The Sports Report: A victory, and even better news, for the Dodgers

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Jack Harris: The Dodgers opened an eight-game trip Thursday with a 13-0 blowout of the Colorado Rockies.

And it might not have even been the team’s most important development of the day.

Behind seven scoreless innings from Tyler Anderson and the offense’s second-highest scoring outburst of the season the Dodgers improved to 66-32 on the season and extended their lead in the National League West to 12 games over the San Diego Padres.

“Tonight was just an all-around good day to be a Dodger,” manager Dave Roberts said.

Including for a couple injured pitchers now on the mend, too.

While the Dodgers dominated the Rockies (45-55) in Denver, right-hander Dustin May completed his second rehab start with triple A Oklahoma City in his return from Tommy John surgery. And Thursday’s outing went much better than the first.

Unlike last week, when May struggled with his command during a two-inning appearance, the 24-year-old struck out six batters over three scoreless innings. He gave up just two hits. He touched 99.9 mph with his sinker. And he found the zone with 32 of his 46 pitches.

Prior to Thursday’s outing, Roberts said May will make at least one more rehab start next week. The team will then assess his progress, though it’s likely he will need another outing after that.

Either way, May remains on track to return to the major league roster sometime next month -- which should give the Dodgers time to decide if he is ready to be part of their playoff starting rotation, or slot into a hybrid role that would be similar to his usage in past postseasons.

Reliever Blake Treinen is on a similar track.

Roberts announced Thursday afternoon that Treinen, who stayed back in Los Angeles for this weekend’s series, is scheduled to face live hitters on Friday for the first time since injuring his shoulder in April -- a key step in the reliever’s carefully managed recovery process.

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Shaikin: How one Chicago Cubs fan (who’s also a senator) is fighting for minor leaguers

ANGELS

From Sarah Valenzuela: It was business as usual in the Angels clubhouse on Thursday before their home series opener with the Texas Rangers. Music streamed through the clubhouse, players and staff milled in and out between the field and the lockers, casual conversation carried on. But given the time of the season, less than a week to the trade deadline, a change seemed increasingly likely for this team.

“It’s just part of what it is,” southpaw Aaron Loup said before the Angels’ game against the Texas Rangers on Thursday. “If you’re on a, I’m gonna hate to say it but, a losing team like we are right now when it comes to this time of the year, typically you end up selling guys and losing guys.

“You hope to be on the other end of it, acquiring guys, playing for wins and playoff spots, but at the end of the day it is what it is.”

The trade deadline this season is 3 p.m. PDT on Aug. 2.

CHARGERS

From Jeff Miller: Two years ago, Joey Bosa agreed to his contract extension on the day veterans reported to Chargers training camp.

Now, he’s watching as teammate Derwin James Jr.’s situation is unsettled two days into practice.

James was on the field again Thursday in Costa Mesa but remained a nonparticipant in drills.

“He’s, I think, doing the right thing,” Bosa said. “He obviously deserves whatever he’s gonna get. He puts in 100% every single day. He’s just making the best decision for him right now.

“But the fact that he’s out here coaching the guys, fully involved, 100% locked in every day, it obviously means a lot to all of us. I’m sure the coaches see it and really appreciate it.”

UCLA and USC FOOTBALL

From Ben Bolch: Having devoured In-N-Out burgers, strolled the Santa Monica beach and enjoyed a visit to Little Ethiopia, Keeanu Benton gets the allure.

“Who doesn’t want to go to Cali?” the Wisconsin nose tackle said Wednesday with a laugh.

In the years to come, UCLA and USC will enjoy some natural advantages in their pursuit of high school prospects from Big Ten territory. The beaches. The weather. The (animal style) cuisine.

Those pluses will be magnified by the Bruins and Trojans playing a handful of games each season in the Midwest and on the East Coast once they join the Big Ten in 2024. Players who grew up on Illinois farmland can go to college in Southern California while playing within several hours’ drive of their home once or twice a season, allowing their families to see them play in person.

“They’ll try to come in and poach players out of our area, our neck of the woods,” Barry Alvarez, the former longtime Wisconsin coach who now serves as a special advisor for football for the Big Ten, said of UCLA and USC during Big Ten media days at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The opposite applies as well. Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, whose roster includes eight California natives — not to mention transfer punter Luke Akers, who spent two seasons at UCLA after growing up in Tennessee — sees the opportunity for more California dreamin’.

SPARKS

Diana Taurasi scored 30 points, Skylar Diggins-Smith added 27 and the Phoenix Mercury rolled to a 90-80 victory over the Sparks on Thursday night.

Taurasi hit five 3-pointers and added six rebounds, while Diggins-Smith grabbed five rebounds with six assists for Phoenix (13-16). Shey Peddy scored 12 as the Mercury won their second straight and moved into third place in the Western Conference — passing Los Angeles and Dallas.

Chennedy Carter led the Sparks (12-16) with a season-high 23 points. Nneka Ogwumike had 19 points, while Kristi Toliver and reserve Jordin Canada scored 10 apiece. Los Angeles has lost two straight and five of seven.

THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1751 — The first International World Title Prize Fight takes place in Harlston, England. The champion, Jack Slack of England, beats the challenger, M. Petit of France, in 25 minutes.

1934 — Paul Runyan beats Craig Wood on the 38th hole to win the PGA Championship at Park Country Club in Williamsville, N.Y.

1956 — Cathy Cornelius wins a playoff over Barbara McIntyre to win the U.S. Women’s Open.

1957 — At the Polo Grounds in New York, Floyd Patterson TKOs Tommy Jackson at 1:52 of the 10th round to retain the heavyweight title.

1960 — The first American Football League preseason game is played in Buffalo, N.Y. The Boston Patriots, led by quarterback Butch Songin, beat the Bills 28-7 before 16,474 fans at War Memorial Stadium.

1979 — Amy Alcott shoots a 7-under 285 to beat Nancy Lopez in the Peter Jackson Classic, later named The du Maurier Classic. The du Maurier is one of the LPGA Tour’s major championships from 1979-2000.

1986 — The U.S. Football League wins and loses in its lawsuit against the NFL. The jury finds the NFL violated antitrust laws, as the USFL claimed, but awards the USFL only $1 in damages.

1989 — Cuba’s Javier Sotomayor becomes the first person to high jump 8 feet, breaking his world record at the Caribbean Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He surpasses his mark of 7-11½.

1990 — Beth Daniel shoots a 66 to overcome a 5-shot deficit and win the LPGA Championship — her first major title in 12 years on the tour. Daniel beats Rosie Jones by one stroke and pockets $150,000, the largest in LPGA Tour history.

1992 — The U.S. 400-meter freestyle relay team wins the gold medal, with Matt Biondi and Tom Jager becoming the first U.S. male swimmers to win golds in three Olympics.

1996 — Michael Johnson sweeps to victory in an Olympic 400-meter record 43.49 seconds, while Carl Lewis leaps into history in Atlanta. Lewis’ long jump of 27 feet, 10¾ inches earns him his ninth gold medal, equaling the American mark held by swimmer Mark Spitz.

2008 — Disgraced ex-NBA official Tim Donaghy admits he brought shame on his profession as a federal judge sentenced him to 15 months behind bars for a gambling scandal.

2012 — Kimberly Rhode wins the Olympic gold medal in women’s skeet shooting, becoming the first American to take an individual-sport medal in five consecutive Olympics.

2012 — Dana Vollmer of the U.S. sets a world record to win the 100-meter butterfly at the London Olympics. Vollmer hits the wall in 55.98 seconds to shave 0.08 off the mark set by Sarah Sjostrom of Sweden at the 2009 world championships in Rome.

2015 — Russia’s Natalya Ishchenko wins a record 18th career synchronized swimming gold medal at the world championships at Kazan, Russia.

2021 — Sunisa Lee wins the women’s all-around gymnastics gold medal in Tokyo.

Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally

Michael Johnson wins the 400 meters at the 1996 Olympics. Watch and listen here. Carl Lewis wins the long jump at the 1996 Olympics. Watch and listen here.