.MINOR HONORSFirst baseman/outfielder Josh Bell is the Pirates m

Yorkshire 282 and 200 for 4 (Ballance 75*) lead Nottinghamshire 94 (Bresnan 3-15, Sidebottom 3-21, Brooks 3-41) by 388 runsScorecard The second day of this match was probably not one on which any Yorkshire supporter was well-advised to stay at home and cut his hedge. On the other hand, it may have been wise for Nottinghamshire loyalists in Scarborough to turn off their phones and head instead for the Howardian Hills.Unless more rains falls than is forecast, Chris Reads team will need to bat for around 150 overs to save a game they actually need to win. Wednesdays evidence suggests they are ill-equipped to get halfway towards this objective.Nottinghamshires decline on a day containing one collapse and the odd longueur gathered pace at 11.20 when Ryan Sidebottom ran in to bowl from the Peasholm Park End. Unkempt locks flopping in the breeze, the Yorkshire bowler looked uncommonly like a 17th century Puritan, an Anabaptist perhaps. It had already been a productive session for Sidebottom, who had dismissed Michael Lumb in his second over when the batsman groped at an away-swinger and edged a catch to Andy Hodd.Now Steven Mullaney played a shot almost at right angles to a very straight ball which whacked into his pad. Sidebottom swivelled and demanded that divine judgement be visited upon the unrighteous. Neil Mallender, who might be flattered by such a notion, obliged. The moving finger was raised and Mullaney moved on.Nottinghamshire were 48 for 4 when their opener was out and they had added only four more when Samit Patel attempted a brainless uppercut to a ball that was too close and too low for the shot. First slip Tim Bresnan took a two-handed head-high catch and Reads men were 230 runs behind with half their batting gone. Sidebottom had taken three wickets for five runs in 12 balls.All this was greeted with cheers by the stallholders on the North Marine Road side until they contemplated the effects on their profits of a two-day finish. The Scarborough Festival is a celebration of all things Yorkshire but its about making a bit of brass, too: there is the Yorkshire Foundation, a Yorkshire Bread stall and the whole affair is sponsored by - you guessed it - Welcome to Yorkshire. Even Jack Russell, that artist among wicketkeepers turned the real McCoy with brushes, makes sure there are pictures of the ground under his strawberry gazebo.Sadly for those wearing green and yellow, the morning was no sort of celebration of all things Notts. Chris Read, their very present help at all times of trouble, was caught at cover by Alex Lees when attempting to pull a ball from Jack Brooks. Brendan Taylor, who risked cricketing vertigo by reaching double figures, inside-edged Steve Patterson onto his off pole and Bresnan cleaned up the tail. Notts lost their last eight wickets for 53 runs in 23 overs, their deficit was 188 and no member of Yorkshires attack had bowled more than seven overs. We waited for the follow-on to be enforced and Scarboroughs landladies held a summit meeting to consider the impact of a mass checkout.But, dear reader, they batted on. Instead of going for the quick kill, Yorkshires stand-in skipper, Gary Ballance, chose to hunt the stag to exhaustion. We thought with a lead of 188, we didnt want to bat last on this wicket, he said. We thought it better to get a big lead, rest the bowlers up and come out with a refreshed attack. Well look to get a lead of 500 or so, depending on the weather, and then our bowlers will be ready to go.All the same, with rain forecast, Ballances decision surprised many, including some former first-class cricketers. Curiously, though, batting on was entirely in keeping with the spirit of the old-style Festival, when sides like TN Pearces XI, MCC and the tourists played first-class matches in which winning certainly mattered but had to be incorporated into the overarching aim of making sure games went the distance.So in the afternoon session, Yorkshire scored 113 runs off 35 overs. Lees levied a quartet of successive off-side fours off Mullaney before he was lbw to Brett Hutton for 30 and Adam Lyth had made a pleasant enough 41 when his leading edge was caught by the bowler, Luke Wood. In the evening session the lead was extended to 388 with Jake Lehmann and Jack Leaning passing up chances to make substantial scores but Ballance progressing ruthlessly to 75 not out.It all made fine watching for most of the spectators on a summer afternoon plucked from an Enid Blyton story in which everyone is safe and the children go home for macaroons and ginger beer. Certainly the spectators were not complaining: cricket is the true faith here and watching Yorkshire grinding opponents down is how they enjoy spending their days.And there was even talk of a pleasant epilogue to the cricket. It is rumoured that Ballance has been made a KGD (Knight of the Golden Dustpan) by Scarboroughs relieved landladies. He would be the first Old Harrovian to receive the honour. Cheap Mets Jerseys China . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Cheap Mookie Wilson Jersey . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. http://www.cheapmetsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-darryl-strawberry-jersey .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court. Cheap Lenny Dykstra Jersey . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shootout for the Marlies (25-13-4). Cheap Nolan Ryan Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres have placed centre Cody Hodgson on injured reserve and recalled two players from their AHL affiliate in Rochester. PITTSBURGH -- Fan cheered when Mark Melancon came on to start the bottom of the ninth inning to try to protect a one-run lead for the Washington Nationals. The cheers got louder when the Pittsburgh Pirates former closer blew his first save with his new team.Rookie Jacob Stallings pinch-hit single in the 11th lifted the Pirates over Washington 6-5 on Friday night, preventing the Nationals from clinching a postseason berth.Sean Rodriguezs two-out RBI double in the ninth tied the score 5-5. Melancon blew a save for the first time in 13 chances since he was acquired from Pittsburgh on July 30 in a trade for left-handed reliever Felipe Rivero and a minor leaguer.A brief video tribute was played on the scoreboard when Melancon entered the game.I didnt know they were going to put a montage up there, said Melancon, an All-Star in three of his four seasons with the Pirates. It was classy. It was very cool to get a standing ovation. ... I wanted to tip my cap but I didnt because I didnt want to mess up my mojo. I should have tipped my cap.Pittsburgh loaded the bases with one out in the 11tth against Yusmiero Petit (3-5) when Francisco Cervelli doubled, Andrew McCutchen was intentionally walked and Pedro Florimon walked. Rodriguez struck out and Stallings, a son of University of Pittsburgh mens basketball coach Kevin Stallings, grounded a 3-2 pitch into left field.Pittsburghs seventh win in nine games kept it on the fringe of the NL wild-card race.Washington lost for the fifth time in six games. The Nationals have magic numbers of one for a playoff berth and two for an NL East title.Despite the expanded September rosters, Stallings was the last player left on the Pirates bench.I kind of did the math in my head, Stallings said. Bases loaded, two outs was the only way I was going to come up that inning. (Bench coach Dave) Jauss came up and told me to be ready. I went down and hit on the tee before that inning. I knew I was the last guy, so I figured just in case.Wilson Ramos and Danny Espinosa homered for the Nationals. Bryce Harper had three hits and Ryan Zimmerman hit a pair of doubles.Zimmermans RBI double in the second inning opened the scoring and was the 1,500th hit of his 12-year big league career. Espinosa followed with 23rd homer for a 3-0 lead.Ramos led off a two-run sixth with his 22nd homer, a drive off Antonio Bastardo. Jayson Werth drew a bases-loaded walk later in the inning as the Nationals went back ahead 5-3.Adam Frazier haad a sacrifice fly in the bottom of half.ddddddddddddWade LeBlanc (4-0) pitched one scoreless inning.Pirates left fielder Gregory Polanco left the game in the first inning when bruised the left side of his face when crashing into the fence while chasing a double by Harper.Both starters, Washington left-hander Gio Gonzalez and Pittsburgh rookie Jameson Taillon, allowed three runs in five innings.Its disappointing because you want to wrap up a playoff berth as fast as you can but youre not going to win every game, Gonzalez said. Youve got to come back and get them tomorrow.MINOR HONORSFirst baseman/outfielder Josh Bell is the Pirates minor league player of the year and right-hander Mitch Keller their minor league pitcher of the year. Bell hit .295 with 14 home runs in 114 games for Triple-A Indianapolis before being promoted to the major leagues. Keller went a combined 9-5 with a 2.35 ERA in 24 starts at Class A with West Virginia and Bradenton.ROTATION SWITCHRookie right-hander Tyler Glasnow will start Sunday for the Pirates rather than rookie left-hander Steven Brault. Considering the organizations top propsect, Glasnow is 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA in five games, including two starts.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: 2B Daniel Murphy did not start for a fifth game in a row after an MRI revealed a strained glute muscle. He will sit out the three-game series be reevaluated.Pirates: RHP A.J. Schugel (shoulder inflammation) was placed on the 60-day disabled list, opening a roster spot for LHP Phil Coke, who joined the team after being acquired Thursday from the New York Yankees. . LF Starling Marte (back) sat out after being removed from Thursday nights loss at Milwaukee in the third inning. He missed 15 games before pinch hitting against the Brewers on Wednesday night. . SS Jordy Mercer (right forearm tightness) missed his second straight game.UP NEXTNationals: RHP Joe Ross (7-5, 3.48 ERA) will start Saturday night, his second outing since missing 2 1/2 months with shoulder inflammation. He pitched three innings and gave up one run last Sunday against Atlanta in a no-decision.Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova (12-7, 4.19) is 5-1 with a 2.93 ERA in nine starts since being acquired Aug. 1 from the New York Yankees in a trade. He took his first loss with the Pirates last Sunday, allowing five runs in three innings against Cincinnati. ' ' '