Metaphysik » Varlamov early again - a strategy that has worked twice in the

SEATTLE -- Lloyd McClendon is always looking for a little pop to come from his designated hitter when he sets up the Seattle Mariners lineup. Yes, even when Endy Chavez is the DH. "How about Endy?" McClendon said. "That was a pretty good swing." Chavez homered for the first time in more than a year and Seattles bullpen was again stellar behind starter Chris Young in the Mariners 3-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night. Chavez singled and scored in the first inning, then ended the night for Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer with a solo home run into the right-field seats with one out in the seventh. It was Chavezs first homer since May 30, 2013, at San Diego, a span of 265 plate appearances. "It feels great, especially in a tight game," Chavez said. "Im glad to hit a home run in that situation and put us in a better situation to win the game." Kyle Seager had two hits, including an RBI single, to continue his hot hitting at home. Brad Miller also added an RBI single as Seattle won for the sixth time in seven games. Seager is hitting .613 in his past eight home games, but McClendon continues to be unsatisfied and expecting more from his third baseman. "Hes getting better," McClendon said with a smirk. Fernando Rodney worked the ninth for his 22nd save although it was bumpy. Nick Swisher singled and scored on Michael Bourns two-out single, but Rodney got Asdrubal Cabrera to pop up for the final out. Rodney was the last of five Seattle relievers that allowed three hits and struck out four after Young was lifted. Young (7-4) was done after five innings despite giving up just four hits and one run. The Indians made him work deep into counts and his pitch count was at 91 after five innings. "They made me work and I wasnt as sharp as I wanted to be and I was probably a little lucky tonight. They hit some balls hard right at guys," Young said. "The bullpen came in and did a phenomenal job. Those guys picked me up." Joe Beimel tossed a perfect sixth and Danny Farquhar was solid in the seventh, although the Indians missed a chance to keep the inning alive because of a poor baserunning decision. With two outs, first baseman Logan Morrison booted Bourns grounder with Swisher on first. Swisher never stopped at second, but Morrison recovered and threw him out at third. Cleveland threatened again in the eighth on a two-out walk by Carlos Santana and a double from Jason Kipnis. Charlie Furbush got Lonnie Chisenhall to ground out, ending the inning. "The bullpen has been outstanding. Theyve been unbelievable. You just have complete confidence in all of them," Young said. "Tonight is a perfect example why. They came in, got 12 big outs and we won." Chavez led off the first with an infield single and stole second base with two outs. Seager then dumped a single into centre and Chavez was able to score standing up. The Mariners scored in almost the same way in the fourth. Michael Saunders singled with two outs and advanced to second on a wild pitch before Miller looped a base hit to centre for a 2-1 lead. Chavez provided some cushion with the 29th homer of his career. It was the third straight start in which Bauer (2-4) pitched into the seventh, but he has not finished that inning this season. He threw 111 pitches, below his season high of 119, and gave up nine hits while striking out five. "Early he fought his command a little bit, he didnt work ahead very often," Cleveland manager Terry Francona said. "But as he got into the game, I thought he got much better." NOTES: Seattles bullpen has allowed two earned runs in the past 24 innings. ... Cleveland plans to start LHP T.J. House in Sundays series finale. House still must be recalled from the minors. ... The Indians hope RHP Justin Masterson, scratched from Sundays start with a sore knee, will be able to go Tuesday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. Ty Jerome Jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson said he feels like hes playing the best basketball of his 10-year NBA career. Jevon Carter Suns Jersey . With timely hitting and good pitching, the Marlins are one win away from sweeping the slumping Houston Astros. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Aron-Baynes-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon; a brief, poor outing that served to highlight two trends that have developed this season. Mikal Bridges Jersey . The 41-year-old Northern Irishman has proved a perfect fit at Liverpool since taking over from Kenny Dalglish in the summer of 2012 and steered the team to an unexpected title challenge in the Premier League last season. Shaquille ONeal Jersey . Louis Cardinals pitcher Jaime Garcia will have surgery on his left shoulder this week and is expected to miss the rest of the season.The first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is going out with a bang as for the fifth time in NHL history, three Games 7 will be played on the same day when the New York Rangers host the Philadelphia Flyers, the Colorado Avalanche host the Minnesota Wild (Both games as part of a doubleheader on TSN2 and TSN GO beginning tonight at 7pm et/4pm pt) and the San Jose Sharks take on the Los Angeles Kings. Wayne Simmonds turned in his first career playoff hat trick, Steve Mason was spectacular, and the Flyers lived to fight tonight with a 5-2 throttling of New York that forced a Game 7 on Tuesday night. With their backs squarely to the wall, the Flyers responded with by far their best performance of the series, roaring out to a 4-0 lead through two periods and sending New Yorks star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to the bench after 40 minutes. Simmonds and Mason, who recorded 34 saves, set the tone for a season-saving result which gives Philadelphia a surge of momentum heading into Wednesdays winner-take-all showdown at Madison Square Garden, where the Flyers have prevailed just once in their last 11 visits. Claude Giroux added a goal and an assist for his first multi-point effort of these playoffs, while reserve defenseman Erik Gustafsson also lit the lamp in his series debut. Lundqvist stopped only 19 of 23 shots before being yanked, and the Rangers failed to match their rivals sense of urgency en route to a 12th straight loss in a playoff game they entered with a series lead. The Rangers are 5-0 at home in Games 7, the best record of any team that has played at least three home games. However, the Flyers are 9-6 all-time in Game 7s, the best record of any team that has played at least 10 games overall. This is also the second time the Flyers and Rangers have played a Game 7 against each other. In the 11974 semifinals, the Flyers beat the Rangers, 4-3.dddddddddddd In Denver, the Wild and Avalanche will meet in a seventh and deciding game for the first time since 2003, when the Wild defeated the Avalanche - with then-starting netminder Patrick Roy in goal - in Game 7 of their Western Conference quarterfinal series. In Game 6 on Monday, Zach Parises second goal of the game broke a tie with 6:29 remaining in the third period and the Wild beat the Avalanche 5-2 to even their first-round Western Conference playoff series. Parise had four points and the Wild survived a minute and 48 seconds against an extra skater after Roy pulled goaltender Semyon Varlamov early again - a strategy that has worked twice in the series. With a victory, the Wild will not only advance to Round 2, but will become the only active NHL, NBA or MLB team to go 3-0 all-time in Games 7. In San Jose, the Sharks are in danger of becoming the fourth team in NHL history to blow a 3-0 series lead en route to losing a playoff round when they take on the Kings. Only three teams have ever came back to win a series after dropping the first three games. The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, 1975 New York Islanders and 2010 Philadelphia Flyers are the only clubs to have pulled off the monumental comeback. Alex Stalock, who was in goal for the struggling Antti Niemi on Monday, stopped 26 shots in his first NHL playoff start - a 4-1 loss in Game 6. Niemi will get the call in goal for San Jose in Game 7. "In my mind, if it gets to Game 7, it doesnt matter how it gets there," Sharks forward Logan Couture said on Monday. "It gets there, and youre going for one game. We played all year for the home ice. Im sure our building is going to be loud. Weve got to turn this thing around and win that game." ' ' '