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A critical road sweep over a division
Topic Started: Jan 18 2014, 01:39 AM (199 Views)
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(Sports Network) - A critical road sweep over a division rival has the Toronto Blue Jays back in the right direction. Now the challenge will be to cool down the hottest team in baseball. Toronto fell back in the pack after losing three straight times to the Yankees in New York last week, but rebounded strongly by outscoring Boston by a 28-11 margin in a three-game sweep at Fenway Park this past weekend. The effort placed the Blue Jays three games behind both the As and Angels for the ALs two Wild Card berths. Even without slugger Jose Bautista, placed on the disabled list a week ago with a wrist injury, Toronto had its bats working in Sundays finale. The Blue Jays rocked Boston starter Jon Lester for nine runs in the first two innings and pounded out 18 hits -- including four homers -- in a 15-7 rout. Brett Lawrie began the onslaught with a leadoff homer in the top of the first, igniting a five-run opening inning for Toronto. The Jays scored four more times in the second, with J.P. Arencibia belting a three-run homer and Rajai Davis following with a solo shot to give the team a 9-3 lead. "I think the boys set the tone early," said outfielder Travis Snider, who went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI on the day. "First pitch of the game, Lawrie comes out swinging, then J.P. and the rest of the at-bats we put together against a good pitcher like Lester." Arencibia knocked in four runs in all, while Davis and Yunel Escobar each finished 3-for-4 in the win. The Athletics head to Rogers Centre for this three-game series having won five consecutive games and nine times in their last 10 contests, and boast a major-league best 14-2 record in the month of July. The surge has placed the surprising club right in the thick of the American League playoff race, with the As currently tied with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the circuits two wild card berths. Oakland proved its validity by winning all four matchups with the powerful New York Yankees, owners of the best record in the majors, this past weekend. The Athletics completed the sweep with a stirring rally on Sunday, fighting back from an early four-run deficit to down the Bronx Bombers by a 5-4 score in 12 innings. Seth Smith sent the game into additional frames with a one-out solo homer off Yankees closer Rafael Soriano in the bottom of the ninth, and prevailed in the 12th when Derek Norris singled and later came around on Coco Crisps two-out base hit to right. The comeback gave Oakland its MLB-leading 11th walk-off victory of the season. "We always feel like we have a chance to win," Crisp said. The Blue Jays may find offense harder to come by in this series, as Oakland leads the AL with a 3.37 team earned run average. Travis Blackley has contributed to that strong number by posting a 2.86 ERA in eight starts and four relief appearances since joining the club in mid-May, and gets the call for the As this evening. Blackley, claimed off waivers from San Francisco earlier this season, last took the hill on Wednesday and allowed three runs in a 5 1/3-inning no- decision against Texas, but has gone 2-0 with a 2.23 ERA over his last six appearances (5 starts). The native Australian, who hadnt pitched in the majors since 2007 prior to being called up by the Giants in May, has faced the Blue Jays just one time previously. That came all the way back in 2004 while with Seattle, with the left-hander surrendering six runs (5 earned) in five innings to take the loss. Toronto will counter with the struggling Brett Cecil, who enters tonights tilt with a 2-2 record and a 6.34 ERA in six starts since being called up from Triple A in mid-June. The left-hander is coming off a decent performance, however, having held the Yankees to three runs on six hits over six innings despite receiving a loss on July 17. Cecil, a 15-game winner for the Blue Jays in 2010, has compiled a 2-2 record with a 2.79 ERA in four career starts against Oakland. These teams split a brief two-game set in Oakland from May 8-9, as well as 10 overall meetings last season. The As have won in three of their last four visits to the Rogers Centre, however. Customized Alan Ball Jersey . -- Albertas Jocelyn Peterman scored four in the fourth and five in the fifth to claim a 12-6 victory over Manitobas Shannon Birchard and win the M&M Meat Shops Canadian junior curling championship final on Saturday. Customized Bryan Anger Jersey . This week they discussed the most disappointing QB/WR combo in the league, where the Blue Bombers go from here and if there is a team that can de-throne the B. http://www.officialravensteamsshop.com/ . The 18-year-old Schalke midfielder is the only surprise in Loews 27-man squad. "Draxler is a player with huge potential," Loew said. "Hes good in one-on-one situations and hes very quick. Customized Drayton Florence Jersey . The person told The Associated Press about the trade on condition of anonymity Wednesday because it has not been announced pending the completion of some routine logistical matters. The deal also sends guard Jerome Dyson and retiring centre Brad Millers $5.1 million contract from New Orleans to Minnesota, allowing the Timberwolves to clear space under the NBAs salary cap as they pursue free agents. Josh Scobee Jersey For Sale . Revamped Offence - The Browns were left with no choice but to focus much of their draft efforts on the offensive side of the ball after their 2011 offensive disaster in which they scored over 20 points in just one game.MINNEAPOLIS -- Terry Porter spent 17 seasons in the NBA as a point guard, a two-time all-star who helped Portland reach the NBA finals and was regarded as one of the smartest players at his position. With helping Ricky Rubio make the transition from Spain to the United States one of David Kahns biggest priorities, its no wonder that Porter was the first person to get a formal interview for the Minnesota Timberwolves coaching vacancy. A person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press that Porter interviewed on Monday. The person requested anonymity because the team was not commenting publicly on the search process. Porters previous experience as a head coach -- in Milwaukee and Phoenix -- and his background as a point guard could make him an ideal fit in Minnesota, which is coming off 32 total wins in two seasons under Kurt Rambis. But Kahn has been adamant that he wants a coach with "up-tempo DNA," which seems to contradict Porters hard-nosed, defensive mindset. Porter went 71-93 in two seasons with the Bucks and lasted just over half a season in Phoenix in 2008-09 when his slow-it-down style didnt jibe with Steve Nash and the high-octane Suns. "We are going to play -- as Ive said really since the first day I arrived -- a very up-tempo, fast-breaking style on both ends of the floor," Kahn said last week when he announced Rambiss firing. "And I think that its very important as we go through the search process that we identify somebody who passionately believes in that and probably has a little bit of a track record in that respect and can help make this come to fruition." Of course, the Timberwolves may need more help on the defensive end than they do on offence. With offensive-minded players such as Keviin Love, Michael Beasley and Wes Johnson, the Wolves scored more than 101 points per game last season, good for 10th in the league.dddddddddddd But they gave up more points than any other team and consistently let leads slip away in the fourth quarter because of their inability to get stops. Still, Kahn seems more concerned with finding a coach who wants to get the ball up and down the court quickly, a style that he thinks appeals to the players more than the grind-it-out, defensive game. With Rubio, Beasley, Love, Johnson and No. 2 overall draft pick Derrick Williams, Kahn thinks he has the talent to run, and thats what he want to see happen. Porter is the first to have a formal interview, but he wont be the last. Kahn interviewed about a dozen candidates the first time he made a hire and promised a "voluminous" search this time around as well. Career wins leader Don Nelson, Trail Blazers assistant Bernie Bickerstaff and Memphis assistant Dave Joerger are among the others expected to get consideration. "I think well have a thorough search and well try to find somebody who embraces the notion of wanting to coach an up-tempo style on both sides of the floor and somebody who really connects well with young players," he said last week. Porter has been a head coach twice before, in Milwaukee and Phoenix. He lasted just over half a season with the Suns in the 2008-09 season before being replaced by Alvin Gentry. Porter spent three of his 17 NBA seasons playing in Minnesota. His background as a point guard could be attractive to the Timberwolves, who are looking for someone who can help Spanish import Ricky Rubio make the transition to the NBA. The interview was first reported by the Star Tribune of Minneapolis.
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