The seesaw in the National League East continues with three games left until the all-star break. The Phillies have a 1.5-game lead over the New York Mets for first place, but the Phillies lost two out of three to the San Francisco Giants in the beginning of their road trip. In the second game, they lost in unique fashion on a ninth inning inside-the-park three-run home run, which just shows how badly they need help in the bullpen. They lost the first game by the score of 3-1, but then proceeded to win the last game 13-0, a good indication of how inconsistent their offense has been for the whole season.
The best part about Wednesday’s game was the fact that Bryce Harper, who has been injured a good bit, had four extra-base hits, including a home run. Let’s hope this means he will start hitting for power consistently again.
The Phillies will only have two players on the all-star roster – pitcher Zack Wheeler and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber. I hope pitcher Christopher Sanchez gets added as a replacement substitute. I also hope Kyle Schwarber decides to take part in the home run derby because I think he would be one of the favorites to win, considering how long his Schwarbombs are!
The Wimbledon tennis tournament ends this weekend with two Americans still alive. In the singles draw, Amanda Anisimova will play Iga Swiatek in the final after Amanda was able to beat current No. 1 in the world, Aryna Sabalenka in a close three-set match. For both players, this will be their first opportunity to win Wimbledon. Iga will be the significant favorite over Amanda since she has already won three French Open titles and has been the No. 1 player in the world.
On the men’s side, if Taylor Fritz wants to make it to the finals, he’s going to have his work cut out for him because he has to beat Carlos Alcaraz, who just won the French Open. In the other semifinal Jannik Sinner will face 38-year-old Novak Djokovic. This should be a classic match because Djokovic probably knows this is one of his last chances to win his record 25th major title. Both players seem like they’re not 100% healthy going into the match. Jannik has an elbow injury and Novak did not practice the day before the match. I just hope it's a great performance for both players.
-
A 2002 Cape grad and 2007 UD grad, Lewes resident Sumner Spence is one of the Cape area's biggest sports fans. Although he’s used a wheelchair his entire life, he has lived vicariously through his sports-playing father, brother, and friends, who gave him his love of sports. He hopes to provide new and interesting perspectives on the sports stories and issues of the day. Email Sumner at sumspence@gmail.com.
