Klassik-Bereich » Second baseman Maicer Izturis was slotted into the

NEW ORLEANS - The Toronto Raptors were without Jonas Valanciunas on Wednesday for their game in New Orleans against the Pelicans. Jalen Brunson Jersey . Valanciunas, who left Tuesdays loss to the Hawks late in the third quarter with a lower back sprain, missed his first game of the season. Head coach Dwane Casey announced the news an hour and a half prior to tip-off. "His back is still tight," Casey said. "[He] wasnt able to get it loose. (Director of Sports Science) Alex (McKechnie) put him through some preliminary work and it still was tight so hes going to be out." Valanciunas sustained the injury turning to set a screen, feeling immediate pain in his lower back before McKechnie and the Raptors training staff made the call to pull him from the game. After navigating through a mini-slump to close the month of February, the Raptors sophomore centre had been playing some of his best basketball of the season over the past week. Getting off to hot starts in each of his last three games, Valanciunas has totalled 34 points on 14-of-20 shooting in the first quarter of those contests. The Raptors were already undermanned in the frontcourt, missing Patrick Patterson for a seventh straight game Wednesday. He is expected to be out at least another week resting an elbow injury. Tyler Hansbrough started in place of Valanciunas. Both he and Chuck Hayes will see increased playing time as long as the teams starting centre in sidelined. Amir Johnson also played against the Pelicans after tweaking a lingering right ankle injury at the end of regulation in Tuesdays overtime loss. "Weve been very fortunate not to have that many injuries up until this part of the season," said Casey. "A lot of teams had them earlier and its unfortunate were hitting them now but its part of the NBA. Now weve got to adjust to it and make hay from it." Valanciunas is considered day-to-day. Luka Doncic Jersey . DArnaud hit one of three doubles for the Mets as they took a 4-0 lead in the first. Then the catchers seventh home run of the season broke the game open in the fifth. The 41-year-old Colon (10-8) retired the first 20 batters in his last outing Wednesday against Seattle, eventually allowing two runs on three hits in 7 1-3 innings in a 3-2 win. Kostas Antetokounmpo Mavericks Jersey . -- Maxence Parrot of Bromont, Que. http://www.mavericksteamofficial.info/customized/ . He could have transferred when academic sanctions barred the Huskies from the NCAA tournament his junior season.TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays recalled Neil Wagner from the Buffalo Bisons on Wednesday and optioned fellow right-hander Marcus Walden to the triple-A club. Wagner, 30, appeared in 36 games for the Blue Jays last season, posting a 2-4 record with a 3.79 earned-run average. He gives Toronto another hard-throwing right-handed option out of the bullpen. "It made sense to get a little more firepower late (in games)," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said before Wednesdays game against the Houston Astros. Wagner played 23 games with Buffalo in 2013 and had 16 saves with a 0.76 ERA. The six-foot 215-pound Minneapolis native has not allowed a run in two appearances with the Bisons this season, earning saves in both outings. Gibbons said Wagner impressed him last season and again this year at spring training. "He came into his own," he said of Wagners performance last year. "He started out in triple-A and put it all together, came up and did a nice job for us. Hes got that big arm. Thats what you like to see coming late in the game. The key for him was he started finding that strike zone consistently. "Thats something that had deserted him in his career until last year. Yeah, we expect him to fill a big role for us." The Toronto bullpen is missing closer Casey Janssen, whos on the 15-day disabled list with a strain in his left abdominal area and lower back. Gibbons said pitching coach Pete Walker thought Janssen looked "really, really good" in a bullpen session earlier in the day. "Hell throw one more side (session) and then well justt see where hes at," Gibbons said of the veteran right-hander. Jose Juan Barea Jersey. . "He may go out on a rehab (assignment) after that. If hes not really good, then hell throw another one." "Pete said he really picked it up today compared to his last one," Gibbons added. Janssen, who went on the DL on March 30, was 4-1 last year with 34 saves and a 2.56 ERA. Toronto shortstop Jose Reyes, whos on the 15-day DL with a hamstring injury, did some light running Wednesday and took some swings in the batting cage. His lone game appearance came in a season-opening loss to Tampa Bay. "Hes making progress," Gibbons said. "This next road trip well get him out there running the bases a little bit. Hes moving along pretty good." Second baseman Maicer Izturis was slotted into the second spot in the batting order against the Astros. Izturis has yet to drive in a run this season but hes batting at a .421 clip. "Hes swinging it," Gibbons said. "Hes been one of our hottest hitters. So well get him up there and see what happens." Izturis batted in the No. 8 position Tuesday when the Blue Jays opened the three-game series with a 5-2 victory at Rogers Centre. In 107 games last season, Izturis had a .236 average with five homers and 32 RBIs. "He came into camp in better shape this year, really focused, and hes done a nice job," Gibbons said. "He made a couple nice plays last night at second base and thats good to see too." Walden did not make an appearance with the Blue Jays after being called up last Saturday. ' ' '