Sports
Injury-plagued Tigers hope Troy Melton continues success vs. White Sox
Detroit Tigers pitcher Troy Melton (52) throws against Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. Troy Melton missed his most recent turn in the Detroit rotation due to back tightness. The right-hander avoided a trip to the injured list, however, and is scheduled to start for the Tigers against the visiting Chicago White Sox on Saturday.
The Tigers won the opener of the three-game series 4-3 on Friday.
Melton (3-0, 2.81 ERA) had his season debut delayed until late May due to right elbow inflammation. He has wasted no time giving the Tigers’ rotation a boost, winning three of his first four starts.
The only time Melton didn’t notch a victory came against the White Sox on May 29, but it was a quality performance. He limited Chicago to one run and six hits in seven innings, but the Tigers lost 4-3 in 10 innings.
Melton is 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA in three career outings (two starts) against the White Sox.
Keeping Melton healthy is crucial for the Tigers, who continue to deal with a host of injuries.
Justin Verlander, who has pitched just once this season due to a left hip ailment, was slated to return on Sunday. Instead, he will be out several more weeks due to a left hamstring strain.
Starter Jack Flaherty is on the injured list due to a left ankle injury.
Key position players Gleyber Torres, Wenceel Perez, Javier Baez and Parker Meadows are also sidelined. Perez fractured his left orbital bone in Houston this week when he was hit in the face by a resistance band.
“We will know more when we get through the eye doctor and face doctor and see where he’s at in terms of activity level. But he’s safe and he’s in a good place,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “The swelling has started to go down.”
The Tigers called up 27-year-old outfielder Trei Cruz from Triple-A Toledo to take his place. Cruz’s grandfather, Jose Cruz, and father, Jose Cruz Jr., both played in the majors. Trei Cruz went hitless in three at-bats on Friday in his major league debut.
“He’s had to work hard to get here,” Hinch said. “It just shows, not everyone’s journey to the big leagues is a smooth ride. I love that he’s been tough enough to handle it.”
No matter who is wearing the White Sox uniform this season is seemingly producing. Chicago called up Junior Perez from Triple-A Charlotte this week to fill in for Everson Pereira, who sustained a concussion while hitting the outfield wall as he made a catch against the New York Yankees on Wednesday.
Perez delivered the first two hits of his career on Friday, including a solo homer.
“He is an above-average runner, defender on the corners and projects about average in center field,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “Stolen bases are part of his game. He has plus power and makes plus decisions at the plate. He is very similar to Pereira.”
Perez played 36 games for Triple-A Las Vegas in the Athletics’ system this season before the White Sox acquired him in a trade last month.
Sean Newcomb was a late choice to be the opener for the Saturday contest as Venable will employ a bullpen game. It will be his first start this year after 28 relief outings.
The 33-year-old left-hander exited his most recent appearance on Wednesday against the Yankees due to a left triceps contusion after getting hit by Anthony Volpe’s line drive. He allowed three runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Newcomb has a 1.74 ERA and no decisions in five career appearances (all in relief) vs. the Tigers. He did not give up a hit in 2 2/3 scoreless innings against Detroit on May 29.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Error with 2 out in ninth gives Dodgers walk-off win over Orioles
Jun 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeland (76) scores against Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Dalton Rushing delivered the game-tying RBI single with two outs in the ninth inning and Ryan Ward raced home on a throwing error by right fielder Tyler O’Neill to win it as the Los Angeles Dodgers roared back to edge the visiting Baltimore Orioles 6-5 in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.
The Orioles scored five straight runs via back-to-back homers by Gunnar Henderson and Pete Alonso in the sixth and a tie-breaking two-RBI single by Jeremiah Jackson in the seventh before the Dodgers came back against Baltimore closer Ryan Helsley (0-3).
Freddie Freeman grounded out leading off against Helsley, who was making his second appearance after missing seven weeks with a right elbow injury. Mookie Bets followed with a homer to make it 5-4. Max Muncy walked and Tommy Edman popped out before Ward worked a four-pitch walk.
Rushing fell behind 0-2 before singling to right on a 1-2 pitch. Alex Call, pinch running for Muncy, slid in with the tying run as O’Neill’s throw glanced off the glove of catcher Samuel Basillo and skipped towards the Dodgers dugout and well beyond Helsley. Ward never broke stride as he rounded third and scored the winning run standing up.
Blake Treinen (4-1) struck out two in a perfect ninth as the Dodgers earned their fourth straight win.
Muncy produced a two-run single in the first and Andy Pages laced an RBI double in the second to stake the Dodgers to a 3-0 lead.
The Orioles have lost five of six.
Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki allowed three runs on four hits and one walk while striking out six over 5 2/3 innings. He allowed just two baserunners in the first five innings before Jackson Holliday led off the sixth with a single and scored two outs later on Henderson’s homer. Alonso chased Sasaki with a blast to left.
Orioles starter Trey Gibson gave up three runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out eight over five innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
10-man Paraguay eke out win over 1-0 Turkey, still alive in World Cup
June 19, 2026; Santa Clara, California, U.S.; Paraguay’s Matias Galarza celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images Paraguay’s Matias Galarza scored the fastest goal in any World Cup match this year barely more than a minute in, leading Paraguay to a 1-0 win over Turkey on Friday night in Santa Clara, Calif.
The South American team overcame the loss of veteran Miguel Almiron to a red card just before halftime.
Paraguay (1-1-0, 3 points) kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the knockout stages, after the U.S. defeated Australia 2-0 earlier Friday in Group D. The U.S. (2-0-0, 6 points) clinched first place in the group thanks to the Paraguay-Turkey result.
Australia (1-1-0, 3 points) will face Paraguay on Thursday in Santa Clara, with the Aussies needing only a draw to clinch second place. Turkey (0-2-0, 0 points) were eliminated ahead of their group finale against the U.S. on Thursday in Inglewood, Calif.
Galarza delivered his decisive strike from 25 yards out as three defenders converged on him.
Turkey had shots hit the crossbar and the goalpost, rattling the woodwork but not going in.
Turkey pressed for a tying goal early in the second half but came up short, though they played with a man advantage for the last 45-plus minutes.
Almiron was shown a red card for covering his mouth when talking to an opposing player, a gesture banned under a new FIFA rule.
Can Uzun shot just wide in the 82nd minute, one of several attempts for Turkey as they desperately tried to salvage a point to stay alive for possible advancement.
An 85th-minute cross filtered through the box in front of the goal, another late missed Turkey chance. Three more attempts in the closing minutes didn’t hit the target, and Turkey players crumpled to the ground at the final whistle in disbelief over their elimination from advancement in the World Cup.
Turkey had five shots on target and 31 shots overall, while Paraguay had just two and seven, respectively. Turkey also had 11 corner kicks to zero for Paraguay, but Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill made five saves for the clean-sheet win.
–Field Level Media
Sports
A's storm back from 7-run deficit to edge Angels in 10th
Jun 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto (9) celebrates with first baseman Nolan Schanuel (18) after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images Jonah Heim drilled a pinch-hit, tying two-run homer in the ninth inning and Nick Kurtz drew a bases-loaded walk in the 10th as the Athletics rallied from seven runs down to post a wild 12-11 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Heim’s homer came off Sam Bachman with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Jacob Wilson homered and drove in three runs and Lawrence Butler and Max Muncy also went deep for the Athletics.
Jose Siri and Logan O’Hoppe each slammed three-run homers as the Angels tied their season best with five blasts. Denzer Guzman added a two-run homer and Zach Neto and Nolan Schanuel hit solo shots as the Angels lost for the fifth time in six games.
Butler started the 10th as the runner on second and Henry Bolte walked off Kirby Yates (0-3). Butler and Bolte then executed a double steal. One out later, Yates hit Gelof in the helmet to load the bases.
Samy Natera Jr. entered to face Kurtz and walked him on five pitches.
Elvis Alvarado (3-1) gave up one hit in two scoreless frames for the A’s.
O’Hoppe and Oswald Peraza each had three hits for Los Angeles. The Angels also hit five homers during a 7-1 road victory over the New York Yankees on April 14.
The Angels fell to 7-for-23 in save opportunities.
Zack Gelof had one hit to extend his career-best hitting streak to 23, the top active run in the majors.
Tyler Soderstrom had three hits, including a one-out double in the ninth. Bachman then retired Wilson before Heim drilled the tying homer.
The Angels recovered from a four-run deficit and scored the next 11 runs, including seven in the fourth inning.
Christian Moore hit a sacrifice fly to get Los Angeles on the board in the fourth before Guzman delivered a two-run homer. Siri later slugged a three-run shot to make it 6-4.
Justin Sterner entered and Neto ripped his second pitch over the wall.
O’Hoppe came up with two on and two outs in the fifth and homered to make it 10-4.
Schanuel delivered a one-out homer in the sixth for a seven-run advantage.
The A’s tallied in the sixth when Gelof hit a broken-bat single off Mitch Farris to score Butler.
Wilson hit a two-run blast in the seventh to pull the A’s within 11-7.
One inning later, Muncy hit a two-run blast off Chase Silseth.
Jose Soriano gave up four runs and six hits over five innings for Los Angeles.
Springs gave up six runs and four hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Earlier, Butler sent a fastball over the fence in the second inning to put the A’s ahead.
In the third, Shea Langeliers and Wilson had RBI doubles and Carlos Cortes’ infield out plated another to make it 4-0.
–Field Level Media
