WNBA
Sabrina Ionescu scored 21 points and Betnijah Laney added 20 to help the New York Liberty beat the Connecticut Sun 84-77, evening the best-of-five series at a game a piece. Game 3 is Friday night in Connecticut. New York led 59-57 to start the fourth quarter before the team went on a 13-5 run to start the period. Breanna Stewart, who was having a rough offensive night hours after she was honored as the WNBA’s MVP, hit a 3-pointer to cap the spurt and give the Liberty a 72-62 advantage. Connecticut got within striking distance a few times after that, but Laney answered with key 3-pointers. Tiffany Hayes scored 30 points to lead the Sun.
After saying it “hurt like hell” to just miss out on winning her third MVP, elsewhere, A’ja Wilson responded with 30 points and 11 rebounds to help lift the Las Vegas Aces over the Dallas Wings 91-84 to take a 2-0 series lead in the WNBA semifinals. The top-seeded Aces can close out the best-of-five series when it shifts to Dallas on Friday. Las Vegas also received contributions from Chelsea Gray with 23 points and eight assists, Kelsey Plum with 18 points. Arike Ogunbowale led No. 4 Dallas with 24 points. Wilson is the first player in WNBA playoffs history with three consecutive 30-point games.
Breanna Stewart won the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player award for the second time in her career Tuesday in a very close race. There were only 13 points separating Stewart from second-place finisher Alyssa Thomas of Connecticut and last year’s MVP, A’ja Wilson of Las Vegas. Stewart received 446 points. Thomas had 439 points and Wilson received 433 points. All the WNBA awards are voted on by a 60-person national media panel and had them vote for their top five choices for the MVP award.
MLB To Major League Baseball where
Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson, whose deft glovework and folksy manner made him one of the most beloved and accomplished athletes in Baltimore history, has died. He was 86. The Orioles announced his death in a joint statement with Robinson’s family. The statement did not say how Robinson died. Coming of age before the free agent era, Robinson spent his entire 23-year career with the Orioles. He almost single-handedly helped Baltimore defeat Cincinnati in the 1970 World Series and homered in Game 1 of the Orioles’ 1966 sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers for their first crown.
MLB
Austin Wells hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Tuesday night. Michael King and two relievers combined on a three-hitter as the Yankees improved to a major league-best 18-9 since Aug. 28. Facing Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano (5-7), Gleyber Torres singled to begin the ninth. Wells followed with a first-pitch drive into the left-field bullpen, his third home run. Romano, who blew his first save opportunity since May 20 on Saturday at Tampa Bay, took the loss for a second straight outing. Jhony Brito (9-7) pitched two innings for the victory and Clay Holmes finished for his 23rd save in 26 chances.
René Pinto hit a two-run home run, Manuel Margot added a pair of RBI singles as part of a four-hit night, and the Tampa Bay Rays held on to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-7. Rays starter Zach Eflin yielded three runs off five hits over five innings to earn his third victory in four starts. Pete Fairbanks struck out three in a scoreless ninth to pick up his 25th save. With the win Tampa Bay kept Baltimore’s magic number at two to clinch the AL East following the Orioles’ win over the Nationals 1-0. Boston has lost five of its last six games. Emmanuel Valdez had three hits and career-high four RBIs and Wilyer Abreu added a two-run double for the Red Sox.
Johan Rojas hit an RBI single in the 10th inning that sent the Philadelphia Phillies to a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and clinched a National League wild-card berth. Rojas' single off Pirates reliever David Bednar scored pinch-runner Christian Pache and sent the crowd of more than 30,000 fans into a frenzy and the Phillies mobbed each other in celebration. Brandon Marsh homered for the Phillies and Bryce Harper tacked on a sacrifice fly in the sixth for a 2-0 lead. Jeff Hoffman (5-2) tossed a scoreless 10th for the win. Bryan Reynolds and Henry Davis hit homers for the Pirates.
Miami's game against the Mets in New York was postponed, they’ll play a double-header today at 4:10 and 7:40.
The Milwaukee Brewers clinched the NL Central title for the third time in six seasons Tuesday night, despite a 4-1 loss to the last-place St. Louis Cardinals and with the help of a come-from-behind win by the Atlanta Braves. Milwaukee clinched its second division crown in three seasons when the Chicago Cubs dropped a 7-6 decision to the Braves. The Milwaukee crowd roared as the ninth inning of the Cubs-Braves game was shown on the scoreboard.
There is Shohei Ohtani, and then there is the rest of baseball’s soon-to-be free agents. With the season winding down and the playoffs coming up, it’s almost time for major league teams to go shopping once again. And there is one player that is sure to dominate the conversation until he makes a decision. It looks as if Ohtani is going to the open market after another stellar season with the Los Angeles Angels. The two-way star is the favorite for the AL MVP award. But his elbow injury could complicate matters for Ohtani's potential suitors.
NHL
N-Y Rangers 4 N-Y Islanders 2
Buffalo 4 Boston 1
Detroit 4 Pittsburgh 3
NBA
Ben Simmons is set to begin training camp next week with no restrictions after two injury-shortened seasons in Brooklyn. If he stays healthy, Simmons may even be able to return to his roots as a point guard. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said Tuesday that the former All-Star has been playing 5-on-5 this summer and will have an expanded role offensively if he can avoid further injuries. Simmons views himself as a lead guard, the position he played in Philadelphia. The Nets used him as a forward last season. Vaughn says Simmons will be able to play the way he wants if he shows he can handle it.
Magic Johnson’s love for his Los Angeles Lakers has kept him from considering ownership of any other NBA team. The New York Knicks would be the one franchise that could make him rethink that. Johnson says the Knicks would be “intriguing” because of their passionate fans and home in Madison Square Garden. The basketball Hall of Famer is already part of ownership groups of the NFL's Washington Commanders and baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers. But he says he has turned down multiple NBA teams because he doesn't want to be in competition with his former franchise.
SOCCER
Lionel Messi's arrival in the United States has boosted his team and Major League Soccer. No. 10 jerseys have been flying off the shelves, ticket prices have at times reached unheard-of levels and Inter Miami's games have been selling out, even on the road. Messi has 11 goals in 12 games across all competitions for Inter Miami. He's already helped the team win the Leagues Cup, and on Wednesday night Inter Miami will play Houston for the U.S. Open Cup.
Spain’s women’s team has received the support of a record crowd in its first home match since winning the World Cup title. A crowd of 14,194 saw Spain rout Switzerland 5-0 in the Nations League. The crowd surpassed the previous record of 11,209 fans for a women’s national team match in Spain achieved in a friendly against the United States last year. The local crowd showed their support for the players who have been fighting against sexism since their world title was tarnished by a scandal involving former Spanish soccer federation president. A banner shown by fans in Cordoba read “Your fight is our pride. You are not alone.”
RYDER CUP
Justin Thomas is more concerned with the Americans winning the Ryder Cup than criticism about him being on the team. His Ryder Cup record speaks for itself. His form is another matter. He didn't make the PGA Tour postseason for the first time and had to rely on being a captain's pick. Thomas says he's not keeping receipts on those who doubt him. He says if captain Zach Johnson and the rest of Team USA didn't want him, he wouldn't be at Marco Simone. He likely will be playing alongside Jordan Spieth, who says Thomas simple knows how to win matches.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Deion Sanders is turning the page on Colorado's 42-6 loss to Oregon while also tuning out his detractors. He says he's used to the doubters, so he pays them no attention. Sanders has told his players to watch the film to learn from the lopsided loss. Their mantra for the week is the truth shall set them free. The film also shows how the deficiencies can be shored up before facing an eighth-ranked Southern California team led by reigning Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams.
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