Connect with us

Sports

Braxton Fulford's two-run pinch double lifts Rockies over Pirates

Jun 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman Willi Castro (3) hits a RBI double in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn ImagesJun 19, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies second baseman Willi Castro (3) hits a RBI double in the third inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Pinch hitter Braxton Fulford delivered a go-ahead two-run double in the eighth inning, and the Colorado Rockies survived a shaky ninth inning to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-3 in Denver on Friday.

Kyle Freeland struck out eight to become the second Colorado pitcher to reach 1,000 for his career, joining German Marquez (1,069). He finished the game with 1,001 K’s.

TJ Rumfield homered among his two hits and Ezequiel Tovar also had two hits for the Rockies, who recovered to win the opener of the three-game series. Colorado has alternated losses and victories for six games.

Jared Triolo had two hits and an RBI for Pittsburgh, which overcame Freeland’s longest start of the season. Freeland blanked the Pirates on two hits through seven innings and reached his strikeout milestone when he fanned Marcell Ozuna in the seventh.

That came during a stretch when Freeland retired 16 in a row, but Pittsburgh rallied after the lefty got the first out of the eighth.

Esmerlyn Valdez ended the streak with a one-out double. Triolo followed with a run-scoring double to chase Freeland, who wound up charged with two runs on four hits and no walks in 7 1/3 innings.

Jaden Hill came on to face pinch hitter Bryan Reynolds, who produced an RBI single on the reliever’s first pitch. Hill hit Spencer Horowitz with a pitch, and Nick Gonzales tripled to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead.

Colorado, which had built a 2-0 edge on Willi Castro’s RBI double in the third and Rumfield’s 11th home run in the fourth, answered in its half of the eighth against Mason Montgomery (2-2).

With two outs, Tyler Freeman and Cole Carrigg singled to put runners on first and second. Fulford then came through to move the Rockies in front.

The Pirates loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth on a single, an error and a walk, but Antonio Senzatela (7-0) struck out Tyler Callihan and got Triolo to hit into a game-ending double play.

Pittsburgh starter Bubba Chandler tossed six strong innings, allowing two runs on six hits during his first start at Colorado. He walked two and struck out one. Chandler earned a save when he made his major league debut against the Rockies last August in Pittsburgh.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

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

Sports

Surging Marlins win back-and-forth battle with Giants

Jun 19, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA;  Miami Marlins right fielder Owen Caissie (17) celebrates a home run against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn ImagesJun 19, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins right fielder Owen Caissie (17) celebrates a home run against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Rookie Owen Caissie went 3-for-3 with three RBIs as the host Miami Marlins defeated the San Francisco Giants 4-3 on Friday night.

The Marlins are 12-4 this month, giving them MLB’s best record so far in June. Overall, Miami has reached .500 at 38-38.

It was a bullpen day for the Marlins, who used eight pitchers. Their sixth pitcher, Cade Gibson (1-0), earned the win, retiring all five batters he faced.

Caissie showed his versatile offensive game with a 401-foot solo homer to center in the first; a 5-foot bunt single in the third; an RBI chopper double over the first-base bag in the fifth; and a 330-foot, go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Rafael Devers led the Giants’ offense with a homer, his 11th of the season.

Giants starter Landen Roupp, who hasn’t won a game since April 26, pitched well but was left with a no-decision. The right-hander struck out seven in six innings, allowing just two runs. However, he is now 0-6 with three no-decisions over his past nine starts.

Miami scored in the first as Caissie connected on a 2-1 cutter that was low in the zone.

San Francisco opened the second with three straight singles before Daniel Susac nearly hit a grand slam, settling for a 376-foot sacrifice fly that was caught at the top of the left field fence by Kyle Stowers.

Miami escaped further damage when former Marlins infielder Luis Arraez bounced into a double play.

The Marlins went back on top, 2-1, in the fifth as Javier Sanoja doubled and scored on Caissie’s chopper.

San Francisco took its only lead in the sixth. Devers tied it with a 413-foot bomb to right-center. Jung Hoo Lee then scorched a double (104 mph) and scored on Casey Schmitt’s bloop single.

Miami went back on top, 4-3, in the seventh. The rally started when reliever Sam Hentges (1-2) hit a batter, Esteury Ruiz. Sanoja then singled, and Liam Hicks followed with an RBI single. Caissie put Miami on top with his sacrifice fly.

Pete Fairbanks pitched a scoreless ninth, earning his 10th save of the season and No. 100 for his career.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Kiki Iriafen, Mystics rally to end Liberty's 8-game winning streak

Jun 19, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin (0) shoots the ball while defended by New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn ImagesJun 19, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Washington Mystics center Shakira Austin (0) shoots the ball while defended by New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Kiki Iriafen scored nine of her 20 points in the final four minutes as the Washington Mystics roared back from an eight-point deficit to stun the host New York Liberty 86-83 on Friday.

The Mystics snapped the Liberty’s eight-game winning streak and earned their first victory over New York since the last day of the 2023 regular season. The Liberty had won 10 straight in the series.

All five starters finished in double figures for Washington (7-7). Sonia Citron had 16 points, Shakira Austin scored 14, Michaela Onyenwere contributed 11 and Georgia Amoore tallied 10 for the Mystics, who have won three of their past four. Amoore and Citron each dished out eight assists.

New York (11-5) was led by Leonie Fiebich, who had 19 points, including three 3-pointers. Breanna Stewart (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Jonquel Jones (10 points, 10 rebounds) each logged double-doubles for the Liberty.

The Mystics shot 32 free throws compared to 20 for New York. The game featured 19 ties and 12 lead changes.

New York took a 77-69 lead on a driving layup by Jones with 4:01 to go. The Mystics, who have the WNBA’s youngest team, responded with a 14-4 run and took the lead on a pair of Citron free throws with 1:09 remaining.

The Liberty’s Satou Sabally (13 points) tied the game at 83 by hitting two free throws with 48.6 seconds left. On the next possession with the shot clock running down, Citron lofted a pass to Iriafen, who laid it in with 26.9 seconds to go.

Iriafen made one of two free throws with 11.8 seconds after Stewart missed on a hook shot.

The Liberty called timeout to advance the ball past half-court. Sabrina Ionescu took a long 3-point attempt that missed. Fiebich grabbed the rebound and fed Sabally outside the arc, but Sabally’s shot was short at the buzzer.

There were eight ties in the first quarter as the teams continued to match one impressive shot-making feat with another.

Washington had the game’s first surge with a 9-4 run — with eight of the points coming from Citron — to grab a 32-27 lead with 6:57 left in the half. The Liberty answered with a 12-2 run to go up 39-34. New York held a 43-39 edge at halftime.

–Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading

Sports

Matheus Cunha's brace carries Brazil to 3-0 rout of Haiti

June 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.; Brazil's Vinicius Junior reacts.  Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images June 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.; Brazil’s Vinicius Junior reacts. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA — Matheus Cunha rewarded manager Carlo Ancelotti’s confidence with his first two World Cup goals as Brazil cruised to a 3-0 victory over Haiti on Friday, a result that was tempered only by Raphinha’s early injury exit.

Vinicius Junior also scored and was the creator on both of Cunha’s tallies.

An apparent leg injury forced Raphinha out in the 40th minute.

Overall, it was a much-improved effort from the Selecao’s 1-1 draw against Morocco to open the tournament and a result that puts Brazil (1-0-1, 4 points) above the Atlas Lions in Group C on goal differential.

Haiti (0-2-0, 0 points) became the first team eliminated from the World Cup with the loss and Morocco’s 1-0 win over Scotland earlier Friday.

Even so, they clearly enjoyed their second appearance at the tournament and first since 1974, and despite a lineup that suggested a low block, showed admirable endeavor before a vocal red-and-blue-clad minority.

Center back Ricardo Ade came closest to scoring for the Caribbeans after halftime when his flashing, near-post header from a corner forced Alisson into a strong reaction save.

Cunha was one of two changes by Ancelotti, slotted in for Igor Thiago at center forward. With the Manchester United man involved, the Brazilian attack looked much more connected than six days prior, albeit against a lesser opponent.

Eventually, they punished the Haitians’ enthusiasm after a bright first 15 minutes from the underdogs.

On Brazil’s first goal, Vinicius cut inside from the left and snapped a shot that Haitian goalkeeper Johny Placide could only parry with a strong palm.

Center back Hannes Delcroix attempted to clear the danger, but Cunha pressured and ultimately forced the ball across the line in the 23rd minute for just his second career goal for the Selecao.

That connection again surfaced in the 36th minute on a counterattack stemming from a Haitian turnover.

Vinicius slipped a ball into the path of Cunha’s well-timed diagonal run, and while Cunha appeared to stumble, he still struck a strong finish into the top corner as Placide leaned in the wrong direction.

It wasn’t clear what led to Raphinha dropping to his haunches moments after the second goal, on a night when he had one apparent early goal ruled offside and another glaring miss nullified by a raised flag.

Vinicius’ tally came just before the halftime whistle when he ran onto Lucas Paqueta’s ball over the top and finished low past the charging Placide.

–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media

source

Continue Reading