amstring tightness. Brock Holt had four hits for Boston, inc

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ORCHARD PARK, N. .Y. -- Doug Whaley was willing to risk future draft picks for the opportunity to land receiver Sammy Watkins and put the Buffalo Bills in a position to make the playoffs this season. In his first NFL draft as the Bills general manager, Whaley struck a deal with the Cleveland Browns to move up five spots to select the Clemson receiver with the fourth pick on Thursday night. To get Watkins, Buffalo gave up its No. 9 pick this year, plus a first- and a fourth-round pick in next years draft. "We thought it was a calculated risk, and a risk we were willing to take," said Whaley, who took over after Buddy Nix stepped down a year ago. "The high cost of not making the playoffs is something we weighed, and we thought this guy was going to get us to the playoffs." The Bills are coming off their third consecutive six-win season. Theyve also gone 14 seasons without a playoff berth -- the NFLs longest active drought. Watkins has the potential of providing the Bills sputtering offence a dynamic threat. And he addresses the objective Whaley outlined in the weeks leading up to the draft: add talent to spur the development of quarterback EJ Manuel, who is coming off an inconsistent and injury-shortened rookie season. "Hes automatically going to make our quarterback better and us better as a team," Whaley said. Manuel expressed his excitement by posting 16 exclamation marks on his Twitter account after Watkins was picked. Buffalo finished last year 19th in total yards gained, and 29th in yards passing. Manuel had his development stunted by three separate knee injuries that led to him missing six regular season and two preseason games. He finished with a 4-6 record with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Watkins, listed at just over 6-feet and 211 pounds, put up eye-popping numbers during his three-year college career. He finished with 240 catches for 3,391 yards and 27 touchdowns in 29 starts, and set 23 school records. Watkins joined Rod Gardner as the only Clemson players to have multiple seasons topping 1,000 yards receiving. And hes the only Tigers player to score more than 10 touchdowns receiving in more than one season. Last year, Watkins had 101 catches for 1,464 yards and 12 touchdowns. Watkins was so excited to be drafted that he took a picture of himself and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell at the draft podium at Radio City Music Hall. And Watkins can fully appreciate the burden of expectation placed on his shoulders in knowing what the Bills traded away to draft him. "That is a lot, but for me, I think I am prepared," he said. "I need to be 100 per cent when I get there. I need to be starting off on the right foot." Watkins is friends with former Clemson running back C.J. Spiller, who was Buffalos first-round pick in the 2010 draft. Now he gets to join Spiller on a team that has been stocking up on young offensive talent, particularly at the receiver position. Buffalo selected Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin with second- and third-round picks last year. The Bills also made a trade with Tampa Bay last month to acquire Mike Williams. Watkins addition raises questions about returning starter Stevie Johnsons future with the team. Whaley declined to address Johnsons status, saying the days focus was about Watkins. The trade with the Browns began developing immediately after Jacksonville selected UCF quarterback Blake Bortles with the No. 3 pick. "We went into this draft saying we were going to be bold, and we made a bold move," Bills President Russ Brandon said. "Were sitting up here very pleased right now." The Bills only have five picks left. Buffalo is next scheduled to pick 41st overall, in the second round set for Friday. Its the first Bills draft since Ralph Wilson -- the teams owner and founder -- died in March. The Bills will be put up for sale, raising concerns the franchise could eventually relocate. Goodell continued to express optimism the Bills will remain in Buffalo in an interview with ESPN about an hour before the draft began. "We want to keep our teams in their current markets," Goodell said. "But in particular, I think the Bills fans have demonstrated their passion and their support for the team." Goodell then reiterated what he said a day earlier, noting a new stadium would help secure the teams long-term future. .com) - The collective hearts of Chicago Bulls fans sank on Friday night when Derrick Rose went down with a leg injury against the Cleveland Cavaliers. . Some will say that Martin is too sensitive while others will say that it is part of the way football is in the locker room. But to have to absorb what was said to him for any rational and intelligent person is too much. .A. Happs hold on a spot in the Blue Jays starting rotation is in question.DETROIT -- David Ortiz hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning, and the Boston Red Sox rallied for a 5-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, snapping their five-game losing streak. The Red Sox left men on base all night long, including when Ortiz was retired on a deep flyball to centre in the seventh. But there was no doubt about his homer off Joba Chamberlain (1-3), which carried about halfway up the section of seats beyond the wall in right. Chamberlain was trying to protect a one-run lead instead of struggling closer Joe Nathan, who had pitched the previous two nights. John Lackey (7-4) pitched eight sharp innings for Boston, and Koji Uehara tossed a perfect ninth for his 12th save in 12 chances. Detroits Miguel Cabrera left in the sixth with left hamstring tightness. Brock Holt had four hits for Boston, including a leadoff single in the ninth with the Red Sox down 3-2. After a one-out walk by Dustin Pedroia, Ortiz connected for his 14th homer of the season. Lackey allowed two earned runs and seven hits, and it looked as if he would have to settle for a complete-game loss for the second consecutive game before Ortiz put the Red Sox ahead. Mike Napoli also homered for Boston in his first game back from a finger injury. Bostons previous seven series all ended in sweeps, with the Red Sox on the losing end of four. They avoided that fate Sunday despite leaving 10 men on base. With the score tied at 2 in the seventh, Holt hit a one-out triple, but with the infield in, Xander Bogaerts hit a grounder to third and Nicck Castellanos made a diving stop for the second out. . After a walk to Pedroia, the AL Central-leading Tigers brought in Coke, perhaps the most maligned member of Detroits beleaguered bullpen. With the count full, Ortiz hit a drive to centre that Austin Jackson tracked down about 400 feet from the plate. Ortiz is now 2 for 19 against Coke -- but he would get another chance later against Chamberlain. Detroit took the lead with an unearned run in the seventh. After Castellanos led off with a single, Jackson hit a slow roller that Bogaerts mishandled at third for an error. One out later, Eugenio Suarez singled sharply to left to put the Tigers ahead. Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez allowed two runs and six hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two. The Red Sox had men on first and third with one out in the fourth before Sanchez struck out Stephen Drew and Jackie Bradley Jr. Pedroia opened the scoring in the third with a sacrifice fly, but Suarez tied it in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single. Cabrera doubled in the fourth and scored on Victor Martinezs single. Napolis sixth homer tied it in the sixth. NOTES: Detroit C Alex Avila struck out three times in his first game back since he was hit in the head Friday by the follow-through of Ortizs swing. ... The Tigers play at the Chicago White Sox on Monday night. Detroit RHP Rick Porcello (8-3) faces RHP Hector Noesi (1-3). ... Boston plays at Baltimore, with Red Sox RHP Jake Peavy (1-3) taking the mound against RHP Bud Norris (4-5). ' ' '

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