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SAN DIEGO -- A front-office shakeup had no impact on the San Diego Padres performance. After the team announced general manager Josh Byrnes was fired minutes before the first pitch with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, the Padres put up another punchless performance in a 2-1 loss against Hyun-Jin Ryu. Although Padres President and CEO Mike Dee said there were a number of factors that figured into the firing, Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler made it clear that the ownership group was not happy with the product on the field. "When you invest 50 per cent more money over the last two years, in terms of payroll, you expect better performance," Fowler said. "We gave baseball ops a clean slate as far as who did they want, what did they want to do. For my perspective, we are standing here as a consequence of that not working." Byrnes off-season moves included free agent signings of starting pitcher Josh Johnson, who has yet to pitch for San Diego since straining his right forearm in spring training, reliever Joaquin Benoit and outfielder Seth Smith. "We were led to believe, and I think its fair to say we believed, based upon the investment that we made, the additions we made in the off-season, the addition of certain players during the off-season, that would put us over the top," Dee said. "We felt confident that we would be in a position to compete for post-season baseball." Dee added that manager Bud Black has been told that his job is safe at least through the end of the season. Until the club hires a new general manager, senior vice-president for baseball operations Omar Minaya and assistant general managers A.J. Hinch and Fred Uhlman, Jr. will assume the GM duties. Minaya was the general manager of the New York Mets from 2005-10. Byrnes was hired by the Padres as their senior vice-president for baseball operations in December 2010 after he was let go as general manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks, where he was in the middle of an eight-year deal. He was promoted 10 months later to GM and was given a five-year contract. Under Byrnes, the Padres payroll increased nearly $40 million to $89,881,696 on opening this season -- 23rd overall -- but the team has made little progress. After finishing with 76-86 records in his first two seasons, the Padres are 32-43 and 12 1/2 games back in the NL West during an injury-plagued season. Byrnes was touted by the Padres as excelling at scouting and player development, but his biggest moves came through trades. He sent first base prospect Anthony Rizzo to the Cubs for top-line starter Andrew Cashner, and he dealt starting pitcher Mat Latos for infielder Yasmani Grandal, catcher Yonder Alonso, and right-handers Edinson Volquez and Brad Boxberger. Byrnes also acquired starter Tyson Ross, closer Huston Street, outfielder Carlos Quentin and right-hander Ian Kennedy. Ryu (9-3) had few problems against the light-hitting Padres, as he won for the sixth time in seven starts since missing more than three weeks with shoulder inflammation. The left-handed Ryu gave up one runs and four hits in six innings, and he did not allow San Diego to get its first hit until the fourth inning. The Dodgers, winners of 10 of 14, took two of three games in the series and have either won or split their last 11 series in San Diego. The last time they lost a series in San Diego was a three-game sweep in September 2010. Adrian Gonzalez and Dee Gordon drove in runs against Eric Stults (2-10). J.P. Howell pitched 1 1-3 perfect innings and Brian Wilson got two outs before Kenley Jansen finished off the four-hitter by pitching the ninth for his 22nd save in 25 chances. NOTES: Dodgers LF Matt Kemp extended his hitting streak to 10 games, while Ramirez increased his to nine games. ... San Diego has scored 23 runs in Stults 16 starts. ... Padres 3B Chase Headley (back) missed his fourth straight game. ... Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke (9-3, 2.57 ERA) faces Royals RP Jeremy Guthrie (4-6, 3.86) Monday in the opener of a three-game series at Kansas City. The Padres travel to San Francisco on Monday with RHP Andrew Cashner (2-6, 2.36) squaring off against Matt Cain (1-3, 3.66). Muggsy Bogues Jersey . Halladays resume as a Blue Jay is among the elite in the franchises 36-year history. Over 12 seasons in Toronto, he was named an All-Star six times. He had arguably the finest campaign of his career in 2003 when he posted a 22-7 record, a 3. Cheap Charlotte Hornets Jerseys . -- Crystal Webster avoided elimination at the 2013 Capital One Road to the Roar Olympic pre-trial curling tournament with an 8-5 win over Amber Holland on Thursday. http://www.cheaphornetsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-kemba-walker-jersey . Case in point: LeBron James vs. Ben McLemore. James was driving to the rim in the first quarter and McLemore decided to try to take the charge, which was quite admirable and predictably futile. Cheap Hornets Jerseys . Fifth-seeded Cilic gained his fourth title in Zagreb and became the third Croat overall to win at least 10 career titles. Cilic also lifted his career record in Zagreb to 22-4, winning 20 of his last 21 matches at the event. Cheap NBA Jerseys . -- Slugger Jose Abreu, All-Star left-hander Chris Sale and closer Matt Lindstrom are on the disabled list.New Orleans, LA (SportsNetwork.com) - Ezekiel Elliotts career night helped Ohio State continue its dream season and earn a spot in the national title game. Elliott ran for a career-high and Sugar Bowl-record 230 yards and scored two touchdowns in the Buckeyes thrilling 42-35 semifinal win over top-ranked Alabama at the Superdome on Thursday night. Ohio State, ranked fifth in the Associated Press poll, faced doubts about its worthiness after being picked fourth in the College Football Playoff rankings ahead of TCU and Baylor. It silenced the critics on Thursday night. The Buckeyes (13-1) will now face Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and Oregon in the first College Football Playoff final on Jan. 12 after the Ducks beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl earlier Thursday. It will be the first title game featuring two non-SEC teams since Texas beat USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl. Ohio States run to the title game came after Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller was lost to a shoulder injury in the preseason. It picked up steam after backup quarterback J.T. Barrett suffered a fractured ankle in the regular- season finale against Michigan. In stepped third-stringer Cardale Jones, who led a 59-0 rout of Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship Game, then took down the vaunted Crimson Tide (12-2) in just his second career start. Jones threw for 243 yards with one touchdown and an interception, while also rushing for 43 yards in the win. This is one of the great team wins we have ever been a part of, Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer said. We didnt play a great game, but we played a team game. Blake Sims went 22-of-36 for 237 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions and also had a rushing touchdown for Alabama, which had its eight-game winning streak halted. Heisman Trophy finalist Amari Cooper, the Biletnikoff winner as college footballs top wide receiver, finished with nine catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Derrick Henry paced the Crimson Tide with 95 rushing yards and a score. T.J. Yeldon, who was a game-time decision with a hamstring injury, added a rushing touchdown. Were very disappointed at the outcome of the game, Alabama coach Nick Saban said. You have to congratulate Ohio State for playing a really good game. I take responsibility for it. You have to prepare for the game better. Ohio State will be trying to win an eighth national championship. It began the second half with Jones going deep to Devin Smith for a 47-yard touchdown and a 27-21 lead, its first since early in the opening quarter. The Buckeyes continued to put pressure on the SEC champions as Steve Miller returned an interception of Sims 41 yards to capped a string of 28 straight points scored. The Crimson Tide countered with an 84-yard drive that Sims closed with a 5- yard run, reaching over the goal line to trim the gap to six late in the third. Both teams were playing field position early in the fourth when a Crimson Tide bounce on Cameron Johnsons punt gave Alabama the ball at the Buckeyes 23. The Crimson Tide could not capitalize, though, with Sims immediately throwing an interception to Vonn Bell just outside the end zone on the following play. Alabama managed to move into Ohio State territory again, but Sims was bottled up for a losss of three on 3rd-and-6 from the 40.dddddddddddd Elliott then put the Buckeyes in excellent position to advance with his 85- yard touchdown run up the left side. Sims hooked up with an open DeAndrew White for 51 yards on Alabamas ensuing possession and Cooper hauled in a 6-yard score on 4th-and-2 to pull the Crimson Tide within a touchdown with 1:59 left. Adam Griffiths onside kick attempt shot high in the air off a bounce, but Evan Spencer got his hands on the ball and held on with a few fingers to secure it. The Crimson Tide got the ball back with 1:33 left and no timeouts. Sims led them to the Buckeyes 42, where he launched a Hail Mary in the closing seconds that was intercepted by Tyvis Powell to end the game. We obviously didnt do the things that we needed to do as well as we needed to do them to win this game, Saban said. The Buckeyes bounced back from Jones lone interception -- which led to a 21-6 lead for Alabama -- with their first touchdown drive as Elliott finished off a 71-yard march with a 3-yard run up the middle. Ohio State got the ball back with 1:32 left in the first half and used some trickery to close the frame with another touchdown. Spencer took an end-around and tossed a pass to Michael Thomas, who stretched to make the catch in the end zone prior to just tapping his one foot in bounds for the score. Earlier, Jones picked up a first down on 3rd-and-6 with a 12-yard gain on Ohio States first possession. Elliott then rushed the right end three plays later, put a stiff arm on one Crimson Tide defender, leaped over another and scampered down the sideline 54 yards to the Alabama 5. Alabama did not break, however, forcing the Buckeyes into a 22-yard field goal from Sean Nuernberger to start the scoring. The Crimson Tide could not generate anything on their next touch, but their customary defense helped shift momentum. Eddie Jackson stripped Elliott on a run of 17 yards and Landon Collins came up with the loose ball. It did not take long for Alabama to capitalize, as Henry bolted down the left sideline for a 25-yard touchdown two plays later for a 7-3 lead. On OSUs next set of downs, Jones floated a pass to Smith, who settled under the deep ball and back-peddled out at the Crimson Tide 1 for a gain of 40. Ohio State had to settle for a 21-yard field goal from Nuernberger, mainly because Jones muffed the snap on 1st-and-goal. Sims capped an eight-play, 79-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Cooper on a rollout to make it 14-6 after one quarter. The Crimson Tide added another touchdown when they turned Cyrus Jones interception into a 2-yard touchdown from Yeldon to make it 21-6 with 8:07 remaining in the first half. Game Notes The Buckeyes, who claimed their first win against Alabama in four all-time meetings, return to the national championship for the first time since a 38-24 loss to LSU in 2008 BCS title game ... Ohio State improved to 21-23 in bowl games, while Alabama fell to 35-24-3 ... Elliotts fumble in the opening quarter was OSUs first turnover in 39 possessions, dating back to Nov. 22 vs. Indiana ... Elliott was named Offensive Player of the Game and Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee was named Defensive Player of the Game. 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