Sports
Caitlin Clark makes history, scores career-high 45 as Fever beat Storm
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) attempts a basket Friday, July 17, 2026, during the first half of a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Caitlin Clark delivered the first 40-point, 10-assist performance in WNBA history as the Indiana Fever defeated the Seattle Storm 110-107 on Friday night in Indianapolis.
With the game tied at 102 with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter, Clark blocked a driving Flau’jae Johnson layup going to the rim. On the next offensive possession, she hit her sixth and final three-pointer of the evening to put the Fever (15-10) ahead for good at 105-102.
Clark (career-high 45 points) also set career highs in free throws made (17) and attempted (19) in 29 minutes of playing time as she remains on a minutes restriction. With 10 assists, she recorded her fifth double-double of the season, with her last coming over a month ago on June 16.
Natisha Hiedeman had a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation for Seattle, but her halfcourt three-point attempt was off-target.
Indiana jumped out to an early double digit lead thanks to the efforts of Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell racked up a career-high 17 first-quarter points as Indiana led 37-26 after the first quarter. The Fever amassed their biggest lead of the game at 49-32 on a long-range Clark 3-pointer early in the second quarter.
The Storm were able to start cutting into the deficit by going on a 21-7 run to cut the lead down to three points at halftime.
Dominique Malonga scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Seattle (6-21) for her third consecutive double-double.
Awa Fam scored 14 of her 16 points after halftime and grabbed nine rebounds along with two blocks.
Mitchell tied her season high in points with 30. It was her third 30-point game of the season. Monique Billings scored a season-high 16 points for Indiana.
Seattle regained the lead for the first time since the opening minutes on a driving layup by Johnson which put the Storm ahead 80-79 with 2:48 left in the third quarter.
With All-Star Fever center Aliyah Boston sidelined with a right leg injury, Seattle was able to take advantage on the inside. Seattle outscored the Fever 66-44 in the paint. All five starters scored in double-figures for the Storm, who saw their losing streak extended to four games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chandler Smith races to dominant Craftman series win at North Wilkesboro
NASCAR Truck Series driver Chandler Smith (38) races during the Allegiance 200 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Saturday, May 30, 2026. NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C – Last year at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Chandler Smith led one lap in winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series over Front Row Motorsports teammate Layne Riggs.
In sharp contrast, Smith was the quintessence of dominance on Saturday, leading the final 105 laps to claim victory in the FaithFest 250 presented by Mercer Transportation, again with series leader Riggs securing second place.
Last year’s race ended under caution, after the trucks of Riggs and Corey Heim collided on the last lap. On Saturday, Smith ran away with the race in the final stage, beating Riggs to the finish line by 8.479 seconds – a record margin on a short track in Truck Series history.
“We’re ready to rip,” Smith said after a race run in extreme heat on the 0.625-mile asphalt surface. “If the Lord wills it, we don’t plan on backing down from here going forward. We were just biding our time, keeping the fenders clean and taking what (the No. 38 Ford) would give me.”
Smith took the lead off pit road for a Lap 152 restart to begin the final stage and never looked back. Riggs restarted eighth and worked his way to second on Lap 210 but had nothing for his teammate over the final 40 circuits.
The race ran without a caution for the final 99 laps.
“Part of me wanted to have a restart,” Riggs said. “Part of me knew if that happened there was probably going to be some carnage. So I was very happy just finishing the race there, knowing our teammate got the win. Congratulations to Chandler. He did a great job.”
Riggs, who won the opening stage and led 25 laps, had to overcome the heat to hold second over third-place NASCAR Cup Series regular Shane van Gisbergen, who matched his best NASCAR national series finish on an oval track.
“It was hot today,” Riggs acknowledged. “I ice-bagged on every stop. My cool shirt was on – I took it off already. It was probably one of the hottest races I’ve ever been in. I think we need to add some heat shields to these things …
“But my mind stayed sharp, and I stayed in the game.”
Riggs extended his series lead to 59 points over 11th-place finisher Kaden Honeycutt.
Christian Eckes finished fourth, followed by Landen Lewis, who scored his second straight top-five finish after a runner-up run last Saturday at Lime Rock Park.
Giovanni Ruggiero, Chase Elliott, Stewart Friesen, Heim and Stage 2 winner Ty Majeski completed the top 10.
The race for the final spots in the postseason Chase tightened on Saturday. With three races left to set the Chase field, Friesen and 19th-place finisher Tyler Ankrum are tied for the 10th and final postseason berth, with Jake Garcia just 11 points back in 12th place after coming home 13th at North Wilkesboro.
Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar led 74 laps but couldn’t recover from a cut left-front tire that dropped him two laps down and relegated him to a 27th-place finish.
–Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – FaithFest 250 presented by Mercer Transportation
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Saturday, July 18, 2026
1. (9) Chandler Smith, Ford, 250.
2. (1) Layne Riggs, Ford, 250.
3. (19) Shane Van Gisbergen(i), Chevrolet, 250.
4. (18) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 250.
5. (16) Landen Lewis, Chevrolet, 250.
6. (5) Giovanni Ruggiero, Toyota, 250.
7. (6) Chase Elliott(i), Chevrolet, 250.
8. (10) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 250.
9. (4) Corey Heim, Toyota, 250.
10. (27) Ty Majeski, Ford, 250.
11. (7) Kaden Honeycutt, Toyota, 249.
12. (30) Tyler Reif, Chevrolet, 249.
13. (15) Jake Garcia, Ford, 249.
14. (22) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 249.
15. (3) Christopher Bell(i), Toyota, 249.
16. (17) Dawson Sutton, Chevrolet, 249.
17. (12) Nick Leitz, Toyota, 249.
18. (14) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 249.
19. (24) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 249.
20. (21) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 249.
21. (23) Brenden Queen #, RAM, 249.
22. (11) Cole Butcher #, Ford, 249.
23. (20) Andres Perez De Lara, Chevrolet, 248.
24. (25) Ryan Newman, RAM, 248.
25. (8) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 248.
26. (13) Justin Haley, RAM, 248.
27. (2) Carson Hocevar(i), Chevrolet, 248.
28. (28) Mini Tyrrell #, RAM, 248.
29. (34) Corey LaJoie, RAM, 247.
30. (26) Kris Wright, Chevrolet, 247.
31. (35) Clayton Green, Ford, 246.
32. (36) Frankie Muniz, Ford, 246.
33. (29) Luke Baldwin, Ford, 245.
34. (33) Nathan Nicholson, Chevrolet, Accident, 242.
35. (31) Kasey Kleyn, Chevrolet, Electrical, 203.
36. (32) Donovan Strauss, Chevrolet, Overheating, 134.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 91.627 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 42 Mins, 19 Secs. Margin of Victory: 8.479 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 4 for 34 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: C. Hocevar(i) 1-50;L. Riggs 51-75;J. Garcia 76-97;C. Hocevar(i) 98-121;C. Elliott(i) 122;T. Majeski 123-145;C. Smith 146-250.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Chandler Smith 1 time for 105 laps; Carson Hocevar(i) 2 times for 74 laps; Layne Riggs 1 time for 25 laps; Ty Majeski 1 time for 23 laps; Jake Garcia 1 time for 22 laps; Chase Elliott(i) 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 34,77,38,62,7,5,11,91,17,9
Stage #2 Top Ten: 88,38,99,91,52,19,44,17,5,7
Sports
Orioles, RHP Kyle Bradish agree to 5-year extension
Jun 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images The Baltimore Orioles agreed to a five-year contract extension with right-handed starter Kyle Bradish on Saturday.
The deal is worth $90 million, per ESPN. Per the report, the length of the contract buys out Bradish’s last two years of arbitration and the first three seasons of what would have been his free agency.
The 29-year-old has been a strong starter for the Orioles over the past five seasons, turning in a 3.50 ERA, 1.206 WHIP and 485 strikeouts across 465 innings with a 25-24 record.
This season, Bradish’s output has been in line with his career numbers, going 6-9 with a 3.61 ERA, 1.351 WHIP and 106 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings.
“Keeping players of Kyle’s caliber in an Orioles uniform is an important part of our long-term vision,” Orioles owner David Rubenstein said in a statement. “We are grateful to Kyle for his commitment to our organization and to Baltimore. Thanks to (president of baseball operations and general manager) Mike Elias and the entire baseball operations department for their dedication throughout this process.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Matthew Boyd, Nico Hoerner lead Cubs past Twins
Jul 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) hits a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Matthew Boyd threw six quality innings and Nico Hoerner delivered the fifth four-hit game of his career on Saturday afternoon, helping the Chicago Cubs earn a 6-2 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins.
Boyd (6-1) allowed one run on three hits, striking out four and walking one for the Cubs, who won their sixth game in nine tries and evened the weekend series after losing 5-2 on Friday. Michael Busch homered, while Pedro Ramirez and Miguel Amaya each drove in a pair of runs.
Taj Bradley (9-4) allowed five runs on seven hits across five innings, striking out six and walking three for the Twins, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Kody Clemens hit two solo home runs for Minnesota, which will search for its three-game series win at Wrigley Field since Sept. 2020 on Sunday.
Chicago opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, as Busch launched his 12th home run of the season – a 402-foot shot to the right field bleachers.
Minnesota evened the score in the second on Clemens’ 17th homer of the year.
After Bradley allowed Hoerner’s one-out single and Ramirez’ walk, Amaya’s two-run double gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second.
Chicago tacked on two more runs in the third. Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ both worked walks off Bradley, before Hoerner’s RBI single and Ramirez’ run-scoring double made it 5-1.
Mike Paredes threw a scoreless sixth in relief of Bradley.
Caleb Thielbar took over for Boyd in the seventh, allowing Clemens’ second home run of the game, cutting Minnesota’s deficit to 5-2. The 391-foot blast cemented Clemens’ second multi-homer game of the year.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ramirez drove in another run with a single to push the margin back to four.
Jacob Webb threw the ninth, surrendering Josh Bell and Victor Caratini’s back-to-back singles to begin the frame. Brooks Lee then singled to center, but both Bell and Lee were caught in a rundown, resulting in a double play. Webb then got Clemens to strike out to end the game.
–Field Level Media
Chandler Smith races to dominant Craftman series win at North Wilkesboro
Orioles, RHP Kyle Bradish agree to 5-year extension
Matthew Boyd, Nico Hoerner lead Cubs past Twins
Sports
Caitlin Clark makes history, scores career-high 45 as Fever beat Storm
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) attempts a basket Friday, July 17, 2026, during the first half of a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Caitlin Clark delivered the first 40-point, 10-assist performance in WNBA history as the Indiana Fever defeated the Seattle Storm 110-107 on Friday night in Indianapolis.
With the game tied at 102 with under a minute to go in the fourth quarter, Clark blocked a driving Flau’jae Johnson layup going to the rim. On the next offensive possession, she hit her sixth and final three-pointer of the evening to put the Fever (15-10) ahead for good at 105-102.
Clark (career-high 45 points) also set career highs in free throws made (17) and attempted (19) in 29 minutes of playing time as she remains on a minutes restriction. With 10 assists, she recorded her fifth double-double of the season, with her last coming over a month ago on June 16.
Natisha Hiedeman had a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation for Seattle, but her halfcourt three-point attempt was off-target.
Indiana jumped out to an early double digit lead thanks to the efforts of Kelsey Mitchell. Mitchell racked up a career-high 17 first-quarter points as Indiana led 37-26 after the first quarter. The Fever amassed their biggest lead of the game at 49-32 on a long-range Clark 3-pointer early in the second quarter.
The Storm were able to start cutting into the deficit by going on a 21-7 run to cut the lead down to three points at halftime.
Dominique Malonga scored 28 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for Seattle (6-21) for her third consecutive double-double.
Awa Fam scored 14 of her 16 points after halftime and grabbed nine rebounds along with two blocks.
Mitchell tied her season high in points with 30. It was her third 30-point game of the season. Monique Billings scored a season-high 16 points for Indiana.
Seattle regained the lead for the first time since the opening minutes on a driving layup by Johnson which put the Storm ahead 80-79 with 2:48 left in the third quarter.
With All-Star Fever center Aliyah Boston sidelined with a right leg injury, Seattle was able to take advantage on the inside. Seattle outscored the Fever 66-44 in the paint. All five starters scored in double-figures for the Storm, who saw their losing streak extended to four games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chandler Smith races to dominant Craftman series win at North Wilkesboro
NASCAR Truck Series driver Chandler Smith (38) races during the Allegiance 200 at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Saturday, May 30, 2026. NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C – Last year at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Chandler Smith led one lap in winning the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series over Front Row Motorsports teammate Layne Riggs.
In sharp contrast, Smith was the quintessence of dominance on Saturday, leading the final 105 laps to claim victory in the FaithFest 250 presented by Mercer Transportation, again with series leader Riggs securing second place.
Last year’s race ended under caution, after the trucks of Riggs and Corey Heim collided on the last lap. On Saturday, Smith ran away with the race in the final stage, beating Riggs to the finish line by 8.479 seconds – a record margin on a short track in Truck Series history.
“We’re ready to rip,” Smith said after a race run in extreme heat on the 0.625-mile asphalt surface. “If the Lord wills it, we don’t plan on backing down from here going forward. We were just biding our time, keeping the fenders clean and taking what (the No. 38 Ford) would give me.”
Smith took the lead off pit road for a Lap 152 restart to begin the final stage and never looked back. Riggs restarted eighth and worked his way to second on Lap 210 but had nothing for his teammate over the final 40 circuits.
The race ran without a caution for the final 99 laps.
“Part of me wanted to have a restart,” Riggs said. “Part of me knew if that happened there was probably going to be some carnage. So I was very happy just finishing the race there, knowing our teammate got the win. Congratulations to Chandler. He did a great job.”
Riggs, who won the opening stage and led 25 laps, had to overcome the heat to hold second over third-place NASCAR Cup Series regular Shane van Gisbergen, who matched his best NASCAR national series finish on an oval track.
“It was hot today,” Riggs acknowledged. “I ice-bagged on every stop. My cool shirt was on – I took it off already. It was probably one of the hottest races I’ve ever been in. I think we need to add some heat shields to these things …
“But my mind stayed sharp, and I stayed in the game.”
Riggs extended his series lead to 59 points over 11th-place finisher Kaden Honeycutt.
Christian Eckes finished fourth, followed by Landen Lewis, who scored his second straight top-five finish after a runner-up run last Saturday at Lime Rock Park.
Giovanni Ruggiero, Chase Elliott, Stewart Friesen, Heim and Stage 2 winner Ty Majeski completed the top 10.
The race for the final spots in the postseason Chase tightened on Saturday. With three races left to set the Chase field, Friesen and 19th-place finisher Tyler Ankrum are tied for the 10th and final postseason berth, with Jake Garcia just 11 points back in 12th place after coming home 13th at North Wilkesboro.
Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar led 74 laps but couldn’t recover from a cut left-front tire that dropped him two laps down and relegated him to a 27th-place finish.
–Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service.
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Race – FaithFest 250 presented by Mercer Transportation
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Saturday, July 18, 2026
1. (9) Chandler Smith, Ford, 250.
2. (1) Layne Riggs, Ford, 250.
3. (19) Shane Van Gisbergen(i), Chevrolet, 250.
4. (18) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 250.
5. (16) Landen Lewis, Chevrolet, 250.
6. (5) Giovanni Ruggiero, Toyota, 250.
7. (6) Chase Elliott(i), Chevrolet, 250.
8. (10) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 250.
9. (4) Corey Heim, Toyota, 250.
10. (27) Ty Majeski, Ford, 250.
11. (7) Kaden Honeycutt, Toyota, 249.
12. (30) Tyler Reif, Chevrolet, 249.
13. (15) Jake Garcia, Ford, 249.
14. (22) Ben Rhodes, Ford, 249.
15. (3) Christopher Bell(i), Toyota, 249.
16. (17) Dawson Sutton, Chevrolet, 249.
17. (12) Nick Leitz, Toyota, 249.
18. (14) Tanner Gray, Toyota, 249.
19. (24) Tyler Ankrum, Chevrolet, 249.
20. (21) Daniel Hemric, Chevrolet, 249.
21. (23) Brenden Queen #, RAM, 249.
22. (11) Cole Butcher #, Ford, 249.
23. (20) Andres Perez De Lara, Chevrolet, 248.
24. (25) Ryan Newman, RAM, 248.
25. (8) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 248.
26. (13) Justin Haley, RAM, 248.
27. (2) Carson Hocevar(i), Chevrolet, 248.
28. (28) Mini Tyrrell #, RAM, 248.
29. (34) Corey LaJoie, RAM, 247.
30. (26) Kris Wright, Chevrolet, 247.
31. (35) Clayton Green, Ford, 246.
32. (36) Frankie Muniz, Ford, 246.
33. (29) Luke Baldwin, Ford, 245.
34. (33) Nathan Nicholson, Chevrolet, Accident, 242.
35. (31) Kasey Kleyn, Chevrolet, Electrical, 203.
36. (32) Donovan Strauss, Chevrolet, Overheating, 134.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 91.627 mph.
Time of Race: 1 Hrs, 42 Mins, 19 Secs. Margin of Victory: 8.479 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 4 for 34 laps.
Lead Changes: 7 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: C. Hocevar(i) 1-50;L. Riggs 51-75;J. Garcia 76-97;C. Hocevar(i) 98-121;C. Elliott(i) 122;T. Majeski 123-145;C. Smith 146-250.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Chandler Smith 1 time for 105 laps; Carson Hocevar(i) 2 times for 74 laps; Layne Riggs 1 time for 25 laps; Ty Majeski 1 time for 23 laps; Jake Garcia 1 time for 22 laps; Chase Elliott(i) 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 34,77,38,62,7,5,11,91,17,9
Stage #2 Top Ten: 88,38,99,91,52,19,44,17,5,7
Sports
Orioles, RHP Kyle Bradish agree to 5-year extension
Jun 28, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Kyle Bradish (38) pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images The Baltimore Orioles agreed to a five-year contract extension with right-handed starter Kyle Bradish on Saturday.
The deal is worth $90 million, per ESPN. Per the report, the length of the contract buys out Bradish’s last two years of arbitration and the first three seasons of what would have been his free agency.
The 29-year-old has been a strong starter for the Orioles over the past five seasons, turning in a 3.50 ERA, 1.206 WHIP and 485 strikeouts across 465 innings with a 25-24 record.
This season, Bradish’s output has been in line with his career numbers, going 6-9 with a 3.61 ERA, 1.351 WHIP and 106 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings.
“Keeping players of Kyle’s caliber in an Orioles uniform is an important part of our long-term vision,” Orioles owner David Rubenstein said in a statement. “We are grateful to Kyle for his commitment to our organization and to Baltimore. Thanks to (president of baseball operations and general manager) Mike Elias and the entire baseball operations department for their dedication throughout this process.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Matthew Boyd, Nico Hoerner lead Cubs past Twins
Jul 18, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch (29) hits a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Matthew Boyd threw six quality innings and Nico Hoerner delivered the fifth four-hit game of his career on Saturday afternoon, helping the Chicago Cubs earn a 6-2 victory over the visiting Minnesota Twins.
Boyd (6-1) allowed one run on three hits, striking out four and walking one for the Cubs, who won their sixth game in nine tries and evened the weekend series after losing 5-2 on Friday. Michael Busch homered, while Pedro Ramirez and Miguel Amaya each drove in a pair of runs.
Taj Bradley (9-4) allowed five runs on seven hits across five innings, striking out six and walking three for the Twins, who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Kody Clemens hit two solo home runs for Minnesota, which will search for its three-game series win at Wrigley Field since Sept. 2020 on Sunday.
Chicago opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, as Busch launched his 12th home run of the season – a 402-foot shot to the right field bleachers.
Minnesota evened the score in the second on Clemens’ 17th homer of the year.
After Bradley allowed Hoerner’s one-out single and Ramirez’ walk, Amaya’s two-run double gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second.
Chicago tacked on two more runs in the third. Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ both worked walks off Bradley, before Hoerner’s RBI single and Ramirez’ run-scoring double made it 5-1.
Mike Paredes threw a scoreless sixth in relief of Bradley.
Caleb Thielbar took over for Boyd in the seventh, allowing Clemens’ second home run of the game, cutting Minnesota’s deficit to 5-2. The 391-foot blast cemented Clemens’ second multi-homer game of the year.
In the bottom of the seventh, Ramirez drove in another run with a single to push the margin back to four.
Jacob Webb threw the ninth, surrendering Josh Bell and Victor Caratini’s back-to-back singles to begin the frame. Brooks Lee then singled to center, but both Bell and Lee were caught in a rundown, resulting in a double play. Webb then got Clemens to strike out to end the game.
–Field Level Media
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