Sports
MLB roundup: Mookie Betts' HR lifts Dodgers over Tigers in 10
Mar 28, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) hits a 3 run home run during the tenth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Mookie Betts hit two home runs, including a game-ending, three-run blast in the 10th inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for an 8-5 victory over the visiting Detroit Tigers on Friday.
Freddie Freeman also homered for Los Angeles, while Michael Conforto and Will Smith had run-scoring hits in a five-run 10th to win it for the Dodgers. Los Angeles right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a career-best 10 strikeouts over five innings while allowing two runs.
Dodgers right-hander Luis Garcia (1-0) gave up two runs (one earned) in the top of the 10th but still earned the win. The Dodgers opened the season 4-0 for the first time since 1981 — a year in which they won a World Series title.
Dillon Dingler had a homer and a two-run triple for Detroit, and Gleyber Torres also homered as the Tigers dropped their second straight despite holding leads in each game. Beau Brieske (0-1) gave up five runs (four earned) while recording just one out in the 10th.
Rays 3, Rockies 2
Kameron Misner slugged a walk-off homer on the first pitch of the bottom of the ninth inning, and Tampa Bay won its first outing in its new Tampa home on Opening Day by edging Colorado.
Playing at Tampa’s Steinbrenner Field instead of St. Petersburg’s hurricane-ravaged Tropicana Field dome, the lefty-swinging Misner lined a 97 mph fastball from Victor Vodnik (0-1) out to right for his first big-league homer. Pete Fairbanks (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth.
The Rockies wasted a brilliant start by Kyle Freeland, who faced just 20 batters over six scoreless frames and 67 pitches. He allowed two hits, struck out seven and did not have a single three-ball count. Colorado’s Ryan McMahon was 3-for-3 with a double and a walk. Ezequiel Tovar went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Blue Jays 8, Orioles 2
Kevin Gausman allowed two runs in six innings and was supported by 14 hits as Toronto defeated visiting Baltimore.
Gausman (1-0) yielded three hits and one walk while striking out four to help give Toronto a split of the first two contests of a four-game series. Down 2-0 early, the Blue Jays scored five runs in the fourth inning to pull away for good. Ernie Clement added a two-run double in the seventh.
Jackson Holliday hit a solo home run and Tyler O’Neill had a sacrifice fly for Baltimore. Orioles starter Charlie Morton (0-1) was charged with four runs on seven hits and a walk in 3 1/3 innings.
Mets 3, Astros 1
Juan Soto blasted a solo home run and Tylor Megill pitched effectively into the sixth inning as New York topped Houston to knot the three-game interleague series.
Soto walloped a 1-2 cutter from Astros right-hander Hunter Brown with two outs in the top of the third inning off the facing of the second deck in right field. The blast provided Megill (1-0) some extra cushion, although he didn’t need it. Megill allowed one run on three hits and one walk with six strikeouts over five-plus innings.
Megill retired the first nine batters he faced and didn’t allow a baserunner until Jose Altuve led off the bottom of the fourth with a single to center. Altuve later scored on a sacrifice fly by Yordan Alvarez. Brown (0-1) allowed three runs (two earned) and fanned seven over six innings.
Rangers 4, Red Sox 1
Jonah Heim slugged two homers and right-hander Jack Leiter picked up his first major league victory as host Texas recorded a victory over Boston in Arlington.
Jake Burger and Josh Jung also had run-scoring hits as the Rangers evened the four-game series at one game apiece. Leiter (1-0) gave up one run and five hits over five innings, with one walk and four strikeouts. Five relievers protected the lead, with Luke Jackson working a perfect ninth for his first save.
Boston’s Tanner Houck (0-1) gave up four runs and seven hits over 5 2/3 innings. Wilyer Abreu drove in the lone Red Sox run and has five RBIs in two games. Abreu, Jarren Duran and Kristian Campbell had two hits apiece.
Pirates 4, Marlins 3
Oneil Cruz slugged a two-run home run, stole a base and scored twice, leading Pittsburgh past host Miami.
Pirates closer David Bednar, who took the walk-off loss on Opening Day, gave up a two-run shot to Otto Lopez in the ninth inning Friday but retired the next three batters to earn the save.
Pirates starter Mitch Keller (1-0) gave up one run in six innings. In his first career start, Marlins right-hander Connor Gillispie (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) in five innings.
Diamondbacks 8, Cubs 1
Eugenio Suarez hit a pair of two-run homers, Pavin Smith and Alek Thomas had three hits apiece and Arizona beat Chicago in Phoenix for its first victory of the season.
Suarez hit a 436-foot blast in the second inning and a 418-foot shot in the fourth, each to left-center field and each after Smith opened the inning with a hit. Suarez homered in three of his first six plate appearances this season. Merrill Kelly (1-0) gave up one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings.
Cubs starter Jameson Taillon (0-1) gave up nine hits and six runs, including both Suarez homers, in 4 1/3 innings. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit an RBI double, one of only three Chicago hits.
Padres 4, Braves 3
Jake Cronenworth belted a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning as San Diego edged visiting Atlanta.
Leading off the inning, Cronenworth picked on a hanging slider from Dylan Lee (0-1) and ripped it an estimated 381 feet for his first homer, sending San Diego to its second straight win to open the season.
Jason Adam (1-0) worked around a two-out walk in the Atlanta half of the eighth to get the win, and Robert Suarez induced the final three outs for his second save in as many games. The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. and the Braves’ Jarred Kelenic hit solo homers.
Athletics 7, Mariners 0
Brent Rooker hit a two-run homer, Jeffrey Springs pitched six scoreless innings and JJ Bleday made a pair of sterling defensive plays as the Athletics defeated host Seattle.
Max Muncy homered in the eighth inning for his first major league hit, and former Mariners player Luis Urias went deep in a pinch-hitting appearance in the ninth as the A’s evened the season-opening, four-game series at one victory apiece.
Springs, making his A’s debut after being acquired in an offseason trade with Tampa Bay, gave up three hits, walked one and fanned nine. The Mariners’ Luis M. Castillo (0-1) permitted two runs on three hits over five innings.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lu Dort’s Antics Outshine Big Win for Oklahoma City Thunder
Luguentz Dort is a dirty player.
I’m not saying something entirely unheard of with this take. Dort, along with most players on the Thunder, benefit from a whistle not given to the rest of the league. Friday night’s matchup between the Nuggets and Thunder showed that at full effect.
This game was very physical from start to finish. These two teams do not like each other, and I feel much of that comes from the SGA vs. Jokic MVP debates. Jokic is probably the better player, but Gilgeous-Alexander won the MVP last year and knocked the Nuggets out of the playoffs.
Things are different this time around. Jokic has far more help than in years past. Denver isn’t quite fully healthy yet, but in spurts, you’ve seen what this team could do in the playoffs.
OKC and Denver met at the start of the month, but the Nuggets were still missing multiple role players, and Jokic had a bit of a down night in only his second game back from injury. Even still, we saw a level of chippiness in this one that you normally won’t see in the NBA.
What happened on Friday had been building for the better part of two seasons.
While trying to get back on defense on a made basket, Dort purposefully hip-checked and tripped Jokic, leading to a mid-court fight between Jokic and Jaylin Williams.
Dort was given a flagrant two and ejected from the game, something Coach Daigneault disagreed with. He claimed that any player who trips someone running up the floor should be ejected now that this precedent has been set.
In most cases, if something like this occurs, a player should probably be ejected. Rocket’s Tari Eason did something similar earlier this week, and it led to Vince Williams Jr. tearing his ACL. Physicality is great in basketball, but dumb plays like the one Dort made are dangerous and could potentially injure a superstar like Jokic.
Another key factor is that Dort doesn’t deserve any benefit of the doubt. This isn’t a one-off play. He’s a Draymond Green-like character who is always toeing the line between fair and foul.
Dort has countless plays like this. If you feel like he’s close to doing anything dirty, he should be removed from the game and fined, because he’s constantly committing non-basketball fouls.
The Thunder did go on to win in OT, but luckily, these teams meet again in less than 10 days, so I doubt this is the end of this beef.
Sports
After capturing gold, Wild trio focused on Blues
Feb 4, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) celebrates defenseman Jared Spurgeon (46) winning goal against the Nashville Predators during the overtime period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images A trio of United States Olympic gold medal winners are about to return “home.”
It’s likely that fans from the “State of Hockey” will welcome them back with a roar.
Matt Boldy and defensemen Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber will be front and center when the Minnesota Wild face off against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday in Saint Paul, Minn. It will be their first home game since Feb. 2 for the Wild, who had a three-week break for the Milan Cortina Olympics.
Faber might get the loudest cheer when he is recognized as part of a U.S. team that won the nation’s first gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980. The local product grew up in suburban Maple Grove, Minn., and starred collegiately for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
How’s he feeling after the whirlwind of February?
“Good enough, right?” Faber said. “I played hockey the whole time, so I’m still in game shape.”
The Wild have split their two games since returning from the Olympic break. They stormed to a 5-2 road win against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night but lost by the same score versus the Utah Mammoth on Friday.
The loss might have come with added cost as veteran forward Joel Eriksson Ek left the game after taking a high stick to the face.
Eriksson Ek’s status is uncertain for Sunday. He has 42 points (17 goals, 25 assists) in 54 games this season.
“We all know the type of player ‘Ekky’ is and the situations we count on him to play in,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “It’s unfortunate, but hopefully he’s OK.”
St. Louis also will try to bounce back from a loss after falling short 3-1 against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. Pavel Buchnevich scored the lone goal for the Blues.
Blues forward Jake Neighbours said he and his teammates needed to come out with a better effort against the Wild. He said the team recorded a 5-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday because of a great effort level and lost its most recent game because of a reduced effort level.
“To me, it’s battles,” Neighbours said. “I thought on Thursday, our compete (level) was really high. We were excited. There was a lot of energy on the bench and in the dressing room.
“For whatever reason, (on Saturday), it just didn’t seem like we could muster up the momentum and the energy to take over the game.”
Joel Hofer could get the start for the Blues in net one night after Jordan Binnington turned aside 30 of 32 shots against the Devils. Hofer is 13-11-3 with a 2.87 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage this season, and he is 1-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA and a .944 save percentage in his only career game against Minnesota.
Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson likely will get the nod after fellow netminder Jesper Wallstedt started against Utah. Gustavsson is 21-9-6 with a 2.60 GAA and a .909 save percentage this season, and he is 5-2-0 with a 2.32 GAA and a .919 save percentage in eight career appearances against the Blues.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Islanders in playoff position, Panthers have work to do as teams meet
Jan 6, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice watches the play against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the third period at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers do not have to be reminded that five of the eight teams currently occupying a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference did not make the postseason last year.
And the Panthers will get another glimpse at a team attempting to take their spot in the tournament Sunday night, when Florida opens a four-game road trip by visiting the surging New York Islanders in Elmont, N.Y.
The Panthers are coming off a 3-2 loss to the visiting Buffalo Sabres on Friday night. The Islanders are completing a back-to-back set after overcoming a two-goal deficit Saturday night and edging the host Columbus Blue Jackets, 4-3, in overtime.
The loss Friday was the sixth in eight games for the Panthers (2-6-0), who are eight points behind the Boston Bruins in the race for the second wild-card spot with 23 games to play.
The Bruins, Detroit Red Wings and Sabres — the latter of whom are in second place in the Atlantic Division — all missed the playoffs last year.
A reigning Stanley Cup champion hasn’t missed the playoffs since 2015, when the Los Angeles Kings came up two points shy of a tournament berth.
A spate of injuries has endangered the Panthers’ pursuit of the NHL’s first three-peat since the Islanders won the Stanley Cup four consecutive times from 1980-83. Captain Aleksander Barkov has yet to play due to a right knee injury suffered in training camp while Matthew Tkachuk has played just 12 games following offseason surgery for a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle. Tkachuk and Barkov were Florida’s second- and third-leading scorers last season, respectively.
The Panthers’ fortunes haven’t improved since returning from the Olympic break. Right winger Cole Schwindt will be out indefinitely with a lower body injury suffered in Thursday’s 5-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs while Uvis Balinskis was slated to be evaluated Saturday after exiting Friday’s game due to injury.
“Not cheating on effort,” Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said. “We’re doing the best we can.”
Simon Holmstrom’s goal 1:47 into overtime Saturday continued a pair of trends for the Islanders, whose effort to return to the playoffs after a one-year absence has featured plenty of comeback wins and extra session dramatics.
New York is tied for second place in the Metropolitan Division with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who have two games in hand. The Penguins also missed the playoffs last season.
The win Saturday was the fourth straight for the Islanders, who have trailed in three of those victories — including Thursday night’s 4-3 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens in which New York also came back from a 2-0 second-period deficit.
Holmstrom’s goal improved the Islanders to 8-0 in games decided in overtime. New York trailed in regulation in all eight overtime wins.
The only team in NHL history to record more overtime wins without a loss in a single season are the 2021 Vegas Golden Knights, who went 9-0 in overtime during the pandemic-shortened 56-game campaign.
“At the end of the day … I feel like we’re calm and we just focus on what needs to be done,” Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said. “It doesn’t matter if we’re behind. We find ways to get back into the game.”
–Field Level Media
Lu Dort’s Antics Outshine Big Win for Oklahoma City Thunder
After capturing gold, Wild trio focused on Blues
