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CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Goran Dragic said he hates to miss any game.He said the angst is even worse when his team is in the midst of a losing streak.Reserve Isaiah Thomas scored 23 points, Dragic returned from a two-game hiatus due to a strained back and had 20, and the Phoenix Suns snapped a six-game skid with a 111-106 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.Tonight was an important win for us, said a relieved Dragic. We were close in some games, but you start doubting yourself.Dragic played 38 minutes in his first physical activity in four days. He said by the fourth quarter he could barely feel his legs.Its a good thing the Suns had Thomas to help carry the load down the stretch with Dragic dragging and Markieff Morris out of the game after being ejected in the third quarter for arguing with officials.Thomas registered his eighth 20-point game of the season, shooting 7 of 13 from the field as Phoenix erased a 17-point, first-half deficit. Thomas had 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the fourth quarter.The Suns outscored the Hornets 10-2 in the final 2 1/2 minutes.We got stops, Thomas said. That was the name of the game. We were down the whole game but stuck to it and got some key stops toward the end.Gerald Green had 16 points off the bench and Eric Bledsoe chipped in with 15 for the Suns.Its tough when youve lost six in a row and you get down (by 17 points), Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said. Thats an easy time to just quit and say, Here we go — number seven. But our guys didnt quit.Al Jefferson had 28 points and 10 rebounds for Charlotte, which has lost four straight. Kemba Walker scored 27 points before going cold in the final three minutes.Charlotte led most of the game but the Suns battled back to take the lead at 105-104 with 1:31 left when Dragic stole the ball from Gary Neal, resulting in an uncontested layup by Bledsoe on the other end. Thomas hit a 17-footer pushing the lead to 3.Jefferson answered with a jumper, but Thomas made two free throws to push the lead back to three.The Hornets had a chance to tie down the stretch, but Neal missed an awkward 3-pointer from the top of the key with Dragics hand in his face with 6 seconds left. P.J. Tucker sealed the win with two free throws.Tonight I just thought we had bad execution down the stretch. You have to make plays, Walker said. It was bad decisions, bad turnovers and forcing shots at the end of the shot clock. It cost us.Jefferson had 18 points on 8 of 10 shooting in the first quarter.Hornacek moved Tucker on Jefferson and he helped hold Charlottes centre scoreless in the second quarter by fronting him in the post and denying Big Al the ball.With Al, you cant let him touch it down there, Tucker said. I dont care how big you are or strong you are, he can score.Hornets guard Lance Stephenson was taken to the locker room midway through the third quarter after sustaining a groin contusion following a driving left-handed layup. He returned for about three minutes in the fourth quarter game before being removed down the stretch by coach Steve Clifford.___TIP-INSSuns: Phoenixs losing streak was its longest since a 10-game skid that started in March of 2013.Hornets: Charlotte fell to 1-11 against Western Conference teams.SHORTER PRESEASONNBA Commissioner Adam Silver said before the game that the league is considering lightening the load from back-to-back games by shortening the preseason and starting the regular season earlier.UP NEXTSuns: At New York on Saturday.Hornets: At Philadelphia on Friday night. Curt Schilling Jersey . The Thunder earned the Game 1 win with a 100-86 victory Saturday night. Oklahoma City dominated the first half and led by 22 at the break, but saw its lead shrink to just two points in the fourth quarter. Randy Johnson Jersey .ca NHL Power Rankings, finally overtaking the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks, who rank second and third this week. http://www.diamondbacksteamshop.com/Customized/. The Ravens werent about to let it happen again. Carleton picked up its fourth straight national mens basketball title, and 10th in the last 12 years, with a 79-67 victory over its crosstown rival on Sunday. Luis Gonzalez Jersey .Johnny there, who knew he had that speed? teammate Tommy Wingels said.Scott and Matt Irwin were unlikely goal-scorers Tuesday night as the previously stingy San Jose Sharks finally sprung a leak or two, blowing a pair of three-goal leads before coming away with a 6-5 shootout victory over the Washington Capitals. Jarrod Dyson Jersey . - Vince Wilfork has played only two career games in Kansas City.PHILADELPHIA -- A change of scenery has done Jerome Williams well. Jimmy Rollins homered and Williams tossed eight strong innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 7-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday. "Im just happy that Im actually doing the job that Ive been doing," Williams said. "My stuff was there. Its just I wasnt using it right. I think Im using it right now." Williams (2-0) continued his fine form with Philadelphia, his third team this season. The right-hander allowed one run on five hits while setting a season high for innings. He was claimed off waivers Aug. 10 from Texas and has a 1.77 ERA since coming to the Phillies after pitching to a 6.71 ERA prior to his arrival in Philadelphia. Ben Revere had a pair of hits and an RBI for Philadelphia, which took two of three from the Cardinals for consecutive series wins for the first time since April. Jhonny Peralta and Oscar Taveras had a pair of hits for St. Louis, which lost for just the third time in 11 games. Justin Masterson (2-2) was lifted after giving up five runs and six hits in three innings. His ERA ballooned to 7.43 ERA in five starts since the Cardinals acquired him from Cleveland on July 30. "Its frustrating but Im trying to stay positive," Masterson said. "Its my responsibility to pitch better. Its a hard thing when youre not doing it." Cardinals manager Mike Matheny stood behind Masterson. "It was just one of those days," he said. "Well continue to work with him. Hes a worker. He wants to help us do better." Chase Utleys RBI single put Philadelphia in front in the first. The Phillies scored two more in the second on Williams bunt and Reveres single, and Wil Nieves RBI single in the third made it 3-0. Nick Greenwood relieved Masterson and retired 10 straight batters before Reveres one-out single in the seventh. Rollins followed with a drive over the wall in left. It was the 16th homer for Rollins, who hit just six last season. St. Louiss got its lone run in the fourth on Taveras single.dddddddddddd But the Cardinals couldnt get anything else off Williams. Revere, who began Sunday two points behind Justin Morneau for the NL batting lead, raised his average to .314 with his 26th multihit game since June 26. TRAINERS ROOM Cardinals: Matt Adams was back in the lineup at first base a day after Matheny said he tweaked his back fielding a throw in the 12th inning. Adams went 0 for 3 with a strikeout and showed no ill effects in the field. Phillies: OF John Mayberry Jr. (wrist) played in his fourth rehab game with Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday. Mayberry entered Sunday 3 for 11 with a homer for the Iron Pigs. UP NEXT Cardinals: St. Louis travels to Pittsburgh for the first of three with the Pirates on Monday night. RHP John Lackey makes his fifth start for the Cards since his July 31 trade from Boston. Phillies: Philadelphia hosts NL East-leading Washington for the first of three on Monday night. RHP A.J. Burnett takes the mound for the Phillies in search of his first win since the All-Star break. Burnett is 0-6 with a 7.41 ERA in seven starts since the break. NO EXCUSES Matheny said Sundays loss wasnt the result of the quick turnaround after Saturdays 12-inning marathon that took 4 hours, 53 minutes. "Were a team that doesnt give excuses," he said. "There was life. I didnt think we were dragging." BEN ON THE RUN Revere made all three outs in the seventh inning on long runs in centre. He limped back to his position after his second catch and has been struggling with a sore right ankle that was surgically repaired in the off-season. "He seems to hobble on slow-speed plays but going full speed hes totally fine," Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said. PLAYER-MANAGER MEETINGS Sandberg spoke with OF Domonic Brown and RHP David Buchanan prior to Sundays game following their comments Saturday night. Brown questioned his playing time and Buchanan wondered why he was lifted after just five innings. ' ' '