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The first workout in pads during training camp usually belongs to the defense Cody Latimer Jersey , but Los Angeles Chargers center Mike Pouncey was ready to bring his own level of physicality.

Pouncey traded blows with Chargers defensive linemen Brandon Mebane and Corey Liuget on Monday, showing a ferocity he rediscovered because of how his time in Miami ended after seven seasons.

"It just lit that fire again in me," Pouncey said. "I never thought I would play with anybody but the Dolphins, but once they released me, it made me want to be an even better football player. It made me want to prove everybody wrong, and I'm excited to be here. I can't wait to help this run game out, help this football team do something special."

Pouncey signed a two-year contract with the Chargers in March, inspired by the chance to play with one of the game's top quarterbacks in Philip Rivers.

His time in Miami saw Pouncey working with a host of journeymen before helping first-round draft pick Ryan Tannehill transition to the NFL. Rivers is at the other end of the spectrum in terms of talent, experience and understanding of the game. It didn't take long for Pouncey to recognize Rivers' comprehensive mastery of the position.

"I just like that he knows everything that is going on each and every play. When we go up, he's the guy that points out the Mike (linebacker). He knows when blitzes are coming, so he puts us in the right protections and he gets us in and out of plays. When a bad look is there and we don't want to run that play Y.A. Tittle Jersey , he switches the play," Pouncey said.

"To be able to play with him, I don't take it for granted. I feel like it's something that I lucked up into, and I'm going to take full advantage of it."

The chance to play on a team with viable Super Bowl aspirations was just as important for Pouncey, who reached the playoffs once during his time with the Dolphins, as the Chargers are the only team in the AFC West that returns its head coach, both coordinators and starting quarterback. The professionalism displayed by his new teammates during their brief time together has convinced Pouncey the Chargers can deliver on their growing expectations.

"Every year in the league I've always wanted to win," Pouncey said. "That's the goal every year you go into training camp is to try and win something, win the Super Bowl. For me right now, at the point in my career, I'm excited to be on a football team that has a chance. They finished top of the league in offense last year Patrick Kerney Jersey , and our defense is unbelievable, so I feel with me coming here it can only help."

Pouncey wants to make his presence felt in the run game, where the Chargers tied for 25th after averaging 3.8 yards per carry last season. He looked up to the part in practice, creating holes for Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler. But Pouncey also felt the familiar push back from the likes of Mebane and Liuget on the interior.

Chargers defenders had been looking forward to the chance to hit again, and coach Anthony Lynn said their energy was evident.

"That's kind of why you had to hold them back a little bit. You don't want the excitement to go too far," Lynn said.

The back and forth during the morning session was fine by Pouncey.

"First days of pads is always the funnest day," Pouncey said. "I feel we had a really good day as a football team on both sides of the football, and we can only get better from here."
Gerrit Cole wasn’t as dominant as he has been throughout the first part of the season. He didn’t need to be.

Cole struck out eight in 5 2/3 strong innings, and the Houston Astros hit three home runs in a 9-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.

Cole (10-2) allowed one run and three hits with four walks after being activated from the bereavement list prior to the game.

”It was tough to keep the emotions in check at times trying to control things that are out of my control,” Cole said. ”I’m thankful that we put up a bunch of runs, gave us some cushion Derek Rivers Jersey , and all in all, played a good game.”

He threw six shutout innings in his last start Monday against Oakland.

”He was pretty emotional today just getting back into things and getting through the game,” Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. ”Being away from this club for a couple days and then jumping right back into the competition is probably a little hard. I think you could expect looseness around the strike zone when he wasn’t making his pitches. He expects to be perfect; still pretty good.”

Josh Reddick and Evan Gattis hit back-to-back solo homers in the fifth to chase Detroit starter Michael Fulmer (3-9). Tyler White added a two-run shot to left in the seventh.

”I don’t think we let him get ahead too often,” Reddick said. ”We seemed to jump on his fastball when he threw strikes and it really paid off for us.”

Houston got to Fulmer early with five runs in the first three innings.

The Astros took a 2-0 lead in the first on Yuli Gurriel’s sacrifice fly and Reddick’s run-scoring bloop double to shallow center. George Springer had an RBI double and Alex Bregman a run-scoring single in the second to push the lead to 4-0. Marwin Gonzalez’s RBI single in the third made it 5-0.

”They didn’t kill our guy at all,” Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said. ”They blooped some in and got some hits. That’s a good team over there. They put balls in play. They jump first pitch if you make a mistake. They got a lead and they did what they’re supposed to do with it.”

James McCann had an RBI double in the sixth, snapping a 19-inning scoreless streak for the Tigers. Detroit hadn’t scored since the fourth inning of Wednesday’s game against the Rays. The Tigers have lost six straight.

Fulmer gave up seven runs and a season-high 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Fulmer said he felt like he had some of his better stuff this season. Fulmer was frustrated with Pat Hoberg’s strike zone throughout the game and voiced his displeasure with it after the game.

”The guy was God awful,” Fulmer said of Hoberg. ”It was a bad day for him and for me. … You can’t give a team like the Astros extra strikes. It’s just what it boils down to. I made my fair share of mistakes, but there’s 10 calls about pitches inside the zone that he called balls. I let him know he missed 10.”

Fulmer lost his fourth straight decision and has allowed at least three runs in each of his last five outings.

GETTING THEIR RINGS

Detroit RHP Mike Fiers and LHP Francisco Liriano received their World Series championship rings before Saturday’s game. Fiers pitched for the Astros from 2015-2017, while Liriano was acquired by the Astros at the trade deadline last season and appeared in five postseason games.

ASTROS ROSTER MOVE

With Cole coming off the bereavement list, the Astros optioned OF Jake Marisnick to Triple A Fresno.

HE SAID IT

”My thing is, umpires Warren Sapp Jersey , I don’t know if they don’t take pride in it or what, but they don’t get held accountable for the bad calls, the missed calls. For him to admit he missed 10 pitches for me alone, I’m sure it was bad for the other side as well.” – Fulmer on the umpiring.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: SS Carlos Correa (back stiffness) does not have a definitive timetable for when he will begin a rehab assignment, Hinch said. Correa has been on the disabled list since June 29.

UP NEXT

Tigers: Liriano (3-5, 4.74 ERA) will make his 15th start Sunday in the series finale looking to rebound after allowing seven runs on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings against the Rays on Monday.

Astros: RHP Justin Verlander (9-4, 2.05) will make his 21st start of the season and the first of his career against his former team. Verlander threw six scoreless innings but did not factor into the decision Monday against the Athletics.

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