Gast-Ecke » nly resting outside of Toronto,

SAN FRANCISCO -- Jake Peavy brings an all-out intensity to the San Francisco Giants that manager Bruce Bochy considers perfect for the September push. The veteran pitcher only wishes he could face the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend. Peavy did his part to put San Francisco in prime position heading into the key series, striking out eight without walking a batter to win his third start in a row in the Giants 6-2 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. San Francisco, which leads the NL wild-card standings, pulled within two games of the idle Dodgers a day before a key weekend series against the NL West leaders at AT&T Park. "Theres nobody in this clubhouse who believes we cant get it done. Theres a championship pedigree around here," Peavy said. "Over the past few weeks, weve found some identity." Hunter Pence put the Giants ahead on a quirky RBI single in the first. Pence literally threw his bat at the ball, which hit the front corner of second base and skipped into shallow right-centre. Pence also drew a bases-loaded walk in his teams season-best ninth straight home win. "Everybody was kind of laughing," said Juan Perez, who came off the bench to add an RBI double. "You dont see that every time." Buster Posey had a more traditional RBI single among his three hits, helping the Giants extend their season-best home winning streak. Its their longest unbeaten run at AT&T Park since nine in a row in May 2011. Peavy (5-4) walked off to a standing ovation in the sixth after allowing Mark Trumbos RBI double. The right-hander is 5-1 with a 1.12 ERA over his last six starts, finally getting ample run support. Peavy allowed six hits in all over 5 2-3 innings, and has been an important addition since his trade from the Red Sox on July 26. Jake Lamb homered against Santiago Casilla in the ninth, but Arizona matched its season-high losing streak at six games. "If youre not hitting, you have to play better, and we didnt do that," centre fielder A.J. Pollock said. "They had a couple of hits Im still scratching my head how they got. But they are believing in it right now and have a lot of positive vibes going." After Pences earlier bloop, Brandon Crawford hit a single that barely fell in down the line. Left fielder Alfredo Marte tried to catch the ball, stumbled over the bullpen mound and lost his glove. Crawford advanced on the error. The Giants swept Arizona at home for the first time since May 2011. San Francisco plays all of its remaining games against division opponents. Randall Delgado (3-4) was tagged for three runs and seven hits in four innings, making just his second start since April 10. He spent most of the season as a reliever. Arizonas starting pitchers have allowed three or fewer runs in 14 straight games. The Giants have outscored opponents 58-14 during their home winning streak. TRAINERS ROOM Diamondbacks: The D-backs were hopeful rookie OF David Peralta could return Friday from a back injury but manager Kirk Gibson indicated it could be a few more days. Peralta, who hasnt played since Sept. 5, is scheduled for an MRI exam Friday. Giants: OF-1B Michael Morse took dry swings as he works back from a left oblique strain that has forced him to miss the last nine games. "Hes about 50 per cent right now," Bochy said. "Hes, my guess, two to three days away." THE OTHER BOCHY Bochys pitching son, Brett, is yet to make his major league debut since joining the club as a September call-up. A few more runs on the board and he might have had his chance. "I have guys who need some work," the manager said. "Ill get him in at some point. He gets it. Hes been around the game a long time." UP NEXT Diamondbacks: LHP Vidal Nuno (0-5, 3.16) tries again for his first victory since joining Arizona from the New York Yankees, when the D-backs open a six-game homestand by hosting the San Diego Padres. Nunos last win came June 27 against the Red Sox. He has allowed two runs or fewer in his last five starts. Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner (17-9, 3.02) pitches the opener against the Dodgers, looking to build on his already career-best wins. One strikeout will give Bumgarner 200 in a season for the first time in his career. SELIG VISIT: Commissioner Bud Selig stopped at AT&T Park and toured the new edible garden in centre field as part of his farewell ballpark tour. He said he is 18 ballparks into his schedule, with four or five more upcoming stops on the calendar and more in the playoffs. 20:21ET 11-09-14 Brett Hull Jersey . Watch the announcement live on TSN.ca at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt. 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Some devout Muslim athletes choose to fast during training or competition, but it can create selection difficulties for the coaches in team sports. Mike Green Jersey . Nat Borchers headed in the sole goal in the 54th minute, getting on the end of a Kyle Beckerman free kick. The defeat cost Sporting top spot in the Eastern Conference. Even a draw would have moved the Kansas City club above Columbus.TORONTO – It took less than a week for life to sour for the Maple Leafs. Six days after rallying for perhaps their finest win of the season in the sunshine of L.A. – and second in the challenging California triangle – did they drop their third straight game Wednesday, sullied by the hat trick of Steven Stamkos in what proved a dour night at the ACC. "Obviously we havent played as well as we need to," said head coach Randy Carlyle following the 5-3 defeat. "And were not sitting here saying that were playing the type of hockey that is required to have success. Is it a trend? Well we lost three games in a row. If we show the desperation that we displayed in the last half of the game for 60 minutes we surely could improve our chances, thats for sure." With the loss – their fourth in the past five games – Toronto fell three points back of Tampa for second spot in the Atlantic with another key division match looming on Saturday with Montreal in town. Once in fine shape to make it back to the playoffs for a second straight spring, the Leafs are skidding at the wrong time and hurting those chances. They still hold the first wild card position (80 points), but have ceded ground to the Blue Jackets (76 points), Capitals (76), and Red Wings (75) – all have games in hand – also failing to keep pace with the Lightning (83) and Canadiens (83). Still struggling to defend, the Leafs have not had the brilliance of Jonathan Bernier to lean on during this recent three-game slide, nor have they been able to outscore opponents on the strength of their top line, a source of success in many victories this season. With 11 games still remaining they certainly have time to veer back in the right direction. "No sense in panicking," concluded James Reimer following the latest loss. Yielding the first goal for the fifth consecutive game on this night, the Leafs started sluggishly in their first game back from a lengthy five-game road trip, running around in the defensive zone. By the end of 20 minutes they were down 3-2 on a pair from Stamkos, also reeling from the scary loss of Paul Ranger (more on that in Five Points). "Weve had a trend over the last three games where we seem like were starting a little sluggish," said Mason Raymond afterward. "Were not getting the exact start that were wanting. I think later in the game we showed that desperation, but we need that for 60 minutes." Peppering 22 shots at Ben Bishop in the final frame – even pulling to within one on another goal from Jake Gardiner – Toronto made a late push, but like recent comeback efforts in Washington and Detroit, they ultimately fell short. Unhappy with a schedule that saw his team return from 10 days on the road only to host Tampa on the second end of a back-to-back – they lost to the Red Wings on Tuesday – Carlyle felt fatigue was an issue. "Its not an excuse," he said. "But its a trying situation. Its not easy. And you could definitely tell that they had more jump than we did, specifically at the beginning. But we started to play a lot more desperate and we showed that we have more in the tank. Its just that we had to run on some emotion. We didnt have that emotion in the first half of the game and we developed it in the second half of the game and thats the positive part." Five Points 1. Reimers Response Reimer returned to the net less than 24 hours after his performance in Detroit was criticized by Carlyle. His night started just as poorly as the night previous had ended, with Radko Gudas sailing a point shot through a maze of traffic and beyond the surprised 26-year-old. "I just didnt see the puck," said Reimer afterward. "Its a crappy way to start the game." Rarely looking comfortable, though not helped at times by his support staff, Reimer yielded five at the end of the evening on just 30 shots. He owns a .901 save percentage in his last five appearances, all coming consecutively in the past week. "Just like the rest of our team," said Carlyle, noticeably bothered by the swell of attention his comments the previous evening received. "I get in trouble when I comment about goalies with [the media]." "First thing I just wanted to come out and play well and be a difference-maker and unfortunately it wasnt the case," said Reimer. "I felt I made some good saves, but definitely wasnt the performance I was looking for. I wanted to come out and be big, keep your team in it. It just didnt happen tonight." Bothered by a groin injury, Bernier took to the ice Wednesday morning for the first time since he exited a long-awaited return to the Staples Center last week. He was expected to skate again in full equipment again on Friday with his status for a weekend back-to-back still in doubt. 2. Scary Incident Only 4.1 seconds remained in the first when Ranger was hammered from behind by Lightning forward Alex Killorn. Reversing to his left at the very last second, the 29-year-old was caught by the ellbow of Killorn as he was slammed into the glass.dddddddddddd "He was in a tough spot," said Tim Gleason, who rushed in to confront Killorn afterward. "He was facing the glass I think most of the way in. I think a little extra bump and thats all it takes. It almost looks harmless but its not." A hush encompassing the entire arena, Ranger remained down on the ice for quite a while, surrounded by concerned teammates and the teams medical staff. He was eventually helped off the ice on a stretcher, the intermission beginning with time still left on the clock and the Leafs left to wonder about the health of their fallen teammate. "Thats scary," said Joffrey Lupul of the incident, Killorn receiving a five-minute major and game misconduct. "Thats one of your teammates, your friends, a guy you see everyday. It didnt look great when he was leaving the ice. Youre trying to clear your head and focus on the next period, but you cant lie, obviously part of you is wondering whats going on with him." Ranger was taken to a local hospital and, according to the team, was "stable, conscious and alert". 3. Stamkos Dominates With the hat trick Wednesday, Stamkos now has 13 goals and 25 points in 20 career games against his hometown team. Seven games back into his comeback from a broken tibia, he scored his first of the night on a power-play – David Clarkson in the box – lost back-door by Gleason and the Toronto penalty kill. He added a second marker less than three minutes later, just a step ahead of Dion Phaneuf for position in front of Reimer. The Lightning captain completed the trifecta early in the middle frame. Capitalizing on a failed clearing attempt by Lupul, Stamkos beat his counterpart to an Eric Brewer rebound, banging it past Reimer for the fourth Tampa goal. "We had five guys around the puck," said Carlyle of the marker, which made it 4-2 for the Lightning. "We had five people in position, but we were coasting and we were watching." "Were just getting exposed," added Lupul. "The area in which Stamkos scored his goals, you dont want to give anybody, specifically anybody of that skill-set, that kind of space in that area," Carlyle concluded. 4. Reimer II His future almost certainly resting outside of Toronto, Reimer made no secret of his troubles and tribulations this season, relegated to backup duty. "Its been a really big test of character," he said. "Learnt a lot about perseverance, endurance, and fighting through adversity. Really hasnt gone the way Id hoped. I havent played, I dont think, up to my capability for the last little while. Its tough. Its not for lack of effort, not for lack of passion or desire. But things just arent clicking. Im working hard, trying to stay positive, believing in myself and I fully believe that things will turn around." 5. Depth Scoring Offensive depth for the Leafs has gone almost completely quiet. Lupul and one-time linemate Nazem Kadri – they were split against the Lightning – have just two apiece in the past 14 games. David Clarkson has totaled just four all season and one in the past 23 games. Nik Kulemin scored Wednesday for just the second time in the past 18. Peter Holland has gone 20 straight without a single marker, potting just one point in that span. And Jay McClement, a source of eight goals in 48 games a year ago, has just three in 70 games. All of which has upped the pressure on the teams top line to produce, their failure to do so often meaning defeat. Phil Kessel snapped a four-game goal drought with his 35th of the year against the Lightning and though dangerous, his line was held off the scoresheet otherwise. Toronto forwards have just seven goals in the past six games, carried by the defence which has eight, including four from Gardiner. Stats-Pack 5 – Consecutive games in which Toronto has allowed the first goal. 2-1-0 – Leafs record against the Lightning this season. 7 – Goals from the Toronto forward group in the past six games. 14 – Number of times the Leafs have outshot their opposition this season, including a 39-30 advantage on Wednesday. 22:39 – Ice-time for James van Riemsdyk against the Lightning, leading the team. 7 – Consecutive games with a goal for the Leafs defence. 5 – Goals from Jake Gardiner in the past seven games. 20 – Consecutive games without a goal Peter Holland. 2 – Goals for Nik Kulemin in the past 18 games. Kulemin scored his ninth of the year against Tampa. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-3Season: 20.4 per cent (7th) PK: 3-5Season: 78.3 per cent (28th) Quote of the Night "Just like the rest of our team. I get in trouble when I comment about goalies with [the media]. I could say yes and no from here on in, but I dont think that would be fair would it?" -Randy Carlyle, asked about the performance of James Reimer on Wednesday night. Up Next The Leafs host the Canadiens Saturday in another key division clash. Cheap Twins Jerseys Wholesale Royals Jerseys Cheap Tigers Jerseys Authentic Indians Jerseys Cheap White Sox Jerseys Discount Blue Jays Jerseys Wholesale Rays Jerseys Cheap Yankees Jerseys Discount Red Sox Jerseys Discount Orioles Jerseys Discount Astros Jerseys Cheap Angels Jerseys Cheap Athletics Jerseys Cheap Mariners Jerseys Rangers Jerseys From China Braves Jerseys Outlet Cheap Marlins Jerseys Wholesale Mets Jerseys Wholesale Phillies Jerseys Cheap Nationals Jerseys Cubs Jerseys From China Reds Jerseys From China Cheap Brewers Jerseys Wholesale Pirates Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Authentic Rockies Jerseys Dodgers Jerseys From China Wholesale Padres Jerseys Giants Jerseys From China ' ' '