The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)

Martinez introduced as Nationals manager

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Sports shorts

First-time manager Dave Martinez knows that the Washington Nationals hired him with one goal in mind.

Martinez has started his new job by speaking repeatedly about winning a World Series.

Washington general manager Mike Rizzo introduced Martinez at a news conference in the home clubhouse at Nationals Park on Thursday.

The Nationals have never won a postseason series, but Martinez said: “This team doesn’t lack much.”

Martinez has been a bench coach in the big leagues for a decade, most recently with the Chicago Cubs. He also played 16 years in the majors.

Rizzo calls Martinez a “perfect blend of the old school” with the use of analytical statistics.

RED SOX HIRE LA RUSSA » The Boston Red Sox have hired Tony La Russa to serve as a vice president and special assistant on its baseball operations staff.

The Red Sox announced the hir ing Thursday. In his new role, he’ll work under Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski in all areas of baseball operations, including player developmen­t and consultati­on with the major and minor league staffs.

La Russa served the past four seasons as the Arizona Diamondbac­ks chief baseball analyst, advising Arizona’s base- ball operations department.

The 73-year-old ranks third on baseball’s alltime managerial list , compiling a 2,728-2,365 record in 33 seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Oakland and St. Louis.

He won three World Series titles and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.

NFL

JETS TOP BILLS » Matt Forte ran for two touchdowns f our days after complainin­g the Jets didn’t run the ball enough, and an overwhelmi­ng defense sacked Tyrod Taylor seven times Thursday night in New York’s 3421 demolition of the Bills.

Buffalo (5-3) came in having scored 64 points in its last two wins, but self- destr ucted w ith turnovers and miscues. New York (4-5), which snapped a three-game slide in which it held leads i n each defeat, looked more like the challenger to New England in the AFC East.

Forte scored on runs of 10 and 5 yards and had 14 carries for 77 yards. Augmenting that was Bilal Powell with a 51-yard burst and 74 yards on nine carries. Quarterbac­k Josh McCown got in on the fun with a 15-yard scramble to open the scoring and New York rushed for 194 yards overall.

Jordan Jenkins had two of the Jets’ sacks as they never allowed Buffalo’s offense to get on track.

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