CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Bobcats are getting used to big nights from Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker. Now, they have Gary Neal to throw into the offensive mix. The newly acquired Neal came off the bench and scored 19 points as the surging Bobcats won their seventh home game in a row, defeating the Denver Nuggets 105-98 on Monday night. Jefferson led all scorers with 26 points and Walker scored 24, but it was Neals work off the bench that may have made the biggest difference with Gerald Henderson out with a strained right calf muscle. "It was a huge to get a win at home and protect our homecourt, especially with the standings the way they are," said Neal, who was playing in his only his seventh game with the team since coming over from Milwaukee in a trade on Feb. 20. "I felt good in the (Monday) morning shootaround and had a good individual workout before the game," Neal added. "Then, the first couple shots fell and I got in a good rhythm." Neal actually made his first six field-goal tries as the Bobcats, currently in position to grab the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs, improved to 30-34. Three of those baskets by Neal were 3-pointers. The Nuggets, who fell to 27-36, were led by Ty Lawsons 24 points -- 15 of which came in the fourth quarter as he tried to rally his team. "They were without Gerald Henderson and Gary Neal stepped in and did what he needed to do," Nuggets coach Brian Shaw said. "We have to learn to respect everyone, whether hes a starter or coming off the bench." Jefferson made 10 of his first 14 field-goal attempts, and also contributed a game-high 13 rebounds. Walker added seven assists for the Bobcats. Jefferson scored 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds in the first quarter, after which the Bobcats led 25-22. But they actually extended their lead to 12 in the second quarter, as Neal scored nine points. "That boy can score. He made plays, thats all," Jefferson said of Neal. "If he can play like that, its going to give a big lift to the second unit. With him hitting 3s like that, thats just going to open up the paint for guys like me who like to attack it." Josh McRoberts added 15 points for Charlotte, including a key 3-pointer with 6:15 left at the shot-clock buzzer to extend Charlottes lead to 90-82 after Denver had cut it to five. Denver also got 15 points from Kenneth Faried, 16 from Aaron Brooks, and 11 points and a team-high 10 rebounds from J.J. Hickson. After Faried led a brief Denver comeback to cut Charlottes lead to 51-45 at the half, Walker and Jefferson hit the first two baskets of the third quarter to push the Charlotte advantage back to 10 and the home team never trailed in the second half. Denver did pull to within 101-96 in the final minute, but Walker, who made all 12 of his free-throw attempts on the night, hit a pair with 55.6 seconds left and then Jefferson hit a jumper after a defensive stop to seal the Bobcats victory. "We hung in there and fought hard," Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said. "It wasnt our best game. We made a lot of mistakes in the fourth quarter. But its a good win and an important win for our team." Clifford said Neal, who has now scored in double figures in six of the seven games hes played for the Bobcats, is providing the kind of instant offence that he had hoped for when Neal was acquired from the Bucks along with backup point guard Luke Ridnour. "He played great," Clifford said. "Forget the 7-for-9 (field-goal shooting). He made two big plays out of the pick-and-roll when we were struggling. They blitzed Kemba and Gary Neal hit CDR (Chris Douglas-Roberts) for a big 3 and he started the ball movement on another pick-and-roll that led to a Kemba jumper. Hes the one who kind of got our offence back on track." NOTES: Clifford said Henderson, who missed Mondays game and has been out a week with a strained right calf muscle, might attempt running during Tuesdays practice. He hopes Henderson will be available to resume playing in games soon. Clifford said that likely wont occur until next week, however. ... The Bobcats have 18 home wins, three more than all of last year. Pittsburgh Pirates Pro Shop . Booth picked up 65 caps after making her national team debut in 2002 at the age of 17. She most recently played for Sky Blue FC of the National Womens Soccer League. "It just felt like it was my time to move on," she said in a phone interview from her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Stitched Pirates Jerseys . Will Venable and Ryan Ludwick drove in a run each for the Padres, who have taken six of their last seven contests and clinched their third straight series win after winning the first two in this set. Clayton Richard (4-9) allowed five hits and a pair of runs over seven innings, while fanning five. https://www.cheappiratesjerseys.us/ . There is no argument that the line of Pacioretty, David Desharnais and Thomas Vanek was one of the hottest in the NHL leading into the post-season, and they did combine for three goals and seven points, but it was the depth of all four lines that helped propel Montreal. Pittsburgh Pirates Shirts . -- Josh Smith made a 3-pointer as time expired and finished with 20 points to lift the Detroit Pistons to a 99-98 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night in both teams exhibition finale. Fake Pirates Jerseys .Brooks, a three-year veteran, was slow to get up after suffering the injury during a 5-yard run by Arian Foster.Brooks limped off the field midway through the quarter and then slowly walked to the locker room a few minutes later.SAN FRANCISCO -- Rene Rivera remembers his last home run, three years ago next month at Oakland for the Minnesota Twins. His latest will certainly be memorable, too, and did plenty to give San Diegos inconsistent offence a boost. Rivera hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth to follow his two-run double for a career-high five RBIs, single handedly backing Tyson Ross in the Padres 6-4 victory against the San Francisco Giants on Monday night. "Sooner or later our hittings going to come around," Rivera said. "We needed this one. Its a good feeling. Its good for the team." Ross (3-3) did just enough over 5 1-3 innings to beat the Giants for the second time in 11 days, allowing eight hits and four runs with four strikeouts and two walks. After Michael Morse put San Francisco ahead on two-run single in the fourth, Rivera answered with his first homer of the year. He hadnt driven in a run all season before Monday, and the five RBIs were most by a Padres player at 15-year-old AT&T Park. "We needed a game like that from one of our guys," manager Bud Black said. "Its been a long time coming. Weve had a hard time scoring runs in bunches." Brandon Hicks homered for the second straight day, following his walkoff a day earlier against Cleveland with a leadoff shot in the fifth. Hunter Pence hit an RBI triple in the fourth. First base umpire Angel Hernandez had two calls overturned by replay. Giants manager Bruce Bochy came out in the third to request a review after Hernandez called Xavier Nady safe on a close play at first. The umpiring crew overturned the call in 1 minute, 31 seconds. Hernandez was involved in another overturn in the fourth when Black requested a review. Ross was ruled thrown out by third baseman Pablo Sandoval. In 1:18, the call was overturned and Sandoval was charged with an error. Giants starter Madison Bumgarner (2-3) walked a season-high four, and his four earned runs matched his most of 2014. He didnt pitch into the sixth for the third time in his six starts and lost three straight outings for tthe first time since Aug.dddddddddddd 25-Sept. 5, 2012. The Giants had won seven straight home games against the Padres started by the lefty. "I think its fair to say hes made a few more mistakes than were accustomed to," Bochy said. "A strange night. We just couldnt get it done." Ross, born in Berkeley and raised in Oakland, faced the minimum through three -- helped by double plays in the first and second then two strikeouts in the third. The right-hander pitched eight scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in his April 18 win against San Francisco at Petco Park as San Diego took two of three from its division rival. "Its always nice to come back home and get a win," Ross said. "The defence was great tonight and got me out of a couple jams, and the offence came to play." Alexi Amarista drove in an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Huston Street, San Diegos fourth reliever, then finished for his 10th save in as many tries and 35 of 36 dating to last May. He lowered his ERA to 0.82. NOTES: A moment of silence and a video tribute were held before the game for Hall of Fame Padres broadcaster Jerry Coleman, who died in January at 89. Another moment of silence was held for victims of the ferry disaster in South Korea as the Giants celebrated Korean Heritage Night. ... San Diego OF Seth Smith missed his third straight start as he nurses a strained groin sustained Thursday night against the Nationals. He could return this series. ... Chase Headley, out since April 25 with a strained right calf, is improving and took some swings in the indoor cage. ... Padres INF/OF Tommy Medica was recalled from Triple-A El Paso three days after being optioned and flying from Washington, D.C., to Sacramento. "Thats the Schwarzenegger special, Sacramento to D.C.," Black said of former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Medica couldnt get off the plane in time Monday morning to avoid a trip to Los Angeles then a second flight back to San Francisco. He took the roster spot of INF Jedd Gyorko, who went on the paternity leave list. ' ' '