Protection » game of the tournament so far

SEATTLE -- Less than a week ago, nothing was going right for Kyle Seager and the Mariners. Since then Seager just keeps hitting home runs and Seattle has started to see some wins. Seager hit a pair of homers Sunday, including a three-run shot in the eighth, to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 6-5 comeback win against the Texas Rangers. Seager has five homers in his last four games, a power surge that started with a two-homer game against the Astros on Wednesday. Before that game, Seager was hitting .156 with no home runs and two RBI, a slump that matched the teams performance -- Seattle lost its eighth straight game Tuesday. In the four games since, hes gone 8 for 15, added five homers and 11 RBI and raised his season average to .228 while the Mariners have won three of the four. Hes also had at least two hits in all four games, tying a career-best streak. "Its been a good run. I think if you continue to stay with the program and not panic, hopefully itll come around sooner or later," Seager said. "Its been feeling good for a little while. The results obviously werent what I was hoping for, but it was starting to come around." The Mariners fell behind 5-0 to Texas early before Seager led the late rally. Seager led off the seventh inning with his first home run and then gave Seattle the lead with his two-out shot down the right field line in the eighth off Alexi Ogando (1-2). "Theres nothing like positive results," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "When you start to get some positive results you feel better about what youre doing and how youre doing it." The comeback victory also gave the Mariners their first home series win against Texas since September 2012. The homers more than made up for an earlier missed opportunity, when Seager struck out with the bases loaded to end the fourth inning. "I thought we had him for a minute," Texas manager Ron Washington said. "I thought he was slumping. But I guess hes not." Danny Farquhar (1-0) pitched the eighth to earn the win and Fernando Rodney closed out the ninth for his fifth save. Rangers starter Matt Harrison made his first appearance in more than a year, giving up two runs on three hits in six innings. Harrison was activated from the disabled list before the game to make his first appearance since April 6, 2013. Harrison was the Rangers opening day starter last season but only pitched two games before going on the disabled list with an inflamed nerve in his lower back. He had two back surgeries in a nine-day span a year ago, and another surgery on his right side in September. He battled stiffness in his back and neck during spring training, starting the season on the disabled list. "Glad to be back," Harrison said. "Its been a long road." Harrison had no problems in the first three innings, retiring the first nine batters he faced. But a lengthy top of the fourth -- the Rangers had eight batters and scored three runs to take the 5-0 lead -- seemed to affect Harrison as he came out for the bottom of the inning. Harrison walked Michael Saunders to lead off the fourth, and Robinson Cano got the Mariners first hit with a one-out, run-scoring double. Harrison gave up another single and a walk to load the bases with two outs before Seagers strikeout. Harrison gave up another run in the sixth when Cano singled and later scored on Harrisons wild pitch to cut the Rangers lead to 5-2. Seattle starter Brandon Maurer was knocked out in the fourth inning after giving up five runs on seven hits, but the Mariners bullpen -- Seattle used six pitchers on the day -- gave up just one hit the rest of the way. "They saved us," McClendon said. "Its hard to win games when your bullpen is giving you four, five innings. Its hard to win, and they shut it down. They threw up zeros." NOTES: McClendon gave his usual Nos. 1 and 2 hitters -- OF Abraham Almonte and SS Brad Miller -- the day off. Both players have been struggling offensively, with Almonte hitting .204 and Miller .174. "Well give them both some time off and hopefully theyll bounce back," McClendon said. ... Texas optioned IF Luis Sardinas to Double-A Frisco before the game. There had been speculation the Rangers would place OF Shin-Soo Choo, who hasnt played since his hurting his left ankle at Oakland on Monday, on the DL to make room for Harrison. Washington said the Rangers are waiting to see if Choo will be able to play soon. Ofertas Zapatillas Saucony Baratas .com) - Even-money favorite Liams Map proved a little too tough down the stretch and won Saturdays $100,000 Harlans Holiday Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Zapatillas Saucony Rebajas . Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season. http://www.baratassaucony.es/. Markieff Morris and Marcus Morris, city natives, handled the catering for teammates that begged them for the tasty postgame feast. Zapatillas Saucony Baratas .5 million, four-year contract with the Texas Rangers that could be worth $32. Saucony Baratas Online . -- The Jacksonville Jaguars are bringing back quarterback Chad Henne -- and making him the starter.Day 11 in 100 words or less We must remember that people are seeing a World Cup for the first time, just dont tell them it isnt always like this. Many of those eyes are in the United States of America, a country that the sport has wanted on its side for some time. On Sunday the football Gods delivered once again, only this time it was time for good old USA to experience as much heartache as joy. Portugal 2-2 USA Football is a funny old game. Last week the USA struggled to keep the ball, were not at their best, and still won. This time they treasured the ball far better, were absolutely outstanding, and didnt win. This World Cup has been an absolute blockbuster and some of its main characters have been counter-attacks, comebacks, headers, and substitute goals. All four starred together in an incredible last scene in Manaus. Portugal were on the ground, seemingly knocked out in Brazil, flat out on their back with the referee standing over them about to wave his arms and end their misery. They knew they were out of the fight. Angry, petulant, disappointed they were a wounded bunch. Then, like a boxer swinging one last right hook at an opponent just for the sake of it, they delivered a stunning final moment to another monumental match in Brazil. The clock read 94:25. Michael Bradley picks up the ball and has no outlets to pass the ball to. Eder, the Portugal striker who came on early in the first half finally did something valuable by making a crucial tackle. 94:28 - Nani counters with pace, looks up and sees Cristiano Ronaldo on the right side. It was the first time the talisman was in that zone where he could put a pass in. (stats powered by Opta) 94:31 - Ronaldo had just enough time to take one touch, look down at the ball, look up and deliver an absolutely incredible cross. 94:33 - Silvestre Varela then runs into the box and delivers a powerful header into the mix. The USA victory and place in the last 16? Gone in eight seconds. It was a fitting dramatic finale to an enthralling game in the Amazon. It will be remembered for the final scoreline, the Ronaldo pass, and the USA comeback, but we shouldnt forget about the tempo. The game was stretched throughout, played at an incredible pace in exhausting conditions. Watching it we learned many things. We learned that Portugal have very little depth. Anyone who has followed this small, yet proud football nation would tell you they already knew that but this exposed it even deeper. Anyone who criticizes Ronaldos performance would be best served to look at what he had to work with. They lost Helder Postiga early, threw on Eder and effectively played with 10 men for the second successive match. The sight of the worlds finest player having to play up front in the second half and get absolutely no service was an all too familiar one. A sad tale of what could have been. Nani scored a goal but was very disappointing the rest of the way, giving the ball away far too much. Joao Moutinho is a special player but his sparring partners, Miguel Veloso and Raul Meireles are not at the form of Euro 2012. Theyve been hammered by injuries, admittedly, but this was one of the worst showings by a Portugal team in two decades. Last week they could blame Pepe and a brilliant German attack. On Sunday their excuses ran out and they will likely fly home on Friday as another European team humbled in Brazil. Jurgen Klinsmanns team were by far the better side and will be happy to be on four points through two games but it is far from job done. Indeed, it could turn out to be what might have been. Sure, Jurgens new mates and old mates can kick a ball around for 90 minutes in Recife on Thursday and both go through but anyone who thinks Germany would agree to that are kidding themselves. Germany are in Brazil to win the World Cup, not risk playiing a close game with an inferior country, where a bad bounce or poor decision could end up costing them the chance to progress or, even, win the group.dddddddddddd If the game is even as it enters the final 25 minutes I could see the two teams defending deep and giving up very little but until then I expect Germany to use the game as an opportunity to get back the tempo and attacking guile that was missing against Ghana. Belgium 1-0 Russia The 2014 World Cup has been billed by some as the greatest ever but then Fabio Capello arrived in a time machine from 2010 to remind us just how easy a game can be killed off. It almost worked. To be fair, the dullest game of the tournament so far was not all Russias doing. An average Belgium defended deep and rarely got playmaker Eden Hazard into the game, looking to settle for a point they know would have helped them win the group. The schedule makers also played a small part in the snoozefest. Every team in this World Cup, Mexico vs Brazil aside, had four or five games off in between group games but all the teams who played on Sunday play again on Thursday, giving them just three days off before a crucial group finale. Thankfully, Belgium decided to find some extra gears in the last ten minutes and for the second successive match their changes made a difference. Substitute Kevin Mirallas got the best out of Hazard and the two combined on the goal, scored by another sub, 19-year-old striker Divock Origi. The extra gear found by Belgium showed, again, they can reach another level when required and also left Russia embarrassed that they couldnt. Russia were organized and clearly had a game plan that almost worked and it is hard to be too critical of that based on that game but the bigger question mark over this teams methods is do they have it in them at all to play a more open, expansive style that will be needed against Algeria to progress? This World Cup has made a mockery of players and coaches who have tried to play like it was 2010. Capello gets one last shot to prove otherwise, against Algeria. How did that work out for him in 2010? South Korea 2-4 Algeria Missed by many, this was a fantastic game. Algeria are a real threat to Russia. They are strong in attack, have a fine, technical leader in Sofiane Feghouli who can glide by midfielders and can score. Admittedly, South Koreas defending in the first half was woeful but Vahid Halilhodzics side deserve tremendous credit for sensing their opportunity to finish the game off early. It has been a good couple of days for African football. Man of the day Nominees.... Vincent Kompany - on a day where most of his teammates were average, the Manchester City skipper was fantastic in the middle of the Belgian defence. Islam Slimani - he got his first start at the World Cup and it wont be his last after he tormented the South Korean backline. Clint Dempsey - talk about a big game player. Not blessed with any one outstanding trait, he just seems to pop up in big moments. Jermaine Jones - After a brilliant display on the left of a midfield diamond against Ghana, he was asked to come more centrally this time and had a superb match. Cristiano Ronaldo - he was far from his best but, just like Lionel Messi on Saturday, he had his moment. Winner Cristiano Ronaldo - a defensive liability in the first half, clearly not fit, playing with a bunch of average players, sulking and then he does that. Wow. Whats next Australia vs Spain & Chile vs Netherlands (12pm/9am) Croatia vs Mexico & Brazil vs Cameroon (4pm/1pm) Burning question for Mondays games Can Chile win the group and finally carve open a path to the late rounds that doesnt include nemesis Brazil? Stat of day 11 Silvestre Varela became the 16th substitute to score at this World Cup. ' ' '