Sports
Rangers lament what went wrong as Blue Jays come to town
Aug 23, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (17) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images There has not been a back-to-back World Series champion in 23 years and it looks like there will not be one this year either.
The Texas Rangers hit a brick wall in their bid to win consecutive World Series titles and all that’s left is 12 more regular season games, beginning with the opener of a three-game series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
The Rangers (71-79) have lost three in a row and five of six to drop 8 1/2 games back of the final American League wild-card spot entering Monday.
“I wish I knew what the answer was,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “Obviously, I don’t have it figured out.”
A four-time World Series champion as manager, Bochy ran out of buttons to push this season.
“It shows how difficult it is to win a championship,” Bochy said. “To repeat, a lot of good things have to happen. You need your guys to have a similar year to the year before, you need to avoid injuries and you need a surprise or two.”
Texas belted 233 home runs during the regular season last year, but only 158 balls have cleared the fence so far this season. Corey Seager, who was just ruled out for the season with a sports hernia, played in 123 games this season and hit 30 home runs after playing in 119 games last season and hitting 33.
“Our guys will tell you they haven’t had the years they had last year,” Bochy said. “We weren’t the same team offensively, and it’s hard to explain why. We just didn’t have that same slug as we did last year.”
The Rangers plan to start right-hander Nathan Eovaldi in the series opener.
Eovaldi (11-8, 3.67 ERA) allowed four runs and seven hits in five innings in his most recent start last Tuesday, a 6-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks that ended a three-start winning streak.
“I felt like I wasn’t really locating my fastball and splitter (against Arizona), and those two pitches really cost me,” Eovaldi said. “It didn’t feel like I made as many adjustments as I should have. I got a little stubborn.”
Eovaldi has made 13 appearances against Toronto, including 12 starts, and is 1-3 with a 5.24 ERA.
Chris Bassitt is scheduled to take the mound for the Blue Jays (72-78), who are only one game better than the Rangers in the wild-card standings.
Bassitt (10-13, 4.20) is coming off a solid performance in which he limited the New York Mets to one run and five hits and struck out eight in six innings, earning the victory in the 6-2 win on Tuesday.
Bassett played for the Mets in 2022 and still has a few fans in their dugout.
“Playing behind him, you know he’s going to leave it all out there every single time,” Mets first baseman Pete Alonso said. “If you do that, it’s really cherished in the locker room because everyone knows how hard it is — anything can happen over the course of the season.
“There’s this old saying in baseball, the best ability of a player is availability. He’s out there every fifth day and leaves it all out there every single time he throws the rock.”
Bassitt has made 15 appearances against the Rangers in his career, including 11 starts, and is 5-3 with a 3.72 ERA.
The Blue Jays have won three in a row after losing seven of nine.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Troy Johnston's clutch double leads Rockies' comeback win over Dodgers
Apr 18, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker (23) is congratulated by designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) after a two-run home run during the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images Troy Johnston hit a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth inning and the Colorado Rockies held on for a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night in Denver.
Johnston had three of Colorado’s seven hits as the Rockies won for only the second time in nine games.
Kyle Tucker and Dalton Rushing homered for the Dodgers, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Shohei Ohtani was 1-for-4 to extend his on-base streak to 50 games.
Brennan Bernardino (2-0) delivered 1 1/3 no-hit innings in relief, and Victor Vodnik pitched the ninth for his third save.
Will Klein (1-1) allowed hits to each of the first three batters he faced in the sixth, including Johnston’s game-winning double.
The first two Dodgers reached in the eighth against Jaden Hill and they loaded the bases with two outs before Hill retired Max Muncy on a groundout to second base.
Colorado starter Ryan Feltner went 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and five hits with a walk and five strikeouts.
Los Angeles starter Emmet Sheehan gave up two runs on four hits in five innings, with two walks and four strikeouts.
The Dodgers led 2-0 two pitches into the game. After Ohtani hit the first pitch into play and reached on an error by Johnston, Tucker drove the first pitch he saw into the second deck in right for his third home run with the Dodgers.
TJ Rumfield’s RBI single made it 2-1 in the bottom of the first.
Rushing’s solo homer with one out in the second restored the two-run lead.
Kyle Karros’ sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning made it 3-2, scoring Johnston, who had singled, stolen second and moved to third on a groundout.
The Dodgers threatened when Freddie Freeman tripled with one out in the visitor’s half of the sixth. But Karros at third dove to stop Teoscar Hernandez’s grounder down the line, retiring him at first. Bernardino replaced Feltner and struck out Muncy to end the threat.
The Dodgers threatened with a pair of two-out singles in the ninth before Tucker’s flyout to left ended the game. Los Angeles was hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position, stranding eight in the narrow loss
–Field Level Media
Sports
Flyers emerge with win over Penguins in opening tussle of playoff series
Apr 18, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Cam York (8) checks Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) in front of Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar (80) during the first period against in game one of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Porter Martone scored a timely goal late for the Philadelphia Flyers, who skated away with a 3-2 road victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round playoff series on Saturday night.
Travis Sanheim and Jamie Drysdale also scored for Philadelphia. Trevor Zegras, Denver Barkey, Rasmus Ristolainen, Christian Dvorak and Travis Konecny registered assists.
Dan Vladar stopped 15 shots for the Flyers, none bigger than a point-blank stop on Anthony Mantha in the closing seconds to preserve the win.
Evgeni Malkin scored his 68th postseason goal for the Penguins and assisted on Bryan Rust’s goal. Tommy Novak, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson earned assists.
Stuart Skinner faced 20 shots and made 17 saves.
The postseason renewal of the Battle of Pennsylvania was exactly that for the two teams ending lengthy playoff droughts. It was a physical affair that featured just 26 shots on goal and 59 hits through the first two periods. That favored the Flyers, who finished the season fourth in the league in hits.
Martone, the 19-year-old who joined Philadelphia from Michigan State on March 31, scored what appeared to be an insurance goal with 2:37 left that gave the Flyers a 3-1 lead. That prompted Pittsburgh to pull Skinner for a sixth attacker.
A tussle between Penguins star Sidney Crosby and Sanheim sent both to the penalty box with 1:09 left, and Rust made it a one-goal game from the high slot eight seconds later.
Drysdale gave Philadelphia the lead midway through the second. Zegras skated behind the net and found the defenseman in the faceoff circle. Denver Barkey also assisted on the goal and further helped by screening Skinner.
Less than seven minutes later, Malkin provided the equalizer as the Penguins applied pressure in the attack zone. Vladar stopped Rakell but allowed a long rebound to his right that Novak tapped to the 39-year-old, who scored from the faceoff circle with 4:09 left in the period.
Sanheim reclaimed the lead for Philadelphia at the midway point of the third.
Pittsburgh’s 17 shots on goal were its fewest in a postseason game since the Penguins mustered just 12 in Game 5 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final against the Nashville Predators.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Mike Malott TKOs Gilbert Burns, forces abrupt retirement
Oct 18, 2025; Vancouver, BC, CANADA; Mike Malott (blue gloves) reacts during the fight against Kevin Holland (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Simon Fearn-Imagn Images The UFC Winnipeg main event on Saturday night featured Canada’s headliner Mike Malott stopping former UFC welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns of Brazil to cap off an entertaining UFC Fight Night card.
A third-round left hook was the beginning of the end, securing the TKO at 2:08. Malott (14-2-1) extended his winning streak to four, improving his UFC stint to 7-1.
“I’m on top of the world right now,” Malott said following the win.
Malott paid respect to Burns (19-10), calling him a “legend” as the Canada Life Centre crowd exploded in jubilation.
As for what’s next, Malott kept it simple. He has no preferences regarding an opponent, just enjoying the journey as it comes.
Burns, meanwhile, took his gloves off while holding back his emotions and opted to retire after his fifth straight loss.
“I worked so hard,” the 39-year-old said, praising the UFC. “I think that’s it. But I am content.”
A bantamweight co-headliner saw Canadian fan favorite Charles Jourdain win a unanimous decision over Kyler Phillips of the United States in an entertaining, back-and-forth affair. Jourdain (18-8-1) is 3-0 since moving to bantamweight, defeating Phillips (12-5), who has lost his last three. Jourdain swept the cards 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, nearly securing a kimura submission from his back in the closing minutes of Round 3.
Lightweight veteran Jai Herbert of England survived an early flurry from UFC newcomer Mandel Nallo of Canada, silencing the pro-Canadian crowd with a first-round TKO at 2:05.
Herbert initially dropped Nallo just a minute before the final sequence, securing his second UFC KO/TKO to move a step closer to .500 in the Octagon. Herbert (14-6-1) made it clear he wants to be more “active,” praising Nallo’s toughness and resolve. Nallo (14-4) had won five straight entering his promotional debut.
Women’s flyweights Jasmine Jasudavicius and Karine Silva got the better of each other in a grappling-heavy affair, with Canada’s Jasudavicius earning a unanimous decision win over her Brazilian opponent.
Jasudavicius (15-4) took the scorecards 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, sending Silva (19-7) back to the drawing board. Jasudavicius has won five of her last six, while Silva fell to 1-3 in her last four after starting her UFC run 4-0 dating to June 2022.
Lightweights Gauge Young and Thiago Moises entertained the crowd in a 15-minute slugfest, with Young (11-3) earning a split decision victory (29-28, 28-29, 29-28). Young stole the last two rounds, knocking Moises down and nearly finishing him in Round 3 to open the five-fight main card. Young earned his third UFC win, whereas the loss for Moises (19-10) marked his 17th Octagon appearance.
–Field Level Media
