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Sun ready for Fever, Caitlin Clark in Game 1

Syndication: The Indianapolis StarIndiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) rushes up the court Friday, July 12, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 95-86.

Behind rookie sensation Caitlin Clark’s record-setting campaign, the Indiana Fever embark on their first WNBA playoffs appearance since 2016 when they begin a best-of-three series on Sunday against the host Connecticut Sun in Uncasville, Conn.

Indiana earned the No. 6 seed, going 9-5 after returning from the Olympic break. Clark, the No. 1 overall draft pick, tied Kelsey Mitchell with a team-best 19.2 points per game, while Clark’s 337 assists were a WNBA record.

The assist total gave Clark an average of 8.4 per game to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals.

“I feels night and day from where I started (the season),” Clark said. “I’m proud of myself in that regard. I think I’ve learned a lot. … Once we kind of found our groove, I think my teammates have allowed me to be myself and that’s what has kind of brought us some success.”

Indiana had a scare in its regular-season finale Thursday vs. Washington, a 92-91 loss, when two-time All-Star and veteran Mitchell went down in the first quarter after a collision. Mitchell will be available for the playoffs and at full-strength, Fever coach Christie Sides said.

Part of Indiana’s late-season surge included an 84-80 victory over Connecticut on Aug. 28, their lone success in four games between the teams.

Five Fever players scored in double figures during the victory over the Sun, including Mitchell with a game-high 23, while Clark had 19 and Lexie Hull added 17. The trio shot a combined 11-of-25 (44.0 percent) from 3-point range.

Consistent 3-point shooting has been a key for Indiana throughout its run to the playoffs. The Fever finished the regular season hitting 35.6 percent from beyond the arc, third best in the league.

“I still feel there is a lot for us that we can achieve,” Clark said. “I have seen expectations that people have for us and that can get us further as an organization.”

Connecticut, the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, held opponents to 31.3 percent on 3-point attempts, second lowest in the WNBA, and boasted the league’s stingiest defensive yield at 73.6 points allowed per game.

The Sun also matched the Seattle Storm with a WNBA-high 16.3 turnovers forced per game, thanks in part to all four Connecticut starters averaging at least 1.2 steals per game.

The Sun spread their offensive production as well, led by Brionna Jones’ 18.2 points per game. Connecticut’s seven leading scorers average at least 10.5 per game for the season.

Marina Mabrey, a midseason addition in a trade from Chicago, is scoring 19.6 points per game in her time with the Sun, while primarily bringing a spark off the bench. She has averaged 14.9 points in her 16 games (three starts) for Connecticut.

“Indiana is playing really confident basketball,” Sun head coach Stephanie White said, according to the Hartford Courant. “… You’ve got to be able to give them different looks because they’re smart players. And when they get beat, they’re going to pick you apart. We’ve got to be consistent for 40 minutes.”

–Field Level Media

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Dallas' Jonathan Sirois (9 saves) comes up big in draw vs. Galaxy

Aug 1, 2026; Carson, California, USA; FC Dallas forward Petar Musa (9) kicks the ball into the face of LA Galaxy midfielder Justin Haak (15) during the first half at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-Imagn ImagesAug 1, 2026; Carson, California, USA; FC Dallas forward Petar Musa (9) kicks the ball into the face of LA Galaxy midfielder Justin Haak (15) during the first half at Dignity Health Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-Imagn Images

Jonathan Sirois made nine saves to help FC Dallas preserve a 0-0 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday night at Carson, Calif.

It was only Dallas’ fifth clean sheet, and the first of the season for the 25-year-old Canadian, who returned to the net last weekend when new acquisition Daniel had to depart with a hamstring injury.

Sirois’ performance helped Dallas (7-5-6, 27 points) improve to 2-2-1 five matches into a stretch of nine consecutive away league fixtures during the latest phase of an ongoing construction project at its home stadium.

J.T. Marcinkowski made four stops to keep his second clean sheet and a third for the Galaxy (5-7-7, 22 points), who are winless in their last five.

Los Angeles led 18-16 in shots and 9-4 in efforts on target, but missed a chance to go above the playoff line had it been able to find a goal and earn a third home win of the season.

Sirois’ best moment in the first half came on saves of John Nelson and Marco Reus in the 37th and 38th minutes before Harbor Miller followed with another attempt that missed high of the frame.

He was even busier after the break.

He denied Joseph Paintsil in the 58th minute with a lunging stop to his left, and substitute Kyogo Furuhashi 10 minutes later with a comfortable save from the Galaxy newcomer’s first real involvement in the game.

Then came the dying stages, when the Galaxy finally showed some desperation but could not solve Sirois.

In the 90th minute, he arched back to push Jakob Glesnes’ arcing header over the crossbar for arguably his finest stop of the match.

Just a moment later in second-half stoppage time, he intervened on what may have been an intended cross by Paintsil from the right side of the penalty area, nonetheless providing an important pair of sure hands for the visitors.

After that, he easily handled another effort from Nelson that came in at a catchable height, and punched away Reus’ free-kick service on what was the final kick of the game.

–Field Level Media

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Kevin McGonigle, Tigers pile up hits to down A's

Jul 31, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a sacrifice fly during the fourth inning of the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn ImagesJul 31, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a sacrifice fly during the fourth inning of the game against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Kevin McGonigle, Gleyber Torres and Max Clark each homered and drove in two runs apiece as the Detroit Tigers notched an 8-6 victory over the Athletics on Saturday night at West Sacramento, Calif.

McGonigle had three hits on a night in which the Tigers reportedly dealt two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal to the Los Angeles Dodgers for three prospects ahead of Monday’s trade deadline.

Colt Keith and Spencer Torkelson each had two hits and one RBI, and Clark, Torres and Eduardo Valencia also had two hits apiece as the Tigers beat the Athletics for the second straight night. Detroit has outscored the A’s 21-7.

Framber Valdez (6-7) allowed two runs and nine hits over seven innings for the Tigers. The left-hander struck out six and walked two.

Henry Bolte had three hits, including a three-run homer, and Tommy White also had three safeties for the Athletics, who have dropped seven of eight games and 28 of 35.

White and Lawrence Butler singled to start the eighth and Kyle Finnegan retired Jeff McNeil on a flyball before Bolte crushed his three-run blast to center to pull the Athletics within 8-5.

Kenley Jansen allowed a run in the ninth while recording his 13rd save. He allowed a leadoff double to Tyler Soderstrom and struck out the next two batters. Soderstrom, who had moved to third on a wild pitch, scored easily on McNeil’s bunt single before Bolte flew out to left to end it.

Athletics All-Star Nick Kurtz sat out due to his right thumb injury flaring up.

Jack Perkins (2-7) of the A’s was roughed up for six runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out a career-high nine and walked one.

Detroit moved ahead in the fifth as McGonigle hit a single and Torres followed with a two-run blast to right-center to give the Tigers a 4-2 lead.

The Tigers added two in the sixth as Torkelson singled and Clark followed with a two-run shot to right-center. Clark, Detroit’s top prospect, is 5-for-9 with a homer after two big league games.

Torkelson hit an RBI single in the seventh to give the Tigers a 7-2 lead. McGonigle’s run-scoring in the eighth made it a six-run margin.

McGonigle hit the third pitch of the game the opposite way and over the wall in left.

Later in the inning, Keith stroked an RBI single to make it 2-0.

The Athletics got a run back in the third when Jacob Wilson singled, White reached on a two-out infield single and Butler singled in Wilson from third.

In the fourth, Bolte led off with a ground-rule double and moved to third on an infield out. He later scored on Wilson’s fielder’s choice.

–Field Level Media

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Timbers hand Sounders club-record sixth straight loss

Aug 1, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Timbers midfielder David Da Costa (10) controls the ball during the first half against Seattle Sounders FC defender Kalani Kossa-Rienzi (85) at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn ImagesAug 1, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Timbers midfielder David Da Costa (10) controls the ball during the first half against Seattle Sounders FC defender Kalani Kossa-Rienzi (85) at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Brandon Bye scored in the 82nd minute as the Portland Timbers rallied for a 2-1 victory against the visiting Seattle Sounders in a Cascadia Cup clash Saturday night.

Kevin Kelsy scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season for the Timbers (7-8-3, 24 points), who improved to 3-0-1 under interim coach Jack Cassidy. Goalkeeper James Pantemis made two saves.

Kalani Kossa-Rienzi scored for Seattle (7-7-3, 24 points), which suffered its franchise-record sixth straight defeat. Goalkeeper Andrew Thomas was credited with three saves.

The go-ahead goal came after Portland’s Cole Bassett passed to David Da Costa at the top left corner of the 18-yard box. Da Costa spun and sent a pass across the top of the penalty area to Bye, whose right-footed shot from 20 yards eluded a pair of defenders and a diving Thomas on its way into the lower left corner of the net.

The Sounders opened the scoring in the 27th minute. Paul Rothrock’s cross from the left wing for Osaze De Rosario was headed away from the top of the 6-yard box by Timbers defender Kamal Miller. The ball fell to Kossa-Rienzi and his left-footed shot from 18 yards out found the lower right corner of the net.

The Timbers tied it in the 41st minute after working the ball down the left wing. Kristoffer Velde’s cross from the edge of the penalty area was slightly deflected by Sounders defender Stuart Hawkins before glancing off Kelsy’s left thigh and into the net from close range. A video review determined Kelsy was just onside on the play.

Rusnak had a chance in the dying seconds of the half, but his shot from the top right of the 6-yard box sliced into the side netting.

Seattle’s Paul Arriola, getting the start at right back, had to come off in the seventh minute because of an apparent lower right leg injury and was replaced by Kossa-Rienzi.

–Field Level Media

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