Good Morning! Here’s what happened in the world of sports on Wednesday, July 10.

MLB

Another day, another set of games from Major League Baseball. As usual, we’ve got the highlights for you:

• The Chicago White Sox have not won many games this year. However, they had a pretty special 3-1 victory yesterday against the Minnesota Twins. To end the game, White Sox reliever Michael Kopech pitched an immaculate inning– that’s nine pitches, nine strikes. You can’t be any better than. Kopech is the first White Sox player to accomplish the feat since a man named Sloppy Thurston was immaculate in 1923. 

• No one likes to lose, but it’s even worse when it happens twice in one day. The St. Louis Cardinals suffered that fate against the Kansas City Royals yesterday, falling 8-5 and 6-4. Royals catcher/DH Salvador Perez hit a home run in each game.

• The Philadelphia Phillies became the first team to win 60 games this season, taking down the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3. While Philly is playing their best ball, the Dodgers are losing players left and right. The latest casualty for LA is rookie starter Bobby Miller, who was sent down to the minor leagues to “work on some things.”

• Mets center fielder Brandon Nimmo hit a home run for the third straight game, and New York beat the Nationals 6-2. Nimmo was one of my picks for the all-star team that was incorrect. I’m not upset, and neither is he.

• They say defense wins championships. If that’s true, I’d bet on the Seattle Mariners. Seattle continues to win games without scoring many runs, this time beating the Padres 2-0. Center fielder Julio Rodriguez had the play of the night, saving a run with this throw home.

SOCCER

Before the Euros began, England were the favorites to win it all. Once the games started, England was criticized heavily for their struggles to score or really play interesting football. Well, we should have remembered that pre-tournament feeling. In their best performance of the tournament so far, England knocked off the Netherlands 2-1 and advanced to the finals. The Netherlands led 1-0 on an incredible individual goal, but a wonderful 90th minute strike by substitute Ollie Watkins proved to be the winner.

Uruguay and Columbia came into the semifinals of the Copa America playing very gritty football. This game lived up to the expectations. Columbia took an early 1-0 lead, but then Columbia midfielder Daniel Munoz threw an elbow. His red card late in the second half looked like it would give Uruguay the upper hand. Although they controlled play and came up with chances, Uruguay could not break through. Columbia advanced to Sunday’s final against Argentina– although not before this ugly brawl in the stands between their fans and a few of Uruguay’s players.

TENNIS

Another set of four matches completed the quarterfinals:

• Technically only three matches were played, as Alex de Minaur was forced to withdraw due to injury. Novak Djokovic advances to his millionth Grand Slam semifinal, and especially with the extra rest, will be the favorite.

• Djokovic will take on the Italian Lorenzo Musetti, who will play in his first Grand Slam Final. Musetti came through in five well-played sets against the last remaining American, Taylor Fritz. Musetti last faced Djokovic at the French Open, where they dueled until almost 4 AM local time. Novak won, of course, but maybe Musetti will have confidence this time around to pull off the upset.

• No one was more excited than Barbora Krejcikova on making her first Wimbledon semifinal after she beat Jelena Ostapenko. The 2021 French Open champion has a tough matchup next, though, as she faces…

• Elena Rybakina, who continues to roll through her competition. Rybakina controlled every point of her 6-3, 6-2 win over Elena Svitolina. There’s no doubt the number four seed and 2021 Wimbledon champion feels very confident in her game on the grass.

BASKETBALL

A busy day for Team USA yesterday… first, it was announced that Kawhi Leonard would be leaving the team. The oft-injured superstar will be replaced by NBA champion Derrick White. Not a like-for-like substitute in terms of position, but White is a tenacious defender with a championship pedigree. USA executive director Grant Hill said it was “in our best interest… to move in a different direction.” Very interesting.

On the court, there was much less drama. After a very rough start, Team USA ultimately had little trouble beating Canada 86-72. It’s just an exhibition match, but I think basketball fans everywhere smiled when Steph Curry threw a lob to LeBron James. You know who’s going to win, but they do cool enough stuff on the court that it’s still worth watching.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS

Gregg Berhalter is out as the US Men’s soccer coach. After the disappointing Copa America performance and Berhalter’s inability to inspire much hope in the fanbase, this decision is not much of a surprise. The intrigue has already begun over who will be the coach tasked with leading the US during their march to the World Cup, hosted in North American in just two years.

PLAY OF THE DAY

I love doubles, but the partner format of tennis doesn’t get much love or attention… maybe today’s play of the day will change that.

There’s very few people on the planet that could pull that off. Well done, Mr. Arevalo.

TODAY’S BIG GAMES (all times Eastern)

WIMBLEDON: Donna Vekic vs Jasmine Paolini, followed by Elena Rybakina vs Barbora Krejcikova, beginning 8:30 AM on ESPN

• The women’s semifinals take Centre Court. Vekic is the veteran against in-form Paolini, while the unstoppable Rybakina faces a new challenge against Krejcikova. Only two will play for the Venus Rosewater Dish on Saturday.

MLB: Pirates @ Brewers 2:10 PM, Dodgers @ Phillies 6:05 PM

• Maybe the Dodgers salvage one game against Philly this series? It’s more likely they continue to limp into the all-star break, where hopefully LA can get healthy and regroup. And you already know what day it is when the Pirates are in this section… Paul Skenes is on the mound again, this time against a division rival.

Stay classy, San Diego. Enjoy your Thursday.