warum » more sets of games on back-to-back nights. Safe to sa

PHOENIX -- The San Francisco Giants were kicking the ball around so badly Monday night that manager Bruce Bochy wanted to start spring training over again. Then the Giants bats came alive, Arizonas bullpen wilted, and San Francisco rallied from four runs down to beat the Diamondbacks 9-8 on Buster Poseys two-run home run off new closer Addison Reed in the ninth inning. "I think we want to be a team that keeps grinding and keeps pushing," Posey said. "It was nice to be able to do that tonight right out of the chute to give us that confidence that when we get down we know we have the ability to come back." Poseys star turn didnt surprise Giants starter Madison Bumgarner, who left after giving up four unearned runs in four innings. "Hes on a different level, man," Bumgarner said. "Hes so good and hes been that good since day one. Its fun to watch him play every day." Posey had no experience against Reed, who came to the Diamondbacks in an off-season trade from the Chicago White Sox. "Ive never faced him before, spring training or anything," Posey said. "I was really just trying to get a pitch I can handle." He got it on a fastball that he sent over the left field wall. "For us to come back and win a game like that, it just shows you, you go hard for nine innings ," Bochy said. "These guys did and got some big hits later in the game. It seemed like it got contagious, then Buster came through for us in a big way. It was the season opener for San Francisco and the first true home game for the Diamondbacks, who started the season with two losses as the home team against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Australia. Miguel Montero, who had three hits and reached base five times, homered to lead off the Arizona ninth and make it a one-run game. Brandon Belt had three hits, including a solo home run, and singled ahead of Poseys homer. Arizona scored four unearned runs off Bumgarner in the fourth and led 7-3 after six. San Francisco got four runs with two outs in the seventh, with reliever Brad Ziegler walking in the tying run. Jean Machi (1-0) pitched 1 2-3 innings of relief to get the victory. Reed (0-1), acquired from the Chicago White Sox in the off-season, got the loss. Sergio Romo, who gave up the home run to Montero, earned the save. After Monteros shot to left, Chris Owings reached on a bunt single and was sacrificed to second by Gerardo Parra. Pinch-hitter Eric Chavez struck out and A.J. Pollock, who has started the season 0 for 13, popped out to end it. Pollock was 0 for 6 with four strikeouts. In the Giants big seventh, pinch-hitter Ehire Adrianza doubled in a run, ending Arizona starter Brandon McCarthys night. McCarthy was livid about home plate umpire Tom Hallions call of a ball on a 2-2 pitch just before the double. "There was a call in the seventh that changed the entire outlook of the game," McCarthy said. "We all have to execute after that point but ... it kind of leaves a bitter taste." Oliver Perez came in and gave up three hits without an out, including an RBI double by Angel Pagans RBI double and Pablo Sandovals run-scoring single. Ziegler relieved Perez and gave up a single to Posey to load the bases, then walked Hunter Pence for the tying run. Arizonas four-run fourth inning opened with a fielding error by second baseman Joaquin Arias on Mark Trumbos groundball. Montero hit a bouncer to the third baseman Sandoval, who bobbled it just long enough for Trumbo to make it to second. The Diamondbacks greeted reliever Yusmeiro Petit with four consecutive hits in the fifth, including a leadoff double by Martin Prado, followed by Trumbos RBI single. Parra got his third RBI of the night with a ground out and Arizona led 6-2. The Diamondbacks got their seventh run after the Giants botched a rundown play between first and second. NOTES: Arizonas Goldschmidt extended his hitting streak to 22 games, dating to last season. ... McCarthy struck out the side in the first. He did that once last season, April 16 against the Yankees. ... The Giants opened on the road for the fifth straight year. ... On Tuesday night, Wade Miley (0-1) pitches for Arizona, Matt Cain goes for the San Francisco. Fake Athletics Jerseys . Gaborik was acquired in a trade with Columbus on Wednesday and skated on the top line with centre Anze Kopitar and right-winger Justin Williams. "We created some things," said Gaborik, who logged 16:38 of ice time. Oakland Athletics Store . Not Peyton Manning. Hes holding on to the heartache to stoke his competitive fire. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/ .com) - Quarterback Cardale Jones will return to Ohio State next season. Chris Bassitt Athletics Jersey . The 20-year-old Barkley, whose impressive form this season could earn him a place in Englands World Cup squad, was hurt in Evertons 4-0 win over Queens Park Rangers in the FA Cup on Jan. Oakland Athletics Shirts . Englands only win in the four most recent trips north had been tight, and Scotland was expected after losing 28-6 to Ireland six days ago to show some venom against its archrival.TORONTO, Ontario - The Leafs wont restart their schedule until Thursday against the New York Islanders but for Randy Carlyle, the Olympic break is now nothing but a distant memory. As far as hes concerned, its time to get back to business. "We were playing at a pretty high level and now were expecting to take the next step," said the Leafs head coach after the teams annual outdoor practice on Friday at Greenwood Park in front of several hundred fans. "Were going to have to play to a higher level to have success here in the last 22 games." That message of aspiring to a higher level of play is one that Carlyle has continually preached throughout the season, whether the team was going through a rough stretch as they did in mid-December and early January or experiencing success as they did heading into the Olympic break. Posting an 11-2-1 record in the fourteen games that preceded the break built the Leafs a seven-point cushion on the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals for the final playoff spot but with the Jackets holding two games in hand and the Senators and Capitals each holding one, that gap could shrink quickly if they trip up out of the gate. "It was a time to recharge the batteries but for us its about now getting our team ready for Thursday," said Carlyle. "Thats the most important thing on our plate is to make sure our hockey club picks up where it left off." Given how well the team played heading into the break, that wont be an easy task for several reasons. Firstly, a 14-game stretch that saw them win 11 times (78 per cent of their games) is likely an unsustainable pace. Seventeen wins in their final 22 games is a lot to ask. TThe key will be to make sure they dont experience too significant a drop off.dddddddddddd Secondly, the schedule wont be a cake walk. The Leafs will play 22 games in 45 nights, 13 of them on the road. 14 of those games will be against teams currently in playoff positions. The real test will come on a five-game road trip March 10-18 when they head out west to face the Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks and Los Angeles Kings before making stops in Washington and Detroit. Additionally, Toronto will face four more sets of games on back-to-back nights. Safe to say, the time for rest has come and gone. "The Olympic break for us, we feel good coming back," said Dion Phaneuf. "We feel rested, we feel rejuvenated and I think its beneficial for everyone to have that." The positive aspect of the break is that with David Bolland nearing a return and so long as James Van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel get through the bronze medal game at the Olympics injury-free, the Leafs should be able to ice their optimal lineup for the first time this season. Believe it or not, due to suspensions and injuries, Bolland, Tyler Bozak, David Clarkson and Joffrey Lupul have yet to all be dressed in the same game. Forwardsvan Riemsdyk - Bozak - KesselLupul - Kadri - ClarksonRaymond - Bolland - KuleminAshton - McClement - BodieExtras: McLaren, Orr DefenceGunnarsson - PhaneufGardiner - FransonGleason - RiellyExtra: Ranger Goaltenders: Bernier and Reimer "I expect the hockey down the stretch to be very good," predicted Phaneuf. "The pace is going to increase like it always does going down the stretch run but I think the break really helps us as players." ' ' '