Sports
Facing Storm, Aces out to clinch home court for first round
May 25, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Wilson official basketball with WNBA logo goes through the net during the game between the LA Sparks and the Las Vegas Aces at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images A’ja Wilson broke the WNBA single-season scoring record last week.
On Sunday, the Aces star became the first player to score 1,000 points in a season.
Now, the likely league MVP and her teammates can focus on peaking for the start of the playoffs as the Aces visit the Seattle Storm on Tuesday night.
“This is when you need to start playing your best basketball because this is the rock ‘n roll time,” Wilson said. “This is the best time of the year. It’s really good to get these wins under our belt.”
The two-time defending champions (25-13), who finish the regular season at home against the Dallas Wings on Thursday, have won seven of their last eight games. Wilson reached 1,000 points in an 84-71 home victory against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday. She finished with a game-high 29 points and grabbed nine rebounds.
“There have been wins that we needed to grind out,” Wilson said. “There have been wins that we had to understand the flow of the game, and that’s what playoff basketball is going to be. We’re going to get everybody’s best shot no matter what. It helps to have these types of games so we can prep ourselves for this.”
The fourth-seeded Aces and the fifth-seeded Storm (24-14) are likely headed for a first-round playoff matchup. Las Vegas can clinch home-court advantage with a win Tuesday.
Seattle has won four consecutive games but is looking for more consistency.
Head coach Noelle Quinn said she was “befuddled” by her team as she lamented slow starts in two games last week. The Storm trailed the Los Angeles Sparks by as many as 13 points before winning by eight and trailed the Dallas Wings by 21 before winning by two.
Then, in a rematch with the last-place Sparks on Sunday in Seattle, the Storm started better and built a 16-point lead but had to hold on for a 90-87 victory.
“We know we have everything we need in that locker room,” said guard Jewell Loyd, who set the previous single-season scoring record last year. “I feel like we’re at our best when we’re playing free.”
Nneka Ogwumike led Seattle with 23 points and Skylar-Diggins Smith scored 19, including four free throws in the final minute, in the victory Sunday.
The Storm conclude the regular season on Thursday at the Phoenix Mercury.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Robbie Ray keeps rolling, Giants respond with win over Rockies
Jul 4, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (38) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Robbie Ray won his fifth consecutive decision, Bryce Eldridge homered and the San Francisco Giants evened their three-game series against the Colorado Rockies with a 6-4 victory Saturday night in Denver.
Luis Arraez had three hits, while Sam Hentges, Dylan Smith and Caleb Kilian combined for three innings of one-run relief, allowing the Giants to keep their hopes alive of a .500 road trip with a second win in five tries.
One night after the Rockies teed off on Giants ace Logan Webb in a 15-3 Colorado victory, Ray (8-6) served up a three-run homer to Cole Carrigg in the first, but no other runs over six innings. The left-hander limited the Rockies to five hits while walking three and striking out four.
Ray hasn’t lost since May 18, a stretch of eight starts.
The Giants gave their veteran a four-run head start against Rockies rookie left-hander Sean Sullivan (0-3), a late replacement for scheduled starter Tomoyuki Sagano, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with back spasms.
An Arraez single, Casey Schmitt double and Rafael Devers walk loaded the bases for the San Francisco in the top of the first, setting the stage for an RBI infield out by Jung Hoo Lee, a two-RBI double by Willy Adames and a one-run double by Eldridge to produce four runs.
Carrigg’s homer, his fourth of the season, got the Rockies back within 4-3. But the Rockies, who ran up 18 hits in the series opener, got just five more hits and one more run the rest of the way against Ray and his three relievers.
The Giants tacked on one run apiece in the second on an RBI single by Arraez and in the third on Eldridge’s solo shot, his seventh of the season.
Sullivan worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing all six Giants runs on 12 hits. He walked two and struck out four.
The Rockies got within 6-4 in the ninth on a two-out RBI single by TJ Rumfield. But Kilian, facing the potential tying run, struck out Troy Johnston to lock down his eighth save.
Eldridge, Schmitt, Adames and Victor Bericoto had two hits apiece for the Giants, who had dropped three of their first four meetings with the Rockies this season. Six of the Giants’ 14 hits were doubles.
Hunter Goodman reached base all four times via two singles and two walks for the Rockies, who were seeking to match their season-best with a fourth straight win.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brewers' Brandon Woodruff exits vs. D-backs after velocity plummets
Jul 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff exited in the fourth inning of Milwaukee’s 4-3 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday in Phoenix after his velocity noticeably plummeted.
After averaging 91 and 83 mph with his fastball and changeup, respectively, in the first inning, Woodruff averaged 86.6 mph with his fastball and 76.6 mph with his changeup in the fourth inning.
He exited after a visit from Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy, athletic trainer Brad Epstein and pitching coach Chris Hook. The start was his third back from the injured list after he sustained a right shoulder inflammation which previously caused his velocity to dip in a start against Arizona on April 30.
Woodruff, 33, missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing right shoulder surgery to repair his anterior capsule.
The Brewers haven’t shared an update on exactly what led to Woodruff’s departure after he allowed three runs on two hits over 3 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and one walk. He took the loss to fall to 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA.
The two-time All-Star (2019, 2021) entered the day with a career 55-29 record and 3.08 ERA over 150 appearances (135 starts) across nine seasons for the Brewers.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cardinals continue hot stretch with shutout of Cubs
Jul 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) delivers the ball during the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images JJ Wetherholt hit a home run and reached base four times as the visiting St. Louis Cardinals beat the Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Saturday.
The rookie homered in the first, walked in the third, doubled in the fifth and singled in the seventh as the Cardinals picked up their fifth win in six games. St. Louis goes for the sweep Sunday.
Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy (7-4) gave up three hits in five shutout innings. The right-hander walked two and struck out six in 77 pitches.
Riley O’Brien picked up his 22nd save with a scoreless ninth.
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (5-7) gave up four hits and two runs in four 2/3 innings. The southpaw walked three and had eight strikeouts over 86 pitches.
The game was delayed an hour at the start because of rain. In the fifth inning, fog rolled into Wrigley Field and by the sixth inning players were complaining they could not see the ball.
The game was delayed 15 minutes while the fog lifted.
Wetherholt wasted little time putting the Cardinals out in front as he drove the first pitch of the game over the left-field fence.
St. Louis scored again in the third when Nathan Church and Wetherholt walked to lead off the inning. Ivan Herrera gave the Cardinals a two-run lead by singling in Church.
The Cubs had chances to score in the third and fifth innings, but struggling Alex Bregman failed to deliver in both innings.
Michael Conforto singled to lead off the third and went to second when Pete Crow-Armstrong walked with two outs. Bregman, however, grounded into a fielder’s choice at third to end the threat.
Conforto also led off the fifth with a single and went to second when Crow-Armstrong was hit by a pitch with two outs. Bregman popped out to first base to keep the Cubs scoreless.
The Cubs were 0-for-15 with men on base. After scoring 35 runs in a three-game sweep of the Padres, the Cubs have scored just once in two games against St. Louis.
The Cardinals added an insurance run in the eighth when Jordan Walker led off with a double and Alec Burleson singled him in.
–Field Level Media
Robbie Ray keeps rolling, Giants respond with win over Rockies
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