LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani hit a go-ahead, two-run homer for his 1,000th career hit. He also struck out a season-high eight over four innings in his longest mound outing this season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This marks his eighth mound start of the season after recovering from elbow surgery. Ohtani's 39th homer traveled 440 feet, giving the Dodgers a 2-1 lead against the St. Louis Cardinals. He retired the side in the first and second innings and touches 100 mph on a fastball in the third. The Dodgers lost 5-3 and dropped two of three to the Cardinals in the series.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jen Pawol is set to become the first woman to umpire in Major League Baseball when she works games this weekend between the Miami Marlins and Atlanta Braves. Pawol will work the bases in Saturday’s doubleheader at Truist Park and the plate on Sunday, MLB told The Associated Press. Pawol, a 48-year-old from New Jersey, worked spring training games in 2024 and this year. MLB’s move comes 28 years after the gender barrier for game officials was broken in the NBA, 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official and three years after the men’s soccer World Cup employed a female referee. The NHL still has not had any women as on-ice officials.
ESPN has announced its new streaming service will launch Aug. 21. This move comes as streaming surpasses cable and broadcast in U.S. TV usage. ESPN hopes to attract cord-cutters with a $29.95 monthly plan offering all ESPN networks and NFL content. The service will start with around 25 million subscribers, migrating from ESPN+. Recent deals with the NFL and WWE aim to expand ESPN's offerings and market footprint. However, ESPN faces financial challenges, with increased rights fees impacting profits. The company is launching this direct-to-consumer product to boost revenue beyond traditional cable and satellite fees.
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has two majors this year. Now the focus is on the final three tournaments of the PGA Tour in the race for the FedEx Cup. Scheffler is prioritizing rest over practice for the playoff events. It starts this week with the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind for the top 70. Rory McIlroy is sitting this one out. The playoffs are for the top 70, with the top 50 advancing to the BMW Championship next week. Scheffler feels rested. His time at home in Dallas includes taking the claret jug to his home course at Royal Oaks.
NFL players can continue using smelling salts during games. The NFL Players Association clarified this on Wednesday after the league's memo on Tuesday. The memo only bans team employees from distributing smelling salts or ammonia inhalants during pregame activities, games and halftime. The NFLPA stated they weren't informed of this policy change beforehand. The league's memo prohibits club personnel from supplying these products, citing an FDA warning from 2024. The FDA noted there's no evidence of the safety or efficacy of these products and they could mask concussion symptoms. Smelling salts have been a staple on NFL sidelines for years.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Stephen Nedoroscik, known as "Pommel Horse Guy," remains dedicated to gymnastics despite his newfound fame. After winning bronze medals in Paris last summer, he embraced his celebrity status with appearances on "Dancing With the Stars" and its national tour. However, he never considered leaving gymnastics for Hollywood. Three months ago, he returned to training at EVO Gymnastics. As the U.S. Championships begin, Nedoroscik is focused on his sport, aiming for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Despite his social media following, he stays grounded, committed to being true to himself and his passion for gymnastics.
NEW YORK (AP) — Two hard-hit comebackers in the first inning had Gavin Williams worrying about the direction his start would take against the New York Mets. Instead, the Cleveland Guardians right-hander nearly made history. Williams came within two outs of Cleveland’s first no-hitter in 44 years before Juan Soto homered with one out in the ninth. Hunter Gaddis finished the combined one-hitter in a 4-1 win.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Luis Suárez scored and had two assists, and Inter Miami beat Pumas 3-1 on Wednesday night to advance in the Leagues Cup. Miami played the match without Lionel Messi, who is sidelined indefinitely with what the team described as a minor muscle injury in his right leg. Messi was hurt in the opening minutes of Inter Miami’s win over Necaxa on Saturday. He was in attendance for Wednesday’s match and watched from a suite at Chase Stadium. Miami, which has eight points in the Major League Soccer Leagues Cup standings, is the first MLS club through to the tournament’s knockout stages.
MONTREAL (AP) — Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko rallied to reach the National Bank Open final, beating ninth-seeded Elena Rybakina 1-6, 7-5, 7-6 (4) on Wednesday night. The 18-year-old Mboko dropped to the court after Rybakina’s shot sailed long on match point as the crowd — lined with “Allez Vicky” — erupted. Mboko saved a match point in the third set and broke Rybakina twice to force the tiebreaker. On Thursday night, she’ll face Japanese star Naomi Osaka, a 6-2, 7-6 (7) winner over 16th-seeded Clara Tauson of Denmark in the second semifinal. Mboko is seeking her first WTA Tour title and trying to join Faye Urban (1969) and Bianca Andreescu (2019) as the only Canadians to win the home event in the open era.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward and series officials are shocked by a social media post from the Department of Homeland Security. The post touts plans for an immigration detention center in Indiana dubbed “Speedway Slammer” and includes a car with the same number as the only Mexican driver in the series. O'Ward says a lot of people were caught off guard. Indiana is home to Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and is where the IndyCar Series is based. IndyCar says it was unaware of the planned use of the imagery and says it preferred it not being used.
Finals
INTERLEAGUE
Final Baltimore 5 Philadelphia 1
Final Cleveland 4 N.Y. Mets 1
Final Toronto 20 Colorado 1
Final Miami 6 Houston 4
Final Washington 2 Athletics 1
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Final Minnesota 9 Detroit 4
Final N.Y. Yankees 3 Texas 2
Final Tampa Bay 5 L.A. Angels 4
Final Kansas City 7 Boston 3
Final Seattle 8 Chicago White Sox 6
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Final San Francisco 4 Pittsburgh 2
Final Chicago Cubs 6 Cincinnati 1
Final St. Louis 5 L.A. Dodgers 3
Final Milwaukee 5 Atlanta 4
Final San Diego 3 Arizona 2