TORONTO -- Six games into the 2014 season and the Toronto Blue Jays already have two shutouts under their belt. Marvin Williams Jersey . "Thats been a rarity around here," Toronto manager John Gibbons said dryly. "Maybe were on to something." It took the 2013 Jays 53 games to collect that many shutouts. They were 2-4 at this stage. Of course, Toronto (3-3) has also had three games this season in which the pitching staff has surrendered 11-plus hits. The Jays lost all three of those. What does it all mean? That, as Gibbons predicted repeatedly during spring training, Toronto will go as far as its pitching takes it this season. On Saturday, knuckleballer R.A. Dickey outduelled Michael Pineda with late home-run help from Melky Cabrera and Jose Bautista as Toronto blanked the New York Yankees 4-0. Dickey (1-1) pitched a gem of the game but Torontos early lack of offence meant the contest was balanced on a knifes edge as he worked to protect a slim 1-0 lead. He was aided by some nifty defence, some of which was his own handiwork. Centre-fielder Colby Rasmus also made two sparkling defensive plays to help blunt New York attacks. "Our defence has been superb to start the year ... Weve played great defence, weve had timely hitting," said Dickey. "Hopefully we can keep pushing forward." The former New York Met has now allowed just one earned run in his last 20 innings against the Yankees. Gibbons, who got the other shutout in Tampa from Mark Buehrle, savoured what he called a bounce back game after 7-2 and 7-3 losses to the Rays and Yankees, respectively. "It was a big game this early in the year," said Gibbons. "(Dickey) stepped up and the bullpen did their thing. "It was good to see the offence open it up late and give us a little breathing room. Thats huge in this game, especially in this ball park." An Adam Lind double and Josh Thole RBI single gave the Jays a 1-0 lead in the second inning. It could have been more but Thole was thrown out trying to take second with Ryan Goins at the plate. Goins subsequent double was wasted. A solo homer by Cabrera and two-run shot by Bautista, both off reliever David Phelps in the eighth, added some insurance for the Jays. It was Cabreras second home run in as many days and Bautistas third of the season. Toronto outhit New York 8-7. Dickey exited with two out and one man on in the seventh, having held the Yankees (2-3) scoreless on five hits. The veteran right-hander struck out six and walked one in a 108-pitch performance that included 69 strikes. "You never know what youre going to get there, you have no idea," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of the knuckleballer. "You have no idea whos going to hit him or not hit him. Its probably the most unpredictable day that youre going to have as a manager." The top of the Yankees order threatened in the eighth with men on first and second with none out against Brett Cecil. The left-hander got two out and then gave way to right-hander Sergio Santos with men on second and third. Santos struck out Alfonso Soriano to preserve the lead for Toronto. Rasmus made a dazzling over-the-shoulder catch of a Francisco Cervelli blast to deep centre in the ninth to deny the Yankees. Santos survived putting two men on in the ninth to record his second save, striking out the red-hot Jacoby Ellsbury to end the game. The afternoon contest drew an announced crowd of 45,446 to Rogers Centre, the second straight sellout under the dome. Pineda (0-1), in his first Yankees start after a lengthy injury absence, gave up one earned run on five hits in six innings. He threw 83 pitches, 58 for strikes, and struck out five with no walks. The 25-year-old Pinedas last big league start was Sept. 21, 2011 as a Seattle Mariner. He was traded to the Yankees after the 2011 season in a deal that sent catcher Jesus Montero to the Mariners. But the 2011 all-star was shelved by a shoulder injury during 2012 spring training. The six-foot-seven 265-pound pitcher from the Dominican Republic returned to action last July, going 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in 10 starts in the minors. Dickey lost the season opener 9-2 to Tampa Bay, giving up a career-high six walks in five innings work. He also struck out four. He credited higher velocity for part of the turnaround from the Tampa to Toronto games. "Part of its the pitch, I mean really," he said of the mercurial knuckleball. "And some of its the fact that I was able to climb to those higher velocities today. "But look, youve got to live and die with the pitch. Thats part of what makes it very difficult to do at the big league level and its part of the thing that makes it very special." Cervelli doubled off Dickey to open the third after the first six Yankees went down in order. Dickey struck out the next two Yanks and Rasmus gunned down Cervelli at the plate on a single by Ellsbury. The play survived a review, initiated by the umpiring crew to see whether Thole was blocking the plate. The perfectly placed throw was in front of Thole down the third-base line, meaning the catcher had to step over the plate to get to it. The two collided at the plate but Thole held on to the ball. The Yankees had something going in the sixth with a single and walk and none out. But Dickey, who received his Gold Glove award Friday, hauled in a Carlos Beltran hard liner to trigger a double play. A lineout completed the escape. Yankees veteran Derek Jeter, who was rested Friday, was denied in his bid for a 3,319th career hit which would tie Paul Molitor for eighth on MLBs all-time list and fourth on the AL career list. The Yankees have now gone the first five games of the season without a home run for only the fifth time since 1932. Larry Johnson Jersey . -- Andy Dorman and Kelyn Rowe scored in the second half to lead the New England Revolution to a 2-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of their Eastern Conference semifinals series on Saturday night. Willy Hernangome Jersey . This should be celebrated because it will not always be this way. With the amount of money given to players by their clubs these days, it is a wonder that so many of those teams allow the sport to continue to take away many of their assets so they can play for a different team in the middle of their season. https://www.cheaphornets.com/795l-cody-martin-jersey-hornets.html . This week, they discuss the NCAAs revenue sharing, Don Zimmer, soccer language and Super Bowl 50.CLEVELAND - Jason Giambi has never taken a single day as a major leaguer for granted. And at 43, the veteran sluggers not about to start. Giambi was activated from the disabled list on Tuesday by the Cleveland Indians, who also recalled right-hander Trevor Bauer from Triple-A Columbus to start against Detroit and made several other roster moves. Although he wasnt in the starting lineup to face Justin Verlander, Giambi is grateful to be back in any capacity. "Its fun to have your name on the lineup card and get a chance to help the ball club out," he said. Giambi had been placed on the DL on May 5 with a strained calf he injured a day earlier against the Chicago White Sox. It was his Giambis second trip to the DL after he fractured a rib during spring training. Before he went on the DL last month, Giambi, who has 438 career homers, was hitless in 10 at-bats. Its been a rough start. "I went basically from a broken rib, played a few games, calf injury," he said. "That kind of happens when you get that short spring training and dont get to play much. Its definitely hard to get going and come back to the cold weather, but Im excited to be back." The Indians also promoted utility man Justin Sellers from Triple-A Columbus and optioned infielder Jose Ramirez to the Clippers. First baseman Jesus Aguilar, who had two RBIs in Mondays win over Detroit, and left-hander T.J. House were optioned back to the minor leagues to clear room for Giambi and Bauer. Al Jefferson Jersey. . Indians manager Terry Francona intends to use Giambi in pinch-hitting situations. Hell also be used at designated hitter, and could see more time if Carlos Santana, who is batting .148, continues to struggle. Giambi said if there was one positive about his calf injury, its that it didnt prevent him from keeping his swing sharp. "I was able to do everything," he said. "I could hit. I could do everything else. With the rib, I basically couldnt do anything. I was shut down for basically five weeks, not doing anything. "So, that was nice. I could still hit, throw, everything but run. I kept up with my hitting, which was great. I feel like I could catch up, like I dont have to make up that time to get some swings in, so thats big for me." Bauer will be making his second start. The right-hander, who went 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA in seven starts in the minors, will match up against Verlander and face Detroits fearsome lineup for the first time. The 23-year-old Bauer struck out eight in a spot start against San Diego on April 9. He took the loss, but went back to Columbus and continued to dominate. "We were glad we got a chance to glimpse the last outing, and then he went back to Triple-A and kicked it into gear," Francona said. "Weve been talking for a year, this guys a big part of what we want to do going forward. And to see him growing and understanding, its exciting." ' ' '