miaowang123: when they held five days of camp in Halifax, the t
when they held five days of camp in Halifax, the t
Having already locked up their fifth consecutive series victory, the Toronto Blue Jays will try to sweep the Tampa Bay Rays for the first time since 2010 as the clubs conclude a three-game set tonight. Justin Bethel Jersey . The Blue Jays have slugged their way to a pair of victories to open this set, pushing their winning streak to an impressive eight straight games. Tuesdays 9-6 win gave Toronto a fifth straight series victory for the first time since Sept. 17-Oct. 3, 2010 and put the club in position to sweep Tampa Bay in a three-game set for the first time since Aug. 6-8, 2010 in Toronto. Toronto has homered in 10 straight games, with Edwin Encarnacion a big part of that surge. He went deep in last nights win to match a club record for the most homers in a month with 14. That equaled Jose Bautistas mark set in June of 2012. Juan Francisco and Adam Lind also homered, while Bautista went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Torontos 13th win in 15 games. "Everybodys having fun," Encarnacion said. "You can see it on their faces. Were playing great baseball." That also holds true for starter Mark Buehrle, who picked up his Major League- leading ninth win of the season last night. He gave up four runs -- three earned -- over 6 2/3 innings. Sean Rodriguez went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Wil Myers knocked in two runs for the Rays, who had won four in a row prior to this series. Tampa Bay starter Alex Cobb came into Tuesdays start with a 21 2/2 scoreless- innings streak. He stretched that to a club-record 24 2/3 straight frames before the Blue Jays finally got to him for a total of six runs over his five- inning outing. "He was really good, moving along really nicely and all of a sudden they struck," Rays manager Joe Maddon said of Cobb. Now it will be Chris Archers turn to try and tame the Blue Jays offense and he comes in having not allowed a run in his past two outings. Archer hurled 5 2/3 frames of two-hit ball in a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels on May 16, then did not factor into Fridays decision versus Boston despite six scoreless innings. Archer scattered four hits and five walks while matching a career high with 11 strikeouts and throwing a personal high 119 pitches. Walks have been a concern for the right-hander as he has issued 19 free passes over his last five outings, but still comes in 3-2 on the year with a 4.11 earned run average. Archer, 25, is 2-0 with a 2.01 ERA in four previous meetings with the Blue Jays, beating them on April 3 after giving up two runs over six frames with seven strikeouts. The Blue Jays counter with Liam Hendriks, who made his Toronto and season debut with a 3-2 win over Oakland on Friday. The righty yielded one run on three hits and three walks, also fanning three in 5 2/3 frames. "I was given opportunities in Minnesota and I didnt capitalize on them," said the 25-year-old Hendriks, who played for the Twins from 2011-2013. "Now Ive got a different mindset coming into the season of just getting ready, getting aggressive and getting after guys early. "I think its paid dividends so far and hopefully I can continue this trend and stay up here all year." Hendriks, who was 5-0 with a 1.48 ERA in nine games this year with Triple-A Buffalo before getting recalled, faced the Rays once before while with the Twins and did not get a decision, allowing four runs over 5 2/3 frames in the start. Patrick Vahe Jersey . Dougie Hamilton and Jordan Caron scored in the first period after the Red Wings had miscues on the ice and Tuukka Rask finished with a 23-save shutout, giving Boston a 3-0 win over the Red Wings and a 2-1 series lead in their first-round series. Brandon Carr Jersey . -- Having already fallen behind because of the NFL lockout, Blaine Gabbert couldnt afford a lengthy holdout.TORONTO - Not surprisingly, Terrence Ross rookie year was filled with the highs and lows you would expect from a 21-year-old. At times he dazzled, usually with his undeniable athleticism - winning the slam dunk contest at All-Star weekend - but just as often, if not more often, he would come back down to earth with the inconsistency and mental lapses associated with most first-year players. The Raptors eighth overall pick in 2012 averaged 6.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 73 games but shot just 41 per cent from the field and saw his role minimized following the midseason trade for Rudy Gay. To his own admission, the guard was not physically or mentally prepared for the grind of an NBA season; that realization hitting him immediately in training camp a year ago. "I didnt know what to expect," he said of last years camp. "I didnt know how hard it would be, I didnt know how it would wear on your body. I think I was just kind of warn down from the whole draft process so I think that kind of took effect but this year I took time off, relaxed and came back prepared and ready to play." Now a 22-year-old sophomore, Ross knows what to expect three days into his second camp as a professional. "I feel like its easier now," he admitted Thursday after practice. "I havent been getting sore, I feel fresh, Im always loose, always ready to go [and] Im in great shape so I just feel good to go." His coaches have noticed the change but are still mindful of the challenge that faces Ross going into his second year; a challenge that will determine if hes ready to take his game to the next level. "
efensively he was competing [and] offensively he was knocking down shots," Dwane Casey said of Ross stand out practice from Wednesday. "So his thing is being consistent, bringing the consistency to his game. Thats his next step because last year was a typical rookie year, up and down." "[He] had a great start then tailed off, then bounced back again," Casey continued. "So his thing is bringing it every day and every time he steps on the floor." "But hes a great kid, hes giving everything he has, its just [the] consistency." Open Competition After three days back at the Air Canada Centre, Casey continues to rave about his teams effort level and competitive spirit early in camp. Although the Raptors third-year head coach spotted some tired legs in Thursday mornings practice - following two long days and heavy conditioning drills Wednesday evening - he has been impressed with the focus of his players. For manny of them, their roles - and in some cases their jobs - are at stake. Cheap Baltimore Ravens Jerseys. Although Casey has mixed up units over the first few days, the incumbent starting five of Gay, Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Amir Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas is fully expected to reclaim their spot above the teams depth chart. Of the 12 other players in camp, only four are holdovers from last season and with an infusion of added depth comes an open competition for second-unit minutes. "Its open," Casey stated. "Were looking for those spots. We have a lot of people who can step in and take that opportunity. There are going to be minutes there, [the starters] cant play 48 [minutes]." The Raptors ranked eighth in bench scoring for the first half of last season, getting 37.5 points per game from their reserves but dropped to 25th (27.3 points per) after the acquisition of Gay, as the starters were asked to eat up more minutes. "Were looking for that second unit and that was our nemesis [last year]," said Casey. "So whoever that second group is has to create an identity to come in and score and defend, either hold serve or increase the score, you cant go the other way." Veteran D.J. Augustin is battling rookie Dwight Buycks for the backup point guard job behind Lowry - although Augustin should have a leg up going into the season based on experience - while Ross, Landry Fields and new comers Steve Novak and Austin Daye should push for minutes behind DeRozan and Gay on the wing. Up front, Tyler Hansbrough - who has been a standout early in camp - should be the first big off the bench while Quincy Acy and Aaron Gray return but may only factor in should injuries or foul trouble occur, or if Casey chooses to stay with a big lineup. The Raptors have one final roster spot available and three camp invitees - forward Chris Wright, guards Julyan Stone and Carlos Morais - vying for it. Its still too early to say whether one has stood out above the rest, per Casey, but the performance of those three players - all on non-guaranteed deals - should determine whether the team chooses to fill that 15th spot. Off To Halifax The team will continue training camp on the east coast as they return to Halifax for two practices on Friday and an intrasquad game Saturday. Unlike last fall, when they held five days of camp in Halifax, the team wont have time for much sightseeing this time around. Aside from a players-only dinner planned for Thursday evening it will be strictly business before they head to Boston for their first of eight preseason games Monday. Wholeslae Jerseys NFL Jerseys CheapWholesale NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys Cheap Football Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap Baseball Jerseys' ' '
Add comment