Cowboys went on to score three consecutive touchdowns to take control of the game

PITTSBURGH -- Ivan Nova is doing his part to improve baseballs pace of play.The right-hander threw a six-hitter to stay unbeaten with Pittsburgh and Jung Ho Kang hit a two-run double to key a three-run first inning as the Pirates defeated Cincinnati 4-1 on Thursday night, extending the Reds losing streak to five games.Nova (12-6) pitched his second complete game in seven starts since being acquired from the New York Yankees in a trade on Aug. 1. He struck out four, walked none, got 15 of his outs on ground balls and retired the first 12 batters while throwing 94 pitches.The game lasted 2 hours, 28 minutes during a season in which Commissioner Rob Manfred has fretted about the average time of major league games.I think my wife and everybody likes it when I get home early, so I try to make it as quick as possible, Nova said with a grin.Nova improved to 5-0 with a 2.53 ERA in seven starts with the Pirates. He has issued just two walks in 46 2/3 innings.Its just more of what weve been seeing from him, said Clint Hurdle, who became the sixth manager in Pirates history with 500 wins. It was a really nice mix of pitches and pitching. No walks again. Its the manual there of how you want to get it done in a quick and efficient way.Kangs double opened the scoring and he came home on a single by Francisco Cervelli as the Pirates took an early 3-0 lead against Dan Straily (11-8).Kang is 7 for 13 with seven RBI in four games since being activated from the disabled list on Monday after missing 15 days with a sore left shoulder.Hes in a good place, Hurdle said. Hes seeing the ball well, looking really good in the field.The Pirates, still on the fringe of the National League wild card race, won their second straight following an eight-game losing streak. They began a stretch of 15 consecutive games against teams with losing records.The Reds dropped to 57-82, clinching their third consecutive losing season and 14th in the last 17 years.Josh Harrison hit two doubles for the Pirates. David Freese and Cervelli had two hits each.Zack Cozart singled in the Reds lone run in the sixth. Andrew McCutchen countered with an RBI single in the bottom of the inning.Straily gave up three runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked three.I wasnt exactly where I wanted to be -- but they had three hits (in the first) inning that were probably a foot away from a glove. Total, Straily said. So thats just kind of the way it happened.TRAINERS ROOMReds: CF Billy Hamilton (strained oblique) missed his fourth straight game with a strained oblique and stayed behind in Cincinnati to receive treatment. ... RHP Homer Bailey (biceps tendinitis) has not started since Aug. 28 but the Reds hold out hope he will be able to return this season.Pirates: CF Starling Marte (back spasms) missed his third straight game. ... RHP A.J. Schugel (sore shoulder) hasnt pitched since Aug. 30 and there is no timetable for the relievers return.PIRATES SHUFFLE ROTATIONRHP Drew Hutchison will make his Pirates debut Saturday night when he starts in place of RHP Chad Kuhl against the Reds. The Pirates acquired Hutchison from the Toronto Blue Jays in a trade on Aug. 1 and he was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in seven games, including six starts, for Triple-A Indianapolis before being recalled TuesdayFrom 2012-15, Hutchison had a 30-21 record with a 4.92 ERA in 76 games, 73 of which were starts, over four seasons with the Blue Jays.Kuhl and fellow rookie RHP Jameson Taillon are having their next turns in the starting rotation skipped as the Pirates attempt to manage their innings pitched. Taillon has worked 149 1/3 innings between the major and minor leagues and Kuhls total is 134 1/3.UP NEXTReds: RHP Tim Adleman (2-3, 4.02 ERA) will start Friday night and the rookie is 0-2 with a 5.63 ERA in his last three starts.Pirates: LHP Steven Brault (0-2, 3.32), also a rookie, will look for his first win in his fifth career start. Air Jordan 1 Retro .ca NHL Power Rankings for the second straight week, ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. Air Jordan 1 Outlet . He just needed to be his best twisting, turning acrobatic self. "I didnt need to be anybody else, I just needed to be myself and be aggressive," said Burks, who scored a career-high 34 points to spark the Utah Jazz to a 118-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night. https://www.cheapairjordan1outlet.com/ . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Air Jordan 1 Discount . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. Wholesale Air Jordan 1 .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. STILLWATER, Okla. -- Often an overlooked aspect of the game, specials teams played a key role in Oklahoma States latest win.The Cowboys blocked three PAT attempts, with Vincent Taylor and Tre Flowers teaming up to return one of them for two points and shifting the momentum in their favor on the way to a 49-31 victory over Texas on Saturday.Our PAT blocks were a huge part of the game, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. (Defensive line coach) Joe Bob Clements is our coordinator of our PAT/field goal block and they had a nice plan to attack (Texas center Alex Anderson) and it worked out for us.Oklahoma State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) opened the game with a 14-0 lead, but DOnta Freeman had just scored on a 22-yard touchdown run to make it 14-13 late in the first quarter, with the game-tying PAT coming up. Taylor barreled over Anderson to block it, then scooped up the bouncing ball and raced downfield, eventually pitching it to Flowers, who took it into the end zone for two points.Instead of a 14-14 tie, OSU led 16-13.When they tied it up, or were in a position to tie it up with a PAT, and then you get a block and you get two points, it changes the momentum of the game and gets the crowd back into it, exciting the team, Gundy said. And then to do it two more times was really special.Darrion Daniels blocked the next Texas PAT attempt and then Taylor blocked a third straight extra point kick -- which Lenzy Pipkins almost ran back for another two points before being pushed out of bounds at the 20-yard-line. At that point, with 6:31 left in the second quarter, Texas led 25-23 but it could have been 28-21.On their next possession, the Longhorns lined up for a 46-yard field goal attempt, and perhaps anxious about yet another block, Trent Domingue missed it, hooking it wide left. Infused with more momentum and confidence, the Cowboys went on to score three consecutive touchdowns to take control of the game.Taylor also blocked a field goal attempt in the season-opening 61-7 win over Souutheastern Louisiana on Sept.dddddddddddd3, giving OSU a nation-best four blocked kicks.One of my goals I have written on my mirror is to get five blocked kicks, said Taylor, who has also excelled at defensive tackle, recording 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries so far this year. Im at three right now in the fifth game. If I can keep getting them, thats something we practice every day and it showed.Even beyond the blocked kicks, the Cowboys special team units are also receiving outstanding performances from punter Zach Sinor and kickoff specialist Matt Ammendola.Against Texas, Sinor delivered six punts for an average of 46.0 yards, with two ending up inside the 20. Overall for the season, Sinor has averaged 44.3 yards (ranking second in the Big 12 and 25th in the nation) on 22 punts, putting 14 inside the 20.Ammendola had nine kickoffs for an average of 64.8 yards, with two touchbacks, and the Longhorns never started a drive after a kickoff beyond their own 25-yard-line. On the year, Ammendola is averaging 63.1 yards on 32 total kickoffs, with 12 touchbacks.The Cowboys coverage units have also been strong, surrendering just 35 total return yards on punts and 17.1 yards per kickoff, ranking 16th in the country in that category.Were using a lot of young players, were trying to pace ourselves for conference play, and we have guys that are on special teams that are not really experienced and theyve done a nice job, Gundy said. Steve Hauser, whos taken over our special teams, has been really good, works hard at it, its important to him, and the players are buying in.Our kicking has been good. (Ammendola)s kickoffs this last game are the best theyve been, and Zach Sinors been great. Up to this point, weve been very fortunate that weve had good results on special teams.Oklahoma State faces Iowa State (1-4, 0-2) at home next Saturday. ' ' '