ed, with Williams as defending champion and Sharapova the challenger. Williams has a bit of extra motivation for Wimbleed, with Williams as defending champion and Sharapova the challenger. Williams has a bit of extra motivation for Wimble | Forum

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DETROIT -- Victor Martinez tried to be patient, hoping it was only a matter of time before his bat would start to look like a major threat again. Authentic Custom Blue Jackets Jersey . Now, hes downplaying whats been a terrific July so far. "Been more lucky I think," Martinez said. "Ive been definitely putting good swings, putting good at-bats, and finally balls have started falling." Martinez extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI double in the second inning, and the Detroit Tigers went on to a 7-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Friday night. Martinez also drew a bases-loaded walk in the first, when the Tigers scored five runs to break the game open early. The Tigers scored four runs before making an out when their first six hitters reached base off Texas rookie Justin Grimm (7-7). Grimm held Detroit to two runs in 6 2-3 innings in a May outing, but the right-hander didnt fare nearly as well this time. "We didnt know much about him (in May), and we were taking pitches, he was getting ahead in the count," Detroit outfielder Torii Hunter said. "This time we just had a different attack plan, and went out there and we swung the bats, and we got him early." Doug Fister (7-5) allowed two runs in the fourth but was otherwise sharp for Detroit. Hunter, Prince Fielder, Jhonny Peralta and Austin Jackson had two hits apiece for the Tigers, and Martinez improved his average in July to .438. Martinez got off to a slow start after missing all of 2012 with a knee injury, but his season average is up to .261 now. "I think the biggest key is these teammates Ive got. Theyve been sticking with me," he said. "I really believe that when Im healthy, I can really help this team win ballgames." Detroits Miguel Cabrera hit a sacrifice fly for his 95th RBI of the year. A.J. Pierzynski homered and had three hits for the Rangers. Jackson and Hunter started the bottom of the first with back-to-back doubles for a 1-0 lead, and after a walk to Cabrera and a single by Fielder, Martinez drew a walk to force in a run. Peralta followed with a two-run double to make it 4-0. After Andy Dirks struck out, Alex Avilas single scored Martinez. Jackson led off with a single in the second, and after advancing to third on a single by Hunter, he scored on Cabreras flyout. One out later, Martinez doubled to left. The relay home appeared to beat Hunter, but the Detroit baserunner got his hand in with a nice slide. "Ive been doing that for a while," Hunter said jokingly. "Thats just athletic ability, instincts. Everybodys not born with it, Im sorry." Grimm allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 3 1-3 innings. Just when the right-hander appeared to be settling in finally, he had to come out of the game in the fourth because of a sore right forearm. "Well have to see, but that was his last start before the break, so well have some time to get him OK," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. Fister allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out five. Texas scored twice in the fourth on a solo homer by Pierzynski and an RBI single by Jurickson Profar. But the Rangers left the bases loaded that inning and never got a better chance to get back in the game. Detroit was coming off a heated 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox in which reliever Luke Putkonen and manager Jim Leyland were ejected amid a bench-clearing altercation in the sixth inning. Leyland was more than ready to move on Friday, and the Tigers wasted little time delighting the home crowd in this matchup of the teams that have represented the American League in the World Series for the last three years. Bruce Rondon, Detroits hard-throwing rookie reliever, came on to replace Fister and got four straight outs. He fanned Nelson Cruz on a 100-mph fastball to end the Texas seventh. Drew Smyly relieved Rondon and got four outs for the Tigers, and Joaquin Benoit came on in a non-save situation and struck out Cruz with men on first and third to end it. NOTES: Fielders dribbler up the third-base line in the seventh resulted in a rare infield single for the Detroit slugger, in part because of a defensive shift. ... Texas 3B Adrian Beltre had his hitting streak snapped at 13 games. ... The Rangers signed LHP Sal Mendez, their 40th-round draft pick this year. ... Detroits Max Scherzer (13-0) takes the mound Saturday night against Derek Holland (7-4) of Texas. Custom Blue Jackets Jersey China . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. Cheap Custom Blue Jackets Jersey . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. http://www.custombluejacketsjersey.com/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable.PARIS -- Serena Williams thinks her best years may still be ahead of her at the age of 31. She overcame stubborn resistance from defending champion Maria Sharapova in the French Open final on Saturday to clinch her 16th Grand Slam title, beating the Russian 6-4, 6-4 and extending her own winning streak to 31 matches. "I want to go out in my peak. Thats my goal. But have I peaked yet?" Williams said. "I definitely want to continue my journey to get a few more." Williams has some way to go before retiring, then, and a long way to go to match Australian Margaret Courts 24 major titles. But she will catch Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert by the end of the year if she wins Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. That would then leave Helen Wills Moody (19), Steffi Graf (22) and Court -- who may just be a little too far off to catch. "I always said that I felt like I have never played my best tennis. I have said that for years, that I feel like I can always do better and play better," Williams said. "The day I feel that I cannot improve, its going to be a problem for me. Im going to have to debate whether I should keep playing. But I feel like as of know I can do a lot of things better." Williams certainly does not feel slower with age. "I have never felt so fit," she said. "If I see someone thats 31, Im like, Youre old. Then Im like, Im 31. But I dont feel it." Williams elation on clinching her second French Open title almost made up for her despondency felt in her shock first-round loss to 111th-ranked Virgine Razzano at Roland Garros last year. "Im still a little bit upset about that," Williams said. "If I lose all hell breaks loose, literally." It did teach her a lesson. "A champion isnt about how much they win but its about how they recover from their downs, whether its an injury or whether its a loss," she said. Both Sharapova and Williams started their careers with a bang, winning their first Grand Slams when they were 17: Sharapova a few months younger at Wimbledon in 2004 than Willliams was at the U. Blue Jackets Jerseys China. S. Open in 1999. The 26-year-old Sharapova, who has won each of the four Grand Slams once, is unsure she will still be playing when she gets to Williams age. "If youre at that stage in your life where you still are motivated to go out and win tennis matches ... thats an amazing effort," Sharapova said. Sharapova was briefly on top: up 2-0, 40-15 early in the match -- but Williams took control. "Shes doing what shes always done extremely well, but shes just doing it on a much more consistent level," Sharapova said. "Shes always had a good serve." So good, in fact, that Sharapova said Williams has been "serving harder than David Ferrer when he gets to the final of Roland Garros." Williams had three aces in her last service game and 10 overall, compared to 2 for Sharapova. "I am not the tallest girl on tour," Williams said. "I use my height in a very effective way, and I use it to the fullest of my ability." Ferrer will have to do that, and raise every other aspect of his game, to have any chance of stopping Rafael Nadal winning his eighth French Open title in Sundays all-Spanish final. He has lost his past 16 matches to Nadal on clay. Sharapovas record against Williams is also terrible. Shes lost 13 consecutive times and won only three sets in those defeats. Unsurprisingly, she wants now wants to focus on where she feels most comfortable -- on grass. "I love all the tournaments that are coming up, especially Wimbledon," she said. "When I get to the grass I always feel that motivation." If they both reach the Wimbledon final, the roles will be reversed, with Williams as defending champion and Sharapova the challenger. Williams has a bit of extra motivation for Wimbledon. A win there would move her level for major titles with mens record holder Roger Federer -- providing he doesnt win there again. "Its so funny, I thought Roger had 16. But he has 17," Williams said. "How awesome would it be if I could do it at Wimbledon?" ' ' ' 
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