day. The fans reaction was about the same as it was in

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Alex Cobb will take the mound in the big leagues on Friday for the first time in 23 months.Its been a long road back from Tommy John surgery for Cobb, who will face the Toronto Blue Jays in the series opener.Cobb hurt his elbow in last years spring training and had his surgery in May, hopeful he could make a summer return to the rotation. Instead of July, its September, so the return means that much more to him.It wasnt like it was smooth, Cobb told the Tampa Bay Times. Some people just pick up a ball and theyre like, OK, the pains gone. With me, it was like, this kind of hurts a little more than before I got the surgery.Cobbs rehab was longer than expected -- he had to be activated Monday per rehab guidelines, and hes in position to get five starts in September to give him confidence for a return to health.Cobb had an ERA under 3.00 in each of his last two seasons, posting a 10-9 mark with a 2.87 ERA in 2014 after going 11-3 with a 2.76 in 2013. Much has changed since his last outing in 2014 -- the Rays changed managers, and much of the lineup around him has changed as well.The Rays (56-76) come home having dropped four of six games on a road trip, and they face a Toronto team leading the American League East at 76-57 and having won five of six games. Tampa Bay actually has a 7-6 edge in the season series, although the Jays took two of three in the most recent series.Toronto has a new pitcher to throw at the Rays in left-hander Francisco Liriano, who was acquired from the Pirates. Hes 7-12 with a 5.22 ERA for the season, but in four starts since joining the Blue Jays, hes 1-1 with a 3.97 ERA. For his career against the Rays, hes 2/3 with a 4.93 ERA.The Blue Jays for now are moving forward with a six-man rotation, which is less taxing on key arms late in the season but takes starters out of the rhythm and the routine theyve kept for months. Theyre trusting their leaders on the call.If it helps us get to the World Series I could care less, 41-year-old R.A. Dickey told the Toronto Star on Wednesday. I just have to do a professional job of getting myself ready to pitch and do my job when its my turn.For this weekend at least, that challenge is having a first-place team beat a last-place team, something theyve failed to do more often than not this season.Toronto holds a two-game lead on Boston and a four-game advantage on Baltimore, so the margin of error between winning a division and missing the playoffs is as little as one bad series. Jerseys MLB Cheap . 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Wholesale Jerseys From China . - Chris Tierney snapped a tie with a power-play goal late in the third period as the London Knights rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Erie Otters 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action on Wednesday. CHICAGO -- Hours after Alex Rodriguez dug in for a fight, the New York Yankees looked like they might be down for the count. Itll be hard to pick themselves up after this. Alejandro De Azas game-winning triple in the 12th rallied the Chicago White Sox to a 6-5 win over the Yankees on Wednesday night, after Rodriguez appealed his suspension earlier in the day. The Rodriguez story took another turn, two days after he was hit with a 211-game punishment following MLBs investigation into Biogenesis of America, a defunct Florida anti-aging clinic accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs. The players union formally appealed the suspension, sending the case to an independent arbitrator. Then, the Yankees fell for the 14th time in 20 games after Mariano Rivera blew the lead in the ninth and Robinson Cano hit a go-ahead homer in the 12th. Theyre 11 1/2 games out of first place, a stunning number for a team that hadnt been 10 or more games off the lead since Sept. 17, 2008 "Were battling," Rivera said. The White Sox rallied with two out in the bottom half against Adam Warren (1-2). Tyler Flowers singled off the pitchers glove and moved to third on a single by Alexei Ramirez. De Aza followed with a triple to right-centre, giving the White Sox their third straight win after a 10-game losing streak. The Yankees looked like they were going to come away with the win when Cano broke out of a 6 for 43 slump by driving a pitch from Dylan Axelrod (4-8) 431 feet to right-centre. The home run -- his 22nd -- was his first since July 10. The Yankees built an early 4-0 lead and were up one going into the ninth, but Rivera couldnt hold it. Baseballs all-time saves leader, came in to a standing ovation and retired the first two batters before Gordon Beckham doubled. A pinch-hitting Adam Dunn then drove a single just to the left of a diving Rodriguez at third on an 0-2 pitch to tie it at 4. The blown save was just the third in 38 opportunities for Rivera, who allowed one run over two innings. And it denied CC Sabathia his first win in more than a month after he pitched into the eighth. "You dont expect to tie it up off the greatest closer ever, but I guess with our team that makes perfect sense," Chicagos Paul Konerko said, smiling. Rodriguez picked up a single and walked in his third game back after hhaving hip surgery in January.dddddddddddd He also had a chance to drive in the go-ahead run with two out in the 11th but grounded out with a runner on third. Then, he was replaced in the field in the bottom half. Alfonso Soriano hit a two-run homer off Hector Santiago and scored twice. Eduardo Nunez went deep and collected three hits, and Sabathia was in line for his first win since July 3 before things turned. He gave up three runs and five hits, including a towering homer to Beckham in the fifth. The White Sox pulled within 4-3 in the seventh on an RBI double by Konerko and fielders choice grounder by Beckham, and Sabathia left after Conor Gillaspie grounded out leading off the eighth. David Robertson came in and struck out Tyler Flowers looking on a 3-2 pitch, drawing an argument from the White Sox player and an ejection for pitching coach Don Cooper in the dugout. Alexei Ramirez then singled and stole second, but De Aza grounded out to end the inning. Santiago struggled, allowing four runs and seven hits over 5 2-3 innings, but the bullpen kept the White Sox in the game. As for A-Rod, Rodriguez was 1 for 5 after going a combined 2 for 6 the previous two nights. He was also back at third base after serving as the designated hitter on Tuesday. The fans reaction was about the same as it was in his first two games -- loud boos. Itll be interesting how the crowd at Yankee Stadium reacts when New York opens a weekend series against Detroit on Friday. "Im not sure," Rodriguez said. How would he like them to react? "Same way you would like them," Rodriguez said. "Again, Im just super excited to come home, put on the pinstripes and play for the greatest fans in baseball." NOTES: Austin Romine started his second straight game at catcher for the Yankees. Girardi said there is nothing wrong with Chris Stewart. ... Dayan Viciedo was back in the White Soxs lineup as the designated hitter -- not the left fielder -- after missing a game because of a jammed left thumb. ... Both teams are off Thursday. ... The White Sox have a day-night doubleheader against Minnesota on Friday, with LHP John Danks starting the first game and LHP Charlie Leesman making his major league debut in the nightcap. ... RHP Ivan Nova starts Friday for the Yankees, with RHP Rick Porcello pitching for Detroit. ' ' '