Kunze-IT » We had 10 hits and the two runs

BARCELONA, Spain -- Alexis Sanchez scored a second-half goal as Barcelona and Lionel Messi struggled past Espanyol 1-0 Friday to remain top of the Spanish league. Neymar drew two defenders before guiding a pass through both pairs of legs across goal for Sanchez to tap in at the far post for the easy 68th-minute winner. Barcelona opened up a four-point advantage over Atletico Madrid, which plays Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, and a nine-point lead on Real Madrid. Madrid faces Rayo Vallecano on Saturday. Messi is coming off one of his worst months of football, having not scored in the league since September. The Argentina international, who has been troubled by an injury, lacked rhythm and made uncharacteristic turnovers at the Camp Nou Stadium to start November goalless. Barcelona next plays against AC Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday. Messi did score at Milan nearly two weeks ago. While Barcelona laboured to another victory, it maintained its impressive start under new coach Gerardo Martino who has led the team to 34 of a possible 36 points. Messi missed time with a right leg injury and by the end of the match he looked like he was either frustrated or feeling the effects of not being 100 per cent fit. Barcelona dominated possession and controlled the tempo from the start with Espanyol goalkeeper Francisco Casilla diving to make a save from Sanchez early on, with the Chilean enjoying some of the hosts best opportunities throughout. Espanyol needed over half an hour to register its first shot on goal, and it was nearly ahead in the 36th but Victor Valdes got a leg to Victor Sanchezs low shot following a smart run onto Thievy Bifoumas clever touch. Andres Iniesta forced a save from Casilla with Dani Alves hitting the post in the ensuing scramble as Barcelona nearly went ahead just before halftime. Casilla was in top form as he got a hand to Messis well-guided header in the 54th. Messi then had two opportunities from free kicks but never came closer to scoring his first league goal since Sept. 28. Neymar nearly found the net moments before setting up Sanchez, and appealed for a foul when Casilla put him to the ground outside the area in the 76th with the empty net beckoning. Espanyol should have tested Valdes in the 85th but Manuel Lanzarote showed poor finishing as he weakly headed over goal. Fake Nike NBA Jerseys . Future Hall of Famer Ricky Ray is in his prime and back for a third season in double blue. The 34-year old was magnificent in 2013, throwing for just under 2,900 yards despite missing eight games, tossing an impressive 21 touchdowns against just two interceptions, completing 66 per cent of his passes in the process. Fake NBA Jerseys Sale . Canada wasnt in the game from the outset. Head coach Dan Church left Calgary in the morning without addressing the players. He told The Canadian Press he felt the organization lacked confidence in his ability to defend the Olympic gold medal in February. http://www.fakenbajerseys.com/ . The whole deflation of New England Patriots footballs is like a murder mystery without the violence or significance. On one side, this is a ridiculous issue. Fake NBA Jerseys Online . -- Among the 31 players at the Montreal Canadiens rookie camp, none feels closer to cracking the NHL roster than right winger Aaron Palushaj. Cheap Fake NBA Jerseys . The Toronto Maple Leafs forward and Nashville Predators goaltender highlighted Mondays waiver transactions, with Calgarys Chuck Kobasew and Edmontons Philip Larsen also being placed on waivers. MIAMI -- Theres something about the Philadelphia Phillies that brings out the best in Miami Marlins rookie shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria. Part of it is because he wants to impress his counterpart with the Phillies, Jimmy Rollins. Hechavarria drove in three runs, including the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, to help the Marlins to a 3-2 victory Wednesday night. The slick-fielding Hechavarria has a hit in eight consecutive games against the Phillies. "I dont know if its because Im facing Jimmy Rollins and maybe I want him to think that this youngster is good and has skills," Hechavarria said. "I have admired since Cuba as well as Derek Jeter." Hechavarria hit a two-run triple in the second before driving in the run that made it 3-2 on a fielders choice. Justin Ruggiano walked and Placido Polanco singled for his third hit in the eighth off Ethan Martin (2-5) before Hechavarria hit a grounder to Rollins, whose throw went wide of catcher Carlos Ruiz allowing Ruggiano to slide in safely. "Its nice to get on the other end of the one-run games," said Marlins manager Mike Redmond, whose squad improved to 21-35 in one-run games. Steve Cishek pitched the ninth for his 33rd save in 35 chances. It was Cisheks 28th consecutive save setting the team record previously held by Todd Jones in 2005. "I really just try not to think about it," Cishek said of the streak. "Id be lying if it wasnt on the back of my head. I was trying to go out there and get three outs. And try to get the guys with another win." Chad Qualls (5-2) got the final out in the eighth to earn the victory. Phillies starter Cole Hamels pitched six innings and allowed two runs. He struck out six as he reached 200 strikeouts (202) in a season for the third time in his career and the second consecutive season. "Its not really a big deal, 300 is probably pretty cool, but youre probably not going to see that anymore," Hamels said. The 22008 World Series MVP finished his season with a 3.dddddddddddd.60 ERA and an 8-14 record, which is the least amount of wins and the most losses in his career as he received one of the lowest run support averages in the majors. "Just being able to get 200 innings is ultimately a major goal every season," Hamels said. "To be able to achieve that I guess is sort of a positive note. I did everything I could that I could affect. Thats ultimately the learning lesson." Brad Hand allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1-3 innings for Miami. Hechavarria hit a two-run triple in the second inning to deep centre field over the head of Cesar Hernandez for a 2-0 lead. Freddy Galvis, who had three hits, stroked an RBI single to pull the Phillies within 2-1 in the seventh, which ended Hands outing. Hernandez broke a 2-for-23 slump with an RBI single to tie the game at 2. "We had 10 hits and the two runs, a little power shortage right now with extra-base hits and home runs," Phillies manage Ryne Sandberg said. The bottom of the seventh featured two missed calls by the umpires as Rollins tag on a pickoff attempt at second base by Cesar Jimenez was in time to get Juan Pierre, but he was called safe. Then Jimenez applied a tag with his bare hand to get Christian Yelich out on a slow grounder. "I think it all evened out," Sandberg said. "One for them, one for us." NOTES: Hamels has pitched at least five innings in 75 consecutive starts, which is the longest active streak in the majors. ... Cisheks 28 consecutive saves is the longest active streak in the majors. ... Miami will begin its final series of the season on Friday against Detroit and will send RHP Tom Koehler (4-10, 4.45 ERA) to the mound against RHP Rick Porcello (13-8, 4.38). ... The Phillies begin a four-game series at Atlanta on Thursday with RHP Tyler Cloyd (2-6, 5.40) getting the start against RHP David Hale (0-0, 0.00). 23:37ET 25-09-13 ' ' '