Connect with us

Sports

Surging Salt Lake ready for rematch with San Diego

MLS: Sporting Kansas City at Real Salt LakeApr 4, 2026; Sandy, Utah, USA; Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna (10) looks for a play against Sporting Kansas City during the first half at America First Field. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images

Real Salt Lake have their sights set on continuing the second-best start in franchise history when they oppose San Diego FC on Saturday night at Sandy, Utah.

The only time Real Salt Lake (4-1-1, 13 points) have notched a better six-match start during their 22-season history came in 2011 when they were 5-1-0.

“Going into the season, nobody really gave us a chance this year,” RSL coach Pablo Mastroeni said of the fast start that includes a five-match unbeaten stretch (4-0-1).

Real Salt Lake’s tie came on the road against San Diego FC on March 22 when Victor Olatunji scored in the 85th minute to forge a 2-2 final.

Though RSL is 3-0-0 at home, Mastroeni expects a fierce challenge in the rematch.

“San Diego is a fantastic team,” Mastroeni said. “They are going through a bit of a (rough) patch at the moment, but they have quality players who can make a difference in any games. … I anticipate a hard-fought match.”

Salt Lake notched a 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City last weekend. Diego Luna, Sergi Solans and Zavier Gozo scored the goals.

San Diego FC (3-2-2, 11 points) is winless in their past four matches (0-2-2). They lost their last two games, falling 3-0 to the host San Jose Earthquakes and 2-1 to visiting Minnesota United.

“Last game was a step in the right direction even though the result didn’t go our way,” San Diego coach Mikey Varas said of the Minnesota match. “We feel like we’re getting back on track.”

During that setback, stellar defender Chris McVey drew a red card in the first minute of the second half to leave San Diego short-handed. McVey will miss the match against Salt Lake.

Luca Bombino scored the San Diego goal against Minnesota. He feels the club is close to regaining last season’s expansion form when the club finished first in the Western Conference.

“It’s definitely frustrating because we expect a lot of ourselves and we proved in the first year that we can do it,” Bambino said. “Things haven’t necessarily gone our way, but we know we have all the talent and hard work within the squad to achieve the things we want to do on the field.”

In last month’s matchup, Marcus Ingvartsen and Anders Dreyer scored the San Diego goals. Solans joined Olatunji in scoring for RSL.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th; Dodgers drub Pirates

Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits an RBI  single to record his twenty-five hundred MLB career hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn ImagesJun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits an RBI single to record his twenty-five hundred MLB career hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Freddie Freeman recorded his 2,500th career hit, Andy Pages drove in three runs and Shohei Ohtani drove in two more during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 10-run seventh inning, which propelled them to a 12-3 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.

In the seventh, Pages hit a two-run home run off Pirates reliever Wilber Dotel (1-1) and a sacrifice fly off Brandan Bidois. Ohtani hit an RBI double against Dotel, then Bidois walked him with the bases loaded to force in another run.

Freeman’s milestone came on an RBI single up the middle off Bidois to score Alex Freeland and cap the scoring in the inning.

Every Dodger in the starting lineup scored in the inning as the visitors sent 15 batters to the plate.

Paul Skenes started for the Pirates, who lost their fourth in a row, and gave up two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven over six innings.

Skenes retired Ohtani all three times he faced him, including a strikeout in the third.

Dotel allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits and one walk without recording an out. The Pirates needed 68 pitches and used three relievers until Mookie Betts lined out to left against Dennis Santana to end the seventh.

Dotel had allowed two runs in his first 16 2/3 career innings before Tuesday.

The first nine Dodgers reached safely until Dalton Rushing struck out in his second at-bat of the seventh. Rushing started behind the plate for the third consecutive game with Will Smith still dealing with neck stiffness.

Max Muncy finished with three hits and an RBI while Freeman, Betts, Freeland and Santiago Espinal each had two of Los Angeles’ 15 hits.

In the sixth, Will Klein (2-2) relieved starter Eric Lauer, who gave up two runs on back-to-back home runs by Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O’Hearn with two outs in the first. Lauer struck out five and allowed three hits and no walks before Klein struck out three over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

Pittsburgh infielder Tyler Callihan made his first career pitching appearance and threw a scoreless ninth.

Oneil Cruz was a late scratch for the Pirates as he continues to deal with left hand discomfort.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Jac Caglianone's 2 home runs power Royals past Rangers

Jun 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) hits a two run home run against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn ImagesJun 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) hits a two run home run against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Jac Caglianone homered twice and the Kansas City Royals used a four-run sixth inning to rally for their third straight victory, 5-3 over the visiting Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.

Caglianone, who had three hits with a walk, led off the fifth inning with a home run for Kansas City’s first hit against Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi (5-7). He then highlighted the breakout sixth with a two-run shot.

Both of Caglianone’s career two-homer games have come against Texas, and this one helped the Royals overcome a 2-0 hole and win for the sixth time in eight games.

Josh Jung and Brandon Nimmo each had two hits for Texas, which had won seven of nine, a stretch that began with a three-game home sweep of Kansas City.

Texas opened the scoring the second, settling for one run. Royals starter Stephen Kolek walked Wyatt Langford, who went to third on Ezequiel Duran’s double and scored when Jake Burger singled to left. However, Duran was tagged out at home on Evan Carter’s grounder to third baseman Maikel Garcia, then Kyle Higashioka hit into a 5-4-3 double play.

The Rangers added another run in the fourth. Carter recorded a two-out single, went to second on Kolek’s errant pickoff throw, then stole third and scored on catcher Carter Jensen’s throwing error.

Kolek left after five innings, charged with two runs (one earned) on eight hits.

Caglianone got the Royals on the board by lining an Eovaldi pitch 421 feet over the right field fence.

In the sixth, Jensen doubled and eventually scored on a triple off the center field wall by Garcia, who came home via Vinnie Pasquantino’s ground-rule double to put the Royals ahead. After Salvador Perez popped out, Eovaldi exited. Facing Jalen Beeks, Caglianone found the right field fountains for a 5-2 Kansas City lead.

Eovaldi was charged with four runs while yielding four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.

Texas got a run back in the seventh when Joc Pederson tripled on a ball Caglianone misplayed in right field. He scored on Corey Seager’s groundout to first base.

Steven Cruz (1-2) retired all four batters faced for the win.

Kansas City center fielder Kyle Isbel exited with an apparent leg injury following his seventh-inning single.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Dan + Shay, Jason Sudeikis slated to appear before U.S.'s Cup opener

Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay poses on the red carpet of the 58th annual CMA Awards show in Nashville on Nov. 20, 2024.Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney of Dan + Shay poses on the red carpet of the 58th annual CMA Awards show in Nashville on Nov. 20, 2024.

Dan + Shay will sing the national anthem and the star of “Ted Lasso,” Jason Sudeikis, also will participate in the pregame festivities ahead of the United States’ opening World Cup match.

The U.S. will face Paraguay on Friday in Inglewood, Calif. Purahei Soul will perform the Paraguayan national anthem.

In a Tuesday press release, FIFA announced that Sudeikis “will welcome fans to Los Angeles and celebrate the unifying power of football on the world’s biggest stage.”

The pregame show already was scheduled to include performers Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla.

FIFA has scheduled headline entertainers for performances ahead of the World Cup openers in all three of the co-host nations. Mexico plays its first match on Thursday against South Africa in Mexico City, while Canada opens on Friday against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Toronto.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading