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DETROIT -- Rick Porcello baffled the Seattle Mariners for six innings, and when Detroit finally added a few more runs for the young right-hander, the Tigers were one step closer to another division title. That was cause for celebration in a clubhouse that seems a little livelier these days. "September hits, sometimes you get kind of laid back and you get tired, so were just trying to pump ourselves up," outfielder Torii Hunter said. "After the game, we always try to turn the music up loud and jump up and down. We have a huddle and we start screaming loud for no reason. ... Only time we get to do it is if we win." The anticipation is building in Motown. Porcello struck out 10 and the Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 4-2 on Monday night. Victor Martinez broke a 1-all tie in the sixth with a run-scoring single, and Omar Infante followed with his own RBI single. The AL Central-leading Tigers increased their advantage over Cleveland to six games with 12 to play. Porcello (13-8) allowed a run and five hits with two walks, falling one strikeout short of his career high. Drew Smyly got five outs in relief and Jose Veras finished the eighth. Joaquin Benoit pitched a hitless ninth for his 21st save in 21 chances. "I think as a ballclub were really coming on strong here," Porcello said. "Guys are working. Its September. Everybodys had a long season, but everybodys coming in with focus, and theyre playing good baseball." Joe Saunders (11-15) pitched well until the sixth, when he got two outs before a walk and three hits chased him from the game. Abraham Almonte homered for Seattle, which has lost seven of eight. "Everyone hates losing," Justin Smoak said. "Weve been in tight ballgames and havent been able to get the big hit." It was tied at 1 in the sixth when Miguel Cabrera walked and Prince Fielder followed with a single. Martinezs single up the line in right field scored Cabrera, and Infante lined a single to left to make it 3-1. That rally made a winner of Porcello, who has bounced back nicely after giving up eight earned runs in a 20-4 loss to Boston on Sept. 4. Porcello pitched his first career complete game in a win over the Chicago White Sox last Tuesday, and he was sharp against the punchless Mariners as well. "Hes starting to change speeds a lot. He used to have the slider, he threw it pretty hard, and the sinker, everything was hard so you kind of gauge it off that," Hunter said. "But now hes starting to hit his spots, in and out, hard and soft and changing up his sequence a lot and mixing it up well. I think hes grown. Hes smarter. He knows if a guy cant hit a certain pitch, he keeps throwing it until he shows that he can hit it. I think thats maturity." The Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first when Hunter and Cabrera hit back-to-back singles, and Hunter came home on a wild pitch. After that mistake, Saunders quieted Detroit, allowing no more than one baserunner in any inning until the sixth. But it was a frustrating finish for Saunders, who allowed six runs over three innings in his previous start against Houston. He ended up yielding three runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings this time. Saunders, who was seen throwing things in the dugout after being pulled, did not speak with reporters after the game. Tom Wilhelmsen relieved Saunders and got out of the sixth, but appeared to get hit in the right leg by Alex Avilas leadoff single in the seventh. Wilhelmsen stayed in the game and eventually allowed an RBI single by Hunter with two outs. Smoaks RBI single off Smyly in the eighth made it 4-2. NOTES: Porcello struck out 11 against Pittsburgh on May 28. ... Smoak snapped an 0-for-17 slump with a fourth-inning single. ... Detroit RHP Anibal Sanchez (14-7) faces Seattle RHP Brandon Maurer (4-8) on Tuesday night. Reggie Lewis Jersey . Less than 24 hours later, in the same arena, he tried to recreate the magic of his all-time favourite player. Hilliard scored a career-high 26 points and No. Robert Williams Celtics Jersey . Linemates Ryan Johansen and Boone Jenner each had a goal and an assist in the first period, and Sergei Bobrovsky made 36 saves to lead the Blue Jackets past the Florida Panthers 4-1 on Saturday night. http://www.celticssale.com/kids-larry-bird-celtics-jersey/ .1 million contract. The club said that Boll will earn $950,000 in 2012-13 and $1.15 million in 2013-14. The 26-year-old Boll had two goals and one assist with 126 penalty minutes in 54 games with the Blue Jackets in 2011-12. Reggie Lewis Celtics Jersey .com) - Pavel Datsyuk and Gustav Nyquist both scored in the shootout as the Detroit Red Wings denied the Minnesota Wilds comeback bid with a 5-4 win on Tuesday. Dennis Johnson Celtics Jersey . Jets head coach Paul Maurice made the announcement Saturday following the morning skate and confirmed Al Montoya will start in goal against the Dallas Stars on Sunday.There is a fine line that every World Cup gives birth to. A line, if crossed, that can mean so much. A line that can be approached, stared at and almost touched, but come the final whistle, can seem so far away no matter how near a team can get to it. A dream crushed. The right side of the line produces emotions of joy, relief, and satisfaction. The wrong side of the line leaves players in tatters, full of disappointment and despair. In the sport, there is nothing quite like the fine line between success and failure at World Cups. For every nation, the line is different, placed perfectly in tandem with their expectation. For Brazil, the positioning of the line is clear. It is placed at 18:00 hours local time inside the Maracana in Rio de Janiero on Sunday July 13. Win the World Cup and it is a success; anything else and it is a failure. Past World Cups have shown us just how close winners have come to falling on the wrong side of the line as their journey across it takes shape. In 2010, Spain became the first ever champions to lose their first game of the tournament and they had an Iker Casillas penalty save to thank for them not going behind to Paraguay in the quarterfinals. In 2006, Italy flirted with both sides of the line in the knock-out stages, scoring goals in the 95th minute (vs. Australia) and in the 119th and 121st minute against Germany in the semifinal before winning it all on penalties in the final. It is worth remembering this when making predictions of a winner during this upcoming World Cup; Brazil of 1970 and 2002 are the only champions to ever win every game in a World Cup (minimum of five games played). The line, however, is not placed for all at the final stage. For some teams, the difference between success and failure is simply getting out of the group stages and reaching the last 16. For others, it is the next step, winning a knockout game and reaching the quarterfinals; suddenly doing something few expected you could do. At this point, a countrys entire success on the tournament is based around one game. Lose it and you may have underachieved. Win it and you may have overachieved. It is such a small margin, one that has led teams in the past to continue on a run that goes a long way beyond their initial expectations. In South Africa 2010, Uruguay, Paraguay and Ghana all fell into that category. Ukraine surprisingly reached the last eight in Germany 2006 while in 2002, hosts South Korea, Senegal and Turkey all went much further than most predicted. Croatia got to the semifinals in 1998, Sweden did the same in 1994, as well as Bulgaria at USA 94. Cameroon had a memorable run to the quarterfinals at Italy 90. It could very well happen again. There is likely one, or possibly two, teams in the World Cup this year that will make it past their line of success and reach the quarterfinals and, maybe even, the semifinals. Many peoples pick for a dark horse in Brazil is Belgium because a lot of their current crop of players now belong to well-known club teams, particularly in the English Premier League. Belgium, however, were seeded for this World Cup. That meant they were considered as one of the best eight teams. Yes, they have not been to a World Cup since 2002, but that seed, coupled with a much weaker group than others, ensures that this team should not be considered a surprise if they reach, for example, the quarterfinals. The semifinals? Yes. Then two games would have to be won to cross the line. Here is my top five teams that have a chance to go beyoond that line and become a surprise member of the final eight or last four in Brazil.dddddddddddd 5. England - It has been some time since expectations were this low for England heading into a World Cup. In fact, they are so low, you get the feeling something has to happen for them to rise again before, as usual, it all goes up in flames. If England gets to the quarterfinals, it will be a surprise but if they are to achieve it, the biggest hurdle will be getting past one of Uruguay or Italy in Group D. Once through, a game against any team in Group C will seem easier than what they faced in the groups. 4. Switzerland - There are few easier paths to the quarterfinals than winning Group E. Paired in the last 16 with Group F, likely won by Argentina, the group winner would play one of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran or Nigeria for a spot in the last eight. Switzerland hasnt reached that stage since hosting the tournament in 1954 but with a young group, a terrific coach and this path, they may finally do something they should have done in 2006. Yes, like Belgium, they are seeded but this was much more controversial and few expect the Swiss to do something in Brazil that they havent done for 60 years. 3. Chile - No team will be more fun to watch than the one run by the excellent Jorge Sampaoli. Placed in a very difficult group alongside 2010 finalists Spain and Netherlands, Chile has one mission – win the group. They simply cannot beat Brazil and too many World Cups have ended at the feet of the South American powerhouses, so to avoid them this time, they must finish top of Group B. It sounds like a difficult task but this team can do it and after that, the draw really opens up for them, likely playing one of Mexico/Croatia in the last 16 and then, probably, the winner of Group D. This is a breathtaking team to watch and if they start well and complete their first mission, then a semifinals berth would not surprise me. 2. France - Like Switzerland, France also must travel on the same path to the last eight and, after an embarrassing 2010 World Cup, coupled with a late comeback in the playoff game against Ukraine in qualifying, a place in the last eight in Brazil would be a real success for Didier Deschamps team. They are handed a comfortable start, playing Honduras, and then get the familiarity of opponents in Switzerland next. Win the group and they will be favored to reach the last eight and will likely only have the winner of Group G standing in their way of a trip to the semifinals. That would represent a remarkable turnaround following the dismal night in Kiev last October but they have a core group of genuine stars that could carry them deep. 1. Portugal - Speak to fans in the USA and they say Portugal wont get out of the group. The same is being said in Ghana. Thats what happens when you are in a group with Germany. Nobody predicts the Germans will get knocked out at that stage (its never happened, by the way). That leaves one spot between three competitive teams. For me, Portugal are in a different class to the other two and this team will qualify for the last 16. They would then be paired with a team from Group H, none of whom would worry a team that has some proven experience at how to navigate to the late rounds in major tournaments. A quarterfinal berth would be a major success for Paulo Bentos team and, for me, they are the best suited to go even further than that. Dont be surprised to see the worlds best player lining up in a World Cup semifinal in the final week of Brazil 2014. ' ' '