Neo Workxx » : A win over a quality opponent like the

NEW YORK -- Since losing four straight home games to the Boston Red Sox, the Baltimore Orioles have recovered nicely.The recovery has gone so well that not only are the Orioles solidifying their standing as wild card team, they might get a chance to host the play-in game next week.More performances like Fridays 8-1 victory at rainy Yankee Stadium would help and by the end of Saturday, the Orioles could know if they are hosting the wild card game.Step one is to beat the Yankee on Saturday afternoon and step two is for the Toronto Blue Jays to lose to the Boston Red Sox Saturday night at Fenway Park.The Orioles are in the favorable position because they have won six of their last seven games since Sept. 22. They swept Arizona at home last weekend, took two of three in Toronto and opened the series in New York by getting home runs from Jonathan Schoop, Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo.Those home runs moved the Orioles (88-72) a game ahead of the Blue Jays. Toronto only leads the Tigers by one half-game for the second wild card spot and Baltimore should clinch Saturday, it might not even find out its opponent until Monday.Not much at all until I had no choice because it was right behind the pitchers head every time I looked out there, Baltimore manager Buck Showalter said in his best attempt to deny watching scoreboards. I caught a couple of glimpses, but I dont watch it that much. I really dont. I watch our scoreboard a lot.Since the finale of their series with the Red Sox, the Orioles have hit 12 of their major league-leading 250 home runs and scored 27 runs.Perhaps more importantly is Baltimores pitchers, which has been regarded as a significant weakness, has turned in a 1.38 ERA in those games.On Friday Yovani Gallardo followed 6 2/3 strong innings by Ubaldo Jimenez in Toronto when allowed one run and two hits in six innings On Saturday it will be Wade Mileys turn to keep it rolling.Miley missed the series in Toronto to be with his wife, who gave birth to the couples first child. He returned Friday and the Orioles will look to see if he can follow up his best start of the season.A week ago, Miley struck out 11 hitters in 8 2/3 innings against Arizona at Camden Yards.Command of the fastball and setting up the off-speed pitches (was big), Miley said. (Catcher Matt Wieters) did a great job. I mightve shook one time all night long. We just kind of had a plan, and he put down the right fingers.Miley is 0-3 with a 5.77 ERA in six career starts against the Yankees. He had a chance for a win at New York April 10, 2015 when he held a 3-0 lead but Bostons bullpen blew the lead before winning a 19-inning decision.New York will be playing its second game after being eliminated from playoff contention Thursday night. While the Yankees have won four of five, they also have dropped 12 of 19 since a seven-game winning streak Sept. 4-10.Its no fun being in this position, New York manager Joe Girardi said. It isnt. You dont work to be in this position. You work to be in the other.The Yankees also will be hoping rookie Gary Sanchez can conclude the season with a .300 average. Sanchez is batting .298 and has one hit in his last 26 at-bats, marking the first time his average is under .300 since Aug. 9.Masahiro Tanaka likely would have started had the Yankees remained in contention. Tanaka missed his last start with a forearm strain but once the Yankees were eliminated they decided not to pitch him.Hes healthy, Girardi said. He threw a really good bullpen the other day. It just doesnt make sense for us.Instead, Luis Severino will start and try to get his first win a starting pitcher this season. Severino is 3-8 with a 5.75 ERA but as a starting pitcher he is 0-8 with an 8.59 ERA in 10 starts. Adidas Superstar Scontate . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. Adidas Superstar Uomo Scontate . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. http://www.adidassuperstarscontate.it/ . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. Scarpe Adidas Superstar Scontate . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Adidas Superstar Offerte . Louis Blues absence from top spot in the TSN. LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- J.P. Macura doesnt know why but for some reason his shot hadnt been falling quite right during Xaviers first couple of games.But that changed -- quickly -- during the 11-ranked Musketeers 83-77 victory over Clemson on Friday in the second round of the Tire Pros Invitational. The junior guard hit his first 3-pointer in the first 58 seconds, then exchanged a little trash talk with Clemson forward Jaron Blossomgame. It was on from there.Macura surpassed his career high with 23 points in the first half and finished with 28 in a battle of two strong-willed teams.I started the season off not shooting the ball very well and my teammates did a great job of getting me the ball, said Macura, whose previous career high was 21 points. I had all the confidence in the world when I was shooting and we just had a great team victory today.The Musketeers jumped out to an early double-digit lead due in large part to their patience and getting the ball to the open man, which was often Macura. He was 5 for 6 from 3-point in the first 20 minutes, and Edmond Sumner (11 points) and Trevon Bluiett (21 points) showed great patience in making the extra pass to find Macura.Macura scored just five points in the second half, ending the game shooting 10 of 12 from the field and going 6-for-11 from 3-point range. But his contribution was just enough to prevent Clemson from completing its numerous comeback attempts.His teammates really wanted to find him. He has that ability, said Xavier coach Chris Mack, whose team moved to 3-0 as it heads into the championship game on Sunday. He had a huge game in the first half and he made some big-time plays in the second half as well.But the Tigers made it interesting at the end, pulling to 81-77 in the final 7 seconds after several lapses by Xavier on both ends of the floor. The game wasnt secured until Bluiett hit twoo free throws with 6 seconds remaining.ddddddddddddt was the second close win for the Musketeers after they escaped Missouri with a one-point win in overtime Thursday.It was really fun, Macura said. Clemson is a very good basketball team and I think we came together as a team and played great team basketball.We played well on the defensive end and we just need to keep doing this.BIG PICTUREClemson: All five of the Tigers starters are double-figure scorers. Their problem on Friday was discipline and not giving enough effort on the defensive end. Macura was allowed to hit too many open 3-pointers.Xavier: The Tigers are talented but they are soft inside and that is where the difference came. They were outscored 36-28 in the paint.POLL IMPLICATIONSXavier: A win over a quality opponent like the ACCs Clemson should bolster the Musketeers standing.SHOWING RESPECTClemson coach Brad Brownell was proud of his team played, but recognized it was tough to beat an Xavier team that converted 53 percent from the field and 43 percent from 3-point range for the game. The Musketeers seemed to have an answer for every run Clemson made.When Xavier shoots the ball like that theyre going to be hard to beat, Brownell said.DOMINATING THE PAINTOther players scored more points for Xavier but no contribution was perhaps bigger than center Sean OMara in the paint. He was 4 for 4 from the field and 2 for 2 from the free throw line to finish with 10 points.UP NEXTClemson: The Tigers will play the loser of the Northern Iowa-Oklahoma game for third place Sunday.Xavier: The Musketeers will play the Northern Iowa-Oklahoma winner in the championship game Sunday night.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '