Sports
Iowa puts stringent defense up against Chad Baker-Mazara, USC
Jan 9, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Southern California Trojans forward Chad Baker-Mazara (4) celebrates against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the second half at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Southern California will try to close out a successful road swing on Wednesday in Iowa City, when the Trojans face an Iowa team seeking its third straight win.
The Hawkeyes (14-5, 4-4 Big Ten Conference) recovered from a three-game losing streak by prevailing 74-57 at Indiana on Jan. 17, then holding off Rutgers down the stretch in a 68-62 decision on Jan. 20.
With an eight-day layoff since beating the Scarlet Knights and improving to .500 in the Big Ten, Iowa aims to capitalize on the “mental break of having to get ready for games” coach Ben McCollum said.
“OK, this is the stretch run. You’ve got (12) guaranteed games,” McCollum said on Tuesday. “We’ve just got to make sure we use some of the stuff we did throughout that break and become a little better for it, and not have any rust or slippage.”
When the Hawkeyes slipped up over their three straight losses to Minnesota, Illinois and Purdue, a common component was allowing 70 points or more. Iowa is holding opponents to an average of 62.4 points per game — fourth-fewest in the nation — but is just 1-4 when allowing at least 70.
USC (15-5, 4-5), meanwhile, comes into its first visit to Iowa City since 1982 scoring 82.1 points per game. The Trojans are 11-0 when scoring 80-plus points, and 1-4 when posting fewer than 70.
They improved to 14-1 when notching at least 70 points with a 73-71 defeat of Wisconsin on Sunday. Chad Baker-Mazara led USC in his second game back in the starting lineup after dealing with a neck injury. He scored 29 points to push his season average to 19.2 points per game.
Baker-Mazara is sixth in the Big Ten in scoring average, just ahead of Iowa’s Bennett Stirtz at 18.3 per game.
USC also got 17 points from Ezra Ausar and 11 rebounds from Jacob Cofie, who has grabbed a double-digit total of rebounds in each of the Trojans’ last three games.
“His effort to pursue balls has been phenomenal,” USC coach Eric Musselman said of Cofie’s rebounding. “Ezra, he’s really banged up, his back, his ankle, but he grinded through.”
Ausar playing through injury continues a theme for the Trojans this season, having lost scoring and assists leader Rodney Rice for the campaign to a shoulder injury. USC also was without blue-chip prospect Alijah Arenas until the Jan. 21 loss to Northwestern, the result of a knee injury sustained over the summer.
Arenas has struggled offensively in his two games thus far, shooting a combined 6-of-27 from the floor on the way to 15 total points.
–Field Level Media
Sports
CJ Abrams (5 RBIs), Nationals slam Twins
May 6, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) hits an RBI double against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images CJ Abrams had three hits including a grand slam, Miles Mikolas pitched into the sixth inning and the host Washington Nationals routed the Minnesota Twins 15-2 on Wednesday night.
Brady House, Drew Millas and Jose Tena each had two hits including a home run for the Nationals, who collected 14 hits. Abrams also had two doubles and five RBIs, and James Wood and Jacob Young each had two hits.
Mikolas (1-3), signed as a free agent in the offseason, began the game with an 8.23 ERA. The right-hander pitched a season-high 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits. Mikolas retired 16 of the 19 batters he faced to earn his first Washington win.
Three Washington pitchers held Minnesota to three hits. Matt Wallner had two hits including a home run for Minnesota, which had won two straight.
Twins starter Bailey Ober (3-2) went five-plus innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the third when Luke Keaschall doubled and scored on a Wallner single.
Washington did not get a baserunner against Ober until Wood singled leading off the fourth. Wood stole second with one out and Curtis Mead walked. Abrams followed with a double to score Wood.
Wallner homered off Mikolas in the fifth to put Twins up 2-1.
Young singled leading off the bottom half and Millas homered to center to give Washington a 3-2 lead.
In the sixth, back-to-back doubles by Abrams and House ended Ober’s night. Tena greeted reliever Andrew Morris with Washington’s third straight double to make it 5-2. With two outs, Nasim Nunez tripled to right and the lead was 6-2.
Daylen Lile walked leading off the bottom of the seventh and, with two outs, House homered to center to make it 8-2.
Young singled, Millas doubled and Wood singled them both home in the eighth. Washington loaded the bases and Abrams smacked a grand slam to right-center, the second of his career. Tena followed with a homer to make it 15-2.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies' 4-run eighth fuels rally past Athletics
May 6, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) celebrates his home run with second baseman Edmundo Sosa (33) against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Edmundo Sosa delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to notch a 6-3 victory over the visiting Athletics on Wednesday.
Brandon Marsh had three hits and an RBI for Philadelphia, which improved to 8-1 under interim manager Don Mattingly. Adolis Garcia homered for the Phillies while J.T. Realmuto, Garcia and Sosa each had two hits.
A’s left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who exited his last outing with hip soreness, gave up two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and no walks in a crisp 75-pitch performance. Nick Kurtz finished with two hits and an RBI as he reached base for the 30th straight game.
In his third start since returning from a blood clot in his shoulder, Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler allowed three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The Phillies trailed 3-2 in the eighth inning when Kyle Schwarber drew a leadoff walk against Jack Perkins (2-1). Bryce Harper reached on an error by second baseman Jeff McNeil that spoiled a potential double play, then Garcia singled to load the bases.
Sosa grounded his two-run single up the middle to give Philadelphia the lead. The Athletics brought in Hogan Harris for the platoon advantage against Brandon Marsh, but Marsh stroked an RBI single before Justin Crawford’s RBI groundout made it 6-3 as the Phillies’ four-run frame featured two unearned runs.
The A’s loaded the bases against Brad Keller with two outs in the ninth, but the veteran right-hander got Jacob Wilson on a grounder back to the mound to end it. Orion Kerkering (1-0) recorded the final out of the eighth.
Kurtz’s RBI single in the fifth made it 2-0, but Philadelphia got a run back in the bottom half as Marsh tripled and scored on a grounder by Felix Reyes. Tyler Soderstrom led off the sixth with a homer against Wheeler to make it 3-1.
The Phillies answered again, this time with Garcia’s solo homer in their half of the sixth.
Perkins pitched the seventh for the A’s, striking out a pair, before the right-hander ran into trouble in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pete Alonso helps power Orioles past Marlins
May 6, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) congratulates Pete Alonso (25) on his three-run home run in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Pete Alonso hammered a three-run home run and Adley Rutschman smacked two run-scoring doubles as the Baltimore Orioles beat the host Miami Marlins 7-4 on Wednesday night.
It’s the second victory in a row following a five-game skid for the Orioles, who will go for a series sweep on Thursday.
Orioles starter Brandon Young (3-1) worked six innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Rico Garcia pitched the ninth for his second save as four pitchers combined on a six-hitter.
Baltimore won despite being limited to seven hits, though the Orioles drew seven walks. Taylor Ward picked up three of the walks and scored three runs.
Jakob Marsee drove in two runs, but the Marlins lost their fourth game in a row and for the fifth time in six games.
Marlins starter Eury Perez (2-4) lasted five-plus innings and was charged with a season-high five earned runs on four hits and five walks with six strikeouts.
Dax Fulton entered to pitch for Miami in the sixth inning in his major league debut, striking out Dylan Beavers and Coby Mayo as the first batters he faced with two runners on base.
Both teams scored in the first inning.
Alonso’s seventh homer of the season was a three-run blast that came with one out after Ward walked and Rutschman was hit by a pitch.
The first two Marlins were retired before two runners reached base and Marsee knocked them in with a double on an 0-2 splitter. Owen Caissie’s single drove in Marsee.
The Orioles went back ahead in the fourth on Beavers’ two-out double. Rutschman doubled in Ward in the fifth with two outs.
Rutschman’s seventh-inning double stretched the lead to 6-3.
The Marlins got a run in the seventh, with pinch hitter Otto Lopez doubling and scoring on Xavier Edwards’ groundout.
–Field Level Media
