~~**KINDERWUNSCHECKE**~~ » solo homers and Baltimore bea

ALLEN PARK, Mich. - Detroit Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley is fired up to prove what hes worth. Fairley told reporters Tuesday the team informed him this off-season that it was not picking up the 2015 option in his contract. "It motivates me," he said. Fairley recalled working out in Houston when Lions general manager Martin Mayhew called him about the decision on the $5.5 million option for the fifth year of his contract. "It kind of surprised me," Fairley recalled. Fairley said after calling his agent and having dinner with him, his mind was changed because he can get a new contract. "We kind of came to agreement that it was good for both sides," he said. Detroit drafted Fairley out of Auburn with the No. 13 overall pick in 2011 and he has struggled to sustain success in part because of his fluctuating weight. Fairley acknowledged playing too heavy last season while weighing as much as 320 pounds. "I didnt feel comfortable with myself, my body, and how I was getting tired," he recalled. "I just felt like if I got down to a lighter weight, I would be leaner, meaner and ready to go." Fairley said he has lost about 30 pounds, getting down to about 290 pounds. He started eating more baked chicken and grilled fish, cutting out his habit of eating fast food three days a week. "He looks good," defensive co-ordinator Teryl Austin said. "Hes lost a lot of weight. I think the key will be when he leaves here and then when he comes back in camp if hes still in that great shape with his weight down. Its going to be great for us." Fairley was limited during Wednesdays practice because he is still recovering from surgery to treat sleep apnea, but expects to be "full go," at next weeks mandatory minicamp. He had career highs with six sacks and two fumble recoveries in 2013 while playing next to Ndamukong Suh, who is also entering the last year of his contract. "Were just hoping that we get a big year out of (Fairley)," Austin said. "I think he wants to have a big year as well." Fairley was up for talking about a lot of topics and shied away from only one question, choosing his words carefully when a reporter asked him asked him about becoming a free agent after next season. "Well just have to wait and see," he said. NOTES: NASCAR driver Joey Logano attended practice to promote next weeks race at Michigan International Speedway. After the practice, he caught passes from and threw to the football to quarterback Matthew Stafford. Logano said drivers are like quarterbacks and a crew chief is like a coach, joking there would be only one place for his 6-foot-3, 175-pound body in football. "Id be on the bench," Logano said. ... The Lions will have a three-day mandatory minicamp next week before taking more than a month off before training camp begins. ___ Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ___ Follow Larry Lage on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/larrylage Puma Shoes Australia Sale . Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Allen Craig on the 15-day disabled list with a right knee contusion on Sunday. Cheap Puma Shoes Online Australia . -- Raiders wide receiver Jacoby Ford made it through a third straight practice without any setbacks and expects to play in Oaklands regular-season finale against San Diego. http://www.cheapaustraliapuma.com/. Leverkusen said on Friday it signed Schmidt on a two-year contract. He guided Red Bull Salzburg to the Austrian championship this season. Puma Shoes Online Australia . Its Wu-Tang and Outkast in the final. Now, we all know youve played the role of Andre 3000 in the past, does that mean Outkast is getting your vote?AJ: You know it, you know it. Puma Shoes Discount Sale . For the first time all night, as the Raptors were on the clock to make the 20th overall selection, no one had the slightest idea what was about to happen. No leaks, no whispers, nothing.BALTIMORE -- On a night when Baltimore struggled to get hits against Texas young right-hander making his first major league start, the Orioles simply stayed patient and eventually broke through against the Rangers bullpen. Adam Jones and Ryan Flaherty hit solo homers and Baltimore beat Texas for the third consecutive game, 6-4 on Wednesday. The Rangers have lost eight consecutive road games, their longest drought since 2005. Baltimore stayed within one game of first-place Toronto, which beat Milwaukee 7-4, earlier Wednesday. The Orioles (45-39) moved six games over .500, equaling a season-high. "That was really impressive," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "That was one of the more impressive things Ive seen, to be able to bring that intensity into a game like that. The whole group, I was real proud of them tonight." The game was delayed 1 hour and 38 minutes because of rain in the bottom of the eighth inning. Jones hit his 16th home run of the season and had three RBIs. Flaherty, who started at third base in place of the suspended Manny Machado, hit his fourth homer of the season and also made several nice defensive plays. Baltimore has homered in 12 consecutive games. Orioles right-hander Brad Brach (2-0) entered in the sixth and earned the victory by throwing 1 1-3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts. Zach Britton earned his 11th save with a perfect ninth. Texas Miles Mikolas was effective in his first major league start. He allowed three runs and three hits with four strikeouts and two walks over 5 1-3 innings. Texas (37-47) has used 11 starting pitchers this year, most in the American League. The Rangers have lost 13 of their past 16 games. "It was a lot of fun being out there," Mikolas said. "I thought I pitched a pretty good game up until the fifth. Then, I had some trouble with some walks. Things kind of didnt go our way after that." Staked to a 4-1 lead, Mikolas walked Nick Markakis and Steve Pearce with one out in the sixth. Jason Frasor entered and allowed a sacrifice fly to Jones and an RBI single to Nelson Cruz. He then walked Chris Davis before allowing a game-tying RBI single to J.J. Hardy. Flaherty provided the Orioles with their first lead, 5-4, hammering an offering from Neal Cootts (2-5) onto the flag court behind right field to lead off the seventh.dddddddddddd Jones added an insurance run that inning with a two-out single. "Its sum of the parts for sure," Flaherty said. "It cant be the same guys every night. And its an opportunity for other guys to get in there and try to contribute and help the team win." After winning his previous two starts, Baltimore right hander Chris Tillman struggled most of the game. He allowed four runs -- three earned -- and seven hits with two strikeouts and four walks over 5 2-3 innings. Texas took a 1-0 lead in the first on a two-out RBI single by Alex Rios. In 18 starts, Tillman has given up 16 runs in the first inning. "It was a grind," Tillman said. "It wasnt good. I made some pitches when I had to. I had some stuff. I was consistently behind in the count. You have to make pitches on a consistent basis." Cruz, who leads the majors with 26 homers, appeared to tie the game with a towering shot in the bottom half of that inning before Leonys Martin made a leaping catch over the fence in centre field. "That was awesome," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He beat the ball to the fence, timed it perfectly and brought it back. Nelson can just swipe the ball in this ballpark and it will go a long ways." The Rangers added three runs in the next inning on a two-run double by Adrian Beltre and a run-scoring grounder by Rios that bounced of Tillmans lower leg. Jones homer in the fourth pulled the Orioles within 4-1. NOTES: Baltimore RHP Bud Norris (right groin strain) threw a bullpen session Wednesday and will throw again Friday. Norris, who is eligible to come off the DL July 7, likely will need a rehab start or simulated game before rejoining the rotation, Showalter said. ... Orioles RHP Suk-min Yoon, who is on the minor league DL, received a cortisone injection in his right shoulder to reduce inflammation and will be reevaluated after being shut down for a few days. ... Davis hit off the tee before the game with Showalter observing. He went 1 for 3, snapping an 0-for-21 skid with a single in the eighth. ... The Orioles will try to sweep the four-game series when LHP Wei Yin Chen (7-3, 4.19 ERA) faces Rangers RHP Yu Darvish (8-4, 2.42) on Thursday. ' ' '