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PITTSBURGH, Pa. Doug Flutie Youth Jersey . - Edinson Volquezs renaissance began with a simple game of catch. During his brief session with Pittsburgh Pirates pitching coach Ray Searage on that January day at the teams training facility in Florida, the talented but erratic right-hander listened as Searage outlined a plan to help the 31-year-old regain the form that once made him an All-Star. He felt wanted, Searage said. That builds trust. Ten months later, Volquez will try to repay that trust by sending the Pirates into the NL Division Series for the second straight year when he starts Wednesday nights wild-card game against San Francisco. Facing Mr. Reliable The Giants will counter Volquez with Madison Bumgarner, who has been the face of consistency over the past three years. Bumgarner ranks second in NL wins and third in the NL in strikeouts, innings pitched and quality starts since 2011. The raucous scene that awaits Volquez at PNC Park is in stark contrast to his ignominious exit from San Diego last summer, when the floundering Padres released him after a miserable stretch in which his ERA ballooned to 6.01. Its kind of sad a little bit, Volquez said. You feel like your career is over. He ended 2013 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he showed minor improvement before hitting the free-agent market. But most teams hardly seemed interested in signing a pitcher who spent a half-decade struggling with his command and composure. Yet he found a home in Pittsburgh, where the clubhouse has become an Ellis Island of sorts for players looking to regain something theyve lost. A year ago it was left-hander Francisco Liriano, who signed with the Pirates and put together a 16-8 season that included a victory over Cincinnati in the wild-card game. Liriano and Volquez are good friends, and while the $5 million flier Pittsburgh took on Volquez to be a back-of-the-rotation guy raised eyebrows, he remained confident he could make the changes necessary to become competitive. People (who) know about baseball, they knew I was really close to getting ready to go, Volquez said. Searage tweaked Volquezs delivery. Pirates catcher Russell Martin worked with him to set a steady pace during games, often hustling to the mound when Volquez starts working too quickly. When Volquez gets out of rhythm, his mechanics run amok. Early on he couldnt control it. He had elbows and knees flying all over the place, Searage said. Now hes able to control it better. Thats the biggest thing between a major leaguer and a minor leaguer a€” they basically have the same stuff, but it all comes up to (their mental approach). Volquez responded by going 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA in a team-high 32 starts, the lone constant in a rotation that saw Liriano, Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton spend a significant amount of time on the disabled list. Volquez went 5-0 with a 1.64 ERA in his last 11 starts, his consistency one of the main reasons the Pirates sent Cole to the mound in the regular-season finale against Cincinnati in a last-ditch bid to win the NL Central. Cole was brilliant but Pittsburgh lost 4-1, putting its hopes of an extended playoff stay in Volquezs maturing hands. Curve Control Only two NL starters (A.J. Burnett, Adam Wainwright) used the curveball more than Volquez (25.9% of all pitches) this season. For the Giants, Bumgarner uses his curveball on 14 per cent of his pitches. Its the biggest start of his career, but Volquez isnt exactly sweating it. He spent Monday laying around his house napping. On Tuesday he traded jokes with other Latin players before playing long toss and shagging flies during batting practice. Ive got to pitch my game and be myself, he said. Its unlikely it can go any worse than his other post-season start. The Philadelphia Phillies tagged Volquez for four runs in 1 2-3 innings during Game 1 of the 2010 NL Division Series when he played for Cincinnati. Phillies starter Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter that day to start a three-game sweep. Four years later, Volquez faces another formidable task: beating a team that thrives this time of year. The Giants have captured two World Series titles this decade, including a resilient run in 2012 when they won six elimination games on their way to the championship. Most of the core that celebrated with a champagne shower after sweeping the Tigers in the World Series two years ago remains intact, including left-hander Madison Bumgarner. The 25-year-old is coming off a solid regular season in which he went 18-10 with a 2.98 ERA. He lost his only start against Pittsburgh, giving up five runs in four innings on July 28 at AT&T Park. The vibe will be decidedly different this time around on the other side of the country. And thats just fine by Bumgarner. Hes been here before, and so have most of the other guys in the San Francisco clubhouse, including his manager. I dont know whats going to happen, but youre going to see guys who are comfortable playing in this type of game, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Theyre all about winning. I dont think theyll be affected by any kind of element or environment. Including whatever Volquez might have in store. He hardly resembles the enigma who could never find his footing in San Diego. Now hes flourishing in Pittsburgh with a chance to cement his transformation from lost cause to something else entirely. Hes become a complete pitcher, Searage said. His evolution of becoming a major league pitcher has been nothing but forward. Another important step awaits. Volquezs improvement First 14 Starts Past 17 Starts ERA 4.67 1.85 HR Alowed 11 6 K rate with RISP 16% 24% Volquez Pitch Selection vs RHB vs LHB Fastball 57.4% 52.9% Changeup 14.3% 23.9% Curveball 28.2% 23.2% Jordan Poyer Youth Jersey . Luke Wileman and I stood in the corridor outside of the Vancouver Whitecaps dressing room at BC Place in Vancouver. Doug Flutie Womens Jersey . And theyre pointing to the NHLs biggest market: Toronto. With Gretzky paid out for what is believed to be $7 to 8 million, Gretzky may be eager to get back into the NHL and TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that the Maple Leafs are very much interested in The Great Ones services. http://www.shoptheofficialbills.com/Elite-Andre-Roberts-Bills-Jersey/ .com) - A top-10 showdown is on tap in at the McKale Center on Saturday, as the 10th-ranked Arizona Wildcats play host to the eighth-ranked Utah Utes in a key Pac-12 matchup.SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Matt Barnes kept the Clippers close when they got off to a sluggish start against Sacramento.Blake Griffin helped them pull away for yet another road win over the Kings.Barnes had 22 points in the first half, Griffin scored 18 of his 30 in the second half, and Los Angeles pulled away in the third quarter for a 117-108 victory Saturday night.I saw we were struggling there in the first half so I had to pick it up for my team, said Barnes, who finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds. In the third quarter we were able to open it up a little bit. We had a run there that really got us going.Chris Paul added 12 points and nine assists, J.J. Redick had 18 points and Jamal Crawford scored 13 off the bench for the Clippers, who bounced back from Fridays home loss to Cleveland to win for the fourth straight time at Sleep Train Arena.Griffin had 13 points in the third quarter and then scored five over the final 3 1/2 minutes of the game to help Los Angeles to its fourth win in six games overall.I was just doing what I could to get us the win, get us back on track, Griffin said. They came at us, but we got some stops to get a flow. Against the Cavs we didnt do that.Jason Thompson had 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds for the Kings, who have dropped three straight. Sacramento played without leading scorer and rebounder DeMarcus Cousins.Both teams were playing the tail end of back-to-backs and it showed, especially early on.Griffin got the Clippers going in the third quarter when he repeatedly got inside and to the free throw line. With Cousins out and backup Ryan Hollins in foul trouble, the Kings couldnt keep up.Los Angeles went on an 11-0 run to go up 75-64 midway through the third. Paul, limited to two points in the first half, scored four and lobbed a pass to Griffin for a dunk.Sacramento cut thee gap to 86-79 early in the fourth quarter but couldnt get any closer. Thurman Thomas Youth Jersey. I cant be any more happy about our effort, said Kings guard Darren Collison, who had 17 points and four assists. We had a lot of guys that couldnt play this game due to injuries, but we had a lot of guys that stepped up. If we play with that same effort, were going to be all right.Rudy Gay, who sat out Fridays loss to Miami after injuring his left knee capsule on Tuesday, had 22 points off the bench for the Kings. He was listed as questionable before the game and did not start, checking in with just more than 2 1/2 minutes remaining in the first quarter.Barnes had 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting in the first half, but Gay made a pair of 3-pointers over the final 70 seconds of the second quarter to tie the game at 52.___COUNTER MOVEWith about six minutes left in the fourth, the Kings resorted to fouling Clippers centre DeAndre Jordan away from the basket, much like Cleveland did in the third quarter. And as he did against the Cavs, Los Angeles coach Doc Rivers pulled Jordan and finished the game with Spencer Hawes.TIP-INSClippers: Paul had five early assists but didnt score until there was 2:21 left in the second quarter. ... Rivers son, Austin, scored one point after being held scoreless in his Clippers debut. ... Barnes made more 3-pointers in the first half (four) than the Kings entire team (three).Kings: Cousins is nursing a sprained right ankle sustained in Fridays loss to Miami. ... The Kings were also missing key reserve Carl Landry (sprained wrist). ... Sacramento plays six of its next seven on the road. ... The Kings signed F Quincy Miller to a 10-day contract. ... Omri Casspi left in the first half with a right eye injury and did not return.UP NEXTClippers: Host Boston on Monday.Kings: At Portland on Monday. ' ' '