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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- David Ortiz hit a two-run homer in the first inning to set the RBI record for a player in his final season, and the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1 on Friday night for their ninth straight victoryOrtizs 37th homer came off Chris Archer (8-19) and raised his RBI total to 124, one more than Shoeless Joe Jackson in 1920. The 40-year-olds 540th homer, his 300th on the road, struck an overhanging catwalk above the right-field seats.Coming off four-game sweeps of the New York Yankees and Baltimore, the Red Sox began the night with a six-game lead over second-place Toronto in the AL East. They lowered their magic number to two for clinching a playoff berth.Drew Pomeranz (3-5) allowed one run and four hits in five innings. Brad Ziegler, the fifth Boston reliever, got his fourth save after allowing a leadoff double in the ninth to Evan Longoria.Archer set a Tampa Bay record for losses in a season, breaking the mark Tanyon Sturtze set in 2002. He has lost 11 straight decisions against Boston since beating the Red Sox in his first career start against them on Sept. 19, 2012. Mikie Mahtook hit a solo homer in the second for the Rays.CUBS 5, CARDINALS 0CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta struck out 10 in seven innings and Chicago beat St. Louis for its 98th victory, the Cubs most since they last played in the World Series in 1945.Arrieta (18-7) allowed five hits and walked one, Anthony Rizzo had three hits and Ben Zobrist drove in two runs to help the Cubs (98-55) tie a team record with their 56th home win. They moved within one victory or one Washington loss of clinching home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.Chicago scored four runs in the first inning off Mike Leake (9-11).Pedro Strop came off the disabled list to work the eighth, and Travis Wood and Carl Edwards Jr. finished the five-hitter. Rizzo, Zobrist and Chris Coghlan drove in runs in the first off Leake, who lasted 3 1/3 innings and is winless in four starts since recovering from shingles.Leake allowed another run on one of two wild pitches. Cardinals gaffes included Kolten Wong face-planting into the turf chasing Rizzos first-inning double and Matt Adams getting picked off first. Zobrists fourth-inning groundout added another run for Chicago.METS 10, PHILLIES 5NEW YORK -- Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer that capped a six-run rally in the fifth inning, Hansel Robles gave a big boost from the bullpen and New York beat Philadelphia to stay atop the NL wild-card race.The Mets began the day tied with San Francisco for the wild-card lead. St. Louis lost and trails New York by 1 1/2 games.A day after using 10 pitchers in a stirring 9-8, 11-inning win over the Phillies, the Mets sent out six more. With his team competing for a playoff spot, manager Terry Collins yanked starter Gabriel Ynoa after just two shaky innings.Robles preserved a 7-5 lead in the seventh, getting pinch-hitter Tommy Joseph to ground into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded. Robles finished with hitless relief for his first career save. Josh Smoker (3-0) was the winner.Jeremy Hellickson (12-10) was the loser. Maikel Franco homered for the second straight day and pinch-hitter Darin Ruf also connected for the Phillies.INDIANS 10, WHITE SOX 4.CLEVELAND -- Jose Ramirez hit a two-run homer and drove in four runs, and Cleveland beat Chicago to move a step closer to the AL Central title.The Indians dropped their magic number to three games for their first division title since 2007.Trevor Bauer (12-8) overcame two-run homers by Melky Cabrera and Avisail Garcia. The right-hander allowed four runs in 7 2/3 innings.Mike Napoli drove in two runs and became the first Cleveland player to reach 100 RBI in nine years.Miguel Gonzalez (4-8) was the loser. Chicago has lost six in a row and was eliminated from the AL wild-card race.White Sox center fielder Adam Eaton left after appearing to hit his head and left shoulder running into the wall catching Roberto Perezs long drive in the sixth.ORIOLES 3, DIAMONDBACKS 2, 12 INNINGSBALTIMORE -- Mark Trumbo led off the 12th inning with his major league-leading 44th home run, and Baltimore ovrcame a late two-run deficit to beat Arizona.After getting swept in a four-game series by Boston, the Orioles remained a half-game behind Detroit for the ALs second wild card.Baltimore trailed 2-0 before Pedro Alvarez homered in the eighth off Enrique Burgos, and Matt Wieters homered against Daniel Hudson leading off the ninth.Oliver Drake (1-0) pitched a scoreless 12th for his first big league win. Matt Koch (1-1) relieved to start the bottom half and Trumbo sent his first pitch over the left-field fence, setting off a celebration.BLUE JAYS 9, YANKEES 0TORONTO -- Francisco Liriano and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, Troy Tulowitzki had four RBI and the Toronto routed New York to maintain a one-game lead in the AL wild-card standings.Josh Donaldson hit a two-run homer, Edwin Encarnacion had his 124th RBI -- tied with Bostons David Ortiz for the AL lead -- and the Blue Jays won their sixth straight home game over New York.New York was shut out for the second straight night and lost for the ninth time in 12 games, following a seven-game winning streak. The Yankees have gone 0 for 12 with runners in scoring position in their last two games and stranded 17 runners.Liriano (8-13) escaped a bases-loaded jam by striking out Chase Headley to end a 27-pitch first inning, then left runners at the corners after the first two batters reached in the third. That was the start of a stretch that saw the left-hander retire nine straight. Liriano allowed three hits, walked two and struck out six for his second win with Toronto. Bryan Mitchell (1-2) was the loser.BREWERS 5, REDS 4MILWAUKEE -- Chris Carter homered, Ryan Braun had a late clutch hit and Milwaukee its second triple play of the season in a victory over Cincinnati.Carter hit his 38th home run of the season leading off the second against Anthony DeSclafani (8-4).Jose Peraza put the Reds in front with a three-run homer with one out in the fifth off Milwaukee starter Zach Davies.The Brewers scored in the sixth on Carters RBI groundout to cut the lead to 3-2. Milwaukee loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh, chasing DeSclafani. Scooter Gennett drew a walk off reliever Tony Cingrani to tie it. Milwaukee regained the lead when Braun followed with a two-run single off Blake Wood.Brent Suter (2-1) retired the only batter he faced to get the victory. Tyler Thornburg finished for his 13th save.ANGELS 10, ASTROS 6HOUSTON -- Yunel Escobar hit a two-run homer and pinch-hitter Rafael Ortega had three RBI during a six-run ninth inning, lifting Los Angeles past Houston.Houston fell 2 1/2 games behind the Tigers for the second AL wild card.Houston led 6-4 when Escobar sent a slider from Ken Giles (2-5) into the seats in left field to start the ninth. Giles walked Mike Trout with one out before intentionally walking Albert Pujols. C.J. Cron followed with a bloop single to score Trout and put the Angels on top.Giles was replaced by Michael Feliz after loading the bases with a walk. Ortega cleared the bases with his two-out single, which deflected off shortstop Carlos Correas glove to extend the lead.Cody Ege (1-0) got the last two outs of the eighth inning for the win.TIGERS 8, ROYALS 3DETROIT -- Michael Fulmer pitched seven sharp innings for his first win in over a month and Detroit homered three times in a victory over Kansas City.Justin Upton, Victor Martinez and Cameron Maybin went deep to help the Tigers win their fifth straight while chasing a postseason spot. Upton has 27 homers, including 14 in his last 29 games.Fulmer (11-7) allowed a run and eight hits, striking out nine with no walks. Danny Duffy (12-3) allowed six runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. Kansas City has lost nine of its last 12.BRAVES 3, MARLINS 2.MIAMI -- Adonis Garcia hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning, and Atlanta beat Miami for its season-high seventh straight winFreddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to 27 games with a sixth-inning double. Atlantas winning streak is its longest since it won nine in a row from June 27-July 5, 2014.With the score 2-2, Emilio Bonifacio singled with one out off A.J. Ramos (1-4), stole his first base this season, took third on catcher J.T. Realmutos throwing error and came home on Garcias single to center.Brandon Cuniff (2-0) struck out two of three batters in a hitless eighth, and Mauricio Cabrera threw a hitless ninth for his sixth save in seven chances with the Braves.Cyber Monday Nike Air Vapormax . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. Wholesale Nike Air Vapormax . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1. https://www.fakevapormaxwholesale.com/ . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. Nike Air Vapormax China . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. Clearance Nike Air Vapormax . Schenn scored the game-winning goal and added two assists to lead the Philadelphia Flyers to a 4-1 win over the Calgary Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Tuesday.NEW YORK -- Between her strong serve and how rested she was compared to her opponent, a perfect storm of factors propelled 10th-seeded Karolina Pliskova into her first Grand Slam final thanks to a 6-2, 7-6 (5) win over top-seeded Serena Williams at Arthur Ashe Stadium on a humid Thursday evening.The lean 24-year-old from the Czech Republic had been tempered for the task of meeting Williams before the partisan New York crowd by a harrowing but ultimately triumphant clash with Williams sister, Venus. Serena, meanwhile, had been run ragged less than 24 hours earlier in a grueling 2-hour, 14-minute clash with jackrabbit-quick Simona Halep.Williams, 34, has been in 33 Grand Slam semis. Pliskova was playing her first. Williams visage throughout the match was that of a weary, careworn veteran. Pliskovas eyes were sunken in dark sockets but they burned with ambition. Williams was hampered by an undefined left knee injury that only seemed to become a factor as the match wore on. Pliskova, by contrast, moved swiftly and economically.Finally, and perhaps most importantly, Williams had finally come face to face with a rival who had the tools and intent to outduel her from the service notch.Pliskova smacked seven aces to just five by Williams, whose serve is considered the most potent weapon ever produced in the womens game. The 6-foot-1 Pliskova, also the WTAs ace leader, put a higher percentage of first serves into play (56 to 53 percent) and won more of those vital first-serve points (84 to 66 percent). She put 65 percent of her returns into play compared to Williams 54 percent.My serve is my biggest weapon, Pliskova said. It doesnt matter if I am playing [the] No. 1 or No. 10 player. I can hit any serve I want.Pliskova did to Williams what the 22-time Grand Slam champion usually does to her opponents. The double-fault Williams hit to end the match provided a sad and surprising coda to a match that once again reminded us that those who live by the sword are often fated to die by it as well, usually at the hand of a younger rival.Because shes so tall, [the serve] bounces high, Williams said. Im shorter, so my serve goes through the court. Hers goes a little higher. So I think thats the difference.The result raises an obvious question: How did Pliskova do it?Certainly, her tactical decision to skip the Olympic Games in favor of training for the big summer tournaments played a part. But Milos Raonic did the same thing and we saw where it got him. Unlike Raonic, Pliskova made the most of her choice. She banked wins over No. 3 Garbine Muguruza and new No. 1 Angelique Kerber to win the major US Open tune-up in Cincinnati. The confidence dividend launched her run here.Its all about those last two, three weeks here in States, Pliskova said. I won good matches. If you believe in yourself, you can beat anyone. Its not only about aa game and tennis, but its more about the mental things sometimes.ddddddddddddIronically, the mental thing that helped Pliskova the most against Williams was the preview provided by No. 6 seed Venus. Their fourth-round battle was Pliskovas first appearance at Arthur Ashe Stadium.Obviously after I knew what it was [like] to play one of the sisters [and] against all the people there [on Ashe], so I was prepared for it, Pliskova said. I was prepared for a fast game, for great serving. Thats why maybe I won the match today.Venus is either a great teacher or Pliskova is a quick study despite passing the third round at a major for the first time in 18 opportunities. But you can cram a lot of learning into a wild and wooly three-setter decided by a third-set tiebreaker. Pliskova survived a match point in that match, which is partly why she said, Maybe it was a little bit tougher to play Venus.That earlier match also conditioned Pliskovas nerves. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach before the match, but once it started she said she felt no anxiety at all. She avoided the common temptation of trying hard to enjoy her first Grand Slam semifinal, the way some Slam whisperers counsel.[I wanted to] not just enjoy, she insisted, but to win.Williams didnt win, nor did she enjoy. That was evident from the start, and the reason why is something of a mystery. When some suggested that scheduling her matches on successive days was unfair, especially in light of her knock-down, drag-out tussle with Halep in the quarterfinals, she snapped.OK, Im not going to repeat myself. I wasnt tired from yesterdays match, Williams said. Im a professional player; been playing for over 20 years. If I cant turn around after 24 hours and play again then I shouldnt be on tour.Admire her for taking full ownership of the loss, but the answer left many questions hanging. The knee certainly was a factor. As she said, When youre hampered youre thinking of other things. I was missing simple, simple shots that at other times I would make.Its hard to know or say exactly how much of an impact that injury had, but it was clear from the very start that Williams game and mood were flat. She seemed to be lost somewhere within herself, her facial expression sometimes stony, sometimes distraught, sometimes anguished; many things, but never fiery, alert or eager.Theres a price to play when youre 34 and have been walking around with a giant bulls-eye on your back for two decades. It becomes hard to meet every challenge with burning intensity when theres nothing left to prove. It becomes hard to keep fending provocations off when theres so much to defend: titles, rankings, streaks, records.Sometimes, that sword just gets too heavy to lift. ' ' '