Aktivitäten Berichte » Even with Augusta National looming, McIlroy sai

TORONTO -- Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle has no explanation for the best start of his 15-year career, which sees him with a Major League-leading seven wins in the seasons first eight starts. "You dont ask too many questions," Buehrle said Monday after gutting it out through six-plus innings as the Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 at the Rogers Centre. "You just go with it. "I dont feel like Im pitching different. I havent changed anything. (I have) no answer for it." The 35-year-old Buehrle said he struggled "big time" Monday, surrendering six hits and walking five. But he limited the Angels to a pair of runs even though he had base runners in each of his final five innings. "I figured it out. Walk enough guys, theyre not all going to score," quipped Buehrle, who ran his record to 7-1 before 13,603 at Rogers Centre. Its the first time hes won seven of the first eight starts in a season. "I just felt like I was not getting ahead in the count. Guys were making plays behind me," he said. "It didnt feel like it was an easy game. Obviously, the five walks shows that." Jose Bautista with a three-run home run in the first and Brett Lawrie with a two-run shot in the sixth gave Buehrle all the offence he needed. Each of the round-trippers found the second deck as the Blue Jays (19-20) ended a three-game losing streak and salvaged the finale of the four-game series against L.A. Bautistas blast, his 178th as a Blue Jay, moved him to within one of Jesse Barfield for fifth all-time on the clubs home run list. Lawrie, returning to the line-up after missing six games with a sore right hamstring, pounded the first pitch he saw from Angels (19-18) starter C.J. Wilson (4-3) in the sixth inning for his seventh home run of the season. The blast widened the Blue Jays lead to 5-2 after L.A.s Mike Trout with a two-run, two-out double in the third to get the visitors to within a run. "A lot of good things happened tonight," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, pointing to the Buehrle start, key home runs, solid performance by reliever Steve Delabar to quell an Angels rally in the seventh. He also welcomed back Casey Janssen, making his first appearance of the season after returning from a stint on the disabled list with a back injury. The right-hander worked a hitless ninth, yielding a walk. Gibbons said one of the keys for Buehrle this season is that hes surrendered just one home run, compared to 11 at this point a season ago. Hes also come out of spring training feeling better. It was Buehrles 437th consecutive start without a stint on the disabled list, the longest active streak in the Majors. "Hes old reliable," Gibbons said. "He goes out there and you know what youre going to get. "Hes going to get hit around every now and then like they all do but hes used to winning. Hes had a great career and hes one of those guys who knows how to survive." Lawrie said of his home run that he "was just trying to extend the inning and stepped into one." Centrefielder Colby Rasmus came out of the game after the sixth inning with tightness in his right hamstring. While Gibbons said he might need to look at putting him on the disabled list as its the second time its flared up in a week, Rasmus insisted after the game he was day-to-day. Discount Nike Sb Shoes . Halak, 28, split his eighth NHL seasons between the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals, compiling a 29-13-7 record in 52 games. Cheap Wholesale Nike Sb . A larger-than-life personality known for his intimidating style in the 18-yard box, Schmeichels career spanned some 20 years -- including a memorable tenure at Manchester United. http://www.cheapnikesb.us/ . 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Mickelson finally announced his intentions to indeed play at this weeks Houston Open on Wednesday afternoon through a post on his website. The decision came after two days of "light practice" at Augusta National, where Mickelson said his side "felt sore as opposed to hurting." "I feel that to give myself the best chance at the Masters I have to play in Houston," Mickelson said. "If I thought I would injure myself further I would have withdrawn from the tournament, but the last few days have been good." Mickelson didnt play in Wednesdays pro-am, fueling speculation that he might withdraw from the tournament he won in 2011. However, tournament director Steve Timms said that had been planned for six weeks -- long before his injury. Timms said Mickelson had already agreed to take part in a sponsor dinner rather than play in the pro-am. The worlds No. 5 player helped solidify the Houston Opens spot as a preferred Masters tuneup by committing to play in 2008 and every year since. He finished 16th last year. Mickelsons return to the 7,441-yard Golf Club of Houston -- formerly known as Redstone Golf Club before an ownership change -- highlights a stellar field that features the winners of 34 major championships. Its a field that includes Henrik Stenson, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia, among others, as well as defending champion D.A. Points. First and foremost, theyre after the winners share of the $6.4 million event -- while also using the courses slick greens and tight rough to prepare for the Masters. After a schedule change last year, the tournament is back in its normmal slot.dddddddddddd And thats just fine with McIlroy, who tied for 45th at the event last year while still in the infant stages of a club change. "Its brilliant," McIlroy said. "They get the fairway heights the same, the rough heights the same, the runoff around the greens ... Its perfect for that." McIlroy finished 19th at the Houston Open in 2009 before missing the cut a year later. The former world No. 1 was winless on the PGA Tour last year, though he has been trending upward since -- including a win over Adam Scott in the Australian Open in December. He finished second at the Honda Classic last month before tying for 25th at Doral. McIlroy took the last three weeks off leading into the Houston Open-- a big change from last year when he decided to play the Texas Open only days ahead of time. Even with Augusta National looming, McIlroy said hes fully focused on competing this week. "I think its important to finish well," McIlroy said. "I dont think theres any better way to prepare than getting yourself into contention and playing golf under pressure, because thats ultimately what you want to do next week." Points sank a 13-foot par putt on the 72nd hole to win last year, winning by one stroke over Stenson and Billy Horschel. The American hasnt finished higher than 28th this year, including missed cuts in each of his last two tournaments, but his confidence is high this week. "Knowing that Ive had success here, and its cool to be out there," Points said. "Makes you feel like, Hey, I can do that again." Mickelson tees off Thursday morning with Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley, with the threesome of Texas native Jimmy Walker, Stenson and Matt Kuchar behind them. McIlroys threesome with Dustin Johnson and Luke Donald begins in the afternoon, followed immediately by a group including Jordan Spieth, Garcia and Steve Stricker. ' ' '