National Sports

TORONTO — Whit Merrifield has waited the better part of a decade to make his first appearance in a Major League Baseball playoff game.

TORONTO — Jersey-clad fans of all ages descended on downtown Toronto Friday afternoon to cheer on the Blue Jays in the opening game of the wild-card American League series.

ŁÓDŹ, Poland — Canada pushed host Poland to a fifth and deciding set at the FIVB Women's World Volleyball Championship on Friday, but ran out of gas much to the delight of 10,000 screaming fans in Lodz, Poland.

NEW YORK (AP) — Twitter will offer live broadcast look-ins throughout Major League Baseball's postseason.

HALIFAX — Hockey New Brunswick is the latest provincial governing body to suspend its $3-per-player participant fee to Hockey Canada while the national governing body is under independent review.

WINNIPEG — Jermarcus Hardrick is going to ensure his helmet is buckled on tight when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers host the Edmonton Elks on Saturday.

Experts say Hockey Canada's "scorched-earth" response to criticism over its mishandling of alleged sexual assaults could sink the sport's national governing body as we know it today.

CALGARY — The Calgary Flames have signed defenceman MacKenzie Weegar to an eight-year, US$50-million contract extension.

TORONTO — Sportswear giant Nike has suspended its partnership with Hockey Canada, pausing all support for the sport's national governing body amid an increasing backlash over its mishandling of alleged sexual assaults.

TORONTO — Canada Soccer's recent revised compensation proposal to its players is a sign of progress but a deal has yet to be reached, says Canadian international Mark-Anthony Kaye. "There are some improvements in it.