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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2014 SPORTS Williams confirm Bottas and Massa for 2015 MONZA: Finland’s Valtteri Bottas and Brazilian of the grid on Saturday. successful in terms of constructors’ titles after Ferrari, championship it’s a whole different piece of work,” Felipe Massa will stay at Williams in 2015 after the “The team is having a much improved 2014 sea- with nine between 1980 and 1997, and last won a she said. “I think we’ve still got work to do and a lot resurgent Formula One team announced yesterday son and the skill of our drivers and their feedback to grand prix with Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado in of it inevitably depends on where the competition what had to be one of their easiest decisions of the our engineers has proved crucial in this,” said team 2012. Their last drivers’ title was with Canadian is. Mercedes this year have done a great job, I think season. “It was easy to make that choice,” acknowl- founder Frank Williams, who described Bottas as an Jacques Villeneuve in 1997. we are closing the gap, probably you can see that edged deputy principal Claire Williams ahead of the ‘investment’ for the future. “We want stability at Williams,” said Claire here this weekend.” Italian Grand Prix at Monza. “I think they have both “This announcement gives us excellent stability Williams, when asked whether other drivers had The new contract is likely to mean a substantial shown they can deliver what we need them to.” for 2015, but of course we are very much focusing been considered. “We went into this season wanting pay rise for Bottas, even if Williams would not dis- Massa joined Williams from Ferrari at the end of our attention on maximising the full potential of the stability into the long term and that’s what we have close any financial details, with the Finn already firm- 2013 while Bottas has been with the team for five FW36 in the remaining seven races of this season.” now. “I think we’ve got one of the strongest lineups ly on the radar of rival teams. years, making his race debut last season, and on the grid, they’ve got really complementary tal- Massa, runner-up in the 2008 championship, emerged as a standout performer in a champi- Championship challenge ents - Felipe with all his experience and having brings with him important backing and has been onship that has seen Williams back among the lead- Claire, his daughter, felt the drivers were capable worked in a big team and Valtteri who’s got this reinvigorated after years at Ferrari largely in the ers. The former champions were fourth overall in the of mounting a championship challenge if Mercedes- amazing natural talent.” shadow of world champions Michael Schumacher, championship ahead of yesterday’s race with 150 powered Williams could provide a car good enough. The deputy principal said the objective, as ever, Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso. points after scoring just five last year. “One hundred percent,” she said. “That is the goal, was to get back to the top and that remained a “They are an amazing team, fantastic people, it’s Bottas, 25, is fifth in the drivers’ standings and has to win that championship and of course you are tough challenge. “It’s relatively easy to turn around a like a family as well,” he said on Sunday. “We are mak- finished on the podium in four of the last five races. going to put the drivers in your cockpits that you team that’s ninth and take it up to fourth but when ing this team stronger and stronger and bigger and He and Massa qualified together on the second row believe can do that.” The team are the second most you are in fourth and want to start challenging for a bigger.” — Reuters Seager leads Mariners in 4-2 win over Rangers

ARLINGTON: Kyle Seager had three hits, their second straight. Pirates left-handed including a home , to lead the Seattle starter Francisco Liriano (4-10) won for the Mariners to a 4-2 victory over the Texas first time since July 29 at San Francisco. He Rangers on Saturday night. Seager a two- was lifted for a pinch hitter in the seventh run homer in the sixth inning to tie the score inning after allowing no runs on three hits, 2-2, and singled and scored in the Mariners’ walking two and striking out nine. two-run eighth against Neal Cotts (2-9). Seager is hitting .362 with five home runs and Reds 2, Mets 1 16 RBIs in 69 at-bats against the Rangers this Chris Heisey hit a go-ahead, pinch-hit season. in the seventh and Johnny Cueto Danny Farquhar (2-1) worked two scoreless pitched seven strong innings, lifting the innings to earn the victory, and Fernando to a victory over the New York Rodney got the last three outs for his Mets. First baseman Todd Frazier also home- -leading 43rd save.Seattle red for Cincinnati (67-75), which snapped a shortstop Brad Miller, who came in with a .205 four-game losing streak. Catcher Travis batting average, had a career-high four hits to d’Arnaud went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles help the Mariners move 1 1/2 games ahead of for New York (67-75), which saw its three- Detroit for the league’s second wild card. game win streak end. Texas lost its eighth straight. The game started following a rain delay of Indians 3, White Sox 1 3 hours, 13 minutes. Ryan Rua had an RBI Corey Kluber pitched his third complete and scored on Michael Choice’s sacri- game of the season and Jose Ramirez and fice fly to put the Rangers up 2-0 in the fourth Michael Brantley had RBI hits in the seventh inning. inning as the beat the It was the second game for Texas interim . The right-handed Kluber manager , who took over after Ron (14-9) pitched a five-hitter, striking out eight Washington resiged Friday afternoon. Texas with no walks. Cleveland also got a home run went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position, from designated hitter Carlos Santana. including 0 for 9 during the first three innings. Braves 4, Marlins 3 (10 innings) Rockies 7, Padres 6 (12 innings) Evan Gattis hit a 10th-inning solo home The blew a four-run lead run that at first was ruled a but ultimate- but beat the in 12 innings ly gave the a win over the on a single by Drew Stubbs. Second baseman . Gattis’ homer, his 22nd of the DJ LeMahieu led off the 12th with a double, season, stayed in the ballpark but went over rifling the first pitch from Jesse Hahn (7-4) the yellow line in left-center field that equals a down the right-field line. The Padres (66-75) DENVER: Shortstop Charlie Culberson #23 of the Colorado Rockies throws to first base to complete the double play for the first otw outs home run. Gattis legged out a triple, but, after trailed 4-0 and 6-2, but scored in five succes- of the 11th inning as Will Venable #25 of the San Diego Padres slides in at Coors Field on Saturday in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies a review, he was allowed to walk the final 90 sive innings beginning with the fourth. defeated the Padres 7-6 in 12 innings. — AFP feet. The win went to reliever David Carpenter the first time this season. The Giants (78-64) it 5-4 in the eighth with an RBI triple ahead of Washington (79-61) began the day seven (6-3). Closer Craig Kimbrel earned his 43rd Giants 5, Tigers 4 pulled to within 1.5 games of the Dodgers in shortstop Erick Aybar, The Angels (86-55) games ahead of the Atlanta Braves but the save. Buster Posey continued his hot streak with the N.L. West while the Tigers (77-65) stayed maintained a six-game lead over the Oakland Nationals have now lost their last five games three hits, including a solo home run, and two games behind Kansas City in the Athletics for first place in the American to Philadelphia. Yankees 6, Royals 2 Madison Bumgarner tied for the Major League . League West standings. Brandon McCarthy pitched effectively into lead in victories to lift the Rays 3, Orioles 2 the seventh inning and second baseman to a win over the . Posey, who Angels 8, Twins 5 Athletics 4, Astros 3 A passed ball by catcher Nick Hundley with Martin Prado had three hits in his return to the played first base, scored twice and walked in The staged yet another The Oakland A’s rallied for three runs in the two outs in the bottom of the ninth allowed lineup, leading the Yankees to a victory over his other plate appearance. He is hitting .508 late rally in a win over the . bottom of the ninth inning to beat the the winning run to score as the Tampa Bay the . McCarthy was with seven home runs in his last 15 games. Trailing by two runs entering the eighth on shortstop Jed Lowrie’s sin- Rays edged the -lead- acquired from the on Bumgarner (17-9) pulled even with the Los inning, the Angels scored two runs to tie it in gle with one out. The A’s (80-61) snapped a ing . Tampa Bay (69-74) won July 6, going from a team with a 37-53 record Angeles Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in the win the eighth and three in the ninth to take the string of three losses and ended Houston’s its second straight and guaranteed a series to a team hovering over .500. Prado finished column despite not striking out a batter for lead. Second baseman Howie Kendrick made five-game winning streak. A’s left-hander win against the American League East leaders. with three RBIs for the Yankees (73-67) while Scott Kazmir gave up three runs on three hits Baltimore (82-59) leads the majors with 186 the first-place Royals fell to 78-62. over 6 1/3 innings and got a no-decision. He homers and averages 4.3 runs per game, but MLB results/standings struck out eight but walked five, including has been held to one in the first two games of Dodgers 5, Diamondbacks 2 one intentional free pass. the series. Second baseman Dee Gordon and short- stop Hanley Ramirez triggered a three-run Tampa Bay 3, Baltimore 2; San Francisco 5, Detroit 4; Pittsburgh 5, 3 (11 Cardinals 5, Brewers 3 Pirates 5, Cubs 3 (11 innings) (First game) surge in the eighth inning, lifting the Los innings); NY Yankees 6, Kansas City 2; Oakland 4, Houston 3; Pittsburgh 5, Chicago Cubs 0; Two-run homers from Matt Adams and Josh Harrison singled in a go-ahead run in Angeles Dodgers to a victory over the Arizona Philadelphia 3, Washington 1; Cincinnati 2, NY Mets 1; Cleveland 3, Chicago White Sox 1; Oscar Taveras led the St. Louis Cardinals to a the 11th inning as the Diamondbacks. Boston 4, Toronto 3; St. Louis 5, Milwaukee 3; LA Angels 8, Minnesota 5; Atlanta 4, Miami 3 (10 victory over the . Adams snapped a four-game losing streak with a vic- Gordon delivered the go-ahead run with innings); Seattle 4, Texas 2; Colorado 7, San Diego 6 (12 innings); LA Dodgers 5, Arizona 2. returned to the lineup after a two-game tory over the Chicago Cubs in a suspended an RBI single and Ramirez added a two-run American League absence because of a nagging left oblique game carried over from Friday. double to give the Dodgers (80-62) their Eastern Division Eastern Division problem. Mired in a 7-for-52 slump in his last The Pirates third baseman went 4-for-6 but fourth straight win and 14th in 18 meetings W L PCT GB Washington 79 61 .564 - 15 games, Adams smacked a 1-1 curveball left the game in the bottom of the 11th after this season over the Diamondbacks (59-83). Baltimore 82 59 .582 - Atlanta 74 68 .521 6 from Brewers right-hander Kyle Lohse to give appearing to twist an ankle after catching a Los Angeles also maintained its two-game NY Yankees 73 67 .521 8.5 Miami 68 72 .486 11 the Cardinals (78-64) a 2-0 lead. The five runs popup in short center. Pittsburgh (72-68) had lead in the over the San Toronto 72 69 .511 10 NY Mets 67 75 .472 13 allowed by Lohse (12-9) marked the latest not led since the Cubs forced a 3-3 tie in the Francisco Giants. Tampa Bay 69 74 .483 14 Philadelphia 66 75 .468 13.5 struggles for the right-hander, who went 1-5 fifth inning of a game that eventually took 4 Boston 63 79 .444 19.5 Central Division with a 7.30 ERA in five August starts. The win hours, 20 minutes to complete because of rain Red Sox 4, Blue Jays 3 Central Division St. Louis 78 64 .549 - moved St. Louis four games ahead of delays. Boston scored in each of the first four Kansas City 78 62 .557 - Milwaukee 74 68 .521 4 Milwaukee (74-68). innings to back another strong start by Clay Detroit 77 65 .542 2 Pirates 5, Cubs 0 (Second game) Buchholz and the Red Sox held on to beat the Cleveland 73 67 .521 5 Pittsburgh 73 68 .518 4.5 Cincinnati 67 75 .472 11 Phillies 3, Nationals 1 Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-5 with his . Left fielder Yoenis Cespedes Chicago White Sox63 78 .447 15.5 and catcher Christian Vazquez each had an RBI Chicago Cubs 64 78 .451 14 A.J. Burnett allowed one run in seven team-leading 73rd RBI to lead the Pittsburgh Minnesota 61 81 .430 18 innings and Ryan Howard drove in the first Pirates to a victory over the Chicago Cubs in double for the Red Sox, who overcame an ear- Western Division Western Division two runs with a bases-loaded single in the the regularly scheduled game at Wrigley Field. ly deficit to win for the third time in six games. LA Angels 86 55 .610 - LA Dodgers 80 62 .563 - third as the beat the The victory completed a sweep for the Pirates Buchholz was charged with two runs and four Oakland 80 61 .567 6 San Francisco 78 64 .549 2 . The win clinched the (73-68), who recorded a 5-3 triumph in 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five, walking Seattle 78 63 .553 8 San Diego 66 75 .468 13.5 series for the Phillies (66-75), who have now innings in the continuation of suspended two and retiring 12 straight batters between Houston 62 80 .437 24.5 Arizona 59 83 .415 21 won five of their last six series. First-placed game from Friday. The Cubs (64-78) dropped the second and fifth innings. — Agencies Texas 53 89 .373 33.5 Colorado 58 84 .408 22 Hamilton puts pressure on Rosberg with Italy win

MONZA: Lewis Hamilton battled back from an back on track, Hamilton seized the lead in the announced he was staying for 2015. agonisingly slow start to win the Italian Grand decisive moment of the afternoon. The points, at the fastest track on the calen- Prix for Mercedes yesterday and slash team The two crossed the finish line 3.1 seconds dar, meant Williams leapfrogged Ferrari into mate Nico Rosberg’s Formula One champi- apart, with Hamilton celebrating his first win third place in the constructors’ standings. onship lead to 22 points. since Britain in July. It was his fifth of the sea- In the absence of their current Ferrari Rosberg finished second as dominant son and 28th of his career, taking him ahead of heroes, the passionate home crowd welcomed Mercedes celebrated their first one-two since triple champion Jackie Stewart in the all-time their ex-driver’s appearance on the podium Austria in June and seventh in 13 races. With lists. “It was a difficult race,” said Hamilton. “For with cheers as they spilled out in a vast red the sport taking a deep breath as the champi- whatever reason, at the start the button didn’t wave onto the start/finish straight. onship rivals lined up together on the front press which engages the launch sequence. Rosberg, blamed by his own team for the row, two weeks after they had collided in “For the formation lap it didn’t work and second lap Spa collision that led to Hamilton’s Belgium, the start provided an immediate sen- when I got to the grid and put it on again, retirement from that race, was booed for the sation. Hamilton had taken pole position for again it didn’t work. It was very strange. I’ve second grand prix in a row. the first time since May but problems with the never really had that happen before. Massa’s Finnish team mate Valtteri Bottas car’s start mode left him struggling to get “I tried to pull away as fast as possible and was fourth following another highly impres- away and fourth into the first corner as the RPM was all over the place. Fortunately I sive day of overtaking after he had dropped Rosberg sped away untroubled. managed to not lose too many places.” from the second row to 10th at the end of the It was the start of a thrilling chase, with the Rosberg now has 238 points to Hamilton’s 216, first lap. Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso retired from 2008 world champion fighting back and retak- with six races remaining after the end of the his team’s home race on lap 29 with a failure in ing the lead on the 29th of 53 laps when European part of the season. the car’s energy recovery system, his first Rosberg missed the first chicane as he had Brazilian Felipe Massa finished third for mechanical retirement in 86 races, while Kimi done earlier in the race. Williams, his first podium appearance since Raikkonen finished ninth. Until yesterday, MONZA: Winner Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton (L) celebrates next to second With the German under pressure and driv- Spain last year with Ferrari, on Brazilian inde- Alonso was the only driver to have scored placed Mercedes’ German driver Nico Rosberg on the podium after the Italian Formula ing straight on, slowing and weaving to get pendence day and after the team had points in every race this season. — Reuters One Grand Prix motor race at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza yesterday. — AFP