Cubs fire manager Dale Sveum after 2 seasons

Theo Epstein is proud of the talent in the Chicago Cubs' minor league system. The president of baseball operations thinks Dale Sveum is going to be a successful manager one day.

He just doesn't think Sveum is the right guy to help all those prospects become successful major leaguers.

The Cubs fired Sveum on Monday after finishing last in the NL Central for the first time in seven years, ending a two-year run that produced more losses than any other stretch in the team's cursed history.

''It's absolutely imperative that we create the best environment possible for young players to come up here, continue to learn, continue to develop and thrive at the big league level and win, ultimately,'' Epstein said during an afternoon news conference. ''And that's not an easy thing to do.

''A big part of the reason why we're here today is because we took a good hard look at that and we decided that we needed to try to get it right before they come up.''

Sveum was among Epstein's first hires after the executive came over from the Boston Red Sox in 2011. He had little experience as a manager when he agreed to take the job, and he knew the Cubs were at the very beginning of a top-to-bottom overhaul that they hoped would transform them into perennial contenders.

He just thought he would get more time to make it work.

''You come in and you get a job like this and you want to see it through and so you're very disappointed you didn't get to really get anything started,'' Sveum said in a parking lot outside Wrigley Field.

Sveum, who had one year left on his contract, said he thought he was fine before Epstein said during Chicago's trip to Milwaukee in mid-September that the manager was being evaluated.

''That was about when things got started,'' Sveum said.

While praising Sveum's time in Chicago and his growth with the Cubs, Epstein disputed the notion that the manager was blindsided by the move. He said Sveum had been aware of some concern in the front office for some time.

''We met shortly after the All-Star break, a long meeting, a long, difficult, brutally honest meeting where we explained the areas where we felt like we needed to see improvement,'' Epstein said. ''We told him, 'We are meeting with you because for the first time there are some concerns about whether you're the long-term guy and you deserve to hear that feedback from us and you deserve the second half of the season to work on those areas.'''

Epstein said he also talked to Sveum before he made his comments in Milwaukee and let him know there were still discussions going on in the front office about whether he would be retained for next season.

In the end, they decided to make a change.

Chicago went 61-101 in Sveum's first season, and then stumbled down the stretch in 2013 while some of its best players were traded away for prospects. The Cubs dropped 41 of their final 59 games, including six of their final seven, finishing with a 66-96 record.

But it looks as if wins and losses were not a major factor in Sveum's dismissal. Shortstop Starlin Castro and first baseman Anthony Rizzo, two key young players who have long-term contracts, each took a step back this year. Pitcher Jeff Samardzija also had an uneven season.

Talented prospects such as Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora and Kris Bryant are on the way, and Epstein made it clear that providing the right atmosphere for those players was a key issue when it came to Sveum's dismissal.

''Not in all cases, there were some good results this year, some young players emerged, but there were other young players who didn't continue to develop this year,'' Epstein said. ''That's a collective issue, but it's my responsibility to get it right.''

Sveum, who played a role in the development of sluggers Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun when he was a coach in Milwaukee, said he was looking forward to managing those prospects when they got to the majors.

''Being here when all these players got here, that's the biggest disappointment, if anything,'' said Sveum, who isn't sure what he's going to do next season. ''You didn't get a chance to see it through.''

Epstein said previous managing experience will be a point of emphasis in their search, and he plans to complete the process before the general manager meetings in early November.

Sveum's dismissal likely will ramp up speculation surrounding the status of Yankees manager Joe Girardi, a Peoria, Ill., native who played college ball at nearby Northwestern. The former Cubs catcher just completed the final season of his contract with New York, but he downplayed his connection to Chicago over the weekend.

''There's not as much there as there used to be,'' Girardi said.

With the Cubs focusing on the future and dealing anyone with trade value in an effort to build the farm system, losses have been piling up at a staggering rate even for a franchise that last won a championship in 1908. The Cubs have dropped at least 91 games in three straight seasons for the first time, and they appear to be at least a year or two from making any jump in the win column.

Despite those problems and Sveum's short stint in charge, Epstein doesn't think he will have to sell the manager opening to any potential candidate.

''We know exactly what we're looking for and I think we're going to find it,'' he said.

Belichick: Vince Wilfork likely will miss rest of season

New England Patriots defensive tackle Vince Wilfork is transported out 

of the Georgia Dome after he was injured during the second half of an NFL 

football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Monday, Sept. 30, 2013, in 

Atlanta. The Patriots won 30-23.

Vince Wilfork was pursuing a play when he planted his right foot, dropped to the ground and probably ended his season.

''It doesn't look too good for Vince,'' New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Monday on WEEI radio. ''I think he's got a pretty serious injury and it's probably unlikely that he'll be able to play again this year.''

The Boston Globe reported that the star defensive tackle tore his right Achilles tendon in Sunday's 30-23 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Belichick did not specify the injury. Wilfork's agent, Kennard McGuire, did not respond to requests for comment.

At his news conference earlier Monday, Belichick said he didn't know much about Wilfork's injury or whether he would miss most or all of the remaining games. He said he hadn't met yet with medical personnel.

But as the injuries to key Patriots players pile up - Wilfork is a five-time Pro Bowl selection - so do the victories.

They're 4-0 despite missing one of the NFL's best tight ends, Rob Gronkowski, for all those games, as he recovers from forearm and back surgery, and their top wide receiver, Danny Amendola, for the last three with a groin injury.

''We always talk about next man up. We have a lot of talented guys on our team,'' linebacker Jerod Mayo said. ''Guys really stepped up and played well for us. We ended up getting the victory.''

When Wilfork left, undrafted rookie Joe Vellano stepped in and got a sack. And Chris Jones, cut by Houston and Tampa Bay after the Texans drafted him in the sixth round this year, saw his first action with the Patriots. So they're thin at defensive tackle behind the other starter, Tommy Kelly.

''He has good instincts, kind of has a nose for the ball and a good feel for what's going on,'' Belichick said of Vellano. ''He's still got a long way to go but definitely making progress.''

Jones, he said, is ''just overall getting familiar with what we do, our calls, his assignments, block reactions. All those kind of things have gotten better over the last couple weeks.''

But no one plays quite like Wilfork, a defensive captain Belichick calls ''a great leader.'' His 325-pound frame demands double teams, opening up space for teammates to make tackles. And he's been very healthy, until now.

Sunday's game was the 166th of his career, including the postseason. He's played in 160 and started 148.

''Obviously, Vince has been a staple for a long time,'' said Mayo, another defensive captain. ''He rarely goes out with injuries so it was very shocking and surprising to see my friend go down like that.''

Wilfork was hurt on the 10th play of the Falcons' opening series. He was blocked lightly by left guard Justin Blalock, who then ran to his left to block on a pass to Julio Jones. Wilfork changed direction to run toward the action when his right leg gave way. The Patriots said he had an ankle injury, and he didn't return.

On the sideline, Tom Brady talked with Wilfork, then patted him on the shoulder. A short time later, Wilfork was sitting on the back of a cart, his right leg bare below the knee, with Dr. Thomas Gill, the team physician, by his side as they headed off the field.

Wilfork's absence lightens the load for opposing offensive linemen.

''He's not only strong and powerful, but he is also quick for a man his size, and he's a smart player,'' Patriots left guard Logan Mankins said. ''He takes on double teams so well. He just engulfs linemen. In pass protection, he just pushes the pocket. He is always collapsing inside, and that helps the edge rush. So, he just does so many things for us, and does it so good.''

Now Belichick must get along without that massive force in the middle.

''Clearly, there are no Vince Wilforks just standing around out there on the corner waiting to sign with the Patriots or some other NFL team,'' he said on WEEI. ''He is a special player, one of the very best at his position.''

Nelson Cruz reinstated and back in Rangers lineup

Nelson Cruz fit right back in with the Texas Rangers after completing his 50-game drug suspension.

The All-Star slugger was reinstated from the restricted list Monday by the Rangers, who immediately put him in their lineup. Cruz batted sixth as the designated hitter for the AL wild-card tiebreaker game against Tampa Bay.

''I feel really confident right now,'' Cruz said before the game. ''I'm going to enjoy this moment. Happy to be back. Happy to be with my teammates. It's a blessing to see the reception they gave me.''

Cruz got a warm ovation from Rangers fans when he was introduced before the game, and again when he came to bat for the first time in the second inning. After swinging late on a couple of fastballs from David Price, Cruz lined out to first base.

It was the first major league game for Cruz since Aug. 4. That was the day before his suspension stemming from Major League Baseball's investigation of the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic, accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.

Cruz was among 14 players disciplined by MLB this year in the Biogenesis case. Only Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez appealed his suspension.

The return of Cruz came eight weeks to the day he was suspended. He has acknowledged publicly that he made ''an error in judgment'' in the wake of a gastrointestinal infection that wasn't properly diagnosed over a few months before he reported to spring training in 2012. Cruz lost 40 pounds during that time. He has never offered more specifics.

After serving his penalty, Cruz is ready to move forward and focus on the field.

''I think I've been doing a pretty good job,'' he said. ''Whatever is going outside of baseball, just keep it outside.''

Cruz seemed at ease during batting practice, when he hit a few balls over the walls in a session he described as being ''OK. It wasn't like great.'' He was planning to take more cuts in the indoor batting cage.

Rays manager Joe Maddon expressed no issue with Cruz being eligible.

''My job is to get my players ready. He's served his punishment, and he's eligible to play. I can't worry about that. I spend most of my energy on things like the bullpen,'' Maddon said. ''We just played A-Rod at home.''

Texas designated outfielder Joey Butler for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

The Rangers won their last seven scheduled games of the regular season and needed every one of those victories to force the first wild-card tiebreaker in the majors since 2007.

A 163rd regular-season game provided a chance for the return of Cruz. Before flying to Texas on Saturday night, he had been playing games against mostly minor leaguers and prospects in the Arizona Instructional League.

Cruz finished 9 for 27 with five doubles, a homer and nine RBIs in eight games in Arizona.

Once Cruz told manager Ron Washington that he felt good and was loose, the slugger was back in the lineup.

''He said he was ready to go. I didn't talk to anyone in (Arizona). I know Nelson Cruz,'' Washington said. ''If you throw something in the wrong spot, I expect to jump up and down. ... It's the threat, it's the presence, it's what he does for everybody else just being in that lineup.''

General manager Jon Daniels said Cruz kept himself ready to play ''as good as you can.'' Daniels said the at-bats got batter during that time and that Cruz was swinging the bat well.

''All along, we knew we're probably a better club with him available,'' Daniels said.

The Rangers were 29-21 without Cruz, who hit .269 with 27 homers and 76 RBIs in 108 games before his suspension.

Washington opted to have Cruz as the designated hitter for his return rather than put him in the outfield. The Rangers stuck with hot-hitting Craig Gentry in left, Leonys Martin in center and Alex Rios in right. Rios was acquired from the Chicago White Sox four days after Cruz was suspended.

''The way those three guys out there have been running balls down, I'm not changing that right now,'' Washington said. ''We'll use Nelson's bat, and his threat.''

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 30TH

1659 - Peter Stuyvesant of New Netherlands forbids tennis playing 

during religious services (First mention of tennis in US).

1904 - White Sox lefty Doc White, pitches his 5th shutout in 18 days.

1926 - Robin Roberts, pitcher (Phillies, Won 28 in 1952) is born.

1927 - Babe Ruth hits record setting 60th HR (off Tom Zachary).

1932 - Johnny Podres, American baseball player (d. 2008) is born.
1934 - Babe Ruth's final game as a Yankee, goes 0 for 3.

1939 - 1st televised College Football game (Fordham vs Waynesburg at NYC).
1939 - White Sox reliever Clint Brown sets record of 61st relief appearance.
1947 - Yanks beat Dodgers 5-3-largest WS crowd 73,365-1st WS televised.
1956 - Phillies Robin Roberts gives up a major league record 46th HR.

1956 - White Sox Jim Derrington, 16, is youngest to start a game (he loses).

1962 - NY Mets lose record 120th game as Cubs turn triple play & beat NY 5-1.
1968 - AL & NL umpires form a new Association of Major League Umpires.

1973 - Mel Gray begins NFL streak of 121 consecutive game receptions.

1979 - Milwaukee Brewers lose 5-0 ending 213 straight games without a shutout.

1980 - A's Rickey Henderson sets AL stolen base record at 98 en route to 100.

1980 - Martina Hingis, Kosice Slovakia, tennis star 

(1997 Australian/US/Wimbledon) is born.
1981 - Dominique Moceanu, California, gymnast 

(World-silver-95, Olympics-gold-96) is born.

1984 - California Angels Michael Witt is 11th to pitch a perfect 

baseball game defeating the Texas Rangers 1-0.
1984 - Bowie Kuhn ends career as Baseball Commissioner.

1989 - Nolan Ryan's perfect game broken in 8th, but gets his 300th strikeout.

1990 - Chicago White Sox beat Seattle 2-1 in last game at Comiskey Park.

1997 - Yankees Tim Raines, Derek Jeter & Paul O'Neill are 1st to hit 3 

consecutively homers in post season (Yanks beat Indians 8-6).

1998 - Dan Quisenberry, American baseball player (b. 1953) dies of brain cancer.

Lions score 27 in 2nd quarter, beat Bears 40-32

Reggie Bush was worried about how his banged-up left knee would hold up in his return.

As it turned out, the Chicago Bears had plenty of concerns about the speedy, dual-threat running back they couldn't slow down.

Bush's 37-yard touchdown run helped Detroit score 27 points in the second quarter and he accounted for 173 yards of offense to help the Lions beat Chicago 40-32 Sunday.

''I was a little nervous,'' Bush said of his knee after missing a game with the injury.

Detroit (3-1) moved into a first-place tie with Chicago (3-1) in the NFC North.

Bush had a season-high 139 yards rushing and a score on 18 carries, mostly up the middle as he took advantage of running lanes created against a line without defensive tackle Henry Melton.

''We felt like we could dominate the line of scrimmage in this game, especially after they lost a key player to injury,'' he said.

The Lions scored 24 straight points, including three TDs in a span of 3 minutes, 26 seconds, after Matt Forte's 53-yard TD run gave the Bears 10-6 lead early in the second quarter.

Detroit led 40-16 early in the fourth quarter and ended up needing that cushion.

Jay Cutler, who had four turnovers, threw a pair of touchdown passes and 2-point conversions in the final 4 minutes to pull Chicago within eight points. Lions receiver Kris Durham recovered the onside kick to seal the win.

''There are no moral victories, but I thought our guys played tough for the last 30 minutes of that game,'' Chicago coach Mark Trestman said.

Detroit had a big lead to work with thanks to positive plays it got from each facet of the game.

Micheal Spurlock's 57-yard punt return set up Matthew Stafford's go-ahead TD with 6:09 left in the first half, when he recovered his own fumble on a 1-yard sneak. Stafford threw a 2-yard TD to Calvin Johnson on the Lions' next possession, one play after safety Glover Quin returned Cutler's second interception for 42 yards.

''This wasn't a one-man victory,'' Stafford said.

Bush, though, just as he did in his Detroit debut in a Week 1 win over Minnesota, was the star of the day.

He burst through a huge hole and hurdled safety Major Wright to give the Lions a 30-10 lead, their highest scoring first half in franchise history against Chicago, showing they didn't miss Nate Burleson very much. Burleson, the team's No. 2 receiver, broke his left arm in a one-car accident last Tuesday.

Stafford completed 23 of 35 passes for 242 yards with a TD, an interception and a lost fumble.

Cutler hurt the Bears opportunity to come back late in the third quarter when an up-for-grabs pass was picked off by safety Louis Delmas, who had two interceptions for the first time in his five-year career.

Stafford, though, turned the ball over again to give Chicago a chance - briefly. His low pass intended for Johnson inside the Bears 10 was kicked up in the air and intercepted by Wright.

Three snaps later, Ndamukong Suh sacked Cutler for a second time and forced a fumble that fellow defensive tackle Nick Fairley recovered and returned 4 yards for a score that put Detroit up 37-16 late in the third.

Cutler entered the game with a 7-1 record with the Bears against the Lions in large part because he had thrown only one interception.

He tripled that total in one afternoon, fumbled for a fourth turnover and was sacked three times after being taken down that many times combined in three games this season.

''Any quarterback, you hit him enough times, I'm sure they'll get rattled,'' Fairley said. ''I think we hit him enough times to rattle him, but he didn't show it.''

Cutler, who was 27 of 47 for 317 yards, rallied with a 14-yard TD pass to Alshon Jeffery with 4 minutes left and a 2-yard conversion pass to the same receiver that pulled Chicago within 16 points.

''I felt good about my decision making,'' he said. ''I just missed some throws.''

Cutler connected on some more later, but it was too late. He threw a 10-yard TD pass to Earl Bennett with 43 seconds left and found Brandon Marshall for a 2-point conversion that made it 40-32, making a game that was lopsided for much of the game appear to be close.

''Three picks and a fumble, it's hard to come back from,'' Cutler acknowledged.

Team Comparison

Team		Record	Standings	PF	PA	Road/Home	NFC	AFC	DIV	Streak
	Detroit	3-1-0	1st NFC North	122	101	2-0-0 Home	3-1-0	0-0-0	2-0-0	W 2
	Chicago	3-1-0	2nd NFC North	127	114	1-1-0 Road	1-1-0	2-0-0	1-1-0	L 1

Indians clinch wild card with 5-1 win over Twins

Cleveland Indians' Michael Bourn, right, welcomes Nick 

Swisher, left, at home plate after they both scored on Swisher's 

2 RBI home run off Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Scott 

Diamond (58) during the first inning of an MLB American 

League baseball game in Minneapolis, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013

As he dived through the clubhouse on a makeshift slip-and-slide drenched with beer and champagne, a euphoric Nick Swisher could only think about how far his Cleveland Indians had come, and how quickly they got there.

They staggered into September on a five-game skid that had them all but finished in the AL playoff picture and entered the final two weeks of the season essentially needing to win every game to scratch their way into the postseason. And they did just that.

Cleveland earned its first postseason berth since 2007, beating the Minnesota Twins 5-1 Sunday to clinch an AL wild card as Ubaldo Jimenez tied a career high with 13 strikeouts.

Swisher homered in the first inning for the Indians, who became the first major league team to win its final 10 regular-season games since the 1971 Baltimore Orioles finished with 11 straight victories, according to STATS.

''The way we've been playing as of late, talk about starting pitching, talk about clutch hitting from our guys,'' a goggled Swisher hollered amid the celebration. ''I'm telling you, we're bringing that wild card game back to the 216 and that place is going to be packed out and rockin', baby!''

Cleveland will host Tampa Bay or Texas, who will play a tiebreaker on Monday, in the one-game AL wild-card playoff on Wednesday night.

Jimenez (13-9) gave up one run and five hits in 6 2-3 innings for the Indians, the first team to sweep seven four-game series in one regular season since the 1943 St. Louis Cardinals. After the final out, Cleveland players mobbed each other on the diamond in a jubilant celebration.

''I'm so crazy about this group of guys,'' first-year manager Terry Francona said. ''From ownership to baseball ops to the clubhouse guys, to be able to stand here and say the Indians are going to the playoffs, I'm so proud of everybody.''

Scott Diamond (6-13) gave up four runs - two earned - and seven hits for the Twins (66-96).

Carlos Santana and Yan Gomes also drove in runs for the Indians, who entered with a one-game lead over Tampa Bay and Texas. If the Indians had lost Sunday and the Rays and Rangers won, two days of tiebreaker games would have been needed to determine the wild cards.

Jimenez and the Indians wanted no part of that.

After giving up a leadoff single to Alex Presley in the first, the right-hander retired 17 straight. He was on a run of five strikeouts in a row when he walked Presley with two outs in the sixth and gave up a single to Brian Dozier. But Jimenez threw a called third strike past Trevor Plouffe to end the threat. Jimenez went 4-0 with a 1.09 ERA and 51 strikeouts in six September starts.

''It's really good,'' Jimenez said. ''We're going to start that game knowing we have played really good lately. We're going to be bringing everything we have, especially (because) it's only a one-game playoff. Anything can happen. Definitely we have a lot of confidence right now. Hopefully we get that game.''

Swisher's two-run homer landed just over the flower bed in left field in the first inning and the Indians tacked on two more in the sixth thanks in part to throwing errors by shortstop Pedro Florimon and Diamond.

Cleveland lost at least 93 games in three of the previous four seasons. But the Indians increased their wins total by 24 games this year behind a strong pitching staff and Francona, a rejuvenated manager who has found a home in Cleveland after a messy end to his tenure in Boston in 2011. Their 21-6 record in September is the best in the majors, and they feasted on a soft schedule.

The Indians won 15 of their last 17 games, beating up on the White Sox, Royals, Astros and Twins, but they're not apologizing.

''We needed every one of them,'' general manager Chris Antonetti said. ''We never set any limits on what we can do as a team. It's been really fulfilling to see how we've come together and it's a testament to this group of guys and the way they've continually picked each other up. It's a really resilient group that had some tough stretches but always rebounded. It's been fun to see.''

And it's not over yet.

''I just hope we get to keep playing,'' Francona said. ''We don't want to go home.''

Rangers force AL wild-card tiebreaker, beat Angels

Texas Rangers' Geovany Soto (8) is congratulated by Ian 

Kinsler, right, at the dugout entrance after Soto scored 

on a Craig Gentry single in the fifth inning of a baseball 

game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, Sept. 29, 

2013, in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers' A.J. Pierzynski 

also scored on the single by Gentry.

The Texas Rangers forced a one-game tiebreaker for the second AL wild-card spot, winning their seventh in a row Sunday when Geovany Soto hit a tiebreaking RBI double and later homered to beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-2.

The Rangers (91-71) added game No. 163 to the regular season, and will host Tampa Bay on Monday night. The winner plays two days later at wild card leader Cleveland in another win-or-be-done matchup.

About the same time Tampa Bay wrapped up its 7-6 win at Toronto to necessitate a victory by the Rangers to keep playing, Craig Gentry hit a two-run single in the fifth for a 2-1 lead.

Los Angeles quickly tied the game against major league strikeout leader Yu Darvish in the sixth, but the Rangers went ahead to stay in the bottom half on Soto's two-out double.

Adrian Beltre and Soto added solo homers in the eighth. It was Beltre's 30th and the ninth for Soto, who has become the primary catcher for Darvish.

The Angels (78-84) finished with a losing record for only the second time in 10 seasons after being swept in a four-game series at Texas for the first time since June 1978.

Neal Cotts (8-3) replaced Darvish in the sixth and allowed the tying hit, but struck out Howie Kendrick for the inning-ending out with runners on first and third.

Robbie Ross, Tanner Scheppers and Joe Nathan each pitched a scoreless inning after that.

When the Rangers started their game, Tampa Bay already led 7-0 at Toronto. Then Mike Trout homered to put the Angels up 1-0.

Darvish struck out eight in 5 2-3 innings. But for the sixth time this season, and second game in a row, Darvish immediately gave up the lead a half-inning after the Rangers went ahead.

The right-hander from Japan finished with a majors-leading 277 strikeouts, the most since Randy Johnson had 290 for Arizona in 2004. The last AL pitcher with more was Pedro Martinez with 284 for Boston in 2000.

After Darvish walked Kole Calhoun with one out in the second, manager Ron Washington, pitching coach Mike Maddux, a trainer and Darvish's interpreter all went to the mound. It was a quick visit, and the pitcher was apparently OK.

Darvish retired the next 11 batters in a row through the end of the fifth, before the trouble in the sixth.

A.J. Pierzynski had a leadoff double in the fifth and Soto walked before an errant pickoff throw by Jason Vargas (9-8) moved both of them up a base. They scored on a single up the middle by Gentry, the No. 8 hitter who is 17 for 36 in his last 10 games.

There was a reverse double play in the Angels sixth - J.B. Shuck hit a grounder to second baseman Ian Kinsler, who ran back Andrew Romine before throwing to first baseman Mitch Moreland, who had to make a quick throw to shortstop Elvis Andrus to tag out Romine. But Darvish then gave up a single to Erick Aybar and walked Trout on four pitches.

Cotts, the left-hander whose 1.13 ERA is the lowest ever for a Texas reliever, gave up an tying RBI single to Josh Hamilton, who finished with a 14-game hitting streak - his longest in his Angels debut after the previous five years with the Rangers.

Beltre had a two-out single in the sixth and scored on Soto's go-ahead hit. Gentry led off the seventh with a single and scored on Kinsler's hit.

Marlins' Henderson Alvarez throws odd no-hitter vs Tigers

Miami Marlins starting pitcher Henderson Alvarez, left, and Jose 

Fernandez, right, celebrate Alvarez's no-hitter against the Detroit 

Tigers after an interleague baseball game on Sunday, Sept. 29, 

2013,in Miami. The Marlins won 1-0.

With the bases loaded, two outs and the score 0-0 in the bottom of the ninth, Henderson Alvarez stood in the Miami Marlins' on-deck circle, bat in hand, hoping to complete his no-hitter.

Alvarez had blanked the Detroit Tigers for nine innings - and briefly, mistakenly thought he had pitched a no-hitter. But the Marlins needed a run for him to achieve the feat.

''I was nervous and anxious,'' he said through a translator. ''I started praying, 'Please give us a run.' I was hoping for a wild pitch.''

That's exactly how Miami scored. Giancarlo Stanton crossed the plate standing up when a breaking ball skipped to the backstop, and Alvarez had his no-hitter, beating the Tigers on the final day of the regular season Sunday, 1-0.

Alvarez - who had been due to hit next - took off his batting helmet and began to celebrate with teammates in the on-deck circle while still wearing his batting gloves. When the happy hopping scrum finally broke up, pitcher Jose Fernandez came away holding Alvarez's uniform top.

''They were pulling on my jersey and choking me, so I took it off,'' Alvarez explained.

Later, the 23-year-old Venezuelan went into the stands to hug his pregnant wife and kiss her belly.

Of the 282 no-hitters in history, it was the only one to end on a wild pitch, STATS said. And it was the first walk-off complete-game no-hitter since Virgil Trucks of the Tigers threw one on May 15, 1952 against Washington.

''That's the beauty of baseball,'' Marlins manager Mike Redmond said. ''You never know what you're going to see. On the last day of the season, what a treat.''

Alvarez needed the run for his no-hitter to be official, because a Major League Baseball ruling in 1991 said only complete games of nine or more innings with no hits count as no-hitters.

Alvarez got it when Luke Putkonen's first pitch to pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs was low and inside, eluding catcher Brayan Pena.

Alvarez (5-6) struck out four, walked one and hit a batter against a patchwork Tigers lineup on the last day of the season. When he closed out the top of the ninth, he pumped one fist and then both, thinking the game was over.

He remained confused until he got to the dugout and a teammate explained the situation to him.

''With the emotion and nerves, I didn't realize we hadn't scored a run yet,'' a sheepish Alvarez said. ''At the time I thought the game was 1-0. I threw my hands up and thought the game was over.''

Redmond said he would have sent Alvarez out to pitch the 10th inning, but that wasn't necessary.

The right-hander capped a dismal season for the Marlins, who had the worst record in the NL at 62-100. He pitched the third no-hitter this year, joining Homer Bailey of Cincinnati and Tim Lincecum of San Francisco.

It was the fourth season-ending no-hitter ever, and first since Mike Witt of the Angels threw a perfect game at Texas in 1984. In 1975, Vida Blue and three Oakland relievers combined to no-hit the Angels and in 1892, Bumpus Jones of Cincinnati did it against Pittsburgh, STATS said.

With the Tigers' playoff slot settled, they rested four starters and had pulled three others by the seventh inning. Miguel Cabrera, who won his third consecutive batting title, never stepped to the plate.

The Tigers' postseason assignment was determined before the weekend, and they'll start a division series at Oakland on Friday. Prior to the game, Tigers manager Jim Leyland acknowledged he and his players were already thinking ahead.

''I want to play this game, I want to win this game, but I want to get this over with and get home,'' Leyland said. ''Guys are anxious. They want to get to the postseason.''

Alvarez made the Tigers' eagerness work to his advantage.

''He had a lot of movement, and he fed off the fact they were swinging aggressively,'' Redmond said.

Twice the Tigers were robbed of hits by fine defensive plays, including Alvarez's leaping snare of Don Kelly's one-hopper before he threw to first for the second out in the ninth.

Alvarez struck out Matt Tuiasosopo on a 3-2 pitch - his 99th - to end the top of the ninth. Then he needed the help from the Marlins' offense, which is last in the majors in runs.

Stanton singled with one out in the bottom of the ninth against Putkonen (1-3) and took second on a single by Logan Morrison. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch, and they held as Adeiny Hechavarria grounded out to the shortstop.

After Chris Coghlan walked to load the bases, Putkonen's first pitch to Dobbs got away. Stanton scored standing up with his arms raised, and the Marlins mobbed Alvarez.

At last it was official: Alvarez had his no-hitter, the fifth in Marlins' history, and his first since grade school.

Baseball appointed an eight-man committee on statistical accuracy in 1991 that defined no-hitters. That dropped 50 disputed games from the no-hit list.

Alvarez, acquired by the Marlins in a blockbuster trade with Toronto last November, was on the disabled list until early July with right shoulder inflammation. His only previous complete game was May 4, 2012, a six-hit shutout for the Blue Jays against the Angels. He hadn't pitched more than 7 1-3 innings this season, and the no-hitter came in his 58th career start.

The Tigers came close to a hit several times. Shortstop Hechavarria caught Ramon Santiago's liner in the third with an acrobatic leap. Detroit pitcher Justin Verlander, who is 0 for 27 lifetime, hit a drive to right field that landed foul by a couple of feet in the sixth inning.

''You need to have a little luck to throw a no-hitter,'' Redmond said, ''and we definitely had that today.''

Alvarez hit Prince Fielder in the back with a breaking pitch with two out in the first inning, then retired 12 batters in a row before Jose Iglesias reached on an error by Hechavarria in the fifth.

Alvarez retired another 12 in a row before he walked Andy Dirks on four pitches with two out in the ninth.

Verlander struck out 10 in six scoreless innings in his final tuneup for the playoffs. The Tigers right-hander allowed only three hits - but three more than Alvarez.

''He threw a heck of a ballgame,'' Verlander said. ''To do something like that is pretty impressive.''

The previous pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the Marlins' 21-year history was Anibal Sanchez - now with the Tigers - who did it in 2006 against Arizona. Sanchez watched from the visitors' dugout as his fellow Venezuelan celebrated the feat.

''It was great to be a part of such an exciting moment for this guy,'' Sanchez said. ''He threw a great game, and I'm really excited he did that.''

The last time the Tigers were no-hit was July 26, 2010, when Tampa Bay's Matt Garza beat them 5-0.

''I knew I was pitching a no-hitter early in the game, that it was a gem,'' Alvarez said. ''I really wanted to finish it.''

USC fires Lane Kiffin; Orgeron is interim coach

Southern California fired Lane Kiffin early Sunday morning, ending the coach's tumultuous tenure a few hours after the Trojans lost 62-41 at Arizona State.

Ed Orgeron was picked as USC's interim head coach by athletic director Pat Haden, who dismissed Kiffin at the airport following the Trojans' flight home. USC (3-2, 0-2 Pac-12) has eight games left under Orgeron, Kiffin's assistant head coach and the former Mississippi head coach.

''It's never the perfect time to do these things, but I thought it was the right time,'' Haden said.

Haden fired Kiffin in a 3 a.m. meeting at the Trojans' private airport terminal, but not before a 45-minute chat in which Kiffin tried to change Haden's mind.

Haden didn't hire Kiffin, but had been firmly behind the coach until Saturday, when the Trojans matched the most points allowed in school history. The loss was the seventh in 11 games for a high-profile program still struggling under the cumulative effect of NCAA sanctions.

''He did a lot of things well under some very difficult circumstances here,'' Haden said. ''No one could have worked harder. He did a lot of the things we asked. Graduated players, never had compliance issues ... and he really worked under some very difficult NCAA sanctions, there's no doubt about it.''

USC must finish an already disappointing season without Kiffin while looking for another coach to reboot its proud program. The Trojans are off this week before returning Oct. 10 at the Coliseum against Arizona.

Kiffin went 28-15 in parts of four seasons in his self-described dream job, but USC is 0-2 in conference play for the first time since 2001 after losses to Arizona State and Washington State - and the record only partly captures the discontent of USC's fans and alumni.

The Trojans were unimpressive on offense even in their three victories this season, stoking discontent around a school with sky-high expectations despite the tail end of heavy NCAA penalties stemming from coach Pete Carroll's tenure.

Kiffin received withering criticism for persisting in calling the Trojans' offensive plays himself well into the school's second straight poor offensive season. The Trojans lost their home opener 10-7 to the unheralded Cougars earlier this month, and Coliseum fans serenaded USC repeatedly with chants of ''Fire Kiffin!''

USC has been in a slow tailspin since going 10-2 and beating Oregon in 2011, the last year of its bowl ban. After starting as the preseason No. 1 last year, the Trojans finished 7-6 and out of the rankings, followed by this season's disappointments.

''I think it could easily be asked, 'Why not last year after the 7-6 season?''' Haden said. '''What do you know now that you didn't know after a 7-6 season?' The rationale was the prior year, Lane had won 10 games. We thought, and (were) hoping that last year was an aberration. We felt we could rebound, make some changes, and indeed, Lane did. ... But at the end of the day, we just weren't making the progress I felt we needed to make.''

The firing comes less than five months after Haden said Kiffin had ''been as good as he can be'' in the face of USC's sanctions. Before this season began, Haden said he was ''100 percent'' behind the embattled Kiffin.

''We support our coaches 100 percent until they're no longer our coaches,'' Haden said. ''Why would you support a coach 85 percent?''

The 52-year-old Orgeron went 10-25 in three seasons at Ole Miss, but that failed tenure did little to diminish his stature as a bulldog recruiter and defensive line coach. He coached alongside Kiffin at Tennessee before following his friend back to USC.

Orgeron, a Louisiana native with a thick Cajun accent, might sound a bit out of place in Los Angeles, but he's a popular assistant coach and a USC devotee after 11 years over two tenures at the school.

''It's an unfortunate day today that a coach got let go, but we understand the circumstances,'' Orgeron said. ''I want to tell you we're here as a staff to answer the bell. We're all accountable for what happened as a staff and as players. Us Trojans know how to do it.''

Orgeron said Clay Helton will be his offensive coordinator and the Trojans' play-caller. Helton, USC's quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator, has been with the Trojans since Kiffin returned in 2010.

Most players found out about Kiffin's dismissal by text messages in the middle of the night. The players have the next two days off before returning to practice Wednesday.

''We'll try to move forward now and focus on these next eight games, really bonding as a Trojan family and getting these wins,'' offensive lineman Marcus Martin said.

Like the precocious Kiffin's other two head coaching jobs, his USC tenure had an abrupt, messy exit.

The Trojans' former co-offensive coordinator was an NFL head coach at age 31, a head coach in the Southeastern Conference at 33 and USC's head coach at 34. If there was a consistent trend to those stops with the Oakland Raiders, Tennessee and the Trojans, it was turmoil.

With Oakland, he lasted only 20 games as an overmatched head coach before his departure became a public feud with Al Davis, the late Raiders owner. He then infuriated Volunteers fans when he left after just 14 months to head back to the Trojans.

Former USC athletic director Mike Garrett hired Kiffin away from Tennessee to replace Seattle Seahawks coach Carroll, the architect of USC's dynasty over the previous decade. Kiffin was an assistant under Carroll, eventually running the Trojans' offense alongside Steve Sarkisian, now Washington's coach.

Just a few months after Kiffin took over, USC was hit with the heaviest sanctions leveled against a program in a quarter-century, including a two-year bowl ban and the loss of 30 scholarships over three years. Kiffin had nothing to do with the misdeeds committed under Carroll and Garrett, who was swiftly dismissed and replaced by Haden.

Kiffin still faced enormous expectations at USC - especially last season, when the Trojans started out ranked No. 1 in the country with quarterback Matt Barkley and star receivers Robert Woods and Marqise Lee.

USC wound up falling out of the top 10 by mid-September, and out of the poll entirely by November, ending the season as the first team in nearly a half-century to open No. 1 and finish unranked. USC lost five of its last six games, including the Sun Bowl, and Kiffin parted ways with his father, defensive guru Monte Kiffin.

The scholarship restrictions gradually eroded the Trojans' depth, and last season's struggles clearly hurt the vaunted recruiting power of Kiffin and Orgeron. Between the sanctions and injuries, the Trojans played at Arizona State on Saturday night with 56 recruited scholarship players, well below its limit of 75 and the standard 85.

Kiffin didn't help his navigation of the Trojans' troubles with his standoffish personality and several strange ethical decisions.

Last year, USC was reprimanded by the Pac-12 for underinflating footballs before a loss to Oregon. Kiffin also was criticized for switching jersey numbers on players in an attempt to deceive the Trojans' opponents.

Kiffin even closed USC's practices to the public after years of transparency under Carroll, who embraced USC's tradition of raucous open workouts. The Trojans cited NCAA compliance as the reason for the decision, but it didn't sit well with fans and alumni.

This season, Kiffin also closed his practices to the media. He then dithered on his choice of a starting quarterback, waiting until the third game to select Cody Kessler over Max Wittek.

The offense has been largely terrible this season, but Kiffin was finally undone by another dreadful game by his defense, which had been solid under new coordinator Clancy Pendergast until Arizona State piled up 612 yards.

USC's next game is in 11 days, giving the Trojans time to regroup and heal. USC hasn't announced the severity of a left knee injury for Lee, the Biletnikoff Award winner last year. He is expected to have his knee evaluated later Sunday in Los Angeles.

''It didn't sound very good or look very good,'' Kiffin said after Saturday's game.

Hours later, Lee's health became just one of the huge problems facing USC's storied program.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 29TH

1793 - Tennis is first mentioned in an English sporting magazine.
1890 - First pro baseball game, NY Metropolitans beat 

Washington Nationals 4-2 in 5 innings at Polo Grounds in NYC.

1913 - Wash Senator Walter Johnson wins his 36th game.
1914 - Boston Braves, who were in last place in mid-July, clinch NL pennant.
1915 - Philadelphia Phillies clinch their first pennant.
1920 - Babe Ruth sets then home run season record at 54.

1927 - Babe Ruth ties record by hitting grand slams in consecutive games.

1941 - Million jam downtown Brooklyn to cheer NL champ Dodgers in a parade.
1945 - Cubs clinch NL pennant.

1946 - Los Angeles (previously Cleveland) Rams play first NFL game in LA.
1947 - Former Yank manager Joe McCarthy signs to manage Red Sox.
1947 - Record World Series crowd of 73,365 at Yankee Stadium ($325,828).
1952 - Stan Musial makes his only major league pitching appearance.

1954 - Willie Mays famous over-the-shoulder catch of Vic Wertz' 460' drive.
1956 - "I Love Mickey" by Mickey Mantle & Teresa Brewer peaks at #87.

1957 - NY Giants play & lose their last game at Polo Grounds (9-1 to Pittsburgh).

1963 - Card's Stan Musial's final game, gets his 3,629th & 3,630th hit.

1975 - Casey Stengel, NY Yankee manager (1949-60), dies in Glendale at 85.

1976 - SF Giant John Montefusco no-hits Atlanta Braves, 9-0.
1977 - Eva Shain is first woman to referee a Heavyweight championship.

1979 - Astros' J R Richard strikes out NL season righty record of 313.
1983 - Oakland A's Mike Warren no-hits Chicago White Sox, 3-0.

1986 - Cubs Greg Maddux defeats Phillies Mike Maddux (First rookie brothers).

1989 - A A Busch Jr, brewer/baseball owner (St Louis Cards), dies at 90.

2005 - Chicago White Sox clinch their first division title since 2000 

and become just the 10th team in the history of baseball to be in first place 

on every day of the season.

HAPPY 74TH BIRTHDAY MOM!!

Aaron Murray leads No. 9 Georgia past No. 6 LSU 44-41

Two out of three ain't bad.

Georgia is certainly not complaining.

Aaron Murray threw four touchdown passes, including a 25-yarder to Justin Scott-Wesley with 1:47 remaining, and the No. 9 Bulldogs rallied to beat No. 6 LSU 44-41 in a thrilling game between Southeastern Conference powerhouses Saturday.

The Bulldogs (3-1, 2-0 SEC) completed their opening-month run through a gauntlet of top teams with a victory that propelled them back into the thick of the national championship race.

''We've played some hard teams,'' Scott-Wesley said. ''It just shows we're a great team. We can handle anything anybody throws at us.''

Georgia was only the fourth team since the BCS began in 1998 to face three top 10 teams in the first four games of a season. The Bulldogs opened with a 38-35 non-conference loss to Clemson, but came back to beat South Carolina 41-30 and now the Tigers.

''We've grown up a lot this past month,'' Murray said. ''I think everyone in the nation knows what Georgia football is about now. We're a tough group of guys. We're fighters.''

About 10 minutes after the game, the team ran back on the field to celebrate with their fans along the famed hedges at Sanford Stadium. Coach Mark Richt gave his wife a big kiss and hug.

''I'm just honored to be a part of something like that,'' Richt said.

Now, the Bulldogs are well-positioned to make a run for their third straight SEC East title and trip to the conference championship game.

''We're definitely happy,'' Murray said. ''If had to lose one of these games, obviously Clemson was the one, just because they're in the ACC. Not saying we wanted to lose. Don't get me wrong. But this is huge.''

LSU (4-1, 1-1) got a career-best 372 yards passing from former Georgia quarterback Zach Mettenberger in his return to Athens, and the Tigers went ahead 41-37 on Jeremy Hill's 8-yard touchdown run with 4:14 to go.

But that was plenty of time for Murray and the high-powered Bulldogs on a day when neither defense had much success. He completed three straight passes to quickly move the Bulldogs into LSU territory, and freshman J.J. Green broke off an 18-yard run to the Tigers' 25. Then it was Scott-Wesley, breaking wide open behind the secondary to haul in a pass and tiptoe just inside the pylon for the winning score.

''We have a long road ahead of us to get back to the top,'' Mettenberger said. ''We have to win out.''

Murray ran for Georgia's other touchdown on a sneak and finished with 298 yards passing.

''We all know your quarterback has to play well to win a game like this,'' Richt said. ''Aaron was phenomenal, gutsy, tremendous.''

Murray and Mettenberger were in the same recruiting class at Georgia, contending for the starting job in the spring of 2010. Mettenberger, a native of nearby Watkinsville, grew up cheering for the Bulldogs and dreaming of the day he could wear the red and black.

But his actions off the field cost him his chance.

Mettenberger pleaded guilty to misdemeanor sexual battery charges after an incident in a bar and was kicked off the team. But his ties to Georgia run deep - most notably, his mother, Tammy, still works in football operations for the Bulldogs. Richt gave her the week off because of all the attention surrounding her son.

The former teammates did all that could be expected of them.

Mettenberger had three touchdowns on 23-of-37 passing, continually burning the Bulldogs on third down. He completed a 25-yard pass on Odell Beckham on third-and-22 to improbably extend an LSU drive that led to Hill's go-ahead touchdown.

But Murray delivered the final blow.

''They are both great players,'' Richt said. ''It was incredible how well they played.''

Georgia did plenty of damage on the ground in the first half, but star running back Todd Gurley sustained an apparent left ankle injury on a 25-yard run. He didn't return, watching the second half while wearing a windbreaker and walking boot. Richt wasn't sure how long he'll be out.

The Bulldogs weren't nearly as effective on the ground with Keith Marshall handling the load, but Murray and his receivers took up the slack. Chris Conley had five catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Michael Bennett hauled in a pair of scoring passes.

Georgia finished with 494 yards, though the bulk of those came in a back-and-forth first half that ended with Georgia on top 24-17.

Little-used Kadron Boone had two early touchdown catches for LSU, but Jarvis Landry turned out to be Mettenberger's go-to receiver. The junior had 10 catches for 156 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown that tied the game at 27 late in the third quarter.

Georgia's schedule gets easier the rest of the way, with only one more regular-season game against a team currently in the Top 25 - injury-plagued Florida.

LSU has a much tougher road, with games still remaining against top-ranked Alabama and No. 10 Texas A&M.

''We have a good football team and we have everything in front of us,'' Tiger coach Les Miles said. ''When you play a quality team on the road, you can learn what needs to be corrected.''

No. 14 Oklahoma defeats No. 22 Notre Dame 35-21

Oklahoma finally found a way to beat Notre Dame again.

The 14th-ranked Sooners took advantage of three interceptions, two in the first 3 minutes as they jumped to a 14-0 lead, and Blake Bell passed for two touchdowns to lead the Sooners to a 35-21 victory over the 22nd-ranked Fighting Irish on Saturday.

The win ended a seven-game losing streak to Notre Dame and was just the second in 11 meetings for the Sooners against the Irish, including ending an NCAA-record 47-game winning streak in 1957.

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, an Irish Catholic who grew up in Ohio and downplayed the history aspect all week, conceded the victory was especially gratifying.

''Now that it's happened this way, I'm pleased and I sure am glad for those older Oklahomans that have been through all those games Notre Dame had beaten us. We get some level of satisfaction winning this one,'' he said. ''Who knows when we'll play again? So they can live it up and say, 'We got you' last until we go again.''

The Sooners (4-0) took control with the two interceptions.

Rees didn't see Oklahoma linebacker Eric Striker blitzing and was hit from behind, popping the ball loose, and linebacker Corey Nelson caught it and returned it 24 yards for a TD.

On Notre Dame's next play from scrimmage, Rees' pass ricocheted off the arm of receiver TJ Jones and linebacker Frank Shannon bobbled it before returning it 17 yards to the Notre Dame 32. The Sooners scored another TD four plays later on an 11-yard run by Damien Williams.

Coach Brian Kelly was surprised by the slow start by Notre Dame (3-2).

''You never expect to not pick up the simplest of stunts and have your quarterback get the ball stripped. You never expect not to run the right route when you're supposed to,'' he said. ''The turnovers for us were too much to overcome.''

After Notre Dame played a nearly perfect game in beating the Sooners last season, with no turnovers and just one penalty for 5 yards, Oklahoma was the one that made the fewest mistakes Saturday . The Sooners, who managed just 15 yards rushing against the Irish last season, finished with 212 yards rushing.

The game was a stark contrast to last season, when the Irish dominated the lines of scrimmage and amassed 215 yards on the ground. The Sooners frequently went wide on both runs and passes to try to offset Notre Dame's size inside. The Irish managed to rush for a season-high 220 yards, with George Atkinson running for 148 yards on 14 carries.

Bell, making his second career start, wasn't as impressive as he was when he passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns in a 51-20 win over Tulsa, but he was good enough to lead the Sooners over the Irish. He was 22 of 30 passing for 232 yards and two touchdowns.

''He was really sharp. He put the ball where it needed to be, finding the right guys, going through his reads,'' Stoops said. ''And give credit to the line to give them the opportunity to find those guys, so I thought he played great.''

Bell, threw a 26-yard TD pass to Lacoltan Bester to cap an 88-yard drive after an interception by cornerback Julian Wilson late in the second quarter, said the victory was especially satisfying considering last season's loss.

''We felt like we left some stuff on the field last year. Obviously we didn't come up with a win last year so we really wanted this one bad, especially coming on the road,'' Bell said

Rees struggled for a second straight game. After three straight games of passing for more than 300 yards, he was 9 of 24 for a season-low 104 yards.

''Obviously, I'm disappointed with how I played, individually. I've got to be better. You can't turn the ball over and expect to win games against good teams like Oklahoma,'' Rees said.

Kelly said there was plenty of blame to go around.

''This is about 11 players. We don't execute on the offensive line in the first fumble, we don't run the right route. It's natural for everybody to go after the quarterback, but there's 11 players out there,'' Kelly said.

Kelly didn't want to talk about what the loss means big picture for the Irish, who entered the season with hopes of making it back to the BCS title game.

''That's for you guys to talk about. I've got a football team we're trying to work with and develop. You guys can have your own comments and decide what happens and put us in any bowl you want,'' he said.

Hunter Pence, Giants strike $90 million, 5-year deal

San Francisco Giants' Hunter Pence, top left, is congratulated after 

scoring against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the sixth inning of a 

baseball game in San Francisco, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013.

Hunter Pence pleaded ignorance as his San Francisco Giants teammates greeted him with hugs and backslaps when he arrived at AT&T Park for Saturday's game against San Diego.

Pence and the San Francisco Giants have reached a tentative agreement on a $90 million, five-year contract, pending a physical.

''I can't say too much until it's official,'' Giants' manager Bruce Bochy said. ''It's good news. I couldn't be happier for Hunter.''

Pence, who was scheduled to get his physical before taking the field, politely declined comment.

A formal announcement of the deal is expected Sunday. He had been eligible to become a free agent after the World Series.

''You can't help but love Hunter Pence and the way he plays the game,'' Bochy said. ''It's all about making a commitment and getting back on track. You need great players.''

Pitchers Matt Cain and Ryan Vogelsong were the first to greet Pence.

''He's a very positive man,'' Giants outfielder Angel Pagan said. ''The game could be 20-0 with two outs in the ninth, and he still thinks we can win it.''

Pence is batting .282 with a career-high 26 home runs and 94 RBIs. He received the Willie Mac Award on Friday night, given to the most inspirational member of the Giants.

He's played in every game this season and would become the first Giants' player since Alvin Dark started all 154 games in 1954. The last outfielder to play in every Giants game was Bobby Thomson in 1949.

The two-time All-Star outfielder was acquired from Philadelphia in July last year and was credited with being instrumental in San Francisco's second World Series title in three years.

''We're here not just to play baseball, we're here to win,'' Pagan said. ''This is good news for us. It's good he stays here. We know the type of team we've got.''

The right fielder leads the NL with 369 putouts. He has an 88 percent success rate in stolen bases and is third with 298 total bases. Pence ranks sixth in hits and fourth in doubles.

Pence finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting with the Houston Astros in 2007.

THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY - SEPTEMBER 28TH

1887 - Avery Brundage, Detroit Mich, CEO (Intl Olympic Committee, 1952-72) is born.

1905 - Max Schmeling, Klein Luckow, Province of Pomerania, 

German world Heavyweight boxing champ (1930-32) is born.

1919 - Fastest major league game (51 mins), Giants beat Phillies 6-1.

1919 - Tom Harmon, Rensselaer Indiana, sportscaster/NFL tailback (Heisman) is born.
1920 - 8 White Sox indicted, threw 1919 World Series (Black Sox scandal).

1930 - Lou Gehrig's errorless streak ends at 885 consecutive games.

1941 - Ted Williams ended the baseball season with .406 batting average.

1951 - Norm Van Brocklin of Rams passes for NFL-record 554 yards.

1955 - First World Series color TV broadcast on NBC-TV (Yanks beat Dodgers).
1960 - Ted Williams hits his final homer #521 (off Jack Fisher).

1969 - Joe Kapp (Minnesota Vikings) passes for 7 touchdowns vs Baltimore Colts (52-14).

1974 - California Angel Nolan Ryan 3rd no-hitter beats Minnesota Twins, 4-0.

1976 - Muhammad Ali beats Ken Norton in 15 for Heavyweight boxing title.
1979 - Larry Holmes TKOs Earnie Shavers in 11 for Heavyweight boxing title.

1993 - Dennis Martinez is 7th to win 100 games in AL & NL.

2002 - Hartland Molson, Canadian businessman (Molson family), 

senator and sports executive (Montreal Canadiens) (b. 1907) dies.
2003 - Althea Gibson, American tennis player (b. 1927) dies.