Sports
Braves bash 6 HRs in rout of Reds
Sep 19, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Ramon Laureano (18) reacts with first baseman Matt Olson (28) after hitting a three-run home run in the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Matt Olson and Michael Harris II each clubbed a pair of home runs as the Atlanta Braves crushed the host Cincinnati Reds 15-3 on Thursday afternoon in the rubber match of a three-game series.
Olson opened the scoring with a second-inning solo shot before his three-run blast put Atlanta (83-70) up 8-1 in the fifth. Harris cleared the right-center-field wall to open the eighth, then cracked a three-run homer an inning later.
Harris finished 3-for-5 with four RBIs and four runs scored.
Ramon Laureano and Jorge Soler also smacked three-run homers for the Braves, who trail the Mets and Diamondbacks by 1 1/2 games in the National League wild-card race. New York and Arizona currently hold the last two wild cards, and both teams were scheduled to play later Thursday.
Atlanta starter Chris Sale (18-3) set a single-season career high by picking up his 18th win. He gave up two runs on five hits in five innings, walking two and striking out six.
Blake Dunn hit his first major league home run as part of a 2-for-3 day for Cincinnati (74-80), which has dropped five of its past eight. Dunn scored three times.
Reds starter Julian Aguiar (2-1) was knocked around in his four-plus innings, allowing seven runs and six hits. He walked two and fanned four.
Laureano helped the Braves pull away in the third, sending a sinker from Aguiar over the wall in right with runners on first and second to make it 4-0.
Cincinnati got a run back in the home half of the frame when Dunn singled, stole second and third and scored on Jonathan India’s base hit.
Harris and Soler were both hit by pitches ahead of Marcell Ozuna’s RBI double to start the fifth. Yosver Zulueta then took over for Aguiar and served up Olson’s three-run homer.
Dunn led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run, pulling the Reds within 8-2.
Soler proceeded to put the game well out of reach with his three-run shot in the sixth.
Elly De La Cruz singled home Dunn in the seventh to cut Cincinnati’s deficit to 11-3 before Harris’ late power display.
Atlanta racked up 18 hits to match a season high. De La Cruz had three of the Reds’ 10 hits.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Players Championship paused for inclement weather
Mar 12, 2026; Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA; Tommy Fleetwood waits to putt on the 14th green during the first round of THE PLAYERS Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images Inclement weather forced a suspension in Thursday’s first-round action at The Players Championship.
Officials sounded the horn at around noon ET with players being held in position during windy and rainy conditions at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
At the time, Maverick McNealy and England’s Tommy Fleetwood were tied for the lead at 5-under. McNealy started on the front nine and had played 12 holes, while Fleetwood started on the back and was through 11.
The delay lasted all of 21 minutes before play resumed.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red Wings' Dylan Larkin, Andrew Copp out at least 2 weeks
Oct 31, 2022; Buffalo, New York, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) celebrates his goal with center Andrew Copp (18) during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and fellow forward Andrew Copp will be sidelined at least two weeks due to their respective leg injuries, head coach Todd McLellan announced Thursday.
Larkin has been idle since Detroit’s 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Friday in which he recorded an assist on 17:28 of ice time. The United States Olympian was seen holding his knee after falling awkwardly in the third period.
Copp was hurt after Tomas Nosek fell on his left leg during the second period of the Red Wings’ 4-3 loss to the Panthers on Tuesday.
Larkin, 29, has 55 points (28 goals, 27 assists) in 63 games this season.
Copp, 31, has 37 points (eight goals, 29 assists) in 65 games in 2025-26.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Team USA removes Tarik Skubal from roster, adds relievers
Mar 7, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; United States pitcher Tarik Skubal (27) reacts to an out against Great Britain during the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Tarik Skubal, Michael Wacha and Ryan Yarbrough are off the Team USA roster for the bracket round of the World Baseball Classic.
Manager Mark DeRosa is turning to three relief pitchers as Skubal returns to spring training with the Detroit Tigers according to his plan shared before the tournament began.
Tigers right-hander Will Vest, Blue Jays righty Tyler Rogers and Yankees left-hander Tim Hill are joining the roster ahead of the WBC quarterfinals.
Skubal pitched three innings in his only WBC appearance, a victory over Great Britain.
All three relievers expand the number of late-game options for DeRosa with the potential for Team USA to play three games beginning Friday in the quarterfinals against Canada.
Vest, 30, is a Houston native headed home for the quarterfinals from Tigers’ camp in Florida. He had 23 saves last season with an ERA of 3.20 ERA in 250 1/3 career innings for the Tigers.
Rogers, 35, appeared in 81 games last season and had a 1.98 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings.
Hill, 36, had a 3.09 ERA with the Yankees last season.
–Field Level Media
Players Championship paused for inclement weather
Red Wings' Dylan Larkin, Andrew Copp out at least 2 weeks
