Sports
Braves return from break with a bang, dominate Rangers
Jul 17, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin (30) celebrates with shortstop Jim Jarvis (74) after a three-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Drake Baldwin, Matt Olson and Austin Riley all homered and Chris Sale pitched seven scoreless innings to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 15-1 win over the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday in the opener of their three-game set.
It’s the eighth time this season Atlanta has scored double-digit runs and improved their record in Friday home games to 9-0. It was the most runs allowed by Texas this season.
Sale (10-6) became the 10th National League pitcher to reach double-digit wins. He allowed only two hits, never allowed a runner to reach third base and struck out six.
The left-hander’s fourth strikeout was the 2,700th of his career. Sale is No. 27 on the all-time strikeout list and needs 71 to catch Frank Tanana (2,773).
With Atlanta up 2-0 entering the fourth inning, Baldwin hit a 419-foot three-run blast into the Atlanta bullpen in right-center field. Olson followed one out later with a 420-foot solo homer into the right-field seats, his 26th of the season.
Baldwin was 3-for-4 with one walk, two runs and five RBIs. The Braves had 19 hits, with each player in the starting lineup getting at least one. Olson, Riley, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, Mauricio Dubon and Jim Jarvis each had two hits.
Rangers starter Cal Quantrill (3-2) was roughed up for six runs on 11 hits, both season highs, in four innings, causing his ERA to jump from 3.11 to 3.93.
Right-hander Emiliano Teodo followed with 1 2/3 innings and allowed two runs in his major league debut.
The Braves scored two runs in the second inning on RBI singles by Baldwin and Albies.
Atlanta added two more runs in the fifth to build an 8-0 lead. Jarvis had a run-scoring double and he came around to score on Baldwin’s single.
Harris just missed a grand slam in the seventh, settling for a three-run double off the wall, and scored on Dubon’s single.
Atlanta scored three times in the ninth off position player Kyle Higashioka, the team’s backup catcher. Riley hit his 10th homer and reliever Victor Mederos added a two-run single – the first hit of his career.
–Field Level Media
Sports
WTA roundup: Maria Sakkari reaches hometown final in Athens
Maria Sakkari hits during her loss to Iga Swiatek in round 3 of the women’s singles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., March 9, 2026. Maria Sakkari moved within one victory of lifting a trophy in her hometown Saturday, defeating Russia’s Alina Korneeva 6-1, 7-5 to reach the final of the Athens Open.
The fourth-seeded Sakkari controlled the opening set before Korneeva provided more resistance in the second, but the Greek favorite completed the victory in 1 hour, 23 minutes. Sakkari’s run comes 40 years after her mother, Angeliki Kanellopoulou, reached the final of a WTA tournament in Athens.
Sakkari will face No. 3 seed Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, who eliminated top-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark 6-1, 4-6, 6-3. Krejcikova regrouped after dropping the second set to reach her first final of the season in a match that was nearly twice as long as the other semifinal at two hours and 45 minutes.
UniCredit Iasi Open
Spain’s Paula Badosa extended her winning streak to nine matches by rallying past Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (1) in the semifinals at Iasi, Romania.
Badosa recovered after dropping the opening set and was pushed deep into the next two. The former world No. 2 finally took control in the crucial tiebreaker, winning six straight points and advancing to her second straight final after winning last week’s Nordea Open.
Egypt’s Mayar Sherif claimed the other spot in the championship match by dispatching third-seeded Oleksandra Oliynykova of Ukraine 6-3, 6-1. Sherif won 10 of the final 11 games to reach her first tour-level final in two years.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Blue Jays blank White Sox, snap 3-game skid behind Shane Bieber's strong start
Jul 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images Shane Bieber pitched six strong innings Saturday afternoon and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Chicago White Sox 1-0.
Bieber (1-1) allowed three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in his fifth start of the season. George Springer’s RBI single in the fourth against Davis Martin (9-5) was the difference in the game.
Louis Varland pitched a perfect ninth with one strikeout to earn his 20th save and end Toronto’s three-game losing streak. The White Sox had won four straight.
The teams have split the first two of a three-game series, with the White Sox leading the season series 4-1.
During a pregame ceremony, the 1992-93 Blue Jays, who won back-to-back World Series titles, were honored. There was also the unveiling of a statue honoring Joe Carter’s ninth-inning World Series-winning homer in 1993.
Martin retired eight batters in a row before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled off the center field wall with one out in the fourth. Springer then grounded an RBI single up the middle to give the Blue Jays the lead.
Meanwhile, Bieber survived a leadoff double and a walk in the fourth and a leadoff double in the fifth.
The Blue Jays failed to capitalize on a single, a stolen base and a walk in their fifth.
Martin walked Guerrero to lead off the sixth before striking out the next two batters. Sean Newcomb replaced Martin and allowed Daulton Varsho’s double off the wall in right-center. Alejandro Kirk was intentionally walked to load the bases before Andres Gimenez grounded out to end the threat.
Martin allowed one run, four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Jeff Hoffman took over in the seventh from Bieber and pitched around a leadoff walk with two strikeouts and a groundout.
Chase Meidroth led off the White Sox eighth with a bunt single against Tyler Rogers. Pinch runner Luisangel Acuna was caught stealing and Rogers finished the inning with a strikeout and a flyout.
Toronto recalled right-hander Lazaro Estrada and left-hander Brendon Little from Triple-A Buffalo. Left-hander Adam Macko and right-hander CJ Van Eyk were optioned to Buffalo.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Astros SS Jeremy Pena, 1B Christian Walker exit with injuries
Jun 28, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Houston Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena (3) receives congratulations from first baseman Christian Walker (8) after scoring tenth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Astros shortstop Jeremy Pena and first baseman Christian Walker departed with injuries on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles.
Pena displayed discomfort during his second plate appearance against Orioles left-hander Trevor Rogers before striking out in the bottom of the third inning. Pena, visited by Astros manager Joe Espada and a member of the training staff during the at-bat, was replaced defensively by Nick Allen for the top of the fourth.
The Astros announced that Pena sustained a hamstring cramp. He missed 32 games earlier this season with a Grade 1 hamstring strain.
Walker was visited by Espada and a trainer during his second at-bat in the bottom of the fourth. He departed immediately and was replaced by pinch-hitter LaMonte Wade Jr. According to the club, Walker left with right hip tightness.
This season, Pena has posted six home runs, 22 RBIs and .357 on-base percentage in 52 games. Walker has recorded 20 home runs and 58 RBIs in 97 games.
–Field Level Media
WTA roundup: Maria Sakkari reaches hometown final in Athens
The Odyssey cyclops was inspired by one of historys goriest paintings
