Kritik und Lob » The running game is shifting into hig

MINNEAPOLIS -- James Paxton was cruising along for the Seattle Mariners, as hes done often this season. Then Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and the middle of the Seattle Mariners batting order order broke out.Cano had four hits and two RBI, Cruz added a two-run homer among his four RBI and the Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 10-1 on Friday night to stay on pace in the AL wild-card race.Nice to see the middle of our lineup come together, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. We havent had a game like that in a while. ... Those guys are huge in the middle. Theyve carried us all year. Nice to see them get going again.Seattle trailed Detroit by two games for the second wild card but passed Houston.Paxton (5-7) struck out nine and allowed one run on five hits. Seattle, which scored six runs in the seventh inning, entered Friday averaging just 2.88 runs per game while Paxton was on the mound.Feels good, Paxton said of pitching well while in the playoff race. This is what we need. We need to win right now. Guys are playing hard and were doing our best to stay right there, and try to climb up in the wild-card standings.Kyle Gibson (6-10) gave up two runs, five hits and four walks for Minnesota, which lost its seventh straight and fell to 99 losses, its most since 2011.Its tough to be too satisfied with a game where you only went five innings, threw a hundred pitches and your team loses 10-1, Gibson said. I think theres some positives but its hard to focus on those at that time.With a biting curveball at his disposal, Paxton allowed just three hits, two on infield singles, before waiting through the long top of the seventh. The only blemish on his night was Miguel Sano leading off the seventh with a triple off the wall in right field and scoring on Kennys Vargas single.He was in total control, Servais said. It was great to see. Fun watching him go like that because he gets on those rolls and the release points very consistent.Seattle supplied Paxton with the most run support hes received in a start this season.Cano and Mike Zunino had RBI bloop singles in the third and fourth before a big inning against three relievers.Cano drove in a run with an infield single. Cruz followed with a two-run double, Kyle Seager had an RBI double and Zuninos single led to two runs when left fielder Robbie Grossman committed two errors. Grossman let the ball bounce off his glove and then kicked the ball as he went to retrieve it.Byron Buxton made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Cruz of at least extra bases in the third, but Cruz hit his 38th homer in the eighth, a drive off the stone facing above the batters eye in center field. MLBs Statcast said the ball would have traveled 454 feet had it landed unimpeded.Seattle had scored two runs or fewer in six of its previous seven games.The start was delayed by 35 minutes due to rain, marking the 14th delay or postponement in Minnesota this season.HOLLANDERSeattle announced Friday that Justin Hollander has been hired as the teams director of baseball operations.Hollander, 37, was the Los Angeles Angels director of player personnel. He was hired by Los Angeles in 2008, serving multiple roles, where he worked under Seattle general manager Jerry Dipoto.Hollander steps into the role left behind by Caleb Peiffer, who left the team to attend law school.TRAINERS ROOMTwins: RF Max Kepler was out of the lineup but was cleared to play after leaving Thursdays doubleheader with a mild neck strain from hitting the wall awkwardly. . 1B Joe Mauer was out of the lineup for the third straight game as he deals with sore quadriceps. He hasnt started since Sept. 17.UP NEXTSeattle LHP Ariel Miranda (5-1, 3.88 ERA) hopes to keep his surprising run going on Saturday. Minnesota will send RHP Tyler Duffey (8-11, 6.39) to the mound. Miranda has gone 4-0 with a 2.16 ERA in his last four starts with 20 strikeouts in 25 innings. Duffey has allowed at least five earned runs in three of his last four outings. Cheap Packers Jerseys . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. Green Bay Packers Shirts . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. https://www.packersjerseysale.com/ . Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night. Green Bay Packers Store . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Fake Packers Jerseys . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. MADISON, Wis. -- The running game is shifting into high gear at No. 6 Wisconsin.Coach Paul Chryst said the teams depth at running back, which helped net 363 yards rushing and four touchdowns in 64 attempts against Illinois last week, is the key to providing more consistency for the offense.I really mean it when I say were going to need everyone this season, Chryst said Monday. Weve been lucky around here and everyone whos followed (Wisconsin football) knows how important it is to have multiple backs.Corey Clement is the workhorse starter, while Dare Ogunbowale is a change-of-pace and third-down back. Freshman Bradrick Shaw could be the lead back of the future, and even sophomore Taiwan Deal, who figures to get more snaps next season, got a few carries last week against Illinois.Win their last two regular season games -- Saturday against Purdue and next week against Minnesota -- and the Badgers (8-2, 5-2 Big Ten, No. 7 CFP) will be heading to the league championship game. Chryst said the Badgers depth bodes well for the stretch run.I think they all bring a llittle something different which is good, he said.dddddddddddd There arent many positions we have on this team where weve got depth so any time you have it youre very thankful for it.Wisconsin recorded another stellar defensive effort in its 48-3 victory over Illinois. The Badgers are tied for third in the FBS in scoring defense (12.7 points per game).Ogunbowale said working against the Badgers dominant defense in practice also has aided the improvement of their running game.Those guys have been making us better. We hope weve been making them better, also, he said.Game notes Starting NT Olive Sagapolu will miss his fifth straight game Saturday when the Badgers play at Purdue (3-7, 1-6). OL Jacob Maxwell and FB Austin Ramesh are both questionable with right shoulder injuries, while backup OLB Zack Baun is questionable with a left leg injury.---More AP college football at www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '