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TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays started last season with an April swoon that they never really recovered from. Steve Smith Jersey . Buoyed by a four-game winning streak and a return to the .500 mark entering play Thursday night, manager John Gibbons said the feeling around the team is much better now than this time last year. "No doubt. I think last year was a little bit of a shock to everybody," Gibbons said during a pre-game availability. "But I think they always had a good attitude. But everybody was kind of like they got hit by a two-by-four ... I definitely feel something different this year. "Theyre feeling good." Expectations were sky-high for last years squad after an off-season makeover brought in big names like R.A. Dickey, Jose Reyes, Melky Cabrera and Mark Buehrle. However, the team lost 21 of its first 31 games and struggled to a last-place finish in the American League East. General manager Alex Anthopoulos kept the changes to a minimum in the last off-season. There are early signs that might have been a prudent approach. The Blue Jays had a few hiccups in recent weeks -- including a couple meltdowns from their usually strong bullpen -- but appear to be back in form as they continued a nine-game homestand Thursday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. Torontos starting rotation has been anchored by the steady play of Buehrle, who is off to a 6-1 start with a sparkling 1.91 earned-run average. The Blue Jays starters have been going deeper into games and easing the pressure on the bullpen, which looked good early on but has had some inconsistent patches. Closer Casey Janssen could return from his rehab assignment in the coming days and that would also give the relief crew a boost. Injuries were a problem last year. The absence of Reyes for most of the first half of the season had a ripple effect through the order and his defensive skills were missed. His troublesome hamstring was an issue last month but his game appears to be coming around. A big difference early on this year is the meat of the lineup looks comfortable and is getting results. Entering play Thursday, Melky Cabrera (.329, 6 HR, 14 RBIs) leads the American League with 48 hits, Jose Bautista (.300, 9 HR, 21 RBIs) has reached base in all 34 games and leads the American League with a 1.041 OPS (on-base plus slugging) while Edwin Encarnacion (.242, 4 HR, 21 RBIs) has been a threat in the cleanup spot. There have also been some nice bonuses. Backup catcher Josh Thole is hitting .400, Juan Francisco filled in admirably when Adam Lind went down with a back problem and regular catcher Dioner Navarro has a .300 average. Lind was activated Thursday and served as the designated hitter against the Phillies. He was hitting .324 at the time of his injury. The Blue Jays have also been hitting for power -- they lead the American League with 44 home runs and a team slugging percentage of .432 entering play against Philadelphia. No one is strutting around the dugout after splitting the first 34 games of the season. But its a marked improvement from the 13-23 record and woeful .361 winning percentage the Blue Jays had on this date last year. Perhaps the positive feelings are boosted by the fact the other American League East clubs are in a similar boat with only 3 1/2 games separating first from worst. The Blue Jays will play four games against the Los Angeles Angels before closing out the homestand with a three-game set against the Cleveland Indians. Manu Ginobili Jersey . McCutchen hit his first home run in over a month, doubled twice and scored two runs to help the Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 on Sunday and take three of four from the defending NL West champions. Trey Lyles Jersey . The two were in the batting cage moments before game time. Bautista was taking final warm up cuts. Pillar was hitting soft toss. The one-time utility player turned All-Star pulled aside the clubs young, fourth outfielder and offered him some advice. https://www.cheapspurs.com/1256j-jakob-poeltl-jersey-spurs.html .com) - Mike Conley scored 20 points with five assists to help the Memphis Grizzlies remain unbeaten with a 91-89 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.MAUER, Austria -- The Canadian mens soccer team is still looking for an elusive win, but for now a pair of draws against European opponents is progress enough for head coach Benito Floro. Canada played to its second-straight 1-1 draw Tuesday, coming from behind to tie Moldova in a friendly. Canada also tied Bulgaria 1-1 in a friendly last week. Tuesdays result means Canadas 16-game winless streak that dates back to October 2012 remains intact as the team still searches for its first win in seven games under Floros leadership. Still, Floro said he was pleased with aspects of Canadas game. "I am happy because the team is progressing, and the players are happy because they can see the progress," he said. "For us it isnt important to be looking at the results right now, that will take time." Things got off to poor start for Canada when Moldovas Eugeniu Sidorenco, left unmarked in the penalty area, nodded the ball past Canadian goalie Milan Borjan in the seventh minute. The goal came from what was seemingly a non-threatening position for Moldova, but the Canadian pairing of Adam Straith and Andre Hainault in central defence allowed Sidorenco too much space in front of the goal. With Canada having only scored one goal in the last 14 months, it looked early on as if it could be a long evening in the Austrian rain for Floros side. But striker Tosaint Ricketts found himself in the right place at the right time to tie the game just two minutes later. Pedro Pacheco floated a corner to the back post where Hainault rose the highest to nod it back in front of the goal to Ricketts, who kicked it home from five yards out. "It always feels great to score for your country,&qquot; Ricketts said. Tracy McGrady Jersey. "Floro has been driving home tactical set-pieces and corners and we executed well." The game then settled and it wasnt until Atiba Hutchinson hit the crossbar late in the first half that either team came close to scoring again. Canadian right-back Nik Ledgerwood curled a bending free kick towards the back post where Hutchinson used his thigh to nudge a shot toward the goal, but it hit the top of the bar. Following the halftime break it was Canada who asserted the control of the game, stringing together some tidy possession without ever really threatening to penetrate the well-organized Moldovan defence. The Moldovans produced the best two chances of the second half on the counter-attack. Alexandru Antoniuc forced a big save from Borjan with a firm drive midway through the second half, before Eugeniu Cebotaru fired a dangerous shot just wide of the left post from 22 yards. Despite dominating possession throughout the final stage of the game, Canada was unable to carve out a clear-cut opportunity. Addressing Canadas long-standing offensive woes, Floro said he is on the hunt for fresh attacking talent. "We have to find a away to keep creating more chances and we will continue looking for another striker who can come in and help Ricketts and Simeon Jackson," Floro said. Canada is ranked 110th in the world to Moldovas 99th. Canada had been looking to notch its first win since a 3-0 win over Cuba towards the end of its futile World Cup Qualifying campaign in October 2012. The Canadian team will now disband for the summer ahead of its return to home turf for Septembers friendly against Jamaica at BMO Field in Toronto. ' ' '