Sports
Injury-riddled Pelicans host 8-0 Cavaliers
Nov 4, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr. (44) during the second half at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images The Cleveland Cavaliers have yet to lose a game this season.
The New Orleans Pelicans are just trying to find enough healthy bodies to keep up as they host the Cavaliers on Wednesday night.
The Cavaliers have matched the 8-0 start of their 1976 team after one-point and two-point victories in a home-and-home set of games against Milwaukee. Cleveland won its first six games by an average of 17 points.
“This is what it’s all about, right?” Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said. “These last five minutes, clutch minutes — and how are we going to execute? How are we going to finish this game? These are great if you want to succeed in the playoffs. You’ve got to be really good in the pressure moments. I like that. We got pressure situations. We practiced it and fortunately came out on top.”
Donovan Mitchell scored the final two of his 30 points with a last-second jumper in a 114-113 victory at Milwaukee on Saturday.
On Monday, Mitchell scored just 14 points, shooting 5-of-15 from the floor, but Darius Garland scored 39 points in a 116-114 win over the visiting Bucks. Cleveland finished with an 18-8 run during the final 6:06 and Garland’s 3-pointer gave the Cavs the lead for good with 45 seconds remaining.
“It can’t be Donovan every night,” Atkinson said. “Donovan’s been unbelievable and to Donovan’s credit tonight he knew he didn’t have it going and he just said, ‘Go ahead DG, you got it.’
“That’s how it works sometimes. That’s part of the strength of this group — that they’re selfless. They share it. Whoever’s got it going, they get him the ball.”
Atkinson said the Cavs didn’t have their usual “juice” as they completed a stretch of eight games in 13 days and “gutted it out.”
New Orleans is going through a gut-check of its own because of a series of injuries to key players. Brandon Ingram was the only one of the Pelicans’ top five scorers to suit up for a 118-100 loss to visiting Portland on Monday, and he scored 27 points.
Zion Williamson (hamstring) and Jordan Hawkins (back) are day-to-day, but Dejounte Murray, CJ McCollum and Trey Murphy III aren’t close to returning. In those absences, guard Brandon Boston Jr. has taken advantage of increased minutes and averaged 16 points over the last three games.
“He’s aggressive and assertive,” coach Willie Green said of Boston, who was signed to a two-way contract shortly before the season started. “He’s putting his stamp on every game and carving out an opportunity for himself.”
Boston figures to keep getting shooting opportunities as Ingram is routinely being double-teamed.
“(Boston is) another guard that can create,” Ingram said. “I think he got into his mix a little bit. He definitely provided some scoring for us, some good decisions on the offensive end. It was good to have him out there. …
“(I have to) stay aware, stay aggressive, don’t get frustrated (and) just keep going, find my shots when I can, keep my teammates involved and trusting them to make the right play.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies' 4-run eighth fuels rally past Athletics
May 6, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) celebrates his home run with second baseman Edmundo Sosa (33) against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Edmundo Sosa delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to notch a 6-3 victory over the visiting Athletics on Wednesday.
Brandon Marsh had three hits and an RBI for Philadelphia, which improved to 8-1 under interim manager Don Mattingly. Adolis Garcia homered for the Phillies while J.T. Realmuto, Garcia and Sosa each had two hits.
A’s left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who exited his last outing with hip soreness, gave up two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and no walks in a crisp 75-pitch performance. Nick Kurtz finished with two hits and an RBI as he reached base for the 30th straight game.
In his third start since returning from a blood clot in his shoulder, Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler allowed three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The Phillies trailed 3-2 in the eighth inning when Kyle Schwarber drew a leadoff walk against Jack Perkins (2-1). Bryce Harper reached on an error by second baseman Jeff McNeil that spoiled a potential double play, then Garcia singled to load the bases.
Sosa grounded his two-run single up the middle to give Philadelphia the lead. The Athletics brought in Hogan Harris for the platoon advantage against Brandon Marsh, but Marsh stroked an RBI single before Justin Crawford’s RBI groundout made it 6-3 as the Phillies’ four-run frame featured two unearned runs.
The A’s loaded the bases against Brad Keller with two outs in the ninth, but the veteran right-hander got Jacob Wilson on a grounder back to the mound to end it. Orion Kerkering (1-0) recorded the final out of the eighth.
Kurtz’s RBI single in the fifth made it 2-0, but Philadelphia got a run back in the bottom half as Marsh tripled and scored on a grounder by Felix Reyes. Tyler Soderstrom led off the sixth with a homer against Wheeler to make it 3-1.
The Phillies answered again, this time with Garcia’s solo homer in their half of the sixth.
Perkins pitched the seventh for the A’s, striking out a pair, before the right-hander ran into trouble in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Pete Alonso helps power Orioles past Marlins
May 6, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) congratulates Pete Alonso (25) on his three-run home run in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Pete Alonso hammered a three-run home run and Adley Rutschman smacked two run-scoring doubles as the Baltimore Orioles beat the host Miami Marlins 7-4 on Wednesday night.
It’s the second victory in a row following a five-game skid for the Orioles, who will go for a series sweep on Thursday.
Orioles starter Brandon Young (3-1) worked six innings, allowing three runs on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Rico Garcia pitched the ninth for his second save as four pitchers combined on a six-hitter.
Baltimore won despite being limited to seven hits, though the Orioles drew seven walks. Taylor Ward picked up three of the walks and scored three runs.
Jakob Marsee drove in two runs, but the Marlins lost their fourth game in a row and for the fifth time in six games.
Marlins starter Eury Perez (2-4) lasted five-plus innings and was charged with a season-high five earned runs on four hits and five walks with six strikeouts.
Dax Fulton entered to pitch for Miami in the sixth inning in his major league debut, striking out Dylan Beavers and Coby Mayo as the first batters he faced with two runners on base.
Both teams scored in the first inning.
Alonso’s seventh homer of the season was a three-run blast that came with one out after Ward walked and Rutschman was hit by a pitch.
The first two Marlins were retired before two runners reached base and Marsee knocked them in with a double on an 0-2 splitter. Owen Caissie’s single drove in Marsee.
The Orioles went back ahead in the fourth on Beavers’ two-out double. Rutschman doubled in Ward in the fifth with two outs.
Rutschman’s seventh-inning double stretched the lead to 6-3.
The Marlins got a run in the seventh, with pinch hitter Otto Lopez doubling and scoring on Xavier Edwards’ groundout.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Royals' Cole Ragans leave game with triceps, elbow soreness
Apr 26, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans (55) pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images Kansas City starting pitcher Cole Ragans left the Royals’ Wednesday game against the Cleveland Guardians after the third inning due to left triceps and elbow soreness, the team announced.
Ragans gave up no runs and a hit while striking out four and walking two. He threw 58 pitches. He is 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA in eight starts this season, with 45 strikeouts and 23 walks in 35 1/3 innings.
An All-Star in 2024, Ragans, 28, was drafted in the first round in 2016 by the Texas Rangers. He was traded to Kansas City in 2023 in a deal that sent closer Aroldis Champman to Texas.
Ragans is 22-24 overall in his career with a 3.76 ERA in 91 appearances (74 starts).
–Field Level Media
Phillies' 4-run eighth fuels rally past Athletics
Pete Alonso helps power Orioles past Marlins
