Sports
Keibert Ruiz's big effort lifts Nationals past Twins
May 5, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz (20) looks out from behind home plate before pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Keibert Ruiz had two doubles, a home run, drove in four runs and scored three times to lead the Washington Nationals to a 7-5 win against the visiting Minnesota Twins in the rubber game of their three-game series on Thursday afternoon.
Curtis Mead had two RBIs and Jacob Young scored twice for the Nationals, who split the six-game homestand.
Nationals starter Jake Irvin allowed four runs and eight hits over five-plus innings. The right-hander struck out two and walked one.
Left-hander PJ Poulin (3-0) threw an inning of scoreless relief, and Gus Varland got the final four outs for his fourth save.
Ryan Jeffers had three hits with two doubles, a home run and scored three runs for the Twins. Brooks Lee had two hits and two RBIs for Minnesota, which opens a three-game series at the Cleveland Guardians on Friday.
Twins starter Simeon Woods Richardson allowed five runs and four hits in 4 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out two and walked two.
Ruiz lined a home run down the right-field line off John Klein (0-1) to start the seventh and move Washington back in front 6-5. Mead delivered an RBI single into right field later in the inning to stretch the lead to 7-5.
Lee grounded an opposite-field single through the open left side of the infield with the bases loaded in the second to score two runners for a 2-0 lead.
Woods Richardson induced double plays to end the first two innings. But the Nationals didn’t let him off the hook in the third after Young led off with a single to center and scored on a double to right by Ruiz, who took third on the throw home. Ruiz then scored on a sacrifice fly to tie it 2-2.
After Lee doubled to right to lead off the fifth, Tristan Gray followed with a hard grounder up the middle that went off the glove of second baseman Nasim Nunez and trickled into shallow center for a single, scoring Lee for a 3-2 lead.
The Nationals started the fifth with a walk and a hit by pitch before Ruiz lined a double into the right-center field gap to score both runners for a 4-3 lead.
With the bases loaded and one out in the inning, Mead hit a high fly to shallow center that fell in between three defenders. They managed to get a forceout at second, but another run scored to make it 5-3.
Irvin came back out for the sixth and Jeffers hit his second pitch over the fence in left to cut it to 5-4, ending his day.
Jeffers hit an opposite-field double off the end of his bat with two outs in the seventh and Josh Bell then lined a pinch-hit double into the left-field corner to tie it 5-5.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Amanda Anisimova WDs from Rome with wrist injury
Mar 20, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Amanda Anisimova (USA) hits a forehand against Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) (not pictured) on day four of the 2026 Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images World No. 6 Amanda Anisimova withdrew from the Internazionali BNL d’Italia on Thursday with a left wrist injury.
The 24-year-old American was replaced in Rome by lucky loser Elena Gabriela Ruse of Romania for a second-round match against Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko.
Anisimova has yet to play in a clay-court event this season, having previously withdrawn from the Charleston Open and the Mutua Madrid Open.
The four-time WTA Tour title winner and two-time Grand Slam finalist has an 11-6 record in singles this season, having reached the Round of 16 at both Miami and Indian Wells in March.
–Field Level Media
Sports
LIV on? Cam Smith given 'every assurance' league will survive
Apr 10, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Cameron Smith tees off on the 18th hole during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Michael Madrid-Imagn Images Former World No. 2 Cameron Smith said he has been given “every assurance” that LIV Golf will continue beyond 2026 as the league works to secure new funding sources.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund announced last month that it will not continue its financial support of the league beyond this season. Smith signed with the breakaway league in 2022, receiving a contract reportedly worth $140 million.
He is also the captain of the all-Australian team Ripper GC. LIV Golf’s Adelaide event has been among the league’s most popular stops, and he told Australia’s 10 News that the goal is “definitely” to have the event return in 2027.
Smith, along with fellow LIV Golf stars Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, turned down an offer to return to the PGA Tour earlier this year, saying in January that “I am here to stay, I’m here to support LIV.”
LIV CEO Scott O’Neil has stated confidence the league will survive in a “multi-partner” format. Whether that comes to fruition and what impact it would have on the league’s makeup remains to be seen.
“Since joining LIV, I’ve learned to live with, you know, speculation,” Smith said, while laughing at the notion that he might retire if the league folded. “I’m 32, so I’ve got a while yet.”
Smith has struggled to maintain his form while playing for LIV. His missed cut at the Masters last month was his sixth consecutive at a major. Despite LIV golfers earning some world rankings points for the first time in 2026, Smith sits at No. 235, having posted only two top-10 finishes through the first six events of the season.
However, Smith said his competitive fire remains strong as he prepared for LIV Golf Virginia ahead of next week’s PGA Championship.
“I want to win tournaments, I want to win majors,” Smith said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been, you know, truly competitive at the top of the leaderboard. So, the fire is really burning at the moment.
“It feels like I’m getting a lot of confidence back out in the golf once again, which I’ve struggled with.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Bryson DeChambeau: PGA players hold his Tour return fate
Bryson Dechambeau on the 14th hole during the third round of The 153rd Open Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images Wounds created by Bryson DeChambeau’s divorce from the PGA Tour and his active, outspoken role in a player-driven lawsuit in 2022 might not be fully healed.
The 32-year-old said he understands the lingering acrimony, specifically among players on Tour and not new CEO Brian Rolapp, could be a lasting roadblock to a potential reunion. But from his perspective, DeChambeau said he’s always willing to help settle differences with compromise.
“I think that there’s a way to solve any problem. It’s really about if the membership wants me back,” DeChambeau said on the Beyond the Clubhouse podcast on Thursday. “If they want me back, that’s really what it’s about. It’s not anybody, I don’t think it’s even Brian Rolapp or anybody at the top that’s an executive. It’s about the players — if they want me back — and, if not, I understand that.”
DeChambeau and other players who joined LIV Golf to sign massive contracts are less certain about future paydays. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund plans to end funding for all events and the league at the end of the 2026 season. DeChambeau said this week “your guess is as good as mine” as to whether he will receive payments due on the remainder of his contract beyond the current season.
That uncertainty is sparking DeChambeau to consider what might be next if LIV Golf hits a dead end.
Other than player concerns, DeChambeau said this week potential punishment by the PGA Tour as penance for his departure would be “quite unfortunate in my opinion, considering what I could do for them.”
“The egos need to get dropped,” DeChambeau said. “Everybody needs to come in with a level-headed playing field, with an opportunistic mindset to grow the game of golf. That’s why I came over here. That’s why I do what I do on YouTube.”
–Field Level Media
Amanda Anisimova WDs from Rome with wrist injury
LIV on? Cam Smith given 'every assurance' league will survive
