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TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays came close but in the end they could not overcome the four home runs allowed by R.A. Dickey. Their ninth-inning rally netted only two runs and the American League East leaders lost 5-4 to the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Dickey (6-7) allowed only one other hit besides the home runs and also struck out a season-best nine. "Its a terrible letdown," Dickey said. "One less home run we win that game. Its just a really bizarre outing to be able to strike out nine guys, get all those swings and misses on what I felt like was a really, really good knuckleball tonight." Rookie first baseman Jose Abreu hit two solo homers against Dickey and Dayan Viciedo added a solo shot with Alexei Ramirez hitting a two-run blast that proved to be the difference. The Blue Jays had three home runs. Edwin Encarnacion and Dioner Navarro hit back-to-back solos in the sixth as the Blue Jays 45-37) tied the game 2-2, and Colby Rasmus, leading off the ninth as a pinch hitter, hit his 11th of the season. Left-hander John Danks (7-6) allowed five hits, including two home runs, and two runs over six innings, to earn the victory. The White Sox (37-44) regained the lead in the seventh as Abreu led off with his 25th homer of the season. Ramirez followed with his eighth, a two-run drive after a walk to designated hitter Adam Dunn. "Its a baffling pitch," Dickey said of his knuckleball. "The pitch that Abreu hit out, I threw it the same way that I threw the one that they swung and missed at. Its just part of what you have to accept with the pitch. And then hopefully you look back at the end of the year and youve kept us in games. But tonight was a tough one because we should have won that game." White Sox manager Robin Ventura said Dickeys knuckleball looked good all night. "Guys were coming back saying he was throwing a good one," Ventura said. "Guys like that, you never know. Sometimes you go up there and you might not have a chance and you hope he throws a flat one. Thats why you never know. You go up there and you could get the good one or you could get the flat one." The four homers allowed by Dickey were his most in a game since 2006 when he allowed six. But the Blue Jays still had a chance. White Sox right-hander Ronald Belisario, who was trying for his ninth save, got only one out in the ninth. After the leadoff homer to Rasmus, he gave up one-out singles to Munenori Kawasaki and Anthony Gose. Left-hander Eric Surkamp came in to face pinch-hitter Adam Lind, whose grounder resulted in an error by third baseman Conor Gillaspie. Right-hander Jake Petricka came in and Jose Reyes forced pinch runner Drew Hutchison out with a grounder to short as another run scored. Melky Cabrera ended the game with a grounder to second and Petricka picked up his second save of the season. "Hey, we had a shot," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "It would have been a nice little win, it was right there. It was one of those kinds of nights. I thought Dickey was great early on. He gave up two homers, we came back and tied it, they went back out and scored three. "We made a run late, thats all you ask for." Prior to the fifth inning, Dickey had allowed only one base runner, on a second-inning error by Reyes. But Abreu led off the fifth with his 24th homer of the season and Viciedo hit his seventh two outs later. "Its not a surprise," Ventura said. "(Abreu) is a good hitter, but I think you also see the power thats there. When he gets it on the barrel, it just seems to continue to go. Its like helium balls, they just continue to float." The Blue Jays tied the game by hitting back-to-back homers for the sixth time this season with two out in the sixth when Encarnacion hit his 25th and Navarro his fifth. There was a four-minute delay during the top of the second while Ventura talked to the umpires about some blinking lights on the facade just below the centre-field scoreboard that started flashing after fire alarm bells were heard. The game continued and the lights stopped blinking three batters into the bottom of the second. "It was more of an annoyance," Ventura said. "You first sit there and notice it and then youre hitting. I didnt know if they could actually just turn it off but I guess it took a while because its the hotel and theres protocol with the fire department that Im not in control of, so I couldnt get it turned off." With the lights still blinking in the bottom of the second, Torontos Steve Tolleson snapped a career-high 0-for-16 drought with a one-out double to left. A possible rally was thwarted after Kawasaki singled to right but made a big turn around first base. Kawasaki was caught in a rundown between first and second, while Tolleson, who inched too far down the third-base line, was thrown out by Ramirez. NOTES: Attendance at Rogers Centre was 24,173. a Rasmus did not start the game. Gibbons said he had planned a day off for Rasmus, who missed 33 game with a hamstring injury and returned on June 18. a Brad Glenn, who was called up to the Blue Jays from triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, made his major-league debut in right field on Friday. aLeft-hander Chris Sale (6-1, 2.27 earned-run average) will start Saturday for the White Sox against Toronto rookie right-hander Marcus Stroman (4-2, 4.25). Custom Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys . Former two-time Olympic gold medallist Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle tested positive for the stimulant methylhexanamine in both her "A" and "B" samples, the German Olympic Committee said. Brandon Saad Jersey . Huntington doesnt want to help run the club unless Hurdle is in the dugout. The combination thats returned the franchise to respectability will remain intact for years to come. http://www.officialblackhawksauthority.com/ . But history aside, theyre still happy to participate in the Par 3 contest, traditionally held on the day prior to the first round of the Masters. Bobby Orr Jersey . LOUIS -- The St. Martin Havlat Jersey . They signed their first kicker. Ottawa inked Nick Setta, a 32-year-old native of Lockport, Illinois, to a contract.DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Alex Anthopoulos spoke volumes with what he didnt say on right-hander Ervin Santana. The Blue Jays had been in the mix for the former Kansas City Royal with several Toronto players making a public plea to sign the 33-year-old former all-star. But Santana, a Dominican who counts several Jays as friends, elected instead to sign with the injury-ravaged Atlanta Braves. "I probably dont want to comment on how close I felt we got or didnt get," the Blue Jays general manager said Wednesday. Anthopoulos deflected many questions on Santana, leaving the impression he was not happy with the way the process had gone. Asked if he felt used, he said "No, no. But (thats) probably the only thing Im going to say." Money and terms apparently werent factors in Santanas decision to sign with Atlanta. "He had a strong desire to pitch in the NL and there was no way to compete with that," said Anthopoulos, who is also Torontos senior vice-president of baseball operations. Was that always the case, he was asked? "Very good question," Anthopoulos replied, before suggesting it was better directed at the pitchers camp. However the Jays GM did say he was told "recently" of that strong NL interest. Such hints aside, Anthopoulos was clearly looking to take the high road, "Obviously its done. He made his decision. Hes in Atlanta. Great signing for them. I wish him the best. Sorry it didnt work out with us." Certainly the NL East, home to the .sub-500 Miami Marlins, New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies last season, might seem more hospitable than the thorny AL East. Especially when Santana is eligible for free agency again after this season. Santana has spent his entire career in the American League, with eight seasons as a Los Angeles Angel before being traded to the Royals in 2013. His career record is 105-90 with a 4.19 ERA. He became a free agent after turning down a US$14.1-million qualifying one-year offer from the Royals. Its the same deal he accepted from the Braves and likely in the same ballpark as the Jays offer. Minnesota reportedly tendered a thrree-year offer but at a lesser annual rate.dddddddddddd Unlike last off-season, the Jays have been quiet in player acquisitions. So the Santana snub stands front and centre. Anthopoulos said everyone in the organization wanted Santana to become a Jay. "I think we all feel we did everything we could," he added. With Josh Johnson gone and question-marks over J.A. Happ and Ricky Romero, the Jays have been looking to bolster a starting rotation that features R.A. Dickey, Mark Buehrle and Brandon Morrow. Asked about the paucity of additions, Anthopoulos instead pointed to the healthy return of players like outfielder Melky Cabrera and pitcher Drew Hutchison. "We think Drews got a chance to be outstanding and hes put himself in a great position to make this club. I think if he does make this club, hes got a chance to have a tremendous year." Anthopoulos acknowledged the questions from fans and other observers. "All that being said, I can understand skepticism that comes with the job, the performance we had on the field last year. I think we will show how good we are when we break (spring training). I think the guys that we have tremendous upside but we would have loved to add someone just to have depth." "We werent going to force a deal and do things we really didnt believe in just to make a splash," he added. The GM said the Jays were "extremely close" to landing another starting pitcher in a trade only to see it not happen. He did not provide any other details. Bottom line, he says, the Jays like their talent but know it lacks seasoning in some quarters. So the search continues for that experience. NOTES -- Happ, whose spring training progress has been delayed by back problems, threw a side session Tuesday and "everything felt good," according to manager John Gibbons. Closer Casey Janssen, who has had soreness in his shoulder, was scheduled to throw a side session Wednesday. Dustin McGowan is also back after losing eight pounds to the same stomach bug that hit fellow pitcher Sergio Santos. ' ' '