Sports
Surging Salt Lake ready for rematch with San Diego
Apr 4, 2026; Sandy, Utah, USA; Real Salt Lake midfielder Diego Luna (10) looks for a play against Sporting Kansas City during the first half at America First Field. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images Real Salt Lake have their sights set on continuing the second-best start in franchise history when they oppose San Diego FC on Saturday night at Sandy, Utah.
The only time Real Salt Lake (4-1-1, 13 points) have notched a better six-match start during their 22-season history came in 2011 when they were 5-1-0.
“Going into the season, nobody really gave us a chance this year,” RSL coach Pablo Mastroeni said of the fast start that includes a five-match unbeaten stretch (4-0-1).
Real Salt Lake’s tie came on the road against San Diego FC on March 22 when Victor Olatunji scored in the 85th minute to forge a 2-2 final.
Though RSL is 3-0-0 at home, Mastroeni expects a fierce challenge in the rematch.
“San Diego is a fantastic team,” Mastroeni said. “They are going through a bit of a (rough) patch at the moment, but they have quality players who can make a difference in any games. … I anticipate a hard-fought match.”
Salt Lake notched a 3-1 victory over Sporting Kansas City last weekend. Diego Luna, Sergi Solans and Zavier Gozo scored the goals.
San Diego FC (3-2-2, 11 points) is winless in their past four matches (0-2-2). They lost their last two games, falling 3-0 to the host San Jose Earthquakes and 2-1 to visiting Minnesota United.
“Last game was a step in the right direction even though the result didn’t go our way,” San Diego coach Mikey Varas said of the Minnesota match. “We feel like we’re getting back on track.”
During that setback, stellar defender Chris McVey drew a red card in the first minute of the second half to leave San Diego short-handed. McVey will miss the match against Salt Lake.
Luca Bombino scored the San Diego goal against Minnesota. He feels the club is close to regaining last season’s expansion form when the club finished first in the Western Conference.
“It’s definitely frustrating because we expect a lot of ourselves and we proved in the first year that we can do it,” Bambino said. “Things haven’t necessarily gone our way, but we know we have all the talent and hard work within the squad to achieve the things we want to do on the field.”
In last month’s matchup, Marcus Ingvartsen and Anders Dreyer scored the San Diego goals. Solans joined Olatunji in scoring for RSL.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Giants rally from early 4-run deficit, top Nats in 12
Apr 18, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos (17) hits a double against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images Matt Chapman drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning and the San Francisco Giants beat the Nationals 7-6 Saturday in Washington, D.C.
Chapman led off the 12th against Cionel Perez (0-2) and grounded a single to left, scoring automatic runner Luis Arraez.
Caleb Kilian (1-0) pitched two innings for the win. The automatic runner did not advance in either inning and Kilian only allowed one base runner on an intentional walk.
The Nationals loaded the bases with no outs in the tenth, but Ryan Walker got two strikeouts and a ground out.
Heliot Ramos had three hits including his second home run in two games as San Francisco won its third straight.
Wood hit his seventh homer of the season and scored three runs for the Nationals.
With Washington trailing 6-5 in the ninth, Jorbit Vivas doubled against Walker leading off and went to third on a fly out. After Wood was walked intentionally, Curtis Mead hit a grounder and Vivas was thrown out at home. Brady House tied the game when he blooped single to center and Wood scored before Mead was thrown out at third.
Wood led off the bottom of the first and homered to give Washington a 1-0 lead.
Jung Hoo Lee singled with one out in the second and Ramos doubled, but Lee was thrown out at home. Drew Gilbert followed with a single to right, plating Ramos with the tying run.
The Nationals loaded the bases as the first batters reached in the second. Drew Millas grounded into a force at home, but Wood was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Luis Garcia, Jr. singled in two runs and Jose Tena singled in another to make it 5-1.
An error by third baseman Vivas gave the Giants runners on first and second with one out in the third and Casey Schmitt lined a two-out double to left that scored two runs, one coming across on a fielding error by Daylen Lile.
Lee singled off Parker with one out in the sixth and Ramos followed with a shot to left to tie it.
Willy Adames singled leading off the seventh and went to second on a wild pitch. Rafael Devers lined a two-out single to left, scoring Adames to give the Giants a 6-5 lead.
Giants starter Adrian Houser gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. His Nats counterpart Cade Cavalli gave up three runs (one earned) on seven hits in four innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Athletics win in 11th as White Sox squander 5-run lead
Apr 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) hits a game-tying two-run homer during the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images Nick Kurtz hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning and Max Muncy was the walk-off hero in the 11th as the Athletics overcame an early 5-0 deficit to beat the Chicago White Sox 7-6 on Saturday afternoon in West Sacramento, Calif.
Muncy hit a game-winning sacrifice fly to left field off Lucas Sims (0-2) to score Jacob Wilson and complete the comeback.
The White Sox had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the 11th, but Jack Perkins (2-0) pitched out of trouble to give the A’s a chance to end the game in the bottom half.
The game went to extras after Kurtz’s two-run shot off Jordan Leasure in the seventh.
Colson Montgomery, Andrew Benintendi and Munetaka Murakami hit home runs in a losing effort for Chicago. The White Sox missed countless chances to build on their lead, finishing 3-for-17 with runners in scoring position.
Chicago was in control after a five-run second. Montgomery’s fourth home run came on the first pitch of the inning. The barrage continued with a bloop RBI single for Reese McGuire and Benintendi’s three-run homer.
Athletics starter Luis Severino settled down after that, allowing no further damage over the remainder of his 5 1/3 innings. He finished with five runs, five hits and four walks allowed to go with three whiffs.
Jacob Wilson started the home team’s reply with a solo home run to left with one out in the second.
Lawrence Butler went station-to-station to add a run in the third. He drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on an Austin Wynns groundout and scored on Jeff McNeil’s sac fly.
White Sox starter Erick Fedde was pulled after 4 2/3 innings. He had an erratic outing with four walks, one wild pitch and three runs allowed.
Sean Newcomb relieved Fedde with two runners on base and allowed a third unanswered A’s run when Tyler Soderstrom hit an RBI single.
Muncy hit a one-out triple in the bottom of the inning and scored when Newcomb couldn’t field a slow roller by Butler cleanly, cutting the White Sox advantage to 5-4.
Chicago added some breathing space when Murakami hit his second home run in as many games to lead off the seventh, but the Athletics answered swiftly as Shea Langeliers opened the bottom of the seventh with a single and Kurtz lined a rope over the right field fence to make it 6-6.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Keith Horne surprise leader of Senior PGA Championship
Keith Horne and his caddie walk past a sign warning fans of oncoming dangerous weather on Friday during the first round of the Constellation Furyk & Friends, at the Timuquana Country Club.
Weather
Keith Horne finds himself in an unexpected position — leading the Senior PGA Championship with 18 holes to go.
Horne, 54, fired a 5-under 66 during Saturday’s third round to seize a one-shot lead over four players at Concession Golf Club at Bradenton, Fla.
Sitting at 11-under 205 is a surreal feeling for Horne, who carded six birdies against one bogey in his stellar third round.
The South Africa native has one Top 5 finish and $327,937 in earnings to show for his 14 previous PGA Tour Champions events. If he finishes on top Sunday, he’ll add $540,000 and a major to the top of his resume.
“Of course, I’m surprised,” Horne said. “It’s such a strong field, such a quality field that’s playing this week. It’s not something we get to play in that often against the guys of this stature and quality. A lot of them are my idols. I watched a lot of them on TV.
“… It’s not something I sort of planned or played for. I just try to stick to my own game, and I think that helped me today without looking around too much at what I’m leading.”
Thailand’s Thammanoon Sriroj (66), Stewart Cink (70) and the Australian combo of Steve Allan (68) and Scott Hend (72) are the foursome tied at 10 under. Ben Crane (71) sits two shots back in sixth place.
Horne has spent most of his career playing overseas. He appeared in five Champions events in 2025, including tying for 28th at the Senior PGA Championship.
His best finish was a tie for 11th at the Principal Charity Classic. He made four of five cuts.
On Saturday, he had a bogey on his first hole before gaining the stroke back with a birdie on No. 3. Back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 gave him momentum and he scored back-to-back birdies twice on the back nine during a five-hole stretch.
One thing Horne said he won’t do on Sunday: track who’s chasing him.
“No, I’m not a scoreboard-watcher,” Horne said. “I think you get two types of people. I’m not the most confrontational person so, you know, I’d rather just stay away and just stick to my own game.
“I think if I look up and I feel like I need to chase or push or beat somebody specific, it doesn’t help me. It only hinders me. I maybe just try too hard or put too much pressure on myself.”
Hend shared the second-round lead after rounds of 69 and 65, but he took a step backward Saturday with three bogeys over the first 11 holes. He rebounded with three birdies down the stretch to finish just one shot back.
He is well-aware the final round will feature a bunched-up leaderboard.
“Just stick to my game plan, play to my ability,” Hend said. “If I play to my ability, then I’ve got a chance to win. If I don’t win, then as long as I finish as hard as I possibly can, that’s fine.”
Brian Gay, who shared the second-round lead with Hend, shot 2-over 74 shares seventh at 208. Also part of that tie are Fiji’s Vijay Singh (67), Canada’s Greg Owen (68) and Spain’s Miguel Angel Jimenez (68).
–Field Level Media
