Sports
Blaze Alexander, Orioles finish sweep of Rays in dominant fashion
May 27, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2) celebrates with Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Gunnar Henderson hit the first of his two home runs in Baltimore’s five-run first inning as the Orioles beat the visiting Tampa Bay Rays 11-2 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep against the team with the best record in the American League.
Rookie Trey Gibson took a shutout into the sixth inning to gain his first victory.
Blaze Alexander drove in six runs with a single, double and home run, Coby Mayo scored three runs and Adley Rutschman added three hits, including two doubles.
Henderson’s two-run shot in the first inning opened the scoring and he drilled a solo blast to lead off the sixth. Alexander, in the No. 8 spot in the batting order, clobbered a two-run homer in the seventh.
Baltimore’s first five batters of the game scored off Tampa Bay starter Steven Matz (4-2). Leody Taveras rapped a run-scoring single and Alexander had a two-run single.
Hunter Feduccia had three hits and Jonathan Aranda posted two hits for the Rays, who’ve lost four games in a row for the first time this season.
Gibson (1-0), who was placed back on the roster earlier in the day as the Orioles slightly shuffled their rotation, worked 5 2/3 innings and gave up one run and six hits and four walks. He struck out one.
The Rays grounded into three double plays across the first five innings.
Matz was charged with six runs on seven hits in three innings.
The Orioles pushed their lead to 6-0 in the third on Tyler O’Neill’s single. Alexander’s two-run double in the fifth added to the margin.
The Rays used Hunter Bigge and Jonathan Heasley, who allowed two runs in his first inning and one more in his next inning, in relief. In his first appearance of the season, Heasley was tagged for five runs on eight hits over four innings.
Tampa Bay loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth and managed only one run on Ryan Vilade’s walk before three straight strikeouts ended the threat.
–Field Level Media
Sports
UCLA belts 4 homers to rout Arkansas in WCWS
Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher Payton Burnham (12) throws a pitch during a Women’s College World Series softball game between the UCLA Bruins and the Arkansas Razorbacks at Devon Park in Oklahoma City, Friday, May 29, 2026. UCLA blasted four home runs en route to an 11-0, five-inning run rule victory over Arkansas in an elimination game in the Women’s College World Series on Friday in Oklahoma City.
The Bruins blasted the game open with a nine-run second to quickly move into position for the run rule.
Three of their home runs came during that inning, including Megan Grant extending her NCAA record with her 42nd home run of the season.
Aleena Garcia led off the second with a homer to center on the first pitch she saw from Payton Burnham.
After an out, a hit-by-pitch and a single, Soo-Jin Berry delivered her fifth home run of the season to make it 4-0 and drive Burnham from the game.
Grant blasted a three-run shot on the first pitch she saw in her second-inning at-bat after Jolyna Lamar and Rylee Slimp drew back-to-back walks.
Kaniya Bragg later delivered a two-run double to cap the massive inning in which UCLA sent 14 batters to the plate.
UCLA added a run in the third on a wild pitch, then another in the fifth on Lama’s solo shot.
The Bruins now have 206 home runs on the season, extending their NCAA record. Before this season, the NCAA record for home runs in a season was 161.
Taylor Tinsley went the distance for UCLA, allowing just three hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
UCLA (53-9) will take on the loser of Saturday’s Texas Tech-Tennessee game in an elimination game Sunday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Four solo shots, Justin Wrobleski's pitching lift Dodgers past Phils
May 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Justin Wrobleski gave up one run on one hit over seven innings as the Los Angeles Dodgers increased their winning streak to six games with a 4-2 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Friday.
Wrobleski (7-2) recorded a career-high nine strikeouts with no walks on 88 pitches as he rebounded from a pair of losses in his past three starts.
Freddie Freeman hit a first-inning home run and Max Muncy, Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith also went deep as the Dodgers won for the 13th time in their past 15 games.
Kyle Schwarber homered, but Zack Wheeler gave up four home runs as the Phillies saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Wheeler (4-1) permitted four runs on five hits over six innings while absorbing his first loss in seven starts this year. He fanned four and walked one.
The Dodgers were in complete control from the outset.
Freeman made it 1-0 in the opening inning on his eighth home run of the season and his fourth in the past nine games.
Muncy hit his 13th of the season in the second inning for a 2-0 lead.
Ohtani continued his power resurgence with a home run in the third, just his 10th of the season but his third in the past eight games.
Smith made it 4-0 in the fifth inning with his sixth of the season, giving Los Angeles 12 home runs over the past three games.
Wrobleski carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Schwarber hit a two-out home run, his major-league-leading 22nd.
The Philadelphia offense came to life in the eighth inning against Edgardo Henriquez. Brandon Marsh doubled with one out and Steward Berroa delivered a two-out RBI single in his Phillies debut, cutting the deficit to 4-2.
Schwarber came to the plate as the tying run but struck out against Alex Vesia.
Los Angeles’ Tanner Scott pitched a perfect ninth inning for his fifth save and first since May 14, finishing off a 2-hour, 3-minute game.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Liberty ride 23-0 third-quarter surge to victory over Mercury
May 27, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) brings the ball up court while defended by Phoenix Mercury forward Marta Suarez (77) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images Marine Johannes scored a game-high 21 points and her New York Liberty went on a 23-0 run to close the third quarter en route to an 84-74 win over the visiting Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday.
Johannes made a career-high seven 3-pointers, missing just twice from long range. The Liberty also got 17 points and 12 rebounds from Jonquel Jones, while Breanna Stewart contributed 11 points and six boards.
Kahleah Copper led Phoenix with 19 points, but she shot just 6 of 18 from the floor. Natasha Mack added 14 points, and Alyssa Thomas posted nine points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
New York (4-4) broke a three-game losing streak, its worst skid since 2002. Phoenix (2-6) took its fourth loss in a row.
The contest was a rematch of last year’s playoffs, when Phoenix eliminated New York by winning two of three in a first-round series.
Two players made their season debut: New York’s Leonie Fiebich and Phoenix’s Monique Akoa Makani. Fiebich, who was late to the party because she was finishing her Spanish League season, scored nine points in 33 minutes. Akoa Makani, who was finishing her season in France, put up nine points in 19 minutes.
In addition, New York’s Betnijah Laney-Hamilton returned after missing three games due to personal reasons. She scored seven points off the bench.
New York was without All-Stars Sabrina Ionescu (sore back) and Satou Sabally (illness). Sabally played for Phoenix last year.
The Liberty led 24-22 after an exciting first quarter that included 12 points and three assists from Johannes. She made 4 of 5 from 3-point range and also had a behind-the-back pass for an assist.
Phoenix took its first lead of the game, 31-29, on a Copper 3-pointer with 7:03 left in the second quarter, capping a 7-0 run. By halftime, Phoenix led, 43-42.
The second quarter featured six Liberty turnovers and none by Phoenix.
Johannes led all first-half scorers with 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Copper topped Phoenix with 10 points before the break.
Jones scored 10 points in the decisive third quarter. At one point, New York forced five consecutive turnovers, and the Liberty entered the fourth with a 72-55 lead.
The Mercury never got the margin down to single digits in the final quarter.
For the game, New York shot 14-for-30 (46.7%) on 3-point attempts. Phoenix shot 10-for-30 (33.3%), and the Liberty also had a 26-9 edge in points off turnovers.
–Field Level Media
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UCLA belts 4 homers to rout Arkansas in WCWS
