Willkommen » on you do wonder why and how a man with so much to lo

DETROIT -- Even when hes behind in the count, Victor Martinez is a tough hitter to face these days. "You cant set Victor Martinez up -- hes just too good at getting the barrel to the ball," Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. "I dont think it matters what pitch you throw, hes generally going to find a way to do it." Martinez hit a solo homer in sixth inning and Miguel Cabrera also went deep for the Tigers, who won their eighth straight game Wednesday night, 3-2 over the Houston Astros. Martinezs homer came on an 0-2 pitch, when Astros starter Brad Peacock tried to throw a high fastball past the designated hitter. "I have no idea how Victor Martinez even hit that pitch," Houston manager Bo Porter said. "That was up in his eyes and, he not only got a bat on it, he knocked it out of the park." Martinez extended his hitting streak to 10 games, and Rick Porcello (5-1) allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings for the surging Tigers, who remained five games ahead of the second-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central. Porcello struck out five and walked two. Even Detroits maligned bullpen looked impressive Wednesday. Joba Chamberlain got four outs in relief, striking out the side in the eighth. Joe Nathan pitched the ninth for his seventh save in nine chances. He struck out two, getting Matt Dominguez swinging with a man on third to preserve the win. Houston has lost five straight and seven of eight. Peacock (0-3) allowed three runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. He struck out four and walked four. After a slow start, Cabrera is again swinging the bat with authority for the Tigers. After homering in a four-hit, four-RBI performance Tuesday night, he stepped to the plate with a man on Wednesday and lifted a drive to deep right. Houstons George Springer tried valiantly to make the catch at the wall, but the ball nicked off his glove and went over, and the outfielder fell to the ground. It was Cabreras fourth homer of the year. Porcello allowed a run in the third when Marwin Gonzalez doubled and eventually scored on Dexter Fowlers groundout, but the Detroit infield turned double plays in the fifth and sixth to help the 25-year-old right-hander. In the fifth, Gonzalez was on first and took off toward second when Jose Altuve hit a grounder up the middle. Detroit second baseman Ian Kinsler, in the area because of the steal attempt, simply picked up the ball, stepped on the bag and threw to first for the double play. Martinez homered to right to make it 3-1. It was his sixth home run of the season, and hes now hitting .318 with only five strikeouts all year. With two strikes on him, Martinez was ready for a fastball. "I was looking high fastball," Martinez said. "As soon as I saw it, I was making sure that I get on top." Houston answered with a run in the seventh, chasing Porcello. Marc Krauss hit a two-out double, Dominguez followed with a single, and Gonzalez singled to drive in Krauss. Chamberlain came on and retired Altuve with men on first and second to end that threat. The big reliever then struck out three in the eighth. "Brad was the first one on the stairs and said, You got the eighth," Chamberlain said. "I figured after we got out of the (seventh) that was going to be the case. Just prepare, look up and see whos going to be coming up for their lineup, and kind of a mental plan of what you want to do. It worked out." Nathan entered in the ninth and allowed a two-out walk to Krauss. Pinch-runner Jonathan Villar stole second and third, but Dominguez went down swinging to end it. NOTES: The game started after a 9-minute rain delay, and the wet weather persisted during the early innings. ... Detroits Torii Hunter had his hitting streak snapped at 13 games. ... Peacock has gone eight straight starts -- dating to last season -- without allowing more than three earned runs. ... Springer struck out three times. ... Detroits Drew Smyly (2-1) faces Houstons Dallas Keuchel (2-2) on Thursday in a matchup of former college teammates at Arkansas. Brad Hunt Jersey . The All Blacks played their best rugby of recent years when they beat South Africa 38-27 in Johannesburg two weeks ago, clinching the Rugby Championships in a match which has been hailed as one of the best ever played. Tomas Hyka Jersey . - Kevin Labanc and Joseph Blandisi were a potent combination for the Barrie Colts on Friday night. http://www.officialgoldenknightsfanstore.com/keegan-kolesar-golden-knights-jersey-c-42/ .Y. - The New York Yankees made it official Saturday, announcing the completion of a seven-year deal with free-agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury and a one-year contract for returning starter Hiroki Kuroda. Ryan Carpenter Jersey .Y. - The NFL has fined Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch $20,000 for making an obscene gesture during last Sundays NFC championship game, a person with knowledge of the fine told The Associated Press on Thursday. Stefan Matteau Jersey . The team announced the defensive coordinator will not be offered a contract extension.Does the violence a player experiences on a football field breed a violent attitude and eventually violent actions off the field? I wonder sometimes if it should be a consideration, a topic for discussion given the domestic public actions of a few players. It is true that in many - in fact I say the majority of positions - on a team you have to internally develop an intense insensitivity to hitting and being hit. It is called football but it could be called hitball because all you do is hit other people to get the ball and when you have the ball you can expect to get hit. Ike Taylor was going after the ball and got hit by his own guy, his own teammate and broke his arm on Sunday night in Carolina. I do wonder if year after year if it does not change a person and their perception in an emotional moment of right and wrong. Now this is not a rationalization or excuse in regard to Ray Rice or others but more an inquiry as to why an action is taken that has such dramatic consequences. In my time as a player you did come across a player of two where you had to wonder if it was only a matter of time before the police would be visiting his home. And among players it was looked at as a weakness and with disdain, that on our team we had a guy that could not control his temper and anger on the field. Yes, a thought or comment was made that it was just a matter of time that his attitude would get him in trouble - truly a minority of people in the extreme. I do think football can change you in personality and values. Over time as a player you do need to switch on before you play, switch off when you leave the field. Still I found switching off very easy, switching on taking some emotionally concentrated effort and purpose. One of the aspects I enjoyed about playing football were the people and the ppersonality changes you saw from nice guy to not so nice guy, amazing to watch and experience.dddddddddddd And after the game the not-so-nice guy was gone and the normal nice guy returned. All the time? No, but almost all the time. I do think that many of the issues facing the NFL are very similar to the issues facing society. I am more aware of meeting the wrong person at the wrong time in daily life than I ever was in a football atmosphere. Still, I cant help but wonder if the demands of the sport dont warp the mind a little, and a little mind warping is a lot. Again this is not to justify or create an excuse. People I have spoken to all agree that the Rice incident is shocking and repulsive but because it happened as time moves on you do wonder why and how a man with so much to lose in a moment would lose it all. I do believe that the surrounding associations and environment you grow up in just may be the biggest influence in life. It the case of football because the aggressiveness and violence is rewarded it may and can change you. It has logic. The league will introduce programs and courses and hire specialists and this and that. All good. Still players also must realize whether it is football, boxing, hockey or MMA the sport they are participating in is not the norm. It is an event that has a beginning and ending that need a temper or anger switch to be turned on and turned off. Yes, hitting people can be a rush, but the rush has to stay on a field, in a ring or on the ice. If it is, then no problem. If it is not, big problem. Pro athletes are not raving maniacs of evil intent, quite the opposite. Yet, you do conclude that some handle the demands better than others. And the demands can change you at the most inopportune time. Not a rationalization, just a theory. ' ' '