Sports
MLB roundup: Astros back atop AL West with rout of rival Rangers
Jul 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) celebrates with first baseman Christian Walker (8) after. hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Isaac Paredes and Christian Walker slugged back-to-back home runs, Yordan Alvarez reached base four times, and the Houston Astros moved into first place in the American League West with an 11-2 victory over the visiting Texas Rangers on Friday.
Houston won for the ninth time in 10 games and clinched the season series against its in-state and division rival. The Astros reclaimed the top spot in the AL West for the first time since sharing the lead on April 6. Jeremy Pena added three hits and three RBIs for the Astros, while Yainer Diaz’s four hits included a solo homer.
Houston’s Hunter Brown (3-1) allowed two runs on six hits over 5 1/3 innings. Texas’ Nathan Eovaldi (10-9) was roughed up for a season-high-tying six runs on 10 hits over five innings.
Evan Carter finished with two hits and an RBI for the Rangers, who took their third loss in a row. Corey Seager, back after missing a month due to lower back inflammation, went 2-for-3.
Red Sox 9, Dodgers 4
Ceddanne Rafaela hit a two-run homer and Andruw Monasteiro added a two-run double in a five-run seventh inning as visiting Boston earned a victory over Los Angeles.
The Red Sox improved to 4-1 on a seven-game road trip, 12-3 since the All-Star break and 21-4 in July, their best winning percentage (.840) in any month in franchise history. Boston reliever Brayan Bello (3-6) pitched four scoreless innings.
Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run homer for Los Angeles one game after he sat out with left knee discomfort. Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Cole Irvin (0-1) was tagged for six runs on eight hits over six innings in his Dodgers debut.
Yankees 2, Cubs 0
Will Warren tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings to help New York take the opener of a three-game series in Chicago.
Warren (8-5) allowed four hits, struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter in his best outing of the season. The third-year right-hander was 0-4 in his previous eight starts. Amed Rosario and Spencer Jones homered for the Yankees, who had lost two in a row.
Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga (7-9) had not allowed a run in his previous two outings, but he surrendered two runs and four hits before exiting after 6 2/3 innings. Pedro Ramirez posted two of the five hits for the Cubs, who had won three of four.
Blue Jays 3, Cardinals 1
Pinch hitter Luis Urias snapped a tie with a two-run single in the eighth inning and Toronto defeated visiting St. Louis.
Brandon Valenzuela went 3-for-4 for the Blue Jays. Starter Dylan Cease tossed six innings and allowed one run on three hits. Jeff Hoffman (6-7) threw a perfect eighth with two strikeouts and Louis Varland pitched around a single in the ninth to earn his 24th save in 24 opportunities.
Nathan Church had two hits, a stolen base and a run for the Cardinals, who started a six-game road trip. Kyle Leahy gave up one run and six hits in six innings. Peter Strzelecki (0-1) yielded two runs in one inning.
Orioles 6, Phillies 4
Gunnar Henderson’s two-run triple with two outs in the seventh inning lifted Baltimore past visiting Philadelphia.
Pete Alonso homered and Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a two-run double to help the Orioles record their first back-to-back victories in nearly two weeks. Anthony Nunez (3-2) pitched two-thirds of an inning after starter Brandon Young went 5 2/3 innings and was charged with four runs on five hits.
Trea Turner and J.T. Realmuto homered for the Phillies, while Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh also drove in runs. Orion Kerkering (6-1) was saddled with the loss as Philadelphia fell for the eighth time in nine games.
Marlins 5, Mets 2
Janson Junk and four relievers combined on a seven-hitter for Miami, which won at New York.
Junk (5-6) gave up an unearned run on three hits and two walks over five innings. Cade Gibson, Calvin Faucher and Tyler Zuber came on and allowed one run over three innings before Pete Fairbanks threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save. The Marlins’ offense saw Jakob Marsee, Joe Mack and Xavier Edwards notch RBI hits.
Kodai Senga (0-8) took the loss as the last-second starter for the Mets after Freddy Peralta was scratched due to ongoing trade talks. He gave up three runs on two hits over four-plus innings. A.J. Ewing’s run-scoring single and Francisco Lindor’s homer accounted for New York’s runs.
Braves 6, Nationals 2
Matt Olson and Michael Harris II hit home runs and Bryce Elder pitched six strong innings, lifting Atlanta to a win over visiting Washington.
Elder (7-6) allowed one run on four hits. Olson went 2-for-4 with a double and a first-inning solo homer, while Harris finished 2-for-4 and put the game away with a three-run shot in the sixth inning.
Foster Griffin (12-3) pitched 5 1/3 innings and permitted six runs on nine hits. CJ Abrams and Andres Chaparro went deep for the Nationals, but it wasn’t enough offense to overcome the Braves.
Brewers 6, Angels 2
Brice Turang and Jake Bauers homered to highlight a five-run fifth inning and lead Milwaukee to a victory over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
Bauers finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs, a walk and two runs as the Brewers won for the fourth time in six games. Shane Drohan (6-4) allowed two runs on four hits over six innings.
Denzer Guzman hit a two-run home run for the Angels, who lost their fourth straight. Ryan Johnson (2-6) gave up five runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Diamondbacks 4, Guardians 1
Gabriel Moreno finished a fantastic July in style as his RBI single in the eighth inning lifted Arizona to a victory at Cleveland.
The Diamondbacks catcher went 1-for-3 and also reached on a hit by pitch as he extended his on-base streaks to 27 games and a franchise-record 46 starts. In 25 games during July, he batted .362 (34-for-94) with two home runs and 19 RBIs.
Arizona did all of its damage in the top of the eighth, spoiling what was a masterful performance by Tanner Bibee (4-11). The Guardians starter wound up yielding two runs on three hits in 7 1/3 innings.
Rockies 3, Royals 1
Tomoyuki Sugano pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Kyle Karros had two hits in his return and Colorado beat Kansas City in Denver.
Sugano (11-4) allowed one run on five hits in 6 2/3 innings. Jordan Romano picked up his ninth save, while TJ Rumfield had an RBI single to help the Rockies’ cause.
Royals starter Michael Wacha (5-8) gave up three runs (one earned), struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter in six innings. Only Carter Jensen, who homered, could give him any support.
Reds 8, Pirates 7
Nathaniel Lowe’s fielder’s choice scored Sal Stewart in the eighth inning as host Cincinnati registered a comeback victory over Pittsburgh and nemesis Paul Skenes.
Stewart went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer and four RBIs while JJ Bleday added a solo shot — the first two homers Skenes ever allowed to Reds batters. Skenes entered the game 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA in seven career games against Cincinnati. Skenes gave up five runs on seven hits in four innings.
Pirates reliever Wilber Dotel (1-4) took the loss, while Emilio Pagan (4-1) was credited with the win after pitching a scoreless ninth. Jake Mangum went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two RBIs for Pittsburgh.
White Sox 6, Rays 1
Miguel Vargas, Andrew Benintendi and Munetaka Murakami homered in the first three innings as Chicago began a six-game road trip by pounding Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Murakami went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, and Benintendi totaled two hits and a walk. Colson Montgomery hit a two-run shot to round out the club’s four-homer showing. Starter Erick Fedde (6-6) allowed one run on four hits in five innings.
Junior Caminero, who walked twice, joined Evan Longoria, Carlos Pena and Brandon Lowe as the only Rays with multiple 30-homer seasons thanks to a massive solo blast. Starter Nick Martinez (10-3) was roughed up in six innings for six runs on seven hits, including all four home runs.
Padres 7, Giants 0
Jase Bowen belted his first major league homer, Ty France knocked in three runs and three San Diego pitchers combined for a two-hitter in a shutout of visiting San Francisco.
On the mound, San Diego got a 1-2-3 first inning from opener Bradgley Rodriguez, then three one-hit innings from Yuki Matsui (2-1). German Marquez followed that up with five one-hit frames, logging the first save of his 11-year big league career.
San Francisco left-hander Carson Whisenhunt (2-2) absorbed a beating in 3 1/3 innings, yielding seven hits and six runs.
Twins 5, Mariners 3
Brooks Lee, Royce Lewis and Ryan Jeffers homered as Minnesota rallied for a victory against host Seattle.
The Twins won for the seventh time in nine games to move into a tie with the Guardians for the AL’s third and final wild-card spot. Kody Funderburk (2-1) tossed 1 1/3 perfect innings, and Yoendrys Gomez worked around two walks in the ninth for his 14th save.
Cole Young went deep for the Mariners, who lost their third in a row and fell for the eighth time in their past 10.
Tigers 13, Athletics 1
Dillon Dingler hit his first career grand slam and Kevin McGonigle and Ben Malgeri also homered to lead Detroit past the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.
Javier Baez had three hits and three RBIs and Max Clark had three hits, two runs and an RBI in his major league debut for the Tigers, who broke the game open with 11 runs over the final two innings. Reliever Ty Madden (1-0) tossed three shutout innings.
Jonah Heim drove in the lone run for the Athletics, who have dropped six of seven games and 27 of 34. Jeffrey Springs (3-11) allowed two runs and four hits over four innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Judge grants extra year of NCAA eligibility to high school Class of '22
May 17, 2026; Gainesville, FL, USA; A general view of the NCAA logo on a Florida Gators jersey before the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images College athletes from the high school Class of 2022 were granted an additional year of NCAA eligibility on Friday thanks to a court ruling in Denver.
Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney of the U.S. District Court in Colorado issued a class-wide preliminary injunction affecting those athletes whose standard four years of college eligibility recently ended.
Sweeney wrote that the affected athletes are entitled to a fifth year, putting them on par with the prior class that got an extra year due to the COVID pandemic, and subsequent classes, which will get another year under the NCAA’s new regulations.
The “5-for-5 rule” gives student-athletes incoming for the 2026-27 school year five years of eligibility over a five-year span. Athletes from the high school Class of 2022 filed suit, asking that the change apply to them, too.
The judge agreed with the plaintiffs.
“They will suffer irreparable harm without issuance of an injunction,” Sweeney wrote in her decision. “And the balance of equities, as well as the public interest, favor them. They are entitled to the injunctive relief they seek.”
The ruling covers those “who began to play in collegiate sports in the 2022-2023 season, competed in NCAA Division I sports, and completed four years of eligibility as defined by the NCAA’s prior rules by the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season.”
NCAA president Charlie Baker reacted to Sweeney’s ruling by urging Congress to approve the Protect College Sports Act.
“Without targeted intervention from Congress, college sports cannot set nationwide rules everyone can play by and without Congress, failed professionals will continue to use college sports as a fallback option — robbing the next class of young athletes of college scholarships,” Baker wrote in a statement. “… Today’s rulings and the chaos they bring to college sports are exactly why it’s time to pass this bill.”
Also on Friday, a separate injunction was approved in Tennessee for college athletes including men’s basketball players Jalen Washington of Vanderbilt and AJ Storr of Ole Miss, giving them one more year of eligibility and permitting them to transfer.
A similar suit in Ohio earlier in July resulted in an injunction aiding 15 men’s basketball players.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Keyshawn Davis withdraws from welterweight title bout with Devin Haney
Feb 8, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Jose Pedraza (gold/black trunks) and Keyshawn Davis (blue/gold trunks) box during their WBO Intercontinental Lightweight bout at Michelob ULTRA Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Keyshawn Davis is pulling out of his ordered welterweight title bout with champion Devin Haney, the WBO announced Friday.
The WBO said Davis’ decision was due to his split of the purse. Davis was set to receive 25%, or $2.14 million, as the mandatory challenger. Haney would’ve pocketed 75%, or $6.41 million, as the reigning champion.
Top Rank, Davis’ representation, secured the rights to the bout Thursday with a purse bid of $8.55 million.
“The matter will now be referred to the WBO Championship Committee and Ratings Committee for the appropriate ruling under the WBO World Championship Rules and Regulations,” the WBO said.
Davis (15-0, 10 KOs) is a former WBO lightweight champion. His last fight was a unanimous victory over Nahir Albright in May.
Haney (33-0, 15 KOs) defeated Brian Norman Jr. in November to become the welterweight champion. He’s also won belts at lightweight and junior welterweight.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red Sox 1B Willson Contreras leaves game after being hit in helmet
Jul 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Boston Red Sox infielder Willson Contreras (40) is hit in the head with a pitch thrown by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Cole Irvin (not pictured) during the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras was removed from Friday’s game in the third inning against the Dodgers in Los Angeles after he was hit in the helmet by a 95.4 mph fastball.
After Contreras was nearly hit by right-hander Will Klein on the first pitch of the at-bat, he was hit on a 1-1 pitch near his left ear. After a visit from a team trainer, Contreras took first base and played out the top of the third inning.
In the bottom of the third, Nick Sogard moved from second base to first base, while Anthony Seigler took over at second and assumed the No. 5 spot in the batting order in place of Contreras.
Contreras entered Friday’s game batting .289 with a .944 OPS, 23 home runs and 67 RBIs. In his first season in Boston, he was named an All-Star for the fourth time in his career.
–Field Level Media
Judge grants extra year of NCAA eligibility to high school Class of '22
Keyshawn Davis withdraws from welterweight title bout with Devin Haney
