Sports
Dodgers escape 6-run hole, overpower skidding Padres
Jul 2, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) runs after hitting a two run home run against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Navarro-Imagn Images Dalton Rushing had a home run among his four hits and drove in four runs for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who erased a six-run deficit for a 12-7 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday.
The Dodgers matched their season high with 17 hits and won for the eighth time in 10 games. The Padres took their sixth loss in a row, matching their worst skid of the season.
Rushing tied his career highs in hits and RBIs. Teammate Kyle Tucker matched his career best with four hits and also drew a walk.
Andy Pages delivered a game-tying two-run double for Los Angeles in the fourth inning.
The Dodgers’ bullpen gave up one run over the final six innings after Roki Sasaki yielded six runs on seven hits in a season-low three innings. Will Klein (3-2) followed with two scoreless innings.
Manny Machado hit a first-inning homer before Jackson Merrill and Jake Cronenworth each went deep in the second as the Padres built a 6-0 lead. Randy Vasquez gave up four runs over three innings, and Wandy Peralta (1-1) was tagged for four runs on six hits in the fourth.
The Padres saw their losing skid begin with consecutive home defeats against the Dodgers last weekend before they were swept in a three-game road series against the Chicago Cubs, including a 23-3 demolition on Wednesday.
The Padres’ fast start began when Fernando Tatis Jr. hit Sasaki’s first pitch of the game for a double. Machado followed two batters later with a home run to center field.
San Diego made it 6-0 in the second on Merrill’s leadoff home run and a three-run blast from Cronenworth.
Rushing began the momentum swing for the Dodgers with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second. Los Angeles pulled within 6-4 in the third on RBI hits from Max Muncy and Tucker.
Pages tied it 6-6 in the fourth on a two-run double to left before Mookie Betts and Muncy added RBI hits for an 8-6 lead. The Dodgers’ run total reached double digits in the fifth when Tommy Edman had an RBI double before scoring on a wild pitch.
Rushing drove in runs in the sixth and eighth innings, and the Padres’ Miguel Andujar had an RBI single in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
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
Mariners CF Julio Rodriguez exits game after throw hits head
Jul 2, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) reacts to getting hit in the back of the helmet by a thrown ball during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez left Thursday’s game against the visiting Los Angeles Angels after getting hit in the head by an errant throw.
Rodriguez walked with one out in the bottom of the first inning before Dominic Canzone hit a grounder to Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel. He tried to throw to second base to start an inning-ending double play, but the ball hit Rodriguez in the back of the batting helmet just as he started his slide. The ball ricocheted into center field and Rodriguez pumped his fist and yelled toward his teammates in the dugout before bending over with his hands on his knees.
Mariners head athletic trainer Kyle Torgerson and manager Dan Wilson came onto the field and chatted with Rodriguez and third-base coach Carlos Cardoza for a couple of minutes before Rodriguez stayed in the game.
Rodriguez returned to center field in the top of the second but was seen talking with Torgerson again while sitting on the bench in the bottom of the inning and left with the trainer and headed for the clubhouse.
Victor Robles replaced Rodriguez in center when the Mariners took the field in the third.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reports: Rockets F Tari Eason agrees to 5-year, $81.5M contract
May 1, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason (17) reacts after a made basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter of game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason has agreed to a five-year, $81.5 million contract to return to the team, according to multiple reports on Thursday night.
Eason, 25, is a restricted free agent. He earned $5.7 million for the 2025-26 season in the final team option year of his rookie deal, per ESPN, which first reported the contract agreement. The fifth year of the new contract is a player option, per The Athletic.
He averaged 10.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and a career-high 25.8 minutes in 60 games (career-high 34 starts) last season. Eason averaged 13.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.5 steals and 32.5 minutes in six playoff games (four starts).
For his career, Eason averages 10.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 23.6 minutes in 221 regular-season games (55 starts) since 2022.
Houston selected Eason with the 17th overall pick of the 2022 NBA Draft.
–Field Level Media
Cardinals score 7 in 7th, hand sliding Braves another loss
Mariners CF Julio Rodriguez exits game after throw hits head
