LOS ANGELES -- Zack Greinke is in midseason form.
Carlos Correa Astros
Jersey . Cole Hamels is just starting his season. Greinke outpitched
Hamels with seven strong innings, Hanley Ramirez homered and Yasiel Puig drove
in two runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia
Phillies on Wednesday night. "It wasnt like everything was incredible, but I
could use anything in or away at any time," Greinke said. "For the most part,
throughout my whole career, Ive had at least two pitches. There have been very
few games where I dont have two pitches working, and usually theres three."
Greinke (4-0) allowed two runs and five hits while striking out 11 and walking
one batter intentionally. Manager Don Mattingly tried to squeeze one more inning
out of the right-hander, but lifted him after Jayson Nix drove Greinkes 108th
pitch to left-centre for a leadoff homer. J.P. Howell got three outs in the
eighth, and Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save after the
Dodgers picked up a couple of insurance runs in the eighth on Ramirezs leadoff
homer to centre and Justin Turners RBI single off Shawn Camp. Greinke is off to
the second-best start of his 11-year career. He won his first six decisions in
2009 with Kansas City, when he finished 16-8 and established career bests with a
2.16 ERA and 242 strikeouts en route to the AL Cy Young Award. "Hes been a great
pitcher. He took off in Kansas City when he won that Cy Young and hes been good
ever since," Hamels said. "Hes a true competitor and hes pretty smart. He
definitely knows how to pitch, and you know when you have to face a guy like
him, you have to keep the other guy from scoring because hes going to do the
same." It was Greinkes 18th double-digit strikeout game in the majors and his
first in 33 starts with the Dodgers. This was the 17th consecutive start in
which Greinke pitched at least five innings while allowing fewer than three
runs. Hamels took the loss in his season debut, after missing the first three
weeks because of biceps tendinitis. The 30-year-old left-hander made 86 pitches,
allowing two runs and six hits over six innings with five strikes and a walk. He
made 30 or more starts in each of the previous six seasons, so starting the
season this late was an adjustment for him. "Thats in the past. I dont really
think about last year or last week. I just keep going forward and try to get
healthy," Hamels said. "I was worried about what I had to do -- build up my
pitch going and get ready to start every five days. Thats what transpired for
the past couple of weeks. Thats kind of all I could do. "I knew what I was going
into. It was just a matter of preparing myself just like I normally have and
getting ready in a spring training-type setting. It was just a couple of weeks
later than everybody else." Puig struck out his first two times up, but lined an
RBI single to right in the fifth to put the Dodgers ahead 2-1 after Hamels gave
up a two-out single by Drew Butera and walked Greinke. "You can never walk the
pitcher. I understand Greinke is a very good hitter, but at the same time, you
have to let him hit his way on," Hamels said. "That right there was the
ballgame. It decided everything in terms of what transpired in the next inning
and it racked up my pitch count right there." Juan Uribes sacrifice fly gave Los
Angeles 1-0 lead in the second, after Matt Kemp led off with the first of his
two doubles. Ryan Howard tied it in the fourth with an RBI single after a
leadoff double by Jimmy Rollins. "One of the keys, where Rollins hit that
leadoff double, I didnt even try to keep him from scoring," Greinke said. "It
would be really tough. As long as you just limit it to that one run, its not
that big of a deal. Thats kind of the mindset. Its been working." Greinke had
nine strikeouts through the first five innings, including five in a row after
Howards hit. Greinke doubled with two outs in the seventh and scored on Puigs
triple off the right field fence. NOTES: Two-time Cy Young Award winner
Clayton Kershaw will make a minor league rehab start on Friday with Class A
Rancho Cucamonga as he works his way back from a muscle strain in his upper
back. He last pitched for the Dodgers in a season-opening 3-1 win over Arizona
during the teams two-game visit to Australia. ... The Phillies have 18
extra-base hits over their last four games after getting none in their previous
four -- the clubs longest drought since a four-game stretch in May 1968. ...
Dodgers 1B and cleanup hitter Adrian Gonzalez, whose 16-game hitting streak
ended Tuesday, didnt start for the first time this season. He pinch-hit in the
ninth and flied out to the warning track in centre with two men on.
Carlos Lee Astros
Jersey . But Paul Osbaldiston, Hamiltons assistant special teams and
kicking coach, said the team still relished the championship game workout.
J.R. Richard Astros
Jersey . Colorado came up big against Chicago last spring, and repeated
that performance Tuesday night. Varlamov stopped 36 shots and Paul Stastny had a
goal and an assist for the Avalanche in a 5-1 victory over the Blackhawks.
http://www.houstonastrosshop.com/Jeff-Bagwell-Jersey/ . Watching them over the past year - and in some cases, two years - has given us
a starting point for this seasons Craigs List.PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Pittsburgh
Steelers and free agent wide receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey have agreed to terms
on a one-year contract. Heyward-Bey caught 29 passes for 307 yards and a
touchdown in 11 games last season with Indianapolis. He spent the first four
seasons of his career in Oakland, catching 140 passes for 2,071 yards and 11
touchdowns in 56 games with the Raiders befoore being released last spring.
Colby Rasmus Astros
Jersey. The 27-year-old Heyward-Bey gives the Steelers the deep threat
they lacked last season after Mike Wallace left via free agency for Miami.
Heyward-Bey is the second wide receiver signed by the Steelers since free agency
began. Pittsburgh and former New Orleans wideout Lance Moore agreed to a
two-year deal last month.
Cheap NFL
Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
