|
Geregistreerd op: 11 Apr 2017
Berichten: 563
|
| TORONTO -- Six games into the 2014 season and the Toronto Blue Jays already have two shutouts under their belt. Emmanuel Sanders Jersey . "Thats been a rarity around here," Toronto manager John Gibbons said dryly. "Maybe were on to something." It took the 2013 Jays 53 games to collect that many shutouts. They were 2-4 at this stage. Of course, Toronto (3-3) has also had three games this season in which the pitching staff has surrendered 11-plus hits. The Jays lost all three of those. What does it all mean? That, as Gibbons predicted repeatedly during spring training, Toronto will go as far as its pitching takes it this season. On Saturday, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey outduelled Michael Pineda with late home-run help from Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista as Toronto blanked the New York Yankees 4-0. Dickey (1-1) pitched a gem of the game but Torontos early lack of offence meant the contest was balanced on a knifes edge as he worked to protect a slim 1-0 lead. He was aided by some nifty defence, some of which was his own handiwork. Centre-fielder Colby Rasmus also made two sparkling defensive plays to help blunt New York attacks. "Our defence has been superb to start the year ... Weve played great defence, weve had timely hitting," said Dickey. "Hopefully we can keep pushing forward." The former New York Met has now allowed just one earned run in his last 20 innings against the Yankees. Gibbons, who got the other shutout in Tampa from Mark Buehrle, savoured what he called a bounce back game after 7-2 and 7-3 losses to the Rays and Yankees, respectively. "It was a big game this early in the year," said Gibbons. "(Dickey) stepped up and the bullpen did their thing. "It was good to see the offence open it up late and give us a little breathing room. Thats huge in this game, especially in this ball park." An Adam Lind double and Josh Thole RBI single gave the Jays a 1-0 lead in the second inning. It could have been more but Thole was thrown out trying to take second with Ryan Goins at the plate. Goins subsequent double was wasted. A solo homer by Cabrera and two-run shot by Bautista, both off reliever David Phelps in the eighth, added some insurance for the Jays. It was Cabreras second home run in as many days and Bautistas third of the season. Toronto outhit New York 8-7. Dickey exited with two out and one man on in the seventh, having held the Yankees (2-3) scoreless on five hits. The veteran right-hander struck out six and walked one in a 108-pitch performance that included 69 strikes. "You never know what youre going to get there, you have no idea," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of the knuckleballer. "You have no idea whos going to hit him or not hit him. Its probably the most unpredictable day that youre going to have as a manager." The top of the Yankees order threatened in the eighth with men on first and second with none out against Brett Cecil. The left-hander got two out and then gave way to right-hander Sergio Santos with men on second and third. Santos struck out Alfonso Soriano to preserve the lead for Toronto. Rasmus made a dazzling over-the-shoulder catch of a Francisco Cervelli blast to deep centre in the ninth to deny the Yankees. Santos survived putting two men on in the ninth to record his second save, striking out the red-hot Jacoby Ellsbury to end the game. The afternoon contest drew an announced crowd of 45,446 to Rogers Centre, the second straight sellout under the dome. Pineda (0-1), in his first Yankees start after a lengthy injury absence, gave up one earned run on five hits in six innings. He threw 83 pitches, 58 for strikes, and struck out five with no walks. The 25-year-old Pinedas last big league start was Sept. 21, 2011 as a Seattle Mariner. He was traded to the Yankees after the 2011 season in a deal that sent catcher Jesus Montero to the Mariners. But the 2011 all-star was shelved by a shoulder injury during 2012 spring training. The six-foot-seven 265-pound pitcher from the Dominican Republic returned to action last July, going 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 10 starts in the minors. Dickey lost the season opener 9-2 to Tampa Bay, giving up a career-high six walks in five innings work. He also struck out four. He credited higher velocity for part of the turnaround from the Tampa to Toronto games. "Part of its the pitch, I mean really," he said of the mercurial knuckleball. "And some of its the fact that I was able to climb to those higher velocities today. "But look, youve got to live and die with the pitch. Thats part of what makes it very difficult to do at the big league level and its part of the thing that makes it very special." Cervelli doubled off Dickey to open the third after the first six Yankees went down in order. Dickey struck out the next two Yanks and Rasmus gunned down Cervelli at the plate on a single by Ellsbury. The play survived a review, initiated by the umpiring crew to see whether Thole was blocking the plate. The perfectly placed throw was in front of Thole down the third-base line, meaning the catcher had to step over the plate to get to it. The two collided at the plate but Thole held on to the ball. The Yankees had something going in the sixth with a single and walk and none out. But Dickey, who received his Gold Glove award Friday, hauled in a Carlos Beltran hard liner to trigger a double play. A lineout completed the escape. Yankees veteran Derek Jeter, who was rested Friday, was denied in his bid for a 3,319th career hit which would tie Paul Molitor for eighth on MLBs all-time list and fourth on the AL career list. The Yankees have now gone the first five games of the season without a home run for only the fifth time since 1932. Dennis Smith Womens Jersey . "Im proud of him," Jones said in an interview from Sacramento, site of the UFCs weekend televised card. "I think hes listening to his body and hes doing what makes him happy and thats what life is about ultimately. Tom Jackson Broncos Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.broncosonlinenfl.com/broncos-devontae-booker-navy-blue-jersey/ . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night.INDIANAPOLIS - Torontos dynamic backcourt delivered a one-two knockout punch Tuesday night. Again.This time with All-Star starter Kyle Lowry spreading the floor and DeMar DeRozan finding his way to the basket, their teammates exploited other openings in Indianas defence. It was simply too much for the struggling Pacers.DeRozan finished with 24 points, Lowry had 19 and three of their teammates also scored in double figures, as the Raptors pulled away 104-91.Im getting more comfortable every single day, said DeRozan, who missed 21 games with a torn tendon in his left groin. Just getting back to used to playing the game Im accustomed to playing,Without DeRozan, the Raptors were 12-9.With him — and Lowry — they looked more like the team with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.Toronto (30-15), the NBAs fifth-highest scoring team, shot 46.6 per cent from the field after starting the game in a 9-0 hole, made nine 3-pointers and even managed to play the more physical Pacers to a virtual draw on the glass. The Atlantic Division-leading Raptors won their third straight and broke the franchise record for most wins before the All-Star break.But without DeRozan and Lowry, its unlikely any of this would have been possible.The two combined for 15 of 32 from the field and finished with 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Lowry was 3 of 7 from beyond the arc, including back-to-back 3s to start a 15-4 third-quarter spurt that pushed what had been a five-point lead to 73-57 with 2:42 left.Lowry was 10 of 13 from the free-throw line and scored five of the Raptors points in a half-closing 7-1 spurt that gave Toronto a 50-44 lead.They made more plays. Theyve got a couple all-stars on their team and theyre tough to guard, said Pacers coach Frank Vogel. Theyre great at picking up fouls and theyre full of tricks. It wasnt anything we werent doing. You just have to credit their offensive abilities.It wasnt just DeRozan and Lowry creating havoc for Indiana (16-31).Neither was on the floor when the backups rescued Torontoo from a 32-21 deficit early in the second quarter with a 20-0 spurt. Peyton Manning Womens Jersey. But after Indiana rallied to tie the score at 43, Lowry ignited the late second-quarter run and Indiana never caught up again.The Pacers thought they were as close as 58-55 midway through the third. But a replay review wiped out David Wests putback at the shot-clock buzzer and Lowry answered with the two 3s to spur the 15-4 run that put Indiana in a 73-57 hole.Rodney Stuckey scored 22 points to lead the Pacers, and Solomon Hill added 15.But Tuesday night was not good enough for the Raptors believe theyre just getting started.Were still not a finished product, coach Dwane Casey said. Weve still got a lot to work on. Guys have to stay hungry, stay focused because its a long season.TIP-INSRaptors: Toronto caused all sorts of problems for Indiana the past couple of seasons, and that hasnt changed. The Raptors have won three straight in the series, including both meetings this season, and four of the last five overall against Indiana.Pacers: The return of George Hill has given the Pacers a different look. But after combining for 30 points in 40 minutes over the previous two games, Hill went just 5 of 14 from the field and had 13 points in 20 minutes.BORN TO BE FREEIf there was one clear difference Tuesday, it was free-throw shooting. While the Pacers went 16 of 23, the Raptors finished 27 of 34 -- an 11-point discrepancy that was accounted for almost the entire point differential.LITTLE THINGSThe short-handed Pacers have not been able to escape their injuries this season. Paul George is expected to miss the entire season with a broken right leg. C.J. Miles sat out Tuesday with a strained left groin. George Hill is still trying to play through soreness from his injured groin. But thats not what Vogel believes the problem has been. Our margin of error has been slim all year. We understand that and weve got to play better.UP NEXTRaptors: Host Sacramento on Wednesday night.Pacers: Host Knicks on Thursday night. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' ' |
|
|
