Dein erstes Forum » Yankees.Sheer joy, Parker said.NY NUMB

RIO DE JANEIRO -- As the tears flowed, Charlotte Dujardins thoughts were on her horse Valegro rather than her record-equalling feat of becoming a three-time Olympic gold medal-winner for Britain.Valegro, part-owned by Dujardins coach and teammate Carl Hester, is nearing the end of his remarkable career and while his retirement date is not yet set in stone, this is his final Olympics.And as her gold medal standing was confirmed, Dujardins mind was on him and their 10-year partnership, not her remarkable score of 93.92 percent in the grand prix freestyle individual final.I feel I couldnt have done anymore, Dujardin said. It literally felt as if he had done his very best. I am just emotional.?Dujardin is now level with Laura Trotts record of three Olympic golds after a performance which narrowly missed her own 2014 world record score of 94.300 percent.She also draws level with Richard Meades previous record of three equestrian golds as she produced a test with wonderful poise, agility and all to the beat of the samba drum.Though the local crowd favoured Spains Severo Jesus Jurado Lopezs routine, clapping along to the final tones of Bon Jovi as he rode one-handed, it was Dujardins test that was pitch-perfect under the beating sun.At London 2012 Dujardins gold medal-winning routine was to the booming sound of Land of Hope and Glory and aspects from The Great Escape yet here there was a Brazilian theme to her routine.She mixed in melodies from the film Rio -- something American Simone Biles also utitlised in her gold medal-winning floor routine in the gymnastics -- as Valegro went from half-pass, to pirouettes, to the remarkable piaffe while working in wonderful harmony with his brilliant rider.It was an amazing feeling in there, Dujardin said. I had a really lovely time. I was grinning because this could be the last time and I thought Id go in there and give it everything for a horse. I think he knew I was thinking that. He just looked after me, helped me, did his best.It was a mesmeric occasion at the dressage and the setting seemed fitting giving dressages military and Olympian roots. Back in 350BC Xenophon, a pupil of Socrates, was exiled from Athens to Olympia after being caught masquerading as a mercenary under a Spartan general.There, in the birth place of the modern Olympic Games, he penned the seminal work On Horsemanship, a guide for training and caring for horses in the military. Inadvertently, he became a forefather of dressage.Here in the heart of the Latin Americas biggest military zone Vila Militar, the 18 riders honoured Xenaphons prophetic guidance -- Anything forced or misunderstood, can never be beautiful -- as the horses worked wonderfully in tandem with their riders.There is something hypnotic about the sport. As they enter the arena, there is the briefest of run ups, the hint of whats to come and then drama-building silence. And then with perfect precision and timing the floor plan starts.The crowd favoured Juardo Lopezs routine and his score of 83.553 percent, which they deemed low, was greeted with boos unfitting for the general feeling of the test. He failed to get a spot on the podium and below Dujardin, Germanys Isabell Werth, the 18th and final rider, snuck in to take silver with 89.071 percent leaving her teammate Kristina Broring-Sehere in third.In the only Olympic sport where men and women compete alongside each other, it was the women who dominated.For Dujardin, who won silver in the grand prix team event last week alongside Hester, the floor plan was a gamble. She had only ridden it once, at Hartpury, and she introduced aspects of the routine on the day of the competition.There was a feeling of unease. For the first time ever, she said to me Im nervous and shes never said that to me in 10 years, Hester said. I could see that on her face and I said to her: Todays about you and nobody else, so please dont ruin your Olympics experience by being nervous now!As Dujardin headed into the arena, the nerves vanished. As soon as I got in there and trotted around the outside, Valegro gave me the most amazing feeling, she said. It put a smile on my face and I knew I was fine. It made everything go away and thats what that horse can do.He can give you confidence like I cant tell. Hes the biggest support, hes a rock. If you feel insecure, he gives you that hug and you feel alright. To go out there and do what I did, faultless, how many horses can do that? Its so rare hes made a mistake. I feel so lucky and privileged to have done what I have with him.For Dujardin, thoughts now turn to the future. Valegro, born in 2002, is nearing the end of his competitive time but Dujardin will not settle for just three golds. She is keen to add further honours to her lengthy list of accolades of three Olympic, five European and two World Equestrian Games golds.I owe it to him to finish at the top, Dujardin said. Ive done it, Ive lived it and Im going to make sure it happens again. He is a once-in-a-lifetime horse.Its another huge challenge to recreate and do it all again. There will never be another Valegro and I dont want anyone ever to compare another horse I ride to him. But its a huge achievement to be able to repeat and get to another Olympic Games.Austin Hedges Jersey . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. Franmil Reyes Jersey . LOUIS -- Heading into the final stretch of the season, the issues for the Chicago Bears banged-up defence only seem to be getting worse. http://www.padressale.com/padres-hunter-renfroe-jersey/ . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. Craig Stammen Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. Jose Pirela Jersey . As he recorded his 23rd and 24th points of the evening, a segment of the sellout Air Canada Centre crowd expressed their appreciation for the Raptors point guard with a smattering of MVP chants.NEW YORK -- If the New York Yankees reach the playoffs, theyll long remember this catch by Brett Gardner.Two outs in the ninth inning, bases loaded, one-run lead. Does it get much better?Gardner made a leaping grab at the top of the left-field wall, clutching the ball as he banged into the fence on Justin Smoaks drive for the final out, and the Yankees held off AL East-leading Toronto 7-6 Tuesday night.I knew I was going to be able to catch up to it and get to it, I just didnt know if I was going to run out of room or not, Gardner said.I knew it was going to be close to the wall -- thank goodness it wasnt much higher. Im not too tall and I wasnt going to be able to jump a whole lot higher, he said.A scrambly September game with October implications seesawed to the last swing, and turned at the end in favor of the Yankees. New York won its third in a row and sent the Blue Jays to their fourth loss in five games.At a season-high seven games over .500, the Yankees closed within 4 1/2 games of first place, their smallest deficit since April, and remained 3 1/2 back for the ALs second wild card.The Blue Jays had already scored twice in the ninth off Dellin Betances when they loaded the bases with one out. Blake Parker, the eighth New York pitcher, suddenly became an unlikely closer, and he struck out Kevin Pillar.Smoak was up next -- in August 2015, he became the first Toronto player ever to hit a grand slam in the Bronx.This time, he sliced a deep shot to left.Thought it might have had a chance, Smoak said, later adding, put a good swing on it, barreled it.But Gardner ran back, squared himself on the warning track and jumped high and back into the padding. He held on for the catch, immediately leaped in the air to celebrate and tossed the ball high.I think as the ball went in to my glove, my glove hit the wall. And on a play like that, you want to make sure the ball goes in the glove before you hit the wall, he said.The Yankees rushed out to congratulate him and a few minutes later, a replay of the catch drew another ovation from the fans.The 29-year-old Smoak and 33-year-old Gardner know each other from growing up in South Carolina.Hes an old man, SSmoak said, smiling.ddddddddddddTyler Austins two-run homer in the seventh off AL ERA leader Aaron Sanchez put the Yankees ahead 3-2. Pillar lined a two-out, two-run double in the eighth that gave the Blue Jays a 4-3 edge.The Yankees then rallied for four runs in their half for a 7-4 lead, capped by Chase Headleys two-run homer. The drive off Jason Grilli (5-5) left the reliever bent over at the mound in frustration.With the Yankees running out of time to chase a playoff spot, manager Joe Girardi spared no expense with his staff. Chasen Shreve (2-1) wound up with the win and Parker got his first save since 2013 with the Cubs.Betances made it interesting in the ninth, walking the first two batters while working his third straight day. Edwin Encarnacion and Melvin Upton got RBI singles on infield hits to pull Toronto within a run.Encarnacion hit his 37th homer into the second deck for Toronto and tied his career high with 111 RBI. He started the day tied with Angels slugger Albert Pujols for the league lead in RBI.Playing on his 25th birthday and batting ninth, Austin sliced a two-out drive to right-center. His only other homer came on Aug. 13 in his first major league at-bat.Brian McCann also homered for the Yankees.Little did anyone know what was on deck. In a game of timely hits, it was Gardners defensive play that thrilled the Yankees.Sheer joy, Parker said.NY NUMBERSThe Yankees had lost five straight home series to Toronto before winning the first two games in this three-game set. ... Austin became the first Yankees player to homer on his birthday since Alex Rodriguez last year. ... Rookie Gary Sanchez has reached base in 21 straight games.UP NEXTBlue Jays: RHP Marcus Stroman (9-6, 4.58) has allowed eight earned runs in 12 innings over his last two starts.Yankees: RHP Bryan Mitchell was promoted from Triple-A before the game and is likely to make his Yankees debut this year, starting vs. Toronto. He injured a toe in spring training and missed most of this season. Hes 0-3 in stints the past two years with New York. ' ' '