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NEW YORK -- The end came quietly for this years New York Yankees. No celebrations. No titles. No October baseball. Curtis Granderson was batting in the eighth inning Wednesday night when the Cleveland Indians completed a 7-2 win over the Chicago White Sox. And with that, the Yankees were mathematically eliminated from post-season contention in the middle of the seasons final week, even before they finished an 8-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. New York failed to make the post-season for the first time since 2008 and for only the second time in 19 years. Mariano Rivera will be in the bullpen Thursday night for his final game at Yankee Stadium -- hell be there in a regular season game with nothing at stake for New York, rather than on the post-season stage where he solidified his credentials as the greatest relief pitcher ever. "Ill be there for the fans. They deserve it," the 43-year-old said. "But it dont mean anything. Im not used to pitching for something that doesnt mean anything. I wanted to pitch for something that means something." Evan Longoria homered twice as the Rays won their sixth straight and lowered their magic number over Texas to three for clinching an AL wild-card berth. Slowed by age and hobbled by injury, the Yankees (82-76) failed to claim one of the 10 playoffs berths despite baseballs highest opening-day payroll at $230 million. "Its extremely disappointing, and back to the drawing board," manager Joe Girardi said. "It hurts." Since starting the latest run of success in 1995, New York had missed the playoffs only in 2008 -- when the team bid goodbye to old Yankee Stadium. This time, the Yankees are saying so long to Rivera and Andy Pettitte, who are retiring when the season ends Sunday. New York trailed by just one game for the second wild-card berth earlier this month before a series opener at Boston on Friday the 13th. But the Yankees have lost eight of 11, including three in a row. Before a quiet crowd of 37,260, they were eliminated from contention for a playoff berth on their own field for the first time since 1991. "Its a really sad feeling," said Robinson Cano, the All-Star second baseman who figures to secure a nine-figure contract this off-season. "The fun part of this game is playoffs. Im really sad right now, and its going to stick in my head, in my mind, until next season." Phil Hughes (4-14) allowed three runs and seven hits in two innings-plus, walking slowly to the dugout and looking up to the stands when he was removed from what likely was his final start with the Yankees. "Just a tough way to end things here -- not making the post-season," Hughes said. A key part of the Yankees 2009 title team as a reliever, Hughes went 0-7 with a 6.09 ERA in 13 starts since beating Minnesota on July 2. He is eligible for free agency after the World Series. "A lot of good times. A lot of bad times, I guess," he said. "Thats the way life is sometimes." Reliever Joba Chamberlain, also eligible for free agency, didnt even wait for mathematical elimination to prepare for his departure. Before batting practice, he started putting his locker belongings into a large box. New York started the season 30-18 and was in first place on the morning of May 26, but the solid start was not enough to overcome injuries to four All-Star regulars: shortstop Derek Jeter, third baseman Alex Rodriguez, first baseman Mark Teixeira and Granderson. Sidelined by the ankle he broke in last years AL championship series opener, Jeter didnt make his season debut until right before the All-Star break and wound up playing just 17 games because of recurring leg injuries. Teixeira, who injured a hand while with the U.S. team at World Baseball Classic in March, played in just 15 games and needed season-ending surgery. Rodriguez, coming back from hip surgery, and Granderson, the centre fielder who broke a forearm and pinkie when hit by pitches, each played about one-third of the season. In all, the Yankees have had a major league-leading 28 stints on the disabled list by 21 different players, according to STATS, and have missed 1,461 days -- more than four years worth. New Yorks home runs dropped from a team-record 245 last year to 143 this season -- on pace to be the Yankees fewest in a non-strike season since 1989. The departure of free agents Raul Ibanez, Nick Swisher, Russell Martin and Eric Chavez contributed to the power outage. "At times wed play good enough, but we just havent been consistent enough," said sparkplug outfielder Brett Gardner, out since straining his ribcage on Sept. 12. As for the Rays, Longoria drove in four runs and David Price (9- Cool

ended a five-start winless streak, one shy of his career worst. Price allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. Longoria hit a three-run homer in the sixth off David Huff, and David DeJesus hit his second of the season on the next pitch. Longoria homered in the ninth off Preston Claiborne, his 31st of the season and ninth in 18 games this year against the Yankees. After it was over, the usually positive but now sombre Girardi thought back to the promise of the September series at Fenway Park, when New York was coming off three straight wins at Baltimore. "We were right there," he said. He kept believing until he saw the final score in Cleveland. "Today," he concluded, "was probably a reality check for me." NOTES: Somewhat appropriately on the day New York was eliminated, it was Charlie Brown bobblehead night. ... The Yankees put LHP CC Sabathia on the 15-day DL retroactive to Saturday and activated DH Travis Hafner, who had been sidelined since late July with a rotator cuff strain. ... In a home plate presentation by Jeter and Rivera, Pettitte was given a framed base from his final Yankee Stadium start Sunday, signed by the team. Howie Long Womens Jersey . They did take one chance on a free agent-to-be however, and it didnt pay off. Rory Kohlert, selected by the Redblacks in the expansion draft from Winnipeg, has signed as a free agent with the Blue Bombers. Trent Richardson Womens Jersey .6 million deal on Monday night. Thorburn was set to become an unrestricted free agent at noon on Tuesday. http://www.raidersproshop.us.com/Womens-Howie-Long-Authentic-Jersey/ . Thiago launched himself at Rafinhas cross to volley the ball inside the far corner from a difficult angle in the third minute of stoppage time in the sides rescheduled game. Bayern substitute Claudio Pizarro scored with a header from Thiagos free kick in the 76th minute, cancelling out Vedad Ibisevics 29th-minute opener for the home side. Bo Jackson Raiders Jersey . "Ive been to many of the games this year. Its almost like theres a direct correlation between rain and a TFC game," Tim Leiweke, MLSE president and CEO, told a breakfast question-and-answer session with Toronto FC supporters Saturday. Derek Carr Youth Jersey .com) - Chalk up another impressive defensive effort for the unbeaten Virginia Cavaliers.NEW ORLEANS - Down 22 points in the third quarter to the surging Brooklyn Nets, the New Orleans Pelicans appeared headed to a lopsided defeat. Thats when Tyreke Evans turned the game around. Evans scored 22 of his season-high 33 points in the second half and the short-handed Pelicans rallied to win 109-104 in overtime Monday night. Driving to the basket repeatedly, Evans scored 14 as New Orleans closed the third period on a 29-10 run to get back in the game. Anthony Morrow, who did not score until the final 2 minutes of regulation, had 11 points the rest of the way as the Pelicans completed their largest comeback of the season and the second-biggest in franchise history. "I was just being aggressive," Evans said. "Thats what kept me going, especially before their defence set up. I was just playing my game. We could have easily given up tonight, but coach (Monty Williams) got on us in the locker room." Morrow hit a 3-pointer to give New Orleans a 106-100 lead in overtime and all but sealed the victory with another 3 that made it 109-102 with 54.5 seconds left. Anthony Davis added 24 points and 14 rebounds for the Pelicans, who matched their season best with a three-game winning streak despite playing without Eric Gordon (left knee tendinitis) for the second consecutive game. Paul Pierce had 24 points and Deron Williams 23 for the Nets, who lost for the first time in five games after winning at Dallas in overtime Sunday. Brooklyn fell behind 98-93 with 1:14 left in regulation but scored the next five points to force overtime. "We had an opportunity to win the game," Nets coach Jason Kidd said. "It went into overtime, and we just couldnt get it back." This one appeared over when the Nets went up 66-44 early in the third quarter, but Brian Roberts started the rally with a 3-pointer and Evans scored New Orleans next eight points to help the Pelicans close the deficit to 67-59. Williams and Joe Johnson hit consecutive 3s as the Nets went back up 74-61, but the Pelicans closed with a 12-2 spurt that started when Pierce was given a technical foul for confronting Alexis Ajinca after Ajinca was called for an offensive foul with a high elbow. Evans converted a four-point play with 1.1 seconds left, hitting a long shot while being fouled to cut the deficit to 76-73 entering the fourth. It was only his 17th 3 in 77 attempts. "It was just confidence," he said. "I had it going at the time, and it was a rhythm shot. I didnt think about it, and it wentt in.ddddddddddddIt got the crowd going, and we fed off that." After falling behind again by nine in the fourth quarter, the Pelicans held Brooklyn without a point for more than 4 minutes as they rallied to take their first lead since early in the first quarter, 91-89, on Evans driving layup. "He got to the basket at will," Davis said. "He made some big shots for us. He was huge." Then it was Brooklyns turn to come back. With the Nets trailing 98-93, Mason Plumlee dunked after the Nets grabbed two offensive rebounds, and Pierce drained a contested 3-pointer with 24.1 seconds left to tie the score at 98. Morrow, who took all 11 of his shots after the third quarter, missed a contested 3 at the regulation buzzer. But he didnt miss in overtime. "We just stuck together," he said. "When we came into halftime, I just said we have to stop complaining and getting mad at ourselves and each other on little stuff. We all want to win. Nobody on this team is selfish. Take a deep breath and play through the lows." Morrows big shots in the fourth quarter came right before Williams planned to take him out for Luke Babbitt. "I couldnt get Luke there in time," Williams said. "He comes right back and hits a shot, runs over to me and says, I aint going to miss no more! I aint going to miss no more!" The Nets, who led the Pelicans 51-28 at halftime of their first meeting in February, raced to a 58-42 advantage at the break this time. The shots stopped falling in the second half, when Brooklyn camped out behind the 3-point line. The Nets went 10 of 40 on 3-pointers overall, 4 of 23 after halftime. Meanwhile, the Pelicans kept attacking the basket, hitting 12 of 19 shots in the third quarter. "I dont have the stats, but I know they got a lot of layups," said Nets guard Shaun Livingston, who had all but two of his 10 points in the first half. "We have to make them take tougher shots. Thats on all of us." NOTES: The Pelicans are 5-0 in overtime. ... Andrei Kirilenko did not play for the Nets after spraining his left ankle against Dallas on Sunday. He already had missed 26 games with back spasms, three with a calf strain and two with a sprained right ankle. ... Pierce is in his 16th NBA season, matching the combined years in the league for the Pelicans five starters. ... Marcus Thornton, who scored 20 points against Dallas on Sunday, left with a bruised back late in the first half and did not play in the second half, finishing with three points. cheap jerseys cheap jerseys china cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '

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