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Kris Bubic hurls a gem as Royals sweep Mariners

MLB: Kansas City Royals at Seattle MarinersMay 3, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) hits a single against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Kris Bubic pitched seven strong innings as the Kansas City Royals defeated the host Seattle Mariners 4-1 Sunday afternoon.

The Royals swept the three-game series after winning just three of their first 15 road games this season.

Bubic (3-1) gave up one run on four hits — all singles. The left-hander walked two and struck out seven. Seattle’s Chase Young owned one of those hits, but fanned in his three other at-bats.

Daniel Lynch IV worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his first save of the season.

Isaac Collins went 2-for-2, added a walk, a sacrifice fly and drove in two of Kansas City’s four runs. Vinnie Pasquantino added two hits in five at-bats and scored once.

The Mariners took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Leo Rivas, the No. 9 hitter in the lineup, drew a leadoff walk and went from first to third on a hit-and-run as Julio Rodriguez grounded a one-out single to left field. Rivas scored as Josh Naylor grounded into a fielder’s choice to first.

The Royals responded with three runs in the fourth off Seattle starter Luis Castillo (0-3).

Bobby Witt Jr. lined a single to center, Pasquantino lined a single to right and Salvador Perez was hit on the left forearm by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs. Carter Jensen walked on a 3-2 pitch to force in the first run and Jac Caglianone grounded into a force-out to score the go-ahead run.

Collins flew out to center and the slow-footed Perez tagged at third and tried to score. Perez was initially ruled out by home-plate umpire Clint Vondrak, but the Royals challenged the call and a video review determined Perez got his hand on the plate just before the tag from catcher Jhonny Pereda.

The Royals tacked on a run in the sixth as Caglianone drew a two-out walk and scored on Collins’ double to center.

Castillo allowed four runs on six hits over six innings. The right-hander walked two and fanned five.

Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh sat out a second consecutive game with discomfort in his right side.

–Field Level Media

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Louis Munteanu's brace lifts D.C. United past sliding NYCFC

MLS: D.C. United at New York City FCMay 3, 2026; New York, New York, USA; D.C. United celebrate the goal by D.C. United forward Louis Munteanu (11) during the first half against New York City FC at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images

Louis Munteanu scored his second and third career MLS goals and short-handed D.C. United earned a 2-0 victory at New York City FC on Sunday afternoon.

Munteanu’s brace completed a third consecutive multi-goal performance after the Black and Red (4-4-3, 15 points) had failed to score in four consecutive league matches.

It came on an afternoon Tai Baribo, D.C.’s leading scorer with six goals, was unavailable because of a thigh injury, while attacker Gabriel Pirani was left out of the team in a coach’s decision.

Sean Johnson made four saves to keep his fourth clean sheet of the season, coming against his former club. That was enough to ensure D.C.’s first consecutive league victories of the season.

New York City (3-5-3, 12 points) held 65% of the possession, but failed to translate that advantage into chances as their league winless run extended to seven matches.

D.C. led 19-8 in overall shots and 7-4 in efforts on target.

Munteanu joined D.C. this offseason from CFR Cluj in his native Romania for a reported $7 million transfer fee, but had mostly been used off the substitute’s bench while the 23-year-old acclimated to a new league and culture.

But Baribo’s absence opened the path for a starting role in last weekend’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Orlando City, in which he scored an 84th-minute equalizer, and he got the nod again from manager Rene Weiler on Sunday.

His first goal came in the 29th minute on an instinctive finish from Jared Stroud’s long throw-in from the right.

The throw dropped in the area of teammate Kye Rowles and then appeared to take a deflection off an NYCFC defender. Munteanu reacted quickly to reach it inside the 6-yard box and poked a first-touch finish past goalkeeper Matt Freese (five saves).

Munteanu’s second came from the penalty spot in the 75th minute.

Referee Ismail Elfath whistled Keaton Parks for a foul on Lucas Bartlett, appearing to signal that Parks had grabbed Bartlett’s neck area.

NYCFC players protested, but replays showed no decisive angles that would’ve led to an overturn. Munteanu stepped up and finished coolly past Freese into the bottom right corner.

–Field Level Media

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Nelly Korda rolls to Riviera Maya title for third win of '26

LPGA: The Chevron Championship - Final RoundApr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Nelly Korda hits a tee shot on the ninth hole during the final round of The Chevron Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images

Nelly Korda didn’t take long to return to the winner’s circle, posting a final-round, 3-under-par 69 to win the Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba by four strokes Sunday in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Korda continued her victorious ways at El Camaleon Golf Course seven days after capturing the Chevron Championship — the first major of the season and the third such title of her career — and returning to the No. 1 world ranking.

Korda entered the day with a three-shot advantage and wound up four ahead of Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol (70). In third at 12 under was China’s Yu Liu (69), feel-good story Brianna Do (71) finished fourth at 10 under and Colombian amateur Maria Jose Marin (69) placed fifth at 8 under.

“I think it was a perfect week after a major championship, too, where it felt like it was super relaxing but I knew that I needed to grind and I was here to work,” Korda said. “… I’ve had such an amazing time. Yeah, I mean, emphasizing it with a win, at the end of the day that’s what I was coming here for.”

Korda’s only scoring stretch amid two runs of pars came at the fifth through seventh holes. She holed an eagle at the par-5 fifth, then birdied the next two for a 4-under run.

From there, it was 10 straight pars until cleaning up a bogey 6 at the 18th.

“I guess there (were) two parts to my round,” Korda said. “Definitely on my front nine I had my A-game, and then on the back nine I wasn’t playing bad; just wasn’t hitting it close. And then I was kind of cruising and then golf humbled me on the last hole. Made my (second bogey) on the weekend.”

Korda continued a thoroughly dominant season to this point. In six starts, she now has three victories and three second-place finishes.

“I’ve had some amazing moments in my career,” the 27-year-old said. “In 2024 I won five in a row and my fifth one was a major. So I’ve had — I can’t say that one moment in my career was the best. I think all of them have had a different meaning and all of them have been so great in different ways.

“I’m just happy to be competing out here healthy, motivated. You know, I’m so happy on the golf course. I’m happy off the golf course.”

Yubol brushed off an early bogey with birdies at Nos. 4 and 5, but her next eight holes were all pars and she ran out of time to catch up to Korda. A double bogey at No. 16 killed her chances despite three birdies in the last five holes.

“Normally when I play with like another player and they have like a big crowd, so my brain is kind of crazy a little bit, and sometime it’s too hard to like control your game and control your brains, anything,” said Yubol, who played on her 24th birthday.

“But this time, it’s kind of like, I don’t know, maybe it’s my birthday, too. Like I’m growing up; 24 already. Like I talk to myself like all the time. Like even I’m hit bad I’m still talk to myself, you can do it. You can come back any time. Just play your game and everything happen is happen.”

Do, 36, had one top-10 and zero top-five finishes in her LPGA career before this week. She was a co-leader after the first and second rounds but was still pleased with the end result.

“After last year, you know, going into it I believed that my best golf was still ahead of me even though I’m one of the older players out here, and I still believe that. It just showed this week,” Do said. “It’s hard to not get emotional, but I’m really proud of myself and how I played.”

–Field Level Media

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Maple Leafs name John Chayka GM, Mats Sundin senior adviser

NHL: Global Series-Toronto Maple Leafs at Minnesota WildNov 19, 2023; Stockholm, SWE; Mats Sundin during a Global Series NHL hockey game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Minnesota Wild at Avicii Arena. Mandatory Credit: Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

The Toronto Maple Leafs hired John Chayka as their next general manager and confirmed team legend Mats Sundin will join the front office in an advisory role Sunday.

The tandem will be introduced in a press conference Monday afternoon.

“Today is an important day for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization,” Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment president and CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement. “I’m thrilled to welcome John and Mats to their roles, two great hockey minds that will strengthen our entire hockey club. From the start of this process, it’s been about building a championship-caliber team for our fans and our city and today is an important step towards that goal.”

Chayka, 36, was general manager of the Arizona Coyotes from 2016-20, the youngest GM in the NHL at the time. A native of Ontario, Chayka has not worked in the league since stepping down abruptly in July 2020 and receiving a suspension from the NHL the following year.

Chayka was found to have “breached his obligation to the club” by terminating his Coyotes’ contract with three years remaining to pursue other jobs. Later, the NHL docked two high draft picks from Arizona after learning Chayka and the club held a private scouting combine for prospects in violation of league regulations.

During his tenure with the Coyotes, they ended an eight-year playoff drought by making the postseason field during the COVID-impacted 2019-20 season.

“I’m honored to join the Toronto Maple Leafs organization and excited to work alongside Mats and the entire organization,” Chayka said in a statement. “This is one of hockey’s most historic franchises, with a passionate fan base who want to win. I’m focused on building a team that is competitive, driven and relentless — one that is in the best position to win for our fans and for the city of Toronto.”

Sundin, 55, will return Toronto and assume the title of senior executive adviser of hockey operations. The Maple Leafs said in their announcement that Sundin will “provide support across hockey operations, with a focus on team culture, player development and leadership support.”

Sundin is the Leafs’ all-time leader in points (987), a Hockey Hall of Famer and a fan favorite.

“This fan base deserves greatness and I am grateful for the opportunity to help this team, organization and city achieve that,” Sundin said in a statement. “My love for the Maple Leafs and the city of Toronto is an important part of who I am and who I will always be. I look forward to working closely with John as we both recognize the incredible opportunity and responsibility to win here in Toronto.”

–Field Level Media

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