Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 409

Nick Ahmed gets revenge as light flickers on SF Giants’ playoff hopes after series loss to Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — The Giants cut ties with Nick Ahmed earlier this month, and on Thursday the veteran shortstop might have sealed their fate this season.

Only playing his second game for the Dodgers, Ahmed launched a two-strike sinker from Tyler Rogers into the left-field bleachers that gave the lead right back to the home team in the bottom of the eighth after the Giants rallied for two runs to tie the score in the top half.

Shohei Ohtani followed with a moonshot to right field, and the Giants lost to the Dodgers for the third time in four games, 6-4.

“Pretty deflating game, as far as it went,” manager Bob Melvin said.

If they weren’t already, Farhan Zaidi and the Giants’ front office must be seriously considering whether they have the pieces to make a playoff push with 58 games to go and five days until Tuesday’s trade deadline. Even in the crowded National League wild card race, the Giants stand near the back of the pack, falling 5½ games out and behind five other teams, tied with the Cubs, who have already committed to selling.

Inside a quiet postgame clubhouse, outfielder Michael Conforto said, “You guys can feel it.

“Nobody likes losing in here. We feel we’re better than the way we’ve played, not just since the break, but overall. It’s disappointing, but we’ve got to find a way to show up, bring the energy and play good baseball.”

A veteran on an expiring contract, Conforto would be one potential piece the Giants could move — and open the path to playing time for younger players such as Luis Matos — but he said, “We’re all aware (the trade deadline), but it doesn’t play a part in the way that we play the game. … We all want to stay together. We really enjoy playing with each other. It’s a very tight group. For now, it’s out of my control. All I can control is on the field.”

Conforto did his part in the eighth inning, doubling in David Villar to cut the deficit to 4-3 and getting on his horse to score from second on a single that Jorge Soler dropped into left field to tie the score at 4, but it was almost immediately negated by an uncharacteristic outing from their submarining set-up man, who had never surrendered multiple home runs in 314 previous career appearances.

“It felt like once we got to the eighth inning there, pitching-wise, we were probably in a pretty good spot,” Melvin said. “Came back, got a lead, lost it again. And then in the eighth, made a nice push to get ourselves in position to get one of our key guys in the game in Tyler. … Yeah, frustrating.”

With a chance to build on the momentum from Robbie Ray’s electric club debut the night before and return home in better fashion than they began the second half, the Giants sent their ace to the mound on a sweltering Thursday afternoon against a somewhat neutered version of their longtime arch nemesis.

Not even those favorable circumstances could overcome the chasm between them and the Dodgers, who got only four innings from Clayton Kershaw in the 36-year-old’s first start since offseason shoulder surgery but knocked around Logan Webb enough to take three of four games in their final meeting until next June.

Opening the second half by dropping two of three to the last-place Rockies, the Giants lost three of four to the Dodgers to go 2-5 on their first road trip after the All-Star break. In the 13-game season series, the Giants dropped nine of their meetings against the Dodgers, including all but one of their seven games in Los Angeles.

“The talent’s always been there. We just haven’t been playing well, including myself,” said Webb, who lasted only one inning longer than Kershaw, surrendering four runs on nine hits and three walks while expending 89 pitches to complete five innings.

The National League leader in innings pitched, Webb is also encroaching on less favorable spots on the league leaderboards. Having allowed seven or more hits in each of his past four starts, Webb now has surrendered the most in the majors this season — 143, 10 more than second-place Patrick Corbin — while putting an average of 1.32 runners on base per inning, the highest rate since he was a part-time rotation member in 2020 and among the 11 highest qualified starters in the majors.

“He feels good. There isn’t anything physically wrong. He just struggled with his command,” Melvin said. “He was missing and he doesn’t usually miss by wide margins.”

The Dodgers put traffic on the bases in all but one of Webb’s five innings and plated runs in three of them. The last time Webb pitched past the sixth inning or allowed fewer than four runs was at the start of this month, when he beat the Braves 4-2 in Atlanta on Independence Day.

A leadoff walk to Gavin Lux came around to score to open a 1-0 Dodgers advantage in the second inning, and Lux kickstarted their two-run rally in the fourth with a leadoff double. Webb allowed the leadoff man to reach again in the fifth, and after Lux’s third hit of the afternoon, Andy Pages was able to score from third on a double play.

“I’m disappointed I’ve pitched pretty (poorly) the past three times I took the mound,” Webb said. “There’s no excuse for that. It’s just not great. … “They were going middle-away and it went places where nobody was playing. The three walks probably makes me the most mad. Just finding holes, that’s about it. It just wasn’t good.”

In Webb’s 16 career starts against the Dodgers, the Giants fell to 8-8 while his ERA rose to 4.11.

Pitching in his 60th career game against the Giants, Kershaw’s ERA remained the second-lowest of any pitcher to face San Francisco at least 20 times, even after surrendering a pair of runs in the third inning that gave the Giants a brief 2-1 lead and increased his career mark to 2.04.

Soler led off the inning with a single, and Fitzgerald tripled him home from first base when Teoscar Hernández misplayed his line drive into the left-field corner. The next batter, Heliot Ramos, singled home Fitzgerald and the Giants appeared to have something brewing with nobody out. But Kershaw struck out the next three batters, getting empty swings from Patrick Bailey and Thairo Estrada on backfoot sliders and freezing Villar with a 72-mph curveball, to end the inning.

The Giants struck out 16 times — six at the hands of Kershaw — their most in one game this season.

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IF Wilmer Flores was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to first pitch with tendonitis in his right knee, the second time the issue has forced him to the IL this season. Flores, 33, previously missed nine games, but Melvin indicated this could be a longer absence as he will receive a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection to try to mitigate the pain.

In the meantime, Melvin said David Villar, recalled from Triple-A Sacramento, should receive the bulk of the playing time at first base against left-handed pitchers.

Getting the start against Kershaw, Villar struck out in his first three at-bats but lined a double against Alex Vesia to lead off the Giants’ eighth-inning rally.

Up next

The Giants begin a six-game home stand Friday (7:10 p.m.) against the Colorado Rockies, with LHP Kyle Harrison (5-4, 3.86) facing off against LHP Kyle Freeland (2-3, 5.63) in the first of four games. LHP Blake Snell (0-3, 5.83) will start the first half of Saturday’s scheduled double header, with RHP Hayden Birdsong (2-0, 3.55) expected to be recalled to start the nightcap. Jordan Hicks’ rotation spot comes around next on Sunday, which could be when RHP Alex Cobb makes his season debut.

Following the Rockies with two games against the A’s, the Giants’ next 16 games and 21 of their next 25 come against teams below .500.

Pacific Grove pet parade, festival this weekend

The Youth Ambassadors of Pacific Grove are hosting a weekend of free, family-friendly events including a pet parade and a dance party.

The pet parade will kick off festivities Friday and is open to all and their pets.

“Most people just bring their dogs, but we’ve had roosters, snakes and lizards before,” said Christine Gruber, president of the Board of Directors for Youth Ambassadors.

The lineup starts at 1:30 p.m. at Caledonia Park followed by the official parade at 2 p.m. down Lighthouse Avenue and back to Caledonia Park for popsicles. Pets must remain leashed or in cages during the busy day. Participation ribbons will also be handed out.

“It’s a fun event to watch and participate in,” Gruber said. “People come out and sit in the parklets to watch and there are lots of kids and pets that come dressed up.”

In the evening, there will be a free dance party for all ages. The theme is “boots and blazers” and will go from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Chautauqua Hall.

On Saturday, the festivities continue with the Pacific Grove Summer Lights festival, starting at 9 a.m. with a pancake breakfast at Lovers Point. From noon to 5 p.m. there will be several kiddie games including face painting, food vendors and games with prizes. All the games will have a $1 fee to play, or you can purchase a $10 wristband for all-day access to all the games.

The festival will feature live music from several Bay Area bands and will close with the “Light Experience” on the Lovers Point Pier at 9 p.m. and a performance by The Money Band.

The pet parade and festival has been an annual tradition since the 1950s. Over the decades different events have been added and changed, including the light show. This will be its second year for the Youth Ambassadors.

The Youth Ambassadors of Pacific Grove are a group of high school students who either attend Pacific Grove High or live in Pacific Grove and build their public speaking and engagement skills through volunteer work.

“One of the biggest goals, is to learn public speaking, but they also learn how to put on events, work with the city, and learn about the hours behind the work. It’s an understanding of community,” Gruber said. “They have to do research, learn about local nonprofit organizations and teach others what they’ve learned. Depending on the organization, we try to get them to there too, like volunteering with Meals on Wheels.”

This year, Gruber said the group is hoping to see everyone enjoy themselves and for the event to run smoothly.

“I think we get so excited, and a little relieved, just to see it come together,” Gruber said. “We work really hard and put a lot of effort into it, so there’s also some pride in seeing it come together.”

New bill sparks debate over LGBTQ+ youth and parent rights

Local LGBTQ+ activist groups are supportive of a new bill signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that would bar school districts from requiring staff to notify parents of their child’s gender identification change.

Newsom signed AB 1955 on July 15, a bill that prohibits school districts from informing parents if their child uses different pronouns or identifies as a gender other than what is on school records. The move is controversial as some parents, districts and assembly members believe it infringes on parents’ rights. One Southern California school district is already in the process of suing the state over the bill.

“When I think about this bill, I think about the students,” said Angela Soto-Cerros, Rainbow Connections wellness outreach and engagement coordinator for the Our Gente program of The Epicenter in Salinas, a youth-led organization that supports foster youth and other marginalized youth groups.

“I’m thinking, ‘Is this bill going to help students have to worry about one less thing?’ Students have a lot to worry about,” said Soto-Cerros. “If calling them a different name or different pronoun is going to make them feel a little happier and help their mental health, then that’s great.”

The Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth Act (SAFETY act) declares “all pupils deserve to feel safe, supported, and affirmed for who they are at school … choosing when to ‘come out’ by disclosing an LGBTQ+ identity, and to whom, are deeply personal decisions, impacting health and safety as well as critical relationships, that every LGBTQ+ person has the right to make for themselves.”

The Chino Valley Unified School District is currently in a legal battle with the state of California and Newsom regarding the bill. Last July, the district school board passed a policy that required parents be notified if their child’s gender identity changes or if a student requests to change their official or unofficial records. Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a temporary restraining order the next month to stop this policy from going into place.

The day after AB 1955 was passed, the Liberty Justice Center, a nonprofit litigation firm based in Texas, filed the lawsuit. The firm also handled the 2023 case which resulted in the district’s policy going through without the gender identity clause.

“There’s a constitutional right to parent,” said lead attorney for the case Emily Rae. “Having this important information and making it available to parents is an important component of that right. Parents need to know things in order to help direct their children. Chino Valley wants to protect parents and uphold their rights … and AB 1955 serves to strip those rights away.”

The Liberty Justice Center believes the bill violates the First and Fourth Amendments, as well as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which gives parents and guardians the right to inspect and review a child’s school records.

“I don’t think it violates parent rights because I don’t think there’s a right for someone outside of the family to report on that (but) I completely understand how parents will not agree with that,” said Quazar Goings, emeritus board member of Monterey Peninsula Pride, a nonprofit that provides support for the local LGBTQ+ community.

To allow students to come out on their own terms, “is really what’s best,” said Goings. “The idea is that it’s a confidentiality thing… there needs to be some places a child can trust,” he said. “They choose based on their feelings of safety who they come out to.”

The bill specifies the Department of Education must develop or expand resources to support parents, guardians and families of LQBTQ+ students and “thereby improve overall school and community climate.”

“We should all be focusing on how to give these students and parents more support and what we can do as a community to create a more accepting and welcoming environment,” said Soto-Cerros.

A motivating factor for the bill comes from the notion that if students are not the ones who inform their parents about their chosen gender identity, school officials will essentially be outing the student.

“Forced outing argument is a red herring and it completely ignores that parents want the best for their children and want to be able to support their children and in order to do that, they need to know what their children are doing in school,” said Rae.

“If people are outed by force, you’re taking away their voice and decision to come out in the first place. It negatively impacts their mental health,” said Soto-Cerros. “If we’re at a stage where we’re forcing people to be in situations they weren’t ready for, then we’re just causing more harm than good.”

Chino Valley and its law firm have differing views on the matter and believe it’s best for a parent to know this information for a child’s wellbeing. “To figure out the best way to affirm gender for that child, you need parental consent in order to go to a professional to… get those services,” said Rae.

“We plan to continue fighting it as long as we have to and we’ll take it as far as we need to,” said Rae. “Parental rights are so important and we’re not going to back down.”

“Both sides are coming from a charged position, with a lot of charged emotions (and) feelings,” said Soto-Cerros. “It’s really important to take a step back and look at the greater scheme of things and think about what we can do to come together and not be so opposed.”

Because of an editing error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that the Epicenter was located at Cal State Monterey Bay. It is in Salinas.

49ers training camp, Day 2: Offense excels without Williams, Aiyuk

SANTA CLARA — No Trent Williams, no Brandon Aiyuk.

No problem.

Williams, the holdout left tackle, was placed on the “did not report” list Thursday. Aiyuk is presumably somewhere in the building although there was no sign of him on the field as the 49ers held their second practice of training camp.

The 49ers, of course, have lots of talented players, and it’s not as if missing a left tackle — even one as good as Williams — is going to show up in a non-padded practice.

So with heavy doses of running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, the 49ers looked on track to be very good again offensively.

Quarterback Brock Purdy continually found open receivers in short- and medium-range throws. McCaffrey looked as explosive as ever both as a rusher and receiver. And Samuel looked pretty much unguardable for the second straight day.

Nick Sorensen, who replaced Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator, said he saw good things as well as others that need work.

“It’s never perfect,” Sorensen said. “There’s always something that can be fixed. The effort I’ve liked — they’re playing hard, communicating really well. I think we fit the run game better today than yesterday. We’ve been competing outside covering guys. It’s been fun to watch. We’ll see.”

McCaffrey’s busy offseason that included marriage and a contract extension did nothing to prevent him from hitting the ground at warp speed after being held out of team sessions on Day 1.

“I haven’t seen the full tape yet,” McCaffrey said. “There’s good and bad at every training camp and I think the most important thing is to capitalize on the good things and fix the bad things.”

Tight end George Kittle contributed two receptions during team sessions and center Jake Brendel, expected to be monitored closely with a knee issue, participated fully for the second straight day.

Smiling through the pain

The 49ers are still smarting from their 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl in Super Bowl LVIII. Imagine going through it in consecutive years. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was with the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles, who lost 38-35 to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII after leading 24-14 at halftime.

When asked about it, all Hargrave could do was grin and bear it.

“Of course the last one (hurts the most) because it’s the second in a row,” Hargrave said. “The first one I was just happy to be there. Last year was tough after being there the year before and losing.”

Slowed by a hamstring injury against Seattle in December, Hargrave is looking for a stronger finish in 2024. He was the 49ers’ prize free agent addition last offseason, signing a four-year contract worth a maximum of $84 million.

“It wasn’t my best year. It definitely wasn’t one of my worst years,” Hargrave said. “I want bigger things as a team and as an individual player, be way better than I was last year.”

Offensive play of the day

Even with all the good work put in by McCaffrey and Samuel, the most sensational play came from the guy wearing Samuel’s old No. 19.

That would be Trent Taylor, who played for the 49ers from 2017-20 and will compete for a roster spot as a receiver and punt return specialist.

Taylor made a sprawling catch of a Brandon Allen pass midway through practice, a ball he appeared to have little chance to catch yet somehow did. Taylor spent the last three years in Cincinnati, where played with Allen, but 79 of his 87 career receptions came with the 49ers and 731 of his 834 yards.

A fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech in 2017, Taylor was selected 31 spots after tight end George Kittle.

A close second for the best offensive play was a Brock Purdy medium depth hass that bounced off the hands of Chris Conley and somehow wound up in the hands of tight end Eric Saubert.

Defensive play of the day

Cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., shadowing wide receiver Jauan Jennings, made a leaping high-point interception off a pass by Josh Dobbs.

Luter will compete cornerback group that is deeper than usual with returnees Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, holdover Ambry Thomas and free agents Isaac Yiadom and Rock Ya-Sin.

“He’s got good size, length,” Sorensen said. “The pick he had today was awesome. He just went up and snatched it, high-pointed and took it. The progress with him is using the size and length that he’s got.”

First practice with fans

The 49ers held their first practice with fans in the stands, with linebacker Fred Warner making his way to the bleachers to ratchet up the intensity.

Rookie lineman Jarrett Kingston, a sixth-round draft pick out of USC, made his way all the way to the barrier to exchange greetings.

Fans in house today for second 49ers practice, and rookie OL Jarrett Kingston is loving it. pic.twitter.com/qGFmcf70mO

— Jerry McDonald (@Jerrymcd) July 25, 2024

 

The infirmary

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles), safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee) and defensive end Drake Jackson (patellar tendon) remain out on the physically unable to perform list, as does first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall Jr. Pearsall strained a hamstring away from the team and is on the NFI (non-football related injury) list.

Running back Isaac Guerrendo, who appeared to strain a hamstring at Wednesday’s practice, was not on the field. No word yet on the severity of his injury. Linebacker Demetrius Flanigan-Fowles and wide receiver Tay Martin were also missing.

Diversity coaching fellows

Ronald Blair III, who spent four seasons with the 49ers as a defensive lineman, is working with the team as one of seven diversity coaching fellows, a program established by former coach Bill Walsh throughout the league. Blair will work with Kris Kocurek and the defensive line.

Also with the 49ers is Salvador Delgado, currently an offensive line quality control coach at San Jose State, who will work with wide receivers.

The others are defensive backs coach Pierre Cormier (defensive backs), Jordan Holland (defensive backs), Angel Matute (offensive line), Rusty McKinney (tight ends) and Drew Smith (special teams).

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Miscellaneous

— Wide receiver Malik Turner was added to the roster with Williams being placed on the reserve/did not report list. Turner played three games with the 49ers in 2022 and has spent time with Seattle and Dallas. He has 29 receptions for 414 yards for his career.

— With Williams out, the 49ers had Jaylon Moore working with the first team at left tackle, backed up by 11-year veteran Chris Hubbard and first-year player Sebastian Gutierrez of Minot State.

Hubbard started nine games at right tackle last season for Tennessee and has 94 career games with 58 starts.

— Place kicker Jake Moody converted all four of his field goal opportunities at distances ranging from 35 to 45 yards.

— Cornerback Samuel Womack III had a sideline breakup of a Dobbs pass intended for Danny Gray.

— Safety Malik Mustapha, a fourth-round pick, made a downfield play to break up a pass for the second straight day.

Highway 1 slip-out repairs to include overnight work with delays, closures

BIG SUR >> Repair work on the Rocky Creek slip-out that occurred March 30 along a stretch of Highway 1 continues and will now include intermittent delays and full closures during overnight hours five days a week beginning the next two weeks.

Kevin Drabinski, Caltrans District 5 spokesperson said that “repair work at the Rocky Creek slip-out is on schedule.” The overnight efforts will entail excavation and drilling in preparation for the installation of columns that will support the roadway where the slip-out occurred.

So far the emergency repair work near Rocky Creek Bridge, 12 miles south of Carmel, has included stabilizing and reinforcing the roadway at the site and opening the flow of traffic to a one-way signalized control system for 24-7 access to Big Sur and its businesses, which remain open to summer visitors.

For the next two weeks, overnight work is scheduled starting Sunday through next Thursday on a 10 p.m.-6 a.m. schedule. No overnight work will take place Friday or Saturday nights. Then overnight work resumes Aug. 4–8 from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. Caltrans will provide further updates to this schedule.

There will be two types of traffic impacts associated with overnight work, says Caltrans. These will involve either intermittent delays of up to one hour or full overnight closures of the highway.

When repair work involves the occasional movement of equipment and machinery across the entire width of the project area, it will result in intermittent delays of up to one hour. These intermittent one-hour delays for overnight work will be a recurring feature of the Rocky Creek repair work.

When equipment and machinery are required to work across the full width of the project area throughout the entire overnight shift, it will result in a full closure of the highway, Sunday through Thursday nights from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. No travel will be permitted through the repair site during full overnight closures.

From Sunday through Thursday next week, travelers will encounter intermittent delays of up to one hour from 10 p.m.-6 a.m.

The following week, Aug. 4–8, travelers will encounter the full overnight closure of Highway 1 at the Rocky Creek slip-out repair site from 10 p.m.-6 a.m.

Daytime repair work should not result in any significant travel delays. Daytime travelers will continue to enjoy access through the repair site driving on the northbound lane.

Drabinski said Caltrans wants the public to know what to expect with the intermittent delays and closures in the next two weeks, and that they still have access to and from Big Sur.

“This is Main Street for that community and we’re doing what we can to encourage travel in that direction during this repair,” said Drabinski.

Starting Sunday, once equipment is moved on site and the work area is set up, digging and drilling will start. In the meantime, k-rails, the concrete barriers setup to separate workers from traffic, were adjusted and the roadway restriped so work can occur in the southbound lane.

The effort will see holes drilled for two middle support columns of a three-span viaduct to reinforce the southbound lane, said Drabinski. Later this year, three precast concrete girders will be put in place. Once the support system is situated, the roadway will be paved, completing the work of the replacement southbound lane. Traffic will then be diverted to the new lane, and the same work will be performed on the northbound lane.

The estimated price tag for the repair work at the Rocky Creek slip-out is $21 million.

The estimate for completion of the Rocky Creek viaduct is summer 2025 and is dependent on conditions encountered during construction. The contractor for this project is Gordon N. Ball, Inc. of Alamo.

Highway 1 remains closed 40 miles south of Carmel due to the Regent’s Slide – post mile 27.8 – where work began on April 30, and which is expected to be cleared by late fall of this year.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 social media platforms: X/Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

Paris Olympics: Here’s what’s on TV on Friday (Pacific Times)

Here is the Paris Olympics TV schedule for Friday, July 26. No live events will be held as the opening ceremonies are celebrated on the Seine River. The listings include handball and rugby events from early Saturday in France.

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts (all times Pacific):

CEREMONY

9 a.m.

NBC — Preview: Opening Ceremony

10 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Opening Ceremony, París 2024

10:30 a.m.

NBC — Opening Ceremony: Live from the 2024 Olympics

7:30 p.m.

NBC — Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris OlympicsHANDBALL

11 p.m.

USA — Women’s Group PlayRUGBY

4 a.m.

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Jill Biden meets with US Olympic athletes in Paris — and even helps with a relay drill

PARIS (AP) — U.S. first lady Jill Biden visited some American athletes at an Olympic training center in Paris on Thursday, wishing rugby and track and field competitors good luck and even taking part in a stationary relay drill with runners.

Biden arrived in Paris a day before the Summer Games’ opening ceremony on the Seine River. She will watch athletes parade on a flotilla of boats Friday after a reception with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the Élysée Palace.

Biden, escaping a tumultuous political environment in Washington after President Joe Biden ended his campaign for a second term, spoke to the families of U.S. athletes before visiting the competitors themselves on their practice fields.

“As they leap, and sprint, and turn, America’s athletes aren’t only propelled by the years of sweat and sacrifice they’ve poured into their training,” she said in front of a giant USA cutout colored with the American flag. “Your love is also there, pushing them further, helping them go faster, lifting them higher as they reach for gold.”

After her speech at the residence of the U.S. ambassador to France, Denise Bauer, Biden headed to a training center in the northern Paris suburbs to visit with athletes on the U.S. women’s rugby team and the track and field team. She hugged some of them, took pictures and helped in a track drill where athletes hand off the baton.

The first lady started the relay drill, standing as she handed the baton to the runners positioned arm’s length apart as they practiced handing it off in quick succession.

After the opening ceremony, Biden will speak at a brunch to commemorate the opening of the Games and celebrate the 2028 Olympics to be held in Los Angeles. LA Mayor Karen Bass was among those accompanying Biden on the Paris trip.

Horoscopes July 25, 2024: James Lafferty, don’t wait until it’s too late

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: James Lafferty, 39; D.B. Woodside, 55; Matt LeBlanc, 57; Illeana Douglas, 59.

Happy Birthday: Act, and initiate the changes you’ve contemplated. The groups you associate with will help alleviate boredom and give you plenty to think about this year. An energetic approach to life and love will lead to happiness and contentment. Please don’t wait until it’s too late to take advantage of an opportunity. Trust and believe in your ability to do what’s best for you. Your numbers are 9, 13, 24, 29, 36, 38, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Dedicate more time to the people, events and pastimes that make you happy. Express yourself physically using affection, kindness and consideration to draw attention and gain respect. Pay attention to financial matters, and take on only what you can afford or produce as promised. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Look for ulterior motives when dealing with others. Someone will withhold information critical to how a personal, medical or financial situation will unfold. Listen carefully and advocate on your behalf. Take control, eliminate the middleman or do your due diligence to ensure you get your desired outcome. 4 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Get motivated and moving. Wake up and rejuvenate. Stop procrastinating and get your house in order. Speak up, enlist those you need to get things done and continue until you are happy with the results. Walk away from temptation. 2 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Put more thought and ingenuity into whatever job or responsibility you encounter. How you present yourself and your attitude will determine who helps and how much you achieve. Forward-thinking will help you gain ground and let go of the past. 5 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Proceed and make your voice heard. Enlist in something that moves you and be the one to make a difference. Unite with like-minded people and get the lowdown regarding what’s possible and within reason. Let love flourish and take responsibility for your life and achieving your goals. 3 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Simplify your life by sticking to facts. Being helpful will aid you in gaining favors and meeting influential individuals who can point you in an exciting direction. Don’t sit back waiting for things to come to you; engage in life, and you’ll find happiness and prosperity. 3 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Be open to suggestions and willing to put some muscle behind your subsequent actions. Talk is cheap if you don’t follow through. Get involved in something that moves you, and you’ll connect with people you enjoy being around. Love and romance are in the stars. 3 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Ask questions and let your intuition lead the way. Your instincts will guide you to recognize your best option. Don’t trust anyone using bravado and hype to lure others into something dubious. If you want concrete results, do it yourself and you’ll have no regrets. 3 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Putter around the house, learn something new or invest more time in self-improvement to raise your awareness and encourage confidence. Refuse to let anyone’s negativity lower your self-esteem. If a change is what you need, make it happen. 5 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Channel your emotions into something creative or bestow your affection toward people you love to ward off frustration. Think before you act and change what isn’t running smoothly. Don’t let indecisiveness lead to vulnerability or unnecessary trouble. Choose peace over discord. 2 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Set goals and push forward until you get satisfactory results. Adapt your surroundings to meet the demands you put on yourself, and it will override any unexpected deterrent you encounter. A partnership will pay off financially and emotionally, giving you the wiggle room to succeed. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Refuse to let uncertainty prevail. Communicate with confidence, or someone will take advantage of you. Know what you want and ask direct questions. Do your research and prepare to conduct yourself with authority, and you’ll get the desired results. Trust your instincts. 3 stars

Birthday Baby: You are dedicated, impressionable and influential. You are emotional and charming.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes. 2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others. 3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals. 4 stars: Aim high; start new projects. 5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

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Paris Olympics: Here’s what’s on TV on Thursday (Pacific Times)

Here is the Paris Olympics TV schedule for Thursday, July 25.

Highlights include the U.S. women’s soccer team opening play against Zambia (11:30 a.m., USA).

Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts (all times Pacific):

Thursday, July 25HANDBALL

Midnight

USA — Women’s Group Play

2 a.m.

USA — Women’s Group Play

10 a.m.

USA — Women’s Group PlayRUGBY

1:30 a.m.

USA — Men’s Pool Play

5 a.m.

USA — Men’s Pool Play

2 p.m.

USA — Men’s Quarterfinals

8 p.m.

USA — Men’s Pool Play, QuarterfinalsSOCCER

10:30 p.m.

USA — Men’s Group D: Mali vs. Israel

3:30 a.m.

USA — Men’s Group A: France vs. USA

8 a.m.

TELEMUNDO — Spain vs. JapanUNIVERSO — Canada vs. New ZealandUSA — Women’s Group C: Spain vs. Japan

10 a.m.

TELEMUNDO —Nigeria vs. BrasilUNIVERSO — Germany vs. Australia

11:30 a.m.

USA — Women’s Group B: USA vs. Zambia

Noon

TELEMUNDO —France vs. ColombiaUNIVERSO — USA vs. Zambia

4 p.m.

USA — Women’s Group B: Germany vs. Australia

6 p.m.

USA — Women’s Group B: USA vs. ZambiaRelated ArticlesOlympics | Winter Olympians will compete at these 13 venues when the Games return to Salt Lake City in 2034 Olympics | Eiffel Tower stadium wows Olympic beach volleyball players: ‘I got goosebumps’ Olympics | PHOTOS: Getting started at the Paris Olympics Olympics | Salt Lake City celebrates announcement that it will host the 2034 Winter Olympics Olympics | Rise of women’s sports brings greater emphasis on maternity and parental needs

Contributing: Associated Press

Robbie Ray doesn’t allow a hit as SF Giants notch first win of 2024 at Dodger Stadium

LOS ANGELES — Robbie Ray’s first time back on a big-league mound in 16 months was a big deal. Getting off of it again, it turned out, was equally important.

In an 8-3 win over the Dodgers on a warm Wednesday evening, the 32-year-old former Cy Young winner boasted a box score that would suggest there was no rust whatsoever, no sign that the past year and a half had been filled with an arduous and methodical rehab process rather than reps from the pitching rubber.

Helping deliver the Giants their first win in six tries this season at Dodger Stadium, Ray did not surrender a hit over five innings while limiting the Dodgers to one run and striking out eight. Proudly surveying the 54,070 in attendance from the top railing of the dugout after completing his first game action since March 31, 2023, before surgeries to repair the ulnar collateral ligament and flexor tendon in his throwing elbow, Ray eventually found his wife and kids, smiled and waved.

“I was excited. I was amped up. I was ready to go. It was just a flurry of emotions all around,” Ray said. “To have my wife and my two oldest kids here too, for them to be able to experience it, the long comeback and the support that they’ve shown me, there’s no words that can describe that. Just a super special night all around.”

Midway through the first inning, when Sean Hjelle raced from his position in the bullpen and began to get warm, it did not appear Ray was on his way to earning that sweet satisfaction. The call was made to the bullpen after Ray issued ball four to Andy Pages, walking in a run to open a 1-0 Dodgers advantage.

Grunting all the while, Ray might have been a little too amped up, he acknowledged, comparing the butterflies to Opening Day.

“I wasn’t going to let him throw 40 pitches (in the first inning),” manager Bob Melvin said. “And then all of a sudden, he found his arm slot and got into rhythm and was what we want. It was a completely different guy in the second inning.”

Pages was the Dodgers’ sixth batter of the game and the fifth that Ray put on base. He hit two other batters with sliders that ran inside. Pounded the dirt with a wild pitch that allowed them advance. Put another on base with four more balls. The one out he had recorded, a 102 mph, 351-foot pop fly from Shohei Ohtani that found Michael Conforto’s glove on the left-field warning track, would have been a home run in 13 other ballparks.

And then, something clicked.

Ray required 33 pitches to get out of the inning, finding the strike zone on only 15 of them (45.4%), but cruised through the next four frames on only 53 pitches — 36 for strikes (67.9%). After the free pass to Pages, Ray broke out his knuckle curve to fan Miguel Vargas, the first of 14 consecutive batters he retired before handing his unlikely no-hit bid over to the Giants’ bullpen. He powered a 96 mph fastball past Ohtani for the final out of his outing.

“I knew that if I got through the first inning, then I could settle down and everything would turn around,” Ray said. “My stuff in the bullpen felt really good. It was just a matter of getting that first one out of the way and rolling from there.”

Guiding the outing from behind the plate was veteran backup Curt Casali, who also caught Ray when the two were in Seattle. He paid Ray a pair of mound visits during the first inning, with pitching coach Bryan Price joining the second one, and consulted with him in the dugout in between innings.

“You could have expected something like that, you know, over-trying,” Casali said. “We’re grown men but we still do stupid things every once in a while, too. This is a big place for him to make his Giants debut. Sometimes that adrenaline gets the best of you. But we made some really good adjustments in the second inning and to get out of the first inning with only one run, I thought was really impressive.”

While Melvin said Ray was “close to coming out” in the first inning, Ray said he “didn’t really think about” his rising pitch count.

“Once we sat down back on the bench, we just kind of took a moment and figured it out,” Casali said. “His direction was a little bit off. He hit a couple guys in the feet. That just tells me he’s a little bit fast, a little bit overthrowing. He’s smart enough to realize what he’s doing. Sometimes all it takes is one pitch, getting out of that first inning, sitting down, collecting yourself and then just realizing you made it through that first inning healthy, arm’s good, let’s just go play baseball.”

The Dodgers didn’t notch a hit until the seventh inning, when Chris Taylor (.164 batting average) swung at the first pitch he saw from Tyler Rogers and shot it into right-center field for a double. They only got on the board for a second time in the eighth, when Heliot Ramos and Mike Yastrzemski allowed a double from Freddie Freeman to fall between them, driving home newly signed shortstop Nick Ahmed, who singled to lead off the inning for only their second hit of the game.

For once, offense wasn’t an issue for the Giants, who drew nine walks and banged out nine hits while scoring more than three runs for the first time in 12 days. Their final total was their most runs they had scored in a game away from Oracle Park in a month and a half, since a 9-3 win in Texas on June 5.

Matt Chapman opened the scoring with his 14th home run of the season, a solo shot to straightaway center field, tying him with Ramos for the team lead, and drove in a second run to bookend a six-run eighth inning that put the game on ice. Yastrzemski also drove in a pair while reaching base safely four of his five trips to the plate, singling home Tyler Fitzgerald in the fourth. Fitzgerald’s home run streak was snapped at five games but he still doubled, scored a run and worked a pair of walks.

“We had all the momentum,” Casali said. “In a place like this, it’s a hard place to play and a hard place to win, to get that momentum on our side through five innings, I thought was huge. … Momentum is huge in this ballpark. To have it for the first half of the ballgame with your starter is a big asset, especially coming off two losses.”

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To clear room for Ray on the 40-man roster, the Giants transferred RHP Keaton Winn (elbow) to the 60-day injured list, and it doesn’t sound as though the 26-year-old right-hander has a strong chance of touching a mound again this season. “He’s going to get another opinion,” Melvin said. “So yeah, the longer this goes on, the more difficult it will be for him to pitch again this year, but hopefully that’s not the case.”

Up next

The series finale and the final matchup this season between the two rivals pits RHP Logan Webb (7-8, 3.59) against LHP Clayton Kershaw, who will be making his season debut. In a rare weekday matinee at Dodger Stadium, first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m.