
Brewers hold off Dodgers again for 9th straight win
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Freddy Peralta won his seventh straight start, Isaac Collins and Joey Ortiz homered, and the Milwaukee Brewers held off the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-7 on Saturday night to extend their win streak to a season-best nine.
Shohei Ohtani hit his National League-leading 33rd homer and drove in three runs for the Dodgers. Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas both went deep in the eighth to pull the NL West leaders to 8-7.
But then Ohtani's flyball died on the warning track to end the eighth, and Trevor Megill threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save as Los Angeles lost for the ninth time in 11 games.
Milwaukee improved to 5-0 against the defending World Series champions this year, including a three-game sweep at home last week.
Peralta (12-4) wasn't particularly sharp, giving up four runs and five hits in five innings as his ERA rose from 2.66 to 2.85. But the Brewers tacked on three insurance runs to maintain the lead after the All-Star right-hander exited.
After the teams traded four-run rallies in the third, the Brewers took a 5-4 lead on Collins' 363-foot homer over the short right-field wall in the fourth. They made it 6-4 on Caleb Durbin's RBI double in the sixth.
The Dodgers pulled to 6-5 in the sixth when Edman snapped an 0-for-29 skid with a single and Ohtani sliced an RBI single to left.
Milwaukee pushed it to 7-5 in the seventh when Andrew Vaughn hit a two-out RBI single, and 8-5 in the eighth on Ortiz's homer.
Los Angeles starter Emmet Sheehan (1-1) allowed five runs and seven hits in three-plus innings. Key moment
Peralta prevented an even bigger rally in the third when, with four runs in, a runner on third and no outs, he struck out Andy Pages, got Michael Conforto to ground out to shortstop with the infield in and retired Edman on a fly to left. Key stat
The Dodgers were hitting .157 with four runs in four-plus games against the Brewers this season before scoring four times in the third. Up next
Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw (4-1, 3.88 ERA) faces Brewers lefty Jose Quintana (6-3, 3.28) in Sunday's series finale.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
recommended
Item 1 of 1
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
28 minutes ago
- USA Today
How can the WNBA improve? Player salaries aren't only thing it needs to fix
INDIANAPOLIS — WNBA players want to get paid, that much is obvious after an All-Star weekend that became as much about the ongoing contract negotiations as the game itself. The players are looking for higher salaries and better revenue sharing, and rightfully so. They see very little of the money that's pouring into the WNBA now from expansion fees, media rights and sponsors. Those aren't the only issues on the table, however. Here are four other problems that must be addressed for the WNBA to continue to thrive: Officiating Complaining about officiating is as much a part of sports as uniforms and scoreboards. In this case, however, the critics have a point. The W is, was and always will be a physical league. But the refs haven't kept pace with the players' speed and the strength, and it's resulted in too many games getting out of control. They've also missed calls and made the wrong ones. And for the love of God, turn reviews over to a replay center — like in the NBA. The calls and consultations this season have felt excruciatingly long and disrupted the flows of games. 'Our game is growing … and I feel like as the game grows, we need the officiating to grow with us,' Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson said. 'Sometimes that takes time, and I know they're human, they're going to make mistakes. But I think at some point we're going to have to start meeting each other at the middle. 'I mean, James Harden created a whole other look of a step back, but refs understood that and was like, `OK, this is how the game is played. It's legal. Let's try to work from there,'' Wilson said. 'We just got continue to grow together. We are getting really, really, really good at what we do, so we need them to be the same.' WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert didn't throw the refs under the bus. But she acknowledged hearing the complaints and said the league is actively working to make officiating better. 'Every play is reviewed. We spend hours and hours and hours (doing that). We use that then to follow up with officials (and) training,' she said. 'We're working hard to make sure we're putting the best product out on the court and our officiating has to follow that.' Schedule The Minnesota Lynx's schedule before the All-Star Game was a nightmare. Eleven games between June 24 and July 16, including a stretch with five games in eight days. Two sets of back-to-backs during the stretch. Four noon starts in the five games between July 9 and 16. 'When we received the schedule, we thought it was about as illogical as you can get,' Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. 'Every team has stretches for sure, but this one's illogical.' And there's more! The Golden State Valkyries begin the second half of the season with four games in seven days. The New York Liberty will play five games in eight days between July 25 and Aug. 1. The Dallas Wings have games on July 25, July 27 and July 28. You get the picture. 'The scheduling is always a Rubik's cube,' Engelbert said. But the W is also doing this to itself. The league will play 44 games this season, up from 40, yet Engelbert sounds reluctant to stray from the traditional mid-May to mid-October timeframe except in years when there are international competitions. 'I don't think there's much you can do on the front end. You can a little on the back end,' she said. 'How much college football Saturdays do you want to go into? … Then the NBA would be starting. We generally haven't overlapped with them.' The league has grown to the point that it needs to prioritize itself rather than worrying about other sports. Otherwise, it's going to drive its players into the ground. Roster expansion Making a WNBA roster can often feel like basketball's version of The Hunger Games. Even with the addition of the expansion Golden State Valkyries, there are only 156 roster spots available in the league. It's often even less, though, because many teams will only keep 11 players on their rosters due to the salary cap. Just three months after being drafted, second-round picks Madison Scott, Shyanne Sellers and Dalayah Daniels are out of the league. Alissa Pili, a first-round pick last year, was cut by the Minnesota Lynx earlier this month. These thin rosters are tough on teams, too. There was a point last month when the Dallas Wings had just eight players available. Teams were using hardship contracts the first week of the season. Though Engelbert has said in the past she'd rather increase the number of players in the league through expansion, she now sounds more open to adding roster spots. 'That is certainly on the list," she said. Transparency This isn't necessarily part of the CBA negotiations, but it needs addressing. Even if the WNBA isn't trying to hide anything, its caginess about fines and end-of-game officiating makes it look as if it is. The major men's professional leagues have realized transparency makes the game better. The NBA releases an assessment of all officiating calls over the last two minutes of any game where the lead is three points or less. The NFL, which takes paranoia to an art form, discloses how much players are fined and reasons for suspensions. They're small things, but they serve to create trust in the leagues and the people running them. Given the fan response to the players' contract demands during All-Star weekend, the WNBA can use any goodwill it can get. Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media @nrarmour.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Bleacher Report Ranks Kobe Bryant As 11th Greatest Player Of All Time; Stephen Curry In Top 10
Bleacher Report Ranks Kobe Bryant As 11th Greatest Player Of All Time; Stephen Curry In Top 10 originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Bleacher Report has released its updated list of the Top 100 NBA Players of All Time, and while the usual suspects like Michael Jordan and LeBron James hold the top two spots, the most polarizing debate has emerged just outside the top 10. Kobe Bryant, the five-time champion and Lakers icon, has been ranked 11th, one spot behind Stephen Curry, who now officially holds a place in the top 10. The ranking has already ignited fierce debates across the basketball world, with fans and analysts divided over whether the Black Mamba was disrespected or whether Curry has rightfully leapfrogged him. 20. Julius Erving 19. David Robinson 18. Dirk Nowitzki 17. Nikola Jokic 16. Kevin Garnett 15. Jerry West 14. Oscar Robertson 13. Kevin Durant 12. Hakeem Olajuwon 11. Kobe Bryant 10. Stephen Curry 9. Wilt Chamberlain 8. Larry Bird 7. Tim Duncan 6. Shaquille O'Neal 5. Bill Russell 4. Magic Johnson 3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2. LeBron James 1. Michael Jordan Kobe's resume is nearly unmatched: 5 NBA championships, 18 All-Star appearances, 2 Finals MVPs, 33,643 career points, and countless iconic moments etched into league history. He is considered by many to be the closest thing to Michael Jordan the league has seen, both in mentality and style. Yet Bleacher Report placed Hakeem Olajuwon (12), Kevin Durant (13), and even Oscar Robertson (14) behind him, while Curry surged ahead. Stephen Curry, now ranked 10th, has continued to reshape the legacy conversation. With four NBA titles, two regular-season MVPs (including the only unanimous MVP in history), and a Finals MVP in 2022, Curry's impact on the game is undeniable. He has transformed the NBA through his three-point revolution, ushering in a style of play that's changed how the game is taught and played at every level. For Bleacher Report, that influence, paired with sustained excellence, was enough to place him ahead of Kobe. Rounding out the top 10 were names most fans expect: Wilt Chamberlain (9), Larry Bird (8), Tim Duncan (7), Shaquille O'Neal (6), Bill Russell (5), Magic Johnson (4), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (3), LeBron James (2), and Michael Jordan (1). Jordan remaining at the top is no surprise, while LeBron's continued case as the greatest all-around player ever keeps him firmly at No. 2. The real discussion lies in how Curry and Kobe are viewed in contrast. Perhaps the most fascinating subplot is Nikola Jokic, who came in at 17th. After winning three MVPs and leading the Denver Nuggets to their first-ever NBA championship in 2023, Jokic's placement inside the top 20 shows how rapidly his career has accelerated. In just nine seasons, he's vaulted over names like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, and Scottie Pippen. Still, Kobe being outside the top 10 is bound to spark emotional responses. His influence on the next generation from Jayson Tatum to Devin Booker, his iconic clutch performances, and his relentless work ethic have made him more than just a stat-sheet superstar. To many, he's a top-five player, and anything less is seen as disrespect. But to Bleacher Report, Stephen Curry has earned that slight edge, not just with championships, but with innovation and influence. And in the ever-evolving conversation about greatness, that edge was enough to push Kobe just outside the inner circle, for story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ranking The Greatest Fast Break/Transition Players In NBA History
Ranking The Greatest Fast Break/Transition Players In NBA History originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Fast breaks are more than flashy highlights; they're game-deciders. And some players didn't just run; they completely ruled the open court. Magic Johnson made fast breaks an art form, waltzing downcourt with no-look dimes that turned transition into Showtime with the Los Angeles Lakers. Allen Iverson shattered ankles, exploding full-speed with 'jet-engine legs' that made defenders pray for the whistle. Then came LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, giants who sprint faster than most guards, punish every broken defense, and scatter rim defenders instantly. But these aren't the only ones. Using a mix of sheer size, speed, court vision, and creativity, each rewrote full‑court play into an unstoppable weapon. Let's rank the 30 greatest fast-break artists into five tiers to see who ranks above the rest. Tier 1 LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Giannis Antetokounmpo LeBron James blends freakish size, speed, and court vision. He dominated it, grabbing rebounds, igniting the break with horsepower and then finishing with power or precision, making it nearly impossible for defenses to recover. His versatility in transition, pushing, passing, threatening, and powering through lets him dictate the pace, creating mismatches and highlight-reel chaos even in his late 30s and early 40s. Magic Johnson was the architect of 'Showtime', a transition offense built on visionary no-look passes, alley-oops, and point-forward dominance. At 6'9", he redefined fast-break guard play, posting an unmatched 11.2 APG career average and frequently turning defense into offense with flair. Magic was must-see TV because of his ability on the break. Giannis Antetokounmpo brings a modern, unstoppable blend of size and acceleration; his full-court charges resemble a freight train, bulldozing defenses and finishing with thunderous dunks. Some analysts even label him the greatest fast-break threat ever, given his efficiency in yard-line transition scoring, and we find that argument very fair. Regardless, he's in Tier 1 with LeBron and Magic. Tier 2 Russell Westbrook, Jason Kidd, Michael Jordan, Allen Iverson Russell Westbrook holds the single-season record for fast-break points (8.2 PPG in 2014-15), a testament to his raw pace and relentless aggression on the break. He'd push every possession like a track race, and it was incredibly fun to watch during his prime. Jason Kidd was the consummate transition facilitator; his precision outlet passing and court sense ignited countless break opportunities, making the Nets and Suns some of the most efficient early-offense teams of the 2000s. Kidd's fast-break prowess was behind the Nets' making the Finals on two occasions. Michael Jordan turned breaks into scoring showcases with his explosive first step and mid-air control. When he got out ahead of the defense, it was near-certain he'd either finish or draw awe-struck cheers. Anytime there is a category that comes to offense, the GOAT will rank towards the top. Allen Iverson exploded through defenses with jet-engine legs. His low center of gravity and fearless downhill attacks made him possibly the most electrifying guard in transition, particularly in his prime. Four scoring titles came mainly as a result of the guard's quickness in the open court. Tier 3 Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Steve Nash, John Wall, Kobe Bryant, Oscar Robertson Derrick Rose in 2010-11 was a blur in transition; his 4.5-second bursts turned defensive boards into near-automatic finishing, explosive enough to consistently leave opposing backcourts scrambling. Dwyane Wade melded speed, craft, and finesse; his signature one-two step was a transition nightmare, consistently drawing fouls or closing with crafty finishes at the rim. We can't forget how dominant "Flash" was during his prime with the Heat. Steve Nash courted pace with precision; his playmaking in transition wasn't about speed but timing, turning early offense into rhythm and open shots for teammates. Nash was great in the half-court as well, but his transition game probably got him the two MVP awards. John Wall, in his prime, was a speedster who did everything, rebounds, outlet passes, coast-to-coast finishes, and embodied pure transition tempo. One of the fastest players of all time, Wall is easily in Tier 3. Kobe Bryant may not have led the team in fast-break stats, but he struck with devastating efficiency when he got out. His competitive gear turned break opportunities into hard-earned buckets. He also put a couple of players on iconic posters as well. Oscar Robertson was basketball's prototype triple-double man; his size, vision, and pace set the stage for modern transition play and were a mismatch machine before the fast-break was even fully tracked. Tier 4 Tracy McGrady, Manu Ginobili, Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Tony Parker, Stephen Curry, Wilt Chamberlain T-Mac was born for highlight-reel fast breaks. He'd explode down the lane, spin off slower defenders, and either dunk thunderously or hit that silky pull-up; his bursts were 'almost violently' sudden and deadly effective. McGrady's self alley-oops on the break were a thing of beauty as well. The stealthy architect of the transition Euro-step, Manu Ginobili, would burst ahead, break ankles in mid-air, and finish with crafty floaters or off-hand tags, his creativity and timing made defenses look helpless as he sliced through seams. Not famed for sprinting speed, Larry Bird's transition game relied on cerebral timing. His sharp, catch-and-fire passes in early offense often turned routine stops into immediate scoring chances, making his court IQ just as dangerous as any fast break athlete. The ultimate wing-driver in transition, Scottie Pippen used length, speed, and defensive anticipation to run lanes off steals or rebounds, his layups and open-court reads anchored some of Jordan's most lethal breakouts. "The Round Mound of Rebound", Charles Barkley, was a bulldozer on the break, snagging offensive boards and crashing the paint with brute strength. His tornado dribble and step-in layups made him a consistent, physical threat ahead of the pack. With a lightning-fast step, Tony Parker would puncture defenses in the blink of an eye. His transition scoring was defined not by raw speed but by pinpoint timing; he'd slip free and hit floaters or dishes before defenders blinked. Transition became even deadlier with Stephen Curry's micro-bursts and ball-handling wizardry. Not the fastest, but his shift-in-speed seconds into a fast break made early offense chaos for opponents, often pulling up or feeding streaking teammates. Even when early breaks weren't tracked, Wilt Chamberlain's trailing sprints and alley-oop finishes were unstoppable. His pre-stats dominance in transition was built on size, strength, and unmatched athleticism; he owned the offensive glass and immediate put-backs. Tier 5 Clyde Drexler, Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Gary Payton, Rajon Rondo, Penny Hardaway, Kevin Durant, Julius Erving, Shawn Kemp Clyde 'The Glide' Drexler earned his nickname, and not just for dunking. He routinely grabbed rebounds or steals, then coasted downcourt with ease. His fast-break playmaking? Legendary. A Blazers/Rockets stalwart in 2-on-1s, using full-speed pocket passes and dunks to dominate. Chris Paul didn't look like a breakaway threat, but he played chess in transition, probing defenses, pushing just until lanes opened, then either finishing or dishing with surgical accuracy. He made every break feel like a question whose answer was always 'he'll find the open man.' Mr. Big Shot brought calm and foresight to the transition. His late-game break decisions, when to pull up or pass, were precise, efficient, and clutch, turning potential fritters into composed, intelligent buckets. Gary Payton combined defensive intensity with sprint-like offense. He'd force turnovers with those same hands, then sprint the break, finishing aggressively or finding cutters on the fly; his competitiveness set the tone. Transition Rajon Rondo meant vision first, long rebounds, quick hands, and threading passes ahead of the pack. His IQ unlocked break offense not by speed but by timing, making unnoticed hustles turn into buckets. A smooth, 6'7" point forward in transition, Penny glided downcourt, finishing with savvy floaters or whipping perfect dishes. His ease in stride and feel for space made him a uniquely graceful transition threat. Kevin Durant's quiet bursts in transition, a few steps, pull-up, back down, made him a lethal threat. Even without elite speed, his pull-up jumper became the transition weapon: unstoppable, efficient, and delivered with ice in his veins. Julius Erving ushered in the high-flying break, those soaring coast-to-coast slams and awe-inspiring finishes weren't just spectacles, they redefined how fast breaks looked and felt. His aerial artistry in motion stays legendary. Pure dunk energy on wheels. Kemp's transition jams, high-speed, thunderous, punched defenses in the mouth, turning stops into momentum-shifting highlight explosions that echoed through story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.