he was going to be an excellent play-caller and he grew from there." Calgarys offence le

DENVER -- Carlos Martinez labored most of the game. Not with his pitches, but catching his breath.Martinez threw five effective innings despite struggling to take a deep breath in the thin air and added a two-run double, helping the St. Louis Cardinals gain ground in the NL playoff race with a 5-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night.The Cardinals moved into a tie for the second wild card with the Giants, who blew a ninth-inning lead in Los Angeles and lost 2-1 to the Dodgers.St. Louis and San Francisco are one game behind the New York Mets, who lost to Atlanta.Martinez, who turns 25 on Wednesday, gave himself an early birthday present by holding Colorado to two runs while striking out six. The right-hander is 9-1 on the road this season.Martinez (15-8) helped his own cause with a two-out double as part of a three-run fourth. He also was hit just below the left leg by a fastball from Tyler Anderson (5-6) in the third -- two pitches after Randal Grichuk lined a two-run homer.Really, though, the biggest issue for Martinez was breathing in the Mile High City.The altitude affects everybody a little differently, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. It affected him today, for sure.Martinez was cruising along until one out in the fourth, when Matheny came out to check on him. Martinez was quite winded, and a ball boy brought out a cup of water, which he quickly chugged and continued on his way.I tried to take deep breaths and stay focused, Martinez said through a translator. It didnt take away my focus in the game.Martinez was pulled after the fifth because of an elevated pitch count. The bullpen bottled up the Rockies until pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn hit a solo homer off Kevin Siegrist in the ninth to make it 5-3.After allowing a single to Charlie Blackmon, Siegrist struck out DJ LeMahieu before walking Carlos Gonzalez. The left-hander got Nolan Arenado to line out to left field for his third save.Anderson allowed five runs -- two earned -- in seven solid innings. The rookie is 5-2 with a 3.00 ERA in 12 starts at Coors Field.He ended up getting through seven, so it was a good outing, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.Arenado, a Gold Glove third baseman, made a costly throwing error in the fourth. Martinez followed with a two-run double -- giving him six RBI this season -- and Matt Carpenter added a run-scoring single.We have seen (Arenado) make that play. He makes it look easy and that wasnt an easy play, Weiss said. And then the throw was a little high. It was a tough play.LeMahieu finished 2 for 4 to raise his average to .349 and take a slight lead over Washingtons Daniel Murphy in the NL batting race. Murphy is hitting .348.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: Matheny said theres been no discussion of possibly activating OF Matt Holliday (broken right thumb) to serve as a pinch runner. Holliday is still dealing with some swelling issues in the thumb after batting practice sessions.Rockies: There are no plans for surgery on the broken left hand of 1B Mark Reynolds after he was hit by a pitch Sunday, ending his season. Its a tough break for Mark, Weiss said.HOLD THE ONIONSA launched baseball in batting practice left a burger joint in quite a pickle.The Helton Burger Shack located behind the bleachers in left field was closed Monday after a ball broke the glass protecting the prep area.No official word on whose liner actually broke the window pane -- Twitter conversations credited Holliday -- but it wasnt the restaurants namesake; Todd Helton retired after the 2013 season.BAD BLOOD?The Rockies have some history with Martinez. In July 2015, things got a little heated after he hit LeMahieu with a pitch.Martinez didnt think there was any purpose to the pitch that plunked him Monday night, even though it did sting.I dont think it was any retaliation. That happened last year. Its a new year, Martinez said. I wouldnt like to think that. I think it just got away.Anderson downplayed it, too.It was a ball that cut and hit him in the shin, he explained.UP NEXTCardinals: With 132 wins, RHP Adam Wainwright (11-9, 4.51 ERA) tries to move closer to tying Dizzy Dean (134) for sixth on the teams career list.Rockies: LHP Jorge De La Rosa (8-8, 5.22) is 4-0 with a 4.01 ERA in four starts against St. Louis at Coors Field. Zay Jones Bills Jersey . It was the second consecutive win for the Pacers (2-5), who lost their first five preseason games. Jeff Teague led the Hawks (1-5) with 17 points and eight assists and Al Horford had 12 points and seven rebounds. Mike Scott scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half. Doug Flutie Womens Jersey .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. http://www.authenticbillsfanaticfootball.com/authentic-oj-simpson-bills-jersey/ .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. TreDavious White Womens Jersey . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. Custom Buffalo Bills Jerseys . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111.CALGARY -- Dave Dickenson feels hes ready to be a head coach in the CFL, but that doesnt mean hes in a rush to become one. Touted as a coaching prospect when the star quarterback retired in 2009, the 40-year-old is in his third season as offensive co-ordinator and his fifth year on the coaching staff of the Calgary Stampeders. There are several reasons Dickenson is comfortable in a subordinate coaching role. He believes theres more he can learn about running an offence in the CFL and theres more to absorb from the vast experience of head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. The Stampeders retained the same coaching staff and most of the starters from the team that reached the Grey Cup final in 2012, so Dickenson can continue to have a key role in what could be a successful team again. Hes also not ready to uproot his family from a city they love to advance his career. That said, Dickenson doesnt doubt his abilities to command an entire football team on the field. "Personally, I think Im ready," Dickenson said Thursday at McMahon Stadium. "Im not worried about it, but I think Im ready if it comes about. "Im not in a hurry to head coach. I like what weve got. Im not as goal-oriented as a coach as I was as a player. I want to be with a staff, with an organization, with players who make my job fun and who feel like we can win." The Stampeders host the B.C. Lions on Friday in a CFL pre-season game. A Grey Cup winner with both the Stampeders (1998) and the Lions (2004, 2006), Dickenson still holds the CFL record for the highest pass completion percentage in a regular season (73.98 per cent). He was named the CFLs most outstanding player in 2000 while a Stampeder and was also the most valuable player of the 2006 Grey Cup. The business of sport, player or coach, is about achieving the next level and its championship in order to gain the next level and that championship. So it seems counterintuitive that Dickenson, whose personal goal as a player was to be an NFL starter, isnt angling his way to a headliner job as quickly as he can. "Lots of thing that are important to other people, arent important to me," Dickenson explained. "Money and prestige arent something I care about. "Ive got enough to live well. I want more enjoyment, a family type of atmosphere and I want success. I can get all three and then some here. Thats why I like it. "Definitely as a player, I wanted to go to a certain level. Here, head coach is the top level, but I feel it more revolves around winning as a team." After living the nomadic life of a professional football player for 13 years, Dickenson says his wife Tammy has the final say in any prospective move. His two children are in elementary school. "When I played, she said well go where you need to go, Dickenson said. "I think its fair to change that up." After Dickenson interviewed for head coaching jobs with Hamilton and Saskatchewan in 2011, he and the Stampeders agreed to a two-year contract extension.dddddddddddd Dickenson says he told Hufnagel then he would not look for another job during those two years. That commitment ends after 2013. There will be off-season openings on the football coaching carousel and the Ottawa Redblacks will join the CFL next year. Dickenson shrugs and says hes looking at the team in front of him and not at the horizon. "I will say its not like anyone has offered me a job as a head coach," he said. He then joked "Ive interviewed and obviously not very well." "Ive also been pretty honest with those guys in that I really do like being in Calgary," Dickenson continued. "It would take a great situation for me to look elsewhere." When the Lions released him in 2007, the University of Montana star returned to Calgary. Post-concussions symptoms forced Dickenson to announce his retirement in February, 2009. Hufnagel wasted no time incorporating Dickenson into his staff. Dickenson coached Calgarys running backs that season and was named quarterbacks coach for 2010. George Cortezs departure prior to the 2010 season left Hufnagel without an offensive co-ordinator. Dickenson was handed play-calling duties on game day, but not the title. "I had a lot of confidence in Dave being able to handle the offensive co-ordinator position, but I didnt want to put that weight on his shoulders," Hufnagel recalled. "I more or less just met with him every day and the staff, but I knew he was going to be an excellent play-caller and he grew from there." Calgarys offence led the CFL in points, offensive yards, first downs and rushing yards in 2010. Quarterback Henry Burris was named the CFLs outstanding player. Dickenson was officially named offensive co-ordinator in 2011 when the Stampeders tied for second in points and were second in first downs, net yards offence and net yards rushing. Calgary ranked first in touchdowns and rushing touchdowns and second in several other offensive categories in 2012. Dickenson has evolved from installing Calgarys offence and running it to countering what the opposing teams defensive co-ordinator is throwing at him. "Its getting a better feel for how defensive coaches call a defence against myself as the offensive co-ordinator and play-caller and try to have some answers for that," he explained. Dickenson is also arming himself with the skills hed need as a head coach should that day arrive. "I watch Huf pretty closely on how he organizes things in the day, when hes hard on guys, when he backs off on guys," Dickenson said. "Ive been very fortunate to work with a head coach who has basically done everything. Hes kind of a path Id kind of like to try to follow, maybe not the U.S. route as much, but a guy who is certainly a good mentor for me." ' ' '