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TORONTO -- If the sloppy conditions and sparse crowd werent bad enough, Toronto FC dropped a 2-1 decision to Sporting Kansas City on Saturday in a game Ryan Nelsen largely blamed on the officiating. And a bad game ended on a worse note when the Toronto head coach and his assistant Fran OLeary were ejected in the final minute for words said from the sideline. "The referee (Allen Chapman) has a tough time but I think hell reflect and look back and probably (realize) Toronto FC were on the wrong end of the equation on literally all of the critical calls," said Nelsen, who was calm just minutes after his ejection. C.J. Sapong scored both goals for the visitors, while Darel Russell recorded the lone goal for Toronto in a rain-drenched affair at BMO Field, the gloomy, grey weather matching the mood around the Major League Soccer club. The loss stretched Torontos winless streak to eight consecutive games, while the victory for Kansas City propelled it into a tie with New York atop the Eastern Conference standings. Nelsen was frustrated about what he thought was a hand ball in Kansas Citys box, and a tackle on Justin Braun in the dying minutes. "The problems that we did cause (for Sporting KC), an oppositions hand got in the way, or I think it was a little bit of the Ultimate Fighting that is going on tonight (at Torontos Air Canada Centre) was done on Justin Braun at the end," Nelsen said. "I should be up here (talking about) two penalties, two blatant penalties, two stonecold penalties, and weve won the game." A week after Toronto (4-14-12) was mathematically eliminated from the playoffs for the seventh straight year, and with four games to go on the season, a sparse crowd -- announced at a season-low 12,627, but appearing much smaller -- braved the inclement weather. The previous season-low attendance was 15,217, two weeks earlier versus Chicago. Toronto hasnt won since Aug. 4 at New England, and despite which way the referees calls went, a couple of defensive miscues led to what Nelsen called "soft goals" for the visitors. Sapong opened the scoring for Kansas City (14-9-6) in the 18th minute when Graham Zusi found the head of Dominic Dwyer with a long cross. Dwyer headed the ball to a wide-open Sapong who launched a header past Toronto keeper Joe Bendik. "It wasnt going to be a performance game, atrocious conditions, you probably cant see it from the sideline but when youre out in the middle the water is horrible," Nelsen said. "It was going to be a mistake game, whoever turns it over and whoever makes mistakes is probably going to lose the game." Sapong, whod only scored twice previously this season, doubled his season output in the 53rd minute when he headed in a long cross from Chance Meyers. Defender Mark Bloom, in his second appearance for Toronto, seemed to lose sight of Sapong as he was tracking him back toward the net. "Soft goals for us to lose," said Toronto defender Steven Caldwell. "It was a not very nice day to play in or watch it was a battle at end, it was difficult to keep your footing, play with any kind of quality." Russell scored in the 38th minute to make it 1-1 on a bad clearance by Kansas City defender Aurelien Collin. Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen passed the ball to Collin, who misplayed it leaving Alvaro Rey to swoop in and pass to Russell, who slotted it past Nielsen. The loss came a day after Toronto introduced Tim Bezbatchenko as its new general manager. Despite all the frustrations from Saturdays match, Nelsen was emphatic in his support for the recent turn of events in the front office. "When I first took this job and I saw what happened to where I sit now, oh my goodness, trust me on this one, I am so much happier, its absolutely night and day," Nelsen said. "Certain contracts with certain salary cap restrictions. . . ," he said, when asked to expand. "Everything was handcuffed and weve taken the handcuffs off and now we can move forward. "When I first took the job I thought it would be two or three years before Toronto could get out of the situation they were in, it was that bad." Saturdays game was a winnable one for Toronto, which had several near-misses on the afternoon. Rey went down on the edge of the 18-yard box in the first half after taking what looked like an elbow to the face. The referee awarded Toronto a free kick outside the box, which Caldwell nearly scored on. Toronto had another excellent scoring chance at the 45-minute mark when a header by Bright Dike -- who was strong in his first start for the home team --was cleared off Kansas Citys goal line. Toronto was reduced to 10 men in the 86th minute when Caldwell was shown a red card for a studs-up tackle on Josh Gardner. "No intent or anything malicious about it, its just the way the game was, and the type of conditions it was, sometimes you go in for challenges that arent ideal and I felt we both went in with our studs," said Caldwell. He chalked up the calls to a "lack of experience from the referee, and a lack of empathy for the conditions." Toronto was missing several key players including midfielder Jonathan Osorio, who was serving the first of a two-game suspension for kicking the ball at an opponents head in Torontos 2-0 loss at New York last week. Osorio booted the ball directly to the side of the head of Red Bulls defender Kosuke Kimura, who had fallen to the ground. Kimura was not injured on the play. Striker Robert Earnshaw missed the game with a hamstring injury. Danny Koevermans, whos struggling in his recovery from last seasons ACL surgery, didnt dress, nor did Matias Laba, whos out a month after fracturing his big toe. Toronto hosts D.C. United next Saturday. J.T. Hassell Jersey . -- Colin Kaepernick insists he just happened to pull on a pair of socks with dollar bill prints all over them Wednesday morning -- before he learned he had struck a new fortune with the San Francisco 49ers. Mack Wilson Jersey .com Tours season-opening Colombia Championship on Sunday, breaking the course record with an 8-under 63 in the completion of the third round before rain washed out play. http://www.cheapbrownsjerseysauthentic.c...bett-jersey.com) - The NFL is investigating whether the New England Patriots intentionally deflated balls during Sundays AFC Championship Game against Indianapolis. Seth DeValve Jersey . As a follow-up, TSN.ca offers you the opportunity to chime in on all the big issues with our insiders. Read up on all the questions and answers, and put in your own two cents on our popular Your Call feature. Blake Jackson Jersey . The visitors missed a host of good chances to win the game, and were left to rue substitute Ivo Ilicevics strike against the crossbar in the 86th minute, when he only had the goalkeeper to beat. PITTSBURGH -- Arizona Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson was looking for a spark. His team was coming off what he called its worst game of the season. So Gibson moved outfielder David Peralta into the second spot of the batting order. He responded with three hits, including a two-run homer, and four RBIs as the Diamondbacks beat the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night to avoid a series sweep. "I moved him up in the lineup because hes put the bat on the ball and hes been very consistent for us," Gibson said. "Hes very aggressive and he will play anywhere you ask him." Peralta was more ready for the chance than even his manager might have known. "We had a little team meeting among the players after (Wednesday nights 5-1 loss) and just said to remember that we are a good team," he said. "I think it motivated everybody. It left everybody with a good feeling." Arizona scored three runs in the sixth and put the game away with seven in the ninth. "The first game was devastating because they came back and stole it for us and then we played our worst game of the year last night," Gibson said. "We came back with a good effort today, played a good, clean game, got good pitching, some clutch hits then were able to have some fun in that last inning." The Pirates are 0 for 8 in chances to sweep opposing teams this season. They looked primed to get their first sweep as starter Vance Worley retired the first 12 batters he faced and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. Ender Inciarte broke up Worleys no-hit bid with an RBI single with one out in the sixth. Peralta followed with his third home run of the year which barely cleared the 21-foot-high fence in right field and gave Arizona a 3-2 lead. After a strikeout and groundout against Worley in his first two at-bats, Peralta was prepared for his third trip to the plate. "I thought Ill get him next time," Peralta said. "The next time, he gave me a pitch I could hit. My whole approach is always to wait for my pitch and thats what I did in that at-bat." Miguel Montero was the first Diamondback to reach base after he worked a leadoff walk in the fifth. Pittsburgh scored in the third on a double by Jordy Mercer and RBI groundout by Gregory Polanco. The Pirates opened the fourth with hits by Neil Walker, Russell Martin and Ike Davis to extend their lead to 2-0. Walker started the inning with a double and scored on Davis single. Brandon McCarthy (3-10)) was pulled in the sixth after issuing a two-out walk to Davis.dddddddddddd He threw 5 2-3 innings and allowed two runs and eight hits, walked two and struck out six as he needed to work through some issues on the mound in the early stages of his start. "Some starts you feel great out of the gates but it wasnt quite there for me," McCarthy said. "I was able to hang in there and when things got dicey, I was able to make pitches." Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was pleased with his teams overall approach against McCarthy but acknowledged the inability to capitalize on extending the lead when Pedro Alvarez grounded into a double play in the fourth inning. "The double play in the fourth cut down some momentum we were building," Hurdle said. "We got one run in, first and second with no outs, he was able to get through that and cut off that inning. We didnt score another run the rest of the game." Worley (2-1) went seven innings and gave up three runs, four hits and two walks. He struck out six while taking his first losing decision as a Pirate. "Early on I was able to get ahead in the count, throw strikes and make them swing," Worley said. "And then as the game continued on I lost command of the two-seam fastball and was getting behind. The one inning, one pitch." Arizona sent 11 batters to the plate in the ninth and scored seven runs on eight hits. Pittsburgh reliever Ernesto Frieri gave up five hits to the six batters he faced and all of them scored. Frieri was pulled after recording just one out for Jeanmar Gomez, who entered with the bases loaded and allowed all three inherited runners to score before being charged with two runs of his own. "We some good at-bats early, hit three rocket shots in the second inning that we didnt have anything to show for," Gibson said. "Our guys stayed with it, kept the pressure on and finally got a couple of big hits." NOTES: A replay review of 4:13 overturned a safe ruling as Polanco attempted to steal second base in the fifth inning. ... Starling Marte singled in the third and has reached base in all 13 of his career games played against Arizona. ... Arizona sends RHP Josh Collmenter (7-4, 3.74