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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) Wholesale Nike Free Uk .Fucale will not only be one of the local boys, he is also a Montreal Canadiens draft pick and will have a huge cheering section when Canada opens the tournament Dec. Nike Free Shoes Uk . Canada will host the second stop on the circuit, the 2014 Skate Canada International in Kelowna, British Columbia from October 31 - November 2, 2014 at Prospera Place. http://www.nikefreeuk.com/ .C. -- The Edmonton Oilers used a late-power-play goal to get a hard-fought road victory. Nike Free Cheap Online . After Mondays comments by Coach Claude Noel that its work first and skill second, and that more “A” games are needed, the Jets responded with a 47-shot effort. If not for terrific goaltending by Braden Holtby the Jets would have had two points in regulation. Cheap Nike Free Uk . The government says top golfers are expected to compete in the PGA Tour event at the Ashburn Golf Club in the suburb of Fall River from July 3-6 and again next year.OAKLAND, Calif. -- One game. After a season featuring more losses than wins, thats all that separates the New York Knicks and the final post-season spot in the weak Eastern Conference standings. J.R. Smith scored 21 points, Carmelo Anthony added 19 points and nine rebounds and the Knicks moved closer to a playoff seed by beating the undermanned Golden State Warriors 89-84 on Sunday night. "We cant worry about Cleveland, Atlanta, Charlotte -- none of them guys. We control our own thing," Anthony said. "If we play like tonight and just play hard and really lock in and focus on what we have to focus on, I think well be all right." The Knicks outscored Golden State 34-12 in the second quarter to go ahead 56-44 at the half, and then held off a furious rally by Stephen Curry and the Warriors in the closing minutes. Curry scored 32 points, including a tying 3-pointer with 2:42 remaining. But he missed his last two shots from long range and also had a pass stolen on Golden States final possession. New York (31-43) is a game behind fast-fading Atlanta, which has lost six straight, for the final playoff seed. And the Knicks can credit their defence for the latest victory, holding the streaky Warriors to 35.4 per cent shooting. "Our defence finally stepped up," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. With big men Andrew Bogut and David Lee sidelined with injuries, Curry tried to keep the Warriors close. Curry connected on consecutive 3-pointers to slice New Yorks lead to 74-72 early in the fourth quarter, riling up the announced sellout crowd of 19,596 for the finishing stretch. After the Knicks went ahead 81-75, Curry & Co. roared back again. The All-Star point guard capped a 6-0 spurt with a corner 3-pointer, dancing in place after tying the score with 2:42 to play. Curry missed from long range his next time down, chasing the rebound but then forcing an errant shot while trying to draw a foul. Jermaine ONeal fouled Amare Stoudemire, who made a pair of throws to put the Knicks in front. New York forced Andre Iguodala into a miss before Anthonys pull-up jumper. Klay Thompson came back with a 3-pointer to bring the Warriors within one. Anthony hit two free throws to put the Knicks up 87-84 with 45.4 seconds left. Currys 3-point attempt over Anthony rimmed in-and-out, the Knicks grabbed the rebound but weree called for a shot-clock violation.dddddddddddd Raymond Felton closed out fast on the final possession against Curry, who double-clutched and tried to pass in the air -- only to have Shannon Brown steal the ball, make two free throws and seal a big victory for the Knicks. "If I could do it over, I probably wouldve just tried to find a way to just shoot it regardless," said Curry, who shot 10-of-21 from the floor, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range. Warriors coach Mark Jacksons team is suddenly looking like a tired and banged-up bunch at the most pivotal point of the season. Thompson finished with 15 points and nine rebounds, and Iguodala added 12 points and five rebounds for the Warriors (45-28), who are in sixth place in the tight Western Conference race. Golden State is two games behind fifth-place Portland, but only two games ahead of ninth-place Dallas -- and being out of the playoff picture entirely. Home losses to teams with losing records are piling up as fast as injuries. Bogut (bruised groin/pelvic) also is expected to miss Tuesdays game at Dallas and Wednesdays game at San Antonio -- and possibly more. The Warriors are hopeful Lee (strained right hamstring) could return during the trip after missing his second consecutive game, though the injury has kept him from even practicing lately. "We are developing and we certainly own the fact that we have lost some games that we shouldve won," Jackson said. "When you look on that floor that is a more than capable New York team that has underachieved this year, but they have talent." The game still started Golden States way. Thompson and Curry each made two 3-pointers to help the Warriors go ahead by 12 points in the opening minutes. But the Knicks outscored Golden State 34-12 in the second quarter, including a 15-0 run with Anthony on the bench to go up 56-44 at the half. It tied Golden States lowest-scoring quarter of the season. Hardaway finished with 15 points and Stoudemire had 15 points and 13 rebounds for the Knicks, who are 2-2 on their five-game road trip, which ends Monday at Utah. NOTES: The teams split the season series 1-1. ... New York hasnt won a season series over Golden State since 2000-01. ... Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob sat in a courtside seat next to rapper and Oakland native MC Hammer, who was celebrating his 52nd birthday. China NFL Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Online Stitched Hockey Jerseys Wholesale Baseball Jerseys Football Jerseys Outlet College Jerseys For Sale Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys For Sale Wholesale NFL Jerseys ' ' '