ekansekans's blog: "df"

ATLANTA -- Adam Jones had a one-word description of the Orioles second straight shutout win: "Chen-sational. Ryan Tannehill Jersey ." Wei-Yin Chen combined with four relievers on a seven-hitter and Baltimore continued its success in interleague play by beating the Atlanta Braves 2-0 on Sunday. The Braves, who have lost six of seven, were shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since June 5-6, 2009. Jason Hammel threw a one-hitter in a 5-0 victory for the Orioles on Saturday night. Jones said Hammel and Chen dominated by staying ahead in the count. "Its been pretty fun to watch from centre field," Jones said. "The important part of it is they always started with strike one. Theyve been able to do what they want because theyve been ahead in counts." The Orioles, who remained 1 1/2 games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East, have won seven of eight. They are 9-3 in interleague play with series wins over Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Atlanta. Chen (7-2) gave up six hits and one walk in seven innings to outpitch Randall Delgado (4-7), who allowed only two runs and three hits in eight innings. Orioles manager Buck Showalter applauded Chens ability to successfully bunt and field bunts -- no small feat for an American League pitcher from Taiwan. Chens sacrifice helped the Orioles score a run in the sixth. "Its something you work on in spring training and it could be a difference-maker in the game, and I think it was today," Showalter said. Chen fielded a poor bunt by Delgado in the third to start a double play that helped spoil a scoring opportunity for Atlanta. "Im sure they were rolling their eyes in spring training as we were going over and over bunt defence, being an American League East team," Showalter said. "It was nice that it helped us and made a difference." Still, Chen is no fan of interleague play. "Not really, because I hate hitting," he said through a translator. Jim Johnson pitched a perfect ninth for his 20th save. Darren ODay, Troy Patton and Pedro Strop combined for a scoreless eighth. Delgados eight innings matched his longest start. He walked one batter and struck out six. Jones led off the second with a ground-rule double to right field. After moving to third on Wilson Betemits fly ball, Jones scored on Mark Reynolds sacrifice fly. "They did a good job of executing small ball," Braves catcher David Ross said. "They played the game the way its supposed to be played." A misplay by Matt Diaz helped Baltimore stretch the lead in the sixth. Diaz ran in before stopping too late and watching a line drive by Steve Pearce sail over his head for a double to the left-field wall. Pearce advanced on the sacrifice by Chen and scored when Delgado balked with Robert Andino at the plate. Delgado balked as he tried to move from the stretch to a full windup. "You just have to do that step-off, but I didnt," he said. The Braves lost two of three to the Orioles after being swept in three games by the Yankees. One day after being shut out by Hammel, the Braves sputtered again as they hit into double plays in each of the first three innings. "We played well, same as we did in the Yankees series, but weve got nothing to show for it," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We outhit them (7-4) again today and got nothing to show for it." Showalter said the Orioles "got some breaks here" by facing the Braves when first baseman Freddie Freeman missed the series with a sore finger. "The only thing we need to avoid is pressing," said Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, who was 0 for 3 with a walk. "Youd still like to think you can go out there and score three runs no matter whos in the ballgame." Ross and Andrelton Simmons led off the third with singles before Delgado bounced a bunt too hard toward Chen, who threw to third to start a double play. Simmons advanced to third on a throwing error by Andino at second base, but Michael Bourn ended the inning on a groundout. The third was the only inning in which the Braves managed more than one hit. Showalter said he was impressed by the play of Simmons, the rookie shortstop who in the third inning made a tough grab of a sharply hit grounder by Jones and bounced up to make a strong throw to first to end the inning. Atlantas Eric OFlaherty, who had been out with a sore left elbow, got one out in the ninth in his first appearance since June 8. NOTES: The Braves placed RHP Brandon Beachy on the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Todd Redmond from Triple-A Gwinnett. Beachy will have an MRI on Monday. ... Freeman said the swollen knuckle on his left index finger has improved "a lot" after he received two cortisone shots Saturday. He missed his fourth straight start. ... Andino started in place of 2B Brian Roberts, who was given a day off. Showalter said it was "prudent" to be careful with Roberts, who returned Tuesday from the 60-day DL (concussion). ... The Brewers shut out the Braves in two straight games in Atlanta from June 5-6, 2009. ... Delgado also lasted eight innings on May 3, giving up two runs in a loss to Philadelphia. ... The Orioles open a three-game series at the Mets on Monday night, with RHP Jake Arrieta facing R.A. Dickey. The Braves also head to New York to face the Yankees, who swept three games in Atlanta last week. Mike Minor will face CC Sabathia. Karlos Dansby Jersey . The pictures snapped at the end told a different story: Sharapova, down on her knees after a tougher-than-expected win, head buried in her hands, celebrating after completing a comeback three years in the making and cementing her name among the greatest in tennis. Dan Marino Jersey . Maholm pitched six solid innings for his first win in nine months and the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-1 on Saturday to stop a six-game slide. Maholm (1-2) also snapped a personal six-game losing streak. http://www.dolphinsteamstore.com/cameron-wake-jersey . Taking on the reigning Cup holders from England on their home ground, Canadas women put in their strongest performance of the tournament to date, matching the physicality of a bigger English team and showing their speed in the wide channels of the larger Twickenham field. Reggie Bush Jersey . My brother Rick summoned me to my home town of Sarnia, Ontario the day prior to the Kings final victory, to be with our mother, Barb who was in hospital with rapidly deteriorating health. Jake Long Jersey . The Memphis Grizzlies have been more than competitive in their Western Conference quarterfinals series with the Los Angeles Clippers but find themselves on the brink of elimination as they return to Beale Street for Game 5 of the set. HOUSTON -- Astros closer Brett Myers didnt expect to pitch on Tuesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals after Houston entered the ninth inning ahead by five. After St. Louis put up two quick runs on a triple off David Carpenter, Myers had to quickly warm up. He then allowed a full-count, two-run homer to Rafael Furcal that closed the gap to one run before settling in to shut down the Cardinals and help the Astros hold on for a 9-8 win. After the homer, Myers retired Carlos Beltran before walking Matt Holliday, but Allen Craig grounded out to give Myers his 14th save. "It was quick. I threw like nine pitches in the pen and I wasnt ready at all," he said. "But thats the way the game goes sometimes, youve just got to go out there and try to grind through it. It worked out for us tonight." Justin Maxwell hit a two-run homer and Jose Altuve tied a career high with four hits as the Astros got to St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia early to build a big lead. The Astros scored four runs in the first inning and Maxwells homer in the second stretched their lead to 6-1. Brian Bogusevic added a solo home run in the fourth and Chris Snyder drove in two runs for Houston. Garcia (3-4) yielded five hits and the six runs tied his season high, set against the Astros earlier this season. The loss drops the left-hander to 0-5 in seven career starts against Houston. He has allowed at least three runs in each of those starts. It was the shortest start of the season for Garcia, who was scratched from his last start with a sore elbow. He was replaced by Maikel Cleto for the third inning. Afterward, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny conceded that Garcia wasnt himself. "Hes not right," Matheny said. "We had given him some thorough examinations, and we were confident that he would be ready to go, but he obviously wasnt." Garcia said the velocity on his fastball has been down, but couldnt pinpoint exactly what the problem was. "I wish I knew what was wrong," he said. "I would have fixed it a while ago." Houston starter Lucas Harrell (5-4) allowed eight hits and four runs -- three earned -- in six innings to improve to 4-0 in five home starts this season. Adron&nnbsp;Chambers drove in two runs with a one-out triple off Carpenter in the ninth inning to get St.dddddddddddd Louis within 9-6. Matt Adams had a three-run homer in the third inning for the Cardinals, who have lost six of their last seven. Furcal reached second base on a two-base error by Altuve to start the game. He scored on a two-out groundout by Holliday to make it 1-0. Altuve doubled and scored on a two-out single by J.D. Martinez to tie it at 1-1 in the first. Chris Johnson and Brett Wallace drew consecutive walks to load the bases before Martinez scored on a wild pitch. Snyders two RBI single to left field extended Houstons lead to 4-1. Garcia finally got out of that inning when Bogusevic grounded into a forceout. Maxwells two-out homer, which was his second home run in his last three at-bats, sailed into the Crawford Boxes in left field and put Houston up 6-1. His last home run came on a two-run shot Sunday as a pinch hitter. Altuve singled with one out to set up the homer which was Maxwells fifth of the year. "We did a good job of putting some runs up early, and we needed every single one of them tonight," Maxwell said. Craig singled with two outs in the third before a double by David Freese. Adams followed with his homer to the deepest part of the ballpark in centre field to get St. Louis within 6-4. Bogusevics homer, which bounced off the foul pole in right field, came in the fourth to push Houstons lead to 7-4. Altuve doubled with two outs in the sixth inning and made it 8-4 when he scored on an error by rookie reliever Sam Freeman. Back-to-back doubles by Johnson and Wallace added a run for the Astros in the seventh inning. NOTES: Cardinals 1B Lance Berkman, who has been rehabbing in Houston since undergoing right knee surgery on May 25, was in the St. Louis clubhouse before Tuesdays game. He said hes making progress, but doesnt expect to be back on the field until July. He plans to stay in Houston until at least June 15, when he has a checkup with the doctor who performed the arthroscopic surgery. ... Houston CF Jordan Schafer was out of the starting lineup on Tuesday because of an illness. ... The series continues on Wednesday when Houstons Bud Norris opposes Adam Wainwright. ' ' '