ninth inning. ninth inning. | Forum

PRISTINA, Kosovo -- Footballs newest country is hoping to be the surprise package of the World Cup qualifiers, just a few months after gaining FIFA membership. Cheap Paul George Shoes .Kosovo became a UEFA member in May, joined FIFA a week later and was fast-tracked into 2018 World Cup qualifying.It earned a credible 1-1 draw in Finland last month in its competitive international debut and is looking to spring more surprises against Croatia and Ukraine, even if coach Albert Bunjaki believes the European Championship in 2020 is a more realistic target.Kosovo plays Croatia on Thursday in Albanias northern city of Shkodra as it has no stadium certified by UEFA. It also plays on neutral territory three days later, with its away match against Ukraine being held in Poland as its opponent does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state.It will be a hard game, Kosovo coach Albert Bunjaki said in an interview with The Associated Press on Monday. We know that Croatia is a good team and after three days well play against Ukraine. But at the same time you know in football you can surprise.Weve started the qualification. Our goal is 2020. At the same time of course we will try to do the best in every game, so the next one is the Croatian national team. We will get the answer after the game. We will try to surprise them as we can.It was a far from easy match against Finland. Kickoff was less than five hours away when the sports governing body finally allowed six players who had represented other countries to switch their allegiance to Kosovo now the former province of Serbia is recognized as a football nation.Valon Berishas case was the last to be resolved and the former Norway international converted the penalty which secured Kosovo a point in Group I, putting it level with the other teams after both Croatia-Turkey and Ukraine-Iceland also ended 1-1.Its going to be hard for us because we just started up with this national team, Berisha said. We are a lot of new young players who dont know each other very well. I think it will take time until we form a really good group.We made a good first impression I think and we could have won the game against Finland. But now we are up against two really good international teams. It will be hard for us but we can surprise them because they might take us a little bit easy and it might go against them.Defender Leart Paqarada also believes Kosovo has the right mix of talented individuals to spring a surprise.Our team spirit is very well and we are well prepared for the game, he said. We have individual quality in the team and thats why I think maybe we can surprise somebody.---Llazar Semini in Tirana, Albania contributed to this report. Clearance Paul George Shoes . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Paul George Shoes Outlet . The 43-year-old closer, in his 19th and final big league season, has said hed like to play the outfield. Yankees manager Joe Girardi says hes thinking about allowing Rivera to do it this weekend, when the Yankees finish their season with a three-game series at the Houston Astros. https://www.cheappaulgeorgeshoes.com/ . Fred Couples, captain of the U.S. side, put it all into perspective. "We know whos in charge," he said. HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros know they have to forget about these last three losses quickly.Especially with a playoff berth still within reach.Kole Calhoun had a season-high three hits and two RBI, and the Los Angeles Angels scored nine runs in the final two innings to rally for the second straight game in a 10-4 victory over the Astros on Saturday night.It was another blow for the Astros, who fell to three games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild card.This loss came after the Angels scored six runs in the ninth inning on Friday night to win 10-6.Weve just got to move on and come out tomorrow and win, George Springer said. Theres really no secret. We have to win. They know it. We know it and well see what happens.Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and C.J. Cron each added two RBI for Los Angeles.The Angels trailed by three entering the eighth before hitting three straight singles with one out to make it 4-2 and chase rookie Chris Devenski.It was tough, Devenski said. I didnt go out there and do my job ... we just throw it out the door and look forward to tomorrow.Luke Gregerson (4-2) took over and was greeted by a soft liner from Trout which dropped for an RBI single to get Los Angeles within one.A fifth straight single, this one by Pujols, sent home another run to tie it. A wild pitch left Trout at third and he scored on a sacrifice fly by Cron to put Los Angeles on top.This is really uncharacteristic for this bullpen, manager A.J. Hinch said. Theres no other way to explain it.The Angels tacked on five runs in an embarrassing ninth for the Astros. The last run in that inning scored when second baseman Jose Altuve made a bad throw for an error to reliever Pat Neshek, who was covering first base, and Neshek tripped over the base and fell face first to the dirt.Springer haad four hits and an RBI and for the Astros, who had won 11 straight over the Angels before this skid. Wholesale Paul George Shoes. This is a tough stretch for us but thats a good team over there, Springer said. You can never count them out. They always play us tough and they have the last three days. But we have to come out tomorrow and it has to happen.Houston led by two in the seventh before an RBI triple by Springer. Yuli Gurriel followed with a run-scoring single to make it 4-1 before Los Angeles rallied once again.Houston starter Brad Peacock allowed one hit and one run while striking out a season-high seven in five innings.Jhoulys Chacin allowed four hits and two runs -- none earned -- in six innings in his third start since making four appearances out of the bullpen. Jose Valdez (2-3) gave up two runs in the seventh for the win.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: Closer Ken Giles injured his right wrist when he was hit by a line drive during batting practice on Saturday. Trainers ran to the right-hander after he was hit and he remained on his knees on the field for a while before being carted off. X-rays were negative and the team called his injury a bruised right wrist. Giles picked up his fifth blown save this season on Friday night when he gave up six runs in the ninth inning.UP NEXTAngels: Rookie Daniel Wright (0-4, 7.48) looks for his first win Sunday. Wright allowed nine hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-4 loss to Texas in his last start.Astros: Rookie Joe Musgrove (3-4, 4.42) is scheduled to start for Houston. Musgrove didnt allow a hit until the sixth inning of his last start, yielding two hits and one run in 5 1/3 innings of a 2-1 win over Oakland. ' ' '