Print view
Mon Dec 30, 2019 2:32 pm
|
WASHINGTON -- Rafael Soriano stood with hands on hips as the ball landed beyond the right-field fence. Custom Colorado Avalanche Jerseys . Game-tying homer with two outs in the ninth. Another blown save. Booed off the field. An ERA of 6.98 since the All-Star break. A closer whose job, according to the manager, is now firmly in jeopardy. The Washington Nationals melted down in all sorts of ways Friday night. They blew a five-run lead after the seventh inning, committing three errors along the way in a 9-8, 11-inning loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. But the biggest concern for a team that appeared to be sailing smoothly toward an NL East title is a closer situation thats suddenly in flux. Soriano has pitched poorly in recent weeks, but the final straw might have been the three-run lead he couldnt hold because of home runs by Carlos Ruiz and Ben Revere. "We need to address it," manager Matt Williams said. "Its not an easy decision, none of them are, but we want to be able to close those games out. Sori understands that; hes been around the block." Williams said he would discuss the matter with Soriano on Saturday, but the manager went on to strongly indicate the right-hander could be given a break from closer duties to sort things out. Williams mentioned Tyler Clippard, Drew Storen and Matt Thornton as possible alternatives. "Soris been struggling a little bit," Williams said, "so well have to look to land him a little softer maybe for a few days and see where were at." Soriano has 31 saves this season, but he has allowed at least one run in seven of his last 12 appearances. He said he plans to study video and talk with pitching coach Steve McCatty on Saturday. "Ive got to figure it out, whats going on right now," Soriano said. "And do it better." Told that Williams might turn to another closer, Soriano said: "What situation he can make, I agree with him because one of the reasons that I like him so far is weve got good communication." The Phillies began their rally with two unearned runs in the eighth, spurred by Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendons booted grounder. The three runs off Soriano in the ninth included the second career homer by Revere, a solo shot that tied the game at 7. Before that inning, Revere had 947 career plate appearances on the road without a homer -- the most among active players. Then came an unearned pair of runs in the 11th off Craig Stammen (4-5), an inning that started with a two-base error on Bryce Harper when the left fielder ran smack into centre fielder Denard Span on a routine fly ball by Domonic Brown. "He called it, and we bump into each other," Harper said. "Center field has priority, of course, and Ive got to get out of there." Brown later scored on a fielders choice grounder to first by Maikel Franco, who was playing in his second major league game and in the third inning had produced his first major league hit. First baseman Tyler Moore tried to get Brown at home, but the throw was off target. Franco went to second, and Moore was charged with the Nationals third error of the game. Jake Diekman (4-4) pitched one inning for the win. Jonathan Papelbon pitched the 11th for his 34th save, but only after allowing a run off consecutive one-out hits by Rendon, Jayson Werth and Moore. Philadelphia has won 8 of 11, a stretch that includes a three-game sweep of the Nationals last week in Philadelphia. STELLAR STRASBURG: Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg allowed one run and four hits over six innings with five strikeouts and no walks. He has a career-high 189 innings for the season, surpassing his 183 from last year. He received a mound visit in the sixth from McCatty, who was concerned that Strasburg was getting a finger blister in the heat, but the right-hander remained in the game through the end of the inning. TRAINERS ROOM Phillies: LHP Mario Hollands (flexor strain, left elbow) was placed on the 60-day disabled list, but the reliever wont undergo surgery. "Hes on six weeks rest, at least, from baseball," manager Ryne Sandberg said. "Its basically a rest program. So thats good news." Hollands spot on the roster was taken by RHP Sean OSullivan, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Nationals: 1B Adam LaRoche started despite a nagging lower back strain, a sore elbow and the remnants of a stomach bug that had him woozy and barely able to swing a bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, when he had five RBIs after entering the game in the ninth inning of a 14-inning win. He hardly seemed fazed. He hit a two-run homer in the first off Phillies starter Jerome Williams and had a sacrifice fly to give him eight RBIs in two games. UP NEXT Philadelphias A.J. Burnett (7-15, 4.40 ERA) faces Washingtons Tanner Roark (12-9, 2.91) on Saturday in the second game of the three-game series. Avalanche Jerseys China . Halak, 28, split his eighth NHL seasons between the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals, compiling a 29-13-7 record in 52 games. Colorado Avalanche Pro Shop . Canada Day is here and with it comes Free Agent Frenzy as the NHLs 30 teams storm out of the gate for signing season. https://www.cheapavalanche.com/ . -- John Senden never imagined it would take more than seven years to win again.PORTLAND, Ore. - First, the Trail Blazers held LeBron James to just 11 points. Two nights later they held Dirk Nowitzki to 17.And just like that, Portland is pointing to an improved defence for two key wins.The latest was on Thursday night when Portland overwhelmed the Dallas Mavericks with a 35-18 third quarter en route to a 108-87 victory. LaMarcus Aldridge had 20 points before sitting down for the entire fourth.Damian Lillard finished with 18 points, including 10 over a stretch of just under six minutes in the fourth before he also took a seat.Portland trailed 50-46 at the half before a decisive 18-4 run in the third quarter.I think the best part about it was that we won on both ends of the floor, Lillard said. We defended really well in the first half, we just couldnt really get ourselves going like we would have liked to offensively. The second half, we put both ends together and thats why we were able to pull away.Dallas went into the game averaging nearly 112 points in their first four games of the season. Nowitzki was averaging nearly 21.But Nowitzki said it was the Mavericks defence that failed them against the Blazers.We couldnt get the stops we needed as the game turned into a walk-up-the-court game and thats not us, he said. Weve got to get stops to get the ball moving.The game was delayed several minutes midway through the fourth quarter when a fan collapsed. The woman was rushed across the court by stretcher as a paramedic performed CPR. She was taken by ambulance to a local hospital, but there was no immediate information about her condition.Nicolas Batum had eight points, nine rebounds and nine assists, but he too rested in the fourth quarter after the Blazers had built a sizable lead. Batum has four career triple-doubles.The Trail Blazers were coming off a confidence-boosting 101-82 victory over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers that snapped a brief two-game losing streak. Lillard broke out of a season-opening funk with 27 points, and Portland held James to just 11 points, his lowest total in 115 games.Asked if he thought the teams defence was better this season, Blazers guard Welsey Matthews said: I think it is. And I think it has to be.The Mavericks lost their season opener at San Antonio but went on to win their next three, including a 118-113 victory over Boston on Monday.Weve been doing a lot of good things but our defence has been inconsistent, Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. We have to make a stand there. I have to look closely at what were doing and make sure wwere doing the right things and have the right guys in at the right times. Stitched Avalanche Jerseys. We dont have a lot of time to sit around and mope.It is the first of back-to-back road games for the Mavericks, who visit the Utah Jazz on Friday night.The Mavericks double-teamed Aldridge from the start, but he led all scorers with 10 points in the first quarter.The Blazers pulled ahead 28-24 with 10:10 left in the first half on consecutive 3-pointers from CJ McCollum off the bench. Monta Ellis layup gave Dallas a 35-33 lead.Nowitzki hit a 19-foot-jumper from out front, then added a 3-pointer over Aldridge, and the Mavericks took a 45-38 lead. Nowitzki had 12 points in the second quarter and Dallas was up 50-46 at the half.Robin Lopezs dunk pulled the Blazers within 52-51, and they took the lead on Aldridges fadeaway jumper. Wesley Matthews pumped both fists and yelled after his 3-pointer made it 71-59.But Chandler Parsons, who had scored just two points in the first half, hit consecutive baskets and narrowed it to 71-66.Chris Kamans put-back layup gave the Blazers an 88-70 lead in the fourth quarter as the rout was on. Kaman scored 12 off the bench.___TIP-INSMavericks: Owner Mark Cuban is interviewed in the latest edition of Rolling Stone and reveals his greatest mistake was letting Steve Nash go. He also says that losing hurts far more than winning feels good. ... Nowitzki scored 12 points in the second quarter alone, but the Blazers held him to just two points in the second half. ... Parsons had scored 20 or more points in the past three games; the Blazers held him to 11.Trail Blazers: F Joel Freeland was available after missing the past two games with a left foot sprain. ... Portland had lost seven of the last 10 to Dallas going into the game.THIRD QUARTER WOESNowitzki says hes not sure why the Mavericks have been having trouble coming out after the half. We better figure it out pretty quick. Seems like we dont come out with any energy. Thats really unfortunate, we have got to correct that. Teams are coming out in the second half determined to pick up the pressure and we have not responded.BENCH SCORINGPortlands bench outscored the Mavericks 52-35. The reserves made seven of 12 3-point attempts and shot just over 57 per cent from the field. Thats what we need them to do. You never know when youre going to be called, but you have to be ready. And they were ready, Matthews said.UP NEXTMavericks: At Utah on Friday night.Trail Blazers: At the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night. ' ' ' |
|
reply
