NEU » atip? We profile the Schalke defe

TORONTO -- Clevelands franchise-record 14-game winning streak was snapped by a 9-6 loss to Toronto on Saturday, with the Blue Jays scoring three runs in the eighth to overcome a cycle by Rajai Davis.Toronto star Josh Donaldson hit a tying solo shot off Dan Otero (2-1) in the seventh and then made it 7-6 with an RBI single in the eighth. Michael Saunders added a two-run double, and Roberto Osuna pitched the ninth for his 16th save.Edwin Encarnacion and Troy Tulowitzki also homered for Toronto, which lost 2-1 in 19 innings on Friday, matching the longest game in Blue Jays history. Jason Grilli (2-2) pitched one inning for the win.Davis became the eighth player in Cleveland history to hit for the cycle. He led off the game with a homer, tripled home a run in the third, doubled and scored in the seventh and singled in the ninth.METS 4, CUBS 3NEW YORK -- Jake Arrieta lost a regular-season road start for the first time in 14 months when Neil Walker hit a two-run homer and Travis dArnaud blooped a two-run single that pushed the Mets to their third straight win over the Cubs.Bartolo Colon (7-4) outpitched the NL Cy Young Award winner, who struggled with his control in a 35-pitch first inning, when he went to 3-2 counts on his first four batters.After winning his first 12 decisions, Arrieta (12-3) lost for the third time in six starts, giving up four runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings.Colon allowed two runs and four hits in six innings. Jeurys Familia worked the ninth for his major league-leading 28th save.Anthony Rizzo and Ben Zobrist homered for the Cubs.TWINS 17, RANGERS 5MINNEAPOLIS -- Max Kepler homered twice and set a Twins rookie record by driving in seven runs.Eduardo Nunez had four hits for the Twins, who scored at least three runs in four of the first five innings. Keplers second home run of the day capped a six-run fifth inning and gave Minnesota a 17-4 lead.Texas right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez (0-1) recorded just two outs in his second start of the season. Ryan Rua and Robinson Chirinos homered for the AL-leading Rangers, who had won five of seven.Tyler Duffey (4-6) was the beneficiary of the outburst from one of the majors weakest lineups, pitching six innings for his second straight win.BRAVES 9, MARLINS 1ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman homered to help Atlanta hand Marlins ace Jose Fernandez one of the worst starts of his career.Fernandez (10-4) drove in the decisive runs as a pinch hitter in Miamis 7-5 12-inning win over Atlanta on Friday night, but allowed a career-high nine runs, six earned, and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings on Saturday.The six earned runs matched Fernandezs career high and equaled the six he allowed in five starts in June, when he had a 1.67 ERA.Atlantas Lucas Harrell (1-0) pitched six innings of one-run ball in his first start in the majors in two years. Freeman had three hits and Jace Peterson also homered.TIGERS 3, RAYS 2ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Justin Verlander pitched seven solid innings, and Detroit earned its fifth consecutive win.Verlander (8-6) allowed two runs, one earned, and four hits while improving to 5-2 in eight starts at Tropicana Field.The Tigers look to complete a four-game sweep Sunday against the reeling Rays, who lost for the 15th time in 17 games.Tampa Bay rookie Blake Snell (1-3) gave up three runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings in his fifth start.Justin Wilson pitched the eighth before Francisco Rodriguez got three outs for his 23rd save.CARDINALS 3, BREWERS 0ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright pitched seven innings and Kolten Wong had a two-run triple, leading St. Louis to the win.The Cardinals turned four double plays, including the fourth, fifth and sixth. Jonathan Broxton got three outs and Seung Hwan Oh, a longtime closer in Japan and Korea, finished the seven-hitter for his first career save.St. Louis improved to 6-2 against Milwaukee and goes for a three-game series sweep on Sunday.Milwaukee is 13-25 on the road and has lost 27 of the last 40 against the Cardinals.Wainwright (7-5) allowed seven hits, struck out five and walked two.Jimmy Nelson (5-7) gave up three runs, two earned, and seven hits in six innings.WHITE SOX 7, ASTROS 6HOUSTON -- Chris Sale pitched seven-plus innings to become the majors first 14-game winner, helping the White Sox to the victory on the road.Sale (14-2) settled down after a slow start, allowing five runs, four earned, and six hits. David Robertson yielded A.J. Reeds first career homer in the ninth before finishing for his 22nd save.Dioner Navarro drove in a season-high four runs for Chicago, which has won three of four. J.B. Shuck hit a solo homer in the fourth and an RBI triple in Chicagos two-run eighth inning.Houston starter Doug Fister (8-4) allowed nine hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings for his second straight loss. He walked five and struck out three.ROYALS 6, PHILLIES 2PHILADELPHIA -- Kendrys Morales homered twice and drove in four runs, powering Kansas City to the win.Morales extended his hitting streak to eight consecutive games with a second-inning homer. He is batting .565 with seven homers and 21 RBI in his last 13 games.Kansas Citys Danny Duffy (4-1) allowed two runs and seven hits in a career-high 8 2/3 innings. The left-handers previous best was eight innings, which he tied in Mondays win over St. Louis.Cesar Hernandez and Maikel Franco each had two hits for Philadelphia, which had won four in a row. Aaron Nola (5-8) allowed five runs and six hits in five innings.Justin Turner Youth Jersey . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shootout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Joc Pederson Jersey . The players spoke Jan. 13 during a Major League Baseball Players Association conference call after Rodriguez sued the union and Major League Baseball to overturn an arbitrators decision suspending him for the 2014 season and post-season. http://www.ladodgersprostore.us/Hyun-Jin-Ryu-dodgers-jersey/ . The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling "puts an end to my dreams of being a top player," the 27-year-old Troicki said in a statement. "I worked my entire life for it, and it has been taken away from me in one afternoon by a doctor I didnt know," said Troicki, whose ranking peaked at No. Max Muncy Youth Jersey . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. Jackie Robinson Youth Jersey . A statement from the worlds top-ranked player says all checks "were satisfactory and showed positive evolution" regarding the injury, which contributed to his loss to Stanislas Wawrinka in the final in Melbourne.Its fair to say Jurgen Klopp was delighted to complete a deal to bring Schalke centre-back Joel Matip to Liverpool this summer.The Cameroon international will switch to Anfield on a free transfer at the end of the season, when his contract with the German club runs out.Im very happy, said the Reds boss. Everybody who knows him would have been interested. However, Klopp conceded Matip was not the most famous player in England, despite playing over 150 Bundesliga games for Schalke.To find out more about Liverpools new signing, we caught up with Sky reporters in Germany Dirk große Schlarmann and Torben Hoffmann - who both insist Matip can thrive under Klopps coaching. Matip top class Jurgen Klopp discusses the defenders qualities He is a good defender. Hes young and will make the next step under Jurgen Klopp, Hoffmann told Sky Sports.Hes not currently at the level of the best defenders in Germany, such as Mats Hummels or Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber or Javi Martinez. But after these top guys hes in the next group.The big point is Jurgen has known him for five or six years, has played a lot against Schalke, and knows his strengths. Its a good decision. This season he made a big step and reached another stage in his development. Now he is the boss in the defence. Dirk gro?e Schlarmann Schlarmann agrees and says, after a season in which Matip has taken on the role of leader of the Schalke defence, the centre-back is rapidly improving.This season he made a big step and reached another stage in his development, Schlarmann said. He got a lot of responsibility because of injuries to Matija Nastasic and Benedikt Howedes. Now he is the boss in the defence.He has also moved into the top 10 defenders in the Bundesliga and has potential for further development. Joel Matip has become Schalkes top defender, says Schlarmann Both point out Matip is just as comfortable playing in midfield as in defence and Hoffmann says the 24-year-old will be an improvement on current Liverpool centre-backs Kolo Toure and Mamadou Sakho when it comes to distribution.ddddddddddddHe plays very good passes - he can do short passes and long crosses, said Hoffmann. That will be good for the play from defence to midfield or direct to the striker. I think it will be an advance on Toure or Sakho, for example. Matip is strong in the air - and an asset in both boxes Hoffmann also believes Matip could be a solution to Liverpools recurring problems with defending set-pieces.At 6ft 4in, the Cameroon international is dominant in the air - a bonus in both boxes.Hes tall and hes scored a lot from corner-kicks and free-kicks, said Hoffmann. Hes a very good header of the ball, in the defence and also in the offence. Who is Joel Matip? We profile the Schalke defender who will join Liverpool If theres one area where Matip can improve, its communication - Schlarmann describes Matip as a conservative guy, not known for talking much - but it seems Schalke are sorry to see him go, especially on a free transfer.Its really hard for Schalke because hes young, has potential and they do not get any money for him, said Schlarmann. He is better than their other centre-backs, Howedes and Nastasic.Schalkes loss will be Liverpools gain, though. And the view from Germany is the Reds appear to have landed themselves a bargain. Do you think Joel Matip will be a success at Liverpool? Let us know using the message boards or by tweeting @SkyFootballAlso See:Who is Joel Matip?Klopp: Matip top-class ' ' '