Browsing: seals

TORONTO — Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s arms were so tired, he needed help lifting the World Series MVP trophy.

Hardly a surprise, considering how much he pitched in the final two games of this seven-game classic.

Yamamoto capped one of the best pitching performances in World Series history with 2â…” scoreless innings to end the clincher. That came one day after throwing 96 pitches in the Dodgers’ Game 6 win, and he also pitched a four-hitter in Game 2 to help Los Angeles repeat as champions in a fantastic Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Yamamoto’s heavy workload. “I’m kind of crazy for sending him back out there. But I just felt he was the best option.”

Hard to argue. Yamamoto pitched out of a jam in the ninth inning, leaving the bases loaded and the score tied at 4. After cruising through the 10th, he worked around Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s leadoff double in the 11th to seal the 5-4 victory and lock up L.A.’s second consecutive championship.

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

“Yamamoto is the GOAT!” Roberts shouted moments before the Dodgers hoisted the World Series trophy.

Still, even Yamamoto wasn’t sure he would get the job done in Game 7.

“Before I went in, to be honest, I was not really sure if I could pitch up there to my best ability,” he said through an interpreter. “But as I started getting warmed up, because I started making a little bit of an adjustment, then I started thinking I can go in and do my job.”

Yamamoto, 27, is the fourth pitcher to win Games 6 and 7 of the same World Series, matching Randy Johnson in 2001, Harry Brecheen in 1946 and Ray Kremer in 1925. Yamamoto and Johnson are the only pitchers since 1969 to win three games in one World Series.

Yamamoto’s Game 7 cap is being sent to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

“That was incredible,” said catcher Will Smith, who hit the Dodgers’ tiebreaking homer in the 11th. “You know, I talked to him yesterday. I was like, `Hey, if you can give us one we’re going to win.’ He gave us three. That was special. He’ll have a few months off. I know he’s going to need it, but I’m just happy for him. That was awesome.”

A day after throwing 96 pitches in a Game 6 win, Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched 2â…” scoreless innings in relief in the Dodgers’ World Series clincher Saturday night. He is the fourth pitcher to win Games 6 and 7 of the same World Series. Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Signed from Japan to a 12-year, $325 million contract before last season, Yamamoto was 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA against the Toronto Blue Jays. He struck out 15 and walked two over 17â…” innings, allowing two runs and 10 hits.

“He’s one of the best arms in the game,” Toronto’s Addison Barger said. “He did a great job. Kind of freaky that he came in and pitched today after yesterday. I don’t know what they’re doing over there, how he did that without his arm falling off.”

Blue Jays slugger George Springer said Yamamoto’s deep arsenal of pitches is a key part of what makes him so tough.

“He’s elite,” Springer said. “There’s no other way to describe it. He’s elite. He can control six or seven different types of spin, and obviously, that split is hard to hit.”

Yamamoto’s Game 2 gem was his second consecutive complete game of the postseason. He retired the final 20 batters in a 5-1 Dodgers victory.

That came after a three-hitter against Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series, the first postseason complete game in eight years.

No pitcher had gone the distance in the Fall Classic since Kansas City’s Johnny Cueto fired a two-hitter against the New York Mets in Game 2 of the 2015 World Series.

Yamamoto was not quite as sharp in Game 6, allowing one run and five hits in six innings as Los Angeles won 3-1 to force Game 7.

Including a victory in Game 2 of last year’s World Series against the New York Yankees, Yamamoto is 4-0 with a 1.13 ERA in four Fall Classic appearances.

Arizona ace Curt Schilling was the last pitcher to throw consecutive complete games in the postseason, tossing three in a row in the 2001 NL Division Series and NLCS.

Orel Hershiser had been the last Dodgers pitcher with a solo Series effort, in Games 2 and 5 against Oakland in 1988. Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax pitched two Series complete games each in 1963 and 1965.

Yamamoto pitched 12 complete games in his last three seasons with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Pacific League before joining the Dodgers.

Source link

Emi Buendía and John McGinn struck second-half goals as Aston Villa beat Feyenoord 2-0 in Rotterdam to make it back-to-back Europa League wins.

Villa, who beat Bologna 1-0 in their opening game last week, held their nerve at De Kuip after coming under heavy first-half pressure, with Buendía and then McGinn scoring for Unai Emeryâ€s side.

Back at the venue where they sealed the clubâ€s greatest triumph by beating Bayern Munich to lift the European Cup in 1982, Villa notched their third win in a week to put their dismal start to the season behind them.

Villa were forced into a late change before kick-off, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez withdrawn through a calf injury and replaced by the summer signing Marco Bizot.

Feyenoord, who beat both Bayern and Inter Milan in the Champions League at the intimidating De Kuip last season, created a string of first-half chances.

Bizot denied Anis Hadj-Moussa and Ayase Ueda, who also headed narrowly wide, before Leo Sauerâ€s shot from outside the box then tested the Villa keeper.

The visitors breathed a sigh of relief in the 35th minute – and the Feyenoord head coach Robin van Persie was left furious – when Ueda headed the home side into the lead from a corner, but the goal was dubiously ruled out for an apparent foul on Matty Cash.

Emeryâ€s side weathered the storm and Buendía struck the opening goal in the 61st minute, curling home into the bottom corner after being teed up by Boubacar Kamara on the edge of the area.

Villa dictated the tempo thereafter and put the game to bed when McGinn steered home his third goal in as many matches, picking his spot when the ball broke to him in the area following substitute Donyell Malenâ€s storming run.

Bizot was on hand again with crucial saves to deny Ueda and Cyle Larin in the closing stages, preventing the Dutch from mounting a grandstand finish.

Rangers showed fighting spirit against Sturm Graz, but first-half defensive lapses resulted in a second Europa League defeat in eight days to keep under-fire manager Russell Martin on the back foot.

The Light Blues lost 1-0 to the Belgian side Genk in their opening league phase game at Ibrox last Thursday night and went down 2-1 at the Merkur Arena.

The Slovenia striker Tomi Horvat scored after just seven minutes and, after the Rangers forward Youssef Chermiti hit the woodwork, the Georgia midfielder Otar Kiteishvili drove in a second in the 35th minute.

However, winger Djeidi Gassama made it 2-1 four minutes after the break with a terrific strike and offered hope for Rangers, but the comeback could not be completed and, after just five wins in 16 games, the pressure remains firmly on Martin.

Kelechi Iheanacho had a goal controversially disallowed in Celticâ€s defeat by Braga. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

Kelechi Iheanacho was on the wrong end of a hugely controversial handball decision before Braga wrapped up a 2-0 Europa League win at Celtic.

skip past newsletter promotion

Sign up to Football Daily

Kick off your evenings with the Guardian’s take on the world of football

Privacy Notice:Newsletters may contain information about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. If you do not have an account, we will create a guest account for you on theguardian.com to send you this newsletter. You can complete full registration at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

after newsletter promotion

Iheanacho appeared to have brought the hosts level in the 51st minute after Kasper Schmeichel made a mess of dealing with Ricardo Hortaâ€s long-range strike in the first half. But the German referee, Tobias Stieler, disallowed the goal and the video assistant Christian Dingert stuck with the decision, despite no handball being evident on television replays.

Iheanacho capitalised on a loose pass from a free-kick to charge down a scrambled clearance from the former Celtic defender Gustaf Lagerbielke before slotting home. The ball appeared to hit the strikerâ€s face but Dingert stuck with the decision after more than two minutes of studying the footage.

Kieran Tierney and Sebastian Tounekti were denied by good goalkeeping as Celtic chased an equaliser in an open second half. Brendan Rodgersâ€s side were left with one point from their opening two matches after Gabri Martínez netted on the rebound five minutes from time.

There were clear signs Schmeichel was having an off night as the goalkeeper conceded possession several times before being beaten from 35 yards in the 20th minute.

Horta was not closed down quickly enough by Paulo Bernardo and his shot swerved and dipped. But it was not particularly powerful or in the corner and Schmeichel appeared to be caught off guard before clawing the ball into the roof of the net.

Celtic were soon back under pressure and Martínez netted from close range after Schmeichel and Scales had blocked efforts.

The Lille goalkeeper, Berke Özer, saved three penalties, included two retaken, in the win against Roma. Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP

The Lille keeper Berke Özer saved three consecutive penalties late on as they battled to a 1-0 victory at Roma in the Europa League thanks to Hákon Arnar Haraldssonâ€s early strike.

In the first competitive meeting between the sides, Arnar Haraldsson capitalised on an early Roma error to fire the visitors ahead after six minutes. Roma were handed a golden chance to equalise in the last few minutes after a handball from Aïssa Mandi, but Artem Dovbykâ€s penalty was saved by Özer.

Drama followed as the Lille keeper was adjudged to have moved off his line, only for Dovbykâ€s second attempt to be stopped as well, but with Özer again stepping forward too early. A third effort was then entrusted to Matías Soulé, yet incredibly, Özer denied him as well and this time the save stood, sealing Lilleâ€s win.

Source link

A double-overtime interception sealed the deal for the No. 6 Oregon Ducks who silenced a white-out crowd at Beaver Stadium, knocking off No. 3 Penn State, 30-24, on Saturday to improve to 5-0 on the season and 2-0 in Big Ten play.

Penn State senior quarterback Drew Allar threw for 137 yards on 14-of-25 passing with two touchdowns and the costly double overtime interception that sealed the Nittany Lions fate.

Running back Kaytron Allen ran in a touchdown and Allar connected with Devonte Ross for both of his passing touchdowns while Ross added 48 yards.

The Big Ten battle marked Oregon’s second straight conference win, following a victory over Northwestern last week. Penn State fell to 3-1 (0-1 Big Ten) with the loss.

Ducks sophomore quarterback Dante Moore completed 29-of-39 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with Gary Bryant Jr. who finished with 55 yards and a touchdown. Dierre Hill Jr. and Jamari Johnnson also hauled in scores, while Jordon Davison added a rushing touchdown.

Fans reacted to Allar’s costly overtime interception, which ended Penn State’s near-miraculous comeback bid against Oregon.

Oregon and Penn State entered halftime tied at 3-3 after both defenses held firm and kept the offenses out of the end zone through the first 30 minutes.

The Nittany Lions opened the scoring with a 49-yard field goal from Ryan Barker, but Oregon’s Atticus Sappington answered with a 42-yarder before the break, redeeming himself after an earlier miss from 47 yards.

Following a near-fumble that was overturned in Oregon’s favor, the Ducks capitalized on their opening drive of the second half. Moore connected with Hill Jr. to give Oregon a 10-3 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

On their first possession of the final frame, Davison punched in an 8-yard rushing touchdown, extending the Ducks’ lead to two scores. But Penn State answered quickly, marching down the field in just four plays and capping the drive with a 35-yard touchdown pass from Allar to Ross. The Nittany Lions trailed 17-10 with 10:30 remaining in regulation.

Allar and the Nittany Lions marched down the field on a 15-play, near-seven-minute drive, capping it with a touchdown pass to Ross to tie the game at 17 with 30 seconds remaining to send it into overtime.

Allen and Penn State found the end zone in overtime, putting pressure on Oregon to respond with one of their own. The Ducks answered as Moore connected with Johnson on a 2-yard touchdown pass to force a second overtime.

Oregon struck quickly in the second overtime, as Moore connected with Bryant Jr. for a touchdown on the first play. On Penn State’s ensuing possession, Dillon Thieneman intercepted Allar to seal the win for the Ducks.

Oregon will enter a bye week before hosting No. 11 Indiana on Oct. 11.

Source link

Derbyshire head of cricket Mickey Arthur:

“The mindset shift for us has been astronomical in terms of wanting to win, playing a lot more of a brand of more positive cricket which as a captain and coach we’ve driven, and the boys have responded unbelievably well to that.

“When you have a look at the way the guys go about their business out on the ground and the fielding and the intensity and the energy, it tells you where we’re at as a team and I couldn’t be more proud of that because it shows that guys have really bought into it.

“You chase every ball down, you attempt every catch and I think we showed that in this game in heaps.”

“It’s been a phenomenal season for Luis and he’s mostly done that on one leg as well. He goes in for an operation in the next couple of days to clear out his ankle. It just shows again the determination, the drive of him and everybody within our squad to get better. “

Kent head coach Adam Hollioake:

“We didn’t bowl well enough. We didn’t build any pressure throughout and then with the bat, on what’s a very good wicket, we just haven’t capitalised and put on big partnerships, which is kind of what we’ve done all year really.

“We did get off to a good start, (but) no doubt injuries haven’t helped. Keith Dudgeon went down after one game and I think the injuries really compounded after three games.

“We’d won two and drawn one, but during that period Nathan Gilchrist got a concussion, Jas Singh did his ankle. That then put a strain on our fast bowling attack and we were sort of constantly overloading our bowlers.

“I know that’s unlucky, but we’re a professional cricket team and we’ve got to deal with that. We haven’t done that very well and we’re just going to have to be better, me included as a coach, I’m not just pointing the finger at the players.”

Source link

Charlie Allison kept his head during an otherwise nervy hour and a quarter as Essex claimed a seven-wicket victory over Somerset to round off the County Championship season.

Allison, one of Essex’s stand-out performers during a largely disappointing season, finished the game with a second six off Jake Ball over long-on.

He was 32 not out from 34 balls as Essex reached their target of 95 from just 18.4 overs.

Lewis Gregory had given Somerset some hope by removing Dean Elgar and Tom Westley inside the first six overs before taking the catch in the deep to end Paul Walter’s tone-setting innings.

Walter, a first-innings centurion, had amassed 30 from 31 balls when he departed with 39 still required.

The Somerset captain was fired up in the face of desperate odds against and caused jitters in the Essex ranks as he repeatedly beat the outside edge of the bat.

He bowled through unchanged and was rewarded with figures of 2-43 from his nine overs.

For two-and-a-half days it looked like the game would peter out into a tame draw but that was before Jamie Porter initiated a Somerset collapse of monumental proportions amid the gloom of a day-three afternoon and early evening.

Essex had subsided themselves earlier in the day from an overnight 295-2 to 438 all out and a nominal lead of five runs.

But in 34 overs, they rolled Somerset over for 99 with Porter taking 4-18, falling just one wicket short of another 50-wicket haul for the season.

However, with all of day four available to knock off the runs, a modicum of tension was introduced in only the second over.

Having put on 277 for the first wicket in the first innings, the opening partnership lasted just seven balls as Elgar departed for a golden duck, rapped conclusively on his front pad by Gregory.

Tom Westley withstood the rest of a torrid over and got off the mark with a characteristic drive through midwicket for four off Craig Overton. He followed that with an emphatic pull through midwicket off Gregory for a second boundary before he, too, fell to the same bowler.

After putting on a 28 with Walter, Westley nibbled at one outside off-stump and wicketkeeper James Rew dived in front of first slip to claim the catch.

Walter had been busy turning twos into threes to the extent that Essex reached 50 from just nine overs when 20-year-old Allison walked down the pitch and smashed Overton through extra over for four.

Overton had been relatively expensive, his five overs costing 25, but his replacement Jake Ball struck with his first ball when Walter went for a big heave and paid the price.

Allison, though, made sure the target came down quickly and deposited Ball for six to take Essex within two runs of the target and then repeated the act to complete the victory.

Source link

September 19, 2025 | Paul Stimpson After the hugely successful Alan Hewitt memorial tournaments in 2023 and 2024, Stratford Upon…

Cameron Norrie defeated Olaf Pieczkowski of Poland 6-4, 6-4 to secure Great Britain’s place in next year’s Davis Cup qualifiers.…

André Onana has completed his season-long loan move from Manchester United to Trabzonspor. The 29-year-old joined United from Inter Milan…

Joey Evison (27 from 24) and Grant Stewart (25 from 15) did their best to raise the tempo only to…