Pirate Galaxy » Hurts was sacked and lost a fumble at the Vols 11.W

NEW YORK -- Mariano Rivera stood on the mound, looking down at his cleats. Somehow, hed let yet another lead slip away. Never before had baseballs all-time saves leader blown three straight chances. Silenced by a pair of Detroit home runs, the fans at Yankee Stadium soon perked up. Brett Gardner homered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the New York Yankees over the Tigers 5-4 Sunday for their first series win in more than a month. Rivera has a record 643 saves, but had never failed three in a row in 1,087 previous relief appearances. His troubles began in Chicago, where he gave back a lead to the White Sox. "At least its the first time, you know what I mean?" Rivera said. "I just try to go out there and do my job. The last three opportunities, I havent done it. So we have to continue battling and get better. Have to keep working and eventually it will happen." Rivera blew both save chances in this series. Gardner provided the winning hit in both games. "Mos bailed us out a few times," Gardner said. "It didnt matter if it was me or somebody else, we just needed to get a win today and Im glad we made it happen." Rivera (3-2) gave up another homer to a limping Miguel Cabrera, plus a drive to Victor Martinez in the top of the ninth. The solo shots made it 4-all and turned Alex Rodriguezs first homer of the season into a footnote. But Gardner connected off Jose Veras (0-5). The feisty centre fielder flipped his batting helmet to A-Rod just before reaching the plate, then jumped into a cluster of teammates at home. "To Martinez, that ball was just laying right flat up. And also with Miguel," Rivera said. "Youre facing professional hitters. If you dont put the ball where you need to, youre going to get hit." On Friday night, Rivera gave up a two-run shot to Cabrera, who fouled two balls off his leg before launching the tying drive. Gardner won it in the 10th with a single. Manager Joe Girardi is hardly going to start worrying now about the 43-year-old pitcher generally regarded as the best closer ever. "Its not like you forget how to pitch in a week," Girardi said. "Its impossible." Alfonso Soriano homered for his 2,000th hit in the fourth inning. He connected off Justin Verlander, as did Rodriguez. "All great pitchers have one thing in common: they attack you and throw strikes," Rodriguez on why hes had success against Verlander -- four homers in 28 at-bats. Rodriguez, who has missed most of the year while coming back from hip surgery, hit a leadoff homer in the second. His 648th career home run pushed him past Stan Musial for fifth on the RBIs list with 1,951. "It was a tremendous homer by A-Rod," Pena said. "Justin Verlander threw a great inside pitch and he used his hands and sometimes you just have to credit the hitter." Lustily booed Friday night in his season debut at Yankee Stadium, he quickly turned fans around Sunday with a soaring shot to left field that made it 1-all. Rodriguez drove in one more run with a single down the first base line in the third. "Felt good to get the first one out of the way," Rodriguez said. "Today was a step in the right direction." Late lineup-addition Brayan Pena homered in the eighth off Yankees setup man David Robertson, cutting Detroits deficit to 4-2. Pena played for Alex Avila, who was placed on the 7-day concussion list after the game. Avila was hit in the mask by a foul ball Thursday but played Saturday. He was in the initial lineup Sunday. On a glorious August afternoon in the Bronx, the Yankees avoided dropping to .500 for the first time since April 13, improving to 59-57. Taking two of three from the AL Central leaders gave New York its first series win July 5-7 after an 0-5-3 stretch. Gardner started a long-distance double play to end the eighth inning by leaping against the centre field wall to catch Torii Hunters fly and preserve the 4-2 lead. Prince Fielder had an RBI single in the first off Andy Pettitte, the eighth straight game the lefty allowed a run in the opening inning. Thats the longest such streak by a Yankees pitcher, according to STATS research back to 1920. Rodriguez made a stellar play in the eighth when he reached deep behind third base on Austin Jacksons grounder and threw to second to nail Jose Iglesias for the first out. Tigers manager Jim Leyland disputed the call, and TV replays appeared to back him up. Leyland was back on the field one batter later. Shaken after catching Hunters fly, Gardner flipped the ball to Soriano. The left fielder threw the ball to shortstop Eduardo Nunez, who tossed it to second baseman Robinson Cano. Cano easily tagged Austin Jackson, who stood confused on second base. "As I lowered my head as I rounded back to make sure I stepped on second base, I saw the ball on the ground so I thought it hadnt been caught," Jackson said. "Sometimes you have no way of telling whats going on behind you. It happens sometimes. He made a great catch." Half the team met Gardner at the dugout steps to congratulate the centre fielder. They all pounced on him after his homer. NOTES: Verlander gave up seven hits and four runs in seven innings. He struck out nine and walked one. ... Rodriguez was given an error in the third on Martinezs slow roller that he ran in for but couldnt scoop with his glove. ... Rodriguezs two hits were his first off a right-hander in 25 at-bats dating to last years playoffs. ... The Tigers recalled C Bryan Holaday from Triple-A Toledo after the game. Cheap Authentic Nike Air Max 90 . William Carrier opened the scoring for Cape Breton (6-4-2), but Andrew Ryan tied the game and Brent Andrews put the Mooseheads (8-6-0) in front for good with a short-handed goal at 13:49 of the second period. Air Max 90 Essential Cheap . PAUL, Minn. http://www.wholesale90airmax.com/wholesale-air-max-90-essential.html . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Wholesale Air Max 90 Off White . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Cheap Air Max 90 Leather . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Alabamas bottom line under Nick Saban hasnt changed one iota.The No. 1 Crimson Tide are still winning at a head-spinning clip, still collecting national championship hardware and still beating Tennessee every year. But to say its the same, old Alabama would be like saying its the same, old Godzilla.The worlds most feared lizard is still wreaking havoc and still breathing fire on the silver screen. Hes just a little more refined, a little sleeker and a little more with the times.The same goes for Alabamas football machine, which once again turned the Third Saturday in October into its own little gala with a 49-10 drubbing of the Vols at Neyland Stadium, the Crimson Tides 10th consecutive victory in a rivalry that really hasnt been much of one for the last decade.Its not so much that Alabama handed Tennessee the second most lopsided defeat in the history of this series (Alabama won 51-0 way back in 1906). Its the way the Crimson Tide did it, and the way they continue to evolve as they keep winning games. Their overall winning streak is up to 19 straight games now, the longest active streak in the FBS.You play the way you need to play under the rules the way they are, Saban said. If you dont, youre going to get left behind.Think about it. Did anybody really see Saban playing a true freshman quarterback five years ago? For that matter, did anybody see Saban breaking away from his pro-style approach and running the quarterback as much as Alabama is with Jalen Hurts, who torched the Vols for 132 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries?But heres the clincher: The Tide are going hurry-up on offense, using tempo, not huddling and spreading out the defense, the style of football Saban was railing against as recently as three years ago.For a guy who has been accused more than once of being stubborn and a creature of habit, Saban is as progressive as they come when it comes to his football team.He flashes a wry smile when asked how it feels to officially be one of the fastball guys, Sabans term for the coaches who run hurry-up offenses, the same offenses that were allegedly his kryptonite on defense when he had the audacity to go two straight years in 2013 and 2014 without winning a national championship.The reality is offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin is the one who has transformed Alabamas offense, but Saban is the one who brought Kiffin in and gave him that license. Yes, their animated exchanges on the sideline are priceless -- what Saban calls ass-chewings when Kiffin gets a little too far out there on the plank. But its a fact that Hurts, an explosive athlete, adds a whole different dimension to the Alabama offense with his ability to run the zone read, make people miss and also throw the ball on the move.And as Saban notes, Hurts is growing and only getting better each week.One of the things Saban likes best about Hurts is hes not averse to hard coaching. Saban jumped on Hurts pretty good a couple of times in the first half after the freshman committed turnovers against Tennessee, but Hurts was unfazed, took the tongue-lashing and came back and played that much better.ddddddddddddIts not Kiffins first rodeo, either. He knew during the preseason that this wasnt going to be an elite Alabama offensive line. Its a line thats improving, but simply isnt on a par with some of the dominant offensive lines the Crimson Tide have had in years past. So a quarterback who can extend the play, run around and put pressure on a defense with his legs was probably going to be this offensive lines best friend.Saban was on board, even though that quarterback was a true freshman.The hardest quarterback to face is a dual-threat quarterback, Tennessee defensive back Rashaan Gaulden said. (Hurts) exploited us being able to get around the edge and deliver on the long ball when needed. Where he hurt us the most was being able to get around the edge and provide explosive plays for his team.Even on defense, which has long been Alabamas backbone under Saban, the Crimson Tide have a different makeup.Go back and look at the Alabama defense on that 2009 national championship team, or even the 2011 and 2012 national championship teams. The defensive linemen were bigger and bulkier. Its hard to believe, for instance, that Terrence Cody would be able to play on this defense and in this age of college football. Alabama is leaner across the defensive front, and its speed on defense is the best its ever been under Saban.Were faster at every position, but that was something we went out and addressed on defense in recruiting because of the way everybody is playing now on offense, Saban said. Its been a couple of years in the making.Already this season, seven of Alabamas 11 defensive starters have scored touchdowns, and the Tide have scored 11 nonoffensive touchdowns as a team, including special teams touchdowns. The only touchdown they gave up to Tennessee on Saturday was after Hurts was sacked and lost a fumble at the Vols 11.We made it a point of emphasis this offseason for a bunch of guys to shed a little bit of weight, get a little smaller so we could play these speed-ball teams, Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen said. Weve done a good job of stopping that this year.Tennessee, which was missing several starters due to injury, averaged just 2.6 yards per play. Alabama, meanwhile, churned out 438 rushing yards, the most the Crimson Tide have gained on the ground since the 1986 season.We saw they didnt have a lot of depth on defense, and we just kept fast tempo all game, and they got tired, Alabama tight end O.J. Howard said.The rest of the country may be tired of Alabama winning all the time, and Saban is the last person whos ever going to take winning for granted.Thats why hes constantly adapting, constantly tweaking and constantly looking for different and better ways to do things.Even if it means becoming a quasi-fastball guy. ' ' '