Für unsere Gäste » ench capital.To have a guy coming to Icelan

NEW YORK -- The Cleveland Indians have held sole possession of first place in the American League Central for nearly two months.Suddenly, their lead does not seem as secure.The Indians look to maintain their advantage and possibly add to it Friday night when they open a three-game series with the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.Cleveland has held a share of first place for the past 54 days and 63 days overall. The Indians took sole possession of the lead June 17 and won 21 of 29 games to take a 7 1/2-game lead on three occasions.The most recent instance was July 20, but since an 11-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals, the Indians have dropped six of 11 at the same time the Detroit Tigers went on their biggest run of the season.Cleveland is up by three games over Detroit after favorable results Thursday. The Indians averted a four-game sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins by scoring a 9-2 victory as Jason Kipnis, Carlos Santana, Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez homered.That helps, because we got beat around the ballpark for the last three days, Indians manager Terry Francona said.At the same time as Cleveland getting its first lead in 27 innings, the Tigers had an eight-game winning streak snapped with a 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox.Even so, the Tigers are in striking distance with one-third of the season remaining.Theres no point in rushing, Lindor said. There are a lot of games left.The Yankees (54-54) have lost six of eight games since starting the second half with eight wins in their first 12 games. New York was 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position Thursday during a 4-1 loss to the New York Mets, marking the 43rd time the Yankees scored two runs or fewer.The Yankees are at .500 for the 11th time in the past two months.I know with the trades and everything that has happened, the outlook is a little different, Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner said. But were going to play hard and grind every day. Were not giving up.Alex Rodriguez has not started in 10 of New Yorks past 11 games, and the Yankees are unsure when his next start will be.I cant really tell you when Im going to play him, manager Joe Girardi said.Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira sat out Thursday after getting hit in the left shin Wednesday by a pitch from Mets left-hander Steven Matz. He is day-to-day.Gary Sanchez has occupied the designated hitter spot the past two games, and the Yankees plan on playing him close to every day for the rest of the season as a DH or the catcher.Cleveland will start Josh Tomlin and, he will go for his team-leading 12th win, which would equal the career high he set during the 2011 season. Tomlin (11-3, 3.43 ERA) has split his last four starts, and he allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings Saturday during a 6-3 win over the Oakland As.Tomlin did not pitch when the Indians lost three of four to the Yankees three weeks ago. He is 3-2 with a 4.82 ERA in seven career appearances against the Yankees, including Aug. 20, 2015, when he allowed a run and two hits over seven innings in a 3-2 win at New York.That victory was Tomlins first after having shoulder surgery. Over 29 starts the past two years, he is 18-5 with a 3.28 ERA.Michael Pineda will start for the Yankees, looking to improve upon a 5-10 record and a 5.13 ERA. Pineda is 2-2 with a 4.13 ERA in four starts since the All-Star break, and they have been typical of his inconsistency.In his two wins, Pineda has allowed one run and 10 hits with 16 strikeouts in 13 innings. In his two losses, Pineda has allowed 10 runs and 11 hits in 11 innings.Pineda has never faced the Indians.While the Yankees took three of four July 7-10 in Cleveland, the Indians have won five of their past seven games at Yankee Stadium.In the early-July series, Lindor was 7-for-19 (.368) with two home runs.Patrick McCaw Raptors Jersey . Its 1987 and a Brazilian playmaker, known as Mirandinha, is being paraded around St James Park to the passionate Newcastle fans. Vince Carter Jersey . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. http://www.nbaraptorsonline.com/Authentic-Fred-VanVleet-Jersey/ . 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CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard.PARIS -- Trying to explain how Iceland has unexpectedly reached the European Championship quarterfinals, coach Lars Lagerback recalled some early managerial advice.Doing it simple is to be a genius, Lagerback was told by then-West Ham manager Ron Greenwood on a visit to London in the 1970s.Before Lagerback could continue his answer at a news conference on Saturday, the man sitting two seats to his left chipped in with a question of his own.So youre a genius? Heimir Hallgrimsson asked.You said it! Lagerback responded in a flash to Hallgrimsson, his co-coach with the Iceland national team.It was a glimpse into the convivial and flourishing managerial partnership behind Icelands stunning progress at Euro 2016 ahead of the Nordic nations quarterfinal against France on Sunday.In a sport where one dominant leader is seen as an essential ingredient to controlling a dressing room, Lagerback and Hallgrimsson are jointly masterminding Icelands first-ever appearance at a major tournament.In the 67-year-old Lagerback, Iceland has a wily managerial veteran of World Cups and European Championships with his native Sweden. The 49-year-old Hallgrimsson is a part-time Icelandic dentist whose previous coaching was at IBV Vestmannaeyjar in a domestic league featuring no professional clubs.The experience from that guy has helped a lot, Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson said Saturday, pointing to Lagerback before switching a thumb in the direction of Hallgrimsson. And the more technical computer stuff has come from him. They blend in really nicely together.Its an intriguing dynamic, but one that furthered Lagerbacks career when he shared the coaching responsibilities at Sweden with Tommy Soderberg. Together they returned Sweden to the international stage, reaching the round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup and the quarterfinals at Euro 2004.Now, Lagerback is seeking to go one better with Iceland with a semifinal place on offer if host France can be beaten at the Stade de France. The Icelanders are unbeaten after four games, with a group-stage draw against Cristiano Ronaldos Portugal followed by England being knoccked out in the round of 16.ddddddddddddFour eyes see more, Lagerback said. We try to work really equally. Its also extra important for me as I have been lazy, as I havent learnt the (Icelandic) language.Although the coaches stress they are on equal footing, Lagerback assumes the primary role without necessarily realizing it at times.Do you want me to answer that? he responds when asked about the partnership.But when the duo is asked about France and Hallgrimsson replies first at length, Lagerback follows up by saying: I cant put it much better, so I rest my case.When Euro 2016 ends for Iceland -- and that might not be for another week if Iceland reaches the final -- Hallgrimsson will have the managerial reins all to himself. He is trying to extract as much managerial acumen from Lagerback before then.Iceland is a country where theres only amateur football. The coaches who are coaching there are amateur coaches, Hallgrimsson said at the training camp in Annecy before making the trip to the French capital.To have a guy coming to Iceland with all (Lagerbacks) international experience ... teach us how to do things is priceless. And hes leaving that legacy and knowledge in the hands of the Icelandic FA.Such partnerships have not always thrived in soccer.Liverpools gamble to use a management partnership to end a trophy drought in the 1990s quickly fractured. Former France coach Gerard Houllier was brought in to link up with incumbent Roy Evans but the ex-Liverpool player left after four months.Maybe at one stage (the players) didnt know who was the boss -- who they had to refer to, Houllier said of his ill-fated partnership with Evans.But for Iceland, two heads are proving better than one.You can go to both and speak to both, said Gunnarsson, the Iceland captain.But who has the final say in the dugout?We use the Swedish way, Hallgrimsson said. We talk until we agree.---Rob Harris can be followed at www.twitter.com/RobHarris and www.facebook.com/RobHarrisReports ' ' '