Inland Waterways » past the skidding Toronto Blue Jays 3-2

BALTIMORE -- Every once in a while, Chris Davis conjures memories of last season by effortlessly launching a baseball far over the outfield wall. Davis interrupted his frustrating season with such a moment Saturday, hitting a two-run homer off knuckleballer R.A. Dickey to carry the Baltimore Orioles past the skidding Toronto Blue Jays 3-2. Davis batted .286 with 53 home runs and 138 RBIs last year. This season, hes at .228 with 11 long balls and 33 RBIs. His work ethic, however, remains the same. "Theres no change in my approach. Ive been doing everything I can to try to get back to feeling good in the box," Davis said. "I felt the last couple of days Ive started to click a little bit. Didnt have a lot to show for it." Davis ended an 0-for-9 drought with a drive that put the Orioles up 3-1 in the fifth. "Big home run for the team in the situation, and the individual," teammate Adam Jones said. "Hes been grinding it out." Orioles starter Bud Norris (6-5) gave up one run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings to win his third straight start. The right-hander extended an impressive run by Orioles starters, who have allowed two runs or fewer in 13 of the last 16 games. "Were all out there to help each other and get better," Norris said. "Right now were kind of cruising." After Toronto closed to 3-2 in the eighth, Zach Britton got three outs for his seventh save. Brett Lawrie had two hits and an RBI for the Blue Jays, who have lost six of eight. The AL East leaders have scored only six runs in those six defeats. "I thought we had pretty good ABs for the most part," catcher Josh Thole said. "Its tough when youre not getting guys in." Dickey (6-5) left with right groin tightness after allowing three runs, two earned, and six hits in 6 2-3 innings. It was the first time this season hes taken a loss when permitting as few as three runs. Dickey felt a twinge after getting Manny Machado out, then left after taking a practice pitch. "I didnt want to jeopardize my next start," Dickey said. "I was probably out of the game after that next batter, anyway. I decided it was probably in everybodys best interest to just call it a day." Toronto nearly got Dickey off the hook. In the seventh, Orioles reliever Darren ODay retired Melky Cabrera on a grounder with two outs and two on. One inning later, Jose Bautista was thrown out in a very close play at the plate while trying to score on a double by Edwin Encarnacion. Left fielder Nelson Cruz retrieved the ball and threw to shortstop J.J. Hardy, who fired the relay to catcher Nick Hundley. "The big play in the game was obviously the relay throw," Davis said. "That was a big hit for Encarnacion and a chance for them to get back into the game and get really good momentum in their dugout." Lawrie followed with an RBI single. The Blue Jays stranded nine and went 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position. "This has been a tough run here so we need to hopefully regroup," Thole said. "Were playing behind every night." With the score 1-all in the fifth, Jones hit a grounder to third. The throw by Juan Francisco bounced past first base, and Jones lightly pushed umpire Hunter Wendelstedt while rounding the bag. The umpire toppled backward onto the infield dirt but was not hurt. Davis followed by hitting a 1-0 pitch over the centre field wall and into the Baltimore bullpen. "We got burned by the home run ball," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. Earlier, Dickey got into trouble in the first inning when Nick Markakis led off with an infield hit and Machado doubled. But Jones, Davis and Cruz followed with popups. In the Toronto second, Norris hit Lawrie with a pitch before walking Thole with the bases loaded. Baltimore tied it in the fourth when Hundley delivered a sacrifice fly following singles by Delmon Young and Ryan Flaherty. NOTES: Toronto DH Adam Lind left with a bruised right foot. ... The Blue Jays activated RHP Sergio Santos (right elbow) from the DL and optioned OF Darin Mastroianni to Triple-A Buffalo. Santos was needed in the bullpen after LHP Brett Cecil left Fridays game with groin tightness. Cecil will rest for a few days before being reevaluated. ... Jones went 0 for 3 against Dickey and is 3 for 22 lifetime against the knuckleballer. ... Toronto is 34-17 when hitting a HR and 6-13 without one. Cheap Air Jordan 11 From China . 9 Baylor Bears just needed some time to get on track in their first game after the Christmas break. Buy Air Jordan 11 Cheap .K. Subban and Matt Duchene will be the two skaters sitting out the teams opening game. http://www.cheapairjordan11china.com/. -- Jerome Williams glanced at Philadelphias schedule and realized he would be facing the Oakland Athletics yet again, with another new team. Air Jordan 11 Wholesale .C., has been named Canadas top female official, winning the 2014 SOC Award of Excellence. Cranes career as a figure skating judge has spanned over 40 years. Discount Air Jordan 11 .com) - The Golden State Warriors have started another winning streak and theyll try to pad it Tuesday night when they head to Staples Center to face the Los Angeles Lakers.CALGARY - New Calgary Flames general manager Brad Treliving has the highest draft pick in team history to work with Friday in Philadelphia. At No. 4, it will be the earliest Calgary calls out the name of their first selection in their 33 years, unless Treliving trades the pick of course. "Yeah, theres scenarios. Were not there yet," he said Monday in Calgary. "A lot of those scenarios of move ups and move downs, it really doesnt happen until the draft floor or shortly before. The biggest thing is bracing for all the different scenarios. If we pick four, were happy there too. This isnt something where we feel we have to move from four. "Theres a lot of pain to get a top-five pick. So all of a sudden to say were going to do something else, it would have to be significant." The Flames moved from Atlanta to Calgary in 1980. For trivia lovers, the Atlanta Flames highest draft picks were Tom Lysiak second overall in 1973 and Jacques Richard also at No. 2 in 1972. Treliving was named Calgarys new GM in April after he spent seven years as an assistant GM of the Phoenix Coyotes. He and the Flames scouting staff head Tuesday to Philadelphia for the 2014 NHL entry draft at Wells Fargo Center. The first round is Friday followed by the remaining six rounds Saturday. Of the five seasons Calgary hasnt made the playoffs, the first four were considered underachievements. The most recent was accepted by fans as an overdue rebuilding year. At 35-40-7, the Flames finished second-last in the Western Conference. But patience in professional sports is generally short. With the draft quickly followed by the start of unrestricted free agency July 1, and the Flames holding a boatload of cap space, Trelivings opening moves with the Flames will be scrutinized. "Although theres a lot of excitement around the draft and obviously July first, those arent the only two days to build your team," Treliving said. "This is just the start of it. I wouldnt categorize it as putting my stamp on it. "Im excited about now is the time we can be aggressive and be creative to get better. This is all about getting better. It starts with the draft and the picks we can make and well see what other things we can do both around the draft and leading into free agency." Calgary hit it out of the park choosing forward Sean Monahan at No. 6 last year when Jay Feaster was GM. As a 19-year-old rookie, Monahan scored 22 goals and was a regular in the lineup. Treliving says that was a surprise. While he expects names called early Friday to be in the NHL next season, hes not relying on it in Calgarys case. "Our focus isnt getting somebody who is going to jump in in October," he said. "t;Thats not a priority.dddddddddddd If it happens, great. Ours is who is going to be the best player for the next 10 Octobers." The consensus top prospects are Barrie Colts defenceman Aaron Eckblad, Kingston Frontenacs forward Sam Bennett, Kootenay Ice captain Sam Reinhart, Prince Albert Raiders centre Leon Draisaitl, Oshawa Generals left-winger Michael Dal Colle and Finnish left-winger Kasperi Kapanen. Reinhart has family ties to the Flames as father Paul was a defenceman with the club for most of his career and brother Max is a Flames prospect. "Weve spent a lot of time in the last several weeks with a number of the young men," Treliving said. "Weve poked, weve prodded. "I feel comfortable with the homework thats been done. Youre dealing with 17- and 18-year-old young men. As much work as you put into it, there is some risk always." The Flames currently own five picks in the first three rounds, including the 34th, 54th, 64th and 83rd choices. Calgary doesnt have any in the fourth or fifth and has one each of the sixth and the seventh rounds. Hockey operations president Brian Burke served as interim GM after firing Feaster in December. Burke acquired another second-round pick (54th) from Colorado for goaltender Reto Berra as well as an extra third-rounder (83rd) from Pittsburgh for Lee Stempniak in March. Treliving is grateful for the additional second-rounder. He can either get a quality player with it, add it to a package deal to move around the draft order or even acquire an NHL player straight up for it. "Second-round picks are the currency now and its hard to get them," Treliving explained. "Each day you get closer to the draft, the currency raises in terms of what those are worth. Its not just a second-round pick. It has a name now. Youve done your work. Not only are you picking 38th or 46th, but youre picking Jones or Smith or whatever the name is thats around there." The 2014-15 salary cap is projected to be around $71 million with a minimum of about $52 million. The Flames are buyers as theyre currently under the cap floor, according to Capgeek.com. Calgary needs reinforcements at centre and Treliving is also on the lookout for a defenceman with a right-handed shot. The GM said "talks continue" with pending unrestricted free agent Mike Cammalleri, but Treliving didnt have any signings to report Monday. Treliving also announced that Ryan Huska is new head coach of their American Hockey League affiliate in Glens Falls, N.Y. Huska was head coach of the WHLs Kelowna Rockets for the last seven seasons. Calgary is also searching for a new goaltending coach with the departure of Clint Malarchuk. ' ' '