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Tigers' Spencer Torkelson eyes history in opener vs. league-best Braves

Syndication: The EnquirerDetroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) rounds third on a solo home run in the fourth inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, April 25, 2026. The Reds won the second game of the series, 9-2.

Detroit’s Spencer Torkelson could write his name in the franchise record book when the visiting Tigers open a three-game series against the red-hot Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.

Torkelson matched the franchise mark by hitting a home run in his fifth consecutive game on Sunday against Cincinnati. Another blast would also make him the first major leaguer with a six-game home run streak since Rafael Devers in 2024.

“Just seeing the ball well and just proud of the way I’ve stuck with my plan and my approach and putting my A-swing on a lot of pitches,” Torkelson said.

Torkelson tied Hank Greenberg, Rudy York, Vic Wertz, Willie Horton and Marcus Thames for the franchise record when he took Pierce Johnson deep in the seventh inning on Sunday.

Over the last six games, the first baseman is batting .409 (9-for-22) with five homers and six RBIs. He didn’t have a home run this season before the streak began.

“When my approach is right, I feel like I can hit everything without really trying to hit everything,” Torkelson said.

Torkelson will face Atlanta left-hander Martin Perez (1-1, 2.70 ERA) in the series opener. The Tigers will send right-hander Casey Mize (2-1, 2.51) to the mound.

Atlanta comes off winning two of three from Philadelphia. It became the first team to 20 wins with Sunday’s 6-2 win in the rubber match.

Detroit beat the Reds 8-3 on Sunday to salvage one win from their three-game series.

The Braves have swept their three-game series against the Tigers in each of the last two seasons.

Perez has made five appearances (three starts) this season. In his most recent start on April 17, he tossed six scoreless innings against the Phillies. In his last outing on Wednesday, he worked three innings of relief against Washington.

Perez has made 18 appearances (16 starts) in his career against the Tigers, going 2-7 with a 5.12 ERA. He made three appearances (two starts) against Detroit last year while a member of the Chicago White Sox and went 0-2 with a 5.27 ERA in 13 2/3 innings.

With the emergence of rookie JR Ritchie and the impending return of Spencer Strider, the Atlanta rotation is in flux.

Perez, Ritchie and Bryce Elder will start against the Tigers, with Reynaldo Lopez temporarily moving to the bullpen “for now,” according to Atlanta manager Walt Weiss, to work out a mechanical flaw in his delivery. Lopez allowed four runs in one-plus inning during his last start against Washington on April 21.

“Our rotation right now, to be honest with you, is series to series,” Weiss said. “I gave you the rotation for the Tigers, but we go to Colorado, I believe, after that and we don’t know what it’s going to be there. It’s series to series with the rotation right now.”

Mize will make his sixth start and has won his last two decisions, most recently a 5-2 victory over Milwaukee last Wednesday. He pitched six innings and allowed one run against the Brewers and has given up only two runs over the last 18 1/3 innings. Mize has allowed one or fewer runs in four of his appearances.

Mize has never beaten the Braves, going 0-2 with a 4.66 ERA. He faced Atlanta one time in 2025 and took the loss after giving up three runs in 5 2/3 innings.

–Field Level Media

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Wild D Jonas Brodin out for Game 1, F Joel Eriksson Ek also ailing

NHL: Minnesota Wild at Chicago BlackhawksApr 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

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Cameron Young holds six-shot lead after three rounds in Miami

PGA: Cadillac Championship - Third RoundMay 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

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RJ Barrett, Raptors clash with Cavaliers in unexpected Game 7

NBA: Playoffs-Cleveland Cavaliers at Toronto RaptorsMay 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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