HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros had solid pitching but couldnt get their offence going in the first two games against Atlanta. [url=http://www.newbalanceoutlet.it/]New Balance Scontate[/url] . On Thursday, they finally put together a complete game and won 6-1 to avoid a series sweep. Matt Dominguez brok

HOUSTON -- The Houston Astros had solid pitching but couldnt get their offence going in the first two games against Atlanta. New Balance Scontate . On Thursday, they finally put together a complete game and won 6-1 to avoid a series sweep. Matt Dominguez broke out of a slump with a three-run home run and rookie George Springer also homered to back up seven strong innings by Jarred Cosart. Dominguez snapped an 0-for-23 skid with his two-out shot to left-centre field off Mike Minor (2-5) that made it 5-1 in the fifth inning. "Thats the big hit that when we were in this here funk that we were in, that was the big hit that had been eluding us," manager Bo Porter said. Dominguez said there was a mixture of relief and excitement when he connected on his home run. "I try not to focus on it but of course it gets in your head," Dominguez said. "Good situation. Got a good pitch to hit and I was finally able to put the barrel on it." Cosart (8-5) allowed six hits and a run for his fourth straight victory. Porter believes that Cosarts presence on the mound has improved with each start this season and the 24-year-old agreed. "When Im throwing strikes I have a lot more confidence and obviously thats what theyve been preaching," Cosart said. "And with the mechanical stuff Ive been doing I have a lot more confidence in throwing strikes and just being able to trust my stuff and attack the hitters and know Ive got a really good defence behind me thats going to make a lot of plays for me." Springers solo homer off Juan Jaime in the seventh pushed the lead to 6-1. He has 15 homers this season, the most by a rookie in franchise history before the All-Star Break. Lance Berkman had the previous mark with 12 in 2000. Minor gave up seven hits and five runs in six innings to remain winless since May 19. Jon Singleton had two hits and an RBI and Jose Altuve added a pair of hits and swiped two bases for the Astros, who had managed just four runs combined and had been shut out twice in a four-game losing streak. Altuve leads the American League with 107 hits and 30 steals. Justin Upton had two hits on Thursday and hit .364 with two homers and four RBIs in the series and B.J. Upton had a hit and scored Atlantas only run. "Things just didnt go our way," Justin Upton said. "For the most part we tried to play a little small ball with our run-scoring struggles and weve done a pretty good job of it. (Thursday) it didnt work out for us and we didnt get the big ball, either." The Braves had trouble stringing together hits against Cosart and he was helped by the Astros turning a pair of double plays. Evan Gattis doubled to start the seventh before Jason Heyward drew a walk, but Cosart retired the next three batters to end the threat. B.J. Upton hit a leadoff single before stealing second and taking third on an error on the throw by Jason Castro. The Braves went up 1-0 when he scored on a sacrifice fly by Tony La Stella. Altuve singled and a double by Singleton, which bounced off the wall in left field, sent him home to tie it at 1-1 in the first. Minor plunked Dominguez to start Houstons fourth before a double by Castro. The Astros took a 2-1 lead when Castro scored on a groundout by Jesus Guzman. NOTES: The Astros opened their gates 30 minutes early Thursday to allow fans to watch the World Cup match between the United States and Germany on the stadiums big screens. ... Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman was back in the lineup after leaving Wednesday nights game in the eighth inning after being hit by a pitch on the right elbow. ... Houston selected the contract of RHP Jose Veras from Triple-A Oklahoma City and outrighted RHP Kyle Farnsworth before the game and he has elected free agency. Veras struck out Justin Upton for the last out of the game. New Balance In Offerta . The Senators return from a lengthy layoff caused by Wednesdays attack on Parliament Hill to host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. New Balance Italia Negozi . On the day after Billy Horschel posted his 12th straight round in the 60s, won his second straight tournament against a world-class field and picked up an additional $10 million bonus as the FedEx Cup champion, Watson was kicking back in his seat at a Kansas City Royals game. http://www.newbalanceoutlet.it/ . Louis Cardinals on Sunday afternoon; a brief, poor outing that served to highlight two trends that have developed this season.MONTREAL - P.K. Subban was just as concerned with taking a penalty as he was in scoring a spectacular goal when he got out of the box.The Montreal defencemans second goal of the game, which came at 17:59 of the second period after serving a holding call, proved to be the game winner as the Canadiens downed the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 in a freewheeling contest on Saturday night.The Canadiens are off to a 5-1-0 start to the campaign despite first-pairing defenceman Subban having already taken seven minor penalties.I was still ticked off that I took a penalty, Subban said. Im taking penalties every game.Its fine now, were winning, but Ive got to stay out of the box. Its great to get the goal, but if youre going to be a leader on the team, you have to set the example. I havent done a good job of that. But Im obviously happy to get the goal.Alex Galchenyuk had a goal and an assist for Montreal, which put 36 shots on Colorados 22-year-old goalie Calvin Pickard, who was making his first NHL start.Alex Tanguay and Matt Duchene scored for Colorado (1-4-1), which ended a four-game road trip with a 1-2-1 record.When Subban left the box, he collected a pass from Lars Eller and skated around the Colorado net, only to see defenceman Tyson Barrie fall. That left Montreals highest paid player time to move in front, put two moves on Pickard and slide the puck in.I was looking for Lars, said Subban. I knew he was coming, but the defenceman had taken him out.I was really in tight on the goal. I tried to make a move and hopefully, hed bite on it. Before I knew it I had an open net and just put it in. But like I said, I probably dont want to be putting myself in that position of being in the box that many times.Colorado coach Patrick Roy saw the goal from another angle and felt it shouldnt have happened.Especially on the one where Tyson lost his edge, I think Nick Holden should have looked where Subban was instead of turning his back, said Roy. Theres a few one-on-twos we didnt play that well. On the one where (Marc-Andre) Cliche took a penalty, Tyson should have been in better position.It was the second Montreal goal from a player coming out of the box. At 11:23 of the second, Galchenyuk checked the puck off Nathan MacKinnon while leaving the sin bin and then was sent in alone by Brandon Prust to score.Duchene, who had 10 shots on goal and also hit a crossbar during a first-period power play, closed the gap to one goal when he reached out to deflect a Jarome Iginla shot between Carey Prices pads with 2:31 left in the third. New Balance Outlet Scontate. . But the Avalanche were unable to get the equalizer.It was a big game for both goalies, especially Pickard, who was called up from the American Hockey Leagues Lake Erie Monsters this week after No. 1 Semyon Varlamov aggravated a groin injury and then backup Reto Berra got injured Thursday in Ottawa. The Avs wasted a 3-1 lead when Pickard took over against the Senators to lose 5-3, but he was solid in Montreal.We had a lot of confidence in him, said Roy. We didnt show any panic in our decisions.Hes the reason we had a chance to come back in that game. I thought both goaltenders were outstanding. Carey Price made several good saves. In the second period, we calculated we had 10 good scoring chances and out of 10, seven of them missed the net. We have to make the goalie work a little more. At least put the pucks on the net.Pickard, a Winnipeg native drafted in the second round by Colorado in 2010, was in a tough building for his NHL debut.It was crazy, he said. Playing at the Bell Centre, coming out to that music.You watch it on TV all the time. Its special. And to be in the net starting at the other end against Carey Price, its a pretty cool feeling. It was a good experience for me, but not the result we wanted.As for going one-on-one with Subban, Pickard said: You see him on TV all the time. Hes a special talent, and you saw that on the third goal. He dangled me pretty good.Even with his third stringer in goal, Roy did not abandoned his open, offensive style and it made for an entertaining, end-to-end game.Colorado took the lead 2:23 in on a give-and-go on a rush as John Mitchell dropped a pass to Tanguay for a shot into an open side.Pickard stopped his first 20 shots, but the Canadiens scored three times on the next eight, starting with Subbans goal on a blast from the left point on a power play at 4:13 of the second period. Notes — The Canadiens sat out Dale Weise and Nathan Beaulieu for a second straight game. . . Canadiens equipment manager Pierre Gervais was honoured pre-game for his 2,500th game. He also worked for Team Canada at the Olympics. He was presented with a jersey with the number 2,500 on the back . . Sami Aittokallio, recalled Friday from Lake Erie, backed up Pickard. Roy said this week that Varlamovs groin injury does not appear to be long term, although he is on injured reserve. Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '