Sports
Astros' Jose Altuve hopes to heat up vs. Guardians
Jun 19, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) warms up prior to a game against the Cleveland Guardians at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images Before Houston’s Jose Altuve flipped the opener of a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians with a three-run homer in the sixth inning, he struck out twice in two at-bats, the first of which ended with Altuve slamming his bat and helmet into the turf in disgust.
Altuve will look to lead the host Astros to a series victory against the Guardians on Saturday night.
Altuve powered Houston to a 9-3 win on Friday by going 2-for-4 with four RBIs. He snapped an 0-for-12 drought with his eighth home run of the season, a skid that included him batting only .158 over his first 11 games off the injured list dating to June 5.
“He knows he is better than what he’s showing right now,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “And he’s getting to that point where he wants to come through for the team, and we know eventually it’s going to happen.
“I love the fact that he threw his helmet, by the way. That really fired me up.”
Altuve followed his home run with an RBI double in the seventh inning off Guardians reliever Daniel Espino, a 385-foot shot to left-center field that would’ve been a homer in eight other ballparks.
“I actually liked the double off Espino in the seventh inning,” Espada said. “I think that was more impressive because that was 99 (mph) up in the zone, and he was able to be down on time and get on top of it and hit it off the wall.
“When he’s down on time and able to make his adjustments, he can drive the ball to any part of the field.”
Altuve is batting .234 with 20 RBIs in 54 games this season for the Astros, who will start right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (7-2, 2.57 ERA) on Saturday.
Arrighetti was the pitcher of record in a 4-0 road loss to the Kansas City Royals on Sunday after allowing four runs on eight hits and one walk with seven strikeouts across six innings.
He is 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA in three starts this month after earning American League Pitcher of the Month honors for May, when he finished 4-1 with an 0.93 ERA across five starts.
Arrighetti is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in three career appearances (two starts) against the Guardians. He allowed two runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts across five innings in the Astros’ 9-2 road win over Cleveland on April 20.
Left-hander Joey Cantillo (5-3, 4.38 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Guardians on Saturday.
Cantillo earned a 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers last Saturday after allowing one run on six hits with four strikeouts over five innings. Despite the win, Cantillo posted his sixth consecutive start without logging at least six innings, going 2-2 with a 6.75 ERA during that stretch. He has recorded at least 18 outs only twice in 15 starts this season.
Cantillo is 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA in two career starts against the Astros. In his previous appearance against them, Castillo allowed three runs on five hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in four innings but did not factor into the decision of a 10-6 road win last July 8.
On Friday, the Guardians switched Kyle Manzardo to designated hitter and Rhys Hoskins to first base after Manzardo complained of back tightness upon arriving at the ballpark.
“We thought nine innings in the field is probably not the best thing when you’re dealing with back tightness,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Nothing alarming. We just thought it was a smart switch since they were both in the lineup already.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Error with 2 out in ninth gives Dodgers walk-off win over Orioles
Jun 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeland (76) scores against Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Dalton Rushing delivered the game-tying RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning and Ryan Ward raced home on a throwing error by right fielder Tyler O’Neill to win it as the Los Angeles Dodgers roared back to edge the visiting Baltimore Orioles 6-5 in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.
The Orioles scored five straight runs via back-to-back homers by Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso in the sixth and a tie-breaking two-RBI single by Jeremiah Jackson in the seventh before the Dodgers came back against Baltimore closer Ryan Helsley (0-3).
Freddie Freeman grounded out leading off against Helsley, who was making his second appearance after missing seven weeks with a right elbow injury. Mookie Bets followed with a homer to make it 5-4. Max Muncy walked and Tommy Edman popped out before Ward worked a four-pitch walk.
Rushing fell behind 0-2 before singling to right on a 1-2 pitch. Alex Call, pinch running for Muncy, slid in with the tying run as O’Neill’s throw glanced off the glove of catcher Samuel Basillo and skipped towards the Dodgers dugout and well beyond Helsley. Ward never broke stride as he rounded third and scored the winning run standing up.
Blake Treinen (4-1) struck out two in a perfect ninth as the Dodgers earned their fourth straight win.
Muncy produced a two-run single in the first and Andy Pages laced an RBI double in the second to stake the Dodgers to a 3-0 lead.
The Orioles have lost five of six.
Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki allowed three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out six over 5 2/3 innings. He allowed just two baserunners in the first five innings before Jackson Holliday led off the sixth with a single and scored two outs later on Henderson’s homer. Alonso chased Sasaki with a blast to left.
Orioles starter Trey Gibson gave up three runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out eight over five innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
10-man Paraguay eke out win over 1-0 Turkey, still alive in World Cup
June 19, 2026; Santa Clara, California, U.S.; Paraguay’s Matias Galarza celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images Paraguay’s Matias Galarza scored the fastest goal in any World Cup match this year barely more than a minute in, leading Paraguay to a 1-0 win over Turkey on Friday night in Santa Clara, Calif.
The South American team overcame the loss of veteran Miguel Almiron to a red card just before halftime.
Paraguay (1-1-0, 3 points) kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages, after the U.S. defeated Australia 2-0 earlier Friday in Group D. The U.S. (2-0-0, 6 points) clinched first place in the group thanks to the Paraguay-Turkey result.
Australia (1-1-0, 3 points) will face Paraguay on Thursday in Santa Clara, with the Aussies needing only a draw to clinch second place. Turkey (0-2-0, 0 points) were eliminated ahead of their group finale against the U.S. on Thursday in Inglewood, Calif.
Galarza delivered his decisive strike from 25 yards out as three defenders converged on him.
Turkey had shots hit the crossbar and the goalpost, rattling the woodwork but not going in.
Turkey pressed for a tying goal early in the second half but came up short, though they played with a man advantage for the last 45-plus minutes.
Almiron was shown a red card for covering his mouth when talking to an opposing player, a gesture banned under a new FIFA rule.
Can Uzun shot just wide in the 82nd minute, one of several attempts for Turkey as they desperately tried to salvage a point to stay alive for possible advancement.
An 85th-minute cross filtered through the box in front of the goal, another late missed Turkey chance. Three more attempts in the closing minutes didn’t hit the target, and Turkey players crumpled to the ground at the final whistle in disbelief over their elimination from advancement in the World Cup.
Turkey had five shots on target and 31 shots overall, while Paraguay had just two and seven, respectively. Turkey also had 11 corner kicks to zero for Paraguay, but Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill made five saves for the clean-sheet win.
–Field Level Media
Sports
A's storm back from 7-run deficit to edge Angels in 10th
Jun 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) celebrates with first baseman Nolan Schanuel (18) after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images Jonah Heim drilled a pinch-hit, tying two-run homer in the ninth inning and Nick Kurtz drew a bases-loaded walk in the 10th as the Athletics rallied from seven runs down to post a wild 12-11 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Heim’s homer came off Sam Bachman with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Jacob Wilson homered and drove in three runs and Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy also went deep for the Athletics.
Jose Siri and Logan O’Hoppe each slammed three-run homers as the Angels tied their season best with five blasts. Denzer Guzman added a two-run homer and Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel hit solo shots as the Angels lost for the fifth time in six games.
Butler started the 10th as the runner on second and Henry Bolte walked off Kirby Yates (0-3). Butler and Bolte then executed a double steal. One out later, Yates hit Gelof in the helmet to load the bases.
Samy Natera Jr. entered to face Kurtz and walked him on five pitches.
Elvis Alvarado (3-1) gave up one hit in two scoreless frames for the A’s.
O’Hoppe and Oswald Peraza each had three hits for Los Angeles. The Angels also hit five homers during a 7-1 road victory over the New York Yankees on April 14.
The Angels fell to 7-for-23 in save opportunities.
Zack Gelof had one hit to extend his career-best hitting streak to 23, the top active run in the majors.
Tyler Soderstrom had three hits, including a one-out double in the ninth. Bachman then retired Wilson before Heim drilled the tying homer.
The Angels recovered from a four-run deficit and scored the next 11 runs, including seven in the fourth inning.
Christian Moore hit a sacrifice fly to get Los Angeles on the board in the fourth before Guzman delivered a two-run homer. Siri later slugged a three-run shot to make it 6-4.
Justin Sterner entered and Neto ripped his second pitch over the wall.
O’Hoppe came up with two on and two outs in the fifth and homered to make it 10-4.
Schanuel delivered a one-out homer in the sixth for a seven-run advantage.
The A’s tallied in the sixth when Gelof hit a broken-bat single off Mitch Farris to score Butler.
Wilson hit a two-run blast in the seventh to pull the A’s within 11-7.
One inning later, Muncy hit a two-run blast off Chase Silseth.
Jose Soriano gave up four runs and six hits over five innings for Los Angeles.
Springs gave up six runs and four hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Earlier, Butler sent a fastball over the fence in the second inning to put the A’s ahead.
In the third, Shea Langeliers and Wilson had RBI doubles and Carlos Cortes’ infield out plated another to make it 4-0.
–Field Level Media
NYT Pips hints, answers for June 20, 2026
Error with 2 out in ninth gives Dodgers walk-off win over Orioles
