Fernandez, Blue Jays WS champ, dies

Tony Fernandez, a stylish shortstop who made five All-Star teams during his 17 seasons in the major leagues and helped the Blue Jays win the 1993 World Series, died Sunday after complications from a kidney disease. He was 57.

Fernandez was taken off a life support system with his family present at a hospital in Weston, Florida, said Imrad Hallim, the director and co-founder of the Tony Fernandez Foundation. Fernandez had been in a medically induced coma and had waited years for a new kidney.

Fernandez won four straight Gold Gloves with the Blue Jays in the 1980s and holds club records for career hits and games played.

In 43 career postseason games, Fernandez batted .327 with 23 RBIs and a .787 OPS. He went 7-for-21 (.333) with nine RBIs in the 1993 World Series, helping the Blue Jays beat the Phillies in six games for their second consecutive title.

Fernandez was instrumental in the Indians’ 1997 American League pennant. He batted .357 in the ALCS and homered in the 11th inning at Camden Yards to give the Indians a 1-0 win in the clinching Game 6. He then hit .471 with four RBIs in the World Series against the Marlins.

His two-run single in the third inning of Game 7 put the Indians ahead 2-0, but the Marlins tied it in the bottom of the ninth and won 3-2 in 11 innings to take the title.

He was a .288 hitter with 2,276 hits and 844 RBIs in 2,158 big league games. Especially early in his career, he was a breathtaking defender at shortstop.

He also played for the Padres, Mets, Reds, Yankees and Brewers in a career that stretched from 1983 to 2001.

Golf:

Seven-time major champion Inbee Park saw a seven shot lead shrink to two before winning the Women’s Australian Open by three strokes to clinch her first LPGA title in almost two years. Park shot a 1-over 74 for a 14-under 278 total, holding off American Amy Olsen at the Royal Adelaide Golf Club. The 31-year-old former World No. 1 won her 20th LPGA title.

Tennis:

Kyle Edmund won his second ATP title, wearing down Andreas Seppi for a 7-5, 6-1 victory at the New York Open. Edmund won five straight games to take the first set and build a big lead in the second. Seppi, 35, hasn’t won since 2012.