ively to create those opportunities in the right way.The Canucks, meanwhile, are in a tailspin that has no signs of ending.After starting 4-0-0, Vancouver has lost nine consecutive games,

SAN DIEGO -- The Washington Nationals had runners on second and third with one out in the third inning when Denard Span hit a hard comebacker that ricocheted off San Diego Padres pitcher Eric Stults lower left leg to first baseman Yonder Alonso. Alonso tagged the bag and then ran toward third base, where Kurt Suzuki was hung up because Jordan Zimmermann had taken off from second. Alonso tagged Suzuki to finish the inning-ending double play, which helped the Padres beat the Nationals 2-1 Saturday night. "You dont really work on that one in spring training," manager Bud Black said. "Yonder has a good baseball mind and reacted accordingly. No doubt that was a big break for us." Alonso also homered off Zimmerman, who was trying to become the first pitcher in the majors to get eight wins this season, and Everth Cabrera singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth. "Youve got to have your head up and realize whats going on on the field. The field tells you a lot," Alonso said. "The ball came to me and I tagged first, then I saw the runner on second just kind of keep on going, so I went directly home with a little sleight to go to third to kind of corner them in, and whoever left the bag, make the tag." Zimmerman said he saw the ball going up the middle "and I thought it bounced in front of the pitcher. I was taking off and I didnt really know what happened when they said it went off his foot to the first baseman. Thats kind of the way our luck has been going." "It caught me in a good spot, just below the knee, kind of in a meaty spot," Stults said. "Im fortunate it didnt get me on the kneecap and the fact he was heads-up enough to make that play, freeze the guy on third and get that big double play. It was kind of an unorthodox double play, but it could have been a lot worse." The Nationals had the runners in scoring position after Suzuki walked and Zimmermann reached on an error when second baseman Jedd Gyorko couldnt handle a low throw from Stults on a sacrifice attempt and the ball rolled into foul territory. "What a great game," Washington manager Davey Johnson said. "It was an unbelievable game. Thats a tough loss." Cabrera singled in Alex Amarista, who reached when Suzuki, the catcher, fielded his bunt and forced John Baker at second. Zimmermann tried to pick off Amarista but his throw was wide of first baseman Adam LaRoche for an error, allowing Amarista to take second. Cabreras hit made a winner of Stults (4-3). The left-hander went a season-high eight innings, allowing one run and four hits while striking out five and walking two. "Were not hitting very smart," Johnson said. "Were swinging at his changeups around the knees or in the dirt. Were not making him throw the ball. Its a sign of inexperienced hitters at times. You have to be more patient against a guy like this. Were still growing on offence. Guys have to be a little more patient and not hit the pitchers pitch." Zimmermann (7-2) also went eight, allowing two runs, one earned, and seven hits. He struck out six and walked none. "I just made two mistakes," Zimmerman said. "The home run to Alonso. It was a good pitch, it was up. You cant really complain about that. The throwing error I made down the line cost us. If I dont make that, were still out there playing." Huston Street pitched the ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances. Street gave up Chad Tracys pinch-hit homer in the 10th inning of the Nationals 6-5 win Friday night. Alonso sent a drive a few rows beyond the home run porch in the right-field corner leading off the second for a 1-0 lead. It was his fifth of the season. The Nationals tied it in the sixth on their first two hits off Stults. Suzuki hit a leadoff single to right, advanced on Zimmermanns bunt and scored on Steve Lombardozzis single to right-centre. San Diegos Chase Headley was caught in a rundown between third and home for the third out of the seventh after he didnt see that shortstop Ian Desmond made a nice diving stab at Chris Denorfias single. Headley rounded third by a few steps and Desmond threw to third. Headley broke for home but was tagged out. NOTES: The game was 2 hours, 1 minute, tying the Cardinals-Phillies game on April 1 for the fastest in the majors this season. ... Nationals OF Bryce Harper sat out with a bruised left knee, the result of his collision with the wall in right field at Dodger Stadium on Monday night. He missed Tuesday nights game, pinch-hit Wednesday and started Thursday and Friday nights. ... LaRoche singled in the seventh to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games. ... The series concludes Sunday with Washington RHP Dan Haren (4-4, 4.76 ERA) opposing RHP Andrew Cashner (2-2, 2.84 ERA). ... The Padres activated LF Carlos Quentin from paternity leave and optioned right-hander Brad Brach to Triple-A Tucson. Quentin did not play in Thursday nights game against Washington and was placed on paternity leave prior to Friday nights game due to the birth of his first child, Clark.Scarpe Saucony Offerta . Bradwell was scheduled to become a free agent Tuesday. Born and raised in Toronto, Bradwell is entering his sixth CFL season, with all six played for his hometown Argonauts. Saucony Scontate . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. http://www.sauconyitaliashop.it/ . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Scarpe Saucony Uomo Saldi . - Derek Wolfe says hes finally healthy after suffering a seizure in November that doctors now believe was related to the spinal cord injury he suffered in the preseason. Saucony Shop Italia .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed.NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers cant lose. The Vancouver Canucks cant win.On Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden, nothing has to give.The Rangers have won five in a row, scoring at least five goals in each victory. As was the case in many of their victories this season, the Rangers (10-3-0) won with balance Sunday, as five players scored in a 5-2 victory against the Winnipeg Jets.One of those goal-scorers was rookie Pavel Buchnevich, who scored artfully on a breakaway for his second goal of the season. The third-round pick found the going tough to start the season but is showing signs of getting comfortable, which potentially means another dangerous scorer for the NHLs top offensive team.Hes just getting more and more comfortable with everything, Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said to the New York Daily News. Coming here from Russia, its a big change culture-wise and language and the way we play the game. So hes just getting more comfortable. Hes going to be a great player here. Fun to watch him play, too.As weird as it sounds, the Rangers didnt feel great after their latest five-goal performance. The game was tied 2-2 midway through the second period before the Rangers blitzed the Jets for three quick goals, then held on tight during the third period and didnt muster a shot on net.That is becoming normal for the Rangers -- scoring five goals, winning by three and not feeling as if they played well.We definitely have got to be careful of starting to cheat and getting away from the way we want to play, Rangers defenseman Marc Staal told the Daily News oon Sunday.dddddddddddd I thought for stretches last night and tonight we started stretching the zone a little bit and started looking for things that werent there. So as a group weve got to make sure we buckle back down, start playing the way we need to play defensively to create those opportunities in the right way.The Canucks, meanwhile, are in a tailspin that has no signs of ending.After starting 4-0-0, Vancouver has lost nine consecutive games, including a 4-2 defeat to the New York Islanders on Monday night. So not only are the Canucks playing some of the worst hockey in the NHL, but they get to play a Rangers team that has been off since Sunday.The Canucks held a brief early lead against the Islanders and were tied at 2 in the third period before the Islanders struck for two goals in less than two minutes to put the game away.First two periods, we played good hockey, Canucks goaltender Ryan Miller said. Then they get weird bounces and take the game. Its frustrating right now.The Canucks (4-8-1) are 0-8-1 in their past nine games. The last time they lost 10 in a row was from Oct. 23-Nov. 11, 1997, so it is almost the 18-year anniversary of their futility.Three of their goals, our guys go to block them and they end up in favorable situations, Miller said to the Vancouver Sun. We have to find ways to rise up when games unfold that way.The way the Rangers are playing lately, overcoming bounces and a superior opponent wont be easy. ' ' '