Kreativecke » which could make Indiana even better on defense.

SEATTLE -- For the first time in a month, the Seattle Mariners offense that helped lift them back into playoff contention went absent and on a day Hisashi Iwakuma was far from his best.Rookie Gary Sanchez kept up his torrid stretch with his seventh home run in the past nine games, and Masahiro Tanaka won his fourth straight start, leading the New York Yankees to a 5-0 victory over the Mariners on Wednesday.Tanaka (11-4) threw seven innings and got the better of the Mariners and Iwakuma, his former Japan league teammate. Seattle was shut out for the first time since July 24 and for just the fifth time all season, missing out on chances early to get to Tanaka.They pitched us well all series, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. We havent been shut down like that in quite some time.While the Mariners were silent, Sanchez continued to slug his way into the record books. Sanchez homered into the second deck in left field in the first inning on the first pitch from Iwakuma, his ninth home run in 18 games since joining the Yankees lineup on Aug. 3.Sanchez added a double later in the game and his intentional walk in the seventh inning led to Mark Teixeiras RBI single for a 4-0 lead. The Mariners took no chances with the new catcher the next time, either, again intentionally walking him.Hes earned it. He did a lot of damage against us, Servais said. Its not just the damage, its how hes doing it, hitting the ball out of the park. Hes a good looking player.Iwakuma (14-9) lost his second straight start despite giving up just three earned runs. It was the second time he matched up with Tanaka and 13th time in major league history two Japanese pitchers met. Tanaka also got the victory in April when the two met at Yankee Stadium.Sanchez got the Yankees started, but Iwakuma was not sharp with his command. Managing to get through six innings and save some arms in the bullpen was little consolation for Iwakuma.The first inning wasnt good giving up the lead early, Iwakuma said through an interpreter. Solo home run, not a good start. I was able to pitch with tolerance and pitch with patience, and I got through six, so Im happy about doing the least that a starting pitcher could do.Tanaka was shaky early, escaping jams in the second and third innings before rolling the rest of the way. He followed up 7 2/3 shutout innings in his last start against the Angels by keeping Seattle off the scoreboard, allowing six hits and striking out five.Tanaka did issue his first base on balls since July 27 when he walked Seth Smith in the third inning, and snapped his streak of three consecutive starts with at least eight strikeouts and no walks.After Ketel Marte bunted for a single with one out in the fifth, Tanaka retired his final eight batters.Dellin Betances got the final out of the eighth and pitched the ninth for his sixth save.Seattles best scoring chance came in the second inning when Leonys Martin missed a two-run homer by inches, settling for a line drive single off the top of the fence in right field and advanced Adam Lind to third base. Tanaka got two groundouts to end the threat.He had to really battle early on, Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. His stuff really got good to me in the fourth inning is when he really seemed to settle in.CRUZ WATCHNelson Cruz was lifted for a pinch-hitter late in the loss due to back spasms. Cruz said the back was bothering him in Tuesdays loss but he tried to play through it. He is hopeful of being in the lineup Thursday.TRAINERS ROOMYankees: C Brian McCann was given the day off after catching Tuesdays game. It was the first game McCann caught since Aug. 12 and just the second since Aug. 4.Mariners: 3B Kyle Seager was out of the lineup after fouling a ball off his right foot in Tuesdays game. Initial X-rays were negative and Servais said after the game it was just a foot bruise.UP NEXTYankees: New York has a day off on Thursday before opening a series at home on Friday against Baltimore.Mariners: Seattle opens a seven-game road trip on Thursday at the White Sox. James Paxton is expected to be activated off the DL to start the opener, although the move has not been announced. Kyle Guy Kings Jersey . I cant pinpoint a date, but I do remember a player from my youth. Brian Downing was with the Chicago White Sox at a time when I listened to every game I possibly could on the radio. That particular season the late great Harry Caray was calling the White Sox games. DeMarcus Cousins Jersey . Tracey comes to the Blue Bombers after spending over a decade with Queens University. Most recently he was the schools assistant football coach. https://www.kingslockerroom.com/Tyler-Lydon-City-Edition-Jersey/ . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. Iman Shumpert Jersey . Their experience showed Tuesday as the No. 10 Badgers blunted a Saint Louis surge to win 63-57 and advance to face West Virginia in Wednesdays finals of the Cancun Challenge. Justin James Jersey .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana Hoosiers spent most of the last decade-plus winning shootouts.After a major offseason defensive overhaul, coach Kevin Wilson finally got the results he wanted and the Hoosiers have their first back-to-back bowl berths in a quarter century.Defenses win championships, you hear that all the time, linebacker Marcus Oliver said after Saturdays 26-24 victory gave Indiana that elusive sixth victory to become bowl-eligible. We play with that chip on our shoulder, and we play with that mindset that we have to win the game every game.At least they did this season.The improved play explains why the Hoosiers (6-6, 4-5 Big Ten) managed to overcome five turnovers in a win at Rutgers and four turnovers Saturday against rival Purdue , games that in previous seasons may have been lost causes.But the revamped defense also proved it could hold up against some of the nations top teams.In a loss at No. 2 Ohio State, Indiana allowed 18 first downs and 383 total yards. The next week, at home, No. 10 Nebraska gained 360 yards in its 27-22 victory. Even No. 4 Michigans usually potent offense gained only 284 yards in a 20-10 victory on a snowy day in Ann Arbor.And the improvements are evident in almost every measurable area.From 2005-15, the Hoosiers yielded 34.1 points per game. This year, it was down to 27.3. In 2015, Indiana was at or near the bottom in almost every major defensive category.Though theyre not yet near the top of the conference in the major statisticcal categories, the progression under new defensive coordinator Tom Allen has been impressive.ddddddddddddIts better, Wilson said. I think were really encouraged but were not satisfied with where it is. I know Coach Allens comment (Saturday) was what it will take defensively to win the game and we were able to do that. Its a sign, again, we are a more complete team because of them.The good news is that many of this years starters are expected to return to school next season, which could make Indiana even better on defense. So will it be good enough for the program to take its next logical step -- winning a bowl game for the first time since beating Baylor 24-0 in the 1991 Copper Bowl?Indianas only other bowl wins came in the 1979 Holiday Bowl and the 1988 Liberty Bowl.They nearly ended the drought a year ago before falling 44-41 in overtime to Duke when Griffin Oakes tying field goal attempt was ruled no good after it appeared to sail over the top of the goal post.Now everyone in Bloomington seems to believe that the defense can win -- regardless of where or who the Hoosiers play next month.We rode them all season, receiver Mitchell Paige said. Coach Allen did a heck of a job and those guys really bought in and were flying around. They carried us all season.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 . ' ' '