Socceroos.Defender Ivan Franjic came on in the dying minutes agai

HOUSTON -- CC Sabathia was glad to finally help out on Tuesday night after watching the rest of the pitching staff start to turn things around while he struggled for more than a month notching loss after loss.Sabathia allowed just two runs in 6 2/3 innings to get back on track after a tough stretch and help the New York Yankees to a 6-3 win over the Houston Astros.Sabathia (6-8) allowed four hits and struck out five to pick up his first win since June 16 after going 0-4 and allowing 31 runs -- 29 earned -- combined in his past six starts.Ive been doing everything I can and trying not to get frustrated, he said. Weve been playing pretty well, were fighting right now and to be able to help us get a win feels good.Things didnt look good early on Tuesday night when he allowed a solo home run to Marwin Gonzalez in the first inning. But he settled in after that, allowing only one single over the next five innings.The Yankees built a five-run lead thanks in part to a two-run triple by Aaron Hicks by the time Evan Gattis homered to start Houstons seventh and cut it to 6-2. Sabathia was lifted after a two-out single by Carlos Gomez in that inning.I thought he had really good stuff tonight, manager Joe Girardi said. He gave up the homer earlier, similar to last night, and then he got to the seventh and gave up another home to Gattis -- he got in the wrong count there -- but his stuff was really good.Andrew Miller allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth for his second save since Aroldis Chapman was traded Monday and ninth overall.Houston starter Doug Fister (10-7) allowed nine hits and six runs, which both tied season highs, in 4 2/3 innings for the loss.I didnt execute today, Fister said. Basically, I let my team down. It was execution. I left balls over the middle.Gonzalez added a solo homer in the eighth for his first career multi-home run game. His first home run was right-handed and the second one from the left to make the switch-hitter the first Houston player to homer from both sides in the same game since Lance Berkman did it in 2006.The Astros loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, but Dellin Betances struck out Jason Castro on three pitches to end the threat.Tuesdays game was the first time Sabathia had allowed fewer than four runs since that win on June 16. Since then hed allowed a season-high six runs in two games and a season-worst nine hits in another start.Mark Teixeira doubled in the second inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Didi Gregorius to tie it at 1. Chase Headley hit an RBI single later in the inning to put New York on top.Starlin Castros run-scoring single with two outs in the third pushed the lead to 3-1.Fister plunked Brian McCann to start the fifth inning before Teixeira singled. The Astros intentionally walked Castro with one out to load the bases before McCann scored on a sacrifice fly by Headley. The first triple of the season for Hicks came next to score two more and chase Fister.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: Houston 3B Luis Valbuena left Tuesdays game in the second inning with a strained right hamstring. Valbuena pulled up after hitting a grounder and fell face down on to the dirt halfway between home plate and first base. Trainers looked at him for a minute before he was helped to his feet and limped off the field.A DIFFERENT PATH?NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson, who spent his entire 14-year career with the San Antonio Spurs, attended the game with some students he provided scholarships for. He lamented a baseball career that was cut short while watching batting practice.It was my favorite sport up until my senior year of high school. I played first base, pitched some, he said. (But) all through high school I grew like three inches a year so it killed my baseball career. Which now being out here Im really sad about that, but basketball turned out OK.UP NEXTYankees: Masahiro Tanaka (7-2, 3.00) will start in the series finale on Wednesday. Tanaka, who leads the majors with a 1.50 ERA on the road this season, enters the game with an 11-inning scoreless streak.Astros: Lance McCullers (5-4, 3.33) is scheduled to start for Houston on Wednesday. McCullers allowed one run and struck out 10 in a season-high eight-plus innings in a win over the Angels in his previous start. Khalen Saunders Chiefs Jersey . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Juan Thornhill Youth Jersey . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. http://www.prochiefsauthentic.com/Youth-Derrick-Thomas-Elite-Jersey/ . -- The boos poured down on Tom Brady and the New England Patriots at the end of a horrible first half. Tyrann Mathieu Chiefs Jersey . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Tyrann Mathieu Womens Jersey . NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period. Melbourne City coach John van t Schip has challenged his players to be more daring in the face of ultra-defensive A-League tactics.City couldnt muster a shot on target in last weeks 1-0 loss to Brisbane Roar, van t Schip later accusing counterpart John Aloisi of parking the bus.City host Newcastle Jets at AAMI Park on Thursday night and will likely face similar defensive tactics from the seventh-placed Jets away from home.But van t Schip said it was up to his side to make the most of their plentiful attacking options.Newcastle will do the same and maybe they will defend because of the way that we want to play, van t Schip told reporters on Wednesday.Maybe they will want to press us but well see. If not then we have to make sure that we move the ball quickly and try to mix it up and have more threats.Sometimes you have to be a bit more opportunistic as well.We were disappointed that we couldnt create enough chances (against Roar), but well work on that and how to penetrate, how to be a bit more optimistic in games because you cant walk the ball into the goal ... you have to have a shot, you have to have sometimes a (long) ball into the box.We have to improve playing in the final third ... I think thats something that we all know.City are third on the A-League ladder after five rounds but van t Schip said it was important to get a win at their AAMI Park hoome, where theyve already lost once - to Perth Glory - this season.ddddddddddddhe coach will need to make at least one change to his formation with midfielder Luke Brattan on international duties with the Socceroos.Defender Ivan Franjic came on in the dying minutes against Roar, but declared himself ready to start after regaining peak fitness following a heart scare in the off-season.Superstar striker Tim Cahill is set to feature against the Jets after he escaped unscathed in his return from an Achilles injury against Brisbane.He actually pulled up very well, so thats another positive sign, van t Schip said.He had that little niggle but hes been training, hes getting through (the program) and I think hes getting exactly what he needs for the coming weeks.STATS THAT MATTER* Newcastle snatched a 2-1 win in their last encounter with Melbourne City and will now be looking for back to back victories against the Melbourne club for the first time since November 2013.* Melbourne City have won three of their last five games against Newcastle.* Newcastle Jets have scored 29% of their goals via headers this season, the most of any team, while Melbourne City have conceded 33% of their goals via the same method, also the most of any team. 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