praise for the Scot after he produced the best performance

PITTSBURGH -- Pirates infielder David Freese got a two-year contract extension Monday, then made the final out on a baserunning blunder in a game hours later.Doug Fister pitched seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball, Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run homer and the Houston Astros beat the Pirates 3-1 on Monday night.Ken Giles got his fourth save despite allowing Freeses RBI single in the ninth. Freese was thrown out at second base when he tried to advance on an overthrow.You cant be out there at second base, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. Youre two runs down. That probably was some emotional baserunning. The only way it works is if youre safe.Houston won its fourth straight game and Pittsburgh lost its fourth in a row. Both teams are competing for wild-card spots.Freese signed a two-year, $11 million contract prior the game that takes him through the 2018 season. The 33-year-old infielder will make $6.25 million in 2017 and $4.25 million in 2018. Theres a $6 million club option for 2019 or a $500,000 buyout.Freese signed a one-year, $3-million contract as a free agent March 11 and is hitting .276 with 12 home runs and 50 RBI in 108 games. The eight-year veteran has made 59 starts at third base and 26 at first base.Its always good to be wanted and the Pirates made that clear when they offered the extension, Freese said.Hernandez connected off fellow rookie Jameson Taillon (3-3) in the fifth inning after A.J. Reeds leadoff walk. It was the third home run for Hernandez, who was called up from Triple-A Fresno on Aug. 12 to make his major league debut.Taillon made his seventh consecutive quality start since being activated from the disabled list July 19. He pitched eight innings, allowing two runs and four hits with a career-high eight strikeouts.Leadoff walk -- thats always bad, Taillon sad. I dont know what the statistics are, but it seems like they score a lot. I fell behind the next guy and he cranked a pitch out. Thats baseball. If you fall behind and make a mistake, they make you pay.Alex Bregman, another Astros rookie, hit his fourth homer in the ninth inning off Neftali Feliz.Gregory Polanco had a pair of doubles and scored Pittsburghs lone run.Fister struck out six, walked one and retired 11 of the first 12 batters. He had allowed nine runs and 11 hits over nine innings in his previous two starts.I was just kind of mixing things up, Fister said. (Catcher) Jason Castro had a good game plan and it came down to executing it.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: INF/OF Yulieksi Gurriel grounded out as a pinch-hitter in the eighth a day after leaving his major league debut with right hamstring tightness. Gurriel signed a $47.5 million, five-year contract in July after defecting from Cuba. He is expected to start Tuesday night.Pirates: RHP Tyler Glasnow (right shoulder soreness) pitched three scoreless innings and threw 57 pitches Monday night in his second rehab start with Double-A Altoona, allowing two hits while striking out six and walking three against Harrisburg in the Eastern League.BELL GETS OPPORTUNITYRookie 1B Josh Bell, who was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday, made his second straight start. Hurdle said the 24-year-old switch-hitter will see the majority of playing time in place of slumping 1B John Jaso.UP NEXTAstros: RHP Joe Musgrove (1-1, 4.18 ERA) will make his fourth career start Tuesday night since being called up Aug. 1 from Triple-A Fresno.Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova (9-6, 4.83) is 2-1 with a 4.41 ERA in three starts since being acquired Aug. 1 from the New York Yankees in a trade. Custom Nike Baltimore Orioles Jerseys .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Custom Nike San Diego Padres Jerseys . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. https://www.customjerseysnikebaseball.com/custom-nike-texas-rangers-jerseys/ .C. -- Todd Fiddler scored a hat trick, including the overtime goal, as the Prince George Cougars survived an 8-7 win against the Kamloops Blazers in Western Hockey League play Sunday. Custom Nike Pittsburgh Pirates Jerseys . It might not have mattered. While the Dodgers are preparing for the playoffs, the Padres showed their future has promise behind two rookies. Custom Nike Oakland Athletics Jerseys . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators.After Michael van Gerwen was held to another draw, we pick out five talking points from night eight in Liverpool. The world No 1 had to share the points with Robert Thornton, just a week after his draw with Phil Taylor, but he still retained top spot at the Echo Arena.The Power was also denied by Peter Wright, who hit back to claim a 6-6 draw, and Thornton ended on a high as his earlier win over Michael Smith meant he moved out of the bottom two. MVG letting it slipAfter setting sky-high standards, Van Gerwen was visibly unhappy with himself after being frustrated by Thornton.Few would have expected Thornton to take a point from Van Gerwen, particularly after his torrid start to the campaign, but he deservedly took the final leg to leave Mighty Mike looking disgusted with himself. Michael van Gerwen took out 130 just moments after Robert Thornton had the same opportunity Van Gerwens average slipped to a rather routine 97.57 and Sky Sports expert Wayne Mardle believes the lost points could even be costly as the race for the top four intensifies. Michael van Gerwen fluffed his lines really for two weeks running now, said Mardle. Hes thrown away some points and may be made to pay.Taylors taste of medicine Peter Wright and Phil Taylor shared the spoils in Liverpool but one man was more grateful for the point than the other The Power may have pinched a point against Van Gerwen in the previous week, but he received a taste of his own medicine as Wright hit back in the last leg.Taylor counted the cost of three missed match darts and admitted he was gutted in the post-match interview. Phil Taylor hit an impressive 141 checkout during his match with Peter Wright Despite that frustrating result, Taylor is still level on points and just a leg behind Van Gerwen in the table, and can draw positives from a performance which saw him average 101 and included a 141 checkout.ddddddddddddAnderson flying high Gary Anderson made it six wins in a row after beating Dave Chisnall Gary Anderson is also level on points with the leading Van Gerwen after his comfortable win over Dave Chisnall, his sixth successive victory.The Flying Scotsman needed time to find his fitness and form after a virus, but his determined title defence is gathering pace by the week.Anderson said he was nipping at the heels of his rivals and has shown in the past that he has the bite to beat Van Gerwen.Robert on the rise Thornton transformed his fortunes in his two matches At the start of the evening, Thornton was rock-bottom of the table without a win and appeared set for an early exit from the competition.But Thorntons fate is now in his own hands after he collected three precious points and he might not even need a result on Judgement Night to beat the drop.Mardle was full of praise for the Scot after he produced the best performance of his campaign when he needed it the most.Well we said tonight was all about Robert Thornton and it turned out just that way, said Mardle. He has now given himself a fantastic opportunity to not be eliminated.Exit signs Dave Chisnall produced wasteful finishing against Anderson Smith and Dave Chisnall sit in the bottom two ahead of next weeks Judgement Night and the two strugglers showed little to suggest they can avoid elimination.In a crucial survival scrap, Smith averaged just 92 as he slumped to defeat against Thornton, while Chisnall hit just four of his 19 darts at a double in the defeat to Anderson.Both men face tough tasks next week, with Smith against Taylor and Chisnall against Wright, and Thornton could even survive with a loss against Adrian Lewis.Watch the Premier Leagues Judgement Night next Thursday, starting at 7pm on Sky Sports 1By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: WATCH: Wright kisses Taylor Mardle: Robert on the rise ' ' '