Sports
Resurgent Royals try to keep momentum going vs. Athletics
Apr 26, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals are displaying signs they have moved on from their early-season struggles as they begin a three-game series against the Athletics on Tuesday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Kansas City scored 29 runs during a three-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels and has won four of its past five contests.
The Royals are still six games below .500 as they enter a stretch of six road games against the Athletics and Seattle Mariners, but encouragement is rising after Sunday’s 11-9, 10-inning victory over the Angels.
The start of the game was moved up three hours, there was an 89-minute rain delay during the seventh inning and Kansas City was down to its final out in both the ninth and 10th innings.
Jac Caglianone hit a tying two-run homer in a three-run ninth, and the Royals prevailed on Lane Thomas’ three-run, walk-off homer in the 10th.
“That’s why no one should ever give up on us,” said Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who also hit his first homer of the season. “The guys we have in here. Because of how relentless we are and how we know who we are, we know what type of team we are, and we’re just going to keep proving it.”
Kansas City is hoping Salvador Perez is about to go on a sustained hot streak. The nine-time All-Star has two three-hit outings in his last six appearances to raise his average to .187, and he belted his fourth homer of the season in Saturday’s 12-1 rout of the Angels.
While pleased with Sunday’s comeback win, veteran right-hander Seth Lugo said more improvement is needed.
“We got a long way to go,” Lugo said. “We’re not quite where we want to be this year. But (Sunday) showed the resilience that we’ve shown for the last few years. … We’re never done until the last out’s made.”
The Athletics are in first place in the American League West after taking two of three from the host Texas Rangers. The A’s also took two of three on the road from the Mariners during the trip.
The Athletics needed 5 2/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen in Sunday’s 2-1 victory as starter J.T. Ginn left with shoulder issues after 3 1/3 frames.
The bullpen gave up just three hits and struck out eight. Justin Sterner entered with the bases loaded and none out in the sixth inning and protected the one-run lead, while Jack Perkins worked two innings to record the save.
“Our bullpen’s been doing a good job,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “There’s a real confidence down there, when the phone rings, that it can be any one of them to come in and pitch.”
The Athletics are starting right-hander Aaron Civale (2-1, 3.86 ERA) in the series opener.
Left-hander Jacob Lopez threw 25 pitches in relief Sunday and won’t start during the Kansas City series. Monday’s off day allowed the A’s to move Civale up.
Civale, 30, received a no-decision against the Mariners last Wednesday when he gave up three runs and six hits over 5 1/3 innings.
He is 4-3 with a 3.73 ERA in 12 career starts against the Royals. Perez is 7-for-21 with three homers against Civale.
The Royals are countering with left-hander Kris Bubic (2-1, 4.08).
Bubic, 28, took a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles on April 21. He gave up three runs and five hits over six innings.
In his lone career start against the Athletics in 2021, Bubic allowed five earned runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings while taking the loss. He served up three homers in the game played in Oakland.
Austin Wynns (1-for-6) and Brent Rooker (0-for-5) are the only Athletics who have faced Bubic.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Chris Sale stifles Rockies as Braves cruise in blowout
May 2, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Chris Sale tossed seven stellar innings and Drake Baldwin homered and drove in four runs on Saturday night to help the visiting Atlanta Braves post a 9-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Sale (6-1) allowed one run on three hits, striking out 11 and walking three for Atlanta, which remains the only MLB team to have not lost a series. Austin Riley also homered for the Braves, who built on their commanding National League East division lead. Their 24-10 record is the best in baseball.
Brennan Bernardino (2-1) served as the opener for the Rockies, allowing two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Chase Dollander then took over, throwing 5 1/3 innings of eight-hit, six-run ball, striking out three and walking three for Colorado, which dropped their fourth game in five tries.
After Ronald Acuna Jr. began the game with a single, Baldwin launched his eighth homer of the year on a drive to left to give the Braves a 2-0 lead.
In the second, Jorge Mateo doubled before Baldwin’s RBI single extended the lead to 3-0.
Kyle Karros singled to begin the third and scored on Jordan Beck’s two-out double, cutting the Rockies’ deficit to 3-1.
Eli White hit a run-scoring single and Baldwin’s double drove in a run in the fourth, before Ozzie Albies’ sacrifice fly made it 6-1 for Atlanta.
Michael Harris II singled and advanced to second on right fielder Troy Johnston’s error in the fifth, then scored on Riley’s two-run homer to left-center to push the lead to 8-1.
Tanner Gordon threw three innings in relief, allowing Matt Olson’s 11th home run of the season in the ninth to give the Braves a 9-1 lead.
Hunter Stratton threw a scoreless ninth to seal the win for the red-hot Braves.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Evander's hat trick, late PK winner give Cincinnati win over Chicago
May 2, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Fire FC defender Jonathan Dean (24) and FC Cincinnati forward Bryan Ramirez (29) battle for control of the ball during the first half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Talia Sprague-Imagn Images Evander converted a penalty kick seven minutes into second-half stoppage time to secure a hat trick and lift FC Cincinnati to a 3-2 road win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
Evander collected a brace in the first half and then added his third goal for the late winner. A yellow card was issued to Chicago’s Dje D’Avilla for a foul in the box on Pavel Bucha, leading to the deciding penalty kick.
The winning goal came six minutes after Chicago striker Hugo Cuypers missed his own chance to complete a hat trick with a penalty-kick strike. Goalkeeper Roman Celentano (eight saves) made a huge save to deny Cuypers and preserve the 2-2 score.
FC Cincinnati (4-4-3, 15 points) won despite playing with only 10 men for most of the second half. Defender Kyle Smith was issued a straight red card in the 56th minute for an accidental kick to the face of the Fire’s Robin Lod.
Cincinnati is unbeaten in its last five (2-0-3) matches, including a 3-3 draw with the Fire two weeks prior.
The victory was Cincinnati’s first win in six road matches this season (1-3-2). FC Cincinnati are 5-0-1 in their last six trips to Chicago.
The Fire (5-3-2, 17 points) have held leads in all three of their losses this season. Saturday’s defeat ended a five-match (4-0-1) unbeaten streak for the home side.
After going scoreless in his first six regular-season matches, Evander now has five goals in his last four matches.
Cuypers has 10 goals in seven league matches this season, scoring at least once in every appearance. Cuypers’ three straight matches with multiple goals ties the second-longest brace streak in MLS history.
The forward started early Saturday, as Cuypers converted a shot that deflected off Smith and into the net in the 16th minute.
Shaky defending also aided in Evander’s equalizer in the 24th minute. During a scramble in front of the Fire’s net, Chicago center back Mbekezeli Mbokazi made a poor touch on a clearance attempt that put the ball right at Evander’s feet for the finish.
Cuypers completed the brace four minutes later, but Evander provided another quick response in the 31st minute.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Canes keep rolling, blank Flyers to open semifinal series
May 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven (22) is congratulated by left wing Taylor Hall (71) and right wing Jackson Blake (53) after his goal against the Philadelphia Flyers during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images Logan Stankoven scored twice and goaltender Frederik Andersen collected his second shutout of this year’s playoffs as the host Carolina Hurricanes opened their playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers with a 3-0 victory on Saturday in Raleigh, N.C.
Jackson Blake scored once and added an assist for the Hurricanes, who followed a first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators with a decisive victory to kick off the Eastern Conference best-of-seven semifinal series.
Andersen made 18 saves for his seventh career playoff shutout.
Mike Reilly collected a pair of assists.
Dan Vladar stopped 20 shots for the Flyers, who will attempt to regroup when the series resumes Monday in Raleigh.
The Hurricanes, who finished atop the Eastern Conference standings in the regular season, are yet to trail in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs and continued that trend thanks to their hottest player.
Stankoven tallied for the fifth consecutive game to open the scoring only 91 seconds into the clash. Reilly fired a point shot that Stankoven deflected into the net. Stankoven, 23, is the youngest player in history to score goals in five consecutive games to open the playoffs.
Stankoven has scored first in four of Carolina’s five playoff outings.
Blake doubled the lead six minutes later with a highlight-reel worthy tally. He zipped around the defenders before tucking home the puck for his second tally of the playoffs.
The Flyers had managed only one shot on goal at the point.
Stankoven gave the Hurricanes a three-goal edge late in the second period. After a turnover, Seth Jarvis fed a pass to Stankoven in the slot and he immediately buried the chance with 3:44 remaining in the middle frame.
From there, the Hurricanes cruised to victory, amidst a string of message-sending infractions by the Flyers and retaliatory actions from Carolina’s skaters.
After a handful of players were sent to the dressing room with misconducts just past the midway point of the final frame, things quieted.
–Field Level Media
Chris Sale stifles Rockies as Braves cruise in blowout
Evander's hat trick, late PK winner give Cincinnati win over Chicago
