~~**PINNWAND**~~ » mar was once again tagged to pick up Messis

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays have used power, speed and pitching on a recent surge that has put them in first place in the American League East. Their 3-1 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday showed just how well that combination can work. Edwin Encarnacion provided the power with his 14th homer of the season, Jose Reyes provided the speed by equalling a career best for a game with three stolen bases and left-hander J.A. Happ provided the pitching with seven runless innings. Put it all together, and you get a team thats on a season-best six-game winning streak and has won 16 of its past 21 games. "I dont know if you ever see it coming," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "What it really comes down to is were just playing good baseball. The starting pitching has been really good, our offence has been alive, the bullpen has been solid." The Blue Jays (29-22) swept the three-game series with the Athletics (30-20) who lead the AL West despite losing their past four games. "Our three pitchers and their three pitchers were very good," Gibbons said. "And in those tight ball games, some clutch hitting and some great base running made the difference in most of those games. So ride it, ride it." It was Torontos second straight sweep after taking three games from the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Happ (4-1) allowed four hits and three walks while striking out seven in his longest outing of the season. "Hes filling up the strike zone," Gibbons said. "Hes really doing a nice job of using his fastball on both sides of the plate. Hes locked in right now. (Catcher Erik) Kratz has done a great job with him." Dustin McGowan replaced Happ in the eighth and allowed Josh Donaldsons 11th homer of the season. Casey Janssen pitched the ninth inning to earn his seventh save in as many attempts this season. "Definitely wanted to pitch off the fastball today and Kratz did a great job behind the plate," Happ said. "We were on the same page and tried to use that. "First and foremost it was about me throwing the ball where Im supposed to throw it, and then pitching off the fastball and using everything. I thought today we did a good job establishing the fastball." As left-hander Drew Pomeranz (4-2) allowed five hits, four walks and two runs in four-plus innings. "I think I maybe tried to locate a little too much instead of going right at guys and ended up walking too many people and being in bad counts a lot," Pomeranz said. "I wasnt attacking guys like I should have." The Blue Jays did not have a hit until Encarnacion homered to left on a 2-2 fastball with one out in the fourth. It was the 14th of the year and the 12th of the month, tying him with Jose Bautista for the team record for homers in May. The run also snapped a string of 18 consecutive runless innings for Pomeranz. Toronto went on to load the bases in the inning on singles by Brett Lawrie and Dioner Navarro and a walk by Steve Tolleson, but Kratz grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the fifth on a single to centre by Kevin Pillar, an infield hit by Reyes and a walk to Melky Cabrera. Bautista singled off right-hander Jim Johnson to score one run, but Reyes was thrown out at home by left-fielder Yoenis Cespedes. Encarnacions pop to centre field dropped in but Bautista was forced at second on centre-fielder Craig Gentrys throw to Johnson covering second base. Gibbons immediately challenged but the review upheld the call. Unconvinced, Gibbons argued and was ejected for the first time this season. "I was looking up at that (score) board and it looked pretty obvious to me," Gibbons said. "Their video probably isnt as big as that board maybe. I guess its a good system but its not a perfect system. That was big right there. We were sitting pretty good with a chance to blow the game open if hes safe. The out call changes the whole complexion a I thought they got it wrong out there." Bautistas sacrifice fly against right-hander Luke Gregerson in the seventh gave Toronto a 3-0 lead, scoring Reyes who opened the inning with a single and stole second and third. The three steals in a game equalled a career best for Reyes who has done it eight times. The previous time was Sept. 25, 2008, against the Chicago Cubs when he was with the New York Mets. "He can really generate his own runs when he gets in scoring position," Gibbons said. "Jose is feeling good right now. ... Hes exciting, thats one of the reasons they brought him over here." The Athletics completed a nine-game trip at 5-4 starting with five wins against the Cleveland Indians and the Tampa Bay Rays. "You go through these periods," As manager Bob Melvin said. "Youve just got to fight your way through it. "Youre not always going to score seven, eight runs a game and right now were going through a drought." NOTES: The last time the Blue Jays were alone in first place later than May 24 was July 6, 2000. aRight-hander R.A. Dickey lowered his earned-run average to 3.95 with his 8 1/3-inning outing in Saturdays win to drop his ERA below 4.00 for the first time in his Blue Jays career. a The Blue Jays open a three-game series at Rogers Centre against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday with right-hander Drew Hutchison (3-3, 3.45 ERA) facing Ottawa left-hander Erik Bedard (2-2. 2.63 ERA). aAttendance was 45,277, the fourth sellout of the season. Authentic Shoes For Cheap . - Robert Griffin III has a sprained throwing shoulder that limited him in practice Wednesday as the Washington Redskins prepared for their season finale against the Dallas Cowboys. Shoes Cheap Online . Forward Iker Muniain scored the winner in the 70th minute after Bilbaos incessant pressure recovered the ball and sparked a counterattack inside Barcelonas half. Neymar was once again tagged to pick up Messis goal-scoring duties, but when he wasnt frustrated by slippery footing Bilbaos defence got the better of him. http://www.shoescheap.net/.C. -- Panthers offensive tackle Jordan Gross is saying goodbye to the NFL after 11 seasons. Cheap Shoes China .ca look back at each of the Top 10 stories of 2013. Today, we look back at LeBron James and the Miami Heat winning their second straight NBA championship. Cheap Shoes Websites . The (14-15-5) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 33 points. They trail sixth place Nashville and fifth place Dallas by two points.INDIANAPOLIS -- James Hinchcliffes tough IndyCar start is getting more clouded. E.J. Viso replaced the injured Canadian on Sunday in the opening practice for the Indianapolis 500 and its still unclear when the popular Hinchcliffe will turn his first laps on the famed 2.5-mile oval. Hinchcliffe, from Oakville, Ont., was injured Saturday in the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis when debris from Justin Wilsons car flew into the cockpit, striking Hinchcliffe in the head. He was taken away from the track on a stretcher, transported to a hospital and diagnosed with a concussion. He was hoping to be re-examined Sunday, but that never happened and now hes out until at least Tuesday. "Well have a better feeling then," team owner Michael Andretti said. "They just said rest and they dont want to see him again until Tuesday." Later, the team issued a statement saying that exam date has been scheduled. Traditionally, IndyCar drivers with concussions have missed a minimum of seven days off before being cleared to race. But series officials issued a statement Sunday night, saying concussions are handled on a case-by-case basis and that drivers with head injuries must pass an ImPACT test before theyre cleared to compete by series medical director Dr. Michael Olinger. If Olinger adheres to the strict timeline, though, Hinchcliffe would miss the only full week of Indy practice and might not be back in the No. 27 Honda until next weekend when the only two qualifying sessions will be held. Andretti brought in Viso, who hadnt even been in an IndyCar this season until completing 28 laps Sunday. Even Viso isnt sure what to expect next. He finished sixth on the speed charts with a fast lap of 222.105 mph. Twenty-four cars made it onto the track. Australias Will Power, who drives for Roger Penske, was the fastest of the 24 cars at 223.057 mph. Viso said he is pprepared to do whatever Andrettis team needs -- even if that means replacing Hinchcliffe for qualifying or in the May 25 race.dddddddddddd "Its too early to know. It just happened yesterday and nobody knows how hes going to recover. It 100 per cent comes down to his recovery," the Venezuelan said. "First of all, I just wish James a quick recovery. If he takes a little bit longer and Im able to drive and do the job for him Im, of course, not disappointed with that. But for me, the most important thing is to understand that hes recovering fast." He has made six straight starts in the 500, including a career best fourth last year. Viso finished 18th in 2013, matching his best career finish at Indy. The team said Hinchcliffe did make a brief appearance at the track to meet with his crew and have lunch with his family. He also spoke briefly with Viso but did not take questions from reporters. For the popular Canadian driver, its already been a challenging season. He started second at Long Beach and Barber but has not finished higher than seventh in any of this seasons four races. He qualified 11th for Saturdays race, then wound up 20th after leaving with the head injury. In Hinchcliffes three previous IndyCar seasons, hes had 14 top-five finishes in 50 starts and won three races -- with all three coming last season. What everyone wants to know now is whether hell get a chance at a third straight top-nine qualifying run at Indianapolis? "He seems in good shape and hes going to recover fast," Viso said. Andretti Autosport has five cars, including NASCARs Kurt Busch, trying to qualify for the May 25 race. Ryan Hunter-Reay had the fastest car of the bunch, turning a lap of 222.134 on Sunday. Busch, who is trying to become the fourth driver to race 1,100 miles in one day, at Indianapolis and Charlotte, was 12th at 220.352. ' ' '