MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Francisco Lindor became the first Met to reach 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases since 2008 as New York beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2 to win consecutive games for the first time in two weeks. Jonathan Araúz hit a two-run homer while Daniel Vogelbach and Brandon Nimmo added solo homers as the Mets scored in each of the first six innings in a home game for the first time since June 25, 1987, against the Cubs. Pete Alonso added an RBI double as the Mets won consecutive games for the first time since July 27-28 right before they traded veterans Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander along with several others ahead of the trade deadline.
Max Fried allowed two runs in his first home start since coming off the injured list, Nicky Lopez drove in three runs with three hits in a fill-in role, and the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Yankees 11-3. Eddie Rosario drove in four runs with three hits, including a two-run homer, in Atlanta’s 15-hit attack. New York, in last place in the AL East, was handed its third consecutive loss. The Yankees, who haven’t missed the playoffs since 2016, began the night five games back of the AL’s last wild card berth.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox and Phillies were off last night. The Red Sox begin a three-game series against the Nationals in DC at 7:05 tonight. The Phillies play first of two games against the Blue Jays beginning at 7:07 tonight.
Authorities in the Dominican Republic are investigating Tampa Bay All-Star shortstop Wander Franco for an alleged relationship with a minor, according to the office of the attorney general in his native country. The Rays, meanwhile, placed the 22-year-old on the restricted list. The move will sideline Franco for at least six games while MLB investigates social media posts involving the player. The investigations follow reported social media posts suggesting Franco was in a relationship with a minor. The Associated Press has not been able to verify the reported posts. Asked about Franco’s alleged relationship with the minor, the media office of the attorney general in the Dominican Republic said in a statement “there are investigations regarding that matter.”
NFL
The New York Jets agreed to terms on a one-year contract with former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook on Monday, according to a person with knowledge of the deal. The 28-year-old Cook joins a revamped Jets offense led by quarterback Aaron Rodgers and coordinator Nathaniel Hackett. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hadn’t announced the agreement. NFL Network and ESPN first reported the deal is worth up to $8.6 million. Cook has run for at least 1,000 yards in each of the past four seasons, but was released by the Vikings on June 8 for salary cap savings.
A person familiar with the terms tells The Associated Press that Three-time Pro Bowl running back Ezekiel Elliott has signed a one-year deal with the New England Patriots worth $4 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced the move. The person says the contract can be worth up to $6 million with incentives. Elliott ran for 68 touchdowns and more than 8,000 yards in seven years with the Dallas Cowboys. After being drafted fourth overall out of Ohio State in 2016, he led the NFL in rushing yards in 2016. He was the runner-up for the AP Rookie of the Year award. He also has more than 2,300 receiving yards and 12 TD catches.
Former NFL running back Alex Collins, who played five seasons for the Seattle Seahawks and Baltimore Ravens, has been killed in a motorcycle crash in South Florida. He was 28. The Broward County Sheriff's Office said in a news release that Collins was driving a motorcycle that crashed into a sport-utility vehicle Sunday night in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida. The sheriff's office says Collins was pronounced dead at the scene. Collins played three seasons for the Seahawks and two for the Ravens. He starred in college at Arkansas, rushing for 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons.
Former NFL tackle Michael Oher has filed a petition in a Tennessee probate court saying the couple he thought adopted him actually remain his conservators. Oher accuses Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy of lying to him nearly two decades ago by having him sign papers making them his conservators rather than his adoptive parents. The petition filed in Shelby County Probate Court asks for the conservatorship to be terminated along with asking for a full accounting of the money earned off the use of his name and story. He also asks to be paid what he's owed with interest and damages. The Oscar-nominated movie “The Blind Side” was based on Oher's relationship with the Tuohys.
NBA
James Harden appears determined to sever ties with the Philadelphia 76ers after the star guard called team President Daryl Morey a liar at a promotional event at China. Harden’s comments came almost seven weeks after he picked up his $35.6 million option with the 76ers for this season and then promptly said he wanted to be traded. Harden said that "Daryl Morey is a liar and I will never be a part of an organization that he’s a part.” The 76ers had no immediate comment. A 10-time All-Star and 2018 NBA MVP, Harden has tried to force his way off his third team in three years.
WORLD CUP
In today's World Cup action, Spain topped Sweden 2-1 in their semifinal match.
Spain has never before advanced this far into the Women's World Cup and makes its first appearance in the semifinals against powerhouse Sweden. The Tuesday match in Auckland, New Zealand is the first appearance in the semifinals at a major tournament for Spain since the 1997 European Championships. Sweden, meanwhile, is ranked second in the world and playing in its fifth tournament semifinal. The Swedes were runners-up in 2003 and have finished third three times at the Women's World Cup. Sweden lost to Canada in the gold medal match of the Tokyo Olympics.
BASKETBALL WORLD CUP
Tyronn Lue has waited a long time for this trip. He was supposed to have the USA Basketball logo on his chest on foreign soil in 1997. He was starring as the point guard at Nebraska and got picked to represent his country at the men’s 22 and under world championships in Australia. But a nagging right leg injury flared up and he got sent home. Now 26 years later Lue, the coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, is wearing the USA logo overseas. He's part of the coaching staff that will guide the U.S. men’s team through the Basketball World Cup in Manila starting later this month.
NCAA
Georgia begins its drive for an unprecedented college football championship three-peat as the No. 1 team in The Associated Press preseason Top 25. The Bulldogs received 60 of 63 first-place votes to easily outpoint No. 2 Michigan. The Wolverines received two first-place votes. Michigan's Big Ten rival, Ohio State is No. 3, with one first-place vote. Two more Southeastern Conference teams join Georgia in the top five. Alabama is No. 4, the Crimson Tide’s lowest preseason rankings since 2009, and LSU starts at No. 5. This is the second time in program history 2008 Georgia has been preseason No. 1.
LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES
Teams that stay in the Williamsport complex for the Little League World Series will continue to sleep in single beds in the wake of last year’s incident where a boy seriously injured his head when he fell out of his top bunk. Little League International made the change last year after 12-year-old Easton Oliverson, a pitcher and outfielder for the Snow Canyon team out of Santa Clara, Utah, was injured in August. Little League decided to provide its participants with single, one-level beds for all of their player housing at each of its tournament locations.
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