OAKLAND, Calif. Custom St.Louis Blues Jerseys . -- Sonny Grays fastball wasnt as sharp as it usually is, and the Oakland Athletics young pitcher even had a quirky replay go against him. A rediscovered curveball, stellar defence behind him and timely hitting on offence made it all a moot point. Grey allowed four hits over seven innings to bounce back from his worst start of the season and the As beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-1 on Thursday night. "The idea is to really get that (curve) going again because I think the last five or six starts its been OK, but it hasnt been a big factor for us," said Gray, who walked three and struck out five. "We did some things a little different this week and I was able to find that again and get it going, especially early in the game." Gray (8-3) was knocked around in his previous start when he was tagged for five runs in five innings against Miami on June 28. He was much sharper this time around and got some help from Oaklands defence which turned three double plays, including one in the eighth after Josh Tholes leadoff single. Jose Reyes hit a fly out to deep right and Oaklands Brandon Moss made a strong throw back to first baseman Nate Freiman, who tagged out Thole trying to get back to the bag. "Hes still a little spotty with his fastball," As manager Bob Melvin said. "That kind of makes him at times who he is, too. He can paint you on two pitches and then miss by a foot. His curveball was a big factor today." Grey might have been in line for a shutout were it not for an odd replay in the second inning. After Toronto loaded the bases against Gray with one out, Anthony Gose hit a grounder to Freiman. Freiman appeared to tag Munenori Kawasaki as he ran for second base, but umpire Vic Carapazza ruled Freiman missed the tag and Kawasaki was safe. Freiman then threw to catcher Stephen Vogt, who stepped on home plate for a forceout with Edwin Encarnacion, the runner on third, approaching. Toronto manager John Gibbons requested the review, arguing that Kawasaki was out and that Encarnacion should be allowed to score because there would have been no force play at the plate. After a delay of 4 minutes, 27 seconds, the call was overturned and the Blue Jays were given a 1-0 lead. "We cant put runners back," crew chief Bill Miller said. "We have to go with what happened on the field, and what happened on the field was (Vogt) tagged home plate but he did not tag the runner. Unfortunately that was in direct relation to the call on the field at first base." Melvin immediately came out to argue and the As played the remainder of the game under protest. It didnt matter. Freiman doubled in Brandon Moss in the bottom of the inning, and Vogt scored on a passed ball to put the As up 2-1. Craig Gentry singled off Toronto starter R.A. Dickey (6-8) in the eighth and scored on John Jasos double. Alberto Callaspos sacrifice fly made it 4-1. "We just didnt get anything going offensively," Gibbons said. "They outplayed us, pure and simple." Dickey, who beat the As on May 24, when he allowed two runs over 8 1-3 innings in his best outing of the season, lost his fourth straight start. The knuckleballer struck out six and walked three. The loss drops the Blue Jays into a first-place tie with Baltimore in the AL East. Its the first time since May 21 that Toronto has not held sole possession of the top spot in the division. Dan Otero pitched the eighth and Sean Doolittle worked the ninth for his 12th save. NOTES: Dickey had not lost four straight starts since 2004. ... As slugger Yoenis Cespedes went 0 for 4 to snap a 15-game hitting streak. ... Oakland 3B Josh Donaldson (lower back stiffness) was held out of the starting lineup for a second straight game. ... The As activated LHP Eric OFlaherty from the 60-day DL and designated LHP Jeff Francis for assignment. OFlaherty underwent Tommy John surgery last year and hasnt pitched in the majors since May 17, 2013. ... The As reached agreement on a 10-year lease extension with the Oakland Coliseum. As part of the deal, the As will pay $10 million for the installation of new video scoreboards as well as other upgrades to the aging facility. ... Toronto OF Colby Rasmus was held out of the lineup after injuring his right wrist running into the wall during the series against Milwaukee. ... Oakland LHP Tommy Milone (6-3) faces Toronto RHP Marcus Stroman (4-2) on Friday. Stitched Blues Jerseys . Milan was held to 1-1 at home by Torino. Cagliari scored six minutes from halftime when Mauricio Pinilla blasted home from the penalty spot after Facundo Roncaglia tripped Marco Sau. The home side could have doubled its tally in stoppage time as first Fiorentina defender Stefan Savic almost scored an own goal then Albin Ekdals shot clipped the top of the upright. Fake Blues Jerseys . The Twins announced Thursday the 28-year-old Albers cleared waivers. He will join the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization. https://www.cheapblues.com/ .com) - Calgary Flames forward Johnny Gaudreau has been selected as the NHLs Rookie of the Month for December, the league announced Friday. MANCHESTER, England -- Alvaro Negredo and Edin Dzeko grabbed two goals each and Sergio Aguero scored on his return from injury as Manchester City swept to a 5-0 win over Blackburn in an FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday. In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Citys largely second-string lineup took a while to get going, with Negredo opening the scoring in first-half injury time, but the Premier League side was irrepressible after the break. Aguero scored within a minute of coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute following a month out with a calf injury, capping a perfect night for City manager Manuel Pellegrini. "You saw the difference between a (League) Championship and a Premier League team," Blackburn manager Gary Bowyer said. "That was clinical ... Its phenomenal." The 1-1 draw at Ewood Park on Jan. 4 was the only time City had failed to win in its last 10 matches and this replay will have been an irritation for Pellegrini, with his teams fixture schedule clogged up due to its continued innvolvement in four competitions this season. Blues Jerseys 2020. For that reason, he fielded a shadow side except for Fernandinho in central midfield and the twin strikeforce of Dzeko and Negredo, who have been in great form during the eight-game absence of Aguero. Negredo, in particular, has been proved unstoppable this season and the Spain striker took his tally in five months in English football to 20 goals with a header that lit up an otherwise forgettable first half. Jesus Navas set clear Fernandinho down the right and the Brazilians cross to the back post was headed forcefully into the net by Negredo. The second half was a different story as City cut loose. Negredo scampered onto a curling, crossfield pass by substitute Aleksandar Kolarov to clip a finish high into the net in the 47th minute and Dzeko expertly turned in Navas cut-back to make it 3-0 in the 67th. Aguero, who has been out since Dec. 14, came on to a great reception and was soon celebrating a goal as he swiveled to shoot low into the net from Dzekos pass. Dzeko had the final say from another Navas cross in the 79th. City scored four or more goals in a game for the 11th time this season. It has 64 goals in 16 home matches. ' ' '