Not every game needs fast movement or complicated controls to keep players engaged. That's Not My Neighbor takes a different approach by turning everyday observation into the main challenge. The premise is straightforward: you work as a doorman at an apartment building, responsible for deciding whether people are allowed inside. The difficulty arises because some visitors may not be who...

The Boston Red Sox keep rolling.The hottest team in baseball defeated the Athletics 13-1 at Fenway Park on Friday, Aug. 7, and while the bats did plenty of damage again, on this night it was all about the Payton Tolle show.The second-year lefthander mowed down the A's, striking out a career-high 14 batters in his six innings of work. He gave up just two hits and no walks, firing 61 of his 84 pitches for strikes. He was perfect through four innings and struck out the side in the second and fourth. After an infield single to start the sixth, he struck out the last three batters he faced.Tolle walked off the mound with a 9-1 lead, which the Red Sox then extended to 11-1 in the bottom of the sixth.They finished with 15 hits as they put up double-digit runs for the third time in four games.Boston has now won nine games in a row and is a scorching hot 18-3 since the All-Star break. But the Red Sox's hot streak started well before that. After falling to 32-46 on June 24, the Red Sox now sit at 64-51. Their 32-5 stretch has put them well inside wild card position and in striking distance of the AL-best Tampa Bay Rays.This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Payton Tolle strikes out 14 A's as Red Sox run winning streak to 9

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Chase Utley is still the man in Philadelphia.A six-time All-Star and the second baseman on the 2008 World Series championship team, Utley can also call himself a Phillies Wall of Famer.Utley is the third member of that championship team to earn induction, and former teammate Jimmy Rollins greeted him during a star-studded celebration Friday night that included Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton with his Phillies Wall of Fame jersey.Utley looked as comfortable giving a speech no F-bombs this time like the one infamously dropped during his World Series parade speech in the jersey as he was when wore it as one of the best second baseman in baseball and helped lead the Phillies to five straight NL East pennants from 2007 to 2011.His plaque now hangs in the left field plaza at Citizens Bank Park.Might his No. 26 be next on the outfield concourse wall with other retired numbers such as Roy Halladay's No 34 or Richie Ashburn's No. 1?If no one wears my number any time soon, I'm fine with it, Utley said. But if they want to, if somebody wants my number, good luck.Utley played 13 seasons in Philadelphia before he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015. He retired in 2018 with a .275 average, .823 OPS, and 1,885 hits.No Phillie has worn No. 26 since Utley was traded. He is now special assistant to the president for the Dodgers.The sweet-swinging Utley is perhaps the most popular player in franchise history. He was beloved for his hustle, heart and all-out attitude. Fans fell in love with Utley from the moment he ran not jogged around the bases after hitting a grand slam for his first hit in the majors. Their affection for Utley grew legendary after he scored from second base on an infield grounder and Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Kalas declared: Chase Utley, you are the man.We used to joke he ran angry out there, Wall of Fame outfielder Pat Burrell said with a laugh during his introduction speech.Former teammate Ryan Howard unveiled the Wall of Fame plaque, team owner John Middleton presented Utley with his ring and actor Rob Mac whose It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia character simply wanted to have a catch with Utley handed him a replica of the plaque.With the Phillies induction done, Utley is aware another one potentially looms in the future in Cooperstown. Utley appears on track for Hall of Fame induction after he received 59.1% of the vote in his third year on the ballot, up from the 39.8% he received the previous ballot. Players are required to receive 75% of the votes for induction.You can't not pay attention to it once you're in the conversation, Utley said. Obviously, I'm honored that I'm part of that conversation. I had a great time here. I had some incredible teammates that definitely made me a better player, and I love that I'm part of the conversation. I guess we'll what happens.There was one more Utley touch in his honor for the night.The Phillies ditched their usual Friday night City Connect uniforms for their traditional home pinstripes.Bryce Harper suggested the change.I've had plenty of time now since I've stopped playing to reflect on how this was such an amazing time, not only for me but my family and the team, the coaches, everyone within this organization, Utley said. It was an incredible time to be a Philadelphia Phillie.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 25: General sky view of Oracle Park before a MLB game between the Athletics and the San Francisco Giants on June 25, 2026 at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA. (Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe San Francisco Giants head back home to Oracle Park tonight to begin a three-game series against the Detroit Tigers. As of the time this is being written, the Giants have not yet announced a starting pitcher for tonights game. Good old element of surprise. Gotta love the consistency there. Anyway, you can head down to the comments to see more up to date information. Whoever it ends up being will be facing off against Tigers right-hander Keider Montero, who enters tonights game with a 3.17 ERA, 3.71 FIP, with 81 strikeouts to 25 walks in 116.1 innings pitched. His last start was in the Tigers 11-0 win over the Athletics on Sunday, in which he allowed just two hits and two walks with two strikeouts in six innings. Join the conversation!Sign up for a user accountand get:Fewer adsCreatecommunity postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!Game #116Who:San Francisco Giants (48-67) vs. Detroit Tigers (56-59)Where:Oracle Park, San Francisco, CaliforniaWhen:7:15 p.m. PTRegional broadcast:NBC Sports Bay AreaNational broadcast:n/aRadio:KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

Defending champion Ben Shelton of United States defeated Zizou Bergs of Belgium to reach the fourth round of the ATP Montreal Masters hardcourt tournament (Minas Panagiotakis)Ben Shelton threw down eight aces and produced three love games in the second set in dominating Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-2 on Friday in reaching the fourth round of the ATP Montreal Masters.Fifth seed Shelton, highest-ranked man remaining in a severely depleted field, improved his chance for a second straight title in Canada with the rout in 65 minutes.The American profitted from foot faults and double-faults from his Belgian opponent in advancing to a round of 16 for the first time this season."It was a good day for me, I managed the match well," said 23-year-old Shelton. "He came out serving extremely well. I had to make some adjustments."I found a way to break his serve and kept the foot on the gas when I got the lead."Shelton play for a repeat spot in the last eight when he faces Brazilian teenager Joao Fonesca, who defeated ninth seed Casper Ruud 7-6 (8/6), 6-3.Fonseca recovered after a slow start, trailing the Norwegian 4-2 before fighting his way back into contention.The youngster finished off the win after leading 5-2, claiming victory on a second match point winner into the empty court."It was not easy at the start. He was serving well," the Brazilian said. "I fought to finally get the win."Fonseca said he learned much after beating Ruud at Roland Garros: "Playing with the big guys this year was really important for my development.When it comes to Shelton, Fonseca said, "I think I'll be prepared. He's a nice guy. I don't need to say how good he is on court. I'm just trying to rest and be prepared."Tallon Griekspoor followed up his defeat of top-seeded Roland Garros champion Alexander Zverev, with the Dutchman gaining late momentum and getting through a rough patch for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 defeat of Matteo Arnakdi.The Italian French Open semi-finalist took early command before Griekspoor took motivation throughplayer box instructions from Swedish coach Thomas Hogstedt and turned the match on its head.- 'I'm pleased' -World number 66 Griekspoor went up two breaks in the deciding set against the 2024 Canadian semi-finalist, lost one of them but broke back for victory in his third match point after more than two hours."Tennis is such a tricky sport. It's never over until the last ball is hit," Griekspoor said. "I tried to stay focused, I'm happy with how I managed."I've had a good level in practice but was not able to convert it to the match court. Today was not easy but I'm pleased after a win like this."I was far from my best but I'm happy I played myself into the match to win it."Griekspoor will bid for a quarter-final place when he takes on Spaniard Daniel Merida, who put out Alex Michelsen 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-1, saving two match points in the second set for the American.Merida, who had never won a tour-level hardcourt match prior to this week, arrived in Canada after winning the Umag title on clay in Croatia last month.Czech Jakub Mensik advanced pastTerence Atmane 7-5 6-4, winningback-to-back matches for the first time since reaching the semis two months ago in Paris to break fresh ground in Canada.He will next play Botic Van De Zandschulp, who beat Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.str/js

WE HAVE RECRUITING NEWS!The summers always a good time for recruiting news, since the next recruiting class gets to sign their letters of intent coming up in early November and why not get your decision out of the way before your senior year starts? Whatever the reason, Marquette mens basketball has their first Class of 2027 commitment as of Friday morning after top 150 prospect Marlon Martinez announced that hell be attending college in Milwaukee and playing for head coach Shaka Smart.View this post on Instagram247 Sports lists Marlon Martinez as a 64, 200 pound shooting guard out of Florida, where he attends The Academy of Central Florida. I presume that this is not a prep academy connected to UCF even though its a 15 minute drive away in Orlando. In any case, Martinez is ranked at #119 in the country in 247 Sports internal system and #140 in the country in their Composite Rankings. Hes at #117 in the country according to Rivals/On3, but their Industry ranking has him at #135. Why do both combination have him lower? Probably because ESPN doesnt have him in the top 100. ESPN does grade Martinez at 78 and a three-star prospect, and considering that their top 100 ends at 82 in the four-star category, you get why 247 and Rivals have the combo number a bit lower. It doesnt appear that Martinez ever had a cutdown list of options. At the very least, he didnt trim things down after taking an official visit to Marquette right before the Golden Eagles went on their tour of Canada. I think its interesting that Dushawn London from 247 Sports lists Martinez at 65 and 180 pounds in the graphic that he posted to announce that visit, seeing as thats different from what his official 247 Sports page says about him. In any case, Martinez wasnt short on high major attention, as he also had offers from the like of Illinois, Mississippi State, and Ohio State. View this post on InstagramWould you like a scouting report from late May from 247s Adam Finkelstein?Martinez is a gifted offensive player who is not only very skilled, but poses a difficult match-up for opposing perimeter defenders because of his size and length. He has a broader frame with a nearly 6-foot-10 wingspan and natural strength, but plenty of room to keep improving his conditioning and defining his frame. He also has the versatility to play both on and off the ball. He can operate like a jumbo initiator and create offense for himself and his teammates, but also be valuable off the ball with his three-point shooting.Martinez isnt just skilled, but smooth and crafty with the ball. He may not be a naturally explosive athlete, but he has some sneaky burst to the rim and can then elongate his strides through the lane. He has a very fluid release to his pull-up game, and is just as dangerous from long-range as he is in the mid-range area. He shot 48% from behind the arc in FIBA play this year, and while he has more of a set-shot off the catch, he possesses definite gravity spacing the floor and the ability to make movement threes.He averaged 19 points, nearly 6 rebounds, and 4 assists for the Dominican Republic in the FIBA U18 Americas, leading the tournament in scoring while posting shooting splits of 58/48/89. Hes not always quite that efficient in other settings though. His defensive commitment can waiver and there are times when he can dominate the ball. Being consistent in those areas, and simultaneously continuing to develop his body, will help take his game to new levels, but the bottom line is hes a big guard with long arms who can make shots and plays alike.Lets talk about that FIBA U18 AmeriCup mention in that last paragraph. Martinez played for the Dominican Republic in that event, which was back in early June. The DR went 2-1 in group play, losing only to eventual champion Canada. That put them in second place in that group, but unfortunately they took a quarterfinal loss to Brazil in the knockout round. They also lost to Venezuela in the consolation group before beating Mexico to end up with a 7th place finish in the eight team event. Considering that Martinez led the entire tournament in scoring, plus led the Dominican team in rebounding and was second in assists and third in both blocks and steals, I dont think we can really pin any of the difficulties on him very quickly. Is he going to shoot 65% on two-pointers and 48% on three-pointers for the rest of his life? Probably not, but he did all that on a very big stage. Can I interest you in six minutes of highlights from that AmeriCup run? While youre watching, keep in mind that Ben Steele from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has reported that Marquette coaches were present in Mexico for some of these games.And now, the brand new scholarship chart.The intriguing part here is that Marquette only had two scholarships open as of yesterday for the Class of 2027, and if were being honest, 65, 180 pound shooting guard/wing is not exactly a spot of need for Marquette, and not really until 2029 when the Golden Eagles will be projected to lose both Nolan Minessale and Damarius Owens. Now, I would like to refer back to Martinez averaging just under four assists per game in the AmeriCup, and if hes got that kind of distribution skills, perhaps he can earn a few minutes playing behind Nigel James for a couple of years while also filling in at the 2 and the 3 as well. With Sananda Fru possibly being done after this season even with the 5 years/5 seasons rule in place Fru was granted two years of eligibility when he first joined Louisville it would certainly look like Marquette is going to be in the market for a new starting center come next April. With just one scholarship projected as open right now, it would certainly look like that spot has to be reserved for that big man, even if it is Fru being allowed to return for one more year than previously expected.Follow Anonymous Eagle on social mediaFacebook:AnonymousEagleInstagram:AnonymousEagleSBNBluesky:AnonymousEagle

VJ Edgecombe had to control his excitement when talking to new teammate LeBron James originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.Like many young NBA players, VJ Edgecombe grew up watching an NBA that had LeBron James as the best player. In fact, Edgecombe was not even born when James joined the NBA in 2003; he was born in 2005. As he was growing up, Edgecombe kept learning from NBA stars, including James.Now, Edgecombe will be playing alongside James on the Philadelphia 76ers starting lineup. That would have been a wild statement to make last season, but it would have been even more unbelievable for Edgecombe, who had to grind to reach the NBA.VJ Edgecombe knew he had to contain his excitement about teaming up with LeBron JamesAs a kid who grew up in The Bahamas, Edgecombe regularly watched the Miami Heat. He saw Dwyane Wade as one of his idols, which meant he got to watch LeBron all the time back in the Heatles days. Of course, he was quite young from 2010 to 2014, but he still remembers those days.While Edgecombe modeled his game after Wade, he still appreciates what James has done to the NBA. For VJ's entire life, LeBron has been a superstar, so it is easy for him to respect and appreciate him. Now, he can get a closer look at it because he will be playing alongside the four-time Finals MVP.MORE:Jaylen Brown sees a promising VJ Edgecombe shining in his new roleWhen Edgecombe found out that James was joining the 76ers, it was clear that he was giddy about it. In private, he was celebrating James' arrival, but when he spoke to his new teammate, he knew he had to control his excitement a bit."It's amazing. I FaceTimed Bron; I was in disbelief. I had to act cool; I had to act like I've been there before. I'm on the phone, all cool, and stuff. I had headphones on, playing the game, you know what I'm saying? Had to act cool, but it was Bron; I was geeking," Edgecombe said about his FaceTime call with James to Overtime.There is a narrative about Edgecombe potentially being the loser of this new 76ers team. However, it seems VJ is ready to learn and prove that he is one of the league's most promising players who will be learning from the likes of James and Jaylen Brown.More NBA news:Mike Gansey's latest update about Joel Embiid is quite encouraging for the 76ers and their fansAggression in the market benefited the 76ers with Jaylen Brown and LeBron James acquisitionsHow Jaylen Brown spoke about hisdynamic with Jayson Tatum76ers fans are concerned with Joel Embiid after a new viral photoGrant Williams speaks aboutJaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum's relationship

BOSTON (AP) Payton Tolle struck out a career-high 14 in six innings, Wilyer Abreu drove in three runs, and the Boston Red Sox won their ninth game in a row with a 13-1 rout of the Athletics on Friday night.The Red Sox are just the seventh team since 1920 to win 27 or more in a 30-game span, and the only team to begin their run under .500.Tolle (7-6) was the first Red Sox pitcher to fan 14 since Chris Sale on May 8, 2019. He was perfect through four innings, and allowed one run on two hits.Jarren Duran's two-run homer over the Green Monster in left field opened the scoring and sparked Boston's five-run second inning. Jake Rogers had an RBI double, and Abreu added a two-run double.Abreu's 380-foot double to right would have been a homer in every MLB ballpark except for Fenway Park, per Statcast.Three more came across in the fourth off the bats of Andruw Monasterio, Abreu, and Masataka Yoshida. Yoshida and Caleb Durbin each added one more to get the Red Sox into double-digit scoring for the second consecutive game.Jack Perkins (2-8) gave up five runs on five hits in three innings. He struck out three and walked three.Tyler Soderstrom's leadoff homer in the fifth ended Tolle's no-hit bid.Up nextAthletics LHP Gage Jump (4-7, 4.59 ERA) gets the start opposite Red Sox LHP Jake Bennett (7-4, 2.90) in the middle game of the series.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Raheem Morris spent three years with Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay. Now, as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, he has to help beat his old team and now-rival in the NFC West.Morris was asked after Thursday's practice how often he finds himself trying to get inside the head of the Rams' head coach, including what McVay is thinking about his offense and what McVay is thinking about Morris' defense. The 49ers coordinator admitted that those mental gymnastics never dissipate."That would be every day, coach," Morris said. "That's constantly going through your mind, right? Being a familiar face in that building and kind of knowing what those guys do but knowing they're going to bring their very best every single time they go out there."Morris was careful to note that familiarity only goes so far against a staff that continues to evolve."They get better and better every single year," he said. "You've got to be able to go out there and plan for some of that type of stuff, along with finding out who's going to make your football team."For now, that game-planning work is secondary to the more immediate task of building San Francisco's own roster and scheme through training camp. Morris described the process as constant but not something demanding full attention until later in the year."You have those moments throughout the course of the summer. You have those moments throughout camp," Morris said, describing how situational reps this time of year are designed with future opponents in mind. "You tie it together, create some similarities to what you can do when you play those people so you can have carryover for you guys to make it simple."Morris has a keen advantage given his former proximity to the best offense in the NFL last year. He knows Matthew Stafford's intricacies, Puka Nacua's tendencies, Davante Adams' abilities and Kyren Williams' skills. But they also know Morris. Now, the 49ers coordinator needs to turn his knowledge into strength for a 49ers defense that wasn't very good in 2025 and is still dealing with some injuries. The return of Nick Bosa and the arrival of players like veteran Osa Odighizuwa and rookies Romello Height and Gracen Halton should help, but ultimately it will depend on how Morris can craft a team that can take down the biggest competitors in the division. This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers coach says he's always trying to read Rams coach's mind

Aug 2, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Detroit Tigers center fielder Max Clark (center) celebrates with teammates after defeating the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectDetroit Tigers(56-59) vs.San Francisco Giants(48-67)Time/Place: 10:15 p.m., Pracle ParkSB Nation Site:McCovey ChroniclesMedia: Detroit SportsNet,MLB.TV, Tigers Radio NetworkPitching Matchup: RHP Keider Montero (8-6, 3.17 ERA) vs. RHP JT Brubaker (0-0,3.17 ERA)PlayerGIPK%BB%GB%FIPfWARMontero24116.117.45.441.43.702.2Brubaker3454.016.510.139.64.000.2West coast trip continues in SF 10:15 PM ET @WatchDSN @971theticketxyt Oracle Park pic.twitter.com/JXybYHR189 Detroit Tigers (@tigers) August 7, 2026Back for the start of a nine-game homestand : 7:15 p.m. PT: @OracleParkSF: @NBCSGiants | KNTV: @KNBR | KSFN#SFGiants | @CocaColapic.twitter.com/ogSD8FGvRW SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 7, 2026Join the conversation!Sign up for a user accountand get:Fewer adsCreatecommunity postsComment on articles, community postsRec comments, community postsNew, improved notifications system!