Dein erstes Forum » match, forcing a deciding tie-break -- intr

NEW YORK -- The umpires got this one right. Garrett Jones hit a three-run homer -- a call that was correctly overturned by baseballs beleaguered umps -- and Wandy Rodriguez pitched the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-3 victory over the New York Mets on Friday night. With runners at the corners in the fifth inning, Jones hit a drive to right off Shaun Marcum (0-3) that just cleared a leaping Marlon Byrd. The ball caromed back onto the field off the bottom of a black retaining wall just above the fence and was initially ruled in play. Jones ended up on third and Pirates manager Clint Hurdle came out for a quick chat with crew chief Joe West, who cracked a smile as the discussion began. The umpires went inside to look at the replay and, after a 1 1/2-minute delay, came back on the field and signalled home run. "It was barely over the top of the fence and careened back," West said. "So everything worked like its supposed to." Its been a rough week for umpires, who botched a home run review Wednesday in Cleveland and goofed on a pitching-change rule the next night in Houston. Major League Baseball executive vice-president Joe Torre said Angel Hernandezs crew made an "improper call" in Cleveland, and MLB suspended umpire Fieldin Culbreth for two games Friday because he was in charge in Houston. Culbreth and the rest of his crew -- Brian ONora, Bill Welke and Adrian Johnson -- were also fined an undisclosed amount. Hurdle wouldnt reveal what it was that made West grin: "Thats between me and the Cowboy," he said with a smile of his own. West explained that he simply inquired if the manager was "asking nicely" for a review. "And he says, Yes. And I said, Sure." "I had Clint when he first started as a player," West said. "It was very professional, the way it should be." Jones doubled twice and leadoff man Starling Marte also had three hits for the Pirates, who improved to 4-13 at Citi Field. Pittsburgh had lost four of five overall, including the opener of this four-game series Thursday. Handed an early lead, Rodriguez (3-2) allowed six hits over six innings to win for the first time in four starts. He gave up Anthony Reckers first homer for the Mets but worked around a leadoff double in the fourth and held New York to 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position. "He was able to get through innings and leave runners on base," Hurdle said. "He gave us what we needed." Mets captain David Wright went down after fouling a pitch off the inside of his left knee in the first inning, but stayed in the game until he was lifted in the ninth. "It was pretty sore, but he said he thought he could play," manager Terry Collins said. Rodriguez improved to 4-0 in his last five starts against New York and 6-2 overall. Vin Mazzaro tossed two scoreless innings and Jason Grilli retired Ruben Tejada with two on, making him perfect in 14 save chances this season. "We needed to win the game," Hurdle said, explaining why he went to Grilli. Pirates reliever Jose Contreras gave up a solo homer to Jordany Valdespin and an RBI single to Andrew Brown in the ninth. Marcum looked uncomfortable on the mound and worked deliberately all night. He has failed to get through the fifth inning in any of his three starts for the Mets since beginning the season on the disabled list. "I feel good. The thing is, Im just not making pitches," Marcum said. "When you dont throw 95 (mph) and the balls up in the zone, theyre going to get hit. The main thing is Ive got to get back to locating and getting the ball down in the zone." The right-hander had three 1-2-3 innings but still gave up six runs and nine hits. He also hit two batters with pitches. Jones opened a three-run second with a double to left-centre, the first of four straight hits off Marcum. Pedro Alvarez had an RBI single and Rodriguez drove in a run with a bases-loaded smash up the middle that knocked Marcums glove off his left hand. The play turned into a 1-4-6 forceout after the ball deflected to second baseman Justin Turner. Marcum was checked twice by a trainer but remained in the game. "Im very, very worried about his hand. I thought for sure he broke his thumb the way the ball came off it," Collins said. "But the X-rays were negative, so well just get him on the side and, hopefully, he continues to get a little bit better." Marcum said his hand was "still a little sore, but it should be good to go." Pittsburgh made it 3-0 when Tejada struggled to get the ball out of his glove and double-clutched a throw on Martes run-scoring single to shortstop. The Pirates, who batted around in the inning, could easily have scored more if Jose Tabata hadnt been cut down at third for the first out on Alvarezs single to right. The homer by Jones extended Pittsburghs lead to 6-0. Even he wasnt sure if his drive cleared the wall. "It looked like it hit the top of the fence a little bit and kind of ricocheted off the fence. I couldnt really tell so I just kept running," Jones said. "It always feels good when theyre able to come on the field and twirl a finger." The clutch hitting was a welcome change for the Pirates, who went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position Thursday night. They entered 4 for 45 (.089) in those situations over the previous six games. Pittsburgh has homered in 11 of its last 12 games. NOTES: It was the fourth home run review of the season for the Pirates. ... Pittsburgh C Russell Martin sat out and said his neck stiffened up again after he returned action Thursday. He hopes to be back in the lineup Sunday. ... LHP Francisco Liriano is set to come off the disabled list and make his Pirates debut Saturday against Mets LHP Jonathon Niese (2-3, 4.66 ERA). Liriano has been sidelined all season while recovering from a broken right arm. Nieses back was feeling much better than a week ago, Collins said. Shannon Sharpe Jersey . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. Custom Ravens Jerseys . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5. http://www.customravensjersey.com/custom-marquise-brown-jersey-large-73d.html . "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. Michael Pierce Jersey . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Ray Rice Jersey . The 27-year-old Scrivens will be joining his third NHL club since signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs as a free agent in 2010. The move also reunites with him with head coach Dallas Eakins from their time together with the American Hockey Leagues Toronto Marlies. Defending champion Andy Murray guaranteed he will play for another Olympic medal after battling past Steve Johnson to reach the semifinals.Thursdays swirling wind, which contributed to Murray almost crashing out to Fabio Fognini, had died down and the world No.2 initially found the conditions much more to his liking.But, after a dominant opening set, he faltered in the second and again found himself in a real fight before recovering from a break down in the decider to win 6-0, 4-6, 7-6(2).He said: Its obviously been difficult, Ive been in tough positions after great starts and I was close to going out.Sometimes that can work in your favour as the tournament goes on. You start to feel a little bit better, maybe loosen up a bit and hopefully I can play better.It feels different [playing at the Olympics] because its special. We dont get this opportunity all of the time. Competing, trying to win medals for your country adds pressure, obviously.For me, its got nothing to do with having won the gold medal in London. Its just about trying to win more medals for your country and the team, and Ill give it my best shot to do that.Murray will now face fourth seed Kei Nishikori?after he defeated Frances Gael Monfils?7-6(4), 4-6, 7-6(6).The last four showdown will take place on Saturday and Murray will surely need to play much better to make the final.The 29-year-old is very much the form man of world tennis having now won 27 of his last 28 matches, 16 in a row and 10 in succession at the Olympics.American Johnson has quietly climbed to 22nd in the world rankings but Murray won their only previously meeting in Shanghai last year comfortably.Rain delayed the start of play for half an hour and Murray seemed keen to make up for lost time, immediately breaking Johnsons serve and racing through the first set in just 26 minutes.Murray was pinning the American on his weaker backhand wing and showing off his full repertoire of shots. The second set was where iit all went wrong for Murray against Fognini and Johnson ended the Scots run of 12 straight games across the two matches with a break in the opening game.ddddddddddddThe 26-year-old does not possess Fogninis extravagant talent but his serve and forehand were combining effectively while Murrays game, particularly his backhand, had gone off the boil.The second seed missed his only break point and Johnson served out the set to love. The Americans response after his first-set mauling had been very impressive and he made the first breakthrough in the seventh game of the decider with a Murrayesque lob.Murray could barely contain his frustration at the way he was playing but his fighting spirit can never be questioned and he hit straight back before saving another break point in a very tense exchange.Johnson twice successfully served to stay in the match, forcing a deciding tie-break -- introduced as a rule change for this Olympics. But Murray secured the early mini-break and never let his advantage slip, finally clinching one of the tenser wins of his career after two hours and 12 minutes.Rafael Nadal made it to the semifinals in his bid for a second Olympic singles gold, overcoming his Brazilian opponent and a raucous, flag-waving home crowd in the Rio Games main tennis stadium.Spains Nadal, the No. 3 seed, came back to beat 54th-ranked Thomaz Bellucci 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in two hours Friday.Nadal was the singles champion at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, then missed the London Games four years ago because of a knee injury.These Olympics represent the left-handers first competition since sitting out for over two months with an injured left wrist he says is not fully healed.Nadal will face Juan Martin Del Potro in the semifinal after he defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 7-5, 7-6(4).The Associated Press contributed to this report, ' ' '