The flags of Australia and Paraguay are on full displayed before the playing of the national anthems before both countries final match in Group D play of the FIFA 2026 World Cup at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on Thursday JUN 25, 2026. (Marko Ukalovic-SRS)
by Marko Ukalovic
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Australia and Paraguay dragged out to a scoreless draw in their final match in Group D play of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday evening at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
Australia finished Group D with four points, good enough for second place and an automatic bid to the Round of 32. Paraguay also finished with four points but ended up in third as they had a worse goal differential than the Aussies minus two to zero. Paraguay is in the fourth spot of the third-place teams and is in good position to advance to the knockout round. The top eight third-place team advance along with the 24 group winners and second place finishers.
Australia (1-1-1) made six changes to the starting XI that faced the United States in their 2-0 loss. Aziz Behich, Lucas Herrington, Jackson Irvine, Nestory Irankunda, Connor Metcalfe and Cristian Volpato were inserted to start by head coach Tony Popovic. Mathew Leckie and Jacob Italiano are injured, Cameron Burgess, Paul Okon-Engstler, Mohamed Touré and Nishan Velupillay were benched to begin the game.
Lucas Herrington made his World Cup debut at 18 years of age. Twelve months ago, he was barely playing senior football and now is playing for Barcelona in the La Liga.
Paraguay (1-1-1) made 3 changes to their starting XI that faced Turkiye. Alexandro Maidana, Gustavo Velázquez and Gabriel Ávalos come in today. Miguel Almiron is suspended from receiving a red card for covering his mouth in the last match, Junior Alonso and Isidro Pitta started on the bench for La Albirroja (white and red).
Both teams found it difficult to create quality scoring chances in the first half. Australia’s Jody Bos recorded his team’s first shot on target in the 36th minute. Bos’s shot from long distance was saved by Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gil. The Socceroos finished with three shots on target while Paraguay didn’t register any in the opening 45 minutes.
The match featured a lot of physicality on both sides and things got even chippier in the second half as hard tackles as well as pushes and shoves were being allowed by referee Clement Turpin to the frustration of both teams.
Both countries had chances in stoppage time to break the deadlock and earn three points. Paraguay’s Mauricio attempt in the third minute of stoppage time was saved by Australian goalkeeper Patrick Beach. Then a minute later Ajdin Rustic cut back into the middle and found Tete Yengi who wasn’t able to muster much power on his shot attempt as Gil gobbled up the last chance of the match.
Beach made five saves and Gil had two for their respective clean sheets.
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) is fired up after scoring against the Dallas Wings forward Jessica Sheppard (right) in the first half at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas on Thu Jun 25, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Rich Perez
They say third times a charm. In their first meeting back in late May the Dallas Wings (11-7) beat Las Vegas Aces (13-5) 95-87 and in their second matchup Dallas walloped the Aces earlier this month 96-66. Thursday night the Aces figured it out and via a great opening quarter and a terrific finish they finally beat the Wings in a solid offensive and defensive game 99-84.
Game recap: This was the start that had eluded the Aces in their two previous matches with the Wings. They built an early lead by forcing Dallas into some difficult shots. They also got balanced scoring rather than relying on just one or two players. They controlled the pace and took a 28-17 lead into the second quarter.
The fast start for Las Vegas set the tone for this game in one of their best opening quarters of the season. Aggressive defense, efficient shotmaking and controlling the glass forced Dallas to work overtime for most of their baskets in the first ten minutes of play.
In the second quarter Dallas raised its intensity outscoring the Aces but only by a single point 22-21. The Wings were more aggressive attacking the basket putting more pressure on the Aces. Dallas had found more offensive rhythm in the second quarter than they had had in the opening quarter.
The Aces had more turnovers and a number of empty possessions. They did however respond with timely baskets whenever the Wings threatened to make a major run. Las Vegas had a 49-39 lead at the half.
The Wings continued to hang around in the third quarter again outscoring the Aces by a couple of points 24-22 making this game a bit uncomfortable for Las Vegas. This had been the Aces most uncomfortable stretch in the game.
Dallas came into the quarter with a lot of energy putting a lot of pressure on Las Vegas. They continued to attack the paint playing with greater urgency. The Aces offense on the other hand became less fluid and they had fewer easy scoring opportunities.
By the end of the quarter the comfortable lead the Aces once enjoyed had shrunk. They needed to execute in the fourth quarter and avoid letting the Wings make a comeback.
The Wings had chipped away at the lead in the second and third quarters but the Aces did not panic. They came out and executed better in key moments in the final quarter. Las Vegas made timely buckets and the veterans made smart decisions by hitting key shots, getting to the free-throw line or creating great looks for teammates.
They really tightened up defensively with key stops in the closing moments which made all the difference in this game. They kept the Wings from getting too many second-chance opportunities. Las Vegas outscored the Wings in the fourth quarter 28-21 and the final score in the Vegas win was 99-84.
A’Ja Wilson had the high score in this game with 32 points and Jackie Young finished with 20 points. Chelsea Gray had 11 points and bench players Cheyenne Parker-Tyus and Keirstan Bell both came away with double digits. Collectively the bench finished with 31 points.
The Wings’ Jessica Shepard finished the game with a double double, 22 points and 14 rebounds. Paige Bueckers had the high for the Wings with 25 points
Game notes: The Aces settled a score with the Wings with their first win after three tries against Wings. Thursday night they found a way to beat the Wings at Michelob ULTRA Arena after losing to the New York Liberty Tuesday night.
The Las Vegas offense sputtered at times in that game and the Liberty came in with a solid game plan that they executed to perfection. The fourth quarter in that game saw the Aces threaten to make a come-back but came up just short losing 87-76.
The score that Las Vegas would dearly love to settle Thursday night however was regarding a loss to the Wings on June 15 to the tune of 96-66. It was a most unexpected lop-sided game with the Wings thrashing the Aces.
Las Vegas does remain in second place in the standings with the Dream nipping at their heels in third place. The season is approaching the half-way mark and the Aces got back on track with a win Thursday night over Dallas. The Wings are currently in fifth place in the WNBA.
The Aces will next take on the Chicago Sky at United Center. The game will take place this Sunday June 28th. Tipoff for this game is scheduled for 1:00 PM PDT. It will be televised on CBS and Paramount.
Sacramento A’s Lawrence Butler (4) scores safely on a slide under the glove of San Francisco Giants catcher Eric Haase (18) after a base hit by Jeff McNeil in the top of the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francsico on Thu Jun 25, 2026 (Golden Bay Times photo)
By Mauricio Segura
SAN FRANCISCO–The Sacramento A’s mirrored the weather at Oracle Park. They opened the game cold and slow before settling into a steady rhythm through the middle innings. Then, as the sun finally broke through in the ninth, so did their offense. The bats heated up, their focus became crystal clear, and they seized the day with a dramatic 9-6 victory over the Giants.
For six innings, the Giants looked ready to continue their recent dominance over the Athletics. Then the Green and Gold reminded everyone that they did not need to adhere to the line written in the infield dirt by their rivals or accept an easy sweep.
Trailing by one run entering the ninth inning, the Athletics erupted for four hits, a walk, a stolen base, a wild pitch, and four clutch RBI knocks to storm back for a dramatic 9-6 victory. The comeback snapped a four-game losing streak, spoiled what appeared to be a comfortable Giants afternoon, and gave the Athletics a much-needed boost as they reached the halfway point of the season.
The game opened as a pitchers’ duel between Jeffrey Springs and Landen Roupp. Neither offense could solve the starters through the first three innings, although Henry Bolte and Jeff McNeil created a few opportunities that never turned into runs. Roupp repeatedly escaped trouble by striking out Nick Kurtz twice and Shea Langeliers twice during the early frames, while Springs matched him by retiring nine of the first 11 Giants he faced.
San Francisco finally broke the scoreless tie in the fourth when Willy Adames launched a solo home run into the left-center field seats. It was the only mistake Springs made through his first four innings, and it briefly gave the Giants the upper hand.
The Athletics answered immediately in the fifth. McNeil reached after being hit earlier in the game and later singled before Alika Williams delivered one of the biggest swings of the afternoon, lining a double to left that brought McNeil home to even the score. Moments later, Nick Kurtz hit a ground ball that produced a force play but still allowed Williams to cross the plate, putting the Athletics ahead, 2-1.
Williams continued to make an impact after replacing the injured Zack Gelof before the game. His RBI double ignited the comeback, and he later scored while adding solid defense at shortstop.
Springs carried the lead into the sixth, but everything unraveled after two outs. Bryce Eldridge drew a walk, Casey Schmitt followed with a single, and after Matt Krook entered from the bullpen, the Giants loaded the bases. Jung Hoo Lee then ripped a bases-clearing triple into center field, turning a one-run deficit into a 4-2 San Francisco advantage. Victor Bericoto followed immediately by crushing a two-run homer to center, capping a five-run inning that suddenly put the Giants in command, 6-2.
The Athletics refused to disappear.
In the seventh, McNeil and Williams reached again before Langeliers lined a two-run single into center, trimming the deficit to 6-4. An inning later, Lawrence Butler doubled and eventually scored when McNeil lined another single into right, bringing the Athletics within one run entering the final inning.
Then came the decisive rally.
Henry Bolte opened the ninth with a single and advanced on a wild pitch. After Kurtz struck out, Langeliers hit a grounder that moved Bolte no farther, leaving the Athletics down to their final out after Tyler Soderstrom earned a walk following a successful challenge.
Jonah Heim answered with the biggest hit of his afternoon, sending a ground-ball single into left to score Bolte and tie the game at six. Butler followed with another sharp single that scored Soderstrom and suddenly flipped the scoreboard in the Athletics’ favor. After Butler stole second, Max Muncy delivered the knockout punch with a two-run single to left, bringing home Heim and Butler to complete a breathtaking seven-run swing from the sixth inning onward.
Bolte quietly fueled the offense all afternoon with three hits and strong defense in center field. McNeil also collected three hits and scored twice while driving home a run. Williams finished with two hits and two runs scored, Butler contributed two hits, two RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base, Heim delivered the game-tying RBI single, Langeliers drove in two, and Muncy’s late two-run hit provided valuable breathing room. Soderstrom added three hits and reached base four times.
Mason Barnett handled the ninth with authority, striking out Victor Bericoto before retiring Eric Haase and Drew Gilbert to seal the comeback.
The victory carried extra significance for an Athletics club that had dropped 10 of its previous 12 meetings against the Giants and entered the afternoon having scored two runs or fewer in three of its previous four games. Instead of another frustrating finish, the Green and Gold authored one of their most memorable rallies of the season.
Next up, the Athletics head south to face the Angels, where right-hander J.T. Ginn (5-4, 3.16 ERA, 74 strikeouts) is expected to oppose Los Angeles right-hander Walbert Ureña (5-5, 2.41 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 6:38 p.m. Pacific as the Athletics look to carry their comeback momentum into a new series.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, The Golden Bay Times.
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.
Sacramento A’s Nick Kurtz (16) is one of the leading home run hitters in baseball with 19 who meets up with the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in San Francisco for the final meeting of the three game series on Thu Jun 25, 2026 (AP file photo)
I-80 Series podcast Jack Loeder (KNBR 680 reporter)
#1 Although the Sacramento A’s are just up the road it really doesn’t feel quite the same without these two clubs meeting as former Bay Area rivals.
#2 The A’s are just a year and half away from moving to Las Vegas you would think from the pure business stand point and economic aspect that having two baseball teams in the Bay Area would have benefited the San Francisco Giants rather than the Giants just having a corner of the market to themselves.
#3 The A’s are a fun team to watch Nick Kurtz is going to be an All Star he can be on track to be a Hall of Famer if he can keep his numbers up through his career.
#4 The match up of pitchers on Wednesday saw a pitching duel between A’s starter Gage Jump and Giants starter Landen Roupp which ended up with the Giants coming back after trailing 1-0 with home runs from Rafeal Devers and Victor Bericoto for the 2-1 win.
Joe Loeder is a reporter for KNBR 680 San Francisco better known as The Sports Leader
Sacramento A’s starter Gage Jump pitching here against the Los Angeles Angels on Thu Jun 18, 2026. Jump made the start against the San Francisco Giants on Wed Jun 24, 2026 (AP file photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Bruce Macgowan:
#1 Which rookie pitcher had the stronger outing on June 24, 2026: Athletics left-hander Gage Jump or Giants starter Tyler Mahle?
#2 How did the Giants erase a 1–0 deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning to win the game 2–1?
#3 Which Athletics player hit the game’s first and only Oakland home run, giving his team a late lead in the eighth inning?
#4 What defensive play by Giants rookie Victor Bericoto helped keep the game scoreless before his walk-off home run?
#5 Why was the loss particularly frustrating for the Athletics despite receiving an excellent start from Gage Jump? Consider both their missed scoring opportunities and bullpen performance.
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.
Stanford guard Ebuka Okorie (1) drives to the basket against Clemson during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Stanford, Calif., Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)
NBA Draft 2026 podcast Michael Roberson:
#1 Former Stanford Cardinal guard Okorie Abuka was drafted #17 was originally picked up by the OKC Thunder traded to the Memphis Grizzlies and then wound up with the Detroit Pistons.
#2 AJ Dybantsa forward out of BYU the number one overall draft pick selected by the Washington Wizards
#3 Darryn Peterson guard out of Kansas the number two draft pick selected by the Utah Jazz
#4 Cameron Boozer forward out of Duke the number three draft pick selected by the Memphis Grizzlies
#5 Caleb Wilson forward out of UNC the fourth draft pick selected by the Chicago Bulls
Sacramento A’s Jacob Wilson (5) leaps but is tagged out on the leg by San Francisco Giants catcher Eric Hasse (left) while plate umpire Ramon De Jesus (18) prepares to make the call at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Wed Jun 24, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Lincoln Juarez
SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants’ two homers in the ninth to tie and win the game earned them their 25th walk-off win since the start of the 2024 season, which is second-most in MLB over that span. Tyler Mahle came off the IL in unambiguous fashion to set the tone for a 2-1 pitchers’ duel.
Amid the disappointment and anguish surrounding the San Francisco Giants this final week of June with the team sitting 14 games under .500, there was a baseball game to be played at the corner of Third and King and an opportunity for the Orange and Black to win just their third series of the month. Despite fans lashing back at the organization, a large crowd of 37,526 settled in for game two between the A’s and the Giants.
In his first major league start since May 26th, in a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Tyler Mahle toed the rubber after rehabbing from a left hamstring strain. The Giants didn’t expect anything like Robbie Ray’s eight innings of one-run ball on Tuesday night and would’ve been content with three-to-four innings from Mahle. The right-hander exceeded expectations while on a 75-max pitch count and got one out shy of making it through six, shut-out innings. He only allowed two hits while striking out four through 5.2 innings.
“He sure made it hard on the coaching staff…I didn’t think we were going to get there to that spot, to where his pitch count was 75 and you get to Kurtz… he was phenomenal,” said Vitello. “I’ve seen this before, and this is more of a conspiracy theory out of me, I’ve seen that pitch count thing bring out the best in pitchers… every pitcher wants to stay out there as long as possible… he was just really really efficient and he attacked like crazy.”
The Giants’ manager couldn’t have asked for much more from the 31 year-old whose only win this season came at home. He wouldn’t qualify for Wednesday’s win as he left the ballgame with a 0-0 score but still felt satisfied with his return from the IL.
“I just felt good, I was working well with Haase back there, defense made some outstanding plays… I was making good pitches and Haase was calling some good pitches.”
The defense described by Mahle came from all over the field with a L4, E4, 7-2 put-out all in one play to keep the game scoreless with Victor Bericoto completing the odd put-out with a bullet of a throw from left field to nail Jacob Wilson at home. Jung Hoo Lee continued to make his All-Star bid with spectacular defense in right field as he made two incredible catches on his way to a collision with the wall, once in the fourth and again in the ninth to keep the Giants within a run.
Left-hander Sam Hentges came in and finished the sixth inning for Mahle recording the final out on just one pitch. The Giants’ bullpen threw a combined 3.1 innings with three strikeouts while allowing a lone hit which was a Max Muncy homer (5) in the eighth.
After being shut-out through the first eight innings by A’s starter Gage Jump (5.0 IP, 3H, BB, 9K) and members of the Athletics’ bullpen, Rafeal Devers stepped up to lead off the bottom of the ninth with the Giants trailing by one. Devers has been a hot name thrown around in the media since Sunday’s game in Miami where most took his childish plea to stay out on the bases in a one-run game in the ninth inning as a sign of disrespect toward Tony Vitello and the rest of the San Francisco coaching staff.
Devers didn’t see it as such and went on to tell the media Tuesday afternoon that it was a misunderstanding and blown out of proportion. That response to the situation was not taken well. With something to prove and the anticipation for him to return to his “Boston-self”, Devers struck a 99 mph fastball 416 feet over the center field fence to tie the game. The Oracle Park crowd erupted and proceeded to think that every other ball put in play the rest of the ninth was also going over the fence for a game-winner. Two flyouts later, the crowd got what they wished for when Victor Bericoto walked out of the batter’s box and threw his bat in excitement as he watched his 445 foot bomb leave the yard for a Giants win.
It was his first walk-off hit, RBI, and home run of his young career and the second walk-off homer by a Giants rookie this season (Bryce Eldridge on June 10). The Giants are now 10-2 over their last 12 games vs. the A’s going back to August 18, 2024 and 11-3 against them at Oracle Park since the start of the 2021 season.
Giants’ RHP Landen Roupp (5-7 ERA 4.15) will try to make it three in a row with a sweep of the A’s Thursday afternoon against LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-7 ERA 5.55) at 12:45pm at Oracle Park.
Stanford Cardinal baseball standout Rintaro Susaki has been named as one of the top propects for the 2026 Major League Baseball draft picks. Here is Susaki taking a few hacks in the batting cage at Stanford University on Fri Feb 7, 2025 (AP News photo)
MLB The Show podcast Jessica Kwong:
#1 The 2026 MLB Draft Combine began this week in Phoenix. Which prospect has the most to gain from a strong combine performance, and how much should teams weigh medical evaluations versus on-field tools when making draft decisions?
#2 With updated 2026 All-Star voting results released, which players have been the biggest surprises—either deserving more support or receiving more votes than expected?
#3 After returning from a long injury absence and striking out ten batters in six scoreless innings, can Brandon Woodruff become a difference-maker in the playoff race for the Milwaukee Brewers?
#4 The New York Yankees remain strong contenders, but concerns persist about injuries, infield consistency, and the timeline for Aaron Judge’s return. Which issue is the biggest threat to their World Series aspirations?
#5 MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred criticized the San Francisco Giants over a communication breakdown involving Pride Night uniforms. How should MLB balance uniform policies, player expression, and team-sponsored events?
The Golden State Valkyries bench react after a play against the Atlanta Dream in the second quarter of a WNBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
By Michael Villanueva
SAN FRANCISCO – On this last Wednesday evening of June, the Golden State Valkyries returned to Ballhalla for some action, hosting the Atlanta Dream. Atlanta came to the Bay riding a four-game win streak and has also gone 6-2 on the road this season. So Atlanta isn’t fazed when it comes to playing on other teams’ courts, but they haven’t played the Valkyries yet this season and found out why Golden State is dangerous at home. As the Valkyries would make 15 three-pointers in the win over the Atlanta Dream, 77-66.
In their last game, the Golden State Valkyries went on a quick road trip back to Las Vegas, where they faced off and lost to the Aces, 93-72. The Valkyries struggled offensively on the road. In the second quarter of that game, Golden State had only put up a low 13 points. Compared to Las Vegas in that quarter, where they had put up 27 points. So Golden State was ready to make this game a bounce back from last Sunday, and use their home court advantage on Atlanta.
The Valkyries sent out Veronica Burton, Kayla Thornton, Gabby Williams, Cecilia Zandalasini, and Kiah Stokes as their starting five for this one. In the last game, Cecilia Zandalasini led the Valkyries with her 12 points and three rebounds. This was also the first time these two teams saw each other for the season, so both of them were looking to take game 1 in this season series.
The Dream sent out Naz Hillmon, Angel Reese, Allisha Gray, Jordin Canada, and Rhyne Howard as their starting five. Atlanta, looking to make this their fifth straight win of the season, will rely on their inside scoring, which has brought it great success. In fact, Atlanta leads the WNBA in inside scoring, averaging 43.6 points in the paint. In Atlanta’s most recent game, Rhyne Howard led the team with her 20 points on 5-of-11 shooting from deep and bringing in seven rebounds in the Dream’s 94-87 win over the Toronto Tempo.
Atlanta Dream would get the game going here in Ballhalla from Rhyne Howard’s 12-foot shot. Then the Valkyries responded with a three-point jumper by Kayla Thornton. Halfway through the first, the game is tied, 11-1, but then Valkyries Gabby Williams would knock down a three-pointer to give Golden State the lead, 14-11.
Valkyries shooting would take over the first quarter. Golden State would go 4-of-8 from deep, lifting them to a 22-18 lead. In the Golden State’s last game on Sunday in Las Vegas, the team went a terrible 5-of-30, so already a huge improvement for the Valkyries. This momentum would get carried through the second quarter for the Valkyries.
With 4 minutes left in the first half, Golden State’s lead jumped to double digits over Atlanta by 14 points, 36-22. The Valkyries are just thriving in their home court, as they’re just feeling themselves and making almost all their shots. They’re shooting over 54% in all of their shooting categories so far in this game. At the end of the 1st half, Golden State’s lead over Atlanta was 17-points, 44-27.
Starting the second half, the Valkyries would score first by Veronica Burton attacking the rim for a quick layup. Then, two minutes into the third quarter, the lead jumped to 23 points by Cecilia Zandalasini, knocking down a corner three-pointer, the largest lead of the game. Ballhalla would turn into a splash party, as Golden State would make its 11th three-pointer of the night.
At the end of the third quarter, the score was now 63-40, with the Valkyries heading into the final quarter with full control of the game. So, going into the fourth and final quarter, Atlanta went on a 7-0 scoring run, and this second unit for the Dream got some rhythm going late in the game. That 24-point lead Golden State had cut to a 12-point lead over Atlanta.
A much-needed three-pointer goes in for Golden State as Cecilia Zandalasini would get one to fall. That shot would be their first field goal of the quarter, which took almost seven minutes in the fourth quarter. With three minutes remaining, the lead was 13 points, 69-56. Atlanta would get as close as a ten point lead, but Valkyries Kayla Thornton would hit a crucial three-pointer that ultimately sealed the game for Golden State.
Valkyries Gabby Williams led the team in this win with her 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Williams had shot over 56% in all her shooting categories this game. Along with help from Kayla Thornton’s 17 points on 5-of-10 from three pointers, and bringing in five rebounds. Although going into the fourth quarter, the Valkyries couldn’t get a shot to go in until almost halfway in, but showed Wednesday night how the Valkyries can always bounce back when they play at home.
The Valkyries will have two more games left in June, and both of those games will be played at home for Golden State. So they’ll be looking forward to winning the last two games of the month and walk into July on a three game winning streak. On Friday evening, at 7:00 p.m., the Valkyries will run it back for another game with the Atlanta Dream right back in here at Chase Center. The game will be broadcast live on ION.
San Francisco Giants president Buster Posey answers questions for the media at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Tue Jun 23, 2026 (San Francisco Chronicle photo)
San Francisco Giants podcast Augie Messburg:
#1 Lincoln, did all the issues stemming from all the national attention the San Francisco Giants have been getting regarding three Giants pitchers writing Gen 9:12-16 on their caps to Rafael Devers refusing to leave Sunday’s game for pinch runner.
#2 The subject of the Pride hats and the Commissioner of baseball was brought up and the pressure that it brought on Rob Manfred when Sen Hawley wrote to Manfred saying the players should not be disciplined for writing on their caps.
#3 During the Tuesday press conference Posey was asked numerous times about players writing on their caps and what message does that send to the LGBTQ community and about the Commissioner saying the players have the option to wear the Rainbow hat or not. Posey insisted that he would not answer those questions and would only answer baseball related questions.
#4 Some in the LGBTQ community said that the writing of the scriptures targeted them for hate and that the Giants should admit to their mistakes in allowing the three pitchers to write on their caps. Sen Hawley said he would threaten baseball’s anti trust exemption and said it was discrimination against MLB players who profess their Christian faith.
#5 Posey was asked if the Giants will be sellers before the July trade deadline. Posey answered saying he hasn’t got that far yet and is still looking the team over but is open to see what other clubs wants and offers are.