GrobberNET

Now the Blackhawks are one win away from their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1992 after they eked out a 3-2 overtime thriller over the gutty,but still in big time trouble San Jose Sharks. Dustin Byfuglien continues to build on his growing legend as he nailed a one timer past Evgeni Nabokov off a great centering pass from Dave Bolland which brought the house down big time, waving towels, and dancing to CHELSEA DAGGER. The win puts the Hawks ahead of San Jose three games to none with... (more...)

  Mark Buehrle pitched eight scoreless innings to win for the first time in six decisions, Alexei Ramirez drove in five runs and the White Sox defeated the Florida Marlins 8-0 on Friday night.Ramirez hit a three-run homer and a two-run double and Mark Kotsay was 3 for 4 with a home run and three runs scored for the Sox, who won for just the fifth time in 13 games.In his previous six starts, Buehrle (3-5) was 0-5 with a 6.44 ERA. He was 4-12 with a 4.97 ERA in 21 starts since his perfect game last... (more...)

ARLINGTON—Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton can play small ball, too.In the first interleague game of the season, Hamilton showed a little National League flair. His first career sacrifice bunt came between run-scoring doubles by Vladimir Guerrero and Nelson Cruz and Texas extended its winning streak to a season-best five in a row with a 2-1 victory over the Cubs on Friday night.In his 1,585th career plate appearance, in his 376th game and on his 29th birthday, Hamilton bunted after Guerrero’s... (more...)

  Ervin Santana pitched seven solid innings, Juan Rivera hit a two-run homer and the Los Angeles Angels held on to beat the struggling Chicago White Sox 6-5 on Thursday night.After watching his fellow relievers give up four runs in the eighth inning, Brian Fuentes pitched a perfect ninth for his sixth save in eight opportunities. Kendry Morales had three hits and drove in two runs for the Angels, who have won five of seven. But the Angels escaped after nearly blowing a big lead.Santana (3-3) didn’t... (more...)

PHILADELPHIA—Jose Contreras is learning the last three outs are the hardest to get.Raul Ibanez,a guy the Cubs could have gone after last year instead ofMilton Bradley, hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth inning, Contreras pitched out of a jam in the ninth and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cubs 5-4 on Thursday.Jimmy Rollins hit a three-run homer and Chase Utley also went deep for the NL East-leading Phillies, who snapped a two-game losing streak in which they scored a total of two... (more...)

PHILADELPHIA—Tom Gorzelanny threw 6 2/3 shutout innings and Starlin Castro and Jeff Baker had RBI singles to lead the Cubs to their fourth consecutive victory 4-1 victory against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.A night after the Phillies struggled against Pittsburgh’s Zach Duke, Gorzelanny kept them off-balance until he was struck by Carlos Ruiz’s line drive in the seventh inning.Ruiz’s one-out shot struck Gorzelanny’s left ring finger, then rolled toward... (more...)

  Old Pal Torii Hunter hit a two-run homer and Joe Saunders pitched 7 2/3 strong innings to lead the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to a 3-2 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday.Hunter hit his third home run in three games and Saunders (3-5) allowed just one run and four hits to help the Angels bounce back after losing consecutive games to the Texas Rangers.Saunders, who snapping a three-game losing streak with his second career shutout in a 4-0 win over Oakland on Friday, struck out four and... (more...)

SAN JOSE—You’ve heard of Double Secret Probation. How about Double Home Ice Advantage. That’s what the Blackhawks now have against the San Jose Sharks.Dustin Byfuglien and Jonathan Toews scored on deflections 90 seconds apart in the second period and the Blackhawks rolled to their record-tying seventh straight road win in the playoffs, 4-2 over San Jose in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals Tuesday.Andrew Ladd and Troy Brouwer also scored and Antti Niemi made 25 saves for... (more...)

   Just about the only person not surprised about Carlos Silva’s unblemished record is Silva himself. After going 5-18 with a 6.81 ERA in two frightful seasons for the Seattle Mariners, Silva is 5-0 with the Cubs. His latest victory came Tuesday night, when he gave up Todd Helton’s first home run of the season but otherwise pitched six splendid innings in the Cubs 6-2 victory against the Colorado Rockies.Ryan Theriot’s two-run single capped a three-run eighth inning that broke... (more...)

  DETROIT—For a change, Freddy Garcia is healthy and the White Sox are happy.Juan Pierre’s two-run double and run-saving catch in the fourth inning and Garcia solid start helped the White Sox beat the Detroit Tigers 6-2 Tuesday.The White Sox had lost six of nine and haven’t won consecutive games since their season-high three-game streak almost a month ago.Garcia (3-2) gave up two runs over six innings, going five starts without a loss for the first time since the end of the 2006... (more...)