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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A.J. Griffin, who missed 43 games with right shoulder stiffness, has not thrown more than five innings in his five starts since coming off the disabled list on June 25.Griffin is 0-1 with a 6.17 ERA, allowing 16 earned runs in 23 1/3 innings, in those five starts. He will start Sunday for the Texas Rangers on five days rest in the series finale against the Kansas City Royals. The two teams have split the first two games after the Rangers won 7-4 on Saturday night.Griffin said his arm angle was not the same after the first few innings.It is part of it, Rangers manager Jeff Banister said.He also acknowledged stamina, endurance played into it.In his previous start on Monday at Anaheim, Griffin was staked to a 4-0 lead but gave up the lead, charged with five runs and four hits, including a home run, and three walks in five-plus innings. He has struggled in the fourth and fifth innings in his recent starts.Thats one of the things weve talked to him about, Banister said.Griffin threw only 76 pitches against the Angels before being removed. He threw 94 and 96 pitches in his previous two starts.I think every pitcher that comes back from not throwing for an extended period of time, they are going to have certain setbacks, Banister said. One thing about A.J., weve encouraged him to continue to work on the endurance, which is going to allow him to be stronger. Its going to allow him to maintain the mechanical integrity throughout the delivery.The effects of not pitching, thats individual based, but for sure there is some effect. What effect, I couldnt tell you. He does get to a certain point where the mechanics do change a little bit. Were trying to get him strong enough where he can push that envelope a little bit farther down the pitch count, further along in the game.Griffin pitched only 14 1/3 innings in the minors last season and missed the 2014 season after being shut down in spring training with Oakland with an elbow injury that would require surgery. He was 14-10 with a 3.83 ERA in 32 starts and 200 innings with the Athletics in 2013.The Royals will counter with right-hander Edinson Volquez, who has had no success against the Rangers, which were his first club. Volquez is 0-2 with an 8.22 ERA in three previous starts against Texas. He last faced them on June 5, 2015, losing 4-0 at Kansas City.Volquez is 2-2 with an 11.50 ERA in four starts this season against American League West clubs.The Royals have some concern about reliever Joakim Soria, who gave up four runs -- three on an Adrian Beltre home run in the seventh inning -- in two innings. Soria has a 9.72 ERA in his past nine relief appearances.He really did a great job the first inning and had two outs there and, boom, they scored the run, Royals manager Ned Yost said. And were thinking, OK, lets hold it right there, but he just kind of got a pitch up over the middle of the plate to Beltre. Hes a good hitter. I felt he wasnt dropping in velocity, so his stuff was still fine. Youth Pirates Jerseys . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. Cheap Pirates Jerseys . Vancouver Whitecaps and Toronto FC failed to make the postseason while Montreal Impact fell at the first hurdle losing heavily to Houston Dynamo in the Eastern Conference Knockout Round. http://www.cheappiratesjerseyschina.com/ . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. Josh Harrison Jersey . Breaking three of his own world records on his way to winning in Paris, Chan silenced the critics and left the audiences standing in appreciation and awe. Discount Pirates Jerseys . Defencemen Drew Doughty, Shea Weber and forward Ryan Getzlaf also scored for the Canadians, who started their gold-medal defence 2-0. Goalie Roberto Luongo, getting the call in place of Game 1 starter Carey Price, was solid when needed in making 23 saves for the shutout. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Kevin Durant just missed the garbage can with his postgame ice bag, and that told the story of Golden States long night. Then, Draymond Green expressed his disgust with the officiating.James Harden notched his fourth triple-double of the season with 29 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists, and the Houston Rockets outlasted the Warriors 132-127 in double overtime Thursday night to end Golden States 12-game winning streak.Eric Gordon scored 23 off the bench as Houston snapped an eight-game skid to the Warriors, who lost MVP Stephen Curry with 3:25 left in the last extra session when he was whistled for a charge. Ryan Anderson also scored 29 with five 3-pointers and the teams combined to shoot an NBA-record 88 3s, 44 apiece, the Warriors said according to the Elias Sports Bureau.A statement win to show the whole NBA that we can compete with anybody in the league, Rockets guard Patrick Beverley said. Were a very confident team. Thats the one thing Coach instilled in the team.Harden put his team ahead on a 30-footer with 3:12 left in the second overtime and hit a pair of free throws with 2:10 to go following a flagrant foul on Green.I thought there was other calls that could have been called flagrant, too, Green said. Im under the impression that if youre hit in the head, incidental contact, I think thats a flagrant foul if Im not mistaken. Well see. Maybe Ill go read the rule book, maybe Im wrong. If Im not mistaken, Im right. Theyre the best in the world.Durant matched his season high with 39 points to go with 13 rebounds but shot 12 of 28 and went 3 for 11 from 3-point range. Green had 20 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. Curry scored his teams first six points in the initial overtime and finished with 28 points and five assists.Durant also had three steals, three blocks and a gorgeous give-and-go to Green. Houston had an answer each time and the Warriors couldnt hit the big shots the way they usually do. Klay Thompson was 4 for 20, 3 of 13 on 3s, on the way to 15 points.There are going to be nights like that. Youve got to find a way to win, Durant said. We put ourselves in a good position to win.Houston snapped Golden States seven-game home winning streak in an entertaining rematch of the firstt round of the playoffs, won in five games by the Warriors, who also beat the Rockets in a five-game 2015 Western Conference finals on the way to their first championship in 40 years.ddddddddddddhe Warriors hadnt lost in Oracle Arena since a 129-100 season-opening rout by San Antonio on Oct. 25 -- and Golden State has only lost two regular-season games at home in each of the past two seasons.Anderson shined in his first game with the Rockets back in the Bay Area where he starred collegiately for California, hitting the go-ahead free throws with 22.7 seconds left after beating the shot clock buzzer with a baseline 3-pointer and another late field goal.TIP-INSRockets: The rivals played their first double-OT game since Feb. 3, 1991, a 143-135 home win by Houston. ... Coach Mike DAntoni opted to rest C Nene in the first game of the back-to-back because he is better suited to face the Nuggets big men. ... Houston has hit at least 10 3-pointers in 18 straight games -- the longest such streak in NBA history.Warriors: Since coming West in 1962-63, the Warriors are 10-14 in double overtime. ... It was Golden States first double-OT game since Dec. 11 last year at Boston and first at home since Nov. 10, 2012, vs. Denver. ... Golden State had 31 assists for its NBA-leading 13th game with 30 or more.DRAYMONDS DGreen has a chip on his shoulder to show the NBA and all the skeptics the Warriors can still play great D even with all their superstar scorers.Whatever it takes to fire up the versatile forward, as far as Kerr is concerned.Hes our most vocal defender. Hes our most vocal human being, coach Steve Kerr said. It translates.Green was called for a foul against Harden late in the first half that he didnt like and Kerr either. Both received technical fouls in short succession for arguing -- then he picked up the late flagrant.UP NEXTRockets: At Denver in the second game playing back-to-back nights. Houston was swept 3-0 in last seasons series after going 4-0 in 2014-15.Warriors: Host Phoenix on Saturday trying for a 10th consecutive victory against the Suns and 18th in 21 and 11th straight at Oracle. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Stitched NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL T-shirts Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '