Gäste-Forum » ONeal a year earlier,

Despite losing two in a row, the Toronto Blue Jays will still be in control of the American League East once they close out a four- game series with the Chicago White Sox this afternoon. Toronto, which has posted back-to-back wins only once since the first week of June, is still 1 1/2 games in front of Baltimore for the lead in the division, with just two weeks remaining before the All-Star Break. Yesterday the Jays made things interesting in the bottom of the ninth inning when they drew to within a single run, but that was as close as the hosts would get in the 4-3 setback. Darin Mastroianni stroked his first home run of the season and plated two of his teams three runs, the other RBI coming from Munenori Kawasaki. Starting pitcher Marcus Stroman made it through 6 2/3 innings before giving way to the Toronto bullpen. The hurler allowed just two runs on a pair of hits and two walks, while striking out six. Dustin McGowan was charged with the loss, his third of the season, after permitting three runs on three hits in just one inning of action. "If you could do things over, you leave him in," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said of Stroman. "But my thinking was, he pitched his butt off, it was kind of uncharted territory, I dont want him to lose the game right there. Thats the way it goes. But you always look back on things like that. I had a plan and it just didnt work." "Its tough, because obviously I want to be out there," said Stroman. "I felt strong but Im also young, so that was Gibbys choice. "Dustin has been great for us all year, so its not like I was mad about coming out of the game. I had 100-percent confidence for Dustin to come in and get that out. Just one of those things and Im sure hell be right back to it." McGowan was charged with giving up a three-run home run by Dayan Viciedo, one of his two hits on the day. Adam Dunn added a pair of hits and two walks as well for a Chicago squad that is fourth in the AL Central, six games below .500 and 8 1/2 games out of contention. Chris Sale was credited with the win for the White Sox as he worked through seven innings, permitting just two runs on four hits, although he did have some issues with his control, issuing five walks. Sale also struck out six on the day. Zach Putnam stepped in late to collect his first save of the season. The Sox now turn their attention toward Jose Quintana, their starter for the series finale today. The left-hander had gone four outings without a win until picking up a much-needed victory on Tuesday versus Baltimore on the road. In that clash Quintana surrendered just a single run on six hits and three walks, striking out eight over the course of seven innings for his fourth win of the season. When it comes to his experience against the Jays, Quintana, now in his third major league season, has a record of 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA in five starts. Going up against the Chicago batting order is former White Sox standout Mark Buehrle. Selected by Chicago in the 38th round of the 1998 draft, the left- hander started his major league career with the Sox in 2000 and remained on the staff until 2011. Now just four wins shy of 200 for his career, Buehrle has struggled of late, last earning a victory against Kansas City on the first of the month. Most recently the Missouri native went up against the New York Yankees on Tuesday, permitting four runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings, but even though the Jays eventually came away with the 7-6 win, Buehrle did not factor into the decision. Against his former Chicago team, Buehrle is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA. Chicago, which won the season series with the Jays each of the last two years, now owns a 2-1 edge in 2014 battles. Fake Nike Shoes From China . Groves signed with Cleveland as an unrestricted free agent last year after a season with Arizona. He was in the linebacker rotation and had a sack in the season opener against Miami. Nike Shoes From China . - The New Orleans Saints have re-signed receiver Joseph Morgan for one year and have agreed to a four-year deal with free agent fullback Erik Lorig. https://www.nikeshoeschina.us/. Grimes signed a $32 million, four-year contract to remain with Miami. The deal, which includes $16 million guaranteed, rewards Grimes for his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury that forced him to miss almost all of the 2012 season. Nike Shoes From China Online . Left-handed reliever Boone Logan agreed to a $16.5 million, three-year contract on Friday, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. Fake Nike Shoes . And it showed Thursday night. The Canadiens, playing in their second game in as many days, however, got a good performance in the end from their backup goaltender as he filled in for an injured Olympic gold medallist .NEW YORK -- Kobe Bryant called for younger players in the All-Star game, and the fans listened. They still want Bryant, too. Stephen Curry, Kevin Love, Paul George and Kyrie Irving were voted NBA All-Stars Thursday, putting four first-time starters in the Feb. 16 game in New Orleans. Bryant was elected by fans to his 16th All-Star game, second-most in NBA history, but this one is shaping up as a kids game. Curry, perhaps the biggest snub last season, will join him in the Western Conference backcourt. Love passed Dwight Howard in the final days of voting and will start in the frontcourt along with Oklahoma Citys Kevin Durant and the Clippers Blake Griffin. "Hey, Im popular now," Love joked. "Its very humbling to me to be starting in the All-Star game. I tip my hat to the fans in the Twin Cities and all over Minnesota and beyond." The four first-time starters are all 25 or younger. Curry went to All-Star weekend as a kid when his father, Dell, competed in the 3-point contest, and now hell finally get to play in the game. "Its kind of just a surreal feeling," Curry said. "I saw Kobe come on the screen and you knew that next person on the screen was going to be me or I was going to get left off that list. Just when I saw my name it was a real emotional kind of experience and glad my wife and daughter were here to watch it with me." LeBron James was the leading vote-getter with 1.4 million and Miami teammate Dwyane Wade also was voted in Thursday. George, who has led Indiana to the leagues best record, and New Yorks Carmelo Anthony are the other East forwards, and Irving will start at guard. Bryant has been limited to just six games this season because of injuries and will be out until at least early next month. He said recently he hoped fans wouldnt vote for him and would instead look toward younger, more deserving players. Fans picked him anyway. Only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with 19, was selected to more All-Star games.dddddddddddd But even Bryant could finish only second to Curry among West guards, a remarkable turnaround for the Golden State sharpshooter. He was the highest-scoring player not chosen last year, but moved past the Clippers Chris Paul in the third returns of balloting, then passed Bryant in the final days to finish with more than a million votes and become the Warriors first All-Star starter since Latrell Sprewell in 1995. "I understand how big a deal it is to be selected on the team," Curry said. "And just how different the feeling was from last year, having gone through that experience and just trying to get back healthy, first and foremost, to give myself a chance come All-Star selection time." Love also made a late move to surge into the top three, finishing about 8,000 votes ahead of Houston centre Dwight Howard to become Minnesotas first All-Star starter since Kevin Garnett in 2007. "I was hoping for the best and preparing for the worst, and knowing the worst was I was going to still probably end up in the All-Star game (as a coachs pick) and represent the West and the Wolves and the Twin Cities." Love said. "Right now, Im very happy." Indiana hadnt had one since Jermaine ONeal a year earlier, but now George will get to play for Pacers coach Frank Vogel, who has already clinched the Easts coaching spot. "It means a lot because that means the fans are really watching us as a team," George said. "For us to have the No. 1 record in the league, and playing at a high level, I think the fans are starting to follow us as a whole and I think thats the biggest thing with me being a starter." The reserves will be announced next Thursday. Head coaches in each conference will vote for two guards, three frontcourt players and two players regardless of position. AP Sports Writers Jon Krawczynski in Minneapolis and Antonio Gonzalez in Oakland, Calif. contributed to this report. ' ' '