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ARLINGTON, Texas -- Rick Porcello went to his normal spot on the Detroit Tigers bench after the eighth inning. He had every intention to finish what he started. With a few pitches to spare, Porcello got his first career shutout, a 6-0 three-hitter over the sinking Texas Rangers on Thursday night for Detroits seventh consecutive victory. "This is extremely special to me," Porcello said. Porcello (10-4) threw 105 pitches through eight innings. With relievers moving around in the bullpen, manager Brad Ausmus and pitching coach Jeff Jones discussed what to do with the right-hander, who did his best to avoid eye contact and then needed only 10 pitches in the ninth to get three groundball outs. "You just worry about the pitch count. We dont want him going much above 115, maybe top out at 120," Ausmus said. "A 15-pitch inning is a good inning, so its kind of a tall task to ask him to get through the inning, but he was able to do it." Porcello limited the Rangers to three singles and benefited from three 4-6-3 double plays (second baseman Ian Kinsler to shortstop Eugenio Sanchez to first baseman Miguel Cabrera), including one after Texas had consecutive hits in the sixth. "The ability to get two outs with one pitch is huge. I was able to execute those sinkers," Porcello said. "Without those guys, I dont know that I would have been able to go nine." The right-hander struck out six and walked three, throwing 72 of his season-high 115 pitches for strikes. It was only the second complete game for Porcello in 164 major league starts -- all for the Tigers since 2009, and he has won at least 10 games in each of his six seasons. Miguel Cabrera had four hits and Austin Jackson hit a two-run single for the AL Central leaders, who completed a three-game sweep. While the Tigers have the longest winning streak in the majors, Texas has the longest losing streak at eight in a row. The Rangers, who last lost eight in a row in August 2005, are 1-6-1 their last eight series overall and 16-22 at home. "We know were a way better team than the way were playing right now," said shortstop Elvis Andrus, who grounded into that double play in the sixth. "Hes got a pretty good sinker. We all knew that. He made the right pitch at the right moment." Rangers rookie Nick Martinez (1-5) allowed six hits and walked five of the 18 batters he faced in 2 1-3 innings. Detroit went ahead to stay in the second when Torii Hunter drew a bases-loaded walk before Cabreras deep inning-ending flyout with the bases loaded. Victor Martinez drew a walk to start the third before a double by Nick Castellanos set up Jacksons two-run single. After two more walks, Nick Martinez was pulled and Kinsler greeted reliever Scott Baker with an RBI single that made it 4-0. Kinsler, the three-time All-Star for the Rangers who was traded to Detroit for Prince Fielder last off-season, homered in his first at-bat Tuesday in his return to Texas as an opponent. Kinsler went 6 for 14 in the series with four runs and four RBIs. With two hits in all three games, Kinsler extended his streak of multihit games to five and is hitting .302 on the season. He has 31 multihit games, one behind Houstons Jose Altuve for the most in the majors. J.D. Martinez had a sacrifice fly for the Tigers, but went 0 for 4 to snap his 14-game hitting streak that was the longest active run in the majors. Cabrera had three singles before his AL-high 28th double in the eighth drove home Kinsler. "Were playing good baseball as a team, and were confident as a group right now," Kinsler said. "Its just a lot of fun playing ball that way." NOTES: It was the fourth shutout for the Tigers this season. Texas was held scoreless for the fourth time. ... Rangers LHP Derek Holland, on the DL since off-season left knee surgery, took fielding practice off the mound. He is scheduled to throw a simulated game Saturday in Arlington. Holland said he feels great, "like I can do everything." ... Texas GM Jon Daniels said his team cant focus on all the injuries -- a major league-high 14 players on the disabled list. He said a big thing right now is player development at the big league level with the youngsters having to play. Stitched Celtics Jerseys . This week, topics cover the Blue Jays rotation, the futures John Gibbons and Alex Anthopoulos, protecting pitchers and a bonus question on his predictions for the MLB playoffs. Boston Celtics Pro Shop . Beckham says "nothing has been confirmed yet, but its something I am very excited about." 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This fight card, which takes place in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, has had a number of changes, including headliner Lyoto Machida replaced by fellow Brazilian Rafael Natal.OTTAWA, ON: Canada will send 11 entries, for a total of 16 athletes, to the 2014 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei. The event takes place from January 20-26, 2014, at the Taipei Arena. The Canadian team will have three entries in mens, ladies, and ice dance, and two entries in pair. Elladj Baldé, 23, Pierrefonds, Que, representing Club de Patinage des Deux-Rives, will be the first entry in the mens category. Baldé finished 18th at this event in 2013. This season, he placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships, and seventh at Skate Canada International. He trains out of the Detroit Skating Club with coaches Yuka Sato and Jason Dungjen. Nam Nguyen, 15, Burnaby, B.C., will be the second Canadian entry in mens. This is his first international assignment at the senior level. Last season, he placed 12th at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Nguyen most recently placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Figure Skating Championships. He is coached by Brian Orser at the Toronto Cricket, Skating and Curling Club. Jeremy Ten, 24, Vancouver, B.C., will also represent Canada in mens. Representing the North Shore Winter Club, Ten has previously competed at this event in 2012, placing 14th, and 2009, placing seventh. This season, he placed third at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy, and sixth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. He is coached by Joanne McLeod and Neil Wilson at the BC Centre of Excellence. In ladies, veteran Amélie Lacoste, 25, Delson, Que., will lead the way. Representing CPA du Roussillon, the 2012 Canadian Champion has previously competed at this event six times (2005, 2009-2013). This season, she placed fifth at Skate Canada International, sixth at Trophée Eric Bompard, and earned bronze at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Lacoste is coached by Christy Krall in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Véronik Mallet, 19, Sept-Îles, Que., is the second Canadian entry in ladies. This will be the first time competing at this event for the representative of CPA Sept-Îles. This season, Mallet placed eighth at Skate Canada International and fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Mallet is coached by Annie Barabé and Sophie Richard at CTC Contrecoeur. Alaine Chartrand, 17, Prescott, Ont., rounds out the Canadian entries in the ladies category. This will be her first international assignment at the senior level. The 2013 Canadian bronze medallist also placed eighth at the 2013 ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships. Most recently, she placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. She is ccoached by Michelle Leigh and Leonid Birinberg, and trains at the Nepean Skating Club.dddddddddddd Natasha Purich, 18, Sherwood Park, Alta., and Mervin Tran, 23, Regina, Sask., are one of two Canadian pair entries. Representing Ice Palace FSC and CPA Saint-Léonard, the pair placed sixth at Nebelhorn Trophy and Trophée Eric Bompard this season. Purich and Tran also placed fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They train at CPA Saint-Léonard and are coached by Richard Gauthier and Bruno Marcotte. Margaret Purdy, 19, Strathroy, Ont., and Michael Marinaro, 22, Sarnia, Ont., will be the second Canadian entry in pair. Representing Watford FSC and Point Edward SC, the pair placed eighth at both of their international assignments this season, Skate America and Skate Canada International. Purdy and Marinaro also placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Scott Rachuk and Alison Purkiss at the Competitive Skating Centre of Strathroy. Two-time Canadian medallists Piper Gilles, 22, Toronto, Ont., and Paul Poirier, 22, Unionville, Ont., are the first of three Canadian entries in ice dance. Last season, they placed fifth at this event. This season, they placed fifth at NHK Trophy, sixth at Rostelecom Cup, and fourth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs at Ice Dance Elite in Scarborough, Ont. Nicole Orford, 21, Burnaby, B.C., and Thomas Williams, 22, Okotoks, Alta., are the second Canadian entry in ice dance. Representing Inlet SC and Calalta Community FSC, they are the 2013 Canadian bronze medallists. This season, they won bronze at the 2013 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic, and placed fifth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. They are coached by Megan Wing and Aaron Lowe at the B.C. Centre of Excellence. Kharis Ralph, 21, Toronto, Ont., and Asher Hill, 22, Pickering, Ont., will also represent Canada in ice dance. They previously competed at this event in 2010, placing sixth. This season, they placed fourth at the Cup of Nice, won bronze at NRW Trophy, and placed sixth at the 2014 Canadian Tire National Skating Championships. Ralph and Hill train out of Scarboro FSC and are coached by Carol Lane and Juris Razgulajevs. The team leaders for this event are Petra Burka of Toronto, Ont., and Manon Perron of Boucherville, Que. Dr. Ed Pilat, Winnipeg, Man., will be the Canadian team doctor and Agnes Makowski of Toronto, Ont., will be the team physiotherapist. Canadian officials at the event are Susan Blatz of Burlington, Ont., Pam Chislett of Grand Prairie, Alta., Andrea Derby of Windsor, Ont., and Jeff Lukasik, of Calgary, Alta. ' ' '