guided the Penguins to the 2009 Stanley Cup, still has from zgr123's blog
PHILADELPHIA -- Maikel Franco and Freddy Galvis showed the Philadelphia Phillies a glimpse of the future. Dalvin Cook Womens Jersey . Franco hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, Galvis was a triple shy of the cycle and the Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 on Tuesday night. "I always enjoy being the guy, whether its hitting a homer or making a catch," Galvis said. Galvis homered, doubled and scored the go-ahead run after an infield single and a stolen base. Justin De Fratus (3-1) pitched a scoreless inning for the win. Jonathan Papelbon finished for his 36th save in 39 chances. The Pirates entered the night with a 1 1/2-game lead over Atlanta and Milwaukee for the second NL wild card. The last-place Phillies have won 10 of 15. "It was a tight, well-pitched game, but we gifted them a run," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. Galvis led off the seventh with a grounder to deep shortstop for a single off Justin Wilson (3-4). After a pair of strikeouts, Galvis stole second. He scored on Francos hit to right. "I just come in, work and try to get better every day," Franco said. Galvis hit a drive way out to right to tie it at 3 in the fifth. "He likes to be the guy on the baseball field," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "He has hidden pop and he hits in big moments." The Pirates lost a run after a video review showed that a fan reached over the fence and touched Starling Martes drive to left-centre in the fifth. Marte was awarded a double instead of a homer and was stranded at third. The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the first on Chase Utleys RBI single. Franco hit a popup to shallow right that fell for a double when second baseman Neil Walker couldnt see it in the lights. Jordy Mercers RBI double in the second tied it at 1. Russell Martin hit a two-run double to right, giving the Pirates a 3-2 lead in the third. Phillies starter David Buchanan helped himself with an RBI single after Galvis hit a double off the right-field wall in the second. Buchanan allowed three runs -- two earned -- and four hits in six innings. Pirates starter Edinson Volquez gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. "I threw 90 pitches. He took me out," said a frustrated Volquez, who actually threw 92 pitches. TRAINERS ROOM Pirates: RHP Charlie Morton threw a simulated game, but it doesnt appear hell come off the disabled list soon unless the Pirates need a starter. Morton had been pitching with a sports hernia. ... INF Josh Harrison returned to the lineup for the first time in four games. Harrison, who aggravated a left ankle injury Saturday, played 3B and led off. Phillies: SS Jimmy Rollins sat out after injuring his left hamstring running out a one-out triple on Monday night. Sandberg said Rollins is day to day. UP NEXT Pirates: Former Phillies right-hander Vance Worley (6-4, 3.05 ERA) takes the mound Wednesday night. In 2011, Worley was 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA and finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting while helping the Phillies win a fifth straight division title. He was traded to Minnesota in 2012 in a deal for CF Ben Revere. Phillies: RHP Jerome Williams (3-0, 2.84) makes his sixth start since joining the team last month. Hes allowed two runs or less in four of five outings. GLOVE WORK Franco robbed Andrew McCutchen of an RBI hit with a diving, backhanded grab on his sharp grounder down the line in the fifth. Franco, a top prospect, has started three straight games. The Phillies have to determine whether Franco or Cody Asche is their third baseman of the future. Franco also can play 1B. THREE UP, THREE DOWN Phillies setup man Ken Giles pitched a perfect eighth and has retired 20 straight batters. Giles, who throws a 100 mph fastball, has a 1.13 ERA in 38 appearances. He has 57 strikeouts in 39 2-3 innings. GOING STREAKING Marte extended his hitting streak to nine games with his fourth straight multihit game. He is batting .367 with six homers since Aug. 9. Pat Elflein Vikings Jersey . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Dalvin Cook Vikings Jersey . Spains victory rendered Frances 3-0 win against Finland meaningless as Spain needed just one point to secure passage to Brazil. Franck Ribery and Karim Benzema scored either side of Joona Toivios own-goal as France advanced to the playoff among the eight best second-place finishers.WEST POINT, N.Y. -- Sidney Crosby leaned down to unlace his skates in the locker room after a spirited practice at Armys Tate Rink, then glanced around and smiled at all the familiar faces. Home away from home for the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar. "Its nice to have everyone here," Crosby said. Their exhibition slate over and the new NHL season looming, the Penguins travelled to West Point for three days of training and team building over the weekend. It was their third trip here since 2007, and general manager Ray Shero was hopeful the experience would help a team that flopped badly against the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup playoffs -- just when it seemed destined to challenge for its fourth championship. "Were getting together with our group in a different place, but its not just a different place," Crosby said. "Its pretty special. Were all together in this. Were trying to benefit from all this." The team arrived Friday morning, met with members of the football team before the Black Knights flew to Dallas for a game, had lunch with the cadets, and listened to a brief talk from Army hockey coach Brian Riley before hitting the ice for the first time. Not much seems to have changed. After their stunning exit in four games in the Eastern Conference finals, the Penguins appear set to give it another go at the Stanley Cup. While other teams make themselves over year after year, Pittsburgh has maintained the status quo on its roster. The Penguins signed high-scoring Evgeni Malkin, defenceman Kris Letang, winger Pascal Dupuis, and coach Dan Bylsma to contract extensions, essentially keeping the core of the team intact. Also back is goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, whos in the last two years of his contract and was a weak link in the playoffs. "Well see how its going to work," Shero said. "I think these guys are at the right age. That core group is about 26 years old. They should be going into their prime. Its not like we made long-term commitments to players that are 33, 34, 35 years old. These guys are special players, top players, and you try to keep them. "Weve been a good hockey team over the last seven years, and we want to try to win a Stanley Cup again like everybody else," said Shero, who also signed a familiar face from the past, defenceman Rob Scuderi. The players appreciate what management has done. "I think it helps," said Crosby, healthy again after being plagued by injuries that included a concussion suffered at the 2011 Winter Classic. "Theres no guarantees. It doesnt mean that the seasons not a process. Being familiar, having that trust in one another, knowing your role and whats expected, that goes a long way. Im glad that were able to have that." "Thats huge," Dupuis said. "You want to go to battle with guys that you trust. I wanted to come back. I didnt know how much they wanted me back. Seeing all these pieces of the puzzle falling back together, now its a matter of us playiing together and making it happen. Jaleel Johnson Vikings Jersey. "You dont want to repeat history. You dont want to be a team that does it again and again. At the same time, you can learn from this stuff." That these star players faltered at the most inopportune of times is certainly not unprecedented in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Just ask Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito and their teammates on the 1971 Boston Bruins. The highest-scoring team in league history to that point was beaten in seven games by the aging Montreal Canadiens, who used a stunning performance by goalie Ken Dryden, a rookie with six NHL games under his belt, to spur an upset nobody in his right mind would have predicted. The Penguins played the Bruins three times in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season and won all three by one goal. After beating the New York Islanders and Ottawa Senators in the playoffs, Pittsburgh collapsed. The highest-scoring team in the league went bust as Crosby and Malkin didnt score a single point and Boston outscored Pittsburgh 12-2 in the sweep. Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask provided the Dryden factor, stopping 134 of 136 shots by a team that averaged 4.27 goals in its first two playoff series, and Bostons defence took away the swaths of open ice that had allowed Crosby and Malkin to operate. It all happened in early June, yet still seems like only yesterday. "I dont think we were the only team expected to win," Crosby said. "I think it hurts even more because we were that close. Thats the sport. Nothings given to you. You have to be at your best at the right time and get some bounces, and we werent there. "You try to learn from everything," Crosby said. "Well definitely take some lessons. We did a good job the first two rounds, but the playoffs isnt only two rounds. Youve got to find a way to raise your level each series. Every time you get to the next round, its going to get tougher and tougher." Bylsma, who guided the Penguins to the 2009 Stanley Cup, still has no explanation for what went wrong for the second straight year -- the Penguins also were ousted the previous year by the Philadelphia Flyers in a fight-filled first-round series. Hes glad to be back for another try, glad to have much of the same crew on the bench. "There may be a desire or a gut reaction or an outside need to say you need to blow it up and change this, change that," Bylsma said. "I dont think that breaking up this group of players -- theyre quality people -- is something anyone would want to do. Its a team thats won more games than almost every other team in the National Hockey League and more playoff games than any other team the last seven or eight years. Theres disappointment by not winning and going to the finals and winning the Stanley Cup, but the group I think is happy to be together to try to do it again." Added Scuderi: "Me personally, Id rather stick with guys that I know have been there and want to go there again, not blow something up for an unknown equation." Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
The Wall