News » Choos fourth homer was an opposite-field shot to left-cen

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- The Chicago Bulls didnt get a great night from their starters Wednesday. Their backups made sure they didnt need one. Reserves D.J. Augustin and Taj Gibson combined for 48 points on 18-of-30 shooting as the Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 105-94 for their fifth win in six games. The Bulls only led by one point going into the fourth, but Augustin and Gibson had 20 of Chicagos 34 in the fourth. "A lot of guys are stepping up on this team right now," Gibson said. "Everyone is working hard and helping in whatever way we need. The guys are just focused on the team right now." Both coaches went with seven-man rotations for most of the game, but Chicagos duo completely outmatched Rodney Stuckey and Will Bynum. They finished with 12 points on 5-of-20 shooting, including a 1-for-11 night from Bynum. "Will played his heart out, just like he always does," Pistons coach John Loyer said. "He gives us everything hes got every night, but there are going to be some games where the ball just rolls off the rim. Theyve got two very good players coming off the bench -- Gibson has done that all year for them and Augustin has been like that since he got to Chicago." Joakim Noah finished with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for his sixth career triple-double, including two in the last three games and three in the last month, while Jimmy Butler had 18 points and 12 rebounds. "Jos our leader, and a triple-double is nothing to him," Butler said. "We are starting to expect that from him. He does so many things well that it makes it easier for the rest of us." Greg Monroe led Detroit with 27 points, but the Pistons struggled all night to get anything going from the outside. They took 34 shots from outside the paint, and only hit nine (26.5 per cent), including 2-of-11 on 3-pointers. In contrast, the Bulls hit 46.7 per cent from outside. "They hit shots, especially in the fourth quarter, and they picked up their intensity on defence," Loyer said. "We didnt match that, and when you do that against a playoff team, you arent going to win many games." Detroit led for most of the second quarter, but appeared to get rattled by an officials decision. Smith was driving for a layup that would have made it 43-34, but the shot was blocked by Mike Dunleavy. Smith didnt get back on defence, staying near the basket to argue the call, and Jimmy Butler got an easy alley-oop dunk at the other end. Smith was then called for a technical, and Augustin hit the free throw to make it a four-point game. Chicago scored the next four points to tie the game, and a technical called on Loyer with 3.7 seconds left in the half helped the Bulls take a 52-47 lead at the intermission. The Pistons narrowed the gap to 71-70 in the third quarter, but Augustin and Gibson kept scoring off the bench to help Chicago stay in front. Augustins three-point play early in the fourth keyed an 11-2 run to start the period, putting the Bulls up by 10. "We talk about how we want to finish games, and we were real strong coming out for the fourth," Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau said. "Our defence was strong, and our ball movement was good. Hitting the open guy makes a big difference." Augustin wasnt finished, either. His 3-pointer gave the Bulls a 15-point lead with six minutes to go, and the Pistons never threatened down the stretch. "They just outplayed us in the fourth quarter," Andre Drummond said. "They are a very disciplined team that prides itself on defence. We hung with them for three quarters, but they ran their offence in the fourth quarter and outexecuted us." NOTES: Loyers technical at the end of the first was called in a highly unusual manner. Loyer was discussing a call with official Olandis Poole, who showed no indication of calling anything, but John Goble rang him up from 30 feet away. ... Gibson and Brandon Jennings picked up technicals arguing calls in the second half. Gibson left the game with 3:39 to play after rolling his right ankle, but returned moments later. ... IndyCar champion Scott Dixon was honoured during the first half as part of a promotion for the Detroit Grand Prix. Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool Jersey . Defenceman Tessa Bonhomme was among three players released from the team Tuesday morning along with defenceman Brigette Lacquette of Waterhen, Man. Nathaniel Phillips Liverpool Jersey .Y. -- Cory Schneider has to make the most of his opportunities to guard the New Jersey Devils net to earn more playing time. http://www.footballliverpoolstore.com/Women-Dejan-Lovren-Liverpool-Jersey/ . - The New England Patriots needed help on defence so they added three experienced players at midseason. Sadio Mane Liverpool Jersey . - Carter Verhaeghe scored the winner with 41 seconds to go as the Niagara IceDogs edged the North Bay Battalion 3-2 to even their first-round series at a game apiece in Ontario Hockey League playoff action on Sunday. Joe Gomez Liverpool Jersey . The 49ers announced the deal Tuesday. San Francisco selected Lloyd in the fourth round of the 2003 draft.ARLINGTON, Texas -- A.J. Pierzynski and Mike Napoli had run-producing hits in the first inning against their former team and the Boston Red Sox got above .500 for the first time since three games into the season with a series-clinching 5-2 victory at Texas on Sunday. Napoli put the Red Sox ahead to stay with an RBI double, two batters before Pierzynskis two-run single. Both went to Boston as free agents after being in Texas -- Pierzynski was the Rangers primary catcher last season, and Napoli was there the previous two years. John Lackey (5-2) struck out nine while allowing two runs over seven innings. The big right-hander threw 75 of 105 pitches for strikes without any walks. Rangers lefty Robbie Ross (1-4) made it through 6 2-3 innings and a career-high 112 pitches, settling down after being down 4-0 after two innings. Koji Uehara, who also went from Texas to Boston in 2013, worked a perfect ninth for his ninth save straight save. The Red Sox (19-18) won the last two games in the series after being held to one hit by Yu Darvish Friday night. They have won six of their last eight games, and have a winning record for the first time since winning two of three in the season-opening series at Baltimore. Shin-Soo Choo homered for the Rangers, who have lost 10 of 14 overall and dropped seven of their last nine home games. Dustin Pedroias two-out solo homer in the seventh chased Ross, and was the first Red Sox hit since Jonny Gomes one-out single in the third. Ross faced the minimum 13 batters between that, with only one runner reaching on an error being wiped out on a double play grounder.dddddddddddd. It was the second homer for Pedroia, who led off the game with a double before Napoli drove him home. Lackey, a Texas native, made his 20th road start against the Rangers, surpassing Seattles Felix Hernandez for the most. Lackey is 14-15 overall with a 5.71 ERA in his career against Texas -- those are his most losses and highest ERA against any AL team. Choos fourth homer was an opposite-field shot to left-centre in the fourth to make it 4-1. Mitch Moreland had an RBI double in the seventh before Lackey struck out his final two batters with two runners on base. Notes: Boston is 10-4 against left-handed starters. ... This is the earliest Boston and Texas have completed a season series, which the Red Sox won 4-2. The Rangers had won the series each of the previous five seasons. .... Texas is 31-18 vs. Boston since 2009, still the best record by any Red Sox opponent in that span. ... Red Sox 3B Will Middlebrooks was scratched with soreness in his right hand after being hit by a pitch Saturday night. The Red Sox said it was a precautionary move and expect him to be available for their next game Tuesday. ... Napoli has reached base in 31 consecutive games. ... Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre, shifted toward shortstop, made a back-handed scoop catch after running a long way for David Ortizs popup near the foul line to end the second. ... Boston is off Monday, its third of four scheduled off days in a 22-day span. ' ' '