PHILADELPHIA -- Jay Bruce of the New York Mets is pretty confident right now. And for good reason.Im swinging at pitches I can hit, Bruce said after the Mets 5-1 win in Philadelphia on Friday. Thats the bottom line. Thats the key to my success.And lately, hes been keying the Mets success, too.Bruce homered for the third straight game and fourth in his last six, helping the Mets clinch at least a tiebreaker for the wild-card spot and ensure their season lasts past Sunday, the leagues final regular season date.A win Saturday in Philadelphia would clinch their wild-card berth.The reason you play is to make the playoffs, Bruce said. Ive been fortunate enough to go the playoffs three times... Its like Opening Day every day. Its great. Thats why we play. Were close to securing that and we really look forward to having that opportunity and really controlling our own destiny. Were not really focused on what anyone else does. We come in here tomorrow and take care of business, it wont matter.Its step one of a bigger accomplishment, said New York manager Terry Collins. Were certainly pleased we get to play past Sunday.Their wasnt a celebration in the Mets clubhouse Friday. That will likely come Saturday or Sunday.Collins raved about Fridays starter Robert Gsellman and how New Yorks young pitching has dazzled after being thrust into a playoff race.Saturday afternoon, the Mets turn to veteran righty Bartolo Colon (14-8, 3.42 ERA) to try to clinch their playoff spot. He will oppose Phillies RHP Phil Klein (0-1, 8.22).Colon is coming off his worst start in 2016. He allowed seven runs on eight hits in 2 1/3 innings in Miami earlier in the week.Klein was used out of the bullpen Wednesday and will try to give the Phillies as many innings as possible to avoid getting deep into a bullpen that has been getting battered lately.Philadelphia dropped its fifth consecutive game Friday night.Were certainly limping home, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Friday an hour or so after being ejected for the first time this year. Not playing well, not swinging the bats very well.They struck out 14 times Friday night. And after scraping a run across in the second inning, never really looked like they were in the game at the plate.Shortstop Freddy Galvis left Fridays game with what the team called right hamstring tightness. No update was given after the game on whether Galvis would be available for the final two games of the season.The Phillies are putting the finishing touches on another rebuilding season and saying farewell to longtime slugger Ryan Howard this weekend. The Mets, meanwhile, are just trying to take care of business. Fake Black Friday Shoes . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. Black Friday Shoes China . Batiste, who briefly signed with the Eskimos in 2006, has spent time with several NFL teams including the Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins. https://www.shoesblackfriday.com/ . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Black Friday Shoes Deals . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Wholesale Black Friday Shoes . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. AUSTIN, Texas -- A season opener between college football heavyweights Texas and No. 10 Notre Dame should be a preview for the national title chase.Instead, its a referendum on Longhorns coach Charlie Strong.Hes coming off two losing seasons at a program that likely wont tolerate a third. Strong is still searching for a dependable quarterback and has put his future in the hands of hotshot offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, who wouldnt leave Tulsa until he was pried away with a personal visit from the Texas president and athletic director and a three-year guaranteed contract worth $850,000 annually.And now here come the Irish, who expect to be in the College Football Playoff hunt in December. Beat Notre Dame and the pressure -- for now -- eases off Strong. Lose again and it only gets worse . No Texas coach has had three consecutive losing seasons since the 1930s.Its big, said Strong, whose 11-14 record includes a 38-3 loss to the Irish last season. Were at home ... We need it within our program to play well. I expect us to go play well.Win or lose, all praise or blame will fall on Strong, who charged Gilbert with lighting up defenses like everyone else in the Big 12 does. Gilberts biggest challenge has been finding a starting quarterback in either senior Tyrone Swoopes or freshman Shane Buechele, who had a tantalizing spring.Strong wont reveal his starter until the game. Gilbert seems confident in whoever it will be.Well just call it and theyll ball it, Gilbert said.A few things to watch when Notre Dame and Texas play Sunday night:IRISH QUARTERBACKS: Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has been just as coy about his quarterbacks , refusing to say if hell start Malik Zaire or DeShone Kizer. Unlike Strong, Kellys dilemma is choosing between two proven playmakers. His bigger problem is the potential for hurt feelings and disrupted teeam chemistry whichever way he goes.ddddddddddddWed both rather ourselves be the only guy playing. But this is how it is, Kizer said. We want to win games. Thats one thing we can agree on.18-WHEELER: Even if he doesnt start, look for Swoopes to get on the field. At 6-foot-4, 250-pounds, he was effectively brutish runner in the 18-Wheeler package in upset wins over Oklahoma and Baylor. The set calls for Swoopes to take the snap, dive off tackle and drag defenders with him.THIRD DOWN: The Texas defense was notoriously bad on third down last season, ranking among the worst in the country. If Notre Dame can keep moving the chains, Gilberts offense may never get a chance to get on the field. As for Notre Dame, expect a steady rush of blitzes to disrupt Swoopes or Buechele in passing situations. Swoopes has shown he can be rattled and no one knows yet how Buechele will handle pressure.DEFENDING THE DEEP BALL: Texas will throw deep. The offense typically accounts for a deep target, and with speedy receivers John Burt, Devin Duvernay and converted quarterback Jerrod Heard, the pressures on the Notre Dame secondary -- notably freshman Devin Studstill -- to prevent the long touchdown.NOTRE DAME DISCIPLINE: Kelly has said he intends to make four of the five players arrested by state police on marijuana possession during training camp available to play. Wide receiver Kevin Stepherson and linebacker Tevon Coney were listed on the depth chart this week. Kelly has said he expects running back Dexter Williams and cornerback Ashton White to contribute this season. Kelly dismissed safety Max Redfield, who also was charged in the same Aug. 19 incident with a misdemeanor charge of carrying a handgun without a license. ' ' '