events were planned before the Chiefs game against the Tampa Bay

NEW YORK -- Sensing the seasons dwindling days, the New York Yankees opened their penultimate homestand by falling behind on Masahiro Tanakas seventh pitch of a sunny Labor Day afternoon.Jacoby Ellsbury turned the deficit into a lead on R.A. Dickeys third offering of the day, and New York remained on the periphery of contention for a postseason berth with four weeks remaining.Ellsbury drove a 73 mph knuckleball over the right-field short porch for a two-run homer, then added an RBI single to lead the Yankees over the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 Monday and keep New York 3 1/2 games back in the AL wild-card race.Its almost imperative, said Brett Gardner, who singled one pitch ahead of Ellsburys seventh homer. At this point, we have to win every series the rest of the way. Weve got to play well, and two-out-of-three is the worst-case scenario for us.Starting a 10-game homestand that includes four games against Tampa Bay and three vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York (71-65) matched its season high of six games over .500.AL East-leading Toronto (77-60), which remained one game ahead of Boston, had been 9-3 against the Yankees this year and won seven of the prior eight matchups. The Blue Jays jumped in front when Devon Travis doubled and Jose Bautista singled, both on 0-2 counts.I felt like I was all over the place, Tanaka said through a translator.Tanaka (12-4) gave up three hits in the first but only one run, helped when Bautista got thrown out at the plate on a grounder, and settled down to win his fifth straight decision.Gardner took a strike in the bottom half and singled to center, and Ellsbury drove a high knuckler 351 feet. Ellsbury had three hits, including two against Dickey that lifted his average against the knuckleballer to .306 (11 for 36).You just try to anticipate it falling back in the zone, Ellsbury said. Last time he threw me a fastball, I hit a triple.Ellsbury added an RBI single in the third, and rookie Travis Austin hit his second double of the game in the fourth, a drive off the wall in left-center that drove in two runs for a 5-1 lead.Tanaka allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, leaving after a leadoff walk and a fly ball by Dioner Navarro that 6-foot-7 Aaron Judge caught against the top of the right-field wall.Jonathan Holder, who made his big league debut Friday, got an out but walked his next two batters. Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run, opposite-field single to right off Ben Heller for his third hit, and Tommy Layne -- New Yorks third straight rookie reliever -- retired pitch hitter Russell Martin on a looping ball to second baseman Starlin Castro.Dellin Betances, the Yankees sixth pitcher, got three straight outs for his ninth save.Dickey (9-14) allowed five runs and seven hits in four innings on a blustery afternoon, his second shortest start this season. He is 0-6 in his last nine starts at Yankee Stadium.I had a lot of movement on it, he said of his knuckler. Sometimes this games a matter of centimeters, you know, one that gets off the barrel, doesnt get off the barrel and its popped out to right field.MOVING INEric Young Jr. took over Alex Rodriguezs locker stall and Greg Bird moved into Carlos Beltrans. Bird, sidelined all season following surgery in February to repair a right labrum tear, hit in a batting cage for the first time since the operation. He expects to face pitching in the instructional league for two weeks starting Sept. 26 and play in the Arizona Fall League.POWER OUTAGENew York had 15 hits, all singles, in the weekend series at Baltimore, the first big league team to go without an extra-base hit in a series of three games or longer since the Chicago White Sox at Minnesota from Sept. 14-16, 2004. The Yankees had not done that since July 26-28, 1974, also at Baltimore.SLIDINGJudge was 0 for 3 with three strikeouts, dropping his batting average to .169, and has 35 strikeouts in 65 at-bats. ... Didi Gregorius is in a 1-for-19 slump.TOP SPYJohn O. Brennan, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, threw out a ceremonial first pitch.TRAINERS ROOMYankees: With RHP Chad Green sidelined with an elbow injury, manager Joe Girardi said his starting pitcher Wednesday could be Bryan Mitchell, who broke a toe in spring training and has a 4.29 ERA in six minor league rehabilitation starts. Girardi said his other option was Johnny Wholestaff -- a reference to using a combination of relievers. Green is expected to have a contrast agent MRI on Tuesday. ... OF Aaron Hicks was placed on the 15-day DL with a right hamstring strain, a move retroactive to Thursday.UP NEXTRHP Luis Cessa (4-0) is to start for the Yankees on Tuesday and RHP Aaron Sanchez (13-2) goes for the Blue Jays. Christian Kirk Jersey . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Zach Allen Cardinals Jersey .ca! Hi Kerry, Its another day and here we are looking at another dubious hit to the head. In this case Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky elbowed Saku Koivu in the head about a second after he dished off the puck to a teammate, knocking him unconscious. http://www.nflcardinalsrookiestore.com/Cardinals-Larry-Fitzgerald-Jersey/ . Speaking Thursday on TSN 1050 Thursday, the Leafs GM also touched on the questions surrounding the teams leadership and the struggles of his big-name free-agent signing. “Its not from lack of effort from the coaching staff. Adrian Wilson Youth Jersey . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. Patrick Peterson Cardinals Jersey . Miller reached right to deflect Mikhail Grabovskis attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining in regulation, and then made two more saves in the shootout Sunday to give the Sabres a 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs are collaborating with the American Indian Community Working Group to address concerns that some of their traditions are considered insensitive to Native Americans.The organizations first got in touch about three years ago, when there was a renewed national push for the Washington Redskins to change their nickname. Recently, the Chiefs and the group, which works as a liaison with the Native American community, began to work more closely together.Several events were planned before the Chiefs game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in observance of American Indian Heritage Month.Creg Hart, a Cheyenne spiritual leader, performed the Blessing of the Four Directions, and Cheyenne ceremonial leader George Curtis Levi performed a blessing ceremony and honor song.The Buddy Bond Color Guard of the Cheyenne-Arapahoe Tribes presented the colors for the national anthem, which was performed by the Chickasaw Nation Youth Choir.ddddddddddddThe Chiefs nickname was chosen through a fan contest when the team relocated from Dallas. While many fans chose it based on its Native American connection, it was also chosen in homage to then-Kansas City Mayor H. Roe Bartle -- whose own nickname was The Chief.The team has phased out many pregame events that have included Native American iconography over the years. A ceremonial war drum is still beaten by a fan prior to kickoff and fans continue to wave their arms in the tomahawk chop.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '