Serbian made to work in straight-sets win over Bergs
World No 204 takes out Rune to reach the last four
Novak Djokovic battled past a spirited Zizou Bergs 6-3, 7-5 on Thursday to reach the Shanghai Masters semi-finals for a 10th time, setting up a clash with surprise package and the world No 204, Valentin Vacherot.
In challenging conditions, Djokovic was made to work harder than the scoreline suggests by his Belgian opponent, who registered more winners than the four-time champion but was undone by unforced errors.
Owner Neil Hudgell is as proud of his players’ connection to the community as he is of the club’s success as they face Wigan in Saturday’s Grand Final
Neil Hudgell has witnessed highs this summer he and a generation of Hull KR supporters perhaps thought they would never get to experience, but even in these most euphoric of times the low moments are never far from the forefront of his mind.
There have been plenty of those during his 20 years as owner of his boyhood club. Flirtations with administration, relegation from Super League in the most dramatic of circumstances in 2016 courtesy of an extra-time defeat to Salford and a 50-0 loss to Leeds in the 2015 Challenge Cup final that Hudgell ranks as his lowest ebb.
When Toronto Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman struck out New York Yankees left-fielder Cody Bellinger to win the ALDS, Maple Leafs fans — who were still inside Scotiabank Arena — let out a huge roar. So did whoever was controlling the Toronto Maple Leafs' goal horn.
Everyone had their eyes glued during the second intermission. Fans remained in their seats, and the media crowded around a TV in the press box. In the third period of the home opener, once the Blue Jays went up 5-1 over the Yankees in the eighth inning, fans began the chant: "Let's Go Blue Jays!"
Morgan Rielly, who scored Toronto's game-winning goal against the Canadiens: "I liked that. It's not the first time I've heard them. I heard them early in my career in a negative way," he grinned. "It's cool. We got the game on now, so we got the boys all around the TV watching it."
Stolarz is entering his second season in the blue and white. He'll be here for four more seasons after this one, following the signing of a four-year, $15 million contract on Sept. 28. One of the reasons he wanted to remain in Toronto was because of the fan base, which he's embraced since arriving in the city two summers ago.
"I think that's something a lot of guys have touched on, and this city is extremely passionate. Just to hear the roar and just to see how much they support their teams, it's just more motivation for us to continue to progress as this year goes on and make a deep run."
"I mean, I get it. Everybody's excited and the Jays are doing well and everything," he smiled. "So, I mean, it's all fine. It's just a little different, but it's good. We're all into it."
As Berube walked off after his media availability, he gave a commanding "Go Jays Go!"
The first game of the ALCS goes down sometime on Sunday, either against the Detroit Tigers or the Seattle Mariners. The Maple Leafs will likely practice that day, but most of the players are definitely going to be glued to the TV after the skate.
"You can just feel the energy in the city," Auston Matthews said earlier this week. "The atmosphere was great in there (for Game 2 against the Yankees). It was nice to have the roof open. The weather's been great.
"It definitely got you really excited just to get going in our own regard, but we're obviously rooting for them pretty hard."
Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 8. Glasnow will start Game 4 of the NLDS against the Phillies at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
With the 21st pick of the fifth round of the 2011 draft, the Boston Red Sox selected a high school shortstop named Mookie Betts. The kid, as it turns out, plays a pretty mean shortstop.
With the first pick of the fifth round of the 2011 draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates selected a Hart High pitcher named Tyler Glasnow.
Fourteen years later, with Betts playing behind him, Glasnow on Thursday gets the chance to pitch his hometown Dodgers into the National League Championship Series.
“It would be awesome,” Glasnow said. “Growing up, loving the team, being able to pitch for them now?
“It would be everything.”
For Glasnow, yes, but also for the Dodgers.
It would eliminate the possibility of the Dodgers playing for their lives on Saturday, amid the deafening decibels of Citizens Bank Park.
And it would vindicate the Dodgers’ strategy of all but mothballing an elite starting pitcher for almost three weeks and then handing him the ball and asking him to win them the division series.
He has pitched twice since then: an intentionally abbreviated three-inning start 12 days ago, and a relief appearance five days ago, in Game 1 of this division series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I think he's full go,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It was nice to get him in there in Philly, but as far as kind of his buildup, I think it's just a normal start.”
In fairness to the Dodgers, they had no idea this would finally be the year they would have a full house of healthy and effective starters at the end of the season, instead of at the beginning.
They opted for Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani as their top three starters. The wild-card round only lasted two games, and Glasnow is starting Game 4 of the division series.
That meant juggling the rotation so the top three would be ready for the wild-card round, and giving Glasnow an outing in relief to keep him sharp.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow delivers during Game 1 of the NLDS against the Phillies on Saturday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“He’s been starting the whole season,” catcher Ben Rortvedt said. “I don’t think a lot changes. He threw out of the bullpen, and I think that was the big challenge for him.
“He’s back to schedule, back to doing what he does. Looking forward to it.”
It is not entirely fair to judge a player by his salary, but that is what you sign up for when you play for the Dodgers, who traded for Glasnow two winters ago and then awarded him a contract for $136.5 million. He made the All-Star team last season, but tendinitis in his pitching elbow kept him from pitching in the playoffs.
It also is not entirely fair to judge a player by his postseason results, but that too is what you sign up for when you play for the Dodgers.
In 10 postseason starts — all for the Tampa Bay Rays — Glasnow is 2-6 with a 5.72 earned-run average.
In his lone appearance against the Phillies this season, Glasnow pitched two-plus innings, walking five and giving up five runs.
The opposing pitcher that day is the opposing pitcher Thursday: Cristopher Sánchez, with the Dodgers one win from a berth in the NLCS.
The Dodgers invited Steve Garvey to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Wednesday, and after that to deliver the ritual words that precede every home game.
Garvey inserted a word into Vin Scully’s trademark phrase.
“It’s time for Dodger championship baseball,” Garvey said.
On Thursday, Glasnow can make sure it’s time for Dodger championship series baseball.
