MLB
Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer in the rain, hours after making his third All-Star team, and the New York Mets beat the San Francisco Giants 8-4 for their first series win in a month. Mark Canha also connected for his first homer since June 1 and Tommy Pham added an RBI double after being moved up to the second spot in New York’s lineup for the first time this year. The struggling Mets won a series for the first time since sweeping Philadelphia at home from May 30 to June 1. New York is 8-19 since, after taking two of three from the Giants.
Jordan Montgomery beat the Yankees for the second time since they traded him last summer, pitching the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-1 win over Gerrit Cole that completed a disappointing 3-3 trip for New York. On a day Yankees manager Aaron Boone was ejected for the fifth time this season, Montgomery allowed an unearned run, two hits and three walks in 6 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old left-hander made his big-league debut with the Yankees in 2017 and was traded to the Cardinals last Aug. 2 for centerfielder Harrison Bader.
Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning and the Boston Red Sox beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 to complete a three-game sweep. Verdugo’s sixth home run came on the first pitch thrown Sunday by Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano. Verdugo stood at home plate to admire his 415-foot drive into the stands behind the visitor’s bullpen in right field. Jarren Duran went 5 for 5 with four doubles and Rafael Devers reached base five times and drove in two for the Red Sox. Boston has won three straight following a season-long five-game losing streak.
Stone Garrett hit a grand slam, Jeimer Candelario added a solo shot and reliever Kyle Finnegan pitched out of late-inning jams that helped the Washington Nationals beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4. The Nationals took two of three from the National League champions and finished a solid 6-3 on a nine-game, 10-day road trip. They won series against Seattle and San Diego on the trip and have won seven of 11 overall. Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto homered for the Phillies.
ALL-STAR GAME
Meanwhile, lineups for the MLB All-Star Game have been announced.
On the AL side, the Yankees’ Gerritt Cole and Boston’s Kenley Jansen were tapped to pitch, and New York’s Aaron Judge will be part of the trio manning the outfield. The ASG will be July 11 in Seattle. The NL’s bench will include the Phillies’ Nick Castellanos and the Mets’ Pete Alonso as reserves. Alonso will also participate in the All-Star Home Run Derby on July 10 in Seattle, looking to win the event for the third time.
Alonso was selected to his third All-Star team Sunday, and New York’s lone representative on the National League squad will take part in the derby for the fourth time. He joins a field so far that also includes Tampa Bay outfielder Randy Arozarena, Los Angeles Dodgers star Mookie Betts, Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Seattle outfielder Julio Rodríguez. Alonso won the competition in 2019 and 2021. Ken Griffey Jr. and Yoenis Céspedes are the only other back-to-back champions in the history of the event, which began in 1985. The 2020 edition was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Shohei Ohtani became a two-way All-Star for the third straight year when he was picked for the American League pitching staff, and eight Atlanta Braves were chosen for the July 11 game in Seattle — the most of any team since 2012. Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., shortstop Orlando Arcia and catcher Sean Murphy were elected to the National League starting lineup by fans. They will be joined by five picks voted by fellow players: starting pitchers Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder, first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies and third baseman Austin Riley.
WNBA
Breanna Stewart had 20 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Courtney Vandersloot added 18 points and 12 assists and the New York Liberty beat the Seattle Storm 81-66. Vandersloot had her fifth double-double, and her seventh game with at least 10 assists, this season. Stewart made two mid-range jumpers to open the scoring before Sabrina Ionescu hit a 3-pointer to make it 7-0 and the Liberty never trailed. Jewell Loyd led Seattle with 27 points. New York finished with a season-high 16 steals — including five by Stewart and four by Vandersloot — and had 29 assists on 33 made field goals. The Storm have lost three games in a row and five of their last six.
NBA
All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis wasn’t a free agent this summer. And he won’t be for the next few summers, either. Sabonis has agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Sacramento Kings, one that will keep him signed through the 2027-28 season, according to a person with knowledge of the talks. Utah was finalizing an extension for guard Jordan Clarkson on Sunday as well, according to a second person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because it had not been signed.
HORSE RACING
The New York Racing Association announced post times for the upcoming 2023 summer meet at Saratoga Race Course. The gates on Union Avenue will open on Thursday, July 13th. Racing at the Spa will continue through Labor Day with Mondays and Tuesdays dark.
Major stakes races include the 154th running of the $1.25 million Travers Stakes on August 26th and the $1 million Whitney on August 5th. First post time is set for 1:10 p.m with the exception of Whitney and Travers Days and throughout Closing Weekend.
WIMBLEDON
In tennis news, the Wimbledon is underway. The Men’s and Women’s singles began at 6 am. On the mens’ side, Novak Djokovic will begin his pursuit of a fifth consecutive Wimbledon championship and eighth overall today. He also will be attempting to claim an Open era-record 24th Grand Slam trophy over the coming two weeks. Five Americans will also play today. The first match is between American Jordan Nakashima and Australian Jordan Thompson. Elsewhere in the tournament, American Taylor Fritz faces German Yannick Hanfmann at 10:30 today.
On the women’s side, the singles match includes Americans Jessica Pegula versus Lauren Davis and American Alycia Parks versus German Anna-Lena Friedsam.
Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of Wimbledon. He said he has a torn ligament in his wrist. Kyrgios reached his first Grand Slam final at the All England Club last year before losing to Novak Djokovic. The 28-year-old Australian's withdrawal was announced by Wimbledon on Sunday night and he wrote about the decision on social media. Kyrgios was seeded 30th in the men’s bracket and was scheduled to face David Goffin in the first round on Monday. Kyrgios will be replaced in the field by a player who lost during qualifying.
US SENIOR OPEN
Bernhard Langer won the U.S. Senior Open on Sunday at SentryWorld to break the PGA Tour Champions’ career victory record. Pushing his record as the oldest winner on the 50-and-over tour to 65 years, 10 months, 5 days, the German star broke a tie with Hale Irwin for the victory mark with No. 46. Seven strokes ahead on the back nine, Langer bogeyed the final three holes for 1-under 70 and a two-stroke victory over home-state favorite Steve Stricker. Langer finished at 7-under 277. Also the 2010 U.S. Senior Open winner at Sahalee, Langer extended his record for senior major victories to 12. Stricker — from Madison, 100 miles to the south — birdied three of the last five holes for a 69.
ROCKET MORTGAGE CLASSIC
Rickie Fowler made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, outlasting Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin two weeks after squandering a chance to win his first major at the U.S. Open. The 34-year-old Fowler got his first PGA Tour victory since winning the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open. He had the 54-hole lead at last month’s U.S. Open and in one tournament in each of the previous two years.
NASCAR
Cole Custer has been declared the winner of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race in downtown Chicago after persistent rain flooded the street course. The race started Saturday but was suspended after 25 laps because of a lightning strike. NASCAR had planned to resume it Sunday morning, but it scuttled that idea because of the continuing rain and the scheduled Cup Series race. Custer earned his second Xfinity Series victory this season and No. 12 for his career. He also won on the road course at Portland International Raceway on June 3.
INDYCAR
Alex Palou continued his dominance of IndyCar at Mid-Ohio with his third straight series win. He executed perfect strategy with a fast car to beat Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon by a wide margin for his fourth win in the last five races. Palou extended his series lead over Dixon to 110 points. Dixon was the last driver to win three straight IndyCar races, doing so to open the 2020 season. Will Power was third, Christian Lundgaard finished fourth in a solid day for Rahal Letterman Lanigan and Scott McLaughlin was fifth for Team Penske.
HOCKEY
It’s game on for a new, yet-to-be named women’s pro hockey league to launch in January after union members cleared the final major hurdle by unanimously ratifying a collective bargaining agreement and a constitution, a person with direct knowledge of the vote told The Associated Press. The person spoke to The AP on the condition of anonymity because the the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association has not announced the result of the vote conducted by its 97 members. The ratification effectively clears the way to launching the new league, which will bring together the top female stars in North America, with the potential to attract Europe and Asia’s best, as well.
Short contracts with some including performance bonuses were popular early in NHL free agency. Players and teams all know the salary cap that went up just $1 million for a second consecutive year is set for a much bigger leap next summer. That meant being comfortable with taking risks that aren't common among hockey players and executives and a willingness to kick money down the road to 2024-25. All of it set up a fascinating season of motivated players in contract years and potentially a bigger free agent frenzy next July 1.
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