Trophy winner Derrick Henry at Alabama laast season

TORONTO -- Melky Cabrera homered and scored twice while Edwin Encarnacion sparked Torontos four-run rally in the sixth inning as the Blue Jays defeated the Texas Rangers 6-1 on Friday night. Starter Esmil Rogers and four Toronto relievers combined to allow just four hits as the Blue Jays took the opener of the three-game series at Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays loaded the bases with nobody out in the sixth inning and Encarnacion drove a pitch from Rangers starter Nick Tepesch into left-centre field to push two runs across. Toronto (26-34) added two more runs in the frame on sacrifice flies by Adam Lind and J.P. Arencibia. Texas (36-24) entered play with the best record in the American League and started strong by opening the scoring in the first inning. Jurickson Profar hit a one-out single up the middle and moved to second on a balk. A.J. Pierzynski lined out before Adrian Beltre lashed a single to centre field. Outfielder Colby Rasmus hurried the throw home but it was well offline and Profar scored easily. The Rangers stranded two runners in the fourth inning. Pierzynski singled to open the frame and moved to second on a David Murphy walk. Rogers got Craig Gentry to ground out to Maicer Izturis at third base who stepped on the bag for the force out. Tepesch (3-5) retired the Jays in order the first time through the lineup. But Cabrera led off the bottom half of the fourth with a no-doubt solo shot just inside the foul pole in right field for his third homer of the season. Aaron Loup was dominant after relieving Rogers in the fifth inning. Four of his five outs were strikeouts. In the sixth, Munenori Kawasaki was hit by a pitch, Cabrera singled and Jose Bautista walked to load the bases. Encarnacion cashed in Kawasaki and Cabrera before moving to third on Linds fly to right field, which scored Bautista. Arencibia followed with a towering fly ball to centre field that scored Encarnacion. The Blue Jays added an insurance run in the seventh inning when Kawasaki scored on a single by Cabrera, who had three of Torontos six hits. Rogers allowed three hits, one earned run, one walk and had six strikeouts in four innings. Loup, Neil Wagner (1-0), Brett Cecil and Steve Delabar all worked at least an inning of relief. Tepesch allowed five hits, six earned runs and two walks while striking out six. Announced attendance was 36,010 and the game took two hours eight minutes to play. Notes: The Blue Jays recalled catcher Josh Thole and selected the contract of infielder Andy LaRoche from triple-A Buffalo before the game. Catcher Henry Blanco was designated for assignment. ... Reports indicated pitcher Chien-Ming Wang had opted out of his minor-league deal with the New York Yankees and was close to signing with the Blue Jays. When asked about it during a pre-game media availability, Gibbons said he didnt "know anything about that." ... Gibbons came out to argue with home plate umpire Jerry Meals after Kawasaki was called out for stepping on the plate after a bunt attempt in the third inning. ... Left-hander Mark Buehrle (2-4) is scheduled to start for Toronto on Saturday afternoon. The Rangers will counter with right-hander Yu Darvish (7-2). Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. Cheap NHL Jerseys . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. https://www.cheapnfljerseysjustwholesale.com/ . 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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Rick Stockstill insists what happens Saturday wont determine how the rest of the season goes for his Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.For the Vanderbilt Commodores, it certainly could.The Commodores blew a 10-point lead in losing their season opener to South Carolina, and now they host an in-state rival Saturday whose home is about 40 miles southeast of Nashville. Middle Tennessee rebounded from a loss to Vanderbilt last season to reach the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, while the Commodores finished 4-8.After opening the season with two straight home games, Vanderbilts schedule gets much tougher with road trips to Georgia Tech and Western Kentucky before diving back into the Southeastern Conference to host Florida.Our motivation is right in front of us, Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. We need to play well.Vanderbilt leads this series 13-3 but needed two touchdowns in the final 6 minutes, 14 seconds to pull out a 17-13 win that ended a three-game skid to Middle Tennessee now in Conference USA. Now the Blue Raiders (1-0) are coming off a 55-0 rout of Alabama A&M with quarterback Brent Stockstill having thrown five touchdowns and trying to start 2-0 for the first time since 2001.Absolutely I think this is a big game, Vanderbilt linebacker and safety Oren Burks said. Anytime you have an in-state opponent where you have bragging rights ... Were ready to go out and compete.---Some things to watch Saturday afternoon:RUN DEFENSE: Middle Tennessee is very familiar with Vanderbilt junior running back Ralph Webb who beat the Blue Raiders by running 39 yards for a TD with 1:12 left. Webb ran for 97 yards in the opener for Vandy and now has a complement in converted linebacker Khari Blasingame as Vandy ran 42 times against South Carolina. Rick Stockstill notes Middle Tennessee played Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry at Alabama laast season.dddddddddddd. Hes going to break arm tackles, so you cant do that, the Middle Tennessee coach said.PROTECT THE FOOTBALL: Vanderbilt has no turnovers, something the Commodores did only twice last season when they finished with 25 turnovers. Middle Tennessee was intercepted twice in its opener, something the Commodores are working on defensively after breaking up so many passes last season.WHOS CATCHING: Stockstill completed his first 22 passes, a nice accomplishment considering how injuries have decimated the Blue Raiders receiving corps. They lost three receivers to injuries this preseason with Demetrius Frazier was hurt in the first quarter of the opener. Richie James caught a team-high eight passes for 73 yards for a team that moved running back Desmond Anderson to receiver in August and freshman Tyshawn Brown from safety to a week before the opener.TACKLING MACHINE: Vanderbilt linebacker Zach Cunningham has picked up where he left off last season. He finished 2015 with at least 10 tackles in the final four games, and he had a game-high 12 against South Carolina. He will be tested by Middle Tennessee running back Itavius Mathers, whos playing after sitting out last year as a transfer from Ole Miss.QB RHYTHM: Mason says Kyle sophomore Shurmur remains Vandys starting quarterback after he was 8 of 22 for 73 yards in the opener. Shurmur could use some help from his receivers because C.J. Duncan is the only player at that position to catch more than one pass in the opener. Webb was the top target with three receptions.---Online:AP College Football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org and AP-Top 25 Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/AP-Top25---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker ' ' '