The way June has ended and July has started, the Jays can’t wait for the All-Star break… if only to have three days off and hopefully regroup and be ready for the stretch.

Since the end of May, the Jays have posted a 15-20 record, have dropped to second place in the East and the Yankees are breathing down their neck.

Drew Hutchison had celebrated Canada Day in great fashion, overcoming his demons in Rogers Centre with his best performance, yet at home. He pitched seven strong innings (perfect over the first five) as he led the Jays back on their winning track, beating the Central leading Milwaukee Brewers, 4-1.

Posting a 8,13 ERA at home compared to a 2,23 ERA on the road, Hutch gave up only one run on three hits, two walks and 10 strikeouts to register his sixth win of the season.

Another great news was Jose Bautista who celebrated his return to the lineup, as the DH, with his 16^th homer of the year on his first swing while Colby Rasmus added his 12^th homerun in the fifth inning.

Casey Janssen notched his 13^th save of the year.

The Jays completed the two-game sweep the next day as Edwin Encarnacion struck for his 26^th homer, a three-run blast, after two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning for the walk-off win, 7-4.

J.A. Happ overcame a tough third inning and even if he had a no-decision, he pitch seven very good innings, giving up three runs on six hits, no walks, and four strikeouts.

Juan Francisco also hit a two-run homerun while Jose Bautista chipped in with his 17^th, a solo shot. Casey Janssen pitched a perfect ninth and was credited with his third win of the season.

But, the western swing started of a bad note despite a strong performance by R.A. Dickey who suffered his eight loss of the year as the Jays lost 4-1 in Oakland. Dickey pitched a complete game, using 124 pitches, giving up four runs on six hits and four walks.

He had a rough third inning as, after a long 24-minute delay, he went back to the mound and was touched for three runs.

And for the first time in six weeks the Jays were no longer alone in first place, having to share with the Orioles.

The Jays’ problems against lefthanders became  even more obvious when, in the second game of the series, none of their nine hits came with a runner in scoring position. It resulted in a 12-inning, 1-0, heartbreaking loss.

Collectively, the Jays are hitting a bit under  ,230 against southpaws, with 30 homers and 85 rbis while they have a ,267 batting average with 84 homers and 303 rbis vs right-handers.

Too bad for Marcus Stroman who, again, was solid as he shutout the A’s on three hits over the first seven innings.  Again, the attack failed to produce as the hitters stranded eight runners in scoring position.

The A’s were more opportunistic as in the 12^th inning, they capitalized on a single and Melky Cabrera’s error in left field to win the game.

The following day, it was more of the same as despite another strong outing by Mark Buerhle, the veteran lefthander suffered another loss, 5-1, his sixth of the year. As it was the case with his fellow starters, Buehrle had no offensive support. The Jays were handcuffed on five hits and only one run.

Five times, they had a runner in scoring position, and five times they failed to get a hit. I believe it is a refrain everybody is tired of hearing.

It was an even tougher loss as the Jays saw their top homerun hitter and run producer, Edwin Encarnacion, limp off the field, suffering a right leg injury while running full speed to first base in order to prevent a double play and drive in his 70^th run of the season.

The A’s completed the four-game sweep sending on the hill, Jeff Samardzija, the former Cubs who was sought after by many teams, including the Jays. The tall right-hander notched his first American League win, 4-2, as he limited the Jays to four hits and one walk.

Again, the Jays’ pitcher, Drew Hutchison, deserved a better fate. He was charged with his seventh loss of the season, giving up three runs over five an two thirds innings.

And the Jays were on their way to Anaheim to face the surging Angels.