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PITTSBURGH -- Pittsburgh defensive end Cameron Heyward isnt opposed to a rotation along the line. Hes also OK with playing as many snaps as necessary.The Steelers made it a goal in the offseason to give Heyward and Stephon Tuitt support at end.Whatever cards were dealt, were going to be ready, Heyward said. We would love to have depth, but were not going to just give reps to anybody. We have to be well-conditioned and we have to be ready for that, but if we have guys that are able to step up, we welcome it.The Steelers realize they have one of the most formidable tandems at defensive end in Heyward and Tuitt. Thats why Keith Butler, in his first season as defensive coordinator, opted to find ways to create additional pressure on the quarterback with his two DEs.We have two guys that are probably as good as anybody in the league in that position, Butler said. We played them a lot last year. We would like to be able to rest them a little bit, so they can be fresh and maybe our four-man rush will improve.The pass rush improved considerably in 2015 as Pittsburgh finished third in the league with 48 sacks. That was an increase from 2014, when the Steelers totaled 33 sacks for a 26th-place league ranking. Heyward and Tuitt did their part, combining for 13 1-2 sacks in 2015, while the rest of the pressure came from the secondary and linebackers.Heyward feels a rotation along the defensive line could increase those numbers.You look around the league and the great (defensive) lines have a good rotation, and theyre fresh by the playoff run, Heyward said. If we can have that and have a continuity where it continues to grow, Id be happy with that too.Heyward played 88 percent of the teams snaps on defense, while Tuitt followed at 78 percent. The next closest along the defensive line was former nose tackle Steve McLendon at 34 percent, and Cam Thomas with 16 percent of the snaps.Heyward admitted inexperience along the defensive line, but pointed out growth from players such as L.T. Walton, the Steelers 2015 sixth-round pick, and this seasons third-round pick Javon Hargrave. He also expects contributions from seven-year veteran Ricardo Mathews.Were just about including them and trying to make them grow in our defense, Heyward said.A rotation along the defensive line will go a long way toward preserving the Steelers two best up-front pass rushers. Heyward will be ready regardless.I can stay in, Heyward said. Weve been doing it. My goal is to be ready for the game and to be ready for the fourth quarter, because thats when games are decided.If we can get a rotation, thats great, but if we only have so many guys, and those are the cards were dealt, then Im going to play. Im not going to moan or cry about it. It just means we have to make more plays.Game notes Ben Roethlisberger, LeVeon Bell, DeAngelo Williams and Antonio Brown will play for the first time in the preseason Friday at New Orleans. . Cornerback Artie Burns, the Steelers first-round pick, practiced Wednesday and could make his preseason debut Friday after missing the first two games because of injury. . LB Bud Dupree, QB Bruce Gradkowski, OT Jerald Hawkins, FB Roosevelt Nix, QB Dustin Vaughan and OL Cody Wallace will likely miss Fridays game. . Free agent cornerback Keenan Lewis, the Steelers third-round pick in 2009, visited his former team on Wednesday.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Bulls Jerseys 2019 . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Wholesale Bulls Jerseys . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. https://www.cheapbulls.com/ . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. Chicago Bulls Gear . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. Chicago Bulls Shirts . 1, meaning problems for the doping controls at both major international sports events next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency provisionally suspended the Moscow Antidoping Center on Sunday, saying its operations must improve or a six-month ban on the facilitys accreditation will be imposed.NEW YORK -- Mariano Rivera stood on the mound, looking down at his cleats. Somehow, hed let yet another lead slip away. Never before had baseballs all-time saves leader blown three straight chances. Silenced by a pair of Detroit home runs, the fans at Yankee Stadium soon perked up. Brett Gardner homered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting the New York Yankees over the Tigers 5-4 Sunday for their first series win in more than a month. Rivera has a record 643 saves, but had never failed three in a row in 1,087 previous relief appearances. His troubles began in Chicago, where he gave back a lead to the White Sox. "At least its the first time, you know what I mean?" Rivera said. "I just try to go out there and do my job. The last three opportunities, I havent done it. So we have to continue battling and get better. Have to keep working and eventually it will happen." Rivera blew both save chances in this series. Gardner provided the winning hit in both games. "Mos bailed us out a few times," Gardner said. "It didnt matter if it was me or somebody else, we just needed to get a win today and Im glad we made it happen." Rivera (3-2) gave up another homer to a limping Miguel Cabrera, plus a drive to Victor Martinez in the top of the ninth. The solo shots made it 4-all and turned Alex Rodriguezs first homer of the season into a footnote. But Gardner connected off Jose Veras (0-5). The feisty centre fielder flipped his batting helmet to A-Rod just before reaching the plate, then jumped into a cluster of teammates at home. "To Martinez, that ball was just laying right flat up. And also with Miguel," Rivera said. "Youre facing professional hitters. If you dont put the ball where you need to, youre going to get hit." On Friday night, Rivera gave up a two-run shot to Cabrera, who fouled two balls off his leg before launching the tying drive. Gardner won it in the 10th with a single. Manager Joe Girardi is hardly going to start worrying now about the 43-year-old pitcher generally regarded as the best closer ever. "Its not like you forget how to pitch in a week," Girardi said. "Its impossible." Alfonso Soriano homered for his 2,000th hit in the fourth inning. He connected off Justin Verlander, as did Rodriguez. "All great pitchers have one thing in common: they attack you and throw strikes," Rodriguez on why hes had success against Verlander -- four homers in 28 at-bats. Rodriguez, who has missed most of the year while coming back from hip surgery, hit a leadoff homer in the second. His 648th career home run pushed him past Stan Musial for fifth on the RBIs list with 1,951. "It was a tremendous homer by A-Rod," Pena said. "Justin Verlander threw a great inside pittch and he used his hands and sometimes you just have to credit the hitter.dddddddddddd" Lustily booed Friday night in his season debut at Yankee Stadium, he quickly turned fans around Sunday with a soaring shot to left field that made it 1-all. Rodriguez drove in one more run with a single down the first base line in the third. "Felt good to get the first one out of the way," Rodriguez said. "Today was a step in the right direction." Late lineup-addition Brayan Pena homered in the eighth off Yankees setup man David Robertson, cutting Detroits deficit to 4-2. Pena played for Alex Avila, who was placed on the 7-day concussion list after the game. Avila was hit in the mask by a foul ball Thursday but played Saturday. He was in the initial lineup Sunday. On a glorious August afternoon in the Bronx, the Yankees avoided dropping to .500 for the first time since April 13, improving to 59-57. Taking two of three from the AL Central leaders gave New York its first series win July 5-7 after an 0-5-3 stretch. Gardner started a long-distance double play to end the eighth inning by leaping against the centre field wall to catch Torii Hunters fly and preserve the 4-2 lead. Prince Fielder had an RBI single in the first off Andy Pettitte, the eighth straight game the lefty allowed a run in the opening inning. Thats the longest such streak by a Yankees pitcher, according to STATS research back to 1920. Rodriguez made a stellar play in the eighth when he reached deep behind third base on Austin Jacksons grounder and threw to second to nail Jose Iglesias for the first out. Tigers manager Jim Leyland disputed the call, and TV replays appeared to back him up. Leyland was back on the field one batter later. Shaken after catching Hunters fly, Gardner flipped the ball to Soriano. The left fielder threw the ball to shortstop Eduardo Nunez, who tossed it to second baseman Robinson Cano. Cano easily tagged Austin Jackson, who stood confused on second base. "As I lowered my head as I rounded back to make sure I stepped on second base, I saw the ball on the ground so I thought it hadnt been caught," Jackson said. "Sometimes you have no way of telling whats going on behind you. It happens sometimes. He made a great catch." Half the team met Gardner at the dugout steps to congratulate the centre fielder. They all pounced on him after his homer. NOTES: Verlander gave up seven hits and four runs in seven innings. He struck out nine and walked one. ... Rodriguez was given an error in the third on Martinezs slow roller that he ran in for but couldnt scoop with his glove. ... Rodriguezs two hits were his first off a right-hander in 25 at-bats dating to last years playoffs. ... The Tigers recalled C Bryan Holaday from Triple-A Toledo after the game. ' ' '