Sports
Rams visit Seahawks, look to gain ground in NFC West
Oct 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (9) throws against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images How tight is the NFC West race?
The Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals are tied for the division lead with 4-4 records, while the Los Angeles Rams are a half-game back at 3-4.
That will make for an intriguing matchup Sunday in Seattle, when the Rams visit Lumen Field.
The Rams were just 1-4 going into their bye week before winning two games in five days, beating Las Vegas 20-15 on Oct. 20 and Minnesota 30-20 last Thursday, both at home.
“I believe in this group,” Rams coach Sean McVay said. “I believe in the coaches. I believe in the players. I saw resolve. I didn’t see a flinch. And we still have a long way to go. We’ve won two games in five days, but it is just two games. We’ve done a good job of getting ourselves back to where we wanted to be.”
The return of wide receivers Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua from lengthy injury absences helped L.A.’s offense get untracked against the Vikings.
“They brought a lot of energy to our team, and a ton of confidence,” said Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford, who threw for 279 yards and four TDs against Minnesota after having just three scoring strikes in the previous six games combined. “It’s not only just the offense. I know the defense feels it too when those guys are out there making plays.”
The Seahawks have been headed in the opposite direction, losing four of five games since a 3-0 start. That includes a 31-10 loss to the visiting Buffalo Bills last Sunday.
“We got outplayed and we got outcoached, and we’ve got to go make it right,” Seahawks first-year coach Mike Macdonald said.
The Seahawks had their chances in the first half, but one drive stalled on second-and-goal from the Buffalo 3-yard line when center Connor Williams’ snap sailed over quarterback Geno Smith’s head. Another ended when Williams stepped on Smith’s foot on a fourth-and-goal play from the 1, causing the QB to fall backward.
“When you talk about all the things that we want to do, well, I don’t think we did any of those (last Sunday),” Smith said. “So we’ve got to look at ourselves, look in the mirror, and take it from there.”
Linebacker Ernest Jones IV, making his debut for the Seahawks after being acquired from Tennessee, made 15 tackles. Jones played the previous three seasons with the Rams before being dealt to the Titans less than two weeks before the season opener after failing to come to terms on a contract extension.
“I know who he is as a player,” Stafford said. “Physically, really talented. Mentally and emotionally, really gifted. Loved being a teammate with him. Have a ton of respect for who he is as a person and as a player. I don’t think there’s any disadvantage or advantage. I just know it’s a challenge going against him.”
The Seahawks hope to get DK Metcalf (knee) back after he missed last week’s game, though he and fellow wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. (knee) and cornerback Devon Witherspoon (foot) have missed practice time this week.
Nose tackle Neville Gallimore (shoulder) was the only Rams player to miss an entire practice in preparation for the game against Seattle.
–Field Level Media
Sports
D-Backs rally from down 7 to beat Cardinals in 10 innings
Arizona Diamondbacks baserunner Max Kepler (22) celebrates scoring a run against the St. Louis Cardinals at Chase Field in Phoenix, on July 18, 2026. Max Kepler delivered the game-winning RBI in the 10th inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks scored eight unanswered runs in an 8-7 win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday in Phoenix.
Kepler drove in automatic runner Jorge Barrosa with a one-out double to right field off Luis Gastelum (1-1).
Juan Morrillo (3-4) allowed one hit over 1 1/3 scoreless innings across the ninth and 10th innings to register the win.
Arizona’s rally began in the sixth. Adrian Del Castillo knocked a lead-off double, Ryan Waldschmidt singled and Ketel Marte’s single up the middle drove in Del Castillo to cut the deficit to 7-1.
Andre Pallante walked Geraldo Perdomo to load the bases, and Waldschmidt scored one out later when Pallante walked Gabriel Moreno, ending his outing.
Ryne Stanek came in and retired the first batter before issuing a walk to Tyler Locklear which brought Marte across the plate, narrowing it to 7-3.
Perdomo pulled Arizona within two in the seventh when he followed up Del Castillo’s leadoff walk with a two-out inside-the-park home run to left field on a liner that skipped past St. Louis left fielder Jose Fermin and rolled to the wall.
Nolan Arenado’s two-run home run just over the left field wall in the eighth tied the game at 7.
St. Louis opened a 5-0 lead in the third inning. Lars Nootbaar walked and scored on Blaze Jordan’s triple. JJ Wetherholt singled to bring in Jordan and double the advantage.
Wetherholt went to third on Ivan Herrera’s base hit, and Jordan Walker brought him around with a double to push the lead to 3-0. Alec Burleson’s single to center field allowed Herrera and Walker to come in, extending it to 5-0.
Fermin chased Diamondbacks ace Eduardo Rodriguez, who threw 40 pitches in the frame, with a single. Right-hander Drey Jameson came in and walked Nootbaar before getting Jordan to line out to retire the side, stranding the bases loaded.
The Cardinals made it 7-0 in the fifth. Burleson singled, and Fermin and Nootbaar each walked to load the bases. That ended Jameson’s appearance, replaced by Philip Abner. Jordan (3-for-5, three RBIs) greeted Abner with a single to right that brought in two runners.
Herrera and Burleson each added three hits for St. Louis. Del Castillo and Kepler led Arizona with two hits apiece.
Rodriguez surrendered five runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. Pallante gave up three runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Valkyries seek 10th straight win in rematch with Mystics
Jul 18, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Valkyries guard Veronica Burton (left) passes against Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron (right) during the fourth quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images The interior-powered Washington Mystics and perimeter-oriented Golden State Valkyries will seek to do a better job defusing the other’s strength when the clubs meet in a rematch Monday night in San Francisco.
The Valkyries (19-7) finished strongly both offensively and defensively to erase a late six-point deficit and earn a 74-69 win in the front half of the WNBA-style doubleheader Saturday night, which was played on Golden State’s home court.
The hosts saved five of their 12 successful 3-pointers for the final 5:55 to account for all their scoring in a 15-4 finish. It allowed them to secure a ninth straight win in a game in which the Mystics (12-12), led by Shakira Austin, had dominated the Valkyries to the tune of 40-16 in points in the paint.
Golden State coach Natalie Nakase noted after the hard-fought win that it’s not like her players will grow a few inches before the rematch with Austin and fellow interior powers Kiki Iriafen and Lauren Betts.
“We understand they’re very tall, big and physical in size. So it’s got to be a team effort,” she said at her postgame press conference. “I just thought attention to detail with KT (Kayla Thornton) and Kiah (Stokes) down the stretch, just defending without fouling, it was beautiful that last five minutes. For us to rely on our defense down the stretch was huge.”
After Betts’ layup gave the Mystics a 65-59 lead with 6:13 remaining, the Valkyries forced the visitors into 2-for-8 shooting the rest of the way, with three turnovers mixed in. Three of the misses were 3-point attempts, where Washington went just 6-for-23 for the game, as the visitors got away from what had been successful earlier.
Mystics coach Sydney Johnson believed his team played well enough to win the opener but needs to improve in close games. Five of Washington’s 12 losses this season have been by five points or fewer.
“Really challenging us to just physically, emotionally, mentally be locked in,” he expressed to the media afterward about his team’s shortcomings. “It’s a demanding league. There’s absolutely no nights off, no easy games. Those are our consistent themes, most importantly, bringing our toughness and togetherness every time we come to the floor.”
One of the challenges will be managing odd scheduling, with the Mystics flying across the country to face the Valkyries twice in three days. They begin a six-game homestand Wednesday night against Las Vegas.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red Sox clinch 13th win in a row, sweep 4-game set with Rays
Jul 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox first baseman Wilson Contreras (40) hits a two run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Sonny Gray pitched six innings of one-run ball and Willson Contreras hit a two-run home run, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 6-1 win and a four-game series sweep of the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon.
The Red Sox, who are now on a 13-game win streak, broke open the game with a three-run third inning before Contreras ripped his second homer in three games to round out the scoring in the fifth.
Ceddanne Rafaela went 2-for-4 and scored a run for the Red Sox.
Gray (12-1) scattered one run on five hits — including a solo, inside-the-park home run by Victor Mesa Jr. — en route to his ninth straight quality start. The veteran right-hander has now allowed one run or fewer in five consecutive outings.
Gray threw just 49 of his 91 pitches for strikes, but the Rays went 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position on the day. Chandler Simpson (2-for-4) was the lone Tampa Bay batter with multiple hits.
The Red Sox responded to Mesa’s inside-the-park job into the right-center-field triangle in the second by tying the game in the bottom half. After Caleb Durbin hit a leadoff single to left, stole second and took third on a throwing error, Andruw Monasterio doubled into the left field corner to make it a 1-1 game.
A three-run third off Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan (8-6) put the hosts in firm control. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out, and a passed ball brought Jahmai Jones home with the go-ahead run. Durbin and Romy Gonzalez followed with an RBI fielder’s choice and groundout, respectively.
The big inning proved to be more than enough offense for Gray, who stranded two runners on base in each of the first three frames before dealing a 1-2-3 fourth and inducing an inning-ending double play in the sixth to conclude his outing.
The Red Sox added to their lead in the fifth, as Rafaela knocked a leadoff single up the middle before scoring on Contreras’ two-run homer to deep right-center field.
McClanahan left after five innings, having surrendered all six runs (four earned) on five hits. He walked three and fanned three.
Greg Weissert, Jovani Moran and Ryan Watson all pitched scoreless innings to seal the win for Gray.
–Field Level Media
D-Backs rally from down 7 to beat Cardinals in 10 innings
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