Sports
With skid over, Phillies look to build on win, take series at Braves
Apr 14, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola (27) throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Now that the Philadelphia Phillies have ended their 10-game losing streak, they’ll try to do on Sunday what no one else has done this season — win a series against the Atlanta Braves.
The Phillies beat the Braves 8-5 in 10 innings on Saturday to square the three-game series in Atlanta. The Braves are 7-0-1 in series this season, including a three-game sweep of Philadelphia last week, and have the best record in the National League.
“We needed it for sure,” Philadelphia first baseman Bryce Harper said. “Got to keep working. Obviously, we were in a bad stretch, so to get a win is huge. Got to keep doing it.”
The pitching matchup for the rubber game features Atlanta’s Chris Sale (4-1, 2.79 ERA) against Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola (1-2, 5.06).
Sale is looking for a repeat performance from April 18, when he beat the Phillies 3-1. Sale pitched a season-long seven innings and allowed only one run on five hits and one walk. He matched his season high with seven strikeouts. Sale has allowed one or fewer runs in four of his five starts.
“He threw the ball really well, using all his pitches,” Atlanta catcher Jonah Heim said. “That’s what future Hall of Famers do — they go out against division rivals and they give their best effort. It was a lot of fun to be behind the plate for.”
Sale has made eight career starts against the Phillies, going 3-2 with a 3.64 ERA. He faced Philadelphia three times in 2025 and went 1-0 with a 3.24 ERA.
Nola did not face the Braves when the teams met last week. In his most recent start on Monday against the Chicago Cubs, he was removed after pitching only 4 1/3 innings, his shortest stint of the season. He allowed five runs on six hits and four walks, striking out five in a 5-1 loss.
“After the first inning, it just seemed like (Nola) had trouble getting ahead, trouble commanding his fastball,” Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson said afterward. “Wasn’t landing his breaking ball. I don’t know if the ball was a little slick or what. Four walks, kind of uncharacteristic for Aaron. It was a tough one for him.”
Nola has made 38 career starts against Atlanta, the most against any opponent, and posted a 17-11 record with a 3.65 ERA. He made one appearance against the Braves last season and earned a victory in a 19-4 Philadelphia win.
The Phillies had 11 hits in Saturday’s win, with only one starter failing to get a hit. Harper was 2-for-3 with four RBIs, including a two-run single in the 10th inning to produce the go-ahead runs.
“I’m just trying to get something to hit hard,” Harper said. “I feel good at the plate right now.”
Atlanta’s Michael Harris II was back in the starting lineup as the designated hitter. He went 2-for-4, upping his average to .333, and drove in two runs. But his absence in center field was felt. His replacement, Eli White, slipped on the wet grass in the eighth inning, leading to Kyle Schwarber’s triple. He scored on Harper’s sacrifice fly.
Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. continues to struggle. He was 0-for-4, dropping his average to .226. He walked in the seventh and stole second base but was picked off by Jose Alvarado to end the threat.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Cardinals draft Miami QB Carson Beck to open third round
Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Miami quarterback Carson Beck (QB04) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images The Arizona Cardinals became the next team to address the quarterback position in the 2026 NFL Draft when they used the first pick of the third round Friday on Miami’s Carson Beck.
Beck was the third quarterback taken in this draft and the first on Day 2. No signal-caller was selected between Ty Simpson to the Los Angeles Rams at No. 13 overall and Beck at No. 65.
Beck, 23, transferred to Miami last year after playing parts of five seasons for Georgia. He guided the Hurricanes to the national championship game, which they lost to Indiana and QB Fernando Mendoza — the No. 1 overall pick Thursday by the Las Vegas Raiders.
In 55 career games at the college level, Beck threw for 11,725 yards and 88 touchdowns with 32 interceptions, including a career-best 30 TDs in 2025.
Beck could have an early opportunity to start for Arizona, which released Kyler Murray in March. Jacoby Brissett, who went 1-11 as the Cardinals’ starter in 2025, is holding out for a contract extension. The team also has journeyman Gardner Minshew II and reserve Kedon Slovis.
Other quarterbacks waiting to hear their name called on Day 2 include LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, Penn State’s Drew Allar and Arkansas’ Taylen Green, among others.
–Field Level Media
Sports
NFL Draft Round 2: Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald lands with Texans
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive tackle Kayden McDonald poses on the red carpet before the 2026 NFL Draft at Point State Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald was in Pittsburgh for the NFL draft on Thursday night, and the defensive tackle watched 15 of his peers make the walk from the backstage green room to the stage to be announced as first-round selections.
The only player left in that room when the 32-player round ended was McDonald.
McDonald returned to the scene Friday night, and he didn’t have to wait long. He heard his name called early in the second round when the Houston Texans chose him with the 36th overall pick, the fourth made on Friday.
The Ohio State product who was a consensus All-American last season had tears flowing during the entire walk toward the stage. He stopped for a second to tap the Texans display on the wall.
When he got to the stage, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and McDonald conducted a long embrace, and Goodell was doing a lot of talking.
In essence, the long wait was over for McDonald, who was one of seven Buckeyes drafted in the first two rounds.
“This is emotional,” McDowell said on the ESPN broadcast. “I know I’m supposed to be here. I’m just so blessed and thankful.”
The Texans traded with the Las Vegas Raiders to move up two spots on a night in which the second and third rounds were held. When the Raiders chose at No. 38, they tabbed safety Treydan Stukes of Arizona.
The second round had a heavy defensive flavor with 22 players on that side of the ball being selected.
There was also was an impact trade announced as the Minnesota Vikings sent veteran linebacker Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick in this year’s draft and a third-rounder in 2027. The Eagles also received a seventh-rounder this year in the deal.
The San Francisco 49ers started off the festivities by selecting receiver De’Zhaun Stribling, who played for Ole Miss last season after spending two seasons apiece at Washington State (2021-22) and Oklahoma State (2023-24).
Two other wideouts went in the second round — Denzel Boston of Washington to the Cleveland Browns at No. 39 and Germie Bernard of Alabama to the Pittsburgh Steelers at No. 47.
Tennessee cornerback Colton Hood went 37th overall to the New York Giants. He was another player thought to be a possible first-rounder.
“Of course it was disappointing,” Hood said. “I know God does everything for a reason. He was probably preventing me from something or he had something better in store for me, and that being the Giants.
“I’m super excited to go into this next chapter of my life and will just go in there and give my best and give my all and be the best version of myself.”
Hood also played for Auburn (2023) and Colorado (2024) during his college career.
The Miami Dolphins appear to have made one of the best picks in the round by grabbing Texas Tech consensus All-America linebacker Jacob Rodriguez with the No. 43 pick.
Rodriguez was the face of the Red Raiders’ stunning season last year and loaded up on postseason awards, including the Bednarik Award as the nation’s top defender. He led the nation with seven forced fumbles and also intercepted four passes.
At No. 48, the Falcons tabbed Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, the younger brother of Atlanta’s A.J. Terrell, who is entering his seventh season as a starting corner for the Falcons.
The New York Jets chose cornerback D’Angelo Ponds of national champion Indiana with the 50th overall pick. The 5-foot-8 Ponds played his first season (2023) at James Madison before following coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana and becoming one of the Hoosiers’ top defensive players.
In the first round, four Buckeyes were selected: receiver Carnell Tate, (No. 4, Tennessee Titans); linebacker Arvell Reese (No. 5, Giants); linebacker Sonny Styles (No. 7, Washington Commanders) and safety Caleb Downs (No. 11, Dallas Cowboys).
After McDonald went in the second, tight end Max Klare (No. 61, Los Angeles Rams) and cornerback Davison Igbinosun (No. 62, Buffalo Bills) went back-to-back near the end of the round.
The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks took TCU safety Bud Clark with the 64th and final pick of the second round.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Max Arfsten nets early goal as Crew proceed to blank Union
Apr 25, 2026; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Crew midfielder Dylan Chambost (7) kicks the ball during the first half against the Philadelphia Union at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images Max Arfsten scored in the fifth minute and Patrick Schulte made three saves to help the Columbus Crew defeat the visiting Philadelphia Union 2-0 on Saturday.
After Arfsten staked the Crew (3-4-3, 12 points) to the lead, an own goal by Union defender Nathan Harriel in the third minute of first-half stoppage time provided the final margin.
The Union (1-7-2, 5 points) had a three-match point streak (1-0-2) stopped while the Crew is 3-1-1 in the past five.
Schulte recorded his second shutout of the season, the other coming March 7 in a 0-0 tie with the Chicago Fire.
The first half began and ended calamitously for the Union, which saw midfielder Jesus Bueno leave with a leg injury sustained at the onset of the sequence leading to the second goal.
Arfsten opened the scoring with the sixth goal contribution (three goals, three assists) in the past six matches for the U.S. World Cup hopeful.
Dylan Chambost sent a long ball out of the back which glanced off Union defender Philippe Ndinga to Arfsten down the right flank and he broke free for the score.
Just over a minute later, Arfsten had another break but Andre Blake made the save.
It wasn’t all in favor of the Crew because 10 minutes later, the Union had numbers heading into the final third and Danley Jean Jacques passed to Milan Iloski on his right but his shot pinged the left post.
Philadelphia nearly made it to the half with a one-goal deficit but a potential scoring opportunity quickly turned the other way.
The Union was on the attack after a turnover but a slide tackle by Seko Bangoura dispossessed Bueno, who stayed down with an injury, and the Crew created a counter with Arfsten once again on the run on the right flank before sending a cross to the box.
Harriel’s clearing attempt went off a sliding Blake and the rebound hit Harriel and went into the goal.
Crew defender Mo Farsi entered for Arfsten in the 81st minute for his first appearance since July 6, 2025, after undergoing sports hernia surgery.
Union defender Japhet Sery Larsen was red-carded in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity.
–Field Level Media
Cardinals draft Miami QB Carson Beck to open third round
NFL Draft Round 2: Ohio State DT Kayden McDonald lands with Texans
