MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone was booted by plate umpire Laz Diaz after Anthony Volpe was called out on strikes against Chicago reliever Bryan Shaw to begin the eighth inning, an AL-leading sixth ejection this season during a 5-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox. After he was thrown out, Boone ran to home plate and went into a theatrical, arm-waving display. The manager bent down and drew a line in the dirt with his finger at the edge of the left-handed batter’s box, demonstrating where he thought the pitch was, and then mimicked Diaz emphatically calling strike three. The frustrated Yankees left 13 runners on base and struck out 12 times.
Pete Alonso homered in consecutive at-bats and tied a career high with six RBIs as the New York Mets withstood a long rain delay and snapped a six-game losing streak with an 11-2 rout of the Chicago Cubs. Kodai Senga allowed two runs in six innings for his first win since July 5. Alonso connected in the first and third innings against Drew Smyly. It was his fourth multi-homer game this year and third since the All-Star break. The first baseman also got his 18th career multi-homer game to move into sole possession of third on New York’s list behind Darryl Strawberry and David Wright.
Pablo Reyes hit a walkoff grand slam to break a ninth-inning tie and the Boston Red Sox recovered after blowing a two-run lead to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-2. It was his third hit of the game. It was just Boston’s second win in nine games, including a sweep over the weekend by the Toronto Blue Jays. That's the team they had hoped to pass in the AL wild-card race. Kenley Jansen pitched a perfect ninth for the win. Brayan Bello took a shutout into the seventh inning before the Royals scored twice to tie it.
Severe storms postponed last night's game between the Phillies and Washington Nationals in Philadelphia. The game will be made up as part of a double-header today.
Struggling third baseman Brett Baty was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday in a move Mets manager Buck Showalter described as a “reset.” The Mets also placed outfielder Starling Marte on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain that has bothered him for most of the season. Baty homered in his first at-bat in Atlanta last August but has struggled for most of his career so far. He batted .184 in 11 games last season and is hitting .216 with seven homers and 27 RBIs this season. In the second year of a four-year, $78 million contract, Marte is hitting .248 with five homers, 28 RBIs and 24 stolen bases in 86 games.
There’s been a sense all season that whoever wins the AL Central will be the weak link in the American League playoffs. The Minnesota Twins would probably take issue with that. The Twins have opened a bit of distance between themselves and the mediocrity that is the rest of their division. After four straight victories, they lead Cleveland by 4 1/2 games. Of course, any postseason appearance for the Twins includes a fair amount of baggage at this point. Minnesota has lost a staggering 18 consecutive postseason games.
Chicago’s Tim Anderson has been suspended six games and Cleveland’s José Ramírez for three games by Major League Baseball for fighting and touching off a lengthy, wild brawl between the White Sox and Guardians on Saturday night. MLB announced the discipline for Anderson and Ramírez on Monday along with other suspensions and fines following one of baseball’s ugliest fights in several years. Anderson and Ramírez were also fined an undisclosed amount. Both players are appealing. Also, Cleveland manager Terry Francona, closer Emmanuel Clase and third base coach Mike Sarbaugh have been suspended one game each. Chicago manager Pedro Grifol was also suspended for one game.
President Joe Biden says he can relate to Dusty Baker, the oldest manager to win the World Series. Baker was 73 when he guided the Houston Astros to the title last year. The team celebrated at the White House on Monday. Biden says people counted Baker out and said he was past his prime. Biden says he knows something about that. Biden was the oldest president ever elected, at age 77. Baker has been around the game for decades, winning a World Series as a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finally got his first title as a manager in his 25th season.
The Baltimore Orioles indicated that broadcaster Kevin Brown would be back on the air soon after reports that his recent absence was because he mentioned that the team had already won as many games at Tampa Bay this year as it did over the previous three seasons. Announcers such as Michael Kay of the YES Network came to Brown’s defense. The Athletic, citing unidentified sources, reported that Brown was taken off the air over his comments on a MASN-TV broadcast July 23. A team official says the Orioles don’t comment on personnel matters but were looking forward to having Brown back soon.
PAC-12
Larry Scott boasted five years ago that the Pac-12 Conference would be able “to adapt, react and take advantage of this new world media order that’s coming in a way others can’t.” As it turns out, Scott’s statement instead ended up reflecting what rival conferences and commissioners did. Scott didn’t have a chance to negotiate a second Pac-12 media deal. He stepped down as commissioner in 2021 and his successor, George Kliavkoff, didn’t land the deal the conference needed.
BASKETBALL
Anthony Edwards and Cam Johnson each scored 15 points, and USA Basketball used a 20-0 run in the second half on the way to rolling past Puerto Rico 117-74 on Monday night in the first World Cup tune-up game for the Americans. Mikal Bridges scored 14 for the U.S., which finished with seven players in double figures. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 12, Jalen Brunson scored 11 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, and Bobby Portis and Brandon Ingram each scored 11 for the Americans. Tyrese Haliburton finished with 12 assists for the U.S., which held a 53-27 rebounding edge.
WORLD CUP
Megan Rapinoe wanted a different finish for her final Women’s World Cup. Even with the disappointing conclusion, she was grateful for her wildly successful run with the U.S. national team. Rapinoe’s World Cup career ended in the Round of 16, when the United States lost to Sweden on penalties after a scoreless draw. The outspoken 38-year-old announced last month that this would be her last international tournament. She teared up as she spoke to reporters after the match. She missed her penalty, as did teammates Kelley O’Hara and Sophia Smith.
In yesterday’s World Cup action, England topped Nigeria in penalties, and Australia blanked Denmark 2-nil. In today’s action, Columbia topped Nigeria 1-nil, and France leads Morocco 1-nil
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