and speedy counterattacking, whereas Blanc favored a more technical, | Forum

DENVER -- The San Diego Padres will be trying to win a season-high fourth straight contest and left-hander Christian Friedrich will be seeking another win against the Colorado Rockies on Friday when the clubs begin a three-game series. Cheap Air Max 270 China .The Padres have won four of their past five contests after a three-game sweep at San Francisco. It was San Diegos second series sweep of the season; the other was July 15-17 against the Giants. That was also the last time the Padres won three straight.Colorado will be trying to regroup after a dismal series at Arizona.The Diamondbacks swept three games from the Rockies and outscored them 34-19. During the sweep, which was Arizonas first at Chase Field this year, Rockies pitchers yielded four or more runs in an inning five times and a total of 50 hits, including 10 home runs. The Colorado starters allowed 25 hits and had a 10.22 ERA while working just 12 1/3 innings. The relievers also allowed 25 hits and had an 11.57 ERA in 11 2/3 innings.Those three ugly losses left the Rockies 2-5 on a trip that began in San Diego when the Rockies and Padres split a four-game series.Its important to get to the finish line the right way, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.Charlie Blackmon hit four homers on the seven-game trip and went 7-for-13 in the series at Arizona with blasts in the final two games. Blackmon is hitting .319 with career-highs in homers (27), RBI (73) and runs scored (101).Its not as though Coors Field has propped up Blackmons production. Indeed, he is hitting .318 with 10 homers, 41 RBI and an .889 OPS in 239 at-bats at home and .320 with 17 homers, 32 RBI and a .967 OPS in 272 at-bats on the road.Hes done a lot of damage on the road, Weiss said. Its good to see, because I think it gives him even more credibility on a national level. Hes turned into a big-time player.Friedrich, who was Colorados first-round draft pick in 2008, will make his second consecutive start against his former team. The Rockies moved him to the bullpen in 2014 and released him after last season when he pitched entirely in relief.In two starts against the Rockies this season, Friedrich is 1-0 and has allowed one unearned run and four hits in 13 innings with four walks and 19 strikeouts.At Coors Field on June 12, Friedrich gave up two hits and one unearned run in six innings. He left trailing 1-0, but the Padres tied the game in the seventh before dropping a 2-1 decision.In the Padres 6-3 victory Saturday at San Diego, Freidrich, who is 5-10 with a 4.67 ERA, gave up two hits in seven scoreless innings with one walk and a career-high tying 10 strikeouts to win for the first time in 12 starts since June 23.Shortstop Luis Sardinas, 23, has seized the opportunity to play every day since the Padres acquired him from Seattle for cash considerations on Aug. 15.In 32 games and 77 plate appearances with the Mariners, Sardinas hit .181/.203/.264. In the three-game sweep of the Giants, Sardinas went 7-for-14 with one triple, two RBI and four runs scored and extended his hitting streak to six games. In 21 games and 76 plate appearances with the Padres, he is hitting .328/.400/.463You want to be a shortstop in the major leagues for a long period of time, theres more work out in front of him, San Diego manager Andy Green said. But hes embracing that. Hes playing hard, aggressive, every day. Hes doing things on the bases, swinging the bat well. Theres definitely still more work out for him.The Padres lead the season series 9-7, and the teams have split six games at Coors Field.Tyler Chatwood, who is 11-9 with a 3.82 ERA in 24 starts and 4-8 with a 5.67 ERA in 13 starts at Coors Field this season, will start for the Rockies. He will face the Padres for the second consecutive start.In his second start since returning from the disabled list with a mid-back strain, Chatwood broke a three-game losing streak, limiting the Padres to one run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings in a 4-1 win on Friday.Chatwood is 4-0 lifetime time with a 3.18 ERA in eight games, six starts, against San Diego. This season, Chatwood is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA in three starts against the Padres.In his lone start against them this season at Coors Field on June 11, Chatwood gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings and won 5-3. Cheap Air Max 270 Wholesale . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. Wholesale Air Max 270 . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. http://www.cheapairmax270.net/ . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. MARSEILLE, France -- The pressure is sharply increasing on Paris Saint-Germain and its coach, Unai Emery, heading into Sundays showdown with French league leader Nice.With Nice already four points ahead, a defeat would further weaken Emerys position.Key players are out of form, the defense is leaking goals, and Emery is struggling to impose his workmanlike methods after joining from Spanish side Sevilla.A 3-0 loss away to Montpellier last weekend was followed by a dismal 2-2 home draw against Ludogorets in the Champions League on Tuesday night, with PSG coming from behind twice to salvage a draw against one of Europes least heralded sides.Hardly the form expected of a side hoping to conquer Europe, having dominated French football for the past two seasons under former coach Laurent Blanc, who was fired in late June.Nice also changed coaches in the summer, but for different reasons and with a hugely positive effect.Swiss coach Lucien Favre replaced Claude Puel, who moved to Premier League club Southampton after finishing in a credible fourth place.Nices defense is well balanced, while its slick midfield of Younes Belhanda, Jean Michael Seri and Wylan Cyprien oozes classy passing.Favre has also relaunched the career of striker Mario Balotelli, following his two dismal seasons with Liverpool and AC Milan, and given talented young striker Alassane Plea the chance to shine.The quick, skillful Plea has nine league goals so far, while Balotelli has six in six games.The powerful Italian forward earned a reputation for his controversial behavior on and off the field, notably when he let off fireworks in his home when he played for Manchester City. But Balotelli has kept his head lately and a good performance against PSG would strengthen his comeback.Favre has gained glowing reviews for adapting quicklyy to the French league after six seasons with German club Borussia Moenchengladbach. Air Max 270 Cheap Authentic. By contrast, the media is coming down hard on Emery.Following the Ludogorets match, in which PSG needed an injury-time equalizer to draw, sports daily LEquipes headline of Appalling summed up the general view.The manner in which PSG conceded goals against Ludogorets and Montpellier was alarming.The Brazilian central defensive pairing of Olympic champion Marquinhos and former Brazil captain Thiago Silva is not working well, with Silva taking on too much responsibility compensating for very basic errors from Marquinhos in terms of marking and concentration.Lynchpin midfielder Thiago Motta -- one of PSGs best players over the past three seasons -- is making unusually sloppy mistakes. The 34-year-old Italy international looks increasingly leg weary.PSG has already lost three league games this season, one more than last term.Despite guiding the club to a second straight domestic treble and winning Ligue 1 by a staggering 31 points, Blanc was fired for failing to get beyond the quarterfinals of the Champions League once again.Emery was chosen by the clubs cash-rich and ambitious Qatari owners because of his three straight Europa League titles with Sevilla.The Spanish coachs Sevilla side was based on intense fitness levels and speedy counterattacking, whereas Blanc favored a more technical, possession-based approach.The transition is proving complex and the only PSG player standing out is Edinson Cavani, with 14 league goals and six in Europe.But that is because Cavani is finally playing in his favored position following Zlatan Ibrahimovics departure, rather than Emerys methods. ' ' '