the Warriors

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NEW YORK -- David Phelps put his pitches in all the right places against a struggling team that was stuck in the wrong spot. Phelps threw seven strong innings, Carlos Beltran drove in two runs and the New York Yankees beat Toronto 6-4 Thursday night for their 16th consecutive home win over the Blue Jays. "Everything was a little bit crisper today," Phelps said. "I was able to be aggressive the entire game." Jacoby Ellsbury stole two bases, scored twice and hit one of three early sacrifice flies for the Yankees off Drew Hutchison. New York swiped four bags in all and scratched out its fifth run when Brett Gardner was going as Derek Jeter hit an RBI groundout -- preventing an inning-ending double play. Phelps (3-4) yielded two runs and struck out seven in winning his second straight outing after a four-start skid. The Yankees earned their first three-game sweep at home this season and sliced Torontos lead in the AL East to 1 1/2 games. "Big series for us," reliever Adam Warren said after New York won for the seventh time in nine games. "Its nice to kind of see our team click a little bit and play some good baseball." Citing research by the Elias Sports Bureau, the Yankees said the winning streak against Toronto is their longest at home against one team since a 19-game run vs. Cleveland from June 1960 to April 1962. Melky Cabrera and Edwin Encarnacion each hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays, who have lost nine of 12 and were swept for the first time since Sept. 10-12 last season by the Los Angeles Angels. Toronto has dropped 25 of 27 at Yankee Stadium dating to 2011 and hasnt won in the Bronx since Aug. 29, 2012. "Hey, if youre going to play in prime time, youve got to perform on the big stage and we didnt do it," manager John Gibbons said. "Were fully capable of doing it. We just didnt do it. Itll be definitely good to move on." With closer David Robertson receiving a rest, Warren got two outs for his second save -- ending a rhythm-less game that took 3 hours, 47 minutes. Gibbons was on the field five times in the first six innings for four discussions with the umpires, plus a pitching change. Phelps equaled his career high with 115 pitches and finished strong. He retired pinch-hitter Adam Lind with two on to end the sixth and then struck out two in a perfect seventh. "We really pushed him tonight," manager Joe Girardi said. "He did a great job." The right-hander was fired up, too, clenching his fist and yelling after freezing Jose Reyes for strike three with his final delivery. Phelps made a key defensive play to protect a one-run lead in the fifth. He got Reyes on a soft grounder with the infield in, pinning a runner at third, and then knocked down Cabreras two-out comebacker. Phelps whirled around and scrambled to find the ball near the front of the mound, then zipped a throw to first just in time. "I knew that it went down. I knew it wasnt going to be far away, I just had to get my eyes on it," Phelps said. "Straight scramble mode as soon as it hit me." Cabrera tripped awkwardly over the bag and tumbled hard to the turf, but appeared to be fine. Phelps also picked off Cabrera at second base with two runners on in the first inning and Encarnacion at the plate. Phelps and Girardi both called it the biggest play of the game. "The way our teams been playing right now, its exciting baseball," Phelps said. Encarnacion hit his 21st homer in the eighth, a long drive to left off Shawn Kelley that cut it to 6-4. Yankees hitters ran up Hutchisons pitch count early, just as they did against fellow youngster Marcus Stroman in the series opener. Kelly Johnson had a sacrifice fly in the second and Beltran added one in the third. Making his Yankee Stadium debut, Hutchison (5-5) threw 38 pitches in the second inning and needed 76 to get through three. He was pulled in the fifth trailing 3-2. "Youve got to make better pitches," Hutchison said. "When I got ahead I didnt make good pitches to put them away, and I fell behind quite a bit, too." Beltran hit an RBI double off Aaron Loup, and Brian Roberts stole two bases in the sixth before scoring on Jeters groundout. Steve Delabar walked three in the seventh, including Yangervis Solarte with the bases loaded to make it 6-2. NOTES: Toronto has seven more games scheduled at Yankee Stadium this year. The Blue Jays return on July 25. ... Lind had been sidelined since leaving Saturdays game in Baltimore with a bruised right foot. ... Lights-out Yankees reliever Dellin Betances was unavailable after pitching three scoreless innings in the first two games of the series, Girardi said. ... Johnson was shaken up and removed after the ball hit his left hand when he fouled off a bunt in the sixth. Solarte pinch-hit with a full count and struck out. X-rays on Johnson were negative and he is day to day with bruised fingers. Yeezy 700 Utility Black Outlet . -- Kevin Stadler might be playing in the Masters for the first time, but hes already showing his old man a thing or two. Yeezy 700 Black Outlet . Napoli beat high-flying Hellas Verona 3-0 to keep up the pressure on the top two while AC Milan had another disappointing night as four goals from teenage forward Domenico Berardi saw relegation-threatened Sassuolo come back from two goals down to win 4-3. http://www.yeezy700outlet.com/.Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week. Fake Yeezy Store China . Toronto (11-12) gave up leads in 10-8 and 11-4 losses to the Baltimore Orioles this week. It was never close Friday as the Boston Red Sox got to Mark Buehrle early en route to an 8-1 win. Fake Yeezy 700 Mauve . Vargas (8-3) allowed four singles and two walks while striking out five, allowing only two runners from a diluted Twins lineup to reach second base. Mike Moustakas and Jarrod Dyson hit RBI singles in the second inning against Kevin Correia (4-10), and that was all Vargas needed.FIVE QUICK NBA THOUGHTS 1. KEVIN DURANT VS. LEBRON JAMES: Lots of attention for Wednesdays game matching up the two best players in the world. As I said last week, KD gets my slight edge as the MVP this year but you cant go wrong with either guy. Above and beyond the wonderful skills and smarts that both guys possess the thing I respect about both is their sheer passion and love for the game and their respect for the fact that youve got to pay the price and continue to improve yourself every season as a player. Both continue to grow/blossom as players, adding new elements to their skill set each year. The old line about input equalling output is so true in the case of these two men. Strong work ethic and dedication to their craft. Enjoy watching. 2. INDIANA PACERS: Caught some of their game last night at the Lakers and theyve got a wonderful defence but the thing that has really impressed me with the return of Danny Granger is the unselfishness and value of team play offensively. Everyone is involved and the ball finds the right guy at the right spot. Six players were in double figures last night and Luis Scola had eight points. They can shut down your offence big-time and the versatility and balance of their offence is a nice luxury to have. 3. ANTHONY DAVIS (Hornets): Folks, hes breaking out. This man can truly play. On Tuesday night he gets 30 points, seven rebounds and eight blocks vs. the Cavs. Injuries have been the only thing that have derailed his progress in his first two seasons. If this guy played in a major market youd be hearing about him every day with his upside. Hes a nifty passer as well with really nice ball skills and good understannding of team play.dddddddddddd If he stays healthy, hes going to emerge in the next few seasons as one of the best big men in the game for a long time. 4. BRADLEY BEAL & JOHN WALL (Wizards): Caught some of their game on Tuesday against the Warriors (stayed up late watching a bunch of West Coast hoops) and when these two young guards play together and are healthy they are special. Against the explosive back court of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson they more than held their own with 35 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists and four steals. The Wizards are an intriguing team in the East and having a veteran like Trevor Ariza having a nice season on the perimeter for them they can produce points pretty consistently. Against a pretty good defensive team that also puts great offensive pressure on you, this was a good road win for the Wiz. Guard play wins lots of games and theyve got it. 5. DAVID STERN: Bottom line, every player, coach, executive, owner, broadcaster, and support staff member of each NBA team and all the members of the NBA media as well as countless loyal basketball fans around the world should raise a glass and toast the career and legacy of this commissioner. He was the best ever in NBA history and arguably the best ever in professional sports. Not the most warm and fuzzy guy on earth but the man delivered the goods for everyone. The game, attention on the sport and the coverage it creates and gets are overwhelmingly better than theyve ever been. You need a man with vision, leadership skills and a thick skin to get the job done and he got the job done in an impressive way. Cheers! Were all better for the legacy he leaves behind. ' ' '