seven games to Colorado in 2001. "

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TORONTO – Jose Bautista hit a home run (his 15th), threw a runner out trying to score, lined into a triple play and was denied a catch down the right field line thanks to fan interference (although the hitter, Tony Cruz, was ruled out when the Blue Jays challenged the ruling). All in a nights work for the slugger as the Jays won a sixth-straight game, 3-1 over the St. Louis Cardinals. “I think its got to be the most eventful game Ive ever had in my career,” said Bautista. “Id like to see if anybody could find somebody else to have a game with that combination of plays. Thatd be pretty awesome.” Whats becoming clearer as the days go by is that this is a good Blue Jays team. Mediocre or bad teams dont win nine in a row, drop a couple and then respond with another win streak thats now reached six. Torontos been victorious in 20 of its last 24 games, is at or near the top of the sports key offensive statistical categories and continues to get solid starting pitching and defence. “Were playing great baseball and were enjoying a great couple of months and we need to keep doing that so we can get to the playoffs,” said Bautista. “We just need to stay with the consistency. Same approach, same effort that were putting forward every single night and its a lot of fun when youre winning. Its the first time Ive ever experienced anything like this at this level so Im enjoying it a lot as well.” Marcus Stroman won his second-straight start and improved his big league record to 3-0, hurling six-plus innings of one-run ball. After a shaky start - he allowed the run in the first, and backed by strong defensive plays by Bautista and Brett Lawrie - Stroman settled in and ended up striking out seven Cardinals. His curveball, which confounded the Royals last Saturday, made for more misery for another Missouri-based team. “Its been huge just because I dont feel like I necessarily have to throw a fastball in a fastball count,” said Stroman. “Just being able to mix it up and keep guys off balance has been pretty good this year.” When Stroman was lifted by manager John Gibbons in the seventh, the fans gave him a standing ovation. “Yeah, its pretty special,” said Stroman. “I tried to do my best tough guy impersonation and tried not to smile but it was definitely pretty special walking off. Just to go out there and put my team in a position to win was awesome.” 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ROGERS CENTRE Jimmy Key threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Ernie Whitt on Friday night. The two formed the battery for the first ever pitch thrown at SkyDome, a strike to Milwaukees Paul Molitor on June 5, 1989. It was a trip down memory lane in a stadium that so often is unfairly maligned. A technological wonder when it was built, some still see it that way. “Its a nice piece of architecture,” said Jose Bautista. “You come in here and you expect it to be kind of old and beat down and look out of place because its so old but it actually looks pretty modern from the outside looking in. I was surprised the first time I saw it. I was expecting something different. I was pleasantly surprised.” Fans old enough to remember that June night in 1989 and the four Blue Jays playoff appearances in the SkyDomes first five years may have a different opinion of the facility than the younger crowd thats yet to experience a winner. Still, fond memories abound, even those of the more recent variety. “Itd have to be probably the day that I hit the 50th home run,” said Bautista of September 24, 2010. “It was a pretty nice crowd in a day game and one of the unique features of the stadium was highlighted that day, you know, open roof on a beautiful day.” Only Cito Gaston has managed more games in Rogers Centre/SkyDome than John Gibbons. “Its an entertaining place,” said Gibbons. “Exciting, fans come here because some crazy things can happen. The ball flies. Youve got some bouncy turf. I really enjoy this place. One thing youre guaranteed, youre always going to have a game because they can close that roof.” NO QUIT When a team has won six in a row, 15 of 17 and 20 of 24 like the Blue Jays have after Fridays action, chances are resiliency is one of its characteristics. The clubs star player sees it. “Its something that I always thought, even from last year, that we never give up,” said Bautista. “We had a lot of tough games last year. We lost a lot of close games and we battled back from some blowouts and came close, not quite enough to come out with a win. I always noted that about this team where we never give up and we always fight.” Amid the wreckage of last years lost season, 32 of Torontos 74 victories were comeback wins. So far this season, the Blue Jays have 13 come-from-behind victories. RASMUS AND SANTOS UPDATES Centrefielder Colby Rasmus is nearing a return to game action as he recovers from a right hamstring injury. “Colbys doing baseball activities down (in Florida),” said Gibbons. “We figure at the beginning of the week hell probably get into a game.” Rasmus has been on the disabled list since May 13. What he originally believed wouldnt require a DL stint has turned into a near-month absence, a reminder of how uncertain muscle injuries can be. Sergio Santos threw a bullpen session before Thursdays game in Detroit. Gibbons wasnt clear on the plan moving forward. Earlier in the week the plan was for Santos to throw sides on Thursday (he did) and on Sunday and if he passed both tests, hed leave for Buffalo and a rehab assignment perhaps as early as Monday. Matthew Stafford Lions Jersey . Midfielder Daniele De Rossi and centre back Andrea Barzagli also returned to full training Tuesday after skipping a day of practice with minor problems. Tahir Whitehead Youth Jersey . What a disaster right? No, far from it. I thought last year for the Tiger-Cats was an immense success, not the ultimate success, but immense in my evaluation. http://www.shoplionsusjersey.com/women-ameer-abdullah-lions-jersey-sale/ .A. Dickey, Drew Hutchison, Mark Buehrle, Brandon Morrow, Dustin McGowan. BULLPEN: Casey Janssen, Steve Delabar, Sergio Santos, Brett Cecil, Aaron Loup, Esmil Rogers, Todd Redmond, Jeremy Jeffress. Ameer Abdullah Jersey . The biggest shock of this seasons competition was on when Watford took a 2-0 lead after 30 minutes at Etihad Stadium, only for a remarkable Aguero-led comeback by City in the final half-hour. The Argentina striker produced clinical finishes in the 60th and 79th minutes to level the score before Aleksandar Kolarov put City in front in the 87th. Alex Carter Youth Jersey . -- Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer in the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.NEWARK, N.J. -- With Martin Brodeur nearing his 40th birthday and entering the final year of his contract, this season at first had the look of a last hurrah for the New Jersey Devils goalie great. Well, the hurrah part was right. Its been one hurrah after another, reaching a high point Friday night. Brodeur made 33 saves to help the Devils defeat the rival New York Rangers 3-2 in overtime in Game 6 to advance to the Stanley Cup finals against the Los Angeles Kings. Game 1 will be Wednesday in New Jersey. After the Devils missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 1996, no one might have been put under the microscope more than Brodeur. Longtime president and general manager Lou Lamoriello certainly had questions to answer after the early-season stumble under new coach John MacLean, but Brodeur was the focal point after a so-so season nagged by injuries. Now at 40, hes back after outdueling Henrik Lundqvist in the first Eastern Conference finals between the teams since their memorable showdown in 1994. New York won that one in seven games with Stephane Matteau scoring the series-clincher in double overtime. Rookie Adam Henrique did the honours for New Jersey on Friday night with a shot from just about the same spot where Matteau scored, from the right edge of the crease. "Its been a lot of fun this season, playing on a really good team, and Im enjoying this ride," Brodeur said. "And I know what I can do, try to compete as hard as I can every night and try to give these guys a chance to win hockey games. And theyve been scoring a lot of goals for me in the playoffs so far, and its been great." Brodeur was the difference in the Devils wins in Games 5 and 6, when the Rangers controlled most of the play in the final two periods. "He was outstanding, all playoffs," Devils forward David Clarkson said. "He kept us in games, stood on his head. Its amazing to see what hes doing right now and our bench just feeds off it." Brodeur was at his best Friday with the game tied 2-all in the third period. He stopped a power-play shot by Brad Richards while prone on the ice and made a save on a shot by Artem Anisimov from between the circles. He also used his stick to poke check the ppuck off Anisimovs stick on a semi breakaway and again used his stick to deflect a pass from the boards by Carl Hagelin in the final minute of regulation just before it got to Marian Gaborik on the edge of the crease.dddddddddddd "Actually, it was fun," Brodeur said. "But at the end of the day, we were in a position that the next goal is going to win. So in my head, the overtime started in the third period. And thats the way I approached the third period coming in. So every save was important. Every shot that we took on Lundqvist was important." Lamoriello enjoyed it, too. Any win over the Rangers is a good one for Lou. "It was two competitive teams that worked very hard at their game and paid a price for success," Lamoriello said in a phone interview with The Associated Press on Saturday. "This was a very competitive series. Put aside the rivalry, it was a competitive series." He scoffed when asked about Brodeur performing so well at 40. He pointed out that some 30-year-old people act like they are 50, and vice versa. He said the same holds true for athletes, adding athleticism and genetics also play a part. "(Brodeur) is just a real thoroughbred athlete," Lamoriello said. "He loves the game. His mind is 100 per cent there and he feels good. Its Mariano Rivera." Brodeur refused to compare this Devils team to the ones that won Cups in 1995, 2000 and 03, or to the one that lost the Cup in seven games to Colorado in 2001. "Every team writes its own story," the Montreal native said. "I was fortunate to be part of great teams that had success, and I was part of great teams that didnt have success. ... Its not just a one-man show out there. A lot of guys are contributing, and theres a good feeling. But until you finish out these playoffs, well see then." Up next will be the Kings. They have posted a 12-2 record in beating Vancouver, St. Louis and Phoenix, the top three seeds in the Western Conference. The Devils were given Saturday and Sunday off while the coaches worked on their game plan. "They have played well at home and away and we just have to take a step back," Lamoriello said. "We havent seen much of them except the games on TV." cheap nfl jerseys cheap jerseys cheap jerseys cheap nfl jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '