PITTSBURGH -- Maybe its the lack of pressure on a team that is out of contention as mid-September approaches. Maybe its one or two players making a difference here and there.Whatever it is, the Cincinnati Reds have been a thorn in the Pittsburgh Pirates sides in a weekend series which concludes Sunday at PNC Park. The Reds lost Thursday in the series opener but have come back to win two in a row against a team desperate for wins.I feel like when you start to put too much context into a game, you fall prey to the ebbs and flows of the season, said Cincinnatis Joey Votto, whose homer Saturday provided the winning margin in an 8-7 game.I feel like the best teams and the best players dont pay attention to those kind of things and are just trying to execute. Thats why I think the rah-rah ... doesnt work in this game. Youve got to go out and play well.The Pirates would do well to use that or any other formula that would produce more wins. Pittsburgh (69-71) has lost 10 of its past 12 games and is 5 1/2 games behind of the National League wild-card cutoff, with 22 games remaining.The series against the Reds (59-82) marks the first four games of 15 in a row against teams that are playing out the season, which would seem like an opportune situation.Manager Clint Hurdle approached being terse -- something not normally in his character -- after Saturdays loss when asked about any message he was sending to the Pittsburgh players.The one thing I do is when I talk to guys, I dont tell you I talk to them, Hurdle said.Votto isnt sure any lectures or messages are needed if players are accountable.In my experience, all players feel they have the responsibility to do the best they can every day, regardless of where your team or the other team is in the standings, he said.Manager Bryan Price, Votto said, sets the tone for the Reds.Bryan is always managing to win, Votto said. Hes never worrying about fairness. Hes trying to win every game.Price is one win shy of 200 career wins.Sunday, Price will sent left-hander Brandon Finnegan (8-10, 4.17 ERA) to the mound.Over Finnegans past four starts, opposing hitters are just 12-for-86 (.140), but he has been the victim of some less than ideal circumstances this season. Five times, the Reds have blown saves in games he has pitched. Twice, he has taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning but wasnt able to complete it.The Pirates are in a stretch where they are managing their rotation in a way to keep some of their young arms fresher in the hope they make the playoffs, but that wont apply to right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, who his scheduled to start Sunday.Vogelsong (3-4, 4.07) will be making his eighth appearance since he returned from the DL after taking a pitch to the face and having surgery in May, so his season pitch count isnt a concern. He is 2-2 with a 4.26 ERA since he returned. Cheap Josh Norman Jersey . 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In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. CHICAGO -- When it comes to power plays in the Stanley Cup finals, the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins might just prefer to keep going with everyone on the ice. The last two teams in the NHL playoffs have been lousy with the man advantage and terrific at killing penalties during the post-season. When the Blackhawks are forced to play a man down, Michael Frolik and Marcus Kruger are so persistent it almost resembles an even-strength situation. And the Bruins have hulking defenceman Zdeno Chara and goalie Tuukka Rask, who is swallowing everything at the net these days. Heading into Game 1 on Wednesday night, goals on special teams have been so scarce for these teams that a couple for either side could tip the series in one direction. "The special teams are kind of key, if you want to (have) success," Frolik said after Chicago held an optional practice on Monday. "We try to talk about it all the time about that and make sure were on the same page. Its especially going to be key right now. Weve got to make we are ready for the challenge." So far, so good on that front for the Bruins and Blackhawks. With Frolik and Kruger tying up the action on top of the zone, Chicago has allowed just three goals in 58 power-play opportunities for an astounding 94.8 per cent kill rate. Los Angeles got two of them in the Western Conference finals, but one was a meaningless goal by Tyler Toffoli at the very end of the Blackhawks 4-2 victory in Game 2. The 92.5 per cent finish for the 2000 New Jersey Devils is the best playoff rate for a Stanley Cup champion in the last 25 years, according to STATS. "I think they do a good job of fronting shots," Boston coach Claude Julien said of Chicagos penalty killers. "You really have to work hard to get the shots through. Thats what they are, theyre very patient; theyre very aggressive when you do lose, I guess, control of the puck and if they feel they can get on you, theyll get on you quick. Theyve done a good job that way." Pittsburgh had converted an NHL-best 28.3 per cent of its power-play chances heading into the Eastern Conference finaals against Boston, but the high-powered Penguins went 0 for 15 with the man advantage during the Bruins impressive four-game sweep.dddddddddddd One of the lasting images from Bostons post-season run came with Pittsburgh on the power play in the second period of Game 3. Bruins forward Gregory Campbell broke his right leg when he dove to block Evgeni Malkins hard shot, then limped around for more than 30 seconds until Boston cleared the zone and he was able to get off the ice. Campbells gutsy display served as inspiration for the Bruins, and they went on to finish off the Penguins with a 1-0 victory on Friday. But Campbell will miss the remainder of the playoffs, presenting a challenge for the series against Chicago. "It just means some other guys have to step in and do the job," Julien said. "(Campbell) is an elite penalty killer for us. Like anything else, when you lose a player like that it certainly hurts your team. But at the same time, theres also guys that come up and step up and do a great job just like our young Ds did when our three Ds were hurt." When it comes to scoring on Boston, whether its even strength or on the power play, the last line of defence may be the most difficult one to solve. Rask has been terrific throughout the playoffs, making an NHL-best 497 saves. Led by the 26-year-old Finn, Boston has yielded seven goals in 52 power-play opportunities for an 86.5 per cent kill rate in the post-season. "Were facing a goalie that in the last round was as good as any of the goalies weve seen over a segment of two years in the playoffs," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. While the penalty killing has been great for both sides, the power play for the Blackhawks and Bruins has been, well, powerless. Each team has seven goals with the man advantage in the playoffs. Boston had an NHL-worst 18 power-play goals during the regular season, compared to 25 for Chicago. Quenneville and Julien have faced a running stream of questions about the lack of production, and thats likely to continue in this series -- especially with the PK units on each side. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Stitched Jerseys China Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Store Youth NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Discount NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys Wholesale NFL White Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys White NFL Jerseys Cheap Camo China NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Jerseys NFL China ' ' '