way," Roach said. "Coming off two losses, he knows he | Forum

DENVER -- St. Eric Berry Jersey . Louis closer Edward Mujica appreciates a feel-good story as much as anyone. Only, he wasnt about to let this be Todd Heltons moment, not against him and especially not with his team in a tight playoff race. Mujica struck out Helton to end the game with the bases loaded as the Cardinals held off the Colorado Rockies 4-3 on Wednesday night to expand their lead in the NL Central race. "Unbelievable," Mujica said, shaking his head. The cheering crowd thought this just might be another unbelievable memory in a career full of them for Helton, who will retire at the end of the season. Even starting pitcher Adam Wainwright thought things were setting up too perfectly for it to be anything but the stage for Heltons heroics. "When we load the bases there, as much faith as I have in Mujica, you hear, Now coming up to the plate, Todd Helton, and you go, Oh, man," Wainwright said. "Its too perfect. But (Mujica) pitched him perfect. That last pitch, it was like a thing of art." In this case, that art was a high fastball. "You couldnt have asked for a better moment," Helton said. "You couldve asked for a lot better result. You just learn from it and go on." Wainwright (17-9) gave up two runs in the first and then found his groove to earn his 17th win, second-most in the NL this season. He went 3 for 3 with a double and two RBIs to help the Cardinals stretch their lead to two games over Pittsburgh after the Pirates lost 3-2 loss to San Diego. St. Louis also reduced its magic number for clinching a playoff spot to three with 10 games to play. "Were playing good ball at the right time," Wainwright said. Tyler Chatwood (7-5) allowed four runs in six innings before being lifted for a pinch hitter. Chatwood is rounding back into form after missing nearly a month with an inflamed right elbow. The hard-throwing Wainwright allowed 10 hits and struck out eight before running into a jam with two on and two outs in the eighth. Reliever Trevor Rosenthal got Charlie Blackmon to ground out to end the threat. Mujica pitched his way out of a bases loaded mess in ninth for his 37th save in 40 chances. He set Helton up with a few splitters before throwing the high heat. "I was betting on Todd right there, to deliver the big hit like he has for years," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "He made a good pitch there." Michael Cuddyer remains the NL batting leader, keeping his average at .331 after going 1 for 3 on Wednesday. Cuddyer left the game shortly after making an inning-ending diving catch in the sixth. The team announced he was day-to-day with a bruised right forearm. St. Louis solved Chatwood in the third, stringing together four straight hits to tie the game at 2. Wainwright had an RBI double and Matt Carpenter followed with a run-scoring single. Carpenter now has 67 RBIs from the leadoff spot, the most by a Cardinals player since Lou Brock had 76 in 1967. The Cardinals took the lead for good in the fourth when Yadier Molina led off the inning with a double and was brought home by Wainwrights single. He now has five RBIs this season. "I always brag that the starting pitchers are the best athletes on the field," Wainwright said. "Usually, we dont back that talk up. Tonight, it was a good opportunity to back that up." The Rockies began the game with four straight hits off Wainwright, including a two-run single by Troy Tulowitzki. That was certainly more offence than the Rockies had off Wainwright in May, when the Cardinals ace took a no-hitter into the eighth and finished with a two-hitter during a 3-0 victory. Wainwright escaped more trouble in the first by getting Helton to hit into a 3-6-1 double play. Jordan Pacheco followed by lining out to Matt Adams to end the inning. This is Heltons last hurrah after announcing he was calling it a career after 17 years. Weiss said he plans to start Helton in each of the remaining nine games. "Im going to play him as much as hes physically able to do it," Weiss said. "Give the fans an opportunity to see him." Notes: Cardinals RHP Joe Kelly (right calf tightness) hopes to be ready for his next start. ... Adams left the game in the seventh with right elbow soreness. ... Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez is visiting a hand specialist in Cleveland about his sprained right middle finger. Jamaal Charles Jersey .35 million, one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. Plouffe batted .254 with 14 home runs and 52 RBIs in 477 at-bats last season, his second as a regular in the lineup. Allen Bailey Jersey . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.chiefsteamprostore.com/...Wilson-Elite-Jersey/ . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming.MACAU, Macau -- Robert Garcia, the trainer of Brandon Rios, said Friday that Manny Pacquiao is showing signs of coming to the end of his career and vulnerable in the WBO welterweight title fight. Pacquiao is coming off two losses and has not fought since his devastating knockout defeat at the hands of Juan Manuel Marquez almost a year ago. Garcia said hes noticed subtle signs of decline in the Filipino boxer, once considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. "Everybodys end comes someday and it could be this fight," Garcia said. "He does have a lot to lose in this fight, and thats pressure not only for him but his trainer and everybody in his camp." "There are things Ive seen in his last two fights that maybe a lot of people who havent fought dont see. I went through those things and I already see them ... A lot of fighters go through the same things, they dont even tell their wives, but I can see it in him." Pacquiaos trainer Freddie Roach bristled when told of Garcias comments. There has been no love lost between the two camps since a physical altercation between them in the training gym on Wednesday. "When does he watch my guy? Does he see my guy train every day, does he see the sacrifices my guy goes through, does he see the roadwork we do every day?" Roach said. "If Manny shows any sign of slippage in training camp Id be the first to tell him its time to quit, and its not time yet for sure. I hhope they are overconfident because Manny is going to destroy this guy. Leon Sandcastle Chiefs Jersey. " The undercard for the fight at The Venetian casino in Macau begins Saturday night, followed by the main event about 3 hours later. It begins early Sunday local time. Pacquiaos contentious points loss to Timothy Bradley, followed by his frightening knockout against Marquez had raised questions about whether he could ever get back to his top form, with Garcia among the doubters. "The Manny of three, four years before should have beaten Bradley," Garcia said. "Marquez is 40 years old and Pacquiao was supposed to beat him, to knock him out. Pacquiao got tired and he got knocked out, it wouldnt have happened three or four years ago. He hasnt dropped anybody since 2009." Roach acknowledged Pacquiaos recent failure to knock out opponents -- dating back to his victory over Miguel Cotto in 2009 -- but said the Filipino fighter was eager to do so as way of announcing his return to the peak of the sport. "He could have knocked out a couple of guys since then, but his compassion got in his way," Roach said. "Coming off two losses, he knows he has to be impressive, and being impressive is not winning by close decision, being impressive is winning by knockout. "I dont feel Rios can go the distance with a guy with the talents of Manny Pacquiao. Its a world-class fighter going in against a guy who is a journeyman at best." Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys ' ' '