blowout

SAN FRANCISCO — Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee hit three-run homers, Robbie Ray pitched six shutout innings and the San Francisco Giants beat the Angels 9-2 on Saturday.

Devers and Casey Schmitt opened the scoring with RBI singles in the third before Lee lined a sweeper 365 feet into the right-field stands to extend the Giants’ lead to 5-0.

Luis Arraez added a one-run single in the fourth, and Devers extended the lead to 9-0 with his team-leading 22nd homer of the season. The homer was Devers’ third since the All-Star break and second in as many days.

Ray (9-6) struck out five and gave up six hits on just 80 pitches before being lifted. Over his last seven games, the 34-year-old left-hander has thrown 43⅓ innings with a 1.04 ERA and a 4-0 record.

Ryan Johnson (2-5) gave up eight runs on eight hits in 3⅓ innings for the Angels. Catcher Tyler Heineman pitched a hitless inning of relief.

Mike Trout drove in Los Angeles’ first run with a bases-loaded, RBI double play in the seventh. Trout, Zach Neto and Jo Adell were all pulled because of the score. Jose Siri was walked in the ninth inning, capping the scoring.

Up next: Angels’ RHP José Soriano (8-6, 3.43 ERA) faces Giants’ LHP Carson Whisenhunt (2-0, 3.38 ERA) in the series finale Sunday.

Brits heading out to Spain may want to rethink their travel plans ahead of soaring temperatures, as they experience a different kind of holiday without a safe trip to the beach

Tourists hoping to catch a tan on the beach in Spain may be disappointed to learn that close to 27 beaches so far will in fact be a tourist-free zone as the scorching heat takes a hold.

The Costa Blanca is set to see a huge beach ban this week amidst dangerous weather warnings to protect locals’ and tourists’ safety.

Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, has predicted strong storms and gusts of wind, which have the potential to cause thermal blowouts. As a result, local councils are forcing shutdowns as Alicante is set to see its most dangerous weather days of the summer in the final week of July.

Thermal bursts, or blowouts, are a phenomenon in which precipitation evaporates as it crosses dry air in warm environments. This phenomenon causes a sudden spike in temperature and strong winds.

Inland temperatures are forecast to reach up to 45 degrees, and the province remains under a yellow weather warning, as thunderstorms could bring hazardous conditions to the area.

Three municipalities in total, including Alicante, Guardamar del Segura, and Orihuela, have decided to raise red flags on their beaches to prevent the potential risks caused by the extreme shift in weather, Mercia Today suggests.

Orihulea City Council confirmed that all beaches along the coast will be closed from 5pm, July 23, with the red flags banning all swimming activity.

This restriction affects the likes of Punta Prima Beach, Cala Mosca, Cala Estaca, Cala Bosque, Cala Capitan and Cala Cerrada, as well as any coves in the area.

Meanwhile, Alicante City Council has also activated emergency measures, where all municipal beaches will be closed for visitors, along with parks, gardens and wooded areas.

The ban affects popular tourist beaches such as Postiguet, San Juan Beach, Urbanova-El Saladar, Aguamarga, La Almadraba and Albufereta, according to the Olive Press.

All three councils have supposedly asked that beachgoers remove the likes of umbrellas and any other objects that have the potential to be thrown around by the strong gusts of wind.

Authorities are advising tourists to avoid unnecessary travel and steer clear of beaches and exposed coastal areas for their own safety. Although, as things stand, there is no official statement that advises against travel to any parts of Spain due to the heatwave.

If you are someone travelling out to Spain amidst these extreme temperatures or travelling around the country during the hottest days, you should take general precautions to avoid the sun.

Typically, the hottest hours are from 11am to 3pm, so it’s best to avoid this time if possible, all while staying hydrated and wearing sunscreen and light, breathable clothing.

As for your villa, holiday home or hotel space, be sure to bring inside any parasols, outdoor furniture, plant pots and loose objects that live on any balconies or terraces. If the thunderstorms develop, it is best to stay indoors where possible and most definitely avoid walking near exposed costal spots.

The adjoining municipalities of Santa Pola and Torrevieja have yet to make a statement over their beaches, but this could change.

SAN FRANCISCO — Any of the good vibes the Sparks generated from their three-game win streak were dissipated Monday.

In their 78-58 defeat, the Sparks’ worst weaknesses were exposed: continued struggles on defense and a punchless offensive scheme with Kelsey Plum struggling to score. Their 58 points were the fewest they have scored all season and they shot a second-worst 33.3% from the floor.

It was the fewest points scored by the Sparks since they were held to 57 by the Connecticut Sun on Sept. 9, 2021.

“We weren’t very good,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said.

The Sparks (7-7) were coming off victories against Portland and at Seattle and Phoenix but had no answers for the Valkyries’ smothering defense. They were notably unhappy with their effort.

“They played harder,” Roberts said of the Valkyries.

Golden State’s Kaila Charles and Gabby Williams kept Plum mostly in check, holding her to a season-low nine points after her career-high 43-point game in Phoenix on Saturday. Plum fouled out midway through the fourth quarter after being held to four points in the third quarter.

It was only the second time Plum fouled out of a WNBA game, and her first with the Sparks.

“We were down 12 or 13 and had to roll the dice,” Roberts said of keeping Plum in the game with five fouls in the fourth quarter. “It’s not like time was on our side.”

Plum shot three for 10, tied for her fewest attempts in a game this season. The only other time she was held to single-digit points with the Sparks was in another road game at Golden State last season.

In her last four games against the Valkyries, Plum is 17 for 57 from the field.

“We were throwing her different coverages, different looks, but again, just give credit to Gabby and [Veronica Burton],” said Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase about shutting down Plum. “They were taking that matchup.”

To make matters worse, Cameron Brink, who led the Sparks with 10 points, appeared to roll her left ankle in the waning minutes of the game and needed to be helped to the bench and then the locker room. Roberts said Brink’s injury was still being evaluated.

The Valkyries (9-5) ended the first quarter on a 17-4 run to lead 25-10. The Sparks went the final 3:45 without scoring. They made just three first-quarter baskets.

The Sparks cut the deficit to nine midway through the second quarter after a 16-6 run, powered by eight points from Brink off the bench.

But the Sparks’ defense couldn’t keep up with a Valkyries squad that shot 51.5% in the half. The Sparks trailed 45-26 at halftime after two Plum shots were blocked. Golden State scored the next 12 points and led by as much as 24.

Brink’s third-quarter entry gave the Sparks some life again as they narrowed it to a 13-point game.

The Sparks shot three for 21 from three-point range for their second-worst night from behind the arc this season. They committed 15 turnovers that turned into 22 Golden State points.

Along with Plum’s foul trouble, starting point guard Erica Wheeler finished with five fouls. In her return to Golden State, Sparks development player Kate Martin was the lone player with a positive plus/minus at plus-two in the ninth of her 12 allotted games.

The Sparks actually held the Valkyries to their third fewest points in a game this season, but they simply fell in too big of a hole early to recover.

“That is a hell of a team over there, in terms of offensive ammo,” Nakase said. “So holding them to 58, like that was a pretty good accomplishment.”

The Sparks return home to face the first-place Minnesota Lynx (11-3) on Wednesday before another tough matchup with New York. After what looked like a successful road trip, the Sparks will need to recover from another poor game.

“Defense is a choice, and you know, we came out casual in the first quarter,” Roberts said. “We were down 15, and we were playing catchup the whole time. To me, that’s the story.”

TORONTO — Brandon Valenzuela hit a three-run home run, Ernie Clement had a solo homer among his career-high tying five hits and the Toronto Blue Jays used a seven-run fifth inning to rout the Angels 14-1 on Saturday.

Mason Fluharty (2-0) worked one inning for the win as Toronto set season-highs in runs and hits (20).

Clement had infield singles in the second and fourth, then drove in a run with a hard single off the glove of third baseman Yoán Moncada in the fifth. He homered off Mitch Farris to begin the seventh, his second of the season, then singled in the ninth.

Valenzuela went four for five, with four RBIs in his first career four-hit game, coming within a triple of the cycle. He homered on the first pitch he saw from Farris in the fifth.

Mike Trout went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts before being replaced defensively by Bryce Teodosio, ending a 23-game run of reaching base in Toronto that began in May 2015.

Adam Frazier drove in the Angels’ only run with a pinch-hit single in the top of the eighth, then stayed in to pitch the bottom half. Frazier gave up four runs and five hits including a solo homer by Jesús Sánchez.

Jack Kochanowicz (2-2) allowed nine hits and seven runs, six earned, in four-plus innings. He faced six batters in the fifth but didn’t record an out. The Angels have lost 15 of their last 19 games.

Toronto’s Addison Barger walked twice in his return after missing 29 games because of a sprained left ankle. The Blue Jays optioned Yohendrick Piñango to triple-A Buffalo.

In the second, Barger caught Vaughn Grissom’s fly ball and threw home at 101.2 miles per hour to retire Jorge Soler for an inning-ending double play. It was the fastest throw on an outfield assist by any Blue Jays player since 2015, and the fastest in the majors this season.

Up next: Angels RHP José Soriano (5-2, 1.74 ERA) is scheduled to face Blue Jays LHP Eric Lauer (1-4, 6.03) on Sunday.