Sports
Home to close, Spurs push to end series with Blazers in 5
Apr 26, 2026; Portland, Oregon, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) reverse dunks the basketball during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images Victor Wembanyama is back in full force as the San Antonio Spurs head home looking to finish off the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday in Game 5 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series.
The Spurs claimed a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series Sunday with a 114-97 come-from-behind win in Portland. If the Trail Blazers win Tuesday, they can force Game 6 in Portland on Thursday.
De’Aaron Fox scored 28 points in Sunday’s win and Victor Wembanyama had 27 in his return from a concussion. He sat out the second half of Game 2 and all of Game 3 due to concussion protocol. Wembanyama also had 11 rebounds, seven blocks and four steals in Sunday’s victory.
Stephon Castle scored 16 points for the Spurs. He’s dealing with an injured left hand and was in foul trouble in Game 4, when Devin Vassell added 11 points. San Antonio trailed by 19 points following a ragged second quarter but dominated after halftime, outscoring Portland 73-35.
“We need to find the answers, you know, before having our back against the wall,” Wembanyama said. “But that also shows the strength of our team. In adversity, we stick together, we get closer to each other. We feed off of each other’s energy. There’s no useless drama between us. You know, we thrive when we do the invisible efforts that benefit others. There’s no jealousy. There’s no nobody cares about their stat line, so it’s our greatest strength.”
Spurs coach Mitch Johnson has witnessed a maturation process with his young team that became more evident with the road playoff win. The next step might prove most difficult — closing out the No. 7 Blazers.
“This gives you a lot of takeaways,” he explained. “A lot of feedback on things you got to be better on and improve upon, and try to not put yourself in a position when you got to dig yourself out of a hole. We have to continue to balance that attack mentality, starting off games while still anchoring to our fundamentals and discipline of game plan, execution.”
Deni Avdija had 26 points in Game 4 to rebound from his poor shooting in the previous two games. Avdija was 8-of-31 shooting combined in Games 2 and 3. The Blazers will need him on his game along with Scoot Henderson, who had a season-high 31 points in the Trail Blazers’ Game 2 win in San Antonio but missed all seven of his shot attempts Sunday.
A hot start could do wonders for Portland’s confidence Tuesday following abysmal second-half showings in Portland.
“We knew they were going to come out and be more aggressive,” Avdija said. “We expected it. I just think coming out the half, we didn’t make shots, and they went on a run. Suddenly, you look up at the scoreboard, and it’s a closer game.”
Portland coach Tiago Splitter said his team would go back to work to try to find a solution and extend the series.
“I think the guys fought hard,” Splitter said. ” In the second half, we mentally kind of like broke down, couldn’t get over the fact that we were up, and then they just came back to the game. Didn’t shoot the ball well, turned over the ball.
“We’ve got to hold our composure and be more present. I tried to, you know, slow down a little bit but couldn’t find a solution. It’s all of us, coaches, players we all got to be better. We got to win every game that we have in front of us, and we’re going to fight one by one.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
White Sox add veteran RHP Luis Castillo, send 3 players to Mariners
Jul 28, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo (58) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images The Chicago White Sox bolstered their pitching staff by acquiring three-time All-Star right-hander Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night.
The Mariners receive right-handed reliever Seranthony Dominguez, outfielder Nolan Jones, Chicago’s No. 15 prospect in minor league catcher Boston Smith and conditional cash considerations. The White Sox will pay the remainder of Castillo’s salary, according to multiple reports, which is about $30 million guaranteed from now through the 2027 season.
Castillo is in the fourth year of a five-year, $108 million contract with a $25 million vesting option for 2028. He is having his worst season at 3-9 with a 5.06 ERA in 20 games (17 starts). The 33-year-old has recorded 32 walks and 86 strikeouts in 99 2/3 innings.
For his career, Castillo is 87-93 with a 3.65 ERA, 485 walks and 1,579 strikeouts in 1,510 1/3 innings over 263 regular-season games (260 starts) for the Cincinnati Reds (2017-22) and Mariners (2022-26).
He was selected to the All-Star Game with the Reds (2019, 2022) and the Mariners (2023) — finishing fifth in the American League Cy Young Award voting that season.
Castillo is 2-3 with a 2.25 ERA in 28 innings over six postseason games (five starts) — experience lacking in Chicago’s other starters.
Dominguez, 31, is 4-3 with 12 saves, a 4.10 ERA, 23 walks and 45 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings over 42 relief appearances in his first season with the White Sox.
He has a career record of 27-26 with 52 saves, a 3.57 ERA in 343 1/3 innings over 364 relief appearances. He has pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies (2018-19, 2021-24), Baltimore Orioles (2024-25), Toronto Blue Jays (2025) and White Sox. He went 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 appearances during the Blue Jays’ playoff run last season.
Jones, 28, is batting .247 with 30 home runs and 137 RBIs in 349 games with Cleveland (2022, 2025) and the Colorado Rockies (2023-24). Jones was batting a combined .257 with 14 homers and 59 RBIs in 90 games with the Guardians’ and White Sox’s Triple-A affiliates this year.
Cleveland selected Jones in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft. He was traded to the White Sox for $250,000 in bonus pool money and cash considerations on June 11.
Smith, 23, has played 78 games in the White Sox’s minor league system from Single-A to High-A to Double-A this season and batted .291 with 22 homers and 58 RBIs.
The Washington Nationals picked Smith in the sixth round of the 2025 draft out of Wright State.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Brewers claim best record in baseball with late rally past Angels
Aug 1, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Jake Bauers (9) is greeted by left fielder Jackson Chourio (11) in the dugout after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Brice Turang drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and Jake Bauers homered for the second straight game to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
Jackson Chourio doubled and scored a run and William Contreras also doubled for Milwaukee, which moved atop the major league standings at 69-41, a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Chad Patrick (6-4) struck out five and gave up one hit over two shutout innings to pick up the win in relief. Trevor Megill pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his 18th save.
Mike Trout went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored and Jorge Soler doubled and drove in a run for Los Angeles, which lost its fifth straight game.
Samy Natera Jr. (1-1) picked up the loss, allowing one run on two hits in two innings with four strikeouts. Natera was the third of four pitchers used by the Angels, who elected to go with a bullpen game after scheduled starter Jose Soriano, the subject of trade rumors, was scratched a few hours before the game.
Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Trout singled and scored on Soler’s bloop double down the left field line.
Bauers, who hit a three-run homer to highlight a five-run fifth inning in Milwaukee’s 6-2 victory in Friday’s series opener, tied the game in the fourth inning with his 20th home run, a 401-foot line drive into the bleachers in right-center.
The Brewers took a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning when Chourio lined a double over the head of left fielder Jose Siri and scored on a bloop single to center by Turang.
Milwaukee added an insurance run in the ninth against Kirby Yates when Garrett Mitchell walked with two outs, stole second and scored on a softly hit groundball single to center by Cooper Pratt.
Brewers starter Robert Gasser allowed one run on four hits over five innings, striking out six and walking two. Angels replacement starter Brent Suter walked three and struck out one in two no-hit innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Walk-filled third inning helps Pirates beat Reds, snap 4-game skid
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) tags out Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Esmerlyn Valdez (55) on his way to second in the third inning between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Saturday, August 1, 2026. Pittsburgh starter Braxton Ashcraft threw five solid innings and Jake Mangum had two hits and a run to lift the visiting Pirates to a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.
Ashcraft (11-4) allowed one run on two hits with one walk and five strikeouts before a 106-minute weather delay preceded the bottom of the sixth inning.
Bryan Reynolds, Esmerlyn Valdez, Nick Gonzales and Henry Davis finished with an RBI apiece for the Pirates, who snapped a four-game losing streak.
Gregory Soto pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his 14th save. Three Pittsburgh pitchers combined to hold Cincinnati to three hits. The Pirates recorded six hits.
Pittsburgh took a 3-0 lead in the third despite collecting only one hit. Davis drew a leadoff walk from starter Andrew Abbott (5-7), then Mangum singled and Brandon Lowe coaxed a walk to load the bases. Reynolds and Valdez drew consecutive bases-loaded walks to make it 2-0.
Gonzales followed with a fielder’s choice to plate Brandon Lowe and give the Pirates a three-run lead. As a steady rain fell throughout the inning, the grounds crew briefly tended to the mound.
Cincinnati got on the board in the fifth when Jose Trevino opened the frame with an opposite-field homer to right.
The Pirates extended their advantage to 4-1 in the sixth when Davis feathered an RBI single into shallow center, just beyond the reach of a diving TJ Friedl.
The Reds, who were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, threatened in the fourth. Sal Stewart was hit by a pitch before being forced out at second on JJ Bleday’s fielder’s choice. Nathaniel Lowe singled to center and, after Noelvi Marte popped out, Bleday advanced to third when no one covered second on Ashcraft’s pickoff attempt. But Eugenio Suarez struck out to end the inning.
Elly De La Cruz lined a rocket to center to open the eighth, but Mangum chased it down and made a leaping catch.
Abbott allowed three runs on three hits while matching a season high with five walks over five innings. He struck out one.
–Field Level Media
White Sox add veteran RHP Luis Castillo, send 3 players to Mariners
Brewers claim best record in baseball with late rally past Angels
