become the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent. "I

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- John Gibbons asked for strike-throwers and Drew Hutchison obliged Friday. The 23-year-old right-hander, continuing to make a strong case to become Torontos fourth starter, threw 4 2/3 strong innings in the Blue Jays 3-1 exhibition loss to the Boston Red Sox. Hutchison, who was tagged with the loss, gave up one run on four hits with seven strikeouts and no walks. He retired the first eight Red Sox he faced and threw 71 pitches with 51 strikes. "An outstanding outing," said Jays catcher Dioner Navarro. "A great performance," echoed Gibbons, who nevertheless was coy on what might lie ahead for Hutchison. Pressed by reporters, Gibbons allowed: "Hes doing everything he needs to do." Hutchison returned from Tommy John surgery last fall, pitching in the Arizona Fall League. He seems on top of his game this spring. Hutchison showed his mettle in the fourth inning Friday, striking out Mike Napoli to end the inning after a lengthy at-bat that saw the Red Sox hitter foul off a number of pitches. The Jays pitcher hit 95 miles per hour during the confrontation. "Hes got more than I thought he did," said Gibbons. "And he can pop it up pretty good -- with command. Which makes the guys that are really good really good." This spring Hutchison has given up three runs and seven hits in 9 2/3 innings while striking out 16 and walking one. Opposing batters are hitting just .200 against him. Hutchison made 11 starts for the Jays in 2012 (going 5-3 with a 4.60 ERA) before injuring his arm while warming up in the bullpen for a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Throwing strikes is his modus operandi. "Thats what he does. He was good when he was here the first time before he got hurt," said Gibbons. "Thats how he pitches. The key is just being healthy." The same can be said for J.A. Happ, another would-be starter who returned Friday from an ailing back. The six-foot-six left-hander pronounced himself happy with a three-inning performance in a minor-league game. He gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two. "It was good. Exciting," said Happ. "I felt normal out there which is really nice." Said Gibbons: "I heard he pitched really well." A gaggle of pitchers is trying to join R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle and Brandon Morrow in the Jays rotation. Barring a trade, Nos. 4 and 5 will come from Hutchison, Happ, Ricky Romero, Esmil Rogers, Todd Redmond, Kyle Drabek, Marcus Stroman and Sean Nolin. Of the three main contenders, Hutchison appears to have pitched his way into the rotation. Romero is turning heads with his improved performance this spring. But Happ has had an uneasy pre-season. In two starts, he has given up six runs in just 1 1/3 innings. The back issue has further muddied the waters. Gibbons, who had yet to speak to Happ following the minor-league outing, said the major issue was making sure Happs back was healthy. Happ, in speaking to reporters, said the back was fine. The lines of communication within the Jays on Happ seem a little blurry in general. The pitcher seemed unhappy with GM Alex Anthopoulos answer late last week on whether there were one or two spots open in the starting rotation. "There could be two," Anthopoulos said at the time." I think were going to take the best team north. Especially right now, we have J.A. (Happ) and the back, the performance, things like that, we have to get him on track, stay healthy. "Obviously R.A., Mark and Brandon. Again, we expect J.A. to be in the rotation but at the same time the backs flared up on him twice. I just dont know. Look, if guys perform well and they force our hand, well take the best team." Asked on Friday if he had something to prove in the wake of those words, Happ replied: "I dont have any comment on that. My comment is no comment. "That was probably disappointing to hear but theres nothing I want to say about it." Happ has campaigned to be a starter since arriving here via trade and the issue appears to have left a chip on his shoulder. Last spring he found himself on the outside of the rotation looking in, until Romero pitched his way out of it. Happ eventually went 5-7 with a 4.56 ERA in 18 starts last year in a season disrupted by a nasty setback. Hit in the head by a ball off the bat of Desmond Jennings in a May game with the Tampa Bay Rays, he was out for three months with a skull fracture and a sprained right knee from when he toppled to the ground. While the Red Sox didnt bring all of their starters Friday, their lineup did included Mike Carp, Napoli and Jonny Gomes in the meat of the order. Boston finally got to Hutchison in the fifth. Gomes singled and came home on Corey Browns double to deep centre. The relay throw by Ryan Goins was a little high, allowing Gomes to score. The Red Sox added two more in the eighth before Jonathan Diaz scored on a Kevin Pillar double in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 3-1. Boston starter Clay Buchholz was also impressive, holding the Jays scoreless on two hits in four innings. After giving up two singles to open the first inning, he retired 11 straight for the win. The 29-year-old right-hander went 9-0 with a 1.71 earned-run average ERA in his first 12 starts last season before going on the disabled list for more than three months with shoulder and neck problems. He returned in September, finishing with a 12-1 mark and 1.74 ERA. The loss was the third straight for Toronto, which slipped to 6-9. Boston improved to 7-8. The game drew a sellout of 5,519 on a sunny 20 C day at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Wholesale NHL Jerseys China . 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Perhaps their first trip to the city of Winnipeg in 16 years can serve as the shakeup they need.LOS ANGELES -- Bermane Stiverne completed his long journey to a heavyweight title with one more punishing victory. Stiverne stopped Chris Arreola in the sixth round Saturday night, claiming the WBC heavyweight title belt vacated by Vitali Klitschko. Stiverne (24-1-1, 21 KOs), who was born in Haiti but grew up in Montreal, dropped Arreola twice in the sixth, and he was punishing Arreola again when referee Jack Reiss stopped the fight with 58 seconds left in the round. The Klitschko brothers had held every major heavyweight title for the past six years. Vitalis retirement into Ukrainian politics in December opened the WBC belt for the 35-year-old Stiverne, a late bloomer who hasnt lost in 13 consecutive fights. After beating Arreola by decision last year, Stiverne hadnt fought in nearly 13 months while waiting for Klitschkos decision to retire. The wait was worth it. "I studied and studied," Stiverne said. "I watched my opponent. I knew I could knock him out. ... I was patient. The plan was to let him get comfortable, and he soon as he gets real comfortable, then crack him. And thats what I did." Stiverne dropped Arreola (36-4) for the first time with a sweeping right hand to Arreolas left temple, sending Arreola wobbling and crashing to the canvas. Arreola rose and kept fighting, but Stiverne put him headfirst into the ropes moments later with another combination. After Reiss stopped the fight, Stiverne wept with the WBCs green belt around his shoulder while promoter Don King celebrated at the Galen Center on USCs downtown campus. "I knew it was a wrap," Stiverne said. "The way I trained, I knew I could knock him out because Ive got the power." Stiverne won a lop-sided decision over Arreola last April, breaking Arreolas nose in the third round. Arreola, who acknowledged training poorly for that fight, felt he lost the rematch when he got hit by the same punch that finished the first fight. "He has a tremendous right hand, thats exactly what it was," Arreola said. "I felt like I was winning the fight. He just got me with the same right hand. Couldnt get away from it, and after that, its all she wrote.ddddddddddddquot; The well-travelled Stiverne, who fought for Canada as an amateur boxer and trained in Florida earlier in his pro career, worked out of Floyd Mayweathers gym in Las Vegas for this bout. He is the first heavyweight champion of Haitian descent and the first champ not named Klitschko since Samuel Peter, who was stopped by Vitali Klitschko in 2008. Wladimir Klitschko, who holds the other three major heavyweight titles, is eager to claim all four belts by fighting the winner. But before that lucrative bout, Stiverne must fight unbeaten Deontay Wilder, the U.S. Olympic bronze medallist and the WBCs mandatory challenger. "With all due respect, I dont give a damn about Wilder or Klitschko right now," Stiverne said. "Right now, its about what I won." Arreola has lost both of his shots at the WBC heavyweight title, getting pounded by Vitali Klitschko in 2009 just up the street at Staples Center. The Los Angeles-area native was attempting to become the first heavyweight champion of Mexican descent. "I could have got back up plenty of times," Arreola said. "Was the fight stopped a little early? I believe so. But then again, the referee is there to protect me from myself. But I felt like I was winning the fight." Both fighters took advantage of the small 17-by-17-foot ring at the Galen Center, which was hosting its first boxing card. Stiverne landed the biggest shots in the opening round, but Arreola dominated the second and third rounds with a withering series of combinations, trapping Stiverne against the ropes. Stiverne laughed off the punishment and allowed Arreola to keep moving forward, content to counterpunch. "I wasnt hurt," Stiverne said. "He actually punched me, my mouth was open, and he busted my lip. I was trying to find out if there was food or something in my teeth, but it was my lip. He didnt hurt me in the head." Stiverne hasnt lost since July 2007, when he was stopped by Demetrice King. He fought to a majority draw with Charles Davis in 2009, but has stopped five of his last seven opponents. ' ' '