NEW YORK – The Blue Jays entered Thursdays series finale at Yankee Stadium losers of eight of their last 11 games. Dante Pettis 49ers Jersey . Theyd dropped 15 in a row in the Bronx dating back to 2012 and had seen their lead over their pinstriped rivals in the American League East dwindle to two and a half games. This is a slump. Its lasted for about two weeks. The downturn comes on the heels of a terrific May, when Toronto won 21 of 30 games and Edwin Encarnacion captured the imagination of fans with his 16-home run month. This is not is the end of the world, nor does this slump suggest a long-term trend. This is on the offence and thats a good thing because theres too much talent in the Blue Jays lineup for the widespread malaise to continue. To wit: The starting pitching has been fine. You could say its been good and you wouldnt be wrong. In the last 11 games, Jays starters have allowed four or more earned runs only twice and have pitched to a staff ERA of 3.71. The starting pitching was supposed to be the weakness. So far it has held up. The Jays have hit only four home runs in their last 11 games. Not surprisingly, three of the home runs came in two of the three victories. Toronto continues to lead baseball with 93 team home runs, which is crucial to the clubs attack. Of the 338 runs the Jays have scored this season, 147 (43.4 per cent) have come via the long ball. Jose Bautista hasnt hit a home run in 11 games, his longest power drought of the season. Hes still hitting for a respectable average, .275 with five of his 11 hits going for doubles, but the Jays miss his power bat as the club struggles, having scored three or fewer runs eight times in the span. This is a phase, both for the individual and for the ballclub, Bautista said, that was bound to happen. "If you can execute every single day for 162, youd probably win 140 games," said Bautista. "We dont expect to execute every single day. But we do have to pick it up. Its one thing, were running into some St. Louis good pitching, some other pitching staffs. I dont want to speak badly or worse about the Yankees or the Orioles but its not the same. We faced much better pitching at home during the last homestand than we have on this road trip, except for Tanaka, who did a tremendous job. So we shouldve won some of these games that we lost." It hasnt helped, either, that Edwin Encarnacion has hit only one home run in the last 11 games. "Weve lacked some timely hitting," said Bautista. "Our pitching has been there enough, I think, that we shouldve won some of these games that weve lost. We just need to keep going on offence. We got really hot at one point and kind of hitting a little cold spurt now. Weve just got to overcome it and not get 10 hits a day but get them when you get the baserunners on." Bautista has repeatedly acknowledged hes bought in to hitting coach Kevin Seitzers philosophy of using all fields. The slugger has become a better all round hitter. His 1,000th career big league hit, achieved in the eighth inning of Wednesday nights loss, was a double to right field. That alone would have been a story last season. This year its commonplace. "I think Im more aware of some situations where people are going to keep challenging me inside, especially when Im behind in the count or theres the right situation when theres a defensive shift," said Bautista. "Why not try to go over there and it ended up working out again? But the previous at bat I tried going that way and I hit into a force out, when Melky got forced out at second. So it works sometimes, sometimes it doesnt." Its difficult to watch a team go into a funk, especially when it had become customary for fans to watch Toronto out-slug and, often, out-pitch opponents. Despite the recent struggles, the Jays offence remains top 10 in important statistical categories: Home runs – 93 (1st)On-base percentage - .329 (5th)On-base plus slugging percentage - .760 (2nd)Walks – 243 (9th) Custom San Francisco 49ers Jerseys . Now comes an off-season of questions about manager Matt Williams decisions and a handful of key roster choices, including what to do about Ryan Zimmerman, whether to sign Jordan Zimmermann and Ian Desmond to long-term deals, and how to upgrade an offence that fell flat in October. Frank Gore 49ers Jersey . Paire broke Giraldo twice and lost his serve once in both sets to wrap up the win in 1 hour, 10 minutes. He will next face Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain, who advanced when Jurgen Zopp of Estonia retired with an injury at 5-5 in the first set. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Jimmie-Ward-Jersey/ . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91.PHOENIX - Esmil Rogers dominant, one hit performance over six and a third innings was overshadowed by Edwin Encarnacions personal milestone in the Blue Jays 4-1 win over the Diamondbacks. Encarnacions two run home run in the ninth inning was his 35th of the season, marking a second consecutive year with at least that many, vaulting him into elite Blue Jays company. Only Carlos Delgado (1998-01); Jose Bautista (2010-11); Shawn Green (1998-99) and Fred McGriff (1989-90) had achieved the feat. “When you retire, when you dont be anymore in the game, you want to be remembered,” said Encarnacion. “It makes me feel good and all my family too.” The home run also sent Encarnacion over the 100-RBI mark, also for the second-straight season. “You know, Eddies not just a slugger,” said manager John Gibbons. “Eddie comes up there with a plan. Hes really a student of hitting. He spends a lot of time in that video room watching the pitchers.” Give credit to Encarnacion for some of Brett Lawries success in August (.346/.397/.495.) Lawrie tagged along for many of Encarnacions video sessions, Encarnacion helping Lawrie to identify pitchers tendencies and how they were trying to get the youngster out. “He doesnt say a whole lot, Eddie just keeps to himself but hes really a student of hitting,” said Gibbons. ROMERO RETURNS The Triple-A Buffalo Bisons concluded their International League season on Monday, paving the way for the Blue Jays to take advantage of Septembers expanded rosters. The club announced pitchers Ricky Romero, Kyle Drabek, Luis Perez and Jeremy Jeffress, along with catcher Mike Nickeas, would arrive in Phoenix before the end of the series with the Diamondbacks. Manager John Gibbonns is in the process of determining each of the pitchers roles and wont guarantee Romero or Drabek a start. Frank Gore Jersey. “Cecils still a little bit tender,” said Gibbons of Cecils pitching shoulder. “[Darren Oliver]s been coming off the stiff back so weve been a little bit beat up down (in the bullpen.”) Corresponding roster moves, to create space on the 40-man roster, will be announced on Tuesday. Its safe to assume that Melky Cabrera will be transferred to the 60-day disabled list. Josh Johnson, who isnt throwing due to a forearm strain, is another candidate for the 60-day DL. Assuming those two moves are made, the Jays would have to select a player to designate for assignment. BAUTISTA GETTING CHECKED Jose Bautista was in New York City on Monday, visiting orthopedic surgeon and hip specialist Dr. Bryan Kelly, for further medical evaluation on his injured left hip. The slugger has been on the disabled list since August 21 with a bone bruise. Bautista would be eligible to return in time for this weekends series in Minnesota, although it remains unclear when – if – he will back this season. “Well have a better idea in the next couple of days after he sees that doctor,” said manager John Gibbons. “We still have a month left but once he gets cleared to go hes got to build up some baseball stuff again.” NUMBERS GAME Sometimes the numbers just match up. Mondays starters had a lot in common when the day started. The Blue Jays Esmil Rogers, who wears jersey number 32, was 3-7 with a 5.03 ERA. Arizonas Brandon McCarthy wears number 32 on his Diamondbacks jersey. 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