Meister der Farbe » ars.OFF LINE: The Vikings have

SAN FRANCISCO -- Matt Moore hardly needed the warm, standing ovation to realize what late-season baseball is like in the Bay Area.It still meant plenty for the pitcher to receive such a greeting from San Franciscos sellout crowd. He is playing for something as September begins, in the middle of a pennant race with his new club.Moore struck out seven over 5 1/3 innings for his first career victory at AT&T Park, and the Giants got another impressive outing from their new starter to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 on Wednesday.Moore walked off in the sixth to a roaring ovation and tipped his cap. The left-hander had lost his initial two home starts since being acquired from Tampa Bay at the trade deadline.It feels great to be accepted and to have that kind of energy behind you. I can feel it, Moore said. You dont really watch the scoreboard in April and May, so just right now knowing where were at, were all focused on getting ourselves on a good hot streak. It does feel like were playing for something more than you are in April and May.Moore (2-3) gave up one run and five hits in his first game since losing a no-hit bid with two outs in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. He was backed by a sensational running catch on Paul Goldschmidts sixth-inning drive from center fielder Gorkys Hernandez, who crashed into the wall to make the play.Manager Bruce Bochy was careful not to overwork Moore, who was done at 92 pitches after throwing 133 during the no-hit try at Los Angeles.Buster Posey drove in a pair of runs for San Francisco, which is in second in the NL West behind the Dodgers.Bochy is challenging his players to be more consistent, saying, Its up to us to play better ball.Santiago Casilla relieved Sergio Romo with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth and struck out Yasmany Tomas. Casilla finished for his 29th save, giving up Jake Lambs two-out homer in the ninth.Shelby Miller (2-10) was called up from Triple-A Reno to start. Pitching in the majors for the first time since being sent to the minors on July 14, he allowed two runs and six hits in six innings.I felt good mechanically, kind of a little jittery there in the first inning, just getting back in that atmosphere, which is always so much fun to be a part of games where fans are there, Miller said of big league crowds.Posey doubled home a run in the first. Hunter Pence added an RBI single later that inning in his second game back after missing three with a strained right hamstring.Angel Pagan had an RBI double in the seventh and Posey hit a sacrifice fly as the Giants added insurance.San Francisco third baseman Eduardo Nunez got hit by Millers 91 mph fastball in the left ribcage area but stayed in the game in the bottom of the sixth after an athletic trainer and Bochy checked on him. He is expected to be fine to play Thursday.Arizona dropped just its fifth game in the last 16 at AT&T Park.The Giants wrapped up their tough August at 11-16 and now leave on a 10-game, 11-day road trip beginning with four games at Wrigley Field against the runaway NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs.This road trip is big. Theyre all big now, Bochy said, noting of the Cubs series: Its critical. I dont know if its quite make-or-break.TRIPLESConor Gillaspies last two hits for the Giants have been pinch-hit triples, on Sunday against Atlanta and in the seventh Wednesday ahead of Pagans double that drove him home.TRAINERS ROOMDiamondbacks: Arizona optioned RHP Vicente Campos to Reno to make room for Millers return to the rotation.Giants: CF Denard Span was out of the lineup after leaving Tuesday nights loss in the seventh inning with a stiff neck. ... RHP Jake Peavy was still sore a day after receiving several shots of cortisone in his back.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (7-12, 4.28 ERA) pitches against Colorado at Coors Field having gone 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA with 29 strikeouts and seven walks in his last four starts.Giants: RHP Jeff Samardzija (11-9, 4.00) pitches the opener Thursday against his former Cubs team in Chicago for the highly anticipated series.Kenley Jansen Dodgers Jersey . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. Joc Pederson Dodgers Jersey . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. http://www.dodgerssale.com/dodgers-jackie-robinson-jersey/ . -- Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns, ran for another score, and led No. Corey Seager Jersey . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. Julio Urias Jersey . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history.CHICAGO -- Sam Bradford and the Minnesota Vikings were rolling as the NFLs last undefeated team. Now, they cant even beat the last-place team in their division.Bradford got sacked five times behind a leaky offensive line and the Vikings dropped their second straight in a stunning 20-10 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday night.Were a good team, guard Brandon Fusco said. Its not us. Its not Viking football. Thats what is frustrating, were such a good team. What were putting out on the field is not us. We have to watch the film and get better from this.The Vikings (5-2) lost their second straight following a defeat against Philadelphia last week. And if there was any doubt the blueprint to beat them was out, it got squashed with this loss.Cutler threw for 252 yards and a touchdown after missing five games with a thumb injury, rookie Jordan Howard ran for a career-high 153 yards and a TD and the Bears (2-6) dominated in the trenches en route to a stunning victory.Here are some things to know about the Vikings loss to the Bears.OFF LINE: The Vikings have allowed 11 sacks the past two weeks. If that doesnt say it all, what does?Their tackles once again got dominated.Jake Long was out of football and hoping to get a chance to prove his right knee was healthy again when the Vikings signed him on Oct. 11. The Vikings moved T.J. Clemmings to right tackle for the Eagles game and had Long at left tackle.But he gave up two strip sacks against Philadelphia and got beaten by Chicagos Leonard Floyd on a sack.Weve got to keep Sam upright, Long said. I mean, when he has a clean pocket he does great things so we just cant get him hit like that.CUTLER COMMITMENT: Cutler had not played since he left the second game of the season against Philadelphia. But with his future up in the air after coach John Fox wavered in his commitment to him as the starter, he made a triumphant return.Cutler completed 20 of 31 passes, including an 11-yard touchdown to Alshon Jeffery earrly in the third that made it 20-3.dddddddddddd Whether he quieted fans who thought the Bears were better off with Brian Hoyer is another issue. But that became a moot point when Hoyer broke his left arm last week in a Thursday night loss at Green Bay.He might have been part of that reason why guys turned it up a notch, Fox said.NO DEFENSE: The Vikings came in with the NFLs No. 1 defense. The way the Bears moved, it was hard to tell.The 403 total yards and 158 rushing yards were season highs against Minnesota. That included a 69-yard run by Howard , the longest by a Bears player in seven years.We missed a big one early, linebacker Chad Greenway said. They hit it. We missed a tackle, bad angles, as a whole defense we give it up.BIG PLAYS: The Bears struck big when they could, reached the end zone and looked more for Jeffery down the field with Cutler at quarterback. Those were things they didnt do with Hoyer.Chicago scored two touchdowns, and four Bears players had receptions of 20 yards or more. Jeffery caught four passes for 63 yards and his first touchdown catch of the year -- an 11-yarder. He also had a 34-yard reception.I told him that Im just going to keep coming to you, Cutler said. We wanted to get him vertical at some point in the game.FLOYDS EMERGENCE: Bears rookie outside linebacker Leonard Floyd continues to emerge.The No. 9 overall draft pick has dealt with calf and hamstring injuries, but he is coming on strong.Floyd had a sack early in this game after collecting two against Green Bay.We have a first-round pick out there who we think very much of, Fox said. Hes been up and down as far as injuries throughout his career so far, whether it was in camp, preseason and obviously the regular season. I think hes a big boost.---AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '