“THE SCOREBOARD” MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SCOREBOARD PIRATES 7, BREWERS 6 PIRATES 3, BREWERS 2 (GAME 2) WHITE SOX 1, ATHLETICS 0 RED SOX 4, METS 0 TWINS 5, ANGELS 3 GUARDIANS 4, MARLINS 1 GIANTS 4, ROCKIES 2 YANKEES 4, NATIONALS 2 RAYS 6, MARINERS 1 PHILLIES 4, TIGERS 2 ORIOLES 6, ROYALS 1 CARDINALS 4, BRAVES 1 ASTROS 9, RANGERS 3 CUBS 5, REDS 3 PADRES 8, BLUE JAYS 7 DIAMONDBACKS 9, DODGERS 2 =========================== MINOR LEAGUE SCOREBOARD TOLEDO 4 INDIANAPOLIS 3 CEDAR RAPIDS 11 SOUTH BEND 7 WEST MICHIGAN 4 FT. WAYNE 2 =========================== WNBA SCOREBOARD LYNX 90 LIBERTY 85 FIRE 102 DREAM 92 ACES 106 MERCURY 58 =========================== NBA SUMMER LEAGUE SCOREBOARD MAGIC 93 HEAT 88 PELICANS 95 HORNETS 91 SIXERS 100 PACERS 93 SPURS 70 KNICKS 49 NUGGEST 101 TIMBERWOLVES 82 HAWKS 83 NETS 76 RAPTORS 102 ROCKETS 89 LAKERS 91 MAVS 70 =========================== WORLD CUP SOCCER SCOREBOARD NO GAMES SCHEDULED =========================== INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE SCHEDULES https://scoreboard.homestead.com/football/teams.htm#load =========================== NFL TRAINING CAMP DATES TEAM SITE LOCATION ROOKIES VETERANS ARIZONA CARDINALS STATE FARM STADIUM GLENDALE, ARIZ. 7/22 7/22 ATLANTA FALCONS ATLANTA FALCONS TRAINING FACILITY FLOWERY BRANCH, GA. 7/24 7/28 BALTIMORE RAVENS UNDER ARMOUR PERFORMANCE CENTER OWINGS MILLS, MD. 7/24 7/28 BUFFALO BILLS ST. JOHN FISHER UNIVERSITY ROCHESTER, N.Y. 7/21 7/28 CAROLINA PANTHERS BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM CHARLOTTE, N.C. 7/21 7/22 CHICAGO BEARS HALAS HALL LAKE FOREST, ILL. 7/25 7/28 CINCINNATI BENGALS PAYCOR STADIUM CINCINNATI 7/25 7/28 CLEVELAND BROWNS CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE CAMPUS BEREA, OHIO 7/23 7/28 DALLAS COWBOYS MARRIOTT RESIDENCE INN OXNARD, CALIF. 7/28 7/28 DENVER BRONCOS BRONCOS PARK POWERED BY COMMONSPIRIT ENGLEWOOD, COLO. 7/22 7/28 DETROIT LIONS MEIJER PERFORMANCE CENTER ALLEN PARK, MICH. 7/25 7/28 GREEN BAY PACKERS LAMBEAU FIELD GREEN BAY, WIS. 7/27 7/28 HOUSTON TEXANS HOUSTON METHODIST TRAINING CENTER HOUSTON 7/21 7/28 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS GRAND PARK WESTFIELD, IND. 7/27 7/28 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS MILLER ELECTRIC CENTER JACKSONVILLE, FLA. 7/25 7/28 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS MISSOURI WESTERN STATE UNIVERSITY ST. JOSEPH, MO. 7/24 7/28 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS INTERMOUNTAIN HEALTH PERFORMANCE CENTER HENDERSON, NEV. 7/23 7/28 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS THE BOLT EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. 7/23 7/28 LOS ANGELES RAMS LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY LOS ANGELES 7/25 7/25 MIAMI DOLPHINS BAPTIST HEALTH TRAINING COMPLEX MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. 7/21 7/28 MINNESOTA VIKINGS TCO PERFORMANCE CENTER EAGAN, MINN. 7/26 7/28 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS NEW BALANCE ATHLETICS CENTER FOXBOROUGH, MASS. 7/21 7/24 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS OCHSNER SPORTS PERFORMANCE CENTER METAIRIE, LA. 7/28 7/28 NEW YORK GIANTS QUEST DIAGNOSTICS TRAINING CENTER/THE GREENBRIER EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J./WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.V. 7/23 7/28 NEW YORK JETS ATLANTIC HEALTH JETS TRAINING CENTER FLORHAM PARK, N.J. 7/25 7/28 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES JEFFERSON HEALTH TRAINING COMPLEX PHILADELPHIA 7/28 7/28 PITTSBURGH STEELERS SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE LATROBE, PA. 7/28 7/28 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS SAP PERFORMANCE FACILITY SANTA CLARA, CALIF. 7/18 7/25 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS VIRGINIA MASON ATHLETIC CENTER RENTON, WASH. 7/17 7/24 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS ADVENTHEALTH TRAINING CENTER TAMPA, FLA. 7/27 7/28 TENNESSEE TITANS VANDERBILT HEALTH FOOTBALL CENTER NASHVILLE, TENN. 7/23 7/28 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS COMMANDERS PARK ASHBURN, VA. 7/24 7/28 ====== 2026 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS PRE-SEASON SCHEDULE WEEK DATE OPPONENT TV / TIME (ET) WEEK 1 THU, AUG 13 @ NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS LOCAL (7:30 PM) WEEK 2 SAT, AUG 22 VS. ATLANTA FALCONS LOCAL (1:00 PM) WEEK 3 SAT, AUG 29 VS. DETROIT LIONS LOCAL (1:00 PM) ===== 2026 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE WEEK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET) TV / STREAMING 1 SUN, SEPT 13 VS. BALTIMORE RAVENS 1:00 PM CBS 2 SUN, SEPT 20 @ KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 8:20 PM NBC 3 SUN, SEPT 27 VS. HOUSTON TEXANS 1:00 PM CBS 4 SUN, OCT 4 @ WASHINGTON COMMANDERS 9:30 AM NFL NET 5 SUN, OCT 11 @ PITTSBURGH STEELERS 1:00 PM CBS 6 SUN, OCT 18 VS. TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM FOX 7 SUN, OCT 25 @ MINNESOTA VIKINGS 1:00 PM CBS 8 SUN, NOV 1 @ JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 1:00 PM CBS 9 SUN, NOV 8 VS. DALLAS COWBOYS 1:00 PM FOX 10 SUN, NOV 15 VS. MIAMI DOLPHINS 1:00 PM CBS 11 THU, NOV 19 @ HOUSTON TEXANS 8:15 PM PRIME VIDEO 12 SUN, NOV 29 VS. NEW YORK GIANTS 1:00 PM FOX 13 BYE WEEK 14 SUN, DEC 13 @ PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 1:00 PM FOX 15 SUN, DEC 20 @ TENNESSEE TITANS 1:00 PM CBS 16 TBD – FLEX VS. CINCINNATI BENGALS TBD TBD 17 SUN, JAN 3 @ CLEVELAND BROWNS 1:00 PM FOX 18 TBD – FLEX GAME VS. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS TBD TBD ======================================= NATIONAL SPORTS HEADLINES/RELERASES MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL WHITE SOX DRAFT UCLA SS ROCH CHOLOWSKY AT NO. 1 The Chicago White Sox selected UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky with the first overall pick on Saturday afternoon at the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft held in Philadelphia. Cholowsky, who turned 21 in April, is regarded by draft analysts as the best college shortstop prospect since Troy Tulowitzki in 2005. He is the first college shortstop to be chosen first overall since Dansby Swanson in 2015. Cholowsky was a frontrunner for the first overall pick, competing against Texas high school shortstop Grady Emerson and Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey, who were also top prospects. The Tampa Bay Rays were set to select second overall, followed by the Minnesota Twins in third. This marks the Chicago White Sox’s first time picking first overall since 1977, when they selected high school outfielder Harold Baines, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019. The White Sox also picked high school catcher Danny Goodwin first overall in 1971, but he did not sign. Over his three seasons with the Bruins, Cholowsky posted an impressive .329/.448/.624 batting line, totaling 52 home runs in 178 career games. He ranked second among NCAA Division I shortstops this season in wins above replacement and defensive runs saved, according to USA Baseball, which named him a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award as the nation’s top amateur player. Cholowsky was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, an honor achieved by only three individuals, and helped UCLA secure a share of the last two conference championships. Although his performance remained strong overall in his junior year, some analysts believed his draft stock slipped after he did not excel in the NCAA tournament, as the top-ranked Bruins failed to reach the Men’s College World Series. While analysts unanimously project Cholowsky to be at least a solid major leaguer at a premium position defensively and offensively, some express concerns that his potential ceiling may not be as high as that of Emerson, an 18-year-old from Fort Worth Christian High School. Moreover, neither of the leading shortstop prospects is expected to make an impact on par with Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt. Several analysts even ranked Lackey as the best player in the draft but voiced worries about his relatively brief history in baseball and the physical strain that catching can place on any prospect. Cholowsky is a right-handed batter listed at 6-foot-2 and 202 pounds. He had the option to take a college football scholarship to play quarterback at Notre Dame and has mentioned that he prefers football. However, he also recognizes that pursuing a baseball career offers the best chance for professional success. Had he opted to bypass college three years ago, Cholowsky was projected to be a top-50 draft prospect as a high school athlete. Growing up around baseball as the son of MLB scout Dan Cholowsky, who was drafted in the first round (39th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1991, Roch developed a deep connection to the sport. His father played eight seasons with four organizations professionally, including 285 games at Triple-A, before transitioning into scouting. In a rebuilding phase over the past few years, the White Sox have emerged as a surprising contender in the American League Central. Shortstop Colson Montgomery has become one of the league’s outstanding players at his position in a time when talent in that spot runs deep. The White Sox also boast a strong farm system rich in additional shortstop talent, including Caleb Bonemer and Billy Carlson. A significant advantage of drafting any shortstop is the flexibility to shift their position if necessary. By the time Cholowsky is ready for the majors, Montgomery and others may be able to transition to different positions on the diamond. DRAFT ANALYSIS FIRST ROUND 1. Chicago White Sox: Roch Cholowsky, SS, UCLA Draft ranking: 1 Who is Cholowsky? The consensus top prospect heading into the 2026 season, Cholowsky more or less maintained that position even though his numbers were down slightly from his sophomore season with the Bruins (from a 1.190 OPS to 1.088). A 6-foot-2 right-handed batter, Cholowsky has plus tools across the board other than his speed and was regarded by some as the best college shortstop since Troy Tulowitzki. With his defense, raw power and good approach at the plate, he should move quickly to the majors, with his on-base skills amplified by a Craig Biggio-like ability to get hit by pitches (25 times this season in 299 plate appearances). Why the White Sox took him here: Cholowsky has been the wire-to-wire top prospect in this class and, despite late buzz about Grady Emerson and Vahn Lackey closing the cap, Chicago took the consensus No. 1 player on the board. While the knock is he might not have the superstar upside teams expect at the top of the draft, Cholowsky comes with a high floor and an All-Star ceiling with the bonus of being a potentially fast-mover for a surprise contender suddenly focused on now as much as the future. ===== 2. Tampa Bay Rays: Grady Emerson, SS, Fort Worth Christian HS (Texas) Draft ranking: 2 Who is Emerson? Emerson emerged as the top high school position player, jockeying with Cholowsky for the top slot on draft boards. A left-handed batter, Emerson was the Gatorade National Player of the Year, playing his senior season under former Rangers outfielder Rusty Greer, who also helped mentor Bobby Witt Jr. in high school. Emerson may not have Witt’s loud tools (who does?), but he’s a skilled hitter with projectable power and is viewed as a lock to stick at shortstop. Compared to other top high school shortstops in recent drafts – Eli Willits, Ethan Holliday, Konnor Griffin, Bryce Rainer – Emerson rates higher, although that doesn’t guarantee he’s going to explode like Griffin did. Why the Rays took him here: Many scouts view Emerson as the top player in the draft, and while teams don’t draft for positional need, it’s convenient that Emerson fits a need for Tampa Bay. Carson Williams was supposed to be the shortstop of the present and future for the Rays, but he continues to struggle with strikeouts. The Rays also don’t shy away from high school players, with their top two prospects, Theo Gillen and Nathan Flewelling, coming out of high school in the 2024 draft, and Daniel Pierce, last year’s first-round pick, also a high school selection. ===== 3. Minnesota Twins: Vahn Lackey, C, Georgia Tech Draft ranking: 3 Who is Lackey? The latest in a long line of first-round catchers from Georgia Tech going back to Jason Varitek and including Matt Wieters, Joey Bart and Kevin Parada, Lackey exploded at the plate for the Yellow Jackets in 2026, hitting .397/.519/.772 with 20 home runs and more walks than strikeouts as he climbed from a late first-round talent to the top of the first round. He’s agile behind the plate with above-average arm strength and a quick release and even has above-average speed that would have allowed him to play other positions if he wasn’t so good behind the plate. His power upside is the biggest question, although he improved from six home runs as a sophomore. He’s also young for a college junior, not turning 21 until July 7. Why the Twins took him here: Lackey powered his way into the conversation for the No. 1 overall pick with a huge season at Georgia Tech, making this an easy choice when the top of the board played out as expected. Lackey is a potential star at a premium position who has the ability to move relatively quickly through the minors. It’s a perfect fit for the franchise that had Hall of Famer Joe Mauer behind the plate not too long ago. ===== 4. San Francisco Giants: Jackson Flora, RHP, UC Santa Barbara Draft ranking: 4 Who is Flora? The clear top pitching prospect in an overall weak class for moundsmen, Flora has hit triple digits with his fastball, sitting 95-97 with the high spin rate that teams like to see. With a classic pitcher’s build at 6-5 and 205 pounds, Flora dominated for the Gauchos, going 12-0 with a 1.06 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 102 innings while allowing just 55 hits. He’s not quite as polished as former teammate Tyler Bremner, who went second overall in last year’s draft to the Angels, as Flora was mostly just a fastball//slider guy before this season. A kick-changeup that he used mostly against lefties has good downward action and could be a plus offering. Why the Giants took him here: This is pretty much the chalk pick here as Flora was the top pitcher in the draft after a dominant season with stuff to match, starting with a fastball that hits 100 mph. It does fit a need for the Giants as they rank 23rd in the majors in ERA, so the hope is Flora will move quickly. He’s the first college pitcher the Giants have drafted in the first round since Will Bednar in 2021 and just the second since 2015 (not counting two-way player Reggie Crawford in 2022). ===== 5. Pittsburgh Pirates: Derek Curiel, CF, LSU Draft ranking: 10 Who is Curiel? A draft-eligible sophomore after starring for two years in Baton Rouge, where he hit .345 as a freshman and then .353, with the ability to hit upper-end velocity. While his speed is only a tick above average, he has excellent instincts in center field and should be able to stick there. The question is how much upside there is in the power department. He hit 13 home runs across his two seasons for LSU and was way down the OPS leaderboard in conference play in the SEC. He’s 6-2 and lean, so there is projectable power. Why the Pirates took him here: There was a lot of talk about upside high schoolers Jacob Lombard and Eric Booth Jr. here, but the Pirates opted for the high floor of SEC performer Curiel. As an outfielder who should make it to Pittsburgh quickly, the Bucs landed a player who should help at a position of need. The ultimate question is if Curiel will hit with enough pop at such an early pick, but the ingredients for a productive major league starter are there. ===== 6. Kansas City Royals: Zion Rose, LF, Louisville Draft ranking: 18 Who is Rose? A catcher coming out of high school, Louisville moved Rose to the outfield to take advantage of his speed and athleticism. He hit over .300 during his first two seasons. Despite an ankle injury this year and playing just 36 games, he hit .417/.491/.646, including a .390 batting average during ACC play, with six home runs and 24 steals. He has elite contact skills, striking out just 15 times in 173 plate appearances, and improved his exit velocities this year, giving him power potential if he can pull the ball more. He played left for Louisville, but could get a chance to play center in the pros. Why the Royals took him here: This may look like a surprise selection given Rose’s draft ranking, but he has been a productive college hitter with elite contact skills, with the Royals no doubt leaning on that contact ability as a good bet that Rose can turn into a quality major league hitter. It doesn’t hurt that he could be a potential solution to the Royals’ long-running woes of offensive production in the outfield. ===== 7. Baltimore Orioles: Eric Booth Jr., CF, Oak Grove HS (Mississippi) Draft ranking: 5 Who is Booth? The son of former Southern Mississippi football star Eric Booth Sr., Booth is a dynamic athlete with top-of-the-charts speed along with plus raw power. He is one of the younger prospects in this draft class, having just turned 18 on July 4, and he put up strong numbers as a high school senior — .481 average, .669 on-base percentage and .922 slugging percentage — despite a setup that will likely need to be tweaked in the pros. Why the Orioles took him here: Booth is an elite runner with standout athleticism and some of the highest upside in this draft. Yes, he likely needs some tweaks to his setup and action at the plate, but if Baltimore can help him figure those things out (and the O’s have a pretty good track record of this kind of thing), he has true star potential in a draft that doesn’t have a whole lot of that type of player, outside of the first three selected today. ===== 8. Athletics: Drew Burress, CF, Georgia Tech Draft ranking: 7 Who is Burress? Listed at just 5-foot-9, Burress’ stock has cooled a bit since he was in conversations as a potential top pick in this draft ahead of the season. He has ranked among the most productive hitters in college baseball over his three seasons at Georgia Tech, posting a 1.204 OPS and batting .357 for his career, though his sophomore and junior production was slightly down from his first season with the Yellow Jackets when he hit .381 with 25 home runs and a 1.333 OPS on his way to National Freshman of the Year honors. Why the Athletics took him here: An undersized right-handed-hitting outfielder is an odd profile for a top-10 pick, but Burress can flat-out hit, packing surprising power into his 5-foot-9 frame and raking throughout his college career. It’s worth noting that the A’s have drafted as well as any team in recent years, with Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom and Max Muncy all first-round picks since 2020 and 2024 second-round pick Gage Jump also already in the majors. Like Kurtz and Wilson, Burress could move quickly to the majors. ===== 9. Atlanta Braves: AJ Gracia, CF, Virginia Draft ranking: 24 Who is Gracia? One of the most consistent hitters in college baseball, Gracia starred at Duke for two years before transferring to Virginia for the 2026 season. He put up a .317/.459/.583 career slash line and belted 43 home runs while posting a career-best 1.121 OPS for the Cavaliers this season. The left-handed-hitting Gracia played through shoulder pain this season, and that, combined with questions about his ultimate fit in center field vs. a move to a corner spot, impacted his spot on some draft boards. Why the Braves took him here: Another player with more floor than ceiling, Gracia has done nothing but perform in a premium collegiate league for three seasons. His power isn’t quite there yet, and it remains to be seen how much of it will come as a pro — but this is a hitter who puts the bat on the ball about as well as anyone in the draft, and that plays at any level. ===== 10. Colorado Rockies: Tyler Bell, SS, Kentucky Draft ranking: 9 Who is Bell? Bell chose to go to college rather than signing with the Tampa Bay Rays after going No. 66 overall in the 2024 MLB draft. Now sophomore-eligible after two strong years at Kentucky, Bell was one of the biggest risers up draft boards throughout the 2026 season. A switch-hitter who batted .343 with nine home runs, Bell missed nearly a month after tearing the labrum in his non-throwing arm during Kentucky’s season opener. Why the Rockies took him here: Drafting in the top 10 for the seventh consecutive year, the Rockies go with Bell, who surged up draft boards late in the process. A 6-foot-1 switch-hitter with good swing decisions, he overcame a shoulder injury suffered in the first game of 2026 to prove he can handle shortstop with good actions and a strong arm. In the first draft under the new front office, it looks like a safer pick than many of the Rockies’ boom-or-bust selections of the past. ===== 11. Washington Nationals: Chris Hacopian, 2B, Texas A&M Draft ranking: 13 Who is Hacopian? A two-year starter at Maryland before transferring to A&M, Hacopian’s bat is his calling card. The right-handed batter hit over .300 all three years in college, including .319/.405/.578 for the Aggies with 11 home runs in 166 at-bats and more walks than strikeouts. He owns a career strikeout rate under 10% and punishes fastballs. He missed the start of the season with a lower back injury and while he played shortstop in 2025, he eventually ended up second base for the Aggies. His lack of speed and range could eventually push him to third base or the outfield. Why the Nationals took him here: The son of a former ACC Player of the Year, Hacopian starred at Maryland before transferring to Texas A&M and now goes back to his home area. Hacopian had more walks than strikeouts this season in the SEC, demonstrating why he is another hitter in this draft with a high floor whose ceiling will be decided by how much power he adds to his game. ===== 12. Los Angeles Angels: Jared Grindlinger, RF/LHP, Huntington Beach HS (California) Draft ranking: 11 Who is Grindlinger? The best two-way prospect in the draft, Grindlinger is a left-handed pitcher and lefty-hitting outfielder who reclassified from the 2027 draft and will be just a few months past his 17th birthday on draft day. For teams that rely heavily on draft models, his youth is a big consideration. As a pitcher, he’s more projection at this point, sitting in the low 90s with his fastball. He has displayed excellent contact skills and a nice feel for hitting, but needs to get stronger, with his speed likely limiting to a corner outfield or first base. Why the Angels took him here: This is maybe the most interesting pick so far for a couple of reasons. First, Grindlinger is a two-way player who is still just 17 years old, although the Angels announced him as an outfielder, believing in his contact ability. Second, with John Mozeliak just recently taking over as the interim GM, it’s a big change of pace for the Angels, who hadn’t taken a high school player in the first round since Jordyn Adams in 2018. ===== 13. St. Louis Cardinals: Trevor Condon, CF, Etowah HS (Georgia) Draft ranking: 16 Who is Condon? The Gatorade Player of the Year in Georgia, Condon’s grade 70 or 80 speed and all-out intensity are his calling cards, the kind of player who scouts — and fans — love to watch. He also shows bat speed and contact skills, although his swing is a little unusual with a high setup from a left-handed stance before dropping his hands. He’s made it work, although he’ll need to pull the ball in the air more often to get to power that projects as below average for now. Why the Cardinals took him here: A strong bet to stick in center field with standout speed, Condon is a hard-nosed player who backs it up with his bat and glove. One of ESPN MLB draft analyst Kiley McDaniel’s favorite players in this class, Condon invokes some comparisons to Tigers rookie star Kevin McGonigle, so there is plenty to like here. But, to be clear, that is the “absolutely-everything-clicks” version of Condon’s future and it’s much more likely he ends up as more of a McGonigle-lite type at the plate while playing center field. ===== 14. Miami Marlins: Jacob Lombard, SS, Gulliver Prep HS (Florida) Draft ranking: 6 Who is Lombard? The younger brother of Yankees prospect George Lombard Jr., who went 26th overall in the 2023 draft and has turned into a top shortstop prospect, and the son of Tigers bench coach George Sr., Jacob rates higher than his brother at the same age due to more dynamic athleticism in terms of power and speed. A right-handed batter, the 6-3 Lombard is also viewed as a polished shortstop, displaying the high baseball IQ you would expect from the son of a major league coach. The big concern is his hit tool, as Jacob struggled with swing-and-miss against elite velocity on the showcase circuit. Why the Marlins took him here: The Marlins go with the hometown kid, but that’s not why they took him. Lombard is one of the most dynamic players in the draft with perhaps the best set of tools and the highest upside — better tools, in fact, than his older brother, George Jr., who is in Triple-A with the Yankees and one of the top prospects in the minors. For Jacob, the big “if” explains why he fell to 14th: Will he make enough contact? If he does, this could end up as the steal of the draft. ===== 15. Arizona Diamondbacks: Ryder Helfrick, C, Arkansas Draft ranking: 14 Who is Helfrick? A California high school product who found his way to Arkansas, Helfrick profiles as a defense-and-power backstop. His defense is ahead of his offense, with a strong arm plus he called his own games at Arkansas, unlike a lot of collegiate catchers. He has impressive bat speed and raw power and hit .283 with 18 home runs for the Razorbacks, but while he cut down on his whiff rate in 2026, his hit tool currently projects as below average. Why the Diamondbacks took him here: Helfrick has as much power as just about anyone in this draft and proved he can get to it in games in the best conference in college baseball this season. There is no doubt about his ability to punish fastballs, but he does have a tendency to chase breaking stuff out of the zone — and that issue could be heightened against better pitching in the pros. Behind the plate, he’s already advanced and seems like a safe bet to stick at the position for Arizona. ===== 16. Texas Rangers: Gio Rojas, LHP, Stoneman Douglas HS (Florida) Draft ranking: 21 Who is Rojas? Rojas is from the high school that produced Roman Anthony, Coby Mayo, Jesus Luzardo and Anthony Rizzo — although none of them were first-round picks. Rojas is a 6-4 lefty who is regarded as the top high school pitching prospect in this class, possessing a high-spin fastball that has been up to 98 mph, although sitting more 92 to 95. He throws from a low, three-quarters delivery with a wipeout slider/sweeper, and he has feel for a changeup. He has a low-effort delivery and commands his fastball to both sides of the plate. Why the Rangers took him here: Finally, we get another pitcher — and the first high school pitcher. The Rangers have to be happy Rojas fell to them, as his ability to throw strikes and command his pitches should allow him to move quickly. He’ll have to throw his changeup more than he did in high school, but if that pitch comes along, he could be the long-term replacement for Nathan Eovaldi and Jacob deGrom in the Texas rotation. – ===== 17. Houston Astros: Logan Hughes, LF, Texas Tech Draft ranking: 29 Who is Hughes? One of the best hitters during the past two seasons in the Big 12, Hughes hit .375/.510/.735 with 18 home runs and had more walks (50) than strikeouts (33) for the Red Raiders in 2026. The left-handed hitter is an analytics favorite, rarely chasing out of the zone, hitting top-level velocity and making good swing decisions. Though it’s easy to project his bat, that’s not the case with his defense, as he has below-average speed and a fringy arm. At 5-11, he’s also short for a first baseman if that becomes his position. Why the Astros took him here: This pick is all about production as Hughes flat-out raked at Texas Tech this season, posting a ridiculous .375/.510/.735 slash line (1.245 OPS) in the Big 12. While those eye-popping numbers tell you all you need to know about Hughes’ bat, there isn’t a lot of room for growth in his game and he isn’t a threat on the basepaths or a strong defender. So, he is going to have to hit his way to being an every-day corner outfielder. – ===== 18. Cincinnati Reds: Justin Lebron, SS, Alabama Draft ranking: 8 Who is Lebron? Lebron had some 1-1 talk at the start of the collegiate season due to his flashy tools and position, but he struggled at the plate, hitting .277/.386/.534, a drop from his sophomore numbers, and he also struggled in the field with 19 errors. His numbers dropped even more in SEC play, where he hit just .229, and he finished with twice as many strikeouts as walks. His speed, power, arm and makeup all rate as above average, giving him a superstar ceiling, but his hit tool is a huge question. Why the Reds took him here: The Reds have shown no consistent philosophy in their recent draft history, going with both high school and college players, sometimes going for ceiling, sometimes with a high floor. Lebron fits into the category of just taking the best player left on the board, although he’s one of the most polarizing players in the draft due to the gap between his tools (among the best in the draft) and his production at Alabama (low average, strikeouts and errors). ===== 19. Cleveland Guardians: Liam Peterson, RHP, Florida Draft ranking: 12 Who is Peterson? A three-year starter for the Gators, Peterson has some of the best stuff in the draft, although not necessarily the results to match that. He went 3-6 with a 4.59 ERA for the Gators, striking out 111 in 84 innings, but allowing 84 hits, 36 walks and 11 home runs – including four to Troy in a 16-11 loss in the NCAA regionals. His fastball averages 96 and he has three secondary offerings in a slider, curveball and changeup that all could be plus pitches. He needs to improve his command and stop grooving too many fastballs. Why the Guardians took him here: It’s time for the Guardians to do what they do best with a pitcher who was a highly-touted player but struggled to find results on the mound at Florida. Peterson posted a 5.40 ERA over three seasons with the Gators, including a 4.59 mark this spring — but he also averaged nearly 12 strikeouts per nine innings for his college career. It’s that type of swing-and-miss stuff that lands him here, and if anyone can coax the best out of a player like this, it’s Cleveland. ===== 20. Boston Red Sox: Jake Schaffner, SS, North Carolina Draft ranking: 51 Who is Schaffner? Schaffner was a strong performer for the national runner-up Tar Heels this season. He hit .356 with a 1.019 OPS in his lone season in Chapel Hill after transferring from North Dakota State. Why the Red Sox took him here: The first major surprise of this draft, Schaffner was projected as the No. 52 pick in McDaniel’s final mock draft. This is a pick that could make a lot more sense when we see what his signing bonus is — and what the Red Sox are able to do with their upcoming picks after taking Schaffner here. Boston is leaning into a player here who put up numbers in a power conference — albeit without much pop, hitting just six home runs this season. ===== 21. San Diego Padres: Coleman Borthwick, RHP, South Walton HS (FL) Draft ranking: 31 Who is Borthwick? A huge right-hander at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Borthwick is one of the top prep pitchers in the draft, already possessing a major league body and a fastball that was up to 98 mph. Despite his size, he’s a good enough athlete that he drew comparisons to Austin Riley for his power potential as a third baseman, and that athleticism allowed Borthwick to repeat his delivery and throw strikes. Why the Padres took him here: There’s nothing that says “Padres pick” quite like taking a high school pitcher in the first round. Last year, it was Kruz Schoolcraft; in 2024, it was Kash Mayfield; in 2022, Dylan Lesko and Robby Snelling (and MacKenzie Gore and Ryan Weathers before that). General manager A.J. Preller loves going for upside — and that’s the case, once again. ===== 22. Detroit Tigers: Cameron Flukey, RHP, Coastal Carolina Draft ranking: 19 Who is Flukey? Flukey had a terrific sophomore season at Coastal Carolina, but then suffered a stress reaction in his rib cage that delayed his 2026 season until late April. He went 0-2 with a 4.13 ERA in seven abbreviated starts, throwing just 24 innings. He’s a lean 6-foot-6 with a fastball that sits at 95 to 96 mph with the expected late ride of a first-round talent. His curveball is a plus pitch, and there is the belief that he can get stronger and add even more velocity. Why the Tigers took him here: Flukey pitches off his fastball and has the velocity of a sure major league starter with the frame to support his development. But there are plenty of question marks here as he missed much of the season with a strained rib and his breaking stuff is currently a bit below average. Detroit is betting on him being able to clean up those things, and if he does, there is plenty of upside here. ===== 23. Chicago Cubs: Cade Townsend, RHP, Mississippi Draft ranking: 26 Who is Townsend? A draft-eligible sophomore, Townsend pitched mostly in relief as a freshman before joining the rotation in 2026, going 5-3 with a 3.94 ERA, striking out 88 in 64 innings while utilizing a five-pitch mix, including a mid-90s fastball. He improved his control from 2025 and has shown the ability to spin the ball, going back to high school in California, but his fastball was hittable at times, and he struggled with giving up home runs during conference play. Why the Cubs took him here: Most of the Cubs’ top prospects are position players and the current rotation in the majors has been crushed with injuries, so it’s little surprise that the Cubs would go with one of the top college pitchers left on the board. Townsend’s ability to spin a variety of breaking balls is a big plus, but he’ll have to improve his fastball command to remain a starter. ===== 24. Seattle Mariners: Ace Reese, 3B, Mississippi State Draft ranking: 17 Who is Reese? After starting his college career at Houston, Reese has been a two-year standout for the Bulldogs. He hit .352 with 21 home runs in 2025 and then .336 with 24 home runs in 2026, leading the SEC with 12 home runs during conference play. He generates impressive raw power with a fast left-handed swing, although the strikeout rate (over 21%) was a little high, giving him a power-over-hit profile. He played third base for the Bulldogs, but he will have to improve his defense to stay at the position. Why the Mariners took him here: The Mariners pretty much had to take a hitter here given the strength of their current big league rotation and pitchers Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan being two of the top prospects in the minors — plus, look at their struggles on offense in the majors. Reese is the top power-hitting prospect left on the board, although there are questions about his hit tool and defense. He could be the future third baseman or maybe he slides to left field. Either way, the Mariners needed a big bat for the lineup. ===== 25. Milwaukee Brewers: Trey Ebel, SS, Corona HS (CA), Texas A&M commit Draft ranking: 37 Who is Ebel? He’s the son of Dodgers third-base coach Dino and brother of last draft’s No. 32 pick Brady Ebel — who also went to the Brewers. Playing at California prep power Corona, the younger Ebel has a strong history of performance and has proven himself as a contact hitter. How much power he’ll have will become his biggest question. Why the Brewers took him here: Clearly there’s something the Milwaukee front office likes about the Ebel family — and with good reason. This seems like a prototypical Brewers player: not a lot of flashy tools, but someone who just feels like a baseball player. Ebel is exactly the type of player Milwaukee has a history of turning into key contributors on a perennial contender. ===== Prospect Promotion Incentive picks 26. Atlanta Braves: Carter Beck, CF, Indiana State (For Drake Baldwin NL ROY win) Draft ranking: 70 A native of Saskatchewan, Canada, Beck began his college career at DII Mary in North Dakota before transferring to Indiana State, where he hit .346/.446/.637 with 16 home runs this season. A left-handed batter, he fits into the analytic models with excellent in-zone contact rates and has above-average speed that could allow him to remain in center field despite a below-average arm. ===== 27. New York Mets: Carson Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas Draft ranking: 90 This is one of the bigger surprises of the draft, as Wiggins pitched just 14 innings in his career at Arkansas, missing all of the 2026 season after an internal brace procedure in 2025. The younger brother of Cubs prospect Jaxon Wiggins, Carson hit 102 mph before the injury in 2025 and did throw at the MLB draft combine, impressing with his fastball/slider combo. There’s a lot of unknown here and reliever risk, but the stuff makes him an intriguing selection. ===== 28. Houston Astros: Jack Radel, RHP, Notre Dame (For Hunter Brown’s top-three Cy Young finish) Draft ranking: 33 After taking a college outfielder with its first pick, Houston goes back to the college ranks with a pitcher here. Radel stands at 6-foot-5 and started for three years at Notre Dame. He sits in the mid-90s and pitched to a 3.29 ERA with 116 strikeouts in 87⅔ innings this spring. ===== Competitive Balance Round A 29. San Francisco Giants: Carson Bolemon, LHP, Southside Christian HS (SC) (Acquired from CLE) Draft ranking: 41 Bolemon was the ace of the U.S. national team that won the 18-and-under World Cup in Japan in September, which made the top prep left-hander entering the 2026 season. He didn’t quite pitch to that level, although he repeated as state champion and Gatorade state player of the year. He has great command of a 91-94 fastball and feel for all three of his secondary pitches. He’s already 19, however, and also has had an internal brace procedure. ===== 30. Kansas City Royals: Taylor Rabe, RHP, Mississippi Draft ranking: 48 Rabe missed his freshman season at Ole Miss after Tommy John surgery and didn’t pitch much as a sophomore, but then shot up draft boards with a strong junior season (3.55 ERA, 105 strikeouts and just 15 walks in 76 innings) in which he combined excellent control with improving stuff as his fastball settled in at 96 mph with an occasional triple-digit reading. He has a pitcher’s build at 6-foot-5, but the Royals will have to help him develop his secondary stuff, as he threw his fastball nearly 70% of the time. ====== 31. Arizona Diamondbacks: Blake Bryant, RHP, Citizen’s Christian HS (GA) Draft ranking: 84 Bryant was one of the top performers on the showcase circuit last summer. His fastball sits in the low 90s and reaches the high 90s and he has two breaking balls that give him the makings of a starter when his consistency and control catch up to his raw ability. ===== 32. St. Louis Cardinals: Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Tennessee Draft ranking: 32 Kuhns is another college pitcher who showed excellent ability to throw strikes, finishing his season at Tennessee with 106 strikeouts and just 16 walks across 81 innings. A draft-eligible sophomore, his fastball averaged 94 mph with good life from a low release angle. There is some physical projection left here — his fastball did touch 98 but got hit hard at times — and he relied more on a curveball as the season progressed. He’s viewed as a high-probability starter as he fills out and develops a better third pitch. ===== 33. Tampa Bay Rays: Taj Marchand, SS, James Island Charter HS (SC) (Acquired from BAL) Draft ranking: 45 The second shortstop taken by the Rays in as many picks this draft, Marchand was a riser late in the draft process thanks to his plus raw power at a premium position. A two-way player in high school, his arm should help him stay at short defensively as he was up to 92 mph on the mound as well. ===== 34. Chicago White Sox: Landon Thome, SS, Nazareth Academy HS (IL) Draft ranking: 63 The son of Hall of Famer and former White Sox slugger Jim Thome, Landon is one of the best hitters in this high school class as a lefty with power and solid bat-to-ball skills. A move off of shortstop is in his future, but the hope is he can stay on the dirt as a second or third baseman professionally. ===== 35. New York Yankees: Hunter Dietz, LHP, Arkansas Draft ranking: 15 Dietz gives the Razorbacks a pitcher going in the first round for the third straight year, following Hagen Smith in 2024 and Gage Wood in 2025. A highly regarded prospect coming out of high school in Florida, Dietz pitched just 1⅔ innings his first two years at Arkansas, needing surgery following a stress fracture in his elbow in the fall of 2023. He returned this year to strike out 131 batters in 85⅔ innings, working off a 95-mph fastball that touched 98. His slider/cutter generated high whiff rates against both sides of the plate and he also has a curveball. He’s 6-6 and 235, and despite the limited track record, some teams saw him as the top collegiate lefty in the class. ===== 36. Philadelphia Phillies: Tyler Spangler, SS, De La Salle HS (California) Draft ranking: 34 After drafting college pitcher Gage Wood in last year’s first round, the Phillies go back to the high school ranks this year, just as they did with their five previous first-round selections. Spangler is a 6-foot-3 lefty hitter with a well-rounded offensive profile and entered the spring as a potential top-10 selection before missing time with a back injury. He has a chance to stick at shortstop, although could end up as a plus defender at third base. ===== 37. Colorado Rockies: Daniel Jackson, C, Georgia Draft ranking: 20 The 2026 Golden Spikes winner, Jackson had a historic offensive season while leading Georgia to the Men’s College World Series. Nicknamed “The Rhino,” Jackson won the SEC Triple Crown and became just the sixth player in Division I history to hit 25 home runs and steal 25 bases in a season. Power is his calling card, as evidenced by his 32 homers and 87 RBIs in 67 games this season, and it gives him a solid floor as a pro. His ability to stay behind the plate and avoid swing-and-miss as a hitter will decide his ultimate ceiling. ===== Round 2 If the top 40 picks had some stretches and surprises, the second round is looking like the space where a lot of over-slot signings landed. 38. Rockies: Logan Reddemann, RHP, UCLA (No. 31) Three picks, three college players for the Rockies. I think they got some good value here at 37 and 38. Reddemann was pitching his way up Draft boards in a hurry, especially after an 18-strikeout start against Rutgers. But he was shelved after that with what turned out to be a flexor strain and didn’t pitch for the remainder of the year. He did throw a live BP and then a bullpen at the Draft Combine, and the Rockies must have been comfortable enough with the medical information to take him here. More >> 39. Blue Jays: Cole Carlon, LHP, ASU (No. 26) (Received a 10-pick penalty on their first pick — No. 29 — for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the Competitive Balance Tax.) The Blue Jays are another team that dropped 10 spots, and they got an intriguing college lefty here. A little reliever risk is the only reason Carlon didn’t go higher, but he’s a 6-foot-5 lefty with a fastball up to 98 mph and what many considered to be the best slider in the entire class. More >> 40. Dodgers: Bo Lowrance, SS, Christ Church Episcopal HS, S.C. (No. 21) (Received a 10-pick penalty on their first pick — No. 30 — for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the Competitive Balance Tax.) Dodgers fans had to wait a while to hear who their team would take – they’re the last club to drop 10 spots – but their patience was rewarded. Lowrance was the highest-ranked player left on the board, a solid left-handed-hitting high school infielder many thought would land in the top 25 picks. More >> 41. White Sox: Cole Prosek, 2B, Magnolia Heights HS, Miss. (No. 27) They got their college bat at No. 1 overall, then went back-to-back with high school left-handed hitters in Thome and Prosek, who’ll likely be an overpay here. 44. Pirates: Aiden Ruiz, SS, The Stony Brook HS, N.Y. (No. 32) Many thought Ruiz, a smooth-fielding, switch-hitting (and switch-throwing – he throws lefty when he plays the outfield!) shortstop, might go in the first round. Look for the Pirates to use some of their savings from Derek Curiel to get this done. 47. Athletics: Mason Edwards, LHP, University of Southern California (No. 36) Edwards’ name came up as high as the Top 10; this gives the A’s a very solid college 1-2 with Burress and this intriguing lefty. 48. Braves: Kaiden McCarthy, RHP, Vermont Academy, VT (No. 61) Scouts in the northeast think that, had McCarthy not reclassified to join this year’s Draft, he’d be opening a ton of eyes on the summer showcase circuit now to be a potential first-round pick in 2028. 50. Cardinals: Rocco Maniscalco, SS, Oxford HS, Ala. (No. 49) Another guy who reclassified, Maniscalco is one of the youngest players in the class, giving the Cardinals two exciting prep hitters (with Condon) sandwiched around a first-round caliber college arm (Kuhns). 55. Giants: Kaden Waechter, RHP, Jesuit HS, Fla. (No. 57) Waechter’s dad, Doug, pitched for, and is now a broadcaster for, the Rays. The Giants are using that big bonus pool to land a super-projectable and athletic right-hander. 56. Royals: Jack Slightom, RHP, Lyons Township HS, Ill. (No. 89) Another high school right-hander who had some helium as the Draft approached, Slightom is a 6-foot-5 hurler with plenty of room to add strength and velocity. 59. Guardians: Logan Schmidt, LHP, Ganesha HS, Calif. (No. 45) Schmidt was often mentioned along with Carson Bolemon and Brody Bumila as one of the top high school lefties in the class, and it was not expected to see the Guardians go with two arms out of the gate. 63. Yankees: Sean Duncan, LHP, Terry Fox HS, B.C. (No. 66) The top player coming out of Canada this year, Duncan would have gone much higher had he not needed Tommy John surgery. Without a first-rounder, the Yankees have done well to get Hunter Dietz and now Duncan out of the gate. Round 3 78. Nationals: Luke Williams, SS, Franklin Regional HS, Pa. (No. 90) This could be an interesting value pick as Williams has some very loud tools, especially his speed and his arm, and he put on a show during the Draft Combine’s BP. 79. Twins: Ethan Wachsmann, RHP, Grandview HS, Colo. (No. 87) Not perceived as a typical Twins pick – high school right-handers who are throwers over pitchers isn’t usually their thing – but Wachsmann is 6-foot-5 and touched triple digits at the Combine while showing off high spin breaking stuff. 84. Braves: Jensen Hirschkorn, RHP, Kingsburg HS, Calif. (No. 56) Another high-end high school arm, something the Braves don’t shy away from, Atlanta will use savings from Gracia and Beck to sign McCarthy and Hirschkorn, a 6-foot-7 RHP, with a special fastball-slider combination. 85. Rays: Gavin Giese, RHP, Dana Hills HS, Calif. (No. 122) Buckle up, another high-end right-hander from high school! The first prep arm the Rays took after two high school bats, Giese has size, projection and MLB ties (his dad Dan played in the big leagues). 89. Rangers: Brody Bumila, LHP, Bishop Feehan HS, Mass. (No. 23) We were wondering where he would land. He might need Tommy John surgery, but he’ll get paid here as a 6-foot-9 lefty who can throw 100 mph when healthy, giving the Rangers the top two prep southpaws in the class alongside Rojas. 90. Giants: Peyton Bonds, OF, Rutgers (No. 81) A Bonds – Barry’s nephew, to be precise – is headed to San Francisco. This Bonds can play center, and has a good feel to hit with power to come. 92. Mets: Aiden Robbins, OF, Texas (No. 29) It’s a little surprising Robbins lasted this long. There are some swing-and-miss concerns, but the power (24 homers this year) seems real. Round 4 There were still some high-end picks here, though this is the start of where some money–savers came in, with the first players not on our Top 250 being selected. 106. Nationals: Cooper Harris, RHP, Flower Mound HS, Tex. (No. 76) Harris had a big up arrow next to his name all spring, with four solid offerings, and the Nationals went back-to-back on intriguing high school players after starting with a pair of college bats. 108. Pirates: Andruw Giles, OF, Basic HS, Nev. (No. 157) The Pirates got Ruiz in Round 2 and now Giles in Round 4, a pair of likely over-slot high school bats. 110. Orioles: Kevin Roberts Jr., OF, Jackson Prep HS, Miss. (No. 136) Hailing from the same high school as Konnor Griffin, Roberts is a multi-sport standout with a huge ceiling, though he had an up-and-down senior season. 112. Braves: Cole Dennis, RHP, Bishop Snyder HS, Fla. (No. 242) Pay no attention to the low rank; Dennis was a bit of a pop-up guy and gives the Braves a third straight high-upside high school arm. 114. Cardinals: Dee Kennedy, SS, Kansas State (No. 79) Kennedy set the Kansas State single-season home run mark this year and can stay on the dirt, a nice way for the Cards to finish off their seven-pick day. 130. Brewers: Julian Garcia, RHP, St. John Bosco HS, Calif. (No. 109) After three bats, the Brewers went projectable arm here, and Garcia’s fastball (up to 97 mph) and elite-spin curve are exciting. 131. Blue Jays: Will Brick, C, Christian Brothers HS, Tenn. (No. 46) This is a tremendous get, especially considering the Jays didn’t have a second-round pick. Brick is considered to be the top high school backstop in the class. ===== MLB ROUNDUP: PIRATES CLUTCH UP IN DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP OF BREWERS Esmerlyn Valdez delivered a go-ahead grand slam to help the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-6 win against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. Valdez, who had six RBIs, connected for his second home run of the game in the seventh to put Pittsburgh back in front after previously giving them a 3-2 lead with his first homer in the third. Braxton Ashcraft allowed five runs on five hits and struck out six in five innings for the Pirates. Gregory Soto got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth for his 12th save. Brewers starter Brandon Sproat surrendered three runs on two hits, fanning three, before he was lifted after the third. Jake Bauers and Sal Frelick homered for Milwaukee. Pirates 3, Brewers 2 (Game 2) Bryan Reynolds went 2-for-3 and drove in the go-ahead run for Pittsburgh, which edged Milwaukee to complete a doubleheader sweep Starting pitcher Bubba Chandler struck out six while limiting the Brewers to two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings for the Pirates. Valdez added another homer in the second game of the day and has gone yard in three straight games. Shane Drohan (4-3) allowed three runs on five hits and fanned six in 6 1/3 innings for Milwaukee, which has lost three of its past four games after going 8-2 in its previous 10. White Sox 1, Athletics 0 Chase Meidroth’s sixth-inning RBI double lifted the White Sox over the visiting Athletics. Meidroth was 2-for-3, and Luisangel Acuna had two hits. Five Chicago pitchers combined for a four-hit shutout. Erick Fedde (5-6) earned the win after allowing two hits and no runs, while walking one and striking out three over four innings. Athletics starter Gage Jump (3-4) allowed one run on five hits, walked two and fanned seven in 5 2/3 innings. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer was 2-for-4 with a double, and Jacob Wilson was 2-for-4 with a triple. Red Sox 4, Mets 0 Andruw Monasterio and Masataka Yoshida each belted two-run homers and five pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout as visiting Boston blanked New York for its eighth straight win. Reliever Jovani Moran (2-2) got the win for the Red Sox with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless work. Fill-in starter Eduardo Rivera fired 3 2/3 scoreless innings in just his second major league appearance. Rivera gave up one hit, walked two and struck out three. Freddy Peralta (5-8) absorbed the loss after working 4 1/3 innings and allowing two runs off three hits and five walks. Peralta whiffed six. The Mets went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding nine for the day. Twins 5, Angels 3 Victor Caratini’s double down the left field line scored Royce Lewis for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Minnesota notched a win over Los Angeles in Minneapolis. Lewis earlier hit a two-run home run, giving the Twins a three-run lead before the Angels rallied to tie the game. However, Minnesota scored two runs in the seventh, starting with a Lewis double, followed by Caratini’s double and Alan Roden’s run-scoring single, which put them back in the lead, and they held on to secure the win. Minnesota starter Joe Ryan allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in six innings of work. Ryan Johnson gave up three runs and three hits over five innings for the Angels. He walked three and struck out one. Guardians 4, Marlins 1 Nine-hole hitter Steven Kwan lined a two-out, two-strike, two-run double and also produced a run-saving defensive gem, leading Cleveland past host Miami. The Guardians also got a two-out, two-strike, two-run double from eight-hole hitter Patrick Bailey in the eighth to add some insurance. Tanner Bibee, who started this season 0-7 with six no-decisions, earned the win. Bibee (3-9) turned in a quality start, allowing five hits, four walks and one run in 6 2/3 innings. Eury Perez, who pitched seven perfect innings in his previous start, took the loss. Perez (5-7) allowed eight hits, two walks and two runs in six innings. He struck out six. Giants 4, Rockies 2 Casey Schmitt’s three-run homer in the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie, leading host San Francisco to a defeat of Colorado. After Heliot Ramos and Luis Arraez opened the inning with singles, Schmitt hit his 19th homer, tying him for the team lead. Arraez was 2-for-4, Tyler Mahle (2-8) allowed a run on five hits over seven innings and J.T. Brubaker pitched the final two innings for his first career save. Kyle Karros homered and Mickey Moniak was 2-for-4 for the Rockies, who have lost three of their last four. Colorado starter Kyle Freeland (2-8) surrendered four runs and six hits in six innings. Yankees 4, Nationals 2 Ryan McMahon, Trent Grisham and Paul Goldschmidt hit eighth-inning homers and New York rallied late for the second straight game, topping host Washington. After staging a three-run ninth-inning rally in a 5-3 win Friday night, the Yankees struck an inning earlier on Saturday. Trailing 2-0, McMahon homered off right-hander Orlando Ribalta with one out. After Ben Rice walked, Clayton Beeter (3-2) came in to face Grisham, who hit a two-run shot to give the Yankees the lead. Goldschmidt followed with his 15th homer of the season. Brent Headrick (5-1) got the win and David Bednar pitched the ninth for his 18th save as New York won its third straight. James Wood had three hits, including a homer, and Curtis Mead had a homer and a single for the Nationals, who recorded their 27th blown save of the season. Rays 6, Mariners 1 Jonathan Aranda recorded three hits and drove in the go-ahead run, and Tampa Bay claimed its final home series before the All-Star break in a win over struggling Seattle in St. Petersburg, Fla. Aranda went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run, including his first two-bagger in the third that scored Yandy Diaz to break a 1-1 tie. Pinch hitter Ryan Vilade stroked a three-run homer in the seventh. Ben Williamson went 4-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a run and a stolen base to help the Rays improve their majors-best home record to 35-14. Rays starter Griffin Jax (5-6) turned in a strong outing over five innings, yielding one run on four hits. Seattle’s Logan Gilbert (7-6) tossed 6 2/3 innings and surrendered four runs on nine hits with five strikeouts as the club lost its fifth straight. Phillies 4, Tigers 2 J.T. Realmuto had a two-run double, All-Star Cristopher Sanchez tossed seven-plus strong innings and visiting Philadelphia ended Detroit’s six-game winning streak. Sanchez (11-4) allowed two runs and 10 hits while striking out seven. Sanchez bounced back from his worst outing of the season when he surrendered nine runs to Kansas City on Monday. Jhoan Duran recorded his 24th save with a perfect ninth. Eduardo Valencia homered and Matt Vierling went 3-for-3 and scored a run for the Tigers. Starter Casey Mize (4-6) gave up all four runs (three earned) on five hits in 5 2/3 innings. Orioles 6, Royals 1 Kyle Bradish took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and Baltimore extended its winning streak to three games after beating visiting Kansas City. Bradish (6-9) was done after 6 2/3 innings, charged with one run on two hits. Kansas City’s Jac Caglianone rapped a single as the first batter in the seventh to break up the no-hit bid. He later scored on Salvador Perez’s sacrifice fly. Pete Alonso smashed a two-run home run, and Coby Mayo, Taylor Ward and Gunnar Henderson all belted solo shots for the Orioles, who snapped a four-series losing streak at Camden Yards. Royals starter Noah Cameron (5-7) struck out nine in seven innings, but he was charged with five runs on five hits. Cardinals 4, Braves 1 Lars Nootbaar launched a three-run home run in the first inning and Matthew Liberatore tossed six stellar innings to help lift St. Louis to a victory over visiting Atlanta. Liberatore (5-6) threw six scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out six and walking one for the Cardinals, who clinched their final series before the All-Star break. Reynaldo Lopez (4-2) allowed four runs on five hits across five innings, striking out three and walking one for the Braves, who dropped their fifth game in seven tries. Mauricio Dubon homered for Atlanta, which saw its lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East reduced to two games. Astros 9, Rangers 3 LaMonte Wade Jr. clubbed his first career grand slam in the third inning, the second of three homers hit by visiting Houston in its win over Texas in Arlington, Texas. Yordan Alvarez hit his AL-leading 31st home run to open the scoring in the first inning for the Astros, who also got a solo homer from Christian Vazquez. Houston right-hander Peter Lambert (8-5) notched his sixth win in seven decisions, allowing one run on three hits over six innings. Ezequiel Duran had all three of the Rangers’ RBIs on a pair of home runs. Texas starter Kumar Rocker (2-8) continued to struggle at home, giving up three homers among seven runs on eight hits over his 5 2/3 innings. Cubs 5, Reds 3 Alex Bregman hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the seventh inning as Chicago defeated host Cincinnati to win for the fourth time in its last six games. Carson Kelly added a solo shot and Michael Busch had three hits for the Cubs. Drew Pomeranz (2-3) pitched the sixth inning to record the win despite allowing a run on two hits. Caleb Thielbar and Jacob Webb each tossed a scoreless frame before Trent Thornton recorded the final out for his third save. Nathaniel Lowe, Eugenio Suarez and JJ Bleday each hit solo homers for the Reds, who have lost five of their last eight games. Starter Nick Lodolo yielded two runs on five hits with three walks and four strikeouts before exiting the game with a blister on his left index finger after allowing Kelly’s leadoff homer in the sixth inning. Padres 8, Blue Jays 7 Ty France’s solo homer snapped a tie in the bottom of the sixth inning as San Diego outlasted visiting Toronto to win a back-and-forth battle that was tied three times. France cracked his 11th homer of the season off Mason Fluharty (4-1), making a winner out of Bradgley Rodriguez (2-2). Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his sixth homer of the season for the Blue Jays, a three-run shot, to tie the game in the top of the sixth. Both bullpens delivered well after each team’s starter struggled mightily with control. Toronto’s Trey Yesavage lasted only 1 2/3 innings, giving up one hit and four runs thanks to his seven walks. The Padres’ Walker Buehler pitched only two innings, yielding three hits and four runs with four walks. Diamondbacks 9, Dodgers 2 James McCann hit two home runs, Brandon Pfaadt opened with five scoreless innings and Arizona finished off a victory over host Los Angeles. Nolan Arenado also hit a home run while Tim Tawa and Max Kepler each had two RBIs as the Diamondbacks won three consecutive games for the first time since a five-game winning streak in May. Pfaadt (3-1) gave up two runs on six hits with no walks over 5 1/3 innings. Andy Pages and Mookie Betts had RBI singles as the Dodgers dropped the first two contests of the three-game series and lost back-to-back games for the first time since June 20-21 at home against Baltimore. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (9-6) tied his career high by allowing six runs on five hits with four walks over six innings. ============================================ UFC COLUMN: UFC FACES MAJOR DECISION AFTER MAX HOLLOWAY’S TKO OF CONOR MCGREGOR The atmosphere at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas was electric for UFC 329, charged with the anticipation of Conor McGregor’s return after a five-year absence. But the air was sucked out of the building just 69 seconds into the main event, transforming a celebratory comeback into a haunting scene of deja vu as McGregor collapsed with a catastrophic right leg injury. For McGregor, Saturday night provided a definitive answer to a five-year question. His physical performance was impossible to gauge beyond his movement, which appeared compromised almost immediately. His rhythm seemed off from the opening bell, characterized by multiple uncharacteristic slips on the canvas. Before his conditioning could truly be tested in the welterweight division, the unfortunate injury occurred while throwing a kick, rendering questions about ring rust or his cardio at 170 pounds moot for now. “I had no injury/injuries going into the fight,” McGregor wrote on his X account after the fight. “I was throwing kicks, planted and jumping, all throughout camp as well as backstage before the fight. This came out of nowhere. I am beyond dark here. I can only describe it as hell.” Looking ahead, this result positions the former two-division champion — who turns 38 on Tuesday — at a harrowing career crossroads. Having sustained a severe injury mirroring his UFC 264 exit against Dustin Poirier in July 2021, the question of whether he can — or should — continue to compete at this level is the only one that matters. Any potential matchmaking talks are indefinitely sidelined as McGregor faces yet another grueling rehabilitation process, although Max Holloway — who won by TKO at 1:09 of the first round when his opponent was forced to retire — appears OK with waiting for him. On the other side of the Octagon, Holloway’s brief performance demonstrated his poise as he navigated the jump to 170 pounds. He looked comfortable in the center of the cage, using distance management to frustrate McGregor before the fight ended prematurely. Holloway executed his game plan by staying disciplined, even if he didn’t get the opportunity to fully test his power at the new weight class. For Holloway, whose career has long been a source of immense pride for his home state of Hawaii, this outcome cements his status as a resilient, adaptable champion, though it leaves his next move ambiguous. With massive regional interest across the islands, his ability to secure a win on the sport’s biggest stage — regardless of how it ended — keeps him in the spotlight. The 34-year-old must now decide if his future remains at 170 pounds or if a return to the lightweight title picture is imminent.Sports Ultimately, UFC 329 will be remembered for the duality of its results: the heartbreaking uncertainty surrounding McGregor and the continued excellence of Holloway. As the promotion heads into the summer’s remainder, the event serves as a stark reminder of the sport’s volatility. The landscape of the welterweight division remains in flux, leaving fans and the organization alike to grapple with the reality that the sport’s biggest nights can turn on a single step. ============================================= NBA NEWS REPORT: BUCKS RETAIN GARY TRENT JR. WITH $64M DEAL The Milwaukee Bucks agreed to terms with swingman Gary Trent Jr. on a four-year, $64 million deal on Saturday, according to an ESPN report.TV Networks & Stations The deal keeps Trent in Milwaukee, where he appeared in 139 games (30 starts) for the Bucks over the past two seasons. The combo guard/forward averaged 11.1 points in his first season with the Bucks, but that dipped to 8.1 points in 2025-26, Trent’s lowest average since his rookie year. Trent, 27, originally signed with the Bucks for the league minimum before the 2024-25 season. He played well enough to earn a new two-year, $7.5 million deal, which he opted out of this offseason. That turned out to be a prudent move, as he received significant market interest despite the Bucks holding his bird rights. A career 13.0 ppg scorer, Trent could yet be the topic of trade discussions due to the size of the deal. ESPN reports that he’ll make $15.2 million in the first year. ========================================= GOLF NEWS ZACH JOHNSON SURGES 4 STROKES CLEAR ENTERING FINAL ROUND OF KAULIG On a day that challenged the rest of the leaders, Zach Johnson dominated the third round of the Kaulig Companies Championship on Saturday to take a four-stroke lead into the final round at Akron, Ohio. Johnson, who entered the day a stroke back of the lead, shot 7-under-par 63 to reach 13-under 197. That strong, bogey-free performance began at the onset, with birdies on four of the first five holes to kick off a 5-under front nine at Firestone Country Club. “Yeah, it was really solid. I don’t know if it was easy, but it was not difficult,” Johnson said after his round. “Today was a pin high day, it was crazy. And a good thing. If you needed to be short, you needed to be long, certain hole placements for the most part, I did that. The front nine was as solid of nine holes as I’ve played in I couldn’t tell you how long.” The two-time PGA major winner only became eligible for PGA Tour Champions events in February. He’s already won two Champions events this year and would move up from third to second in the Charles Schwab Cup standings should he hold on to win Sunday. While he hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since 2015, Johnson finished T9 at last week’s John Deere Classic and feels he’s been in strong form for quite awhile now. “I feel like I’ve been in a pretty good trajectory even prior to (John Deere) if I’m going to be blunt,” Johnson said. ” … Deere was solid. Fortunately the momentum’s kind of carried me into this week.” While Johnson finished with seven birdies and no bogeys Saturday, he didn’t have the best round of the day. That belonged to Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez, who shot 8 under to sit alone in second place at 9 under for the tournament. Jimenez, who won this event last year in a playoff against New Zealand’s Steven Alker, also birdied his first two holes and finished with four birdies on each nine of his bogey-free round. “I shoot my age today, 62. Every time you can shoot your age is great,” Jimenez said. ” … I played very solid. I hit it very good, especially my irons was very nice today to the flags all day.” Round 2 leader Cameron Percy of Australia (70) shot even-par and sits six strokes back of Johnson in solo third place at 7 under. He’s followed by Tag Ridings and Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, who both shot 68 and are tied for fourth at 6 under. ===== LUCAS GLOVER HANGS ONTO NARROW LEAD AT ISCO Lucas Glover shot a 2-under-par 68 Saturday to remain in first place at the ISCO Championship at Hurstbourne Country Club in Louisville, Ky. Glover shot his worst round of the tournament after carding a 63 and 64 on Friday and Saturday, respectively. But his day still left him two strokes under par, 15 under for the tournament and featured an eagle and two birdies. More importantly, he held onto the lead he has now maintained through three rounds. “it means you’re doing something right so you’ve got something to lean on there,” Glover said. “Just whatever you’re doing right, keep doing it.” The 46-year-old stepped up to the par-5, 566-yard seventh a stroke over par. But his first two shots left him within a few feet of the hole, and he calmly sank the putt for an eagle that put him back on track for another stellar round. Glover credited his drive for the eagle. “That’s kind of a hard tee shot for me … with the fairway running left to right and the creek on the right, but hit a nice one there.” Birdies on Holes 10 and 12 ensured another good day and another lead for the pro seeking his first win of the 2026 season. A win would be his seventh on the PGA Tour overall. Aaron Wise made up two shots on the leader on Saturday, firing a 4-under 66 to get to within a shot of the pole position. Wise had six birdies on the day. Interestingly, one of his two bogeys came on the seventh, the same hole Glover had his greatest success. “Just kind of had to keep hanging in there because the score wasn’t showing it, it was just little things here or there,” Wise admitted. “But I look at tomorrow more as whatever happens, it’s just going to be a learning experience.” Wise and Glover figure to have plenty of competition on Sunday. Three golfers are tied for third at 13 under, among them Germany’s Stephan Jaeger, who carded a 5-under 65, one of the better rounds of the day. He balanced six birdies against a solitary bogey. He’s joined by Steven Fisk and Chan Kim, who shot matching 68s on Saturday. Zac Blair (64) and Tom Hoge (65) are tied for sixth at 12 under. Rounding out the top ten at 11 under are four golfers: Canada’s Ben Silverman (64), Puerto Rico’s Rafael Campos (66), Canada’s Taylor Pendrith (66) and William Mouw (68). ===== MATT FITZPATRICK SURGES, RORY MCILROY STRUGGLES IN FOG-SHORTENED SCOTTISH OPEN Michael Thorbjornsen and England’s Matt Fitzpatrick are tied at 11 under through a partial third round of the fog-hampered Genesis Scottish Open after play was suspended Saturday in North Berwick, Scotland. That sets up a potentially long day of play Sunday at The Renaissance Club. Johnny Keefer shot a 6-under-par 64 to become the leader in the clubhouse at 10 under. Others at 10 under are Kevin Roy (through 16 holes), Wyndham Clark (through 15), defending champion Chris Gotterup (through 10), Australia’s Min Woo Lee (through eight) and England’s Jordan Smith (through seven). Smith was the second-round co-leader along with South Korea’s Tom Kim, who sits tied for 9th place through seven holes, and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who is tied for 25th through eight holes after struggling Saturday. McIlroy made three bogeys to fall back to 6 under for the tournament. A fog delay of about 2 1/2 hours in the morning shortly after play began put the round off schedule and caused most of the field to have revised tee times. Mac Meissner shot 64 and moved to within one stroke of the lead at 8 under before many of the groups even began their third rounds. Play was halted again in the early evening because of fog and wasn’t resumed. Tournament officials have set 7 a.m. local time Sunday as the targeted time to resume the third round. For many golfers, the Scottish Open is merely a pit stop on the way to next week’s Open Championship. On Saturday, Thorbjornsen is at 5 under for his round and Fitzpatrick holds a 3-under score as he approaches the midway mark. No golfer has won the Scottish Open in back-to-back years. Gotterup is also attempting to become the first golfer on the PGA Tour to win in back-to-back weeks this year after capturing the John Deere Classic last weekend. =================================================== TENNIS NEWS LINDA NOSKOVA RECOVERS FROM 2ND-SET MELTDOWN TO WIN WIMBLEDON AND CLAIM HER 1ST GRAND SLAM TITLE LONDON (AP) — Linda Noskova is the latest in a long line of Czech women to win Wimbledon. The 21-year-old Noskova recovered from a second-set meltdown in which she wasted five match points to overcome Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 in an all-Czech final on Saturday for her first Grand Slam trophy. When Noskova finally won it with a service winner on her sixth match point, she covered her face and dropped down to the grass on her back. “It’s never easy to get the last point,” Noskova said. “Karo, you really made me work for it.” Noskova became the third Czech woman in four years to win the grass-court major, after Marketa Vondrousova in 2023 and Barbora Krejcikova in 2024. Muchova and Noskova played doubles together at the 2024 Paris Olympics and finished fourth. “I am so glad that I could play my first Grand Slam final with you,” Noskova told Muchova during her victory speech. “We made history today. I believe that all our Czech fans at home are proud of us, so no matter the result today I think it was a good day for both of us.” Petra Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, was in attendance, as was the greatest Czech-born player of them all, Martina Navratilova — who won a record nine singles titles at the All England Club. Navratilova looked on from the Royal Box, where she was seated next to Kate, the Princess of Wales, who presented the Venus Rosewater Dish trophy to Noskova. Noskova grew emotional during her victory speech when she mentioned her mother, who died two years ago. “I definitely would not be standing here without her, so thank you,” said Noskova, who then looked up and blew a kiss to the sky. Navratilova wiped away tears listening to Noskova’s tribute to her mother. Moments earlier, Muchova began her runner-up speech by calling Noskova “my ex-friend. “I’m kidding, obviously,” Muchova quickly added. “You’re so young and this was your first final of a Grand Slam and the way you handled it … was really unbelievable. … You deserve it.” It was the 29-year-old Muchova’s second Grand Slam final after getting beat by Iga Swiatek at the French Open in 2023. In the men’s final on Sunday, top-ranked Jannik Sinner will attempt to defend his title against French Open champion Alexander Zverev. Wasted chances Noskova led 5-2 in the second set before she lost five straight games to send it to a third. When Noskova wasted a chance to serve it out at 5-3 in the second, she placed fingers in both ears to drown out the crowd noise on the changeover. Then she draped one of Wimbledon’s strawberry-red towels over her head after she dropped her serve again to give Muchova a 6-5 lead and a chance for her opponent to serve it out — which Muchova did. It’s Noskova’s second grass title of the season after beating Jessica Pegula in the Berlin Open final three weeks ago. But as this match displayed, it hasn’t been all straightforward. Noskova saved a match point in the third set of her third-round match against Sorana Cirstea. The 12th-ranked Noskova will climb to No. 7 — a new career-high — when the next rankings are released on Monday. Jana Novotna, one of Noskova’s first coaches, also won Wimbledon (in 1998). Now Noskova is the youngest woman to win Wimbledon since Kvitova was also 21 in 2011. And it marks the second consecutive Grand Slam won by a player 21 or younger after Mirra Andreeva claimed the French Open at 19 last month. It’s the first time that’s happened for Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same year since Justine Henin and Serena Williams, respectively, claimed those titles in 2003. ======================================= AUTO RACING RYAN BLANEY WINS ATLANTA POLE, LEADS TEAM PENSKE FRONT-ROW SWEEP HAMPTON, Ga. — Ryan Blaney claimed his second pole position of the season Saturday evening at Atlanta’s fast high-banked EchoPark Speedway — leading a Team Penske Ford front row sweep for Sunday night’s Quaker State 400 (7 p.m. ET, TNT, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford turned in a lap of 179.912 mph around the 1.5-mile track, besting his teammate Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford by a slight .016-second in Busch Light Pole Qualifying. It’s the 32-year old Blaney’s 14th career pole and marks the first front-row Penske sweep this year. All three Penske’s advanced to Saturday’s 10-car second round after dominating the top of the speed charts in round one. Austin Cindric will roll off eighth in the No. 2 Penske Ford. The typically low-key Blaney was thrilled for the result, crediting his team for the hard work. However, the 2023 series champion was quick to remind at a high-speed, drafting track such as Atlanta, he was confident starting up front doesn’t automatically translate into a trip to Victory Lane. Toyota, which is enjoying a dominant season in wins, failed to place a single car into the final round of qualifying. NASCAR Cup Series championship leader Denny Hamlin will roll off 28th in the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who trails Hamlin by 44 points in the standings, will start 31st in the No. 45 Toyota. A five-time race winner this year, Reddick won at Atlanta this February. Gibbs drivers Ty Gibbs and Christopher Bell will start 23rd and 32nd. And Reddick’s 23XI teammates Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst are 23rd and 29th on the grid. “I feel like we’ve seen that,” Blaney said of the Toyotas qualifying effort. “They don’t really qualify great at these speedways, just the build of their race car. So usually that means they can probably be aggressive in the draft and get in the middle and get to the top and things like that. I’m sure we’re going to see them up there. “If you look at the spring race here and Toyotas were really, really good when it came race time. Hopefully, our balance in the race is good enough to be able to either maintain the lead or if we get shuffled back to be able to go forward. You really don’t know that until the race starts.” The Chevrolets of Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports) and Austin Dillon (No. 3 Richard Childress Racing ) make up row two. Daniel Suarez will start fifth with the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets of Alex Bowman and defending race winner Chase Elliott, Cindric, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain and Brad Keselowski owner-driver of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford, rounding out the top 10. The front row start is especially significant for the three-time series champion Logano, who is enduring one of the most challenging seasons of his Hall of Fame-bound career. He’s still not in the top 16 field that will ultimately settle the title in the 10-race Chase. Logano’s ranked 18th, 16 points behind 16th-place Erik Jones. “The good news is the Hunt Brothers Pizza Mustang is fast and that speed you see in qualifying will usually show up in the race,” said Logano, a two-time Atlanta winner. “I’m proud to see the speed that’s there and the handling seemed fine in qualifying. “I feel like our team can handle these speedways really well and you can remember what happened here last Fall (he wrecked after leading laps and winning the pole position), so there’s no guarantee you see the end of it. “But,” he added with a smile, “The speed’s there and that’s half the battle, so we know we have that.” =============================================== INDIANA SPORTS HEADLINES/RELEASES INDIANA PACERS The Pacers continued their Las Vegas Summer League slate on Saturday as they took on the Philadelphia 76ers. Indiana fell in overtime, 100-93, after a hard-fought comeback in the second half. Coach Bryce Taylor went with the same starting five – Tamin Lipsey, Braden Smith, Taelon Peter, Jalen Slawson, and Rienk Mast. The Indiana offense was in a better rhythm early on Saturday as the Pacers notched 27 points in the first frame. Slawson continued to show his readiness with eight first quarter points, and Mast produced well throughout the first half. He entered the break with seven points, two rebounds, and two assists. Rebounding was tough for Indiana through the opening half. The Pacers grabbed just nine rebounds to Philadelphia’s 26, but cleaned up their turnovers from Friday. Indiana committed six turnovers that led to eight 76ers points before halftime. Indiana faced a 14-point halftime deficit as it trailed Philadelphia, 59-45. The 76ers lead ballooned in the third quarter, and soon the Pacers found themselves down by a wide margin, 71-52. Indiana surged later in the third behind Yuki Kawamura’s instant offense. The Pacers created an 18-7 run that spanned the latter half of the third quarter, and ended with Smith hitting a buzzer beater to bring Indiana back within 13 points of Philadelphia heading into the fourth, 80-67. Slawson cut the lead back to single digits by the five-minute mark of the fourth quarter after slamming down a fastbreak dunk. Indiana trailed, 86-78, but had plenty of time to make its move. The Pacers worked all the way back to down two with five seconds to play as Smith drove to the basket. Smith was fouled, and knocked down his two free throws to tie the game at 93. Indiana was overpowered in the two-minute overtime period, and fell to the 76ers, 100-93. Slawson’s 26 points and five rebounds led the Pacers in scoring, but he was just one of three 20-point scorers in Saturday’s matchup. Johni Broome (23) and Labaron Philon Jr. (24) also eclipsed the 20-point mark for the 76ers. Smith posted 16 points, two rebounds, and five assists for the Pacers, while Mast came just short of a second double-double. He recorded 10 points and nine rebounds. Kawamura notched 12 points, three rebounds, and three assists off the bench for Indiana. Indiana’s loss to Philadelphia is the Blue and Gold’s first loss in Summer League, and the Pacers will take a 1-1 record into Monday’s matchup with the Toronto Raptors. Key Stats Indiana had five players reach double figure scoring totals – Slawson, Mast, Smith, Keion Brooks Jr., and Kawamura. After recording a double-double on Friday, Mast nearly notched another one with 10 points and nine rebounds on Saturday. The Pacers recorded 17 assists on 25 made field goals. Indiana was 0-for-4 in overtime. ====================================================== INDIANA FEVER By Madie Chandler-Donahue | FeverBasketball.com Indiana Fever at Las Vegas Aces Sunday, July 12, 2026 T-Mobile Arena | 9:00 p.m. ET BROADCAST INFO TV: NBC – TBA Peacock/Fever Direct – Pat Boylan (play-by-play), Debbie Antonelli (analyst), Kelsie Kasper (sideline reporter) Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – John Nolan (play-by-play), Bria Goss (analyst) PROBABLE STARTERS Indiana Fever (13-9) Guard – Ty Harris Guard – Kelsey Mitchell Forward – Lexie Hull Forward – Monique Billings Center – Aliyah Boston Las Vegas Aces (16-6) Guard – Chelsea Gray Guard – Jackie Young Forward – Stephanie Talbot Forward – A’ja Wilson Center – NaLyssa Smith GAME PREVIEW The Fever conclude their four-game West Coast road trip on Sunday as they return to Las Vegas for their second matchup with the Aces this season. Indiana visited T-Mobile Arena last Sunday, July 5, and kicked off the road trip with an 84-68 win over Las Vegas. The Aces were without star forward A’ja Wilson, but the Fever played without Caitlin Clark as she recovered from a back injury. Kelsey Mitchell shined alongside Aliyah Boston as the pair led the Fever to a 16-point win. Mitchell notched 27 points to lead the Fever as Boston recorded 18 points and 10 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season. Mitchell has been on a tear for the Fever – she’s scored over 26 points in all five of Indiana’s last five contests, and is averaging over 28 points per game on the current road trip. She was the head of the snake for the Fever on Thursday as she scored 29 points and recorded eight assists in the tight victory over the Mercury. Wilson returned to the lineup for the Aces on Thursday and put down a 32-point, 10-rebound double-double in an impressive comeback performance. Las Vegas went 1-2 in the three games she missed – the Aces fell to the Liberty in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship game, beat the Sky on July 3, and came up short against the Fever on July 5. Wilson has posted 10 double-doubles this season, and changes the dynamic of the Aces’ game when she’s available. She’s averaging 26 points and nine rebounds per game, and recently earned her eighth WNBA All-Star selection over nine seasons. The Aces will host the Fever on the second night of back-to-back contests as they host the Mercury on Saturday before clashing with the Fever on Sunday. Following Sunday’s matchup with the Aces, the Fever return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday, July 15, to host the Golden State Valkyries in the first game of a four-game homestand. ============================================ INDIANAPOLIS INDIANS INDIANAPOLIS – Enmanuel Valdez hit his second home run in three days and Khristian Curtis allowed no runs in relief, but the Indianapolis Indians lost, 4-3, to the Toledo Mud Hens at Victory Field on Saturday night. Wilber Dotel opened the game on the mound for Indianapolis, making his third major league rehab appearance since hitting the injured list on June 13. A sacrifice fly from Trei Cruz put the Mud Hens up 1-0 in the first inning, but Enmanuel Valdez quickly tied it up, 1-1, in the next frame with a sac fly of his own. A wild pitch by Toledo’s (10-7, 44-47) Dylan File plated Nick Cimillo in the second inning, and the Indians (10-7, 41-51) were up briefly, 2-1. But Brett Callahan’s two-RBI double in the next frame and a sac fly from Cal Stevenson flipped the contest again, 4-2. Valdez pulled Indianapolis within one, extending his team-leading home run count to 12 with a solo shot to center field in the bottom of the third. Valdez’s long ball was the last run of the game, as the Indians fell 4-3. Ricky Vanasco (W, 3-1) threw 1.2 scoreless frames and earned the win. Nick Sandlin (S, 2) allowed no runs in the eighth and ninth innings for the save. Justin Meis (L, 0-1) took his first loss of the season after giving up three runs in the third. Indianapolis will look to finish the week on a high note, facing Toledo for the series finale on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 PM. LHP Connor Wietgrefe will start for the Indians against the Mud Hen’s RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long. ========================================== INDIANA STATE BASEBALL TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Indiana State outfielder Carter Beck was selected by the Atlanta Braves in Prospect Promotion Incentive (PPI) round at the end of the first round of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft. Beck was selected with the 26th overall pick in the MLB Draft awarded to the Atlanta Braves following Drake Baldwin’s selection as the National League’s Rookie of the Year. The Carnduff, Saskatchewan, Canada native becomes just the third Indiana State player to be selected in the first round in program history joining Bill Hayes (Rd. 1, Pick 13 – 1978) and Sean Manaea (Rd. 1, Pick 34 – 2013). Overall, Beck became the 94th Indiana State baseball player drafted since 1965 and fifth Sycamore selected in the MLB Draft since the 2023 season. Beck recorded a historic campaign for the Sycamores in the 2026 season culminating in his becoming just the second Indiana State player in program history to receive the Joe Carter MVC Baseball Player of the Year Award. The junior finished the season among the Missouri Valley leaders in batting average (.348), hits (82), RBIs (59), runs scored (62), doubles (17), home runs (16), on-base percentage (.446), slugging percentage (.637), and stolen bases (12). He also received American Baseball Coaches Association Midwest All-Region First Team honors for his 2026 campaign. The Carnduff, Saskatchewan, Canada native recorded a team-high 28 multi-hit games and 16 multi-RBI contests over the 2026 season and has reached base safely in 55 of the team’s 57 games played. Beck continued his success in the Missouri Valley tournament connecting on a two-homer game in an elimination contest against Southern Illinois. Beck highlighted his season with an 11-game stretch where he recorded a .510 batting average with three doubles, a triple, five home runs, and 16 RBIs, while posting 11 consecutive multi-hit games from March 15-April 2. He added a trio of grand slams to his name going deep with the bases loaded against Miami (Ohio) (Feb. 20), Bradley (Mar. 20), and UIC (Apr. 3). Beck’s 16-homer, 12-steal campaign in 2026 gave him back-to-back seasons with at least 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases, making him just the third player in school history to achieve the feat in back-to-back years. He joined Tyler Thompson (1997 & 1998) and Paul Frye (1985 & 1986) to accomplish the mark. In addition to the Joe Carter Award, Beck was recognized as a First Team College Sports Communicators Academic All-American boasting a 3.96 GPA while majoring in finance at Indiana State. He became just the fifth Sycamore in program history to receive the Academic All-American status and first since 2019. Beck made his mark with the Sycamores over his two seasons with the programs, leading the team in hits, runs, RBI, and doubles in both the 2025 and 2026 years. He finishes among the Indiana State all-time leaders in career batting average (.342), on-base percentage (.432), slugging percentage (.601), and home runs (27). ===================================== INDIANA SMALL COLLEGE SPORTS WEB SITES UINDY ATHLETICS: https://athletics.uindy.edu/ MARIAN ATHLETICS: https://muknights.com/ INDIANA WESLEYAN ATHLETICS: https://iwuwildcats.com/ EARLHAM ATHLETICS: https://goearlham.com/ WABASH ATHLETICS: https://sports.wabash.edu/ FRANKLIN ATHLETICS: https://franklingrizzlies.com/ ROSE-HULMAN ATHLETICS: https://athletics.rose-hulman.edu/ ANDERSON ATHLETICS: https://athletics.anderson.edu/landing/index TRINE ATHLETICS: https://trinethunder.com/landing/index BETHEL ATHLETICS: https://bupilots.com/ DEPAUW ATHLETICS: https://depauwtigers.com/ HANOVER ATHLETICS: https://athletics.hanover.edu/ MANCHESTER ATHLETICS: https://muspartans.com/ HUNTINGTON ATHLETICS: https://www.huathletics.com/ OAKLAND CITY ATHLETICS: https://gomightyoaks.com/ ST. FRANCIS ATHLETICS: https://www.saintfranciscougars.com/landing/index IU KOKOMO ATHLETICS: https://iukcougars.com/ IU EAST ATHLETICS: https://www.iueredwolves.com/ IU SOUTH BEND ATHLETICS: https://iusbtitans.com/ PURDUE NORTHWEST ATHLETICS: https://pnwathletics.com/ INDIANA TECH ATHLETICS: https://indianatechwarriors.com/index.aspx GRACE COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://gclancers.com/ ST. MARY OF THE WOODS ATHLETICS: https://smwcathletics.com/ GOSHEN COLLEGE ATHLETICS: https://goleafs.net/ HOLY CROSS ATHLETICS: https://www.hcsaints.com/index.php TAYLOR ATHLETICS: https://www.taylortrojans.com/ VINCENNES ATHLETICS: https://govutrailblazers.com/landing/index ============================================= TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY 1900 – Frank “Noodles” Hahn of Cincinnati twirls a 4 – 0 no-hitter over Philadelphia. The Reds lefty gives up five walks to the visiting Quakers who are playing without Nap Lajoie. Hahn strikes out seven, including the first two batters in the 9th. The last batter, Roy Thomas, is thrown out on his two-strike bunt. Philadelphia’s Bill Bernhard allows seven hits, including a homer by Sam Crawford in the 7th. 1901 – At Boston’s Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds, Cy Young of the Americans seven-hits the A’s, 5 – 3, to win his 300th game. The 34-year-old will win an additional 211 games to establish an amazing major league record of 511 career victories that no one has approached since. 1902 – Overcoming poor Buc baserunning, Pirates star Jack Chesbro pitches a five-hit shutout and strikes out 11 Giants to beat Christy Mathewson, 4 – 0. The Buccos lose five straight runners via baserunning errors. With two outs in the 3rd, Ginger Beaumont is on second base, with first base empty, and he is put out trying to advance to third on a grounder. In the 4th, Hans Wagner leads off with a triple, but is out at the plate on Kitty Bransfield’s grounder to first. Bransfield is then thrown out trying to steal second. Claude Ritchey draws a walk, but is picked off first. Jimmy Burke leads off the 5th with a double, but tries to stretch it into a triple, and is tagged out by Matty, covering the bag. 1905: The Detroit Tigers beat New York, 6 – 3, with the help of two errors by Highlander 1B Jack Doyle. The vet Doyle was signed yesterday and this will be his only appearance for New York. Chicago’s Three-Finger Brown scores the first of nine straight wins over Christy Mathewson, 8 – 1, as he allows just two New York hits. New York’s lone run scores on an error by Billy Maloney. Matty gives up 12 hits while his teammates commit five errors. Of 28 match-ups over their careers, Brown will win 14. 1907 – After an absence of 24 days, Roger Bresnahan returns to the lineup and collects two hits in a 3 – 2 win for the Giants against Andy Coakley, the same hurler who hit him with a pitch on June 18th. Bresnahan does not wear the headgear he developed. When a fan keeps a foul ball during the game rather than tossing it back, Giants team secretary Frank Knowles warns that “in the future he will not be so lenient about anyone stealing a ball.” 1911: In the 1st inning of a 9 – 0 win over the Athletics at Detroit, Ty Cobb walks, then on consecutive pitches steals second base, third base, and home off lefty Harry Krause. Twice he beats perfect throws by C Ira Thomas. After Cobb reaches on a fielder’s choice in the 3rd, Sam Crawford homers. In the 7th, Cobb walks, is bunted to second, and scores on a sacrifice fly, knocking the ball out of the hands of the new catcher, Paddy Livingston. At Pittsburgh, the Giants win, 4 – 3, behind Rube Marquard’s pitching. Rube strikes out the side in the 2nd and 3rd innings, setting down Dots Miller, Newt Hunter and Owen Wilson, then blowing by pitcher Elmer Steele, Bobby Byrne and Tommy Leach in the 3rd frame. Highlander third baseman Roy Hartzell, acquired from the Browns in January for Jimmy Austin and Frank LaPorte, has a career day as the cleanup hitter. He hits a three-run double and another double in one inning, then piles on a sacrifice fly and grand slam, to drive in eight runs. It is an American League record until Jimmie Foxx’s nine RBI in a game in 1933. New York defeats the Browns, 12 – 2. 1912: In the Highlanders’ 4 – 1 win over the Browns, New York pitcher Jack Warhop swipes home in the 3rd. It is Warhops’s second steal of home in three years. In Boston, the Red Sox edge the Tigers, 1 – 0, in 11 innings. Smoky Joe Wood goes all the way in the win allowing five hits and striking out ten. 1913 – Philadelphia’s Boardwalk Brown walks 15 Tigers in 7 2/3 innings, but staggers to a 16 – 9 win. Brown has only one walkless inning – the 1st. Ty Cobb, out for a week with an injured knee, plays 2B for the only time in his career, and makes three errors in his five fielding chances. 1916 – With the temperature at Fenway Park near 100 degrees, Boston sweeps the White Sox behind complete game wins by Ernie Shore, 2 – 1, and Dutch Leonard, 3 – 1. 1921 – Babe Ruth hits his 137th career home run, passing 19th century star Roger Connor’s record of 136. 1928 – Baseball’s biggest battery is recorded, appropriately, with the New York Giants, as Garland “Gob” Buckeye, a 260-pound pro football lineman in the off-season, makes his National League pitching debut with 250-pound Shanty Hogan behind the plate. The Giants lose to the Cardinals. 1931 – The largest crowd in the history of Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis, 45,715 (in a ballpark with 35,000 seats), creates a travesty and permanently distorts the record for doubles hit in a game. Easy fly balls drop for ground rule doubles among the fans encroaching on the field. There are 32 doubles hit in two games, including 23 in the second game, setting records both for the most doubles in one game and in a doubleheader. 1934: Chuck Klein is out of the Cubs lineup because of injuries as they beat the Braves, 7 – 4. He is batting .331 with 19 homers and 65 RBI, but will miss much of the second half and never again will return to the high level of performance previously shown. Schoolboy Rowe fans 11 Yankees in a 4 – 2 win that puts the Tigers back in first place. 1936 – At Cincinnati, Phillies starter Joe Bowman gives up his first hit of the game, a leadoff triple in the 9th inning to Kiki Cuyler, and then is relieved by Claude Passeau, who retires the next three batters. The Phils win, 4 – 0. 1937 – The Phillies score six runs in the 7th inning to beat Hal Schumacher and the Giants, 6 – 3. With the bases loaded in the 1st, Giants OF Mel Ott starts an unusual 9-2-5 triple play. But the highlight of the game comes when umpire Bill Klem ejects Giants manager Bill Terry for the first time in Terry’s 15-year career. 1938 – The Pirates take the National League lead for the first time, beating the Cubs for their 12th straight win. 1943 – An Armed Forces All-Star team managed by Babe Ruth and featuring Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams play a fund-raising game against the Braves in Boston. Ruth pinch-hits in the 8th and flies out to right. The All-Stars win on a Splendid Splinter home run, 9 – 8. 1945 – The Chicago Cubs stop Tommy Holmes’s modern-day National League-record hitting streak at 37 games, beating the Boston Braves, 6 – 1, behind Hank Wyse, for their 11th victory in a row. The Braves take the second game, 3 – 1, as Claude Passeau loses his first after nine straight wins. Holmes hit .433 during the streak and will finish at .352, second in the National League. His nine strikeouts coupled with 28 homers and 47 doubles is unparalleled for making contact and hitting for average and power. 1946 – Johnny Sain just misses a perfect no-hitter when Grady Hatton’s pop fly drops among three Braves behind third base for a base hit. No one else gets on as the Braves win, 1 – 0, in Cincinnati. 1949: The major league owners agree to install warning tracks made of cinder in front of outfield fences prior to the start of next season. The National League commits five errors, allowing the American League to record an 11 – 7 triumph in the All-Star Game at Ebbets Field. The contest marks the first appearance of black players in an All-Star Game: Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe in the NL lineup, and Larry Doby among the AL stars. 1951: At Cleveland, Allie Reynolds of the New York Yankees blanks Cleveland, 1 – 0, for the first of his two no-hitters this season. Gene Woodling’s 7th-inning homer off loser Bob Feller is the difference in the 1 – 0 game. The Chief’s no-hitter is the first by a Yankee since Monte Pearson in 1928. New York takes the nitecap behind Vic Raschi as Joe DiMaggio cinches it with a three-run homer off Chuck Stobbs. The Red Sox and White Sox draw a record crowd of 52,592 for a twi-night doubleheader at Comiskey Park. Boston wins the opener, 3 – 2. In the second game, Saul Rogovin of the White Sox goes the route in a 17-inning contest, only to lose, 5 – 4, on Clyde Vollmer’s sac fly. Ellis Kinder of Boston pitches ten scoreless innings in relief for the win. 1953: The Yomiuri and Mainichi newspaper chains inaugurate the Nichi-Bei Series, a program of regular visits by American major-league clubs to Japan. The program will be sponsored by the Yomiuri chain alone from 1966. Braves slugger Eddie Mathews hits the first grand slam in the history of the Milwaukee franchise, as the Braves sweep two from the Cardinals, 10 – 1 and 4 – 3, in St. Louis. 1955 – At Milwaukee’s County Stadium, Stan Musial comes to bat in the bottom of 12th inning of a 5 – 5 All-Star deadlock. American League catcher Yogi Berra complains about his feet hurting and Musial tells him “Don’t worry, I’ll have you home in a minute”… then “the Man” hits a game-winning home run on the next pitch. The American League had taken a five-run lead on a three-run homer by Mickey Mantle off Robin Roberts, only to see the NL tie it. Braves P Gene Conley strikes out the side in the 12th to get credit for the win. 1958 – Orlando Cepeda’s three-run home run off Warren Spahn gives the Giants a 5 – 3 win and pulls San Francisco to within a half game of the Braves. 1959: Roberto Clemente’s walk-off wall-banger makes it 19 straight for Elroy Face. At Forbes Field, the Pirates reliever blows a four-out save against St. Louis, thanks to Bill White’s RBI single, but gets out of trouble and settles down long enough to reap the benefits of the Bucs’ bats. “The Pirates won their 12th of 13 extra-inning games,” reports the Associated Press, “when Roberto Clemente smashed a hit off the right-field wall with the bases filled in the 10th.” Face’s record goes to 14-0 with the win; his streak will extend to 22 before he takes his first and only loss of the year, en route to an unprecedented 18-1 season. NBC uses outfield television cameras with 80-inch lenses to show the catchers’ signals during a Yankee-Red Sox game. Commissioner Ford Frick requests that they halt its use. It doesn’t help New York, which dropped its last four games to the Red Sox. Boston wins today, 7 – 3. Larry Sherry loses his second start for the Dodgers, as the Redlegs nip him, 4 – 3. Sherry will not lose again, winning his next seven starts. 1966 – St. Louis hosts a hot midsummer All-Star classic. Maury Wills’ 10th-inning single scores Tim McCarver, as the National League wins, 2 – 1, in 105-degree heat. Brooks Robinson’s stellar game (three hits, eight chances) earns him the game MVP award. Asked about the new ballpark, Casey Stengel remarks, “it holds the heat well.” On-field temperature is 113 degrees. 1968: Eddie Stanky is fired as manager of the White Sox and replaced by Al Lopez. The Cardinals beat the Astros, 8 – 1, but Houston scores a run on Bob Gibson. Denis Menke’s bloop double, fair by inches, drives home the lone run. Houston reliever Tom Dukes ties the major-league record with his ninth straight relief appearance for the Astros. The Giants trade P Lindy McDaniel to the Yankees for P Bill Monbouquette. 1969 – Mike Cuellar of the Orioles throws a complete game three-hitter against the Red Sox in a 4 – 0 shutout. All three of the Red Sox hits come off the bat of RF Tony Conigliaro, who has two singles and a double. Cuellar not only becomes the only pitcher in major league history to have two three-hitters in which one player has all of the opposing team’s hits in the game, he does this in consecutive starts (following his win over the Yankees on July 8th). 1970 – In the 2nd inning of an eventual 7 – 3 win over the Orioles, the Tigers lay down a record-tying three sacrifice bunts. 1972 – The A’s Dave Duncan is 5 for 5, but the Red Sox win, 7 – 6. 1975 – In a 10 – 4 loss to Texas, Luis Tiant hits and flies out. He is the first Boston pitcher to hit since the designated hitter was put into effect in 1973. 1976 – A tentative agreement between the players and owners on labor contracts is reached. The formal agreement will be announced August 9th. 1977: Willie Randolph hits the game-winning homer and Don Gullett pitches the Yankees to a 5 – 2 win over the Brewers. The win stops the Yanks’ loss streak at three games. Steve Henderson hits a game-winning home run off Bruce Sutter to give the Mets a 4 – 2 victory over the Cubs. After the game the Cubs relief ace admits his arm is bothering him, and asks to be excused from the All-Star Game. Bleeding will be found in Sutter’s arm and he will get the week off after the All-Star break to rest it. 1979 – After a delay of an hour and 16 minutes, the White Sox are forced to forfeit the second game of twi-night doubleheader against the Tigers when over 5,000 fans refuse to leave the field during a Disco Demolition Night promotion gone awry. Mike Veeck’s promotion involves admitting fans for 98 cents with a disco record, collecting the vinyl and then literally blowing up the LPs and 45s in center field. 1987 – The Yankees trade P Bob Tewksbury and two minor league pitchers to the Cubs for Steve Trout, who has just pitched back-to-back shutouts. 1988 – After being maligned by the press as an unworthy All-Star starter, A’s catcher Terry Steinbach hits a solo home run and a sacrifice fly to lead the American League to a 2 – 1 victory at Riverfront Stadium and is named the 1988 All-Star Game’s MVP. The A’s catcher becomes the first major leaguer to have homered in his first major league at-bat (on September 12, 1986) and also in the mid-summer classic. 1989 – Ron Guidry retires from baseball. During his 14-year career with the New York Yankees, “Louisiana Lightning” compiled a 170-91 record with a 3.29 ERA. 1990 – In a six-inning rain-shortened contest, White Sox starter Melido Perez no-hits the host Yankees, 8 – 0. His brother Pascual, who is watching from the New York bench, also hurled an abbreviated no-no in 1988 holding the Phillies hitless for five innings at Veterans Stadium. This is the seventh no-hitter this season, the most since 1917 (a revision of the rules governing no-hitters in 1991 will lower that number but removing games in which pitchers do not throw a full nine innings, such as this one). Lance Johnson makes a diving over-the-shoulder catch in the 5th to save a hit and also bangs a three-run home run. 1992 – Atlanta SS Jeff Blauser hits three home runs in a 7 – 4 win over the Cubs. Blauser had hit only 39 round-trippers in the previous six seasons. He becomes only the fourth SS ever to hit three homers in a game, joining Ernie Banks, Barry Larkin and Freddie Patek. 1994 – Moises Alou’s double in the 10th inning gives the National League an 8 – 7 victory over the American League in the All-Star Game. The NL is now a perfect 9 – 0 in extra-inning contests. Houston P John Hudek becomes the first pitcher in history to appear in an All-Star Game before recording a major league victory. Fred McGriff, whose two-run homer in the 9th inning ties the score, takes MVP honors. 1996: Montreal defeats the Cubs by a score of 3 – 2. Throughout the game, Expo 1B David Segui shares his mitt with Chicago’s Mark Grace as Grace’s glove did not arrive at the ballpark due to a shipping mix-up. The players leave the mitt in the field between innings, as players did at the turn of the century. Minnesota star Kirby Puckett announces he is retiring, effective immediately, because of glaucoma in his right eye. Down 9 – 2 as they bat in the last half of the 7th inning in Colorado, the Rockies score 11 times and hold on for a 13 – 12 win over the Padres. 3B Vinny Castilla’s grand slam – his second homer of the game – is the big blow of the inning. 1997: In Pittsburgh’s first non-Opening Day sellout since 1977, a crowd of 44,119, sees Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon combine on a ten-inning no-hitter as the Pirates down the Astros, 3 – 0, on a 10th-inning pinch home run by Mark Smith. Cordova hurls the first nine innings while Rincon hurls the 10th and gets the win. The victory keeps the Pirates in a tie for first place with the Astros in the NL Central. Pitching for the first time in Fenway Park not wearing a Red Sox uniform, Roger Clemens strikes out 16 as the Blue Jays defeat Boston, 3 – 1. During the game, it appears the “Rocket” is continually glaring up at Dan Duquette in the general manager’s suite. 2000: The Phillies trade hurler Andy Ashby, 33, to the Braves for pitchers Bruce Chen and Jimmy Osting. Chen, who made 22 appearances for the Braves this year, all in relief, will make 15 appearances for the Phils – all starts. In a six-player deal, the Reds trade Denny Neagle (8-2, 3.52) and outfielder Mike Frank to the Yankees for minor league third baseman Drew Henson, outfielder Jackson Melian and pitchers Brian Reith and Ed Yarnall. None of the four top prospects acquired by the Reds will pan out. 2001 – Three Minnesota players homer twice in the Twins’ 13 – 5 defeat of Milwaukee. Jacque Jones, Torii Hunter and Corey Koskie each hit a pair of four-baggers to tie a major league record. 2005: During the All-Star Game Town Hall discussion, Bud Selig, believing the designated hitter is a big part of the game, states the rule will remain in use for the foreseeable future. The commissioner however makes it clear the National League will not adopt the 1973 addition to the American League rule book. At the Home Run Derby in Detroit, Bobby Abreu shatters the records for a single round, the championship round and the grand total for all three rounds of the derby by hitting 41 dingers into every part of Comerica Park. The Phillies outfielder, who is representing Venezuela in the event’s one-time international format, goes deep 24 times in the first round, tacks on six more in the second round and finishes with 11 more in the championship round. 2009: The Cuban national team wins the 2009 World Port Tournament despite the defection of Aroldis Chapman on day one of the event. In the finale, Cuba beats the Dutch national team, 8 – 3, scoring five unanswered runs in the last three innings. Maikel Folch tosses four shutout relief innings for the win. Both Sidney de Jong and Eriel Sánchez hit two-run homers. Rene Tosoni and Dayan Viciedo hit consecutive doubles to lead the World team to a 7 – 5 comeback win over the United States in the 2009 Futures Game in St. Louis. The game is shortened to seven innings because of rain. The Cubs and Cardinals split a day/night doubleheader at Wrigley Field. Chicago wins the opener, 7 – 3, on home runs by Micah Hoffpauir and P Carlos Zambrano, and the Cards take the nightcap, 4 – 2. Ryan Ludwick hits a pair of two-run home runs to account for all of St. Louis’s runs; Adam Wainwright picks up his tenth win and Ryan Franklin strikes out the side in the 9th for his 21st save. As a result, the first four teams in the NL Central are within 3 1/2 games of each other heading into the All-Star break. 2010 – Veteran slugger David Ortiz wins the All-Star Game’s Home Run Derby with a dazzling performance, lining ball after ball into the right field stands at Angel Stadium, for a total of 32 long balls – 11 of them in the final round, where he defeats fellow Dominican Hanley Ramirez. He dedicates his performance to his friend, pitcher Jose Lima, who passed away suddenly a few weeks earlier. 2011: The National League is the winner of the 2011 All-Star Game, played in Phoenix, AZ, 5 – 1 over the American League. Prince Fielder hits a three-run homer to put the NL ahead in the 4th and wins the game’s MVP award; Adrian Gonzalez accounts for the junior circuit’s only run with a solo homer. Tyler Clippard picks up the win and C.J. Wilson the loss. The Milwaukee Brewers bolster their bullpen by acquiring closer Francisco Rodriguez from the Mets for two players to be named later. K-Rod will become the set-up man for John Axford. 2013: Making his major league debut, the Astros’ Jarred Cosart takes a no-hitter into the 7th inning, holding the Rays to a pair of walks before giving up a one-out single to Ben Zobrist. Cosart gives up another hit in the 8th and a lead-off walk in the 9th before being replaced by Jose Veras, who allows a run to score. However, the Astros’ two 1st-inning runs on Carlos Corporan’s single stand up, as they win, 2 – 1, in spite of David Price pitching a complete game for the Rays. The Red Sox acquire veteran reliever Matt Thornton from the White Sox in return for minor league OF Brandon Jacobs. 2015: The United States team wins the 2015 Futures Game, 10 – 1, over the World team. C Kyle Schwarber is named the winner of the Larry Doby Award as the game’s MVP after hitting a two-run triple in the 3rd. Josh Bell adds a two-run homer in the 4th and the U.S. puts the game completely away with a five-run 6th. The game is played at Great American Ball Park as part of the All-Star Game festivities. Kirk Nieuwenhuis hits three home runs to lead the Mets to a 5 – 3 win over the Diamondbacks; Nieuwenhuis is the tenth player to have a three-homer game for the Mets, but the first ever to do so at home. The Angels enter the All-Star break with a half-game lead over the Astros on top of the AL West standings after a 10 – 3 win over the Mariners behind rookie Andrew Heaney, who pitches seven scoreless innings. The Angels score six runs in the 6th, and also take advantage of three Seattle errors. They have won 11 of 14 while Houston has lost six straight. Georg Bull is inducted into the German Baseball and Softball Hall of Fame, their first baseball inductee in nine years. A catcher of the 1980s and 1990s, he was the first German to play baseball in South Africa and the Dominican Republic and managed seven German youth or junior national champions. He won five Bundesliga-1 titles as a player. 2016 – The American League defeats the National League, 4 – 2, in the 2016 All-Star Game played at Petco Park in San Diego, CA. Royals teammates Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez both homer in a three-run 2nd inning and Hosmer later adds another RBI to be named the game’s MVP. 2018 – The Red Sox win their tenth game in a row as they defeat the Blue Jays, 6 – 4, thanks to five RBIs by Mookie Betts. He hits a grand slam off J.A. Happ to cap a five-run 4th inning, at the end of an epic 13-pitch at-bat, then adds an RBI single in the 7th as the crowd chants “MVP! MVP!” The Sox have now won 66 games, the most before the All-Star break in team history. 2019: In their first home game since the tragic death of Tyler Skaggs on July 1st, the Angels pay tribute to their fallen teammate in the best possible way, with a 13 – 0 combined no-hitter over the Mariners. In a scheduled bullpen game, opener Taylor Cole starts things off with two hitless innings, then Felix Pena is magnificent in relief, with seven frames during which he issues just one walk and strikes out six, retiring the final 14 batters in order. The entire Angels team wears number 45 in tribute to Skaggs and his mother throws the ceremonial first pitch in an emotional pre-game ceremony. Mike Trout goes 3 for 4 with a homer and six RBIs to lead the offense, as the Angels score seven runs in the 1st to remove any doubt about the final outcome. The Pacific League wins its fifth straight NPB All-Star Game, beating the Central League, 6 – 3, in the first NPB All-Star Game played this year. Tomoya Mori hits a two-run homer as part of a three-RBI day, winning game MVP honors for the second straight year. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has the first three-inning save in a NPB All-Star Game in 23 years. 2021: At a press conference during the All-Star Game festivities, Commissioner Rob Manfred announces that MLB is committing to give up to $150 million to the Players Alliance over a ten-year period towards a variety of programs to support the participation of disadvantaged youth in baseball, not just as players but also in employee development, and in promoting Black baseball history and culture. Former All-Star Curtis Granderson, who heads the Players Alliance, and other current and former All-Stars are present for the announcement that makes good on a promise made the previous year for MLB to become a more visible agent of change in favor of justice and equality. After a one-year hiatus, the Home Run Derby is held in the friendly confines of Coors Field and balls fly out all over the yard in the thin Colorado air. Pete Alonso successfully defends his title with a glorious display of pure power, including a record 35 long balls in the first round, and homers on his last five swings to defeat Trey Mancini in the final one. But the most thrilling showdown is the first-round clash between Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani which requires two tie-breakers before Soto comes out on top. The Korea Baseball Association announces that it is suspending its season because of a spike in COVID-19 cases both in South Korea and around the league. 2022 – Coming seemingly out of nowhere, the Orioles win their ninth straight game, beating the Cubs, 4 – 2, at Wrigley Field. With this win, the Orioles are at .500 for the first time this season, joining the four other teams in the AL East. 2024 – Tensions run high as the two leaders in the AL East meet at Camden Yards. The Yankees are leading the Orioles, 4 – 1, in the 9th, after Aaron Judge’s 33rd homer – a franchise record before the All-Star break -, when closer Clay Holmes hits Baltimore’s Heston Kjerstad in the head with a pitch. After Kjerstad is forced to leave the game, O’s manager Brandon Hyde takes objection to comments he hears from the Yankees’ dugout and rushes the plate, where he is restrained by catcher Austin Wells. Both benches clear, and when order is restored, Hyde is ejected. The Yankees’ win reduces the Orioles’ lead to a single game. 2025: The National League prospects win the 2025 Futures Game played at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA, 4 – 2 over the American League. OF Josue De Paula wins the Larry Doby Award as the game’s Most Valuable Player by hitting a three-run homer off Noah Schultz in the 4th inning. Byron Buxton hits for the cycle in leading Minnesota to a 12 – 4 win over Pittsburgh on his bobblehead day at Target Field. Births[edit] 1846 – W.L. Shepard, umpire (d. 1914) 1859 – Frank McIntyre, pitcher (d. 1887) 1872 – Joe Regan, outfielder (d. 1948) 1878 – Bill Coughlin, infielder (d. 1943) 1881 – Jim Pastorius, pitcher (d. 1941) 1886 – Hank Butcher, outfielder (d. 1979) 1887 – Harry Krause, pitcher (d. 1940) 1888 – Roy Golden, pitcher (d. 1961) 1888 – Lep Long, pitcher (d. 1958) 1889 – Ray Mowe, infielder (d. 1968) 1889 – Harry Pearce, infielder (d. 1942) 1891 – Hank Schreiber, infielder (d. 1968) 1894 – Lee Meadows, pitcher (d. 1963) 1895 – Artie Dede, catcher (d. 1971) 1897 – Fred Enke, college coach (d. 1985) 1897 – Hod Fenner, pitcher (d. 1954) 1899 – Walter French, outfielder (d. 1984) 1900 – Rudy Miller, infielder (d. 1994) 1903 – George Darrow, pitcher (d. 1983) 1906 – Herb Smith, pitcher (d. ????) 1907 – Bob Cooney, pitcher (d. 1976) 1910 – Eddie Powell, catcher (d. 1986) 1912 – Willie Young, pitcher (d. 2002) 1913 – Tom Hafey, infielder (d. 1996) 1913 – Walter Youse, scout (d. 2002) 1914 – Al Glossop, infielder (d. 1991) 1914 – Rafaelito Ortiz, pitcher (d. 1989) 1917 – Nobuhiko Tomimatsu, NPB outfielder (d. 1983) 1918 – James Abernathy, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1997) 1919 – Chutaro Seike, NPB catcher (d. ????) 1919 – Johnny Wyrostek, outfielder; All-Star (d. 1986) 1920 – Jim Colzie, pitcher (d. 2010) 1923 – Sy Berger, baseball card pioneer (d. 2014) 1924 – Gualberto Acosta, Venezuelan League umpire (d. 2008) 1924 – Rayford Finch, pitcher (d. 1956) 1926 – Zacatillo Guerrero, minor league infielder and manager (d. 2009) 1927 – Jack Harshman, pitcher (d. 2013) 1927 – Jack Miller, minor league pitcher (d. 2015) 1927 – Jitsuo Oki, NPB pitcher 1928 – Ted Davenport, college coach (d. 2001) 1928 – Ikuzo Inaba, NPB pitcher 1928 – Tom Mee, minor league infielder (d. 2016) 1928 – Antonio Torres, Venezuelan national team outfielder (d. ????) 1931 – Paul Penson, pitcher (d. 2006) 1935 – Raymond Patterson, minor league outfielder/catcher 1935 – Dave Ricketts, catcher (d. 2008) 1938 – Ron Fairly, infielder; All-Star (d. 2019) 1940 – Kensaku Fujimoto, NPB pitcher (d. 2024) 1940 – Mike Page, outfielder (d. 2021) 1940 – Lynn Rube, minor league pitcher (d. 2014) 1940 – Denny Sommers, coach (d. 2020) 1940 – Jack Warner, pitcher 1941 – Dick Rusteck, pitcher 1942 – Yoshitaka Kihara, NPB pitcher 1943 – Goro Suzuki, NPB infielder 1943 – Ron Willis, pitcher (d. 1977) 1944 – Tom Tischinski, catcher (d. 2024) 1944 – Fumihiro Tojo, NPB infielder 1947 – Scipio Spinks, pitcher 1948 – Takuzo Ueda, NPB pitcher 1950 – Peter Budny, Bundesliga pitcher 1953 – Roy Branch, pitcher 1953 – Akinobu Mayumi, NPB infielder 1955 – Larry Patterson, minor league catcher and manager 1956 – Bryan Clark, pitcher 1956 – John Davis, Canadian national team outfielder 1956 – Mario Soto, pitcher; All-Star 1957 – Manabu Kitabeppu, NPB pitcher; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (d. 2023) 1962 – Efraín García, Puerto Rican national team infielder and manager 1962 – Milt Harper, minor league infielder (d. 1993) 1964 – Mike Schwabe, pitcher 1965 – Ray Fagnant, minor league catcher 1965 – Mike Munoz, pitcher 1965 – Wally Ritchie, pitcher 1966 – Shinji Inoue, NPB outfielder 1967 – Dimerson Núñez, minor league catcher 1969 – Jun Takeshita, NPB pitcher 1971 – Maximo De La Rosa, minor league pitcher 1971 – Matt Hollowell, umpire 1972 – Jesse Ibarra, minor league infielder 1972 – Kelly Wunsch, pitcher 1973 – Carlos Fermin, minor league infielder and manager 1973 – José Luis García, minor league pitcher 1974 – Alexander Nizov, minor league infielder 1975 – Katsushi Shirasaka, CPBL pitcher 1976 – Dan Reichert, pitcher 1978 – Yoshihito Ishii, NPB infielder 1978 – Wes Timmons, minor league infielder 1979 – Ryan Anderson, minor league pitcher 1979 – Adam Johnson, pitcher 1980 – Brad Eldred, infielder 1981 – Phil Dumatrait, pitcher 1981 – Eugen Heilmann, Bundesliga pitcher 1981 – Sam Narron, pitcher 1981 – Nathan Panther, minor league outfielder 1982 – Jimmy Goethals, minor league catcher 1982 – Tom Gorzelanny, pitcher 1983 – Howie Kendrick, infielder; All-Star 1983 – Tony Sipp, pitcher 1984 – Garrett Parcell, minor league pitcher 1985 – Edgardo Báez, minor league outfielder 1985 – Raul Gonzalez, minor league pitcher 1985 – Dan Leatherman, minor league pitcher 1986 – Dylan Owen, minor league pitcher 1986 – Nick Vincent, pitcher 1988 – Jeremy Barfield, minor league outfielder 1989 – Martin Viramontes, minor league pitcher 1990 – Jason Bell, minor league manager 1990 – Chasen Shreve, pitcher 1991 – Boss Moanaroa, minor league infielder 1992 – Nick Delmonico, outfielder 1994 – J.D. Hammer, pitcher 1994 – Nathan Lukes, outfielder 1995 – Narciso Crook, outfielder 1995 – Masaki Ishii, NPB pitcher 1995 – Bailey Ober, pitcher 1995 – Logan Porter, catcher 1995 – Kentaro Taira, NPB pitcher 1996 – Daphnée Gélinas, Canadian women’s national team infielder 1999 – Zach Brzykcy, pitcher 1999 – Austin Wells, catcher 2000 – Nathan Church, outfielder 2000 – Nana Ishimura, Japanese women’s national team pitcher 2000 – Victor Santos, minor league pitcher 2000 – RJ Schreck, minor league outfielder 2001 – Jiorgeny Casimiri, minor league pitcher 2001 – Thomas Harrington, pitcher 2002 – Kevin Alcántara, outfielder 2003 – Yu-Min Lin, minor league pitcher Deaths[edit] 1892 – Alexander Cartwright Hall of Famer (b. 1820) 1899 – Frank Kreeger, pitcher/outfielder (b. 1860) 1929 – Ed Conahan, umpire (b. 1877) 1929 – Jack Cronin, pitcher (b. 1874) 1943 – Bill McCall, pitcher (b. 1898) 1944 – Miyoshi Nakagawa, NPB pitcher and infielder; Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (b. 1920) 1955 – Dan McGeehan, infielder (b. 1885) 1955 – Jesse Stovall, pitcher (b. 1875) 1955 – Harry Taylor, infielder (b. 1866) 1960 – J. Fred Bohler, college coach (b. 1885) 1963 – Jack Cameron, outfielder (b. 1884) 1966 – Edgar Wesley, infielder (b. 1891) 1968 – Kettle Wirts, catcher (b. 1897) 1971 – Wally Judnich, outfielder (b. 1917) 1971 – Ed Weiland, pitcher (b. 1914) 1973 – Billy Urbanski, infielder (b. 1903) 1978 – Herb Souell, infielder; All-Star (b. 1913) 1979 – Tom Lovelace, pinch hitter (b. 1897) 1984 – Ed Short, general manager (b. 1919) 1987 – Joe Burns, outfielder (b. 1889) 1993 – Russell Holmes, minor league catcher (b. 1891) 1996 – Earl Halstead, scout (b. 1912) 2003 – Patricia Courtney, AAGPBL infielder (b. 1931) 2003 – Guy LaValliere, minor league catcher (b. 1931) 2004 – Teruo Shimabara, NPB outfielder (b. 1927) 2007 – Shag Crawford, umpire (b. 1916) 2008 – Bobby Murcer, outfielder (b. 1946) 2008 – Harry Schaeffer, pitcher (b. 1924) 2009 – Doris Barr, AAGPBL pitcher (b. 1921) 2011 – Johnny Freeland, minor league catcher (b. 1920) 2011 – Howard Hilton, pitcher (b. 1964) 2013 – Bob Wuesthoff, minor league outfielder and college coach (b. 1926) 2015 – Mahlon Duckett, infielder (b. 1922) 2015 – Buddy Lively, pitcher (b. 1925) 2015 – Chick Childress, college coach (b. 1932) 2018 – Leon Carter, minor league infielder (b. 1931) 2019 – Joe Grzenda, pitcher (b. 1937) 2020 – Bill Gilbreth, pitcher (b. 1947) 2024 – Tsutomu Osawa, NPB catcher (b. 1948) 2025 – Jim Clancy, pitcher; All-Star (b. 1955) ============================================= TV SPORTS TODAY Sunday, July 12 AUTO RACING 7 p.m. TNT — NASCAR Cup Series: Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart, In-Season Challenge – Round 3, EchoPark Speedway, Hampton, Ga. TRUTV — NASCAR Cup Series: Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart, In-Season Challenge – Round 3, EchoPark Speedway, Hampton, Ga. BIG3 BASKETBALL 4 p.m. CBS — Week 4: Miami 305 vs. Houston Rig Hands, LA Riot vs.. Detroit Amps, DMV Trilogy vs. Dallas Power, Chicago Triplets vs. Boston Ball Hogs, Los Angeles GOLF 4 a.m. GOLF — LPGA Tour: The Amundi Evian Championship, Final Round, Evian Resort Golf Club, Evian-les-Bains, France 10 a.m. GOLF — DP World/PGA Tour: Genesis Scottish Open, Final Round, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland Noon CBS — DP World/PGA Tour: Genesis Scottish Open, Final Round, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: Kaulig Companies Championship, Final Round, Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio 4 p.m. GOLF — DP World/PGA Tour: ISCO Championship, Final Round, Hurstbourne Country Club, Louisville, Ky. MLB BASEBALL Noon NBC — 2026 MLB All-Star Futures Games: A.L. vs. N.L., Philadelphia 12:15 p.m. PEACOCK — Milwaukee at Pittsburgh 4 p.m. MLBN — Toronto at San Diego (4:10 p.m.) NBA BASKETBALL 3 p.m. ESPN2 — Summer League: Phoenix vs. New Orleans, Las Vegas 4 p.m. PRIME VIDEO — Summer League: Cleveland vs. Detroit, Las Vegas 5 p.m. ESPN2 — Summer League: Charlotte vs. Boston, Las Vegas 6 p.m. PRIME VIDEO — Summer League: Oklahoma City vs. Golden State, Las Vegas 7 p.m. ESPNU — Summer League: Orlando vs. Portland, Las Vegas 8 p.m. PRIME VIDEO — Summer League: Sacramento vs. Washington, Las Vegas 9 p.m. ESPN — Summer League: San Antonio vs. Milwaukee, Las Vegas 10 p.m. PRIME VIDEO — Summer League: L.A. Clippers vs Utah, Las Vegas SOCCER (WOMEN’S) 4 p.m. ESPN — NWSL: Portland at Seattle SOFTBALL 3 p.m. ESPN2 — Athletes Unlimited: Bandits at Cascade 8 p.m. MLBN — Athletes Unlimited: Talons at Spark TENNIS 8 a.m. ESPN — WTA: Wimbledon, Doubles Championship, London 11 a.m. ESPN — ATP: Wimbledon, Championship, London 3 p.m. ABC — ATP: Wimbledon, Championship, London (taped) WNBA BASKETBALL 3 p.m. NBATV — New York at Toronto 7 p.m. ESPN — Chicago at Dallas 9 p.m. NBC — Indiana at Las Vegas PEACOCK — Indiana at Las Vegas About The Author troyderengowski61@gmail.com See author's posts Post navigation THE INDIANA SRN “SPORTSPAGE” SATURDAY JULY 11, 2026
