Sports
Scoring runs an issue for both Phillies, Mets
Jul 18, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Trea Turner (7) reacts against the New York Mets in the second inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Even in a lopsided victory, the Philadelphia Phillies’ inconsistent ways continued Saturday afternoon.
Unfortunately for the New York Mets, consistency has been their biggest problem.
The Phillies and the Mets will each look to earn a series win Sunday afternoon, when Philadelphia hosts New York in the finale of a three-game series between the National League East rivals.
Alan Rangel (0-2, 4.19 ERA) is slated to start for the Phillies against fellow rookie right-hander Nolan McLean (6-6, 3.52).
Trea Turner had three hits, including a homer, and scored three runs Saturday as the Phillies cruised to a 6-1 win.
The six runs were the most for the Phillies since July 4, when they beat the Kansas City Royals, 6-1. Philadelphia has scored more than four runs just five times in 13 games this month, during which it’s gone 7-6 while never winning or losing more than two straight contests.
The Phillies could have had an even bigger afternoon Saturday, when J.T. Realmuto was stranded at third in the second inning, and Edmundo Sosa and Brandon Marsh were left at the corners in the fourth. But Philadelphia put the game away by scoring twice apiece in the fifth and sixth.
The Phillies remain a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs in the race for the top NL wild-card spot and three games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins, who are in a virtual tie for the last NL playoff berth.
“Had a couple innings there — (those) type of innings that make you nervous,” interim Phillies manager Don Mattingly said. “You look at those and you feel like sometimes they’re going to come back to haunt you. Today, it didn’t. Obviously, we were able to keep pushing.”
The Mets’ woes on both sides of the ball continued Saturday, when they had as many hits (three) as errors. Only one of the errors — catcher Francisco Alvarez’s errant pickoff throw trying to nab Kyle Schwarber at first in the fifth — led to a run, but the all-around sloppiness symbolized New York’s disappointing season.
New York, which is in last place in the NL East and on pace for its worst season since 2003 (66-95, .410), ranks 28th in the majors with a .682 OPS while committing 69 errors, second-most behind the Washington Nationals (76).
The Mets ranked sixth in the big leagues last season with a .753 OPS and committed 79 errors, after which president of baseball operations David Stearns emphasized run prevention during an overhaul that shuffled Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Brandon Nimmo out of town.
But New York has scored one run or fewer 22 times this season after doing so just a major league-low 21 times last season.
“You have to take the mentality that you’re going to score, that you’re going to make plays, that you’re going to defend the field,” interim Mets manager Andy Green said. “I think a little bit of a mentality shift is a positive thing in that setting.”
Rangel was tagged with the loss in his most recent start July 8, when he gave up three runs over 3 1/3 innings as the Phillies were routed by the host Cincinnati Reds, 11-5.
McLean took the defeat on July 10 after allowing a pair of unearned runs as the Mets fell to the visiting Boston Red Sox, 6-2.
Rangel lost his lone appearance against the Mets on June 27, when he surrendered four runs over four innings in the Phillies’ 6-2 road loss. McLean is 1-1 with an 0.68 ERA in two career starts a year ago against Philadelphia.
–Field Level Media
Sports
FaZe Vegas won't be denied at CDL Championship grand final
Jul 19, 2019; Miami Beach, FL, USA; A general view of custom PlayStation controllers sold by a vender during the Call of Duty League Finals e-sports event at Miami Beach Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images FaZe Vegas completed an undefeated tournament run with a 5-2 victory over OpTic Texas on Sunday in the grand final of the 2026 Call of Duty League Championship in Las Vegas.
The victory was worth $800,000 in the $2 million prize pool, with OpTic Texas collecting $480,000.
American Chris “Simp” Lehr of FaZe Vegas was named tournament Most Valuable Player.
This was the final event and the world championship of the Black Ops 7 competitive season. Eight of 12 teams qualified for the CDL Championship in the regular season from Dec. 5, 2025 to June 29, led by first-place OpTic Texas (40-12, +69).
The playoff format was a double-elimination bracket, with all matches best-of-five except for Sunday’s grand final, which was best-of-nine.
OpTic Texas took the opening map, Colossus Hardpoint, 250-216. FaZe Vegas responded by capturing the next four maps to be on the brink of the championship.
Vegas won 6-5 on Raid Search and Destroy, 4-3 on Scar Overload, 250-194 on Scar Hardpoint and 6-5 on Den Search and Destroy.
Texas stayed alive with a 4-3 victory on Den Overload, before FaZe Vegas closed out with another close outcome, 6-5 on Hacienda Search and Destroy.
Zack “Drazah” Jordan paced FaZe Vegas with a match-high 153 kills for a plus-23 kill-death differential. Teammate Jordan “Abuzah” Francois of Belgium posted 151 kills and a match-best plus-40 K-D differential. All four Vegas players had positive differentials.
All four OpTic players were in the negative, with Anthony “Shotzzy” Cuevas-Castro recording a team-best 129 kills but also a team-worst 156 deaths for a minus-27 K-D differential.
FaZe Vegas went unscathed in the tournament, downing G2 Minnesota 3-1, the Riyadh Falcons 3-0 and OpTic Texas 3-2 in the upper bracket to advance to the grand final.
OpTic Texas opened with a sweep of the Miami Heretics 3-0, then topped the Paris Gentle Mates 3-1. After losing to Vegas and dropping to the elimination side of the bracket, Texas beat the Falcons 3-1 on Saturday to get another shot at FaZe.
Call of Duty League Championship prize pool
1. $800,000, FaZe Vegas
2. $480,000, OpTic Texas
3. $320,000, Riyadh Falcons
4. $160,000, Paris Gentle Mates
5-6. $80,000, Miami Heretics, G2 Minnesota
7-8. $40,000, Los Angeles Thieves, Toronto KOI
–Field Level Media
Sports
IndyCar Series race at Nashville postponed to Monday
NTT IndyCar Series Santino Ferrucci’s car his pushed back to the garage during a weather delay at the Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn., Sunday, July 19, 2026 The Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix was postponed to Monday at 3 p.m. ET after inclement weather delayed the start of the race Sunday evening before a second round of storms made racing impossible.
The 12th race of the IndyCar season was slated for Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tenn.
The official X account of the IndyCar Series initially posted that the race, scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. start, was on hold until the end of the FIFA World Cup final. Fox broadcasts both the World Cup and the IndyCar series, and the Spain-Argentina final required extra time and went past 5:30 ET before Spain prevailed 1-0.
Then came the rain. Race organizers worked to dry the track after a storm passed through the Nashville area, and because the track has floodlights, there was a chance to fit in the race Sunday night.
But another powerful storm ripped through. As a Fox host describing the scene put it, “The dry track has been utterly sodden in a sudden and almighty deluge.”
Andretti Global driver Kyle Kirkwood will hold pole position when drivers bring their cars to the starting line Monday afternoon.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Paige Buckers leaves game after collision, hitting head on floor
Jul 19, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) and Los Angeles Sparks guard Erica Wheeler (17) react after a play during the second half at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-Imagn Images Dallas Wings star guard Paige Bueckers suffered a scary fall late in her team’s 90-82 win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Sunday in Arlington, Texas, leaving with 3:33 to play and not returning.
As Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike was dribbling down the court, she was fouled and lost her balance. She tumbled into the legs of Bueckers and the second-year player fell straight back, landing on her back.
The back of Bueckers’ head appeared to hit the floor when she fell and the 24-year-old immediately grabbed her head.
After lying face down on the floor briefly, Bueckers walked off the court on her own but with members of the Wings’ staff flanking her as she continued to hold her head and had a slight limp.
Before walking off the court, she hugged Ogwumike after the two got up. Both players were selected to the WNBA All-Star Game on July 25 in Chicago.
Bueckers finished with a game-high 25 points on 10-of-18 shooting, including 2 of 4 from 3-point range, as well as five assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes. Ogwumike led the Sparks (10-15) with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
There was no update provided on Bueckers’ status after the game. Last season’s rookie of the year after being selected No. 1 overall out of Connecticut, Bueckers entered the day averaging 20.7 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 38.1% from distance.
The Wings are now 17-8, fourth in the WNBA and a half-game behind the Las Vegas Aces for third place.
–Field Level Media
FaZe Vegas won't be denied at CDL Championship grand final
IndyCar Series race at Nashville postponed to Monday
