stars Hart and Jenkins wide open for several 3-p

SEATTLE -- The Houston Astros playoff momentum was halted Sunday by a pitcher they had never faced -- and likely will have to face again.Ariel Miranda (5-1), a Cuban defector acquired by the Seattle Mariners in a July 31 trade with Baltimore, held the Astros to just three hits and two runs over his seven innings in Seattles 7-3 victory.Seth Smith powered up a pair of home runs and had four RBI in support as the Mariners moved ahead of the Astros in the congested wild-card race.Houston (78-71) is a half game behind both the Mariners (79-70) and Detroit in the race for the wild card spots.He (Miranda) has a good fastball and a good split finger-change thing that he throws, Astros manager A. J. Hinch said. Our guys hadnt seen a ton of him...he did a good job challenging us, just above the zone and we swung under today and hit a lot of pop-ups in the infield, a few balls to the outfield. A couple balls to the track that could have changed the game a little bit. He kept enticing us with fastballs.That enticement will continue in the final week of the season. The Mariners play another three-game set with he Astros in Houston, Sept. 26-28, and Miranda likely is on schedule to start that series final game.Mirandas seven innings was his longest outing in 10 starts with Seattle. He walked one and struck out eight.Heck of an outing, Mariners manager Scott Servais said. Hes on a heck of a roll. We certainly needed it. Hes gained so much confidence. You can certainly can see it.Miranda has won all four of his starts in September. He said, through an interpreter, its been a dream of mine (to be in a playoff chase) but never been there. Its really great to get there. Im happy with the work Ive been doing and happy to help the team.Smith had a solo shot in the third and a three-run blast in the fourth, both on 3-1 pitches from Doug Fister (12-12), who went just 3 2/3 innings.I was just trying to attack with my sinker; he put a couple good swings on balls -- clearly, Fister said. I just didnt execute today, thats what it comes down to. Balls down, balls up, all over the place. I let my team down.Smith had been 0-for-10 in his career against Fister but the eight-year veteran had a plan.Guys know what theyre doing when they are pitching and able to pitch to the corners, Smith said. You try to take the close ones, try to get into a good hitters count when they come after you.Youre constantly learning, how to approach at-bats, knowing what kind of swing you have going into a game, knowing what the pitcher is trying to do to you, Smith said. Over the course of a career you kind of fit the pieces a little better together.RECORD WHIFFSWith Jandel Gustaves strikeout of Shawn OMalley in the sixth, the Astros staff established a club record for strikeouts with 1,283. Theyve done it without even a 200-strikeout pitcher. For the most part we have a few guys who can spin their breaking balls when they need to, manager A.J. Hinch said. and the changeup is a big component of our pitching staff.SLOW START; FAST FINISHNori Aoki, who was sent to the minors twice this season to work on his offense, has found his batting eye this month. Entering the game, he was hitting .387 in September, fifth best in the American League. He had been hitting .255 overall to start the month. For his career, he is a .324 hitting in September, fourth best among active players. He had two hits Sunday.TRAINERS ROOMMariners: 1B Adam Lind had not played since Sept. 12 with a sprained finger in his right hand but was back in the lineup Sunday, missing five games.UP NEXTAstros: RHP Brad Peacock (0-0, 2.70) will make his third start, seventh appearance, in his effort to win his first game since 2014. Last time ou, Sept. 13, he was solid, going six innings and allowing just three hits and one run in a 3-2 loss to Texas. Now the Astros are counting on him to step up at the most critical stage of the season. He is 1-4 with a 4.97 ERA in nine career appearances against Oakland.Mariners: RHP Taijuan Walker (6-10, 4.28) is coming off his best starting effort of his career (59 starts). He allowed just three hits and no runs -- first career shutout -- in an 8-0 win over the L.A. Angels. He had a no-hitter through 5 2/3 innings. He is 0-2 with a 3.66 ERA in three career starts against the Blue Jays but has not faced them this season. George Magerkurth Jersey Online . The Masters champion and winner of last weeks Australian PGA has a three-round total of 14-under 199 at Royal Melbourne. "Im in a really good position for tomorrow," Scott said. Garrett Wolfe Jersey Online . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. https://www.cheapjerseysatwholesale.com/darryl-williams-jersey-online/ . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. Jerod Mayo Jersey Online . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. Lydell Carr Jersey Online . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Josh Hart loved Villanovas defense, saying it was biggest reason why the third-ranked Wildcats blew past Wake Forest on Friday.Harts shooting helped a bunch, too.Hart scored a career-high 30 points off six 3-pointers to lead the Wildcats to a 96-77 victory over Demon Deacons. Villanova (4-0) advanced to the finals of the Charleston Classic, slowing down a Wake Forest offense that scored 103 points a day earlier.We were all ready, Hart said.Especially Hart, the senior preseason All-American who made five of his teams first six shots to put the Wildcats up 16-8. Villanovas team defense made certain Wake Forest (3-1) would not mount a comeback.Our defense really fueled our offense, Hart said. Getting those stops early on got us playing basketball.Hart hit 11 of 14 shots overall and six of his eight long-range attempts. He added four rebounds, three steals and a pair of assists.Mikal Bridges had 19 points and Kris Jenkins, the hero of Villanovas championship win last April, added 16.Wake Forest never could get back in it.John Collins had 17 points to lead six Demon Deacons in double-figure scoring. The team shot 50 percent (29 of 58) and had just four turnovers. Not a bad showing against the countrys No. 3 team?We lost by 20, Wake Forest coach Danny Manning said. It was a beat down.Villanova will play UCF or the College of Charleston for the title on Sunday night.Not everything went right for Hart, who was whistled for a technical foul late in the second half with his team ahead double digits when he got tied up and jawed with Wake Forests Bryant Crawford down low.Still, he surpassed his previous top total of 27 points against Akron last season.Wake Forest made a late run, slicing a 20-point deficit to 87-75 on John Collins bucket with 3:55 to go. But Jalen Brunson answered with an uncontested jam for the defending NCAA Tournament champions.When Kris Jenkinns recovered a loose ball moments later, the Wildcats and coach Jay Wright celebrated as if theyd won another national title.dddddddddddd.BIG PICTUREVillanova owns November. The Wildcats are among the best starters in college basketball and continued that against Wake Forests powerful offense (Deacons came in averaging 92 points a game) for its 23rd straight November victory. Villanova has won early season November tournaments in 2013-14 (Battle 4 Atlantis), 2014-15 (Legends Classic) and 2015-16 (NIT Season Tipoff). Theyll for a fourth consecutive November crown on Sunday night at TD Arena.These tournaments are great, Wright said. These guys, they get this. Its fun to be a part of this.Wake Forest does not yet have the defense to match its offense. The Demon Deacons got in a first-half hole by leaving Villanovas senior stars Hart and Jenkins wide open for several 3-pointers. Jenkins hit two straight in the opening period to send Wake Forest down 41-25. Hart hit six from behind the arc with few defenders nearby.POLL IMPLICATIONSWith No. 1 Dukes loss earlier this week, count on Villanova to move up a spot as long as it lifts the Charleston Classic trophy on Sunday night.INJURY CONCERNSWright said freshman forward Tim Delaney will have an MRI done on his surgically repaired hip and is unsure when hell return. Wright said junior guard Phil Booth was held out because of continuing tendinitis worries in his left knee after offseason surgery. Booth played 23 minutes on Thursday and Wright thought resting until Sunday would do him well.UP NEXTVillanova: Will play either College of Charleston or UCF on Sunday for Charleston Classic championship.Wake Forest: Will play either College of Charleston or UCF on Sunday for third place at the Charleston Classic. ' ' '