SAN DIEGO -- Kris Medlen has more than proved he belongs in the Atlanta Braves rotation. Elite Justin Tucker Jersey . Medlen extended his scoreless streak to 28 1-3 innings by holding San Diego to five singles over eight innings and leading the Atlanta Braves to a 2-0 victory Tuesday night. Medlen, who moved into the rotation on July 31, allowed only five baserunners and erased two of them on pickoffs at first base. He struck out nine to tie his career high and walked none. "Hes terrific," manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He does everything you want a starting pitcher to do and hopefully theres young players out there watching what he does. He gets the ball back and fires it. He throws strikes. He holds runners, he fields his position. He does a lot of stuff. He pitches like hes in the backyard. Hes having fun and he goes after hitters and nothing fazes him. Were glad we have him in the rotation." Atlanta, the NL wild-card leader, ended the Padres season-high eight-game winning streak. Medlen (6-1) has not allowed a run since the second inning of a 9-3 victory against the New York Mets on Aug. 11. Five days after that, he threw his first complete game and shutout in a 6-0 victory against San Diego at Atlanta, allowing only five hits. "It doesnt matter to me," said Medlen, whos from a Los Angeles suburb and pitched in front of about 25 friends and family members. "Were winning games and thats all that really matters. When you start worrying about stuff like that, thats when you start getting off your plan and off focus. I just want to stay focused and take it a start at a time, and whatever else cliche I can say." Atlanta has won Medlens last 17 starts dating to May 2010 and is 20-4 in his 24 career starts. Medlen picked off Everth Cabrera in the second inning and Alexi Amarista in the sixth. Gonzalez said it had been a while since hed seen a right-hander pick off two runners. Medlen said he made the adjustment after giving up some stolen bases in his last start after not even looking at runners. "He works down in the zone, big time," San Diegos Yonder Alonso said. "He may have left up two or three pitches. Bottom line, we didnt get the big hits. He made it tough for us. It was very, very difficult." Medlen "got us over there and he repeated it over here," Padres manager Bud Black said, referring to the victories against the Padres in both Atlanta and San Diego. Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 32nd save in 34 chances. Dan Uggla homered leading off the fifth, his 1,000th career hit, and Chipper Jones hit an RBI double in the first, both off Andrew Werner, who was making his second big league start. Werner (1-1) allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, struck out seven and walked none. "The first inning I was up a bit," Werner said. "But then I settled down. The rest of the game went pretty smoothly except for that one pitch I left out there" on Ugglas homer. NOTES: A group that includes the sons and nephews of former Dodgers owner Peter OMalley has closed its $800 million deal to buy the San Diego Padres. The team scheduled a news conference for Wednesday morning to introduce the new owners. The sale was approved by major league owners on Aug. 16. The new ownership group includes OMalleys sons, Kevin and Brian OMalley, and nephews Peter and Tom Seidler. Golfer Phil Mickelson, a San Diegan, also is involved with the group. He wont be at the news conference, though, as hes en route to the Deutsche Bank Championship outside of Boston. ... The series concludes Wednesday afternoon when RHP Tommy Hanson (12-6, 4.40) is scheduled to start for Atlanta against LHP Eric Stults (4-2, 2.68) Dennis Pitta Jersey .C. -- Jessica Shepley became the new torchbearer for Canadian womens golf Friday -- at least temporarily. Womens Dennis Pitta Jersey . Nine days after the two divers captured bronze together in the synchronized 10m event, Benfeito, of Montreal, looked particularly strong as an individual with a final score of 359.http://www.thebaltimoreravensgear.com/bernard-pollard-jerseys-1 . -- The Memphis Grizzlies believe they finally played their grinding, bruising style of basketball in the playoffs. Youth Anquan Boldin Jersey .Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin injured his left knee in a scrimmage Wednesday at USA Basketball training camp in Las Vegas. Youth Haloti Ngata Jersey . He hit his 250th home run, and it helped the New York Yankees pick up a win. Over the Boston Red Sox. PHILADELPHIA -- After missing most of the season due to injury, Ryan Howard has struggled to find his timing and confidence. Maybe a game-winning hit will give the Philadelphia slugger as jolt. Howard singled home the winning run in the ninth to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 5-4 comeback victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. "Its just been a timing issue," said Howard, who is batting .208 in 23 games since being activated from the DL. "Ive been kind of in between, start too late, start too early. Ive got to find the happy place." Howard batted with the bases loaded and one out after going five for his previous 35 with 20 strikeouts. But the big lefty lined a pitch for Josh Collmenter to right field to score Juan Pierre and help Philadelphia win its eighth series in nine tries at home against Arizona since Citizens Bank Park opened in 2004. "Thats a big hit," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "When he went up there, I said that the pitcher was the one in trouble." Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon (3-4) entered in a tie game and pitched a scoreless ninth, stranding the go-ahead run on second. Collmenter (3-3) was the fourth pitcher used by Arizona, which lost its second straight. Chris Johnson continued his hot streak with a homer for Arizona, which also got homers from Stephen Drew and Paul Goldschmidt. "They outexecuted us when it counted," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "They put pressure on us all day. Its frustrating but you just get over it and come back tomorrow." Chase Utley homered for the Phillies. Utley said the game-winning RBI can help Howard find his groove. "Anytime you get a big hit to win the game its going to build your confidence," Utley said. "Ryan is a going to be all right. Hes a competitor and a hard worker. Hell be just fine." Manuel has been talking to Howard about keeping his balance better. "If your weight leans forward just a little bit, you become an arm and hand hitter and dont use your backside," Manuel said. "The backside is what drives the ball and gives you quick hands and a barrel thats quick with bat speed. If you miss, you might as well be way out there. There isnt that much of a difference." Trevor Cahill gave the Diamondbacks a strong start, allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings while striking out six and walking two. He left with Arizona up 4-3, but the Phillies tied it in the eighth when they scored off right-hander David Hernandez. And Howard capped the Phillies comeback in the ninth. Pinch-hitter Pierre led off with a single to centre, moved to second on Nate Schierholtzs sacrifice bunt and went to third on pinch-hitter Laynce Nixs single to right that went off the glove of a charging Justin Upton. "I thought I had the ball when it hit the ground," Upton said. "It just poopped out. Elite Ray Rice Jersey. " Collmenter intentionally walked Utley to load the bases with one out for Howard. The Phillies slugger missed most of the season with a left Achilles injury and has struggled this season. He was loudly booed after striking out in the eighth, his third of the game, but made up for it with a clean single to right to pull the Phillies out of last place in the NL East. "It feels good," Howard said. "Ill just try and build on it." Philadelphia starter Cliff Lee remained winless at home this season, getting no decision after giving up four runs on eight hits in eight innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Lee is 2-6 on the season and 0-4 with a 4.53 ERA in eight home starts this year. "I have to do a better job of keeping the ball down and in the ballpark, especially when its hot here because the ball travels really good," Lee said. The Diamondbacks took a 3-0 lead in the second on homers by Johnson, a two-run shot to left, and Drew. Drews homer to centre just cleared the wall and the outstretched reach of centre fielder John Mayberry Jr., who nearly lost his glove when his arm hit the top of the wall and deflected it off his hand. Philadelphia got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the frame, with Mayberry scoring on Cahills wild pitch and Kratzs RBI double. Kratz, who is filling in for injured starter Carlos Ruiz, entered 9 for 26 with four homers and three doubles and eight RBIs in 14 games coming in. Ruiz is out four to six weeks with plantar fasciitis. Utley tied it at 3 in the fifth with a solo homer to right, but Goldschmidt hit a leadoff homer in the sixth to put Arizona up 4-3. Goldschmidt is batting .462 (12-for-26) with three homers and eight RBIs in his last seven games. The Phillies tied it with two outs in the eighth. With Mayberry on second after an infield single and wild pitch, Brown lined a ball off Hernandez. The ball ricocheted toward first base but Hernandezs flip to first hit Brown and got away from Goldschmidt at first. Mayberry raced home from third and just beat Goldschmidts throw. Johnson is batting .381 (8-for-21) with three homers and 10 RBIs in the six games since Arizona acquired him from Houston. Notes: The Phillies held a moment of silence before the game for Garrett Reid, the son of Eagles coach Andy Reid who was found dead in his Lehigh dorm room on Sunday morning while assisting the team in training camp. . Arizona CF Chris Young moved into second place on the clubs all-time games played list by playing in his 850th contest with the Diamondbacks. . Arizona opens a four-game series at Pittsburgh at 7:05 Monday, with Diamondbacks LHP Wade Miley (12-6, 2.98) scheduled to face Pirates LHP Erik Bedard (5-12, 4.83). Philadelphia opens three-game series at home Monday against Atlanta, with Phillies RHP Vance Worley (6-6, 3.63) scheduled to oppose Braves RHP Ben Sheets (3-1, 1.46). ' ' ' |
