Sports

Blue Jays suffer gut-wrenching 10-9 loss to underdog Seattle Mariners – The Globe and Mail

Published

2 years ago

October 9, 2022

Jordan Romano of the Toronto Blue Jays walks back to the dugout after being relieved against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning in game two of the American League Wild Card Series at Rogers Centre on Oct. 8, 2022.MARK BLINCH/Getty Images

It was an epic collapse that Blue Jays fans may bemoan and scrutinize for years.

Early in Saturday’s contest, the Toronto Blue Jays had a commanding 8-1 lead in Game 2, looking confident to force a decisive third game in their wild-card series.

Yet a few hours later, the underdog Seattle Mariners were dancing on Toronto’s field after handing the highly favoured Jays one of the most gut-wrenching losses in franchise history.

The Mariners notched the biggest road comeback in MLB post-season history, winning 10-9 in an intense game that lasted over four hours and included a game-changing collision between Bo Bichette and George Springer in the outfield.

Seattle – a team making its first playoff appearance in 21 years – will advance to the American League Division Series against the Houston Astros.

The Jays clubhouse was quiet, with many players and coaches embracing in end-of-season hugs after sky-high hopes for a deep playoff run with a talent-rich team have evaporated.

Toronto’s playoff run is over after just two days. A best-of-three wild card series can be so unforgiving.

Cathal Kelly: It took the Blue Jays a village of mistakes to blow a seven-run lead against Seattle Mariners

“It just really sucks that we have to go home,” said Jays starter Kevin Gausman. “Because there’s a lot of really talented baseball players in there.”

In Game 1, the Mariners feasted on a few bad pitches by Toronto ace Alek Manoah in his first inning of playoff baseball, and jumped out to a fast lead the Jays would not overcome. Canada’s team ran into a red-hot pitcher in Luis Castillo and they got beat 4-0, forced to fight for their playoff lives on Saturday.

The Jays faced their old teammate Robbie Ray, who won the AL Cy Young Award while pitching for Toronto last year. In his first appearance at the Rogers Centre since his departure, the 30-year-old left-hander pitched just over three innings on Saturday, giving up six hits and four runs against four strikeouts.

He was pitching against the guy the Jays signed to replace Ray – Gausman, who got off to a hot start, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning, helped along by a leaping catch by Bichette, then alone at the wall by Springer.

The Jays got hot bats early. Alejandro Kirk provided the first Jays hit of the game in the second, a double into the left field corner. Next at the plate, Teoscar Hernandez cracked a homer to give the Jays a fast 2-0 lead and became the first to put on the new special postseason edition homerun jacket. The crowd of 47,156 made Rogers Centre thunderous.

In the third, Santiago Espinal doubled in his first game back from an oblique injury, and then Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled to bring him home. Hernandez crushed his second homer – a solo shot – in the fourth.

But the Mariners began to heat up at the plate in the fifth. Gausman allowed two hits that inning, including a double by Carlos Santana that rocked off the wall. A sacrifice fly by Jarred Kelenic scored Frazier. Gausman limited the damage to just one run.

The Mariners crumbled in a dramatic fifth inning that saw the Jays score four runs. They let the Jays load the bases by intentionally walking Guerrero Jr. and bringing up Kirk. Then Seattle reliever Paul Sewald threw an errant pitch that sailed off the top of his catcher’s glove, and Espinal stole home. Sewald lost control of his fastball and hit Hernandez in the shoulder, putting him on base. Matt Chapman crushed a sac fly to score Guerrero Jr. Then Danny Jansen scored Kirk on his line drive double to right.

When Seattle swapped out Sewald with Diego Castillo, his first pitch was a slider that hit Toronto’s Whit Merrifield flush in the helmet. The Jays cautiously removed Merrifield from the game, and he was steaming. It was just the start of the drama.

The Seattle Mariners celebrate after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays on Oct. 8, 2022.MARK BLINCH/Getty Images

Gausman pitched into the sixth inning, and the Jays pulled him after he loaded the bases (having allowed five hits against seven strikeouts and charged with four runs). They brought in Tim Mayza, and within four pitches, the vibe of Rogers Centre went from rowdy and jubilant to sombre and concerned. Mayza threw a wild pitch that scored one Mariner, then a slider that Santana blistered for a three-run homer. Suddenly, Toronto’s comfy 8-1 lead narrowed into an uncomfortable 8-5 one.

The Jays soothed their fans’ worries a little in the seventh when Danny Jansen clubbed an RBI single to score Hernandez. But the Mariners were not rolling over.

Toronto reliever Anthony Bass gave up another run. With two runners on, and zero out, in the eight inning Toronto had a 9-6 lead and called for their star closer Jordan Romano to get them the six outs needed to save the season.

Romano put another runner on before Seattle’s hottest batter of the day came to the plate – Santana. Every Jays fan in the stadium was on their feet, blue rally towels waving. Romano worked him and struck him out. Then he struck out Dylan Moore as well.

But then came the most dramatic play in this wild contest.

Seattle’s J.P. Crawford looped a flyball into shallow middle field and Bichette and Springer both sprinted after the same ball, the shortstop and the centre fielder colliding violently as the ball dropped between them. Three Seattle runs scored to tie the game 9-9. Medical staff dashed out to tend to the injured Blue Jays, and every Blue Jay on the field scrambled out in concern to look on the injured players as they lay on the turf.

Bichette clutched his arm but stayed in the game. Springer was helped onto a cart, looking pained and watery-eyed as he left the field. The stadium was silent, fans clutching their heads and staring on in disbelief.

“He’s doing okay. He’s going to be evaluated for a couple of different things,” said Schneider of Springer after the game. “He said some nice things to his teammates just now, so we’ll know more in the next couple of days.”

Romano collected himself and earned the third strikeout.

Bichette got in base with a walk in the eighth and stole second, then got stranded at third.

Romano, back on the mound for the ninth, gave up Seattle’s go-ahead run. Adam Cimber got Jays out of it, and the Jays headed to the plate in the ninth needing one run to keep their season alive.

Four Toronto batters came up in that do-or-die inning, and only Matt Chapman got on by, via a walk. Hernandez grounded out, Jansen struck out, and Raimel Tapia lined out to the field. All that scoring they did earlier in the day just dried up.

“Baseball sucks sometimes, and this group will be back in the exact same spot very, very soon,” said Jays interim manager John Schneider. “As much as it sucks right now, it will make that group better.”

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Sports

Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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