Dein erstes Forum » a treat when he hits peak form.Im actually a little

PHILADELPHIA -- Tyler Anderson and the Colorado Rockies had a lot of trouble with Maikel Franco.Anderson gave up a three-run homer to Franco in the first inning, then was ejected after hitting the Phillies slugger the next time up Saturday night in a 6-3 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies.On a hot, humid evening with a gametime temperature of 93 degrees and a heat index of 105, tempers flared in the fourth.Anderson plunked Franco on the knee with his first pitch. Franco stayed at home plate and stared out at Anderson while players from both teams barked at each other. Anderson moved toward Franco and appeared to tell him to go to first base and that he didnt hit him on purpose.He was just on the plate a little more than he was last time, so we wanted to go in and try to open up the outer half a little more, which is part of pitching, Anderson said. It happens all the time. I think he knows it wasnt intentional.Asked if he was mad, Franco said, A little bit because I wasnt expecting the ball coming.No punches were thrown, but both Anderson and Rockies manager Walt Weiss were ejected by plate umpire Eric Cooper. Anderson had to be restrained while walking angrily back to the dugout with shouts directed toward Cooper.Crew chief Gary Cederstrom told a pool reporter afterward that Cooper ejected Anderson without any prior warnings because the umpire felt the pitcher intentionally threw at Franco.I dont know whether he hit him on purpose or not, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. It kind of looked like it. Im not going to argue with the umpire.Both Weiss and Anderson said the pitcher merely was trying to pitch inside.It doesnt look good, but he definitely wasnt trying to hit him, Weiss said. We dont operate that way.Philadelphia had two batters hit by pitches, the Rockies got hit once. Although Cederstrom said warnings were issued to both teams following the ejections, nothing came of the subsequent two hit batters.Asked if there was any correlation between the hit batsmen, Weiss said, None whatsoever.Cesar Hernandez had two hits while extending his on-base streak to 20 straight games for the Phillies, who won their third straight.Daniel Descalso and Tony Wolters homered for Colorado, which has lost six of seven. Carlos Gonzalez extended his major league-leading hitting streak to 19 games. The Rockies lost despite outhitting Philadelphia 13-6.We didnt get the big hit, Weiss said. We had some opportunities. We scattered our hits. We didnt get the big one, to put up a big inning. We were grinding offensively, but we just couldnt get the timely one.Jerad Eickhoff (8-12) won despite giving up three runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Jeanmar Gomez got his 30th save.Franco hit his 21st homer, stopping an 0-for-10 rut by connecting off Anderson (4-4).Freddy Galvis singled home Franco in the fourth to make it a four-run advantage.The Rockies climbed back in the sixth when Descalsos two-run shot and Wolters solo homer pulled them within 4-3.NEW STREAKDavid Dahl doubled twice for the Rockies. He was hitless Friday night, stopping his major league-tying 17-game hitting streak to start a career.QUICK NIGHTAndersons outing was the shortest of the 26-year-olds career and snapped a string of eight straight starts with at least six innings.Its just frustrating because your job as a starting pitcher is to give us a chance, and I obviously didnt do that today, he said. Three innings and then putting a big, heavy weight on the bullpens shoulders because of that. Its really disappointing.TRAINERS ROOMRockies: Gonzalez (left ankle sprain) made his first start since Monday.UP NEXTThe teams complete the three-game series Sunday when Phillies LHP Adam Morgan (1-7, 6.65) faces RHP Tyler Chatwood (10-7, 3.58). Morgan is begin recalled from Triple-A to fill Eflins spot in the rotation. Cheap Cardinals Jerseys . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. Ozzie Smith Jersey Large . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside. http://www.custommlbcardinalsjersey.com/ . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Wholesale Custom Cardinals Shirts . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. Cardinals Jerseys China . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. PARIS -- Striker Mario Balotelli will grab headlines for the right reasons after scoring with a penalty and a header on his Nice debut in an entertaining 3-2 home win against Marseille on Sunday.He took just seven minutes to score his first goal in France, the latest stop in a career dominated more in recent years by off-field antics than goals. Late on, he cleverly found space to nod home from close range in the 78th as Nice moved level on points with Monaco at the top.Balotelli has a reputation as a surly player but was all smiles after the final whistle. He hugged teammates, shared a joke with match officials and led celebrations with the fans.He was so relaxed that he was face down on the massage table when given the man-of-the-match award by TV broadcaster Canal Plus.Its perfect, Balotelli said in English, before trying his luck in decent French. I am very happy, thanks. Now ... massage.In just one game, he scored as many league goals as the two previous seasons combined. The 26-year-old Italian had not scored a league goal since netting for AC Milan on Sept. 22 last year.Despite not being fully fit, he looked sharp all game, almost setting up teammate Alassane Plea with some impressive skill down the left on the hour mark -- only for Plea to head wide.The match was dominated by players with a point to prove after difficult recent experiences in the English Premier League.Marseilles equalizer came from former Newcastle winger Florian Thauvin with a fine shot into the top corner in the 14th. The visitors took the lead in the 73rd thanks to a firm penalty from striker Bafetimbi Gomis, who joined Marseille after two inconsistent seasons with Swansea.Midfielder Wylan Cyprien won the game late on with a powerful 20-meter strike after latching onto Younes Belhandas superb back heel.But it was all about Balotelli.He joined Nice in the summer on a free transfer after leaving Liverpool -- and this is by far his smallest club in a career that saw him grab early heeadlines as a 17-year-old for Inter Milan.dddddddddddd The one-time Manchester City striker, who still talks of himself as a future Golden Ball winner, joined Liverpool two years ago as a replacement for Barcelona-bound Luis Suarez.He managed only one goal in 16 league games in England, prompting Liverpool to loan him to Milan last season -- where he scored 1 in 20.But just like he did with Inter and City, he scored on his club debut.After the penalty was given, Balotelli stepped up confidently with Gomis rushing up to him, shouting and clapping his hands in a bid to put him off. Unruffled, Balotelli glared at Gomis and then focused himself again before slotting into the bottom left corner.Moments before the goal, he had just failed to reach Pleas cross from the right.Thauvin, who started only three league games for Newcastle last season, missed another good chance in a frantic first half where Balotelli had two other shots saved.If this is what Balotelli is like when only half fit, then Nice fans are in for a treat when he hits peak form.Im actually a little bit pleased for him, Gomis said. The French league needs players like him.---ERDINGS BACKAfter a failed move to the German league, Turkey forward Mevlut Erding feels right at home again in France.He scored a hat trick for Metz in a 3-0 win at Nantes on Sunday, taking his tally to five goals in four league games and putting him one goal behind top scorer Alexandre Lacazette of Lyon.Erding joined promoted Metz this season following an unhappy spell with Hannover in the Bundesliga last season, where he failed to score and was loaned back to French club Guingamp after only 11 matches.Metz is in third place.---RENNES 2, CAEN 0Striker Wesley Said scored his first goal for the club and midfielder Sanjin Prcic grabbed his first of the season as Rennes scored twice in the second half. ' ' '