Sports
Mystics commit 28 turnovers but still rally past Dream
Jul 2, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Atlanta Dream guard Te-Hina Paopao (2) attempts a jump shot against the Washington Mystics during the second quarter at CareFirst Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Shakira Austin scored 21 points as the Washington Mystics rallied past the visiting Atlanta Dream for another dramatic victory, winning 81-76 on Thursday night.
Kiki Iriafen notched 14 points and 10 rebounds, Alicia Florez provided 13 points and seven assists off the bench and Georgia Amoore added 11 points for the Mystics, who overcame a double-digit second-half deficit and finally went ahead with less than five minutes remaining.
Washington (10-9) overcame 28 turnovers but benefited from 55.4% shooting from the floor, including 56.2% (9 of 16) from 3-point range.
The turnover total tied the highest figure by a WNBA team in a game this season.
The Mystics were coming off a 124-123 quadruple-overtime victory against the Portland Fire on Sunday.
Rhyne Howard poured in 24 points, but the Dream (12-8) lost their fourth game in a row. Allisha Gray tacked on 17 points, Angel Reese supplied 13 points and 13 rebounds and Jordin Canada had 10 points. Howard made five of Atlanta’s seven 3-point baskets, but she shot just 8 for 20 overall.
After trailing by nine at halftime, Washington found a spark in the third quarter, pulling within two points twice before trailing 60-56 going to the fourth quarter. By then, the Mystics had made 6 of 10 attempts from 3-point range.
Amoore made two free throws with 11.4 seconds to play to give Washington an 80-76 edge. The Mystics pumped in 49 second-half points.
Austin shot 9-for-14 from the field and also pulled in nine rebounds and blocked three shots.
The Mystics, who improved to 4-4 at home this season, were held to nine second-quarter points, and they were down 41-32 at halftime.
Atlanta shot 2-for-15 on first-half 3-point attempts, and though Washington hit 58.3% from the floor in the half, the Mystics were hampered by 19 turnovers.
The Dream scored 18 points in slightly more than four minutes to open the game. The contest was barely five minutes old and the Mystics had committed seven turnovers.
Yet despite 10 first-quarter turnovers, Washington pulled ahead 23-22 by the end of the quarter when Alicia Florez sank a free throw in the final seconds.
Atlanta began the second quarter on a 10-2 run on the way to a 10-point lead.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sony Open moving Waialae sponsorship to Champions event
Jan 18, 2026; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA; Chris Gotterup holds the championship trophy after winning the Sony Open in Hawaii. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images Waialae Country Club in Honolulu has hosted a PGA Tour event since 1965, but on Wednesday, the Tour and Sony Group Corporation announced that the event will switch over to a PGA Tour Champions event starting in January 2027.
The Sony Championship Hawaii, to be held on Jan. 11-16, will feature a $3 million purse.
“We are excited to welcome the Sony Championship Hawaii to PGA Tour Champions,” PGA Tour Champions president Miller Brady said in a statement. “Sony has been an incredible PGA Tour partner since 1999, and we are looking forward to beginning this new era with the legends of the game competing on a truly iconic venue in Waialae Country Club.”
Among the past winners at Waialae Country Club are Hall of Famers Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino, along with current Champions Tour standouts Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Zach Johnson and K.J. Choi. Chris Gotterup won the Sony Open in Hawaii at 16 under in January.
The Sony Championship Hawaii, which will mark the sixth PGA Tour Champions event to be held on a course that formerly hosted a PGA Tour event, will feature a field of 78 PGA Tour Champions players. Pro-Ams are scheduled for Jan. 12 and 13, with three competition rounds slated for Jan. 14-16.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Junior Caminero hits historic HR, red-hot Rays blank Royals
Jul 1, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images Junior Caminero became the youngest player in major league history to homer in six consecutive games, with a two-run shot in the first, and Shane McClanahan allowed three hits over six strong innings, as the visiting Tampa Bay Rays won their seventh straight, 4-0 over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.
At 22 years, 361 days old, Caminero topped a mark set by then-23-year-old Ken Griffey Jr. (23 years, 246 days) with his ninth home run in the last eight games. The historic shot came just three batters into the game.
After Jonathan Aranda (two hits) roped a one-out single to center field, Caminero drove the first pitch he saw from Seth Lugo (3-6) well into the left field seats to give Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead. Caminero has hit six of his 24 home runs in six games versus Kansas City this season.
Cedric Mullins added a solo shot in the sixth and an RBI single in the eighth, while Taylor Walls had three hits for the Rays, who matched their longest winning streak of 2026, and secured their first road series win since May 11-13, when they took two of three at Toronto.
McClanahan (7-5), meanwhile, yielded three singles, did not walk a batter and struck out four. The left-hander, who missed the past two seasons due to injuries, was given extra rest after he allowed six runs (two earned) and three homers over six innings of Tampa Bay’s 12-5 loss at Kansas City on June 23.
Cole Sulser, Garrett Cleavinger and Kevin Kelly (four saves) combined to allow three hits to the Royals, who have lost six of seven, including four straight against the Rays. Jac Caglianone had two of the Royals’ six hits.
Lugo threw 23 pitches during the first inning, then settled down and stymied the Rays until the sixth. That’s when he yielded a two-out shot to Mullins that found the right field bullpen.
The veteran right-hander gave up nine hits and struck out seven without a walk in six innings.
Kansas City put runners on first and second with less than two outs in both the eighth and ninth, but Kelly thwarted both potential rallies.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Trea Turner homers again as Phillies rough up Paul Skenes, Pirates
Jul 1, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh (16) hits a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Trea Turner homered for the third straight game as the Philadelphia Phillies hammered Paul Skenes in a 10-6 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday.
Brandon Marsh and Alec Bohm also hit home runs for Philadelphia, which tagged Skenes (6-8) for eight runs (seven earned) in four innings. The reigning National League Cy Young Award winner had never allowed more than five runs in any of his first 72 MLB starts.
Jared Triolo drove in three runs, and Nick Gonzales had three hits and an RBI for Pittsburgh, which will try to split the four-game series when the teams return to the field Thursday afternoon. Henry Davis homered for the Pirates in a losing effort.
The Phillies loaded the bases with one out against Skenes in the second inning. Justin Crawford then rolled a grounder to third base, but Gonzales’ throw to the plate hit the runner, allowing two runs to score.
The next hitter was Turner, who launched Skenes’ 0-1 sweeper into the seats in left field to extend the lead to 5-0.
Pittsburgh quickly got two runs back in the third, highlighted by Davis’ solo homer, but Marsh’s blast in the bottom half and Bryce Harper’s two-run double in the fourth pushed the lead to 8-2.
Zack Wheeler got the first two outs of the fifth, but he allowed singles to the next three batters. The final hit in that stretch was Gonzales’ RBI single that ended Wheeler’s night after just 4 2/3 innings.
The veteran right-hander was charged with four runs and nine hits, although he recorded 10 of his 14 outs via strikeout.
Kyle Backhus came on and hit two straight batters to force in a run as the visitors got within 8-4.
Backhus and Seth Johnson got the Phillies through the sixth inning, but Johnson ran into issues in the seventh. He allowed a pair of one-out walks, followed by Triolo’s two-run double as the margin narrowed to 8-6.
Orion Kerkering (6-0) jogged out of the bullpen and got the final two outs of the inning. He then worked a 1-2-3 eighth while throwing just eight pitches.
Bohm’s eighth-inning, two-run blast off Dennis Santana created some breathing room for Philadelphia closer Jhoan Duran, who slammed the door in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
