Dein erstes Forum » than a year. Heres a look at some of the leagues new

DETROIT -- Chris Sale knew he couldnt let up against J.D. Martinez on Wednesday night, no matter how long the Detroit Tigers slugger had been sidelined.As it turned out, it didnt matter.Sale started the eighth-inning matchup with his best fastball, and Martinez drove it an estimated 434 feet into the shrubs above the centerfield fence. It was the first major league pitch Martinez had faced since fracturing his elbow June 16.Sale said he approached Martinez the same way he would had he been playing every day.Nothing different at all, he said. I havent looked at it again, but I thought it was a good pitch, but hes a great hitter and they do things to win games. Thats what J.D. did to me.The homer put the Tigers up 2-1, but Chicago still had a great chance to keep the game alive against Francisco Rodriguez in the ninth.The White Sox put their first two runners, and Melky Cabrera moved to third on Justin Morneaus fly out. Rodriguez struck out Todd Frazier, but walked Avisail Garcia to load the bases. Dioner Navarro grounded out to second to end the game.I knew he was going to be throwing changeups, and I wanted to get a good pitch to hit, Navarro said. I was just too anxious and got ahead of it.Sale (14-5) took the loss, allowing two runs on six hits in an eight-inning complete game. He walked one and struck out 10.Thats about as sharp as hes looked all season, White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. They got one run with a slice down the line, and the other one, you just tip your hat to J.D.A crowd of 32,526 had done more than that, giving Martinez a standing ovation as he made his way to the plate and continuing to cheer until he took a curtain call after the inning.That was probably the coolest moment of my career, he said. I tried to go up there with a plan, but it was so crazy that I just decided to see the ball and hit the ball.The homer turned out to be the winning run, as Detroit won its eighth straight and moved within two games of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central.That was like a movie, Ian Kinsler said. That was something Ive never seen before. It is certainly good to have him back.Shane Greene (2-2) got the win after pitching out of a seventh-inning jam, while Rodriguez picked up his 30th save.Rookie Michael Fulmer allowed one run on five hits in 6 2/3 innings.Sale was making his first start against the Tigers since being a late scratch on July 23 -- the night he cut up the teams throwback jerseys.Fulmer and Sale dueled early, although the rookie was aided by Chicago hitting into three double plays in the first four innings.The Tigers finally broke through in the fourth. Miguel Cabrera led off with a double, Victor Martinez walked and Nick Castellanos hit an RBI double down the right-field line. Sale struck out Justin Upton, and Mike Aviles hit a foul pop down the first-base line. Jose Abreu made a running catch, then turned and easily threw out Victor Martinez at the plate.Fulmer kept rolling until the sixth, when Morneau tied the game with a long two-out homer to right-center. Morneau has hit two of his three homers this season off Fulmer.Frazier walked on four pitches and Fulmer hit Garcia, bringing Greene out of the Tigers bullpen to end the rally. Frazier and Garcia were the 10th and 11th runners inherited by Greene this season, with none having scored.TRAINERS ROOMWhite Sox: OF Charlie Tilson will miss the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring during his major-league debut Tuesday. Tilson is the third White Sox rookie this season to leave his first game with an injury, joining OF Jason Coats and 3B Matt Davidson. C Kevan Smith injured himself warming up for his first game, and ended up on the disabled list before playing.Tigers: Martinez was officially activated from the disabled list after missing seven weeks with a fractured elbow. Martinez didnt start Wednesday -- Brad Ausmus rested him after playing a doubleheader with Triple-A Toledo -- but is expected to start on Thursday. RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) will be activated Thursday to start against the White Sox.ROUND NUMBER FOR K-RODRodriguez became the 24th pitcher to reach 900 career games with his appearance in the ninth inning. With LaTroy Hawkins retiring after last season, Rodriguez leads all active players in games pitched.UP NEXTThe teams finish their three-game series Wednesday afternoon with Zimmerman (9-4, 3.95) facing Jose Quintana (8-8, 2.89). Mike Ditka Jersey . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. Gale Sayers Youth Jersey . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. http://www.bearsfootballpro.com/Authentic_Dick-Butkus_Bears_Jersey/ . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed. David Montgomery Womens Jersey . -- Teemu Selanne scored the first goal of his 22nd NHL season, and the Anaheim Ducks extended the best start in franchise history with their fifth straight victory, 3-2 over the Calgary Flames on Wednesday night. Jim McMahon Bears Jersey .Y. -- Injured Buffalo Sabres forward Marcus Foligno did not practice with the team Monday and head coach Ron Rolston said its unlikely hell play in Wednesdays season opener in Detroit. Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Wednesday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EDT:- TORONTO -- The Cleveland Indians try again to wrap up their first pennant since 1997 when they send Ryan Merritt to the mound in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series against the Blue Jays. Down 3-1, Toronto starts Marco Estrada. Game starts 4 p.m.- LOS ANGELES -- Rookie Julio Urias takes the mound for the Dodgers against John Lackey and the offense-starved Chicago Cubs in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series. Los Angeles leads 2-1. Game starts 8 p.m.- HOUSTON -- The lobbying skills of Raiders owner Mark Davis will be on display at the NFL fall meetings as he tries to convince the other owners that Las Vegas should be in his and their future.- EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings could not have expected a better return from the trade they made with Philadelphia for quarterback Sam Bradford, and this week Bradford and the Vikings will have the opportunity to prove as much to the Eagles.- The SEC West race could all but sort itself out Saturday, with No. 1 Alabama hosting No. 6 Texas A&M and two other ranked matchups on tap in the division.- Now that the Big 12 has decided to stay at 10 schools, its time to figure out whether to split up -- into football divisions. If so, how will the teams be divided? The league, which will keep its round-robin schedule, has to determine who will play in its championship game that returns next season.- BOSTON -- At Syraacuse, Dino Babers is rocking the locker room speech after beating Virginia Tech and knocking the Hokies out of the Top 25.ddddddddddddAt Boston College, Steve Addazio is still trying to earn his first Atlantic Coast Conference win in more than a year. Heres a look at some of the leagues new coaches are doing in their first year and how some of the holdovers are doing so that it isnt their last.- COLUMBIA, S.C. -- Top heavy and offensively challenged, aging and ripe to be passed, the Southeastern Conference looked to many as all those things this fall. Halfway through the season, though, the SEC holds a familiar position -- the deepest league in college football.- MINNEAPOLIS -- A hotly contested WNBA Finals gets what it deserves -- a deciding Game 5. The Minnesota Lynx are going for their fourth championship on Thursday and the Los Angeles Sparks need one more win to break up the dynasty.- AUSTIN, Texas -- With the promise of blue skies and some sizzling pop from Taylor Swift, the U.S. Grand Prix is indeed back after all those worries about its potential demise. Theres even a title chase on the track at the Circuit of the Americas.- TOKYO -- IOC President Thomas Bach meets with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and suggests staging some events for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the northeastern region of Japan hit by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster. ' ' '