Sports
West Virginia, with new look, tests mettle vs. Robert Morris
Oct 23, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; West Virginia Mountaineers head coach Darian DeVries talks to media during the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Media Day at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images A new era for West Virginia basketball will open Monday night when the Mountaineers host Robert Morris in Morgantown, W.Va.
Darian DeVries has taken over the West Virginia program after leading Drake to five consecutive 20-win seasons. Last year, West Virginia finished 9-23 overall and 4-14 in the Big 12 Conference under interim coach Josh Eilert.
The Mountaineers have 14 new players.
Tucker DeVries, a Drake transfer who was a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year and is the coach’s son, headlines a solid group of transfers. That list includes Javon Small from Oklahoma State and high-scoring Detroit Mercy guard Jayden Stone.
Some of the key transfers expected to give West Virginia a boost include Amani Hansberry (Illinois), Sencire Harris (Illinois), Joseph Yesufu (Washington State), and Eduardo Andre (Fresno State).
Darian DeVries also had a solid recruiting class with Ohio Mr. Basketball Jonathan Powell and Tennessee Mr. Basketball KJ Tenner.
“In our case, we’ve got a lot of new guys, and the hardest thing for every team is you’ve got to learn how to win together, and how do you do that?” DeVries said. “It’s not always hitting 18 3s every night, so you have to figure out how to win on a night when you are 2-for-15 and getting some tough calls and you’re on the road. How do you find a way to win those games? Right now, it’s just me giving them bad calls in practice.”
The Mountaineers recently were picked to finish 13th in this year’s Big 12 preseason poll. The game against Robert Morris will be a solid challenge, but DeVries has tempered the expectations.
Robert Morris finished 10-22 overall and 6-14 in the Horizon League last season. The Colonials are picked to finish ninth out of 11 teams in the conference.
Robert Morris has retooled the offense with several notable transfers. That list includes Josh Omojafo, who averaged 20 points for Gannon last season, DJ Smith from Bowling Green, and Kam Woods, who was part of North Carolina State’s Final Four team last season.
The top returning players are guard Justice Williams and forwards Chris Ford, Alvaro Folgueiras and Antallah Sandlin-El, who redshirted his true freshman season.
“As we round out our roster for the 2024-25 season, there were a number of areas we felt we needed to improve upon, beginning with our ability to guard the basketball,” Robert Morris coach Andrew Toole said. “We wanted to find some guys that were athletic, aggressive and committed to the defensive side of the floor as well as guys that can create an advantage offensively — those were our No. 1 priorities.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
2B Curtis Mead (wrist) leaves Red Sox debut; X-rays negative
Jul 22, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of Boston Red Sox hat and glove laying in the dugout at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images Curtis Mead didn’t make it all the way through his Boston Red Sox debut on Monday, but the team is hopeful his injury isn’t serious.
The second baseman was plunked on the left wrist by a fastball from Athletics right-hander Jack Perkins in the fourth inning of Boston’s 4-2 victory at West Sacramento, Calif.
X-rays were negative, and the Red Sox termed Mead day-to-day with a bruised wrist.
“Squeezing my hand feels OK,” Mead said. “Just a little bit of pain rotating. We already got an X-ray and everything looked OK, so I’m hopeful that I’ll feel better (Tuesday) morning and it won’t be a problem.”
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said, “It looks like we dodged a bullet, maybe.”
Mead struck out in his lone at-bat before getting injured.
“Just super disappointed,” Mead said of leaving his club debut. “I wanted to come here and help the team and wanted to play. So yeah, it’s frustrating. But it was a pretty fun game. At least we were able to win my first game. That was the cool part of it.”
On Sunday, the Red Sox acquired Mead from the Washington Nationals in exchange for left-hander Connelly Early.
Mead was enjoying the best of his four major league seasons before the swap. In 87 games for Washington this year, he hit .254 with 17 homers, 17 doubles and 48 RBIs — all career highs.
The 25-year-old Australian played for the Tampa Bay Rays (2023-25) and the Chicago White Sox (2025) before the Nationals traded for him just before the start of the 2026 season.
In 240 career games, Mead owns a .244 batting average, a .321 on-base percentage, a .388 slugging percentage, 22 homers and 79 RBIs.
–Field Level Media
Sports
MLB roundup: Marlins end 12-game skid by overtaking Phillies in ninth
Jul 27, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins catcher Joe Mack (80) douses left fielder Griffin Conine (18) after his winning hit against the Philadelphia Phillies following the game at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Griffin Conine’s walk-off single capped a three-run ninth inning for the Miami Marlins, who snapped a franchise-record 12-game losing streak with an 8-7 win over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.
Heriberto Hernandez and Conine homered for Miami, which had not won since July 9. The Marlins appeared destined for another defeat before Hernandez’s two-run single tied it against Jhoan Duran (1-4), who had previously blown only one save this season.
Bryce Harper hit an early two-run homer and J.T. Realmuto also had two RBIs for Philadelphia, which has lost seven of 10 since the All-Star break. Zack Wheeler struggled through three innings, allowing a season-high five runs and six hits.
With Miami trailing 7-5, Jakob Marsee opened the ninth with a single up the middle and advanced to third on Otto Lopez’s single to right. Duran hit Kyle Stowers with a pitch, loading the bases for Hernandez, whose single up the middle tied the game.
Pirates 3, Diamondbacks 2 (10 innings)
Brandon Lowe’s RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning scored Billy Cook and propelled host Pittsburgh to a victory over Arizona.
Lowe’s game-winner off Diamondbacks reliever Taylor Clarke (2-2) was a liner that got past first baseman Ildemaro Vargas. Lowe finished with three hits and two RBIs.
Max Kepler had three hits, drove two runs and had a chance to give the Diamondbacks a lead in the top of the 10th. However, with the bases loaded and two outs, Kepler lined out to center against Mason Montgomery (4-3).
Yankees 9, White Sox 5
Jazz Chisholm Jr. had two hits and two RBIs and Ali Sanchez blasted his first major league homer in the eighth inning to break the game open as visiting New York defeated Chicago.
New York overcame an early three-run deficit for its fourth win in five games. The Yankees scored a total of five runs in the seventh and eighth innings and navigated two errors in the ninth to hold on. Jasson Dominguez and Ben Rice contributed two hits each for New York.
AL Central-leading Chicago committed three errors as its lead over the second-place Cleveland Guardians fell to two games. The White Sox have lost three of their past four. Chicago reliever Bryan Hudson (3-4) allowed one run and two hits in the seventh.
Mets 14, Braves 3
Francisco Lindor hit two homers and drove in six runs as New York battered visiting Atlanta.
Tyrone Taylor went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and Marcus Semien also had three hits and a homer for the Mets, who have won consecutive games for the first time since July 8-9. New York starter Zac Thornton (2-1) tossed 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits.
Braves reliever Connor Thomas (0-1) was blasted for 11 runs on 10 hits across 2 2/3 innings. Ozzie Albies homered, singled and drove in three for Atlanta.
Rangers 7, Mariners 3
Joc Pederson homered in each of the first two innings as Texas defeated Seattle in Arlington, Texas.
Ezequiel Duran and Jake Burger both homered in the third for the Rangers, who won three of four games in the series to take a 2 1/2-game lead over the Mariners atop the AL West. Brandon Nimmo hit a pair of doubles and Evan Carter had another as seven of the Rangers’ 11 hits were for extra bases.
Randy Arozarena went deep for the Mariners, who have lost five of their past six.
Orioles 8, Tigers 5
Coby Mayo homered and drove in three runs as visiting Baltimore powered past Detroit.
Leody Taveras and pinch hitter Tyler O’Neill also homered for the Orioles, while Jackson Holliday supplied four hits and scored twice. Grant Wolfram (3-2) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and was credited with the victory.
Hao-Yu Lee drove in two runs for the Tigers, who have lost three straight. Spencer Torkelson and Zach McKinstry each had two hits, a run and an RBI. Detroit starter Keider Montero (7-6) allowed six runs, four earned, and nine hits in 4 1/3 innings.
Blue Jays 3, Nationals 2
Luis Urias homered, Myles Straw had two hits and Toronto beat the Nationals in Max Scherzer’s return to Washington.
Scherzer, who spent 6 1/2 seasons in Washington and won a World Series with the Nationals in 2019, came off the injured list to make the start. He gave up a run on four hits in 2 2/3 innings. Mason Fluharty (5-1) pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings for the win for the Blue Jays, who have alternated losses and wins for six games.
Andres Chaparro homered for the Nationals, who had won two straight. Nationals opener Eddy Yean (0-1) gave up two runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings.
Cubs 7, Cardinals 3
Alex Bregman and Nico Hoerner homered and had four hits apiece as Chicago opened a four-game series at St. Louis with a win.
Bregman doubled twice and drove in two runs and Hoerner had four RBIs for the Cubs, who tallied 14 hits and won for the third time in four games. David Peterson (6-7) allowed two runs on three hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Jose Fermin hit a solo homer and Masyn Winn had two hits for the Cardinals, who have lost eight of 11 games since the All-Star break. Matthew Liberatore (5-8) gave up three runs on eight hits over 3 2/3 innings.
Astros 6, Angels 4
LaMonte Wade Jr. drove in the go-ahead run with a bases-loaded walk during a four-run ninth inning as Houston rallied past Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif.
The decisive rally featured just one hit, a single that did not knock in a run. Taylor Trammell homered, walked twice, was hit by a pitch and scored twice as Houston earned its sixth win in seven games. Astros reliever Cristian Javier (1-1) allowed three hits and no walks over five shutout innings, striking out seven.
Vaughn Grissom went 3-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs for Los Angeles, which lost for the ninth time this season when leading after eight innings. Jose Fermin (3-2) was charged with three runs, one earned, while recording only one out.
Red Sox 4, Athletics 2
Ceddanne Rafaela smacked his first career grand slam and scorching Boston won for the 18th time in 20 games, beating the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.
Payton Tolle (6-6) struck out seven and gave up two runs over 5 1/3 innings for the Red Sox. Aroldis Chapman worked out of a ninth-inning jam for his 25th save in 27 opportunities.
Tyler Soderstrom and Jonah Heim homered for the Athletics, who lost for the 24th time in their past 30 games. A’s starter Jack Perkins (2-6) was charged with two runs and one hit over 5 2/3 innings.
Giants 3, Brewers 0
Tyler Mahle limited Milwaukee to three hits over six-plus innings, Grant McCray smacked a two-run homer and San Francisco defeated the visiting National League Central leaders.
Mahle (3-9) never allowed a runner past second base, aided by three double plays. En route to their third win in four games on their current homestand, the Giants took the lead for good in the third.
Brewers starter Brandon Sproat (3-6) went six innings and was charged with all three Giants runs on six hits.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Franchise-worst skid over, Marlins shoot for another win over Phillies
Jul 27, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins left fielder Griffin Conine (18) celebrates his wining hit against the Philadelphia Phillies during the ninth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Griffin Conine and the Miami Marlins will look to build off a rare victory when they continue their home series with the scuffling Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday.
Miami had lost 12 straight games — a franchise record — before rallying to stun Philadelphia on Monday in the series opener. The Marlins trailed 7-5 entering the ninth inning before plating three runs against Phillies All-Star closer Jhoan Duran, capped by Conine’s walk-off hit.
“I think it was just believing the whole time that we could win this game,” Conine said after his first career game-ending hit.
Conine supplied a homer earlier in the game, while Heriberto Hernandez homered in addition to delivering the game-tying two-run single in the ninth inning.
“Everybody feels good,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said. “It’s no lie. Everybody in the building has been grinding hard for a couple of weeks. … Certainly it feels great to get a win.”
Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer for Philadelphia, while J.T. Realmuto also drove in two runs. Zack Wheeler lasted just three innings — his shortest start of the season — and allowed a season-worst five runs.
“That was a weird game in that they got to two of our very best pitchers,” said Realmuto, whose team is just 3-7 since the All-Star break.
Miami will look to continue the momentum behind right-hander Sandy Alcantara (10-6, 4.01 ERA), who absorbed a loss Wednesday against the Houston Astros. The former National League Cy Young Award winner gave up five runs and nine hits in seven-plus innings in that game, although he didn’t get much run support in the 5-2 defeat.
“He was fantastic,” McCullough said. “I thought he was in control most of the night. He had a very efficient pitch count. He really moved things along well after the first couple of innings. I hate how things went down there (when Alcantara allowed three runs in the eighth), but I thought he threw the ball fantastic.”
The Marlins have scored a total of five runs in Alcantara’s past three outings.
Alcantara is 7-11 with a 3.84 ERA in 23 career starts against the Phillies. He faced Philadelphia once this season and allowed four runs (two earned) in six innings in a 12-4 win on June 17.
The Phillies will turn to right-hander Aaron Nola (3-8, 5.82), who has not won a game since May 26, going 0-4 with a 5.92 ERA in 10 starts. He is 0-3 with a 5.01 ERA in four starts this month, although he has generally been solid in July aside from giving up five runs in 5 1/3 innings on Wednesday against the Dodgers.
Nola gave up two home runs vs. Los Angeles and has surrendered six homers over his last three starts and 14 in his past eight outings.
“When I have gone out the sixth and seventh, I’ve been hurt by the long ball,” Nola said. “I’ve struggled with the long ball this year, which I’ve got to be better at.”
Nola is 6-12 with a 3.59 ERA in 26 lifetime starts against Miami. He faced the Marlins on May 4 and worked six scoreless innings in a 1-0 triumph.
Philadelphia holds a 5-3 lead in the season series with Miami.
–Field Level Media
