Washington State has won five straight games and is tied for the lead in the Pac-12 North but not all is right with the Cougars.Theyve been outscored 25-9 in the fourth quarter of the past two games, allowing their opponents to challenge them late. Thats a trend that could bite them in the future.Its just us not stepping on teams or finishing teams off, running back Jamal Morrow said. We have had like three-score leads, and offensively, you just have to continue to be able to score. Thats something were going to work on this week.Coach Mike Leach believes his team tends to relax with a big lead.I think the bigger thing is the whole general `staying focused for a long period of time thing, Leach said. I dont think its necessarily some weird level of satisfaction, but I do think we relax a little bit.Its just a general sharpness of our focus. Weve got to maintain it all the time, Leach said. Were a team thats battling to play our best game. We havent played our best game yet and we need to see how long we can sustain it and do it.Against UCLA, Washington State led 24-7 at the end of the third quarter, only to get outscored 14-3 in the fourth. That pattern continued last weekend at Arizona State, as the Sun Devils outscored the Cougars 11-6 in the fourth quarter, but still lost the game by five points.Timely turnovers saved the Cougars against UCLA. Washington State beat Arizona State with shrewd clock management.The close finishes mean Washington State (5-2, 4-0 Pac-12) wont be inclined to overlook Oregon State (2-5, 1-3) this Saturday in Corvallis. Washington State would become bowl-eligible with a win.Winning in the Pac-12 is never easy, safety Robert Taylor said. I look at Oregon State as I look at playing Alabama. Thats the mindset we all have to have on this team.The Cougars are tied with No. 4 Washington on top of the Pac-12 North standings. The two teams play Nov. 25 in Pullman.Theyre both 4-0 in league play for the first time since 1997, when both teams started league play at 5-0. They are the lone remaining teams to still be undefeated in Pac-12 play. No team has gone undefeated through league play since the league expanded to 12 teams. http://www.bengalsrookiestore.com/Bengals-Clark-Harris-Jersey/ . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. http://www.bengalsrookiestore.com/Bengals-Andy-Dalton-Jersey/ . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. http://www.bengalsrookiestore.com/Bengals-Trey-Hopkins-Jersey/ . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. http://www.bengalsrookiestore.com/Bengals-Pat-Sims-Jersey/ .B. -- The Baie-Comeau Drakkar took over sole possession of first place atop the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League on Thursday with their sixth straight win. http://www.bengalsrookiestore.com/Bengals-Boomer-Esiason-Jersey/ . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. WASHINGTON -- Stephen Strasburg thinks relying too much on his new slider put stress on his pitching arm and contributed to the injury problems that sidelined him during the second half of last season and the playoffs.I fell in love with it, the Washington Nationals right-hander said Sunday at the teams annual fan festival, because it was working, especially the first half. I mean, it was a quick out.Strasburg threw sliders on 17.1 percent of his pitches last season, according to Fangraphs, more than changeups (13.1 percent) or curveballs (12.6). He said that because the slider was not a pitch he was used to throwing, he had trouble delivering it exactly the same way each time.That altered his motion, and the fact that he went with the slider more often than he should have, he believes, led to a tendon issue in his right elbow -- although one that is now resolved, he said.I had a new pitch, and I probably abused it. So I need to go back to what Ive thrown much longer, said Strasburg, sporting a thick beard.The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft, now 28, had Tommy John surgery in 2011, then was shut down by the Nationals late in 2012 to protect his repaired elbow. This season, he started 13-0 with a 2.51 ERA, and in the midst of that stretch signed a $175 million, seven-year contract.He went on the DL with elbow soreness in August, then made one more start before being out again.Strasburgs final 2016 numbers: 15-4 with a 3.60 ERA and 183 strikeouts in only 147 2/3 innings.His biggest takeaway? He said he plans to do everything I can to make the adjustments to stay healthy for the whole season next year.To that end, pitching coach Mike Maddux mentioned that he thinks Strasburg might opt for a tweaked between-starts throwing program in 2017.Were going to sit down with him and discuss it, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said, noting that Strasburg had been in town to meet with the teams medical staff and strength aand conditioning staff.ddddddddddddhrough spring training, Rizzo added, well devise a workout program to handle the forearm soreness.Strasburg will start his offseason throwing, as usual, in late December or early January. Until then, strengthening his forearm is key.I did stuff like that in the past, but it wasnt as much as Im doing right now, he said. When you get older and youve had Tommy John, youve got to kind of tweak it a little bit, because the muscles in your arm are just going to maybe change a little bit. Ive just got to make more of an emphasis on slowing everything down and just making the most of the exercises.Game notes Rizzo did not offer much insight or information on where things stand on a closer for 2017. The GM said he has spoken to the agent for free agent Kenley Jansen several times, but did not directly answer when asked whether the Nationals had made an offer. Were looking for back-end-of-the-bullpen help -- and were looking for bullpen help, in general, Rizzo said. ... Trea Turner spoke Sunday about the trade that sent 2016 starting SS Danny Espinosa to the Los Angeles Angels for two minor league pitchers, allowing Turner to return to his natural position, shortstop, after learning to play center field last season. Excited to have an opportunity to go back there. Thats where Im more comfortable, where Ive played the majority of my career, Turner said. I look forward to trying to prove I can play there at a high level and be consistent. Espinosa would most likely have been a reserve and utilityman with Washington, and Rizzo said: I knew hed be frustrated with the bench role. Manager Dusty Baker called the deal, made late Saturday night, definitely good for Danny, because he deserves to play every day.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '