Allgemeines » You cant get more, you cant get better quality

PITTSBURGH -- Despite these being the waning days of the season, both teams will have an extra source of motivation when the Washington Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates open a weekend series Friday at PNC Park.The Nationals (89-63) are on the verge of clinching the National League East title. Their magic number is two, so they could wrap it up as soon as Friday with a win and a New York Mets loss to Philadelphia.While locking up its third NL East title in five years has seemed like a formality for some time, Washington might have wrapped up the division earlier if not for a four-game losing streak that it broke Wednesday with an 8-3 win at Miami.The Nationals were off Thursday and will be playing their final road series of the season.Pittsburgh, meanwhile, seemed to blow its shot at an NL wild-card spot when it lost eight in a row and 12 of 14 beginning in late August. However, the Pirates have used a resurgence to keep their postseason chances alive and render each game the rest of the way critical.Before their 3-1 loss Thursday at Milwaukee, they had won six of seven and seven of nine. They are at .500 (76-76) and were four games out of the wild-card chase, pending a late San Francisco game Thursday, with 10 games remaining.To take advantage of their slim shot at the postseason, the Pirates will need to improve at home. Heading into their final homestand, a seven-gamer against division leaders Washington and Chicago, they are 2-9 in their past 11 home games, 3-13 in their past 16 to fall to just two games over .500, 36-38, at PNC Park.Pittsburgh wont have to face 18-game winner Max Scherzer, a potential Cy Young candidate, this weekend.Friday, Gio Gonzalez (11-10, 4.48 ERA) will attempt to continue his streak against the Pirates. He has made seven career starts against them and has never lost, going 4-0 with a 2.81 ERA. He has never given up more than three earned runs against Pittsburgh.Gonzalez is coming off a tough-luck loss, his first loss in nine starts. He gave up six runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings Saturday in a 7-3 loss to Atlanta, striking out seven and walking none.Only one of those hits was for extra bases, and several were soft singles.Gio was at his best. He made some good pitches, manager Dusty Baker said, according to the Washington Post. I mean, you didnt see those balls blooping in there and stuff? You cant do anything about that.It seems likely Pittsburgh at some point this weekend will face Washington closer Mark Melancon, who returns to PNC Park for the first time since the Pirates traded him to the Nationals before the trade deadline. Melancon is 12-for-12 in save opportunities with Washington.With the Nationals, though, Melancon has not been saved solely for save situations -- including Wednesday, when he pitched the ninth despite the lopsided score.I had not been used prior to this in non-save situations like I have, and I dont want to be (unavailable) when there is a save situation, Melancon told the Washington Post this month. Even in a tie game, I feel like I want to be able to contribute there. Thats been different a little bit.The Pirates on Friday will counter with rookie starter Jameson Taillon (4-4, 3.39 ERA), who has not faced Washington.Taillon has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 13 of his 16 big-league starts, and two runs or fewer in nine starts.After being skipped in the rotation to manage his innings and perhaps being a bit rusty, Taillon gutted through five innings Saturday, giving up three runs on nine hits in a 10-4 win at Cincinnati.What you got to see was a guy go out there not having his A game and still finding a way to compete at this level against a team that swings the bat very well at this ballpark, manager Clint Hurdle said, according to MLB.com. Custom Nike St. Louis Cardinals Jerseys . After a lengthy wait, persistent rain finally forced the postponement of the Nationals game against the Miami Marlins on Saturday night. The teams, and a few thousand fans, waited nearly four hours from the 7:05 scheduled start time before an announcement was made shortly before 11 p. Custom Nike Chicago Cubs Jerseys .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. https://www.customnikebaseballjerseys.com/271n-custom-nike-minnesota-twins-jerseys-baseball.html .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. Cheap Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys Online . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. MONTREAL -- Canadiens coach Michel Therrien found one line that works. Now hes hoping his latest shuffling of the remaining cards gets the other three going.While the top line of left winger Paul Byron, center Alex Galchenyuk and right winger Alexander Radulov remained intact, Therrien tinkered with the rest of his forward units. The most notable change came in between wingers Max Pacioretty and Andrew Shaw, with Torrey Mitchell getting the nod.Its the latest in an effort to get Pacioretty going. The Canadiens captain recorded 13 points in 19 games so far this season, but only four have been goals and have been largely spread out. Its an unusual stretch for the left wing, who typically scores in bunches. Mitchell will be the fifth pivot hes skated with this year.Im excited to play with Torrey; hes one of the guys I havent played with yet, Pacioretty said after practice on Monday. Hes got great energy and hes a great skater so well see if we can put something together (against Ottawa).Im trying to do whatever I can to help the team win, he added. Every night its going to be different, and Im excited for a new challenge.The other changes saw Phillip Danault move to Tomas Plekanecs left wing while David Desharnais, who had been with Pacioretty and Shaw of late, will center the fourth line with rookie Charles Hudon and 27-year-old Chris Terry.Montreals top unit leads the way offensively, in large part due to the chemistry between Radulov and Galchenyuk, as well as their individual talents. Together with the speedy and versatile Byron, the trio accounted for six goals in five games together, while getting scored upon just once.The 22-year-old Galchenyuk leads the Canadiens (14-3-2) with 19 points on the season.Hes capable of scoring goals, hes got great hands, gifted hands, Therrien said. He works extremely hard after practice on his release. Players who have success, even if youre gifted offensively, it doesnt just show up just like that. This kid works extremely hard and thats the reason hes got the results.Senators coach Guy Boucher is hoping hiss teams offense starts to find its way soon.dddddddddddd The team scored two goals or fewer -- excluding shootout tallies -- in 12 straight games, going 6-5-1 during that stretch. It hasnt been for a lack of effort, however, with at least 30 shots on goal in eight of those outings, including 40 in Saturdays loss to Florida.When I looked at our game (against the Panthers), we attempted 83 shots on net, 40 shots, we had 26 scoring chances, he said told reporters before the team headed to Montreal. You cant get more, you cant get better quality; its just from there, weve got to continue improving our work around the net.We just need to bear down around the net, especially on those rebounds, he continued. Got to make sure we lift the puck up. A lot of them were on pads in the last games. Just have to improve our finishing, thats clear.That includes on the power play, which has converted just twice on 32 opportunities in November. At the other end, however, the penalty kill has been tough to beat, denying all 24 opposing power plays this month. In fact, the Senators (10-7-1) havent allowed a power-play goal against since Oct. 22.Ottawa could get some help on Tuesday night as Mike Hoffman could return after missing the past two games with a groin injury. While the winger was held off the scoresheet in his previous five games, his potential return would be a welcome boost, with the club also forced to play without Bobby Ryan, who has been sidelined since Nov. 8 after suffering an injury against the Nashville Predators.Boucher was hopeful on Hoffman drawing back in but was less certain on Ryans availability for the game.Craig Anderson will get the start in goal. The Senators sent Andrew Hammond down to the AHL after clearing waivers, which means former Canadiens netminder Mike Condon will serve as the back-up against his former team for the second time this season after doing so with the Pittsburgh Penguins back in October. ' ' '