Gesundheit » had the choice to reject the interference call

The Oakland As continue at the top of the TSN.ca MLB Power Rankings, ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays and San Franscisco Giants as the top three remains the same for the second straight week. Making a move up, due to outstanding starting pitching (1.24 starters ERA in June), the Washington Nationals have jumped from 13 to seven. This weeks big move was by the Cleveland Indians, who rocket from 23 to 13, after going 9-1 in the past 10 games, including a 17-run explosion against Texas Monday. Even though the Cincinnati Reds continue to struggle, they move up from 19 to 14, largely on news that first baseman Joey Votto has been activated from the disabled list. A 5-2 record in the past seven games was enough to vault the Arizona Diamondbacks out of the basement, up to 24 from 30. Heading the wrong way, the Chicago White Sox fall from 10 to 16,as they continue to seek answers behind Chris Sale in the starting rotation. The New York Mets, losers of six straight, drop from 15 to 21. Injuries and subpar pitching have caught up to the Colorado Rockies, who are 3-14 in the past 17 games and plummet from 14 to 25 this week. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Landon Collins Youth Jersey .B. -- Canadas Rachel Homan had ideal preparation for the playoffs at the Ford World Curling Championships with a pair of hard-fought wins over tenacious opponents Thursday. Dexter Manley Jersey . The four-time Grand Slam champion has beaten Hantuchova nine straight times, with the Slovaks only win coming when they first played 10 years ago. "I had a tough first opponent who can play extremely good tennis," Sharapova said. https://www.redskinssportsgoods.com/Womens-Earnest-Byner-Inverted-Jersey/ . - Novak Djokovic beat John Isner 7-5, 6-7 (2), 6-1 on Saturday to reach the final of the BNP Paribas Open, where hell resume his longtime rivalry with Roger Federer. Sam Huff Womens Jersey . - A Tuesday funeral is planned in Toronto for 20-year-old Saginaw Spirit forward Terry Trafford. Dexter Manley Redskins Jersey . Simona Halep of Romania claimed the fifth title of her career by beating Samantha Stosur of Australia 7-6 (1), 6-2 in the womens final. After trading sets, Gasquet trailed 4-3 in the decider but broke back to 4-4 in a game that went to seven deuces with Kukushkin constantly failing on his forehand shots.NEW YORK -- There was nothing mysterious about Michael Pinedas performance this time. Masahiro Tanakas dominant outing was pretty straight forward, too. A day that began with snow in the outfield ended with a double whitewashing. Pineda followed an overpowering outing by Tanaka with one of his own, pitching six innings of four-hit ball as the New York Yankees beat the Chicago Cubs 2-0 on a bitterly cold Wednesday night to complete its first doubleheader shutout sweep since 1987. "It just goes to show you how well our pitchers threw," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "When you shut out a team for 18 innings youre doing things right." Tanaka (2-0) struck out 10 and allowed just two bunt hits -- one replay aided -- over eight innings in a 3-0 win in the opener of the day-night twinbill. Carlos Beltran homered for a third straight game, off Jason Hammel in the first inning of the Cubs first regular-season game at the current Yankee Stadium. "That split is not something you want to sit on. Its not something youre going to be able to handle," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "But, as it was coming out of the hand, as the guys were coming in, they were saying, Gosh, it looks like a fastball. It ends up diving." Brett Gardner and Scott Sizemore had RBI singles off Travis Wood (0-2) in the nightcap, helping the Yankees win for the fifth time in six games and handing Chicago its fourth straight loss. New York had not won by shutout twice in one day since April 9, 1987, against Kansas City, according to STATS, and no team in the major leagues had done it since Minnesota swept Oakland on June 26, 1988. The Cubs had not been blanked twice on the same day since Larry Jackson and Ray Sadecki pitched complete games for St. Louis on June 27, 1962. Chicago was 9 for 61 (.148) at the plate, dropping its season average to .230, and struck out 17 times. Pineda (2-1) was pitching for the first time since he was spotted with brown goo on his right hand during Thursdays 4-1 win against Boston, touching off a debate about pitchers use of sticky substances to get better grips in cool weather. It was significantly colder Wednesday, with temperatures in the low-40s and a frigid wind, but Pinedas hand was clean throughout. "I didnt do nothing," Pineda said when asked if he used something to improve his hold on the ball. "I was focusing on throwing the ball good." And he did, despite pitching in some really harsh weather. In fact, he said it was the coldest hes ever pitched in. Anthony Rizzos triple with two outs in the sixth off Pineda was the Cubs only extra-base hit of the day. Chicago totalled six hits against a pair of 25-year-old power pitchers who rarely walk batters. Tanaka (2-0) and Pineda each gave up one free pass.dddddddddddd "Both of them, they were good," said Emilio Bonifacio, who was 0 for 8 on the day. "Their breaking pitches, they were pretty good, so it was really tough." Shawn Kelley yielded a hit to Rizzo, who had three hits overall, in the ninth inning of the opener but secured his fourth save. Adam Warren put runners on second and third in the ninth inning of the nightcap, but finished for his first save. With Tuesdays rainout postponing Jackie Robinson Day festivities, the Yankees unveiled a plaque honouring Nelson Mandela before the second game. Players from both teams wore No. 42. The Cubs have yet to win in the Bronx. They were swept in the 1932 and 38 World Series and lost all three-games in 2005, their only interleague series in New York. After an overnight storm, the grounds crew used blowers to melt the ice on the tarp before removing the covering from the infield. Snow still covered the grass in right field while the Cubs took batting practice, and many players wore ski caps. But it wasnt too cold for Beltran. He connected on a 1-1 changeup from Hammel (2-1) with one out in the first. Dean Anna started again at shortstop for Derek Jeter and drove in his run with a fly to left field in the fourth. Jeter went 1 for 5 in the night game, his first action since Friday. New York added a run in the fifth when Junior Lake lost Gardners liner to left in the sun for a double. After Gardner advanced on Beltrans groundout, Jacoby Ellsburys bat made contact with catcher John Bakers glove before dunking a ball in front of the mound. Catchers interference was called but under rule 6.08 (c), the Yankees had the choice to reject the interference call -- it would have put runners at the corners -- and take the play as it unfolded on the field. The elected for the latter, with Gardner scoring and Ellsbury tagging out by Hammel. "With one out, you take the run," Girardi said. Lake got the first hit off Tanaka with one out in the second when he bunted toward the third base side, and the right-hander fielded it cleanly. Initially, first base umpire Manny Gonzalez called Lake out but Renteria requested a challenge and the call was overturned. Hammel was nearly as good as Tanaka. He yielded three runs and five hits, striking out five. NOTES: Cubs pitchers Edwin Jackson and Carlos Villanueva will swap start days. Jackson will pitch Saturday against the Reds and Villanueva on Sunday. ... Yankees 1B Mark Teixeira (right hamstring) is working out in Tampa, Fla. Girardi said he will play three innings Thursday. Teixeira is eligible to return from the DL Sunday. ... Yankees closer David Robertson (left groin strain) said he was going to pitch in a minor league game in Tampa on Saturday. ' ' '