-and-white striped tie. Many even had red or blue shoes for the special occasion. Fittingly, the team was flying to Boston, where they will face the Red Sox in a July 4 matinee.TRAINE

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Many three-year NFL veterans use the preseason as a tuneup.But thats not the case for New York Giants running back Andre Williams.Williams is in a tough competition for a spot on the teams final 53-man roster that will kick off the season Sept. 11 against Dallas.Williams, a fourth-round draft pick out of Boston College in 2014, struggled last season, rushing for only 257 yards and one touchdown. Williams averaged just 2.9 yards per carry, and the team drafted Paul Perkins out of UCLA in the fifth round.Theres only room for so many running backs, so Williams knows that he has no guarantees. Orleans Darkwa, who had 153 yards on 36 carries (4.3 yards per carry) and a touchdown last season, is also in the mix.Im supposed to be here, Williams said Friday night after leading the Giants with 41 yards on nine carries in a 27-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins in the preseason opener.I dont feel like I have to prove anything. The only thing I have to prove is prove to myself that I can be here and do the job.Williams also saw some time on special teams Friday, trying to show his versatility.I did a lot of things, Williams said. I showed I could get to the outside well. It was a big emphasis for us to win the outside zone. I had to get to the gap and get outside. I always thought I was fast enough. Being able to get out there was big for me.Williams broke a big run for 16 yards early in the game.I think Im able to carry my weight better now, Williams said. Every time I get on the field, theres a balance between knowing that I have do to certain things and going out and having fun.Perkins also showed a good balance of speed and strength, gaining 36 yards on seven attempts (5.1 yards per attempt) Friday night, making the competition for that roster spot that much more interesting.Darkwa, who was a special teams stalwart last season, had two carries for 16 yards Friday.Another rookie who had a stellar game was linebacker B.J. Goodson, the fourth-round pick out of Clemson. Goodson tied for the team lead in tackles with six with veteran Mark Herlizch. Goodson also had two tackles for losses.It felt good to be able to do something and fly around out there, Goodson said. Im very grateful, because not a lot of guys get this opportunity. I just wanted to do my best and do whatever the coaches seem fit.Rookie wide receiver Sterling Shepard had the catch of the game for the Giants, a diving grab along the sideline for 24 yards, before leaving with a slight groin injury.Its nothing serious at all, Shepard said of his injury. Its just a little sore. Ill be all right.As for his acrobatic catch?Its just something that I can do, Shepard said. I felt like I could go and get it. I think whatever happens in practice can carry over to the game. I was doing well in practice. This was just preseason. I have a lot left to do.But the Giants struggled in some aspects of the game, especially the play of backup quarterback Ryan Nassib.Nassib, a fourth-round draft pick four years ago, has never had a chance to play much because of Eli Mannings durability.But Nassib got the chance to play most of the game Friday night, but didnt do much to impress Ben McAdoo, who made his head coaching debut.Nassib completed just seven of 15 passes for 75 yards, throwing two interceptions and fumbling once. Nassib appeared jittery and completed just one pass more than 20 yards, the 24-yarder to rookie Shepard in the first quarter.Nassib drove the Giants 39 yards on the first drive -- then a total of 40 yards over the next 10 drives. The Giants fumbled a total of six times in the game.Ball security is the No. 1 priority in this league and I didnt do a good job of that, Nassib said.We have some things we have to work on. Turnovers are unacceptable. You never go into a game expecting to throw two interceptions. Obviously, when you fail, its disappointing and frustrating. I just have to bounce back and get back out there.McAdoo was not pleased with the offensive performance.We left six balls on the ground and threw two interceptions, McAdoo said. Thats not the way we wanted to start the season. We wanted to run the ball and definitely, early on, I felt like we were running the ball well. We just didnt finish well. We need to execute better. When you leave six balls on the ground and throw two interceptions, youre not happy with anything.McAdoo was asked why there were so many fumbles.We had a couple of bad exchanges that we didnt handle well, McAdoo said. Our pocket didnt look clean at times. Only time will tell.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFLCheap Air Max 97 China .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. Balenciaga Wholesale China .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at Boston Strong - a citys recovery from tragedy. http://www.cheapairmaxchinawholesale.com/balenciaga-outlet.html . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. Yeezy Boost 350 v2 Cheap . -- Kyrie Irvings last-minute 3-pointer helped seal another victory for Cleveland -- and the Cavaliers longest winning streak since LeBron James left. Vans Shoes Outlet Sale . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday.MINNEAPOLIS -- Cole Hamels lost control of his signature cutter, and that led to another victory by last-place Minnesota over first-place Texas.I just all of a sudden couldnt find it, Hamels said Sunday after the Rangers 5-4 defeat.Hamels (9-2) was knocked out in the fifth inning of his shortest start this season and lost for the first time since May 27 and only the third time since Texas acquired him last summer.Hamels had won a Rangers record nine consecutive road decisions and went 4-0 in June with a 1.51 ERA over six starts. And after watching his team get routed 17-5 on Saturday, Texas was hoping he would spark a rebound.Instead, he allowed five runs and a season-high 10 hits while walking three. He left after walking his first two batters in the fifth.No pitchers immune to having a game like this, Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. He still continued to try to battle and give us as much as he could. I made the decision. That was about as far as I was willing to go.It was just the second time this season Hamels failed to complete five innings.They had a really good game plan going into the game, Banister said. They were going to make him work. It looked like he had trouble finding his rhythm, finding that good release pointBrian Dozier drove in two runs and scored a pair to back Kyle Gibson (2-5), who won his second straight start after going winless in his first seven. The Twins stranded plenty of runners against Hamels -- in the fourth, they had a double, two singles and stolen base, but still couldnt score. Even so, they did just enough damage as Hamels struggled to control his cutter.He had to go to his fastball and then he lost command and started leaving stuff over the middle of the plate, Dozier said. Against good pitchers like that you really have to take advantage of the mistakes, and we did that today.Shin-Soo Choo drove in three runs. He led off a game with a home run for the third time this year, a drive into the left-center seats. Gibson then retired eight straight batters -- he a stretch he repeated later in the game.Dozier hit a two-run triple in the third and scored on Robbie Grossmans single for a 3-1 lead.For me, I know Im going to face them aggain in my next start, so just get ready for that, keep the same sort of approach with being aggressive like I was in the first inning and try to maintain that for a little bit longer than that, Hamels said.ddddddddddddAST GASPElvis Andrus singled in a run in the fifth, but the Twins opened a 5-2 lead in the bottom half when Max Kepler singled in a run and Eddie Rosario hit into a run-scoring forceout against Tony Barnette. Choo hit a two-run double in the seventh off Ryan Pressley to cut the lead to one run, but Brandon Kintzler pitched around Robinson Chirinos two-out double in the ninth for his fourth save in as many chances, retiring Choo on a game-ending groundout.PATRIOTIC RANGERSThe Rangers were in a patriotic mood as they headed to the airport after the game. The players wore matching outfits- a navy blue blazer covered in white stars, bright red pants, a white shirt, and a red-and-white striped tie. Many even had red or blue shoes for the special occasion. Fittingly, the team was flying to Boston, where they will face the Red Sox in a July 4 matinee.TRAINERS ROOMRangers: RHP Colby Lewis (right latissimus dorsi) was transferred to the 60-day DL to make room for newly promoted Michael Roth.Twins: 3B Trevor Plouffe was scratched before the game with sore ribs. ... INF Eduardo Escobar is day to day with a hamstring injury. General manager Terry Ryan said he isnt expecting a DL stint. ... Trevor May, who hasnt played since June 9 because of back spasms, was back in the clubhouse. Manager Paul Molitor said May wasnt activated Sunday because he was coming off pitching in back-to-back games in his minor league rehab assignment.UP NEXTRangers: Nick Martinez (1-1) is to make his fourth start this season when the Rangers travel to Boston to open a three-game series against the Red Sox. Martinez has not had a decision in his three previous starts.Twins: Minnesota opens a three-game set against Oakland, with Ricky Nolasco (3-6) set to make his team-leading 17th start. Nolasco is 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three career starts against the Athletics. ' ' '