Sports
Connor Zilisch passes best buddy on last lap of Mission 200 at the Glen
May 9, 2026; Watkins Glen, New York, USA; NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Connor Zilisch (1) celebrates after winning the Mission 200 at Watkins Glen International. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — With a last-corner pass in a wounded car, Connor Zilisch preserved his perfect record at Watkins Glen International — at the expense of his best friend.
Running down Jesse Love after pitting with 25 laps left, Zilisch shot past Love’s No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet in Turn 7 and won a drag race to the finish line to win Saturday’s Mission 200 at the Glen by 0.262 seconds.
The victory was Zilisch’s third straight at the 2.45-mile road course in as many starts, his second in his fifth NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start of the season and the 13th of his career.
Zilisch, Terry Labonte and Marcos Ambrose are the only drivers with three consecutive O’Reilly Series victories at Watkins Glen.
For the 70th straight race, JR Motorsports put at least one car in the top 10 to move within nine of RFK Racing’s record (2008-10). JRM also collected its 11th straight road course victory.
The victory was the product of Zilisch’s relentless pursuit of Love, who pitted on Lap 48 of 72 and saved fuel the rest of the way. Zilisch, meanwhile, erased an 18-second deficit by chopping full seconds per lap off Love’s lead over the final 25 circuits.
With six laps left, Zilisch hit the grass as he sped through the tricky Bus Stop Chicane and damaged the undercarriage of his car. Adjusting to the altered feel of his No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Zilisch continued his pursuit and closed on his friend.
On the final lap, Zilisch made up significant ground through the Bus Stop and took advantage when Love ran wide through the final corner.
“That was driving as hard as I could for all 30 of those laps (from a restart on lap 51), just trying to make up that gap,” Zilisch said. “I wasn’t going to move Jesse in the last corner there, but he got in deep, and I was able to get by.”
“It’s so cool to come back and get my third win at Watkins Glen in a row with JRM. Cool to get it with Rodney (Childers). He’s my third different crew chief here.”
This was the second significant battle between Zilisch and Love in the last six months. At Phoenix Raceway in November, Love outdueled the heavily favored Zilisch to win the series championship.
On Saturday, it was Love who was disconsolate.
“At the end of the day, the glaring piece of it is I had a bad corner,” Love said. “It was definitely a challenging but good experience for me. I’ve never saved fuel on a road course. What a good mental challenge for me.
“All I want to do is beat Connor here (on a road course), right? We’re best friends, and we’ve caused each other a lot of pain. I didn’t execute when I needed to. I think the reason I’m so quiet is I’m just embarrassed, right? As a driver, you just can’t make those mistakes.”
As a measure of the friendship between the two drivers, the first person to Love’s car after the race was Zilisch’s mother as she gave Love a consoling hug.
Taylor Gray and Ross Chastain finished third and fourth, respectively, both on fuel-saving strategy. Brandon Jones was fifth, followed by rookie Brent Crews, Parker Retzlaff, Shane van Gisbergen, Austin Green and Justin Allgaier, whose series lead over second place Sheldon Creed (29th Saturday) grew to 155 points.
van Gisbergen was in the mix for the win before contact between his car and Zilisch’s on pit road tore the left front fender on van Gisbergen’s No. 9 JRM Chevrolet. He had to pit again for repairs, his winning chances gone.
Crews led a race-high 32 laps, followed by Zilisch with 20 and Love with 18.
After the victory, Zilisch climbed from his care with utmost care, determined not to repeat the fall from the window ledge that cost him a broken collarbone last year.
“It really means a lot to get another one here and get out of the car safely and get onto the ground without killing myself,” Zilisch said.
Zilisch and van Gisbergen will race as Trackhouse Racing teammates in Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen, with the New Zealander on the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series event.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race — Mission 200 at The Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen, New York
Saturday, May 9, 2026
1. (17) Connor Zilisch(i), Chevrolet, 82.
2. (8) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 82.
3. (25) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 82.
4. (29) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 82.
5. (7) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 82.
6. (4) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 82.
7. (6) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 82.
8. (12) Shane Van Gisbergen(i), Chevrolet, 82.
9. (35) Austin Green, Chevrolet, 82.
10. (2) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 82.
11. (9) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 82.
12. (1) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 82.
13. (5) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 82.
14. (34) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 82.
15. (27) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 82.
16. (10) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 82.
17. (22) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 82.
18. (18) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 82.
19. (30) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 82.
20. (36) Will Rodgers, Chevrolet, 82.
21. (38) Preston Pardus, Chevrolet, 82.
22. (26) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 82.
23. (13) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 82.
24. (15) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 82.
25. (23) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 82.
26. (24) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, Out of Fuel, 81.
27. (20) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, Out of Fuel, 81.
28. (21) Alex Guenette, Chevrolet, 81.
29. (3) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 81.
30. (32) Glen Reen, Toyota, 81.
31. (33) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 81.
32. (31) Derek White, Chevrolet, 78.
33. (11) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 74.
34. (28) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, Suspension, 72.
35. (16) Dean Thompson, Toyota, Transmission, 54.
36. (14) William Sawalich, Toyota, Engine, 15.
37. (37) Matt Wilson, Chevrolet, Accident, 5.
38. (19) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, Engine, 4.
–Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
Sports
Ernie Clement racks up five hits as Blue Jays maul Angels
May 9, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Trey Yesavage (39) pitches in the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Gerry Angus-Imagn Images Brandon Valenzuela hit a three-run homer to cap a seven-run fifth inning Saturday and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Los Angeles Angels 14-1.
Valenzuela had four hits and Ernie Clement recorded his second career five-hit game, including a solo homer as Toronto rapped out 20 hits to take their second in a row in the three-game series. Jesus Sanchez added a solo homer as Toronto padded statistics against infielder Adam Frazier, who pitched a four-run eighth for the Angels, who have lost four of five to Toronto this season.
Mason Fluharty (2-0) pitched a perfect fifth to pick up the win.
The Angels threatened in the second against Trey Yesavage. Jorge Soler led off with a double to the top of the center field wall. He took third on Yoan Moncada’s ome-out single to right. The inning ended when Addison Barger threw Soler out of the plate on Vaughn Grissom’s flyout to right.
Barger (sprained ankle) was reinstated from the injured list Saturday with Yohendrick Piñango optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
Yesavage lasted four innings, allowing no runs and four hits with six strikeouts.
Toronto scored once in their fourth against Jack Kochanowicz (2-2). Sanchez was hit by a pitch followed by singles from Daulton Varsho and Clement to load the bases with no outs. Andres Gimenez hit a sacrifice fly to the left-field corner.
Toronto scored four more in the fifth against the sloppy Angels. Barger walked and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled. The runners advanced on a wild pitch and Kazuma Okamoto flared an RBI single to left. Sanchez blooped an RBI single that dropped among three fielders down the left-field line. Another run scored when Kochanowicz threw wildly to first on Varsho’s comebacker. Clement grounded an RBI single to left to make it 5-0. Mitch Farris replaced Kochanowicz and allowed Valenzuela’s one-out three-run homer to left.
Kochanowicz allowed seven runs (six earned), nine hits and two walks with no strikeouts in four-plus innings.
Clement led off the seventh with a homer to left against Farris. Guerrero added an RBI single,
Pinch hitter Frazier stroked an RBI double to right against Tyler Rogers in the eighth to give the Angels their first run of the series.
Angels pinch hitter Omar Martinez picked up his first major league hit in the ninth with a single against Tommy Nance.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Reds snap eight-game losing streak with win over Astros
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) delivers a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros, Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. Chase Burns worked six strong innings, and the Cincinnati Reds took advantage of a critical fifth-inning fielding error to top the visiting Houston Astros 3-1 on Saturday and snap a season-worst eight-game losing skid.
The Reds set the table for a rubber match on Sunday for this three-game interleague series. Cincinnati did so by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fifth against Astros right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (4-1), who suffered his first defeat in five starts this season.
Arrighetti was perfect through two innings and worked around a leadoff walk to Will Benson in the third. He closed that frame with a strikeout of TJ Friedl.
After catcher Christian Vazquez erased Elly De La Cruz trying to swipe second base, Arrighetti fanned Sal Stewart to end the fourth immediately. De La Cruz notched the first hit off Arrighetti by bouncing a single into center field.
Leading 1-0, Arrighetti fanned Nathanel Lowe to open the fifth before the Reds rallied, starting with a Spencer Steer single. Benson worked his second walk against Arrighetti before the game pivoted when right fielder Cam Smith dropped a Jose Trevino fly ball. That loaded the bases for Matt McLain, who delivered a two-run single to left, scoring Steer and Benson for a 2-1 lead.
Three batters later, De La Cruz slapped a single to left, plating Trevino. Zach Cole threw out McLain at the plate to end the inning, but the damage was done. Arrighetti recorded a pair of outs in the sixth before departing. He allowed three runs, one earned, on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts.
Burns (4-1) retired the side in order only once, doing so in the top of the third, and he matched his season low with two strikeouts. But he induced Isaac Paredes to ground into an inning-ending double play in the first and stranded runners in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, with Cole and Yordan Alvarez left at second base in the second and sixth.
Branden Shewmake smacked his third home run with two outs in the fifth to break the scoreless tie, but Burns held firm. Brock Burke, Graham Ashcraft and Pierce Johnson combined for three scoreless innings of relief for Cincinnati.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Daniel Rios' late PK lifts CF Montreal over Orlando City
May 9, 2026; Montreal, Province of Quebec, CAN; CF Montreal midfielder Victor Loturi (22) plays the ball and Orlando City SC defender Adrian Marin (3) defends with teammate midfielder Braian Ojeda (8) during the first half at Saputo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images Daniel Rios scored on a penalty kick in the 94th minute as CF Montreal outlasted visiting Orlando City FC for a dramatic 2-0 victory on Saturday.
Montreal (4-7-0, 12 points) won for the third time in four games (2-1-0) by finally scoring in the final minutes after creating numerous chances.
Rios scored his first goal in MLS competition for Montreal after Orlando’s Robin Jansson was called for a foul by tackling Luca Petrasso’s legs.
On the ensuing penalty kick, Rio send the ball into the upper right corner as he lifted a right-footed shot over goalie Maxime Crepeau’s diving attempt.
Rios scored his clutch goal after scoring in Montreal’s 5-0 win over Calgary Blizzard SC in the opening round of the Canadian Championship on Wednesday.
After Rios scored, Dagur Thorhallsson tallied in the eighth minute of stoppage time by putting a right-footed shot from the middle of the box into the upper right corner.
The late goals were among 25 shot attempts for Montreal. Montreal saw 11 shots get blocked, but six attempts were on target.
Thomas Gillier made four saves, but he also was aided by his defenders. Not long before the clutch goal by Rios, Dawid Bugaj blocked a shot by Duncan McGuire in the 88th.
Orlando (3-8-1, 10 points) was unable to win a third straight contest after pulling off an unlikely comeback over Inter Miami last week. The Lions have not won in Montreal since Decision Day in the 2021 season.
Crepeau, a Quebec native, made three saves and his teammates finished with nine shot attempts. He kept the game deadlocked by denying Petrasso’s header off a corner kick in the 58th.
Before the dramatic goals, Montreal missed the net four times in the first half and also saw Wikelman Carmona get denied in the opening minute. Montreal also saw Ivan Jaime miss the net after making a 1-on-1 move in the box in the 18th.
In the initial minutes of the second half, Petrasso hooked a shot to the left and Victor Loturi missed the net in the 59th before misfiring on a header eight minutes later.
–Field Level Media
