LEXINGTON, Ohio -- Others slipped and slid, but Sebastien Bourdais persevered and even flourished during IndyCar qualifying Saturday at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. A noon downpour turned the 2.25-mile, 13-turn circuit into a slippery strand of roadway, but Bourdais proved to be the best on rain tires. The French driver made it through the first two qualifying rounds and into the Fast Six. "The last lap I knew I was shy and needed some more, so I just went for it and made it stick and that Mystic machine gave me everything it had and it was enough," Bourdais said. It is the second pole of the season for Bourdais and the 33rd of his American open-wheel career, tying him with Dario Franchitti on the all-time list. The KVSH Racing driver ran a 1:24.161 for an average speed of 96.586 mph. It was almost 19 seconds slower than times posted in Saturdays dry morning practice. The slippery track resulted in three stoppages in the first two qualifying sessions, making it hard for drivers to get one lap at speed let alone any rhythm. "Obviously the conditions were really tricky," Andretti Autosport driver James Hinchcliffe said. "The cars just had no grip." It certainly shook up the order for Sundays Honda Indy 200. Series points leader Helio Castroneves and four-time Mid-Ohio winner Scott Dixon failed to get out of their first sessions and will start 15th and 22nd, respectively, in the 22-car field. "Not only was it wet, there were so many yellows that we only got one timed lap in," Castroneves said. "At the end of the day it was the same for everyone. We were the first car out and tried some different lines. Sometimes that is not the best place to be. It gives the other guys some direction on where to run." Castroneves will try to make the most of it in the race as he seeks his first IndyCar championship. "Well just have to keep working and hope the race tomorrow is better than qualifying," he said. Bourdais, who won from the pole in the first race at Toronto, will start alongside Josef Newgarden, his best start on a road or street course for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. Target Chip Ganassi Racings Tony Kanaan will start third, while Andretti Autosport teammates Carlos Munoz and Ryan Hunter-Reay will be fourth and fifth. Team Penskes Will Power starts sixth. Power trails Castroneves by 13 points and Hunter-Reay is in third, 69 points behind in the drivers standings, so Mid-Ohio could be a turning point in the championship. "Its typical IndyCar," Power said. "Its all mixed up. You dont know who is going to be pole one week to the next. Its great racing. Hopefully we can get together and get a podium tomorrow, maybe a win." There have been 10 different pole winners through 15 races this year. Columbus-born Graham Rahal missed the Fast Six by one-thousandth of a second and will start seventh. Simon Pagenaud of Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports is fourth in the championship race and will start ninth. Marco Andretti is 16th and last years Mid-Ohio winner, Charlie Kimball is 20th. Marvin Williams Jersey .com) - The Toronto Blue Jays will look to snap a three-game skid Friday night when they continue their road trip in the opener of a three-game set against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Cheap Hornets Jerseys China . -- The Anaheim Ducks have signed left wing Dany Heatley to a one-year deal, returning the 33-year-old unrestricted free agent to the Pacific Division. http://www.cheaphornetsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-bismack-biyombo-jersey .ca! There is plenty of blame to be shared as a result of the most recent NHL player (Pittsburghs Brooks Orpik) to be evacuated from the ice on a stretcher following an ugly incident Saturday night in Boston. Cody Zeller Jersey . The Canadian Luge Association officially named seven athletes to the 2014 Olympic team Tuesday. Edney, will lead teenagers John Fennell and Mitchel Malyk into their first Games in mens singles. Tristan Walker and Justin Snith will represent Canada in doubles, while Gough, will be joined by Kimberley McRae in womens singles. Wholesale Hornets Jerseys . The Jets have now won three straight at home and four of the last five at the MTS Centre. After a scoreless first period, Brad Marchand scored his first goal in eight games eight seconds into the second.PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates probably thought they were in for another long night. They arrived home in Pittsburgh at 3:33 a.m. Friday after the second game of their doubleheader with the Baltimore Orioles went into extra innings. The Pirates appeared on their way to playing another late one Friday night when Pedro Alvarez hit a tying two-run homer off Sergio Santos in the ninth. But two batters later, Starling Marte followed with a winning drive into the bullpen in left-centre, giving the Pirates a 6-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Manager Clint Hurdle, who moved Marte from batting leadoff to the seventh spot in the lineup Thursday and six-hole Friday, hopes the win can get his players and team some "traction." "Its been a while since Pedro has been able to ride one out of the ballpark," Hurdle said. "Martes at-bats have gotten bigger, none bigger than that one. Those kind of at-bats can create a spark, create more momentum and more traction." Marte knew the ball was gone as soon as he hit it. "Thats what I want," Marte said. "No matter what spot I hit in." Santos (0-2) entered with a 5-3 lead and allowed a leadoff single to Neil Walker. He struck out Andrew McCutchen, and Alvarez followed with his seventh homer this season. Pinch-hitter Ike Davis flied out, and Marte hit the first game-ending homer of his big league career. Alvarezs homer broke a two-week home run drought for the third baseman who led the National League last season. "Obviously, (hitting the home run) feels really good," Alvarez said. "It kept us in the game, but of course anytime I can get a clutch hit for the team, to contribute to a W, its huge." Mark Melancon (1-1) pitched a hitless ninth for the win. After converting his first four save chances this season, Santos has blown three of his last four for the Blue Jays, who have lost seven of their last nine games and continue to have issues in the bullpen. "We played such a great game today and it stinks to blow it," Santos said. Toronto manager John Gibbons noted the injuries to reliever Casey Janssen and Dustin McGowan as aspects that have hindered the Blue Jays performance at the end of games.dddddddddddd "Its a totally different look and I think were suffering for it," Gibbons said. "But the game doesnt let you up." McCutchen had three hits for Pittsburgh, which outhit the Blue Jays 17-10. The Pirates won for just the third time in 13 games and the fifth time in their last 20. Pirates starter Gerrit Cole allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings, failing to reach the sixth for the first time in six starts this season. Cole said he was "a little off" Friday night. "I wasnt executing a handful of pitches there," Cole said. "They beat me on some good pitches." Torontos Brandon Morrow gave up three runs and 11 hits in five innings. After walking eight batters in his last start, Morrow walked just one Friday. "I just forgot about that and went out and threw the way Id been throwing before that," Morrow said. "I wasnt thinking about that and I dont think it was strange to come out and have good command today." In his first at-bat in Pittsburgh since 2008, Jose Bautista hit a two-out double in the first and scored on a double by Edwin Encarnacion. Pittsburgh took a 2-1 lead on Jordy Mercers run-scoring, double-play grounder in the second and McCutchens RBI single in the third. Colby Rasmus hit his sixth homer of the season in the fourth, a two-run drive, and Bautista had an RBI double in the fifth that made it 4-2. McCutchens run-scoring single cut the deficit in the bottom half, but Toronto regained a two-run lead in the sixth on pinch-hitter Steve Tollesons run-scoring, two-out triple off Justin Wilson. Hurdle was keen not to forget about Casey Sadler making his major league debut Friday night. Sadler pitched two scoreless innings, gave up a hit and struck out one. "He was able to come in and keep the game right where it was," Hurdle said. "Not to be lost in everything else that went on because he kept it right there at a two-run deficit." NOTES: Bautista has a 12-game hitting streak and has reached based in all 29 games hes played this season. ... Toronto knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (2-3, 5.09 ERA) is scheduled to start Saturday against Francisco Liriano (0-3, 3.97). ' ' '