Bewerbungen » He was much better this time, an encouraging sign

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle figured the odds were against Mat Latos extending his impressive streak without a defeat. "Hes due to lose," Hurdle said pregame. With one good inning, the Pirates pulled it off. Pedro Alvarez singled home a pair of runs in the first inning, and the Pirates ended Latos streak of 21 regular-season starts without a loss, beating the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 on Tuesday night. Latos (6-1) hadnt lost a regular-season game since last August, setting a club-record streak of avoiding defeat. He couldnt overcome Pittsburghs three-run first inning set up by his uncharacteristic control problems. "I was aggravated with myself," Latos said. "I didnt throw too well in the bullpen and kind of took it into the first. I beat myself today. Its always hard when you put your team in a 3-0 hole." Latos had nine of Cincinnatis 17 strikeouts, which matched the clubs nine-inning record. The Reds also had 17 strikeouts on opening day, but that came in a 13-inning loss against the Los Angeles Angels. Charlie Morton (1-1) was better during his second start since returning from elbow surgery. He gave up three singles and threw 61 pitches in 5 1-3 innings, starting the Pirates toward their NL-leading 12th shutout. "Fortunately the few times they hit it really hard, they hit it at people," Morton said. Cincinnatis lineup managed four hits while getting shut out for the second time in their last four games. The Ohio River rivals have split the first two games of their four-game series, leaving the Reds a half-game ahead of the Pirates. Theyve been right behind the NL Central-leading Cardinals most of the season. There was an undercurrent from Mondays game, when Reds closer Aroldis Chapman threw an up-and-in fastball that levelled Neil Walker. The Pirates werent happy about the pitchs location. Mortons first pitch plunked Shin-Soo Choo on the leg. Morton also threw one inside to Joey Votto, who refused to budge from the box. Votto flied out, and that was the end of the drama. Hurdle encourages his staff to pitch inside, part of what he thinks pitchers need to do in order to control the strike zone. Pittsburgh has hit 39 batters, the most in the majors, but also leads in shutouts. "When two teams are focused on winning and neither one wants to blink and they just want to play hard and compete, you push the envelope in a lot of different places," Hurdle said. "Not just at the plate trying to get balls in on people, but breaking up double plays and everything. "So weve got to beat these guys and weve got to beat the Cardinals to get to where we want to go." Latos yelled from the dugout after Choo got hit. Latos hit Walker in the first inning in Pittsburgh last Saturday, prompting plate umpire Bob Davidson to warn both teams. "Its time somebody stepped up and did something about the team thats hit more guys in the league than anybody," Latos said. "I got fined for hitting Neil Walker, but youve got a team drilling guys over and over again. Its time for the league to step up and end it. That fired me up." Latos hadnt lost since Aug. 24, when the Cardinals beat the Reds 8-5. In the last 21 starts, hed gone 10-0 with a 2.80 ERA. The Reds were 17-4 during that streak. Also, Latos had never lost to the Pirates, going 4-0 in eight starts with a 2.29 ERA. Finally, they caught him in a slow start. He struggled with his control at the outset, needing 32 pitches to get through a 19-minute first inning. Starling Marte tripled and scored on Russell Martins infield single, giving Pittsburgh a run after only four pitches. Latos walked Garrett Jones and Walker, and Alvarez singled for two more runs. Latos settled down after the first, fanning eight of the next 11 batters. The problem was his pitch count, which was at 88 when he left for a pinch hitter with two runners aboard in the fifth inning. His streak was left in the hands of the bullpen and the offence. They couldnt bail him out. Marte singled home another run in the seventh. Morton had a lot to do with it, too. The right-hander dominated the Reds in 2011, giving up only one run in two complete games at Great American Ball Park. He had his right elbow rebuilt last June 14 and returned to the majors last Thursday, allowing four runs and seven hits in five innings of a 10-0 loss to San Francisco. He was much better this time, an encouraging sign for a Pirates rotation hit hard by injuries. Tony Watson, Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli finished it. NOTES: The Pirates agreed to terms on Tuesday with C Reese McGuire, their first-round pick and the 14th overall selection in this months draft. ... Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez, on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 6 with a tight left forearm, will throw all of his pitches in a bullpen session on Thursday. If he comes out of that without problem, he will make a rehab start in the minors on Sunday. ... Choo has been hit a career-high 19 times, most in the majors. Football Jerseys Sale . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Cheap Football Jerseys China . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. http://www.cheapfootballjerseys.us.org/ . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. Wholesale Authentic Jerseys . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. Cheap Jerseys From China . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. MILWAUKEE -- Brewers right-hander Wily Peralta made a strong return to the majors. Just not strong enough to win.Peralta matched his season highs with six innings and six strikeouts, but Tyrell Jenkins countered with six solid innings and the Atlanta Braves beat Milwaukee 2-1 on Tuesday night.Peralta (4-8) was recalled Monday when the Brewers placed right-hander Junior Guerra on the 15-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation. He allowed two harmless hits through six innings, but then ran into trouble in the top of the seventh when the Braves went ahead.It was very encouraging, for sure, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. He certainly mixed in more off-speed. Good changeups, curveballs he used, his slider he used. That made the fastball play out as much as anything. They respected his off-speed tonight. He pitched really well. He deserved better.Peralta walked Freddie Freeman before Matt Kemp singled in the fifth. Nick Markakis followed with an RBI hit that chased Peralta. Adonis Garcia welcomed reliever Michael Blazek with a run-scoring hit.I had a hard time early when I was here, Peralta said. Its a lot of emotion. I feel like I was pretty much making my debut today.Peralta, the 2016 opening day starter, was optioned to Triple-A Colorado Springs on June 12. He made 13 starts before the demotion and had just two quality starts, none in his last six.Jenkins (2-2) allowed one run and three hits. He walked three and struck out three in his sixth career start and 10th major league appearance. The right-hander has a 1.00 ERA over his past three starts.He competes and competes and competes, Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said of the young right-hander. Thats the one thing I admire about him.His only mistake was Ryan Brauns home run in the fourth.The one guy in our meetings we stressed to not let him beat us was Braun. Jenkins said.dddddddddddd I kept that in mind.Mauricio Cabrera pitched the ninth for his third save.Jonathan Villar hit into a 4-6-3 double play in the eighth, but the Brewers challenged the force out at second and the call was overturned because shortstop Erick Aybar missed the base. Snitker then asked the umpires to review Manny Pinas slide into second base, and the slide was deemed legal.Chaz Roe took over and got the final out when Orlando Arcia grounded to third and Pina ran into the tag.Snitker, who was named interim on May 17, took over a club that was 9-28. Since then, the Braves are 34-42.When you handle adversity, there is good things on the other end of it Snitker said. But, you have to handle it. You take ownership of things and handle it.The victory was the Braves 10th in the last 14 games, including six in the last seven.DONT RUN ON MEAnthony Recker strayed too far off second in the top of the third and catcher Pina recorded his second caught stealing of the game when he fired a strike to shortstop Arcia. In the first, Pina threw out Ender Inciarte trying to steal second.STREAK IS OVERVillar was caught stealing and made the third out in the sixth. It snapped a streak of 24 consecutive successful stolen base attempts, which was a franchise record.TRAINERS ROOMBrewers: OF Domingo Santana started in right field and went 0 for 2 with a strikeout in his second game of a rehab assignment with Class A Wisconsin.UP NEXTBraves: RHP Joel De La Cruz (0-4, 3.41 ERA) makes his fifth start of the season and first against Milwaukee.Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (6-10, 5.01) makes his first start against the Braves this season. He beat them 6-5 while with Arizona in his only career start on June 8, 2014. ' ' '