Allgemein » certain contract situation, Wilkerson spent

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Derek Norris scored on a passed ball with two outs in the seventh inning and the Oakland Athletics beat the Chicago Cubs 1-0 on Thursday. Dan Straily (5-2) gave up a hit over seven innings after being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento earlier in the day. He made the start to allow a sore Jarrod Parker to get two extra days of rest. Straily walked three and struck out six. Norris walked with two outs and went to third on Seth Smiths single. Matt Guerrier (2-4), making his first appearance with the Cubs since being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers, threw a strike on the outside part of the plate. Pinch hitter Eric Sogard swung at the pitch and Cubs catcher Wellington Castillo had the ball glance off his mitt, allowing Norris to score the unearned run. Cubs starter Travis Wood allowed three hits over six innings. He walked one and struck five in recording his third consecutive no-decision. Alfonso Soriano got Chicagos lone hit off Straily. Wood extend his winless stretch to six starts despite an ERA of 2.58 over that span. Ryan Cook pitched the eighth and Grant Balfour recorded the final three outs for his 21st save in as many chances. In the fourth, Yoenis Cespedes threw out Starlin Castro trying to score from second on Sorianos single to left field. Soriano was later thrown out by Norris attempting to steal second, ending the inning. Castro walked to open the inning and advanced when Nate Schierholtz grounded out. The As also had a potential run thrown out on the bases. Against Matt Guerrier, Chris Young singled with one out in the seventh but was caught stealing by Castillo. Norris drew a walk and went to third on Seth Smiths single prior to the passed ball. Pedro Stroup also made his Cubs debut with a scoreless ninth as the Cubs matched their franchise record for players used before the All-Star break with 41. The Cubs also extended their franchise record by using 23 pitchers before the break. NOTES: Cubs OF Brian Bogusevic left the game after the top of third inning with left hamstring tightness. ... The As optioned C Stephen Vogt to Triple-A Sacramento to make room for Straily. ... The Cubs announced that RHP Carlos Villanueva (2-4, 3.45) will start Sundays game against Pittsburgh, filling the spot vacated when RHP Scott Feldman was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. Villanueva started the year in the rotation, but went to the bullpen when RHP Matt Garza came off the disabled list. ... RHP Jeff Samardija (5-7, 3.34) will take the mound Friday night against the Pirates at Wrigley Field. Hes 4-2 with a 1.56 ERA against the Pirates all-time, though just 1-2 against them this year. ... LHP Tommy Milone (7-7, 4.17) will start for the As in Kansas City. Hes 1-2 with a 5.96 ERA over his last four starts. ... Giants LHP Barry Zito is donating $500 for every strikeout in the major leagues on Thursday. ... According to Sports Features Group, the last time the Cubs lost a 1-0 game, with the lone run scored on a passed ball, was July 1, 1962, in Milwaukee.Air Max 1 Sale . - Connor McDavid scored 53 seconds into overtime as the Erie Otters came from behind to defeat the visiting Guelph Storm 4-3 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Air Max 1 On Sale . Deulofeu injured a muscle in his right leg in Evertons 4-1 win over Fulham in the English Premier League on Saturday. Barcelona says that its team doctors will "co-ordinate" with Evertons medical staff as Deulofeu recovers. http://www.airmax1sale.com/ . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Air Max 1 Sale Womens . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. Nike Air Max 1 Discount . 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.Muhammad Wilkerson will be ready for the regular season.Who says? Mo says.Fresh off signing a new multiyear contract, Wilkerson expressed his confidence on Wednesday that he will be on the field for the New York Jets season opener against Cincinnati on Sept. 11.I will be ready for Week 1, the defensive end said. He is recovering from a broken right leg suffered in last seasons finale and couldnt predict when he would be available in training camp, which begins next week.Rehab is going well, he said. Im running four times a week and just taking it day by day. Im focusing on my leg and rehabbing each and every day. When the coaches feel it is time for me to get out there on the field and I am ready to go, I will be out there.Wilkersons deal is worth more than $85 million, including $37 million in guarantees through the first two years. Through three years of the deal, Wilkerson will be paid $54 million in guaranteed money.Asked if he was surprised that the last-minute deal came together when there was so much pessimism surrounding his contract situation, Wilkerson preferred to look forward.Im happy to get a deal done and glad this part of the situation is over with, and now I can just focus on football and get ready for the season, he said.I am glad my agent got a deal done for me and ... everybody in my support system. Were ready to get things rolling. I dont have to focus on my contract situation and can concentrate on my rehab.He also believes the Jets, who finished 10-6 last season, are a playoff team if they build off that performance in their first season with Todd Bowles as coach.dddddddddddd But they are missing a key piece from the defense with tackle Damon Harrison now making his living at Met Life Stadium for the Giants.We could be the sky is the limit, we can be as good as we want to be, as long as were all putting in the work day after day and pushing each other to be great, Wilkerson said. We had a good record last year and just have to build on that.The 26-year-old Wilkerson had a career-high 12 sacks last season and was selected for his first Pro Bowl, but was unable to play because of the injury. A 2011 first-round draft pick out of Temple, Wilkerson sought a new deal for the past two years.Meanwhile, he saw Philadelphias Fletcher Cox sign for six years and $103 million, with little to no movement from the Jets this offseason.Until last week.Despite the uncertain contract situation, Wilkerson spent time at the Jets facility during the offseason while working his way back from the injury.Wilkerson, from Linden, New Jersey, gets to stay home to play for at least five more years after compiling 36 1/2 sacks through his first five NFL seasons. He has 372 total tackles, seven forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 77 games.I definitely wanted to be here, he said. Im from New Jersey ... wanted to raise my children here, and Im really excited to be here.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '