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The golf after that was simply spectacular

DETROIT -- Coco Crisp is on such a roll that he was even a little better than Miguel Cabrera on Monday night. [url=http://www.sabreshockeystore.us/Jason-Kasdorf-Jersey/]Jason Kasdorf Sabres Jersey[/url] . Crisp and Daric Barton each drove in two runs, leading the Oakland Athletics to an 8-6 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Cabrera hit his 43rd homer, bolstering his pursuit of another Triple Crown, but Barton had a tiebreaking RBI single in Oaklands two-run sixth inning. Crisp went 3 for 6 with a solo homer and is batting .500 (9 for 18) in his last four games. The As scored at least one run against each of Detroits three relievers after Anibal Sanchez was forced out after throwing 112 pitches in five innings. "We did a good job of being patient," Crisp said. "I think we got his pitch count pretty good." A.J. Griffin (11-9) earned his first win since July 29 despite allowing four runs and seven hits in five-plus innings. The right-hander was 0-2 with a 3.47 ERA in his previous four starts. "I was just trying to battle and keep the ball down good," Griffin said. "Its good to win, a good battle. It felt like a playoff atmosphere." Grant Balfour allowed an unearned run in the ninth but held on for his 33rd save. Omar Infante and Victor Martinez also homered for the AL Central-leading Tigers, who had won three in a row. Martinez went 4 for 5 and Torii Hunter had two hits. "We just didnt pitch good. I dont know what else to tell you," manager Jim Leyland said. "They were swinging the bats good, and we didnt pitch good. Our pitchers have been terrific, but tonight they got beat. No big deal." Cabrera went deep in the fifth, sending a 3-1 slider from Griffin over the wall in right for a two-run shot that tied it at 4. He leads the AL with a .359 batting average and 130 RBIs, but he trails Baltimore slugger Chris Davis for the home run lead by three. "Trying to go off the plate, trying to make him chase something," Griffin said. "It was up. If it would have been down, it would have been a better pitch." Oakland responded in the sixth, jumping all over Jose Alvarez (1-4). Barton, who was called up from Triple-A Sacramento earlier in the day, had the last of three consecutive singles to open the inning, driving in Nate Freiman. Crisp added an RBI single. Alberto Callaspo added a run-scoring single against Al Alburquerque in the seventh and Jed Lowries RBI double in the eighth made it 8-4. "They got some hits off tough pitches, but Anibal has been great for us, and this was just one of those days," Martinez said. "Obviously, no one wants to give up hits and no one wants to leave runners on base, but were playing against a big league team and they are playing just as hard as we are." Sanchez allowed four runs and five hits in five innings. He struck out six and walked three. NOTES: Crisp also made a diving catch in right-centre to rob pinch hitter Tuiasosopo of extra bases in the eighth. ... Oakland placed RF Josh Reddick on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right wrist. Reddick sprained the wrist on Sunday. Barton took Reddicks place on the roster. Oakland also designated RHP Pat Neshek for assignment. Right-hander Evan Scribner was recalled from Sacramento to take Nesheks roster spot. ... Detroit SS Jose Iglesias returned after missing two games because of soreness above his left elbow. ... The pitching matchup for the second game of the series on Tuesday night is Tigers ace Justin Verlander (12-9, 3.68 ERA) against LHP Tommy Milone (9-9, 4.30 ERA). [url=http://www.sabreshockeystore.us/]Sabres Jersey[/url] . McCutchen was cut before the series opener against Seattle on Monday night, when Lewis was set for his first start for Texas since July 18, 2012. Texas selected Lewis contract from Triple-A Round Rock. [url=http://www.sabreshockeystore.us/Josh-Gorges-Jersey/]Josh Gorges Jersey[/url] . Azarenka needed exactly one hour in a 6-1, 6-0 rout of Austrian Yvonne Meusburger to start the night session at Laver Arena. Sharapova had a much easier time earlier in the day with cooler conditions and took full advantage in 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) win over Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, while Radwanska had to rally for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. [url=http://www.sabreshockeystore.us/Sam-Reinhart-Jersey/]http://www.sabreshockeystore.us/Sam-Reinhart-Jersey/[/url] . The Canadian tennis players first full season on the WTA Tour was a strong one. She has risen to No. 32 in the world rankings and will likely be seeded at the first Grand Slam event of the 2014 season.DUBLIN, Ohio -- Whether its his health or his personal life, Rory McIlroy is not easily distracted when hes on top of his game. McIlroy made two eagles and three birdies on the back nine at Muirfield Village -- along with a double bogey -- on his way to a 9-under 63 and a three-shot lead Thursday after the opening round of the Memorial. A week ago, McIlroy began his week at Wentworth by announcing he and tennis star Caroline Wozniacki had broken off their engagement. Then, he went out and won the BMW Championship for his strongest win in more than two years. At the Memorial, McIlroy caught his spikes in the turf on his second shot at the seventh hole and felt pain the rest of the round, especially when he had to put a little extra pop into tee shots or long irons. He was limping when he walked off the stage after talking about how he made five birdies and two eagles after hurting his knee. It was the lowest opening round in 39 years at the Memorial. "I dont think its anything more than just being confident with my game," McIlroy said. "I was expecting this to happen. Ive been playing well. Ive been posting good numbers, good rounds. And I knew my game was close. And honestly, I dont think its anything to do with whats happening off the golf course. Its just Ive been trending in the right direction, and its starting to all come together." Masters champion Bubba Watson, Chris Kirk and Paul Casey each had a 66 while playing in calmer and slightly softer morning conditions. Keegan Bradley was at 67, notable not because it was his best score at Muirfield Village but because it was his first time in his four years on the PGA Tour that he did not use a belly putter. Adam Scott, who won at Colonial last week in his debut at No. 1 in the world, lost momentum with a shot into the water for double bogey on No. 9, and he missed some birdie and eagle chances on the back nine that would have allowed him to stay close with McIlroy. He settled for a 69. Phil Mickelson also looked sharp -- at least for 15 holes. He was at 5 under after a birdie on the 15th hole -- at the time, just one shot out of the lead. But he hit into the water on the par-3 16th and did well to escape with bogey. He came up short on the 17th and muffed two flops shots on his way to double bogey. And he finished with another double bogey by three-putting tthe 18th. [url=http://www.sabreshockeystore.us/Pierre-Turgeon-Jersey/]Pierre Turgeon Jersey[/url]. That gave him a 72. "Just threw away a good round," Mickelson said. Canadian Mike Weir finished the day at 1-over 73. The course began to get firm under a hot sun late in the afternoon, which didnt appear to bother McIlroy. Jordan Spieth picked up birdies on the par 5s, had a good par save on the 16th and squeezed out a 69 that left him pleased. "Anything under par is a good score," Spieth said. "Obviously, Rory didnt think that." McIlroy was more than nine shots better than the field average. His only scare came on the seventh hole when his spikes caught and applied a little more torque on his knee. McIlroy said he had never experienced that before, though he felt some ice and work in the fitness trailer should take care of it. "The inside of it is sore, a little swollen," McIlroy said. "Some treatment and I should be fine for the morning." The golf after that was simply spectacular. From the deep rough right of the 10th fairway, he hammered a shot to the middle of the green and it caught a slope and settled 4 feet away. He hit 4-iron to 25 feet on the par-5 11th and holed a 25-foot birdie putt in the centre of the cup. He holed a tough 15-foot birdie on the 13th, and then hit a towering 5-iron to 15 feet on the par-5 15 for another eagle. McIlroy picked up his final birdie with a 12-foot birdie after a great tee shot to the deceptively tough front pin on the par-3. He finished his round with an 8-foot putt to save par from the bunker. His only blunder came on the 14th when he tugged a wedge too hard and too far left into a plugged lie in the bunker. He played well away from the flag to avoid going down the slope and into the water, but left it in the sand. His next shot had to be good to get within 6 feet of the flag, and it wasnt. The ball ran off the green and down a slope. He had to get up-and-down for a double bogey. McIlroy answered by smashing another tee shot into the fairway and hitting that high 5-iron onto the green for eagle, erasing the double bogey. Its just one round, but considering it was McIlroy, it was an attention-getter. McIlroy is one of those players who can follow up a win with more great play. When he won the PGA Championship by eight shots in 2012, that was the start of three victories in four starts against the strongest fields of the year. 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