MLB roundup: Mets lose Griffin Canning, still shut out Braves
June 27 - Five pitchers combined for a three-hit shutout as the New York Mets overcame the loss of starting pitcher Griffin Canning to a left ankle injury to stop the visiting Atlanta Braves 4-0 Thursday night and earn a split of the teams' four-game series.
Canning was injured after throwing a pitch that retired Nick Allen on a grounder to short for the second out of the top of the third inning. Attempting to run to back up third in case Eli White tried to advance from second, Canning crumpled to the ground with his left leg in the air. After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters the team believes it is an Achilles injury and Canning will undergo an MRI exam.
Austin Warren (1-0), making his second appearance this year, worked 2 1/3 innings and allowed only one hit to earn the win. Dedniel Nunez, Ryne Stanek and Edwin Diaz polished off the game by allowing just one baserunner over four innings.
Grant Holmes (4-7) absorbed the loss after permitting two runs on six hits and three walks in five innings. He fanned six.
Tigers 8, Athletics 0
Dietrich Enns pitched five scoreless innings in his first major league outing since 2021 as host Detroit silenced the Athletics.
Enns, who made nine relief appearances with Tampa Bay four seasons ago before pitching in Japan and Korea, was called up from Triple-A Toledo to make a spot start. He held the Athletics to one hit and two walks while striking out four.
Brenan Hanifee, Tyler Holton, Chase Lee and Will Vest each tossed an inning of scoreless relief. Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer and Spencer Torkelson supplied a solo blast. Zach McKinstry and Jahmai Jones drove in two runs apiece. A's starter Jeffrey Springs (6-6) gave up three runs in five innings.
Dodgers 3, Rockies 1
Clayton Kershaw boosted his career strikeout total to 2,997 while allowing two hits and one run over six innings as Los Angeles wrapped up a three-game series over Colorado in Denver.
Kershaw (4-0) fanned five to move closer to becoming the 20th pitcher in major league history to reach the 3,000-strikeout milestone. Shohei Ohtani slugged his National League-high 28th home run while Teoscar Hernandez and Mookie Betts notched two hits apiece.
Rockies starter Austin Gomber gave up four hits and one run over five innings before giving way to Angel Chivilli (1-3), who allowed Freddie Freeman's tie-breaking single in the sixth. Brenton Doyle gave Colorado a 1-0 lead in the second with a homer, his first since May 27.
Astros 2, Phillies 1
Cam Smith's RBI single with two outs in the eighth snapped a tie and gave host Houston a three-game sweep of Philadelphia.
The Astros won the series by a combined score of 5-1. Starter Hunter Brown allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings -- striking out seven -- before Bryan Abreu (3-3) finished with four straight strikeouts.
Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez struck out 11 in six-plus innings while giving up one run on five hits. Rafael Marchan went 2-for-3 while Brandon Marsh lofted a sacrifice fly in the eighth to snap the Phillies' 26-inning scoreless streak.
Cubs 3, Cardinals 0
Pitching for the first time since May 4 due to a hamstring strain, Shota Imanaga allowed just one hit over five innings as Chicago shut out host St. Louis for the second day in a row to split their four-game series.
Imanaga (4-2) struck out three and walked one before giving way to Caleb Thielbar, Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz and Daniel Palencia (6th save). Michael Busch went 2-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs while Carson Kelly added two hits.
Cardinals starter Andre Pallante (5-4) gave up seven hits and two runs over five innings. Alec Burleson's ninth-inning double was the only extra-base hit among St. Louis' three safeties.
Rays 4, Royals 0
Shane Baz retired 19 batters in a row while throwing eight shutout innings as Tampa Bay completed a three-game sweep at Kansas City.
Baz (8-3) allowed three hits and one walk while striking out nine in his career-long outing. Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero hit back-to-back homers in the sixth while Josh Lowe went 3-for-4 with a double and a steal.
Michael Lorenzen (4-8) gave up eight hits and four runs over 5 2/3 innings. Jonathan India and Vinnie Pasquantino posted two hits apiece for the Royals, who have scored just four runs during their five-game losing streak.
Blue Jays 6, Guardians 0
Kevin Gausman scattered two hits and one walk over eight innings as Toronto claimed the rubber game of a three-game series at Cleveland.
Gausman (6-6) struck out six before giving way to Chad Green for the ninth. Nathan Lukes and Alejandro Kirk poked two-run singles and Myles Straw notched two hits for the Blue Jays.
Guardians starter Tanner Bibee (4-8) extended his winless streak to six starts despite allowing just three hits and three runs (two earned) while fanning seven. Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero and Cleveland's Jose Ramirez each left the game after taking hit-by-pitches on the arm, but X-rays on both were negative.
Twins 10, Mariners 1
Trevor Larnach homered, singled, drove in three runs and scored twice for Minnesota, which routed Seattle to earn a split of the four-game series in Minneapolis.
Brooks Lee and Matt Wallner also homered, Carlos Correa had two RBIs and Byron Buxton scored two runs in the leadoff spot for the Twins, who have won two in a row following a five-game skid.
Twins right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson (3-4) came in winless in his past six starts, but he earned the victory after allowing just two hits over five shutout innings. He struck out six and walked one.
Marlins 12, Giants 5
Following early-inning lead changes and a fiery first inning, Miami pulled away from San Francisco to seal a road sweep.
Several Giants batters were hit in Wednesday's extra-innings affair, prompting starter Hayden Birdsong to fire a 97 mph fastball at Otto Lopez in the first frame. The umpiring crew issued a warning to each team, which Marlins manager Clayton McCullough objected to, resulting in his ejection.
The Marlins notched five runs over the first five innings, powered by homers from Kyle Stowers and Agustin Ramirez. San Francisco responded by knotting the game at five after a two-run shot by Rafael Devers in the second and three more runs in the fourth.
Miami then scored seven unanswered runs -- three in the fifth inning and four in the eighth inning -- to put the game out of San Francisco's reach.
--Field Level Media
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The Guardian
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Brazilian teams have excelled at the Club World Cup. How far can they go?
'Many people didn't believe this would happen. It is happening,' said Fluminense manager Renato Gaúcho as he reflected on the performances of the Brazilian teams at the Club World Cup. With Fluminense, Palmeiras, Botafogo and Flamengo all on their way to the last 16, Renato said that Brazilian football and people should be 'very proud' of what their clubs have done in the US. The results in the group stage were impressive. Botafogo beat European champions Paris Saint-Germain; Flamengo won convincingly against Chelsea; and the only defeat for a Brazilian team – when Botafogo lost to Atlético Madrid – came when they had an eye on the knockout stage. In all, they played 12 games, lost one and only conceded nine goals. The last 16 kicks off on Saturday, with Botafogo v Palmeiras in Philadelphia. The tie resumes a rivalry that has been at the forefront of Brazilian football in recent years. While it's not an historic conflict or one based on geographical proximity, the clubs have been at loggerheads as they have battled for the Brasileirão title. Consider it a Brazilian version of the Manchester City v Liverpool rivalry – but with a bit more spice. In 2023, Botafogo built up a 15-point lead in the title race but started to fritter it away. By the time they met Palmeiras towards the end of the campaign, their lead was down to six points. Botafogo raced into a 3-0 lead in their crunch match but Endrick inspired a 4-3 comeback. In the end, Palmeiras denied Botafogo the title and snatched it for themselves. Afterwards, Botafogo's majority owner John Textor went on a rampage, accusing Palmeiras of corruption. Leila Pereira, the Palmeiras president, called Textor's accusations 'irresponsible and criminal' and dubbed him the 'embarrassment of Brazilian football'. The feud between the two leaders is one of the biggest subplots before their match on Saturday, with rival fans telling Botafogo supporters to enjoy themselves before Textor sinks their club à la Lyon. Botafogo recovered from their heartbreak in 2024, becoming just the fourth team in history to do a league and Libertadores double. To make their revenge even sweeter, they eliminated Palmeiras in the last 16. They have struggled in the league this season though, especially after losing their best players in Luiz Henrique and Thiago Almada (who is on loan at one of Textor's other clubs, Lyon), as well as their manager. So their success at the Club World Cup – including that standout victory against PSG – has come as a welcome surprise. We've been talking to their defender Vitinho – who spent a few years at Burnley – and he is feeling confident. 'We have a very strong team, we know our potential and we never stopped believing,' he says. 'As long as we have a chance, we will fight to the fullest. We worked hard, we believed and we achieved our goal, which was to qualify from the group stage. We knew we would face a very tough team in the round of 16. It will be like that until the end. We have had great duels against Palmeiras in recent years, memorable moments for both teams, and this will be another very important game for both clubs.' On the other side of the rivalry, Palmeiras goalkeeper Weverton says he and his teammates have been preparing for the Club World Cup for a long time and are satisfied with their performances so far. 'It was a good start, we're on the right track,' he said. 'This competition, playing against the best teams in the world, is a great opportunity for everyone to show their worth. And the Brazilian teams are doing it very well. It is up to us to maintain this level and improve, because the pressure will only increase. We have great opportunities to advance in the competition.' He knows that Botafogo will be tough opponents. 'A Brazilian confrontation is always difficult because you know the characteristics of the players, but at this point you can't choose your opponents. It will be difficult for Palmeiras, as it will be difficult for Botafogo; they are two great teams. Brazilian football has won here; we will have a Brazilian team in the quarter-finals. This values our football.' Flamengo, the current league leaders in Brazil, have been dealt a tough draw in the last 16, where they face Bayern Munich. Having won their group, it looked as though Flamengo would play Benfica or Boca Juniors in the last 16 but Vincent Kompany's decision to rest players against Benfica backfired on Bayern – and Flamengo. The winner of their last-16 tie will meet Paris Saint-Germain or Inter Miami in the quarter-finals then possibly Real Madrid in the semis. Focusing on the first task in hand, club icon Zico joked that 'we have an advantage, because we've only ever played one game against Bayern and it was 3-1 to Flamengo'. He's not referring to a past Intercontinental Cup, though, but rather a match at the Kuala Lumpur International Tournament in 1994. Flamengo were awarded $20,000 for that victory. The stakes will be far higher in Miami on Sunday night. Flamengo manager Filipe Luís is full of respect for Bayern, calling them 'dominant', a 'colossus' with 'an extraordinary squad' and 'an excellent coach' and one of the top tier of European clubs that are above anything South America can offer. 'They're a club that inspires us and gives us ideas to copy, but in a game anything can happen,' he added. Filipe Luís knows Flamengo face an uphill battle but he wants his team to keep their identity and, if they are to go out, to do so on their own shield. 'Flamengo's DNA requires you try to take the ball away from the opponent, try to press, control the game and be as vertical as possible,' he said. 'That is what we will try to do. We know their quality and the way they play. They will try to impose their rhythm, and we will try to do the same. In the end, may the best team win.' Some Flamengo fans have taken umbrage with what they perceive to be Bayern rolling over for Benfica and settling for second place. It's a strategy Fluminense appeared to adopt as well. They rested players and drew with Mamelodi Sundowns, perhaps as a means of playing either River Plate or Monterrey in the last 16. With Dortmund and Inter winning, though, and Fluminense picking up just a point, the 2023 Libertadores winners will now face Inter. 'Now, there is no easy game,' says their manager Renato, who has also echoed the idea that knockout football is about more than money. 'It's no use having a team of 500m, football is on the field,' he said. Fluminense have their own veterans, such as Thiago Silva at the heart of their defence, but perhaps it's the perfect moment to pounce on a crestfallen and ageing Inter side after their hammering against PSG. This is an article by Tom Sanderson and Josué Seixas
The Guardian
an hour ago
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Four things we learned from the USMNT's Gold Cup group stage
For as much as the Gold Cup gets denigrated, it's a much tougher tournament than it might appear. The ongoing tournament is the 11th edition in the last two decades, and this year's US are just the 10th team to make it through three group matches unscathed (Panama became the 11th on Tuesday). US manager Mauricio Pochettino has to be pleased with his team's performance. After rough showings in the pre-tournament friendly matches, a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago was cathartic, while a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia and a 2-1 victory against Haiti also showed that the US are trying to make winning a habit as their manager has asked. If Pochettino took lessons from those exhibitions and applied them to the tournament, it stands to reason that he'll take the learnings from the group stage and put them toward what the US hopes will be three knockout contests. Here are four things we learned from the USMNT in the group stage: The days ahead of the tournament began were filled with worry about the fact that Christian Pulisic would not be part of the competition, opting for summer rest rather than trying to win what would be his first career Gold Cup title (a decision that caused no shortage of drama and discourse). There is no doubt the US would be a better team with Pulisic, and when he wants to come back into the team, he'll likely go straight back into the XI barring a real showdown with manager Mauricio Pochettino. But in the group stage, the US has shown that it has players in the pool who can provide an attacking spark. Malik Tillman is most notable among them, scoring three goals in the group stage including a pair against Trinidad and Tobago and the opener against Haiti. Consistently dangerous and also hard-working, Tillman has been the breakout star of the tournament, putting the form he has often displayed with PSV on the field with the national team. 'What a player, no? What a player that is showing in this camp his talent and (ability),' Pochettino said. Indeed. It's not just Tillman, a Bayern Munich product who reportedly is drawing interest for a Bundesliga return, who is bolstering the US. Diego Luna continues to inject energy and try to create chances when he's on the field, and Quinn Sullivan certainly isn't afraid to try a few things – notably going for a rabona against Haiti but also putting a number of shots on target and linking up well with Tillman and the other attackers when he's on the field. While Zack Steffen and Patrick Schulte had to pull out with injuries, Pochettino's top two goalkeepers remained in camp and look to be in open competition for the starting spot going forward. Or maybe the newer of those faces, NYCFC shot-stopper Matt Freese, is ahead for now. Freese started the first friendly of the summer against Turkey, while previous US No 1 Matt Turner played the friendly match against Switzerland that saw the Americans concede four goals in the first half. While it seems the competition is somewhat cut-throat, Pochettino laughed off the idea that Freese conceding on an error against Haiti would lead to some sort of conversation between the manager and the goalkeeper. 'Remember, the most important action is the next one. If you're thinking about the last one, you're dead. You're going to make another mistake,' Pochettino said. 'This type of accident happens and it'll happen in the future, but we're so happy with him and the quality of our keepers, of course, the way they're supporting each other.' For his part, Freese said he immediately put the error out of his mind and focused on not allowing another goal. 'You have to move on very quickly, so, thankfully, the guys we all support each other in the bad moments and in the good moments,' he said. Sign up to Soccer with Jonathan Wilson Jonathan Wilson brings expert analysis on the biggest stories from European soccer after newsletter promotion We'll see where the coaching staff's thoughts are when the starting lineup comes out against Costa Rica, a team with no goalkeeping battle thanks to anchor Keylor Navas. The US came into the summer hoping they would enjoy the returns of right back Sergiño Dest, left back Antonee Robinson and striker Folarin Balogun. Instead, all three are missing the tournament because of injuries. Though striker Patrick Agyemang has scored twice in the group stage, the balance of his play has yet to convince that he's polished enough at this point in his career to be a consistent option up top. The US needs Balogun and Ricardo Pepi fit and ready to go at the 2026 World Cup. Otherwise, the may find themselves in a situation like 2022, with no great goal-scoring options in a knockout game. A similar dynamic exists among the wide defenders. While Alex Freeman has been a pleasant surprise as a serviceable option at right back, both of Robinson's replacements – Max Arften and John Tolkin – have had a few adventures, and it's clear Robinson is the best American left back by a wide margin. While the US has looked great through three group games, their chief Concacaf rivals haven't. Mexico managed just a draw with Costa Rica, and while they still have far more of their key contributors than the US does, they've struggled to score from open play, even struggling a bit against the Dominican Republic in the opener. Their Gold Cup has seen them relying on set pieces and a defense that is stingy with center back Johan Vázquez back and partnering César Montes once again, allowing Edson Álvarez to break things up in midfield. Canada struggled, and eventually drew, with Curaçao. The US will have no such margin for error now. It wouldn't be out of the question for a team with as much experience and talent as Costa Rica to relish being a stumbling block on the US's road to redemption after the last-place Nations League Final Four finish and the miserable friendlies. A great day from Navas (and perhaps a goal from Alonso Martínez) are both within the realm of possibility. It was a strong start, but the finish will matter much more, not just for this Gold Cup, but for momentum heading into the big show next year.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
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‘Super-physical': Houston's Seth Smith points to US rugby future
It's less than two years since Seth Smith became the youngest player ever in Major League Rugby and he only turned 20 this week. The hooker's birthday fell on Tuesday, during the Houston SaberCats' preparation for their first MLR Championship Game, against the New England Free Jacks in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday. The Free Jacks are seeking a third title in a row but in the SaberCats camp, 'Everybody's very positive,' Smith said, contemplating the challenge for a team that had previously played three postseason games and lost them all. 'We've had ups and downs but … these play-off games are the ones that matter. We beat a very strong LA side that fought very hard. And Utah, they're very physical, and we took care of business there as well.' In that western final, Smith scored a vital try. Of New England, MLR's dominant team in recent years, he says with relish: 'Now we're on to the big Goliath.' Smith could yet play David. But though he's young he already has a warlike nickname, Viking, thanks to his long blond hair and prodigious strength. He was introduced to rugby at 11 when his dad found the game on the internet, fell for it, and found a club, Katy Barbarians, who taught his boy to play. In Texas, high-school football is a religion. Smith excelled at fullback for Fulshear and wrestled too but rugby bit hardest. He played with the West Houston Lions and at school and was eyeing a place at Life University in Georgia, a college power, when the SaberCats signed him. Global rugby watchers might be advised to take note. Smith is the right age for college, the traditional time Americans find rugby, but he's been playing nine years already. More American boys and girls can say the same. Smith's style of hard-hitting athleticism may be about to become a more familiar sight around the oval world. Asked how traditional school sports helped his rugby education, Smith said: 'Everybody thinks football is like a direct translation to rugby but there's so many different tweaks.' As a fullback he 'played offense, and I carried every once in a while, but I was more of a blocker. In rugby there's no player who only does attack: everybody has to be able to do attack and defense and be versatile enough to switch quickly. And that's kind of where wrestling came in. Because in wrestling, you're doing both: attacking and defending. 'One of the things I've realized with rugby is, you learn people's bodies, right? You get to understand how people go down. I like tackling. I'm 5ft 9in. I have a low center of gravity. If I ever tried a high tackle, I would have to jump. And so that's what rugby is: you have a double-leg take-down, you have a single-leg take-down. And that's what wrestling is too. And also, you know how to get out of situations. Football is just, like, contact.' Wrestling helps with scrummaging too: 'It definitely helps with the legs, with your lower body. As a hooker, you have to understand how to use your head in scrums, whenever you're binding. And if there's one thing that I did very well in wrestling, I was very good with the leverage, using the head and shoulders – which goes straight into being a hooker.' Smith was a flanker first but soon moved from the back of the scrum to the front. It helped that at high school, he came to see the weights room as his 'safe place'. 'My dad's a bodybuilder. I was going into my freshman year of high school, that summer me and him started lifting. It's a place where you can just zone into something and give it everything you have for as long as you want, and have nothing else to worry about. It's like getting in between the four lines [of a rugby field]. You have nothing else to worry about except doing your job. And so it's just a place that I was able to find safety and security.' Rugby as unsafe safe space: players know the feeling. Come Saturday in Rhode Island, Smith, the SaberCats, the Free Jacks and as many as 10,500 fans – MLR commissioner Nic Benson said the league thinks it will get 'close' to a sell-out – will create such a space once again. Smith has made Under-19 and U20 US national squads but not yet U23, saying: 'I didn't get invited this year, so that's a good thing for the chip on the shoulder.' At Houston, he has had international talent to learn from, from the great USA flanker Danny Barrett to current SaberCats including the Samoa hooker Pita Anae Ah-Sue. Houston also has a heavy South African influence, through plenty of players and head coach Pote Human, successor to Heyneke Meyer, once coach of the Springboks. 'You watch any South African game, they're going to do three things,' Smith said. 'They're going to out-line-out you, they're going to out-scrum you, and they're going to out-physical you. Those are the things that they do best, and that's why they are so successful. 'I've always been a super-physical player, from playing seven, making the tackles a seven makes, to hooker, it's everything I grew up doing and it's exactly the way that they want players to play. Fitting in at Houston with all the South Africans? I don't think it would be the same anywhere else for me.' Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion Those who wish MLR would field more Americans might wish Smith a regular starter elsewhere, though Anthem RC, the North Carolina team formed to field such homegrown talent, has logged two winless seasons. Asked about Anthem, Benson said: 'If you look at the goals for what we set out to do with Anthem, it was to get young American players more game time and exposure at a higher level. In that respect, it's been a win … I think it's serving its purpose.' Detailing Smith's progress in a Houston squad heavy with imports, Benson said: 'I think you always have to strike a balance. You want to have the foreign players, but to have a learning experience for the Americans, especially where you have really seasoned professionals who lead by example. 'Like you have the seasoned veteran who shows the younger players what it means to be a professional in terms of eating habits, training, discipline, all of those things. That's a critical component. You see it in Chicago, you see it in San Diego, you see it in Houston. That's a critical piece.' Either way, it says something that at just 20, Smith is set to feature in the Championship game. Look ahead 10 years: in 2035, at the men's World Cup after the men's World Cup to be held on US soil, Smith will be only 30, a hooker's prime. If the US can find more such talent, dreams of quarter-finals and more may edge closer to fruition. Smith is raring to go. 'I played my first international game at 15, and I've traveled all over the world. I've played in Scotland, I've played in the Netherlands, I've played in Canada, I've played in Dubai, I've played in Ireland. I've played all over. So going overseas is a big aspiration … and obviously trying to get up with the main Eagles, the big boys, at the men's level. Let's see how far I can take this.' Martin Pengelly writes on Substack at The National Maul, on rugby in the US
