Sports
Cubs win 10th straight at home with shutout of Diamondbacks
May 2, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) delivers during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Ian Happ hit a 399-foot homer into the wind, Shota Imanaga pitched seven scoreless innings, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0 for their 10th straight home victory.
Happ hit his eighth homer leading off the second inning off Ryne Nelson (1-3), a line drive into the right field seats that pierced an 8-mph wind on a 50-degree day with wind gusts that reached 12 mph.
Imanaga (3-2) gave up four hits — three singles — and struck out five with one walk. All five of his strikeouts came on split-finger fastballs, according to MLB StatCast.
Imanaga is now 2-0 with an 0.86 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks, giving up two runs and nine hits with 19 strikeouts in 21 innings.
The Cubs completed the scoring when Happ tripled off Juan Morillo with one out in the eighth and scored on Seiya Suzuki’s sacrifice fly
Happ also doubled and had three of the Cubs’ five hits.
The Cubs have won four in a row and 14 of 17. They have their first 10-game winning streak at Wrigley Field since 2008.
Ben Brown retired all six he faced for a two-inning save, his first save of the season. He is the seventh Cub to record a save this season.
Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas went 0-for-4 in his first career start hitting cleanup, breaking his 27-game hitting streak dating to last September, the longest in the majors. He hit safely in the D-Backs’ first 24 games, the longest season-opening streak since Ron LeFlore’s 30-game streak for the Detroit Tigers in 1976, according to Elias.
The Diamondbacks did not get a runner past first base until Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled with one out in the seventh. Imanaga walked Jose Fernandez with two outs before getting James McCann, the last batter he faced, to ground out.
Gurriel’s double was the D-Backs’ only extra-base hit. They have lost eight of 11.
Nelson gave up one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings, leaving when Kevin Ginkel entered to face Pete Crow-Armstrong with two outs and Happ on second in the sixth. Ginkel walked Crow-Armstrong before getting Dansby Swanson to ground out.
Nelson struck out four and walked two. He was the first Arizona starter to pitch into the sixth inning since April 18, a span of 11 starts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Austin FC set for upgrade on offense vs. St. Louis City
Apr 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Austin FC forward Myrto Uzuni (10) shoots against Toronto FC during the first half at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images Austin FC hopes a bolstered roster and a huge win against a Texas rival builds momentum as they host struggling St. Louis City SC on Sunday evening in a Western Conference match.
Austin FC (2-4-4, 10 points) remain home after a 2-0 win over the rival Houston Dynamo on last Saturday. Myrto Uzuni scored a goal and assisted on a tally by Jayden Nelson in the Copa Tejas series victory.
Austin snapped a seven-match MLS winless swoon dating back to a 1-0 home victory over D.C. United on March 1.
Austin goalkeeper Brad Stuver stopped five shots to record his third clean sheet of the year just three days after he allowed five goals on 16 shots in a loss at San Jose.
The Verde is set for an offensive jolt with midfielder Owen Wolff set to return, even if it’s in a reserve role. Wolff, who led Austin FC last season with seven goals and eight assists, has missed the team’s first 10 games while recovering from a sports hernia but is available to return against St. Louis.
“Now that we can have probably the full roster, for the first time in the year, in the next weeks, I think everyone gets excited and everyone says, ‘Now is the moment,'” Austin coach Nico Estevez said. “I want to give a lot of credit to the players. It’s been a really tough time for everyone.”
St. Louis City (1-5-3, 6 points) travels to Austin after 3-2 loss at home against league-leading San Jose on April 25. The club went winless in league play in April, losing twice with a pair of draws, both on the road.
St. Louis City heads to Texas after a 2-1 come-from-behind win over the Chicago Fire in U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 play on Wednesday. St. Louis coach Yoann Damet believes the victory will provide benefits in upcoming MLS play.
“Honestly, I like the grit and the spirit they’re showing. I’ve been speaking a lot about it, and we haven’t been rewarded enough, in my sense,” Damet said. “I think it speaks for the work the guys are putting in every day. Everybody worked really hard together, they made plays. It’s a collective effort, it’s a team, it’s a full group, and that’s what makes me happy.”
St. Louis’s nine goals through nine MLS matches is tied for second fewest in league while its minus-seven goal differential is second worst in the West. Marcel Hartel leads the club with three goals and an assist.
St. Louis City has dominated the all-time series with the Austin FC, with four wins and a draw in six meetings during MLS play.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Big Ten distributes $1.37 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2024-25
Sep 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Dragon seats with the Big Ten conference logo on the Wisconsin Badgers team benches are seen before a game between the Wisconsin Badgers and the USC Trojans at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images After recent expansion and success in the College Football Playoffs following the 2024 season, the Big Ten Conference announced a record $1.37 billion distribution to its 18 league members for the 2024-25 fiscal year.
The Big Ten became the second conference to reach the $1 billion plateau. The Southeastern Conference announced that it had divided up $1 billion to its 16 member institutions in February. That figure represented an increase of $200 million from the 2023-24 fiscal year.
The Big Ten’s $1.37 billion largess represents an increase of $487 million from the 2023-24 fiscal year. The two primary factors were the additions of UCLA, Southern California, Oregon and Washington in August of 2024 and the participation of Indiana, Oregon, Ohio State and Penn State in the 12-team College Football Playoffs in December and January.
Ohio State defeated Notre Dame, 34-23 to win the 2024 national championship in a game played in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2025. The Buckeyes’ program earned a league-high $91.57 million, while Penn State, a national semifinalist in football, received $88.29 million.
All full-time members received between $76.01 million and $79.87 million, while new members Oregon and Washington took in $48.4 million and $46.7 million respectively. UCLA and USC are considered fully-vested members and earned the higher payout amounts.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Celtics star Jayson Tatum (knee) questionable for Game 7 vs. Sixers
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts to his score against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Boston Celtics might have to face the Philadelphia 76ers in a do-or-die Game 7 without star Jayson Tatum, who was listed as questionable for Saturday night’s game with left knee stiffness.
Tatum did not play in the last 15 minutes of Thursday’s Game 6 — a 106-93 loss to the Sixers in Eastern Conference first-round play — and was riding an exercise bike in the hall during the fourth quarter.
Tatum appeared to downplay the issue after the game, telling reporters, “You guys probably saw when I went to the back, saw me on the bike. My leg just was a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But just kind of assessing the moment, the game was a little out of reach.”
The sore knee is not related to last May’s devastating ruptured right Achilles tendon, Tatum said. That injury knocked him out in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New York Knicks and kept him off the court until March 6 of this season.
“It was my other leg, not the one I injured last year,” Tatum said Thursday. “I mean, I wasn’t like overly concerned. … I came out at four minutes, like I was supposed to. Just kind of assessed the game. (Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla) took the starters out fairly early in the fourth quarter.”
Mazzulla told reporters on a conference call Friday afternoon that Tatum would be available for Game 7, and Tatum said at Thursday’s postgame press conference, “I expect to play.”
Tatum has averaged 23.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game in the series against the Sixers.
In Game 3, Tatum became the fourth player in Celtics history to top 3,000 career postseason points. Tatum (3,005) trails three legends — Kevin McHale (3,182), John Havlicek (3,776) and leader Larry Bird (3,897).
Tatum, 28, is a six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA first-team selection and a two-time Olympic gold-medal winner for Team USA. Through 601 career NBA games, Tatum is averaging 23.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists.
For the Sixers, Paul George was listed as probable with an illness for the game on his 36th birthday. Joel Embiid (post appendectomy) also is listed as probable, while Tyrese Maxey (finger) is available.
–Field Level Media
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Austin FC set for upgrade on offense vs. St. Louis City
