Stars und Sternchen! » Theyd dropped 15 in a row in the Bronx

NEW YORK – The Blue Jays entered Thursdays series finale at Yankee Stadium losers of eight of their last 11 games. Theyd dropped 15 in a row in the Bronx dating back to 2012 and had seen their lead over their pinstriped rivals in the American League East dwindle to two and a half games. This is a slump. Its lasted for about two weeks. The downturn comes on the heels of a terrific May, when Toronto won 21 of 30 games and Edwin Encarnacion captured the imagination of fans with his 16-home run month. This is not is the end of the world, nor does this slump suggest a long-term trend. This is on the offence and thats a good thing because theres too much talent in the Blue Jays lineup for the widespread malaise to continue. To wit: The starting pitching has been fine. You could say its been good and you wouldnt be wrong. In the last 11 games, Jays starters have allowed four or more earned runs only twice and have pitched to a staff ERA of 3.71. The starting pitching was supposed to be the weakness. So far it has held up. The Jays have hit only four home runs in their last 11 games. Not surprisingly, three of the home runs came in two of the three victories. Toronto continues to lead baseball with 93 team home runs, which is crucial to the clubs attack. Of the 338 runs the Jays have scored this season, 147 (43.4 per cent) have come via the long ball. Jose Bautista hasnt hit a home run in 11 games, his longest power drought of the season. Hes still hitting for a respectable average, .275 with five of his 11 hits going for doubles, but the Jays miss his power bat as the club struggles, having scored three or fewer runs eight times in the span. This is a phase, both for the individual and for the ballclub, Bautista said, that was bound to happen. "If you can execute every single day for 162, youd probably win 140 games," said Bautista. "We dont expect to execute every single day. But we do have to pick it up. Its one thing, were running into some St. Louis good pitching, some other pitching staffs. I dont want to speak badly or worse about the Yankees or the Orioles but its not the same. We faced much better pitching at home during the last homestand than we have on this road trip, except for Tanaka, who did a tremendous job. So we shouldve won some of these games that we lost." It hasnt helped, either, that Edwin Encarnacion has hit only one home run in the last 11 games. "Weve lacked some timely hitting," said Bautista. "Our pitching has been there enough, I think, that we shouldve won some of these games that weve lost. We just need to keep going on offence. We got really hot at one point and kind of hitting a little cold spurt now. Weve just got to overcome it and not get 10 hits a day but get them when you get the baserunners on." Bautista has repeatedly acknowledged hes bought in to hitting coach Kevin Seitzers philosophy of using all fields. The slugger has become a better all round hitter. His 1,000th career big league hit, achieved in the eighth inning of Wednesday nights loss, was a double to right field. That alone would have been a story last season. This year its commonplace. "I think Im more aware of some situations where people are going to keep challenging me inside, especially when Im behind in the count or theres the right situation when theres a defensive shift," said Bautista. "Why not try to go over there and it ended up working out again? But the previous at bat I tried going that way and I hit into a force out, when Melky got forced out at second. So it works sometimes, sometimes it doesnt." Its difficult to watch a team go into a funk, especially when it had become customary for fans to watch Toronto out-slug and, often, out-pitch opponents. Despite the recent struggles, the Jays offence remains top 10 in important statistical categories: Home runs – 93 (1st)On-base percentage - .329 (5th)On-base plus slugging percentage - .760 (2nd)Walks – 243 (9th) Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping . -- Gary Harris gave No. Wholesale Jerseys Cheap . NORRIS COLE (Heat): Its funny, you watch a guy play and now really produce and it just jumps off the page at you - why? You put a young player with potential in a winning environment where there is veteran leadership, outstanding coaching and management and a way that things are done and its a wonderful environment for growth, improvement in a climate of constant accountability and expectation of achievement/production. http://www.jerseysstitchedcheap.com/.Y. - Peyton Manning made his fifth MVP award a family affair. China NFL Jerseys . His head snapped back from the impact and hit the floor. The All-Star power forward was all right afterward, a relief for the Minnesota Timberwolves. NFL Jerseys Cheap . As analysts we do the same thing, so here are some observations from week one. First there were two major upsets. I should say, major upsets in the eyes of the fans and prognosticators.(SportsNetwork.com) - The Oklahoma City Thunder and Memphis Grizzlies will play a decisive Game 7 Saturday night at Chesapeake Energy Arena for the right to move on in the Western Conference playoffs. "This is Game 7," Kevin Durant said. "And Im looking forward to it." Game 7 will be contested without Grizzlies All-Star forward Zach Randolph. He was suspended one game for punching Oklahoma Citys Steven Adams in the jaw in Game 6. The Thunder staved off elimination on Thursday with a 104-84 victory in Memphis at FedExForum. On the same day The Oklahoman ran a headline which read "Mr. Unreliable," Durant made the paper look foolish. Durant, who is expected to be named the NBAs MVP, scored 36 points and pulled down 10 rebounds. Durant posted 14 points in the first quarter and finished with 18 on 7-of-13 efficiency in the first half as Oklahoma City headed into the break with a healthy 56-41 advantage. The headline by The Oklahoman was in reference to Durants recent poor play in the series. He had been shooting just 40 percent in the series and 15-of-45 over the past two contests before Thursday. Durant was 11-of-23 from the floor, despite misfiring on all six of his attempts from beyond the arc, and finished 14-of-15 from the charity stripe for the second-seeded Thunder, who have not lost a first-round playoff series since 2010. Russell Westbrook provided 25 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three steals, while Reggie Jackson netted 16 points off the bench in the triumph. "That was 48 minutes of possession-by-possession defensivve mentality type- game," OKC head coach Scott Brooks said.dddddddddddd "Thats what we wanted to have happen going into this game. We knew we were playing in a tough place to play against a very good team. "That was the only focus for tonights game, to give your teammate everything you have and well live with the results." The Thunder are 1-0 in Game 7s since relocating to Oklahoma City. That lone victory came in 2011 when they dispatched the Grizzlies in the conference semifinals. That game was in OKC. The Grizzlies are 0-2 in Game 7s all-time with the Thunder loss and a first- round exit the following season to the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers loss was in Memphis, but the Grizzlies are on the road for this Game 7. Memphis has won two games in Oklahoma City this series. "Weve won there before, we believe that we can win there again," said Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger. "Obviously we need to get off to a quick start in their building for Game 7." Marc Gasol tallied 17 points and Randolph added 16 points and eight rebounds for Memphis, which can still become the second seventh seed to beat a No. 2 seed in a best-of-seven series on Saturday, joining the 2010 San Antonio Spurs, who beat the Dallas Mavericks. James Johnson scored 15 points in 18:14 of action and Tony Allen managed 13 points. Mike Conley only netted five points in less than 28 minutes. He left with a right hamstring injury in the fourth quarter and his availability for Saturday is unknown. "I play on playing," he said after Thursdays loss. ' ' '