ams heading in opposite directions on the map but not in the standings, play each other Tuesday night at Progressive Field in the opener of a two-game series.T

TORONTO -- It didnt take long to realize there was something wrong with Brandon Morrow. His velocity was down, his slider wasnt working and the opposing team was taking advantage. Through two laborious innings Morrow was tagged for four runs, two earned, before the Toronto Blue Jays yanked their starting pitcher. The Braves then went to work on Torontos bullpen, which gave up three home runs. Brian McCann hit a pair of homers -- including a tiebreaking solo shot in the 10th inning -- as Atlanta edged the Blue Jays 7-6 on Tuesday afternoon. Morrow said his right forearm has been sore since his last appearance. Theres no pain, just a lingering discomfort that hampered him on the mound. "It wasnt explosive, the ball wasnt coming out of my hand really well," he said. "It was just like there wasnt anything in there. Torontos troubles started with Morrow, who initially felt the soreness last week against Baltimore. He said it affected his grip on the ball. "Like I couldnt let it go," he said. "Maybe on the slider it was probably the worst just because youve got to get on top of that ball a little bit more. "Thought my splits and curveballs were all right. When I was out there, just trying to stay in the middle of the plate with the fastballs and change speeds." Morrows day was done after 47 mostly off-speed pitches. His fastball has averaged 93.6 miles per hour this season according to FanGraphs, but dipped during the game to 91. Morrow said he plans to let the forearm rest and still expects to make his next start Sunday in San Diego. With Morrow gone, the Blue Jays turned to reliever Ramon Ortiz for three innings. Ortiz held on until giving up back-to-back homers by Evan Gattis and McCann that gave Atlanta a 6-4 lead. The bullpen rebounded for Toronto (22-30) with scoreless innings from Aaron Loup, Brett Cecil and Steve Delabar. But in the 10th inning, McCann turned on the second pitch from Thad Weber (0-1) for his first multi-homer game of the season and the ninth of his career. After the game, Weber was optioned to triple-A Buffalo, Ortiz was designated for assignment and the team announced closer Casey Janssen had been held out of the game with mild soreness in his shoulder. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was left shaking his head at the bad luck that continues to haunt his team. "Its part of baseball," said Gibbons. "You deal with it. Everybodys trying to win the game. Everybody you got on your team, you have them here for a reason. You think they can play, they can help you. So just go with whatever you got." Jordan Schafer also homered for the National League East-leading Braves (31-20) and closer Craig Kimbrel worked the 10th inning for his 16th save. "Its the way were built," said McCann. "We hit a lot of home runs and were going to strike out. But you put up seven runs, theres nothing bad about that at all." Braves starter Paul Maholm allowed five runs on 10 hits over six innings of work and reliever Cory Gearrin (2-1) picked up the win. Jose Bautistas 12th homer of the year gave the Blue Jays a 5-4 lead in the fourth to the delight of the 45,224 fans at Rogers Centre, many of whom were students bussed in for the matinee. Bautista recovered after falling back to avoid a Maholm pitch that whistled by his head before sending a full-count offering into the left-field stands. In the seventh, Toronto tied the game at six on a double by J.P. Arencibia that scored Bautista, and the bullpen held firm until the extra inning. It was the Blue Jays fielding that looked atrocious during a busy opening frame. Braves centre-fielder Schafer, who went hitless at the bottom of the batting order Monday, got things started with a leadoff double and moved to third on a single by Andrelton Simmons. Morrow struck out Jason Heyward but Freddie Freeman doubled on the next at-bat, scoring Schafer. Simmons also scored on the play after Bautistas throw to third from right field sailed over Mark DeRosa for an error. Another error cost Toronto a run before Atlantas inning was over. McCann hit a routine grounder to the first-base side but Edwin Encarnacion lobbed the ball over Morrow as the pitcher was running to first. That allowed Freeman to score, giving the Braves a 3-0 lead. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez revelled in playing in the American League where he could put Gattis in as a designated hitter. "That big three there of Freeman and Gattis and Mac did a hell of a job for us, kept us in the game," he said. The Jays replied with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Bautista singled off Maholm then scored on a hard double by Encarnacion that bounced off the centre-field wall. The Braves also made a costly miscue in the first after Arencibia hit what looked to be an easy pop-up. Heyward and Freemans miscommunication allowed the ball to drop between them and Arencibia moved to second. On the next at-bat, DeRosa made them pay with a ground-rule double that scored Encarnacion and Arencibia. DeRosa then scored on a single by Colby Rasmus on the fifth hit of the inning to give the Blue Jays a 4-3 lead. The Braves tied the game in the second. Schafer duelled Morrow for eight pitches before cracking the ninth over the right-centre wall to tie the game. Notes: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie remains day to day after spraining his left ankle sliding into second base Monday. Gibbons said the team may need to add an extra position player if Lawrie remains out Wednesday for the start of the Jays two-game series in Atlanta. Gibbons added they would not move Encarnacion to third, despite the sluggers past experience at the position. ... Right-hander Esmil Rogers (1-2), who has only pitched out of the bullpen so far this season, gets the start Wednesday for Toronto. Hell face Braves righty Kris Medlen (1-5). Authentic Nike Zoom Basketball Shoes . At a Manhattan federal court hearing, attorney Jordan Siev said his law office has gotten more evidence nearly every day to support its lawsuit accusing MLB and Selig of going on a "witch hunt" to ruin Rodriguezs reputation and career. He said the defendants went "way over the line. Clearance Nike Zoom Shoes . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. http://www.nikezoomcheap.com/ . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. Cheap Nike Zoom Training Shoes .C. -- Chris Thorburn thinks one of the reasons the Winnipeg Jets have been successful under new coach Paul Maurice is that theyre playing together as a team. Wholesale Real Nike Zoom . -- Team after team passed on Andre Ellington in the draft. CLEVELAND -- The Washington Nationals and the Cleveland Indians, two first-place teams heading in opposite directions on the map but not in the standings, play each other Tuesday night at Progressive Field in the opener of a two-game series.Thanks to the All-Star break and Cleveland hosting the Republican National Convention, the Indians havent played a home game since July 10. The Indians have played 19 of their last 26 games on the road, but 20 of their next 25 games will be at Progressive Field.The Nationals, who have played 19 of their last 23 games at home, are set to begin a 10-game road trip that will take them to Cleveland, San Francisco and Arizona.The Indians hold a 5 1/2-game lead over the second-place Detroit Tigers in the American League Central, while Washington leads the National League East by five games over both the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins.Tuesday nights pitching matchup features Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez and Indians right-hander Danny Salazar.In 19 starts this year, Gonzalez is 6-8 with a 4.53 ERA, but he was much better than that in his past four starts, going 3-1 with a 3.80 ERA.Gonzalez will be making his second career start vs. Cleveland. The first came in a 2-1 Nationals loss on June 14, 2013, when Gonzalez pitched seven innings, giving up one run on three hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.Salazar, a first-time American League All-Star this year, is 11-3 and ranks third in the AL with a 2.75 ERA. This will be his first career appearance against Washington. Salazar hasnt lost a game since May 22, going 7-0 with a 3.16 ERA in his past nine starts.Starting pitching hasnt been a problem for the Indians, whose rotation leads the league with a 3.63 ERA. The bullpen is another matter. Cleveland reelievers rank seventh in the league in ERA at 3.dddddddddddd65.The Indians bullpen inconsistency is reflected by the teams seven walk-off losses this season, the second most in the majors. It also is the reason Cleveland is rumored to be engaged in trade talks with other teams for back-of-the-bullpen help. Closer Cody Allen gave up a game-ending home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in a 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.With less than a week to go until the trade deadline, it would not be a surprise to see the Indians make a deal for a reliever this week, although manager Terry Francona says that doesnt mean the organization is disappointed in the in-house options.Sometimes everybody clamors for bringing guys in from the outside, but you might have the guy you need right in the organization, and its somebody you really like, Francona said.The Nationals on Tuesday will welcome back first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who is expected to be activated off the disabled list. Zimmerman has been sidelined since July 7 with a left rib cage strain. In a three-game rehab stint with Class A Potomac, he hit .417 (5-for-12) with a home run and five RBI.I feel good. It was good to go down there and get some at bats, Zimmerman told MLB.com. Ill be ready to come back, help this team in the second half and get going.The Indians are just 4-5 since the All-Star break, all of those games coming on a road trip to face the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals and Baltimore. The Nationals are likewise 4-5 since the break, but all those games came at home, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. ' ' '