ekansekans's blog: "df"

SAN FRANCISCO -- Two of the NFLs top defences dueled it out in a low-scoring game just as everybody expected -- and San Franciscos offence did just enough to give the 49ers a narrow lead in the NFC West. For the time being, anyway. This is hardly the kind of firm hold on the division they owned last October. Alex Smith threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Delanie Walker late in the third quarter and San Francisco held off the Seattle Seahawks 13-6 on Thursday night as the 49ers won their long-awaited division opener. "We expect these games in the NFC West to be 60 minutes of physical football," said 49ers left tackle Joe Staley, who returned to the field four days after suffering a concussion against the Giants. Frank Gore ran for 131 yards and the 49ers (5-2) hung tough on defence late in a game featuring two teams allowing fewer than 16 points per game. Smith went 14 of 23 for 140 yards in a second straight subpar performance. "That was the most physical 30 minutes of football in the second half that I have ever seen our football team play," 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "Its a sweet win. It was a real football fight, and our guys won it." Walkers score was San Franciscos first touchdown in seven quarters after an embarrassing 26-3 loss to the New York Giants on Sunday in a lopsided rematch of the NFC championship game. The tight end broke his jaw in two places at Seattle last Dec. 24 and sat out until the title game. NFC rushing leader Marshawn Lynch finished with 103 yards for Seattle (4-3). Its now Harbaugh 3, Pete Carroll 0 since these coaching rivals started facing off in the NFL last year after all those memorable moments in the college game. Harbaughs teams sure have shown they are quick to forget their losses. The 49ers improved to 5-0 after regular-season defeats since reigning NFL Coach of the Year Harbaugh took over before last season. Pulling off this one could give the 49ers some momentum, too. It was the first of two straight prime-time games for San Francisco, which doesnt play again until Oct. 29 at Arizona. The defensive fight left the animated coaches shaking their heads and hollering on opposite sidelines all game, offering plenty of entertainment for the sellout crowd of 69,732 at balmy Candlestick Park. "We found ourselves in a real slugfest here today," Carroll said. "Im not surprised it could have gone that way with two good defences and two teams committed to running the ball." These teams met in Weeks 1 and 16 last season, with the 49ers beating Seattle 33-17 at home for Harbaughs first victory as an NFL coach. This one was close until the end. "We had a long drive in the third quarter. We just kind of felt them start to give up a little bit, and they knew we were just going to keep running the ball on them," 49ers right guard Alex Boone said. "It was more of, Lets get back to our roots and do what were good at, thats being physical, pounding the ball. Franks a great runner." After Walkers touchdown, Dashon Goldson intercepted a deep pass by Russell Wilson to thwart Seattles next drive after NaVorro Bowman clobbered the rookie quarterback as he was trying to throw. Smith gave the ball back with an interception of his own early in the fourth quarter. His fifth interception of the season matched his total from all of 2011. Harbaugh went to backup Colin Kaepernick for one keeper play that lost a yard, then Smith returned for third-and-goal on the 7. He scrambled to his left looking for an open receiver and Brandon Browner jumped in front of a pass intended for Randy Moss. That gave Seattle the ball back with 11:58 remaining. Yet again, the Seahawks couldnt capitalize on a night of missed opportunities and dropped balls. Gore had his third 100-yard game of the season, not to be outdone by Lynch on the other side. "I just got in that rhythm, and once I get in that rhythm, I feel I cant be stopped," Gore said. Lynch carried 19 times and bounced back from a 41-yard outing in Sundays comeback 24-23 home win against the Patriots. The 49ers and their top-ranked defence hadnt allowed a 100-yard rusher in 22 consecutive home games before New Yorks Ahmad Bradshaw ran for 116 yards and a touchdown Sunday -- and now the Niners made it twice in five days. Not that they should have been too surprised. This is Lynch, after all. The last time they faced off, on Dec. 24, Lynch ran for 107 yards as San Franciscos defence had its streak of not allowing a 100-yard rusher end at 36 games. And his 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter also was the first TD rushing allowed by San Francisco all season. Wilson, who spoke leading up to the game that he couldnt wait for his introduction to this heated rivalry, went 9 of 23 for 122 yards, an interception and two sacks. Aldon Smith sacked him with 1:25 left, then Paul McQuistan was called for a chop block on Smith in the end zone with 43 seconds left. It would have been an automatic safety, but the 49ers declined the penalty. The play was reviewed and Seattle was short of the first down. Wilson faltered after he threw two late touchdown passes as the Seahawks rallied for 14 points over the final 7:31 to stun New England on Sunday. "The way we lost was frustrating. We could have done some things better," Wilson said. "I could have done some things better." San Francisco was in control of the division at this stage last season -- sitting at 5-1 -- but needed a big second half Thursday after a quick week of preparation. Steven Hauschka kicked a 52-yard field goal as Seattle scored first for the seventh time in as many games this year. He added a 35-yarder early in the second quarter but missed wide left on a 51-yard try later in the quarter. David Akers, who had eight of his NFL-record 44 field goals in the two games against the Seahawks last season, booted a 38-yarder late in the first quarter to make it 3-3. NOTES: Seattle lost LB Malcolm Smith to a concussion on the opening kickoff, then WR Doug Baldwin later injured his ankle and did not return. ... 49ers WR Mario Manningham was inactive with a shoulder injury. ... Ted Ginn Jr. had a 38-yard return late in the first half for the 49ers. Wholesale Jerseys China . The UCI said Friday that the three-member independent commission will be chaired by retired British judge Philip Otton. His sports legal cases include a Premier League relegation dispute centred on Carlos Tevez, and Chelseas tactics in trying to lure Ashley Cole from Arsenal. Wholesale MLB Jerseys . Ptaszek was named CIS coach of the year Wednesday night at the All-Canadian Awards Banquet. "Theres so many people that I respect, and so many programs that I look up to, that have been acknowledged this way, to be acknowledged is humbling and flattering and overwhelming," said Ptaszek. http://elevatedcolor.com/hot.html . -- Joe Mauers first grand slam of the year helped the Minnesota Twins finish off a successful Saturday.BOSTON -- Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire can put up with Samuel Dedunos wildness as long as the starter keeps limiting opponents to just two hits. The right-hander who spent five years in the minors before reaching the majors allowed two hits for his second straight strong outing and the Twins beat the Boston Red Sox 5-0 on Thursday night. Deduno (3-0) walked four and struck out one in six innings before two relievers combined for three perfect innings. In his previous start, he allowed one run on two hits and five walks in a 12-5 win over Cleveland. "I know his ball-strike ratio wasnt the greatest, but sometimes that works," Gardenhire said. "He was able to make pitches when he had to and thats all you really care about." Deduno had an outstanding curveball and slider. He also has a fastball that moves so much that his catchers sometimes wonder where it will end up. And it led to him throwing only 50 of his 101 pitches for strikes. "Hes got a very live fastball," said shortstop Brian Dozier, who played with Deduno at Triple-A Rochester this season. "It cuts. It sinks. It rides. I dont know how he grips it, but he just kind of shoots for the middle of the plate." Deduno, making his sixth major league start, has given up just two earned runs and 10 hits in 19 1-3 innings "My curveball and my slider are pretty good, but my fastball is still moving like crazy," said Deduno, who reached the majors in 2010 and pitched six games in relief for Colorado and San Diego. ""This is the most fun. This is the dream to play in the big leagues and to stay not just for one month or two months." Adrian Gonzalez got both Boston hits, a single and double. Casey Fien retired the side in order in the seventh and Glen Perkins pitched two perfect innings for his sixth save in nine opportunities. Deduno overshadowed one of the best performances of Jon Lesters rough season. Bostons lefty gave up three runs and seven hits in eight innings with seven strikeouts and no walks. "I dont feel like I have thrown the ball that well all year," he said. Lester (5-9) had allowed 25 runs in his previous four starts but improved in his last one, allowing four runs in six innings. And he was much better on Thursday despite dropping to 0-4 in his last six starts and 2-7 at Fenway Park this season.dddddddddddd "Just another one of those hard luck outings," manager Bobby Valentine said. "He pitched awfully well. 2-0 doesnt seem insurmountable but it was tonight." The Twins took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a single by Dozier, an RBI double by Denard Span and a run-scoring single by Ben Revere that extended his career-best hitting streak to 16 games. They made it 3-0 in the sixth on consecutive doubles by Justin Morneau and Ryan Doumit. Dozier added his third hit of the game and fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot in the ninth off Alfredo Aceves. "That was pretty cool, man. It was one of the best feelings so far since Ive been up here," said Dozier, who was called up from Rochester on May 7. "I got it pretty good. It was a 2-0 fastball up in the zone and I knew he didnt want to walk me and so hes coming with the fastball. So I closed my eyes and hit it." The Twins won for the fifth time in seven games, while the Red Sox dropped their second straight after winning four in a row. Deduno got 11 of his 18 outs on groundballs and stranded runners at second base in three innings. With two outs in the first, he walked Dustin Pedroia and Gonzalez then retired Cody Ross on a popup to shortstop. In the third, Gonzalez doubled with one out, Ryan Lavarnway walked with two outs but Will Middlebrooks flied out to centre. And with two outs in the sixth, Boston threatened with consecutive singles by Gonzalez and Ross before Lavarnway lined out to left. Deduno raised both arms as he walked off the mound. Notes: Span stretched his hitting streak to 11 games. ... Gonzalez went 2-for-3 with a walk, his 18th muiltihit game in his last 34. ... Minnesota C Joe Mauer was given the night off to rest. He is hitting .352 in his last 57 games. ... The Red Sox stranded runners in scoring position in three of the first six innings. ... Minnesotas Brian Duensing (2-6) is scheduled to pitch Friday nights second game of the four-game series against Felix Doubront (10-5). ... Boston is 10-10 since the All-Star break. And 289-291 all-time against Minnesota. ' ' '