A’Ja Wilson Leads Aces to 30th Win Beating Sparks 89-79

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Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) makes a rebound between the Los Angeles Sparks guards Rae Burrell (12) and Chance Gray (right) in the first half at the Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Tue Sep 22, 2026

By Rich Perez

Tuesday evening the Las Vegas Aces (30-13) played their final regular season game at home taking on the Los Angeles Sparks (16-27). The final was 89-79 in favor of the Aces.

They will finish the regular season on the road in Phoenix on Thursday. While the Aces cannot climb higher than third place in the standings, the Atlanta Dream are hot on their heels a half game behind them in fourth place.

A packed Michelob ULTRA Arena watched the Aces take a nice lead after the first ten minutes of play 24-11. Las Vegas took a 42-33 lead into the half. The Aces outscored the Sparks in the third quarter 23-18 but the Sparks did outscore Las Vegas in the fourth quarter 28-24 but it was the Aces double digit lead in the opening quarter that was enough to keep the Aces fairly comfortable the entire game.

GAME RECAP

The Los Angeles Sparks took an early lead over the Las Vegas Aces but once Las Vegas got going the Sparks trailed for the rest of the quarter with Las Vegas leading after the first ten minutes of play 24-11 which was the Aces largest lead of the game so far. Cheyenne Parker-Tyus finished off the opening quarter hitting the final shot with six ticks left on the game clock. The Sparks had trouble with ball protection committing eight turnovers in the quarter, the Aces had four.

Mid-way through the second quarter the Aces had extended their to 35-18. The Sparks started a bit of a rally as the clock began to wear down, with only three minutes until the half. They cut the 17-point Vegas lead to 11 points 35-24. Los Angeles continued to attack the rim closing the gap only trailing by six points 35-29 with 2:20 left in the first half. Las Vegas pushed back and at the half while the Aces had given up their double digit lead they did lead 42-33.

The only Las Vegas player in double digits at the half was Chelsea Gray with 11 points. The Aces needed A’Ja Wilson and Jackie Young to heat up in the second half. The Sparks were hanging around getting close but continued to play catch-up.

The Las Vegas defense as in their last game was not as tight as they would like and that was something that Chelsea Gray had talked about after their win last Sunday. They really want to get that defense back on course.

Erica Wheeler was finding gaps in the Aces perimeter defense. She was able to hurt Las Vegas in a couple of way; she could penetrate and create but she can also knock down threes. The Aces had to make Wheeler work even harder defensively. They needed to shut her down and force someone else to initiate the offense.

It’s not that the Aces were playing poor defense but they did allow the Sparks to stay within striking distance. They didn’t want this game to turn into a one or two possession game. It iwas interesting that Wheeler is not typically one of the Sparks primary scorers. Nneka Ogwumike leads Los Angeles in scoring.

The Sparks continued to hang around in the third quarter but the tenacity and grit from team leader A’Ja Wilson pushed this team’s lead back into double digits. With 1:58 left in the quarter the Aces had some serious momentum going leading 62-45. The Las Vegas bench was doing a solid job collectively scoring 21 points. As the third came to an end, Las Vegas had a 65-51 lead.

Las Vegas would be looking to finish strong in the fourth quarter. Mid-way through the quarter the Aces were holding strong leading 78-64. The bench did not take the court in the first half of the fourth, the starters trying to put this one away. The final was 89-79 as the Aces won their 30th game of the season.

GAME RECAP

The Aces had a strong third quarter giving them some momentum and despite being outscored in the fourth by four points it just was not enough to get the Sparks over the top.

The entire game, the Sparks did not go away getting momentum but the Aces answered every time. As we have seen so often A’Ja Wilson played the role of stabilizer. She continued to score inside and draw attention which prevented the Sparks from selling out against the perimeter.

The Ace’s defense was more effective at limiting the Sparks’ offensive rhythmn when it really counted. In the fourth quarter the Aces never let the Sparks turn this into a one-possession game. They maintained separation for most of the game. So Las Vegas won with control rather than on a huge run; they built a cushion and kept the lead at a comfortable distance until the clock ran out.

A’Ja Wilson had a double double in the game, 18 points and 10 rebounds the game high. Chelsea Gray finished with 17 points and Jackie Young and Stephanie Talbot each had 14 points.

The Aces will play their final game of the regular season Thursday night on the road. They will take on the Phoenix Mercury with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM.

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor: York reportedly made Australian trip but was missing at the opener situation called “getting weirder”

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Jed York, principal owner and chief executive officer of the San Francisco 49ers, with Rangers chief executive Jim Gillespie, right, and Fraser Thornton, left, at Celtic Park, Glasgow, on Sunday, May 10, 2026.Andrew Milligan – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images

San Francisco 49ers podcast David Zizmor:

#1 According to reports saying that San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was in Australia but did not go to the Rams-49ers opener in Melbourne according to sources. It was also reported that York is staying away from the team as to not cause a distraction after being arrested in Ohio for solicitation which was reduced to an disorderly conduct. Beat writers who made the trip said they didn’t say York but if he was on the trip and hiding from the public they said that would be even weirder.

#2 The San Francisco 49ers signed veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks to their practice squad. Cook will be 33 years old on Fri Sep 25 played for the New Orleans Saints and the Buffalo Bills and caught 24 passes for 279 yards. The 49ers are trying to pad their wide receiver core in the event Cooks is needed due to an injury.

#3 Brock Purdy dominated the Miami Dolphins last Sunday at Levis Stadium with 20-22 attempts, 287 yards and two touchdowns and had a 149.1 rating. Compared to the game against the Los Angeles Rams Purdy had more targets to throw to against the Miami defense.

Daivd Zizmor does the San Francisco 49ers podcasts each week at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Las Vegas Raiders podcast Rich Perez: Can Raiders shutdown Saints offense Sunday at the Superdome

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Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) celebrates after recovering a fumble by Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton in the second half at SoFi Stadium in Ingelwood on Mon Sep 21, 2026 (AP News photo)

Las Vegas Raiders podcast Rich Perez:

#1 Can Ashton Jeanty build on his strong start to the season and lead the Raiders’ rushing attack against New Orleans?

#2 How will Kirk Cousins perform against the Saints’ defense, particularly when targeting Brock Bowers?

#3 Can Maxx Crosby consistently pressure Saints quarterback Tyler Shough and disrupt New Orleans’ passing game?

#4 Will Tre Tucker make an impact as a deep threat and give the Raiders another way to stretch the Saints’ defense?

#5 How significant will Jeremy Chinn’s play be in helping the Raiders contain Chris Olave and the Saints’ passing attack?

#6 Rich what’s your prediction for this Sunday’s match up at the Superdome between the Raiders and Saints?

Rich Perez filled in for Tony Renteria who podcasts Raiders football Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

He Was a Giant? Darrell Evans by Tony the Tiger Hayes feature

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Former San Francisco Giant Darrell Evans at bat (photo from Schwartz Sports Memorabilia)

By Tony the Tiger Hayes

E.T. … He was a Giant?

Forever Giant Darrell Evans’ 1982 Close Encounter with a UFO

As the Giants confounding 2026 season mercifully comes to a close this week, you might have expected by now that at least player would have adopted the “Twilight Zone” theme as their walk-up music, or George Noory of “Coast to Coast AM” fame would have been added to the payroll as a consultant in addition to noted sports talk astrologer “Andrea from Berkeley” being brought on board to perform astrological readings on the record breaking 70 – count ‘em, 70 (!) – players San Francisco has fielded this season.

“Bizarre” doesn’t begin to discribe the state of the Giants current club which stumbled out of the gate losing seven of their first 10 games, and never once sporting a winning record.

At times the club has looked rudderless, with rookie manager Tony Vitello appearing mentally fogged at times in his first year ever in professional baseball.

One well-known Giants beat writer has even gone as far as to repeatedly question Vitello’s fitness for the job – something that hasn’t happened in these parts since the befuddled Jimmy Davenport skippered the club for the lion’s share on the 100-loss 1985 club.

Besides the routine ingress and egress of a typical baseball season, the Giants have endured their share of unexplainable quagmires and unforced errors this campaign – many ordeals seemingly orchestrated by a paranormal entity.

Star rookie Bryce Eldridge recently suffered a bewildering head wound when the youngster conked his dome on a hotel door frame, causing him to miss an entire series in Los Angeles.

Strange.

Eldridge’s calamity was just the latest in a series of bewildering unforced errors to haunt this 2026 Giants club.

It kind of makes you wonder if this Orange & Black unit is cursed by an unexplainable dark entity.

The debacles have included bullpen meltdowns of historic proportions.

Inexplicable.

A myriad of third base coaching blunders.

Stupefying.

Awkward national public relations nightmares.

Humiliating.

Drunken nocturnal scooter escapades.

Ludicrous.

Unanticipated insubordination by a star player.

Blindsiding.

Mental farts by the slaphappy starting shortstop.

Eye-opening.

All that and an overall strew of craziness has led to this to be one out of this worst seasons ever for San Francisco’s beloved ball club.

But this isn’t the first time the Giants or a San Francisco player has seemingly had a transcendental experience with a mystical force.

But unlike the cosmic crappiness that has defined this year’s Giants team, Darrell Evans’ run-in with the supernatural 44 years ago was a positive baptism for him into the world of the unknown.

Evans – a left-handed power hitter in his seventh season with San Francisco – and the Giants were in the midst of a difficult season a quarter way through the 1982 season.

At age 35, a slumping Evans – a member of the Giants Wall of Fame – looked as if his best days were behind him and it appeared the Giants were moving on without him.

On June 4, with his batting average sitting at just .241 and 5 home runs in the tank, Giants manager Frank Robinson announced that Evans – who pounded 40 long balls for Atlanta in 1973 – would be benched in favor of hot shot rookie Tom O’Malley. The Giants were 22-30 at the time, 8½ games out of first place

After receiving the bad news, a bummed Evans returned to his tranquil Pleasanton home to ponder his baseball future with wife LaDonna.

“I was the one time in my career when I really doubted myself,” said Evans, who slugged 142 home runs in his eight seasons with San Francisco – told a reporter years later.

“I couldn’t seem to do anything right. I couldn’t see the ball very well and I wasn’t being patient at the plate. Then I’d take a pitch and it would be right down the middle,” he said.

The couple stepped outside to enjoy the literal sunset on their back porch while discussing what appeared to be the figurative sunset of his baseball career when the couple’s lives changed right before their eyes.

What started as a mommoment of contemplation, quickly escalated into an honest to goodness paranormal experience as the couple spotted an unidentified flying object floating 100 yards in the distance.

The flagging slugger described a silent, 30-foot-wide triangular object hovering 100 yards in the distance. The UFO was festooned with bright neon lights in hues of red, green and white.

When the object moved on – Evans knew his life had been changed for the better.

The third baseman would say the extraterrestrial experience of knowing “we’re not alone” – would shift his focus immediately away from his personal hitting woes to something more deeper.

“It definitely helped my career. It gave me something to think about besides myself. It sparked things for me,” Evans stated. “I believe there is something out there.”

Evans was soon reinstated to the hot corner and began to hit with power as San Francisco started climbing in the standings.

San Francisco won nine of 10 games to start September and went 20-7 on the month. Attendance at Candlestick boomed and the Giants were in the race until the final weekend of the season.

The club famously knocked the Dodgers out of race on the final day of the season, with Joe Morgan delivering the fatal blow with a late innings home run.

Evans finished ‘82 batting .256 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI. In 1983, he enjoyed a renaissance season with a 30-count homer campaign. His best in a decade.

After moving on to Detroit as a free agent in 1984, Evans did even better, helping propel the Tigers to a World Series title with a 40 dinger and 94 RBI season.

The Pasadena native said his UFO experience in ‘82 helped get his career back on track. He slammed an estimated 150 career home runs after the UFO sighting, finishing his 21 year career with 414 long balls.

“Close Encounters of a Third Kind” was one of my favorite movies,’ said Evans. “I believe there is something out there. If there are aliens, they’ve been out there longer than we have. They’ve evolved beyond war. They’ve got through it and they want to come and show us how. I hope it happens.”

Hopefully, “they” didn’t show the current Orange & Black “how it’s done.”

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson: Cardinal hope to put loss to Duke behind them face Georgia Tech Saturday

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The Duke Blue Devils (left) line up against the Stanford Cardinal at Wallace Wade Stadium in North Carolina on Sat Sep 19, 2026 in week 3 of the NCAA season.

Stanford Cardinal podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Duke Blue Devils took advantage of a struggling Stanford Cardinal defense when Nate Sheppard score on two carries and a catch for 154 yards carrying as Duke beat Stanford 35-7 at Wallace Wade Stadium in North Carolina.

#2 Stanford quarterback Davis Warren threw 18-32 for 151 yards and threw for a five yard touchdown to Caden High for Stanford’s only score of the game in a 35-7 loss.

#3 The Cardinal had only 237 yards in total offense and Micah Ford rushed for 76 yards on 11 carries.

#4 The touchdown to High was High’s second touchdown for Stanford and his 17th of his College career.

#5 The Cardinal face Georgia Tech next Sat Sep 26 a 7:30pm PDT kick off at Stanford Stadium. The Yellow Jackets lost the first two games of the season and then won their last game winning huge and beating the Mercer Bears soundly 44-11 at Georgia Tech.

Michael Roberson does the Stanford Cardinal podcasts weekly at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants game wrap: Bo Davidson makes MLB debut alongside Giants rookies who take over in 5-2 win over Twins

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San Francisco Giants Drew Gilbert watches his two run RBI single in the bottom of the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Mon Sep 21, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Lincoln Juarez

SAN FRANCISCO – The young guns shined for the Giants in their 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins Monday night. Bo Davidson made his long-awaited MLB debut, the 17th player to make their big league debut for the Giants this season, the most in MLB.

Davidson went 1-for-4 and fed off the Oracle Park crowd after recording his first major league hit in his first at-bat. With Drew Gilbert at third base and Davidson at first, Brett Harris singled to center field, scoring them both. The Giants scored two in the first and two more in the second as Drew Gilbert singled, scoring Osleivis Basabe and Christian Koss for a 4-0 lead.

Something Tony Vitello was used to seeing in Knoxville at the University of Tennessee was put on display for him again Monday night… Drew Gilbert 3-for-4 with three RBI while Blade Tidwell held the opposition to one run through 3.1 innings. Unfortunately Tidwell’s night was cut short due to elbow discomfort. Hopefully there is more to come in the next few days that reveals only a minor setback for Tidwell who has a 4.45 ERA through 56.2 innings this year.

Gilbert’s third hit of the night was a home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to extend the Giants lead to 5-1 at the time. Gilbert is slugging .833 with two home runs through 12 at-bats in his last seven games.

In the top of the eighth inning, RHP Jason Foley entered the game for the Giants and faced Emmanuel Rodriguez, who homered on the very first pitch he saw from Foley. He got the Twins within three runs but that was the closest they would get.

Trent Harris recorded his second career save to secure the Giants victory and start the final home stand of the year on a very high note with Giants fans looking forward to what the future has to bring. The Giants only had two players in the starting lineup born before the year 2000 and they were both in 1998.

The Giants look to keep the fun going Tuesday night in game two of this three-game series.

For Minnesota RHP Taj Bradley (11-6, 3.81) vs. RHP Anthony Molina (3-1, 4.18) for San Francisco first pitch 6:45pm PDT.

San Francisco Giants podcast Augie Mesenburg: Kuiper hopes to tell throat cancer “Outta Here!”

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San Francisco Giants TV color analyst Mike “Kruk” Krukow (left) and play by play announcer Duane “Kuip” Kuiper (right) on Sun Sep 27, 2026 will call their last game after 36 years in the booth together in a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco (photo from Major League Baseball)

San Francisco Giants podcast Augie Mesenburg:

#1 This is the second bout of cancer that San Francisco Giants TV play by play announcer Duane Kuiper has got. This time it’s throat cancer and Kuip says it’s unrelated to the first kind of cancer he had which he beat.

#2 Kuip is gamer as his broadcast partner whose retiring this Sun Sep 27 on the last day of the regular season Mike Krukow the other half of Kruk and Kuip. Kuiper says he will start treatment soon and said he is confident that he can beat this bout of cancer as well. Kuip missed the last Giants road trip in Los Angeles this past weekend.

#3 Kuip who is taking Monday’s game off said he is looking forward to working Tuesday and getting back with Kruk for their final week working together after 36 years in the TV booth together.

#4 Krukow said that he doesn’t want Kuiper to worry about anything concerning Kruk’s retirement and to focus on what matters most Kuip’s health first.

#5 Sunday’s game no doubt will be a sell out for a 1pm start with the Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. It will be a very busy day at the park the Dodgers are still contemplating starting Shohei Ohtani whose on the IL for Sunday, it also will be Krukow’s last game in the booth who is retiring and will be getting a huge send off and now the news about Kuips throat cancer battle.

Augie Mesenburg covers the San Francisco Giants for 1080 KWAI Honolulu and is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Bay FC match wrap: Bay FC shuts down Racing Louisville’s offense with 2-0 shutout

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Bay FC’s Alex Preiffer (far left) gets congratulated by her teammates after her second-half goal broke a scoreless tie with Racing Louisville FC. Bay wound up winning 2-0 at PayPal Park on Sunday night. (Courtesy of Erin Chang / Bay FC)

By William Espy

Bay FC returned home to PayPal Park on Sunday evening as they hosted Racing Louisville. With playoffs hopes all but dashed for Bay FC, they were looking to build some momentum against another struggling team to finish the season on a high note and they pulled that off with a 2-0 shutout over Racing Sunday at Pay Pal Park in San Jose.

The first half ended scoreless, with the only notable event being a yellow card issued to Louisville’s Arin Wright in the 35th minute.

It didn’t take Bay long to break the deadlock in the second half though, as Alex Pfeiffer was able to beat Louisville goalkeeper Jordyn Bloomer in the 50th minute. Then, just six minutes later, Karlie Lema doubled Bay FC’s lead with a goal of her own.

Emma Coates made the first changes of the night in the 64th minute, taking out Rachael Kundananji and Lema with Keira Barry and Cristiana Girelli taking their place.

Bay would make a few more substitutions late in the game with Caroline Conti and Maddie Moreau taking over for Pfeiffer and Sydney Collins in the 84th minute, followed by Dorian Bailey taking over for Taylor Huff in the 90th.

In stoppage time, Conti picked up Bay’s only yellow card of the night, but the team held on to win 2-0. They were dominant in every statistical aspect of the game, including possession, shots, and even tackles. Bay will be back at home next Sunday as they host the Orlando Pride.

San Francisco Giants podcast Marko Ukalovic: Giants Tidwell tosses in start as SF looks to snap 3 game skid

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San Francisco Giants starter Blade Tidwell gets the ball against the Minnesota Twins at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Mon Sep 21, 2026 (San Francisco Giants photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast Marko Ukalovic:

#1 Can Giants rookie pitcher Blade Tidwell build on his first MLB win when he faces the Twins and Zebby Matthews at Oracle Park?

#2 Will Jung Hoo Lee be able to play after leaving Sunday’s game against the Dodgers with a groin issue?

#3 Could Marcelo Mayer make his Giants debut as San Francisco deals with a depleted infield and numerous injuries?

#4 Can Josh Bell and Brooks Lee keep Minnesota’s offense rolling after the Twins’ 8-0 victory over the Angels?

#5 How will the Giants respond after being swept by the Dodgers and losing seven of their last 10 games entering the three-game series with Minnesota?

Join Marko Ukalovic for the San Francisco Giants podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason: A’s close out regular season with homestand against Angels and Astros starts Tuesday night

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Sacramento A’s third baseman Zack Gelof makes the catch on a pop up by Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez in the bottom of the sixth inning at Progressive Field in Cleveland on Sun Sep 20, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 Cleveland Guardians starter Gavin Williams had his mix of pitches working for him shutting out the Sacramento A’s at Progressive Field on Sunday 1-0.

#2 Taking a look at Williams numbers pitched seven innings, allowed three hits, struck out nine batters and moved into first place as the leading pitcher with 244 strikeouts.

#3 Things are getting tougher for the A’s who were coming off a 7-3 record in their previous ten games when they started this road trip which they started on Tuesday in Tampa Bay getting swept in all six games of the trip.

#4 Frustrations continue for A’s manager Mark Kotsay after A’s pitcher Jack Perkins fielded a slow ground ball in front of the pitcher’s mound but Perkins throw ended up hitting Guardians runner Jo Adell in the back in the basepath. Adell was allowed the base and Kotsay argued he was in the fielders lane rather than the runner’s lane and was ceromoniously tossed out for the third time this season.

#5 The A’s will try it again on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Field in West Sacramento after getting beat in all of their six road games. This time they host the Los Angeles Angels with a 6:40pm PDT start. Starting pitchers for Los Angeles LHP Yusei Kikuchi (1-6 ERA 5.02) for Sacramento LHP Brady Basso (1-3 ERA 4.50).

Join Barbara Mason for the A’s podcasts Sundays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.