Sports
Reds aim to continue dimming Braves' playoff hopes
Sep 17, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (29) high fives shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) after the victory over the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images The Atlanta Braves will try to rebound after blowing a four-run lead in a critical loss as they oppose the host Cincinnati Reds in the second game of a three-game series on Wednesday.
If the Braves (81-70) don’t reach the playoffs for the first time since 2017, the Reds will have played a major role. Cincinnati (74-78) has won all four meetings this season, with just two games remaining in the season set.
The Braves blew a 5-1 lead on Tuesday in the series opener and fell 6-5 to the Reds. With the Mets routing the Washington Nationals 10-1 and the Diamondbacks losing to the Colorado Rockies 8-2, the Braves are two games back of New York and Arizona for the final two National League wild-card spots.
Injuries might finally be catching up to the Braves, who captured the 2021 World Series and won 100-plus games in 2022 and ’23. The team lost staff ace Spencer Strider to an elbow injury in April, right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. to a torn ACL in May, shortstop Ozzie Albies to a fractured wrist in July and third baseman Austin Riley to a hand injury in August.
Albies might be able to return this weekend after homering in his first rehab game on Tuesday.
In their loss to the Reds on Tuesday, the Braves went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 14 on base, including the tying run in scoring position in the ninth.
“It’s hard,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “We’ve been talking about it all year, really. We were talking about it before all the injury bugs started, really. But you know what, honestly, that’s not an excuse. We are what we are, we got our guys, and they’re all capable of doing the job. It’s just, I think, about not trying too hard and adjusting in some situations.”
Once a candidate for the National League triple crown, Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna has slumped lately, going 26 games without a home run.
The Reds, meanwhile, are enjoying the spoiler role, having won three of their past four games, all against playoff contenders. Spencer Steer belted a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning to cap the Tuesday comeback.
“I think we can hopefully string together a really good couple weeks here in the season and have our heads held high going to the offseason,” Steer said. “We know what we’re capable of. And when we play clean baseball in all phases of the game, I think we’re really tough to beat. So I think that’s gonna be a big focus for us going forward.”
It was Steer’s 20th homer of the season to go along with his 25 steals. Steer and Elly De La Cruz, with 24 homers and 64 stolen bases, are the first Cincinnati teammates since Barry Larkin and Eric Davis in 1996 to reach 20-plus homers and 20-plus steals in a season.
The Braves will send rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach (6-7, 3.73 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday. Schwellenbach earned a win in his latest outing, allowing four hits and two runs over six innings in a 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday. Schwellenbach has never faced Cincinnati.
The Reds will counter with one of their hottest pitchers, right-hander Jakob Junis (4-0, 2.73 ERA), making his fourth start as part of the injury-riddled Cincinnati rotation. Junis allowed three hits and one run over five innings on Thursday in a no-decision against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Junis is 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Braves, all while he was with the San Francisco Giants the previous two years.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Egypt top Australia on penalty kicks, advance to round of 16
July 3, 2026; Arlington, Texas, U.S.; Egypt’s Emam Ashour celebrates scoring their first goal with Egypt’s Omar Marmoush. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images Egypt converted all four of their penalty kicks to win a shootout with Australia 4-2 following a 1-1 draw, securing their first World Cup knockout-round victory on Friday in Arlington, Texas.
Mahmoud Saber, Ramy Rabia, Mohamed Salah and Hossam Abdelmaguid all deposited their attempts in the net past Mathew Ryan, who did not appear in this World Cup before subbing on for Patrick Beach late in extra time as a penalty-kick specialist.
Harry Souttar had the first try for Australia and cleared his shot into the stands. Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabil got their shots past Egypt keeper Mostafa Shoubir before Salah made a quick sprint at his ball and scored center-net while Ryan dove to his left.
Australia sent 18-year-old Colorado Rapids defender Lucas Herrington on for the fourth round, and his shot found the crossbar. That left Abdelmaguid to finish off Egypt’s deserved victory as Ryan guessed the wrong way again.
Emam Ashour got Egypt on the board in the 13th minute. The Pharaohs will face either Argentina or Cape Verde in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Atlanta.
Australia, who were also looking for their first-ever knockout triumph, failed to score a regulation goal in their final three matches of the tournament after opening with a 2-0 win over Turkey. Their lone tally Friday came on an own goal by Mohamed Hany.
During second-half stoppage, Beach parried Egypt’s best look over the bar, preventing Rabia’s point-blank header from becoming the game-winner. The 30 minutes of extra time, much like regulation, saw Egypt have far more of the ball and the chances as the Socceroos defended corner after corner.
A creative free kick was the precursor to Ashour’s goal. Salah flicked it back to Ashour for a running start, but his attempt was blocked by a defender. The ball stayed in the area and Ashour floated into good position while Egypt worked the ball the other way to Karim Hafez.
When Hafez uncorked a cross to the far side, Ashour was there to elevate for a strong header that split Beach and the post.
Hany — who needed treatment on his knee during the first half — was at the center of a scary moment in the early minutes of the second. After an aerial collision with Connor Metcalfe near the Egypt net, Hany fell in a heap and teammates immediately called for assistance. Trainers prepared a stretcher, but after Hany stood up and was given a concussion check, he was allowed to stay in the game.
The tying own goal came about five minutes later at 55 minutes, when Hany’s header could not direct a curling free kick from Aiden O’Neill away from net.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Aryna Sabalenka to meet Naomi Osaka in Wimbledon round of 16
Jul 1, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Aryna Sabalenka hits a volley against McCartney Kessler (USA) (not pictured) on day three of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka delivered nine aces and advanced to the round of 16 of Wimbledon with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia on Friday at the All England Club in London.
The World No. 1 from Belarus hit 19 winners while advancing to the second week of a Grand Slam event for the 15th straight time. She committed just six unforced errors.
“I’m really glad that mentally I was super strong and super focused today,” Sabalenka said of the 92-minute victory. “I’m happy that I closed this match in straight sets.”
Sabalenka next faces No. 14 seed Naomi Osaka of Japan. Osaka cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Daria Kasatkina of Australia.
Osaka had 25 winners against 13 unforced errors while dispatching Kasatkina in just 65 minutes to reach the round of 16 at Wimbledon for the first time.
Sabalenka is 3-1 all-time against Osaka, with all three victories coming this season.
Sabalenka won in straight sets in the round of 16 on the hard court at Indian Wells and also was victorious twice on clay. She prevailed in three sets in the round of 16 at Madrid and in two sets in the round of 16 at the French Open.
“I think every match was very tough one,” Sabalenka said of the 2026 meetings. “In every match there was, like, few key moments of each set where I think I was able to trust my game and to step in and to put pressure on her. I feel like every time she play me, she’s more focused. She’s aware of my power and aggression and everything. I feel like every time she’s handling herself really good and handling the pressure good.
“I’m ready to go out there and to fight.”
No. 4 seed Jessica Pegula sailed into the next round with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. It’s just the second time Pegula has reached the round of 16.
“I thought it was really clean,” Pegula said. “Definitely the best match I’ve had since I’ve been in the tournament. So that’s always nice. Really nice weather out today. Conditions felt good. I just kind of executed my game plan really well. Came out with good energy and was able to play a solid match.”
Pegula next faces upstart American Iva Jovic. The No. 16 seed notched a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory over No. 18 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia.
No. 7 Coco Gauff was challenged by fellow American Claire Liu before winning 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-2. Gauff committed 29 errors while Liu had a whopping 57.
Gauff will next face No. 11 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. Bencic outlasted No. 19 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (6).
No. 10 Karolina Muchova posted a 6-2, 7-6 (1) victory over Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand. She will face 2024 champion Barbora Krejcikova in an all-Czech affair. Krejcikova beat another Czech, Nikola Bartunkova 6-3, 7-5 on Friday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
To Shane van Gisbergen's chagrin, NASCAR returns to Chicagoland Speedway
Jun 28, 2026; Sonoma, California, USA; Trackhouse Racing driver Shane van Gisbergen (97) celebrates after winning the NASCAR Toyota / Save Mart 350 series race at Sonoma Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images Shane van Gisbergen restored his dominance on road courses Sunday and reinforced the fact that he is the greatest NASCAR road racer ever, but the stakes increase for the New Zealander during the second half of 2026.
It’s 18 races down, 18 to go this season and, to the Trackhouse Racing driver’s chagrin, there are no more curvy layouts to conquer.
While NASCAR returns to the Chicago area this weekend, drivers will not be found again on Michigan Avenue. That’s a bummer for van Gisburgen because he won two of the three races held on the Chicago Street Course.
Instead, NASCAR returns to the 1.52-mile Chicagoland Speedway, a tri-oval in southwest suburban Joliet, Ill., that has not hosted an event since Alex Bowman earned his first career victory there in 2019.
Sunday’s eero 400, a 267-lapper that breaks the stretch of consecutive road races, will be the 20th NASCAR Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.
Three active drivers have wins there: Brad Keselowski owns two while Denny Hamlin and Bowman have one apiece.
Keselowski’s pair came with different manufacturers: Dodge in 2012 while racing for then-Penske Racing and in Ford for Team Penske two years later.
Now 42, Keselowski took the 2012 Cup title in the season he first won in Chicago, becoming the first Dodge driver to notch a title since 1975 when it was done by Richard Petty, who turned 89 on Thursday.
Currently in his 19th Cup season and fifth as part-owner of RFK Racing, the Michigan native fended off rumors that his group will become Dodge’s flagship team as the manufacturer returns to Cup in 2027.
“For those asking — RFK racing has multi-year agreement with @fordracing and a commitment from their leadership to return the program to a championship contender,” Keselowski wrote June 25 on social media. “Any speculation else-wise makes for great internet talk but, it is not based on anything real.”
The number one comes up frequently regarding Ford, the Joliet speedway and the 2012 champ.
Ford is a disappointing 1-for-18 in 2026, while the blue oval has only a lone checkered flag in 19 Chicagoland races.
Keselowski himself has just one victory in 164 RFK starts, a 2024 Darlington win.
To use a football term, he and the manufacturer will be going for two on Sunday.
In a similar vein, van Gisbergen will be going for two on Sunday. While all his eight official NASCAR wins have come on road courses, he won on an oval last July in the Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
He recognizes he’ll need more success on ovals to get where he wants to go.
Last season in 30 races on tracks that were not road courses, van Gisbergen posted an average finish of 24.8. Through 14 races on similar configurations this season, he has bumped it up to 20.9 — an improvement but certainly numbers that will not make him a viable title contender.
On May 31, he scored his first top-five showing by finishing fifth in Nashville. He will have to improve markedly to create more top fives.
He opens the eero 400 in 14th place, which at least puts him into Chase playoff contention.
“It certainly helps us,” the No. 97 Chevrolet driver said Sunday of his win at Sonoma, “but this is an oval championship.”
–Field Level Media
Egypt top Australia on penalty kicks, advance to round of 16
Aryna Sabalenka to meet Naomi Osaka in Wimbledon round of 16
