Houston within one run in the ninth

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- None too happy about Paul Ranger trying to kick the puck past him in the shootout, Buffalo Sabres goaltender Jhonas Enroth slashed the Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman as he skated by. "My first reaction was that he tried to embarrass me there a little bit, but when I look at it now, its good (the) guys trying to be creative, I guess," he said. Enroth had plenty of time to think because the shootout went an incredible 15 rounds, including 29 combined shooters who didnt score a goal. When it was over the Leafs had a 3-2 victory Saturday night thanks to Jay McClements winner, but the Sabres got their kicks out of the pre-season marathon. "At one point I think both refs were just going to call it a draw and kind of pick up the puck and go home and be old-school NHL there for a second and call it a tie," Sabres forward Steve Ott said. "But both performances by both goalies in the shootout was pretty spectacular to watch. Ive never seen that before." Leafs goaltender James Reimer stopped all 15 shots he saw after making 38 saves in regulation and overtime. Reimer went 0 for 5 in shootouts last season with a .625 save percentage, and wasnt making much of this. "Its good to get out there and for me to stop some pucks and for guys to get some reps, but its exhibition and its a little looser," Reimer said. "I think its a little different when its during a game and two points are on the line." Ranger probably wouldnt have tried this in a real game. He learned his "kick shot" from a friend at the age of 10 or 11 and perfected it enough that it beat goalies in practice plenty. "Its gotten to the point where I can rip it pretty good, I feel like," he said. "The cool part of it is I have no idea where its going, and the goalie doesnt either because I sure dont." Asked about Enroths slash and the idea that it was not the right thing to do, Ranger said: "Not the right thing to do? Im trying to score. Quite honestly its fun and, to be honest, Im not trying to show boat, and if he thought that, then it is what it is. Whatever." Ott gave Ranger credit for the kick being a "pretty heavy shot." But it was a deke by McClement that finally ended things. "A lot of light-heartenedness taking place on the bench," Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. "A lot of guys betting on Jay, so we waited right till the end." Before the shootout, the game had the chippiness normally reserved for the regular season. It featured three fights, including Troy Bodie taking on Patrick Kaleta after the Sabres agitator went after captain Dion Phaneuf. From the Leafs perspective, Ott started the trouble before that dust-up. "I think Ott intentionally shot the puck at Dion," Carlyle said. "Thats what it appeared from where we were. Those are the kind of things that in exhibition are kind of questionable at this point." The Leafs and Sabres played on the edge all night. Carlyle said it the 15-round was something he had never seen before, but even for those with similar experiences this was something unique. "We had one in Rochester, I think we went through everybody except for maybe Joe Finley. I think we had a call-up score," Rolston said. "(This one) was bizarre, especially with no goals." http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/zach-laskey-jersey/ . Their 9-19 record remains identical to the crosstown rivals in Brooklyn and trails both Toronto and Boston in the Atlantic Division. Raymond Felton, their declining point guard, is back on the sideline nursing his third injury of the season. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/greg-robinson-jersey/ . They actually finished with a better record in ‘07 than they did in ‘06 but only marginally, going from 61 victories to 66. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/coty-sensabaugh-jersey/ . -- The Chicago Bears agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract with defensive lineman Israel Idonije and are bringing him back for a second stint. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/e-j-gaines-jersey/ .Boston beat the Nashville Predators 5-3 on Tuesday night and celebrated consecutive wins for the first time in more than a month. http://www.laramsfootballshops.com/trumaine-johnson-jersey/ . Chris Capuano. Shane Greene. And now, Esmil Rogers.HOUSTON -- The Seattle Mariners couldnt do anything against Houstons Collin McHugh in his first start against them this season. Sundays game was a lot different. Robinson Cano and Willie Bloomquist each drove in two runs, and the Mariners pulled away in a four-run third inning to beat the Astros 8-7. Bloomquist broke a 1-all tie with a two-run double against McHugh (2-1) and Cano followed with his first triple since June 3, 2012. McHugh, who entered with a 0.59 ERA and 19 strikeouts in two starts, gave up six runs -- five earned -- and eight hits in four innings. He allowed three hits and struck out 12 in 6 2-3 scoreless innings against Seattle on April 22. "We had no knowledge of him the first time, and the young man threw the ball pretty good," Seattle manager Lloyd McClendon said. "This time I thought we had better at-bats, gave him stressful at-bats. His pitch count was up, and we were able to take advantage of it." Houston manager Bo Porter said McHugh struggled with his offspeed pitches Sunday. "What you saw today was a Seattle Mariners team making an adjustment from the last time they faced him," Porter said. "He didnt have the sharpness to his breaking stuff like he did that day in Seattle." Brandon Maurer (1-0) allowed four runs and six hits in five innings for his first win since Sept. 28 against Oakland. McClendon was proud of how Maurer got out of the fifth. "It was a big inning in a lot of ways for him from a mental standpoint," McClendon said. "I think he learned a lot. And I think maybe he grew up a little bit." Danny Farquhar allowed one run in two innings for his first save since that Sept. 28 game. Farquhar allowed a two-out single to Jason Castro that pulled Houston within one run in the ninth, then struck out Matt Dominguez to end the game. Alex Presley and Jonathan Villar homered, and Chris Carter and Marc Krauss had two RBIs apiece for the Astros, who lost for the seventh time in 10 gamees and dropped to a big league-worst 10-21.dddddddddddd It was the second straight game with a homer for Villar, who leads the team with five and his 14 extra-base hits are most among American League shortstops. Cano hit an RBI groundout in the first after Michael Saunders singled leading off and took third on McHughs errant pickoff throw, which went for an error. Saunders is hitting .444 with four RBIs in four games in the leadoff spot. Presleys leadoff homer tied the score in the second. After Canos triple, Corey Hart singled for a 5-1 lead in the third. "Just not executing pitches very well is what it comes down to," McHugh said. "I just missed with a couple of pitches here and there. They put some good swings on it, and that really took the wind out of the sails in that third inning." John Buck, who had three hits, doubled and scored on Saunders single in the fourth. Buck had two doubles for his 10th career game with more than one double and first since July 20, 2010. Carter, who entered with a .169 average, hit a two-run double in the fourth -- three of his four homers and seven of his 12 RBIs have come off Mariners pitching. Seattle boosted its lead to 7-3 in the fifth when Jerome Williams walked Dustin Ackley with the bases loaded. Villar homered in the bottom half. NOTES: The Mariners optioned OF Abraham Almonte to Triple-A Tacoma after the game. A corresponding roster move is expected on Monday. ... Houston designated LHP Raul Valdes for assignment and recalled LHP Darin Downs from Triple-A Oklahoma City. ... Astros starter Scott Feldman, who has been on the DL since mid-April with right biceps tendinitis, felt good after throwing 60 pitches in a simulated game on Sunday. ... McClendon said there wont be any pitch limitations on RHP Hisashi Iwakuma in his next start after he threw 81 pitches Saturday in his first outing after coming off the DL. "Theres no reason why he cant go 100 or 105 pitches next time out," McClendon said. Wholesale NFL Jerseys cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '