"I think we had the last three races leading into Chicago.

WASHINGTON -- Denard Span will take the five hits, of course, especially with three of them coming off Johnny Cueto. Hell take greater satisfaction in the way he was able to create havoc the way a leadoff hitter should, using his speed to get the Cincinnati Reds to commit a pair of errors in the Washington Nationals 9-4 win Tuesday night. "I got more gratification just disrupting them and getting them to throw the ball away," Span said. "For me thats how I have to take over a game." And take over, he did. He finished 5 for 5 with two runs, two doubles, two RBIs and a stolen base as he and the Nationals accomplished a first for 2014: They made Cueto (4-3) look mortal. The Reds ace allowed more than two runs, more than five hits and failed to pitch at least seven innings -- all for the first time this season. His final line: 5 1-3 innings, six hits, eight runs (six earned), six strikeouts. He also hit two batters in the same inning -- the seven-run sixth when the Nationals blew the game open. "They played really well. And you know what? Im human. Im human," Cueto said through an interpreter. "I just got to keep my head up and keep working. Thats all I got to do." It was Cuetos shortest start since Sept. 16, 2013, and his most runs allowed since Sept. 22, 2010. His ERA rose from 1.25 to 1.86. He wasnt helped by a Reds defence that committed four errors -- twice as many as in any previous game this season. "He wasnt just the groundball machine, strikeout machine that hes been to this point," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Its just the law of averages caught up with us today." Doug Fister (1-1), making his home Nationals debut, allowed two runs and six hits over seven innings with good movement on his fastball. He had a streak of 12 retired batters in a row, and he worked out of a jam in the sixth with the help of a diving stop by third baseman Anthony Rendon and a tiptoe stretch by first baseman Tyler Moore that turned Rendons throw into the third out. Above all, Span was the unstoppable agitator, and it paid off in the Reds calamitous third and sixth innings. Fister led off the third by reaching on an error when first baseman Todd Frazier couldnt backhand a grounder. Span then tried to bunt his way on and did even better, laying one down that prompted a wide throw from third baseman Ramon Santiago. Fister scored all the way from first, and Span ended up on third and scored on Rendons sacrifice fly to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead. In the sixth, Span led off with a single, then stole second and went to third when catcher Brayan Penas throw went into centre field. Span scored on Jayson Werths RBI single and eventually came around to bat again in the inning, bringing home two more runs with a double off lefty reliever Sean Marshall. "Thats a good sign. I hit a lefty like that, a breaking-ball lefty," Span said. "Stay back and drive the ball like that. I havent done that in a while." The evenings work raised Spans batting average from.239 to .263. Before the game, manager Matt Williams said he was sticking with Span when asked about a possible change in the leadoff spot. The big night might be the turning point that justifies Williams patience. "Looking back at last year, he started a really good streak in the second half," Williams said, "so certainly it can get him going." NOTES: Spans five hits tied a career high. ... The Reds have committed six errors thus far in two-game series -- they had only 13 all season before arriving in D.C. ... Cincinnati 1B Joey Votto missed his fifth straight game with a strained left quadriceps. Price said he hopes Votto will return when the Reds open a homestand Friday. "We just remain optimistic that Joeys going to be ready to play when we get back." ... Cincinnati RHP Mat Latos (left knee, right elbow) threw the equivalent of two innings in a simulated game and could be slotted for a minor league rehab start Sunday. ... Reds OF Jay Bruce (left knee) is eligible to return from the disabled list Wednesday. ... Nationals 3B Ryan Zimmerman (right thumb fracture) saw an occupational therapist to get a splint and that will allow him to start throwing the ball. Theres still no timetable for his return. ... Reds RHP Alfredo Simon faces RHP Tanner Roark in Wednesdays series finale. Aqib Talib Jersey . The alley-oop looked easy -- just like everything else after halftime for the Miami Heat. James scored 32 points, Wade added 22 points and eight assists, and the Heat trailed by 11 early in the second half before running away to a 107-88 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night. John Franklin-Myers Rams Jersey . Harrison Barnes had 15 points and Reggie Bullock scored 11 for the Tar Heels (17-3, 4-1 ACC), who took the court for the first time without starter Dexter Strickland. The junior guard tore his right ACL last Thursday at Virginia Tech and will miss the rest of the season. http://www.ramsrookiestore.com/Rams-John-Kelly-Jersey/ . The first baseman hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Mets to a thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Ndamukong Suh Jersey .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player. Ramik Wilson Rams Jersey . Phoenix originally signed Barbosa to a 10-day contract on Jan. 8 after Eric Bledsoe injured his knee and then signed him to another 10-day deal.LOUDON, N.H. -- Ryan Newman used a track-record lap to fuel his run at a championship. Newman set the New Hampshire Motor Speedway qualifying record with a lap of 136.497 mph to win the pole and headline a top 12 loaded with Chase drivers for Sundays race. Chase for the Sprint Cup championship drivers filled 10 of the top 12 spots Friday. Kasey Kahne was second and joins Newman on the front row, Jeff Gordon was third and Kurt Busch fourth for what will be the second Chase race. Joey Logano qualified sixth, Kevin Harvick was eighth, series points leader and last weeks winner Matt Kenseth was ninth, and Greg Biffle starts 10th. Jimmie Johnson is 11th and Kyle Busch 12th. Martin Truex Jr. starts fifth the same week he found out NAPA was dumping sponsorship of his Michael Waltrip Racing No. 56 car after the race-fixing attempts at Richmond earlier this month. "This is definitely not the time of year you want to find out that you really dont have a ride next year," Truex said. "Its going to be tough, but well have to deal with it and figure it out." Truex did qualify for the Chase with NAPA last season, finishing 11th in points, and was in contention for the final Chase wild card berth at Richmond while driving with a broken wrist. He got a new cast this week and still doesnt know if hell need surgery at the end of the season. The Chase moves on Sunday to New Hampshire, where NASCAR has a 13-driver championship field for the first time since the title-deciding format began in 2004. Newman is eighth in the standings, certainly within striking distance of Kenseth.dddddddddddd. He won his second pole of the season and 51st in 432 career Cup races. Newman won from the pole this season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Newman, who is leaving Stewart-Haas Racing for a 2014 ride with Richard Childress, has three career wins at New Hampshire. "This track is the birthplace of track position," he said. "It is really difficult to pass. Having a good pit selection, having all those things weve had to many times before (helps). Last time we were on the pole here, we led a lot of laps and won. Im hoping we can duplicate that again." The rest of the Chase field saw Clint Bowyer start 16th and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 17th. Earnhardt is 13th in the Chase standings and was disgusted on the grid after his poor lap. "The car just hadnt been turning well and the front end is a bit of a handful," he said. NASCAR would love for the talk of the sport to return to racing and the Chase and not the scandal that rocked the sport. NASCAR took the unprecedented step of adding Gordon as a 13th driver and booted Truex from the field. Gordon, a four-time champion, was sixth in Chicago and has four straight top-10 finishes to work his way up to seventh in the standings. "We are in it and we want to show everyone why we are in it," Gordon said. "I think we had the last three races leading into Chicago. We were pretty good, but previously in the season we just have had our struggles. We have had missed opportunities and its hard to always put your finger on what exactly has caused those things." Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '