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The New England Patriots have continued holding tryouts as the team prepares for the 2026 NFL season.According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots hosted defensive backs Hudson Clark and Jeremiah McClendon for tryouts on Friday. Clark began his NFL career with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2025. He has yet to play in an NFL game. Clark spent five years at Arkansas from 2020-24 prior to entering the NFL. He recorded six interceptions in five seasons spent with the Razorbacks.McClendon signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent after the 2026 NFL Draft. He was waived by the Saints on May 27. McClendon played for Marshall (2021), Charleston Southern (2022), FIU (2023) and Southern Illinois in 2024 before entering the NFL.The Patriots are led by Kevin Byard and Craig Woodson at safety, as well as Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III and Marcus Jones at cornerback.Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots host two defensive backs for training camp tryout

At the request of the Harris County district attorney's office in Houston, a misdemeanor gun charge against Cleveland Cavaliers guard James Harden has been dismissed after he completed an alternative resolution program, reports the Associated Press.Alternative programs are a fairly common way for people to avoid a criminal record for a minor offense. In this case, Harden likely did some community service in the Houston area, although the agreement did not detail exactly what he did, according to the AP.Harden, an 11-time All-Star, had been arrested on June 13 for having a gun in the cupholder of his car. He had been driving a car as part of a multi-car group when one of the other drivers was pulled over, according to the Harris County police report. Harden had pulled up behind the police and the other vehicle, and while interacting with the police, one officer noticed Harden had a gun in the cupholder of his car, according to the report. Harden allegedly confirmed the gun was his, which led to his arrest and booking.Harden played eight seasons — his peak seasons, statistically — in Houston and has close ties to the city. He spends much of his offseason there every year.Harden, 36, technically still remains a free agent, but is expected to re-sign with the Cavaliers in the coming weeks. He opted out of the $42.3 million he was owed to give the Cavaliers more cap space to chase LeBron James (they struck out there) or make other moves. He is expected to re-sign in Cleveland for around $30 million a season (depending on what other moves the team makes) for multiple years. Harden was traded from the LA Clippers to Cleveland in the middle of this past season, and between the two teams he averaged 23.6 points and 8 assists per game while shooting 37.5% from 3-point range.

A matchup between the Denver Summit and the Utah Royals has been significantly postponed due to extreme heat and other environmental factors, the NWSL announced Friday. The match, which was set to kick off at 2 p.m. MT on Saturday in Denver, has been rescheduled to 8 p.m. MT.The NWSL said that the decision to push back the match was made after consulting with climate experts, doctors from both teams and the NWSL Players’ Association.“The healthy and safety of our players, staff, officials and fans remains our top priority and will continue to guide our decision-making in this matter,” the league wrote in a statement.Saturday’s match will be held at Centennial Stadium, the Summit’s temporary venue while it builds a new stadium in Denver. Centennial, CO, where the stadium is located, is just southeast of Denver.Temperatures are set to near 100 degrees in Denver on Saturday. In addition, the area will be affected by air quality issues stemming from wildfires coming from the western part of the country. Both of those issues will only be exacerbated by the altitude, an ever-present issue when playing in Denver, which sits one mile above sea level.That combination, per the league, led to “unique medical considerations that warranted additional precaution beyond the operational standards established in the league’s Gameday Heat Safety Policy.” The league’s policy, which uses the wet bulb globe temperature to measure safety risk, is usually used to factor humidity and cloud cover into the baseline heat.An update from the NWSL on tomorrow’s match between Denver Summit FC and Utah Royals FC. pic.twitter.com/cUButIw5Ll— National Women’s Soccer League (@NWSL) August 7, 2026The NWSL’s weather policy has been criticized over the past few years, especially as weather conditions worsen with climate change. Last August, a game between the Kansas City Current and Orlando Pride was delayed by more than three hours due to excess heat.Initially, the league’s focus seemed to be on money lost, rather than safety: The Athletic reported after that game that NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman had threatened to fine the Current over a disagreement on whether it was safe to play, with Berman citing the potentially high cost of missing their broadcast window.With the league’s heat policy facing scrutiny (and Berman’s alleged threat receiving backlash) after that game, the NWSL updated its weather policy ahead of the 2026 season, adding additional hydration breaks during games within a set wet bulb globe temperature range.However, more changes are likely coming this offseason. A summer marred by wildfire smoke across the country has raised additional weather issues that can affect games.In the Queens Classic last month, when Gotham FC beat the Washington Spirit in Citi Field, the game proceeded as scheduled despite an air quality index of 170 — just below the NWSL’s threshold for postponing the match. Players after the game said that the air quality was less than ideal to play in, even with two hydration breaks per half to try and combat the effects of the smoke.During a midseason press conference on Wednesday, Berman said that it would be reassessing policies at the end of the season, and acknowledged that the Gotham-Spirit game would be used as a “data point” in that analysis.

The ball left Corbin Carroll’s bat at 110 mph and was headed toward the right-center field gap before San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill made a sliding grab. The play from the first inning on Thursday night, Aug. 6, was the sort of tough-luck moment that sums up how Carroll has been feeling at the plate in recent weeks.For the better part of a month, the Diamondbacks have been playing as well as any team in baseball. Somehow, they have been doing it without much in the way of offensive contributions from Carroll or Ketel Marte, their top two hitters.For his part, Carroll says he still has “a long way to go” to feel the way he wants against right-handed pitchers, but he doesn’t think the numbers he has been putting up lately — he is hitting just .211 since the All-Star break — accurately reflect how he has been feeling.“I think if you look at the expected numbers since the break they’ve been pretty good,” Carroll said. “I think we talked earlier in the year and I felt like the batted-ball luck had kind of gone my way. I kind of feel the opposite of that right now. I feel like a lot of balls I’m putting in play are finding a man out there. I’m trying not to get too caught up in that and go out there and keep playing and not press for results.”Carroll is right about his expected numbers. Since the break, his expected average (.248) and slug (.469) are better than his actual average (.211) and slug (.469).He said he has been working in the batting cage using balls that generate “extra ride,” which has helped him keep from getting under balls and popping them up.“Just hitting a few more balls on a line,” he said. “That’s probably been the biggest thing, I would say. Just a little less extreme with the ball flight, a few more line drives.”Other than that, he credits a couple of days off after the All-Star Game with helping him deal with some “nagging” injuries.“The little stuff adds up,” he said. “I haven’t had any off days. Only off days I’ve taken have been because I’ve not been able to go. I think having a couple of days over the break, that Wednesday and Thursday, has helped.”—Nick PiecoroPuk shut down for year; Gallen, Burnes updatesThe Diamondbacks will no longer have the services of left-handed reliever A.J. Puk this season, manager Torey Lovullo announced prior to the team's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, Aug. 7. Puk has been shut down about two months after the onset of left shoulder discomfort during a rehab outing with Triple-A Reno in June. He had already been trying to come back from left elbow surgery last year. "He will just rest and recover through the rest of this year, through the offseason and get ready for a very healthy '27," Lovullo said. "He worked as hard as he possibly could, it just didn't work out for him this year."Right-handed pitcher Zac Gallen (elbow inflammation) met with Lovullo after recent imaging and threw a 25-pitch bullpen on Aug. 7. He reported feeling good.Right-hander Corbin Burnes (right shoulder strain) also threw a 25-pitch bullpen session.Outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (right adductor strain) needs his recent imaging evaluated after an injury setback, but Lovullo said he is "still on a very good path."Right-handed pitcher Ryne Nelson (strained right elbow) is feeling good after throwing off flat ground on Aug. 7. Reliever Ryan Thompson (strained back) will start his progression on Aug. 10 and outfielder Tommy Troy will take live batting practice on Aug. 8 to test out his injured shoulder.Right-hander Drey Jameson (hip injury) will throw in a facility game at Salt River Fields. Outfielder Jordan Lawlar (hamstring) will play in his third Double-A game on Friday and is set to play on Aug. 8, with the possibility of moving on to play rehab games at Triple-A Reno."We're getting very close with him," Lovullo said of Lawlar. "He's missed here. He's going to help this team win baseball games. And when he comes back, we need him at 100 percent where he can play the same type of back-to-back games."Right-handed pitcher Justin Martinez (elbow surgery recovery) was scheduled to pitch for Class A Visalia in a rehab outing in Fresno, and right-handed pitcher Michael Soroka is getting close to a return after throwing a bullpen session at Chase Field on Aug. 7.Lefty Blake Walston is pitching in games after long-term rehab from left elbow surgery and is set to throw two innings and 35 pitches in Reno.-Jose M. RomeroRoster moves bring Strowd back to bigsThe Diamondbacks recalled right-handed reliever Kade Strowd from Triple-A Reno on Friday, Aug. 7, after they optioned lefty Kohl Drake to Reno following his 3⅔-inning effort on Thursday, Aug. 6 in a loss to San Diego."Kohl unfortunately hit some bumps in the road," Lovullo said. "We needed the extra reliever. We tapped into it a little bit (Thursday) with our length guy (three innings from Philip Abner). Strowd coming up here has been throwing the ball real good in Triple-A. He's able to give us multiple innings."-Jose M. RomeroArenado named award recipientDiamondbacks 3B Nolan Arenado was announced as the Diamondbacks' Heart and Hustle Award winner for the 2026 season, an honor handed out by the Major League Baseball Players Association.The award is annually given to active players who exemplify a true passion for the game and who best embody the spirit, values and traditions of the game of baseball. Arenado, in his 13th MLB season, will be presented the award prior to the Diamondbacks-Dodgers game on Saturday, Aug. 8. Former Diamondbacks Paul Goldschmidt (Yankees) and Jake McCarthy (Rockies) were the honorees for their respective teams. -Jose M. RomeroDodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34Diamondbacks RHP Merrill Kelly (8-9, 5.04) vs. Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (5-5, 4.64).At Chase Field: Kelly had been on a good roll until he gave up five earned runs at Cleveland on Sunday, Aug. 2. In that game, he had five strikeouts, four walks and ran his streak to 16 games pitching at least five innings. No team has given Kelly fits like the Dodgers. Kelly is 0-11 in 17 career starts against L.A., with 16 home runs given up in his career. ... Sasaki has won his past two starts and has clearly improved as a starting pitcher over last season. His numbers aren't out-of-this-world great, but the 24-year-old from Japan has made 19 starts after an injury-filled 2025. Opponents have 20 home runs off Sasaki in his 99 innings of work in 2026. He'll make his second career start and third appearance against the Diamondbacks.Coming upSaturday, Aug. 8: At Chase Field, 5:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Brandon Pfaadt (6-1, 3.66) vs. Dodgers RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-7, 2.76).Sunday, Aug. 9: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (10-4, 2.71) vs. Dodgers LHP Justin Wrobleski (11-3, 3.31).Monday, Aug. 10: At Chase Field, 6:40 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Michael Soroka (8-3, 3.07) vs. Rockies RHP Gabriel Hughes (0-3, 4.25).(This story will be updated with more information.)This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Dodgers at Diamondbacks updates. Carroll's tough luck; AJ Puk done

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - AUGUST 06: Adrian Morejon#50 of the San Diego Padres reacts after delivering a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on August 06, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images Houston Astros (59-57) at San Diego Padres (60-56), August 7, 2026, 6:40 p.m. PSTWatch: Padres.TVLocation: Petco Park – San Diego, Calif.Listen: 97.3 The FanKeep it rolling. pic.twitter.com/pLmBrLjBqj— San Diego Padres (@Padres) August 7, 2026Kicking off the road trip in San Diego 🛫 ⚾️: 8:40 PM 📺:@SpaceCityHN & SCHN2 🎙️:@SportsTalk790 | Spanish: 102.9 HD2 #ChaseTheFight x @reliantenergypic.twitter.com/XdXWTlMU4P— Houston Astros (@astros) August 7, 2026Please remember our Game Day thread guidelines.Don’t troll in your comments; create conversation rather than destroying itRemember Gaslamp Ball is basically a non-profanity siteOut of respect to broadcast partners who have paid to carry the game, no mentions of “alternative” (read: illegal) viewing methods are allowed in our threadJoin the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!

The Arizona Cardinals played their first preseason game on Thursday in the Hall of Fame Game. They lost to the Carolina Panthers 33-30 on a last-second play. They had players step up andand improve their stock to make the roster. In Thursday's game, which Cardinals improved their stock?QB Carson BeckBeck was already a lock to make the roster, but his play has made some people start talking about him as the Cardinals' starting quarterback. That is far-fetched at this point, but the way he played, even if it was against backups and fringe roster players, showed that the NFL game isn't too big or fast for him. He was poised. He made good throws. He made good decisions. Fans can start envisioning him as an NFL starting quarterback, even if it is just a little hope. There is at least some evidence. He was 15-of-19 passing for 188 yards and a touchdown. WR Jalen BrooksBrooks had three receptions for 99 yards. Two came on deep downfield throws. He also had one pass broken up on third down that he should have caught. But he made plays, took a big hit and, as head coach Mike LaFLeur said postgame he "wasn't shocked at what we saw out of him," as he has been consistent all offseason and in camp. He really is making a case for the final roster. NT Andrew BillingsBillings is a monster of a man and played 12 early snaps. He had a sack and a pair of tackles for loss. He looked great. However, as a 10-year NFL vet with 90 career starts, that's how he should look against offensive linemen fighting to make a roster. That said, he and Roy Lopez should give the Cardinals some strength on the defensive interior. WR Reggie VirgilVirgil has been making some noise in training camp and continued that on Thursday, catching five passes for 66 yards. He also made a tackle on special teams, which is a role he will have to fill if he is going to make the roster. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple Podcasts.This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Rising stock: 4 Arizona Cardinals players who stood out vs. Panthers

Young Mets outfielder Carson Benge was pulled from Friday's game against the Pirates for an undisclosed reason.Benge had gone 2-for-2 with two RBI in his first two at-bats, but in the bottom of the third, Ronny Simon lofted a flyball toward the corner in left field. Benge travelled a long way and slid feet first toward the corner, reaching up with his glove and making a catch. However, Benge seemingly jammed his wrist against the wall and was hunched over for a few seconds before tossing the ball back to the infield.Benge completed the half-inning, but was pulled from left field for Cristian Pache in the fourth inning. This story is still developing...Carson Benge makes the catch at the wall and gets the out! 😱 pic.twitter.com/gaS5jMgp2O— SNY (@SNYtv) August 8, 2026

Fresno State soccer is ready to kick off its inaugural season in the Pac-12.In this week's Good Sports, Sydney Berger sits down with women's soccer head Coach Gabriel Bolton, who's leading the Bulldogs for the first time this season.For sports updates, follow Sydney Berger on Facebook, X and Instagram.

The recruitment of Five-Star Plus+ running back David Gabriel Georges came to a head last month as the nation’s No. 8 overall prospect committed to Tennessee. Now, the elite Baylor School (Tenn.) star can focus solely on his senior season. That’s bad news for opposing defenses.Baylor School is at Georgia powerhouse Buford for a Friday-night scrimmage. Gabriel Georges made his presence felt immediately. On his first touch of the night, the 5-foot-11, 220-pound broke off a 54-yard touchdown run:First carry = TouchdownTennessee 5-star RB commit David Gabriel Georges takes it to the house for Baylor (TN).(via @ChadSimmons_)https://t.co/VNWukOOOG7pic.twitter.com/zRaiWf20Ex— Rivals High School (@RivalsHS) August 8, 2026As a junior last fall, Gabriel Georges rushed for 1,756 yards and 27 touchdowns. He’s got 41 rushing scores to his name over the last two years. This story will be updated.Scouting David Gabriel Georges“Violent runner who pairs high-end vision with supreme tackle-breaking ability. Measured at around 5-foot-11, 200 pounds as a junior, but looks to have added mass heading into his senior year. Extremely physically developed. Dominant runner on Friday nights, turning in a historic run of big-game performances as a junior while leading his team to a state title. Has a viscerally violent and aggressive running style. Plays with plus vision, setting up and reading blocks. A natural who can pick his way through the line of scrimmage with instincts and footwork. An absolute load to tackle at the second level with elite contact balance and power. Lowers his shoulder to truck ball carriers. Spins out of tackle attempts and has the balance to gather and finish runs. Has a strong stiff arm. Can hit home runs once at the second level. Rushed for 1,756 yards and 27 touchdowns averaging over 11 plus yards per carry with much of his production coming in his team’s biggest games.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney is attempting to prevent 50 percent tariffs against many Canadian goods scheduled for this month.

The worst heat is expected out West, where most of the wildfire smoke may be trapped, while the East also swelters and faces a chance of thunderstorms.

Cheyanne Bowers went from almost getting submitted to submitting her opponent, Elora Dana, in just a matter of seconds.That's right. Bowers (8-3) submitted Dana (8-3) after nearly getting submitted herself with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their women's flyweight contest at PFL Charlotte, which took place Friday at Bojangles Coliseum in North Carolina. Bowers survived an early back take and submission attempt to then take the back of Dana and tap her at the 3:36 mark of Round 1. It was an impressive finish that got Bowers her first win under the PFL banner, having lost her PFL debut in May.You can watch Bowers' rear-naked choke win in the video below:CHEYANNE BOWERS WITH NO REMORSE 😱FIRST ROUND FINISH#PFLCharlotte | 📺 Prelims LIVE NOW on the ESPN App | Main Card 10PM EST on ESPN pic.twitter.com/Dr9W2KKpIn— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 8, 2026Up-to-the-minute PFL Charlotte results:Cheyanne Bowers def. Elora Dana via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:36Landry Ward def. Michael Boylan via split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)Bruno Cappelozza def. Valentin Moldavsky via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)Jonathan Martin def. Wilson Lopshire via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-25, 30-27)Maxwell Djantou Nana def. Eduardo Neves via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 2:01Trey Waters def. Trukon Carson via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:37This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: PFL Charlotte video: Cheyanne Bowers turns tables, taps Elora Dana in first

Every season, the Oregon Ducks have a roster stacked with elite talent and seasoning at every position. Sometimes it can seem nearly impossible for a freshman to break through right away and snag a regular role.Well, last season proved the Ducks aren't afraid to let the freshmen run if they can help the team. Even in a loaded wide receiver room, the Ducks have a couple of freshmen who have stood out in the first few days of fall camp, including a talented pass-catcher who wasn't around to make an impression in the spring.Five-star freshman Jalen Lott enrolled in the summer and is playing catch-up with the rest of the offense. Fortunately, Lott isn't just quick on the field. He's picking up the playbook and wowing the coaching staff at Oregon's first three practices.Oregon has raked in premier recruits at wide receiver in recent years, and Lott is among them. Entering a room with returners like Dakorien Moore, Evan Stewart and Jeremiah McClellan, there is plenty of competition for targets. Defensive coordinator Chris Hampton is getting the Ducks' defense off to a good start in practice, but the freshman wideout has been a problem early on, which could be a good omen."He has a ton of potential," Hampton said of Lott on Thursday. "He has a tremendous catch radius and can accelerate. He has really good hands, can start and stop, and has good burst. Going against all of our receivers in practice is a challenge. They make some plays against us, and you think, 'I am glad they are on our team.’ They challenge us each and every day. Jalen has looked really good so far."Oregon is making some tweaks to the offense this season under new offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, but that also means there is a chance for Lott, as well as fellow freshman Gatlin Bair, to prove themselves worthy of a role when the Ducks take the field for the first time on Sept. 5. The summer represented Lott's first chance to stand out and gear up for fall camp, and so far, he hasn't wasted an opportunity.Mehringer referenced the infamous Wally Pipp story when speaking to the media on Friday. The former New York Yankees first baseman missed a game with a headache. Who stepped in? Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig, who took his spot and started 2,130 consecutive games. Mehringer uses it as a reminder to all of his players that things can change on a dime."For the young guys in the wide receiver room, I think they've got to continue to grow and see where they're at," Mehringer said on Friday. "At this point in fall camp, they just came off a great summer. (Strength coach) Wilson Love did an unreal job with those guys. They look completely different, which is awesome to see. It's a testament to him and what the players did over the summer."Jalen Lott making a play in his first practice 👀 pic.twitter.com/oNc3HRjIhs— Oregon Updates (@oregon__updates) August 6, 2026While Moore, Stewart and McClellan are widely expected to top the depth chart for the Ducks this season, the battle rages on down the board. Bair and UAB transfer Iverson Hooks present elite speed and quickness, similar to Lott. The Texas native can separate himself with his ability to win with acrobatic catches in the air, which he has already showcased in fall camp.Mehringer has made it clear that experience in the offense won't secure any receiver a job at this point, given how loaded the room is. The door is open. Lott just needs to find a way to step through."I think coach Ross Douglas has done an unbelievable job of bringing in good players," Mehringer said. "We tell everybody that if you're good enough, you're old enough. There are no jobs that have been solidified or anything like that. You've got to go out and earn it every single day."Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon freshman WR Jalen Lott showing a 'ton of potential'

Starting pitcher Blake Snell is expected to make his return to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers next week.The left-handed pitcher is expected to start for the Dodgers on Tuesday, Aug. 11, according to manager Dave Roberts.The two-time Cy Young winner made his way back from an elbow injury and recently participated in a minor league rehab assignment for the organization's Triple-A affiliate. He pitched 3⅔ innings in the Aug. 4 game, striking out three in 73 pitches (41 strikes). But Snell also allowed five hits, two home runs and four walks during the outing.Blake Snell 2026 season statsSnell has pitched just three innings against the Atlanta Braves on May 9 and was credited with the loss in his only start this season. He struck out five runners but allowed six hits, five runs (four earned runs) and two walks this season.Blake Snell career statsThe 33-year-old pitcher is in his 11th season in the majors. He began his big-league career with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016 and played there for five seasons, winning the 2018 AL Cy Young Award.He was traded to the San Diego Padres following the 2020 season, adding an NL Cy Young Award in 2023 in his final season with the team.Snell then signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco Giants ahead of the 2024 season before the Los Angeles Dodgers signed him as a free agent on Nov. 30, 2024.During his career, Snell has started 223 games and posted a win-loss record of 81-63 with a 3.17 ERA and 1,445 strikeouts. He holds the MLB career record with 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Blake Snell injury update: Dodgers pitching ace to return after long layoff

Packers Family Night returned to Lambeau Field for its 25th year on Friday, Aug. 7, giving fans an opportunity to spend the evening watching the team practice inside the stadium.Prior to the 7:30 p.m. practice, Family Fest was held across the Titletown District from 3-6:30 p.m. A place for fans and families to hang out and spend their afternoon before entering the stadium.The fest had yard games, face painting, food trucks and drink tents. Some families tailgated, grilling up dinner before the practice. Titletown was a sea of green and Packers jerseys as families made their way around the grounds.Julie Butschli came with her son, Tom White, for the second consecutive year."We just carry on the Packer tradition," Butschli said, about honoring her father and brother, who have died.Butschli was raised a Packers fan in Illinois and now her son lives in Green Bay carrying on the team spirit. White described Family Night as the "first kickoff" to Packers season that brings people together to experience Lambeau Field."Just seeing the stadium, the inside of the stadium, the field, the players, and the tradition that goes along that," White said. Packers Family Night attracts fans from all over. Marcus Allen drove three and a half hours from Chicago for Family Night. It is the third consecutive year he has come with his son and daughter.Allen said Family Night gives fans a chance to be a part of the Packer environment and spend more of their money on gear rather than seats. Tickets including fees and tax cost $12.42 each."You can take something with you every year when you go home," Allen said. People began funneling into the stadium for Family Night around 5:30 p.m. to get situated before the practice. Kathryn Byrnes is a reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette. You can reach her at kbyrnes@gannett.com or 920-431-8526.This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Packers season is in the air as Family Night brings fans together

VERO BEACH — Citing the desire to play an opponent before the regular season begins, the Okeechobee High and Master's Academy of Vero Beach football teams met in a scrimmage Friday to kick off the season.The Brahmans scored on both possessions in the second half to post a 14-10 come-from-behind victory over the Patriots at Master's Academy."This helps a ton. These scrimmages are huge," Master's Academy coach Stephen Boyer said. "I can't imagine going into next week without having this scrimmage. We would be extremely rusty and nowhere near as prepared as we will be."The teams played 12-minute quarters in the first half and a 10-minute running clock in each quarter of the second half. The teams went through special teams situations, but there was no blocking on kickoffs, extra-point attempts or field-goal attempts.More: Treasure Coast's top QB for the 2026 high school football seasonMore: 5 area quarterbacks to watch for the 2026 high school football seasonThere was, however, plenty of pad-popping hitting."I'm proud of their effort," Okeechobee first-year coach Antwan Blatch said. "We've got to get into shape. They got down early and didn't quit. They believed in what we were doing and eventually we came out and started to pop late."Overcoming an interception on a tipped pass on the first play of the game, Master's Academy came back and scored on its next two possessions. Capping a nine-play drive, freshman quarterback Jackson Fromag connected with sophomore Banks Swearingen for a 19-yard touchdown pass.After Swearingen intercepted a pass on the Brahmans' second play, the Patriots drove to the Okeechobee 9-yard line before senior Burt Lockhart booted a 25-yard field goal to make it 10-0."A tipped-ball interception on the first play of the game didn't affect the kids," Boyer said. "We stopped them in four plays and got the ball back. Even with a young team, it shows growth and maturity, which is promising."Using halftime to regroup, the Brahmans kept the ball for the entire 10 minutes of the third quarter. Sophomore quarterback Christopher Sneed scored on a 3-yard sneak.After holding Master's Academy to a three-and-out on its first possession of the fourth quarter, Okeechobee went 65 yards in 10 plays. Freshman Elijah Gordon scored on a 12-yard run. Senior John Immerfall kicked the second of his two PATs to make it 14-10. Sneed then iced the game with an interception on the final play of the scrimmage.Okeechobee takeaways1. The Brahmans used different offensive skill players in the second half. The left-handed Sneed played quarterback, and Gordon was the featured back. Gordon carried 17 times for 97 yards. Sneed completed 4 of 6 passes for 34 yards, including three completions to senior running back Ashton Mobley for 27 yards. Sneed also rushed twice for 8 yards.Mobley was the primary back in the first half, gaining 17 yards on nine carries. Noah Hazellief (1 of 3, one interception, minus-1 yard) and Wyatt Hazellief (0 of 1) played quarterback in the first half."We want to be up-tempo," Blatch said after Okeechobee graduated its top five running backs from a year ago. "We slowed down a little bit in the first half to get acclimated. But after halftime, they came out with a little more fire. They got after them and finished it off. We wanted to see everybody tonight. We wanted to see as many as we could and see what we really have because next week is live. It's full go next week. So we definitely wanted to see what we've got moving forward."2. Okeechobee's defense received tackles for loss from sophomores Nehemiah Minondo, Ayden Martinez and Raymond Massey and sacks from Martinez and Massey.3. The Brahmans finished 3-7 last season under William "B.J." Prior, who stepped down to take a job in Wisconsin. Prior went 11-28 in four seasons at Okeechobee. The Brahmans were 1-3 in Florida High School Athletic Association Class 4A-District 14 play.Okeechobee opens the regular season Aug. 14 at Glades Day and plays Aug. 21 at Suncoast before its first home game Aug. 28 against Space Coast.As for what's next for the Brahmans, Blatch said: "Prepare for Glades Day. We've got five days to prep for them and get rollin'."Master's Academy takeaways1. Fromag went 7 of 13 for 105 yards in the first half. Swearingen had four receptions for 55 yards, while senior Joshua Namvar had two catches for 28 yards and junior Troy Borcheller added two receptions for 22 yards."We have to work on conditioning, but every team in the league has to work on that," Boyer said. "Ultimately, I'm extremely pleased. Our first half was solid with our starters. In the second half, they fought their backsides off."2. Senior Burt Lockhart and sophomore Colton Shirley combined for a sack. Sophomore Jesse Stone, senior Cortez Ramirez, sophomore Nicholas Polly and Swearingen recorded tackles for loss.Boyer didn't mind Okeechobee's up-tempo approach in the second half, but it took its toll on Master's Academy's limited roster and emphasized the need for better conditioning."Good for us for conditioning," Boyer said. "But overall, when you have a smaller roster, it can have an effect on you, which is smart on their end. It helps us coaches and players understand the importance of conditioning, which they do. But now they'll really understand."3. Master's Academy went 3-9 last season in its first year playing 11-man football. The Patriots lost their first five games before beating Oxbridge Academy and St. Edward's during the regular season.Master's Academy won an SSAA playoff game against Sarasota Christian in overtime before losing to Cambridge Christian in the second round.The Patriots open the season with road games at Oxbridge on Aug. 14 and at The Master's Academy of Oviedo on Aug. 21 before returning home to face Boca Raton Christian on Aug. 28."We're going to dig into film hard because more than half of our roster has never played," Boyer said. "The fact they got reps on the field means there's a lot of teaching ahead. Obviously we've got to hit the weights, condition and tune up a few things. But we'll be buried in film to help get them coached up."This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Football: Scrimmage answers questions for Okeechobee, Master's Academy

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall speaks during a Senate Armed Services budget hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)2026-08-08T01:05:10Z WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon revoked former U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall’s “eligibility” to access classified information and barred him from holding “any sensitive position,” alleging Friday that he disclosed sensitive information about Air Force One’s capabilities to the media.It follows reporting last month, including from The New York Times, on security concerns over the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One, including that it lacked the advanced antimissile capabilities of its forebear. The plane underwent a $400 million retrofit and upgrade, has been put into service domestically and President Donald Trump also flew on it to Turkey last month. But he used an older model Air Force One jet to leave the NATO summit, as the U.S. launched airstrikes on Iran and Tehran attacked three Gulf Arab states.The Times reported that the president made the switch at the urging of the Secret Service and that the newer plane lacked some of the advanced security features of the older Air Force One aircraft. Trump denied to reporters that the swap was due to security concerns, although he also said he is under threat “all the time” and is Iran’s “No. 1” target. In the Times article, Kendall, who served under President Joe Biden, is quoted as saying that the time for upgrades to the plane would not have been enough for “all the normal Air Force One modifications” and he was surprised that the plane was used outside the U.S.In response to the reporting, the Justice Department subpoenaed the Times’ reporters to try to compel them to out their sources, which stirred fears over press freedoms. The department, after criticism from the judge for sloppy legal work, grudgingly withdrew the subpoenas last month. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell didn’t specify in a post on X which media outlet Kendall was accused of sharing classified information with. Read More “Safeguarding classified information is a non-negotiable duty,” he wrote. “Those who violate that trust forfeit the privilege of access and any role requiring it.” Kendall did not immediately respond to a call and text seeking comment.It’s not the first time the Trump administration has revoked security clearances, including of 37 then-current and former national security officials last year. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also pulled security protections and clearance for Gen. Mark Milley, retired Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, soon after the administration took office.Parnell didn’t say if Kendall was being referred for prosecution, and the Pentagon didn’t immediately respond to questions on the topic. Typically, such accusations are partnered with referrals for prosecution over violations of the Espionage Act.A well-known example was when the Obama administration filed charges against Edward Snowden, a former intelligence agency contractor who publicly disclosed a massive trove of secret documents about U.S. surveillance operations before fleeing to Russia.More recently, a federal judge sentenced a Massachusetts Air National Guard member to 15 years in prison in 2024 for leaking classified military documents about the war in Ukraine. That was the most consequential national security breach in years. JESSE BEDAYN Bedayn is a national politics reporter based in Austin, Texas. mailto

Colombia's President Abelardo de la Espriella salutes after taking the oath of office in Cali, Colombia, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)2026-08-08T00:57:25Z BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella on Friday pledged to revive the country’s oil and gas sector, restore state-owned energy company Ecopetrol and strengthen the electricity system, arguing that energy security would be a cornerstone of his administration.Speaking during his inauguration, de la Espriella said Colombia would pursue an energy transition — a shift away from oil, gas and coal toward cleaner energy sources such as wind and solar power — but insisted it must not come at the expense of the country’s oil and gas industry.“I believe in the energy transition,” he said. “But that transition must be built from strength, not from weakness, from self-sufficiency and not from dependence.”The remarks reinforce a sharp shift from former President Gustavo Petro, who stopped awarding new oil and gas exploration contracts while pushing Colombia toward renewable energy and making protection of the Amazon a centerpiece of his environmental agenda. Just four months ago, Petro’s government hosted an international summit in the Caribbean city of Santa Marta aimed at building support for a global transition away from fossil fuels. The commitments echo promises de la Espriella made throughout his presidential campaign, when he repeatedly vowed to expand oil and gas production and reverse key elements of Petro’s energy policy.Calling energy security “a matter of national sovereignty,” de la Espriella said Colombia could not expect long-term prosperity by leaving its natural resources undeveloped. He said rebuilding Ecopetrol, Colombia’s majority state-owned oil company and one of the country’s largest sources of government revenue and export earnings, would be “a definitive and absolute priority” after accusing the previous administration of weakening the company. Read More The new president also confirmed his government would authorize fracking — a method of extracting oil and gas by injecting water, sand and chemicals underground to crack rock formations — under what he described as “the strictest technical and environmental standards.” He said his administration would also expand oil and gas exploration to rebuild Colombia’s declining reserves, guarantee the country’s energy security and attract investment back into the sector.The president warned Colombia’s energy system was in a “critical situation,” citing declining oil and gas reserves, delayed energy projects and rising electricity demand. He said the approaching El Nino weather phenomenon, which typically brings prolonged drought and can reduce hydroelectric power generation, meant there was little time to act.“The El Nino phenomenon won’t wait for us. To overcome it, it is imperative to implement urgent solutions,” he said.___The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. STEVEN GRATTAN Grattan reports on the Amazon rainforest and deforestation around Latin America for The Associated Press. He is based in Bogota, Colombia. twitter instagram mailto

Officials said that dozens of Haitian workers for the city would lose their jobs, but warned that the number could easily reach the hundreds.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Chase Utley is still the man in Philadelphia.A six-time All-Star and the second baseman on the 2008 World Series championship team, Utley can also call himself a Phillies Wall of Famer.Utley is the third member of that championship team to earn induction, and former teammate Jimmy Rollins greeted him during a star-studded celebration Friday night that included Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton with his Phillies Wall of Fame jersey.Utley looked as comfortable giving a speech — no F-bombs this time like the one infamously dropped during his World Series parade speech — in the jersey as he was when wore it as one of the best second baseman in baseball and helped lead the Phillies to five straight NL East pennants from 2007 to 2011.His plaque now hangs in the left field plaza at Citizens Bank Park.Might his No. 26 be next on the outfield concourse wall with other retired numbers such as Roy Halladay's No 34 or Richie Ashburn's No. 1?“If no one wears my number any time soon, I'm fine with it,” Utley said. “But if they want to, if somebody wants my number, good luck.”Utley played 13 seasons in Philadelphia before he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. He retired in 2018 with a .275 average, .823 OPS, and 1,885 hits.No Phillie has worn No. 26 since Utley was traded. He is now special assistant to the president for the Dodgers.The sweet-swinging Utley is perhaps the most popular player in franchise history. He was beloved for his hustle, heart and all-out attitude. Fans fell in love with Utley from the moment he ran — not jogged — around the bases after hitting a grand slam for his first hit in the majors. Their affection for Utley grew legendary after he scored from second base on an infield grounder and Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas declared: “Chase Utley, you are the man.”“We used to joke he ran angry out there,” Wall of Fame outfielder Pat Burrell said with a laugh during his introduction speech.Former teammate Ryan Howard unveiled the Wall of Fame plaque, team owner John Middleton presented Utley with his ring and actor Rob Mac — whose “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia” character simply wanted to have a catch with Utley — handed him a replica of the plaque.With the Phillies induction done, Utley is aware another one potentially looms in the future in Cooperstown. Utley appears on track for Hall of Fame induction after he received 59.1% of the vote in his third year on the ballot, up from the 39.8% he received the previous ballot. Players are required to receive 75% of the votes for induction.“You can't not pay attention to it once you're in the conversation,” Utley said. “Obviously, I'm honored that I'm part of that conversation. I had a great time here. I had some incredible teammates that definitely made me a better player, and I love that I'm part of the conversation. I guess we'll what happens.”There was one more Utley touch in his honor for the night.The Phillies ditched their usual Friday night City Connect uniforms for their traditional home pinstripes.Bryce Harper suggested the change.“I've had plenty of time now since I've stopped playing to reflect on how this was such an amazing time, not only for me but my family and the team, the coaches, everyone within this organization,” Utley said. “It was an incredible time to be a Philadelphia Phillie.”___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 25: General sky view of Oracle Park before a MLB game between the Athletics and the San Francisco Giants on June 25, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The San Francisco Giants head back home to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. As of the time this is being written, the Giants have not yet announced a starting pitcher for tonight’s game. Good old element of surprise. Gotta love the consistency there. Anyway, you can head down to the comments to see more up to date information. Whoever it ends up being will be facing off against Tigers right-hander Keider Montero, who enters tonight’s game with a 3.17 ERA, 3.71 FIP, with 81 strikeouts to 25 walks in 116.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Tigers’ 11-0 win over the Athletics on Sunday, in which he allowed just two hits and two walks with two strikeouts in six innings. Join the conversation!Sign up for a user account and get:Fewer adsCreate community postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!Game #116Who: San Francisco Giants (48-67) vs. Detroit Tigers (56-59)Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaWhen: 7:15 p.m. PTRegional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay AreaNational broadcast: n/aRadio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 20: Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andre Curbelo (5) listens while in the huddle during the men's March Madness second round college basketball game between Illinois Fighting Illini and Houston Cougars on March 20, 2022 at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Shelley Lipton/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images If you spend any amount of time on X (formerly known as Twitter), you may have come across this video on Friday. Former Illinois and St Johns Point Guard, Andre Curbelo, made is professional wrestling debut (Via @MinistroBasket 🎥) pic.twitter.com/FkMOHHfls6— Hoop Herald (@TheHoopHerald) August 7, 2026I’m not familiar with Hoop Herald, but they shared a video from last month that already got quite a bit of traction. Between those two posts — which claim former Illinois guard Andre Curbelo is now a professional wrestler — they got hundreds of likes, reposts and comments. Many of those comments are asking: “Is Andre Curbelo actually a professional wrestler now?” The answer is EMPHATICALLY no. If you do a little digging, you’ll find that while that wrestler appears to look like Curbelo with his hair, headband and build, it’s actually Jermaine Marbury. According to Marbury’s Instagram, he’s pro wrestling’s “#1 PG” and trained by Draymond Green… While the crazy college career that Curbelo, who played for Illinois from 2020-22, had has people not shocked he took a turn into the world of professional wrestling, I hate to break it to you that it’s not him. Move on. For those curious, Curbelo is currently playing for a Puerto Rican team called Atléticos de San Germán.

As pressure on FIFA president Gianni Infantino continues to rise, a new alleged scandal has emerged. The Telegraph reported Friday that UEFA reportedly paid off a woman who was having an affair with Infantino while he was secretary general of the association.Per The Telegraph, the woman received a six-figure amount after the alleged relationship came to an end. The woman, who worked at UEFA as an administrator, was reportedly promoted to a managerial role by Infantino during their relationship.Infantino was reportedly challenged about the relationship by then-UEFA president Michel Platini, and they agreed that she would leave the association and be paid, per The Telegraph.When she left UEFA, Infantino reportedly used connections to get her a new “lucrative” job in a similar field. The association also allegedly paid for her to earn her MBA at a local business school after she left.Infantino, who joined UEFA in 2000, became the organization’s secretary general in 2009. He left UEFA to become FIFA’s president in 2016.In a statement to The Telegraph, a spokesperson for UEFA said the association was aware of the allegations and confirmed that “a departure payment was made to the individual in question.”“The payment was in line with the regulations that existed for departing staff at the time,” the spokesperson said. “Such regulations have been tightened since 2016 and the current staff regulations – which apply to all UEFA employees at whatever level – reflect those found in a modern, high-profile organisation.”A FIFA spokesperson told The Telegraph that Infantino “strongly denies” the allegations.“Any insinuation of inappropriate conduct or violation of statutes or regulations is defamatory,” the football governing body said. “No employee at UEFA and FIFA has ever raised a complaint regarding Mr Infantino’s behaviour because there never was an incident where he was involved.”Infantino has been married to Leena Al Ashqar since 2001. The couple has four children together.The salacious report comes as Infantino is already under significant fire for his proposal to sell private investment stakes in the World Cup. Backlash to the idea was swift and overwhelming, and Infantino and FIFA eventually scrapped the plan entirely.UEFA has responded the most strongly to Infantino’s proposal even after the withdrawal, and has maintained that it will boycott FIFA competitions. Other federations have said that they will withdraw their support for the president, with Infantino up for re-election in 2027.After that, Infantino reportedly told Morocco that the country could host the 2030 World Cup final if it issues a statement of support for his re-election bid. FIFA has denied the report.On top of that, Infantino has come under additional scrutiny with U.S. World Cup host cities reportedly chasing down $1 million payments that he promised to those who hosted World Cup games.

DENVER, COLORADO - AUGUST 02: Lindsey Heaps #10 of Denver Summit FC warms up prior to the NWSL match between Denver Summit FC and Boston Legacy FC at Centennial Stadium on August 02, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Jack Dempsey/NWSL via Getty Images) | NWSL via Getty Images The NWSL has three exciting matchups for Saturday, August 7, but the most notable injury is the Summit’s captain Lindsey Heaps who is out of Saturday’s matchup with a knee injury. DENVER SUMMIT FCOUT: Jasmine Aikey (SEI – knee), Jordan Baggett (maternity leave), Nahikari Garcia (SEI – knee), Lindsey Heaps (knee) QUESTIONABLE: NoneINTERNATIONAL DUTY: Lourdes Bosch (MEX U-23)UTAH ROYALS FCOUT: Alex Loera (SEI – knee), KK Ream (SEI – knee) QUESTIONABLE: NoneINTERNATIONAL DUTY: NoneWASHINGTON SPIRITOUT: Lucia Di Guglielmo (lower leg), Aubrey Kingsbury (maternity leave), Casey Krueger (maternity leave) QUESTIONABLE: NoneINTERNATIONAL DUTY: Deborah Abiodun (NGA), Mélissa Bethi (ALG), Rosemonde Kouassi (CIV), Gift Monday (NGA), Monique Ngock (CAM)NORTH CAROLINA COURAGEOUT: Payton Crawford (Knee – SEI), Sydney Schmidt (Knee – SEI)QUESTIONABLE: NoneINTERNATIONAL DUTY: NoneHOUSTON DASHOUT: Evelina Duljan (excused absence), Emina Ekić (excused absence), Cate Hardin (Ankle), Makenzy Robbe (SEI – knee) QUESTIONABLE: NoneINTERNATIONAL DUTY: NoneKANSAS CITY CURRENTOUT: Ellie Bravo-Young (thigh), Alana Cook (SEI – knee), Michelle Cooper (thigh), Clare Gagne (SEI – head), Mary Long (D45), Laney Rouse (knee), Kolo Suliafu (thigh) QUESTIONABLE: NoneINTERNATIONAL DUTY: Temwa Chawinga (MWI)

The Brooklyn Nets came into the 2026 NBA offseason with the goal of improving the team as much as possible following a 2025-26 NBA season in which they finished with a lowly 20-62 record. Brooklyn also came into the summer with the hope of seeing some of the youngest players on the team show improvement, but others around the league are not sold on most of the Nets' 2025 NBA Draft class."The Nets had five first-round picks in 2025. With the exception of the outstanding Egor Demin, the Nets look as if they whiffed on this entire group," John Hollinger wrote for The Athletic when discussing Brooklyn's 2025 class. Forward Danny Wolf is one of the players that should be a factor in the rotation next season, but Hollinger doesn't appear to be impressed by Wolf's summer."Wolf offered hints of rotational usefulness last season, but his clock-killing, ball-stopping dribbles to nowhere stood out more in a summer-league environment where his team was actually trying to win. All that pounding produced just seven assists in four games," Hollinger added on Wolf. "I will unofficially award him the title of worst dribbles-to-points ratio of any non-guard in Vegas."Wolf, 22, played in four of the five games that the Nets played in the Las Vegas Summer League and while he had some up-and-down games, the former Michigan Wolverine had a solid stint this year. Wolf finished his time in Las Vegas with averages of 11.8 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 48.6% from the field and just 11.1% from behind the three-point line.Wolf is in the position where he should see significant playing time within Brooklyn's rotation if he performs well during training camp later in the fall when the entire team is together. Assuming that Wolf will be spending some time as one of the centers on the team, his competition at that position will be Day'Ron Sharpe and Mo Wagner, but if most people feel like Hollinger does, Wolf may have something to prove next season.This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: What to make of Nets' Danny Wolf's performance in summer league play?

No one was more popular than the Boston Cannons when they stepped into autograph alley Friday night at Harvard Stadium. “There is nothing like it in the PLL,” head coach Brian Holman said of the home-field advantage. “… They’re rooting for us.” Those Boston fans were treated to a thrilling game that ended in a Marcus Holman overtime two-pointer, leading the Cannons to a 14-12 victory over the Maryland Whipsnakes. “Just a really fun way to clinch a playoff berth for us,” the veteran attackman said.DON'T COUNT OUT THE BOSTON CANNONS https://t.co/BW0HzF40jOpic.twitter.com/flEXZhCt55— Boston Cannons (@PLLCannons) August 8, 2026Down two with under a minute left in regulation, Mic Kelly came through with two goals to send Boston into overtime.MIC KELLY. ONE GOAL GAME. pic.twitter.com/4wRSGFb7kY— Boston Cannons (@PLLCannons) August 7, 2026It was another “Whose car are we taking?” game for the Boom Squad. Graydon Hogg opened the night with two straight goals, Brian Kelly recorded a hat trick and Holman finished with five points on the night. Andrew McMeekin continued to make an impact, going 71% at the faceoff stripe and scoring a third-quarter goal that sparked some controversy on the sideline, with Brian Holman throwing the challenge flag after seeing it as a two-pointer, which the referees disagreed with. “He steps on the line, it’s not connected, it’s a two,” the Cannons coach said postgame. “… Those guys have a tough job; we all get a little feisty. We’re competitive people.” But McMeekin’s ability extends far beyond winning the faceoff; it gave Boston a chance to stay alive. Down by three late in the third quarter, his feed to Brian Kelly led to an electrifying behind-the-back goal. “[McMeekin’s] probably been the MVP of our team this year, honestly,” Marcus Holman said.BTB JUICE FROM BK 🧃‼️ pic.twitter.com/Tx22Jmx8GE— Boston Cannons (@PLLCannons) August 7, 2026Despite the full-team involvement, the Cannons were held scoreless in the second quarter and trailed throughout the second half. But neither the team nor the home crowd gave up. “ I don’t think there was ever a second where we thought, you know, we’re in a tough spot,” Mic Kelly said. “We knew we were gonna keep fighting until the very last whistle, and that’s what we were able to do.” With the win, the Cannons became the second team to clinch a spot in the PLL playoffs, joining the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Waterdogs. They’ll play the second game of their Homecoming Weekend doubleheader Saturday night against the California Redwoods (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+).

A former two-time MVP and the first unanimous MVP in league history, Stephen Curry has been well recognized by the world-famous basketball video game NBA 2K this offseason. Earlier this week, 2K recognized Curry as the game's strongest shooter in the upcoming NBA 2K27 game, giving him a 99 rating on 3-pointers, higher than any other player.Curry was also recognized for his ball-handling skills Wednesday, being named the second best ball-handler in the game with a 97 rating. This put him above Jalen Brunson, the recent NBA Finals MVP, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning two-time league MVP, who were rated 96 each. The only player Curry trailed was his former rival, Kyrie Irving of the Dallas Mavericks, who was rated 99 in the category. No other Warriors players were ranked inside the top-10. LaMelo Ball, Luka Doncic, James Harden and Trae Young were all tied for fifth place.NBA 2K27 is set to release September 4.This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors star Stephen Curry receives another high rating in NBA 2K27

Denis Goltsov delivered one of the most ruthless finishes of 2026.The 2024 PFL heavyweight tournament winner ended Hasan Mezhiev's undefeated status with a vicious kick to close out the preliminary card of PFL Charlotte, which took place Friday at Bojangles Coliseum in North Carolina. Goltsov (37-9) tagged Mezhiev (14-1) early, pushed him to create distance, and then blasted him with a kick to the face that sent Mezhiev stumbling down to the canvas.This was Goltsov's first fight since losing to Corey Anderson in July 2025. This was also Goltsov's 19th career KO win. You can watch Goltsov's vicious finish in the video below: DON'T BLINKDENIS GOLTSOV FIRST ROUND DOMINATION 😱#PFLCharlotte | 📺 Prelims LIVE NOW on the ESPN App | Main Card 10PM EST on ESPN pic.twitter.com/gcLDxNdRKZ— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 8, 2026Denis Goltsov makes quick work of Hasan Mezhiev with a first round TKO 🍿#PFLCharlotte | 📺 Prelims LIVE NOW on the ESPN App | Main Card 10PM EST on ESPN pic.twitter.com/fQZsYS13id— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 8, 2026This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: PFL Charlotte video: Denis Goltsov scores violent TKO in opening round

Photo provided by Matt LynchPITTSBURGH — Not much went right for the Pirates on Friday night. Carmen Mlodzinski struggled in his first start since May, and the offense continued to struggle against left-handed starting pitching.The end result? A 6-4 loss to the Mets at PNC Park, pushing their losing streak to four games at exactly the wrong time. Scoring PlaysTop 1st, 1-0 NYM: Carson Benge plated A.J. Ewing from third base with a base hit to center field off Carmen Mlodzinski (6-4).Top 3rd, 5-0 NYM: The Mets (51-66) opened the floodgates after a rain delay. Benge came through with another RBI single. Francisco Lindor easily stole second base with two outs and scored on Benge’s base hit on the very next pitch. Later in the inning, Marcus Semien hit a three-run home run to left field to blow the game open. Mlodzinski’s 1-2 fastball caught too much of the plate.Top 4th, 6-0 NYM: Lindor delivered another two-out run-scoring hit for the Mets with an RBI single to center off Evan Sisk. Bottom 7th, 6-2 NYM: The Pirates (57-60) finally got on the board on a Jared Triolo RBI single to left off Jefry Yan. After Pittsburgh loaded the bases later in the inning, Jake Mangum tacked on a second run with a sacrifice fly to right. Bottom 9th, 6-3 NYM: Pinch-hitter Jacob Gonzalez banged one high off the Clemente Wall in right field off Devin Williams. He plated Ronny Simon from second, but was thrown out trying to stretch a double. Brandon Lowe brought the Pirates within two with an RBI single to center. Key MomentsThe Pirates were one pitch away from escaping the third inning to stay within striking distance. Instead, Marcus Semien’s home run put the game out of reach.Bryan Reynolds represented the tying run in the bottom of the ninth with two outs and a runner on first but was robbed of a hit by Mets second baseman Marcus Semien to end the game. Player of the GameMets starter Zac Thornton (3-2) held the Pirates scoreless across five innings despite a rain-interrupted start.Stat to KnowCarmen Mlodzinski has a 4.98 ERA in 10 starts this season. He has a 2.15 ERA in 16 appearances out of the bullpen. Notable PerformancesCarmen Mlodzinski: 3.0 innings, seven hits, five runs, one walk, one strikeout, 63 pitches/40 strikesYohan Ramírez: 3.1 innings, one hit, no runs, one walk, four strikeouts, 43 pitches/28 strikesNick Gonzales: 2 for 4, one double, one runRonny Simon: 2 for 4, two runsJared Triolo: 2 for 3, one RBIBryan Reynolds: 2 for 5, one doubleNoteworthyThe Pirates are 5-13 over their last 18 games. Five of the six Mets’ runs came with two outs. The game was delayed for 36 minutes in the top of the third inning due to rain. CF Oneil Cruz (left hand fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday night. RHP Chris Devenski elected free agency after he was outrighted to Indianapolis. Up NextThe Pirates will have RHP Bubba Chandler (4-8, 4.49 ERA) on the mound for the second game of the series on Saturday night. RHP Robert Stock (0-1, 1.80 ERA) will start for the Mets. First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh/93.7 The Fan.Around the NetworkPittsburgh Baseball Now:‘Pittsburgh Has Always Been Home,’ Josh Harrison Signs One-Day Contract to Retire With PiratesPittsburgh Hockey Now:Dubas Dishing Koivunen Contract Raises a Lot of QuestionsSteelers Now:Saunders’ Steelers Training Camp Takeaways: Defense Gets Pick Happy, Rodgers Makes Unexpected ImpactPittsburgh Sports Now: Pitt Sights & Sounds: RBs Work on Receiving, Ball SecurityThe post Pirates’ Woes Continue With Loss to Mets, Untimely Losing Streak Hits 4 appeared first on Pittsburgh Baseball Now.

2026-08-07T22:10:59Z PITTSBURGH (AP) — The New York Mets claimed infielder Gabriel Arias off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians on Friday.Arias is out of minor-league options and must remain on the Mets’ active roster or be subject to waivers again. He is expected to join the Mets on Saturday night for their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.The 26-year-old Arias hit .244 with five home runs in 42 games this season for the Guardians. He started 24 games at third base, 10 at shortstop and two at second base. He is a .219 career hitter over five seasons, all with Cleveland, and has 30 home runs.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Luke Weaverwas one of the pieces dealt by the Mets at this year's trade deadline.And while trading other players who were on expiring contracts, like Brooks Raley and Freddy Peralta, made sense, Weaver had another year under contract after signing a two-year, $22 million deal with the Mets this past offseason.The Mets sent Weaver to the Pirates for shortstop prospect Sammy Stafura, who is now the organization's No. 3 prospect in Joe DeMayo's latest rankings. But New York could have kept Weaver to anchor their bullpen to try and compete in 2027. And the 33-year-old reliever was hoping to stay and told the Mets he "strongly" wanted to remain with the club past the deadline.“I was very upfront. I told them, ‘I hope you know I want to stay,’” Weaver told reporters, including The NY Post, before Friday's series opener. “I made my commitment … but I understand how this goes. It’s not my first rodeo.”In 42 appearances for the Mets, Weaver pitched to a 1.84 ERA and was arguably the top reliever available. Before the Mets and Pirates started their three-game series, Weaver was asked about the Mets’ struggles this season. “There’s a lot of changes that were made, a lot of new people that were brought in, a lot of new faces,” he said. “I don’t think necessarily it was a bad thing, but I think people underestimate change and how much you have got to adapt in a short period of time. “A lot of great teams we have seen in the past have a lot of chemistry, a lot of deep-rooted connection that has happened over time. It’s not always like that, but there’s a lot of those history book teams that have that, and I think it gets taken for granted how much that needed to happen, and it was happening. It has just got to link together on the field.” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns explained his reasoning for dealing Weaver and Husacar Brazoban, who was also under team control in 2027.“Ultimately the returns that we were able to get, we thought made sense and were in the best interest of the organization, recognizing that at this time of year you are able to get really good talent back for relief pitching,” he said. Weaver, despite being traded Monday, made his first appearance with Pittsburgh against his former team on Friday. With the Pirates down 6-2 in the eighth, the right-hander allowed a hit and a walk but pitched a scoreless inning.

Chase Utley is still the man in Philadelphia.A six-time All-Star and the second baseman on the 2008 World Series championship team, Utley can also call himself a Phillies Wall of Famer.Utley is the third member of that championship team to earn induction, and former teammate Jimmy Rollins greeted him during a star-studded celebration Friday night that included Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton with his Phillies Wall of Fame jersey.Utley looked as comfortable giving a speech - no F-bombs this time like the one infamously dropped during his World Series parade speech - in the jersey as he was when wore it as one of the best second baseman in baseball and helped lead the Phillies to five straight NL East pennants from 2007 to 2011.His plaque now hangs in the left field plaza at Citizens Bank Park.Might his No. 26 be next on the outfield concourse wall with other retired numbers such as Roy Halladay's No 34 or Richie Ashburn's No. 1?"If no one wears my number any time soon, I'm fine with it," Utley said. "But if they want to, if somebody wants my number, good luck."Utley played 13 seasons in Philadelphia before he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. He retired in 2018 with a .275 average, .823 OPS, and 1,885 hits.No Phillie has worn No. 26 since Utley was traded. He is now special assistant to the president for the Dodgers.The sweet-swinging Utley is perhaps the most popular player in franchise history. He was beloved for his hustle, heart and all-out attitude. Fans fell in love with Utley from the moment he ran - not jogged - around the bases after hitting a grand slam for his first hit in the majors. Their affection for Utley grew legendary after he scored from second base on an infield grounder and Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas declared: "Chase Utley, you are the man.""We used to joke he ran angry out there," Wall of Fame outfielder Pat Burrell said with a laugh during his introduction speech.Former teammate Ryan Howard unveiled the Wall of Fame plaque, team owner John Middleton presented Utley with his ring and actor Rob Mac - whose "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" character simply wanted to have a catch with Utley - handed him a replica of the plaque.With the Phillies induction done, Utley is aware another one potentially looms in the future in Cooperstown. Utley appears on track for Hall of Fame induction after he received 59.1% of the vote in his third year on the ballot, up from the 39.8% he received the previous ballot. Players are required to receive 75% of the votes for induction."You can't not pay attention to it once you're in the conversation," Utley said. "Obviously, I'm honored that I'm part of that conversation. I had a great time here. I had some incredible teammates that definitely made me a better player, and I love that I'm part of the conversation. I guess we'll what happens."There was one more Utley touch in his honor for the night.The Phillies ditched their usual Friday night City Connect uniforms for their traditional home pinstripes.Bryce Harper suggested the change."I've had plenty of time now since I've stopped playing to reflect on how this was such an amazing time, not only for me but my family and the team, the coaches, everyone within this organization," Utley said. "It was an incredible time to be a Philadelphia Phillie."

ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - AUGUST 7: Iván Herrera #48 is congratulated by Jimmy Crooks #8 of the St. Louis Cardinals after hitting a solo home run against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Busch Stadium on August 7, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) | Getty Images Kyle Leahy has slowly established himself this season as one of the more reliable St. Louis Cardinals starters in this development year. He turned into something of a strikeout machine Friday night, but also gave up a ton of leadoff hits. How would that affect the end result? The answer is Leahy’s strikeouts and a bomb off of Herrera’s bat would be enough to put one in the win column for St. Louis. The Rockies were the first to score in the top of the 2nd inning when TJ Rumfield led off with a single to center. Castro also singled which advanced Rumfield to third giving Colorado runners at first and third with nobody out. The Rockies would only get one run out of this RISP opportunity two batters later when Johnston grounded out to short giving Colorado a 1-0 lead. The Rockies lead would not stand for long. The St. Louis Cardinals played some great small ball baseball in the bottom of the 2nd inning when Jimmy Crooks reached on an infield hit followed by a double by Masyn Winn giving St. Louis runners at 2nd and 3rd with no one out. Unlike the Rockies, the Cardinals would score both runners in scoring position with consecutive sacrifice flies from Nathan Church and Bryan Torres. Good basic baseball gave the Cardinals a 2-1 lead after two innings. St. Louis would add to their lead in the bottom of the 3rd inning when Iván Herrera turned on a 79 mph curveball and launched it into the left field seats 379 feet away increasing the Cardinals advantage to 3-1.Colorado would peck away at the St. Louis lead in the top of the 4th inning when Runfield would leadoff with another single followed by a double from Willi Castro. Two batters later, Johnston would again drive in a run with a groundout reducing the Cardinals lead to 3-2. Kyle Leahy’s start lasted 5 innings as he allowed 8 hits, but just 2 earned runs with 8 strikeouts and no walks. A solid with some spectacular strikeout moments kind of start. Justin Bruihl handled the top of the 6th inning shutting the Rockies down 1-2-3. The Cardinals missed a prime scoring opportunity in the bottom of the 6th when they loaded the bases with no hits. Masyn Winn drew a one-out walk and then stole second. Nathan Church walked and two batters later pinch-hitter Blaze Jordan was hit in the back knee by a pitch which loaded the bases for JJ Wetherholt. All JJ could muster was a weak pop-out to third base to end the Cardinals 6th with no runs to show for a long inning. Bummer.Newcomer Caleb Ferguson pitched around a one-out single by Beck in the top of the 7th inning to help maintain the slim Cardinals one-run lead. The Cardinals offered up some of the most pathetic swings in the bottom of the 7th inning. Alec Burleson struck out on a 92 mph four-seam heater that he was somehow way late on. After Iván Herrera’s impressive home run at-bat earlier, he had two completely lost looking swings that looked like he second-guessed himself halfway through the swing. That meant the Cardinals would have to survive the final two innings with just a one-run lead. Caleb Ferguson would get the Cardinals one out into the top of the 8th inning when Ryne Stanek would enter the fray. The first batter he faced was Goodman who got robbed by Masyn Winn who dove to his left to grab what looked like a certain single and then rifled a throw to Burleson at first for the second out of the inning. Winn would also catch the last out of the inning when Stanek got Castro to pop-out. I would love to see Masyn develop into more of an offensive weapon, but I think he’s a part of the new St. Louis Cardinals core just for his glove alone. Due to the fact that the Cardinals bats sucked were silent after Herrera’s home run, St. Louis entered the top of the 9th inning with a measly one-run lead that was in the hands of Riley O’Brien. He decided handing out a leadoff walk to Tovar would be the appropriate way to add some drama to Friday night’s contest. Fortunately, one of O’Brien’s sinkers would leave Kyle Karros bat and end in a double play greatly lessening the Rockies threat. He coaxed a weak grounder off the bat of Beck to wrap up a tight Cardinals victory. It’s game 2 of the St. Louis Cardinals 3-game series hosting the Colorado Rockies Saturday night. Matthew Liberatore will start for the Cardinals while the Rockies will give the ball to Kyle Freeland. First pitch is scheduled for 6:15pm central time and the game broadcast will be available through Cardinals.tv.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kevin Gausman provided exactly what the Cubs hoped for when they acquired him from the Blue Jays last weekend, pitching seven sharp innings in his Chicago debut in a 6-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night.The 35-year-old right-hander gave up an RBI single to Isaac Collins in the first inning and Carter Jensen's homer in the fifth, but he otherwise held Kansas City in check. Gausman (6-10) retired 12 of 13 at one point and ended up allowing two runs on four hits and a walk.Caleb Thielbar allowed a pair of runs in the eighth for the Cubs before Trent Thornton escaped the jam, getting Nick Loftin to fly out with the tying run on first base. Jacob Webb breezed through the ninth for his seventh save.The Cubs gave Gausman the support he needed in the second, when Seiya Suzuki followed Pete Crow-Armstrong's RBI single with a two-run single of his own. Chicago wound up plating four runs off Daniel Lynch IV (4-3), who had pitched out of the bullpen all season but was getting the start for a Kansas City rotation waylaid by injuries.Lynch only lasted 1 2/3 innings, striking out two and walking two, before Royals manager Matt Quatraro went to his bullpen.Alex Bregman added an RBI single in the seventh for Chicago. Pedro Ramirez went deep in the eighth.Gausman won his final start for Toronto last Saturday, allowing just one run while pitching into the sixth inning against St. Louis. But he had otherwise struggled the past few weeks, going 1-5 with a 5.17 ERA in his final seven starts for the Blue Jays.Up nextRHP Clay Holmes (4-4, 2.39 ERA) makes his Cubs debut Saturday night following his trade from the Mets. It also will be his first start since May 15, when he fractured his right fibula on a sharp liner by the Yankees' Spencer Jones.RHP Seth Lugo (4-7, 4.41) tries to bounce back from a dismal start against the Rockies when he takes the mound for Kansas City.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 7: Jefry Yan #84 of the New York Mets reacts after tagging out Jared Triolo #19 of the Pittsburgh Pirates at home plate in the seventh inning during the game at PNC Park on August 7, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Mets defeated the Pirates 6-4 in this series opener at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Zac Thornton delivered five scoreless innings, helped out by strong defense behind him and the Mets tagged Carmen Mlodzinski for four runs in the third, punctuated by a Macrus Semien three-run homer. Devin Williams was shaky, but held on to polish off the victory. The Mets got on the board right away off Carmen Mlodzinski in the first. A.J. Ewing, who had a good game on both sides of the ball, led things off with a double. Francisco Lindor then truck out, but Bo Bichette singled to advance Ewing to third and then Carson Benge plated him with a single for the game’s first run. Bichette tagged up to third base on a fly out by Jared Young and the Mets threatened for a big inning when Benge stole second to put two runners in scoring position, but Macrus Semien grounded out to short to get Mlodzinski through the inning with just one run. Zach Thornton started his evening with a 1-2-3 inning complete with a strikeout and Mlodzinski bounced back to log a 1-2-3 inning of his own in the top of the second. Thornton had a quick second inning as well, thanks to his defense, which played well behind him all evening. Thornton walked Esmerlyn Valdez to lead off the inning but then Jared Young made a nice snag on a soft liner by Spencer Horwitz to double Valdez off. At this point, it began to rain rather heavily and A.J. Ewing needed to make a diving play through the rain drops on a Nick Gonzales shallow fly ball to end the inning. We made it to a 2-1 count on Ewing to lead off the top of the third before the tarp went on the field. After a rain delay of just under an hour, the Mets came out guns blazing. Ewing singled to get things started and then Francisco Lindor worked a walk. The Pirates then got a break when the runners took off and would have executed a double steal, but Bo Bichette flew out to left field and A.J. Ewing failed to re-touch third base after he went past the bag on the steal attempt and went to return to second on the fly ball, and thus was called out on the play. But the Mets weren’t done hitting yet. Lindor stole second base (for real this time) and Carson Benge singled to put the Mets up 2-0. Jared Young followed with a single to advance Benge to third. Marcus Semien then dealt the decisive blow: a three-run homer to cap off a four-run inning and put the Mets up 5-0. Whether you want to call it pulchritudinous, psychotic, hellacious, or some other adjective, Carson Benge made an unbelievable diving catch up against the left field wall to rob Ronny Simon of an extra base hit in the bottom of the third. Unfortunately he jammed his wrist against the wall in the process and made an early exit from the game as a result, replaced in left field by Cristian Pache. Evan Sisk replaced Carmen Mlodzinski on the mound for the Pirates in the fourth and the Mets tacked on a run against him to extend their lead to six runs. With two outs, Ewing was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second base. Lindor then laced a single to center to drive him in. Thornton managed to navigate around traffic on the base paths in both the fourth and fifth innings again in part thanks to his defense. He gave up a one-out single to Bryan Reyonds in the fourth and then walked Valdez, but induced a double play grounder off the bat of Spencer Horwitz to end the inning. In the fifth, Nick Gonzales led off the inning with a seeing-eye single between short and third. Ronny Simon popped out and Jared Triolo grounded into a force out at second, but Rafael Flores Jr. singled with two outs to advance Triolo to second and he scrambled to third on a wild pitch by Thornton. Jake Mangum then hit a sharp fly ball to right center that A.J. Ewing did an excellent job to track down and make the running catch to cap off Thornton’s outing of five scoreless frames. In the sixth with two outs, Luis Torrens drew a walk and stole second base for the Mets’ fourth stolen base of the game, but nothing game of it. Dedniel Núñez came in the game in relief of Thornton and worked around a one-out ground rule double by Bryan Reynolds to pitch a scoreless inning. Meanwhile, Yohan Ramírez kept the Mets off the board over 3 1/3 scoreless innings and the Pirates were able to scratch back two runs off the Mets’ bullpen. Núñez came back out for a second inning of work in the seventh and that proved to be a bad idea, as he gave up a double to Nick Gonzales and a single to Ronny Simon to lead things off. He then made way for Jefry Yan, who allowed a single to Jared Triolo to plate the Pirates’ first run. He then walked Rafael Flores Jr. to load the bases and a sacrifice fly by Jake Mangum scored another run to cut the Mets’ lead to 6-2. Yan got Brandon Lowe to pop out for the second out and escaped the jam in thrilling fashion. He bounced a pitch that skipped away from Luis Torrens, but scampered to cover the plate and Torrens flipped it to him and Yan tagged Jared Triolo out at the plate to end the inning, emphatically slamming his hand down on the dirt in celebration, in keeping with his personality. Daniel Duarte worked a scoreless eighth inning, navigating around a two-out single by Spencer Horwitz. The Mets then faced off against old friend Luke Weaver in the ninth, now donning Pirates black and gold. Ewing and Lindor managed to reach base against him via a single and a walk, respectively, but Weaver kept the Mets off the board. Devin Williams then entered the game in the bottom of the ninth in a non-save situation and had a rocky outing, but managed to hang on to seal the victory, assisted by another pair of fantastic defensive plays by the Mets. Ronny Simon got things started for the Pirates with a single and advanced to second on defensive indifference. Endy Rodríguez, pinch hitting for Jared Triolo, flew out to left for the first out. Jacob Gonzalez, pinch hitting for Rafael Flores Jr., launched a ball to deep right field that hit right off the top of the tall fence in right at PNC Park and caromed perfectly to Brett Baty, who threw a perfect strike to second base to nab Gonzalez trying to leg out what he likely thought was a sure extra-base hit off the bat. It was the first outfield assist of Brett Baty’s career and it was a beauty to get Williams within an out of maneuvering through the inning, though Simon did score on the play. Williams then walked Jake Mangum, who also advanced to second on defensive indifference, and Brandon Lowe singled to cut the Mets’ lead to two runs. Bryan Reynolds then came to the plate as the tying run and hit a grounder that seemed to be making its way through the hole between first and second, but Marcus Semien made a great sliding grab to his left to throw out Reyonlds and stymie the Pirates’ comeback to end the game. SB Nation GameThreadsAmazin’ AvenueBucs DugoutBox scoresMLB.comESPNWin Probability AddedWhat’s WPA?Big Mets winner: Zac Thornton, +18% WPABig Mets loser: Bo Bichette, -7% WPAMets pitchers: +23% WPAMets hitters: +27% WPATeh aw3s0mest play: Marcus Semien’s three-run homer in the third, +18.2% WPATeh sux0rest play: Jefry Yan walks the bases loaded in the seventh, -6.4% WPA

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) drives between Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) and Mercury guard Monique Akoa Makani, right, during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)2026-08-07T23:47:57Z UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — Alyssa Thomas was the engine that made Connecticut go when she played for the Sun for 11 years.The franchise that she helped reach two WNBA Finals and six consecutive playoff semifinals honored her on Friday night, retiring her No. 25 jersey. The team is moving to Houston next year, so the Sun have been honoring many of their former great players and coaches this season.Thomas was serenaded pregame with chants of “AT” from the crowd, which also gave her a standing ovation when the short ceremony started.“What a heck of a ride we had here. This place truly meant something to me,” Thomas said to the crowd. “It was a great 11 years. Sad to see it go. I will never forget the memories, the hard fought battles we had here. Bottom of my heart thank you. I love you guys.”The Sun spoiled Thomas’ night, beating Phoenix 75-72. Thomas had 10 points, eight rebounds, five assists and four steals, but was 4 for 10 from the foul line. Thomas left Connecticut for Phoenix after the 2024 season. She was the heart of Connecticut after the team got her in 2014 in a trade on draft night that was held at Mohegan Sun.She was the centerpiece of the franchise for so many years, playing through injuries, including torn rotator cuffs. She is the team’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, games, minutes and assists She was affectionately known as the engine by the fans for her work ethic and how she made the team go. “I think it’s forever my nickname. That’s what everyone knows me by,” Thomas said. “It definitely started here. Before I got here they won a lot of basketball games and you know I was a part of the rebuilding, getting it back to where it was.” Read More Thomas wasn’t sure before the game how she would handle the emotions of the ceremony. She appeared to get a little choked up, but made it through without crying. That was something her partner and teammate DeWanna Bonner was worried about.“It’s so funny because we were warming up and I was bothering her, like dancing and stuff. She’s like leave me alone right now. I got a lot going on,” Bonner said. Bonner, like all of her Phoenix teammates, wore a No. 25 shirt in warm-ups to honor Thomas. Bonner’s was bedazzled. “It’s crazy to think that some people are saying they’re playing one last time, because they’re retiring,” Thomas said. “So it’s definitely sad. I know how much this franchise meant to this fan base and how much they love basketball.”The Sun will honor two more former franchise members later this season when they retire Tina Charles’ jersey and coach Mike Thibault. They’ve already honored Jonquel Jones, Curt Miller and Jasmine Thomas earlier this season.__AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

The streaming giant, still looking for this year’s blockbuster, paid an actor to spend three days inside a billboard in Los Angeles to promote an upcoming film.

In an effort to sell college football season tickets, Akron is offering football fans for the chance of a lifetime — and it’s working.A promotion announced by the school earlier this week will provide one lucky winner for a chance to be the “Offensive Coordinator of the Game.” According to the release, the winner will get a chance to plan out Akron’s opening drive in the Zips’ home opener against Robert Morris on Sept. 12.All Zips season ticket holders will be entered into the promotion, with the lottery drawing taking place on Aug. 19. Referring additional season ticket holders will boost your chances at getting the winning draw.Make history and be the lucky season ticket holder to design the opening drive of the home opener when @ZipsFB hosts Robert Morris‼️🗞️https://t.co/G5aTUlVpzT#GoZips🦘#MakeTheClimbpic.twitter.com/Qzu1w0R29O— Akron Football (@ZipsFB) August 4, 2026Full reign over the team’s game plan in that drive seems very unlikely: Per the release, the winning fan “will work directly with Zips' football head coach Joe Moorhead” to craft plays for the drive.But it hasn’t stopped the unusual idea from receiving a significant amount of attention: The post announcing the promotion has more than 22 million views on X. And more importantly, ticket sales really have been going up.In an interview with The Athletic published Friday, Akron director of athletics Dr. Andrew T. Goodrich said that Akron has seen its largest increase in season ticket sales since the school’s InfoCision Stadium opened in 2009. Season tickets, which start at just $75, are also being bought by people based across the country who are hoping to score the grand prize.Goodrich told The Athletic that he brainstormed the idea during a flight back from Tampa. He pitched it to senior deputy athletic director Matt Pottorff, who was sitting next to him on the plane.“(He) very appropriately said, ‘No, that’s a bad idea,’” Goodrich told The Athletic.Moorhead echoed the sentiment, telling The Athletic that he initially though the proposal was “ridiculous” when Goodrich and Pottorff pitched it to him.“Once the shock value wore away, and we discussed some benefits, now you see it spoke for itself. It’s a really unique opportunity that’s created a lot of positive publicity for our program,” Moorhead said.Following the drawing in a little under two weeks, the winner will meet with Moorhead ahead of the season opener to design the plays, per the school. The winning fan will get to script the opening 10 to 15 offensive plays of the game, per The Athletic.Akron will travel to Winston-Salem to play Wake Forest to start the season on Sept. 3, before the suddenly must-see home opener against Robert Morris the following week.

KLAGENFURT, AUSTRIA - AUGUST 01: Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Real Madrid, speaks with Arda Gueler of Real Madrid during the pre-season friendly match between Real Madrid and Fiorentina at Woerthersee Stadion on August 01, 2026 in Klagenfurt, Austria. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images) | Getty Images When Real Madrid lost out on Rodri this Thursday — ‘snubbed’ by the Spanish midfielder who chose Barcelona instead — it was seen as a big blow. Rodri, by many, was considered the final piece: Someone with experience who can organize the midfield, bring leadership, ball progression, and lead the team out of high pressure situations.But while there was panic among fans, the club remains calm. Their motto has always been: If you want to play here, great — if not, we have no interest in pursuing you. And if you call us to tell us you’re joining Barcelona, well, good luck, we’re out.Of course, Real Madrid are not completely clear of blame, and part of the reason Rodri slipped away was because the club showed some hesitation after initially having a verbal agreement in place with Rodri. They then stepped away, focused on Yan Diomande, and ran out of time.There has, and will be, other narratives that come out of this that club will want to push out, namely that it was Rodri and Manchester City’s fault. This author will also let you know, after several conversations with sources, that Real Madrid weren’t fully committed to Rodri either, and there were several good reasons behind it, which are all fair: Rodri had an ACL injury two seasons ago, and last season, he missed nearly 30 games due to a combination of hamstring, groin, and knee injuries. Then there was the back surgery, which some brush off as ‘minor’; but Managing Madrid’s resident radiologist, Vik Sobti, who specializes in back and spine injuries, indicated real concern with Rodri’s back and athletes who have back injuries and surgeries in general. Those issues are often chronic and extremely difficult to recover. Some never do.Time will tell. Rodri may very well stay healthy for the next three-to-five years. If he does, Barcelona — or anyone else who would’ve had him — would’ve received an upgrade in midfield. If Rodri’s health deteriorates (and to be clear, no one wants that to happen), then Real Madrid dodged a bullet.But what’s done is done. Rodri is (probably) going to Barcelona, and good riddance. Things move on fast at this club. The question is… Now what?According to COPE’s Arancha Rodriguez, the club is done with signings. If true, that in itself is interesting to unpack for two reasons:By all accounts Jose Mourinho wanted a Rodri profile in the team. With Rodri off the table, is it not pertinent to shift eyes to other targets?If not, then it’s very clear: There aren’t names appealing enough that would justify benching names like Arda Güler and Bernardo Silva — and if the solution to losing Rodri, as reported, is ‘from within’, then the bet is almost certainly on those two.That will be disappointing for fans to hear, but it is somewhat reasonable: Real Madrid currently have two slots open in that double pivot and these players are fighting for them: Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Arda Güler. (Güler is included in this list of deeper midfielders, as my hunch — and who knows, I could be wrong — will be that Mourinho builds his systems around Jude Bellingham as the 10.This conversation would be a lot easier if Real Madrid were able to move Camavinga out of the squad, or had they simply not signed Bernardo earlier this summer.I feel similar this summer to the way I felt last summer about this position: I think it’s important Real Madrid have someone come in as an elite deep-lying playmaker, but also weary of signing someone not good enough to justify stalling Güler’s progress. This is somewhat contradictory, because I have said continually in the past two years that this team needs more leaders and established players, and less developments and projects.But this may come down to the simple fact that I value Güler much higher than some others do. In that linked article, I also outlined how certain tropes about him can be debunked, namely, silly claims that he doesn’t show up in big games, or that his defense is a problem. He was one of Real Madrid’s only bright spots last season and continues to improve. The analytics with him are very impressive.There is also some recency bias surrounding Bernardo, who, unfortunately didn’t play much in the World Cup — but a lot of that has to do with the fact that Portugal already have Joao Neves, Vitinha, and Bruno Fernandes (and also, Roberto Martinez churned in one of the worst managerial performances in recent World Cup memory). The Rodri snub has also made the Bernardo signing look worse in many people’s eyes, because he has unfairly been attribute with the moniker ‘the wrong midfielder from City’.Silva is still very good, if you look past the World Cup disaster. His attacking output decreased in his last season at City as he played deeper than normal, but his passing and defense remains very much intact. I would not be surprised if we reflect on his signing at the end of the season as a success. Do not put it past him to exceed expectations and help bring important leadership and minutes throughout all major campaigns.A trio of Tchouameni – Valverde – Camavinga does not bring much inspiration in terms of control and creativity. For that reason, I would start either Güler or Bernardo in midfield.Continue having faith in Jose Mourinho. He has an impeccable transfer record.

The Green Bay Packers practiced under the lights of Lambeau Field during the team's annual "Family Night" event on Friday in Green Bay. Matt LaFleur's team did a 1-on-1 period, several periods of 11-on-11 and then finished the night with a live period for young players. The grand finale was the fireworks show following practice.Miss the event? Here are the top on-field highlights from Packers Family Night:Love to Golden touchdownJordan Love went bombs away to Matthew Golden, who beat Javon Bullard for a touchdown of over 50 yards during an 11-on-11 period. Love ➡️ GoldenGet used to seeing this #Packers@fox11newspic.twitter.com/XhhbiDm5cI— Michael Gross (@MichaelSGross) August 8, 2026Golden beats Nixon in 1-on-1sOne of several impressive wins for Matthew Golden during Family Night. Matthew Golden vs. Keisean Nixon. pic.twitter.com/FaDzAVpSnY— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) August 8, 2026Cisse vs. Watson in 1-on-1sThe best battle of the night? Rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse against starting receiver Christian Watson. Christian Watson and Brandon Cisse had a couple competitive reps in 1-on-1s. Here are the first and third. Cisse had a nice PBU on a slant on the second and got a dap from Watson after. pic.twitter.com/rUd2dVth2N— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 8, 2026Trey Smack goes 6-for-7The rookie kicker missed his longest kick of the night wide left, but it was still a strong night for Trey Smack. After connecting on a kick of over 60 yards during warmups, Smack made 6-of-7 kicks, including 3-of-4 over 40 yards.Trey Smack’s night:33✅38✅43✅45✅51❌35✅47✅— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) August 8, 2026Savion Williams TDA nice, spinning touchdown grab from Savion Williams beat Kitan Oladapo with the second-teamers. Savion Williams with a contested slot fade TD from Tyrod Taylor!!! pic.twitter.com/tXknkPgJrd— Alexander Basara (@Basaraski) August 8, 2026High school standoutCatching punts? Not so hard for this high schooler.Random high-school kid catches five footballs in the punt drill, tied with Matthew Golden and Will Sheppard for the most. Jayden Reed had 3. pic.twitter.com/juQkRoJbo4— Zach Jacobson (@zacobson) August 8, 2026Swish, and a piggyback Jordan Love and Tucker Kraft having some fun during the throw-into-a-net period. Jordan Love shoots and scores.Tucker Kraft joins the celebration.#Packerspic.twitter.com/DjIYYdlYDN— Dominique Yates (@RealDYates) August 8, 2026No notable injuriesWhile Brandon Cisse, Jacob Monk and Chris McClellan all exited with injuries at various points, coach Matt LaFleur said they would be OK, and cramping was to blame for most of the issues.Monk, Cisse and McClellan should all be OK, LaFleur says. A lot of cramping issues during longest practice of the summer.— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) August 8, 2026This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Top highlights from Packers Family Night 2026

BOSTON (AP) — Payton Tolle struck out a career-high 14 in six innings, Wilyer Abreu drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox won their ninth game in a row with a 13-1 rout of the Athletics on Friday night.The Red Sox are just the seventh team since 1920 to win 27 or more in a 30-game span, and the only team to begin their run under .500.Tolle (7-6) was the first Red Sox pitcher to fan 14 since Chris Sale on May 8, 2019. He was perfect through four innings, and allowed one run on two hits.Jarren Duran’s two-run homer over the Green Monster in left field opened the scoring and sparked Boston’s five-run second inning. Jake Rogers had an RBI double, and Abreu added a two-run double.Jack Perkins (2-8) gave up five runs on five hits in three innings. He struck out three and walked three.Tyler Soderstrom’s leadoff homer in the fifth ended Tolle’s no-hit bid.GUARDIANS 8, WHITE SOX 2CHICAGO (AP) — Angel Martínez hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high six runs and Cleveland beat Chicago to end a three-game losing streak.Steven Kwan added a solo home run to help the Guardians trim Chicago’s division lead to two games after being swept by the New York Mets.Martínez’s third career slam came in the fifth inning after David Sandlin (2-2) gave up Chase DeLauter’s single, walked José Ramírez and hit Jo Adell. Martínez drove the first pitch to center. Austin Hedges added an RBI single in the inning.Munetaka Murakami and Braden Montgomery had solo homers for the White Sox, They’ve lost a season-worst four straight and five of six.METS 6, PIRATES 4PITTSBURGH (AP) — Marcus Semien hit a three-run homer, rookie Zac Thornton pitched five scoreless innings and New York matched a season high with their fourth straight win by beating Pittsburgh.Semien’s second homer in two games and 14th of the season, a drive to left-center off Carmen Mlodzinski, capped a four-run third that put the Mets ahead 5-0. New York, last in the NL East, swept a three-game series in Cleveland before busing to Pittsburgh on Thursday night.Thornton (3-2) allowed four hits while striking out three and walking two. The left-hander remained in the game following a 36-minute rain delay in the top of the third.Pittsburgh got two runs in the seventh and then two more in the ninth off closer Devin Williams, but a pair of baserunning mistakes cost the Pirates as they tried to rally.NATIONALS 5, REDS 3WASHINGTON (AP) — Daylen Lile and Harry Ford homered for Washington, and the Nationals beat Cincinnati for just their second win in the last 10 games.Eugenio Suárez, Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz went deep for the Reds, but they were all solo shots and De La Cruz also made a crucial first-inning error at shortstop. Cincinnati lost for only the second time in eight games.Cade Cavalli (9-5) allowed the three Cincinnati homers but managed his sixth straight quality start. He yielded seven hits and two walks in six-plus innings, striking out eight. The right-hander was pulled in the sixth after a single, a stolen base and then a slow roller that turned into another single.ANGELS 4, MARLINS 3MIAMI (AP) — Mike Trout and Nolan Schanuel both hit home runs for the Los Angeles in a win over Miami.Trout homered in the first inning to open the scoring. Trout, who turned 35 on Friday, hit a home run on his birthday for the sixth time in his 16 MLB seasons.Josh Lowe scored when Trout reached on a fielder error by Josh Ekness and Schanuel hit a two-run shot to center field, his second home run in as many games, in the seventh.Shaun Anderson (2-0) recorded the final out of the sixth and earned the win. He walked one and gave up one hit.Owen Caissie walked to lead off the fourth, Jakub Marsee singled and Esteury Ruiz walked before Kyle Stowers drew a bases-loaded walk to drive in Caissie.TWINS 8, BREWERS 6MILWAUKEE (AP) — Josh Bell went 4 for 5 with a homer and Kaelen Culpepper also went deep in his major league debut as Minnesota erased a four-run deficit and beat Milwaukee.Minnesota trailed 4-0 after two innings before scoring two runs each in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. It was the biggest lead Milwaukee has blown in a loss all season.The Twins scored twice with two outs in the sixth to break a 6-all tie. After Antonio Senzatela (9-3) retired the first two batters he faced, Ryan Jeffers and Royce Lewis hit consecutive doubles. Bell singled home Lewis for his third RBI of the night. CUBS 6, ROYALS 4KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kevin Gausman provided exactly what the Cubs hoped for when they acquired him from the Blue Jays last weekend, pitching seven sharp innings in his Chicago debut in a victory over Kansas City.The 35-year-old right-hander gave up an RBI single to Isaac Collins in the first inning and Carter Jensen’s homer in the fifth, but he otherwise held Kansas City in check. Gausman (6-10) retired 12 of 13 at one point and ended up allowing two runs on four hits and a walk.Caleb Thielbar allowed a pair of runs in the eighth for the Cubs before Trent Thornton escaped the jam, getting Nick Loftin to fly out with the tying run on first base. Jacob Webb breezed through the ninth for his seventh save.CARDINALS 3, ROCKIES 2ST. LOUIS (AP) — Iván Herrera hit a solo home run, Kyle Leahy pitched five innings and St. Louis beat the Colorado.Herrara hit a one-out homer in the third inning, extending the Cardinals’ lead to 3-1. It was the 18th homer given up by Colorado starter Feltner (4-6) this season. Feltner gave up four hits and three runs in 5 1/3 innings.Leahy (8-4) allowed two runs and eight hits for his first decision in five starts and only his fourth in his past 13. He has held opponents to two runs or fewer in eight straight starts. Riley O’Brien picked up his 28th save by pitching the ninth.Rookie TJ Rumfield and Jake McCarthy each had three hits for the Rockies, who left seven runners on base. Colorado was 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position.The Cardinals improved to 49-19 against the Rockies at Busch Stadium III, their best home record against any opponent since the ballpark opened in 2006.RANGERS 2, ORIOLES 1ARLINGTON, Texas, (AP) — Joc Pederson hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and Nathan Eovaldi and three relievers combined to limit Baltimore to one run as Texas beat the Orioles.Pederson swung at the first pitch he saw from Shane Baz (4-11) and drove it 414 feet around the pole in right field, scoring Elias Diaz and giving the Rangers a lead they never relinquished. It was Pederson’s 21st homer of the season and his eighth go-ahead homer of the year.The Rangers were limited to three hits, one each from Pederson, Brandon Nimmo, and Díaz.Eovaldi worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed one run on four hits while striking out two. Tyler Alexander (3-2) earned the win after allowing one hit in two-thirds of an inning. Jacob Latz worked two scoreless innings for his 22nd save.The Orioles got a double from Leody Taveras and singles from Dylan Beavers, Coby Mayo, Colton Cowser, and Carlos Narváez.

Apparently, Ja Rule isn't always on time...The hip-hop icon was "unable to make" the Chicago White Sox's postgame concert planned on Friday, Aug. 7 due to "unexpected travel issues." That resulted in the concert's cancellation, the White Sox said. According to White Sox reporter James Fegan, the team announced the concert cancellation on a video board at Rate Field during the game against the Cleveland Guardians. It was also African American Heritage Night. The White Sox's video board statement added that "Fans who have tickets to tonight's game will receive complimentary tickets to a future game."Rough night pic.twitter.com/lxazBbWAbV— James Fegan (@JRFegan) August 8, 2026The White Sox lost the game 8-2. Ja Rule posted a promotional flier of his planned performance to his Instagram stories, but had no public comment on missing the event as of publication. The night before, he was part of a whiskey tasting at Happy Cork in Brooklyn, New York.X user @Rijoso_ made a joke about Ja Rule's rival, saying "50 Cent put a call thru."Adding to the sour mood for fans: the White Sox have now lost four straight games.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: White Sox promise fans tickets to future game after Ja Rule concert canceled

2026-08-08T00:05:45Z GREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Beau Hossler made an 11-foot birdie putt on his final hole Friday for a 3-under 67 that gave him a one-stroke lead in the Wyndham Championship, which might have been the least consequential development in the final event of the PGA Tour’s regular season.Hossler has never won on the PGA Tour and needs nothing short of victory at Sedgefield Country Club to be among the top 70 in the FedEx Cup who advance to the postseason.He was at 12-under 128 and led by one shot over Ben James — who had the 36-hole lead in the Canadian Open and finished out of the top 50 — and Jordan Smith of England.The first step was making the 36-hole cut, and there was plenty of drama. Keegan Bradley, who is at No. 72 in the FedEx Cup, was well outside the projected cut until making birdie on three of his last six holes for a 67 to finish at 3-under 137. It came down to the final few groups. At one point, Christiaan Bezuidenhout had a 20-foot birdie putt and Ben Kohles had a 15-foot birdie putt on his final hole. Either one would have knocked out Bradley, Andrew Putnam (No. 73) and Austin Smotherman (No. 76).Both missed, and those players are on the bubble eventually got a little breathing room when Davis Chatfield bogeyed his last hole to move the 3-under number to a tie for 64th. The top 65 and ties make the cut. “I hope I get a shot this weekend to go out there and shoot some low scores and make the playoffs,” Bradley said when he finished, unaware of how it would finish. “I was really, really nervous coming down to the end, like ‘to win the tournament sort of feel. So that was fun.Also getting in was Jordan Spieth at No. 55, though he already is set for the postseason and is hopeful of making progress toward moving into the top 50 after the first playoff event and locking up all the $20 million signature events. Read More As usual, Spieth brought the drama. He was on the cut number playing his final hole when he put his tee shot well right into the trees and could barely get enough club on the ball to punch back into the fairway. His wedge was 25 feet long, and he holed the putt for par to make the weekend.Among those missing out was Jason Day, who had reached the postseason 18 straight years. Day was at No. 75 in the FedEx Cup and was never under par at any point during the tournament, missing the cut by seven shots. “It was a good streak obviously, but I would have loved to keep the streak going,” Day said. “You’re not going to keep everything going forever. Best to kind of take some time off, get my body sorted and try and come out next year and play well.”More crushing than Day was Mac Meissner, who was No. 71 in the FedEx Cup. He was one shot inside the projected cut at 4 under when he missed the 18th fairway, got it back to the fairway, hit wedge to just inside 45 feet and three-putted for double bogey to miss by one shot.Jackson Koivun, who turned pro in June and won in his third start at the 3M Open, made the cut with two shots to spare. He is at No. 70 in the FedEx Cup.Hossler was unconcerned with all this. He knows only a victory will get him into the playoffs, he’s been around long enough to realize the tournament is halfway over. James was in that spot in his professional debut in Canada and went 77-69 to tie for 54th. James holed out for eagle on his first hole Friday and played 1 under the rest of the way for a 67, which puts him in the final group on the weekend for the second time in three months. Smith shot a 64 and was one shot behind. He is at No. 68 in the standings and gave himself a boost.Brooks Koepka (No. 86) shot a 66 but was tied for 21st. He can only advance if no more than three players finished ahead of him.___AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

FC Cincinnati scored two timely goals in stoppage time and put on some clutch defense for a big win in the Leagues Cup.Cincinnati shut out Pumas UNAM 2-0 in their second group-stage game of the Leagues Cup Aug. 7 in front of 20,767 fans at TQL Stadium. Pavel Bucha and Kenji Mboma Dem scored in stoppage time in each half to give the team an important two-goal win.The Orange and Blue are now 2-0 in the tournament and plus-4 in goal differential (5-1). Cincinnati hosts Altas FC (0-2) in the final group-stage game 8 p.m. Aug. 11.“Certainly a good result on a warm night,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “I think we were just a little bit off in certainly some attacking areas. Looked like there was some fatigue there, even with some fresh bodies. Got really humid and maybe didn't feel that way for everybody, but I think the guys at some point were feeling it a little bit.”Here are some takeaways from the win.How is FC Cincinnati faring in the Leagues Cup? Charlotte and Columbus also improved to 2-0 on Aug. 7. There are 15 remaining games in Round 2 of the group phase, 13 of them Aug. 8-9, so it’s impossible to say where Cincinnati stands. However, the two wins give them a chance to control their own destiny against Atlas.In the first round of the group stage, 10 of 18 MLS teams won in regulation. Seven of them, including Cincinnati, won by two goals, and two of them won by three goals. Charlotte was one of those and is currently plus-5.If round two turns out similarly, there could be a major scrum for the four spots in round three, which will be Aug. 11-13. Noonan acknowledged postgame that 9 points might not be enough.FC Cincinnati gets first clean sheet in 10 gamesEvan Louro had four saves and played well in chaotic situations in the goal box.“I think we were just all on the same page and communicated really well,” Louro said. “People were sliding for blocks and stuff like that. I think we just all were really good.”Pumas generated a decent amount of chances and had an expected-goal number of 2.1 to only 1.2 for Cincinnati. But the visitors could never quite the right touch on the ball or the accuracy on a shot attempt they needed as they were shut out for the second time in the tournament.Cincinnati posted its first shutout in 10 games since April 25, when they won 2-0 over Red Bull New York at TQL Stadium. Cincy now has six clean sheets, four of them in international competition.“It's nice to have kept a clean sheet,” Noonan said. “We relied on a couple big moments in saves from Evan and then they missed a couple. So it didn't feel like we were in complete control all game long because there are games where you don't keep a clean sheet and you have better defensive performances than that. So I'm pleased that we kept a clean sheet, but I do know that there was a lot that could have been improved to prevent some of those dangerous looks that they had. But still nice to see a zero as far as goals conceded. It's been a while.”Miles Robinson started in the middle of the back line with Andrei Chirila and Kyle Smith on the sides.“I thought Miles and Kyle were outstanding today,” Noonan said. “Ender (Echenique) made really key plays for us there as well. Not just that final action, he was one of our threats to stretch the field, made some really key plays on the back post defensively.”Pumas just missed high on a header in the 29th minute that would have given them the lead.Pumas missed a golden opportunity to tie it in the 72nd minute. A Cincy turnover at midfield put Pumas in transition. Louro blocked a close-in shot. Francisco Cordova had open space on the rebound but shot over the crossbar.Pumas had 16 shots, four on target to 14 and 4 for Cincinnati.“I think between this game and the last game, even the San Jose game, I think those are three really good teams and they're dangerous,” Louro said. “Obviously it hasn't been where we wanted it to be, defensively speaking, but I think the stuff that we worked on, it's coming to fruition. And we're getting our guys back in consistent minutes and stuff like that. We've got a lot of injuries, honestly a lot of unlucky bounces and stuff like that. But at the end of the day, it's all going to sort itself out.”Louro’s opposite number was Keylor Navas, a 39-year old who starred for European powers Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.“I grew up a Madrid fan my whole life,” Louro said. “My dad's a Madrid fan. So obviously it was really cool between this year playing Kaylor Navas and last year playing Sergio Ramos (with Monterrey). It's obviously a full circle moment for me. So for how cool it is, I'm just glad we got the win.”How FC Cincinnati scored its goalsPavel Bucha scored in first-half stoppage time. He dribbled into space in the middle of the 18 and fired a rocket that Pumas keeper Keilor Navas probably should have saved but the ball bounced off him a couple of times.It was Bucha’s second goal in the tournament and sixth of the season. It is his 19th in a Cincinnati uniform, tying Alvaro Barreal and Yuya Kubo for eighth in club history. Danni Konig and Emmanuel Ledesma are tied for sixth with 22. It is also Bucha’s fifth career goal in the Leagues Cup, tying Brandon Vazquez’s club record.Evander notched his 13th assist and 32nd with Cincy, second in club history.Bucha’s goal narrowly prevented Cincinnati’s first 0-0 first half in a game since April 11 at Toronto. Both games against Toronto this season were scoreless at the break, as was Cincy’s early 1-0 loss at Minnesota.Cincy put it away in second-half stoppage time. Right after clearing a cross in their 18, Cincinnati ran in transition. Ender Echenique fought to control the ball at midfield and got it to Kenji Mboma Dem, who fired a rocket inside the left post from 20 yards. That was Mboma Dem’s eighth goal of the season.Noonan praised Echenique’s toughness and speed to set up that goal as well as his defense in the goal box.“I think a lot of credit goes to the coaches and to Coach Noonan for how they've taught me,” Echenique said through an interpreter. “I think they've done a lot to teach me a lot of different things on the defensive side of the ball. And I think I'm beginning to be much more comfortable on both sides of the field.”Noonan earns 100th career win with FC CincinnatiNoonan picked up his 100th career win as FC Cincinnati head coach. Hired for his first head coaching role in 2022, his overall record is 100-52-47. His teams are now 24-12-11 on two days rest.“It's not something I search out, but it's a testament to the body of work from us together,” Noonan said. “It’s all of us working together to try to achieve our goals and I don't want to diminish it. I'm very appreciative, but I'm appreciative because of how you get there with the people that you work with and staff members, players. This is a really good group and I appreciate those relationships and that always brings out the best in the individuals … I appreciate that it's done in front of our fans who give us incredible support. So while I don't take it lightly, it's not the end goal. We know what the end goal is and that's sharing in the team moments with trophies, and that will always be No. 1 on our priority list.”Said Evan Louro: “A hundred wins kind of speaks for itself. I think we all really believe in Pat. I think we all really trust Pat. He's given us all the messages and all the game plans along with the staff, and I think that's paramount to this club's success."This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati improves to 2-0 in Leagues Cup with win over Pumas

FC Cincinnati scored two timely goals in stoppage time and put on some clutch defense for a big win in the Leagues Cup.Cincinnati shut out Pumas UNAM 2-0 in their second group-stage game of the Leagues Cup Aug. 7 in front of 20,767 fans at TQL Stadium. Pavel Bucha and Kenji Mboma Dem scored in stoppage time in each half to give the team an important two-goal win.The Orange and Blue are now 2-0 in the tournament and plus-4 in goal differential (5-1). Cincinnati hosts Altas FC (0-2) in the final group-stage game 8 p.m. Aug. 11.“Certainly a good result on a warm night,” said FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan. “I think we were just a little bit off in certainly some attacking areas. Looked like there was some fatigue there, even with some fresh bodies. Got really humid and maybe didn't feel that way for everybody, but I think the guys at some point were feeling it a little bit.”Here are some takeaways from the win.How is FC Cincinnati faring in the Leagues Cup? Charlotte and Columbus also improved to 2-0 on Aug. 7. There are 15 remaining games in Round 2 of the group phase, 13 of them Aug. 8-9, so it’s impossible to say where Cincinnati stands. However, the two wins give them a chance to control their own destiny against Atlas.In the first round of the group stage, 10 of 18 MLS teams won in regulation. Seven of them, including Cincinnati, won by two goals, and two of them won by three goals. Charlotte was one of those and is currently plus-5.If round two turns out similarly, there could be a major scrum for the four spots in round three, which will be Aug. 11-13. Noonan acknowledged postgame that 9 points might not be enough.FC Cincinnati gets first clean sheet in 10 gamesEvan Louro had four saves and played well in chaotic situations in the goal box.“I think we were just all on the same page and communicated really well,” Louro said. “People were sliding for blocks and stuff like that. I think we just all were really good.”Pumas generated a decent amount of chances and had an expected-goal number of 2.1 to only 1.2 for Cincinnati. But the visitors could never quite the right touch on the ball or the accuracy on a shot attempt they needed as they were shut out for the second time in the tournament.Cincinnati posted its first shutout in 10 games since April 25, when they won 2-0 over Red Bull New York at TQL Stadium. Cincy now has six clean sheets, four of them in international competition.“It's nice to have kept a clean sheet,” Noonan said. “We relied on a couple big moments in saves from Evan and then they missed a couple. So it didn't feel like we were in complete control all game long because there are games where you don't keep a clean sheet and you have better defensive performances than that. So I'm pleased that we kept a clean sheet, but I do know that there was a lot that could have been improved to prevent some of those dangerous looks that they had. But still nice to see a zero as far as goals conceded. It's been a while.”Miles Robinson started in the middle of the back line with Andrei Chirila and Kyle Smith on the sides.“I thought Miles and Kyle were outstanding today,” Noonan said. “Ender (Echenique) made really key plays for us there as well. Not just that final action, he was one of our threats to stretch the field, made some really key plays on the back post defensively.”Pumas just missed high on a header in the 29th minute that would have given them the lead.Pumas missed a golden opportunity to tie it in the 72nd minute. A Cincy turnover at midfield put Pumas in transition. Louro blocked a close-in shot. Francisco Cordova had open space on the rebound but shot over the crossbar.Pumas had 16 shots, four on target to 14 and 4 for Cincinnati.“I think between this game and the last game, even the San Jose game, I think those are three really good teams and they're dangerous,” Louro said. “Obviously it hasn't been where we wanted it to be, defensively speaking, but I think the stuff that we worked on, it's coming to fruition. And we're getting our guys back in consistent minutes and stuff like that. We've got a lot of injuries, honestly a lot of unlucky bounces and stuff like that. But at the end of the day, it's all going to sort itself out.”Louro’s opposite number was Keylor Navas, a 39-year old who starred for European powers Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.“I grew up a Madrid fan my whole life,” Louro said. “My dad's a Madrid fan. So obviously it was really cool between this year playing Kaylor Navas and last year playing Sergio Ramos (with Monterrey). It's obviously a full circle moment for me. So for how cool it is, I'm just glad we got the win.”How FC Cincinnati scored its goalsPavel Bucha scored in first-half stoppage time. He dribbled into space in the middle of the 18 and fired a rocket that Pumas keeper Keilor Navas probably should have saved but the ball bounced off him a couple of times.It was Bucha’s second goal in the tournament and sixth of the season. It is his 19th in a Cincinnati uniform, tying Alvaro Barreal and Yuya Kubo for eighth in club history. Danni Konig and Emmanuel Ledesma are tied for sixth with 22. It is also Bucha’s fifth career goal in the Leagues Cup, tying Brandon Vazquez’s club record.Evander notched his 13th assist and 32nd with Cincy, second in club history.Bucha’s goal narrowly prevented Cincinnati’s first 0-0 first half in a game since April 11 at Toronto. Both games against Toronto this season were scoreless at the break, as was Cincy’s early 1-0 loss at Minnesota.Cincy put it away in second-half stoppage time. Right after clearing a cross in their 18, Cincinnati ran in transition. Ender Echenique fought to control the ball at midfield and got it to Kenji Mboma Dem, who fired a rocket inside the left post from 20 yards. That was Mboma Dem’s eighth goal of the season.Noonan praised Echenique’s toughness and speed to set up that goal as well as his defense in the goal box.“I think a lot of credit goes to the coaches and to Coach Noonan for how they've taught me,” Echenique said through an interpreter. “I think they've done a lot to teach me a lot of different things on the defensive side of the ball. And I think I'm beginning to be much more comfortable on both sides of the field.”Noonan earns 100th career win with FC CincinnatiNoonan picked up his 100th career win as FC Cincinnati head coach. Hired for his first head coaching role in 2022, his overall record is 100-52-47. His teams are now 24-12-11 on two days rest.“It's not something I search out, but it's a testament to the body of work from us together,” Noonan said. “It’s all of us working together to try to achieve our goals and I don't want to diminish it. I'm very appreciative, but I'm appreciative because of how you get there with the people that you work with and staff members, players. This is a really good group and I appreciate those relationships and that always brings out the best in the individuals … I appreciate that it's done in front of our fans who give us incredible support. So while I don't take it lightly, it's not the end goal. We know what the end goal is and that's sharing in the team moments with trophies, and that will always be No. 1 on our priority list.”Said Evan Louro: “A hundred wins kind of speaks for itself. I think we all really believe in Pat. I think we all really trust Pat. He's given us all the messages and all the game plans along with the staff, and I think that's paramount to this club's success."This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati improves to 2-0 in Leagues Cup with win over Pumas

World number two Elena Rybakina, the reigning Australian Open champion, defeated American Ann Li to reach the fourth round of the WTA Toronto Masters hardcourt tournament (MATTHEW STOCKMAN)Reigning Australian Open champion Elena Rybakina advanced to the fourth round of the WTA Toronto Masters on Friday while French Open winner Mirra Andreeva was eliminated by Canada's Leylah Fernandez.World number two Rybakina from Kazakhstan defeated American 28th seed Ann Li 6-2, 7-5 in 90 minutes, winning five of six break chances while saving two of four against her.Rybakina, who also won the 2022 Wimbledon title, advanced to a last-16 meeting with Russia's Liudmila Samsonova, who outlasted Australian Maya Joint 7-5, 6-7 (3/7), 6-2.Samsonova leads the career rivalry with Rybakina 4-2, but Rybakina has won their past two WTA meetings, most recently in last year's Strasbourg final.Fernandez, the 30th seed, dispatched 19-year-old fifth-ranked Russian Andreeva 6-1, 6-4 in 80 minutes, snapping a seven-match losing streak against top-10 opponents.Fernandez last beat a player ranked so high when she downed fourth-rated Jessica Pegula on her way to last year's WTA Washington title."The key for me was to stay positive, stay strong, and to keep being patient," Fernandez said. "She wasn't going to give away some easy balls."The Canadian left-hander won 24 of 27 points on her first serve and captured 17 of 23 points on Andreeva's second serves to advance. Andreeva made 34 unforced errors to 17 winners."I've put in the work. I know physically I'm strong. I know I can endure long rallies, long matches," Fernandez said. "So if it's going to take 100 balls to hit to put it in to break her down, then so be it."Fernandez will next face four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka, the 11th seed from Japan who defeated Belgium's 20th-seeded Elise Mertens 6-1, 6-2 in 71 minutes.Osaka fired seven aces and took four of eight break points while denying Mertens on her three break chances.Fernandez and Osaka have split two career meetings, the Canadian winning at the 2021 US Open on the way to a runner-up finish. Osaka won last year at Wuhan."It's tough because she's lefty," Osaka said. "Obviously there aren't many lefties on tour, so it takes me awhile to get used to that. She has a really good attitude. I've never seen her down. She always keeps fighting. I really appreciate that about her."- Gauff, Eala advance -US fourth seed Coco Gauff, a two-time Grand Slam winner, advanced by defeating Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 in 76 minutes.Gauff cruised to a 5-1 lead in the second set before Sakkari rallied within two points of pulling level before winning five of the last six points, taking the match on a backhand volley winner and service winner."I'm happy with how I played. Maria is a tough opponent," Gauff said. "Her level definitely raised toward the end of that second set but I'm glad I was able to close it out. That last game was a big test for me."Gauff will next face 19-year-old Russian Alina Korneeva, who ousted US 13th seed Iva Jovic 6-3, 6-4. Korneeva won seven of eight break points to reach the last 16 after 82 minutes.Alexandra Eala, the 21-year-old Philippines left-hander who won her first WTA title Monday at Washington, reached the fourth round by defeating American Caty McNally 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.Eala had her right ankle taped by a trainer leading 3-2 in the second set, was broken at love in the sixth game and pushed to a third set before taking the victory after two hours and 39 minutes.World number 20 Eala next faces Swiss 12th seed Belinda Bencic, who outlasted American Taylor Townsend 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 after three hours and 24 minutes.js/sla

Aug 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Payton Tolle (70) pitches against the Athletics during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesEric Canha/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectPayton Tolle struck out a career-high 14 in six innings, Wilyer Abreu drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox won their ninth game in a row with a 13-1 rout of the Athletics on Friday night.The Red Sox are just the seventh team since 1920 to win 27 or more in a 30-game span, and the only team to begin their run under .500.Tolle (7-6) was the first Red Sox pitcher to fan 14 since Chris Sale on May 8, 2019. He was perfect through four innings, and allowed one run on two hits.Jarren Duran’s two-run homer over the Green Monster in left field opened the scoring and sparked Boston’s five-run second inning. Jake Rogers had an RBI double, and Abreu added a two-run double.Abreu’s 380-foot double to right would have been a homer in every MLB ballpark except for Fenway Park, per Statcast.Three more came across in the fourth off the bats of Andruw Monasterio, Abreu, and Masataka Yoshida. Yoshida and Caleb Durbin each added one more to get the Red Sox into double-digit scoring for the second consecutive game.Jack Perkins (2-8) gave up five runs on five hits in three innings. He struck out three and walked three.Tyler Soderstrom’s leadoff homer in the fifth ended Tolle’s no-hit bid.Up nextAthletics LHP Gage Jump (4-7, 4.59 ERA) gets the start opposite Red Sox LHP Jake Bennett (7-4, 2.90) in the middle game of the series.

A staggeringly bad gaffe by manager Will Venable (center) saw him remove Noah Schultz (left) from Friday’s loss just 23 pitches in, hamstringing his bullpen and baffling catcher Edgar Quero (right). | (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Those who believe managers don’t win or lose games, players do, clip and save this recap.In a move we would have thought cordoned off in the Terry Bevington Hall of Shame, manager Will Venable triggered a puzzling chain of circumstances that saw starting pitcher Noah Schultz bounced from his Friday night start after just one out, 23 pitches — and no fault of his own: Your browser does not support the video tag. Just one batter after pitching coach Zach Bove had trotted out to the mound to settle Schultz down after hitting Jo Adell with a pitch, Venable did same after Schultz surrendered a two-run single to soft-swinging Angel Martínez.Oops.While perhaps not on par with Bevington calling to the bullpen without having gotten a reliever up warming, Venable’s boner resulted, by rule, in Schultz being forced to leave the game. Given the gaffe, it had the effect of an injury substitution, in that just-recalled reliever David Sandlin was sprinting to get warm and enter the game, as no White Sox hurler was up in the pen with the game just 23 pitches old.At another point in the game, or in another circumstance, perhaps Venable’s boo-boo would not have crushed so hard. But in the fumes of a sweep in Boston, with last night’s loss wiping out the bullpen (seven of the team’s eight relievers were used, covering 8 ⅓ innings), it could not possibly have been timed more poorly.But was this loss all on Venable? Of course not, the players still have to play the game, even if they landed in Chicago at 5 a.m. and grabbed only snatches of sleep before suiting back up on Friday. Usually when a team puts up eight runs or more in a game and wins by a hefty margin, it’s due to the whole team contributing. There are the rare occasions where a player takes over a game by himself, but that’s usually reserved for the Shohei Ohtani’s of the world. Unfortunately the White Sox were on the tail end of one of the most rare and sad butt-whooping’s a team can have: They got spanked by a nobody.No disrespect to Martínez, but he’s hit .228 over 861 at-bats in his short career. He is not a player teams ever game plan for or fear — but that might change after what Martínez did to the White Sox on Friday night.Of course, it all started in the first inning, when the Cleveland Guardians loaded the bases before Schultz could even get two outs. After a first strike, Schultz decided to try to slip a cutter by Martínez ,right down the middle. Even a player who can’t hit .230 can do something with that ,and his two-run single put the Guardians up, 2-0.For the next few innings, the game was pretty boring if we’re being honest with ourselves. Unfortunately, the game was also clearly too boring for Sandlin who after being rushed in for Schultz had sat down 12-of-14 Guards to restore order to the contest. That is, until he loaded that bases in the fifth inning for … Martínez. Surely he couldn’t do it again, right?Wrong.Sandlin saw Schultz’s cutter down the middle bring in two runs for Cleveland in the first and wanted to see if it was a fluke or not. So the righty decided to throw one of his own, just to see which cutter down the middle was better. All fans in attendance found out pretty quickly that Schultz’s was superior, as Martínez, tonight’s Angel of Death, took the pitch 422 feet to right-center field. The bat flip that ensued was cool, and the sassing of Sox catcher Edgar Quero probably turned on the most yahoo of Wahoos fans, but the game being unofficially ended in the fifth inning was not:View LinkWhen the dust settled from the seams getting knocked off the baseball, Martínez had just two hits on the night — but they were two big ones, as he brought six runs home all by himself. Both teams struck for a run in the sixth, but the game was already over at that point.While the loss is just one loss, with Minnesota and Cleveland (obviously) also winning, this seems much bigger than that. We may be in the early stages of August, but if the White Sox fail to answer the call this weekend, the alarm bells may be going off sooner rather than later.MVPBraden Montgomery: 2-for-3, BB, R, RBI, KRunners-UpTrevor Richards: 2 ⅓ IPErick Fedde: IP, KMunetaka Murakami: 1-for-4, HR, R, RBILuisangel Acuña: 2-for-4, KCold CatWill Venable: Little League managerial error that wasted Noah Schultz and put needless wear on his penRunners-UpNoah Schultz: ⅓ IP, 3 H, 2 ER, K, HB, LOSS (3-9)Colson Montgomery: 0-for-4, 3 KChase Meidroth: 1-for-5, 2 KBrenton Doyle: 0-for-4, K

In this image made from video provided by NTV-NNN, a person walks in the rain as typhoon Dolphin approaches the city, in Naha, Japan, Friday, Aug. 7, 2026. (NTV-NNN via AP)2026-08-08T03:31:46Z BEIJING (AP) — Authorities in eastern China shut schools and tourist sites as Typhoon Dolphin made its way towards land on Saturday.The storm’s maximum sustained winds were estimated at about 162 kilometers per hour (101 mph).It will bring heavy rains, creating a risk of severe flooding as well as landslides. It’s expected to hit Zhejiang province and northern parts of neighboring Fujian province late Sunday. Shanghai is also in the path of the storm.National authorities declared a level III emergency response, the second lowest level. Many tourist destinations in Zhejiang are shut Saturday and Sunday, as well as all water-based activities, including ferries and cruises. Authorities in the city of Ningbo, one of province’s largest, ordered schools and other educational facilities shut this weekend. 获取更多RSS：https://feedx.net https://feedx.site

As Ukraine repeatedly strikes warehouses of the e-commerce site Wildberries, Tatyana Kim, its billionaire co-founder, faces her biggest test yet.