#consecutive games

MELBOURNE, Australia | The Latest: Defending champ Federer ousted by Tsitsipas

MELBOURNE, Australia—Jan 20, 2019—The Latest on Sunday from the Australian Open (all times local):

11:05 p.m. Two-time defending champion Roger Federer‘s has been upset in the fourth round of the Australian Open by Stefanos Tsitsipas, who becomes the first player from Greece to reach the quarterfinals at a major.

Tsitsipas converted one of his three breakpoint chances in the match and fended off…

New Post has been published on https://www.stl.news/new-york-marlins-hand-degrom-latest-hard-luck-loss-beat-mets-5-3/169257/

NEW YORK | Marlins hand deGrom latest hard-luck loss, beat Mets 5-3

NEW YORK— One of the few teams to have much success against Jacob deGrom all year has been the last-place Miami Marlins. Go figure.

In his latest hard-luck loss during a record-setting season, deGrom was outpitched by Jose Urena as the Marlins beat the New York Mets 5-3 on Tuesday night.

“These guys, they want to score for him so bad, you can see it,” Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. “Unfortunately, we just haven’t done that very much.”

Locked in a compelling race for the NL Cy Young Award despite his pedestrian record, deGrom (8-9) gave up only Lewis Brinson’s two-run double in seven stellar innings. The right-hander allowed three hits and struck out nine , his major league-low ERA climbing just a tick from 1.68 to 1.71.

Even still, he fell to 0-2 in four starts against Miami (57-86), which has won three of those games.

“You just have to scrap for your hits,” manager Don Mattingly said. “We just hang in there. I think the games we’ve been able to beat him, I think our starters have been good.”

Urena (6-12) permitted one run and four hits in 6 1/3 innings for the Marlins, who were rained out the previous two days. He is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in his last four starts, and 3-0 with a 0.98 ERA in three career starts at Citi Field.

After his outing was pushed back two days because of rain, deGrom held his opponent under four runs for the 26th straight start — breaking a big league single-season mark set by King Cole in 1910 with the Chicago Cubs.

“I wasn’t as comfortable as I normally am. What was I at, eight days or so?” deGrom said. “To go that long without being on the mound, I felt a little off. But I was able to kind of correct myself as the game went on.”

In a recurring theme, however, the Mets didn’t provide much help. All they could muster at the plate was Michael Conforto’s solo homer off Urena and Kevin Plawecki’s two-run shot against Drew Steckenrider with two outs in the ninth.

Conforto has homered in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.

JT Riddle came off the bench and homered into the second deck in right field in his first at-bat for Miami since returning from a sore left wrist.

“Those two rainouts really helped. Got me two extra days to rest,” he said. “It felt really good, especially being off a week now.”

After missing five games, Riddle connected in the eighth against reliever Anthony Swarzak, who made his first major league appearance since Aug. 3. The right-hander was recently activated from the disabled list after missing time with shoulder inflammation.

Miami got three straight hits off Robert Gsellman to start the ninth, including an RBI triple by Brian Anderson and Derek Dietrich’s run-scoring double.

A resurgent Brinson doubled off the center-field fence with two outs in the fourth. After that, deGrom set down his final 10 batters and finished the night with 239 strikeouts, equaling the career high he set last season.

“I think you kind of understand that you’re only going to have a couple opportunities off a guy like him,” Anderson said. “Usually it’s one or two a game. And he’s really good at shutting down those opportunities. I think with runners in scoring position, guys are hitting under .100 off of him. Having a guy like Lewis come in there and get that hit against him, and with two strikes, really helped our morale and really got us going there.”

Mets third baseman Todd Frazier was ejected after the sixth by plate umpire Dan Bellino.

MAKING STRIDES Brinson is batting .400 (12 for 30) with a homer, three doubles and six RBIs since coming off the disabled list Sept. 1. He has upped his season average to .206.

TRAINER’S ROOM Marlins: RHP Dan Straily (strained left oblique) felt discomfort while throwing for the first time since leaving his last start. He could miss the rest of the season, Mattingly said.

Mets: 3B David Wright took live batting practice on the field as the Mets’ captain tries to complete his comeback from a string of debilitating injuries.

UP NEXT A single-admission doubleheader Wednesday to make up Monday’s rainout. RHP Trevor Richards (3-8, 4.73 ERA) and RHP Jeff Brigham (0-1, 9.00) are the scheduled Miami starters, with RHP Zack Wheeler (10-7, 3.39) and LHP Jason Vargas (5-9, 6.75) set to go for the Mets.

New Post has been published on https://www.stl.news/new-york-djokovic-wins-us-open-for-14th-major-tying-idol-sampras/168512/

NEW YORK | Djokovic wins US Open for 14th major, tying 'idol' Sampras

NEW YORK — The U.S. Open final suddenly appeared to be slipping away from Novak Djokovic. He dropped three consecutive games. He was angered by a crowd roaring for his popular opponent, Juan Martin del Potro. He was, in short, out of sorts.

And then came Sunday’s pivotal game, a 20-minute, 22-point epic.

Three times, del Potro was a point from breaking and earning the right to serve to make it a set apiece. Three times, Djokovic steeled himself. Eventually, he seized that game — and del Potro’s best chance to make a match of it.

A year after missing the U.S. Open because of an injured right elbow that would require surgery, Djokovic showed that he is unquestionably back at his best and back at the top of tennis. His returns and defense-to-offense skills as impeccable as ever, Djokovic collected his 14th Grand Slam title and second in a row by getting through every crucial moment for a 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 victory over 2009 champion del Potro at Flushing Meadows.

This was Djokovic’s third championship in New York, along with those in 2011 and 2015. Add in the trophies he has earned at six Australian Opens, one French Open and four Wimbledons, most recently in July, and the 31-year-old Serb pulled even with Pete Sampras for the third-most majors among men, trailing only Roger Federer’s 20 and Rafael Nadal’s 17.

“I was hoping he was going to be here, but he’s not,” Djokovic said about Sampras. “He’s my idol. Pete, I love you.”

Federer lost in the fourth round in New York, while Nadal retired from his semifinal against del Potro because of a bad right knee. That put the 29-year-old Argentine back in a Grand Slam final for the first time since his breakthrough nine years ago, a comeback for a guy who had four wrist operations in the interim.

“I’d just like to congratulate Juan Martin … for still having faith, for still having belief in himself,” said Djokovic, who gave his pal a hug at the net, and then went over to console del Potro as he wiped away tears at his sideline seat. “I believe he’ll be here again with the champion’s trophy. I really do.”

Del Potro spoke this week about the low point, in 2015, when he considered quitting the sport. But supported by a dozen or so friends from back home, whose “Ole!” choruses rang around the arena, he climbed up the rankings to a career-high No. 3 by thundering his 100 mph (160 kph) forehands and 135 mph (215 kph) serves.

Those produce free points against so many foes. Not against Djokovic, who always seemed to have all the answers.

Djokovic was better than del Potro on their many lengthy exchanges, using his trademark body-twisting, limb-splaying court coverage to get to nearly every ball, sneakers squeaking around the blue court in Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the roof was closed because of rain.

Never was that more apparent than the game that stood out on this evening: with Djokovic serving while down 4-3 in the second set. They went back and forth, through eight deuces and all those break opportunities for del Potro, until he slapped one forehand into the net, and another sailed wide.

The game went so long that when it ended, with Djokovic holding to 4-all, spectators began leaving their seats, perhaps thinking it was time for a changeover, even though it wasn’t. That prompted to chair umpire Alison Hughes to chastise them.

It was a brief request, though, unlike her many other pleas for quiet, mainly as fans were shouting and chanting and clapping in support of del Potro. It all bothered Djokovic, who started yelling and gesturing toward the seats. At one moment, he pressed his right index finger to his lips, as if to say, “Shhhhhhh!” Later, after winning a point, Djokovic put that finger to his ear, as if to say, “Who are you cheering for now?!”

The tiebreaker was resolved thanks to more del Potro miscues on his forehand side, as he looked more and more fatigued. He made one last stand by breaking and holding for 3-all. But that was that. When it ended, thanks to a three-game closing run by Djokovic, he flung his racket away and landed on his back, arms and legs spread wide.

“Of course I’m sad I (lost),” del Potro said. “But I’m happy for Novak and his team. They deserve to win.”

Djokovic had never gone through an extended absence himself until 2017, when he sat out the second half of the season because of elbow pain that had plagued him for more than a year. He tried to return at the start of this season, but couldn’t, and decided to have surgery in February.

It took him some time to find the right form, as evidenced by his quarterfinal loss at the French Open to a guy who was ranked 72nd and had never won a Grand Slam match until that tournament.

Djokovic got right back to work, though, and announced that he was, once more, himself by winning at Wimbledon.

Now he’s backed that up at the U.S. Open, the fourth time in his career he won multiple majors in a season.

“When I had the surgery in my elbow earlier this year, I could truly understand what Juan Martin was going through. Difficult times, but you learn through adversity,” Djokovic said Sunday night. “I try to take the best out of myself in those moments.”

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/ccvcY7

NEW YORK | The Latest: Williams beats Pliskova to reach US Open semis

NEW YORK  — The Latest on the U.S. Open tennis tournament (all times local): 8:50 p.m.

Serena Williams shook off a slow start to grab eight consecutive games and beat 2016 runner-up Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-3 for a spot in the U.S. Open semifinals.

Williams delivered 13 aces, part of a 35-12 edge in winners. But she trailed by a break in the opening set, and then was a point from being behind 4-1, before turning things around.

Williams reached her 36th Grand Slam semifinal and her 12th at Flushing Meadows, where she is a six-time champion.

Pliskova is the last woman to beat Williams at the U.S. Open, eliminating her in the semifinals two years ago. Williams missed the U.S. Open a year ago because she gave birth to her daughter during the tournament. ___ 5:35 p.m. Juan Martin del Potro beat John Isner to make a second straight U.S. Open semifinal, and extend the Americans’ drought at their host tournament.

The 2009 champion won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-2 and will face top-ranked Rafael Nadal or No. 9 Dominic Thiem in the semifinals. Nadal beat del Potro last year in the semifinals at Flushing Meadows, and again this year in the semifinals of the French Open.

Isner was trying to become the first American man to reach the U.S. Open semifinals since Andy Roddick in 2006. ___ 1:50 p.m. As one American star lost in the main draw Tuesday, another of the country’s rising stars was on display at the U.S. Open.

Top-seeded junior Cori “Coco” Gauff won her second round match in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2, over Romanian Selma Stefania Cadar, before juniors matches were suspended because of the heat.

The 14-year-old comes into this tournament as the second-ranked junior in the world after winning the girls’ French Open title earlier this year. She received a wild card into last year’s U.S. Open and became the youngest player ever to make the girls’ final.

Gauff’s father, Corey, played basketball at Georgia State and her mother, Candi, ran track at Florida State.

Gauff said she tried both those sports, but found her niche with tennis.

Gauff received a wild card this year into the qualifiers for the main draw at Flushing Meadows, but lost 6-4, 6-1 to Heather Watson of England. ____ 1:40 p.m. Defending champion Sloane Stephens has been knocked out of the U.S. Open in straight sets.

Anastasija Sevastova, the No. 19 seed, dominated Stephens 6-2, 6-3 to reach her first semifinal in Flushing Meadows after making it to the quarterfinals the past two years.

Stephens beat Sevastova a year ago on her way to the title, but had no answer for the Latvian on Tuesday.

Sevastova came into the match having broken her opponent’s serve a tournament-leading 23 times. She broke Stephens twice in the opening set, including at love in the final game.

She broke again to go up 2-0 in the second set before Stephens, pleading with herself to fight, broke back.

But Sevastova broke again to go up 3-1.

She then dropped her racket and held her hands to her face as a Stephens shot went into the net on the match’s final point. ___ 11:45 a.m. The extreme heat policy is in effect for a second consecutive day at the U.S. Open.

A 10-minute break will be allowed between the second and third sets of women’s singles matches if either player requests one. For men’s singles matches, the break would come between the third and fourth sets.

The policy is a rule on the women’s tour but not the men’s. U.S. Open officials began putting it in play last week, when temperatures first soared into the mid-90s. The policy was in place Tuesday through Thursday.

It was 86 degrees just before the start of Tuesday’s quarterfinal between Anastasija Sevastova and defending champion Sloane Stevens on Arthur Ashe Stadium, with temperatures again expected to rise through the 90s. ____ 11:30 a.m. Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens can give the United States two U.S. Open semifinalists, a year after an all-American women’s final four.

And for the first time since 2006, the host country can have a man there, too.

Williams and Stephens first have to win quarterfinal matches Tuesday. Defending champion Stephens is up first on Arthur Ashe Stadium, facing No. 19 seed Anastasija Sevastova in a rematch of Stephens’ three-set victory in the same round at Flushing Meadows last year.

Williams, seeded 17th, meets the last player to beat her at the U.S. Open. Karolina Pliskova, the No. 8 seed, knocked off Williams in the 2016 semifinals before the 23-time Grand Slam champion missed last year’s tournament, when she gave birth.

On the men’s side, defending champion Rafael Nadal faces Dominic Thiem at night in a rematch of Nadal’s French Open victory, and 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro plays John Isner in the other quarterfinal.

If Isner wins, he would be the first American in the U.S. Open semifinals since Andy Roddick in 2006.

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/WsdNf2

LEADING OFF: Springer back for Astros vs A's; Puig suspended

A look at what’s happening around the majors today: HOW THE WEST IS WON

All-Star outfielder George Springer is expected to come off the disabled list for the Houston Astros when the defending champions visit Oakland for the opener of a pivotal three-game series between AL West contenders. Last year’s World Series MVP has been sidelined with a sprained left thumb. Charlie Morton (12-3, 2.88 ERA) pitches for the banged-up Astros, who have a two-game lead in the division over the surprising Athletics. Edwin Jackson (4-2, 2.48) gets the ball for Oakland.

ON PUNISHMENT Unless he appeals, Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is scheduled to begin a two-game suspension when Los Angeles plays at Seattle in an interleague clash between playoff contenders. Puig also was fined Thursday by Major League Baseball for fighting and inciting a bench-clearing fracas against San Francisco. The penalties were announced two days after Puig took a swing at Giants catcher Nick Hundley, who also was fined. … MLB also suspended Marlins pitcher Jose Urena for six games and fined him an undisclosed amount for intentionally hitting Braves rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. with his first pitch Wednesday night. Unless appealed, Urena’s ban is slated to start Friday at Washington.

FAMILY TIES San Francisco turns to right-hander Casey Kelly to start in Cincinnati after placing standout rookie Dereck Rodriguez on the 10-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Kelly is the son of Reds bench coach Pat Kelly. Rodriguez, the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, is 6-1 with a 2.25 ERA in 14 outings this season. The Giants have gone 9-3 in his starts. He was injured during the scrum between the Giants and Dodgers on Tuesday night in Los Angeles. The team says he sustained a Grade 1 strain. Casey Kelly (0-1, 1.42 ERA) pitched five scoreless innings of relief Saturday against Pittsburgh in his first major league appearance since 2016, then took the loss Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.

CENTRAL SHOWDOWNS Yadier Molina and the Cardinals host Milwaukee in a matchup of NL Central contenders chasing the first-place Cubs. Rookie right-hander Jack Flaherty (6-6, 3.22 ERA) starts for St. Louis, which had its eight-game winning streak snapped Thursday night with a 5-4 loss to Washington. Flaherty struck out a career-high 13 in his last start against the Brewers on June 22. Freddy Peralta (5-3, 4.47) goes for Milwaukee. … Cole Hamels looks to keep it going when the Cubs face Pittsburgh. Hamels is 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA since Chicago acquired him from Texas at the trade deadline. Trevor Williams (10-8, 3.66) starts for the Pirates.

MARQUEE MOUND MATCHUP After setting a franchise record by scoring 24 runs Thursday in the first game of a doubleheader at Philadelphia, the Mets send Noah Syndergaard (8-2, 3.22 ERA) to the mound against Phillies ace Aaron Nola (13-3, 2.28). With the help of 11 unearned runs, New York became the first NL team since the 1933 New York Giants to score 15 runs in consecutive games. The Mets routed Baltimore 16-5 on Wednesday night. They also are the only team since 1900 to have a win and a loss by at least 20 runs in the same season.

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/fyaqir

ANAHEIM, Calif | Trout goes on 10-day disabled list with inflamed right wrist

ANAHEIM, Calif — Mike Trout has landed on the disabled list with an inflamed right wrist, something the Los Angeles Angels had hoped to avoid.

The move announced Friday is retroactive to Monday, when Trout received a cortisone injection in his wrist. The two-time AL MVP has missed seven consecutive games, the second-longest injury absence of his big league career.

Trout hasn’t played since Aug. 1, when he hurt his wrist during a feet-first slide into third base in Tampa Bay.

Trout was out for 39 games last season after tearing a ligament in his left thumb in a headfirst slide.

Manager Mike Scioscia initially didn’t think Trout would need to go on the DL.