NEWS » rk and its showing.NEWCOMERS COME

The first time the Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays met this season, each teams situation was a lot different than it is now.The Athletics were on a roll. When they beat the Blue Jays 8-5 on the opener of a three-game series at Rogers Centre on April 22, they increased their winning streak to six games to go to 10-7 and they were 7-0 on the road.The Blue Jays dropped to 8-10 as they were slow out of the gate in defense of their American League East title.Sonny Gray was the winning pitcher that night. He has not won since, and emerges from the All-Star break at 3-8. The losing pitcher was Aaron Sanchez, who has not lost since and his 9-1 record earned him an appearance in the All-Star Game.The Blue Jays won the next two games of the series in April and hold a 2-1 edge on the season series when they visit the As for a three-game series on Friday.Toronto right-hander Marcus Stroman (7-4, 4.89 ERA) will oppose Oakland right-hander Daniel Mengden (1-4, 4.54 ERA).The Athletics left Toronto and lost 12 of their next 16 games. They lost seven of their final 10 games before the All-Star break and sit at 38-51 and are 15 games behind the first-place Texas Rangers in the American League West.I feel that the best of this team is yet to come, As third baseman Danny Valencia said. We havent played our best baseball yet.The Blue Jays still stalled around the .500 mark before entering the All-Star break on an 18-7 roll and were 51-40 at the break, third in the AL East and only two games out of first place. They currently occupy a wild-card spot and are 24-20 on the road,Our goal is still to win the division, Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson said. We feel very comfortable. I think we were seven back at the break last year and now we are just two back. We feel like we are just now starting to play our type of baseball and feel very comfortable with the position we are in and moving forward.Donaldson is in his second season with the Blue Jays. The Athletics traded him to Toronto before the 2015 season and watched from afar as he won the American League Most Valuable Player Award.In 36 games since June 1, Donaldson has hit .376/.506/.722 with 10 homers and 34 RBI.This will be his second visit to his former home ballpark.Last year when the Blue Jays visited Oakland, he was 5-for-13 with a home run, two doubles and five RBI.As first baseman Yonder Alonso has batted .307/.367/.439 with three homers and 12 RBI in 36 games since June 1.Im very optimistic and I definitely feel were not that far away, Alonso said. With that being said, weve got a lot of work to do.I think we have a chance to be a lot better in the second half, Oakland manager Bob Melvin said. We have guys back now as far as health goes. If we can stay healthy, we have the potential to have a lot better half than we had in the first half.While the As may be talking a good game of optimism, the Blue Jays have genuine hopes that they will continue their surge because they have accomplished what they have so far while Stroman has often struggled. They also have been without right fielder Jose Bautista, who has been out with turf toe since June 17 and is expected to return in late-July,Stroman has shown signs of regaining the form that made him the Opening Day starter. He is 5-4 with a 5.04 ERA in his past 15 starts but has made some adjustments and the results have been encouraging. He held the Kansas City Royals to three hits, one walk and two runs in eight innings in winning on July 6.That was as good as youre ever going to see him, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. He had everything working, really sharp. A really good breaking ball, you name it. He had starts in which he struggled, but the last two or three have been really good. I know he feels good about that, thats what weve been looking for.Stroman has faced the As once in his career, in 2014 at Oakland when he allowed three hits, three walks and no runs over seven innings. He struck out seven in the no decision and Oakland won 1-0 in 12 innings.Mengden, a 23-year-old who was called up on June 11, will get the start in the opener, replacing Rich Hill who was scratched because of a blister.Mengden will be making his seventh start. He allowed six runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings last Friday in a no-decision at Houston.Custom Edmonton Oilers Jerseys . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. Edmonton Oilers Store . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. https://www.cheapoilers.com/1865s-mike-smith-jersey-oilers.html . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. Jari Kurri Jersey . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. Dave Hunter Jersey . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half.TULSA, Okla. -- Junior Etou scored 17 points and made two clutch baskets down the stretch that helped Tulsa repel a strong Oregon State rally for a 75-64 win on Tuesday night.Junior college transfer Jaleel Wheeler added 16 points and Sterling Taplin and Pat Birt nine each in matchup of two of last years NCAA Tournament participants which were hit hard by graduation. Tulsa (2-2) shot 45 percent and outrebounded OSU 38-23, led by Etons seven boards.Tres Tinkle scored 19 points for Oregon State (2-3), JaQuori McLaughlin had 12 points and five rebounds and Drew Eubanks added 10 points and five boards.Trailing 37-22 after a tentative first half, Oregon State asserted itself early in the second, opening with a 17-3 run to pull within 40-39 on a 3-pointer by Kendal Manuel.Tulsa regained some control with a 7-0 run by Taplin, who made a 3-pointer, a free throw and then a steal and layup to push the lead back to 53-44. OSU kept chipping away and was within four when Etou answered with a 3-pointer from the left corner, then a layup on a nifty assist from Taplin, giving Tulsa a 67-58 advantage with 2:50 left.I think what we did was we shot quick shots early in the second half, said Tulsa coach Frank Haith. We got out of character on offense in the second half. They have good players and they made some shots, they got their rhythm and they got confidence, but Im proud of how we bowed our backs and didnt falter.Tulsa opened the big halftime lead despite using 12 players and changing lineups constantly. Seven players made at least one 3-pointer in the half, eight scored and Tulsa limited the Beavers to 39 percent shooting (9-23).Im proud of the way we battled back, said OSU coach Wayne Tinkle. They had 25 free throws to eight for us and had a big edge on the boards. We played with much more purpose in the second half and thats the waay we need to play, with passion, energy and purpose.dddddddddddd. I didnt see that in the first half.BIG PICTUREOregon State: The Beavers lost eight players who had played in a combined 622 games at OSU. Oregon State coach Wayne Tinkle admitted he peeled a little paint with his halftime and post-game sermons in reminding his young team of the passion and intensity it needs to demonstrate on a consistent basis.We were acting way too cool, Tinkle said. Thats not how you play at Oregon State and these young guys need to learn that.Oregon State was without guard Stephen Thompson Jr., out with a leg injury.Tulsa: The Hurricane are replacing 10 seniors and have just five players who were on the roster last year, including two who sat out (TK Edogi redshirted and Etou was a transfer from Rutgers).With 10 new players, its all about practicing, working to get better, Haith said. Weve got some high character guys who want to work and its showing.NEWCOMERS COME UP BIGNot only did Wheeler score 16 points, but freshman center Will Magnay replaced Edogi and fellow freshman Martins Igbanu at center for most of the final 10 minutes, making 7 of 8 free throws down the stretch, grabbing four rebounds and coming up with two blocks.Its nice to have the three of them and go with who has the hot hand, Haith said. Will has a big body, knows the game and has a lot of upside. Plus hell be about an 80 percent free throw shooter. Its good to have him in there when theyre fouling to get back in the game.UP NEXTOregon State: returns home for games Friday against Fresno State and Monday against Southern Oregon.Tulsa: visits crosstown rival Oral Roberts Monday. Haiths teams have yet to defeat ORU in two previous meetings. ' ' '