Alex Morgan, 13, celebrates during the World Cup semifinal against England. They won the match 2-1 and was a key step towards their overall tournament victory (Photograph courtesy of Henri Szwarc/ABACAPRESS.COM).

For soccer fans around the world, the summer unquestionably remains the most agonizing part of the year. It is during this season that the elite clubs of the world enjoy their offseason, while fans are left to speculate on the numerous possibilities of the transfer window. Exceptions to this rule include two distinct competitions: the UEFA European Championships and the FIFA World Cup.

Luckily for fans needing more than just watercooler gossip, the eighth edition of the Women’s World Cup began earlier this summer, and has taken the world by storm over the past several weeks. Twenty four women’s national teams came together to determine which of them was worthy of the title of world champions. The favorites for that title included France, the hosts of the tournament, Germany, a tactically sound group with strength in every area, and the United States, the reigning world champions. Each of those squads avoided elimination to progress into the quarterfinals.

The States gained entrance into the tournament back in 2018, when they won that year’s CONCACAF Women’s Championship, of which they were also hosts. The squad ran through their opposition in the group stages, collecting the largest amount of goals scored in the two groups with 18. In their opener against Mexico, the largest threat to US qualification, the States shutout their opponents 6-0. The US refused to give up any goals against Panama or Trinidad and Tobago, winning 5-0 and 7-0 respectively. A +18 goal difference for the States was also the highest of the groups.

The US didn’t let up in the semifinals, outscoring Jamaica 6-0 before taking out Canada 2-0 in the final. Though their output decreased, the States continued the trend of making it seem as if their games were just ordinary training days. Forward Alex Morgan was awarded the Golden Boot for most goals scored in the tournament with seven, while central midfielder Julie Ertz was named the player of the tournament. The US were handed the Fair Play award after accumulating the least amount of cards throughout their run. Eight American players were named to the tournament’s Best XI.

American players receiving high honors for their performances included Morgan, Ertz, full backs Kelley O’Hara and Crystal Dunn, centerback Abby Dahlkemper, center-mid Lindsey Horan and attacking mids Tobin Heath and Megan Rapinoe. Each of these players remained healthy going into the World Cup, and were still essential cogs of head coach Jill Ellis’ plan for the US to repeat as world champions. Morgan and Rapinoe were selected as co-captains of their side along with longtime veteran forward Carli Lloyd, who has led the States for the past four years. Ellis’ tactics have largely relied on an attacking trio of Morgan, Rapinoe and Heath up top, with Lloyd coming in as a super-sub for Morgan in the latter halves of games.

Selected into Group F along with Sweden, Chile and Thailand, the US were considered to have been gifted an easy way into the Round of 16. Indeed, their first match saw the States rack up 13 goals against a helpless Thailand, who barely had a moment of good play. Morgan led the way for the US with five goals, with her tally edging on her teammates to widen the scoring gap. The victory was marred by the States’ goal celebrations, as the squad rejoiced over each goal with a high level of enthusiasm, even after taking away any hope Thailand had of being competitive.

Members of the international media considered the celebrations to have been excessive, while waving off the US victory. Claims that neither of the two sides gained anything from the experience drew protests from the Americans, who noted they were celebrating first-time scorers. The Thailand squad backed the Americans, saying it would have been more disrespectful of the US to lower their level of play.

Wanting to grant their starters some rest, Ellis went ahead with a team of reserves for the game against Chile, with Heath, Rapinoe and Morgan taking a back seat to Lloyd. The team stalwart contributed two goals in the first half, while Ertz saw her headed effort on a set piece get in the back of the net as well. With two games in hand and an over 16-goal differential, the Americans’ place in the knockout rounds was safe.

With the squad rejuvenated, Heath, Rapinoe and Morgan took up their places at the front against Sweden, but it was Lindsey Horan’s strike in the opening minutes that proved to be the difference maker alongside a Swedish goal. The US went up against Spain in the Round of 16, having to play a team famous for their holding midfield and long periods of possession. The Americans had few opportunities in the match, with their goals coming from two penalties tucked away by Rapinoe. The media attacked the US again, perceiving their win as lucky and unearned.

These criticisms were warranted in the aftermath of the States taking on France in what was an absolute barn burner of a quarterfinal. France wasn’t able to protect themselves against the characteristically relentless opening charge of the US, who capitalized on a free kick after a foul on Morgan. The early goal kicked Les Bleues into high gear, with the French proceeding to largely outplay their adversary for the remainder of the half, despite not earning a goal for their efforts.

The deciding play for the US came in the 65th minute, when Heath’s run on the right wing ended in a clean pass into the box, which Rapinoe happily tapped in for her second goal of the day. France’s pressing game finally paid off in the 81st when defender Wendie Renard went unmarked on a free kick from midfielder Gaetane Thiney to place a header into the top right corner. Sensing the danger, the US were able to hold off any further offense from the French until regulation time expired.

Having outlasted the biggest threat to their crown, the Americans took to Parc Olympique Lyonnais for a semifinal against the Three Lionesses of England. This time there was no storyline of an upset in the build up to the match, with the US having done all but lift the winner’s trophy in the eyes of many.

All the scoring was done in the first half by both sides, with forward Christen Press popping up to head in a cross from O’Hara. England equalized minutes later when forward Ellen White connected on a cross from winger Beth Mead. Half an hour in, the game winner was secured in favor of the US. Morgan, who’d been missing from the scoresheet since her instrumental role against Thailand, met a good cross from Horan with her head to wrap up the match early. The frustrated Brits proved ineffective in the remaining time, earning a late red card for defender Millie Bright, who went in with a hard tackle on Morgan.

The Final was also held at Parc Olympique Lyonnais, with the US competing against the Dutch. The Americans had the odds skewed in their favor by one of the widest margins in the history of sport. The US were unable to score in the opening 12 minutes as they had in all of their previous games, with Dutch keeper Sari Van Veenendaal negating all American chances of scoring. The half was marred by fouls on both sides, which continued into the second.

The referee eventually awarded a penalty to the US after Dutch defender Stefanie van der Gragt delivered a kick to Morgan’s shoulder. Rapinoe stepped up to take the kick, which she tucked away neatly to tie her for first in the race for the top scorer of the tournament. Only minutes later, midfielder Rose Lavelle dribbled through the Dutch back line and finished her run without help in the 65th minute. More crucial saves from Van Veenendaal were the only positives for the Netherlands, as the US went on to raise the fourth world title.

Many records were broken in the US’ victory, including most titles won, as well as most goals scored in a single tournament with an astounding 26 goals. Jill Ellis, who was visibly emotional in her post-game interview, became the second manager in the history of both the men’s and women’s finals to win consecutive championships. Despite harsh media and fan criticism leveled at her coaching style, Ellis’ feat had only been accomplished by Italian men’s manager Vittorio Pozzo with his 1934 and 1938 squads.

Individual player accolades for the US included Rapione winning both player of the match in the Final, as well as the player of the tournament. Rapinoe was the oldest player to win her awards. Lavelle was awarded the Bronze Ball, while Morgan was given the Silver Boot. The four million dollar prize money was disparaged by crowds at the final, who chanted the words “Equal Pay” during FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s presentation of the winner’s trophy to the US. A final heartfelt image of Tobin Heath encapsulated the American win, as the team legend happily made confetti angels as her squadmates lifted the trophy.

A shocking Game 1 win for the Drake-backed Toronto Raptors was negated in Game 2 by Klay Thompson (Photograph courtesy of Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images/TNS).

A surprise victory for the Toronto Raptors in the opening round of the NBA finals has been nullified by the Golden State Warriors coming back to take the second game of the series. Now that the two teams are tied with one game a piece, the general consensus seems to be that the finals are up for grabs, depending on Klay Thompson’s level of engagement. The elite shooter was clinical in the second match against Toronto, making key shots despite the Warriors being largely outplayed.

The first game of the series saw the Toronto franchise make their first-ever appearance in the Finals, but the squad certainly didn’t show any signs of nerves on the occasion. Each member of the Raptors’ roster displayed the same trademark composure that marks their floor general Kawhi Leonard.

The team opened up with serious pressure on the three-pointers, as well as initiating a lockdown of Stephen Curry. The Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr mentioned before the proceedings that Golden State’s weak points had been well exposed in their run in the semifinals. Kerr was right to be concerned, as the Raptors pushed ahead to an emphatic 118-109 win.

Ever since the loss of Kevin Durant to injury in the second playoff rounds, the Warriors have been a shell of the dynasty that used to be able to make progress through playoffs look easy. The number of turnovers secured by the Raptors was in the double digits, while the defense denied open looks at the rim for Curry time and again.

Managerial mistakes also seemed to cost the Warriors points. Kerr put in center DeMarcus Cousins, who was clearly still struggling to overcome his injuries. Cousins managed a mere three points in the game.

The Warriors earned all the space they needed and pushed the pace during their Western Conference winning game, but the sense of energy seen there had dissipated by the time the visiting Raptors stepped onto the floorboards of the Chase Center. The Warriors put up 17 fast-break points, most of which came far too late in the game to make any sort of impact.

Curry did his best to drag his team out of the dirt by scoring 34 points, reaching the foul line 14 times. The backup was just not there for Curry, however, as only two other players, Draymond Green and Thompson had points in the double digits.

Throughout all the years of Kerr helming Golden State’s playoff campaigns, the skipper had only lost Game 1 once previously, to a Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2016. The Warriors went on to win that series in seven games, and if history is a good indicator, the Warriors appear to be on track to repeat that feat against the Raptors after winning, tying up the series by taking the second game of the Finals.

Curry, Green, Marcus and Thompson each had tremendous numbers in their second outing against Toronto, showing the championship mindset that brought them all of their numerous records thus far. The team had 34 assists on 38 made baskets, making the win a true team effort.

Toronto was not able to follow up their defensive masterclass at home, allowing the Warriors to walk away with a 109-104 victory. The game’s turning point came in the third quarter when after being down by five, the Warriors turned their deficit to an eight-point advantage headed into the fourth.

Thompson exited the court in the fourth after complaining about tightness of the hamstring. He still managed to top the list of scorers on the day, scoring 25 points. Curry was right behind him at 23, while Green almost registered a triple-double, with 17 points, nine assists and 10 rebounds. Cousins made a start and had 11 points, six assists and 10 rebounds, all of which he piled up in a little less than half an hour of playing time.

Leonard faced the same situation Curry had just a few days earlier, attempting to rally his fellow starters to a win at home, but coming up short. The quiet forward made noise with a game-high 34 points and 14 rebounds, but his individual stats weren’t enough to push Toronto past their opposition. Meanwhile, the MVP for the Warriors was Thompson, who caught fire early in the goings and scored the first nine points for his side.

Thompson had 18 points at halftime, continuing his hot streak at the start of the third quarter. He was perfect on his long-range shots and combined with Curry for 34 points out of the 54 scored by the team. While the strength of the Warriors came from the big names on the roster, it was the secondary unit of the Raptors that kept the Toronto franchise competitive. Often criticized for being the primary leak in the Raptors’ ship, back up players Fred VanVleet and Norman Powell each had terrific games.

Game 3 of the finals took place June 5 at 9 p.m., and the Raptors’ walked away with the win, 123-109.

The Toronto Raptors, led by small forward Kawhi Leonard (pictured above), look to climb the tier list of NBA franchises with a Finals win over the Golden State Warriors (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/TNS).

In the battle of two superstars, Kawhi Leonard has emerged supreme. Leonard successfully led the Toronto Raptors to victory against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 6 of the NBA Eastern Conference playoffs. Leonard went toe-to-toe with Giannis for the duration of the contest, and in doing so, has inserted his name into the debate of who is the top player on the planet.

Any questions as to whether Leonard was worthy of his trade from the San Antonio Spurs this past summer have surely been put to bed after the small forward’s starring role in the Raptors’ playoff campaign. The Toronto franchise had never so much as sniffed a chance at the NBA finals, but Leonard’s arrival has instilled the team with some much-needed invigoration. That being said, putting the team on his back has been no easy feat for the reserved star. After hitting a buzzer beater in Game 7 of the Eastern semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Leonard clinched Game 6 for Toronto by overcoming a 15 point deficit to win 100-94.

Now, in a world where LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry are around, Leonard appears to have surpassed each of those names to the title of greatest active player. In astonishing fashion, the overnight sensation handled athletic phenom and regular season Most Valuable Player Giannis with ease, neutralizing the Greek’s attempts at offensive play. Quite simply, Leonard showed up when it mattered most, and Giannis didn’t.

Leonard had 17 rebounds, seven assists and 27 points during the game, obtaining much of those stats in the second half. The “best current player” debate aside, this solidified Leonard’s ranking as the best clutch player in the league at the moment, if nothing else. Leonard scored 19 points in the second half, again dwarfing Giannis’ ability to perform in the more critical moments. When Raptors president Masai Ujirii decided to get rid of franchise stalwart DeMar DeRozan for Leonard in the summer, there was no way he could have anticipated the significance of the move.

Having gone down 2-0 in the series, Leonard knew the Raptors had to adapt their game if they had a chance at winning four straight games to complete an unlikely comeback. The Bucks excelled this season when playing at a fast pace, as well as basing their gameplay on quick passing and counters. As such, Leonard ensured that the remainder of the series slowed to a crawl, neutralizing the Bucks’ blueprints for success.

Raptors head coach Nick Nurse, who has served much of his career overseas and in the lower domestic leagues, has also been catapulted under the limelight in the wake of Leonard’s efforts. Nurse has reconcentrated the Raptors playoff game plan to focus on the half-court.

Nurse brought in a few of the Raptors’ other heavy hitters to manage center court. Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet both provided great support for Leonard when called on. The duo set up long and mid range shots for their teammates while allowing Leonard to sneak into the paint and score.

Looking ahead, the Raptors will have the opportunity to silence any lingering critics of their worth on the biggest stage possible, the NBA Finals. Doing so will certainly be their greatest challenge of the season, as across the court from them, the Golden State Warriors will be huddled together, looking to add another jewel in the crown of their dynasty. While the Warriors outrank their opposition in bench depth, the Raptors have experienced multiple back-and-forth battles and have pulled off several last minute comebacks in the past few series alone. The plucky group has been hardened by these fights and will not back down easily against the might of Curry and Green.

Even without fielding Durant or DeMarcus, two essential puzzle pieces of Golden State’s slew of championship wins, the Warriors will still be able to control the court with help from Green, Curry, and Klay Thompson. Multiple x-factors point to the Raptors’ fairy tale continuing, however. The Raptors have a better overall record of 58-24, ride a way of confidence unlike any they have ever known and will begin the series with the home field advantage at the Scotiabank Arena May 30. The nation will be watching intently to see which way the age-old story of David and Goliath will play out this time.

The New York Yankees will host the Red Sox in a pivotal AFL game series later this month after facing the Orioles and Royals (Photograph courtesy of Will Newton/Getty Images/TNS).

The New York Yankees began their four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles May 20, taking the lead in the series,10-7. The Yanks will play the remainder of the series through Friday, with one game held each day of the week. The Oriole Park at Camden Yards hosted the first game and will serve as the location for the remainder of the series. The Yankees are the favorites to win the series and are expected to secure a clean sweep.

Impressively, the Yankees currently sit comfortably at the top of the American League East standings, well ahead of their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Ten games separate the two legendary franchises from clashing at the end of the month, with the Yanks being granted an easy schedule of games until that time. By the time the rivals face off, the Yankees are projected to have run away with the division title.

Teams that have struggled this season will be all that remain for the Yankees during the regular season. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Red Sox, sitting at second and third in the AL East respectively, will face nothing but MLB playoff contenders. The slate of games leaves the Yankees with the opportunity to get themselves into the postseason but they will have to remain composed against the easy teams first. Given their schedule, there will be no excuses for the Yanks if they surrender their current lead.

The Bronx Bombers will follow up their series against the Orioles with a trip to Kauffman Stadium. A three-game series against the Kansas City Royals, whose poor season leaves them at the very bottom of the league, will be the next task for the Yankees. After that, they are expected to run through the San Diego Padres in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The first win for the Yankees against the Orioles saw them fight hard en route to a late dramatic comeback. One could hardly call it a clean, confident win, however, as the closing stages had the Yankees put on a scrappy performance. The win was similar to the ugly victories that the Bombers had been collecting throughout the past several weeks. What separated this particular win apart from the others was the names that ensured it. Namely, team stars Gary Sanchez and Brett Gardner.

Sanchez, who had been cleared to compete in April after successfully nursing an injury, has managed 15 home runs in the 33 games he’s played in.

The slugger came in clutch in the ninth inning, hitting a 385-footer that set the Bombers up for their comeback. Just beforehand, Gardner had a good moment of his own when he struck a single that veered left.

After getting to first, Gardner waited in anticipation for Cameron Maybin to hit. A single to the right from Maybin caused Gardner to take off on a first to third run. Maybin himself got all the way to second, putting the two Yankees in prime position to score. The clever base running by the Yanks, which was consistent throughout all the innings, paid off after Sanchez’s homer put the game away. The energy in the Yankees’ locker room was naturally incredibly positive. Gardner, who is typically on the bottom end of the list of batters, was given much praise for the run that initiated the turnaround for the Bombers. Earlier on in the season, Gardner was a starter but has been moved to the back of the pecking order after Sanchez’s return.

The New York Yankees will host the Red Sox in a pivotal AFL game series later this month after facing the Orioles and Royals (Photograph courtesy of Will Newton/Getty Images/TNS).

The New York Yankees began their four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles May 20, taking the lead in the series,10-7. The Yanks will play the remainder of the series through Friday, with one game held each day of the week. The Oriole Park at Camden Yards hosted the first game and will serve as the location for the remainder of the series. The Yankees are the favorites to win the series and are expected to secure a clean sweep.

Impressively, the Yankees currently sit comfortably at the top of the American League East standings, well ahead of their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Ten games separate the two legendary franchises from clashing at the end of the month, with the Yanks being granted an easy schedule of games until that time. By the time the rivals face off, the Yankees are projected to have run away with the division title.

Teams that have struggled this season will be all that remain for the Yankees during the regular season. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Red Sox, sitting at second and third in the AL East respectively, will face nothing but MLB playoff contenders. The slate of games leaves the Yankees with the opportunity to get themselves into the postseason but they will have to remain composed against the easy teams first. Given their schedule, there will be no excuses for the Yanks if they surrender their current lead.

The Bronx Bombers will follow up their series against the Orioles with a trip to Kauffman Stadium. A three-game series against the Kansas City Royals, whose poor season leaves them at the very bottom of the league, will be the next task for the Yankees. After that, they are expected to run through the San Diego Padres in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The first win for the Yankees against the Orioles saw them fight hard en route to a late dramatic comeback. One could hardly call it a clean, confident win, however, as the closing stages had the Yankees put on a scrappy performance. The win was similar to the ugly victories that the Bombers had been collecting throughout the past several weeks. What separated this particular win apart from the others was the names that ensured it. Namely, team stars Gary Sanchez and Brett Gardner.

Sanchez, who had been cleared to compete in April after successfully nursing an injury, has managed 15 home runs in the 33 games he’s played in.

The slugger came in clutch in the ninth inning, hitting a 385-footer that set the Bombers up for their comeback. Just beforehand, Gardner had a good moment of his own when he struck a single that veered left.

After getting to first, Gardner waited in anticipation for Cameron Maybin to hit. A single to the right from Maybin caused Gardner to take off on a first to third run. Maybin himself got all the way to second, putting the two Yankees in prime position to score. The clever base running by the Yanks, which was consistent throughout all the innings, paid off after Sanchez’s homer put the game away. The energy in the Yankees’ locker room was naturally incredibly positive. Gardner, who is typically on the bottom end of the list of batters, was given much praise for the run that initiated the turnaround for the Bombers. Earlier on in the season, Gardner was a starter but has been moved to the back of the pecking order after Sanchez’s return.

The New York Yankees will host the Red Sox in a pivotal AFL game series later this month after facing the Orioles and Royals (Photograph courtesy of Will Newton/Getty Images/TNS).

The New York Yankees began their four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles May 20, taking the lead in the series,10-7. The Yanks will play the remainder of the series through Friday, with one game held each day of the week. The Oriole Park at Camden Yards hosted the first game and will serve as the location for the remainder of the series. The Yankees are the favorites to win the series and are expected to secure a clean sweep.

Impressively, the Yankees currently sit comfortably at the top of the American League East standings, well ahead of their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Ten games separate the two legendary franchises from clashing at the end of the month, with the Yanks being granted an easy schedule of games until that time. By the time the rivals face off, the Yankees are projected to have run away with the division title.

Teams that have struggled this season will be all that remain for the Yankees during the regular season. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Red Sox, sitting at second and third in the AL East respectively, will face nothing but MLB playoff contenders. The slate of games leaves the Yankees with the opportunity to get themselves into the postseason but they will have to remain composed against the easy teams first. Given their schedule, there will be no excuses for the Yanks if they surrender their current lead.

The Bronx Bombers will follow up their series against the Orioles with a trip to Kauffman Stadium. A three-game series against the Kansas City Royals, whose poor season leaves them at the very bottom of the league, will be the next task for the Yankees. After that, they are expected to run through the San Diego Padres in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The first win for the Yankees against the Orioles saw them fight hard en route to a late dramatic comeback. One could hardly call it a clean, confident win, however, as the closing stages had the Yankees put on a scrappy performance. The win was similar to the ugly victories that the Bombers had been collecting throughout the past several weeks. What separated this particular win apart from the others was the names that ensured it. Namely, team stars Gary Sanchez and Brett Gardner.

Sanchez, who had been cleared to compete in April after successfully nursing an injury, has managed 15 home runs in the 33 games he’s played in.

The slugger came in clutch in the ninth inning, hitting a 385-footer that set the Bombers up for their comeback. Just beforehand, Gardner had a good moment of his own when he struck a single that veered left.

After getting to first, Gardner waited in anticipation for Cameron Maybin to hit. A single to the right from Maybin caused Gardner to take off on a first to third run. Maybin himself got all the way to second, putting the two Yankees in prime position to score. The clever base running by the Yanks, which was consistent throughout all the innings, paid off after Sanchez’s homer put the game away. The energy in the Yankees’ locker room was naturally incredibly positive. Gardner, who is typically on the bottom end of the list of batters, was given much praise for the run that initiated the turnaround for the Bombers. Earlier on in the season, Gardner was a starter but has been moved to the back of the pecking order after Sanchez’s return.

The New York Yankees will host the Red Sox in a pivotal AFL game series later this month after facing the Orioles and Royals (Photograph courtesy of Will Newton/Getty Images/TNS).

The New York Yankees began their four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles May 20, taking the lead in the series,10-7. The Yanks will play the remainder of the series through Friday, with one game held each day of the week. The Oriole Park at Camden Yards hosted the first game and will serve as the location for the remainder of the series. The Yankees are the favorites to win the series and are expected to secure a clean sweep.

Impressively, the Yankees currently sit comfortably at the top of the American League East standings, well ahead of their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Ten games separate the two legendary franchises from clashing at the end of the month, with the Yanks being granted an easy schedule of games until that time. By the time the rivals face off, the Yankees are projected to have run away with the division title.

Teams that have struggled this season will be all that remain for the Yankees during the regular season. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Red Sox, sitting at second and third in the AL East respectively, will face nothing but MLB playoff contenders. The slate of games leaves the Yankees with the opportunity to get themselves into the postseason but they will have to remain composed against the easy teams first. Given their schedule, there will be no excuses for the Yanks if they surrender their current lead.

The Bronx Bombers will follow up their series against the Orioles with a trip to Kauffman Stadium. A three-game series against the Kansas City Royals, whose poor season leaves them at the very bottom of the league, will be the next task for the Yankees. After that, they are expected to run through the San Diego Padres in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The first win for the Yankees against the Orioles saw them fight hard en route to a late dramatic comeback. One could hardly call it a clean, confident win, however, as the closing stages had the Yankees put on a scrappy performance. The win was similar to the ugly victories that the Bombers had been collecting throughout the past several weeks. What separated this particular win apart from the others was the names that ensured it. Namely, team stars Gary Sanchez and Brett Gardner.

Sanchez, who had been cleared to compete in April after successfully nursing an injury, has managed 15 home runs in the 33 games he’s played in.

The slugger came in clutch in the ninth inning, hitting a 385-footer that set the Bombers up for their comeback. Just beforehand, Gardner had a good moment of his own when he struck a single that veered left.

After getting to first, Gardner waited in anticipation for Cameron Maybin to hit. A single to the right from Maybin caused Gardner to take off on a first to third run. Maybin himself got all the way to second, putting the two Yankees in prime position to score. The clever base running by the Yanks, which was consistent throughout all the innings, paid off after Sanchez’s homer put the game away. The energy in the Yankees’ locker room was naturally incredibly positive. Gardner, who is typically on the bottom end of the list of batters, was given much praise for the run that initiated the turnaround for the Bombers. Earlier on in the season, Gardner was a starter but has been moved to the back of the pecking order after Sanchez’s return.

The New York Yankees will host the Red Sox in a pivotal AFL game series later this month after facing the Orioles and Royals (Photograph courtesy of Will Newton/Getty Images/TNS).

The New York Yankees began their four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles May 20, taking the lead in the series,10-7. The Yanks will play the remainder of the series through Friday, with one game held each day of the week. The Oriole Park at Camden Yards hosted the first game and will serve as the location for the remainder of the series. The Yankees are the favorites to win the series and are expected to secure a clean sweep.

Impressively, the Yankees currently sit comfortably at the top of the American League East standings, well ahead of their longtime rivals, the Boston Red Sox. Ten games separate the two legendary franchises from clashing at the end of the month, with the Yanks being granted an easy schedule of games until that time. By the time the rivals face off, the Yankees are projected to have run away with the division title.

Teams that have struggled this season will be all that remain for the Yankees during the regular season. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Red Sox, sitting at second and third in the AL East respectively, will face nothing but MLB playoff contenders. The slate of games leaves the Yankees with the opportunity to get themselves into the postseason but they will have to remain composed against the easy teams first. Given their schedule, there will be no excuses for the Yanks if they surrender their current lead.

The Bronx Bombers will follow up their series against the Orioles with a trip to Kauffman Stadium. A three-game series against the Kansas City Royals, whose poor season leaves them at the very bottom of the league, will be the next task for the Yankees. After that, they are expected to run through the San Diego Padres in a three-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The first win for the Yankees against the Orioles saw them fight hard en route to a late dramatic comeback. One could hardly call it a clean, confident win, however, as the closing stages had the Yankees put on a scrappy performance. The win was similar to the ugly victories that the Bombers had been collecting throughout the past several weeks. What separated this particular win apart from the others was the names that ensured it. Namely, team stars Gary Sanchez and Brett Gardner.

Sanchez, who had been cleared to compete in April after successfully nursing an injury, has managed 15 home runs in the 33 games he’s played in.

The slugger came in clutch in the ninth inning, hitting a 385-footer that set the Bombers up for their comeback. Just beforehand, Gardner had a good moment of his own when he struck a single that veered left.

After getting to first, Gardner waited in anticipation for Cameron Maybin to hit. A single to the right from Maybin caused Gardner to take off on a first to third run. Maybin himself got all the way to second, putting the two Yankees in prime position to score. The clever base running by the Yanks, which was consistent throughout all the innings, paid off after Sanchez’s homer put the game away. The energy in the Yankees’ locker room was naturally incredibly positive. Gardner, who is typically on the bottom end of the list of batters, was given much praise for the run that initiated the turnaround for the Bombers. Earlier on in the season, Gardner was a starter but has been moved to the back of the pecking order after Sanchez’s return.