Sports
Starting pitchers bid to regain form in finale of Braves-Pirates series
Jun 21, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Bryce Elder (55) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images Bryce Elder and fellow right-hander Mitch Keller are seeking answers to their recent woes on the mound.
Their quests will continue on Thursday afternoon when they square off as Keller’s Pittsburgh Pirates host Elder’s Atlanta Braves in the decisive contest of their three-game series.
The Pirates posted a 12-4 victory in the series opener on Tuesday before the Braves responded with a 3-0 win on Wednesday.
Keller (6-6, 5.02 ERA) has gone from being a reliable presence in the middle of the Pittsburgh rotation to major struggles since the end of May. He has a 1-4 record and 7.50 ERA over his past seven starts, allowing 30 earned runs over 36 innings.
Meanwhile, Elder (5-6, 4.01 ERA) started June in solid form but finished the month with three consecutive poor outings.
In the hopes of getting him back on track and perhaps combatting some potential midseason fatigue, the Braves skipped Elder’s spot in the rotation last week against the New York Mets. His velocity dropped in his most recent outing June 27 against the San Francisco Giants, when he allowed five runs on five hits, including two home runs, over four innings in a 5-0 loss.
Over his past three starts, Elder’s ERA has dropped from 2.66 to 4.01, and he has allowed 19 earned runs over 14 innings. He’s allowed five or more earned runs in each of those starts.
The silver lining for Elder could be a rematch with the Pirates.
Although Elder is 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA in four career starts against Pittsburgh, his last quality start before his recent struggles came against the Pirates on June 7 in Atlanta. He gave up two runs on two hits, including a home run, and two walks while striking out four over six innings in his team’s 3-2 victory.
“When I have a bad (start), it’s always terrible,” Elder said. “But it’s about getting back on the horse and figuring out how to rattle off six, seven or eight good ones again.”
Keller did not have success the last time he faced the Braves.
He allowed six runs on seven hits, including one home run, and three walks over 4 2/3 innings on June 5 at Atlanta in a 6-3 defeat. He is 1-4 with a 7.85 ERA in eight career starts against the Braves.
In his most recent start, Keller allowed a season-high three home runs and five runs overall on eight hits over six innings Friday in a 9-5 loss at Washington. He has allowed at least five runs in seven starts this season, with five of those times coming within his past seven starts.
“We have to keep working with (Keller),” Pirates manager Don Kelly said, “and get him back to what he’s capable of doing.”
Pittsburgh has won three of Keller’s past seven starts despite his struggles thanks to its offense consistently generating runs. The Pirates were shut out for the eighth time this season on Wednesday but scored five or more runs over their previous six games.
Pittsburgh lost another position player to injury after catcher Endy Rodriguez (left glute strain) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. The Pirates recalled catcher Rafael Flores Jr. from Triple-A Indianapolis.
The Braves also made a roster move on Wednesday as they optioned left-handed pitcher Connor Thomas to Triple-A Gwinnett and recalled right-handed pitcher Victor Mederos from Triple-A.
–Field Level Media
Sports
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo ejected for arguing balk call
Jul 8, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo (17) is ejected by home plate umpire Willie Traynor during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images Arizona manager Torey Lovullo was ejected from the Diamondbacks’ Wednesday road game against the San Diego Padres for disputing a balk call.
With runners at first and second and one out in the bottom of the fifth inning, Arizona rookie pitcher Jose Cabrera tried to spin off the rubber and fake a throw to second, where Fernando Tatis Jr. stood after walking and stealing second.
Plate umpire Willie Traynor ruled that Cabrera didn’t step toward second and also indicated that his knee buckled, both of which constitute balks. Lovullo came out to argue the call and earned his first ejection of the year.
Bench coach Jeff Banister took over for Lovullo as acting manager.
Moments after the balk call, Xander Bogaerts grounded a two-run single to left, increasing San Diego’s lead to 4-1.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nneka Ogwumike, Rae Burrell guide Sparks to victory over Fever
Jul 8, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) looks to pass as Los Angeles Sparks guard Erica Wheeler (17) defends during the first quarter at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Nneka Ogwumike scored 24 points and grabbed eight rebounds, Rae Burrell finished with 22 points, and the Los Angeles Sparks earned a 106-92 win over the visiting Indiana Fever on Wednesday.
Los Angeles (9-11) ended a run of three consecutive losses, all blowouts, since Kelsey Plum sustained a left leg injury on June 21. Included in that run was a 111-87 setback at Indiana on June 27.
However, in the return matchup on Wednesday, the Sparks found the right combination of balanced offense and defense to pull out of their tailspin. Every Los Angeles player who saw the floor scored, led by all five starters reaching double figures.
Dearica Hamby posted 21 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Ariel Atkins and Erica Wheeler each added 12 points. Wheeler dished six assists and Ogwumike added five.
Burrell shot 9-for-15 from the floor to finish two points shy of matching her career high. Burrell also delivered in clutch moments during the second half, including one fourth-quarter sequence in which she dished to a streaking Erica Wheeler for a basket, then on the ensuing possession attacked the rim for a twisting reverse layup.
Burrell’s big night also included a pair of 3-pointers, as the Sparks shot 9-for-20 from long range to match their total of made triples from the previous two games combined.
Indiana (12-9) welcomed Caitlin Clark back to the lineup after she missed two games with a back injury, but the third-year guard was limited to 15:39 of playing time. She shot just 4-of-12 from the floor and finished with nine points, four rebounds, three assists and four turnovers.
Kelsey Mitchell led all scorers with 29 points to pace Indiana. Damiris Dantas scored 12, and Tyasha Harris added 10. Monique Billings grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Fever were without leading rebounder and key interior presence Aliyah Boston, however. She was scratched from the lineup due to a right leg injury.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pete Crow-Armstrong homers twice as Cubs outslug Orioles
Jul 8, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) is congratulated by infielder Michael Busch (29) after hitting a home run in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two of Chicago’s five home runs and the Cubs held on to beat the host Baltimore Orioles 9-7 on Wednesday night.
Crow-Armstrong’s second long ball of the game and 21st of the season put the Cubs ahead for good, 4-3 in the fifth inning, before the teams combined for nine runs across the last three innings.
Michael Conforto and Carson Kelly hit back-to-back solo blasts in the fifth, then two batters later, Crow-Armstrong went deep. Crow-Armstrong earlier hit a solo shot in the third inning, and Seiya Suzuki added a three-run homer in the seventh.
The Cubs, who will go for a sweep of the three-game series on Thursday, produced their offense with eight hits and four walks. They won for the eighth time in the past 10 games.
Tyler O’Neill hit two home runs across the final three innings for the Orioles, and Pete Alonso and Coby Mayo also homered. Jackson Holliday rapped four of Baltimore’s 14 hits, but he never scored a run in what became the team’s third consecutive loss.
Right-hander Colin Rea (7-5) won his second start in a row, allowing three runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two. Jacob Webb was called upon to pitch the ninth, and the right-hander notched his fourth save by retiring the side in order.
Baltimore right-hander Dean Kremer (1-2) gave up four runs on six hits in five innings in his second start after coming off the injury list. He fanned four and walked one.
Following Crow-Armstrong’s third-inning home run, the Orioles built a 3-1 lead on Alonso’s two-run homer in the fourth.
Chicago’s three-homer fifth inning was followed by a five-run seventh for a 9-3 advantage.
O’Neill entered the game in the seventh as a pinch hitter and delivered his first homer of the game. The Orioles tacked on another run on Taylor Ward’s run-scoring single but stranded two runners on base while trailing 9-5.
Mayo slugged a pinch-hit homer in the eighth before O’Neill made it back-to-back blasts for the Orioles.
–Field Level Media
D-backs manager Torey Lovullo ejected for arguing balk call
Nneka Ogwumike, Rae Burrell guide Sparks to victory over Fever
