Sports
Nationals RHP Zack Littell closes out stellar May against Padres
May 20, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Zack Littell (18) pitches against the New York Mets during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Washington right-hander Zack Littell looks to put a bow on a turnaround month of May when the Nationals host the San Diego Padres on Sunday.
Littell (4-4, 5.23 ERA) opposes right-hander Griffin Canning (0-3, 7.24) in the series finale after the teams split the first two games with Washington rallying for a 9-4 win on Saturday.
Littell was 0-4 with a 7.85 ERA at the end of April. In May he is 4-0 with a 2.19 ERA and 14 strikeouts and six walks in 24 2/3 innings. He has worked behind an opener in three of his five May appearances, including last time out when he entered in the third and tossed seven strong innings to beat the host Cleveland Guardians 10-2. He gave up a run on five hits while striking out seven and walking two.
With 94 pitches after eight innings, Littell lobbied manager Blake Butera to pitch the ninth.
“This was the perfect opportunity to give the guys in the bullpen a break, so I told Blake I wanted them to be able to take a break,” said Littell, who stayed in the game and totaled 106 pitches.
The 30-year-old Littell is 2-0 with a 4.55 ERA in 20 games (two starts) versus the Padres.
Canning has been undergoing a turnaround of his own. After allowing six earned runs in consecutive outings, Canning’s ERA ballooned to 10.64. In each of his past two starts, the 30-year-old has given up just three earned runs. Last time out, he went 6 2/3 innings in a 3-0 loss to the visiting Philadelphia Phillies. He gave up three hits, two of them home runs.
“If you talk to any starter, that’s what we’re trying to do every single time,” Canning said of pitching into the seventh. “I just was able to get some quick outs earlier in the game, so I was able to get a little bit deeper.”
Canning is 1-0 with a 4.03 ERA in four starts versus the Nationals.
Washington used an unusual six-run seventh inning to win on Saturday. With only walks, singles, fielders’ choices and a hit batter, the Nationals turned a 3-1 deficit into a 7-3 lead. The key hit was Luis Garcia Jr.’s two-run single. He notched his sixth multi-hit performance in his past 19 games.
Curtis Mead provided a two-run double in the eighth and finished with three RBIs after entering as a pinch hitter, and Drew Millas hit his second home run of the season.
“The guys are doing an awesome job,” Mead said. “Just high quality at-bats after one another. That was a fun one. (Padres starter Michael) King was kind of rolling early, so it was fun to be able to put a break to that and put up a few runs.”
The Nationals lead the majors with 311 runs scored.
Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. homered for the Padres, who have lost five of six. Tatis hit his first home run of the season after going 55 games without one, since Sept. 27, 2025. He hit 25 in 155 games last season.
“He’s been carrying that burden, the team has been carrying that burden,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said. “He finally got it. It was a good celebration in the dugout. It’s what baseball is all about, acting like little 10-year-olds.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
CONCACAF Champions Cup: Toluca edge Tigres in penalty shootout for title
[US, Mexico & Canada customers only] May 6, 2026; Toluca, Mexico City, MEX; Toluca’s Luis Garcia celebrates their first goal scored by Toluca’s Helinho at Estadio Nemesio Diez. Mandatory Credit: Eloisa Sanchez-Reuters via Imagn Images Luis Garcia stopped Juan Purata’s shot in the seventh round of penalty kicks for a 6-5 edge, lifting host Toluca FC past Tigres UANL on Saturday night in the CONCACAF Champions Cup final after the Mexican teams played to a 1-1 draw through regulation and extra time.
Jorge Diaz’s goal for Toluca at the 104-minute mark in the first half of extra time had broken the scoreless tie, but Joaquim delivered for Tigres UANL in the 114th minute during the second half of extra time to pull even.
Toluca won the tournament for the third time and first since 2003.
For the 20th time in the past 21 years, a Mexican team lifted the trophy. The only exception in that span was the Seattle Sounders’ title run in 2022.
Garcia also made a save on Fernando Gorriaran’s shot in the third round of penalties, while Tigres goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman stopped Franco Romero in the fifth round.
Scoring in the penalty shootout for Toluca were: Pavel Perez, Santiago Simon, Federico Pereira, Diaz, Sebastian Cordova and Fernando Arce.
Scoring in the penalty shootout for the Tigres were: Andre-Pierre Gignac, Juan Brunetta, Angel Correa, Diego Lainez and Romulo.
Diaz was on target with a right-footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner of the goal off an Arce assist at the 104-minute mark. Moments earlier, Toluca’s Cordova took a shot from the right side of the box which Guzman saved.
Joaquim’s header from very close range found the top left corner of the net off a set-piece crossing assist from Brunetta.
Garcia kept Toluca even with a save on Correa’s right-footed shot from the center of the box at the 117-minute mark.
The teams were scoreless through the first and second halves of regulation, including two extra minutes in the first half and seven more in the second half.
After regulation and the two halves of extra time, Tigres UANL had the edge in shots on goal (8-4), shot attempts (15-13) and corner kicks (7-4). Toluca had more fouls (24-14) and yellow cards (2-1).
Toluca’s Garcia made eight saves and Guzman three.
The Tigres, based in San Nicolas de los Garza in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, were playing for their second Champions Cup crown and first since 2020. They also finished runner-up in 2016, ’17 and ’19.
In their most-recent meeting before Saturday, the teams played to a scoreless draw on Jan. 17 of this year with the Tigres as host.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jake McCarthy (4 RBIs), Rockies extend Giants' losing streak
May 30, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; The seam of the baseball rips on a swing from Colorado Rockies left fielder Sterlin Thompson (30) in the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Jake McCarthy homered, singled twice and drove in four runs, Ryan Feltner returned to the rotation with six shutout innings and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants 8-3 in Denver on Saturday night.
Kyle Karros also went deep, and TJ Rumfield and Willi Castro had two hits each for Colorado, which has won consecutive games for the first time since May 7-8.
Drew Gilbert homered among his two hits, and Jung Hoo Lee and Matt Chapman also had two hits for San Francisco, which has lost five in a row.
Feltner (2-1) was activated from the injured list (right ulnar nerve inflammation) to make his first start since April 23. He retired the first five batters he faced before Chapman’s two-out double in the second, and he erased leadoff singles in the third and fifth innings with double-play grounders.
He left after scattering four hits and fanning two to earn his first win since April 6.
The Rockies, who used a five-run rally in the ninth inning to win 8-6 Friday night, built on that momentum in the first inning against Adrian Houser.
McCarthy led off with a walk and one out later, Goodman drew a base on balls to put runners on first and second. Castro followed with an RBI single, Ezequiel Tovar followed with a two-out single and Houser hit Sterlin Thompson with the bases loaded to make it 2-0.
McCarthy lined a two-run homer into the Colorado bullpen in the fourth inning, his third of the season, to double the Rockies’ lead.
Houser (2-5) allowed four runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked two.
The Rockies made it 5-0 on McCarthy’s RBI single in the fifth and then padded the advantage in the seventh.
Karros led off the inning with a pinch-hit homer, his third of the season, Tyler Freeman reached on a bloop double and scored on McCarthy’s single. McCarthy stole second and scored on Rumfield’s single.
Gilbert spoiled Colorado’s shutout bid with a two-run homer in the eighth, his third, and Chapman had a two-out RBI single in the ninth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Claude Lemieux's family to donate his brain to CTE research
Jan. 20, 2009; San Jose, CA, USA; San Jose Sharks right wing Claude Lemieux (32) warms up before the game against the Vancouver Canucks at HP Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Claude Lemieux’s family said Saturday that the four-time Stanley Cup champion’s brain will be donated to CTE research following his death at age 60 on Thursday.
Lemieux committed suicide, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, multiple media outlets reported on Thursday. He was found at a furniture store that Lemieux and his wife owned in Lake Park, Fla., per the reports.
“In the hope that Claude’s life can continue to help others, the family has chosen to donate his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center for research into the long-term effects of repetitive head impacts and traumatic brain injury,” the family said in a statement released by daughter Claudia Lemieux Bishop. “The family has also given permission for the CTE Center to identify Claude by name in connection with his donation and any findings it may publicly share in accordance with its research protocols.
“The family emphasizes that this decision is a gift to science, to athletes, and to future generations of families seeking answers. No conclusions should be drawn at this time regarding any diagnosis.”
Lemieux played 21 seasons in the NHL and was awarded the 1994-95 Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. He won two Stanley Cup titles with the New Jersey Devils (1994-95, 1999-2000) and one each with the Colorado Avalanche (1995-96) and Montreal Canadiens (1985-86).
Lemieux recorded 158 points (80 goals, 78 assists) and 529 penalty minutes in 234 playoff games. He had a team-leading 10 goals and four game-winning goals in aiding the Canadiens to their 23rd Stanley Cup title in 1985-86.
“Claude dedicated his post-play career to helping the next generation,” the family said, referring to his role as an agent. “By allowing his name to be connected to this research, we hope his life can contribute to greater understanding, more honest conversations, and better protection for athletes and families in the years ahead.”
Known as a fierce competitor with a physical side, he skated a fine line between being a clutch scorer and an agitator.
Lemieux had 786 points (379 goals, 407 assists) and 1,777 penalty minutes in 1,215 regular-season contests with the Canadiens, Devils, Avalanche, then-Phoenix Coyotes, Dallas Stars and San Jose Sharks.
“The Lemieux family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love from fans, former teammates, opponents, organizations and friends across the hockey community,” the family said in the statement. “The stories being shared of Claude’s competitiveness, humor, loyalty and unmistakable presence have brought comfort during an unimaginably difficult time. The family asks only for continued prayers.”
The Quebec native was selected by the Canadiens in the second round of the 1983 NHL Draft.
On Monday, Lemieux greeted the Montreal crowd by carrying the torch into the Bell Centre prior to the start of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.
“The family recognizes that there has been public reporting about the circumstances of Claude’s death,” the family said in the statement. “Suicide is complex, and the family asks media and the public to discuss this loss with care, compassion and respect for those who loved him. Anyone in crisis or emotional distress in the United States can call or text 988 for confidential support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.”
–Field Level Media
