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BERLIN - Bastian Schweinsteiger scored one goal and set up another as Bayern Munich moved ever closer to the Bundesliga title with a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. Schweinsteiger crossed for Mario Mandzukic to score with a powerful header in the 44th minute, and secured Bayerns league record 17th win in succession with a perfectly placed free kick in the 52nd. "It was an important goal, so Im happy it went in," the Germany midfielder said. Stefan Kiessling headed Leverkusens consolation from Roberto Hilberts cross in injury time. Bayern extended its league record unbeaten run to 50 games and moved 23 points clear of Borussia Dortmund with nine games remaining. Dortmund was beaten 2-1 at home by Borussia Moenchengladbach, meaning Bayern can secure the title at Mainz next week if Dortmund and Schalke, 24 points behind in third, both fail to win. "I remember we were champions in Mainz a couple of times before. It was funny because they celebrated with us," Schweinsteiger said. "But its all the same when we do it." Bayern made a lacklustre start in its first game since Uli Hoeness stepped down as president after being convicted of tax evasion. He was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison on Thursday. Son Heung-min should have scored for Leverkusen in the 11th, when he had only Manuel Neuer to beat after being played in by Kiessling, but the South Korean shot wide of the far post. "I wanted to place it in the corner," Son said. "We did everything we could." Neuer also made a good save to deny Simon Rolfes from distance in the 29th. Mandzukic beat Philipp Wollscheid to meet Schweinsteigers cross before the break, and Schweinsteiger shot over the wall and inside the top left corner to seal the result. "We werent at out limit," Bayern midfielder Thomas Mueller grumbled. "Its all the same (when Bayern clinch the title). We want to win again to keep our rhythm so were there again in the knockout rounds of the Champions League." Earlier, Mainz came from two goals down to win 4-2 at Hoffenheim, Werder Bremen drew 1-1 with Stuttgart, Wolfsburg could only draw 1-1 at bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig, and Hertha Berlin lost 3-0 at home to Hannover. Dortmund, which hosts Zenit St. Petersburg in the Champions League on Wednesday, was without influential midfielders Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Marco Reus due to suspension and muscle problems, respectively, as 10-man Gladbach ended its nine-game run without a win. "We had a tough time and naturally were all relieved," said Gladbach coach Lucien Favre, who extended his contract on Wednesday. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck the crossbar for Dortmund before Raffael scored at the other end in the 31st. Max Kruse made it 2-0 by drawing Dortmund defender Lukasz Piszczek and goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller first one way, then the other, before clipping the ball in. "When you go nine games without scoring then of course its a relief," said Kruse, who was dropped for Germanys recent game with Chile because of poor form. Havard Nordtveit was sent off for his second yellow card in the 69th, eight minutes before Dortmund substitute Milos Jojic pulled one back with a deflected shot. "It shouldnt happen to us at home," Dortmund midfielder Nuri Sahin said. "You could see after the sending-off that everyone believed in the equalizer but it wasnt to be." Hoffenheim led 2-0 minutes into the second half, but the defence crumbled, letting in three Mainz goals in an eight-minute span, and Shinji Okazakis second in injury time. "I cant explain why we gave the game away," Hoffenheim coach Markus Gisdol said. It had been briefly interrupted in the first half when Hoffenheims Andreas Beck crashed into a pitchside cameraman, knocking him and the TV camera over. Both needed treatment. The cameraman was carried away on a stretcher, while Beck carried on. With new coach Huub Stevens in charge, Stuttgart was hoping to end its nine-game winless streak. But Bremen equalized with 12 minutes to go. "A pity," Stevens said. Braunschweig was far happier in salvaging its draw with Wolfsburg. "This lets us continue on our journey of Bundesliga participation," Braunschweig coach Torsten Lieberknecht said. Zemgus Girgensons Jersey . Lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES Blake Comeau – The Penguins winger had a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win against Toronto. Vladimir Sobotka Jersey . Nat Borchers headed in the sole goal in the 54th minute, getting on the end of a Kyle Beckerman free kick. The defeat cost Sporting top spot in the Eastern Conference. Even a draw would have moved the Kansas City club above Columbus. http://www.authenticsabrespro.com/Dale-hawerchuk-sabres-jersey/ .com) - Its fair to call Mike McCarthy one of the best coaches in the NFL but its also more than objective to point out that the veteran mentor bookended the Green Bay Packers season with two, truly awful game plans in Seattle. Carter Hutton Jersey . Louis second-period goal increased the New York Rangers lead but Dustin Brown has countered for the Los Angeles Kings who now trail the New York Rangers 2-1 in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden. Jack Eichel Jersey . Lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES Blake Comeau – The Penguins winger had a hat trick in a 4-3 overtime win against Toronto.PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Calling the New York Mets a "marquee franchise," new players union head Tony Clark is paying attention to the teams payroll. Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said he expects the teams payroll to be between $85 million and $88 million this season, which would be a slight decrease from its $90.9 million final figure last year. Despite the additions of free agents Curtis Granderson, Bartolo Colon and Chris Young, the Mets have a payroll resembling that of a mid-market franchise. The Los Angeles Dodgers payroll is over $225 million and the New York Yankees will top $200 million. "Any time there are concerns or issues with any club related to certain habits or trends, we pay attention to it," Clark said after speaking with Mets players Tuesday during his tour of the 30 spring training camps. "New York is no different than any other club, from the standpoint of appreciating whats paid in payroll and how clubs may be functioning in general, related to improving the group they have on the field." Clark declined to say specifically whether the union has spoken with the Mets owners or front office about payroll. "Rest assured that any conversations were having with management likely wont end up in the newspaper," he said. "We will always stay engaged, from top to bottom with any club, at least reelated to any concerns we may have and how those concerns manifest themselves.dddddddddddd" Clark also said he was concerned free agent shortstop Stephen Drew has not signed. Drew, pitcher Ervin Santana and designated hitter Kendrys Morales declined to accept $14.1 million qualifying offers, and teams signing them would lose a selection in Junes amateur draft. But if a team signs one of those players after the draft, it would not forfeit a pick. "Any time you have players on the free-agent market who are still sitting at home come March 4 that I think everyone would agree can have a positive impact on any club that they would happen to play on, it is a concern," Clark said. "Its a topic that we pay a lot of attention to because we dont think its in anyones best interests to have some of the top players in the game sitting at home and not playing on the field." NOTES: RHP Matt Harvey is paid $546,625 while on the major league roster this year under the one-year deal announced Monday and at an annual rate of $299,250 if on option to the minors. Harvey, recovering from elbow ligament-replacement surgery on Oct. 22, gets paid at the big league rate while on the disabled list or during a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment. ... RHP Zack Wheeler has a $512,375 salary in the majors and $169,349 in the minors. 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