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
Twins' Alan Roden, in season debut, delivers walk-off hit vs. Guardians
Jul 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins right fielder Alan Roden (18) hits a single against the Cleveland Guardians in the fourth inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images Alan Roden delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning in his season debut, lifting the Minnesota Twins to a 6-5 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday in Minneapolis.
Roden finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs one day after Minnesota promoted him from Triple-A Saint Paul. Kody Clemens went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Twins, who increased their winning streak to four games.
Brayan Rocchio homered and drove in three runs for the Guardians, who took their fourth loss in a row. Rhys Hoskins added a solo home run.
Twins reliever Yoendrys Gomez (1-0) earned the victory with a scoreless inning of relief. Gomez notched his 10th save one night earlier as the Twins won the series opener 3-1.
Guardians reliever Matt Festa (2-2) allowed one run on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.
Roden provided the heroics on the ninth pitch of his at-bat with two outs in the ninth. He ripped a deep line drive off the wall in right-center field to score Royce Lewis for the win. Clemens walked leading off the inning, Alex Jackson singled with two outs, and Luke Keaschall walked to load the bases and bring up Roden.
Cleveland started the scoring with three runs in the top of the fourth.
Chase DeLauter led off the inning with a single, and Rocchio followed two pitches later with a two-run, 401-foot homer to left. Two pitches after that, Hoskins belted a 383-foot solo shot to left to make it 3-0.
Minnesota responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to even the score.
The Twins loaded the bases with no outs for Lewis, who drew a walk to bring home the team’s first run. Keaschall drove in the second run with a sacrifice fly to center, and Roden made it 3-all with an RBI single to center in the next at-bat.
The Guardians regained the lead with two runs in the seventh.
DeLauter started the scoring with an RBI single to right to drive in Kahlil Watson. Rocchio made it 5-3 as he laid down a sacrifice bunt and Steven Kwan sprinted home.
Erratic pitching cost the Guardians in the bottom of the seventh. Reliever Erik Sabrowski issued back-to-back walks with the bases loaded, to Brooks Lee and Clemens, allowing the Twins to even the score at 5-all.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Angels end seven-game skid with offensive outburst at Rangers
Jul 8, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Angels right fielder Jo Adell celebrates after he hits a three run home run against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning at Globe Life Field. Jo Adell hit two home runs and drove in a career-high five runs as the Los Angeles Angels snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 13-1 rout of the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night in Arlington, Tex.
Vaughn Grissom had four hits and four RBIs and Mike Trout homered in his return off the injured list as well for the Angels.
It was the 10th multi-home run game of Adell’s career. Zach Neto went 3-for-5 with two doubles and three runs scored. Denzer Guzman doubled and had two hits. Jose Siri had two hits and an RBI. Josh Lowe also scored twice for Los Angeles, which finished with 15 hits.
Trout, sidelined since June 18 with a right hamstring injury, went 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs and two runs scored while playing DH.
Samy Natera Jr. (1-0) picked up his first major league victory in relief of Walbert Urena, striking out five of the six batters he faced during two perfect innings. Urena gave up only a third-inning single to left by Josh Smith, who was thrown out at second by Lowe trying to stretch it into a double.
Kyle Higashioka homered for Texas, which finished with just three hits. MacKenzie Gore (5-8) suffered the loss, allowing seven runs on nine hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out seven.
Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Neto led off with a double into the left field corner and scored one out later on Grissom’s single to center.
Adell extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth with a two-run opposite field homer to right, driving in Grissom, who had singled.
The Angels then broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning, highlighted by a 433-foot three-run homer to left-center by Adell.
Grissom extended the lead to 9-0 in the sixth with a two-run double. Trout, celebrating the 15-year anniversary of his major league debut, made it 11-0 with a two-run homer in the eighth, a 438-foot drive to left.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nyles Morgan motivated to lead Redblacks to first win vs. Elks
Jun 7, 2025; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; BC Lions wide receiver Jevon Cottoy (86) runs the ball against Edmonton Elks linebacker Nyles Morgan (45) and defensive back Tyrell Ford (30) second half at BC Place Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-Imagn Images Ottawa middle linebacker Nyles Morgan and the Redblacks look for their first win of the season when they visit his former team on Thursday night in Edmonton.
Morgan, who played for the Elks from 2021-25, leads the CFL in total tackles (31) and tackles for loss (three) despite the rough start for Ottawa (0-4).
The Redblacks have dropped 10 in a row dating back to last season, and they are off to their worst start since opening 0-6 in 2022.
Morgan, 29, registered seven tackles in a 29-21 season-opening home loss to Edmonton on June 6. The Notre Dame product told the Ottawa Citizen this week he is satisfied with his individual play to this point.
“I would say, yeah, so far,” Morgan said. “I’ve been adapting well to my new defense and my new teammates, and I’ve been doing really well so far.”
Returning to his old stomping grounds Thursday, Morgan admitted he is motivated to put on a strong performance against the Elks (3-1).
“After working somewhere for so long and kind of getting tossed aside due to injury, or just by a new regime that doesn’t appreciate you, it would definitely light a fire under anybody, I would say,” Morgan said.
He will face an Edmonton team coming off its first loss of the season, a 36-24 setback against the B.C. Lions on July 4 in Kelowna, British Columbia.
Cody Fajardo passed for 395 yards against the Lions but offset three touchdown passes with three interceptions. The Elks also coughed up a fumble and were outgained 162-24 on the ground.
“Our brand of football is running the football, and they had a good plan for us and they stopped us,” Fajardo said on 880 CHED. “We’re one of the No. 1 teams in the league running the ball. When you stop us in the run, it just makes it difficult because it takes us out of our game plan a little bit.”
In the Week 1 meeting between these teams at Ottawa, Justin Rankin’s back-breaking, 61-yard touchdown run gave the Elks a 26-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. He finished with 102 yards on 13 carries.
Jake Maier threw for 203 yards and a touchdown and Daniel Adeboboye rushed for 87 yards and a score to lead the Redblacks.
–Field Level Media
Twins' Alan Roden, in season debut, delivers walk-off hit vs. Guardians
Angels end seven-game skid with offensive outburst at Rangers
