lingzi
1454 posts
|
DOVER, Del. Aaron Hernandez Womens Jersey . —Jimmie
Johnson was the mane man at Dover. Wearing an afro clown wig—tufts of green,
red, yellow and blue could be spotted from the stands—Johnson had to admit it
was hard to take him seriously while he played the role of race jester. Some
guys just have all the fun. That especially includes on this track. Johnson
romped again at Dover International Speedway, racing his way into the tracks
history books on Sunday with his seventh win on the concrete, matching the mark
held by Hall of Fame drivers Richard Petty and Bobby Allison. No active driver
owns the track like the five-time Sprint Cup champion. Johnson led 289 of the
400 laps and looked every bit like the driver who swept the two Cup races at
Dover in 2002 and 2009. Johnson last won at Dover on Sept. 26, 2010. He also won
the September 2005 race. “God, I love this place,” Johnson said as he took a
victory spin. Then it was off to goof around in Victory Lane. Johnson, crew
chief Chad Knaus and other Hendrick Motorsports crew members wore the wacky wig
seen in the talking-animal movie, “Madagascar 3: Europes Most Wanted.” They had
good reason to clown around. Throw in the All-Star race and thats a sweet
four-race winning streak for NASCARs top organization. Johnson won at Darlington
Raceway and Kasey Kahne won the Coca Cola 600. Johnson also won the non-points
All-Star race during that span as the No. 48 Chevrolet is heating up as he
chases a sixth Cup championship. “Ive never been one to pay attention to stats,”
Johnson said. “I just truthfully never thought Id be the guy whod build up any
cool stats. Here I am with some pretty cool stats with legends of our sport and
guys that Ive looked up to.” Johnson won his second race of the season—and
first where he celebrated with a rainbow circus wig. “Im just proud of this
hair,” Johnson said. “The hair brought some speed to the team.” Petty needed 46
races to win seven times and Allison had 35 races. Johnson got to seven in his
21st start at the track known as the Monster Mile. “You whipped em today,” Knaus
said over the radio. Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Clint
Bowyer rounded out the top five. Johnsons win came about 390 miles after a
massive 13-car accident ended weeks of mostly accident-free races and took out
defending Cup champion Tony Stewart. Stewart eventually returned and finished
25th. Johnsons only real challenge for a stretch came from teammate Jeff Gordon.
The No. 24 was strong enough to lead 60 laps midway through the race and had
perhaps the car to beat until a tire issue and an ill-timed debris caution
combined to land him in 13th. “Its always more frustrating when youve got a car
that can win and you show it by going up there and taking the lead,” Gordon
said. “We dont care about finishing top 15 or top 10 right now. That does
nothing for us. We need wins.” Maybe Gordon really did have the top car. But
Johnson had the win. Earnhardt joined his Hendrick teammates up front most of
the race and posted his fifth top-five of the season. His losing streak
stretched to 142 races, but he has only one finish outside the top 10 in his
last nine races. NASCARs most popular driver is back as a regular threat to win
races. “We are getting close,” he said. “We are finishing good when we are not
winning. I cant really complain too much about how were doing.” Kahne followed
his victory with a ninth-place finish to round out another stellar race for
Hendrick. Points leader Greg Biffle was 11th and holds a one-point lead in the
standings over Kenseth heading into next weeks race at Pocono Raceway. After
weeks of lengthy green-flag runs in the Cup series, the cautions and accidents
finally returned. Stewart, Landon Cassill and Regan Smith all connected to
trigger the multi-car crash. Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch also later were taken
out of the race on separate incidents. There were seven cautions in the race.
Johnson, who won his 57th career Cup race, took charge and led the final 76
laps, pulling away for good on a restart with 31 laps left. Theres no
Earnhardt-like streak in Johnsons future. The wins will surely keep coming. As
for that wig? “I dont think this fits the M.O.,” a smiling Knaus said. “Its
going to be short-lived.” Vince Wilfork Jersey . —Rookie Sandra
Changkija remained on top of the leaderboard after the completion of the first
round Friday morning at the Manulife Financial LPGA Classic. Rob Gronkowski Elite Jersey . – Like a kid
eyeing his presents, Jay Cutler could hardly contain his excitement. http://www.thepatriotsshop.com/wes-welker-jerseys
. The Rays Jose Lobaton drove in three runs and Matt Moore tossed six strong
innings, as Tampa Bay dispatched Toronto, 7-1, to finish a sweep on Thursday.
Henderson Alvarez (7-9) was tagged in defeat for 11 hits and six runs—four
earned—over 4 2/3 frames for the Blue Jays, who stumbled to their ninth loss
in 11 outings overall. Rob Gronkowski Youth Jersey . Emery took full
responsibilty for missing his second practice in a month on Monday, claiming to
have gone to the wrong rink. Tom Brady Elite Jersey . Lucio, who has only
been at Juventus for a month, twisted his right ankle in Fridays session and
underwent medical tests on Saturday.SEATTLE—Its just coincidence the finest
performance of Chris Tillmans young career with Baltimore came against his
former organization. Whether it came against Seattle or anyone else, Tillmans
effort Wednesday was satisfying and impressive. Tillman gave up just two hits in
8 1-3 innings in first start of the year, Adam Jones hit his 20th home run into
the upper deck in left field, and the Orioles beat the Mariners 4-2. “Now I can
sit back, it still hasnt come to me yet, but Im happy. It was good,” Tillman
said. “The way I felt, my command was OK and I definitely think we can move
forward from here.” Jones homer leading off the second inning came on a 2-0
pitch from Seattle starter Hector Noesi (2-11) and landed well back in the upper
level seats. That was essentially all Tillman needed, as the one-time Seattle
prospect shut down his former organization after getting called up from the
minors. Tillman (1-0) took a one-hit shutout into the ninth only to see the
Orioles sloppy defence likely cost him a complete game. Michael Saunders reached
on an Robert Andinos careless error and John Jasos one-out double on Tillmans
125th pitch ended his day. Jim Johnson entered and gave up an RBI groundout to
Kyle Seager and RBI single to Justin Smoak, but still finished off his major
league-leading 25th save. Before Jasos double the only hit Tillman allowed came
in the fourth when Saunders singled up the middle just out of J.J. Hardys reach.
Tillman struck out seven and walked two and his velocity hovered in the mid-90s
even into the ninth inning. He had never gone more than 7 1-3 innings in a major
league start, but after retiring the first 10 batters Tillman set down 15 of the
final 20 he faced. Both of the runs Seattle scored in the ninth were unearned.
After the game, the Orioles optioned Tillman to Double-A Bowie, with the intent
of starting him early next week during the All-Star break then bringing him back
to Baltimore after the break. “What he did today is not new … this is not
uncharted territory for him. Its just it would be if he can consistently do it,”
Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. Tillman was once a top prospect in the
Mariners farm system before being shipped along with Jones and three others to
Baltimore in 2008 iin exchange for Erik Bedard, a trade that backfired on the
Mariners. Tom Brady Womens Jersey. Jones has developed
into an All-Star, while Bedard spent four injury-plagued seasons in Seattles
organization. Tillman was a bit of a wild card in the deal. He was highly
regarded by the Mariners, but his career with the Orioles hasnt met projections.
Tillman was just 3-5 with a 5.52 ERA in 13 starts with Baltimore in 2011 and 8-8
with a 3.63 ERA at Triple-A Norfolk this season. He looked like he belonged in
the Orioles rotation against the Mariners meagreoffence. Tillman was perfect
until Saunders one-out single in the fourth inning. He was helped by Chris Davis
diving catch on Munenori Kawasakis blooper in the third and kept his infield
busy with 11 outs recorded by the infield. Tillman allowed just six baserunners
total and two of those reached on errors in the eighth and ninth innings. “Its
frustrating he couldnt finish it off because he had the stuff to pitch a
complete game today,” Showalter said. Davis and Andino added RBI singles for the
Orioles, who won two straight for the first time since June 16-17. Since taking
two of three from Atlanta in mid-June, the Orioles are just 5-10. Noesi barely
lasted five innings and became the first 11-game loser in baseball and his time
in the rotation may be running out. It was the fourth straight start with Noesi
giving up at least seven hits and he has not left a game with the lead since May
17 against Cleveland. He has not won since May 6. Jones homer came on a 2-0
count in the second. According to STATS LLC, it was the first time this season
Noesi has given up a hit on a 2-0 pitch. It was Noesis 20th home run allowed.
“He has to be more aggressive,” Seattle manager Eric Wedge said of Noesi. “We
need him to take that next step to where we know what were getting from him.”
NOTES: Seattle C Jesus Montero left in the fifth inning after taking a foul ball
from Andino off the facemask. Montero was down on a knee for several minutes and
was wobbly when he first stood up. Wedge said Montero had a mild concussion. ...
Baltimore 2B Brian Roberts was sent back to Baltimore for more examination of
his groin injury that landed him on the 15-day DL on Tuesday. ... The Orioles
improved to 16-3 in games where Jones homered. ’ ’ ’
|
Home
3 posts, 2 voices
waleed20100
909 posts
