Sports
Marcell Ozuna ends HR drought as Braves eliminate Reds
Sep 18, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (20) high fives teammates after scoring on a RBI single hit by first baseman Matt Olson (not pictured) in the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Marcell Ozuna doubled twice and snapped a tie with a towering home run in a three-run seventh inning as the visiting Atlanta Braves finally beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-1 on Wednesday night.
Ozuna had been in a 26-game homerless drought before driving a 3-0 pitch from reliever Tony Santillan (2-3) to center to open the seventh. Ramon Laureano just missed a two-run homer off the top of the wall in left two batters later. Laureano and Matt Olson scored on an Orlando Arcia two-out insurance single.
Michael Harris II added a no-doubt homer, his 13th, in the eighth as Atlanta (82-70) defeated Cincinnati (74-79) for the first time in five meetings this season. The win assured the Braves of staying within two games of the New York Mets for the third and final National League wild-card spot with 10 games remaining. With the loss, Cincinnati was eliminated from playoff contention.
Atlanta rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (7-7) won his second straight start, allowing one run on five hits over six innings. Schwellenbach didn’t allow a hit until Jonathan India tripled to right with two outs in the third. Elly De La Cruz grounded out to third to end the inning.
De La Cruz atoned in the sixth when he opened with a triple down the right field line, just beyond the reach of Jorge Soler. After Tyler Stephenson was hit by a pitch, TJ Friedl dropped a perfect suicide squeeze bunt to first to score De La Cruz and tie the game at 1.
Cincinnati starter Jakob Junis held Atlanta to one run and two hits over six innings. The righty was perfect early, retiring the first 11 batters before Ozuna broke through with a double just beyond the diving reach of Spencer Steer in left-center. Matt Olson followed with a sharp single to center, scoring Ozuna.
Junis provided a lift to a Cincinnati rotation decimated by injuries. Tuesday’s starter, Brandon Williamson, revealed on Wednesday that he suffered a full tear of his UCL in his left elbow and will undergo Tommy John surgery, putting him out for this season and most likely all of next season.
Eli White entered as a defensive replacement in the seventh and robbed Stephenson of a home run in right field in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Kyle Schwarber (3 HRs), Bryce Harper (cycle) help Phillies pound Mets
Jun 20, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts with infielder Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a home run against the New York Mets in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Schwarber had three home runs, including two in one inning, for the Philadelphia Phillies in a 15-3 rout of the visiting New York Mets on Saturday.
Bryce Harper hit for the cycle while going 4-for-5 for the Phillies, who had lost two in a row. Starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (9-3) held New York to one run on five hits and struck out five with one walk in six innings.
Freddy Peralta (5-6) allowed 10 runs on 10 hits in 2 2/3 innings for the Mets, who had won two straight games.
Harper sent a fastball over the wall in right-center field to give Philadelphia a 1-0 lead in the first.
In the second, Alec Bohm singled, J.T Realmuto drove him in with a double and then came around to score when Justin Crawford knocked a double of his own for a 3-0 advantage.
The Phillies went through 12 batters to blow the game open in the third, chasing Peralta.
Schwarber (4-for-5, six RBIs) rocked a solo shot 456 feet to the upper deck in right center to lead it off. Harper doubled and scored on a Brandon Marsh single. Marsh went to second on a throwing error by Marcus Semien on his hit, and Bryson Stott brought him in with a double. Realmuto connected for another pair of bases, scoring Stott to extend it to 7-0.
Crawford walked and Trea Turner singled to drive in Realmuto. That marked the end of Peralta’s night.
Cionel Perez entered to face Schwarber in his second turn of the frame, and he blasted a sinker 457 feet to the same spot to make it 11-0.
The Mets got on the board in the top of the fourth inning when Mark Vientos connected for a solo shot to left field.
Philadelphia added two more in the fifth. With two on and two out, Harper completed the cycle with a triple to center field off Tobias Myers, scoring Turner and Schwarber.
Carson Benge’s two-run homer to right-center in the seventh off reliever Max Lazar cut it to 13-3.
Schwarber connected for his third home run of the night in the bottom half of the frame, a two-run shot to right.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Orioles place C Adley Rutschman on 7-day concussion list
Jun 18, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Adley Rutschman (35) walks to the clubhouse after being struck in the head by an errant throw while running out a ground ball against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images The Baltimore Orioles placed catcher Adley Rutschman on the seven-day concussion list on Saturday after he was injured on an unusual play on Thursday against the Seattle Mariners.
The move, which is retroactive to Friday, came after Rutschman was hit on the left ear while running to first base on a grounder in the ninth inning. Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson was trying to complete a double play and threw the ball inside second base at close range. Rutschman came out of the game and host Seattle went on to win 3-0.
Rutschman, 28, missed Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Dodgers as well as Saturday’s game in Los Angeles.
“Obviously, it sucks for Adley,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said. “Especially with concussions and head injuries, it’s tough, and especially the position he plays, with the constant foul tips and balls in the dirt and backswings, plays at the plate. So right now, Rutsch is on the concussion IL and we’ll kind of take it day by day and see where he’s at.”
Rutschman also was on the 10-day IL from April 11-21 due to left ankle inflammation. He is hitting .254 with 15 doubles, eight home runs, 40 RBIs and has a .787 OPS in 54 games.
For his career, Rutschman is batting .254 with 69 homers and 270 RBIs in 559 games. Baltimore selected him first overall in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Oregon State.
In a corresponding move on Saturday, the Orioles recalled outfielder Michael Siani from Triple-A Norfolk.
Siani, 26, has hit .221 (76-for-344) with two homers and 20 RBIs in 160 games over parts of four seasons for the Cincinnati Reds (2022-23) and St. Louis Cardinals (2023-25).
He hit a combined .185 (25-for-135) in 44 games this season for Triple-A Oklahoma City (Dodgers affiliate) and Norfolk (Orioles).
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wings rally from 15 down in fourth quarter to stun Sky
Jun 20, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) and Chicago Sky guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) battle for the loose ball during the first half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Li Yueru converted the deciding free throws with 12.5 seconds left as the Dallas Wings put everything together in the fourth quarter to produce a wild, come-from-behind 93-92 win over the Chicago Sky on Saturday in Arlington, Texas.
Dallas’ 36 points in the fourth quarter resulted in its highest-scoring period of the season, and the Wings (10-6) needed every one of them to beat Chicago, which dropped its fifth straight game.
Chicago led by 17 points late in the third quarter but the Wings rallied in the fourth, drawing to within 81-80 on a pair of Jessica Shepard free throws with 3:21 to play. Paige Bueckers’ layup with 1:35 left tied the game at 86 before Sydney Taylor poured in a 3-pointer with 1:26 remaining to put Chicago up 89-86.
Skylar Diggins had a steal that resulted in her two free throws with 35.7 seconds left to push the Sky’s advantage to six points. A free throw by Azzi Fudd and then a four-point play from Bueckers got Dallas to within one, and Chicago turned over the ball with 29.8 seconds to play.
Kamilla Cardoso then fouled Yueru, who made both free throws to give the Wings their first lead of the game. Chicago’s Jacy Sheldon then missed a short jumper with three seconds left, and Azura Stevens’ putback layup just before the buzzer glanced off the rim and away, allowing Dallas to walk off with the unlikely victory.
Shepard led the Wings with 21 points, with Bueckers adding 19, Fudd scoring 13 and Arike Ogunbowale hitting for 12 points.
Cardoso’s season-high 26 points led all scorers. Taylor added 18 for the Sky (4-11), while Diggins had 14 and Natasha Cloud tallied 10. Stevens led all players with 11 rebounds.
The Sky dominated the first quarter, going up 25-13 after a running jumper by Gabriela Jaquez at the 2:24 mark before carrying a 28-16 lead after 10 minutes of play. Dallas eventually pulled to within a point and missed on multiple chances to take the lead before the Sky swung back as Cloud’s left-handed layup with 5.7 seconds left allowed Chicago to take a 43-38 advantage into the break.
Cardoso led all scorers with 14 points at halftime, while Maddy Siegrist paced Dallas with eight points off the bench in the first half.
–Field Level Media
