Bewerbungen » a stingy defense combined with a ball-control style of

DENVER -- Starter Jon Gray pretended he was closing out the first inning.Anything to avoid a pattern of early game hiccups.That particular approach served him well, too, with Gray pitching six scoreless innings to help the Colorado Rockies beat the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers 8-1 on a gusty Monday night.Gray (9-6) surrendered four hits and struck out eight in a crisp performance for his first win since Aug. 2.I feel like sometimes you can out-aggressive people. I like to do that, Gray said. Bring a little intensity and cruise from there.Gray started strong, which hasnt always been the case this season. Of the 72 runs he has allowed, 34 have been scored in the opening two innings.In this game, not even a third-inning downpour could interrupt his concentration.Gray ran into trouble in the fifth with two on and one out. Adrian Gonzalez sent a sinking liner to center that Charlie Blackmon hauled in as he slid on the slick grass. Gray pointed his glove toward the centerfielder in appreciation.That was awesome, Gray said. That really helped me out a lot.DJ LeMahieu had a two-run double in a five-run seventh that turned a pitching duel into a rout.Kenta Maeda (13-8) was electric once again at Coors Field -- except for a hanging slider that Nick Hundley hit for a two-run homer in the fourth. The right-hander with the quirky delivery allowed four hits over five innings. Maeda has a 2.12 ERA in three starts at the hitter friendly park.Overall, I thought I pitched pretty well, Maeda said through a translator. It was that one pitch which was a slider inside that was definitely a mistake pitch.The Dodgers had a momentary scare when All-Star rookie shortstop Corey Seager was hit in the left hand by a pitch from Chris Rusin in the seventh. He appeared to be in quite a bit of pain as he made his way to first base, but remained in the game. Seager was hit earlier in the game. The team said X-rays were negative.Seager wont play Tuesday, but that was already planned.It always hurts when you get hit, said Seager, whose team finished with five hits. Youre glad its not broken and you move on.TRAINERS ROOMDodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (mild disk irritation) will face hitters in a simulated game on Tuesday in Los Angeles. A minor-league start may be the next step in his rehabilitation. We have a couple different scenarios. So, depending on how he comes out of it, well make a decision, manager Dave Roberts explained.Rockies: INF Mark Reynolds (broken bone in left hand) could return before the end of the season. Theres a lot still out in front of him that he has to be able to do before he gets into a game, manager Walt Weiss said.FANTASY DRAFTRoberts has a new player on his team -- Julio Jones, the game-changing receiver of the Atlanta Falcons. Jones may not help the Dodgers win the NL West, but could lift Roberts and his team to a fantasy football title.The Dodgers held their league draft in Denver on Sunday. Roberts is the silent partner on a squad co-owned by Justin Turner and Brandon McCarthy. They took Jones with the No. 2 overall pick.THIS & THATLast week, Maeda was optioned to the Arizona League Dodgers to free up roster space. He was recalled Monday and the team optioned right-handed pitcher Brock Stewart to Double-A Tulsa. ... Weiss said there wont be any conversations about a new contract until after the season. The fourth-year manager is in the final year of his deal. ... Pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson broke up the shutout in the ninth with an RBI groundout that brought in Andrew Toles, who tripled.SOUVENIRThe crowd gave Colorado pinch-hitter Stephen Cardullo a standing ovation after his first major league hit in the eighth. Cardullo, who turns 29 on Wednesday, was called up from Triple-A Albuquerque last week. He plans to give the ball to his dad.Just a great feeling, Cardullo said.UP NEXTDodgers: LHP Rich Hill (10-3) makes his first start at Coors Field since April 23, 2008, while with the Chicago Cubs.Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (4-5) is 4-1 with a 3.45 ERA at Coors Field this season. Taysom Hill Jersey . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday. Demario Davis Jersey . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. http://www.customsaintsjersey.com/custom-jim-dombrowski-jersey-large-792e.html . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Jermon Bushrod Jersey . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Michael Lewis Jersey . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. STORRS, Conn. -- UConn coach Bob Diaco says his Huskies are built to play close games.Since the start of last season, 10 of UConns 16 contests have been decided by a single score (eight points or fewer), including all three this season. The latest was a 13-10 win over Virginia (0-3) last Saturday that wasnt secured until Virginias walk-on kicker, Alex Furbank, missed a 20-yard field goal as time expired.But the quality of the opponent doesnt seem to be much of a factor for UConn (2-1).The Huskies are 6-4 in those one-score contests, with wins over Villanova (20-15), Army (22-17), Tulane (7-3), then-No. 13 Houston (20-17), Maine (24-21) and Virginia. The losses came to then No. 22 Missiouri (9-6), South Florida (28-20), Marshall (16-10 in the St. Petersburg Bowl and Navy (28-24).Diaco said the tight margins are more a function of UConns style -- a stingy defense combined with a ball-control style of offense.The analogy I would draw is like a hockey game or a soccer game, he said. Theyre all decided by one goal or two goals when the points are down. Were kind of built that way.Under Diaco, UConn doesnt give up a lot of big plays, using a bend-dont-break style defense that eschews a lot of blitzing and forces opponents to move methodically down the field.The Huskies aree holding the competition to 19.dddddddddddd7 points and an average of 352 yards a game this year after giving up just 19.5 points and 355 yards per game a year ago.We take pride in always being in the game and always having a chance to win the game, said defensive tackle Mikal Myers.But Diaco acknowledges UConn would win more and win by more points if it had a more efficient offense.The Huskies are averaging just 20.3 points and 331 yards per game this season, which ranks 111th out of 128 FBS teams. Last season they averaged just 17.2 points, and just over 310 yards a game, 123rd in the nation.I cant hide from it, Diaco said. Everyone watching the games knows it.Ball control will be a key for UConn this week against Syracuse (1-2). The Orange run an fast-paced offense that snapped the ball a school-record 105 times in a 45-20 loss to South Florida. They average one play about every 20 seconds while on offense.Field position is a huge piece for this model, Diaco said. Time of possession is a huge piece to this model. That, when you play in a game like this, becomes even more critical.---AP college football website: www.collegefootball.org ' ' '