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lingzi
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Dec 7 2012, 02:27 PM
Post #1
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PITTSBURGH -- A special season on the verge of collapse, the Pittsburgh Pirates steadied themselves behind Pedro Alvarez. Wes Welker Womens Jersey . The third baseman stayed hot, blasting his 26th homer of the season and driving in three runs as the Pirates rolled to a 5-0 victory over St. Louis on Wednesday night. Alvarezs three-run shot in the third gave him seven home runs and 23 RBI in 15 games against the defending world champions. "I was just out there trying to compete," Alvarez said. "Its just one of those things." The win, coming on the heels of a 9-0 rout over St. Louis on Tuesday, pulled Pittsburgh with one game of the Cardinals for the second NL wild card spot. It also gave them a needed boost as September neared. Searching for the first winning season and playoff berth in two decades, the Pirates appeared in trouble after losing six of seven following a 4-3 defeat on Monday. Instead, they bounced back with a resiliency thats been their calling card all year and has them playing important baseball into September for the first time since Barry Bonds was patrolling the outfield at Three Rivers Stadium. "We had to get back on the right track," said right fielder Garrett Jones. "We were in a little rut there where for whatever reason we couldnt get back on the winning track and things werent going our way. We stayed positive, stayed confident and knowing we could turn things around." Wandy Rodriguez (9-13) worked six tidy innings for Pittsburgh to pick up his first victory as a starter since being acquired in a trade last month. Rodriguez walked three and struck out three while helping the Pirates shut out the Cardinals for the second straight night. "You go against that offence and you put 18 zeros on the board in 18 innings, I couldnt be any prouder of them," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Offensively we found a way and had some two out big strikes. To finish the last 48 hours, were going to battle." Joe Kelly (4-6) struggled with control problems during five rocky innings, giving up five runs on eight hits. The victory helped the Pirates take the season series from St. Louis 8-7, not an insignificant number with both teams battling for a post-season berth. If the two clubs are tied for the second wild card spot at the end of the regular season, the Pirates would have host the play-in game. The playoffs dont begin for another five weeks. Pittsburgh, however, remains intent on being a factor until the end. "We can definitely use these two wins as a sparkplug for games to come," Alvarez said. Particularly if the former first-round pick continues to develop into the lineup-anchoring power hitter the team envisioned when it drafted him four years ago. Alvarez certainly feasted on St. Louis pitching this season, going 23-for-58 (.396). He gave Rodriguez all the offence necessary in the third. Coming to the plate with two on and two out, Alvarez drilled an 82 mph curveball from Kelly into the right field seats. The ball left the park so quickly Alvarez barely had time to break into his home run trot before it landed. ""I let the hottest hitter on their team beat me," Kelly said. "I was down 3-1 and hung a breaking ball to a good hitter. I made a bad pitch and he made me pay." The blast gave the Pirates a 4-0 lead and Alvarez made it 5-0 in the fifth when he doubled with two outs and scored on a single by Josh Harrison. Rodriguez took advantage of the cushion. He came in 0-4 as a starter with the Pirates after being acquired from Houston on July 24. His only victory came in two relief innings during Pittsburghs 19-inning marathon win in St. Louis on Aug. 19. Hurdle blamed part of Rodriguezs problems on the pressure of trying to validate the trade. Hurdle urged the veteran lefthander to relax, and Rodriguez looked at ease playing with a sizable lead for the first time as a Pirate. The Cardinals managed just three paltry singles against him and never got a runner to third. "I feel very comfortable when I see the score 4-0," Rodriguez said. The Cardinals played without catcher Yadier Molina, who sat out as a precaution following a brutal collision at home with Harrison on Tuesday night. Molina suffered neck, shoulder and arm soreness after Harrison crashed into him trying to score from second. Tony Cruz started in Molinas place and had two of St. Louis five hits, but the Cardinals failed to muster any offence as their scoreless streak reached 21 innings. "Weve seen quite a bit of this this year, its been a lot of feast or famine," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "Its hard to understand it because we certainly have the ability to put something up there every night." NOTES: Pittsburgh 2B Neil Walker missed his third straight game with a stiff back. Walker said hes starting to feel better but still has no timetable on a possible return. ... The Cardinals begin a four-game series in Washington on Thursday. Jaime Garcia (7-9, 3.72 ERA) takes on Washingtons Edwin Jackson (7-9, 3.72) in the opener ... Pittsburgh is off Thursday and travels to Milwaukee for a weekend series on Friday. Jeff Karstens (5-3, 3.47) faces Milwaukees Mark Rogers (2-1, 4.28) in the first game. Rob Gronkowski Womens Jersey . Through five games with the 51s (the Jays Triple-A affiliate), Lind is hitting .389 with three homers and five runs batted in while splitting his time between first base and DH. Kevin Faulk Jersey . Swiss Tennis spokeswoman Sandra Perez tells The Associated Press that Federer is scheduled to arrive in Amsterdam on Wednesday and will play in the opening singles matches on Friday. http://www.newenglandpatriotsroom.com/stevan-ridley-jersey-1 . The Houston Rockets could be looking for something much, much bigger. The teams made a move to address both needs on Tuesday, just two days before the NBA draft: The Timberwolves acquired swingman Chase Budinger from the Rockets in exchange for the 18th overall pick in the draft. Tom Brady Pink Jersey . LOUIS -- Mike Matheny was feeling a bit giddy after the St. Tom Brady Womens Jersey . Scott Cullen looks at the Capitals and Devils tying their respective series while the Coyotes and Blues move to 3-1 leads. HOLTBY STONES BRUINSCapitals rookie G Braden Holtby saved the day for the Capitals, turning aside 44 of the Bruins shots he faced to preserve Washingtons 2-1 win, which tied the series at two games apiece.NEW YORK -- Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo considers Torontos eighth pick in the NBA draft lottery neither a loss nor a victory. "We didnt move back, we didnt move up," said Colangelo after the lottery Wednesday when the New Orleans Hornets were awarded the first overall pick. What Colangelo does see in his teams pick is an asset that gives the Raptors some options and flexibility. The GM didnt come out and say whether the pick is for sale, but says he will definitely listen to offers. "I dont think theres any option we shouldnt look at," he said. "And some of that would come in the form of trades that might entail packaging assets. Maybe thats the best way to obtain a veteran NBA player with a contract. We have that cap flexibility that we can take on contracts." Creating that financial flexibility for this summers free agency period is something the Raptors have been working towards. The team traded guard Leandro Barbosa to the Indiana Pacers in mid-March for a second-round draft pick and cash. The Raptors have about $10.. Patrick Chung Jersey. million to go to market when free agency opens July 1. "We have the flexibility to explore all options and thats something that we worked hard to get," Colangelo said. "Were one of the few teams that can do that." With Torontos fifth overall pick from last year -- seven-foot centre Jonas Valanciunas -- likely to make his NBA debut next season, the Raptors will be thinking hard about keeping all their picks. The team is already considerably young and bringing more prospects is something Colangelo and the coaching staff will evaluate in the coming month. "Adding three young draft prospects is not the end of the world but I wouldnt say its the best situation either for our coaching staff," Colangelo said. "Especially for a coaching staff looking to take a step forward." New Orleans moved up from fourth to first overall, knocking the Bobcats to second. Charlotte went 7-59 last season for the worst winning percentage in NBA history. Washington will pick third and Cleveland fell one spot to fourth. ' ' '
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