Louis.This year they clinched their division title Sept. 16 an

TORONTO – The Blue Jays entered their three-game series with the American League Central-leading Tigers losers of five of six, a slide thats dropped the club five games behind the Orioles for the division lead and a half-game behind the Royals in a cluttered race for the second wild card spot. Charlotte Hornets Shirts . The team is battered, without Brett Lawrie (oblique) for most of the rest of the regular season while eagerly awaiting the returns of Adam Lind (foot) and Edwin Encarnacion (quadriceps). The Blue Jays dodged a bullet with Melky Cabrera, who played on Friday night despite being hit by a pitch on the right elbow in the first inning the night before. Then theres the opponents starting pitching, a veritable murderers row of three consecutive Cy Young award winners. They are, in order: the Tigers Max Scherzer (Detroit – 2013) and David Price (Tampa Bay – 2012), along with the Mariners Felix Hernandez (Seattle – 2011). Thanks a lot. "Were just going to take it one game at a time," said shortstop Jose Reyes. "We know the next couple of games are going to be tough because were going to face some good pitching but we have our plan, we have our approach. Were just going to go to home plate with the same mentality, looking for a good pitch and try to put the best swing on the ball and try to go from there because we know its not going to be easy." Missing one-third of their starting lineup, three of the most important bats and Lawries plus defence, Toronto is treading water in an increasing cluttered wild card race. The Jays entered Fridays action in a three-way tie with the Yankees and Mariners, nipping at the Royals heels. Its reached the point when the club can ill afford another protracted slide. As time passes by, it becomes less about the number of games by which you trail the wild card leader and more about how many teams there are between. A two or a three-game deficit can seem like a mountain when a club has to leapfrog multiple others. Reyes has a better solution. "We want to win the division," said Reyes. "Getting the second wild card is nothing. We want to win our division. Thats the main goal for us. We know were missing some key pieces in our lineup but we have to deal with what we have here. If everyone continues to contribute were going to be fine." CABRERA OKAY Jose Reyes arrived at Rogers Centre on Friday afternoon and when he checked the lineup, he saw Melky Cabreras name underneath his own. He breathed a sigh of relief. "Theres no doubt we need Melky in the lineup if we want to continue to win," said Reyes. "Melkys been one of, if not the most consistent player in our lineup so we need him back." Cabrera went 1-for-5 with a single and an RBI on Friday night. He tried wearing a bulky elbow protector during batting practice – think Barry Bonds – but opted for a less obstructive wrap. LIND UPDATE Adam Lind wasnt in the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays lineup on Friday afternoon. He went 2-for-2 in his first minor league rehabilitation game on Thursday but felt tightness in his back. Lind has a history of back issues. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said the expectation still is for Lind to return to the lineup sometime next week. D. J. Augustin Jersey . Kadri was dressed in a green jersey at Thursdays practice and skated as an extra forward on the teams fourth line as the Leafs. Charlotte Hornets Gear . Hattestad managed to avoid the carnage midway through the mens final, as a crash took out three skiers, essentially leaving two men vying for gold. The Norwegian posted a time of 3:38.39, outlasting Swedens Teodor Peterson, who took silver with a time of 3:39. https://www.cheaphornets.com/135l-alonzo-mourning-jersey-hornets.html . Forward Iker Muniain scored the winner in the 70th minute after Bilbaos incessant pressure recovered the ball and sparked a counterattack inside Barcelonas half. Neymar was once again tagged to pick up Messis goal-scoring duties, but when he wasnt frustrated by slippery footing Bilbaos defence got the better of him.WASHINGTON - For the second time in three seasons, the Washington Nationals will head to the post-season with the top seeding in the National League.They hope they can take advantage of that status this year.The NL East champion Nationals locked up home-field advantage until the World Series by beating the Miami Marlins 4-0 on Doug Fisters three-hitter in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Friday.Miami earned a split by winning the insignificant second game 15-7 with 22 hits, including Kike Hernandezs grand slam and J.T. Realmutos three-run triple. The Marlins hadnt scored at least that many runs since a 16-10 victory over the Nationals on Sept. 1, 2010, according to STATS.Washingtons record was 94-66 at the end of a long day; the last pitch was thrown 9 hours, 35 minutes after the first.Its important to have home-field advantage. If we want to get to where we want to get to, then thats important. So thats accomplished, rookie manager Matt Williams said.Only two regular members of Washingtons lineup, right fielder Jayson Werth and catcher Wilson Ramos, started Fridays second game; both sat out the opener. Werth tripled in the first inning, doubled in the second and singled in the fifth, and the right fielder also threw out Donovan Solano trying to stretch a single into a double. A homer shy of the cycle, Werth was hit by a pitch in the sixth and struck out in the ninth.Was he thinking about needing that homer in his final at-bat?I surely was. ... From T-ball on, I dont think Ive ever hit for the cycle, Werth said. I knew it was available. Especially in a blowout game, definitely wasnt trying to work a walk or anything like that.Taylor Hill (0-1) took the loss in his first major league start, allowing seven runs and 10 hits in 4 2-3 innings, but he also singled for what he said was not only his first hit in the majors but also his first hit ever in professional baseball.Believe it or not, Hill said, I had no hits prior in the minor leagues.A.J. Ramos (7-0) earned the win with a 1-2-3 eighth inning.Earlier, Solano was the only player who got a hit off Fister (16-6) a€” a pair of harmless singles in the first and fourth innings, and a triple with two outs in the ninth. Nicolas Batum Jersey. . The next batter, Casey McGehee, lined out to diving second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera to end that game.Fister threw 104 pitches, 77 for strikes, and heard a loud ovation when he jogged from the dugout to the mound for the ninth.Obviously some adrenaline, some emotions run through there, the lanky righty said. Its one of those things where you kind of take a second and you soak it in and then you get back to work.Washingtons Anthony Rendon hit a solo shot to left off wild-as-can-be Jarred Cosart (4-4 with the Marlins; 13-11 overall in 2014, including his time with the Astros) in the first for his 21st homer. Cosart walked eight.Fister had zero walks and nine strikeouts in the second shutout of his career.What really mattered, though, was sewing up the home-field edge.That was a big milestone for us, Fister said. Its always nice to be home. Youve got your home fans, weve got our own lockers, our own chairs, whatever it may be. Guys are comfortable here. And that means a lot.Then again, Washington knows full well being the highest-seeded club guarantees nothing. The Nationals led the majors with 98 wins in 2012, but were eliminated in the NL division series by wild-card St. Louis.This year they clinched their division title Sept. 16 and have gone 7-3 since then in the push for the NLs top record.They have everything they need over there to win a World Series, Cosart said.At 77-83, the Marlins could finish anywhere from second to fourth in the NL East, but they know they wont finish last.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: CF Denard Span returned to action for the first time since leaving Tuesdays game after a diving, tumbling catch that left his right knee scraped and sore. Span started Fridays first game, going 1 for 4 with a walk. Afterward, he said he felt rusty but fine. ... Zimmerman started the opener, playing left field for the second day in a row. He struck out as a pinch hitter in the second game.UP NEXTWilliams said the Nationals will stick to their planned starting pitchers this weekend, including RHP Stephen Strasburg (13-11, 3.23 ERA) for a final pre-playoffs tuneup Saturday against Marlins RHP Nathan Eovaldo (6-13, 4.44). ' ' '

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