Sparks can’t stop Rhyne Howard, Atlanta in lopsided loss

• July 3, 2023

COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — Rhyne Howard hit six 3-pointers and scored a career-high 43 points to help the Atlanta Dream set their single-game scoring record and the beat the Sparks 112-84 on Sunday.

Nneka Ogwumike led Los Angeles (7-10) with 25 points. Dearica Hamby scored 18 with eight rebounds, Auzra Stevens added 13 points and nine boards, and Zia Cooke scored 11 points.

Howard made 14 of 20 shots and came up one point shy of Atlanta’s single-game franchise record. Allisha Gray scored 15 points and Nia Coffey 13 for the Dream. Atlanta (7-8), which has won back-to-back games following a three-game skid, set a season high for points in a game and topped the 100-point plateau for the second time this season.

Howard made 9 of 12 from the field and scored 25 points before halftime, a team record for points in the first half and the most points scored by a WNBA player in a half this season. Howard’s 40-point performance was the fifth in the WNBA season, a single-season record. The previous high was three (in 2006, ’08, ’15).

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Angels use three home runs to beat Diamondbacks, avoid sweep

• July 3, 2023

ANAHEIM ― The Angels avoided a series sweep the hard way.

Facing the best pitcher on the best team in the National League West, on a day when they mustered only six hits, the Angels escaped their home confines with a 5-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks to snap their four-game losing streak.

Three hits made all the difference: a solo home run by Mike Trout in the first inning, a three-run shot by Mickey Moniak in the second, and the MLB-leading 31st home run by Shohei Ohtani in the eighth inning.

Moniak’s ninth home run of the season traveled 406 feet. Ohtani’s traveled 454 feet before it bounced into the darkness of a tunnel in the right-field bleachers, delighting the announced crowd of 29,167 at Angel Stadium.

“I took BP with Shohei one time and I looked like a 12-year-old hitting after him,” Moniak joked. “I think the biggest key as a left-handed hitter is to not try to do what he’s doing, just try to stay within myself. I think the results ― one, even if I do get one, I don’t think it’s going up there. And two, more often than not if I try to do that it’s not going to end up well.”

Zac Gallen (10-3) struck out Moniak on a two-strike curveball to begin the first inning. When the All-Star pitcher threw the same pitch on a 2-and-2 count in the second inning, Moniak was ready.

“Late spin has been something that’s a little bit of a bugaboo for him,” Angels manager Phil Nevin said of Moniak. “To see him get into a breaking ball there ― a big, big home run obviously.”

The game served as a measure of progress for both Moniak, 25, and the Angels’ 23-year-old starter, Reid Detmers (2-5).

Even though his “stuff wasn’t the best” by his own admission, Detmers made sure the early home runs by Trout and Moniak held up. He allowed three hits in six innings. Both of the runs he allowed came on a two-run homer by Carson Kelly in the second inning.

Detmers walked two batters and struck out nine. He was credited with his first win since June 8 following a string of three consecutive no-decisions. Over his last five starts, Detmers has lowered his ERA from 5.15 to 3.72.

The common thread in each of those games?

“Just pound the zone,” Detmers said. “I feel like my fastball’s been in the zone more, and that helps a lot. Everything can play off the fastball. If I’m in the zone with the fastball, things tend not to be a little easier but I have more success.”

Jose Soriano, Jacob Webb and Carlos Estevez each pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Estevez recorded his 21st save of the season.

The Angels finished their seven-game homestand with a 3-4 record to improve to 45-41 for the season. They’re six games behind the Texas Rangers (50-34) for first place in the American League West, and two games behind the Houston Astros and New York Yankees (46-38) for the final AL wild card berth.

Trout took advantage of a fastball over the middle of the plate, just above the knees, for his 18th home run of the season in the first inning.

After Kelly’s home run gave Arizona a 2-1 lead, Eduardo Escobar banged a long single off the wall in right field in the bottom of the second inning. David Fletcher lined a single into left-center field before Moniak’s three-run blast put the Angels in the lead for good at 4-2.

Ohtani’s home run against left-handed reliever Kyle Nelson was the cherry on top. It marked the 30th time ever, and the eighth time this season, that Ohtani and Trout have hit home runs in the same game.

While Trout and Ohtani will represent the Angels at the All-Star Game, their postseason hopes rest annually on how far the other 24 players on the roster will take them. This year, that includes a number of 25-and-younger players like Moniak and Detmers who are still developing at the major league level.

“This is always a teaching moment for everybody when you come to the field,” Nevin said. “I don’t think development stops when you get to the major league level. That’s our job to keep making them better ― and their teammates, really, teaching them how to learn. We have some good guys around them who are doing that.”

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Angels’ Shohei Ohtani named to All-Star Game pitching staff 

• July 2, 2023

ANAHEIM — Shohei Ohtani was selected to the American League pitching staff, the only Angels player added to the roster Sunday for MLB’s annual All-Star Game July 11 in Seattle.

Uniquely, Ohtani was already on the AL roster. On Thursday, he was chosen in an online poll to start at designated hitter, his third consecutive All-Star fan selection as a DH. Ohtani leads the major leagues in home runs with 30.

Among American League pitchers, Ohtani ranks seventh in ERA (3.02), fifth in WHIP (1.04), second in strikeouts (127), and first in opponents’ batting average against (.180).

Ohtani also started the 2021 All-Star Game in Denver as a pitcher and designated hitter. Manager Phil Nevin said he’s unsure if Ohtani will choose to pitch this year as well.

As the manager of the reigning pennant winner, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker is managing the AL All-Star team. He might be inclined to give one of his own pitchers the starting assignment as a ceremonial measure of respect.

Astros pitcher Framber Valdez leads the AL in ERA at 2.49, and has thrown more innings than Ohtani (105 compared to 95⅓) in the same number of starts. The left-hander would be eligible to pitch in the All-Star Game if he does not start for the Astros on July 9, their last regular-season game before the break.

Ohtani’s last start prior to the All-Star break is scheduled for Tuesday in San Diego. His first start after the break, Nevin said, will come “right away.” The Angels host the Astros on July 14.

Among the preliminary AL roster snubs, Angels closer Carlos Estevez has a strong case to be chosen as an injury replacement between now and July 11.

The veteran right-hander is 20 for 20 converting save situations in his first season as an Angel to go with a 1.91 ERA. Only three AL closers have more saves this season, and none has converted all of his save opportunities.

“That one’s a tough one for me,” Nevin said. “As far as closers go … I’m not sure what it takes to be deserving. I’m certainly happy to have him on my side now. Things can change throughout the week and hopefully he gets a chance to go.”

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Dodgers lose series at KC as Tony Gonsolin is KO’d early

• July 2, 2023

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A year ago at this time, Tony Gonsolin was preparing to go to the All-Star Game and the Dodgers were piling up wins no matter where they played.

Times have changed.

Gonsolin has yet to look like that All-Star pitcher this year. The Kansas City Royals chased him from the game in the fourth inning Sunday afternoon on their way to handing the Dodgers a 9-1 defeat.

At 25-59, the Royals are the worst team in baseball not stripped down and packing for Las Vegas. But they took two out of three from the Dodgers for just their fourth series victory of the season (second at home) after a stretch of 12 winless series.

“We didn’t play well and they played better, frankly,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

“Obviously, if you look on paper, yeah, we should have won the game. But we all understand that you don’t play it on paper, and like I said, they played a better, well-rounded baseball game. They did.  They spoiled pitches. They hit behind runners. They kept the line moving. They took walks, hit batters, so when you do that, when you look at it that way, it’s no surprise at all. We struck out a lot more. We weren’t as good situationally. We didn’t create situational opportunities by way of running the bases. So when you look at it that way, it’s pretty stark.”

That has been a familiar lament when the Dodgers have donned their road greys. They have a .500 record away from home (22-22) after the back-to-back losses Saturday and Sunday and have won just four road series outside of California all season (only one since their May trip to Atlanta).

“I don’t know the road record. What I can speak to is this series, which is more fresh to me,” Roberts said. “Those guys just outplayed us. It’s a different brand of baseball as far as putting the ball in play, hitting behind runners, stealing bases. They were excellent in situational hitting. To be quite honest, we couldn’t keep up and that’s how they beat us, that’s how they won the series.”

Roberts didn’t mention starting pitching on his list. But in both of the weekend losses to the Royals, the Dodgers were put in the trail position by their starters.

Gonsolin was not as unlucky as Julio Urias in Saturday’s loss. But he wasn’t any more effective. Ten of the 21 batters he faced reached base — six hits, three walks and a hit batter. Of the 11 outs Gonsolin did record, two were conceded by the Royals on sacrifice bunts.

Over his past three starts, Gonsolin has allowed 15 runs on 17 hits and seven walks in just 14⅓ innings. That is a 9.42 ERA, and opposing hitters are batting .304 against him.

“I just haven’t really been good lately,” Gonsolin said. “I feel like I’ve been walking more guys, falling behind in counts. Just not executing pitches.

“It’s super frustrating. I felt like I was doing okay until a few starts ago. Just trying to figure it out and trying to compete.”

Gonsolin left with the Dodgers trailing 4-1 and they never mustered a response against Royals starter Brady Singer, who held them to four hits in seven innings.

“He kept the ball out of the middle of the plate and when he needed to make a pitch he did,” said Mookie Betts who had one of the Dodgers’ six hits in the game. “He’s  a good pitcher and he showed it today.”

Things didn’t get any better after Gonsolin left.

The Royals scored three times in the fifth inning against Victor Gonzalez and twice against Yency Almonte in the sixth. Their No. 9 hitter, Nicky Lopez, had a season total of seven RBIs through Saturday. He had four on Sunday alone with two of the Royals’ 15 hits.

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Angels lose Brandon Drury to injured list, recall Andrew Velazquez

• July 2, 2023

ANAHEIM ― Brandon Drury tried swinging a bat Friday. His left shoulder didn’t feel great. Drury was unavailable again Saturday, and Sunday the inevitable happened: The Angels placed the veteran infielder on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder contusion.

Drury, the Angels’ cleanup hitter for most of June, is not eligible to return until July 14, when the Angels host the Houston Astros in the first game after the All-Star break.

“The All-Star break’s huge, having the extra five days to rest it, treat it, get it back feeling better for the second half,” Drury said.

The Angels recalled shortstop Andrew Velazquez from Triple-A Salt Lake. Mike Moustakas and Eduardo Escobar, two veterans whom the Angels acquired to bolster their infield depth last week, were both in the lineup for the series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Whether or not the Angels can succeed despite losing Drury’s bat will be a major question over the next week. He was batting .319 with an .892 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) in 40 games since May 12.

The Angels mustered only three hits and one run in Saturday’s loss to Arizona. Losing Drury, teammate Hunter Renfroe said after that game, is “like taking Shohei (Ohtani) out of the friggin’ lineup.”

Drury suffered the injury when he dove to his left in pursuit of a Yasmani Grandal grounder in Thursday’s game against the White Sox. His range of motion has improved since then, but Drury said his shoulder is still sore.

“I think having him at 100% out when we come out of the break, rather than fight through something and possibly damage it more and (have the injury) last a little longer, is the smart move,” manager Phil Nevin said.

PATIENT MOOSE

Amid their recent struggles, the Angels’ aggressive hitting approach has come into question. One player whose plate discipline has a chance to rub off on his new teammates is Moustakas.

The 34-year-old is seeing an average of 4.2 pitches per plate appearance this season, more than any year of his 13-year career. Not unrelated: Moustakas entered Sunday’s game with a .355 on-base percentage, well above his career .310 mark.

“I’m finally healthy and I don’t have to get to pitches, to where I’d be out front swinging at balls that I wouldn’t be able to hit,” Moustakas said. “And just overall growth as a hitter. Learning throughout the years what I’m able to hit, what I’m not able to hit; what I’m able to hit for power, not able to hit for power.”

Moustakas was hitting .270 with four home runs and 17 RBIs over 47 games with the Colorado Rockies on June 25 when the Angels acquired him for minor league pitcher Connor Van Scoyoc.

Last season with the Cincinnati Reds, Moustakas made six separate trips to the injured list. The last of them ended his season in August for symptoms stemming from a strained left calf muscle. Cincinnati designated Moustakas for assignment after the season.

A Los Angeles native who played at Chatsworth High, Moustakas said that understanding his strengths and weaknesses as he’s gotten older has not altered his basic approach. It’s just led to him taking more pitches.

“I’ve always had the same mindset,” he said. “My game is slugging and driving guys in, so I’ve always tried to do that.”

ALSO

Matt Moore (oblique) is expected to throw a bullpen session Tuesday in San Diego, Nevin said. He threw 15 pitches, all fastballs, off a mound for the first time Saturday without incident. … Logan O’Hoppe is expected to be cleared to catch the baseball Tuesday, the 10-week mark since the time of his left shoulder injury. To this point O’Hoppe has not been cleared to catch or push weights using his left arm. … Shortstop Zach Neto (oblique) played catch on the field Sunday.

UP NEXT

Angels (RHP Jaime Barria, 2-3, 2.92 ERA) at San Diego (RHP Yu Darvish, 5-6, 4.84 ERA), Monday, 6:40 p.m., Bally Sports West, Fox Sports 1, 830 AM

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4 LAPD bomb squad members disciplined for botched fireworks explosion, police chief says

• July 2, 2023

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore announced on Sunday, July 2, that four members of the department’s bomb squad were disciplined for their involvement in a botched detonation of illegal fireworks in a South Los Angeles neighborhood two years ago.

Additionally, an internal Los Angeles Police Department investigation resulted in the implementation of new protocols for the bomb squad to prevent any similar events from occurring in the future, Moore said in a statement on the LAPD site.

The June 30, 2021 controlled detonation on East 27th Street near San Pedro Street sent 17 residents and first responders to hospitals, destroyed a bomb squad truck and damaged 22 residences, 13 businesses and 37 vehicles.

The bomb squad erred when estimating by sight the amount of explosives contained in a cache of homemade fireworks that they then placed inside a containment vessel to detonate, federal investigators said in a report after the explosion.

Some of the bomb squad members also appeared to not know what the actual rated explosive capacity was for the vessel they had been using since 2008, according to a summary of interviews they did with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives.

“Work to stabilize and repair 27th Street began immediately following the 2021 fireworks disposal explosion,” Moore said in his statement on Sunday. “While our work in the community was underway, the Department also invested in a top to bottom internal review and implemented significant corrections.

“A full investigation was conducted which examined the actions of the personnel on scene that day, and also conducted an in-depth review of the practices and protocols of the Bomb Squad. As a result of this investigation, four Bomb Squad personnel were subject to Departmental discipline based on their involvement in this incident. Additionally, this review resulted in the implementation of new protocols for the Bomb Squad to prevent any similar events from occurring in the future, and to ensure the safety of both community members and officers,” the statement said.

It continued, “Even our best intentions cannot take this neighborhood back to where it was before this event occurred,” Moore continued. “However, as a Department, we remain committed to supporting the impacted residents as we continue to work to make this right.”

That effort includes the commanding officers of the department’s Newton station meeting on a weekly basis with the 27th Street Long Term Recovery Group, the chief said.

An investigation following the explosion showed the bomb squad had loaded what they thought was just 16.5 pounds of explosives into the vessel, when they had actually loaded in about 42 pounds.

In 2022, the city’s Department of Housing reported 23 people in six households had been relocated to permanent housing. Eight more households were ready to relocate and were searching for affordable units. The city has spent more than $3 million to support and aid residents affected by the explosion.

LAPD bomb squad member suspended for 10 days after South L.A. blast

Has misuse taken the spark out of fireworks in California?

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Jon Coupal: California taxpayers cool to costly climate bond

• July 2, 2023

In addition to last week’s record-busting $310 billion dollar budget, the legislature is also advancing a $15 billion “Climate Bond” to appear on the ballot sometime in 2024. This “climate bond” should be viewed with a great deal of skepticism by California voters for several reasons.

First, why is a bond – any bond – necessary? Despite a drop off in state tax collections, California continues to produce massive amounts of tax revenue from the highest-in-the-nation income tax rate, highest state sales tax rate and highest gas tax. Taking on further debt makes little sense.

Moreover, this proposal is inconsistent with the principles of sound debt financing. Bond financing can be justified where the cost of a major infrastructure project – at either the state or local level – is greater than could be funded directly from general fund revenues without making significant reductions in service. But proponents have not made the case for why this grab bag of various projects couldn’t be financed from the general fund.

Second, an important consideration for the issuance of public debt is interest rates. Borrowing costs today are higher than they have been in years and while Wall Street bond brokers and bond holders will profit from more California debt, voters have to decide if it is in California’s best interests.

Third, under Article XVI of the California Constitution a statewide bond measure must be limited to “some single object or work to be distinctly specified in the act.” The “climate bond” here is authorized by Assembly Bill 1567, which is entitled the “Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparation, Flood Protection, Extreme Heat Mitigation, Clean Energy, and Workforce Development Bond Act of 2024.” This bill is a 25-page listing of various projects ranging from restoring the Tijuana River to providing residential housing for California Conservation Corps members. Even under the most liberal interpretation of “single object or work,” this bond measure doesn’t comply.

Fourth, the fact that a substantial amount of the proceeds from the bond are intended to be used for programs rather than brick-and-mortar infrastructure violates the principle that the “single object or work” should have a useful life that extends beyond the term of the debt repayment. This climate bond is like a family taking out a 30-year mortgage to pay for groceries.

Fifth, California has a horrendous track record of not keeping its promises when it comes to bond measures. The clearest example is California’s High-Speed Rail Project, viewed internationally as the biggest boondoggle on earth. Proposition 1A in 2008 promised Californians a super-fast train that would travel between Los Angeles and San Francisco in about two and a half hours; the ticket price would be about $50; the total cost of the high-speed rail would be about $40 billion; and there would be significant private-sector support –money from investors – to build the project. After 15 years, HSR has yet to hit any of its benchmark promises.

Numerous other bond measures have failed to live up to the representations made to voters, including several water bond proposals that promised the construction of surface water storage projects.

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Even more troubling than the broken promises related to bond measures is the fact that California courts will do little to enforce those promises. This was starkly evident in several lawsuits over the high-speed rail project when the courts failed to intervene despite conclusive evidence that the terms of the ballot measure were being violated.

Sixth, general obligation bonds should only be placed on the ballot when the level of total debt is within prudent limits that will not affect the state’s bond rating or solvency. If California experiences even a mild recession, that will increase the percentage of the general fund necessary to pay debt service. If the state’s “debt service ratio” exceeds levels palpable to Wall Street, that could increase the cost of borrowing on top of the already high interest rates.

Finally, general obligation bonds should never be approved in the absence of fiscal restraint in the budget process. Allowing politicians to spend virtually all new revenues and incur additional debt removes all pressure to adopt needed reforms and fiscal discipline. And if there’s anything California needs right now it’s fiscal discipline.

Jon Coupal is president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

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Rickie Fowler wins Rocket Mortgage Classic playoff, ends 4-year drought

• July 2, 2023

By LARRY LAGE, AP Sports Writer

DETROIT — Rickie Fowler made a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole of the Rocket Mortgage Classic, outlasting Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin two weeks after squandering a chance to win his first major at the U.S. Open.

The 34-year-old Fowler got his first PGA Tour victory since winning the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open. He had the 54-hole lead at last month’s U.S. Open and in one tournament in each of the previous two years.

After getting knocked down on the leaderboard at Detroit Golf Club on Sunday, Fowler, a Murrieta native, responded on his 72nd hole of the tournament with an approach from 145 feet that left him with a 3-foot birdie put to pull into a three-way tie with Morikawa, a La Cañada High School alum, and Hadwin at 24 under.

Fowler hit an errant tee shot way right in the playoff and after a drop, his approach from 184 landed 11 feet from the cup.

Morikawa, meanwhile, was just inches long on his approach and instead of having the ball spin back to the hole, it bounced into the rough and his chip was short of the cup.

Hadwin had the first chance to make a birdie in the playoff and his 22-foot put curled just past the hole.

Then, Fowler stepped up with a desperately needed clutch put to win.

Morikawa shot an 8-under 64, faring better than Hadwin (67) and Fowler (68) in the final round.

While Fowler faltered, going 10 straight holes settling for pars on a relatively easy course, Morikawa had four birdies on both the front and back nine. Morikawa made a 10-foot putt at No. 12, his fourth birdie in a six-hole stretch that put him within a shot of Fowler, and his nine-footer for birdie at No. 14 pulled him into a tie with Fowler at 23 under.

Monday qualifier Peter Kuest (65), Lucas Glover (65) and Taylor Moore (67) were tied for fourth at 21 under. Kuest, who started the week ranked 789th in the world, did well enough to earn a spot in this week’s John Deere Classic in Illinois.

Play was suspended Saturday for 1 hour, 42 minutes because of lightning and the schedule for the final round was adjusted due to inclement weather in the forecast.

The leaders teed off Sunday morning about 5 hours before the original schedule with threesomes starting on both the front and back nine.

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