d Marcell up and can play both outside positions, have done a great job. I dont think well miss a beat on offense.As for Atem

(Sports Network) - The New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays for the 12th straight time in the Bronx on Wednesday, as Alfonso Sorianos tie-breaking two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning propelled the Yanks to a 4-2 victory in a game that saw Ichiro Suzuki collect the 4,000th hit of his professional career. On Thursday, theyll try to get even closer in the American League playoff race, as the Yankees attempt to complete a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. R.A. Dickey (9-12) went the distance in defeat, permitting just six hits and striking out nine despite allowing all four runs. It may not get any easier for the Jays on Thursday, as they go up against lefty Andy Pettitte, who is 23-12 lifetime versus Toronto with a 4.09 ERA in 45 games (44 starts). "It was one of those nights where everything was working and youd hope youd be able to get through the game like I did," Pettitte said. "My curve was working, my two-seamer, I was locating that to both sides of the plate. My four-seamer also. [Chris Stewart ] called a great game." Pettitte won for the first time in six starts on Friday in Boston, as he allowed just three unearned runs in 6 2/3 innings to run his record to 8-9, while lowering his ERA to 4.39. Toronto, meanwhile, will counter with a southpaw of its own in J.A. Happ, who won for the first time since April 12 on Saturday. Happ, of course, missed two months after getting hit in the head with a line drive, but has allowed just three runs in 12 1/3 innings in two starts since returning. Happ, who is 2-0 in four starts versus the Yankees, returned to the scene of where he was hit on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Rays and beat them, holding them to a two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 frames to run his record to 3-2 to go along with a 4.93 ERA. "To me, thats over with," Happ said. "I feel like I missed so much time. To me, it seemed like it took forever to get back." Toronto hasnt won in the Bronx since Aug. 29 of last season. Suzuki joined legends Pete Rose and Ty Cobb as the only players to reach the 4,000-hit milestone with a first-inning single off Dickey, his lone hit in four at-bats. Of that total, 2,722 have come during his 13-year career in the majors and 1,278 were recorded while playing nine years in his native Japan. "Its a testament to how hard hes worked, how long hes been in the game, how he stays healthy, the way he goes about his business," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Suzuki reaching the milestone. "Hes a great player and hes been a great player for a long time." Sorianos blast gave the Yankees their fourth straight overall triumph and ninth in 11 games, and improved their record to 11-1 against Toronto this season. The Jays are now just 2-21 over their last 23 visits to Yankee Stadium. The Yankees also moved within four games of the final wild card spot in the AL. Theyre also 6 1/2 behind the Boston Red Sox in the AL East. The homer also made a winner of David Huff (1-0), who tossed five scoreless innings of one-hit ball in relief of starter Adam Warren.Nolan Patrick Jersey . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. Michael Raffl Jersey . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. http://www.hockeyflyersauthentic.com/brian-elliott-jersey/ . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Brian Propp Jersey . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. Oskar Lindblom Flyers Jersey . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said.STILLWATER, Okla. -- Even factoring in the recent loss of senior Marcell Ateman to injury, Oklahoma State boasts a formidable group of receivers, led by James Washington.Washington had an outstanding sophomore season last year, finishing with 53 receptions -- second on the club -- and team-leading totals of 1,087 yards and 10 touchdowns, and hopes to build on that success as a junior.Everyone wants to perform better than last season, and thats something I want to do and thats something I want to see my team do, Washington said Saturday, after the team completed its first week of practice. I feel like if I just help myself get better, Im helping my team get better -- for myself, just becoming more of a leader to this team and helping us get to a Big 12 championship and hopefully getting to a national championship.The 6-foot, 205-pound Washington possesses considerable speed and an ability to outleap defenders for the ball, serving as quarterback Mason Rudolphs favorite deep threat target. Last season, eight of Washingtons touchdowns came on passes of 40 yards or more, and he averaged 20.5 yards per catch, ranking second in the Big 12 and 10th in the nation.Rudolph, entering his junior year as an experienced starter, has developed strong chemistry, both on and off the field, with Washington.Weve got a good friendship, which helps -- we took a couple of classes together this summer and he did a good job of tutoring me in accounting, said Rudolph, who is completely healthy after a broken foot hobbled him for the final two games last season -- both of which OSU lost en route to a 10-3 record and a No. 19 ranking in the final poll. Hes a good guy, hes a quiet leader, he leads by example. Hes obviously a tremendous athlete and I think hell be a first-round pick one day.But Washington is just one of Oklahoma States receiving weapons. The squad graduated last years senior leaders David Glidden and Brandon Sheperd, and lost Ateman, who was third on the squad last year with 45 receptions and 766 yards, for ann indeterminate timeframe with a broken foot, but still has plenty of options.ddddddddddddSenior Jhajuan Seales (18 receptions, 321 yards, two touchdowns) and sophomore Jalen McCleskey (29 receptions, 253 yards, three TDs) each contributed last season and are expected to take another step forward, while senior Austin Hays (22 receptions, 200 yards, one TD) and junior Chris Lacy (eight receptions, 120 yards, two TDs) are also in the mix.When Marcell got hurt, it was tough to see that happen because he worked so hard in the off-season, but all the receivers have stepped up, said McCleskey, who also returned punts last season, averaging 5.0 yards and scoring a touchdown. He was a big part of our offense, but we feel like we have the depth for everybody to step up and us not slow down.Lacy and Seales, in particular, were singled out by head coach Mike Gundy as players that have stepped up so far in practice and will fill the void, and Rudolph agreed.Weve got plenty of talent there with those outside receivers, Jhajuan Seales and Chris Lacy, two guys that can make plays all over the place, and have game experience, Rudolph said. Theyre the first guys that backed Marcell up and can play both outside positions, have done a great job. I dont think well miss a beat on offense.As for Ateman, who sustained his injury during off-season training and recently underwent surgery to repair the damage, he probably wont be on the field for the Cowboys season opener against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 3. At this point, Gundy isnt sure exactly when hell be available.Theyre going to bring him back by the 14th of September, and theyll start to make a decision on where hes at, Gundy said of Ateman and the teams doctors. The foot injury he has, they have to re-X-ray it. Some guys are four weeks, some guys are six weeks, some guys are 10 weeks and you dont know. It just depends on the injury. ' ' '