arnais, who is from the Quebec City

CHICAGO -- The first two happened in a single game in Colorado. There was a fly ball that barely cleared the wall, and then a screaming drive to right-centre. Jose Abreu quickly hit two more home runs against Cleveland. He beat Tampa Bay with a game-ending grand slam, an absolute laser for his second shot of the game. Some 6,000 feet of homers in just six weeks, another successful mile in a well-travelled bridge from Abreus native Cuba to the Chicago White Sox. The big first baseman is punishing major league pitching while making a difficult transition to the United States look almost routine. "I come from a place where there is very good baseball, but theres nowhere you can compare that baseball to this one," Abreu said through a translator. "This is the best baseball in the world. But the only way to achieve this, to come here and be successful, is to be disciplined, to have a lot of discipline, thats the way you improve." Abreu looks right at home. The 6-foot-3, 255-pound slugger connected in Oakland on Wednesday to become the fourth player in major league history to hit 15 homers in his first 42 games, joining Wally Berger, Kevin Maas and Wally Joyner. He is batting .271 with 41 RBIs heading into a weekend series at Houston. Abreu, who defected in 2012 and finalized a $68 million, six-year deal with the White Sox in October, is among the major league leaders in several offensive categories. Playing at hitter-friendly U.S. Cellular Field, he is a legitimate threat to become baseballs first rookie home run king since Mark McGwire for the Athletics in 1987. "Its just his strength, his power," White Sox second baseman Gordon Beckham said. "I mean hes just strong. You can do what he does with how strong he is, because he doesnt do a lot with his swing, his body to get ready to hit. He just drops the head of the bat on it and its gone." All that power has captured the attention of baseball fans across the country, but it is Abreus appreciative attitude that has quickly endeared him to his teammates. No small feat considering Abreus arrival pushed franchise icon Paul Konerko into a reserve role. "Hes such a good team person and you like to see stuff like this happen to people like him," manager Robin Ventura said. Abreu is the latest in a new wave of Cuban stars finding success all over baseball, and part of a long history of successful Cuban players in Chicago. Sluggers Yoenis Cespedes of Oakland and Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers are two of the majors most dangerous bats. Cincinnati left-hander Aroldis Chapman has blossomed into an All-Star closer. Miami right-hander Jose Fernandez was the NL Rookie of the Year last season. There were a record 19 Cuban players on opening-day rosters and inactive lists this year. "I think clubs are learning more and more how to do it," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. Cuban players often travel a dangerous road to the majors. According to court documents in a federal lawsuit in Miami, smugglers who helped Puig leave his country on a speedboat have made death threats against him and against a boxer who says he defected with Puig. When they make it to the U.S., they face what can be an isolating transition to a completely different culture and the rigours of the majors. One of the biggest challenges is the language barrier, but they also have to work through changes brought on by a level of wealth and fame far beyond what they could have experienced in their home country. Major league teams are more careful than ever these days about creating a positive atmosphere for the Cuban players, making sure there is a translator in the clubhouse and help nearby when it comes to challenges on and off the field. The 27-year-old Abreu has three Cuban teammates; shortstop Alexei Ramirez, outfielder Dayan Viciedo and catcher Adrian Nieto. Lino Diaz, the manager of cultural development for the White Sox, also is around if Abreu needs any assistance. The White Sox have had 18 Cuban-born players in franchise history, tied with the Los Angeles Angels for fourth among all major league franchises, according to STATS. Minnie Minoso, regarded as baseballs first black Latino star, played 12 of his 17 seasons in Chicago and remains a team ambassador. Orlando Hernandez helped the White Sox win their last World Series title in 2005. Abreus fast start is drawing interest back home. The slugger is followed as closely as possible in a country where, despite the appearance of recorded major league games on state TV starting in March 2013, games featuring Cuban defectors are still not shown. Cubans with access to the Internet and bootleg versions track his career and often discuss it at the "hot corner," a spot in Havanas Parque Central where baseball fans gather to discuss international and Cuban players. "Abreu is a powerful hitter, he was really good here, but personally I think that with his major league results hes really exceeded expectations," said Jose Estrada, 55. "All over Cuba were following him much more than before because hes Cuban and he represents Cuba in the country with the best baseball in the world, the major leagues, and hes showing everyone the level of Cuban baseball." That level looks better than ever right now. Air Max 200 Canada . Bjoerndalen broke the record he shared with cross-country skiing great Bjoern Daehlie, also matching his fellow Norwegians record of eight gold medals. Bjoerndalen earlier won gold in Sochi in the mens sprint biathlon. Nike Air Max Motion Canada . 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"If we only consider this season," Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini said, "there is just one club in Manchester -- and its ours.QUEBEC - Dustin Tokarski is making a case to win the back-up goaltending job with the Montreal Canadiens.Tokarski made 27 saves and Brandon Prust got the game-winning goal on a third-period breakaway as the Canadiens downed a strong Colorado Avalanche lineup 3-2 in NHL pre-season play on Friday night.Tokarski is trying to dislodge incumbent Peter Budaj as back-up to Carey Price. He was picked ahead of Budaj when Price was hurt in the Eastern Conference final in the spring, but Budaj is thought to have the edge because he has a year left on a one-way NHL contract. Tokarski played very well, coach Michel Therrien said. We saw in the playoffs last spring that hes a battler, a gamer.He made some good saves and the guys around him tried to help him by protecting the front of the net.Jiri Sekac and Sven Andrighetto also scored as Montreal swept a two-game series on consecutive nights from the Avalanche, both by 3-2 scores. Budaj stopped all 17 shots he faced in 31 minutes of action on Thursday night.Erik Johnson and Ryan OReilly scored for Colorado.Colorado, which was the home team, dressed something close to a full NHL lineup while Montreal barely met the minimum of eight NHL players or first round draft picks.But the Canadiens werent overwhelmed, and the line of Sekac, Andrighetto and Jacob de la Rose created several dangerous scoring chances. All three are battling for what may be one open roster spot on right wing, with the 22-year-old Sekac likely leading the race.Therrien said he wasnt being disrespectful of Quebec City fans by dressing mostly prospects, but he needed to get a good look at his youngsters before cuts are made.The two teams put on a good show and I think the fans saw that, he said. I need to evaluate the young players in our organization to see how far theyve progressed.The Avalanche were the Quebec Nordiques until 1995 and they got a rousing ovation from the sell-out crowd of 15,074 at what will likely be the last NHL game played at the Pepsi Colisee, as a new rink is nearing completion nearby.dddddddddddd The Canadiens were booed.Joe Sakic, the former Nordiques star who is now vice president in Colorado, got a huge cheer when he shown on the scoreboard. And Avs coach Patrick Roy, a Quebec City native who ran the junior Quebec Remparts before taking the Colorado coaching job last season, is always an attraction.But the new rink is scheduled to open Sept. 15, and if the teams return for a pre-season game next year, it will be in a shiny new venue.Canadiens centre David Desharnais, who is from the Quebec City area, appreciated one last chance to play at the faded, old-fashioned Colisee.We were thinking more about playing in a new rink if we come back next year rather than playing the last game in the Colisee, said Desharnais. The ice was bad. The puck was bouncing everywhere. And it was really hot in the building.But if it really is the last NHL game here, Im glad I got a chance to play in it and win the game.Colorado opened the scoring on a power play at 17:40 when Johnson took a cross-ice pass from Matt Duchene and beat Tokarski from the left circle.Sekac just missed a scoring chance when Andrighetto kept the puck in at the blue-line and saw his long shot deflect off Johnsons back and fool Semyon Varlamov 8:54 into the second frame.Gabriel Dumont hit a goalpost, then shot the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. Colorado didnt take long to score on the power play as OReilly found room in front to beat Tokarski with a low shot 3:52 into the third.But moments later, Sekac used second effort to circle the net and stuff in a goal.Then Desharnais sent Prust in alone to flip a backhand shot over Varlamov. ' ' '