Sports
In first on the Fourth, Guardians aim to build division lead vs. White Sox
Jun 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Parker Messick (77) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images Parker Messick couldn’t contain his excitement when it was announced that he would start for the Cleveland Guardians on the Fourth of July against the Chicago White Sox.
The left-hander ordered snazzy red, white and blue cleats for the occasion, which he modeled for reporters earlier in Cleveland’s homestand and called “pretty sweet.”
Messick (7-5, 2.85 ERA) will take on White Sox right-hander Sean Burke (5-4, 3.69) as the top two teams in the American League Central continue their four-game series on Saturday night.
“You’re just jealous,” Messick told fellow pitcher Gavin Williams, who did appear envious of the package delivered to the clubhouse. “Just wait ‘til you see the special hats and jerseys we’re wearing, too. It’s going to be really cool.”
The Guardians’ play has been pretty sweet in the first two games of the series. They now hold a one-game lead over Chicago — and have defeated the White Sox nine straight times in Cleveland — after winning on walk-off hits Thursday and Friday.
Brayan Rocchio’s two-run homer in the ninth inning off Grant Taylor lifted the Guardians to a 6-5 victory in the opener. Rookie Kahlil Watson singled in Steven Kwan in the 10th inning to give them a 4-3 triumph Friday.
Watson, who made his major league debut on June 18, has thrived against the White Sox with a .400 average, one homer and seven RBIs in five games. His game-winning single off Sean Newcomb was his first walk-off hit.
“No moment, no scene seems to be too much for him,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “It’s been really fun to see. Obviously, a really cool moment for him and a huge win for us.”
Messick is 1-1 with a 1.98 ERA in two career starts against Chicago, striking out 14 with just two walks over 13 2/3 innings. The loss occurred on June 23, when he allowed two runs in 7 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts in the Windy City.
Still classified as a rookie, Messick is experiencing his first rocky stretch in the big leagues, going 1-4 with a 4.26 ERA over his past five starts. Prior to it, he had won nine of 11 decisions since making his major league debut last Aug. 20.
“It’s an ongoing process, I’m still young in my career,” Messick said. “We’re starting to figure out what makes me feel the best going into each start.”
Burke, who will be tasked with stopping Cleveland’s momentum, has been solid of late with a 3-1 record and 3.18 ERA in his past seven outings. That includes beating Messick 11 days ago, when he gave up one run in 6 1/3 innings.
In five lifetime appearances against the Guardians, Burke is 1-2 with a 3.48 ERA and has permitted 32 players to reach base in 20 2/3 innings.
“Our guys are really consistent,” Chicago manager Will Venable said. “They flush whatever happened in the past, and are excited to come to the ballpark and give every ounce of energy they have.”
The common thread in the losses has been poor command by White Sox pitchers, who walked nine in the opener and five Friday. In the latter, deposed closer Seranthony Dominguez was handed a 3-1 lead in the seventh, but walked Rhys Hoskins and Rocchio, and allowed them to score.
“When you’re facing the Guardians, limiting the free passes is No. 1 on the pitching side, as far as a way to beat these guys,” Venable said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pro-Argentina crowd helps spur dramatic win over Cape Verde
July 3, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Argentina fans in the stands during the match. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images When Argentina twice conceded equalizing goals to Cape Verde in the round of 32 on Friday night, the decidedly partisan Albiceleste crowd did not grow quiet.
If anything, the volume increased as La Doce made the stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., their own, imploring their side to a 3-2, extra-time victory that will go down as one of the all-time great World Cup matches.
For Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, it was very much appreciated.
“I think the (fans) are the first ones who understand that this is Argentina, nothing is easy,” Scaloni said through an interpreter. “When you have bad results, you must have character as you have 47 million people rooting for you, and you need the courage to bounce back from that. And this team has it. I think people know it.”
At a tournament where critics have questioned whether the matchday atmosphere would suffer as a result of record-high ticket prices, Argentina’s supporters have continued to do whatever it takes to pack American stadiums.
It was particularly true Friday in South Florida, which has one of the country’s highest concentrations of Argentine lineage, and an MLS team in Inter Miami that is the club home of Albiceleste stars Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.
“There are Argentinians everywhere,” Messi said through an interpreter. “Many people came here. Even those who came without tickets, they had a lot of excitement, and they supported us as they always do.”
Fans of other South American nations — particularly Colombia and Ecuador — have also created fiercely partisan environments despite ticket prices.
Yet after Argentina ended a 36-year drought and won the 2022 World Cup, perhaps none are as unrelenting as those who support the Albiceleste with the confidence that such support will be rewarded.
That was eventually true Friday, long after Messi opened the scoring with his World Cup-record-increasing 20th career goal. The matter wasn’t settled until Cristian Romero’s 111th-minute header caromed off Cape Verde defender Diney Borges and over the line.
Even Cape Verde manager Bubista noticed the resiliency of Argentina’s support following his side’s two game-tying goals, including a fabulous strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral that made it 2-all in the 103rd minute.
“Looking at the stadium virtually filled with Argentinians also shows the greatness of the team, of the nation, of their football,” he said. “I think they’re already used to that. Obviously the public in attendance tonight helped with that at points.
“Even when we equalized, we felt the (fans) cheering Argentina on in moments of difficulty throughout the match.”
–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media
Sports
Jake McCarthy belts leadoff homer, slam as Rockies rout Giants
Jul 3, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies outfielder Jake McCarthy (31) celebrates after hitting a first pitch home run in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Jake McCarthy hit the first pitch of the home half of the first inning for a home run and later added a grand slam, propelling the Colorado Rockies to a 15-3 shellacking of the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a three-game series Friday night in Denver.
McCarthy finished with four hits and a career-high six RBIs, and Cole Carrigg drove in three runs and tripled twice for the Rockies, who won their third game in a row.
The 15 runs were Colorado’s second most this season, one more than the Rockies put up in a 14-4 home win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday but far below their total in a 23-9 win over the Athletics on June 14 in Las Vegas.
McCarthy’s first-swing homer came off Giants ace Logan Webb (5-6), the National League Pitcher of the Month for June. Webb struggled through a three-inning outing, allowing seven runs and 11 hits. He walked two and struck out two.
The Rockies wasted no time piling on Webb after McCarthy’s homer. They scored twice more on three more hits in the first inning, then tallied two more in both the second and third innings, building a 7-1 lead.
Ezequiel Tovar launched his seventh homer to account for the second-inning runs. Carrigg had his first triple in the third before scoring on a fielder’s choice, and McCarthy added an RBI single.
Up 7-2, Colorado busted the game wide open with a seven-run fifth, highlighted by McCarthy’s second career grand slam. The blast made the left fielder just the seventh player in major league history to record a leadoff home run and a grand slam in the same game, according to MLB.com.
The two homers gave McCarthy nine for the season.
Rockies starter Ryan Feltner (3-2) coasted through six innings, striking out nine. He allowed all three Giants runs, two earned, on six hits and no walks.
Making his major league debut, Gabriel Hughes shut out the Giants on two hits over the final three innings to earn a save.
Kyle Karros scored three times, while McCarthy, Tovar, Carrigg, Hunter Goodman and Edouard Julien all scored twice for the Rockies, who improved to 3-1 against the Giants this season. Tovar also compiled three hits and three RBIs, Karros had the club’s third triple among his three hits, and Goodman and Mickey Moniak chipped in with two hits apiece.
Colorado totaled 18 hits, seven for extra bases.
Rafael Devers belted his 16th home run among two hits and Casey Schmitt had a pair of singles for the Giants, who have lost three of four to begin a six-game trip.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Early goal carries Colombia past Ghana, into round of 16
July 3, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.; Colombia’s Jhon Arias celebrates scoring their first goal. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Jhon Arias scored the lone goal in the 14th minute and Colombia earned a spot in the World Cup’s round of 16 with a 1-0 victory over Ghana on Friday in Kansas City, Mo.
Arias’ goal held up as the Colombian defense didn’t allow Ghana to get a single shot on goal against goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.
Colombia will face Switzerland in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Vancouver.
Colombia didn’t qualify for the 2022 World Cup, but they did reach the round of 16 in 2018 and the quarterfinals in 2014.
Lawrence Ati Zigi was stellar in goal with seven saves for Ghana.
Colombia had a 16-8 edge in shots and placed eight on target.
Luis Suarez set up the Colombia goal when he sent a cross from the right side toward the center. The ball narrowly sailed over the heads of two players — one from each team — to the wide-open Arias, who sent a right-footed shot into the far corner.
Luis Diaz had a solid opportunity for Colombia in the 39th minute, but his close-range right-footed shot was wide left.
Colombia kept the heat on and had a chance in the first minute of first-half stoppage time. Daniel Munoz sent a cross over to Johan Mojica, but his header was knocked aside by Zigi’s right hand.
Zigi made two big saves in a short span of the second half to keep the margin at one.
In the 55th minute, Gustavo Puerta took a shot from the left side and pinpointed it for the far post, but Zigi knocked the ball away with both hands. Three minutes later, Diaz had another close-range opportunity, but Zigi again thwarted his right-footed shot.
Colombia took another shot at adding to the lead on Juan Fernando Quintero’s corner kick in the 81st minute. Davinson Sanchez fought to find positioning, but his header was saved by Zigi.
As time dwindled away, Colombia kept on the pressure as Ghana struggled to come close to an equalizer.
–Field Level Media
Marvel’s Most Underrated Villain Just Returned, And Nobody Noticed
Pro-Argentina crowd helps spur dramatic win over Cape Verde
