(SportsNetwork. Nike Air Max Just Do It Kopen .com) - The Atlanta Braves won their first National League East title since 2005 thanks in large part to their strong play at home. They hope to keep that home cooking going on Thursday when they begin the best-of-five National League Division Series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers at Turner Field. Atlantas ballpark was a house of horrors for visiting clubs this season, as the Braves compiled a major league best 56-25 (.691) mark there and were 25-10 in Dixie since late July. Wire-to-wire leaders in the division, Atlanta is back in the postseason for the third time in the last four years. A 14-game winning streak and a 20-4 stretch from late July through August propelled the Braves, but they seemed to take their foot of the pedal late and lost 13 of the last 24 games to close out the regular season. "At the end of the day, youve got to win ballgames," Braves outfielder Justin Upton said. "That is what the playoffs are all about. Everybody is 0-0. They have to win as many games as you do. Thats just the way it is. No matter who it is, we have to beat the team that is in front of us." The Braves released their roster on Wednesday and a familiar face was left off, as the team opted to sit second baseman Dan Uggla, who hit an atrocious .179 despite 22 home runs. Elliot Johnson is expected to start at second on Thursday. Getting the call for Atlanta in Game 1 will be righty Kris Medlen, one of four Braves pitchers who recorded 10 or more wins in the regular season. Medlen again finished his season strong and was named the NLs Pitcher of the Month for September for the second year in a row. He went 4-0 in five starts during the month and ended the year 15-12 with a 3.11 ERA. "Everything is magnified, one little mistake is a lot bigger in these kinds of situations," said Medlen, who lost the Braves wild card game in 2012. "You just have to try to not get too ahead of yourself and live in the moment. Its an unbelievable experience and it was a lot of fun last year. Even though we didnt come out on top, it was just a great experience and I dont expect anything different this time around, other than a win." Medlen went 1-0 in two starts against the Dodgers in the regular season and is 3-0 with a 1.23 earned run average in eight career matchups (3 starts) with them. Los Angeles, meanwhile, found itself 9 1/2 games back in the NL West on June 22 and seemed to be close to firing manager Don Mattingly. However, the team rattled off 42 wins in 50 games and claimed its 12th division title since 1969. Atlanta lost seven players to season-ending injuries this season, but the Dodgers have some concerns of their own. Outfielder Matt Kemp is done for the year with a ankle injury, while Andre Ethier has not played since Sept. 13 because of an ankle issue of his own. "If you dont have Andre and you dont have Matt, youre not as good as you could be," Mattingly said. "But were still good enough to win." The Dodgers are good enough to win if Adrian Gonzalez, young Cuban phenom Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez stay consistent at the plate. Gonzalez led the Dodgers in batting average (.293), hits (171), home runs (22), runs batted in (100) and reached the 100-RBI mark for the sixth time in his career. Puig busted out on the scene by hitting four home runs in his first five games, a club record, and was named NL Player of the Month and NL Rookie of the Month for June. All eyes will be on Puig now that Kemp is gone for a Dodgers club that was sixth in the majors with a .264 average. Ramirez struggled to stay healthy this season and appears to be ready for the stretch run. Ramirez had a lower back issue and batted .345 with 20 homers and 57 RBI in 86 games. Dodgers left-handed ace Clayton Kershaw will get the ball in Game 1 after a terrific season that will likely net him another NL Cy Young Award. Kershaw led the major leagues with a minuscule 1.83 ERA and was 6-2 with a 1.61 ERA in his last nine starts and finished 16-9 with an NL-best 232 strikeouts. Kershaw posted his fourth consecutive season with 200 or more strikeouts, and allowed a .195 batting average -- .202 to right-handed hitters and .165 to left-handed hitters. "Hes definitely at the top of his craft," said Upton. "Hes one of those guys, you can tell when you see him out before games, when hes not pitching, hes preparing, so you know hes one of those guys that when he steps on the mound, hes prepared. You just have to be prepared to go at him, too." Like Atlanta the Dodgers stumbled to the finish line, going 12-15 in September. Since the advent of the wild card in 1995, only three times has a team with a losing record in the final month of the season won the World Series: the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals (12-17), the 00 New York Yankees (13-17) and the 1997 Florida Marlins (12-15). Atlanta won five of its seven matchups with the Dodgers this season. However, these teams havent met in the postseason since the Braves swept the NLDS back in 1996. Nike Air Max Uitverkoop . Both of Padakins goals came in the second period while Zane Jones added a single in the first period for Calgary (13-6-4). Hitmen goaltender Chris Driedger finished with 30 saves for the shutout. Nike Air Max 270 Heren Sale . The team announced the moves before Sundays game against Houston. Shaw was 1-4 with a 4.26 ERA in 43 games for the Diamondbacks. Bergesen was claimed off waivers from Baltimore on Friday. http://www.airmaxkopennederland.com/uitverkoop-air-max-270/max-270-dames.html . CHAUNCEY BILLUPS (Pistons): Yes they got Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings in the off-season and Andre Drummond is a beast (teams are kicking themselves for passing on him - he rebounds and block shots every game - thats two more discernable and significant skills than most guys in his draft class), but dont for a second discount the impact of having a savvy veteran like Billups on your team. Finally, in his last at bat -- and with the game long decided -- Arenado laced a double that landed squarely on the white left-field line. Thats the way its been going lately for one of the Colorado Rockies hottest hitters. Arenado ran his hitting streak to 26 games and Carlos Gonzalez had five of Colorados season-high 21 hits as the Rockies routed the Texas Rangers 12-1 on Tuesday night. "Just nice to get that," Arenado said of his RBI double in the seventh. His streak is one away from tying the team record of 27 set by Michael Cuddyer last season. Its also the longest for anyone 23 years or younger since Albert Pujols hit in 30 straight games in 2003. "It was a little dramatic, but he finally did it," Gonzalez said. "It was a great night for him -- a very important night for him." For Gonzalez, too. Hes been struggling all season with finger and knee ailments that have hampered his swing. And yet the Rockies still lead the majors in most offensive categories. "Just imagine when Cargo starts swinging it the way he should," Arenado said. The first four hitters in Colorados lineup -- Charlie Blackmon, Drew Stubbs, Troy Tulowitzki and Gonzalez -- went a combined 13-for-20 with two homers and seven RBIs to help the Rockies take two games from Texas at Coors Field. Colorado now travels to Arlington, Texas, for two more in a home-and-home situation. Blackmon led off with a homer. Stubbs added another in the seventh. "We got guys up and down the order and on the bench that can really swing it," Arenado said. Juan Nicasio (4-1) got through five innings without his best command, giving up two hits and one run. He also walked a season-high five. Robbie Ross Jr. (1-3) had a rough outing as he allowed six runs and 12 hits in 5 1-3 innings. The Rangers most effective pitcher on this night was actually an outfielder. Given the lopsided score, and to save his bullpen, manager Ron Washington sent Mitch Moreland to the mound for the eighth. He set the Rockies down in order as he became only the sixth position player to pitch in Rangers history. Its the first time hes pitched since 2008 and that was in a minor league game. Morelandd was hitting around 94 mph, too. Air Max 2019 Nederland. "I tried to let a couple go, especially early in the count, just to have some fun," Moreland said. "Its tough in a game like that to have some fun, but its always been a dream of mine." Leading 4-1, the Rockies broke open the game with a six-run sixth in which they sent 12 batters to the plate. Pinch hitter Brandon Barnes even got up twice, hitting singles both times. "They put the ball in play and found holes. There was nothing we could do about it," Washington said. Arenados glove set the stage for the run eruption. He robbed Adrian Beltre of two hits and, along with it, potentially big innings for the Rangers. He felt a little bad, too. "Beltres my favourite player," Arenado said. "Hes one of the last players Id want to rob." In the third, Arenado, the reigning Gold Glove winner at the hot corner, gobbled up a hot grounder from Beltre and threw him out at first. Beltre playfully looked at Arenado and raised hands as if to say, "Did that just happen?" Arenado has been stealing hits all season. So much so that before the game Washington said of Arenado: "That kid over there is a highlight reel." In the fifth, Arenado got Beltre again as he snared a two-out slow roller with his bare hand and made a strong throw that barely beat Beltre. "Ive got to do what Ive got to do," Arenado said. Nicasio struggled to find the strike zone, with catcher Jordan Pacheco and pitching coach Jim Wright making frequent visits to settle him down. It worked as Nicasio improved to 3-0 at home this season. Ross nearly had his first major league hit as he beat out a grounder to second. But Rockies manager Walt Weiss challenged the play and it was reversed upon review. "I think hell get another one," Weiss said, laughing. "I think he will." NOTES: Beltre hit his first homer of the season, a solo shot in the first. ... RHP Colby Lewis (2-1) will pitch Wednesday as the Rangers return from a five-game road swing. The Rockies counter with LHP Jorge De La Rosa (3-3). ... Tulowitzki is hitting .608 with six homers and 22 RBIs at home this season. ' ' ' « ed to 10 men in the 86th minute when Caldwell wasw and far between as a sophomore. Hes a worker an » More blog posts in this category Common |
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