halftime. The game continued without interruption | Forum

PITTSBURGH -- A. Andrew Jacobson New York City Jersey .J. Burnett walked into the Pittsburgh Pirates dugout after falling two runs down to the Cincinnati Reds in the second inning Saturday night when his catcher decided it was time for a little pep talk. "I told him Thats all were giving up today and he said Yes sir," Russell Martin said. "Thats his attitude. If you give up a couple, its not the end of the world. If you give up a couple, youve got to keep going out there, keep grinding." Something the veteran ace and his resilient club do better than just about anyone else in baseball. A night after a stunning ninth-inning collapse, Pittsburgh responded behind Burnett, who scattered four hits in seven strong innings to lift the Pirates to a 4-2 win and a one-game lead over the Reds for the top spot in the NL wild-card race. "Go out, its a big game, its a big series, you want to attack," Burnett said. "We were able to do that and get through seven somehow. I felt like I got stronger as it went on." Burnett struck out a season-high 12 against three walks and became the first right-hander in the 126-year history of the franchise to top 200 strikeouts in a season when he fanned Joey Votto in the sixth. "I was just focused, I was locked in," Burnett said. "It was probably the best command of that hook Ive had in a long time. I had a put-away pitch tonight, and its lot different when you have those." Jason Grilli worked the ninth for his 31st save, his first since going to the disabled list with a strained right forearm in July. Martin slugged a two-run homer, and Jose Tabata added two hits for the Pirates. Zack Cozart hit his 12th home run of the season for Cincinnati, and Ryan Ludwick added an RBI but Homer Bailey (11-11) lost his first decision since July 26. "The story of the game is we didnt score enough runs," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "We just couldnt get much going against (Burnett). We got some runs early, then he settled down." The Reds rallied for a 6-5 win in 10 innings on Friday, turning three unearned runs in the ninth and Vottos solo homer in the 10th into a tie with the Pirates in the race for home field in the wild card round. It was the second gut-punch loss by the Pirates in three days. In danger of falling behind the Reds in the standings for the first time in since June 20, Pittsburgh reduced its magic number to three behind Burnett and a bullpen that regained its composure after a pair of potentially confidence-shaking meltdowns. Reliever Justin Wilson induced a double play to get out of the eighth, and Grilli -- an All-Star this summer after racking up 29 saves in the seasons first half -- looked like his old self while working around Ludwicks leadoff single in the ninth. "Im just a competitor," Grilli said. "I want the ball. I want to participate. Watching these guys do it for so long made me want to come back and do it with him. It was a big win, obviously, and a lot of fun to be out there." Bailey wasnt quite as sharp. Making his first start at PNC Park since throwing a no-hitter at the Pirates last September, Bailey was solid but not spectacular. An off night by Cincinnatis typically reliable defence didnt help. Alvarez reached with two outs in the third when Votto mishandled a slow chopper to first. Martin followed by taking a fastball from Bailey and sending it into the bleachers in left field to tie it at 2. Pittsburgh broke the tie in the sixth. Andrew McCutchen walked with one out and sprinted to third when Baileys attempted pickoff throw slipped past Votto and rolled to the wall. Justin Morneau walked to put runners on the corners, and Marlon Byrd hit a sacrifice to deep centre field to give the Pirates the lead. Bailey gave up four runs, two earned, and three hits with four walks and three strikeouts. "The loss is on me," Bailey said. "I had the throwing error at first base, I didnt execute very well, I made a couple of bad pitches. (The offence) gave me a couple of runs to work with early and I didnt take advantage of it. I gave them all back and then some." Reliever Zach Duke -- who spent six years in Pittsburgh during the clubs two-decade losing streak -- came on after Byrds sacrifice fly and immediately surrendered an RBI single to Alvarez that gave the Pirates a two-run cushion. NOTES: Cincinnati CF Shin-Soo Choo sat out after injuring his right hand while sliding into first base on Friday. Baker said he wasnt sure when Choo will return. ... Cincinnati rookie OF Billy Hamilton will make his second start of the season on Sunday. The base stealing specialist went 3 for 4 with four stolen bases in his previous start against Houston on Wednesday. ... The series concludes on Sunday when Pittsburghs Jeff Locke (10-6, 3.27 ERA) faces Cincinnatis Bronson Arroyo (13-11, 3.56). Tony Taylor New York City Jersey . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. Khiry Shelton New York City Jersey . Francis told several hundred members of the European Olympic Committees that when sport "is considered only in economic terms and consequently for victory at every cost . http:///...ew-York-City-Jersey/ .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court.LONDON -- Lukas Podolski scored a brace in the first half on Friday to help give Arsenal a routine 4-0 victory over third-tier Coventry in the fourth round of the FA Cup. In a game that Arsenal dominated from the start, Podolski put the hosts ahead in the 15th minute by slotting home a cool finish after being set up by Mesut Ozil. He then doubled the lead with a close-range header from a corner in the 27th. The win was never in doubt after that and Arsenal added two late goals as substitute Olivier Giroud struck in the 85th after replacing Podolski five minutes earlier, before Santi Cazorla slotted in the fourth. In Fridays only other FA Cup game, Nottingham Forest was held to a 0-0 draw at home against Preston. Playing in a steady drizzle in north London, it was the kind of comfortable victory Arsenal had hoped for as it looks ahead to facing Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockout round, while trying to protect its slim lead atop the Premier League. Despite playing at home against third-tier opposition, manager Arsene Wenger named a surprisingly strong starting lineup with both Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere in midfield -- perhaps worried about another upset after going out to Blackburn last season. And with Wenger contemplating buying a striker in the January transfer window, Podolski showed off his scoring touch by deciding the game in the first half. Podolski was first sent clear by Ozil on the left side of the area and calmly rounded goalkeeper Joe Murphy before slotting a left-footed shot into an empty net. The second came from a corner that Per Mertesacker met at the near post and headed on across the goal, with Podolski waiting at the far post to nod it into the net. "Podolski can score goals and when you have a goal chance you want him to have it," Wenger said. "He is very accurate in his finishing." Coventry was more enterprising after the break, enjoying several spells of pressure, but Leon Clarke wasted tthe teams two best chances for a goal. Andoni Iraola New York City Jersey. Clarke raced clear down the right flank in the 50th but got too close to the byline before firing a low shot from a tight angle that Fabianski parried. He then hit the right post with a first time effort from just inside the area as Arsenal seemed content to sit back and protect its lead. "I know it was 4-0 but when you consider the difference in resources of both clubs, I know its a hard luck story, but my players should take so much confidence from that performance," Coventry manager Steven Pressley said. Giroud took his only chance in front of goal by slotting in a finish inside the near post and Cazorla continued his scoring streak from a similar position for his third goal in two games. Arsenals talented 16-year-old midfielder Gedion Zelalem had also come on as a substitute, as Wenger for the first time gave a debut to a player who was born after the Frenchman became manager of the team. "That is more damaging for me than for him," Wenger joked. Zelalem has been touted as perhaps the clubs biggest talent since Cesc Fabregas and was given a rousing reception when he came on. Coventry is a former Premier League club and the 1987 FA Cup winner but has struggled both on and off the field in recent years. The team is 11th in League One this season and has been forced to play all of its home games at Northampton because of a rent dispute with the owners of Ricoh Arena. The contingent of about 6,000 Coventry fans protested the situation during the game, holding up signs in the 35th and 61st minute. Arsenal had its own stadium problems, with some of the floodlights at the Emirates going out just before halftime. The game continued without interruption, with hundreds of fans making fun of the situation by lighting up their mobile phones in the stands in mock efforts to illuminate the pitch. It was about the only thing that went wrong for Arsenal on the night. Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '