Sports
Ace Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies go for series win vs. Rockies
May 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sanchez (61) in action against the Athletics during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Philadelphia Phillies will turn to their ace Cristopher Sanchez on Sunday as they look to win their weekend set with the visiting Colorado Rockies.
The Phillies dropped Friday’s opener 9-7 in 11 innings but fought back with a comfortable 9-3 win Saturday to set up the rubber game.
Sanchez (3-2, 2.42 ERA) is coming off his best start of the season, striking out 10 in eight innings of scoreless ball in a 9-1 home victory over the Athletics on May 5. He allowed just three hits – all singles – and walked one as he kept the A’s lineup guessing all night.
Sanchez believes that dominant performance was the result of his constant desire to improve.
“I’m always working on my pitches, I’m always working on my mechanics,” the left-hander told reporters through an interpreter.
“I like to chase perfection.”
Sanchez, 29, locked up his future with Philadelphia, signing a 6-year, $107 million extension March 24. He has faced the Rockies five times in his career, going 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA.
Philadelphia interim manager Don Mattingly added on Sanchez’s great outing last Tuesday, “I’ve seen him throw the ball good all year long — it’s just some of the results haven’t been as good.”
Mattingly likened it to the turnaround the team has undergone since their 9-19 start: “Nothing seemed to be going our way early and now we’ve got it going in a direction that we like.”
Phillies star Bryce Harper left Saturday’s game in the middle of the first inning due to a migraine, but Mattingly said the former two-time MVP might be able to return Sunday.
Winning Sunday would help Colorado stop its own early-season skid. The Rockies haven’t notched a series victory since sweeping the Mets in New York on April 24-26, dropping eight of their last 11 against the Reds, Braves, Mets (in Denver) and the Phillies.
Right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (3-2, 3.41) is taking the ball for Colorado. He was the losing pitcher in his last start against the Mets on May 4, but he had a no-hitter in that outing through five before giving up four runs in the sixth. The Rockies ultimately fell 4-2.
Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer wasn’t deterred by the result and has taken positives from what he’s seen from Sugano in his first seven starts in Denver. Schaeffer said Sugano’s success comes from “putting the ball where he wants to” and “mixing well.”
The Rockies are getting exactly the pitcher they expected when they signed Sagano to a one-year deal in February, according to Schaeffer.
“The big arsenal that he has is something we desired in the offseason,” Schaeffer said. “He uses it extremely well. He attacks the strike zone, doesn’t walk guys.”
The 36-year-old was with Baltimore last season after playing in his native Japan as a member of the Yomiuri Giants from 2013-24. He won his only previous start against Philadelphia on April 5, allowing one run in six innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Vancouver, San Jose fight to draw in battle of top 2 MLS teams
May 9, 2026; San Jose, California, USA; San Jose Earthquakes defender Daniel Munie (5) and Vancouver Whitecaps FC forward Brian White (24) battle for the ball during the first half at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images Sebastian Berhalter scored the tying goal in the 76th minute as the Vancouver Whitecaps salvaged a 1-1 draw with the host San Jose Earthquakes in an MLS showdown on Saturday night.
Preston Judd scored in the fourth minute for San Jose and his goal held up for 72 minutes before the Whitecaps notched the equalizer in the battle between the league’s top two teams so far this season.
The Earthquakes (9-1-2, 29 points) remained three points ahead of the Whitecaps (8-1-2, 26 points) atop the Western Conference standings. San Jose has played two consecutive draws after winning six straight MLS matches.
It was the second meeting between the teams this season. San Jose prevailed 1-0 in Vancouver on March 21 in the first matchup.
Daniel made four saves for the Earthquakes as Vancouver applied consistent pressure while trying to make up its deficit. The Whitecaps out-shot San Jose 17-6, held a 5-3 edge in shots on target and possessed the ball twice as long as the Quakes.
Yohei Takaoka registered two stops for Vancouver, which tied for the second straight match following a four-game MLS winning streak.
Judd’s team-best eighth goal of the season came in the fourth minute and was set up by Paul Marie.
Marie had the ball on the right side and spotted a marked Judd running toward the net. He delivered a pass that Judd was able to catch up to and boot the ball past Takaoka to give the Quakes the early lead.
Vancouver had a stellar opportunity in the 54th minute but Andres Cubas’ hard left-footed shot was stopped by Daniel.
In the 65th minute, the Whitecaps again came up empty as Bruno Caicedo’s shot was wide right of the net.
Eleven minutes later, Vancouver got the equalizer in a less fearsome manner. A battle in the box for the ball saw it squirt loose to Berhalter, who was close to the net and unmarked and easily sent it into the net.
In the 90th minute, San Jose’s Ronaldo Vieira’s close-range left-footed shot was stopped by Takaoka.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sounders draw vs. San Diego, home unbeaten streak at 21
May 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Kalani Kossa-Rienzi (85) avoids the slide tackle by San Diego FC midfielder David Vazquez (19) during the first half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Substitute Danny Musovski scored his first goal of the season in the 80th minute as the Seattle Sounders rallied for a 1-1 draw with visiting San Diego FC on Saturday night.
Marcus Ingvartsen scored in the 18th minute for San Diego (3-5-4, 13 points), which is winless in its past nine matches (0-5-4).
Sounders goalkeeper Andrew Thomas made a diving save on a shot by Anders Dreyer in the final minute of second-half stoppage time and Ingvartsen put the rebound from 6 yards out over the crossbar.
The Sounders (6-1-3, 21 points) extended their MLS unbeaten streak to eight matches (5-0-3) and haven’t lost in 21 consecutive matches in all competitions at Lumen Field since a 2-0 loss to reigning UEFA Champions Cup winner Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup last June 23.
Musovski converted after a flurry of chances. He put a shot off the right post in the 78th minute and two minutes later, San Diego goalie Duran Ferree made a kick kick save on Musovski, with Jesus Ferreira’s follow-up header deflected out of bounds by Luca Bombino.
Albert Rusnak’s ensuing corner kick was flicked on net by Alex Roldan, with Musovski outmuscling defender Christopher McVey to get to the ball and put a left-footed shot from 3 yards out inside the right post.
The Sounders controlled play for the first 15 minutes, but it was San Diego that broke through against the run of play in the 18th minute.
Anibal Godoy played a give-and-go with Oscar Verhoeven near the right sideline, then found Onni Valakari in the middle of field about 25 yards from the goal. Valakari sent a quick diagonal pass to Ingvartsen just inside the top of the 18-yard box. Ingvartsen dribbled toward the top right of the 6-yard box and lifted a shot over onrushing Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas.
Thomas made a spectacular diving save at the right post off a header by Amahl Pellegrino in the 22nd minute to keep it close.
It appeared the Sounders had tied the score in the 31st minute as Ferreira’s pass down the middle of the field sent Jordan Morris in on a breakaway. Morris beat Ferree but the linesman ruled Morris was offside, a call confirmed by a video review.
Morris, whose 72 career MLS goals are tied with Raul Ruidiaz for the franchise record, had another chance in the 42nd minute but his header from the middle of the 6-yard box went over the crossbar.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Timbers score 6, rout Sporting Kansas City
May 9, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Timbers forward Kevin Kelsy (19) celebrates scoring a goal during the first half against Sporting Kansas City at Providence Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images Kevin Kelsy scored in each half and totaled two assists, and the Portland Timbers romped to a historic 6-0 victory over visiting Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night.
Kelsy’s third and fourth goals this season helped the Timbers (4-6-1, 13 points) earn a six-goal victory for the first time in their MLS club history. Portland also scored six for the first time since a 7-2 win over the same SKC side in a regular-season home match on May 14, 2022.
Kristoffer Velde, Ariel Lassister and Cole Bassett also had a goal and an assist each, and the Timbers also benefited from an own-goal while racing out to a 4-0 lead by the 26th minute.
David Da Costa had two assists as Portland won for the third time in five home matches and third time in five games overall. A SKC own-goal completed the scoring.
James Pantemis made three saves to keep his first clean sheet.
Sporting (1-8-2, 5 points) conceded at least three goals for a seventh time while watching their winless run extend to seven league matches (six losses, one draw) under first-year manager Raphael Wicky.
They’ve been outscored 25-4 during that slide and 32-8 overall during the 2026 regular season.
Going back further, Kansas City has won only twice in its last 24 league games, a run that began with a 3-2 home loss to Seattle on July 12, 2025.
After Velde opened the scoring with a bombastic sixth-minute strike, Kelsy scored his first in the 15th on a slick attack through the right side of Kansas City’s defense.
After playing a combination with Bassett and Da Costa, he ran onto Da Costa’s clever backheel and drove a low finish beyond Stefan Cleveland.
Bassett’s 22nd-minute strike marked his first MLS goal for his new club after his previous 31 came in portions of seven seasons with the Colorado Rapids
After an own-goal made it 4-0 by the 26th minute, Lassiter scored from a direct free kick to make it five in the 71st. Then he provided the cross on Kelsy’s second in the 74th, a sliding first-time finish at the back post.
–Field Level Media
Vancouver, San Jose fight to draw in battle of top 2 MLS teams
Sounders draw vs. San Diego, home unbeaten streak at 21
