Sports
49ers look to jump-start offense vs. struggling Rams
Sep 15, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) scrambles against the Minnesota Vikings in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images After their offense went stagnant in Week 2 without one of their star performers, the San Francisco 49ers will look to recover Sunday when they visit their home away from home.
After a 23-17 road loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the 49ers (1-1) technically will stay on the road when they play the Los Angeles Rams at Inglewood, Calif. But the Rams’ home has been clad in plenty of red during recent seasons when San Francisco makes its annual visit.
San Francisco has won at Los Angeles in each of the past five seasons, although they lost on the Rams’ home turf in the 2022 NFC Championship Game. San Francisco had a nine-game winning streak against Los Angeles until the regular-season finale last season when the Rams won 21-20 as both teams rested starters in advance of the playoffs.
San Francisco running back Christian McCaffrey did not play in the final meeting last season and won’t be available for this one either while on injured reserve with a calf strain. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel is doubtful with his own calf issue and likely will miss the next two games.
Without two huge weapons on offense, 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and his NFL-best 550 yards passing through two games take center stage. His 72.3 completion percentage is eighth in the league, but he has just one touchdown pass.
“We’ve got the players. We’ve got the scheme. We’ve got what it takes,” Purdy said. “It’s dropping back and executing, knowing where my answers are and getting the balls in the guys’ hands, drop-stepping and getting first down. It’s football, man.”
Purdy threw his first interception Sunday after he had 11 last season, while earning Pro Bowl honors. He also lost a fumble, while the 49ers had a punt blocked.
“It was too sloppy on our part,” San Francisco head coach Mike Shanahan said. “… It was disappointing.”
The Rams (0-2) are dealing with their own injury issues. Wide receiver Puka Nacua (knee) was placed on injured reserve after Week 1 and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (ankle) is expected to miss extended time.
The Rams also have holes on the offensive line: Jonah Jackson (shoulder), Steve Avila (knee) and Joe Noteboom (ankle) are on IR. Even rookie kicker Joshua Karty (groin) is ailing.
Behind a makeshift line last week, even veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford looked rattled, and understandably so, as Los Angeles was never competitive in a 41-10 loss on the road to the Arizona Cardinals. Tackle Rob Havenstein (ankle) returned in Week 2 and tackle Alaric Jackson (suspension) is set to come back Sunday.
“The amount of moving parts that we’ve had offensive line-wise has been wild, and that’s such an important spot to be able to get a rapport with the guy that you’re playing next to,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “It starts with me, putting guys in better spots.”
On defense, the Rams already were up against it after the retirement of star defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The revamped group has struggled to an NFL-worst 426 yards allowed per game.
“It’s definitely a little different,” Shanahan said about not having to account for Donald. “That’s been 99 percent of our brain power for a number of years and it’s kind of weird just not thinking that way.”
Against the run, Los Angeles has allowed 197 yards per game, third worst in the NFL. The Rams recently placed safety John Johnson II (shoulder) on IR.
“Trust the process,” Stafford said. “… You can’t think about this scenario, that scenario, whatever it is. Just continue to work. We’ll have next-man-up mentality in some spots, get some people back as well and it’ll be a fun challenge for us.”
In addition to Kupp and Karty not participating in practice for the Rams on Wednesday, tight end Davis Allen (back) and cornerback Cobie Durant (toe) also were out.
Samuel was the only member of the 49ers who did not practice. Safety Talanoa Hufanga is approaching his season debut after ACL surgery in November.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yordan Alvarez homers twice, Ronel Blanco returns as Astros top Marlins
Jul 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Ronel Blanco (56) reacts after retiring the side against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images Yordan Alvarez produced his fifth multi-homer game of the season to help the Houston Astros snap a four-game skid with an 8-5 win over the visiting Miami Marlins on Monday.
Alvarez finished 3-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs. He posted his 12th three-hit game of the season and his 27th career multi-homer game to send the Marlins to their seventh straight loss.
The Marlins seized a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning against Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco, who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list to make his first start since May 17, 2025. Blanco missed 15 months due to Tommy John surgery.
His season debut was uneven. Blanco recorded eight strikeouts over 4 2/3 innings and allowed only two hits. However, Blanco issued three walks, and the two hits were two-run home runs from Joe Mack and Liam Hicks.
Mack followed a two-out walk issued to Jakob Marsee with a 409-foot blast to right field in the second. Blanco opened that frame with strikeouts of Hicks and Griffin Conine, but Mack followed Marsee by drilling a 3-2 fastball for his eighth homer of the season.
The Astros fashioned an immediate response against Marlins right-hander Janson Junk (4-6). Taylor Trammell ignited a six-run second inning with an RBI single that bounced into right and scored LaMonte Wade Jr. Two batters later, Lucas Spence walked to load the bases with one out for Jeremy Pena, who rallied from an 0-2 hole by delivering his second career grand slam.
Pena went the opposite way to right for his seventh homer of the season. Alvarez followed with a titanic shot into the upper deck in right-center field, his 32nd home run covering 428 feet.
Hicks shaved that 6-2 deficit in half in the fourth when he followed a leadoff walk from Xavier Edwards with his 14th home run, a 393-foot shot to right. Blanco rallied and retired the ensuing five batters, but a two-out walk to Kyle Stowers in the fifth spelled the end of his 86-pitch outing.
Alvarez greeted Marlins reliever Lake Bachar with a 419-foot laser to right-center leading off the fifth. Junk allowed six runs on five hits and three walks with three strikeouts over four innings.
Jose Altuve added Houston’s eighth run with a two-out single in the seventh following Isaac Paredes’ triple. Astros closer Josh Hader gave up three hits in the ninth, including Heriberto Hernandez’s run-scoring single, before locking down the win.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Washington gets to Kyle Freeland early, takes down Rockies
Jul 20, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Washington Nationals second baseman Nasim Nunez (26) turns the first half of a double play against Colorado Rockies right fielder Tyler Freeman (2) in the fourth inning at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images CJ Abrams homered for the second straight game, one of three home runs for Washington, and the Nationals beat the Colorado Rockies 7-3 in Denver on Monday night.
Jacob Young also went deep and finished with three hits, Curtis Mead contributed three hits, and Andres Chaparro hit his fourth home run for Washington, which has won two in a row and leads majors with 147 homers.
Riley Cornelio (1-1) tossed 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and Tom Cosgrove got the final six outs for his first save.
Jake McCarthy led Colorado with a pair of hits. The Rockies, who have dropped three of their first four out of the All-Star break, have the worst record in the National League.
The Nationals jumped on Colorado starter Kyle Freeland. James Wood drew a walk to lead off the game, Mead followed with a single to center and Chaparro hit the first pitch he saw from Freeland into the seats in left-center field.
Washington threatened for more in the first when Dylan Crews walked and Young singled with one out, but Freeland retired the next two batters to end the frame.
The Rockies loaded the bases in the third with two singles and a walk against Washington starter Andrew Alvarez, and Castro cleared them with a two-out double to center to tie it 3-3.
Alvarez allowed three runs on six hits over 4 1/3 innings.
Tempers flared in the fifth. Chaparro flew out to right field and on his trot back to the dugout ran over part of the mound, drawing the ire of Freeland. Benches and bullpens cleared but the incident didn’t escalate and no one was ejected.
Young broke the tie in the sixth inning when he led off against Freeland with his ninth home run. Abrams extended the lead in seventh when he hit a two-run shot off Antonio Senzatela, his 22nd homer of the season.
Freeland (2-9) gave up four runs on seven hits in his six innings of work.
The Nationals tacked on a run in the ninth with Daylen Lile’s two-out RBI triple.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Andrew Benintendi delivers winning runs as White Sox separate from Rangers
Jul 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Chicago White Sox pitcher Jordan Hicks (44) throws to the plate against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images Andrew Benintendi delivered a bases-clearing double in the fifth inning and Miguel Vargas had three hits and two RBIs to boost the visiting Chicago White Sox to a 10-3 victory against the Texas Rangers on Monday.
Chicago scored five runs in the ninth inning and remained one game ahead of the Cleveland Guardians atop the American League Central.
White Sox starter Erick Fedde surrendered a leadoff home run to Joc Pederson and allowed Evan Carter’s RBI single one inning later before the staff settled in. They did so without catcher Kyle Teel, who left the game after sustaining a non-contact, left ankle injury while attempting to tag Ezequiel Duran as he scored on Carter’s hit.
White Sox pitching retired the next 13 hitters before Josh Jung worked a two-out walk against Jordan Hicks in the sixth.
Texas right-hander Jacob deGrom fell to 7-6 after an uneven outing. He set down the side in order in the second and fourth innings but navigated baserunners for much of the rest of his start.
Chicago scored its first run on a Vargas RBI double in the third inning. The White Sox broke the game open in the fifth, as four of the first five batters reached base.
Sam Antonacci singled to tie the game, and Vargas’ infield single loaded the bases two batters later. After Colson Montgomery struck out for the second out of the inning, Benintendi lined deGrom’s 2-2 pitch down the right-field line to give Chicago the lead.
Jake Burger belted a solo home run against Seranthony Dominguez to bring the Rangers within 5-3 in the seventh. The White Sox responded in the ninth, as Vargas doubled home a run ahead of Luisangel Acuna’s two-run single. Randal Grichuk added an RBI triple before Braden Montgomery punctuated the rally with an RBI double.
Antonacci had two hits for Chicago.
Fedde spaced two runs and four hits in four innings with six strikeouts while deGrom allowed five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Winner Chris Murphy (3-0) had one strikeout in 1 1/3 perfect innings.
Colson Montgomery left the game in the seventh with a right shin contusion.
–Field Level Media
Yordan Alvarez homers twice, Ronel Blanco returns as Astros top Marlins
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