Sports
After halting long skid, Reds go for series win over Astros
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Andrew Abbott (41) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Thanks largely to an impressive outing from young starting pitcher Chase Burns, the host Cincinnati Reds snapped their longest losing streak since 2024 with a win Saturday over the Houston Astros and now seek a series win in Sunday’s rubber game.
Left-hander Andrew Abbott (1-2, 5.13 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Reds on Sunday. He carried a shutout into the sixth inning of his previous start but did not factor into the decision of a 3-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, allowing four hits and four walks with four strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings.
Abbott has just one decision in his last four starts, going 1-0 with a 4.43 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings. He has faced the Astros once. He tossed six scoreless innings in a 2-1 road win June 16, 2023, allowing four hits and two walks with two strikeouts in his third career start.
In his 16th career start, Burns limited Houston to one run on four hits and three walks over six innings in a 3-1 win, one day after the Astros slugged out a 10-0 victory in the series opener.
In addition to Burns’ strong start, three Cincinnati relievers covered the final nine outs without allowing a baserunner, with Pierce Johnson earning his first save with a perfect ninth inning.
“Honestly, that was a big win for the team,” Johnson said. “We’ve been going through it on this last road trip. We needed one right there, so I’m glad I could come through and help us out a little bit.”
On the heels of another impressive road offensive display that featured four different batters recording home runs, the Astros were handcuffed by Burns, who earned the praise of Houston manager Joe Espada.
“He’s tough,” Espada said of Burns. “We didn’t do a very good job of not chasing that slider. He really kept us off balance and threw us off our plan.
“Credit to their pitching. They did a nice job. They quieted down one of the best offenses in the game.”
Houston wasted a solid start from right-hander Spencer Arrighetti and a combined 2 1/3 perfect innings of relief from Enyel De Los Santos, Steven Okert and Bryan Abreu. The Astros were unable to solve Burns’ mostly two-pitch repertoire of four-seam fastballs and sliders.
Kai-Wei Teng (1-1, 1.80) will make his 14th appearance and second start, with a bulk pitcher likely to follow for the Astros. The right-hander started against the Baltimore Orioles on April 28 and allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts in three innings.
In his last appearance against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, Teng allowed one hit and struck out two over two scoreless innings of relief. Teng has made eight starts in 26 career appearances. He will make his first appearance against the Reds.
–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
