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Thunder set sights on 3rd straight 1st-round sweep in Game 4 vs. Suns

NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix SunsApr 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) in the second half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be aiming for a third consecutive first-round playoff series sweep when they take the court Monday night in Phoenix.

The Suns have a different task — avoiding being swept in the first round for the second consecutive postseason appearance.

One of the teams will get their way when the Thunder and Suns collide again in Game 4 of the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City moved into position for another sweep with Saturday’s 121-109 victory in Game 3 at Phoenix.

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a career-playoff-high 42 points on stellar 15-of-18 shooting. He also made 11 of 12 free throws.

“I’m just not surprised anymore with him,” Thunder guard Alex Caruso said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “I kind of have grown to expect it — and that might be a detriment to him and his greatness, because I do get to see it every single night. But it really is magnificent to see just his mentality. He’s eternally optimistic and he’s just a killer with his competitive mindset.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 34.7 points and 8.0 assists in the series. He has scored 79 points in the last two games.

“I’m very fortunate to be in this position. But regardless of who’s out there, I get to go out there and play my game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s just the role I have on this team, and my coaches and teammates do a really good job of letting me be in my space.”

The Suns were incapable of slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3 no matter what they tried to do defensively.

“Some of the shots were incredibly difficult,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We know he can make some of those shots.

“We tried different matchups, tried to take it out of his hands. He got to the area where it’s a little harder to take it out of his hands when he just rises up over us. Give him credit. He had us spinning tonight.”

Phoenix is hoping to have guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Grayson Allen (hamstring) in good form for Game 4.

Booker left Game 3 for a time after injuring his left ankle in the third quarter. He finished with 16 points and seven assists.

Allen was back on the floor for the first time since April 10 and had seven points in 17 minutes. He made just 2 of 8 field-goal attempts and was clearly not 100%.

“I’m not worried about a percentage,” Allen said Sunday when asked to rate his health. “I felt good enough to go and good enough to contribute so we gave it a shot.”

Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 33 points in Game 3 and has 63 points over the past two games. He has made 12 of 28 3-point attempts in the series.

Booker’s series high is 23 points and the Suns could use one of his vintage high-scoring efforts in the bid to stay alive.

Booker said it won’t be easy to derail the Thunder.

“Overall, they’re a well-oiled machine,” Booker said. “They’re champs for a reason. They know what they want to get every time down the floor and they definitely know what they’re doing on defense. We have some growing and some learning to do in those departments.”

Phoenix will again be without big man Mark Williams (foot). Guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) is questionable.

Thunder star Jalen Williams (left hamstring) remains unlikely to return during this series, no matter how long it lasts. He was hurt in Game 2.

–Field Level Media

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Astros awaken to salvage finale, end Yankees' 8-game win streak

MLB: New York Yankees at Houston AstrosApr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a double during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Spencer Arrighetti worked seven strong innings, Christian Walker produced a three-hit game with a home run and the Houston Astros salvaged the finale of their three-game series against the visiting New York Yankees with a 7-4 victory on Sunday.

Arrighetti (3-0) remained unbeaten in three starts after opening the season with Triple-A Sugar Land. He allowed three hits, walked one and posted eight strikeouts on 96 pitches, 64 for strikes.

Walker finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs while Isaac Paredes went 2-for-4 with a homer, three runs and three RBIs. Yordan Alvarez also produced a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs.

Paul Goldschmidt doubled twice and scored for the Yankees, who rallied for three runs with two outs in the ninth but had their eight-game winning streak snapped.

Arrighetti retired the Yankees in order in the top of the first, fourth and fifth innings. He worked around a one-out single from Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the second and stranded two runners after issuing a hit-by-pitch and a two-out walk in the third. Arrighetti retired nine consecutive batters before Aaron Judge clubbed a two-out homer in the sixth. Judge hit his 10th home run on his 34th birthday.

The Astros quickly pounced on Yankees right-hander Luis Gil (1-2), with Walker firing the first salvo on a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the first that plated Paredes. Walker, who homered in his final plate appearance in the ninth inning on Saturday, delivered the Astros a 2-0 lead with his seventh homer this season.

Two innings later, Paredes smacked his third home run off the left field foul pole, plating Alvarez and doubling the Houston lead to 4-0. Alvarez rallied from an 0-2 hole against Gil that extended the inning before Paredes capped the two-out rally by driving a 1-0 sinker 364 feet.

Alvarez chased Gil with a double to right that pushed Carlos Correa, who walked leading off the fifth, to third base. Paredes greeted Yankees reliever Paul Blackburn with an RBI single that scored Correa, and Walker followed with a two-run double to left-center for a 7-0 lead.

Gil allowed six runs on five hits and three walks in four-plus innings.

–Field Level Media

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Jose Tena's HR in 10th helps Nationals edge White Sox

MLB: Washington Nationals at Chicago White SoxApr 26, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin (22) throws the ball against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Jose Tena hit a pinch-hit solo home run in the 10th inning after CJ Abrams provided a go-ahead sacrifice fly as the visiting Washington Nationals defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Sunday.

Both pitching staffs allowed just four hits. Paxton Schultz worked around Tristan Peters’ RBI single in the bottom of the 10th for his first save.

Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin delivered his second consecutive quality start, scattering two hits in seven shutout innings. Griffin walked two and struck out a career-high eight.

Chicago righty Sean Burke shined, as well, limiting the Nationals to three hits in 7 1/3 innings with zero walks and four strikeouts.

After both clubs scored at least three runs in the first two games of the series, offense was a dicey proposition as Griffin and Burke matched zeroes for much of the afternoon.

The White Sox nearly gave Burke an early lead after opener Bryan Hudson pitched a scoreless bottom of the first. Chase Meidroth opened the game with a single, advanced to second on a balk and took third on a wild pitch. But Griffin struck out the side to keep Meidroth from scoring.

Tanner Murray contributed a one-out single in the second and Drew Romo walked two batters later before the rally faded. Griffin hit Colson Montgomery with a pitch in the fourth inning before recovering to retire 11 of the next 12.

Burke yielded a two-out double to Jacob Young in the second and a two-out single to James Wood in the third but kept the Nationals off the scoreboard. Romo, Chicago’s catcher, caught Wood stealing to end the threat in the second.

Burke mowed through the next 15 Washington batters after that, with a four-pitch seventh inning highlighting his dominance. Nasim Nunez broke the streak with a leadoff single in the ninth, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly. Reliever Sean Newcomb got two popouts to end the inning.

Chicago was unable to score in the bottom of the ninth. Everson Pereira singled with one out for the team’s first hit since the second and went to second on an errant pickoff attempt but was stranded.

Murray left the game with an apparent left-shoulder injury while making a diving catch on Abrams’ sacrifice fly to left field.

Richard Lovelady (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory.

Seranthony Dominguez (1-3) took the loss.

–Field Level Media

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Dominant Kyle Harrison fans 12 as Brewers end slide vs. Pirates

MLB: Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee BrewersApr 26, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Kyle Harrison (52) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Kyle Harrison tossed six innings of one-hit ball with a career-high 12 strikeouts and the Milwaukee Brewers snapped a four-game skid with a 5-0 victory over the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.

The Brewers backed Harrison with a five-run fourth inning to avoid their first sweep against Pittsburgh since 2022 and first at home to the Pirates since a four-game series in August 2016.

The only hit off Harrison (2-1) in his 101-pitch outing was a leadoff single in the second by Marcell Ozuna, who was erased on a double play. The only other runner off Harrison came on a two-out walk in the fourth.

Held hitless through three innings, the Brewers erupted for five runs in the decisive fourth off Carmen Mlodzinski (1-2). William Contreras capped a 10-pitch at-bat with a leadoff single and Jake Bauers lined a ground rule double to right-center. Contreras scored on Gary Sanchez’s RBI groundout.

Sal Frelick reached on catcher’s interference with two outs and Luis Rengifo followed with an RBI single. David Hamilton lined an RBI double off the wall in right-center to make it 3-0. Brandon Lockridge followed with a two-run single, chasing Mlodzinski, who allowed five runs (four earned) on five hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The Pirates had runners in scoring position in the seventh and eighth innings, but failed to convert.

Milwaukee’s Trevor Megill, recently demoted from the closer role, allowed a double and a walk to open the seventh, but retired three straight with two strikeouts for his fifth consecutive appearance without an earned run.

Pittsburgh loaded the bases in the eighth against Aaron Ashby on two walks and an error, but Bryan Reynolds bounced to second to end the inning.

The Brewers failed to homer for the seventh consecutive game, their most since a franchise-record 13 straight games in 1999. Milwaukee has one home run in its last 11 games.

–Field Level Media

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