Rudolph leads Vikings with five TDs this season. | Forum
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Aug 1 '18
HOUSTON -- As of two games ago, Jason Castro had never hit a homer off a left-hander. Black Lions Jerseys . Now Houstons left-handed hitting catcher has done it twice. Castro homered for the second straight game and Matt Dominguez hit a three-run double to help the Astros to their fourth straight win, 5-4 over the Chicago White Sox on Sunday. Dominguez put Houston on top 3-0 with a double in the second inning, and Castro hit a two-run shot to make it 5-2 in the seventh. The left-handed Castro hit his first career home run off a left-hander on Saturday night when he connected off John Danks, and made it two when he hit a slider from Matt Thornton on Sunday. "Jason has definitely found his groove and understands exactly what it is hes doing," manager Bo Porter said of Castro, whose first 16 homers came against right-handers. "Hes healthy, his legs are underneath him, and its allowing him to put together an All-Star type season." He has a career-high 10 home runs this season, the second-most among catchers in the American League. "Im feeling comfortable," Castro said. "Theres some things Ive been working on with some of my pitch recognition and things like that. So I think its coming along. Its definitely a work in progress." Alejandro De Aza tripled and scored in the sixth, and Dayan Viciedo tripled and scored in the seventh to cut the lead to 3-2. De Aza added a two-out, two-run homer off Jose Veras to make it 5-4 in the ninth before Alexei Ramirez grounded out to give Veras his 14th save. Houston starter Dallas Keuchel (4-3) yielded four hits and two runs in 6 1-3 innings for the win. He continued a streak of solid starting pitching for the Astros, whose starters have gone 11-8 with a 3.03 ERA since May 15. "The starting pitching has been tremendous," Porter said. "You look at this stretch in which weve played really good baseball ... it starts and ends with those guys on the mound." Hector Santiago (2-5) allowed five hits and three runs with eight strikeouts in 5 1-3 innings. The AL-Central-worst White Sox have dropped four straight overall and 12 of their last 13 road games to fall 10 games under .500 (28-38) for the first time since May 7, 2011. They have had trouble scoring in this span and have been outscored 71-41. "Offensively, we are not getting it done," Chicagos Adam Dunn said. "If I could sit here and put a finger on why (I would), but I cant. For once, I am speechless. I dont know why our offence is sputtering. "We have the talent. We have everyone in place. We just arent producing." Chris Carter singled with one out in the second before Santiago issued consecutive walks to load the bases. Dominguez cleared the bases with a double which skidded down the left field line, just out of reach of a diving Jeff Keppinger to make it 3-0. He advanced to third on the throw home. Brandon Barnes robbed Viciedo of a hit when he raced up Tals Hill in centre field and made an over-the-shoulder grab before falling and rolling into the wall to start the second inning. The White Sox got their first hit the next batter when Dunn singled. But Keuchel retired the following nine hitters, with Chicagos next runner coming when Keppinger walked with one out in the fifth. De Aza tripled to start the sixth inning, and Chicago cut the lead to 3-1 when he scored on a sacrifice fly by Ramirez. Viciedo led off the seventh with a triple and scored on a one-out single by Keppinger that got Chicago within 3-2 and chased Keuchel. He was replaced by Jose Cisnero who was greeted with a single by Gordon Beckham before pinch-hitter Conor Gillaspie walked to load the bases. Cisnero escaped the jam by striking out De Aza before Ramirez grounded out to end the inning. NOTES: Houstons game on Saturday night ended when Veras picked off Jordan Danks at second base. It was the first time in franchise history that a game was ended by an Astros pitcher picking off a runner, according to information provided by the team from the Elias Sports Bureau. ... The series wraps up on Monday when Houstons Bud Norris opposes Jose Quintana. Norris has a 2.28 ERA in eight starts at home this season. ... Houston OF Justin Maxwell, on the disabled list with a broken bone in his left hand, went 1 for 3 in a rehabilitation game with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Saturday. Porter said he doesnt have a timetable for his return to the Astros. ... White Sox OF Dewayne Wise, on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, went 1 for 3 with a triple in a rehabilitation game with Triple-A Charlotte on Saturday. ... Astros top prospect Jonathan Singleton, who finished a 50-game drug suspension late last month, has been promoted to Oklahoma City after hitting .263 with two homers and eight RBIs in 11 games for Double-A Corpus Christi. Nick Bawden Stitched Jersey . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Cheap Lions Jerseys . -- For the first time in two months, an opponent was standing up to Alabama. http:///...ker-stitched-jersey/ . - 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. MINNESOTA (6-4) at DETROIT (6-4)Thursday, 12:30 p.m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE -- Lions by 2 1/2RECORD VS. SPREAD -- Vikings 6-4, Lions 5-4-1SERIES RECORD -- Vikings lead 71-37-2LAST MEETING -- Lions beat Vikings 22-16, OT, Nov. 6,LAST WEEK -- Vikings beat Cardinals 30-24, Lions beat Jaguars 26-19AP PRO32 RANKING -Vikings No. 11, Lions No. 10VIKINGS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (32), RUSH (32), PASS (24).VIKINGS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (3), RUSH (13) PASS (3).LIONS OFFENSE -- OVERALL (25), RUSH (30), PASS (16).LIONS DEFENSE -- OVERALL (19), RUSH (18), PASS (17).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES -- Lions and Vikings tied atop NFC North. ... Minnesota blew three-point lead with 23 seconds left last game against Lions, allowing them to set up Matt Praters 58-yard FG as time expired in regulation. QB Matthew Staffords 28-yard pass TD to WR Golden Tate in OT won it. ... Vikings win over Arizona ended four-game losing streak. ... Minnesota hasnt won NFC North game since beating Green Bay in Week 2. ... WR Stefon Diggs ranks third in NFL with 67 receptions, including career-high 13 catches against Detroit and Washington this month. ... Minnesota KR-WR Cordarrelle Patterson became NFLs first player with four TDs of 100-plus yards last week, returning kickoff 104 yards. ... With CB Xavier Rhodes 100-yard interception return against Arizona, Minnesota becamee first team since Dallas in 1962 to score on interception and kickoff returns of 100-plus yards in game. Pink Lions Jerseys. . ... Vikings only team with five-plus sacks from three DEs: Danielle Hunter (seven), Everson Griffen (six) and Brian Robison (five). ... Detroit in first place on Thanksgiving for first time since 1993, last time franchise won division title. ... Lions have won five of six. ... Stafford has thrown only one INT in last six games. ... Theo Riddick had eight receptions for Lions last week, matching season high, leads NFL RBs with 123 catches since 2015. ... Tate had 11 receptions against Vikings in Week 9, equaling career high from 2014. ... DE Ezekiel Ansah, who does not have sack in injury-stunted season, has 4 + sacks and two fumbles in last five games against Vikings. ... Lions first NFL team to have first 10 games decided by seven or fewer points. Detroit has trailed in fourth quarter of every game. ... Fantasy Tip: Minnesotas Kyle Rudolph has scored in three straight games against Lions, who have struggled to slow down tight ends this season. Rudolph leads Vikings with five TDs this season.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ;Wholesale Jerseys Jerseys From China Cheap Jerseys 2019 Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap ' ' '
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