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PGA Tour: DeChambeau Birdie Fest

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SILVA – (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – Bryson DeChambeau capped a sizzling back nine with birdies on the final two holes to win the John Deere Classic on Sunday at Silvis, Ill.  DeChambeau charged up the leaderboard with seven birdies over his last 11 holes to earn his first career victory, edging third-round leader Patrick Rodgers by one stroke at TPC Deere Run.

DeChambeau shot a 6-under-par 65, including a 30 on the back nine that featured six birdies, after starting the day four shots off the lead. He finished at 18-under 266.

John Deere Classic - Final Round

SILVIS, IL – Bryson DeChambeau is overcome with emotion after learning the late Payne Stewart’s first PGA Tour victory was also at the John Deere Classic. DeChambeau won with -18 under par at the TPC Deere Run on July 16, 2017 in Sylvis, Illinois. DeChambeau and Stewart both attended Southern Methodist University. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

“It feels like it’s been a long time coming even though I’m 23 (years old),” an emotional DeChambeau said. “It’s pretty special to win here at the John Deere. Didn’t know that Payne Stewart’s first win was here, and that broke me. It was pretty special. … He’s done some amazing things for the game of golf, and I hope I can do something similar down the road.”

DeChambeau, who earned a spot in the British Open with the victory, nearly knocked himself out of the tournament with a 1-under 70 on Saturday.

Despite making four birdies between No. 10 and No. 14, he still trailed Rodgers by two shots with two holes to play.

At the par-5 17th, DeChambeau reached the green in two and cut Rodgers’ deficit in half with a two-putt birdie. DeChambeau earned a share of the lead when his birdie putt at No. 18 just caught the right edge of the cup and dropped in, setting off a fist-pump, double-clutch celebration.

“I knew that I was playing really well and I was fortunate enough to come out with the win this week, and that kind of helps with the (FedEx Cup) standings,” said DeChambeau, who moved up 80 places to 34th in FedEx points.

Rodgers, who led by two shots after both the second and third rounds, lost his share of the lead when his short par putt at the 17th lipped out. He drove over the green at 18, and his chip to tie barely missed the hole.

“Patrick’s a great competitor, I played a lot of golf with him in college,” DeChambeau said. “I was kind of shocked to see he bogeyed 17. I thought I was going to be in a playoff making that putt, but it was enough, fortunately enough, to win here.”

Rodgers wound up with a round of 70 to finish a stroke ahead of Wesley Bryan (64) and Rick Lamb (66), who tied for third place.

Steve Stricker, a three-time winner of this event, was among five players to finish at 269. Stricker shot 65-64 over the weekend to earn his eighth top-10 finish in the tournament.

Zach Johnson (67), a local favorite who was born in nearby Iowa City, joined Stricker, Jonathan Byrd (67), Scott Stallings (70) and Daniel Berger (70) in the tie for fifth place.

Brian Harman (67) and J.J. Henry (69) shared 10th place at 270

NY Yankees Blank Red Sox in G-1

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BOSTON — (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – Didi Gregorius hit a solo home run, CC Sabathia pitched six scoreless innings and the New York Yankees blanked the Boston Red Sox, 3-0, in the first game of Sunday’s “day-night” doubleheader at Fenway Park.  Gregorius’ homer was his 11th of the season. Yankees infielders Ji-Man Choi and Ronald Torreyes drove in one run apiece as New York (47-42) won its second straight after Saturday’s 4-1 win in 16 innings. Sabathia (8-3) allowed two hits and issued a season-high five walks. He struck out three to move within seven of Cy Young’s 2,799 for 20th place on MLB’s all-time strikeouts list.

The game was scheduled as a make-up of an April 25th game postponed due to inclement weather in Boston.

New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox - Game One

BOSTON, MA – JULY 16: Rick Porcello of the Boston Red Sox walks off the mound after allowing a home run to Didi Gregorius #18 of the New York Yankees in the fifth inning of game one of a doubleheader at Fenway Park. (Michael Ivins/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images).

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Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth to record his ninth save of the season.

The Yankees pitching staff did not allow a Red Sox hit with runners in scoring position (RISP) (0-11) and have limited Boston batters to two hits in 31 at bats with RISP (.065) in the first three games of the series.

Reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello (4-12) gave up three runs, only one of which was earned, on nine hits with six strikeouts over six innings for Boston (51-41).

The Red Sox were held to four hits and have gone scoreless in 22 consecutive innings after scoring a run in the third inning of Saturday’s five-hour, 50-minute game. They were shutout for the eighth time this season. three of those coming against their arch rival in New York. Two of those shut-outs occurred at Fenway Park, the other coming when the Sox could muster only three hits in a 3-0  loss April 27.

Choi’s fourth-inning sacrifice fly drove in the Yankees’ first run. Torreyes followed with an RBI single in the next at-bat to make it 2-0.

Gregorius took Porcello deep an inning later, driving a first-pitch changeup an estimated 295 feet around Pesky’s Pole and into the seats in shallow right field.

NOTES: New York recalled RHP Bryan Mitchell and Boston recalled INF/OF Brock Holt as the 26th men for Sunday’s doubleheader. Holt returned from his rehab assignment and was activated from the 60-day disabled list after missing 75 games with recurring problems from a concussion (vertigo). … The Yankees also recalled RHP Domingo German and selected LHP Caleb Smith from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. RHPs Ben Heller and Jonathan Holder were optioned to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. … Red Sox RHP Blaine Boyer (right elbow strain) was placed on the 10-day DL. RHP Austin Maddox was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket. … New York RHP Michael Pineda (right UCL injury) was transferred to the 60-day DL. … Saturday’s 16-inning game was the longest between the two teams at Fenway Park since June 4, 1966. … Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (7-8, 5.47 ERA) opposes Red Sox LHP David Price (4-2, 3.91 ERA) in the nightcap Sunday

MLB Game Scout: Yankees at Red Sox

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NY Yankees at Boston
When: 1:05 PM ET, Sunday, July 16, 2017
Where: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts
Special to Digital Sports Desk by Gracenote

BOSTON – The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will try to summon up the energy for a Sunday doubleheader to cap what has been a wild four-game series thus far at Fenway Park. After the Yankees blew a ninth-inning lead and lost Friday’s series opener, they utilized a game-tying Matt Holliday homer in the ninth and used a three-run rally in the 16th to claim Saturday’s meeting 4-1.

The marathon victory, which lasted nearly six hours, allowed New York to pull within 3 1/2 games of the first-place Red Sox but left both teams with uncertainty heading into a twinbill Sunday. They each used seven relievers in the longest game between the rivals at Fenway Park since 1966 – a scenario which figures to prompt some roster moves Sunday. Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is 0-for-9 in the series, while fellow right fielder Mookie Betts went 0-for-6 for the Red Sox in the 16-inning loss. New York turns to CC Sabathia in the matinee and Masahiro Tanaka in the nightcap, while Rick Porcello precedes David Price for the Red Sox.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, TBS, YES (New York), NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (7-3, 3.81 ERA) vs. Red Sox RH Rick Porcello (4-11, 4.75)

Bryan Mitchell originally was slated to start this game but manager Joe Girardi bumped up Sabathia a day hoping for more length out of his veteran lefty to help out the bullpen. The 36-year-old Sabathia pitched just once after coming off the disabled list earlier this month, lasting 2 2/3 innings and giving up four runs in a loss to Toronto on July 4. Sabathia spun eight scoreless against Boston on June 7 at home but has a 5.25 ERA in 16 career starts at Fenway Park.

After leading the majors in wins a year ago with 22, Porcello entered the All-Star break topping the circuit in losses, although he has given the Red Sox plenty of innings. The former first-round pick, who allowed a run over eight strong innings in a defeat at Tampa Bay before the intermission, has finished at least six frames in 16 consecutive outings. Porcello suffered the loss in each of two encounters with the Yankees this year and is 7-7 with a 3.47 ERA in 16 career starts versus the division rivals.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston placed RHP Joe Kelly (hamstring) on the 10-day disabled list and recalled RHP Brandon Workman on Saturday, while RHP Blaine Boyer left the game with elbow tightness.

2. Holliday’s homer off Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel allowed the Yankees to remain the only team in the majors that has yet to be shut out.

3. New York is 4-39 when trailing after eight innings after going 3-71 a year ago.

Yankees Outlast Sox in 16 Innings

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BOSTON — (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – New York shortstop Didi Gregorius ripped a go-ahead RBI single into right-center field to highlight a three-run 16th inning for the Yankees in a 4-1 win over their longtime rival Boston Red Sox. The game was a five-hour, 50-minute nationally televised epic on Saturday at Fenway Park.  In the decisive 16th, former Red Sox OF Jacoby Ellsbury doubled off Boston reliever Doug Fister (0-3) to open the Yankees’ 16th. Chase Headley’s bloop single to center field put runners on first and third to set up Gregorius’ single to center.

New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox

Matt Holliday of the New York Yankees hits a solo home run during the ninth inning to tie the game 1-1 off Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox (not pictured) at Fenway Park on July 15, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Rich Gagnon/Getty Images)

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Austin Romine followed with another RBI single and Gary Sanchez added a sacrifice fly after a Ronald Torreyes sacrifice bunt and Fister’s intentional walk to Brett Gardner.

Matt Holliday clubbed a game-tying solo homer in the ninth, his 16th of the season, for New York (46-42), which bounced back after blowing a 4-3 ninth-inning lead in Friday’s 5-4 loss.

New York had lost 19 of its last 26 games coming in and pulled within 3 1/2 games of American League East-leading Boston (51-40).

Yankees starter Luis Severino permitted only one run, four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in seven innings. The New York bullpen tossed 9.0 innings of scoreless baseball, the club’s best relief effort since September, 2013 in Arizona.

Ben Heller (1-0) struck out three and pitched the final two innings for the victory.

Boston starting pitcher Chris Sale, the American League starter in the All-Star Game last Tuesday, matched a season high with 13 strikeouts in 7 2/3 scoreless innings. He raised his MLB-leading strikeout total to 191 on the season.

New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox

Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox delivers during the first inning of a game against the New York Yankees on July 15, 2017 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images).

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Sale became the first Red Sox pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 2003 with multiple 10-plus strikeout games against the Yankees in a season. The southpaw allowed three hits and two walks before being relieved by Craig Kimbrel, who proceeded to blow his second save since July 3 and his first at Fenway.
Kimbrel had converted a Fenway-record 30 consecutive saves.

Mitch Moreland drove in the lone run for Boston, which suffered just its second loss in nine extra-inning games this season.

Sale was greeted with an ovation when he came back out to start the eighth, but the cheers turned to boos when manager John Farrell gave him the hook with two outs, a runner on first and Aaron Judge coming to the plate.

After a 10-pitch at-bat, Kimbrel coaxed Judge into an inning-ending flyout to right field.

Kimbrel wasn’t as fortunate in the ninth as Holliday took him deep to lead off the inning, sending a 1-1 pitch approximately 443 feet over the Green Monster in left.

Dellin Betances tossed a scoreless ninth to push the game to extras.

A strange sequence highlighted the Yankees’ 11th as Ellsbury sent a grounder to first with Holliday on first. Moreland fielded the ball on a bounce and fired to second for the first out, but Holliday turned around and slid back into first just as Ellsbury reached. Shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ throw to first was blocked by Holliday, leading to an umpires review for a rules check. The original call that Ellsbury was safe was upheld after a nearly five-minute review. Farrell told the umpires that the Red Sox would play the rest of the game under protest.

Red Sox reliever Blaine Boyer was removed from the game in the 13th inning with right elbow tightness.

Bogaerts’ infield single with one out in the third loaded the bases for Moreland, who drove a ball to center for a sacrifice fly.

NOTES: New York and Boston entered the game having split their last 82 meetings (41-41) since 2013, going 20-20 at Fenway Park and 21-21 at Yankee Stadium. … Yankees 2B Starlin Castro was activated from the 10-day disabled list and returned to the starting lineup. Castro had not played since June 27, missing 13 games with a strained right hamstring. INF/OF Tyler Wade was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. … Red Sox RHP Joe Kelly was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain. RHP Brandon Workman was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket. … Trade talks between the Red Sox and White Sox surrounding Chicago 3B Todd Frazier “intensified,” ESPN Deportes reported. Boston designated 3B Pablo Sandoval for assignment Friday. … Yankees RHP Brian Mitchell (1-1, 5.06 ERA) opposes Red Sox RHP Rick Porcello (4-11, 4.75) in Game 1 and Yankees RHP Masahiro Tanaka (7-8, 5.47) counters Red Sox LHP David Price (4-2, 3.91) in Game 2 of Sunday’s doubleheader

PGA Tour: Rodgers Lead John Deere

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SILVA – (Special to Digital Sports Desk by The Sports Xchange) – Patrick Rodgers carded a 3-under-par 68 on Saturday to maintain his two-stroke lead through three rounds of the John Deere Classic at Silvis, Ill.  Rodgers, who surged to the top of the leaderboard with a superb 64 in the second round, moved to 16-under 197 entering Sunday’s final round at TPC Deere Run.

Seeking his first victory on the PGA Tour, the 25-year-old Rodgers had five birdies and two bogeys in his round to stay two shots clear of fast-closing Daniel Berger and Scott Stallings.

John Deere Classic - Round Three

Patrick Rodgers hits his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run on July 15, 2017 in Silvis, Illinois. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images).

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“This is a nice course to play with the lead to be honest with you because you have to keep the pedal down all day, 16 under is not going to win tomorrow so I need to go out and make a lot of birdies,” Rodgers said. “It was nice to be able to have that mindset today. You’re not ready holding on, you’re still trying to be aggressive and make birdies.”

Rodgers also held the 54-hole lead at the Farmers Insurance Open in February before finishing in a tie for fourth place.

Berger, who won at the FedEx St. Jude Classic last month, birdied seven of his first 11 holes en route to matching the best score of the day with an 8-under 63 as he pursues his third victory of the year.

John Deere Classic - Round Two

Daniel Berger hits his tee shot on the second hole during the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run on July 14, 2017 in Silvis, Illinois. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images).

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Stallings, who opened with a 71, shot his second consecutive 64 to join Berger at 199. Stallings had just one birdie on the front side before shooting a blistering 30 on the back that including four birdies and an eagle at the par-5 17th.

Nicholas Lindheim is alone in fourth place after shooting a 66 while Jamie Lovemark (66), J.J. Henry (68) and Bryson DeChambeau (70) are in a three-way tie for fifth at 12-under 201.

A cluster of 10 players, including local favorite Zach Johnson (70), Charles Howell III (70) and Rory Sabbatini (67), are bunched five shots off the lead

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