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Top-seeded Liberty begin title quest vs. resilient Dream

WNBA: New York Liberty at Los Angeles SparksAug 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart (30) is defended by LA Sparks forward Azura Stevens (23) and forward Rickea Jackson (2) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Liberty and the Atlanta Dream took starkly different paths to the WNBA playoffs, but they’ll converge in New York on Sunday for Game 1 of their best-of-three first round series.

The Liberty (32-8) cruised to the league’s best record behind their core of Breanna Stewart, fellow forward Jonquel Jones and guard Sabrina Ionescu.

Stewart’s 20.4 points per game were tied for fourth in the league, while Jones’ 9.0 rebounding average ranked sixth. Ionescu contributed a team-leading 6.2 assists per game to complement her 18.2 points per game.

New York endured minimal adversity throughout its campaign. The Liberty lost consecutive games just once and secured the league’s first playoff spot over a month before the regular-season ended.

For that, New York coach Sandy Brondello is wary of the potential trap that coasting into the playoffs can set.

“We can’t let all that hard work of getting the No. 1 seed and playing well come out, and we don’t play the right way,” Brondello said. “…When you’re not playing for anything, we talk about it, ‘Don’t get complacent.'”

“It’s on us,” she continued. “We know what we’re capable of.”

Brondello’s team is hunting a second straight WNBA Finals appearance. The Liberty fell to the Las Vegas Aces in four games in the best-of-five title round last season.

New York reconvenes with an Atlanta squad that won 78-67 at the Liberty in Thursday’s regular-season finale to clinch the final playoff spot.

The Dream (15-25) endured an eight-game skid and a separate 2-8 stretch before winning their last three games to secure their second straight postseason bid. They were swept by the Dallas Wings in the first round last season.

“I’m really proud of our athletes, I am, for continuing to fight and never giving in,” Atlanta coach Tanisha Wright said. ” … After the season that we’ve had, it’s easy to just shut down and say, ‘Hey, it’s over anyway.’ But they didn’t. They fought all year, no matter our circumstances, no matter who was available to us, so that’s a special group.”

Guards Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray deliver 17.3 and 15.6 points per game, respectively, for the Dream.

Atlanta also deploys center Tina Charles (14.9 points, 9.6 rebounds per game), who became the WNBA’s all-time leading rebounder (4,014) and career double-double leader (194) in Thursday’s win.

The Liberty went 3-1 this season against the Dream, including 1-1 as the hosts. Game 2 is Tuesday at New York.

–Field Level Media

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Braves RF Ronald Acuna Jr. leaves Rockies game with hamstring tightness

MLB: Atlanta Braves at Colorado RockiesMay 1, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) before the game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left Saturday’s game at the Colorado Rockies with left hamstring tightness.

Acuna grabbed at his hamstring and pulled up when attempting to run out a grounder he hit in the second inning in Denver. He limped off the field under his own power after being examined by the team’s medical staff.

The 2023 National League MVP, Acuna entered the day hitting .248 with two homers and nine RBIs in 33 games. He led off the game with a single and scored when Drake Baldwin followed with a home run.

Acuna was replaced in right field by Eli White, who is hitting .186 with two homers and seven RBIs in 19 games.

–Field Level Media

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Pirates wreck Reds; tie MLB record for consecutive walks

MLB: Cincinnati Reds at Pittsburgh PiratesMay 2, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Home plate umpire Willie Traynow keeps Cincinnati Reds second baseman Sal Stewart (27) away from Pittsburgh Pirates cvatcher Henry Davis after he was nearly hit by the ball during the seventh inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Philip G. Pavely-Imagn Images

The host Pittsburgh Pirates scored 15 runs in the first four innings and took advantage of record wildness by the Cincinnati Reds to roll to a 17-7 victory on Saturday.

Rookie Konnor Griffin doubled, tripled and went 4-for-5 while driving in two, while Ryan O’Hearn doubled and drove in three as the top eight hitters in the Pirates lineup each had at least one hit while seven batters had at least two hits.

Pittsburgh also drew seven consecutive walks in the second inning — tying a major league record set in 1909 and equaled in 1983. The Pirates scored five runs in the second without a hit, becoming the first team to accomplish the feat since 1994.

Right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2) was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst. He struck out a career-high 10 while scattering eight hits, two walks and five runs over 5 2/3 innings.

Will Benson and JJ Bleday homered and Nathaniel Lowe drove in three runs for the Reds, who trailed 15-3 after four innings. Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder (3-2) surrendered eight runs, five hits and four walks before being removed with one out in the second.

Since losing 2-0 to Cincinnati in their first meeting on March 30, Pittsburgh has won the last four by a combined 42-14 score.

For a second straight day, the game was played in raw conditions, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees.

Lowder appeared miserable in the cold and struggled badly early. He was unable to find his rhythm or command while allowing four runs before there were two outs in the first inning. The five runs allowed in the first were a career high for the right-hander.

Lowder labored through 30 pitches in the first as O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Griffin each doubled in the five-run outburst. Lowder then walked the bases loaded in the second before being pulled.

Reliever Connor Phillips came in and walked all four Pirates he faced to force in four runs. He left after throwing just five of his 21 pitches for strikes.

The last time seven straight walks were issued in a Major League game came on May 25, 1983, when three Pirates pitchers walked seven in a row at Atlanta in a 6-0 Braves win.

The five runs without a hit in the second happened for the first time since April 27, 1994, when the Seattle Mariners allowed five runs to the New York Yankees in the top of the third inning.

With the score 15-6, Pittsburgh reliever Chris Devenski was ejected for throwing inside near the ribcage of Sal Stewart to open the seventh. Stewart took exception and stared out at the mound. But the encounter did not escalate as umpires intervened.

–Field Level Media

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Max Meyer, 2 relievers hold Phillies to 1 hit

MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at Miami MarlinsMay 2, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins starting pitcher Max Meyer (23) throws against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Max Meyer only allowed one hit in seven shutout innings and Xavier Edwards homered in the host Miami Marlins’ 4-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday

Meyer (2-0) faced one over the minimum number of batters with a walk and seven strikeouts in the longest start of his career. He threw 55 strikes in 83 pitches.

Anthony Bender and Andrew Nardi each retired the side in order in the combined one-hitter.

Otto Lopez and Edwards each had two hits with a run and an RBI and Connor Norby was 2-for-3 with a run batted in for the Marlins, who evened the four-game series at one win each.

Garrett Stubbs got the lone hit for the Phillies, who had their four-game winning streak under interim manager Don Mattingly snapped. Kyle Schwarber was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts and has struck out in all eight at-bats over his last two games, tying a career high for consecutive strikeouts.

Philadelphia right-hander Andrew Painter (1-3) gave up three runs on seven hits in five innings with three walks and seven strikeouts.

The Marlins took a 2-0 lead in the third on consecutive bases-loaded, two-out walks to Agustin Ramirez and Norby.

It was the second straight inning Miami loaded the bases with one out with three consecutive singles. In the second, Painter got Graham Pauley on a foul out and struck out Esteury Ruiz swinging to end the inning.

Edwards’ one-out solo homer in the fifth made it 3-0. He drove Painter’s 1-1 four-seam fastball into the right-field stands for his second home run.

Lopez’s infield single with two outs in the sixth increased the Marlins’ advantage to 4-0.

Stubbs singled in the third with one out and was erased on an inning-ending double play.

Justin Crawford was scratched from the Phillies’ lineup because of a migraine.

Philadelphia also activated catcher J.T, Realmuto from the 10-day injured list (back spasms) earlier Saturday and designated Dylan Moore for assignment. Realmuto was hitless in three at-bats.

–Field Level Media

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