Both Toronto FC and the Vancouver Whitecaps face tricky games this weekend, as both teams cling to their respective playoff lives. TFC sits in seventh place in the MLS Eastern Conference with six games left to play, while Vancouver sits in sixth place in the Western Conference with five games remaining. Canadaa€?s third MLS team, the Montreal Impact, is already eliminated from playoff contention. Whitecaps fans will have one eye on the earlier game on Saturday, as TFC takes on the Portland Timbers (TSN1, TSN4, TSN5 1pm et/10am pt). A Toronto victory, coupled with a Vancouver win over Real Salt Lake (TSN2, 7pm et/4pm pt) would see the Whitecaps leapfrog the Timbers into the fifth and final Western Conference playoff place. However, victories for both teams will not be easy to come by. While Jermain Defoe returned to Toronto from England this week, the injured star is not fit to play and will be a spectator at BMO Field on Saturday. Defoe hopes to join in full training on Monday, but his involvement in TFCa€?s remaining fixtures will be largely dependent on how quickly he can get up to speed. The Timbers are coming off a massive 3-0 home victory over Vancouver. It was a clinical performance from Portland, who dominated the game in both penalty areas. A glorious finish from Diego Valeri opened the scoring for Portland before striker Fanendo Adi added a brace to seal the points in the second half. Portland will be buoyed by finally having their playoff chances in their own hands - outdo the Whitecaps over the remaining five games and the Timbers will claim a playoff place. A settled back four has certainly helped Portlanda€?s cause of late, but the midfield duo of Canadian international Will Johnson and Diego Chara provide the real bite in Portlanda€?s team. That defensive solidity allows Diego Valeri, Darlington Nagbe and Rodney Wallace the freedom they need to support and supply their front man, either Adi or former TFC striker Maximiliano Urrutti. In order for Toronto to beat Portland and boost their own playoff hopes, they will need to put in another strong performance, like the 3-0 victory last week against Chivas USA. Granted, Chivas is the joint worst team in MLS, tied with the Montreal Impact on 24 points, but there were positive signs in Torontoa€?s overall performance. The return of Steven Caldwell at the heart of defence was a massive boost for TFC and I liked head coach Greg Vanneya€?s decision to play Michael Bradley at the base of the midfield diamond with Jonathan Osorio at the tip. Vanney will need to replace Jackson on Saturday, as the Brazilian was red-carded against Chivas and is suspended. Vanney may opt for a tactical change, as Portlanda€?s 4-2-3-1 formation will likely be what the home side has to contend with, but the midfield diamond can work for TFC if Bradley and Osorio perform up to their capabilities. If Gilberto can continue his rich vein of form up front, he will cause problems for Portlanda€?s back line. In Vancouver, the Whitecaps might face a less-than-full-strength Real Salt Lake team. a€?We need a result, RSL head coach Jeff Cassar said earlier this week. Were going to put the best team out there that we feel is going to give us a result. But at the same time, we have to be smart, since were getting toward the end of the year. But I feel very confident in the team that were going to be putting on the field.a€? He has every reason to feel confident in his team. RSL has won five of its last eight games, including a 5-1 win over Colorado last weekend. They get goals from multiple players and have a tried and tested tactical approach to the game. The 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield has become synonymous with RSL over the last few years and their players are well-drilled in its workings. They will line up in that way, but Vancouver has options to counter RSLa€?s formation. Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson could opt for a 4-2-3-1 formation, like the one that came from two goals down to steal a point in Aprila€?s 2-2 draw with RSL in Utah. Or he could opt to match up RSLa€?s formation with their own 4-4-2 diamond midfield, with Russell Teibert and Mauro Rosales flanking Matias Laba and Pedro Morales in midfield. The 4-2-3-1 formation provides more width and leaves Vancouver less exposed defensively in wide areas, but the 4-4-2 diamond is probably best suited to the strengths of the Whitecaps midfield quartet. Whatever formation Robinson elects to employ, he will need better from his front men a€“ the Whitecaps have failed to find the back of the net in five of their last seven games. Honduran Johnny Leveron trained all week with Vancouver after returning from international duty, and could return to the lineup to partner the impressive Kendall Waston in the heart of Vancouvera€?s defence. . The Senators return from a lengthy layoff caused by Wednesdays attack on Parliament Hill to host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. . According to the Globe and Mail, a decision between the NHL and the Players Association should come within the six months. "I can tell you, (a decision) shouldnt take all that long," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told the Globe and Mail.
http://www.cheapyankeesauthenticjerseys ... ces-jersey. Kevin Martin and Kevin Love paced the Timberwolves like they do so often. Martin had 27 points with some key baskets down the stretch, Love had his usual double-double, and the Timberwolves snapped a three-game losing streak with a 112-106 victory Saturday night over the suddenly slipping Dallas Mavericks. . Andrews, Scotland - Oliver Wilson fired a final- round, 2-under 70 on Sunday and he held on to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship by one shot. . -- Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton will be sidelined for at least two weeks because of a strained calf muscle, and pitcher C. MILWAUKEE -- Ryan Braun hadnt done much except get hit by a pitch. He made up for it with one swing in the bottom of the ninth. Braun was hit by a pitch in the seventh inning that scored a run and had an RBI single in the ninth, lifting the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night. "I got beat up pretty good," Braun said. "Ill take it. Ill take them both." Braun thought the Rockies might pitch around him. He had already struck out twice and grounded out while Jonathan Lucroy had two hits and a RBI. "Typically, there is probably a higher likelihood that they pitch around me," Braun said. "I have been swinging so terribly and Luc has been swinging so great that that combination probably enticed them to at least come at me a little bit." Rockies manager Walt Weiss told reliever Matt Belisle to pitch carefully to Braun, but the strategy didnt work. "Ill always take responsibility for that one," Walt Weiss said. "Could have put him on. Its a tough situation for Mattie. Hes trying to get him to expand for a couple of pitches. The ball was maybe a little up. Braun went up and got it." Mark Reynolds led off the ninth with a single off Belisle (2-3) and advanced on a sacrifice by Jean Segura. Scooter Gennett pinch hit for Francisco Rodriguez (3-2) and was intentionally walked. The runners advanced on a passed ball by catcher Michael McKenry. After Rickie Weeks went down swinging, Braun drilled Belisles first pitch up the middle. "I dont think they were trying to throw it where he ended up throwing it," Braun said after collecting his first walk-off hit since 2011. Josh Rutledge tied the game when he homered off Rodriguez with one out in the ninth. Rutledge hit a 3-2 pitch that just barely cleared the wall in left for his second homer this season. Rodriguez was trying to help Kyle Lohse win his third straight start. Lohse has been victimized by five blown saves this season. He allowed one run on seven hits over seven innings and came within two outs of beating the Rockies for the second time in five days. Sunday, he pitched five innings and allowed three runs on seven hits in the Brewers 6-5 win in Colorado. Rodriguez leads the majorss with 27 saves, but this was his third blown save this season.dddddddddddd Lohse had plenty of sympathy for Rodriguez. "I feel bad for K-Rod because hes been pitching so well, but the bottom line is we won," Lohse said. "He came in and did what he does. Ill take K-Rod closing out one of my games any time." The Brewers became the first team in the majors to record 50 wins. Their NL-leading record (50-32) is the best in team history through 82 games. They have 13 games left to top the team record of 54 wins before the All-Star game. The Brewers also improved to 5-0 in the season series with the Rockies. "Its nice to be the first one to 50 wins, for sure," Braun said. "Were excited with the way that weve played so far, but theres still a lot of baseball left." The Brewers went ahead 2-1 in the seventh. Khris Davis doubled off Nick Masset to start the inning and Reynolds followed with a walk. Both advanced on a sacrifice by Segura. When Lyle Overbay was announced as the pinch hitter for Lohse, the Rockies brought in Rex Brothers. The Brewers countered with Martin Maldonado, who struck out swinging. After Weeks walked, Adam Ottavino came on to face Braun and hit him with the first pitch. Lucroy hit into a fielders choice for the third out. The Rockies scored their run in the seventh on a sacrifice by pinch-hitter Brandon Barnes that scored Rutledge. The Brewers scored first when Lucroy chopped an RBI single over second base off rookie Tyler Matzek in the sixth. Matzek went six innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out three. NOTES: The Rockies challenged the call when Carlos Gomez was ruled safe at second in the eighth inning. The decision was reversed in under 2 minutes. . Rockies C Wilin Rosario, who left Thursday nights game with lower back tightness, missed the game. Weiss said that the injury was not serious, but enough to keep him out of the lineup. . Rockies RHP Nolan Arenado (broken left middle finger) heads to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Sunday for a rehab assignment. . Troy Tulowitzkis double in the fourth was his 400th career extra-base hit. . RHP Matt Garza (4-5, 3.20 ERA) faces Colorados RHP Jhoulys Chacin (1-6, 4.84) on Saturday. ' ' '
