TAMPA, Fla. -- Doug Martin plowed into the end zone, kissed the ground in celebration and jogged back to the sideline sporting a big smile.The running backs return from a hamstring injury that sidelined him nearly two months meant a lot more to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers than a 16-carry, 33-yard rushing performance against the Chicago Bears suggested.Just happy to be back, Martin said after the Bucs (4-5) stopped a two-game losing streak Sunday with their first home victory in nearly a year. The fifth-year pro missed six games and most of a seventh.It was frustrating, the two-time Pro Bowler added. But I was back and ready to go.With rookie Peyton Barber gaining 38 yards on 12 attempts, Martin wasnt Tampa Bays leading rusher.But just getting him back on the field gave the Bucs an emotional lift and bolstered optimism that the team can turn its season around after a slow start.A healthy Martin rushed for 1,402 yards a year ago, second in the NFL behind Adrian Peterson. He was even more productive as a rookie in 2012, rushing for 1,454 yards and catching 49 passes for 472 to finish with 1,926 yards from scrimmage -- the third-highest total for a first-year player in league history.You just see his presence in him being out there. Guys want to fight for him, quarterback Jameis Winston said. The first snap, I said, `Guys, we have Doug back. ... Lets play football. It was pretty big.Four different running backs shared the workload while Martin was out, mostly with limited success. Charles Sims and Antone Smith were lost to season-ending injuries during the layoff, and early season pickup Jacquizz Rodgers has been inactive the past two games with a sore foot after topping 100 yards twice in three starts.Martin returned to practice last week and said he felt fine after the game.He averaged just 2.1 yards per carry, but exited on a high note after scoring his first touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run in the closing minutes. He had not scored since Dec. 27, also against the Bears.There were some points in the game where I felt like I got my old legs back, and theyll come back with more practice, Martin said. I just did a little scout team (last) week and, practicing more, Ill be just fine.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Swell Bottle Nz . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. sWell Bottle Stockists . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. http://www.swellbottlesnz.com/swell-bottle-marble-nz-sale.html . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Swell Bottle Nz Liberty . Defenceman Yannick Weber scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and the Canucks breathed a sigh of relief with a 2-1 win on Saturday night. Buy Swell Bottles Nz . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. MIAMI -- Helped by a couple of small victories against Giancarlo Stanton, Steven Matz earned a big win for the New York Mets.Matz pitched six innings Sunday for his first win since May, twice escaping trouble by getting Stanton to ground out with a runner in scoring position, and the Mets took the rubber game of their series against Miami, 3-0.It was good to go out there and put up zeroes and get a win, Matz said.The Mets won two of three games in the series and returned home trailing second-place Miami by half a game in the NL East.This was crunch time for us, manager Terry Collins said. We couldnt lose any more ground. This was a good series for us to win.Matz (8-6) allowed four hits, walked two and struck out six. Pitching despite a bone spur in his elbow, he had been 0-5 in his past nine starts with an ERA of 4.73.He retired the Marlins in order only once, but twice ended threats by retiring Stanton, who has six homers against the Mets this month.It was just not giving in, not giving him that good pitch that he can hit, Matz said.Matz had help in the first inning from an unlikely source. Michael Conforto, starting in center field for the first time as a professional, sprinted to left and made a diving catch and rob leadoff hitter Miguel Rojas.Conforto also went 2 for 2 before being replaced in the seventh. Collins breathed a sigh of relief that the experiment started well.Hes here because he can hit, Collins said. If we dont play him in center field, we have no place to play him. Were not going to find out if he can play center until we get him out there.Jose Reyes drove in the first run with a two-out RBI triple in the third inning. Reyes, who joined the Mets this month, had five hits in the series to raise his average to .242.This guy is going to help us, Collins said. When he gets 150 at-bats, you are going to see a dynamic leadoff hitter.Yoenis Cespedes and James Loney contributed consecutive RBI singles in the eighth.Miami drew consolation from an encouraging start by Jose Urena (1-2), who allowed only one run in six innings.dddddddddddd It was the right-handers second start this season after being recalled from Triple-A, and he could become a fixture in the Marlins thin rotation.They lost a starter when left-hander Wei-Yin Chen went on the 15-day disabled list because of a sprained elbow. The move was announced after the game.We dont feel like its anything crazy, but we also want to be cautious, manager Don Mattingly said.Matz, who beat Miami for the first time in four career starts, helped the Mets notch their ninth shutout this year. He retired the side in order only once but didnt allow any extra-base hits.Thats probably the best Ive seen him, Mattingly said.His fastball had late life, Collins said. He had a lot of swings and misses on his fastball. His changeup and curve ball he threw for strikes.Three relievers completed a five-hitter, and Jeurys Familiar pitched a perfect ninth to earn his 51st consecutive save, tied for the third-longest in major league history. He has 35 saves this year, most in the majors.A wild pitch on a strikeout helped the Mets in the eighth, when Alejandro De Aza reached that way to lead off. New York went on to score twice in the inning and won with just six hits.SUZUKI UPDATEThe Marlins Ichiro Suzuki, who didnt start in the series, struck out as a pinch hitter in the seventh and remained four hits shy of 3,000.UP NEXTMets: They begin a nine-game homestand Monday, when RHP Noah Syndergaard (9-4, 2.43) is scheduled to pitch against Cardinals RHP Carlos Martinez (9-6, 2.83). The Marlins start a three-game series Monday against the Phillies.Miami: RHP Jarred Cosart will be recalled from New Orleans to start Monday in place of Chen against the Philadelphia Phillies and RHP Jeremy Hellickson (7-7, 3.84). ' ' '
