Sports
Sagging Diamondbacks sense opportunity in return to Arizona against Pirates
May 3, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (4) reacts after striking out against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images The Arizona Diamondbacks were beaten and battered on a 2-6 excursion and have fallen a game below .500.
The Diamondbacks will look to regain their form with a six-game homestand that begins Tuesday night in Phoenix with the opener of a three-game series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Arizona’s woes began before the trip with three losses in four home games. The Diamondbacks began their time away from home by splitting two games with the San Diego Padres in Mexico City before losing two of three to the Milwaukee Brewers and being swept in a three-game set by the Chicago Cubs.
Arizona lost the last four games by a cumulative 29-10 score. They allowed 13 runs in both of the setbacks in Milwaukee, sandwiched around a 6-2 victory.
“Bad,” shortstop Geraldo Perdomo told reporters. “Really bad. Win two out of eight? That’s not us. It was really bad. It was a disaster.”
The plunge is alarming after the Diamondbacks got off to a solid 13-8 start.
But they have since lost nine of 12 games, allowing 10 or more runs four times and scoring two or fewer runs on four occasions.
Arizona manager Torey Lovullo expects a turnaround to occur immediately.
“I stand before you guys every single day and tell you that we’re working hard and things are going to turn, and we’re going to have good days. And I’m going to continue to believe in that,” Lovullo said. “Because I see how hard these guys work, and I think they just get frustrated when they don’t have results. We’ve got to get the tide to turn a little bit. … I’ll expect their absolute best on Tuesday.”
One Arizona player performing at a premium is first baseman Ildemaro Vargas, who was the National League Player of the Month for March/April.
The 34-year-old journeyman had his 27-game hitting streak end on Saturday. The switch-hitter leads the NL with a .382 batting average and leads the Diamondbacks with six homers and 21 RBIs.
Pittsburgh is coming off a three-game sweep of the visiting Cincinnati Reds. The Pirates scored 26 runs while winning the first two games and then prevailed 1-0 in Sunday’s series finale.
Rookie shortstop Konnor Griffin drove in the lone run with a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth.
Griffin was disappointed at the timing of the hit. Right-hander Braxton Ashcraft pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings before exiting, so the victory went to left-handed reliever Gregory Soto.
“He deserved it,” Griffin said of Ashcraft. “I wish we could have gotten it for him a little earlier, but he pitched his tail off and we tried to back him up the best we can.”
Griffin, who turned 20 on April 24, is batting .262 with two homers and 16 RBIs in 29 games since being promoted to the majors. He was the No. 9 pick in the 2024 draft.
Oneil Cruz leads the Pirates with nine homers and 28 RBIs.
Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0, 3.03 ERA) starts for Arizona and he is coming off a no-decision against the Milwaukee Brewers last Wednesday. He gave up two runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings in a game the Diamondbacks won 6-2.
Rodriguez, 33, is 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA in three career starts against the Pirates. Brandon Lowe (4-for-20) has three homers off Rodriguez while striking out 11 times, and Bryan Reynolds is 3-for-6.
Rookie right-hander Bubba Chandler (1-3, 4.97) will be on the mound for Pittsburgh. He has allowed nine runs over nine innings while losing each of his past two outings.
In his turn, Chandler gave up three runs and three hits over five innings while losing 5-4 to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Chandler, 23, has never faced the Diamondbacks or any of their hitters.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lottie Woad leads Evian; Nelly Korda misses 1st cut in 2 years
Jun 25, 2026; Chaska, Minnesota, USA; Lottie Woad hits her tee shot on the third hole during the first round of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images Lottie Woad of England carded a 7-under-par 64 on Friday to secure a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Evian Championship in Evian-les-Bains, France.
Woad collected eight birdies against one bogey at the Evian Resort Golf Club to move to 11-under 131 at the fourth of this season’s five majors.
While Woad shot up the leaderboard, World No. 1 Nelly Korda saw her streak of 34 cuts made in official LPGA Tour events come to a halt on Friday. The four-time major winner’s bid for a birdie on the final hole fell inches short, putting her at 2-under 69 on Friday and 1-over 143 for the tournament.
Korda’s last missed cut was the 2024 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
Woad caught fire on the back nine, highlighted by a run of birdies on Nos. 11-13 as well as birdies on the par-5 15th and 18th holes.
“Yeah, I think I just kept on giving myself chances. I mean, at the start I hit a lot of good approaches on one and two and didn’t make them,” Woad said. “On the back nine seemed to make most things.”
Woad is one shot ahead of first-round leader Aki Iwai (69 on Friday) of Japan. Iwai recorded five birdies, however a bogey on No. 17 and a double-bogey on the par-4 sixth hole soured her round.
Mao Saigo (68) of Japan benefited from a bogey-free round to join Haeran Ryu (68) of South Korea in third place, three strokes behind Woad.
Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul tallied an eagle on No. 7 and five birdies to card a 64 on Friday. The nine-time LPGA Tour winner resides in a four-way tie for fifth place at 6-under.
“Like I wanted to hit it on the fairway because I know if I hit on the fairway I might have a chance to go two to the green. Even I have to hit 3-woods,” Thitikul said of her approach on the par-5 seventh hole.
“But like it had a chance, because yesterday I miss by a tad bit to the left so I don’t have a chance to go to the green. So I had like over 40 feet putt and it just luckily went in.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber joins Bryce Harper in HR Derby
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber (12) reacts with first baseman Bryce Harper (3) after hitting a home run during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images The Phillies will be well represented in the Home Run Derby on Monday in Philadelphia.
Kyle Schwarber announced Friday that he is joining Phillies teammate Bryce Harper in the exhibition at Citizens Bank Park.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero, New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice, Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone, St. Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker and Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras also have been confirmed to participate.
Schwarber, who leads the majors with 32 homers this season, reached the finals of the Home Run Derby in 2018. The then-Chicago Cubs slugger lost to Harper, who was then a member of the Nationals and the All-Star festivities were held in Washington.
Schwarber’s last foray in the Home Run Derby didn’t go so well. He lost in the first round in 2022.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Tim Merlier sprints to victory at Stage 7 of Tour de France
Trek’s Mads Pedersen celebrates on the podium wearing the green jersey after stage 7. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes It was a vintage performance for 33-year-old Tim Merlier, who won Stage 7 at the Tour de France on Friday as he burst from the pack near the finish line at Bordeaux, France.
A native of Belgium, Merlier won his fourth career stage in his third appearance at the Tour de France. It was the 24th stage victory all time by a Belgian rider in Bordeaux.
Merlier was clear by a full bike length at the finish ahead of Soren Waerenskjold of Norway and Binian Girmay of Eritrea in the sprint finish, while Max Kanter of Germany finished fourth and 10-time stage winner Jasper Philipsen of Belgium was fifth.
Despite Merlier’s victory in the sprint, Mads Pedersen of Denmark remained in the green jersey to mark the overall sprint leader through the first week of the three-week grand tour race. Pedersen finished ninth in Stage 7 after winning Stage 4 on Tuesday.
Philipsen’s Alpecin-Premier Tech team was well organized into the final kilometer as Stage 7 finished along the Garonne River. Philipsen was near the front with 500 meters to go then charged into the lead at the 200-meter mark but was tracked down quickly by Merlier, his former teammate.
The bunch finish in the sprint stage meant that there was no change in the overall lead.
Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia remained in the overall leader’s yellow jersey, with rival Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark in second, 2 minutes, 42 seconds off the pace. Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates teammate Isaac del Toro of Mexico is in third place, followed by Remco Evenepoel of Belgium and Juan Ayuso of Spain.
Just behind the top five is 19-year-old French rider Paul Seixas, who is the youngest competitor in the field.
Saturday’s Stage 8 will be another flat route for the sprinters with the 180.4 kilometer course extending from Perigueux to Bergerac.
–Field Level Media
Lottie Woad leads Evian; Nelly Korda misses 1st cut in 2 years
Phillies' Kyle Schwarber joins Bryce Harper in HR Derby
