Dein erstes Forum » Smith told ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Sal

NEW YORK -- Their rotation ravaged, the Mets handed the ball to a rookie for his first major league start.Their late-inning relievers run down, they allowed a 33-year-old left-handed specialist to face the big leagues No. 2 home-run hitter with two outs in the ninth.With veterans tired after an extra-inning win, backups filled many of the starting spots.In yet another surprising September turn, Gabriel Ynoa struck out eight over 4 2/3 innings, Jerry Blevins fanned Brian Dozier to complete a four-out save and New York completed a three-game sweep of the woeful Minnesota Twins with a 3-2 victory Sunday.Michael Conforto drove in two runs with a first-inning, opposite-field single to left, his first multi-RBI game since June 8. T.J. Rivera, a Bronx-born 27-year-old rookie, added a third-inning homer off Kyle Gibson (6-10).This is our season in a nutshell, Blevins said.A season-high 11 games over .500, the Mets won for the 11th time in 14 games despite benching Jose Reyes, Asdrubal Cabrera, James Loney, Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce from the starting lineup after Saturdays late-night win, powered by Grandersons home runs in the 11th and 12th innings.New York opened a one-game lead over San Francisco for the NL wild-card lead, with St. Louis another game back. The Mets 13 remaining games are against teams with losing records: Atlanta, Philadelphia and Miami.Youve got to have guys that when they get the opportunity come through, Mets manager Terry Collins said.So under-the-radar that he is able to ride in a scooter from his Manhattan apartment to the subway, then scoot the short distance from the subway to the players entrance at Citi Field, Blevins wants to make up for last year. He was limited to seven games after his left arm was broken by a line drive in April, then fractured again when he slipped off a curb in August. He lost a chance to pitch against left-handers in October.The Royals have a ton of them, so that was heartbreaking for me as a competitor, he said.With closer Jeurys Familia and set-up man Addison Reed unavailable, Blevins retired pinch-hitter Eduardo Escobar on a popup to strand Robbie Grossman at third in the eighth inning.He struck out John Ryan Murphy starting the ninth, then got pinch-hitter Joe Mauer to pop out. After a mound visit by pitching coach Dan Warthen, Blevins threw a pair of called strikes to Dozier and got him to swing over a curveball in the dirt.Hes done it 41 times. He wanted to tie the ballgame up, Blevins said. So you try to give him something that looks like a strike and make him chase.New Yorks sixth pitcher, Blevins got his fourth career save and second this year. Dozier had extended his hitting streak to 22 games with a fifth-inning single that chased Ynoa.Ynoa started in place of 2014 NL Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom, likely out for the rest of the year because of an injury to the ulnar nerve in his right elbow that probably will require surgery. Ynoa entered with a 15.19 ERA in six relief appearances and became the Mets 11th starter this season.He allowed four hits, one walk and Murphys sacrifice fly in the second.I was informed yesterday and I prepared myself mentally on the fly, he said through a translator.After a strong start as a rookie last year, Conforto was demoted to Triple-A twice this season and entered Sunday hitting .214. Rivera spent six seasons in the minors before making his debut Aug. 10.You visualize this moment all your life, Rivera said.Erik Goeddel (2-1) struck out Kennys Vargas to strand the bases loaded in the fifth, and Vargas cut the lead to one when he homered in the eighth against Fernando Salas, a drive off the Wise billboard above the bullpens. Blevins then held on.Were in a position where if we play well, play the way we know we can the rest of the way, Conforto said, well be playing playoff baseball.GIDDY-UPAfter riding a horse at spring training one day, Cespedes is to visit Cespedes, a thoroughbred named after him, at Belmont Park on Tuesday.LATE SHOWGranderson joined Philadelphias John Mayberry Jr. (June 4, 2013) and St. Louis Matt Adams (Sept. 4, 2013) as the only players in the last 25 years to go deep twice in extra innings in the same game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.TRAINERS ROOMLucas Duda went 0 for 2 in his return from a stress fracture in his lower back, an injury that had sidelined him since May 20. ... Juan Lagares, coming off left thumb surgery, played center field in the ninth, his first appearance since July 28. ... LF Yoenis Cespedes left after six innings because of a nausea and dizziness. ... Collins wanted to play Wilmer Flores (wrist), but the infielder was unable to swing a bat. Flores has not played since Sept. 10. ... Collins said LHP Steve Matz (left shoulder tightness) could take this rotation turn the next time it comes up, which would be his first appearance since Aug. 14.UP NEXTMets: RHP Noah Syndergaard (13-8) starts on five days rest in Mondays series opener against Atlanta and RHP Aaron Blair (0-6). Syndergaard has a 1.36 ERA in his last six starts. Jahlani Tavai Lions Jersey . Perhaps Carroll was so prepared for a break because he believes there is very little the Seattle Seahawks need heading into the off-season. "I dont see anything that we need to add. We just have to get better," Carroll said. Austin Bryant Lions Jersey . Robredo, ranked No. 16, bounced back from an upset loss to Leonardo Mayer in the second round of the Royal Guard Open in Chile last week to down Carreno Busta in 1 hour, 25 minutes. On a day filled mostly with qualifying matches, fifth-seeded Marcel Granollers of Spain also entered the second with a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, while Guido Pella of Argentina defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6 (6), 6-4 to advance. http://www.lionsfanspro.com/Black-Jarrad-Davis-Lions-Jersey.html?cat=920 . 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. Matthew Stafford Lions Jersey .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. Marvin Jones Jr Jersey . -- Whether Jeremy Hill deserves a prominent role in LSUs offence this early in the season is a matter for debate. One day after giving a vote of confidence to embattled quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets coach Todd Bowles backtracked on his commitment, hinting Tuesday he could turn to Geno Smith this weekend.Bowles also expanded the quarterback controversy to four players, saying its definitely possible that Bryce Petty and/or Christian Hackenberg could play before the end of the season.The coach backed Fitzpatrick after Monday nights 28-3 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, saying, Fitz will be back next week. ... Fitz is our starter.Some 18 hours later, Bowles was waffling, which is out of character for him.First of all, after the game, its always going to be status quo because Im never going to tell the media anything before I meet with my coaches and my GM and the rest of the staff, so everything is status quo until we have our meeting [Tuesday night], Bowles said.Fitzpatrick leads the NFL with 11 interceptions and has led the offense to only three touchdowns during the Jets current four-game losing streak.Bowles conceded he revisited the matter after his postgame news conference. He pulled Fitzpatrick midway through the fourth quarter of the blowout, inserting Smith, whose only series ended with an interception.He did show some promise when he was in there, Bowles said of Smith. He understood the game plan and he did good for that drive he was in there.dddddddddddd.Asked directly if Smith could start Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens (3-3), Bowles said, We have to talk about more than that. Theres a possibility every week there will be some changes made, player-wise.Bowles didnt sound pleased that Smith told ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters before the game that he was getting antsy to play.I dont have any thoughts on backup players saying anything, Bowles said. Theyre backups for a reason. If they get a chance to play, they better prove themselves to be worthy of playing regardless of who that person is.Smith also attracted attention on the sideline by throwing his baseball cap and tossing a cup of ice on the field moments after Fitzpatrick was intercepted at the end of the third quarter. Clearly frustrated, Smith paced the sideline, waiting for his shot, which came shortly after that.I dont think anything of it, Bowles said of Smiths sideline behavior.The Jets are 1-5. Since 1970, only two teams have rallied from a 1-5 start to make the postseason. With no quarterback of the future, the Jets are open to auditioning Petty and Hackenberg.Its possible, Bowles said. Weve still got some stages to go before we get to that point, but its definitely possible. ' ' '