He got ahead early and he throws strikes | Forum

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Corky Miller got a chance to play a major league game in front of his sons on Wednesday, and the journeyman catcher made the most of the opportunity. Babe Herman Jersey . Miller had a pair of run-scoring doubles and a key defensive play, helping the Cincinnati Reds to a 6-5 victory over Bartolo Colon and the slumping Oakland Athletics. Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer and a run-scoring grounder for Cincinnati, which won consecutive games for the first time since July 24 in San Francisco and July 25 in Los Angeles. Joey Votto had two hits and Zack Cozart scored twice. Miller has spent most of the season with Triple-A Louisville. He could be headed back to the minors soon with Ryan Hanigan on his way back from a wrist injury. With sons Caden, 8, and Chase, 5, in town for the Reds family game, Miller increased his total to five RBIs in 14 games this season. "It was fun looking up and seeing them," Miller said. AL West-leading Oakland, which began the day with a one-game advantage over Texas, scored as many runs as it had in its previous three games, but still lost for the sixth time in seven games. Colon (14-4) was knocked out in the third inning in his shortest outing of the season. The All-Star right-hander, who was pitching on six days rest but weakened by a stomach virus, had made 15 consecutive starts of at least six innings and three or fewer earned runs. "Bartolo didnt have his best stuff," manager Bob Melvin said. "His velocity was down a little bit. He had a stomach virus in the bullpen. Hes had it before but worked through it." "Its no excuse," Colon said. "I pitched bad. I wasnt throwing strikes like I did before the All-Star game. The velocity was down a little, but it is no excuse. I dont need to rest. The way the team hit today, I believe we can win. If they keep hitting like that we will win." Millers first run-scoring double gave Cincinnati a 2-1 lead in the second inning. The Reds added three more in the third, with Bruce going deep for the second straight game and Miller driving in Cozart for the second time on the day. Colon allowed five runs and seven hits in 2 2-3 innings. He was 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his previous five starts, including a four-hitter in a 6-0 victory at the Los Angeles Angels on July 21. Homer Bailey (7-10) won his second straight start despite allowing nine hits and five runs in 5 1-3 innings. "They put the bat on the ball pretty well," he said. "You saw it last night with Mat (Latos). He didnt get a lot of strikeouts. When you put it into play, things happen." Bailey left with a runner on third, but Manny Parra wriggled out of the jam. Parra, Sam LeCure and J.J. Hoover combined for 2 2-3 innings of two-hit ball before Aroldis Chapman tossed a perfect ninth for his 27th save in 31 opportunities. Josh Donaldson and Eric Sogard had two hits and two RBIs apiece for Oakland, which finished with 11 hits. Donaldson hit a solo drive in the second for his 17th homer. Stephen Vogt singled in a run in the fourth for the As, but Bruce made a perfect throw to cut down Alberto Callaspo trying to score from second on the base hit to right. "I always expect them to go," Bruce said. "When you dont, thats when youre caught off guard and look like an idiot." Callaspo left with a left forearm contusion. The Reds originally reported that Miller had a right quad contusion, but he said after the game he banged knees with Callaspo. He still caught one more inning. "Catchers are football players," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Theyre tough. I wish everybody was a tough as they are." Oakland also had Sogard retired in a rundown off third in the sixth. Bruce jumped on the first pitch he saw in the third, sending a long drive into the netting above the visitors bullpen down the right-field line. The one-out shot came with Votto aboard after a leadoff single. It was Bruces team-leading 24th homer. He also is second on the Reds to Brandon Phillips with 78 RBIs. NOTES: Sogard extended his hitting streak to 13 games. ... The Reds activated RHP Jonathan Broxton from the 15-day disabled list and optioned RHP Pedro Villareal to Triple-A Louisville. Broxton had been on the DL since June 15 with a strained right elbow. ... Oakland LHP Brett Anderson, out since May 1 with a sprained right ankle, is expected to pitch a simulated game Saturday. He threw 31 pitches with Single-A Stockton on Tuesday. ... Melvin planned on Tuesday to have Derek Norris start at catcher on Wednesday, but days off on Monday and Thursday prompted him to stick with his usual lineup against right-handed starters, which includes Vogt at catcher. ... Reds 3B Todd Frazier batter second for the first time in his career. He went 0 for 3 with a walk and was hit by a pitch while extending his career-worst slide to 0 for 31. Its the longest hitless slump by a Reds position player since Drew Stubbs was 0 for 32 in 2012. Hyun-Jin Ryu Jersey . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. Enrique Hernandez Jersey . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. http://www.authenticdodgersgear.com/customized/ .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. CHICAGO -- Star slugger Anthony Rizzo hit a soft liner for the Chicago Cubs final out, which only seemed fitting.While the rest of Chicagos lineup can take consolation knowing Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is about to get a few days off, Rizzo and shortstop Addison Russell wont share in that small solace. The duo that totaled 204 RBI in the regular season is a combined 2 for 45 through six games in the postseason.Kershaw only underscored their struggles during Los Angeles 1-0 win Sunday night that tied the NL Championship Series at a game apiece.Kershaw held Chicago to two hits over seven innings and Kenley Jansen finished with two perfect innings, but that 1-2 punch could quiet Murderers Row.The other Cubs have done plenty of damage, with six players getting a hit in an 8-4 Game 1 victory. Rizzo and Russell, however, were a combined 0 for 9 Saturday night before going hitless in six at-bats in Game 2.Rizzo said changing his plate approach at this point in the series would be foolish. While it sounds counterintuitive, hes learned that patience is the quickest way to end a slump.I dont think its fair to everyone trying to get six, seven, eight hits at one time. Ive done that before in my career, he laughed ruefully, and it doesnt work.You just keep going through the process, he added. Keep battling, keep grinding.Rizzo and Russell were key contributors for baseballs best regular season team, but both have made every pitcher look unhittable in October, even as Chicago rolled past San Francisco in four games during an NL Division Series.Weve been taking some good hacks, said Russell, whose tailspin actually began at the end of the regular season. Theyre just not falling.Rizzo batted .292 with 32 homee runs and 109 RBI during the regular season. Corey Seager Jersey. Hes gone 1 for 23 in the playoffs with just a single and three walks, including the only one Kershaw issued in seven innings.When Rizzo got to 3-0 in that at-bat, he was bristling for a pitch to hit.No doubt, he said. Its a 1-0 game at that point. One swing changes that.He nearly did that in the fourth inning, turning a 1-1 fastball from Kershaw into a towering shot that cleared the outfield wall in right by plenty -- it landed on Sheffield Avenue, behind Wrigley Field -- but hooked just outside the foul pole. Kershaw threw high and tight on the next pitch, then coaxed Rizzo into grounding out.Rizzo was hoping for a second bite at the long ball in the seventh. But Kershaw walked him on the next pitch.Anytime you can get on, Rizzo said, his voice trailing off.Russell hit only .238 in the regular season, but contributed plenty of power, with 21 homers and 95 RBI. Yet, like Rizzo, hes got only a single in his 22 at-bats. He sat out the Cubs playoff run last year due to an injury, but he said that lack of experience wasnt an excuse.He got ahead early and he throws strikes, Russell said. He had his stuff tonight. ... Ive got to learn to grind out the at-bats better, extend the pitchers more.Kershaw yielded only two hits in seven innings. Tough as he was on Rizzo, the left-hander dominated Russell, who grounded out in his first at-bat then produced a pair of routine flyouts.Rizzo said neither he nor Russell had a reason to hang their heads, at least on this night.We just faced the best pitcher on the planet, he said. Wholesale NFL Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys Wholesale Hockey Jerseys China Nike Baseball Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys China Cheap Football Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys Canada Wholesale Nike MLB Jerseys Canada Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic Canada Stitched Soccer Jerseys Canada Cheap Jerseys Canada NFL ' ' '