BALTIMORE – To this point in 2023, the Orioles have been enjoying an incredible season filled with breakout performances and more wins than most would have predicted. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, have been a little underwhelming all year. Not bad – far from it, in fact – but just good enough that you see the potential and wonder why it’s not on display more often.
Maybe that’ll be the story of the season. Baltimore’s still the team that’s on track for a division title and a first-round playoff bye, after all. But for at least one night, the Blue Jays were the ones who turned a tense night of baseball into a memorable win.
Brandon Belt made sure of that when he led off the top of the 10th inning with his third home run in the last two games, a two-run shot that set in motion a 6-3 Blue Jays win on Tuesday.
“When you get to this time of year and you’re on the cusp of being in the playoffs, you’ve got to have urgency,” Belt said. “You can’t put pressure on yourself because that can make you do things you don’t normally do. But you’ve got to have a sense of urgency to get out there and win ballgames now.”
Thanks in large part to Belt, the Blue Jays won the opener of this three game series at Camden Yards, improving to 70-56 on the season and gaining on the Orioles, who now are 7.5 games ahead of third-place Toronto in the AL East. But even if the Orioles take the division, these wins are still critically important since the Blue Jays are chasing the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros for wild-card position.
Belt’s recent power outburst a timely boost for Blue Jays’ lineup
“Total team effort,” said manager John Schneider. “Hopefully we get on a nice little run.”
Late Tuesday, both Seattle and Houston won, meaning the Blue Jays remain one game behind the Mariners for a playoff spot.
While the Blue Jays have elite pitching with an MLB-best 3.65 ERA entering play Tuesday, their power game has been middling this season. They entered play ranked 15th in baseball in home runs, and were one of four teams without a 20-homer hitter along with the Guardians, Reds and Giants.
Yet because of Belt’s 14th home run, they were able to take advantage of some more strong relief pitching and win their third in a row. Considering that many of the Blue Jays’ established bats are hitting for less power than anticipated, this production from the veteran designated hitter/first baseman has been even more important.
“I feel pretty good right now,” Belt acknowledged. “I think that’s a pretty obvious to say.”
Blue Jays’ simplified, aggressive approach leads to clutch 10th inning vs. Orioles
Starter Yusei Kikuchi was effective through four innings, but he ran into trouble in the fifth after allowing singles by Jorge Mateo and Adley Rutschman to open the inning. Mateo would score when a double steal forced an errant throw by catcher Danny Jansen and the next batter, Austin Hays, walked.
That prompted a call to the bullpen for Yimi Garcia, who promptly allowed a Jordan Westburg RBI double that was charged to Kikuchi. All told, the left-hander pitched 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits while striking out six and walking one.
“I wasn’t at my best,” Kikuchi said through interpreter Yusuke Oshima. “I think I was nibbling a little bit too much. But I was able to still like go into the (game) with the mentality of attacking hitters (and) I’m just glad that we won.”
To his credit, he handled Blue Jays nemesis Ryan Mountcastle effectively, striking him out twice and later inducing a fly-ball out. Considering Mountcastle’s previous numbers against Kikuchi – seven-for-12 with four home runs – that represents a significant step.
“I was able to attack inside with the fastball and then set him up for breaking stuff that went from strike to ball,” Kikuchi said.
Later, relievers Trevor Richards, Jordan Hicks, Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza and Jordan Romano would each pitch scoreless innings against a potent Baltimore offence.
As Schneider said, “They’ve been on a mission.”
On the injury front, first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. returned to the lineup after exiting Sunday’s game with left middle finger discomfort. Before the game Guerrero Jr. said he felt fine, and he’d later collect three hits, including an extra-innings double that led to a valuable insurance run.
Elsewhere in the lineup, Daulton Varsho homered while Kevin Kiermaier and Matt Chapman contributed two-hit games.
“That’s what it’s going to take for us to win this thing,” said Belt. “Everybody’s got to be contributing. And we’ve seen that from us the past couple days. I think it has a lot to do with us just getting our guys back. (After) a lot of injuries, we’ve got them back in the lineup and we’re seeing the fruits of that.”
Blue Jays’ Bichette makes terrific sliding stop, cannon throw to make key out vs. Orioles
Speaking of returning players, the game might have ended differently were it not for Bo Bichette, who robbed Rutschman of a hit with a spectacular defensive effort with the go-ahead runner on second in the ninth inning. It was an impressive play under any circumstances but especially given that it’s Bichette’s third game back from a knee injury.
“Hell of a play,” Schneider said “That’s a game saver right there.”
In that sense, this win was a total team effort, with strong defence, dominant relief pitching and timely power. If only it were always so simple.
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.
