Sonstige Heep-verwandte Themen » k Josh Robinson will stay

MINNEAPOLIS -- Felix Hernandez stopped another slide for Seattle on Sunday. Hernandez pitched eight strong innings and Robinson Cano had four hits and the Mariners defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-2. The Mariners were winless since King Felixs previous start, but Hernandez (5-1) helped snap their four-game skid by giving up two runs and seven hits while striking out five and walking one. "Its always a confidence builder coming to the park when we know hes pitching. Typically we know that we dont have to put up too many runs to come out with a W," Mariners right fielder Michael Saunders said. Hernandez has been especially tough on the Twins in recent years. In his past four starts against Minnesota, he has pitched 34 innings and allowed three earned runs with 30 strikeouts. "Its the same old story -- really good stuff," Twins left fielder Jason Kubel said of facing Hernandez. "Hes just tough, one of the toughest guys to hit." The Twins, who have won three straight series and six of nine overall, jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a rally keyed by a successful replay challenge. With a man on first and nobody out, shortstop Danny Santana hit a dribbler to first baseman Justin Smoak, who flipped the ball to Hernandez covering at first. Santana was ruled out on the play, but replays showed that his foot hit the bag just before the pitcher arrived. Hernandez almost got out of the jam, striking out Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer on two-strike sliders, but Trevor Plouffe scored both runners with a two-out single to right-centre to put Minnesota on top 2-0. "I made one mistake," Hernandez said of his performance on Sunday. "I left that slider a little bit up against Plouffe and he got that hit. It was off the plate, but he put a good swing on it. "I was a little (angry). I did not put a zero on the scoreboard. After that I made better pitches." Meanwhile, after Twins starter Ricky Nolasco (2-4) breezed through the first three innings, the Mariners rallied by going deep in the count and making Nolasco work the second time through the order. They got one run back on Kyle Seagers RBI single in the fourth, but they also drove up Nolascos pitch count by making him throw 33 pitches that inning. Nolascos ability to avoid trouble ran out in the fifth. James Jones led off with an infield single, then scored on Michael Saunders triple to right field. Cano followed with a shot off the centre field wall for an RBI double that gave Seattle a 3-2 lead. By the end of the inning, Nolasco had thrown 100 pitches and was done for the day. And Hernandez had all the runs he needed to snap that losing streak. "With that guy over there, you have to play perfect baseball," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We didnt do that. We gave them a few too many chances, and when you give them chances like that, thats what happens." Saunders added a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, Justin Smoak had an RBI double in the seventh and Cano scored on a wild pitch in the ninth as the Mariners pulled away. Mariners closer Fernando Rodney worked a scoreless ninth in a non-save situation to cap what Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon called an "ideal" day. "Our starter went eight and we got our closer some much-needed work," McClendon said. "It was perfect." Notes: McClendon said that the team will decide later this week whether 1B/OF Logan Morrison is ready to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Morrison has missed five weeks with a strained right hamstring. ... Seattle DH Corey Hart left the game in the fourth inning after straining his left hamstring while stealing second base. ... Canos single in the fourth extended his on-base streak to 26 games, the longest in the major leagues this year. ... The Twins will send RHP Kevin Correia (1-5, 6.80) to the mound when they open a two-game series at San Diego on Tuesday. ... The Mariners also have a day off Monday. They will travel to Texas for a two-game set against the Rangers, with RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (2-0, 1.59) starting on Tuesday. Cheap Sabres Jerseys . Rookie Christian Vazquez got his first three major league hits and drove in three runs, while David Ortiz had three RBIs to break open the game in the sixth inning and lead Boston over the Houston Astros 8-3. Cheap Buffalo Sabres Jerseys . -- Olympic medallist Jennifer Abel of Laval, Que. http://www.cheapsabresjerseys.com/. Just as the meeting was beginning, Major League Baseball unveiled Rule 7.13, an experimental rule for the 2014 season aimed at eliminating what the league calls “egregious” runner/catcher collisions at home plate. Wholesale Sabres Jerseys . Smith has spent the last three seasons with the Rockies, playing both left and right field, and has a .275 batting average with 51 homers and 181 RBIs in 487 major league games. Cheap Sabres Jerseys Authentic . - Chicago Bears running back Matt Forte sees the commitment to the handoff and cant help but come away impressed.EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings are a mess. Coach Leslie Frazier said hes certain this can be cleaned up. Progress will have to happen fast, though, or else these early season issues will linger. "Weve got to look at what were doing and try to figure out ways to try to improve our team, and I think we can get that done," Frazier said Monday. "Im certain of it, that we can get that done, and weve got the right people on our team for it to happen." The Vikings (1-4) have allowed 31.6 points per game, third most in the league. The offence has plenty of problems, too, as evidenced by the two interceptions and four punts on nine possessions in a 35-10 loss Sunday to Carolina. The Vikings face the winless New York Giants (0-6) next Monday night. But if they dont figure out how to fix the soft coverage on third downs, increase their pass rush and put together the kind of sustained, time-consuming touchdown drives the Panthers enjoyed, then they wont be able to beat anybody. "Im a positive human being, but I also think theres something to a little negative reinforcement. I hope this sticks in everyones gut a little bit, in their craw," defensive end Jared Allen said after the game. He added: "I think it might be the worst home loss Ive ever experienced in my career." The starting quarterback is in question, after Matt Cassel was picked off twice Sunday. Josh Freeman could take over, and Frazier said hed like to make up his mind in the next few days. He said hes not leaning one way or another. "I want to sit down and discuss some things with those guys and make a decision as I get a feel for where they are," Frazier said. The coach acknowledged the challenge for a quarterback in joining a team with a season in progress and having to absorb the playbook so quickly. But he also called Freeman "a bright young man" and gave no indication that he felt Freeman wasnt ready. Hes only been with the team for one week, having been cut by Tampa Bay. Cassel said he didnt know if hed start again. "I hope that I am," he saaid.dddddddddddd "I think that this team is going to turn things around, and I would love to be the starter. ... But at the same time, the coach makes the decisions. So well see." Tight end Kyle Rudolph wondered why this was an issue. Cassel is 48 for 69 for 489 yards and a 69.6 completion rate, three touchdowns and the two turnovers in two games since replacing Christian Ponder. "I dont see why. I think Josh needs some time to get comfortable here, learn the offence," Rudolph said. In three years under Frazier, the Vikings have lost their first game after their bye weeks each time, by a combined 108-27 score. "Its not a lost season. Weve just got to do some things a little better than what were doing, and if we do things will turn around for us," Frazier said. The secondary has struggled all season, a young group going through all kinds of growing pains without their leader Antoine Winfield. Frazier said struggling cornerback Josh Robinson will stay in the starting lineup, despite being at least partially responsible for two of Carolinas touchdown passes. While cornerback Chris Cook and safety Jamarca Sanford returned Sunday, the literal pains continued. Safety Harrison Smith suffered a turf toe injury on his left foot that required an MRI. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes sprained his right ankle, but he shrugged that off in the locker room Monday. "Nothing that can hold me back," he said. The Vikings also lost starting linebacker Desmond Bishop to a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee, another setback in a series of them in 2013 for this playoff team from the year before. Fraziers job status has grown tenuous with this bad start. The same goes for offensive co-ordinator Bill Musgrave and defensive co-ordinator Alan Williams. But Frazier voiced his support for them Monday. "Theyre working as hard as they can to put our players in the best position to succeed," Frazier said. "And our players, when theyre put in those positions, theyve got to execute their assignments when that happens." ' ' '