The interior-powered Washington Mystics and perimeter-oriented Golden State Valkyries will seek to do a better job defusing the other’s strength when the clubs meet in a rematch Monday night in San Francisco.

The Valkyries (19-7) finished strongly both offensively and defensively to erase a late six-point deficit and earn a 74-69 win in the front half of the WNBA-style doubleheader Saturday night, which was played on Golden State’s home court.

The hosts saved five of their 12 successful 3-pointers for the final 5:55 to account for all their scoring in a 15-4 finish. It allowed them to secure a ninth straight win in a game in which the Mystics (12-12), led by Shakira Austin, had dominated the Valkyries to the tune of 40-16 in points in the paint.

Golden State coach Natalie Nakase noted after the hard-fought win that it’s not like her players will grow a few inches before the rematch with Austin and fellow interior powers Kiki Iriafen and Lauren Betts.

“We understand they’re very tall, big and physical in size. So it’s got to be a team effort,” she said at her postgame press conference. “I just thought attention to detail with KT (Kayla Thornton) and Kiah (Stokes) down the stretch, just defending without fouling, it was beautiful that last five minutes. For us to rely on our defense down the stretch was huge.”

After Betts’ layup gave the Mystics a 65-59 lead with 6:13 remaining, the Valkyries forced the visitors into 2-for-8 shooting the rest of the way, with three turnovers mixed in. Three of the misses were 3-point attempts, where Washington went just 6-for-23 for the game, as the visitors got away from what had been successful earlier.

Mystics coach Sydney Johnson believed his team played well enough to win the opener but needs to improve in close games. Five of Washington’s 12 losses this season have been by five points or fewer.

“Really challenging us to just physically, emotionally, mentally be locked in,” he expressed to the media afterward about his team’s shortcomings. “It’s a demanding league. There’s absolutely no nights off, no easy games. Those are our consistent themes, most importantly, bringing our toughness and togetherness every time we come to the floor.”

One of the challenges will be managing odd scheduling, with the Mystics flying across the country to face the Valkyries twice in three days. They begin a six-game homestand Wednesday night against Las Vegas.

–Field Level Media

Sonny Gray pitched six innings of one-run ball and Willson Contreras hit a two-run home run, leading the Boston Red Sox to a 6-1 win and a four-game series sweep of the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon.

The Red Sox, who are now on a 13-game win streak, broke open the game with a three-run third inning before Contreras ripped his second homer in three games to round out the scoring in the fifth.

Ceddanne Rafaela went 2-for-4 and scored a run for the Red Sox.

Gray (12-1) scattered one run on five hits — including a solo, inside-the-park home run by Victor Mesa Jr. — en route to his ninth straight quality start. The veteran right-hander has now allowed one run or fewer in five consecutive outings.

Gray threw just 49 of his 91 pitches for strikes, but the Rays went 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position on the day. Chandler Simpson (2-for-4) was the lone Tampa Bay batter with multiple hits.

The Red Sox responded to Mesa’s inside-the-park job into the right-center-field triangle in the second by tying the game in the bottom half. After Caleb Durbin hit a leadoff single to left, stole second and took third on a throwing error, Andruw Monasterio doubled into the left field corner to make it a 1-1 game.

A three-run third off Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan (8-6) put the hosts in firm control. Two walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with one out, and a passed ball brought Jahmai Jones home with the go-ahead run. Durbin and Romy Gonzalez followed with an RBI fielder’s choice and groundout, respectively.

The big inning proved to be more than enough offense for Gray, who stranded two runners on base in each of the first three frames before dealing a 1-2-3 fourth and inducing an inning-ending double play in the sixth to conclude his outing.

The Red Sox added to their lead in the fifth, as Rafaela knocked a leadoff single up the middle before scoring on Contreras’ two-run homer to deep right-center field.

McClanahan left after five innings, having surrendered all six runs (four earned) on five hits. He walked three and fanned three.

Greg Weissert, Jovani Moran and Ryan Watson all pitched scoreless innings to seal the win for Gray.

–Field Level Media

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — After watching his 10-man side come up just short of becoming the first back-to-back World Cup winners since 1958-62, a tearful Lionel Scaloni admitted he’s unsure what lies ahead.

The 48-year-old was appointed manager after Argentina crashed out of the 2018 World Cup in the round of 16 amid skepticism about his lack of head coaching experience and only brief time as an assistant.

If he does move on after his contract expires in December, he will leave the post as the most decorated manager in program history. Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Spain in the World Cup final followed a run to the title in the 2022 tournament, and he also guided Argentina to the Copa America crown in 2021 and 2024.

“I will talk to the president” of the federation, Scaloni said through an interpreter. “I have an idea of what I would like to do. I will see out my contract, and I feel the need to think, as I don’t know if something as big can be done (again) and maybe we need to speak this through.

“I am thankful to the president for bringing me this chance of being in this place where I am at. At the moment, it was a dream place for everyone. And we’ve tried up until the very last minute to give our utmost, the staff, the players. And I believe it’s only fair that I can take this time for myself to think this through.”

Scaloni is only the second Argentine manager to reach consecutive World Cup finals and only the fifth of any nationality. Carlos Bilardo guided the Albiceleste to the 1986 title and the 1990 final, but did not match Scaloni’s Copa America feats.

Should Scaloni continue, it would likely be with a group that looks considerably different than the one he has managed for nearly a decade.

Lionel Messi is 39 years old, and while he still had an exceptional tournament with eight goals and four assists, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s participation in 2030 feels extremely unlikely.

In total, eight Argentina players started both the 2022 and 2026 finals, and it’s almost certain there will be considerable turnover beyond just their most famous star.

“I would have never imagined, we would have never imagined, including my staff, that we would be in this place,” Scaloni said through tears. “So in order to continue, you need a great deal of things, especially resetting your mind, rebooting. Creating a group like this again, that is very difficult, that you can create again. And it’s really painful. I am very sorry.”

At that point, Scaloni exited to his right to end his press conference to thunderous applause from assembled press.

Earlier in his remarks, Scaloni said he could have no complaints with the result of the final, which Spain dominated in possession and shots but won by the slim margin of Ferran Torres’ 106th-minute winner.

“We feel extremely grateful to all our fans, all those people who transmitted us that energy that we were lacking,” Scaloni said. “We managed to go all the way to the end when the match was so open, and it just couldn’t be in the end. They deserved the victory. That’s reality. We need to accept it. But we were close, to be honest. I would like to thank my players (and) everyone who’s helped us greatly to reach another World Cup final.”

A product of Newell’s Old Boys, the same team Messi played for in his childhood, Scaloni played for two decades across Argentina, Spain, Italy and briefly England.

But the right-sided midfielder and defender made only seven appearances for the senior national team. His best moment for the Albiceleste came when he started and played all of their 2-1 victory over Mexico in the World Cup round of 16 in 2006.

–Ian Nicholas Quillen, Field Level Media