Die Allianz T-D-P » It was a silly question.Creighton was my dream school

PHILADELPHIA -- Maikel Franco and his Philadelphia teammates didnt like the way the Rockies responded to his home run.Franco hit a three-run homer, then later was in the middle of a testy exchange that led to the benches clearing and a pair of ejections as the Phillies beat Colorado 6-3 Saturday night.On a hot, humid evening with a gametime temperature of 93 degrees and a heat index of 105, tempers flared in the fourth inning.Rockies starter Tyler Anderson plunked Franco on the knee with his first pitch. Franco, who homered in his previous at-bat, stayed at home plate and stared out at Anderson while players from both teams barked at each other.Anderson moved toward Franco and appeared to tell him to go to first base and that he didnt hit him on purpose.Asked if he was mad, Franco said, A little bit because I wasnt expecting the ball coming.No punches were thrown, but both Anderson and Rockies manager Walt Weiss were ejected by plate umpire Eric Cooper. Anderson had to be restrained while walking angrily back to the dugout with shouts directed toward Cooper.Crew chief Gary Cederstrom told a pool reporter that Cooper ejected Anderson without any prior warnings because the umpire felt the pitcher intentionally threw at Franco.I dont know whether he hit him on purpose or not, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. It kind of looked like it. Im not going to argue with the umpire.Both Weiss and Anderson said the pitcher merely was trying to pitch inside.It doesnt look good, but he definitely wasnt trying to hit him, Weiss said. We dont operate that way.Said Anderson: He was just on the plate a little more than he was last time, so we wanted to go in and try to open up the outer half a little more, which is part of pitching.Philadelphia had two batters hit by pitches, the Rockies got hit once. Although Cederstrom said warnings were issued to both teams following the ejections, nothing came of the subsequent two hit batters.Was there was any correlation between the hit batsman?None whatsoever, Weiss said.Cesar Hernandez had two hits while extending his on-base streak to 20 straight games for the Phillies, who won their third straight.Daniel Descalso and Tony Wolters homered for Colorado, which has lost six of seven. Carlos Gonzalez extended his major league-leading hitting streak to 19 games.Jerad Eickhoff (8-12) won despite giving up three runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.Franco hit his 21st homer, stopping an 0-for-10 rut by connecting off Anderson (4-4).Freddy Galvis singled home Franco in the fourth to make it a four-run advantage.The Rockies climbed back in the sixth when Descalsos two-run shot and Wolters solo homer pulled them within 4-3.30 FOR GOMEZJeanmar Gomez pitched a scoreless ninth, stranding two runners, for his 30th save in 33 opportunities.Its very impressive in the respect he was the last choice to be our closer, Mackanin said. We gave everybody an opportunity. He stayed with it and did a good job. He stays poised on the mound. Hes such a great guy and hes been extremely valuable for us. Its been a good year for him.NEW STREAKDavid Dahl doubled twice for the Rockies. He was hitless Friday night, stopping his major league-tying 17-game hitting streak to start a career.QUICK NIGHTAndersons outing was the shortest of the 26-year-olds career and snapped a string of eight straight starts with at least six innings.Its just frustrating because your job as a starting pitcher is to give us a chance, and I obviously didnt do that today, Anderson said. Three innings and then putting a big, heavy weight on the bullpens shoulders because of that. Its really disappointing.TRAINERS ROOMRockies: Gonzalez (left ankle sprain) made his first start since Monday.Phillies: RHP Jeremy Hellicksons start scheduled for Wednesday has been pushed back tentatively to Saturday. Hellickson left his last start Wednesday at Los Angeles with back spasms. He will be further evaluated before his next start is finalized. ... RHP Zach Eflin is likely done for the season, manager Pete Mackanin said, after an MRI revealed a stress fracture in his right foot. Eflin was placed on the DL on Monday due to patellar tendinopathy in his knees. ... Mackanin also expects INF Andres Blanco (fractured left index finger), on the DL since July 25, to return the first week of September.UP NEXTThe teams complete the three-game series Sunday when Phillies LHP Adam Morgan (1-7, 6.65) faces RHP Tyler Chatwood (10-7, 3.58). Morgan is begin recalled from Triple-A to fill Eflins spot in the rotation. Discount Yeezy . Speaking to the Chicago Tribune at baseballs Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Boras called the former home of the Expos a "tremendous environment" for baseball. Yeezy Outlet . -- The Sacramento Kings are set to become the first major professional sports franchise to accept Bitcoin virtual currency for ticket and merchandise purchases. https://www.fakeyeezywholesaleonline.com/ .C. -- When North Carolina freshman Ryan Switzer reported to training camp in August he was a little miffed to learn he was third on the depth chart at punt returner. Yeezy Online . The FA rejected Wilsheres appeal that the length of his punishment was "clearly excessive" and said Thursday his suspension begins with immediate effect. He will miss league matches against Chelsea on Monday and West Ham on Dec. Cyber Monday Yeezy . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. OMAHA, Neb. -- Justin Patton loves to dunk. Hes done it 24 times in Creightons first 10 games and wishes it could have been more, and not just because all those throw-downs propped up his field-goal shooting to 80 percent, second in the nation.Its because Patton aims to please his teammates and fans of the 10th-ranked Bluejays .Getting everybody else hyped, seeing everyones energy once you do it, Patton said, explaining his motivation. Its demoralizing to the defense when they defend 25 seconds and then at the end I send a hammer and the crowd goes wild. Its fun to see the hurt on the defense and the excitement on our end.The homegrown 7-footer, the Big East freshman of the week the last two weeks, has brought plenty of buzz to what already was one of the top offensive teams in college hoops. Its not just the dunks. He possesses a variety of post moves and can shoot the mid-range jumper and occasional 3-pointer. He rebounds, blocks shots, changes shots and makes steals. There might not be a man his size who runs the floor better.And to think, Patton drew no recruiting notice until the summer before his senior year in high school. Now NBA teams are calling Creightons basketball office about him.I had said at one time, I dont think hes going to be here four years, and I think thats more clear than ever, coach Greg McDermott said. But were going to enjoy him while we have him.Patton said hes flattered McDermott expects him to turn pro sooner than later, but hes in no hurry.I know the only way I can be successful is to value my time here and maximize all my potential here at the college level, Patton said, pausing as his ever-present smile grew bigger. If that means getting the Wooden Award my senior year, thats what Ill do.In Patton, Creighton saw potential where others apparently didnt. Pattons high school numbers his junior season wowed no one, and he didnt appear on any list of top recruits.Crickets, said Bob Franzese, Pattons Amateur Athletic Union coach.Creighton had kept tabs on Patton since early in his high school career and saw a player with a high ceiling, assistant coach Darian DeVries said. Patton was just 6-2 when he enrolled at Omaha North High. His growth spurt hit between his freshman and junior years, and he had difficulty playing long stretches while adjusting to his rapidly changing body.By April of his junior year, he usually was the best big man on the floor during his AAU games.dddddddddddd Hed draw a wow from DeVries a couple times a game, and the coach knew if he starts to put that together, he has a chance to be something really special just with his size and ability to run.The Bluejays were the only school to offer Patton a scholarship. He accepted on the spot. Shortly after he announced his pledge, Franzese was inundated with calls from recruiters wanting to know if Patton was a soft or solid commit. It was a silly question.Creighton was my dream school, said Patton, whose family lives 10 minutes from campus.Patton grew up attending Bluejays games, slapping hands with players as they ran onto the court from the locker room and then watching from the cheap seats in the upper balcony.Now Im here, he said, one of the players I used to look at.Patton weighed just 204 pounds when he arrived. He was 227 at the start of this week and would like to top out at 245. Hes on a 6,000-calorie-a-day diet, not counting the 1,300-calorie protein shake he drinks on days he lifts weights.Patton also made big gains on the basketball court during his redshirt year. DeVries said Patton was tireless at practice, but Patton said it was hard not to play in games. He said he would go to the campus recreation center after practice and play pickup games with regular students until midnight.McDermott, if he knew, surely wouldnt have approved of Pattons extra basketball activity, especially if he had gotten hurt.Good thing I didnt, he said.Point guard Maurice Watson expects Pattons game to flow seamlessly into Big East play .Hes ready, mentally strong, Watson said. Hes getting stronger every day physically, and hes getting smarter about how to use the strength he has. Thats the best thing, his IQ.But its the simplest thing -- the dunk -- that drives Patton. He knows no Creighton player has had more than 36 dunks in a season since the school began tracking them seven years ago. And he knows Doug McDermott, the national player of the year as a senior for the Bluejays in 2014, had 19 in his entire career.Im going to double that this year, he said. Probably even triple it.---More AP college basketball: www.collegebasketball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25 ' ' '