GEORGIA--Marcell Ozuna and Ronald Acuna Jr. hit home runs in the decisive seventh inning to help the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting Minnesota Twins 4-1 on Monday in the opening game of a three-game series between division leaders. The National League East-leading Braves improved to 18-4 in June, winning three straight and 11 of their last 12.
The American League Central-leading Twins dropped to 2-2 on their current nine-game road trip. The game was tied 1-1 when Ozuna hit an opposite-field solo home run, his 16th, against Minnesota starter Sonny Gray. After Michael Harris II singled for his third hit, the Twins brought in reliever Emilio Pagan, who surrendered a 432-foot homer to Acuna, his 17th. Spencer Strider (9-2) pitched seven innings and allowed one run on three hits, two walks and 10 strikeouts. Strider had his fifth double-digit strikeout game of the season, the first since May 23 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has fanned 10-plus batters in 11 of his 36 career starts. Kirby Yates worked around a single and struck out two to pitch a scoreless ninth and earn his first save since Aug. 7, 2020.
Gray (4-2) pitched 6 2/3 innings and allowed three runs -- matching his season high -- on seven hits, one walk and five strikeouts. The home run to Ozuna was only the third allowed by Gray this season. He dropped to 0-3 in his career against the Braves. The Twins got on the board in the second inning on Joey Gallo's 13th home run of the year, a solo shot to center field. The Braves tied the game in the fourth when Austin Riley singled and came around to score on Travis d'Arnaud's infield grounder.
The Twins got runners on second and third with two outs in the eighth against Atlanta reliever Collin McHugh, but Ben Heller entered and retired Carlos Correa on a fly ball to shallow right field to end the threat.
HARARE, Zimbabwe--Career-best performances from Logan van Beek (4-24) and Max O’Dowd (90 off 75 balls) powered the Netherlands through to the Super Sixes of the World Cup Qualifiers with a seven-wicket win over Nepal in Harare.
HARARE, Zimbabwe--An all-round show by Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza handed a six-wicket loss to the Netherlands despite a record total of 315-6 in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Harare Sports Club as the Dutch started their quest for a World Cup place.
PHILADELPHIA --Michael Harris II had two hits, including a go-ahead RBI single in the 10th inning to break open a scoreless deadlock, as the visiting Atlanta Braves extended their winning streak to eight games with a 5-1 victory Thursday over the Philadelphia Phillies. Marcell Ozuna added a two-run home run in a five-run 10th for the Braves, while right-hander Bryce Elder gave up three hits with six strikeouts and two walks in seven shutout innings. Raisel Iglesias (3-2) earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning. Brandon Marsh had two hits for the Phillies, who received a sacrifice fly from Alec Bohm in the 10th.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola tossed six scoreless innings and allowed two hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Yunior Marte (0-1) allowed all five runs in the 10th inning, four earned, and took the loss. Harris doubled off Jose Alvarado to open the eighth inning and then advanced to third after Ronald Acuna Jr. flied out to deep right. But he was left stranded when Ozuna was robbed of a go-ahead single as the Phillies' Trea Turner made a sliding stop deep at shortstop to throw him out. Phillies right-hander Craig Kimbrel struck out the side in the ninth. In the 10th inning, Harris hit an RBI single to put the Braves ahead 1-0. Kyle Schwarber then dropped a soft fly ball to left from Riley while attempting a sliding catch, allowing two more runs to score. The play was scored as a hit for Riley. The Braves increased their lead to 5-0 on Ozuna's home run.
Riley singled with one out in the fourth for the Braves' first hit. One out later, Matt Olson walked. But Travis d'Arnaud flied out to end the threat. Turner drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the fourth and stole second with two outs. J.T. Realmuto grounded out and the inning was complete. Albies doubled with one out in the sixth, but Riley struck out and Ozuna grounded out. Philadelphia reliever Gregory Soto threw a 101-mile-per-hour fastball to strike out Orlando Arcia to strand a runner at second to close the seventh inning.
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany- - Germany suffered a 2-0 home loss to Colombia in a friendly on Tuesday in their latest setback less than a year before they host Euro 2024. Luis Diaz's 54th-minute header and Juan Cuadrado's penalty in the 82nd gave the visitors their first victory over the Germans, who were booed at the end. Germany, who have less than a year to build a battle-hardened team for the continental tournament, had needed two late goals to draw 3-3 with Ukraine last week before Friday's 1-0 loss to Poland. The four-time world champions have won just one of their last five matches since their shock World Cup group stage exit in December. They have also won only three of their last 11. "Obviously I am very disappointed that we could not apply what we had set out to do," said Germany coach Hansi Flick.
"There are things that we wanted to try but they backfired." Flick, who took over in 2021 and is under mounting pressure since the early World Cup elimination, said his players were lacking in confidence. "What can I say? The arguments are not on our side at the moment. We have to analyse it, draw our lessons," he said after three games without a win. "This is a cycle that we need to break through. In September we have to bring a different performance. We will see a different team and then the results will start coming," he said. "We are convinced we have a good team and good players." The Colombians looked far hungrier in attack, forcing Germany keeper Marc Andre ter Stegen to make a string of good saves in the first half, while Germany's 21-year-old Malick Thiaw was impressive in defence.
The hosts had more than 65% possession but did not manage a single shot on goal for the entire first period, often struggling to play the ball out of their own half. Colombia took the lead after Emre Can lost possession and Cuadrado whipped in a cross for Diaz to head past Ter Stegen. The home side briefly upped the tempo but were still vulnerable at the back. The introduction Niclas Fuellkrug did little to improve things up front and a Joshua Kimmich handball gave the visitors a chance to double the lead with Cuadrado scoring from the spot.
