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Jan 17 '20
ARLINGTON, Texas -- When the ball caromed away from Texas Rangers centre fielder Craig Gentry, he quickly recovered to get it and throw to shortstop Elvis Andrus. Randy Coffield Jersey Retro . The game was over after a perfect relay to the plate. Oaklands Josh Donaldson was tagged out by catcher A.J. Pierzynski, preserving the Rangers series-clinching 4-3 victory over the AL West-leading Athletics on Thursday. Donaldson, who reached on a two-out single off closer Joe Nathan, was trying to score from first on Seth Smiths fast-sinking ball that that short-hopped the charging Gentry. "Little did we know, fortunately, that ended up being a blessing," Nathan said. "I was hoping that Gentry had enough foot speed to catch it, but it sunk on him, but he kept it almost in front of him, not too far," manager Ron Washington said. "If he didnt hit Elvis with the relay perfectly, I dont think we would have been able to pull that play off." Ian Kinsler put the Rangers ahead for the first time with his two-out single in the seventh. Texas pulled within a game of the Athletics by winning three times in the four-game set. The divisions top two teams dont play again until the first weekend of August. "Any win right now is special, especially against a good team like the As, especially to win the series," Andrus said. "Theyre really aggressive on the bases. ... I just want to get the ball quick, so I can make a throw and make that guy stop." Kinsler came to the plate in the seventh right after Leonys Martins hustling infield single, getting to first base ahead of Sean Doolittle (3-2) when the pitcher was taking the toss from first baseman Brandon Moss. That loaded the bases with two outs, and Kinsler hit a full-count pitch through the middle of the infield. Donaldson and Smith singled in the ninth after Nathan struck out the first two hitters. When Donaldson saw the ball get away from Gentry, who replaced Martin defensively in centre to start the ninth. Donaldson never slowed down rounding third base even as coach Mike Gallego signalled him to stop after initially waving him home. "As soon as I saw it hit his chest, I was gone," Donaldson said. "It took a perfect throw to get me. It sucks to lose a game that way, but you take that chance. It was frustrating because it was the worst outcome we could have had." Tanner Scheppers (5-0), the fourth reliever after starter Josh Lindblom, worked 1 2-3 scoreless innings before Nathan struck out two in the ninth and got his 22nd save in 23 chances. Oakland, which went from a seven-game deficit in mid-May to starting this series with a season-high three-game division lead, lost for the fifth time in seven games. "That was as frustrating as any loss weve had," manager Bob Melvin said. "They played hard on every single pitch and every single out, but it seemed everything that could go wrong did go wrong." Texas finished 4-7 on its season-long 11-game homestand. David Murphy led off the Texas seventh with a double, but was thrown out at third after Robinson Chirinos bunt back to pitcher Ryan Cook, who was then relieved by Doolittle. Pierzynski had a pinch-hit single and Jurickson Profar a foul popout before Martin kept the inning alive. The As went up 3-2 in the top of the seventh when Jed Lowrie had a leadoff single and eventually scored on an error by Andrus, who went to his right to make a nice grab on Donaldsons grounder. Andrus threw to third, but the ball ricocheted off the leg of the sliding Lowrie, who then got up and ran home. That was all the As got in the seventh, when they left the bases loaded for the second inning in a row. They left 13 runners on base. Oakland went ahead 2-1 in the sixth when pinch-hitter Chris Young drew a bases-loaded walk. Robbie Ross, the fourth pitcher in the inning, then came on and got three straight outs. Lowrie was in a 7-for-48 slide before three hits Thursday. He had an RBI single in the fifth, but grounded into a double play to end the eighth. Geovany Soto, catching until Pierzynski hit for him in the seventh, led off the Rangers fifth with a tying solo homer to straightaway centre. It looked like Coco Crisp had a chance to make a homer-stealing grab, but ran into the 8-foot wall about the same time he was reaching up to try to make the catch. Andrus had a sacrifice fly for Texas in the sixth. Notes: The Rangers said after the game they would option Lindblom to Triple-A Round Rock on Friday, when 1B Mitch Moreland will be activated from the disabled list. .. Rangers RF Nelson Cruz made a leaping catch and held on when he hit in midair the inverted wall in front of the Texas bullpen in the eighth. ... Kinsler got his 161st career stolen base after his go-ahead single, matching Bump Wills for the most in Rangers history. ... In their seven previous plate appearances before Thursday with the bases loaded, the As had been 4 for 4 with a homer, a walk and two sacrifice flies. Bryce Callahan Jersey Retro . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside. Bud Cooper Jersey Retro . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . https://www.cheapjerseyslines.com/matt-szymanski-jersey-retro/ . Jane Virtanen scored two, and Alex Roach and Elliott Peterson rounded out the offence for the Hitmen (40-15-6). Brady Brassart chipped in with three assists. Colton McCarthy scored twice, Brayden Point had a goal and two assists, and Jack Rodewald also scored for the Warriors (15-35-9), who were 2 for 5 on the power play. CHICAGO -- With a mix of euphoria, relief and disbelief, long-suffering Chicago Cubs fans are shaking off superstitions and setting their sights on the teams first World Series in 71 years.Loyal fans as far south as San Antonio, Texas, and as far west as Washington state restructured their worldviews to include the seductive possibility that they wont be disappointed again.For me, personally I had tears in my eyes. Ive seen them come close, said Chicago native Jimmy Tingas, 47, who owns Wrigleyville Grill in San Antonio where he caters to homesick former Chicagoans still craving hot dogs and Italian beef. We have one more task to do. Im confident theyre going to do it.First lady Michelle Obama joined the chorus Sunday morning, congratulating her hometown Cubs a day after the team defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicagos Wrigley Field in Game 6 of the NL Championship Series.The Chicago native tweeted: Way to go Cubs!! She then recalled her father, saying: My Dad is the reason Im a true Cubs fans. Hed be so proud!Lifelong fan Marilyn Hnatusko wiped away tears after the win Saturday night, recalling other longtime Cubs fans.I thought of all my relatives who didnt see this, my dear Uncle John, and now I cant quite believe it happened, she said.Scattered across the world, Cubs fans make up their own diaspora. Blizzard-hardened folk, their befuddling loyalty encompasses decades of frustration, disillusionment and too many sigh-filled pangs for next year. Many never lived in Chicago, but grew up elsewhere in the nations heartland, listening to games on WGNs powerful AM signal, which could be heard hundreds of miles, especially at night.Theyre often pressed to explain their loyalty. Stephen Kropp, 46, of Mercer Island, Washington, grew up in Chicago and stays true to his Cubs. He and a buddy plan to attend World Series Game 22 in Cleveland dressed as the Blues Brothers. Alfonso Boone Jersey Retro. .Its a huge emotional investment, Kropp said Sunday. Its dumping all these emotions into something that never gives you anything back. Hanging out at Wrigley, having a beer and knowing youll never get to the promised land. These fans have more credibility (than other teams) to say theyre the best fans in baseball.A Midwestern impulse toward redemption is welling up on social media with a ForgiveBartman hashtag campaign pulling for Steve Bartman to throw out the first pitch when the World Series returns to Wrigley Field.Kropp favors forgiving Bartman, the fan whose interference with a foul ball in the 2003 playoffs added to the sense of a hovering curse. But they should seat him five rows back or higher, just in case, Kropp said.Restaurant owner Tingas, too, is having some trouble letting go of some traditional Cubs beliefs, like the infamous billy goat curse: When we win the World Series were going to have roasted goat, Ill tell you that.Steve Zucker, whos been coming to games since the 1940s, said before Saturdays game that if the Cubs won, he would go to his fathers grave and leave a Cubs hat and T-shirt.My dad died playing cards, listening to the game on a little transistor radio, so I may bring that, too, Zucker said. Before this year, I never thought I would see this.Cubs All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo said the fans deserved to see this team make the World Series.These fans have been amazing since the time I got here, Rizzo said. We got four more big ones to go, but were going to enjoy this.Chicago faces the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday.---AP writer Don Babwin in Chicago contributed to this report. ' ' '
