Charles Leclerc has questioned Ferrari's strategy for the Hungarian Grand Prix after dubbing his sixth-place finish as a "disaster".
A decision to put on the hard-compound tyre brought an abrupt end to Leclerc's hopes of winning the race, conceding position to Red Bull's Max Verstappen – who now sits 80-points clear in the championship standings after another victory.
Performances from others on the grid had already shown that the hard compound tyre was not competitive in Sunday's race but Ferrari, having used the medium compound twice, elected to take the hard rather than push out a longer stint before taking the softs.
That decision proved to be the undoing of Ferrari's hopes in what was an afternoon to forget, with neither driver finishing in the podium spots despite starting second and third on the grid.
Leclerc, who took full responsibility for his crash in the French Grand Prix a week ago, was asked whether he could explain the team strategy and says questions will be asked during a debrief.
"We need to speak with the team and understand the thought behind putting on the hard because I felt very strong on the medium, everything was under control," he told Sky Sports.
"For some reason, I don’t know what, we needed to go on the hards. I said on the radio that I was very comfortable on the medium and I wanted to go for as long as possible on those tyres because the feeling was good.
"I don't know why we took we took a different decision. Honestly, the pace on my side I was pretty happy with.
"The only thing is that obviously everyone will remember the last part of the race which was a disaster for me, especially the hard, that's why I lost the race.
"I lost 20 seconds with the pit, another maybe six seconds on five laps on the hard because I was all over the place with this tyre and yeah, that's where we lost our race."
Leclerc's team-mate Carlos Sainz was equally disappointed and says he simply did not have a car capable of mounting a challenge.
"We clearly struggled as a team. Today, we're a bit puzzled because we expected to have good race pace coming from Friday, but it's clear that these lower temperatures, the track condition changes, there was something going on with the car and the tyres," he told Sky Sports.
"We were not fast. It's something to analyse, to look back, regroup, see what we did wrong for these kinds of conditions and come back after the summer break with a better package."
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff defended Ferrari's tyre strategy and believes it was the only call they could have made.
"I think they had no option. They had only hard and soft left, for the soft it was too early, so it was only the hard," he said to Sky Sports.
"The mistake I think happened on Friday or Saturday, not to carry over a new medium."
Max Verstappen celebrated a "crazy" success at the Hungarian Grand Prix, after coming from 10th to take a surprise win.
Reigning world champion Verstappen looked unlikely to challenge for victory on Sunday following a frustrating qualifying session.
The Dutchman had looked ominously fast but a power unit issue on his out lap ahead of a second flying effort ended hopes of pole.
Yet Verstappen will head into Formula One's break with an 80-point lead in the championship standings after powering to a hugely impressive win that sees him equal Nigel Mansell's record of the most F1 triumphs for a single team.
Rain threatened to cause late drama but Verstappen held firm to seal a famous victory for Red Bull, despite at one point spinning on the track.
"It was a crazy race, very happy that we won it," said Verstappen, who finished over seven seconds ahead of second-placed Lewis Hamilton and more than 12 seconds quicker than third-placed George Russell.
"I was of course hoping I could get close to a podium. Very tricky conditions out there but we had a really great strategy, really reactive, always pitching at the right time and then even at the end, with the 360 [spin], we won the race."
Explaining how he had lost control of the car during his 360-degree spin, Verstappen said: "I was struggling a bit with the shifts and the clutch and we had to change a few things around that to not basically burn the clutch.
"That cost me a bit of performance and it caught me out on that corner. Luckily, to do a 360, so I only lost one spot.
"It was very good. I was battling a lot of guys so it was a lot of fun out there."
Lewis Hamilton is confident Mercedes are "closing the gap" on their rivals following another impressive drive from the Briton at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Hamilton, starting seventh, benefited from a strong strategy by his team to work his way through the order, overtaking Ferrari's Carlos Sainz for third and then leapfrogging his team-mate George Russell.
The result secured back-to-back podium finishes for Hamilton who, surprisingly, has achieved more top-three finishes this season than title hopeful Charles Leclerc, who has seen his bid to take Max Verstappen's crown crumble.
Ferrari's main challenge in the final nine races of the season after the upcoming break may now come from Mercedes, who sit just 30 points behind in the constructors' championship, and Hamilton believes there is a solid platform to build on.
"I was definitely struggling at the beginning of the race and wasn't sure if I was going to be able to catch the guys up but bit by bit, I was more comfortable with the balance and had a really good start as well," he said on the grid.
"I really want to acknowledge my team who have pushed and never given up in this tough year so far.
"To be on the podium, for both cars to be on the podium twice, it is pretty special for us and really unlucky for George today.
"The other guys still have a bit of an edge but we are clearly closing the gap and this is just an amazing way to go into the break knowing that we have this performance.
"Hopefully we can bring some more into the second part of the season and start fighting with the guys up front."
Russell started the race in pole position after his surprising Q3 session on Saturday but was unable to stay ahead and admitted he thought the race was there to win in the early stages.
"When it started spitting and we were on the soft tyres at the start I thought we were on," he said.
"Towards the end on the mediums with the slightly heavier rain I really struggled."
Having secured back-to-back third-place finishes, Russell also praised the improvements shown by his team after what was a poor start to the 2022 season.
"Amazing job by the team. Pole position yesterday and a double podium - we're definitely making progress, so really proud of the work we've done," he added.
Andy Murray set his sights on a deep run at the Citi Open to bolster his fundraising for war-hit Ukrainian children, as Hollywood actor Ben Stiller sent a message of support.
Three-time grand slam winner Murray has a 19-11 win-loss record in 2022 and wants to improve that substantially before the year is out.
In March, the Scot pledged to donate the rest of his season's winnings to UNICEF's Ukraine mission, as the country endures a heavy toll of death and destruction during Russia's invasion.
A disappointing second-round loss to John Isner at Wimbledon was followed by a quarter-final exit to Alexander Bublik at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, with those results not meeting Murray's expectations.
He is being driven by his own hunger for better results, but also an eagerness to put together a big pot of money for UNICEF's appeal.
Citi Open chairman Mark Ein announced his foundation would match Murray's winnings this week and commit that sum to the effort in Ukraine.
"You can't just forget about this," Murray said of the war. "It's still going on. People are still getting killed, children are still having to flee their homes, and are in really, really tragic situations.
"I think it's important that the media continues to shine a light on it, keep talking about it. Hopefully what the tournament is doing here can help a little bit with that.
"I just want to try and win as many matches as possible and raise as much money as I can. It will be a significant amount hopefully by the end of the year. Hopefully it makes a difference."
Stiller is a big tennis fan and has often been seen in front-row seats at the sport's top events.
He tweeted: "So much respect for @andy_murray shining a light on the millions of people - and children - still affected by this senseless war in #Ukraine."
The Reality Bites, Zoolander and There's Something About Mary actor has been a long-time Murray fan, meeting him at the 2013 US Open, a year after the British star took the Flushing Meadows title.
Murray, 35, begins his challenge at the Citi Open, staged in Washington, DC, against Sweden's Mikael Ymer on Monday.
He hailed Ein's Ukraine pledge as "brilliant", adding: "I think it really helps. It shows when the players and the tournaments work together, that really good things can happen." week.”
Max Verstappen extended his championship lead even further with a stellar drive in Hungary to claim victory having started 10th on the grid.
The Red Bull capitalised on more woes for Ferrari to leave Verstappen heading into the break with an 80-point lead, while Mercedes enjoyed a second race in a row with both drivers finishing on the podium.
Ferrari, having started second and third on the grid, had a race to forget with both drivers finishing outside of the podium spots - with Carlos Sainz in fourth and Charles Leclerc coming home sixth.
At the start, pole-sitter George Russell was immediately put under pressure by the Ferraris behind him but maintained his advantage following the first corner, then opening a two-second window following an early virtual safety car after contact between Alex Albon and Lance Stroll.
With soft tyres losing speed, Russell pitted from the lead at the end of lap 16 and Sainz, on the medium, made an overcut attempt one lap later but remained behind the Mercedes.
Verstappen benefited during the first round of pit stops to continue his charge up the grid, taking fourth on lap 21, while Leclerc came out ahead of team-mate Sainz after his stop.
Still in the lead at the start of lap 28, Russell's performance meant Mercedes had led more laps in the race than they had in the entirety of the season prior to this weekend and Russell, though defending aggressively, was overtaken at turn one by Leclerc on lap 31.
Verstappen blinked first in the second round of pit stops and completed an undercut on Russell, then overtaking Leclerc twice, either side of a spin, with Ferrari unable to find the pace on the hard compound as another strategy decision cost the Monegasque, who inevitably had to take a third stop to swap to the softs.
Hamilton's strategy worked much better and saw him stand as the biggest threat to Verstappen's lead heading into the latter stages, overtaking Sainz at the start of lap 63 and then taking team-mate Russell on lap 65.
Late rain threatened to cause drama on the final lap but Verstappen was able to cruise home for a 28th career win - equalling Nigel Mansell's record of the most F1 wins for a single team.
Ferrari, meanwhile, will now be looking over their shoulder after the break with their advantage over Mercedes in the constructors' championship now standing at just 30 points.
Ferrari's frustrating calls
Plenty of scrutiny has been directed towards Ferrari for questionable calls made during the 2022 Formula One season and the Hungarian Grand Prix added further fuel to that particular fire.
Having seen Alpine's own woes on the hard compound, which saw both Esteban Ocon and Fernando Alonso tumble down the field, Ferrari bemusingly still opted to put Leclerc on that tyre.
The poor performance of the compound was shown when Verstappen, who had overtaken Leclerc, spun to lose the position but was still able to chase down his title rival and reclaim the position without too much of a challenge.
Russell's run ends
Heading into the Hungarian Grand Prix, Mercedes duo Russell and Hamilton were the only two drivers on the grid to have improved or maintained their starting position in every race this season.
Hamilton, starting seventh and finishing second, was able to maintain that sequence but Russell, on pole position, secured a third-place finish and saw his run of improvement come to an end.
However, that finish sealed back-to-back podium finishes for Russell at Mercedes, while it also marked the second race in a row with both Silver Arrows drivers on the rostrum.
IN THE POINTS
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +7.834
3. George Russell (Mercedes) +12.337
4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) +14.579
5. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) +15.688
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +16.047
7. Lando Norris (McLaren) +78.300
8. Fernando Alonso (Alpine) + One lap
9. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) + One lap
10. Sebastian Vettel (Aston Martin) + One lap
Drivers
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 258
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 178
3. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 173
4. George Russell (Mercedes) 158
5. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 156
Constructors
1. Red Bull 431
2. Ferrari 334
3. Mercedes 304
4. Alpine 99
5. McLaren 95
Roberto Firmino does not want to leave Liverpool, seemingly dispelling any suggestion he could join Juventus.
Serie A giants Juve had been linked with making a move for Firmino, who has just one year remaining on his deal at Anfield.
Previously a guaranteed starter for Jurgen Klopp, Firmino's place in Liverpool's starting XI is no longer assured, with Diogo Jota having excelled since his arrival from Wolves and Darwin Nunez signing from Benfica.
Sadio Mane also filled in centrally for much of last season, with Luis Diaz having taken up a place on the left, but the Senegal forward has now departed for Bayern Munich.
With Jota sidelined through injury, Firmino – who scored just five league goals last season – started in Liverpool's Community Shield clash with Manchester City on Saturday, which the Reds went on to win 3-1.
Afterwards, Firmino told TNT Brazil he has no intention of leaving Liverpool.
"I love this team, city and [the] fans," the 30-year-old said. "I'm here at Liverpool, and I want to stay, of course."
Firmino played 59 minutes against City at the King Power Stadium, having one shot and creating one chance.
He was replaced by Nunez, who played a pivotal role in Liverpool's victory, winning a penalty that Mohamed Salah converted to put the Reds back in front after Julian Alvarez's equaliser, before scoring late in stoppage time.
Nunez became the fourth player under Klopp to net on his Liverpool debut – after Mane, Salah and Virgil van Dijk.
Klopp had previously emphasised Firmino's importance, saying on Thursday that the former Hoffenheim attacker was "the heart and soul of this team".
Anastasia Potapova proved no match for home favourite Marie Bouzkova in the final of the Prague Open, as the Czech triumphed in straight sets.
Making her fourth appearance in a WTA Tour-level final, Bouzkova ended her wait for a maiden title with a convincing 6-0 6-3 success on Sunday.
Bouzkova, ranked 66th in the world heading into her home tournament, wrapped up the first set in under 30 minutes.
Potapova hit back with two breaks in the second, but an overhit forehand down the line from the Russian handed Bouzkova the trophy in her second final of 2022.
"I just want to thank everyone, it's just a dream for me to win my first title here at home, I couldn't be happier," said Bouzkova, the fifth Czech to win on home soil since the event debuted on the WTA Tour in 2015, after Karolina Pliskova, Lucie Safarova, Petra Kvitova and Barbora Krejcikova.
"I felt your support, even those who aren't here, it's a dream come true, playing in front of a home crowd. My first winner's speech, I'm sorry it's not the best!"
Bouzkova, 24, has now won both of her matches against Potapova, after defeating the 21-year-old in qualifying for the Miami Open earlier this year.
Manchester City's Julian Alvarez hopes to offer Pep Guardiola's side "different solutions" this season, having marked his competitive debut with a goal.
The forward netted a second-half equaliser for City in the Community Shield against Liverpool at the King Power Stadium, cancelling out Trent Alexander-Arnold's opener, though Jurgen Klopp's side would go on to win 3-1 thanks to Mohamed Salah's penalty and Darwin Nunez's late header.
Alvarez's goal saw him catch the eye in what was otherwise a disappointing attacking display from City.
The 22-year-old had just two touches inside the box during his 32-minute spell off the bench, but was a livewire down the right-hand side after replacing Riyad Mahrez, and his goal saw him become the third Argentine to score in the Community Shield, after former City stars Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez.
Signed for a reported £14million from River Plate in January, then loaned back to the South American giants until the end of last season, Alvarez will likely be a supporting member of the City cast in the year ahead due to competition from Mahrez, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, though the latter endured a domestic bow to forget in Leicester.
Premier League rule changes now mean that managers can utilise five substitutes off the bench, however, which should see Alvarez earn more opportunities, and he has vowed to use his versatility to offer alternative options for Guardiola.
"Obviously, I'm very happy for scoring my first goal with City, but that stays aside because it wasn't the result we wanted to start the season winning the trophy," he told City TV.
"Always I try to give my best in training, I've shown I can play different positions at my clubs and with the national team.
"I can offer alternatives to the team with this versatility, I can offer different solutions and I want to give my best to help the team."
City's attention is now cast towards the start of their Premier League title defence, which begins away to West Ham on August 7, and Alvarez is confident it will be another successful campaign despite Saturday's defeat to their rivals.
"It's tough, obviously we didn’t want to start this way. We don't like to lose. We need to keep working," he added.
"It's going to be a good season to fight for all the trophies and we need to carry on working this way.
"Liverpool have shown in the last years how good they are. They're a great team with great players. So [are] City.
"It was a good test to start the season, we played well and played at a good level but we need to keep working to get the results."
Virgil van Dijk told Darwin Nunez to get his "head down, work and be important" for Liverpool after the striker's decisive cameo performance against Manchester City.
Nunez came on with just under an hour played in Saturday's Community Shield clash between the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners.
He made a telling impact, winning a penalty when his header struck the arm of Ruben Dias to enable Liverpool to restore their lead through Mohamed Salah after Julian Alvarez had cancelled out Trent Alexander-Arnold's opener.
Nunez, signed from Benfica for a fee of £64million (€75m), with a further £21.4m (€25m) in potential add-ons, capped off a 3-1 triumph for Jurgen Klopp's side with a header late in stoppage time.
The 23-year-old had been the target of criticism and social media jibes following some sloppy performances early in pre-season, though Nunez scored four in a 5-0 rout of RB Leipzig last week and slotted in seamlessly to Liverpool's attack at the King Power Stadium.
Van Dijk shrugged off the criticism of his new team-mate, who the defender explained is already an important player in Liverpool's squad following the departure of club great Sadio Mane to Bayern Munich.
"He's important. He's difficult to play against and hopefully he can show it for the rest of the season," Van Dijk told reporters.
"We all help him in some ways and make sure that he's comfortable, he's calm and just work, and don't focus on what the outside world has to say because everyone has to say something these days. So head down, work and be important for the club.
"I don't speak Spanish, so I'm not saying anything to him at the moment, but we have plenty of Spanish speakers in the team and I know for a fact that they help him, and I don't see anything that bothers him at the moment.
"But we will see, everyone has something to say because there are so platforms to do it. So it can hit you but it shouldn't. Just enjoy your game, enjoy the group, enjoy the club, because we are very blessed to be able to play for Liverpool."
It was a sentiment echoed by midfielder Fabinho, who himself took time to settle into the Premier League following a move from Monaco in 2018.
He said: "We saw he's getting better from the first game of the pre-season. He did really well for the team.
"We've had three weeks of training, so now he knows the way we play a little bit. We are learning the way he plays a little bit more.
"We know he is fast, he's strong and he's a proper number nine. He will be in the box, it looks like the ball follows him, he will always get the chance to score.
"So yeah, I think it's really important for him to score in the first official game in a Liverpool shirt. He will be very important for us this season."
Liverpool's victory marked their first Community Shield triumph under Klopp, at the third time of asking.
Including occasions when the trophy was shared, only Manchester United (21) have won the trophy more times than the Reds (16), whose performance delivered a message to rivals City ahead of the new campaign.
Van Dijk, though, knows using the Community Shield display to predict how Liverpool's season could go would be foolish.
"We can't look to the future," the centre-back added. "It's a boring answer but we knew that, for example, two years ago we had so many injuries, those are part of football as well.
"We are focussing game by game. Hopefully it will be a successful season, better than last season. We are excited to crack on, and we will see what the year brings."
Jake Paul has called off his fight against Hasim Rahman Jr. due to a weight dispute less than a week before the bout at New York's Madison Square Garden.
The pair were set to clash in the ring on August 6 as part of a card that also featured Amanda Serrano, but Paul has now cancelled the bout after Rahman failed to meet the agreed weight of 200 pounds.
Paul's Most Valuable Promotions released a statement claiming Rahman had agreed to fight at 200lb, only for his team to later look to increase the weight limit to 215lb.
"Hasim Rahman Jr. has pulled out of the fight. This is not a joke, I am devastated, I can not f****** believe this. We just found out this news," Paul posted on Twitter.
"This is just another case of a professional boxer, like Tommy Fury, being scared to fight me.
"It's clear as day that these guys have been so unprofessional to work with, looking for any excuse to suck more money out of this event, to coerce us into doing things.
"From the jump, I knew from the bottom of my heart that this guy didn't want to get into the ring with me. It's clear as day."
Rahman initially stepped up to face Paul as a replacement for Tommy Fury, who pulled out of a scheduled fight against Paul last year due to injury and then could not travel to the United States due to a visa issue.
While Rahman confirmed he was not able to meet the agreed weight, he disputed Paul's claims about money and said he would have fought for $5,000.
"I signed a contract to make 200 pounds within the three and a half weeks I had to do it, but I couldn't do it. My body simply would not let me do it, would not let me get down to 200 pounds," he said in a video message.
"But when in boxing do you see them cancelling fights a whole week in advance? I didn't even get my last week to get down as low as I could.
"I told this man: 'If there’s penalties involved, keep the purse. I'll fight you for the $5,000 minimum.'
"That's how much it means to me and that’s how much faith I have in knocking him out."
Paul would have received a WBC ranking for the first time had he defeated Rahman.
Former Formula One race director Michael Masi has revealed he received death threats following the conclusion of last season, declaring he was "the most hated man in the world".
The Australian came under intense scrutiny for his handling of the controversial final race of the 2021 F1 season in Abu Dhabi, which subsequently saw Red Bull's Max Verstappen beat Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton to the world title.
Masi did not follow the F1's procedure behind the safety car for the late restart, only allowing the lapped cars between Verstappen and Hamilton to pass rather than them all, which left Hamilton defenceless as Verstappen swiftly overtook him to clinch his first world title.
An investigation found Masi had failed to follow the rules and he was removed from his role in February, before leaving the FIA entirely earlier this month.
Criticisms directed towards Masi were not just professional, however, who has spoken about the abuse he sustained in the aftermath of last season's finale.
"There were some dark days. And absolutely, I felt like I was the most hated man in the world," he told Australia's News Corp.
"I got death threats. People saying, they were going to come after me and my family.
"They were shocking. Racist, abusive, vile, they called me every name under the sun.
"And they kept on coming. Not just on my Facebook but also on my LinkedIn, which is supposed to be a professional platform for business. It was the same type of abuse.
"I didn't want to talk to anyone. Not even family and friends. I only talked to my close family but very briefly.
"It did have a physical impact, but it was more mental. I just wanted to be in a bubble. I had no desire to talk to them. I just wanted to be alone, which was very challenging. The whole experience has made me a much stronger person."
Ahead of the 2022 season, F1 made several changes to race procedures, with two race directors now sharing responsibility over the course of the season.
Barcelona coach Xavi is confident Robert Lewandowski will soon find his rhythm at the club, having failed to find the net in pre-season.
The Poland international is one of Barcelona's marquee additions for the 2022-23 season, joining from Bayern Munich, and arrives with an established reputation as one of Europe's deadliest finishers.
Goals have not come in preparation for the new season, but Xavi is not concerned and believes there have been some encouraging signs already.
"The positive is that he has had all those opportunities, I am sure he will mark them," he said following Barcelona's win against the New York Red Bulls.
"In training, they go in; today, they have not gone in. I am convinced that they will go in, I trust him.
"It happened with Luis Suarez, Ferran [Torres] last year. He's going to have chances to score; tonight he's had them, that's the positive part."
There could yet be further transfer business at Camp Nou, as Frenkie de Jong continues to be of interest to Manchester United.
Xavi has insisted playing De Jong at centre-back in a previous friendly was not a "signal" he was to leave, although the coach has almost finalised plans for his first-team squad.
"I don't know if there will be more [signings], it all depends on the financial fair play and the finances," Xavi said. "There will be exits, and I've been clear about that.
"I think I'm 99 per cent sure about [the final squad list], and most players know, too. We have spoken to the players whose future we've decided."
Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma is enjoying playing for Antonio Conte, describing the Italian as "crazy, like me".
The Mali international made his first start for Spurs in their final pre-season friendly against Roma in Haifa, Israel on Saturday, which the Serie A side won 1-0 through a Roger Ibanez header.
Bissouma joined Tottenham from Brighton and Hove Albion for a reported fee of £25million in June, and he told the club's website he believes Conte will push the north London side onto the next level.
"I'm very happy to be with [Conte] and this club," he said after the Roma game. "He's living football and I like that. I like a coach like him, and I know he can push the team higher and the players as well.
"We are trying to do what he wants, and every training [session] is not easier, but we are working [hard].
"I like him because he's crazy, like me. But good crazy, because he's crazy of football."
Meanwhile, Conte saw the positives despite defeat to former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho, although Tottenham's head coach was unhappy with the manor in which his team conceded from a set piece.
"For sure, it was a very tough game, but I think it's good in this way, because in one week, we have to start the season," he said.
"It's positive to have this type of test, a tough test, and to understand if we want to try to be competitive and try to get a win in every game, we have to continue to go strong in every situation.
"The players know we don't want to lose, even in a friendly game. Tonight, we lost due to a detail, because we conceded a goal from a corner, and we have to pay more attention, because if you want to go to another level, you have to take care of the details."
Julio Rodriguez left the Seattle Mariners' win over the Houston Astros in the ninth inning, prompting fears he may have suffered a broken hand.
All-Star Rodriguez is the AL Rookie of the Year favourite after an outstanding first year in the major leagues.
The 21-year-old outfielder has helped boost the Mariners into a wild card spot as they bid to end their 21-year playoff drought.
Seattle improved to 55-47 on Saturday with a 5-4 victory at the AL West-leading Astros, who had won the teams' previous five meetings.
But Rodriguez was out of the game by that point, with Abraham Toro – in as a pinch-hitter as his replacement – delivering the decisive two-run single.
Rodriguez had been hit on the back of the hand batting at the top of the eighth; he struck out and completed the inning in the field before being lifted.
"He did not feel comfortable with a bat in his hand," Mariners manager Scott Servais explained. "So, we'll pray that it is not broke."
This was the Mariners' ninth win this year after trailing in the ninth inning or later.
In the modern era, no MLB team have more such victories before August, with the Mariners' nine tied with the 1921 St. Louis Browns, the 1970 Kansas City Royals, the 1991 Chicago White Sox and the 2003 Cincinnati Reds.
Although Rodriguez's absence was a blow, it was perhaps no surprise Toro was the hero this time.
The former Astro has 52 RBIs as a Mariner, with 20 of those coming against the team he left partway through last season.
"He has been a thorn in our side since we traded him over there," said Astros manager Dusty Baker. "It was a big hit that he got tonight."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
