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
Wild D Jonas Brodin out for Game 1, F Joel Eriksson Ek also ailing
Apr 7, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson (90) moves the puck away from Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (25) and center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) during the second period at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin didn’t travel with the team to Denver and will miss Sunday night’s playoff series opener against the Colorado Avalanche.
Forward Joel Eriksson Ek is listed as questionable to play in Game 1 of the Western Conference second-round series.
Brodin, 32, sustained a lower-body injury during Game 5 of Minnesota’s first-round series against the Dallas Stars. He was hurt while blocking a shot by Dallas’ Mikko Rantanen during the second period.
Brodin missed the clinching Game 6 victory on Thursday. He had one assist in the series.
In the regular season, Brodin had four goals and 18 points in 62 games.
Eriksson Ek was hurt in Game 6 when his right leg smacked into the wall. He didn’t practice on Saturday.
Minnesota coach John Hynes was debating what to do about Ek’s spot with his status unclear.
“I’m kind of going through that a little bit right now,” Hynes said. “So, now you kind of go down that decision-making process of what would we do if he’s not ready.”
Ek, 29, had three goals and five points in the Dallas series. In the regular season, he had 19 goals and 51 points in 70 games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cameron Young holds six-shot lead after three rounds in Miami
May 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Cameron Young makes his par putt on the 18th hole during the third round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Romance-Imagn Images Cameron Young shot 2-under-par 70 on Saturday to remain in control through three rounds of Cadillac Championship at Miami.
Young is up six strokes on a group of three golfers, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, at windy Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster Course.
Young, who’s at 15-under 201, will be looking for his second victory of the season and the third of his career on the PGA Tour during Sunday’s final round.
Scheffler shot 69 to move to second place by the time he finished the round. He’s joined in that position by South Korea’s Si Woo Kim (69) and Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan (69).
Young began the round with a bogey on the par-5 first hole but played the next 11 in 3 under.
Scheffler’s round was defined by birdies on three of the four par-5 layouts.
Matt McCarty (69), Ben Griffin (68) and Canada’s Nick Taylor (72) are at 8 under and tied for fifth place. Taylor bogeyed the final hole.
Jordan Spieth took a significant dive, shooting 75 and falling to a tie for 12th at 5 under. He was hurt by two double-bogeys — first on the par-3 fourth hole when he didn’t get into putting position until his fourth stroke and then on the 18th when his approach shot went into the water and he was forced to take a penalty.
Australia’s Adam Scott had the day’s best score with a bogey-free 6-under 66, leaving him at 3 under.
–Field Level Media
Sports
RJ Barrett, Raptors clash with Cavaliers in unexpected Game 7
May 1, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) reacts after scoring the winning basket against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the overtime period in game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images RJ Barrett kept the Toronto Raptors’ season alive with one of the most clutch shots in franchise history, but he isn’t ready to reminisce about the moment yet.
Not with a win-or-go-home Game 7 of their Eastern Conference first round series taking place Sunday night at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Forget everything that’s happened,” said Barrett, who is averaging a series-high 24.3 points per game. “Now, it’s one game to win it all.”
The fifth-seeded Raptors earned that opportunity when Barrett’s 3-pointer with 1.2 seconds left in overtime bounced off the heel of the rim, high in the air and through the hoop to give them a 112-110 victory Friday.
As a result, upstart Toronto has pushed the team with the highest payroll in the NBA to the brink of a devastating end to a season that began with championship dreams.
“Glory to God, that was a fun one, right?” Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said. “It was a heck of a fight. We just talked about how much fun this is and how much we loved the challenge.”
Fourth-seeded Cleveland got a clean look at the buzzer, but Evan Mobley’s 29-footer was off the mark, keeping both teams unbeaten at home in the series.
“If I continue to sulk about that (Barrett) shot, it’s over,” Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell said. “Unfortunately, but fortunately, half of the locker room has been through this before. It’s going to test us.
“Protect home court, that’s all you can do. We’ve got to protect home court.”
History is on Cleveland’s side as it has never lost a Game 7 at home, beating the Washington Bullets in 1976, Boston Celtics in 1992, Indiana Pacers in 2018 and Orlando Magic in 2024.
Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Dean Wade and Sam Merrill remain on the roster from the latter, which featured the Cavaliers and Magic winning every game in their respective arenas.
“We’re at home and the ball is in our court,” said Mobley, who is averaging 19.0 points and 8.8 rebounds while shooting 56.8 percent from the field. “We’ve just got to come together and get a win.
“Don’t get too involved in the magnitude of everything, just protect home court.”
Toronto has only played one Game 7 on the road, losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001. Barrett was about to celebrate his first birthday at the time, while Scottie Barnes and breakout performer Ja’Kobe Walter hadn’t been born yet.
Barrett, Barnes and Walter combined to score 73 of the Raptors’ 112 points in Game 6.
“I’ve watched so many Game 7s, you see the intensity on the court,” said Walter, who averaged 22.0 points and made 10 3-pointers in the last two contests. “I’m so excited to be in this moment.”
Barnes has been the most consistent performer in the series, averaging 24.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 9.0 assists. In a surprising development, he and Barrett have outplayed Cleveland’s star backcourt of James Harden and Mitchell.
Mitchell is shooting just 43.7% on field goal attempts, including 35.3% on 3-point tries; he has only attempted 14 total free throws. He has only taken over in brief stretches of two games, marking a complete turnaround from his brilliant 2025 postseason.
Trade-deadline acquisition Harden has been plagued by careless passes and poor decision-making, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.7 turnovers.
“I’m a little frustrated, but there’s nothing you can do about it,” Harden said. “We can’t dwell on it too long. Just go back home, play one game and win.”
Both squads took Saturday off but will hold shootarounds on Sunday morning.
Raptors small forward Brandon Ingram (right heel) missed Game 6 and will be evaluated after working out with the team. Point guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring) continues to undergo treatment but will sit out the entire series.
The Cavaliers have no injuries and, should they lose, no legitimate excuses.
“This is typical NBA basketball with a four and a five seed going at it,” Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson said. “Now, we’ve got to go out and get Game 7.”
–Field Level Media
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Wild D Jonas Brodin out for Game 1, F Joel Eriksson Ek also ailing
