Crazy Rebel(l)s
Thema drucken
15.08.2019 09:46
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CHICAGO -- Paul Goldschmidt cleared his head after being overpowered by Jeff Samardzija in his first three at-bats. Goldschmidt hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the eighth inning, leading the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 12-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night. Arizona starter Ian Kennedy (3-3) allowed four runs on three hits in seven innings and retired 20 of the final 21 batters he faced to help end Chicagos five-game winning streak. Gerardo Parra led the game off with a home run and Jason Kubel hit a bases-clearing double in the seventh inning for the Diamondbacks, who won for just the second time in 12 games at Wrigley Field. Nate Schierholtz hit a solo shot and an RBI double, but the Chicago bullpen couldnt hold a 3-1 lead for Samardzija, who was relieved after throwing 115 pitches. With the scored tied at 4 in the eighth inning, Parra hit what looked to be a go-ahead RBI double off Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol (2-3), but the ball got stuck in the ivy in the centre field wall, resulting in a ground-rule double. Willie Bloomquist, who was running on the pitch and wouldve easily scored from first, was sent back to third base. After a walk to load the bases, Goldschmidt hit a long shot off Marmols slider to centre field for his first career grand slam, giving the Diamondbacks an 8-4 lead. Goldschmidt struck out in his first three at-bats against Samardzija. "You can have three bad ABs, I dont even know if that qualifies as bad ABs. Samardzijas stuff was really good, but you get a chance to win the game in the eighth or ninth you cant live in the past," Goldschmidt said. "Its a game of failure. Its what the game is all about." Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson knows the feeling of rebounding after a few bad at-bats. "You are there, you are striking out, the fans are yelling at you, youre disappointed that youre letting the team down, but it is a great feeling when you come through. It happened to me many times," Gibson said. The Diamondbacks scored a season-high 12 runs and had a season-high 17 hits. Trailing 3-1 in the seventh inning, Goldschmidt worked a walk against Samardzija to put runners on first and second and end Samardzijas outing. After retiring the first batter he faced for the second out, Cubs reliever James Russell walked Martin Prado, and Kubel followed with a double to clear the bases and give Arizona a 4-3 lead. "One thing we did good against him we got his pitch count up. Then we got into their bullpen we got some big hits and won the game," Gibson said. After retiring 17 straight batters, Kennedy was tagged by Schierholtz for a home run leading off the bottom of the seventh. It was Schierholtzs seventh of season. "It was probably only the second time I shook off Miggy (Miguel Montero) all game. He called a great game," said Kennedy. "It was one of those things, Gosh darn it, I should have stayed with it." Samardzija showed flashes of his dominant performance against the White Sox on Monday, but was pitching in and out of trouble most of the night. He allowed three runs and seven hits, while striking out 11 and walking three. In his previous outing against the White Sox, he pitched a two-hitter while striking out eight. The Cubs bullpen gave an up nine runs and 10 hits with four walks in 2 2-3 innings. "The bottom line is, you walk eight guys, youre not going to win too many games, no matter what, when you walk eight guys. It basically came down to the walks. Obviously they got a couple big hits to bust the game open. But the walks were the difference in the game," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. After a 2-hour, 21-minute rain delay, Parra led off the game with a home run to right. It was the fourth time in his career he led off a game with a home run and it was his fifth of the season. "Theyre a fastball-hitting team, theyre really aggressive. I knew they were on it, especially after Parras first at-bat, so I started making better pitches. Used my slider to get ahead in the count and kind of got back on track there. Splitter was good. Just avoid those walks in the seventh," Samardzija said. With no outs in the first inning, the Cubs loaded the bases. David DeJesus scored on Alfonso Sorianos sacrifice fly then Schierholtz hit an RBI double down the right field line. Anthony Rizzo scored on Welington Castillos ground out to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead. Sveum was ejected by home plate umpire Joe West in the second inning after arguing a close call at first base. It was his second ejection of the season. Kennedy was back on the mound after missing his last start because he cut his right index finger while washing a knife. NOTES: Arizona 3B Eric Chavez is expected to miss two to three weeks after an MRI revealed a minor tear of his right oblique muscle. ... Diamondbacks placed RHP Brandon McCarthy on the disabled list Saturday because of right shoulder inflammation and recalled RHP Randall Delgado from Triple-A Reno. ... In his first game of the season, Bloomquist was 3 for 4. He was activated from the DL on Friday with an oblique injury. Grant Hill Magic Jersey .J. -- Seven games into a disappointing season, New York Giants defensive catalyst Jason Pierre-Paul is getting the feeling hes back. Terrence Ross Magic Jersey . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. http://www.magicauthentic.com/kids-grant-hill-magic-jersey/ . 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When embattled Texas?coach Charlie Strong walked into a team meeting room on Sunday, a day after another devastating loss, this time to woebegone Kansas, he said his players looked at him like they were seeing a ghost.Guys, its really me, Strong told them.Strong was the only Texas official with enough courage and guts to show himself in public on Monday, a day after there were various media reports, including from ESPN, that athletic director Mike Perrin and university president Gregory Fenves had already decided to fire him.For the record, Strong said he met with Perrin and talked with Fenves on Sunday. Strong said he was told that he and his coaching staff would be evaluated at the end of the regular season, and that a decision wouldnt be made until after Fridays regular-season finale against TCU in Austin. Perrin said the same thing in a statement the university released on Sunday night.For what its worth, Strong believes the result of Fridays game will carry some weight as to whether or not hell be coaching the Longhorns beyond this season. It might only be wishful thinking -- or maybe not.I dont really think so, Strong said, when asked if he believed a decision about his future had been made. Id like not to think it has, because Ive been told they would make the decision after the TCU game. I dont believe it has been done.Clearly, the odds dont seem to be in his favor. The Longhorns dropped to 5-6 overall after losing 24-21 in overtime at Kansas, which hadnt defeated Texas since 1938. The Longhorns have to beat the Horned Frogs on Friday to become bowl-eligible.Strong is 16-20 overall and 12-14 in Big 12 play in three seasons at Texas.I know the wins and losses dont stack up, Strong said.But after cleaning up Texas off-field issues, Strong believes his young team is improving every week and will be even better in 2017.Next year, I want to come back, Strong said. I look at the job this staff has done and the players theyve put in place and how far weve come. ... Youre looking at a young football team that, when you get everything back in place for the upcoming year, has a lot of talent.Its hard to imagine that Perrin and Fenves would string Strong along for five more days, especially during the Thanksgiving holiday, if theyve already decided he wont be returning for a fourth season. But then again, we are talking about Texas, where the uncomfortable ending of longtime coach Mack Browns tenure dragged on for days before reaching finality in 2013.If Fenves and Perrin had already decided to fire Strong, would they really have paraded him out in front of a roomful of reporters for his regular news conference on Monday? If they were certain they were going to fire him, wouldnt they have already delivered the news to him? At least then he and his players could relax and enjoy what might be their final game together on Friday.Strong said he could already sense that his team was playing tight as speculation about his future swirled the past few weeks. The Longhorns blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter against Kansas, which had lost nine straight games and 19 consecutive Big 12 contests.dddddddddddd. Freshman quarterback Shane Buechele threw three interceptions, including one in overtime, and star tailback?DOnta Foreman?fumbled twice.I can tell on the field how were playing not to lose, Strong said. We have one game left. Its important we play this game for our seniors, because they deserve to get to a bowl game. Were all frustrated. Standing in the room [with his players on Sunday], I could see the look in their eyes how frustrated they were about that loss.Its hard to say Strong has lost his locker room given the show of support Texas players gave on Monday.He doesnt have the support, I guess, of some of the people who are trying to get him out, receiver?Jacorey Warrick?said. But the people who really matter, the players, you can see where our support lies.Texas defensive tackle?Paul Boyette Jr.?made a tearful defense of Strong on Monday. In my heart and my spirit, I want him to be here, he said. I dont make the decisions. Im not the head man in charge. All I can do is pray and hope for the best. I cant say enough about him.If Texas administration has no intentions of bringing Strong back next season, waiting another five days to fire him is only going to make matters worse. The current situation in Austin is eerily similar to what happened at LSU last season, when the Tigers were trying to decide whether or not to fire coach Les Miles.In the days before LSUs regular-season finale against Texas A&M in 2015, there were widespread media reports that the administration was leaning toward firing Miles, who guided the Tigers to two SEC titles and the 2007 BCS national championship.But then a funny thing happened: LSU fans decided they wanted to keep their popular coach. They chanted his name and roared when he was introduced during Senior Day ceremonies. Other fans waved signs of support from the stands. After LSU knocked off the Aggies 19-7, LSUs players carried Miles off the field on their shoulders.Then athletic director Joe Alleva unexpectedly announced that Miles would return to coach for another season. According to various media reports, LSU president F. King Alexander decided Miles wouldnt be fired during a meeting with Alleva and influential boosters in a luxury suite at halftime of the game.Of course, LSUs decision is also a cautionary tale for Texas. After getting new life, Miles coached the Tigers for only four games this season. Alleva fired him the day after an 18-13 loss at Auburn dropped LSUs record to 2-2.Regardless, the Longhorns need to decide what theyre going to do and go ahead and do it. The outcome of one game really cant mean that much in the big picture.As Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley famously said in 2002: If something needs to be done eventually, it needs to be done immediately.It sure beats Strongs current predicament.No person deserves to be in this type of limbo, Boyette Jr. said. ' ' ' |
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