He didn't shine as brightly as he has in other matches, but Roger Federer took care of James Blake in four sets Thursday. The world No. 1 and two-time defending champ sprayed his forehand on big shots, but he held off Blake and the crowd. His tennis hasn't shined during the fortnight, but with his nemesis Rafael Nadal out of the draw, it's easily Federer's tournament to lose. As for Blake, he still doesn't have a big win in his career, and if Federer played his best, the match would have ended in straight sets.
-Brooklyn 4, Vermont 3: A three-run seventh inning helped propel the Cyclones into the playoffs. The winning run scored on an error on a ball hit by Dan Murphy. Greg Mullens of Columbia pitched five innnings, and several others combined in the extra-inning affair. The Cylcones will host the first game of a two-of-three series against the Staten Island Yankees.
-Mets 7, Dodgers 0: In what could be a playoff preview, the Mets took care of the Dodgers behind Tom Glavine and enough offense. Of course, only the Mets are guaranteed to make the playoffs. The Dodgers still have some work to do.
