WEST SACRAMENTO — Instant reactions from the Red Sox' 4-2 win over the Athletics on Monday at Sutter Health Park:
1. Boston improved to 55-50 while the Athletics dropped to 44-62. The Red Sox are 18-3 in July and won their 10th straight game on the road. They are 23-4 since June 25.
2. Ceddanne Rafaela's first career grand slam and 11th homer this season put the Red Sox ahead 4-1 in the sixth inning. It was only Boston's second hit of the game. The All-Star center fielder connected on a slider from left-handed reliever José Suarez and belted it 382 feet, just clearing the left field wall.
3. Boston didn't record its first hit against A's starter Jack Perkins until Connor Wong doubled to lead off the sixth inning. Perkins retired the next two hitters, Masataka Yoshida and Anthony Seigler, on groundouts before walking Willson Contreras.
Suarez replaced Perkins with runners at the corners. He walked Wilyer Abreu to load the bases, then allowed Rafaela's grand slam.

#first #grand #slam #inning

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 25: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game between Team Coop and Team Spoon at the United Center on July 25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sage Zipeto/Getty Images)
Amid the excitement of the 2026 WNBA All-Star celebrations, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the launch of a Replay Center beginning with the 2027 season, a move intended to address concerns about officiating and on-court safety raised by players, coaches and fans.
"This is one of the most significant investments we've ever made in our basketball operations," said Engelbert during the All-Star pregame press conference on Saturday. "This investment of tens of millions of dollars will help bring greater consistency, efficiency, and transparency to our officiating process, while continuing to improve the quality of the game."
Engelbert shared few details about the project but said that the WNBA will center operations alongside the NBA Replay Center in Secaucus, N.J., where officials will have access to additional camera angles and replay footage to help them make better-informed decisions.
Los Angeles Sparks forward and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike welcomed the move, emphasizing the positive impact it can have on the relationship between players and the league.

#user

'Abhishek Sharma sorted out': Kris Srikkanth believes Sanju Samson will return to India T20I side originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Kris Srikkanth predicts Sanju Samson's recall after Abhishek Sharma's poor form.
Abhishek fails to cross 20 in six straight T20I innings.
Mayank Yadav impresses on his comeback, earns Srikkanth's praise.
Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has predicted that Sanju Samson will soon find his way back into India's T20I setup, and argued that Abhishek Sharma's extended struggles have left selectors with little choice but to make a difficult call regarding his place in the side.

#srikkanth #samson #sharma

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — LaMonte Wade Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk that forced home the go-ahead run in a four-run ninth inning, and the Houston Astros came back to beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-4 on Monday night.
The Astros rallied in their final at-bat on a hit, two walks, two errors and two hit batters to hand the Angels their ninth loss this season when leading after eight innings.
Houston trailed 4-0 after three, but Taylor Trammell homered for a second straight game and the fifth time this season to cut it to 4-1 in the fourth.
Jeremy Peña doubled leading off the eighth against Ryan Zeferjahn, extending his hitting streak to nine games. Yordan Alvarez hit an RBI single to make it 4-2.
José Fermin (3-2) hit Trammell with a pitch leading off the ninth. Christian Walker singled and Trammell scored to make it 4-3 when second baseman Vaughn Grissom let Lucas Spence's potential double-play grounder go through his legs for a costly error.

#houston

Box Score
The road trip for the Brewers started out with the offense mostly silent. They were shut out by the Giants 3-0 on Monday, the fifth time they have been shut out all season. However, it's also the second time it's happened in the last six games.
Scoring chances were very limited tonight. The first came in the second inning. Jake Bauers hit a one-out single, then Andrew Vaughn drew a walk following a challenge. It set up an early scoring chance, but Garrett Mitchell grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Brandon Sproat worked through the first two innings scoreless, but did have to work around a couple situations. In the first, Heliot Ramos hit a fly ball to right, and Bauers appeared to have an easy catch. However, it bounced out of his glove, and Ramos reached second on the error. Ramos would steal third, but Sproat kept him there with a strikeout and groundout.
The Giants got two more baserunners in the second. Casey Schmitt lead off the inning with a single, but had to come out of the game with a leg injury. Pinch-runner Christian Koss stole second and Willy Adames drew a walk, but Grant McCray hit into a double play and Sproat got out of the inning.

#sproat #however

A brain cancer diagnosis could have ended Archie Goodburn's career. Instead, it became the beginning of a story that captivated the Commonwealth Games. He didn't need a medal to win over the crowd. All he had to do was step onto the blocks.
Just two years after being diagnosed with an incurable form of brain cancer, the Scottish swimmer continues to fight battles far beyond the pool. The 25-year-old swimmer, who won the 2023 British Swimming Championships, broke down in tears after finishing seventh in the men's 50m ***** troke final at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
"Outside the pool I dream of a future where brain cancer isn't the biggest killer of those under 40, where the UK government establishes a brain cancer lead to make that change," he said. "I'd much prefer that change is made, and that dream is completed, than any of my personal goals in the pool because what families and young people are going through out there is really beyond the comprehension of many people out there and certainly harder than anything I've had to do as a world-class sportsman."
If we take a look at his journey, the path for him has been anything but ordinary.
In 2024, Goodburn's Olympic dream took a devastating turn. After weeks of experiencing seizures, numbness down his left side and recurring feelings of déjà vu, the then-22-year-old received a phone call after training that changed everything.

#dream

Wasn't it 35 years ago when the Red-Hot Chili Peppers sang "Give it away, Give it away now?" That's exactly what the Angels did on this night. They gave it away; fortunately for Houston. Astros 6. Angels 4.
In the ninth inning, the Astros would do it by a matter of inches. First, Isaac Paredes would be slightly grazed by a pitch with the bases loaded which would tie things up. Moments later LaMonte Wade Jr., by the narrowest of margins, would draw a walk which gave Houston their first lead of the night. A fielding error by Angels reliever Sam Bachman would allow Yordan Alvarez to score an insurance run and that would be your final. It was an improbable comeback, just like Friday night in Chicago.
Even with the jubilation of the end result, much of the night was painted by a sad commentary. The Astros were fortunate to only be down by two runs at the end of the first inning. That was the boat the Astros found themselves in, which actually seemed like more like a sinking ship. The culprit once again was Tatsuya Imai, who allowed four walks and received the quick hook from Manager Joe Espada after tossing just 33 pitches. The issue was 21 of those pitches were ****** , which resulted in a disastrous start from Anaheim.
Upon Imai's departure, AJ Blubaugh would get Angels 3B Denzer Guzman to fly out to end the first frame, stranding three Angels runners. However, in the bottom of the third, Vaughn Grissom would drive in his second run of the night, hitting a solo shot to center field. It was Grissom's 7th home run of season. Josh Lowe would then reach on a throwing error by Jose Altuve. Moments later, Lowe would come around to score on a double by Jo Adell. By the time the third was in the books, the Angels had increased their lead to 4-0. Blubaugh would work 2 1/3 innings, allowing 2 hits, a run, while registering a strikeout.
In the fourth inning, Taylor Trammell would notch his fifth home run of the year on a two out blast to get the Astros on the board. In the bottom of the fourth, Christian Javier (W, 1-1) would enter in relief. Javier would go five innings, striking out seven while scattering three hits. Javier would strike out the side in the bottom of the 8th, throwing just 70 pitches through his performance. It's possible that Javier's outing will ultimately propel him back into the starting rotation next month.

#night #away #pitches

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 27: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates while trotting around the bases after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets in the bottom of the fourth inning at Oracle Park on July 27, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - SEPTEMBER 21: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants celebrates his home in the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on September 21, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 08: Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants trots around the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the bottom of the seventh inning at Oracle Park on September 08, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 20: Manager Tony Vitello #23 of the San Francisco Giants looks on from the bench against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning at Chase Field on May 20, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. Diamondbacks won 6-3. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
On Monday night, the San Francisco Giants opened up a series with the Milwaukee Brewers at Oracle Park.

#california #september #arizona #chapman

Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth laced a liner to the left field wall.
Down a run with two outs in the seventh inning, Colson Montgomery attempted to score from first base. New York Yankees left fielder Max Schuemann made a one-hop throw to shortstop Anthony Volpe, who threw out Montgomery at the plate.
"There were two outs, we all know (Justin Jirschele), I think he's one of the best third-base coaches — he gets really good reads," Montgomery said. "I feel like I got a pretty good jump off it. Lefty (Brent Headrick) on the mound, I felt I couldn't really get too far off first base. I thought I got a pretty good jump and I thought I was going to score. They're good players, too, and made decent relays."
The Yankees added some breathing room with four runs in the eighth, featuring a three-run home run by Ali Sánchez, and defeated the Sox 9-5 in front of 22,357 at Rate Field on Monday.
The Sox saw an early three-run lead evaporate on the way to dropping the opener of the four-game series.

#good #made

Cavaliers reportedly meeting with ex-Warriors champion Jonathan ***** inga to gain edge over Lakers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers are doing everything they can to convince Jonathan ***** inga to join their respective organizations. As a restricted free agent, ***** inga's future is complicated by the Atlanta Hawks, who still have significant control over the process.
The Lakers have been pursuing ***** inga since the beginning of the offseason, and at one point it appeared they were well-positioned to get a deal done. However, ***** inga was not interested in Los Angeles' initial contract offer.
"The Lakers could've signed him to a 2 year, $20M deal. He was not interested in that. I've heard he's been looking for closer to $20M AAV... There's a gap," Lakers insider Jovan Buha said.
Since then, ***** inga's free agency has become one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason. The former NBA champion is reportedly seeking a contract worth more than $20 million annually.

#Lakers #kuminga #cavaliers #reportedly

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Farokh Engineer believes teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already done enough to earn an ODI call-up and wants the 15-year-old to open alongside Rohit Sharma ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Engineer feels India should reshuffle their batting order by moving Shubman Gill to No. 4, allowing Sooryavanshi to partner Rohit at the top while Virat Kohli slots in at No. 3.

"The ideal situation is Shubman Gill and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Gill is a class player. Gill, I think, is the best batsman in the team now. So, Gill should come at four," Engineer told PTI.

The former India star said the combination of a right-handed Rohit and left-handed Sooryavanshi would provide the ideal balance in ODI cricket.

"Gill is not a guy who lifts the ball. So, a left-right combination would be ideal in ODIs. So, if Rohit is playing, and I think he should be playing, let him open with Sooryavanshi.

"A batsman like him (Sooryavanshi) is much better at opening because he finds bigger gaps in the field. Virat Kohli can come third. Gill can come fourth and then we've got a solid batting line-up," he said.

Engineer's remarks come after Sooryavanshi enjoyed a breakthrough T20I series against Zimbabwe. The youngster finished as the leading run-scorer with 151 runs, including two half-centuries, and was named Player of the Series as India completed a 3-0 clean sweep.

According to Engineer, those performances are enough to fast-track the teenager into India's 50-over plans.

"This is probably the right time to draft Sooryavanshi into India's ODI side. I don't know why people distinguish so much between ODI and T20 because for me, a half-volley is a half-volley. He's been getting runs and he's got the confidence to open the innings.

"He'll win more matches for you than lose you. When he gives a start like that, the other players can have time to consolidate the innings and put on a big score," Engineer noted.

While Sooryavanshi struggled during India's T20I tour of England earlier this month, the Zimbabwe series showcased his ability to adapt. He produced a measured 81 off 49 ***** in the final T20I on a slow Harare surface after blasting a rapid half-century in the series opener.

The teenager has also shown areas that still require improvement, including handling short-pitched bowling, adapting quickly to overseas conditions and refining his shot selection. However, Engineer urged India not to overburden the youngster with technical changes, insisting his natural game is what makes him special.

"Anything which is slightly short of length, in Sooryavanshi's curve, is going to go for a six. He learned from his mistakes, he has learned to curb himself. But don't try to over-coach him. He's not from the MCC book of manual, which is completely out of date.

"He's a genius. Nor was Viv Richards. Viv was the best batsman I've ever seen play. But persevere with Sooryavanshi. He'll be a tremendous ***** et for In

The New York Yankees are bleeding stars to the injury list. Now Ben Rice carries the heavy weight of the lineup. He proved tonight he can handle the pressure. The team needed a hero, and Rice delivered a massive performance. He stepped up while everyone else looked to him from the bench.
Ben Rice. That's the name.
This win shows the young All-Star is ready for the big moment. The lineup will eventually be whole again, but Rice is showing he can lead now. His performance erased an early deficit and sparked a huge rally. On Monday, the Yankees defeated the White Sox 9-5. It was a crucial game for a team trying to stay afloat.
Chicago hosted the game at Rate Field on Monday evening. The Yankees trailed early but refused to give up. Rice ripped a tiebreaking seventh-inning single to change the momentum. His team-leading 73rd RBI of the season came from this hit. He drove in the run that put New York ahead for good.
One hit. That changed everything.

#Monday #game

WEST SACRAMENTO — Newly-acquired Curtis Mead left his Red Sox debut during the fifth inning Monday due to a left wrist contusion after getting hit with a pitch earlier in the game.
Athletics starter Jack Perkins hit Mead on the left wrist with a 94.9 mph four-seam fastball to lead off the fourth inning.
Mead remained in the game and played at second base in the bottom of the fourth inning. But the Red Sox replaced him at second base with Anthony Seigler to begin the bottom of the fifth inning.
Boston acquired Mead from the Nationals for starting pitcher Connelly Early on Saturday night.
"I was shocked, excited, a bunch of different emotions," Mead said Monday. "Just really excited to be here. And I didn't sleep a whole lot Saturday night."

#mead #Monday #game #fourth

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Ceddanne Rafaela hit his first major league grand slam and the Boston Red Sox beat the Athletics 4-2 after being held without a hit through five innings Monday night.
Connor Wong doubled leading off the sixth for the first hit against Athletics rookie starter Jack Perkins (2-6), who was pulled after walking Willson Contreras with two outs. José Suarez walked Wilyer Abreu to load the bases, setting the stage for Rafaela's 11th homer and a 4-1 lead.
Curtis Mead struck out looking his first time up in his Boston debut and then left after he was hit on the wrist by a pitch his second time up. The Red Sox acquired Mead from the Wasington Nationals on Saturday night for rookie pitcher Connelly Early.
Tyler Soderstrom extended his hitting streak to 10 games when he launched his 17th homer to give the Athletics a 1-0 lead two batters into the bottom of the first against Payton Tolle. Jonah Heim homered for the 10th time to cut it to 4-2 in the sixth.
Tolle (6-6) allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked one to help the surging Red Sox (55-50) win for the 18th time in 20 games.

#athletics #boston #night #sixth

Saransh Jain earns maiden India call-up: Why is 33-year-old spinner included in India Test squad for Sri Lanka tour originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Saransh Jain, 33, gets maiden India Test call-up for Sri Lanka.
Injury to Washington Sundar opens door for MP off-spinner.
Jain faces an uphill battle to break settled spin trio's grip.
Off-spinning all-rounder Saransh Jain has been rewarded with his first-ever Test call-up, joining India's squad for the upcoming two-match series in Sri Lanka this August. It is a breakthrough that arrives at the relatively advanced cricketing age of 33.

#jain #call

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Alex Bregman had a homer, two doubles and drove in two runs to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.
Bregman had sat out Sunday's game in Pittsburgh after going hitless in his previous three games. Against the Cardinals, he snapped out of an 0-for-12 slump with four hits and scored three runs in a game that was delayed an hour and 46 at the start due to rain.
Nico ****** ner also had four hits, including a two-run homer in the ninth as the Cubs banged out 14 hits in the win.
David Peterson (6-7) worked 5 2/3 innings and earned the win. The 30-year-old left-hander, who was acquired on June 25 from the New York Mets, struck out two and allowed two runs on three hits and two walks.
Matthew Liberatore (5-8) was tagged for three runs on eight hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.

#hits #Cubs #homer

Curtis Mead's debut with the Boston Red Sox did not go as planned on Monday night.
Mead left the Red Sox's 4-2 win over the Athletics early after being hit in the hand by a pitch. Mead was up to bat in the fourth inning of the contest at Sutter Health Park when a pitch from Athletics starter Jack Perkins came up and drilled him directly in his left hand.
Mead was clearly in significant pain as he walked it off, and he was quickly replaced by Anthony Seigler.
Curtis Mead left the game in his Red Sox debut after being hit by a pitch on the hand

Mead was acquired from the Nationals on July 25th pic.twitter.com/DXhS6aEY6b
Further specifics of the injury are not yet known.

#curtis #Monday #sutter

The St. Louis Cardinals entered Monday night's game against the Chicago Cubs with an urgent need to turn their recent downward spiral around. The Chicago Cubs and specifically their bats seemed determined to not allow that to happen.
Matthew Liberatore started the game for the Cardinals who planned to piggyback his start with Hunter Dobbins for the final half of the game. David Peterson, who the Cardinals hit hard in their last encounter, made that seem like a distant memory as he held St. Louis and their struggling offense to a minimum of opportunities.
The Cubs scored on Matthew Liberatore in each of the first 3 innings. In the top of the 1st inning, Liberatore walked Pete Crow-Armstrong, but then picked him off of first to the delight of the "Tarps Off" crowd in right field. Chicago got the last laugh, though, as Suzuki and Bregman hit back-to-back doubles giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead.
Chicago would score again in the top of the 2nd inning as Nico ****** ner led off with a single. After Ian Happ struck out, Dansby Swanson singled giving Chicago runners at first and second with just one out. Amaya then smacked a single to right doubling the Cubs lead to 2-0.
The Cardinals would get one run back in the bottom of the 2nd inning when José Fermín would become the Fermínator muscling up for a 407 foot shot into Big Mac Land reducing the Cubs lead to 2-1.

#liberatore #game #lead

Next weekend, the Pro Football Hall of Fame welcomes the Class of 2026. This year, five NFL legends will be recognized for their accomplishments on the field as their stories become immortalized forever in Canton, Ohio. Off the field, another distinguished honoree will also be recognized. During the Enshrinees' Gold Jacket Dinner, Sandy Grossman will become the first television director to receive the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Grossman's recognition marks a historic first for the Hall. Over a broadcasting career that spanned more than five decades, he directed coverage of a record 10 Super Bowls, 18 NBA Finals, five Stanley Cup Finals and multiple Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies.
Grossman retired in 2012 and passed away in 2014 in Boca Raton, Florida, at the age of 78. Earlier this year, his son, Dean Grossman, received the call informing him that his father would finally receive one of football's highest honors.
"I got a text from Rich [Desrosiers] at the Hall asking if I was available to speak in about an hour. So, he called me along with Joe [Hawkins] and Jim [Porter]. I told them I had never been to the Hall of Fame before, and they told me I'm going to get on a plane this year because my father will be winning the Pete Rozelle Award," said Grossman. "It was very emotional. I hung up and started to cry."
Earning a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is one of the most difficult accomplishments in football, whether as a player or broadcaster. The selection process for the Pete Rozelle Award is equally demanding. Candidates require an extensive case for consideration, and only one recipient earns the reward each year.

#Football #year

Zac Thornton continued his excellent start to his career with the Mets on Monday night against the Atlanta Braves, allowing three earned runs in 6.1 innings of an eventual 14-3 win for New York.
The left-hander is now 2-1 with a 2.43 ERA (0.91 WHIP) in five starts and 29.2 innings pitched this season, and although he's a top pitching prospect in the Mets organization and just 24 years old, Thornton's repertoire doesn't include the typical blistering fastball and wicked secondary pitch that most young pitching prospects have.
Instead, Thornton relies mostly on a cutter that averages around 87 mph and his two-seam fastball that sits between 89-92 mph while mixing in a variety of other pitches, none of which get above 94 mph on a consistent basis.
Interim manager Andy Green admitted that it's not "the traditional way" that most front-line starters attack hitters in this day and age of high velocity and spin rate, but the results so far speak for themselves.
"It's good stuff," Green said about Thornton's ******* ortment of pitches. "We live in a world where we don't define stuff as good unless it's 95+ anymore and that's unfortunate because the cutter really is tough for righties to see and react to and the more you have to think about pitches coming in on your hands, the more you're gonna pull off of everything else that works away from you.

#innings #pitching

It wasn't a pretty opening to the series, but the Yankees found their way Monday night in Chicago. Max Fried struggled mightily in his second start returning from the IL, putting them in a big hole early with an offense that hasn't been ****** e to exploding lately, but a pair of big innings turned this game from a deficit to a 9-5 win.
Last time out Fried was extremely sharp, going five strong despite a low pitch limit blanking the Pirates with just a single hit and walk going against him. Randal Grichuk greeted him with a leadoff double, and the wheels fell off from there. Munetaka Murakami followed up with a single to put runners on the corners, and after Fried struck out Miguel Vargas for the first out of the inning Colson Montgomery ripped a single to the right side that Jazz Chisholm Jr. barely couldn't corral scoring Grichuk. Chase Meridoth was up next and lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in a second run, and then Braden Montgomery lined a triple over the head of a diving Max Schuemann that brought in a third. It looked like Schuemann might've gotten messed up leaping for the ball, which would've complicated things for a Yankees team that is already down two of their starting outfielders, but thankfully he shook it off and stayed in the game.
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Fried calmed down from there, working two straight clean frames, but the Yankee offense wasn't getting anything going at first against the rookie Noah Schultz, who entered the game with a gaudy 6.04 ERA. Paul Goldschmidt managed a two-out single in the top of the first, but the lineup otherwise went down in order the first time through. The fourth inning finally saw them break though, starting off with a pair of walks from Ben Rice and Goldschmidt to set up a rally. Jasson Domínguez singled to left but it was hit hard enough to prevent a run from coming in, bringing Anthony Volpe up with the bases loaded and no outs. Volpe managed to bring in a run, hitting a soft grounder to short that Luisangel Acuña was just barely able to scoop up and throw to first in time to convert an out from the play.
That would be all for Schultz, as the White Sox went to their 'pen and brought in Chris Murphy. The tide was turning though, and Chisholm provided the big blow of the inning with a double out to center to tie the game at three. Chisholm then stole third base on a head's up play noticing that the catcher was lazily flicking the ball back to the pitcher, and José Caballero walked to pass the baton over to Spencer Jones. Jones managed to convert, fighting off three foul ****** before grounding a ball in front of Caballero who was running on the pitch to prevent a double play opportunity and give the Yankees a 4-3 lead.

#fried

A few big lessons learned for a young squad tonight:
You can't win a game in the first inning
Sloppy baseball = frustrating loss
Don't aggressively wave a guy home who missed Sunday's game due to a leg injury when it's not necessary
Using half your bullpen in the opener of a four-game series isn't a great idea

#game #using #squad

CHICAGO (AP) — Ali Sánchez hit a three-run shot for his first career homer and the New York Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox 9-5 on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series between playoff contenders.
Ben Rice hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, and New York put away the game with four more runs in the eighth. Sánchez had the big blow, a two-out drive to left field on a 3-2 fastball from Sean Newcomb.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. had two hits, two RBIs and two steals for New York. Jasson Domínguez also had two hits and scored twice.
The Yankees (60-46) won for the sixth time in eight games and pulled within 2 1/2 games of idle Tampa Bay for the AL East lead.
Colson Montgomery had three hits for Chicago (55-50), which committed three errors in its third loss in four games. Noah Schultz allowed three runs in 3 1/3 innings for the AL Central leaders.

#three #four #game

Alabama's 2028 recruiting class is beginning to take shape impressively.
According to Rivals national recruiting director Steve Wiltfong, the Crimson Tide are one of the biggest early winners in the 2028 cycle after landing another major commitment over the weekend. With three commitments already in July and several of the nation's elite prospects heavily considering Alabama, Kalen DeBoer and his staff have positioned themselves for what could become one of the nation's top recruiting classes.
Alabama added another significant piece on Sunday when four-star linebacker Tysir Young, the nation's No. 7 linebacker, announced his commitment to the Crimson Tide.
Young joins an already impressive foundation that includes:
No. 4 quarterback Kingston Preyear

#alabama #young #already

Alejandro Kirk completely lost his grip on Monday night and managed to shatter a glass window inside of Nationals Park.
The Toronto Blue Jays catcher, in the fifth inning of their 3-2 win over Washington, missed on a swing and sent his bat flying behind him after letting it go accidentally. The bat went straight into the camera well in the Toronto dugout behind him and smashed a window.
Thankfully, everyone in the area was fine and the glass didn't go flying — though the bat did go directly over MLB's Hazel Mae's head.
Kirk ended up striking out in the at-bat, though the Blue Jays were up 3-1 at the time. The Nationals cut it to a one-run game in the bottom of the inning after a Andres Chaparro homer, but that was as close as they got.
Kirk did not get a hit in his three at-bats in the win. He's holding a .224 batting average with three home runs and 12 RBI.

#toronto

The Yankees overcame Max Fried's season-low-tying start of three innings with four-run frames in the fourth and eighth to take Monday's series-opening game at the American League East-leading Chicago White Sox, a 9-4 win, rebounding from Sunday's 11-4 loss at the Philadelphia Phillies.
Fried's second start back from injury mirrored his season-worst outing May 13 at the Baltimore Orioles, a 7-0 loss, in which he allowed three runs on five hits in three innings. This time, Fried -- after returning from a two-month absence due to a left elbow bone bruise with one hit in five innings during last Wednesday's 5-3 10-inning loss against the Pittsburgh Pirates -- also allowed three runs on five hits and exited following three frames. Pulled after 39 strikes on 66 pitches while fanning four and walking two, Fried (4-3, 3.23 ERA) fell victim to a three-run first inning in which he started slow, allowing four of his five hits. Fortunately for Fried, the Yankees' bullpen and offense picked him up, but this was a step back from how he looked in his debut last week.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. was chief among New York's reinforcements, tying the game with a two-run double in the fourth inning that scored Paul Goldschmidt and Jasson Domínguez. Chisholm subsequently stole third base and scored when Spencer Jones grounded out to second with one out. When the Yankees led the White Sox (55-50) by a run in the eight inning, Chisholm's RBI single to score Domínguez padded the 6-4 lead and eventually break the game open. Chisholm's 2-for-4, two-RBI effort from the sixth spot in the order was the type of performance that New York needed to avoid a series-opening dud as he brought his slash line to .226/.299/.414 with 45 RBI and 29 steals through 99 games this season.
Between Chisholm's highlights, Ben Rice's go-ahead RBI single in the seventh inning with two outs to score Amed Rosario gave the Yankees the much-needed push after the White Sox tied the game at 4-4 with one out in the fifth. Rice, whose 2-for-4 evening included a leadoff walk that sparked New York's fourth inning, need to be the guy in this lineup without Aaron Judge and met the moment as the second-batting designated hitter Monday. Through 101 games, Rice is slashing .275/.363/.585 with 73 RBI.
With Cody Bellinger out for the next month and change due to a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, Max Schuemann's second start in left field saw him also lead off but underwhelm. Schuemann's two-game glimpse is an 0-for-7 sample size after Monday's 0-for-5 result out of the No. 1 spot in the order, which only adds to questions for Aaron Boone and the Yankees with the MLB trade deadline around the corner.

#game

Seven games behind the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs have comfortably secured a postseason spot. With a 59-46 record, they hold the top NL Wild Card position, despite navigating an injury-plagued starting rotation. Even so, the Cubs have shown they are unwilling to tolerate underperformance and inconsistency, and their latest decision to part ways with their $68 million right-hander is proof of that. Following the move, manager Craig Counsell explained the reasoning behind the decision.
"Essentially, we just had to make a hard decision as to whether we thought Jameson was going to pitch again," Counsell told Marquee Sports Network, as posted on X after the Cubs DFA'd Jameson Taillon. "And with where we're at in the season and with what's going on in his season, we just didn't feel like it was going to happen again. So those are hard decisions."
Jameson Taillon's inconsistency has been a liability for the Cubs' already struggling rotation. So, following a disastrous outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday, the Cubs designated him for **** ignment the next day, ahead of their game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Taillon surrendered 7 earned runs on 6 hits across 4.0 innings during Chicago's 8-7 loss to the Pirates. The loss spiked his ERA to 5.92 across 15 starts as he gave up three home runs and two walks during his outing. This season, the 34-year-old has surrendered 25 homers in total, which is the most in the National League, per MLB.com.
After the Cubs DFA'd him, Taillon reportedly said:

#Cubs #taillon #dfa 'd #pirates

MIAMI (AP) — Clayton McCullough breathed a sigh of relief. The Marlins finally won a game.
Miami overcame two-run, ninth-inning deficit in the ninth on Monday to beat division-rival Philadelphia 8-7 and snap a 12-game losing streak — the longest such stretch in franchise history.
It was the Marlins' first win since beating Seattle at home on July 9 and ensured they would not suffer their fifth straight sweep.
"Everybody feels good," McCullough said. "It's no lie everyone in the building has been grinding hard now for a couple of weeks and frustrated with things, but certainly it feels great to get a win and I think in the fashion that we did it'd be hard to ever question this group's toughness and willingness to compete."
Griffin Conine singled in the winning run against Philadelphia closer Jhoan Duran, who entered in the ninth with a 7-5 lead before loading the bases with no outs.

#ninth #Monday

LeBron James' newest goal could help him make NBA history with the Philadelphia 76ers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Across the 23 years he has played in the NBA, LeBron James has set and shattered plenty of historical records. He has earned accolades for being the youngest to do so and the oldest to do so. It is a tremendous testament to his impressive longevity and unmatched talent.
Now that he is entering his 24th season, James has taken on a new challenge, and that is playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. This is a huge test for James because his intention is to win a championship with Philly, a team that has not won the championship since 1983, a year before he was even born.
As one of the league's greatest-ever players, LeBron is a phenomenon. He always finds ways to make a winning impact for his team, which he has done for every team he has played for. He had two championships with the Miami Heat, one with his Cleveland Cavaliers, and one with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Only four players in NBA history have won championships with NBA teams, which are Robert Horry, John Salley, LeBron, and his former teammate, Danny Green. With this move to Philly, James is ready to make history yet again.

#lebron #philadelphia

As Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers look to reload their passing attack, all eyes are on marquee addition Mike Evans. While Shanahan's offense has long been hailed as one of the NFL's premier schemes, the turnover in last season's receiving corps left a distinct void on the perimeter.
Last year, San Francisco pieced together a receiver room centered around Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, Demarcus Robinson, and Ricky Pearsall. While that group offered versatility and grit through a grinding campaign, the offense frequently lacked a true boundary "X" receiver capable of consistently winning pure, unassisted one-on-one battles outside the numbers.
That is precisely where Evans changes the equation.
According to data from Sumner Sports cited by Athlon Sports' Doug Farrar, Evans has been the league's gold standard for isolation efficiency when healthy. Over the past two seasons, Evans generated an Expected Points Added (EPA) per play of +0.379 on isolation targets—the highest mark of any receiver in the NFL with at least 50 such targets. Across 180 isolation routes, he pulled in 328 yards and six touchdowns on 50 targets, boasting a remarkable 62.0% catch rate in true one-on-one scenarios.
For quarterback Brock Purdy, adding a legendary perimeter threat like Evans provides an entirely new dimension. Shanahan's system relies heavily on motion, scheme-created ****** e, and intermediate rhythm throws. But when opposing defenses load the box to stifle the run or drop safety help inside to blanket crossers, Evans becomes the ultimate counterpunch.

#targets #last #offense