SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 SPORTS

CRICKET Pakistan name five uncapped players for Sri Lanka Tests

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan selected fast per Younis retired from international spots left by the retirements.” Opener named in the squad. “Yasir was sup- maiden day-night Test in Dubai from bowler Mir Hamza among five uncapped cricket at the end of Pakistan’s Test series Sami Aslam, who last played a test for posed to undergo a fitness test yester- Oct. 6. The two teams will also play five players in their 16-man squad for the in West Indies in May. Pakistan in December, was also recalled. day but he had pulled a calf muscle,” for- one-day internationals and three two Test home series against Sri Lanka in “We are trying our youngsters. Left-arm fast bowler Hamza, 25, was mer captain Inzamam said. “He’s taken Twenty20 matches, the last of which will the United Arab Emirates starting later Usman Salahuddin and Haris Sohail have picked for his strong domestic form, the test this morning and been passed be played on home soil in Lahore on this month. been part of the squad in the last two to having claimed 216 wickets in 46 first- fit. “Azhar Ali has a cyst in his knee and Oct. 29, subject to security clearance. Batsmen Haris Sohail and Usman three series so that we can play them class matches. Spin-bowling all-rounder the doctors have advised him to play Squad: Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Sami Salahuddin have both played one-day when the seniors retire,” Pakistan chief Bilal Asif and left-arm Mohammad after taking an injection. He isn’t experi- Aslam, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris internationals for Pakistan but are yet to selector Inzamam-ul-Haq told reporters Asghar were the other players in the encing any pain, so we’re hoping he’ll Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Sarfraz Ahmed make their Test debuts as Pakistan start in Lahore. squad yet to play in Tests. remain fit to play.” The series, played in (captain, wicketkeeper), Mohammad life without retired batting greats “I wanted to give them opportunity Leg-spinner Yasir Shah and top-order the UAE due to security concerns, will Amir, Wahab Riaz, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan. Long- in home conditions to boost their confi- batsman Azhar Ali have both battled start with the first Test in Abu Dhabi Abbas, Mir Hamza, Yasir Shah, Bilal Asif, serving captain Misbah and former skip- dence. We are hopeful they can fulfil the recent injuries but were declared fit and from Thursday followed by Sri Lanka’s Mohammad Asghar. —Reuters

SEATTLE: ’ Kyle Seager reaches second base ahead of the throw to Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor for a double during the seventh inning of a game, Friday, in Seattle. Seager scored later in the inning. — AP

BASEBALL Dodgers clinch NL West title with win over Giants

LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Dodgers after St Louis beat Pittsburgh. The Brewers had entering the ninth. They’re 1 1/2 games eighth before Ken Giles allowed a hit and a fourth grand slam of the season. Boston clinched their fifth straight NL West title, beat- the tying run at first with one out in the bot- behind the Rockies for the final NL wild card. walk with no outs before settling down to fin- added to its lead with the help of the Yankees’ ing the 4-2 on Friday tom of the 10th, but Eric Sogard was called out Stephen Piscotty led off with a double to right ish the inning and pick up his 33rd save. loss at Toronto. The Red Sox have won 12 of night as Cody Bellinger set an NL rookie record at second trying to advance on a ball in the against closer Felipe Rivero (5-3), and Jedd 15, keeping the Yankees at bay while moving a with his 39th home run. Los Angeles will open dirt. Shortstop Addison Russell appeared to Gyorko followed with a pinch-hit RBI single. DIAMONDBACKS 13, MARLINS 11 season-high 25 games over .500 (89-64). Rick the NL Division Series at home on Oct. 6. The hold the tag as Sogard’s foot lifted off second After Tommy Pham’s single, Grichuk pinch-ran Chris Iannetta homered twice and drove in Porcello gave up Gennett’s fourth grand slam - Dodgers are seeking to reach the World Series for a split-second, and the call was confirmed for Gyorko at third. He scored when Mercer a career-high eight runs, and Arizona out- a Reds’ season record - in the first inning. He for the first time since 1988 under manager on review. Knebel (1-4) took the loss after misplayed Dexter Fowler’s sharp groundball. slugged Miami. J.D. Martinez and Christian lasted a season-low four innings, turning a 5-4 Tommy Lasorda, who was on hand at Dodger allowing three walks and two hits over two Former Pirates reliever Juan Nicasio (4-5) got Walker also homered for the Diamondbacks, lead over to the bullpen. Porcello has lost 17 Stadium to celebrate his 90th birthday. innings. Carl Edwards Jr. (5-4) got the win with the win after working the eighth and ninth. who can clinch their first postseason berth in games - most in the majors - after winning 22 Bellinger hit a three-run homer in the third off 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. Fowler and Piscotty had two hits each. six years with a win Saturday and a loss by St. last year along with the AL Cy Young Award. Jeff Samardzija (9-15), topping the NL rookie Louis. Arizona erased a 9-7 deficit with five Devers hit his shot off Sal Romano (5-7). David mark set by Wally Berger in 1930 and matched MARINERS 3, INDIANS 1 ROCKIES 4, PADRES 1 runs in the sixth. Walker got his first career Price (6-3) got the victory in relief. by Frank Robinson in 1956. After a record run Nelson Cruz hit a game-ending two-run Nolan Arenado ended Colorado’s scoreless pinch-homer off Jarlin Garcia to make it 9-8. that saw the Dodgers push their record to 91- homer in the ninth inning, lifting Seattle over streak at 23 innings with a solo homer, and the David Peralta reached on an error before METS 7, NATIONALS 6 36, they had gone just 6-20 - including a dis- Cleveland. Cruz lined a 2-1 pitch from closer Rockies beat San Diego. Colorado hadn’t Dustin McGowan (8-2) struck out A.J. Pollock. Travis d’Arnaud hit two home runs and New mal 1-16 stretch - to make clinching their divi- Cody Allen (3-7) out to deep right-center field, scored since the eighth inning of a loss to San But Paul Goldschmidt walked and Martinez York ended a three-game skid, rallying past a sion more laborious than anticipated. Los snapping Seattle’s six-game skid and improving Francisco on Tuesday night, dropping a pair of reached on an infield single ahead of Iannetta, watered-down Washington lineup. Nationals Angeles stopped a nine-game home losing its very slim wild-card hopes. The Mariners are shutouts in between. Arenado sparked the who homered onto the walkway above the manager Dusty Baker said he needed to “give streak. Rich Hill (11-8) allowed one run and five five games behind Minnesota for the last AL Rockies with his 35th homer, and Ian center-field fence to put the Diamondbacks my big boys much needed rest” with the play- hits in six innings with ninth . Pablo playoff spot with eight games remaining. Cruz Desmond and Trevor Story also went deep. ahead 12-9. Iannetta’s grand slam was his fifth offs nearing, and not a single regular started Sandoval homered leading off the ninth also cooled baseball’s hottest team. Cleveland Jon Gray (9-4) pitched six innings to win his and first since May 28, 2015. He hit multiple for the NL East champions. Star Daniel Murphy against Kenley Jansen, who struck out the lost for the second time since Aug. 23, a span of fourth straight road start, and Colorado stayed homers in the same game for the third time. pinch hit in the eighth and flied out. Nori Aoki next three batters for his 40th save in 41 29 games that included an historic 22-game 1 1/2 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals J.J. Hoover (2-1) got the win, and Fernando had three hits for the Mets, including a go- chances. winning streak. It ended a franchise-record 14- for the final NL wild card. The Milwaukee Rodney finished his 39th save. ahead double in the sixth inning off Joe game road winning streak - the Indians hadn’t Brewers are two games back. Greg Holland Blanton (2-4). Chasen Bradford (2-0) pitched a CUBS 5, BREWERS 4, 10 INNINGS lost away from home since Aug. 20 at Kansas got his 41st save, tying Jose Jimenez’s club TWINS 7, TIGERS 3 scoreless inning for the win. Pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella drew a bases- City. Erasmo Ramirez shut down Cleveland for record from 2002. The Rockies had no Max Kepler and Brian Dozier homered, loaded walk off All-Star closer Corey Knebel eight innings, and Edwin Diaz (4-6) pitched the baserunners against former teammate Jordan Byron Buxton had three hits and playoff-chas- WHITE SOX 7, ROYALS 6 with one out in the 10th inning, helping the ninth to cap a three-hitter. Lyles (1-4) before Arenado hit the second ing Minnesota beat Detroit. Buxton’s two-run Matt Davidson drove in three runs with his Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 5-4 pitch of the fifth over the right-field wall. double in the fourth put the Twins ahead to 26th homer and a double, Yoan Moncada hit a on Friday night to tighten their grip on the NL CARDINALS 4, PIRATES 3 stay against a Detroit team that announced two-run drive and Chicago overcame a four- Central. The Cubs hold a five-game lead with Randal Grichuk scored after an error by BLUE JAYS 8, YANKEES 1 before the game that manager Brad Ausmus run deficit to beat Kansas City. The Royals nine days left in the regular season after win- shortstop Jordy Mercer, capping a frantic Ryan Goins successfully pulled off a hid- will not be back in 2018. Minnesota came into dropped 41/2 games behind Minnesota for ning their second straight tense game over ninth-rally that lifted surging St. Louis over den-ball trick and hit his second career grand the night leading the race for the American the second AL wild card with nine games left. the Brewers. Milwaukee dropped into third in Pittsburgh. The playoff-chasing Cardinals won slam, leading Toronto over Masahiro Tanaka League’s second wild card by 2 1/2 games over Jason Hammel (8-13) allowed seven runs and the division, 5 1/2 games behind Chicago, their fourth straight, despite trailing by a run (12-12) and ensuring New York had to wait at Texas and the Los Angeles Angels. Kyle Gibson eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. White Sox rookie least one more day to clinch a playoff berth. (12-10) allowed three runs and five hits in sev- Reynaldo Lopez (3-3) allowed six runs - two With Todd Frazier on base following a leadoff en innings for the Twins. He struck out six and earned - and 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings to win MLB Results/Standings double in the third, Jose Bautista made a run- walked two. Daniel Norris (4-8) allowed five his third straight start. Juan Minaya pitched a ning catch just in front of the right field warn- runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. scoreless ninth for his sixth save. Seattle 3, Cleveland 1; Colorado 4, San Diego 1; LA Dodgers 4, San Francisco 2; Oakland 4, Texas 1; Chicago ing track on Jacoby Ellsbury’s one-out drive. White Sox 7, Kansas City 6; Houston 3, LA Angels 0; Atlanta 7, Philadelphia 2; Chicago Cubs 5, Milwaukee 4 (10 Goins caught Bautista’s throw while standing ATHLETICS 4, RANGERS 1 RAYS 8, ORIOLES 3 innings); Boston 5, Cincinnati 4; Minnesota 7, Detroit 3; NY Mets 7, Washington 6; Toronto 8, NY Yankees 1; St. near second base, then pretended to toss the Rookie Matt Olson hit his sixth home run in Wilson Ramos hit his third career grand Louis 4, Pittsburgh 3; Tampa Bay 8, Baltimore 3. ball to Marco Estrada (10-8) while slip- seven games, a second-inning drive off Nick slam, Evan Longoria also went deep and American League National League ping in into his glove. Goins turned his back to Martinez that helped Oakland damage Texas’ Tampa Bay throttled Ubaldo Jimenez and Eastern Division Eastern Division Frazier, who had returned to the base, and playoff hopes. Olson homered following a Baltimore. Alex Cobb (12-10) earned his W L PCT GB Washington 92 61 .601 - when Frazier briefly lifted his left foot off the leadoff walk to Khris Davis, his 13th home run career-high 12th win for the Rays, who inter- Boston 89 64 .582 - Miami 72 81 .471 20 base, Goins tagged him on the left thigh. in September and his 16th in his last 23 games. rupted a 4-9 slide and kept alive their slim NY Yankees 85 68 .556 4 Atlanta 69 83 .454 22.5 Frazier insisted he had maintained contact Shin-Soo Choo hit his 21st home run for Texas, playoff hopes. Jimenez (6-11) gave up six runs Tampa Bay 75 79 .487 14.5 NY Mets 66 87 .431 26 with the base, but umpire Mark Carlson called which has lost six of its last seven at Oakland. and eight hits in three innings. He was booed Baltimore 74 81 .477 16 Philadelphia 61 93 .396 31.5 him out to end the inning. Martinez (3-7) allowed four runs - three earned lustily by the home fans after each Tampa Bay Toronto 72 82 .468 17.5 Central Division - and five hits in six innings. He is winless in six home run. Central Division Chicago Cubs 86 67 .562 - ASTROS 3, ANGELS 0 starts and four relief appearances since June Cleveland 96 58 .623 - St. Louis 81 72 .529 5 Minnesota 80 74 .519 16 Justin Verlander pitched one-hit ball over 25. Kendall Graveman (6-4) gave up one run, BRAVES 7, PHILLIES 2 Milwaukee 81 73 .526 5.5 Kansas City 75 78 .490 20.5 seven innings to remain perfect with Houston six hits and three walks in seven innings as Kurt Suzuki homered twice, Nick Markakis Pittsburgh 69 85 .448 17.5 Chicago White Sox 62 91 .405 33.5 and Yuli Gurriel hit a three-run homer to pro- Oakland won its fifth straight, and Blake drove in three runs and Atlanta beat Detroit 62 92 .403 34 Cincinnati 66 88 .429 20.5 pel the Astros. Verlander (14-8) walked two Treinen retired three batters for his 10th save. Philadelphia. Sean Newcomb (4-8) won his Western Division Western Division and struck out six to improve to 4-0 since second straight start, allowing two runs in 5 Houston 94 59 .614 - LA Dodgers 98 56 .636 - being traded from Detroit on Aug 31. Gurriel RED SOX 5, REDS 4 1/3 innings. Atlanta scored five runs in the first Texas 76 77 .497 18 Arizona 89 65 .578 9 connected off Yusmeiro Petit (5-2) on his 18th Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer and off Ben Lively (3-7) on Ozzie Albies’ RBI single, Colorado 83 71 .539 15 LA Angels 76 77 .497 18 home run to give Houston a 3-0 lead in the Boston extended its AL East lead to four Markakis’ two-run single and Suzuki’s two-run San Diego 69 85 .448 29 Seattle 75 79 .487 19.5 seventh. Chris Devenski pitched a perfect games by overcoming Scooter Gennett’s homer. —AP Oakland 70 83 .458 24 San Francisco 60 94 .390 38