Sports
Fresh off bitter loss, Cards take aim at MLB-worst Angels
Jul 10, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Kyle Leahy (62) throws against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Coming in off arguably their worst loss of the season, the St. Louis Cardinals open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night in Anaheim, Calif.
St. Louis, in a three-way tie for the final wild-card spot in the National League, squandered a 7-0 lead while dropping the decisive contest of their three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks, 8-7, in 10 innings on Sunday in Phoenix.
The seven-run comeback matched the largest in team history for the Diamondbacks, who are just a half-game back of the Cardinals, Miami and Pittsburgh in the race for the final wild card.
Max Kepler lined a double over the head of right fielder Lars Nootbaar with one out in the 10th inning to drive in automatic runner Jorge Barrosa to win it for Arizona, which trailed 7-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.
It marked the first time since July 2010 that St. Louis blew a lead of seven or more runs in a loss. Rubbing more salt in the wound was the fact ex-Cardinal Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to forge a 7-7 tie.
“We don’t deserve to win that game in any way, to be quite honest with you,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “We did a nice job early getting ahead, but the way that one unfolded … I tell you what, there’s a lot of learning opportunities in that one. It stings. It (stinks), and no one is more mad than me. At the end of the day, we gave that one away.”
Marmol said it was important for his team to move on from the bitter loss and focus on its three-game series against a Los Angeles team that owns the worst record in baseball at 39-61.
“We already talked about it,” Marmol said. “Dwell on (the loss) for the time being, take what you need out of it. Before you guys were let in here, they were already talking about some of the things that we felt that we gave away. Their ability to (rebound) quickly and move on to the next day is, at this point, part of our identity.”
Kyle Leahy (7-4, 3.73 ERA) gets the start in the potential bounce-back game for St. Louis. He will be opposed by fellow right-hander Jose Soriano (8-6, 3.49).
Leahy is 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA in three career relief appearances against the Angels. He hasn’t allowed a hit over 5 1/3 innings.
He threw three shutout innings and allowed one hit in a 2-1 home win over Atlanta in his last start on July 10. He departed after throwing just three pitches in the fourth inning because of a two-hour, 44-minute rain delay.
Soriano has started against the Cardinals once in his career. That came in 2024 when he allowed two hits over 5 1/3 shutout innings and struck out six in a game that St. Louis used an eight-run seventh to rally for a 10-5 victory at Angel Stadium. Even more coincidental is the fact Leahy picked up the win with 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief.
Soriano, the American League Pitcher of the Month in April, is 0-2 in his last five starts following an 8-0 home victory over Tampa Bay on June 13.
The Angels held on for a 3-2 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon to snap a four-game losing streak. It was just the third win in the last 15 games for Kurt Suzuki’s squad.
Right-hander Ryan Johnson allowed a leadoff homer to fellow rookie Kevin McGonigle on the third pitch of the game but rebounded to allow no more runs and just one more hit over five innings to pick up his third career victory.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever given up a leadoff home run, so that’s a new experience,” said Johnson, 23. “But I was able to stay focused, stay with the game plan and attack.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fever's defense trending up ahead of visit from Sun
Jun 13, 2026; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) drives the ball against Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers (22) during the second half at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Defensive improvement has contributed to the Indiana Fever’s current stretch of success.
Aiming for a third straight win, the Fever look to continue that stinginess in Indianapolis on Wednesday night against the Connecticut Sun, one of WNBA’s lowest-scoring teams.
Indiana (16-10) averages a league-high 94.4 points, but ranks near the bottom defensively, giving up 89.7 per contest. However, amid a 6-2 stretch, the Fever have held six opponents to 89 or fewer points.
On Saturday, they outscored the visiting New York Liberty 30-12 during the third quarter, paving the way for a 108-88 victory.
“We know we can score, but for us to accomplish what we want to accomplish, we’ve got to get better on the defensive end,” Indiana coach Stephanie White said.
The Fever held Connecticut (7-19) to nine second-quarter points and 5-of-17 shooting from 3-point range during their 85-75 road win June 13.
Caitlin Clark had 25 points, just above her average of 20.7 per game. The Indiana superstar has been on a minutes restriction over the last four games while dealing with a lingering back issue. With one game left before the All-Star break, she could receive another night of rest.
Star teammate Kelsey Mitchell (23.3 points) looks to record at least 20 points in an 11th straight contest. After scoring 30 in Indiana’s 110-107 win over Seattle on Friday, Mitchell dropped 33 on 10-of-14 shooting against the Liberty.
“She’s just a ballplayer,” White said. “She just wants to play.”
Mitchell scored 19 last month against the Sun, who will try to snap a four-game series losing streak to the Fever.
Though Connecticut is next-to-last in the league standings, while scoring 79.7 points per game, the team is 5-4 since losing seven in a row from June 2-19.
“Be mentally ready,” Sun coach Rachid Meziane said. “We have to be ready to respond by showing character.”
The Sun’s attempt at a third straight victory ended with a 72-63 loss at Phoenix on Sunday. They shot 37.9% overall, finished 4 of 14 from 3-point range and committed 21 turnovers that led to 22 points for the Mercury.
Connecticut center Olivia Nelson-Ododa tallied 12 points and 12 rebounds Sunday. She has averaged 11.7 points in her last 10 games, and posted 12 with seven boards against Indiana in June.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Georgia RB Dante Dowdell injured in accident
Nov 8, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats running back Dante Dowdell (2) runs the ball during the third quarter against the Florida Gators at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images Georgia running back Dante Dowdell was admitted to an Atlanta hospital with serious injuries following an all-terrain vehicle accident, ESPN reported Tuesday.
Bulldogs head football coach Kirby Smart confirmed to ESPN that Dowdell was injured in the accident near his home in Mississippi.
Dowdell was set to join his fourth program in four seasons after he played as a freshman at Oregon before transfers to Nebraska for the 2024 season and Kentucky last season.
In 30 college games over three seasons, Dowdell has rushed for 1,264 yards on 272 carries with 16 touchdowns. His best season came with Nebraska when he ran for 614 yards on 143 carries with 12 TDs.
Smart said there is no timetable for a potential return, and no certainty that Dowdell will be able to recover in time to play this season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Aces face Mystic while searching for 'championship' form
Jul 20, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) reacts against the Toronto Tempo during the third quarter at Coca-Cola Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images The Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics have something in common as they prepare for Wednesday night’s meeting in Washington.
Both teams are coming off high-scoring outings in victories Monday night.
Las Vegas scored 60 first-half points on the way to a 109-83 road victory in Toronto. A’ja Wilson finished with 26 points to lead the Aces in scoring for the fourth consecutive game and put her league-leading scoring average at 25.6 points per game.
The Aces (18-7) have won three of their last four games.
“We just want to continue to gain momentum,” Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon said. “We’re still in the process of trying to get better. We’re not a championship product yet.”
Washington secured a 90-82 triumph at Golden State to match its highest scoring game that did not go into overtime. The Mystics finished off the victory with 36 fourth-quarter points.
The Mystics (13-12) are scoring a league-low 79.6 points per game, although an 18-3 run late in Monday’s game gave them a much-needed boost.
“This team is sizing up to be one of the mentally toughest teams I’ve ever coached,” Mystics coach Sydney Johnson said. “It’s inspiring. There’s a togetherness and toughness that we’re rooted in.”
Kiki Iriafen poured in 23 points on Monday after managing a combined eight points in her previous two games. She has reached at least 23 points in three of her last eight games.
Keeping the Aces under control will be vital for the Mystics. Las Vegas is third in the WNBA in scoring at 90.7 points per game.
“We’re fortunate to have the third-best defense in the league,” Johnson said.
Las Vegas connected on 14 shots from 3-point range Monday, while Wilson was 3-of-3 from long range.
“Even for (Wilson), it makes her off the dribble even more dangerous,” Hammon said of the ability for her star player to stretch out defenses.
Sonia Citron is Washington’s top scorer at 17.0 points per outing — a number she matched against Golden State.
The Mystics are 3-3 in home games across the past month.
This will mark the first meeting of the season between the teams, who will face each other three times across a stretch of about three weeks.
–Field Level Media
Fever's defense trending up ahead of visit from Sun
Report: Georgia RB Dante Dowdell injured in accident
