Tiervermittlung Deutschland » Servais wasn’t sure when RHP

CHICAGO — When Cole Hamels joined the Chicago Cubs earlier this season Jim Palmer Jersey , the veteran starter didn’t expect he would take on such a vital role. But as the Cubs close in on what they hope is their third straight National League Central Division title, Hamels could be a major reason why. Coming off his worst start joining the Cubs, Hamels will attempt to keep Chicago moving in the right direction when he takes the mound Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.Hamels (9-10, 3.90 ERA) has not recorded a victory since Aug. 28 and had registered no-decisions in three straight starts before being roughed up in his last outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks.Article continues below ...Now, with the Cubs magic number at five to clinch the division title after a 6-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox Sunday, Hamels hopes to rebound Monday against the Pirates. Hamels is coming off a start in which he allowed seven runs and nine hits over six innings as he surrendered more than three earned runs for the first time since July 23 — his final start with the Texas Rangers. Hamels is 5-3 with a 2.49 ERA in 12 career starts against Pittsburgh.Despite taking two of three games from the White Sox over the weekend, the Cubs realize that they still have to take care of their business as they cling to a 2 1/2 game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers with seven games to play.“Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves,” Cubs ace Jon Lester told reporters Saturday, according to the Chicago Tribune. “We’re only 2 1/2 games ahead. We have a long way to go.”The Cubs will attempt to keep their focus set on the Pirates, who will look to play spoiler starting Monday against the Brewers. But as Chicago attempts to close out the division title, second baseman Javier Baez says Chicago cannot become consumed by the teams chasing them.“We know what we have http://www.oriolesfanproshop.com/authentic-mark-trumbo-jersey ,” Baez said Saturday, according to the Tribune. “We just have to stay away from every other team. They have to pay attention to us, not us to them. If we do that, we should be good.”The Pirates will travel to Chicago having lost having officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Their 13-6 loss to the Brewers, coupled with the Cardinals’ victory over the Giants wiped out any hopes Pittsburgh had of seeing the season extend beyond the next week.Despite Sunday’s loss, Pittsburgh has won six of their past eight games and could have an impact on Chicago’s division title chances depending on how they next four days against the Cubs play out.But impacting other teams’ title chances doesn’t diminish the disappointment the Pirates feel after failing to miss the postseason for the third straight season.“If we figure out how to win one game a month more, we’re in a very different spot as we finish this season,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington told reporters before Sunday’s game, according to MLB.com. “If we win two games a month more, we’re fighting for a division, which is ultimately where we want to be Chris Tillman Jersey , because (it puts you in) best positions you to win a World Series.”Jameson Taillon (13-9, 3.24) will take the mound for the Pirates on Monday having won four of his past six starts.Taillon threw seven scoreless innings in his last outing against the Kansas City Royals when he allowed just four hits and struck out 11. Taillon is 3-3 with a 4.35 ERA in seven career starts against the Cubs. SEATTLE (AP) — Mitch Haniger hit the deck three times for the Mariners late in Sunday’s game. The first two put Seattle ahead against the New York Yankees. The next converted the lead into a victory.Haniger dashed home to score the go-ahead run on a grounder in the eighth inning, then made a diving catch for the final out that gave the Mariners a 3-2 win over the Yankees.Haniger started the eighth with a walk off reliever Dellin Betances (4-5) before stealing second by reaching in with his right hand at the last second.“I was just trying to miss the tag,” Haniger said. “I knew if I went in with my left hand it would have been a lot closer.”Haniger reached third on Jean Segura’s sacrifice bunt. With the infield in, Robinson Cano hit a broken-bat roller up the middle. Haniger was running on contact and shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria made a quick throw home, but Haniger just got his right hand on the plate before the tag from catcher Austin Romine.“I just wanted to get as low as possible to avoid the tag by making the catcher reach as far as possible,” Haniger said. “I take pride in every facet of the game. I had some great coaches coming up that taught me how to play the game right.”Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth for his 54th save and 27th one-run save, both the most in baseball. But it took a diving grab by Haniger on Giancarlo Stanton’s fly ball to stop a possible New York rally.Andrew McCutchen was hit by a pitch with two outs before Haniger’s catch off Stanton’s broken-bat fly to shallow right.“I had to play real deep to respect his power,” Haniger said. “It kind of blooped in there and hauled over as fast as I could and made the play. Once I got to full speed, I felt I was going to get it.”Haniger, an All-Star for the first time this year Eddie Murray Jersey , has 24 homers and 85 RBIs this season.“Mitch is a very good all-around player,” manager Scott Servais said. “We all know about his power, but his defense and the way he runs the bases makes him a heck of a player.”The loss kept the Yankees from sweeping the three-game series and leaves New York only 2 1/2 games ahead of Oakland for the league’s top wild-card spot.Miguel Andujar’s double down the left field line gave the Yankees a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Stanton hit a towering pop to shallow left that dropped for a double.The Mariners answered with two runs in the bottom of the first off four consecutive singles against starter CC Sabathia, with Ryon Healy and Cameron Maybin each driving in a run.The Yankees loaded the bases with three singles to start the fourth against starter Erasmo Ramirez, but only score one run off a walk to McCutchen, tying the game at 2-2.“Disappointing, no question,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “That fourth inning, had them on the ropes there and a chance to do some damage, and just couldn’t get that hit to push us over. It was a chance to have a great weekend. Obviously, a tough one here.”GARDNER TOSSEDBrett Gardner was ejected after his at-bat in the ninth inning when he had a heated argument with plate umpire Jeremie Rehak after he struck out. Garner didn’t like the called second strike.“I just felt like that was a big pitch. My at-bat went from being 3-0 to being 2-1 against a guy that throws 100 Kevin Gausman Jersey ,” Gardner said. “I let my emotions get the best of me and was frustrated a little bit, and obviously, I said too much.”TRAINER’S ROOMYankees: Andujar was the DH Sunday after leaving the game Saturday night in the ninth inning when he was hit by a pitch on the right forearm. … SS Didi Gregorius, who came off the 10-day DL Friday, did not start after starting Saturday night before leaving the game in the seventh inning. He pinch hit in the ninth and grounded out. Boone has said they plan to bring Gregorius back gradually.Mariners: Cano started at second base after leaving Saturday’s night’s game in the ninth when he was hit by a pitch on the left foot. … Servais wasn’t sure when RHP Felix Hernandez will make his next start after leaving Saturday’s game in the fifth inning because of tightness in his right hamstring. “We’ll see where we slot him back in,” Servais said. “He might need an extra day. We’ll wait to pencil him in for his next start.”UP NEXTYankees: The road trip continues with a three-game series at Minnesota. LHP J.A. Happ (14-6, 3.90 ERA) will make his eighth start with New York on Monday and his 28th of the season. Happ is 5-0 with a 3.10 ERA in seven starts with the Yankees.Mariners: After a day off Monday, Seattle ends the homestand with a two-game series against the Padres that starts Tuesday. LHP Marco Gonzales (12-9, 4.32 ERA) is expected to come off the 10-day DL (neck strain) and make his 26th start to the season Tuesday. Gonzales lost four consecutive starts before going on the DL Aug. 27, allowing 23 earned runs over 20 innings.