and there is the very real possibility that we will end up tied

DETROIT -- Jason Kipnis sprinted around the bases after hitting each of his two homers, forgetting how it felt to trot after hitting the ball well enough to clear the fences. Kipnis hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer and added a solo shot in the ninth to help the Cleveland Indians beat the Detroit Tigers 9-3 on Friday night. He began the game without a home run since April 21. "I havent even done it (in) BP I feel like for two months," Kipnis said. After Kipnis tiebreaking homer, Asdrubal Cabrera sent the next pitch over the right-field fence to cap a seven-run seventh inning that helped Cleveland come back from a 3-0 deficit in the opener of a four-game series against the AL Central-leading Tigers. Cleveland has scored 61 runs this season in the seventh inning, producing more than it has in any other inning. "As long as we score before we have to go home," Indians manager Terry Francona said. Trevor Bauer (4-4) gave up three runs on six hits over six innings. "He kept us in the game," Francona said. Detroits Anibal Sanchez (6-4) retired the first seven batters he faced and had a 3-0 lead. He ended up giving up four runs, six hits, walking one and striking out seven in an uneven performance. "I think he just got tired, actually," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "I dont know if it was the time off or whatever reason, it just looked to me like he got tired. The ball got up in the zone. He was real crisp up until that point. It was almost like he hit a wall." The Tigers won 17 of 23 games going into the All-Star break. Cleveland has won seven of its last 10 games to move a game over .500, pulling into a second-place tie with Kansas City, trailing the Tigers by 6 1/2 games. "Weve had guys struggling in the first half, its been a surprise, but I dont think anybodys mad about being at .500 in the first half," Kipnis said. "And if you have a great second half, I dont think anybodys going to be too mad about how we did in the first half, so thats what were concentrating on." The Indians chased Sanchez in the seventh when Nick Swisher hit a bases-loaded, two-run single with no outs. "He gives you some pitches to hit, but not many, and guys did a good job of being patient," Kipnis said. Al Alburquerque later entered the inning with two runners in scoring position and was working his way out of the jam with two strikeouts. He had a 1-2 count against Kipnis, whose fourth homer of the season gave Cleveland a 6-3 lead. Indians reliever Scott Atchison got Austin Jackson to hit into an inning-ending double play in the seventh. After both starters pitched two perfect innings, the Indians had a hit in the third and the Tigers had two and scored a run in the home half. Detroit loaded the bases with one out and Bauer got out of the jam, allowing one run on Ian Kinslers sacrifice fly and getting Miguel Cabrera to hit an inning-ending fly. Torii Hunter hit an RBI double in the fourth, stole third and scored on catcher Yan Gomes throwing error, giving the Tigers a 3-0 lead. They potentially could have scored another run in the inning, but J.D. Martinez was thrown out at home trying to score from first base on Hunters double. The Tigers had designated hitter Victor Martinez in the lineup for the first time since July 4. He had been out with a strained lower right side, an ailment that led to him missing the All-Star game. NOTES: Francona, a week after LeBron James announced he was coming home, was asked if he has bought Cavaliers tickets. "Im in the process of it. There seems to be a little bit more of a waiting list now," he said. ... Indians CF Michael Brantley had four hits, matching a career high that he last tied earlier this year against Detroit. ... Cleveland recalled RHP Chen-Chang Lee from Triple A-Columbus, bolstering their bullpen. Lee fills the roster spot created when RHP Zach McAllister was optioned to Columbus, but McAllister is scheduled to pitch in the second game of Saturdays doubleheader in Detroit against RHP Max Scherzer. Detroit RHP Drew VerHagen is set to make his major league debut Saturday afternoon against Cleveland RHP Corey Kluber. Custom Jerseys From China . The hard-serving 22-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., became the first Canadian to be ranked in the Top 10 on the ATP World Tour thanks to his runner-up performance at Rogers Cup in Montreal. Cheap Custom Jerseys . Spezza scored a power-play goal with 5 minutes left and Stephane Da Costa had the other two goals to lead the Ottawa Senators to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night. http://www.customjerseysnearme.com/custom-football-jerseys-76h.html . The Hockey Canada Foundation is donating $50,000, with Hockey Quebec contributing $15,000. Hockey Canada also announced it will hold a skills camp for all levels of minor hockey in Lac-Mégantic during the 2013-14 season. Representatives from Hockey Canada, the Hockey Canada Foundation and Hockey Quebec were on hand Tuesday night at a meeting of the AHM de Lac-Mégantic to make the announcement and presentation. Discount Custom Jerseys .Y. - Matt Harvey wants to make sure hes on the mound in late October — if the New York Mets get there for the first time since 2006. Clearance Custom Jerseys .Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week.The situation in the East is simply fantastic for fans of the CFL. All Week 20 games in the East matter as to who is in the playoffs and that’s how you want it to play out. I will be on site at the marque game of the week, Montreal at Hamilton. I am looking forward to seeing Hamilton’s new stadium and the facilities they have for the players and coaches. I can remember when I worked for the Ticats, Jamie Barresi and I shared an office which was fine except for when we had to meet with the players there. The players sat on the floor and watched practice and game film on two TVs we jerry-rigged to play the same video. We had to do this because the room had a weird shape and the guys closest to the exit could not see the big TV. The big TV was actually one I had at my house and had brought in to be able have a bigger screen! I have heard nothing but great things about this new facility that will provide the players with a professional work environment they deserve, looking forward to seeing that. Speaking of Coach Barresi, he is now the head coach of the University of Ottawa, and led them to a 5-3 finish and a first round playoff win over Windsor. He will now come home to Hamilton to take on McMaster this weekend in the second round of the playoffs. I am not sure that this situation has ever happened in the CFL. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats can finish first place, second place, or be eliminated from the playoffs! You don’t often have to prepare your team for all those possibilities within a week. But I think there is a very interesting coaching situation for the Cats, let’s talk about it. Hamilton’s playoff scenario is this: if they beat Montreal by eight points or more they clinch first place; if they win by less than eight points or Toronto loses they earn second place; and if they lose and Toronto wins, they are eliminated from the playoffs. Teams that finish in first place statistically have a greater chance of going to the Grey Cup, so does Hamilton change the game plan to put themselves in first place? I think I would. Let’s say Toronto wins the game Friday and Hamilton is eliminated with a loss, this is the harder scenario. Hamilton starts the game basically down 7-0 to the Als for first place. Do they become more aggressive to make up the point differential and go for first place? Aggressive might be a fake punt or special play on Teams to be able get a few extra offensive scoring possessions. Could it be a more aggressive defensive scheme or pressure package trying to limit Montreal scoring? Third and goal from the two-yard line early in the game, usually you kick the field goal but do you go for it to make up the points to try to get first place? All these things mentioned have a risk that when not executed can hurt your chances of winning the game, which is the ultimate goal for Hamilton because they would be eliminated if Toronto wins. Late in the game this will be employed but early in the game is when it could easily affect the outcome. Certainly late in the game, if Hamilton is up by three, you will see the best of both teams, because Hamilton will actually be trying to drive the length of the field and score a touchdown with the lead. That situation does not happenn often.dddddddddddd These are the decisions that a head coach must have a good understanding of not only at the end of the year, but at the beginning of the year. In 2009, when I was the offensive coordinator of the Saskatchewan Roughriders we were in the first of a four-game series with an opponent. It was late in the game and we were winning but I called a few more passes and scored a late touchdown. A coach from the other team after the game sought me out on the field and took offence to my offence (funny?) of scoring a touchdown when we could have taken a knee at the end of the game. I looked at him somewhat surprised and said we are playing you four times and there is the very real possibility that we will end up tied at the end of the year and the next playoff tie breaker is points scored. That is why we were scoring points late in the last drive, we don’t know how we will end up, so you assume you will be tied. Points-scored has to be thought of when you play an opponent twice or four times because you could be tied at the end. Playing someone three times, points is not an issue (unless there was a tie) because someone usually finishes 2-1. Back to Hamilton, let’s assume Toronto loses and a loss by Hamilton will not affect their playoff chances, they would have second place locked up no matter what happens in their game. Now you can see the Ticats being aggressive and be ready for anything that can help them score points. No huddle to get more plays, going for it on third down, onside kicks. Mistakes or poor execution of those plays can also hurt your field position which can help Montreal’s opportunity to score, so executing these calls is key. If you have a chance, look up Head Coach Kevin Kelley and the Pulaski Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas, a coach who calls for onside kicks every kickoff and will not punt throughout the season. The guy must be crazy and must lose every game right? A state Championship, a loss in the finals, and a semi-final appearance in three years tells another story. Although some of his data may not correlate with the CFL, he believes on kickoffs the difference in the field position is only about 15 yards if an onside kick is recovered by the receiving team and coach Kelley’s teams recover one out of every three onside kicks which is a turnover, and we know turnovers are one of the most telling stats in winning football games. In the CFL, a failed onside kick would probably be a 30-yard difference in field position which is certainly a reason not to do it every time. Kelley never punts because his philosophy is you have to score more points to win the football game and you cannot score without retaining possession of the football. That is why he will always go for it on fourth down, to keep possession of the ball. So if your team is in a fourth and 3 situation four times in a game and they average 5.5 yards per rush, why not go for it? Kelley believes he will make three out of four conversions and will keep the football. Interesting thoughts and I thought of this philosophy this week to see if the Ticats would employ some of these tactics to get to first place. Either way it will be a great weekend for football, punt or no punt. 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