BUFFALO, N.Y. — Teoscar Hernández hit a two-run single with two out in the ninth inning, lifting the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-5 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
Hernández came up with the bases loaded and grounded a single into left field. Pinch runner Santiago Espinal scored easily and Randal Grichuk slid in safely just ahead of the throw by left fielder Mason Williams.
“I knew they would try to throw (inside),” Hernández said. “My plan was to get a pitch middle inside the plate and try to put a good swing on it. I was thinking to pull the ball and get the barrel on the ball.”
Toronto also won Friday night on a game-ending hit. It has four such wins in 12 home games in Buffalo.
“I just talked to my parents and they said I’m putting them through this every game,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said. “Stay in shape, keep those hearts going, because its every game. I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s fun when you’re winning games like this.”
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde took some consolation is how his team stayed in the game, taking leads on three separate occasions.
“I’m proud of our guys coming back and taking the lead in the top of the ninth,” Hyde said. “We just didn’t finish it.”
Cole Sulser (1-4), who surrendered a game-ending homer to Grichuk on Friday, issued three walks and surrendered Hernández’s hit to take the loss.
José Iglesias delivered a go-ahead RBI single on a dribbling infield single in the top of the ninth inning against Toronto reliever Anthony Bass (2-1).
Ryan Mountcastle hit his first two big league homers for Baltimore, which lost its fifth straight. Mountcastle had three hits to run his average to .393 (11 of 28) since making his major league debut on Aug. 21.
Toronto earned its fourth straight win. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extended his career-best hitting streak to 12 games, and Hernández had two hits to extend his hit streak to 11 games, also a career high. Cavan Biggio extended his on-base streak to 22 games with an RBI single in the fifth inning.
Mountcastle led off the second with a towering drive to left. He hit a two-run shot in the sixth to give Baltimore a 4-3 lead. Both homers came off Toronto starter Tanner Roark.
“I finally got a ball in the air,” Mountcastle said. “Today my swing felt pretty good, and it was definitely enjoyable.”
Iglesias, Renato Núñez and Pedro Severino each had two hits for the Orioles, who dropped to 0-6 against Toronto this season.
Toronto tied it at 4 with two out in the eighth, getting a Hernández single and Guerrero walk before Rowdy Tellez came through with an RBI single.
TRADE WINDS
The Orioles completed two trades, dealing right-hander Tommy Milone to Atlanta for two players to be named and sending right-hander Mychal Givens to Colorado for infielders Terrin Vavra and Tyler Nevin and a player to be named or cash considerations.
Milone went 1-4 with a 3.99 ERA over six starts in his first season with the Orioles. Givens, 30, spent parts of six seasons with Baltimore.
Vavra, 23, was a third-round pick by the Rockies in the 2018 draft. Nevin is the son of former big league slugger Phil Nevin.
Right-hander Hunter Harvey and lefty Keegan Akin took over Baltimore’s vacant roster spots. The trade deadline for the pandemic-shortened season is Monday.
“Young clubs get even younger at the deadline,” Hyde said. “We’re young already and we’re going to stay inexperienced for this last month, and we’ll do the best we can with the guys we have.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Harvey (forearm strain) was activated from the IL, leaving three players on the 10-day injury list: RHP Shawn Armstrong (left SI joint inflammation), INF Chris Davis (left knee patellar tendinitis), and OF Austin Hays (non-displaced rib fracture).
Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette (sprained knee) took ground balls, ran sprints, and hit in the cage. … Closer Ken Giles (forearm strain) felt good after a bullpen session, and Montoyo envisions “at least two more live batting practices before he comes back.” Montoyo added: “If he looks like he did before, there’s no reason why he wouldn’t be our closer again.” … RHP Nate Pearson (elbow tightness) and RHP Matt Shoemaker (shoulder inflammation) played catch from 90 and 60 feet, respectively.
UP NEXT
Orioles: Rookie LHP Keegan Akin (0-0. 8.10 ERA) will take over the spot originally scheduled for Milone and make his first major league start in his third career appearance on Monday against the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays: RHP Chase Anderson (0-0, 3.68 ERA) will start in Monday’s finale of the four-game series.
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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.
