Pirate Galaxy » compiling a 2.14 ERA and limiting batt

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings put up 30 points on the Arizona Cardinals to finally snap a four-game losing streak that had soured their season.On paper, that should be reason to celebrate for an offense that has struggled this season to sustain drives, open holes in the running game and put the ball in the end zone. But one of those touchdowns came on a 100-yard interception return by Xavier Rhodes, and another came on a 104-yard kickoff return by Cordarrelle Patterson.The Vikings followed a similar path to victory on Sunday as they did during their 5-0 start to the season, during which they got two TDs and a safety from their defense and two more TDs from special teams to inflate their scoring numbers. They know that they cant expect to sustain that kind of production over the final six games of the season, starting in Detroit on Thursday.Any time we get help from our defense or special teams, obviously, its a huge help, quarterback Sam Bradford said. And its great to have that, but as an offense, we cant rely on that. Weve got to go out there expecting for us to go out and play well and put up enough points to win.The Vikings offense did score twice in the first half against the Cardinals, but managed just three points in the second half and put up 217 yards in the game. New offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur pulled out several different trick plays to try to loosen up the defense, using some wildcat formations to get a little production out of the leagues worst running game and even going to a flea-flicker that drew a penalty and set up another touchdown.I still think theres a lot of room for improvement, Bradford said. Weve got to be better in the second half. But there were some positives, and obviously, just to get a win. I think that just does a lot for this team and does a lot for this group. Hopefully thats something we can build on going forward.Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata combined to rush for 64 yards on 21 carries. Thats not a number that jumps out, but considering they entered the game on pace to become the first team to average under 3.0 yards per carry since the Patriots in 1994, it was viewed as a step in the right direction.Coach Mike Zimmer was encouraged by the ability to convert a third-and-1 and for Asiata to pound into the end zone from two yards out after watching his team fail over and over in short yardage situations during that four-game skid.Were not going to be Eric Dickerson yet, Zimmer said. Were working on the little things.There remains a possibility that injured star Adrian Peterson could return to the field sometime in December, though he still has a long way to go in the rehab process following surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee. Peterson has been out since Week 2 against Green Bay, but he was only averaging 1.6 yards per carry before he went down.In Petersons absence, Patterson has emerged as a playmaker that the Vikings offense sorely needs. The 2013 first-round draft choice went through a 20-game stretch from 2015 into this season where he had just four catches for 24 yards. But in the last seven games, Patterson has caught 32 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Those arent numbers that will make Julio Jones jealous, but its a start.Nothing is good as it seems and nothing is as bad as it seems, Zimmer said. Somewhere in the middle is where reality falls.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Buy Puma Shoes Australia . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. Cheap Puma Shoes Mens . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. http://www.cheappumaaustralia.com/ .Y. - Jerome Samson scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the St. Wholesale Puma Shoes .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. Wholesale Puma Shoes Free Shipping . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. BOSTON -- Two American League East contenders coming off big weekend series road wins get together for the next three games of the postseason chase at Fenway Park, starting on Monday night.Were going, were moving, we got that mojo back, slugger David Ortiz said after his go-ahead three-run homer on Sunday gave the first-place Red Sox some momentum heading into the series opener against the visiting Baltimore Orioles. We had a good road trip.The Red Sox, who defeated Toronto in the rubber match on Sunday to take a two-game lead in the division, won 2-of-3 in three different cities and come home for a seven-game homestand.The Orioles, who won their series in Detroit as ace Chris Tillman came off the disabled list to win their rubber game, hit Boston tied for second in the division and two games up in the wild card.We are going to go on a plane and go to the next hostile environment, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Sunday. We will let people continue to cast out on us and count us out. We like that.David Price, the expensive free agent who has gotten hot at just the right time, faces Wade Miley in the series opener. Price will pitch twice on this homestand.Weve been on the road so damn much, I dont think it matters to our guys where were playing, Boston manager John Farrell said before Sundays game. Were looking forward to getting on the field every day. To get back at Fenway, get back in front of our fans, sure thats always a motivatorr for us.dddddddddddd At this time of the year, you can feed off of that energy.Price, who has taken a bit of a backseat to 20-game winner Rick Porcello, has won six straight starts (one of them against Baltimore), compiling a 2.14 ERA and limiting batters to a .204 batting average over that span (42 strikeouts in 42 innings). He is 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in three starts against Baltimore this season, 9-5 with a 2.87 ERA lifetime against the Birds.The winning streak has made him a 15-game winner for the fifth time in his career, and he is 8-2 with a 2.58 ERA in September divisional games since 2013.Miley, who pitched for the Red Sox last season before being traded to the Seattle Mariners in the offseason, has been a disaster since being acquired by the Orioles at the trade deadline. He is 1-4 with a 7.15 ERA, yielding six homers and 27 earned runs in 34 innings.He has never pitched against the Red Sox, but last season went 7-5 with a 4.30 ERA at Fenway.The Orioles, who have gone 4-2 at Fenway this season, dont have great individual numbers against Price. Mark Trumbo leads the way by going 9-for-28 and two homers and Chris Davis is 8-for-28 with two blasts. Michael Bourn is 3-for-22 and Nolan Reimold 4-for-33.Hanley Ramirez is the only Red Sox hitter with a real past against Miley. Hes gone 5-for-24 with a homer. ' ' '