Sports
Dylan Cease loses no-hitter in 9th as Blue Jays rout Giants
Jun 27, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease (84) pitches to the Texas Rangers during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images Dylan Cease came within three outs of becoming the first Toronto Blue Jay in 36 years to throw a no-hitter Wednesday afternoon, striking out 11 in a 10-0 road victory over the San Francisco Giants.
Kazuma Okamoto capped a five-run first inning with a grand slam and center fielder Daulton Varsho prevented an extra-base hit by the Giants’ Bryce Eldridge with a leaping catch on the center-field warning track in the eighth, each helping Cease’s cause.
The All-Star right-hander retired the first 14 Giants he faced until losing his perfect game by walking Willy Adames with two outs in the fifth.
Cease (6-4) also walked Drew Gilbert leading off the sixth and Rafael Devers with one out in the seventh, but breezed through a 1-2-3 eighth with Tyler Rogers warming up, earning a shot at the ninth despite having thrown 115 pitches.
Home runs by Vlad Guerrero Jr., his fifth, and George Springer, his ninth, added three runs to the Toronto total in the top of the ninth, giving Cease a long rest before continuing his quest.
Attempting to match the feat of Dave Stieb in September of 1990, the only previous no-hitter in Blue Jays history, Cease went 1-1 on Heliot Ramos before the Giants outfielder lined a fastball up the middle. Ramos had struck out his previous three times.
Cease was pulled at that point, having walked three and recorded his sixth double-digit strikeout performance of the season.
No opponent has ever pitched a no-hitter in the 27-year history of Oracle Park.
Rogers retired all three men he faced after taking over for Cease, wrapping up Toronto’s sixth shutout of the season.
The first six Blue Jays hitters gave their pitcher all the support he would need against Giants starter Logan Webb (5-7).
Singles by Ernie Clement and Nathan Lukes, and a one-out walk to Springer, loaded the bases for Varsho, who blooped an RBI single into right field.
Okamoto then took Webb high and deep the opposite way, landing his 21st home run atop the 20-foot-high wall in right field at Oracle Park. The hit was reviewed and Okamoto, who had stopped at first base, was sent the remaining 270 feet for a grand slam and a 5-0 lead.
Lukes, Varsho and Okamoto each had two hits and scored twice for the Blue Jays, who improved to 3-3 on their nine-game Western swing.
Webb rebounded from his rough start to serve up just one more hit through the seventh inning, finishing with five runs and five hits allowed. He walked two and struck out two.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Foster Griffin shines as Nationals handle Astros
Jul 8, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin (22) throws a pitch against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Foster Griffin pitched seven strong innings, Luis Garcia Jr. had three hits including a three-run homer and the Nationals beat the Houston Astros 8-2 Wednesday night in Washington.
CJ Abrams also homered for Washington, which took two of three from Houston, and Daylen Lile had two hits. James Wood drew three walks and scored twice.
Griffin, who bolstered his case as a potential injury replacement on the National League All-Star team, gave up a run on five hits and struck out nine without a walk while improving to 10-2. He allowed one earned run or fewer in his seventh consecutive start and lowered his ERA to 2.77.
“I feel like I had really good command of my cutter and my sweeper especially,” Griffin told Nationals TV. “I was able to keep…the hitters off balance. I feel like they couldn’t make a decision on which one was coming out of the same tunnel.”
Isaac Paredes and Zach Dezenzo each had two hits each for the Astros.
Houston starter Spencer Arrighetti (7-5) gave up eight runs on seven hits in four innings. Astros pitchers allowed nine hits and 10 walks.
Washington took a 2-0 lead in the third. Wood walked and stole second. Garcia walked and Wood went to third on a fly out and scored on Abrams’ sacrifice fly. Lile doubled Garcia home.
The Nationals staged a two-out rally in the fourth. Keibert Ruiz singled, Wood walked and Garcia followed with his 20th homer of the season, a shot to right center, and the lead was 5-0.
In the Houston fifth, Yainer Diaz doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Brice Matthews’ single.
Abrams hit his 20th homer of the season leading off the bottom half. Lile and Dylan Crews singled before Jorbit Vivas walked to load the bases. Lile scored when Jose Tena grounded out and Crews came home on a Ruiz sacrifice fly to make it 8-1.
In the Houston eighth, Dezenzo singled, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Nick Allen’s single.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kayla McBride, Lynx avenge recent defeat by handling Sun
Jul 8, 2026; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) drives the ball to the basket against Connecticut Sun forward Nell Angloma (33) in the second half at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images Kayla McBride scored 23 points to lift the Minnesota Lynx to an 86-80 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Wednesday in Uncasville, Conn.
McBride made 6 of 10 shots from the floor and all nine attempts from the free-throw line for the Lynx (16-6), who rebounded after dropping a 90-89 decision to Connecticut on Monday in Minneapolis. McBride scored a season-high 28 points in that game.
Minnesota’s Natasha Howard collected 12 points and 10 rebounds on Wednesday and former Sun player Courtney Williams and Dorka Juhasz each added 12 points.
Cheryl Reeve recorded her 380th regular-season win, the most in WNBA history. She has been the head coach of the Lynx since 2010.
Minnesota rookie Olivia Miles sat out her second consecutive contest with a right calf strain after starting the team’s first 20 games.
Leila Lacan scored 15 points and Olivia Nelson-Ododa added 14 for the Sun (5-17), who played without Brittney Griner. The 6-foot-9 Griner sat out with a left quad strain after scoring a season-high 29 points in Monday’s game.
Sun guard Saniya Rivers exited the floor in a wheelchair after sustaining a left ankle sprain following a drive to the basket early in the second quarter. Rivers, who was fouled by Nia Coffey, did not return to the contest.
Connecticut held a 65-60 lead after three quarters before Minnesota responded with a 16-5 run to start the fourth. Antonia Delaere and Juhasz each sank a 3-pointer to give the Lynx a 76-70 advantage. Gianna Kneepkens converted from beyond the arc to halve the deficit, however Juhasz countered with another 3-pointer.
Diamond Miller drew the Sun to within three after sinking four free throws before Juhasz made her fourth 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds to seal the win.
Williams drained a long jumper to give Minnesota a 41-37 lead with 2:27 to play in the second quarter before the Sun responded with a flourish. Kneepkens sank a 3-pointer, Lacan scored four quick points and Raegan Beers added a free throw to give the Sun a 45-41 advantage at halftime.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LIV Golf warns employees of potential layoffs amid funding search
May 10, 2026; Sterling, Virginia, USA; Lucas Herbert lines up his final putt during the final round of LIV Golf Virginia golf tournament at Trump National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Jack Power-Imagn Images LIV Golf informed staff that layoffs could be on the horizon on Wednesday.
The golf organization is facing a looming money crisis as its primary backer, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF), announced earlier this year that it will pull its funding after the 2026 season.
PIF’s decision to walk away after sinking a reported $5 billion-$8 billion in the venture has left LIV scrambling to find a reported $300 million in fresh capital, leading to the announcement to staff about potential reductions.
A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, a required step for large businesses ahead of potential mass layoffs, is being filed by LIV, according to Golf Digest.
Without denying the veracity of the reporting, LIV reached out to media outlets later in the day, saying it is implementing “no changes to LIV Golf’s current workforce, operations, or schedule at this time.”
Yet the golf league also admitted that communication with employees took place.
“As our process to identify strategic investors moves forward in a positive direction, and as part of responsible planning for a range of possible outcomes, we have notified employees in the United States and United Kingdom of potential future actions related to the League’s corporate workforce,” LIV said.
“This step is being taken in accordance with legal obligations in each jurisdiction. We deeply appreciate our employees’ continued dedication as we work toward a strong and sustainable future for the league.”
–Field Level Media
Foster Griffin shines as Nationals handle Astros
Kayla McBride, Lynx avenge recent defeat by handling Sun
