wxy1123's blog: "lele"

CHICAGO - Alexei Ramirez spread his arms wide, raced around the bases like a little kid and jumped into Paul Konerkos embrace at home plate. RG3 Pink Jersey . No wonder they were so happy. The White Sox would play one more day. Ramirez set a rookie record with his fourth grand slam of the season, and Chicago beat Detroit 8-2 in a rainout makeup Monday, forcing a one-game tiebreaker against Minnesota for the AL Central title. The Twins will visit the White Sox on Tuesday night, with John Danks starting for Chicago on three days rest against Nick Blackburn. The division champ begins the playoffs at Tampa Bay on Thursday. "Tomorrow, 162 games mean nothing. Its only about one game and thats great," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "A good feeling." When Guillen told Ramirez to relax before batting with the bases loaded, the 27-year-old infielder made a promise. "I told Ozzie to have confidence in me. Im going to go out and get these runners home somehow," he said. Did he ever. Then again, his days on the Cuban national team taught him about big games. "My team in Cuba was always in the playoffs and I played in the Olympics and international games. Ive been in tougher situations, I feel," he said through a translator. Washed out earlier this month, Chicago and Detroit waited through a rain delay of more than three hours before starting. Gavin Floyd (17-8) won on three days rest - short rest has been successful trend for many teams in the stretch. The loss left the Tigers in last place, capping a season they began with hopes of reaching the World Series. "Its been a tough year," manager Jim Leyland said. "Today pretty much sums up whats gone on all year, really. It hasnt been a very good year and it wasnt a very happy ending." Detroit, with nothing really to play for, took a 2-1 lead into the sixth. But former White Sox ace Freddy Garcia, whod allowed only two hits to that point, had to leave with tightness in his right shoulder with a runner on second and no outs. When Garcia left, things got wild. Leyland summoned Armando Galarraga (13-7) - the teams best starter this season - and he threw two wild pitches that allowed the tying run to score. After Jermaine Dye walked, Bobby Seay relieved and threw Detroits third wild pitch of the inning. Jim Thome struck out, but after an intentional walk to Konerko, Seay also walked Ken Griffey Jr. to load the bases. Ramirez sent the first pitch from Gary Glover, another former White Sox pitcher, into the left-centre field bleachers, setting off a happy trip around the bases for the rookie whose nickname is "The Cuban Missile." Floyd gave up five hits and one earned in six innings. He struck out eight and walked two while throwing 118 pitches. "He admitted he was nervous, which was good because if youre not nervous in that situation, theres something wrong with you," White Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "He didnt have his best stuff but he battled and made pitches when he had to to get through it." Pierzynski added an RBI double during a two-run eighth. Floyds error helped Detroit take a 2-1 lead in the sixth. Miguel Cabrera doubled with one out before Marcus Thames hit a hard liner that White Sox third baseman Juan Uribe snagged for the second out. When Ryan Raburn hit a slow roller between the plate and mound, Floyd bobbled the ball while reaching down to pick it up and threw high past Konerko at first, allowing Cabrera to score. Chicago scored in the first but had a much bigger inning brewing when the first three batters reached against Garcia. He walked Orlando Cabrera and DeWayne Wise before Dye hit an RBI single, but retired the next three batters. Detroit tied it in the fifth as Raburn singled, stole second and scored when Brandon Inge doubled to left over the leaping Wise. After his early struggles, Garcia rebounded, retiring 11 straight before Griffey singled with two outs in the fourth. Garcia was 40-21 with Chicago from 2004-06 and won three games in the post-season of 2005, including the clinching Game 4 of the World Series. He is close friends with White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen and they texted each other leading up to the game. Guillen warned that the White Sox had better "be ready for Freddy." Garcia was traded to the Phillies after the 2006 season for Gio Gonzalez and Floyd, and both of the starters wore jersey No. 34 on Monday. Garcia, who had shoulder surgery in August 2007, signed a minor league contract with the Tigers on Aug. 14 of this year and was making his third start for Detroit. Notes: The Twins beat Chicago 10-8 in the season series. The White Sox were 7-2 at home against Twins, but 1-8 at the Metrodome. .. 3B Inge made a dive into the stands for a great catch of Uribes pop to end the second. .. Ramirezs grand slam was Chicagos 12th of the season, setting a club mark. .. Tigers star Gary Sheffield finished the season with 499 homers. Robert Griffin III Jersey . Brian Ebersole, who is coming off a June 22 decision over T.J. Waldburger, has agreed to step in for the fighter from Mississauga, Ont., against James Head. Alfred Morris Jersey . All sorts of ambitions came crashing down in a handful of Top 25 upsets on Saturday, none more costly than No. http://www.shopthewashingtonredskins.com/art-monk-jerseys . ODay announced his retirement Tuesday, ending his 14-year CFL playing career. ODay, who spent 12 seasons with the Riders, has been named the teams football operations co-ordinator. RG3 Red Jersey . A healthy scratch for the last two Oilers games, Paajarvi has never played a game in the AHL. However, with no goals and just three assists in 25 games with Edmonton this season, the 20-year-old Swede has had a harder time keeping pace with the rest of the Oilers young stars. Perry Riley Womens Jersey . Down 5-3, Shane Victorino and Brian Roberts stroked back-to-back singles to begin the home half against J.C. Romero. Derek Jeter lined to right but Victorino moved to third, and Roberts stole second with Jimmy Rollins at the plate. Rollins drew a walk to load the bases and Fernando Cabrera entered. LIEGE, Belgium -- Mark Cavendish might be the worlds fastest man on a bicycle, but its hard to see him pedaling to a second consecutive green jersey in three weeks when the Tour de France ends on the Champs-Elysees. The "Manxman Missile," as the sprinter from the Isle of Man has been nicknamed by his fans, is focusing on the Olympic road race -- leaving wide open the battle for the Tours best-sprinter title. The defending world champion, who holds 20 Tour stage victories, has changed his training regimen this season, losing weight and power in order to tackle the nine climbs of Box Hill at the London Olympics on home soil. Using the Tour to hone his condition before London, Cavendish wont have the lead-out train that normally sets him up for the stage finales as his Sky teammates will be working hard to fulfil their team leader Bradley Wiggins ambition of becoming the first British rider to win the Tour. The race starts on Saturday in Liege, Belgium, with a 6.4-kilometre prologue. "I probably wont win as much personally, in stages, but to be part of a team that holds real ambitions of winning the Tour de France overall, its an honour for any bike rider," Cavendish said. But riding alongside Wiggins has its downside, too. Ready to fight tooth-and-nail for the Tour favourite, Sky riders are unlikely to waste energy for Cavendish ahead of intermediate sprints -- which offer points that go toward the green jersey. Changes to the points classifications rules implemented last year see sprint points allocated differently. There is only one intermediate sprint on each stage, with 20 points available to the rider who wins that -- as opposed to six points in previous years when there were more intermediate sprints. "Stage wins arent enough to win it (the green jersey)," Cavendish said. "You have to go for the intermediates. Whether youre going to limit your losses or win them flat out, thats the tactic youve got to go for. I havent got my eyes on green, to be honest, but theres always a chance.&quoot; Unlike Cavendish, his former teammate at the now-defunct HTC-Team, Matt Goss of Australia, will enjoy the support of a team built around him and featuring lead-out men Sebastian Langeveld, Brett Lancaster and Daryl Impey. Leonard Hankerson Jersey. A silver medallist at the worlds behind Cavendish, Goss, who won a stage at the Giro this year, joined the Orica-GreenEdge outfit at the end of last season and will be riding his second Tour after being part of Cavendishs sprint train last year. "While we have a lot of goals for Gossy in the Tour, his main objective is clear," said Orica-GreenEdge sports director Matt White. "He is on the hunt for stage wins." "There is a super strong contingent of sprinters here, not just Cavendish," Goss said. "Its important to have such a strong team for the lead out. Because if you dont have the lead out, youre the one thats following. If weve got a strong team we can stay in front of other teams." In the absence of Tom Boonen, the Belgian star who decided to skip the Tour to prioritize the Olympics, other green jersey contenders include Andre Greipel and Marcel Kittel of Germany, Alejandro Valverde of Spain, veteran Alessandro Petacchi of Italy and Peter Sagan of Slovakia. Sagan, considered by many as cyclings new prodigy, has been enjoying a superb start to his professional career, claiming stage wins at the Spanish Vuelta, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie and Tour of Switzerland in the past two years. Competing at his first Tour de France following an impressive tally of nine stage wins posted this spring at the Tour of California and Tour of Switzerland, Sagan has the potential to make an impact on the biggest stage. "Im not scared of anything," said the Liquigas rider. "I think Ive done well this season. I hope that in the Tour Ill do well because its a very important race. In the Tour, there are all the top riders and sprinters here for the green jersey. I want the jersey, but its very difficult to take it in the Tour." ' ' '