riano, A.J. Burnett and Locke as his starting pit | Forum

Central Coast captain Nick Montgomery has tempered any ambitions of playing finals football in the upcoming A-League season, saying earning back respect is priority. Cheap Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys .With new coach Paul Okon five weeks into the job, the Mariners stalwart isnt afraid to admit last years wooden spooners will again be up against it this summer.Weve got to be realistic. Hes not had loads of time to stamp his style, Montgomery told AAP at the A-League season launch in Sydney on Tuesday.In that 4-5 weeks, as a team, weve really got behind the management style and the way they want to play. I think the boys have responded really well.Montgomery said his team was free of any pressure to succeed, especially with an opening month that has them on the road to Perth, and difficult back-to-back trips to Sydney.Envious of the leagues high-profile clubs opening the chequebook over the winter, he bemoaned his own clubs reluctance to find attract big-name players.But he can see the rebuild comingI dont think theres any expectation on us, he said.If you look at the funds the other teams have got compared to us, its no secret that the owners been cutting costs for the last few years to keep the club sustainable.But the clubs building a good facility that will hopefully take the club forward for the next ten years. This seasons about winning back a bit of that respect that we lost last year.Gone from last year are first-team regulars Joshua Rose, Mitch Austin and former Liverpool star Luis Garcia.In their place sit former Sydney FC pair Jacques Faty, Mickael Tavares, ex-Melbourne midfielder Connor Pain and former Wellington goal-poacher Blake Powell.But with the youngest squad in the league last year, Montgomery said that under the guidance of former Olyroos coach Paul Okon, this season is all about development.Hes got a great track record with young Australian players, he said.At times we had a back four that had the average age of 20-years-old. So that just shows you, right throughout the squad we had young players with not much experience in football. Cheap Baltimore Ravens Jerseys . Cote was eligible to become a free agent Feb. 15. Cote helped running back Jon Cornish run for a league-high 1,813 rushing yards en route to being named the leagues most outstanding player. Cheap Chicago Bears Jerseys . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. https:///...tle-seahawks-jerseys .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.ATLANTA -- Andrelton Simmons confidence was lagging after batting practice. Three hits and his first experience in the middle of a game-ending celebration did wonders for Simmons mood.t4 Simmons hit a game-ending double off Mark Melancon in the 10th inning, lifting the Atlanta Braves to a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. Simmons said he was trying too hard when he left the bases loaded with a groundout to end the eighth, and he adjusted in the 10th inning. "I was trying too hard to end it the first time I had a chance," Simmons said. "The last at-bat I was just trying to make sure I made good contact. I made the adjustment to go the other way and fortunately I did it." Melancon (1-1) walked Dan Uggla to open the 10th. B.J. Upton struck out after fouling off an attempted sacrifice bunt. Melancon then hit pinch-hitter Reed Johnson with a pitch, bringing Simmons to the plate. Simmons sent a long fly ball to the gap in right-centre. Uggla jogged calmly around third base with the winning run before the Braves raced to celebrate with Simmons near second base. Jason Heyward hoisted the shortstop, who said he didnt know how to react. "It was weird," Simmons said. "Seeing everybody run and chase me down was kind of an awkward feeling. I didnt know what to do. "They are big guys," he added. "I made sure I protected myself." Simmons, who also reached with a walk, raised his batting average from .248 to .256. Upton hit his second homer in three days, Heyward had two hits and Uggla had two hits and two walks. Simmons said those are all good signs for the Braves lineup. "Its nice to see everybody contributing and its going to show how good this whole lineup can really be," he said, adding he used a patient approach after batting practice "didnt go like I wanted it to. "I just tried to battle and see the most pitches that I could. That helped a lot," Simmons added. Anthony Vavaro (3-0) pitched a perfect 10th. Four Braves relievers combined to allow one hit in four scoreless innings in the Braves fourth straight win. Gaby Sanchez and Pedro Alvarez hit homers for Pittsburgh. The Braves came close to ending it in the ninth. After Justin Uptons broken-bat single to left field, Freddie Freeman hit a deep fly that centre fielder Andrew McCutchen caught at the wall. Grilli walked Brian McCann before striking out Ramiro Pena. The Braves left the bases loaded in the eighth. Tony Watson walked Chris Johnson. Pena, runnning for Johnson, moved to second base when Watson walked Dan Uggla. Cheap Dallas Cowboys Jerseys. B.J. Upton popped out before Pena and Uggla advanced on Watsons wild pitch to pinch-hitter Evan Gattis. Watson then issued an intentional walk to Gattis, loading the bases before Simmons grounded out to end the inning. The Pirates wasted an opportunity against Craig Kimbrel in the ninth. McCutchen, who had a two-run double in the third inning, hit Kimbrels first pitch in the ninth for a single up the middle. With one out, Russell Martin walked. Kimbrel struck out Travis Snider on three pitches and ended the inning on Alvarezs fly to centre field. McCutchens two run double in the third gave the Pirates a 3-0 lead. Freeman cut the lead to 3-2 when he reached out and slapped a two-run, opposite-field double past Alvarez at third base in the third. Former Braves draft pick Jeff Locke left the game in the sixth inning with a 4-2 lead after giving up a two-out single to Uggla. B.J. Upton tied the game with a two-run homer to centre field off right-hander Ryan Reid. "Youre looking at what you feel is your best matchup at the time and it didnt work out," said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. Locke gave up six hits and three runs in 5 2-3 innings. He matched his season high with seven strikeouts. "I thought everything was working pretty good," Locke said. "I felt pretty good the whole time. There was never any at-bat where I really felt out of it or anything like that. I know I had a couple walks but there were times where I could afford to put that guy on." Minor allowed four hits and four runs, two earned, in six innings. Martin made his first career start in right field. Martin, the starting catcher in Mondays opening game of the series, has appeared in three games at third base this season but no games in the outfield. The Braves traded Locke to the Pirates on June 3, 2009, as part of a package that sent outfielder Nate McLouth to Atlanta. The Pirates also acquired right-hander Charlie Morton in the deal. NOTES: The Pirates are off Thursday before opening at series at the Chicago Cubs. Hurdle said he plans to use Francisco Liriano, A.J. Burnett and Locke as his starting pitchers in Chicago. ... Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he plans to start Gattis on Wednesday to give McCann a rest in the day game following Tuesday nights game. ... The three-game series ends when Braves RHP Julio Teheran faces Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez. The game will end the Braves eight-game homestand. ' ' '