Meister der Farbe » rd.Were ttreating this as an important end-of-the-sea

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Texas Rangers took the first step Friday night toward what they hope will be a World Series championship when they clinched the American League West crown.One day after beating the Oakland As 3-0, the Rangers will try to zero in on their next goal, securing home-field advantage for the AL playoffs.Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish will face As rookie right-hander Raul Alcantara in the second game of the three-game series at the Oakland Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.Its important to start, no matter who youre playing, at home, Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre said. Obviously we went through a tough series with Toronto last year and we played the last game at their place. Sometimes when you play at your place its a little easier for you because you got the fans behind you and youre more familiar with the stadium you play in.Texas is 91-63, but Cleveland, which leads the AL Central by seven games, is 90-63. And Boston, which leads the East by 5 1/2 games, is 90-64.Its really important, said Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels, who pitched seven shutout innings for the win Friday. Theres a comfort knowing youre (playing) in front of your fans. So thats something we got a lot of work to do because there are some good teams that are going to be trying to do the same this week.Darvish, who missed the entire 2015 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, will make his 16th start of the season and second straight against the As. A week ago in Arlington, Darvish gave up seven runs on seven hits over five innings in an 11-2 loss to Oakland and Alcantara. He struck out eight and walked four.In his past three starts, Darvish is 0-2 with a 7.47 ERA over 15 2/3 innings. He allowed 13 runs and 17 hits during that span while striking out 21 and walking eight.Alcantara will make his fourth career major league start and second straight against the Rangers in a rematch with Darvish.Alcantara allowed two run on five hits over 5 2/3 innings at Globe Life Park a week ago. He struck out three and walked none.I thought he pitched really well, As manager Bob Melvin said. Every time out he seems to get more and more comfortable, and more so last time than any. Were (on) a little bit of a pitch count with some of these guys and an innings count. Whether its him or (Jharel) Cotton, were not going to overextend them. But I thought pitching in that ballpark against that lineup and having the success he did was big for him.What was working well for Alcantara against the Rangers?Everything, Melvin said. The velocity on the heater was good, his secondary pitches were good. He kind of put everything together that maybe in his first two starts, certainly in his first start, wasnt there. We saw the last game what our development people have been saying about him.Boomer Esiason Jersey . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. A.J. Green Jersey . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. http://www.bengalsrookiestore.com/Bengals-Ryan-Finley-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- St. Michael Jordan Bengals Jersey . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Ryan Finley Youth Jersey . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee.The New York Red Bulls end the regular season on Sunday in hopes of completing the longest unbeaten run in MLS this year, and the third-longest in league history when they meet the Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa.New Yorks 15-game unbeaten streak matches a streak run off by the Colorado Rapids from April to July of this year. The Red Bulls havent lost since dropping a 2-0 decision to New York City FC on July 3d.The Red Bulls (15-9-9) lead the Eastern Conference and cannot fall below a tie in points with second-place New York City FC.Should the Red Bulls clinch first place, it would be the third time in the last four seasons that they finished as the top team in the East. New York is heading to the post-season for the seventh consecutive year.With 59 goals, New York enters the match as the highest scoring team in MLS.Forward Bradley-Wright Phillips has scored a league-leading 23 goals for the Red Bulls, one more than David Villa of New York City FC in the race for the Golden Boot Award.Were ttreating this as an important end-of-the-season match, Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch said on the teams web site.ddddddddddddWere going to need to push our form and fitness going into the playoffs.Philadelphia (11-13-9) is clinging to the sixth and final playoff spot in the East with 42 points, three points ahead of the New England Revolution. The Union havent won in six straight games.U.S. Mens National Team member Alejandro Bedoya has played nine games for Philadelphia, scoring one goal. Chris Pontius leads the team with 12 goals, including two goals and one assist in two games against the Red Bulls this season.Defender Keegan Rosenberry has been an ironman for the Union, starting and playing every minute this season. Forward Fabian Herbers has started only 12 games but leads the team in assists with seven.New York is 10-5-3 all-time against Philadelphia and 2-7-7 this season on the road. ' ' '