21.   Could Rogers protect the lead and actually pitch the Yankees into October?

22.   Duke would have to protect the lead for the upcoming minutes without its best player.

23.   For a change, the Islanders protected a lead.

24.   For the third time in three games, Colorado could not contain Atlanta in the ninth inning to protect a lead.

25.   Gordon had no trouble protecting the lead.

26.   He protected the lead in the seventh, when Womack tried to score on a double by Jay Bell off Turk Wendell.

27.   He had little to do except to help protect the lead in what was becoming a ragged contest.

28.   He seemed to be playing to protect a lead, which he had till recently in terms of electoral votes.

29.   However, the defense continues to struggle to protect a lead.

30.   His team has contract problems, trouble protecting leads and now its goaltending is a cause for concern.