NEU » effort to date has been Jerami and Holli

ARLINGTON, Texas -- The way theyre going lately, the Minnesota Twins might want to skip the All-Star break and keep playing.The Twins have won five out of six for the first time this season after taking the opener of a four-game set at Texas. The second game of the series that leads into the All-Star break is Friday night at Globe Life Park.Three of those wins have come over the Rangers, who continue to own the best record in the American League at 53-34 despite five losses in last six.Minnesota (30-55) has outscored the Rangers 32-10 in those three games, all coming since Saturday. The Twins pounded out 18 hits in Thursdays 10-1 win, including three home runs.Theyre certainly enjoying the recent reversal of fortune.Its awesome, said Max Kepler, who has six homers in his last 17 games. Its everything we ask for in a team. Most of all, were all having fun. Everyone is picking each other up. No one is trying to do too much.The Twins look to continue their uptick in a rematch of Sundays matchup between Kyle Gibson and Texas ace Cole Hamels.Gibson (2-5, 4.82 ERA) beat the Rangers in that one, after going 6 2/3 innings, surrendering two earned run on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts.He has thrown at least six innings in each of his last four starts (Twins are 3-1), and Minnesota pitchers overall have six quality starts in the last seven games.Its been a lot about the starting pitching, Twins manager Paul Molitor said. We came close to putting up another shutout today. Guys are pitching better from top to bottom.The Rangers are hoping for a strong outing out of Hamels. They sure could use one.Texas starters have been shelled lately, especially during a stretch thats seen five losses in the last six games. No starter has lasted more than 4 2/3 innings in any of those losses, with each allowing at least four runs.We cant continue to cover four or five innings from the bullpen every single night, Texas manager Jeff Banister said. Were going to find a way. I promise you were going to evaluate every situation. Well find a way. Well figure out just how were going better off the mound in a starting role.Banister said there is no magic formula to turn things around.Stomping my feel, screaming and yelling arent going to do much good, he said. There are a number of messages that can be delivered to individuals. The bottom line is weve got to be better. We have to be better. Weve been really good some stretches.Hamels (9-2, 2.93 ERA) could help stem the tide, but even hes coming off this worst start of the season. The All-Star gave up five runs in four-inning stint at Minnesota on Sunday.Hamels is seeking to become first Texas pitcher with 10 wins prior to the All-Star break since Matt Harrison (11-4) and Yu Darvish (10-5) in 2012.Texas injury-riddled staff isnt likely going to get any reinforcements internally anytime soon. Of the three starters on the shelf, Yu Darvish is the closest to returning, but hes probably three rehab starts away from rejoining the rotation.It has been a challenge, Banister said.The Rangers are in the market for starting pitching as the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline approaches.Texas should get first baseman Mitch Moreland back on Friday. Hes missed the last five games with tightness in his right calf muscle. Custom Buffalo Sabres Jerseys . All of the scoring came in the final 20:04. Lucic scored on a power play at 15:46 of the third period, when he tipped a shot over Stars goalie Kari Lehtonen for a 3-1 lead. Fake Sabres Jerseys . 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CAMDEN, N.J. -- After Philadelphia 76ers players voices were heard in a team meeting, the organization on Friday issued an apology to singer Sevyn Streeter, saying it should have allowed her to perform the national anthem Wednesday night.We are sorry that this happened. After receiving feedback from our players, basketball operations staff and ownership group, we believe that the wrong decision was made, and Sevyn should have been welcomed to sing, the team said in a statement.We apologize to her, and in an effort to move the conversation forward, we have reached out to offer her an opportunity to return and perform at a game of her choice. We are waiting to hear back.Streeter was slated to sing before the 76ers season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but she said in an interview with The Associated Press late Wednesday that she was told she would not sing just minutes before her performance because she was wearing a We Matter jersey.The anthem issue has been a major topic in the sports world in recent months, starting with the decision by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick?not to stand while it is played. Kaepernick cited racial injustice and police brutality among the reasons for his protest, and athletes from many sports -- and many levels, from youth all the way to professional -- have followed his lead in various ways.Sixers players were informed of the Streeter situation by a team representative Thursday before holding a team meeting to discuss the issue and what they wanted to do moving forward.I didnt think it was right, Sixers guard Gerald Henderson said. We talked about it and collectively we thought that was the best decision [to let her sing in the future]. We felt like she should have been able to sing, and for whatever reasons, that didnt happen. I think it is a good idea to reach out to her, and hopefully she can come back and sing her song.Forward Jerami Grant also said he is hopeful that Streeter will accept the offer to come back and sing -- but added that if she doesnt, the players will talk about something else they want to do as a team.We havent figured that out yet, he told ESPNs Jeff Goodman.Coach [Brett] Brown came to us and allowed us to come up with an idea of what to do, Grant added. He gets it. He knows how we feel about this, he knows me and a couple other guys didnt like what happened with the decision not to allow her to sing.We need to move forward. We cant change the past, but were trying to right the wrong.Grant also addressed Streeters We Matter jersey.I dont really look at it as a political statement. It was just a statement in general. We matter. We matter as people, he said.Brown said he wanted his players to share their thoughts in the meeting and said our players voices were heard.If we as an organization had to do what we did again, that decision would not have been made, Brown said after practice Friday. I applaud the ownership group because it happened real quickly yesterday. Immediately we had [a representative] come out. ... I sat with my players, I said, Thiss is whats happened.dddddddddddd Youve heard it and in your perfect world, what do you wish would happen? And clearly there was some anxiety with that decision.We made a mistake and we move on, Brown later added on behalf of the organization. Our players voices were heard, and that was their choice, too, to extend an invitation and bring her back.Streeter said she was told two minutes before walking out to perform the anthem that she could not wear my shirt while singing the national anthem. ... I was never given any kind of dress code. I was never asked beforehand to show my wardrobe.Streeter has written songs for Chris Brown, Ariana Grande and other stars. In 2013, she had a top-40 hit with It Wont Stop, a duet with Brown that reached Recording Industry Association of America gold status.The singer, born Amber Denise Streeter, said she was very hurt by the NBA teams actions.I was angry -- extremely, extremely angry -- and disappointed and honestly brought to tears by all of it. It broke my heart, she said. Honestly, I was very excited about being able to perform the national anthem. I was really looking forward to that.A source told ESPN that any on-court performer -- singer, dancer, entertainer -- must sign a contract that gives the 76ers the right to cancel a performance if the standards described in the contract are not met. The Sixers declined to say why Streeters performance was canceled, but according to a report by CBS Philly, the contract prohibited political statements. The 76ers offered her an alternate shirt, but she refused it, the report said.I also felt it was important to express the ongoing challenges and ongoing injustice we face as a black community within the United States of America -- thats very important to me, Streeter said. Yes, we live in the greatest country in the world, but there are issues that we cannot ignore. This cant be ignored.The Sixers play at home Saturday afternoon against the Atlanta Hawks,?and players did not say whether the team has anything planned for the anthem.We talked about some things as far as declaring something to make our stand, Brown said. We are not in a position to do that. I think our best effort to date has been Jerami and Hollis [Thompson] and organization presenting [a $10,000 community initiative check to the International Institute For Advanced Instruction/Gateway to Re-Entry nonprofit]. Trying to do it in ways that we feel is responsible and still bold enough to make the stance we want to make.We simply want to say that we apologize. We made a mistake and we want to move on.The Sixers players, though, made it clear they want to see Streeter sing the anthem at one of their games.She wanted to wear a T-shirt that she felt was important, Henderson said. I dont know if telling her that she couldnt sing was saying that her statement was unimportant. But she should be able to do what she chooses and that is why we are going to call her back. ' ' '