Clan-Members » Cumpton had all the backing he would

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The New York Giants wont be able to replace defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul in the final four games of the regular season. The 27-year-old just does too much for one guy to step in. He stops the run.Pierre-Paul pressures the quarterback. He also has a unique ability to make plays in situations when he seemingly was out of position.The Giants (8-4) are going to be missing that talent for the rest of the regular season with news that Pierre-Paul had surgery Wednesday to repair a sports hernia.The prognosis is for him to be out four to six weeks, which means a season in which he was in the running for Comeback Player of the Year will be over before he recovers.With Dallas, Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington left on the schedule, safety Landon Collins has other plans.The Giants currently have the best record in the race for a wild-card berth and they want to stay there and end the franchises four-year playoff drought.We know if we keep playing the way we are playing and keep winning these games, he is going to be back and on the field with us, Collins said of Pierre-Paul. If we play like we are down and not come with it all, he is going to be down even more because we are not going to be in the playoffs.Pierre-Paul was injured in the second quarter of Sundays loss to the Steelers. He was evaluated by team doctors Monday, and Tuesday went to Philadelphia to see surgeon William C. Meyers -- a specialist in core muscle injuries -- for a second opinion.Pierre-Paul tweeted Wednesday that he was feeling well after the surgery.Rookie free agent Romeo Okwara took over at left end after JPP was hurt. Hell probably start, but he will get help from veteran Kerry Wynn, second-year end and speed rusher Owa Odighizuwa, and possibly linebacker Devon Kennard in passing situations.Tackle Jay Bromley said losing Pierre-Paul is tough, not only because of his play but his personality and leadership.`I have never seen anyone like him on the football field, a player that moves the way he does and creates havoc the way he does, Bromley said. He was special because he could improvise.After struggling last season following a July 4 fireworks accident that mangled his right hand, Pierre-Paul was starting to show signs he was returning to the form that made him one of the leagues top defensive ends. He had 53 tackles, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble return for a touchdown against the Browns on Nov. 27. He had 5+ sacks of his total in consecutive games against the Bears and Browns.You dont know how much of an impact a guy has on a team, on and off the field, until they are not there anymore, and I know how bad he wants to play, defensive tackle Damon Harrison said. I know how much being out there this year meant to him and I was a little heartbroken for him.Okwara, who has played in every game this season, said his goal is simple: be prepared for the Cowboys (11-1).You cant replace JPP, he is a very special player, said Okwara, who made the Giants as a free agent out of Notre Dame. I am just going to go out there and make sure the guys around me trust me that I am going to do my job, and just perform.Odighizuwa, who missed last week with a knee injury, expects to play and follow some of the things he has learned from Pierre-Paul.The biggest thing I learned from JPP is just go, Odighizuwa said. Thats what he does. He has been around. He is a vet. He is a guy who sees what he sees and he trusts his instincts and he plays ball. He plays fast and thats the thing I learned from him.Starting defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins did not practice Wednesday because of a quad injury, but insists he will play in the rematch against the Cowboys. New York is the only team to beat Dallas this season.Game notes In addition to Hankins, S Nat Berhe (concussion) and WR-returner man Dwayne Harris (ankle) did not practice Wednesday. Odighizuwa, LB Mark Herzlich (concussion), G Justin Pugh (knee) and CB Coty Sensabaugh (ribs) were limited.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and -http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Shoes . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Cheap Shoes China .Y. -- Leading 3-0 with only 11:25 left, the Colorado Avalanche committed a seemingly meaningless penalty to give the New York Islanders a power play. http://www.shoeschinacheap.com/ . The 29-year-old from Port Colborne, Ont., has nothing but good things to say about former U.S. marine Liz (Girlrilla) Carmouche ahead of their co-main event Wednesday on the UFCs "Fight for the Troops" televised card in Fort Campbell, Ky. Cheap Nike Shoes China . Hey!" The lower tier of the School End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12.PITTSBURGH -- Forget about the best record in baseball, the lead in the NL Central and the buzz of a city giddily envisioning the end of two decades of despair. After a euphoric doubleheader sweep of reeling St. Louis on Tuesday that propelled them to the top of the division, the Pittsburgh Pirates -- yes, the Pirates -- are ready to get greedy. "We want more," manager Clint Hurdle said. Keep pitching like this, and that shouldnt be a problem. Three hours after Alex Presleys grounder caromed off the glove of St. Louis reliever Kevin Siegrist and rolled into shallow left field to give the Pirates a taut 2-1, 11-inning victory in the opener, the Pirates breezed to a 6-0 victory in the second game behind rookie starter Brandon Cumpton. Working with usual Triple-A battery mate Tony Sanchez -- making his major league debut -- Cumpton (1-1) scattered three hits over seven innings to extend the Cardinals losing streak to a season-high six straight games. "Pitching inside has been my thing all year," Cumpton said. "I didnt want to get away from it. I wanted to force the issue." All it did was compound the issues for St. Louis, which has scored all of five runs in the last 56 innings. Even worse, catcher Yadier Molina is likely headed to the disabled list after leaving in the top of the fourth inning of the second game with a sprained right knee. The knee has been bothering the All-Star for weeks. An MRI earlier this month revealed inflammation. After trying to play through it, Molina believes the better course of action is some rest so he can be ready for the stretch drive. "Im a guy who wants to be on the field playing," Molina said. "But right now I need time." The injury is the latest setback for a team that appeared the class of the majors at the All-Star break but now finds itself 1 1/2 games behind the resilient Pirates. The sweep pushed Pittsburgh to a season-high 22 games over .500 (64-42). The last time their record was this gaudy was 1992, which also happens to be the last time the beleaguered franchise reached the post-season. Its a destination that appears well within the Pirates reach, even if they opt to keep their wallets closed at Wednesdays trading deadline. A pitching staff that keeps topping itself has allowed the Pirates to overcome a series of injuries. Cumpton didnt even spend any time with the big league club during spring training. On Tuesday he found himself polishing off arguably the biggest day at PNC Park since it opened in 2001. "Coming out of spring, (Cumpton) was 13th on our starting pitching depth chart," Hurdle said. "You trust the people that are working with the players and theyve been confident about Brandons improvement." Its a rise that took a little while longer thhan St.dddddddddddd Louis rookie Tyler Lyons (2-4), though the right-hander has cooled off since winning his first two starts in spectacular fashion earlier this year. Lyons gave up four runs, three earned, in six innings. He struck out five and walked one but received no help from a reeling offence and some sloppy play in the field. A couple hours after Presleys slapper off Siegrist (0-1) won the opener, the fortuitous bounces kept on coming. The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the second when a rare passed ball by Molina let Jose Tabata sprint across the plate. Molina was done for the night in the top of the fourth when the right knee pain hes been battling for the better part of a month flared up again. He was replaced by Rob Johnson. The absence of their leader further weakened the Cardinals, and things quickly fell apart. While Cumpton kept the NLs top offence in check, Pittsburgh poured it on with a little help from St. Louis left fielder Matt Holliday. The Pirates took a 2-0 lead on Jordy Mercers RBI single before McCutchen stepped in. He drilled Lyons pitch deep to left but Holliday appeared ready to track it down at the wall. Instead, the ball popped off the heel of Hollidays glove and into the stands. Lyons placed both hands on his head in shock while the packed bleachers let Holliday have it. Hollidays night didnt get any better an inning later when he overran Josh Harrisons flyball to the wall, allowing Harrison to make it all the way to third. "Its a hard game," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "Our guys have been making a lot of good plays. Every once in a while theres tough ones you dont make." Harrison never made it home, but by then Cumpton had all the backing he would require. Cumpton needed just 87 pitches to get 21 outs. He received a loud ovation as he headed to the dugout, the latest in a series of unheralded Pirates pitchers to rise from obscurity and help propel the franchise into the midst of a pennant race. The staff takes its cue from ace A.J. Burnett, who worked seven emotional innings in the opener. Burnett struck out nine and walked three while allowing one run on three hits. He was long gone, however, by the time Presley stepped in with Martin on in the 11th. "Its a battle, its fun," Burnett said. "Lets roll from here. Lets keep going." NOTES: The series continues on Thursday. Adam Wainright (13-6, 2.51 ERA) starts for the Cardinals against Jeff Locke (9-3, 2.15) ... St. Louis sent struggling reliever Marc Rzepczynski to Cleveland on Tuesday in exchange for minor league infielder Juan Herrera. Rzepczynski had a 7.84 ERA in 10 1-3 innings this season with the Cardinals ... Pirates 2009 first-round pick Tony Sanchez went 0 for 3 with an RBI in his first major league start at catcher. ' ' '