SEATTLE -- Brad Evans made sure not to get too far ahead of himself -- and moments later it paid off. Marvin Jones Jr Youth Jersey . Evans blasted in a hard shot late in the 28th minute on Wednesday night, and Eddie Johnson added an insurance goal during second-half stoppage time to give the Seattle Sounders a 2-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids in the MLS Western Conference knockout playoff game on Wednesday night. The No. 4 seeded Sounders (16-12-7) limped into the post-season on a seven-game winless streak, but advanced to face the No. 1 Portland Timbers in the two-leg, aggregate-goals West semifinals. The first game will be Saturday in Seattle. The No. 5-seeded Rapids finished the season 14-12-9. Colorado lost its last four road games of the year, all by shutout. Evans got his scoring chance when Colorados German Mera headed a cross out of the penalty area. Evans settled it at the top right of the box, took two dribbles in and ripped a hard shot to the back left corner. It was his fifth goal of the season and his second career playoff goal. "It was just the right place at the right time," Evans said. "In some cases, I tend to over-run things a little bit. But this time, I kind of held back and put the brakes on and waited for the play to develop a little bit. Thats why I was able to get in a good position and get a good touch and a good strike on goal." Evans previous post-season goal came in 2008 when he and Sounders coach Sigi Schmid helped Columbus win the MLS Cup before both migrated to the then-expansion Sounders in 2009. Johnson sealed it midway through the third of five minutes of stoppage time when he deked around Mera and beat Colorado goalkeeper Clint Irwin to the back left corner for his 10th goal of the year. The Sounders played the final three minutes of regulation and five minutes of stoppage time a man down after goalkeeper Michael Gspurning was red-carded for handling the ball outside the penalty area. Colorados Drew Moor had sent a long ball toward the box, and Gspurning was at least a yard outside when he reached out and caught it. "He wanted to come out and head the ball, and realized it bounced too high for him to head it," Schmid said. "He thought he had jumped back into the box, then caught the ball outside the box. The referee (Silviu Petrescu) decided it was a red card." Gspurning, facing a one-game suspension, will be replaced by former U.S. national team and English Premier League star Marcus Hahnemann for Saturdays first leg against Portland. Hahnemann played the final few minutes Wednesday. Seattle had not won since a 2-0 shutout against Real Salt Lake in Seattle on Sept. 13, going 0-4-3 in its final seven regular-season games. "For us to win a game is just a good feeling," Schmid said. "Its a win over a team that embarrassed us last time (5-1 in Colorado on Oct. 5). Its not just a win, its the way we played. I thought we played well. Its not where we were hanging on and scrapping to get by. From that standpoint, it means a little more than just a win." Colorados best chance came late in the 57th minute when Deshorn Brown sent a shot from just inside the box on the left side curling toward the far post. Gspurning came out to knock it away and preserve the shutout. "It was disappointing, but Im certainly proud of the boys for leaving it all out on the field," Moor said. "I wish we would have started off a little brighter. (It was) a playoff game -- its different. If we start the game the way we finish the second half, I think we give ourselves a little better chance." Will Harris Youth Jersey . LOUIS -- Russell Martin wanted a better fate for his starting pitcher and helped deliver a happier ending. Darius Slay Jr Jersey . "I wasnt waving the pom-poms to be involved with it to start with," Carlyle said after a 5-2 win over Carolina on Sunday night. "Its been a trying time. "Specifically we havent played as well as wed like to hang our hat on. http://www.lionsfanspro.com/Black-Jarrad-Davis-Lions-Jersey.html?cat=920 . Azarenka needed exactly one hour in a 6-1, 6-0 rout of Austrian Yvonne Meusburger to start the night session at Laver Arena. Sharapova had a much easier time earlier in the day with cooler conditions and took full advantage in 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) win over Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, while Radwanska had to rally for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.UFC president Dana White announced on Monday that bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has pulled out of the main event of UFC 169 with a groin tear and will vacate his title as a result. Cruz, who has not competed in the UFC since October of 2011 due to a knee injury, was scheduled to face interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao in a title uniffication bout at the February 1st event. Austin Bryant Youth Jersey. Barao, now the undisputed champion, will face Urijah Faber in a five round title fight at UFC 169. Barao, who became the interim champion on July 21st, 2012 and has successfully defended the title twice, won the interim belt in a unanimous decision over Faber at UFC 149. ' ' '