Whit Merrifield has never played in Major League Baseball’s post-season but as the playoffs approach for the Toronto Blue Jays he knows one thing: his team is eager to get started.
Teoscar Hernandez had two home runs, one a solo shot and the other a two-run blast, to help Toronto down the Boston Red Sox 6-3 on Sunday. Merrifield also had a solo home run and added an RBI single as the Blue Jays closed in on home-field advantage in the first round of the American League’s post-season having clinched a berth on Thursday.
“Guys are hungry not just to get to the playoffs but to make a run. We have the guys to do it. We have the talent to do it,” said Merrifield, who has a .382 batting average in his past 10 games. “Just a matter of getting hot at the right time and put things together and being sound in all facets of the game when Friday comes.”
Toronto swept the three-game series with Boston to wrap its final homestand of the regular season. The win helped the Blue Jays tighten their grasp on home-field advantage in the first round of the American League playoffs.
The Blue Jays kick off a three-game series in Baltimore on Monday to finish off the regular season.
If Toronto can stay ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the wild-card standings it will host all three games of its AL wild-card series starting Friday. If the Mariners catch them, the Blue Jays would be on the road.
“You’ve got to have like seven suitcases packed,” joked Toronto interim manager John Schneider. “But we’re ready to deal with it however it shakes out. I’m just excited that we’re in this position.”
Ready for the road. <br><br>See you soon, <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BlueJays</a> fans ???? <a href=”https://t.co/5I1oyv0bJQ”>pic.twitter.com/5I1oyv0bJQ</a>
George Springer drove in a run with a fielder’s choice in the seventh inning to back a lengthy day for the Toronto (90-69) bullpen after starting pitcher Kevin Gausman left the game with a cut on the middle finger of his throwing hand. He allowed two runs on four hits, striking out four, over three innings before giving way to Zach Pop (4-0) of Brampton, Ont.
“I just think that with the post-season coming up, I didn’t want it to get any worse and possibly it not get any better for that start,” said Gausman who, along with Alek Manoah, will likely start in next weekend’s playoff series. “Unfortunate, obviously, I would have loved to stay out there. […] but I thought it was the smart move.”
After Pop’s two innings Adam Cimber, Anthony Bass, Yimi Garcia and closer Jordan Romano of Markham, Ont., each pitched an inning. It was the first time in franchise history that the win and the save in a game were earned by Canadians on home soil.
???????? HISTORY ???????? <br><br>For the first time, a <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#BlueJays</a> game was won AND saved by Canadians! <a href=”https://twitter.com/pop_zach?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@pop_zach</a> <a href=”https://t.co/rQYOtlSbv6″>pic.twitter.com/rQYOtlSbv6</a>
Bobby Dalbec supplied all of the offence for the Red Sox (75-84) with a solo home run and an RBI single that drove in two runs.
Michael Wacha (11-2) lasted four innings, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk. He struck out four. Eduard Bazardo, Kaleb Ort and Franklin German came out of Boston’s bullpen.
Dalbec got the Red Sox on the board in the second inning, hitting a single to score J.D. Martinez and Abraham Almonte. Those were the first runs Boston had scored in the series after losing to the Blue Jays 9-0 and 10-0 on Friday and Saturday, respectively.
Getting by Whit some help with our friends ???? <a href=”https://t.co/l3w0Bg1wyA”>pic.twitter.com/l3w0Bg1wyA</a>
Hernandez replied for Toronto in the bottom of the second, smashing the first pitch he saw from Wacha 430 feet into the second deck at Rogers Centre.
Merrifield tied it up in the next inning with his solo shot. Like Hernandez’s first home run, his bomb went into the second deck, flying 404 feet into the stands above the Blue Jays’ bullpen to the delight of the 43,877 in attendance.
Hernandez handed Toronto its first lead of the game in the fourth, putting an 84.2 m.p.h. change-up from Wacha into the foul netting in left field for his 25th home run of the season. That brought home Vladimir Guerrero Jr., for a 4-2 lead.
TWO-SCAR Hernández ???? <a href=”https://twitter.com/TeoscarH?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@TeoscarH</a> has 25 homers this season! <a href=”https://t.co/iB99FIxIrv”>pic.twitter.com/iB99FIxIrv</a>
The Blue Jays scored again in the same inning when Merrifield’s single gave Danny Jansen ample time to run home from second.
Dalbec scored the final Red Sox run of the game when he launched a no-doubter off Bass to cut Toronto’s lead to 5-3 in the seventh inning.
Springer re-established Toronto’s three-run lead in the bottom of the inning. His infield dribbler gave Merrifield enough time to slide home.
Jose Berrios (11-7) will take the mound as the Blue Jays travel to Baltimore for their final series of the regular season. Dean Kremer (8-6) is scheduled to pitch in the opener of the three-game series on Monday at 7:05 p.m. ET.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
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.”
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.
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.
