host to the Red Wings on Saturday night | Forum
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Aug 9 '18
PHOENIX -- Devin Mesoraco had caught Bronson Arroyo often enough to know the pitcher likes to try to sneak a first-pitch curveball past hitters in tough situations. Julian Draxler Jersey . So when Mesoraco came to the plate to face his former teammate with the bases loaded and no outs in the second inning, he wasnt surprised to see that slow curve coming -- and the Cincinnati catcher hit into the seats in left field. The grand slam gave the Reds the lead for good and they went on to beat Arroyo and the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 on Friday night. "I was aware that he likes to flip that easy breaking ball in there for a first-pitch strike, especially in situations where he really needs a strike," Mesoraco said. "I wouldnt say that I was looking for it, but I went up there with an idea that may be coming." When Arroyo came to the plate later in the game, he talked to Mesoraco about it. "I said, Rac, you were supposed to take one," Arroyo said. He said, I couldnt let that one go by." Mesoraco also had a solo shot off reliever Evan Marshall in the ninth inning for the second two-homer game of his career. A.J. Pollock doubled twice, singled and scored two runs for the Diamondbacks. In the first five games of the homestand, Pollock is 11 for 20 with five doubles, a triple and a home run and has scored nine runs. Mike Leake (3-4) gave up four runs, three earned, and six hits in six innings for his first win in eight starts. He struck out four and walked one. Arroyo (4-4), facing his former team for the first time, allowed five runs and nine hits through seven innings. "Regardless of the results, that was one of the more enjoyable games I have pitched," he said. When you know someone that intimately, it is nice to know that the guys are beating you that they are good guys and it was a fun competition." Mesoracos second career slam came on the first pitch after the Reds opened the second inning with three consecutive singles. Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save. Roger Bernadina doubled in Cincinnatis other run. The Reds opened the second with singles by Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier and Bernadina, loading the bases for Mesoraco, who made it 4-1. Mesoracos other grand slam came against Atlanta on May 24, 2012. Arizona got two runs in the third. With two outs, Pollock lined one past Frazier at third base. It was originally ruled an error but later changed to a double. Gerardo Parra followed with an RBI single. He took second on the throw home, then scored when Frazier fielded Paul Goldschmidts slow bouncer and threw it high over the head of Bernadina at first and into the Reds dugout. Arizona squandered a chance to tie it in the fifth. Ender Inciarte led off with a double down the right field line and took second on Arroyos sacrifice bunt. But Pollock bounced to the pitcher and Parra grounded out to shortstop to end the threat. The Reds got a run in the sixth on Bernadinas RBI double, and Arizona answered with one in its half of the inning. Aaron Hill singled home Goldschmidt from second, leaving runners at first and third with one out. Chris Owings struck out, then Inciarte was called out at first with Leake taking the throw from second baseman Brandon Phillips and covering on a close play. Manager Kirk Gibson challenged the call but it was upheld on review. The tying run would have scored had the challenge been successful. "That was a huge play right there," Cincinnati manager Bryan Price said. "I wouldnt say a game-saver, but maybe a game-changer for sure." NOTES: The Reds Billy Hamilton stole his 19th base of the season. ... When Miguel Montero threw out Bernadina trying to steal third in the sixth, it was just the third caught stealing for the Arizona catcher in 28 tries. ... In the third game of the series Saturday night, the Reds have Johnny Cueto (4-4, 1.83 ERA) on the mound against Arizonas Brandon McCarthy (1-6, 4.87). ... Cincinnati is 26-11 with the roof closed at Chase Field, 5-12 with it open. It was open Friday night. Thiago Silva Jersey . -- Cole De Vries had a couple of key strikeouts during what could have been the inning that doomed him to defeat against the Kansas City Royals, allowing him to escape further damage and keep the game tied up. Alphonse Areola Jersey . After Mondays comments by Coach Claude Noel that its work first and skill second, and that more “A” games are needed, the Jets responded with a 47-shot effort. If not for terrific goaltending by Braden Holtby the Jets would have had two points in regulation.PHILADELPHIA – Like the rest of his teammates, Carl Gunnarsson was doing what he could to remain positive after yet another loss, the seventh straight for the sinking Leafs, but it wasnt easy. The 27-year-old wants to believe that a turnaround is still possible, that his team can salvage the season, dig out from a deepening slide and claim a second straight playoff berth. But as time ticks down and the results continue to linger in the wrong direction, that belief is tested. "Its a struggle," he said in a near-empty visitors dressing room at Wells Fargo Center. "Ill tell you that. We thought we had something going here tonight." Whatever fight they mustered in a 4-2 loss to the Flyers didt matter by the time the night was through. It was just another empty loss, another opportunity to regain ground for not. "Overall, I didnt think that we had that bad of a night," said coach Randy Carlyle afterward, but we were on the wrong side of the score and thats what counts the most." Never more evident than at this late stage in the season, the difference between winning and losing remained painfully thin. And for the Leafs it was just enough for defeat. Two power-play goals against, a few too many odd-man rushes, a bad break or two and a key mistake at the wrong time. Claude Giroux was the benefactor of one such mistake that sealed defeat for the visitors. The Flyers captain picked off former teammate James van Riemsdyks neutral ice pass attempt - the puck ricocheted off the skate of Scott Hartnell - and zipped a bullet beyond the glove of Jonathan Bernier. "Right now every big scoring chance they get, I think it feels like its going in," said Bernier afterward. "When its not going your way, thats usually what happens." "I thought we played pretty good," he continued. "A few mistakes that end up being goals. From the last game, obviously, I think we played a lot better." But like their harrowing loss to the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, one that saw them manhandled for half the game by the top team in the West, Fridays defeat in Philly counted all the same. It was just another loss at a critical point in the season. "We worked hard," Carlyle said. "Did we work smart enough in some areas? No." Any chance the Leafs have at resuscitation starts Saturday night in a massive showdown with the Detroit Red Wings. A victory reignites whatever belief and hope still lingers. They may have no hope of catching either the Montreal Canadiens or Tampa Bay Lightning, but sitting on near-equal ground with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Red Wings and Washington Capitals - all have 80 points, but with games in hand - a wild card position is still in play. "Obviously, this one, its going to be a tough one to swallow," Bernier said. "But, at the same time, we cant feel sorry for ourselves. [Saturday] is a big game and we all know that." Five Points 1. Carlyles Approach Carlyle has tried to push a few different buttons in midst of his teams recent slide. "Some days, it is a little bit more harsh. Some days, its a pat in the back. Some days its a hug," Carlyle said on Friday morning. "Whatever it is, whatever you feel is necessary. Nobody in life feels like coming to work and being ground into the dirt everyday and thats part of the process. Youve got to pick and choose when to apply pressure and when not to." As to his preferred approach of late, Carlyle said, "Its been more reality of the situation. Just showing and trying to get an understanding that were not that far away. But there are some areas that need to be addressed. Thats as simple as I can put it. Our compete level has to go up. We havent won enough one-on-one battles. Weve given up too many odd-man rushes and breakaways. Weve got to play better on the defensive side of the game." 2. Penalty Kill The Flyers scored twice on the power play, marking the 12th time this season that the Leaf penalty kill has given up two goals in a game this season. Vincent Lecavalier fired a laser for the first of two, a five-on-three goal that was not without some controversy. Jay McClement, taking the draw as Torontos lone forward, was thrown out of the face-off ciircle, charged with knocking the puck from the hand of linesman Michel Cormier. Julian Draxler Paris Saint-Germain Jersey. Dion Phaneuf promptly stepped in and lost the first (and likely last) face-off of his career, Lecavalier blowing the one-timer by Bernier just three seconds later. "Thats not something that you want to happen," McClement said of the face-off incident. "I dont think [Cormier] wanted to do it either. But he explained to me that its black and white when I knocked it out of his hand." Scott Hartnell would add the second power-play marker, redirecting a Kimmo Timonen point shot just beyond the grasp of Bernier. The Toronto penalty kill remains third-worst in the NHL this season. 3. Bollands Comeback Dave Bolland scored for the third time this season in Philadelphia and the first time since his left ankle was sliced by the skate of Zack Kassian on November 2. The 27-year-old hasnt played more than 13 minutes since he returned from the injury and he was kept right in that region against the Flyers. "I just see that in some of the situations, hes struggled with the mobility," Carlyle said of Bolland before the 4-2 loss. "Its not sore, [but] it just doesnt have the strength there. Wre going to try to find a way to get him some more minutes. We know what kind of player he is." 4. The 18-Wheeler Luke Schenn was there in 2012 when the Leafs collapsed and knows all too well how quickly the pressure rises in Toronto. "Lose a couple in a row and everything magnifies that much more," he said. "You lose three in a row and people tend to get on you a little bit. All the fans and the media think that everythings falling apart. Thats just the way it is over there. "Its obviously a tough market to play in when things arent going the way you want them to, but its a great market when things are going well. Theres always adversity in Toronto. Its never going to change. Im sure those guys are going to get through it." Reflecting back to the infamous 18-wheeler skid two years earlier, Schenn couldnt put his finger on just what wrong. "There is no exact reason why. Its probably a combination of different things. Id have to go back and look. Obviously, youre probably getting off to some tough starts in games. Special teams probably werent as good as they need to be. At the end of the day - when I was there - it probably just came down to being outcompeted some nights. Obviously, you lose a couple in a row, confidence isnt always there. Thats just the way it goes. Youve got to find ways to get out of it." 5. Gardiner Offence Just ahead of a clash with the Flyers three weeks ago, Jake Gardiner revealed his disappointment with the offence hed put together to that point. "I dont think my point production has been that great this year,"he said. "Id like to improve on that." The 23-year-old scored a goal the next night in a 4-3 overtime win, rounding up nine points in the past 11 games, including a helper on Bollands seventh goal this season. "Ive tried to jump in the play a lot more and be an offensive threat from the blue line," he explained of his recent surge prior to the game. Gardiner has 26 points on the year. Stats-Pack 1-8-0 – Leafs record in the past nine games. 9 – Points in the last 11 games for Jake Gardiner. 3 – Goals by Dave Bolland in Philadelphia this season. 24:31 – Ice-time for James van Riemsdyk opposite his former team Friday, tied for the team-lead. 15 – Consecutive games without a point for David Clarkson, who has just 10 this season. 8 – Number of times the Leafs have allowed the first goal in the past nine games.4 – Seconds elapsed in the second period before van Riemsdyk scored the first Leafs goal. It was the fastest goal to start a period for the team this season. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-4Season: 20.6% (4th) PK: 2-4Season: 78.1% (28th) Quote of the Night "Overall, I didnt think that we had that bad of a night, but we were on the wrong side of the score and thats what counts the most." -Randy Carlyle, following a seventh straight loss in Philadelphia. Up Next The Leafs return home to host to the Red Wings on Saturday night. Cheap Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Falcons Jerseys Cheap Ravens Jerseys Cheap Bills Jerseys Cheap Panthers Jerseys Cheap Bears Jerseys Cheap Bengals Jerseys Cheap Browns Jerseys Cheap Cowboys Jerseys Cheap Broncos Jerseys Cheap Lions Jerseys Cheap Packers Jerseys Cheap Texans Jerseys Cheap Colts Jerseys Cheap Jaguars Jerseys Cheap Chiefs Jerseys ' ' '
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