50 yards rushing, respectively, over the last two games after starting running back Ameer Abdullah was sidelined with a foot

MILWAUKEE -- The Pittsburgh Pirates Jameson Taillon may have a few extra thoughts running through his head when he faces Milwaukees Hernan Perez on Saturday night. Miami Marlins Shirts .Just 11 days earlier in Pittsburgh, Perez lined a pitch off the back of Taillons head in the second inning. Fortunately, Taillon wasnt seriously injured. Even more remarkable, he remained in that game to pitch six strong innings, allowing just five hits and one earned run.To be honest, I was waiting for it to hurt when I was down, Taillon told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. I really felt good the whole way through.Taillon knew he was extremely fortunate, saying on Twitter that night: Not exactly how I imagined today going when I got out of bed. But going to bed feeling extremely lucky.Taillon will make his eighth big-league start Saturday when he faces the Milwaukee Brewers.The No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft, Taillon took six full years to reach the majors. Hell turn 26 in November. Hes 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA in seven starts with the Pirates this season.Taillon showed no ill effects from the close call and made his next start last Sunday against Philadelphia. He went six innings and allowed eight hits and four runs (3 earned) but did not get a decision in a 5-4 victory.The Pirates will be looking to avenge a 3-1 loss to the Brewers on Friday night.Milwaukee counters with right-hander Chase Anderson, who snapped a four-game losing streak in his last outing. Milwaukee is just 7-12 in games started by Anderson.The Brewers hope left fielder Ryan Braun will return to the lineup.Braun has missed the last two games with stiffness in his right side.It is day-to-day, Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said before Fridays game. Hes improved today. Im hoping hes back in there tomorrow. It is improving for sure and not deemed serious.Braun is hitting a team-leading .321 with 14 homers and 46 RBI.Pretty good, Braun said when asked how he felt before Fridays game. A little bit better than yesterday. Just a little bit tight; waiting for it to loosen up.Obviously the danger becomes when its really tight it wont loosen up. So were just trying to avoid hurting it badly. Ill get some treatment on it today and hopefully get back out there tomorrow.Braun has dealt with similar problems in the past.Its not fun, and obviously thats what were trying to avoid, he said. Whenever it gets to the point where it gets tight and it wont loosen up...I felt it for a few days but yesterday it just wouldnt loosen up so obviously it made sense to not take the chance to do something worse to it.At 52-49, the Pirates are three games out of the National Leagues second wild-card position. They have earned a wild-card playoff berth in each of the previous three seasons after a 20-year playoff drought.The Pirates appear likely to be without catcher Francisco Cervelli, who took a pitch off his right ankle Friday night behind the plate. Cervelli had just returned 10 days ago from a five-week stint on the disabled list because of a broken bone in his left hand.Pirates manager Clint Hurdle could only term the injury right-foot discomfort after the game, although Cervelli appeared to be in significant pain. Marlins Jerseys 2020 . While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April. Miami Marlins Store . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night. https://www.cheapmarlinsjerseys.us/ . The Dutchmans tenure got off to a poor start when referee Guido Winkmann awarded a penalty within two minutes for Niklas Starks clumsy challenge on Alexandru Maxim.DETROIT -- The Philadelphia Eagles have gotten off to a memorable start under new coach Doug Pederson. He would prefer for them to forget it ever happened.The Eagles were the most surprising success story during the opening month of the season, dismissing three opponents by a combined score of 92-27 despite starting rookie Carson Wentz at quarterback. That included a stunning 34-3 pummeling of Pittsburgh prior to their bye Week 4.They return with a road game against the stumbling Detroit Lions, who have lost three straight. Philadelphia is one of three remaining unbeaten teams, along with Denver and Minnesota.Really, in my opinion, our season starts now, Pederson said. What weve done already is great. Were in a good position but we need to buckle down and prepare as if this is Week One.Wentz became the starter when Sam Bradford was traded to the Vikings just before the regular season. He has justified the teams faith in him, completing 64.7 percent of his pass attempts and throwing for five touchdowns without an interception.Im going to continue to coach him up, coach him hard and try to put him in the best possible situations on Sunday, where hes not having to hold the ball a long time, Pederson said. Well utilize the run game, play-action passes, all that stuff youve seen in the first three games and keep that formula.The offense should get a boost from the return of starting running back Ryan Mathews and tight end Zach Ertz. Mathews only had two carries against the Steelers before exiting with an ankle injury. Wendell Smallwood rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown in his absence.Ryan is still our primary guy, hes our go-to guy, Pederson said. If hes 100 percent well go with Ryan and mix the other guys in according to the gameplan.Ertz sat out the last two games after suffering a displaced rib during the opener but has been cleared to play and returned to practice on Monday. He has six catches for 58 yards in 2016. Philadelphias leading receiver has been wideout Jordan Matthews with 15 receptions for 204 yards and two touchdowns.But there are some looming issues for Philadelphia.Linebacker Nigel Bradham could be facing a suspension after he was arrested for bringing a loaded gun to Miami International Airport over the weekend. Marlins Jerseys China. Offensive tackle Lane Johnson is facing a 10-game suspension for taking a banned substance, pending the results of his appeal, which took place earlier this week.Very little has gone right for the Lions since their opening-day victory at Indianapolis. They lost a late lead to Tennessee in their only home game thus far, then fell to division rivals Green Bay and Chicago.The 17-14 defeat to the injury-ravaged Bears, who were without their starting quarterback, top two running backs and several key defenders, was particularly troubling.All this has put coach Jim Caldwell on the hot seat.You know thats one of those things that we dont worry about, he said. My job is to coach this team and to get this team headed in the right direction.The Lions have been held to 66 and 50 yards rushing, respectively, over the last two games after starting running back Ameer Abdullah was sidelined with a foot injury.Quarterback Matthew Stafford couldnt overcome the lack of running game in Chicago, throwing for just 213 yards and getting picked off twice. Hes eager to turn things around.Honestly, after you play like we did in Chicago thats the first thing I want to do, get back on the field, he said. I wish we could practice after the flight home. But, practice is all just leading up to Sunday. Were preparing to try and play better this Sunday than we did last Sunday, and we need to, we have to.Getting underperforming wide receiver Golden Tate more involved could help the cause. Tate had just one catch against the Bears, caught an earful from Stafford after a miscommunication led to an interception and was benched for part of the game.Detroits pass rush has been mostly ineffective since premier defensive end Ziggy Ansah left the Titans game in the first quarter with a high ankle sprain. Hes questionable to return this week.The teams met last Thanksgiving, with Detroit romping to a 45-14 victory. ' ' '