three of the first four batters in the third inning to load the bases. C

SEPANG, Malaysia -- Mercedes confirmed it was the team to beat at the Malaysian Grand Prix by setting the fastest times in both of Fridays practice sessions, although its Formula One rivals were closer than expected. Nico Rosberg, coming off his win at the season-opening race in Australia, was fastest in the second session and overall with a time of 1 minute, 39.909 seconds around the Sepang International Circuit, exceeding Ferraris Kimi Raikkonen by three-hundredths of a second. Raikkonen, who struggled in Melbourne, was also second fastest in the morning session behind Rosbergs Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton. Although Mercedes was expected to dominate the early races of the season, and did so in Australia, the top six cars on Friday afternoon were separated by just two-tenths of a second, indicating a competitive race on Sunday. "We are still having some small issues and therefore we were not able to maximize everything today," Rosberg said. "The quickest teams seem to be closer together than in Australia, so we still have work to do overnight to improve our level of performance." Defending four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel overcame some technical issues that restricted his running in the morning session and was an impressive third fastest in the afternoon, while his Red Bull teammate Daniel Ricciardo was seventh. The bad news for Vettel was that he needed to change his computer power supply unit, which alternates the power source between the engine, the turbo and battery-stored energy. That means he is onto his third of the season, with a limit of five all year before penalties kick in. "Friday timings are not the most important in the world, but to be out there in the range with the other guys was a decent day," Vettel said. "It was not a completely smooth day for both of us; for myself, still some things to solve on the software side, programming the car, which sounds wrong but that is the way it is." Hamilton was fourth in the second session, ahead of Ferraris Fernando Alonso and Williams Felipe Massa. Hamilton is using the same engine that caused his early retirement from the Australian GP, with the team having fixed the misfire and preserved an engine which is also subject to the same five-per-season limit. McLarens Jenson Button was eighth quickest, ahead of Williams driver Valtteri Bottas and Force Indias Nico Hulkenberg. On a typically hot but dry day at Sepang, all drivers endured technical issues of some kind, ranging from the lack of downforce which caused several off-track excursions, high tire-wear from the consequent sliding, and fuel consumption issues with the new V6 turbo hybrid engines and the introduction of fuel usage limits. As in Melbourne, Lotus and Caterham were the teams to suffer most. Neither Lotus car completed a lap in the morning as the team continued to play catchup on its engine development after a strife-torn off-season. Pastor Maldonado sat out the afternoon too, and while Romain Grosjean made several trips out on track, he suffered repeated breakdowns. Caterhams Kamui Kobayashi had yet more problems with his energy-storage system, necessitating another replacement after two in Melbourne, meaning he is already closing in on the season limit. Nike Sb Sale .C. -- Al Jefferson knows few people will be giving the Charlotte Bobcats a chance to upset the Miami Heat in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. Cheap Nike Sb Shoes Australia . Expensive. The NFL fined Tomlin $100,000 on Wednesday for interfering with Baltimores Jacoby Jones on a kickoff return in the third quarter of a 22-20 loss to the Ravens on Thanksgiving night. http://www.cheapnikesbaustralia.com/ . The injury could land Machado on the 15-day disabled list, but its not as serious as it looked on Monday night, when the third baseman crumpled in a heap at the plate after taking an awkward swing in a game against the New York Yankees. Cheap Nike Sb Australia . Andrews, Scotland - Oliver Wilson fired a final- round, 2-under 70 on Sunday and he held on to win the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship by one shot. Cheap Nike Sb Shoes Online . Minutes before the final whistle of Sporting Kansas Citys 3-0 victory over a shorthanded Montreal Impact squad on Saturday afternoon, Saputo tweeted: "Our fans deserve better. HOUSTON -- Jon Singletons major league debut didnt get off to a great start. The 22-year-old slugger, who is no stranger to adversity, made up for it at the end. Singleton shook off a game that included two strikeouts and a pair of errors at first base to homer in the eighth inning for his first major league hit and help the Houston Astros to a 7-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He was surprised by how he felt after he launched a towering shot off Matt Shoemaker into the bullpen in right-centre to make it 6-2. "I was taken back. It felt like Id never done it before, to be honest," said Singleton who slugged 75 homers in the minors. "It felt like it was something new. My heart was racing so fast once I hit home plate, it didnt make any sense. I was still excited, still pumped from the adrenaline." Singleton, a highly touted prospect expected to help Houston back to respectability, made his major league debut a day after agreeing to a five-year, $10 million contract. Fellow young talent George Springer, who was called up in April, stood up in the dugout cheering and yelling as Singleton rounded the bases on his homer. The players danced and laughed together when Singleton returned to the dugout, a rare scene in recent years as the Astros plummeted to Major League Baseballs basement. "Winning breeds that," manager Bo Porter said of the moment. "When you start to win and your confidence continues to grow, youre going to have more fun." Singleton served a 50-game suspension last season for a second violation of a drug of abuse. He told The Associated Press in spring training that he has an addiction to marijuana and had spent a month in a rehabilitation centre last year. He moved past his problems this season and got the call to the majors after hitting .267 with 14 homers and 43 RBIs for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He said that Tuesday meant even more because of his past struggles. "Its been a long road for the last 16 months so I cant be more appreciative and thankful of this moment I have right now," he said. Singleton is the fourth Astro to homer in his debut and the first since 2008. He joins Ken Caminiti as the only players in team history to walk and homer in their debuts. Chrris Carter followed Singletons home run with his opposite field shot to the seats in right field to give Houston back-to-back homers for the first time this season.dddddddddddd. Jason Castro and Robbie Grossman drove in two runs apiece as Houston took the lead with a five-run third inning. The Angels were done in by C.J. Wilsons lack of control. Wilson (6-5) walked a season-high five batters, including four in the third, in just 2 2-3 innings. Wilson has been slowed by flu-like symptoms this week, but was making no excuses. "Youre not going to feel 100 per cent, so you just go out there and give everything you have," Wilson said. Josh Hamilton had a solo homer in the eighth inning in his return from the disabled list after breaking his left thumb on April 8. Fellow Angels outfielder Mike Trout was back after missing two games with a stiff back, but left in the second inning with more back trouble. "I just didnt feel comfortable," he said. "I didnt want to risk it by pushing it too much ... I dont think its that severe, but well see." Collin Cowgill replaced Trout and homered in the eighth. Wilson walked three of the first four batters in the third inning to load the bases. Castros single to right field to put Houston up 2-0. Matt Dominguez singled to load the bases again and Wilson walked Singleton on four pitches to give the rookie his first career RBI. Wilson struck out Carter for the second out before Grossmans full-count single drove in two more to stretch the lead to 5-0 and chase Wilson. Houston starter Collin McHugh (4-3) allowed two hits over five scoreless innings to lower his ERA to 2.52. NOTES: All three of Hamiltons home runs this season have been in Houston. ... The Angels optioned right-hander Jarrett Grube to Salt Lake on Sunday to make room on the roster for Hamilton. ... They also selected the contract of right-hander Cam Bedrosian from Double-A Arkansas and optioned right-hander Michael Kohn to Salt Lake. Bedrosian, a 22-year-old reliever, has a 1.47 ERA in 17 games this season for Arkansas. He struck out one in a scoreless sixth. ... Houston optioned 1B Marc Krauss to Oklahoma City to make room on the roster for Singleton. ' ' '