Sports
Jon Singleton's double lifts Astros over Angels
Sep 19, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (16) pitches against the Los Angeles Angels in the third inning at Minute Maid Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Jon Singleton slapped a two-run, two-out double into center field in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Houston Astros remained unbeaten in nine games started by Yusei Kikuchi by claiming the opener of a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Thursday.
Singleton capped a rally against Angels reliever Ryan Miller (0-1) by lining a 1-2 sweeper to center field. Yordan Alvarez — who worked a leadoff walk — and Yainer Diaz scored on the play to snap a 1-1 deadlock.
Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu (3-3) and Josh Hader — who notched his 32nd save — worked a scoreless inning each as the Astros (83-70) reduced their magic number to clinch the American League West to five games.
Shackled by Angels left-hander Jose Suarez, who made his second start this season, the Astros relied on the errant defense of Angels third baseman Eric Wagaman to rally from a 1-0 deficit.
Wagaman committed three errors, including two on a Jeremy Pena grounder leading off the second. Suarez pitched around that miscue but when Diaz reached on a Wagaman fielding error to open the fourth, Suarez wasn’t quite as fortunate. He surrendered consecutive singles to Pena and Victor Caratini, with the second hit driving home Diaz and tying the game.
Suarez allowed one unearned run on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings.
It was an inauspicious first inning for Kikuchi, who surrendered a leadoff home run to Angels left fielder Taylor Ward, his fifth leadoff homer in his last 19 games. Ward became the first Angels player since Mike Trout in 2012 to record five leadoff home runs in a season, as his 25th homer carried 416 feet to left-center and spotted the Angels a 1-0 lead.
Kikuchi surrendered two additional baserunners in the first: a walk to Nolan Schanuel and a single to Brandon Drury. But Kikuchi rallied with consecutive strikeouts of Logan O’Hoppe and Wagaman and rolled from there, allowing three additional hits — all singles.
Kikuchi sidestepped two-out singles from Jack Lopez and Jordyn Adams in the second and fourth, respectively, and struck out O’Hoppe and Wagaman in succession again in the sixth after Schanuel opened that frame with a single. Kikuchi retired the Angels (62-91) in order in the third and fifth, completing six frames with five hits and one walk on his ledger. He recorded nine strikeouts to increase his total to 68 strikeouts over 54 innings and nine starts with the Astros.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy hoping to leave hospital Monday
Oct 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) runs the ball during the first half against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy is in “good spirits” after being shot in the leg at a concert last weekend and hopes to check out of the hospital on Monday, Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz told ESPN on Saturday.
Hardy, an All-American last season, returned to Columbia, Mo., earlier this week following the incident on May 10 at an outdoor concert in Mississippi.
Drinkwitz said Hardy still is in the hospital to monitor his wounds post-surgery, but he is walking and doing physical therapy three times a day, per ESPN.
On Thursday, police arrested Rashodrick Harris in Paducah, Ky., in connection with the shooting in Laurel, Miss.
Hardy, 20, is a Mississippi native. He began his career at Louisiana-Monroe, where he was named the 2024 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year after he led the conference in rushing yards (1,351) and rushing touchdowns (13) on 237 attempts.
He transferred to Missouri, where he ranked second among FBS players with 1,649 rushing yards last season, a mark that broke the Tigers’ single-season record. He earned SEC Newcomer of the Year honors, was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and a consensus All-American while scoring 16 TDs and averaging 6.4 yards on his 256 rushing attempts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Red Sox SS Trevor Story headed to IL
May 4, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) hits a single in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story is headed to the 10-day injured list, the Boston Globe reported on Saturday.
The newspaper also reported that utility man Nick Sogard will be summoned from Triple-A Worcester to fill Story’s roster spot.
Story, 33, reportedly been dealing with a minor groin strain for much of this season.
He is batting .206 with three homers and 19 RBIs in 41 games this season, while his six errors are tied for second most in the American League heading into play on Saturday.
Story is hitting .262 with 207 homers and 655 RBIs in 1,106 career games with the Colorado Rockies and Red Sox.
Sogard, 28, played in 61 games spread over the last two seasons with Boston.
He is batting .269 with five homers and 23 RBIs in 36 games this season with Worcester.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals place LHP Matt Strahm on IL, activate LHP Bailey Falter
Apr 24, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Matt Strahm (25) throws a pitch in the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals placed left-hander Matt Strahm on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation and activated left-hander Bailey Falter from the IL.
Strahm, 34, is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in 17 relief appearances during his return to the Royals, who selected him in the 2012 MLB Draft.
In 11 major league seasons, Strahm is 35-39 with a 3.37 ERA in 412 appearances (35 starts) for the Royals (2016-17, 2026), San Diego Padres (2018-21), Boston Red Sox (2022) and Philadelphia Phillies (2023-25).
Falter, 29, had a 13.50 ERA over two early-season relief appearances before going on the IL with left elbow inflammation. He was 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in nine relief appearances while on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha.
In six major league seasons, Falter is 25-30 with a 4.64 ERA in 116 appearances (83 starts) for the Phillies (2021-23), Pittsburgh Pirates (2023-25) and Royals.
–Field Level Media
Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy hoping to leave hospital Monday
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