Wetherholt heating up as Springfield stops the Soddies
SPRINGFIELD, Mo–The Springfield Cardinals wrapped up their home stand Sunday afternoon against Amarillo.
This will be the last time these two teams play in the regular season.
And the Cardinals were looking for their ninth win in the 12 games played between the two teams.
J.J. Wetherholt would jump start the baby birds in the first.
He rips this rocket to right, way over the fence and off the Mercy sign, oh mercy, a two run shot, it's 2-0.
It was 3-0 Springfield in the fourth when Ramon Mendoza singles to left R.J. Yeager scores it's 4-0.
The Sod Poodles get one back in the fifth, Ivan Melendez takes this deep to left, into the bullpen, a solo shot it's 4-1.
But Chase Davis gets that back in the bottom half, this single to center scores Leonardo Bernal, 5-1.
Springfield wins 6-1, afterwards I caught up with the St. Louis' top prospect who's hit two home runs in the last two games.
'It's been a lot of fun doing what I try to do. Control the zone, look for my certain spots, pitches that I want to be on. Just let everything else take care of itself in the box. We've been doing that pretty well. We've had some good plans. And just put some good swings on some balls. It's one of those things. There are so many ups and downs in a season, it's so long. You have to put it behind you and keep doing what you're doing. Create a plan each day and go to work,' said Wetherholt.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
33 minutes ago
- CBS News
Jalen Hurts to release children's book "Better Than a Touchdown" in March 2026
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is a man of many titles. Super Bowl champion. Super Bowl LIX MVP. Philadelphia Citizen of the Year. One of TIME's 100 Most Influential People. Now, a published author. Hurts announced Monday the release of his first children's book, "Better Than a Touchdown," with a March 10, 2026, release date. The book is available for preorder from Penguin Random House. In a video posted on Instagram, Hurts said publishing a children's book has always been a dream of his. "I'm very excited to share this moment with you guys. It's always been a dream of mine to have my own children's book, and I'm blessed to say that dream has become a reality with 'Better than a Touchdown,'" Hurts said. "It's a lot of hard work, a lot of love put into this book. It's very heartfelt because without the lessons learned, I wouldn't be here where I am today. So I'm excited to extend those lessons to the next generation, and hopefully it helps lift them just as the many lessons I learned did the same for me." "Better Than a Touchdown" tells the story of Jalen and his friends, who are excited to begin the school year and try out for the football team, only to discover that the program has been cut. Jalen doesn't get discouraged and turns to the community to help save the program. "'Better than a Touchdown' is a love letter to the power of community, being there for one another, and how a piece of good advice can change the course of a day," the book's description reads on Penguin Random House. "Told with Jalen's signature wisdom and gorgeous art by Nneka Myers, Better than a Touchdown carries a message we can all learn from: that by working together, there's nothing we can't accomplish." Hurts joins Eagles legends Brian Westbrook ("The Mouse Who Played Football") and Brandon Graham ("BG's ABCs: Tackling Football and Life") to publish children's books.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Lionel Messi's 50 Inter Miami goals: How the legend has scored for his MLS side
Lionel Messi made history against Porto, bagging a direct free kick that gave an MLS club its first competitive win against an opponent from UEFA. Once again, his exploits had given Inter Miami an otherwise unattainable edge, putting the Floridian side in fine shape to advance from Group A at the inaugural 32-team FIFA Club World Cup. Advertisement The goal was also his 50th since joining Miami in the fabled summer of 2023. To some, it took him far longer to notch a half-century of strikes. MLS's standard of defending is notoriously leaky, and even as age gradually dulls his athletic traits like feinting changes of direction or mazy dribbles to carve up an opposing defense, his technical acumen remains unparalleled. There's a few reasons why we're talking about this milestone after 23 months rather than in a single year, as he managed in 2011-12 when he scored 50 goals in La Liga and 78 in all competitions. That aforementioned aging curve has seen Messi rotated out with regularity as Miami keeps him sharp for its biggest games. Inevitably, even those dates will be overshadowed by his ageless contributions to Argentina's successful qualification for the 2026 World Cup, where he looks poised to join his teammates in defending their global title. FIFA is likely thrilled he hit a nice round number to give its nascent tournament a highlight-reel moment. Before Miami concludes its group stage against Palmeiras on the eve of Messi's 38th birthday, let's look back on how an icon of the game reached his first half-century of stateside strikes. In truth, the parallels between Messi's matchwinner against Porto and his first goal after signing with Miami are staggering. Neither came in MLS, or the competitions that have long been incorporated into its annual churn (the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the Concacaf Champions League, since rebranded as Champions Cup). After a month of prelude from when Messi shocked the world by picking Miami over a potentially more lucrative sojourn in Saudi Arabia, he was finally ready to debut in another newly launched competition: the Leagues Cup. For years, MLS and Liga MX have bandied for supremacy in North America. Most often, the Concacaf Champions Cup served as the sole viable weighing scale, with whichever league produced that year's champion earning more evidence in favor. It wasn't close. Since entering its modern era in 2008-09, the Champions Cup has been dominated by teams from Mexico, as 16 of 17 installments have been claimed by Liga MX's clubs, with the league also providing the runner-up on 10 occasions. While most of the past half-decade has seen an MLS team take home silver in the CCC, it's hardly viable grounds to argue your league is better. Advertisement And so, the Leagues Cup was launched to be played in July and August across MLS stadia. With Liga MX teams in offseason and MLS teams having already played roughly 20 of its 34 games, it was supposed to be a chance to pit every team from both leagues in a group-and-knockout tournament. Then Messi arrived. And it was impossible to focus on anything else in the competition. You likely saw his first involvement. After entering from the bench against Cruz Azul, Miami was awarded a free kick 26.5 yards from goal, near the center of the box: prime Messi territory. The placement was perfect, and the reaction was worthy: fans in Fort Lauderdale couldn't believe their luck. Despite having only played for 36 minutes, he had already decided a match on his own. In 564 minutes across seven matches, Messi turned what was supposed to be a competition between MLS and Liga MX into his grand introductory tour. Among his 10 goals was a placed far-post finish against the Philadelphia Union that traveled 40-yards — the proverbial 0.01 xG goal from a player notorious for thwarting the model — and a total of three matchwinners. He bagged his 10th in the final against Nashville SC, then among MLS's best organized defenses, slaloming around World Cup veteran Walker Zimmerman and placing a shot on his stride with his demigod-like foot strength. If there's a cautionary tale for FIFA here, it's that Messi christening your tournament with a wonder goal isn't enough to establish a foundation. The 2024 installment wasn't nearly as buzzy, and MLS and Liga MX went ahead to condense and reformat the competition ahead of this summer. After barnstorming through the Leagues Cup, some wondered if Messi's arrival would be enough to lift Miami — which was toiling near the bottom of the standings, leading to Phil Neville's sacking before Messi signed — into a playoff position. Ultimately, the lack of an offseason after leaving Paris Saint-Germain caught up with him. Messi played just six games for a total of 372 minutes, scoring once as he alternated between the lineup and the injury report. Advertisement The team embarked on a preseason tour in 2024, stopping in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong and Tokyo. The results were sobering: defeat after defeat as Miami became a punchline as little more than a club for high-earning retirees. Far from the image it wanted to cast, Miami kicked off the 2024 MLS season with a mission — one that, like any heist on the silver screen, couldn't be pulled off without the right team. In truth, 'the right team' in MLS is tough to build. The league's strict code of roster rules force teams to make concessions, often in defense. While this opened Miami up to leak in goals with regularity, it also pitted Messi — who had been joined by Luis Suárez over the winter — against some truly overwhelmed opposite numbers. Before the Copa América, Messi was contributing at a record pace. He tallied 25 combined goals and assists through 18 matches, narrowly behind the pace of Carlos Vela (28 in 18) when the Mexico great set an MLS record with 49 goal contributions in 2019. The injury that took him out of the Copa América final brought Messi back to earth a bit, and he finished the season with 'only' 38 goal contributions in 22 games. Undoubtedly, he would have continued to threaten Vela's record had he stayed healthy. Instead, Messi settled for the league's MVP award at year's end despite playing just 1,756 minutes, barely over half of the 3,060 available in a 34-game season. It doesn't hurt that Miami topped the regular season table, winning its first Supporters' Shield by setting an MLS record with 74 points. Unfortunately for Messi, Miami fell victim to a spirited Atlanta United side in the playoffs. Since 2023, MLS has adopted a best-of-three format for its first round, an unusual calibration in this sport that gives underdogs plenty of time and opportunity to change their game plan to thwart one heavyweight opponent in back-to-back-to-back contests. Miami wasn't the only pre-playoff favorite to make an early exit, joined by defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew and Real Salt Lake, the third seed in the West. As time continues to advance at its customary rate, Messi's once-and-current teammates (Suárez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba) have all seen their impacts at an MLS level fall off rapidly. While Messi, too, isn't quite as dominant as he used to be, he's still a class above — and, in a boost to Miami as well as opposing teams who host his starry roadshow, he's been healthier more often than usual since signing two years ago. The team's balance is undoubtedly off, and the touchline change from Tata Martino to Javier Mascherano has left the team without a grizzled veteran of the managerial ranks. As a result, Miami has never looked more fallible. After only losing by multiple goals once in his first 20 months with Miami, the club suffered a 4-1 blowout loss at Minnesota United with Messi playing a full 90, then lost 3-0 the following week at rival Orlando City. Advertisement Despite the drop in his team's form, as Miami is currently sixth in the East (third if using points per game) and 10th (fifth, by ppg) in the 30-team leaguewide standings, Messi is again a frontrunner for MVP honors. His 17 goal contributions in 1,115 minutes are tied for the most in MLS, alongside San Diego FC winger Anders Dreyer, a winter signing from RSC Anderlecht. Once the team resumes its regular season, Messi will again face an uphill battle to drag his team to a higher standing as the rest of the league has caught on to its tricks. No matter — the win over Porto will provide plenty of confidence. After all, Inter Miami has Lionel Messi, unlike any other club in the world at present. And throughout history and the modern moment alike, he's a one-of-one figure.
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
How to Watch Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo From Anywhere for Free: Stream FIFA Club World Cup Soccer
The final round of group stage games at the FIFA Club World Cup kicks off with this Group B clash, which sees Atlético Madrid in need of a win against table-topping Botafogo as they chase a place in the round of 16. Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to watch every match of the tournament as it happens, wherever you are in the world. We'll also explain how to use a VPN if the match isn't available where you are. Atlético bounced back from a thrashing in its first game at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain, with a professional 3-1 win over MLS outfit Seattle Sounders. Botafogo, meanwhile, followed a 2-1 win over the Sounders in its first match with arguably the result of the tournament so far. The Brazilian team shocked newly crowned Champions League winner PSG with a 1-0 victory on Friday to go to the top of Group B. Atlético Madrid play Botafogo on Monday, June 23, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT. That makes it an 8 p.m. BST start in the UK and an 5 a.m. AEST kickoff in Australia on Tuesday morning. Igor Jesus's first-half strike was enough for Botafogo to grab a headline-grabbing 1-0 win over European champion PSG last Friday. Justin Setterfield/FIFA/Getty Images Livestream the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 for free The great news for soccer fans is that sports streaming platform DAZN is set to broadcast all 63 matches of the FIFA Club World Cup free in almost every country, with coverage available in multiple languages. DAZN DAZN Watch the FIFA Club World Cup for free Existing DAZN subscribers or Freemium members can watch every game of the tournament as part of their current membership. If you're not a member, it's easy to sign up for a free DAZN Freemium account using your email address to watch all the action at no cost through the DAZN app. As well as dedicated apps for iOS and Android, DAZN offers a wide range of support for set-top boxes and smart TVs. See at DAZN How to watch Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo online from anywhere using a VPN If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the FIFA Club World Cup soccer action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming. It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds. It can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security. However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN use to access region-specific content. If you're considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance. If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider's installation instructions, ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN use is crucial. James Martin/CNET ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming Price $13 per month, $100 for the first 15 months (then $117 per year) or $140 for the first 28 months (then $150 per year) Latest Tests No DNS leaks detected, 18% speed loss in 2025 tests Network 3,000 plus servers in 105 countries Jurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN that works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100, you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 61% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months) See at Livestream Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo in Australia Australia has a second option for watching every game of the tournament live. Alongside DAZN's free coverage, pay TV broadcaster Foxtel and its sister streaming service Kayo will also be showing all 63 games. Kayo Sports Kayo Sports Watch the FIFA Club World Cup in Australia for AU$25 A Kayo Sports subscription starts at AU$25 a month and lets you stream on one screen, while its Premium tier costs AU$40 a month for simultaneous viewing on up to three devices. The service gives you access to a wide range of sports, including F1, NRL, NFL, NHL and MLB, and there are no lock-in contracts. Better still, if you're a new customer, you can take advantage of a one-week Kayo Sports free trial. See at Kayo Sports Quick tips for streaming the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 soccer using a VPN
