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TORONTO - Toronto FCs playoff push took a body blow Wednesday night. But star midfielder Michael Bradley is not ready to pronounce the patient dead yet.Still, a 1-0 loss Wednesday to the Houston Dynamo, a team that has been road kill all season, wasted three valuable points.Bottom line, Toronto no longer has games in hand and sits three points out of a playoff place with three games to play. It needs to keep its pedal to the metal and hope somebody above it slows down.Coach Greg Vanney said sixth-place Toronto is still in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt, just with zero margin for error. And Bradley, who had a fine night, left no doubt that his team wont exit without a fight. Theres three games left, theres nine points on the table, said Bradley, levelling a death stare at a nearby reporter that would have done Godzilla proud. If we take nine points, Im pretty sure were going to be right there. I think taking seven points gives you a really good chance. So until somebody tells me that mathematically were no longer in it, every single guy in this locker-room is still going to be believing.The loss was frustrating and painful, given Torontos ample chances.Houston was reduced to 10 men in the 55th minute when defender A.J. Cochran was sent off for dragging Luke Moore to the ground. Jermain Defoe, in his first start since Aug. 23, was foiled on the ensuing penalty by red-hot Houston goalie Tyler Deric.I believe if that goes in, then maybe its a different game, said a disappointed Defoe. Wed probably had enough time to get the second goal. But even after that the (Houston) keeper made some good saves.It was just one of those games.While Houston had only lost one of its last six games, it was missing three starters to international duty and had leading scorer Will Bruin on the bench after sitting out more than a month with a foot injury.Toronto outshot Houston 26-9, but led only 8-6 in shots on target. Defoe (seven shots, two on target), Moore (5-2) and Brazilian winger Jackson (4-2) all had their chances.I asked the guys to lay it out there, to play it was like their last game and I think we did, said Vanney. At the end of the day, the game comes down to executing in the box. We just didnt do that today.Giles Barnes first-half goal, coupled with Derics heroics, gave Houston a nervy win.It will keep us in the playoff race, Barnes said of the victory. I thought the team was fantastic. A massive three points on the road. It was a great team performance with a man down as well.The dropped three points were crucial for Toronto (11-13-7), which could have moved into fifth place in the East with the win. Instead Houston (11-14-6) joined Philadelphia within one point of Toronto.All three are looking up at the Columbus Crew, who hold down the last playoff spot in the East by three points over Toronto.The Houston game represented Torontos game in hand on the five teams ahead of it in the Eastern Conference. Toronto has three games left — away to the New York Red Bulls, home to the Montreal Impact and away to the New England Revolution.My message to the guys was what we lost today was our margin of error for the rest of the season, said Vanney, whose record at the helm dropped to 2-4-1.We now have to go out and we have to win. Thats it. ... For me, weve got to be almost perfect from here on out. That means if we play like tonight and finish our chances, maybe thats enough. But weve got to be more clinical when we get our opportunities.Toronto, which entered the league in 2007, has never qualified for the post-season. But TFC has already set single-season franchise records for wins and points this season.The game, TFCs penultimate at home in the regular season, was overshadowed by the Maple Leafs home opener at the nearby Air Canada Centre. There were plenty of empty seats in the announced crowd of 18,269 on a chilly 10-degree night at BMO Field.That snapped a streak of 15 straight sellouts (22,591) this season.It was a rare road win for Houston, which came into the game with a 2-11-2 record away from home this season — only Montreal is worse at 0-12-3. But Barnes, an English forward, has been a thorn in Torontos side all season with two goals and two assists in three games against TFC.He gave Houston the lead in the 35th minute, taking a well-weighted ball from Kofi Sakodie down the flank and beating rookie defender Nick Hagglund, who went down with what looked like a well-timed nudge from the Houston forward, before beating goalie Joe Bendik between the legs for his ninth of the season.Should have been a foul in my eyes, said Vanney.Hagglund and fellow centre back Steve Caldwell agreed.The game turned controversial early in the second half, with a penalty no-call, followed by a missed penalty and red card — all at the Houston end.Deric — in just his 11th MLS game, subbing for the injured Tally Hall — had a night to remember as Houston recorded only its second ever win (2-3-4) in Toronto.He was spectacular, said Vanney.Tyler is a monster, added Barnes. Its unfortunate the way he got his chance but he is like that every day at training. So I dont expect anything less from him, any game, any chance he has to play. He is incredible, he is a great keeper.Defoe, who saw 30 minutes action as a substitute last week in his return from a groin injury, was lively but his range-finder was just off.We all know he hasnt played a ton of games over the last two months, said Vanney. And I think thats unfortunately what got him a little bit in this match, just sharpness really in and around the goal. Brazilian forward Gilberto, who was out last week with a hamstring issue, did not dress for Toronto after a late fitness test.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Benson Mayowa Cardinals Jersey . LOUIS -- When Braves second baseman Tyler Pastornicky backpedaled into shallow right field to catch the popup and Jason Heyward didnt arrive fast enough to take charge, Kolten Wong got the green light. Sam Bradford Jersey . 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People familiar with the case told The Associated Press on Friday that arbitrator Fredric Horowitz could issue his decision this weekend.TORONTO - When Patrick Patterson learned he would be making his first start as a member of the Raptors just prior to Monday nights game he wasnt exactly caught off guard by the news. With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. Although it likely wasnt an easy sell, Dwane Casey and the coaching staff made the decision to rest Johnson, who had not missed a game due to injury in nearly two years, opening the door for his backup. "I started in Houston so its not new," said Patterson, downplaying his role in Torontos 108-101 home win over the Pelicans after scoring a season-best 22 points. "Its just all about making sure I have a positive role and I know my role on the team… making sure Im a significant part of our teams success." Since coming over in the seven-player trade from Sacramento in early December, Patterson has seen his role increase steadily, earning the trust of his coach and becoming the Raptors most reliable reserve. After Johnson was ruled out, Casey expressed concern about disrupting the chemistry of his second unit by removing a key cog in Patterson, however the forwards recent play made the decision an easy one. "I thought the matchup with (Anthony) Davis was a good one for him," Casey said of Patterson, who has scored in double figures 13 times over his last 20 games, averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds, shooting 53 per cent from the field in under 24 minutes per contest during that stretch. "(Patterson) was able to stretch the defence and give us some offensive punch." Patterson gave the Raptors a lift where they needed it most. Toronto had been outscored in the opening quarter of the last four games, all on the road, before returning home Monday and getting off to a rare but crucial quick start against Davis and the Pelicans. Patterson - along with Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan - was one of three Raptors to score seven points in the first frame, knocking down both of his shots and helping his team take a 31-20 lead into the second period. Thats where Pattersons presence was missed, as Torontos bench came in and squandered a 15-point advantage. Led by reserve guard Tyreke Evans, New Orleans ripped off a 26-11 run to end the half and would go into the break knotted up with Toronto at 49 points apiece. "For whatever reason we are losing leads with our second unit, what its doing is putting a lot of pressure on our starters and putting them in big minute situations," said Casey with both DeRozan and Lowry hovering around 40 minutes on Monday. "I think they just have to get their rhythm back. Taking (Patterson) off the second unit hurts them a bit, but still we have to gett a rhythm with that second unit so we can rest our starters.dddddddddddd." Heavy mileage has taken its toll on Johnson. The Raptors forward turned his ankle in a win over the Magic late last month - the most recent in a series of ankle injuries - and, to character, had played and started in all five games since. He could have done the same Monday if necessary, Casey indicated before the game, but with the all-star break around the corner and his team poised to make a playoff run over the next couple months, Johnson finally got some much-needed rest. "Its tough to replace a guy like Amir," DeRozan said of Johnson, who had not missed a game to injury since Mar. 5, 2012 (he was suspended for one game last year and sat out the previous season finale). "Everybody has to step up and try to do a little more (without him). Everybody understands their role and once they [saw] Amir [was] out, [they had] to step up and hold down the fort until he gets back." "Were deep," said Lowry, coming off his best game since before the road trip, scoring 19 points to go along with 12 assists and seven boards, five of them offensive. "Thats how we play, thats how we roll. 15 deep." Patterson started six games with the Kings earlier this season and has made 54 starts during his four year career, most of them as a member of the Rockets. With Patterson stepping into the first unit, Tyler Hansbrough - who has fallen out of favour since returning from an ankle injury last month - took advantage of the opportunity he was given off the bench, scoring 12 points and grabbing six rebounds in 14 minutes. "Tyler and Patrick both carried us tonight," Casey said. "I thought they were huge in their minutes." "Tyler came in and was a pro. He brings physicality to the game that we need." Patterson and Hansbrough shared the assignment of neutralizing Davis, the Pelicans second-year forward, who has been a revelation in the Western Conference this season. Davis scored just two points, hitting one of his six shots in his first appearance at the Air Canada Centre exactly a year ago Monday but hes come a long way since then. The first-time all-star is one of five players averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds and the only one doing so while shooting over 50 per cent from the field. Hes also on pace to become just the fifth player since 1973 to lead the NBA in blocks in his first or second season. "Anthony Davis is one of the most skilled big guys in the league," Casey said before the game, comparing him to a young Kevin Garnett. Davis was glued to the bench in foul trouble late in the third as the Raptors made their run and finished the game with 19 points and seven rebounds while Evans, 24 hours after being bench for disciplinary reasons, had 23 points and 10 assists off the bench for New Orleans. ' ' '