PITTSBURGH -- Dontrelle Willis took matters into his own hands to break loose after three months of frustration and end 2011 on a high note. The veteran left-hander scattered three hits over six innings and smacked a two-run double to lead the Cincinnati Reds past the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 on Sunday. "The guys really battled for me today," Willis said. "They knew it was my last start and the way I pitched poorly the last start I wanted to finish the season with confidence. We went out there and played a good game." Willis (1-6) gave up three runs, walked two and struck out six to collect his first victory in the majors since beating the Colorado Rockies while pitching for Arizona on June 5, 2010. The road back to the win column has been bumpy. Willis pitched well enough in Triple-A Louisville to earn a callup from the Reds in July. He impressed early on but was undone by a bullpen that blew three saves in his first five starts. On his 13th and final start of the year it nearly happened again. Francisco Cordero gave up a run-scoring double to Neil Walker with one out in the ninth before retiring the next two batters for his 35th save. The Reds gave Willis the customary beer shower postgame after the 29-year-old battled through cramps and shook off a rough second inning to help Cincinnati avoid a three-game sweep. "I felt like I was playing good baseball up until my last start," Willis said. "Everybodys tired but everybody continues to push on." Pittsburghs Chase dArnaud had two hits, including a two-run triple, the Pirates couldnt send the largest crowd to see a home finale in PNC Park history into the off-season with a win. "The finish today, we were one run short and thats the way its been more often than not the last 50 games," Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. "Im proud of the effort, but weve got to work on execution." Daniel Moskos (1-1) took the loss in relief of starter James McDonald. The former first-round pick allowed three consecutive hits in the sixth, the last one a double to right-field by Willis, one of the best-hitting pitchers in the game. "That was a big two-run double," Baker said. "It was great to get him that first (win) because it was a long time coming for him." Willis only real trouble came in the second. A single by Derrek Lee, a walk to Ryan Ludwick and a couple of wild pitches put runners on second and third with one out. DArnaud, batting just .121 in 19 games since coming off the disabled list on Aug. 25, tripled to left-centre then came home on Mike McKenrys sacrifice fly. Its just about all the offence the Pirates would get, and Willis used his considerable skills at the plate to put the Reds back in front. He drilled an offering from Moskos in the sixth to pick up his third double of the season. Hes hitting .400 (12-of-30) this year and could become the first pitcher since 16 years to hit at least .400 in a season. Allen Watson hit .417 (15-of-36) for St. Louis in 1996. Jay Bruce and Chris Heisey had two hits apiece for the Reds. The Pirates won the season series against the defending NL Central champions 10-5 but couldnt finish off their first three-game home sweep of the Reds since April 2010. Pittsburgh made it interesting in the ninth. Andrew McCutchen led off with a walk and scored on Neil Walkers double. Cordero settled down to strike out Garrett Jones and got Pedro Alvarez to fly out to left to end it. NOTES: The Pirates drew 1.94 million for the season, the fourth-highest mark in team history. Pittsburgh finished the year 36-45 at home. ... Cincinnati finishes the season with a three-game set in New York beginning on Monday. Homer Bailey (9-7, 4.32 earned-run average) will start for the Reds while Chris Schwinden (0-2, 5.06 ERA) gets the nod for the Mets. ... Pittsburgh wraps up the year at NL Central winner Milwaukee. Charlie Morton (10-10, 3.67 ERA) will face Shaun Marcum (13-7, 3.31 ERA). Tyl... Eifert Jersey . -- Matt Pickens reached a personal milestone while shutting down Chivas USA. Mike Nugent Authentic Jersey . Yunel Escobar hit a two-run homer off Garrett Richards (2-1) in Torontos seven-run second inning and Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C., added some insurance with a three-run shot in the eighth. h... . The teams president and chief executive officer announced Tuesday the CFL club had an overall operating profit of $726,930 last year wiped out mainly because of delays in building the new $200-million Investors Group Field. [url=http://www.jerseysbengalsshop.com/Womens-Tyler-Eifert-Authentic-Jersey/]Tyl... Eifert Womens Jersey . After qualifying third on Thursday the Toronto threesome all hit solid routines to finish second in the five-team final with 159.995 points. Great Britain won gold with 164.845 points and Belarus took the bronze with a score of 158. . An in-person hearing means there is a possibility any suspension could be five games or more. Early in the first period, Kostka was gaining possession of the puck and coming out from behind his own net when he was hit into the end boards. NEW YORK -- It is no accident the New York Rangers are surging just as Henrik Lundqvist is finding his Vezina Trophy form. Daniel Carcillo, Rick Nash and Derick Brassard scored less than 10 minutes in, and Lundqvist made 37 saves as the Rangers routed the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 on Sunday night. Chris Kreider got his team-leading 12th goal in the second period to help the Rangers win their third straight and fourth in five (4-0-1). Lundqvist has allowed just eight goals in New Yorks past four games. "I got tested early, and you gain confidence when you make a couple of good saves," said Lundqvist, who has given up fewer than three goals in four of his last six starts. "Im happy with the way I am playing. "It definitely helps when we play the way we play in front of me and make good decisions all over the ice." New York, 8-2-1 in its last 11, is tied in points with Washington for second place in the Metropolitan Division -- one ahead of Philadelphia. The Rangers have won seven straight against the Flyers at home, outscoring them 28-8. Ray Emery rebounded after the rough first period and finished with 31 saves for the Flyers, who lost 6-3 on Saturday to Tampa Bay -- ending a 10-game, home-winning streak. Philadelphia had won seven of eight before the weekend sweep. "Its frustrating," Emery said. "Ive got to make some saves, and weve got to come out better. Anytime you put yourself in a hole like that against a team that is playing well like they are, you dont give yourself much of a chance." Lundqvist lost his shutout bid when Mark Streit scored a power-play goal 6:49 into the third. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault offered no theories about how Lundqvist has gotten back on his game after an up-and-down first half.+ "To tell you the truth, I am just focused on one thing with him -- stopping the puck," he said. "How he does it, I dont really care that much." The Flyers were hurt by being short-handed six times in the first two periods. "A lot of guys kill a lot and get a little tired, and the other guys are sitting on the bench and just waiting to get back onto the ice," captain Claude Giroux said. "We need to find a way to stay out of the box." The Rangers came out flying and grabbed a 2-0 lead just 2:42 in on goals 28 seconds apart by Carcillo and Nash. Sloppy play by the Philadelphia defence contributed to both. The first came at 2:14 when Carcillo forced a turnover by Strreit behind the net.dddddddddddd Carcillo charged out in front and backhanded a shot past Emery for his second of the season and his first in three games with the Rangers since he was acquired from Los Angeles. Before that goal was announced, New York celebrated again when Nash netted his 11th of the season and fourth in four games. Philadelphia defenceman Braydon Coburn lost the puck behind the net to Kreider, who quickly sent a pass out to the charging Nash for a shot from the right circle. New York had a two-goal lead despite recording only four shots. "They were way quicker than us in the first period, had the puck more than us in the first period, and we ended up getting down right away," Flyers coach Craig Berube said. "Weve got to be more ready." Philadelphia got its offence cranked up when Rangers defenceman Dan Girardi was sent off for interference at 6:20. The Flyers had six shots during the advantage but Lundqvist was sharp and turned them all aside. Things didnt go nearly as well for Emery, who replaced an ineffective Steve Mason on Saturday after two periods. He gave up his third goal of the period at 9:24 when Brassard one-timed a shot from the left circle after Mats Zuccarello fed a pass to him from the left corner. Brassard, who has eight goals this season, has scored in consecutive games after going 10 without one. The game turned a bit chippy late in the period, with Philadelphias Scott Hartnell being called for roughing with 1:45 left. Carcillo, formerly of the Flyers, yapped at several players on the Philadelphia bench after he took the seat closest to the partition between the two sides. Carcillo fought Luke Schenn off a faceoff before the midway point of the second period. "I just got here, and from what I can see, when we do the little things right and play the game plan that we want to play against our opponents, we seem to have success," Carcillo said. Emery was much sharper in the second, allowing only Kreiders power-play goal with 6:42 left and stopping 14 other drives. His best save came with 10:13 remaining when he denied Zuccarello on the doorstep. NOTES: Philadelphia had a 17-13 shots edge in the first period. ... Emery stopped all seven shots he faced Saturday. ... The Rangers are 19-2-1 when they score first. ... The Flyers had killed 26 consecutive penalties, dating to Dec. 28 at Edmonton, before Kreiders goal. ... Philadelphia C Vincent Lecavalier earned his 500th NHL assist. [url=http://www.cheapchinajerseynfl.us.com/]cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys ' ' '