emantle, Greater Western Sydney, Melbourne and Western Bulldogs. The AFL has the financial muscle to make it work, of course, and other sports with many women participants ought to be fearful; alread

HOUSTON -- The Chicago White Sox lamented their inability to make plays in crucial situations after losing three straight games by one run each to Houston. They finally found a way to capitalize when they had a chance to change the game Monday night and it led to a 4-2 win over the Astros. Dayan Viciedos bases-loaded triple in a four-run sixth inning helped the White Sox snap a four-game losing streak. They also avoided being swept in a four-game series for the first time since 2008. Chicago trailed 2-0 before Alejandro De Aza singled in the sixth and went to third on Adam Dunns two-out single. Paul Konerko pulled Chicago to 2-1 with an RBI single that went between the legs of starter Bud Norris and into centre field. Conor Gillaspie barely beat the throw to first on an infield single that loaded the bases. That brought up Viciedo, whose triple landed on Tals Hill in centre field just out of the reach of a diving Brandon Barnes. All three runners scored to put Chicago up 4-2. "It was a good one for Viciedo to get a hit," White Sox manager Robin Ventura said. "Its just one of those that you hope gets him going a little bit because hes been missing out. And to finally get it, with him doing it, its good to see." It was the second straight game with a triple for Viciedo, making him the first White Sox player to do that since Mark Kotsay in August 2010. "Theres been some rough spots where things havent gone the right way," Viciedo said through a translator. "But I feel like theres some good things, too, and I want to work on the good things Im doing right now. I want to concentrate on those things and become more consistent." Nate Jones (3-4) allowed three hits in 1 1-3 scoreless innings for the win. He struck out three. Addison Reed pitched a perfect ninth for his 20th save. White Sox starter Jose Quintana yielded five hits and two runs in 4 2-3 innings, but didnt factor in the decision for the fourth straight start. He has a no-decision in nine of his 14 starts this season. Jason Castro doubled twice and drove in two runs for the Astros, who had won four straight. Barnes had three hits. Norris (5-7) allowed eight hits and four runs over six innings in his third consecutive loss. "I was in a groove, and that sixth inning was very frustrating," he said. "Im still frustrated about it." It was a rare road win for the struggling White Sox, who have dropped 12 of their last 14 away from Chicago and 14 of 19 overall. The Astros had runners at the corners with no outs in the seventh after back-to-back singles by Barnes and Jose Altuve. But Matt Thornton struck out Castro before Jesse Crain fanned J.D. Martinez and Chris Carter to end the inning. Carter struck out twice to give him 101 this season, which leads the majors. The Astros struck out 12 times in all to extend their total to a major league-high 673. Crain struck out three in 1 2-3 innings for his career-high 27th straight scoreless appearance to tie a franchise record for relievers. He was just happy to help the team end its skid. "We needed to turn things around," he said. "Obviously, weve been struggling and getting this one and avoiding the streak was big and hopefully we start a new win streak and win tomorrow." Ventura raved about Crain. "Its not just easy situations going in there mopping up," he said. "Hes been coming into some real tough situations and coming through for us. Its amazing what hes been doing. I think hes just been locked in, healthy and everything else." Altuve singled with one out in the first and scored on a double by Castro to make it 1-0. Quintana pitched a 1-2-3 second inning before getting into trouble in the third. Barnes singled to start the inning before stealing second base and advancing to third on an error by catcher Hector Gimenez with one out. Castros second double, which bounced off the wall in right field, sent Barnes home to extend the lead to 2-0. Castro has five RBIs, two doubles and two homers in the last three games. Norris looked good early. He allowed a double to Alex Rios with two outs in the first before retiring the next eight batters. Rios singled with one out in the fourth and stole second, but Norris set down the next two batters to end the threat. NOTES: Houston activated OF Justin Maxwell from the 15-day disabled list and optioned OF Jimmy Paredes to Triple-A Oklahoma City after the game. Maxwell, who has been out since April 24 with a broken left hand, will be in Tuesdays lineup. ... Chicagos Dylan Axelrod opposes Minnesotas Mike Pelfrey when the White Sox open a three-game series against the Twins on Tuesday. ... Jordan Lyles is scheduled to pitch for the Astros on Tuesday when they open a series with Milwaukee. Right-hander Alfredo Figaro is set to pitch for the Brewers. ... The Astros signed second-round draft pick RHP Andrew Thurman and four other picks on Monday. Thurman was at Minute Maid Park and worked out with the team before the game. Houston also signed 28th-round pick LHP Jordan Mills, 30th-round pick RHP Jorge Perez, 33rd-rounder 1B Tyler White and J.D. Osborne, who was selected in the 36th round. Vans Shoes Wholesale . During the athletes parade, the 23-strong Ukrainian team was represented by a lone flagbearer in an apparent protest at the presence of Russian troops in Ukraines Crimean peninsula. Vans Sk8 Hi Reissue .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.vansshoesclearancesale.com/ .Y. -- Syracuse has turned up the defence at the right time all season, and when High Point threatened to pull off a monumental upset the second-ranked Orange did what they do best with their quick hands and savvy play. Vans Old Skool Black . Jeff Green scored 13 points and Kris Humphries 12 for the Celtics, who nearly blew an 18-point, second-half lead. Sullingers 20-20 was the first by a Celtics player since Kevin Garnetts first game in Boston in 2007. Garnett was dealt -- along with Paul Pierce -- to Brooklyn during the off-season. Vans Sk8 Hi Leather . He says so-called TRT is only one problem and he wants to go even further than the ban. "Its about time," St-Pierre told reporters at a promotional event in Montreal on Friday. "I think its a good thing. Sue Alberti played Australian football as a girl, but around 15 years of age her father decided it was too dangerous for her. In any event, she was quickly running out of places to play. It is a story that is all too familiar.Albertis love of the game never diminished, and she became a central figure within the push for more womens football. Success in business followed, and there is a story of her attending a womens game, learning the clubs finances were threadbare, and writing a cheque for $Aus250,000 on the spot. Needless to say, the players and staff were stunned; like so many they had belted their heads against the brick wall of indifference about womens footy for so long.She became vice-president of Western Bulldogs in the AFL, not to mention her roles as managing director of the Dansu Group, chair of her own medical research foundation, and director of various other organisations. It is for people such as Alberti for whom this weekend, devoid of AFL finals as the league trials a post-season bye, is important.Thats because Melbourne and the Bulldogs are playing an exhibition womens game at Whitten Oval on Saturday night that is the teaser before the AFLs brand new national womens league starts in March, 2017. The teams are not relevant -- both Melbourne and the Bulldogs have drawn in some of the best players from around the country in an all-star concept -- but the Demons and Dogs have been front-runners in the push for a national womens league.Channel Seven, the AFLs broadcast partner, is showing the game live and it will be live-streamed, too, which will provide another sample of the publics appetite for the womens game. Previous experience suggests there is substantial interest: When Seven showed last years exhibition game between the same teams it out-rated the Adelaide vs. Essendon AFL maatch shown the previous day, with about 300,000 viewers nationally.dddddddddddd It was the first ever live broadcast of a womens match but certainly not the last.Within a few months, the likes of Alberti were at the MCG to hail the announcement of the new national league to start next year, including teams from Adelaide, Brisbane Lions, Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney, Melbourne and Western Bulldogs. The AFL has the financial muscle to make it work, of course, and other sports with many women participants ought to be fearful; already there are indications of young, athletic women crossing over to the indigenous game. The fact there will be payment of players and in particular, two marquee players for each club, only adds to that feeling.Interestingly it is a fix done from the top, rather than beneath. The AFL is starting the project by building a high-level league for players to aspire to play in; yet surely there needs to be much work done at the grassroots to offer opportunities for players in the first place. This is a work in progress.But in a short time the momentum has gathered, and the likes of Daisy Pearce, Melbournes brilliant on-ball player, and Moana Hope, the champion full-forward from St Kilda Sharks who kicked more than a century of goals this season and recently signed to play with Collingwood in the national league, have grown profiles. The new league will only add to this.Fifty percent of AFL crowds are women and girls. Plainly the game has been loved by females for as long as it has been played. The formation of a high-end national league is not only welcome but overdue; frankly, it makes you wonder why it took so long to happen. ' ' '