Clan-Members » me 3 on Monday afternoon, with Game 4

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The 23,721 fans who came to watch the Western Michigan play its first home game as a nationally ranked team in program history likely didnt expect to be treated to a close game.Broncos coach P.J. Fleck didnt mind the challenge.Zach Terrell threw for a career-high 398 yards and three touchdowns and No. 20 Western Michigan had 569 yards of total offense in a 45-31 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday.You know how hard it is to do what were doing? I dont know if anybody understands how hard it is, Fleck said. We needed to be challenged like that. We needed that adversity. We needed things not to be perfect. It was hard, and we still found a way to win.The Broncos (8-0, 4-0 Mid-American) are 8-0 for the first time since 1941. They trailed 17-14 late in the first half, the first time theyve trailed at Waldo Stadium this season.Western Michigan answered Eastern Michigan with two scoring drives in the final minutes of the half, aided by Obbie Jacksons interception. Terrell made it 31-17 when he hit Thompson for an 8-yard touchdown pass on the Broncos first possession of the third quarter.Terrells 31-yard touchdown pass to Corey Davis late in the third quarter pushed the Broncos past the 40-point mark for the fifth consecutive game. Davis had five receptions for 87 yards. Carrington Thompson had eight catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns, and Jarvion Franklin ran for 114 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos.Brogan Roback threw for 319 yards and a touchdown and ran for another score for Eastern Michigan (5-3, 2-2).THE TAKEAWAYWestern Michigan: After entering the Top 25 for the first time in program history two weeks ago, the Broncos are learning on the fly. The latest lesson, Fleck said, is that as a top 20 program, youre not going to get anything less than anybodys best. All chips placed on black or red, were coming at you. Fleck said that he hadnt seen half of Eastern Michigans offensive plays on film and the Eagles rolled up more than 450 yards. Fortunately for the Broncos, the offense had more than enough fire power to save the day.Eastern Michigan: The Eagles bid to become bowl eligible for the first time since 1995 must wait another week. Hanging tough with the Broncos shows that their resurgence -- theyve already matched their win total for the last three seasons combined -- may be no fluke.POLL IMPLICATIONSA 14-point win over Eastern Michigan might not impress many poll vote rs, but the Broncos will have a chance to show off a little in their next two games, both nationally televised, Tuesday night affairs at Ball State and Kent State.UP NEXTWestern Michigan: The Broncos begin the MACs annual late-season, mid-week, made-for-TV schedule at Ball State on Tuesday, Nov. 1.Eastern Michigan: The Eagles host Miami next Saturday. Nike Air Max Goedkoop Bestellen .com) - The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward James Neal on injured reserve Tuesday. Nike Air Max Winkels Belgie . -- Former San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver was found dead at his Atlanta-area home Tuesday night, and a medical examiner said Wednesday that the ex-player committed suicide. http://www.airmaxgoedkoop.be/ . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury. Nike Air Max Goedkoop Kopen . Aside from the trilogy main event title fight, there are a number of intriguing matchups in the heavyweight, welterweight and lightweight divisions. Nike Air Max Belgie Online . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. WASHINGTON -- Leave it to little-used, light-hitting Jose Lobaton to change the complexion of the Washington Nationals NL Division Series with one big swing.Getting a rare chance to play because of starting catcher Wilson Ramos late-September injury, backup Lobaton hit a three-run homer through a strong wind to erase an early deficit Sunday. Daniel Murphy provided more-expected production with two RBI, and Washingtons bullpen threw 4 2/3 scoreless innings, leading the Nationals past the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-2 in a rain-postponed Game 2 to even the series at 1-all.Ive got to try to do something for the team, said Lobaton, who had one hit off a left-handed pitcher all season before connecting with a curveball that stayed up from LA lefty Rich Hill with two outs in the fourth inning.And Im not saying that Im going to be like Willy and hit a homer and hit .300. Play hard every day, no matter who is in and who is not, he said.After dropping Game 1, the Nationals trailed 2-0 when Hill allowed No. 8 hitter Lobaton to put the hosts ahead for good.One bad pitch to a guy that I dont think anybody really thought was going to be that guy to hurt us, said Josh Reddick, who drove in a run for LA in the third off Tanner Roark after Corey Seager hit his second first-inning homer of the NLDS. But thats what happens, and anybody can be the guy in the postseason.Hard to imagine Lobaton would be The Guy, though.Didnt even start the playoff opener, sitting behind rookie Pedro Severino, who had played all of 18 games in the majors.Plus, Lobaton batted only .232 in 99 at-bats in 2016 overall, although his lone hit in 15 at-bats against left-handers coming into Sunday was also a homer, and also against the Dodgers -- off Scott Kazmir in July.This one put the Nationals ahead 3-2, finally getting to Hill -- who went 4 1/3 innings -- in the unlikeliest of ways. After a walk and two quick outs, he plunked Danny Espinosa for the second time; Washingtons shortstop has struck out in his other five NLDS plate appearances.That mistake proved costly when Lobaton came through, leading to chants of N-A-T-S! Nats, Nats, Nats, Woooo! from a sellout crowd of 43,826.What made this big bop all the more surprising was that it went over the wall in left, where wind that topped 30 mph was blowing in much of the afternoon.When he hit it, there was a bunch of people in the dugout who were, like, cussing, because we didnt think he could get it out. All kinds of expletives were being thrown around, Nationals left fielder Jayson Werth said. And then it snuck over for us. That was the game, right there.Nationals slugger Bryce Harpers take?If Motheer Nature wanted to keep it in the yard, then I guess she would have, the 2015 NL MVP said, but the baseball gods overran her, I guess.ddddddddddddMurphy has been Washingtons best hitter all season, considered a top contender for league MVP honors this year. Indeed, fans chanted those three letters after each hit as he went 3 for 3, including RBI singles in the fifth and seventh.Five relievers made it stand up, with Mark Melancon working around a single in the ninth -- the lone hit allowed by Washingtons relievers -- to earn the save.Blake Treinen went 1 1/3 innings and got the win, while lefties Marc Rzepczynski, Sammy Solis and Oliver Perez combined for seven outs as manager Dusty Baker mixed and matched his `pen just right.The old man knows what hes doing, I think, Werth said with a smile.And after the NL East champion Nationals wasted plenty of opportunities to score in a 4-3 loss on Friday, it was the NL West-winning Dodgers turn to come up short in the clutch: Los Angeles left the bases loaded three times.In the fifth, pinch hitter Howie Kendrick sent a sinking liner to left that Werth managed to grab while sliding -- then celebrated by popping up and throwing an uppercut.The wind pretty much had an effect on every ball that was hit out there, Werth said. That was ball was diving, knuckling, doing all kind of stuff. Part of why I was so excited was because I was surprised I caught it.The best-of-five series shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Monday afternoon, with Game 4 there on Tuesday, creating an unusual three-consecutive-days setup in the playoffs, thanks to the loss of a travel day.This was pretty much a must-win game for us, Werth said. Definitely dont want to head West down two.MURPHY VS. LAPlaying for the New York Mets in 2015, Murphy hit two homers in the NLDS against the Dodgers, part of his record streak of six consecutive postseason games with a long ball. Ever since last year, Reddick said, he just seems to be the guy that comes up in the clutch.UP NEXTIn Game 3, the Dodgers will have RHP Kenta Maeda (16-11, 3.48 ERA) on the mound against Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez (11-11, 4.57).Both pitchers were scheduled to fly to Los Angeles ahead of the rest of the teams players, so they could be in place, instead of waiting for Sundays game to end. The Nationals are hoping Gonzalez can take advantage of the Dodgers worst-in-the-majors batting average against left-handed pitchers. Maeda led LA pitchers in wins, innings (175 2/3), strikeouts (179) and starts (32). ' ' '