PITTSBURGH, Pa. Bill Bates Jersey . - The Pittsburgh Pirates believe theyre building something special. The San Francisco Giants provided a reminder that much work remains to be done before a contender becomes a champion.Geared up for another run at Buctober, Pittsburghs post-season journey lasted all of 3 hours, 12 minutes, just long enough for Madison Bumgarner and the Giants to overpower the Pirates for an 8-0 victory in the NL wild-card game Wednesday night.Bumgarner tossed a four-hitter while striking out 10, and Brandon Crawford hit the first grand slam by a shortstop in post-season history as the Giants put an abrupt end to Pittsburghs second straight post-season appearance.We got outplayed tonight, second baseman Neil Walker said. Bumgarner went out there, he did what he wanted to do. He put up the strike zone and he made it tough on us. When they got up early on us we were trying to scratch and claw our way back, and he was good from the first pitch until the last pitch.The ones in between, too.Pittsburgh was unable to duplicate last years victory over Cincinnati in the wild-card game that followed a 21-year playoff drought. Playing before raucous crowds at PNC Park, the Pirates pushed St. Louis to a decisive Game 5 before losing their NLDS.This year, Pittsburgh went 17-9 in September while taking the Cardinals to the final day of the season in an attempt to win the NL Central.The chase included a decision to start budding ace Gerrit Cole in the regular-season finale in the hopes of catching the Cardinals and avoiding the wild-card game. Cole struck out 12 in a brilliant performance but the Pirates lost, putting Pittsburghs hopes for extending its season on Edinson Volquezs excitable shoulders.The former All-Star a€” in the midst of a mid-career renaissance after winning a team-high 13 games a€” navigated three innings in the biggest start of his career before it all unraveled in the fourth, when a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases with no outs.Crawford followed with a drive that kept carrying all the way to the seats above the 21-foot high Roberto Clemente wall to quiet the largest crowd in the 13-year history of PNC Park.I tried to bounce it down, back foot, and the ball just kept going, Volquez said. Bad spot.Bumgarner did the rest as San Francisco won its eighth consecutive post-season game and seventh in a row when facing elimination.Overpowering one of the NLs best lineups, Bumgarner walked one and threw 79 of 109 pitches for strikes in his latest stellar October performance. The big left-hander, who allowed only four singles, has thrown 15 scoreless innings in two World Series starts.Brandon Belt drove in three runs as San Francisco added on. That was more than enough for Bumgarner, who mixed his fastball with a slider the Pirates couldnt seem to figure out.Pittsburgh, fourth in the majors in extra-base hits this season, rarely hit the ball hard.A professional, well-pitched game by him, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. We tried to counter-punch, we just couldnt muster up anything.Bumgarner was helped by his defence, too. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval a€” all 245 pounds of him a€” flipped over the railing in front of the Pittsburgh dugout to track down a foul popup off the bat of Russell Martin.Sandoval landed on his feet, a perfect symbol of San Franciscos seemingly endless resiliency this time of year. Back in the playoffs after winning the World Series in 2010 and 2012, the Giants are looking to continue their every-other-year success.We thrive in these situations, Crawford said. I dont know what it is. We just keep fighting no matter what the circumstance.Its a path the Pirates insist theyre on after winning 94 games last season and backing it up by going 88-74 this year despite a series of obstacles, including extended stays on the disabled list for Cole and Francisco Liriano, and an offence that didnt start to click until utility man Josh Harrison found a spot in the everyday lineup in mid-May.Not to take away from this year, we know it was a good season, Harrison said. But these losses right here hurt. Its not anything anybody would ever get used to. At the end of the day we still know that we are fortunate enough to be in this situation. There were a lot of teams that were eliminated on Sunday. And we had a chance to win tonight and play more.Instead the Pirates could only watch as San Francisco piled on against Pittsburghs normally reliable bullpen. A sizable portion of the crowd a€” most of the fans dressed in black a€” remained until the bitter end. There was a standing ovation after the final out even as the Giants poured onto the field in celebration.An important off-season lies ahead as Pittsburgh tries to re-sign catcher Russell Martin and figures out how to address potential holes in the rotation with Volquez and Liriano becoming free agents.Owner Bob Nutting says the normally frugal Pirates will do what they can to keep Martin and build around a nucleus that includes Harrison, Cole and Andrew McCutchen. If last falls success was a breakthrough following 20 years of misery, this falls failure revealed the gap between the Pirates and a championship team is narrowing, but not quite closed.Its not like were 90-plus wins saying weve got work to do, McCutchen said. We were in the wild card again and there are things we need to improve. Mark Tuinei Jersey .C. -- With a chance to start over and maybe drive in any series he wanted, Juan Pablo Montoya thought long and hard about what mattered most at this stage of his career. Deante Burton Jersey . The senior threw for 319 yards and no interceptions in his final college game, leading No. https://www.cowboysjerseysale.com/1715p-walt-garrison-jersey-cowboys.html . - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are going to meet with Richie Incognito to determine if one of the central figures in the Miami Dolphins bullying scandal can help their struggling offensive line. SECAUCUS, N.J. -- The Houston Astros had the No. 1 pick again, and this time, they took a pitcher polished beyond his years. California high school left-hander Brady Aiken was the first selection in the Major League Baseball draft Thursday night. "Its the most advanced high school pitcher Ive ever seen in my entire career," Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. "He has command like Ive never seen before of his stuff." The 17-year-old from San Diegos Cathedral Catholic High School is just the third prep pitcher to be selected first overall, joining fellow lefties Brien Taylor (1991, Yankees) and David Clyde (1973, Rangers). The Miami Marlins made it the first time high school pitchers were the top two picks in the draft when they selected Tyler Kolek, a hard-throwing right-hander from Shepherd High School in Texas. Twenty pitchers were taken in the first round, tying the draft record set in 2001. The Astros are the first team to select first in three consecutive drafts, having picked shortstop Carlos Correa in 2012 and right-hander Mark Appel last year. Aiken is in line to receive a huge contract. The allotted slot bonus for the top pick is nearly $8 million. "Unbelievable. Its really a dream come true," Aiken said. "This is something that Ive wanted ever since I was a young kid. Im at a loss for words. This is my dream and its finally starting to come true." Aiken is also the first high school lefty to be drafted in the first five picks since Adam Loewen went fourth overall to Baltimore in 2002. The UCLA recruit, who compared himself to Clayton Kershaw and David Price, has terrific control of a fastball that hits 96-97 mph, a knee-buckling curve and a tough changeup that sits in the low- to mid-80s. The 6-foot-5 Kolek has a fastball that sits in the high-90s and touched 100-102 mph several times, causing many to compare him to fellow Texas flamethrowers such as Nolan Ryan, Kerry Wood and Josh Beckett. "How do you pass up a guy throwing 100?" Marlins manager Mike Redmond said after Miamis 11-6 win at Tampa Bay. "So, Im happy with the pick. Its a big, old, country strong right-hander." The Chicago White Sox selected North Carolina State left-hander Carlos Rodon with the third overall pick. The 6-3, 235-pound junior was widely regarded as the top college pitcher available and had been in the mix to go No. 1 overall. He followed a dominant sophomore year with a solid but not spectacular junior season. Indiana slugger Kyle Schwarber went No. 4 overall to the Chicago Cubs as the first position player selected. He is a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award as the best catcher in Division I, although he could move to third base or the outfield in the pros. "Well let that play out," Cubs senior vice-president of scouting and player development Jason McLeod said. Nick Gordon, the son of former big league pitcher Tom Gordon and brother of Dodgers second baseman Dee Gordon, went fifth overall to Minnesota. The Florida high school slick-fielding shortstop was the first of the seven prospects in attendance at MLB Network Studios to have his name called by Commissioner Bud Selig, who is retiring in January and presiding over the draft for the final time. After a few interviews, Gordon breathed a big sigh of relief and gave his father a hhuge hug. Robert Newhouse Jersey. "This is a proud moment. Its hard to describe," Tom Gordon said. "I have nothing but pride and pure joy for my boys." Gordon, from Orlandos Olympia High School, also has some family bragging rights now: His father was a sixth-rounder by Kansas City in 1986, while his brother was a fourth-rounder by Los Angeles in 2008. "Were pretty much the same player," Nick Gordon said of the brothers. "You know, hes got a little bit more speed than I do, Ive got a little bit more pop than he does. But, you know, we model our game after each other." A few other players followed in the footsteps of famous family members. Wichita State first baseman Casey Gillaspie went 20th overall to Tampa Bay, 17 spots ahead of where his brother Conor, the White Soxs third baseman, was picked in 2008. "I cant really compare myself to him because hes in the big leagues," Casey said. "It was cool when it happened, but now Im just ready and focused." San Francisco outfielder Bradley Zimmer was taken 21st by Cleveland. His brother, Kyle, was the fifth overall pick by Kansas City in 2012. With the next pick, Detroit took California high school outfielder Derek Hill, whose father Orsino was a first-rounder in January 1982 and is now a scout for the Dodgers. California high school catcher Alex Jackson went sixth to Seattle, which intends to move him to the outfield. "Ive been playing multiple positions my whole life," Jackson said. "Its nothing extra ordinary that has been thrown my way. Im looking forward to getting out there competing." LSU righty Aaron Nola was the seventh overall selection by Philadelphia. Evansville lefty Kyle Freeland, a Colorado native, went No. 8 to the Rockies and said hes used to pitching in the thin Denver air and isnt afraid of it. East Carolina right-hander Jeff Hoffman went ninth to Toronto, which also took Kennesaw State catcher Max Pentecost two picks later. The New York Mets rounded out the top 10 picks by selecting Oregon State outfielder Michael Conforto. In the year of Tommy John surgery in baseball, two pitchers who recently had the operation were selected in the first 18 picks -- a sign that teams are confident in the success rate of the procedure. Even though theyll likely be sidelined for 12-18 months, Hoffman and UNLV righty Erick Fedde (No. 18 to Washington) remained attractive prospects. Vanderbilt righty Tyler Beede was the 14th overall pick by San Francisco, becoming the 18th player in draft history to be selected in the first round of two June drafts. He went 21st to Toronto in 2011. St. Louis wrapped up the first round of the draft, which is held over three days and 40 rounds, by selecting California high school righty Jack Flaherty at No. 34 -- seven picks after taking Florida State right-hander Luke Weaver. Gareth Morgan, from Toronto, was the first Canadian selected this year. The right-handed outfielder was drafted out of Blyth Academy by the Seattle Mariners, 74th overall. "Im honoured that the Mariners selected me and its also very special to be the first Canadian to be taken in the draft," said Morgan from his home in Toronto where he was following the draft with his family. "I have worked very hard throughout my career for this moment and Im excited for what the future holds." ' ' '