ekansekans's blog: "df"

ANAHEIM, Calif. Troy Polamalu Pink Jersey . -- Albert Pujols welcomed his new hitting coach to town with a go-ahead three-run homer and Vernon Wells added a two-run shot to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 7-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night. Jim Eppard was with the Angels for the first time as hitting coach after replacing Mickey Hatcher, who was unceremoniously dumped Tuesday night by new general manager Jerry DiPoto 1 1/2 months into Hatchers 13th season on the job. The teams offensive struggles led to the firing, including Pujols slow start after signing a 10-year, $240 million contract as a free agent. It was an easy transition for Eppard, who is in his 10th season in the organization and nurtured current Angels players Howie Kendrick, Kendrys Morales, Mark Trumbo, Erick Aybar, Peter Bourjos and Bobby Wilson as the hitting coach at Triple-A Salt Lake. Jerome Williams (4-1) won his fourth straight decision, allowing two runs and 10 hits over eight innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Last Friday at Texas, the right-hander relieved C.J. Wilson the night before his scheduled start because of a 56-minute rain delay -- then gave up six runs and 11 hits in 6 2-3 innings without getting a decision because the Angels were already trailing in the first inning when he came in. Gavin Floyd (3-4) surrendered seven runs and 10 hits in six innings, including both home runs. The right-hander had allowed just one homer in 40 2-3 innings over his previous six starts after giving up three in his season debut at Texas. Trailing 2-1, the Angels grabbed a 4-2 lead with one swing by Pujols, who drove an 0-1 pitch over the centre field fence after Mike Trout and Albert Callaspo opened the inning with singles. It was the 447th career homer and second this season for Pujols, the three-time NL MVP who ended the longest regular-season drought of his career after 33 games and 139 at-bats in the finale of the Angels previous homestand. The Halos increased the margin to 7-2 in the sixth with Kendricks sacrifice fly and Wells sixth homer. The No.8 hitters for the Angels and White Sox each drove in their teams first run. Aybar opened the scoring in the second with an RBI double after a two-out walk to Wells, and Dayan Viciedo tied it in the third for the White Sox with a home run into the rock pile in left-centre. Alejandro De Aza singled two batters after Viciedos fifth homer and scored on Gordon Beckhams double. Notes: The White Sox were in mourning over the death of longtime pregame instructor Kevin Hickey, who died Wednesday at age 56 in Chicago after a lengthy illness. Hickey, who spent six seasons in the majors as a reliever for the Chisox and Baltimore Orioles, had been hospitalized since the day before the season opener in Arlington, Texas. "No one wanted to win more, no one was more optimistic, no one cared more and no one took more pride in his job," 1B Paul Konerko said. "Ask anyone in our clubhouse, every person who appreciated what Kevin did to help the White Sox win baseball games." ... With Hatchers departure, the only coach left from manager Mike Scioscias original staff in 2000 is 1B coach Alfredo Griffin. Joe Maddon, Bud Black and Ron Roenicke all left to become managers. ... During Hatchers watch, the Angels set franchise records in 2009 for average, hits, home runs, runs scored, RBIs and average with runners in scoring position -- and won a World Series title in 2002. ... All of Floyds last six starts against AL West teams have been on the road (1-5, 4.35 ERA). ... One of the many Angels employees handing out Bourjos bobbleheads to the fans as they entered the ballpark was Bourjos himself -- in full uniform. ... It was a rough night on the basepaths for Trout, who was picked off first by RHP Jesse Crain in the seventh and was thrown out by LF Viciedo when he tried to stretch a single into a double in the fifth. Antonio Brown Camo Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has the full trust and confidence of his teammates and coach Chan Gailey in preparing to open his second season as the teams starter. Hines Ward Jersey . The Yankees lead the majors with 142 homers and Toronto is right behind them with 130. The two AL East inhabitants are on the opposite sides of the spectrum in the division standings, however, as the Yankees sit on top with an eight-game lead over Baltimore. http://www.pittsburghsteelersprostore.com/mike-wallace-jerseys . -- Given another chance to make the Cincinnati Reds opening-day roster, Jeff Francis responded with his best outing of the spring. Jack Ham Jersey . Tipsarevic was the only top-10 player not to have won a tournament this year. The Serb is No. 8 in the world. The second-seeded Monaco was seeking his third title of the year. Tipsarevic surrendered a 4-1 lead in the second set after a brief rain delay and he also dropped his serve after a longer, 20-minute interruption in the third. Donnie Shell Jersey . Ordonez officially announced his retirement Sunday, and Detroit fans had a chance to celebrate his stellar career in a ceremony before the Tigers hosted the New York Yankees. Among the highlights was a video tribute that included Ordonezs pennant-winning home run in Game 4 of the 2006 AL championship series.The New York Rangers outlasted the New Jersey Devils, breaking open a defensive struggle with three third period goals to take Game One of the Eastern Conference Final, 1-0. Defenceman Dan Girardi was a force for the Rangers, scoring the games first goal, adding an assist on the second and leading all skaters with 25:11 of ice time. His five blocked shots tied teammate Marc Staal for the game-high. It has been a productive playoff year for Girardi, who now has nine points in 15 games, after scoring 29 in 82 regular-season contests. Rookie winger Chris Kreider was also a significant factor for the Rangers in the third period, first setting up Girardis goal, then scoring the insurance marker with eight minutes left. Kreider hadnt recorded a point in six games before his multi-point contribution Monday. Certainly Girardi and Kreider are deserving of praise, but the Rangers also got a typically strong performance in goal from Henrik Lundqvist, who earned a 21-save shutout. He only faced four shots in the third period, but his play in the first two periods put the Rangers in position to capture the win in the third. Rangers LW Artem Anisimov now has eight points in the playoffs after putting up the empty-net goal, to go with an assist. Anisimovs ice ttime has been spotty throughout the playoffs, but he has played at least 13 minutes in each of the last six games, after not playing 12 minutes in any of the five preceeding games. Mike Wallace Youth Jersey. Devils C Patrik Elias was minus-2 in the game (as were D Marek Zidlicky and LW Zach Parise) and it draws some attention to Elias struggles in the postseason. After scoring 78 points during the regular season -- tying 2008-2009 for his most in a season since 2003-2004 -- Elias has managed five points in 13 playoff games and facing a matchup against the Rangers defence pairing of Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, as he did Monday night, isnt going to make it any easier for Elias to accumulate points. The Devils held a territorial edge in the game, which the Rangers negated by blocking 26 shots and that was before factoring in goaltending, the one area in which the Blueshirts entered the series with a clear edge and the Rangers used their grind-it-out defensive style and strong goaltending to take the first game of the series, which probably means more of the same as the series progresses. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. ' ' '