Stars und Sternchen! » will be going to Indianapolis when Russell Martins

PITTSBURGH -- Tony Sanchez knows hes heading back to Triple-A soon enough. The Pittsburgh Pirates backup catcher will be going to Indianapolis when Russell Martins strained left hamstring is healed. Its a reality Sanchez can deal with so long as he makes a contribution while given the chance. At the moment, thats hardly a problem. Sanchez tiebreaking single off Baltimores Ryan Webb in the bottom of the seventh scored Starling Marte to give the Pirates the lead for good in a 9-8 win on Wednesday night. Coming off an embarrassing 9-2 loss on Tuesday and desperately in need of something positive, Sanchez helped Pittsburgh earn a split of the brief two-game interleague set. "Its almost a must win," Sanchez said. "We didnt have a really good road trip. To start off this homestand and go 0-2 it wouldnt have been pretty. Thats huge for me." Andrew McCutchen went 3 for 4 with an RBI and his first two extra-base hits in more than two weeks for Pittsburgh, which won for only the third time in its past nine games. Marte and Ike Davis had three hits and two RBIs apiece for the Pirates. Bryan Morris (4-0) earned the victory after allowing the Orioles to tie the game in the top of the seventh. No biggie. Mark Melancon worked a perfect ninth for his seventh save, one that capped a weird night in which the teams combined for 14 runs in the first two innings while starters Wandy Rodriguez and Chris Tillman took turns getting hit hard. It ended in more orderly fashion after Marte led off the seventh with a bunt single, moved to third on a single by Davis and scored when Sanchez laced a Webb offering into right field. "Its a game-winning hit, hes got a few of them," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Sanchez. "Hes got extreme confidence." Nelson Cruz hit his 14th homer of the season and drove in three runs for the Orioles. Nick Markakis, Chris Davis and JJ Hardy had two hits and one RBI apiece but Baltimore left 10 men on base. "You had two early exits from starters and it became a game out of the bullpen and they pushed one across there late," Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said. "But our guys, we had a couple opportunities to score some more, but I cant fault the offence." Pittsburgh began the night eight games under .500 in part because of a struggling starting staff that has hardly looked like the group that led the team to the post-season last fall. Things didnt get much better, but the bullpen briefly recaptured its touch. Vin Mazzaros worked 3 1-3 innings of hitless relief to steady things after Rodriguez made a mess of things during 1 2-3 poor innings. The veteran left-hander has struggled with his command and his conviction all season and did little to convince Hurdle he was ready to turn the corner despite being spotted a 4-0 first-inning lead thanks in part to a two-run triple by Marte. The 35-year-old Rodriguez, in the final year of his contract, promptly gave the big lead away as Cruz led off the second a blistering solo home run and added a two-run double later in the inning to put the Orioles in front. Rodriguezs throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Tillman meant he was only charged with one earned run for his 1 2-3 innings of work, dropping his ERA from 6.84 to 6.75. Hurdle said it was too early to discuss whether Rodriguez would make his next start, though Rodriguez insists hes healthy after missing time early this season with a left knee injury. Tillman couldnt take advantage of the reprieve. Coming off a shutout win over Kansas City in his previous start, Tillman only managed to get three outs. He failed to retire a batter in the second as the first six Pittsburgh batters reached base. Brad Brach came on in relief to get out of the inning, but not until after the Orioles trailed 8-6. NOTES: Pirates closer Jason Grilli could return as early as Saturday. Grilli has been on the disabled list since sustaining a left oblique strain on April 20. He threw 20 pitches in a simulated game on Tuesday without incident ... The Orioles sent LHP Wei-Yin Chen back to Baltimore ahead of the team on Wednesday as a precaution due to concerns over weather in Pittsburgh. Chen (5-2, 3.69 ERA) is scheduled to start on Thursday against Cleveland. ... The Pirates begin a four-game series with Washington on Thursday. Edinson Volquez (1-4, 4.71) starts for the Pirates against Washingtons Blake Treinen (0-1, 0.77). Tiger Williams Jersey . -- Clayton Kershaw and Hyun-Jin Ryu will be the Dodgers starting pitchers in their two-game season-opening series in Australia against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Dave Keon Jersey .That sight softened the blow of what ended up as a 4-3 shootout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night.Knowing their teammate was fine after a scary headfirst fall in the opening minute of the game helped calm the Maple Leafs. http://www.officialmapleleafspro.com/John-tavares-maple-leafs-jersey/ .com) - The NBA will be on display overseas Thursday with the New York Knicks taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at O2 Arena in London. Grant Fuhr Jersey . Third-place Madrid fell behind and settled for a 2-2 draw earlier at Osasuna in a match both sides finished with 10 men, and Barcelona didnt let the chance escape. Barcelona, still without the injured Lionel Messi, again turned to Neymar after his hat trick against Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday to convert a penalty on the half-hour mark and restore the lead in the 68th after Villarreal levelled. Felix Potvin Jersey . Erik Cole scored on a breakaway with 4:49 to play, and the Stars rallied to defeat the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Saturday night.NEW YORK, N.Y. - A base hit in his final at-bat brought tears to Bobby Abreus eyes.Abreu bid goodbye to the big leagues with a single that sparked the decisive rally, and the New York Mets beat Houston 8-3 Sunday as Jose Altuve became the first Astros player to win a batting title.Special, said Abreu, who was out of the majors last year. The way that I wanted to end it a€” on the field.Lucas Duda homered and drove in four runs, Bartolo Colon reached 15 wins for the eighth time and the Mets finished tied with Atlanta for second in the NL East, their highest spot in the standings since 2008. New York (79-83) won its last two games to improve by five wins over consecutive 74-88 records the previous two years.Altuve talked his way into the lineup and wrapped up the American League batting crown with two more hits.Initially benched by the Astros to protect his lead, the pint-sized All-Star reiterated his desire to play and the team complied, revealing he was added to the starting lineup in a Twitter post about 35 minutes before the first pitch.The mini-saga made for a bizarre morning at Citi Field, but Altuve was hardly affected at the plate. He went 2 for 4 with a ground-rule double and a run-scoring infield single, ending the season with 225 hits and a .341 average a€” both best in the majors.In the clubhouse afterward, the Astros toasted Altuve with champagne poured into plastic cups. He posed for pictures with several teammates and autographed bats for them.Altuve began the day with a three-point lead over Detroit slugger Victor Martinez, who went 0 for 3 and finished at .335.I think this is way better than just sitting on the bench and waiting for something, Altuve said. If you want to win something, youve got to win it on the field.Houston (70-92) improved by 19 wins over last year, the second-best turnaround in the majors behind the Los Angeles Angels.Dudas two-run double off rookie Nick Tropeano (1-3) snapped a fifth-inning tie, moments after Abreu singled to left field in a fitting farewell.After announcing Friday that he planned to retire when the season was over, the 40-year-old Abreu received his first start Sunday since July 25. He got a standing ovation from the crowd of 34,897 following his 2,470th career hit and teared up as he doffed his helmet.Altuve, a fellow Venezuelan, tossed the souvenir ball to Abreu at first base and sidled over for a warm handshake. A choked-up Abreu hugged pinch-runner Eric Young Jr. and headed to the dugout.ddddddddddddI feel really good for him. Hes one of the best players from Venezuela. He played 18 years in the big leagues and he had a really good career, Altuve said.Abreu leads all active players with 574 doubles and 1,476 walks.Just enjoying the moment, he said after the game, still in uniform.Duda hit a two-run shot in a four-run eighth to give him 30 home runs and 92 RBIs in a breakout season.Thats a pretty nice number. Hopefully build on that and take it into next season, he said.Ruben Tejada added a two-run homer of his own.The 41-year-old Colon (15-13) gave up three runs and eight hits in six innings, surpassing 200 innings for the season.Tropeano, who grew up nearby on Long Island, had a large cheering section a€” he figured it numbered more than 100 a€” behind the Houston dugout that chanted his name at times during his fourth major league start.THEN THERE WERE THREESeattle/Milwaukee, Arizona and Tampa Bay remain the only teams in the majors without a batting champion.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: Chris Carter sat out in favour of 1B Jon Singleton and finished the season with 37 homers and 88 RBIs.Mets: OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis was still in the hospital with an infection and was scheduled to have more tests, manager Terry Collins said. ... RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka said he wants to be a starting pitcher next season, but he hasnt thought about whether that might be in the majors or Japan. Collins said he thinks all the roles Matsuzaka was used in this season probably took its toll on his elbow, but he never complained. I dont think theres any question Dice has still got some innings in him, Collins said.NUMBERS GAMEThe Mets drew 2,148,808 fans this season, an average of 26,860 over 80 home dates. That was up from their 2013 total of 2,135,657 and average of 26,696, also for 80 dates. Before this year, New Yorks home attendance had decreased for six consecutive seasons, a first in franchise history.ALL IN THE FAMILYIt was Casey Stengel bobblehead day at Citi Field, and four generations of the late managers family were on hand, according to the SNY broadcast. Stengel managed the expansion Mets in 1962, four years before he was inducted into the Hall of Fame. His grand-niece, Toni Mollett Harsh, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.STINGY STAFFNew York allowed 618 runs this year, the fewest for the club in a full season since giving up 613 in 1990. Mets relievers had a 0.59 ERA in the last 11 games. 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