The Yankees

SAN FRANCISCO -- Jhonny Peralta knew he hit it well. He didnt know how well until the ball landed in the seats. Peraltas two-run homer produced the first runs scored by St. Louis in its first at-bat since June 18, a span of 14 games, leading the Cardinals past the reeling San Francisco Giants 7-2 on Thursday. "Id heard from the guys that you need to hit it hard to get it out here," Peralta said. Carlos Martinez (2-3) earned his second win as a starter and added a two-run single for the Cardinals, who won their second straight after losing three in a row. Martinez allowed a run and five hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out six. "Weve had our struggles at the plate," Peralta said. "It was good to start it off in the first inning." Madison Bumgarner (9-6) fell to 0-3 over his past four home starts after allowing five runs -- four earned -- and six hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out six. Bumgarner also drove in a run for the Giants, who have lost 17 of 22 and fell out of first place in the NL West. "You always want to play at home and I havent pitched very good here all year," Bumgarner said. "I dont know what it is. You cant give in, you have to keep grinding." Help could be on the way. The Giants optioned first baseman Adam Duvall to Triple-A Fresno after the game in anticipation of recalling Brandon Belt in time for Fridays game in San Diego. "Hes somebody we like having out there," Bumgarner said. "Its not going to do anything but help us." Angel Pagan may return to the Giants lineup early next week, giving them some semblance of order at the top of the lineup. Matt Carpenter continued ripping Giants pitching, extending his hitting streak against them to 11 games with a 2-for-4 effort. He has a .519 (28 for 54) career average against the Giants and has hit safely in 18 of his 20 games, including the post-season, against them. "Its one of those crazy things," Carpenter said. "Luck has been on my side so far I guess." Yadier Molina added three hits and Oscar Tavares, John Jay and Shane Robinson each drove in a run for the Cardinals. Peraltas first-inning home run, after Carpenter drew a walk, put St. Louis ahead to stay. "I was able to work the walk and Jhonny hit the home run," Carpenter said. "That kind of set the tone and we found a way to pile it on." Bumgarner drove in a run for the Giants in the third, but then gave up three runs in the fourth -- two on a single from Martinez. Robinson, pinch hitting for Martinez in the sixth, tripled home a run. Tavares added an RBI in the seventh. The Giants loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth, but Martinez got Buster Posey on a swinging strike three to end the threat. In the sixth, Tyler Colvin walked, Adam Duvall singled and Brandon Crawford punched a single into right field. An error allowed Colvin to score. Sam Freeman, Seth Maness and Jason Motte combined to keep the Giants at bay. NOTES: Giants INF Joe Panik batted second, where he hit for Triple-A Fresno, as manager Bruce Bochy tweaked the lineup. "He has some sense of comfort there," Bochy said. ... OF Hunter Pence hit lead off and OF Gregor Blanco was dropped to eighth. ... INF Marco Scutaro continues to make progress and if hes fine after playing for the second straight day for the Arizona Rookie League Giants, he could be elevated to Fresno by Sunday. . RHP Matt Cain (1-6, 4.38) pitches for the Giants when they open a three-game series at San Diego on Friday. Hes 7-13 lifetime against the Padres. ... RHP Lance Lynn (8-6, 3.38) pitches for the Cardinals when they open a three-game set with the Miami Marlins in St. Louis. Hes 2-0 with a 5.79 ERA against the Marlins. ... Cardinals OF Allen Craig was given a day off. He was hitting .176 on the road trip. ... 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The firefighter, identified as Lt. <a href="http://www.atlantafalconsfootballstore.com/authentic-steve-bartkowski-falcons-jersey/">Steve Bartkowski Jersey</a>. -- The Grand Rapids Griffins scored three goals in 33 seconds of the second period en route to defeating the Hamilton Bulldogs 6-1 in American Hockey League action on Friday. <a href="http://www.atlantafalconsfootballstore.com/authentic-ty-sambrailo-falcons-jersey/">Ty Sambrailo Jersey</a>. Durant had 33 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, hit the tying 3-pointer late in regulation and made the go-ahead foul shots in overtime to lift the Thunder past the Wizards 106-105. John Wall missed a driving layup attempt at the buzzer for Washington, which was seeking its third straight win.NEW YORK -- To Derek Jeter, it was just another day to get ready for spring training. On a minor league field at the New York Yankees complex in Florida, he took batting practice, fielded grounders and chatted with teammates. And then he drove away in his Mercedes, offering no hint that the countdown to his retirement had already begun. Hours later, Jeter alerted the sports world: This will be his final season. "I know it in my heart. The 2014 season will be my last year playing professional baseball," Jeter posted Wednesday in a long letter on his Facebook page. "I have gotten the very most out of my life playing baseball, and I have absolutely no regrets," the shortstop wrote. While it was no secret the team captain was getting close to the end of his brilliant career as he neared 40 -- especially after injuries wrecked him last season -- Jeters announcement caught many by surprise. In fact, some people wondered whether his account had been hacked. But it was quickly confirmed that one of the greatest players in the history of baseballs most storied franchise was serious. A 13-time All-Star shortstop who led the Yankees to five World Series championships, Jeter was the last link to the powerful Yankees teams that won three straight crowns from 1998-2000. Longtime teammates Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte retired after last year. "Derek Jeter is Mr. Yankee of his era," Yankees co-chairman Hank Steinbrenner told The Associated Press. "He was the face of one of the greatest teams ever." Jeter was limited to 17 games last season while trying to recover from a broken left ankle sustained during the 2012 playoffs. He hit only .190 with one homer and seven RBIs. "Last year was a tough one for me. As I suffered through a bunch of injuries, I realized that some of the things that always came easily to me and were always fun had started to become a struggle," Jeter wrote. "The one thing I always said to myself was that when baseball started to feel more like a job, it would be time to move forward." "So really it was months ago when I realized that this season would likely be my last. As I came to this conclusion and shared it with my friends and family, they all told me to hold off saying anything until I was absolutely 100 per cent sure," he wrote. "And the thing is, I could not be more sure," he wrote. His agent, Casey Close, said Jeter wanted to declare his intentions before the Yankees start spring training later this week so that his future status wouldnt be a distraction. The Yankees open camp for pitchers and catchers on Friday. Jeter has said hes healthy and ready to go -- at 39, his next birthday is in June. "Derek called me this morning to tell me that he planned to retire following the season," Yankees Managing General Partner Hal Steinbrenner said.dddddddddddd Said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, a former Jeter teammate: "Im excited for him. Its kind of nice to see him go out on his own terms." Jeter is the Yankees career hits leader with 3,316. Hes ninth on the all-time list; a 200-hit season would put him in fifth place. Jeter is a lifetime .312 hitter in 19 seasons, with 256 home runs and 1,261 RBIs. He has scored 1,876 runs, stolen 348 bases and is a five-time Gold Glove winner. Added up, his numbers put him among the greats in Yankees history, with fans often invoking the names of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle when mentioning Jeters legacy. But No. 2 is defined by so much more than his numbers. His backhanded flip in the playoffs, his diving catch into the stands, his speech to close old Yankee Stadium and his home run for career hit No. 3,000. An October presence for so many years -- Jeter is a career .321 hitter in seven World Series -- he also became Mr. November in 2001. His winning, 10th-inning homer came shortly after midnight in a Game 4 that began on Halloween. Jeter was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1996, the season the Yankees won their first World Series since 1978 and re-established themselves as a major force. He was the MVP of the 2000 World Series. Commissioner Bud Selig said during his tenure, "Major League Baseball has had no finer ambassador than Derek Jeter." A staple for so long in the Yankees lineup, Jeter missed the first 91 games last year. He felt pain in his right quadriceps when he returned July 11 and again went on the disabled list. Jeter came back for three games but strained his right calf. In early September, he was done for the year. The Yankees will open the 2014 regular season on April 1 in Houston. Their final game is scheduled to be at Fenway Park, against the longtime rival Boston Red Sox. Rivera announced a year in advance that he would retire, and was saluted everywhere he played last season. Jeter is sure to get a similar farewell tour. "I wish everybody does it like that," Rivera told ESPN radio. "I think that would be the right thing for him to do." Jeter wrote that he wants to pursue business and other interests "in addition to focusing more on my personal life and starting a family of my own." "And I want the ability to move at my own pace, see the world and finally have a summer vacation," he said. "But before that, I want to soak in every moment of every day this year, so I can remember it for the rest of my life. And most importantly, I want to help the Yankees reach our goal of winning another championship," he said. <a href="http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnfl.com/">Wholesale Jerseys</a> ' ' '