News » Andrew Luck started Sunday by carving up

Jacksonville’s staunch defense.He finished it by playing the eager spectator.After throwing three first-half touchdown passes and picking up only two first downs in the second half Zach Gentry Jersey , he celebrated when the Indianapolis Colts‘ defense delivered the decisive turnover with 90 seconds left to preserve a 29-26 victory over the Jaguars.Article continues below ...“We played well enough in the first half to put some points on the board,” Luck said. “Then we survived.”Barely survived, that is.Trailing by three, Jacksonville quickly marched from its 42-yard line into field goal range, and when Rashad Greene Sr. went down at the Colts’ 23, it looked like the Jaguars were already set up for at least a tying field goal. Initially, Greene was ruled down before the ball squirted out.But just before the Jags (3-6) ran the next play, the whistles blew for a booth review. A few minutes later, the call was overturned, giving the ball and the game to the Colts, who have won three straight for the first time in three years.“I thought we got the play off, but obviously, we didn’t,” Jags coach Doug Marrone said before elaborating later. “Personally, I thought it wasn’t a fumble. But I see what everybody sees from the sideline.”Last year’s AFC runner-ups were a popular preseason pick to dethrone New England. Instead Chris Lindstrom Jersey , the Jags have lost five straight, six of seven and are last in the division.And they don’t get more painful than this.Jacksonville had an extra point blocked and nearly returned for a 2-point conversion in the first half.Two 15-yard penalties helped Indy score its fourth touchdown, a 1-yard pass from Luck to Mo Alie-Cox late in the second quarter. An offside call on the ensuing extra point prompted coach Frank Reich to go for two, which Marlon Mack punched it in to make it 29-13.Jacksonville kicker Josh Lambo missed his first field goal of the season, a 52-yarder, wide left in the third quarter but then made a 55-yarder to cut the deficit to three with 4:03 left.Finally, Kenny Moore III sealed the Jags’ fate by ripping the ball away from Greene just before his leg went down and Malik Hooker scooped it up.“Offensively we’re looking to improve, put that thing away,” Reich said. “But make no mistake about it: This was a huge win for us.”Luck started fast, hooking up with Eric Ebron on a 53-yard TD pass seven plays into the game.After Donte Moncrief tied it on an 80-yard scoring play, Ebron answered with a 2-yard TD run to make it 14-7. Luck connected with Ebron again on a 12-yard TD pass, giving the tight end a career-high third score with 9:19 left in the first half.Luck finished 21 of 29 with 285 yards, one interception and was not sacked. He has three TD passes or more in six straight games, one of three QBs to do so in a single season. His company: Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.Blake Bortles was 26 of 38 with 320 yards and two TD passes while Leonard Fournette had 53 yards rushing, 56 yards receiving and his first two scores of the season — one on the ground http://www.falconscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-kaleb-mcgary-jersey , one through the air.It just wasn’t enough.“It’s a good defense, a lot of respect for that defense,” Luck said. “We certainly weren’t sharp enough.”INJURY REPORTJaguars: Center Brandon Linder and offensive tackle Ereck Flowers both left in the third quarter with knee injuries.Colts: Defensive end Carroll Phillips left in the first half with an injured groin. Defensive tackle Grover Stewart left with an injured ankle in the fourth quarter. Neither returned.AUTOMATIC ADAMThe Colts honored the NFL’s new career scoring leader, Adam Vinatieri, before the game with a brief highlight film and the distinction of being the last starter introduced to the crowd, which roared.Vinatieri responded by waving to the crowd and slapping hands with some fans on the field. Then he added three more points to his record-breaking total (2,553) before missing a 52-yard attempt wide right with 2:58 left in the game.He also tied George Blanda for the most regular-season wins in league history (209).STAT PACKJaguars: Fournette had 29 touches, 24 carries and five receptions, in his third game this season. … Punter Logan Cooke completed a 4-yard pass on a fake field goal, which kept the Jags’ 17-play drive alive to open the second half. The drive ended with Fournette’s 1-yard TD catch.Colts: Ebron finished with three catches for 69 yards. He is the second tight end with two receiving and one rushing TD in a single game in NFL history, matching Rob Gronkowki, who did it against Indy in 2011. … Jack Doyle and Alie-Cox, Indy’s other two tight ends, combined for five catches and 64 yards. … Rookie Jordan Wilkins broke free for Indy’s longest run of the season (53 yards) in the first half.UP NEXTJaguars: Jacksonville can snap its losing streak next Sunday when it hosts Pittsburgh.Colts: Could get back into the AFC South race by beating Tennessee at home next Sunday. In their first road test against baseball’s top team, the upstart Seattle Mariners were no match for the Yankees‘ pitching and power.

Domingo German tossed two-hit ball over a career-high seven innings and Giancarlo Stanton hit one of New York’s four home runs Tuesday night in a 7-2 victory against the Mariners.

”A lot of fun Kendall Sheffield Jersey ,” Stanton said. ”We were clicking on all cylinders.”

Miguel Andujar and Aaron Hicks each belted a two-run shot off Marco Gonzales in the fifth. Hicks homered for the third straight day and finished with three hits from the leadoff spot as the Yankees (48-22) moved a season-best 26 games above .500.

Coming off a four-hit game, Stanton sent a solo drive to straightaway center field in the first. Aaron Judge had an RBI single in the seventh, and rookie phenom Gleyber Torres added his 14th home run in the eighth.

The first two batters reached against German (2-4) on a double and an error. The rookie right-hander then retired 19 in a row until Nelson Cruz homered in the seventh.

”Dominating, man. Just pounding the zone, blowing it by guys and just showing what he can do,” Stanton said.

After beating Tampa Bay for his first major league win last week, German was impressive once again. Featuring a sharp breaking ball, he struck out nine and walked none while throwing 67 of 96 pitches for strikes.

”I even kicked around sending him back out there for the eighth because he was just so efficient,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. ”He’s really talented.”

German has 28 strikeouts in his last three starts, a span of 19 innings.

”He was throwing everything. Changeup, curveball – he was commanding everything,” Cruz said. ”He kept us off balance. It seems like we were late with fastballs, early with breaking pitches. It was his day.”

A.J. Cole worked two perfect innings to complete a crisp game that took just 2 hours, 28 minutes. New York has won 15 of 19 overall.

One of baseball’s biggest surprises so far, the Mariners (46-27) lost for only the eighth time in 30 games as they opened a 10-game trip to the East Coast that could serve as an early summer measuring stick. Three games at Yankee Stadium will be followed by three in Boston – the top two teams in the majors.

”We’re going to play our game. Things didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to http://www.falconscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-john-cominsky-jersey ,” Cruz said. ”We’ll come back positive tomorrow and try to make things better.”

Gonzales (7-4) entered 4-0 with 1.41 ERA in his past six starts but wasn’t up to the task in his first career outing against the Yankees. The left-hander gave up eight hits and a career-high six runs over 6 1/3 innings in his first loss since May 12 at Detroit.

”They’re a good hitting team. I think they had the right game plan tonight. Just sitting off speed, kind of out front,” Gonzales said. ”They got me early in the count and I think kudos to them on their approach.”

The three home runs off Gonzales matched a career high and raised his season total to nine.

”It’s a short porch. It’s a boom box in here,” he said. ”I am going to learn from it and get better. What an experience for me. … I think I was very excited and obviously living out a childhood dream of being able to pitch here.”

STATS AND SUCH

New York improved to a major league-best 27-11 at home – and 17-5 against left-handed starters this season. … Yankees pitchers have a 1.97 ERA in 17 games this month, best in the majors. … New York has won eight of its last 10 vs. the Mariners and is 17-6 against them since June 10, 2014. … New York leads the majors with 118 homers. … Yankees SS Didi Gregorius played in his 700th career game, passing Hall of Fame pitcher Bert Blyleven for the most by anyone born in the Netherlands.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mariners: RHP Nick Vincent (strained right groin) threw 14 pitches in a scoreless inning Monday for Double-A Arkansas. He is expected to make one more rehab appearance Wednesday with Arkansas before rejoining the Mariners in Boston.

Yankees: OF Brett Gardner (swollen right knee) could return to the lineup Wednesday, Boone said. … Torres slept funny on his shoulder a few nights ago but said he’s fine. Boone would like to get the second baseman a day off soon regardless.

UP NEXT

Mariners: RHP Felix Hernandez (6-6, 5.44 ERA) pitches the middle game of the series Wednesday night. King Felix is 7-2 with a 2.00 ERA over 11 career starts in the Bronx, including 6-1 with a 1.41 ERA in nine outings at the current Yankee Stadium. The six-time All-Star and 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner is 10-7 with a 3.04 ERA and four complete games in 21 starts against New York overall.

Yankees: RHP Jonathan Loaisiga (1-0) gets the ball again after coming up from Double-A Trenton and throwing five shutout innings to win his big league debut vs. Tampa Bay last Friday. With ace Luis Severino (10-2) set to face James Paxton (6-1) in a marquee matchup Thursday afternoon, the Yankees are scheduled to start only pitchers 25 or younger during an entire series of at least three games for the first time since September 2006 in Toronto.

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