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NEW YORK – Edwin Encarnacions strained right quadriceps isnt progressing as quickly as he, the Blue Jays and the clubs starved-for-a-winner fanbase is hoping. "Eddie had a little setback in Florida,” said manager John Gibbons before Saturdays game at Yankee Stadium. “Hes a little bit tender so were going to back him off for a few days.” Encarnacion was injured three weeks ago, July 5, in Oakland as he beat out an RBI fielders choice groundball in the first inning of an eventual loss to the Athletics. As he was running to first base, Encarnacion felt a pop in his quadriceps. One stride beyond the bag, he crumpled to the ground and required the assistance of trainers George Poulis and Mike Frostad to leave the field. A day later, he was placed on the disabled list after an MRI revealed what Encarnacion reported to be a Grade-2 strain. Thats an injury which typically requires a six-week recovery period. Encarnacion is halfway to six weeks. Which begs the question, was it a setback? He felt the tightness while swinging a bat. “He was feeling it when he was twisting, the torque in his swing,” said Gibbons. The Blue Jays are legitimate contenders, thanks to the weakened state of the American League East and to the existence of a second wild card spot, for the first time in more than two decades. Without Encarnacion, Brett Lawrie and Adam Lind, the club is missing one-third of its starting lineup and three bats who typically hit in the middle of the order. The offence, predictably, has struggled as a result and there is now desperation to get the injured players back. Neither Encarnacion, nor the club can be blamed. A player with a muscle injury wont know how well hes coming along until he tests it. Encarnacion found out the hard way that hes not ready yet. Theres no timetable for his return. REIMOLD PROGRESSING There is one injured Blue Jay who is getting close to returning. Outfielder Nolan Reimold, who strained his left calf on July 11 in Tampa Bay and who is eligible to come off the disabled list on Sunday, will be back soon. “Within the next few days,” said manager John Gibbons. “Hes probably feeling better than any of them.” Gibbons said its unlikely Reimold would need a mino- league rehabilitation assignment, so long as his return is in the next few days. MORROW BOUND FOR FLORIDA When his teammates leave after Sundays game for Boston, Brandon Morrow will head in the opposite direction, destined for the clubs facilities in Dunedin, Florida. Its the next step in his rehab of a torn tendon sheath in the right index finger. Earlier this week, Morrow was up on a mound for the first time in more than two-and-a-half months. “I threw my first bullpen off a mound two days ago and threw again yesterday and it felt fine,” said Morrow. “Just nice and easy, nothing too aggressive, but I was throwing all my pitches, spinning the ball and everything felt good.” Morrow still wraps supportive tape around his finger, but takes it off to throw the baseball. Hell throw more bullpen sessions in Florida over the next 10 days and progress to throwing live batting practice, followed by a simulated game. Expect Morrows return, if all goes well, to be in the final month of the season. Hell likely work out of the bullpen. SHIFT DISTURBING Colby Rasmus had a frustrating Friday night. He hit two balls hard, but both went for outs because the Yankees had their infielders perfectly placed in exaggerated shifts. “Its all about love and luck in this game,” said Rasmus. “Youve still got to hit it past those defensive players. Sometimes it looks like there are 100 of them out ther,e but thats all part of it and hopefully I can just continue what Im doing and theyll start falling.” Rasmus hit a line drive to rightfield off Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda in the fourth inning. Second baseman Brian Roberts was roving and made a nice leaping catch. In his next at-bat, Rasmus smoked a liner up the middle, just to the right of the second base bag. There stood third baseman Chase Headley, who didnt have to move to make the catch. Cheap Wholesale Air Max 95 . Louis Cardinals continued their offensive tear with a 9-5 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series. Air Max 95 Outlet Australia . Ryan Getzlaf certainly got them started in the second. Getzlaf scored the first two goals in the second, and Teemu Selanne scored the go-ahead goal late in the period as the Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 4-3 Thursday night. http://www.cheapairmax95australia.com/. "Canada," Bolland said with a smile. "Is that a question?" One day earlier, though, fellow Toronto Maple Leafs centre Nazem Kadri wasnt so sure his home and native land could pull off the win against the United States in the semi-finals of the Olympic hockey tournament. Cheap Wholesale Nike Air Max 95 . - Rookie Kyle Larson will start from the pole position Saturday night in the NASCAR race at Richmond International Raceway after a thunderstorm arrived just in time to wash out qualifying. Air Max 95 Australia Sale . But San Diego had even more trouble against right-hander Tanner Roark, who pitched a three-hitter for the first complete game of his career as the Nationals shut out the Padres 4-0. The 27-year-old set down the first 16 batters before San Diego catcher Rene Rivera, an . ATLANTA -- An eight-game losing streak was way too long for Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "It was nice to shake hands," Gonzalez said. "It seems its been an eternity." Justin Upton and Freddie Freeman hit two of Atlantas four homers off Stephen Strasburg, and the Braves snapped their long skid with a 7-6 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night. Rain delayed the game by 1 hour, 11 minutes in the middle of the sixth inning. Atlanta, which nearly blew a 7-0 lead, moved within 3 1/2 games of NL East-leading Washington. The Nationals, who had won two straight and four of six, have lost 21 of 30 against the Braves. "After a rough road trip and an off day, its nice to come back and win a ballgame that we needed," Upton said. "Theyre a good ballclub. We split with them the last time we played. Its good to jump out and get the first one." Strasburg (8-10) gave up two more homers than his previous career high. He allowed seven runs, seven hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in five innings, dropping to 1-3 with a 6.99 ERA in seven starts at Turner Field. Strasburg, who fell to 1-8 with a 5.25 ERA in 12 road starts this year, was coming off a dominating home performance against Philadelphia last Sunday, striking out 10, walking one and holding the Phillies scoreless for seven innings. "Just not executing pitches -- thats the bottom line," Strasburg said. "It feels good out of the hand, Im just not hitting the spot well enough. I really dont know how to work on it. Some days Im hitting the spot and some days Im a couple inches up, so Ive got to roll with it, try to miss down instead of miss up." Ervin Santana (11-6) held the Nationals scoreless until the sixth, when Asdrubal Cabreera had an RBI single, and Anthony Rendon hit his 15th homer to make it 7-4.dddddddddddd Santana, who allowed four runs, four hits and two walks, struck out four in six innings and won his fourth straight decision. Wilson Ramos fifth homer and Cabreras sacrifice fly cut Atlantas lead to 7-6 off reliever Anthony Varvaro in the seventh. Craig Kimbrel earned his 33rd save in 37 chances by striking out Ramos, retiring Kevin Frandsen on a comebacker, and fanning pinch-hitter Danny Espinosa. The Braves went up 2-0 in the first on Justin Uptons 20th homer, and they made it 6-0 in the second on B.J. Uptons eighth shot and Freemans 16th. Tommy La Stella put Atlanta ahead 7-0 in the fifth with his first career home run. Washingtons Denard Span went 3 for 4 with a run scored and reached base safely for the 34th straight game. TRAINERS ROOM Nationals: RF Jayson Werth was given the night off because of a sore right ankle and right shoulder, but manager Matt Williams said he should be in the lineup for the series next two games. Werths replacement, Steven Souza, hit the wall so hard in an attempt to catch Freemans homer that his glove fell on the warning track. He stayed down on his back for about one minute but remained in the game after a trainer checked on him in right field. Souza lined out in his only at-bat before Frandsen replaced him in the fourth. "Hes OK," Williams said. "He banged the wall pretty good, full speed into the wall. His shoulders hurting, pretty good impact, so well see how he is tomorrow." Braves: SS Andrelton Simmons missed his second straight game with a left ankle sprain, and Gonzalez said the earliest he might return is Monday when the Los Angeles Dodgers visit Turner Field. ' ' '