generate shots from the point.

[lebaobei123]

PHILADELPHIA -- The Braves followed a familiar pattern -- using timely hitting and stingy pitching -- to complete a four-game sweep of Philadelphia. B.J. Upton tripled and drove in two runs Sunday to lead streaking Atlanta to a 3-2 victory over the Phillies and their first four-game sweep in Philadelphia in 50 years. Gerald Laird had two hits with a double and RBI for the Braves, who won for the sixth time in seven games while ending their road trip 8-3. Atlanta avenged a three-game sweep by Philadelphia June 16-18 at Turner Field. "We had timely hitting and the pitching was really good," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "You cant ask for more than that." It was the Braves first four-game sweep in Philadelphia since Sept. 24-27, 1964, when the franchise was in Milwaukee and their four wins at Connie Mack Stadium contributed to the Phillies infamous season-ending collapse that year. Marlon Byrd hit a pair of solo home runs for the slumping Phillies, who have lost eight of 10 to drop to 10 games under .500. "It didnt go our way," Phillies slugger Ryan Howard said. "The ball didnt bounce our way. It just wasnt meant to be for us in this series." Chase Utley singled in the seventh inning for his 1,500th career hit. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman greeted Utley with applause and a pat on the back, and the crowd of 33,215 gave the Phillies second baseman a standing ovation. There wasnt much else for the home fans to cheer. Philadelphia dropped to 18-27 at Citizens Bank Park and fell to 7-35 when scoring three runs or less as the offence continued to struggle. The Phillies were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position, finishing the series 3 for 32. "Hitting in the clutch and hitting with men on base is a component we have to get better at," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. "We came up short in this series. It couldve been a big point for us." Aaron Harang (7-6) got the victory despite allowing 11 hits in seven innings. He gave up two runs, struck out four and walked two. "Harang battled through some tough innings, gave us a great effort," Gonzalez said. "Hes a wily vet." Craig Kimbrel pitched a scoreless ninth, but had to work out of a jam for his 24th save in 28 opportunities. Kimbrel got the first two batters out before consecutive singles by Ben Revere and Jimmy Rollins put runners on first and third for Utley. But Utley flew out to right to end the game. "This was a heck of a series," Upton said. "We really played well. Nobody really tried to do too much. It was a little out of character for us not hitting a lot of home runs, but it all came together for us. Now we just have to keep grinding." David Buchanan (4-4), making his eighth start in place of injured left-hander Cliff Lee, allowed three runs on five hits and five walks in five innings to snap his three-game winning streak. The Braves went ahead 2-0 in the second on Uptons two-run triple off the wall in centre. Harang scored on the play after singling to centre with two outs. The pitcher had been 1 for 25 on the season before the hit. After the first of Byrds two solo homers brought Philadelphia within 2-1 in the bottom of the frame, Lairds RBI double plated Tommy La Stella to push Atlantas advantage back to two runs. It was the fourth extra-base hit in the last three games for La Stella, who had two doubles and a triple in Saturdays doubleheader. In the bottom of the frame, Byrd homered into the Philadelphia bullpen to make it a one-run game again. The Phillies threatened in the sixth when they put runners on first and second with nobody out. But Koyie Hills sacrifice bunt attempt resulted in the lead runner being forced out at third, and pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr. grounded into an inning-ending double play. Philadelphia had runners on first and third with one out in the seventh when Howard grounded into another inning-ending double play. NOTES: Justin De Fratus pitched a scoreless sixth inning to extend his scoreless innings streak to 17. ... Braves catcher Evan Gattis didnt play for the third straight game after having back spasms striking out swinging in the first inning on Friday. Gattis will be reevaluated when the club returns to Atlanta on Monday. ... It was Byrds seventh career multihomer game. ... The Phillies have Monday off before beginning a three-game series at Miami on Tuesday with RHP A.J. Burnett (5-7, 3.89) opposing Marlins RHP Henderson Alvarez (5-3, 2.32). ... The Braves host the Mets for three games beginning Monday when Atlanta LHP Alex Wood (6-6, 3.07) faces New York RHP Zack Wheeler (3-8, 4.45). Justin Smoak Blue Jays Jersey . Carlos Boozer had 19 points and 12 rebounds, and the Bulls snapped the Phoenix Suns five-game winning streak with a 101-92 victory on Tuesday night. Marco Estrada Jersey . The veteran cornerback agreed to a two-year contract with the Saints on Friday, with a maximum value that approaches $7 million, including guaranteed money and a signing bonus in the first year. http://www.officialbluejaysonline.com/a ... ys-jersey/. -- Jon Lester got a rousing ovation the first time he pitched in an Oakland uniform. Roger Clemens Jersey . The Pacers rallied from 17 points down in the first half and almost wiped out another double-digit deficit after halftime, but had the same offensive troubles late that plagued them early in the game. Paul George had 27 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Pacers, who stayed a game and a half up on Miami for the lead in the Eastern Conference after the Heat lost in overtime to Chicago. J.A. Happ Blue Jays Jersey . The Canadiens accomplished both. Alex Galchenyuk scored the only shootout goal, and the Canadiens got their fifth win in six games, 2-1 over the Bruins on Monday night.TORONTO - No team in the NHL relies more on a core group to produce offence than do the Toronto Maple Leafs. Seven players have combined for 84 per cent of the teams 74 goals this season, the highest such percentage for any teams top seven scorers in the league. Alarmingly among that group in Toronto are two centres, Dave Bolland and Tyler Bozak, who have each missed a months worth of games due to injury already this season and yet remain amongst the teams scoring leaders. The Leafs have dropped a season-high five consecutive games, also losing six of the past seven while skidding through an unhappy November that saw them win just twice in regulation. Prominent in their struggles was a failure to produce offence at even-strength; theyve scored just 18 such goals in the past 14 games, delivering two goals or fewer overall in 11 of those games. Depth or a lack thereof has been the issue, both from the defence and depth forwards. The Toronto blue-line has barely made a blip in the cause offensively, totaling a scant three goals all season, two from Dion Phaneuf and one into an empty-net. By comparison, the San Jose Sharks, who beat the Leafs at the ACC on Tuesday, have 16 goals from their defenders this season. Four Sharks alone have more goals individually than do the Leaf defence as a unit. "When you describe our hockey club its always the back-end," said Randy Carlyle following practice on Wednesday morning. "Does the back-end need to provide more offence? For sure it does. We need more from our back-end." Unlike last season, the team has also gotten little in the way of contributions from its depth forwards. David Clarkson and Nik Kulemin have a mere two goals apiece while Jay McClement, averaging nearly 17 minutes, has yet to score and has just two assists. A fourth line with plenty of punch has been predictably punch-less offensively, the likes of Colton Orr, Frazer McLaren, Troy Bodie, Carter Ashton, and the since waived Jerred Smithson, all with zero goals this season. Phil Kessel (15 goals), James van Riemsdyk (12), and Mason Raymond (10), a late free agent add who sits third on the team in scoring, have been responsible for the bulk of offence, helped by Nazem Kadri (7) Joffrey Lupul (8), and the aforementioned Bolland (6) and Bozak (4). Injuries and suspensions to core players, such as Clarkson, Bolland, Bozak and Lupul, certainly havent helped with their replacements unable to fill the void. One rare exception is Trevor Smith, who since being recalled to line up in an offensive role, has produced six points in eight games. "We need more from secondary scoring," Carlyle said. "Secondary scoring comes from your second, third and fourth line. Weve noted that. Weve asked that." Among the desired changes to the offence would be more shots to the net and more efficient movement of the puck up the ice, thus instigating whats been an inconsistent forecheck. Spending vast amounts of time defending, while sstruggling to break out of their own end, the Leafs have been unable to establish that forecheck, the lifeblood in some ways of the teams attack.dddddddddddd "The one thing weve got to do is weve got to get stronger on our forecheck," said Carlyle, pointing to brief periods of such success against the Sharks, notably during an energetic start to the season period. Generating much of their offence from a potent power-play this season, if not the flash and dash of their skill players on the rush, the Leafs have yet to produce much off their forecheck, thereby unable to sustain time in the offensive zone in the manner Carlyle would like. "We have to start being more fluent as a group of five," said Cody Franson, who leads the defence with 13 points, but has yet to score this season. "Theres a couple things that were doing systematically that are inhibiting our chances to one, generate things off cycles, and two, generate shots from the point. Just a couple small, little technicalities that are hurting us rather than helping us. Once we can get fluent with correcting those I think thatll help out a lot." Team Percentage of offence from top-7 scorers (Entering Wednesdays action) Toronto 84% Washington 78% Minnesota 78% Tampa 74% Pittsburgh 74% Philadelphia 73% Colorado 72% Montreal 72% St. Louis 72% Winnipeg 71% Vancouver 70% Anaheim 70% Chicago 70% Ottawa 70% San Jose 70% Columbus 69% Dallas 68% Los Angeles 68% Detroit 68% New Jersey 66% New York Islanders 66% New York Rangers 66% Calgary 66% Phoenix 66% Florida 65% Boston 64% Edmonton 64% New Jersey 64% Carolina 62% Buffalo 62% Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Auston Matthews Maple leafs Jersey ' ' '