Sports
FIFA: 'No evidence' ball hit wire on regulation England goal vs. Norway
July 11, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Norway’s Erling Haaland looks dejected after the match as Norway are eliminated from the World Cup. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images England’s lone regulation goal in its eventual 2-1 extra-time defeat of Norway in a World Cup quarterfinal Saturday in Miami Gardens, Fla., was not without controversy.
Norway argued — and video replay appeared to show — that a goal kick from their goalkeeper Orjan Nyland bounced off a wire supporting an in-stadium camera and redirected to an England player, setting up the sequence which ended with Jude Bellingham’s tying goal in the second minute of first-half stoppage time.
Per FIFA’s rule, a ball bouncing off a wire would lead to a stoppage in play and a drop ball to decide possession. But the association spoke out against this possibility shortly after the match ended.
“Before England’s goal in minute 45+2 against Norway, the sensor in the Connected Ball showed no peak in the ‘heartbeat of the ball’ when in the air, and therefore no evidence that the ball touched the overhead wire and changed the movement of the ball,” a FIFA statement said.
The “heartbeat of the ball” is the same technology used to overturn Croatia’s equalizing goal late in extra time of its 2-1 round of 32 loss to Portugal when technology in the ball sensed a headed touch with the goalscorer in offside position in one of the other main controversies of this year’s tournament.
This time, though, play wasn’t stopped to check the sensor, although it’s possible it was checked by VAR in the brief downtime after Bellingham’s goal.
Norway also had a go-ahead second-half goal overturned after it was ruled that Erling Haaland pushed a defender down in the leadup to the goal being scored by Torbjorn Heggem off a corner kick.
England will face the winner of Saturday night’s match between Argentina and Switzerland in a semifinal in Atlanta on Wednesday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Steven Kwan saves run, drives in 2 as Guardians beat Marlins
Jul 11, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) throws against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Nine-hole hitter Steven Kwan lined a two-out, two-strike, two-run double and also produced a run-saving defensive gem, leading the Guardians to a 4-1 win over the host Miami Marlins on Saturday afternoon.
Cleveland also got a two-out, two-strike, two-run double from eight-hole hitter Patrick Bailey in the eighth to add some insurance.
Tanner Bibee, who started this season 0-7 with six no-decisions, earned the win. Bibee (3-9) turned in a quality start, allowing five hits, four walks and one run in 6 2/3 innings.
Eury Perez, who pitched seven perfect innings in his previous start, took the loss. Perez (5-7) allowed eight hits, two walks and two runs in six innings. He struck out six.
Cleveland loaded the bases with no outs in the first inning, but Perez struck out Kyle Manzardo and got Kahlil Watson to bounce into a double play.
Miami threatened in the third on two-out walks to Otto Lopez and Kyle Stowers. Xavier Edwards then followed with a single that nearly scored Lopez. However, before Lopez could step on home plate, Stowers was thrown out by Kwan, a four-time Gold Glove winner in left field. On the play, Stowers made too wide a turn from second base.
Cleveland opened the scoring in the fourth on a rally that started with singles from Gabriel Arias and Petey Halpin. The Guardians then executed a double steal before Kwan gave them a 2-0 lead with his opposite-field double down the left-field line.
Miami got on the board in the seventh as rookie Joe Mack doubled, took third on a groundout and scored on Liam Hicks’ bloop single.
Cleveland came right back and extended its lead to 4-1 in the eighth. Manzardo was hit by a pitch, Watson doubled and Bailey nearly hit one out, settling for a two-run double off the wall in left.
In the bottom of the eighth, Kwan made another stellar play, sliding to grab a foul fly off the bat of Stowers.
With All-Star Cade Smith having pitched in each of the past three games, the Guardians turned to Colin Holderman, who pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his fourth career save and first this year.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pirates take Game 2 to sweep doubleheader against Brewers
Jul 11, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe (5) throws to first base to turn a double play over Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Luis Lara (18) during the second inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Bryan Reynolds went 2-for-3 and drove in the go-ahead run for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who defeated the visiting Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 to sweep a doubleheader on Saturday.
Starting pitcher Bubba Chandler struck out six while limiting Milwaukee to two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings for the Pirates, who won the first game 7-6.
Shane Drohan (4-3) allowed three runs on five hits and fanned six in 6 1/3 innings for the Brewers, who have lost three of their past four games after going 8-2 in their previous 10.
Pittsburgh went ahead 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth.
Brandon Lowe connected for a one-out double, knocking a fly ball to center field. He then scored when Reynolds followed with a single to right.
Milwaukee threatened to take the lead in the top half of the frame against reliever Johan Ramirez (6-2). Joey Ortiz doubled and Christian Yelich was hit by a pitch, but a pop-out ended the inning.
Held to one baserunner on just one hit through the first three innings, the Pirates finally connected for more in the fourth. With one out, Reynolds lined a double down the right field line. Esmerlyn Valdez then followed with a home run to left field to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.
It was Valdez’s 10th homer of the season and third straight game sending one out of the park. The 22-year-old rookie also had two in the opener of the doubleheader, including the go-ahead grand slam that gave Pittsburgh the win.
The Brewers tied it in the top of the fifth inning.
Joey Ortiz and Christian Yelich connected for back-to-back one-out ground-ball singles before Jackson Chourio grounded into a forceout that took out Yelich. Brice Turang then knocked a double off the wall in left field that drove in Ortiz and Chourio.
That ended Chandler’s outing, with reliever Brandon Eisert stepping in for his Pittsburgh debut. The Pirates acquired the left-hander, along with infielder Jacob Gonzalez, in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Andruw Monasterio, Masataka Yoshida homer as Red Sox blank Mets
Jul 11, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rivera delivers a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Andruw Monasterio and Masataka Yoshida each belted two-run homers Saturday and five pitchers combined on a three-hit shutout as the visiting Boston Red Sox blanked the New York Mets 4-0 for their eighth straight win.
Reliever Jovani Moran (2-2) got the win with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless work. Fill-in starter Eduardo Rivera fired 3 2/3 scoreless innings in just his second major league appearance. Rivera gave up one hit, walked two and struck out three.
Freddy Peralta (5-8) absorbed the loss after working 4 1/3 innings and allowing two runs off three hits and five walks. Peralta whiffed six.
Monasterio gave Boston the only runs it would need when he pounced on a fastball right down the middle in the top of the fourth with one out and Caleb Durbin aboard after a walk. Monasterio pulled it an estimated 378 feet into the seats in left field for his fifth homer of the year.
Yoshida supplied insurance in the top of the eighth following a leadoff single by Durbin. Yoshida laced a cutter from reliever Tobias Myers an estimated 360 feet just inside the right field foul pole for his third homer of the season.
Most of the game’s remainder was an exhibition of futility for New York, particularly when it got runners into scoring position. Carson Benge walked and stole second to start the second but never even got to third as Rivera sandwiched two strikeouts around a popup.
The biggest blown chances came in the seventh and eighth. The Mets filled the bases with two outs in the seventh via walks by Eric Wagaman and Bo Bichette sandwiched around a single from Francisco Alvarez. But Justin Slaten slipped a called third strike by A.J. Ewing to quash the threat.
In the eighth, walks by Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor started the inning. Benge’s fly ball to right pushed Soto to third but Jorge Polanco bounced into a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat.
New York went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding nine for the day.
–Field Level Media
