MINNEAPOLIS -- The script for Glen Perkins hasnt always gone so smoothly. [url=https://www.cheapraptors.com/233a-demar-derozan-jersey-raptors.html ]DeMar DeRozan Jersey[/url] . Sure, there have been hiccups. Life is never perfect. Rare, though, are the occurrences in sports that come together as marv

MINNEAPOLIS -- The script for Glen Perkins hasnt always gone so smoothly. DeMar DeRozan Jersey . Sure, there have been hiccups. Life is never perfect. Rare, though, are the occurrences in sports that come together as marvelously as this for the Minnesota closer: taking the mound for the American League All-Star team and pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning in front of his roaring, adoring home fans. When Perkins jogged out of the bullpen on Tuesday night at Target Field, he was taken aback by how loud the crowd became. "I wasnt fighting back tears, but it was an overwhelming moment to hear," Perkins said. "It was a moment like that where you realize why you play the game and what makes the game so fun, and its the fans in the stands." His All-Star status and salary of more than $4 million this season put him in the societal elite, but in many ways Perkins is a lot alike many of those fans in the stands. He grew up in a Twin Cities suburb, Stillwater, and lives year-round in Minnesota, a rarity for Twins players. Boating and fishing are two of his favourite pastimes. Hes regularly on social media, with a sharp sense of humour and down-to-earth perspective that further endear him to the masses. Minutes after finishing one of his shakiest saves of the season, at Milwaukee last month, Perkins posted on Twitter: "I just did my best Ron Davis impression," alluding to the Twins closer of the mid-1980s prone to wild pitches and blown leads. Perkins has proven to be far more effective than Davis, though, putting himself on track to approach Joe Nathan franchise-leading all-time saves total. At age 31, under contract through at least 2017, Perkins isnt going anywhere. The Twins have an option on his deal for 2018 that would be a market bargain at $6.5 million if he stays healthy and productive. Perkins was the one who approached the front office during spring training about an extension, willing to take a contract that couldve been richer. He started the year as the 17th-highest paid closer in the majors. Thats fine by him. Becoming an All-Star for his hometown Twins has been beyond his grandest goals. "Hearing how loud the fans were, it makes me want to get to the playoffs," said Perkins, who made one appearance in the 2006 first-round series as a rookie but wasnt on the post-season roster in either 2009 or 2010. The Twins went 5-2 on their road trip before the All-Star break and have generally been more competent and competitive than their last three teams that each lost 96 games or more. Still, theyre 10 1-2 games out of first place. Their starting pitchers, despite progress by Kyle Gibson and the upgrade with Phil Hughes, have a 4.86 ERA, the third-worst mark in the majors. Veterans on expiring contracts like Suzuki, left fielder Josh Willingham and starting pitcher Kevin Correia could be traded in the coming weeks. The players, of course, are opposed. "I know how the business side of it is, the long-term stuff," second baseman Brian Dozier said. "But its our job to make those decisions hard for them. To be honest with you, I want to contend. I believe we can. Weve got the people to do it. Im not saying we dont need a couple of extra pieces, but I think were going to be just fine. We just have to get on a roll." The Twins start their post-break schedule with 10 straight games at Target Field. Manager Ron Gardenhire joked last week about being home enough to actually help his wife, Carol, mow the lawn. Danny Santana will come off the disabled list Friday, and ideally Joe Mauer will join him soon after. Perhaps prospects Trevor May or Alex Meyer will get a promotion from Triple-A to boost the rotation. "We think if we can get healthy and pitching again, thats pretty good. We still have to find some consistency there. Our offence, I think that will come if we get all the pieces back we hope for," Gardenhire said. One place the manager isnt worried about is the back of the bullpen. Perkins has that taken care of. Luis Scola Jersey .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player. P. J. Tucker Jersey . The 25-year-old McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, was eligible to play for either Ireland or Team GB when golf makes its return to the Olympics in Brazil for the first time since 1904. https://www.cheapraptors.com/583a-oshae-brissett-jersey-raptors.html . -- Golden State Warriors reserve centre Ognjen Kuzmic is expected to miss at least six weeks after undergoing surgery on his fractured right hand.NEWARK, N.J. - Dont write off the New Jersey Devils playoff chances, just yet. The Devils are getting good goaltending from Cory Schneider and Martin Brodeur, and anything is possible when the guy in the nets is on his game. The Toronto Maple Leafs are another story. Theyre struggling in goal with Jonathan Bernier out with a groin injury and they are barely hanging on to a playoff spot. It was on display Sunday night. Schneider made 21 saves and withstood a furious late attack and Devils posted a much-needed 3-2 win over Toronto, sending the struggling Maple Leafs to their fifth straight loss without Bernier. The win moved the Devils within five points of Toronto for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Washington is a point behind the Maple Leafs with a game in hand and Columbus is two points back with two games in hand. "I know the statistics dont say that but I really feel we can win every game," Devils coach Pete DeBoer said of the Devils playoff chances after winning for only the second time in six games. "You look at our schedule and if our goaltending continues to play the way it is, I think we can win every game." The Devils won this matchup by taking advantage of Toronto mistakes to take a 3-0 lead early in the second period. Rookie defenceman Jon Merrill set up a second-period breakaway goal by Patrik Elias and scored 32 seconds later to build the lead. Damien Brunner had scored in the first period. "Anything is possible," Devils captain Bryce Salvador said. "We are not looking 10 games ahead. Were just looking at the next game. Were trying to play every game like its the last game." Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel scored for the Maple Leafs, who saw embattled goaltender James Reimer give up three goals on 10 shots in less than 22 minutes of action. The skid ties Torontos longest of the season and it could not have come at a worse with nine games left in the regular season. New Jersey, which was shut out twice in its recent slide, capitalized on bad plays by the Maple Leafs. Brunner, who had been a healthy scratch the past two games, gave the Devils the lead with his 11th goal of the season. Defenceman Marek Zidlicky started the play with a pass up the ice to Adam Henrique that started an off-man rush. Henrique found Brunner coming down the right side and his shot from the circle went over Reimers glove. The game changed in the opening two minutes of the second period and Merrill was the catalyst. Controlling the puck in his own end, he made a stretch pass that got Elias behind defenceman Morgan Rielly. Elias skated in on Reimer and made a move to his backhand that deked the goaltender out of position for a shot into an empty net. Defenceman Peter Harrold, who had not dressed in the Devills 12 games following the Olympic break, carried the puck low into the Maple Leafs right circle and sent a pass toward the net. Toronto Raptors Gear. Ryane Clowe had it hit off him and go to the left point, where Merrill unloaded a shot that squeezed through the goaltender and rolled into the net. "I think that was the best 30 seconds of my career so far," Merrill said with a laugh. "Everyone in here believes. We know if we keep playing our game and doing things right, we are going to get wins and points and we can make it." Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle sent Drew MacIntyre to replace Reimer after the third goal. He had been playing for the AHLs Toronto Marlies this season before being recalled after Bernier was hurt. He finished with 14 saves. The Maple Leafs played a lot better the rest of the game. Bozak put them on the board at 5:26 of the second period, redirecting a pass by Rielly on a power play into an open net. Kessel got his 36th of the season with 1:31 to play after Toronto pulled its goaltender with more than two minutes left in regulation. Kessel crashed into the net after the goal but returned for a wild final 91 seconds in which Schneider made two big saves. "We have lot of games left we have to come together as a team and battle," said Bozak, who repeatedly said that the team let Reimer down and it wasnt fair to blame the goaltender. Carlyle refused to discuss his goaltending situation. "We have to find a way to stop the bleeding here and do everything in our power to regroup with this hockey club and get them playing to a higher level," he said. "When we do play for stretches, we look like a team that could play with anybody, and then we are inept in some areas where the puck doesnt bounce our way, or hits a post. All the good fortune we had earlier seems piled against us." Toronto had plenty of good scoring chances the rest of the way with none greater than a two-man advantage for 1:16 late in the period. Dion Phaneuf and Cody Franson had big shots that Schneider stopped in winning his second straight after losing the previous three. Schneiders best saves might have been early in the third period when he came across the crease and stopped James van Riemsdyk in close and made a glove save on Bozak after the Leafs pulled their goaltender. The game was David Clarksons first in New Jersey since signing with the Maple Leafs as a free agent after last season. NOTES: Bernier did not make the trip to New Jersey in missing his fifth straight game. ... Harrolds assist was his first point since Nov. 12 against the Rangers. ... For the second game in a row, Jagr hit a post with a shot. ... Van Riemsdyk has one goal in his past 11 games. ... The Devils dressed seven defencemen. Eric Gelinas got the odd shift with the fourth line. ' ' '