Gästebuch » onal Arena, the team’s headquar

The Texas Rangers‘ list of injured players continues to mount as first baseman Ronald Guzman was placed in the seven-day concussion disabled list on Tuesday.

After seven days Guzman will need to pass another series of tests before being allowed to rejoin the team. He sustained the concussion in the sixth inning of Monday night’s 7-4 victory over the San Diego Padres as he dove back to third base to beat a pickoff throw and was kneed in the head.

San Diego rallied with three runs in the eighth on RBI doubles by Wil Myers and Hunter Renfroe and a sacrifice fly by Christian Villanueva to beat the Rangers 3-2 on Tuesday and even the series at a game each.

The Padres will send left-hander Clayton Richard (7-6 James Washington Color Rush Jersey , 4.23 ERA) to the mound in the series finale Wednesday at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas, while Texas will counter with left-hander Mike Minor (5-4, 5.06).

“We want to make sure these guys are completely clear,” Texas manager Jeff Banister said of Guzman’s injury. “We want to make sure we pay attention to, be diligent about this and not mess around. We are in that time of the year moving into the All-Star break where guys have gone at it hard, the heat, we have a number of guys who are feeling the effects of playing.”

Texas right fielder Nomar Mazara and left fielder Joey Gallo are both nursing hamstring injuries. Mazara left Monday’s game with the injury and was relegated to designated hitter on Tuesday. Gallo played and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.

Going into Tuesday’s game, San Diego was hoping to avoid extensive use of its bullpen after its relief corps was pushed in an extra-inning loss at San Francisco on Sunday and had to pick up the final four innings of Monday’s setback in the series opener against Texas.

Three Padres relievers did the job in the victory Tuesday, with Matt Strahm (who got the win with a one-hit seventh), Kirby Yates (who struck out all three batters he faced) and Brad Hand (two hits in the ninth while earning his 22nd save of the year) coming through.

“When relievers are exposed or used a lot more, they’re less successful than when they’re fresh,” San Diego reliever Craig Stammen said. “I know that’s key for me . . . pitch us two days in a row, three days in a row, we get less effective. You just don’t have as much on your fastball. You’re not as strong. That’s just a fact of pitching.”

Richard will make his club-leading 17th start of the season in the series finale against the Rangers. Over his past nine starts, he is 6-2 with a 3.03 ERA.

Richard’s nine straight starts of tossing at least six innings lead the majors for the longest such streak by a lefty after the Padres snapped Texas’ Cole Hamel’s streak of eight straight on Monday night.

Richard has won four consecutive decisions for just the second time in his career (also June 22, 2011-April 8 Authentic Michael Pineda Jersey , 2012).

Richard is 0-0 with a 4.40 ERA in six career appearances, including two starts, against Texas.

Minor will make his 15th start of the season. He has posted quality starts in each of his last three outings and is seeking four consecutive quality starts for the first time since he had six in a row, Aug 12-Sept. 8, 2014 with Atlanta.

Minor has gone 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA over his past three starts to lower his ERA from a season high 5.76 to 5.06. He will be working on regular four days’ rest after earning the win in Rangers’ 8-1 victory on Friday at Minnesota. He gave up one run on three hits over six innings in that game.

Minor is 1-3 with a 5.55 ERA in five games, four of them starts, against the Padres in his career. He will be making his first start against San Diego since Aug. 1, 2014.
Marc-Andre Fleury never believed the expansion Vegas Golden Knights were a team built just for the future, and that losing would be acceptable because it was the inaugural season.

On Sept. 13, the three-time Stanley Cup goaltender said: ”It’s not something I accept. Every guy here wants to win. We know where we’re at, we won’t accept losing. We’re looking at winning some games.”

With help from Fleury, the Golden Knights did a lot more than win some games. They’re one of the most successful expansion teams ever. In any sport.

”It’s a good thing it worked out, so I don’t look like a fool,” Fleury said Friday about his bold preseason statement.

”Every guy here has a lot of pride in the way we play, the way we look at ourselves as a team every night. We all have pride in winning and I think it’s shown throughout the season, and in the (first round of the) playoffs, too.”

Fleury dominated the Los Angeles Kings in the first round. The Golden Knights became just the sixth team to allow three or fewer goals in a playoff series going back to 1980.

With an 0.65 goals-against average Fleury joined a short list of goalies since 1967-68 who have won all four games of a playoff series and kept their GAA to 0.70 or fewer.

Same ole Fleury Authentic Logan Paulsen Jersey , different team.

”We played some very sound hockey and when we didn’t, when we were having a bad period or a bad stretch, goaltending was there to help us stabilize,” Vegas general manager George McPhee said. ”And that’s why he’s here, that’s what he gets paid to do and he does it very well.”

Next up: the San Jose Sharks.

After fans watched a stellar goaltending matchup between Fleury and Kings’ Jonathan Quick, the 14-year veteran faces a San Jose team that had goalie Martin Jones stop 128 of 132 shots in a sweep of the Anaheim Ducks.

”Their goalie is very good; their defensemen also contribute to their attacks, they’re a quicker team than L.A. I think they’ll create more offensively,” Fleury said. ”It’ll be a little more fast pace and a little more open hockey, they’ll be a little more up and down.”

Fleury will prepare with a meticulous approach and tranquil execution that impresses teammates.

”His calmness in the net is unbelievable,” defenseman Shea Theodore said. ”When you’re having little chit chats on the ice and you’ve been hemmed in and they’ve had five or six or seven Grade A chances and he’s been flopping around, you go to talk to him. . He’s just so calm and so patient in the net, I feel it definitely calms our group down.”

Forward Cody Eakin said Fleury always lets his teammates know he is aware of their play.

”It’s just a huge part of his game, tracking pucks, being sharp, or knowing what’s going on around him – he’s phenomenal at that,” Eakin said. ”It gives you confidence when he’s talking to you, or you can talk to him Robbie Grossman Minnesota Twins Jersey , or skate by and give him a wink. He’s pretty amazing.”

Amazing, like the Golden Knights’ improbable season. And Fleury said they’re just getting started.

”We’re not done here,” he said, ”hopefully we have a long way to go.”

STATWATCH: Fleury stopped 127 of 130 shots in the first round, a save percentage of .977. His career playoff save percentage is .910. He had two shutouts while allowing three goals in 275 minutes against the Kings.

While Fleury doesn’t get consumed with stats, there is one that matters to him.

”Wins,” he said. ”I’m not out there to prove anything, I just want to win games. If I can help the team get wins, that’s all that matters. If I win and the team wins, everybody’s happy, the coaches, the fans, and at the end of the day that’s why you play.”

The last time Fleury led his team to a first-round sweep was in 2009, when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup – the first of three in his career.

BIGGEST MOMENT: Any one of the three times Fleury hoisted the Stanley Cup was a big moment during his career. But not the biggest, according to him.

”My first game was pretty big, because that’s always been my dream to play in the NHL,” said Fleury Youth DaeSean Hamilton Jersey , who allowed two goals and stopped 46 shots in a 3-0 loss to the Kings in his NHL debut on Oct. 10, 2003. ”I never thought I would make it. But the first time I could play and made some saves in a game, I thought that was so cool.”

Fleury didn’t say where a Stanley Cup with Vegas would rank, keeping his focus on San Jose.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: During an interview on NHL Network, former teammate Ryan Whitney asked the prankster goalie if he had moved on from Olive Garden, which Fleury laughingly said fit his budget back then. Nowadays, Fleury’s pregame meals are catered to his liking by the chefs at City National Arena, the team’s headquarters.

”On game day I always eat the same stuff. I just go with noodles, oil and chicken, a little vegetable, a side salad,” said Fleury, who said he cherishes the vibe on game day, including the drive to T-Mobile Arena.

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