Die Macht » group of four teams for the final three playoff

ATLANTA -- Aaron Altherr had the kind of night he envisioned in his return from a season-long wrist injury.Especially sitting around thinking about, `Hows the first game going to be coming back? he said. Its definitely special.Altherr and Maikel Franco homered, Aaron Nola won for the first time in eight starts and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Atlanta Braves 7-5 on Thursday night.Altherr was activated from the disabled list after missing the first 103 games of the season with a broken left wrist. He went 3 for 4 with two RBI.It definitely surprised me a little bit because I hadnt been driving the ball in my rehab stints, Altherr said. Im just glad to know Ive still got it in there somewhere.Braves starter Matt Wisler (4-11) gave up three homers and has allowed nine homers in his past four starts, a span of 20 1/3 innings.Interim Braves manager Brian Snitker told Wisler after the game that he would be demoted to Triple-A Gwinnett.Atlanta, with the worst record in the major leagues, dropped to 14-37 at home.The Phillies took a 5-0 lead in the first on Francos 19th homer, a three-run shot, Tommy Josephs 14th homer and a run that scored on second baseman Jace Petersons fielding error.Altherrs two-run shot in the fifth made it 7-0.The Braves cut the lead to 7-3 in the bottom half of the inning on Freddie Freemans RBI double, Adonis Garcias RBI single and Anthony Reckers sacrifice fly.Philadelphia closer Jeanmar Gomez earned his 27th save in 30 chances, but it was a shaky appearance. The first two batters reached. Erick Aybar grounded into a double play, but Gordon Beckham followed with an RBI single to make it 7-5.Gomez struck out Peterson to end it with a runner on first.Nola (6-9) gave up eight hits, three runs, three walks and struck out five in five innings. He began the game 0-5 with a 10.61 ERA in his previous seven starts before snapping a career-high, five-game losing streak.Nola didnt exactly inspire confidence in manager Pete Mackanin.Hes not the same guy, Mackanin said. Hes just struggling with command once again. Hes not dotting his fastball like he normally does. And his curveball is erratic. He needs to get back on track.Wisler allowed seven hits, two walks and seven runs -- six earned. He struck out three.Over his past 10 starts, Wisler is 2-6 with a 7.71 ERA and 16 homers allowed. Wislers 11 losses are second-most in the NL behind Philadelphias Jerad Eickhoff.I didnt pitch very well the last month and a half, so I definitely know Ive earned the demotion, Wisler said. I know theres nothing they can do about that. Its on me. So Ive got to go fight, go back down there and try to work my way back up.Garcias RBI double in the sixth off David Hernandez cut the lead to 7-4.The Phillies have won five in a row against Atlanta.TRAINERS ROOMPhillies: Altherr took OF Peter Bourjos spot on the 25-man roster. Bourjos was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right shoulder.Braves: Snitker said RHP Arodys Vizcaino, on the disabled list with a strained oblique, is playing catch but still hasnt thrown off a mound. There is no immediate timetable for the closers return.UP NEXTPhillies: RHP Vince Velasquez (8-2) has faced the Braves once, giving up six hits and four runs in a no-decision on May 12.Braves: RHP Tyrell Jenkins (0-2) struggled in his first start Sunday at Colorado, but the rookie has a 1.93 ERA in 4 2/3 innings of relief against Philadelphia. Jerseys China . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap .Y. -- Paul Byron and Matt Stajan scored as the Calgary Flames started a five-game road trip with a 2-1 overtime win over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday afternoon. http://www.cheapnfljerseyswholesale.com/ . -- Ryan Blaney provided more evidence that Penske Racings No. Clearance NFL Shop . White came in fourth place in the event. He was the two-time defending gold medallist. The gold medal went to Swiss snowboarder Iouri Podladtchikov. Cheap Authentic Jerseys . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. FRISCO, Texas -- Carlos Ruiz stabbed home Mauro Diazs flick pass in the 89th minute and FC Dallas moved to the top of the Supporters Shield table with a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Sounders on Sunday.FC Dallas (17-8-8) moved two points ahead of Colorado and eliminated the New York Red Bulls from contention with a game to go. The Sounders (13-14-6) missed a chance to clinch a playoff berth.Maximiliano Urruti tied it for Dallas in the 79th minute, smashing home a rebound from Matt Hedges close-range attempt. Nicolas Lodeiro slipped a free kick between Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz and the inside post to open the scoring for Seattle in the 41st minute.GALAXY 1, DYNAMO 0HOUSTON -- Alan Gordon scored in the 72nd minute and Los Angeles beat Houston to clinch a home game in the knockout round of the MLS Cup playoffs.The Galaxy (12-6-15) are locked into the No. 3 seed in the West a week ahead of the regular-season finale. Houston (7-14-12) remained in last place in the Western Conference.UNITED 3, NEW YORK CITY FC 1WASHINGTON -- Patrick Mullins had a goal and an assist and D.C. United clinched a third consecutive playoff appearance with the victory over New York City FC,Bobby Boswell and Rob Vincent added goals to help United (11-9-13) win its fourth straight. City (14-10-9) was eliminated from the Supporters Shield race and fell three points behind the New York Red Bulls for the top seed in the East. David Villa scored for NYCFC, his 22nd of the season.RED BULLS 3, CREW 2HARRISON, N.J. -- Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his 22nd and 23rd goals of the season to break a tie for the Golden Boot lead and New York beat Columbus.New York (15-9-9) secured a bye in the knockout round after Toronto FC tied Montreal. Columbus (8-13-12) was eliminated from playoff contention Thursday.Mike Grella also scored for New York. Adam Jahn and Harrison Afful scored for Columbus.TIMBERS 1, RAPIDS 0PORTLAND, Ore. -- Fanendo Adi scored on a penalty kick in the 35th minute in Portlands victory over Colorado.The defending MLS Cup champion Timbers (12-13-8) won their fifth straight at home and pulled even in points with Sporting Kansas City for the sixth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.dddddddddddd.Colorado (15-6-12) dropped to second in the conference standings behind Dallas.FIRE 2, REVOLUTION 1BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- David Accam scored in the 80th minute and Chicago eliminated New England from playoff contention .Chicago (7-16-10), already out of the playoff race, won for the first time since Sept. 3. New England (10-14-9) lost for the second time in its last six games.Michael de Leeuw opened the scoring in the ninth minute for Chicago, and New England tied it in the 43rd minute on Diego Fagundezs long shot.TORONTO FC, IMPACT 2, TIEMONTREAL -- Tosaint Ricketts scored in the 87th minute to give Toronto FC the tie in rainy Montreal.The Impact clinched a playoff spot, and Toronto remained in contention for one of the top two Eastern Conference placings that would give it home-field advantage and a bye into the conference semifinals.Jozy Altidore also scored for Toronto (13-9-11), which remained winless in five games (0-1-4). Ignacio Piatti scored twice for the Impact (11-10-12).SPORTING KC 0, REAL SALT LAKE 0, TIESANDY, Utah -- Nick Rimando extended his MLS record with his 129th shutout and Real Salt Lake tied Sporting Kansas City.Real Salt Lake (12-11-10) leads a group of four teams for the final three playoff spots. Sporting KC (12-13-8), Seattle and Portland are all within one or two points of RSL -- with one week to go.ORLANDO CITY 2, UNION 0CHESTER, Pa. -- Carlos Rivas and Julio Baptista scored and Orlando City beat Philadelphia, costing the Union a chance to clinch a playoff spot.With New Englands loss to Chicago on Sunday, the Union (11-13-9) needed only a tie to secure the final playoff spot. Orlando is 8-11-14.WHITECAPS 0, EARTHQUAKES 0, TIESAN JOSE, Calif. -- Paolo Tornaghi had a clean sheet in his first MLS start and Vancouver tied the San Jose in a game with no playoff implications.Both teams had already seen their postseason hopes vanish. Vancouver (9-15-9) had its winless streak extended to four games and San Jose (8-11-14) has only won once in its last 10 games. ' ' '