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NEW YORK -- Masahiro Tanaka took a very small step toward returning to the New York Yankees rotation, playing a pain-free game of catch. Tanaka made 25 throws from 60 feet Monday, his first action since being sidelined in early July with a small tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. The rookie sensation from Japan was 12-4 with a 2.51 ERA before landing on the disabled list. He is trying to avoid Tommy John surgery, which would sideline the 25-year-old All-Star for at least a year. "I think it all went well," Tanaka said through a translator. "I think I get to the next step, so Im very relieved about that." Manager Joe Girardi cautions that this is slow start in a long process, but was encouraged the throwing in the outfield went well. Tanaka will play catch again Tuesday and will increase the intensity as he goes along. Girardi said the real test will come when Tanaka gets on a mound and faces competition. "Its way too early to see," Girardi said. "Its positive that he didnt feel anything today, but its really light catch." Michael Pineda, another sidelined Yankees starter, appears much closer to a return from a right shoulder muscle injury. The right-hander threw 58 pitches in 3 1-3 innings for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. A day later, he was happy with how his shoulder felt. Girardi said the Yankees would like for Pineda to make two more rehabilitation starts and increase his endurance to 90-100 pitches. But New York might have a heightened need for the big righty, who was hurt in a simulated game as he prepared to return from a suspension for being caught using pine tar to help his grip in late April. Fill-in starter David Phelps was placed on the 15-day disabled list Monday before New York played the Detroit Tigers because of right elbow inflammation. The Yankees recalled Matt Daley from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to fill Phelps spot on the roster. Phelps will not pick up a baseball for two weeks so he cannot be counted on for much of August. Girardi, however, said a second MRI on Phelps elbow showed only tendinitis. Tennessee Titans Jerseys China . - Bryan Price sat down in the cushy chair. Authentic Jack Conklin Jersey .com) - Patrik Elias registered the winner in the shootout as New Jersey nipped Toronto 2-1 at Prudential Center on Wednesday. http://www.cheaptitansjerseysauthentic.com/. Louis, MO (SportsNetwork. Authentic Curley Culp Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Authentic DaQuan Jones Jersey . RAPTORS STRUGGLING: The bottom line is the true test in sports isnt just how you handle failure, but how you handle success.EDMONTON -- Edgars Kuldas goal with 6:47 remaining in the third period was the winner as the Edmonton Oil Kings bounced back from an early 2-0 loss to remain in the running in the Western Hockey League championships, defeating the defending champion Portland Winterhawks 3-2 on Tuesday night. Henrik Samuelsson and Luke Bertolucci also scored for the Oil Kings, who are now 9-0 on home ice in the playoffs to cut Portlands series lead to 2-1. Chase De Leo and Mathew Dumba responded for the Winterhawks, who suffered just their fourth loss in their last 46 games, a string of success running all the way back to Jan. 11. As has been the case in every game in the series, the Winterhawks came out flying to grab an early lead in the game, scoring twice in less than a minute to go up 2-0 on their first three shots before the game was even four minutes old. Portland struck 2:38 into the first period as a big bounce off the boards came out front to De Leo and he spun and beat Edmonton goalie Tristan Jarry with a shot to the top corner for his 10th goal off the playoffs. Just 52 seconds later it was 2-0 Portland, as Brendan Leipsic fed a pass to defender Dumba in the slot and the Minnesota Wild draft pick made the most of the opportunity. Edmonton allowed goals in the first three minutes of the first two games of the series as well, and was outscored by a combined 5-0 in the first periods of its opening two losses of the series in Portland. Despite the early deficit, the Oil Kings fought back to outshoot the Hawks 19-10 in the opening frame, however Portland goalie Corbin Boes stood his ground. Edmonton got on the board four minutes into the second period with a power play goal as Curtis Lazar made a perfect pass across to Samuelsson at the side of the net and the Phoenix Coyotes prospect sent his fifth of the playoffs into a wide-open net to cut the lead to 2-1. The Oil Kings pulled even with nine minutes remaining in the second period as Bertolucci picked up a loss puck and went in on a brreakaway, only to be pushed down from behind by Dumba.dddddddddddd However, Bertolucci got right back on his feet and was able to make a nifty move to freeze Boes on the deke for his sixth of the post-season. It appeared the Oil Kings had taken the lead just over a minute later on a mad scramble in front of the Portland goal, however, a lengthy review concluded that Samuelsson had kicked the puck into the net. Jarry made several key saves during the first half of the third period to keep it a tied game, none bigger than an early glove save on Taylor Leier. Edmonton took their first lead of the entire series with just under seven minutes left in the third as Mitch Moroz sent a puck in front and Kulda was able to redirect it into the net to put the Oil Kings up 3-2. Portland furiously tried to knot the game back up in the late stages and had a great chance in the dying seconds, but Dumba shot a puck over the net. Jarry faced 15 shots in the third and 37 in the game. Game 4 of the WHL Finals takes place on Wednesday, also in Edmonton. Notes: Its the third consecutive season that the Oil Kings and Winterhawks are meeting in the WHL Championship Series. Edmonton defeated Portland in seven games to win in 2012, while Portland won in six games last year. It is Portlands fourth consecutive trip to the league championshipsa It is just the second time in league history that two teams have met in the WHL final three years in a row. The last time was when the original Edmonton Oil Kings (who ended up moving to Portland to become the Winterhawks) played the Flin Flon Bombers three times from 1969-71a Portland goalie Corbin Boes was named the Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the after stopping 59 shots in the first two games of the final series in 5-2 and 3-1 wins to put the Winterhawks up 2-0 heading back to Edmontona With three goals in the series, Samuelsson is the new all-time Oil Kings playoff scoring leader, racking up 51 points over 56 career post-season appearances. ' ' '