Sports

PITTSBURGH — Now is the time, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes, for his team’s intensity to rise. And if the external pressures of a tight National League West race, postseason seeding implications and a looming World Series defense in October don’t do it, then maybe, he hopes, increased internal battles for playing time will. For a while…

San Diego Padres pitcher Jason Adam is out for the season after he ruptured a quad tendon Monday when planting his left foot while trying to field a comebacker. Now we know what can tilt a pennant race between two teams whose performance has been roughly even with a month to go before the playoffs….

Running back Najee Harris addressed reporters for the first time since being involved in a Fourth of July fireworks accident — his eyes hidden by Chargers-colored sunglasses. “It’s a humbling experience,” Harris said about the accident that left him with an eye injury. “It still hasn’t really shaken. I’m still going through it in a…

Matthew Stafford will start at quarterback and the plan is for Alaric Jackson to start at left tackle on Sunday in the season opener against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium, Rams coach Sean McVay said Monday. Stafford, 37, practiced the last few weeks after sitting out training camp and several weeks because of a…

Kami Miner, an All-American volleyball player at Redondo Union and Stanford, dropped by her alma mater’s match last week before heading to Italy to play pro volleyball. Coach Tommy Chaffins knew what to do. “Hey, you want to come into the team room?” he asked. “‘I’d love to,” Miner said. Redondo Union players got a…

The Sparks won a critical game Sunday, defeating the Washington Mystics 81-78 to keep their slim playoff hopes alive heading into the final two weeks of the regular season. Washington hit a trio of three-pointers in the final minute, but Dearica Hamby‘s jumper in the paint and Kelsey Plum‘s two free throws in the final…

There’s another Catholic school sports scandal underway, and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles apparently was the only one who didn’t see it coming. On Saturday, Bishop Montgomery in Torrance announced football coach and co-athletic director Ed Hodgkiss was no longer employed by the school. In other words, he was fired. He’s apparently going to be…

Year 2 of the DeShaun Foster era began at UCLA late Saturday night with tarped seats, yawning fans and a frightening question. What if this guy really can’t coach? Having endured Foster’s numerous growing pains in a 5-7 debut season, the Bruin faithful were hopeful this second go-around would reveal him as the inspirational leader…

A look at the top performers from high school football across the Southland during Week 1. RUSHING • Moyo Odebunmi, Cleveland: Rushed for 303 yards and five touchdowns, including a 99-yard kickoff return, in win over Arleta. • Demanie Bell, Westlake: Rushed for 229 yards and two touchdowns in win over Agoura. • AJ McBean,…

Moyo Odebunmi, a junior running back at Cleveland High and native of Nigeria who had never played varsity football until this season, is quickly adjusting to the speed of the game. On Thursday night against Arleta, his first three carries resulted in touchdown runs of 68, 85 and 59 yards. He also caught a touchdown…