AV’s H -Town Sports Minute: Astros, World Cup, And More.

Astros Shut Out Rays In Series Finale

(Houston, TX)  —  The Astros shut out the Rays 2-0 to win their series in Houston.  Peter Lambert earned the victory after striking out six batters over five and two-thirds scoreless frames.  Christian Walker and Isaac Paredes each went deep with a solo blast.  Houston has now won back to back games.  Mason Englert suffered the loss after allowing two runs on five hits and a walk.  Tampa Bay has dropped two in a row. 

FIFA World Cup Wraps Up In Houston

(Houston, TX)  —  Houston’s participation in FIFA World Cup 2026 is at an end.  The city hosted seven matches between June 14th and July 4th at NRG Stadium, which was renamed Houston Stadium for the duration of the tournament.  The stadium was the site of five group-stage matches, one Round of 32 matchup, and Saturday’s Round of 16 matchup.  In that Independence Day match, Morocco defeated Canada 3-0 [[ 3-nil ]] to conclude Houston’s involvement in the World Cup. 

Caitlin Clark Speaks On Alyssa Thomas’ Flagrant Foul, Aftermath

(Indianapolis, IN)  —  Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark is speaking out on the recent controversy involving her and the Phoenix Mercury’s Alyssa Thomas.  Clark broke her silence Friday, telling reporters she believes a flagrant foul was the correct call on Thomas for putting her fist on Clark’s throat while getting up from a scramble for a loose ball.  The newly-crowned WNBA Player of the Month also said the harassment and threats Thomas has received online afterward are unacceptable.

Serena Williams Sets Wimbledon TV Record

(London, UK) — Serena Williams’ return to singles competition drew a record number of viewers.  ESPN says nearly two-million people watched the 44-year-old’s first-round match at Wimbledon, making it the most-watched Day Two contest in the network’s history.  Williams lost to Australian Maya Joint on Tuesday in her first singles tournament appearance in four years.