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CHICAGO —In a clubhouse starved for a veteran presence, Alfonso Soriano is
embracing the task. Miles Austin Womens Jersey . Soriano hit a
go-ahead homer in the eighth inning and the Chicago Cubs snapped an eight-game
losing streak with a 5-3 win over the slumping Cincinnati Reds on a rain-soaked
Thursday night. With an influx of youngsters filling up the Cubs locker room,
Soriano knows he is one of the few experienced players his new teammates can
turn to. “I have to play hard just because those kids see me, and Im the veteran
on the team. So I have to show the kids how to play the game,” Soriano said.
With the score tied at 3, Reds reliever Sean Marshall (4-4) walked
Anthony Rizzo. Just as the skies cleared up, Soriano cracked a two-run shot to
centre field off Logan Ondrusek. Shawn Camp (3-5) pitched a perfect eighth for
the win and Carlos Marmol worked the ninth for his 14th save in 16 chances.
Todd Frazier and Zack Cozart homered for Cincinnati after the start was delayed
by rain for 1 hour, 20 minutes. The NL Central leaders lost their fifth straight
but remained 2 1/2 games ahead of second-place Pittsburgh. It was Sorianos 20th
home run. He joined Albert Pujols and David Ortiz as the only active players
with 20 or more homers in 11 straight seasons. “Im very happy with myself,”
Soriano said. “I never saw myself as a home run hitter, but 11 years in a row,
20 in a row, I have to be very proud of myself.” Soriano also joined Hall of
Famer Andre Dawson as the only players in Cubs history to reach 20 homers in
their first six seasons with the club. “Those kind of guys, they hit. Theyve
always hit,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “Thats what they were born to do.”
Starlin Castro tied it in the sixth with a two-run double off Cincinnati starter
Mike Leake. Castro was mired in a 1-for-24 slump before hitting a liner off the
centre-field wall. Cubs right-hander Chris Volstad is winless in 22 starts since
July 17, 2011. The 25-year-old pitcher allowed three runs and six hits over six
innings, including two solo homers. It took 35 pitches for Volstad to work his
way out of a two-run first inning. Cozart greeted Volstad with his fourth
leadoff home run, capping an eight-pitch at-bat. It was his 13th of the season.
Frazier took Volstad deep in the fourth for his 14th homer of the year. Volstad
let at least one runner aboard in each inning he pitched, but managed to escape
with a quality start. “We scored early and kind of cruised for a while and when
you do that any team is going to make a run,” Cozart said. “They got a couple of
big hits by Castro and Soriano, and we didnt.” Leake was charged with three runs
in six innings. He struck out five and walked two. “The one pitch to Castro kind
of beat me,” Leake said. The right-hander cruised through five innings before
Castro came through with runners on first and third. Leake had given up nine
runs in his last two starts, a span of just 7 2-3 innings. “Nothing mentally
changed,” Leake said. “I just wasnt attacking them.” Rizzo got the Cubs on the
board in the first with an RBI single to score David DeJesus. Rizzo reached base
four times, including a double to lead off the fourth, but the 23-year-old
slugger was too aggressive on the basepaths and was thrown out at third trying
to advance on Sorianos groundout. Former first-round draft pick Brett Jackson
went 0 for 3 in his home debut for Chicago. NOTES: Cubs C Steve Clevenger was
ejected in the fifth for arguing balls and strikes. ... Chicago RHP Matt Garza,
out indefinitely with a stress reaction in his right elbow, wants to pitch again
this season. “Im hoping to, thats why Im working my tail off to get back,” he
said. ... The Reds activated C Devin Mesoraco (concussion) from the 7-day
disabled list and optioned C Dioner Navarro to Triple-A Louisville. ...
Homer Bailey (9-7, 3.98 ERA) pitches Friday for Cincinnati against
Justin Germano (1-1, 3.38) in the second game of the four-game set. Jason Witten
Youth Jersey . NHLPA executive director Don Fehr says he cant make
a counterproposal on the leagues full package until his group receives and
examines the requested team financial reports. DeMarco Murray Womens Jersey .Y. —Buffalo
Sabres centre Cody Hodgson is out indefinitely after breaking a bone in his
right hand during a game with the teams American Hockey League affiliate. http://www.nflcowboysfansshop.com/ . The
right-hander went on the disabled list earlier this month for the same problem,
which has apparently hampered him all year. DeMarco Murray Black Jersey . Set to become a
free agent, the 33-year-old third baseman hit .236 with 15 homers and 46 RBIs in
80 games for the White Sox after being acquired from Boston on June 25. DeMarco Murray Youth Jersey . Cecil will have
his hands full, as the White Sox have won six in a row and Toronto has managed
just two runs over the first two games at U.S. Cellular Field. On Saturday the
White Sox, leaders in the American League Central by a full three games over
Cleveland, pitched their eighth shutout of the season as they handed Toronto a
2-0 setback. SAN DIEGO —Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant was diagnosed with
patellar tendinitis in his right knee after he got hurt Monday during a joint
practice session with the San Diego Chargers. Bryant left the field after he
slipped coming out of a break during a one-on-one drill, then had an MRI. The
Cowboys said Monday night the MRI “revealed no tear to a ligament or tendon.”
Bryant will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. The team said no timetable has
been set for his return to practice. Dallas was already without a pair of Pro
Bowl pass-catchers, receiver Miles Austin (hamstring) and tight end Jason Witten
(spleen). Receivers Andre Holmes and Donovan Kemp also left practice early
Monday and had MRIs. The team said Holmes has a low back strain and is
day-to-day, but had no update on Kemps left knee. Dallas (No. 16 in the AP
Pro32) plays its next preseason game Saturday night at home against St. Louis.
After practicing again with the Chargers on Tuesday, the Cowboys have a day off
before a workout at Cowboys Stadium on Thursday. Bryant caught two passes for 15
yards Saturdday in the Cowboys 28-20 loss to the Chargers. Morris Claiborne Jersey. Coach Jason Garrett
said before the MRI results were revealed that he was hopeful “this injury is
not too severe.” He said Bryant, the third-year receiver, has been having an
outstanding training camp. Witten got hurt after taking a hit in the first
preseason game Aug. 13. Austin, who missed six games last season while dealing
with injuries to both hamstrings, sat out both preseason games so far. He isnt
expected to practice this week. When Austin started dealing with hamstring
issues a week into camp, the Cowboys said they planned to be careful with their
top receiver. But they also said then they expected him to miss maybe only a
week. The rash of injuries means more time for Kevin Ogletree, who came to camp
trying to earn the spot as the teams third receiver. Dwayne Harris is also
getting more opportunities. Undrafted rookie Cole Beasley had seven catches for
104 yards in the game against the Chargers. Dallas opens the regular season
Sept. 5 at the defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants. ’ ’ ’