Gästebuch » and intangibles that are as good as anybody in Ame

ATLANTA -- Tigers manager Brad Ausmus just wants to focus on his team, rather than worry about the other teams in the AL wild-card race.We do appreciate the help, but weve still got to take care of business here, Ausmus said. We were able to do it tonight.Miguel Cabrera hit two home runs, Ian Kinsler and Justin Upton also connected and Detroit moved up in the playoff race, beating the Atlanta Braves 6-2 Friday night.The Tigers won their third straight and pulled within a half-game of Toronto for the second wild-card spot. The Blue Jays lost at Boston 5-3. Baltimore remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Detroit.The regular season is scheduled to end Sunday, but the Tigers might need to play beyond that. They were rained out against AL Central champion Cleveland this week and would have to make up that game at home if it impacts their playoff chances.We know weve got to take care of our business and see what happens on the other end, Upton said. It worked in our favor tonight.Daniel Norris (4-2) gave up one run, five hits, two walks and struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings.The Braves, playing their final series at Turner Field before moving north to the suburbs next year, had won 10 of 11. Matt Wisler (7-13) was chased in the fifth when James McCanns RBI single made it 5-0.Detroit led 3-0 in the first on Kinslers leadoff homer and Cabreras two-run shot over the center-field wall.Cabrera launched his 38th homer to the same location in the third, putting Detroit up 4-0.Upton hit his 30th homer to make it 6-0 in the seventh. Closer Francisco Rodriguez, in a non-save situation, struck out the side in the ninth.Wisler gave up five runs, nine hits, two walks and struck out three in 4 2/3 innings. He ended the season with a 5.00 ERA in 26 starts and one relief appearance.Cabrera, a two-time AL MVP, has been a tough out over the last couple months, hitting .357 with 20 homers and 55 RBI in his last 63 games. He has six multihomer games this season and 39 in his career.For him its pretty normal, Ausmus said, but hes set a standard offensively that few have ever equaled in the history of the game.Norris escaped a jam with two runners on in the third when Matt Kemp flied out to the warning track.Norris pitched through pain after Adonis Garcias liner glance off his right wrist below his glove in the fifth, striking out the next four batters he faced to end the sixth.Having an early lead helped Norris relax.I completely changed my game plan, Norris said. You go out there and you have a lead like that, `OK, Im attacking these guys no matter what. This offense just really makes things easy sometimes.Brandon Snyder hit his fourth pinch-hit homer of the season to cut the lead to 6-1 in the seventh and chase Norris.Kemp made it 6-2 in the eighth with his 35th homer.Upton is hitting .320 with 17 homers and 40 RBI in his last 36 games.TRAINERS ROOMDetroit CF Cameron Maybin stayed in the game after getting hit on the left hand by Brandon Cunniffs pitch in the sixth. Maybin sustained a left thumb contusion on a head-first slide on Aug. 29 and had his left wrist broken by a pitch in spring training.EXCLUSIVE TERRITORYWith 446 homers, Cabrera moved into the 40th place on the career list. The 11-time All-Star began the game one homer behind Texas Adrian Beltre. ... Kinslers 28th homer tied Lou Whitaker in 1989 for the most homers by a Tigers second baseman in a single season. It was his eighth leadoff homer this year and 40th of his career.LOOKING AHEADAusmus said RHP Michael Fulmer will start Monday if the Tigers play a makeup game against Cleveland. The rookie is 1-2 with a 6.98 ERA in four career starts in the season series.UP NEXTTigers RHP Jordan Zimmermann is 3-1 with a 2.06 ERA in five career starts at Turner Field, 7-3 with a 2.55 ERA in 16 career starts against Atlanta. Injuries have caused problems in his first year with Detroit. Since June 24, Zimmermann is 0-3 with a 16.78 ERA in four starts, a span of 12 1/3 innings. ... Braves rookie RHP Aaron Blair is 1-7 with an 8.02 ERA in 14 career starts. Rangel Ravelo . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. Austin Gomber . Fernandez, coached in Toronto by former two-time Olympic silver medallist Brian Orser, scored 267.11 points and is the first champion to successfully defend since Russias Evgeny Plushenko in 2005 and 2006. http://www.custommlbcardinalsjersey.com/custom-genesis-cabrera-jersey-large-831q.html . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Yadier Molina . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. Justin Williams . The nimble-footed quarterback got his wish, dashing through the snow and a weary defence all the way into the NCAA record book. Duke had three of its highly touted freshman go down with injuries, yet still managed to win four games and take another Top 10 team to overtime.The question now is, will that loss knock the Blue Devils from the top spot in Mondays AP Top 25?The case for No. 1: Duke (4-1) beat No. 21 Rhode Island by 10, rolled over three other opponents and lost by two to No. 7 Kansas in overtime. The Blue Devils did it with freshmen Harry Giles, Jayson Tatum and Marques Bolden all out with injuries, so imagine what they can do when everyone is healthy.The case against No. 1: No. 3 Kentucky (3-0) and No. 3 Villanova (4-0) are still undefeated and both have wins over Top 25 teams. The Wildcats survived a grinding game against No. 13 Michigan State to win by 21 and the defending champion Wildcats held off No. 15 Purdue by three behind preseason All-American Josh Harts array of big shots. Either team could be a legitimate choice for No. 1 and the Blue Devils had another injury against Penn State last week when junior Chase Jeter sprained his right ankle, leaving them even more vulnerable.When were healthy were going to have a lot of good players, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. Right now, we have a lot fewer.It will be up to the poll voters to decide whether Dukes injuries should be a factor in deciding a No. 1 team or if, after a week and a half, its already time for someone else to get a turn.Tune in Monday.---DILLONS DUCKSPut No. 4 Oregon in the same category as the Blue Devils.The Ducks moved up a spot from the preseason poll, but lost 66-49 to unranked Baylor after struggling in the second half.The caveat is that preseason All-American Dillon Brooks has yet to play this season.The do-it-all guard is still recovering from offseason foot surgery and left the Ducks with a big early-season hole in their lineup. Oregon coach Dana Altman said Brooks could play some at the Maui Invitational this week.Oregon will fall at least a few spots in the upcoming poll, but its tough to say are far.---HIGHLIGHT REELThe first two weeks of the season have been filled with some fantastic dunks already.This one by Villanovass Jalen Brunson against Wake Forest has to be up there among the best.dddddddddddd---MASON RISESA big theme heading into the season was the stellar class of freshmen across the country.A senior from the Midwest is making a lot waves and put himself in the early conversation for national player of the year.Kansas guard Frank Mason III has been superb through the seasons first two weeks, averaging 23 points, 5.7 assists and 4.7 rebounds. He scored 30 points against Indiana, including the final 11, then hit the game-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left in overtime against Duke to cap a 21-point night.I think the NBA is missing the boat on him, Kansas coach Bill Self said. I think he doesnt fit the eye test with length and standing height and that kind of stuff, but hes got some things you cant teach, and intangibles that are as good as anybody in American probably possesses.---FRESHMAN WATCHLonzo Ball, UCLA. The predictions for Balls impact seemed to be a bit exaggerated when he arrived in Westwood with so much hype.Its only been three games, but maybe there wasnt enough hype.The 6-foot-6 guard from nearby Chino Hills had a superb college debut, finishing with 19 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds in a blowout win over Pacific.Ball is averaging close to a triple-double so far, with 15 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game. Keep that up and hell be in the national POY conversation as well.---RHODY RISESRhode Island was No. 23 in the AP preseason Top 25, its first time being ranked since 1998-99.The Rams may end up staying there all season.With four starters and E.C. Matthews back from a torn ACL, Rhode Island had preseason expectations of making a run at the Atlantic 10 title.The 21st-ranked Rams (4-1) opened the season with three straight wins, followed with a victory over No. 24 victory over Cincinnati and made a late run at top-ranked Duke before losing on Sunday.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '