Sports
For Red Sox, baseball suddenly is 'fun' as White Sox feel the opposite
Jul 8, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng (39) hits an RBI-single against the Chicago White Sox during the fourth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images With separate five-game winning streaks in the past two weeks, the Boston Red Sox continue to roll.
On Thursday afternoon, they’ll aim to keep a perfect road trip going and secure a sweep of the slumping Chicago White Sox.
Boston is 5-0 to start a nine-game trip entering the All-Star break and has won 10 of its past 12 games overall. The Red Sox beat Chicago 5-0 Wednesday night to earn a series victory against the White Sox, who have lost five of their past seven contests.
“Man, we’re having fun,” Boston third baseman Caleb Durbin said. “It definitely feels different in the clubhouse, different in the dugout. I mean, we’re clicking. So, it’s a lot of fun when you’re stringing some wins together and obviously feels the best it’s felt yet.”
Chicago suddenly is feeling opposite vibes. The White Sox still lead the Cleveland Guardians by one game atop the American League Central despite their slump, but a potent lineup has gone cold to begin a six-game homestand.
Red Sox rookie left-handers Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett have combined to limit Chicago to eight hits in the series. The White Sox, fourth in the majors in home runs, have not scored in the past 11 innings.
“A couple tough arms, you know,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “These big lefties have really good fastballs and a lot of extension; these fastballs get on you a lot. We’ve just been seeing a lot of foul balls. … Just got to continue to compete.”
White Sox shortstop Luisangel Acuna collected two of the team’s four hits in Wednesday’s shutout loss. Colson Montgomery struck out three times and is 0-for-8 in the series.
Meanwhile, three Red Sox delivered two-hit games Wednesday. Tsung-Che Cheng had a pair of RBI singles while Ceddanne Rafaela and Durbin also had two hits.
Left-hander Anthony Kay (6-3, 4.29 ERA) will aim to help the White Sox salvage a game in the series while trying for his first victory since June 12.
Kay has worked four innings or less in three of his past four starts. That includes last Thursday’s no-decision at Cleveland, when he spaced one run and one hit in four innings with two walks and two strikeouts before storms forced a lengthy rain delay that kept him from returning. Chicago lost 6-5.
Kay is 1-0 with a 5.63 ERA in five relief appearances vs. Boston, scattering 10 strikeouts and 10 hits in eight innings.
Boston left-hander Patrick Sandoval will oppose Kay in his first major league appearance since June 21, 2024, following a recovery from Tommy John surgery and other injuries. The Red Sox activated Sandoval from the 60-day injured list on Monday.
“This whole process has been mentally draining and challenging, obviously,” Sandoval said. “The physical stuff, the setbacks and the pain, or whatever, but it took a toll mentally, for sure, and it just taught me a lot.”
Sandoval is 0-3 with a 7.63 ERA in three career starts against the White Sox covering 15 1/3 innings.
Red Sox infielders Willson Contreras (left foot contusion) and Anthony Seigler (right trapezius contusion) left Wednesday’s game in the third inning due to injuries.
Boston interim manager Chad Tracy said after the game that Contreras could put weight on his foot and Seigler was experiencing soreness. Contreras told reporters he believes his injury is day-to-day.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nneka Ogwumike, Rae Burrell guide Sparks to victory over Fever
Jul 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks to pass as Los Angeles Sparks guard Erica Wheeler (17) defends during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Nneka Ogwumike scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Rae Burrell finished with 22 points, and the Los Angeles Sparks earned a 106-92 win over the visiting Indiana Fever on Wednesday.
Los Angeles (9-11) ended a run of three consecutive losses, all blowouts, since Kelsey Plum sustained a left leg injury on June 21. Included in that run was a 111-87 setback at Indiana on June 27.
However, in the return matchup on Wednesday, the Sparks found the right combination of balanced offense and defense to pull out of their tailspin. Every Los Angeles player who saw the floor scored, led by all five starters reaching double figures.
Dearica Hamby posted 21 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Ariel Atkins and Erica Wheeler each added 12 points. Wheeler dished six assists and Ogwumike added five.
Burrell shot 9-for-15 from the floor to finish two points shy of matching her career high. Burrell also delivered in clutch moments during the second half, including one fourth-quarter sequence in which she dished to a streaking Erica Wheeler for a basket, then on the ensuing possession attacked the rim for a twisting reverse layup.
Burrell’s big night also included a pair of 3-pointers, as the Sparks shot 9-for-20 from long range to match their total of made triples from the previous two games combined.
Indiana (12-9) welcomed Caitlin Clark back to the lineup after she missed two games with a back injury, but the third-year guard was limited to 15:39 of playing time. She shot just 4-of-12 from the floor and finished with nine points, four rebounds, three assists and four turnovers.
Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 29 points to pace Indiana. Damiris Dantas scored 12, and Tyasha Harris added 10. Monique Billings grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Fever were without leading rebounder and key interior presence Aliyah Boston, however. She was scratched from the lineup due to a right leg injury.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pete Crow-Armstrong homers twice as Cubs outslug Orioles
Jul 8, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) is congratulated by infielder Michael Busch (29) after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two of Chicago’s five home runs and the Cubs held on to beat the host Baltimore Orioles 9-7 on Wednesday night.
Crow-Armstrong’s second long ball of the game and 21st of the season put the Cubs ahead for good, 4-3 in the fifth inning, before the teams combined for nine runs across the last three innings.
Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly hit back-to-back solo blasts in the fifth, then two batters later, Crow-Armstrong went deep. Crow-Armstrong earlier hit a solo shot in the third inning, and Seiya Suzuki added a three-run homer in the seventh.
The Cubs, who will go for a sweep of the three-game series on Thursday, produced their offense with eight hits and four walks. They won for the eighth time in the past 10 games.
Tyler O’Neill hit two home runs across the final three innings for the Orioles, and Pete Alonso and Coby Mayo also homered. Jackson Holliday rapped four of Baltimore’s 14 hits, but he never scored a run in what became the team’s third consecutive loss.
Right-hander Colin Rea (7-5) won his second start in a row, allowing three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two. Jacob Webb was called upon to pitch the ninth, and the right-hander notched his fourth save by retiring the side in order.
Baltimore right-hander Dean Kremer (1-2) gave up four runs on six hits in five innings in his second start after coming off the injury list. He fanned four and walked one.
Following Crow-Armstrong’s third-inning home run, the Orioles built a 3-1 lead on Alonso’s two-run homer in the fourth.
Chicago’s three-homer fifth inning was followed by a five-run seventh for a 9-3 advantage.
O’Neill entered the game in the seventh as a pinch hitter and delivered his first homer of the game. The Orioles tacked on another run on Taylor Ward’s run-scoring single but stranded two runners on base while trailing 9-5.
Mayo slugged a pinch-hit homer in the eighth before O’Neill made it back-to-back blasts for the Orioles.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mookie Betts' tiebreaking hit sends Dodgers to series win over Rockies
Jul 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker (23) hits a 2-RBI single in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Mookie Betts delivered a go-ahead single in the eighth inning and Kyle Tucker drove in two runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled off a 4-3 victory over the visiting Colorado Rockies on Wednesday.
Roki Sasaki rebounded from a shaky outing last week to allow three runs over six innings as the Dodgers managed to win two of three in the series despite seeing early leads erased in all three games. Los Angeles improved to 21-3 at home against Colorado since 2023.
Edgardo Henriquez (4-0) recorded one out to earn the win, and Tanner Scott pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 13th save.
In his first career start and second appearance, Colorado’s Gabriel Hughes allowed three runs over six innings, and he retired 16 of the last 17 batters he faced. Kyle Karros and Edouard Julien homered for the Rockies, who played a trio of one-run games against Los Angeles.
The Dodgers were quick to get to Hughes in the opening inning. Tommy Edman singled with one out, Freddie Freeman doubled and Betts walked to load the bases. Edman scored on a wild pitch, and Tucker later delivered a two-out, two run single for a 3-0 lead.
Karros and Julien both went deep in the second inning, cutting the Rockies’ deficit to 3-2. It was Karros’ eighth of the season and second ever at Dodger Stadium, where his father, Eric Karros, holds the ballpark record with 130 homers.
Colorado pulled even in the third inning when Brett Sullivan walked and ultimately scored on a sacrifice fly by Mickey Moniak.
Hughes allowed four hits and two walks while fanning seven. Sasaki gave up four hits and a walk, and he struck out five.
The Rockies missed out on a chance to take the lead in the eighth inning when they had runners on second and third with no outs and the bases loaded with one out. TJ Rumfield struck out against Alex Vesia, and Karros flied out against Henriquez.
Edman and Freeman hit one-out singles in the bottom of the eighth off Antonio Senzatela (8-1) before Betts provided the tiebreaking hit.
–Field Level Media
Nneka Ogwumike, Rae Burrell guide Sparks to victory over Fever
Pete Crow-Armstrong homers twice as Cubs outslug Orioles
