Bewerbungen » outdoor stadium has its swagger

MILWAUKEE -- With the Cincinnati Reds reeling, Mike Leake knew he had to pitch a strong game. After a shaky start, the right-hander delivered for his team. Leake scattered four hits over 8 1-3 innings and Brandon Phillips had three RBI, lifting the Reds to a 6-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday. Cincinnati put the leadoff runner on base in each of the first seven innings. The Reds snapped a three-game losing streak that had dropped them five games behind St. Louis in the NL Central. "It would have been a graveyard in here if we didnt pull this one out," Leake said. Leake (8-4) bounced back from a rare rough start in his last outing and seemed to get stronger as the game progressed. He allowed four walks while striking out two. "It wasnt the best game Ive pitched," he said. "They made me work and they were aggressive towards me. That was one thing that worked to my advantage. I made some pitches when I needed to, to get out of jams. They put some pressure on me." Milwaukee starter Johnny Hellweg (0-3) had trouble throwing strikes, was battered for his fourth consecutive appearance and sent back to the minor leagues after the game. The right-hander, who made his major-league debut on June 28, allowed four runs on four hits and five walks in 4 1-3 innings in his third start. "I think theres improvement there from the other two starts, but still some things he needs to work on," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said. Leake allowed four runs in just five innings during his last start July 5 in a 7-4 loss to Seattle, and gave up a first-inning run to Milwaukee. "I didnt think he was going to make it, because they were hitting the ball hard off him," Reds manager Dusty Manager said. He then settled down, giving up Sean Haltons first major-league home run and a walk to Jeff Bianchi in the fifth. "I thought I had a hundred pitches because I had walked four guys," Leake said. Leake then retired the next 13 batters. "I just kind of attacked them and mixed it up a little bit more," he said. Jonathan Lucroy reached on a one-out single in the ninth against Leake, and Baker turned to closer Aroldis Chapman to finish the game in a non-save situation. Shin-Soo Choo had two singles, a double and a walk. Phillips had two hits and drove in runs in the first, third and seventh innings. Jay Bruce went 2-for-4 with a walk, driving in a run in the fifth and seventh innings. The Reds could have scored more runs, but were 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position. "We have to cash in on a couple of those opportunities," Baker said. "I know it sounds greedy right now, but we want all the runs we can get. You try not to keep them in the game." Acquired in the 2012 trade that sent Zack Greinke to the Los Angeles Angels, Hellweg has struggled in three starts and one relief appearance. In 10 2-3 innings, he has given up 20 runs on 19 hits and 12 walks while striking out three batters. He was optioned to Class A Wisconsin in the Midwest League after the game to keep him pitching every fifth day, Roenicke said. Other Brewers affiliates have off days that would have gotten Hellweg off schedule, Roenicke said. The Reds made it 1-0 in the first on Choos leadoff double and a two-out single by Phillips. Milwaukee tied it in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Carlos Gomez. Cincinnati got a sacrifice fly from Devin Mesoraco in the second and added another run in the third when Zack Cozart scored from third on Phillips groundout. Cozart scored again to make it 4-1 in the fifth on a groundout by Bruce. Haltons made it 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Cincinnati scored twice in the seventh off Hand to make it 6-2 on RBI singles from Phillips and Bruce. Notes: Brewers OFs Ryan Braun (sore left thumb) and Norichika Aoki (left elbow tightness) were out of the lineup. They are expected to start Thursday at Arizona. ... Reds LHP Sean Marshall, on the DL with shoulder soreness, threw a 42-pitch bullpen session Tuesday and said he felt no soreness on Wednesday. He said there is no timetable to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. ... Reds OF Chris Heisey was wearing a compression sleeve on his left arm Wednesday after being hit by a fastball from RHP Wily Peralta on Tuesday night. He was out of the Reds lineup. Cheap Custom Royals Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Cheap Royals Jerseys . Scott won the Australian PGA last week in his first event in Australia since winning the U.S. Masters in April. American Matt Kuchar, ahead by two strokes with four to play and even with Scott with one to go, double-bogeyed the 18th after taking two shots to get out of a bunker. http://www.customroyalsjersey.com/custom-george-brett-jersey-large-77h.html . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Custom Royals T-shirts . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Custom Royals Jerseys . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Marcus Peters has duped just about every quarterback he has faced into throwing an interception to him, whether it was Peyton Manning a year ago or Derek Carr just last weekend.Hed love nothing more than to add Drew Brees to his growing list Sunday.The ball-hawking Peters will be tasked with leading an opportunistic Kansas City Chiefs defense against the prolific passing attack of Brees and the New Orleans Saints. Its an important game for both teams with Kansas City coming off a momentum-building win over Oakland and New Orleans having won two straight after a calamitous start to the season.Its the NFL. Every week youre coming in against the best, said Peters, who has a league-leading five picks this season. You have to prepare for every quarterback to throw for 400 yards.But heres the rub: Brees actually does throw for 400 yards.Twice this season, in fact.The 37-year-old Brees threw for 465 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Saints (2-3) to a 41-38 victory over Carolina last weekend. It was a performance that showcased the breadth and depth of the New Orleans offense, from high-flying wide receiver Brandin Cooks to tight end Coby Fleener.Brees found four different players for touchdown passes.I dont have enough good things to say about him. Hes a phenomenal player, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. He works at the profession, hes relentless. Is he getting better? Maybe he doesnt run as fast, but he sure has the skill throwing the football.He also doesnt make many mistakes, at least not this year. Hes only thrown four picks.That should cause all kinds of heartburn for the Chiefs (3-2), who lost defensive end Allen Bailey and linebacker Justin March for the season this week, and could be without cornerback Phillip Gaines, who is dealing with a knee injury after having surgery to repair his ACL last year.All of which puts even more pressure on Peters to make plays.When you see him, any errant throw or ball off-target, he gets his hands on. He has elite hands, Saints coach Sean Payton said. You have to be decisive and your location has to be spot on. He can run, he can tackle. I think hes one of the real, real talented good, young corners in our league.The matchup between Brees and Peters is only part of the intrigue on Sunday. Here are some oof the other story lines:RARE RIVALSThe Saints and Chiefs have only played 10 times, and have not met in Kansas City since November 2008.dddddddddddd. But the two coaches are a bit more familiar with each since Reid spent so many years in the NFC with the Eagles.Hes been (producing) a playoff-type caliber team and organization (wherever hes been), said Payton, who is 3-1 against Reid, and I consider him a close friend.GROUND GAMESure, the Saints only ran for 63 yards against Carolina, and theyre averaging just 78 yards per game. But with such a dynamic pass attack, Payton is only looking for some consistency on the ground to keep defenses honest.I think each week you look at how they are playing, Payton said, and make your decision on how you want to win that game.WARE IT WELLThe Chiefs showed against Oakland that Spencer Ware will continue to be a big part of their offense even with Jamaal Charles back to speed. Ware ran for 131 yards and the Chiefs had 183 yards rushing, which took pressure off quarterback Alex Smith to lead the way.They all have different strengths, Smith said. Thats what you can get to, those guys feeding off each other.RISING ROOKIESaints wide receiver Michael Thomas, drafted in the second round out of Ohio State, doesnt figure to be as outspoken as his uncle, Keyshawn Johnson, in demanding the ball. He doesnt need to be, because Brees is already looking for him. Thomas leads with the Saints with 26 receptions, which ties with the Giants Sterling Shephard for the rookie lead. Thomas also has a TD catch in each of his last three games.Hes extremely confident and humble, Payton said, in a good way.TOUGH VENUEThere was a time in the 1990s and early 2000s when Arrowhead Stadium was arguably the toughest place to play in the NFL. After a few lean years, the holder of the Guinness world record for loudest outdoor stadium has its swagger back. The Chiefs have won eight straight there.Any time you can get into Arrowhead, it is tough for them to win. But in the end, we have to come out and compete, Chiefs center Mitch Morese said. We know what we have to do to win.---Online: AP NFL coverage: pro32.ap.org and (at)AP-NFL ' ' '