Pirate Galaxy » on werent very high. The Runnin Re

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Tyler Skaggs will pitch at Angel Stadium for the first time in two years Sunday when the Los Angeles Angels and the Boston Red Sox conclude their three-game series.The left-hander, who turned 25 on July 13, returned to major-league action Tuesday night in Kansas City after spending the past two years recuperating from Tommy John surgery. In his start against the Royals, Skaggs conceded just three hits and one walk in seven shutout innings while collecting five strikeouts in the Angels 13-0 romp. Skaggs threw 63 of his 88 pitches for strikes.It went a lot better than I expected, to say the least, Skaggs told MLB.com afterward. Everything just felt really fast in that first at-bat and after that, it started to slow down. It was a fun game for me.The left-hander last pitched in Anaheim on July 25, 2014, when he struck out five in 5 2/3 innings while allowing runs on five hits and a walk against the Detroit Tigers. In his next start six days later, Skaggs amassed seven strikeouts and issued no walks during 4 2/3 no-hit innings in Baltimore but left after throwing 72 pitches. Skaggs underwent ligament-transfer surgery 13 days later.Skaggs began this season with Triple-A Salt Lake but after his first three starts, biceps tendinitis kept him from pitching for two months. Skaggs returned to minor-league action June 22 with a rehabilitation assignment with the Angels rookie-league team in Arizona before returning to Salt Lake on July 2.In his final two minor-league starts, Skaggs held opponents to just two hits and three walks in 12 2/3 shutout innings while accumulating 26 strikeouts. Fourteen came against Triple-A Omaha to tie the Bees team record set by Jered Weaver.The left-hander will play a pivotal role in the starting rotation for the rest of this season and well into the next, at least. Injuries stripped the Angels of starters Garrett Richards, Andrew Heaney, C.J. Wilson and Nick Tropeano. Heaney already had Tommy John surgery but Tropeano and Richards seek to avoid it.We have great expectations for him, manager Mike Scioscia told MLB.com in reference to Skaggs. Hes an important part of what were trying to do. We expected to have him maybe a little bit earlier. But hes ready now, and were happy to have him.Opposing Skaggs will be 31-year-old knuckleballer Steven Wright, who is having the best season of his career. The right-hander, an American League All-Star for the first time, already has career bests in victories (12), complete games (3), starts (20), strikeouts (109) and innings (132 2/3).Wright anticipated being one of the bullpens spare parts before left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez suffered a knee injury that forced a quick change in plans.I was going to be a long guy, spot starter, the knuckleball specialist told the Boston Globe. I knew my role in spring training. They made it clear. Thats what I prepared for. I knew there was a chance Id get starts. I didnt think Id be in the rotation. Unfortunately, Eddie got hurt but it opened up a door for me.But Wright had perhaps his worst start of the season in his last appearance Tuesday night against the Tigers in Fenway Park. The right-hander allowed eight earned runs on nine hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings yet received no decision in Bostons 9-8 defeat. Before that game, Wright won his previous four starts.This is a tough loss for me because I feel like if you can get eight runs, you should get the team a win, Wright told MLB.com afterward. You cant keep asking the offense to score eight, nine runs every night. Thats tough to do for any team.Retro Jordan 11s For Sale .S. -- Nikolaj Ehlers registered a hat trick for the third straight game and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and five assists as the Halifax Mooseheads hammered the host Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 10-1 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Retro Black . - Oakland Raiders running back Rashad Jennings was speaking to a group of local high school students earlier this week when the conversation turned to the importance of being prepared when opportunities in life arise. http://www.cheapjordans11online.com/cheap-air-jordan-11-retro-blue/ . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Retro All Gold . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Cheap Air Jordan 11 Retro All Red . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night.I have one word of advice for UNLV fans.PATIENCE.It is going to take some time to rebuild the program. I think back to 1990, when Jerry Tarkanian led the Runnin Rebels to a 30-point victory over Duke in the national title game.That is still the biggest margin in championship game history.That UNLV team was so special: Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Greg Anthony, Anderson Hunt, it was really loaded. The next year, the Blue Devils got revenge in the national semifinal en route to a national championship.Tarkanian was a superstar in his own right right. He would walk around Las Vegas, owning the town with his popularity. Everyone wanted to be a part of a winning program.I called the recent Duke-UNLV game at the beautiful, new T-Mobile Arena. i was impressed with the effort put forth by UNLV. Those kids fought hard and gave it their best, though you couldnt tell by the final margin (95-45). The Runnin Rebels dont have the same talent level that Duke has.Marvin Menzies got the UNLV coaching job late. Chris Beard was supposed to be the coach, coming over after a successful stint at Arkansas-Little Rock. Beards team beat Purdue in the NCAA tournament last year.Then the Texas Tech job opened when Tubby Smith went to Memphis. Beard decided to go to Lubbock. Menzies inherited a program which returned just three players from last years squad.Menzies was a member of Loon Krugers staff at UNLV in 2004-05.dddddddddddd He took New Mexico State to the NCAA tournament five times. Having a late start putting together this roster put him behind the eight ball.The expectations for this season werent very high. The Runnin Rebels were picked eighth in the preseason Mountain West poll. UNLV has lost to South Alabama, TCU and Arizona State already in this campaign. The 24-point loss to the Sun Devils was alarming when you consider what Purdue did to Arizona State in the Jimmy V. Classic ... blowout city.UNLV last went to the Sweet 16 back in 2007. It is likely that the Runnin Rebels will finish with fewer than 20 wins for the third straight season, a streak which last took place in 2004-06.Can this program bounce back and return to national prominence? The answer is yes.?Fans in Vegas are hungry for a winner. It only takes one good recruiting class to turn things around. Go look at UCLA, which had a losing record last season. After they added?Lonzo Ball and TJ Leaf?the Bruins are No. 2 in the AP poll this week. UCLA is unbeaten and looking very good.Give Menzies some time and he will build a good program. His kids hustled and scrapped against Duke. It will take a little time to get the talent level up. ' ' '