a lot to our team today

LOS ANGELES -- Victor Martinez helped the Detroit Tigers overcome the struggles of Joe Nathan. The Detroit Tigers closer blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning Wednesday night against the Dodgers. But Martinez picked him up in a big way with a leadoff home run in the 10th against Los Angeles closer Kenley Jansen, and Detroit pulled out a 7-6 victory in which both pitching staffs made a combined 382 pitches during the 4 hour, 16-minute marathon. "Kenley Jansen is filthy, but Victor Martinez is a professional hitter," Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter said. "Hes at the plate, just trying to figure you out, and I think he figured out how Jansens ball moves. "He was able to get inside of it and hit it out of the ballpark and come up with another clutch hit. Thats what this team is capable of doing. We have some veteran guys who have good at-bats and can get the job done." Martinez drove a 2-2 pitch deep into the pavilion seats in right-centre to make a winner of Nathan (2-0). One night earlier, Martinez tied the score with a two-out single in the ninth against Jansen before the Dodgers pulled out a 3-2 victory in 10. "Vic takes hitting very seriously, and I think his main focus is to just try to get the barrel of the bat to the ball," manager Brad Ausmus said. "If you watch him on a regular basis, hes fighting to do that. And if a pitcher is trying to get him out, Victor is going to make it very difficult for him -- especially with men on base." Joba Chamberlain gave up a single to Hanley Ramirez to open the 10th. But left-hander Ian Krol struck out Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Ethier, and Al Albuquerque retired Matt Kemp on a grounder to get his first major league save. Nathan, who said during a radio interview earlier in the day that he was experiencing a "dead arm" -- and reiterated those thoughts in the clubhouse before batting practice, was trying to protect a 6-3 lead for Anabel Sanchez. But Gonzalez led off with a home run to centre field, and the Dodgers loaded the bases with walks to Ethier and Kemp and a single by Juan Uribe. Yasiel Puig, who wasnt in the starting lineup for the third straight game because of a strained ligament in his left thumb, batted for Tim Federowicz and struck out. Pinch-hitter Scott Van Slyke got a run home with a fielders choice grounder before Dee Gordon singled to right field, delivering Kemp with the tying run. "Joes stuff looked as crisp as weve see it, and he said he felt like that was the best stuff hes had, in terms of the break on his slider and the way the fastball came out of his hand," Ausmus said. "So maybe once he got out there, his arm played a little better than he mentioned earlier." Detroits Nick Castellanos helped spoil Josh Becketts long-awaited return with a three-run homer, his first in the big leagues. Sanchez allowed three runs -- one earned -- and six hits over five innings and struck out six. Beckett threw 85 pitches through four innings, giving up five runs -- four earned -- and five hits while striking out five. The three-time All-Star, who joined the Dodgers in a nine-player megadeal with Boston in August 2012, made only 15 starts with them prior to this one because of injuries that had sidelined him since his previous outing on May 13 of last season. Beckett gave the Dodgers a 3-2 lead in the second, laying down a suicide-squeeze bunt in front of the plate with Uribe charging down the line. It was Becketts first RBI since June 14, 2009, when he homered against J.A. Happ in an interleague game at Philadelphia. But the Tigers pulled ahead 5-3 in the third when Castellanos drove a pitch to centre field, and the ball skimmed off the top of the eight-foot fence before landing on the other side. "It was just rust," Beckett said. "After the first inning it was just a baseball game. I felt good in that fourth inning." Hunter did not play because of a bruised left knee, which occurred Tuesday when he tried to make a sliding catch of a foul ball by Federowicz near the short padded wall in front of the grandstand. "I came here early today, trying to get it loosened up, and its still swollen," Hunter said. "I cant really do too much about it. But its only been a little over 24 hours, so what were going to do is just take it one day at a time. My plan is to come back Friday, but if its still a little sore, we want to get rid of it early in the season so Ill be able to perform for my ballclub." NOTES: One of A.J. Ellis biggest regrets about going on the disabled list Tuesday was missing this series against the Tigers and Ausmus, his teammate during Ausmus final two major league seasons (2009-10). "I was fortunate to catch in the major leagues before I met Brad, but I wasnt a major league catcher until after I met Brad," Ellis said a day after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. "The two-year mentorship he gave me was what turned me into the catcher I am today. He taught me how to prepare a game plan, how to take care of my body in between starts, how to be a better teammate, and how my focus should be on my pitching staff only." Cheap Under Armour Shoes . Cain departed in the fourth inning of a 10-5 loss to the Pirates on Thursday. X-rays on Cains bruised forearm were negative. He was hit when Sanchez led off the fourth with a groundout. Discount Under Armour Shoes . - The Detroit Lions have placed tight end Brandon Pettigrew on injured reserve, ending his season. http://www.fakejordancheap.com/wholesale...hoes-china.html. The Tournament of Champions, which starts Friday, is his first event since a freak accident in Shanghai two months ago. Snedeker was on a Segway scooter during a corporate outing at Sheshan International when he took a tumble and injured his left knee. Air Max 97 Outlet . Halak, 28, split his eighth NHL seasons between the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals, compiling a 29-13-7 record in 52 games. Fake Yeezy 700 .C. Now hes squarely in the U.S. capital and helping the Washington Wizards playoff drive. John Wall scored 33 points, Gooden got 11 of his 21 in the final quarter and the Wizards overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 101-94 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night.HOUSTON -- J.J. Watt stood to face the media Sunday after his first game since signing a six-year, $100 million contract. A reporter started his question with: "You know you dont have anything to prove," before Houstons star defender cut him off. "What do you mean? Ive got everything to prove," Watt said. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a touchdown pass, rookie Alfred Blue blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown and Watt lived up to his massive new contract to help the Texans to a 17-6 win over Washington. The victory is Houstons first since last Sept. 15 and snaps a 14-game skid. The Texans led 7-6 after a 76-yard touchdown reception by DeAndre Hopkins in the second quarter. Blue blocked Washingtons punt on the next drive, scooped it up and returned it five yards for a touchdown to push the lead to 14-6. Watt signed his contract Monday and showed on Sunday that he isnt content to slow down after getting paid. He had two tackles for losses including a sack, blocked an extra point, recovered a fumble and swatted down a pass. He also was credited with five hurries of Robert Griffin III. "The goal is always to be underpaid," Watt said. "You never want to be that guy that people say: He got money and shut down. So I want to go out there every single day ... and prove that Im worth it." First overall pick Jadeveon Clowney had a tackle for a loss in the first half before leaving with a knee injury. It wasnt clear how Clowney was injured, but it happened late in the second quarter. OBrien didnt provide much more information on Clowneys health after the game. "They think its a good prognosis so it looks like its going to be OK," OBrien said. "He may miss some time, he may not. Who knows? So well know better as the week goes on." Griffin threw for 267 yards, but Washington was done in by two second-half fumbles. A 42-yard field goal by Randy Bullock in the fourth quarter was the only score of the second half in a game that featured the NFL head coaching debut for both Washingtons Jay Gruden and OBrien. "When games are so close, a couple of big plays are going to be the difference," Gruden said. "Were going to be in a lot of those close games, so we have to figure out how to make them and how to stop them.dddddddddddd" Both teams got off to a slow start offensively, gaining just one first down apiece and punting a combined seven times in the first quarter. Washington took the lead when Darrel Young scored on a 1-yard run about six minutes before halftime, but Watt blocked the extra point attempt to make it 6-0. That score was set up by a 21-yard run by Alfred Morris. It didnt take the Texans long to erase the deficit when Fitzpatrick found Hopkins wide open before he juked Bacarri Rambo to finish the 76-yard score. Rambo is filling in for Brandon Meriweather, who was suspended for the first two games for a helmet-to-helmet hit. Washington fumbled on consecutive plays in the third quarter. The first one came when Griffin bobbled a handoff to Morris, who dropped it before Watt pounced on it for the seventh recovery of his career. The next error came when Griffin found Niles Paul, who had gotten in front of the defence, for a 48-yard pass. But D.J. Swearinger stripped the ball and Kendrick Lewis recovered it at the 9-yard line. A thunderstorm started brewing outside as that play unfolded and a loud clap of thunder boomed through the stadium as Lewis jumped on the ball. The Texans didnt take advantage of either of the fumbles. They punted after the first one and Arian Foster lost a fumble to end a long drive by Houston following the second one. Washington was driving late when Watt knocked down a pass by Griffin on third down. They went for it on fourth down, but couldnt convert and the Texans ran out the clock. Foster ran for 103 yards in his first action since off-season back surgery. "I thought Arian got every inch that he could out of the running game," OBrien said. "He meant a lot to our team today." Fitzpatrick had 206 yards passing in his first game with the Texans, who traded away last years opening day starter Matt Schaub to Oakland in the off-season. NOTES: Washington TE Jordan Reed has a strained hamstring and nose tackle Barry Cofield has a sprained ankle. ... Houston LB Brian Cushing had five tackles in his first game since a season-ending knee injury midway through last season. ' ' '