Some things you need to know about Texans and Texas teams involved in sports: • • • • • • • 1. Altuve gets two hits to win first batting title in Houston history< Houstons Jose Altuve went 2-for-4 with a ground-rule double and a run-scoring infield single, ending the season with 225 hits and a .341 average -- both best in the majors. ... Altuve had to talk his way into the lineup in the Astros 8-3 loss to the New York Mets. Initially benched by the Astros in an attempt to protect his lead in the batting race, Altuve reiterated his desire to play and the team relented, revealing he was added to the starting lineup in a Twitter post about 35 minutes before the first pitch. ... He wanted to play, he didnt want to play, he wanted to play, so we played him, interim manager Tom Lawless said. We decided to make the change and play him and whatever happened, happened. And it happened that with his two hits, he became the batting champion. It was a moot point what happened before. Altuve would have won the batting title had he not played, because Martinez went 0-for-3 and finished at .335, but it was gratifying for Altuve to get two hits on the seasons final day. This is way better just sitting on the bench and waiting for something, Altuve said. ... Houston (70-92) improved by 19 wins over last year, the second-best turnaround in the majors behind the Los Angeles Angels. Altuve became the first batting champion in Houston baseball history. ... That means a lot, Altuve said. Thats something Ive been working for, and Im trying to help my team every day. And to win a batting title and being the first one in franchise history is pretty exciting to me. ... Altuve finished the season by leading the Major Leagues with 225 hits -- smashing Craig Biggios franchise record -- and a .341 batting average, to go along with 47 doubles, 59 RBIs and 56 stolen bases, which led the AL. He led the majors in average, multihit games and three-hit games. ... Its awesome, teammate Dexter Fowler said. You see the guy and how hard he works and you see it paying off. After the game, Astros teammates, coaches and staff gave Altuve a champagne toast in the clubhouse. ... • • • • • • • 2.Cowboys dominate; Saints sent marching without winning< The Saints were sent marching back to New Orleans after the Cowboys won the battles on both sides of the ball to take a 38-17 victory -- their third in four outings this year. ... Tony Romo threw three touchdowns passes -- two to Terrance Williams (Dallas White HS and Baylor) -- and DeMarco Murray ran for a pair of scores in another 100-yard game in Dallas win before a Sunday night television audience. ... The Cowboys kept Drew Brees (Austin Westlake HS and Purdue) and the Saints scoreless in the first half after giving up an NFL-record 40 first downs in a 49-17 blowout loss in New Orleans last year. Brees led two scoring drives early in the fourth quarter to cut a 31-3 deficit in half before the Cowboys regained control. ... Dallas reached 3-1 for the first time under coach Jason Garrett after also starting 2-1 the three previous seasons. The Cowboys are tied with Philadelphia for the NFC East lead. The Cowboys had 445 yards against former Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who directed the scheme that led to one of the franchises worst offensive performances in years last season, about 10 months after they fired him. ... Romo was 22 of 29 for 262 yards without an interception. He finished an 80-yard drive to open the game with a six-yard pass to a leaping Williams in the end zone and found him again for 23 yards to put Dallas up 24-0 with 19 seconds left in the first half. ... The 34-year-old quarterback coming off back surgery scrambled for 21 yards on third down a play before Murray broke free in the secondary and fell across the goal line on a 28-yard run for a 31-3 lead in the third quarter. Dez Bryant (Lufkin HS an Oklahoma State) had a 18-yard scoring catch late in the fourth quarter to secure the second win for Dallas in the past 10 games against New Orleans. ... Murrays first touchdown, a 15-yard run virtually untouched around right end, was set up when Bruce Carter tipped Brees pass and Justin Durant intercepted it at the New Orleans 39. The NFLs leading rusher joined Emmitt Smith as the only Dallas running backs with 100 yards in the first four games of a season, and he didnt fumble in the first quarter for the first time this season. He had 149 yards. Ive always had confidence in myself and my ability and the guys I run behind, Murray said. ... Brees had 256 of his 340 yards passing after halftime, throwing for touchdowns of 12 yards to Josh Hill and 13 yards to Jimmy Graham to get the Saints to 31-17 early in the fourth quarter. The Saints had a chance to get closer, but a drive stalled and punter Thomas Morstead was tackled for a 2-yard loss while trying to throw a pass on a fake punt. ... • • • • • • • 3. Watt finds new way to score in 27-13 Texans win< It was another J.J. Watt touchdown, another win for the Houston Texans -- 23-17 winners over the Buffalo Bills. ... Houston (3-1) was down by three in the third quarter and Ryan Fitzpatrick had just thrown a second interception when the 6-foot-5, 289-pound Watt returned an interception 80 yards to give Houston a 14-10 advantage. ... The defensive end caught a touchdown pass in Week 2, giving him more TDs this year than Arian Foster and Andre Johnson combined. ... Fitzpatrick had a tough day against his former team, throwing for 268 yards with two interceptions. He put together one nice drive just before halftime capped by a 35-yard touchdown reception by DeAndre Hopkins that cut the lead to 10-7. ... Randy Bullock (Houston Klein HS and Texas A&M) had a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter and added field goals of 55 and 50 yards in the fourth. ... Watt added a bit of swagger when he high-stepped and waved one hand in the air as he crossed the goal line, igniting the home crowd. Watt said his goal was to be underpaid when he signed a six-year, $100 million contract earlier this month, and so far he hasnt disappointed. ... Hes the second player since the merger in 1970 to have an interception return for a touchdown and a touchdown catch in the same season and the first since Houston assistant coach Mike Vrabel did it in 2005 for New England. ... Fred Jackson (Arlington Lamar HS and Coe College) caught six passes for 52 yards for Buffalo. Jackson, 33, also carried seven times for 33 yards. ... • • • • • • • 4. Oakland wins; Dunns playoff quest is done< The Oakland Athletics had to wait until the last day of the regular season to finally clinch their third consecutive playoff berth, ending Adam Dunns (New Caney HS) wait to make the postseason last 2,001 games over 14 seasons. ... Its what you work for your whole career, said Dunn, who was traded to Oakland from the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 31. I dont know how fair it is that I get to enjoy kind of the fruit of their labor, but beggars cant be choosers. ... Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 4-0 Sunday to clinch the American Leagues second wild card. The As play the win-or-go-home wild-card game Tuesday night at Kansas City. The Royals won five of the seven games in the season series against Oakland (88-74). ... Dunn got doused repeatedly during the celebration, and at one point dived onto the already-soaked floor after encouraging shouts from his teammates, who then showered him again. I played scenarios of this day out in my head probably a thousand times, Dunn said. I just want to celebrate with this team. ... Nick Martinez (5-12) finished his rookie season allowing two runs and four hits over 5 2-3 innings. He struck out two without a walk. Oakland lost five of seven down the stretch to the Rangers, who finished 67-95 overall for their most losses since 99 in 1985. But they were 14-8 under interim manager Tim Bogar after Ron Washington resigned Sept. 5 for personal reasons. ... We played some really good teams down the stretch and we were pretty competitive and thats all I can ask out of my club, Bogar said. If you ask Oakland, I think theyll understand that they had to beat a pretty good team. ... For the first time in five seasons, the Rangers are done after 162 games. Next is the offseason, when the first order of business will be to determine if Bogar will be their manager next season. Texas used the disabled list 26 times this season for 21 different players who missed a combined 2,011 games. Among the players on the 60-day disabled list that will have to be added back to the 40-man roster are Prince Fielder, Yu Darvish and Shin-Soo Choo. ... • • • • • • • 5. Jeters final hit makes Buchholz a trivia answer< Clay Buchholz (Lumberton HS and Angelina College) earned a spot in baseball trivia after yielding the final career hit to Derek Jeter -- an RBI single -- in the Yankees 9-5 win over the Red Sox. Jeter hugged Buchholz and then stopped in front of the Yankees dugout to tip his helmet to the crowd. Buchholz waited behind the mound to give the cheers a chance to subside. ... David Murphy (Houston Klein HS and Baylor) hit a home run as the Indians took a 7-2 win over Tampa Bay. ... Zach Britton (Weatherford HS) got his 37th save as the Orioles beat Blue Jays 1-0. ... Former Ranger Ian Kinsler homered in the Tigers 3-0 victory over Minnesota, giving them the AL Central championship ... • • • • • • • 6. Tannehill has jolly time as Dolphins win 38-14< Ryan Tannehill (Big Spring HS and Texas A&M) completed 23 of 31 passes for 278 yards and two TDs as Miami (2-2) beat Oakland 38-14 at Londons Wembley Stadium. ... Sundays matchup was the first of three NFL games at Wembley this season. The Lions will face the Falcons on Oct. 26, and the Cowboys will play the Jaguars on Nov. 9. ... Andrew Luck (Houston Stratford HS and Stanford) threw for a season high 393 yards and four TDs as Indianapolis rolled past Tennessee 41-17. ... Phil Dawson (Lake Highlands HS and UT) kicked four field goals n two extra points for the 49ers in their 26-21 win over the Eagles. ... Martellus Bennett (Alief Taylor HS and Texas A&M) caught nine passes Sunday for 134 yards for the Bears in a 38-17 loss to the Packers. ... Matthew Stafford (Dallas Highland Park HS and Georgia) hit 24 of 34 passes for 293 yards and two TDs and ran for another score as the Lions beat the Jets 24-17. ... Suspended Cowboys DT Josh Brent will rejoin the team Monday at Valley Ranch earlier than expected, owner Jerry Jones said after Dallas win over New Orleans. Brent and the NFL have agreed to modify the terms of his suspension. He will still miss the first 10 games of the season. Jones said Brent will be allowed to work out at the facility and take part in team meetings two weeks earlier than the original conditions. ... • • • • • • • 7. TCU now ranked 25th in AP grid poll< TCU climbed into The Associated Press football poll at 25th place while Texas A&M and Baylor held sixth and seventh place in the rankings. ... • • • • • • • 8. FYI: This blog features Texas teams and athletes with Texas connections. It is compiled by retired newspaper journalist Bob Sonderegger (anglebob61@yahoo) who covered most of the teams mentioned. Your comments or additions are welcome.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 19:47:45 +0000
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