shot went off Shaw and past

PITTSBURGH -- It looked like Alfredo Simons bubble was about to burst. After being one of the biggest surprises of the young season for the Cincinnati Reds by ably filling in for injured starting pitcher Mat Latos, Simon hit a rough patch in the first inning Wednesday night. He walked three batters in a row to force in a run. Then, just like that, the right-hander went back to being dominant, pitching into the seventh inning despite the erratic early control, and Jay Bruce drove in a run for a fifth consecutive game as the Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2. "It was cold and I was having a hard time feeling the ball," said Simon, pitching on a blustery night when the game-time temperature was 50 degrees. "After that first inning, I felt a lot better and pitched like Ive been pitching. Simon (3-1) worked 6 2-3 innings and allowed two runs on four hits and five walks while striking out four. Simon has pitched at least six innings in each of his four starts this season as a replacement for the injured Mat Latos and has a 1.30 ERA. Simon pitched exclusively in relief the previous two years. "Hes been terrific," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Hes been an extremely versatile pitcher for us the last two-plus seasons. Hes always been a talented guy, but hes really found himself and made himself into a very good-looking starting pitcher." Bruce had two hits and knocked in the final run of the decisive three-run fifth inning against Charlie Morton (0-3) that gave the Reds a 4-2 lead. Billy Hamilton also had two hits for Cincinnati, which stole four bases while winning seven of 10 games since a 3-7 start. "We took advantage of what we could because this is team that might not give you a lot most nights," Bruce said. "We tried to put some pressure on the defence." Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless ninth inning, despite allowing two hits, for his third save. Andrew McCutchen had two hits and homered for the third consecutive night for the Pirates, who lost for the 10th time in 13 games. Morton also had control issues, walking five in six innings while giving up four runs -- three earned -- and four hits with four strikeouts. "I was yanking my fastball all night," he said. "There were times were I was trying to go inside on left-handed hitters and missing in the right-handed batters box. I was literally missing by 3 feet." The Reds used their speed to go ahead in a fifth inning that included two stolen bases and the second throwing error of the game by catcher Chris Stewart. NOTES: Pittsburgh C Russell Martin was a late scratch because of a miscommunication. Martin, who is 0-for-7 against Simon, thought he was getting Wednesday off while manager Clint Hurdle thought he and Martin had decided Thursday would be an off day. ... Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman threw early batting practice, the first time he had faced hitters since suffering fractures of his eye and nose along with a mild concussion March 19 when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of Kansas Citys Salvador Perez. Chapman pitched from behind a protective screen and the next step is for him to throw batting practice without the screen sometime this weekend when the Reds visit Atlanta. ... Cincinnati INF/OF Skip Schumaker will report to the Reds extended spring training camp on Friday at Goodyear, Ariz., as he continues to rehab the left shoulder he dislocated while diving for a ball in the outfield during a spring training game March 21. ... Pittsburgh 1B Travis Ishikawa cleared waivers and elected free agency after declining an outright assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis. He was designated for assignment last Friday. ... The Pirates will recall RHP Brandon Cumpton from Indianapolis to start Thursday against LHP Tony Cingrani (1-2, 3.22) in the finale of the four-game series. <a href="http://www.authenticmanchestercityshop.com/Authentic-Nicolas-Otamendi-Manchester-City-Jersey/">Nicolas Otamendi Jersey</a>. The Rangers announced after Thursdays 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees that they would purchase Williams contract from Triple-A Round Rock. The 32-year-old Williams was released by Houston earlier this month after going 1-4 with a 6. <a href="http://www.authenticmanchestercityshop.com/Authentic-Raheem-Sterling-Manchester-City-Jersey/">Raheem Sterling Jersey</a>. The defeat leaves the 41-year-old Nestor to concentrate on the mixed-doubles event after winning 12 straight matches and winning Australian titles in Brisbane and Sydney with two different partners. "This was a little bit of a let down, but all credit to them," said Nestor. <a href="http://www.authenticmanchestercityshop.com/Authentic-Gabriel-Jesus-Manchester-City-Jersey/">http://www.authenticmanchestercityshop.com/Authentic-Gabriel-Jesus-Manchester-City-Jersey/</a>. Dragic was a game-time decision because of a sore right ankle that had kept him out of Wednesdays loss at Utah, but played all but the last 10 seconds of the second half in the first 40-point game for a Phoenix player since Amare Stoudemires 44 on March 19, 2010. <a href="http://www.authenticmanchestercityshop.com/Authentic-Eliaquim-Mangala-Manchester-City-Jersey/">Eliaquim Mangala Jersey</a>. According to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun, Brodeurs agent Pat Brisson has spoken to six teams so far regarding the veteran goaltender. <a href="http://www.authenticmanchestercityshop.com/Authentic-Blank-Manchester-City-Jersey/">Blank Jersey</a>. "This doesnt end anything," he said. "Weve got 10-1 in our last 11 games, and were going home in first place. We just have to keep playing the way we are right now.CHICAGO -- Andrew Shaw stopped a long scoring drought. Jonathan Toews had another big game. The Chicago Blackhawks had 13 players with at least one point. Yup, those line changes worked out pretty well for the Stanley Cup champions. Shaw and Toews had two goals apiece, and the Blackhawks beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-1 on Thursday night to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race. "I think all the lines had some chemistry tonight," Shaw said. "It was a big win for us." Brandon Bollig and Bryan Bickell also scored as Chicago bounced back from a 4-2 home loss to Colorado on Tuesday night. Corey Crawford made 22 saves for his 10th consecutive victory against Columbus. With St. Louis and Colorado also winning, the Blackhawks remained two points back of the Blues for the Central Division lead and one point ahead of the Avalanche. "Were motivated to build ourselves into the team we want to be come playoff time, but that adds to it to keep us honest, to make sure were competing the right way every night," Toews said, highlighting the bunched standings out West. Ryan Johansen scored his 25th goal for the Blue Jackets, who had won three in a row. Sergei Bobrovsky made 14 stops before he was pulled during the Blackhawks three-goal second period. "We werent emotionally into the game," Columbus coach Todd Richards said. "The intensity wasnt there. I thought we lacked intensity. It wasnt everyone. We had some guys that wanted to get involved, but there were too many guys who werent involved in the game." The Blackhawks had managed just eight goals while dropping three of four, and five of those came against Pittsburgh at Soldier Field on Saturday. That prompted coach Joel Quenneville to shuffle his lines, putting Shaw with Toews and Brandon Saad in the top group and moving Patrick Sharp to the second line with Michal Handzus and Patrick Kane. It worked. After Johansen took advantage of a bad line change to tie it at 1 at 7:56 of the first, it was all Blackhawks. They outshot the Blue Jackets 33-23 for the game and lead the NHL with 221 goals. "Jonnys line had the big night, with several offensive zone shifts, some real nice plays and some nice (finishes) as well," Quenneville said. Shaw said iit was his first time playing on the same line with Toews since his first NHL game on Jan.dddddddddddd 5, 2012, at Philadelphia. Shaw also scored in that one, with Toews picking up an assist. For all that time apart, they sure looked pretty comfortable together. Shaw sparked the runaway win when he made the most of a terrific pass by Sheldon Brookbank, beating Bobrovsky into the upper right corner with 3:16 left in the first. Brookbanks long pass banked off the boards and sprung Shaw for a breakaway on the right side of the ice. "It was unbelievable. I think we just made eye contact and we knew what we were going to do," Shaw said. Chicago added three more in the second, highlighted by Saads impressive series of moves that set up Toews for an easy score. Saad skated around James Wisniewski and Nathan Horton before he was stopped by Bobrovsky. The rebound went right back to Saad, who passed to Toews on the other side of the net to make it 3-1 eight minutes into the second. Bickell had a rebound score that chased Bobrovsky and Brent Seabrooks slap shot went off Shaw and past Curtis McElhinney with 2:16 left in the period. It was the 16th goal for Shaw, who stopped an 11-game drought. Toews added a power-play goal in the third for his 24th of the season. The captain has five goals and an assist in the last three games. "Its frustrating because we didnt play our game and who knows what these points, what difference theyll make at the end of the season," Johansen said. It was more than enough for Crawford, who improved to 10-2-0 in his career against the Blue Jackets. He made a nice save on Matt Calverts backhand in the first and turned away Nick Foligno on a close opportunity in the second. NOTES: Blue Jackets D Nikita Nikitin left in the second period with an upper body injury. Richards said Nikitin would travel with the team to Nashville, and then be re-evaluated. ... Blackhawks C Peter Regin missed the morning skate, but Quenneville said he was resting and he had 15 shifts in the game. ... The Blue Jackets scratched LW Blake Comeau, RW Corey Tropp and Ds Ryan Murray and Cody Goloubef. ... Ds David Rundblad and Michal Rozsival, plus injured F Marian Hossa, were the scratches for the Blackhawks. <a href="http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnfl.com/">Wholesale Jerseys</a> ' ' '