ekansekans's blog: "df"

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Jay Bruce called it a total team effort. Indianapolis Colts T-Shirts . Still, his contribution was too great to be ignored. Bruce homered for the third consecutive game, drove in four runs and turned in one of Cincinnatis four sterling defensive plays to back Johnny Cuetos solid effort as the Reds beat the Houston Astros, 6-0 on Saturday. "Thats what good teams do," said Bruce, who had a two-run homer, a two-run double and caught Jordan Schafer off first base for a double play after catching Jose Altuves flyball, ending the fifth inning. "They execute. Johnny pitched great, the defence was awesome and we hit when we needed to," Bruce said. "It was perfect." Brandon Phillips added two hits for the Reds, whod lost two straight after winning the first two games of their current 10-day, nine-game homestand. Cueto (3-0) wasnt dominant, allowing five hits and a walk while hitting a batter and striking out just three over seven innings. But he was able to make enough quality pitches to keep in check an Astros team that hit .301 over the first four games of their six-game road trip. Manager Dusty Baker expects no less from Cueto. "He competes," Baker said. "This guy comes to beat you." Cueto had just enough to keep Houston in line, left fielder J.D. Martinez said. "He was picky," Martinez said. "His fastball was moving and he was spotting up the majority of his pitches. I saw him pretty well, but hes got that runner or cutter that moves." Cueto survived a 24-pitch first inning in which the Astros loaded the bases before Matt Downs flied out to Bruce. Logan Ondrusek pitched a perfect eighth inning and Aroldis Chapman allowed two walks and a hit to load the bases in the ninth before striking out Chris Snyder to complete Cincinnatis second shutout of the season and Houstons second shutout loss. Besides Bruces double-play assist, shortstop Zack Cozart and third baseman Scott Rolen both turned potential infield hits into outs by throwing out runners at first while on the ground. Cozart also went a long way to reach into the stands and snatch pinch-hitter Brian Bixlers foul popup leading off the eighth inning. "We had great defence today," Cueto said. "They helped me a lot." Houston centre fielder Shafer singled in the fifth to extend to 21 his streak of consecutive games reaching base to start the season, the longest by an Astro since Ricky Gutierrez had a 23-game streak in 1998. The club record is 25 by Denis Menke in 1969. The Reds roughed up Houston starter Lucas Harrell (1-2), who allowed nine hits and six runs -- five earned -- with one walk and one strikeout in six innings. The Reds wasted no time gaining an edge on Harrell. Joey Votto doubled into the left field corner with two outs in the first inning, and Phillips followed with a line drive triple to centre field that fooled Schafer and glanced off his glove, rolling to the wall. After Bruce walked, Rolen grounded an RBI single through the hole into right field. They doubled the lead in the third, which Cozart started with a single to centre. Second baseman Altuve couldnt handle Vottos line drive and was charged with an error, and both runners scored on Bruces opposite-field double into the left field corner, where it squarely hit the yellow foul line painted on the green wall. Bruce pushed the lead to 6-0 in the fifth, following Phillips one-out single with his third home run in three games and sixth of the season, a 417-foot shot into the right-field seats on Harrells first pitch. He fell one RBI short of matching his career high for a game. NOTES: Houston expects to recall RHP Jordan Lyles from Triple-A Oklahoma City in time to start Sundays series finale. Lyles is 4-0 for the RedHawks. ... Astros manager Brad Mills doesnt expect 1B Carlos Lee to be available until at least Monday. Lee sprained his left ankle Friday. ... Reds C Ryan Hanigan singled to lead off the fourth, extending his hitting streak to seven games (9 for 26, .346), the longest of the season among the Reds and one short of matching the longest of his career. He hit in eight consecutive games in 2009. Donnie Avery Black Jersey . The UEFA appeals panel deferred the final match of the England strikers three-match suspension on condition of his good behaviour for four years. Rooney remains banned for Englands games against France and Sweden, but he will be able to face Euro 2012 co-host Ukraine in Donetsk on June 19. Coby Fleener Youth Jersey . -- Kenjon Barner set an example when the Ducks got lethargic. http://www.shopnflcoltsgears.com/nike-pat-angerer-pink-jersey/ . The 70-year-old Eusebio was hospitalized in Poznan late Saturday after feeling ill, hospital spokesman Stanislaw Rusek said. Doctors performed a coronary catheterization, which determined that Eusebio had not had a heart attack, but merely complications from poor health. Donnie Avery Pink Jersey .J. -- Curtis Martin was decked out in a Jets green tie and shoes, looking sharp as ever on another big day for the Hall of Fame running back. Pat McAfee Womens Jersey . The Japanese standout has won his first seven career home starts after the Rangers 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. Overall, he matched the American League lead with his 10th victory less than halfway through his first season in the majors.CLEVELAND -- Poor pitching and hitting have been constants in the Cleveland Indians losing streak. Tuesday night they added shoddy defence to the mix. The Indians 7-5 defeat to Minnesota was their 11th straight loss, tying a franchise record. Unlike Monday night when Cleveland allowed 10 runs in the second inning in a 14-3 blowout, the latest loss was the kind that will keep a manager up at night. Minnesota scored three times off All-Star closer Chris Perez (0-4), who blew his second save opportunity in three days. The Indians led 5-1 after six innings, but two errors in the seventh and another in the ninth helped Minnesota rally for its fifth win in six games and seven straight victories over Cleveland. Indians manager Manny Acta hasnt seen his team win July 26. "When its going bad, thats what happens," Acta said. "Thats the way the ball bounces and its not bouncing right in any way, shape or form." Cleveland previously dropped 11 straight on four occasions, most recently Sept. 13-24, 2009. The teams longest losing streak is 12 games from May 7-21, 1931. Cleveland has been outscored 95-36 in the streak. The Indians will try to avoid tying the streak when they host the Twins again Wednesday afternoon. Perez, who allowed five runs in the 10th inning in Sundays 10-8 loss to Detroit, entered the game with a 5-4 lead. He gave up three runs, only one of which was earned thanks to first baseman Casey Kotchmans error, four hits and a walk. "Its unacceptable performances," Perez said of his recent work. "Its coming at the worst time for us. Youve got to fight through it. The games arent going away off the schedule. Im not getting off the horse. It stinks, but it could always get worse." Tsuyoshi Nishiokas sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run. Tyler Robertson (1-0) pitched two innings for his first major league win. Glen Perkins pitched the ninth for his seventh save. Perez struck out Joe Mauer to start the ninth, but Josh Willingham singled. Pinch-runner Darin Mastroianni stole second before Justin Morneau sent a ground ball behind first base. Kotchman got in front of the ball, but it skipped off his glove and rolled into shallow right field and Mastroianni scored to tie the game. "It took a bad hop and obviously, an unfavourable bounce off my wrist," Kotchman said. "When he hit it, it started out foul and kicked a couple of times." Ryan Doumit followed with a double that moved Morneau to third. Nishiokas fly ball to left put Minnesota ahead. Mewelde Moore Jersey. Brian Dozier followed with an RBI single to give the Twins a cushion. Perez was finally removed with the bases loaded. The right-hander, who criticized Cleveland fans earlier in the season for not attending games, had no reaction as he was booed while slowly walking off the field. "I deserved it," Perez said. The Indians took a 5-1 lead into the seventh, but fielding errors by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and second baseman Jason Kipnis helped the Twins score three unearned runs. Ben Revere had an RBI groundout and Morneaus routine grounder with two outs went through Kipnis legs, scoring two more runs. Chris Seddon retired Doumit on a ground ball to end the inning. "We scored enough runs to win the game," Acta said. "The three guys who made errors have played great defence for us all year." "We got some breaks tonight and had a couple of things go our way, but we kept battling," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "To put together a ninth inning like that against a guy who throws pretty damn hard like Perez, it was a good day for the ballclub." Morneau, who homered twice and drove in four runs Monday, had an RBI single in the first. Revere extended his hitting streak to 21 games with a one-out single. Shin-Soo Choos RBI fielders choice tied the game in the first. Shelley Duncan hit a two-run homer in the second. Cabrera singled to right for a 4-1 lead. Carlos Santana added an RBI double in the sixth for a 5-1 lead. NOTES: A throwing error charged to Kipnis in Minnesotas 10-run second inning Monday has been changed to a fielding error by Santana, who played first base. Eight of the runs in the inning are still unearned. ... Twins 3B Trevor Plouffe (bruised right thumb) fielded ground balls and ran the bases before the game. Manager Ron Gardenhire said Plouffe will take swings in the batting cage Wednesday. ... RHP Carl Pavano (rotator cuff) allowed one run in two innings for Single-A Fort Myers on Tuesday. ... Cleveland DH Travis Hafner (back soreness) missed his second straight game. He might be sent for tests if his condition isnt improved Wednesday, according to manager Manny Acta. ... The Indians promoted RHP Frank Herrmann from Triple-A Columbus and designated INF Jose Lopez for assignment before the game. ... The series ends Wednesday when RHP Justin Masterson (7-10) faces LHP Brian Duensing (2-6). ' ' '