The Athenaeum Forum

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Splitting a four-game series felt pretty good to the Texas Rangers. "You can see how everythings starting to fall on track," said Elvis Andrus, who drove in three runs in the 8-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night. "Everybodys feeling better, relaxed out there. Our pitchings doing great ... thats what were looking for." The split left the Rangers tied with the Rays for the ALs top wild-card spot. The Rangers won the season series with the Rays 4-3, earning home-field advantage should the teams finish in a tie for the two wild-card spots. They each have 10 games left. The Cleveland Indians pulled within a half-game of the leaders by beating Houston 2-1 in 11 innings. Andrus said Thursdays game was a must-win for Texas, which carried a seven-game losing streak into the series. "Yesterday (a 4-3 loss in 12 innings) was a tough loss, so to come back today and win the way we did, that was huge," he said. Yu Darvish won for the first time in seven starts since Aug. 12, surviving a 40-pitch first inning in which he hit a batter and walked three, falling behind 2-0. Darvish (13-9) made it through five innings despite walking six, throwing 109 pitches. "When he had to make a pitch, he made a pitch," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "Sometimes you have to figure out ways to get things done when youre not at your very best or even at your minimal, and he did that tonight." Mitch Moreland, Andrus and Alex Rios homered off Matt Moore in the third inning to put the Rangers ahead to stay. Andrus drove in two runs with an infield single in the fourth, stretching the lead to 6-2. Craig Gentry had four of the Rangers 16 hits and three of their five stolen bases, the most against the Rays this season. "The way we ran the bases tonight, the at-bats we put together, when we start doing that throughout the lineup, thats when we play good baseball," Washington said. "In the four games here, we played good baseball and we won two games." Andrus homer was his second of the series and fourth of the season, all since Aug. 4. Moreland, the only left-handed hitter in the Texas lineup, hit his 23nd long ball and Rios his 17th. Geovany Soto added his eighth home run, off Cesar Ramos in the ninth. The Rangers were down 2-1 when Moreland led off the third with long drive to left-centre. Following Ian Kinslers fly out to the warning track in left, Andrus and Rios hit consecutive home runs to left. "That was a big inning for us all the way around," Moreland said. "We hit two more after that, so three home runs in one inning definitely swung the momentum in our favour. "Darvish had to fight tonight. He kept us there and we made the most of it." Moore (15-4) gave up six runs, five earned, while striking out six in four innings. He served up three homers in a game for the first time this season after giving up only four in his 16 preceding starts. "Theres someone responsible for the damage and Im that person," Moore said. "Going into today I had a chance to keep us on top of the leader board as far as the wild card goes. Its frustrating tonight, but were back at them tomorrow." NOTES: Tim Beckham, the Rays first overall draft pick in 2008, singled as a pinch-hitter in his major league debut. ... Texas OF Nelson Cruz (suspension) has started playing games with the Rangers instructional league team in Arizona. ... Tampa Bay sent Class-A LHP Matthew Spann to Washington as the player to be named in an Aug. 23 trade in which the Rays obtained OF David DeJesus. ... Rays rookie OF Wil Myers got his first haircut since spring training, which garnered a lot of attention in the clubhouse. "He told me he paid $14 for it, and thats $14 too much," pitcher David Price said. . . . Rays RHP Jesse Crain (right shoulder strain) threw 26 pitches in an instructional league game. The Rays expect to activate him soon. LaMarcus Aldridge Jersey . 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Lions signed cornerback Dante Marsh to a contract extension on Friay and released receiver Paris Jackson. David Robinson Jersey . A spokeswoman for the NLRB says its "a very incremental move" and does not necessarily indicate the board is close to a finding in the case. NFL owners filed an unfair labour charge against the players union in February, arguing that the union was not negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement in good faith. LONDON -- The Premier Leagues most unpredictable title race produced another surprise on Saturday as Chelsea lost at Crystal Palace for the first time since 1990. Despite the 1-0 collapse after Chelsea captain John Terry headed Joel Wards cross into his own goal at the start of the second half, Jose Mourinhos side remains top as Manchester City was held to a 1-1 draw at Arsenal. "We depend too much on other results," Mourinho said, writing off his teams title prospect. "When you depend a little its possible, when you depend a lot, I dont think its possible. "We depend now too much. I dont think now we can win the league." Liverpool, perhaps? Brendan Rodgers side is a point behind Chelsea and will go top with a victory over Tottenham on Sunday. The points tally, though, is deceptive. Although City is third and two points behind Chelsea, the 2012 champions have two games in hand. The one certainty is the defending champions wont be keeping hold of the trophy, with Manchester United still in seventh despite by coming from behind to beat Aston Villa 4-1. Southampton, a place behind United but six points adrift, produced a resounding 4-0 victory over Newcastle. In a meeting of relegation-threatened teams, both West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff scored in stoppage time as they drew 3-3. Stokes impressive form continued with Peter Odemwingie clinching a 1-0 victory over Hull, the teams fourth success in five matches. Swansea climbed above Hull into 13th by ending a six-game winless run in the league. Jonathan de Guzmans clinical double and Wayne Routledges goal produced a 3-0 victory over fellow struggler Norwich. In the trophy chase, Arsenals concern will be its return of two points from its last three games -- even if the spirited fighht back against City offered hope for the title run-in.dddddddddddd With Arsenal still reeling from a demoralizing 6-0 loss at Chelsea last weekend, David Silva completed a counter-attack to put City in front in the 18th minute. But conceding early made Arsenal more assertive and Mathieu Flamini turned Lukas Podolskis cross into the net to level eight minutes into the second half. At Old Trafford, the start of the game had fans looking to the sky when a much-publicized plane flew overhead with a banner emblazoned with "Wrong One - Moyes Out." Just one person, who said he is a United fan, has claimed responsibility for the stunt with no supporters groups backing the protest. "The support inside Old Trafford has been terrific and if ever there was a show of support for their football club and for their team, it was today," Moyes said. But supporters faith in Moyes was tested when Ashley Westwood put Aston Villa in front in the 13th minute by sending a free kick dipping into the net. Villas lead only lasted seven minutes before Rooney sent a header from Shinji Kagawas cross into the net. And after Leandro Bacuna fouled Juan Mata, Rooney put United in front from the penalty spot before half time. The lead was extended in the 57th when Juan Mata scored his first United goal since joining from Chelsea in January for 37.1 million pounds (then $61 million), and substitute Javier Hernandez wrapped up the victory in stoppage time. On the south-coast, Southamptons victory will have offered England coach Roy Hodgson some encouragement for the World Cup -- with three different English scores. Jay Rodriguez put Southampton in front just before half time and netted the fourth in the 89th after Rickie Lambert and Adam Lallana scored. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '