Ronny Mauricio, Mets vie for sweep of downtrodden Rockies
June 8 - Infielder Ronny Mauricio could be worth the wait for the New York Mets, who will aim for a sweep of their three-game series against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday afternoon in Denver.
Mauricio hit one of three homers for New York in its 8-1 win over the Rockies on Saturday. The Mets won for the seventh time in their last nine games and moved a season-high 17 games above .500.
Mauricio, 24, earned a promotion from Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. He hit a mammoth 456-foot blast and singled in Saturday's win.
"Pretty impressive," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "I think he went on the third deck; it's the first time I've seen somebody go over there. We know the power's real, we know the impact (he can have).
"But at the same time, we've got to be patient with him. This is a guy who missed a whole year of development. It's really good to see him now do some of the things that we know he's capable of. It was a great night for him, great night for the whole offense."
Colorado went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position on Saturday and lost its second straight game following a three-game winning streak.
The Rockies are 12-52, which ties the 1932 Boston Red Sox for the worst 64-game start in baseball's modern era (since 1901).
Ryan McMahon briefly tied Saturday's game when he began the fourth inning with his seventh home run of the season and first since May 11. The homer was the 131st of his career, enabling him to pass Matt Holliday for the 11th-most in franchise history.
Colorado fell to 6-24 at Coors Field, which is the worst home record in the majors and its worst start through 30 home games in franchise history.
Sunday's pitching matchup will feature a pair of right-handers as the Mets' Tylor Megill (4-4, 3.77 ERA) faces the Rockies' Chase Dollander (2-5, 6.26).
Megill, 29, allowed four runs over six innings in a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers last Tuesday. He settled in after giving up four runs in the first inning and retired 16 of the final 17 Dodgers he faced while throwing 105 pitches in his outing. The Mets lost 6-5 in 10 innings.
Orlando Arcia is 2-for-11 against Megill, who is 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA in two career starts versus Colorado.
Dollander returned after missing two weeks with forearm tightness and gave up two runs over three innings against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday in a game the Rockies won 3-2.
He has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his nine starts in his rookie campaign.
"He's developing nicely," Rockies interim manager Warren Schaeffer said of Dollander. "I can't say enough about Chase Dollander, the way he takes care of himself, his thought process, the way he talks about the game after it happens, and sees where he went wrong and what went right."
Dollander, 23, is set to make his first career appearance against the Mets.
Schaeffer made the decision to use Dollander on Sunday in place of the originally scheduled starter, Carson Palmquist, who pitched 4 2/3 innings against the Mets last Sunday.
"We just played the Mets last week, and I just want them to see a couple different pitchers," Schaeffer said.
New York has won its last seven meetings against the Rockies, including all five this season.
--Field Level Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Riley Gaines unearths old tweet from 'truly sick bully' Simone Biles that 'undermines nonsensical' trans feud
Riley Gaines continued to wage war with Simone Biles over transgender athletes, two days after the gymnast first launched her scathing attack on the conservative activist. The USA Olympic hero, 28, hit out at Gaines Friday night when she compared her to a man after the former swimmer criticized a Minnesota high school softball team for competing with a trans player. The stinging online attack triggered a bitter social media feud between the two with Gaines issuing a series of rebukes. And now, the former collegiate swimmer has dug deep into the archives for her latest brutal retort. Gaines, 25, trawled through eight years' worth of Biles' social media presence to unearth a 2017 post that she claims undermines the USA Olympic hero's current stance on the gender row. 'ahhhh good thing guys don't compete against girls or he'd take all the gold medals !!' the old post from Biles read. Gaines reshared the tweet and responded: 'Oop don't you hate it when your past self completely undermines your current nonsensical argument? Gained unearthed one of the USA Olympic hero's social media posts from 2017 The activist claimed that the gymnast's eight-year-old tweet undermines her current stance 'How has 2025 Simone reconciled with the fact 2017 Simone was a 'truly sick bully' by her own standard?' Gaines has forged a career as a political commentator for OutKick and Fox following her time as a swimmer, where she competed against trans athlete Lia Thomas. Her campaigning has won praise from Donald Trump, who welcomed her to the White House before signing the 'Keeping Men out of Women's Sports' executive order in February. On Friday, Gaines retweeted a picture of Minnesota team Champlin Park celebrating the state high school title that they won with transgender pitcher Marissa Rothenberger on the team. 'Comments off lol,' Gaines wrote in response to the post. 'To be expected when your star player is a boy.' It sparked a blistering response from Biles, 28, who first criticized Gaines' view and then compared her appearance to a man. Biles wrote: 'You're truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. 'You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! 'But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!' She then tweeted at Gaines again, saying: 'Bully someone your own size, which would ironically be a male.' Biles attacked Gaines on X on Friday night after her latest remarks on trans athletes Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, tore into Gaines on social media for her trans stance Gaines replied: 'This is actually so disappointing. It's not my job or the job of any woman to figure out how to include men in our spaces. You can uplift men stealing championships in women's sports with YOUR platform. Men don't belong in women's sports and I say that with my full chest.' She continued: 'My take is the least controversial take on the planet. Simone Biles being a male-apologist at the expense of young girls' dreams? Didn't have that on my bingo card. Maybe she could compete in pommel horse and rings in 2028.' Gaines then addressed Biles mocking her appearance, saying: 'And the subtle hint at "body-shaming" ???? Plzzzz I'm 5'5".' Gaines continued to hit back by referencing the horrific abuse Biles and other gymnasts suffered at the hands of pedophile doctor Larry Nassar. 'All the horrific sexual abuse @Simmone_Biles witnessed and spoke out against caused by one man, yet believes women should be forced to strip naked in front of men to validate the man's feelings,' the former collegiate swimmer posted on X following the gymnastics legend's attack. 'You know how many gold medals you'd have if your "inclusive" dream came true? Zero.' Gaines later doubled down, sharing a clip of Biles testifying before Senate about the abuse suffered at the hands of the former team doctor. Alongside it, she posted a screengrab of Biles' tweet. 'Simone Biles when she had to endure a predatory man Vs Simone Biles when other girls have to endure predatory men,' she wrote. Nassar was a leading doctor at Michigan State and with USA Gymnastics, but used his position within those organizations to sexually abuse young women under the guise of treatment at the now-closed Karolyi Ranch National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas. The former swimmer later shared a clip of Biles' testimony to Senate on the abuse He was sentenced in federal court in 2017 to 60 years in prison on charges of possessing child sex abuse material. The following year, Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years and up to 125 years, respectively, in two separate Michigan courts for molesting female gymnasts under his care. Biles publicly broke her silence in January 2018, revealing in a powerful tweet that she was one of Nassar's victims. In 2019, Biles revealed that the trauma of the assaults had left her struggling with suicidal thoughts. The gymnast has offered no further comment other than to retweet her original post calling Gaines 'sick'. The issue of trans athletes in sports has been a bigger talking point in the US this week with the Minnesota high school team reaching the state championships. Rothenberger is biologically male. At nine, Rothenberger's mother applied in district court to alter her child's birth certificate after their ninth birthday, with the petition being approved, per Reduxx. Rothenberger was issued a new birth certificate showing to be born female, switching their name from 'Charlie Dean' to Marissa.
The Independent
37 minutes ago
- The Independent
Kayla Harrison survived sex abuse to win Olympic gold. She's now a UFC champ with a mega fight ahead
Around her neck or around her waist, Kayla Harrison has a knack for winning gold. One key distinction, of course, between the Olympics and professional mixed martial arts is what happens in the immediate aftermath of a monumental victory — there is no four-year wait for the next fight. The next challenger is ready for a confrontation inside the MMA cage. Harrison barely had minutes to cool down after a dominant submission win earned her the 135-pound championship — in front of a packed house that included President Donald Trump and former boxer Mike Tyson — when she called out the seemingly retired, former champion and 2025 UFC Hall of Fame inductee Amanda Nunes. 'I see you Amanda! Come on up, Amanda,' Harrison bellowed from the cage. Nunes stepped out of retirement and into the fray, the two former training partners shook hands and exchanged a few pleasantries before the fighters struck a fierce, staredown pose. Just a little something for the poster. 'It felt big,' UFC President Dana White said. The moment indeed felt like the kickoff for something special, one more super fight for Harrison in a career sprinkled with them over different fight disciplines, fight promotions — almost always with the same result. Harrison's hand raised in victory. 'Everything I ever wanted is happening,' she said. Her biggest reward, in an adulthood full of professional triumphs, came Saturday night at UFC 316 at the Prudential Center when she made 135-pound champion Julianna Peña quit late in the second round to win a championship in only her third UFC fight. She's used to proving she's a champion at the highest level, from the Olympics to the cage, leaving only destruction in her wake. No U.S. judoka — man or woman — had ever won an Olympic gold medal before Harrison beat Britain's Gemma Gibbons to win the women's 78-kilogram division at the 2012 London Olympics. She won gold again four years later at the Rio de Janeiro Games and made her MMA debut in 2018. The 34-year-old Harrison was a two-time $1 million prize champion in the Professional Fighters League lightweight championship division before she moved on to UFC last year. She won her first two UFC bouts and her record — now a sparkling 19-1 in MMA overall — coupled with her fame made her a contender for an instant title shot. Through it all, Harrison has been open about the years of physical and mental abuse inflicted by a former coach leading into the Olympics. She was victimized as a teen, revealing she even thought of quitting judo and of suicide. Harrison turned to her deep faith — 'I trust God' — that has steadied her along the way and she wrote a book about recognizing and overcoming trauma. She's turned into an advocate of sorts for abuse, and as the best active female MMA fighter continues to elbow her way into the public eye, Harrison speaks out candidly and without shame about her experience. 'I'm well removed from it,' she said. 'I'm no longer that 10-year-old girl, that 16-year-old little girl. I'm an adult now. I feel like God gave me this story for a reason. It's my job to use it to try and make the world a better place. I want to talk about it.' Harrison reeled off grim child abuse statistics and noted, 'that's just the kids who say something.' 'How do we stop that? We stop it by having a conversation,' Harrison said. 'We stop it by looking at it in the eye and putting a face to it.' That face is now one of an elite MMA champion. 'I don't ever want another little girl or little boy to feel alone, to feel dirty, to feel ashamed,' Harrison said. 'There is hope. There is a shiny gold medal at the end of the tunnel. There is a UFC belt at the end of the tunnel.' Harrison made quick work of Peña — who authored one of the great upsets in UFC history when she stunned Nunes for the belt in 2021 — to add another championship to her fight collection. Harrison took a page from her judo career before the bout and bowed to Trump as a sign of respect. White, the long-time Trump ally, fastened the belt around Harrison's waist inside the cage and encouraged her to say hello to the president. She hopped down from the cage and draped her belt over Trump's shoulder as he stood from his cageside seat. They hugged and she posed for photos with the president and his entourage. 'The president of the United States is giving me a kiss on my cheek and I'm like, holy (cow),' Harrison said. 'And then Mike Tyson is right there! I'm like, am I in a movie right now? What is happening?' She later pitched a trip to the White House as is customary for other sports champions. Harrison seemed like she'd rather grind through another grueling weight cut than answer which path was tougher, winning Olympic gold or an MMA title. She conceded picking a winner was like picking a favorite child, before noting 'I don't have any favorite children.' Harrison, of course, is proud to have lived her MMA dream as a single mom and playfully threatened to scold her daughter and son if they were up past midnight to watch her go to work. Tragedy struck in late 2019 when Harrison's mother had a stroke and her stepfather died months later, leaving Harrison's young niece and nephew without a guardian (her sister was out of the picture). Harrison became an instant caretaker — and, a mother as she eventually adopted both children. How about it, Harrison vs. Nunes in the main event of a UFC pay-per-view? 'I'm a mom,' Harrison said, laughing. 'The earlier you put me on the card, the better.' Nunes, who vacated the 135-pound title when she retired in 2023, is not currently in the UFC's drug testing pool. She needs at least six months of random drug testing before she can compete. It's a minor hiccup and only builds the hype and anticipation for the bout. 'We're definitely going to see each other in the future,' Nunes told Harrison inside the cage. Harrison tapped the UFC championship belt that rested on a news conference table and realized it meant much more than some polished gold that was just wrapped around her waist. What's ahead for Harrison — a super fight, greater riches, maybe even a trip to the White House — pales to what she endured on her journey toward staking her claim as the best in the world. 'I feel like my spirit is unbreakable and my faith is unshakable,' she said. 'Who I am as a person is someone that I'm proud of. Yes, this belt is amazing. But the journey to get here is what matters most to me.' ___
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Trump golfs with college sports' most influential figures as president weighs move days after groundbreaking ruling
President Donald Trump is reportedly on the golf course with a pair of college sports' most influential figures on Sunday days after a judge approved the settlement in the House v. NCAA case. Southeastern Conference Commissioner Greg Sankey and Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua are the college-sports duo getting facetime with Trump on Sunday. At Trump's request, Bevacqua and Sankey are joining the president to discuss the future of college sports, per Yahoo! Sports. Judge Claudia Wilken's ruling paves a pathway to allow colleges and universities to directly pay their athletes and changes the dynamic of American collegiate athletics forever. A decade ago, college athletes were treated as amateurs and were not directly compensated for their contributions to athletic departments, nor were they able to be paid by outside companies. With the rise of name, image, and likeness agreements in 2021, athletes could sign endorsement deals with companies and collectives of donors could pool money which could be given to athletes. Some of the highest earning college athletes via NIL deals have been Arch Manning with an estimated $6.5 million alone with Livvy Dunne who earned $4.1 million. Now, with this landmark 'House settlement', the NCAA's member institutions will be allowed to pay their athletes directly in the form of revenue sharing agreements. As part of the agreement, the NCAA will give up more than $2.7billion in back pay to thousands of former athletes who were barred from earning revenue over the years. Over the next year, the House settlement will allow each school to share up to $20.5m a year with their athletes. The focal point of this case began with Arizona State swimmer Grant House, who sued the NCAA and its five biggest conferences at the time - the SEC, Big Ten, Big XII, ACC, and Pac-12 - to lift restrictions on revenue sharing. Wilken gave approval to a final proposal after months of negotiating multiple finer points of the deal - including roster limits. How exactly Sankey and Bevacqua were chosen to represent the sport is unclear. However, Sankey runs the most prestigious college conference and Bevacqua is on top of one of the most profitable athletic programs in the nation.
