Clan-Members » job security. Hes under contract throug

CLEVELAND -- R.A. Dickeys knuckleball can be puzzling. Same for the Blue Jays. Expected to contend this season in the AL East, Toronto was held to two hits by rookie Danny Salazar -- making his big league debut -- and the up-and-down Blue Jays lost 4-2 to the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday. After winning 11 straight, the Blue Jays have gone 6-11 and remain stuck in last place in arguably baseballs toughest division. "Were around that edge," manager John Gibbons said. "Weve got to start winning some games." Dickey (8-10) was in control for five innings, but the right-hander lost command of his tricky pitch in the sixth, when he hit a batter, walked two and gave up an RBI single to Lonnie Chisenhall. A year ago at the All-Star break, Dickey was 12-1 and on his way to winning the NL Cy Young Award. This season, hes never been dominant and has only recently been effective. "The last four or five weeks Ive really felt good," Dickey said. "Ive had one rough start in there, but other than that Ive really been good as far as the way Ive felt. I anticipate a pretty strong (second) half." Salazar pitched six superb innings -- he held Toronto without a hit for the first five -- and overpowered the Blue Jays, who struggled to catch up to a fastball that registered 99 mph on the stadium radar gun. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out seven and showed poise from his first pitch to his last. The Blue Jays have been struggling against any pitcher lately. They were shut out in the series opener and needed a late rally to pull out Wednesdays win. Toronto scored just seven runs in the series, and one of the ALs most powerful teams -- the Blue Jays are second in homers -- didnt hit one long ball. "We didnt hit a home run in the series," Gibbons said. "When you look at it, when we win, we hit home runs. Our bats have gone cold in the last week. Weve had some spurts but overall were not swinging it real well." Salazar was brought up for just one start. Hes headed back to Triple-A Columbus, but it may not be long before Salazar is back in Cleveland on a more permanent basis. "We think the kid has a very bright future," Francona said. Chris Perez gave up a run in a shaky ninth but got his 11th save as the Indians beat Dickey for the second time this season. Asdrubal Cabrera homered in the first off Dickey and Chisenhall drove in a run in Clevelands two-run sixth, which began with Dickey hitting Michael Brantley. Dickey then walked Ryan Raburn, and one out later, he walked slumping Mark Reynolds. Chisenhall then hit a blooper to left with the bases loaded that hung in the air long enough that the runners had to freeze. When it dropped, Brantley sprinted home and left fielder Rajai Davis, thinking he had a chance at a forceout at home, sailed his throw to the backstop. The ball ricocheted toward the plate, and Raburn scored from second before the Blue Jays could retrieve it. "He air-mailed it," Gibbons said of Davis throw. Dickey was more upset with a few of his own tosses that inning. "The one that hit Brantley took off," Dickey said. "It went straight left. It wasnt a bad knuckleball. The walk to Raburn is the one at-bat the whole day I wish I could have had back." Jose Bautista hit an RBI double in the sixth for Torontos only run off Salazar, who acknowledged being nervous during his pregame bullpen warmup. But once on the mound, Salazar was unflappable -- and for a while, unhittable. "We couldnt do anything with Salazar," Gibbons said. "Hes got a great arm. I tip my hat to the young kid." Salazar held Toronto without a hit until the sixth, when Josh Thole, batting just .108 slapped a 1-2 pitch into left. Salazar received a nice ovation from Cleveland fans, who havent seen many quality starts lately. Munenori Kawasaki sacrificed and Salazar retired Jose Reyes on a liner to second. Bautista tied it at 1 with a double. Down three, the Blue Jays rallied and made it interesting against Perez in the ninth. With two outs, Adam Lind doubled and Colby Rasmus hit an RBI single to make it 4-2. Perez walked pinch-hitter J.P. Arencibia and Davis followed with a liner to left that Brantley snagged in front of the warning track for the final out. Toronto didnt string many hits together in the series and Bautista (1 for 11) and Edwin Encarnacion (1 for 10) went a combined 2-for-21. "Those are the guys the team revolves around but two guys cant do it all the time," Gibbons said. We were in that game but we couldnt get that key blast." NOTES: Blue Jays INF Brett Lawrie (sprained left ankle) played his second straight game at second base on a minor league rehab assignment at Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday. Lawrie has played third since joining the Blue Jays in 2011, but the team is considering a position change when he comes off the disabled list. ... Jays OF Melky Cabrera (sore left knee) will begin a rehab assignment Friday with the Bisons. Hes been on the DL since May 27. ... The Jays will finish the unofficial first half with three games in Baltimore. Toronto is 17-25 inside its division.Adidas Nmd Mens Clearance . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Adidas Nmd Wholesale China . -- Whether Jeremy Hill deserves a prominent role in LSUs offence this early in the season is a matter for debate. http://www.cheapnmdsneakersireland.com/adidas-nmd-mens-cheap-ireland.html . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Adidas Nmd Shoes Near Me .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. Adidas Nmd Wholesale China .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore.ATLANTA -- Coach Paul Johnson isnt concerned with low expectations at Georgia Tech.Its nothing new: Since Johnson took charge of the Yellow Jackets eight years ago, theyve been ranked in The Associated Press final poll just three times, and this season hardly looks promising.Were not at a place where were going to have all these All-Americans and you just reload, he said. Youve got to do it with blue collar and work ethic and that kind of thing. Hopefully it was a lesson a year ago.Georgia Tech is coming off a 3-9 record, 1-7 in the ACC, and missed out on a bowl game for the first time since 1996. The Jackets have been picked to finish sixth in the Coastal Division.Not exactly inspiring stuff, but Johnson has tried to use the lack of respect to his teams advantage.He routinely tells the players that outsiders insist Georgia Tech cant compete on the same level with Georgia and other major programs that border the state.If you look, youre surrounded by programs with double the budgets and all the things, he said. You have to have a chip on your shoulder to survive. Youre not the same in a lot of areas with the (programs) they want to compare you with.Johnson seems to have the players attention.Coach Johnson has definitely brought that up, senior kicker Harrison Butker said.After beating Georgia, advancing to the ACC title game and winning the Orange Bowl two years ago, Johnson thinks some players mistakenly believed they were better than they were.When people are telling you (that) youre really good and you ought to run right through this and run right through that, our guys have historically not handled that very well here, Johnson said.HANGING IN THERESenior quarterback Justin Thomas is eager to playy alongside some familiar faces this year.ddddddddddddAfter a sensational 2014 season, Thomas statistics and confidence took a hit last season as the injuries mounted across the offense.Weve all come together closely, and I think a lot of guys know what to expect and what to do, Thomas said. Its not just me. Weve got a whole lot of guys on both sides of the ball being more vocal.NOT-SO-HOT SEATJohnson doesnt appear to have concerns about his job security. Hes under contract through 2020, and it would cost the school over $9 million to buy out the last three years of his deal. Georgia Tech also is searching for a new athletic director after Mike Bobinski left last week for Purdue.SEASON OPENERThe Jackets begin Sept. 3 against Boston College in Dublin, Ireland. Senior center Freddie Burden has told his teammates to consider the long trip a blessing.I almost kind of look at it as making up for our bowl game we missed last year, he said. Its going to be a fun, exciting time. Everybodys hyping it up. Guys are excited to play. I think its everybodys first time going to Ireland and a lot of guys first time flying overseas and being in a different country.KEY GAMESAt Clemson Sept. 22, vs. Miami Oct. 1, at North Carolina Nov. 5, at Georgia Nov. 26Johnson is 5-4 against Clemson, including the vacated 2009 ACC title game victory. Former Georgia coach Mark Richt is now working in the same capacity with Miami. Johnson says last season turned on a lost fumble against North Carolina.Each year, no game is bigger for Tech than the annual matchup with Georgia.PREDICTION5-7 overall, 3-5 ACC. ' ' '