Unser Forum » Maddon challenged the very close out call on

BARCELONA, Spain -- Cristiano Ronaldo helped Real Madrid reclaim sole possession of the Spanish league on Sunday, scoring one goal and setting up another in a dominant 3-0 victory over 10-man Levante at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ronaldo recorded his league-leading 24th goal of the season to get Madrid rolling in the 11th minute. The Ballon dOr winner then passed for Marcelo to score in the 49th and ensure Madrid extended its undefeated streak in all competitions to 29 straight matches. With Madrid firmly in control, the game turned testy with several bookings until David Navarro saw a direct red for tackling Ronaldo from behind in the 64th. Ronaldo went close to getting another goal when he hit the crossbar after Levante defender Nikos Karabelas had already turning in an own goal in the 82nd. Madrids win came a week after Ronaldo scored to salvage a draw at Atletico Madrid, and it lifted Carlo Ancelottis side three points clear of its crosstown rivals at the top of the table. Barcelona was left four points adrift of the pacesetters following Saturdays stunning 1-0 defeat at Valladolid. "Its an important moment because everything is turning out well and there is a good atmosphere surrounding the team," said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. "We have to continue forward. We have a small advantage in the league but we cant think about anything other than the next game. Its risky not to." Madrids placid outing was tarnished when fullback Dani Carvajal collapsed with an apparent leg injury and had to been carried off in the 90th, leaving the hosts with 10 men for stoppage time. Athletic Bilbao drew 1-1 at Valencia to increase its hold on fourth place and the last Champions League berth. Sevilla routed Almeria 3-1 on the road to earn its third consecutive victory, while Espanyol also eased to a 3-1 home win over Elche. Levante was without its two first-choice midfielders in Papakouly Diop and Simao Mate, but it arrived on an eight-round unbeaten run, largely thanks to the outstanding play of goalkeeper Keylor Navas. And Navas did well to get a glove on Ronaldos volley to turn back the matchs first goal-bound shot in the sixth minute. There was no denying Ronaldo a second time, however. The Portugal forward rose up to meet Angel Di Marias corner kick and thump the ball beyond Navas, who got a touch on the ball but not enough to keep it out of his net. "Ronaldos goal was a blow," said Levante coach Joaquin Caparros. "But if he hadnt scored then, Madrid would have scored another way." Ronaldo passed for Marcelo to put the result beyond doubt when he drew in two defenders and slid the ball for the fullback to use a smart change of foot to open up an angle and curl his shot home. Madrid would have enjoyed an even bigger win except for Navas, who denied Karim Benzema on four occasions, including one feline leap to push Benzemas header off this post in first-half injury time. Navarros sending off inflamed Caparros. The veteran coach stormed out of the dugout and engaged in a brief shouting match with some Madrid supporters in the stands. Madrid pressed for another goal, with Benzema heading the ball off the woodwork again in the 72nd before Navas bettered him twice more. But the third goal eventually fell thanks to Karabelas flubbed clearance of a cross by Marcelo. After a short delay due to a power outage that had left Mestalla stadium in the dark, Valencia struck first through Pablo Alcacers goal in the 23rd. But Aritz Aduriz levelled in the 53rd with a penalty kick after Sofiane Feghouli fouled Ander Herrera in the area as Bilbao inched seven points clear of fifth-place Villarreal. Sevillas Carlos Bacca, Daniel Carrico and Kevin Gameiro all scored before Aleix Vidal took Almerias consolation goal. Espanyol forward Simao Sabrosa crossed from set pieces for David Lopez and Diego Colotto to score. Luis "Pizzi" Afonsos deflected shot made it 3-0 before Espanyol fullback Juan Fuentes netted an own goal in the 88th. Sevilla remained in seventh place, with Valencia, Espanyol and Levante all in a pack at five points behind. Vincent Trocheck Jersey . The 27-year-old forward has informed the Leafs that he will be unable to play in Monday nights home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Custom Florida Panthers Jerseys . Pominville scored in all three of Minnesotas games last week to help the Wild (8-4-3, 19 points) earn four out of a possible six points. His best performance was in a 4-3 win over Montreal on Friday, where he posted a season-high three points (two goals, one assist), including the game-winning goal. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline....key-jersey/.The surgery was performed by Dr. William Meyers at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia.Letestu had three goals and two assists in nine games before being injured in late October.The 29-year-old has 54 goals and 65 assists in 273 career NHL games, including 39 goals and 51 assists in 188 games with the Blue Jackets. Aleksander Barkov Jersey . Got Jacks? Pulling off a comeback for the ages, feisty Stephen F. Austin became the latest No. 12 seed to pull off an upset, tying the game on Desmond Haymons did-that-just-happen four-point play with 3. Florida Panthers Jerseys . Buffalos defensive co-ordinator had his second interview with Cleveland owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner on Tuesday night, a person familiar with the Browns plans told The Associated Press.ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Drew Pomeranz may have found his niche as a starting pitcher. Pomeranz won his third consecutive start since moving from the bullpen into the rotation, Coco Crisp drove in two runs before departing with an injury, and the surging Oakland Athletics beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-0 on Tuesday night. Pomeranz (4-1) allowed three hits, two walks and had three strikeouts over five innings. He has not given up a run in his three starts, all of which lasted five innings. "My three starts have been a great team effort," Pomeranz said. "We scored a lot of runs and the bullpen shut them down." Sean Doolittle, the third Oakland reliever, pitched the ninth for his third save and complete a four-hitter. After the game, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said there is a good chance Doolittle will take over the closers role. "Its pretty cool," Doolittle said. Doolittle did see his streak of 30 straight appearances without allowing a walk end when Ryan Hanigan drew one with two outs in the ninth. Former Baltimore closer Jim Johnson, acquired by Oakland from the Orioles in December, has allowed seven runs in 4 1-3 innings over his past six appearances. Crisp hit a two-run double and John Jaso had an RBI single off Jake Odorizzi (2-4) as Oakland took a 3-0 lead in the second. The AL West-leading Athletics have won 10 of 11, outscoring their opponents 74-18 over the stretch. "You dont do that by swinging at bad pitches," Odorizzi said. Crisp was replaced defensively by Craig Gentry in the bottom of the sixth because of neck soreness. He had started four straight games after missing seven with a neck strain. Melvin expects Crisp to sit out Wednesday nights game. Odorizzi gave up three runs, four hits, five walks aand struck out eight in 4 2-3 innings.dddddddddddd The Rays (19-27) are eight games under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2007 season (66-96), which was their final season as the Devil Rays. "Never say it cant get any worse because whenever you utter those words, youre going to find it out," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "Im looking more for the turning point. You never know how close you are to turning negative momentum to positive." Pomeranz worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the third by getting a double play grounder from Desmond Jennings on a 3-2 pitch. Jennings also hit into an inning-ending double play with two on in the eighth. "Those double pays are huge," Pomeranz said. Maddon challenged the very close out call on Jennings at first base in the third, which the umpires ruled would stand after a review that took 1 minute, 23 seconds. NOTES: Oakland SS Jed Lowrie, who left Sundays game at Cleveland in the second because of a strained neck, was out of the starting lineup. ... Rays RHP Alex Cobb (strained left oblique) will rejoin the rotation Thursday. ... Athletics 2B Eric Sogard, removed Sunday in the eighth after fouling a ball off his knee, played. ... Hanigan (sore right hamstring) was a defensive replacement in the ninth. ... Oakland RHP Ryan Cook (strained right forearm) has been cleared to resume playing catch. ... Athletics LHP Eric OFlaherty (elbow ligament replacement surgery) threw 30 pitches in batting practice and will next throw in a simulated game. ... Oakland C Derek Norris walked three times, including one on a 14-pitch at-bat in the fourth. ... Oakland LHP Tommy Milone (1-3) and Tampa Bay LHP Erik Bedard (2-1) are Wednesday nights scheduled starters. ' ' '