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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 ImagesJul 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

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Janelle Salaun's career night lifts Valkyries past Tempo

Jul 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN;  Golden State Valkyries guard Janelle Salaun (13) looks for a passing option as Toronto Tempo guard Laura Juskaite (2) defends in the first half at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn ImagesJul 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Golden State Valkyries guard Janelle Salaun (13) looks for a passing option as Toronto Tempo guard Laura Juskaite (2) defends in the first half at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Reserve Janelle Salaun scored a career-best 26 points that included three 3-pointers late in game Wednesday night and the Golden State Valkyries defeated the host Toronto Tempo 83-75.

Reserve Kaitlyn Chen added 16 points for the Valkyries (16-7), who have won a franchise-best six consecutive games in their second season.

Kayla Thornton scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds for Golden State, who are 3-0 on a five-game road trip. Salaun finished 7 of 10 from the floor, including 5 of 6 from long range, and was 7 of 9 at the free-throw line.

Isabelle Harrison scored a career-best 24 points and added eight rebounds for the Tempo (9-12), who have lost three in a row. Marina Mabrey added 11 points while Julie Allemand and Maria Conde each scored nine points.

The Tempo overcame a 13-point deficit to lead by 59-57 entering the fourth quarter. Chen scored the first four points of the fourth to propel a 12-0 run that gave Golden State a 10-point lead with 7:01 to play.

Harrison’s driving layup cut the Valkyries’ lead to six, 71-65 with 3:33 remaining. Salaun hit two consecutive 3-pointers to increase the lead to 12 with 1:47 to play. After Harrison’s layup, Salaun made another 3-pointer to ice the game with 1:16 left.

The Valkyries shot 2-for-13 from the field in the first quarter and trailed 17-11.

Golden State opened the second on a 10-0 surge capped by Chen’s steal and layup to lead by four with 6:43 to play before halftime. Thornton hit a 3-pointer with 3:03 remaining to bump the lead to 10 as the Valkyries’ strong defense began to make its presence felt. Thornton added an 11-footer to increase the margin to 12. Golden State led 41-31 at halftime.

Thornton opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer. The Tempo turned up their defense and responded with a 17-2 run capped by Allemand’s 19-footer to take a 48-46 lead with 4:17 to go in the third. Kia Nurse completed the third-quarter scoring with a 3-pointer that gave Toronto a 59-57 lead.

Toronto center Nyara Sabally left the game in the first quarter with a left knee injury and did not return. She had two points in about seven minutes.

Golden State guard Gabby Williams left with a back contusion in the second half. She had seven points in 18 minutes.

–Field Level Media

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Pete Crow-Armstrong, 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 ImagesJul 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 again. Seiya Suzuki added a three-run homer in the seventh.

The Cubs, who will go for a series sweep Thursday night, produced their offense with eight hits and four walks as the team won for the eighth time in its last 10 games.

Tyler O’Neill hit two home runs across the final three innings for the Orioles, while 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. 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.

Following Crow-Armstrong’s third-inning home run, the Orioles built a 3-1 lead after 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 homers for the Orioles.

–Field Level Media

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Tigers roll past Athletics behind Troy Melton’s career-best performance

Detroit Tigers pitcher Troy Melton (52) throws a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.Detroit Tigers pitcher Troy Melton (52) throws a pitch against the Athletics during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

Spencer Torkelson blasted a three-run homer, Troy Melton struck out a career-high nine batters, and the streaking Detroit Tigers rolled past the struggling Athletics, 6-1, on Wednesday.

Jake Rogers came off the bench and contributed two hits, including a two-run homer, while scoring twice. Riley Greene added two hits and drove in a run.

Melton allowed one run (zero earned) and four hits in 5 1/3 innings in Detroit’s seventh win in its last eight games. A trio of relievers held the Athletics scoreless the rest of the way.

A’s starter Jeffrey Springs gave up six runs and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out four. Springs has lost his last nine decisions.

Joshua Kuroda-Grauer had three hits for the Athletics, who have lost five straight and nine of their last 10.

Both teams had an All-Star leave the game in the second inning. A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz departed due to an illness, while Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler exited after getting hit on his throwing hand with a foul ball.

The Tigers scored in the first inning. Dingler reached on an infield single and Kevin McGonigle and Torkelson drew walks, loading the bases. Greene drove in Dingler with a single.

The A’s stranded two baserunners in the second. Detroit then made it 3-0 in the bottom of the inning. Zach McKinstry walked. Then with two out, Rogers drove a Springs fastball over the left field wall for his second homer this season.

The A’s broke through in the fourth. Tyler Soderstrom hit a one-out double and scored when shortstop McKinstry made a throwing error on Jacob Wilson’s grounder.

Melton struck out the side in the fifth. His teammates then extended the lead to 6-1.

Rogers and McGonigle had one-out singles before Torkelson launched a Springs slider over the left field wall for his 15th homer.

The A’s stranded two baserunners in each of the sixth and seventh innings.

–Field Level Media

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