Plauderecke » and extended Bostons

PITTSBURGH -- Neil Walker wasnt expecting to have a big offensive game Friday night, especially with Michael Wacha pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals. The last time Wacha started at PNC Park was in the Game 4 of last years National League Division Series and he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in beating the Pittsburgh Pirates. Yet the hot-hitting Walker had three hits, including a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning, and drove in four runs to help the Pirates beat the Cardinals 6-4. "Wacha is so good, as we found out last year," said Walker, who has reached base in 22 of his last 40 plate appearances. "He throws hard and youve got to shorten up your swing and put the ball in play. Thats the best way to approach him because youre usually not going to do too much against him." While Walkers first two hits were against Wacha, his seventh homer came off Carlos Martinez (0-2) and rallied the Pirates from a 4-3 deficit for their third straight victory. Jordy Mercer and pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez led off the inning with singles and were bunted up a base by Jose Tabata before Walker hit a drive into the right-field stands. "Martinez is as tough as Wacha, but he hung a slider and I was able to put a good swing on it," Walker said. "I was surprised. The guy has such great stuff that youre not thinking that youre going to hit a home run in that situation. It was huge." Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said it didnt appear that Martinez got the home run pitch "where he wanted it." Mercer had three of the Pirates 12 hits, while Ike Davis, who hit a two-run double in the first inning to open the scoring, and Tabata had two hits apiece. Pittsburgh beat St. Louis for the 10th time in 13 games at home. Mercers performance was a welcome development for the Pirates and their shortstop, who is hitting just .187. "Ive been putting in a lot of time in the batting cage, trying to figure things out and its nice to have some results because I feel confident now when I step in the batters box," Mercer said. "Confidence is such a big part of hitting." St. Louis had gone ahead earlier in the seventh on Jhonny Peraltas solo home run, his eighth. Allen Craigs three-run home run, his fourth, accounted for the Cardinals other runs. Peralta and Craig had two hits apiece in the Cardinals second loss in five games. Justin Wilson (1-0) struck out the only batter he faced, Matt Adams, to end the top of the seventh. Mark Melancon, filling as the closer for injured Jason Grilli, pitched a scoreless ninth for his third save. Both starting pitchers worked five innings and had uneven performances. Pittsburghs Francisco Liriano allowed three runs, five hits and four walks while striking out five, while Wacha gave up three runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. Liriano has gone a career-long 11 regular-season starts without a win since beating the Texas Rangers last Sept. 10. Wacha is winless in his last five starts. NOTES: The game was delayed 25 minutes in the top of the fourth inning because of rain. . Pirates OF Travis Sniders appeal of his two-game suspension for his actions in an April 20 brawl were upheld and he began serving his penalty Friday night. . The Cardinals recalled OF Joey Butler from Triple-A Memphis and optioned OF Randal Grichuk to the same club. . Pittsburgh recalled INF Brent Morel from Triple-A Indianapolis. They had optioned RHP Phil Irwin to Indianapolis on Thursday. . Grilli threw from the top of the mound Friday for the first time since April 21 when the closer went on the disabled list with a strained left oblique. . Cardinals RHP Lance Lynn (4-1, 3.51) will start Saturday night against RHP Edinson Volquez (1-3, 4.19). Leighton Vander Esch Jersey .com) - Devin Booker scored 19 points and top-ranked Kentucky put on a defensive clinic in an 83-44 obliteration of UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic. Allen Hurns Cowboys Jersey .com) - Marc Gasol and the Grizzlies withstood 18 Dallas 3-pointers, as Memphis took control in the third quarter and fended off a Mavericks rally en route to a 114-105 win in a Southwest Division showdown. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Deonte-Thompson-Jersey/ . Power had a two-lap average of 218.896 mph in qualifying Friday at the high-banked, high-speed 1 1/2-mile track for his 34th career pole. Leighton Vander Esch Cowboys Jersey . -- Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno was admitted to the hospital Friday for observation due to minor complications from cancer treatments, his family said. Custom Dallas Cowboys Jerseys .com) - Damian Lillard poured in 40 points on 11-of-21 shooting to go along with 11 assists, and the Portland Trail Blazers stunned the Oklahoma City Thunder, 115-111, in overtime on Tuesday.BOSTON -- Edwin Encarnacion continued his torrid run through May, which is only two-thirds over. Encarnacion hit a pair of two-run homers for Toronto as the Blue Jays took a big lead early and held on to beat the slumping Boston Red Sox 7-4 on Tuesday night. Encarnacion has hit nine of his 11 homers this season this month, which has 10 days left. "He is pretty good," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "But even last year I think he got off to a slow start somewhat. Its not going to hold him down. Its usually just a matter of time." Melky Cabrera and Erik Kratz also homered for the Blue Jays, who won for the sixth time in eight games and extended Bostons losing streak to five straight. J.A. Happ (3-1) struck out six in the first three innings and picked up his third win in four starts since joining the rotation. "I felt like it was going to be a good night," Happ said. "I was trying to attack the zone and I felt my location was good." Jonny Gomes hit a two-run homer for Boston. The losing streak is the longest for the Red Sox since 2012. Casey Janssen picked up his fourth save, with a rocky ninth inning. Dustin Pedroia and Shane Victorino led off the ninth with consecutive singles. David Ortiz nearly tied it with a long fly ball that drifted foul, and then struck out. Janssen got Mike Napoli to ground into a double play to end it. "If you get to the ninth inning with the lead and youve got your closer in there, youve just got to let it ride. You try to get to that point and the games on the line," Gibbons said. Encarnacion hit a two-run homer in the third and Kratz added a solo shot in the fourth off Felix Doubront (2-4), who left the game after Jose Reyes and Cabrera opened the fifth with back-to-back doubles. The Red Sox said Doubront complained of fatigue in his left shoulder. "This is the first night hes felt this to this extent. His stuff was diminishing even in the early innings, particularly between the fourth and fifth," Boston manager John Farrell said. Edward Muujica replaced Doubront and struck out Jose Bautista, but Encarnacion followed with a towering shot to left for his second two-run homer of the night and Toronto led 6-0.dddddddddddd Boston scored twice in the fifth, and then Cabrera added a solo shot to left in the sixth. Happ started the sixth but was pulled after Gomes two-run homer cut Torontos lead to 7-4. He allowed four runs on seven hits and struck out six. Napoli led off the sixth with a single and Gomes followed with a homer that bounced off the top of the Green Monster. Crew chief Gary Cederstrom needed only about 30 seconds to review the video before confirming it was a home run, pulling Boston within 7-4. Boston is on its longest skid since losing the last eight games of the 2012 season. The Red Sox were 3 for 14 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base. "Were in a little rut right now but well find a way to get out of it," Pedroia said. Boston loaded the bases with one out in the fourth, but third baseman Brett Lawrie helped get Happ out of the jam. Lawrie lunged at a line drive by Xander Bogaerts that was headed for left field. The ball bounced out of his glove when he landed, but Lawrie quickly grabbed it, tagged third for the force out and threw it to Kratz to double-up David Ortiz at the plate. "Lawrie made an unbelievable play," Happ said. "I dont know if anybody else makes that play. Really athletic. That was huge." Doubront allowed five runs on five hits, striking out two and walking three. Notes: Toronto RHP Drew Hutchison (2-3) is scheduled to face Boston right-hander Clay Buchholz (2-3). ... Encarnacion hit multiple homers for the third time this season and 14th in his career. ... Red Sox manager John Farrell said before the game that Boston had re-signed veteran SS Stephen Drew, a member of last years World Series championship club who turned down a $14.1 million offer from Boston and become a free agent. ... Toronto LHP Rob Rasmussen made his major league debut when he came in from the bullpen with one out in the seventh. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '