Aztecs will also look for contributions from 6-9 fo from corse178's blog
WASHINGTON -- A tumultuous start to a post-All Star break homestand threatened to derail the Washington Nationals season. Hakeem Butler Youth Jersey . A strong finish has them believing once again. Wilson Ramos hit a grand slam and rookie right-hander Taylor Jordan had six strong innings for his first major league win to lead the Nationals to a 14-1 rout of the New York Mets on Sunday. Washington won its third game in a row and fourth in five to salvage a roller-coaster 11-game homestand. It lost the first six games after the All-Star break, fired hitting coach Rick Eckstein last Monday and demoted former closer Drew Storen to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday. "I think we all know what this group is capable of and what kind of people we have in here," said third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, whose team won a major-league best 98 games in 2012, but entered the weekend in third place in the NL East. "Thats one of the biggest strengths of this team is not worrying about things that happen, good or bad." Mets right-hander Carlos Torres (1-2) could not build on his solid start last week against the Atlanta Braves. He allowed eight runs and nine hits in just three innings. Ramos had his third-inning grand slam. He ripped a 2-1 pitch into the left-field stands to cap a five-run inning. Jordan (1-3), making his sixth career start, earned his first victory. The 24-year-old held New York to five hits in six innings. "Im extremely happy," Jordan said. "For a little bit I was wondering. I go 0-4, 0-5 -- am I helping the team? Then finally just to get that one win means that I am." The Nats set season highs in runs and hits (18) and battered Torres. Ramos singled home Ian Desmond in the second inning to start the scoring. Bryce Harper followed two batters later with a two-out single on a 3-2 count that scored two more runs to make it 3-0. Zimmerman led off the third inning with a single and scored on a Desmond base hit prior to Ramos grand slam. Zimmerman finished 3-for-4 with a double. Ramos tied a career high with five RBIs -- the second time this month hes done so. Ramos also had five RBIs on July 4 against Milwaukee. The grand slam was the first of his career. "This is definitely what we envisioned coming out of spring training," said Nats outfielder Denard Span, who had four hits in a game for the first time since July 31, 2012. "Being able to score runs like this and put a lot of pressure on the other teams (pitching)." Span, who entered the weekend without a home run since last Oct. 2, hit his second in as many days. That line drive over the fence in the sixth inning made it 13-1. Desmond reached base five times, drove in three runs and posted his third four-hit game of the year. The only Mets run came on a fourth-inning single to right by Marlon Byrd. That drove home Eric Young. Jordan struck out a career-best seven batters and walked just one. Torres, meanwhile, was gone by the third inning and New York needed four relievers to finish the game. Thats far from ideal with a three-game series beginning Monday in Miami, "Thats where I need to step up and eat up more innings if a situation like that arises again," Torres said. "We still need to get into the next series with a fresher bullpen than we got today." Washington is now 52-54 after falling a season-worst five games below .500 after a Game 1 loss to start a Friday doubleheader against the Mets. Jordan, who began the season at Class A Potomac, has done his part for a rotation missing left-hander Ross Detwiler, on the 15-day disabled list with a herniated disc in his back. Veteran Dan Haren (5-1, 5.49) has also struggled. "We continually have guys come up from our minor-league system and help us out," Zimmerman said. "I think that shows how good of a system we have and what a good job they do getting those guys ready to contribute. Taylor has kind of saved us." NOTES: Mets third baseman David Wright was not in the starting lineup for just the third time this season It was a non-injury day off, "which he certainly needs," said New York manager Terry Collins. ... Nats pitching coach Steve McCatty was taken to a local hospital before the game with what was called atrial fibrillation and high blood pressure. He was expected to remain hospitalized overnight, but will join the team in Detroit on Tuesday. . On Monday, the Mets continue an eight-game road trip with the start of a three-game series in Miami against the last-place Marlins. ... RHP Jeremy Hefner (4-8, 4.17) pitches for New York against RHP Jacob Turner (3-3, 2.49). ... The Mets are 3-8 against the Marlins this season. ... The Nationals are off on Monday. They begin a five-game road trip on Tuesday in Detroit. ... RHP Stephen Strasburg (5-8, 2.85) starts for Washington against RHP Anibal Sanchez (8-7, 2.68). Adrian Wilson Cardinals Jersey . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Zach Allen Youth Jersey . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. http://www.thecardinalsshoponline.com/kyler-murray-cardinals-jersey-yp/ .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. SAN DIEGO -- With Steve Fishers coaching career winding down, the San Diego State Aztecs are focused on getting back to the NCAA Tournament after taking an unexpected detour to the NIT last season.Heading into his 18th season at SDSU, Fisher has built the program to the point that fans expect nothing less than an NCAA appearance. The Aztecs made the NCAA field six straight seasons, including their first two Sweet 16 appearances, before the streak ended last season.Although they won the Mountain West Conference regular-season title, they missed out on an automatic NCAA berth when they lost to Fresno State in the conference tournament championship game. Relegated to the NIT, they made it all the way to Madison Square Garden before losing to George Washington in the semifinals to finish 28-10.There was a time when it would be a big accomplishment for the Aztecs to make the NIT.No more. If its not the NCAAs, no ones happy.There are expectations. Theyre ours, also. We expect to be there, said Fisher, whose Aztecs open at Viejas Arena on Friday night against San Diego. Talking about it and doing it, weve gone six straight years. So were like the fans. We expect to be there and were disappointed when weve not there. Were talented enough to get there and yet youve got to prove it on the court. Hopefully we will do that also.Fisher, 71, is under contract through next season while his long-time assistant, Brian Dutcher, remains the associate head coach/head coach in waiting. As always, Fisher said he and his wife, Angie, will decide at the end of this season if hell return next year.The Aztecs players appreciate how Fisher has built up the program.It just shows the progress the program has made, sophomore guard Jeremy Hemsley said. Before Coach Fish got here, this wasnt really a school people considered a school to be in the tournament. That just shows the progress weve made and all the work that the coaches and players have put into the program.I can say that we will be back in the tournameent this year, Hemsley said. Zach Allen Womens Jersey. The NIT isnt something that we will see in our near future. Were a different team. This is a different journey and the NIT isnt really an option or anything that weve even thought about.The Aztecs were picked to win the MWC in the annual preseason poll, and received votes in The Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll.Hemsley, junior guard Trey Kell and sophomore forward Zylan Cheatham are the returning starters. Also back are junior forward Malik Pope, senior forward Matt Shrigley and senior guard Dakarai Allen. Kell is the leading returning scorer, having averaged 12.6 points while earning all-MWC first-team honors.The Aztecs lost some height when Skylar Spencer, Angelo Chol and Winston Shepard graduated.They do welcome 6-10, 240-pound senior center Valentine Izundu, who is eligible after transferring from Washington State after earning his degree.The Aztecs will also look for contributions from 6-9 forward Jalen McDaniels, picked as the Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year along with Utah States Koby McEwen, and Montaque Gill-Caesar, a 6-6 transfer from Missouri who was named the leagues preseason newcomer of the year.The Aztecs were too inconsistent last year, hurting themselves with losses to crosstown rival San Diego, Little Rock and Grand Canyon.Whats going to be different this year, Hemsley said, is our intensity and the fun we have with each other. I think thats all it is. I think well prove ourselves very early and I think well be very consistent. I dont think inconsistency is going to be something that were going to have to worry about this year.Inconsistency was something that we did deal with last year, he added. With this team, thats where we grew up. Thats not really something that the fans or anyone watching us will see this year.---Follow Bernie Wilson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/berniewilson Wholeslae Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Cheap College JerseysCheap Football Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap Baseball Jerseys ' ' '
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