TORONTO -- R.A. Dickey and the Jays found the win column, notching a valuable victory against an American League East opponent, but remain very much a work in progress. Toronto needed Tampa Bay to help its cause Monday, with Rays reliever Josh Lueke walking four -- one intentionally -- in an ugly seventh inning that propelled the Jays to a 7-5 win on a sun-splashed Victoria Day matinee. Dickey (4-5) scattered four hits over a season-high eight innings, striking out five and walking four in his team-leading seventh quality start of the season. The 38-year-old knuckleballer, who has suffered neck and back issues, says he has a ways to go yet -- both with his health and knuckleball. "Its still pretty inconsistent. Im still walking more guys than I hope to, which is causing my pitch counts to be higher," said Dickey, who had ice on his right knee after the game. "That should have been a game where my pitch count should have been around 100 pitches after eight (innings) and I went 120-something. "But youve just got to keep grinding it out. Ive felt like Ive been stuck in a quagmire for the last week, two weeks. So its nice to feel like youve got at least one foot out of it." He threw 120 pitches, 72 for strikes, was charged with just two earned runs and did not give up a hit after the fourth inning. He had good movement on the knuckleball but found it hard to control. His pitch might have been a tad wonky but, as always, Dickeys vocabulary was spot on. "The knuckleball can be a very capricious animal," he said. "Its there one batter and then it kind of goes away. You can throw great ones and theyre just not strikes." Dickey had been slated to pitch Sunday at Yankee Stadium but the game was rained out. The underperforming Jays (18-26) entered the game having lost their last two while the resurgent Rays (23-21), sweeping Baltimore to open a six-game AL East road trip, had won three straight and nine of their last 11. Toronto is now 9-17 against AL East opponents. A crowd of 29,885 took in the start of a nine-game homestand that also includes visits by Baltimore and Atlanta. Edwin Encarnacion provided the key offence, doubling home three runs in the seventh inning. Lueke (0-1) has only himself to blame after walking Emilio Bonifacio, Munenori Kawaski and Jose Bautista with the game knotted at 3-3. Encarnacion, who has reached base safely in 22 of his last 25 games, then slammed a swerving ball into left field to clear the bases. Kawasaki added a run in the eighth inning, driving in Henry Blanco with a triple. Former Jay Yunel Escobar hit a two-run homer on a 3-2 pitch with two out in the ninth off a rusty Casey Janssen to narrow the lead to 7-5. The Rays got the tying run on base with a single and walk before Janssen finally put out the fire by striking out Ben Zobrist. Escobar was booed at every visit to the plate for the Rays. The shortstop, who was traded away from Toronto in November after writing a homophobic slur on his eye black, grounded out to third base three times before his home run. He celebrated as he crossed home plate, making a safe sign. Janssen said he did not see the gesture. "I dont think he was doing anything directed to me," said Janssen. "We were teammates. I had nothing wrong with him." Said Rays manager Joe Maddon: "Im sure that was an emotional moment for him. The booing probably promoted the reaction that he had. Im going to talk to him about that (Tuesday). Im certain youre not going to see that again." Janssen, who had not pitched for eight days, gave up three hits and a walk in his one inning. He said he and the team are trying to strike a balance between resting a sore shoulder and getting the work in needed to stay sharp. "I probably didnt feel the best Ive ever felt today but I think in the long run its going to help my arm out to get those extra days (off) and feel fresh for the future," said the Jays closer. "He got the job done, thats the bottom line," said manager John Gobbons. Prior to Lueke coming on in the seventh, Tampa had retired 13 of the previous 14 Jays batters thanks to starter Jake Odorizzi and hard-throwing reliever Jake McGee. Odorizzi, a right-hander making his Tampa Bay debut, settled in after a rocky opening to retire 10 of the next 11 batters after yielding a two-out double to Melky Cabrera in the second. He gave way to left-hander McGee after five innings with the game tied at 3-3, having yielded five hits with six strikeouts and one walk. The 23-year-old Odorizzi threw 92 pitches, 58 of which were strikes. Odorizzi endured a 29-pitch first inning that saw Toronto score twice. Adam Lind, with a 12-pitch at-bat, drove in Cabrera before Brett Lawrie tripled home Encarnacion, who -- on first with the count full on Lind at the plate-- had run to second on six consecutive foul balls. Odorizzi threw 22 strikes in the inning. Tampa pulled one back in the second when Sam Fuld beat out a double play, allowing Evan Longoria to score from third. Longoria had singled to open the inning, moving to second on a passed ball and third on a groundout. The single extended Longorias hitting streak to 14 games. Toronto made it 3-1 in the second when Cabrera doubled home Blanco. Cabrera has now doubled in six straight games, the first Jay to do so since Lyle Overbay in 2009. The left-fielder has also hit safely in seven games, going 12-for-28 (.429) in the process. Tampa tied it in the third on Longorias two-run double. Dickey did not help himself in the inning, setting the table for Longoria by walking Matt Joyce with two out and then giving up a single to Zobrist on a 3-2 count. Despite Dickeys preference for the dome to be closed, the lid was open -- allowing fans to soak in the pleasant 20-degree conditions. "The turnstile drives things, man," observed Gibbons. "Lets be serious." Anthony Gose, called up from triple-A Buffalo, came on as a defensive replacement for Cabrera in left field the eighth inning. Swell Flaske Salg . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. Swell Flaske Marble . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. http://www.swellflaskenorge.com/swell-flaske-liberty.html . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. Swell Flaske Butikk . 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. Swell Bottle Butikk . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69. PITTSBURGH -- Coming around second base in the seventh inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, John Jaso stumbled.Then, he went for it.Ninety feet later, Jaso was safe at third base with a triple to become the first player to hit a cycle in the 16-year history of PNC Park.The triple off reliever Pedro Strop clinched the Pirates first cycle since 2004. The last Pirate to hit for the cycle was Daryle Ward on May 26, 2004, in St. Louis. The last Pirates home cycle was by Jason Kendall on May 19, 2000, against the Cardinals at Three Rivers Stadium.Jaso isnt exactly a typical candidate for the cycle. He has neither prodigious power nor speed, as he hit just his seventh home run and third triple of the season. Jaso didnt even realize what had happened until he had already performed the feat.It didnt really dawn on me until I was standing on the base, he said. I was looking at (third base coach Rick) Sofield and it finally just hit me.Jasos teammates were well aware of what was going on. Shortstop Jordy Mercer said they didnt want to jinx it by telling him.There was a little buzz going on and we were aware of the situation, but I dont think its something you want to openly talk about when they have one more at-bat left, Mercer said.But when Jaso looked like he might settle for a double after rounding second, Mercer and the rest of the bench became a legion of third-base coaches.We were just yelling, `Keep going! Keep going no matter what, just go, Mercer said. It worked out. I couldnt be more happy for him. It was awesome.Against Chicago starter Jake Arrieta (18-8), Jaso singled in the second inning, hit a three-run home run in the fourth and doubled in the fifth. Arrieta went five innings and allowed 10 hits and seven runs, both season highs.Its just a great memorry to have, Jaso said.dddddddddddd You dont really want to take this blessing for granted being here.Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-4) allowed one hit and struck out four in six innings.Chicagos Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer, his 32nd of the season.OH, CANADAThe Pirates announced that they will play a two-game preseason series in Montreal against the Toronto Blue Jays March 31 and April 1, 2017. The Pirates havent played in Montreal since 2013.TRAINING ROOMCubs: OF Chris Coghlan left the game with a mild left ankle sprain. He ran into the wall in left field attempting to catch a fly ball in the fifth inning. . Manager Joe Maddon expects OF Jorge Soler (right side) to be able to play this weekend.Pirates: After being officially eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday, the Pirates will shut injured reliever Neftali Feliz down for the season, and will be backing away from C Francisco Cervelli, according to manager Clint Hurdle. Cervelli had hamate surgery in July and has dealt with several minor injuries all year. . OF Gregory Polanco did not play with a stiff neck. He had previously missed three games with a facial contusion following a collision with the wall in left field.UP NEXTCubs: Rob Zastryzny (1-0, 0.79 ERA) will make his first career start. In seven career appearances, his longest outing is 3 2/3 innings. Zastryzny started 14 games for Triple-A Iowa this season with a 7-3 record and a 4.22 ERA.Pirates: Ivan Nova (12-8, 4.37 ERA) has lost two straight starts after winning his first five decisions with the Pirates since coming over from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline. He has given up 11 runs (nine earned) and 18 hits over seven innings in his last two starts. ' ' '