DETROIT -- For the Detroit Tigers, a walk-off grand slam happens like clockwork. Once every 10 years, its time to hit another one. On the day the franchise honoured the 30th anniversary of the 1984 World Series team, Rajai Davis hit his third career grand slam with one out in the ninth, giving the Tigers a 5-4 victory over the Oakland As. "I cant even remember the last time I did that," said Davis, who had never hit a walk-off homer of any kind in the major leagues. "It must have been in my dreams, while I was sleeping." It was Detroits first game-ending grand slam in almost exactly a decade. Carlos Pena hit one against Arizona on June 27, 2004. Coincidentally, that was the weekend the Tigers honoured the 1984 teams 20th anniversary. The last one before Penas was also 10 years earlier, as Lou Whitaker, a member of the 1984 champs, hit one against Cleveland on June 21, 1994. Oakland closer Sean Doolittle (2-2) was given a three-run lead to work with in the ninth, but managed only one out. Nick Castellanos and Alex Avila started the inning with singles. Eugenio Suarez struck out, but Doolittle walked Austin Jackson -- just the second walk he has issued this season. Jackson fouled off three straight 2-2 pitches before taking a pair of fastballs inside. "That was a hell of a battle," Doolittle said. "You could really see him shorten up his swing with two strikes, and he did a real good job." Doolittle then missed with a curveball and hung another one over the middle of the plate. "I just hung ... it," he said. "I threw some good pitches, but I threw some bad ones, and the last one cost us the game." Davis didnt miss it, hitting the ball out down the left-field line. "That was amazing," he said. "Austin had a great at-bat, and then I got a pitch that was middle or middle-in. It didnt do much. I wasnt sure if I got enough -- I was just hoping the wind would blow it out." Oakland broke a 1-1 tie in the eighth, helped by a defensive mistake. Yoenis Cespedes led off with a routine grounder to shortstop, but Suarezs throw sailed well over Miguel Cabreras head at first. Brandon Moss followed with an RBI into the left-centre field gap, and Sanchez walked Donaldson. Joba Chamberlain came in and allowed a single to Stephen Vogt, loading the bases. Jed Lowrie made it 4-1 with a two-run single to left, but Phil Coke replaced Chamberlain and got out of the inning. Nick Castellanos grabbed Alberto Callaspos grounder, stepped on third and threw to Ian Kinsler at second for a double play. Kinsler relayed the ball to first, hoping for a 5-4-3 triple play, but Callaspo beat the throw. Detroits rally took Anibal Sanchez off the hook; he now hasnt lost in his last 10 starts. Blaine Hardy (1-0) picked up his first career victory with a scoreless top of the ninth. Sanchez, who struck out his 1,000th career batter in the fourth, lost his shutout in the sixth on Lowries RBI single. Cabrera tied the game in the bottom of the inning, sending a 2-2 changeup into the Oakland bullpen beyond the left-centre field fence. Scott Kazmir left in the sixth, one pitch after appearing to grab at his hip. Dan Otero replaced him and kept the game tied through seven innings. "My calf just cramped up," Kazmir said. "I was OK until I tried to push off." NOTES: Alan Trammell, the 1984 World Series MVP, spoke on behalf of his team before the game. At that point, he was the only Tigers player since World War II to hit a game-ending grand slam with Detroit trailing by three runs. Davis, who stopped warming up to watch Trammells speech, became the second just over three hours later. ... Trammell and Whitaker received the two biggest ovations, and at the end of the ceremony, Whitaker took the mound with Trammell behind the plate. After a dramatic pause, both jogged to their familiar positions on either side of second base. Whitaker flipped to Trammell, who tagged second and threw to Dave Bergman at first for a ceremonial double play. ... Tigers DH Victor Martinez was a late scratch because of a sore side, and was replaced by J.D. Martinez. ... The Athletics have allowed three game-ending grand slams since World War II, with two coming against Detroit. In 1983, Lance Parrish hit one off Jeff Jones, who is now Detroits pitching coach. . DeGrom outpitched Jake Peavy in a tantalizing hitless duel that carried into the seventh inning Saturday night before the New York Mets broke loose and beat the San Francisco Giants 4-2. .com) - His team lost in the round of 16 of the FCS playoffs, yet Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says his team has made a strong case to be voted to the top 5 in the final rankings.
http://www.cheappatriotsjerseyssale.com/.Y. - DeMarre Carroll felt as though he couldnt miss in the second quarter as he outscored the Brooklyn Nets 14-13 all by himself. . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. . American Lindsey Jacobellis was third, while Japans Yuka Fujimori finished just off the podium. Maltais, from Petite-Riviere-St-Francois, Que., earned bronze at the 2006 Olympic Games and is set to return to the Games this February in Sochi, Russia.NEW YORK - The Blue Jays misery at Yankee Stadium continued with Wednesdays 4-2 loss. Toronto is 0-9 in the Bronx this season, with only Thursday afternoons series finale against the Yankees remaining. R.A. Dickey took the loss, tossing eight innings of four-run ball for a complete game. The dagger was a two out, two-run home run by Alfonso Soriano in the eighth, which broke a 2-2 tie. Here are some post-game notes and thoughts: REYES EJECTED Jose Reyes was ejected in the second inning of Wednesday nights game for arguing a called third strike. It marked Reyes first ejection of the season and the 10th time in 2013 a Blue Jays player or coach has been given the heave ho. “For me, to be honest, I looked at it on the video, I thought the three strikes he called on me I thought were balls,” said Reyes. “Hes the umpire. He knows what hes doing back there. Maybe, like I said, I overreacted throwing my helmet down. I never do that but sometimes its just the way stuffs going.” Mark DeRosa replaced Reyes and played second base. Munenori Kawasaki shifted from second to shortstop. ICHIRO GETS 4,000TH PROFESSIONAL HIT Yankees right fielder Ichiro Suzukis first inning single on Wednesday was the 4,000th hit of his professional baseball career. “You never want to be the guy that gives up the milestone,” said Dickey. “At least I dont. Maybe some people do. I certainly dont. That being said, what an incredible achievement and the manner in which hes done it is equally as impressive. The longevity, the endurance, the durability.” Dickey was Ichiros teammate in 2008 with the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro had 1,278 hits while playing for Orix in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB – Japan) and has amassed 2,722 hits with Seattle and New York in Major League Baseball. His 2,722 MLB hits are one more than Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig amassed. In 20004, Ichiro set a single season record with 262 hits.dddddddddddd “It couldnt happen to a more professional hitter,” said Dickey. IZTURIS HOBBLING Maicer Izturis sprained left ankle swelled as he slept and he was seen limping, unable to place any weight on the heel of his foot, in the clubhouse before Wednesdays game. The injury occurred in the fifth inning of the night cap of Tuesdays double header. Izturis landed awkwardly on first base and he ran out a ground ball. He stayed in the game defensively for one more half-inning but had trouble moving from side to side and was removed in the sixth. The Blue Jays are hoping to avoid putting Izturis on the disabled list but may be left with no choice if there is no appreciable improvement in the near term. SATURDAYS STARTER The Blue Jays still have not named a starter for Saturdays game in Houston. Does the club call up a youngster like Marcus Stroman, who would make his major league debut? How about Sean Nolin, whod be looking to bounce back after his first career major league start on May 24 when he gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings against Baltimore. Toronto also could turn to a veteran, like Chien-Ming Wang. Manager John Gibbons says he intends to keep Mark Buehrle and R.A. Dickey on regular rest for the remainder of the season, which means Buehrle will pitch on Sunday and Dickey will open the next home stand, against the Yankees on Monday. TRAVEL TIP If youre a Seinfeld fan and a trip to New York City is in your future, one of the spots you may want to visit is Toms Restaurant. Youll recognize its “RESTAURANT” signage from the shows diner scenes. One thing: If you plan to have lunch at Toms, make sure you have enough cash. The diner doesnt take credit cards. Found that out on Wednesday afternoon. Toms is located on Manhattans Upper West Side at the corner of 112th St. and Broadway. ' ' '
