Wilkommen bei den Schatten » pundits have enjoyed witnessing their recent

PITTSBURGH -- It was hard to tell whether the Pittsburgh Pirates were heading on a road trip or getting ready for a Stanley Cup playoff game after beating the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Thursday for their fourth straight win. All of the Pirates players and coaches wore Pittsburgh Penguins replica jerseys as they got ready to embark on a road trip to Milwaukee and Detroit. The Penguins even sent a custom-made No. 13 sweater to manager Clint Hurdle. The Penguins lead the Ottawa Senators 3-1 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal. "Theres nothing much like playoff hockey," Hurdle said. "Were just getting into the spirit." Utility infielder Brandon Inge took things one step farther before the game, arriving in the Pirates clubhouse dressed in a full hockey uniform and rollerblades. "Its something fun, something to change things up a little bit during a long season. Plus, weve got to support our boys," said Pirates second baseman Neil Walker, a Pittsburgh-area native. The Pirates won for the 11th time in 13 games as Andrew McCutchen had three hits and two RBIs. Leadoff hitter Starling Marte singled and scored in each of the first two innings as Pittsburgh built an early 4-0 lead. The Pirates moved a season-best 11 games over .500. "Were playing good baseball and I dont think weve reached our ceiling yet," McCutchen said. "The pitching has been good all year but the hitting has kind of been up and down. The bats are eventually going to come around and we should be even better when that happens." The Cubs lost their fourth in a row. Edwin Jackson (1-7) gave up two runs in the first inning and two more in the second. He gave up six hits and struck out six in three innings and has a 6.11 ERA through 10 starts. "I got beat with men on base with balls up in the zone," Jackson said. "I had some times when I got it down but in vital situations when I needed to keep the ball down I wasnt doing that, and that pretty much sums up the game." Jackson is in his first season with the Cubs after signing a four-year, $52 million contract over the winter as a free agent. "I think at times he tries too hard to justify his contract and overthrows," Chicago manager Dale Sveum said. "I think he needs to relax and just be Edwin Jackson, the guy we liked enough to sign." Reliever Vin Mazzaro (3-0) pitched 2 1-3 scoreless innings. He replaced starter Jeanmar Gomez in the fourth inning following a rain delay of 1 hour, 47 minutes. "I knew about a half-hour before the delay ended that I was going to come in to pitch, but you never know how the long the delay might last, so I tried to stay as prepared as possible," Mazzaro said. "I felt like I was ready to go." Gomez allowed one run and three hits in 3 2-3 innings. "I thought I had really good stuff today and control of all my pitches," Gomez said. "Then it started raining hard and that was it. I think I could have pitched a lot longer but Im frustrated about it. You cant do anything about the rain." Jason Grilli pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning and is a perfect 19-for-19 in save opportunities. Marte led off the bottom of the first inning with a single, stole second with one out and scored on McCutchens single. McCutchen stole second and scored on Michael McKenrys single. Marte singled in the second and scored on Travis Sniders triple that rolled to the 410-foot notch in left-centre field. McCutchen added his second RBI single. The Cubs got a run in the fourth when David DeJesus led off with a double and scored on Anthony Rizzos grounder. The Cubs had runners on the corners when two outs when play was halted, but Mazzaro got Welington Castillo to hit an inning-ending groundout after the delay. Chicago cut the deficit to 4-2 in the seventh with Darwin Barney singling in Castillo, who had walked. NOTES: Jackson was struck in the rear end by a line drive off the bat of Marte in the second inning. Castro jammed his right ankle while being thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double in the sixth inning by RF Travis Snider. Both Chicago players were able to stay in the game. ... The Cubs road trip continues Friday night at Cincinnati with RHP Scott Feldman (4-3, 2.19) facing Reds RHP Bronson Arroyo (4-4, 3.28). ... RHP A.J. Burnett (3-4, 2.57) is scheduled to start for Pittsburgh at Milwaukee against RHP Marco Estrada (3-2, 5.44). Brock Holt Jersey . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Jackie Bradley Jr Jersey .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. http://www.theredsoxteamshop.com/Red-Sox-Jim-Rice-Kids-Jersey/ .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. Craig Kimbrel Jersey . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Tyler Thornburg Jersey . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. 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Ignoring the haters is key to Cronulla recapturing their sublime mid-season form, hooker Michael Ennis insists.Three successive defeats have the Sharks in danger of relinquishing their hold on a vital top-two spot, despite one of their most successful regular seasons ever.Cronulla crashed to a winless month in Mondays loss to South Sydney, after a draw with Gold Coast and defeats to Canberra and St George Illawarra.The Sharks mid-season run made them one of the NRLs hunted and plenty of pundits have enjoyed witnessing their recent dip in form.Retiring rake Ennis is aware some would take a perverse enjoyment in Cronullas premiership drought continuing this season.We have a lot of experience in the side and it is important we help the younger guys at times like these about blocking out the noise, Ennis told AAP.We know what we need to do, not what everyone else out there wants us to do. It iis going to come from within the group.ddddddddddddonesty would also be crucial in turning the Sharks fortunes around, he felt.We just have to be openly honest and look at what is going wrong, Ennis said.You dont just become a bad footy side in three weeks.We need to make sure we go back to what we were doing well through the middle of the season and that was executing better.The Sharks have missed big forwards Paul Gallen and Sam Tagataese over the past fortnight.Gallen will return from a calf in Saturdays penultimate round clash against Sydney Roosters at Southern Cross Group Stadium.Winger Sosaia Feki comes back from one match out with a groin strain.I dread five-day turnarounds sometimes but this one I think we need to get straight back into it, Ennis said. ' ' '