Sports
Spring training roundup: Red Sox build big lead, hold off Rays
Feb 26, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story (10) hits a double in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images Boston pitching dominated early and the Red Sox held on for a 7-5 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Bays on Thursday in Fort Myers, Fla.
The Rays trailed 7-0 in the fourth inning but brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth follow an RBI triple by Marshall Toole.
Red Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet started the game and pitched two scoreless innings before Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the third and right-hander Greg Weissert sailed through the fourth to get the win.
Boston scored all seven runs in the fourth but no earned runs were charged to T.J. Nichols before he exited after getting only two outs. The Red Sox rally began with third baseman Andruw Monasterio reaching on second baseman Ben Williamson’s error, which allowed Caleb Durbin to score and Kristian Campbell to advance to second.
Red Sox right-hander Devin Sweet secured the save, allowing two hits, a run and striking out two in the ninth.
Toole had a pair of hits for the Rays. Shortstop Trevor Story drove in two runs for the Red Sox in a seven-run fourth inning.
Orioles 6, Tigers 5
Jordan Sanchez laced a single up the middle past a drawn-in infield to plate the winning run in walk-off fashion against lefty Carlos Pena at Sarasota, Fla., to keep the Tigers winless in seven games this spring.
Sanchez, 20, entered the game in the No. 9 spot in Baltimore’s order, replacing second baseman Jeremiah Jackson, who had two hits, as did first baseman Pete Alonso. Tyler O’Neill was 3-for-3 with a home run in the first inning to boost his batting average to .778.
The Tigers powered up after falling behind 5-2. Eduardo Valenica golfed a two-run homer to left in the sixth and Carson Rucker’s solo homer in the seventh — both off of Baltimore’s Trey Gibson — tied it at 5.
Baltimore had 15 hits and stranded seven of the Tigers’ nine runners who reached scoring position.
Sanchez scored Aron Estrada in the ninth when he caught up with a Pena fastball and knifed the game-winner past a diving Jack Penney at short.
Detroit’s winless record includes two ties.
Mets 5, Astros 0
Nolan McLean pitched four scoreless innings with six strikeouts and the Mets used home runs by Tyrone Taylor and Marcus Semien to cruise past punchless Houston in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Right-hander Robert Stock relieved McLean in the fifth and fanned six batters in three innings.
The Astros were held to two hits, struck out 15 times in 28 at-bats and only one of the team’s non-starters — outfielder Anthony Huezo walked — reached base.
Taylor roped a two-run shot to center in the second and Semien, who was 2-for-3, followed with his first homer in a Mets uniform to left-center off of Bryan King. King replaced lefty Steven Okert, who took the loss allowing three runs and a walk in one inning.
Yankees 7, Braves 3
Left-handed slugger Spencer Jones blasted a solo home run out of George Steinbrenner Field and the Yankees powered their way past the Braves in Tampa, Fla.
The Yankees jumped in front 5-0 in the bottom of the first inning and five of their eight hits were for extra bases.
New York’s homers came from Jones, Paul Goldschmidt and Jazz Chisholm, who began the barrage of Braves veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco with a two-run blast in the first inning. Jones cleared the bleachers and went windshield shopping in the parking lot outside the park in right-center field.
Ben Gamel homered for the second time this spring for Atlanta, and center fielder Jose Azocar had two hits. Carrasco allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Elmer Rodriguez was the winning pitcher for the Yankees with four strikeouts and two runs allowed in three innings.
Phillies 7, Nationals 3
Bryce Harper drove in two and scored a run, leading the Phillies past the Nationals in Clearwater, Fla.
Philadelphia busted it open with a four-run third, breaking a 1-1 tie with a home run from designated hitter Kehden Hettiger to left center. Bryson Stott, who homered in the first, reached in front of Harper and scored on a double to the right field corner. Harper came around on a single by catcher Garrett Stubbs.
Washington right-hander Gus Varland allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning but was relieved before finishing the third inning.
Nationals first baseman Andres Chaparro yanked a two-run home run inside the left field foul pole to cut the lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth.
Harper made it 6-3 with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, knocking in Hettiger.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fresh off play-in win, Suns take on top-seeded Thunder
Apr 17, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Jalen Green (4) celebrates after a slam dunk against the Golden State Warriors during the first half in the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Phoenix Suns come into their first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with some momentum after knocking off the Golden State Warriors in the play-in finale Friday to earn the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.
The Thunder haven’t played in a week heading into Sunday’s Game 1 of the series in Oklahoma City.
After letting a big lead slip away in the play-in opener against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Suns bounced back with a 111-96 home win over the Warriors.
Jalen Green was one of the biggest factors in Phoenix advancing, with 36 points in Friday’s victory.
“They’re going to come in, play hard, play their game, but I think if we bring the same energy that we brought (Friday night) and getting stops, playing defense, getting out and running, we can use that to our advantage,” Green said, looking forward to facing Oklahoma City. “It should be a good series.”
The Thunder are looking to become the first team since Golden State in 2017-18 to repeat as champions.
“It’s an opportunity,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I think just going through last year and realizing that’s so far down the line. So many things are going to happen before we get to the Finals clinching game. … So many things have to go our way that aren’t in our control and so many things we have to control that are hard to control at this level for a long period of time for us to have that opportunity.”
Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren said there’s value in having the experience, but that his team can’t take any team lightly.
“You have to try to carry over the experiences that you learn from, but you can’t carry over the result, because the result means absolutely nothing,” Holmgren said. “If you’re sitting here in the playoffs saying, ‘Oh, we won last year,’ that’s not going to win you a playoff series or a game or get a stop on a possession.”
The series features two of the best defenses in the league.
The Thunder had the NBA’s best defensive rating, allowing just 106.5 points per 100 possessions during the regular season while the Suns were ninth at 112.9.
In Friday’s win, Phoenix scored 30 points off Golden State turnovers to help fuel the win, while Oklahoma City led the league with 22.0 points per game off turnovers during the season. The Thunder also limited opponents to just 14.7 points per game off turnovers, second-best in the NBA.
The Thunder won three of the five regular-season matchups between the teams, with Phoenix being one of just three teams to hand Oklahoma City multiple losses this season.
The teams closed the regular season against each other, though that game — a 32-point Suns win — will bear little resemblance to Sunday’s matchup.
With their playoff/play-in positions set, both teams sat most of their starters, with the Thunder’s only regular starter to play being Luguentz Dort.
Phoenix was without Grayson Allen (hamstring) and Mark Williams (foot soreness) for Friday’s win.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Experienced Lightning face young Canadiens in first round
Apr 9, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (81) vies for position with Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky (20) during the second period at the Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images The Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning will meet in the postseason for the first time since 2021 and this matchup will come under much different circumstances.
Game 1 in the first-round series is set for Sunday at Tampa, Fla.
Holding the Atlantic Division’s second spot, the Lightning clinched home-ice advantage Tuesday night when the third-place Canadiens lost 4-2 in their regular-season finale against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Tampa Bay right winger Nikita Kucherov produced 130 points (44 goals, 86 assists) in 76 games, falling eight short of Art Ross Trophy winner Connor McDavid, who produced 138 points while playing in all 82 matches for the Edmonton Oilers.
In a season that may produce a second Vezina Trophy, goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy went 39-15-4 to lead the NHL in wins. He had a 2.31 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
Jon Cooper’s Lightning won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021, the latter in the Finals over the Canadiens when conference alignment was ditched in an adjusted playoff format because of the pandemic.
The Lightning’s title run was interrupted by three straight Cup appearances and two championships by the archrival Florida Panthers.
“Everybody’s looking for something new, right? For somebody new to win or somebody new to come along,” Cooper said. “But what’s wrong with the team that wants to sit there and maybe throw (the word) ‘dynasty’ around. That’s what we’re looking at.”
A pending unrestricted free agent, defenseman Darren Raddysh had a breakout year running the power play, producing a career-best 22 goals, a franchise record, to go with 48 assists that will lead to a hefty contract in the summer.
The availability of defenseman Victor Hedman, who has not played since March 19, is uncertain.
While Tampa Bay has played in six conference finals and made four trips to the Final under Cooper, coach Martin St. Louis will send out a group of youthful Canadiens that represent early success from a rebuild.
Montreal suits up the NHL’s youngest club with an average just shy of 26 years old, ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres.
The first-round matchup is a classic one of veteran core players versus talented youngsters.
Cole Caufield, 25, produced 51 goals in 81 games, while 22-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022, had 30 tallies and 73 points in 82 matches.
Star defenseman Lane Hutson, also 22, had 12 goals and 66 assists as one of 11 Canadiens to reach double figures in goals.
The squad’s 26-year-old captain from London, Ontario, Nick Suzuki had a career year in becoming the fifth Montreal player to register 100 points, posting 29 goals and 72 helpers en route to a second straight playoff appearance.
Guy Lafleur, Peter Mahovlich, Steve Shutt and most recently Mats Naslund in 1986 hit the century mark.
Suzuki, who played against the Lightning in the 2021 Final, said the Habs have grown since losing in five games to the Washington Capitals a year ago.
“We’ve built our game throughout the whole season, learning different things, individually and as a team,” said Suzuki, who missed Wednesday’s practice to attend the birth of his daughter, Maya. “We’re in a much better spot that we were last year in the playoffs. We’ve matched up well against (the Lightning) the last couple of years.
“There’s no intimidation.”
Montreal went 2-1-1 against Tampa Bay including two victories in the campaign’s final nine games.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Donovan Mitchell nets 32 as Cavaliers overpower Raptors
Apr 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) drives to the basket against Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) during the first quarter of game one in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points and James Harden added 22 points and 10 assists, powering the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 126-113 victory over the visiting Toronto Raptors in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first round series Saturday.
Max Strus had 24 points off the bench and Evan Mobley scored 17 for the fourth-seeded Cavaliers, who have won 11 straight playoff games over the Raptors. Game 2 is Monday in Cleveland, where Toronto is 0-8 all-time in the postseason.
Mitchell extended his league-record streak of scoring 30-plus points in a series opener to nine straight, two more than Michael Jordan had on two occasions. The Cavaliers’ largest lead was 100-76 early in the fourth quarter on a Sam Merrill 3-pointer.
RJ Barrett scored 24 points and Scottie Barnes contributed 21 points and seven assists for the fifth-seeded Raptors. Brandon Ingram added 17 points and Jamal Shead had 17 points in his playoff debut, starting for injured guard Immanuel Quickley (right hamstring strain).
Harden became the fifth player in NBA history to appear in a playoff game in 17 seasons, joining Karl Malone, John Stockton, Tony Parker and Jason Kidd. He also moved past Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird into 13th place in playoff points with 3,917.
Strus made back-to-back 3-pointers and followed with a layup in transition, giving the Cavaliers a commanding 82-60 lead midway through the third. Mitchell recorded 11 points in the period, which saw Toronto held to five made field goals.
Cleveland held a 61-54 advantage at the half, fueled by Harden’s 15 points and six assists and Mitchell’s 13 points and four assists. The Raptors had four players in double figures with Ingram scoring 13 points and Barnes, Barrett and Shead with 11 apiece.
Mitchell had eight points and a pair of assists in the first quarter, including a strip of Shead that he turned into a Strus’ layup at the buzzer and a 35-31 Cavaliers lead. Ingram and Barnes scored nine apiece.
Both teams shot the ball well, but the Cavs buried 16 of 32 from 3-point range. They also enjoyed a significant advantage at 52-36 for points in the pain.
Cavaliers backup center Thomas Bryant (left calf strain) was inactive and has not played since April 5.
–Field Level Media
Fresh off play-in win, Suns take on top-seeded Thunder
Experienced Lightning face young Canadiens in first round
