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Old 05-08-2018, 09:33 AM   #1
shenyuqing113

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Default hurts to have Encarnacion in Buffalos
LONG POND, Pa. - Matt Kenseth was NASCARs biggest winner in 2013, a dominant run that thrust him into contention for his second championship. He came up just short. Seven wins, no title. Small consolation. Kenseths first year with Joe Gibbs Racing was a smashing success except for winning a championship to bookend with the one he has from 2003. Kenseth found the hard way that wins are nice, but winning it all matters more. Headed into Sundays race at Pocono Raceway, Kenseth is atop the points standings but the only driver in the top nine without at least one checkered flag. NASCAR revamped the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format this year to add great significance to winning a race in the first 26 before the cutoff. Kenseth would be a lock for the field with a victory. Without one, Kenseth might have to hope he keeps his points lead: The regular-season leader earns a spot even with a winless season. Kenseth has won 13 races the last three years and it seems inevitable hell find his way in Victory Lane soon enough. He has never won at Pocono, but has two career wins at next weeks track (Michigan) and hes won three times at Bristol (Aug. 23). Hed surrender the lead for taking the No. 20 Toyota for a spin in Victory Lane soon. "Youd rather have a win at this time of year than be the points leader," he said. "Its definitely different. We knew it was a radical change, but youre sitting here because youre the points leader but you open up the paper and they dont have you in the top-10. Its a little bit confusing at times. So yeah, hopefully we can get a win." Kenseth joins the rest of the field in trying to race his way past Jimmie Johnson. The six-time champion is coming off back-to-back victories in the Coca-Cola 600 and at Dover International Speedway and will try to win three straight for the first time since 2007. Steady as always, Kenseth has been in the hunt for several wins. He just cant find that one edge that will get him one. He has five top-five finishes and 10 top-10s in 13 races for a 9.2 average finish. Hes finished third in each of the last two races. "People always ask about changing your strategies or trying harder or doing this or doing that, but if it was that easy, youd win every week," he said "Ive never not wanted to win. If there was a way to force wins, Id force it every week." With half the season left before the Chase field is set, Kenseth isnt worried too much about his winless season. Former champion Tony Stewart also is winless. So are Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman, on the outside of the Chase and in a lot worse shape. "I think there has been a touch of bad luck and then we just havent put together full races," Kahne said. "Weve had great practices over the last month, maybe a little more than that. Weve been really good in practice; great at times during the race, but we havent put together the full race." Kenseth isnt quite sure why the No. 20 has yet to come close to matching last seasons success. "If we knew exactly that, it would be a lot easier to fix," he said. "Theres been times you get pretty good car balance, but you havent had the speed. You always try to look over everything and look over how you get your vehicles setup better, how you can get your aero setup better, how you can get your engines better." Tom Glavine Jersey . Milan was held to 1-1 at home by Torino. Cagliari scored six minutes from halftime when Mauricio Pinilla blasted home from the penalty spot after Facundo Roncaglia tripped Marco Sau. The home side could have doubled its tally in stoppage time as first Fiorentina defender Stefan Savic almost scored an own goal then Albin Ekdals shot clipped the top of the upright. Matt Adams Jersey . First reported by FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal, its unknown if the impetus for the deferral proposal came from players or management, but it never left the preliminary stages. Atlanta Braves Cool Base Jersey - Braves Apparel, Braves Gear, Shirts | Official Shop. Chelsea ripped apart Hull inside 25 minutes at Stamford Bridge, with the early goals from Oscar and Frank Lampard securing a 2-0 victory. While Lampard had earlier missed a penalty, Roberto Soldado had no such trouble from the spot for Tottenham, scoring on his debut to clinch a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Bartolo Colon Jersey . - The Detroit Lions have placed tight end Brandon Pettigrew on injured reserve, ending his season. Bobby Cox Jersey . Jovanovski, the 2012 champ seeded fifth, will meet surprise Japanese qualifier Misa Eguchi on Friday. Eguchi, ranked 183rd, qualified for her first WTA main draw this week, then beat No.BUFFALO, N.Y. -- With one sweet swing, Edwin Encarnacion showed the Toronto Blue Jays what they hope to be getting back soon. After missing more than a month with a strained right quadriceps muscle, Encarnacion is close to rejoining the Blue Jays in the middle of their playoff chase. Now on a minor-league rehab stint with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, Encarnacion is one step away, and on Tuesday night he showed evidence of his progress by hitting a first-pitch, no-doubt grand slam. Encarnacion, who led off as the designated hitter, went 1 for 4 with the grand slam, a fly out, a pop up and a ground out. He reported no problems after the Bisons 7-5 victory. "Its a lot of fun to be playing and have a game like today," Encarnacion said. "I feel great with my leg, thats the main thing right now. It feels great: no problems swinging, no problems running." With the bases loaded in the second inning Encarnacion made short work of a first-pitch slider from Norfolk Tides starter Steve Johnson, showing the right-handed power stroke the Blue Jays could desperately use by smacking the ball over the fence in left. "I was just looking for something in the strike zone and make a good swing on it," Encarnacion said. "He handed me the slider and I made a good swing on it." The plan is for Encarnacion to play two more games with the Bisons before meeting up with the Blue Jays on Friday in Chicago. Despite missing the past month, the 31-year-old still leads the team in home runs (26) and trails only Jose Bautista in runs batted in (70). After suffering a recent setback that delayed his return to the injury-ravaged Blue Jays, the main objective during the final step of Encarnacions rehab is to get him to the majors in one piece. "I dont know if hes quite there where he wants to be with his leg there. But well play that by ear," manager Gary Allenson said before the game. "Keeping him healthy through the next couple days is important." When Encarnacion was injured in Oakland on July 5, the Blue Jays were half-game back of the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East. Going into Tuesday nights game at the Seattle Mariners they were six back, making the second wild-card spot their most realistic shot of reaching the playoffs. Encarnacion has watched every game since going on the disabled list and been in communication with his teammates. "Ive been talking to every guy," he said. "They want to see me there soon." Recently, the Blue Jays have had to try to stay afloat without Encarnacion, first baseman Adam Lind and third baseman Brett Lawrie. Lind (fractured right foot) was activated in time to bat cleanup against the Mariners on Tuesday, while Lawrie (straight left obblique) is out until at least September.dddddddddddd Toronto manager John Gibbons said last week his hope was to have Encarnacion and Lind split first-base and designated-hitting duties when they returned, which would allow Juan Francisco and Danny Valencia to platoon at third. Encarnacion wants to be back sooner rather than later, but not at the expense of quality hitting. "I just try to be available to play not 100 per cent but close to help my team win games," he said. "I dont want to go there and play only 50 or 60 per cent because I (wouldnt) help my team. I want to make sure that Ill be 100 per cent and be healthy to help my team." Although Allenson joked that the slugger might not be the ideal lead-off hitter, Encarnacion was there to maximize his at-bats. Hes expected to play first base Wednesday night, with Thursday afternoons game plan still up in the air. No matter the plan, outfielder Kevin Pillar, who appeared in 26 games for the Blue Jays this season, doesnt think it hurts to have Encarnacion in Buffalos lineup for a little while. "Its always nice having guys like Eddie come down and if you can just pick his brain for a day or two and just get a chance to watch him hit, Im pretty sure hes not going to miss a beat," Pillar said. "Watching a guy like him come into spring training without maybe a whole lot of live pitching and hit the way he does, itll just be fun for us and fun for the people of Buffalo to get a chance to see him play." Knowing hes in charge of a major asset for the parent club, Allenson said a decision to send Encarnacion home from third might be a little more conservative than with other players. Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos said "explosive movements" while running were the biggest concern for Encarnacion. "I think thats what he might need to protect," Anthopoulos said last week. "If hes hitting a chopper down the third-base line and hes really trying to sprint down the line or hes trying to stretch an extra-base hit and things like that." Perhaps even more telling than the grand slam was Encarnacions grounder that made him test his quadriceps running down the first base line. "I feel good," he said. "I feel great and I think everythings going to be all right." Steps away from being back with the Blue Jays, Encarnacion wont be expected to push himself too hard the rest of this week as he inches back. "If he just goes up when he gets done here, goes up and DHs, thats a big bat to have in the lineup," Allenson said. "More than anything for Edwin, as long as he gets his timing down, sees some pitches and gets comfortable where he gets it going again it will be just fine." Wholesale Authentic Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2018 Cheap Jerseys Store NFL Jerseys Wholesale China Jerseys Wholesale China Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys From China ' ' '
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