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PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Neil Walker understands not everybody is going to be a fan of Major League Baseballs expanded replay system, which threatens to slow down a sport that already struggles to be played with any sort of urgency. wholesale nfl jerseys . Funny, there werent many critics to be found on Monday at PNC Park. Walker homered off Carlos Villanueva leading off the 10th inning, and the Pirates benefited from an overturned to call to beat the Chicago Cubs 1-0. The Pittsburgh native turned on a Villanueva changeup and sent it sailing over the Clemente Wall in right field for the first walk-off of his career and the first by the Pirates on opening day since Bob Bailey homered off San Franciscos Juan Marichal in a 1-0, 10-inning victory in 1965. "This one feels pretty special," Walker said. "This is a special day for this team, this organization. Weve come a long way." So has the game. After spending decades fighting the advances of technology, Major League Baseball has embraced the concept. Many calls can be challenged this season under an expanded system, and both teams wasted little time putting umpires to work. The Cubs made history by initiating the first review under the new guidelines. Chicago manager Rick Renteria challenged a double-play call in the top of the fifth following a demonstrative "safe" call by Jeff Samardzija following a poorly executed sacrifice bunt attempt. First base umpire Bob Davidsons decision was confirmed on replay. "It was a combination of Samardzjias reaction and what we were looking at," Renteria said. "Were still trying to figure out what clear and compelling evidence is. Its a work in progress." Chicagos luck with replay didnt get any better later. A safe call on a pickoff attempt by Bryan Morris (1-0) with one out in the top of the 10th was reversed after Pirates manager Clint Hurdle requested a replay, sending Chicagos Emilio Bonifacio back to the dugout after a delay of 2 1/2 minutes. "Most of the time on pickoffs, its got to be very noticeable for the umpire," Morris said. "Those bang-bang plays are always going to go to the runner. I guess thats why its good to have replay." The largest regular season crowd in PNC Parks 14-season history (39,833) roared its approval. The din only grew louder when Walkers drive to right field finished halfway up the seats. That capped a giddy day for a team freed from two decades of losing after a breakout 2013 in which it won 94 games and made the playoffs for the first time since 1992. Former Pittsburgh star Barry Bonds presented centerfielder Andrew McCutchen with the NL MVP award that McCutchen earned last year. Bonds received mixed reviews, though the vitriol that accompanied his late career visits to Pittsburgh while playing for San Francisco was noticeably absent. Bonifacio went 4 for 5 for Chicago, but the Cubs were 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position and wasted a fine start by Samardzija, who scattered five hits over seven innings. "I was happy with the way I kept the ball down in the strike zone," Samardzija said. "It helped to get the double plays because they made the overall outing look a little better than it really was." Travis Ishikawa had two of the six hits by Pittsburgh. Starter Francisco Liriano tied a team record shared by three other pitchers for most strikeouts on opening day by fanning 10 in six innings. While he struggled with his command -- needing 104 pitches to get 18 outs -- he was sharp when he needed to be and Pittsburghs bullpen did the rest. NOTES: Pirates C Chris Stewart took batting practice and says he is coming along ahead of schedule in his rehab from knee surgery. Stewart believes he can beat the timetable of late April for his return. ... Chicago OF Brian Bogusevic was unavailable because of ankle soreness. He is expected to be ready to play Wednesday. ... The teams are off Tuesday. Chicagos Edwin Jackson faces Pittsburghs Charlie Morton on Wednesday night. nfl jerseys china . Cammalleri scored two goals, Corban Knight netted the winner in a shootout, and the Flames erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to beat the Stars 4-3 on Friday night. cheap jerseys . The reported price for the Jays was Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez. Would you make that deal? The Blue Jays are in first place in the AL East. ATLANTA -- With Paul Millsap nursing a sore knee and Al Horford likely out for the season, Mike Scott filled a big void to help the Atlanta Hawks snap an eight-game skid. Scott scored a career-high 30 points, Jeff Teague added 28 and the Hawks rallied to beat the New York Knicks 107-98 on Saturday night. "We were down Paul, down so many bodies," Scott said. "It was great for everyone to come out and play and finally get a win." Carmelo Anthony finished with 35 points and Tyson Chandler had a season-high 23 rebounds for the Knicks, who blew a double-digit, third-quarter lead for the second straight night. New York has lost two straight and seven of nine to fall 5 1/2 games behind Atlanta for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot. Atlanta began the game without Millsap, who sustained a right knee contusion late in Fridays loss at Detroit, but the Hawks rallied from a 17-point deficit to take a 74-73 lead on Lou Williams 3-pointer early in the fourth. The Hawks, who finished 16 for 31 beyond the arc, never trailed again. "It feels so good," Teague said. "You work hard every day. We come in here and compete. We just couldnt get over the jump the last couple of games. To get one under our belt made us feel really good." New York coach Mike Woodson said before the game that the Knicks were preparing to buy out the contracts of veterans Metta World Peace and Beno Udrih. Neither made the trip to Atlanta, but Anthony indicated the teams problems are bigger than one or two players. "Its same things, different days," Anthony said. "Its starting to get tough to handle. Its definitely tested me. The frustration has definitely sunk in." Scott scored nine straight points to put the Hawks up 33-23 in the second, but New York went on a 33-6 run to take a 56-39 lead on Raymond Feltons long jumper early in the third. Anthony grabbed a rebound midway through the third, dribbled up the court and hit a 3 from the right wing to make it 63-48. He and Hawks guard DeMarre Carroll were called for a double technical foul on Atlantas ensuing possession and Woodson, who was defending Anthony to official Ed Malloy, was called for a technical, too. "I think the biggest thing is a lot of people geet caught up in me and Carmelo trash talking, but I think it was bigger than Carmelo tonight," said Carroll, who finished with a season-high 24 points. cheap jerseys from china. "Coach (Mike Budenholzer) told me that youve got to learn how to get your guys motivated. If Ive got to talk to our guys to get Jeff Teague scoring (eight) in a row and Mike knocking down 3s and Lou, thats why Ive got to do." The Knicks, who lost in double-overtime Friday at Orlando, fell into another defensive lapse on the perimeter from the closing seconds of the third through the first two-plus minutes of the fourth. Williams began the game 0 for 7 from the field, but hit three straight 3s, and Hawks also got one trey from Scott and Teague to take an 80-75 lead. "We have leads, we have opportunities to win the ball game and down the stretch we get in close games," Chandler said. "Whenever you give up 39 points in the fourth quarter, its going to be difficult for you to win." Scotts previous career high was 23 points at New York last April 17. Elton Brand, the Hawks 15th-year centre, played a team-high 43 minutes, finishing with one point and six rebounds. Another starter, guard Shelvin Mack, finished with just three points after going 1 for 9 from the field. Atlanta outscored the Knicks by 17 points at the free throw line. It seems as nothing is going right for New York. "Im going to keep coaching and Im going to keep pushing," Woodson said. "If it means being naggy or whatever, thats my job. But Ive got to get them over the hump, man. Ive got to get them over this funk that were in." NOTES: Former Atlanta and New York coach Lenny Wilkens, 76, was honoured at halftime by the Hawks 20 years after he led the team to its most recent division title in 1993-94. Wilkens, who last coached in 2004-05, was joined on the court by longtime friend and former teammate Paul Silas, former Hawks centre Dikembe Mutombo and Atlanta general manager Danny Ferry, who played for Wilkens in Cleveland. .... Kyle Korver hit first 3-point attempt, extending his NBA record to 124 straight games with a trey. ... With Millsap injured, the Hawks requested waivers on G Jared Cunningham and signed C Dexter Pittman to a 10-day contract. Pittman did not play. cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
