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Blue Jays find new ways to self-inflict pain with latest late-inning collapse – Sportsnet.ca

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TORONTO – Toronto Blue Jays fans recognized the moment and greeted Miguel Cabrera’s 500th career home run with a standing ovation, one that didn’t stop until the Detroit Tigers slugger came out for a curtain call. Once he had ripped through the line of celebratory high fives and hugs in the dugout, out he came, arms raised, helmet in hand, and bowed to the Rogers Centre crowd of 14,685 showing a visiting player some love.

Impressively, they overlooked how Cabrera’s line-drive to right-centre on a Steven Matz changeup off the plate tied the game 1-1 in the sixth inning and threw the Blue Jays into their place of highest peril – late leverage. Despite nine balls off the bat at 101.2 m.p.h. or higher, to that point, they had managed only an unearned run off old friend Drew Hutchison — the opening day starter on the 2015 AL East champions — extended their drought hitting with runners in scoring position and didn’t have Tim Mayza or closer Jordan Romano available in the bullpen.

So, all the pieces were there for the type of collapse the Blue Jays have experienced all too often over the past couple of weeks. And just as they were on the verge of flipping the script Sunday afternoon, they found new ways to self-inflict pain, as a Marcus Semien throwing error blew what would have been the final out of a 2-1 win, eventually leading to a 5-3 loss in 11 innings.

The Blue Jays wasted opportunities to win the game in the ninth and the 10th, when Jonathan Schoop and Alejandro Kirk traded sacrifice flies, before Kirby Snead surrendered two-out RBI doubles to Daz Cameron and Willi Castro.

Joe Jimenez, he of the 6.49 ERA and 1.644. WHIP coming in, then retired Bo Bichette, Semien and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in order to close out a series win for the Tigers, another hoof to the delicates for this Blue Jays team that’s lost seven of nine and is a gutting 2-9 in extra innings.

“You have to keep fighting,” said manager Charlie Montoyo. “We’ve got a good group in there. Of course, we’re not swinging the bats right now, but we’re in every game still. We’re not just going out there losing every game. Today yes, of course it was another tough loss, two outs, we didn’t make the last play. But they’re going to keep fighting, I promise you that.”

During the current slide the Blue Jays have been walked off once, lost in the opposing team’s last at-bat twice, blown three late leads and gone 1-4 against the tanking Nationals and rebuilding Tigers.

Pretty gross.

While the bullpen has taken plenty of flak, in dropping two of three to Detroit, the Blue Jays went an unfathomable 1-for-31 with runners in scoring position, the lone hit coming on a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. go-ahead RBI single in the eighth promptly erased by the Semien error.

There’s little time to correct and the opposition goes from mild to stiff with the Chicago White Sox in town for a four-game series beginning Monday night. Only their starting pitching is delivering the goods right now as Robbie Ray, Hyun Jin Ryu and Matz combined to throw 21 innings of two-run ball over the weekend, but with the offence discombobulated, they left two more wins on the table.

“Because no one is swinging the bat well right now, everybody’s trying harder – that’s what’s going on right now,” said Montoyo. “We’ve got to step back and relax and take one at-bat at a time.”

The issue Sunday wasn’t in creating innings but in realizing them, as the Blue Jays went 1-for-17 – for real, that’s not a typo – with runners in scoring position. Bichette showed signs of life with three hits and Gurriel also had three walks as he extended a second-half resurgence, but the rest of the lineup combined for four hits, none when it mattered.

Worth noting is that two of Bichette’s hits went to right and the other up the middle, while Gurriel also went to the opposite field three times, an approach that can prevent the type of pull-side rollovers that have been commonplace. Fatigue may also be a factor in some cases, although Montoyo wasn’t having that as a diagnosis.

“In baseball right now, everybody’s tired – that’s just what it is in August and September. It’s a grind,” he said. “We didn’t expect this from a good lineup like we have. We haven’t been hitting and it’s contagious. Hopefully when somebody gets going, that’s going to spread throughout the lineup.”

The late ending masked some of the good the Blue Jays saw Sunday.

With Romano and Mayza down for the day, Trent Thornton and Trevor Richards each delivered a scoreless inning of close-and-late relief, while Adam Cimber quickly got two outs before surrendering a two-out double in the ninth. When Harold Castro pinch hit for Dustin Garneau, Montoyo brought in fellow lefty Tayler Saucedo, who induced a routine ground ball to second.

Semien fielded it cleanly and had time but bounced a throw that Guerrero couldn’t scoop, allowing Willi Castro to score and tie the game 1-1. In essence, the bullpen did the job, even in the absence of a result.

“He’s played a Gold Glove-calibre second base, he just made an error on that one,” Montoyo said of Semien. “We made all the right moves. We’re in the game. It’s obvious we’re not swinging the bats but our pitching is giving us a chance, the bullpen did a good job before extra innings. It just didn’t work out.”

The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the third, with Bichette scoring from third when Jeimer Candelario booted a Teoscar Hernandez grounder. Matz held it there until Cabrera had his moment in the sixth, the only mistake the lefty paid for in an outing when he struck out just one and had a lot of plays made behind him.

“Well, not really,” Matz replied when asked if he had any reflections on giving up Cabrera’s 500th. “It was a 1-0 game and you’re just trying to keep runs off the board. I threw a changeup there and it was pretty far outside, it wasn’t even a strike. He’s a pretty good hitter.”

Cabrera had hoped to deliver the big moment in Detroit but noted that “it’s tough to hit home runs” at spacious Comerica Park. When he made contact Sunday, “I said ‘Come on, get up, get up,’” he relayed. “I’m glad I hit that fly ball here because if I hit it in Comerica, it’s going to be two outs (in the inning).”

“It’s something special for my country, for my family, to be able to do this,” he added. “I’m really happy.”

So, too, were Blue Jays fans, who had just witnessed a future Hall of Famer doing something that’s only being accomplished 28 other times. The only problem was it set the stage for an ending that’s become all too familiar.

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

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November 8, 2024

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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.

___

AP cricket:

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

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November 8, 2024

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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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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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November 8, 2024

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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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