The Astros are only a half-game back of the Rangers atop the AL West, but also a half-game ahead of the Mariners for the second AL Wild Card berth. Kyle Tucker hit his 25th homer of the year, a two-run shot in in the first, in Tuesday night’s 7-3 win over the Red Sox. Justin Verlander, in his fourth start since returning to Houston, pitched six scoreless innings and rang up a season high nine K’s to get his ninth win of the season.
The Rangers dropped their sixth straight, falling to the surging D-Backs 6-3. That’s five in a row for Arizona.
The Mariners have put together their second eight-game win streak of the season. Seattle beat the White Sox 6-3, hours after Chicago (49-77) fired executive vice president Ken Williams and g.m. Rick Hahn.
Continuing our “streaking” theme, the Yankees have lost nine straight for the first time since 1982.
No real surprise in Tampa. Baker Mayfield has beaten out Kyle Trask as the Bucs’ QB-1.
Reggie Bush and the NCAA are still going at it? Bush will file a defamation suit today, 13 years after Nancy Charlie Adam Amy stripped him of the 2005 Heisman Trophy. You remember. Cash. Travel expenses. Free home in San Diego for Bush’s family. Reg says he had nothing to do with any of that stuff…”Wudden me…”
Saints TE Jimmy Graham is expected to return to practice soon, maybe as early as today. Graham was taken into custody last Friday night in Newport Beach, California, near where the Saints and Chargers were holding joint practices. Police suspected narcotics use, and also charged Graham with obstructing a police officer. Saints doctors say Graham’s erratic behavior was likely the result of a seizure.
Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon on her superstar A’ja Wilson. “She runs like a deer, jumps like a cat and catches as if she were Spiderman.” A’ja dime-danced her way to a WNBA regular season record-tying 53 points in a 112-100 win over Atlanta, going 16-23 from the floor and 20-21 from the line. Let’s see Spidey do THAT!
You remember Haynes King, right? Yeah, he started each of the last two season as the Aggies’ quarterback before transferring to Georgia Tech last December. King won his preseason battle with heralded redshirt freshman Zach Pyron and has been named the starter for the Ramblin’ Wrecks.
Tragic news from the Houston Cougars basketball family. Former Coog forward Reggie Chaney Monday was found dead in his Arlington, Texas apartment. The 23-year-old Chaney played on UH’s Final Four team in 2021 and was preparing to launch a pro career in Greece. Houston coach Kelvin Sampson described Chaney as the “ultimate teammate.” Foul play is not suspected.
And a house explosion in North Carolina that killed the 61-year-old father of Titans’ cornerback Caleb Farley appears to have been an accident resulting from an accumulation of natural gas.
Finally, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan says he is “confident” the deal with The Murderous Saudis will go through. In fact, he says he’s “certain” of it. Oh, I hope not.
