Sports
Cardinals score 7 in 7th, hand sliding Braves another loss
Jul 2, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) runs to third against the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Nathan Church hit a two-run homer to ignite a seven-run rally and help the visiting St. Louis Cardinals to a come-from-behind, 11-5 win over the Atlanta Braves on Thursday in the rubber game of their three-game series.
The Cardinals sent 11 men to the plate during the seventh-inning uprising and erased a 5-3 deficit to hand the Braves their 14th loss in 19 games. St. Louis has won three of its last four.
Church tied the game with a two-run shot, his seventh of the season, against Tyler Kinley (4-3). Church had two hits in the series, both of them home runs.
The Cardinals followed with RBI singles from JJ Wetherholt, Ivan Herrera and Jordan Walker, an RBI double by Lars Nootbaar and a run-scoring fielder’s choice from Masyn Winn.
The winning pitcher was Gordon Graceffo (6-1) for a spotless sixth.
Atlanta’s Hurston Waldrep was making his first start of the season after undergoing elbow surgery in spring training to remove loose bodies. He worked 5 1/3 innings and gave up three runs on five hits and one walk, striking out four.
It was a wild first inning as the Cardinals jumped ahead on Jordan Walker’s three-run homer, his 19th, that hit the top of the wall in left field and bounced into the seats. It ended a 14-game homerless streak for Walker, the longest of his season.
The Braves then responded with a five-run outburst in the bottom half. Mauricio Dubon delivered a bases-loaded RBI single. Dominic Smith followed with a liner that hit pitcher Dustin May’s right ankle on the follow-through and caromed into shallow right field, clearing the bases. The game was halted while trainers examined the right-hander, who stayed in the game.
Mike Yastrzemski followed with a sacrifice fly to deep center field and Jim Jarvis singled. That caused manager Oliver Marmol to lift May in favor of Justin Bruihl, who retired Drake Baldwin, the 10th batter in the inning.
Alec Burleson hit a solo homer for the Cardinals in the ninth, his 14th.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees snap their longest skid since 2023 with win over Twins
Jul 3, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice (22) follows through on a two run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Ben Rice hit a go-ahead two-run homer with two outs in the third inning, and the New York Yankees snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
The Yankees ended their longest losing streak since dropping nine straight from Aug. 12-22, 2023, and won for only the fourth time in their last 15 games.
Following a 53-minute rain delay, Rice lifted a full-count fastball from Minnesota rookie starter Mike Paredes into the right field seats for his 24th homer. Rice went deep after entering the third with two hits in his previous 26 at-bats.
Trent Grisham accounted for three runs after missing 18 games with a strained right hamstring. Grisham, who hit his 11th career leadoff homer, preceded Rice’s homer with a base hit that caromed off first base and lifted a sacrifice fly when the Yankees scored twice in the seventh.
Jose Caballero added an RBI single and scored on a headfirst slide when Grisham flew out.
Gerrit Cole (3-3) allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out seven, walked none and improved to 6-0 in his career against the Twins.
Cole was also warming up following the delay when Rice homered.
The game was paused after Cole struck out Brooks Lee to end the third inning. During the delay, the scoreboard in center field displayed Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in the World Cup round of 32.
Kody Clemens homered off Cole’s 1-2 knuckle curve in the first and Victor Caratini lined a two-strike RBI single in the fourth before Ryan Kreidler struck out.
Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn each pitched a perfect inning for the Yankees before Fernando Cruz got Royce Lewis on a forceout with the bases loaded to end the eighth. David Bednar struck out the side in a 1-2-3 ninth to secure his 17th save.
Paredes allowed three runs on four hits in four innings. The right-hander struck out two and walked two.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees snap longest skid since 2023 with win over Twins
Jul 3, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice (22) follows through on a two run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Ben Rice hit a go-ahead two-run homer with two outs in the third inning and the New York Yankees snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 5-2 win over the visiting Minnesota Twins on Friday night.
The Yankees ended their longest losing streak since dropping nine straight from Aug. 12-22, 2023, and won for only the fourth time in their last 15 games.
Following a 53-minute rain delay, Rice lifted a full-count fastball from Minnesota rookie starter Mike Paredes (0-2) into the right-field seats for his 24th homer. Rice went deep after entering the third with two hits in his previous 26 at-bats.
Trent Grisham accounted for two runs and two RBIs after missing 18 games with a strained right hamstring. Grisham, who hit his 11th career leadoff homer, preceded Rice’s homer with a base hit that caromed off first base and lifted a sacrifice fly when the Yankees scored twice in the seventh.
Jose Caballero added an RBI single and scored on a headfirst slide when Grisham flew out.
Gerrit Cole (3-3) allowed two runs on five hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out seven, walked none and improved to 6-0 in his career against the Twins.
Cole was warming up following the delay when Rice homered.
The game was paused after Cole struck out Brooks Lee to end the third inning. During the delay, the scoreboard in center field displayed Argentina’s 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in the World Cup round of 32.
Kody Clemens homered off Cole’s 1-2 knuckle curve in the first and Victor Caratini lined a two-strike RBI single in the fourth before Ryan Kreidler struck out.
Brent Headrick and Paul Blackburn each pitched a perfect inning for the Yankees before Fernando Cruz got Royce Lewis on a forceout with the bases loaded to end the eighth. David Bednar struck out the side in a 1-2-3 ninth to secure his 17th save.
Paredes allowed three runs on four hits in four innings. The right-hander struck out two and walked two.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pro-Argentina crowd helps spur dramatic win over Cape Verde
July 3, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Argentina fans in the stands during the match. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images When Argentina twice conceded equalizing goals to Cape Verde in the round of 32 on Friday night, the decidedly partisan Albiceleste crowd did not grow quiet.
If anything, the volume increased as La Doce made the stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., their own, imploring their side to a 3-2, extra-time victory that will go down as one of the all-time great World Cup matches.
For Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, it was very much appreciated.
“I think the (fans) are the first ones who understand that this is Argentina, nothing is easy,” Scaloni said through an interpreter. “When you have bad results, you must have character as you have 47 million people rooting for you, and you need the courage to bounce back from that. And this team has it. I think people know it.”
At a tournament where critics have questioned whether the matchday atmosphere would suffer as a result of record-high ticket prices, Argentina’s supporters have continued to do whatever it takes to pack American stadiums.
It was particularly true Friday in South Florida, which has one of the country’s highest concentrations of Argentine lineage, and an MLS team in Inter Miami that is the club home of Albiceleste stars Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.
“There are Argentinians everywhere,” Messi said through an interpreter. “Many people came here. Even those who came without tickets, they had a lot of excitement, and they supported us as they always do.”
Fans of other South American nations — particularly Colombia and Ecuador — have also created fiercely partisan environments despite ticket prices.
Yet after Argentina ended a 36-year drought and won the 2022 World Cup, perhaps none are as unrelenting as those who support the Albiceleste with the confidence that such support will be rewarded.
That was eventually true Friday, long after Messi opened the scoring with his World Cup-record-increasing 20th career goal. The matter wasn’t settled until Cristian Romero’s 111th-minute header caromed off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges and over the line.
Even Cape Verde manager Bubista noticed the resiliency of Argentina’s support following his side’s two game-tying goals, including a fabulous strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral that made it 2-all in the 103rd minute.
“Looking at the stadium virtually filled with Argentinians also shows the greatness of the team, of the nation, of their football,” he said. “I think they’re already used to that. Obviously the public in attendance tonight helped with that at points.
“Even when we equalized, we felt the (fans) cheering Argentina on in moments of difficulty throughout the match.”
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
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Yankees snap their longest skid since 2023 with win over Twins
