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HOUSTON -- Astros ace Justin Verlander continued to move up the all-time postseason charts during a dominant seven-inning outing Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of their American League Division Series matchup.
Verlander blanked the Rays over seven innings, allowing just one hit and three walks while striking out eight. Houston won 6-2, grabbing the quick series lead over the underdog Rays.
For Verlander, it was just another in a long line of postseason gems and with each outing, he climbs the all-time postseason leaderboards.
"I never get complacent about what I've been able to do in the playoffs," Verlander said. "Each and every game is a new opportunity to go out and re-prove myself."
With his seventh strikeout -- a whiff of Tampa Bay's Yandy Diaz in the seventh inning, -- Verlander passed Roger Clemens for the third-most K's in postseason history. He's now at 175, eight behind Andy Pettitte and 24 behind the record-holder, John Smoltz. If the Astros enjoy a deep playoff run as expected, Verlander would likely pass Smoltz this October.
The win was Verlander's 14th in the postseason, which moves him into a third-place tie with Hall of Famer Tom Glavine. He's one behind Smoltz, while Pettitte tops the list with 19.
Even if the Astros are eliminated by the Rays, Verlander, 36, will likely get more chances to add to his historic numbers: He continues to insist that he plans on playing until age 45.
"I guess I kind of pegged this like 45 number," Verlander said in advance of his outing. "Whether that's realistic or not, I don't know. I know I'm not going to sell myself short."
Verlander walked Rays leadoff hitter Austin Meadows to start the game after uncharacteristically struggling to find command of his fastball. He went to his secondary pitches to coax two double-play grounders during a sterling effort from the Houston defense. Verlander, typically a flyball pitcher when opposing hitters manage to put the ball in play against him, seemed as proud of that as any of the records.
"I don't know if that's the first game all year I've gotten two double plays," Verlander said. "These guys always give me a hard time because I don't get them enough ground balls. I was able to get them a few in the game today."
The defensive support aside, it was an unusually sterling effort even by Verlander's standards. He became just the 13th pitcher in postseason history to hold an opponent to one or fewer hits over at least seven innings. The last pitcher to do it was Cincinnati's Bronson Arroyo in 2012.
"He's an unbelievable competitor," third baseman Alex Bregman said. "He prepares more than anybody. I love how much pride he takes in every start that he makes."
None of this was any surprise to Bregman and his, teammates who have seen Verlander dominate the majority of his outings since he joined the Astros late in the 2017 season. Still, they can't help but marvel at Verlander's continued excellence.
"When you can execute at your best in the biggest moments," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. "I mean, there's nothing -- there's not a higher league. Like there's nowhere for him to go to be tested any further. So the test is really being able to do it start after start and then postseason after postseason.
"I don't know how to define it. I don't know what it's called. Whatever that 'it' factor is, he's got it."
Follow live: Yankees, Twins meet for fifth time at ALDS Game 1
Japanese walks double as Britain’s Tom Bosworth excels
Toshikazu Yamanishi gives Japan more race walks success with world 20km win in Doha while Bosworth is superb seventh in the heat
Toshikazu Yamanishi won Japan’s first ever 20km walk medal and completed the men’s walk double for his nation with a dominating performance.
He was 13th amongst the pack in 22:28 at 5km with Australia’s Commonwealth champion Dane Bird-Smith the official leader in 22:26.
Yamanishi made his move over the next 5km to such an extent that his 21:48 split gave him a 17-second lead over a pack of six in 44:16.
At this stage world junior champion Callum Wilkinson, who briefly led the race, was ninth in 44:29 while Tom Bosworth moving through after a steady start to 14th in 44:34.
The Japanese was still out on his own at 15km in 65:28 (a much faster 21:12) but Sweden’s Perseus Karlstrom was moving even quicker and was now 15 seconds back and he had a 12-second gap on a group of three – Turkey’s Salih Korkmaz, Vasiliy Mizinov and Koki Ikeda who appeared to be battling for the bronze.
Chasing them was Bosworth (66:09) after a 21:40 split and he had overtaken Wilkinson who was seventh (66:14) although the latter was shortly given a third red card and had to first sit in the two-minute penalty zone before another card meant disqualification.
Yamanishi found the last few kilometres hard but was keen to go to next year’s Olympics as world champion and a 21:06 split gave him gold in 1:26:34, almost nine minutes outside his PB set in March.
The former world youth champion was competing in his biggest event as a senior and 15 seconds back came another emerging athlete, the Russian Mizinov, who last year won European bronze and this year took the European under-23 title.
His last 5km was a very swift 20:53 and he caught a fading Karlstrom in the last few kilometres, who nevertheless held on to win Sweden’s first ever medal.
Christopher Linke, who was not shown in the original result and was not evident on the result at 15km, was awarded fourth place while Bosworth held on for a magnificent seventh in 1:29:34 – the first top eight finish by a British race walker at the IAAF World Championships.
Although he slowed to a 23:25 last 5km split, it made up for his London disappointment when he was disqualified while vying for the title and it comes after an injury-hit summer for the Leeds-based athlete.
“I am over the moon,” he said. “No Brit has ever finished in the top eight so for me that was the second target, the first being a medal. I’ve now got top eight Olympics, Europeans, Commonwealths and now worlds – I have got the set – and after the year I have had, it is everything.”
The Briton added: “It hasn’t really sunk in but it has taken a lot of hard work and I know everyone talks about medals but, for me, this is massive. It is the equivalent of being a world finalist. It really does make every single day and all those commitments, which we choose to do, worth it.”
Altogether 40 of the 52 starters finished with five disqualified and a further seven dropping out.
Osaka ends Andreescu's 17-match winning run to reach China Open semis
Naomi Osaka fought back from a set down to defeat Bianca Andreescu at the China Open on Friday - ending the US Open champion's 17-match winning streak.
Former world number one Osaka advanced to the semi-finals with a 5-7 6-3 6-4 victory in just over two hours in Beijing.
Japan's Osaka, 21, will face defending champion Caroline Wozniacki in the last four.
Top seed Ashleigh Barty will take on Kiki Bertens in the other semi-final.
Teenager Andreescu charged into a 5-1 lead in the first set, but Osaka fought back to draw level on 5-5.
The 19-year-old Canadian then broke Osaka's serve to clinch the first set.
World number six Andreescu went up 3-1 in the second set before Osaka won five consecutive games to level the match and the Australian Open champion proved too strong in the third set of what was the first meeting between the pair.
"I forgot how it felt and honestly it sucks, I didn't miss it," Andreescu said after her first loss since the Miami Open in March in a run that included her stunning victory over Serena Williams in the US Open final last month.
Osaka became the fifth player to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals in Shenzhen, China after Barty, Karolina Pliskova, Wimbledon champion Simona Halep and Andreescu.
Australia's world number one Barty also battled from a set down to beat Czech Republic's seventh seed Petra Kvitova 4-6 6-4 6-3 on Friday to set up her meeting with eighth seed Bertens, who upset third seed Elina Svitolina 7-6 (8-6) 6-2.
Dane Wozniacki beat Russia's Daria Kasatkina 6-3 7-6 (7-5).
Dmitrij Ovtcharov, focused, determined, on course
It was a fit, free from injury Dimitrij Ovtcharov who beat Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting in the second round of the men’s singles event; he won in four straight games (11-4, 11-5, 12-10, 11-4). The win was as predicted; Dimitrij Ovtcharov was the no.8 seed, Wong Chun Ting, the no.12 seed.
Furthermore, Dimitrij Ovtcharov had won all three previous meetings in international tournaments. On the ITTF World Tour in 2016 he had prevailed in Kuwait and China, as well as the following year on home soil in Magdeburg.
Dynamic opponent
However, Wong Chun Ting is an exciting player, dynamic, athletic, a joy to watch in the counter top spin rallies; any highly rated adversary, only a few per cent below their best, when facing the 27 year old pen-holder is in big trouble.
Dimitrij Ovtcharov, may not have been at his peak, the form that saw him win the Liebherr 2017 Men’s World Cup in Liège but he was not too far adrift. Significantly, he executed a most professional performance.
“Today my tactics were good; I was very determined, focused and I never missed; after I won the first game his confidence was down. I was able to take advantage of the situation. The fourth game was close, leading 11-10 I returned the service with a long fast push, it surprised him. In the fifth I established an early lead and maintained the advantage.” Dimitrij Ovtcharov.
Different scenario
A comprehensive win for Dimitrij Ovtcharov; the previous day facing Japan’s Yukiya Uda, life had been somewhat different. The first match in a tournament is always difficult, so it proved for the Dimitrij Ovtcharov; eventually he won but not after staring into the abyss as the fifth game came to a conclusion. The end result was a hard earned full distance success (11-9, 9-11, 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-2, 11-6).
“I played him two months ago in Australia and I won 4-2, I felt I controlled matters but yesterday it was very different, he has improved so much in the last three months. He showed no weaknesses, I thought I played well but wherever I put the ball he was there. He was not playing under any pressure and could play freely but he was so quick, so fast. In the fifth game we were level at 9-all, I won that game and then he fell away a bit. Nevertheless, his progress is quite remarkable.” Dimitrij Ovtcharov
However, the key factor is that Dimitrij Ovtcharov survived the potential crisis; he responded when matters were not going your way. It endorses the fact the event he missed last year is now very much possible.
He did not qualify for the 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals; this year he is on course. Prior to play commencing in Stockholm, on the men’s singles standing he was listed at no.11 (356 points). He is on course.
Interlopers in the men’s singles event were Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov and Frenchman Simon Gauzy; for the women, Japan’s Mima Ito.
Men’s Singles
…………China’s Zhao Zihao booked his place in his first ever ITTF World Tour men’s singles quarter-final; he beat Korea Republic’s Jang Woojin, the no.10 seed (11-9, 11-9, 4-11, 11-13, 11-9, 11-2).
………..Wang Chuqin repeated the success enjoyed in the gold medal contest at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, he accounted for Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto, the no.4 seed (11-5, 11-4, 12-10, 11-4).
…………Xu Xin, the top seed, asserted his authority; he beat Korea Republic’s Lee Sangsu (11-3, 11-7, 8-11, 11-5, 11-3).
…………Fan Zhendong, the no.2 seed, overcame Japan’s Jun Mizutani (11-9, 11-8, 11-6, 14-12) to secure his quarter-final place.
…………Lin Gaoyuan, the no.3 seed, accounted for Germany’s Patrick Franziska, the no.11 seed (11-4, 11-5, 11-8, 10-12, 11-5).
…………Simon Gauzy upset the order, the no.15 seed, he overcame Japan’s Koki Niwa, the no.7 seed (11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 8-11, 11-8).
…………Dimitrij Ovtcharov was in determined mood, the no.8 seed, he beat Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting, the no.12 seed (11-3, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4).
Women’s Singles
…………Qian Tianyi, the reigning world junior champion reserved her quarter-final place; she beat Japan’s Miyu Nagasaki, likewise a qualifier, in straight games (11-5, 11-3, 11-4, 11-8).
…………Liu Fei continued to exert her elegant defensive skills to good effect; she beat colleague and fellow qualifier, Gu Yuting (11-4, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-9).
…………Chen Meng, the top seed, accounted for colleague, Wang Yidi (11-7, 11-5, 13-15, 11-7, 12-10).
…………Ding Ning, the no.2 seed, followed suit; she overcame Cheng I-Ching, the no.10 seed (11-9, 12-10, 11-4, 11-7).
…………Wang Manyu, the no.4 seed, ended European hopes, she overcame Monaco’s Yang Xaoxin (11-8, 11-2, 14-12, 11-4).
………..Mima Ito, the no.7 seed, beat colleague, Miu Hirano, the no.9 seed (11-8, 12-14, 7-11, 11-4, 10-12, 11-9, 11-8) to keep her title retention hopes alive.
Men’s Doubles
…………An all Chinese final: Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan face Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin.
…………Liang Jingkun and Lin Gaoyuan, the no.2 seeds, beat the Czech Republic’s Lubomir Jancarik and Tomas Polansky (11-9, 11-3, 11-3), followed by success against Hungary’s Nandor Ecseki and Adam Szudi, the no.5 seeds (9-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 11-7).
…………Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, the no.3 seeds, accounted for Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko and Kirill Skachkov (11-9, 11-6, 11-9), before ending the adventures of the combination formed by Poland’s Jakub Dyjas and Belgium’s Cédric Nuytinck (11-9, 11-6, 11-7).
Women’s Doubles
…………China’s Chen Meng and Ding Ning confront Japan’s Miu Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa in the final.
…………Not seeded Miu Hirano and Kasumi Ishikawa emerged somewhat surprise finalists; after accounting for Portugal’s Shao Jieni and Fu Yu (11-4, 9-11, 13-11, 11-6), they overcame Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching, the no.4 seeds (11-6, 11-2, 11-8).
…………A hard fought success against colleagues Sun Yngsha and Wang Manyu, the top seeds (10-12, 12-10, 11-8, 11-3), Chen Meng and Ding Ning, the no.5 seeds, beat Korea Republic’s Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun, the no.3 seeds (11-7, 11-9, 11-3).
Mixed Doubles
…………In the final Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito meet China’s Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen.
…………At the quarter-final stage Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen, the no.2 seeds, beat Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata (11-6, 10-12, 11-7, 11-5), prior to overcoming Hungary’s Adam Szudi and Szandra Pergel (8-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-6).
…………Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito, the no.3 seeds, beat Poland’s Jakub Dyjas and Natalia Partyka (11-2, 11-6, 11-4), followed by success in opposition to China’s Lin Gaoyuan and Wang Manyu (11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 11-9).
Initial stage complete, unexpected first places
Both Hsu Hsien-Chia and Vit Kadlec overcame Croatian adversaries; Hsu Hsien-Chia accounted for Leon Santek, the no.4 seed (12-10, 6-11, 11-9, 7-11, 11-7), Vit Kadlec beat Lovro Zovko, the no.5 seed (11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 11-9). Likewise Kim Byeonghun prevailed in opposition to the host nation’s Matja Novel, the no.4 seed.
However, for the Croatians the defeat was not terminal, second place in the group and thus progress to the main draw was the outcome; alas for Matja Novel, withdrawal following the defeat, meant he had to settle for fourth position and thus the end of the road.
Lower down order
Surprise first places, lower down the order it was the same for Romania’s Hora Ursut and Ondrej Kveton; contrary to expectations they reserved first places.
Problems for prominent names; for Croatia’s Ivor Ban, Slovakia’s Adam Klajber and Belgium’s Nicolas Degros, the respective top three seeds, it was first place, as it was for the Czech Republic’s Adam Stalzer, the no.6 seed and Brazil’s Kenzo Carmo, the no.8 seed.
Similar outcome
First place against the odds in the junior boys’ singles group stage for Kim Byeonghun; it was the same n the cadet boys’ singles event as it was for colleague Lee Jungmok, Russia’s Aleksandr Gorochnyi and Romania’s Matei Dumitrescu. Unexpected outcomes but the player to cause the biggest surprise in the initial phase of the cadet boys’ singles event was Chinese Taipei’s Chao Po-Yu; he beat Belgium’s Tim Giltia, the no.2 seed on his way to group top spot (11-2, 11-2, 11-7).
Runners up spot for Tim Giltia, for the other leading names, it was first place. Brazil’s Shim Joon, the top seed, reserved pole position, as did Nolan Lerat, the no.3 seed and also from Belgium, in addition to the Czech Republic Vit Kadlec, the no.4 seed.
Less evident
Upsets in the junior boys’ singles and cadet boys’ singles events, in the counterpart girls’ competitions, the surprise first positions were less marked; in the junior girls; singles, the one notable name to experience defeat was Slovenia’s Katarina Strazar.
She beat Korea Republic’s Lee Seungeun in five games (7-11, 11-7, 6-11, 13-11, 11-9) but by a similar margin lost to Italy’s Nicole Arlia (11-5, 4-11, 8-11, 11-4, 11-9); in the concluding contest Lee Seungeun overcame Nicole Arlia in four games (10-12, 11-8, 12-10, 11-7). Thus games ratio decided, it was first place for Lee Seungeun (5:4), followed by Katarina Strazar (5:5) with Nicole Arlia (4:5) in third place and thus eliminated.
Top spot for principal names
An unexpected first place for Lee Seungeun, it was the same for colleague, Kim Taemin; otherwise it was top spot for the principal names.
Notably, the Czech Republic’s Linda Zaderova, the top seed, secured first place as did the next in line, Serbia’s Radmila Tominjak, Brazil’s Laura Watanabe and Slovenia’s Lean Paulin. Likewise it was first place for Brazil’s Giulia Takahashi, the no.5 seed, a situation that applied also to Serbia’s Reka Bezeg, the no.6 seed, and also from Slovenia, Lara Opeka, the no.8 seed.
First positions
Meanwhile, in the first phase of the cadet girls’ singles event, the leading names all secured first positions; Giulia Takahashi and Laura Watanabe, alongside Nicole Arlia and Poland’s Anna Brzyska, the top four names, all enjoyed success.
Expected names but there were unexpected names. Just as in the junior girls’ singles event Kim Taemin and Lee Seungeun secured surprise first places; a scenario that applied also to Chinese Taipei’s Yeh Yi-Tan and Hong Kong’s Poon Yat.
The main draw in the singles events commences on Saturday 5th October.
COLOGNE, Germany – Formula E and the FIA have have revealed the final calendar for the 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship.
The schedule features stops in 12 cities, nine capitals and three new locations in Seoul, Jakarta and London.
The busiest season yet in the short history of Formula E was formally approved following the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting Friday in Cologne, Germany.
The Diriyah E-Prix kicks off the season once again on Nov. 22-23, with the Mercedes-Benz EQ and TAG Heuer Porsche teams making their series debuts to complete a full 24-car grid for the first time in Formula E.
The most competitive line-up in motorsport then moves to South and Central America for the Antofagasta Minerals Santiago E-Prix (Jan. 18) and CBMM Niobium Mexico City E-Prix (Feb. 15), with the Marrakesh E-Prix replacing Hong Kong for round five of the 2019/20 calendar.
Sanya fills the last free slot, with another scorcher around Haitang Bay for round six on March 21. The voestalpine European races return for season six, starting with the third running of the Rome E-Prix on April 4, followed by the Paris E-Prix in the French capital against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower on April 18.
The ABB FIA Formula E Championship touches down in South Korea for the first time on May 3 for the Seoul E-Prix, ahead of the most recent race to be announced – the inaugural Jakarta E-Prix – taking place on June 6.
Being the only city to have featured in each season of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, the BMW i Berlin E-Prix presented by CBMM Niobium will once again be held at the historic Tempelhof Airport on June 21.
Three weeks later, Formula E crosses the Atlantic to the Big Apple for the penultimate event of the season in New York City on July 11.
The 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship comes to a conclusion in London across a two-day season finale showdown at ExCeL London on July 25-26.
PLACERVILLE, Calif. – NASCAR regular Kyle Larson has filed an entry to compete in the Elk Grove Ford Hangtown 100 at Placerville Speedway on Nov. 19-20.
The November doubleheader at Placerville Speedway will feature the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midgets and the USAC Western States Midgets as the headliners, along with the Wicked Energy Gum NW Focus Midgets presented by Cognitive Warriors.
In 2007 at the age of 14, Larson competed in his first sprint car race at Placerville Speedway and earned his first victory at the track that same season. The El Dorado County Fairgrounds based facility was also where the Elk Grove, Calif., native wrapped up his Golden State KWS-NARC Series title in 2010.
“We are excited to have Kyle Larson in the field at the inaugural Elk Grove Ford Hangtown 100,” said Elk Grove Ford President Matt Wood. “Kyle grew up racing around Northern California and is one of the largest fan favorites that we have out here, so it will be great to have him on hand. What he has done so far in his career is amazing and it’s really special that he continues to have such a passion for dirt track racing. We hope everyone has reserved their seats because it’s going to be a thrilling event.”
Earlier this season Larson came close to earning his first Chili Bowl Midget Nationals victory, coming home second after a thrilling duel with Keith Kunz Motorsports teammate Christopher Bell. In 2011 Larson earned Rookie of the Year honors with the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series and swept the Belleville Midget Nationals that same season. The 27-year-old has also captured the famed Turkey Night Grand Prix on two occasions.
Larson is currently in the midst of the NASCAR playoffs, where he is competing for his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship.
At the Hangtown 100 Wednesday night’s A-main will be 100-laps around the Placerville Speedway red clay oval, with the winner picking up a $20,000 payday. The two-night event will utilize a modified Trophy Cup style format, featuring larger than normal inverts.
DOVER, Del. – Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff drivers Joey Logano and Kyle Larson were fastest in a pair of practice sessions Friday at Dover Int’l Speedway.
Larson was fastest in the final 50-minute session of the afternoon, circulating the one-mile concrete oval in 22.126 seconds at 162.705 mph in his Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.
Martin Truex Jr., who won the spring race at Dover, was second fastest in final practice. Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott, all playoff drivers, were third through fifth.
In the opening practice, Logano led the way in his Team Penske Ford thanks to 22.056-second lap at 163.221 mph. Logano’s lap was the fastest time of the day between the two practice sessions.
William Byron was second fastest in the opening practice for the Drydene 400, followed by Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Blaney and Alex Bowman.
Qualifying for the Drydene 400 is scheduled for Saturday at 1:35 p.m. EST.
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