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PITTSBURGH -- For Russell Martin, it was all about staying positive. The Pittsburgh Pirates catcher remained optimistic when the Detroit Tigers were seemingly putting runners on base in every inning. And he was still looking on the bright side when he stepped to the plate with a chance to win the game despite having already struck out three times. Martin hit a bases-loaded single off the left-centre wall in the bottom of the 11th inning to give the Pirates a 1-0 victory over the Tigers on Thursday night. "Youve got to believe you can do it," Martin said. "If you think youre going to fail then youre probably going to fail. Its all a matter of having a positive attitude and believing in yourself. Our whole team is like that right now." Neil Walker opened the inning with a sharp single to right off Luke Putkonen (1-1) and Andrew McCutchen walked. Gaby Sanchez loaded the bases by bouncing a single through the left side of the infield. Martin then ripped a 2-1 pitch into the gap to give the Pirates (34-20) their 16th win in 20 games. Martin came into the game having gone 4 for 29 in his previous eight games. However, he singled in the ninth inning and wound up with a multi-hit game. "The great thing about Russell is he never takes his offence behind the plate," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said "He struck out his first three times up tonight yet he went right back behind the plate and it was all about the pitcher. Thats why it was so good to see him come through at the end." The Tigers left 11 runners on base in losing their third straight. "Baseball is always a hard game and tonight it was really hard," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. "Thats what I always say, on-base percentage is great but the biggest thing is you need to drive those guys on base in. We had a hard time with that tonight. Weve had a hard time with that the last few days. Detroit was shut out by the Pirates for the second time in three days as Jeff Locke and five relievers combined on a nine-hitter. Bryan Morris (3-2) pitched a scoreless inning to finish. "You know how good the Tigers offence is, one of the best in baseball," Walker said. "You feel like youre playing with a ticking time bomb when they dont score but you cant give enough credit to our pitching staff. They got so many big outs in this game." Detroit starter Doug Fister struck out 12 in seven innings and allowed four hits. Miguel Cabrera hit two doubles for the Tigers, including the 400th of his career. Fister came in with a 5.20 ERA in five May starts after going 4-0 with a 2.38 ERA in five starts in April. "I felt like I was executing well," Fister said. "I was able to keep the ball down, move the ball in and out and make them hit the ball on the ground, which is the name of my game." Both teams failed to cash in on consecutive outstanding scoring opportunities in the middle innings. Pittsburgh hit three singles in a row to start the fourth and Detroit had four consecutive singles to start the fifth. Walker led off the Pirates fourth with a single but was caught stealing at second base. McCutchen and Garrett Jones then singled to put runners on the corners but were stranded when Martin struck out and Travis Snider lined out. In the Tigers fifth, Matt Tuiasosopo and Bryan Pena hit back-to-back singles but Tuiasosopo was thrown out at home by Snider, the right fielder, while trying to score on Avasail Garcias single. Fister then singled to load the bases, but Omar Infante hit a grounder to third baseman Brandon Inge, who threw home to force Pena for the second out. Andy Dirks grounded out to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded. Detroit missed more chances. The Tigers had runners on first and second with one out in the sixth when Vin Mazzaro relieved Locke and struck out Tuiasosopo and got Pena to ground out. Mazzaro escaped a first-and-third jam with one out in the seventh by getting Dirks to pop out and Cabrera to ground out. After Infante doubled with two outs in the ninth, McCutchen, the centre fielder, tracked down Dirks drive to the gap in right-centre to end the inning. "It goes back to the staples of pitching weve been talking about since the start of spring training," Hurdle said. "Have intent with every pitch and have conviction with every pitch and execution will follow. Our guys really executed and we were able to hold a very good team off the board for 11 innings, which is something we can feel good about." NOTES: Detroit RF Torii Hunter sat out with a bruised left elbow, which he injured Wednesday night when he was hit by a pitch from Morris. Hunter will miss games Friday and Saturday at Baltimore to attend his sons high school graduation in Texas, but expects to play Sunday against the Orioles. ... Tigers SS Jhonny Peralta was ejected in the top of the fourth inning by home plate umpire Manny Gonzalez for arguing a called third strike. Peralta went 0 for 2, ending his 10-game hitting streak. ... Pittsburgh 3B Pedro Alvarez was not at the ballpark Thursday after having dental surgery earlier in the day to remove two wisdom teeth. ... LHP Wandy Rodriguez (6-2, 3.58) will pitch for the Pirates against Cincinnati RHP Johnny Cueto (2-0, 2.76) on Friday night in the opener of a three-game home series. ... Detroit RHP Max Scherzer (7-0, 3.42) will face Baltimore RHP Miguel Gonzalez (2-2, 3.94) in the opener of that three-game series.Tyler Lydon Jersey . At a news conference Tuesday where it was thought that the fiery Schallibaum may be shown the door after a dismal finish to the Major League Soccer season, team president Joey Saputo said no decision has been made on whether the Swiss Volcano will be back in 2014. Jarred Vanderbilt Jersey . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. http://www.authenticnuggetsproshop.com/ . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. Michael Porter Nuggets Jersey . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. Malik Beasley Nuggets Jersey . -- San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks was fined $15,570 by the NFL on Wednesday for his hit on Saints quarterback Drew Brees last Sunday.Throughout the Tour de France, Australian professional cyclist Richie Porte will be checking in. Here is his latest entry, as told to ESPN contributor Rupert Guinness:First Rest Day -?Escaldes-Egordany, AndorraWith the Pyrenees behind us in this years 103rd Tour de France, everyone is now looking to Mont Ventoux, the summit finish of stage 12, as the next pivotal moment of the race.Thats understandable, given the mountain is one of the hardest to race up in Europe.But what happens there could also depend on what happens the day before.After Mondays rest day, we leave the Pyrenees for Tuesdays 197km 10th stage from Escaldes-Egordany in Andorra to Revel in France. Danger then lurks during Wednesdays 162.5km 11th stage from Carcassonne to Montpellier, when there is chance of a cross wind.If those winds prevail, that could be stressful. If such winds strike and the peloton splits up, it could set the scene for an even more interesting stage to Mont Ventoux. Cross winds require a great read of race; and if not responded to correctly can be costly with time losses.However, I think we have the team at BMC for cross winds; and if conditions are otherwise.An ability to race in varying conditions is part and parcel of bike racing, and I was reminded of that when I woke up on Monday morning for the first of two rest days in this years Tour.What reminded me were the bruises on my arms where my tan line stops; I had little welts from the hail storm that struck us on Sunday. Its a good thing we have helmets on.That alone made one think of the stage and who was stronger in the Pyrenean stage or not.It was also interesting to see discussion over whether or not Colombian Nairo Quintana (Movistar) is holding back on the race by not trying to attack race leader Chris Frroome (Sky).ddddddddddddI dont know. Maybe Quintana was on his limit. I think its silly to read into anything just yet.I saw him race earlier this year at the Volta a Catalunya and he is a pretty aggressive rider.I guess he is saving it for Thursday? If not, the main thing is to be ready for when he tries.Which all leads to what we all may have gained from the rest day in Andorra, or not.To be honest, I am not a massive fan of rests days. I would just rather get the Tour done.I had a pretty rough night of sleep on Sunday night to Monday morning with Portuguese fans outside the team hotel making a racket after Portugals 2016 Euro football final victory.But at least as a rider you are granted most of the day to yourself until late team meetings.BMCs plan says wake up whenever. There is not time limit so long we are riding by 10.30.But I was awake on Sunday at 7.10am, and at breakfast with the staff. So my rest day began.After rising earlier than usual for the stage, I was all ready to go but with no race to race.It was good though to get more time for treatment from the osteopath and have a massage.We then rode 40 kilometres easy, in and around Andorra, even skipping the coffee shop -- after which we had lunch and the afternoon to ourselves, in my case, with my wife, Gemma.As we walked along the river outside our hotel in Andorra-La Vielle, it was easy to think of how lucky we are to be in a sport that takes you to such far off areas like the Pyrenees.But then, those mountains are behind us now - for at least another year. So whats ahead?Hopefully that is a question I can help answer with performance, and a good one at that. ' ' '