Sports
Linda Noskova, Aryna Sabalenka set for Indian Wells semifinal after Thursday wins
Aryna Sabalenka readies a serve to Victoria Mboko during their quarterfinal match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., Thursday, March 12, 2026. One half of the BNP Paribas Open’s own final four is set, as Linda Noskova and Aryna Sabalenka will do battle after prevailing in quarterfinal matchups Thursday at Indian Wells, Calif.
The world’s No. 1 player, Sabalenka shook off a slow start to down Canada’s Victoria Mboko 7-6 (0), 6-4 in 109 minutes. It was Sabalenka’s second win this season over Mboko, after the two squared off in the Australian Open in January.
Though she showed a notable advantage on service points, winning 68% to Mboko’s 61%, Sabalenka credited her success on break points (5-for-5 on saves) for the victory.
“I feel like the moment (when) I will feel relaxed, I will definitely start losing. So I felt that’s why I have been really successful in those tiebreaks, because I take it really serious,” Sabalenka said. “I’m not focusing on the past. I’m just trying to take it once again one point at a time.”
A two-time runner-up at this event, Sabalenka of Belarus next faces The Czech Republic’s Noskova.
Noskova, ranked 14th, also had to work for her win, edging Australia’s Talia Gibson 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in 97 minutes.
After a first set that went by the script for the most part, Noskova ran into trouble in the second, as neither player could shake free of the other holding serve. Gibson used a first-game break to establish the early edge, then rode that to the second set win.
Noskova used three aces to regain control in the third.
Sabalenka won her only meeting with Noskova, 6-3, 7-6 (4), at the 2023 Adelaide International final.
In a matchup between the world’s Nos. 9 and 2 players, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina battles Poland’s Iga Swiatek for a spot in the other semifinal later in the day. That winner will face Jessica Pegula (No. 5) or Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina (No. 3), who also face off in late Thursday action.
–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
Sports
Healthy Sonny Gray pitches Red Sox to sweep of Tigers
May 6, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) delivers in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images Sonny Gray pitched five scoreless innings in his return to action and the visiting Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 4-0 victory on Wednesday night.
Gray (3-1) came off the injured list and gave up four hits while recording two strikeouts. Gray strained his right hamstring in a start last month against the Tigers.
Tyler Samaniego struck out three in two innings. Zack Kelly and Greg Weissert each pitched an inning to complete the shutout.
Masataka Yoshida had two hits and scored a run. Caleb Durbin supplied an RBI double.
Detroit starter Jack Flaherty (0-3) gave up four runs, two earned, in five innings while recording a season-high 10 strikeouts. Riley Greene led the offense with two hits.
Flaherty struck out the first five batters he faced. The Tigers threatened in the bottom of the inning as Greene led off with a double and Zach McKinstry and Spencer Torkelson drew two-out walks. Jace Jung, just recalled from Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday, then hit a sinking liner that right fielder Wilyer Abreu snared with a sliding grab.
Boston took the lead in the third. Marcelo Mayer reached on an infield hit and Flaherty hit Carlos Narvaez with a pitch. Durbin then smacked a double to left, scoring Mayer. One out later, Willson Contreras hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Narvaez.
Detroit had a pair of baserunners in the bottom of the inning as Matt Vierling and Greene hit singles. Dillon Dingler flied out to center, ending the threat.
The Red Sox pushed their lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Masataka Yoshida had a one-out single and Ceddanne Rafaela drew a walk. With two out, third baseman Colt Keith made an error on a Narvaez grounder, allowing both runners to score.
In the seventh, Boston loaded the bases on three walks by Drew Anderson.
Brant Hurter retired the next two batters on a strikeout and groundout to leave the runners stranded.
Kelly issued two one-out walks in the eighth, then struck out Greene and Dingler.
–Field Level Media
Pete Alonso helps power Orioles past Marlins
Royals' Cole Ragans leave game with triceps, elbow soreness
