Sports
Minus their leading scorer, Whitecaps get past RSL
May 3, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Jean-Claude Ngando (26) reaches for the ball against Real Salt Lake midfielder Braian Ojeda (6) during the first half at BC Place. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images Despite missing a key player to injury, the Vancouver Whitecaps defeated Real Salt Lake 2-1 to run their unbeaten streak to six matches.
Jayden Nelson and Tristan Blackmon provided the goals for Vancouver (8-1-2, 26 points). Salt Lake (4-7-0, 12 points) has lost three of its last four matches. Its goal came on penalty kick by Diego Luna.
Vancouver opened the scoring in the 20th minute.
Nelson broke free of one of Vancouver’s many counterattacks, evaded numerous Salt Lake defenders, and found himself with a somewhat open look on goal 12 yards from goal. Nelson stabbed his shot just past the outstretched arms of RSL keeper Rafael Cabral.
The Whitecaps doubled their lead in the 70th minute through defender Blackmon.
Sebastian Berhalter found himself open on the right wing, and his out-swinging effort found Blackmon in the center of the box. With just one touch and a fraction of a second, Blackmon fired his shot into the top right corner of the box for his second goal of the season.
Salt Lake earned a late penalty when Berhalter brought down Justen Glad off a free kick. Attacker Luna chipped his penalty down the middle to give Salt Lake its only goal of the game. It came six minutes into second-half stoppage time.
Salt Lake was denied on a controversial penalty decision eight minutes into second-half stoppage time. Attacker Zavier Gozo attempted to dribble into Vancouver’s congested penalty box but was tripped up and brought down in the box. However, an extensive VAR check ruled there was no tripping offense during the play.
Vancouver was active in every area of the game. The Whitecaps pressed and defended aggressively, held possession 56 percent to 44 percent, and created most of the game’s chances. They played without attacker Brian White due to a hamstring injury. White leads the team with six goals.
Vancouver was awarded a penalty in the 66th minute after Cabral dived into Edier Ocampo’s feet in the penalty box. However, Cabral made the stop on Daniel Rios’ rocket shot. Cabral had five saves in the 2-0 loss.
After Cabral dived into Edier Ocampo’s feet in the penalty box, Vancouver was awarded a penalty midway through the second half. However, Daniel Rios’ rocketed effort was impressively stopped by Cabral. Cabral finished with seven saves.
Vancouver came close to its third goal through Pedro Vite, but his curling, outside-the-box effort flew just wide of the crossbar in the 73rd minute.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Another big night from Kayla McBride carries Lynx past Storm
Jul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) shoots the ball while guarded by Seattle Storm forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) during the first half at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Kayla McBride scored a game-high 33 points Monday night and Courtney Williams made two late foul shots that enabled the visiting Minnesota Lynx to outgun the Seattle Storm 105-102.
Williams’ free throws with 4.0 seconds left put Minnesota (21-6) ahead by three and forced Seattle to hunt a 3-pointer that could force overtime. But Flau’Jae Johnson missed from the right wing just before time expired.
Rookie Olivia Miles added 32 points, plus eight rebounds and eight assists, to augment McBride’s seventh straight game of at least 20 points. Williams finished with 21 as the Lynx connected on 37 of 76 field goals and made 21 of 22 foul shots.
Johnson scored 26 points to pace the Storm (6-22), who fell to 0-11 in games decided by five points or less. Zia Cooke came off the bench to add 18 points, while Dominique Malonga chipped in 14 points and Natisha Hiedeman hit for 12.
Seattle led 90-86 when Malonga hit a floater with 4:41 remaining, but McBride and Miles combined for eight points in a 10-2 spurt that gave Minnesota the lead for good at 96-92.
The teams play again on Wednesday in their last game before All-Star weekend.
Minnesota entered the game with the WNBA’s best record but was looking to make improvements on defense after coach Cheryl Reeve criticized its performance on that end in Saturday night’s 101-93 win over Portland.
Instead, she got another game where the Lynx had to outscore the opponent. They led 23-13 at the 2:56 mark of the first quarter as Miles converted a layup but Seattle closed within 27-23 behind eight points from its bench.
The Storm erupted for 31 points in the second quarter, including six on the same possession by Johnson. She made three foul shots after a flagrant foul on Miles, then drained a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession that helped Seattle take a 54-53 edge to halftime.
Minnesota led 77-70 late in the third quarter before a four-point play from Katie Lou Samuelson got the Storm within 79-77 going to the fourth period.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cal Raleigh's grand slam more than enough for Mariners vs. Reds
Jul 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) hits a grand-slam home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images Cal Raleigh hit a grand slam and George Kirby pitched six scoreless innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Cincinnati Reds 8-0 Monday night in the opener of a three-game interleague series.
Victor Robles went 4-for-4 and scored twice for the Mariners, who won their third consecutive game and moved into first place in the American League West by a half-game over Texas.
Kirby (8-8) allowed three hits — back-to-back singles by Edwin Arroyo and Ke’Bryan Hayes leading off the third and a one-out infield single by Dane Myers in the fifth. Kirby, a right-hander, walked one batter and struck out six.
The Mariners broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth. Robles led off with a single off Andrew Abbott (5-6) on a soft liner to center field. With two outs, Robles stole second and advanced to third on catcher Tyler Stephenson’s errant throw.
Following a walk to Randy Arozarena, Julio Rodriguez hit a chopper to the left side of the infield. Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz backhanded the ball but double-clutched before making a throw that eluded first baseman Sal Stewart and struck Rodriguez in the left hamstring. The Mariners’ star was credited with a run-scoring single.
Rodriguez left the game after that inning and team officials didn’t provide an update before the end of the game. Rodriguez returned to the lineup Saturday after being on the 7-day concussion list since July 2 when he was hit in the back of the helmet by a throw while sliding into second base.
The Mariners extended their lead with a six-run seventh. Robles and pinch hitter Luke Raley led off with singles to right off reliever Pierce Johnson, with Robles taking third on the latter. Rookie Colt Emerson’s sacrifice fly to left scored Robles.
Arozarena singled and Weston Wilson hit an RBI double into the right field corner. The Reds brought in lefty Caleb Ferguson, whom the Mariners acquired at last season’s trade deadline, and intentionally walked the left-handed-hitting Dominic Canzone to load the bases. The switch-hitting Raleigh crushed Ferguson’s first pitch deep to left-center to make it 7-0.
Raleigh came up with the bases loaded again in the eighth and got a run-scoring groundout for the final margin.
Abbott took the loss despite allowing just one unearned run on four hits over six innings. The lefty walked two and fanned six.
Mariners third baseman J.P. Crawford was a late scratch from the starting lineup. The team offered no immediate reason why.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Walk-off HBP lifts Angels past Cardinals in low-scoring affair
Jul 20, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jo Adell (7) reacts after a walk-off hit by pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Jo Adell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to give the Los Angeles Angels a 3-2 walk-off victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a three-game series on Monday night in Anaheim, Calif.
The Angels, who were 0-48 when trailing after eight innings this season and had lost their last 106 such games, entered the bottom of the ninth behind 2-1.
Cardinals’ All-Star closer Riley O’Brien (3-4) struck out Mike Trout to begin the frame, but Nolan Schanuel followed with a single and Jorge Soler was hit by a pitch.
Vaughn Grissom then doubled off the top of the right field fence, missing a home run by inches, to drive in pinch runner Oswald Peraza with the tying run. After Jose Lowe was then intentionally walked to load the bases, Adell was plunked with a 3-0 sinker to drive in the game-winning run.
Adell also hit a home run among two hits and Schanuel also had two hits for Los Angeles, which won its second straight game. Jose Fermin (3-1) struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief to pick up the win.
Nathan Church went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Jordan Walker doubled and scored a run for St. Louis, which was coming off an 8-7 loss at Arizona on Sunday afternoon that saw it blow a 7-0 lead.
St. Louis took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Walker led off with a line-drive double over the head of Josh Lowe and to the fence in left field and advanced to third on a single by Lars Nootbaar. One out later, Church snapped an 0-for-30 drought with a single to right, driving in Walker and sending Nootbaar to third. Blaze Jordan then drove in Nootbaar with a groundout to third.
Los Angeles cut the lead to 2-1 in the third when Adell led off with his 14th home run, a 389-foot drive to left. The homer snapped an 0-for-24 streak for Adell.
The final inning overshadowed a pair of strong pitching performances from the starter. Angels right-hander Jose Soriano allowed two runs on four hits over seven innings, striking out seven and walking one. St. Louis right-hander Kyle Leahy gave up one run on three hits over six innings, striking out four with no walks.
–Field Level Media
Another big night from Kayla McBride carries Lynx past Storm
Cal Raleigh's grand slam more than enough for Mariners vs. Reds
