f-season - Gomes and Travis DArnaud - and have them both bec

HOUSTON -- The Astros solid pitching needed a little help against the Los Angeles Angels. Duane Kuiper Indians Jersey . Houstons offence was able to provide that support. Jose Altuve and George Springer drove in two runs each during Houstons four-run eighth inning as the Astros pulled away for an 8-5 win Thursday night. Altuve had two hits, including a two-run double in the eighth, and Springer finished with three RBIs for the Astros, who drew eight walks. Dexter Fowler also had two hits and went 6 for 11 in the three-game series. "Its not a secret that we have been playing better baseball lately," Altuve said. "The hitters are doing their job, the pitchers have been doing tremendous, we have been playing really good defence. It seems like we are putting everything together, going out there and playing hard and we are winning the games." Altuve and Springer both came through with two outs in the eighth. "It was the game," Springer said of the pair of two-run hits. "To able to score four in the bottom of the eighth was deflating. Two-out RBIs at any stage of the game are clutch. Teams that can drive guys in with two outs are great teams." Brad Peacock (2-4) allowed three runs and six hits with a strikeout in five innings. Over his last three starts, Peacock has given up four runs in 17 2-3 innings. "I was battling all night," Peacock said. "I didnt really have anything. The bullpen picked me up tonight. The hitters picked me up, too. I was just battling all night. I couldnt find my fastball the first couple innings. I kind of settled down in the third, but I have to do a better job of commanding my fastball and my off-speed." Chad Qualls quieted an Angels rally in the ninth for his sixth save. The Houston bullpen threw four innings, allowing just the two runs in the ninth. "The bullpen did a tremendous job," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "I felt like Peacock, he really struggled through five and once we got him out there in the fifth inning with the pitch count close to 90 we felt like turning it over to our bullpen at the time, we had the matchups that we wanted." Mike Trout had two hits, including a double and a triple, and Chris Iannetta had three hits for the Angels, who have lost five of their last six games. Trout was the designated hitter after missing three of the last four games with back problems. He started in the opening game of this series, but left in the second inning because of his back. Trout said he felt good and expected to return to the field Friday. "It never tightened up, nothing," Trout said. "I didnt feel really anything. I stretched it really well between at-bats but I think running around in centre field will keep it loose, too." After Houstons four-run eighth put it ahead 8-3, Erick Aybar drew a bases loaded walk and Collin Cowgill grounded into a fielders choice to pull the Angels within three. Qualls then struck out Trout and got Albert Pujols to pop up to first to end the game. Four of the eight walks issued by the Angels came in the eighth by Cam Bedrosian, who was called up from Double-A earlier this week, setting up Altuve and Springers hits. "Weve got some power arms down there and theres going to be some walks occasionally," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "Sometimes that goes with the territory. I think weve gotten better. We just -- some things got away from us tonight. "We walked what eight runners tonight? Thats a lot of runners to put on base." Tyler Skaggs (4-4) allowed four runs and six hits with four strikeouts in five innings while losing his third straight start. "Of course its frustrating," Skaggs said. "They had some good at-bats tonight. They put the ball in play and things happen when you put the ball in play. You never know. The infield singles in the first inning were definitely frustrating." Los Angeles trailed by three before Aybars RBI single and Trouts run-scoring double made it 4-3 in the fifth. Houston took the lead with a three-run fourth. Robbie Grossman drove in a run on a squeeze bunt. Carlos Corporan and Fowler followed with RBI singles to make it 4-1. The Angels went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first on Pujols sacrifice fly. Springer had a sacrifice fly of his own to tie it in the bottom of the inning. NOTES: The Angels worked out Trout in the afternoon before putting him back in the lineup. Scioscia said Trout felt good swinging in the cage and that he expects him to play in the field Friday. ... Houston SS Jonathan Villar was out of the starting lineup for a second straight game on Thursday after being hit on the right elbow by a pitch on Tuesday night. However, he pinch-ran in the eighth. Manager Bo Porter said he was feeling better on Thursday and is day to day. ... Los Angeles OF Raul Ibanez broke an 0-for-16 slump with a single in the sixth inning. ... Houston selected 17-year old left-handed pitcher Brady Aiken with the first overall pick in Thursdays MLB draft. Zoilo Versalles Indians Jersey . He managed to save par, and went on to put together his best opening round of the year. Calcavecchia and Wes Short Jr. Oscar Gamble Jersey .500 were once common achievements for the Dallas Mavericks. Now, both are season highs as Dallas slowly works its way back into playoff contention in the Western Conference. https://www.cheapindiansonline.com/1318u-bob-lemon-jersey-indians.html . The Sochi organizing committee said in Fridays statement that the torch relay reached the North Pole on Oct. 19. Russian Polar explorer Artur Chilingarov, who led the mission, lit a special bowl at the North Pole sign.Ive got to admit, when I heard Casey Janssen was going on the disabled list with a lower back strain, the first thought running through my mind was here we go again. It seemed just like the past two seasons, where an onslaught of injuries derailed both seasons. At least this time, the injury to the veteran closer doesnt appear to be that series and if there is any area the Blue Jays have depth in its the pen. For now, at least, Sergio Santos, whos had to deal with two injury-plagued seasons of his own since coming back to the Jays, will get the chance to close. I did a little digging and found out that only four of the 15 teams in the American League are starting the season with the same closer they had a year ago. That would be Boston with Koji Uehara, the Royals with Greg Holland, Minnesota with Glen Perkins and the Angels with Ernest Fieri. The Red Sox and the Blue Jays, once Janssen gets healthy, will have the same closers. The Yankees, thanks to the retirement of the great Mariano Rivera, have handed the reins over to right-hander David Robertson. Tampa Bay let Fernando Rodney walk as a free agent and then picked up former As closer Grant Balfour and another one-time closer in Heath Bell. Baltimore dealt their star closer Jimmie Johnson to Oakland and then decided to make veteran starter/reliever Tommy Hunter into their closer. For this year, at least, there is far greater closer stability. Only three of the 15 teams - St. Louis, Arizona and the Cubs - are starting with different closers than they had at the beginning of last season. The Reds would actually be a fourth, as Aroldis Chapman is on the disabled list after taking a line drive just above the eye in spring training but he will be back this season. Its no secret; if the Blue Jays are going to contend for a wild card spot at the very least, theyve got to put up a winning record against their own division. If you look at the last four years since Alex Anthopoulos took over as general manager, the Jays have only been above .500 versus the AL East once. They went 39-33 against their own division in 2010, Cito Gastons final year as skipper. That season, Tampa Bay was the only club that finished better without the division at 42-30. Jose Mesa Jersey. . In 2011, they went 33-39, in 2012 they were 29-43, and last year they went 30-46, which was the worst of the five teams within the division. Over that four year span within the East, Tampa has had the best record, averaging 42 wins per season and never worse than second best in terms of wins within the division. The Blue Jays are actually tied with Baltimore for the fewest wins inside the division over the past four years at 131. I found another interesting stat surrounding the last four years - the Blue Jays less than stellar record against left handers. Three of those last four years they have the worst record in the division against southpaws. Only in 2011 were they above .500 versus lefties with a mark of 23-19. Their cumulative record against left-handers over the past four years is 76-93. So, if you cant win enough within your own division and you cant beat lefties consistently, youre not going to be a contender. One final note on the Jays and the American League East. From August 22 on this season, the Jays play 28 of their final 35 against their own division, including six against Boston, seven versus the Yankees, six against Baltimore and nine against Tampa Bay. The only respite is a three game series against the Cubs at home in early September and then a four game series at home; the final week of the season against Seattle. So this is the season the Jays just prove they can beat the East. Better luck against lefties wouldnt hurt either. This is one of the tougher seasons to try and call the American League East, but right now Tampa Bay looks like the class of the division followed by the Yankees (if Tanaka and Pineda are for real), Red Sox, Blue Jays and Orioles, though if those two flip-flopped it wouldnt surprise me either. Check me in October. I mentioned former Blue Jays catcher Yan Gomes in my last article. Cleveland obviously is impressed with the first Brazilian ever to make it to the Majors. They signed him to a six-year deal that included two option years worth $23 million. I cant ever remember a team trading two catchers as the Jays did in the same off-season - Gomes and Travis DArnaud - and have them both become number one catchers so quickly. ' ' '