Sports
Pirates' Braxton Ashcraft charged with shutting down Nats' hot offense
Jun 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Braxton Ashcraft (35) delivers a pitch against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images After launching two home runs during the Washington Nationals’ five-homer outburst Friday, Daylen Lile is sticking to his approach against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates entering a Saturday matinee.
Luis Garcia Jr. also hit two home runs and Jose Tena added a two-run shot in the Nationals’ 9-5 series-opening win on Friday.
“I’m trusting and believing in the process,” Lile said. “I’m not trying not to be someone that I’m not. I am trying to realize who I am as a hitter and player and trying to execute for myself and the team.”
Garcia produced 11 home runs and 27 RBIs in June. In two July games, he has two homers and five RBIs. He leads the Nationals in batting average (.283), RBIs (62), slugging (.559) and is tied for second on the team in homers (18).
As Washington moved to three games over .500, Lile said the club is only beginning to tap into its potential.
“(Luis) has put in the work,” Lile said. “It’s really paying off. It’s nice to see him capitalize for the team. It’s only the beginning, not just for him but for all of us.”
The Pirates are set to hand the ball to Braxton Ashcraft (8-3, 3.33 ERA) to try to slow down the Nationals’ offense, which has scored 27 runs in Washington’s three-game winning streak.
The 26-year-old right-hander is coming off a solid June in which he went 3-1 and pitched at least five innings in all five of his starts. He earned an 11-7 road win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, allowing five runs on five hits with one walk and eight strikeouts in six innings.
Ashcraft made his only career start against the Nationals on April 16, receiving a no-decision after allowing five runs (two earned) on five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly said his club’s success relies on starters going deep into the game.
“The starting rotation is the foundation,” Kelly said. “And we need them big time.”
Pittsburgh scored four runs in the ninth on Friday thanks to RBI doubles from Brandon Lowe, Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez and Nick Gonzales, but the Pirates still took their third loss in four games.
With only 20 games under his belt, Valdez has looked the part of a major-leaguer. He went 3-for-5 with a run and RBI on Friday, and he is 19-for-38 (.500) with four homers and 11 RBIs in his past 11 games.
“You see young guys get down on themselves and get discouraged early,” Kelly said, “but he has not. He stays in the fight, continues to battle and goes the other way with base hits and good at-bats.”
The Nationals are slated to counter with Zack Littell (7-6, 5.29 ERA). In his latest outing, Littell picked up a 6-4 win on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles. He gave up two runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts over five innings.
In five career appearances (one start) against the Pirates, Littell is 0-0 with a 7.27 ERA in 8 2/3 innings.
Littell will take outs however they come.
“I’d love to be different and have a crazy amount of swing and miss,” he said. “I wish I had a cool changeup that would be flashy and fun. There’s not a lot of guys in the game that are kind of like me now. I go out there and if I get 21 ground-ball outs and get through seven innings, I’ll be just as happy if I get 10 (strikeouts).”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jake McCarthy belts leadoff homer, slam as Rockies rout Giants
Jul 3, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy (31) celebrates after hitting a first pitch home run in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Jake McCarthy hit the first pitch of the home half of the first inning for a home run and later added a grand slam, propelling the Colorado Rockies to a 15-3 shellacking of the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game series Friday night in Denver.
McCarthy finished with four hits and a career-high six RBIs, and Cole Carrigg drove in three runs and tripled twice for the Rockies, who won their third game in a row.
The 15 runs were Colorado’s second most this season, one more than the Rockies put up in a 14-4 home win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday but far below their total in a 23-9 win over the Athletics on June 14 in Las Vegas.
McCarthy’s first-swing homer came off Giants ace Logan Webb (5-6), the National League Pitcher of the Month for June. Webb struggled through a three-inning outing, allowing seven runs and 11 hits. He walked two and struck out two.
The Rockies wasted no time piling on Webb after McCarthy’s homer. They scored twice more on three more hits in the first inning, then tallied two more in both the second and third innings, building a 7-1 lead.
Ezequiel Tovar launched his seventh homer to account for the second-inning runs. Carrigg had his first triple in the third before scoring on a fielder’s choice, and McCarthy added an RBI single.
Up 7-2, Colorado busted the game wide open with a seven-run fifth, highlighted by McCarthy’s second career grand slam. The blast made the left fielder just the seventh player in major league history to record a leadoff home run and a grand slam in the same game, according to MLB.com.
The two homers gave McCarthy nine for the season.
Rockies starter Ryan Feltner (3-2) coasted through six innings, striking out nine. He allowed all three Giants runs, two earned, on six hits and no walks.
Making his major league debut, Gabriel Hughes shut out the Giants on two hits over the final three innings to earn a save.
Kyle Karros scored three times, while McCarthy, Tovar, Carrigg, Hunter Goodman and Edouard Julien all scored twice for the Rockies, who improved to 3-1 against the Giants this season. Tovar also compiled three hits and three RBIs, Karros had the club’s third triple among his three hits, and Goodman and Mickey Moniak chipped in with two hits apiece.
Colorado totaled 18 hits, seven for extra bases.
Rafael Devers belted his 16th home run among two hits and Casey Schmitt had a pair of singles for the Giants, who have lost three of four to begin a six-game trip.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Early goal carries Colombia past Ghana, into round of 16
July 3, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.; Colombia’s Jhon Arias celebrates scoring their first goal. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Jhon Arias scored the lone goal in the 14th minute and Colombia earned a spot in the World Cup’s round of 16 with a 1-0 victory over Ghana on Friday in Kansas City, Mo.
Arias’ goal held up as the Colombian defense didn’t allow Ghana to get a single shot on goal against goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.
Colombia will face Switzerland in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Vancouver.
Colombia didn’t qualify for the 2022 World Cup, but they did reach the round of 16 in 2018 and the quarterfinals in 2014.
Lawrence Ati Zigi was stellar in goal with seven saves for Ghana.
Colombia had a 16-8 edge in shots and placed eight on target.
Luis Suarez set up the Colombia goal when he sent a cross from the right side toward the center. The ball narrowly sailed over the heads of two players — one from each team — to the wide-open Arias, who sent a right-footed shot into the far corner.
Luis Diaz had a solid opportunity for Colombia in the 39th minute, but his close-range right-footed shot was wide left.
Colombia kept the heat on and had a chance in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. Daniel Munoz sent a cross over to Johan Mojica, but his header was knocked aside by Zigi’s right hand.
Zigi made two big saves in a short span of the second half to keep the margin at one.
In the 55th minute, Gustavo Puerta took a shot from the left side and pinpointed it for the far post, but Zigi knocked the ball away with both hands. Three minutes later, Diaz had another close-range opportunity, but Zigi again thwarted his right-footed shot.
Colombia took another shot at adding to the lead on Juan Fernando Quintero’s corner kick in the 81st minute. Davinson Sanchez fought to find positioning, but his header was saved by Zigi.
As time dwindled away, Colombia kept on the pressure as Ghana struggled to come close to an equalizer.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kahlil Watson, Guardians walk off White Sox again, move atop division
Jul 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges (27) tags out Chicago White Sox second baseman Chase Meidroth (10) at home plate during the fourth inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images Kahlil Watson singled up the middle off Sean Newcomb in the 10th inning, scoring Steven Kwan to give the Cleveland Guardians a 4-3 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
Travis Bazzana led off with a single, moving automatic runner Kwan to third. Watson, a 23-year-old rookie, followed with Cleveland’s second consecutive walk-off hit to open the four-game series.
The Guardians took a one-game lead over Chicago in the American League Central.
Erik Sabrowski (3-1) pitched a clean 10th for Cleveland, preventing pinch runner Luisangel Acuna from leaving second base. Newcomb (0-2) failed to record an out.
The Guardians tied the game 3-3 in the seventh inning on back-to-back, two-out RBI singles from Austin Hedges and Kwan against Bryan Hudson.
Shortstop Colson Montgomery got a glove on Hedges’ hit, but deflected it. Left fielder Sam Antonacci fumbled Kwan’s sharp liner for an error.
Rhys Hoskins and Brayan Rocchio scored on the singles by Hedges and Kwan, respectively, after both reached on walks issued by Seranthony Dominguez.
Chicago had gone ahead 3-1 in the fifth when Miguel Vargas hit a three-run homer off Gavin Williams — ending a 10-pitch at-bat — immediately before a two-hour rain delay.
Tristan Peters and Antonacci came around on Vargas’ 374-foot shot to left. Williams threw two strikes to begin the duel, which saw thousands of fans seek shelter as it played out.
As soon as Vargas’ ball cleared the fence, third base umpire Vic Carapazza called for the tarp to be placed on the infield.
The Guardians managed only one hit off Anthony Kay in the first four innings, an RBI single by Bazzana in the third that plated Gabriel Arias.
Kay exited following the delay with two strikeouts and two walks. Dominguez was charged with two runs in one-third of an inning.
Williams worked 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs on five hits. He struck out six and walked a pair.
On Thursday, Cleveland won 6-5 on Rocchio’s two-run homer off Grant Taylor that hit the foul pole in right field in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
Jake McCarthy belts leadoff homer, slam as Rockies rout Giants
Early goal carries Colombia past Ghana, into round of 16
