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NEW YORK -- Mets rookie Eric Campbell earned a start in left field because of his bat. Richard Sherman Jersey Super Bowl . He should be getting even more playing time because of his glove. In his first career major league game in the outfield, Campbell doubled Yasiel Puig off second base after making a spectacular diving catch in the eighth that helped preserve New Yorks 5-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. "As it always goes, put a guy in for his offence and his defence saves the game," manager Terry Collins said. Campbell had a sacrifice fly in the first inning and is hitting .368 in his first eight big league games. Collins said he is going to use the versatile 27 year old who plays mostly at the corner infield spots at second base and shortstop, too. Campbell, who even worked out a bit behind the plate to be the Mets emergency catcher with Travis dArnaud on the 7-day concussion list, is ready. "I can handle it," Campbell said of playing second and short. "Just fielding a groundball and throwing to first." Jonathon Niese (3-3) hit an RBI double to provide himself some much-needed run support and pitched seven sharp innings for New York, which won for just the sixth time in 20 games this month and avoided a three-game sweep. Juan Lagares had a go-ahead RBI single in the seventh. The dynamic yet, at times, frustrating Puig made a sensational catch of his own on a sinking liner to right-centre that was so good it elicited a warm ovation from the 23,416 in attendance. But he made two baserunning mistakes that could have cost the Dodgers runs. "Thats one of the best catches Ive ever seen," Campbell said. "That was crazy." Zack Greinkes stretch of 21 straight starts allowing two or fewer runs ended. A mark that hasnt been matched since at least 1914 was done in by some sloppy play. "Just in my experience, weve played incredible defence when Im pitching throughout the years," Greinke said, "so, if someone makes one mistake in one game, you cant really say too much." Dodgers centre fielder Matt Kemp bobbled Curtis Grandersons drive in the first inning to right-centre, allowing Granderson to take third base on a double in a 12-pitch at-bat. Granderson then scored on Campbells sacrifice fly. In the fifth, third baseman Justin Turner failed to glove Daniel Murphys slow grounder that allowed Niese to score for a 3-1 lead. Niese reached on a well-struck RBI double to right-centre following Anthony Reckers double to a similar spot. Greinke was lifted after five, yielding four hits, three runs -- one earned -- two walks and four Ks. He has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 22 games. Niese then walked Chone Figgins, playing in place of Dee Gordon, to start the sixth. Figgins advanced to second on Puigs grounder to third when Murphy, the second baseman, dropped Wrights force attempt -- the call was upheld by replay. But Niese escaped unscathed when Puig ran into an out on an infield fly gone awry. Hanley Ramirez hit a high popup to second base. Murphy backed up under the ball but appeared to lose it in the lights. When the ball fell, Murphy hesitated and Puig jogged into second. Apparently thinking he was forced out, Puig wandered off second and was tagged out for the double play. "I didnt actually see the umpire give the signal," Puig said through a translator. "I felt it was a little bit too late and, by that time, I was already off the base. I thought it was going to be a double play and I was already off in that situation." The Dodgers tied it in the seventh, though, when Turner hit his first homer with the Dodgers after spending parts of four seasons with the Mets. "Hes welcome for that one," Niese said, joking. "For that one, just a mistake that he punched." Lagares RBI single off Chris Perez (0-2) s gave the Mets back the lead in the seventh. Granderson tripled in a run in the eighth for a 5-3 lead. Niese had received just five runs of support total in his previous four home starts. The left-hander has not allowed more than three earned runs in 12 starts. Jenrry Mejia pitched the ninth for his second save. He pitched a scoreless ninth Wednesday night making this his first back-to-back appearances since moving to the bullpen this month. NOTES: DArnaud (7-day concussion DL) was scheduled to do some on-field work before the game. If all goes well he should take batting practice on the field Friday. ... Up next: The Dodgers head to Philadelphia on Friday and the Mets play host to the Arizona Diamondbacks. Doug Baldwin Jersey Super Bowl . Louis Blues remain at the top spot of the TSN. Kam Chancellor Jersey Super Bowl . Louis Blues just continue to roll -- especially against the Nashville Predators.VANCOUVER - Down 1-0 after two periods with their season on the line, the Vancouver Canucks showed they still have a little fight left. Brad Richardson scored with 1:23 remaining in regulation Saturday as the Canucks kept their minuscule playoff hopes alive with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Richardson took a feed from linemate Zack Kassian at the side of Jonathan Quicks goal and ripped home his 11th of the season to keep the Canucks in the post-season chase, at least mathematically. "That shows the character of the team," said Kassian. "We could have folded once they scored and packed our bags but we didnt. We competed and stuck with our game plan." The Canucks and embattled head coach John Tortorella would have been eliminated from post-season contention with a regulation loss, but will instead live to see another day thanks to a spirited effort against a Western Conference powerhouse. "What do we have to lose, right? Torts just told to have fun and go play and what the hell?" said Richardson of what was discussed in the locker-room during the second intermission. "I think we all know where all are. "Whatever happens, happens." Vancouver still sits six points back of the Dallas Stars for the second wild-card spot in the West with just four games left on the schedule. In short, the Canucks will need a miracle to make the post-season, but the fact they came back against a Kings team that won the seasons first four meetings and was 26-2-0 when leading after two periods is a definite positive in what is in all likelihood a lost campaign. "We played hard. We played as a team. We stuck together," said Canucks captain Henrik Sedin, who returned after missing four games with an upper-body injury. "Thats never been a problem here the last couple weeks and thats a good feeling." Alexander Edler added a goal and an assist for Vancouver (35-32-11), which got 25 saves from Eddie Lack in his 18th straight start since the Olympic break. Slava Voynov scored for Los Angeles (45-28-6). Quick stopped 38 shots for the Kings, who are locked into the third seed in the Pacific Division. "I thought we played great the whole game," said Richardson, who left the Kings to sign with Vancouver in the off-season. "Everyone played great tonight. I thought Eddie was awesome. Its nice to beat those guys for sure." Trailing 1-0 after 40 minutes, the Canucks tied the score on the power play after Edlers seventh of the season just 66 seconds into the third stood up after a video review. The Vancouver defenceman pinched down to Quicks crease and saw Daniel Sedins saucer pass deflect in off his skate, but without a distinct motion. The Canucks had another power play moments later, but some good puck movement failed to create a clear-cut chance on Quick. "We have to bear down. We took three penalties and they scored on one of them," said Kings forward Marian Gaborik. "We cant have breakdowns in our zone. We have to get ready and make sure it doesnt happen. Were heading into playoffs. "These game situations can costt us big so we have to figure it out and make sure we bear down and are strong on pucks in front of our net.Earl Thomas III Jersey Super Bowl. " The game was played after a controversial few days in Vancouver that included Canucks president and general manager Mike Gillis seeming to criticize the style employed by Tortorella in a live radio interview. Gillis said he wanted the club to get back to the high-tempo, puck-possession game that got Vancouver to within one victory of the 2011 Stanley Cup under former head coach Alain Vigneault, who was fired last off-season after a first-round playoff exit. Tortorella responded to Gillis comments by saying that both he and his boss were on the same page in terms of systems coming out of training camp, but added that he was slow to respond to injuries that forced the Canucks into a more conservative style by mid-season. On the ice, the Kings snapped a scoreless tie on a power play with 28 seconds left in the second period on Voynovs fourth goal of the season on a massive breakdown by the Canucks penalty-killing unit. All four Vancouver players on the ice inexplicably wound up in the corner below the goal-line, leaving Voynov wide open in front to bury a feed from Jeff Carter. The goal was Voynovs first goal since Nov. 14, a span of 59 games. "When they scored at the end of the second period, we talked about just gaining the momentum back," said Tortorella. "I thought we played a pretty good second period. We just make a terrible coverage mistake on our penalty kill — really they didnt get a sniff through any of it. "We just talked about the first few shifts of just trying to gain momentum and not sink because we got scored on late. Then we score a power-play goal. I thought we played well." The Canucks had a 4-on-3 power play for 34 seconds earlier in the period that they failed to capitalize on, as well as a great chance for Richardson that the Vancouver forward couldnt get up and over Quick. At the other end, Lack made a huge pad stop in the periods opening minute when he came across to stone Tyler Toffoli on a 2-on-1. The Kings and Canucks have played some physical games this season and in the playoffs, but the opening 20 minutes felt more like an exhibition game. Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown had the best opportunity to break the scoreless deadlock with 30 seconds remaining, but his shot from the faceoff circle rang off the post behind Lack. "We played, I think, like we did back before Christmas. We iced a lineup thats healthy," said Henrik Sedin. "We were able to be aggressive, play the way we know we can. Weve been in a lot of tight games against these guys." Notes: Kings defenceman Matt Greene left the game in the third period but later returned after taking a shot off the shin that left blood splattered on the ice. ... Kings defenceman Drew Doughty missed out because of an upper-body injury, thought to be a left shoulder ailment. Andrew Campbell made his NHL debut on the L.A. blue-line in Doughtys place. ... The Canucks are home to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday. ... The Kings take on the Flames in Calgary on Wednesday. cheap jerseys cheap jerseys from china ' ' ' |
