Clan Events » players and Pankaj later explained that there was a

DETROIT -- Justin Verlanders no-hit bid was finally over in the seventh inning -- and before refocusing, the Detroit ace saw his shortstop do something amusing. "When the double was hit, and the ball came back in, everybody started cheering," Verlander said. "(Jhonny) Peralta caught the ball and looked up at the board checking the hits. Thats when I knew he didnt know. I was like, Come on, Jhonny." Verlander fell seven outs short of his third career no-hitter, but the Detroit ace looked sharp in his final start before the All-Star break, and the Tigers backed him with three home runs in a 5-0 victory over the Texas Rangers on Sunday. Mitch Morelands two-out double to right-centre broke up Verlanders bid. Verlander (10-6) left the game after the seventh with a tight right quad muscle, having allowed just that one hit and three walks. "It was just kind of starting to get tight," Verlander said. "Theres really no need to push it." Torii Hunter, Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta hit solo homers off Texas starter Martin Perez (3-2). The Rangers finished with two hits. Verlander was picked for the American League All-Star team but was replaced for Tuesday nights event. Under baseballs labour contract, pitchers who start on the Sunday before the All-Star game may opt not to participate. Although he also took a no-hitter into the seventh at Houston on May 5, Verlanders overpowering aura hasnt been quite the same this season. Sundays gem lowered his ERA to 3.50. He struck out only three but was effective anyway. "It was a little bit different Verlander than what we usually see," Moreland said. "He mixed a lot of off-speed in there and kept us off-balance. I felt like we hit some balls hard, but it seemed like they went right to them. Youve got to tip your hat to what he did, its always a battle going against him and hes where hes at for a reason. It was a tough one for us." Verlander no-hit Toronto on May 7, 2011. His other no-hitter came June 12, 2007, against Milwaukee. Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Bob Feller and Cy Young are among the five pitchers with at least three no-hitters. Larry Corcoran, an ambidextrous pitcher who won 177 games from 1880-85, is the other one. Verlander took the mound about 12 hours after San Franciscos Tim Lincecum finished a no-hitter of his own at San Diego. The drama began building in Detroit in the fourth when Tigers left fielder Matt Tuiasosopo got turned around on a line drive by Nelson Cruz. He was able to recover and reach up for the catch. In the fifth, Hunter ran to the corner in right to catch a flyball by Elvis Andrus. Jurickson Profar, the next hitter, sent a smash toward Martinez, who was playing first base because Prince Fielder was Detroits designated hitter Sunday. Martinez made the stop and took the ball to first himself for the third out of the inning. Hunter went deep in the first to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead, and Martinez and Peralta hit back-to-back homers in the fourth. Detroit added two runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Peralta and Tuiasosopo, although that rally made Verlander wait a while before taking the mound again. The following inning was when Moreland connected for the first Texas hit. Neither Hunter nor centre fielder Austin Jackson had much of a shot at Morelands drive. "Obviously, its one of those things you start to think about," Verlander said. "Ive been there before, where Ive lost them in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth. So I guess Ive -- not become accustomed to it -- but you learn to just refocus and just get the next guy. Thats all I can do." This was much better than Verlanders outing at Texas on May 16, when he allowed eight runs and didnt get out of the third inning. Verlander has been overshadowed a bit this year by fellow Detroit right-hander Max Scherzer, who is a strong candidate to start Tuesday nights All-Star game at Citi Field in New York. But Verlander showed Sunday why he, too, is an All-Star. "I think hes been a very good major league pitcher that has expectations that are almost impossible to live up to," Detroit manager Jim Leyland said. Verlander received a nice ovation from the home crowd after the first Texas hit, and another one when he came back to the dugout after retiring his final batter. NOTES: Perez allowed five runs and four hits in 5 2-3 innings. He struck out four and walked three. ... Leyland said Anibal Sanchez will start Friday at Kansas City in the first game after the All-Star break, followed by Verlander, Doug Fister, Scherzer and Rick Porcello. Myles Straw Jersey . Walcott is available for Saturdays home match against Southampton as Arsenal looks to extend its two-point lead at the top of the Premier League. The Gunners are currently the second highest scorers in the league but Wenger insists Walcott will add something extra to his team. Andy Pettitte Jersey . The Browns coaching search remains incomplete. https://www.cheapastros.com/ . -- 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. Kyle Tucker Astros Jersey . -- Vincent Lecavalier got everything but the desired result in his return to Tampa Bay. Denis Menke Jersey . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. It was tough to tell that a world title had been won. Pankaj Advani was a picture of relief following the five-hour final, having worn down defending champion Peter Gilchrist 6-3 in the World Billiards Championship (points format) in Bengaluru on Monday.The muted celebrations could probably be ascribed to the dozen-odd world titles that line Advanis cabinet - 15 to be precise, with this being his 12th billiards crown. To think he is all of 31, a towering feat by any measure.Im extremely relieved to win this title, Pankaj said, after the match. Given that Ive played very little billiards this year and winning it at home is special. Advani had lost to Sourav Kothari in the pre-quarterfinals of the long up format last week.The points format is a shorter version of the game with players needing to score 150 points to win a frame with the final being played in a best of 11 frames.Im glad Ive come through. The shorter format of the game is more or less a lottery. Of course you need the skill and ability, but certain things dont go your way and the opponent can just run away with the match. Im glad that Ive been able to use my presence of mind which has been lacking at times because I played a lot of snooker this year and very little billiards. I gave it my all.?Getting off to a good start, Advani came agonizingly close to a century break - 98 - in the opening frame before his visit was cut short by the baulk line regulation, a factor which Advani conceded bothered him even during the latter part of the match.According to the rules, when a break is anywhere between 80-100 points, a player should bring his cue ball to cross the baulk line, or the straight line on the table behind which the cue balls are usually placed at the start of the game.I had an 86 in the seventh frame and I was thinking of the baulk line. I was troubled by it a little, he said. The Karnataka Snooker and Billiards Association (KSBAA) last hosted the world billiards championship in 2008, with Advani winning the title in both the formats.ddddddddddddA welcome sight on Monday though was the packed spectators arena, at times to the chagrin of the players during crucial breaks, as they were more than occasionally distracted by movements. Gilchrist, though, later acknowledged that the crowds reminded him of similar scenes from two decades ago in India, when he played alongside Michael Ferreira.Errors were a constant with both players and Pankaj later explained that there was a lot more than what met the eye.The table was very tricky, he said, Both of us acknowledged that it was difficult. Peter found the throw of the cushion tough while for me the balls were not splitting as much. Suddenly it came back to normal later on. In India when you talk about a damp pitch everyone understands, but when you talk about bouncy tables and split being less everyone says its simple errors. ? There could have been more centuries in match, Pankaj added. I felt I did well with my 70s, 80s, 90s as well. As long as youre keeping the scoreboard ticking, youre opponent will feel the pressure.Up 4-3, Advani gave Gilchrist little wriggle room to mount any sort of a comeback. I actually applied myself a lot in the eighth frame. I said this is the frame you need to win. Once youre 5-3 up, its not easy for any player to comeback. It paid off.A challenge for Advani has been juggling between snooker and billiards - both requiring different skill sets, practice and approach. Just ahead of this tournament, he finished with bronze in the IBSF World Snooker Championship.India is set to host the next four editions of the World Billiards Championship, a heartening and much-needed impetus for the sports sagging fortunes in the country. 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