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Thunder set sights on 3rd straight 1st-round sweep in Game 4 vs. Suns

NBA: Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Phoenix SunsApr 25, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Oso Ighodaro (11) shoots over Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) in the second half during game three of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be aiming for a third consecutive first-round playoff series sweep when they take the court Monday night in Phoenix.

The Suns have a different task — avoiding being swept in the first round for the second consecutive postseason appearance.

One of the teams will get their way when the Thunder and Suns collide again in Game 4 of the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

Defending NBA champion Oklahoma City moved into position for another sweep with Saturday’s 121-109 victory in Game 3 at Phoenix.

Reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in a career-playoff-high 42 points on stellar 15-of-18 shooting. He also made 11 of 12 free throws.

“I’m just not surprised anymore with him,” Thunder guard Alex Caruso said of Gilgeous-Alexander. “I kind of have grown to expect it — and that might be a detriment to him and his greatness, because I do get to see it every single night. But it really is magnificent to see just his mentality. He’s eternally optimistic and he’s just a killer with his competitive mindset.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 34.7 points and 8.0 assists in the series. He has scored 79 points in the last two games.

“I’m very fortunate to be in this position. But regardless of who’s out there, I get to go out there and play my game,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “That’s just the role I have on this team, and my coaches and teammates do a really good job of letting me be in my space.”

The Suns were incapable of slowing down Gilgeous-Alexander in Game 3 no matter what they tried to do defensively.

“Some of the shots were incredibly difficult,” Suns coach Jordan Ott said. “We know he can make some of those shots.

“We tried different matchups, tried to take it out of his hands. He got to the area where it’s a little harder to take it out of his hands when he just rises up over us. Give him credit. He had us spinning tonight.”

Phoenix is hoping to have guards Devin Booker (ankle) and Grayson Allen (hamstring) in good form for Game 4.

Booker left Game 3 for a time after injuring his left ankle in the third quarter. He finished with 16 points and seven assists.

Allen was back on the floor for the first time since April 10 and had seven points in 17 minutes. He made just 2 of 8 field-goal attempts and was clearly not 100%.

“I’m not worried about a percentage,” Allen said Sunday when asked to rate his health. “I felt good enough to go and good enough to contribute so we gave it a shot.”

Dillon Brooks led Phoenix with 33 points in Game 3 and has 63 points over the past two games. He has made 12 of 28 3-point attempts in the series.

Booker’s series high is 23 points and the Suns could use one of his vintage high-scoring efforts in the bid to stay alive.

Booker said it won’t be easy to derail the Thunder.

“Overall, they’re a well-oiled machine,” Booker said. “They’re champs for a reason. They know what they want to get every time down the floor and they definitely know what they’re doing on defense. We have some growing and some learning to do in those departments.”

Phoenix will again be without big man Mark Williams (foot). Guard Jordan Goodwin (calf) is questionable.

Thunder star Jalen Williams (left hamstring) remains unlikely to return during this series, no matter how long it lasts. He was hurt in Game 2.

–Field Level Media

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Rockies stifle Mets to clinch series in doubleheader opener

MLB: Colorado Rockies at New York Mets Game 1Apr 26, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Colorado Rockies first baseman Troy Johnston (20) hits an RBI single in the fourth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Troy Johnston had an RBI single in the fourth inning and hit into the tie-breaking, run-scoring double play in the sixth Sunday afternoon for the visiting Colorado Rockies, who beat the skidding New York Mets 3-1 in the opener of a doubleheader.

Jose Quintana (1-2) tossed 5 1/3 solid innings for the Rockies, who have won the first two games of the three-game set to lock up their third series win of the season. Colorado finished 43-119 last season and didn’t win its third series until July 18-20, when it took two of three from the Minnesota Twins.

Jake McCarthy added an insurance RBI single in the seventh for Colorado.

Tyrone Taylor homered in the fifth for the Mets, who have lost 14 of 16.

Quintana allowed one run on two hits and two walks while striking out five. The 37-year-old left-hander, who played for the Mets from 2023-24, threw 31 pitches in the first, when he walked Bo Bichette and Luis Robert Jr. and allowed a single to Mark Vientos to load the bases with one out.

But Quintana wriggled out of the jam by striking out Marcus Semien and Brett Baty. That began a stretch of 11 straight batters retired by Quintana, who set down the final four batters he faced after Taylor’s homer.

Juan Mejia retired all five batters he opposed before the Mets threatened in the eighth against Jaden Hill, who gave up one-out singles to Francisco Alvarez and Bichette before walking Juan Soto. But Hill got Robert to pop out to first and struck out Vientos.

Victor Vodnik threw a perfect ninth to close out the four-hitter and earn his fourth save.

McCarthy and Edouard Julien had two hits each for the Rockies.

Nolan McLean (1-2) gave up two runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks while striking out seven over five innings.

–Field Level Media

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Astros awaken to salvage finale, end Yankees' 8-game win streak

MLB: New York Yankees at Houston AstrosApr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a double during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Spencer Arrighetti worked seven strong innings, Christian Walker produced a three-hit game with a home run and the Houston Astros salvaged the finale of their three-game series against the visiting New York Yankees with a 7-4 victory on Sunday.

Arrighetti (3-0) remained unbeaten in three starts after opening the season with Triple-A Sugar Land. He allowed three hits, walked one and posted eight strikeouts on 96 pitches, 64 for strikes.

Walker finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs while Isaac Paredes went 2-for-4 with a homer, three runs and three RBIs. Yordan Alvarez also produced a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with a pair of runs.

Paul Goldschmidt doubled twice and scored for the Yankees, who rallied for three runs with two outs in the ninth but had their eight-game winning streak snapped.

Arrighetti retired the Yankees in order in the top of the first, fourth and fifth innings. He worked around a one-out single from Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the second and stranded two runners after issuing a hit-by-pitch and a two-out walk in the third. Arrighetti retired nine consecutive batters before Aaron Judge clubbed a two-out homer in the sixth. Judge hit his 10th home run on his 34th birthday.

The Astros quickly pounced on Yankees right-hander Luis Gil (1-2), with Walker firing the first salvo on a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the first that plated Paredes. Walker, who homered in his final plate appearance in the ninth inning on Saturday, delivered the Astros a 2-0 lead with his seventh homer this season.

Two innings later, Paredes smacked his third home run off the left field foul pole, plating Alvarez and doubling the Houston lead to 4-0. Alvarez rallied from an 0-2 hole against Gil that extended the inning before Paredes capped the two-out rally by driving a 1-0 sinker 364 feet.

Alvarez chased Gil with a double to right that pushed Carlos Correa, who walked leading off the fifth, to third base. Paredes greeted Yankees reliever Paul Blackburn with an RBI single that scored Correa, and Walker followed with a two-run double to left-center for a 7-0 lead.

Gil allowed six runs on five hits and three walks in four-plus innings.

–Field Level Media

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Jose Tena's HR in 10th helps Nationals edge White Sox

MLB: Washington Nationals at Chicago White SoxApr 26, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin (22) throws the ball against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

Jose Tena hit a pinch-hit solo home run in the 10th inning after CJ Abrams provided a go-ahead sacrifice fly as the visiting Washington Nationals defeated the Chicago White Sox 2-1 on Sunday.

Both pitching staffs allowed just four hits. Paxton Schultz worked around Tristan Peters’ RBI single in the bottom of the 10th for his first save.

Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin delivered his second consecutive quality start, scattering two hits in seven shutout innings. Griffin walked two and struck out a career-high eight.

Chicago righty Sean Burke shined, as well, limiting the Nationals to three hits in 7 1/3 innings with zero walks and four strikeouts.

After both clubs scored at least three runs in the first two games of the series, offense was a dicey proposition as Griffin and Burke matched zeroes for much of the afternoon.

The White Sox nearly gave Burke an early lead after opener Bryan Hudson pitched a scoreless bottom of the first. Chase Meidroth opened the game with a single, advanced to second on a balk and took third on a wild pitch. But Griffin struck out the side to keep Meidroth from scoring.

Tanner Murray contributed a one-out single in the second and Drew Romo walked two batters later before the rally faded. Griffin hit Colson Montgomery with a pitch in the fourth inning before recovering to retire 11 of the next 12.

Burke yielded a two-out double to Jacob Young in the second and a two-out single to James Wood in the third but kept the Nationals off the scoreboard. Romo, Chicago’s catcher, caught Wood stealing to end the threat in the second.

Burke mowed through the next 15 Washington batters after that, with a four-pitch seventh inning highlighting his dominance. Nasim Nunez broke the streak with a leadoff single in the ninth, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly. Reliever Sean Newcomb got two popouts to end the inning.

Chicago was unable to score in the bottom of the ninth. Everson Pereira singled with one out for the team’s first hit since the second and went to second on an errant pickoff attempt but was stranded.

Murray left the game with an apparent left-shoulder injury while making a diving catch on Abrams’ sacrifice fly to left field.

Richard Lovelady (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth for the victory.

Seranthony Dominguez (1-3) took the loss.

–Field Level Media

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