Sports

(NEW YORK) — Megan Rapinoe is saying goodbye to the U.S. Women’s National Team.

In an emotional post that the U.S. soccer star shared on Instagram after the USWNT’s heartbreaking loss against Sweden earlier this week, which resulted in their elimination from the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Rapinoe reflected on the sport she loves most and the women she shared the game with over the years.

“This game is so beautiful, even in its cruelest moments,” Rapinoe wrote. “This group was so very special, and I am immensely proud of every single one of us. This team is in special hands as I walk away, just like it always was, and always will be. Because that is what this team is all about.”

“We lay it all out on the line every single time. Fighting with everything that we have, for everything we deserve, for every person we possibly can,” Rapinoe continued.

“It has been my honor to play for our country, with so many incredible woman, for so many years,” she said. “Thank you, a million times over. ❤️”

Rapinoe, who served as co-captain of the team from 2018 to 2020, announced in July that she would be retiring from the sport after the 2023 World Cup and this year’s National Women’s Soccer League season.

“I just want to be able to soak in every moment, share it with teammates and friends and family and share with the rest of the world,” the soccer star said during a press conference. “I could have just never imagined where this beautiful game would have taken me.”

During her illustrious career, she has won two World Cups, gold and silver Olympic Medals, and the FIFA Women’s World Cup Golden Ball and Golden Boot.

Off the field, Rapinoe has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, racial equality and pay equity. With her help, U.S. Soccer and the unions for both the men’s and women’s national teams reached an agreement last year that will achieve “equal pay and set the global standard moving forward in international soccer.”

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Thursday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
St. Louis 5, Tampa Bay 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Baltimore 5, Houston 4
Detroit 3, Minnesota 0
Cleveland 4, Toronto 3
Boston 2, Kansas City 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 7, Atlanta 5
Philadelphia 6, Washington 2
LA Dodgers 2, Colorado 1

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PRESEASON
Seattle 24 Minnesota 13
Houston 20, New England 9

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Indiana 91, Minnesota 73
Seattle 68, Atlanta 67
Phoenix 90, Connecticut 84

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LAS VEGAS) — Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for a deadly crash in Las Vegas.

Ruggs, 24, pleaded guilty in May to one count of driving under the influence resulting in death, a felony, and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the 2021 crash, which killed a 23-year-old woman and her dog.

Judge Jennifer Schwartz said this was “one of the more tragic cases that I’ve seen” before formally sentencing Ruggs in Clark County District Court on Wednesday. The judge said her sentence adhered to the terms of the plea agreement, under which Ruggs will be eligible for parole after three years.

Ruggs addressed the court prior to his sentencing. He apologized to the family of Tina Tintor, who died from thermal injuries in the crash along with her dog, Max.

Ruggs said he’s spent the past 21 months searching to “find answers to explain my selfish behavior on that day.”

“I have no excuse and pray that accepting responsibility and my guilty plea can allow me to begin the healing process and to allow everyone involved to heal also,” he said.

In a statement read by a family representative prior to the sentencing, Tintor’s family said she was “killed in the most tragic yet preventable way.”

“Our Tina was special to us in that she was unlike any other. Her perspective on the world made everyone around her better,” the family said.

Ruggs was driving 156 mph seconds before he slammed his Corvette into the back of a Toyota SUV in Las Vegas, according to police.

Ruggs refused a field sobriety test, according to police, but prosecutors said he had a blood alcohol level of 0.161% — more than twice the legal limit in Nevada.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped several other charges, including felony reckless driving. The Clark County District Attorney’s Office said it agreed to a plea deal because there was a “legitimate concern” that the court would have suppressed the result of the blood draw and prosecutors could have lost the felony DUI charge, the most serious charge Ruggs faced.

“This resolution sends Ruggs to prison for up to 10 years on a felony DUI conviction and brings closure to the Tintor family,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said in May.

Ruggs was released by the Raiders hours after the crash.

The former first-round pick said in court Wednesday he is now committed to “creating greater awareness” about the dangers of driving impaired and excessive speed.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Wednesday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
St. Louis 6, Tampa Bay 4
LA Angels 4, San Francisco 1
Seattle 6, San Diego 1

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Oakland 2, Texas 0
Boston 4, Kansas City 3
Detroit 9, Minnesota 5
Toronto 1, Cleveland 0
Houston 8, Baltimore 2
Chi White Sox 9, NY Yankees 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Miami 5, Cincinnati 4
Milwaukee 7, Colorado 6
Philadelphia 7, Washington 0
NY Mets 4, Chi Cubs 3
Atlanta 6, Pittsburgh 5
LA Dodgers 2, Arizona 0

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(LAS VEGAS) — Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for a deadly crash in Las Vegas.

Ruggs, 24, pleaded guilty in May to one count of driving under the influence resulting in death, a felony, and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the 2021 crash, which killed a 23-year-old woman and her dog.

Judge Jennifer Schwartz said this was “one of the more tragic cases that I’ve seen” before formally sentencing Ruggs in Clark County District Court on Wednesday. The judge said her sentence adhered to the terms of the plea agreement, under which Ruggs will be eligible for parole after three years.

Ruggs addressed the court prior to his sentencing. He apologized to the family of Tina Tintor, who died from thermal injuries in the crash along with her dog, Max.

Ruggs said he’s spent the past 21 months searching to “find answers to explain my selfish behavior on that day.”

“I have no excuse and pray that accepting responsibility and my guilty plea can allow me to begin the healing process and to allow everyone involved to heal also,” he said.

In a statement read by a family representative prior to the sentencing, Tintor’s family said she was “killed in the most tragic yet preventable way.”

“Our Tina was special to us in that she was unlike any other. Her perspective on the world made everyone around her better,” the family said.

Ruggs was driving 156 mph seconds before he slammed his Corvette into the back of a Toyota SUV in Las Vegas, according to police.

Ruggs refused a field sobriety test, according to police, but prosecutors said he had a blood alcohol level of 0.161% — more than twice the legal limit in Nevada.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped several other charges, including felony reckless driving. The Clark County District Attorney’s Office said it agreed to a plea deal because there was a “legitimate concern” that the court would have suppressed the result of the blood draw and prosecutors could have lost the felony DUI charge, the most serious charge Ruggs faced.

“This resolution sends Ruggs to prison for up to 10 years on a felony DUI conviction and brings closure to the Tintor family,” Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said in May.

Ruggs was released by the Raiders hours after the crash.

The former first-round pick said in court Wednesday he is now committed to “creating greater awareness” about the dangers of driving impaired and excessive speed.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Tuesday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
LA Angels 7, San Francisco 5
Seattle 2, San Diego 0
Tampa Bay 4, St. Louis 2

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Texas 6, Oakland 1
Detroit 6, Minnesota 0
Cleveland 1, Toronto 0
Houston 7, Baltimore 6
Kansas City 9, Boston 3
NY Yankees 7, Chi White Sox 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE
LA Dodgers 5, Arizona 4
Philadelphia 8, Washington 4
Miami 3, Cincinnati 2
Chi Cubs 3, NY Mets 2
Atlanta 8, Pittsburgh 6
Washington 5, Philadelphia 4
Colorado 7, Milwaukee 3

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Connecticut 81, Seattle 69
Los Angeles 87, Indiana 80
Minnesota 88, Chicago 79
Las Vegas 104, Dallas 84
Phoenix 91, Washington 72

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Monday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
San Francisco 8, LA Angels 3

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Texas 5, Oakland 3
Minnesota 9, Detroit 3
Toronto 3, Cleveland 1
Boston 6, Kansas City 2
Chi White Sox 5, NY Yankees 1

NATIONAL LEAGUE
N-Y Mets 11, Chi Cubs 2
Washington at Philadelphia (Postponed)
LA Dodgers 13, San Diego 7
Cincinnati 5, Miami 2
Pittsburgh 7, Atlanta 6
Milwaukee 12, Colorado 1

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(WASHINGTON) — President Joe Biden hosted the 2022 World Series champion Houston Astros to celebrate the team’s win on Monday, and focused on their work off the field, particularly in the wake of the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting.

The Astros beat the Philadelphia Phillies in November to win the 2022 World Series. Their win came about six months after the shooting rampage at Uvalde’s Robb Elementary School left 21 dead.

“You stepped up helping those most in need. And it matters — don’t underestimate it, guys. It’s an American thing to do. You showed up for the people in Uvalde when they needed it most,” Biden said.

Biden said the community was devastated, and the team stepped up to offer support.

“You showed up. You spent time with the surviving students. You gave them hope, you played ball in the park with them, you signed jerseys with the names of the children that were lost on them,” Biden said.

While the Astros were there to celebrate their athletic accomplishment, Biden continued to heap praise on the team for caring for their fans, saying that sports is about a lot more than winning – it’s about lifting people up and bringing people together, he said.

“I’ve done a lot of these. You’re an impressive group of men. I mean you really are — from management on down to ownership. I mean they care,” Biden said.

The Astros, who were off Monday ahead of a series in Baltimore, sent more than 100 people to the White House, including owner Jim Crane, team executives, players and coaches.

Biden recognized the team’s manager, Dusty Baker for his achievement, and also poked fun at himself.

“I tell you remarkable achievements led by, and this is not hyperbole, the legendary Dusty Baker. The worst part is, I remember rooting for him as a kid, I was older than he was. Dusty, it wasn’t easy, people counted you out, saying you’re past your prime. Hell, I know something about that,” Biden joked about the 74-year-old Baker. In 2020, Biden became the oldest president ever elected at 77 years old. He is now 80, and running for reelection in 2024.

The team presented Biden with a “Biden 46” Astros jersey and posed for a photo.

“Put me in, coach! I’m ready to play,” Biden quipped as he held up the jersey, according to pool reports.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(NEW YORK) — Here are the scores from Sunday’s sports events:

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

INTERLEAGUE
Philadelphia 8, Kansas City 4
Baltimore 2, NY Mets 0
Minnesota 5, Arizona 3
Texas 6, Miami 0
Oakland 8, San Francisco 6

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Chi White Sox 5, Cleveland 3
Toronto 13, Boston 1
Tampa Bay 10, Detroit 6
Houston 9, NY Yankees 7
Seattle 3, LA Angels 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pittsburgh 4, Milwaukee 1
Washington 6, Cincinnati 3
Colorado 1, St. Louis 0
Chi Cubs 6, Atlanta 4
LA Dodgers 8, San Diego 2

WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Atlanta 82, Indiana 73
Los Angeles 91, Washington 83
Chicago 104, Dallas 96
New York 99, Las Vegas 61

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(MELBOURNE, Australia) — The United States was knocked out of the World Cup by Sweden, in a match that pitted the reigning champions against a hard-charging team on a winning streak.

The game closed out 120 minutes of regulation play without a goal, despite the U.S. squad having several close calls. The even match-up continued into the nerve-wracking penalty kicks, which themselves went into sudden death.

The odds leaned back and forth during the kicks, with both Sweden’s Nathalie Björn and the U.S. star Megan Rapinoe missing their shots, which started a string of four-straight missed kicks. After Sweden’s Rebecka Blomqvist shot was saved, U.S.’s Sophia Smith missed her shot.

In the end, the ball crossed over the line after U.S. goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher blocked Lina Hurtig’s shot. Because she couldn’t save it again, the game was over. The final score was 5-4.

The U.S. squad were the favorites entering the tournament, having won the last two World Cups, held in 2019 and 2015. They were also top of the pile in 1999 and 1991.

But their footwork in the group stage didn’t equate to many goals, or victories. They handily beat Vietnam in a 3-0 match, but their matches against the Netherlands and Portugal both ended in draws.

They exited the group round with five points, trailing the Netherlands by two. This was the first time in Women’s World Cup history that the U.S. earned fewer than six points during the group stage.

Sunday’s match was the United States’ fourth-ever World Cup game to enter extra time, with all three prior going all the way to penalties.

Swedish goalkeeper Zecira Musovic made a few big saves, including stopping a strong charge by Alex Morgan in the final moment of regulation play.

The first half of play had been controlled by the U.S. team, which monopolized possession and had at least two shots on goal to Sweden’s zero. But the score was nil-nil at the midway point.

By midway through the second half, Sweden began to apply more pressure, with possession evening out. They put together a few set pieces that were closer to success than they’d had previously, but they still struggled to finish.

The U.S. squad wasn’t on its back foot, however, as they were still getting more chances on goal than their rivals, with two more shots on target.

Sweden’s first shot on goal came in the 85th minute.

Rapinoe, the star U.S. midfielder, entered the game in the eighth minute of extra time, with the scoreboard still blank. She was a member of previous World Cup-winning squads and this tournament is expected to be her last as a player.

Sweden, which was ranked third in the tournament, was the runner up in 2003, their top placement since the initial 1991 tournament.

They topped their group with nine points after handily trouncing Argentina, Italy and South Africa. Only two other teams, England and Japan, left the group round undefeated.

The United States and Sweden have played each other in every Women’s World Cup since 2003.

“It wouldn’t be a major tournament if we weren’t facing Sweden,” said Lindsey Horan, the U.S. captain.

The Round of 16 match began at 7 p.m. local time, or 5 a.m. ET, at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium.

Sweden now faces Japan in the quarterfinals.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.