WisconsinRose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Adrian Beltre and the Texas Rangers were subdued as they began the celebration, exchanging hugs near the pitchers mound at Oakland Coliseum.Things got more raucous in the clubhouse, with cigar smoke and champagne everywhere.The Rangers are getting pretty good at this division title thing. Now its time to chase some more important hardware.Beltre hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Texas Rangers secured their second straight AL West title, becoming the first American League team to clinch a playoff spot with a 3-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Friday night.Its just the first step, its just the first step, Beltre said.Its not easy to get where we are right now. We took the first step to win the division and get into the playoffs. We have a good enough team to win the World Series. Thats our goal. Were going to celebrate today, but we know this is not just what we accomplished. We want to accomplish a lot more things.This is Texas seventh AL West title -- not including the strike-shortened 1994 season -- and fourth since 2010. The Rangers have won division titles in both seasons since manager Jeff Banister took over after losing an AL-high 95 games in 2014.Its a lot of fun to be part of, honestly, Banister said. Hard to describe unless youre there every day, but everyone would rather to go to work where you love the people that youre working with, you enjoy the culture, the camaraderie, and were fortunate that whats we got right now.That camaraderie is a big part of how they got there.I feel like weve always had a lot of emotion, Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis said. We play with a lot of passion, and thats what its all about; thats what makes us good.Beltres homer came during a three-run seventh after Oakland starter Kendall Graveman (10-11) began with six perfect innings. Texas got its first baserunner when Carlos Gomez beat out an infield hit to lead off the seventh against Graveman.He was throwing the ball really well. Beltre said. His fastball was moving really well. He got us off-balanced for about six innings. We got lucky. We got a couple of balls that found some holes. We scored just when we needed to win the ball game.Beltre unloaded on what he believes was Gravemans first slider of the game.I was not suspecting that pitch, but he left it right over the plate, Beltre said. I was lucky enough to put a good swing on it.All-Star left-hander Cole Hamels (15-5), acquired prior to last years non-waiver trade deadline, pitched the division-clinching game for the second year in a row. Last year, he threw a three-hitter in the last game of the regular season to beat the Los Angeles Angels.Hamels struck out seven and allowed no walks in seven innings of six-hit ball in what for him was an important bounce-back after allowing 21 earned run in 18 innings over his previous four starts.Graveman allowed three runs and four hits over seven innings. He threw 77 pitches and went to just one three-ball count, to Nomar Mazara leading off the third.The As brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the ninth but closer Sam Dyson got pinch-hitter Yonder Alonso to hit into a fielders choice for the last out to record his 36th save.It feels really good. Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus said. Last year was a little hard the way everything ended up, especially for myself, but I tried to use it to motivate me, and thats what I did all offseason. Really happy everything we did as a team, and weve got to keep going.BEST IN THE WESTThis is the third time the Rangers have won back-to-back titles, having also done so in 1998 and 1999 and then in 2010 and 2011. Current As third-base coach Ron Washington was their manager for the most recent back-to-back, when they made their first two World Series appearances.After being the AL Wests first-place team since May 29, the Rangers finally clinched in their 154th game. That matched their earliest clinch ever -- they also won the division in the 154th game in 2011, also at Oakland.JEFFRESS REINSTATEDRangers reliever Jeremy Jeffress has been reinstated by Major League Baseball and joined the team after being placed on the restricted list following an arrest on a drunken driving charge last month. Jeffress was arrested Aug. 26., less than a month after being acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers before the Aug. 1 deadline.The right-handed reliever was at an inpatient rehab clinic for a little more than three weeks, Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. It isnt clear whether Jeffress will be on the teams postseason roster.ROSTER MOVEThe Rangers recalled LHP Andrew Faulkner from Triple-A Round Rock. Faulkner has been working out at the teams Surprise, Arizona, training complex since Sept. 12.TRAINERS ROOMRangers: OF Shin-Soo Choo took batting practice for the first time since going on the disabled list Aug. 16 with a left forearm fracture. Choo hopes to play in next weekends regular season-ending series against Tampa Bay, which could be his last chance to show the Rangers hes ready to be on their playoff roster.Athletics: Utilityman Arismendy Alcantara will miss the rest of the season with a thumb sprain. Alcantara suffered the injury sliding into second base in the ninth inning of Wednesdays game against the Houston Astros.UP NEXTRangers starter Yu Darvish (5-5, 3.81) tries to get back on track against Raul Alcantara (1-1, 5.65) on Saturday. Darvish has a 7.47 ERA in his past three starts, including when he allowed seven runs over five innings last time out against the As. Chandler Cox Jersey . But by the time the game started, the Toronto Raptors forward felt even worse. And, for three quarters, it showed as Gay shot a woeful three-for-13 from the field. Michael Dunn Jersey . -- Adam Snyder returned to the San Francisco 49ers this season because the offensive lineman thought it was his best opportunity to win a championship. http://www.wholesaledolphinsjerseys.com/?tag=youth-michael-deiter-jersey .C. -- Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Bobcats got off to a fast start, and the Sacramento Kings were never quite able to catch up. Kenyan Drake Jersey . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. Andrew Van Ginkel Jersey . For the Wild it was their first win of the season and they now have a record of 1-1-2 while the Jets fall to 2-2. Jets start a six game home stand Friday with another divisional game, home to the Dallas Stars. (Note: All times Eastern)College Football Playoff semifinalsCollege Football Playoff at the Chick-fil-A Peach BowlGeorgia Dome, Atlanta Saturday, Dec. 31, TBD (ESPN)Schlabach: Alabama vs. Michigan McMurphy:?Alabama vs. WashingtonCollege Football Playoff at the Fiesta BowlUniversity of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona Saturday, Dec. 31, TBD (ESPN)Schlabach: Ohio State vs. Clemson McMurphy:?Ohio State vs. ClemsonCollege Football Playoff National ChampionshipRaymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, TBD (ESPN)Schlabach: Alabama vs. Ohio State McMurphy:?Alabama vs. Ohio StateBowl scheduleGildan New Mexico BowlUniversity Stadium, Albuquerque Dec. 17, 2 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Old Dominion vs. New Mexico McMurphy:? ?UNLV vs. Old DominionLas Vegas BowlSam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas Dec. 17, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)Schlabach:?Boise State vs. USC McMurphy:?Boise State vs. USCRaycom Media Camellia BowlCramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama Dec. 17, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Central Michigan vs. South Alabama McMurphy: ?Appalachian State vs. ToledoAutoNation Cure BowlCitrus Bowl Stadium, Orlando Dec. 17, 7 p.m. (CBSSN)Schlabach: UCF vs. Troy? McMurphy:?Army vs. South AlabamaR+L Carriers New Orleans BowlMercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans Dec. 17, 9 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach:?Georgia Southern vs. Southern Miss McMurphy: ?Georgia Southern vs. Southern MissMiami Beach BowlMarlins Park, Miami Dec. 19, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Cincinnati vs. Toledo McMurphy:?Cincinnati vs. Central MichiganBoca Raton BowlFAU Football Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida Dec. 20, 7 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Middle Tennessee vs. Memphis McMurphy: ?Middle Tennessee vs. MemphisSan Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia BowlQualcomm Stadium, San Diego Dec. 21, 9 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: BYU vs. San Diego State McMurphy:?BYU vs. San Diego StateFamous Idaho Potato BowlAlbertsons Stadium, Boise, Idaho Dec. 22, 7 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Colorado State vs. Ohio McMurphy:?Nevada vs. Eastern MichiganPopeyes Bahamas BowlThomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas Dec. 23, 1 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Louisiana Tech vs. Tulsa McMurphy: ?Marshall vs. UCFLockheed Martin Armed Forces BowlAmon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas Dec. 23, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Texas vs. Navy McMurphy: ?Texas vs. NavyDollar General BowlLadd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama Dec. 23, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Appalachian State vs. Western Michigan McMurphy: ?Troy vs. Western MichiganHawaii BowlAloha Stadium, Honolulu Dec. 24, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Air Force vs. Western Kentucky McMurphy: ?Western Kentucky vs. Air ForceSt. Petersburg BowlTropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida Dec. 26, 11 a.m. (ESPN)Schlabach:?Georgia Tech vs. South Florida? McMurphy: ?Georgia Tech vs. South FloridaQuick Lane BowlFord Field, Detroit Dec. 26, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach:?Maryland vs Wake Forest McMurphy: ?Wake Forest vs. MinnesotaCamping World Independence BowlIndependence Stadium, Shreveport, Louisiana Dec. 26, 5 p.m. (ESPN2)Schlabach:?Kansas State vs. Pittsburgh McMurphy: ?NC State vs. KentuckyZaxbys Heart of Dallas BowlCotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas Dec. 27, noon (ESPN)Schlabach: Indiana vs. North Texas McMurphy:?Kansas State vs. Louisiana TechMilitary Bowl presented by Northrop GrummanNavy-Marine Corps Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland Dec.dddddddddddd27, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Temple vs. NC State McMurphy: ?Pitt vs. TempleHoliday BowlQualcomm Stadium, San Diego Dec. 27, 7 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Colorado vs. Michigan State McMurphy: ?Maryland vs. UtahMotel 6 Cactus BowlChase Field, Phoenix Dec. 27, 10:15 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach:?California vs. Texas Tech McMurphy: ?California vs. Texas TechNew Era Pinstripe BowlYankee Stadium, New York Dec. 28, 2 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Notre Dame vs. Iowa McMurphy:?Virginia Tech vs. Michigan StateRussell Athletic BowlOrlando Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida Dec. 28, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Miami vs. Oklahoma State McMurphy:?Miami vs. West VirginiaFoster Farms BowlLevis Stadium, Santa Clara, California Dec. 28, 8:30 p.m. (FOX)Schlabach: Northwestern vs. Utah? McMurphy:?UCLA vs. Penn StateAdvoCare V100 Texas BowlNRG Stadium, Houston Dec. 28, 9 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach:?Arkansas vs. West Virginia McMurphy: ?Oklahoma State vs. Mississippi StateBirmingham BowlLegion Field, Birmingham, Alabama Dec. 29, 2 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Army vs. Tulane McMurphy:?Tulsa vs. MissouriBelk BowlBank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina Dec. 29, 5:30 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach:?Auburn vs. Virginia Tech? McMurphy:?LSU vs. Florida StateValero Alamo BowlAlamodome, San Antonio Dec. 29, 9 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Baylor vs. UCLA McMurphy:?Oklahoma vs. ColoradoAutoZone Liberty BowlLiberty Bowl, Memphis, Tennessee Dec. 30, noon (ESPN)Schlabach: Mississippi State vs. TCU McMurphy: ?Auburn vs. TCUHyundai Sun BowlSun Bowl Stadium, El Paso, Texas Dec. 30, 2 p.m. (CBS)Schlabach: Arizona State vs. Florida State McMurphy: ?North Carolina vs. Arizona StateFranklin American Mortgage Music City BowlNissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee Dec. 30, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Georgia vs. Minnesota McMurphy: ?Georgia vs. IowaCapital One Orange Bowl?Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida Dec. 30, 8 p.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Louisville vs. Tennessee McMurphy:?Louisville vs. TennesseeNOVA Home Loans Arizona BowlArizona Stadium, Tucson, Arizona Dec. 30, TBD?Schlabach: Texas State vs. Wyoming McMurphy: Texas State vs. NevadaBuffalo Wild Wings Citrus BowlCamping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida Dec. 31, 11 a.m. (ABC)Schlabach:?Ole Miss vs. Nebraska McMurphy: ?Indiana vs. ArkansasTaxSlayer Bowl?EverBank Field, Jacksonville, Florida Dec. 31, 11 a.m. (ESPN)Schlabach: Florida vs. North Carolina McMurphy:??Notre Dame vs. Ole MissOutback BowlRaym