Rene Tosoni of Canada and Cuba’s Dayan Viciedo hit consecutive RBI doubles to cap a four-run comeback that carried the World team past the US 7-5 on Sunday in a soggy Futures Game.
Baseball’s annual showcase for top minor league talent was interrupted for more than 4 hours in the first inning by a heavy storm that rolled through Busch Stadium, darkening skies and briefly cloaking the famous Gateway Arch beyond center field.
Because of the delay, the game was shortened to seven innings.
PHOTO: AFP
When play resumed, Colorado’s Eric Young hit a solo homer and Houston’s Jason Castro added a three-run shot that gave the US a 5-3 lead going into the seventh. But with three outs remaining, the World team rallied against losing pitcher Trevor Reckling of the Los Angeles Angels.
Milwaukee’s Brett Lawrie of Canada led off with a double and went to third on an infield single by Dominican Starlin Castro of the Chicago Cubs. Lawrie scored on a wild pitch that sent Castro to second, and one out later Oakland second baseman Jemile Weeks made a costly mistake.
Milwaukee’s Alcides Escobar of Venezuela hit a humpback liner up the middle that was grabbed by Weeks on one hop behind second. With no chance to make a balanced throw, Weeks tried to flip the ball with his glove to shortstop Danny Espinosa — an ill-advised attempt.
The toss went awry and the ball trickled away on the infield, allowing Castro to score the tying run.
Tosoni, a Minnesota Twins outfield prospect, came up as a pinch hitter to face Pittsburgh right-hander Brad Lincoln. Tosoni hit a hard one-hopper that deflected off first baseman Chris Carter and down the right-field line for a go-ahead double.
Viciedo, playing third base in the Chicago White Sox system, followed with a well-struck double to right that made it 7-5.
Astros reliever Lo Chia-jen of Taiwan worked a hitless inning for the win and Cincinnati’s J.C. Sulbaran got three outs for a save.
TAIWANESE EXITS: Fellow Australian Christopher O’Connell joined Tristan Schoolkate as a winner following his 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Tseng Hsin-chun Australian qualifier Tristan Schoolkate on Monday dispatched rising Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 at the ATP Toronto Masters, ensuring a breakthrough into the world top 100. The 24-year-old from Perth moved to 98th in the ongoing live rankings as he claimed his biggest career victory by knocking out the ATP NextGen champion from November last year. Schoolkate, son of a tennis coach, won his first match over a top-50 opponent on his sixth attempt as he ousted the world No. 49 teenager from Brazil. The qualifier played a quarter-final this month in Los Cabos and won through qualifying for his
Top seeds Alexander Zverev of Germany and American Coco Gauff on Tuesday advanced to the third round of the Canadian Open after both players were pushed hard by their opponents. World No. 3 Zverev, playing in his first match since his first-round loss at Wimbledon, was far from his best, but emerged with a 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 win over Adam Walton under the lights in Toronto. Momentum shifted firmly in Zverev’s favor when he won a 52-shot rally in the first set tiebreak and he sealed the win on a double fault by the Australian in the second set. “It was a very
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen on Thursday said that he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future. “Some people just like to stir the pot, some people just like to create drama, but, for me, it’s always been quite clear, and also for next year,” the four-time champion said ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix. “I’m discussing with the team already the plans — the things that we want to change for next year, so that means that I’m also staying with the team for next year,” he said. Verstappen has a contract with
RSS