Funkerstation » Saturday. NOTES: Perez (strained rig

BARCELONA, Spain -- Tires shredded like paper, rubber flew everywhere and cars flitted in and out of pit lane like shoppers in a supermarket parking lot. On a frustrating day for drivers and fans alike, nearly 80 pit stops were made during Sundays Spanish Grand Prix, highlighting what has become a major concern for Formula One teams five races into the season -- the vulnerability of Pirellis tires. "At this rate, F1 is going to become a pit-stop contest with a few race laps thrown in," 1997 F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve said during television commentary. Things wont get much better in time for the showcase Monaco Grand Prix next week, as Pirelli said it wont be able to make changes to the tires before the Canadian GP next month. However, tires should be less of an issue in Monaco because the course layout makes it difficult to pass and speeds are slower than in other races. Most drivers had hoped for a three-stop strategy on Sunday but instead had to settle for four. "Im not here to defend four pit stops. We know its too complicated," Pirellis motorsport director Paul Hembery said. "It wasnt what we wanted. However, theres also many factors behind that and we have to make sure we get it back in line with what weve been asked to do, which is two or three (stops)." It was a confusing sight at the Circuit de Catalunya with leading drivers pitting as early as the ninth lap. With so many stops, it was hard for spectators to keep track of which driver was actually in the lead. "With this years degradation and this years tires we see the races keep changing all the time. Whoever keeps the tire alive normally is on the podium at least," said Fernando Alonso, who won the race. "If its too much confusion for the spectators? There is no doubt. I think its impossible to follow one race now. ... If Im sitting in the grandstand, without any radio, telephone or something, you only see cars passing." Strips of rubber were shooting off Jean-Eric Vergnes rear tire less than 40 laps into the race, and championship leader Sebastian Vettel, who was fourth, fears races are being more influenced by tires than driving skills. "We are not going to the pace of the car, we are going to the pace of the tire," Vettel said, adding that Red Bull got its strategy wrong. "I think we tried to hang on to the three-stop for too long in the race and had to admit toward the end we wouldnt make it." Red Bulls team principal Christian Horner echoed Vettels concerns. "They are black and round and called Pirelli," he said. "And whoever masters and understands these tires best and most consistently will emerge (victorious) at the end of the year." Pirelli made modifications to its hard compound before the Spanish GP, and gave drivers an extra set of hard tires to practice on, but this made little difference on race day, where orders barked out over race radio were usually about sparing the tires. "Theres something wrong. This is the pinnacle of motor sport," former champion Jenson Button said. "We shouldnt be driving round so slowly to look after the tires." For the Canadian GP, Hembery said Pirelli will try to provide teams with tires that mix the stability of the 2012 tires and "the performance of the current ones." Hembery, however, thinks some of the criticism has been unfair, especially as Pirelli has had to do testing on older F1 cars. "Its all right to sit there and criticize. Were not exactly given the tools to do a precise job," he said. "We have absolutely no in-season testing. We dont have access to these cars that are going around now. We have to run around on a 2010 car." Although Kimi Raikkonen chose a three-stop strategy on Sunday, finishing second, the sight of top drivers changing tires early seemed to cause a panic reaction. "Sometimes its driven by the strategy of the first people that pit. If anyone was thinking of doing three, it might have been influenced by everybody else coming in and already deciding to go on a four," Hembery said. "Having seen it though, four was probably the right call. Kimi was hanging on.." Even before Sundays race, there were clear signs of degradation when Force India driver Paul di Resta lost the tread on his left-rear tire in practice. "Completely unexpected, in the middle of a high-fuel run," technical director Andrew Green said. Pirelli believes debris was to blame for both of Felipe Massas punctures in the Bahrain GP three weeks ago. Fears that the tire is not resistant enough were also highlighted by Lewis Hamiltons left-rear tire failure during Bahrain practice. "As long as it doesnt blow up at 300 kilometres per hour, thats OK. Touch wood, weve never had a problem with them for Lotus," Frenchman Romain Grosjean said. "But its sure that you have to be careful, and it doesnt make things easy." 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NBA officials ruled the court unplayable in the Bucks final exhibition game on Oct. 25 because players were slipping, and the game was cancelled midway through the first period.CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians seemed as if they were in for an easy night after scoring six runs in the first inning against the Minnesota Twins. Not so fast. The Indians needed every bit of their early advantage and survived a harrowing ninth inning for an 8-7 win and their fourth straight victory. "We kind of had to hang on for dear life, but we did," manager Terry Francona said. "We go home happy." Cleveland led 8-3 after five, but Minnesota scored four times in the final three innings. Vinnie Pestano, subbing as closer for the injured Chris Perez, allowed two runs in the ninth, including Chris Parmelees second homer of the game that cut the lead to one. Pestano struck out pinch-hitter Josh Willingham on a 3-2 pitch with the tying run on first for his third save. "We won the game," Pestano said. "Thats the bottom line. If I go out there and give up five runs and we win by one, we win by one." For most of the night, it didnt look like such dramatics would be necessary. Michael Bourn had three hits and three RBIs and Corey Kluber won his third consecutive start. Cleveland took advantage of five first-inning walks to score six runs. Jason Kipnis added three hits to pace the Indians, who are 8-2 since losing eight in a row. Minnesota starter P.J. Walters (2-3) walked five of the nine batters he faced, hit one and didnt get through the first inning when Cleveland had only two hits. Kipnis and Bourn both had two-run singles while Jason Giambi and Drew Stubbs drew bases-loaded walks. Kluber (6-4) gave up three runs in 5 2-3 innings. The right-hander has allowed four earned runs in 21 2-3 innings in his last three starts. "I wasnt as sharp as Id like to be, but there are games when you go out there and hopefully get through it and give your team a chance to win," he said. Kluber ended the Indians eight-game slide when he held Texas to one run in eight innings on June 11. He followed that with eight shutout innings against Washington on June 16. Kluber, who threw 100 pitches Saturday, gave up eight hits, struck out four and walked one. It appeared the game was under control when he was pulled but the Indians needed five relievers to finish the game. "There were some highs and lows," Francona said of his bullpens performance. "Fortunately, the highs won out." Minnesota scored in the seventh and Parmelee homered to lead off the eighth, making it an 8-5 game. The Twins had the tying run at the plate with one out but Rich Hill struck out Mauer and Ryan Doumit. Justin Morneau doubled to begin the ninth and scored on Oswaldo Arcias ground ball for the second out of the inning.dddddddddddd Pestano walked Brian Dozier before finally striking out Winninhgam on his 34th pitch of the inning. "That was a really long inning," Francona said. "Anytime you get up near 30 pitches, thats a long inning." Mauer hit a two-run homer in the first for Minnesota, which has homered in seven straight games. Arcia added a solo shot in the fourth. Walters problems began when he walked Bourn and hit Mike Aviles to start the first. Kipnis double into the left corner tied the score. After Michael Brantley flied out, Carlos Santana and Mark Reynolds walked to load the bases. Walters then walked Giambi, who was batting .180, to force in a run. Lonnie Chisenhall flied out but a walk to Stubbs made it 4-2 and ended Walters night. Bourn greeted Anthony Swarzak with single to centre and Cleveland led 6-2. Walters threw 46 pitches, only 18 of which were strikes in two-thirds of an inning. He failed to pitch into the sixth inning for the first time in six starts this season. "Walters just didnt have it tonight," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "It was just a bad night. He couldnt find anything. Hopefully, we wont see that again from him." Stubbs and Bourn added RBI singles in the fifth off Ryan Pressly. Kipnis, who singled, doubled and tripled, is batting .379 (25-for-66) in 19 games in June. Trevor Plouffe added an RBI single for the Twins in the seventh. Minnesota came to town riding a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox but lost to the Indians 5-1 on Friday. The Twins are 13-7 against Cleveland since June 2, 2012. Indians first baseman Nick Swisher, who has missed six games with a sore left shoulder, will probably return for Sundays series finale or Monday when the Indians open a series in Baltimore. Swisher, who is in a 6-for-55 slump, took batting practice Saturday. NOTES: Perez (strained right rotator cuff) will throw a simulated game Sunday at Double-A Akron. He will make another minor league rehab appearance next week. ... Francona said RHP Zach McAllister (sprained middle finger) will play catch at 120 feet in the next couple of days. Theres no timetable for when McAllister will throw off the mound. ... Twins OF Austin Hicks (left hamstring strain) could start a rehab assignment at Triple-A Rochester on Sunday. He has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 10. ... Twins OF Wilkin Ramirez (concussion) played five innings Friday for Single-A Fort Myers. He has been on the 7-day DL since May 26. ... The teams wrap up their three-game series Sunday. Twins RHP Mike Pelfrey (3-6) takes on RHP Carlos Carrasco (0-2). ' ' '