PITTSBURGH -- Francisco Liriano has won twice as many games as he did a year ago and theres still two months to go in the season. Liriano continued his recent dominance with seven strong innings, and Jose Tabata homered and drove in two runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night. Liriano (12-4) allowed only two hits to offset his five walks and had six strikeouts. The left-hander improved to 7-1 with a 1.65 ERA in his last eight starts for the NL Central leaders. Last season, Liriano was a combined 6-12 with the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox. He has a hard time explaining his turnaround, which is a big reason why the Pirates hold a 1 1/2-game lead over St. Louis in the NL Central. "What can I say?" he said. "Everything is going good for me and good for the team. Im not really thinking about it too much. Im just going out and pitching and trying to be aggressive and get people out. Its working out well for me and it is working out for well for the team because were winning." Tabata hit his first home run since May 11 -- a span of 112 plate appearances -- and also tripled while going 3 for 4 to raise his average to .266. Tabata has hit just three homers this season, which is why general manager Neal Huntington tried to trade for an outfielder before the July 31 non-waiver deadline, though without success. "Weve seen Jose swing the bat like this before and be productive over the last few years," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "Hopefully, he will get hot." The Rockies put men on base in six of Lirianos seven innings but they went 0 for 9 against him with runners on, including five hitless at-bats with runners in scoring position. "When I walk people its because Im overthrowing," Liriano said. "When guys got on base, I told myself to slow down and make pitches, not try to do too much." Colorado lost for the fifth time in six games. "We had some opportunities early but like most of the good ones once he settled in he was tough," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "He had a good changeup and his command was pretty good even though he walked some guys." Gaby Sanchez had two hits and two RBIs for Pittsburgh, while Jordy Mercer and Andrew McCutchen added two hits each. Fill-in closer Mark Melancon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his sixth save. Jorge De La Rosa (10-6) pitched four-plus innings and gave up three runs on six hits while striking out three and walking two. The outing came a day after Rockies owner Dick Monfort said Colorado would exercise De La Rosas $11 million club option for 2014. "Jorge didnt have very good command," Weiss said. "It was a struggle for him from the start." The Pirates scored one run each in the third through seventh innings to take a 5-0 lead. In the third, Starling Marte led off with a single, stole second, took third on Jordy Mercers groundout and scored on Andrew McCutchens double. Tabata led off the fourth by homering over the 375 sign in right-centre for his third of the season. Sanchez hit run-scoring singles in both the fifth and seventh innings, while Tabata led off the sixth with a triple and scored on Josh Harrisons squeeze bunt. Colorado finally scored a pair in the eighth on consecutive RBI singles by Troy Tulowitzki and Michael Cuddyer, who returned to the team after missing the previous two games because of a family emergency. NOTES: Colorado LF Carlos Gonzalez was not in the lineup for a fourth straight game with a sprained right middle finger but hopes to play Sunday. ... Rockies 1B Todd Helton, who has normally been rested twice a week, played in nine straight games until being rested Saturday. ... Colorado RHP Roy Oswalt, on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring, was forced to cut short a simulated game because of tightness in the leg. ... Pittsburgh C Russell Martin sat out for the second time in three games because of left knee soreness. ... The Pirates will start RHP A.J. Burnett (4-7, 2.86 ERA) on Sunday against RHP Juan Nicasio (6-4, 4.92) in the three-game series finale. Kendrick Bourne Super Bowl Jersey .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Fred Warner Super Bowl Jersey . "Theyve both been real good," said Babcock. "Havent changed our minds." A decision has seemingly been made - Sundays Group B-deciding tilt against Finland ahead - but it could not have been an easy one. Price opened the tournament with a sturdy 19-save performance against the Norwegians, yielding just one goal. http://www.49ersofficialfanshop.com/laken-tomlinson-jersey-sales.html . 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Joe Montana Super Bowl Jersey .com) - The Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks both take aim at their first wins of the season on Saturday, as the Canucks open their home slate at Rogers Arena.Stuart Barnes looks at the fierce rivalry between England and Wales and breaks down the early pace-setters in Super Rugby. 1. All roads lead to Twickenham, or they do if you are English or Welsh. Historically, this has always been the huge international, even when Wales were constantly clobbering England in their glory days of the 1970s and England were thrashing them in the Clive Woodward era. In those days, the result was rarely in doubt but the fear of losing to the other nation when expected to win made it tense - for all the superiority of the one over the other.Now there is a delicate balance. Wales do not fear Twickenham and England can conquer in Cardiff. It has become a hard test match to call. But this one, this is different. This is about more than history. This is the game that signalled the beginning of the end for the last England regime. If they win, it will be perceived as the start of the Jones era. England have shown improvement but remain overly reliant on the front-foot power of Billy Vunipola. Wales have disappointed with the ball in hand but if there is one team capable of driving big Billy backwards, it is Wales. Stuart Barnes Scotland and Italy were expected victories while Ireland were badly hit by injuries. However, Wales march east knowing that a win will not only taste sweet against their great rivals, but also that it will earn them another Six Nations title. They will not lose to Italy in the final round of fixtures.England have shown improvement but remain overly reliant on the front-foot power of Billy Vunipola. Wales have disappointed with the ball in hand but if there is one team capable of driving big Billy backwards, it is Wales... that is the draft plot. Lets see whether the management and players come up with something surprising.There are few greater advocates than me for performance over results in terms of developing great teams but this is England against Wales and the world can stop for the weekend when red and white clash. Manu Tuilagis performance for Leicester against Exeter was not startling, says Stuart 2. It was Manu Tuilagi watch time at Welford Road on Sunday afternoon. He didnt look startling bur nor was there anything wrong with his game. The decision to add him to the squad is all Eddies, based on potential and tactics as much as form.We came to see the centre but ended up talking about Matt Carley and his officials. To say the referee was inconsistent would be generous in the extreme. What was a yellow card and penalty try against Exeter in the first half was a scrum, no penalty and no card despite the TMO, Graham Hughes, telling him the situation had been identical for Leicester in the second... Freddie Burns wins the most obvious knock on of the season and escaped without a card, while Carley clearly does not know the difference between wrapping the arms to make a tackle and the sort of strong-shouldered hits we saw from Mike Williams in particular. It was a good game but it was terribly officiated.3. It was good to see Rhys Webb back in action. He played a captains role in Ospreys defeat at Leinster. Despite not making any of his trademark swooping breaks, Webb was accurate, aggressive and intelligent. The temptation for Warren Gatland to include him in the 23 will be great. If forced, I think the Welsh manager might fast track him to the bench. Id start him but its much easier to pick a team when you are a journalist rather than a selector. Im sure the Welsh Kiwi will get it right. Highlights of the Guinness PRO12 round 17 clash between Leinster and Ospreys 4. Sunday is tipping point for Vern Cotter and his Scottish project. Scotland have been building momentum, despite not getting the necessary results. Theres no excuse for not making it back-to-back victoriees in the Six Nations.dddddddddddd France are there for the taking and with WP Nel steadying the scrum to neuter one of Frances few attacking weapons, they could head to Dublin chasing three successive wins.But defeat at the hands of the cumbersome French would make one wonder if and when Scotland will ever threaten the higher echelons of international rugby. For the sake of the game, I will be wearing a metaphorical kilt next Sunday.5. The southern hemispheres coaching dominance knows no bounds. Cotter could become minor Scottish royalty while either an Aussie or another New Zealander will be set for the Six Nations title next weekend. Now we have the engaging Pat Lam taking full advantage of a World Cup season, leading Connacht to the top of the Guinness PRO12. They were supposed to start losing by now but Lam has them playing confident, attractive rugby. Its great to see such a success story in Galway. If only the season clashed with Galways racing festival... Highlights of the Guinness PRO12 round 17 clash between Edinburgh and Connacht 6. My little wager on the Brumbies looks shrewder than most of my ante-post bets for the forthcoming Cheltenham festival. Victory over the Waratahs puts them in pole position in the Australian conference. While the Kiwis will run one another into the ground, the Brumbies can benefit from a decidedly weaker conference and gain maximum advantage as teams head into the play-offs. Being fresher than most and at home... if you havent had a fiver on them yet, what are you doing?7. The biggest shock in Super Rugbys history? Maybe thats a tad hyperbolic but come on, who saw the Lions beating the Chiefs just a week after the bookies favourites for this years competition had gone to Christchurch and beaten the Crusaders? What with the Sharks beating the new Argentine franchise, the Jaguares, there were some notable results for the South Africans, who have struggled a little since the Bulls were at their Fourie du Preez inspired best. Fabian Booysen celebrates victory over the Chiefs with Lions team-mates 8. Just to show that its not only the northern hemisphere that knows how to lay on an awful game of rugby, who saw the Reds and the Force? What a load of nonsense. It was duller than the tedious PR surrounding Victoria Pendleton and the Cheltenham festival. I dont blame the dame of the cycle track; why not give it a go? Good for her, but its not as if the Cheltenham festival needs Olympic gold dust to sell it. Sorry, I digress.9. Back to union. Leinster have the winning habit at home but I am not sure Leo Cullens side have it in them to step up a level if a team like Glasgow squeeze their way into the play-offs. Cullen has done a fine job in his first year in charge. He has rebounded from the European slump and developed some decidedly useful players from the academy. Maybe the return of Johnny Sexton will spark them to the next level but right now I wouldnt back them at 6/5 to win the title. Dean Ryan would have been in good spirits after Worcester beat Newcastle 10. Dean Ryan, that old smiler, wins the happiest man of the weekend award. Not only did Worcester win a crucial away game at Newcastle but the next day Ben Teo, his star signing for next season, produced a sizzling display of ball carrying at the RDS. Your round next Tuesday, Deano...To the rest of you, sincere thanks again for reading these brief thoughts.Have your say… Please tell us what you think by giving us your comments below or alternatively, why not Tweet us @SkySportsRugby? Also See: Tuilagi not ready for England Lawes out, Slater in for England Follow @SkySportsRugby Podcast: Vickery on Eng v Wales ' ' '