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Cleveland Indians complete coaching staff: Scott Radinsky, Tom Wiedenbauer, Dave Miller hired

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The Indians have completed their coaching staff, naming Scott Radinksy as pitching coach, Tom Wiedenbauer as first base coach and Dave Miller as bullpen coach

radinskycc.jpgScott Radinsky is the Indians new pitching coach.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Manager Manny Acta's coaching staff is complete. Scott Radinsky is the new pitching coach, Tom Wiedenbauer will be the first base coach and Dave Miller will be the bullpen coach.

 All three moves were made from within the organization.

 Radinsky replaced Tim Belcher, who resigned at the end of the year. He's been the Indians bullpen coach for the last two years.

 Wiedenbauer was the Indians minor league field coordinator last year. He replaces Sandy Alomar Jr., who was promoted to bench coach following the resignation of Tim Tolman.

 Radinsky, 43, has spent eight years in the Indians organization with the bullpen flourishing under his guidance the last two years. Indians relievers went 27-21 with a 3.71 ERA and 38 saves this year. The ERA was the fifth best in the AL.

 In 11 big-league seasons, Radinksy made 557 relief appearances.

 Wiedenbauer, 52, spent 35 years with the Houston Astros as a player, coach, manager, instructor, field coordinator and scout before joining the Indians. The former outfielder/pitcher was a seventh round pick of the Astros in 1976.


 Miller, 45, has spent the last 10 years as the Indians minor league pitching coordinator. He has been in the organization for 19 years as a coach, scout and instructor.

 The Orioles drafted Miller with the first pick in the now defunct January draft in 1986. He pitched seven years in the minors with Baltimore.

Third base coach Steve Smith and hitting coach Bruce Fields, who replaced fired Jon Nunnally in June, will be back next year.

The Indians have hired Alan Zinter to be their minor league hitting coordinator. He takes Fields' spot.

Zinter has spent the last four years in Arizona's organization. Last year he was the hitting coach for Class AA Mobile under manager Turner Ward, a former Indian.

The Mets drafted Zinter in the first round in 1989. He played 19 years, 18 in the minors. He spent 67 games in the big leagues with Houston (2002) and Arizona (2004).


Kirtland routs Beachwood to remain undefeated

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KIRTLAND, Ohio — Dominating defense and an efficient offense with a penchant for big plays. It's just another day at the office for the Kirtland Hornets, as they smothered visiting Beachwood 33-0 in a Chagrin Valley Conference crossover showdown at Rogers Field on Friday.

Kirtland's Damon Washington, shown in a Sept. 23 game, ran for two touchdowns on Friday and scored another on an interception return. - (PD file)

KIRTLAND, Ohio — Dominating defense and an efficient offense with a penchant for big plays.

It's just another day at the office for the Kirtland Hornets, as they smothered visiting Beachwood 33-0 in a Chagrin Valley Conference crossover showdown at Rogers Field on Friday.

Offensively, the Hornets' one-two punch of Damon Washington and Christian Hauber was simply too much to handle for the Bison, as the pair combined for three rushing touchdowns.

Washington, who had touchdown runs of 30 and 14 yards, added a third score on the defensive side of the ball with a 45-yard interception return.

The score punctuated the Hornets' domination of the Bison offense, which, despite boasting some impressive offensive weapons of their own, was unable to crack the Kirtland defense.

"Our defense and special teams have been very solid throughout this year and we need to get better every week on the offensive side of the ball, and I think we're doing that," Kirtland head coach Tiger LaVerde said.

"They're a great team, but we outmatched them and brought our 'A' game tonight," Washington added.

Kirtland, ranked No. 23 in the Plain Dealer Top 25 poll, had little trouble when it had the ball.

The Hornets (8-0, 5-0) rushed for 219 yards on 15 carries, while quarterback Scott Eilerman was 6-of-10 for 129 yards and one touchdown.

Hauber carried 16 times for 119 yards and a score, while Washington chipped in 63 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries.

Zach Santo caught four passes for 96 yards and one score on a 60-yard catch-and-run in the game's opening possession.

"Christian and Damon are very talented players, and we try to do things offensively that use their skills the right way," LaVerde said.

"The offensive line has been playing well and the defense has been incredible, putting up another shutout."

The Bison (6-2, 4-2) had no luck offensively, as the Hornets shut them down at every turn.

Even when it appeared Beachwood had caught a break, as it appeared early in the second quarter when Kirtland turned the ball over on its own 23-yard line, the Hornet defense rose to the challenge and forced a crucial turnover on downs.

Five plays later, Kirtland scored on Washington's first touchdown of the day, extending its lead to 12-0, and the Hornets never looked back.

It was an impressive win for Kirtland, but according to LaVerde, the victory is just a steppingstone toward their long-term goal: hosting a playoff game.

"We're excited, and we make no bones about it," LaVerde said. "We want to host a [playoff] game and we want to be a top-four team."

Bill Mayville is a freelance writer in Parma Heights.

Cleveland Browns' Dimitri Patterson ready to turn himself inside-out to beat Oakland Raiders

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Browns cornerback Dimitri Patterson is ready to make his own footprints in a probable start for Joe Haden in Oakland. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio — Browns cornerback Joe Haden has an extensive sneaker collection, but fellow corner Dimitri Patterson doesn't plan on trying to fill any one of those big ol' pairs.

He has shoes of his own, thank you very much, and he plans to do some stompin' Sunday in Oakland if he starts in place of Haden, who is questionable with a sprained knee and hasn't practiced all week.

"It's not about Joe," said Patterson. "It's just about me at the end of the day. I'm a good player, and Joe's who he is. I am who I am, and come Sunday, people will see that. It's not about me filling shoes because I've been there. It's not new for me. That's how I look at it."

Considering that Haden hasn't been seen by the media all week in Berea and that his long knee brace hung ominously in his locker, it's a good bet Patterson will get the nod. And then on passing downs, he'll shift inside to his regular spot at nickelback, covering the slot receiver. In those instances, rookie Buster Skrine will step in outside.

"If anybody follows me and what I did last year in Philly, I'm just picking up where I left off," said Patterson, a sixth-year pro. "I started 10 games last year and had four interceptions, and I expect to play at a high level."

Patterson (5-10, 200) is so confident that the demanding dual role of playing inside and outside isn't rattling him.

"It's a little double duty," he said. "You basically split the game up in two series. You have a first- and second-down series and you have a third-down series, which I like to call the money down, where you get off the field. It's a full task, but I'm up for it. I'm prepared for it, and I'm looking forward to it."

Patterson stressed that not just any corner can wear both hats in one game.

"It's a lot of responsibility, and it takes a lot of ability," said Patterson. "It takes a certain type of individual because it's a different type of mind-set. Inside, the receivers have the width of the field. Outside, it's numbers to the sidelines. It's just a different way of thinking."

Browns defensive coordinator Dick Jauron, who was the secondary coach in Philadelphia last season when Patterson started those 10 games, agreed with Patterson.

"It's a very different game inside, when you're playing in the middle of the field on a wide receiver that's got all that space on both sides, and you have to have a feel," he said. "Not everybody can do that, not everybody can make that move. Certainly there are a lot of guys that can, by a lot there's probably 20 or more, maybe 32 who do it pretty well, but it's definitely not easy."

Dimitri Patterson.JPGView full sizeBrowns defensive back Dimitri Patterson likely will start on Sunday in place of the injured Joe Haden.

Patterson has done it once before, in the regular-season finale last season in Philadelphia, a 14-13 loss to the Cowboys.

"I got my first sack and a couple of pass breakups," said Patterson. "It went well."

What makes it even more challenging for Patterson is that the Browns play a lot of man-to-man.

"The level of difficulty is as high as it could possibly be," said Patterson. "But that's why I practice, that's why I prepare my mind. The way I approach it is I try to put myself in the worst situations possible before the game, so that when the game comes, there's no surprises."

Patterson also has been watching double features in the film room.

"They have good receivers in Darrius Heyward-Bey and [Jacoby Ford]," said Patterson. "Then you have to study who they're putting inside. You have to be ready to perform on all downs."

Patterson was signed by the Browns as a free agent after Eric Wright signed with Detroit, and has performed well as the nickelback. Signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent out of Tuskegee, Patterson spent one year there, two in Kansas City and two in Philadelphia. But it wasn't until last season that he got his shot at starting.

"Dimitri's done an outstanding job, and he's a very competitive guy," said Jauron. "You can never have enough of those guys."

The Browns are also expecting a fine performance out of Skrine, their fifth-round pick out of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

"I think Buster will be a very happy man," said Jauron. "Buster likes to play. He'd be certainly disappointed for Joe [Haden], but Buster Skrine likes to play football. I'm really happy with his development. If he's got to go, then he'll go out there and fight for you. He'll play every down as hard as he can play it, and he'll probably cover kicks, too, and do whatever else you ask him to do."

Said coach Pat Shurmur of Skrine: "He's come in and been everything we thought he'd be. He's good in coverage, he's a very gritty player, he likes it and he challenges. I think those are reasons why he's showing up."

Skrine, who has a team-high six special-teams tackles, is looking forward to Sunday.

"It'll be my first time playing that much at corner, so I'll definitely be excited about it," he said. "Joe's a great player, but we'll just play as a team and do the best we can."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

Rochester Americans keep Lake Erie Monsters winless

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The Rochester Americans score twice in the second period and once in the third for a 3-1 comeback victory at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The well-rested Monsters faced a tired opponent Friday night -- and failed to capitalize.

The Rochester Americans scored twice in the second period and once in the third for a 3-1 comeback victory at The Q.

The Monsters are 0-3-0-0, each loss coming at home. They departed after the game for Toronto, where they will play the Marlies today in the opener of a five-game trip.

Rochester (1-2-0-0) was coming off a 5-1 home loss to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Thursday night. The Americans arrived in Cleveland before dawn Friday.

"Every team in the American Hockey League goes through what they went through," Monsters coach David Quinn said. "I'm more concerned with how we played."

Last season, Lake Erie went 7-1-0-0 against Rochester, including victories in the final six meetings.

The Monsters lost despite holding a 35-24 advantage in shots. They have managed two goals -- both by winger Greg Mauldin -- in 180 minutes this season. They lost to Abbotsford last weekend by scores of 2-1 and 1-0.

"I thought we made huge strides from where we were last weekend, but obviously we're offensively challenged right now," Quinn said. "We did some good things offensively, but they were more opportunistic than we were."

Mauldin opened the scoring at 16:06 of the first. Mauldin spotted a loose puck near the left post and pounced, one-handing it past Rochester defenseman T.J. Brennan and goalie David Leggio. Brennan, his back to Mauldin, screened Leggio.

The goal occurred several seconds after Rochester killed a penalty.

The Americans pulled even at 5:08 of the second when winger Michael Ryan made the Monsters pay full price for a turnover. Seconds after Lake Erie defenseman Cameron Gaunce mishandled the puck deep in his own end, Ryan poked it past Cann.

"Just a bad turnover, something he normally doesn't do," Quinn said of Gaunce's play. "He's been a good player for us."

Ryan's tally was the first at even strength against Cann and the Monsters this season. Cann made 57 saves and allowed three power-play goals against Abbotsford.

Late in the second, the game turned on a misfire. Brennan's attempted fake on the power play resulted in the puck dribbling off his stick, but the changeup fooled Cann and beat him at 16:54.

Mauldin was drilled in the face in the final minute of the second. He left a trail of blood on his way to the locker room. Mauldin returned in the third wearing a full facemask.

The Amerks built the 3-1 cushion at 7:38 of the third. Winger Derek Whitmore's shot through traffic bounced off at least one body before finding the back of the net.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: dmanoloff@plaind.com; 216-999-4664

Former Kent State defensive coordinator Pete Rekstis returns as assistant with Miami (Ohio)

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Rekstis coordinated a KSU defense that was the best in the Mid-American Conference last season.

Pete Rekstis.JPGView full sizePete Rekstis

KENT, Ohio — Homecoming will indeed be homecoming, both in the stands and on the field, when Kent State's football team hosts Miami (Ohio) today at Dix Stadium.

This will mark the first return of Kent's defensive architect, Pete Rekstis, since he left KSU for Miami after last season. He coordinated a KSU defense that was the best in the Mid-American Conference last season, and was a finalist for the head coaching job that ultimately went to Darrell Hazell.

Now Rekstis is the defensive coordinator for the RedHawks (1-4, 0-1 MAC).

"They love to play, and their resolve has been fantastic," Rekstis said of his new defensive unit.

"We won at the end of the game last week with a defensive stop, which was big for us."

Kent's defense has been the lone bright spot this season for the Golden Flashes (1-5, 0-2), who rank third in the MAC in overall defense, allowing 345.7 yards per game. Miami ranks seventh at 369.6.

"I certainly know they've been doing a good job on defense, and it's something I would expect," Rekstis said of his former unit. "They have a passion for the game, and it shows in how they play."

But the one thing Kent has not done as well this season is sack the quarterback. Kent has only seven sacks after leading the league with 35 in 2010.

Its team leader last season with 10 sacks, defending MAC Defensive Player of the Year Roosevelt Nix, has only two this year.

Part of the reason has been the opposition.

"We've faced a couple of running quarterbacks, Kansas State and last week [Northern Illinois]," Hazell said.

Another factor could be the loss of starting nose tackle Ishmaa'ily Kitchen to an elbow injury.

He remains out at least another couple of weeks.

There is little question there will be a defensive cat-and-mouse game going on between the Golden Flashes and RedHawks because of the familiarity of the staffs and players.

In the small world of college football, Hazell and Rekstis say it is inevitable during a season that games like this occur.

"It definitely happens a lot," Hazell said.

"I think that's true," Rekstis said. "When you're in it, at some point you're going to come across people you have worked with, and places you have been before."

Will Rekstis' knowledge of Kent's defensive players offset Kent's knowledge of Rekstis' defensive signals?

"We're all creatures of habit," Hazell said.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: ealexander@plaind.com, 216-999-4253

St. Loius Cardinals top error-prone Milwaukee Brewers to take 3-2 lead in NLCS

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Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday have three hits each for St. Louis. The series now heads back to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Sunday.

brewers.JPGView full sizeBrewers left fielder Ryan Braun can't come up with a single by the Cardinals' Matt Holliday during the seventh inning Friday in St. Louis.

ST. LOUIS — The bumbling Brewers made four errors that led to three unearned runs, and the St. Louis Cardinals survived a short start by Jaime Garcia to beat Milwaukee, 7-1, Friday night and take a 3-2 lead in the National League Championship Series.

Yadier Molina and Matt Holliday had three hits each for St. Louis, which burst to a 3-0 lead in the second when Molina doubled in a run and third baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. allowed Garcia's grounder to go through his legs. Holliday capped the scoring with a two-run double in the eighth.

"We just keep finding ways to win," Holliday said. "It's a team, it's a group effort. It's never one guy."

Milwaukee's infield nearly had a cycle of errors, with second baseman Rickie Weeks and shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt also committing miscues along with reliever Marco Estrada. Weeks had committed the Brewers' only two errors in the first four games of the series.

"You give these guys extra outs and they are going to hurt you," Brewers manager Ron Roenicke said.

The Cardinals have won 14 straight games on getaway days, a run that began on Aug. 7 at Florida. The win gave players another opportunity to chant "Happy Flight! Happy Flight!"

cardinals.JPGView full sizeThe Cardinals' Jon Jay and Adron Chambers (56) score the final two runs in Friday's 7-1 win.

St. Louis can wrap up the best-of-seven series and its 18th NL pennant on Sunday in Milwaukee. Edwin Jackson goes for the Cardinals against Shaun Marcum in a rematch of pitchers from Game 2, won by St. Louis 12-3 as neither starter received a decision.

The NL winner hosts the World Series opener against Detroit or Texas on Wednesday.

"We're having a good series right now and, hopefully, we can do it for one more game," Molina said.

Milwaukee had not made more than three errors in a game during the regular season, but the Brewers' sloppiness reached a near-record level. Milwaukee was one shy of the LCS record for errors in a game, shared by the 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers and 1976 New York Yankees, according to STATS LLC.

Cardinals manager Tony La Russa had a quick hook once again. Garcia opened with four scoreless innings, then allowing three hits and a sacrifice in a span of four at-bats in the fifth, with Corey Hart singling in a run. With two and on and two outs, Octavio Dotel relieved and struck out Braun.

Dotel (1-0) struck out two in 1 1-3 hitless innings, combining with three other relievers for 4 1-3 innings of scoreless, two-hit relief. Jason Motte got four outs for his second save of the series, leaving Cardinals relievers 2-0 with a 1.66 ERA in 22 2/3 innings. St. Louis starters are 1-2 with a 6.04 ERA.

Only one St. Louis starter has lasted long enough to qualify for a victory, with Chris Carpenter working five innings in Game 3. The previous team to have a starter not pitch into the sixth in the first five games of a postseason series was the 1984 San Diego Padres in the World Series, according to STATS.

With Milwaukee down 5-1 and trying to rally with two on in the eighth, lefty Marc Rzepczynski relieved and struck out Prince Fielder.

Fielder is 0 for 4 with four strikeouts and two walks against Rzepczynski.

Zack Greinke (1-1) left pitches over the plate in some key spots and allowed five runs -- just two earned -- and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings with no strikeouts and two walks.

Hart had three hits, breaking out from a 1 for 12 start to the series.

St. Louis had been hitless in 15 at-bats with runners in scoring position -- and 22 at-bats with runners on base -- before Molina's RBI double off the right-field fence. Hart just missed on a leaping attempt at the right field fence.

Hairston saved at least one run at third base with a spectacular diving catch to his left on Nick Punto's low liner for the second out. But when he botched Garcia's easy grounder, St. Louis was up 3-0.

Garcia's RBI groundout made it 4-0 in he fourth, the first RBI by a Cardinals pitcher in the postseason since Jeff Suppan homered in the 2006 NLCS against the Mets.

Albert Pujols had an RBI single in the sixth to chase Greinke.

-- R.B. Fallstrom, Associated Press

NBA needs to heal and restore parity: Bill Livingston

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The NBA lockout is about cost containment. It should also be about owners wresting control of the game away from players.

LebronJamescover.jpgIn order for the NBA to heal, it has to regain control of the league from its players.

When I was a kid, I read that Bob Pettit, the old St. Louis Hawks' forward, shot free throws by the light of a bedroom lamp he placed by the side of the driveway. He improved so dramatically after being cut from his high school team as a freshman and sophomore that he eventually became a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.

I patiently plugged extension cord after extension cord together, propped the big upright lamp that stood behind my father's chair at the side of the driveway and shot baskets by the light of the moon and Thomas Edison. Late-night practice lasted until a long rebound broke the glass bowl around the bulb, after which an unsympathetic mother ended the experiment before my shot could truly effloresce.

Later, I tried to compensate for not being particularly tall by giving the ball one last hard bounce, the way Jerry West would do. It meant the ball would come up quicker as my hands were already rising for a jump shot, stealing a microsecond on my defender. It was a dandy theory, but it didn't work that well. I reluctantly concluded that maybe it was the dribbler, not the dribble.

I love basketball. I have been around the NBA as a newspaperman since 1974. I missed Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, but I covered Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Walton, Dr. J and David Thompson, and both Lloyd and World B. Free. I saw Magic Johnson's hocus-pocus and watched Michael Jordan alter what I thought was possible.

I saw the great stars from the ABA keep the NBA afloat after the basketball merger in 1976, at least until Larry Bird and Magic could save it.

I watched Jordan transform it into a global business as the greatest star on the Dream Team in the 1992 Olympics. Its very appeal to the disenfranchised and down-and-out in this country, its cheapness, made the dream accessible to players everywhere. The NBA looks like the U.N. General Assembly these days. The cross-pollination of styles enriched the sport.

I'm an NBA guy. I used to love it. But now the league is broken and needs the time, however long it might take, to heal itself.

It is a cartoon sport of superheroes now, with no better evidence coming from the silly spat two years ago between Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard about who was really the NBA's Superman.

It decided that noise meant entertainment and sideshows meant substance.

It tilted the playing field with a free agency system that gave most of the leverage to twentysomething millionaires who have been treated like messiahs for years by the hallelujah chorus on ESPN.

The NBA has always been a player's sport, but now it is little more than a small cartel of powerful teams, driven by the insecurities and selfishness of the players who stack them. Jordan could stand the pressure and scrutiny. These guys can't and run for reinforcements.

Cities on the two coasts and resort towns collect the big free agents, sometimes celebrating the promise of a championship as if it were the real thing. That fog machine at the Miami Heat's premature orgy of self-congratulation was an eerie metaphor for a league that has lost its way.

The current lockout is necessary. There has to be a remedy to the competitive disparity in the league, and it must be in curtailing freedom of player movement.

The NBA has always had a handful of power teams, but in the old days, draft choices, trades and international scouting played the biggest roles in who got ahead. Now too much power rests in the untrustworthy hands of would-be global icons.

 The Cavaliers' franchise was held hostage and then ransacked because of the hollowness at the core of one player, LeBron James. There can be no easy remedy for such exquisitely timed sabotage, but a start might be in breaking up the ruling cabal of sunshine powers by limiting to only one player per team the so-called Larry Bird exception, by which teams can exceed the salary cap to re-sign their own free agents.

This is a cost-containment proposal for a league hemorrhaging red ink and would alleviate some small-market teams' problems.

A better remedy would be to adopt the "franchise player" tag of the NFL. The injustices of the past when player freedom was limited or non-existent have been rectified. But the team-stacking needs to be stopped now. In a league run by players like the me-first quitter, I want the grown-ups back in charge.

The NBA needs a brighter light than Pettit's to shine on the players' fraternization and their collusion to band together. Parity has to bounce back, like West's dribble, so fans can take the game they love on the rise.

To reach Bill Livingston: blivingston@plaind.com, 216-999-4672

On Twitter: @LivyPD

Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers need to pull out all the stops for Miguel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz

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Tonight is Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Whether the Rangers advance to the World Series or the Tigers force a seventh and final game may depend on what hitter is stopped first -- Texas' Nelson Cruz or Detroit's Miguel Cabrera.

nelson cruz.JPGView full sizeIf the Tigers want to win the ALCS, they'll need to figure out a way to stop Rangers slugger Nelson Cruz.
ARLINGTON, Texas — The American League pennant and a trip to the World Series may come down to who gets stopped first.

So far Nelson Cruz and Miguel Cabrera have been nearly unstoppable. Cruz is hitting .333 (6-for-18) with five homers and 11 RBI in the American League Championship Series. He's a big reason, along with an excellent bullpen, that Texas could advance to the World Series tonight for the second straight year with a victory over Detroit in Game 6 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

Cabrera is hitting .375 (6-for-16) with four doubles, one homer and five RBI for the Tigers. The massive first baseman is trying to rally the Tigers from a 3-1 deficit to a trip to the World Series.

No one has ever had the kind of league championship series that Cruz is having. He's the first player to hit five homers in the LCS. His 11 RBI are tied for the most ever in a single LCS.

cabrera.JPGView full sizeThe Tigers' Miguel Cabrera is hitting .375 in the ALCS.

Not only has Cruz homered late, but he has homered at vital times.

• Cruz's leadoff homer in the fourth inning of Game 1 proved to be the game-winner in a 3-2 Texas victory.

• He hit a grand slam in the 11th inning of Game 2 for a 7-4 victory. It was the first walk-off slam in postseason history.

• The slam was Cruz's second homer of the game. He tied the score at 3-3 with a leadoff homer in the seventh.

• In the 11th inning of Game 4 at Comerica Park, Cruz hit a three-run homer to turn a one-run lead into a 7-4 victory and a 3-1 edge in the series.

• In Game 5 on Thursday, with the Tigers leading, 6-2, Cruz hit a two-run homer off a 100-mph fastball from Justin Verlander. The Tigers avoided elimination with a 7-5 victory to send the ALCS back to Arlington.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland, on a conference call with reporters during Friday's travel day, was asked if there were any plans to change the way the Tigers have been pitching to Cruz.

"I think that would be a good idea," he said. "If anybody on this call has any suggestions, I'll be willing to take them."

Rangers manager Ron Washington is having similar problems with Cabrera.

In Game 4, the Tigers walked Cabrera three times, once intentionally. The one time lefty Matt Harrison pitched to Cabrera, he hit a two-run double with two out for a 2-0 lead.

'In Game 5, Cabrera started a four-run, game-winning inning with what looked like a double-play ball that hit third base, bounced over Adrian Beltre's head, and rolled into left field for an RBI double to break a 2-2 tie.

In Washington's mind, the last thing Cabrera needed was a lucky hit.

"I've tried for two days to pitch around this guy," said Washington, before Game 5. "He hits two doubles. He's a threat. He's not fooled by many pitches.

"He can play first base. He showed his ability on the basepaths . . . Wow, would a manager love to have him in the lineup. He's the best ballplayer as far as being a threat that I've seen since Barry Bonds. I'm surprised he's not walked 200 times a year."

Cabrera, who won the AL batting title this year with a .344 (197-for-572) average, walked 108 times. He has walked 12 times, including five intentional walks, in 10 games this postseason.

Left-hander Derrick Holland will face Detroit's Max Scherzer tonight in Game 6. It will be a rematch of Game 2, in which Holland was knocked out of the game in 2 innings, but the Rangers still won.

Holland said he was working too fast and not finishing his pitches.

"It left my fastball up over the plate," he said.

Said Washington, "If he can corral the anxiety that goes along with competition, I think we may finally see a guy get deep in a ballgame."

Finally: How will Scherzer pitch Cruz tonight? "I realize he's a good hitter and he's hot. Given that, you can't fear him. I have to be aggressive right back at him." . . . The Tigers are 10-8 in elimination games. . . . Rangers right-hander Koji Uehara is the first reliever to allow homers in three straight postseason games.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: phoynes@plaind.com, 216-999-5158

On Twitter: @hoynsie


Oakland Raiders' Darren McFadden's success doesn't surprise Peyton Hillis: Cleveland Browns Insider

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Browns running back Peyton Hillis will share the field Sunday with his Arkansas teammate and NFL leading rusher Darren McFadden.

darren mcfadden.JPGView full sizeRaiders running back Darren McFadden currently leads the NFL in rushing.

BEREA, Ohio — Browns running back Peyton Hillis will be reunited Sunday with his college teammate Darren McFadden, who leads the NFL with 519 yards rushing on 91 carries and a sensational 5.7-yards-per-carry average for the Raiders.

"He's a determined athlete," said Hillis, who mostly blocked for McFadden at Arkansas. "He knows how to get things situated to where it's in his favor, plus I think where he's at right now has benefit to his style of play. I kind of knew sooner or later he was going to break out. He's just that good of a player."

Hillis said it's a combination of things that make McFadden dangerous. He also leads the Raiders with 17 catches and four TDs overall, three rushing and one receiving.

"It's just the physical state that he brings to the game," said Hillis. "He's big and strong. But he's one of the fastest people in the NFL, so that makes him elite."

Hillis, who will get the bulk of the carries for the Browns, said he has no extra motivation going against McFadden.

"It'll be good to see him again and talk to him a little bit, but you still bring the same mind- set," he said. "You want to win. You want to do your best. But you hope the best for each other."

Hillis and McFadden both grew up in Arkansas, where Hillis led the state in rushing as a senior in high school and McFadden earned the title the following year. As a freshman at Arkansas, Hillis scored six TDs but suffered a back injury. The next year, McFadden and Felix Jones were ahead of him on the depth chart.

As a senior, Hillis had only 62 carries for 347 yards, while McFadden had 325 carries for a school-record 1,830 yards.

"You sat back and you look at him and you respect the kind of player he is and give him all the credit in the world," said Hillis.

McFadden told the San Francisco Chronicle this week: "I always told people [Hillis] was a very good runner. He was just waiting for his chance."

Mack practices: Center Alex Mack practiced Friday for the first time since having an appendectomy Oct. 3 and might play against the Raiders. He was limited during the session and is listed as questionable. He made the trip to Oakland.

"We just wanted to see where I'm progressing," he said. "[I wanted to] get out there and get some movement in. We'll just take it one step at a time. It's going to be the best decision for the team and the best decision for me."

He said it'll come down to a game-time decision, and that he wants the best man for the job to play, whether it's he or Steve Vallos.

Four other players are questionable: cornerback Joe Haden (sprained knee); receiver/returner Josh Cribbs (sprained knee); linebacker Titus Brown (ankle); and right tackle Tony Pashos. Cribbs, Brown and Pashos were limited in practice but are expected to play Sunday.

Jackson on Jackson: Raiders coach Hue Jackson heaped praise on Browns middle linebacker D'Qwell Jackson -- but the Browns' Jackson is a little leary.

"Jackson's playing as well as any middle linebacker in football," Hue Jackson said on a conference call.

Responded D'Qwell Jackson: "It was a great compliment. He's got that team playing well this year and he obviously knows what he's doing, but I'm not going to buy into this. I definitely have to have my eyes wide open during that game.

Sheard on Benard: Defensive end Jabaal Sheard was driving home from practice on Monday when he saw a crashed motorcycle on I-71 and a man being put into an ambulance.

"I had no idea it was Marcus [Benard]," said Sheard. "I was like 'wow' because of how bad it looked."

Sheard said Benard was going downtown to hang out with some of his teammates after practice when the crash occurred.

Curry to start: Hue Jackson announced that newly aquired linebacker Aaron Curry will start on the weak side for the Raiders on Sunday. Curry will replace Quentin Groves on the starting defense.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

St. Louis, Milwaukee beer showdown: Check out the brewing lineups for each city as Cardinals, Brewers face each other in NL playoffs

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St. Louis and Milwaukee are cities known for baseball history, and beer. But when you analyze their beer lineups, it's not such a rosy picture.

blatz.jpgWould Pabst or Blatz crack your beer lineup?
St. Louis and Milwaukee are cities known for at least two important American traditions: a long baseball history, and beer.

The teams are fielding a pair of stellar lineups in their quest for the National League pennant, but the same cannot be true for many of the lagers brewing in their cities.

As you watch Game 6 on Sunday, Oct. 16, consider these starting (beer) lineups, complete with designated hitter.

Any opinions about these beers? Go to facebook.com/pdbeer and leave a comment. (Overall, I give St. Louis a slight edge in slugging percentage.)

ST. LOUIS

1. Budweiser: The Gateway to the West is famous for its flagship. The loyal player who sticks with one team; he's always there when you need it. The Albert Pujols of beers.

2. Busch: Budweiser's cheaper, scrappier kid brother. A friend says the only difference between Busch and Bud are a few million dollars in marketing money.

3. Natural Light: If Bud and Busch are brothers, NL is their second cousin who hangs out in gas-station convenience stores.

4. O'Fallon: From the suburbs comes this wonderful craft brew. Its IPA is smooth and can bat cleanup in anyone's lineup.

5. King Cobra: What lineup would be complete without a 40-ounce bottle of joy? It's the player whose best days are behind him, but he's good in the locker room so they keep him around.

6. Michelob: An aging ballplayer who once had speed and grace, but is just hanging on and often forgotten. With good reason. Why drink this when there are so many younger players -- i.e., craft brews -- around?

7. Bud Select 55: The light-hitting shortstop who grounds out with the bases loaded. Fans and the media question why he is in the lineup at all.

8. O'Doul's: The straight-laced player who doesn't drink. This nonalcoholic brew isn't too bad -- once in a while.

9. Redbridge: "Gluten-free sorghum beer." Mmm, yum. A reserve outfielder who will spend much of the season on the shelf, er, bench, unless really needed in late innings.

Pinch hitter -- Wild Blue: This "fruit-infused lager" is the colorful player, always ready with a quip for the media and willing to sign autographs for fans.

In the bullpen -- Budweiser American Ale: A young buck who is trying to prove he belongs.

MILWAUKEE

1. Miller Lite: The player who's got longevity on his side. But when you scrutinize his numbers, you see he's going to fall shy of the Hall of Fame.

2. Old Milwaukee: This beer has had several brewers; they keep getting bought out. The proverbial free agent who always seems to land on a roster.

3. Milwaukee's Best : Known as the Beast. He's the guy who came over as the player to be named later in a trade -- cheap, so you just don't want to let him go. But he doesn't really deliver as consistently as you would like.

4. Steel Reserve: The can touts this 8.1 percent alcohol brew as "high gravity," whatever that means. Much like a high-maintenance player whose antics have alienated teammates, fans and the media after he was named in the Mitchell Report.

5. Olde English 800: Milwaukee's counterpart to St. Louis' King Cobra, this 40-ounce bad boy doesn't take any guff from anyone. But his batting average doesn't back up his bravado.

6. Colt 45: Another heavy hitter, but he's past his prime.

7. Blatz: The pleasant surprise in the lineup. You don't expect too much, but he comes through in a pinch. Like a solid late-inning replacement. Ryan Ludwick, anyone?

8. Sharp's: The nonalcoholic counterpart to O'Doul's. Like the player who has been around awhile but his average just isn't up to snuff.

9. Pabst: The overrated player. Like the pitcher who shows a bit of a late-career resurgence, but he gives up way too many dingers.

Pinch-hitter -- Schlitz: The comeback kid. Started well, quieted down for a few seasons, then came back strong.

In the bullpen -- Black Label: He's been traded a few times, but he might have an inning or two to offer late in the game.

Ohio State at Illinois - Live Twitter updates

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Get updates from Illinois as the Buckeyes try to bounce back from last week's second-half collapse.

luke-fickell-yell.JPGView full sizeLuke Fickell and the Buckeyes travel to Illinois on Saturday afternoon.
Ohio State is continues Big Ten Play today after their second half collapse last week in Nebraska. The Buckeyes take on Illinois on the road.

Can the Buckeyes bounce back and pick up a Big Ten win? Get updates on Twitter from Doug Lesmerises @PDBuckeyes and Bill Livinigston @LivyPD in the box below. Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m.

College football scoreboard.

Tony's Grossi's Take on Week 6 of the NFL

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Breaking down the rest of Sunday's matchups.

best-lions-vert-ap-2011.jpgView full sizeWill Jahvid Best and the Detroit Lions be able to bounce back from Monday's emotional win over Chicago when the equally surprising 49ers visit on Sunday?

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Breaking down the rest of Sunday's matchups:

San Francisco at Detroit, 1 p.m.

TV: WJW Channel 8.

Early line: Lions by 5.

Tony's take: Lions juggernaut rolls on. Lions 20, 49ers 13.

Dallas at New England, 4:15 p.m.

TV: WOIO Channel 19.

Early line: Patriots by 7.

Tony's take: Rob Ryan won't get the Gatorade shower this time. Patriots 27, Cowboys 23.

Minnesota at Chicago, 8:20 p.m.

TV: WKYC Channel 3.

Early line: Bears by 3.

Tony's take: Bears have to wake up to stay in race. Bears 24, Vikings 20.

Buffalo at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m.

Early line: Giants by 3.

Tony's take: Bills won't be going 15-1 (I think). Giants 23, Bills 21.

Carolina at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

Early line: Falcons by 6.

Tony's take: Falcons in danger of dropping off cliff. Falcons 28, Panthers 21.

Indianapolis at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.

Early line: Bengals by 7.

Tony's take: Bengals in a rare laugher. Bengals 24, Colts 0.

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m.

Early line: Steelers by 13.

Tony's take: Blaine Gabbert, these are the Steelers. Steelers 24, Jaguars 13.

Philadelphia at Washington, 1 p.m.

Early line: Eagles by 11/2.

Tony's take: Desperate teams do desperate things. Eagles 26, Redskins 23.

St. Louis at Green Bay, 1 p.m.

Early line: Packers by 141/2.

Tony's take: How on Earth do the Packers maintain interest? Packers 35, Rams 14.

Houston at Baltimore, 4:05 p.m.

Early line: Ravens by 71/2.

Tony's take: Without Andre Johnson, Texans less potent. Ravens 20, Texans 14.

New Orleans at Tampa Bay, 4:15 p.m.

Early line: Saints by 5.

Tony's take: Won't be easy for Saints. Saints 31, Buccaneers 28.

GROSSI UPDATE:

Last week overall: 11-2 .846

Season overall: 53-24 .688

Last week vs. spread: 10-3 .769

Season vs. spread: 41-34-2 .545

Cleveland Cavaliers know trying to win after a lockout can be a weighty problem

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The 1998-99 NBA lockout weighed heavily on everyone involved -- no one more so than Shawn Kemp.

kemp-1999-dribble-hill-1999-ap.jpgView full sizeShawn Kemp (right) was distinctly more ground-bound as an NBA forward after the players and owners reached a new labor agreement after a lengthy lockout before the 1998-99 season. "He was really very honest about it," former Cavs coach Mike Fratello recalled. "I said, 'Shawn, how did this happen?' He said, 'Coach, I didn't think we were coming back.'"

Tom Reed and Mary Schmitt Boyer

Plain Dealer Reporters

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 1998-99 NBA lockout weighed heavily on everyone involved. Some more than others. Few more than Shawn Kemp.

Just ask his former Cavaliers teammates who returned for an abbreviated 50-game season and were astonished at the transformation of Kemp's once-sculpted frame. It was as if their All-Star power forward hadn't picked up a basketball or put down a fork since the work stoppage had begun.

The Cavs listed him at 6-10, 280 pounds -- a 34-pound increase from the previous season -- but then-General Manager Wayne Embry later revealed in his autobiography that Kemp reported to camp at 315 pounds.

"He was really very honest about it," former Cavs coach Mike Fratello recalled. "I said, 'Shawn, how did this happen?' He said, 'Coach, I didn't think we were coming back.'"

The NBA is experiencing another lockout, just the second to force cancellation of regular-season games. Owners, players, arena workers and everybody who depends on the league for income are saddled with feelings of frustration, anxiety and agitation.

Beyond the economics of the game, however, is the gnawing uncertainty of what awaits franchises and fans once NBA Commissioner David Stern and the players association announce a settlement.

Who gets heavy? Who gets hurt? Who gets lost in the mad scramble of a shortened season?

The story of the 1998-99 Cavaliers serves as a reminder that great expectations can rapidly dissolve when a team and season are thrown out of rhythm. Instead of building on a playoff appearance a season earlier, the club was plagued by injuries, inconsistency and Kemp's ignominy.

The 1998-99 Cavs finished with a 22-28 record, lost 10 of their last 11 games and alienated a fan base already angered by the labor unrest.

"It quickly became a disastrous season, and it helped cost me and Wayne our jobs," Fratello said. "That lockout took its toll on a lot of people."

Wasted time

Earl Boykins didn't know the thrill of being a first-round pick like Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, selected by the Cavs as the first and fourth overall selections in this year's draft.

The diminutive Cleveland Central Catholic product went undrafted in 1998. He began his pro career in the Continental Basketball Association before playing for the New Jersey Nets and finishing his rookie season with the Cavs.

But Boykins can relate to Irving and Thompson in one way. The lockout canceled the NBA summer league in 1998, just as it did this season. Once the season started, there was little time for practices or extended teaching sessions.

"I think it's harder for the young guys because they don't know," Boykins said. "You can work out all you want. You can even work out against NBA guys. But until you get into an NBA training camp situation, it's totally different. That's the hardest part of the lockout. You can't prepare for an NBA training camp ... especially with the shortened camp."

The Cavaliers also were relying on a promising core of second-year players that season. Brevin Knight and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had been named to the NBA's all-rookie first team. Derek Anderson and Cedric Henderson were second-teamers. But due to the lockout, the coaching staff was not permitted contact with the youngsters. Fratello and his assistants kept showing up at the office each day with no team to coach.

They designed practice schedules, created special workouts to help safeguard against injuries, drew up plays. Finally, Fratello started inviting former college players and pros who still lived in the area to the arena practice court. He had them run through sets to see how they might work.

Meanwhile, the real Cavs were scattered around the globe searching for ways to spend their extended summers. Veteran Johnny Newman tended to several businesses he opened in Richmond, Va., and attended various NBA union meetings.

"Yeah, I see the similarities ... a lot of the same conversations were going on," Newman said. "There was that same uncertainty in the air -- is there going to be a season? -- and a lot of people sticking out their chests on both sides."

Despite the missed paychecks, Newman said he was secure financially. Perhaps the lockout's toughest aspect was explaining it to fans -- one in particular.

"I had a young boy and he just wanted to see dad play," Newman said.

A weighty topic

embry-thoughtful-portrait-horiz-gc.jpgView full size"Whatever teams were in the best shape would definitely have an advantage in the short schedule," former Cavs GM remembered about the 1998-99 lockout. "We were not one of them."

Newman understands why players cannot speak to coaches and management during a labor battle. But he believes teams should grant them access to their training and athletic staffs. If that had occurred, maybe Kemp would not have returned to Cleveland looking like Buster Douglas six months after whipping Mike Tyson.

"Some guys just need that attention and they need to be monitored," Newman said.

Kemp, who could not be reached for this story, wasn't the only player to return out of shape. Vancouver's Bryant Reeves gained 40 pounds. Dennis Scott, Patrick Ewing and Oliver Miller all put on pounds.

But it was Kemp who became the puffy face of the NBA lockout.

"The franchise had a desire to have a superstar," retired Cavs broadcaster Joe Tait said of Kemp, who signed a renegotiated deal worth $100 million after joining the Cavs. "But if your star begins to look more like Jupiter than Mercury, then you have a problem."

Embry, a consultant for the Toronto Raptors, is prohibited from discussing any lockout. But in his book, "The Inside Game: Race, Power and Politics in the NBA," he wrote about 1998-99 season:

"Whatever teams were in the best shape would definitely have an advantage in the short schedule. We were not one of them. We were all disappointed in Shawn's physical condition. With the money we were paying him, we had every reason to expect him to stay in shape. It was not as if he could not afford to hire people to help him do that.

"The Cleveland Clinic nutritionist put him on a diet, but Shawn did not have the discipline to adhere to it. We even offered to have a chef go to his house and prepare meals for him. ... I told Shawn the same thing I told Mel Turpin years ago, 'I don't want anyone playing for me that weighs more than me.' That did not work either."

Kemp still produced strong numbers, averaging 20.5 points and 9.2 rebounds, but his dynamic leaping ability was compromised. He was sometimes heckled by the shrinking crowds inside the arena. The Cavs averaged 14,119 fans in 1998-99, a 16.7 percent decline from a season earlier.

Kemp sprained his left foot and missed the final eight games. The club also lost Ilgauskas, who had signed a six-year, $70.9 million extension before the season, to foot surgery after just five games. Injuries mounted. So did the minutes for the remaining Cavs, who sometimes had to play three games in three nights due to the compact schedule.

"I don't remember a season when more players ordered room service," Newman said. "Guys would usually go out, get a bite to eat or whatever on road trips. But we would be so tired after playing so many games guys were like 'You know what, I'm just eating in the room.'"

As this year's lockout lingers, the former Cavs said they hoped owners and players recalled the damage created from the 1998-99 season.

As Boykins said, "No one wants to be the next Shawn Kemp."

Editor's note: Embry's book was written with Mary Schmitt Boyer.

Justin Verlander will not pitch if there's a Game 7: ALCS daily briefing

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It's Game 6 of the ALCS and there are no more secrets left between Texas and Detroit.

justin verlander.jpgIf the Tigers force a Game 7 in the ALCS, ace Justin Verlander will not pitch said manager Jim Leyland.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- It's Game 6 and there are no secrets left.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland told reporters Saturday afternoon that ace Justin Verlander will not pitch if they force a Game 7 Sunday night.

"If you see Justin Verlander pitching again, that will be good," said Leyland. "It will mean we're in the World Series."

As emphasis, Leyland added, "Verlander will not pitch any more in this series."

Verlander, in winning Game 5 to avoid elimination, threw a career-high 133 pitches in 7 1/3 innings on Thursday.

The Rangers hold a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. They won Games 1 and 2 at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and Game 4 at Comerica Park. If they win tonight, they go to the World Series and Detroit goes home.

Perhaps reaching a finite game, at least for one team, in an infinite season gives one a sense of freedom.

Texas manager Ron Washington said he would not hesitate to hook left-hander Derek Holland if he looked like he did in Game 2. Holland lasted just 2 2/3 innings, while allowing three runs on four hits.

Washington said if Holland was replaced early, lefty starter Matt Harrison or long man Scott Feldman could relieve. If he gets to the fifth inning in a tight game, Washington might give the ball to right-hander Alexi Ogando.

Should Holland get deeper than that, Washington said he could go to Ogando or Mike Adams.

Leyland revealed his bullpen plans as well.

"If I was setting my bullpen up like I think we need to, it's going to be (starter) Max Scherzer with Rick Porcello, Phil Coke, Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde," said Leyland.

Most managers treat their pitching plans like state secrets. And that's during the regular season. In the postseason, they're marked for "your eyes only' and disintegrate after being read once.

"You guys are three times seven (21), I assume," said Leyland. "You can figure out what's going on. I'm not trying to hide anything. That's what I've got. What's the difference?"

The odds: This is the 15th time in ALCS history there has been a Game 6. In the first 14, the team holding the 3-2 advantage has won 10 times. The Rangers beat the Yankees last year in Game 6 to reach the World Series for the first time.

Tonight's lineups for Game 6 of the ALCS:

Tigers: CF Austin Jackson (R), RF Ryan Raburn (R), 1B Miguel Cabrera (R), DH Victor Martinez (S), LF Delmon Young (R), SS Jhonny Peralta (R), C Alex Avila (L), 3B Brandon Inge (R), 2B Ramon Santiago (S), RHP Max Scherzer (15-9, 4.43, 1-0, 2.70).

Rangers: 2B Ian Kinsler (R), SS Elvis Andrus (R), CF Josh Hamilton (L), 1B Michael Young (R), 3B Adrian Beltre (R), C Mike Napoli (R), RF Nelson Cruz (R), DH David Murphy (S), LF Endy Chavez (L), LHP Derek Holland (16-5, 3.95, 1-0, 4.05).

Lineup notes: Washington originally had Young at first base and Endy Chavez at DH. Then he put Murphy at DH and Chavez in left field. "David has DH'd before," said Washington. "I think I can get more out of Endy by putting him in the outfield."

The Rangers are starting a left-hander against Detroit for the fifth time in six games. "I would hope that it does give us an advantage," said Leyland. "It's not often that you see that many lefties in that short of a time span. And that fact that you're seeing the same ones should give you a little bit of an advantage."

Umpires: H Tom Hallion, 1B Tim Welke, 2B Larry Vanover, 3B Jim Wolf, LF Fieldin Culbreth, RF Jeff Nelson.

Him vs. me: Delmon Young is hitting .375 (6-for-16) with two homers and two RBI against Holland. Cruz is hitting .333 (6-for-18) with two homers and five RBI against Scherzer.

Lefty-righty: Lefties hit .281 (117-for-417) with 19 homers and righties .262 (90-for-343) with 10 homers against Scherzer during the regular season. The Rangers have three lefties in the lineup.

Lefties hit .235 (46-for-196) with three homers and righties hit .272 (155-for-570) with 19 homers against Holland. The Tigers have eight righties, including two switch hitters, in the lineup.

Next: If the series goes to a seventh game, Texas righty Colby Lewis will face right-hander Doug Fister at 8:05 p.m. ET.

Ohio State snaps two-game losing streak with 17-7 road win over No. 16 Illinois

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Dan Herron topped 100 rushing yards in his first game back from a six-game suspension.

herron-run-osu-illinois-2011-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeIn his return from a six-game suspension, Dan Herron energized the Ohio State running game, gaining 113 yards in the Buckeyes' 17-7 win Saturday.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Ohio State bounced back from a two-game losing streak, going on the road to beat previously undefeated and No. 16 Illinois 17-7 today.

The Buckeyes did their work almost entirely on the ground, as freshman quarterback Braxton Miller didn't complete his first pass until finding tight end Jake Stoneburner for a 17-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

The return of running back Dan Herron after a six-game suspension was a lift for the OSU offense, as Herron made sharp cuts and ran hard while gaining more than 100 yards.

The Buckeyes (4-3, 1-2 Big Ten) took the lead on a 43-yard Drew Basil field goal with 9:04 left in the first quarter, and 3-0 was the halftime score. Ohio State increased its lead after Bradley Roby intercepted a pass from Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase that hit him in the chest. On the next play, Herron reached the end zone from 12 yards out to extend the lead to 10-0 with 14 minutes left in the third quarter.

The lead extended to 17 points on Miller's toss to Stoneburner. Illinois eventually broke up the shutout on Nathan Scheelhaase's TD pass to Evan Miller with seven minutes remaining. The Illini had a late chance to get closer, but the Buckeyes stopped them on downs inside the 20 with a little more than a minute to play.

The Buckeyes now have a bye week before hosting undefeated Wisconsin in an 8 p.m. start on Oct. 29.


Confrontation was at the heart of Al Davis' NFL life: NFL Insider

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In the history of pro football, Al Davis, late owner of the Oakland Raiders, fills up a very large chapter.

davis-1987-color-squ-ap.jpgView full sizeAl Davis -- here announcing his planned move to Los Angeles in 1987 -- was in the middle of much of the NFL's biggest moments over the last 50 years.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Browns are stepping into an emotional buzzsaw in Oakland Coliseum Sunday. The Raiders will pay tribute throughout the day to their late owner Al Davis, who died last Saturday at the age of 82.

Love him or hate him -- and the people in Oakland love him, despite the fact Davis took their team to Los Angeles for 15 years -- Davis was a unique character in the history of sports.

Vito Stellino tells some of the best Al Davis stories. Stellino was a Pittsburgh Steelers beat writer in the late 1970s when their rivalry with the Raiders was the fiercest in all of sports. How fierce? They met in the playoffs five years in a row. The winner of their intense games won the Super Bowl the last three years of that run.

How fierce? The Steelers' 1972 playoff win over the Raiders on the "Immaculate Reception" spawned the rivalry and is cited as the genesis of Davis' paranoia that the NFL was out to get him.

How fierce? When Pittsburgh coach Chuck Noll claimed Raiders safety George Atkinson represented "a criminal element" in football, the player filed a $2 million slander suit against Noll and the Steelers. The trial in San Francisco was a spectacle for two weeks. Noll was exonerated.

During a quiet off-season in those years, Stellino received a phone call at his home on a Saturday morning. The voice identified himself as a Steelers fan from suburban Greensburg, Pa., and was concerned about turmoil on the team when three assistant coaches abruptly resigned.

Stellino explained that such things happen all the time and pointed out the Oakland Raiders recently lost some assistant coaches, too.

"The man stopped disguising his voice and said, 'You're always thinking about the Ray-duhs,'" Stellino recalled.

Yes, it was Al Davis. Nothing was beyond Davis trying to gain an edge. "Just win, baby," was more than a mantra for Davis. It was his life's pursuit. As a scout, a coach, the commissioner of the American Football League, and, above all, the conscience of the Raiders, Davis was as dogged a competitor as the NFL has ever known.

He sued the NFL in 1982 when it blocked his move of the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles. After learning the grass wasn't greener in southern California, Davis moved the team back to Oakland in 1995. Davis did not break a stadium lease on either of his moves. Nonetheless, his winning court battle opened the door for owners to move their teams against the wishes of the league.

Art Modell was the star witness for the NFL in Davis' antitrust suit. He spent several days under cross-examination explaining why the NFL should have the right to block the move of a team. Davis later sneered when Modell used Davis' precedent to move the Browns to Baltimore in 1996.

When Davis was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992, Stellino was on the selection committee and voted against him. After the election, Stellino was widely quoted as saying, "Putting Davis in the football hall of fame was like putting John Dillinger in the banking hall of fame."

The next time Davis spotted Stellino, in a media huddle crowding Davis in a hallway at a league meeting, Davis snapped, "You'd better step back or we're going to be on pay-for-view."

Al Davis' impact on the NFL was immense, good and bad. He was the first to hire a Latino head coach, the first in over 50 years to hire a black coach, and the first to appoint a woman to a significant office in an NFL organization. As AFL commissioner, he opposed the merger with the NFL. But his strategy to raid the NFL of high-profile quarterbacks helped facilitate it. His Raiders teams won three Super Bowls and appeared in two others.

In the history of professional football, Davis' story fills up quite a large chapter.

On Twitter: @TonyGrossi

Playoffs aside, Texas Rangers proud of no-name starting rotation: ALCS Insider

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The starting pitching hasn't been great for the Rangers, but GM Jon Daniels said the rotation is one of the main reasons they made it to the postseason.

rangers-holland-alcs2011-vert-mct.jpgView full sizeA 16-game winner this summer, Derek Holland hasn't been as sharp in the ALCS, but he represents the Rangers' starting rotation quite well -- productive but unacclaimed.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The performance of the Rangers' starting rotation in the American League Championship Series screams this question: How did these guys get this deep into October?

No.1 starter C.J. Wilson is 0-1 with a 6.74 ERA in two starts. He's allowed eight runs in 10 2/3 innings. Derek Holland, Matt Harrison and Colby Lewis have failed to pitch six innings in any of their starts. If not for the bat of Nelson Cruz and a bullpen led by Alexi Ogando, the Rangers would scattered across the globe instead of trying to reach their second straight World Series Saturday night.

Not surprisingly, Texas GM Jon Daniels has a different view.

"Our starting rotation is arguably the biggest reason we made it to October," he said.

For years the Rangers were all hit and no pitch. Things have changed.

"We are not that kind of organization anymore," said second baseman Ian Kinsler. "We can win a game a lot of different ways. We can pitch, hit the long ball, play defense, play small ball or turn it over to the bullpen."

When spring training opened this year, the Rangers had Wilson and Lewis in the rotation. After that they had three questions marks. Cliff Lee and Rich Harden left through free agency. Scott Feldman was still recovering from microfracture knee surgery.

The candidates were Ogando, who made 44 relief appearances in 2010 and Tommy Hunter, who won 13 games in 2010, but strained a groin muscle at the end of camp. The Rangers traded Hunter to Baltimore for reliever Koji Uehara on July 30. Lefties Holland and Harrison were the other two contenders.

When Hunter injured his groin in late March, the Rangers put Ogando in the rotation to go along with Holland and Harrison.

"Our young guys really stepped up," said Daniels.

Ogando went 13-8 with a 3.51 ERA in 31 appearances, including 29 starts. He struck out 126 in 169 innings.

Holland went 16-5 with a 3.95 ERA in 32 starts. He threw four complete games, all of them shutouts. By the way, Holland is from Newark, Ohio, but he didn't grow up an Indians or Reds fan.

"I watched TBS a lot so I followed the Braves," he said. "Andy Pettitte was my hero."

Harrison went 14-9 with a 3.39 ERA in 31 games, including 30 starts. The opposition hit .257 against him over 185 2/3 innings.

"The way they pitched was tremendously important to the organization," said manager Ron Washington. "We had to make a transition. We had to put an unproven commodity out on the mound.

"We knew they were talented, but they hadn't proved anything. This year they took on a huge load. They took on a major-league schedule, which is very tough, and they made it through."

The Rangers didn't take a complete shot in the dark. Holland went 3-4 with a 4.09 ERA in 14 games, including 10 starts, in 2010. He was a 25th-round pick in 2006. Harrison was 3-2 with a 4.71 ERA in 37 games, including six starts, in 2010. He was acquired as part of a 2007 trade with Atlanta in which the Rangers also received Neftali Feliz for Mark Teixeira.

The Rangers have a $92.1 million payroll. Yet Daniels sounded like a small-market GM when he said, "You can find pitching anywhere -- free agency, trades. But unless you're able to develop your own, it's just not sustainable.

"In our position, you can't pay free-agent dollars for everybody. We need to develop our own players -- especially pitching."

Last winter the Rangers lost Lee. This winter, Wilson is a free agent.

He said what? Manager Jim Leyland told Detroit writers before Game 6 that shortstop Jhonny Peralta deserves to win a Gold Glove this year.

Indians fans who just read that will probably have to pick themselves off the floor, but that's what Leyland said.

Peralta has had a great year. He went to the All-Star Game for the first time and hit .299 (157-for-525) with 25 doubles, three triples, 21 homers and 86 RBI. Defensively, he made seven errors in 145 games at short. He played one game at first. Since the Indians traded Peralta to Detroit in 2010, he's made 10 errors in 189 games at short.

Baltimore's J.J. Hardy is the only AL shortstop with fewer errors, with six in 126 games and 620 total chances. Peralta had 608 chances.

On Twitter: @hoynsie

Punchless Kent State loses defensive struggle to Miami, 9-3

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The Golden Flashes once again saw a stellar defensive performance go for naught.

KENT, Ohio -- The big positive was marginal improvement from Kent State's largely inept offense. But Miami got the one touchdown it needed in the final minutes of the third quarter to earn a 9-3 victory over the Golden Flashes, who once again saw a stellar defensive performance go for naught.

"Our defense played excellent again," Kent head coach Darrell Hazell said after the Flashes fell to 1-6, 0-3. Miami improved to 2-4, 1-1.

Only Alabama has surpassed its season average for offensive yards against Kent's defense. Only one other team, Kansas State, has come close. Miami did not get inside Kent's 41 until 2:55 to play in the third quarter, and it took a 15-yard penalty on a special teams personal foul to do that.

"We knew that their defense was tremendous," Miami head coach Don Treadwell said. "It just took us a little bit to get on track on offense."

The only defensive play Kent did not make was a potential sack that eluded defensive end Lee Stalker and cornerback Darius Polk. Miami quarterback Zac Dysert slipped out of their grasp and throw a wide-open 16-yard touchdown pass to Chris Givens for a 7-3 lead with 1:02 to play in the third quarter.

Early in the fourth quarter, starting at its own 4, a potential big play for Kent was foiled when quarterback Spencer Keith tripped with an open field in front of him. One play later, a poor center snap from Chris Anzevino had Keith scrambling into end zone to recover the ball. Miami's C.J. Marck sacked him for a safety and the final score of the game.

Kent held the RedHawks to 166 yards of offense and Dysert to 13-of-27 passing for 125 yards. Miami entered the contest averaging 350.0 yards and Dysert 275.6 passing yards.

Kent got a golden opportunity early in the third quarter as Miami muffed a punt at its 34. Offensive coordinator Brian Rock flipped the script of bull runs by tailback Trayion Durham for a gadget reverse play stuffed for a three-yard play. It didn't work and two plays later Kent was punting.

"It's not the call," Hazell said as he shook his head. "We're not executing."

It was only a matter of time before the defending MAC champs found a way to score. It was yet another strong effort by a defense that has nothing to show for a championship-caliber season.

Kent State's Roosevelt Nix made his presence felt almost immediately, causing a fumble on Miami's first possession that was recovered by the Golden Flashes and converted into a 32-yard field goal by Freddy Cortez. But even with first downs at Miami's 34, 34 and 23, plus a second-and-five at Miami's 29, Kent's offense did zilch.

The offensive line faced two third-and-ones and one second-and three and failed to convert them into first downs. As the Golden Flashes head into a bye week, something has to change. Hazell said as much.

"We're going to move some guys around [on the line]," he said. "We have to."

In his first game back, Ohio State's Dan Herron lowers the boom on Illinois

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Dan "Boom" Herron returns from suspension and leads Ohio State's offense in an upset of Illinois. Watch video

herron-osu-rejoices-illinois-vert-ap.jpgView full sizeWith victory in hand and a full day's work in Champaign, Ill., to celebrate, Dan Herron couldn't contain his pleasure after a 114-yard effort in the Buckeyes' win Saturday.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The sound was like the wind that had keened off the eaves of Memorial Stadium all Saturday afternoon, starching the flags, knuckling the balls sailing out of the quarterbacks' hands, leaving no doubt that autumn's teeth are chattering and the cold is coming.

"Booooom!" the fans clustered near the tunnel to Ohio State's locker room moaned as Dan "Boom" Herron jogged closer after the game. They invoked his nickname as a symbol, maybe even a cymbal, of his violent game again and again – "Boooom! Boooom!"

If anybody ever clattered and clashed for a team whose offense had been mostly stilled, it was Herron, gaining 114 yards on 23 carries and scoring a touchdown against Illinois in the Buckeyes' 17-7 victory.

Herron moved along the low wall the fans were leaning over, their palms out, his palm high-fiving theirs, one, two, three, four times. It wasn't so much that he was grinning from happiness only, although the Buckeyes' upset of previously undefeated Illinois was an ode to joy compared to the first half-dozen games of the season, all of which Herron missed because of suspensions in two separate scandals.

Herron also bared his teeth in his full black beard in celebration of his dominance in a physical game, as well as in validation of the role on the team he had forfeited with his wrongdoing and now had reclaimed with his excellence.

The argument was made here for Herron's dismissal from the team as a repeat offender, with the five-game suspension for the tattoo parlor scandal preceding his one-game penalty for overpayment for work at a Cleveland booster's company. Repeat offenders like Herron and the still suspended, for three more games, DeVier Posey, might have used up the benefit of the doubt.

When coach Luke Fickell not only reinstated Herron, but started him, it could have been expediency. When the fans embraced him, it could have shown that nothing succeeds like success.

But there is more to the Herron case. The amount he was overpaid, for example, was $292.50. This is not exactly a crooked CEO's golden parachute. No one gets to be a wolf on Wall Street on $292.50.

Why Herron, who is from a middle-class family in the suburbs of Warren, would have risked so much for that amount is best left to the all-encompassing explanation of "youthful indiscretions."

Asked what the suspensions taught him, Herron said, "To think twice when making decisions. It really made me grow up as a man. Just looking at things a lot different and not taking anything for granted."

Herron remains respected and liked, despite his suspensions, as a leader on the field and in the locker room, by his coaches and teammates, both current and former. Posey, with whom Herron had watched Ohio State's first six games, as well as former stars Chimdi Chekwa and James Laurinaitis, sent congratulatory tweets to Herron during the game.

"A special kid," said running backs coach Dick Tressel, the older brother of deposed coach Jim Tressel. "The other running backs had done a great job, but we definitely missed him. He gives us emotion and enthusiasm, and he doesn't have to prepare to give that. It just comes out of him."

Herron cuts as sharply as a blade that has spent some time in the company of a grindstone. In the second quarter, he cut inside, then bounced the play outside, as Illini defenders buckled and spun helplessly in his wake. The ball was jarred loose on the tackle, bouncing out of bounds, but the 21-yard run meant the Herron of old, last year's rushing leader, was back, with fresh legs and lots to make up for.

"I hadn't played a game yet, so I guess I was pretty fresh," he said.

He was also pretty patient. The temptation could have been for a player with only half of his senior season remaining to try to atone all at once for the time spent on the scout team, when he was doing the unglamorous work of mimicking opposing players.

"With the offensive line opening up seams, they sometimes open slow. So I had to be patient and wait for it," said Herron.

After Bradley Roby's interception and 36-yard return gave the Buckeyes, who were clinging to a 3-0 lead, a first down at the Illinois 12 early in the second half, Herron scored on the first play. He headed left, slowed, setting up his blocks, freezing the pursuit with the hesitation move, then ran untouched to the left pylon.

In many ways, Herron is one of Fickell's "Men of Action," the catch phrase the coach coined for the season. OSU would probably have beaten Nebraska with Herron, because he keeps the yardsticks moving and that would have stalled the Huskers' comeback.

But the hardest lesson Herron learned was about waiting for the smoke to clear and the path through peril to open outside the lines.

On Twitter: @LivyPD

St. Edward's offense stymied in 17-10 loss to St. Xavier

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CINCINNATI, Ohio -- St. Edward's offensive line failed to win the physical battles in the team's second consecutive loss, 17-10, Saturday against Cincinnati St. Xavier. In the first half, the Eagles tried to establish a ground game. But the Eagles were stumped by the Bombers' defensive front. On eight first-quarter carries, the Eagles recorded just five yards.

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- St. Edward's offensive line failed to win the physical battles in the team's second consecutive loss, 17-10, Saturday against Cincinnati St. Xavier.

In the first half, the Eagles tried to establish a ground game. But the Eagles were stumped by the Bombers' defensive front. On eight first-quarter carries, the Eagles recorded just five yards.

"We couldn't really establish a solid run game from the start," said St. Edward quarterback Ryan Fallon, who completed 16 of 29 passes for 135 yards and an interception. "We've got to get back to pounding the football -- running the football like we have in the past."

Xavier's defensive front used quickness and agility to halt most of the Eagles' attempts at a ground game.

"They're just so physical and big up front, and we're not," said Xavier coach Steve Specht of the Eagles' offensive line. "We did a great job of keeping them off-balance."

St. Edward managed only 58 rushing yards on 14 carries in the first half -- and that included a 64-yard wide receiver reverse, which resulted in the Eagles' only touchdown of the game.

Aside from the touchdown run, the Eagles only tallied 42 yards on 29 carries in the game.

"We have to do a better job executing," St. Edward coach Rick Finotti said. "We just didn't do enough."

St. Xavier took over the lead just under five minutes into the third quarter. The Bombers, who started at the St. Edward 34 after a short punt, took a 10-7 lead with a 1-yard touchdown run by Conor Hundley.

St. Edward was unable to create any momentum as the Eagles were forced to punt on their first five possessions of the second half.

Hundley, who rushed for 161 yards on 22 carries, took the ball 48 yards for his second touchdown, giving St. Xavier a 17-7 lead with 8:27 remaining in the fourth quarter.

St. Edward got two first downs on its next drive, but the Bombers' Nick Deitz recovered a fumble with 6:29 left.

The Eagles received the ball for the final time trailing by 10 with just over a couple minutes to go. A 33-yard field goal from Jake Wilhelm was all the St. Edward offense could produce as the Bombers recovered the onside kick attempt.

The Eagles' offense was a bit sluggish at the start, but their defense allowed just Nick Roemer's 40-yard field goal for a 3-0 St. Xavier lead with 7:39 remaining in the first half. St. Edward answered with a four-play, 80-yard drive, ending with the 64-yard receiver reverse by Anthony Young for a 7-3 lead at the half.

Last week, St. Edward, ranked No. 2 in The Plain Dealer Top 25, had its 21-game win streak halted in a 38-7 loss against Don Bosco (N.J.) Prep. The Eagles next face Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller.

"We'll have a team meeting, and we'll talk about it," Finotti said. "We're not going to keep losing.

"These are young kids learning life lessons about never quitting and facing adversity. It's important for these kids to respond the way they're expected to respond."

Cody Erbacher is a freelance writer in Kent.

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