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CLEVELAND -- Justin Mastersons health is in serious doubt. The Indians playoff chances are just as iffy. Masterson was pulled from his start in the second inning with soreness in his left side and Clevelands hitters stayed in a collective slump Monday night with a 7-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, one of the teams the Indians are scrapping with for the AL wild card. Masterson felt tightness in his side in the first inning, and after applying a heat ointment between innings, Clevelands All-Star ace took the mound in the second thinking he would be able to continue. But after a few pitches, his outing was done -- and its possible his season could be over as well. "It just tightened up on me," Masterson (14-10) said. "I went out to throw and it was like, Oh, boy. I couldnt get through a pitch. I was trying to sink em in there, but it wasnt going to work." Masterson will undergo an MRI and other tests Tuesday. Those results could determine whether the Indians will continue to battle for one of two playoff spots. "Hopefully its nothing serious," All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis said. "Definitely love to have the big fella out there for us. Hes our ace." Bud Norris (10-10) stayed unbeaten as a starter with Baltimore and Nate McLouth homered and had three RBIs as the Orioles moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Indians in the wild-card standings. Norris allowed one run -- a homer to Kipnis in the seventh -- and four hits in seven innings. The right-hander improved to 4-0 in seven starts with the Orioles, who acquired him at the July 31 trading deadline from Houston. Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer in the ninth and Brian Roberts drove in two runs for the Orioles, who didnt take any satisfaction in not having to face Masterson for more than two innings. "You hate to see that," McLouth said. "I feel really bad for him. He can go through stretches of a game where hes so dominant. It does make a difference." Masterson said its possible he could only miss a few days and that some rest will help. However, he also realizes the tests could reveal something more significant. "Its not the best-case scenario," he said. "So if it is any more serious than I think it is, we have some good guys in place that can do a lot of work. Were hoping things will be all right. We have a lot of guys coming up who can help out and do a good job. "I think youre going to see the guys really battle over the next 25 games that we got. "Thats going to show up whether Im here or not." With just one month left, the Indians arent going to take any chances with Masterson, their leader in wins, innings and just about everything else. "Its hard to quantify," Indians manager Terry Francona said when asked about Mastersons value. "Hes our best pitcher. But when things dont go your way, you can either feel sorry for yourselves or you can find a way to shine. I hope that we are able to come back, whether it takes everybody in the bullpen or guys on the bench, keep fighting. "Thats the best way to do it." After dropping two of three in Boston and New York, the Orioles, who staggered through a 12-14 August, arrived in Cleveland needing to string some wins together. "I knew that schedule was going to be a challenge," manager Buck Showalter said before the game. "Were .500 in our last 10 games. Is it half full or half empty?" Norris provided some more optimism, striking out eight and keeping his record unblemished in seven starts since joining Baltimore. He allowed just one hit through five innings, and picked Michael Brantley off second in the second. The Indians are sliding in the wrong direction. They went 1-5 on a trip to Atlanta and Detroit, only salvaging the finale Sunday thanks to a ninth-inning grand slam by Mike Aviles to beat the Tigers. Masterson initially showed discomfort while working to Wieters leading off the second. He grimaced and flared his elbow at his side, a motion that sent Francona to the mound accompanied by a trainer. The right-hander stayed in the game, but after allowing a single to Wieters, he threw an 87 mph fastball to Nick Markakis and paused. Catcher Carlos Santana headed to the mound and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera immediately waved toward the dugout, bringing Francona again. He took the ball from Masterson, who dejectedly walked off the field and then disgustedly tossed a cup of water in the dugout before heading to the clubhouse. "There wasnt any pull or anything like that that Im aware of," Masterson said. "Were going to get a few more things checked out over the next couple days." Preston Guilmet replaced Masterson and gave up a single to Markakis. With one out, McLouth hit an apparent RBI double to centre. However, the Indians won an appeal that Markakis missed second base, and under rule 10.05, McLouth was not awarded a hit on the play because it was a forceout. After Guilmet walked No. 9 hitter Alexi Casilla, Roberts hit a two-run double to make it 3-0. NOTES: Indians RHP Corey Kluber, sidelined since Aug. 6 with a sprained middle finger, will pitch in relief Friday after Scott Kazmir starts against the Mets. Kluber pitched a simulated game Monday, and because he hasnt pitched in some time, the Indians want to be conservative with him. Also, the club is concerned about overworking Kazmir. "I think it has a chance to help us win, help both pitchers and help the bullpen," Francona said. ... Indians OF Ryan Raburn is expected to be activated Tuesday after being sidelined with a pulled calf muscle. ... With his next homer, Hardy will become the fourth active shortstop and ninth since 1901 to record three or more seasons with 25 or more homers. Cheap John Gibson Jersey .com) - Patrik Elias registered the winner in the shootout as New Jersey nipped Toronto 2-1 at Prudential Center on Wednesday. Cheap Ryan Getzlaf Jersey . - The Denver Broncos kept rookie wide receiver Tavarres King from joining the Green Bay Packers by promoting him to their active roster Tuesday. http://www.cheapducksjersey.com/.Y. - Carey Price had an early feeling that one goal might be enough to settle the latest matchup between his Montreal Canadiens and longtime Original Six foe, the New York Rangers. Cheap Ducks Jerseys .And although FIFAs investigators are preparing to release the findings of a World Cup corruption probe, Hassan Al Thawadi dismissed any chance of Qatar losing the showpiece event. Ducks Jerseys China . Watch the announcement live on TSN.ca at 12:30pm et/9:30am pt. This years honourees will be recognized at the 2014 Hockey Canada Foundation Celebrity Classic, scheduled for June 23-24 in Vancouver. LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Looking back, Bobby Petrino said the first of his many mistakes in recent years was leaving Louisville, which provided the first of several head coaching opportunities on the college and professional levels. Upon returning Thursday to the Cardinals after seven years, Petrino promised his second stint would be permanent because this was always his destination -- even with collegiate stops at Arkansas and Western Kentucky and a 13-game foray with the NFLs Atlanta Falcons. Petrino returns to a Louisville program that has changed a lot since he left, one thats gearing up to join the Atlantic Coast Conference next season with a home game against newly-crowned champion Florida State. The coach insisted that hes a changed person as well as he enters the next -- and hopefully final -- stop in his career. "Its great to be back home," Petrino said during a sometimes-emotional news conference. "Its really unbelievable to get the opportunity to come back here. For (wife) Becky, and (children) Nick and Bobby and Katie, this is our home and were excited to be able to come back." Petrino coached Western Kentucky to an 8-4 record last season in his only year with the team. He led the Cardinals to a 41-9 mark from 2003-06 including a BCS Orange Bowl victory his final season. He succeeds Charlie Strong, who left last weekend after four years to accept the Texas job. Petrino inherits a team coming off a 12-1 finish and is 23-3 the past two seasons with two bowl wins. Petrino received a seven-year contract with a base annual salary of $3.5 million. It includes a $10 million buyout for leaving that decreases after four years. But the well-travelled coach said that will not be necessary because this is his "destination job." Petrino is 83-30 as a college coach. His record includes a 34-17 mark at Arkansas that ended amid scandal in April 2012. He came to the Razorbacks after a 3-10 season in 2007 with the Falcons that ended with the coach announcing his departure by letters left at the players lockers. "I made mistakes, both professionally and personally, and thats something Im not going to do again," Petrino said. "The first mistake was leaving Louisville, and Im hoping that the fans and everybody will forgive me. Im more energized, more excited than Ive ever been." Petrino had been mentioned for the Louisville job almost from the moment Strong left for the Longhorns, but the coach said he became aware of the opening only after Cardinals athletic director Tom Jurich approached WKU athletic director Todd Stewart for permission to interview him. Jurich said he was angry at Petrino early in the Tuesday interview because of the coachs behaviour in his previous Louiisville stint, one that included player disciplinary issues.dddddddddddd The AD also said he was mad at Petrino for leaving after the Orange Bowl win for the pros, though he acknowledged the coach was honest about his interest in the job. On Sunday, Jurich said he and Petrino had previously resolved their differences. But he wanted to see if the coach had truly changed as he has professed since Arkansas fired him for "a pattern of misleading behaviour" following a motorcycle accident in which he revealed his mistress was a passenger. Jurich came away convinced he was getting a different man from the one who left, reinforcing his belief that Petrino was the right fit for the Cardinals. "If it was the same Bobby that was here 10 years ago, I wasnt interested," said Jurich, adding that he kept coming back to Petrino as he went through a list of seven finalists. "He is definitely a changed person." While Petrinos critics have been skeptical about his commitment, public sentiment for his hiring has been mostly favourable on sports talk radio, online polls and social media. Petrino has been contrite since the embarrassing matter and reiterated Thursday he has been humbled by his experiences. Asked how he would quell skepticism, the coach said, "the thing you do is just show (it). I have a sign in the locker room that says its a show-me world." Petrino is already off and running on his staff. A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that UAB coach Garrick McGee is stepping down and has agreed to become Petrinos offensive co-ordinator. The new Cardinals coach added that he will retain defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, penalized in October by the NCAA for violations committed as a Miami (Fla.) assistant. Louisvilles hiring of the offence-minded Petrino excited Cardinals players, such as leading rusher Dominique Brown, because of the potential of maintaining a high-powered unit Strong left behind. He acknowledged there were questions about his commitment but said those doubts disappeared after the coach met with players. "There were a couple of on the fence, but now all the players are convinced," Brown said. "We knew what we had while he was here, a top-10 offence. He had a good track record while he was here. I knew he liked to use big backs like Michael Bush. I was kind of worried, but now we are all convinced." Petrino said he was excited to get started with his second go-round with Louisville. "Its certainly a privilege to see how everything has moved, and now were going into the ACC," he said. "Its a great challenge to see the schedule we have coming up, and I cant wait to play that schedule." ' ' '