owed no lingering effects while pitching five gritty innings to end San Franciscos three-game winning streak. The right-hander allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two.HOT HUNTERHunte

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- Star return specialist Devin Hester was released by the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday following an injury-shortened 2015 season.The 33-year-old Hester is a three-time All-Pro who set an NFL record with 20 career returns for touchdowns. He began his career with the Chicago Bears before signing a three-year, $9 million deal with Atlanta before the 2014 season.A turf toe injury knocked out most of his season in 2015. He had 269 total return yards during the last five games of the year. He had surgery in January, preventing him from full participation in offseason workouts.General manager Thomas Dimitroff said the decision to release Hester -- two days before the first practice of training camp -- was about more than the toe injury.He passed his physical, Dimitroff said Tuesday. It was a football decision for us at the very end. Not to be evasive about it, we wish him all the luck. We think its best for the organization for us to move forward.Coach Dan Quinn said wide receiver Eric Weems will continue to work on punt and kickoff returns. Wide receivers Justin Hardy, Nick Williams and Devin Fuller, a rookie, also will compete on punt returns. Running back Tevin Coleman, the top backup to starter Devonta Freeman, is an option on kickoff returns.The long list of candidates on returns was a factor in the move.Weve got some guys were pretty pumped up about to see what they can do, Quinn said.Hester apparently saw his release coming. On Wednesday, he posted on his Twitter account That look on your face when they count you out!!!!!(hash)motivationHester was drafted by the Bears as a cornerback from Miami in 2006. He switched to wide receiver and has 255 career catches for 3,311 yards and 16 touchdowns. He had 38 catches for 504 yards with Atlanta in 2014.Hester holds the record with 14 punt returns for touchdowns, including a 68-yarder with the Falcons in 2014. He had a career-high four punt returns for touchdowns in 2007, when he also returned two kickoffs for scores.Quinn described Hester as a guy I have tons of respect for.Devin is a real pro so we wish him nothing but the best, he added.Players report Wednesday and open camp Thursday.---Online:AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Custom Raptors Jersey .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Custom Raptors Jerseys . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. http://www.customraptorsjersey.com/ . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. Cheap Raptors Jerseys .2 billion agreement with Rogers Communications for the leagues broadcast and multimedia rights. Wholesale Custom Raptors Shirts . Paul Pierce couldnt believe he missed at the end. Young scored a season-high 26 points to spark a huge effort from the leagues most productive bench, and Los Angeles beat the Brooklyn Nets 99-94 on Wednesday night after blowing a 27-point lead. SAN FRANCISCO -- The same team that sent the San Francisco Giants into their post-All-Star break funk just handed them another frustrating defeat.Paul Clemens fought through flu symptoms to combine with five relievers on a five-hit shutout, and the San Diego Padres beat San Francisco 4-0 Monday night.The loss came at a time when the Giants appeared to be coming out of a second-half swoon. They gained two games on the NL West-leading Dodgers last weekend with a three-game sweep in Arizona.But their latest defeat ended a streak of 11 consecutive home wins against the Padres and, more importantly, dropped San Francisco four games behind Los Angeles.With 19 games left, however, the Giants still lead the race for the leagues top wild card.The Giants had the best record in the majors going into the All-Star break. Then they were swept in San Diego during a three-game series that started a 1-7 road trip and set the tone for their miserable second half.San Francisco is tied with Arizona for the worst record in the majors since the All-Star Game.Weve had guys hot and cold since the break. We have not been consistent with our lineup, manager Bruce Bochy said. It looked like we came out of it in Arizona. It sure looks bad to get shut out when you get back home the first day, but were staying behind these guys.Hector Sanchez homered and singled twice against his former club. Yangervis Solarte drove in two runs and Luis Sardinas added two hits while helping the Padres to their fourth consecutive win over the Giants.San Francisco was 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position.We hit some balls hard, we just couldnt get anything to fall in and when we put guys on base we couldnt get a hit, Bochy said. Youve got to hit with runners on base and that was not there tonight. We had some pretty good hitters up there, too. We just couldnt get that big hit to get us rolling.Sanchez spent his first five seasons in San Francisco as a backup behind four-time All-Star catcher Buster Posey and had homered only twice previously at AT&T Park before hitting a 2-2 pitch from starter Jeff Samardzija ((11-10) into the stands above the brick wall in right field with one out in the sixth.ddddddddddddWere playing good ball there (in Arizona) and even in Colorado we were playing good ball, too, Samardzija said. You want to come out and throw some zeros and give us a chance to win the game, and unfortunately they scraped a few across that ended up being the difference.Samardzija allowed four runs over six innings. He struck out six and walked one.That two-run homer put a sour taste in my mouth, Samardzija said. Unfortunately, I left a splitter a little bit up in the zone and he was able to put a barrel on the ball.Clemens (3-5) wasnt able to do his normal between-starts work because of his health but showed no lingering effects while pitching five gritty innings to end San Franciscos three-game winning streak. The right-hander allowed three hits, walked one and struck out two.HOT HUNTERHunter Pence continued his hot hitting for the Giants, going 2 for 4. Hes batting .650 (13 for 20) over his last five games.TRAINERS ROOMPadres: Manager Andy Green said RHP Tyson Ross (right shoulder inflammation) hasnt progressed as quickly as the team had hoped and isnt likely to pitch again this season. Ross did not accompany the club on its road trip and remained in San Diego to continue throwing. ... OF Travis Jankowski left the team to be with his family in Pennsylvania for personal reasons.Giants: 3B Eduardo Nunez was a late scratch because of back tightness. ... Relief pitcher Derek Law threw a simulated game and is likely to be activated from the disabled list Wednesday. ... OF Gregor Blanco (shoulder) is making progress and took swings before the game.UP NEXTPadres: LHP Clayton Richard (2-3) pitches the middle game of the series Tuesday night in his sixth start since being signed as a free agent on Aug. 6.Giants: RHP Albert Suarez (3-3) makes his 10th career start but first against San Diego. Suarez faced the Padres as a reliever earlier this season. ' ' '