Sports
Spring training roundup: Shohei Ohtani homers in first at-bat
Sep 19, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday (7) drives in two runs on his fourth inning double against the San Francisco Giants at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images Shohei Ohtani hit a leadoff homer in his first at-bat of the spring, and the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled out a 6-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels split squad on Friday in Phoenix.
Ohtani, who missed the beginning of the Cactus League schedule while rehabbing from shoulder surgery, ended the game 1-for-3.
The Angels took a 5-4 lead in the top of the ninth on an RBI double from Jorge Ruiz. In the bottom of the ninth, Dalton Rushing hit a two-run walk-off double.
Tommy Edman homered among his two hits for the Dodgers. The Angels’ Jo Adell hit a second-inning grand slam.
Orioles 13, Twins 10
Baltimore hammered out eight runs in the top of the ninth to erase a five-run deficit and stun Minnesota in Fort Myers, Fla.
Jackson Holliday went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer for the Orioles. Carlos Tavera (1-0) gave up two runs on three hits and a walk in the eighth inning before Logan Rinehart worked around a hit and a walk for the save.
Trevor Larnach homered during a 5-0 Twins start and finished the game with three RBIs. The Twins out-hit the Orioles 17-14, with Byron Buxton going 3-for-3.
Phillies 7, Red Sox 5
Matt Kroon and Carson DeMartini put Philadelphia in front for good with seventh-inning homers and Carson Taylor added the key two-run blast in the eighth in a win over visiting Boston in Clearwater, Fla.
Kroon went deep to left and Taylor singled before DeMartini’s blast made it 5-4 in favor of the hosts. Bryce Harper added two hits and Jean Cabrera (1-0) struck out four in two scoreless, hitless innings of relief.
Abraham Toro had a two-run single early on for the Red Sox, and Tyler Miller drew a bases-loaded walk in the ninth to cut the deficit. Robert Stock (0-1) gave up the first two Philadelphia homers amid his two innings, finishing with four earned runs on five hits and a walk.
Astros 3, Cardinals 2
Isaac Paredes and Shay Whitcomb hit solo homers and Paredes added an RBI single for his new team as host Houston beat St. Louis in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Paredes had the only multi-hit game on a day when each sides mustered just five hits. Starter Hunter Brown (1-0) pitched two innings with one hit and two walks before six relievers continued to limit the Cardinals’ bats.
Michael Helman’s sacrifice fly in the eighth and Bryan Torres’ groundout in the ninth provided the Cardinals’ two runs. Erick Fedde (0-1) struck out three and allowed Paredes’ homer in a two-inning start.
Pirates 3, Rays 2
Bryan Reynolds went 2-for-3 and scored the eventual game-winning run on a throwing error in the fifth as Pittsburgh eked out a win over visiting Tampa Bay in Bradenton, Fla.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa had an RBI double as the Pirates won despite being out-hit 11-5. Starter Mitch Keller (1-0) went three scoreless innings with two hits and a walk.
Tres Barrera hit a two-run single for the Rays half an inning after the Pirates scored their third run. Starter Ryan Pepiot (0-1) gave up a run on two hits and a walk, striking out two in two innings.
Blue Jays (ss) 10, Tigers 7
George Springer’s two-run double capped an eight-run uprising in the fourth inning for Toronto’s split squad as it went on to beat visiting Detroit in Dunedin, Fla.
Daulton Varsho and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit back-to-back solo home runs in the first before contributing an RBI apiece in the fourth for the Blue Jays. Yariel Rodriguez (1-0) was charged with a blown save when he allowed Kerry Carpenter’s tying two-run homer in the fourth, but he was the pitcher of record after 1 2/3 innings.
The Tigers cut a 10-2 deficit down to three runs thanks to Justyn-Henry Malloy’s two-run single, Dillon Dingler’s two-run double and Patrick Lee’s RBI triple. Chase Lee (0-1) lasted just one-third of an inning and allowed the first four runs of Toronto’s explosion on three hits.
Braves 7, Marlins 2
Drake Baldwin went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles and a run in visiting Atlanta’s win over Miami in Jupiter, Fla.
Ian Anderson (1-1) threw the first three innings and yielded just two walks before Grant Holmes pitched the next three innings, striking out three with two walks. Nick Allen and Will Verdung had two hits apiece for the Braves.
Jack Winkler broke up the shutout in the eighth with a solo homer and Nathan Martorella added an RBI double in the ninth for the Marlins. Robby Snelling (0-1) took the loss for yielding two runs in two-thirds of the third inning after Sandy Alcantara struck out three with two hits in the first two frames.
Mets 7, Nationals 0
Juan Soto hit his second home run of the spring and Francisco Lindor went 2-for-4 with two runs as New York blanked visiting Washington in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Luis Torrens had a two-run single to open the scoring in the first and finished 2-for-3. The Mets won via shutout for the second straight day, with starter Brandon Sproat (1-0) throwing two perfect innings.
The Nationals were held to five singles. Shinnosuke Ogasawara (1-1) was tagged for four runs (two earned) on four hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings.
Cubs 8, Rangers 8
Jordan Nwogu hit the game-tying single in the top of the ninth as Chicago tied host Texas in Surprise, Ariz.
Haydn McGeary hit a three-run homer in the seventh and Moises Ballesteros scored on a throwing error in the ninth before Nwogu’s hit. Starter Justin Steele went three innings, yielding two runs on two hits with two strikeouts.
New Rangers catcher Kyle Higashioka racked up six RBIs on two home runs and a sacrifice fly as the Rangers built an 8-2 lead. Leody Taveras also homered and starter Cody Bradford scattered three hits and three strikeouts over three innings.
Athletics 13, Reds 1
Lawrence Butler hit a three-run blast, Zack Gelof and Miguel Andujar also homered and the A’s bullied visiting Cincinnati in Mesa, Ariz.
Butler finished with four RBIs, Andujar was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs and Jacob Wilson was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs as the A’s racked up 13 hits. Jeffrey Springs (1-0) limited the Reds to one run on three hits and two walks in a two-inning start.
Blake Dunn hit an RBI single in the second to put the Reds on the board first before it was all A’s. Starter Hunter Greene (0-1) was responsible for five runs on three hits and two walks in two innings.
Guardians 3, Rockies 1
Milan Tolentino hit a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth to lift Cleveland over visiting Colorado in Goodyear, Ariz.
Tolentino and Johnathan Rodriguez finished 2-for-2 for the Guardians and Steven Kwan drove in Rodriguez for their first run on a sacrifice fly. Doug Nikhazy (1-0) pitched the seventh and eighth innings for the win, striking out two.
Sean Bouchard had a game-tying solo homer in the sixth for the Rockies. Justin Lawrence (0-1) pitched the fateful eighth, allowing a hit and two walks.
Giants 9, Brewers 2
Matt Chapman, Wilmer Flores, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski all went deep as San Francisco beat visiting Milwaukee in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Wade finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs to pace the Giants. Logan Webb (1-0) made a three-inning start and struck out four, allowing a run on three hits.
Caleb Durbin went deep for the Brewers. Starter Freddy Peralta (0-1) was dinged for three runs on two hits and a walk, striking out three over two frames.
Angels (ss) 3, White Sox 2
Jorge Soler hit a run-scoring double and a solo home run as Los Angeles’ split squad held on to beat visiting Chicago in Tempe, Ariz.
Soler and Mickey Moniak hit back-to-back RBI doubles in the first inning before Soler tacked on the crucial third run in the third inning by homering to left center. Angels starter Reid Detmers (1-1) went three scoreless innings, yielding a hit and two walks with two Ks.
Brooks Baldwin had an RBI and Cal Mitchell got a second run on the board via sacrifice fly in the ninth for the White Sox. Starter Jonathan Cannon (0-1) took the loss thanks to two runs on four hits in two frames.
Diamondbacks 6, Royals 1
Gino Groover and Corbin Carroll homered in the fifth inning, Carroll’s a two-run shot, as host Arizona beat Kansas City in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Carroll also drove in a run on a third-inning single and finished 3-for-3. Ryne Nelson (1-0), the second of seven pitchers, yielded a hit and two walks in two scoreless frames.
MJ Melendez homered in the sixth for the Royals’ only run and one of their four hits. Hunter Harvey (0-1) pitched the third inning and gave up one run on two hits.
Yankees 6, Blue Jays (ss) 3
Austin Wells and Cody Bellinger hit first-inning homers, Alex Jackson went deep in the fifth and New York defeated Toronto in Tampa.
Jackson added a two-run double, and Bellinger also doubled. Yankees starter Gerrit Cole struck out five while throwing 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball.
Will Wagner collected two of the Blue Jays’ six hits. Blue Jays starter Jake Bloss was tagged for two runs on three hits in two innings.
Mariners 2, Padres 1
Cole Young’s seventh-inning double drove in Spencer Packard with the tiebreaking run as Seattle edged San Diego in Peoria, Ariz.
Mariners starter Bryan Woo retired six of the seven batters he opposed, with the only baserunner coming on an error.
Luis Arraez singled home the lone run for the Padres, who got two innings of one-run ball from Braden Nett.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Wild D Jonas Brodin out for Game 1, F Joel Eriksson Ek also ailing
Apr 7, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson (90) moves the puck away from Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (25) and center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) during the second period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin didn’t travel with the team to Denver and will miss Sunday night’s playoff series opener against the Colorado Avalanche.
Forward Joel Eriksson Ek is listed as questionable to play in Game 1 of the Western Conference second-round series.
Brodin, 32, sustained a lower-body injury during Game 5 of Minnesota’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars. He was hurt while blocking a shot by Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen during the second period.
Brodin missed the clinching Game 6 victory on Thursday. He had one assist in the series.
In the regular season, Brodin had four goals and 18 points in 62 games.
Eriksson Ek was hurt in Game 6 when his right leg smacked into the wall. He didn’t practice on Saturday.
Minnesota coach John Hynes was debating what to do about Ek’s spot with his status unclear.
“I’m kind of going through that a little bit right now,” Hynes said. “So, now you kind of go down that decision-making process of what would we do if he’s not ready.”
Ek, 29, had three goals and five points in the Dallas series. In the regular season, he had 19 goals and 51 points in 70 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cameron Young holds six-shot lead after three rounds in Miami
May 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Cameron Young makes his par putt on the 18th hole during the third round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images Cameron Young shot 2-under-par 70 on Saturday to remain in control through three rounds of Cadillac Championship at Miami.
Young is up six strokes on a group of three golfers, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, at windy Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster Course.
Young, who’s at 15-under 201, will be looking for his second victory of the season and the third of his career on the PGA Tour during Sunday’s final round.
Scheffler shot 69 to move to second place by the time he finished the round. He’s joined in that position by South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (69) and Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan (69).
Young began the round with a bogey on the par-5 first hole but played the next 11 in 3 under.
Scheffler’s round was defined by birdies on three of the four par-5 layouts.
Matt McCarty (69), Ben Griffin (68) and Canada’s Nick Taylor (72) are at 8 under and tied for fifth place. Taylor bogeyed the final hole.
Jordan Spieth took a significant dive, shooting 75 and falling to a tie for 12th at 5 under. He was hurt by two double-bogeys — first on the par-3 fourth hole when he didn’t get into putting position until his fourth stroke and then on the 18th when his approach shot went into the water and he was forced to take a penalty.
Australia’s Adam Scott had the day’s best score with a bogey-free 6-under 66, leaving him at 3 under.
–Field Level Media
Sports
RJ Barrett, Raptors clash with Cavaliers in unexpected Game 7
May 1, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) reacts after scoring the winning basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the overtime period in game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images RJ Barrett kept the Toronto Raptors’ season alive with one of the most clutch shots in franchise history, but he isn’t ready to reminisce about the moment yet.
Not with a win-or-go-home Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first round series taking place Sunday night at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Forget everything that’s happened,” said Barrett, who is averaging a series-high 24.3 points per game. “Now, it’s one game to win it all.”
The fifth-seeded Raptors earned that opportunity when Barrett’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in overtime bounced off the heel of the rim, high in the air and through the hoop to give them a 112-110 victory Friday.
As a result, upstart Toronto has pushed the team with the highest payroll in the NBA to the brink of a devastating end to a season that began with championship dreams.
“Glory to God, that was a fun one, right?” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “It was a heck of a fight. We just talked about how much fun this is and how much we loved the challenge.”
Fourth-seeded Cleveland got a clean look at the buzzer, but Evan Mobley’s 29-footer was off the mark, keeping both teams unbeaten at home in the series.
“If I continue to sulk about that (Barrett) shot, it’s over,” Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell said. “Unfortunately, but fortunately, half of the locker room has been through this before. It’s going to test us.
“Protect home court, that’s all you can do. We’ve got to protect home court.”
History is on Cleveland’s side as it has never lost a Game 7 at home, beating the Washington Bullets in 1976, Boston Celtics in 1992, Indiana Pacers in 2018 and Orlando Magic in 2024.
Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Dean Wade and Sam Merrill remain on the roster from the latter, which featured the Cavaliers and Magic winning every game in their respective arenas.
“We’re at home and the ball is in our court,” said Mobley, who is averaging 19.0 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 56.8 percent from the field. “We’ve just got to come together and get a win.
“Don’t get too involved in the magnitude of everything, just protect home court.”
Toronto has only played one Game 7 on the road, losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001. Barrett was about to celebrate his first birthday at the time, while Scottie Barnes and breakout performer Ja’Kobe Walter hadn’t been born yet.
Barrett, Barnes and Walter combined to score 73 of the Raptors’ 112 points in Game 6.
“I’ve watched so many Game 7s, you see the intensity on the court,” said Walter, who averaged 22.0 points and made 10 3-pointers in the last two contests. “I’m so excited to be in this moment.”
Barnes has been the most consistent performer in the series, averaging 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists. In a surprising development, he and Barrett have outplayed Cleveland’s star backcourt of James Harden and Mitchell.
Mitchell is shooting just 43.7% on field goal attempts, including 35.3% on 3-point tries; he has only attempted 14 total free throws. He has only taken over in brief stretches of two games, marking a complete turnaround from his brilliant 2025 postseason.
Trade-deadline acquisition Harden has been plagued by careless passes and poor decision-making, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 turnovers.
“I’m a little frustrated, but there’s nothing you can do about it,” Harden said. “We can’t dwell on it too long. Just go back home, play one game and win.”
Both squads took Saturday off but will hold shootarounds on Sunday morning.
Raptors small forward Brandon Ingram (right heel) missed Game 6 and will be evaluated after working out with the team. Point guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring) continues to undergo treatment but will sit out the entire series.
The Cavaliers have no injuries and, should they lose, no legitimate excuses.
“This is typical NBA basketball with a four and a five seed going at it,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Now, we’ve got to go out and get Game 7.”
–Field Level Media
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Wild D Jonas Brodin out for Game 1, F Joel Eriksson Ek also ailing
