ekansekans's blog: "df"

HOUSTON -- Tony DeFrancesco believes rewarding his team for good performances is important. Josh Morgan Womens Jersey . So Houstons interim manager decided he would gift a pair of $200 headphones to one standout player in each Astros win. He left the ballpark Tuesday night $1,000 lighter after handing out five pairs due to all the contributions in the 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs. "I want these guys to understand that performance is important here and keeping the culture in here and keeping the life," he said of his last-place team. "Its been a rough season for some of these guys and theyve been beat down for almost two years and Im just trying to keep them positive and keep the energy." Justin Maxwell, who drove in the games only run on a sacrifice fly and made a play that kept Chicago from tying the game got a pair. Relievers Wilton Lopez, Wesley Wright, Xavier Cedeno and Jose Valdez also snagged the headphones. Jimmy Paredes singled and scored an unearned run in the third inning to help in the win. It was an otherwise tough night for the second baseman, who committed three errors. Paredes has started the last three games at second base with All-Star Jose Altuve out with an abdominal strain. Houston starter Jordan Lyles (4-11) scattered two hits and struck out five in five innings and five relievers completed the shutout. Lopez allowed two hits in a scoreless ninth for his fourth save. It was the first six-pitcher shutout for the Astros since Houston used six pitchers in a no-hitter against the Yankees on June 11, 2003, and just the third in franchise history. The bullpen combined to allow four hits and struck out six. The last error by Paredes came in the seventh inning, and DeFrancesco lifted him for Altuve to start the eighth. Cubs starter Justin Germano (2-7) allowed three hits and tied a career high with eight strikeouts. He lost his fifth straight start. Paredes singled with one out in the third before Fernando Martinez reached on an error by catcher Steve Clevenger when he threw the ball over the head of first baseman Bryan LaHair. Brett Wallace walked to load the bases and Houston took the lead on a sacrifice fly by Justin Maxwell. The Cubs went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position to break a season-high-tying four-game winning streak. "It was a shame we got that kind of pitching from everybody and had plenty of chances to score and couldnt get a hit when it counted it," Chicago manager Dale Sveum said. Two walks and a single by LaHair loaded the bases for the Cubs with one out in the second. They came away empty when Germano grounded into a forceout that left Clevenger out at home before Lyles struck out David DeJesus. Another missed opportunity came in the sixth when Starlin Castro singled before a one-out double by pinch-hitter Dave Sappelt. But pinch-hitter Darwin Barney was out on a fly ball to Maxwell in centre field and his throw to third beat Sappelt for the double play before Castro made it home. "I was really surprised that he went," Maxwell said of Sappelt. "I knew I had no shot at the plate and I kind of peeked as I was catching the ball and I thought he was going to stop running all the way to third, but he kept going and (Matt) Dominguez made a great tag and got him out." Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo was injured in the third inning in a collision with Brett Wallace. Rizzo hit a grounder to Paredes in the third inning, and his throw to first was high, causing Wallace to jump to try and catch it. Rizzo collided with Wallace while he was in the air and tumbled violently to the ground. He remained on the dirt for a minute while trainers looked at him. He finally sat up and slowly walked off the field with the help of the trainers. He has a sore right shoulder and upper back and the Cubs are going to monitor him for the next couple of days. "I was just stunned, dazed, at first. Thats why at first I didnt move," Rizzo said. "Im more sore than anything ... it was an ugly fall." NOTES: Houston activated SS Jed Lowrie before Monday nights game, but he did not play. He has been on the DL since July 15 with an injured nerve in his right leg. ... Castro had an error in the eighth inning, his 24th of the season, which is the most among NL shortstops. Tyler Polumbus Jersey . ESPNs Seth Markman posted on Twitter that the former Chicago Bears coach and player fell ill Friday and will not appear on the networks NFL shows this weekend. Alfred Morris Jersey . LOUIS -- Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak says its unlikely the team can re-sign 16-game winner Kyle Lohse and doesnt see a spot for Lance Berkman even in a reduced role. http://www.fansredskinsroom.com/kirk-cousins-jersey . Price will be going up against lefty Ricky Romero, who hasnt won since beating the Miami Marlins back on June 22, and owns a 7.16 ERA over that span. Romero, an All-Star last season, has lost his last four starts and his last 11 decisions, with his previous win against an American League team coming against Chicago back on June 5. Kirk Cousins Limited Jersey . While the Devils first marker was scored by Ilya Kovalchuk, there continued to be contributions from those whose names are found much further down the marquee. Kirk Cousins White Jersey . The Roughriders (8-7) host the East-leading Montreal Alouettes (9-6) on Saturday, and can claim at least a cross-over playoff berth with a win or a Hamilton loss to Calgary.Even with an early 4-0 lead, the Winnipeg Goldeyes needed a little extra time to polish off the Sioux City Explorers. Winnipeg scored a run in the top of the 10th inning to beat the Explorers 5-4 Friday night in front of 836 fans at Lewis and Clark Park. The Goldeyes remain three games up on the Kansas City T-Bones and moved four games up on the St. Paul Saints in the race for the American Associations wild card spot. In the 10th, Chris Roberson led off the inning with a triple and then scored on a single by Yurendell de Caster for the games winning run. The Goldeyes had opened up a 4-0 lead by scoring a run in each of the first four innings, including getting solo home runs from Josh Mazzola in the second and fourth innnings. Cedric Griffin Jersey. Sioux City wiped away Winnipegs lead with two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to force extra innings. Roberson and Price Kendall each led Winnipeg with three hits in the game. Goldeyes starter Todd Privett went six and a third innings, but takes a no decision. Brian Beuning pitched the final three innings for his fifth win out of the bullpen this season. Jason Jarvis went nine innings for Sioux City and was relieved by Chuck Lukanen for the 10th inning. Lukanen suffered his second loss of the season. The second game of this three-game series goes Saturday night in Sioux City. Coverage on TSN 1290 with Paul Edmonds will begin at 5:30 p.m. with Around the Association. ' ' '