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KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (10-7)

OPEN CAMP: July 28 Youth Cam Newton Jersey , Missouri Western, St. Joseph, Missouri

LAST YEAR: Chiefs rolled to 5-0 start, went through midseason swoon, then won final four games of regular season to defend AFC West title for first time in franchise history. QB Alex Smith had career season, RB Kareem Hunt led NFL in rushing, and WR Tyreek Hill evolved from speedy gadget star to playmaking pass catcher. Defense struggled to absorb season-ending injury to SS Eric Berry, resulting in unit that routinely allowed big plays. Season ended when Kansas City blew 21-3 halftime lead in 22-21 loss to Tennessee in wild-card round of playoffs.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: WR Sammy Watkins, LB Anthony Hitchens, CB Kendall Fuller, QB Chad Henne, DT Xavier Williams, QB Matt McGloin, TE Tim Wright, CB David Amerson, LB Breeland Speaks, DT Derrick Nnadi, LB Dorian O’Daniel, SS Armani Watts.

IMPORTANT LOSSES: QB Alex Smith, CB Marcus Peters, LB Derrick Johnson, FS Ron Parker, LB Tamba Hali, CB Phillip Gaines, WR Albert Wilson, CB Terrance Mitchell, OL Zach Fulton Derrick Henry Jersey Big , LB Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB Ramik Wilson, DL Bennie Logan, CB Kenneth Acker.

CAMP NEEDS: Must determine starting CBs after trading Peters and releasing Mitchell, with Fuller and Amerson front-runners. Berry must prove his health after tearing Achilles tendon last September. Pass rush must show improvement with rookies Speaks and O’Daniel complementing OLBs Justin Houston and Dee Ford.

EXPECTATIONS: Chiefs’ have overhauled roster under second-year GM Brett Veach, particularly on defense. Longtime stalwarts Johnson and Hali are gone and rookies will be expected to contribute from first snap. But if Chiefs are to win third straight AFC West title, they need second-year QB Patrick Mahomes II to live up to expectations. Kansas City traded up to select him 10th overall in 2017, and was so confident in his abilities it traded Smith to Redskins after best season of career.

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LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (9-7)

OPEN CAMP: July 28, Jack Hammett Sports Complex, Costa Mesa, California

LAST YEAR: Bolts’ relocation season ended just short of playoff berth with impressive 9-3 finish under new coach Anthony Lynn following 0-4 start. LA’s new team had one of NFL’s most impressive offenses, with Philip Rivers and receiver Keenan Allen headlining gifted group of playmakers. Chargers finished fourth with 376.6 yards per game, and plus-12 turnover margin was third. Offensive line also allowed NFL-low 18 sacks. Defense rounded into form along with offense, with shutdown cornerback Casey Hayward and pass-rushing stars Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram leading group that finished third by allowing 197.2 yards per game against pass. Chargers won final five games at tiny StubHub Center, even establishing something close to home-field advantage. They barely missed first playoff berth since 2013.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: C Mike Pouncey, TE Virgil Green, S Derwin James, LB Uchenna Nwosu, QB Geno Smith, K Caleb Sturgis.

IMPORTANT LOSSES: S Tre Boston, TE Antonio Gates, DL Jeremiah Attaochu.

CAMP NEEDS: Staying healthy has been almost impossible for Chargers in recent years, and they’ve already lost budding star TE Hunter Henry to season-ending knee injury from non-contact drill in May. They’ll look for new starting tight end in camp, and it’s imperative to get to regular season with no additional serious injuries – and enough momentum to improve on last year’s 0-4 start. Defense that frequently struggled against run must sharpen approach, and tackle Brandon Mebane could help immensely with bounce-back season. Bolts must figure out whether No. 7 overall pick Mike Williams is ready to be regular receiver after injury-shortened rookie year. They must find solid kicker after failing to do so last year, with Caleb Sturgis and Roberto Aguayo headlining competition.

EXPECTATIONS: If Chargers pick up where they left off, they have components of Super Bowl contender. They return with above-average franchise quarterback Womens JuJu Smith-Schuster Jersey , Pro Bowl receiver and elite talent at nearly every important position, including two of NFL’s best pass rushers and two of its top cornerbacks if Jason Verrett returns from injury at full strength. Another major injury could scramble forecast, but franchise that has won one playoff game and one AFC West title in past decade seems capable of much more this fall.

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OAKLAND RAIDERS (6-10)

OPEN CAMP: July 26, Napa, California

LAST YEAR: Raiders plummeted from 12 wins in 2016 to six last year as QB Derek Carr and offense regressed, defense struggled, and coach Jack Del Rio was fired. Oakland’s offensive output dropped by more than seven points per game, takeaways fell from 30 to 14, and Raiders got almost no production from past three draft classes in becoming one of league’s biggest disappointments. That led to move to bring coach Jon Gruden back for second stint with Raiders after spending past nine seasons in broadcast booth.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: Gruden, WR Jordy Nelson, WR Martavis Bryant, RB Doug Martin, LB Derrick Johnson, CB Rashaan Melvin, S Marcus Gilchrist, LB Emmanuel Lamur, LB Tahir Whitehead, WR Ryan Switzer, OL Kolton Miller, DT Maurice Hurst, DE Arden Key.

IMPORTANT LOSSES: Del Rio, WR Michael Crabtree, RT Marshall Newhouse, LB NaVorro Bowman, CB TJ Carrie, CB Sean Smith, CB David Amerson Authentic Justin Houston Jersey , P Marquette King.

CAMP NEEDS: Biggest priority is getting 2016 Defensive Player of Year Khalil Mack into camp after he held out entire offseason while seeking long-term contract. Mack is entering final year of rookie deal and Gruden and new DC Paul Guenther are eager to get most important defensive piece on practice field. Other main issues are learning Gruden’s Comcast’s NBC is airing both the Super Bowl and the Olympics in February, a double-whammy sports extravaganza that the company expects to yield $1.4 billion in ad sales, helping it justify the hefty price it’s paying for both events.

NBC is banking heavily on these sports events since traditional TV ratings have slumped in recent years. Live sports are marquee TV events that draw most of the largest TV audiences, but even those ratings have declined. More Americans are dumping their cable packages – Comcast lost 33,000 video customers in the fourth quarter and 151,000 for all of 2017 – and advertisers are following consumers to their phones.

Spending on U.S. TV ads is expected to grow an anemic 0.4 percent this year, according to eMarketer.

In the October-December quarter, NBCUniversal’s broadcast TV ad revenue fell 6.5 percent, after a boost in 2016 from election ads. As it adapts to a slowing TV market, NBC is continuing some digital efforts from Rio and expanding others to meet viewers wherever they are – whether in front of a TV or not.

THE SUPER BOWL

The Super Bowl reaches more than 100 million people in the U.S., outstripping every other TV event. It’s the most expensive ad time on TV.

This year’s Super Bowl is Feb. 4 and follows a two-year slump in regular-season NFL ratings, according to ESPN . But NBC has said it is not worried about a lack of interest. The game is an event that ”transcends sport and even the game itself,” Dan Lovinger, an NBC Sports ad-sales executive, said in January, about three weeks before the game.

NBC said then that it had nearly sold out Super Bowl ad spots and that on average, companies are paying more than $5 million for 30-second ads during the game. Kantar Media expects rates slightly higher than last year’s $5.05 million.

Fox aired the Super Bowl in 2017, and said it had $500 million in ad revenues for the day. NBC has predicted about $500 million for the game and associated events this year.

NBC also makes money from ads during events before and after the game and a special episode that day of its hit drama, ”This is Us.”

For the first time, it’s selling ads for the game that will only appear on its app or website.

ADS FROM PYEONGCHANG

NBC is paying $963 million for the broadcast rights to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which follow a Summer Olympics in Rio two years ago that disappointed in some ways.

NBC ruled the airwaves during the Rio Games, besting other networks, and raked in $250 million in profit. But ratings for the prime-time broadcast declined compared to the London Olympics in 2012, so NBC had to give advertisers some extra ad slots to make up for it.

This time around, NBC will sell ads for this Olympics based on total viewership, counting cable and digital viewers as well as those who tune into NBC proper. That gives them more leverage with advertisers Womens Greg Olsen Jersey , said Brian Wieser, an ad analyst for Pivotal Research Group.

NBC expects to sell more than $900 million worth of ads for the Olympics, which it says would be the highest ever for a Winter Games. (Summer Games are more popular.) The company is offering more hours of programming this year, both on TV and online, than it did for the Sochi Games in 2014.

KEEPING FANS HAPPY

Past Olympics have been criticized by fans for tape-delayed events. This year, NBC will air its nightly prime-time broadcast simultaneously across the country. That means the West Coast evening broadcast will start early, at 5 p.m.

The company says it will be able to show many Olympics events live for the U.S. audience, including skiing, snowboarding and figure skating. (U.S. prime time starts at 10 a.m. Korean time.) But some popular events will be live at odd hours in the U.S. Speed skating will take place in the evening in Korea, for example – but morning in the U.S.

NBC will stream the opening ceremony at 6 a.m. Eastern on Feb. 9, but only for cable customers. A delayed version will air on prime time. And it’s not yet clear whether exciting medal-round events will be shown at the best time for NBC’s ratings, said Kantar Media chief research officer Jon Swallen. NBC just says that all figure skating, alpine skiing and freestyle snowboard finals will be aired live in either prime time or what it calls ”prime-time plus,” which stretches from 11:30 p.m. until 2 a.m. Eastern.

GOING DIGITAL

As it did during the Rio Olympics, NBC has again partnered with BuzzFeed to make videos on Snapchat, a messaging app popular with millennials. These will include behind-the-scenes videos posted by Snapchat users, clips of athletes and Olympics venues shot by BuzzFeed, and snippets of NBC’s own Olympics coverage. NBC’s revenue from its Snapchat deal is in the tens of millions, said an NBC Sports spokesman.

The broadcaster is also teaming up with the online news site Vox to make a daily Olympics podcast for the 18 days of competition. NBC parent Comcast is showcasing both NBC’s Olympics broadcasts and streaming video for its home cable customers in a way that will be easily searchable on TV sets.

In its fourth-quarter earnings report on Wednesday, Comcast said its net income soared to $15 billion, or $3.17 per share, from $2.3 billion, or 48 cents per share, because of a one-time impact from tax changes recently signed into law. Revenue climbed 4 percent to $21.92 billion.

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The wife of Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen says she has Alzheimer's Authentic Allen Robinson Jersey , a disease which led her husband to give up control of the team four years ago.

In an announcement Wednesday, Annabel Bowlen said she wanted to make her diagnosis public right away to help raise awareness about others dealing with the disease.

"I feel that it is important for people to know that those in my situation do not need to completely withdraw from their daily activities," Annabel Bowlen said in a statement released through the team. "Based on my own experience with Pat, there will still be many joyous and rewarding moments for me as well as my family and friends.

"I intend to proceed in life with the same strength, courage and endurance that Pat has shown in his battle with this disease. Like Pat, I know there will be good days and bad days ahead."

Her five children said in a statement that they have been inspired by the strength and courage she has shown while supporting their father. The statement says they're confident she will bring "the same grace, compassion and determination to her fight."

The team was placed in a trust when Pat Bowlen stepped down in 2014 because of Alzheimer's. The trust is overseen by three people, including team president and CEO Joe Ellis.

The Celtics punched the Cavaliers first and never looked back in rolling to a Game 1 rout.

LeBron James took a literal shot to the jaw in Game 2 but kept right on scoring.

So did the Celtics.

Jaylen Brown scored 23 points and Boston withstood a 42-point night by James to beat Cleveland 107-94 on Tuesday and take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Terry Rozier added 18 points Womens Ezekiel Elliott Jersey , while Al Horford finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Boston improved to 9-0 this postseason at TD Garden. The Celtics have never blown a 2-0 series lead in the playoffs.

”We’re going to fight,” Rozier said. ”At this point we don’t care if we win by half a point. If we win, that’s all that matters.”

James added 12 assists and 10 rebounds. He scored 21 of Cleveland’s 27 points in the first quarter , tying his playoff career high for points in a period. His 42 points marked his fifth 40-point game of this postseason. James had just 15 points and missed all five of his 3-point attempts in the Cavs’ Game 1 loss.

But he didn’t seem to play with the same force after straining his neck in a first-half collision and the Cavaliers wilted in the second half, with the Celtics outscoring them 59-39.

”I think I’ll be fine. I’m not going to lose sleep over it. You go out and when you lay everything on the line, at the end of the day, you can live with that,” he said. ”They did what they had to do Authentic Justin Houston Jersey , and that was protect home, and now it’s our time to try to do that, as well.”

Kevin Love finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds for Cleveland.

As expected, Tristan Thompson started in place of Kyle Korver in the hopes his presence could energize what was a sluggish Cavs offense in Game 1. Thompson got Cleveland’s first basket of the night and helped to limit Horford’s effectiveness on the inside early on.

Korver added 11 points off the bench for Cleveland. But starters Thompson, JR Smith and George Hill combined for just 11 points on 5-of-17 shooting.

Tempers flared with 3:49 to play with Boston leading 97-89. Marcus Smart got in Smith’s face after Smith pushed Horford in the back to prevent a layup. Smith shoved Smart and the pair had to be separated.

Smith was assessed a flagrant foul and both received technical fouls.

”I felt like it was uncalled for that type of play there,” Horford said. ”We have each other’s backs. … We moved on to the next play way and we locked in after that.”

Smith said there was no malicious intent on the play.

”I blatantly pushed him. It wasn’t like I was trying to low bridge him or something. Just make sure he didn’t get it,” Smith said. ”It was a good, hard foul.”

Boston’s balanced attack was effective again Womens C.J. Mosley Jersey , with six players reaching double figures. Cleveland had 15 turnovers leading to 13 Boston points. The Celtics turned it over just six times.

Boston led 84-77 after three quarters and took command late in the fourth with the Cavs getting little offense other than from James. Cleveland’s starters were pulled with 1:48 left and the Cavs down 14.

James was on the attack from the opening tip. He turned the ball over the Cavs’ first possession. But it was one of his only miscues in the first quarter.

James was also astoundingly efficient, using his dribble to create space, while he knocked down an assortment of jump shots.

He finished the opening quarter 8 of 13 from the field and 4 of 7 from the 3-point line.

His momentum was stunted briefly at the 3:50 mark of the second quarter, when Jayson Tatum was whistled for a foul after catching James jaw with his shoulder as he attempted a steal. James stayed in the game and connected on one of his ensuing free throws, but then exited to the locker room with Cleveland leading 47-36.

The Cavaliers said James had a neck sprain. He returned after missing less than two minutes of game time.

Boston flurried just before the half, getting six points from Morris in the final minute to trim Cleveland’s lead to 55-48 at the break.

”I think we just have a group of guys that really believe in each other,” Horford said. ”Our group in tough times, we’ve always found a way.”

TIP-INS

Cavaliers: Were outscored 50-42 in the paint after being outscored 60-38 in Game 1.

Celtics: Went 10 of 31 from the 3-point line.

QUOTABLE

”We’ve got to be tougher. I think they’re playing tougher than we are. We see that. They’re being physical. They’re gooning the game up and we’ve got to do the same thing.” – Cavaliers coach Ty Lue

40-POINT MAN

According to Elias Sports Bureau Kirk Cousins Jersey Big , James now has three career playoff 40-point triple-doubles. That is the most in NBA postseason history.

DEFENDING A TEAMMATE

Smart said Smith’s play was a ”dirty shot.”

”That’s not the first time JR has done some dirty stuff, especially playing against us,” he said. ”It’s like a bully, you keep letting a bully keep picking on you, he’s going to pick on you until you finally stand up. And that’s what I tried to do.”

UP NEXT

Game 3 is Saturday in Cleveland.

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Former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. says he battled depression during his 16-year career with the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens.

Smith Devin Shore Jersey , who retired after the 2016 season and now works as an analyst for the NFL Network, told NFL.com that despite making five Pro Bowls and being selected All-Pro twice he “routinely felt trapped, inferior and alone” and often asked himself “what’s wrong with me?”

The 39-year-old Smith said by his final season with Carolina in 2013 he was so overwhelmed he didn’t know how to handle his emotions and “was a cynic of everything and everyone.”

Smith says he’s been receiving treatment for depression and advised others to do the same, saying “stop trying to deal with these serious matters alone.”

Panthers coach Ron Rivera praised Smith for speaking out on the topic.

After losing a 20-point lead to the Boston Celtics, the Milwaukee Bucks were determined not to lose another playoff game.

Leave it to All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo to come up with a big play in the final seconds on Sunday.

Antetokounmpo scored 27 points Youth Corey Crawford Jersey , including tipping in the go-ahead basket with 5 seconds left, and the Bucks held on for a 104-102 win to tie their first-round playoff series at two games apiece.

Boston’s Marcus Morris missed a 14-footer at the buzzer with Khris Middleton’s hand in his face to seal a nail-biting win for the Bucks.

Seconds earlier, the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo jumped and reached up with his left arm around Boston’s Jayson Tatum to put back Malcolm Brogdon’s missed layup for the game-winner.

”It’s a heck of play,” coach Joe Prunty said.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Boston.

Antetokounmpo added seven rebounds and five assists, while Middleton scored 23 points. The Bucks’ two best players were clutch in the closing seconds of a tense victory Joel Eriksson Ek Jersey , another sign of maturity for the one of the league’s up-and-coming teams.

”One of the most important things that we can carry from this game moving forward is that we stayed disciplined and we trusted one another,” Antetokounmpo said.

It could just as easily have fallen apart for Milwaukee after losing a 20-point lead with 7:37 left in the third quarter.

Jaylen Brown had 34 points for the Celtics, while Tatum added 21. Tatum’s 18-footer with 52 seconds left gave the Celtics a brief 100-99 lead.

He just couldn’t hold off Antetokounmpo on the other end for the decisive tip-in.

The disappointing end for the Celtics overshadowed their spirited rally from a 65-45 deficit. Play got chippy and the Celtics limited the Bucks’ transition game.

They came up one basket short at the end.

Antetokounmpo ”made a great tip-in and he was battling for the ball. That’s what great players do,” coach Brad Stevens said.

Both teams traded clutch buckets down the stretch.

After Tatum’s long jumper, Brogdon hit a transition 3 from the corner for a 102-100 lead with 33 seconds left. Al Horford followed with two foul shots to tie the game at 102 with 29 seconds remaining.

They couldn’t send the game into overtime. Morris bent over in frustration near the Boston bench after his fadeaway hit the rim.

”We got the look we wanted … It’s a shot that (Morris) can make 10 out of 10 times http://www.officialblackhawksproshop.com/authentic-adidas-artem-anisimov-jersey ,” Brown said. ”It didn’t go in tonight. So Game 5, keep moving forward.”

TIP INS

Celtics: Stevens kept his starting five intact after the team never recovered from a disastrous first quarter in Game 3. Stevens said he would likely only make a switch for matchup purposes. … Boston ended with a 43-36 edge on the boards. … Morris finished with 13 points and shot 4 of 14.

Bucks: Starting C John Henson missed a second straight game with a sore back. … The Bucks went with the same starting five as Game 3, with Zeller replacing Henson and Brogdon starting for Tony Snell. … Jabari Parker led a vigorous effort off the bench with 16 points and seven rebounds. Backup C Thon Maker blocked five shots and played most of the fourth quarter.

OFF THE BENCH

The Bucks’ reinvigorated bench outscored the Celtics’ reserves 31-15. Parker, in particular, gave the team a lift in the first half with perhaps his best defensive play of the year after forcing turnovers on two straight Boston possessions at one point.

QUOTABLE

”We played great in the second half. We played great in the first six minutes of the game. The 18 minutes that ended the first half were not good. They had a lot to do with that.” – Stevens.

BLOCK PARTY

The Bucks set a franchise playoff high with 14 blocks Authentic Kyle Quincey Jersey Kids , eclipsing the previous high of 13 set in Game 3. The 7-foot-1 Maker has turned into disruptive presence after playing sparingly in the first two games. He’s getting extended minutes because Henson’s injury.

”Thon is playing extremely assertive. The blocked shots are going to stand out because that’s something somebody can see on the stat sheet,” Prunty said.

STAT LINES

Brown picked up the second 30-point game of the postseason after scoring just one 30-point game in the regular season. He was 13 of 24 from the field but 2 of 10 from the 3-point arc. … The Bucks shot at least 52 percent from the field for the third straight game.

UP NEXT

Game 5 is Tuesday at the TD Garden in Boston.

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The Oakland Athletics will go for their season-high fifth win in a row when they open a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday night at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.

Oakland (38-36) has achieved a four-game winning streak on four occasions this season Bobby Orr Jersey , including its current stretch, but has yet to make it five. The A’s have outscored opponents 28-15 during this week’s streak, which includes two wins apiece against the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres.

A’s hitters slugged five homers in a 12-4 rout of the Padres on Wednesday. The team already has four players with double-digit blasts, including Khris Davis (20), Matt Olson (15), Jed Lowrie (11) and the injured Matt Chapman (10).

“We definitely have some power,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said to the A’s official website. “That’s one of the strengths of the team.”

As Oakland is riding a hot streak, Chicago (24-49) is mired in a seven-game losing streak. A loss in the series opener would give the White Sox their worst skid of the season, which is saying something considering the club’s ugly record.

White Sox manager Rick Renteria’s club is coming off back-to-back sweeps at the hands of the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians. In Wednesday’s series finale, Chicago managed only two hits in a 12-0 loss to the Indians.

“It’s tough, but instead of getting frustrated, we have to keep working http://www.officialislanders.com/authentic-adidas-adam-pelech-jersey , use that feeling to work harder,” White Sox second baseman Yoan Moncada said to the team’s official website. “There are still plenty of games to play, and we can improve. We can keep getting better, and if it is not this year, then next year. But definitely the games we have this year, we have a chance to improve.”

White Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (4-7, 7.19 ERA) will look to improve in his 15th start of the season. The former first-round pick of the Washington Nationals (No. 16 overall in 2012) has terrific potential but has been unable to produce consistent results in his first full season on the South Side.

Poor command has plagued Giolito, who has 45 walks in 71 1/3 innings. He also has hit 10 batters, which is tied for most in the majors along with Cole Hamels of the Texas Rangers and Carlos Martinez of the St. Louis Cardinals.

This will mark the 23-year-old’s first career appearance against Oakland.

For the A’s, right-hander Chris Bassitt (0-2, 2.45 ERA) will make his third start of the season. The 29-year-old is seeking his first victory since Aug. 4, 2015 Patrick Roy Jersey , against the Baltimore Orioles.

Bassitt is quite familiar with the White Sox, who drafted him in the 16th round in 2011 and developed him in the minors. He went 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA in six appearances (five starts) as a rookie in Chicago in 2014.

On Dec. 9, 2014, the White Sox shipped Bassitt, Marcus Semien, Josh Phegley and minor leaguer Rangel Ravelo to Oakland in exchange for Jeff Samardzija and Michael Ynoa. The trade did not pan out as hoped for Chicago, which retained Samardzija for one underwhelming season before he signed as a free agent with the San Francisco Giants.

Bassitt has faced the White Sox once in his career. That was in 2016, when he gave up eight hits and four runs in 5 1/3 innings, but did not get a decision in Chicago’s 5-4 victory.

This will be the first meeting of the season between the teams. Last year, Oakland won the season series 5-1.

One late-inning rally wasn’t enough for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Trailing and down to their final out on two occasions, the Pirates managed a 7-6 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers that gave them the first five-game sweep in the majors in nearly a dozen years.

With two men on and two outs in the 10th inning and a steady rain turning into a downpour, Josh Bell made solid contact on a pitch from Dan Jennings (3-3). The crack of the bat was followed closely by bolt of lightning from the clouds as Bell left the batter’s box.

The ball got past center fielder Lorenzo Cain and bounced all the way to the wall Jake Muzzin Jersey , scoring Gregory Polanco easily from third. The relay throw beat Colin Moran to the plate but skipped off the pitcher’s mound and through the legs of catcher Erik Kratz, giving Pittsburgh an improbable victory.

Bell had gained a tactical advantage when earlier in the at-bat, Jennings had a slider slip out of his hand that nearly went for a wild pitch. With the tying run on third, Bell didn’t think Jennings would risk throwing it again.

”I was just dead-red heater,” Bell said. ”I got it and I put a good swing on it.”

The blown save was the first of the season for Jennings. An inning earlier, regular closer Corey Knebel blew his second of the season. After loading the bases with no outs, Knebel got Jordy Mercer to ground into a double play that scored one run, but then pinch-hitter David Freese hit a two-out triple off the right-field wall to tie the game.

”We just didn’t make pitches,” Brewers manger Craig Counsell said. ”That cost us.”

The Pirates’ five-game sweep is the first in the majors since August 18-21, 2006, when the Yankees took five straight from Boston. It’s the first five-game sweep for Pittsburgh since 1996. The Pirates head into the break as winners of six straight and eight of their last nine.

”Just a lot of wins all over the place for a lot of different guys and the team,” manager Clint Hurdle said. ”Twice to come back against one of the best bullpens in the game Patrick Kane Jersey , the fight in the club, the fight all over the place, a really fun way to end it in the pouring rain.”

Brett Phillips drove in four runs, including an RBI single in the 10th off Pirates reliever Tanner Anderson (1-0). The win was Anderson’s first in the majors in his second appearance. Both Phillips and Anderson had been recalled from Triple-A before the game.

Phillips hit a bases-loaded triple in the eighth off Pirates starter Joe Musgrove to give the Brewers a three-run lead. Starling Marte had an RBI single in the eighth for Pittsburgh.

Musgrove threw a career-high 106 pitches over his 7 2/3 innings. He allowed five runs on seven hits, walked four and struck out five.

Milwaukee starter Jhoulys Chacin allowed one hit in 5 1/3 innings, but his throwing error allowed Musgrove to reach base ahead of Corey Dickerson’s homer, which was the only damage against him.

Travis Shaw hit his 18th homer of the season in the second.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Brewers: C Manny Pina (left biceps strain) and OF Ryan Braun (back strain) will be eligible to return from the disabled list after the All-Star break.

Pirates: 2B Josh Harrison left the game with left hamstring discomfort. He pulled up running out a ground ball in the fifth inning. … There is ”concern” that C Francisco Cervelli (post-concussive symptoms) might have to move out from behind the plate, general manager Neal Huntington said. Cervelli went on the seven-day disabled list Saturday without a timetable for his return.

UP NEXT

Brewers: Have not announced a starter for Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. With the activation of LHPs Wade Miley and Brent Suter from the disabled list this week, Milwaukee has six starters on the active roster.

Pirates: RHP Jameson Taillon (6-7, 3.91 ERA) is scheduled to start the second half at Cincinnati on Friday. Taillon held opponents to a .196 average over his last two starts.

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Jon Gruden would like to see instant replay for officiating disappear. So would Pete Carroll.

The two Super Bowl-winning coaches aren't fans of video reviews Youth Matt Irwin Jersey , particularly the slow-motion replays. They also recognize that replay isn't going away.

"I don't like instant replay," Carroll said Tuesday at the NFL meetings. "I like the game played on the field. The scrutiny of the officials has become so intense, they don't call the game like they used to, I feel. That didn't mean I didn't argue with them any more or any less.

"There are so many reasons why replay has been a positive factor in our game, but I don't like it," the Seahawks coach added.

Gruden returned to coaching this year, with the Raiders, after working as the ESPN analyst on Monday night games. So replay was a beneficial tool for him as an announcer, giving him an opportunity to break down the action even more insightfully.

As a coach Womens Jason Demers Jersey , he would have no qualms if it was eliminated.

"Let the naked eye make the call," Gruden said. "Eliminate instant replay and let the officials call the game.

"Slow motion is the biggest problem with replay. Throw slo-mo out and get back to common sense."

As the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New Jersey Devils shifts to the Prudential Center for Game 3 Monday night, one team espouses change while the other is quite fine with the status quo.

It is not hard to determine which team is which after the Lightning held serve on home ice, winning the first two games. Now it’s up to the Devils to change the narrative as the series shifts to Newark, but that may be easier said than done.

The Lightning took Game 1 by a 5-2 score and then ran out to a four-goal lead in the second game on Saturday before finishing the Devils off 5-3. Over 120 minutes of playoff hockey, the Lightning have not trailed for a single second.

“You approach every game at a time, and we’re just focused on the next one right now,” said the Lightning’s Tyler Johnson, who scored a goal in each of the first two games. “We’re not focused on what we did the first two games. It’s what we’re going to do in the next one.”

That business-like approach is echoed throughout the experienced Lightning dressing room. Not only did this team finish first in the Eastern Conference this season Marcus Foligno Jersey , but the roster swells with players that played in recent Stanley Cup and conference finals games.

That experience showed in the first two games as the Lightning handled momentum swings in a smoother fashion that far-less experienced Devils. And it could be a big advantage as the Lightning look to put a stranglehold on the series with a win Monday night.

“Just because you won the first two games at home, that’s not a paved path saying you’re going to win Game 3,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper. “The best we played (Saturday), we’re going to go five percent better to win on the road.”

While the Devils had surges in the opening two games in Tampa, there is much room for improvement up and down their lineup. In fact, the lineup deployed by Devils coach John Hynes in the first two games, will be shaken up Monday night.

Hynes told reporters on a conference call Sunday that there will be changes made, though he declined to specify which players might be in or out.

“There are some guys who just haven’t performed well enough to warrant staying in the lineup,” explained Hynes. “We’re a team Duncan Keith Jersey , we need to play as a group. We can’t have passengers. We can’t have guys not necessarily playing as hard as they need to in the competitive areas of the game.”

Veterans Ben Lovejoy and Michael Grabner might be in danger of watching from the press box in Game 3. Both have struggled, and Grabner logged only 8:56 worth of ice time on Saturday.

Adding some intrigue to who may, or may not, play in Game 3 is that the Devils signed 2016 third-round pick Joey Anderson to an entry-level contract on Sunday. He will skate with the team Monday after recently helping the University of Minnesota-Duluth win the NCAA Championship.

Another area of question is in goal. Keith Kinkaid went 7-0-1 down the stretch between the pipes, helping the Devils secure their first playoff berth in six years, after Cory Schneider was sidelined with a hip injury in January and then failed to win any of his starts upon his return more than a month later.

However, Kinkaid was blitzed by the high-powered Lightning offense in the first two games of this series and was pulled in favor of Schneider after allowing five goals on 15 shots in only 33:12 on Saturday.

Hynes said Sunday he decided on his starting goalie for Game 3 but was not ready to publicly divulge his choice.

“I feel confident in both goalies,” Devils alternate captain Taylor Hall told reporters Sunday. “That’s the least of our worries. Keith down the stretch was great and Cory’s had his times this year, as well.”

No matter who starts in goal Authentic Josh Manson Jersey , the Devils need to tighten up their overall defensive game and find ways to slow down the potent Lightning power play, which converted on three of its four opportunities in Games 1 and 2.

Despite the daunting task ahead of his team, Hall is excited for Monday night.

“It’s going to be really fun to have our fans behind us,” said Hall, who has one goal and one assist in the series. “Home ice is a huge advantage and using the fans can give is the push we need for Game 3.”

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Rashod Hill might not take part in the joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Minnesota Vikings this week because of a minor injury.

Perhaps Sergei Boikov Jersey , then, he'll have a brief moment to reflect on his progressing career, considering the presence on the same field of his former and current team. An undrafted practice squad player with the Jaguars just two years ago, Hill has become a key cog on a championship contender as the front runner at right tackle.

Standing 6-foot-6 with a mobile 315-pound frame sure helps, but he never would have made it this far without the willingness to learn and a determination to work that helped give the Vikings confidence Hill can be a quality NFL starter.

"He's an extremely athletic guy that has been getting better and better," coach Mike Zimmer said. "Sometimes later in the game his concentration leaves him a little bit, so that's where we'll have to extend him more plays so he gets used to doing those things. He's done a really nice job. He's moving well in the running game. When he sets good in the passing game, he's really hard to get around. He's done some good things."

Zimmer made those comments on Monday, before Hill rolled his ankle in practice in a tangle with nose tackle Linval Joseph and was taken away on a cart. Hill returned to the field that afternoon and said afterward the injury was not a concern Tuukka Rask Jersey , but he was held out on Tuesday.

The Jaguars, who signed Hill out of Southern Mississippi in 2016, join the Vikings for practices on Wednesday and Thursday before their exhibition game at U.S. Bank Stadium on Saturday.

"I'm looking forward to seeing them," Hill said.

The Jaguars were second in the league with 55 sacks last season and second behind the Vikings in both fewest yards and points allowed, so they'll provide a valuable test for the work-in-progress Vikings offensive line this week. The challenge will not include defensive end Dante Fowler, the third overall pick in the 2015 draft, because he's being kept home as punishment for fighting with fellow defensive end Yannick Ngakoue .

"Guys just bought into the program, and I knew they were going to take off," Hill said Authentic Gustav Nyquist Jersey , assessing the Jaguars defense.

Hill, who was on the practice squad with the Jaguars when the Vikings signed him away a little more than halfway through the 2016 season, started seven games last year including both matchups in the playoffs.

The Vikings are down both starting guards from 2017, with Joe Berger retired and Nick Easton sidelined by a likely season-ending neck injury, so they moved right tackle Mike Remmers to right guard. There's an obvious need on the interior, but the Vikings surely wouldn't have switched Remmers if they weren't sold on Hill's ability to man that critical position.

Hill already had a setback earlier in training camp with a sudden stomach illness that kept him out of action for a few days, but he said he has gained back all the weight he lost and started practice on Monday at 317 pounds, in the range of his ideal size.

"We're just happy he's back and feeling better," offensive coordinator John DeFilippo said last week. "You'll see his stamina continue to grow as we go along."

Yu Darvish plans to throw a bullpen Thursday in his next step toward rejoining the Chicago Cubs‘ rotation.

Darvish played catch Wednesday at Dodger Stadium Devin Shore Jersey , a day after he rejoined the team following a five-inning, 57-pitch rehab start with Class A South Bend on Monday.

The Japanese right-hander has been on the disabled list since May 26 because of tendinitis in his right triceps.

”I don’t feel too bad today,” Darvish said through a translator. ”I wasn’t 100 percent on Monday and it’s just part of my rehab process. In terms of strength and endurance, I’m fine.”

Darvish is back at Dodger Stadium for the first time since his awful outing for Los Angeles in Game 7 of the World Series last year. He allowed five runs and got only five outs as the Houston Astros clinched in front of the L.A. fans. He was equally ineffective in losing Game 3, giving up four runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Darvish, who joined the Dodgers at the July 31 trade deadline, said the move from Texas revived his passion for the game. Before the trade, he had told his wife that he might retire when his contract with the Rangers ended.

”Joining the Dodgers, I had a chance to find myself and be around a very supportive group of people. Baseball was really fun with the Dodgers http://www.officialredwings.com/authentic-adidas-dylan-larkin-jersey ,” Darvish said. ”The Dodgers really took care of me.”

Darvish became a free agent after the World Series and although he wanted to stay with the Dodgers, he ended up signing a $126 million, six-year contract with the Cubs.

But he has yet to produce the kind of results that demanding Cubs fans expect. Darvish has a 4.95 ERA in eight starts and has been on the disabled list twice.

”I want to contribute to the team a lot more and to winning in general,” he said. ”Rather than what I want, it’s more about what my body feels.”

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AP freelancer Olivia Sandusky contributed to this report.

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The Seattle Seahawks' remodeled defense could be without one of its top holdovers when the regular season begins.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Monday that linebacker K.J. Wright may not be ready for the season opener at Denver after he had arthroscopic surgery on his knee. Carroll said Wright came out of last week's preseason game against Minnesota feeling something off in his knee and made the decision to have surgery.

"After the game 鈥?he didn't get hit or anything or have an episode 鈥?just felt that maybe something wasn't quite right so we took a good look at it so we're going to a scope job and get him back really quick Authentic Alexander Radulov Jersey ," Carroll said.

That was the most the Seahawks coach was willing to offer about what's going on with his starting weakside linebacker and one of the few players returning after a major overhaul of Seattle's defense in the offseason. Carroll was vague about the nature of Wright's injury, other than saying it didn't happen on a hit during the game against the Vikings. Wright was in for 45 defensive snaps against Minnesota.

How long will Wright be out?

"Don't know," Carroll said.

Will he be ready for the opener?

"I don't know that," Carroll said.

Is it the same knee Wright had a procedure done on last year during training camp?

"I don't know that answer. Sorry."

The Seattle defense that fans came to know with Richard Sherman Troy Brouwer Jersey , Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril is no more. All those players are gone for various reasons 鈥?trade, injury 鈥?and with the return of Ken Norton Jr. as defensive coordinator, the Seahawks were expected to be centered even more around Wright and fellow linebacker Bobby Wagner this season.

That still may be the case Richard Panik Jersey , but Wright's absence could affect some of what Seattle wants to do defensively because of his ability to stay on the field as an excellent pass defender. Wright has started 103 of 107 games he's played in over seven seasons, missing just five regular-season games.

Wright had an orthopedic procedure known as Regenokine on his knee a year ago during training camp. Depending on Wright's recovery, the status of cornerback Byron Maxwell and the lingering holdout by safety Earl Thomas, the Seahawks could have just one defensive starter from either of its Super Bowl teams on the field against Denver: Wagner.

Wright's backup is rookie fifth-round pick Shaquem Griffin. While Griffin has been noted for his playmaking and speed during the preseason Womens Will Butcher Jersey , he's also been caught out of position at times and can be bullied by bigger players. Griffin should get significant playing time in the preseason finale Thursday against Oakland.

"At this point, today, he's got to be ready," Carroll said.

NOTES: WR Doug Baldwin returned to practice after missing most of training camp with a sore knee. Baldwin won't play against the Raiders but appears on track for the opener in Denver. ... DE Frank Clark suffered a hyperextended elbow and S Tedric Thompson suffered a stinger in the game against the Vikings. ... Carroll said DE Dion Jordan (knee) is recovering quickly but was uncertain if he'll be healthy enough to start the season on the active roster.

The Giants will have a new rookie cornerback joining them at training camp later this month.

They selected former Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal in the third round of Wednesday’s supplemental draft. Beal was the first player selected this year as the first two rounds passed without any teams making a pick.

By selecting Beal Womens Andrew Cogliano Jersey , the Giants will hand over their third-round pick in the 2019 draft. They owned the third pick in each round of the draft after a weighted lottery was performed before it began. Per multiple reports, the Raiders have the first pick in each round should they choose to exercise it.

Beal is the first player taken in a supplemental draft since 2015 and it’s the first time the Giants have made a pick since 1994. He will join a cornerback corps that’s unsettled behind Janoris Jenkins and Eli Apple. William Gay, Curtis Riley and Teddy Williams are also in the mix for playing time.

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