Sports
Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani beats Padres with his bat, arm
May 20, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Shohei Ohtani homered on the first pitch Wednesday night and tossed five scoreless innings to lead the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers past the San Diego Padres 4-0.
Ohtani (4-2) permitted three hits and walked two while striking out four in an 88-pitch effort. Four relievers finished up the five-hitter, enabling Los Angeles to win the first series of the year between the National League West rivals.
San Diego starter Randy Vasquez (5-2) absorbed the loss, yielding six hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings with three walks and no strikeouts. The right-hander was on the ropes from the moment he toed the rubber.
Ohtani clouted a high fastball over the wall in deep right-center, just over leaping center fielder Jackson Merrill, for his eighth homer of the year. Adding literal injury to insult, Merrill left the game after four innings with an apparent back injury sustained during his unsuccessful effort.
Teoscar Hernandez made it 2-0 in the second when he lofted a sacrifice fly that scored Max Muncy, who doubled to lead off the inning and reached third via Will Smith’s single.
The Dodgers added a run the fifth when Kyle Tucker stroked a one-out RBI single off reliever Wandy Peralta to plate Ohtani.
San Diego didn’t manage a baserunner off Ohtani until Fernando Tatis Jr. coaxed a leadoff walk in the fourth. A single by Gavin Sheets put runners at first and second before Ohtani induced a pop-up and flyout to end the threat.
The Padres’ best chance to score happened in the fifth. Bryce Johnson singled and reached third on Nick Castellanos’ single. Freddy Fermin walked with one out to load the bases, but Ohtani got Tatis to ground into an inning-ending double play.
In the eighth, San Diego nudged runners to first and third with one out on singles from Ramon Laureano and Tatis, plus a throwing error. But Kyle Hurt induced a 6-4-3 double play ball from Miguel Andujar to quash the rally.
Hernandez capped the scoring in the ninth by walloping a leadoff homer into the second deck in left, his sixth of the year.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sizzling Guardians score twice in 10th, hold off Tigers
May 20, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Tanner Bibee (28) delivers during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images Angel Martinez’s triple drove in the go-ahead in the 10th and the red-hot Cleveland Guardians downed the host Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Wednesday.
Jose Ramirez supplied an RBI double in the inning as the Guardians won for the eighth time in nine games, including the first three games of the four-game series.
Cleveland starter Tanner Bibee held Detroit to one run and four hits in eight innings. Right-hander Colin Holderman (2-0) got the victory and righty Cade Smith picked up his 16th save.
Detroit starter Drew Anderson had a career-high seven strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. The Tigers have lost 13 of their last 15.
Martinez, leading off the 10th against Tyler Holton (0-4), drove the ball to the opposite field into the right-center field gap to bring in automatic runner Brayan Rocchio. Ramirez then rifled a double into left to knock in Martinez for a 3-1 lead.
Zach McKinstry led off the bottom of the inning with an RBI single, but Smith retired the next three batters.
The scoreless deadlock was broken in the seventh. Detroit’s Kevin McGonigle led off with a walk and Riley Geene advanced him to third with a one-out single. Matt Vierling hit a sacrifice fly to left to bring in McGonigle.
Cleveland’s Chase DeLauter drew a two-out walk against Kenley Jansen in the eighth and stole second base. He was left stranded when Kyle Manzardo struck out.
McKinstry led off the bottom of the inning with a single. Hao-Yu Lee hit a bouncer to second and Travis Bazzana made a throwing error, allowing both runners to reach safely. McKinstry then got picked off by Bibee, who retired the next two batters on a strikeout and lineout.
The Guardians tied it in the ninth.
Daniel Schneeman led off with a single and Bazzana blooped another single. Steven Kwan advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Patrick Bailey then slapped a grounder to second as Schneeman scored. Will Vest then struck out Rocchio to keep the score at 1-all.
McGonigle drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth against Erik Sabrowski, who then walked Dillon Dingler. Greene struck out before Holderman replaced Sabrowski and struck out Vierling and Wenceel Perez.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Aliyah Boston helps power Fever to comfortable win vs. Fire
May 20, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Portland Fire forward Bridget Carleton (6) dribbles the ball while Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images In her first game back from a lower leg injury, Aliyah Boston scored 24 points to power the Indiana Fever to a 90-73 win over the visiting Portland Fire on Wednesday night in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Boston shot 8 of 11 from the floor and also collected eight rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block for the Fever (3-2). Kelsey Mitchell provided a boost too, scoring 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Lexie Hull added 16 points on a perfect shooting night, making 4 of 4 3-pointers and 4 of 4 free throws.
The Fever played without superstar Caitlin Clark, who was ruled out less than two hours before tip-off. Fever coach Stephanie White said before the game that Clark “woke up with some stiffness and some soreness” in her back.
“It’s not the time to take a chance. We just really want to be cautious,” White said. “… She’s healthy. We’re not managing anything. This is just a back issue that we want to make sure we give the time to.”
Bridget Carleton paced Portland (2-3) in the defeat with 16 points and three steals, while Sug Sutton chipped in 14 points and four assists. Carla Leite made her season debut for Portland after being sidelined with an ankle injury, notching six points, one rebound and one assist in 14 minutes.
The Fever led nearly wire-to-wire and grew their lead to as much as 26 points following a 12-3 run in the third quarter that was highlighted by Boston swishing a 3-pointer from 27 feet out that Mitchell provided the assist on.
Indiana made 9 of 28 3-pointers while holding Portland to a 3-for-16 clip. The Fever also won the rebounding battle by eight, had 21 assists on 28 made-baskets, and scored 20 points off 14 turnovers by Portland. Seven of those assists came from Fever guard Tyasha Harris, who started in place of Clark.
Fever forward Monique Billings picked up a technical foul in the third quarter for bouncing the ball high — showing some emotion — after making a bucket while getting fouled. That technical could lead to a postgame fine as the WNBA tightens its grip on its discipline policies.
Damiris Dantas did not play for the Fever due to a coach’s decision.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Padres' Jackson Merrill suffers apparent back injury
May 18, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill (3) comes off the field after making a catch on a ball hit by Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (not pictured) during the seventh inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images San Diego Padres centerfielder Jackson Merrill left Wednesday night’s game against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers after four innings with an apparent back injury.
Merrill looked to sustain the injury while leaping to catch Shohei Ohtani’s first-pitch homer to start the game. Merrill was seen stretching his back on multiple occasions during the next three innings.
San Diego manager Craig Stammen and a trainer visited Merrill before the top of the third before permitting him to stay in the game. Bryce Johnson was going to pinch-hit for him in the fourth before Xander Bogaerts flied out to end the inning.
Johnson replaced Merrill defensively before the top of the fifth. At the time of his departure, Los Angeles owned a 2-0 lead.
Merrill fanned in his only at-bat, dropping his average to .203.
–Field Level Media
Sizzling Guardians score twice in 10th, hold off Tigers
Aliyah Boston helps power Fever to comfortable win vs. Fire
