of Simi Valley.As cheers erupted, Aikins quickly climbed out, walked over and hugged his wife, Monica, who had been watching from the ground with

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nick Martinez stuck his glove blindly behind his back and stabbed a hard liner out of the air, part of a spectacular double play in a big relief appearance for the Texas Rangers as they got closer to another AL West title.I dont know how he caught it, manager Jeff Banister said after the Rangers 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night cut their magic number to two.I guess it happened so quick that it happened in slow motion, Martinez said. I just kind of threw my glove up there, theres no real explanation for it, in hopes of knocking it down.That play in the fifth by Martinez (2-3) came during his 3 1/3 scoreless innings. He was the first of six Rangers relievers after A.J. Griffin, who was feeling ill, fell behind 3-1 in the second.Rookie Nomar Mazara hit his 20th homer, a go-ahead, two-run shot for the Rangers (90-62) in another testy game with multiple ejections.Mazaras 438-foot drive off rookie right-hander Daniel Wright (0-4) in the fourth made it 4-3. Mitch Moreland added an RBI single an inning later after two batters were hit by pitches.Houston won 2-1 in 10 innings at Oakland later Tuesday to keep the Rangers magic number at two to win their second consecutive AL West title, and seventh overall.The Astros are 9 1/2 games back and the Mariners 10 1/2 back in the AL West. Houston and Seattle both have day games Wednesday before the Rangers series finale against the last-place Angels that night.Angels left-hander Brett Oberholtzer and manager Mike Scioscia were ejected when Elvis Andrus was hit by a pitch in the eighth, an inning after both benches had been warned when Rangers reliever Keona Kela threw a pitch that went behind the head of Andrelton Simmons.Andrus was the third Texas batter hit by a pitch after Mike Trout was hit by a pitch in the Angels second.There was also a short delay in the Rangers seventh when third-base coach Spike Owen walked toward the Angels dugout and had words with a clearly agitated Scioscia.I was upset, Scioscia said. He was the closest guy in an opposing uniform.Banister didnt give any insight about what happened with Owen.I think that my third-base coach got asked out to lunch, Banister said. They were trying to make plans, they interrupted the game, so I went over there and made sure we kept the game going.In the Rangers 3-2 series-opening victory Monday night, Banister (arguing a replay review) and Moreland (questioning a called third strike) were tossed early.Sam Dyson worked the ninth for his 35th save in 40 chances.On that play in the fifth, Martinez made the no-look snag on Simmons hard liner. Once Martinez realized the ball was in his glove, he leisurely tossed to first base to complete the double play before a fist pump while a huge smile took over his face.Simmons threw both of his hands up in disbelief and then put them on his hips as Scioscia shook his head in the Angels dugout. Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre mouthed Wow! when watching the replay on the big video boards.Thats not fun, Simmons said. You try to hit the ball hard, and a guy makes a crazy play. Thats baseball, I guess.TRAINERS ROOMAngels: Wright was hit in the back of the leg by a comebacker in the second, but was OK. ... Scioscia said Jhoulys Chacin, who had a comebacker ricochet off his lower left leg Monday, was sore but should make his next start.Rangers: Reliever Tony Barnette, who hasnt pitched since Sept. 4 because of a strained right oblique, threw a bullpen session with 25 pitches off flat ground before 10 off the mound. Barnette called it an encouraging day.BALL 14, BALL 15Martinez came in with two outs in the second after Griffins last 12 pitches were balls, a stretch when he hit Trout with a pitch to load the bases before consecutive four-pitch walks to Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron that made it 3-1. Martinezs first three pitches were balls before an inning-ending groundout by Simmons.IN THE NETWhen Rangers C Jonathan Lucroy lost the bat on a big swing and miss in the second inning, the bat flew into the protective net behind the plate and lodged several feet above the seats .UP NEXTAngels: Jered Weaver (11-12) will try to join Chuck Finley (165) as the only pitchers to win 150 games in an Angels uniform. The right-handers 17 wins against Texas are his most against any opponent.Rangers: Lefty Derek Holland (7-8) has lost his last two starts, allowing nine runs in 9 2/3 innings. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk Pistons Jersey . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Henry Ellenson Pistons Jersey . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. https://www.pistonsrookiesshop.com/Joe-Dumars-City-Edition-Jersey/ .com) - Following a late-game loss to the reigning NBA champs, the Toronto Raptors will look to sustain their recent high-level play as they travel to Indiana to take on the Pacers. Tracy McGrady Jersey . Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds in his seventh straight game with more than 20 points, but that was only enough to keep the Pelicans competitive into the final minutes. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, which rebounded from a loss a night earlier in Oklahoma City and snapped a two-game skid. Joe Smith Jersey . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. LOS ANGELES -- A 42-year-old skydiver with more than 18,000 jumps made history Saturday when he became the first person to leap without a parachute and land in a net instead.After a two-minute freefall, Luke Aikins landed dead center in the 100-by-100-foot net at the Big Sky movie ranch on the outskirts of Simi Valley.As cheers erupted, Aikins quickly climbed out, walked over and hugged his wife, Monica, who had been watching from the ground with their 4-year-old son, Logan, and other family members.Im almost levitating, its incredible, the jubilant skydiver said, raising his hands over his head as his wife held their son, who dozed in her arms.This thing just happened! I cant even get the words out of my mouth, he added as he thanked the dozens of crew members who spent two years helping him prepare for the jump, including those who assembled the fishing trawler-like net and made sure it really worked.The stunt, broadcast live on the Fox network for the TV special Stride Gum Presents Heaven Sent, nearly didnt come off as planned when Aikins revealed just before climbing into his plane that the Screen Actors Guild had ordered him to wear a parachute to ensure his safety.Aikins didnt say what prompted the original restriction, and representatives for the show and the Screen Actors Guild did not immediately respond to phone and email messages.Aikins said he considered pulling out at that point because having the parachute canister on his back would make his landing in the net far more dangerous. If he had to wear it he said he wouldnt bother to pull the ripcord anyway.Im going all the way to the net, no question about it, he said from the plane. Ill just have to deal with the consequences when I land of wearing the parachute on my back and what its going to do to my body.AA few minutes before the jump one of the shows hosts said the requirement had been lifted.dddddddddddd Aikins left the plane without the chute.He jumped with three other skydivers, each wearing parachutes. One had a camera, another trailed smoke so people on the ground could follow his descent and the third took an oxygen canister he handed off after they got to an altitude where it was no longer needed.Then the others opened their parachutes and left him on his own.Aikins admitted before the jump he was nervous and his mother said she was one family member who wouldnt watch.When his friend Chris Talley came up with the idea two years ago, Aikins acknowledged he turned it down cold.I kind of laugh and I say, `Ok, thats great. Ill help you find somebody to do it, he told The Associated Press as he trained for the jump last week.A couple of weeks after Talley made his proposal Aikins called back and said he would do it. Hed been the backup jumper in 2012 when Felix Baumgartner became the first skydiver to break the speed of sound during a jump from 24 miles above Earth.The 42-year-old daredevil made his first tandem jump when he was 12, following with his first solo leap four years later. Hes been racking them up at several hundred a year ever since.His father and grandfather were skydivers, and his wife has made 2,000 jumps. His family owns Skydive Kapowsin near Tacoma, Washington.Aikins is also a safety and training adviser for the United States Parachute Association and is certified to teach both students and skydiving instructors. His business Para Tactics provides skydiving training to Navy Seals and other members of elite fighting forces. ' ' '