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SPORTS Thursday 27 July 2023

Abrams’ single caps 4-run 9th inning as Nats rally for 5-4 win over

Rockies

HARVEY VALENTINE ion. Just make a couple of
Associated Press pitches and you’re out of
WASHINGTON (AP) — CJ this thing. I firmly believed
Abrams’ two-run single I was going to get out of it
capped a four-run ninth in- until I didn’t.”
ning and the Washington Washington completed a
Nationals rallied to beat 5-1 homestand after going
the Colorado Rockies 5-4 15-22 at Nationals Park be-
on Wednesday for a sec- fore the All-Star break.
ond straight day. “We had a great homes-
A day after using a four-run tand after struggling here,”
eighth to come back from manager Dave Martinez
a 5-2 deficit to beat the said. “The way we came
Rockies 6-5, Lane Thomas back the last two days was
and Jeimer Candelario awesome. I can’t tell you
opened the ninth with enough about the char-
walks against Daniel Bard acter of these guys. They
(4-2) in the finale of the don’t give in, they don’t
three-game series. Joey give up. They play hard for
Meneses, whose three-run 27 outs.”
homer was the difference Andres Machado (1-0)
in Tuesday night’s win, sin- pitched one inning for the
gled to load the bases. win. Ryan McMahon, Ele-
Keibert Ruiz was out on Washington Nationals’ CJ Abrams (5) celebrates with Dominic Smith, center right, after Abrams hit huris Montero and Michael
an infield fly, but Bard hit a walk-off single to score Smith for the winning run in the ninth inning of a baseball game against Toglia homered for Colora-
the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, in Washington.
Dominic Smith with a pitch Associated Press do, which finished 3-3 on its
to walk in a run and make road trip.
it 4-2. Stone Garrett was came on to face Abrams, swung at it. I hit the cut- was struggling with his de- Rockies starter Peter Lam-
out on a slow roller be- who grounded a single be- ter. The cutter kind of got livery. bert allowed an unearned
fore Candelario scored tween first and second to in on me and I got a lucky “I’ve gotten out of bases- run on three hits, all singles.
Washington’s third run. Luis score pinch runner Michael bounce.” loaded, no-out jams be- In two starts since being re-
Garcia was intentionally Chavis for the winning run. Bard, who had allowed fore,” Bard said. “I just felt called from Triple-A Albu-
walked and Ildemaro Var- “I was just looking for any- only two runs over his past like that was going to be querque on July 21, Lam-
gas drew a four-pitch walk thing in the zone,” Abrams eight appearances, said another one, especially bert is 1-0 and has allowed
to tie the game. Matt Koch said. “Saw one in the zone, he felt fine physically but with the three-run cush- one run in 11 innings.q

Rob Manfred’s term as baseball commissioner extended until 2029

NEW YORK (AP) — Baseball said in a statement. “This Commissioner Manfred has
Commissioner Rob Man- season our players are dis- listened to our fans and
fred’s term was extended playing the most vibrant worked closely with our
until 2029 on Wednesday version of our game, and players to improve Ameri-
by major league owners. sports fans are responding ca’s pastime,” Seattle Mari-
The decision to give Man- in a manner that is great for ners chairman John Stan-
fred a third term in charge Major League Baseball’s ton said in a statement.
of the sport was made dur- future. Together, all of us in “Under his leadership, we
ing a vote in a telephone the game will work toward have been responsive to
conference call with the 30 presenting our sport at its the fans’ desire for more
team owners. The extension finest and broadening its action and better pace,
keeps Manfred in place un- reach and impact for our continued the game’s spirit
til Jan. 25, 2029. loyal fans.” of innovation, expanded
Manfred, 64, succeeded Manfred has been criti- MLB’s role in youth baseball
Bud Selig in January 2015 Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred makes cized by some for grant- and softball, and beyond.
and was given a five-year comments before the unveiling of the 2024 All-Star game logo, ing players immunity in the The significant momentum
term. Owners voted in No- Thursday, July 20, 2023, in Arlington, Texas. Associated Press Houston Astros’ cheating that MLB has built reflects
vember 2018 to offer Man- scandal the team and his ongoing initiatives that
fred a new deal through creased. labor contract that runs management were penal- are advancing the game.”
the 2024 season. He presided over the deal through the 2026 season. ized and for allowing the A graduate of the Cornell
Manfred has overseen a with players that led to The collective bargaining Oakland Athletics to pur- School of Industrial and La-
period of on-field change pandemic-shortened 60- agreement also expanded sue a move to Las Vegas. bor Relations and Harvard
for the sport, including in- game schedule in 2020, use of the designated hitter His relationship with players Law School, Manfred be-
stituting a pitch clock and the institution of automatic to the National League. has frequently been icy, came involved in baseball
limits on defensive shifts runners at second base in “It is an honor to serve the and he said after last year’s in 1987, when he was an
this season. Game times extra-inning games that best game in the world and lockout that he wanted to associate at Morgan, Lew-
have dropped by about a began that year and a 99- to continue the pursuit of do better in that regard. is & Bockius and the firm
half-hour and offense by day lockout last year that strengthening our sport on “At a critical moment in was retained as MLB labor
left-handed batters has in- ended with a five-year and off the field,” Manfred the history of our game, counsel.q