For only the fifth time in July, the San Diego Padres had something to celebrate. Kevin Kouzmanoff doubled twice off Bronson Arroyo, and added a sacrifice fly that gave the Padres a 3-2 victory over the Reds. Get San Diego Padres tickets and see Kouzmanoff hit a home run. Adrian Gonzalez hit a home run for the Padres, who are 5-20 since July 1. Closer Heath Bell was reminded that he earned his first save in ten games. He couldn’t believe it’s been that long. The pitcher admitted that the Padres have not won many games, but neither have the Reds. Cincinnati has dropped 13 of 17. Arroyo (10-10) allowed three runs in 6 1-3 innings. The starting pitcher gave up nine hits, seven of them for extra bases.

In the seventh inning, Kouzmanoff put San Diego up 3-2 with a sacrificed fly that came off Nick Masset. San Diego’s Kevin Correia (7-8) came back from his worst start of the season by going six innings and allowing a pair of runs. Three Padres relievers took it from there, striking out seven of the nine batters they faced over the last three innings. Bell pitched in the ninth inning and recorded his 25th save in 26 chances. Correia gave a lot of credit to the relief pitchers that followed him. He said you couldn’t have a better three innings than they had. The right-hander continued to say they didn’t make a bad pitch for three innings.

Cincinnati has to decide if they want to make a deal in the next three days, before the non-waiver trading deadline. Reds manager Dusty Baker told the press that everybody wants their top guys. Arroyo comes with a hefty contract that would be part of any discussion. The pitcher is making $9.5 million this year, and will make $11 million next season. In his third year of the contract, Arroyo can be bought out for $2 million. The right-hander has been struggling lately, he lost three consecutive games. The Padres had a home run, a triple and five doubles off Arroyo. Arroyo said he had a good baseball game. He also acknowledged that Correia played well. Kouzmanoff doubled a home run in the first inning. The slugger is 11 for 16 off Arroyo. In the third inning, Gonzalez hammered a solo homer run.

San Diego got two regulars back from the disabled list. Catcher Henry Blanco and second baseman David Eckstein had been sidelined due to strained hamstrings. Both men played, but did not produce on offense; they went hitless. Pete Rose watched part of the game from a seat behind home plate. The crowd gave him a standing ovation after he was shown on the video board. Rose usually attends games in his hometown. To open spots for Eckstein and Blanco, San Diego sent Jose Lobaton back to the minors. The team also decided to keep right fielder Drew Macias in Triple-A Portland. Cincinnati’s second baseman, Danny Richar had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The second baseman slid head first on July 2nd and suffered the injury.

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Baseball team players need to recognise the importance of the second baseman on a team. Protecting the bag against the first-to-second base steal is an important job for the second baseman.

When covering the base on steals, the second baseman straddles the base, facing the catcher. His toes are even with the corner that points into center field. Many beginners form the bad habit of standing to the home plate side of 2nd to receive the catcher’s throw. Even if the throw is good, he will not have much of a chance of getting the tag on the runner from this position.

Young second basemen are also inclined to move into the diamond toward the throw if it seems to be low enough to hit the dirt. This again is a mistake. He should hold his position behind the base. If the ball bounces with any force, he will have a chance to tag the runner. Like any other fielder, however, the second baseman should forget the base and go after the ball if (a) it’s obvious that the runner has the throw beaten, or (b) the throw is wild.

The technique for making the tag is the same for the second baseman as for any other infielder and the same general principles apply. The infielder must never try to hold the runner back with the ball. He ought to make the tag firmly, to be sure, but the tagging hand should ride with the runner’s body. Secondly, the infielder should place his feet in such a way as to leave one side or one corner of the base open. By doing so, he encourages the runner to slide to the open spot.

That way, the infielder, as one of the most crucial of baseball team players, can have his head turned away from the runner as he watches the ball and still know, in advance, where to make the tag. His objective is to catch the ball and, with a quick sweep of the arm and hand, lay the ball on the open side of the base, forcing the runner to tag himself out.

The infielder must never try to make a high tag on a sliding runner. The thing to keep in mind is this: to be safe, the runner must touch the base. The base is on the ground-not in the air above it. An infielder, to make this point even clearer, may make a nice tag on a runner’s chest, but it does him no good if the runner’s feet (the part of the body to arrive first) have already gone by and made contact with the base.

When making the tag, by the way, the infielder will be able to control the ball better if the back of the glove hand faces the oncoming runner. With the palm of the glove hand facing the runner, the runner’s feet are apt to strike above the wrist, snap the hand up and cause the ball to pop out.

The second baseman must be one of the most agile and fit players on the team. He must be aware of play at all times, and be able to react with lightening speed. Make sure the second baseman realizes the valuable place he holds among baseball team players.

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A baseball catcher is a crucial member of any team. Most 8-to-10 year-old baseball catchers take the Receiving Stance much too far back. They are concerned, of course, about having the bat hit their noggins instead of the ball. (In the Receiving Stance his feet are wide apart, his tail low. His glove hand makes the target. The bare hand is loose, with the thumb tucked under the other fingers.)

But, here’s something to remember: if the batter can’t reach the catcher with his bat on the back swing before the pitch, he won’t reach him when he tries to hit the ball. That’s because the batter goes forward-away from the catcher-to hit. If a catcher stays just out of reach of the back swing, he’s perfectly safe.

But, he must get as close as he possibly can for these reasons: if he’s back an extra foot, he makes the pitcher throw an extra foot. If he’s back an extra foot, the curve ball will start its break too late. By staying too far back, the catcher adds to the distance of his throw to the bases.

The beginner often closes his eyes when the batter swings at a pitch. He sometimes turns his head, too. Both of these are natural reactions, but dangerous! The catcher won’t get hurt, if he keeps his eyes open, chin down and looks straight ahead until the ball is in the glove. His equipment will protect him. The young catcher, by the way, will also flinch at balls thrown into the dirt. Here again he should use his equipment-drop to the knees, get the glove on the ground and block the ball!

The Catcher’s Throw

It’s important for a baseball catcher to start working on the throw itself. Like the out-fielders, the catcher must throw overhand with his hand directly behind the ball. He doesn’t want the ball to curve and if the ball hits the dirt, he wants good back spin so it will hop high and sharply. Unlike the outfielder, however, the catcher does not have enough time to use a full arm swing. He must use a snap throw. To get the proper position for the throwing arm, hold the arm in the layback position for the overhand throw.

Instead of holding the hand directly over the pitching elbow, bring it down to a spot behind the ear. Now, step forward and “snap”‘ the ball toward the target. A football player uses the same technique in throwing a spiral forward pass. The catcher always wants to throw directly at the base to catch a runner stealing. If he’s throwing to 2nd on the cut-off play, he throws directly at the cut-off man’s head.

The very first time a baseball catcher puts on a mask, by the way, he should be taught how to throw the ball to the pitcher correctly! The pitcher works very hard during a ball game. He shouldn’t be put to the added effort of jumping for wild throws from the catcher. (It’s not only bad for the pitcher, it’s dangerous with runners on base.)

The ball should be thrown at the pitcher’s glove shoulder, which, is in a direct line and at just the right height for the throw to 2nd base. The catcher shouldn’t lob the ball back to the pitcher, nor should he fire it so hard it gives the pitcher a red hand. A medium speed throw is best-always at the glove shoulder! When the bases are occupied, catchers should form the habit of taking a quick look at the runners before returning the ball to the pitcher.

A baseball catcher is a very important member of his team.

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[tags]baseball tips, baseball[/tags]

When playing base ball the second baseman has to be the most agile, acrobatic individual on the team. No other player, in carrying out his assignment, need shift direction as sharply, quickly and as many times as the second sacker. It’s “Jack be nimble, Jack be quick” every moment.

Our second sacker is the key to the double play, one of the most powerful defensive maneuvers in baseball. That’s why old-time sportswriters often referred to him as “guardian of the keystone.”

We’re going to concentrate here on the footwork used to make the DP from this strategically important infield position. Primarily, three things are involved: get to the base quickly so the shortstop or third baseman doesn’t have to hold up his throw. Tag the base while in possession of the ball. Make a strong throw from a point away from the base.

The third item is the toughest, although the professionals make it look easy. The professional can use six or more different steps to make the DP. The amateur should learn at least three.

The spot where the shortstop fields the ball generally tells the second baseman which step he must use; it indicates whether he is to go “inside” the diamond to make his throw, “out” (toward center field), or “back” (toward right field).

Second basemen use several combinations of steps to make a put-out and relay of ball to 1st for DP. To go “inside,” the second baseman puts his left foot on the bag and propels his body into the diamond as far as possible. Naturally, he lands on his right foot. As he does so, he shifts his weight to that right foot, then strides left toward 1st and makes the throw.

To go “back,” the second baseman puts his left foot against the bag. After catching the ball for the put-out, he pushes back into right field, landing on the right foot, stepping left for the throw. He can go “out” by placing the left foot against the center field side of the base; pushing toward center after the catch, landing right and stepping left to throw.

Some managers first teach the second baseman to step on 2nd base with the right foot and to throw off that foot. This may be alright if the ball arrives at 2nd long before the runner. If it’s going to be close, however, the second baseman will often find the runner between him and 1st, blocking both his vision and throw.

In addition, he’s apt to be knocked down by the runner. All of these moves should be part of a continuous motion. If, however, the second baseman gets to the base and the shortstop fumbles the ball, he can straddle the base with the left foot on the 1st base side and the right foot on the opposite side. (Like the first baseman, he has to “know” where the base is while awaiting the throw.) When he catches the ball in this position, he can touch the bag with the inside of his left foot and throw off the right.

If the runner is sliding (as he should be on a close play), he can raise the left leg to “let the runner in.” With the base between the runner and the throwing foot, the second baseman avoids being spiked, or otherwise injured. (When there’s no opportunity or need to throw to 1st, second sacker can play the base as the first baseman would, pushing toward the throw.)

But, you ask, when does he make which move? As noted the fielding point is usually the tip-off. If the ball is fielded well inside the imaginary line between 2nd and 3rd, the second baseman can best make the play by going “inside.”

If the ball is fielded deep, he should go “back” or “out.” If the ball is fielded close to the line, it’s optional. The throw, too, sometimes directs the move. If it’s wide to the centerfield side, the second baseman may be forced to go “out.” If wide to the inside, he cannot very well go “out” or “back.”

There is no more important player than the second baseman

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Here are the nine players that I think should receive the starting nod for the National League in the 2009 All-Star Game. (Note: All statistics are as of July 1st.)

Catcher - Brian McCann, Atlanta Braves: There isn’t much to vote for among catchers in the National League. Russell Martin is having a down year and there just isn’t a plethora of hitting catchers in the league. McCann is having a solid year, batting .308 with eight home runs and 31 RBI. Those are good overall numbers for a catcher, though McCann has shown that he’s got a bit more power than that.

First Base - Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals: This was the easiest pick in either league. Pujols, if he remains healthy, is destined to go down as one of the game’s all-time great hitters, both for power and average. He’s hitting .332 with a major league-leading 30 home runs and 77 RBI. He’s also swiped a surprising nine bases this season while scoring 61 runs. His .453 on-base percentage is perhaps the most impressive number of them all. If I could purchase MLB tickets to see one player hit, it would be Pujols, without a doubt.

Second Base - Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies: There really isn’t a second baseman that can challenge Utley for this spot. Brandon Philips is having a good year in Cincinnati, but not nearly enough to dethrone the Phillies second baseman. Utley is hitting .304 with 17 home runs and 52 RBI and is a rare power hitter at the position.

Shortstop - Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins: He’s the best player at the position in the majors and will be an All-Star starter every season in which he is healthy for the next decade or so. His combination of power and speed are exceptionally rare, especially with you factor in his ability as a hitter. He’s batting .341 with 13 home runs, 56 runs batted in, 12 stolen bases and 49 runs scored. He’s one of the best players in the game, regardless of position.

Third Base - David Wright, New York Mets: Wright may not be hitting for power this season, which can be partially attributed to the cavernous Citi Field, but he’s producing in every other way. He’s hitting .345 and has swiped 20 stolen bases and is trying to keep the Mets’ heads above water.

Outfield - Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers: Braun is having yet another great season, hitting .327 with 16 bombs and 57 RBI, and adding a pinch of speed as usual with seven steals.

Outfield - Carlos Beltran, New York Mets (Replaced by Justin Upton, Arizona Diamondbacks, due to injury): Beltran deserves the nod for his overall production and his fielding prowess, but he’ll likely miss the game due to a bone bruise. Upton is having a breakout season, showing signs of bigger things to come. He’s hitting .320 with 14 home runs, 45 RBI and 10 steals.

Outfield - Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies (Replaced by : Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers, due to injury if necessary.): Ibanez was the hottest hitter in the league early in the season, but an injury sidelined him. If he’s unable to play, I’d give Kemp the nod. He’s producing across the board and is another one of the game’s rising stars.

Pitcher - Time Lincecum, San Francisco Giants: Tiny Tim has officially elevated himself to the consensus best pitcher in baseball as far as I’m concerned. He’s dominant on a nightly basis and is the most exciting pitcher to watch in the majors.

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Japanese star Hideki Matsui rounded third base, heading home when he saw his teammates gesturing with their hands. The slugger said he was going to step on home plate, but his teammates advised him to throw his helmet. So he threw his helmet. Matsui hammered a home run off Jim Johnson in the ninth inning to triumph over the Baltimore Orioles and give the streaking New York Yankees 2-1 wins in three straight games for the first time in franchise history. Get New York Yankees tickets and see Matsui hit a home run. It was a 2-2 count when Johnson (3-4) threw a pitch that cost him the game. It was the pitcher’s second game-ending homer in the Majors (the other was as a rookie on July 17, 2003, against Cleveland’s David Riske).

New York (55-37) tied Boston atop the AL East. The Yankees played awesome defense in the eighth inning, throwing out runners at the plate on consecutive pitches to keep the game tied at 1. New York’s relief pitcher, Alfredo Aceves (6-1), was at ease after he escaped a two-on jam in the ninth inning when Nolan Reimold hit an inning-ending flyout. Matsui then stepped up to the plate in the ninth inning with one out. Two balls went by the slugger and he fouled off three pitches before de drove his 15th homer of the season into the right-field seats. Matsui is hitting .349 with five home runs and 14 RBI in 43 at-bats.

Baltimore’s Nick Markakis nailed a first-inning homer off Andy Pettitte, which gave the Orioles a 1-0 lead. But the score did not hold up. Eric Hinske tied the game after he hit a home run off David Hernandez in the second inning. Cesar Izturis’ one-out single and Brian Roberts’ double off the right-field wall chased Petttitte in the eighth inning. Phil Coke took the mound after Pettitte’s night was over. Markakis grounded to first baseman Mark Texeira, who made an off-balance throw home. Catcher Jose Molina made a great snag. The ball was visible as the catcher reached across his body and put his glove down, where Izturis slid into the tag. Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said Markakis hit the ball to the wrong guy.

Teixeira gave Molina the credit. The first baseman said the tag was more impressive than his throw since Molina has to know exactly where the plate is and where the guy is to make the tag. Coke’s first pitch to Adam Jones got away from Molina and headed towards New York’s dugout. The catcher told the press you have to be prepared for those weird plays. Robert missed the plate when he made a head first slide. The second baseman said he saw the ball going in the dirt, which cost him a split second. Roberts continued to say he got a good jump, but the split second cost him the score. Roberts argued with plate umpire Adrian Johnson. The second baseman said he asked the umpire where Molina tagged him. Johnson replied in the arm. Roberts disagreed with the call.

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Zack Greinke did not allow any scoring until he threw his final pitch in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The starting pitcher and the Kansas City Royals triumphed over the Pirates 3-2. It was the first time Kansas City prevented Pittsburgh from sweeping an interleague series since 2001. Greinke (10-3) allowed seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. The right-hander became the AL’s fourth 10-game winner. He struck out three batters and walked none for a second consecutive start. The ace pitcher’s 1.95 ERA leads the majors. Pittsburgh’s Freddy Sanchez said Greinke is one of the best pitchers in baseball. The second baseman added that the right-hander shut them down.

Kansas City’s David DeJesus nailed a solo homer off Charlie Morton and drove in two runs. The Royals snapped a three game losing streak and made sure Pittsburgh did not finish with their best record since interleague play began in 1997. Greinke did not give up an extra-base hit until Andy LaRoche stepped up to the plate. Get Kansas City Royals tickets and see the right-hander throw some fast balls. It started to rain pretty hard, but the third baseman managed to triple off the right-field wall in the seventh inning, which brought his brother, Adam LaRoche, to home plate. Greinke told the press he felt like he could throw whatever he wanted to. The pitcher had problems gripping the ball once the hard rain started to come down. He continued to say he pitched in bad weather before, but was usually better than his performance against Pittsburgh.

After the 59-minute rain delay, reliever Jamey Wright got Jason Jaramillo to ground out, but the damage was done when Andy LaRoche scored. Wright and John Bale did not allow the opposition to score in the eighth inning, while Joakim Soria struck out three batters he faced and earned his ninth save in 11 opportunities. Kansas City manager Trey Hillman believes Zack was having problems throwing the ball because of the rain. He wasn’t able to keep the ball dry. The Pirates also felt the rain had been a factor, and not in their favor. Pittsburgh’s Jack Wilson said the rain delay hurt his club from rallying back. The Pirates had won four in a row before the loss against the Royals.

DeJesus broke out of an 0-for-12 funk when he hammered a solo homer to begin the fourth inning. It was his sixth home run of the season. In the fifth inning, Alberto Callaspo and Mark Teahen doubled and Teahen headed to home plate after Adam LaRoche’s throw to that base was late on Dejesus’ grounder. Morton (0-1), whose hamstring tightness has been giving him problems lately, allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings. The starting pitcher said he was pitching mediocre against the Royals. On the other side of the field, Greinke was 0-2 with a 5.19 ERA in his last four starts. Prior to that, the right-hander went 8-1 in his first ten games. The pitcher has been on a roll in his last 14 1/3 innings, only giving up three runs. He pitched eight innings against Houston and earned a win in that contest.

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Fitness is important in every sport activity. You have to remain fit if you wish to play any sport. Exercise and a good warm up will keep you fit while playing any type of sports. Taking in to consideration sports like basketball, baseball and football require fit body.

Exercising early morning can help a lot in staying fit and fine. You should exercise rigorously with your team mates to stay fit and healthy. Exercise should be done on the sport ground itself as you can have a wonderful time with your friends. Exercising in morning sun is preferred. There are different types of exercises which can be performed to have maximum flexibility. At times your coach can be shouting for those extra rounds or push ups but he understands your pain. He knows what you are going through he is preparing you for the worst scenario. Every sport has different type of exercise which has to be done on regular basis.

For basketball starting your day with a nice warm up is essential. You can stretch your hands and legs in all directions. Push ups and squats should be done in sets of 2 per day. Your fist day of exercise will be tiring once you get the hang of it then you can have a good time while exercising. There are no special rules which should be used for exercising. Shuttling can be done from half court to full court direction. Shuttling before the game is very important as you can improve your running speed and stamina. Shooting practice should be done along with skipping.

For football running across one side to the other with obstacles in between is preferred. Dodging the ball with other team mates is essential as you can get the feel of the game and your leg muscles are ready for the match. Football involves lot of running you need to have good stamina. Doing a good warm up before the main play is important to set your muscles ready for the game.

Baseball involves lot of muscular power. It can be for pitching or for batting. Gym is the best way to remain fit. You can join a gym where you can lift heavy weight according to your requirements. Staying fit never goes waste so you can benefit a lot of your work out on daily basis. Gym should have cardio exercise in your schedule so that you remain in good shape.

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Russell Branyan hit a two-out, two run homer in the eighth inning to lift Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners past the Detroit Tigers 2-1. Get Seattle Mariners tickets and see Branyan hit a home run. Branyan didn’t waste any time at the plate. He swung at Bobby Seay’s (1-2) first pitch. The ball went the distance and sailed deep into the right center of the stands.

It was Branyan’s 24th home run of the season. The slugger told the press he caught Seay’s slider right in the middle of the plate. He matched his career high in home runs. Hernandez (11-3) struck out eight in seven innings, gave up one run and six hits. The starting pitcher twisted his ankle in the third inning, but managed to stay in the game. Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu said he battled his pitch count. The manager continued to say that his ace pitcher survived seven innings.

Mariners’ relief pitcher, Mark Lowe, pitched a perfect eight inning and David Aardsma finished for his 23rd save in 25 chances. Hernandez gave up a single to Curtis Granderson and a hit-and-run single to Placido Polanco, which sent Granderson to third. Hernandez was concerned that the Tigers were jumping on his fastballs. But the right-hander gained his composure and struck out Miguel Cabrera and Clete Thomas before he walked Marcus Thames. Hernandez then retired the side on Josh Anderson’s flyout. Anderson said Hernandez is a tough pitcher because he’s got a hard slider. That slider was clocked at 93 mph. The pitcher twisted his ankle in the third inning when he tried to catch Thames’ blooper. He fell and was unable to make the play while Thames made it to first.

Trainer Rick Griffin and Wakamatsu came out to check on Hernandez. The pitcher stretched and tested the ankle. The right-hander finally took a couple of warm up pitches. He only gave up one hit 4 1-3 innings after that. The pitcher was jumping for joy in the dugout after Branyan hammered his home run. Rick Griffin turned to the pitcher and said “you’re jumping around. You feel good, huh?” Armando Galarraga started for the Tigers. He matched Hernandez with a terrific outing for Detroit, allowing one run and one hit in 7 1-3 innings. The pitcher said he felt really good throwing his sliders and two-seamers. He also added that his locations are getting better.

Galarraga walked Jack Hannahan in the eighth inning and retired Ronny Cedeno on a grounder to third before he left the mound. Seay replaced the right-hander. Thomas gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the third inning. Brandon Inge, Detroit’s third basemen, did not start the game due to patella tendinitis in both knees. The slugger entered in the field in the eighth inning and struck out to end the game. Wakamatsu said he expects center fielder Franklin Guiterrez, who bruised his left elbow and left knee after trying to make a leaping catch against the right-center field wall in the previous game, to be back in the lineup soon. Hernandez got his 50th career win.

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Colorado’s Aaron Cook (8-3) has been on a roll lately. The starting pitcher took a shutout into the ninth inning and won his fifth consecutive start as the Rockies triumphed over the Oakland Athletics 3-1. The right hander has a 1.75 ERA over his past five starts. Colorado’s manager Jim Tracy said even when other teams get one or two hits off Cook; he manages to retire the sides before a runner gets to home plate. The manager continued to say that this was a matchup where his ace pitcher got better as the game went on. Cook allowed nine hits while striking out four batters. He also walked one. Seth Smith, Chris Iannetta, and Carlos Gonzales each drove in a run for the Rockies, who completed their first sweep of the A’s and their fourth sweep in June.

Colorado (22-7 in the last month) has averaged six and a half runs during the past five games Cook has been on the hill. The Rockies have won 20 of their last 23 games. Get Colorado Rockies tickets and see the Rockies win more games. Oakland tried to generate some offense when Ryan Sweeney had three hits and drove in a run. Orlando Cabrera also contributed with two hits. However, it was not enough to get by the Rockies. The A’s have lost their fifth straight game, which ties their season high. Former A’s pitcher, Huston Street earned his 19th save in 20 chances by striking out the last three batters. The relief pitcher saved all three games of the series. Street told the press that this was a big series for Colorado.

Vin Mazzaro (2-3) was on the hill for Oakland. He allowed three runs on five hits in five-plus innings. The right-hander walked four and struck out eight batters. It was his third straight loss, all in interleague play. Oakland’s manager Bob Green said he thought Mazzaro did a good job holding down a pretty good hitting club. The manager continued to say that the right-hander is one of the best young pitchers in the majors. He admitted that the Rockies put together some good at bats against them during the series. The manager noted that the big difference was the extra base hits. The A’s did not hit a long ball against Cook’s sinkers. The A’s wrapped up their interleague play with a 5-13 record, which is their worst performance in the American League. The Rockies matched their best record (11-4) in interleague play.

Jason Giambi has been having problems at the plate and his average dropped below .200 before he hammered his eighth-inning single. He snapped a 1-for-19 streak and was able to reach .203 (the lowest in the American League among everyday players). Colorado scored twice in the second inning on Iannetta’s RBI force-out and Smith’s run-scoring double. Gonzalez added an RBI double in the sixth inning. After Kurt Suzuki’s single in the ninth inning, Cook left the mound. Street gave up singles to Cabrera and Sweeney. The former A’s closer struck out Mark Ellis and Nomar Garciaparr. He was able to get Adam Kennedy to fly out to left field.

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