TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays homestand doesnt get any easier tonight with the
arrival of the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers to begin a three-game weekend
series.
Maglia Italiana Luca Antonelli . R.A. Dickey
faces Anibal Sanchez in the opener. Toronto was looking to gain ground on AL
East-leading Baltimore to kick off the week, but lost two of three to the
Orioles. That left the Blue Jays five games out of first place heading into
tonights action. The Jays were bested 2-1 in Thursdays rubber match, with
Anthony Gose homering and J.A. Happ giving up a two-run blast to Caleb Joseph in
the fourth inning that was the difference in the clubs fifth loss in six games.
Happ yielded five hits and struck out a career-high 12 over eight innings. "Our
lineup is what it is right now," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "Some
nights youre going to get that big hit, some nights youre not." On the same day
that Toronto placed third baseman Brett Lawrie on the 15-day disabled list with
a strained left oblique, designated hitter Melky Cabrera was hit on the right
elbow by a pitch in the first inning on Thursday. He tried to remain in the
game, but exited in the third and is day-to-day after x-rays came back negative.
The Blue Jays swept a three-game series in Detroit from June 3-5 after losing
five of seven to the Tigers a season ago. The Tiger are coming off losing three
of four against the Yankees in New York, despite running out three former Cy
Young Award winners -- including David Price in his Detroit debut -- and a
13-game winner in Rick Porcello. Porcello took the 1-0 loss in Thursdays finale
despite scattering nine hits over seven innings of one-run ball. His offense did
little to help, going 0- for-4 with runners in scoring position one game after
an 0-for-7 showing in such situations in Wednesdays setback. "Our guys pitched
great, but as well as we pitched and played defense, our offense didnt match
up," Tigers catcher Alex Avila remarked. Detroit saw its lead atop the American
League Central over the Kansas City Royals trimmed to 2 1/2 games and will pin
its hopes tonight on Sanchez. The right-hander has split his last six starts,
going 3-3 with a 4.93 earned run average, but is coming off a dominating 4-0 win
over Colorado on Sunday. Sanchez hurled seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball
while striking out a season-high 12 batters without issuing a walk. Sanchez
became the first Tigers pitcher to fan 12 or more without a walk since
Max Scherzer on June 17, 2012 against the Rockies. "He used his fastball
perfectly," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "He threw it in, he threw it out
and as a result, all of his other pitches were much more effective." The
30-year-old Sanchez is 8-5 on the year with a 3.37 ERA and did not get a
decision versus Toronto on June 3 despite seven scoreless innings. He also gave
up just two hits in that one, striking out five to no walks. Sanchez is 2-2 in
his career with a 4.20 ERA versus Toronto, which counters with its own former Cy
Young winner in Dickey. However, the knuckleball specialist is just 9-11 with a
4.03 ERA this year after getting denied a third straight winning start on
Saturday. Dickey instead lost an 8-2 decision in Houston, charged with five runs
on nine hits over seven-plus innings. The 39-year-old righty is 6-2 with a save
and 3.84 ERA in 16 previous meetings, including nine starts, versus Detroit.
That includes a win on June 4 as he yielded two runs -- on solo homers to
Miguel Cabrera and Ian Kinsler -- seven hits and four walks over just five
innings.
Maglia Daniele Padelli .com) - Four-time
champion Novak Djokovic has been installed as the top seed at the Australian
Open, which will begin Monday in Melbourne.
Maglia Italiana Salvatore Sirigu . A criminal
complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court said his girlfriend told
police they got into the argument early Thursday at his suburban Minneapolis
home.KAPALUA, Hawaii -- Masters champion Adam Scott is taking a six-week break
after Hawaii, meaning he will skip the Match Play Championship. Scott has never
missed the Match Play Championship since he first became eligible in 2002. But
since the World Golf Championship moved to Arizona in 2007, he hasnt stuck
around very long. Scott was beaten in the opening round the last three years,
annd he has not advanced beyond the second round since 2005 when it was at La
Costa Resort north of San Diego.
Maglia Italiana Stefano Sturaro. Scott is
playing the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua and then Sony Open at Honolulu
next week. He says he wont play again until the Honda Classic, missing the
entire West Coast Swing. Scott enters the year at No. 2 in the world behind
Tiger Woods.
Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From
China Authentic China
Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys
China Cheap NHL Jerseys
Wholesale Jerseys ' ' '