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San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Luzardo returns to form with 10 strikeouts and Phillies bats come alive to end prolonged slumps
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. admired Kyle Schwarber's shot deep into the right-field seats —'that's a bomb!' — and got a thrill when Nick Castellanos came inches away from his own solo homer. Castellanos settled for a triple, showing that in baseball — unlike in Stenhouse's day job in NASCAR — good things happen when a long drive ends with a smack off the wall. Alec Bohm also went deep and teamed with Schwarber and Castellanos to contribute three of the Phillies' five extra-base hits in a win the team can only hope revived an offense that's been punchless this month. Another encouraging sign? Jesús Luzardo put two disastrous starts behind him and struck out 10 in six innings to lead the Phillies past the Chicago Cubs 7-2 on Wednesday. The Phillies had lost nine of 10 games overall headed into the Cubs' series and suffered the double whammy of losing first baseman Bryce Harper to wrist soreness and starter Aaron Nola adding a stress reaction in one of his right ribs. They returned home and split the first two games of the three-game set against the Cubs in underwhelming fashion: Of their 26 hits in two games, 23 were singles. Schwarber hit his 21st homer a Monster Mile — Stenhouse attended to promote the July 20 NASCAR race at Dover Motor Speedway — and Bohm added four RBIs to help the Phillies win the series. Schwarber is averaging one home run for every 10.94 at-bats during June in his career, which ranks third in MLB history with at least 600 at-bats behind Babe Ruth (10.64 AB/HR) and Mark McGwire (10.80 AB/HR). Luzardo handled the rest. The left-hander was an early season success story in his first season since he was acquired from Miami in what looked like the heist of the winter. He struck out 11 in his Phillies' debut and followed in his second start with seven scoreless innings. Luzardo struck out a combined 20 batters in consecutive starts in late May as the Phillies surged to the lead in the NL. Luzardo's next two starts were somehow about as bad as it gets — he was rocked for 12 runs in 3 1/3 innings that skyrocketed his ERA from 2.15 to 3.58 and he gave up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings in his last outing in Toronto. Luzardo insisted he was healthy and still hit the high 90s with his fastball, forcing him to study game film with a bit of a detective's eye to find out why his season soured. He came to the conclusion that he must have been tipping his pitches. How about a tip of the cap from Phillies fans instead? 'There's a lot of things we tinkered with,' Luzardo said. 'The biggest thing was attention to detail, attention to where we want to go, pitch selection that comes from me.' Luzardo fanned two batters in the first inning to get the gem of a start going. He didn't walk a batter in six innings and allowed his only run with the Phillies up 4-0. Luzardo gave up consecutive singles to open the second inning before he struck out the side. 'He studies himself and he wants to address what he's doing wrong,' Schwarber said. 'That's the impressive thing about him. We were all excited to watch him get out there on the mound today and see what was going to happen. Never a third time.' Max Lazar worked two innings of relief and Michael Mercado tossed a scoreless ninth for the Phillies. Luzardo recorded his fourth double-digit strikeout game in his 15th start of the season, the first Phillies pitcher with four or more double-digit strikeout games in their first 15 starts with the team since Steve Carlton had five in 1972. Yes, the Hall of Famer with the 10-foot statue outside Citizens Bank Park. Not all stats, of course, are usually measured against Hall of Famers. Luzardo was the first Phillies left-hander with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks in a game since Drew Smyly struck out 10 in 2019 at Washington. Up next, an off day and a home weekend series against a Blue Jays team that outscored the Phillies 11-2 in consecutive losses last weekend. Schwarber was willing to bet the past two weeks were just a blip in a long season for a playoff-tested team rather than the start of a summer swoon. 'We know what we have,' Schwarber said. 'We've been in a little rut and we're finding our way out of it. We know that if we do what we need to do, we're know that we're not going to be losing many games overall.' ___


Fox Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Luzardo returns to form with 10 strikeouts and Phillies bats come alive to end prolonged slumps
Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. admired Kyle Schwarber's shot deep into the right-field seats —'that's a bomb!' — and got a thrill when Nick Castellanos came inches away from his own solo homer. Castellanos settled for a triple, showing that in baseball — unlike in Stenhouse's day job in NASCAR — good things happen when a long drive ends with a smack off the wall. Alec Bohm also went deep and teamed with Schwarber and Castellanos to contribute three of the Phillies' five extra-base hits in a win the team can only hope revived an offense that's been punchless this month. Another encouraging sign? Jesus Luzardo put two disastrous starts behind him and struck out 10 in six innings to lead the Phillies past the Chicago Cubs 7-2 on Wednesday. The Phillies had lost nine of 10 games overall headed into the Cubs' series and suffered the double whammy of losing first baseman Bryce Harper to wrist soreness and starter Aaron Nola adding a stress reaction in one of his right ribs. They returned home and split the first two games of the three-game set against the Cubs in underwhelming fashion: Of their 26 hits in two games, 23 were singles. Schwarber hit his 21st homer a Monster Mile — Stenhouse attended to promote the July 20 NASCAR race at Dover Motor Speedway — and Bohm added four RBIs to help the Phillies win the series. Schwarber is averaging one home run for every 10.94 at-bats during June in his career, which ranks third in MLB history with at least 600 at-bats behind Babe Ruth (10.64 AB/HR) and Mark McGwire (10.80 AB/HR). Luzardo handled the rest. The left-hander was an early season success story in his first season since he was acquired from Miami in what looked like the heist of the winter. He struck out 11 in his Phillies' debut and followed in his second start with seven scoreless innings. Luzardo struck out a combined 20 batters in consecutive starts in late May as the Phillies surged to the lead in the NL. Luzardo's next two starts were somehow about as bad as it gets — he was rocked for 12 runs in 3 1/3 innings that skyrocketed his ERA from 2.15 to 3.58 and he gave up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings in his last outing in Toronto. Luzardo insisted he was healthy and still hit the high 90s with his fastball, forcing him to study game film with a bit of a detective's eye to find out why his season soured. He came to the conclusion that he must have been tipping his pitches. How about a tip of the cap from Phillies fans instead? 'There's a lot of things we tinkered with,' Luzardo said. 'The biggest thing was attention to detail, attention to where we want to go, pitch selection that comes from me.' Luzardo fanned two batters in the first inning to get the gem of a start going. He didn't walk a batter in six innings and allowed his only run with the Phillies up 4-0. Luzardo gave up consecutive singles to open the second inning before he struck out the side. 'He studies himself and he wants to address what he's doing wrong,' Schwarber said. 'That's the impressive thing about him. We were all excited to watch him get out there on the mound today and see what was going to happen. Never a third time.' Max Lazar worked two innings of relief and Michael Mercado tossed a scoreless ninth for the Phillies. Luzardo recorded his fourth double-digit strikeout game in his 15th start of the season, the first Phillies pitcher with four or more double-digit strikeout games in their first 15 starts with the team since Steve Carlton had five in 1972. Yes, the Hall of Famer with the 10-foot statue outside Citizens Bank Park. Not all stats, of course, are usually measured against Hall of Famers. Luzardo was the first Phillies left-hander with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks in a game since Drew Smyly struck out 10 in 2019 at Washington. Up next, an off day and a home weekend series against a Blue Jays team that outscored the Phillies 11-2 in consecutive losses last weekend. Schwarber was willing to bet the past two weeks were just a blip in a long season for a playoff-tested team rather than the start of a summer swoon. 'We know what we have,' Schwarber said. 'We've been in a little rut and we're finding our way out of it. We know that if we do what we need to do, we're know that we're not going to be losing many games overall.' ___ AP MLB: recommended
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Luzardo returns to form with 10 strikeouts and Phillies bats come alive to end prolonged slumps
Philadelphia Phillies' Jesús Luzardo pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Jesús Luzardo pitches during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Jesús Luzardo pitches during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Jesús Luzardo pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) Philadelphia Phillies' Jesús Luzardo pitches during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. admired Kyle Schwarber's shot deep into the right-field seats —'that's a bomb!' — and got a thrill when Nick Castellanos came inches away from his own solo homer. Castellanos settled for a triple, showing that in baseball — unlike in Stenhouse's day job in NASCAR — good things happen when a long drive ends with a smack off the wall. Alec Bohm also went deep and teamed with Schwarber and Castellanos to contribute three of the Phillies' five extra-base hits in a win the team can only hope revived an offense that's been punchless this month. Advertisement Another encouraging sign? Jesús Luzardo put two disastrous starts behind him and struck out 10 in six innings to lead the Phillies past the Chicago Cubs 7-2 on Wednesday. The Phillies had lost nine of 10 games overall headed into the Cubs' series and suffered the double whammy of losing first baseman Bryce Harper to wrist soreness and starter Aaron Nola adding a stress reaction in one of his right ribs. They returned home and split the first two games of the three-game set against the Cubs in underwhelming fashion: Of their 26 hits in two games, 23 were singles. Schwarber hit his 21st homer a Monster Mile — Stenhouse attended to promote the July 20 NASCAR race at Dover Motor Speedway — and Bohm added four RBIs to help the Phillies win the series. Advertisement Schwarber is averaging one home run for every 10.94 at-bats during June in his career, which ranks third in MLB history with at least 600 at-bats behind Babe Ruth (10.64 AB/HR) and Mark McGwire (10.80 AB/HR). Luzardo handled the rest. The left-hander was an early season success story in his first season since he was acquired from Miami in what looked like the heist of the winter. He struck out 11 in his Phillies' debut and followed in his second start with seven scoreless innings. Luzardo struck out a combined 20 batters in consecutive starts in late May as the Phillies surged to the lead in the NL. Luzardo's next two starts were somehow about as bad as it gets — he was rocked for 12 runs in 3 1/3 innings that skyrocketed his ERA from 2.15 to 3.58 and he gave up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings in his last outing in Toronto. Advertisement Luzardo insisted he was healthy and still hit the high 90s with his fastball, forcing him to study game film with a bit of a detective's eye to find out why his season soured. He came to the conclusion that he must have been tipping his pitches. How about a tip of the cap from Phillies fans instead? 'There's a lot of things we tinkered with,' Luzardo said. 'The biggest thing was attention to detail, attention to where we want to go, pitch selection that comes from me.' Luzardo fanned two batters in the first inning to get the gem of a start going. He didn't walk a batter in six innings and allowed his only run with the Phillies up 4-0. Luzardo gave up consecutive singles to open the second inning before he struck out the side. Advertisement 'He studies himself and he wants to address what he's doing wrong,' Schwarber said. 'That's the impressive thing about him. We were all excited to watch him get out there on the mound today and see what was going to happen. Never a third time.' Max Lazar worked two innings of relief and Michael Mercado tossed a scoreless ninth for the Phillies. Luzardo recorded his fourth double-digit strikeout game in his 15th start of the season, the first Phillies pitcher with four or more double-digit strikeout games in their first 15 starts with the team since Steve Carlton had five in 1972. Yes, the Hall of Famer with the 10-foot statue outside Citizens Bank Park. Advertisement Not all stats, of course, are usually measured against Hall of Famers. Luzardo was the first Phillies left-hander with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks in a game since Drew Smyly struck out 10 in 2019 at Washington. Up next, an off day and a home weekend series against a Blue Jays team that outscored the Phillies 11-2 in consecutive losses last weekend. Schwarber was willing to bet the past two weeks were just a blip in a long season for a playoff-tested team rather than the start of a summer swoon. 'We know what we have,' Schwarber said. 'We've been in a little rut and we're finding our way out of it. We know that if we do what we need to do, we're know that we're not going to be losing many games overall.' ___ AP MLB:


Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Luzardo returns to form with 10 strikeouts and Phillies bats come alive to end prolonged slumps
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. admired Kyle Schwarber's shot deep into the right-field seats —'that's a bomb!' — and got a thrill when Nick Castellanos came inches away from his own solo homer. Castellanos settled for a triple, showing that in baseball — unlike in Stenhouse's day job in NASCAR — good things happen when a long drive ends with a smack off the wall. Alec Bohm also went deep and teamed with Schwarber and Castellanos to contribute three of the Phillies' five extra-base hits in a win the team can only hope revived an offense that's been punchless this month. Another encouraging sign? Jesús Luzardo put two disastrous starts behind him and struck out 10 in six innings to lead the Phillies past the Chicago Cubs 7-2 on Wednesday. The Phillies had lost nine of 10 games overall headed into the Cubs' series and suffered the double whammy of losing first baseman Bryce Harper to wrist soreness and starter Aaron Nola adding a stress reaction in one of his right ribs. They returned home and split the first two games of the three-game set against the Cubs in underwhelming fashion: Of their 26 hits in two games, 23 were singles. Schwarber hit his 21st homer a Monster Mile — Stenhouse attended to promote the July 20 NASCAR race at Dover Motor Speedway — and Bohm added four RBIs to help the Phillies win the series. Schwarber is averaging one home run for every 10.94 at-bats during June in his career, which ranks third in MLB history with at least 600 at-bats behind Babe Ruth (10.64 AB/HR) and Mark McGwire (10.80 AB/HR). Luzardo handled the rest. The left-hander was an early season success story in his first season since he was acquired from Miami in what looked like the heist of the winter. He struck out 11 in his Phillies' debut and followed in his second start with seven scoreless innings. Luzardo struck out a combined 20 batters in consecutive starts in late May as the Phillies surged to the lead in the NL. Luzardo's next two starts were somehow about as bad as it gets — he was rocked for 12 runs in 3 1/3 innings that skyrocketed his ERA from 2.15 to 3.58 and he gave up eight runs in 2 1/3 innings in his last outing in Toronto. Luzardo insisted he was healthy and still hit the high 90s with his fastball, forcing him to study game film with a bit of a detective's eye to find out why his season soured. He came to the conclusion that he must have been tipping his pitches. How about a tip of the cap from Phillies fans instead? 'There's a lot of things we tinkered with,' Luzardo said. 'The biggest thing was attention to detail, attention to where we want to go, pitch selection that comes from me.' Luzardo fanned two batters in the first inning to get the gem of a start going. He didn't walk a batter in six innings and allowed his only run with the Phillies up 4-0. Luzardo gave up consecutive singles to open the second inning before he struck out the side. 'He studies himself and he wants to address what he's doing wrong,' Schwarber said. 'That's the impressive thing about him. We were all excited to watch him get out there on the mound today and see what was going to happen. Never a third time.' Max Lazar worked two innings of relief and Michael Mercado tossed a scoreless ninth for the Phillies. Luzardo recorded his fourth double-digit strikeout game in his 15th start of the season, the first Phillies pitcher with four or more double-digit strikeout games in their first 15 starts with the team since Steve Carlton had five in 1972. Yes, the Hall of Famer with the 10-foot statue outside Citizens Bank Park. Not all stats, of course, are usually measured against Hall of Famers. Luzardo was the first Phillies left-hander with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks in a game since Drew Smyly struck out 10 in 2019 at Washington. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Up next, an off day and a home weekend series against a Blue Jays team that outscored the Phillies 11-2 in consecutive losses last weekend. Schwarber was willing to bet the past two weeks were just a blip in a long season for a playoff-tested team rather than the start of a summer swoon. 'We know what we have,' Schwarber said. 'We've been in a little rut and we're finding our way out of it. We know that if we do what we need to do, we're know that we're not going to be losing many games overall.' ___ AP MLB:


Newsweek
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Best NASCAR Cup Series Venue
Atlanta Motor Speedway | Hampton, GA Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images With newly increased turn angles and a narrower track, Atlanta Motor Speedway now provides the superspeedway draft-style race NASCAR fans have come to love. There's also plenty of excitement in the Fan Zone before drivers take the quad-oval, including concerts, autograph signings and even occasional sea lion shows. Want to get closer to the action? Take advantage of the track's impressive on-site camping facilities. Bristol Motor Speedway | Bristol, TN Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Get ready to feel the noise at Bristol Motor Speedway! Cars constantly zoom by due to the track's small size, and the tall arena-style seating enhances the sound of fans' cheers while giving them a bird's-eye view of the action. And the action is in no short supply—Bristol is known for its intense close racing and exciting crashes. This high-banked short track has earned its nickname as the Last Great Colosseum. Charlotte Motor Speedway | Concord, NC Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Charlotte Motor Speedway's traditional quad-oval layout allows drivers to reach speeds in the 180s, making it one of the fastest tracks on the circuit. Once a year, the track is reconfigured into "The Roval," which adds nearly a mile and 13 new turns to the course. Families love the infield camping options and Turn 4 Sun Deck: a pavilion with food, games and a Ferris wheel. Darlington Raceway | Darlington, SC Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Called "The Track Too Tough to Tame" and "The Lady in Black," Darlington Raceway challenges even the most seasoned drivers. The asymmetrical layout creates two distinctive sets of turn radiuses, and the racing line puts drivers directly next to the track's outside walls, setting the stage for exhilarating tests of speed and endurance. The venue is also home to the Darlington Raceway Hall of Winners museum. Daytona International Speedway | Daytona Beach, FL Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Each season, drivers gather at Daytona for the first race where they can earn points. The 2.5-mile tri-oval course is one of just three officially recognized superspeedways on the circuit. It features some of the sport's highest banked turns, meaning higher speeds and better views for spectators. Fans appreciate the grandstands' wide seats and the concession stands spread throughout the three concourse levels. Dover Motor Speedway | Dover, DE Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images At exactly 1 mile long, Dover's Monster Mile combines the best elements of short and intermediate tracks. The course's 24-degree banked turns and concrete surface make for a true test of driver handling and vehicle performance. In addition to heart-pounding races, fans love the venue's 46-foot-tall monster statue (cleverly named "Miles") and its location within Bally's Dover Casino Resort. Homestead-Miami Speedway | Homestead, FL Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Homestead-Miami Speedway brings the South Beach vibes with its pastel colors and palm-tree-lined backstretch. But the racing at this track is no day at the beach—its progressive banking creates higher angles closer to the outside wall, leading to photo-finish showdowns. Before the green flag drops, fans with pre-race pit passes can visit pit row to learn more about the crews supporting their favorite drivers. Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indianapolis, IN Photo courtesy of inhauscreative/iStock by Getty Images Photo courtesy of inhauscreative/iStock by Getty Images The Brickyard isn't just a favorite among NASCAR fans; racing enthusiasts from around the world flock to this historic venue for Indy car, IMSA, SVRA and other races year-round. And with more than 250,000 permanent seats, it has the highest capacity of any venue on the circuit. When fans aren't watching the action on the perfectly symmetrical oval track, they can visit the on-site museum. Kansas Speedway | Kansas City, KS Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Surrounded by popular shopping and entertainment venues (including a casino), Kansas Speedway feels more like a destination than a racetrack. Fans can cheer their favorite drivers from the grandstands around the 1.5-mile tri-oval or from the Highline District: a paved fan zone with yard games, live music and exclusive drink offerings. Infield RV camping and outside campsites are also available. Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Las Vegas, NV Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Race day festivities kick off long before lap one at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Fans with a pre-race track pass can walk on the actual racing surface and enjoy a concert on the infield stage. Even more excitement awaits in the Neon Garage, which grants spectators access to live entertainment, driver Q&A sessions, Victory Lane celebrations and a unique view of the race from pit road. Martinsville Speedway | Ridgeway, VA Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Martinsville has been a part of the NASCAR Cup Series since the beginning, hosting a race every year since 1949. While its history may be long, it's the shortest track on the circuit and relatively flat, leading to thrilling showdowns in tight quarters. Extensive perimeter seating provides fans with sweeping views of the entire paperclip-shaped course and a great place to enjoy a famous Martinsville Hot Dog. Michigan International Speedway | Brooklyn, MI Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images As the fastest track on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, it's no wonder why Michigan International Speedway is popular among race fans. The long straightaways allow drivers to reach speeds over 190 miles per hour, and the stadium seating makes it easy for spectators to keep their eyes on the action. Free parking and extensive camping options round out the fan experience for an unforgettable race weekend. Talladega Superspeedway | Talladega, AL Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images With the longest track length and the highest-banked turns, Talladega puts the "super" in superspeedway. This enormous tri-oval features a wide raceway, setting the stage for dramatic passes and photo finishes. Fans rave about the tailgating and community found in the extensive infield and outside campsites. Premium experiences are also available, including pre-race driver meet-ups and Victory Lane admission. Texas Motor Speedway | Fort Worth, TX Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Between racing pigs, '90s country music cover bands, lucha libre matches and free-roaming dancing robots, there's truly something for everyone to enjoy at Texas Motor Speedway. And that's just the action in the Fan Zone! On the track, spectators can expect thrilling showdowns around high-banked turns, all visible on Big Hoss: the world's largest LED TV. RV camping and tailgating inside the quad-oval is also popular. Watkins Glen International Raceway | Watkins Glen, NY Photo courtesy of Getty Images Photo courtesy of Getty Images Known simply as the Glen, this scenic road track offers a unique experience for drivers and fans alike. Eleven thrilling turns spread across 2.5 miles of asphalt take the drama of race day to the next level. Fans especially love the infield camping. RV and tent campsites are available all around the track, including pit road and the track's notorious Boot turns.