(Sports Network) - While Alfonso Soriano and Alex Rodriguez continue to turn back the clock, New York Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda would just simply like to dial things back a few weeks. Kuroda tries to rebound from two straight subpar efforts and secure a series victory for the Yankees on Wednesday night in the finale of a three-game set versus the Toronto Blue Jays. Kuroda has been roughed up over back-to-back losses to Boston and Tampa Bay after having gone 4-1 with a 0.94 earned run average over seven starts prior. He gave up just five earned runs over 48 innings in that span, but the Red Sox got to him for five runs -- three earned -- and a season-high 11 hits over 5 2/3 innings on Aug. 17. The right-hander hoped to rebound on Friday versus the Rays, but instead matched career highs by giving up seven runs and four homers in six innings of work. It was the first home runs Kuroda had allowed since June 30. "It was really strange, he just didnt have his stuff tonight," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi. The 38-year-old hurler is now 11-9 with a 2.71 ERA in 26 starts this year, three of those coming versus the Blue Jays. He is 2-0 with a 1.69 ERA in those outings and 4-1 lifetime in six matchups against Toronto with a 3.03 ERA. Kuroda would love to see Alfonso Soriano stay red hot. The 37-year-old slugger is hitting .275 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI in 30 games since being reacquired by the Yankees and he went deep twice in last nights 7-1 win. Sorianos second homer was the 400th of his career. The first 98 of those came with New York to begin his career from 1999-2003 before he was dealt to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez. "Hes been great for us. Hes the reason we have been scoring a lot more runs," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Soriano. "We get another big night out of him tonight. Hes been great." Rodriguez also homered last night, his second in as many games. The 38-year- old has four in 20 games this season and 651 in his career, nine back of Willie Mays for fourth on baseballs all-time list. Andy Pettitte was also solid over seven scoreless innings, though New York got a scare when Robinson Cano was hit in the left hand by a pitch in the first inning by Torontos J.A. Happ. He was replaced in the bottom of the inning by Eduardo Nunez and x-rays after the game were negative and Cano is day-to-day. Nunezs status is also up in the air after he tweaked his right knee later in the game and had to come out. Still, New York has won seven of 10 and 12 of its past 17 to sit 4 1/2 games out of the leagues second wild card spot. Moises Sierra collected three hits for Toronto, while Happ was charged with five runs over 4 2/3 innings. "I wasnt sharp enough. Its tough when you get behind against a team like that," Happ said. Toronto has lost eight of its last 10 games and is 2-13 versus New York this season. On Wednesday, the Blue Jays turn to Todd Redmond, who is 1-2 with a 4.44 ERA in 11 games (8 starts) this season. The righty has not won since July 7, posting six straight no-decisions before a 12-4 loss at Houston on Friday. Redmond gave up season highs of eight runs -- seven earned -- and eight hits, also walking three and striking out six over 3 1/3 innings. Redmond, 28, will face the Yankees for the first time. Fran Tarkenton Vikings Jersey . The 41-year-old Northern Irishman has proved a perfect fit at Liverpool since taking over from Kenny Dalglish in the summer of 2012 and steered the team to an unexpected title challenge in the Premier League last season. Jalyn Holmes Vikings Jersey . 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UCI President Brian Cookson said Wednesday the commission will investigate allegations "that the UCI has been involved in wrongdoing in the past -- allegations which have done so much to hurt the credibility of the UCI and our sport.The Vancouver Canucks were hoping for an improved showing when they signed former Vezina Trophy winner Ryan Miller to a three-year deal this summer. The Canucks have experienced that so far with a promising start and Miller might have a chance to make another contribution Friday night if he gets to face a team thats never beaten him in seven starts, the scuffling Arizona Coyotes. Catch all the action on TSN 1040 starting at 5pm PT. After ending a streak of five consecutive playoff appearances in 2013-14, Vancouver appears very capable of making it back to the postseason with a 12-5-0 start. After an uneven beginning, Miller did his part with a 1.70 goals-against average during a recent seven-game win streak, but he needed a boost from his teammates for a league-best 11th win, a 4-3 overtime victory against Ottawa on Tuesday. After allowing the tying goal with 11:18 left in regulation, the Canucks finished it off when Daniel Sedin scored with 55 seconds remaining in the extra period. We are happy, obviously, defenseman Kevin Bieksa said. Its a good start for us. We wanted to get out of the gate early with the way the summer went and all the new changes. A lot of guys coming in wanted to prove themselves and reprove themselves. Weve got that accomplished so far. The Canucks have won back-to-back games since a 5-1 defeat to Los Angeles on Saturday and took a 2-1 shootout win over Anaheim the next day with Eddie Lack in net for the finale of a four-game trip. We find ways to win. Its fun, forward Henrik Sedin said. Having been off for two days and with a four-day break coming up, Vancouver will likely turn to Miller again as hes 7-0-0 with a 1.27 GAA all-time against the Coyotes. Thats easily his lowest GAA versus any opponent and his second-best record versus any team behind a 10-0-0 mark against Edmonton. Western Conference-worst Arizona (6-9-1) heads into Vancouver seeking to avoid a season-high fourth consecutive loss.dddddddddddd Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith has been charged with a combined nine goals in the past two defeats, the latest a 5-3 loss in Calgary in Thursdays opener to a three-game trip. There are plays that have to get made, saves that have to get done. We just have to play better as a group, coach Dave Tippett said. Its unknown if Smith, 4-9-0 with a 3.43 GAA this season, will start on back-to-back nights. He started all five games against Vancouver last season and led the Coyotes to a 3-0-2 series victory while posting a 1.93 GAA. Smith, though, also gave up a combined eight goals in two overtime losses in Vancouver. Backup Devan Dubnyk allowed a total of nine goals in a pair of defeats in Vancouver last season while with Edmonton. Its also unclear if Vancouvers Radim Vrbata will get to face his former club, but he did practice Thursday. Vrbata has missed the past two games with a leg injury after producing six goals and seven assists in his first 15 with the Canucks. He had 20 goals and a career-best 31 assists last season with the Coyotes and scored a career-high 35 goals for them in 2011-12. Former teammate Antoine Vermette has nine goals and three assists in his last nine games against Vancouver and scored six times in last seasons series. He recorded the latest of his three career hat tricks in a 5-4 overtime defeat in Vancouver on Jan. 26. PROJECTED LINES: Forwards D. Sedin - H. Sedin - Vrbata Higgins - Bonino - Burrows Matthias - Richardson - Jensen Dorsett - Vey - Hansen Defence Edler - Tanev Hamhuis - Weber Stanton - Bieksa Goalie Miller Lack Scratched Horvat, Sanguenetti Injured Kassian (knee), Sestit (groin), Sbisa (ankle) ' ' '