Kritik und Lob » Cole (triceps strain) threw a 35-pitch bullpen on T

HOUSTON -- Patrick Beverley was front and center in the waning moments of Houstons 102-99 victory over Oklahoma City on Friday night, defending Thunder guard Russell Westbrook with vigor as the Rockets clutched a one-possession lead.For those aware of the value that Beverley brings to the Rockets (16-7) as a tenacious defender and reliable 3-point shooter, his impact on their turnaround isnt a surprise. However, how well Houston has performed since Beverley returned from preseason knee surgery is noteworthy after the Rockets improved to 10-2 with him.Pat has contributed in so many ways, said coach Mike DAntoni, whose will lead the Rockets against the visiting Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night at Toyota Center.Hes just good. Thats a winning spirit and the ripple effect of what he does with his energy just in the locker room before games, after games, on the bus. Whatever it is, its all about winning.I wish we had him all year now. Im ticked off that he was hurt.Despite being unable to find his shot (1 of 8 from the floor) and occasionally struggling to defend without fouling (five personal fouls), Beverley made a positive impact even before harassing Westbrook into errant shots inside the final minute. He finished with two steals, five assists and 12 rebounds, four on the offensive end.He entered Friday second on the team to center Clint Capela in defensive box plus/minus, and his 35.9 percent 3-point shooting is good enough to deliver as at best a tertiary perimeter option. His 4.7 assists per game represent a career high.But Beverley helped the Rockets win for the seventh time in eight games by forcing Westbrook into an air ball in the closing seconds. It was a routine, game-saving play.Pats defense was tremendous, ridiculous, Rockets forward Ryan Anderson said. Hes so valuable to this team just from plays like that. That was huge.For one game at least, the Mavericks (5-17) found the inspiration necessary to parlay their postgame team meeting on Wednesday night into something substantive. Despite missing forward Dirk Nowitzki (right Achilles), guard J.J. Barea (left calf) and center Andrew Bogut (right knee), Dallas exacted a measure of revenge against the Indiana Pacers with a 111-103 home victory on Friday night. The Mavericks dropped their season opener in Indianapolis.Dallas suffered a 31-point walloping against the Kings on Wednesday, prompting an impromptu locker room meeting after the loss. The Mavericks remain in last place in the Western Conference, but their energy and effort, lacking against the Kings, were present and accounted for with Indiana paying a visit.Until the Mavericks, 0-2 against the Rockets this season, are made whole again, their intensity and execution must carry them. That truth was underscored Friday.We just wanted to come out and compete, Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith said. We felt like we left a lot out there on the court the other night. We had a good practice and we tried to come out and give it our all and let the chips fall.Fake Tigers Jerseys . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. Stitched Tigers Jerseys .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. https://www.cheaptigers.com/ . Michell Burger, a woman who lives on an estate next to Pistorius gated community, said she and her husband were awoken by the screams in the pre-dawn hours of Feb. 14 last year, when Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp by shooting four times through a door in his bathroom. Wholesale Tigers Jerseys . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Detroit Tigers Gear . -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December.SEATTLE -- Nelson Cruz reached another home run milestone, this time with a shot that left no doubt where it was going to land.I thought it might be out of the stadium from the angle I was sitting, Seattle manager Scott Servais said.Cruz hit his 20th home run of the season, Robinson Cano had three hits including an RBI single and the Mariners beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 on Tuesday night.Seattle won for the third time in four games thanks to an offense that finished with 12 hits and a key walk in the fifth inning that started the Mariners three-run rally.While Cruzs home run was the big blow of the fifth inning, the biggest at-bat came from Franklin Gutierrez. With two outs, Gutierrez was able to work a 10-pitch walk off Pittsburgh starter Jonathon Niese (6-6). Gutierrez advanced to second on a wild pitch then came around to score on Canos third hit.It really started it all. Two out, nobody on and a walk. Amazing how that works, Servais said. We talk about it, its really what we did a lot earlier in the season and I think this whole homestand has been better.Cruz then followed with a line shot just fair down the line. It was his 11th homer this season off a left-hander, and Cruz became the only current player with at least 20 home runs in every season since 2009. David Ortiz and Brian McCann can also reach that mark this season.Its just being able to play a lot of games, Cruz said. Its how you put the numbers (up). You dont just throw it out there. You have to play games to be able to put up numbers. Youre thinking as a player how to stay healthy and play as many games.Niese didnt make it out of the fifth for his shortest outing of the season.I thought I had some pretty good stuff early, just at the end everything went flat, Niese said.Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma (7-6) took a shutout into the seventh inning before giving up a pair of runs. Iwakuma has pitched into the seventh in six of his past seven starts. Without his normally sharp splitter, the veteran relied heavily on a slow curveball that kept Pittsburgh off-balance.Chris (Iannetta) had a lot of confidence in it in the bullpenn.dddddddddddd He called it a lot, I didnt shake and it worked out well, Iwakuma said through an interpreter.Iwakuma was nearly perfect through the sixth, facing just one batter over the minimum and allowing two hits. He ran into trouble in the seventh, beginning with Gregory Polancos leadoff double. Polanco scored on Starling Martes triple to deep right-center field, and Marte scored on David Freeses two-out single. Iwakuma was lifted after giving up a base hit to Adam Frazier, the fourth hit of the inning.Edwin Diaz got out of the jam in the seventh and pitched a perfect eighth. Steve Cishek pitched the ninth for his 18th save.SEE YA!Pittsburgh hitting coach Jeff Branson was ejected by home plate umpire Ben May arguing a strike call on the first pitch of the fifth inning. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle soon followed, getting ejected after a brief argument with May after Branson had been tossed.I didnt think it was warranted, so once he threw (Branson) I went out and let him know that this was a little continuation of what weve been dealing with too much, Hurdle said.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: RHP Gerrit Cole (triceps strain) threw a 35-pitch bullpen on Tuesday and threw fastballs and off-speed pitches. Cole threw just 15 pitches in his last bullpen session, all fastballs.Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez threw 25 pitches off a mound for the first time since going on the disabled list with a strained calf. Manager Scott Servais said Hernandez didnt feel any discomfort but there is no timeline yet on a possible return. ... LHP Charlie Furbush threw a 35-pitch bullpen session and is scheduled to throw to hitters on Saturday.UP NEXT:Pirates: Jameson Taillon (1-1) makes his fifth career start on Wednesday. Hes allowed eight earned runs in eight innings over his past two starts.Mariners: Wade Miley (6-3) returns after missing two weeks. Mileys last start came on June 12 when he lost against Texas. Miley was placed on the disabled list with an impingement in his left shoulder. ' ' '