Hard und Software » 3 left in the second when Calle Jarnkrok scored

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle figured the odds were against Mat Latos extending his impressive streak without a defeat. "Hes due to lose," Hurdle said pregame. With one good inning, the Pirates pulled it off. Pedro Alvarez singled home a pair of runs in the first inning, and the Pirates ended Latos streak of 21 regular-season starts without a loss, beating the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 on Tuesday night. Latos (6-1) hadnt lost a regular-season game since last August, setting a club-record streak of avoiding defeat. He couldnt overcome Pittsburghs three-run first inning set up by his uncharacteristic control problems. "I was aggravated with myself," Latos said. "I didnt throw too well in the bullpen and kind of took it into the first. I beat myself today. Its always hard when you put your team in a 3-0 hole." Latos had nine of Cincinnatis 17 strikeouts, which matched the clubs nine-inning record. The Reds also had 17 strikeouts on opening day, but that came in a 13-inning loss against the Los Angeles Angels. Charlie Morton (1-1) was better during his second start since returning from elbow surgery. He gave up three singles and threw 61 pitches in 5 1-3 innings, starting the Pirates toward their NL-leading 12th shutout. "Fortunately the few times they hit it really hard, they hit it at people," Morton said. Cincinnatis lineup managed four hits while getting shut out for the second time in their last four games. The Ohio River rivals have split the first two games of their four-game series, leaving the Reds a half-game ahead of the Pirates. Theyve been right behind the NL Central-leading Cardinals most of the season. There was an undercurrent from Mondays game, when Reds closer Aroldis Chapman threw an up-and-in fastball that levelled Neil Walker. The Pirates werent happy about the pitchs location. Mortons first pitch plunked Shin-Soo Choo on the leg. Morton also threw one inside to Joey Votto, who refused to budge from the box. Votto flied out, and that was the end of the drama. Hurdle encourages his staff to pitch inside, part of what he thinks pitchers need to do in order to control the strike zone. Pittsburgh has hit 39 batters, the most in the majors, but also leads in shutouts. "When two teams are focused on winning and neither one wants to blink and they just want to play hard and compete, you push the envelope in a lot of different places," Hurdle said. "Not just at the plate trying to get balls in on people, but breaking up double plays and everything. "So weve got to beat these guys and weve got to beat the Cardinals to get to where we want to go." Latos yelled from the dugout after Choo got hit. Latos hit Walker in the first inning in Pittsburgh last Saturday, prompting plate umpire Bob Davidson to warn both teams. "Its time somebody stepped up and did something about the team thats hit more guys in the league than anybody," Latos said. "I got fined for hitting Neil Walker, but youve got a team drilling guys over and over again. Its time for the league to step up and end it. That fired me up." Latos hadnt lost since Aug. 24, when the Cardinals beat the Reds 8-5. In the last 21 starts, hed gone 10-0 with a 2.80 ERA. The Reds were 17-4 during that streak. Also, Latos had never lost to the Pirates, going 4-0 in eight starts with a 2.29 ERA. Finally, they caught him in a slow start. He struggled with his control at the outset, needing 32 pitches to get through a 19-minute first inning. Starling Marte tripled and scored on Russell Martins infield single, giving Pittsburgh a run after only four pitches. Latos walked Garrett Jones and Walker, and Alvarez singled for two more runs. Latos settled down after the first, fanning eight of the next 11 batters. The problem was his pitch count, which was at 88 when he left for a pinch hitter with two runners aboard in the fifth inning. His streak was left in the hands of the bullpen and the offence. They couldnt bail him out. Marte singled home another run in the seventh. Morton had a lot to do with it, too. The right-hander dominated the Reds in 2011, giving up only one run in two complete games at Great American Ball Park. He had his right elbow rebuilt last June 14 and returned to the majors last Thursday, allowing four runs and seven hits in five innings of a 10-0 loss to San Francisco. He was much better this time, an encouraging sign for a Pirates rotation hit hard by injuries. Tony Watson, Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli finished it. NOTES: The Pirates agreed to terms on Tuesday with C Reese McGuire, their first-round pick and the 14th overall selection in this months draft. ... Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez, on the 15-day DL retroactive to June 6 with a tight left forearm, will throw all of his pitches in a bullpen session on Thursday. If he comes out of that without problem, he will make a rehab start in the minors on Sunday. ... Choo has been hit a career-high 19 times, most in the majors. Cheap Vapormax China .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. Air Max 97 Outlet Clearance . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. http://www.outletsneakersclearance.com/fake-air-max-95.html . Wilson hit Schenn from behind during Tuesday nights game in Philadelphia, earning a five-minute major for charging and a game misconduct. He has a phone hearing with the department of player safety, which limits any potential suspension to five or fewer games. Yeezy Boost Clearance . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Cheap Balenciaga Shoes Online . Catch all the action on TSN2 at 11pm et/8pm pt. The nine-time Big 12 champion Jayhawks are positioning themselves for another title, as they have run out to a flawless 6-0 mark in conference play thus far. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Philadelphia Flyers are the hottest team in hockey.Wayne Simmonds scored two power-play goals and Philadelphia beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 on Sunday night to win its fifth consecutive game.Playing in front of a sellout crowd, the Flyers (14-10-3) earned their second road victory in two days against a Central Division team. They defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Saturday.The Predators (11-9-4) lost in regulation for only the second time in 12 home games this season.Weve got everything clicking. Our penalty kill has done a great job, our power play has scored some big goals and (goalie Steve Mason) has been standing on his head every night, Flyers defenseman Michael Del Zotto said. At the start of the year, wed have one good game and kind of get complacent. Now were just keeping our foot on the gas. We keep playing well, playing as five-man units.Simmonds, who leads the Flyers with 13 goals, scored twice against what had been a stingy Nashville penalty-kill at home. The Predators did not allow a power-play goal in their first 10 home games, but have given up three in their last two games.Hes doing what he does every night, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. If theres a better guy in the league net-front, whether its on power play or 5-on-5, I dont know who that is.What I really like about Simmer is that hes at net-front, hes scoring goals, hes on the power play. But hes a hard-nosed, 200-foot player.Michael Raffl gave Philadelphia its third one-goal lead with 3:23 left in the second period. He bulled his way past Nashville defenseman Mattias Ekholm, cut across the crease and slipped the puck beyond the reach of goalie Juuse Saros for a 3-2 advantage.Chris VandeVelde capped the scoring with an empty-net goal with 26.3 seconds remaining.Colin Wilson tied it at 2 for the Predators with 8:41 to go in the second, lifting a short-range backhand past Mason. Mike Fisher sent Wilson in alone on goal with a nice cross-ice pass from just inside the blue line.Nashville has 35 goals in the second period this season, one fewer than the team has totaled in the first and third combined.ddddddddddddIt was a tough weekend for the Predators, who lost to New Jersey 5-4 in overtime Saturday after the Devils rallied from a three-goal deficit in the third period.Last night was a great effort until the third period and we had a meltdown there, Nashville forward Filip Forsberg said Sunday. That cant happen, and today it was kind of the opposite. We started off not good and then we kind of got going as the game went. ... Everyone needs the points no matter where you are in the standings and the inspiration level has to be higher from the start.Simmonds second power-play goal of the night put the Flyers up 2-1 with 13:13 left in the second period. Simmonds stationed himself in front of the Nashville net and stuffed a shot under Saros.The Predators tied it 1-all with 16:43 left in the second when Calle Jarnkrok scored his fourth goal of the season. Jarnkrok redirected Ekholms drive from the blue line past Mason.The Flyers converted on their second power play of the game to take a 1-0 lead with 1:48 left in the opening period. Brayden Schenn ripped a shot from the faceoff circle, and Simmonds goal-mouth deflection bounced off the knob of Saros stick and into the net.Game notes Nashville forward Reid Boucher, picked up off waivers from New Jersey on Saturday, made his Predators debut. ... Philadelphias Claude Giroux got his 367th career assist, moving past Rod BrindAmour into sixth place in franchise history. ... The game marked the fourth of 13 sets of back-to-back games for the Predators this season. ... The Flyers played their seventh set of back-to-back games, and will play another one next weekend. ... Philadelphia has beaten Nashville four straight times. The teams meet again on Dec. 19.UP NEXTFlyers: Host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night.Predators: Host the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night. ' ' '