decision-makers could not have envisioned. They thought hed help make Romos life easier. Its a major bonus that hes doing that instead for fellow rookie Prescott.Eight of the past nine NFL MVP awards have

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox needed a big start from ace Chris Sale, and he nearly gave them something historic. Sale took a perfect game into the seventh inning before finishing with a one-hitter, and Chicago beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-0 on Sunday night to avoid a three-game sweep. The left-hander retired the first 19 batters he faced before Mike Trouts sharp single to centre ended the perfect game bid with one out in the seventh, on his 70th pitch. "I knew warming up in the bullpen I felt loose. My arm felt good tonight," Sale said. "Warming up in the bullpen I felt like I was creating some good stuff and just wanted to transfer that out to the field, and it ended up working out tonight." Sale (4-2) struck out seven on just 98 pitches for his first career shutout and third win in his last four outings. The one-hitter was Chicagos first since Zach Stewart had one on Sept. 5, 2011, at Minnesota. The White Sox had lost two straight and were on the verge of being swept by a struggling Angels team. Before Saturdays loss, manager Robin Ventura called a meeting to discuss the teams woes. "He understands how its been going," Ventura said of Sale. "So its one of those you need a guy like that that can go out and put together a game like that and give you a chance." Sale pithed the third one-hitter in three days in the majors, joining St. Louis Shelby Miller and Bostons Jon Lester, who both had theirs on Friday night. Alexei Ramirezs two-run two-out single in the bottom of the seventh drove in Tyler Flowers and Tyler Greene to give Sale the lead and chase Los Angeles C.J. Wilson. Alex Rios then doubled off reliever Michael Kohn to drive in Ramirez, who had three hits and scored a run. Sale didnt require much more support than that in a game the White Sox needed badly. "I think he (Sale) just likes the big games," Flowers said. "I guarantee you he knows everyone was watching on ESPN and that whole thing." Wilson (3-2) gave up three runs and six hits while striking out three and walking four in 6 2-3 innings. He lost his second straight decision after losing to Houston on Tuesday. Wilson got no support from his offence. Other than Rios running catch against the wall on Howie Kendricks drive in the second, there werent any close calls for Sale. "It just goes back to that competitive streak in you. You want to get that guy out there," said Josh Hamilton, who was 0 for 3. "Even though he is having a phenomenal night, you want to hit it hard somewhere, or barrel it up, if they make a play, they make a play, tip your hat. He did a good job." Except for the seventh, Wilson pitched well enough to give the Angels what would have been a welcome sweep and four-game winning streak. They had lost five of seven before the series and won the first two in Chicago but fell Sunday to 10 games behind in the AL West. "We need to carry some of the things we did well in this series forward," manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think if there is one thing we saw in this series, is that we have the ability to pitch well and I think we have to carry that forward." For their part, the White Sox would like to prolong what happened Sunday. Sale was eight outs away from the White Soxs 19th no-hitter in team history and their fourth perfect game after Philip Humber (2012), Mark Buehrle (2009) and Charles Robertson (1922). The 24-year-old said he started thinking about a perfect game or no-hitter around the fourth or the fifth, but didnt sound disappointed with the one-hitter. "I didnt wake up this morning and say Im going to throw a perfect game or a no-hitter," Sale said. "I come to the ballpark every day when Im pitching and say I just want to keep my team in this game and I want to win this game." NOTES: Scioscia said theres no timetable for starting pitcher Tommy Hansons return. Hanson was placed on the restricted list on Friday. ... Ventura gave DH/1B Adam Dunn "a day off." Dunn is hitting .137 overall, including .105 against left-handers. ... Angels shortstop Erick Aybar missed his third straight game with a tight right hamstring suffered Thursday against Houston. Scioscia said Aybar might be available Monday. ... White Sox LHP John Danks threw 101 pitches over six innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Charlotte. Danks will make another rehab start May 18 at Triple-A before the White Sox will determine whether to bring him back. Danks hasnt pitched this season after being placed on the disabled list last May 25. ... On Monday, the White Soxs Hector Santiago (1-1, 1.69) will face the Twins Pedro Hernandez (1-0, 5.96) in Minneapolis, while the Angels Joe Blanton (0-6, 5.66) is scheduled to pitch against Kansas Citys Luis Mendoza (0-2, 6.38). ... Ventura became the 27th White Sox manager to win 100 games.Fake Phillies Jerseys .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. Philadelphia Phillies Gear . Those lessons were more than enough to overwhelm the Utah Jazz. Lou Williams scored 25 points and the Hawks continued their offensive upswing as they rolled to an easy 118-85 victory over the Jazz on Friday night, winning their third straight and for the fourth time in five games. https://www.cheapphilliesjerseys.us/ . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Philadelphia Phillies Store . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Stitched Phillies Jerseys . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain.There was a time, as ridiculous as it seems now, when the Dallas Cowboys made a show of trying to tamp down expectations for Ezekiel Elliott.On a sun-splashed practice field in Oxnard, California, in early August, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan stood and talked about his rookie running back. At this time, Elliott had a hamstring injury that was keeping him out of practice a bit. Linehan said all the right things.Weve got to do the right thing by him. Hes a rookie, and so you have to make sure he gets the time he needs to develop, Linehan said, then he smiled. But then I watch what he can do out here, and I think its going to be pretty hard to take him off the field.The Cowboys arent going to take Elliott off the field. Their greatest current fear, as a matter of fact, is that commissioner Roger Goodell might take him off the field. But unless the NFL decides to suspend Elliott as a result of its investigation into domestic violence allegations against him, there appears to be nothing that can stop the former Ohio State star at the present time.With 1,005 rushing yards through nine games, with three touchdowns (including the game winner) in Sundays comeback-over-and-over victory in Pittsburgh, Elliott is dominating the league. Running behind the NFLs most dominant offensive line and taking handoffs from the only man besides him who has half a case for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Elliott is currently the most potent offensive force in the game.At this point, even with Tony Romo healthy enough to play, Dak Prescott deserves to be the Cowboys quarterback. But Ezekiel Elliott deserves to be the leagues MVP.Theres a lot going on in Dallas that has put the Cowboys star rookies in position to succeed. Merely decent offensive line play gives you a weekly advantage in the NFL of 2016, but the Cowboys are, in this area, dominant. Entering Sundays games, Elliott had 495 rushing yards before first contact this season -- third most in the leaguee.dddddddddddd He added 82 more (out of his 114 total) on Sunday night. After ambling through a hole the size of an airplane hangar door on the game-winning touchdown, Elliott said, It parted like the Red Sea. All I had to do was run.But neither Elliott nor anyone else should sell him short as a runner. He also carried with him into Sundays action a league-leading 396 yards after first contact. He?has the ability to shed tackles and maintain his momentum. He has the ability to separate from pursuers in the open field. Hes strong enough as a pass protector that the Cowboys dont have to take him off the field on third downs.?They also view him as a strong receiver, though they havent used his receiving skills much. His 83-yard catch-and-run touchdown Sunday showcased another breathtaking element of Elliotts game that may be yet to come.Elliott is, through nine games, everything the Cowboys expected him to be when they used the No. 4 pick in the draft on him. They knew they had the killer offensive line; they saw Elliott as a player who could help them maximize it. Together, he and the slobs (as he calls them) up front are executing the Cowboys offseason vision in a way even their most optimistic decision-makers could not have envisioned. They thought hed help make Romos life easier. Its a major bonus that hes doing that instead for fellow rookie Prescott.Eight of the past nine NFL MVP awards have gone to quarterbacks, and before its all said and done guys like Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, Derek Carr and even Prescott may have their say in who wins it this year. But at this point in the season, it looks like one of those years when a running back stands out from the crowd as just too dominant to deny.The Cowboys cant take Elliott off the field because hes too valuable. And thats what the V in MVP stands for, after all. ' ' '