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officialsbaseball  
#1 Posted : Thursday, August 23, 2018 1:10:55 PM(UTC)
officialsbaseball

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NEW YORK — An emotional Tuesday may have brought the end to an era for the New York Mets. But the Mets know there’s no better way to pay tribute to Sandy Alderson than by proving Wednesday night that Tuesday night’s win was no fluke.

The Mets will look to earn a series victory Wednesday night Tanner Lee Jersey Elite , when they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the rubber match of a three-game set at Citi Field.

Zack Wheeler (2-6, 4.85 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for New York against Pittsburgh’s Ivan Nova (4-5, 3.98 ERA) in a battle of right-handers.

The Mets concluded a whirlwind day by edging the Pirates 4-3 in 10 innings. Wilmer Flores, who had a two-run single in the first inning, delivered his third walk-off hit of the season and the ninth walk-off hit of his career when his single down the third-base line scored Michael Conforto from first base with one out.

The Mets (32-45) snapped a seven-game losing streak hours after learning Alderson, who has been the team’s general manager since October 2010, would be taking an indefinite leave of absence to battle a recurrence of cancer. He was originally diagnosed in 2015 and underwent treatment following that season.

Three of Alderson’s assistants — John Ricco, J.P. Ricciardi and Omar Minaya — will share the general manager’s role while Alderson is out.

Alderson said during a pregame press conference that the cancer returned in April. He informed players of his diagnosis during a pregame meeting that left many players in tears but also may have crystallized their focus.

“We have a job to do and lately we haven’t been doing it up to our potential,” Conforto said. “So we really wanted to focus in and just make sure that we bounce back today, of all days, and play a little bit better. I think we showed a little fight there. We battled back and scratched together enough runs to win a ballgame tonight. So hopefully that gets us on the right path.”

The Pirates (37-42) were hoping a wire-to-wire 6-4 victory in Monday’s opener would get them back on the right track, but Tuesday’s loss was the sixth in the last seven games.

On Wednesday Colts Game Jerseys , the Pirates will be seeking only their second series win in their last 13 series dating back to May 17, a span in which they are 12-25.

“I think I shared with our club — I don’t believe I’ve ever been through a rough patch of 34 games since I’ve been in the major leagues as a player, coach or manager,” said Pirates manager Clint Hurdle, who reached the bigs as a player in 1977. “And I’ve had enough. There’s a point in time you stop talking about being a good team, now you go play like a good team. Because your record’s telling you you’re not a good team.”

Wheeler will be looking to earn his first win in almost two months. He took the loss Friday after allowing four runs over seven innings as the Mets fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2. Wheeler is 0-5 with a 5.13 ERA in 10 starts since his most recent victory April 29.

Nova didn’t factor into the decision Friday, when he allowed three hits over eight scoreless innings in the Pirates’ 2-1, 13-inning loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was the second time this season Nova has tossed eight scoreless innings. He also didn’t earn a decision in Pittsburgh’s 1-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on April 26.

Wheeler didn’t factor into the decision in his lone previous start against the Pirates on May 27, 2017, when he gave up three runs over six innings as the Mets fell 5-4 in 10 innings.

Nova is 1-0 with a 2.82 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against the Mets.

Even as he enters his fourth season, Tevin Coleman is still taking notes from Falcons teammate Devonta Freeman on all the basics that go with being an NFL running back.

How to run. How to catch. How to block.

How to make teammates smile.

In training camp, Freeman's contagious personality may be one of his biggest strengths. His ever-present smile can be a mood-lifter during long Terrell Edmunds Jersey Steelers , hot practice days.

"It's definitely effective," Coleman said after Saturday's practice. "Just having him here and bringing in the energy and getting other guys motivated to compete and work hard, just his presence here lightens everybody up. I like that."

Freeman is especially upbeat this camp. He is relishing his return to good health following a sometimes scary 2017 season.

Freeman suffered two concussions last year. He spent the last two weeks of the preseason in concussion protocol before suffering another concussion against Dallas on Nov. 12 that forced him to miss two games. A sprained right knee cut into his production late in the season.

Now Freeman, 26, is feeling good. He's an important part of an offense that is looking to return to its form of 2016, when it led the league in scoring.

"What more can I ask for?" Freeman asked earlier this week. "My dream job is football and I get to play. I come to work and play football every day. That's it."

Coleman said Freeman is "happy to feel good, happy to be here with his brothers, happy to compete."

Coach Dan Quinn says Freeman's tough demeanor in practice shows that he loves the game, especially in training camp.

"He's such a competitor," Quinn said Saturday. "He has the personality among his teammates. They love him. They love what he stands for on the field, off the field, in the locker room. He is one of constant support. His makeup and mentality Adidas Ryan Kesler Jersey , based on toughness and competing, this is his kind of environment."

Added Quinn: "We truly celebrate guys like Free who live that lifestyle."

Quinn immediately noticed a change in Freeman early in camp.

"It is awesome to see Free back, feeling like himself," he said.

Freeman was one of the first players to catch the attention of Quinn, then a first-year coach, in 2015. The coach immediately talked about Freeman's skills as a runner and receiver, and the running back's breakout season lived up to the hype.

Freeman ranked fifth in the NFL with 1,634 combined rushing and receiving yards in 2015 and was first with 14 all-purpose touchdowns.

He added another 1,000-yard rushing season in 2016. Even while missing two games last year, he ran for 865 yards with seven touchdowns and had 36 catches for 317 yards.

Most running backs would be happy with 36 catches, but for Freeman it was a big drop from 2015, when he caught 73 passes for 578 yards.

Freeman hopes he and Coleman have more targets from quarterback Matt Ryan in the second year with offensive coordinator Steve Sarkasian.

"I think we've got enough talent to be utilized in the passing game Derrius Guice Redskins Jersey ," he said. "We need to take advantage of that."

NOTES: The Falcons had their fourth annual military day, welcoming soldiers from Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia, and 24 families from the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors who have lost a loved one in the military. "It was a great way for us to pay tribute back to them," Quinn said. ... A German TV crew, on a tour of at least eight NFL training camps, visited the Falcons and plans to return when Atlanta hosts this season's Super Bowl. "It would be a perfect scenario if the home team could reach the Super Bowl," said Christoph Dommisch of 7Sports. Dommisch and other members of the crew wore traditional lederhosen 鈥?shorts and suspenders.

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