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Mystics end season with win over Fever before league-record crowd

Syndication: The Indianapolis StarIndiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) rushes up the court Friday, July 12, 2024, during the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Indiana Fever defeated the Phoenix Mercury, 95-86.

The Washington Mystics needed a win and some help in Thursday’s regular-season finale to make the playoffs.

Washington took care of business, rallying past the visiting Indiana Fever for a wild 92-91 win in front of 20,711 fans — the largest crowd in WNBA history — at Capital One Arena.

However, the help never came.

The Chicago Sky’s 87-54 loss at the Connecticut Sun secured the eighth and final playoff spot for the Atlanta Dream, whom the Mystics (14-26) trailed by one game entering Thursday.

Chicago’s loss was moot, as Atlanta (15-25) won 78-67 at the New York Liberty.

Washington needed a win, a Dream loss and a Sky win to secure a playoff berth.

The Mystics nonetheless capped their season with perhaps their most impressive win.

Washington trailed 20-2 midway through the first quarter before storming back to tie the game 24-24 early in the second.

Ariel Atkins scored 11 points in the second quarter to propel the Mystics ahead 52-45 at halftime.

Sika Kone finished with game highs of 20 points and seven rebounds off the bench for Washington, which led by as many as 17 in the second half before Indiana ignited a 22-8 run to pull within a point in the final minute.

Katie Lou Samuelson and Grace Berger both missed jumpers in the final eight seconds for the Fever.

Atkins and Emily Engstler both finished with 17 points for the Mystics, while Brittney Sykes and reserve Shatori Walker-Kimbrough added 12 points apiece.

Kristy Wallace scored 17 off the bench to lead Indiana (20-20), which entered Thursday locked as the No. 6 seed.

The Fever, making their first playoff appearance since 2016, will face the Sun in the best-of-three first round.

Indiana rookie Caitlin Clark bundled eight points with five rebounds and eight assists. Aliyah Boston and Samuelson finished with 10 points each, and NaLyssa Smith chipped in 16 points and five rebounds.

The Fever dominated the early minutes of the first quarter, with Clark hitting a long 3-pointer to open up an 11-0 lead 2:55 into the game.

Smith’s layup ballooned the lead to 20-2 at the 4:38 mark before Washington stormed back to pull within 24-22 entering the second quarter.

Kone’s basket to start the second stanza tied it at 24, and Sykes’ layup 2:15 before halftime gave the Mystics the lead for good at 41-39.

–Field Level Media

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Yankees place LHP Max Fried on IL, recall RHP Elmer Rodriguez

MLB: New York Yankees at Tampa Bay RaysApr 11, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried (54) looks on against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees placed left-hander Max Fried on the 15-day injured list Saturday and recalled right-handed pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The move involving Fried is retroactive to Thursday and was made after an MRI exam and CT scan revealed a left elbow bone bruise.

After getting off to a brilliant start in 2026, Fried (4-3, 3.21 ERA) struggled in May, allowing 11 earned runs and 17 hits in 14 1/3 innings over three starts. He left Wednesday’s start in Baltimore after only three innings while allowing three earned runs on 61 pitches.

Fried, 32, was 4-1 with a 2.09 ERA through seven starts (47 1/3 IP) in March and April.

After spending eight years with the Atlanta Braves (2017-24), Fried signed an eight-year, $218 million contract with the Yankees prior to the 2025 campaign. He made his third All-Star team with New York, posing a 19-5 record with a 2.86 ERA in 32 starts.

Fried is 96-44 in 210 appearances (194 starts) with a 3.04 ERA in 10 major league seasons.

Rodriguez, 22, made his MLB debut on April 29, allowing two runs on four hits with four walks in four innings of a 3-0 setback to the Texas Rangers. He was optioned back to Triple-A on May 6.

Rodriguez is 0-1 with a 5.19 ERA in two games (both starts) with the Yankees this season and owns a 1-2 record with a 1.38 ERA in five appearances (all starts) in Triple-A.

–Field Level Media

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Justin Rose, others enter PGA fray with 65s on easier Aronimink

PGA: PGA Championship - Third RoundMay 16, 2026; Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA; Justin Rose prepares to putt on the 14th green during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. — The PGA Championship saw exactly one round of 65 and one 66 over the course of the first two rounds at Aronimink Golf Club.

Before 2 p.m. local time Saturday, three players had posted 5-under 65s: Chris Kirk, Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan and Englishman Justin Rose.

Another low round was in the works, as Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland had six birdies and one bogey through 15 holes to tie the 36-hole leaders at 4 under par.

After two days of conversation about untenable pin locations and surprisingly challenging conditions, Aronimink Golf Club was open for business on a sunny Saturday afternoon in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Kirk, in fact, was one birdie away from shooting the sixth round of 62 in major championship history. After leaving his approach at No. 18 short of the green, though, he took out his putter and sent his ball 8 1/2 feet past the pin. He failed to save par, then his short comebacker hit the lip and a gasp ran through the crowd as Kirk carded his double-bogey 6.

“When I’m not playing particularly well, I tend to play more conservative. When I’m having a nice day and making putts, I’m going to try to keep the pedal down as long as I can,” Kirk said. “I was trying to make that putt from the front fringe on 18. It just doesn’t always work out that way.”

You’d forgive him for being aggressive. Kirk, Reitan and Rose each started the day 3 over par for the championship, inside the cut line by one stroke. They needed to put the “move” in “moving day.”

“I’m hoping the lead doesn’t stretch more than 6 or 7 (under),” Rose said. “That’s kind of what I’m kind of sitting here hoping. I think, if you don’t get off to a fast start, then you’re going to kind of get to, let’s say, the seventh hole, eighth hole, and you’re going to be like, geez, you know the easy holes are running out.”

To wit, Kirk and Rose did most of their damage on the front nine. Rose went out in 5-under 30 with birdies at Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6 and 9. Kirk had five birdies in a six-hole stretch before bogeying the tough par-3 eighth.

Reitan got to 65 another way — he eagled the par-4 13th and par-5 16th holes. The PGA of America moved up the tee at No. 13 Saturday, making it a drivable 292 yards; Reitan’s tee shot hit the pin with some momentum before settling to 6 feet for an easy eagle.

The 28-year-old Norwegian just won last week’s Truist Championship for his first PGA Tour title. He, Rose and Kirk agreed on the two main factors making Aronimink scorable today: pin positions that are less diabolical, and warmer weather with less wind than Thursday and Friday.

“I think they’re probably halfway responsible, both of those two factors,” Reitan said, before warning that the weather may not stay that way all afternoon.

“I don’t know how it’s going to look like this afternoon, but happy to get out early and try to take — or take advantage of the early morning conditions.”

World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler called the PGA of America’s pin locations “absurd” Friday, adding that he felt they are the toughest he’s seen since turning pro. Some were positioned on small shelves within a green or on a tricky slope.

“Pin locations is a big difference, for sure,” Kirk said Saturday. “There’s a handful of really tough ones out there still, but for the most part, they’re much, much more accessible than they have been the last few days.

“It is warming up, and I think that makes a big difference,” Rose added. “Suddenly the ball is going a bit further. I think players feel a little bit better in T-shirts, and the body works a bit better, people start hitting the ball a little bit further.”

Second-round leaders Maverick McNealy and Alex Smalley are scheduled to tee off at 2:40 p.m. local time. Others making a move up the leaderboard in the meantime were Xander Schauffele (4 under for his round, 3 under for tournament) and Spaniard Jon Rahm (-3, -2).

–Adam Zielonka, Field Level Media

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Nashville SC surging ahead of visit from fading LAFC

MLS: Nashville SC at Atlanta United FCApr 18, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Nashville SC forward Hany Mukhtar (10) kicks the ball to a teammate during the game against the Atlanta United during the first half at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Nashville SC will be out to build on their Eastern Conference lead when they play host to Los Angeles FC on Sunday night.

Nashville SC (8-1-3, 27 points) entered the weekend atop the Eastern Conference, two points ahead of Inter Miami. One of the stingiest sides around, the club has conceded only eight goals, tied with Seattle for fewest in MLS at the start of Saturday’s play.

Like elite teams do, Nashville is getting contributions from everywhere. With central midfielders Eddi Tagseth and Patrick Yazbek sidelined due to injury Wednesday at New England, replacement Bryan Acosta stepped in and delivered two goals during a 3-0 victory.

Both goals Acosta were assisted by Cristian Espinoza, whose acquisition from the San Jose Earthquakes in the offseason provided another dangerous player to go along with Sam Surridge, Hany Mukhtar and Warren Madrigal. The foursome has combined for 20 goals and 15 assists.

Nashville SC coach B.J. Callaghan said Mukhtar, who’s been with the club since its first match in 2020, continues to lead the way.

“He’s just been so selfless in doing a lot of work to open up the opportunities for other guys,” Callaghan said.

LAFC (6-4-3, 21 points) fell 2-1 at St. Louis City SC on Wednesday for their first loss to the four-year old franchise. LAFC owned an 18-7 advantage in shots but got only four toward net and marked poorly in key situations, allowing defenders to log both St. Louis City goals.

First-year LAFC coach Marc Dos Santos said his team is worn down physically from playing twice a week since the season started in late February because of CONCACAF Champions Cup commitments.

“None of our players right now are at 100% and it’s just a reality that we’re facing,” said Dos Santos, whose team is winless over its last four matches across all competitions. “Sometimes, there are moments that are just difficult for a team and don’t go your way. Right now, we’re in a moment like that.”

LAFC forward Hueng-Min Son remains without a goal in 11 league matches (10 starts) this season but does have eight assists.

–Field Level Media

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