Sign In
like the mentality of the players is at a low | Forum
Deleted user
Nov 30 '16, 11:56PM
DETROIT -- Justin Verlanders no-hit bid was finally over in the seventh inning -- and before refocusing, the Detroit ace saw his shortstop do something amusing. Luiz Adriano Jersey . "When the double was hit, and the ball came back in, everybody started cheering," Verlander said. "(Jhonny) Peralta caught the ball and looked up at the board checking the hits. Thats when I knew he didnt know. I was like, Come on, Jhonny." Verlander fell seven outs short of his third career no-hitter, but the Detroit ace looked sharp in his final start before the All-Star break, and the Tigers backed him with three home runs in a 5-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday. Mitch Morelands two-out double to right-centre broke up Verlanders bid. Verlander (10-6) left the game after the seventh with a tight right quad muscle, having allowed just that one hit and three walks. "It was just kind of starting to get tight," Verlander said. "Theres really no need to push it." Torii Hunter, Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta hit solo homers off Texas starter Martin Perez (3-2). The Rangers finished with two hits. Verlander was picked for the American League All-Star team but was replaced for Tuesday nights event. Under baseballs labour contract, pitchers who start on the Sunday before the All-Star game may opt not to participate. Although he also took a no-hitter into the seventh at Houston on May 5, Verlanders overpowering aura hasnt been quite the same this season. Sundays gem lowered his ERA to 3.50. He struck out only three but was effective anyway. "It was a little bit different Verlander than what we usually see," Moreland said. "He mixed a lot of off-speed in there and kept us off-balance. I felt like we hit some balls hard, but it seemed like they went right to them. Youve got to tip your hat to what he did, its always a battle going against him and hes where hes at for a reason. It was a tough one for us." Verlander no-hit Toronto on May 7, 2011. His other no-hitter came June 12, 2007, against Milwaukee. Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller and Cy Young are among the five pitchers with at least three no-hitters. Larry Corcoran, an ambidextrous pitcher who won 177 games from 1880-85, is the other one. Verlander took the mound about 12 hours after San Franciscos Tim Lincecum finished a no-hitter of his own at San Diego. The drama began building in Detroit in the fourth when Tigers left fielder Matt Tuiasosopo got turned around on a line drive by Nelson Cruz. He was able to recover and reach up for the catch. In the fifth, Hunter ran to the corner in right to catch a flyball by Elvis Andrus. Jurickson Profar, the next hitter, sent a smash toward Martinez, who was playing first base because Prince Fielder was Detroits designated hitter Sunday. Martinez made the stop and took the ball to first himself for the third out of the inning. Hunter went deep in the first to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead, and Martinez and Peralta hit back-to-back homers in the fourth. Detroit added two runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Peralta and Tuiasosopo, although that rally made Verlander wait a while before taking the mound again. The following inning was when Moreland connected for the first Texas hit. Neither Hunter nor centre fielder Austin Jackson had much of a shot at Morelands drive. "Obviously, its one of those things you start to think about," Verlander said. "Ive been there before, where Ive lost them in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth. So I guess Ive -- not become accustomed to it -- but you learn to just refocus and just get the next guy. Thats all I can do." This was much better than Verlanders outing at Texas on May 16, when he allowed eight runs and didnt get out of the third inning. Verlander has been overshadowed a bit this year by fellow Detroit right-hander Max Scherzer, who is a strong candidate to start Tuesday nights All-Star game at Citi Field in New York. But Verlander showed Sunday why he, too, is an All-Star. "I think hes been a very good major league pitcher that has expectations that are almost impossible to live up to," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. Verlander received a nice ovation from the home crowd after the first Texas hit, and another one when he came back to the dugout after retiring his final batter. NOTES: Perez allowed five runs and four hits in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out four and walked three. ... Leyland said Anibal Sanchez will start Friday at Kansas City in the first game after the All-Star break, followed by Verlander, Doug Fister, Scherzer and Rick Porcello. Carlos Bacca Jersey . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. Gustavo Gomez Jersey . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. http:///...milan-fc-jersey.aspx . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle.Sky Sports pundit Andy Hinchcliffe reckons Manchester Uniteds 2-1 loss to FC Midtjylland in the Europa League would not have come as a shock to many people. The former Manchester City and Everton defender believes most teams fancy their chances against the current United side, although he does expect Louis van Gaals team to progress to the last 16 of the competition over two legs.Hichcliffe told Sky Sports Now: Is anyone really surprised by this, the way things are going for United? I think everyone is looking at the current United and comparing them to the great teams of 10-20 years ago. Clearly they are not in the same calibre whatsoever.Injuries and everything else [are] compounding the problems that Louis van Gaal is having but they are simply not a good side.They arent playing well, so wherever they go, wherever they play I do feel they are up against it. Im not surprised they lost at all. OK they got an away goal, but they should go through. Ebere Paul Onuachu (left) celebrates scoring the winning goal against United They are Manchester United, even with the players they have not playing particularly well, they should still be good enough to beat a team like Midtjylland - no disrespect to Midtjylland, I saw them playing City a few years ago, they are no pushovers.But a United side still with the quality they have in their team should be good enough to get past them, and they are struggling. I think they are struggling really in every game they play.Ive watched them play a number of times and its not been an easy season for Van Gaal and the team. Its a difficult time for United. They arent playing well, so wherever they go, wherever they play I do feel they are up against it. Im not surprised they lost at all. Andy Hinchcliiffe Van Gaals team return to action on Monday when they travel to Shrewsbury in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Mattia De Sciglio Jersey. United have not won the competition since 2004 and Alex McLeish, also speaking on Sky Sports Now, insists a defeat at New Meadow would have severe consequences at Old Trafford.Well it is unthinkable that United should lose to Shrewsbury, but at the moment the confidence will be a little bit low, McLeish said. Alex McLeish expects serious ramifications if United lose to Shrewsbury The team probably will change for the Shrewsbury game, Im sure. I dont know if hes got a lot to bring back but certainly 13 injuries has been a nightmare for him.But Shrewsbury they should take care of. If they dont then I think people will be thinking [there will be] serious ramifications here.Van Gaal has several players unavailable because of injuries at the moment, and McLeish reckons it is common for players to be out of action when confidence is low at a club. David de Gea is the latest Manchester United player to be injured Its something that I think is a little bit of a mystery in football - when you go through a bad spell you seem to pick up even more injuries, McLeish said.Its almost like the mentality of the players is at a low point and it has manifested in some of the injuries. Im not saying players deliberately go on the treatment table, but they pick up injuries easier because the positivity is not there within the club.I think Man United is a perfect example of that. Its a bit of a phenomenon in football. Also See: Man Utd video Man Utd fixtures Man Utd stats Get a ￡10 free bet!Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
