NEWS » and needs three more to tie former Canadian internatio

CLEVELAND – Ask a Blue Jays fan still hesitant to believe in the team whether a 5-4, nine-game run through Baltimore, Minnesota and Cleveland would be satisfactory early in the season, and the answer likely would be in the affirmative. Air Max 270 React Pas Cher Femme . Yet its those defeats, snatched from the jaws of victory, which sting the most and Toronto had two of them on the trip. The Jays led 4-2 in the sixth inning when Aaron Loup walked the bases loaded and gave up a bases-clearing, three-RBI double to the Indians David Murphy. Cleveland had a lead it wouldnt relinquish, ultimately winning the game 6-4. The meltdown was relatively minor compared to Thursday nights eighth inning debacle in Minnesota, which saw three relievers give up six runs on just one hit and an unseemly eight walks in a 9-5 loss to the Twins. Its jarring because the Blue Jays bullpen has been consistently reliable. It raises two concerns about the pitching staff. First: the walks. Six more on Sunday afternoon for a season total of 81, which pending the behaviour of Arizona Diamondbacks pitchers in their game against the Dodgers later Sunday, ranks second-most in baseball. "The walks have killed us so far," pitching coach Pete Walker told TSN.ca before Sundays game. "I think its cost us a couple of ballgames." Walks just cost them another one. Second: with the exception of Mark Buehrle, the starting staffs inability to pitch deep into games. "Bottom line, weve got to get some innings out of our starters or our bullpen will be dead come May," said manager John Gibbons after Sundays defeat. Such was the dichotomy of Brandon Morrows performance on Sunday. His six strikeouts over five-plus innings belied the fact Indians hitters battled him throughout. Michael Bourn led off the game with a nine-pitch at-bat. He struck out. In the second, Michael Brantley put the Indians ahead 1-0 with a solo home run on the ninth pitch. An inning later, in the third, Jason Kipnis worked a full-count, 10-pitch walk. Morrow was done at 95 pitches one hitter into the sixth. He threw almost 30 per cent of his pitches (28 of 95) in those three plate appearances alone, leaving Gibbons to wish for more efficiency. "I havent been able to do it as much as I would like to," said Morrow of pitching into the sixth and seventh innings. "Today it was one long inning in the middle; without that I would have been in a better position to finish that sixth." Walker is preaching contact early in counts. He doesnt want pitchers worried about strikeout totals. He wants aggression and laments that radar gun readings are posted on electronic scoreboards. "Its trusting your stuff and really believing that your fastball is good enough that day," said Walker. "I think a couple of our guys might be down in velocity and sometimes that affects your approach. You dont see that 97 on the board and its 92, 93 and all of a sudden you dont trust that fastball in as much as you did last year." Its easy to fall in love with the radar gun and easy to forget that the Blue Jays best pitcher to this point, Mark Buehrle, no longer tops 84 miles per hour with his fastball. "I think it comes down to realizing its not the velocity, its the location," said Walker. "Your fastball is your fastball that given day and it needs to be located regardless. I think, for the most part, thats what we need to get back to and thats something were focusing on is fastball command and pitching inside a little more aggressively." Through 19 games Blue Jays starters have pitched 103 2/3 innings, averaging less than 5 2/3 innings per start. A team with playoff aspirations needs more. R.A. Dickey is presented with the next opportunity to join Buehrle in bucking the troubling trend. He starts Tuesday nights series opener at home with Baltimore. NAVARROS STRANGE ALLERGY If youve been to a Blue Jays game and noticed that Dioner Navarro kicks away the catchers box chalk outline before kneeling for first inning warm up pitches, theres a good reason. Navarros allergic to chalk. The problem dates back years to Navarros minor league days. He would come home after games with skin cracks on his hands. His wife put two and two together since Navarro would always swipe at the dirt to improve his grip, and she suggested he be tested for allergies. Now its habit for Navarro to kick away the chalk before the game begins. Air Max Tn Pas Cher Chine . An in-person hearing allows for Garbutt to be suspended for five games or longer as per the leagues Collective Bargaining Agreement. Garbutt delivered a high hit to Penner in the second period of Sundays game. Vapormax Plus Fausse . Omar Rahou made the discriminatory gesture several times while celebrating scoring a goal against Romania at Antwerp in January, UEFA said. The sanction was double the five-match ban Nicolas Anelka received from an English Football Association independent tribunal last week for the same act. http://www.outletairmaxpascher.fr/fausse-air-max-270-react.html . PETERSBURG, Fla.CARSON, Calif. - The Montreal Impacts improving defence was seconds away from stifling one of Major League Soccers hottest goal scorers Saturday night. But Erick Torres converted a volley in the 94th minute to give Chivas USA a 1-0 victory and deny the Impact a point. "Its heartbreaking," Montreal coach Frank Klopas said. "I feel for my players because they put a lot into the game. I definitely feel that we should have walked away with points. "But, sometimes, the game is cruel." Chivas USA (5-7-5) earned its third consecutive win when Torres scored his 12th goal of the season, and his fourth in four games. Marco Delgados shot ricocheted off Impact defender Matteo Ferrari to an unmarked Torres, who tapped the ball to himself with his right foot and sent a nine-yard volley between goalkeeper Troy Perkins and the right-wing post. Until Torres scored, Montreal (3-8-5) had not allowed a goal in 405 successive minutes spanning three MLS games and the Canadian Championship win against Toronto FC on June 4. Seconds after the Impact took the ensuing kickoff, referee Juan Guzman whistled the games end. The Impact had three chances to scorre. Vapormax Noir Pas Cher Chine. . In the 18th minute, an unmarked Felipe Martins chipped his 14-yard shot over the crossbar. In the 57th minute, Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy deflected Andres Romeros 27-yard shot to Jack McInerney, who also fired shot over the crossbar from nine yards. Then in the 66th minute, Kennedy used his right hand to deflect Romeros eight-yard shot into his body while on his knees. "I just felt our decision-making could have been better," Klopas said. "We had chances in transition when they were pushing forward. But once they were set, we kept forcing every play to be the perfect pass." The Impact remains the only MLS team without a win on the road. Klopas believes time is running out for his team to win away from Stade Saputo. "Now, the second half of the season is starting and every game becomes very important," Klopas said. "For us, its going to be a difficult stretch. Weve got to find ways to get points on the road. I felt tonight was a really great opportunity." Perkins made two saves and needs three more to tie former Canadian international Pat Onstad for ninth place in career saves. ' ' '