Sports
Timbers settle for scoreless tie vs. FC Dallas
Oct 6, 2024; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Timbers forward Santiago Moreno (30) battles FC Dallas defender Sam Junqua (29) for control of a ball during the first half at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-Imagn Images The Portland Timbers missed a chance to improve their playoff positioning after they had to settle for a scoreless draw against visiting FC Dallas on Sunday.
James Pantemis, making his first start since July 20, stopped six shots to earn his sixth clean sheet of the season for Portland. Dallas’ Jimmy Maurer (making his second straight start and third in the past month) made seven saves to record his third shutout of the year.
The Timbers (12-11-10, 46 points) already clinched a spot in the postseason — albeit the final wild-card position — after the matches on Saturday but could have jumped into eighth place with a win on Sunday.
Dallas — with an interim coach — was eliminated from the postseason before the weekend’s matches and can now only improve its position among the teams that will finish below the playoff line.
Portland produced the match’s first three scoring chances. Santiago Moreno’s right-footed attempt was saved in the fourth minute, and Felipe Mora and then Jonathan Rodríguez had shots on goal in the 18th minute that were stopped by Maurer.
Dallas (10-15-8, 38 points) responded in the 28th minute when Bernard Kamungo tested Pantemis with a shot from outside the box but the Timbers’ keeper was up to the task. Mora had another shot in the 39th minute but Maurer was quick to make the save, assuring that the match went to halftime still scoreless.
The Toros pressed to break the deadlock early in the second half. Sebastian Lletget’s shot in the 51st minute forced Pantemis to make a save. Lletget, Manuel Cafumana and Kamungo added shots on goal in the 65th, 66th and 67th minute, respectively, but all three were low-percentage attempts that were stopped by the Portland keeper.
Evander got in on the action for the Timbers with a shot on goal in the 78th minute. Mora then found the target but failed to convert in the 88th minute before Cristhian Paredes had the match’s final decent scoring attempt four minutes later, trying Maurer with a right-footed shot from outside the box that was turned away.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Browns OT Dawand Jones agrees to reworked deal
Sep 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) lies on the field after being injured against the Green Bay Packers during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones agreed to a restructured deal for the 2026 season, NFL Network reported Saturday.
Jones’ deal was lowered to $1.5 million base pay with $1.145 million of it being guaranteed. He played in just three games last season due to a season-ending LCL tear in his right knee.
Jones, 24, was due to receive $3.674 million in 2026 after hitting an NFL escalator by playing in over 35% of his team’s offensive snaps in two of his first three seasons. Jones qualified via the Proven Performance Escalator, which pertains to fourth-year salary for players on rookie contracts who weren’t selected in the first round.
Jones initially signed a four-year, $4.63 million rookie contract after being a fourth-round pick in 2023 out of Ohio State.
But each of his three NFL seasons have ended with an injury and Jones has played in just 24 games with 20 starts.
He started nine games as a rookie before sustaining a season-ending MCL tear in his right knee. In 2024, he played in 10 games before a fractured left fibula ended his season.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Braves RF Ronald Acuna Jr. leaves Rockies game with hamstring tightness
May 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left Saturday’s game at the Colorado Rockies with left hamstring tightness.
Acuna grabbed at his hamstring and pulled up when attempting to run out a grounder he hit in the second inning in Denver. He limped off the field under his own power after being examined by the team’s medical staff.
The 2023 National League MVP, Acuna entered the day hitting .248 with two homers and nine RBIs in 33 games. He led off the game with a single and scored when Drake Baldwin followed with a home run.
Acuna was replaced in right field by Eli White, who is hitting .186 with two homers and seven RBIs in 19 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pirates wreck Reds; tie MLB record for consecutive walks
May 2, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Home plate umpire Willie Traynow keeps Cincinnati Reds second baseman Sal Stewart (27) away from Pittsburgh Pirates cvatcher Henry Davis after he was nearly hit by the ball during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images The host Pittsburgh Pirates scored 15 runs in the first four innings and took advantage of record wildness by the Cincinnati Reds to roll to a 17-7 victory on Saturday.
Rookie Konnor Griffin doubled, tripled and went 4-for-5 while driving in two, while Ryan O’Hearn doubled and drove in three as the top eight hitters in the Pirates lineup each had at least one hit while seven batters had at least two hits.
Pittsburgh also drew seven consecutive walks in the second inning — tying a major league record set in 1909 and equaled in 1983. The Pirates scored five runs in the second without a hit, becoming the first team to accomplish the feat since 1994.
Right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2) was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst. He struck out a career-high 10 while scattering eight hits, two walks and five runs over 5 2/3 innings.
Will Benson and JJ Bleday homered and Nathaniel Lowe drove in three runs for the Reds, who trailed 15-3 after four innings. Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder (3-2) surrendered eight runs, five hits and four walks before being removed with one out in the second.
Since losing 2-0 to Cincinnati in their first meeting on March 30, Pittsburgh has won the last four by a combined 42-14 score.
For a second straight day, the game was played in raw conditions, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees.
Lowder appeared miserable in the cold and struggled badly early. He was unable to find his rhythm or command while allowing four runs before there were two outs in the first inning. The five runs allowed in the first were a career high for the right-hander.
Lowder labored through 30 pitches in the first as O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Griffin each doubled in the five-run outburst. Lowder then walked the bases loaded in the second before being pulled.
Reliever Connor Phillips came in and walked all four Pirates he faced to force in four runs. He left after throwing just five of his 21 pitches for strikes.
The last time seven straight walks were issued in a Major League game came on May 25, 1983, when three Pirates pitchers walked seven in a row at Atlanta in a 6-0 Braves win.
The five runs without a hit in the second happened for the first time since April 27, 1994, when the Seattle Mariners allowed five runs to the New York Yankees in the top of the third inning.
With the score 15-6, Pittsburgh reliever Chris Devenski was ejected for throwing inside near the ribcage of Sal Stewart to open the seventh. Stewart took exception and stared out at the mound. But the encounter did not escalate as umpires intervened.
–Field Level Media
Report: Browns OT Dawand Jones agrees to reworked deal
Braves RF Ronald Acuna Jr. leaves Rockies game with hamstring tightness
