Seattle before the Mariners rallied in the nint

Coach Ephraim Mashaba packed plenty of bags for the African Cup of Nations because hes certain his South Africa team will go all the way to the final — and he needs to make sure he has enough clothes. Clearance NFL Hoodies .Were confident about it (making the final), Mashaba said on Wednesday before his squad departed South Africa. Alone, Ive got six bags.Bafana Bafanas players have prepared for a long stay in Equatorial Guinea, Mashaba said. To giggles, he told reporters and officials at Johannesburgs OR Tambo airport not to expect the team back home until Feb. 10, two days after the final.And stashed in one of those bags was an outfit for a party after the tournament, he said.Even if Mashaba truly believes South Africa will pack a punch at the African Cup, recent history doesnt back up his prediction.South Africa didnt get out of its group at the Cup of Nations in 2004, 2006 and 2008, and didnt qualify at all in 2010 and 2012. It lost in the quarterfinals in 2013 as host.But the team has shown signs of a turnaround since Mashaba — who is known at home by his nickname Shakes — took over last year. South Africa was impressive in qualifying this time and unbeaten in the decisive group stage, eliminating defending champion Nigeria.Thats given South Africans perhaps their most positive outlook for a Cup of Nations since the country won the title in 1996 and made the final two years later.But South Africas challenge in 2015 is significant. It plays top-ranked African team Algeria first up in Equatorial Guinea, then Senegal and Ghana in by far the toughest group.All the teams are equal, the bullish Mashaba said. When they say the group of death, it gives us motivation. It will be good to beat the No. 1 team on the continent.I have told the players not to fear anybody because we have no reason to feel inferior.Mashabas squad is mainly home-based, with a smattering of overseas players like England-based midfielder Dean Furman and forward Tokelo Rantie. The big surprise was Mashabas decision to leave Ajax midfielder Thulani Serero out of his final 23.Mostly, Mashaba has restored confidence after the team was called a bunch of unbearable, useless individuals a year ago by South Africa sports minister Fikile Mbalula following its early exit from the lower-level African Nations Championship.On Wednesday, Mbalula wore a yellow and green team jersey and saw the players off at OR Tambo airport, backing them to succeed this time.South Africas squad flies to Gabon for warm-up games against Cameroon and Gabon before the African Cup.___Gerald Imray is on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP Wholesale China Hoodies .com) - It appears both the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls will reach the playoffs, but the two squads are coming off losing efforts. Cheap Hoodies Fast Shipping . Didnt need any help this time. Wood beat Cincinnati for the first time in his career, repeatedly pitching out of threats for seven innings, and Chicago stalled the Reds week-long surge with a 2-0 victory Monday night. http://www.cheaphoodies.us/ . After a 99-97 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night, his Celtics coaches and teammates have only positive things to say about the Toronto-born rookie. CHICAGO -- Lloyd McClendon tried to remember each of the five relievers who pitched so well as Saturday afternoons game stretched into the early evening. The manager of the Seattle Mariners gave up after a brief moment. It was enough to know they each had a scoreless outing. Brad Miller hit an RBI double in the 14th inning and Fernando Rodney earned his AL-best 25th save, leading Seattle to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox. "Each and every one of them came in, threw the ball extremely well," McClendon said of his bullpen, and then added with a chuckle, "I cant even remember who all pitched it was so long ago." Yoervis Medina, Charlie Furbush, Danny Farquhar, Tom Wilhelmsen (1-1) and Rodney combined for six innings of one-hit relief. Farquhar got five outs and Wilhelmsen pitched two innings. "Battle of the bullpens there, some good arms being run out, and we just kept fighting," Miller said. Michael Saunders reached on an infield single against Ronald Belisario (3-5) and swiped second before Miller hit a drive into the gap in left-centre for a ground-rule double. It was Millers first hit in six at-bats on the day. "A lot of character and a lot of grind today," Saunders said. Saunders and Logan Morrison had three hits apiece for Seattle, which has won five of six and 11 of 14 overall. Felix Hernandez pitched eight sharp innings to help the Mariners bounce back from Friday nights 7-1 loss in the series opener. Chicago managed only four hits while wasting another strong start by Jose Quintana, who struck out 10 in 7 2-3 innings. "When you play 14 innings and only get four hits obviously theyre doing something right," second baseman Gordon Beckham said. "Long day." The game was scoreless before the White Sox pushed across two runs in the eighth against Hernandez, who had gone 7-1 in his previous 10 starts. Conor Gillaspie had a leadoff triple and scored on Dayan Viciedos double. Tyler Flowers added a sacrifice fly. Quintana allowed four hits and walked one in 7 2-3 scoreless innings. The 10 strikeouts matched a season high for the left-hander, who is 2-0 with a sparkling 0.94 ERA in his last four starts. "I throw my pitches in the counnt, throw both sides, getting ahead in the count - it (becomes) more important inning by inning," Quintana said. Discount Hoodies. "I keep going with that, its the best thing for long games for me." Chicago was in line for its second straight win against Seattle before the Mariners rallied in the ninth. Mike Zunino had a sacrifice fly against Zach Putnam before consecutive two-out singles by Morrison and Saunders produced the tying run. Morrisons grounder went off the glove of diving first baseman Jose Abreu and bounced past Beckham on the way to right field. Hernandez allowed three hits, struck out eight and walked one. The 2010 AL Cy Young Award winner is 1-5 with a 4.50 ERA in nine career starts at the White Sox. "He did a great job today and kept us in the ballgame the entire way through," Saunders said. Hernandez and Quintana were locked in an impressive duel before the late scoring. Quintana struck out six while retiring his first 11 batters, including the side in the second. Robinson Cano had a two-out single for Seattles first baserunner in the fourth, but Quintana fanned Corey Hart to end the inning. Hernandez was just as dominant, retiring 11 in a row after Adam Eatons leadoff single in the first. He also set down 10 in a row in another impressive stretch. Hernandez got some help from his defence. James Jones crashed into wall in centre to rob Abreu of extra bases in the fourth, and left fielder Willie Bloomquist made a leaping grab on the warning track on Viciedos drive in the fifth. The White Sox had their own defensive gem in the 11th inning when Adam Eaton reached back to grab Morrisons leadoff drive while slamming into the wall in centre. NOTES: Quintana also had 10 strikeouts in a no-decision against Detroit on April 29. His career high is 11, set last July 4 against Baltimore. ... McClendon said LHP James Paxton threw "extremely well" during his bullpen session on Friday. Paxton is on the 60-day DL with a left lat dorsi muscle strain. ... OF Cole Gillespie, who designed for assignment by Seattle on Friday, was claimed off waivers by Toronto. ... Mariners RHP Taijuan Walker (1-0, 4.50 ERA) faces RHP Hector Noesi (2-6, 5.33 ERA) in the series finale on Sunday. ' ' '