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Astros look to wake up bats going into home series vs. Mariners

MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers at Houston AstrosMay 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes (15) talks with manager Joe Espada (19) and a trainer after an apparent injury during the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

After recording at least 10 hits in seven consecutive road games through the series opener against the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, the Houston Astros followed a four-hit performance on Saturday by scratching out only three singles to drop the series rubber match 5-0 on Sunday.

The Astros will open a seven-game homestand on Monday against the Seattle Mariners in the first of a four-game series. They’ll look to get their offense, which leads the American League in batting average (.258), total bases (598) and on-base percentage (.333, tied with the New York Yankees), back on track.

“We’ve got to get back to doing what we do best,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “We’ve got to make (opposing pitchers) work. We’ve got to control the at-bats. We’ve got to pass the baton. The last few days, that was not the offense that we’ve been able to deploy early in the season. We’ve got to turn this one behind us; we’ve got an important series ahead of us.

“It’s a quick fix,” Espada added. “I’ve seen our offense do a good job fixing those things and getting locked in again.”

Right-hander Peter Lambert (2-2, 2.42 ERA) is scheduled to start the series opener for the Astros. He produced the best start of his career on May 5 against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he twirled seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and four walks with four strikeouts in a 2-1 victory.

Lambert tossed a career-high 104 pitches in the win while matching his career best for innings pitched. He has alternated wins and losses in four starts this season.

He has faced the Mariners once previously. He allowed six runs on six hits with five strikeouts across three innings in a 10-2 loss while playing for the Colorado Rockies on April 21, 2024.

Right-hander George Kirby (4-2, 2.94) has the starting assignment for the Mariners. He did not factor into the decision in a 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves on May 5 after allowing two runs on five hits and one walk with five strikeouts over seven innings.

Kirby has surrendered two earned runs or fewer in five consecutive starts, and he is 3-0 with a 2.53 ERA during that stretch.

He has dominated the Astros throughout his career, going 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA in 10 starts. He was the winning pitcher in the Mariners’ 6-2 home victory over Houston on April 13 after allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk with six strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings.

Kirby has 25 wins against the AL West since 2022, the most among all pitchers in the majors.

The Mariners dropped the finale of their three-game road series with the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Sunday, falling to 3-3 in rubber matches this season. Seattle wasted a stellar performance from starter Logan Gilbert, who allowed one hit and struck out nine over six scoreless innings.

The Mariners will utilize a six-man rotation starting on Wednesday against the Astros to accommodate the return of right-hander Bryce Miller, who will be reinstated from the injured list to make his season debut. Miller landed on the 15-day IL with a left oblique strain on March 22.

Miller will follow Kirby and right-hander Bryan Woo in the rotation and precede right-hander Luis Castillo, who is scheduled to start the series finale on Thursday.

–Field Level Media

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Jack McGlynn nets brace as Dynamo cruise past LAFC

MLS: LAFC at Houston Dynamo FCFeb 28, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Dynamo FC forward Guilherme (20) controls the ball during the second half against the Los Angeles FC at Shell Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Jack McGlynn recorded his second career brace and Guilherme and Mateusz Bogusz added goals as the Houston Dynamo rolled to a 4-1 victory over host Los Angeles FC on Sunday night.

Lawrence Ennali had two assists as Houston won for the fourth time in its last five MLS matches.

Jonathan Bond made five saves for the Dynamo (6-5-0, 18 points).

Nathan Ordaz scored for Los Angeles FC (6-3-3, 21 points).

LAFC star Denis Bouanga missed the contest due to a suspension for yellow-card accumulation.

Hugo Lloris had two saves for LAFC, who had a 20-12 edge in shots. Both teams placed six shots on target.

Houston struck first in the 25th minute as Ennali had the ball on the left side and passed it back to McGlynn, who was well behind the box and had a running start while booting a left-foot laser into the top right corner.

Nine minutes later, the Dynamo added on with a free kick. Guilherme took the kick and his right-footed shot hit off a member of the LAFC wall and the ball landed in the net.

LAFC got on the board in the 45th minute of the first half. Jacob Shaffelburg sent a cross from the left side that hit off a player but made it through the box to Ordaz, who took a left-footed shot that caromed off a Houston defender before finding the net.

Houston made it 3-1 in the 51st minute when Bogusz had two chances to get a goal against his former teammates. He first took a right-footed shot that was stopped by Lloris but the ball ricocheted back to Bogusz, who sent a left-footed shot into the left corner.

The Dynamo added another goal just four minutes later. Ennali had the ball in the center of the box and made a short feed to his right to McGlynn, who sent a left-footed shot inside the far post.

McGlynn nearly had the hat trick. In the 42nd minute, on a play similar to his goal in the 25th minute, he blistered a left-footed shot that hit the left goalpost.

–Field Level Media

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Ducks find power-play success, edge Golden Knights to even series

NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Vegas Golden Knights at Anaheim DucksMay 10, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Anaheim Ducks right wing Beckett Sennecke (45) skates with the puck against Vegas Golden Knights during the second period in game four of the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center. Mandatory Credit: Corinne Votaw-Imagn Images

Beckett Sennecke and Alex Killorn both netted one goal and one assist to pace the host Anaheim Ducks to a 4-3 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday night and even their Stanley Cup playoff series.

Mikael Granlund and Ian Moore also scored for Anaheim, which tied the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal at 2-2.

Goaltender Lukas Dostal made 18 saves and Cutter Gauthier collected three assists.

Pavel Dorofeyev, Brett Howden and Tomas Hertl replied for the Golden Knights, who will host Game 5 on Tuesday.

Goalie Carter Hart stopped 19 shots and Mitch Marner collected three assists.

The score was tied 2-2 late in the second period when Killorn gave Anaheim its third lead with its second power-play tally of the tilt. Killorn gained the puck at the bottom of the right circle and squeezed a shot into the net with 2:02 remaining in the second period.

The Ducks failed to score on the power play in the first three games of the series, blanked during 11 opportunities.

Moore extended the Anaheim lead with his first career playoff goal. Shortly after Anaheim killed a penalty, Moore found the twine with a point shot at 3:43 of the third period.

Hertl snapped a 29-game goal drought dating back to early March by tucking into the cage a loose puck with 64 seconds remaining in regulation to make it a one-goal game, but the Golden Knights could not complete the comeback.

After losing the last game, the Ducks were looking to have a strong early pushback and were rewarded when Sennecke opened the scoring by unloading a shot from the top of the right circle for the power-play goal at the 8:43 mark.

Dorofeyev responded with a power-play goal of his own just past the period’s midway point. Dostal could not catch the point shot and Dorofeyev pounced on the loose puck.

Granlund made it a 2-1 game five minutes later when a turnover resulted in him gaining the puck in the slot and his shot ricocheted off a defender’s stick and bounded past Hart.

Vegas tied the game again when William Karlsson slipped a nifty pass to the front of the net for Howden, and it was easily converted at 4:04 of the second period.

The Golden Knights were without captain Mark Stone, who suffered an undisclosed injury late in the first period of Game 3. Brandon Saad drew into the lineup.

–Field Level Media

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Cloud9 remained unblemished at LCS Spring

Cloud9 remained upbeaten at 6-0 while LYON handed Team Liquid their first defeat to move both teams to 5-1 on Sunday in Week 6 of the regular season of the LCS Spring event in Los Angeles.

Eight teams will compete in best-of-three matches in the round-robin regular season before advancing to the playoffs of the League of Legends event, which will be contested in best-of-five matches in a double-elimination format. The top two teams will qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational.

The penultimate week of the regular season concluded Sunday with the top four teams in the standings in action.

Cloud9 took a 2-1 victory over FlyQuest 2-1, which won the opening map in 40 minutes on blue. Cloud9 charged back with wins in 37 minutes on red and 27 minutes on blue.

American Eain “Apa” Stearns paced Cloud9 with a 13-8-21 kill-death-assist ratio, while teammate Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen of Denmark recorded a 13-12-22 K-D-A ratio. Fahad “Massu” Abdulmalek, a Canadian/Iraqi player, led FlyQuest with an 18-9-15 K-D-A.

LYON held off Team Liquid 2-1. LYON won the opener in 35 minutes on red before Team Liquid drew even with a 38-minute victory on red. LYON took the third map in 40 minutes on red.

Kang “Saint” Seong-in had a big effort for LYON with a 20-9-14 K-D-A ratio, while fellow South Korean teammate Kim “Berserker” Min-cheol posted a 15-8-15 K-D-A. Lim “Quid” Hyeon-seung of South Korea was effective for Team Liquid with a 12-11-15 K-D-A.

Week 7 schedule for May 16

–Team Liquid vs. Cloud9

–Shopify Rebellion vs. Disguised

For May 17

–Sentinels vs. Dignitas

–FlyQuest vs. LYON

Regular-season standings (Win-loss total, map differential)

1. Cloud9, 6-0, 12-4

2. LYON, 5-1, 11-4

3. Team Liquid, 5-1, 11-5

4. FlyQuest, 3-3, 9-7

5. Sentinels, 2-4, 7-9

6. Disguised, 2-4, 4-9

7. Shopify Rebellion, 1-5, 3-10

8. Dignitas, 0-6, 3-12

–Field Level Media

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