West. Irvin knows what a top defense can do after ha from corse178's blog
OAKLAND, Calif. Nike Air Max Womens . -- The hot-hitting Oakland Athletics will attempt to continue their torrid pace in front of the home fans when they open a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Monday.When last seen in Oakland, the As were totaling just 26 runs in a nine-game homestand, losing six of the nine contests.When they take the Oakland field again Monday night, they will do so as one of the hottest teams in baseball.The As scored 43 runs in a four-game sweep at Kansas City to start last week, then added 22 more in taking two of three at Texas.That was a great trip, As manager Bob Melvin gushed Sunday after Oaklands 5-2 win over the Rangers. Beating Kansas City four in a row, losing just a really, really tough game (7-6 at Texas on Friday) and responding the next two games ...I cant say enough about the desire and commitment these guys still have to finishing out the season strong. You want to play for your team, you want to play for your job, and all these things combined. We have a lot of hungry guys.Outfielder Khris Davis became the first member of the As to reach 40 home runs in a season since 2000 (Jason Giambi) when he smacked a pair Sunday.Davis will take his cracks Monday at Astros right-hander Brad Peacock, against whom he has batted just one time in his career and struck out.Peacock (0-0, 2.70 ERA) pitched the final two innings of the Astros 6-0 home win over the As on Aug. 29, the only time he faced Oakland this season.Peacock has a miserable overall history against the As, having gone 1-4 with a 4.97 ERA in nine outings (eight starts). But that must seem like a different lifetime.He has allowed just one hit to a current member of the As (Stephen Vogt) in 18 at-bats.The As will counter with Jharel Cotton, who unlike As hitters, will attempt to duplicate what he did during the clubs last homestand.Cotton (1-0, 1.50 ERA) won his major league debut at home on Sept. 7, allowing just two hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings against the Los Angeles Angels.He followed that up with a no-decision on the road in a 5-4 win at Kansas City on Tuesday, when he yielded three runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 innings.Cotton will be facing an Astros team that enters the final two weeks of the regular season three games out of the final playoff spot in the American League.Houston helped itself by winning two of three at Seattle, and it now looks to take advantage of an Oakland team that has struggled at home.Every series is huge now, Astros designated hitter Tyler White said after his team clinched the series win over Seattle on Saturday night. We go out every day, try to take care of the task at hand, and well see where we stand at the end.The Astros have a 10-6 lead in the season series over the As but have lost four of six in Oakland.The schedule surely gives Houston an opportunity to move up in the wild-card standings. The Astros finish the regular season with 10 of their final 13 against the bottom two in the AL West, including seven against the last-place Angels. White Air Max Online . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. Air Max 90 Sale . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. http://www.airmax2018womens.us/ . Irving scored 23 points, Tristan Thompson had 20 points and 10 rebounds and the Cavaliers beat the Denver Nuggets 117-109 on Friday night. ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Bruce Irvin has joked about being Robin to Khalil Macks Batman as part of a dynamic pass-rushing duo for the Oakland Raiders.With the way Irvin has played the past few weeks, it is time for Robin to get his due.Irvin is coming off perhaps his most productive game of the season for the Raiders after posting two sacks and forcing Philip Rivers into a late-game interception that sealed Oaklands 19-16 victory Sunday to clinch the teams first playoff berth since 2002.Whatever it takes to help these guys win, Irvin said. I know Im very capable of doing a lot of stuff. God blessed me with a lot of athletic ability. If they need me to spy, Ill spy. If they need me to rush, Ill rush. Any way I can help Ill do it.Irvin has seven sacks so far this season -- one off his career high set as a rookie in Seattle in 2012. He has five sacks alone the past five weeks to go along with 18 quarterback pressures and strong play against the run and even in coverage at times.Irvin, a former first-round pick who signed as a free-agent with Oakland this offseason, said he is playing the best football of his career of late as he has teamed with Mack.I think that from the moment that Bruce arrived, he and Khalil had a natural competition or natural kind of bond where they were two alpha males, coach Jack Del Rio said. They were going to push each other really hard every day and compete every day. Bruce has been tremendous for us and is a really great addition to the football team.Irvins improved play has lifted the entire defense. The unit started slowly this season after bringing in several new starters, including Irvin, cornerback Sean Smith, safety Reggie Nelson and rookies Karl Joseph and Jihad Ward.Oakland became the first team in 49 years to allow at least 500 yards in each of the first two games of a season and was on a record pace for yards per play allowed at 6.9 through six games.But the defense has tightened since then, allowing only 5.4 yards per play the past eight games and ranking seventh overall in total defense.I think were finally starting to gel, Irvin said. Cheap Air Max 2017. Guys are starting to learn guys tendencies, when guys are going to take chances. People can say what they want to say about our defense with the numbers and all that, but when its time to buckle down and get off the field we seem to do a great job of doing that.The Raiders are tied with the third-most takeaways in the league with 26 and have been at their best in the biggest moments of games. Oakland has faced 11 full drives in the final 5 minutes with the opponent having a chance to tie or take the lead and allowed no points in those situations.The Raiders have forced four punts, three turnovers, stopped three teams on downs and benefited from a missed field goal in those situations, including last weeks win against San Diego.We have to close it out, Irvin said of the mindset. If we dont, we feel like we lost that game if they go down and score and beat us in the last minute. Our defense is doing a great job balling up in key situations and getting off the field and sealing the victory for us.Performances like that have changed the perception of the defense and have contributed to Oakland being in first place in the AFC West. Irvin knows what a top defense can do after having been part of one of the leagues best in Seattle when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl following the 2013 season.But he doesnt want to compare the two units.I hate always comparing us to Seattle, he said. Were Oakland. Were trying to set our legacy. Were trying to have teams watch our defense and try to be like us. Seattle is a good defense but were also a good defense, an up-and-coming defense that has made a lot of strides.Game notes The Raiders held a light practice with a short week before Saturdays game. ... DL Mario Edwards Jr. (hip) participated and could be activated from IR this week. ... S Karl Joseph (toe) and DT Stacy McGee (ankle) remained sidelined.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Wholesale China Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Nike Basketball Jerseys Hockey Jerseys China Supply Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Sale Authentic College Jerseys MLB Jerseys ChinaStitched Soccer Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap Nike Jerseys ' ' '
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