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e than 10 minutes off the clock with the de
Topic Started: Oct 26 2012, 09:30 AM (23 Views)
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ATLANTA -- A routine part of the game, something every pitcher from Little League to the big leagues does without even thinking. Throw the pitch, catch the ball when its tossed back. Jhoulys Chacin messed up that simple task, handing the Atlanta Braves another unlikely win. Led by seven scoreless innings from Tim Hudson, the NL wild-card leaders posted their second straight 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rockies, winning both times with an unearned run. It was the first time in more than 28 years that a team triumphed that way in back-to-back games. "Its one of those crazy things, but baseball is a crazy game. A lot of weird things can happen," Braves second baseman Dan Uggla said. "As long as youve got more runs at the end of the game, thats all that matters." Juan Francisco, not exactly a speedy player, used his legs to score the only run in the second. First, he surprised the Rockies when he dropped down a bunt leading off the inning, reaching first easily. Uggla followed with a ground-rule double down the right-field fence, actually getting a bad break when the ball hopped over the fence. Francisco likely wouldve scored, but he had to stop at third. As it turned out, he scored anyway on a play that was even more stunning than his bunt. After a pitch to Brian McCann, Chacin (2-5) dropped a routine return throw from catcher Wilin Rosario. Chacin seemed to glance over toward third before making the grab, the ball bouncing off the side of his glove and winding up between the mound and second base. Francisco alertly spotted the miscue and took off for the plate, making it with a headfirst slide. "I thought I got it and I put my head down and I just missed it. Its inexcusable," Chacin said. "Its really embarrassing. Its something normal we do all the time. ... Its too late now, but well learn from that. You see what happened. We lost the game because of that one play." Indeed, that one play was enough for Hudson (14-5), who stranded eight Colorado runners. Peter Moylan and Eric OFlaherty combined on a scoreless eighth, then Craig Kimbrel got the final three outs for his 34th save. The Los Angeles Dodgers were the last team to win consecutive 1-0 games with unearned runs, pulling it off against the Cincinnati Reds on July 28-29, 1984, according to STATS LLC. "The game boils down to a throw-back to the pitcher," Colorado manager Jim Tracy said. "I dont know what the hell happened on the throw back. All I saw was the ball rolling off behind the mound and here comes Juan Francisco running to the plate. I couldnt believe it." Both teams squandered all sorts of chances to push across more runs, stranding nine runners apiece. The Rockies best chance against Hudson came in the third, when Dexter Fowler and Josh Rutledge led off with singles. Jordan Pacheco grounded out, moving the runners to second and third, but Rosario popped out to the shortstop and Tyler Colvin was thrown out after hitting a little squibber in front of the plate. Atlanta was even more wasteful. The Braves loaded the bases with no outs in the third, only to come up empty. Francisco struck out, Uggla flied out to left -- too shallow to bring home the run -- and Brian McCann popped out to shortstop, dropping his head in disgust as soon as the ball left his bat. In the fourth, Atlanta loaded the bases again, this time with one out. Same result. Jason Heyward flied out to shallow left, throwing down his bat in frustration, before Freddie Freeman popped up harmlessly on the infield to snuff out another threat. But the Braves will take a win any way they can get it. The previous night, they scored the games lone run on a throwing error. They wound up taking three of four from Colorado -- even after scoring just two runs over the final three games. "To win the last two like we did is nice for the pitching staff," Hudson said. "We can puff out our chests a little bit." Colorado rookie Jordan Pacheco went 0 for 2 with a couple of walks, snapping a 14-game hitting streak. Charlie Blackmon, on the other hand, went 4 for 4 -- the second four-hit game of his career. But he also made a baserunning blunder in the second after doubling with one out. Jonathan Herrera followed with a grounder to shortstop Paul Janish, and Blackmon took off for third. He was thrown out easily. Hudson was glad to get a helping hand from the defence. He struggled to command his curveball, which forced him to use more changeups and sinkers than he normally would. "It definitely wasnt my best stuff," he said. "I smoke-and-mirrored them a little bit." NOTES: Braves SS Andrelton Simmons headed to Class A Lynchburg to complete his rehab assignment. He could rejoin Atlanta as soon as this weekend for the series in New York against the Mets. Simmons, the NL rookie of the month for June, has been out since breaking a finger in his right hand on a headfirst slide July 8. ... RHP Rob Scahill joined Colorados expanded roster for the final month. He spent the entire season at Triple-A Colorado Springs, going 9-11 with a 5.68 ERA. ... Kimbrel was lugging five large boxes around the clubhouse before the game. They contained a bunch of goodies he ordered for his teammates from the All-Star game. His fellow relievers got All-Star gnomes, while everyone else received a grey T-shirt. Kimbrel also ordered something for himself: a baseball covered in 24-carat gold. A.J. Green Youth Jersey . Jeff Teague had 19 points and 10 assists as Atlanta pulled away after the break en route to a 109-87 rout of the Raptors, earning a split of their home-and-home series. Andy Dalton Womens Jersey . Speaking with TSNs Gino Reda on Fridays edition of Thats Hockey, Howson talked about what it would take for him to pull the trigger on a deal for his captain. http://www.officialcincinnatibengals.us/a-j-green-jerseys . -- The Phenix du College Esther-Blondin are the only perfect team remaining at the Telus Cup national midget hockey championship after a 9-5 win over the Moncton Flyers on Wednesday. A.J. Green Jersey . [Wang Zhenyu] SHANGHAI: The bodies of five children who went missing on Feb 18 in Tiantai county of Zhejiang province were found yesterday in a fish-farm pond near their homes. Tiantai senior police officer Ding Huijuan confirmed the bodies were those of the children - three girls, Cai Kangni, 13; Cai Danni, 10; Cai Yani, 12; and two boys, Cai Binbin, 9; and Cai Songtao, 7. Andy Dalton Jersey . Ferrer overcame a sluggish start to put the hosts ahead in the best-of-five series with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over Sam Querrey. Almagro then overcame John Isners constant fightbacks in a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory. The duo improved to 23-1 on clay in Davis Cup action. HOUSTON -- Houston coach Gary Kubiak wouldve told anyone who asked that the Texans were going to be fine with rookie T.J. Yates playing quarterback. He was right. Yates threw a touchdown pass in his first NFL start, Arian Foster rushed for 111 yards and Houston overcame another injury to Andre Johnson to beat Atlanta 17-10 on Sunday. The Texans (9-3) have won a franchise-record six straight games, a remarkable feat considering theyre down to their third-string quarterback and have played many of their games without their star receiver. The Falcons (7-5) sputtered offensively most of the game in losing for the second time in seven games. Houstons top-ranked defence knocked down two passes by Matt Ryan in the end zone in the closing seconds. Kubiak couldnt bear to watch the final play, turning his back and walking down the sideline. When the ball hit the turf and the crowd cheered, general manager Rick Smith told Kubiak what happened and patted him on the back. "Its a great win," Kubiak said, "because of everything this team has been through." Yates went 12 for 25 for 188 yards without an interception, an impressively poised performance after a dizzying week. "I test my guys the night before every game," Kubiak said, "and when I tested him, I was so impressed. I went in there and told the whole team, I wish you could have been in there. He is ready to play." The fifth-round pick was thrust into his pro debut last week in Jacksonville when Matt Leinart broke his collarbone. Leinart was starting in place of Matt Schaub, who broke a Lisfranc joint in his right foot in Houstons previous game. The 24-year-old Yates went 8 for 15 for 70 yards in his earlier-than-expected debut against the Jaguars. He was sacked three times by the Falcons, but never looked overwhelmed. "I was extremely comfortable out there," Yates said. "Coach Kubiak, throughout the week, we had a lot of talks and he instilled a lot of confidence in me." Offensive co-ordinator Rick Dennison and quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp worked day and night preparing Yates for the Falcons ninth-ranked defence. When Kubiak quizzed Yates at the end of the week, he knew the rookie was ready. "The job they did with that kid in the quarterback room was tremendous," Kubiak said. "Its been a heck of a challenge. T.J. held up his end of the bargain well." Johnson looked like hed be Yates go-to guy early, making leaping catches on the quarterbacks first two completions. The All-Pro receiver also atoned for an earlier drop by pulling in a perfect 50-yard pass from Yates to the Atlanta five-yard line in the second quarter. Yates then snapped a quick pass tto tight end Joel Dreessen for his first career TD, and chants of "T.dddddddddddd.! T.J.!" emerged from the capacity crowd. "I was studying my butt off all week long," Yates said, "and it paid off." Naturally, the Texans couldnt make it through a game without more adversity. Johnson left in the third quarter after hurting his left hamstring. He injured his right hamstring in Week 4, underwent minor surgery and sat out six games. Kubiak said after the game that he was told the injury was not severe, but he couldnt be certain until Johnson underwent tests on Monday. "I dont think you ever know about the hamstrings until the next day," Kubiak said. After Johnson went down, Foster ably took over the offensive load, carrying 10 times on Houstons decisive drive. Yates got lucky on his worst throw of the game, a pass to Foster that linebacker Mike Peterson intercepted and returned for an apparent touchdown on the second play of the fourth quarter. But cornerback Dunta Robinson and linebacker Sean Weatherspoon were both called for defensive holding and the Texans retained possession. Foster kept the drive going with a 12-yard scamper and finished the 19-play march with a one-yard run with 6:05 left. Then it was up to the Texans defence to finish. Atlanta got the ball back with 59 seconds left, and Ryan threw a deep pass to Julio Jones to the Texans 25. But Ryan overthrew Roddy White in one corner of the end zone and Kareem Jackson swatted away a pass to Jones in the other corner as time expired. "I had the opportunity to make that play and I just had to come up with the catch at the end," Jones said. Ryan completed 20-of-46 passes for 267 yards with two touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions. The Texans have intercepted a pass in 11 consecutive games. "We played in spurts," Atlanta coach Mike Smith said. "We didnt do the things we wanted to accomplish. We had way too many dropped footballs, way too many things that we normally dont do." After Johnson went down, Foster kept Houston on track, converting a fourth-and-1 with a seven-yard run to the Atlanta two. The Texans took more than 10 minutes off the clock with the decisive, 19-play drive, which tied a team record. Notes: Atlanta allowed a 100-yard rusher for the first time in 15 games. ... Gonzalez has a catch in 175 consecutive games, the leagues longest active streak. Gonzalez also reached 60 receptions for the 13th consecutive season, an NFL record. ... The Texans had a positive turnover ratio (plus-1) for the eighth time in 12 games. ... Houston has already matched its highest single-season win total (9-7 in 2009). ' ' '
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