New Guy´s » mprovement and that youre willing to get better

OAKLAND, Calif. Wholesale NMD . -- If the Seattle Mariners can get into the AL wild card game against Jon Lester and the Oakland Athletics, theyll be plenty confident with King Felix on the mound. Kyle Seager and Corey Hart homered leading off the seventh inning to back Felix Hernandezs stellar start, and the Mariners rallied to beat the As 2-1 on Wednesday to win the three-game series between playoff contenders. "I think we match up well," Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said. "Weve got a few bullets to throw at them that toe the rubber. We like our chances." McClendon and the Mariners were in a light-hearted mood after the victory. The manager pointed out that Hernandez looked well rested despite his much-maligned move to push his ace back a day before his last start against the Washington Nationals -- which was Hernandezs worst outing of the season -- by referencing a profanity-laced quote from former Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight. McClendon could crack jokes mostly because of the homers that erased an otherwise brilliant performance by Lester (13-10) and helped Hernandez (14-5) win for the first time in four outings. Adam Dunns homer in the fourth accounted for the only run Hernandez allowed in eight innings. The right-hander gave up three hits, struck out four and walked two to outduel Lester in a matchup of two of the ALs best pitchers. The Mariners tagged Lester for seven hits in eight innings. Fernando Rodney pitched a perfect ninth for his 41st save in 44 chances. "It was special," said Hernandez, adding that he promised his wife a win for her birthday. "We came here to win the series and thats what we did." Hernandez improved to 19-7 against Oakland, including 4-0 in five starts this season. He said hes just happy to finally be pitching in a playoff race. "It feels great. It feels really good. Its fun to do that," he said. The As have lost seven of nine, including a four-game series at the AL West-leading Los Angeles Angels before dropping two of three to Seattle at the Coliseum. The Mariners remain right behind Detroit and Oakland in the chase for the ALs two wild cards. And for most of the sun-splashed afternoon, it looked like a possible preview for that game. Hernandez, who allowed a career-high four home runs in his last start against the Washington Nationals, returned to his dominant ways for all but one pitch. It was Dunns second homer in three days since being traded from the Chicago White Sox, his 22nd this season and 462nd of his career, tying him with former As slugger Jose Canseco for 34th in major league history. Lester looked to be in his All-Star form, scattering hits and keeping batters off balance, but Seattle changed that on the left-handers first three pitches of the seventh. Seager and Hart hit back-to-back homers to give the Mariners the lead. It was Seagers 22nd home run this season, tying a career high, and Harts fifth. "Two mistakes, two solo homers," Lester said. "Nothing else really to talk about as far as the game went for me." INJURED VOGT: As first baseman Stephen Vogt was replaced in the seventh after spraining his left ankle, which he injured sliding into second on a failed hit-and-run in the fifth. Vogt said X-rays were negative and hes hoping hes only out a few days. TRAINERS ROOM Mariners: Chris Young, chased Monday after getting just two outs in the shortest outing of his career, threw a bullpen session and felt fine. Manager Lloyd McClendon will decide Thursday whether the 35-year-old right-hander will make his next start Saturday. Athletics: CF Coco Crisp felt better after receiving trigger-point injections Wednesday to help relieve tightness and pain in his neck. He could return to the lineup Friday. ... Reliever Sean Doolittle (strained right intercostal) played long toss. He will take Thursday off and resume his rehab Friday. ... INF Nick Punto (hamstring) got a cortisone shot earlier in the week and will try running sprints Friday. UP NEXT Mariners: LHP Roenis Elias (9-12, 3.97 ERA) starts the opener of a four-game series at Texas on Thursday. Hes 1-1 with a 2.60 ERA in three starts against the Rangers. Athletics: After an off day Thursday, RHP Jeff Samardzija (4-4, 3.57 ERA) starts the opener of a three-game series against Houston. He has gone eight innings in his last two starts. NMD R1 Mens Sale . It took five games, but the Celtics finally helped Stevens earn his first NBA victory. "Im going to celebrate for a whole 12 minutes, and then Im going to start watching Orlando and trying to figure them out," the first-year Celtics coach said after Boston beat the Utah Jazz, one of the leagues other winless teams, 97-87 on Wednesday night. Cheap NMD Australia . Bouchard went down to a 1-6, 6-1, 6-2 defeat at the hands of Svitolina in her opening match at the Sony Open on Friday. Bouchard got the rivalry going two years ago when she won the junior Wimbledon title over Svitolina. http://www.nmdaustraliasale.com/ultra-boost-shoes-australia.html . Szabados joined the Southern Professional Hockey League team last week. The 27-year-old goaltender from Edmonton backstopped the Canadian womens hockey team to Olympic gold Feb.HOUSTON - James Harden is doing it all, helping the Rockets get off to a great start despite several starters missing significant time with injuries.He ranks second in the NBA in scoring with 25.2 points a game and the Rockets are 13-4 and in second place in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference entering Wednesdays game against league-leading Memphis.Theyve gone 4-2 in their last six games with Dwight Howard out with a knee strain.Were definitely in a good place right now, Harden said. Obviously were banged up a little right now, but were fighting through adversity.Along with Howard, the Rockets are also without point guard Pat Beverley (hamstring) and forward Terrence Jones (left leg nerve damage). Isaiah Canaan filled in nicely for Beverley but now hes hurt, too, out indefinitely with an ankle injury.Hardens workload has increased with so many players injured and he is averaging more than 37 minutes a game this season. Coach Kevin McHale raved about what he has done so far, but worries about overloading him.Hes got a lot of responsibility on him, McHale said. Theres a lot of nights its tough. He has the ball a lot creating offence for himself and for others. Hes just got to keep hanging in there and doing it. It would be nice if we could get some of these guys healthy and give him a little bit of a rest.Harden, who has six 30-point games this season, chuckled and shook his head when told that McHale is concerned about his workload. The 25-year-old knows there really isnt another option right now.I just go out there and not worry about it and just do my job to the best of my ability, Harden said.Howard has enjoyed watching Harden work.Hes doing a great job of getting everyone involved, finding people late in the shot clock, attacking the basket and making plays, Howard said. (Hes) been a little bit more scrappy. Hes rebounding, Hes doing everything.With both Beverley and Canaan out, the Rockets started 37-year-old point guard Jason Terry for the first time this season on Saturday in a win over the Bucks. He rresponded with a season-high 18 points and McHale hopes he can build on that performance to help take some pressure off of Harden. Adidas Superstar Gold Australia. Were going to have to have that, McHale said. Were going to have to get him off the ball at times and other people are going to have to step up.Harden has been a high scorer since arriving in Houston in a trade with Oklahoma City in 2012. But this year hes become a more complete player and has increased his numbers in rebounding (6.2 a game), assists (6.8) and steals (1.9). But perhaps more important than any of those statistics is that hes made a conscious decision to beef up his defence after being criticized for sub-par play in that area this off-season.Trevor Ariza, who was added before the season in part to improve Houstons defence, has been impressed with Hardens work defensively.Hes definitely putting forth an effort to get better at that, Ariza said. Hes the first person to say when he makes a mistake or when he slips up on an assignment ... and when you call yourself out on your mistakes, that shows improvement and that youre willing to get better and you want to get better.Harden has been a leader for Houston since joining this team, but seems to have a renewed focus on helping the Rockets improve this season after last years first-round exit from the playoffs.I think this past summer really helped me out maturing as a basketball player, he said. Not really worrying about the things I cant control and focusing on my teammates, my coaching staff and winning basketball games. Then everything else will fall in place.Houston will need him to continue his strong start with no timetable for the return of any of the injured starters. Howard is making progress and said Tuesday that the pain in knee is subsiding, but he doesnt know when hell return.I want to get back out there now if I could, but I dont think its smart to try and rush anything, Howard said. When Im 100 per cent, when Im close to it, Ill play. I dont want to give my teammates nothing but the best. ' ' '