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ST. Tyronne Green Patriots Jersey . MARYS, Ont. -- Cincinnati Reds slugger Joey�Votto was named the winner of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fames Tip ONeill Award on Friday. The honour is presented annually to the Canadian player judged to have excelled in individual achievement and team contribution while adhering to baseballs highest ideals. "Joey�Votto is not only a superstar on the field, but hes also an inspiration and a difference-maker away from the ballpark," said Scott Crawford, the Halls director of operations. "There was a very strong field of candidates this year, but Joey deserves this honour for his tremendous contributions both on and off the field." Votto, from Toronto, is the first player to win the award four years in a row and is one of only two players to have won it on more than three occasions. The other is Larry�Walker, a native of Maple Ridge, B.C., who won the award nine times. Votto hit .305 this past season and was selected to his fourth straight all-star game. He hit 24 home runs, drove in 73 runs, and led the National League in walks (135) and on-base percentage (.435). To determine a winner, the Hall considers each candidates on-the-field performance, contributions to their team, community and charitable endeavours and support in fan voting. "Its an honour to be recognized again by the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame," Votto said in a release. "It is very flattering to be mentioned in any discussion that includes Larry�Walker, who represented our country with such dedication and professionalism during his major-league career. I have to thank the Baseball Hall of Fame for its efforts in promoting our great game in Canada." Several players were considered for this years honour, including Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett�Lawrie of Langley, B.C., and Pittsburgh Pirates sluggers Russell�Martin of Toronto and Justin�Morneau of New Westminster, B.C. Votto, who shared the award with John�Axford in 2011, will be presented with the award in a pre-game ceremony in Cincinnati early next season. Tommy Kelly Womens Jersey . Brendon Kay hobbled around on a bad ankle and matched him in the fourth-quarter cold. It went down to overtime for the second year in a row. Bryan Stork Womens Jersey . Heres how Id fix them. THE PROBLEM: In general, a player becomes eligible for the draft either four years after he begins his university career or the year after he turns 25, whichever comes first.MARSEILLE, France -- Top-seeded Richard Gasquet of France and defending champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga both advanced to the Open 13 semifinals on Friday. After Gasquet beat fifth-seeded Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-5, 6-3, Tsonga followed up with a 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-2 win against sixth-seeded Edouard Roger-Vasselin in an all-French match. Gasquet, ranked ninth, broke Dodig twice in the first set and once more in the second set, where he saved three break-points of his own. He sealed the win on his own serve when Dodigs forehand from the back of the court was wide. "I played a solid match. I served well, didnt really drop off at all during the match and managed to save some break-points," said Gasquet, who lost the Open Sud de France final in Montpellier to countryman Gael Monfils earlier this month. "Im happy to be in the semifinals. Its the first time Ive reached the semifinals here so Id like to get to the final." Gasquet next faces third-seeded Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, who won 6-3, 7-6 (1) against No. 8 Nicolas Mahut of France to reach his second consecutive semifinal. He leads thee 23rd-ranked Gulbis 2-0 in the career head-to-heads. Andre Tippett Womens Jersey. Tsonga, who improved to 4-0 against Roger-Vasselin, next faces Germanys Jan-Lennard Struff, who continued his run toward a first career final with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Frenchman Michael Llodra. "Edouard played very well. He took his chance in the tiebreaker and was very aggressive," Tsonga said. "It was tricky and Im glad to have got out of it. I hope I recover well so that I can play a good match tomorrow." Tsonga broke Roger-Vasselin twice in the second and third sets, and sealed victory on his first match point with a backhand pass down the line. But Tsonga, who had 39 winners, was unhappy with his overall performance. "I got through with my serve tonight," he said. "The rest wasnt great and at one point I wanted to leave the court because I was ashamed of how I was playing." The 23-year-old Struff, who is ranked 117th, had nine aces, won 87 per cent of first-service points, did not face a single break-point and broke Llodras serve three times in a dominant performance. ' ' '

CHARLOTTE, N. Julius Thomas .C. -- This was more like the Kobe�Bryant the Los Angeles Lakers are accustomed to seeing. Bryant, who is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon and still learning to trust his legs, was back to making big shots down the stretch and helping his team win Saturday night -- although in a somewhat tentative manner. "I dont know what I can and cant do," Bryant said. "Im just trying to measure it. I didnt know if I could drive to the basket. Every game has been like that." Bryant took a big step in the right direction, scoring a season-high 21 points to help the Lakers defeat the Charlotte Bobcats 88-85 for their first win since Bryant returned four games ago. Bryant was 8 of 15 from the field and hit two free throws with 37 seconds left in the game to put the Lakers ahead for good. Pau�Gasol and Jordan�Hill had 15 points apiece for the Lakers and Nick�Young had 13 points off the bench. Kemba�Walker had 24 points and eight assists for the slumping Bobcats, who have lost three straight and five of their last seven. "I knew it was coming eventually, its not a big deal," Bryant said of getting his first win of the season. "We know its a marathon not a sprint. We have to do the right things game in, game out. Some games youre going to lose." Bryant averaged 11 points in his first three games. He eclipsed that by halftime. Bryant showed his touch when he banked in a 15-footer over Gerald�Henderson and his range when he stepped out to knock down a 3-pointer from 26 feet. But there were some struggles as well. Bryant committed seven turnovers and air-balled a 3-pointer. But he did enough to help the Lakers win. "I think he improved a little bit," Lakers coach Mike DAntoni said. "I think he got his legs under his shot a little bit and that looked better. He got tired. He got tired toward the end and it was his first back-to-back. Theres a lot of things that he has to work through. "We have to somehow find some wins and gut it out. Its not pretty right now. We dont have a playmaker and weve got to get guys healthy and get Kobe well." The Lakers trailed most of the game, but cut the lead to 85-84 when Bryant drove the lane and scored a left-handed layup with 1:22 remaining. Al�Jefferson and Walker would both miss on the other end and Bryant went to work looking to take the lead. He drew a foul on a jump shot with 37 seconds left and hit both free throws with some of the crowd chanting "M-V-P" while others booed. Henderson missed a jumper for Charlotte, but Jefferson corralled the rebound and the Bobcats took a timeout to set up the last shot. Jefferson backed down Pau�Gasol but couldnt convert a baby hook and the Gasol grabbed the rebound and was fouled. Gasol hit both free throws to push the lead to three with 6.2 seconds left. Ben�Gordons 3-pointer fell short as time expired. "It was one of those games that came down to the last play at the end, but we have to try to do a better job of taking care of some of the minor mistakes we made earlier in the game so it doesnt come down to the last second," Gordon said. The Bobcats (10-14) came into the week looking to improve their spot in the playoff picture in the East, but dropped all three games. Coach Steve Clifford, who worked as an assistant last year with the Lakers, said having a player like Bryant to go to in the fourth quarter -- even if not completely healthy -- is just a huge advantage. "When it comes down fourth quarter in this league if you have a perimeter player who can draw help and a second defender, its a huge advantage," Clifford said. "Were going to have to be really good at getting the ball to Al in spots. Again, its not easy. The easier thing is to have Kobe. "You can just him the ball and he just makes plays. But thats all right, that is the way our team is made and we have to learn how to do that. But it is more difficult? Its infinitely more difficult, yes it is." The highlight of the game came in the third quarter when Josh�McRoberts cut down the lane, took a pass from Walker and skied over Pau�Gasol for a one-handed slam dunk that brought the crowd to its feet. NOTES: Welterweight boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. was courtside. ... Henderson has scored in double figures in 22 games this season, including 15 straight. ... The Lakers have won five straight against the Bobcats. Jerome Murphy . The Denmark international apologized for the incident on his Instagram account Tuesday, saying he was trying to force open a door to his gym after deciding to go for a swim following a night out with family and friends on Saturday. Paris Lenon . Munchak replaces Jack Bicknell Jr., who was let go after just one season with the Steelers. Munchak, a Hall of Fame guard during his 12-year playing career with the Houston Oilers, went 22-26 in three seasons with Tennessee.SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego County medical examiners office has ruled Junior�Seaus death a suicide. The autopsy says Seau died of a gunshot wound to the chest. The medical examiners office says it iis awaiting a decision by the family on whether to turn over Seaus brain to unidentified outside researchers for study. Joel Dreessen. Seau died Wednesday in his home in suburban Oceanside. ' ' '

Sydney Roosters � Captain AmericaSt. L.J. Fort . George Illawarra Dragons � Iron ManNorth Queensland Cowboys � Thor Quinton Carter . John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Harry Reid (D-Nev. Julius Thomas . In a statement released by the Scottish Football Association on Friday, Scotland manager Gordon Strachan says Miller made the decision to prolong his club career and added that "it has been a pleasure to have a player with his experience and ability in the squad.KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Texans quarterback Gary Kubiak felt an overwhelming sense of empathy for Raiders quarterback Terrelle�Pryor when he watched video of him against the Kansas City Chiefs defence last weekend. If Pryor turned one direction, he ran into Tamba�Hali. Turn the other, Justin�Houston was on top of him. Try to step up in the pocket and Derrick�Johnson was waiting. Pryor was sacked 10 times in a 24-7 victory that kept the Chiefs unbeaten. "When you get 10 in one game, its kind of hard to say, We have to block that guy," said Kubiak, who is trying to come up with a plan to slow down that pass rush on Sunday. "Andy Reids got such a quality team thing going on right now," Kubiak said, "and thats what good teams do. Production comes from everywhere, not one or two places. You can see the energy theyre feeding off of, and the way theyre playing, pretty impressive." Just how impressive? Record-setting. The Chiefs second-best single-game total left them with 31 sacks from 10 different players through their first six games, putting them on pace for 82 1/2 sacks by the end of the regular season. That would not only shatter the club mark of 60 set in 1990, but the NFL record of 72 set by the 84 Bears. The sack became an official stat recorded by the league in 1982. Houston leads the Chiefs with 9 1/2 sacks � his career-best of 10 was set just last year � and is tied with the Colts Robert�Mathis for the most in the NFL. Hali is fourth with 7 1/2 sacks. It was Hali who terrorized Pryor last weekend. He had 3 1/2 sacks to just one for teammate Houston, winning what has turned into a weekly battle. "Justin could have gone out there and had a heck of a game," Hali said, "but we knew about this quarterback and his scrambling ability to our left, his right, which allowed me to come off the edge and let me buy some time to get there. "Our chemistry," Hali said, "we definitely understand what we want to get done." After all, Hali has been getting it done for quite a while. He has 70 sacks since his rookie season of 2006, three shy of Art Still for third on the frannchise list. Sylvester Williams. The only players to have more in a Chiefs uniform were Derrick Thomas (126.5) and Neil Smith (86.5), two of the stalwarts on that 1990 team that bullied quarterbacks in a similar fashion. His play last season wasnt nearly at the same level, though, at least statistically speaking, and that begs the question: What has changed this season? Most of the pass-rush pieces on what has emerged as the NFLs stingiest defence were already in place when a new coaching staff arrived. The credit belongs to defensive co-ordinator Bob Sutton, who has been dialing up aggressive game plans ever since a season-opening win over Jacksonville. "Bob Sutton does a tremendous job along with his assistants of making everybody be aware that its not just going to be outside linebackers," Hali said. "Were all going to put pressure on the quarterback. They do a great job with us, and we all just go out there and execute." The result is a sack rate of 12.1 per cent � in other words, better than one in every 10 plays that an opposing offence runs results in its quarterback lying on his back. "Were doing our job and having our fun doing it. We know they cant double both sides at once," Houston said. "Its really just a feel, we play off each other." All the pressure that Hali and Houston create from the edges has freed up other guys to get in on the fun. Johnson had two sacks against Oakland, defensive tackle Dontari�Poe has been all over opposing quarterbacks, and even safety Eric�Berry is been in on the pressure. "Weve got players like Justin and Tamba that are willing to do anything to help us win," Berry said. "Those guys are so unselfish. They put it on the line every week. I think that speaks a lot to the character of our defence." Notes: Chiefs TE Anthony�Fasano (sprained ankle) returned to practice after missing his last four games. "Weve done everything we could rehab-wise to get it there," he said. "Its not 100 per cent, but it feels pretty good." ... S Kendrick�Lewis (sprained ankle) was the only player held out of practice Wednesday. ' ' '

ROCKINGHAM, N. Panthers Luke Kuechly Blue Jersey .C. -- Kyle Larson picked up his first NASCAR national series win on Sunday by holding off Joey Logano on the final restart of the Truck Series race at Rockingham Speedway. Logano was closing in on Larson when a collision between Timothy Peters and Ryan Sieg brought out the caution with two laps remaining. "I was definitely worried and I could see him getting closer and closer in the mirror and was hoping we could get to the line, and we got that yellow with just a couple to go," Larson said. Logano had fresher tires and Larson was thought to be a sitting duck for the green-white-checkered restart. Instead, Logano misjudged Larsons start and Larson drove away to the win after leading 187 laps. "Im usually not the best on restarts, so I was surprised I got that good of a start," said Larson, who won in a truck for Turner Scott Motorsports with an Autism Speaks paint scheme in honour of crew chief Trent Owens son, Gray. "I wish Gray was here with us to hang out and have fun. Im pretty happy. This is very special. I just want to thank all the fans for coming out and watching this, and I hope all the fans watching at home enjoyed it, too." Logano, who was second after flying to the race from Saturdays nights fifth-place finish at Texas, blamed himself for not getting past Larson on the two-lap sprint to the finish. "I just got beat. I was waiting for him to do something on the restart and he didnt do what I expected him to do," Logano said. "I spun my tires and cost these guys the race. I thought when that caution came out, Man, OK, this is right where I want to be. Im a couple tenths faster than Kyle there, and just got beat. My fault." Brendan Gaughan was third and was followed by Johnny Sauter, and Chase Elliott. NASCAR asked to see Ron Hornaday Jr. after the race to discuss his wrecking Darrell Wallace Jr. under caution. The accident was similar to a 2011 incident at Texas when Kyle Busch wrecked Hornaday under caution during a Truck race. Hornaday was racing for the championship at the time, and Busch was immediately parked for the rest of the race. NASCAR then suspended him for the rest of the weekend. On Sunday, first-year Truck Series race director Chad Little ordered Hornaday to the tail end of the longest line and allowed him to complete the race. He finished 15th and said he didnt mean to wreck Wallace. "I didnt know the yellow was out and I got down in there and started racing on the back straightaway, and he slowed up and then I run into him a little bit," Hornaday said. "But down the back, I went over to the other side and I dont know if he hit his brakes on me or whatever, but I turned him in the fence and I feel like a total idiot. I dont race that way, so theyre racing me hard lately, these rookies, and Im learning how to race them. "Earlier he picked me up down the back straightaway and tried to drive me in over my head already. I dont know. I feel like an idiot for wrecking him." Replays of Wallace and Hornaday racing moments before the caution came out showed Wallace running Hornaday high up the track as he attempted to pass him. Wallace felt Hornaday wrecking him under caution was retaliation for that. "With three laps to go, I was trying to get my line or take his line away because I knew he wouldnt give me the top. Its unfortunate. We come out here and I seem like the veteran and not the rookie out of that situation," said Wallace, adding that Hornaday "just flat out wrecks us. Just wrecked us." Panthers Luke Kuechly Camo Jersey . Not to be outdone, hobbling six-foot point guard Kyle�Lowry dropped a lovely sky hook over 6-11 giant and future Hall of Famer Kevin�Garnett. The final minutes of the Toronto Raptors 87-79 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday could define this young team and their season -- fighting to the end, finding a way to win. Trai Turner Panthers Jersey . The assistants greeted Aldridge with compliments and high fives. Stotts had only one word for his high-scoring forward: "Thanks." Aldridge had 25 points and 16 rebounds in his return after missing seven games with a lower back contusion, and the Trail Blazers beat the Atlanta Hawks 100-85 on Thursday night to end a three-game losing streak.Dwane Caseys coaching staff will reportedly�return to the Toronto Raptors next season. Assistants Bill Bayno, Nick Nurse, Jesse Mermuys, Tom Sterner and Jama Mahlalela have all agreed to new deals, according to the Toronto Star reporting NBA sources. Jamaal�Magloire also remains in a position that combines assistant coach-basketball development and community relations. The Starr reports that all of the assistants had been working on one-year guaranteed deals, putting them on the same contract as Casey to begin last season. Panthers DeAngelo Williams Camo Jersey. Bayno, Nurse and Mermuys are coming off their first season on the Raptors bench, with Sterner the only holdover from the year before. Mahlalela was promoted from a player development position within the organization. ' ' '

MANCHESTER, England -- Dereck Chisora and Tyson Fury will meet in an all-British heavyweight fight in Manchester on July 26 for the right to challenge Wladimir Klitschko for his IBF, WBA and WBO titles. Danny Trevathan . The eliminator fight was announced by boxing promoter Frank Warren on his Twitter feed on Monday. Chisora and Fury fought three years ago, with Fury winning on points. Chris Clark .C. -- The Bobcats announced theyve signed centre Justin�Hamilton to a 10-day contract. Joel Dreessen . -- The only time Victor Espinoza won the Kentucky Derby was aboard War Emblem in 2002. HOUSTON -- Tracy�McGrady wants to follow Michael�Jordans path to the national pastime. The retired seven-time NBA All-Star is aiming to become a baseball player, and plans to try pitching for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League. Thats the same team that Roger Clemens pitched for a couple of years ago. Jordan famously played in the Chicago White Sox organization in 1994 during his first retirement from basketball, reaching the Double-A level. A statement from the Skeeters says that it is a "lifelong dream" of McGradys to play baseball. "McGrady has demonstrated skill, determination and diligence during his training program," the statement said. "We look forward to monitoring his progress." The 34-year-old McGrady played for several teams, including the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic. Julius Thomas. He last played in the NBA in the 2011-12 season. The Skeeters last made national headlines when Clemens pitched two games for them in 2012 at age 50. McGrady made seven consecutive All-Star games from 2001-07. The 6-foot-8 McGrady, natural right-hander, was drafted out of high school with the ninth overall pick in 1997 by the Toronto Raptors. He spent his first three seasons with the Raptors before becoming a star with the Magic. He spent four years with the Magic and led the NBA scoring in both the 2002-03 and 2003-04 seasons. He then joined the Rockets where he teamed with Yao�Ming to help Houston to three playoff appearances. McGrady played for the Knicks, Detroit and Atlanta after a six-year stint with the Rockets. He retired with more than 18,000 points and more than 5,000 rebounds in his career. ' ' '

SAGINAW, Mich. Tommy Kelly Womens Jersey . -- The Saginaw Spirit remembered late player Terry Trafford on Saturday night in their first home game since he was found dead in a parked car. An autopsy determined the 20-year-old Trafford died of self-inflicted asphyxiation. The Toronto natives body was found March 12. He disappeared eight days earlier after receiving discipline from the club. The Spirit lost the Ontario Hockey League game 6-2 to the London Knights at The Dow Event Center. London players lined up on their blue line and tapped their sticks on the ice as the Spirit players skated out on the ice. Spirit players aligned on the other blue line and the crowd stood as the team honoured Trafford with a moment of silence and a video montage on the scoreboard above the ice. At the end of the montage, the scoreboard read "One young man. Four years. One team. Many memories." "Our whole franchise, our whole community, is grieving right now," Spirit President Craig Goslin said. "For four years, Terry was a fixture in this rink. He was a good kid and he did a lot of good things here." Saginaw players wore "TT16" stickers on their helmet and will honour their former teammate with black patches for the playoffs. Trafford played four seasons with Saginaw, scoring 29 goals in 221 games. Traffords funeral is set for Tuesday in Toronto. "He could really lighten up the room," said Spirit centre Eric Locke, teammates with Trafford for the last three seasons. "Hed make you laugh, make you smile. "We went back and forth. One time I tied a cup of water near his skate and when he grabbed it the water dumped in his skate so he skated all practice with a wet foot. He got me back by writing a nickname on my helmet that I ended up skating all practice with." Darrelle Revis Jersey . -- All talk and no major changes didnt make this a dull NHL general managers meeting. Joe Vellano Jersey . -- Patriots nose tackle Vince�Wilfork says hes closer to achieving his goal of finishing his career with New England.PITTSBURGH -- Chase�Headley watched Jeff�Karstens issue a bases-loaded walk to Jason�Bartlett, and he knew exactly what to do. Be aggressive. Headleys first-pitch grand slam was the biggest of San Diegos season-high four homers, and the Padres cruised past Pittsburgh 15-5 Friday night, handing the Pirates their eighth straight loss. "Im going up there looking for something early in the count," said Headley, who capped San Diegos six-run fourth inning with a drive to right-centre for the Padres first grand slam of the season. "I go up there with the idea of what I want to hit and where I want to hit it." Kyle�Blanks, Aaron�Cunningham and Jesus�Guzman also homered for the Padres, who have won seven straight games at PNC Park. Luis�Martinez had three RBIs and Will�Venable drove in two runs. San Diego came in ranked last in the NL in runs and homers. "You ask anybody, theyll tell you hittings contagious," Blanks said. "Its definitely something everyone wants to do, and it really became a case tonight where everyone did get involved." The Pirates were tied for first place before losing on a controversial call in the 19th inning in Atlanta on July 26. They are 1-10 since and fell eight games behind Milwaukee. "We need to step up. We know it. Weve talked about it," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "We need action now, and we need to find a way to fight through the hard part of the season." It was the highest scoring game of the season for the Padres and the most runs allowed by Pittsburgh this year. Headleys homer gave San Diego the lead for good, allowing Aaron�Harang (10-3) to get the win despite allowing 13 hits in five innings. The crowd of 37,766 was Pittsburghs 13th sellout of the season, but the Pirates lost for the eighth time in their past nine home games. The Pirates have allowed 14 home runs while falling to 0-5 on this homestand. "Its the big leagues: If you pitch the ball down the middle, theyre doing what theyre supposed to do with it," Karstens said. "I just think weve got to be better than what we are, and were not doing that right now. Weve got to make adjustments, because if not, its not going to be fun the next two months.&qquot; Karstens (8-6) entered with the fifth-lowest ERA in the majors at 2. Brandon Bolden Patriots Jersey. 9, but he was charged with more earned runs (nine) in 3 1-3 innings Friday than he had allowed in his past five starts combined. "I couldnt pinpoint what I was doing wrong, but I put it all on my shoulders," Karstens said. "I expect to be better than that." Headleys homer was his fourth of the season and gave him a career-high five RBIs. It also was San Diegos first grand slam since Adrian�Gonzalez hit one on Aug. 26, 2010. Blanks and Cunningham each had a solo shot for their first homers of the season. Guzman added a two-run homer in the eighth. Harang won for the sixth time in seven decisions and rebounded from his only loss since May 2. Only once in 252 previous starts, however, had Harang allowed more hits. "Sometimes, thats how it works," he said. "When I was making good pitches, they were getting the ball to fall in at times. Obviously, our offence came out swinging and those guys were ready to play and helped me out." Five days after being acquired in a trade from the Padres, Ryan�Ludwick went 4-for-4 for the Pirates. Garrett�Jones reached five times as Pittsburgh lost by 10 despite having as many hits as San Diego and coming up one hit short of a season high. The Pirates did leave a season-high 16 men on base. Pedro�Alvarez was a primary culprit: he tied a Pirates record by grounding into three double plays. He also struck out and committed an error. "I really like the way our guys kept playing through the entire nine innings," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Our pitching wasnt at the top of its game but we ended up making pitches when we needed to." NOTES: Venable (back spasms) was in the lineup for the first time in a week. ... Padres OF Chris�Denorfia (strained right hamstring) worked out before the game and is expected to return soon. ... Pittsburgh 1B Derrek�Lee did not play for the second consecutive game after being hit by a pitch in the left hand Wednesday night. ... Padres INF/OF Brad�Hawpe underwent season-ending surgery on his left elbow in San Diego. ... LHP Paul�Maholm starts for the Pirates on Saturday. He is 0-3 lifetime against the Padres. ' ' '

OAKLAND, Calif. Jerry Hughes Bills Jersey . -- Athletics manager Bob Melvin is already starting to run out of superlatives to describe Scott�Kazmir. The right-hander has been so effective in his first season with Oakland that Melvin might need to break out a thesaurus when talking about the veteran pitcher. Kazmir pitched seven innings to win his fourth straight start, Yoenis�Cespedes hit his 14th home run and the As beat the Boston Red Sox 4-2 on Thursday night. "Its a broken record talking about him because were seeing basically the same game out of him," Melvin said. "I had heard last year maybe this is a 100-pitch guy top, six innings maybe. Hes been anything but. Hes been absolutely terrific." Kazmir (9-2) went into the game with the second-lowest ERA among qualifiers in the AL and extended his streak to 18 1-3 innings without allowing an earned run before Dustin�Pedroia hit a two-run home run in the sixth. He struck out eight and didnt walk a batter. Over his past five starts, Oaklands right-hander is 4-0 with a 1.27 ERA. "Probably one of the best (games) I felt this year, for sure," said Kazmir, who has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last five starts. "I was able to get ahead most of the time with my fastball and expand the strike zone with my breaking balls and my changeup. Didnt really use too many breaking balls. Just relied mainly on fastball location." Stephen�Vogt had two hits and two RBIs, Jed�Lowrie scored twice and John�Jaso singled in an insurance run in the seventh to move the As a season-high 17 games over .500. Its the best record in the majors and continued Oaklands best start since 1990. Cespedes had not homered against the Red Sox until his two-out, solo shot off Jake�Peavy in the third. Boston had played five straight one-run games heading into the series opener with Oakland. This one was tight as well. The As led 3-0 after Vogts single scored Lowrie in the fourth. Kazmir, who hasnt lost since May 23, took a shutout into the sixth that Pedroia ended with a two-out home run. It was the only mistake Kazmir made. "We faced a tough pitcher," Pedroia said. "To be honest, our at bats werent that bad. We have to find a way to have a big inning and get some momentum." Luke�Gregerson pitched the eighth and Dan�Otero worked the ninth for his first career save. Peavy (1-5) had a second straight strong outing but remained winless over his past 10 starts. Peavy allowed five hits over 6 1-3 innings, retired eight of the final nine batters he faced and struck out four with three walks. It wasnt enough to prevent the Red Sox from ending their three-game winning streak. Vogt hit an RBI groundout off Peavy in the second and singled in another run in the fourth. Lowrie, who walked and doubled, scored both times. Cespedes homered with two outs in the third. The Cuban slugger is batting .343 with four home runs and 12 RBIs through 17 games in June. Cespedes has driven in 49 runs already this season and could soon join teammates Brandon�Moss (55) and Josh�Donaldson (52) in the 50-RBI club. "When you look at the runs that weve put up this year, a lot of it has to do with those guys in the middle of the order," Melvin said. "Its pretty amazing." NOTES: Otero was in the closers role because Sean�Doolittle had pitched in the previous two games. ... Cespedes has now homered against every team in the AL except Tampa Bay. ... RHP Clay�Buchholz (hyperextended knee) pitched six scoreless innings during his second rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket. ... LHP Brad�Mills starts Friday in his Oakland debut. Mills was acquired in a trade from Milwaukee earlier this week. LHP Felix�Doubront (2-4) pitches for Boston. Jim Leonhard Womens Jersey . Yes, Im writing to defend a player that is on pace for a 59-goal season, when the second-best goal-scorer in the NHL this season, Torontos Phil�Kessel, is on pace for 43. Naturally, I didnt think that Ovechkin would be a player that needed much defending, but hes taken some hits lately. Im going to largely ignore his contributions on the power play because its not in any dispute that Ovechkin is great with the man advantage and can make a difference even when he doesnt score. Sammy Watkins Jersey . Stephenson tweeted Wednesday that he was looking forward "to the next phase of my career and the wonderful opportunity to continue to grow as a player and as a person in Charlotte!" Terms of the deal werent disclosed by the Hornets on Friday, but reports earlier this week indicated that the 23-year-old Stephenson has signed a three-year, $27 million contract that includes a team option for the final season.TAMPA, Fla. -- Yasuhito Endo, Shinji Kagawa and Yoichiro Kakitani scored second-half goals Monday to help Japan warm up for its World Cup appearance with a 3-1 victory over Costa Rica. After Bryan Ruiz scored for Costa Rica in the 31st minute, Japan failed to take advantage of several opportunities before breaking through when Endo scored in the 60th. Kagawa put Japan ahead in the 80th minute, and Kakitani added his goal in injury time before a crowd of 7,106 at Raymond James Stadium. The teams have one more warm-up match in the United States, with Japan facing Zambia in Tampa and Costa Rica meeting Ireland in Philadelphia on Friday. Both teams open their World Cup campaigns on Junee 14. Frank Summers Womens Jersey. Japan, preparing for its fifth straight World Cup, will open against Ivory Coast in Group C, while Costa Rica meets Uruguay in Group D. Four years ago, Japan beat Cameroon and Denmark before losing on penalties to Paraguay in the knockout stage of the World Cup. In addition to facing Uruguay, Japan will play Colombia and Greece in the group stage. Italy and England complete the group that includes Costa Rica and Uruguay. Costa Rica opened the scoring when Ruiz scored off a pinpoint cross from Junior Diaz. Costa Rica -- headed to the World Cup for the fourth time -- was unable to put much pressure on Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima after Ruizs goal. ' ' '

LOS ANGELES -- Even after three games and a cross-country flight in the previous five days, the Los Angeles Kings came out roaring at home with a three-goal first period against Winnipeg. Jared Abbrederis Packers Jersey . Coach Darryl Sutters team knows all about peaking for the post-season after its Stanley Cup title run two years ago, and the Kings are counting down the games until they can try it again. Anze�Kopitar scored two goals in the first period, Jonathan�Quick made 24 saves, and the Kings beat the Jets 4-2 Saturday night for their sixth straight victory. Trevor�Lewis and Tyler�Toffoli also scored for the Kings, who havent lost since March 17. Marian�Gaborik and Willie�Mitchell had two assists apiece as Los Angeles took a big early lead and cruised to its 14th win in 17 games. "I dont think there is any coasting goes on, period," Sutter said. "Youre just trying to refine parts of your game, very simple. You are trying to take care of your own business first. Youre not a playoff team until you clinch the playoff spot." The Kings are just a couple of wins away from clinching their fifth straight playoff trip and a first-round matchup with San Jose or Anaheim. After 4 1/2 weeks of outstanding play out of the Olympic break, theyre all but locked into third place in the Pacific Division. Los Angeles has won 13 of 16 since Sochi, with three one-goal losses between two lengthy winning streaks. Kopitars third multigoal game of the season was set up by another strong offensive game from Kings newcomer Gaborik, who had his second multipoint performance on Los Angeles top line. "We have a chance to finish very strong and prepare for the playoffs," said Gaborik, who has eight points in his past nine games with Los Angeles. "This team works well in a system. Everybody is on the same page. Everybody is trusting each other. Its like one big machine." And that machine steamrolled the Jets in the opening 20 minutes. Matt�Halischuk and Blake�Wheeler scored in the third period for the Jets, who hadnt visited Los Angeles since Jan. 3, 1996. Ondrej�Pavelec gave up three goals in the first period before getting pulled, and Al�Montoya stopped 12 shots in the final 40 minutes. Winnipeg has lost four of six and 10 of 13, its playoff hopes dwindling to a faint prayer. The Jets trail eighth-place Phoenix in the Western Conference standings by nine points with seven games to go and three teams between them. The erstwhile Atlanta Thrashers finally have appeared in every NHL road arena since their move to Manitoba in 2011, but they couldnt keep up in the first period against their surging hosts. "We got taught a real good lesson in the first period about being ready to play a hard game," Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. "We were just giving up so much ice and backing up. The last two periods, we were ready to play. Theres a learning lesson for some." The Kings went ahead just 2:42 in when a sharp-angled shot somehow got past Pavelec for Lewis career-best sixth goal of the season. Lewis didnt score in his first 38 games of the season, but the grinding forward has four goals in March. Kopitar then scored when a rebound of Gaboriks shot banked off his skate and in for the Slovenian centres 23rd goal. Gaboriks shot sent Winnipeg defenceman Mark�Stuarts stick flying into Pavelecs chest. Kopitar scored again late in the period, muscling past the Winnipeg defence for a rebound backhand. "There is no explanation," Wheeler said of the Jets early effort. "They came out with the kind of energy you need to start a hockey game. We didnt. Thats what happens. After the opening period, we figured it out a little bit." After a scoreless second period, Halischuk scored his first goal since Dec. 14 from right in front of Quick, banging home Evander�Kanes pass from below the goal line in the corner. Quick made an amazing facedown save with 1 minute to play, sticking his right leg into midair to block a long Winnipeg shot. NOTES: The Kings have outscored their opponents 19-11 during their winning streak. ... Los Angeles has 44 victories, two shy of the regular-season club record with seven games to go. ... Mitchell had his first multipoint game since April 5, 2012. The stay-at-home defenceman missed all of last season with injuries, and he had seven points in his first 69 games this season. Paul Hornung Packers Jersey . Jones had to work hard against Korean skip Kim Jisun and didnt hold a lead until the seventh end. Jones, lead Dawn McEwen, second Jill Officer and third Kaitlyn Lawes were 8-0 going into the game and had already clinched a berth in the semifinals. Packers #80 Jersey . And in that time span, the Tampa Bay Lightning have remained near the top of the Eastern Conference without star forward Steven�Stamkos.CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Minutes after wrapping her second straight LPGA Tour victory and third of the season, Yani Tseng was looking ahead to the first major championship of the season. "I cant wait to start on Thursday," the top-ranked Taiwanese star about the Kraft Nabisco Championship. On Sunday in the Kia Classic, she closed with a 2-under 70 for a six-stroke victory. She finished at 14-under 274 on La Costas Legends Course and has had at least a share of the lead after all eight rounds the last two weeks. "Today the first hole, I just kind of felt like every day is the same," Tseng said. "I didnt feel like today was Sunday. I didnt feel like I had a three-shot lead. I just focused on playing one shot at a time. I think I did a good job to just kind of focus on myself." At 23, Tseng became the second-youngest player to reach 15 LPGA Tour victories. Nancy Lopez was 22 when she reached the mark. Tseng won the LPGA Founders Cup last week in Phoenix and also won the LPGA Thailand in February. She led the tour last season with seven victories -- including major victories in the LPGA Championship and Womens British Open -- and finished the year with 12 worldwide titles. "I think it is her work ethic," said Brittany Lincicome, 11 shots back at 3 under. "She has put a lot of effort into being No. 1. She has definitely raised the bar for the rest of us." South Koreas Sun Young Yoo had a 71 to finish second. "I think I played pretty good," Yoo said. "I just didnt make the short ones out there. It was a little too bumpy. She (Tseng) played great. There is nothing I can say. Yeah, it was fun to watch." Shanshan Feng shot a 67 -- the best round of the day -- to tie for third with South Koreas Jiyai Shin at 7 under. Shin had a 74. Tseng began the round with a three-stroke lead over Shin. The straight-hitting Shin birdied the second holee to pull within one, but struggled with her putter, missing par ties of 3 feet or closer on Nos. Casey Hayward Packers Jersey. 6, 12 and 15. Tseng chipped in for birdie on the par-4 fifth and also birdied the par-4 ninth. She made a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-4 15th and took a six-stroke lead when Shin bogeyed the par-4 16th. "You can see in her face she has a lot of confidence," Shin said. "Even her swing, too, she has a great follow-through and good alignment right now, so that makes her strong." Tseng had a three-putt bogey from 30 feet on the final hole, her only three-putt green of the week. She will be seeking her sixth major title this week at Mission Hills in Rancho Mirage. Last year in the Kraft Nabisco, Tseng had the 54-hole lead, but closed with a 74 and lost to Stacy Lewis. It was the last time in seven events that Tseng has lost going into the final round with the lead. "I was very, very close last year," Tseng said. "But when I look back, I was very happy that I didnt win because thats why Im learning. If you keep winning, you dont know what youre going to learn. "Last year was a huge experience for me, and Im just heading into next week and Im look forward to it. I know what Im going to do and still play one shot at a time, be patient, and I love that golf course. The golf course suits me pretty well and suits my game." With the victory Sunday, she earned her 23rd point toward qualifying for the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame. Twenty-seven points and 10 years of service on the LPGA Tour are needed for induction. "The Hall of Fame is my dream since I was young," Tseng said. "The first year on the your, I mean, that really is my big dream. So I always keep that in my mind, and I try to win every tournament, focus on every tournament to see how can I improve." Tseng also won $255,000 and a Kia Optima Limited. ' ' '

BUFFALO, N. Stevan Ridley Jersey .Y. -- Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula have a strong desire to see the Bills stay in Buffalo, and arent ruling out making a bid to buy the NFL franchise. In saying theyre following the Bills sale process, the Pegulas declined to go into further detail of their intentions, in a prepared statement released by Sabres vice-president Michael Gilbert on Friday. "Like everyone else in this community, they have a strong desire to have the Buffalo Bills remain a centerpiece of this region," Gilbert said. "Accordingly, they have been following the developments involving the sale of the Bills." Out of respect for the sale process, Gilbert said the owners will not be issuing any further comments. The statement was released in response to numerous reports of the Pegulas having serious interest in purchasing the Bills, who are on the market after the teams owner and founder Ralph Wilson died in March. The latest development came on Thursday, when a person familiar with the sale process told The Associated Press the Pegulas were among prospective buyers who received a non-disclosure agreement and background on the Bills from a law firm representing Wilsons estate. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the sale process has not been made public. Filling out the non-disclosure agreement would be the next step in providing interested groups full access to the Bills financial data in order to begin formulating bids. The Bills were last valued by Forbes to be worth $870 million. But their sale price could go much higher because NFL teams rarely go on the market. The Pegulas made their fortune in the natural gas industry, after Terry Pegula sold off many of his companys assets for $4.7 billion to Royal Dutch Shell in 2010. His net worth was last estimated by Forbes to be $3.3 billion, but that figure could rise after his company reached a deal to sell off 75,000 acres of land in Ohio and West Virginia to Oklahoma-based American Energy Partners last week. Pegula has spent the past four years going on a major spending spree focusing on two of his passions: hockey and Penn State, his alma mater. In 2010, he donated more than $100 million to Penn State to build a hockey arena and establish a Division I program. In February 2011, he purchased the Sabres, the team he became a fan of in the 1970s. The Pegulas have since shown a commitment to helping spur Buffalos economy by building a $172 million hockey/entertainment complex called HarborCenter across from the Sabres downtown arena. The Bills long-term future in western New York remains a question mark. Though their lease essentially ties them to playing at their current home through the 2019 season, there are concerns the Bills could eventually relocate under a new owner. Toronto and Los Angeles are considered potential landing spots. People familiar with the sale have previously said an ownership candidate could be identified by the end of July, and the sale approved by NFL owners as early as the leagues meetings in October. Rob Gronkowski Womens Jersey . -- Ben Brust scored 18 points, Sam Dekker added 17 and No. Devin McCourty Jersey . Louis Blues. The Oilers acquired Schultz from Minnesota prior to Mondays trade deadline. The 29-year-old Schultz is known as a stay-at-home defenseman, something Edmonton has lacked at its back end.MIAMI - Canadas Eugenie Bouchard struck the first blow in her rivalry with Elina Svitolina, but since then its all gone the Ukrainians way. Bouchard went down to a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Svitolina in her opening match at the Sony Open on Friday. Bouchard got the rivalry going two years ago when she won the junior Wimbledon title over Svitolina. Since then, Svitolina has beaten Bouchard three straight times, including at Indian Wells and in a Fed Cup tie in 2013. Montreals Bouchard had an impressive start Friday but was quickly overcome by Svitolina, who spent 98 minutes engineering her comeback, The winner broke Bouchard five times and profited from six Bouchard double-faults. Bouchard ended with a return error on her opponents first match point. "I played really well in the first, set, I was doing everything I wanted to do. But in the second and third my level went down," Bouchard said. "All the balls I was hitting well in the first set were going out, I was missing much more. Shes a good player who fought and stayed in the matchh. Sealver Siliga Patriots Jersey. " Bouchards life on court has been a challenge since reaching the Australian Open semifinals two months ago, Her best showing since was an Acapulco quarter-final last month before going out in the fourth round at Indian Wells to Simona Halep, the newest member of the top five on the WTA circuit. "There is more pressure but it shows that Im a target, the one the other girls want to beat," Bouchard said. "It shows that Im moving up and having more success. I feel it all more but its the path I want to be on." Bouchard got off to an early break over Svitolina in the first set and managed to hold on in a roller-coaster win to take the early lead. But Svitolina slowly began reversing her position, drawing errors form Bouchard and breaking twice in the second set. Svitolina levelled at a set apiece after Bouchard saved four set points but returned long on a fifth. The third set was one-way traffic against Bouchard as the Canadian lost serve in the third and seventh games before her opponent served out the upset. ' ' '

TORONTO -- Jonas�Valanciunas cherished the chance to think about nothing but basketball Wednesday night. Anthony Sherman . The Raptors sophomore centre cast aside his off-court troubles to score a career-high 26 points and grab 12 rebounds in Torontos 125-114 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers -- less than three days after he was charged with drunk driving. "It has been a rough couple of days, but I had to find energy to come out and fight. I felt really good fan support -- thank you to them. I felt great, because everybody supported me," said Valanciunas, addressing the media for the first time since his arrest early Monday morning. "I say sorry, and (am) learning to be better. "Its been a really good two-and-a half hours (playing)," he added. Kyle�Lowry topped Toronto (46-32) with 29 points in his first game back after missing three with a bruised kneecap. Patrick�Patterson finished with 17 in the Raptors fourth straight victory and seventh in eight outings. DeMar�DeRozan added 17 points before leaving the game with a minute to play with a nasty gash over his left eye that required three stitches. The swirling trouble surrounding Valanciunas didnt show in his game. He scored the Raptors first points of the night, then grabbed a rebound on the Sixers first shot, and scored on a thunderous dunk on a pass from DeRozan on Torontos next trip down the floor. "I expected it," Lowry said. "He was going to play like trash or he was going to play amazing. And he played amazing like we expected. "Its a tough situation for him to handle, but this is our sanctuary, basketball. We get a chance to be away from everything and basketball is our space, our secret spot. Thats where guys can release a lot of energy and intensity." Henry�Sims scored 22 points, Michael�Carter-Williams added 19, and Thaddeus�Young finished with 16 for the Sixers (17-61). The Raptors are headed for the post-season for the first time in six years, and a victory on Friday versus the visiting New York Knicks will clinch the Atlantic Division. It will also tie their franchise record for wins of 47 -- set in 2000-01 and 2006-07. But the Raptors were coming off a tougher-than-expected 102-98 win over the last-place Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday, and the lowly Sixers -- who recently tied the league record for most consecutive defeats with 26 -- gave Toronto a decent game for much of the night. "These are the dog days, teams that dont have anything to play for, our guys see the computer, they see the standings and all the records. But we cant play that way," Raptors coach Dwane Casey said. "I told them weve got to pick our defence up and not have the mental letdown." The Raptors led by only a point midway through the third quarter before taking a 98-89 advantage into the fourth in front of an Air Canada Centre crowd of 18,789. "I think for the most part we went out there and played a solid game, (the Raptors) are a good team," Young said. "They are a playoff contending team, third in the East, they have proven it day in and day out. They have a lot of key guys that can make shots and score the basketball." The Sixers trailed by just six points with 2:44 to play after Young drained a 17-foot fadeaway jumper. But Lowry proved once again how valuable he is down the stretch, sinking consecutive baskets to give the Raptors a 10-point lead with 1:52 to play, and the Sixers never threatened again. "Im just happy to be back out there with my teammates, honestly," Lowry said. "When you miss games you feel that you are letting the team down and its great to be back out there with the fellas." There were questions about Valanciunas playing Wednesday in the wake of his arrest, and Casey was asked pre-game about what message that sends. "We sent a message," Casey replied. "We sent a message that we dont condone it, were disappointed in him. By playing him, were not saying were condoning it." Valanciunas was arrested early Monday morning in Wasaga Beach, Ont., and charged with having more than 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. Police say they began investigating after a report that a vehicle went through a drive-thru with open beer bottles visible. DeRozan was pleased Valanciunas "came up big" against the Sixers. "I hope everybody leaves him alone," DeRozan said. "(His game) just shows you hes not letting everything else affect him, everything thats going on, or the situation that happened. Hes just going out there playing, he did what he did, its over with, he apologized to us, and understands whats at stake." Valanciunass first court appearance is scheduled for Collingwood on April 22. The 21-year-old is not required to attend so a lawyer will stand in for him. He could receive a suspension from the NBA, but that would be pending the results of a trial which would likely be during the off-season. Raptors starting forward Amir�Johnson missed his fourth game with an ankle injury. Casey said the hardworking forward, who has long battled bad ankles, isnt 100 per cent, but "hes pretty close." "Probably if he had to go tonight he probably could go, but again, were trying to make sure, trying to get him ready for the next couple of weeks," Casey added. The Raptors led for all but a few seconds of the first quarter, and went up by nine points when Lowry converted a three-point play with 23 seconds left. A three-pointer by Elliot�Williams cut Torontos advantage to 34-28 heading into the second. The Raptors continued to build on their lead, and Pattersons three-pointer with just under three minutes to go in the second put Toronto up 62-49. The Raptors went into the dressing room at halftime up 68-60. The Sixers opened the third with a 17-10 run, capped by Andersons three-pointer with 6:23 to go that cut the Raptors lead to just a point. The Raptors finished the quarter with a run of their own to give themselves a nine-point lead with a quarter to go. NOTES: The Raptors host the New York Knicks on Friday, then play the Pistons in Detroit on Sunday. They host Milwaukee on Monday then play their regular-season finale next Wednesday at Detroit. 23:08ET 09-04-14 Ryan Lilja . "It feels like I havent left," said Tim Raines, the former long-time Expo, current Blue Jays roving instructor and should-be Hall-of-Famer, just moments after stepping onto the turf at Olympic Stadium. Brandon Flowers . The Astros were swept by the As in a three-game series in Oakland last week and there still seemed to be some animosity between the teams from an 11-3 loss in the first game of that series.TSN and the Canadian Curling Association confirmed Sunday that new TSN sportscaster Ron Burgundy will make his Canadian broadcasting debut during the opening day of the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings on Sunday, Dec. 1 beginning at 2pm et/11am pt.�The announcement was made during TSNs broadcast of the 101st Grey Cup.�Live from Winnipeg, Burgundy will join TSNs fellow "legendary" curling broadcaster Vic Rauter to call live game action during the networks coverage of the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings opening draw.� �"Marked by the gods of broadcasting and placed into this shimmering green sphere like a golden egg in hay, chosen like an unclean jackal by Noah himself, I accept your hallowed task and sing out with a battle cry worthy of your love and your wisdom," said Burgundy. "And that song is, Winnipeg, get ready to paint the town Burgundy!"�"Its an honour to work with such an esteemed colleague," said Rauter. Chris Owens. . "Im a huge fan of his work. Who are we talking about again?"�One of the biggest events in Canadian curling, Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings determines which team will represent Canada at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games. TSN has complete coverage of Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings from December 1 through to the finals on December 7 and 8.�Ron Burgundy is featured in Paramount Pictures Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, opening in theatres everywhere on Dec. 20.�About Ron Burgundy Ron Burgundy is an award-winning News Anchorman and poet. He lives with his wife, Veronica, and dog, Baxter, in San Diego, California. When he is not making models of eighteenth-century sailing ships, he can often be found on the deck of his own boat, The Shining MLady, or supervising archeological digs in and around his backyard. ' ' '

SAN FRANCISCO -- Two key players are finding their way for the San Francisco Giants. Buccaneers #31 Jersey . Pablo�Sandoval homered for the first time in more than a month and Ryan�Vogelsong won for just the second time in nine starts, leading the San Francisco Giants past the Miami Marlins 4-1 on Sunday to salvage a split of their four-game series. Manager Bruce Bochy never doubted these two would get on track. "Theyre two guys we need to have success," Bochy said, "Vogey being a starter and Pablo hitting in the heart of the order." Buster�Posey returned from a day off to hit a sacrifice fly, while Tyler�Colvin and Brandon�Hicks each hit RBI singles in a stretch of four straight base hits with two outs in the first against Jacob�Turner. Staked to an early lead, Vogelsong (2-2) struck out six in seven innings as the Giants concluded a season-long stretch with 17 games in as many days. San Francisco avoided its first three-game home losing streak. Turner (0-2) is still searching for his first road win, falling to 0-11 in 18 career road starts. "All I can do is go out and give it everything I have," he said. "Wins, losses, those are things I cant control." Sandoval connected for his third home run with two outs in the fifth, his first since April 13 against the Rockies. He has struggled so far in a contract year. Christian�Yelichs RBI groundout off Jeremy�Affeldt in the eighth accounted for Miamis run. Sergio�Romo pitched the ninth for his 15th save. A day after San Francisco was shut out 5-0 -- its second shutout in five games -- and went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine, the Giants jumped on Turner right away. The right-hander hit Gregor�Blanco to begin the bottom of the first and Blanco stole second, then Poseys sacrifice fly two batters later put the Giants on the board. Eight of San Franciscos 15 runs in the series came with two outs. Vogelsong did his part, and got some help from the defence with a double play and caught stealing. The pitcher also had his third hit of the year with a second-inning single. Vogelsong allowed five hits, struck out at least six for the third time in four May outings, and walked one for his second win of the season. His other victory came May 3 at Atlanta -- and the right-hander stayed optimistic. "You have to believe that youre going to turn it around and get it going," Vogelsong said. "Thats what my hope was. You have to believe that. If you dont, youre behind the 8-ball to begin with. ... Ive read some of the stuff he was saying about Pablo and other people and a lot of it was mental, and its true. "First of all, you have to stop digging a hole, to get out of it. Second of all you have to believe that you can do it. When they believe in you, too, that goes a long way. That helps a lot." Sandoval has raised his batting average to .220 by hitting .389 during a nine-game hitting streak. Both teams ended grueling May stretches, and Miami slugger Giancarlo�Stanton didnt play until late. The Marlins wrapped up their season-long 11-game road trip out West with just their third loss in the past 15 meetings at AT&T Park, where Miami has its best road record since 2011. The club heads home to put its 17-5 record at Marlins Park on the line against the Phillies. Giants centre fielder Angel�Pagan had an MRI on his bruised left shoulder that showed a sprained AC joint, which he hurt trying for a diving catch Saturday. The hope is after sitting out Sunday coupled with Mondays day off he could be ready to play Tuesday at Colorado. "Im not really concerned," Pagan said. "Two days off will be good for me." Injured Giants second baseman Marco�Scutaro will have a platelet-rich plasma injection Monday in Miami. NOTES: San Francisco RHP Tim�Hudson threw at a higher intensity off flat ground as he nurses a strained left hip that forced him to miss his Friday start. He will have a bullpen session Tuesday ahead of his scheduled start Thursday at Coors Field. ... Giants RF Hunter�Pence became the active leader in games played when Texas slugger Prince�Fielder sat out Saturday to have his streak end at 547. Pence has appeared in 351 straight games with 216 consecutive starts. He leads the majors in innings played with 409 2-3. Michael Johnson Buccaneers Jersey . Inter president Erick Thohir says in a club statement on Wednesday that Vidic is "one of the worlds best defenders and his qualities, international pedigree, and charisma will be an asset. Buccaneers #83 Jersey . Price pitched a five-hitter for his third complete game of the season, Wil�Myers had a two-run single, and the surging Tampa Bay Rays won for the 19th time in 22 games by beating the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Wednesday night.PHILADELPHIA -- The San Jose Sharks made a simple change to rally for a comeback victory over the Philadelphia Flyers. They started shooting the puck. Joe�Pavelski had a hat trick to move into a tie for second in the NHL in goals and the Sharks beat Philadelphia 7-3 Thursday night in the first game for both teams following the Olympic break. Raffi�Torres and Logan�Couture each scored twice in their return to San Joses lineup following injuries. The Sharks trailed 2-1 after getting outshot 10-4 in the first period. San Jose made a pointed effort to shoot the puck in the second period and it paid off in a big way, resulting in five second-period goals on 16 shots. "We started to finally shoot the puck," Couture said. "The first period we werent shooting. We were playing in their end, but we werent shooting. Thats more the way we play, the way we need to play. A lot of our goals were off rebounds, and thats the way you score in this league." Pavelski, one of the Sharks four Olympians, scored all three of his goals in the dominating second period. Torres, who was making his 2013-14 debut after injuring his knee in the preseason, capped the second-period spree with his second goal of the game with 2.2 seconds left. Couture, who missed the previous 16 games due to hand surgery, netted his 15th goal of the season in the period. "We didnt have a lot of purpose in our game in the first period, especially in their zone," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "Kind of skating around waiting for something to happen. We got our forecheck going in the second (and) a lot more pucks to the goaltender, which created second and third chances. We had to start thinking about throwing the puck from bad angles and creating second (chances) that way." Andrej�Meszaros had a highlight-reel tally and Matt�Read and Brayden�Schenn also scored for the Flyers, who had won four straight before the Olympic break. Flyers coach Craig�Berube wasnt pleased with his teams effort, particularly the play in front of their own goal. "Not competing around our net, thats basically what it boils down to," Berube said. "Not getting sticks, not boxing people out, not being hard on people. We didnt compete hard enough to win the hockey game. Nobody. "Were all embarrassed tonight." The Flyers netted a pair of goals within a 22-second span midway through the first period to take a 2-1 lead. Meszaros, one of five Flyers who participated in the Olympics, opened the Philadelphia scoring with 9:24 remaining in the opening period. Alex�Stalock, San Joses backup goalie who started in place of Olympian Antti�Niemi, saved Meszaros initial shot from the point, but Steve�Downie pushed the rebound to Meszaros, who shot the puck between his own legs and past Stalock from close range. Schenn put Philadelphia ahead 2-1 when he backhanded the puck from behind the net off the skate of Jason�Demers and past Stalock with 9:02 remaining in the first period. Buccaneers #50 Jersey. But it was all San Jose in the second period. Pavelski scored from close range on the power play 4:23 into the period and then gave San Jose the lead for good with 9:48 remaining in the period when he deflected Marc-Edouard�Vlasics shot from the point past Steve�Mason that made it 3-2. Mason was lifted 35 seconds later when Couture tallied on a rebound after the Flyers goalie dropped a shot that he initially gloved. Mason gave up four goals on his first 13 shots. His replacement, Ray�Emery, didnt fare much better, as Pavelski scored on a turnaround from in front of the crease with 5:50 left in the period for his 32nd goal of the season, tying him with Torontos Phil�Kessel for second-most in the league. Torres finished the second-period scoring by just beating the intermission buzzer with a close-range goal. "We had some good luck throughout the team," Pavelski said. "They were just going in tonight. Life is good. Hopefully they keep coming." The sellout crowd loudly booed the Flyers as they exited the ice following the period. "We lost a lot of battles the last two-thirds of the game," Philadelphias Scott�Hartnell said. "Simple penalties, turnovers that led to odd-man rushes and we were soft in front of our net. Thats what you get when you dont play tough, you dont play strong and you dont play good defence. It couldve been 10-3." It didnt get any better in the third period for Philadelphia as Couture netted a short-handed goal 4:50 in on a backhander in front of Emery. In a rare move, Emery was lifted and Mason was re-inserted into the game with 9:11 left in the third period. Emery requested to be removed from the game due to an undisclosed injury that neither he nor Berube would identify. Besides Meszaros, Flyers Michael Raffi, Jakub�Voracek, Kimmo�Timonen and Mark�Streit also participated in the Olympics. Timonen, who helped Finland to the bronze medal, was a healthy scratch to allow him to rest. In addition to Niemi and Pavelski, San Joses Patrick�Marleau and Vlasic competed in Sochi. Niemi, who entered second in the NHL in wins (29), didnt see any action Thursday. Demers, Andrew�Desjardins and Marleau each had a pair of assists for the Sharks. NOTES: Before the Olympics, Niemi was 7-3 with a 2.12 GAA in his previous 10 starts. However, one of those losses was a 5-2 home defeat to the Flyers on Feb. 3, a game in which he gave up four goals before being pulled. ... San Jose won its sixth straight game in Philadelphia. The Flyers last home win over the Sharks came on Dec. 21, 2000. ... San Jose came within two of its season-high for goals, set in a 9-2 win over the Rangers on Oct. 8. ... The seven goals allowed matched a season-worst for Philadelphia, which lost 7-0 to Washington on Nov. 1 and 7-2 at Chicago on Dec. 11. ' ' '

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LONDON -- Marouane Chamakh scored the only goal to give struggling Crystal Palace a much-needed 1-0 win over West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday. Panthers Kelvin Benjamin White Jersey . The much-maligned Moroccan striker headed in the winner in the 42nd minute to give Tony Pulis a win in his first home match in charge and provisionally lift the London club out of last place. Chamakh had only scored one goal this season going into the match. The former Arsenal forward said "I hope we can play like that every week until the end of the season." West Ham was coming off a 3-0 win over Fulham but has yet to string together back-to-back Premier League victories since they were promoted last year. Panthers Sam Mills Youth Jersey . U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel granted Nike Inc. a temporary restraining order late Wednesday, finding "sufficient reason" for him to block sales of Tebow merchandise created by Reebok International Ltd.http://www.panthersstore.us.com/Black-33-Tre-Boston-Womens-Jersey/ .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. PHILADELPHIA -- Allen�Iverson cupped his hand to his left ear and asked to hear his favourite tune one more time. With that command, 20,000 roaring Philadelphia 76ers fans gave AI the standing ovation he earned by stamping himself as one of the franchises all-time greats. Iverson, emotional as he thanked former teammates and friends, had his No. 3 retired at halftime of Saturdays game against Washington. High above the Wells Fargo Center court, Iversons banner slipped between Maurice Cheeks No. 10 and Charles Barkleys No. 34. "They all wanted me to talk about how much yall loved me," Iverson said, "but trust me, the feeling was mutual." Iverson officially retired in October after last playing in 2010. He won four scoring titles for the Sixers and was the 2001 MVP when he led them to the NBA Finals. He never won a championship, the lone omission in a career that is destined for the Hall of Fame. The Sixers may as well have turned the arena into an AI museum. Four banners greeted fans at the main concourse entrance, and photos of him were plastered all around the arena. The merchandise stands sold Iverson jerseys for $130, and lower level tickets were going for as much for $1,280 on Stubhub about an hour before the 7:30 p.m. tipoff. The fans loved him, and he blew them kisses after the No. 3 was raised to show how much he loved them back. "I am Philly," Iverson said. "Its always going to be that way." Iversons return injected a rare dose of excitement into a franchise playing some of the worst basketball in the league. The Sixers, in full-blown rebuilding mode, had lost 12 straight entering Saturdays game. The losing didnt matter much Saturday, just the memories. The Sixers wore special "Iverson Forever" patches on their jerseys and Iversons 3 on their pregame warmup shirts. "Its a great example of how this city responds to somebody that they clearly think the world of and brought such exciting times to the city of Philadelphia," Sixers coach Brett Brown said. The Sixers retirement gift was a boat named in honour of his nickname, "The Answer." "It feels good," Iverson said after the ceremony, "but some part of my heart hurts because I know its over." Iverson joined Cheeks, Barkley, Wilt Chamberlain and Julius Erving among the eight retired numbers in franchise history. Erving attended thhe ceremony. Panthers Cam Newton Blue Jersey. Moses Malone, Dikembe�Mutombo, Theo�Ratliff, Gary�Payton and former team president Pat Croce also were at the celebration. Former coach Larry Brown, who both clashed with and loved Iverson over their tenure, sent a videotaped message. "I just want to tell you, and I say this fondly: God put me there to coach you," Brown said. Iverson said Brown was the player who moulded him into one of the NBAs best. "I always had raw talent," he said. "I needed Larry Brown to polish it up." Iverson was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1996 draft and spent his first 10 seasons in Philadelphia. He also played for Denver, Detroit, and Memphis before returning to Philadelphia for a 25-game stint in 2009-10. Iverson, who mashed hip-hop culture and hoops like no player before him, was perhaps at his peak in his fifth NBA season. The 165-pound guard averaged 31.1 points, was the MVP of the All-Star game and propped an entire franchise on his 6-foot frame all the way to the finals. Led by Brown, the Sixers needed Game 7 wins in consecutive series for the right to play the Lakers. Shaquille�ONeal, Kobe�Bryant and the Lakers swept their way through the post-season before Game 1 in Los Angeles. Iverson had 48 points in 52 minutes of an overtime victory. The Sixers didnt have enough to go the distance and the Lakers won the next four games. Hes 21st on the NBAs career scoring list with 24,368 points over 914 career games. Iverson, drafted out of Georgetown, scored 30-plus points 345 times and was an 11-time All-Star. His No. 3 jersey was a bestseller around the globe, the headband wrapped snugly around his cornrows, and the tattoos were as much a part of his image as the way he ricochets around the court. Play every game like it was his last was more than a catchphrase, it was a lifestyle. "Who could not be an Allen�Iverson fan?" said Thaddeus�Young, the lone current Sixers player who played with Iverson. "It got no bigger than him in Philadelphia." NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was at the game for AIs night. "Allen was a special player," Silver said before the game. "The great things he did for the league far outweigh the occasional headache. I always thought even at the time of Allen�Iversons prominence in the league, he was representative of his generation." ' ' '

HOUSTON - Texans receiver Andre�Johnson has always said he wanted to spend his entire career in Houston. Mason Foster Buccaneers Jersey . On Tuesday, the star questioned whether that was still the case. Speaking to reporters at a charity event, Johnson said: "I just kind of wonder sometimes: Is this still the place for me?" Johnsons comments came after he was asked why he recently skipped a voluntary minicamp. He says that he has not asked for a trade, but also plans to skip upcoming organized team activities as well as Houstons mandatory minicamp. The 32-year-old is Houstons longest-tenured player after joining the franchise in its second season. He talked about playing on just three winning teams in his 11-year career and says: "I think over time it can become very frustrating." Buccaneers #69 Jersey .J. -- The NHL reduced its penalty against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday for signing Ilya�Kovalchuk in 2010. Buccaneers #50 Jersey .com) -� The Toronto Maple Leafs will try to play spoiler as the Los Angeles Kings will try to match their longest winning streak in over four years�in Thursdays battle at Staples Center.CLEVELAND - With just over a minute remaining in a three-point contest, Kyrie�Irving, Clevelands lethal late-game weapon, barrelled into the lane as Kyle�Lowry stood in his way, positioned above the restricted area. Mired in an offensive slump, Lowry - the NBAs leader in taking charges this season - did what he has learned to do best, standing his ground and drawing a crucial offensive foul on the Cavaliers all-star point guard. Fast forward 30 seconds to the Cavs next possession, with the home team still trailing by three, Spencer�Hawes - one of the leagues best passing big men - threw an interception, intended for Tyler�Zeller and picked off by DeMar�DeRozan. The Raptors two best players, their two leading scorers, made the two most important plays of Tuesdays 99-93 win over Cleveland. That much is not unusual. Of note though is�both of those plays came on the defensive end. "Those defensive plays are deflation plays for the opposition," said Lowry, who struggled with his shot, hitting just three of 15 attempts from the field and misfiring on all nine of his jumpers from three-point range. "Its definitely fun to step up for the team in those situations." Lowry didnt think twice when faced with a split-second decision, one hes made time and time again in high-pressure situations during his breakout campaign. "Those are winning plays," he said, asked about the art of drawing a charge, crediting the tutelage of former teammate Shane�Battier, whom he called "one of the best charge takers" in the league. DeRozans steal was just as vital, if not more so, to the teams sixth win in the last seven games and second over Cleveland in a span of five days. "He was like a free safety out there," Lowry said, shortly before DeRozan - in conversation with the media - made yet another reference to Seahawks cornerback and fellow Compton-native Richard Sherman. "I kind of anticipated it, I read the play a little bit," said DeRozan, who also made his share of big offensive plays, scoring 16 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth quarter, adding six assists without turning the ball over. "They ran it earlier in the game. I knnew they were going to look for it and I just went for it. Charles Sims Buccaneers Jersey. " Toronto, and DeRozan in particular, has come up short when faced with one final possession, one final shot in the past. Both guards heeded their coachs direction this time around. It didnt come down to a last-second heave. The Raptors won with timely defence. After enjoying a much-improved first quarter following a series of slow starts, the Raptors struggled on both ends of the floor during the meat of the game. Nothing was falling for Lowry - a 39 per cent three-point shooter on the season - and the team was accumulating sloppy turnovers at an uncharacteristically alarming rate for the second straight contest. Almost foreshadowing the nights eventual result, Casey was asked how to prevent his team from allowing its offence to dictate defensive effort prior to the game. "I havent discovered it yet in my 30 years of coaching," he responded. "Its the same in college, [in the] pros and its been that way for a long time. A lot of guys have to see the ball go through the basket to get themselves going on the other end, which you dont want, you preach against but I think its human nature." For at least one night, his team and his point guard bucked that trend. "That was one example of a guy not letting his offence dictate his defence," Casey said of Lowry, who also added nine assists, made all seven of his free-throw attempts and could have drawn a couple more charges if not for a pair of close calls that didnt go his way. "Thats how you have to play," Lowry added. "Youre not going to have great games all the time. Youre not going to shoot 10-for-12 every night or 20-for-30. Youre always going to have some sort of off game but you cant let that stop you from helping your team win a game." Terrence�Ross bailed him out offensively, scoring what DeRozan called a "quiet 19 points", knocking down five of his eight shots from long distance. With the win, the Raptors climb seven games above the .500 mark for the first time in six years. It ensures theyll have a winning record for a third consecutive month, accomplishing that feat for the first time since 2007. ' ' '