News & Neuigkeiten » the Boilermakers stunned Nebraska.

CHICAGO -- The Chicago White Sox return home from a nine-game road trip to face the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.The homecoming could not have arrived soon enough for the up-and-down White Sox (57-63). Manager Robin Venturas club is coming off an uninspiring 4-5 road trip, which concluded with a ninth-inning loss Thursday night to the rival Cleveland Indians.Definitely an empty feeling, White Sox left-hander Carlos Rodon told the Chicago Sun-Times. All of us are playing hard, giving 100 percent. We are leaving it all out there and it just doesnt happen.Meanwhile, Oakland (52-69) has lost five consecutive games, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers earlier this week. The Athletics have scored two runs or fewer in seven of the last 13 games, and their minus-104 run differential is worst in the American League.With the postseason well out of reach, Oakland has turned its focus toward developing its young talent in the final stretch of the season. Earlier this week, the Athletics promoted infield prospect Chad Pinder from Triple-A Nashville. Pinder hit .258 with 14 home runs and 51 RBI in 107 games in the minor leagues this season and could see time at second base, shortstop and third base.He swings the bat well, has got some power, and we saw that in spring, Oakland manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com. Its great that he gets an opportunity.Right-hander James Shields (5-14, 5.78 ERA) will start for Chicago. The 34-year-old is mired in the worst statistical season of his career -- and one of the most bizarre seasons in the majors.In four starts from May 31 to June 18, Shields surrendered a mind-boggling 31 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings to go 1/3 with a 24.62 ERA. He recovered nicely in his next seven starts, during which time he posted a 2.11 ERA and limited hitters to a .215 batting average.Then the bottom fell out yet again. In his past three starts, opponents have rocked Shields for 21 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings. He is 1-2 with a 20.25 ERA during that span.Will Fridays start mark the start of another turnaround? Or yet another disastrous outing?Shields has fared well against the Athletics in his career. In 15 starts, he is 6-4 with a 3.82 ERA. He has not faced Oakland since 2014, when he went 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts as a member of the Kansas City Royals.For Oakland, right-hander Kendall Graveman (8-8, 4.37 ERA) will make his 24th start of the season. The 25-year-old Mississippi State alum is trending in a much better direction than Shields. He is 7-2 with a 3.83 ERA in his past 14 starts after opening the year 1-6 with a 5.36 ERA. However, Graveman gave up four runs in six innings to sustain the loss in his most recent outing Saturday against the Seattle Mariners.Graveman has faced the White Sox once in his career. He drew the loss after allowing two runs on three hits in 5 1/3 innings on April 7. White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu stung Graveman for a two-run home run in the sixth inning that day.Abreu will look to feast against Graveman once again Friday night. The White Sox slugger has hit safely in 13 of his 15 games in August, including six multiple-hit performances.Cheap Jerseys 2020 . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. Cheap Jerseys From China . "Were just throwing s--- at the wall hoping something sticks," said Tortorella about the possible line combinations for Fridays game against Columbus. The Canucks have lost five straight games and six of their last seven, leaving them in a logjam in the Pacific Division, currently sitting fifth - good for ninth in the Western Conference. http://www.jerseyscheapcustom.com/ . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . The move comes after the Canadiens were approached by the Buffalo Sabres for permission to speak to Dudley - a former Sabres player and head coach. "The Sabres called for permission and I appreciate that, Im flattered, Dudley told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun of ESPN. Cheap Fake Jerseys Free Shipping .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend.BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- No. 10 Nebraska finally finished off Indiana on Saturday.Barely.They needed Stanley Morgan Jr. to take advantage of two Indiana safeties running into one another for a 72-yard TD catch. They needed a break from the officials -- and the replay booth -- when Terrell Newby nearly lost a fumble with the Cornhuskers clinging to a two-point lead with 2:06 to play. They needed a 39-yard field goal with 45 seconds left to force the Hoosiers to drive for a touchdown and they needed an interception on the Hoosiers final series to close it out.No, it wasnt pretty and it certainly wasnt easy. But for the first time in 15 years, Nebraska has won its first six games.Great teams win games, quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. said. Thats all I got to say about it. You can say what you want about it, but all we do is come out and win games.Nebraska (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) has won seven straight overall and five straight in this series, which was played for the first time since 1978.Afterward, relieved Nebraska players and coaches were just glad to be heading home still in charge of the conferences West Division.The improving Hoosiers (3-3, 1-2), meanwhile, sure didnt make it easy as they chased their first win over a top 10 team since 1987.Nebraska scored the first 17 points courtesy of a field goal and two TDs in a 14-second span.Indiana scored the next 15 and finally got into the end zone on the final play of the third quarter with a 33-yard TD run from Devine Redding on a fake reverse.Morgans TD catch finally gave Nebraska the upper hand and all the Hoosiers could muster after that was Reddings 4-yard TD catch that made 24-22 with 8:26 to play and the Cornhuskers played keep away the rest of the night.Three weeks in a row, play three pretty good games. One game we eliminate the mistakes and we get a victory, Indiana coach Kevin Wilson said. The other two weeks, we make mistakes and we lose the games.THE TAKEAWAYNebraska: The Huskers could start to lock up the Big Ten West over the next two weeks. Nebraska is the only unbeaten team leftt on that side of the conference standings, and No.dddddddddddd 8 Wisconsin comes to town in two weeks. A win there -- or a loss by the Badgers before then -- would make Nebraska a clear favorite to book a trip to Decembers Big Ten championship game.Indiana: The Hoosiers are in solid shape heading into an easier second half. Theyve already upset one ranked team, seriously challenged two more and their usually maligned defense has proven it can hold up. That bodes well for the Hoosiers, who need three wins to become bowl eligible for a second straight season for the first time in a quarter century.KEY NUMBERSArmstrong was held in check, running 11 times for 36 yards while going 10 of 26 for 208 yards through the air. Morgan had three catches for 93 yards and Newby ran 22 times for 102 yards. Indianas Lagow completed 19 of 32 passes for 196 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. His top target was Mitchell Paige, who had nine catches for 101 yards. Ricky Jones had six catches for 76 yards for Indiana.POLL IMPLICATIONSNebraska: This week, the Cornhuskers cracked the Top 10 for the first time in five years and they should continue moving up. How high theyll go depends on everyone in front of them.Indiana: The Hoosiers might be getting closer to a major breakthroughs but dont expect them to end their 22-year absence in the rankings this week.UP NEXTNebraska: Now the Cornhuskers have something to prove against Purdue. A year ago, the Boilermakers stunned Nebraska. But after Iowas 49-35 victory, the Boilermakers are reeling and Nebraska needs to keep the momentum rolling before facing No. 8 Wisconsin and No. 2 Ohio State.Indiana: After finishing a brutal stretch against three straight Top 20 foes, the Hoosiers visit underperforming Northwestern. For the Hoosiers, its a chance to get back on the right track with two more winnable games after next week.---Online:AP College Football: collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '