Compiled by Craig Potter
Today’s SportsROC Report includes stories on the Rochester Red Wings victory, a couple of stories on the Danielle Downey Classic, including a chance to have lunch with Nancy Lopez, a WNY Flash player is selected for Team Canada, the Buffalo Bills QB, and Cleveland native, Cardale Jones, predicted the Cavs NBA title win in 7 games,and the Buffalo Sabres make a couple of moves.
The Rochester Red Wings extended their lead in the International League North Division with an 8-2 victory over the Columbus Clippers on Monday night in the Ohio Capital City.
The Red Wings tallied 5 runs in the first inning as the Clippers pitcher walked the bases loaded before Eddie Rosario’s 1-out single scored 2 runs. With two gone, Buck Britton blasted a 3-run homer over the fence in right-center.
The Wings added solo runs in the second, third, and eighth frames. Columbus scored single runs in the second and sixth innings.
Britton and Rosario each went 2-for-4 with Britton finishing with 4 RBI and Rosario 2 RBI.
James Beresford, Kennys Vargas, and Rosario each crossed the plate twice.
Rochester (43-28) increased its lead over idle Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (41-30) to 2 games. The Red Wings also have the best record in the IL.
Game 2 of the series continues on Tuesday night in Columbus.
Rochester Red Wings outfielder Eddie Rosario has been named the Batavia Downs Gaming and Racetrack Player of the Week for the period of June 13-19.
For the week, Rosario was 7-for-20 (.350) with three runs scored and a run batted in. In the opener of a series with first place Columbus June 14, Rosario scored from second on Adam Brett Walker’s game-winning hit in the ninth – sliding into home and just eluding the catcher’s tag. Rosario also helped the Wings with his defense, making outstanding catches in center field on June 14 and June 16. For the season, Rosario is batting .333 in 28 games, and his .888 OPS is second best on the team.
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Purchasing a ticket to the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic for Saturday, July 16, might also get you and a guest lunch with LPGA golf star Nancy Lopez.
Those attending the tournament on July 16 may enter the “Lunch with a Legend” raffle, sponsored by The Summit Federal Credit Union, onsite at Brook-Lea Country Club between 8-11 a.m. Ten winners will be drawn at random at approximately 11:30 a.m.; the lunch begins at 11:45 a.m.
Each raffle winner and a guest will enjoy a catered lunch inside the Brook-Lea clubhouse, and will have an opportunity to take a portrait with Nancy Lopez. In order to win, both the winner and his or her guest must be onsite at the tournament at the time of the drawing.
The Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic runs from July 11-17. Tournament proceeds benefit Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, a program that presently helps over four thousand upstate New York students including approximately two thousand Rochester-area students graduate from high school, attend college, and/or pursue careers. The program has a proven track record of providing access to enhanced educational and employment opportunities for young people deemed to be at-risk.
Tickets are available at all Rochester-area locations of The Summit Federal Credit Union, at Wegmans, and at www.danielledowneyclassic.com
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Area golf and country clubs have begun The 2016 Summit Cup putting contest, with a grand prize of a Toyota Rav 4. The contest was initiated last year in conjunction with the inaugural Danielle Downey Classic women’s golf tournament.
Qualifying rounds for The Summit Cup take place this month at area clubs, with the exact dates and times determined by each participating location. For a $10 entry fee, each entrant attempts three putts and also receives a ticket to the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic, held at Brook-Lea Country Club July 11-17th. The final showdown, with LPGA golfer Madison Pressel and WBEE’s Jeremy Newman as emcees, will be held during tournament week at the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic at Brook-Lea.
Contest and tournament proceeds benefit Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, a program that presently helps over four thousand upstate New York students including approximately two-thousand Rochester-area students progress toward graduation from high school, attending college, and/or pursuing careers. This program has a proven track record of providing access to enhanced educational and employment opportunities for young people deemed to be at-risk.
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Western New York Flash goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo has been named to Canada’s 18-player roster for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, it was announced today.
D’Angelo, 23, was drafted by the Flash with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2015 NWSL College Draft. A native of Welland, Ontario, D’Angelo made seven starts for the Flash last year and picked up her first professional win on May 2 against the Boston Breakers. She started the 2016 Flash campaign as the starting goalkeeper, starting in six games with 22 saves before a wrist injury put her out of the lineup.
Canada will enter the Olympics as the number 10 ranked team in the world.
Canada’s Olympic roster by position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Stephanie Labbé, Sabrina D’Angelo.
DEFENDERS (6): Shelina Zadorsky, Kadeisha Buchannan, Rebecca Quinn, Rhian Wilkinson, Allysha Chapman, and Josée Bélanger.
MIDFIELDERS (5): Diana Matheson, Sophie Schmidt, Desiree Scott, Ashley Lawrence, and Jessie Fleming.
FORWARDS (5): Janine Beckie, Christine Sinclair (Captain), Nichelle Prince, Deanne Rose, and Melissa Tancredi.
The fourth place Western New York Flash (5-4) look to regain their winning form in the NWSL against last place Boston Breakers (1-7-1) on Friday, June 24, at 7 p.m. at Rochester Rhinos Stadium. Tickets are available for the match at wnyflash.com/tickets with a live stream at youtube.com/NWSL.
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The Buffalo Bills rookie QB and Cleveland native, Cardale Jones, said the Cavaliers NBA championship has shined more light on his hometown after a countless number of pro sports disappointments. Bills Insider Chris Brown provides the details. Here is his report:
The Cleveland Cavaliers had just gone down to defeat in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on their home court to the defending champion Golden State Warriors and fell into a three games to one series hole. Cleveland native and ardent Cavs fan, Cardale Jones took to Twitter and tweeted on June 10, “Cavs in 7, you heard it here first”
How could a sports fan who grew up in Cleveland and had been through the countless number of heartaches be so confident that the Cavs would prevail and pull out the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history?
“I said Cavs in seven. Just to see what type of game that was they started to click toward the end of that game and then when they said Andrew Bogut was out for the series I said, ‘It’s over,’” Jones told Buffalobills.com. “I was willing to make a friendly bet with anyone that the Cavs were going to win. Just the way that LeBron (James) and Kyrie (Irving) started attacking the paint it was just something you didn’t see all series. So I said Cavs in seven and you heard it here first.”
Jones also tweeted that unless you grew up in Cleveland that you may not be able to fully grasp what the Cavaliers title means.
“I don’t want to take anything from the fans and their experiences, but living with those experiences in Cleveland and having to wait until the next year and having the chance to celebrate now and seeing people wearing T-shirts everywhere that show how proud we are of our city,” Jones said. “Examples of how we show how proud we are to be Cleveland natives. You really don’t understand what it means to the city with something like this happening unless you grew up there.”
So how does Jones feel today knowing his hometown NBA team has ended the championship drought in Cleveland?
“It almost feels like that weight has been lifted off your back,” said Jones. “The city has a little more light to it and it feels good.”
Now a rookie quarterback with the Bills, Jones is already familiar with the sports shortcomings of Buffalo’s professional teams. So as a Cleveland fan, Jones offers the following to Buffalo fans still waiting for that special day of winning a title.
“It feels great,” Jones said. “And it’s a feeling I hope I can help to bring to this city one day.”
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The Buffalo Sabres announced on Monday that the team has acquired the rights to forward Jimmy Vesey from the Nashville Predators in exchange for a third-round pick, No. 76 overall, in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Vesey (23, 6-foot-2, 201 lbs.) recently completed his senior season at Harvard University (NCAA) where he won the 2016 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player. During the 2015-16 campaign he paced all Crimson skaters and finished third in the ECAC with 46 points (24+22) in 33 games.
The North Reading, MA., native finished his collegiate career with 144 points (80+64) in 128 games and was named ECAC player of the year after the 2014-15 season. Internationally, Vesey won a gold medal for Team USA at the 2013 World Junior Championship and took home a bronze medal as part of USA’s 2015 World Championship squad, where he was a teammate of Sabres forward Jack Eichel.
The Sabres also signed forward Nicolas Deslauriers to a two-year contract extension.
Deslauriers (25, 6-foot-1, 212 lbs.) set a new career-high with six goals during the 2015-16 season and finished the campaign with 12 points (6+6) and 59 penalty minutes in 70 games.
The LaSalle, Quebec native was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round (84th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft before being traded to Buffalo on March 5, 2014. In 169 career games for the Sabres, he has 28 points (12+16) and 148 penalty minutes.