eadley in the chin with a pitch and gave up a double to Ichi

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HOUSTON - Colby Rasmus never really took to living in Toronto in the 3 1/2 seasons he played for the Blue Jays. .Born in Georgia and raised in Alabama, Rasmus has returned from Canada to play for the Houston Astros and couldnt be more excited about the change.Wearing a pullover with camouflage details and speaking with his syrupy Alabama drawl, Rasmus raved about the move.Everythings bigger in Texas and Ive always heard great things about it, he said. Ive got a couple of big trucks so my big trucks will fit in the big city. In Toronto youve got a little-bitty garage and I had to leave my big trucks at home. So that will definitely be fun for me.The free agent outfielder was introduced Wednesday, a day after he finalized an $8 million, one-year contract with the Astros. The deal followed Houstons decision to trade last years starting centre fielder, Dexter Fowler, to the Chicago Cubs.Rasmus has hit at least 18 homers in each of his last three seasons, including tying a career-best with 23 in 2012. The lefty batter hit .225 with 40 RBIs and 21 doubles in 104 games for the Blue Jays last year.The signing reunites him with Houston general manager Jeff Luhnow, who selected him in the first round of the 2005 amateur draft for the St. Louis Cardinals.As scouting director, he was my first-ever selection, so we were sort of tied together in the St. Louis media throughout his rise through the minor leagues, Luhnow said. It was a good opportunity for us to reunite. Its always nice when you have some pre-existing relationship with a player and you know a little bit about them.Luhnow believes Rasmus will be a nice addition to a lineup already laced with power hitters including Chris Carter, George Springer and Evan Gattis.Hes got speed, Luhnow said. Hes got power. Hes a good defender. I think hes really going to add something to our lineup and be a really complementary piece to what were putting together.Rasmus played for the Cardinals from 2009 until he was traded to the Blue Jays in July 2011. Hes looking forward to working with Luhnow again.We always got along and had a good rapport with each other when I got drafted and throughout the minor leagues, Rasmus said. To be back with him I knew it would be a good place for me because we understand each other and hes known me for a long time and knows how I work and things that make me tick.The 28-year-old said Houston was where he wanted to be since he became a free agent. He had been interested in the Astros for years, since discussing what its like to play here with former Astros star Lance Berkman.I played with Lance Berkman with the Cardinals and he loved playing here, Rasmus said. To hear him talk about it, I thought it would be a good place for me.Rasmus started 80 games in centre field last season and has played both right and left field in his six-year big league career. Hes most comfortable in centre field but is open to playing wherever new manager A.J. Hinch decides to put him.Ill be ready to do anything that the team needs, Rasmus said. Weve got a couple of other guys that can play some good centre field. So moving around and doing some things that A.J. might think will help us do that — Im game in with that. I just want to come in and win and winning is going to be the key for us.The majority of Houstons outfielders are versatile enough to play all three positions. Jake Marisnick, who was acquired in a trade with the Marlins last season, is the most likely alternative in centre if Rasmus doesnt get the job.My goal this spring was to provide A.J. and his staff with as many options as possible and backups to those options, Luhnow said when asked if Ramus would start in centre. Hes got options and if one doesnt work he can always move to another. We know that we signed Colby to be in our lineup. He certainly will be facing probably all the righties and a decent amount of lefties. . -- Theres something about playing on Orlandos floor lately that seems to bring out the best in the Dallas Mavericks. .The Los Angeles Lakers star passed Michael Jordan for third on the NBAs career scoring list Sunday night in a 100-94 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. . -- San Francisco 49ers offensive co-ordinator Greg Roman is a finalist to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State, his agent said Monday.J.A. Happ wants to be like his teammates. The left-hander gets a chance to prolong a stretch of recently solid starting pitching for the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night, when they host the Tampa Bay Rays in game one of a three-game weekend series at Rogers Centre. Toronto has won five straight games and nine of 11, a stretch in which its starters have posted a 2.12 earned run average. During the five-game win streak, the Blue Jays starters have allowed four runs in 29 1/3 innings. Starters have thrown at least six innings in 17 straight games, which nears a record run of 19 consecutive games Toronto established in 1998. Happ has split two decisions over his last three starts, but took a 4-3 loss to Boston on Saturday after allowing four runs on seven hits and walking three. "Maybe I have to kind of rethink the game plan going on," Happ said. "You feel like youre executing, (but) not getting the results, (and) try to figure out whats going on. Well definitely take a look and see if we have to change something." Hes 2-1 in five career starts against the Rays, including a 2.13 ERA in two straight wins. He last met them in a relief capacity on July 12 and allowed two runs in two-thirds of an inning. The Blue Jays won three straight over Tampa at Tropicana Field last week and outscored the hosts, 16-6. Nathan Karns makes his Tampa Bay debut on the mound in place of Drew Smyly, who was shut down for the season after exceeding 150 innings. Karns lost his lone decision in three starts for Washington last season andd was 9-9 in 27 starts for the Rays Triple-A affiliate in Durham, N. . C. in 2014. "Hes been a little bit back and forth," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Theres been times hes been lights-out. Other times, maybe he doesnt survive the third or fourth inning." On Thursday in New York, Chris Young broke up Alex Cobbs no-hit bid in the eighth inning, then belted a walk-off three-run homer in the ninth to give the Yankees a dramatic 5-4 win over Tampa Bay. Youngs one-out shot into the left-field seats on a 97 mph fastball came after Rays closer Jake McGee (4-2) hit Chase Headley in the chin with a pitch and gave up a double to Ichiro Suzuki. An inning earlier, Young ended Cobbs bid after 7 1/3 innings with a double to right-center field. Yunel Escobar homered twice off New York starter Michael Pineda -- a three-run blast in the fourth inning and a solo shot in the seventh -- but the Rays blew a sparkling outing from their starter. On Wednesday in Toronto, Drew Hutchison tossed 6 1/3 strong innings and was backed with plenty of offensive support as the Blue Jays completed a three- game sweep of the Chicago Cubs with an 11-1 victory. Hutchison (10-11) surrendered just one run on four hits and a walk with 10 strikeouts to earn the win. "He was outstanding," Toronto catcher Dioner Navarro said. Edwin Encarnacion, Navarro and Danny Valencia each drove in two runs and Anthony Gose had two hits, an RBI and three runs scored for the Blue Jays. 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