Bekanntmachungen » . Houston starter Dallas Keuchel allowed five runs

NEW YORK -- Daisuke Matsuzaka pinched his eyelids, clenched his teeth and thought back. He couldnt remember all the details of the first save of his professional career. After 123 starts during seven seasons in Major League Baseball, the 33-year-old right-hander was turned into a reliever by the New York Mets when they brought him up from the minor leagues on April 16. Eight days later, manager Terry Collins took a chance -- a roll of the Dice-K? -- and Matsuzaka responded with a perfect ninth inning Thursday to cap a 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. He hadnt saved a game since May 2000, his second season with the Seibu Lions of Japans Pacific League, when he struck out four during the final three innings of a 9-0 win at the Chiba Lotte Marines. "Its definitely different," he said through a translator, "but I think Im starting to get used to going from the bullpen." Chris Young homered to start New Yorks comeback from a 1-0, fifth-inning deficit, slumping Curtis Granderson singled in a run as a pinch hitter and Daniel Murphy drove in two runs. Bartolo Colon (2-3) allowed four hits in seven innings, struck out eight and walked none, sending Lance Lynn to his first career loss in April. Matsuzaka, who completed a four-pitcher, four-hitter, was a rookie of the year in Japan in 1999, MVP as his national team won the first World Baseball Classic in 2006 and was given a $52 million, six-year contract by the Boston Red Sox after they paid Seibu $51,111,111.11 for his rights. Matsuzaka went 15-12 in his first season with the Red Sox and 18-3 in his second, but he injured a hip during the 2009 WBC and was never the same, hurting his arm and eventually needing elbow ligament-replacement surgery. He was just 50-37 for the Red Sox and signed a minor league contract in February 2013 with Cleveland, which released him in August. Then he joined the Mets, started seven games and signed a minor league deal with New York, which initially sent him to Triple-A Las Vegas this spring. But when Bobby Parnells season ended with a torn elbow ligament on opening day, the Mets had to scramble to restock their bullpen. Jose Valverde struggled as the closer and Kyle Farnsworth took over the role. Manager Terry Collins wanted to give the 38-year-old Farnsworth a rest after three appearances in four days. "I just said this is a good opportunity to see how Dice handles it," Collins explained, "and he did well." In a 15-pitch outing, Matsuzaka retired Allen Craig on a lineout to right after falling behind 3-1, struck out Daniel Descalso in an eight-pitch at-bat and got Peter Bourjos on a game-ending foulout to the catcher. "Before, I never really thought I would be able to pitch out of the bullpen because I just take so long to prepare," Matsuzaka said. "I think I just have to keep pitching well to gain full confidence from the team, but I think having had a few opportunities in tight situations definitely is encouraging." Collins said Farnsworth, who has two saves, remains his first-choice closer but Matsuzuka may receive more ninth-inning opportunities. His preparation, which includes lengthy stretching, will have to change. "If hes going to pitch the back end of the game, be it the eighth, the ninth, somewhere in there," the manager said, "I dont want him to wear himself out in the fifth inning, at 8:15. I want him to kind of save something." Dice-K said its as much mental as physical. "Just to comfort myself, I think I throw more than I probably have to," he said. New York also gave 40-year-old right fielder Bobby Abreu hit first big league start since July 25, 2012. Abreu went 1 for 3 with an opposite-field double to left in the fifth -- his first hit with the Mets. "Its been a long time," he said. "It was kind of exciting. At first I had to calm down my emotions and just go out there and play the game." New York took three of four from the defending NL champions and has won four of five overall. St. Louis lost for the sixth time in nine games and has gone 291 at-bats without a home run since Allen Craig connected at Milwaukee off Wily Peralta on April 16. Lynn (4-1) had been 12-0 through April in his big league career, including one March victory. But given a fifth-inning lead, he allowed the Mets to tie the score in the bottom half and go ahead 2-1 on Murphys RBI double in the sixth, a ball that dropped just in front of diving centerfielder Jon Jay. Lynn was chased in a two-run seventh after Eric Young Jr. bunted and reached on a two-base error when the pitcher threw off first baseman Matt Adams glove and into right field. Granderson had been 2 for 20 against left-handers this year before he greeted Kevin Siegrist with an RBI single, and Murphy singled in the final run. "Weve been home six days in the past 2 1/2 months," Lynn said. "I think a lot of people are looking forward to getting home and sleeping in their own beds." NOTES: With hitters on both teams complaining about plate umpire Alan Porters wide strike zone on a blustery afternoon, New York batters struck out 10 times, raising their total to 213 and passing Miami (203) for the major league lead. ... Zack Wheeler (1-2) starts Fridays series opener at home against Miamis Henderson Alvarez (1-2). cheap jerseys authentic .com) - Stanley Johnson had 18 points and No. cheap mlb jerseys china . -- The Denver Broncos are shuffling their offensive line this off-season and Orlando Franklin provided some insight into their plans Monday by tweeting that hes moving from right tackle to left guard. http://www.wholesalejerseysforauthentic.com/ . -- Syracuse was dangerously close to letting another less talented opponent pull off the upset when C. wholesale nfl jerseys . - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. cheap nfl jerseys wholesale . -- Tony Finau won the Stonebrae Classic on Sunday for his first Web.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Mike Trout keeps padding his stats with 1 1/2 weeks to go until the All-Star break. He homered leading off the ninth inning after the Los Angeles Angels twice rallied to tie the game, giving them a 7-6 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night. Trout sent an 0-2 pitch from Tony Sipp over the wall in left centre field and charged into a celebratory mob at home plate. Teammate Erick Aybar doused Trout with a blue sports drink, staining his white uniform, and fans chanted "MVP! MVP!" "The adrenaline rush you get when it goes out, its something special. Its always good to come up big," Trout said. "What a comeback. We were up three, they came back and scored five, and we just kept fighting." It was Trouts second career walkoff hit, both of them homers. The American League player of the month for June hit his team-leading 20th homer, and has eight homers in his last 18 games. Trout became the eighth Angels player with 20 or more homers and at least 60 RBIs before the All-Star break, and the first since Vladimir Guerrero in 2004. "Its one of those things where you see the pitch and see the swing, and you say to yourself, Theres not many players in our game that can do what he did with that pitch," Astros manager Bo Porter said. Trout figures to start in centre field in the All-Star game on July 15 in Minneapolis. Joe Smith (3-0) got the victory for the Angels, who have won eight in a row at home for the first time since Sept. 16-24, 2005, and have the majors best record at home. Los Angeles has won 11 of 14 overall. Sipp (1-1) took the loss for the Astros, who dropped their fifth in a row. "I went at him with my best stuff," Sipp said about Trout. "But even when you make a good pitch sometimes, a guy of that calibre will put a good swing on it." Houstons Jose Altuve, who came in leading the AL in hits, stolen bases and batting average, went 0 for 5 with a strikeout. The Angels blew a 3-1 lead in the third and then trailed 6-5 on Albert Pujols 5100th career homer -- a two-run shot -- in the fourth.dddddddddddd They tied it 6-all in the seventh on Howie Kendricks RBI double off the right field wall that scored Pujols, who singled leading off. Pujols was 3 for 4, and Kendrick went 4 for 4. "You never know whos going to step up," Trout said. "Howie came up with a big double, I put a good swing on it in the ninth and it went out. Im going to swing if its close." The Astros led 1-0 in the second on Chris Carters homer. They took a 6-3 lead in the fourth on George Springers two-run homer and a three-run shot by Jon Singleton. Angels starter C.J. Wilson continued to struggle. The left-hander has failed to pitch more than five innings in four of his last seven starts. He gave up six runs and seven hits in 4 1-3 innings, struck out six and walked one. Wilson was watching game video in another room afterward. Houston starter Dallas Keuchel allowed five runs and 13 hits in five innings, struck out one and walked one. The left-hander was scratched last Saturday against Detroit because of left wrist inflammation. He was making his first appearance since June 22, when he allowed five runs -- four earned -- in a 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay. "That was very disappointing on my part," Keuchel said. "The offence did more than enough to come out with a win, and I just didnt do my part. I havent been too good as of late, so I guess I have to go back to the drawing board and figure some stuff out." NOTES: Trout became the 13th major league player aged 22 or younger with 20 or more homers before the All-Star break. ... Houston activated RHP Josh Fields from the 15-day DL after he went on it because of soreness in his right forearm. ... The Astros traded RHP Andrew Robinson to Atlanta for a player to be named or cash considerations. ... The Angels improved to 28-29 on the Fourth of July, including 14-14 at home. ... Los Angeles won on a walkoff single by Aybar on July 4, 2013. ... The announced crowd of 43,557 was the Angels fourth sellout of the season. ' ' '