One series in the books and the post all-star break could not have gone much better for the Blue Jays.
Sports
Blue Jays again come alive in late innings to sweep Diamondbacks
Yusei Kikuchi started for the Blue Jays, allowing Arizona to score a run in each of the first two frames. The D’backs had him on the ropes, but showed no inclination to deliver a knockout punch.
In contrast, the Blue Jays were more than willing to pounce. And once again, it came courtesy of Danny Jansen.
Looking back on this four-game win streak, it was Jansen’s two-out ninth-inning home run in Detroit in the final game before the all-star break that seemed to ignite the club.
The Jays bats, starting with Jansen’s homer in Detroit, seem to be making a habit of saving the best for last. In Toronto’s series-opening 7-2 win, five runs were produced in the seventh inning. On Saturday, they scored twice in the eight to solidify a 5-2 victory.
Four more scored in the eighth on Sunday … and this time they needed almost all of them.
Mitch White came on in the ninth to preserve a five-run lead, but was pulled with the bases loaded and two out.
Erik Swanson relieved White and promptly gave up a three-run double to Ketel Marte, bringing the tying run to the plate, but got Emmanuel Rivera on a routine fly ball to centre field to earn the save.
YUSEI WHAT?
A portent of how Kikuchi’s day would unfold came right from the jump when Marte, Arizona’s leadoff hitter turned on the game’s first pitch and drilled it. Luckily for Kikuchi, it stayed in the park for long, loud at the warning track in left centre.
It didn’t get much better. Kikuchi hit two batters, threw two wild pitches and was responsible for one of the team’s two errors.
Pitching coach Pete Walker needed to pay a visit after the lefty threw 25 balls and just 22 strikes.
To his credit, Kikuchi did settle down for the next couple of innings, But his day ended with two outs and one on in the fifth, and the score tied 2-2, after the Jays counted twice in the second.
LOVE THAT GLOVE
In his return to Toronto for the first time since his trade to Arizona, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. was showered with appreciation and warmth.
On Sunday, with a lefty starting, Gurriel moved up in the order and batted third, while taking his normal spot in left field, an area he knows intimately from his playing days in Toronto.
He made a great diving catch in the bottom of the first to rob Matt Chapman of a hit, potentially for extra bases.
In the top of the third, he led off the inning with a hard-hit ball to left, not far from where he recorded the out on the Chapman ball. Size may have played a factor as Whit Merrifield was unable to handle the ball that went off his glove for a single.
Gurriel, who was then erased on a double play, wound up going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
SANTIAGO TRAIN
He wasn’t in the lineup for either of the first two games, but Santiago Espinal made an impact in the series finale.
Batting eighth in the order and playing at second base, Espinal recorded hits in his first two at-bats, knocking in a run and scoring another.
On his second hit, Espinal tried to stretch a single into a double, but was easily tagged out at second.
JAY IN BLUE JAY
Veteran Jay Jackson was asked to record the final out in the fifth when Kikuchi was given the hook and did his job by inducing Gurriel to groundout to third.
In Arizona’s next at-bats, Jackson, who was credited with the win, retired the first two hitters before he was relieved by Tim Mayza, who made a dandy defensive play to record the third out.
Taking a comebacker between the mound and first base from NL rookie-of-the-year contender Corbin Carroll, Mayza had to flip the ball to Vlad Guerrero Jr., directly out of his glove to get the speedy Diamondback by half a step.
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The French league’s legal commission has ordered Paris Saint-Germain to pay Kylian Mbappé the 55 million euros ($61 million) in unpaid wages that he claims he’s entitled to, the league said Thursday.
The league confirmed the decision to The Associated Press without more details, a day after the France superstar rejected a mediation offer by the commission in his dispute with his former club.
PSG officials and Mbappé’s representatives met in Paris on Wednesday after Mbappé asked the commission to get involved. Mbappé joined Real Madrid this summer on a free transfer.
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AP soccer:
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Former football star Reggie Bush was at his Encino home Tuesday night when three male suspects attempted to break in, the Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.
“Everyone is safe,” Bush said in a text message to the newspaper.
The Los Angeles Police Dept. told the Times that a resident of the house reported hearing a window break and broken glass was found outside. Police said nothing was stolen and that three male suspects dressed in black were seen leaving the scene.
Bush starred at Southern California and in the NFL. The former running back was reinstated as the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner this year. He forfeited it in 2010 after USC was hit with sanctions partly related to Bush’s dealings with two aspiring sports marketers.
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VANCOUVER – A fresh face has been gracing the B.C. Lions‘ highlight reels in recent weeks.
Midway through his second CFL campaign, wide receiver Ayden Eberhardt has contributed touchdowns in two consecutive games.
The 26-year-old wide receiver from Loveland, Colo., was the lone B.C. player to reel in a passing major in his team’s 37-23 victory over the league-leading Montreal Alouettes last Friday. The week before, he notched his first CFL touchdown in the Lions’ win over the Ottawa Redblacks.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been really good,” Eberhardt said of his recent play. “At the end of the day, the biggest stat to me is if we win. But who doesn’t love scoring?”
He’ll look to add to the tally Friday when the Leos (7-6) host the Toronto Argonauts.
Eberhardt signed with B.C. as a free agent in January 2023 and spent much of last season on the practice squad before cementing a role on the roster this year.
The six-foot-two, 195-pound University of Wyoming product has earned more opportunities in his second season, said Lions’ head coach and co-general manager Rick Campbell.
“He’s a super hard worker and very smart. He understands, has high football IQ, as we call it,” Campbell said.
The fact that Eberhardt can play virtually every receiving position helps.
“He could literally go into a game and we could throw him into a spot and he’d know exactly what he’s doing,” the coach said. “That allows him to play fast and earn the quarterback’s trust. And you see him making plays.”
Eberhardt credited his teammates, coaches and the rest of the Lions’ staff with helping him prepare for any situation he might face. They’ve all spent time teaching him the ins and outs of the Canadian game, or go over the playbook and run routes after practice, he said.
“I’ve played every single position on our offence in a game in the last two years, which is kind of crazy. But I love playing football,” he said. “I want to play any position that the team needs me to play.”
While B.C.’s lineup is studded with stars like running back William Stanback — who has a CFL-high 938 rushing yards — and wide receiver Justin McInnis — who leads the league in both receiving yards (1,074) and receiving TDs (seven) — versatility has been a critical part of the team’s back-to-back wins.
“I think we’ve got a lot of talented guys who deserve to get the ball and make big plays when they have the ball in their hands. So it’s really my job to get them the ball as much as possible,” said quarterback Nathan Rourke.
“I think that makes it easy when you can lean on those guys and, really, we’re in a situation where anyone can have a big game. And I think that’s a good place to be.”
Even with a talented lineup, the Lions face a tough test against an eager Argos side.
Toronto lost its second straight game Saturday when it dropped a 41-27 decision to Ottawa.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Rourke said. “We’ll have to adjust on the fly to whatever their game plan is. And no doubt, they’ll be ready to go so we’ll have to be as well.”
The two sides have already met once this season when the Argos handed the Lions a 35-27 loss in Toronto back on June 9.
A win on Friday would vault B.C. to the top of the West Division standings, over the 7-6 Winnipeg Blue Bombers who are on a bye week.
Collecting that victory isn’t assured, though, even with Toronto coming in on a two-game skid, Campbell said.
“They’ve hit a little bit of a rut, but they’re a really good team,” he said. “They’re very athletic. And you can really see (quarterback Chad Kelly’s) got zip on the ball. When you see him in there, he can make all the throws. So we’re expecting their best shot.”
TORONTO ARGONAUTS (6-6) AT B.C. LIONS (7-6)
Friday, B.C. Place
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Lions boast a 4-1 home record this season, including a 38-12 victory over the Redblacks at Royal Athletic Park in Victoria, B.C., on Aug. 31. The Argos have struggled outside of BMO Field and hold a 1-5 away record. Trips to the West Coast haven’t been easy for Toronto in recent years — since 2003, the club is 4-14 in road games against B.C.
CENTURION: B.C. defensive back Garry Peters is set to appear in his 100th consecutive game. The 32-year-old from Conyers, Ga., is a two-time CFL all-star who has amassed 381 defensive tackles, 19 special teams tackles and 16 interceptions over seven seasons. “Just being on the field with the guys every day, running around, talking trash back and forth, it keeps me young,” Peters said. “It makes me feel good, and my body doesn’t really feel it. I’ve been blessed to be able to play 100 straight.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
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