VANCOUVER — Their next opponent has yet to score a goal this season but the Vancouver Whitecaps arent taking the New England Revolution lightly. Air Max 97 Factory Outlet . They know how dangerous a desperate team can be. The unbeaten Whitecaps head to Boston on Saturday afternoon to face a struggling Revolution squad eager to ignite their offence in their home opener. „Im not getting fooled by the results they had in the first two games,“ said Vancouver head coach Carl Robinson. „They are a good team and it will be a big test for us.“ New England has been outscored 5-0 in two road games so far, but has won both its previous meetings against Vancouver when playing at Gillette Stadium. New England is also unbeaten in home openers since 2007. „Its a dangerous time to play them,“ said Whitecaps captain Jay DeMerit. „Theyll have a lot of fire in their bellies and we need to make sure we combat that. Our energy needs to be there from the start.“ DeMerit wont be on hand to deliver that spark, as he said on Twitter that he is being rested this weekend in advance of Vancouvers upcoming Western Conference matchups. Vancouvers energy level was a recurring topic during the teams training sessions this week on the UBC campus. After dazzling home fans in their season-opening 4-1 win over the New York Red Bulls, the team looked somewhat sluggish in a 1-1 tie against a 10-man Chivas USA side in southern California. Against Chivas, the Whitecaps fell behind 1-0 before Gambian forward Kekuta Manneh tied it with a spectacular strike in the 81st minute. Although Vancouver pulled out the road point, many on the team felt it was an opportunity missed. „We were not a 100 per cent in our energy last weekend and thats something we can improve on,“ said Whitecaps goalie David Ousted. „If youre up a man, you have to work maybe even harder to break them down than if theyre 11. „They did really well at ruining our play and we had to work hard to get through and I think thats something well learn from. If it happens again, we will be even more aggressive in going for the goals.“ While fans pine to see Manneh and his scoring touch in the starting lineup on Saturday, Robinson says Mannehs not there yet. The quick-footed forward missed the pre-season with a lower back issue and right now his fitness level is still a work in progress. Manneh, who scored six goals and started six games last year, played 30 minutes against Chivas and seven in the opener. He was seen running drills alone during practice. „Hes a great kid and has got fantastic ability,“ said Robinson. „Its important we do the fitness that the guys did in pre-season. He missed that. He got his reward on Sunday, and played very well. Hell be fine for (Saturday) and Im sure he play some part in New England.“ Vancouver will need its offence clicking against a Revolution team that, despite its goal-scoring struggles, is known to be stingy at the back thanks in part Jose Goncalves, last years MLS defender of the year. The Portuguese centre back helped New England tie for the third-best defensive record in 2013 with 38 goals allowed. „They play tight and narrow at the back, so if we can spread them out and get some crosses, hopefully (we) get some of these guys on the scoreboard again,“ said DeMerit. „New England is a compact team. Theyve got a couple good forwards up top, guys who are proven scorers in this league. They havent scored a lot of goals yet, but that doesnt mean they arent capable of doing so.“ Notes: Whitecaps midfielder Russell Teibert of Niagara Falls, Ont., says hes feels good and is ready to return after missing Sundays match with a hamstring injury. Teibert started the season opener and registered one shot on goal. … Vancouver defender Johnny Leveron (concussion) is also expected to be available for Saturdays match. … Vancouver won the last meeting between the clubs 4-3 at B.C. Place on June 16, 2013. Cheap Air Max 90 Wholesale . At this point, even he isnt sure when it is going to stop. The right-hander dropped his fourth straight decision in Los Angeles 6-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night, leaving his status very much in doubt as the Dodgers prepare for the stretch drive. Paul George Shoes Replica Paypal . The 27-year-old hit .209 in 86 at-bats last year after missing the 2010 season following surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder. SEATTLE — Clay Buchholz felt exhausted after throwing only 76 pitches. His return to the mound for the Red Sox after nearly a month on the disabled list was a test by an aggressive Seattle offence that had battered Boston pitching the first two games of the series. „They made me work hard,“ Buchholz said. „I knew they were swinging. Thats about the most aggressive team that Ive pitched to in my career. For the number of pitches that I threw that was a grinding, stressful outing knowing I cant make a mistake.“ Buchholz pitched into the eighth inning in his first start since late May, David Ortiz gave him cushion from the start with his 449th career home run in the first inning, and Boston avoided being swept with a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday night. Outside of three batters in the second inning, Buchholzs return could not have gone much better. He was efficient, he pitched deep into the game to save Bostons bullpen and he relied on more than just two pitches. Buchholz was using just his fastball and cutter early in the season. The time away allowed him to work on his curveball and changeup and as his outing progressed, those pitches got better. Buchholz was so good with his pitch efficiency teammates were questioning whether the count was correct. „At one point I had to ask if the pitch count was right because it was the fifth and he had like 45 pitches,“ Boston catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. „It was good. It was an encouraging outing and Im glad for Clay that he went out and pitched like he did.“ Ortiz knocked around Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma, plunking a two-run shot off the windows of the cafe in right field at Safeco Field for a 2-0 lead, his 18th of the season. He drove in another run in the third with a line drive off the wall in right that barely cleared the glove of Seattle right fielder Stefen Romero. „I thought we had a very good approach against Iwakuma, who pitches very well in this ballpark,“ Boston manager John Farrell said. Buchholz (3-4) was knocked around in the second, giving up home runs to Kyle Seager and Mike Zunino, but otherwise avoided problems. Vapormax Plus Clearance. Buchholz retired 11 of 12 during one stretch and pitched out of trouble in the sixth inning when the first two batters reached on singles. Buchholz won for the first time since May 2. He had been on the disabled list since May 27 with a hyperextended left knee and after two rehab starts in the minors was brought back to the Red Soxs rotation. Buchholz went 7 1-3 innings, giving up seven hits and four runs. He struck out two and walked none. He might have gotten through the eighth but Brad Miller led off the inning with a homer. Reliever Andrew Miller struck out pinch-hitters Willie Bloomquist and Cole Gillespie to end the eighth. Koji Uehara pitched the ninth for his 16th save despite allowing two runners. „He looked confident, he looked relaxed,“ Farrell said of Buchholz. „He was able to make pitches with four different types of pitches. An overall outstanding performance.“ Iwakuma struggled for the second straight outing, his pitches missing location. Iwakuma (5-4) lasted just four innings, giving up eight hits and five earned runs. Iwakuma was done when he failed to record an out after the first three batters of the fifth inning. This wasnt the first time Boston has made Iwakumas night short. Last season, Iwakuma lasted a career-low three innings, giving up eight hits and six runs against the Red Sox. „I couldnt get the first pitch strike which cost me in a couple of at-bats,“ Iwakuma said through an interpreter. „They took advantage of that, so not being able to throw strike one got to me.“ NOTES: Ortiz is tied for 36th on the all-time home run list with Jeff Bagwell and Vladimir Guerrero. … Boston RHP Brandon Workman will start Fridays opener in New York against the Yankees. … Seattle recalled RHP Brandon Maurer to work out of the bullpen. He was a starter earlier in the season. ‚ ‚ ‚
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