Schwarzesbrett » suspension last year for testing positive for an amphetam

DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers insisted they were not concerned about their worst skid of the year a few hours before playing the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox in a rematch of the AL championship series. Detroit later showed it still has what it takes to win with strong pitching, big hits and usually sound defence. Ian Kinsler and Torii Hunter hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning and Victor Martinez cleared the fences in the eighth, helping Detroit beat Boston 6-2 and end a season-high five-game losing streak Friday. "This was a good night for everyone," Drew Smyly said after pitching six strong innings. Detroit had lost 13 of 17 games, including the previous four, since sweeping the Red Sox on the road a few weeks ago. "Ive spoken to players a couple times over this stretch," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Theres no reason to throw a fit unless its a lack of effort or concentration. This stretch has not been caused by a lack of concentration or effort." Smyly (3-4) snapped a skid of his own. He was 0-2 in his last two starts, giving up a total of nine runs over nine innings, and was 0-3 in his previous six outings. The left-hander allowed two runs on five hits over six innings and struck out four, walking only one against the Red Sox. "He was locating his pitches and keeping us off balance," Boston centre fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. said after going 0 for 3 with three strikeouts. "He had command on both sides of the plate." Rubby De La Rosa, meanwhile, paid a steep price for letting some pitches sail too high. De La Rosa (1-1) gave up four runs, nine hits and two walks. He had five strikeouts over 5 2-3 innings. In his first start of the season, he threw seven scoreless innings against Tampa Bay last week. "I feel almost 100 per cent like last time," De La Rosa said. "I just missed more pitches." Boston has lost four straight after winning seven in a row. The Red Sox are averaging fewer than three runs during the losing streak. "Offensively, were scuffling," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Weve had a rough go with runners in scoring position." The Red Sox hope to end a trend this weekend. In their last seven series, they been swept four times and have won each game in the other three matchups. "We became so accustomed to being consistent," Farrell said. "The last two and a half weeks have been difficult." Kinsler and Hunter cleared the fences during a three-pitch sequence in the fifth, giving the Tigers a 4-1 lead. "They squared (De La Rosa) up when he was up in the strike zone," Farrell said. The Red Sox pulled within two runs in the sixth when Dustin Pedroia reached on Romines throwing error, advanced to third on David Ortizs single through the right side against a shifted infield and scored on Jonny Gomes sacrifice fly. Detroits Ian Krol and Joba Chamberlain each threw an inning of scoreless relief and Joe Nathan pitched the ninth in a non-save situation. NOTES: Tigers C Alex Avila is expected to miss Saturdays game after being hit in the head by Ortizs backswing in the eighth inning, and being replaced by Bryan Holaday. "Hes in a good humour, but he got stung pretty good," Ausmus said. ... Red Sox hitting coach Greg Colbrunn is expected to stay hospitalized in Cleveland for at least another week after he had bleeding in the area between his brain and the thin tissues covering it. Tim Hyers, Bostons minor league hitting co-ordinator, is filling in for Colbrunn while hes away from the team indefinitely. ... Tigers SS Eugenio Suarez was held out of the lineup to rest his sore left knee and Ausmus said he is "hour to hour," when asked for timetable on his return. ... The Tigers will send RHP Max Scherzer (6-2) to the mound against Red Sox LHP Jon Lester (6-6) on Saturday in a nationally televised game. ... Boston RHP Clay Buchholz (left knee) is scheduled to throw a simulated game Saturday in Detroit, where Mike Napoli, who is on the DL with a sprained left finger, is expected to hit against him. Cheap Shoes Uk .com) - Guess whos back, back again? Josh Gordons back, tell a friend. Discount Shoes Online Uk . Billy Hamilton finished off Cincinnatis biggest comeback of the season for a doubleheader sweep. http://www.cheapukshoes.com/ . -- The Detroit Lions made it crystal clear to Golden Tate that he was their top target in free agency. Cheap Shoes Uk Sale .com) - The surging Montreal Canadiens will try to match their longest winning streak of the season when they visit the Florida Panthers for Saturdays clash at BB&T Center. Cheap Shoes Uk Wholesale . On the eve of the 2013-14 NBA season, he can finally take a step back and allow his team to do the talking.SAN FRANCISCO -- Pat Shine joined the Miami Marlins to be their go-to guy for evaluating and monitoring replay scenarios. On Saturday night, Shine left AT&T Park with a souvenir game ball for his heads-up performance behind the scenes in a 5-0 victory over the San Francisco Giants. It saved Miami from giving up an early run that could have swung the momentum. Marlins manager Mike Redmond requested a review of whether Brandon Hicks touched first base on a second-inning double. The play was overturned in 2 minutes, 42 seconds, and became a putout from the pitcher to first baseman. That left Hector Sanchez on third base with two outs, and Brandon Crawford ended the inning on a deep fly to centre. "That was unbelievable. In my mind, Pat Shine won the game today," winning pitcher Tom Koehler said. "I looked at the replay to see how close it was. Second inning of the game and if youre wrong you burn your challenge in the second inning. Hes been doing a great job all year and thats why he got the game ball today when we came in from the field. Thats no joke. He got the game ball." Giancarlo Stanton homered and tripled to back Koehler (4-3) in his first road win. He struck out seven in seven innings to finally win in five tries away from South Florida after coming into his outing 0-3 on the road to start the year. He allowed four hits and walked two in his first road victory since Sept. 22, at Washington. Garrett Jones hit an RBI triple, Jarrod Saltalamacchia had a sacrifice fly and Adeiny Hechavarria singled to drive in a run for Miami. The Marlins improved to 11-2 at AT&T Park since 2011. Tim Lincecum (3-3), coming off his best start of the year with an 11-strikeout performance in a season-high 7 2-3 innings to beat Atlanta on Monday, never found his groove. On a night thousands in the sellout crowd donned orange giveaway Fedoras, the Giants were handed consecutive home losses for just the second time all year and first since April 9-10 against Arizona. San Francisco figures it missed a scoring opportunity in the second via a replay review. Giants coach Shawon Dunston, who works the replay room in the clubhouse, said the right call was made -- though Hicks thhought he glanced the bag.dddddddddddd He didnt plan to watch the replay, ready to move on from the mistake. "The umpires were right," Dunston said. "He didnt touch it. They got it right." Stanton, whose career-high 17-game hitting streak ended with an 0 for 5 on Friday, hit a two-out triple in the third -- his first since Sept. 15, 2012, off Cincinnatis Johnny Cueto. Stanton hit his 12th homer in the seventh. Kevin Slowey, Miamis third pitcher, got into trouble in the ninth and Steve Cishek entered to finish the six-hit shutout with his ninth save. San Francisco went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base. "Ive said this many times, when you dont hit and score runs, you look flat," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "That was the game. We couldnt knock in runs." Suspended infielder Miguel Tejada was quoted as telling ESPN Deportes he had signed a minor league contract with the Marlins pending a physical. He served 41 games of a 105-game suspension last year for testing positive for an amphetamine. Tejada would be eligible to play in the Marlins 65th game, which barring rainouts would be June 10 at Texas. He could appear in minor league games at Double-A or lower on May 31. NOTES: Giants C Buster Posey had the night off until grounding out as a pinch-hitter in the ninth. ... Giants RHP Tim Hudson tested his strained left hip with an up-tempo throwing session on flat ground and was scheduled to throw a bullpen Sunday. Hes on target to make his next start Thursday at Colorado. He made 30-40 throws from up to about 80 feet. ... Both managers were still talking about two exclamation-point catches a night earlier -- Stantons grab of a fly by Michael Morse at the StubHub! sign in right field and San Francisco CF Angel Pagans over-the-shoulder catch of a ball by Derek Dietrich at the YAHOO! sign in left-centre. Pagan landed hard on his left shoulder trying to make a diving catch Saturday. ... Giants athletic trainer Dave Groeschner remains optimistic of 2B Marco Scutaro returning from a back injury this year. "Thats our goal," Groeschner said. Scutaro is working with a physical therapist in Arizona. ' ' '