Der Fremde » obviously theyre entitled to their opinion

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota bullpen helped bail out Phil Hughes after the Twins ace had uncharacteristic outing Sunday. Houston Rockets Shirts . Joe Mauer had two hits and two RBIs, and the Twins beat the White Sox 6-5 to complete their first four-game sweep against Chicago in 20 years. Anthony Swarzak and Casey Fien combined for three shutout innings of relief and Jared Burton earned his first save since May 30, 2013, with a perfect ninth. "Everybody was great except for me today," said Phil Hughes, who lasted just five innings but got the win. He allowed eight hits and tied a season high by giving up five earned runs. Hughes (8-3), who went at least six innings in his 11 previous outings, allowed his first walk in 107 batters during the White Soxs five-run third inning. "I just struggled with command, my off-speed stuff wasnt great," Hughes said. "Our bullpen stepped up big today, offence fought back a couple times. Thats huge." Gordon Beckham and Jose Abreu had two RBIs apiece for the White Sox, who have lost eight straight games against AL Central rivals. "Anytime you sit there and pity yourself, youre going to get buried. Nobody cares. You have to be able to pick yourself up off the mat and compete and then it works out," said manager Robin Ventura. After Chicago scored five times in the third for a 5-3 lead, Brian Dozier and Mauer had RBI singles and Josh Willingham added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to put the Twins ahead for good. The Twins last swept Chicago in a four-game series June 9-12, 1994. "Anytime you sweep anybody is a real good feeling, but anytime you get a four-game it makes it that much more gratifying for our ballclub," said bench coach Terry Steinbach, who took over when manager Ron Gardenhire was ejected in the third inning after arguing with home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. On an overcast, humid afternoon, Hughes wasnt the only starter who struggled. In his past five starts for Chicago, John Danks (6-6) was 3-1 with a 1.51 ERA, allowing just 24 hits. However, none of those were against Minnesota, a team he has struggled against. Danks allowed six earned runs on a season high-tying 10 hits. In his last eight starts versus the Twins since Aug, 11, 2010, he is 0-6 with a 6.18 ERA. "Its just one of those days, I guess. Certainly wasnt fun. Shot myself in the foot. Didnt do myself any favours. Cost us the game," he said. "You score five runs, that should be plenty to win a ballgame. To go out and give it right back in a five-inning span is kind of a tough pill to swallow." The left-hander walked the first two batters he faced, but the Twins managed just one run. Minnesota, however, scored twice in the second for a 3-0 lead. Kurt Suzuki led off with a double, but was thrown out at home trying to score on a single by Eduardo Escobar. Escobar scored one batter later on Sam Fulds double off the right field wall. Mauer added an RBI single later in the inning. Mauer has six RBI in his last four games, after entering the series with just 16. "When Joe Mauer heats up, you watch out around the league," Dozier said. Hughes gave up the lead in the third. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs. After Adam Eaton struck out on a full-count pitch, Beckham lined the first pitch he saw for a two-run double to the wall in left-centre and Abreu followed with a two-run single up the middle for a 4-3 lead. A bloop single by Conor Gillaspie plated the innings final run. NOTES: Suzuki had three hits. ... Willingham returned to the Minnesota lineup after being given Saturday off. He went 0 for 4 and is 2 for 22 since last Monday. ... Eaton singled in the first inning and has reached base safely in 17 straight games ... Chicagos Chris Sale (6-1, 2.20) is scheduled to start Monday at Baltimore against the Orioles Wei-Yin Chen (7-2, 3.98). ... Kyle Gibson (6-5, 3.25) is to pitch for Minnesota Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series in Los Angeles against C.J. Wilson (7-6, 3.34) of the Angels. Houston Rockets Gear .com) - Eric Fehr and Marcus Johansson each registered a pair of goals, as Washington spoiled the head coaching debut of Peter Horachek by picking up a 6-2 victory in Toronto on Wednesday. Houston Rockets Pro Shop . Villarreals victory in Valencia kept it in fourth place and in control of Spains last Champions League spot. Uche broke free in the area in the 10th minute and was brought down by goalkeeper Keylor Navas, who was shown a direct red card. https://www.cheaprocketsonline.com/ . TSN 1290s game day coverage begins on Monday, June 9 at 5:30pm ct as the Blue Bombers take on the Toronto Argonauts in pre-season action. Bombers game day broadcasts on TSN 1290 are hosted by Winnipeg Blue Bomber Hall of Famers Troy Westwood and new addition Chris Walby, alongside beat reporter Darrin Bauming, who delivers regular reports on the team for TSN 1290 all-season long.TORONTO -- One day after being ejected in an extra-innings loss to Tampa, Jose Bautista found himself in the spotlight again Monday. Surrounded by media, the Jays slugger was unrepentant in his belief that he did nothing to warrant being ejected by home plate umpire Bill Welke in the sixth inning Sunday after striking out. His ejection took on a bigger light when outfield replacement Nolan Reimold misplayed a fly ball in the top of the 10th inning, an error that turned into the winning run in the 2-1 Tampa win. Reimold also struck out to end the game. Jays manager John Gibbons did not mince words afterwards. "Bottom line we need him in the game. Say your piece, and get the hell out of there," he said of Bautista. "Were trying to get in the playoffs, we need you on the field. "He (Bautista) is a marked man in this game. Bill Welke, I thought he had a pretty good zone today. He was steady, I thought he was looking to call strikes. But we need you in the game." Gibbons repeated his view Monday, although he called the incident old news and said there were "no issues." He also made a point of citing Bautistas intensity while declining to say whether he had talked to the player about Sundays incident. "To be honest, I think hes handled himself very well this year," Gibbons said of Bautistas actions towards umpires. "My point is we need him. He doesnt do us any good sitting on the bench." Still, Gibbons bluntness in pointing the finger at a star player was unusual. It also comes in a rollercoaster season that has seen Bautista question the teams lack of moves to strengthen the roster. The 33-year-old Bautista, who is slated to make US$14 million this season, is the face of the franchise and an influential voice in the locker-room. Rightly or wrongly, every hiccup comes in for intense scrutiny. Bautista has more than a few in his corner, judging from the warm reaction he got when his name came up during the Jays introduction Monday night. A nice running catch to end the top of the first won more cheers and he got a good response for his first-inning at-bat despite grounding out. The managers comments on Sundays ejection did not go unnoticed by Bautista. "I did read his quotes and I understand his frustrations," the right-fielder said before Monday nights game with Boston. "And I had the same frustrations. I didnt want to get ejected. But it happened. "Again I dont think what I did warranted an ejection. Thats the only thing that I can say." Sitting at his locker stall, a relaxed Bautista then surveyed the media throng around him. "I find it interesting though that this is so important that this is the first time all year that Ive had 15 people in front of my locker," he said after pausing to count the reporters. "After a lot of good games and after a lot of bad games. Its very interesting to me." A reporter countered that a lot of times his locker was empty before games. ";I dont believe that," Bautista said dismissively. Rockets Jerseys China. . "I dont think thats true." Bautista has had issues with umpires in the past, but has kept his emotions in check this season. Last year, he spoke out on the issue after being upset at the strike calling of umpire Jeff Nelson in the season opener against Cleveland. Asked about it the next day, Bautista said he reacts to umpires because he plays with emotion. "Sometimes I have trouble more than other players dealing with my production being affected by somebody elses mediocrity," he said. "Its just the way that I am as a person, its a tougher pill to swallow for me sometimes." The comments were unlikely to win him favour with the umpiring professionals in the 161 games that followed. On Monday, Bautista chose his words carefully as he fenced with reporters. He sounded more like a lawyer than a baseball player as he debated the meaning of argument. "I feel what I said and what I did did not warrant an ejection. But I did get ejected. And I dont have anybody else to blame for it, thats my fault. But I also wanted to say what I wanted to say. Without cursing, without raising my voice, without being animated, without showing him up. "And I dont think when you do that in a polite matter you should get ejected." Bautista said the ejection and subsequent criticism will not change his future interaction with umpires even though he acknowledged "nobody can ever win" such discussions. "That doesnt mean youve got to keep your mouth shut," he said. "Especially when youre being polite, especially when youre again not raising your voice, not using curse words. "I mean I didnt know there was a gag order in baseball. If that rule was put out, I havent got the memo yet." Bottom line, Bautista didnt seemed too fazed about anyone elses opinion. "I know my motives. I know the things that I do and why I do them," he said. "And what makes me a good player. And what makes me tick, and why I come out here every day and what my purpose is. "If some people want to believe thats part ulterior motive, obviously theyre entitled to their opinion but I obviously dont agree with them." The elephant in the room was whether Bautistas actions in not letting the strikeout go were selfish. "I dont think that I should come to my job and worry about performing and on top of that try to convince the world that Im a good person or that I have good intentions within my team," he said. "I dont think thats my job. I think my job is to come here and play hard and try my best. And I think I do that every single day. "Again, if some people believe that Im selfish or have whatever reasons or motives to do anything while Im out on the field, thats their opinion. I shouldnt have to campaign against that just to get people on my side. I should go out there and play hard every day and try to help my team win games." ' ' '