7 ERA) figures to start the wild-card gam | Forum

                                      COLUMBUS, Ohio -- When Ohio States passing game was sputtering last month, J. Tampa Bay Rays Pro Shop .T. Barrett kept saying everything was OK. Even after the loss to unranked Penn State, the quarterback insisted no big changes were necessary and the offense was on track.The quiet Texans confidence and patience paid dividends.The Buckeyes went out and routed then-No. 10 Nebraska 62-3 to open November and swamped Maryland by the same score a week later, with Barrett throwing for 680 yards and six touchdowns in the two games.The wind blew down Ohio States passing attack last week against Michigan State, but the Buckeyes escaped with a 17-16 win. Mike Weber rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown, and Barrett ran for 105 yards and threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Curtis Samuel.No. 2 Ohio State is preparing to face the best defense its seen all season in No. 3 Michigan on Saturday, with terrific linebacker/defensive back Jabrill Peppers, a game-changer who has to be accounted for on every play, and perhaps the nations best secondary. Michigan leads the nation in limiting opponents to 245.6 yards per game.We have a respect for them, wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. Just watching a couple of clips within the last couple of days, the press man, theyre going to load a lot of the box and as a group we have to beat man coverage. Thats why you come to Ohio State. Thats why they recruit you, to come beat man coverage.While Barrett spread the ball around earlier in the season, Ohio States offensive resurgence has been built around the dual-threat quarterback; Weber, who is the third Ohio State freshman ever to run for over 1,000 yards; and Samuel, a hybrid back who runs the ball and catches passes with equal skill. Wide receivers have become mostly supporting players.Weve got a lot of different things in our offense that allow us to utilize all three of those playmakers, and theres other guys, too, center Pat Elflein said. Our receivers are playing well, theyre blocking well, which allows for the whole offense to open up. As long as we keep doing that, well hit our shots and well keep playing Buckeye ball like we have been.Barrett said it begins and ends with the play of the offensive line. During the October swoon, the line struggled in pass protection and Barrett was constantly on the run. Adjustments were made.I think our O-line is doing what they need to do, and if our O-line plays well then we have a good day on offense, Barrett said. The main thing is that the offense has really opened things up for the guys running and also for me running the ball.Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Barrett is hard to predict because hes able to do so many things well. The junior is responsible for 99 touchdowns in his Ohio State career, seven shy of Drew Brees Big Ten record.Slippery, Harbaugh said. Tough runner, like a running back, but hes got the vision of a quarterback, hes got the throwing ability of a quarterback. Theres times where he can put the ball into the tightest of windows. He plays with a lot of confidence. Hes an outstanding player. Its a unique combination for a quarterback to have all those things.Samuel has emerged as the go-to guy for Barrett. He leads the team in receiving with 790 yards and seven touchdowns, and has rushed for another 650 yards and seven scores. In what promises to be one of the more intriguing matchups of the day, Samuel could line up in the slot and be staring across at Peppers.Thats a matchup that makes the game even more intriguing, if thats possible. The winner stays in the mix for the College Football Playoff.---More AP college football at www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25.---Follow Mitch Stacy at http://twitter.com/mitchstacy Stitched Rays Jerseys . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Custom Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys .com) - The game was all punts and field goals before Kodi Whitfields catch. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/ . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. NEW YORK -- Buck Showalter was standing in his office at Yankee Stadium when Baltimore reliever Tommy Hunter popped in and grabbed the managers arm, nudging him toward the thumping party in the clubhouse across the hall.And when Showalter emerged through the protective plastic sheets hanging above the entryway, his players roared and doused him in bubbly.Thanks to a victory in their regular-season finale, the power-hitting Orioles are on to the playoffs.Matt Wieters homered from both sides of the plate, Kevin Gausman gave Baltimore a clutch pitching performance and Baltimore snagged an AL wild card by beating the New York Yankees 5-2 Sunday.It never really got away from us, Showalter said. You go through periods when youre like, youve got a chance to win a division, youve got a chance to be a wild card, then youve got a chance to not even be in it. And you dont overcome that without having a real strong mentality.Baltimore will play Tuesday night at AL East rival Toronto for a chance to face AL West champion Texas in a best-of-five Division Series.All we asked for is an opportunity, and right now, we have an opportunity. So, lets celebrate and enjoy this and get back to work, outfielder Adam Jones said.Zach Britton got five outs in a non-save situation and finished perfect in 47 save chances this year with a 0.54 ERA. Wieters had four RBI and Gausman (9-12) was charged with two runs in 7 1/3 innings as the Orioles -- who led the majors by a wide margin with 253 home runs -- closed with their seventh victory in nine games to reach the postseason for the third time in five years.Theyre looking for their first World Series championship since 1983.You just roll the dice and see if you can knock on the door and break through this time, said Dan Duquette, executive vice president of baseball operations.Baltimore (89-73) barely celebrated on the field after Britton struck out Brett Gardner to end it. Several players hugged each other behind the mound, but others simply walked out of the dugout and formed the customary handshake line.Back in their raucous clubhouse, however, the Orioles let loose. They sprayed beer and champagne, joining the AL East champion Red Sox as opponents who celebrated in the visitors clubhouse at Yankee Stadium within the past five days.I think its even more fun to do it here, Gausman said. They beat us up a lot over the years, way past before my time, so its good to celebrate here.In his final game before retiring, New York slugger Mark Teixeira went 0 for 3 and showed off his Gold Glove form with a couple of slick plays at first base. Honored during a 12-minute ceremony and feted with several gifts before the game, he was removed with one out in the top of the seventh inning so he could soak upp the cheers while he walked off the field, fully composed as he hugged his teammates one at a time. Fake Rays Jerseys. Mentally and emotionally, I kind of prepared for it, Teixeira said. It wasnt as weird as I thought it would be.Baltimore squandered a three-run lead Saturday in a 7-3 loss to the Yankees that made its playoff prospects more complicated. But the Orioles got help that night when Detroit and Seattle were beaten, so they knew when they arrived at Yankee Stadium on Sunday that all they needed was a win to get in.When I woke up, I was ready to go, Gausman said. I wanted the game to start at 12 oclock. I was pacing back and forth in here a long time and I wanted the ball today.Jonathan Schoop, who started every game this season, reached on a pop-fly double leading off the third and put Baltimore ahead when he scored on J.J. Hardys sacrifice fly.In the fourth, Wieters was batting left-handed when he hit a two-run homer into the second deck in right field on a 3-0 pitch from Luis Cessa (4-4). That came one batter after Mark Trumbo reached on an infield single when Teixeira failed to scoop third baseman Ronald Torreyes short-hop throw.Manny Machado singled in the sixth and Wieters, batting right-handed, greeted lefty reliever Tommy Layne with another two-run drive just inside the left-field foul pole.Brian McCann went deep for the fourth-place Yankees (84-78), reaching 20 homers for the ninth consecutive season and 10th time overall.Didi Gregorius had an RBI single off Britton with two outs in the eighth before first baseman Chris Davis grabbed Aaron Hicks sharp grounder with two on to end the inning.LOOKING AHEADThe Orioles went 9-10 against the Blue Jays (89-73) this season. They were 4-5 in Toronto, but took two of three crucial games there just last week. We won five straight series on the road at the end of the year. That is a very, very hard thing to do, Jones said.DOUBLE TROUBLEWieters became the first Orioles player to homer from both sides since Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar against Cleveland on July 25, 1996. ... Wieters has seven career multihomer games, three this season.YANKEE DOODLE DANDYGausman was 3-1 with a 1.10 ERA in six starts against the Yankees this year.LET THE RECORD SHOWTeixeira finished with the same amount of hits as games played (1,862). He batted .268 with 409 home runs and 1,298 RBI.UP NEXTOrioles: RHP Chris Tillman (16-6, 3.77 ERA) figures to start the wild-card game, but Showalter did not announce his plans.Yankees: Play their season opener next year April 2 at Tampa Bay.---This story has been corrected to show Britton finished with 47 saves. ' ' '