Sports
Jacksonville expects to have its 'hands full' vs. No. 21 Florida
Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) penetrates against South Florida Bulls guard Kasen Jennings (13) during the first half of an NCAA men’s basketball matchup Monday, Nov. 4, 2024 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] After struggling to put away South Florida in its season opener, No. 21 Florida hopes to have an easier time against another in-state foe Thursday night when it hosts Jacksonville in Gainesville, Fla.
Walter Clayton Jr. scored 29 points and Will Richard added 25 to rescue the Gators (1-0), who overcame a 13-point deficit in a 98-83 victory Monday over South Florida in the Jacksonville Sports Foundation Invitational.
Meanwhile, four miles away, host Jacksonville (1-0) also had trouble putting away an in-state foe as it grinded to a 78-65 win over Division II Trinity Baptist.
After the victory, Dolphins coach Jordan Mincy reminded his players that Florida will be an entirely different challenge.
“I said, ‘Hey look, a lot of you guys weren’t really focused on this, but I hope you have elite attention to detail in our practice coming up because you’ll have your hands full come Thursday,'” Mincy said.
For much of their game Monday, the Gators got all they could handle from an emotional South Florida squad still recovering from the shocking loss two weeks ago of head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who died following complications from a medical procedure.
The inspired Bulls raced to a 36-23 lead 14 minutes into the first half before the Gators rallied.
The catalysts for Florida’s struggles were its 3-point offense and defense. While the Gators made just 5 of 25 shots (20 percent) from beyond the arc, they surrendered 13-of-27 shooting (48.1 percent) from deep by the Bulls.
“In transition, we were giving them open threes, something we had keyed in on our scout, so we had to get back to what we do,” Richard said.
In the second half, when the Gators took control, they did it by attacking the rim. During a 13-point run that transformed a one-point lead into a 76-62 advantage, Florida made nine free throws in a row.
The Gators’ focus on taking the ball inside was such that they went nearly 10 minutes in the second half without shooting a 3.
“I thought we were settling. We weren’t putting pressure on the rim. We weren’t putting pressure on the refs to make any calls. We only shot four free throws in the first half,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “A big part of the message at halftime was not allowing them to keep us on one side of the floor, working on getting downhill, getting middle, and then putting pressure on the rim.”
Veteran guards Clayton and Richard did their part, making a combined 20 of 32 shots from the floor. They also combined to hit all 10 of their free-throw attempts.
Alex Condon and Florida Atlantic transfer Alijah Martin each added 13 points and combined for 11 rebounds for the Gators.
Jacksonville also struggled from deep in its win on Monday, hitting just 6 of 32 3-point shots (18.8 percent). But the Dolphins used their superior strength inside to collect more rebounds, 51-34.
In just 20 minutes of playing time, Stephon Payne III led the Dolphins with 18 points and 13 rebounds. The team’s top threat, Robert McCray, who averaged 18.4 points per game last year, had nine points.
–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
