ARLINGTON, Texas -- Nelson Cruz fit right back in with the Texas Rangers after completing his 50-game drug suspension. Carlos Lee Astros Jersey . The All-Star slugger was reinstated from the restricted list Monday by the Rangers, who immediately put him in their lineup. Cruz batted sixth as the designated hitter for the AL wild-card tiebreaker game against Tampa Bay. "I feel really confident right now," Cruz said before the game. "Im going to enjoy this moment. Happy to be back. Happy to be with my teammates. Its a blessing to see the reception they gave me." Cruz got a warm ovation from Rangers fans when he was introduced before the game, and again when he came to bat for the first time in the second inning. After swinging late on a couple of fastballs from David Price, Cruz lined out to first base. It was the first major league game for Cruz since Aug. 4. That was the day before his suspension stemming from Major League Baseballs investigation of the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic, accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs. Cruz was among 14 players disciplined by MLB this year in the Biogenesis case. Only Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez appealed his suspension. The return of Cruz came eight weeks to the day he was suspended. He has acknowledged publicly that he made "an error in judgment" in the wake of a gastrointestinal infection that wasnt properly diagnosed over a few months before he reported to spring training in 2012. Cruz lost 40 pounds during that time. He has never offered more specifics. After serving his penalty, Cruz is ready to move forward and focus on the field. "I think Ive been doing a pretty good job," he said. "Whatever is going outside of baseball, just keep it outside." Cruz seemed at ease during batting practice, when he hit a few balls over the walls in a session he described as being "OK. It wasnt like great." He was planning to take more cuts in the indoor batting cage. Rays manager Joe Maddon expressed no issue with Cruz being eligible. "My job is to get my players ready. Hes served his punishment, and hes eligible to play. I cant worry about that. I spend most of my energy on things like the bullpen," Maddon said. "We just played A-Rod at home." Texas designated outfielder Joey Butler for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster. The Rangers won their last seven scheduled games of the regular season and needed every one of those victories to force the first wild-card tiebreaker in the majors since 2007. A 163rd regular-season game provided a chance for the return of Cruz. Before flying to Texas on Saturday night, he had been playing games against mostly minor leaguers and prospects in the Arizona Instructional League. Cruz finished 9 for 27 with five doubles, a homer and nine RBIs in eight games in Arizona. Once Cruz told manager Ron Washington that he felt good and was loose, the slugger was back in the lineup. "He said he was ready to go. I didnt talk to anyone in (Arizona). I know Nelson Cruz," Washington said. "If you throw something in the wrong spot, I expect to jump up and down. ... Its the threat, its the presence, its what he does for everybody else just being in that lineup." General manager Jon Daniels said Cruz kept himself ready to play "as good as you can." Daniels said the at-bats got batter during that time and that Cruz was swinging the bat well. "All along, we knew were probably a better club with him available," Daniels said. The Rangers were 29-21 without Cruz, who hit .269 with 27 homers and 76 RBIs in 108 games before his suspension. Washington opted to have Cruz as the designated hitter for his return rather than put him in the outfield. The Rangers stuck with hot-hitting Craig Gentry in left, Leonys Martin in centre and Alex Rios in right. Rios was acquired from the Chicago White Sox four days after Cruz was suspended. "The way those three guys out there have been running balls down, Im not changing that right now," Washington said. "Well use Nelsons bat, and his threat." Andy Pettitte Astros Jersey . "I like the toughness factor in certain situations where last year and two years ago wed get bumped, get hit [and] wouldnt respond," Casey said an hour and a half before facing the league-best Thunder, a team that hadnt yet lost at home. Andy Pettitte Jersey .Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres signed forward Nicolas Deslauriers to a two-year contract on Monday.MONTREAL -- Rene Bourque scored in the second period to give the Montreal Canadiens a 2-0 victory over the Flames on Tuesday, ending Calgarys five-game win streak in the process. Carey Price made 27 saves for Montreal (30-21-6) for his fourth shutout of the year and second in four games. David Desharnais added an empty netter for the Canadiens. Reto Berra stopped 25 shots for Calgary (21-28-7). Bourque, in only his second game against his old team, scored the winner for the Canadiens at 16:15 of the second period. Bourque was rather fortuitous on the play, notching his eighth goal of the year when a Brandon Prust pass banked off his left leg and beat Berra. The Flames have now lost four straight on the road. The Canadiens, meanwhile, have yet to lose in regulation this year when leading after two periods (25-0-3). After a scoreless first period, the Flames gave Montreal a scare with a full two-minute, two-man advantage early in the second. With Tomas Plekanec in the box for roughing, as well as Lars Eller for handling the puck on the ensuing faceoff, Calgarys struggling power play took three shots on Price -- none too threatening. Jose Cruz Jr. Authentic Jersey. The Habs have now killed off 27 straight penalties. They last allowed a goal while playing shorthanded on Jan. 24 against Detroit. NOTES: Mike Cammalleri made his return to Montreal, playing against his old club for the first time since being traded to the Flames in 2012. ... Berra got the nod in nets in place of Flames starting goaltender Karri Ramo (lower body). Ramo was injured in the first period of Calgarys 4-3 overtime win over Minnesota on Saturday. ... Dale Weise, 25, made his Canadiens debut playing on the fourth line with Ryan White and Michael Bournival. Weise was traded to Montreal from Vancouver for defenceman Raphael Diaz. ... The Habs cap their four-game homestand against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday, while the Flames play the New York Islanders. cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys ' ' '
