Sports
Braves tally six runs in sixth to outslug Guardians
Apr 10, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) celebrates with catcher Drake Baldwin (30) after a two-run home run against the Cleveland Guardians in the sixth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Ronald Acuna Jr., Matt Olson and Michael Harris II each hit home runs in the sixth inning as the Atlanta Braves picked up an 11-5 win over the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Friday.
Atlanta sent 10 batters to the plate, pounded out seven hits and scored six runs in the decisive sixth inning.
Acuna’s first home run of the season came on a hanging curve ball and tied the game at 2-2. Drake Baldwin singled to center before Olson launched a 3-0 pitch to right field for a two-run homer and the put the Braves up 4-2.
Austin Riley singled to left field and scored on Dominic Smith’s RBI single for a 5-2 lead. Harris’ two-run shot scored Smith as the Braves opened up a 7-2 lead.
Ozzie Albies and Smith notched two-out RBI singles in the bottom of the seventh and Atlanta led 9-2.
The Guardians loaded the bases in the top of the eighth and a Rhys Hoskins’ RBI single scored Chase DeLauter. Angel Martinez’s RBI bloop single drove in Juan Brito and Hoskins as Cleveland cut its deficit to 9-5.
An RBI double by Baldwin gave the Braves a 10-5 lead in the top of the ninth. He scored on an error two hitters later as Atlanta closed out the scoring.
Cleveland starting pitcher Slade Cecconi (0-2) took the loss as he threw 5 1/3 innings, yielded seven hits, five runs (four earned), walked one and struck out three. Reliever Tyler Kinley (2-0) picked up the win in with a scoreless sixth inning. Starter Bryce Elder lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing five hits, two runs, three walks, while recording three strikeouts.
Acuna’s broken-bat RBI single up the middle snuck past a drawn-in infield and plated Smith as Atlanta seized a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
Kyle Manzardo’s solo home run tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning.
In the top of the fifth, Martinez followed up an opposite field single with a steal of second base. Steven Kwan also lined an opposite field single to left and Martinez scored on an error by Braves left fielder Mike Yastrzemski as the Guardians took a 2-1 lead.
Kwan and Martinez each went 2-for-4 for the visitors.
Atlanta pounded out 15 hits, led by a 3-for-4 effort by Smith. He scored twice, drove in a pair and raised his batting average to .357. All nine Braves either scored or drove in at least one run.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NYCFC announce departure of D Strahinja Tanasijevic
Mar 15, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York City FC defender Strahinja Tanasijevic (19) runs with the ball during the second half against New England Revolution at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Smith-Imagn Images New York City FC defender Strahinja Tanasijevic has departed the club, the team announced on Wednesday.
Tanasijevic, 28, joined NYCFC in February 2024 and made 43 appearances across all competitions.
“We would like to thank Tana for the commitment and professionalism shown throughout his time with the Club,” sporting director Todd Dunivant said. “This move provides an opportunity for Tana to pursue the next step in his career while also giving the Club additional roster flexibility. We wish Tana and his family all the best moving forward.”
Tanasijevic played for several clubs in his native Serbia prior to joining New York City FC.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LeBron James on GOAT debate: 'Not taking nobody over me'
Nov 27, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) smiles after a Philadelphia 76ers foul during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images LeBron James told Time magazine that he believes he is the greatest basketball player of all time.
When asked the age-old question of who is the GOAT in the NBA, James embraced his own name.
“I’m not taking nobody over me,” he told Time in a profile published Monday. “There’s no question.”
James, however, admitted the NBA has other all-time greats, namely Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Larry Bird and Shaquille O’Neal, among others.
“But I think Mike will say the same thing,” James said. “Rest his soul, Kobe will say the same thing. Magic will say the same thing. Bird will say the same thing. Shaq could say the same thing. The late great Wilt (Chamberlain), Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar). I don’t think none of us are going to take somebody else.
“If there’s a general manager and he’s eyeballing all of us on a baseline, with the No. 1 pick, it’s gonna be hard not to take me, champ.”
James, 41, just completed his record-setting 23rd NBA season, and the league’s all-time leading scorer is heading into unrestricted free agency.
“It’s up to the mind,” James told Time about whether he will suit up next season or retire. “Where the mind goes, the body will lay. When I’m not in love with getting to the arenas on game days five hours before to start my preparation, if I’m out of love with getting to practice 2 1/2 hours beforehand, then I know I’ll be done. Because then I’m going to start cheating the game.”
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds this season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The 22-time All-Star, four-time league MVP and four-time NBA champion is the all-time leader in games (1,622) and points (43,440).
–Field Level Media
Sports
WNBA champion Aces not invited to White House
Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson (22) celebrates as she receives the MVP trophy after defeating the Phoenix Mercury 97-86 to win the WNBA Championship in a four-game sweep in Game Four of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center on Oct. 10, 2025, in Phoenix. The Las Vegas Aces did not receive an invitation to the White House after winning the 2025 WNBA title in October, a team spokesperson confirmed to USA Today on Wednesday.
The decades-old tradition of championship sports teams visiting 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. has not included any WNBA or NBA teams during President Donald Trump’s second term in office.
The New York Liberty did not visit the White House after winning the 2024 WNBA championship. The 2024-25 NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder did not go either, due to what the team called a timing issue.
The Aces, who will be in Washington, D.C., for a July 22 game against the Mystics, have won three of the past four WNBA championships. They visited the White House twice during the Biden Administration.
The Aces had considered visiting the National Museum of African American History and Culture as an alternate way of commemorating their championship during next month’s trip to the nation’s capital, but ran into a scheduling conflict, per USA Today.
–Field Level Media
NYCFC announce departure of D Strahinja Tanasijevic
LeBron James on GOAT debate: 'Not taking nobody over me'
