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Gonzales’ Walk-Off Victory Completes the Statement Victory for the Advancing Bucs

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Nick Gonzales aimed for a powerful hit as he took the bat to the ball. The second baseman for the Pirates was aware that José Alvarado could hit for three runs, but he also had that cutter, which could tail away from right-handers and hit where he wanted to.

Gonzales remarked, “I was just trying to get something a little away from me, and I just hit it hard.”

In the ninth inning on Friday, Gonzales got a hold of Alvarado’s first-pitch cutter and sent most of the PNC Park crowd home with a base hit through the left side of the infield. Gonzales’ single gave the Pirates their first and only lead of the game after they had been behind for the majority of the game. The Pirates went on to win 8–7 against the Phillies.

There were signs on Friday night that this squad might be taken by surprise after the All-Star break. Martín Pérez, the starter, was removed from the game in the fourth inning after giving up six runs in the game. His poor play continued. The baseball team with the best record was taking on the Pirates. They spent most of the evening performing from behind.

Nevertheless, Gonzales and his colleagues were the ones having fun after the game on the right side of the diamond.

“I think it would’ve been really easy to fold after the first inning, especially going against the Phillies,” Gonzales stated. “But nobody here in the dugout, nobody in this clubhouse, did that. So kudos to them. And kudos to the coaching staff, too.”

Pérez faced the whole Phillies lineup in the first inning, which was maybe his worst, giving up three runs before loading the bases. Oneil Cruz immediately responded for the offense against Aaron Nola, hitting an RBI double with an exit velocity of 120.5 mph, the second-hardest hit ball for him this season in all of Major League Baseball. Later on, he would return home on a sacrifice fly hit by Rowdy Tellez, the first of three that Tellez would hit and set a record for the Pirates in a single game.

With the score tied at six, in the ninth inning, Connor Joe reached base on a single through the left side of the infield, moving Michael A. Taylor to pinch run, setting up the game’s biggest wager. Coach Tarrik Brock of first base saw a chance to run, and with two on and no one out, Andrew McCutchen and Taylor executed a double steal to advance the tying run ninety feet.

“We took a good chance in a situation where we thought we were going to take a chance,” manager Derek Shelton said.

Cruz then hit a ball off home plate for a fielder’s choice that tied the game, and Gonzales won it with a line drive to left on the next pitch.

Shelton remarked, “To come out and play as complete a game as we did and do all the little things we needed to do, yeah, I was really excited about how they responded.”

It’s only one victory, but considering the season’s circumstances, it might be greater. The Pirates have a 49-48 record and are once again above 500. They started winning before the All-Star break and have already won five straight. With just nine games remaining before the July 30 trade deadline, the team is looking to add players, but each victory helps to strengthen their argument for being aggressive. This is also the season’s hardest stretch, the first of nine series against winning clubs vying for a postseason berth.

The clubhouse’s objective has been to make the playoffs the entire year. The Pirates believe they are making progress in that direction right now.

“We talk about it a lot,” Tellez stated. “We’ve had a couple guys in here win some World Series. With Milwaukee, we made it to the playoffs every year. Younger players, when they ask questions and want to talk through it, I always say, ‘There’s nothing more driving than getting to the playoffs.’ Once you’re there, that’s all you want the next year, over and over again. For a lot of us, when we talk about that kind of stuff, it resonates with guys. We’re in a good spot. But just talking it game-by-game.”

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Caitlin Clark declined a larger offer and invested in the team ownership bid despite earning a five-figure WNBA salary

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The investment group for FC Cincinnati stated that Caitlin Clark is contributing to a bid for a Cincinnati-based National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team.

“The NWSL Cincinnati bid team is thrilled that Caitlin Clark has joined our ownership group in pursuit of bringing women’s professional soccer to our city,” the announcement read.

“Her passion for the sport, commitment to elevating women’s sports in and around the Greater Cincinnati region and influence as an athlete and a role model for women and girls around the world make her a vital part of our compelling bid to become the 16th team in the NWSL.”

Cincinnati joins Cleveland and Denver as the third finalist for an expansion bid.

The amount that Clark contributed to the proposal has not been made public.

According to 2024 Sportico data, the average NWSL team is worth $104 million. At $250 million, Los Angeles’ Angel City FC is the league’s most valuable team, while the Chicago Red Stars are the least valuable at $53 million.

Clark’s investment would certainly surpass her whole yearly WNBA pay if it were even close to 1% of the average franchise’s total worth.

The Impact Of Caitlin Clark On Men’s Basketball In Detail

In the first year of her rookie deal with the WNBA, Clark earned $76,535 in salary. She will earn $78,066 next year.

Joining the new Unrivaled 3-on-3 league, which will take place during the WNBA summer, gave Clark the opportunity to augment her basketball revenue. Clark was apparently being offered more than $1 million by Unrivaled. Clark, however, declined. Like other WNBA players, she declined chances to play professional basketball in Europe.

This offseason, Clark played a little amateur golf, but she has mostly been going to Taylor Swift concerts and other athletic events, such as Butler University college basketball games, which are coached by her boyfriend.

It will be April 2025 before she reports to training camp for her second WNBA season.

Clark is thought to have numerous more sources of income from endorsement deals, though.

Over the course of eight years, Clark’s endorsement contract with Nike is worth roughly $28 million. This contract covers Nike marketing initiatives, product endorsements, and promotional appearances.

She also has agreements with Goldman Sachs, Wilson Sporting Goods, Gatorade, Bose, State Farm, Buick, H&R Block, Topps, and Shoot-A-Way.

Hy-Vee even makes a cereal that she calls “Caitlin’s Crunch Time.”

Since Clark keeps her spending habits under wraps, not much else is known about her lifestyle. However, if the city wins the expansion franchise, everyone will know if she is responsible for her investment in the Cincinnati FC proposal. Clark’s involvement as an investor might influence the choice.

Swift and Clark were recently featured on the cover of Time magazine’s Inspiring Women special edition issue, which highlighted eight women in leadership roles, including several athletes.

Clark appeared in all 15 of the WNBA’s most watched games from the previous season.

The willingness of Cincinnati residents to support a professional women’s soccer club might therefore have a significant impact on her financial future if that secures her investment group the NWSL team.

In 2023, Cincinnati’s median household income was $54,314. In 2022, the median household income in the Cincinnati metro region was $75,062, which is somewhat higher than the median for the entire country. Women make up more than half of Cincinnati’s population.

The WNBA does not have a team in Cincinnati. It does, however, have FC Cincinnati, a men’s professional soccer team in Major League Soccer. The city’s only professional sports teams are the Reds of Major League Baseball and the Bengals of the NFL.

Since turning pro, Clark’s fiercest WNBA competitor has already acknowledged having financial difficulties.

In an October social media post, Chicago Sky star Angel Reese acknowledged that she is unable to use her WNBA earnings to cover her rent. Reese earned $73,439 as a rookie with the Sky, but her annual rent of $8,000 is $96,000.

Reese said to her audience, “I just hope y’all know,” that “the WNBA don’t pay my bills at all. I don’t even think that pays one of my bills. Literally. I’m trying to think of my rent for where I stay at. Let me do the math real quick.”

“I’m living beyond my means!” Reese said with a laugh after realizing her pay and what she was paying.

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Some ‘telekinesis’ helps the Utah Jazz defeat the Mavericks 115-113 for their first home victory

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To be honest, after the 3-pointer he had just made, that was the only suitable reaction. Clarkson almost double-dribbled, almost ran out of time, and then almost committed a backcourt violation. His shaky running 3-pointer from the wing instead went in.

At the end, he could have done the same.

To be honest, after the 3-pointer he had just made, that was the only suitable reaction. Clarkson almost double-dribbled, almost ran out of time, and then almost committed a backcourt violation. His shaky running 3-pointer from the wing instead went in.

After catching Dallas in a preswitch, Clarkson zipped a pass under the rim to a wide-open John Collins. With 6.4 seconds left, he made an uncontested two-handed slam that proved to be the game-winning basket as Utah defeated the Mavericks 115-113.

During that last possession, Luka Doncic was on Collins down low. Doncic had his sights set on the corner, and Quentin Grimes started to cheat up the wing to meet Collins, who seemed to be expecting him to run up to set a pick for Clarkson.

The issue? He was left alone in the most hazardous area of the court when Collins chose not to go up.

“I’m just happy me and John had some, like, telekinesis action going on,” Clarkson stated. “I mean, he just read my eyes and knew what I was looking for.”

“Me and JC were just like looking at each other: ‘You gonna be open?'” Collins grinned as he spoke. “You can see JC saying (with his eyes), ‘No stay, Here you go.’ And it was just like a great play that shows our chemistry. We always had a JC-to-JC connection. JC made a great read, finished the play, and we finally got a home win.”

Collins completed a 28-point evening with the final dunk, maintaining his impressive recent play.

After it appeared that the home team was losing the game, he scored Utah’s final two baskets. Utah led by 16 points early in the fourth quarter after a solid third quarter, which has been unusual for the Jazz this season. Doncic then guided Dallas to victory.

The Dallas star finished the game with nine assists and 37 points. With 1:33 left, he helped Derrick Lively, giving the Mavericks a two-point advantage.

At that moment, Utah appeared to have no answer for a Mavericks team on the rise and was without Lauri Markkanen, who was hurt in the eye and missed the end of the game.

Collins and Clarkson supplied one.

“JC and John were unbelievable down the stretch,” Hardy stated. “Their poise really stood out. JC, made big plays. John made big plays all night. His energy is infectious for us.”

Clarkson finished a 3-point play on the other end after he was knocked down by a bucket. Then, with 36.7 seconds left, Collins dunk after rebounding a rejected Clarkson jumper to put Utah ahead 3 points.

Klay Thompson’s wing three to tie the game only served to set up the last play by Clarkson and Collins.

“They got confused on whether they were switching or not—sort of two guys went back out towards the corner and JC threw him a dart,” Hardy recalled. “But that’s JC and John understanding the moment together.”

Collin Sexton ended with 16 points and five rebounds, while Clarkson finished with 20 points and four assists. Kyle Filipowski scored 11 of his 14 points in a dominant second quarter, and Lauri Markkanen added 14 points before he left.

Six of the Jazz’s players were in double figures.

“Tonight’s not about like the X’s and O’s piece, the tactical piece. It was about the mental and the physical toughness the team showed throughout and really stuck with it against a good team tonight. That’s what we’re looking for,” Hardy stated.

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Dodgers Unveil Plans for Friday Parade and Stadium Celebration

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The Dodgers announced Wednesday night that they would celebrate their World Series victory on Friday with a parade in Downtown Los Angeles and a special ticketed event at Dodger Stadium. The full broadcast of both tournaments will be available on AM 570, local television stations, and Spectrum SportsNet LA. Fans will not be able to attend both events due to scheduling conflicts, transportation, and logistical issues.

The parade will start at Gloria Molina Grand Park on Spring Street in front of City Hall at 11 a.m. PT. The procession will begin with an official kickoff by Mayor Karen Bass and go for 45 minutes from 1st Street to Grand Avenue to 5th Street, ending at the corner of 5th and Flower Street. Dodgers players will ride double-decker buses during the parade. Due to extensive street closures and a shortage of public parking, those who desire to join the parade are strongly recommended to use public transportation.

At around 12:15 p.m., a special ticketed event at Dodger Stadium will start after the procession. The stadium’s entrance gates will open at 9 a.m., and parking gates for attendees will open at 8:30 a.m. There will be food and merchandise for sale. Before the team arrives, there will be entertainment inside the stadium, including DodgerVision scoreboards that will show the parade. This event will be subject to all Dodger Stadium policies and procedures, including the reminder that signs, bags, and other objects that are prohibited by our policies are not allowed.

At 9:30 a.m., SportsNet LA and local networks CBS 2, NBC 4, KTLA 5, ABC 7, KCAL 9, and Fox 11 will start airing coverage of every event on Friday. On AM 570, there will be radio coverage.

The Los Angeles Dodger Foundation, which is working to address the most important issues confronting Los Angeles with a mission to enhance social justice, health care, education, and homelessness for all Angelenos, will get a part of the stadium event’s earnings.

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