y were so bad so fast in this one that it was hard to tell if the effort

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Alex Cobb pitched, Ben Zobrist hit and the Tampa Bay Rays won again. Tuesday nights 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers was the Rays 11th in 12 games and it moved them within one game of .500 (53-54) for the first time since April 23. "This is the team we are," said Zobrist, who drove in the Rays first two runs with a home run and a double. "We knew that this is the team we could be in spring training. It just took a long time for it to show up. "From here on out, I dont think were ever going to return to the way we were playing before June 11." Since that date the Rays are 29-12, the best record in the majors over that span. Cobb struck out 12 in eight innings and won his third straight start, attaining a winning record (7-6) for the first time this season. "I wish it would have happened sooner, but when you go into a rut you learn a lot about yourself mechanically," he said. "But it does feel like Im starting to get in the groove again. Right now everybodys clicking and itll make for a nice run." With the Brewers up 1-0 in the sixth, Zobrist hit his ninth homer, the only run off Milwaukee starter Matt Garza. Zobrists double in the eighth off reliever Will Smith (1-3) put the Rays ahead for the first time. Pinch-hitter Logan Forsythe followed with another RBI double and the Rays broke it open with a four-run inning. Garza, who pitched for the Rays for three seasons, gave up five hits and two walks in seven innings, striking out two. "I knew runs were going to be at a minimum," he said. "We lost to a team thats really, really hot right now. You make a mistake and they make you pay for it." Cobb, who is 5-0 in his last six starts, gave up only three hits and two walks before Grant Balfour finished it for Tampa Bay. "Were playing for the World Series," declared Rays manager Joe Maddon. "Thats our objective from Day One, to get to the playoffs and World Series. That has not changed. Im telling you our record is not reflecting it yet, but if we keep playing like this it soon shall." The Brewers, who have lost four of five, have scored two runs and had 12 hits in their last three games while striking out 30 times. Scooter Gennett drove in Milwaukees run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth after a leadoff single by Aramis Ramirez. TRAINERS ROOM Brewers: The team expects to make a decision soon about the roster status of reliever Jim Henderson, who pitched in a rehab game late Tuesday. Rays: Outfielder Wil Myers (broken right wrist) plans to take batting practice Saturday. Catcher Ryan Hanigan (strained left oblique) is sore after two days of batting practice and is expected to remain out until next week. ON DECK Brewers: Right-hander Yovani Gallardo (5-5) makes his first start against Tampa Bay Wednesday. Rays: Left-hander David Price (11-7) looks to win his seventh consecutive start Wednesday. STRANGE TIME TO GET TOSSED Rays shortstop Yunel Escobar was ejected by umpire Bob Davidson during the Rays eighth-inning rally for arguing a called strike with the bases loaded. It was the third time Escobar has been ejected this season and the second time in a week. Clearance Air Jordan . -- The Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets will forever be tied together for making the same spectacular misjudgment on budding NBA sensation Jeremy Lin. Discount Air Jordan . Bjoergen pulled away from Swedens Charlotte Kalla on the final straight to win in 38 minutes, 33.6 seconds and defend her title from the 2010 Vancouver Games. Kalla was 1.8 seconds back. Heidi Weng of Norway took bronze. https://www.fakejordanwholesale.com/ .C. - Blair Jones scored the eventual winner in the third period as the Abbotsford Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Oil Barons 3-2 in American Hockey League action on Friday. Cheap Jordan From China . The first of the three games will be played in Week 4, when the Oakland Raiders will take on the Miami Dolphins on Sept. Wholesale Jordans From China . - The Baltimore Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta reached agreement on a five-year contract Friday. NEW YORK -- J.R. Smith left Anthony Bennett standing still and Tristan Thompson on his backside. The New York Knicks didnt just beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, they embarrassed them. Carmelo Anthony and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. each scored 29 points, Smith had 19, and the Knicks won 117-86 Thursday night for their fourth straight victory. The Knicks wrapped up a 10-6 January after going just 9-21 through the end of December. They have rebounded from losing the first three games on their franchise record-tying, eight-game homestand and can finish it with a winning record if they beat Miami on Saturday night. "It is starting to feel a lot better here on our home court to win basketball games," Anthony said. "Were just trying to keep it going." Anthony scored 18 in the first quarter, only two off his total from his franchise-record, 62-point game Friday night. But he sat nearly half of the second quarter to fall well off the pace, as he had 37 points at halftime that night. He still scored enough to become the 50th player in NBA history to surpass 19,000 points. Hardaway had a career high in points and tied the Knicks rookie record with six 3-pointers. "I knew that if I could shoot the ball very, very well at the next level, then I should be able to help the team out," he said. But the dazzling plays were provided by Smith, who had to keep himself from laughing when he crossed over Thompson so bad that the forward fell down as Smith was making a jumper. Smith was starting for Iman Shumpert, who was out with a sprained right shoulder. The Knicks were also missing Andrea Bargnani (left elbow ligament), Kenyon Martin (sprained left ankle) and Amare Stoudemire (sprained left ankle), who are all starters or key reserves. Even without them, they cruised to their third easy victory during their winning streak. "These are the bright spots you want to have, especially playing at home," Smith said. "Youve got your teammates on the bench going crazy, guys on the court are excited and love to play the game and theres nothing better than that." Kyrie Irving scored 24 points for the Cavs on a day in which his long-term commitment to Cleveland was again questioned. "Theres just so much negative attention.ddddddddddddI mean I know were struggling, but I mean its just not about me. Its about our team," Irving said. Bennett, the No. 1 overall pick, was coming off a season-best 15 points in his last outing. But this one was another of the forgettable performances that have made up his season: four points on 1-of-6 shooting. He came in a little more than 4 minutes into the game, and the Knicks immediately began attacking him. Smith had the ball in the corner and blew by him along the baseline before pulling the ball down while in the air and then pulling it back up before slamming it in. Anthony had the ball near the free throw line on the next possession, easily went by the rookie and laid it in to make it 26-9. The Knicks doubled the Cavs up at 58-29 when Anthony made two free throws with 4:23 remaining in the half, and New York led 60-36 at halftime. The Cavaliers have lost three straight and five of six. General manager Chris Grant said Wednesday that the Cavs "lack of effort is just not acceptable," but they were so bad so fast in this one that it was hard to tell if the effort was any better. But the bigger concern for Cavs fans may have come earlier in the day, when an ESPN.com writer wrote that Irving, the 2011 No. 1 pick, was already telling people privately that he wanted out of Cleveland. He said it was too early to say if he would sign an extension this summer, but said he enjoyed playing for the Cavaliers. "Im still in my rookie contract and Im happy to be here and Im pretty sure that Im going to be here for a long time," Irving said. "Im not saying anything to foretell the future, but Im pretty sure the relationship I have with (owner) Dan Gilbert and management extends off the court and I enjoy being here." Dion Waiters had 21 points for the Cavs, who played without Anderson Varejao (bruised left knee) and allowed the Knicks to shoot 57 per cent from the field. NOTES: The crowd included Denver Broncos defensive back Champ Bailey and NBA Commissioner David Stern, who is retiring Saturday. The Knicks honoured Stern with a video narrated by former Knicks star Bill Bradley, a member of both of New Yorks championship teams. ' ' '