it into a double play. Harper wasnt laughing after he was hit by Avilans pitch in the eighth | Forum

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LHX1990 Dec 23 '18
TAMPA, Fla. Thomas Welsh Jersey . -- The Tampa Bay Lightning and New Jersey Devils meet for the third and final time this season Saturday -- all in the first month of the season -- and after splitting the first two meetings, Tampa Bay might want to try a different start.In both a 3-2 win in Tampa three weeks ago and a 3-1 loss on the road last weekend, the Lightning opened the game down 2-0 to the Devils after one period, an early struggle thats been a regular part of the Lightnings season so far. Theyre 6-4-1, but theyve given up the first goal in seven of those 11 games.Clearly, its troublesome, said Lightning coach Jon Cooper after another 2-0 deficit in Thursdays home shootout loss to the Bruins -- in the 10th frame of the shootout. We fell down (Thursday) but I didnt think we should have been down 2-0. When they got their legs under them, they played well enough to win.The Lightning had returned home after a six-game road trip, and they enter Saturdays home game with a 1-3-1 mark in their last five games. The Devils, on the other hand, have earned points in five straight, with a 3-0-2 mark that now has them at 4-2-3 and two points (and two games played) behind the Lightning.New Jersey found itself down two goals on Thursday, rallying back to salvage a point in an overtime loss to the Panthers, and again, the message was to not dig such a hole in the first place.Youve got to be able to come from behind in games, and to find a way to get a point down two, thats a lot of positives to take out of that, coach John Hynes said after the Panthers game. It builds some belief that you can do that, but its not a recipe you want to replicate.New Jersey ranks fourth in the NHL with a 2.22 goals-against average, well ahead of Tampa Bay, which ranks 20th at 3.00. The Lightning have a great margin on the offensive end, averaging 3.18 goals per game compared to 2.33 goals for the Devils.Tampa Bays power play has been a strength, ranking third in the NHL with a 26.7 percent success rate -- the Lightnings penalty kill unit also ranks sixth in the league, stopping 88 percent of opposing power plays.One upside to Thursdays shootout loss for the Lightning was a spark from forward Tyler Johnson, who scored twice, matching his total scoring from Tampa Bays first 10 games. Getting him back in rhythm will help avoid the early dry spells that have been a problem in the Lightnings first month of the season.The two teams wont play again this season, getting their series out of the way early, and Saturdays winner will have bragging rights, at least until the postseason, where they could meet again. Zhaire Smith Jersey . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. Cheap Basketball Draft Jerseys . Ancelotti says Ronaldo has recovered from a hamstring injury but "but he doesnt feel comfortable yet so we wont risk him." Madrid is third in the Spanish league, six points behind leader Barcelona, going into Saturdays game against Valladolid. http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticnba.us/issuf-sanon-jersey/ . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club.ATLANTA -- The Braves insisted they werent trying to hit Bryce Harper. They were just going for the knockout punch in the NL East race against the Nationals. Justin Upton hit a home run with one out in the 10th inning to power Atlanta to a 3-2 win over Washington on Friday night as the Braves continued their domination of the season series. The Braves, who swept a three-game series at Washington on Aug. 5-7, lead the season series 11-3, including six straight wins. Jason Heyward had two hits and scored one run for Atlanta, which stretched its lead over the second-place Nationals to 15 1/2 games. "Theres a lot of baseball to be played," Upton said. "Our lead is pretty big right now, but crazier things have happened in baseball. Youve got to go out and win as many games as you can." Uptons 23rd homer to left-centre came on a 2-2 pitch from Ian Krol (1-1). It was his third career game-winning homer and second of the season. "Its a great feeling when you can go out and win the ballgame for your team," Upton said. "Theres nothing like that." Scott Downs (2-0) pitched a scoreless 10th for Atlanta. Harper was hit by pitches in the fourth and eighth innings by Alex Wood and Luis Avilan, respectively. Home plate umpire Marty Foster warned both benches after Avilan hit Harper on his shoulder in the eighth. Washingtons players rose to the top of the dugout but didnt come onto the field. It wasnt the first time Harper had been hit by a pitch against the Braves this month. Both Atlanta pitchers insisted they didnt try to hit Harper. "I tried not to look at him," Wood said of Harper. "It was embarrassing to hit somebody with a curveball." Avilan was trying to protect a 2-1 lead when he hit Harper. "I didnt want to put the runner on," Avilan said. "I was like, I hope he doesnt think I did it on purpose. Were leading 2-1. ... I felt bad because I almost hit him in the head because its dangerous, you know." Harper did not talk with reporters after the game. Nationals manager Davey Johnson said he thought Avilan should have been thrown out of the game. Asked if he thought Braves pitchers were trying to hit Harper, Johnson said, "I hope not, because its ridiculous. In a close ballgame, theyve got a lot more to lose than we do at this point, so it would be a ridiculous thing to do. "After he got hit the second time they should have thrown (Avilan) out of the balllgame and be done with it. Alize Johnson Jersey. But its their choice." On Aug. 6, both benches emptied when Harper was hit by Julio Teheran in the Braves 2-1 win at Washington. Downs threw an inside pitch past Harper to the backstop before walking Harper with one out in the 10th. Jayson Werth hit into a double play to end the inning. Wood gave up one run and five hits and no walks and a career-high nine strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings. Washingtons Taylor Jordan did not allow an earned run, but was hurt by three errors. Jordan allowed two runs, both unearned, and seven hits and three walks in six innings. Heyward led off the first inning with a single and took off for second base on ball four to Upton. Washington catcher Wilson Ramos made an unnecessary and wild throw to second base for an error, allowing Heyward to advance to third before scoring on Freddie Freemans double play grounder. Paul Janish, starting at second base after the Braves announced Tyler Pastornicky would need season-ending knee surgery, singled to lead off the third. After Janish advanced to third on Heywards single, shortstop Ian Desmond fielded Uptons grounder and threw to second to force Heyward. Second baseman Anthony Rendon attempted to complete the double play, but threw wild to first for an error, allowing Janish to score for a 2-0 lead. There was no reaction from Harper when he was hit by a pitch from Wood to lead off the fourth. Harper calmly jogged to first base and then made a comment to Freeman at the bag, prompting both to laugh. Harper advanced to third on Werths single and scored when Desmond hit into a double play. Harper wasnt laughing after he was hit by Avilans pitch in the eighth following a double by Ryan Zimmerman. Luis Ayala replaced Avilan and gave up a single to Werth as the Nationals pulled even at 2-2. NOTES: Upton also hit a game-winning homer against the Cubs on April 6. ... RHP Drew Storen, recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, pitched a scoreless ninth. ... Braves 2B Phil Gosselin, recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, made his major league debut as a defensive replacement in the 10th. ... Braves RHP Jordan Walden, who hadnt pitched since taking a liner off his pitching hand on Saturday, said his hand is fully recovered. ... The series continues Saturday night when Atlantas Mike Minor will try for his 13th win against Washingtons Stephen Strasburg, who is only 6-9 despite a 2.83 ERA. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' ' 
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