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SAN DIEGO -- Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged the games rising home run numbers Tuesday, but he expressed confidence that they arent a product of juiced players or juiced baseballs.Each MLB team is averaging 1.16 home runs per game this season -- the highest home run rate since the average of 1.17 per game during the height of the steroid era in 2000. The home run rate, which ebbed at 0.86 per game in 2014, began to spike during the second half of last season, but Manfred said MLB has no reason to think the rising power numbers are a product of increased steroid use.The increase in the number of home runs takes place against a different backdrop, Manfred said in his annual All-Star Game session with the Baseball Writers Association of America. Major League Baseball does 22,000 drug tests a year. The World Anti-Doping Agency says we have one of the best testing programs in the world, let alone in professional sports. Our investigative capacity in the area of performance-enhancing drugs is probably the best in the world. So Im much less concerned that this is due to [PEDs].We think it has to do with the way pitchers pitch and the way hitters are being taught to play the game. Youve seen some unusual developments in terms of home run hitters being up in the lineup to get them more at-bats. So we think it has more to do with the game this time around, because were comfortable were doing everything we can on the performance-enhancing drugs front.Since January, 70 players (13 big leaguers and 57 minor leaguers) have been suspended for violations of baseballs joint drug testing agreement. Several active players -- most notably, pitchers Justin Verlander and Jeremy Guthrie and outfielder Jeff Francoeur -- have pushed for stiffer penalties as a disincentive to players who might use PEDs.Manfred also discounted the theory that changes in the baseball used by MLB might be contributing to the rising power numbers. He said MLB has done extensive testing on the baseballs and found no changes.In 2013, Nippon Professional Baseball commissioner Ryozo Kato resigned amid a scandal over livelier baseballs in Japan. The scandal broke after Wladimir Balentien of the Yakult Swallows hit 60 homers to break the record of 55 shared by Sadaharu Oh, Alex Cabrera and Tuffy Rhodes.There are certain mistakes in life that if you pay attention to whats going on around you, you are not inclined to make, Manfred said. There was a scandal in Japan over the baseball being changed that cost the commissioner his job. I like my current gig, so I think you can rest assured that the baseball is the same as it was last year.Bud Black Jersey . Laudrup revealed Thursday he was notified of his dismissal in "the briefest of letters which gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary. Arnaldo Hernandez Jersey . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. https://www.cheaproyals.com/807a-jamie-quirk-jersey-royals.html . PAUL, Minn. Mark Gubicza Jersey . Houston won 3-0 to advance to face New York in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last in the game, Di Vaio and Romero got into a shoving match with several Houston players. Romero appeared to elbow and kick Houston defender Kofi Sarkodie. Hal McRae Jersey .C. United of Major League Soccer. United chose the defender in the second round of the 2013 MLS re-entry draft.DETROIT -- JaCoby Jones is the latest youngster to give the Detroit Tigers a boost in their push for a postseason spot.Jones doubled twice in his second major league game, then dashed home for the winning run on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Collins in the ninth inning to lift the Tigers over the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Wednesday.After a day after doubling, singling and driving in two runs in his debut, Jones scored twice to help the Tigers complete a three-game sweep.Hes been a real spark plug for us -- a shot in the arm, teammate Justin Verlander said. Its a lot of fun to watch, and hopefully its the beginning of an amazing career.The Tigers acquired Jones last year when they traded Joakim Soria to Pittsburgh. Around the same time, they also traded David Price and Yoenis Cespedes, receiving pitchers Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Michael Fulmer in those deals.Fulmer has become a front-runner for rookie of the year this season, and Norris and Boyd have also made contributions. Now Jones is in the majors and off to a fine start.Its great, its amazing. Theres so many words I could use to describe it, Jones said. Just amazing, and Im just happy.Jones hit a leadoff double in the ninth against David Robertson (4-3) and advanced to third on Jarrod Saltalamacchias deep flyball.Collins came up as a pinch-hitter and was able to lift the ball to left-center. Avisail Garcia made the catch, but his throw bounced before it even reached the mound.Francisco Rodriguez (2-3) pitched the ninth.Jose Abreu and Alex Avila homered on consecutive pitches in the fourth for the White Sox.White Sox ace Chris Sale allowed two runs and eight hits in eight innings against a Detroit lineup that was without Miguel Cabrera. The slugging first baseman sat out because his right ankle had been acting up.Chicago was without Melky Cabrera, who missed the game because of stomach discomfort.Verlander allowed two runs and three hits in seven innings for the Tigers, striking out nine.I tthought both of them, Justin and (Sale), this is the kind of matchup that you expected it to be, Chicago manager Robin Ventura said.ddddddddddddVerlander retired the first eight hitters he faced, striking out six of them. With two outs in the fourth, Abreu connected for his 19th homer of the year. Avila followed with a drive to the bushes beyond the wall in center, giving Chicago a 2-0 lead against his former team.Verlander did not allow another baserunner after Avilas home run. Detroit scored a run on Andrew Romines single in the fifth, and J.D. Martinez tied it with a two-out RBI single in the eighth.The Tigers came into the day one game behind Baltimore for the American Leagues second wild card.OLD FRIENDSAvila spent his entire career in Detroit before this season, and Verlander laughed when asked about giving up the home run to his former teammate.I know Im going to be hearing about it, Verlander said. I think Im going to ask him back for one of the watches I gifted him. Its only fair, I think.NEXT YEARS SCHEDULEDetroit opens against the White Sox in Chicago on April 3 and the Tigers host Boston on April 7 in their home opener, according to a draft of the 2017 preliminary schedule. The preliminary schedule will be announced by Major League Baseball in September.TRAINERS ROOMTigers: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (neck) pitched four innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Toledo at Indianapolis on Wednesday, allowing one unearned run and one hit. He walked one and struck out four.UP NEXTWhite Sox: Chicago plays at Minnesota on Thursday night. LHP Jose Quintana (11-9) starts against Ervin Santana (6-10).Tigers: Detroit has Thursday off before playing at Kansas City. RHP Anibal Sanchez (7-13) takes the mound against Danny Duffy (11-2) of the Royals on Friday night.---AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report. ' ' '