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MELBOURNE, Australia -- Norways Suzann Pettersen birdied her last three holes in a 6-under 66 on Thursday to lead the womens Australian Open by a shot after the first round at the Victoria Golf Club. Kevin Shattenkirk Blues Jersey . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. Shes in position to take the No. 1 spot in the world from Inbee Park with a victory or a solo second-place finish. "In the first round of the year youre always anxious to get started," Pettersen said. "It took me a while to get really comfortable, to trust what Ive been working on. "In the end the trust was stronger than the rest. I hit a lot of great shots but I also have to say I left a lot of shots out there. I three-putted a lot of greens, stupid three-putts really, but I also felt like I played good and gave myself a lot of birdie chances." Ricordeau, who had eight birdies, a bogey and a double bogey, briefly drew level with Pettersen before finishing among a group of four players with rounds of 67. Tied in second place were Park Hee-young of South Korea and Americans Jaclyn Sweeney and Jessica Korda, daughter of former tennis star Petr Korda and already a tournament winner this year. World No. 4 Lydia Ko of New Zealand was among a larger group at 4-under after a mixed opening round. The 16-year-old was one-under after her opening nine but came home with five birdies and two bogeys, including birdies at her last two holes. Australias Karrie Webb, a record four-time winner of the event, opened with a 71. The Hall of Famer had another brush with rules officials after being disqualified last week at Royal Pines for signing an incorrect scorecard after the second round. Webb started her round on the 10th tee Thursday and was told she had teed up fractionally in front of the tee marker. She was allowed to replace her ball without incurring a two-shot penalty. Alex Pietrangelo Blues Jersey . The London club made the announcement in a statement, naming the German as its new manager on an 18-month contract. While Fulhams statement failed to mention Meulensteens fate, the Dutchman later told BBC Radio 5 that he had been relieved of his duties at Fulham. Kevin Shattenkirk Jersey . Sean Monahan scored two goals, including the overtime winner, as the Flames snapped a two-game losing skid with a 2-1 victory over the Oilers in a game between two of the NHLs current lesser lights.TORONTO -- Mississauga St. Michaels Majors forward Joseph Cramarossa was given a 10-game suspension by the Ontario Hockey League on Thursday. Cramarossa delivered a check to the head of Sudbury Wolves forward Andrey Kuchin during a game last Friday. Cramarossa was given a five-mminute major penalty and game misconduct on the play. Cheap St.Louis Blues Jersey. The six-foot-one 193-pound Cramarossa hit Kuchin with his shoulder as the Sudbury player skated with the puck behind the net. Kuchin, a five-foot-10 201-pound centre, was not injured on the play. ' ' '

6) The Miami Heat are the envy of every team in the NBA, not because of their talented roster, but because of their photobombing skills. Bill Melton Jersey . Although it wasnt the King grabbing photobombing honours in this GIF, were sure he must have enjoyed seeing Chris Bosh appear outta nowhere just as much as we did. (2012 First Round Game 2 vs New York Knicks):5) Heres Lebron showing those world class hops that everyone is aware of against the Pacers. He even had to duck at the end to stop his head from hitting the rim. (2013 Eastern Conference Finals Game 7 vs Indiana Pacers):4) Watch Lebron soar like an eagle and cram in a dunk against the Wizards. The arm extension on this is insane. (2008 First Round Game 1 vs Washington Wizards):3) Lebron hits a buzzer beater 3 ball against the Magic and celebrates hard. This is a big time 3 considering the distance of the shot and the timing. Clutch. (2009 Eastern Conference Finals vs Magic):2) When the games are intense Lebron will do anything to win, unfortunately this has led to a bit of a history of interesting but hilarious flops. (2012 First Round Game 1 vs New York Knicks):1) Another great dance from Lebron. After winning his first championship what does he do? Flails his arms like there is no tomorrow. (2012 Finals Game 5 vs OKC):The man is a legend. Nellie Fox White Sox Jersey . -- Henrik Zetterberg didnt wait long to make an impact in his first game back from injury. Gordon Beckham Jersey For Sale. - Russell Wilson is getting on the diamond again.BASEL, Switzerland -- Vasek Pospisil will face off against Swiss star Roger Federer in the semifinals of the Swiss Indoors on Saturday, with the Canadian hoping to be fit after surprising himself with a 7-6 (11), 6-4 quarter-final defeat of Ivan Dodig. Pospisil, ranked 40th in the world, admitted that he was shocked to have finished the tough one-hour 45-minute match with Dodig after being unable to move his neck the morning of the match. "I woke up fine at 7:00 but then fell back asleep and slept in a bad position for 90 minute from 8:00 to 9:30," said Pospisil. "I couldnt move my neck to the left. "I honestly didnt know if Id be able to play at all," said the rising star who has reached all three of his career ATP semifinals (Bogata, Montreal and Basel) this breakthrough season. "I had a lot of treatment and painkillers. "It was still bothering me on every single shot, especially the serve and forehand. But the trainer told me I couldnt make it worse so I gave everything I had. Im still very surprised that it held up as well as it did, frankly. Its shocking." Federer beat Pospisil in their only other meeting in Montreal two years ago, but the young player from Vancouver is excited to get another chance at the Swiss icon. "It will be incredible to play him, it will be one of the highlights of my career," Pospisil said. "Playing him in his hometown willl make it even more special. Paul Konerko Authentic Jersey. It will be a very special match for me." Pospisil needed nearly an hour to win the gruelling first set against Croatias Dodig. The tiebreaker created stress on both sides of the net, with Pospisil saving three set points and finally converting for the win on his own fourth set-winning opportunity. In the second set, Pospisil broke for a 3-2 set lead only to lose it a game later. But Pospisil dug in to break Dodig again for a 5-4 lead. He finished off the victory a game later on his second match point as Dodig hit the net with a return. "It was really tough to concentrate," said the injured winner. "Its very draining to play that way. But Im really thrilled to go through like this." Pospisil is hoping to improve his ranking enough this weekend and next week in Paris at the last event of the regular season to reach the top 32, which would guarantee a seeding for the Australian Open." He said the trainer told him his condition is a two or three-day affair, with the first day the worst. He is expecting no physical problems when he plays for a spot in the his first ATP final at the weekend. But he admitted that the situation was a close call. "I could not have played a 1 p.m. (match)," he said. "But two hours later I was loose enough to be able to serve almost normally, thanks to all the treatment."" ' ' '

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Michael Ryder scored 1:11 into overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 4-3 victory over the Florida Panthers in a pre-season game Tuesday night. Tomas Vincour, Loui Eriksson and Toby Petersen also scored for the Stars (4-1). Tomas Fleischmann, Jonathan Huberdeau and Dmitry Kulikov scored for Florida (1-3-1). The teams will meet again Thursday night in Dallas. Kari Lehtonen made 43 saves for the Stars. Jakob Markstrom and Tyler Plante, who are competing for the backup goalie job with veteran Scott Clemmensen out 4 to 6 weeks after undergoing knee surgery, split the game for Florida. Markstrom stopped all 10 shots he faced before being removed at 11:02 of the second period. Plante gave up four goals on 16 shots. Ryder scored on a 2-on-1 when he took a pass from Mike Ribeiro and beat Plante with a high shot. Dallas led 3-1 before Huberdeau and Kulikov scored power-play goals 35 seconds apart late in the third period. Huberdeau, the third overall pick in the 2011 draft, scored on a 5-on-3 power play with 3:52 to play after Dallas Ryan Gabutt was assessed a five-minute major for checking Tim Kennedy into the boards from behind and Mike Ribeiro took a double-minor. Kulikov scored with a one-man advantage on a shot from the slot. Florida outshot Dallas 26-3 in the third period. Fourteen seconds after Plante entered the game, Vincour scored when a deke attempt went off his stick and the puck slid between Plantes legs. BOISBRIAND, Que. -- Danick Martel, Samuel Hodhod and Nikita Jevpalovs each scored twice as the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada toppled the Gatineau Olympiques 6-4 on Sunday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Martel also had a pair of assists for Blainville-Boisbriand (26-6-7), which remains the top club in the QMJHL, and now leads his team with 42 points in 38 games played. Frank Schumacher, Derek Sheppard, Taylor Burke and Marc Beckstead scored for the Olympiques (24-14-1). Etienne Marcoux stopped 35 shots for the Armada while Anthony Brodeur turned aside 26-of-31 shots for Gatineau. Both clubs went 1 for 8 on the power play. --- TITAN 4 ISLANDERS 0 BATHURST, N.B. -- Alexandros Soumakis scored twice and Jacon Brennan made 35 saves as the Titan blanked Charlottetown. Christophe Boivin and Scott Oke also scored for Acadie-Bathurst (15-20-4) while Matthew Boudreau chipped in with three assists. Guillaume Riox-Legault was a team-worst minus-3 for the Islanders (15-20-5) and Alexis Pepin led his club with six shots on net. Eric Brassard turned aside 36-of-40 shots for Charlottetown. --- SEA DOGS 2 WILDCATS 1 MONCTON, N.B. -- Kelly Bents goal at 14:09 of the second period stood up as the winner as Saint John halted the Wildcats nine-game win streak. Spencer Smallman opened the scoring for the Sea Dogs (10-24-3) at 12:37 of the first period and Bailey Webster assisted on both of his clubs goals. Christophe Lalonde scored for Moncton (21-18-2), ruining Sebastien Augers shutout bid with 18 seconds remaining in the game. Auger made 30 saves for Saint John as Alex Dubeau stopped 22-of-24 shots for the Wildcats. --- SAGUENEENS 3 DRAKKAR 0 CHICOUTIMI, Que.-- Domenic Graham kicked out 41 shots for his second-career shutout as the Sagueneens handed Baie-Comeau its third loss in a row. Simon Tremblay had a goal and an assist for Chicoutimi (20-19-1) and Sebastien Sylvestre and Jasmin Boutet each scored once. Graham was his busiest in the second period when the Drakkar put 18 shots at him, compared to just three shots on net for the Sagueneens. Baie-Comeaus (24-11-4) Simon Lemieux turned aside 20-of-23 shots in a losing cause. --- VOLTIGEURS 5 PHOENIX 3 DRUMMONDVILLE, Que. -- Frederick Gaudreau scored twice and Jerome Verrer tacked on two assists as the Voltigeurs extended their win streak to seven games by downing Sherbrooke. Matthew Boudens,, Joey Ratelle and Christophe Lalancette each had a goal and an assist for Drummondville (26-11-2).dddddddddddd. Jason Houde had two goals and an assist for the Phoenix (13-23-4), who have dropped four straight contests, and Alexandre Sills had a goal and an assist. Joe Fleschler made 14 saves for the Voltigeurs while Francis Desrosiers stopped 38-of-43 shots for Sherbrooke. --- HUSKIES 3 FOREURS 2 ROUYN-NORANDA, Que. -- Mathieu Lemay broke a 2-2 tie at 19:23 of the third period with a power-play goal as the Huskies slipped past Val-dOr. Alexandre Leclerc and Jean-Sebastien Dea also scored for Rouyn-Noranda (23-10-5), which is 4-0-2 in its last six outings. The Foreurs (26-13-1) got goals from Nicolas Aube-Kubel and Anthony Beauregard. Alexandre Belanger made 21 saves for the Huskies as Val-dOrs Keven Bouchard stopped 30-of-33 shots in defeat. --- TIGRES 5 CATARACTES 0 VICTORIAVILLE, Que. -- Brandon Whitney made 22 saves for his ninth-career shutout as the Tigres crushed Shawinigan. Carl Marois and Angelo Miceli each had a goal and an assist for Victoriaville (15-17-6) while Jonathan Diaby, Samuel Blais and Ross Johnston added a goal apiece. Maxime Lagace stopped 31-of-35 shots for the Cataractes (9-27-3). Shawinigans Simon Boudreau was given a game misconduct at 12:33 of the second period for checking from behind. --- SCREAMING EAGLES 5 MOOSEHEADS 4 SYDNEY, N.S. -- Clarke Bishop scored twice in the third period as Cape Breton came from behind to defeat Halifax and snap its four-game slide. Charles-Eric Legare had a goal and two assists for the Screaming Eagles (20-16-3), who trailed 3-2 after 40 minutes, while Jeremy Beaudry and Kyle Farrell scored the others. Andrew Schefelt had a pair of goals for the Mooseheads (24-15-1) and MacKenzie Weegar and Vincent Watt each scored once. Alex Bureau made 29 saves for Cape Breton as Kevin Darveau turned away 22-of-27 shots for Halifax. --- OCEANIC 3 REMPARTS 2 (SO) RIMOUSKI, Que. -- Dominic Beauchemin scored the winner as the Oceanic downed Quebec in a shootout. Tyler Boland and Alexis Loiseau scored in regulation for Rimouski (22-11-7). Anthony Duclair forced overtime for the Remparts (20-11-8) with a goal at 19:50 of the third period and Kurt Etchegary scored the other. Zachary Fortin made 22 saves for the Oceanic as Quebecs Francois Brassard turned aside 40 shots in defeat. ' ' '

The Toronto Maple Leafs have agreed to a two-year contract with goaltender James Reimer, avoiding salary arbitration. Matthew Slater .  Reimers agent Ray Petkau tweeted the signing on Friday, while TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that the deal has an average annual value of $2.3 million. Both sides were scheduled to have their arbitration meeting on Monday.  Reimer saw his playing time diminish in 2013-14 after the Leafs acquired Jonathan Bernier last summer from the Los Angeles Kings. In 36 games with the Leafs last season, Reimer posted a 12-16-1 record, a .911 save percentage and a 3.29 goals-against average. In four seasons with the Maple Leafs, the 26-year-old has appeared in 140 career games, compiling a 65-48-15 record with a 2.84 goals-against average and .912 save percentage with 11 shutouts. The Winnipeg native led Toronto to its first playoff appearance in nine years during the lockout-shortened season in 2013. He went 3-4 with a 2.88 goals-against average and .923 save percentage in the Maple Leafs seven-game loss to the Bruins in the opening round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Originally selected by the Maple Leafs in the fourth round (99th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Reimer just completed the final year of a three-year deal he signed with the Leafs prior to the 2011-12 season worth an average annual value of $1.8 million.   Aaron Dobson Authentic Jersey . The Browns have relaxed their media limitations to see rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel practice. Rob Ninkovich . Mata had already been dropped from Spains squad once this season and with the country blessed with so many playmakers, he was in real danger of being overlooked for the trip to Brazil to defend their title.LISBON, Portugal -- Sporting Lisbon defender Xandao scored with an audacious back-heeled shot in a 1-0 win over Manchester City on Thursday in the first leg of the last 16 of the Europa League. Xandao pounced in the 51st minute in a goalmouth scramble after keeper Joe Hart had failed to hold Matias Fernandezs dipping free kick or palm it safely out. Sporting, lying fourth in its domestic championship and playing under its second manager this season, proved to be a tough adversary and had Man City on the ropes for long spells. City tried to slow the pace of the game in the first half, but after falling behind the Premier League leaders sharpened their attack by introducing Samir Nasri and Mario Balotelli, who hit the goal frame with a late header. City had an early setback when central defender Vincent Kommpany went off injured within the first 10 minutes and was replaced by Joleon Lescott. Jamie Collins Authentic Jersey. Hart blocked Joao Pereiras early effort as Sporting pressed forward. But at the other end, goalkeeper Rui Patricio stuck out a leg to stop Kolo Toures header. City midfielder Gareth Barrys shot from the edge of the area scraped the post in the 24th. Sporting grew bolder after Xandaos strike. Ricky van Wolfswinkel was unmarked and looked certain to make it 2-0 when he received the ball inside the area from Emiliano Insua, but the Dutch striker shot weakly toward Hart. Roberto Mancinis substitutions restored the balance of the game as City created a series of chances, however a sliding tackle by Xandao denied Sergio Aguero in the closing minutes. The second leg in Manchester is next Thursday. ' ' '

HOUSTON -- Zach Randolph, DeAndre Jordan and Luis Scola were among the top players who dazzled NBA-starved fans in a charity celebrity game in Houston pulled together by former player and coach John Lucas. Augusto Fernandez Argentina Jersey . But former player Mike James, also a minister, summed up the issue looming on everybodys mind in his pre-game invocation Sunday. "I pray you will unlock the lockout, in Jesus name," James said, to laughter. "Amen." NBA players are taking game opportunities where they can, with the lockout into its fifth month and no end in sight. The players at Lucas game say theyre stressing patience and remain supportive behind union leaders who rejected the leagues latest proposal for a new labour deal. "Im not too optimistic, Im not too pessimistic," said Houston point guard Kyle Lowry, the Rockets player representative. "Were all together, were all in this together. Weve missed cheques, and were going to miss cheques. But we have to get a fair deal." When talks broke off last Monday, NBA commissioner David Stern declared a "nuclear winter" had arrived and said the 2011-12 season was "in jeopardy." The locked-out players began filing class-action antitrust lawsuits against the league in at least two states, saying Sterns ultimatums left them no other choice. "This is for us, this is for the future of the league, this is for everybody," Lowry said. "Its for the good of basketball. Now its up to our lawyers to get this deal done." Meanwhile, more players seem to be considering playing in Europe as an alternative to an NBA season. Kevin Durant was supposed to headline Sundays event, but Lucas said the Oklahoma City star is working on a deal to play in Germany. Kobe Bryant was in contact with a team in Italy and Dwyane Wade authorized his agent to listen to viable offers. Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose also attended, though he sat out the game. Rose has been working out in Los Angeles with other players during the lockout, and said hes not looking to play overseas. "Im not going anywhere, Im good," Rose said. "Im just trying to stay in a nice place where you never know what will happen, or what can happen, what will happen. Now, Im trying to keep myself in nice shape, and stay positive. Hopefully, well have a season Scola has been working with his Argentine national team and a club team in his home country. He was hoping the lockout wouldve ended by now, but may start considering playing overseas as well. "Its very hard to make a plan, because you really dont know whats going to happen," he said. "Ive been saying that I dont want to go to a place for a week or two for three or four months. If I wouldve gone, it wouldve been more than two weeks, it wouldve been two or three months. "At some point, I have to just go play," he said. "I dont know when is going to be that point." For two hours on Sunday night, the players at Lucas game set aside their dispute with owners to remind fans what theyre missing. The six-foot-11 Jordan, a Houston native whos played three seasons with the Clippers, set the tone with three powerful dunks in the first three minutes. Neither side played much defence and the officials hardly blew their whistles in the fast-paced, entertaining game rich in dunks and three-pointers. Kenneth Faried, Denvers first-round pick over the summer, stole the spotlight with a handful of fierce dunks, including a one-handed windmill jam in the second quarter. He was glad to at least get into a simulated NBA game as he awaits the start of his pro career. "Its very helpful, getting a feel for the game and how guys play," Faried said. Lowrys team, which included Scola, Randolph and Marcus Camby defeated a team with Jordan, Damion James and Jordan Hill by a score of 166-157. No individual statistics were kept. "Its good to get some live work in, some action," Jordan said. "Working out an individual drills is not the same as going against a body and getting that real conditioning." The game was played at Delmar Fieldhouse, a 5,400-seat gym on the northwest side of the city. It was the home court for the Houston Cougars basketball team in the late 1960s. Proceeds from the game benefitted Lucas foundation, which helps athletes who need after care or wellness services and programs. Former Rockets Moses Malone and Robert Horry were the celebrity coaches of each team, All-Pro Texans receiver Andre Johnson sat next to Malone and former Rocket Steve Francis sat at courtside in the second half. Hugo Campagnaro Jersey . -- Jacksonville Jaguars rookie receiver Marqise Lee has agreed to terms on a four-year contract worth more than $5 million. Sergio Romero Argentina Jersey . "Yeah, [I heard them]," he said. "They made me miss the free throw." A year ago, Lowrys post-game antics may not have been so well received but what was snide and snarky is now endearing quick wit.RALEIGH, N.C. -- Winless in shootouts this season, the Carolina Hurricanes werent optimistic when Fridays game against the Anaheim Ducks was tied after 65 minutes. But Chris Terry helped the Hurricanes end their homestand successfully, scoring the game-winner in the shootout to lift Carolina to a 3-2 victory over the Ducks. With the win, Carolina improved to 3-10 in shootouts since the start of the 2011-12 season. "Obviously, the confidence wasnt very high going into shootouts," Carolinas Jordan Staal said. "Theres a fine line in those shootouts -- things can go right and wrong pretty quickly. Were glad we got the upper hand tonight." Eric Staal and Drayson Bowman scored for Carolina in regulation while Justin Peters made 28 saves. Peters, who is filling in for the injured Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin, helped Carolina conclude a 4-0-1 homestand by making 138 saves on 144 shots in the five games. "Im just really proud of the effort of the guys," Carolina coach Kirk Muller. "Weve had a couple injuries -- guys have jumped in different spots, different roles, starting with Peters in net. Hes had a great week, great homestand here." Corey Perry had a goal and an assist for the Ducks while Dustin Penner also scored. In his first game since being activated from injured reserve on Thursday, Viktor Fasth stopped 21 shots. After a nine-game stretch in which they went 8-0-1, the Ducks have lost three in a row. Anaheim entered Friday leading the NHL with 31 points. "I think we played pretty well tonight," Anaheims Teemu Selanne said. "The last two games, we havent been at the level where we should be, so were going in the right direction." Perry and Carolinas Riley Nash had scored earlier in the shootout, but Terry won it when he skated quickly at Fasth and made a move before going to his backhand for the goal. Jose Maria Basanta. "Its a different kind of way to help the team, but nonetheless, we got the two points," Terry said. Earlier in the third period, Penner tied the score at 2 with a one-timer on the power play at 7:18. Penners stick broke on the play, but the puck managed to flutter into the net. The Ducks entered the game ranked 28th on the power play, having scored eight goals. Only two of those had come on the road. Carolina took a 2-1 lead 3:01 into the third period when Bowman collected the puck off the boards and charged the net, shovelling the puck past Fasth after he skated along the goal line. After the first 35 minutes had few scoring chances, Anaheim and Carolina both struck in the final five minutes of the second period. The Ducks opened the scoring when Carolinas Justin Faulk made an ill-advised pass through the middle of the ice from deep in his own zone. Anaheims Ryan Getzlaf intercepted the puck and passed it to Perry, who snapped it past from Peters from close range at 18:00 of the second. Perry entered the night tied for sixth in the NHL with 11 goals. Carolina answered 1:43 later with a power-play goal. Semin skated across the blue line and created space by cutting across the middle of the zone. After delaying for an extra second, Semin sent a wrist shot that deflected off Staal and beat a screened Fasth high on the glove side. "We knew he fakes and fakes and fakes and fakes," said Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau, who coached Semin in Washington. "I think our young penalty killers bit too easily on him there. They hadnt seen him play before." NOTES: Getzlaf returned to the Ducks lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury. ... After its five-game homestand, Carolina will play three of its next four on the road, beginning Saturday night in St. Louis. ' ' '

BALTIMORE -- Detroits Justin Verlander wasnt overly concerned with his less-than-stellar outing against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. Adrian Peterson Jersey On Sale . Instead, he focused on the final result: another Tigers victory. Rajai Davis homered, and Detroit overcame a rare shaky performance by Verlander to complete a three-game sweep of the Orioles with a 7-5 victory. The Tigers have won 12 of their last 15 games, including eight in a row on the road. Baltimore has lost four straight. Verlander (5-2) allowed a season-high five runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks in six innings. He still improved to 7-0 in eight outings at Camden Yards. But it was the first time in 15 games a Detroit starter allowed more than three runs. "Winning as a team is all that matters," Verlander said. "Obviously, today was a great team effort. Our boys put up a bunch of runs." Davis hit his third home run of the season and had two RBIs. Baltimores Nelson Cruz had two hits, including his 11th home run, a three-run shot in the fifth inning that pulled Baltimore to within 6-5. Adam Jones went 3 for 5 with an RBI and extended his hitting streak to nine games. "Were not going to focus on what happened in bad situations," Cruz said. "Were going to focus on whatever we did good on a daily basis, and that can get you going through the season." Staked to a 6-0 lead, Verlander was cruising until the fifth, when he allowed five runs with two outs. He gave up consecutive RBI singles to Jones and Chris Davis before Cruzs three-run homer to left cut the deficit to 6-5. "In the American League, no lead seems to be safe," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. Davis gave Detroit some breathing room with his solo shot in the sixth. Joe Nathan pitched a scoreless ninth for his 10th save. He hasnt allowed a run in six straight appearances. Kevin Gausman (0-1) was making his first start for the Orioles since June 13, 2013, and lasted just four innings. He allowed five runs on six hits with two strikeouts, two walks and a wild pitch. "Obviously, I wasnt too thrilled with it," Gausman said. "I thought I did some good things early on, keeping down in the count. As the game progressed, my fastball started going up in the zone." Detroit opened a 2-0 lead in the third on a two-out, two-RBI single by Miguel Cabrera. He is batting .391 with 53 RBIs in 51 career games against Baltimore. The Tigers extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth with some aggressive base running and timely hitting. After a double steal, Bryan Holiday had an RBI single and Danny Worth followed with a drag bunt up the first base line for another run. Davis then hit a long sacrifice fly to centre Verlander threw behind Cruz in the fourth, prompting home plate umpire John Tumpane to issue a warning to both benches. On Monday, Orioles starter Bud Norris plunked Torii Hunter in the rib cage after allowing a go-ahead, two-run homer to Ian Kinsler in the eighth, which caused both dugouts to empty, though no punches were thrown. Don Kellys RBI single off Miguel Gonzalez in the fifth increased the lead to 6-0 NOTES: Baltimore RHP Chris Tillman has been bothered by a sore groin but expects to make his scheduled start Friday after a bullpen session. ... Manager Buck Showalter will miss Saturdays game in Kansas City to attend his daughters graduation at SMU. Bench coach John Russell will fill in. ... Orioles RHP prospect Parker Bridwell came two outs shy of a no-hitter Tuesday for Single-A Frederick. Bridwell struck out eight batters and did not allow a base runner until a walk in the sixth inning of the Keys 7-0 win over Potomac. ... Tigers RHP Luke Putkonen (right elbow inflammation) pitched two innings Tuesday in a rehab assignment at Triple-A Toledo. He allowed four runs on five hits and will likely make one more rehab outing. ... RHP Anibal Sanchez (right middle finger laceration) is scheduled to come off the disabled list and start Sunday nights game at Boston. ... RHP Rick Porcello was scheduled to pitch a bullpen session Wednesday after experiencing tightness in his side in Mondays 4-1 win over the Orioles. Audie Cole Jersey . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points.  Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. Michael Harris Authentic . Almost 18 months after Armstrongs seven Tour wins were wiped from the record, an independent panel created by the new International Cycling Union leadership has begun work to discover the extent of the sports past problems.Winnipeg Jets 4 Vancouver Canucks 3 (Jets 26-25-5, home 14-11-4) – Winnipeg Jets made it seven wins in their last nine games with the win and for now move to within six points of the Canucks, who hold down the final playoff spot. The Jets jumped into a quick 2-0 lead in the first on goals by Zach Bogosian (3rd) and Devin Setoguchi (9th) 1:05 apart. Toby Enstrom and Andrew Ladd drew assists on the Bogosian goal, a point shot that seemed to dip and get by former Moose goaltender Eddie Lack. It was only the third time in the last nine games the Jets scored first. A great pass by Dustin Byfuglien led to the Setoguchi goal, with Mark Scheifele also assisting. Scheifele now has 12 points in his last 12 games. The Canucks got a power play goal from Alex Edler to make it a 2-1 score after the first, the Jets outshooting Vancouver 15-7. The Canucks tied the game at 4:48 of the second with an unassisted goal, but less than two minutes later the Jets had the lead back on Michael Froliks 11th of the year. Ladd with his second assist of the game and Bryan Little were also in on the goal. Shots on goal in the second were 13-10 Jets. Lack was the star of the second with at least four outstanding saves, two off Scheifele on great feeds from Blake Wheeler. The Canucks played with desperation in the third and dominated the early going, but it was now Ondrej Pavelec coming up with some big saves to keep the Jets in front. At 11:50 Jason Garrison with a bomb from the point scored his 6th of the season to tie the game, setting the stage for Setoguchi to geet the winner. Cris Carter Jersey. He fired a low shot to the far corner from the right side for his second of the game and 10th of the year. It was a great set up by Jacob Trouba who picked up his eighth point in the last eight games. Setoguchi becomes the ninth Jet to hit double digits in goals, tying the Jets for the NHL lead in that category. It was Pavelecs 10th start in the last 11 games and he upped his record to 6-2 in the last eight. Final shots were 34-26. In the game against Nashville Predators on Tuesday, Setoguchi took a costly penalty, in this game he scored the winner. "Really happy for him, its been a tough stretch of games and I always want to have those players have an opportunity to respond for their teammates." said Coach Paul Maurice. The Jets passing was very sharp in the first half of the game. "For 30 minutes we had better looks than in any other game weve played. Had great chances." On the Canucks chances. "What were trying to do will come back and bite us sometimes but were going to stick with it. Theres going to be parts of the game they are going to control, we just have to manage it. Our compete level is high, our resiliency is really good." For the third straight game Bogosian led the Jets in ice time, Frolik led in shots on goal with five. Trouba was a plus two and leads the team at plus 10. Jets again were over 30 hits with Byfuglien leading the way with six. It was the Jets final home game before the Olympic break, as they prepare for a four game road trip starting in Montreal Sunday afternoon (TSN 1290). ' ' '

The 2014 NHL draft is many things to many people, but Year of the Defenceman it is not. Augusto Fernandez Jersey . The oddity, of course, is that its a blueliner who is the mid-season favorite to be taken No. 1 overall at the draft in Philadelphia, June 27-28. Barrie Colt defenceman Aaron Ekblad is No. 1 on TSNs Mid-Season Top 50 Prospects rankings. In a survey of 10 NHL team scouts, Ekblad garnered eight No. 1 votes and was No. 2 on the remaining two ballots. The only other players to get a No. 1 vote, one apiece, were Kootenay Ice centre Sam Reinhart and Kingston Frontenac centre Sam Bennett (who was ranked No. 1 by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau in its mid-term rankings). Ekblad and Reinhart both performed admirably for Canada at the 2014 World Junior Championship but the defenceman clearly made a bigger impact, reversing TSNs pre-season polling that had Reinhart at No. 1, by virtue of five first-place votes, compared to Ekblads three. The truth is, from the Ivan Hlinka Memorial under-18 tournament last August through to the Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects game in mid-January, the 6-foot-4, 216-pound defenceman has been on a strong, steady arc. "In the summer, a lot of the projections for (Ekblad) were he might not be anything more than a (No.) 4 (NHL defenceman), that he was neither a real offensive threat or a true shutdown defenceman," one scout told TSN. "But the way he played at the Hlinka, this season in Barrie, the World Juniors and the Prospect game, hes showing a lot more range in his game." While Ekblad will never be a power play quarterback, he can hammer the puck well enough to project as a power play shooter from the point and score goals. Both at the Hlinka and WJC, Ekblad was consistently used in a shutdown role and performed well. Many scouts believe now he has top-pairing NHL potential, a big body who can skate, move the puck, defend, contribute offensively and play both sides of special teams while munching a lot of minutes. After the WJC, Ekblad scored four goals (including a shorthanded marker) and one assist in one game. "Hes not a superstar by any means," another scout said, "but hes going to be a very good NHL defenceman." Some scouts have taken note of Victor Hedmans emergence, the second overall pick in the 2009 draft, as a top-minute defenceman for Tampa this season and see many similarities in Ekblad. Ekblad is far and away the top defenceman in this draft. Only one other blueliner - Red Deers Haydn Fleury, at No. 6 – cracked TSNs Top 10 prospects. In fact, only five defencemen - Ekblad, Fleury, Kingstons Roland McKeown at No. 17, Swift Currents Julius Honka at No. 18 and Sarnias Anthony DeAngelo at No. 26 – are in TSNs Top 30. The latter three are likely first-round picks, but not by any means guaranteed. Relative to recent years, the death of top-echelon defencemen is striking. Last year, eight of the top 18 picks were defenders. In 2012, eight of the top 10 picks were blueliners. Scouts do not believe this years draft class has the same high-end sizzle and overall depth as last years group that was headed by Nathan MacKinnon, Seth Jones, Jonathan Drouin and Aleksandr Barkov. And it would be fair to say theres more anticipation for the 2015 draft class, headed by highly-touted Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, amongst others, than this year. But the scouts also cautioned that the top-end prospects this year are still excellent talents, just not necessarily potential stars. TSNs No. 2-ranked Reinhart didnt really do anything to "lose" No. 1 status from the pre-season as much as Ekblad simply elevated his game. Reinhart has played very well in the WHL and logged significant minutes for Canada at the WJC. A centre in junior, some scouts believe hell be best suited to wing in the NHL. Reinharts chief assets are an extremely high hockey I.Q. and skill level as both a goal-scorer and playmaker. Hes not physically overpowering and his skating is not dynamic but a seemingly innate ability to be in the right place at the right time to make plays is his trademark. Kingstons Bennett, the only player other than Ekblad and Reinhart to get a No. 1 vote, is No. 3 on the TSN list. The competitive centre who has some of the same qualities as his Kingston general manager Doug Gilmour can be both a productive offensive force but also does quality work without puck, earning rave reviews for his complete approach to the game. Oshawa General winger Michael Dal Colle checks in at No. 4 on TSNs list. The rangy forward has a pro shot and was a top five prospect on eight of 10 scouts ballots, including one vote as the second-best prospect available in this draft. No. 5 on TSNs list is Prince Albert Raider centre Leon Draisaitl, who is destined to be the highest-drafted German player and, for now, the top European prospect on the TSN list. But Draisaitl seems to be trending in the wrong direction. He played poorly at the WJC and didnt perform particularly well in the CHL Top Prospects game. But hes still a big-body, two-way centre. The second half of the season could mean more to Draisaitls ranking than any prospect in the draft. The balance of TSNs Top 10 is top heavy with wingers. Only two-way defenceman Fleury, at No. 6, interrupted a run on wingers: Peterborough Petes power forward Nick Ritchie is No. 7, followed at No. 8 by Niagara Ice Dog Brendan Perlini, whose assets are size, speed and an NHL shot. The No. 9 slot belongs to Finnish winger Kasperi Kapanen, the son of former NHL winger Sami Kapanen, and the Top 10 is rounded out by Calgary Hitmen power winger Jake Virtanen, a strong skater who drives the net and can play the physical game. There appears to be a lot of volatility in this years mid-season rankings. NHL scouts dont seem as fully sold on this years first-round prospects, especially those ranked from No. 11 through to 30. One of the issues is size. Many of the more skilled prospects - Swedish forward William Nylander at No. 11, the son of former NHLer Mikael Nylander, Denmarks Nikolaj Ehlers, a forward with the Halifax Mooseheads at No. 15, No. 22 Russian Nikolay Goldobin, a forward in Sarnia, No. 23 Czech winger Jakub Vrana , No. 24 Swiss forward Kevin Fiala, Sarnia offensive defenceman DeAngelo at No. 26, No. 29 Windsor winger Josh Ho-Sang and No. 30 forward Rob Fabbri of the Guelph Storm - are all listed as sub-6-footers by NHL Central Scouting. And while scouts dont dispute the individual skill level of prospects like Nylander, Goldobin, Vrana, DeAngelo, Ho-Sang and No. 25 ranked Nick Schmaltz of the USHLs Green Bay Gamblers (headed for University of North Dakota), multiple scouts expressed some reservation about those players trying to do too much with the puck or not showing enough consistency and commitment to the team game. "Nylander is the most skilled player in this draft, bar none," one scout told TSN. "But he likes to play the game on his own." Another scout said: "Some nights you watch Schmaltz and hes a dominant player, best on the ice, but then he doesnt even show up a lot of games." A third scout said: "Ho-Sang played a great game at Prospects and showed an ability to play with others but a lot of nights in Windsor, he wants to do it on his own. There seem to be a lot of guys like that this year." No goalie was ranked in TSNs Top 30, but American Thatcher Demko, who plays at Boston College, fell just outside, at No. 31, and should be considered a potential first-rounder. He was the overwhelming consensus top goalie in a year where theres never been so little consensus beyond the top guy. Demko appeared on eight of 10 ballots, but the next highest ranked goalie, Alex Nedeljkovic of the Plymouth Whalers at No. 42, was on only five of 10 ballots. Swedish goalie Jonas Johansson was the only other goalie to crack TSNs Top 50, filling the 50th and final spot. There were, however, three goaltenders getting honorable mention for the Top 50: Finlands Kaapo Kahkonen; Charlottetowns Mason McDonald; and Russian Ivan Nalimov. One note regarding TSNs rankings. The numbers assigned are a projection of when TSN believes a prospect is most likely to be drafted, if the draft were being held now. Its not a subjective analysis - not to be confused with the many scouting services who actually evaluate the prospects - as much as it is a numerical consensus obtained from surveying NHL scouts and where they rank specific players. TSNs next ranking - a revised Top 10 - will be done in April at the same time as the NHL draft lottery. TSNs final rankings come out the week prior to the NHL draft in late June. Sergio Romero Argentina Jersey . The Jets are 1-2-1 against Nashville this year despite outscoring the Predators 11-10.  Blake Wheeler and Olli Jokinen lead Winnipeg with four points, while Craig Smith has four for the Predators. Maxi Rodriguez Argentina Jersey . The Italian came from behind to overtake Jarlinson Pantano in the final 50 metres and edge out Dario Cataldo on the line after a climb to the sanctuary of Oropa, the scene of Marco Pantanis memorable victory in 1999.TORONTO -- Toronto FC finally found a home for Richard Eckersley on Monday, sending the English fullback to the New York Red Bulls for a fourth-round pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft. The move, long expected, was money-related. The MLS Players Union listed Eckersleys salary last season at US$310,000, second-highest among the numbers made public for Toronto players. His number for 2014 was even higher, thanks to a contract renegotiation last year to help ease the 2013 salary cap burden. Toronto declined comment when asked if the club was absorbing any of that salary. "As per team and league policy, we cant disclose terms of the deal," a Toronto spokesman said. Which sounds like a yes. Toronto was more interested in ridding itself of Eckersleys wages than getting something in return, which other clubs knew. While a fourth-round draft choice is a modest prize -- there are only four rounds in the SuperDraft -- Toronto GM Tim Bezbatchenko can add it to the draft choices obtained for the rights to goalie Stefan Frei and midfielder Bobby Convey, two other players who did not figure in TFCs future. Eckersley, 24, made 92 appearances for Toronto over three seasons after joining the club on loan from English side Burnley FC in April 2011. The loan became a permanent deal in January 2012. Eckersley established himself as a starter at right fullback, filling in at centre back when needed. Signed to a rich contract by a previous regime, he found himself on the outs towards the end of last season because of his salary cap hit. The red-haired Brit wass a fan favourite for his marauding runs and combative style. Jose Maria Basanta. But manager Ryan Nelsen used Mark Bloom for the last six games of the season, electing to keep Eckersley on the sidelines with his future on the club uncertain. The team recently signed veteran English fullback Bradley Orr on loan from Blackburn Rovers. "Weve been really honest with Richard," Nelsen said prior to flying to Florida for training camp Sunday. "Hes given great service to the club. Hes done really well and its not his fault that a contract was given that was probably not appropriate." NOTES -- The Vancouver Whitecaps filled a void at right back by acquiring Steven Beitashour from the San Jose Earthquakes for allocation money. Born in California to Iranian parents, Beitashour holds dual American-Iranian citizenship and has represented Iran. The Whitecaps also announced the signing of midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy, acquired in Stage 2 of the 2013 MLS Re-Entry Draft ... Former Toronto FC midfielder Maurice Edu has joined the Philadelphia Union on a one-year loan from Stoke City of the English Premier League. Edu, who was MLS rookie of the year in 2007 with Toronto, returns to MLS in a bid to get more playing time in advance of the World Cup. The American joins the Union via the leagues allocation process, which previously was not valuable as a way to sign designated players. The league has changed that rule for 2014, saying it reviews roster rules on an annual basis "and reserves the right to modify them prior to each season." ' ' '

Every night of the Stanley Cup playoffs, TSN hockey analyst and former NHL goaltender Jamie McLennan breaks down each goalies performance. Knowshon Moreno Jersey . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins (3) - Big saves on Max Pacioretty, Rene Bourque and Brendan Gallagher, he had no chance on the Tomas Plekanec goal - backdoor and the other two were breakaways by P.K. Subban and Dale Weise. Faced a lot of breakaways tonight, uncharacteristic of Bruins. Carey Price, Montreal Canadiens (4) - Big saves on Torey Krug, Jarome Iginla, Reilly Smith, that allowed the Habs to roll on home ice. The Bruins were clearly trying to target the top of the net, his patience and upright butterfly was on display, calm, cool and in control of his movements, evident in the big save on Krug Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks (2) - Not a lot of chance on the three goals against. Minny was coming in waves and the Hawks had no answer for them. Two tips and a nice 3-on-2 convert on the Mikael Granlund goal. This is not a high shots series, but there are a good amount of scoring chances against. Ilya Bryzgalov, Minnesota Wild (5) - Huge save on Jonathan Toews in the third period. He wasnt tested a ton, but was really controlled in his movements tonight. He showed good rebound control and handled the puck well tonight. Good exchanges with his defencemen. Derrick Shelby Jersey . Dribbling on the perimeter with the final seconds ticking off the clock and Washington down by a point, Wall found his opening. Mike Wallace Authentic Jersey . It all paid off Friday night, when the Toronto right-hander earned his first victory since 2008 with an effective and emotional effort at Baltimore. McGowan allowed five hits over 6 1-3 innings, and the Blue Jays used two unearned runs to beat Chris Tillman and the Orioles 2-0. INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Pacers bench didnt provide much in Saturday nights 97-96 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Danny Granger, Luis Scola, C.J. Watson and Ian Mahinmi combined to shoot just 4 of 18 for 16 points. None played more than Watsons 18:33. "Weve got to figure out something to get a better rhythm with that group," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. Maybe the arrival of Andrew Bynum will help. Hours after the Pacers signed the free-agent centre for the rest of the season, Indiana overcame an early deficit and held off the Nets to improve to an NBA-best 22-2 at home. Bynum wasnt in the arena -- Vogel said before the game that the mercurial big man had returned to Cleveland and hadnt had a chance to meet his new teammates yet. But Indianas All-Star starter, Paul George, isnt concerned about Bynums reputation. "I think it increases our chances (of winning a championship)," George said. "A lot of teams have three centres. With us only having two, him being one of the best ones out there, its a no-brainer to go after a talented guy like that." The Pacers (36-10) eked out the win despite a season-high 24 turnovers that Brooklyn converted into 36 points. "We didnt play a great game," Vogel said. "Weve got to get under control." George and Roy Hibbert both had 20 points for the Pacers, who swept the four-game season series. Lance Stephenson, left out of the All-Star game despite leading the NBA in triple-doubles, added 14 points for Indiana. David West had 17 points and George Hill scored 10. "Weve got to be a little more patient. Were swinging for the fences a little too much in terms of trying to make some tight interior passes as opposed to making the simple play," said West, who had a game-high seven assists. Shaun Livingston scored a season-high 24 points for the Nets, who couldnt hold an early seven-point lead against the Eastern Conference leaders. Joe Johnson, an All-Star selection, spent much of the night dueling with Stephenson and scored 16 for Brooklyn, which has lost three straight since starting January with 11 wins in 12 games. "We play 82 games through the season and youre going to have your ups and downs, and hopefully youre ready come playoff time," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. Stephenson, unhappy he was left off the All-Star team, had words at times with the Brooklyn bench. "I could care less if its personal," Johnson said. "He needs to talk it over with the coaches. Ive got nothing to do with it." Paul Pierce scored 15 points, Deron Williiams added 13 and Kevin Garnett had 12 for the Nets, who were coming off a 120-95 loss at home to Oklahoma City on Friday night. Cortland Finnegan. "The guys were active tonight and we got our hands on some balls and we turned them over," Kidd said. "We didnt capitalize as well as we wanted, but definitely an improvement from what we did the night before." West scored seven points in the fourth quarter, hitting five of six free throws to help the Pacers hold on. "David always comes through when we need him most," George said. "He shines in those moments. He really picks us up in those moments." Brooklyn tied the score at 76 on Livingstons two free throws with 10 minutes left, but Hibbert converted a three-point play and Indiana led the rest of the way. Livingston pulled Brooklyn to 85-83 with 5:10 to play, but after an extended Indiana possession, Stephenson hit two free throws after being fouled by Johnson, then Hibbert slammed home a dunk. The Nets wouldnt go away, though. Hill hit one of two free throws with 18.6 seconds to play for a 94-90 lead before Johnsons 3-pointer with 8 seconds left made it 94-93. West then hit two free throws, rebounded Pierces missed 3 and hit one more free throw to make it 97-93. Williams hit a 3 with 0.4 seconds left, and the game ended after Scola threw the inbounds pass off Pierces back. "The one thing we said was, Dont throw it out of bounds," Vogel said. "We said, Throw it anywhere where it hits them or us." Brooklyn took advantage of a sluggish start by the Pacers to lead by seven points three times in the first quarter, the last on Johnsons short jumper that put the Nets ahead 13-6 with 7:28 to play in the period. The Pacers took their first lead at 19-18 on Georges 3-pointer. Livingston hit two jumpers and Johnson added another to put Brooklyn back ahead 24-19, but Indiana closed the quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 25-24. Neither team could build a lead greater than four points in the second quarter, and the lead changed hands six times, with five ties. Georges driving layup with 6 seconds to play gave the Pacers a 46-45 halftime lead. The Pacers outscored Brooklyn 12-2 over the first 3:36 of the third quarter, building a 58-47 lead and prompting a timeout by Kidd. Brooklyn responded with a 19-9 run to pull to 67-66. Indiana scored the next five points, but Alan Anderson hit a 3-pointer, Mason Plumlee made one of two free throws and the Nets trailed just 72-70 entering the fourth. NOTES: The Pacers improved to 32-1 when leading after the third quarter. ... Indiana missed four of its first seven shots. ' ' '

The Winnipeg Goldeyes released their 2014 schedule on Wednesday, highlighted by the 2014 American Association All-Star Game taking place at Shaw Park on July 29.Ezequiel Lavezzi Jersey . "This is always an exciting day for our organization as we begin to see what the 2014 season will look like," Goldeyes general manager Andrew Collier said. "Theres lots of variety with 10 different teams visiting Winnipeg, but also six series at home against North Division rivals." The Goldeyes will begin their season in Texas for the third straight summer. The 2014 campaign for Winnipeg starts with a four-game series in north Texas against the Amarillo Sox before shifting to south Texas for a three-game series against the Laredo Lemurs. Following an off-day, the Goldeyes conclude the trip with three games in Lincoln against the Saltdogs. Winnipegs 2014 home opener is scheduled for May 26 against the Sioux City Explorers. Its the first time the Goldeyes will face the Explorers in their home opener since 2005. The seven-game homestand ends with four games against Lincoln.The Grand Prairie AirHogs will make their first ever visit to Shaw Park from June 10-12. For the second consecutive season, the Goldeyes will go east for a 10-game road trip through the Can-Am League from June 17-26. Winnipeg will entertain a Can-Am League team from August 18-20. The opponents for these 13 games will be known at a future date. The Goldeyes will play on Canada Day for the first time since 2009 as part of a three-game series against the Kansas City T-Bones. As previously released, the 2014 American Association All-Star festivities will take place on July 28-29 at Shaw Park. Winnipegs 2014 regular season schedule will conclude with four games against the 2013 American Association Champion Gary SouthShore RailCats from August 29 – September 1. Click here for the entire 2014 schedule. Hugo Campagnaro Argentina Jersey . New Orleans All-Star forward would have difficulty convincing the Hawks. Davis had 34 points, including 13 in the Pelicans fourth quarter, and New Orleans beat Atlanta 111-105 on Friday night. Hugo Campagnaro Jersey . - Alex Gordon went from a bust to busting the bank. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Eleven days after he was released by the Baltimore Orioles, Steve Pearce was a huge reason they beat Tampa Bay. Pearce hit a two-run homer and made a game-saving defensive play Thursday night in Baltimores 3-1 victory over the Rays. Pearce, who re-signed with the Orioles two days after his April 27 release, hit his second homer in three games. Ubaldo Jimenez (2-4) won his second straight start as Baltimore completed a three-game sweep. The home run by Pearce came off David Price after J.J. Hardys double in the second inning. Playing first base in place of injured slugger Chris Davis, Pearce also made an outstanding stretch to catch a throw from Hardy that completed an inning-ending double play in the fifth. "Stevie may have made the defensive play of the night," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. Rays manager Joe Maddon challenged the call, but the ruling that Pearce kept his foot on the bag was confirmed after a 2-minute review. "The bases were loaded at the time, so if that got past me it could have cleared the bases," said Pearce, who had to wait for the replay decision to be sure the call was right. "It happened so fast and when you look, youre not on the bag anymore, so it depends on what happens." Nick Markakis extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a single in the Baltimore third. Evan Longoria hit a two-out RBI single in the first off Jimenez, who pitched 5 1-3 innings for his second win after going 0-4 in his first month with the Orioles. "Im really happy April is gone,," Jimenez said. Sergio Aguero Jersey. . "Now its May and everything is good." Singles by Adam Jones, Pearce and Jonathan Schoop produced Baltimores final run in the fourth. Darren ODay worked the ninth for his second save. The Rays have scored only eight runs in losing five straight games to Baltimore. They left 11 runners on base in this one. "Our goal right now is to figure out a way to get through it," Longoria said. "We all want to win. We all want to do our part. When it doesnt work out, its definitely frustrating." Price (3-3) gave up nine hits and three runs while striking out three in five-plus innings. It was the 16th time in their last 23 games that a Rays starting pitcher has failed to pitch into the sixth inning. Tampa Bay pitching coach Jim Hickey was ejected in the first inning for arguing a checked swing by Jones. NOTES: Baltimore C Matt Wieters was the designated hitter, one day after having his sore right elbow examined by Dr. James Andrews. No timeframe has been announced for when Wieters, who took pregame grounders at first base, will resume catching. ... Davis (strained left oblique) could be ready for a short minor league rehab assignment next week. ... Showalter will attend his sons graduation from TCU on Saturday, but expects to be back for the night game against Houston. He will miss the May 17 game at Kansas City to attend his daughters law school graduation at SMU. ... The Orioles begin a six-game homestand Friday night with LHP Wei-Yin Chen (3-2) facing Houston RHP Scott Feldman (2-1). ' ' '