SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers signed tight end Vance McDonald to a five-year contract extension Friday through the 2021 season.The 6-foot-4 McDonald has 24 catches for 391 yards and four touchdowns this season. The former Rice star, drafted 55th overall in 2013, has 64 catches for 866 yards and seven touchdowns in 47 career games.Vance has shown consistent growth throughout his four-year career and his production this season is the result of his dedication and hard work, general manager Trent Baalke said. We believe he has only scratched the surface of what he will be able to accomplish in his career. USA Soccer Jerseys 2019 . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. USA Soccer Store . "It doesnt get any better than that," Giambi said. "Im speechless." The Indians are roaring toward October. Giambi belted a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning to give Cleveland a shocking 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday night, keeping the Indians up with the lead pack in the AL wild-card race. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ . 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. Custom USA Soccer Jerseys .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Wholesale USA Soccer Jerseys . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- The defense that Mike Zimmer has deliberately built since he became Minnesotas head coach has been gradually ascending into one of the leagues best.The Vikings have sure begun this season with a bang. For the second straight game, they turned an NFL MVP into a flustered, ineffective quarterback.The defense racked up eight sacks and three interceptions of Carolinas Cam Newton in the 22-10 victory over the defending NFC champion Panthers on Sunday. It was a resounding response by the Vikings (3-0) after having to put running back Adrian Peterson and left tackle Matt Kalil on injured reserve earlier in the week.We feel like we can be one of the best ever to wear purple. Thats not taking away from the guys who wore purple before us, but we hold ourselves to that standard, defensive end Brian Robison said.The eight sacks were the most by the Vikings in a road game since Dec. 28, 2003, at Arizona. Newton, the most valuable player in 2015, fared even worse than Green Bays Aaron Rodgers, the award winner in 2014, did the week before when the Vikings beat the Packers 17-14.The Vikings lead the league with a plus-8 turnover margin. They have a league-high 15 sacks for a whopping 116 yards. Philadelphia is the next closest team with a total of 72 sack yards.The engine of the group is in a front four thats one of the deepest in the league, led by Everson Griffen, who had three sacks at Carolina. The heart rests with young linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, the hand-picked high draft picks who run Zimmers patented Double-A-gap blitz scheme.There are so many athletic, versatile players throughout the defensive lineup that the Vikings are able to apply a pass rush from all corners of the field, making up for it with sound coverage beneath it. Rodgers, who has one of the keenest senses of pocket awareness in the NFL, said he didnt see the pressure on any of the three times he fumbled last week. Newton sounded even more baffled.These guys are all pretty good players, Zimmer said. Its hard to really confuse guys anymore. We try to do our best and, really, I know people are saying that its me against the guy or that guy. Weve got good players. These guys execute the things we try to get them to do. Its a players game, and these guys have been executing and doing a nice jobb.dddddddddddd I cant go out there and cover a guy or rush a guy or anything like that. It really has nothing to do with me.Here are three highlights from the game that displayed the defenses prowess and proved pivotal in the outcome:SAFETY FIRSTTrailing 10-0 late in the first quarter, on a second-and-9 play for Carolina at the 5-yard line, the Vikings rushed only four players and dropped seven into coverage. The Panthers protected Newton with seven blockers. Danielle Hunter still worked his way into the end zone to take down Newton for a safety.Hunter knocked over Michael Oher at the line of scrimmage, hurdled over the fallen left tackle and slid past a push by left guard Andrew Norwell to reach the quarterback. This was a prime example not only of the strength and depth of Minnesotas front four, since Hunter isnt a starter in the base defense, but of the quality of coverage in the secondary, too. Without anybody to throw to, Newton held the ball too long.NEWMAN!Late in the third quarter, with the Vikings leading 16-10, the Panthers ran a third-and-11 play from their 33. Barr and Kendricks hinted at a blitz with the Double-A-gap look, but both of them dropped into coverage. Even Robison, who often lines up at defensive tackle in the nickel package in passing situations, hung back in the middle of the field as a spy on Newton, and with only three rushers the Vikings still applied pressure with Griffen and Hunter.Newton threw toward the sideline, where Terence Newman jumped in front of Ted Ginn for the interception that set up a field goal by Blair Walsh.SNEAKY SACKWith less than four minutes left in the game, after Walshs second field goal had given the Vikings a 12-point lead, the Panthers had a first-and-10 play at the Minnesota 35. Zimmer sent six rushers, with Barr and Kendricks charging through the middle on a Double-A-gap blitz. Robison dropped in coverage, and safety Harrison Smith raced around the edge untouched for the sack.The drive later ended with Tom Johnsons interception of an under-pressure pass heaved by Newton and tipped at the line.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '