Sports
Plaschke: Everybody chill! Dodgers are still in control of their World Series destiny
Relax. Deep breaths. Relax.
The Dodgers still own this. The Dodgers are still in control. The Dodgers still have the New York Mets right where they want them.
Two games at Dodger Stadium. Win one and advance to the World Series. Shohei Ohtani hot. Mookie Betts hotter. Andy Pages burning out of nowhere. A rested and nearly unhittable bullpen for Game 6. Walker Buehler prepared to throw legendary fists in a Game 7, if necessary.
Done deal, still.
Yes, the Dodgers blew their first shot at the Fall Classic on Friday night in a 12-6 loss to the Mets in Game 5 of the NLCS Friday at Citi Field, shrinking their lead to 3-2.
And yes, at one point it was a tad unsettling for your faithful correspondent when a fan sitting outside the press box spotted me and held up his phone containing my story from the previous day in which I proclaimed this series was over. The fan and his buddy began screaming at me, to which I now offer this reply.
Sir, I am doubling down.
The Dodgers are still going to win this series. They are still going to the World Series. It’s just going to take a tad longer than expected.
Yes, this was disappointing. But no, this is not disillusioning.
After spending their pregame interview sessions talking about how it felt to be on the precipice of the World Series, the Dodgers quickly fell into a loud and strange abyss that was an outlier, not a trend.
The singing, bouncing fans here were already fired up when the Temptations sang the national anthem before following up with “My Girl” in honor of Francisco Lindor’s walk-up song. The fans became even more inspired when Ohtani was stranded on third base in the first inning after surprisingly not scoring on a grounder to shortstop Lindor.
“I think he just had a brain cramp and locked up there,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts of Ohtani during an in-game broadcast interview, a rare critique of Superman.
The Dodgers’ hopes went downhill from there, thanks to a sudden weariness in pitcher Jack Flaherty’s right arm. That was the strange part. Five days after shutting down the Mets on two hits in seven innings in winning this series opener, Flaherty had nothing Friday night, his fastball was two mph slower than his usual, and the Mets clobbered him.
The Burbank kid desperately wanted to pitch the Dodgers into baseball’s main stage next week and, instead, he pitched them back to Chavez Ravine this weekend, a sweet story temporarily ruined.
Shortly after Flaherty took the mound, he gave up three runs on a Pete Alonso homer, then was shelled for five runs in the third inning on a variety of walks and hits, eventually allowing eight runs in three innings, just awful.
“He wasn’t sharp, clearly, he’s been fighting something,” Roberts said. “He’s been under the weather a little bit. So I don’t know if that bled into the stuff, the velocity. I’m not sure.”
Whatever, Flaherty is done doing NLCS damage, he won’t pitch again in this series, and his bad numbers don’t change the basic historical math.
Of the 93 teams that have taken three-games-to-one lead in a baseball series, 79 have won that series, a striking 85%.
Even though the Dodgers themselves bucked those odds in 2020 against the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS, there will be no upsets here.
The biggest remaining advantage for the Dodgers can be found in the players who didn’t play Friday. Thanks to Flaherty remaining in the game and wearing his struggles, guys such as Daniel Hudson, Blake Treinen, Michael Kopech and Evan Phillips remained rested for Game 6 Sunday, when all will be used in a bullpen game against the Mets’ Sean Manaea.
This will work. This has worked. The Dodgers relievers threw a shutout against the Padres in their biggest win of the season, and they could have won Game 2 in the NLCS if the Dodgers didn’t decide to insert rookie starter Landon Knack into their midst.
There will certainly be criticism from some corners that the Dodgers punted on Friday’s game too early, that they could have pulled Flaherty after he walked two batters and allowed a two-run double to Starling Marte at the start of the third inning to put the Dodgers in a 5-1 deficit. But knowing they had two home games in their pocket, and knowing they’ll need their high-leverage relievers for potentially both of them, Roberts made the right call.
If you don’t agree with Roberts, wait and see the outcome of Sunday’s bullpen game before trashing him.
“And so for me at 5-1, I’m not going to deploy our leverage guys knowing there’s a cost on the back end and appreciating the fact that there’s still more baseball to play in the series,” Roberts said.
The Dodgers’ other advantage is having Buehler ready for a possible Game 7 Monday night. And he’ll be ready. He pitched four three-hit shutout innings against the Mets in Game 3 while showing much of his old fire. If the Dodgers would want one pitcher on the mound in a winner-take-all game at this stage, it would be Buehler.
Besides the pitching edge, the Dodgers’ hitters are raking, with two home runs from Andy Pages and another long ball from Mookie Betts, nine hits and a brief shortening of a 10-2 deficit.
“It was good to see our guys fight back,” Roberts said. “Certainly offensively we’re in a really good spot.”
In many ways, the Dodgers are still in a really good spot.
Indeed, a series that should be done is not done.
But soon it will be.
Sports
Golf star records lowest round in LPGA major history with astounding performance at Evian Championship
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There are good days on the golf course, and then there is what Haeran Ryu just did on Saturday.
Ryu, 25, recorded the lowest round in LPGA major history on Saturday with an 11-under 60 at the Evian Championship. With the South Korean golfer’s historic round, she holds a three-stroke lead.
Ryu’s round comes just two weeks after winning her first major at the Women’s PGA Championship. On the 18th hole, Ryu left a 30-foot eagle putt a few inches short, and instead settled for a birdie.
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Haeran Ryu of South Korea reacts on the 18th green after the third round of The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, on July 11, 2026. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
She said after the round that she had no idea what she had done until she counted up her scorecard.
“But after the putt and I counted my score with my caddie,” she said. “Oh my God, it’s 11-under par today. It was so amazing. My caddie says, ‘Yep.’ I’m so happy right now.”
If Ryu had made the eagle putt on the 18th hole, she would have been just the second player to shoot a 59 in LPGA history.
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Haeran Ryu of South Korea celebrates a birdie on the 15th green during the third round of The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 11, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Her 60 broke the record for the lowest round in an LPGA major by one shot. Leona Maguire and Jeungeun Lee6 in 2021, and Hyo Joo Kim in 2014, each shot 61 at the Evian Championship, which was designated as an LPGA major in 2013.
The lowest round in a men’s major is 62, which is shared by four players — Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale in the 2017 British Open, Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler in the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, and Schauffele and Shane Lowry in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla.
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Haeran Ryu of South Korea and Lottie Woad of England interact after their round on the 18th green during the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, on July 11, 2026. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Ryu hopes her historic third round can help propel her to a second major win in three weeks.
“That is amazing, amazing dream,” Ryu said. “So I just want that one to come true, but we have one more day.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Taylor Crabb is no stranger to South California beaches. The Long Beach State alum returns home this weekend to compete in AVP League matches.
It marks the first time AVP will compete in Long Beach since 2020 and allows players to compete at the 2028 Olympics beach volleyball venue.
Crabb, 34, made his AVP debut in 2013 with his brother, Trevor, and advanced from the qualifier in Manhattan Beach before finishing 25th in his first tournament.
After years of competing with various different partners, Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh have delivered the top performances this AVP season.
The following interview with Crabb has been edited for clarity and length.
Are you excited to compete in this weekend’s event at Long Beach?
Crabb: Very excited. A lot of my college teammates and part of the school have reached out, saying that they’re gonna come. So I’m excited to get a chance to play in front of them again.
When was the last time you were in Long Beach?
Crabb: I always try to go down there for alumni events or any big games they have. I went to UCLA against Long Beach last year, when it was No. 1 versus No. 2, so I always try to get down there and support them.
You missed out on the chance to compete in the 2020 Olympics because of COVID-19 restrictions and chose not to pursue a spot at the 2024 Olympics. Are you fired up to try to compete in the 2028 Olympics, knowing that Long Beach will host the competition?
Crabb: Yeah, it’s definitely an exciting time having the Olympics in Long Beach, and we kind of get to break it in this weekend. As you said, Tokyo didn’t go the way I wanted, but I’m going full force now. I have a great partner in Andy Benesh, who obviously went to the Paris Olympics, and if it weren’t for the Olympics being in Long Beach, and me getting a partner like Andy, I’m not even sure I’d be going for it, but because of those two things, I want to make the most of it.
You mentioned that if it wasn’t for a partner like Andy, you wouldn’t be going for it. What do you mean by that?
Crabb: I didn’t feel motivated by playing in all the international events, but now, I think, sitting out kind of lit the fire under me, and I’m really motivated now.
You’ve had different partners throughout your time. What other motivation does Andy give you?
Crabb: He’s been, in my mind, the top blocker for the U.S. the last four or five years. Seeing the professionalism he brings every day to practice, on and off the court, while traveling and when showing up to tournaments, it rubs off on you and that’s really motivating to see. And I just want to make him proud.
Why do you love volleyball?
Crabb: A lot of reasons, but it’s just a feeling I have when I’m out there on the court. It feels natural. It feels like home. I was born into a volleyball family. I had a volleyball in my hands my entire life, so I’ve always just enjoyed it.
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CM Punk appeared on “Friday Night SmackDown” ready to take on any challenger that was ready to step to him after winning the Undisputed WWE Championship against Sami Zayn.
Punk entered the ring in Oklahoma City and called back to the “Monday Night Raw” after WrestleMania 42 when he told Cody Rhodes he’d be ready to deliver if a championship opportunity fell “out of the sky.”
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Cody Rhodes and CM Punk face off during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)
“When championship opportunities fall out of the sky, CM Punk catches them,” he said.
Punk named potential SmackDown superstars he’d think might come for the title, including Gunther, Finn Balor, Royce Keys, Damian Priest and Trick Williams. He even said that Zayn could come back around and get his rematch if he wanted. He didn’t mention Rhodes’ name, but the “American Nightmare” came out uncalled and marched his way down to the ring.
“I don’t think you and I can run away from each other anymore,” Punk told Rhodes.
Cody Rhodes looks on during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images)
Rhodes agreed and mentioned that Punk would want a match with him, just “say when.” It was a quick retort from Punk, who said, “when.” SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis, who was in the ring for the segment, booked the match for SummerSlam.
Punk will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam, which takes place Aug. 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
First, however, Punk and Rhodes will be involved in a tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event in New York City next week. Aldis made the match after Gunther demanded that Aldis put him in a match against Punk. Gunther was hoping it would be for the championship. Instead, Gunther will tag with Zayn.
Gunther didn’t take too kindly to that and attacked Aldis. Rhodes came back out to break up the calamity. He wanted to take on Gunther after the show went off air but Gunther walked away.
Gunther makes his entrance during SmackDown at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., on July 10, 2026. (Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)
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Punk definitely has his hands full as he moves to SmackDown to become a fighting champion.
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