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Lars Nootbaar, Matthew Liberatore push Cardinals past Braves

Jul 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn ImagesJul 11, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Puetz-Imagn Images

Lars Nootbaar launched a three-run home run and Matthew Liberatore tossed six stellar innings on Saturday to help lift the St. Louis Cardinals to a 4-1 victory over the visiting Atlanta Braves.

Liberatore (5-6) threw six scoreless innings, allowing four hits while striking out six and walking one for the Cardinals, who clinched the final series before the All-Star break.

Reynaldo Lopez (4-2) allowed four runs on five hits across five innings, striking out three and walking one for the Braves, who dropped their fifth game in seven tries. Mauricio Dubon homered for Atlanta, which saw its lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East reduced to two games.

After Lopez issued first-inning singles to Ivan Herrera and Jordan Walker, Nootbaar launched his third home run of the season — a 435-foot blast — to give the Cardinals an early 3-0 edge.

Nootbaar began the fourth with a walk and stole second before scoring on Blaze Jordan’s two-out single, pushing the margin to four.

Atlanta threatened in the sixth, as Michael Harris II led off the inning with a base hit and Matt Olson’s one-out single placed runners on the corners. Liberatore then got Drake Baldwin to ground into an inning-ending double play to end the inning.

Rookie Owen Murphy threw three perfect innings in relief of Lopez.

In the seventh, St. Louis’ Luis Gastelum took over, allowing Dubon’s 10th home run on his first pitch. After allowing Eli White’s one-out double, Gastelum retired Joey Bart and Jim Jarvis.

George Soriano tossed a perfect eighth for St. Louis.

Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien entered in the ninth, walking Baldwin and hitting Dominic Smith with two outs to bring the tying run to the plate. O’Brien then stuck out Bart to secure his 24th save in 28 attempts.

–Field Level Media

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Rays continue winning ways at home, hand Mariners 5th straight loss

Jul 11, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) slides for a fly ball during the first inning against Seattle Mariners at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn ImagesJul 11, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) slides for a fly ball during the first inning against Seattle Mariners at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

Jonathan Aranda recorded three hits and drove in the go-ahead run, and the Tampa Bay Rays claimed their final home series before the All-Star break in a 6-1 win over the struggling Seattle Mariners on Saturday afternoon in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Aranda went 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run, including his first two-bagger in the third that scored Yandy Diaz to break a 1-1 tie.

Pinch hitter Ryan Vilade stroked a three-run homer in the seventh that created separation.

On a career-best day, Ben Williamson went 4-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a run and a stolen base to help the Rays improve their majors-best home record to 35-14.

Starter Griffin Jax (5-6) turned in a strong outing over five innings, yielding one run on four hits with three strikeouts and three walks.

Seattle’s Logan Gilbert (7-6) tossed 6 2/3 innings and surrendered four runs on nine hits with five strikeouts and two walks as the club lost its fifth straight.

Cole Young’s double was one of Seattle’s six hits. He scored its only run.

After franchise great Evan Longoria was inducted into the Tampa Bay Rays Hall of Fame in a pregame ceremony, Jax kept the home enthusiasm up by extricating himself from a bases-loaded, one-out mess in the first with a pair of strikeouts.

Two batters after Young’s leadoff double in the second, Colt Emerson produced a sacrifice fly, but Williamson tied it for the Rays on an RBI double that scored Chandler Simpson in the home half.

Tampa Bay went up in the third on consecutive doubles by Diaz and Aranda to open the inning, but Gilbert recorded three straight outs to escape the jam. He did so again in the fourth when the Rays put a runner on third with one out.

In the seventh, Mariners manager Dan Wilson appeared to come out to remove Gilbert with two outs, but the pitcher made his case to stay in and did. Aranda then ripped a double.

Following an intentional walk to Junior Caminero, Vilade greeted left-handed reliever Gabe Speier with a three-run blast to left on the first pitch, making it 5-1.

Rays reliever Garrett Cleavinger fanned pinch hitter Mitch Garver looking with two runners on in the eighth to maintain the four-run lead.

The home side added an unearned run in the eighth on reliever Michael Rucker’s throwing error.

–Field Level Media

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Paul Allen estate reaches deal to sell Seahawks

Feb 6, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; The Seattle Seahawks logo is projected on the Ferry Building. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesFeb 6, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; The Seattle Seahawks logo is projected on the Ferry Building. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Seattle Seahawks are set to change hands after the franchise announced Saturday that it has reached an agreement to sell the team to a new ownership group.

The group is led by the Khosla family and includes Vinod Khosla, the venture capitalist and Sun Microsystems co-founder who previously held a minority stake in the San Francisco 49ers.

The Paul Allen estate, which inherited the NFL team after Allen’s death in 2018, has been working to find new owners. Allen’s will stipulated that the team be sold, and assets be distributed to various charities.

“We are honored to be entrusted as the next stewards of the Seattle Seahawks,” Vinod Khosla said in a statement. “We look forward to building on the winning legacy Paul Allen created and to earning the trust of the Seahawks organization and fans everywhere.”

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, though the Tacoma News Tribune reported it to be for an NFL record $9.61 billion. That would be the second-highest deal in North American sports history, behind the $10 billion the Los Angeles Lakers sold for in 2025.

The transaction must still be approved by the NFL, which should be put to a vote in the coming months.

–Field Level Media

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Jude Bellingham stars as England beat Norway to reach semis

July 11, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; England's Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring their second goal.  Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images July 11, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring their second goal. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Jude Bellingham deposited the go-ahead goal in the third minute of extra time and England hung on for a 2-1 victory over Norway in a World Cup quarterfinal classic on Saturday in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Bellingham scored both goals for the Three Lions to dig them out of a 1-0 hole while tying teammate Harry Kane with six in this tournament. Anthony Gordon had an assist and Jordan Pickford made three saves for England.

England, 60 years removed from their only World Cup title, secured just their fourth semifinal berth in history and their second in the past three tournaments. They’ll face Argentina or Switzerland on Wednesday in Atlanta.

After missed chances during the second half, England took the lead early in extra time. Substitute Morgan Rogers fired a shot from outside the box that Orjan Nyland failed to catch, the ball deflecting into the goalmouth. Bellingham darted in and beat his man to the ball for the easy putback.

Andreas Schjelderup scored in the 36th minute and Nyland made six saves for the Vikings, who were playing in their first World Cup quarterfinal game.

Norway subbed out Erling Haaland halfway into extra time. That decision ended his record 14-match streak of competitive international appearances with a goal.

England controlled play for the first half-hour. They won a pair of free kicks just outside the box but could turn neither into a real threat.

Norway’s opening goal was preceded by a nice look for Haaland, whose close-range header went straight to Pickford. England attempted to advance it up the pitch, but Kane was dispossessed from behind and the Vikings returned to their attack. Schjelderup, from the left side of the box, unleashed a left-footed rocket that banged in off the far post.

Kane stayed on the ground seeking a foul, but no foul was issued and the goal was upheld after VAR review.

But England’s attack was rewarded on Bellingham’s equalizer two minutes into stoppage time. Gordon hit the centering pass as Bellingham was afforded too much space amid the Norway defense. He dribbled in and as he fell down struck a left-footed shot across Nyland’s body.

With momentum recovered, England thought they added a second on the final play of the half on Kane’s chip shot, but he was immediately ruled offside.

It was Norway’s turn to believe they’d taken a 2-1 lead in the 55th when Torbjorn Heggem deposited a rebound at the end of a crazy corner-kick sequence. The VAR took it off the board as Haaland pushed Elliot Anderson to the ground before the corner kick was played.

–Field Level Media

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