Schwarzesbrett » the league. Nolasco struggled badly in his first year.

TORONTO - September baseball can be particularly challenging for a player coming back from injury. The minor league affiliates wrap up their regular seasons on or around Labour Day, leaving returning players with no option but to find their offensive timing against the sports best pitchers. "Im hoping itll be the first at bat," said Colby Rasmus before Fridays 5-3 loss to the Orioles. "I feel good. My swing feels good and thats all Im worried about right now. The timing will come. Im just going to get up there and try to pretend like I havent even missed any games and go out there and just play a ballgame and have fun." Little did he know hed be pleased with the result. After popping out to Baltimore third baseman Manny Machado on the third pitch of his first at bat, Rasmus stepped up in the fifth and launched his 19th home run of the season to give Toronto a 3-0 lead. With the game tied 3-3 in the seventh, Rasmus singled to put Blue Jays at the corners with one out. Rasmus would be stranded and Toronto wouldnt score in the inning. Rasmus returned from a strained left oblique, which cost him 29 games. ENCARNACION RETURNS Edwin Encarnacion was back in Fridays lineup after missing five games with a sore left wrist. Hes four home runs shy of a second-straight 40-home run season. "I dont think about that," said Encarnacion. "I dont think about getting 40 home runs. Im just thinking about trying to be healthy, trying to finish the season playing and I dont think about whether Ill get two more or three more, whatever. If I get it, its good. If not, its all right." Encarnacion went 0-3 with a walk and a run scored. REDMOND GOES DEEP Todd Redmonds 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball marked the longest start of his major league career. DAVIS IN EXCLUSIVE COMPANY Chris Davis hit his 50th home run of the season in the eighth inning, breaking a 3-3 tie. In doing so, Davis launched himself into rarified air, joining only Babe Ruth (1921 - 59/44) and Albert Belle (1995 - 52/50) to hit 50 home runs and 40 doubles in a single season. The home run was Davis seventh against the Blue Jays this year and 16th against Toronto since the start of the 2012 season. "Hes having a great year," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "Hes so strong, he hits them anywhere. It has nothing to do with the park here. You know, some guys will get some cheapies here but he doesnt get any cheapies. The thing that makes him so good is that he hits them anywhere. Even in that home run hitting contest in the All-Star Game he was the only guy hitting some home runs to the opposite field. Hes dangerous." ORIOLES NEED WINS Fridays win was crucial for the Orioles, who arrived in Toronto having lost the final three games of a four-game series, at home, with the New York Yankees. Baltimore entered play on Friday 2.5 games behind Tampa Bay for the final wild card spot. Both the Yankees and Indians are ahead of the Orioles but behind the Rays. Manager Buck Showalters club needs to turn things around. "Its why we do what we do," said Showalter. "A game in April has the same impact mathematically but because of the dwindling opportunities I think it creates a little more emotion about it, I guess." Baltimore is embarking on its final road trip of the season. After three in Toronto, the Orioles will visit the Red Sox for three and the Rays for four games. The season ends with a six-game homestand; three each against the Jays and the Red Sox. "Its why we all get up in the morning," said Showalter. "Proud that they are meaningful games but we need to win some more to have it continue that way." Fake Soccer Jerseys . Top-ranked Rafael Nadal was also taken to three sets but emerged with a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 win over Tobias Kamke of Germany, while second-seeded David Ferrer joined Murray in making an early exit after a 6-4, 7-5 loss to Daniel Brands of Germany. Clearance Soccer Jerseys .The long-haired pivot, who joined the Alouettes midway through the CFL season and put up a 9-3 record as a starter, will be listed as the top quarterback in training camp next spring.With a full training camp under his belt, the Alouettes will see if he has what it takes to get them back to the Grey Cup game after a four-year absence. https://www.soccerjerseyschina.us/ . Sam, who joined the Cowboys in early September, has spent the entire season on the practice roster. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys . - Skiing far more aggressively than in her season debut a day earlier, Lindsey Vonn was in provisional 10th place after the first 45 skiers in a World Cup downhill on Saturday. Cheap Soccer Jerseys . Maximilian Arnold put Wolfsburg ahead in the eighth minute, when the stationary Fallou Diagne allowed him to guide Patrick Ochs cross beyond the helpless Freiburg goalkeeper, and Ivica Olic doubled the lead three minutes later after Luiz Gustavo did well to set him up.MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Twins and free-agent right-hander Ervin Santana were working Thursday to finalize a four-year, $55 million contract, according to two people with direct knowledge of the deal.The agreement was reached in San Diego at baseballs winter meetings. The two people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract had not yet been signed. Included in Santanas guarantee is a $1 million buyout of a fifth-year option on the deal.The Twins again brought a need for better starting pitching into the off-season, and Santana has been one of the steadiest around. Over the last five years, Santana averaged 12 wins, 207 innings and 164 strikeouts while making 30 or more starts each season. The Twins pursued him a year ago, but he held out until March and signed with Atlanta for one season and $14.1 million.Santana, who turns 32 Friday, was 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA in 31 starts for the Braves last year.The Twins spent aggressively on starting pitching last winter, signing free agents Ricky Nolasco ($49 million), Phil Hughes ($24 million) and Mike Pelfrey ($11 million), who had previously joined the team for 2013 on a one-year deal. Nolasco was given the richest contract for a free agent in Twins history.The Twins have had the worst collective ERA by their starting pitchers in the major leagues the last two seasons (5.06 in 2014 and 5.226 in 2013), and only the Colorado Rockies were higher than their 5.dddddddddddd40 mark in 2012. Hughes was a major upgrade for the group last year, posting a 3.52 ERA and a 16-10 record with 186 strikeouts in 209 2-3 innings. But other than Kyle Gibson, who was up and down in his second season in the majors, the Twins offered little resistance to hitters around the rest of the league. Nolasco struggled badly in his first year.General manager Terry Ryan said last week that the rotation was the priority for yet another winter.Weve had a struggle on the mound so well continue to look at pitching first, Ryan said.Santana was picked for the All-Star game in 2008, his fourth of eight seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, who traded him to the Kansas City Royals for 2013. Because Santana turned down a qualifying offer from the Braves, his signing comes with draft-pick compensation. The Twins must forfeit their second-round selection next year.With Santana, Hughes, Gibson and Nolasco in line for the first four spots, Pelfrey will likely compete in spring training with prospects Trevor May and Alex Meyer for the fifth slot in the rotation with Tommy Milone also in the mix. Santana has made three career starts at Target Field, going 2-0 with a 3.10 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 20 1-3 innings.___AP Sports Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report from San Diego. ' ' '