MINNEAPOLIS - As Joe Mauer walked back to the dugout, the bat in his hand and a sour look on his face, there were boos from the Minnesota crowd. Djordje Mihailovic Jersey . Mauer struck out to end the inning, with a runner on third base in the seventh on Wednesday and the Twins trailing 1-0. Everybody does this, of course, in a sport with a 30 per cent success rate at the plate long proven to be a benchmark of excellence. Failures this year have piled up for Mauer faster than usual for the six-time All-Star, three-time American League batting champion and one-time AL MVP. "Im a heck of a lot more frustrated than they are," Mauer said that night, when asked about those jeering fans. The sound of those boos has been jarring, considering hes the hometown guy from St. Paul with the handsome looks and the hitting skills to build a .321 career batting average, the best among all active players in baseball with at least 3,000 plate appearances. Minnesotans are fiercely proud of and protective of their natives, so Mauer figured to have a lifetime pass in the popularity department here. After signing that $184 million, eight-year contract extension in 2010, though, he has become a more-frequent target of criticism from fans frustrated by the teams struggles the past several years. The 28 home runs he hit in 138 games in 2009 were a one-year wonder. Lingering lower-body injuries limited him to 82 games in 2011. This season, his on-base-plus-slugging percentage was at a career-low .704 entering the weekend series in New York. Mauer is also on pace to blow by his career-high strikeout total of 89 set last year. "I feel pretty good actually, which is even more frustrating," he said. "Im hitting a lot of balls hard and just not having much to show for it. So hopefully that turns here soon." Mauer isnt the only one sputtering with the Twins. The teams batting average with runners in scoring position fell to .214, the second-worst in the league, after losing three of four games to Texas this week. "Were putting together a lot of good at-bats but still not driving people in with runners in scoring position. Thats the main focus, getting guys on, but we cant get them in," second baseman Brian Dozier said. Mauer reluctantly gave up his job as the catcher to better protect himself from another concussion, after missing the final six weeks of last season following a foul tip that hit him in the head. The loss to the Twins of Mauers intelligence and defence behind the plate was supposed to be trumped by an increase in his availability and production at a less-taxing position. He missed five games with back spasms earlier this month, but since then he said he feels fine. The problem has been these paltry totals: nine extra-base hits and 15 RBIs through Thursday. "The expectations are very high for him. People get frustrated. I just dont want Joe to get frustrated. I know he is a little bit right now, because he doesnt have the results he wants. But I dont want to put any more pressure on the guy," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I just want him to just keep being himself, keep swinging, and hell be fine." ___ Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP Brenden Aaronson Jersey . - The Raiders have released guard Mike Brisiel after two disappointing seasons in Oakland. Matt Miazga Jersey .com) - Bradley Beal deposited a season-high 33 points and John Wall posted another double-double as the Washington Wizards went on the road and beat the Houston Rockets, 104-103. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ . Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema scored two goals each Wednesday night in a 6-1 rout of Schalke in the first leg of their second-round matchup. "We played a very, very good match," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "We got well into the match, scored two early goals and that opened the game and left us able to counter and to use the speed of our players.PHOENIX - So many times this season, the Minnesota Timberwolves failed in close games down the stretch. On Tuesday night, they turned the tables on the Phoenix Suns. Kevin Love fell an assist shy of his second triple-double in three games and the Timberwolves used a fourth-quarter outburst to beat the Suns 110-101. Love, whose first career triple-double came at Utah on Saturday, had 33 points and 13 rebounds for the Timberwolves, who trailed by eight with 7:57 to play, then outscored the Suns 24-6. He knew late in the game about that one missing assist. "I think when we were up 10 they told me that if I can get an outlet here, you get your triple-double," Love said, "but at the point I just wanted to secure the rebound and get to the free throw line, get the lead up a little bit more so we wouldnt have to worry about much. Nine assists again, I have been there a few times." Rookie Shabazz Muhammad, not even in the rotation much of the season, had a career-high 20 points. "He was terrific," Minnesota coach Rick Adelman said. "You have to give him all the credit in the world. He kept working and working and working, " Muhammad also had six rebounds and two steals with just one turnover in a season-high 24 minutes. "Im just happy Im finally getting some playing time," he said. "Like I said, Ive been staying after practice working with the coaches and its really paying off for me." Corey Brewer added 18 points for Minnesota. Markieff Morris scored 24 and Gerald Green 19 for Phoenix. Goran Dragic scored 16 but fouled out with 3:46 to play, the third time hes fouled out in his career and first this season. The Suns P.J. Tucker grabbed a career-best 16 rebounds. "It is still just one loss," Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. "It is just the way you lose it. Giving up 35 points tonight in the fourth quarter, 34 (Sunday) night in the fourth quarter. You are not going to win gaames. USA Soccer Jerseys 2020. quot; Dragic twisted his right ankle in the third quarter and went to the locker room to have it re-taped, then returned. He said hed have to wait and see if he would be able to play Wednesday night at Utah. On Dragics sixth foul, Love made two free throws to put Minnesota ahead 96-95. "I think the momentum had swung prior to him fouling out anyway," Hornacek said. "He twisted his ankle and wanted to come back and give it a shot. In hindsight maybe I should have just left him off of it." Markieff Morris made a 16-footer to give Phoenix its final lead, 97-96, with 3:26 to go as the Suns lost their second straight at home. Minnesota has won four of five. The Suns were up 91-83 after Ish Smiths three-point play with 7:57 left, then the Timberwolves scored the next nine. Brewers 13-footer put Minnesota ahead 92-90 with 5:29 to go. Dragic scored twice, then Love made one inside before Dragics final foul. Brewer had two baskets and Love capped the big run with a 3-pointer and the Timberwolves led 105-97 with a minute to go. Neither team led by more than eight in the first half, with the Suns up 52-50 at the break. Loves 3-pointer gave Minnesota a 66-64 lead with 7:03 left in the third quarter. Greens inside basket tied it and started a 15-4 run that put Phoenix up 79-70 on Markieff Morris dunk with 2:18 left in the quarter. The Suns led 81-75 entering the fourth. Minnesota outscored the Suns 35-20 in the fourth quarter. The Suns were just 3 of 15 from 3-point range. Notes: The Suns were without Leandro Barbosa for the third straight game with a sprained toe. ... The teams have split two games this season, with the third March 23 at Minnesota. ... The Timberwolves are 2-1 on a five-game road trip. ... The Suns are at Utah on Wednesday, their only road contest in a stretch of nine games. ... Muhammads previous high was 12 points. ... Archie Goodwin scored 12 for his first double-digit game since Nov. 13. ' ' '