Every major sports had their say over the weekend as the Summer continues on. Major League Baseball and the 2016 Summer Olympics are the only sports that are truly active while the NFL began Preseason play, while College Football looms, the NBA continues to make offseason news. As the new week begins, here’s a recap of this weekend’s sports:
MLB: The Pittsburgh Pirates continue to stay alive in the National League (NL)Wild Card chase as they took 2 of 3 from the LA Dodgers, who’re currently the NL Wild Card Leader. On Friday, the Pirates beat the Dodgers 5-1 at Dodger Stadium. OF Andrew McCutchen and SS Jordy Mercer homered to give starter Ivan Nova (2-0) a 3-0 lead before he took the mound. Nova (2-0) has won both starts for the Pirates since they obtained him from New York at the Aug. 1 trade deadline. The right-hander scattered nine hits over 5 1/3 innings in his first outing against the Dodgers and improved to 9-6 overall this season.
The Pirates weren’t as fortunate Saturday as the Dodger struck back and pummeled them 8-4. Although they led 3-1, the Pirates and starter Gerrit Cole (7-8) couldn’t hold off a Dodger team who smacked them around for 17 hits. OF Joc Pederson had his 17th homer, a two-run shot. Corey Seager also three hits and an RBI as Los Angeles overcame that 3-1 deficit by scoring in each of the first six innings. Dodger Relievers Josh Fields, Julio Urias (3-2), Joe Blanton, Pedro Baez, Josh Ravin and Kenley Jansen combined to hold Pittsburgh to one run over 7 1/3 innings. Jansen got his 35th save.
The Pirates rebounded against the Dodgers on Sunday-and in a big way as they destroyed the Dodgers 11-3. Adam Frazier each had four hits, Sean Rodriguez homered and had four RBIs and the Pirates spoiled Brett Anderson‘s return with a five-run burst in the first.
Rodriguez had a three-run homer and Jordy Mercer a two-run shot in the first to chase Anderson (0-1) from his first start since last October. 3B Jung Ho Kang added a solo homer during a four-run ninth to help Pittsburgh win for the fifth time in seven games against the Dodgers this season. Rookie Chad Kuhl (3-0) won his third consecutive start, holding the Dodgers to two runs and six hits over six innings.
In other MLB news: Although there are rumors that the Miami Marlins are reaching out to now-retired Alex Rodriguez, longtime publicist Ron Berkowitz left this statement on Monday: “I want to put all this talk to rest about Alex playing for any team this season. It’s not happening. Like he said Friday night, he is happy and he is going to take some time to relax and hang with his family and friends.” Rodriguez officially retired from baseball on Friday as his former team, the NY Yankees honored him. He will remain with the team as a special advisor until the end of 2017.
NFL: Unfortunately, Bruce Gratkowski just can’t catch a break. The Steelers backup QB was ready to play in 2016 after missing all of 2015 with an injury, only to suffer a torn hamstring in Friday’s preseason loss to the Detroit Lions. With Landry Jones cemented as the Steelers’ No. 2 quarterback, Pittsburgh is fine behind Ben Roethlisberger, but Gradkowski’s injury may open up their third-string job….New Orleans Saints First-round pick Sheldon Rankins is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after suffering a broken fibula during practice on Monday, according to NFL.com. The defensive lineman suffered the injury during a goal line drill.
College Football: ESPN revealed their College Football Power rankings, and to no surprise, defending National Champion Alabama is #1 followed by National Champion Runner-Up Clemson, Oklahoma, Florida State, and LSU to round out the Top 5.
NBA: According to the latest odds from Bovada, OKC Thunder G Russell Westbrook is now the sole favorite to win the MVP. He has better odds than Stephen Curry and LeBron James, who are second and third on Bovada’s list, respectively. Durant, Westbrook’s former teammate, has the fourth-best odds.
2016 Summer Olympics- Simone Biles had a chance to accomplish a feat that was unimaginable in Rio — win five gold medals in women’s gymnastics. No woman had ever even won three medals, much less five, in the same Games.
But that dream came crashing down when she slipped on the balance beam during her routine on Monday, leading to a 14.733 score in the competition, leading to a bronze medal showing. The 19-year-old led for the moment, but was quickly pushed down the leaderboard by the Netherlands’ Sanne Wevers, who scored 15.466.
Wevers is the first Dutch women to win gold in women’s gymnastics. Fellow American Laurie Hernandez earned silver with a 15.333 score.
Biles won golds in the women’s team all-around, individual all-around and vault competitions.
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