Sports
MLB roundup: Stephen Kolek's shutout helps Royals snap 4-game skid
May 23, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Stephen Kolek (32) shakes hands with catcher Carter Jensen (22) after throwing a complete game shutout to beat the Seattle Mariners at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images Stephen Kolek threw a complete-game shutout to lead the host Kansas City Royals to a 5-0 win over the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.
Kolek (3-0), who threw his first complete-game shutout last May with the San Diego Padres, struck out two and limited the Mariners to four hits and one walk to notch the Royals’ first complete-game shutout since Sep. 13, 2020 and the fourth overall of the 2026 season.
Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits and two runs and Michael Massey contributed two hits. Carter Jensen was 1-for-2 with a run and two RBIs as the Royals picked up their first win on a nine-game homestand which started with four straight losses.
Luke Raley was 3-for-3 with a double for Seattle. Mariners starter George Kirby (5-4) allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits in six innings.
Dodgers 11, Brewers 3
Teoscar Hernandez homered and matched his career high with six RBIs, and the Los Angeles bullpen extended its scoreless streak to a franchise-record 36 innings to preserve a victory over host Milwaukee to even the series between division leaders.
Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki (3-3) allowed three runs in the first, but left after five innings with a 4-3 lead. Relievers Alex Vesia, Kyle Hurt, Tanner Scott and Jonathan Hernandez each followed with a scoreless inning to extend the bullpen’s scoreless streak to 36 innings, the team’s longest in the modern era, surpassing the previous franchise record of 33 innings set in 1998.
The Dodgers erased a 3-0 deficit with four runs in the fourth off Robert Gasser (0-1), capped by Hernandez’s three-run homer. Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages opened with back-to-back doubles to make it 3-1. Kyle Tucker drew a one-out walk and Hernandez then sent an 0-2 pitch 357 feet to left for his seventh homer.
Cardinals 8, Reds 1 (Game 1)
Bryan Torres hit a two-run homer in his major league debut and Andre Pallante retired 13 straight batters as St. Louis took Game 1 of a day-night doubleheader in Cincinnati.
Pallante (5-4) allowed just one run and two hits over six innings for the Cardinals, who snapped a two-game slide. Victor Scott went 3-for-4 and Ivan Herrera added two hits and two runs.
Nathaniel Lowe hit a solo homer in the second to give the Reds a brief 1-0 lead. Starter Chris Paddack (0-6) gave up three runs on seven hits in his five-inning stint.
Reds 7, Cardinals 6 (Game 2, 11 innings)
Blake Dunn’s infield grounder drove in the winning run in extras to help Cincinnati defeat St. Louis and earn a split of their doubleheader.
Dunn looped a ball up the middle. Shortstop Masyn Winn fielded and threw home, but he was unable to get a sliding Spencer Steer. Cincinnati scored five runs in the fifth with Elly De La Cruz and Nathaniel Lowe both going deep. Chase Petty was appointed as the extra roster player for the doubleheader and got the start, allowing four runs on six hits over five innings.
Jordan Walker hit a three-run homer, his 15th, after also homering in the early game. He also provided a game-tying RBI single in the ninth. Kyle Leahy pitched five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits, striking out a career-high eight.
Phillies 3, Guardians 0
Zack Wheeler pitched six strong innings as Philadelphia notched a shutout victory over visiting Cleveland to snap the Guardians’ seven-game winning streak.
Bryson Stott knocked in two runs for the Phillies, who had lost their previous three games. Bryce Harper also provided some support for Wheeler (4-0) by chipping in three hits and scoring twice in a game that began two hours late due to rain. Jhoan Duran picked up the save a night after surrendering the game-winning home run Friday.
Slade Cecconi (3-5) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings for Cleveland. However, he received no support from the Guardians’ offense, which totaled only three hits.
Astros 3, Cubs 0
Christian Walker lined two homers into a stiff wind and Kai-Wai Teng went a career-long six innings to enable Houston to send host Chicago to its seventh consecutive loss.
Walker roped a two-run homer in the first and a solo shot in the fourth for the Astros, who lost Yordan Alvarez mid at-bat in the sixth to back spasms. Teng (3-3) scattered two singles and three walks over six innings.
Cubs starter Colin Rea (4-3) allowed three runs and four hits over a season-high seven innings. The Cubs put just one runner in scoring position as they were shut out for the second time in three games.
Padres 2, Athletics 0
Lucas Giolito tossed five shutout innings and San Diego took advantage of surprising wildness from Athletics starter J.T. Ginn in a home victory.
Giolito (2-0) allowed four hits and issued five walks but was able to pitch out of multiple jams. Jeremiah Estrada, Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam each handled an inning before former Athletic Mason Miller, facing his old team for the first time since being traded at the deadline last year, worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his 16th save in as many chances.
Ginn (2-3), who threw eight no-hit innings Monday night before losing 2-1 to the Angels in Los Angeles, left this one with a no-hitter. But he only lasted 2 1/3 innings because he walked six, hit a batter and threw 73 pitches. Ginn fanned four and was charged with both runs.
Blue Jays 5, Pirates 2
George Springer and Tyler Heineman stroked solo home runs and host Toronto defeated Pittsburgh and ace Paul Skenes.
Toronto left-hander Patrick Corbin (2-1) finished six innings, allowing one run, five hits and no walks while striking out a season-best seven. Jeff Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth to earn his fifth save.
Skenes (6-4) allowed four runs and a career-high nine hits in five-plus innings. Bryan Reynolds went 2-for-3 with a run scored and Marcell Ozuna drove in both Pittsburgh runs.
Giants 10, White Sox 3
Casey Schmitt ignited a six-run fifth inning with a two-run homer and Harrison Bader capped it with a grand slam, allowing San Francisco to use a rare power display to pull away en route to a home win over Chicago.
Willy Adames added a solo shot for the Giants, who recorded three home runs in the same game for just the fourth time this season. Matt Gage (4-1) threw 1 1/3 innings, including getting the final out of the top of the fifth before the Giants’ explosion, striking out four and allowing one hit to help snap San Francisco’s four-game losing streak.
Erick Fedde (0-5) came on in the second inning following opener Bryan Hudson and allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings. Miguel Vargas and Tristan Peters had two hits each for the White Sox, who have alternated wins and losses in their last six games.
Twins 4, Red Sox 2
Minnesota scored twice in the first inning and held on to edge host Boston.
Starter Taj Bradley (5-1) struck out seven across five innings of one-run ball in his first start since coming off the injured list. Taylor Rogers fanned Jarren Duran looking with the bases loaded in the ninth, earning his second save of the season.
Trevor Larnach went 4-for-5 with a double and two runs to pace the Twins. Austin Martin and Orlando Arcia each posted two hits and one RBI for the Twins. Ceddanne Rafaela doubled and drove in the first run for Boston, which was limited to five hits.
Nationals 2, Braves 0
Jake Irvin and two relievers combined to throw a one-hitter, Dylan Crews and Jorbit Vivas each homered and visiting Washington blanked Atlanta to even the series.
Irvin (2-4) tossed five no-hit innings, striking out seven and walking one before exiting with shoulder soreness Brad Lord allowed one hit across three scoreless frames before Richard Lovelady threw a perfect ninth to earn his fourth save.
Grant Holmes (3-2) threw five innings for Atlanta, allowing two runs on six hits. Michael Harris II accounted for the Braves’ only hit with a seventh-inning single as Atlanta’s four-game winning streak came to an end.
Marlins 4, Mets 1
Max Meyer remained unbeaten, teaming with a pair of relievers on a three-hitter as host Miami locked up a series win by beating New York in the second game of a three-game set.
Liam Hicks had his first career two-homer game for the Marlins, who have won consecutive games for the first time since May 9-10. Mark Vientos had two hits, including a ninth-inning RBI single to end the shutout bid, for the Mets.
Meyer (5-0) gave up one hit — Vientos’ single leading off the second — while winning his third straight start. The 27-year-old is 4-0 with a 1.76 ERA in five starts this month, which began when he limited the Philadelphia Phillies to one hit over seven innings while earning the win in Miami’s 4-0 victory on May 2.
Diamondbacks 5, Rockies 4
Ketel Marte went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer to lead Arizona to a victory over Colorado in Phoenix.
Nolan Arenado had a two-run double and Geraldo Perdomo contributed two hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who won for the sixth time in seven games. Zac Gallen (3-4) gave up three runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings before Paul Sewald recorded his 12th save in 13 attempts with a 1-2-3 ninth.
TJ Rumfield went 3-for-4 with a homer and Troy Johnston had two hits and an RBI for the Rockies, who lost for the 10th time in 14 games. Michael Lorenzen (2-7) was touched up for five runs and eight hits over five innings.
Angels 5, Rangers 2
Mike Trout hit a two-run homer, the 417th of his career, to lead Los Angeles to a victory over Texas in Anaheim, Calif.
Zach Neto went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and two runs scored for the Angels, who won the first two games of a series for the first time since opening the season with back-to-back wins at Houston on March 26-27. Walbert Urena (2-4) allowed one run on five hits over five innings and Kirby Yates recorded his first save with the Angels and the 99th of his career.
Kyle Higashioka hit a home run and Alejandro Osuna went 3-for-3 with a run scored for the Rangers. Nathan Eovaldi (5-5) gave up three runs on five hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out six.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ross Chastain wins rain-shortened O’Reilly Series race at Charlotte
May 23, 2026; Concord, North Carolina, USA; NASCAR Xfinity Series 2026 driver Ross Chastain (9) celebrates in victory lane after his win during the Charbroil 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images CONCORD, N.C.-Ross Chastain drove through a succession of challenges-including a patch of oil and a brush with the outside wall-to win Saturday night’s rain-shortened Charbroil 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The victory was Chastain’s first in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series since 2019, his first at Charlotte and the third of his career. The race was stopped for rain for the second time after Chastain crossed the finish line to win the second stage on Lap 90.
With no hope of continuing, NASCAR called the race after Lap 91 and declared Chastain the winner.
“I did not think we would win one like this, driving into the fence in liquid,” said Chastain, who was driving the No. 9 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports. “I have no idea what it was. I went into Turn 1 like normal, and there was something on the track.
“No matter how we win, I feel like we could have raced with them again at the end.”
Chastain’s thoughts quickly turned to the absence of champion driver Kyle Busch, who on Thursday lost his life to a sudden illness at age 41.
“This weekend, it’s just incredible trying to grasp losing Kyle,” Chastain said. “I don’t understand how he’s not here racing. I don’t grasp it mentally or spiritually.
“Obviously, racing is the best thing we can to celebrate what he did in the sport and in his life.”
Defending O’Reilly Series champion Jesse Love, who drives for Richard Childress Racing — as did Busch in the NASCAR Cup Series — was second when the race was called.
“If this week taught us anything, it’s that all this doesn’t matter as much as we think it does,” Love said. “As much as I’m angry and confused and upset (about the way the race finished), I also realized there’s a lot of hurt people right now.”
A spate of cautions punctuated the second stage of the race after a rain delay of more than four hours, but the real damage came on Lap 73, when the drivers of eight cars-including Chastain-slid through fluid deposited by the No. 35 Chevrolet of Dawson Cram.
Chastain kept his car on the track with seemingly minimal damage. Other drivers weren’t as fortunate.
Victims of the oily track included series leader Justin Allgaier, Sheldon Creed, Taylor Gray and Jeremy Clements. Allgaier stayed on the lead lap after repeated trips to pit road for repairs but finished 29th as the final 18 laps of the race remained under caution thanks to drizzling rain and mist that wet the track and obscured spotters’ views from the top of the grandstand.
Austin Hill, Love’s RCR teammate, finished third, followed by William Sawalich and Corey Day. Connor Zilisch, Ryan Sieg, Cole Custer, Carson Kvapil and Rajah Caruth completed the top 10, as JR Motorsports placed three drivers in the top 10.
Rain slowed the race twice in the first 33 laps, the first time for a drizzle under caution for Harrison Burton’s spin in Turn 4, the second time for a harder rain that fell after NASCAR called a competition caution on Lap 26.
The rain persisted while the cars circulated under the yellow flag for seven more laps, with Allgaier in the lead behind the pace car. Ultimately, NASCAR red-flagged the race after Lap 33, and the cars sat covered on pit road waiting for a resumption.
At 9:45 p.m. NASCAR called the drivers back to their cars, and the race resumed with eight laps left in Stage 1 after a stoppage of 4 hours, 21 minutes, 58 seconds.
On Lap 42, Allgaier got loose over the bumps in Turn 3 and gave up the lead to Zilisch, who took the green-checkered flag as the stage winner three laps later.
Then came the decisive second stage, fraught with all its perils. And after it was over, Chastain took a bow, mimicking Busch’s signature move, before making his own familiar move — a watermelon smash — from the roof of his car.
The rain that halted the NASCAR O’Reilly Series race prematurely also forced postponement of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race for the third time.
The event is now scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday and will be broadcast on FS1, NRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race – Charbroil 300
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Concord, North Carolina
Saturday, May 23, 2026
1. (14) Ross Chastain(i), Chevrolet, 91.
2. (17) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 91.
3. (6) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 91.
4. (7) William Sawalich, Toyota, 91.
5. (2) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 91.
6. (5) Connor Zilisch(i), Chevrolet, 91.
7. (9) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 91.
8. (29) Cole Custer(i), Chevrolet, 91.
9. (24) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 91.
10. (10) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, 91.
11. (8) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 91.
12. (31) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 91.
13. (13) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 91.
14. (21) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 91.
15. (30) Leland Honeyman Jr(i), Chevrolet, 91.
16. (16) Austin Green, Chevrolet, 91.
17. (37) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 91.
18. (23) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 91.
19. (22) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 91.
20. (36) David Starr, Chevrolet, 91.
21. (27) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 91.
22. (35) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 91.
23. (28) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 91.
24. (33) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 91.
25. (26) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 91.
26. (32) Nathan Byrd, Chevrolet, 91.
27. (11) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 91.
28. (20) Andrew Patterson, Chevrolet, 91.
29. (1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 91.
30. (15) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 90.
31. (25) Taylor Gray, Toyota, Accident, 73.
32. (12) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, Accident, 73.
33. (34) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 72.
34. (38) JJ Yeley, Ford, Fuel Pump, 64.
35. (4) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 62.
36. (3) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, Accident, 61.
37. (18) Brent Crews #, Toyota, Accident, 51.
38. (19) Harrison Burton, Toyota, Accident, 51.
–by Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service
Sports
Mike Trout homers, Angels get rare back-to-back wins
May 23, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) hits a two-run home run during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Mike Trout hit a two-run homer to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
It was the 417th homer of Trout’s career. Zach Neto went 2-for-3 with a walk and a double and two runs scored for Los Angeles, which won the first two games of a series for the first time opening the season with back-to-back wins at Houston on March 26-27.
Walbert Urena (2-4) picked up the win, allowing one run on five hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out six. Kirby Yates pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his first save with the Angels and the 99th of his career.
Kyle Higashioka hit a home run and Alejandro Osuna went 3-for-3 with a run scored for Texas. Nathan Eovaldi (5-5) suffered the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Eovaldi, who came into the contest allowing just one run over his previous 22 innings in three starts, gave up two to the first two batters he faced in the game. Neto led off with a walk and then scored on Trout’s 13th home run, a 411-foot drive to left-center. It marked the fourth straight game that the Angels hit a homer in the first inning.
Texas cut the lead to 2-1 in the second when Osuna led off with an infield single, went to second on a walk by Jake Burger, advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ezequiel Duran.
The Angels extended the lead to 3-1 in the fifth inning when Neto doubled into the left field corner and scored one out later on a double into the right field corner by Nolan Schanuel.
The Rangers cut the lead to 3-2 in the seventh when Higashioka led off with his third home run, a 395-foot drive to left-center.
The Angels added a couple of insurance runs in the eighth inning on a two-run, bases-loaded single by Oswald Peraza.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mike Trout homers, Angels best Rangers for rare back-to-back wins
May 23, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) hits a two-run home run during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Mike Trout hit a two-run homer to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 5-2 victory over the Texas Rangers on Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
It was the 417th homer of Trout’s career. Zach Neto went 2-for-3 with a walk, a double and two runs scored for Los Angeles, which won the first two games of a series for the first time since opening the season with back-to-back wins at Houston on March 26-27.
Walbert Urena (2-4) picked up the win, allowing one run on five hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out six. Kirby Yates pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to pick up his first save with the Angels and the 99th of his career.
Kyle Higashioka hit a home run and Alejandro Osuna went 3-for-3 with a run scored for Texas. Nathan Eovaldi (5-5) took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings. He walked two and struck out six.
Eovaldi, who came into the contest allowing just one run over his previous 22 innings spanning three starts, gave up two to the first two batters he faced in the game. Neto led off with a walk and then scored on Trout’s 13th home run, a 411-foot drive to left-center. It marked the fourth straight game that the Angels hit a homer in the first inning.
Texas cut the lead to 2-1 in the second when Osuna led off with an infield single, went to second on a walk by Jake Burger, advanced to third on a fielder’s choice and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ezequiel Duran.
The Angels extended the lead to 3-1 in the fifth inning when Neto doubled into the left field corner and scored one out later on a double into the right field corner by Nolan Schanuel.
The Rangers cut the lead to 3-2 in the seventh when Higashioka led off with his third home run, a 395-foot drive to left-center.
The Angels added a couple of insurance runs in the eighth inning on a two-run, bases-loaded single by Oswald Peraza.
–Field Level Media
Ross Chastain wins rain-shortened O’Reilly Series race at Charlotte
Mike Trout homers, Angels get rare back-to-back wins
