t least when it comes to producing touchdowns.Tennessees Josh

MIAMI -- After snapping the Kansas City Royals nine-game winning streak on Wednesday, the Miami Marlins will try to take the deciding game of the three-game series on Thursday.The Marlins (66-60) have the edge over the Royals (65-61) in terms of the series finales starting-pitching matchup.Marlins right-hander Tom Koehler (9-8, 3.82 ERA) is 3-0 with a 1.62 ERA over his last six starts. He has allowed just 26 hits while striking out 30 in that span.The Royals will counter with Edinson Volquez (9-10, 5.04 ERA). The right-hander has a bloated 7.16 ERA over his past five starts, allowing six homers and 26 runs in that span.If the Royals can be tied or ahead once the game gets to the bullpen, then they have the advantage. Kansas City relievers have pitched a franchise-record 34 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.Our bullpen is doing fine, Royals manager Ned Yost said after Kansas Citys 3-0 loss to Miami on Wednesday. They came in (on Wednesday) and held (Miami) right there, did their job.The Marlins will have a new arrival Thursday, as they acquired outfielder Jeff Francoeur on Wednesday night from the Atlanta Braves.Francoeur, 32, has 160 career homers, including seven this year in 257 at-bats. He figures to give the Marlins some right-handed power off the bench.Miami general manager Michael Hill said he was looking for help since his star right fielder, Giancarlo Stanton, went down recently with a groin injury.Once the injury to (Stanton) happened, we wanted to get a right-handed outfielder, Hill said. He wanted someone who could give us punch against left-handed pitching.As well as our team has played, we wanted to do anything we could to get us to where we want to be, which is October baseball.The Marlins will have to make a roster move Thursday to clear room for Francoeur. The player most likely to go down to the minors is infielder/outfielder Robert Andino, a recent call-up.As for the Marlins regulars, manager Don Mattingly said Wednesday that he doesnt see a huge difference between starting shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria and backup Miguel Rojas.It was a surprising comment because Hechavarria is a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop who is in the prime of his career at age 27. This is his fourth year as the Marlins starter. Hechavarria came off the bench Wednesday night to make a spectacular diving catch on a line drive by Alcides Escobar for the first out of the ninth inning.That was a great play, Escobar said. That changed the game right there in that situation. I hit that ball really well. When I saw the catch, I said, Oh!Mattingly, though, seems to favor Rojas, who is also 27 but has never been an everyday starter in the big leagues. This is his third year in the majors, and he has a .598 career on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS). Hechavarrias career OPS isnt great, either, but it is better at .634.Defensively, Hechavarria has the edge again, posting a .979 career fielding percentage to a .976 mark for Rojas.However, Mattingly seems to value Rojas versatility and ability to play any spot on the infield, including first base.Overall, Hech is our shortstop, but Im comfortable with either guy, Mattingly said.Given Mattinglys comments, it seems as if the Marlins are setting up to trade Hechavarria in the offseason, turning to the cheaper option in Rojas.Hechavarria is making $2.6 million this season and should get a raise as he is eligible for arbitration. Rojas is making only $511,000 and is not yet eligible for arbitration.Miggy is a solid player who can do different things, Mattingly said. Miggy is valuable because he can play all over the place. Hech is more suited to play one spot (shortstop).The Royals have no controversy at shortstop, where Alcides Escobar has started all 126 games this season.Escobar went 2-for-4 on Wednesday, raising his average to .261 and his OPS to .613. In his past 12 games, Escobar has six multi-hit contests, and he is batting .378 (17-for-45) overall in that span. Nike Vapormax Plus White . Boucher previously coached the Tampa Bay Lightning and had a 97-78-20 record over two-plus seasons. He was dismissed by the team last March after the Lightning struggled in the lockout-shortened season with a 13-18-1 record. Nike Vapormax Plus Black . Kiriasis and brakeman Franziska Fritz finished two runs in one minute 55.41 seconds -- a mere 0.01 seconds ahead of Meyers and Lolo Jones, who likely bolstered her Olympic hopes by helping give USA-1 a huge push in the second heat. http://www.vapormaxplus.com/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. 2018 Nike Vapor Max Plus . -- Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson asked his players a simple question during Fridays morning shootaround: How many of them had ever been on a team 14 games over . Nike Vapormax Plus Bleached Aqua . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Dwyane Wade grabbed the headlines when he signed with Chicago in the summer, but Jimmy Butler is reminding everyone that hes a force for the Bulls.The 6-foot-7 Butler has put Chicago on his shoulder the past week. The Bulls have won five of their last six games overall, and they are 3-1 on their current road trip, which continues Tuesday night in Denver against the Nuggets.Butler continued his strong play with 40 points, seven rebounds and six assists in Sundays 118-110 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center. It capped a week in which he averaged 27.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists.It earned him NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors.Overall, Butler is averaging 25.1, 6.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists this season and has blossomed with the departure of Derrick Rose as well as the addition of Wade.Hes playing with a tremendous amount of confidence, Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg told The Chicago Sun-Times. He feels like every time he steps on the floor that hes the best player out there. More often than not hes right.Butler has helped Chicago (9-5) dig out of an early hole this season to provide a challenge to the world champion Cleveland Cavaliers in the Central Division. He has taken to his expanded role and is learning from his new teammate and three-time world champion with Miami.Im talking to D-Wade before the game and hes just telling me how I have to approach the game, Butler told CBSSports.com. You go out there with a killer instinct every night. Make them adjust to you. Go out with a full head of steam and show theem why you are one of the best players on the floor.dddddddddddd Thats what I try to do every single night. If its coming from him, there has to be some truth to it.The Bulls have a chance to finish 5-1 on their road trip that wraps up in Philadelphia on Friday. First theyll have to get past the Nuggets (5-8), who have won two of their last three and are getting strong play off the bench from Wilson Chandler.Chandler, who missed all of last season following hip surgery, is averaging 22 points and eight rebounds over the last four games. The Nuggets have also started to get good production from rookie guard Jamal Murray. He had a team-high 18 points in the win over Utah on Sunday and is starting to feel more comfortable after a tough start.He just continues to grow in front of our eyes, Denver coach Michael Malone said. When he gets confident and he puts that ball up I think its going in every time he shoots it.The Nuggets are getting healthier, too. Guard Will Barton returned against the Jazz after missing nine games with a sprained left ankle. He had seven points in 19 minutes and is still feeling his way after missing so much time.I knew going in he wasnt going to be the Will Barton we love and want back because hes been out for so long, Malone said.Bartons presence will be needed against the Bulls, who rested Wade against the Lakers. The key to winning might be to stop Butler from having another great game. ' ' '