MIAMI -- For the entirety of the regular season, the supremacy of the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference was brought into serious question by the Indiana Pacers. Then came the playoffs. And the question was answered -- emphatically. The Heat became the third franchise in NBA history to reach the title series in four consecutive seasons, a laugher of a conference-title finale getting them there again Friday night. LeBron James and Chris Bosh each scored 25 points, and Miami eliminated the Pacers for the third straight year with a 117-92 romp in Game 6 of the East championship series. "Im blessed. Very blessed. Very humbled," James said. "And we wont take this opportunity for granted. Its an unbelievable franchise, its an unbelievable group. And we know we still have work to do, but we wont take this for granted. Were going to four straight Finals and we will never take this for granted." Dwyane Wade and Rashard Lewis each scored 13 points for Miami, which trailed 9-2 before ripping off 54 of the next 75 points to erase any doubt by halftime. The Heat set a franchise record with their 11th straight home post-season win, going back to the final two games of last seasons NBA Finals, leading by 37 at one point. "The group loves to compete and loves to compete at the highest level, and be pushed to new levels," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. Indiana led the East for much of the regular season, one where the Pacers were fueled by the memory of losing Game 7 of the East finals in Miami a year ago. So they spent this season with a clear goal: Toppling Miami as kings of the East. The Pacers were two games better in the regular season. They were two games worse in the post-season. Game 7, this time, would have been in Indianapolis. The Pacers just had no shot of making it happen, not on this night. "Its bitterly disappointing to fall short of our goals," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "Its bitterly disappointing to lose to this team three years in a row. But were competing against the Michael Jordan of our era, the Chicago Bulls of our era, and you have to tip your hats to them for the way they played this whole series." Paul George had 29 points for Indiana, David West scored 16 and Lance Stephenson -- booed all night -- finished with 11. "No regrets. All of us played hard. They were just the better team, and they won," Stephenson said. So now, the Celtics and Lakers have some company. Until Friday, they were the only teams in NBA history to reach the Finals in four straight years. The Heat have joined them, and their quest for a third straight title starts in either San Antonio or Oklahoma City on Thursday night. "Its all about 15 special men and what theyve been able to accomplish these last four years," said Heat managing general partner Micky Arison, who handed the East title trophy to Greg Oden. "Just a little bit more work to do, but Im really proud of the incredible job that these guys have done." The way they played in Game 6 made a prophet out of Bosh, who predicted Miami would play its best game of the season. The numbers suggested he was right, and then some. Miamis largest lead at any point this season, before Game 6, was 36 points. Indianas largest deficit of the season had been 35 points. After a layup by James with 3:39 left in the third, the margin in this one was a whopping 37 -- 86-49. James night ended not long afterward. "It was just one of those games that we want to play from beginning to end," Bosh said. "Here on our home court, we wanted to make a statement." There were the now-requisite Stephenson events, adding intrigue to the first half. The Indiana guard walked over to James and tapped him in the face in the opening minutes, stood over him after both got tangled under the basket, and got whistled for a flagrant foul for striking Norris Cole in the head in the second quarter. It was the end of a memorable series for Stephenson, none of which really had anything to do with basketball. His string of newsworthy moments from these East finals started when he talked about the health of Wades knees before the series and reached an apex in Game 5 when he blew into James ear and walked into a Heat huddle. When it was over, Stephenson went out and shook hands with plenty of Heat players, as did the rest of his teammates. "To work so hard and to get to where we are now really hurts," Stephenson said. The Heat were bothered by it all -- "angry," Spoelstra confessed -- but got the last laugh. Big Brother, again, reigned supreme in this rivalry. Vogel was using the big brother-little brother analogy earlier in the series, telling the tale of how at some point in every sibling rivalry the younger one has to make a stand. Indiana thought it would happen now. The Heat, obviously, had other ideas. "Theyve won championships," West said Friday when asked if the Pacers considered themselves Miamis equal. "No, were not equal." West said those words about eight hours before game time. They were in no dispute at nights end. NOTES: James appeared in what became his 100th playoff victory. ... The Pacers are now 7-12 against Miami in the last three postseasons, and 20-10 against everybody else. ... Wade and Udonis Haslem are going to the NBA Finals for the fifth time in nine seasons -- with a 15-67 season on their record during that stretch as well. ... Chris Andersen returned from a thigh injury, scoring nine points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 13 minutes for Miami.
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. Kripps, of Summerland, B.C., and Edmontons Barnett used a terrific second run to move up two spots, putting the Canadian duo in medal contention with the final two runs set for Monday (11:15 a.m. ET, streaming live at cbc.
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. On Wednesday night, they showed that stellar defence and a little small ball can get the job done too. With pinch-runner Kevin Pillar aboard after Dioner Navarro opened the bottom of the ninth with a single, Anthony Gose dropped down an excellent bunt along the first-base line.
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. No surprise there. Kershaw, who also earned the title after throwing his first career no-hitter in June, had a 1.
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. The Toronto Maple Leafs were holding a news conference, so they got curious. It didnt take long for them to find out via social media that coach Randy Carlyle was coming back — with a two-year extension — and assistants Greg Cronin, Scott Gordon and Dave Farrish were being let go.
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. The Detroit Tigers closer blew a three-run lead in the ninth inning Wednesday night against the Dodgers.DETROIT -- Despite falling a single short of hitting for the cycle in front of his childhood idol, Eugenio Suarez still had a memorable game. Playing in just his eighth career game, Suarez had a double, triple, homer, two RBIs and scored three runs in Detroits 12-9 victory Saturday. He grounded into a force out in the eighth inning, ending his bid for the cycle. Making it even better, former Tigers star Magglio Ordonez was watching from a Comerica Park suite. Suarez grew up in Venezuela with Ordonez as his favourite player, and wears the same No. 30 jersey. "I didnt know I was ready to have a game like that," Suarez said. "It was great to have the chance at the cycle, even if I didnt get it, but it was more special because Magglio was here." The 22-year-old Suarez started the season in Double-A, and only got 12 games at Triple-A before coming up to the Tigers early this month. Hes hitting .400 with three homers in the big leagues. "We knew that he had some power, but we didnt expect him to come out like this," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "Hes become a major part of our offence a lot faster than we expected." One of Detroits veteran leaders, Victor Martinez, is also surprised at the way Suarez has arrived in the majors. "Hes been playing great for us, both on offence and defence," Martinez said. "When I came up to the majors, it took me a while to adjust and get into a rhythm, but he has just stepped right up." Suarez led off Detroits seven-run third inning with a homer and added an RBI double before it was over, but the Tigers had to hold on after jumping out to an 11-1 lead. The Twins scored eight runs in the final three innings against a slumping Tigers bullpen. "Weve got to be able to finish off games better than that," Ausmus said. "We had to get our top two guys up, and we used almost everyone else. That cant happen." Ian Krol got his first major league save by getting the last four outs, but also gave up a two-run homer. "Ive never been part of anything like that," said Krol, whose only other professional save came in Double-A. Detroit came into the game having lost 17 of 24 after a fast start to the season, but it was helped by another strong pitching performance. Anibal Sanchez (3-2) was charged with three runs and four hits in 6 1-3 innings. Sanchez, Drew Smyly and Max Scheerzer have combined for a 1.dddddddddddd69 ERA in Detroits last three games. Sanchez was in complete control before he walked the leadoff hitter in the seventh and allowed a one-out RBI triple to Eduardo Nunez. Evan Reed then came in, and Nunez scored on a passed ball. Samuel Deduno (2-5) lasted just 2 2-3 innings for Minnesota, which had won three in a row. The right-hander allowed seven runs and seven hits, struck out three and walked two. "Nothing was good today," he said. "I didnt make good pitches, and I didnt get much luck. I just couldnt stop their offence." Suarez started the third with a drive over the bullpens in left, moments after Ordonez was shown on the video board and received a huge ovation. Suarez drove in Nick Castellanos with a double later in the inning, and Torii Hunter also had an RBI double. Martinezs drive off the top of the right-field wall was originally ruled a double, but quickly became a two-run homer after a replay review. Ian Kinsler drove in the seventh run of the inning with an infield single, and third baseman Trevor Plouffe strained his left oblique diving for the ball. Plouffe stayed in the game for another batter, but had to leave after aggravating the injury while throwing out Hunter to end the inning. Suarez added a triple in the seventh. Only one player -- Cliff Heathcote of the 1918 St. Louis Cardinals -- has recorded a cycle within the first eight games of his career. The Twins scored three times in the seventh and eighth to close to 12-7, but Krol retired Joe Mauer with the bases loaded for the final out of the eighth. Krol allowed Brian Doziers homer in the ninth before finally finishing a game that had lasted almost four hours. "We kept swinging, and they didnt pitch very well after the starter came out, so we had chances," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We got back into it, and the guys were up and yelling in the dugout." NOTES: With the homer and double in the third, Suarez became the first Tigers player with two extra-base hits in an inning since Ordonez on Aug. 12, 2007. ... The teams finish the three-game series Sunday afternoon with Detroits Rick Porcello facing Minnesotas Ricky Nolasco. ... Gardenhire said Plouffe will probably go on the disabled list Sunday, and that he is also concerned about Nunez, who injured a hamstring late in the game. ' ' '
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