head.I just wanted to get on base for the guys

[lw789]

PHILADELPHIA -- The new rule designed to protect catchers helped the Philadelphia Phillies gain a victory. Ryan Howard homered in his second game since a three-game benching and scored the go-ahead run on an overturned call at the plate in Philadelphias 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. Arizonas Miguel Montero was called for blocking the plate before he had the ball and leaving Howard no path, a violation of an experimental rule put in place this season. "What am I supposed to do? Leave the ball go and get it, or stand still?" Montero recalled telling umpires. "The throw took me there. I went and got the ball. I have no clue where to go on this kind of a play. Id much rather be run over. Its an awkward rule. Let the game alone. Its been this way for 100 years. Its kind of not fun anymore." With the score 2-2 in the sixth, Howard walked with two outs against Vidal Nuno (0-2). Marlon Byrd popped up to short right field, where second baseman Didi Gregorius backpedaled slowly, settled under the ball and allowed it to kick off his glove and bounce toward centre. Ender Inciarte picked up the ball and threw to the plate, where Montero was blocking Howards path, grabbed the throw on the fly and tagged the runner as Howard tried to get around him on the infield side. Umpire Dale Scott signalled out, but after a review of 2 minutes, 55 seconds, Howard was ruled safe. "This year thats a run," said Philadelphia manager Ryne Sandberg, who called his team "very fortunate." "In the last 100 years, its not a run," he said. Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson, who came onto to the field to speak with Scott after the video review, said "the rule has to be reevaluated." "I didnt think they got the play right," Gibson said. In the first season of expanded video review, the plate-blocking rule has been among the most contentious of the innovations. "Theres a lot of judgment there and a little bit of confusion," Sandberg said. "Even 3 1/2 months into the season, here the catcher did not know that he couldnt stand there the whole time. And then, ultimately, Howard didnt know his responsibilities as he got to home plate." Howard hit a two-run homer in the first, his 16th of the season but second since June 19. He is 3 for 8 since his benching. "These are a couple of games he can build on and continue to contribute and improve and help the team out," Sandberg said. Philadelphia added a run in the seventh when left fielder David Peralta dropped Ben Reveres fly to the warning track, and Montero was given an error for dropping shortstop Nick Ahmeds throw and allowing Wil Nieves to score. Montero admitted the earlier play at the plate had an effect on him in the seventh. "I thought, What should I do?" he said. "They make it very hard." Roberto Hernandez (5-8) allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings. He had been 0-5 in seven home starts since beating Washington 1-0 on May 4. "He got groundballs when he needed them, and he threw enough pitches around the zone and got some hitters to swing the bat," Sandberg said. Jonathan Papelbon pitched a two-hit ninth for his 25th save in 28 chances. Nuno, making his fourth start since he was acquired from the New York Yankees, gave up four runs -- two earned -- four hits and three walks in 6 2-3 innings. Nick Ahmed doubled in a run for Arizona in the second, and Paul Goldschmidt hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth. NOTES: Arizonas Aaron Hill didnt play after being hit on the right hand on Saturday night. ... Arizona first-base coach Dave McKay wasnt with the team in order to attend the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies for Tony La Russa. McKay served on La Russas staff for 27 straight seasons. ... RHP Chase Anderson (6-4, 3.58) starts for Arizona on Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Cincinnati, which starts RHP Homer Bailey (8-5, 4.22). ... Philadelphia starts RHP A.J. Burnett (6-9, 3.86) in the opener of a three-game series at the New York Mets, who start RHP Bartolo Colon (9-8, 4.03). Aleksandar Kolarov Jersey .She struggled with a hacking cough, she was sick, and she twice celebrated too early, but she held her composure in a 6-3, 7-6 (5) victory on Saturday.On her third match point, she let her racket go before hearing a let call to what she thought was an ace. Ilkay Gundogan Jersey . A larger-than-life personality known for his intimidating style in the 18-yard box, Schmeichels career spanned some 20 years -- including a memorable tenure at Manchester United. http://www.mancityproshop.com/authentic ... ty-jersey/. Chris Heisey followed with a two-run triple and Billy Hamilton added an RBI double, all but sealing Cincinnatis fourth straight victory and seventh in eight games. Brandon Phillips, celebrating his 33rd birthday, hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth for the Reds before pinch-hitter Buster Posey tied it with an RBI double off hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman in the bottom half. Nicolas Otamendi Jersey . Canada Day is here and with it comes Free Agent Frenzy as the NHLs 30 teams storm out of the gate for signing season. Custom Manchester City Jersey . -- Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton will be sidelined for at least two weeks because of a strained calf muscle, and pitcher C.WASHINGTON - Brandon Belt, Yusmeiro Petit and the rest of the San Francisco Giants did what they do so well in October: They never give in, never give up, and win. Simple as that. No matter what it takes a€” or how long.Even 18 innings.On and on and on the Giants and Nationals played Saturday, from afternoon until just past midnight, when Belts homer off Tanner Roark leading off the 18th lifted San Francisco to its 10th consecutive post-season victory, edging Washington 2-1 for a 2-0 lead in their NL Division Series.Thats how we do it. On paper, it might not be the flashiest thing, compared to a lot of teams. But I like this group against anybody in baseball, said Tim Hudson, who started for the Giants and went 7 1-3 innings, leaving hours before the game ended. Whod have thought wed have came here and won the first two? Everybody in America probably didnt think we had a shot. But everybody in this locker room knew that we did.The teams tied the mark for most innings in a post-season game and set a time record at 6 hours, 23 minutes. They combined to use 17 pitchers and 24 position players.After a while, Giants rookie Joe Panik said, every inning just kind of ran into the next.Said Craig Stammen, one of eight relievers used by the Nationals after starter Jordan Zimmerman was yanked while ahead 1-0 with two outs in the ninth after walking Panik: The two worst things in baseball are boredom and frustration, and we were battling both of those tonight.Somehow, Washington was shut out for 15 innings after Anthony Rendons RBI single in the third.The Giants can close out the best-of-five NLDS at home Monday in Game 3, with Madison Bumgarner a€” who tossed a shutout against Pittsburgh in the wild-card game a€” facing Doug Fister.Im sure its going to be a quiet flight, said Zimmermann, who threw a no-hitter in the regular-season finale, then allowed only three singles Saturday.Could be quite a sudden end to 2014 for the Nationals, who won the NL East and led the league with 96 wins. But after a pair of one-run losses, theyre looking as if theyre the latest team that cant figure out how to get past San Francisco.Down to their final out Saturday, the Giants tied it in the ninth on Pablo Sandovals RBI double off Drew Storen a€” the closer who blew a two-out ninth-inning lead in Game 5 of the 2012 NLDS against St. Louis.Petit entered in the 12th and threw six scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out seven, to earn the win.I was trying to get as much as I could out of him, manager BBruce Bochy said.ddddddddddddHunter Strickland got the save with a scoreless 18th.By then, the temperature was in the low 50s; the Nationals used a hot-air blower in their dugout.Roark came on in the 17th. An inning later, he threw a 94 mph fastball on a full count to Belt, who missed 96 games this season because of a broken thumb and concussion and was 0 for 6 Saturday until that at-bat. When he drove the ball into the second deck beyond right field, Belt dropped his bat and admired the shot as the Nationals Park crowd fell silent. When Belt got to the dugout, teammates slapped him on his head.I just wanted to get on base for the guys behind me a€” Get em on, get em over and get em in. Fortunately, I put a good enough swing on it, Belt said.Only one other post-season game in baseball history lasted 18 innings a€” when the Astros beat the Braves in a 2005 NLDS game that Hudson started for Atlanta. That one held the previous record for most time, at 5:50.Bochys Giants, who won the 2010 and 2012 World Series, were built to win this sort of marathon.They are relentless. They dont quit, Bochy said. We had our hands full tonight.In sum, San Francisco stays calm and collected. More than could be said for Washington, which had three of its best hitters a€” Denard Span, Adam LaRoche and Bryce Harper a€” go a combined 0 for 21, and had manager Matt Williams and second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera ejected in the 10th after arguing a called third strike.Cabrera slammed his bat and helmet to the ground, then began yelling at home umpire Vic Carapazza, getting right in his face. That got Cabrera tossed. Williams pushed his player out of the way and also got kicked out. Fans began booing ball-and-strike calls; they cheered when a foul ball ricocheted off the screen behind the plate and hit Carapazza in the 18th.Williams was asked afterward about the decision to lift Zimmermann, who retired 20 batters in a row until walking Panik a€” after the rookie launched a deep fly that barely sailed foul.Why did we decide to take him out? Because if he got in trouble in the ninth or got a baserunner, we were going to bring our closer in, Williams said. That is what we have done all year.Storen gave up a single to 2012 NL MVP Buster Posey, then the double to Sandoval that made it 1-all. Posey tried to score on the play, but shortstop Ian Desmonds one-hop relay was in time for catcher Wilson Ramos to tag Posey. After a 2 1/2-minute delay when Bochy asked for a replay review, Posey was ruled out. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '