victory

MEXICO CITY — The Mexican national team overcame a lackluster first half to rout the Czechia thanks to a dream second half that allowed it to finish the group stage undefeated on a night that will be remembered as one of the greatest in Mexican World Cup history.

The celebration of Mexico’s 3-0 win Wednesday at Azteca Stadium turned into a tribute to legendary goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who entered the game in the final minutes to receive a standing ovation unlike any other Mexican player has ever received in the history of the tournament.

With the loss, the Czechia was eliminated after failing to earn more than one point in the tournament. In the other group match, South Africa defeated South Korea 1-0 in Monterrey and advanced in second place. South Korea will have to wait to find out if it advances as one of the eight best third-place teams or it was eliminated.

Czechia put up a strong performance during the first 45 minutes, during which Mexico showed little offensive clarity, mainly due to a lack of control in midfield.

Everything changed in a matter of six minutes during the second half, when El Tri figured out Czechia and secured its best victory in the group stage.

Mateo Chávez, 22, opened the scoring in the 55th minute with the help of Mexico’s lethal counterattack. Luis Romo set up the goal by shaking off three Czechia players at midfield and pushing forward, passing to Chávez, who beat Czechia’s Michal Sadilek and buried a shot to the left side of goal.

Forward Julián Quiñones extended the lead in the 61st minute, exploiting Czechia’s defensive confusion in the penalty area.

Álvaro Fidalgo, who was a second-half substitute, capped the win with a stoppage time goal. The run on the final goal was set up by a booming Ochoa kick and triggered a raucous celebration by the goalkeeper and his teammates.

The match encapsulated both the present and the future of the Mexican national team.

Gilberto Mora, a 17-year-old midfielder from Tijuana and the team’s youngest player at the World Cup, was instrumental in the second half, setting up several of the plays that decided the outcome. With a 2-0 lead, one of the greatest moments for a goalkeeper in World Cup history unfolded. Ochoa replaced starting goalkeeper Raúl Rangel and was greeted with a standing ovation from a large portion of the 80,824 fans at Azteca Stadium.

Mexico’s Julian Quinones celebrates scoring his side’s second goal against Czechia during a World Cup match in Mexico City on Wednesday.

(Silvia Izquierdo / Associated Press)

The fans chanted Ochoa’s name every time the goalkeeper touched the ball, honoring a player who has competed in six World Cups for Mexico.

Coach Javier Aguirre said that finishing first in the group was a “primary objective” for Mexico, which had already qualified for the next round. The team achieved a first for a Mexican national team by securing three consecutive wins without conceding a goal in the group stage of a World Cup. Mexico defeated South Africa 2-0 in the opening match and South Korea 1-0 in the second game.

The national team, which is co-hosting the tournament alongside Canada and the United States, will face its next opponent — one of the best third-place finishers — on Tuesday at Azteca Stadium.

The only sour note for Mexico came in the scoreless first half when the restless crowd unleashed a popular homophobic chant at least twice. FIFA has previously sanctioned the Mexican soccer federation in an effort to stop fans from saying the chant.

Kyle Bradish pitched eight shutout innings, Taylor Ward hit a leadoff home run against his former team and the Baltimore Orioles extended their winning streak to three games Monday night with a 6-1 victory over the Angels.

Coby Mayo hit a three-run homer and Bradish (5-7) struck out nine as the Orioles improved to 4-3 on a nine-game trip.

Bradish gave up six hits and one walk. He has 21 strikeouts over his past two starts.

Baltimore was already without second baseman Jackson Holliday (groin) when third baseman Blaze Alexander (knee) exited in the third — leaving outfielder Leody Taveras to play third for the first time in seven seasons. Taveras finished with two hits.

Jorge Soler homered late for the Angels (32-48) in his return from the injured list, but Sam Aldegheri (2-3) gave up five runs and five hits over 4⅔ innings. The Angels had scored 27 runs over their previous three games.

Ward, playing his first game at Angel Stadium as a visitor following an offseason trade, hit the fourth pitch from Aldegheri 419 feet over the wall in center field. It was his 56th career home run at Angel Stadium.

The Angels then saluted Ward, a member of the major league team for eight seasons, with a tribute video in the middle of the first inning.

Baltimore made it 4-0 in the fourth on Mayo’s three-run homer and scored again in the fifth on Pete Alonso’s sacrifice fly. Gunnar Henderson added an RBI triple in the seventh that made it 6-0.

Rico Garcia gave up Soler’s homer in the ninth.

Baltimore (38-42) is 21-6 against the Angels since 2022.

SACRAMENTO — Zach Neto hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning that gave them their first lead, Denzer Guzman tied the score with a three-run home run in the eighth, and the Angels beat the Athletics 9-7 on Sunday.

Donovan Walton also homered and had three RBIs, while Nolan Schanuel and Jose Siri each added two hits to help the Angels (32-47) split the series after losing the first two games, including blowing an 11-4 lead Friday night.

Nick Kurtz hit his 19th home run, and Zac Gelof had a single and a double to extend his hit streak to 24 games for the A’s (38-40). Kurtz has 55 career homers, tied with Bob Johnson (1933-34) for the most in franchise history through the first two seasons of a career.

Five players drove in runs for the A’s. Joey Meneses had an RBI single in his Athletics debut after being called up from the minors before the game.

Chase Silseth (2-1) had two strikeouts and worked a scoreless eighth for the win. Sam Bachman pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save of the season.

Guzman’s third home run in as many days, a three-run drive off Hogan Harris (3-1), tied the score at 7-7.

After Siri singled with one out in the ninth, Neto belted an 0-and-1 fastball that landed just beyond the fence in left field.

Angels starter Reid Detmers gave up five runs and walked four in six innings.

Gelof singled leading off the game, doubled in the fourth, then reached on an error in the seventh before Kurtz’s home run. His hitting streak is tied for the second-longest in franchise history since 1961.

A’s starter Jack Perkins had eight strikeouts in five innings and gave up four runs.

Up next for the Angels: LHP Sam Aldegheri (2-2, 4.50 ERA) faces the Baltimore Orioles on Monday.

World Cup: Mexico defeats South Korea

From Eduard Cauich: Three and a half years after its biggest failure on the World Cup stage in half a century, the Mexican national team needed only two games to advance to the knockout round of this year’s tournament as winner of Group A.

Mexico’s defense held off a spirited final push by South Korea, earning a 1-0 win on Thursday night at Guadalajara Stadium in front of a fiery announced sellout crowd of 45,522.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu made a mistake in the 50th minute, failing to stop what appeared to be a simple cross and bobbling the ball. That allowed Mexico’s Luis Romo to easily tap the ball into the net and claim a 1-0 lead.

South Korea put pressure on the Mexican team throughout the game. Late in the scoreless first half, Jae-sung Lee came close to giving South Korea the lead. Mexico coach Javier Aguirre hoped his team would shake off nerves following the emotional opener at Azteca Stadium and show more bite in its second game against South Korea, but his team didn’t have much power behind its attack during the game’s first 45 minutes.

The crowd in Guadalajara grew frustrated and began booing the Mexican national team’s performance at the end of the first half.

Mexico, however, won back their cheers when it capitalized on South Korea’s costly mistake and converted it into a goal.

El Tri earned a win without any other goals thanks, in part, to a great night by goalkeeper Raúl Rangel, who stopped a header by Cho Gue-sung in the 87th minute. Captain Edson Álvarez helped turn away South Korea’s attack late, holding up relatively well despite having left ankle surgery during the past year.

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Why this World Cup could do for Canada what 1994 did for soccer in the U.S.

Swanson: From poker pro to World Cup coach: Sergej Barbarez all in with Bosnia-Herzegovina

Click here for complete TV schedule, groups and players to watch

Christian Pulisic uncertain for today’s game

From Kevin Baxter: Christian Pulisic’s status for the United States’ second World Cup match Friday in Seattle is uncertain a week after he aggravated a left calf injury.

“Tonight, we have a meeting with our medical staff. We will assess the whole group,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters Thursday. “He’s evolving and much better from Friday. We will see.

“If [he’s] not available tomorrow, he’ll be back for Turkey.”

The U.S. faces Australia with a chance to lock down first in Group D with a win coupled with a loss or draw by Turkey in its game Friday with Paraguay. But that task will be much more difficult without Pulisic, who set up the first two goals in the Americans’ tournament-opening win over Paraguay last week.

Pulisic left that game at halftime after being kicked in his left calf. He said he had been hit in that same spot in training before the World Cup began. When Pulisic spoke with reporters after that game, he was walking without a limp and said he didn’t believe the injury was serious.

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Wednesday’s World Cup results

Group A
Mexico 1, South Korea 0
Czechia 1, South Africa 1

Group B
Switzerland 4, Bosnia-Herzegovina 1
Canada 6, Qatar 0

Today’s World Cup TV schedule

All times Pacific
Noon, U.S. vs. Australia, Fox, Telemundo
3 p.m., Scotland vs. Morocco, Fox, Telemundo
5:30 p.m., Brazil vs. Haiti, Fox, Telemundo
8 p.m., Turkiye vs. Paraguay, FS1, Telemundo

World Cup Group standings

Group A
Country, W-D-L, Goal Differential, Points
Mexico, 2-0-0, +3, 6
South Korea, 1-0-1, 0, 3
Czechia, 0-1-1, -1, 1
South Africa, 0-1-1, -2, 1

Group B
Canada, 1-1-0, +6, 4
Switzerland, 1-1-0, +3, 4
Bosnia-Herzegovina, 0-1-1, -3, 1
Qatar, 0-1-1, -6, 1

Group C
Scotland, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Morocco, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Brazil, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Haiti, 0-0-1, -1, 0

Group D
United States, 1-0-0, +3, 3
Australia, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Turkiye, 0-0-1, -2, 0
Paraguay, 0-0-1, -3, 0

Group E
Germany, 1-0-0, +6, 3
Ivory Coast, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Ecuador, 0-0-1, -1, 0
Curacao, 0-0-1, -6, 0

Group F
Sweden, 1-0-0. +4, 3
Japan, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Netherlands, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Tunisia, 0-0-1, -4, 0

Group G
Belgium, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Egypt, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Iran, 0-1-0, 0, 1
New Zealand, 0-1-0, 0, 1

Group H
Spain, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Cape Verde, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Saudi Arabia, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Uruguay, 0-1-0, 0, 1

Group I
Norway, 1-0-0, +3, 3
France, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Senegal, 0-0-1, -2, 0
Iraq, 0-0-1, -3, 0

Group J
Argentina, 1-0-0, +3, 3
Austria, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Jordan, 0-0-1, -2, 0
Algeria, 0-0-1, -3, 0

Group K
Colombia, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Portugal, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Congo DR, 0-1-0, 0, 1
Uzbekistan, 0-0-1, -2, 0

Group L
England, 1-0-0, +2, 3
Ghana, 1-0-0, +1, 3
Panama, 0-0-1, -1, 0
Croatia, 0-0-1, -2, 0

The top two teams in each group plus the next eight best third-place teams advance to the next round.

Angels put Mike Trout on IL, then lose

Angels outfielder Mike Trout is back on the injured list.

The team announced before Thursday night’s 5-0 loss to the Athletics that the 11-time All-Star was put on the 10-day IL due to a right hamstring strain. The Angels recalled infielder Christian Moore from Triple-A Salt Lake among a flurry of moves.

Injuries have hindered Trout for much of this decade. Since winning his third AL MVP award in 2019, Trout has played more than 82 games in a season just twice — 119 in 2022 and 130 in 2025.

The 34-year-old Trout had played in 74 of 75 games this year in a resurgent season. He’s batting .234 with an .866 OPS, 17 homers, 36 RBIs and seven steals.

He entered Thursday with an AL-leading 54 runs, a total that was tied for second in the majors behind Washington’s James Wood. Trout’s 66 walks also ranked second in the big leagues, behind the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz.

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Shaikin: An Anaheim vision: The Anaheim Angels in a new stadium, next to a youth sports complex

Angels box score

MLB standings

Ducks’ Troy Terry has hip surgery

Anaheim Ducks forward Troy Terry is expected to recover from hip surgery in five to six months, the team announced Thursday.

Terry had surgery on June 9 “to address hip impingement and a labral tear,” the Ducks said in a statement, and he has begun the rehabilitation process.

The 28-year-old Terry had 19 goals and 38 assists during the regular season before getting the first playoff experience of his nine-year NHL career last spring. He had three goals and eight assists in 12 games while Anaheim reached the second round, but the team announced after the season ended that Terry needed surgery for a chronic hip impingement.

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Angel City fires coach

Angel City FC fired coach Alex Straus on Wednesday after a little more than a year on the job.

Angel City opened the season 4-6-1 and is in 12th place in the National Women’s Soccer League standings. The NWSL is on a summer break for the men’s World Cup and resumes regular-season play July 3.

Angel City assistant coach Leif Gunnar Smerud will lead the club in the interim while a search is conducted for a new head coach.

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Sam Stevens has a bewitching first round to lead U.S. Open

Shinnecock Hills has never looked like this for a U.S. Open, not with such receptive greens and putting surfaces slow enough to keep shots from rolling off the edges and down the slopes.

About the only familiarity Thursday was the scoring, kept in check by a strong wind that finally shooed away the fog and gave Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and the rest all they could handle.

Sam Stevens overcame a double bogey to start his round — a hole that took him over two hours to play because of the fog — and strung together six birdies that carried him to a two-under-par 68, making him one of only six players from the early starters to beat par.

McIlroy saved par on a wild ride along the fourth hole, hit a pitching wedge within 12 feet of the pin on the downwind par-five fifth hole for eagle, closed with two bogeys and was more than happy with a 69, particularly considering it was 11 shots better than the start he had at Shinnecock in 2018.

Also at 69 were Ludvig Aberg, 2023 British Open champion Brian Harman, Max Greyserman and Ben James, the college star in his second week as a pro.

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U.S. Open leaderboard

This day in sports history

1867 — Ruthless, ridden by J. Gilpatrick, wins the inaugural Belmont Stakes at Jerome Park in the Bronx. The filly earns $1,850 for her victory.

1914 — Harry Vardon wins his sixth and final British Open by shooting a 306, three strokes ahead of J.H. Taylor at Prestwick Club.

1936 — German heavyweight boxer Max Schmeling knocks out previously unbeaten Joe Louis in the 12th round. Schmeling’s victory sets off a propaganda war between the Nazi regime and the United States on the eve of World War II.

1938 — FIFA World Cup Final, Stade Olympique de Colombes, Paris, France: Luigi Colausig & Silvio Piola each score 2 goals as Italy beats Hungary, 4-1.

1954 — Ed Furgol edges Gene Littler by one stroke to win the U.S. Open, the first golf tournament to be televised nationally.

1955 — Jack Fleck beats Ben Hogan by three strokes in a playoff round to win the U.S. Open.

1977 — Hubert Green wins the U.S. Open by one stroke over Lou Graham.

1986 — Len Bias, the second pick in the NBA draft made by the Boston Celtics two days before, dies of a heart attack induced by cocaine use.

1992 — Evander Holyfield wins a unanimous decision over Larry Holmes to remain unbeaten and retain the undisputed heavyweight title.

1992 — Charlie Whittingham becomes the second trainer in history, behind D. Wayne Lukas, to top $100 million in purse earnings when Little by Little finishes second in the sixth race at Hollywood Park.

1999 — Dallas wins its first Stanley Cup, as Brett Hull’s controversial goal at 14:51 of the third overtime gives the Stars a 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 6.

2000 — NBA Finals: Lakers beat Indiana Pacers, 116-111 in Game 6 to win the franchise’s first title in 12 years; MVP: Shaquille O’Neal.

2005 — Michael Campbell answers every challenge Tiger Woods throws his way for a two-shot victory in the U.S. Open. Retief Goosen, the two-time U.S. Open champion, turns in a collapse that ranks among the greatest in major championship history. He loses his three-shot lead in three holes and closes with an 81 to tie for 11th at 8 over.

2006 — Cam Ward stops nearly everything giving the Carolina Hurricanes their first Stanley Cup title with a 3-1 victory over Edmonton in Game 7.

2011 — Rory McIlroy runs away with the U.S. Open title, winning by eight shots and breaking the tournament scoring record by a whopping four strokes. McIlroy shoots a 2-under 69 to close the four days at Congressional in Bethesda, Md., at 16-under 268.

2016 — Dustin Johnson atones for his past mishaps in the majors winning the U.S. Open by three shots. Shane Lowry, who began the final round with a four-shot lead, Jim Furyk and Scott Piercy finish tied for second.

2016 — LeBron James and his relentless Cavaliers pulls off an improbable NBA Finals comeback to give the city of Cleveland its first title since 1964. James delivers on a promise from two years ago to bring a championship to his native northeast Ohio, and he and the Cavs become the first team to rally from a 3-1 finals deficit by beating the defending champion Golden State Warriors 93-89.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1927 — Jack Scott of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched two complete games in a doubleheader. Scott beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-1 and lost 3-0 in the second game. Scott was the last pitcher in major league history to complete two games on the same day.

1938 — Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Vander Meer coming off two straight no-hitters, extended his string of hitless innings to 21 2/3 against the Boston Bees. Vander Meer gave up a single to Debs Garms in the fourth inning. The Reds won 14-1 behind Vander Meer’s four-hitter.

1941 — En route to 56, Joe DiMaggio hit in his 32nd consecutive game, going 3-for-3, including a home run, against the Chicago White Sox.

1942 — Paul Waner got hit number 3,000 — a single off Rip Sewell — but the Boston Braves lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-6.

1952 — Brooklyn Dodger Carl Erskine pitched a 5-0 no-hitter against the Chicago Cubs at Ebbets Field.

1961 — Roger Maris’ ninth-inning homer off Kansas City’s Jim Archer was his 25th of the year, putting him seven games ahead of Babe Ruth’s pace in 1927.

1973 — Pete Rose of the Cincinnati Reds and Willie Davis of the Dodgers both collect their 2,000th hits. It is a single for Rose against the San Francisco Giants and a home run for Davis against the Atlanta Braves.

1974 — Steve Busby of the Kansas City Royals hurled his second no-hitter in 14 months and gave up just one walk in beating the Brewers 2-0 at Milwaukee.

1977 — The Boston Red Sox hit five home runs in an 11-1 triumph over the New York Yankees. The five homers gave the Red Sox a major league record 16 in three games. Boston hit six homers on the 17th and five on the 18th, also against the Yankees. In the series the Yankees had no homers.

1990 — Gary Carter plays in his 1,862nd career game as a catcher to break the National League mark set by Al Lopez.

1994 — John Smoltz became the 14th major league pitcher to give up four homers in an inning when he was tagged by Cincinnati. The Reds set a team record for home runs in an inning, connecting four times in the first inning. Hal Morris, Kevin Mitchell, Jeff Branson and Eddie Taubensee homered. Smoltz allowed 20 total bases in the first inning, the most given up in the NL since 1900.

2015 — Alex Rodriguez homered for his 3,000th career hit as the New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers 7-2.

2017 — Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger launched two more home runs, setting a major league record with his powerful start, and Clayton Kershaw became the first 10-game winner in the National League despite giving up a career-high four long balls as Los Angeles held on for a 10-6 victory over the New York Mets. Bellinger reached 21 homers in 51 career games — faster than any other player in big league history.

2019 — One day after fouling a bunted ball in his face during batting practice and breaking his nose, Max Scherzer takes the mound for the Nationals against the Phillies sporting a prominent black eye. He still stymies the opposition with 7 scoreless innings in a 2-0 win. “Trust me, this thing looks a lot worse than it actually feels,” he explains to journalists.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

The Sparks’ defensive struggles continued on Wednesday during a 99-83 loss to the first-place Minnesota Lynx at Crypto.com Arena.

The Sparks (7-7) had trouble containing Lynx rookie Olivia Miles, who set a WNBA rookie record with 24 first-half points and finished with a career-high 31. Miles helped the Lynx (11-3) make a strong push for a spot in the Commissioner’s Cup championship, but the Las Vegas Aces snatched the final spot against the New York Liberty with a victory over Phoenix on Wednesday night.

Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, the WNBA’s leading scorer, missed the game with a lower leg injury. The team also played without forward Cameron Brink, who sprained her ankle on Monday.

Rae Burrell led the Sparks in scoring with 19 points, while Jihyun Park added 13 off the bench. Dearica Hamby was limited to 12 points and nine rebounds, while Nneka Ogwumike added 10 points and eight boards.

“I thought [Jihyun] was a bright spot. She is really smart out there and knows what she is doing,” Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. “That’s what you need to do when you get those moments — you take advantage of it, and that’s what she did.”

With Plum and Brink out, Roberts said pregame that it would take a team effort to beat Minnesota, but it was a tough climb for four quarters.

The Sparks were nearly perfect in the first quarter before committing their first turnover with under five minutes to play. The turnover swung the momentum in Minnesota’s favor.

The Lynx erased the Sparks’ 7-3 lead — fueled by quick starts from Burrell and Hamby. Burrell scored 10 points by being aggressive in all areas and Hamby scored 10 of her 12 points in the first half.

Miles took a few minutes to get her feet wet. Once her shots started to fall, the Sparks struggled to contain her.

“She is good,” Roberts said about Miles’ performance. “She is talented. Like I said pregame, she is super skilled, and we were trying to mix things up. We didn’t execute exactly how we’d hoped to all the time, but you just have to tip your cap to her. She is a great player with a lot of skill.”

Lynx took their first lead with a jumper from Natasha Howard with 5:04 left in the first quarter. The lead changed frequently early, but the Lynx opened the second quarter with a 27-21 advantage.

The Sparks’ scoring trouble flared up in the second quarter just as Miles got hot. The Sparks were outscored 29-18 during the quarter and entered halftime down 52-37.

After trailing by as many as 20 points in the third quarter, the Sparks cut the margin to 10. Erica Wheeler sank two free throws to cut the deficit to 61-51 with 4:32 remaining in the third quarter.

The Sparks held Miles to five points during the third quarter, but the Lynx got 20 points from Nia Coffey and 15 points from Howard.

Fouls and turnovers crushed the Sparks’ rally. After Minnesota built a big lead, both teams cleared their benches late in the fourth quarter.

The Sparks haven’t beaten the Lynx at home since Aug. 21, 2018. L.A. is riding a two-game losing streak and will face Eastern Conference leader New York Liberty on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena. The game will feature a celebration of the WNBA’s 30th anniversary.

“We are going through adversity right now,” Roberts said. “We just got to get healthy.”

Spike Lee couldn’t contain himself.

“We did it!” the legendary filmmaker shouted during an ESPN interview after the New York Knicks sealed their first NBA championship since 1973 on Saturday night. “We did it! We did it! We did it!”

If any fan can be excused for using “we” when speaking of their favorite sports team, it would probably be Lee.

The “Do the Right Thing” star, director and screenwriter was 13 when he witnessed the Knicks defeat the Lakers in Game 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden. And he was on hand in San Antonio at age 69 when the Knicks finished off the Spurs with a title-clinching 94-90 victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

In between, Lee has become the Knicks’ most famous and visible fan. He has been a season-ticket holder since 1985, the rookie season of Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, and has been a courtside fixture for decades. In 2024, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s superfan gallery.

During a 2020 appearance on ESPN’s “First Take,” Lee laughed when he was informed that his Knicks seats cost around $300,000 a year and that he had spent roughly $10 million on tickets over the years.

“I look stupid now,” he joked.

So, yeah, he’s considered by many to be an honorary member of the Knicks — and as such, he’s also considered by many to be more than worthy of an NBA championship ring. The idea has taken off on social media, with several celebrities offering their support.

“Give @officialspikelee a CHAMPIONSHIP RING DAMN IT!!!!!!!!” comedian and actor Kevin Hart wrote Sunday on Instagram.

Legendary sports broadcaster Dick Vitale wrote Monday on X: “I agree with Kevin Hart – yes the LOYALTY of SPIKE LEE to the @nyknicks should be recognized & rewarded- Spike is truly a dedicated & genuine LOYAL Knicks fan .YES I agree with Kevin – SPIKE should get a Championship ring !”

“First Take” host and fellow die-hard Knicks fan Stephen A. Smith reposted on X a graphic calling for Lee to receive a ring for his “decades of loyalty.”

Spike Lee celebrates with a crowd of New York Knicks fans after Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday in San Antonio.

(Darren Abate / Ap Photo/darren Abate)

“I completely support this for Spike Lee,” Smith wrote. “No Knicks’ fan deserves this more than him.”

The Times reached out to a representative for Lee and the Knicks for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Lee is likely less concerned with a championship ring for himself and more concerned with his beloved team earning another one in 2027.

“You know what I’m thinking?” Lee asked during an on-court interview with WABC-TV in New York immediately following Saturday’s victory, before shouting the answer to his own question: “Back to back!”

Serena Williams opted to let Nike break the news about her pro tennis comeback at age 44 in two slick commercials. The abrupt end to her doubles foray at the HSBC Queen’s Club Championships was more muted.

Williams’ playing partner Victoria Mboko injured her left knee in a fall during a singles match Wednesday. The turn of events restricted Williams’ return to tennis to one match, a 7-6(2), 6-2 victory with the Canadian teenager over No. 3 seeds Erin Routliffe and Nicole Melichar-Martinez.

Shed no tears for Williams. She pivoted quickly and will partner with Czech tennis star Karolína Muchová in doubles at the grass-court WTA 500 Berlin Open next week.

“Every tournament I add to my schedule right now feels special, and Berlin is no exception,” Williams said in a statement. “I’m excited to compete in front of the German fans and continue building momentum throughout the grass-court season.”

Another commercial by Nike, her collaborator and business partner of more than two decades, probably isn’t necessary. Williams’ announcement that she would play for the first time since the 2022 U.S. Open came via a pair of clips from the athletic footwear and apparel conglomerate.

One was captioned “good news travels fast.” Talk about buzzy. Her phone makes all sorts of sounds while she’s working out on the court, ending with the text: “Guess everybody heard the news,” and her saying, “I gotta change my number.”

The second is even zanier, a bit with LeBron James and Nike executives pitching a film called “The GOAT’s Goodbye” to Williams, who wants none of it because she still wants to play. James says to the suits, “You’re gonna have to find someone else,” and Williams walks onto the court with racket in hand.

Tagline: “The GOAT’s back.”

For now, her comeback is open-ended. Wimbledon begins June 29 and Williams has not indicated whether she will play. She has 14 titles in the prestigious tournament, six in doubles, one mixed doubles and seven in singles.

Asked shortly after her lone doubles victory at the Queen’s Club why she returned to the tour after a hiatus punctuated by the birth in 2023 of her second child, Adira River Ohanian, Williams shrugged.

“I don’t know, I had nothing better to do,” she said with a smile. “I got tired of sitting at home. My kids are out of school for the summer, so why not?”

The Delhi High Court grants bail to Kashmiri rights activist Khurram Parvez, jailed in India for nearly five years.

New Delhi, India — A prominent Kashmiri human rights activist who has been imprisoned for nearly five years has won a partial legal victory after being granted bail in a “terror funding” case, but remains in jail over a second case.

The Delhi High Court granted Khurram Parvez, 49, bail in a November 2021 case on Wednesday, according to legal website LiveLaw. However, he will remain in jail in a separate case from March 2023.

Parvez was first arrested about five years ago by India’s main counterterrorism law enforcement bureau, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), over accusations of “terror funding”, recruitment of rebels in Indian-administered Kashmir and mobilising protesters during a civilian uprising. The second case is also related to alleged “terror funding”.

International rights groups have widely condemned Parvez’s arrest and continued imprisonment.

His lawyer, Swati Khanna, said she hoped Parvez could be freed from jail soon if there was a “positive result” in the second case.

“We are hoping, in a month or two, he could be out,” she told reporters.

The trial has not begun in either of the cases – an issue highlighted by international rights organisations, which say the process becomes the punishment for political prisoners in India who have to wait years behind bars before even facing trial.

The conviction rate in the counterterror law, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), remains low at 5 percent nationally. It dips further, to less than 1 percent, when it comes to Indian-administered Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government has been criticised for persecuting dissent and criminalising expression in Kashmir, the country’s only Muslim-majority region.

“Khurram’s arrest proved to be the last nail in the coffin of any meaningful rights activism in Kashmir, one of the world’s most militarised zones,” said a political analyst based in Srinagar, Kashmir, who requested anonymity fearing repercussions from the authorities.

“This bail comes in a completely shallow, and nearly fictitious, trumped-up case after years in jail, and Khurram would still not walk free.”

Kashmir remains disputed between India, Pakistan, and China, which control parts of the region. Pakistan controls the northern and western portions – Azad Kashmir; and Gilgit and Baltistan. India controls the southern and southeastern parts – the Kashmir valley, including its biggest city, Srinagar; Jammu; and Ladakh. China controls the Aksai Chin area in the northeast.

The two neighbours have fought three major wars over Kashmir since the end of British colonial rule and their partition in 1947 led to the creation of Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India. Both countries continue to assert claims to the entire region of Kashmir.

Freddie Freeman has milestone moment

From Maddie Lee: It was just one moment in the midst of a persistent Dodgers scoring spree. But in the context of a long and decorated career, Freddie Freeman’s run-scoring single into shallow center field carried weight.

In the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ 12-3 win against the Pirates on Tuesday, Freeman notched his 2,500th major-league hit.

“It means a lot,” Freeman said. “And then when your manager and teammates appreciate what you’ve done over the course of your career, it does mean a lot. Yeah, there’s always another goal to get to. But to step back and realize how long you have to play, … to play at a high level over many, many years to get there, it does mean a lot.”

Only 101 other players have achieved the milestone, according to Baseball Reference. And Freeman, in his 17 major-league seasons, leads all active players in hits.

The future Hall of Famer isn’t really a memorabilia collector, but for this one, Freeman made sure to get the ball and the lineup card. When asked if he wanted his bat authenticated, he said he’d hold on to it.

There are still more hits in it.

“If you would have asked me 10 years ago, I probably would have brushed it off and kept going,’ Freeman said. “But as you get older, you do get more emotional and sentimental. It is nice for people to take a moment and appreciate what you’ve done in this game. It is special.”

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Dodgers box score

MLB standings

Angels rout the Astros

Wade Meckler and Jo Adell keyed a five-run second inning with two-run doubles, and Walbert Ureña navigated heavy traffic through five shutout innings to lead the Angels to a 10-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night.

Houston put two runners on in the first, second and fifth and loaded the bases in the third, but Ureña (4-4) pitched out of each jam to lower his ERA to 2.44 on the season and 1.84 in eight starts since early May.

The 22-year-old right-hander gave up three hits, struck out seven and walked five in his 107-pitch effort, which included a 97-mph fastball to whiff Joey Loperfido with the bases loaded to end the third.

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Angels box score

MLB standings

World Cup strike averted

From Kevin Baxter: A strike that had the potential to disrupt the U.S. World Cup opener at SoFi Stadium has been averted, with United Here Local 11 and Legends Global, the stadium’s food-service operator, agreeing Tuesday to a tentative deal.

The nearly 2,000 workers represented by the union, which includes dishwashers, concession workers, bartenders and servers, voted last week to authorize a strike with 96% of those voting supporting the decision to walk off the job. Workers were demanding salary increases, protection against subcontracting and job loss through automation, and were refusing to comply with FIFA’s request to collect sensitive private information such as nationality and home addresses.

Details of the new contract were not released but the union had demanded “substantial increases” in pay to more than $30 an hour while Legends proposed wage freezes for some workers and a 25-cent hourly increase for cooks and dishwashers.

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Trump administration sued over ‘illegal’ and ‘corrupt’ UFC event on White House lawn

U.S. captain urges World Cup teammates to enjoy the experience

Iran soccer body says its fans’ World Cup tickets were revoked; Somali referee denied entry into U.S.

Mexico and South Africa face off again to open World Cup after 16 years of challenges

From Norway to Jordan, World Cup newbies eager to surprise on soccer’s biggest stage

Lincoln Riley is well paid

From Ryan Kartje: His 7-6 record at USC in 2024 would go down as the worst mark of Lincoln Riley’s career as a head football coach. But in his third and rockiest year at the helm of the Trojans, Riley was still compensated like one of the kings of the sport.

Riley was paid more than $11.8 million in total compensation during the fiscal year 2024, according to USC’s latest federal tax returns, which were obtained by The Times. That total includes a $100,000 bonus and $10.4 million in base pay, believed to be more than all but three college football coaches that season: Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and Ohio State’s Ryan Day. All three have won a national title.

For Riley, his pay in 2024 marks just a slight increase from the 2023 season, when USC paid Riley more than $11.5 million in total compensation. The coach’s base pay increased by $145,143 between fiscal years 2023 and 2024, slightly less than it rose following his debut season in 2022 ($168,000).

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USC freshman linebacker Talanoa Ili joins lawsuit seeking to upend new NIL system

Stanley Cup Final Game 4

Jordan Staal scored his second goal of the game while stretched out on his stomach at 6:32 of the third period to put the Carolina Hurricanes ahead for good in their 5-3 victory on Tuesday night over the Vegas Golden Knights and even the Stanley Cup Final after four games.

Game 5 is Thursday night at Carolina, which will potentially have two games on home ice to win its first Cup in two decades. The Golden Knights are searching for their second in four years.

This was the first game not decided by one goal.

A two-goal lead has disappeared in all four games in what has been a remarkable series in which momentum often changes at a moment’s notice. Each team has led by at least that many twice.

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Game 4 summary

Rams’ Alaric Jackson is arrested

Rams offensive lineman Alaric Jackson was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence Monday night in Los Angeles, according to a person with knowledge of the incident not authorized to speak publicly.

Jackson was arrested shortly before 11 p.m. after police responded to a call at a home in West Hills. Upon arrival, police determined that the woman involved in the incident had recorded the interaction and noticed scratch marks on her arms, the person said. Jackson was arrested and later released on a $50,000 bond, according to jail records. His next court date is scheduled for June 30.

The specific charge Jackson was arrested for is a person who “willfully inflicts physical or corporal injury resulting in a ‘traumatic condition’ [such as a bruise, scratch, swelling, or internal injury] on an intimate partner.”

“We are aware of the incident regarding Alaric Jackson, and we take these matters very seriously,” the Rams said in a statement. “Due to this being an ongoing legal situation, we cannot comment further at this time.”

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Serena Williams wins in return to tennis

From Chuck Schilken: Serena Williams is back.

And so is her blistering serve.

After almost four years away from the sport, the 44-year-old tennis legend made a triumphant return Tuesday at Queen’s Club in London. She teamed with Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko for a 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand in an opening doubles match at the grass-court HSBC Championships.

Williams recorded service winners of up to 120 mph during her first professional match since the 2022 U.S. Open.

“It was so fun,” Williams said afterward in an on-court interview. “I had so much fun playing with Victoria. She really was able to hold up the team and really play big on the big points. I could really rely on her. We’ve never played together, but it just felt so natural playing with her.”

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This day in sports history

1890 — The Preakness Stakes is run outside Baltimore, at Morris Park in New York. The race is then suspended for three years, and resumes at the Brooklyn Jockey Club’s Gravesend Course from 1894-1908.

1932 — Gene Sarazen leads wire-to-wire to win the British Open by five strokes ahead of Macdonald Smith at Prince’s Golf Club in Sandwich, England. Sarazen finishes with a tournament record of 283.

1933 — Johnny Goodman wins the U.S. Open golf title, making him the last amateur to win this event.

1934 — Italy beats Czechoslovakia 2-1 in extra time to win the second FIFA World Cup at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome. Italy trailing 1-0, ties the game at the 80th minute. Angelo Schiavio scores the winning goal in extra time.

1944 — A rare triple dead heat occurs in the Carter Handicap at Aqueduct with Bossuet, Brownie and Wait a Bit crossing the finish line together.

1950 — Sixteen months after near-fatal car accident, Ben Hogan wins the U.S. Open. Hogan beats Lloyd Mangrum and George Fazio in an 18-hole playoff at the Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

1968 — UEFA European Championship Final, Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy: Italy beats Yugoslavia, 2-0 in a replay (first game, 1-1).

1973 — Mary Mills shoots a 63 in the final round of the LPGA Championship to beat Betty Burfeindt by one stroke.

1977 — Al Geiberger sets a PGA Championship 18-hole record when he shoots a 59 in the Danny Thomas Classic.

1978 — Affirmed, ridden by Steve Cauthen, wins the Belmont Stakes to capture the Triple Crown in one of the greatest battles in racing history. Affirmed edges Alydar for the third time.

1989 — Wayne Gretzky of the Kings is named the NHL’s MVP, winning the Hart Trophy for a record ninth time.

1995 — Trainer D. Wayne Lukas wins a record five straight Triple Crown races as Thunder Gulch takes the Belmont Stakes. Lukas is the first trainer to win the Triple Crown races with two different horses. Lukas’ Timber Country won the Preakness.

1996 — Colorado’s Patrick Roy makes 63 saves before Uwe Krupp scores 4:31 into the third overtime to give the Avalanche a 1-0 victory against the Florida Panthers at Miami Arena and complete a four-game sweep of the Stanley Cup Final.

2000 — Stanley Cup Final, Reunion Arena, Dallas, TX: New Jersey Devils defeat Dallas Stars, 2-1 in double OT for a 4-2 series victory.

2006 — In Atlantic City, N.J., Bernard Hopkins wins a unanimous decision over light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, capping an 18-year career with an upset for the ages.

2010 — USC is placed on four years probation, receives a two-year bowl ban and a sharp loss of football scholarships. The NCAA cites USC for a lack of institutional control. The NCAA found that Reggie Bush, identified as a “former football student-athlete,” was ineligible beginning at least by December 2004. The NCAA also orders USC to vacate every victory in which Bush participated while ineligible. USC loses 30 scholarships over a three-year period, 10 annually from 2011-13.

2012 — Shanshan Feng wins the LPGA Championship to become the first Chinese player to win an LPGA Tour title and a major event.

2018 — Rafael Nadal won a record-extending 11th championship at Roland Garros by beating Dominic Thiem 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Nadal became the second player in tennis history to win 11 singles titles at any Grand Slam tournament after Margaret Court, who claimed 11 Australian Open titles.

2018 — Kristen Gillman led a U.S. singles sweep in the biggest blowout in Curtis Cup history. Gillman, a 20-year-old University of Alabama star, beat 16-year-old Annabell Fuller 5 and 4 to cap a perfect weekend at Quaker Ridge in Scarsdale, N.Y. The Americans won 17-3, breaking the record for margin of victory of 11 set in a 14 1/2-3 1/2 victory at Denver Country Club in 1982.

2023 — UEFA Champions League Final, Ataturk Stadium, Istanbul: Manchester City beats Inter Milan, 1-0 to complete historic Champions League, Premier League & FA Cup trifecta.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1921 — Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees became baseball’s career home run leader by hitting his 120th off Cleveland’s Jim Bagby in the third inning. The Indians took the game 8-6.

1944 — Joe Nuxhall, at 15 years, 10 months and 11 days, became the youngest player in major league history when he pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in an 18-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

1959 — Rocky Colavito of Cleveland hit four consecutive home runs at Baltimore’s Memorial Stadium, a tough home run park. Billy Martin and Minnie Minoso also homered in the Indians’ 11-8 victory.

1966 — Cleveland’s Sonny Siebert threw the only no-hitter of the year as the Indians beat the Washington Senators 2-0.

1972 — Hank Aaron’s grand slam pushed the Atlanta Braves to a 15-3 rout over the Philadelphia Phillies. It was Aaron’s 649th home run, moving him ahead of Willie Mays into second place on the career home run list. It was also his 14th grand slam, tying Gil Hodges’ NL record.

1997 — Kevin Brown threw a no-hitter and kept himself from a perfect game by hitting a batter in the eighth inning, leading the Florida Marlins over the San Francisco Giants 9-0.

2005 — Baltimore’s 4-3 win over Cincinnati marked the first time that three 500-homer players appeared in the same game — the Orioles’ Sammy Sosa (580) and Rafael Palmeiro (559), and the Reds’ Ken Griffey, who hit a solo shot in the eighth inning for No. 511.

2006 — Reggie Sanders became the fifth player in major league history with 300 homers and 300 stolen bases when he hit a two-run shot in Kansas City’s 9-5 loss to Tampa Bay. Sanders homered off Chad Harville in the ninth to reach the milestone joining Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Andre Dawson and Bobby Bonds.

2011 — Tony La Russa managed his 5,000th game when the St. Louis Cardinals lost to the Milwaukee Brewers 8-0. La Russa complied a 2,676-2,324 record with the White Sox, Athletics and Cardinals. Only Connie Mack managed more games with 7,755 over 53 years.

2012 — Frankie Vanderka threw a three-hitter, Travis Jankowski had four hits and Stony Brook completed an improbable run to the College World Series with a 7-2 victory over LSU in the deciding game of the Baton Rouge super regional. Stony Brook became only the second team to open the tournament as a No. 4 seed in the regional round and advance to the World Series. The first was Fresno State during its stunning 2008 run to a national title.

2019 — The Diamondbacks and Phillies play “Home Run Derby” at Citizens Bank Park, in a 13-8 win by the D-Backs. Arizona opens the game with three straight homers off Jerad Eickhoff, by Jarrod Dyson, Ketel Marte and David Peralta, on their way to hitting 8 long balls. The Phillies reply with 5 of their own, including two by Scott Kingery, but it’s not enough on a night when balls are flying out of the park right and left. Eduardo Escobar homers from different sides of the plate in consecutive innings for Arizona, and Ildemaro Vargas also homers twice. The combined 13 homers set a new major league record. The D-Backs had been the last team to open a game with three dingers, back on July 21, 2017.

2020 — Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 amateur draft is held virtually and limited to five rounds.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

Supporters of a half-cent sales tax proposed to help fund health services in Los Angeles County declared victory Tuesday after days of steadily gaining ground as more ballots were counted.

The latest results show the “yes” camp ahead by a slim margin, with just more than 50% of the vote. The measure needs a simple majority to win.

“Today, Angelenos sent a clear message: we take care of each other,” said Jim Mangia, chief executive of St. John’s Community Health and a spokesperson for the campaign, in a statement. “For months, we watched Washington make decisions that stripped healthcare away from hundreds of thousands of our neighbors — and today, Los Angeles County answered.”

The campaign said it would be organizing a news conference Wednesday to celebrate the “historic win.”

The proposal, on the ballot as Measure ER, had gained traction since election night, when results showed the tax had failed to gain a majority of support among early voters. Voters have not rejected a sales tax hike in L.A. County since 2012, when a transportation measure fell just short of a needed two-thirds majority with 66.1% support.

Approval of Measure ER would impose a new sales tax of half a penny of every dollar spent in the county, with the proceeds going to local hospitals and clinics that say they’re bleeding funding after federal cuts. Officials anticipate it will bring in $1 billion annually to patch the holes in the health services network.

The tax, which was championed by a coalition of healthcare advocates, takes effect Oct. 1 and will last for five years.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has declared victory after early results show his pro-EU ‘Civil Contract’ party with around 54% of the vote.

When her team needed her the most, JSerra High pitcher Liliana Escobar delivered a gritty 12-strikeout effort in the Southern Section Division 1 finals against La Mirada, leading the Lions to a 3-2 win and their first CIF title.

Her ability to rise to the occasion time and again while playing in the highest division is why Escobar is The Times’ high school softball player of the year, and no one is more proud of the senior than JSerra head coach Katie Stith.

“Liliana’s one of the best players I’ve ever coached,” Stith said. “She’s talented, of course, but what stands out is the type of teammate she is. She’s so wise for her age and always made it a point to look out for the team. She wanted to win for them.”

Escobar did her fair share of winning in her prep career. She had 14 victories as a junior was selected the Division 2 player of the year after posting a 1.20 earned-run average while striking out 239 batters in 140 innings. This spring she improved to 18-5 and gave up only 26 earned runs with 264 strikeouts and 47 walks in 153 innings pitched. She signed with the University of Florida on Nov. 12, one month after committing to one of the most successful SEC programs.

“What she’s accomplished the last two years is just incredible,” Stith said of Escobar, who plays travel ball for the OC Batbusters. “After battling an injury and having to sit out her sophomore season she could’ve let that defeat her, but she fought hard to be at her best.”

Escobar recorded 10 or more strikeouts 15 times this season and outdueled Orange Lutheran ace Rylee Silva twice in Trinity League action, but perhaps her most impressive performance was a three-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts in the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals against defending champion Norco — her second win in three outings versus the Cougars this spring.

She threw a five-hitter in the Lions’ playoff opener against Yucaipa and lasted all eight innings with 10 strikeouts in a 5-4 triumph over Ayala in the second round. She struck out 10 again and gave up only three hits in a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Garden Grove Pacifica.

“Liliana becomes so courageous and competitive when she gets in the circle,” Stith added. “She believes in herself and executes every pitch, trusting the coaches every step of the way. I’m grateful for the time I got to spend coaching her and the example she set for those to follow. This is just the beginning for her. … I think she’ll do great things for the Gators.”

Jared Grindlinger was right where he wanted to be Saturday afternoon at the end of his last high school baseball game — on the mound with a chance to clinch a championship for the orange and black.

Huntington Beach had a 5-0 lead with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the seventh inning when the Oilers’ highly touted left-hander came in to relieve Jared Marchbank. The cushion was narrowed to two with runs scored on an error, an uncaught third strike and a wild pitch, but Grindlinger struck out the fourth batter to tie the bow on his team’s 5-3 victory over San Diego Cathedral in the Southern California Regional Division I final.

“I knew I’d be facing the top of their lineup and those guys are all great players but I was ready for it,” Grindlinger said. “To do this with my best friends who I’ve grown up with my entire life means everything to me.”

Grindlinger graduates Wednesday with plenty to be proud of and much to look forward to. The 6-1, 170-pound pitcher/outfielder reclassified in February to make himself eligible for next month’s Major League draft and is a potential first-round pick. Having just turned 17, the University of Tennessee commit has a bright future, but he wants to savor his final days on campus following in the footsteps of older siblings Bradley and Trent, who were back at their alma mater Saturday to cheer on Jared.

“I’ve known him since he was in second grade and he has two brothers who played for me too,” Oilers coach Benji Medure said upon wrapping up his 26th season. “Jared loves to compete and he fell in love with the culture and the family aspect of our program.”

In the first round of regionals on Tuesday, Grindlinger went four for four at the plate with a double, a home run, two singles and a run batted in plus he pitched three scoreless innings with five strikeouts in a 10-3 victory over Patrick Henry in San Diego. Two days later, he singled, tripled and scored two runs in an 11-3 semifinal victory at Corona.

Grindlinger blasted the fourth pitch he saw over the right-field fence to put the Oilers up 2-0 in the first inning Saturday — a lead they held until tacking on three more in the bottom of the sixth. He also patrolled left field and snared a line drive to end the top of the fourth.

“He came with two really good fastballs but then he hung a changeup and I knew I got it,” Grindlinger said of his 41st hit and second homer this season. “I’ve been working on discipline to look for my pitch.”

Medure noted Jared’s similarities to Bradley, the oldest, and Trent, whom he may soon be playing with in Knoxville.

“Bradley was a terrific pitcher and Trent was a super hitter and they’re all very close,” Medure said. “I think Jared picked Tennessee because he wants to be with his brother.”

He could be a Volunteer with his brother Trent next season.

“Jared’s got the best traits from both me and Bradley,” said Trent, who just completed his first season in Knoxville, where he made the SEC All-Freshman team as a catcher. “He has an aura about him and I’m super proud of him.”

“Jared’s a lot better than I was at his age,” admitted Bradley, a 2023 Huntington Beach alum who played at Long Beach State but is entering the transfer portal. “He’s barely 17 and getting to the upper 90s. He’s more polished, plus he’s a lefty.”

The hardest part about skipping his senior year to graduate early was not the extra classes he had to take but knowing he would be missing out on a chance to see his coach reach another milestone.

“He was a freshman and the second game that season I got my 400th win and Jared said, ‘I’m gonna be part of 400 and 500,’” added Medure, who is 28 wins away. “That year, we won 23 and 25 the next year. We had it all planned that 500 would be for the CIF title. When he decided to reclass to make millions of dollars he told him, ‘I feel bad I can’t win that 500th game for you.’ That’s the kind of kid he is.”

Grindlinger credits his mom for helping him meet all of his academic requirements and his brothers for teaching him everything he knows about the sport they all play.

“Whatever happens — whether it’s the draft or college — I’m good,” he said.

Medure is thrilled how the season ended considering he did not believe his team would even be in the regional bracket after losing early in the section playoffs. He is grateful for the three seasons he got to coach his superstar.

“Jared came in to let us know that scenario was on the table and every coach in that room said, ‘Awesome!’” Medure recalled. “He was scared to tell us because he thought we’d be upset. Usually it’s done to buy another year, not to lose one. Of course I’d like to coach one of the best players in America for four years, but ultimately I want him to do what’s best for him.”

PARIS — Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva was already a tennis phenom at age 15.

At 19, she’s a Grand Slam champion.

The eighth-ranked Andreeva ended the run of 114th-ranked Polish qualifier Maja Chwalinska by 6-3, 6-2 in the French Open final on Saturday.

Andreeva became the youngest player to win the women’s singles title since Monica Seles, who was 18 when she landed her third straight French Open in 1992.

“You’re so young and talented. It’s so annoying,” Chwalinska told Andreeva during the awards ceremony.

When Andreeva executed a backhand cross-court winner on her first match point, she threw her racket into the air and dropped on her knees to the clay to celebrate.

Mirra Andreeva returns a shot against Maja Chwalinska during the French Open women’s final on Saturday.

(Thibault Camus / Associated Press)

During the trophy presentation, Andreeva took the unusual step of thanking herself “for believing in myself, always giving my 100%, even when it’s tough, trying every day to be better as a person and as a player, believing that I can do this, fighting so many demons inside of me.

“Only I know how tough it was for me,” Andreeva added. “How nervous I was throughout these two weeks.”

Chwalinska was attempting to become the first qualifier to capture the Roland Garros title.

Andreeva was born in Siberia and moved to Sochi and eventually France to develop her tennis career.

She drew loud applause from the crowd on Court Philippe-Chatrier when she spoke a few words of French during the trophy presentation.

“Thanks for your support today and over these past two marvelous weeks here in Paris,” Andreeva said. “It was very important for me.”

Alexander Zverev plays Flavio Cobolli in the men’s final on Sunday to conclude the wildest Grand Slam in recent memory.

Andreeva has been considered a Grand Slam contender since she burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old at the 2023 Madrid Open, where she became the third-youngest player to win a main draw match at a WTA 1000 tournament and made the quarterfinals.

Lately, Andreeva has had to contend with playing under neutral status and without her country’s flag due to the war with Ukraine.

When she beat Marta Kostyuk in the semifinals, Kostyuk refused to shake her hand, as has been the custom for Ukrainian players facing Russians ever since the war started in 2022.

Andreeva has gone a step further than her coach, Conchita Martinez, who lost the 2000 French Open final to Mary Pierce.

Pierce presented the winner’s trophy to Andreeva.

The final was played under mostly sunny skies but wind was a factor in the first Grand Slam final for both players.

Chwalinska double-faulted on the opening point of the match but she was the first player to hold serve in the fifth game for a 3-2 lead.

But then Andreeva won nine straight games to take control as she found a way to hit through the wind and answer Chwalinska’s array of spins and drop shots.

Andreeva produced 25 winners to Chwalinska’s 10 and also had fewer unforced errors: 26 to 29.

There was a strong Polish presence in the crowd.

When Chwalinska was introduced, fans held aloft red-and-white Polish flags and chanted her name: “Ma-ja, Ma-ja.”

Andreeva had little support from the crowd, although there was a shout of “Davai Mirra!” (“Go Mirra”) in Russian late in the match.

In men’s doubles, top-seeded Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos retained their title with a 6-4, 6-2 win against Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten.

Dampf writes for the Associated Press. Samuel Petrequin contributed to this report.

Freddie Freeman battled in the batter’s box.

No stranger to coming through in a big moment, the Dodgers star was hoping to see a fastball up in the zone from Angels reliever Kirby Yates.

So Freeman stayed patient, working his way into a full count.

Then Yates gave him what he wanted — and Freeman delivered the 20th walk-off hit of his career.

The Dodger Stadium crowd erupted in celebration as Freeman watched the ball soar over the right-center field wall in the ninth inning of a 1-0 victory over the Angels.

Freddie Freeman hits a walk-off home run for the Dodgers in a 1-0 win over the Angels at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

Freeman grinned as he rounded the bases. He threw a thumbs up at his teammates before they swarmed him in celebration. He finally had given the Dodgers something to cheer for after being held to just two hits over 25 at-bats.

“I’ve been feeling good lately,” Freeman said. “I was tweaking things early on, just trying to find a consistent feel for things. Sometimes it’s just get a couple of hits, get confidence and get going. Nothing really crazy. It’s the same routine, hitting some soft line drives at the shortstop, and things have been working.”

Through most of the game, the excitement was contained to a pitcher’s duel — a chess game of defensive plays, waiting to see who flinched first.

Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki was red hot in what would tie for his longest outing of the season. Sasaki, for the first time this season, threw triple digits in back-to-back appearances, topping 100.6 mph. The Japanese pitcher threw all three of his pitches harder than his yearly average.

Freddie Freeman watches his walk-off home run clear the wall in right-center field to cap a 1-0 win over the Angels at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

“I’ve been experiencing a lot of good and bad since 2024,” Sasaki said through interpreter Kensuke Okubo. “But I feel like I’m able to maintain this velocity. I think I’m confident about that, but I’m just keeping working on it to make sure I’m in a better place.”

With the speed uptick, Sasaki has also seen an inverse downtick in the earned runs column on his statline. His monthly ERA reached its zenith at 7.23 in his April starts, descending to its current 4.03 ERA.

In Sasaki’s best starts, the elevated velocity and pitch mix makes the right-hander lethal, giving him extended runway to pitch further into the game. Against the Angels (24-40), the elevated velocity allowed him to throw 4⅓ hitless innings in his career-high 11th appearance of the season. He pitched seven innings, giving up two hits and two walks while striking out 10.

It’s a return to how Sasaki looked when he played in Japan, manager Dave Roberts said. Confidence might be the clearest sign things are clicking. Sasaki thumped his chest after striking out Adam Fraizer in the fifth inning, a rare show of emotion.

“I certainly think we can all agree that the floor for Roki is much higher, and the expectation every time he takes the ball is high, and he’s earned that,” Roberts said. “If you look at the last six or seven stats, it’s been as good as any starter in the big leagues in the consistency of performance. So really proud of him and I know that he wants more, and the floor has just been raised.”

Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki delivers in the first inning of a 1-0 win over the Angels at Dodger Stadium on Friday night.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Some quick thinking from second baseman Miguel Rojas also helped preserve Sasaki’s strong start. On Nick Madrigal’s sharp line drive in the third inning, the pitcher reached for the ball and popped it up with the tip of his glove. The ball ricocheted off its intended course, but Rojas nabbed it with his bare hand, throwing it to first where a lunging Freeman caught it. The play was initially ruled as an infield single, but it was overturned on review.

“When it hits off a pitcher — you’re already going, committed to one way, then you gotta make another,” Freeman laughed. “The old guy’s still got it.”

Madrigal would break the Angels’ hitless run in the fifth with a double off the left-field wall. But, he was left stranded when Sasaki induced a groundout before his strikeout of Frazier.

The Dodgers (41-23) didn’t fare much better against Angels starter Reid Detmers. In the fourth, Freeman singled and moved to third on a forceout on Kyle Tucker. But, with two outs on the board, Will Smith struck out.

Andy Pages squandered a potential scoring opportunity when he was caught stealing in the sixth. The center fielder, who went one for four, has struggled at the plate in recent games. Against Arizona this week, Pages batted .176, collecting only three hits.

As the innings dragged, both the Dodgers and the Angels failed to find momentum. Reliever Chase Silseth took over in the seventh for Detmers, who gave up just two hits, walked two and struck out six. Silseth silenced the opposing batters, issuing only a walk to Smith.

Edgardo Henriquez took over in the eighth, striking out the first two batters he faced. Then, he hit Zach Neto with a pitch, and after Neto stole second, the Dodgers found themselves in a precarious position with Mike Trout at the plate. Not for long, though, as Henriquez struck out Trout.

Roberts, who had watched Rojas and Santiago Espinal go a combined 0 for 4, pinch-hit for both in the eighth. To a roaring applause, Max Muncy entered the batter’s box, his first plate appearance since a scary collision with the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ildemaro Vargas on Thursday. Muncy, though, went down swinging.

Tanner Scott took the mound in the ninth a day after he gave up a walk-off home run to Arizona’s Ketel Marte. Jo Adell hit a one-out single then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Donovan Walton. Roberts then put Blake Treinen into the game, and he got Oswald Peraza to ground out to first.

With Freeman’s sixth career walk-off home run, the Dodgers beat the Angels for the fourth consecutive time this season.

“Freddie just has aura,” Roberts said. “There’s not too many guys in baseball that you’d want in a game-winning situation, and Freddie does it once again.”

Angels second baseman Oswald Peraza walks back to the dugout after grounding out during the ninth inning against the Dodgers.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

June 4 (Asia Today) — The biggest upset of Wednesday’s local elections came in Seoul, where People Power Party candidate Oh Se-hoon overcame early expectations of defeat and won a dramatic late comeback victory in the mayoral race.

Oh’s win allowed the conservative bloc to hold South Korea’s capital despite a strong nationwide showing by the Democratic Party. The result immediately raised Oh’s standing as a potential conservative contender in the next presidential race.

Oh narrowly defeated Democratic Party candidate Jung Won-oh after an extremely close vote count that continued into early Thursday morning, becoming the first person to win a fifth term as Seoul mayor.

“Citizens have once again upheld the democratic principle of checks and balances,” Oh said at a press conference Thursday. “They have left Seoul as the last safeguard of democracy so that South Korea does not tilt completely to one side.”

Political observers said Oh’s victory significantly changes his political status. Holding the capital while the People Power Party struggled nationwide could become a major asset for a future presidential bid.

Oh’s campaign strategy also drew attention because he kept some distance from the party leadership under Jang Dong-hyeok and focused on his own record as incumbent mayor. Analysts said that approach may allow Oh to emerge as an independent center of gravity in any future conservative realignment.

A People Power Party official said Oh had now fully risen as a national political figure representing the conservative camp.

“This Seoul victory is virtually close to a ticket toward the presidency,” the official said.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260605010001627

Reaching the summit is a dream. But staying there? That’s an altogether different challenge.

Maja Stark has a special appreciation for that now, a year after winning the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills and feeling the hefty weight of expectation that came along with it.

For her, the aftermath of that victory brought heightened anxiety, and searing criticism from outsiders when the Swedish professional’s play took a dip.

“You get comments and stuff saying, ‘What happened? You just won a major; why do you suck all of a sudden?‘” Stark said at the Chevron Championship in April. “That does take some energy and just makes you focus on the wrong things. Then I got even more stressed and anxious.”

Maja Stark plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole during the third round of the Chevron Championship on April 25.

(Alex Slitz / Getty Images)

Stark said she sought professional help in the form of a mental coach, sports psychologist and therapist and now believes she’s better able to withstand the scrutiny that comes with winning at the highest tier.

That career-shaping pressure will be on display again this week when the USGA brings the U.S. Women’s Open to Riviera Country Club for the first time, merging the game’s most prestigious women’s championship with a historic venue celebrating its centennial year. The tournament takes place Thursday through Sunday.

Riviera is a theater, sitting low beneath high hillsides that almost serve as balconies. Players have described the course as a stage because it can feel as if you’re being watched even when you’re alone.

“I think there’s something very nostalgic about the facility,” said Jim Richerson, Riviera’s general manager. “The golf course has never had any major renovations or changes. The clubhouse is the exact same footprint today as it was when it was built in the 1920s.”

The U.S. Women’s Open is the oldest of the LPGA Tour’s five majors, and has long served as the standard by which women’s golf measures itself. It’s open to professionals and elite amateurs through a qualifying process, and the tournament is known for identifying the player who can withstand the most pressure under the most demanding conditions.

NBC will televise the championship and although Mike Tirico will not call the event, he knows the significance of holding it at Riviera.

“Without there being a Masters for women’s golf, that tournament really is the crown jewel of the sport,” Tirico said. “It has become the event people dream of winning. … It’s just appropriate that it’s contested at a place like Riviera that for so many generations has come to define a great championship test of golf.”

A look at some of the players to watch:

Nelly Korda

Nelly Korda celebrates after winning the Chevron Championship on April 26.

(David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

The world’s No. 1 player is a major needle mover for women’s golf and is a significant source of ratings when she’s in contention. She had a record five consecutive victories last season and seven overall. Her missing major is the U.S. Women’s Open. She finished in a runner-up spot last year and left Erin Hills firmly believing a win was within reach.

Jeeno Thitikul

Jeeno Thitikul plays a shot from the fairway during the first round of the Queen City Championship on May 14.

(Jeff Dean / Associated Press)

The former World No. 1 is still in pursuit of her first major championship. She’s a big question mark in the field.

Lydia Ko

Lydia Ko hits from the fairway during the second round of the LPGA Honda Thailand on Feb. 22.

(Kittinun Rodsupan / Associated Press)

This Hall of Fame player is the only golfer in modern Olympic history to win a complete set of medals — gold, silver and bronze — across three different Olympic Games. She’s still looking for her first U.S. Women’s Open win.

Charley Hull

Charley Hull hits off the 16th tee during the first round of the Mizuho Americas Open on May 7.

(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

A colorful character who went viral during the 2024 Open for smoking a cigarette while signing autographs and playing. She was among a cluster who finished second in that tournament. She has three victories on the LPGA Tour but has yet to win a major.

Rose Zhang

Rose Zhang hits from the ninth tee during the final round of the Queen City Championship on May 17.

(Dylan Buell / Getty Images)

Zhang, who has been splitting time between Stanford and the LPGA, amassed a remarkable collection of victories as an amateur and three years ago, became the first player in 72 years to win an LPGA Tour event in her professional debut.

Minjee Lee

Minjee Lee prepares to putt during the third round of the Chevron Championship on April 25.

(Sarah Stier / Getty Images)

Lee, an Australian star, has won three majors including the U.S. Women’s Open in 2022. Her younger brother, Min Woo, won the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur, making them the first brother-sister tandem to win the USGA’s junior championships.

Yuka Saso

Yuka Saso lines up a putt during the first round of the Mizuho Americas Open on May 7.

(Seth Wenig / Associated Press)

She is the anomaly of anomalies, with zero wins on the LPGA Tour with the exception of two U.S. Women’s Open victories. She won the first of those at 19 years, 11 months and seven days — astoundingly tying her for the youngest player to win the Open with Inbee Park, who was precisely that old when she won in 2008.

Lilia Vu

Lilia Vu watches her shot from the seventh tee during the third round of the Queen City Championship on May 16.

(Dylan Buell / Getty Images)

Vu grew up in Fountain Valley and was a standout at UCLA. She won two majors in 2023 but lately has been battling back problems.

Michelle Wie West

Michelle Wie West of the United States hits from the third tee during the first round of the Mizuho Americas Open on May 7.

(Sarah Stier / Getty Images)

Wie West retired three years ago after the Open at Pebble Beach, but is coming out of retirement to use her last year of exemption to play at Riviera. Her husband, Jonnie West, son of late NBA icon Jerry West, will be caddying for her.

T.J. Rumfield got a gift when his long flyball bounced off Jo Adell’s head for a most unusual home run, and the Colorado Rockies defeated the Angels 8-2 on Tuesday night.

Willi Castro hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and Hunter Goodman had a solo shot in the second. Tomoyuki Sugano (5-4) gave up two runs in five innings for the win.

Castro and Rumfield hit back-to-back homers in the fourth off starter Grayson Rodriguez (2-2), who gave up eight runs, eight hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

With the Rockies holding a 7-0 lead, Rumfield sent a flyball to deep right-center, where the ball grazed the outside of Adell’s glove before hitting his head and bounding over the wall.

There was brief confusion on the field when the ball caromed back into the outfield. Rumfield stopped at second base, initially unsure of the ruling, before proceeding around the bases.

Soccer Aid has raised an eye-watering and record-breaking amount of money for Unicef with their annual charity match that saw the likes of Joe Marler and Angry Ginge compete

Soccer Aid have raised a huge sum of money for Unicef. The annual charity football match raised a staggering £16.5million for the children’s aid organisation.

The match, which was created by Robbie Williams and Jonathan Wilkes in 2026, aims to raise millions for Unicef every year but has never raised as much as it did this year. By raising over £16m, the celebs taking part have increased the total ever raised from the event to £137million.

The grand total was revealed in the last few moments before Soccer Aid went off air, in an announcement made by Robbie, who also performed his song Feel for the halftime performance.

Over £1million of the total amount was raised by Olly Murs. The singer had taken on a mammoth challenge that involved cycling, rowing and running the 400km distance from Old Trafford to the London Stadium. Prior to the match beginning, Tom Hiddlestone revealed on air that Olly had raised £1,342,214 for the total pot.

The rest of the funds were raised throughout the event, including the build up to kick off. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen came out to the pitch to deliver the football and revealed that before play had even begun, the event had raised over £4.6million. Tim delighted fans as he said his Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear’s catchphrase: “To infinity and beyond!”

Roughly 15 minutes before the teams headed out, GK Barry caught up with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen with the latter catching many off guard courtesy of his comments.

While stood in the tunnel, upon GK Barry asking for their attention, the latter stated: “I’m just just b****ing about penalty shots.” The comment went unacknowledged by ITV, despite airing pre-watershed.

As Americans, the pair aren’t used to European football. Tim continued to say he was going to “try to work out how you win or lose a game on a penalty shot”. Tom, who said he did have some knowledge of the UK game, jokingly hit back: “You cannot use your hands.”

Soccer Aid celebrated its 20th anniversary this weekend with a massive showdown at the London Stadium. The fixture occurs every year and its mission is to raise vital funds for UNICEF while bringing together a unique mix of world-class football legends and beloved celebrities.

Former United captain Wayne Rooney led the line for England. Big football names taking to the pitch included Jill Scott, Jack Wilshere and Theo Walcott.

Other huge names making up the England side were Tom Hiddleston, Danny Dyer, Paddy McGuinness, Olly Murs and Joe Marler. They were joined by Toni Duggan, Steph Houghton, Jordan North, Angry Ginge, GK Barry, Jack Wilshere, Joe Hart, Sam Thompson, Chloe Burrows, Jack Whitehall and Owen Cooper.

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May 31 (UPI) — Police in France arrested hundreds of people late Saturday after celebrations for the Paris Saint-Germain soccer team turned violent, local authorities said.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the riots injured 57 police officers in Paris and other cities across the country, The Guardian reported. Some of the soccer fans also set fires, vandalized businesses and attempted to storm a Paris police station.

Police arrested 780 people and deployed tear gas to break up the riots, Politico reported.

“Most of the celebrations took place peacefully, Nuñez said, adding that most of the violent clashes took place near the Parc des Princes stadium where fans had gathered to watch the match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal for the Champions League title.

French leaders took to social media to criticize the rioters and call for peace.

“Only in France does a football club’s victory spark riots,” far-right leader Marine Le Pen wrote in a post on X. “Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid being confronted with violence.”

Valérie Pécresse, the head of the Île-de-France region, said those involved in the riots should be punished.

“The brainless thugs who think they can smash everything are tarnishing the image of Paris and France!” Pécresse said in a post on X. “We must be able to celebrate on victory nights peacefully in Paris and the Île-de-France Region!”

Amanda Serrano equalled the record for the most knockouts in women’s boxing history with a second-round stoppage of Cheyenne Hanson in Texas to retain her WBA and WBO featherweight titles.

The American dominated the encounter and, having pinned Germany’s Hanson, 28, in the corner, unloaded a flurry of unanswered punches that lead to the fight being waved off in El Paso, Texas.

The 37-year-old, who now has 32 wins by knockout – tying with women’s boxing pioneer Christy Martin – was the first fighter to stop Hanson inside the distance.

In the co-main event, former UFC star Holly Holm was again narrowly defeated by Stephanie Han to miss out on claiming the WBA lightweight title.

One judge scored it even at 95-95, but the other two saw it 96-94 for the undefeated champion.

Prior to the fight, Holm said she wanted to make a statement and then challenge Taylor in Ireland, but instead it was Han who called for that fight.

“The next fight I want, and I know every fighter wants it, is Katie Taylor,” Han said ringside.

On the undercard, Desley Robinson retained her IBF and WBO middleweight titles by winning a wide unanimous decision against Mary Spencer, while Mexican Lourdes Juarez retained her WBC light-flyweight title with a split decision against Yokasta Valle.

Elsewhere, O’Shaquie Foster impressed to beat Raymond Ford by a majority decision to retain his WBC super-featherweight title at the Fertitta Center, Houston.

Overall leader Jonas Vingegaard launched an attack during the tough final climb to clinch victory in Saturday’s stage 20 of the Giro d’Italia.

It ensures the 29-year-old from Denmark will win the race as long as he safely finishes Sunday’s final stage in Rome and become just the eighth man to complete the triple crown of road cycling’s three-week showpieces.

The two-time Tour de France winner, who also won last year’s Vuelta a Espana, is making his first appearance in the Giro.

He started the penultimate stage covering 200km from Gemona del Friuli to Piancavallo four minutes three seconds ahead of second-placed Felix Gall of Austria in the general classification.

Vingegaard was happy to ride safely in the peloton for the first two-thirds of the stage between two Visma-Lease a Bike team-mates, before launching his attack in the final 10km.

Gall tried to chase him down during the attack, but the Dane pulled more than a minute ahead going into the final 5km to secure a sensational solo victory, one minute 15 seconds ahead of second-placed Gall with local favourite Giulio Ciccone completing the podium.