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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Jarred Cosart has spent a lot of time studying David Price. In the last year, the young Houston right-hander has spent a lot of time outpitching him, too. Cosart threw eight shutout innings to beat Tampa Bay once again, and rookie George Springers two-run homer helped the Astros defeat the Rays 3-1 Friday night. Cosart (7-5) gave up six hits in winning his third straight start. He walked one and struck out two, retiring 12 straight at one point. The 24-year-old Cosart topped the Rays last Saturday in Houston, the Astros last victory before losing four in a row. The pitching matchup against Price (5-7) was a rematch of Cosarts major league debut at Tampa Bay last July 12 in which he took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning and finished with eight shutout innings and a win. "Hes a guy Ive watched for years, and hes one of the best in the league and hes proven that, and thats where were all trying to get," Cosart said. "I was trying to compete with him pitch-for-pitch, and you know hes not going to make too many mistakes. Tonight he made one, really." After striking out in his first five at-bats against Price, including his first try Friday night, Springer hit his 13th home run off the D-ring catwalk at Tropicana Field. It came in the third inning after the first of Jose Altuves three hits. "I was a little bit in front of it and just didnt want to hook it," said Springer. "I was actually saying to myself: Just stay fair!" Price "had some success off me the last game and he still has some success off me. It was one of those things where I was just able to hit it," Springer said. Price gave up six hits while striking out 12 in eight innings. It was his fourth straight game with double digits in strikeouts, tying Bostons Jon Lester (in 2010) for the longest such streak since 2008. Price is 1-3 in those four starts for the Rays, who have lost 18 of 24. A second-inning strikeout of Chris Carter was the 1,000th of Prices career. "It (the strikeout) is cool, cant deny that," Price said. "But it stinks. You want to win out there and were not doing that right now so its frustrating." Jonathan Villar added a solo homer for the Astros in the ninth off reliever Juan Carlos Oviedo. The Rays scored an unearned run in the ninth off reliever Chad Qualls, who got his ninth save. Yunel Escobar hit an RBI single with two outs before Ryan Hanigan struck out. Altuve leads the majors with 101 hits. Batting second in front of Springer, the Houston second baseman is 11 for 18 in four games since returning from a hand injury. "It really puts the pressure on the opposing pitcher with a guy that leads the league in hits," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "Hes going to be on base a bunch, and then you have a guy in the batters box that can change the game with one swing. Its a pretty good dynamic for our lineup." Brandon Guyer and Jose Molina each had two of Tampa Bays eight hits, all singles. NOTES: The Astros optioned RHP Paul Clemens to Triple-A Oklahoma City and called up RHP Jake Buchanan, who will start Saturdays game against Tampa Bay RHP Jake Odorizzi. ... Price leads AL pitchers in innings (115 2-3) and strikeouts (133), along with hits (116) and home runs (16) allowed. ... With the signing of LHP Brock Burke, the Rays announced they have signed all 11 of their picks in the first 10 rounds of the draft. 00:23ET 21-06-14 Custom Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys . Browns advice worked. Irving scored 20 points, including seven in the fourth quarter, and Cleveland defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 88-82 Saturday night. Irving made his first shot of the night on a layup a little over three minutes into the game. Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys . Sixteen teams have moved on. Sixteen teams have gone home. http://www.hockeyhurricanes.com/justin-faulk-hockey-jersey/. James Harden wasnt worried and told his coach as much. "He was fired up but I told him: Its OK. Were going to be all right," Harden said. And they were. Houston scored 17 straight points after that timeout, led by 10 from Harden, to take the lead and roll to an easy 129-106 win. Rod Brind Amour Jersey . The Philadelphia Eagles acquired running back Darren Sproles from the New Orleans Saints for a fifth-round draft pick on Tuesday.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. - These are dark days for Rex Ryan and the New York Jets.Ryan is a coach with an uncertain future, and that means beyond even Sundays game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets will go on their bye-week break at this time next week and speculation has started that they could say bye-bye to their coach.After all, the Jets (1-8) are searching for answers and, more importantly, victories in a season marked by eight straight losses that has a disappointed fanbase already thinking about the NFL draft and next year.Our fans, I recognize their frustrations, Ryan said Monday, and its probably not easy to be a Jets fan right now.After a 24-10 loss at Kansas City on Sunday, this group of Jets became the third in franchise history to lose eight consecutive games. The last time was in 1996, when New York finished 1-15 under Rich Kotite, a season widely recognized as the worst — and most embarrassing — in team history.Before that, the 1975 Jets dropped eight straight on their way to a 3-11 season.Yep, those were tough times, too.But nine straight losses? It has never been done in the history of the franchise.Its just a stat, man, defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson said. We didnt want to lose eight straight, so we most definitely dont want to go nine.But talk about bad timing.Up next for the Jets, dealing with a shaky secondary situation all season, are the Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger, who is coming off becoming the first player in NFL history to throw 12 touchdown passes in a two-game stretch, with six in each.Nah, no concerns, Ryan said, almost rolling his eyes. I mean, when you look at it realistically, obviously, it is a huge concern. Theyre on fire right now.And, quite frankly, the Jets are the complete opposite.Picked by many before the season to hover between seven and nine wins and be in the playoff hunt, the Jets will be hard-pressed to win three or four games.We didnt expect to be in this position, said quarterback Michael Vick, wholl start against the Steelers. Obviously, coming into the year, you set high expectations and we had a lot of goals and to be one of the best teams in the league. To be in this position is very shocking.Some disgruntled season ticketholders set up a website last week called FireJohnIdzik.com, dedicated to urging owner Woody Johhnson to part ways with the teams general manager.dddddddddddd The site has raised $10,000 to buy space on a billboard near MetLife Stadium to further their cause.Idzik is feeling the heat, maybe even more than anyone else in the organization, because of the perception that he did little to provide Ryan with a roster that could be successful.Angry fans point to the lack of depth at cornerback, failed draft picks — only five of the 12 from last May are on the active roster — and the failure of Geno Smith to prove himself as a franchise-type quarterback.Ryan is not without blame, though, with in-game decisions and his once mighty defence failing to be dominant key strikes against him. Some fans and media believe its not a question of if, but when Johnson will cut ties with Ryan — and very possibly Idzik.If the Jets owner comes to that conclusion, it probably would be after the regular-season finale in Miami in December, but Ryan insists hes not thinking of that.I dont look past Pittsburgh, Ryan said defiantly. I know my opportunity is to be a head coach right now and Im going to do the best job I possibly can do for this football team, and to give us a chance to be successful.When Ryan was hired in 2009, he was a breath of fresh air to a stale franchise. He was a brash, bold media darling who commanded attention because no one knew what he might say or do.He restored the Jets to relevance on a national level, leading the franchise to consecutive trips to the AFC title game in his first two years.But, Ryan has toned things down a bit, and its understandable, considering the Jets are looking at their fourth straight season out of the post-season. Thats hardly a stretch that guarantees hell be back next season, and Ryan knows it.Well, 1-8, we all get it, Ryan said. I understand it, but the season is not over. You judge by when the season is over and you make up your own mind. But I know one thing: It isnt going to be by lack of effort, lack of passion, lack of anything.The results arent there yet, certainly they arent there yet, and thats not acceptable to anybodys standard, certainly not mine. So again, we have a lot of season left and I think our football team is going to play a lot better.___AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '