one earned -- and four hits, striking out five in seven innings. Strasburg was hurt by an error on right fielder Jayson Werth, who dropped a foul ball two pitches before Marlon Byrd hit a three-run homer in the first inning. The hard-throwing right-hander gave up three unearned runs and six hits, striking out five in six innings. "After the first inning, I had better command on my fastball," Strasburg said. Jerry Blevins (2-0) retired the two batters he faced in the seventh to earn the win. Rafael Soriano tossed a scoreless ninth for his sixth save in six tries and extended his scoreless streak to 23 innings, dating to last season. The Phillies, who played just their second game in five days, have lost two in a row at home after a 6-4 trip to the West Coast. They had two scheduled off days this week and another game was rained out. Strasburg retired the first two hitters before Chase Utley and Ryan Howard hit consecutive singles. Werth then let Byrds fly ball bounce off his glove after a long run near the foul line. One pitch later, Byrd lined a 96 mph fastball into the seats in right-centre to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. Lee left with a 3-2 lead, but the NLs worst bullpen promptly blew it. Span led off the eighth with a double off Adams. He stole third and scored on Anthony Rendons single to centre to tie it at 3-3. Werth followed with a single up the middle. Diekman replaced Adams and allowed LaRoches go-ahead RBI hit to centre. "They just keep battling," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "Coming back is a trait they have. They fight. Its a very good sign." Ian Desmond followed LaRoches single with a double to right that just eluded Byrds diving attempt. Diekman escaped further trouble by striking out Danny Espinosa and Moore with runners on second and third. After Jose Lobaton walked to load the bases, Diekman struck out pinch-hitter Zach Walters. Tyler Moore connected off Lee in the third to cut it to 3-1. Moore started the fifth with a single, advanced to third when Jose Lobaton reached on second baseman Utleys fielding error. After Strasburg sacrificed, Span drove in Moore on a groundout to Utley. "It seems like we have a quiet confidence," Moore said. The Phillies relievers have a 5.07 ERA and have blown six saves, though closer Jonathan Papelbon is 8 for 9. "Weve been good in the eighth and ninth innings to this point, so its disappointing," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. NOTES: Moore is 6 for 12 with two homers off Lee. ... Lee had four walks entering the game, but walked two, including Strasburg on four pitches. ... Former Phillies closer Brad Lidge, who was 48 for 48 in save chances during Philadelphias 2008 World Series championship season, will throw out the first pitch Saturday night. ... RHP Tanner Roark (2-0, 2.76) goes for the Nationals against Philadelphias A.J. Burnett (1-1, 2.15) on Saturday night. White J.J. Wilcox Game Womens Jersey . The Blue Jackets entered this series against the Metropolitan Division champions as heavy underdogs, but they sit tied with the Penguins at two wins apiece. Columbus has arrived at this point with a pair of overtime victories, including a 4-3 triumph in Wednesdays Game 4 clash at Nationwide Arena that gave the franchise its first home playoff win. DeMarco Murray Authentic Jersey . Bautista led off the 10th inning with his second homer of the game, lifting the Toronto Blue Jays to a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday night.By now you will know all about the American Pharaoh story. Told well by the New York Times and Sports Illustrated recently, it is a tale highlighting the influence coach Bob Bradley has had on Egyptian football at a turbulent time in the countrys history. "Its one of the best stories in world sport right now," said iconic soccer commentator Ray Hudson. On Tuesday we all got to see why those stories were written now. Better to have a great story told in the current tense than one left for the history books. Warner Bros can blow the whistle on any plans they had of making it a movie. Bradleys time in Egypt is coming to a close. The American had hoped he could make the difference, turn the tables on a team that has suffered misery on and off the field for the past four years. Instead, in leg one of the crucial World Cup qualifier against Ghana, Bradleys side was destroyed 6-1, ending any realistic hopes they have of making Brazil. The Pharaohs looked nervous and paid the price for a horrendous first 25 minutes. Ghanian star striker Asamoah Gyan, formerly of Sunderland, should have put his side ahead after 12 seconds but he needed no second chances in the fifth minute when his powerful drive across the box sent the home crowd wild. On 22 minutes Egypt were down 2-0, Andre Ayew breaking on a transition before feeding Michael Essien in the box. The Chelsea midfielder then rolled back the years with every step, causing Egyptians to fall to the ground with every turn, before Wael Gomaa kicked the ball away from him and into the net for an own goal. Bradley, showing no emotion on the sidelines, waited for his team to insert their influence and got a break on 41 minutes when star man Mohamed Salah was bundled over in the box for a penalty, which was easily taken by Mohamed Aboutrika. A key away goal for Egypt could have caused a turn in momentum, but a minute later Sulley Muntaris free kick was met by the head of rising Majeed Waris to make it 3-1 before half-time. Egypt slumped off the pitch unable to cope with the pace and aggression shown by Ghanas front four and, in particular, their tactic of targeting right back Ahmed Fathi. The brilliance of goalkeeper Sherif Ekramy was the only reason the score was close at the interval. Eight minutes into the second half, not even Sherif in net could do anything to stop Gyans second goal, another header that left questions about Egypts backline. 4-1 turned into 5-1 when Ahmed El-Shenawi was harshly called for a foul in the box later in the second half and by now Bradley was only too aware that he was just another part in what has been a terrible four years for the national side, dating back to the misery caused by Algeria in 2009. Back then, much like 2013, things were supposed to be different. They had played four minutes and forty seconds of injury time the moment Emad Moteab headed the ball into the ground and just out of reach of the goalkeeper. Moteab sent Cairo into hysterics, only this time the scenes were of jubilation. Playing despised North African rivals Algeria in the final qualification group for South Africa 2010, Egypt needed to win by three to qualify and by two to earn a playoff. Moteabs stunning late goal gave them a 2-0 win, giving the two teams identical records in group play. The goal allowed Egyptians everywhere a chance to dream, to finally make the World Cup for the first time since 1990, and an opportunity for their team to show the world what they already knew; that Egypt were the true kings of African football. The second group game between the twoo nations had already been surrounded in controversy, with the Algerian bus being attacked as they arrived, forcing some players to wear protective headgear to cover up their gashes. Pink Jason Witten Elite Jersey. Now there would be a third matchup. After six group matches the teams couldnt be separated and a one-game playoff on neutral grounds was required to see who went to the World Cup. Egypt, already winners of the 2006 and 2008 African Cup of Nations, felt they had the momentum and were heavy favourites. They lost 1-0 and were forced to watch the first ever World Cup on African soil at home. Without a ticket to South Africa, incredibly they won a third successive AFCON tournament in 2010, beating Ghana in the final, giving them their seventh continental crown, the most won by any African team. By the time the World Cup kicked off in 2010 nobody else in the continent cared about Egypts local success. The Black Stars of Ghana shined bright, coming precariously close to a semifinal berth, after losing a dramatic penalty shootout to Uruguay. If Egyptian Football thought that was their lowest point they were in for a rude awakening. In 2011 they failed to qualify for the next AFCON, prompting coach Hassan Shehatas resignation, which led to Bradleys hiring. In two years Bradley has stayed with Egypt through the Port Said Stadium massacre - which saw over 70 people lose their lives, another failure to qualify for the AFCON of 2013, a military takeover and a national revolution that has caused so much social unrest, Egypt had to play all of their home qualifiers for Brazil 2014 behind closed doors for safety reasons. Most men would have turned their back on the country by now. Not Bradley. His reward? Another date with Ghana. It was a nightmare draw. Egypts World Cup bad luck had continued. Six wins from six in qualification gave them arguably their toughest opponent. Another change in the qualification process this time saw teams having to finish in the top two of their group before then playing off over two legs against a side for a chance at the World Cup. Ghana are now, for Egypt, Algeria of 2009. For Bradley they are also the team that ended his last World Cup campaign when they beat the Americans in Rustenburg. The American Pharaoh had the chance at redemption, and what a script that would have been, but facing an unthinkable 1-6 deficit ahead of the second leg on November 19th (still to be decided if it will be played in Cairo) it likely means Ghana will bring Bradleys time in Egypt to a close, much earlier than he would have hoped. Maple Leaf Sport & Entertainment President and CEO Tim Leiweke has publicly said Toronto FC coach Ryan Nelsen will return next season, but for a man who thinks big on and off the field, Bradleys upcoming availability certainly should make him think otherwise. Bradley is obsessed with the game and many thought his thirst for the day-to-day requirements of club football would lead him to MLS when he left the US national team in 2011. Toronto isnt previously a destination that would have interested him because of its constant failures but with the ambitious Leiweke at the helm the link is now more than plausible. Leiweke, former President and CEO of AEG, has known Bradley for many years including when Bradley coached the New York-New Jersey Metrostars, a club he left from Chicago Fire, when both teams were owned by AEG. Bradleys task at Toronto may not come as close to being made into a movie like his current one but it is certainly one both sides could well be interested in exploring. cheap nfl jerseys ' ' ' |
