Join us » r two easy wins at home to start the season

(Sports Network) - The Toronto Blue Jays look to earn a split of their two game series against the San Francisco Giants when the two clubs meet this afternoon. The Blue Jays wasted a solid effort in the return of starting pitcher Josh Johnson, who was in action during yesterdays 2-1 loss, for the first time since April 21 because of a biceps injury. Johnson allowed two runs -- one earned -- and six hits in seven frames against the Giants, struck out six and did not walk a batter. Johnson surrendered a crucial homer to Torres early on. "If he hits it out there, you have to tip your cap to him," Johnson said of Torres homer that cleared the wall in center field. "Thats a pretty deep part of the ballpark." Johnson, though, said he felt good to get back to work despite the loss. "It felt good to be out there and to go to battle with these guys," he said. "Unfortunately I made a couple of mistakes I cant take back but they were huge." Toronto, which has lost four of five games, got on the board first thanks to Edwin Encarnacions solo home run in the first inning. Encarnacion has homered in back-to-back games and has three in the past four. Former Giants All-Star outfielder Melky Cabrera was back in the bay area for the first time and finished 2-for-4 at the plate. Cabrera, of course, was suspended last season for violating the leagues substance abuse policy and has been recently linked to a Florida clinic for performance-enhancing supplements. Ryan Braun, Nelson Cruz and Alex Rodriguez have also been included in the report on the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic. In other Toronto news, shortstop Jose Reyes, who hasnt played since April 12, is coming along in his recovery with a left ankle injury. According to the clubs website, Reyes has been traveling with the team and performing daily strengthening drills. He is expected to begin a rehab assignment in a couple of weeks. "Its close, not that far away," Reyes told the teams site Tuesday. "The biggest thing is to be able to go out and run the bases on back-to-back days and go from there. If Im able to do that, even if Im not 100 percent I feel like I can help this ballclub. "Even at 85 to 90 percent, Im going to be on the field and Ill go to do my assignment and get back here as soon as possible." After the Jays wrap up this quick set in San Francisco, they will return to Rogers Centre for a three-game weekend set versus the Texas Rangers. it has been a rough two starts for Jays starter R.A. Dickey and he will take the mound Wednesday afternoon in hopes of turning his season around. Dickey has allowed six runs in each of his last two outings, going 0-2 with an 8.53 earned run average in that time, and is only 2-5 in his past seven decisions. Dickey was hammered at Atlanta on Thursday and gave up six runs and 11 hits in six innings of an 11-3 setback. "It hurts, because I felt like I was missing barrels today," Dickey said. "I might have given up four hard-hit balls all night. It was just tough. It seemed like every ball off their bat would find a hole somewhere or a little space in the outfield." The knuckleballer is 4-7 with a 5.18 ERA in 12 starts and has pitched at least six innings in 11 of those. Dickey, who is 1-3 in five road starts, defeated San Francisco on May 14, when he struck out a season-high 10 batters over six innings of two-run ball in a 10-6 win. The right-hander and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner is 1-1 with a 3.81 ERA in four career starts against the Giants. Meanwhile, the Giants took the opener of this two-game set as Andres Torres two-run homer in the second inning stood as the game-winning hit and Tim Lincecum put together seven innings of one-run ball on the mound. He struck out six batters and issued just three hits and one walk. "Working my fastball to both sides of the plate, that was the biggest thing today," Lincecum said. "It opened up my secondary pitches. I expanded the zone and tried to stay aggressive." Lincecum had dropped his previous three starts. Jeremy Affeldt worked around a hit during a scoreless eighth inning and Sergio Romo did the same in the ninth for his 16th save. Gregor Blanco had a team- high two hits for the Giants, who were coming off Sundays 4-2 win over St. Louis and have prevailed in consecutive games since dropping two in a row and five of six. The defending World Series champion Giants are still two games behind Arizona for the NL West lead and will start a nine-game road trip Friday against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Giants catcher Buster Posey finished 1-for-4 on Tuesday and is the leading vote-getter in NL All-Star balloting. Third baseman Pablo Sandoval also leads the Senior Circuit in votes at his position and was back in action Tuesday after missing the weekend series against the Cardinals with a strained left foot. Sandoval was 0-for-3 versus the Blue Jays. Giants veteran starter Barry Zito was able to halt a personal winless streak his last time out and looks to build on a strong performance Wednesday versus the Jays. Zito was 0-2 with a 4.64 earned run average in six starts before holding Oakland to a run and three hits in six innings of Thursdays 5-2 win. Zito had given up 14 runs in his previous three starts and managed to defeat the Athletics despite having six walks to five strikeouts. The left-hander and 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner was rocked at Toronto on May 14 in a 10-6 loss and yielded eight runs -- five earned -- and 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Zito, who is 4-0 in seven home starts this season, has a 5-4 mark to go along with a 3.82 ERA in 12 career starts against the Blue Jays. The Giants are 7-0 when Zito toes the rubber at AT&T Park this season. San Francisco lost both of its meetings in Toronto from May 14-15 and is just 2-5 in the past seven matchups between the teams. The Giants were outscored, 21-9, in those two games north of the border. Vapormax Plus White Sale . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Vapormax Plus Store . Here are his mid-season NBA awards. MVP: (KEVIN DURANT-Thunder) - Has been sensational this season and more importantly, the most consistent player in the league. Considering that his team has been without star guard Russell Westbrook and with the free agent departure of sharpshooter Kevin Martin, hes had to carry the majority of the load to not only keep his team afloat but more importantly, at an elite level. http://www.airmaxplusstoresale.com/ .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Air Max Plus Tn Red . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. Black Tns Sale . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Southern California guard DeAnthony Melton played like a silky-smooth veteran down the stretch at Texas A&M, prompting a gentle reminder from Trojans coach Andy Enfield afterward.Hes a true freshman, in the third game of his college career, and we were on the road, Enfield said with a smile.Melton could have fooled the Aggies, late in the Trojans 65-63 comeback victory before a stunned crowd on Friday night. The 6-foot-4 Melton knocked down a 3-pointer with 2:07 remaining to close A&Ms lead to 62-60, and with 12 seconds left he stole the ball from A&M point guard JC Hampton to help preserve the victory.He has an uncanny ability to make plays at crucial times, Enfield said.Melton scored four of his eight points in the last two minutes, Chimezie Metu had 14 points and Jordan McLaughlin added 13.The Aggies (2-1) led 63-60 with 58 seconds remaining when the Trojans (3-0) closed with a flourish. Bennie Boatwright made two free throws with 45 seconds remaining to tighten the gap to 63-62. Hampton then drove the lane and missed a short jump shot, and Boatwright missed a 3-point attempt on the ensuing possession. But McLaughlin grabbed the offensive rebound, and Metu followed with a dunk to lift the Trojans to a 64-63 lead they wouldnt relinquish.We made youthful mistakes that Ive got to get them better at, said A&M coach Billy Kennedy, who had to replace four senior starters from last years NCAA tournament Sweet 16 team.Following Metus dunk Hampton dribbled the ball up court with 17 seconds left, but Melton swiped the ball from behind, and Admon Gilder fouled Melton when he drove to the basket with 11 seconds left. Melton made his first free throw but missed his second, and A&M guard D.J. Hoggs 3-point attempt from the top of the key missed the mark at the buzzer.We made some mistakes, and in life when you make mistakes sometimes you pay, A&M forward Tonny Trocha-Morelos said. We made mistakes, and USC took advantage.Hogg led the Aggiies with 17 points, and Trocha-Morelos added 15.dddddddddddd USCs Elijah Stewart had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Metu grabbed 10 boards.Texas A&Ms front line is just outstanding, Enfield said of the Aggies size and athleticism down low. So to hold them to 38 percent shooting and out-rebound them (47 to 44) was terrific on our part.BIG PICTUREAfter two easy wins at home to start the season, the Trojans showed plenty of resiliency in their first time on the road, overcoming a late deficit in front of a hostile crowd. A&M coach Billy Kennedy said he believes USC is an NCAA Tournament team, and the Trojans looked like it on Friday.The Aggies are young and it showed. Freshman forward Robert Williams has been a dynamo around the basket, but a couple of errant long shots late in the game showed he still has a lot to learn. That goes for plenty of his underclassmen teammates, as well.UP NEXTTexas A&M goes on the road for the first time on Thursday, and will face Cal State Northridge in Fullerton, California, in the Wooden Legacy.The Trojans return to Los Angeles on Tuesday against New Orleans, the first of three consecutive home games.HE SAID ITSometimes you have to lose, and learn in those games, A&M coach Billy Kennedy said of his young team.STAT OF THE NIGHTThe teams were almost even in turnovers (11 for USC and 12 for A&M), but the Trojans doubled up the Aggies, 16-8, in points off turnovers.TURNING POINTA&M led for nearly the entire first half, but USCs Jordan McLaughlin sank a jumper from near the top of the key at the halftime buzzer to lift the Trojans to a 31-29 lead, a harbinger of things to come from USC.STREAK STOPPERSUSC snapped an A&M streak of a dozen consecutive non-conference wins over high-major opponents in Reed Arena. A&M hadnt lost to a high-major in non-league play at home since December 8, 2001, against Miami. ' ' '