MADRID - Lionel Messi scored a hat trick to give Barcelona a 4-3 win at 10-man Real Madrid in an electrifying and contentious "clasico" match that kept the three-way Spanish league title race wide open. The result means Atletico Madrid now tops the table, with Madrid level on points in second and Barcelona a point behind in third with nine games remaining as the title race shapes up to be the closest in years. In a game that saw three penalties, a red card and a host of missed chances, Andres Iniesta set the tone by rocketing home an early opener, only for Karim Benzemas brace to put the hosts ahead by the 24th. The teams went into the break level at 2-2 after Messi slotted in an equalizer, only for Cristiano Ronaldo to re-establish Madrids lead with a 55th-minute penalty. But Messi scored a pair of penalties after that — including the 65th-minute equalizer after Sergio Ramos was sent off — to end Madrids 31-game unbeaten run stretching back to the last "clasico" in October. Atleticos 2-0 victory at last-place Real Betis earlier on Sunday means it leads Madrid on head-to-head with the city rivals level on 70 points. Barcelona is on 69 points. The high pace of play and buzzing atmosphere inside the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium left little doubt this was a "clasico" with much at stake. Messi spotted Iniestas run down the left side seven minutes in and slid a perfect ball clear into the area for him to lift into the top of goal to kickstart the memorable match. Madrid winger Angel Di Maria troubled right back Dani Alves throughout, especially when he twice set up Benzema with crosses from the left side, with the France striker nodding home the first in the 20th before controlling the second to smash a right-footed volley beyond Victor Valdes. The goalkeeper got a glove to Benzemas opener but couldnt keep it out. The strengths and philosophies of each club were apparent as Barcelona looked to set the tempo through possession while Madrid always looked dangerous when breaking on the counter. Madrids defence nodded off when Neymar and Messis hopeful combination came to fruition and the Argentina star could equalize before halftime, with Benzema left ruing a number of missed chances that could have given Madrid control. Gareth Bales speed provided problems for Barcelona down the right, but Ronaldo was equally troublesome along the left and he was tripped by Dani Alves after the break to set up the penalty for his league-leading 26th goal that put Madrid back on top. However, eplays showed the contact had taken place just outside the penalty area. But Barcelona replied when Ramos was shown a straight red for tangling with Neymar and Messi stepped to equalize again. Benzema then came off as Madrid looked to defend the draw, with Barcelona patiently coming forward and Dani Alves sending a shot off the post in the 74th. Iniesta was then taken down by Xabi Alonso and Dani Carvajal in the area to set up the 84th-minute spot kick that Messi slotted home for his 21st goal of the season. Messi climbed to No. 2 on the Spanish leagues all-time scoring list with 235 goals, passing Hugo Sanchez. He also became the leading scorer in "clasico" matches with 21 goals, bettering the mark of 18 he shared with Madrid great Alfredo di Stefano. ___ Follow Paul Logothetis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulLogoAP Joakim Noah Jersey ... maybe even more than that. Maybe all season I have to take a few blows. Allan Houston Jersey .com) - The NBA will be on display overseas Thursday with the New York Knicks taking on the Milwaukee Bucks at O2 Arena in London. http://www.nbaknicksproshop.com/womens- ... ll-jersey/ Joakim Noah Knicks Jersey . Though the 26-year-old said he was able to participate, coach Dwane Casey kept Johnson out as a precaution. Arron Afflalo Jersey . Philippe Desrosiers stopped 42 shots through overtime and three more in the shootout to pick up his third shutout of the season for Rimouski (31-15-7). Zachary Fucale made 28 saves for Halifax (34-17-3) in the loss.TORONTO -- The Milwaukee Brewers could have intentionally walked Edwin Encarnacion to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the ninth of a tie game. Instead they decided to pitch to the Toronto slugger, and he ended the game in walk-off fashion. Encarnacion turned on a 3-1 slider from Brandon Kintzler for a no-doubt three-run shot that gave the Blue Jays a 7-4 win over the Brewers on Wednesday afternoon. "He hanged (it), I banged it," Encarnacion said. The win gave Toronto (47-39) a two-game mini-sweep of Milwaukee (51-35) and extended the Blue Jays lead atop the American League East to 1 1/2 games over Baltimore. The Orioles were scheduled to play the Texas Rangers later Wednesday. Encarnacion, whos now tied for the major-league lead with 26 homers, raised his arms in the air after finishing his swing. He dropped the bat, clapped his hands a few times and began to trot around the bases as the 24,286 fans at Rogers Centre roared in approval. "For me its the best moment you can have," Encarnacion said. "For any player to have a walk-off home run. So everybody (is) happy on the team and were going to fly a five-hour happy flight today." The Blue Jays will kick off a 10-game road trip Thursday at Oakland. Jose Reyes led off the ninth with a double and Melky Cabrera was intentionally walked. Anthony Gose tried to move both runners into scoring position, but Reyes was thrown out at third after the sacrifice bunt attempt. Darin Mastroianni struck out before Encarnacion hit his third career walkoff homer. "I should have just bounced a sinker and walked him or thrown the slider away off the plate," Kintzler said. "It definitely didnt go where I planned it." Jose Bautista and Juan Francisco also homered for Toronto. Casey Janssen (3-0) worked one inning of relief for the win, and reliever Will Smith (1-1) shouldered the loss. "A good win for the guys," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "They finished a tough homestand with a good win." Both teams scored in the opening frame. Jonathan Lucroy hit a two-out double off Toronto starter J.A. Happ and scored when cleanup hittter Carlos Gomez hit a bloop single that dropped in right field.dddddddddddd Bautista answered in the bottom half by hitting a solo shot in his first at-bat for the second straight day. He took a 3-1 pitch from starter Wily Peralta over the wall in left-centre field for his 17th homer of the year. The Brewers scored three times in the third inning but Happ settled down after that, recording 13 outs in a row before catcher Martin Maldonados bunt single in the seventh inning. "I tried to get back down and focus and try to cover some innings and let our offence grind it out, and thats what we did," Happ said. The Blue Jays tied the game with Franciscos two-run shot in the fourth, his 13th homer of the season. Toronto put baserunners on in the seventh but Mastroianni failed to advance the lead runner with a sacrifice bunt attempt. Brewers skipper Ron Roenicke was ejected in the top of the eighth and Gibbons was tossed in the bottom half after a safe call was overturned at second base. Gibbons admitted he was frustrated and perhaps a little on edge after a long homestand with a lot of day games. "Maybe I got tired of looking at bunts not getting put down," he said with a smile. "So I said, Ill go have a beer." It was Roenickes first ejection of the season and the second for Gibbons. Notes: The game took three hours one minute to play. ... With dark clouds hovering in the area, the roof started to close in the ninth inning. ... Bautista was the designated hitter for the second straight day. Cabrera started in Bautistas usual spot in right field and Encarnacion started in left field. ... Earlier Wednesday, the Blue Jays announced that they signed first-round picks Jeff Hoffman and Max Pentecost. Hoffman, a right-handed pitcher, was selected ninth overall. Pentecost, a catcher, was taken with the 11th pick. Both players are 21 years old. ... The Blue Jays wrapped up the homestand with a 5-4 record. ... Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey (6-7, 4.24) is scheduled to start the opener of the four-game series against Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray (7-3, 3.20). ... The Brewers get an off-day Thursday before kicking off a three-game set at Cincinnati. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '