Janssen also wants to be closer to Toronto and with the | Forum
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Mar 14 '18
HALIFAX - Canada has a 2-0 lead in its Davis Cup tennis playoff against Colombia. Riechedly Bazoer Jersey . Vancouvers Vasek Pospisil beat Santiago Giraldo 6-3, 7-6 (2) 6-3 in the opening singles match at the Halifax Metro Centre on Friday. Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont., then followed with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 decision over Alejandro Gonzalez. "It certainly wasnt the best tennis that I ever played but I am happy with the way I competed," said the 24-year-old Pospisil. "I played really well on the big points. "The court here in Halifax is very, very fast, which favours my serve, but also makes it difficult to set up points. But I managed to adjust, and thats why I felt really happy after this first win" Raonic dominated his match with a powerful serve and forehand. Raonic finished Gonzalez off in one hour 45 minutes with 30 aces to the Colombians one. "Canada is a very difficult opponent" said Colombian captain Mauricio Hadad. "Both our players had their chances, particularly Santiago, but Pospisil came up with some big serves and huge forehands in the most important moments of the match." Raonic was so focused on doing well and winning second point for Canada today that he wasnt even bothered with the fact that the radar gun that measures the speed on the serve wasnt working properly. "I was serving quite well today despite some problems earlier in the match, and I know that this can be demoralizing for my opponents," said Raonic. "I was really motivated to do well today, although my performance was probably at a B-plus level." Martin Laurendeau, the captain for Canada, praised both his players. "It was a good day at the office. Two wins without losing a set, against solid team is very satisfying." said Laurendeau. "But we still have to win one more point. It can happen on Saturday in doubles, but Colombians are a very good team. We have to play well again" Fast surface at the Halifax Metro Centre favours Canadian players who are used to hard courts and playing indoors. "But doubles is a different story, there is no rallies, and if you are returning well and can finish the point the big serve is not a deciding factor" said Laurendeau. The best-of-five tie continues Saturday with Pospisil and Torontos Daniel Nestor facing Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in doubles. On Sunday, Raonic plays Giraldo while Pospisil takes on Gonzalez. Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., is Canadas spare. The winner of the tie moves into the elite World Group next season. Canada is looking to reclaim its World Group spot after a first-round loss to Japan earlier this year. A loss to Colombia would relegate the Canadians to Americas Zone Group I for the first time since 2011. Joel Veltman Jersey . Since coming to the big leagues in late May, La Stella is 6 for 7 with the bases loaded, driving in 13 runs in those at-bats. Jetro Willems Jersey . Kelli Stack and Alex Carpenter also scored for the Americans, who avoided a repeat of Finlands upset at the Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, N.Y., in November. Finnish goalie Noora Raty made 58 saves in that one, but the three-time Olympian could stop just 40 of 43 U.KANSAS CITY – His Blue Jays mired in their first prolonged slump of the season, losers of six of eight and prone to giving away games in which theyve enjoyed healthy leads, star shortstop Jose Reyes has noticed bad habits creeping into the teams games and wants them nipped in the bud. "We cannot stay the same way the whole season long," said Reyes. "This is not acceptable. Something needs to change because were a better team than what were showing right now. Its a long season and we just need to continue to push." Its been a frustrating week for the ballclub. Dating back to the start of the last homestand, a week ago Tuesday versus Baltimore, the Jays have lost four games in which theyve led by at least three runs. The bullpen, usually reliable, has allowed 23 earned runs in 25 2/3 innings (8.06 ERA) in that span. Making matters worse, the Jays played perhaps their worst game of the season on Tuesday in Kansas City, which starts a string of 20-consecutive games without a day off. There were fundamental mistakes sprinkled throughout, including a run-scoring throwing error; the Royals taking an extra base twice on balls hit to left field; an arcing fly ball that bounced on the warning track for a double to start the Kansas City comeback; and Edwin Encarnacion not hustling out a ground ball and wild throw with two runners on. "This is baseball," said Reyes. "Sometimes the stuff in baseball doesnt go perfect. Sometimes youre going to make a mistake but you have to learn from that mistake." Its early and the Jays entered action on Wednesday only three games behind the division-leading New York Yankees but Reyes doesnt want the club consistently giving away games any longer. "When you go through September, if youre competing for making the playoffs those are the games you say, Oh man, I lost those games in April and you see where we are now and we need those games," said Reyes. "But like I said thats in the past and as a player you have to put stuff in the past and try to get it the next day." LAWRIE OUT OF THE LINEUP Brett Lawrie missed his first game of the season on Wednesday night, sitting out with tightness in his back. The 24-year-old is hitting .192/.243/.384 in 107 plate appearances. His six home runs rank second on the club behind Jose Bautista (8). Lawrie leads the Blue Jays with 20 RBI. Lawrie gave no indication he was concerned for the long-term, deeming himself day-to-day. GIBBONS CONSIDERING McGOWANS ROLE Dustin McGowans six-inning, two earned run effort on Tuesday night may have earned him another start. "As of right now its going to stay the same," said manager John Gibbons. "Were still debating adding that extra guy for that long stretch. Weve got to decide quick." McGowan, a type 1 diabetic, wore his insulin pump for the first time in an attempt to regulate his blood sugar and maintain energy throughout the game. Tonny Vilhena Jersey. It worked. McGowan alluded to "feeling stronger" as the night progressed. "He did a helluva job (Tuesday) night," said Gibbons. "Hes probably going to start again. My only reservation about it is how good he was in the bullpen. Weve struggled at times down there. Im still not sure where it all leads." On top of McGowans move out of the bullpen, Gibbons is without his closer, Casey Janssen, meaning hes down two quality late-game right-handers. JANSSEN THROWS BULLPEN Casey Janssen is making tangible progress toward his much-anticipated return from an oblique strain. He threw a bullpen session of more than 30 pitches on Wednesday. "Yeah, pain free, just trying to get my arm to work fast again," said Janssen. "I didnt get much of a spring training and want that to start building up and getting strong and getting used to the grind of throwing all those pitches off a slope and throwing aggressively." Janssen will throw another bullpen on Friday in Pittsburgh. If all goes well hell head out on another, hopefully his final, rehabilitation assignment. Hell ask the Blue Jays to place him at Double-A New Hampshire, hoping for better competition than he would get at Single-A Dunedin. Janssen also wants to be closer to Toronto and with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons scheduled to play early next week against the Braves affiliate just outside Atlanta, New Hampshire seems the appropriate spot. As for the recent struggles of his bullpen mates, Janssen doesnt expect the issues to persist. "Honestly, I kind of use this line, but I truly feel that zeroes can be contagious," he said. "When everyones putting up zeroes it seems easier to put up zeroes. Unfortunately when those hitters are comfortable in the box and putting good swings, their confidence level goes up and makes our job a little bit tougher. Its the same guys that had unbelievable years last year, and I dont want the first month to skew anybodys vision of what our bullpen is and what they can be, because its an electric bullpen." LIND TO RESUME BASEBALL ACTIVITIES Adam Lind, out with lower back tightness, is eligible to come off the disabled list on Thursday. He wont be back then but the Blue Jays are hopeful his return will come soon. "Hes feeling better," said Gibbons. "Hes going to take some ground balls either today or tomorrow. Hes swinging the bat. Hes starting to feel better. They backed him off a couple of days ago because it was still irritating him but hes back to go." Lind is under the care of team doctors in Dunedin, Florida. He received a medicinal injection nine days ago to alleviate his symptoms. Hell appear in at least one extended spring training game and could play in a Gulf Coast League game before rejoining the Blue Jays no sooner than this weekend in Pittsburgh. Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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