J.A. Happ, Blue Jays blast Rays

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher J.A. Happ capped a challenging season with one of his best efforts of the year.

It was a performance that leaves him feeling good heading into the off-season. It also significantly raised the pressure on the Tampa Bay Rays in their pursuit of an American League wild-card spot.

Happ retired 11 batters in a row at one point in Toronto's 7-2 victory over the Rays on Saturday afternoon at Rogers Centre. He allowed one earned run and five hits over 7 1/3 innings.

"Overall it's a great way to finish for him," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "He can go into the off-season feeling confident and healthy."

Ryan Goins and Kevin Pillar hit two-run homers in Toronto's four-run fifth inning. First baseman Ryan Langerhans scored twice and had two of the Blue Jays' 12 hits.

The Rays' loss made things even tighter in the American League wild-card race. Tampa Bay and Texas were even at 90-71 after the Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-4 earlier in the day.

The Cleveland Indians (90-70) played the Minnesota Twins later Saturday. With a win, the Indians would move one game ahead of the Rays and Rangers while a loss would drop them into a three-way tie heading into the final day.

"We've been here before, we've been in these moments," said Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon. "We never do things seemingly easily so let's just play tomorrow and see what happens."

Todd Redmond (4-2) will get the start Sunday as the Blue Jays go for the three-game sweep.

"We'd like to come back and get one more win tomorrow," Gibbons said. "That's what it's all about. We'd rather be in their position, no doubt about that. But we'll come out tomorrow and play. Hopefully Redmond has a good one and he can finish on a good note and we'll see what happens.

"It's good for baseball, I know that."

Matt Moore (16-4) will get the pressure-packed starting assignment for the Rays.

"It's resiliency to infinity," Maddon said. "You have to come out and be yourselves and go out and play."

Happ finds form

Happ missed three months of action this season after suffering a fractured skull and sprained knee when he was hit in the head by a liner on May 7. He has found his form of late after making a minor change to his delivery.

"I've been working and battling and feeling like I was close," Happ said. "I feel like finally the last several starts I've kind of been putting it together. It feels good to end on a good note, for sure."

Happ settled down after a choppy opening frame.

Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist opened the game with a double off the centre-field wall. Sean Rodriguez moved him to third with a sacrifice fly and Zobrist scored on a Wil Myers single.

Toronto (74-87) put runners on the corners in the bottom half of the inning but Anthony Gose grounded into a force out to end the threat.

The Blue Jays looked sloppy in the second inning. James Loney hit a sky-high pop fly that dropped to the turf beside the mound.

The crowd of 33,232 groaned at the miscue, which may have been caused by the bright afternoon sunshine and swirling wind. Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C., helped lift the Toronto fans' spirits later in the frame with a nice over-the-shoulder catch in foul territory for the third out.

Jose Reyes reached on an infield single in the third inning and moved to third on a hit-and-run play as Lawrie drove the ball into right field. Designated hitter Adam Lind followed with an RBI single that tied the game.

Archer pulled

With the stakes high for Tampa Bay, Maddon was quick with the hook. He pulled starter Chris Archer with one out in the frame and runners on the corners.

Reliever Alex Torres (4-2) got Gose to hit into a fielder's choice and then struck out Goins with two runners in scoring position to keep the game tied.

Langerhans opened the bottom of the fourth with a nice bunt down the third-base line and moved to second on an infield single by Pillar. Reyes drove a ball to deep left field that Rodriguez tracked down at the warning track for the second out.

That brought Maddon out for another pitching change, with right-hander Jamey Wright getting the nod.

Wright then walked Lawrie to load the bases and Lind stroked a single down the left-field line to score a pair. Moises Sierra struck out to end the rally.

In the fifth, Goins took a 3-2 pitch just over the wall in right field for his second homer of the season. Pillar's drive came on a 2-2 pitch from Brandon Gomes and barely cleared the wall in left field for his third homer of the year.

Happ allowed one walk and had four strikeouts. Archer, meanwhile, allowed one earned run, five hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Toronto reliever Aaron Loup recorded two outs in the eighth inning. Dustin McGowan gave up a run in the ninth before striking out former Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar to end the game.

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Pirates to host Reds in NL wild-card game

Now that the NL wild-card matchup is set, the Pittsburgh Pirates are eager to host the first playoff game at PNC Park.

With one day left in the regular season, the AL wild-card picture is way more fuzzy. Still looming, in fact, is the possibility of a three-way tie for two spots.

Saturday's games firmed up a few things:

— Cincinnati will visit Pittsburgh on Tuesday night in the post-season opener to see who advances. Francisco Liriano (16-8) starts for the Pirates against Johnny Cueto (5-2).

— The AL wild-card winner will begin the playoffs at Boston on Friday. Miguel Cabrera and Detroit open at Oakland the same day in the other best-of-five division series.

— Though the NL pairings aren't set yet, St. Louis and Atlanta will open at home, both on Thursday.

Pittsburgh native Neil Walker homered twice and the Pirates won at Cincinnati 8-3 Saturday, beating out the Reds for home field in the one-game NL wild-card playoff.

"The important thing for me is getting the guys home and playing in a park where we won 50 games and giving our fans a taste of post-season baseball," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said.

The AL wild-card chase is much more scrambled as Cleveland leads Tampa Bay and Texas by one game.

Cleveland has won nine in a row and finishes at Minnesota, Texas has won six straight and hosts the Angels, and Tampa Bay is at Toronto.

"I'm excited for tomorrow," Rays slugger Evan Longoria said after a 7-2 loss to the Blue Jays. "We like to make it interesting, that's for sure."

If the three teams are tied after Sunday, Cleveland would host Tampa Bay on Monday afternoon, with the winner advancing to the post-season. The loser would play at Texas on Tuesday afternoon for the second wild card.

In the event Sunday ends with a tie for the second wild-card berth, Texas would be home against Tampa Bay in a one-game tiebreaker Monday night.

The AL two wild cards are scheduled to Wednesday night to determine which advances to the division series.

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B.C.-born Jim Adduci part of Rangers' playoff chase

Jim Adduci is 10 minutes late for his scheduled interview and nowhere near a phone. He's working on his swing in the batting cage at Kansas City's Kauffman Stadium.

In the heat of a playoff race, every at-bat is crucial, particularly for a player who has waited 10 years to compete at the major league level.

"It's about getting ready to play every day and not trying to take a day off," Adduci, who was born in Burnaby, B.C., said following batting practice.

The Texas Rangers recalled Adduci on Sept. 1 when major league teams were allowed to expand their rosters and he made his major league debut that night against Minnesota, singling to left field off in his first at-bat on the first pitch he saw from the Twins' Kevin Correia.

It was a long time coming for Adduci, who persevered for nine-plus seasons in the minor leagues. The Florida Marlins drafted Adduci in the 42nd round of the 2003 amateur draft and traded him to the Chicago Cubs late in the 2006 season.

Adduci patrolled the outfield for six seasons in the Cubs' system at double-A Tennessee and triple-A Iowa before the Chicago let Adduci walk last Nov. 3 after he hit .306 with 17 RBIs in 147 at-bats with Iowa. Texas signed him to a minor league deal nine days later.

Adduci turned heads at spring training  in March with a .444 batting average and seven RBIs in 19 games but was sent to triple-A Round Rock, where he hit .290 in 127 games with a career-high 16 home runs while his 32 steals topped the Pacific Coast League.

Used primarily as a pinch hitter with the Rangers against right-handed pitchers, the left-handed hitting Adduci did start a stretch of games from Sept. 13-19, but struggled at the plate and is back to pinch-hitting for a Rangers outfit that entered play Friday one game behind Cleveland for the second wild card berth in the American League.

"It's awesome to be part of this. The team, the players, everybody, it's been great," Adduci said. "Definitely being a part of this [playoff race] is a learning experience for me, too."

Adduci talked to CBCSports.ca about his new teammates, settling into a pinch-hitting role in the majors and who was on his mind when he got the call to the big leagues.

1. Which Texas Ranger players have taken you under their wing to help you settle in the major leagues?

Adduci: I've learned so much from the veteran guys here and how they go about their business in the heat of a race. I talk to [veteran first baseman Lance] Berkman a lot. We talk about hitting. His big thing to me, being part of this as a new experience, is just about competing. The game hasn't changed [from playing in the minors].

Another guy I go to a lot is [outfielder] Jeff Baker. I played with him a little bit with the [Chicago] Cubs in spring training. What he's done in his career is unbelievable, the time he has spent coming off the bench. I've kind of learned how to do that, understanding what I need to do [to prepare for that role].

His philosophy and what I've taken from it has been to keep it simple, which I like, and make sure your body and mind is ready.

2. As a reserve player, what is your routine to keep your mind and body prepared if called upon in the late innings?

I like to start stretching in the third inning and start to get my body loose. About the fifth [inning], I go into the [batting] cage and hit and keep stretching. I've been fortunate [where we've played] that [there] have some long tunnels under [the dugout] so I've been running and making sure my legs are ready to go.

Also, for me, the big part is always keeping focused on the game and what the situation is. You don't know every move that [Rangers manager Ron] Washington is going to make, but you try to be one step ahead of him and be ready for the situation when it comes.

3. Who was in your thoughts when you received the call to pack your bags for the major leagues?

Honestly, the one thing I thought about was the road it took to get there. I just thought about the ups and downs in the minor leagues. Nothing takes away from the experience I had there and I think everything happens for a reason. [But] at that point, I was ready [for a promotion].

I was in situations [in the minors] where I did come off the bench to pinch hit or pinch run. I started every day and moved around the outfield. I thought about that more than anything when I got the call. I thought about how long a road it's been for my family, my wife, who's been a part of this for a good time.

I called my parents and thanked them. They've sacrificed a lot for me to be able to be in this situation.

4. Describe the phone call when you told your dad, who played part of four seasons in the majors in the 1980s, that you had made it?

It was pretty special. It was kind of like I was still in shock, so it wasn't too emotional but it was. From him taking me to the field when he was playing and … being around the game for so long, it was a really great accomplishment for us.

In the off-season I still go to him [for advice]. Even during the season we talk all the time. The one thing he always says is 'have fun.'

There's such a small window to do this [play in the major leagues]. You have to enjoy it and embrace it. That's the one thing I've always kept with me the past couple of years as I'm getting older in the game is definitely enjoying it and having fun.

5. You hit a career-best 16 home runs at triple-A this season after hitting only 24 total in your previous nine seasons. Did a change in your batting stance or the way you hold the bat help lead to the spike in homers?

I think the one adjustment I made was getting a pitch to hit and understanding how to get in a good count, good position to be successful. There really wasn't any tinkering with my swing. I took sixteen good swings this year where I got a home run.

There always ups and downs and times when you doubt yourself as a player, but it's always about pushing through that moment. In my head, as I got more confident, I knew that I could contribute to the team up here and bring something to the table.

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R.A. Dickey, Blue Jays end Rays' 7-game win streak

The Toronto Blue Jays want to finish their final series of the year on a strong note as they look ahead to the 2014 season. It could spell trouble for the Tampa Bay Rays as they make their push for the post-season.

Jose Reyes scored twice and R.A. Dickey was effective over 7 1/3 innings as the Blue Jays defeated Tampa Bay 6-3 on Friday night at Rogers Centre. The loss ended Tampa Bay's seven-game winning streak and prevented the Rays from moving closer to locking up a playoff spot.

Tampa Bay (90-70) is tied with Cleveland for the two American League wild-card spots and Texas is a game back. The Indians hammered Minnesota 12-6 and the Rangers kept pace with a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. The Blue Jays (73-87), meanwhile, are last in the A.L. East and have been out of playoff contention for weeks. 

'We're playing hard, we're not going to give games away right now. We have a nice chance to play spoiler here at the end so it's going to be fun.'- Blue Jays 3rd baseman Ryan Goins

"We're playing hard, we're not going to give games away right now," said Toronto second baseman Ryan Goins. "We have a nice chance to play spoiler here at the end so it's going to be fun."

Tampa Bay can still host the wild-card game by beating Toronto in both games on the weekend.

Dickey settled down after giving up early solo homers to Ben Zobrist and Delmon Young. The Blue Jays put up four runs in the fourth and added a pair in the fifth as they improved to 39-40 at Rogers Centre this season.

"It's one of those games," said Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon. "We've been on a pretty good run. (We'll) go get a good night's sleep and come back tomorrow."

Dickey, who won the National League Cy Young Award last season with the New York Mets, started slowly this year but bounced back in the second half. Toronto manager John Gibbons said Dickey deserves credit for his 14-13 record.

"For a team that's below .500, he'll take that," he said. "He finished strong, he made all his starts. Good job."

The veteran knuckleballer felt that the Blue Jays have a lot of positives going for them heading into next year. Dickey, one of several big-name additions in the off-season, feels that having a full season together as a team is important going forward.

"Now we know what to expect out of each other, we know how to challenge each other, we know a little bit more about how to hold each other accountable," he told reporters. "All those things are very important on a team, as you well know.

"That's what they have across the street there (in the Rays' room) and that's what you want, that's what you hope for."

Tampa Bay turned in a rare sloppy defensive effort with three errors on the night. Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson was perfect his first time through the Toronto order but the Blue Jays got the bats going in the fourth inning while taking advantage of some miscues.

Reyes singled to get things started and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Munenori Kawasaki. Brett Lawrie of Langley, B.C., reached on an error and Moises Sierra drove in Reyes with a single to right field.

With runners on the corners, Anthony Gose hit a blooper to shallow centre field that dropped in for a hit. Outfielder Sam Fuld's throw to the plate was not in time to catch Lawrie.

Goins followed with a base hit to centre that Fuld misplayed for an error. The ball rolled all the way to the wall, allowing Sierra and Gose to score easily.

"You can't really imagine a worse scenario as an outfielder," Fuld said.

Goins tried to score but was thrown out at the plate for the final out.

Hellickson issued a pair of two-out walks in the fifth inning and both runners came around to score. Lawrie singled home Reyes and Kawasaki came across when Sierra reached on an infield single.

Wesley Wright relieved Hellickson and struck out Gose with runners on the corners. Hellickson (12-10) allowed six runs — three of them earned — along with six hits and two walks. He had five strikeouts.

"The guys have been picking me up all year, offensively and defensively," Hellickson said. "It would have been nice to pick them up for once."

Tampa Bay loaded the bases in the eighth after two Toronto errors and a walk to Zobrist. Sergio Santos relieved Dickey and needed just one pitch to get James Loney to ground into a double play.

Santos gave up a run in the ninth before striking out pinch-hitter Luke Scott. It was his first save of the season.

Dickey's knuckleball was floating nicely and he mixed up his speeds to keep the Tampa hitters guessing. He allowed two earned runs, five hits and a walk over 7 1/3 innings while striking out three.

Zobrist opened the scoring in the first inning by taking a 3-0 pitch over the right-field wall for his 12th home run of the season.

Young followed an inning later with his third homer of the year and 100th of his career. Toronto left-fielder Kevin Pillar helped keep it a one-run inning with a great diving catch on a shallow flare off the bat of former Blue Jay Kelly Johnson.

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Mariano Rivera bids farewell to Yankee Stadium

He may live on in the dreams of many but The Sandman's famed career at Yankee Stadium can finally be put to bed. 

On Thursday night, Mariano Rivera — the iconic veteran New York Yankees closer — made his final appearance in pin stripes at his home ballpark, and received an ovation fit for a legend. 

The 13-time MLB All-Star's emotions got the best of him as the thunderous applause from the crowd echoed between the bleachers — a small token of appreciation for a storied career.

The 43-year-old began sobbing as teammates Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte, who is also retiring after the season, came out to remove him from the game with two outs in the ninth inning. 

Click the above video to see how it all happened.

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MLB commissioner Bud Selig to retire following 2014 season

Bud Selig took over a sport with $1.7 billion in revenue, four teams in each year's post-season, economic disparity among the clubs and a fixation on sticking with traditions that dated to the 19th century.

After a decade of maintaining his departure was imminent, the 79-year-old baseball commissioner put his exit plans in writing Thursday and said in a statement he will retire in January 2015 after 22 years — the second-longest term behind Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

His revolutionary reign produced an $8 billion industry, interleague play, an expanded post-season and two decades of labour peace. But, he also presided over a cancelled World Series and long-running drug scandal.

"He's been the voice of baseball. Some people liked his voice. Some people didn't," Minnesota Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said. "I have a lot of respect for the guy."

Selig has been a bit of the Boy Who Cried Wolf in the past when it came to his retirement. He said in 2003 that he would step down at the end of 2006 but has repeatedly accepted new contracts. 

'[Selig] has been the voice of baseball. Some people liked his voice. Some people didn't. I have a lot of respect for the guy.'- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire

Some owners — even his wife — had been skeptical in the past that he really would quit, but this marked the first time he issued a formal statement that he will give up the sport's top job. He even gave an exact date: Jan. 24, 2015.

"I look forward to continuing its extraordinary growth and addressing several significant issues during the remainder of my term," he said.

Selig's length of service and impact on his sport matches those of Pete Rozelle, the NFL commissioner from 1960-89, and David Stern, who is stepping down in February after 30 years as NBA commissioner.

Selig said he will soon announce a transition plan that will include a reorganization of central baseball management. Rob Manfred, baseball's chief labour negotiator, has gained increased influence in recent years, but it's not clear whether Selig's successor will come from within the commissioner's office.

Many had speculated Selig wanted to surpass the term of Landis, who served from November 1920 to November 1944.

Perhaps the biggest mark on Selig's tenure was the prevalence of performance-enhancing drugs. Management didn't have a drug agreement with its players from October 1985 until August 2002, and drug testing with penalties didn't start until 2004. Selig has repeatedly defended his record, saying baseball acted as fast as it could in a matter that was subject to bargaining with players.

'He's left his mark on the game'

"The game has grown under him tremendously. He's made every effort to try to clean the game up," New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He's left his mark on the game. There's no doubt about it."

Selig's tenure also included splitting each league into three divisions instead of two in 1995, when wild cards and an additional round of playoffs were added. Wild cards doubled to four last year, when the post-season stretched to four rounds.

Expansion teams in Arizona and Tampa Bay started play in 1998, raising the major league total to 30. Interleague play began in 1997 along with revenue sharing, which allowed the smaller-market clubs a better chance to compete. Jackie Robinson's No. 42 was retired by Selig for all of MLB that same year, and other initiatives followed. Major League Baseball Advanced Media launched in 2000, the World Baseball Classic in 2006, limited video review of umpires' calls in 2008 and the Major League Baseball Network in 2009.

Owners have repeatedly praised his financial stewardship, which has led to record franchise values as shown by the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Dodgers last year. The average player salary has tripled under his tenure to more than $3 million.

Selig's critics said he moved cautiously — a characterization even he sometimes agreed with. Running baseball from his longtime home in Milwaukee, he worked to build consensus rather than dictate to owners in the manner of Peter Ueberroth. Selig used a grandfatherly charm to get what he wanted.

"Everything's been a success overall," Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. "You're going to have your detractors, that goes without saying."

Selig became a baseball fan when his mother took him to games as a child. Working in the family auto-leasing business, he became a minority investor in the Milwaukee Braves and tried to stop the team's move to Atlanta for the 1966 season.

As a stopgap measure, he arranged for the Chicago White Sox to play nine regular-season games at Milwaukee in 1968 and 11 the following year. Just before the 1970 season, he bought the Seattle Pilots in bankruptcy court, moved the franchise to Milwaukee and renamed it the Brewers.

Mentored by Detroit Tigers owner John Fetzer, Selig became a leading owner by the early 1980s in his role as chairman of the Player Relations Committee, which determined labour policy. He was part of the group that wanted major changes in the sport's lab contract with players and forced the resignation of Fay Vincent, who had been in office for three years. Selig took over as acting commissioner on Sept. 9, 1992, in his role as chairman of the executive council.

While he presided over a 7 ½-month strike in 1994-95 that led to the cancellation of the World Series for the first time in 90 years, following eight straight work stoppages owners and players reached agreements without interruption in 2002, 2006 and 2011.

Planned retirement

Although Selig repeatedly said he would not take the job full time, he was formally elected commissioner July 9, 1998. He turned running the Brewers over to daughter Wendy Selig-Prieb, but the Selig family did not sell the franchise until 2005.

Selig agreed to a new contract as commissioner in 2001. He first announced his planned retirement in 2003, telling a group from Associated Press Sports Editors he would leave in 2006.

"For a guy who took it in Sept. 9, 1992, and I told my wife it was two-to-four months — 14 years later ... I think that will be enough. There's no question, because there are other things I really would like to do."

Asked again if this was his final term, Selig responded; "Oh, there's no question."

He then agreed to new contracts in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

Selig has said he wants to write a book. He has taught at the University of Wisconsin and Marquette's law school.

"We look forward to working with the commissioner over the next 15 months," union head Michael Weiner said in a statement. "Then, we hope the commissioner enjoys his retirement and wish him well."

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Dodgers' Andre Ethier in playoff limbo

Andre Ethier wants no part of speculation about his playoff status. 

He is still plenty optimistic his troublesome left ankle can heal in time to be part of the postseason roster for the National League West champion Los Angeles Dodgers. 

"I'm not worried about that right now, I'm worried about tomorrow," Ethier said after Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the Giants.

"So does the post-season start tomorrow? All right, so we're worried about tomorrow, it's as simple as that.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves too much here and see if we can get the best scoop, all right? So work out tomorrow and that's the scoop I'll give you for that." 

Ethier returned to Southern California earlier Wednesday to have his troublesome left ankle re-examined, then returned to the Bay Area to rejoin his club. 

While the team isn't sure whether he will be available for the NL Division Series starting next week, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said after the game he remains hopeful the outfielder will heal. 

"It's gotten a lot better in 11 days," he said. "I think we're right at the edge of it turning the corner." 

The Dodgers announced during the game with the Giants that Ethier was examined by team orthopedist Dr. Neal ElAttrache and orthopedic foot and ankle specialist Dr. Phillip Kwong. Repeat MRI and CT scans were performed, showing the injured area had improved but not fully healed. 

"Ethier will be cleared to return to competition when he is able to run the bases without pain," the Dodgers said. "Until then, he will continue to hit and throw as before." 

Ethier said his next step would be determined by how he feels when he arrives at AT&T Park on Thursday. 

"Five days ago, I was wearing a boot in Arizona," he said. "Yesterday, I was shagging balls in the outfield.

"So who knows? Maybe I wake up tomorrow and it feels good." 

Despite starter Ricky Nolasco's late-September struggles, Mattingly remains confident he will contribute in October. 

The right-hander (13-11) is 0-2 over his last three outings since getting victories in four consecutive starts and seven straight decisions. 

"Ricky's shown us he can throw the ball really well and he can make good pitches," Mattingly said. "I don't think Ricky has done anything that's going to change our mind." 

Mattingly said before the game he has to prepare for the fact Ethier might not be healthy in time for the playoffs. 

"I think you're always making plans with different scenarios," he said. 

"I'm a little worried about him, just because it didn't look very good yesterday and he wasn't running really very hard when it happened," Mattingly said. "Again, I'd like to be really optimistic.

"Hopefully, it's something that a couple of days maybe. It seemed like we had the same type of thing with Matt [Kemp], where it was a little anxious about turning and the next thing you know two days later he was rolling.

"That'd be great. But we'll just see." 

'Didn't go very good'

Forced to leave a Sept. 13 game against the Giants, Ethier successfully shagged fly balls Tuesday in San Francisco, but tried to test the ankle running bases and quickly encountered problems and ended the session. Ethier was expected back in the Bay Area late Wednesday. 

"He went to run bases yesterday and it didn't go very good," Mattingly said. "Just make sure we're not missing anything.

"I think they said they would rule out there's not something major going on." 

While Mattingly said he and general manager Ned Colletti have yet to sit down and hash out the first-round roster in depth, he expects to go with 25 healthy players. 

Ethier missed his 10th game with the injury Wednesday. He is batting .272 with 12 home runs and 52 runs batted in for the NL West champions. Ethier has had a strong second half and became the first player in Dodgers history to reach 30 doubles in seven consecutive seasons. 

"We have to talk about it," Mattingly said. "It's tough, you want to play healthy

"You don't really want to play short. We'll see when we get there with the roster part of it.

"The main thing now is to be able to find out if he's going to be able to go or not. We may get enough information that it's not even a question one way or the other." 

'My confidence is there'

The Dodgers lost the season series to the Giants for the second straight year, the first time dropping back-to-back season series since 2002-03. 

Nolasco is eager for another chance. 

"My confidence is there," he said. "I'm not walking guys.

"So hopefully, things will turn around as far as catching a couple breaks. I'm not knocking any of their guys, you've got some very good hitters in that lineup.

"I just feel like I'm not catching a couple breaks here and there that could change the game. I still feel good.

"I feel like I'm making good pitches. Just getting burned on some things here and there." 

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Blue Jays 1 of 2 MLB teams with 20-year playoff drought

Only two Major League Baseball teams have failed to make the playoffs since the start of the 1994 strike-shortened season: the Toronto Blue Jays and the Kansas City Royals.

It used to be a list of three teams, until the Pittsburgh Pirates clinched their first playoff berth in more than two decades last night.

Put another way, 28 baseball teams have found a way to make the playoffs at least once since the Jays last won the World Series in 1993.

It's a great story in Pittsburgh at the moment, with the team seeing some long-awaited success after posting 20 consecutive seasons of sub-.500 baseball.

But that makes the failure in Toronto all the more apparent, considering that the Blue Jays had eight winning seasons over the same time period. If you include the .500 finish in 2011, the Jays have had nine seasons in which they broke even or better.

The Royals have only had three seasons where they won more than half their games: 1994, in which the season ended without playoffs because of the strike, as well as 2003 and 2013. Kansas City hasn't made the playoffs since 1985, the year they won the World Series.

There's still more bad news for the Blue Jays.

The Royals still have an outside shot at clinching a wildcard spot this year, with MLB.com putting their odds at doing so at 1.5 per cent.

Still, if the Royals manage to pull off the seemingly impossible feat of landing a wildcard spot, Toronto will become the only team in the majors not to have played meaningful October baseball since Kim Campbell was the prime minister.

The Blue Jays have six games left to play in the regular season and the team sits at the bottom of the American League's East Division.

Toronto had started the season with sky-high expectations, following an off-season in which the team acquired starting pitchers R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle, as well as shortstop Jose Reyes and outfielder Melky Cabrera.

But aside from a 11-game winning streak in June, the Blue Jays never managed to put together the type of season they and their fans were hoping for.

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Orioles' Manny Machado avoids surgery

The Baltimore Orioles and Manny Machado couldn't have asked for a much better diagnosis on his injured left knee: The third baseman avoided tearing any major ligaments and could be running in six to eight weeks without surgery.

An MRI on Tuesday revealed Machado has a torn medial patellofemoral ligament. He will rest the knee until the swelling subsides and then go through a light rehabilitative program.

"The MCL is fine, the ACL is fine," Orioles head trainer Richie Bancells said. "All those major ligaments are fine. This is a smaller ligament."

The injury occurred Monday during Baltimore's game at Tampa Bay. Machado was running out a single and stepped awkwardly on the inside of the base. He tumbled to the ground and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.

The Orioles feared Machado tore his ACL, which would have kept him sidelined into the 2014 season. 

'I was relieved because it's a good report. If everything falls into place like we think, this is something he could recover from with rest. Of course, he's out for the rest of the season, but he will be able to come back and play next year.'- Orioles executive V.P. of baseball operations Dan Duquette

"I was relieved because it's a good report," said Dan Duquette, executive vice-president of baseball operations. "If everything falls into place like we think, this is something he could recover from with rest. Of course, he's out for the rest of the season, but he will be able to come back and play next year."

The 21-year-old Machado had played in every game this season and was an integral part of team's success. He's batting .283 with 14 homers, 71 RBIs and 51 doubles.

Machado's teammates were horrified when he fell to the ground Monday.

"To see a kid that young to go through what he went through at the end of such a phenomenal season, my heart broke for him," second baseman Brian Roberts said. "He'll be back 100 per cent, no doubt in my mind. Coming back, it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. Certainly, he's got age of his side. He's got a lot of great things going for him, and hopefully he comes back better than he's ever been. At the time, though, it was demoralizing for all of us."

The news that the injury was far less severe than expected was met with relief in the clubhouse and throughout the organization. Machado, a former No. 1 draft pick, has been an integral part in the Orioles' high quality of play over the past two seasons.

"It's good news for the clubhouse," manager Buck Showalter said. "As much for the person as what it means. They all have really come to respect Manny and the way he carries himself."

Machado has earned the respect of those from other teams by the way he carries himself on the field.

"A guy like him, everything he does is right," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "The approach to the game, the effort he gives. He's in a different category."

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Orioles' Manny Machado leaves game on stretcher

Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado has been taken off the field on a stretcher after injuring his left leg running out an infield single.

Machado's leg buckled when he reached the first-base bag in the seventh inning of Monday's game at Tampa Bay.

Machado was in obvious pain while being treated on the infield dirt near first by team trainers and stadium medical officials.

Baltimore manager Buck Showalter patted Machado several times near the shoulder before the stretcher was moved from the playing field.

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