SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015 SPORTS Lorenzo on Italian pole SA plan for WCup glory Alvarez extends contract ITALY: Yamaha’s Jorge Lorenzo took pole position in record EASTBOURNE: Mastery of scrums, line drives and the breakdown will LAS VEGAS: Former WBA and WBC super welterweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez of time at the San Marino MotoGP yesterday with champi- win the World Cup, South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer said after his 31- Mexico signed a multi-fight, multi-year contract extension with Golden Boy Promotions on onship-leading team mate Valentino Rossi also on the man squad arrived for the tournament yesterday. “These are three areas Friday with his next bout set for November. Alvarez, who lost both front row in third place for his home race. Spaniard that will determine the outcome of the tournament and we have spent a world titles on a majority decision to undefeated American Floyd Lorenzo lapped Misano’s 4.2km Marco Simoncelli circuit lot of time working on them,” Meyer said. Mayweather Jr. in 2013, will challenge Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto Meyer also said winning the World Cup, which South Africa achieved in eastern Italy with a best time of one minute 32.146 sec- for the WBC middleweight crown at the Mandalay Bay Resort in in 1995 and 2007, would require playing “seven cup finals” over the next onds, smashing compatriot Marc Marquez’s 2013 pole Las Vegas on Nov. 21. two months. “All the opponents will be difficult and you have to record by nearly eight tenths. Honda’s double world “I am loyal, it’s part of my character and that’s why I am extend- approach each game as if it were a final. The challenge is to play seven ing my contract with Golden Boy Promotions,” Guadalajara-born champion Marquez will line up second on the starting great games in a row.” The Springboks, who are based on the South grid after lapping 0.106 slower. The pole was Lorenzo’s Alvarez (45-1-1, 32 KOs) said in a statement. “Golden Boy Coast of England, start their campaign next Saturday against Japan at Promotions knows how to build a fighter and elevate him to third of the season and 33rd in the top flight, but he was Brighton in Pool B with the coach suggesting it was an opportunity to a world stage as they have done with me and continue to unhappy with Rossi for running slowly in front of him on give game time to players who have been working their way back to fit- do with many others.” The red-haired Mexican, who is his last lap. ness after injury. “Most of the guys coming back from injury will be in the known for his punching power, suffered the only loss of “I was lucky because Marquez could not improve his lap time match 23. But there are one or two who still have some hard work to do his career against Mayweather in a much-hyped title enough, but I could have lost the pole position because of over the next weeks. bout in Las Vegas two years ago. Since then, Alvarez, 25, Valentino on the (racing) line,” he said. “We’ve studied Japan and it’s not going to be easy. They bring a dif- has won his last three fights to set up an intriguing show- Italian great Rossi, a nine-times world champion, leads ferent challenge with a highly technical game. For us it is about taking down with Cotto in two months. “Canelo Alvarez is no Lorenzo in the standings with 236 points to off from the first game and building up momentum.” Meyer insisted his longer the future of the boxing-he is the present, and with the Spaniard’s 224. Marquez is third on side were not favourites and said they preferred “to be under the radar, if a win ... against Miguel Cotto, he will solidify his status as 159 with six races remaining includ- that is possible for us”. “There will be no (external) pressure on us but we the best in the business,” said boxing great Oscar De La ing today’s. —Reuters will put pressure on ourselves to achieve.” —Reuters Hoya, chairman of Golden Boy Promotions. —Reuters Blue Jays down Yankees, Mets roll NEW YORK: Russell Martin homered twice and drove in before it was suspended. It was Cincinnati’s first sus- replaced by Joba Chamberlain, who yielded Oakland. Lewis, who was 0-3 with an 8.62 ERA in his pre- four runs against his former team, and the Toronto Blue pended game this season - three have been rained out. Clevenger’s slam. Clevenger entered the game earli- vious three starts, got a standing ovation from the home Jays went deep five times to beat the New York Yankees Reds first baseman Joey Votto struck out and walked er in the inning as a pinch hitter. crowd after Danny Valencia’s double down the left-field 11-5 Friday night in the opener of their weekend show- three times. He received a two-game suspension on line to start the eighth. down for first place in the AL East. Friday for an altercation with umpire Bill Welke on TWINS 6, WHITE SOX 2 The 36-year-old right-hander (15-8) needed just 97 Josh Donaldson and Justin Smoak each hit a two-run Wednesday, but will keep playing while his appeal is Trevor Plouffe hit a pair of solo homers, including pitches to set a career best in wins, beating his previous shot in a five-run first inning to build a big lead for heard. a tiebreaking shot in the eighth, to lead Minnesota high of 14 from the second of two straight World Series David Price. Edwin Encarnacion added a titanic drive Rain fell intermittently during the game, then inten- over Chicago. Eduardo Escobar added a solo shot in seasons for the Rangers in 2011. after the Blue Jays chased rookie starter Luis Severino in sified in the eighth inning with the Cardinals batting, the Twins’ three-run ninth as Minnesota remained Mitch Moreland snapped an 18-inning scoreless the third. prompting the umpires to call for the tarp. one game behind Texas for the second American streak for Texas with a two-run double in a three-run first Seeking its first playoff appearance in 22 years, League wild card. inning off Oakland starter Jesse Chavez (7-15). Valencia Toronto increased its division lead to 2 1/2 games over CUBS 7, PHILLIES 3 Ervin Santana came through with his third straight reached third on a flyout by Billy Butler in the eighth, but New York. The teams play a rare single-admission dou- Jake Arrieta pitched eight strong innings for his strong start, allowing two runs, on Adam Eaton’s 13th Lewis struck out Muncy to keep the shutout intact. bleheader at Yankee Stadium on Saturday to make up major league-leading 19th win, and Starlin Castro homer in the fifth, through seven innings, while scat- Thursday night’s rainout. The four-game series con- homered to lead Chicago past Philadelphia in the tering six hits and striking out six. In his last three DIAMONDBACKS 12, DODGERS 4 cludes Sunday. first game of a doubleheader. In the second game, outings, Santana (5-4) has allowed just three earned Welington Castillo, Paul Goldschmidt and Nick Kyle Schwarber homered twice to lead the Cubs in a runs in 22 innings and struck out 27. Ahmed homered for the Diamondbacks, who cruised to METS 5, BRAVES 1 sweep of the doubleheader. Arrieta (19-6) won his Plouffe’s second homer, came off Nate Jones (1-2), a victory over the Dodgers. Rookie Steven Matz pitched five strong innings, eighth straight start, allowing six hits with seven the second Chicago reliever, and gave the Twins Ahmed went 4 for 4 with three RBIs, including two Yoenis Cespedes had a home run and three RBIs and strikeouts and two walks to become the first Cubs infielder his third career multi-homer game. doubles and two runs scored. The Diamondbacks won New York took another step toward a division title with for the third time in four games, with four pitchers com- a win over Atlanta. bining to hold the Dodgers to four hits. With Washington losing to Miami 2-1, the Mets lead The last of the four hits was a grand slam by Justin the NL East by a season-high 8 1/2 games. It was the Ruggiano in the top of the ninth inning with two outs. Mets’ fifth straight victory. Castillo’s towering drive far over the wall in left-center Matz allowed one run and six hits as he improved to gave Arizona 3-0 lead, and Chris Owings’ triple drove in 3-0 in four career starts and lowered his ERA to 1.88 Phil Gosselin with the fourth run of the inning off against an anemic Braves offense that is last in the Dodgers starter Alex Wood. majors in runs. Wood (10-10) lasted only 1 2-3 innings, allowing six Rookie Matt Wisler (5-7) took the loss for the Braves runs and eight hits in his shortest outing since coming to after allowing two runs in five innings. Wisler has lost six the Dodgers in a trade on July 30. Robbie Ray (4-11) shut straight decisions for the Braves, who have dropped 22 out the Dodgers for five innings for his first win since of their last 25 games. Atlanta has lost 10 straight at July 7.