HOUSTON -- Joe Musgrove lifted the Houston Astros in more ways than one Sunday.With his team in desperate need of a win to remain in playoff contention, Musgrove pitched seven strong innings to help lift Houston over the Los Angeles Angels 4-1 to snap a three-game slide.He had a tremendous game today at a time (when) we needed it, manager A.J. Hinch said. (The) compete button is never off for Musgrove, and I appreciate the way he goes about it.The Astros backed Musgrove with home runs from Evan Gattis, Tony Kemp and Tyler White.Houston remained three games behind Baltimore for the second AL wild-card spot.Playoffs aspirations aside, Musgrove had another pressing reason to make his start count.Today was a tough day, said Musgrove, referring to the news of Miami pitcher Jose Fernandezs tragic death from a boating accident early Sunday at age 24. I think everyone was a bit down with the bad news we had this morning.There are a few guys in here that are handling it a little worse than the rest of us from having personal relationships with Jose. The energy was a little bit down, so I was hoping to go out there and pitch a strong seven, he said.That he did.Musgrove (4-4) allowed one run on seven hits while striking out four.Closer Ken Giles rebounded from a blown save in Fridays 10-6 loss to Los Angeles. He walked one and struck out two in the ninth for his 14th save.I just wanted to go out there and put up a zero, Giles said. I needed to do that for the team and show them that I can bounce back.Carlos Correa singled home Jose Altuve in the Houston first.An inning later, Gattis homered off Daniel Wright (0-5), connecting for the 31st time this season.Kemp and White later added solo shots.It was a good day for our youth, Hinch said. These guys are getting their first taste of important baseball in September and, hopefully, October.Wright lasted six innings. He gave up three runs on seven hits.I left the changeup up to Kemp that he hit out, and then the fastball up to Gattis to lead off both those innings, Wright said. I just have to get better at going out there from the first pitch of each inning and be ready to go.The Angels kept the game close by turning four double plays.Defensively we played a very good game. That was good to see, manager Mike Scioscia said. Offensively, we just couldnt get any momentum.TRAINERS ROOMAstros: Before the game, Hinch said he was worried about Giles flexibility and ability to throw, a day after he injured his right wrist when he was hit by a line drive during batting practice. X-rays were negative.I think hes got a chance to be a little bit stiff, Hinch said postgame. Given that its a contusion, hell be all right.UP NEXTAngels: Jered Weaver (12-12, 5.20 ERA) will attempt to close out September on a winning note when Los Angeles hosts Oakland and LHP Sean Manaea (6-9, 4.03) on Monday. Weaver is 2-1 in four starts this month.Astros: Collin McHugh (12-10, 4.61) faces fellow RHP Hisashi Iwakuma (16-12, 4.04) to open a three-game series against Seattle. McHugh is 4-0 against the Mariners this season. Discount NFL Jerseys .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping . Brad Jacobs and his Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., team took control of the game early. http://www.cheapjerseysdiscount.cc/[/ur... . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. [url=http://www.cheapjerseysdiscount.cc/]NFL Jerseys Outlet .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. NFL Jerseys Authentic China . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. MANCHESTER, England -- Things are turning out very differently for Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Ilkay Gundogan since the midfielders swapped Borussia Dortmund for teams in Manchester.Mkhitaryan is faltering at United. Gundogan is flourishing at City.More attention was focused on Mkhitaryan after he arrived at Old Trafford as the Bundesligas reigning Player of the Year, on the back of a season in which he scored 23 goals and set up 32 others for Dortmund. He has started one game for United -- and was substituted at halftime on that occasion -- and manager Jose Mourinho has said the 27-year-old Armenian is struggling to adjust to the English game.Gundogan arrived at Etihad Stadium in June on crutches as he recovered from a dislocated kneecap that forced him to miss the European Championship with Germany. Now fully fit, he has slotted seamlessly into Citys midfield and scored four goals in his last two games -- two against West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday and another double in the 3-1 win over Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.City fans were wondering how the team could replace Yaya Toure, the midfield dynamo who was central to its rise as a force in the English game since 2010 but has now been ostracized by City manager Pep Guardiola.They appear to have the ideal replacement in the 26-year-old Gundogan, who was slightly cheaper than Mkhitaryan at 21 million pounds (now $26 million).Gundogan was superb against Barcelona, and not just because of his goals that began and completed Citys recovery at the Etihad. He had a 97 percent pass-completion record, the best of any starting player -- some feat given the standard of the opposition. His pressing game, especially in the second half when Barcelona swarmed all over, stood out. He always wanted the ball and tried to make things happen, even in the first half when City was trailing.Gundogan -- a pure center midfielder -- doesnt have an obvious weakness in his game. Some are already comparing him to Chelsea great Frank Lampard because of the timing of his runs into the box, as shown for both his gooals.ddddddddddddIm very happy to be back and to come closer to 100 percent (fitness), Gundogan said Wednesday. Especially in my position as a midfielder, its not so much about scoring -- thats also an important part -- but the main part is being there on the one-on-ones, playing the right pass at the right moment. They are the things Im focused on.There are a lot of things I can improve over the next games.Guardiola can only hope he stays fit.Gundogan was out for 14 months after sustaining a back injury early in the 2013-14 season, needing surgery on his spine. He would have been part of Germanys World Cup-winning squad.I was really scared, Gundogan, who was born to Turkish parents, has said, and I didnt know if I would ever be able to play football again.Then he dislocated his kneecap in a training session with Dortmund in May, which caused him to miss another major international tournament.It didnt stop Guardiola from signing him.Gundogans five goals in his first nine starts for City equals the career-best tally for a season he set while at Nuremberg in the 2010-11 campaign, the year before he moved to Dortmund, and he is enjoying the freedom given to him by Guardiola in Citys fluid midfield.He can either play at the base of the midfield, as one of two in the middle, or as a support to the striker. Most importantly for Guardiola, Gundogan covers ground intelligently and tirelessly, and can offer the intense pressing game that the 33-year-old Toure cannot.Mkhitaryan can only hope he eventually adjusts to life in Manchester like his former Dortmund teammate, with Mourinho acknowledging that the attacking midfielder has struggled to cope with the intensity and aggression of the English game.Micki needs time to become the top player he knows he can be, Mourinho said last week.Mkhitaryan hasnt even been in Uniteds 18-man matchday squad for recent games but traveled with the team to Turkey for Thursdays Europa League game against Fenerbahce. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '