Sports
Sam Burns torches par 5s to grab early Masters lead
Apr 9, 2026; Augusta, Georgia, USA; Sam Burns plays his shot from the fifth tee during the first round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images AUGUSTA, Ga. — Sam Burns took advantage of Augusta National’s longest holes in posting a 5-under-par round of 67 to take the early first-round in the 90th edition of the Masters Tournament on Thursday.
Burns got his round rolling by sinking an 11-foot eagle putt on the par-5 second hole. After dropping a shot on the seventh, he immediately gained it back with a birdie on the par-5 eighth. Burns also birdied both par-5s on the back nine and added another with a birdie on the par-3 12th.
It added up to the best round of Burns’ Masters career, besting the 68 he posted in the first round in 2023. In 12 previous rounds through four previous appearances at Augusta National, that had been the lone time Burns had broken 70 until Thursday.
Patrick Reed also reached 5 under by eagling both par-5s on the front nine to make his turn in 31, but the 2018 Masters champion gave a shot back at No. 10 before putting a ball in the water on the par-5 15th for another bogey.
Kurt Kitayama finished an eventful day at 3-under 69. He reached 4 under through 10 holes before a bogey on No. 11 and a double bogey on the short par-3 12th. He was able to card birdies on two of his final holes to get to the clubhouse among the early leaders.
Bryson DeChambeau, who is seeking to build on his best Masters finish of fifth place last year, was at even par beginning hole Nos. 11-13 known as “Amen Corner.” DeChambeau put his approach shot on No. 11 into the bunker behind the green. He then failed to get out of the bunker on his first two attempts and ended up carding a triple bogey on the hole.
NOTES: The 91-player field includes 22 first-time players — six amateurs and 16 professionals. Each amateur is paired with a Masters champion for the first two rounds of the tournament.
–Derek Harper, Field Level Media
Sports
Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th as Dodgers drub Pirates
Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits an RBI single to record his twenty-five hundred MLB career hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Freddie Freeman recorded his 2,500th career hit, Andy Pages drove in three runs and Shohei Ohtani drove in two more during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 10-run seventh inning, which propelled them to a 12-3 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
In the seventh, Pages hit a two-run home run off Pirates reliever Wilber Dotel (1-1) and a sacrifice fly off Brandan Bidois. Ohtani hit an RBI double against Dotel, then Bidois walked him with the bases loaded to force in another run.
Freeman’s milestone came on an RBI single up the middle off Bidois to score Alex Freeland and cap the scoring in the inning.
Every Dodger in the starting lineup scored in the inning as the visitors sent 15 batters to the plate.
Paul Skenes started for the Pirates, who lost their fourth in a row, and gave up two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven over six innings.
Skenes retired Ohtani all three times he faced him, including a strikeout in the third.
Dotel allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits and one walk without recording an out. The Pirates needed 68 pitches and used three relievers until Mookie Betts lined out to left against Dennis Santana to end the seventh.
Dotel had allowed two runs in his first 16 2/3 career innings before Tuesday.
The first nine Dodgers reached safely until Dalton Rushing struck out in his second at-bat of the seventh. Rushing started behind the plate for the third consecutive game with Will Smith still dealing with neck stiffness.
Max Muncy finished with three hits and an RBI while Freeman, Betts, Freeland and Santiago Espinal each had two of Los Angeles’ 15 hits.
In the sixth, Will Klein (2-2) relieved starter Eric Lauer, who gave up two runs on back-to-back home runs by Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O’Hearn with two outs in the first. Lauer struck out five and allowed three hits and no walks before Klein struck out three over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Pittsburgh infielder Tyler Callihan made his first career pitching appearance and threw a scoreless ninth.
Oneil Cruz was a late scratch for the Pirates as he continues to deal with left hand discomfort.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th; Dodgers drub Pirates
Jun 9, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) hits an RBI single to record his twenty-five hundred MLB career hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Freddie Freeman recorded his 2,500th career hit, Andy Pages drove in three runs and Shohei Ohtani drove in two more during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 10-run seventh inning, which propelled them to a 12-3 win over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night.
In the seventh, Pages hit a two-run home run off Pirates reliever Wilber Dotel (1-1) and a sacrifice fly off Brandan Bidois. Ohtani hit an RBI double against Dotel, then Bidois walked him with the bases loaded to force in another run.
Freeman’s milestone came on an RBI single up the middle off Bidois to score Alex Freeland and cap the scoring in the inning.
Every Dodger in the starting lineup scored in the inning as the visitors sent 15 batters to the plate.
Paul Skenes started for the Pirates, who lost their fourth in a row, and gave up two runs on six hits and two walks and struck out seven over six innings.
Skenes retired Ohtani all three times he faced him, including a strikeout in the third.
Dotel allowed six runs (five earned) on five hits and one walk without recording an out. The Pirates needed 68 pitches and used three relievers until Mookie Betts lined out to left against Dennis Santana to end the seventh.
Dotel had allowed two runs in his first 16 2/3 career innings before Tuesday.
The first nine Dodgers reached safely until Dalton Rushing struck out in his second at-bat of the seventh. Rushing started behind the plate for the third consecutive game with Will Smith still dealing with neck stiffness.
Max Muncy finished with three hits and an RBI while Freeman, Betts, Freeland and Santiago Espinal each had two of Los Angeles’ 15 hits.
In the sixth, Will Klein (2-2) relieved starter Eric Lauer, who gave up two runs on back-to-back home runs by Bryan Reynolds and Ryan O’Hearn with two outs in the first. Lauer struck out five and allowed three hits and no walks before Klein struck out three over 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Pittsburgh infielder Tyler Callihan made his first career pitching appearance and threw a scoreless ninth.
Oneil Cruz was a late scratch for the Pirates as he continues to deal with left hand discomfort.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Jac Caglianone's 2 home runs power Royals past Rangers
Jun 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Jac Caglianone (14) hits a two run home run against the Texas Rangers during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Jac Caglianone homered twice and the Kansas City Royals used a four-run sixth inning to rally for their third straight victory, 5-3 over the visiting Texas Rangers on Tuesday night.
Caglianone, who had three hits with a walk, led off the fifth inning with a home run for Kansas City’s first hit against Texas starter Nathan Eovaldi (5-7). He then highlighted the breakout sixth with a two-run shot.
Both of Caglianone’s career two-homer games have come against Texas, and this one helped the Royals overcome a 2-0 hole and win for the sixth time in eight games.
Josh Jung and Brandon Nimmo each had two hits for Texas, which had won seven of nine, a stretch that began with a three-game home sweep of Kansas City.
Texas opened the scoring the second, settling for one run. Royals starter Stephen Kolek walked Wyatt Langford, who went to third on Ezequiel Duran’s double and scored when Jake Burger singled to left. However, Duran was tagged out at home on Evan Carter’s grounder to third baseman Maikel Garcia, then Kyle Higashioka hit into a 5-4-3 double play.
The Rangers added another run in the fourth. Carter recorded a two-out single, went to second on Kolek’s errant pickoff throw, then stole third and scored on catcher Carter Jensen’s throwing error.
Kolek left after five innings, charged with two runs (one earned) on eight hits.
Caglianone got the Royals on the board by lining an Eovaldi pitch 421 feet over the right field fence.
In the sixth, Jensen doubled and eventually scored on a triple off the center field wall by Garcia, who came home via Vinnie Pasquantino’s ground-rule double to put the Royals ahead. After Salvador Perez popped out, Eovaldi exited. Facing Jalen Beeks, Caglianone found the right field fountains for a 5-2 Kansas City lead.
Eovaldi was charged with four runs while yielding four hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings.
Texas got a run back in the seventh when Joc Pederson tripled on a ball Caglianone misplayed in right field. He scored on Corey Seager’s groundout to first base.
Steven Cruz (1-2) retired all four batters faced for the win.
Kansas City center fielder Kyle Isbel exited with an apparent leg injury following his seventh-inning single.
–Field Level Media
Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th as Dodgers drub Pirates
Freddie Freeman posts 2,500th hit in 10-run 7th; Dodgers drub Pirates
