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Twins rally with 4-run sixth, take down Royals

Jun 5, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Zebby Matthews (52) pitches to the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn ImagesJun 5, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins pitcher Zebby Matthews (52) pitches to the Kansas City Royals in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Brooks Lee homered and drove in two runs, and the Minnesota Twins held on for a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night in Minneapolis.

Josh Bell doubled and drove in a run for Minnesota, which evened the four-game series at one win apiece. Tristan Gray went 2-for-3 with a double.

Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone (two hits) each doubled and drove in a run for Kansas City. Maikel Garcia also drove in a run for the Royals.

Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews (2-3) allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings. He walked four and struck out two.

Royals right-hander Michael Wacha (4-4) surrendered five runs (four earned) on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked none and struck out two.

Twins right-hander Travis Adams picked up his second save despite allowing a run in the ninth.

The Royals opened the scoring in the top of the first. Pasquantino and Caglianone each hit RBI doubles to give Kansas City an early 2-0 lead.

The Twins cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third. Alex Jackson scored from third base on Lee’s RBI fielder’s choice grounder to second.

Both starting pitchers remained in control until the sixth, when the Twins erupted for four runs to grab a 5-2 lead.

Lee started the big inning with a home run to right to make it 2-all.

Kody Clemens doubled in the next at-bat and scored moments later on Bell’s go-ahead double to left. Bell scored to make it 4-2 after Arcia singled and Caglianone committed a throwing error in right field.

The Twins pushed their lead to three when Arcia scored on a wild pitch by Wacha.

Kansas City pulled within 5-3 on an RBI groundout by Garcia in the ninth.

Twins center fielder Byron Buxton left in the third because of a right shoulder contusion. Chasing down a drive by Carter Jensen, Buxton banged against the outfield wall while making the catch. He initially stayed in the game, but was replaced by Gray in the bottom of the inning.

–Field Level Media

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Report: FIFA could make $11 million from pieces of World Cup final turf

People carry “FIFA” letters on to the field before a 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 match between France and Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in East Rutherford, NJ.People carry “FIFA” letters on to the field before a 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 match between France and Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in East Rutherford, NJ.

The field that will be used for the World Cup final later this month is about to fetch some serious green.

According to The Athletic, FIFA will sell four different tiers of souvenir turf that will be harvested after the world’s most-watched sporting event concludes July 19 at East Rutherford, N.J.

The sale, which is only available for customers in the United States and Europe, is expected to generate over $11 million.

In addition to the high-priced tickets and memorabilia for the tournament, it will cost $3,000 for the highest priced tier of souvenir turf. The 3-inch by 3-inch portion of grass will include a gold-etched replica ticket, a replica mini World Cup ball and a crystal-cut World Cup trophy.

The three other tiers of souvenir turf will sell for $450, $900 and $1,200.

There will be no more than 2,026 pieces available in any one tier.

The report indicated that the turf which will be used for the World Cup final was grown at a turf farm in North Carolina.

For consistency, new turf fields were installed at all World Cup venues, including those that typically have artificial surfaces like the stadiums in Seattle, Atlanta, East Rutherford, Vancouver, Canada, Arlington, Texas, and Inglewood, Calif.

There is no indication of what will happen to the turf fields that are not being used for the final.

The 2026 World Cup consisted of a record 48 teams that will end up playing 104 matches in three countries. A total of 16 venues are being used for the tournament.

–Field Level Media

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A'ja Wilson back in form for Aces as Mercury come to town

Jun 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) defends against Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesJun 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) defends against Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas (25) at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

A’ja Wilson wasn’t the least bit hindered in her return from a three-game injury absence Thursday night.

Wilson takes aim at another strong outing on Saturday when the Las Vegas Aces host the Phoenix Mercury.

The four-time league MVP missed three games with an injured right ankle and wasted no time returning to her usual standard. She ended up with a game-high 32 points and 10 rebounds to help Las Vegas notch an 88-80 road victory over the Portland Fire.

“Early on, I was just testing my ankle to see if it was ready to rock and roll,” Wilson told reporters. “I felt like I was ready a couple of games ago, but the medical staff said something different.

“I just knew that I had to be aggressive and take what the defense was giving me.”

Wilson made 10 of 19 field-goal attempts – splitting two 3-point tries – and hit 11 of 13 free throws while playing 30 minutes.

Jackie Young added 19 points, 11 assists and three steals as Las Vegas (16-6) moved into a tie with the Minnesota Lynx for the best record in the WNBA.

That victory also gave Becky Hammon one of the coaching spots for the All-Star Game July 25 in Chicago. The coaches of the teams with the two best records as of Friday receive that honor. Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve will be the other coach.

Phoenix (8-15) and Las Vegas split two meetings earlier this season. The Mercury notched their most impressive win of the season in their 2026 opener when they blew out the host Aces 99-66 on May 9 in Sin City.

On Tuesday, Phoenix veteran DeWanna Bonner became the third player in WNBA history to exceed 8,000 career points. Bonner (8,014) trails Tina Charles (8,396) and Mercury legend Diana Taurasi (10,646), the latter a former teammate.

Bonner, who turns 39 next month, averages 9.0 points per game this season in her 17th WNBA campaign.

“The older you get, just understanding what to put in your body and what fuels you,” Bonner told the team website. “What it takes to warm up, and how you treat your body after a game is huge. It’s important. You take a beating out there, so you have to love on your body a little bit more. Especially the older you get.”

Bonner had nine points and a team-high seven rebounds in Thursday’s 92-89 home loss to the Indiana Fever. Alyssa Thomas led the way with 22 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

Phoenix has lost consecutive games after winning its previous three.

–Field Level Media

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Cameron Percy conquers wet, windy Firestone to seize Kaulig lead

Cameron Percy hits out of a sand trap during round 2 of the Kaulig Companies PGA Championship, July 10, 2026, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.Cameron Percy hits out of a sand trap during round 2 of the Kaulig Companies PGA Championship, July 10, 2026, at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

Australia’s Cameron Percy fired a 4-under-par 66 on Friday during the second round of the Kaulig Companies Championship to claim a one-shot lead through 36 holes at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

Percy’s bogey-free trip around the wet and windy South Course pushed him to 7 under as he hunts his first PGA Tour Champions title. First-round leader Jerry Kelly and Zach Johnson are one shot behind while Boo Weekley sits two back.

Percy, 52, and his caddie have done the math to decide what it should take for Percy to make the tour’s fourth major of the year his first win.

“We worked out most of the time if you get to 12 under, you’ll win,” Percy said. “So I didn’t care about my score, I’m just trying to get to 12 under. That’s 3 under a day and I’m one shot ahead of that.

“Really, you know, I’m still 5 behind what I’m trying to do. I need 5 more under from here on in and if someone beats me, well, that’s just too good.”

Kelly, who won majors in 2020 and 2022 at Firestone, already has figured out what it takes. If not for a bogey on No. 18, he’d hold a share of the lead with Percy. Instead, he finished with a 69 for the day to join Percy and Johnson as the only golfers who are at least halfway to 12 under.

Johnson pieced together five birdies and two bogeys for the second straight day to net another 67.

“The days were very similar, yesterday and today,” Johnson said. “Obviously the scorecard was very similar. Created a lot of opportunities. I missed some short putts yesterday. You can argue I missed a couple short putts today, too. But I made a couple, so I’m driving it great, I seemed to give myself a lot of good opportunities.

“Seems like the harder the hole — the more difficulty — I seem to execute even better. That was encouraging.”

Weekley, who has shed the sinus infection that forced him to withdraw from last week’s U.S. Senior Open after the opening round, posted a bogey-free 67 to move to 5 under. He climbed five spots into solo fourth going into the weekend.

“Today I didn’t have a square (a bogey),” Weekley said. “I got lucky, though. I missed a couple greens on the par-3s and I actually drew good lies. You know, when you draw the good lie, you feel good about it, you feel like you can get it up and down, and I got it close every time and just tapped it in.”

Tag Ridings, the only golfer in the 76-man field to match Percy’s second-round 66, joins South Africa’s Retief Goosen (67), Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke (70) and Ryan Armour (68) at 4 under.

Stewart Cink, who won this year’s first two majors, posted a 68 Friday to round out the top 10 with Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen (70) at 3 under.

–Field Level Media

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