Updates from the latest round of Championship games
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No hundred for Falconer on Championship debut, a chorus of bouncing slips and an imploring Tom Bailey enough for the umpire to raise an off-you-go finger to an lbw shout.
Poor Zak Crawley out again cheaply, chopping on . I really hope this doesn’t disintegrate into a Haseeb Hameed 2019 summer and that someone has an arm round his shoulder. Kent 13-1.
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Sawyer Gipson-Long returned off the injury list for this one, and was pretty meh, but he did a lot better than lefty Pete Hansen did against the Hens.
Gipson-Long gave up two runs in the top of the first, and then another run before departing in the fourth.
It mattered little as the Hens scored seven in the second inning. Max Anderson led off with a double to left and Jace Jung singled to right. A sacrifice fly from Corey Julks scored Anderson, and Tyler Gentry walked. A soft serve single from Tomas Nido loaded the bases, and a Ben Malgeri grounder scored Jung but forced Gentry at third. Max Clark striped a line drive single to right to score Nido, and Paul De Jong walked. A Gage Workman triple cleared the bases, and Workman then scored on a wild pitch after the Redbirds had gone to the bullpen to replace Hansen. 7-2 Hens.
Workman doubled with one out in the fifth and took third on a wild pitch. Anderson walked, and Jung singled in Workman. A grounder to second from Julks went for an error, and Anderson scored to make it 9-3. Workman would then double in DeJong in the sixth to make it 10-3.
Woo-Suk Go fired three scoreless innings in the sixth, seventh, and eighth in his return to Toledo.
Workman: 3-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 3B, 2 K
Jung: 2-3, R, RBI, BB
Gipson-Long: 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 H, BB, K
Coming Up Next: The series is even heading into a 5:05 p.m. ET start on Saturday.
The SeaWolves got a decent outing from Joe Miller and played well behind him in this one as they pounded out 14 hits to win easily once again. Currently the SeaWolves are in the opposite gear of the Whitecaps, winning their ninth straight on Friday.
Andrew Jenkins singled and scored on an Izaac Pacheco single in the second inning to start the scoring. In the third, Aaron Antonini walked and rode home on Brett Callahan’s sixth home runs of the season. Chirs Meyers would single in Jenkins later in the inning to make it 4-0 SeaWolves.
In the fourth, Callahan reached on a fielder’s choice and then stole second, scoring on a John Peck single. In the fifth, Jenkins and Meyers both singled, and with one out, Pacheco singled in Jenkins and Joe Campagna tripled in Meyers and Pacheco to make it 8-0.
A Pacheco error led to the Senators scoring a run on Milleri in the fifth. Yosber Sanchez cleaned this up and tossed a perfect sixth as well. Luke Taggart handled the seventh. Trevin Michael tossed the eighth.
Thayron Liranzo has been scuffling since his return from the injured list two weeks ago, but he led off the ninth with a solo shot hitting right-handed. Tyler Owens closed this one out and seems bound for Toledo again fairly soon. Woo-Suk Go was promoted to Toledo on Friday as well after a strong start to the year.
Jenkins: 3-5, 3 R
Callahan: 1-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR, K, SB
Pacheco: 2-5, R, 2 RBI, 3 K
Miller: 4.2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 6:00 p.m. ET start in Harrisburg on Saturday.
The misery of the Whitecaps continued as their losing streak stretched to 12 games on Friday night.
There isn’t too much to report. Rayner Castillo’s struggles continued as he allowed a pair of home runs and four runs, three earned total. He struck out three and walked three over 4 1/3 innings, and there’s still no sign of the easy 95-96 mph sinker he was slinging in 2024 and early 2025.
Carlos Lequerica was knocked around for four runs in relief. Garrett Pennington had the only two hits for the ‘Caps. Bryce Rainer had the night off.
Pennington: 2-4, 2B
Castillo (L, 0-4): 4.1 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Coming Up Next: It’s a 2:00 p.m. ET start on Saturday.
Troy Melton fired three perfect innings in his rehab outing, and the Flying Tigers mauled a pretty good pitching prospect in the Mets’ Cam Tilly.
Melton struck out five and needed just 27 pitches to collect those nine straight outs. His velocity wasn’t quite peak, but he was 95-96 mph the whole outing, racking up a ton of whiffs on fastballs and sliders.
Jude Warwick gave him an early lead to work with when the second baseman cracked a solo shot in the bottom of the first inning. That was his first of the year. It would be Warwick sparking an eight-run inning off Tilly in the third. He led off with a double, and Jordan Yost singled. Zach MacDonald lined a single to center that got away from the Mets center fielder and Warwick scored. Beau Ankeney cranked a three-run shot to make it 5-0, and Carson Rucker followed that up with a triple. Edian Espinal and Javier Osorio followed with singles, and by the time the Mets went to the bullpen, Warwick was up again and smoked a three-run shot to right field to make it 9-0 Lakeland.
Conner Seabold rehabbed with a solid inning in the fourth. Jan Carabello took over and had some trouble, giving up four runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Jose Guzman gentled the Mets down with two scoreless innings.
In the eighth, Carson Rucker doubled in MacDonald, and Espinal tripled in Rucker to make it 11-4 where it ended.
Warwick: 3-5, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2B, 2 HR, K
Rucker: 3-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B, 3B, K
Yost: 2-4, R, BB
Espinal: 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 3B, BB, K
Melton: 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 5 K
Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers are up 3-1 in the series with first pitch on Saturday set for 6:00 p.m. ET.
The Yankees got their shit rocked by Jacob Misiorowski last night. Pardon my French, but it’s late as I type this and it’s a pretty darn accurate assessment. Shout-out to the Miz, who demonstrated why he’s one of the league’s best young starters. Once Max Fried ran into trouble, it seemed like the Yankees were probably staring at an L because no one aside from José Caballero seemed like they were in a position to do much with him (and even with Cabbie, he could only get singles). Just one of those nights and a tough draw for Spencer Jones in his MLB debut.
Today on the site, Nick will look back at the Yankees’ rotation from their last pitching staff to lead the league in ERA, the 1978 championship team, as the current squad is doing the same thus far in 2026. Madison will have the Rivalry Roundup, Jeff will celebrate the 42nd birthday of old friend Chase Headley (not Hedy), and Matt will reminisce about what the late John Sterling meant to him growing up as a fan.
New York Yankees at Milwaukee Brewers
Time: 7:10 p.m. EST
Video: YES Network, Brewers.tv
Venue: American Family Field, Milwaukee, MI
1. Fill in the blank: “Jacob Misiorowski is the most impressive young pitcher to dominate the Yankees since ____”
2. Which team in the league has impressed you the least so far this season?
The Atlanta Braves received some unfortunate news when outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain earlier this week. However, he is eligible to return on Wednesday, and Mark Bowman of MLB.com reported that a timely return is plausible.
Acuña was seen doing some agility exercises ahead of Friday night’s game, which was a great sign for the team who is typically riddled with injury.
If Acuña is able to return as soon as Wednesday, it would provide a major boost for Atlanta as the Braves look to stay atop the National League standings.
More Braves News:
Chris Sale put together a spectacular outing despite Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In MLB Pipeline’s first mock draft of 2026, the Braves are projected to select a shortstop out of UCLA.
Dixon Williams logged another home run for the Rome Emperors on Thursday. More in the minor league recap.
Carlos Carrasco has reportedly rejoined the Braves on a minor league deal.
MLB News:
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed right-hander Tyler Glasnow on the 15-day injured list due to lower back spasms. Glasnow reinjured his back during his outing on May 6.
The Kansas City Royals placed left-hander Cole Ragans on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow impingement. The move is retroactive to May 7.
From the Feed:
Alex Anthopoulos and Buster Olney discussed the Braves’ collaborative approach to analytics.
The Dodgers are reinstating Blake Snell from the injured list to start Saturday’s contest versus the Braves.
MLB Trade Rumors | Darragh McDonald: The Yankees made the promotion of Spencer Jones official yesterday. The top prospect replaced Jasson Domínguez, who sprained his AC joint during Thursday’s game. Jones DH’d and batted sixth in his debut, going 0-for-2 with a walk against fireballer Jacob Misiorowski, who had little issue with the rest of the Yankees’ lineup as well.
He was joined by right-handed reliever Kervin Castro, who made 20 appearances between 2021 and 2022 with the Giants and Cubs but until last night had not made a single MLB appearance since then, a span of 1,357 days. Castro replaced Brendan Beck, who was always expected to get sent down after making his MLB debut in a spot start.
SNY | John Flanigan: Ahead of Jones’ debut, his manager sang his praises. “He fits in really well with the guys,” Aaron Boone said before the game. “He’s gotten off to a really nice start this year down in Triple-A, has been really productive with the bat, and earned the opportunity to be here.
Boone also explained the decision to ease the center fielder in at DH. ”I just want him to focus on having good at-bats,” he said. “Obviously, we’re going up against a great pitcher here tonight, but just as much as you can, you take what you’ve been doing and apply it up here.” The skipper added that Jones would be in play in the field as time progresses.
Baseball Prospectus | Smith Brickner & Timothy Jackson: ($) Upon his call-up, a recap of the scouting report that has made Jones the Yankees’ “most polarizing prospect in perhaps a decade.” A steep attack angle has contributed to low contact and high chase rates, a difficult combination to transcend. The question — is his power legit enough to make it work? Timothy and our old friend Smith compare Jones with Munetaka Murakami, who’s hitting .237 but already has 14 homers. Unlike Murakami, though, Jones figures to provide value with his speed and defense, making him a fascinating test case for a singular all-around profile.
New York Post | Greg Joyce: In other injury news, Luis Gil landed on the minor-league IL with shoulder inflammation Friday, continuing a brutal start to the 2026 season. The right-hander will be shut down for at least three weeks. Considering the layoff, it’ll likely be at least six weeks before he sees game action again. Boone stressed that he did not think the injury played a role in the since-demoted Gil’s struggles with the Yankees. He posted a 6.05 ERA in four starts with the big club, calling into question his future as an MLB starter after an already-uneven 2025.
MLB.com | Mike Lupica: In advance of his ninth start Friday, a celebration of Max Fried. His steady dominance has already made his signing a massive success, and Lupica talks with David Cone about the lefty ace. The broadcaster and former pitcher highlights both Fried’s stuff (“He is a movement specialist. Subtle variations of cutters and sinkers working off each other. With a Koufax curve in his back pocket.”) and his mentality (“Max is smart and curious. And never satisfied.”).
Buffalo Sabres (50-23-9, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division)
Montreal, Quebec; Sunday, 7 p.m. EDT
LINE: Canadiens -125, Sabres +105; over/under is 6
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Series tied 1-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens and the Buffalo Sabres are in a 1-1 series tie in the second round of the NHL Playoffs. The teams meet Friday for the seventh time this season. The Canadiens won the last meeting 5-1. Alexander Newhook scored two goals in the win.
Montreal has gone 48-24-10 overall with a 21-11-3 record in Atlantic Division games. The Canadiens have scored 279 total goals (3.4 per game) to rank seventh in league play.
Buffalo is 21-8-5 against the Atlantic Division and 50-23-9 overall. The Sabres have a +43 scoring differential, with 283 total goals scored and 240 given up.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Nicholas Suzuki has three goals and five assists over the last 10 games.
Rasmus Dahlin has 19 goals and 55 assists for the Sabres. Alex Tuch has scored six goals and added four assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 2.5 goals, 4.3 assists, 5.7 penalties and 12.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
Sabres: 6-2-2, averaging 3.3 goals, 5.3 assists, 4.8 penalties and 11.5 penalty minutes while giving up 2.2 goals per game.
INJURIES: Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).
Sabres: Noah Ostlund: out (lower body), Jiri Kulich: out for season (ear), Sam Carrick: day to day (arm), Justin Danforth: out for season (kneecap).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Vegas Golden Knights (39-26-17, in the Pacific Division) vs. Anaheim Ducks (43-33-6, in the Pacific Division)
Anaheim, California; Sunday, 9:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Golden Knights -119, Ducks -101; over/under is 6.5
NHL PLAYOFFS SECOND ROUND: Golden Knights lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The Vegas Golden Knights visit the Anaheim Ducks in the second round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Friday for the seventh time this season. The Golden Knights won 6-2 in the last matchup. Mitchell Marner led the Golden Knights with three goals.
Anaheim has gone 43-33-6 overall with a 20-14-1 record against the Pacific Division. The Ducks are sixth in league play with 323 total penalties (averaging 3.9 per game).
Vegas has a 17-6-6 record in Pacific Division games and a 39-26-17 record overall. The Golden Knights have allowed 242 goals while scoring 264 for a +22 scoring differential.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cutter Gauthier has scored 41 goals with 28 assists for the Ducks. Jackson LaCombe has two goals and nine assists over the last 10 games.
Marner has 24 goals and 56 assists for the Golden Knights. Jack Eichel has one goal and 12 assists over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Ducks: 6-4-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.3 assists, 3.2 penalties and 6.7 penalty minutes while giving up 3.3 goals per game.
Golden Knights: 7-3-0, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.1 assists, 3.6 penalties and 7.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.4 goals per game.
INJURIES: Ducks: Radko Gudas: day to day (lower body), Petr Mrazek: out for season (lower-body).
Golden Knights: Jeremy Lauzon: out (undisclosed).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
After splitting Games 1 and 2 in Las Vegas to open their second-round series vs the Vegas Golden Knights, the Anaheim Ducks returned to Orange County for Game 3 on Friday.
The feeling around the Ducks locker room is that, with the way they played in Vegas, they could have easily entered Friday with a 2-0 series lead, as they earned to build off of that heading into Games 3 and 4 at home.
2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 2, Game 3 - Ducks vs. Golden Knights Gameday Preview (05/08/26)
Vegas felt they had more to offer in this series than what they showed in the two opening games, and aimed to turn that corner on the road. Knights head coach John Tortorella made some lineup adjustments at the end of Game 2 and stuck to them for Game 3. Former Duck William Karlsson lined up between Brett Howden and Mitch Marner, while Hertl slid to the middle between Pavel Dorofeyev and Keegan Kolesar. Mark Stone started on Vegas’ top line. Dylan Coghlan made his series debut on the third pair.
Ducks head coach Joel Quenneville made a dramatic lineup change in the moments leading up to Game 2, swapping out Mason McTavish and Ian Moore from the Ducks forward group and inserting Jansen Harkins and Ross Johnston. With no changes from Wednesday, here’s how the Ducks lined up to start this game:
Kreider-Carlsson-Terry
Gauthier-Granlund-Killorn
Viel-Poehling-Sennecke
Johnston-Washe-Harkins
LaCombe-Trouba
Mintyukov-Carlson
Hinds-Helleson
Lukas Dostal got the start for the Ducks and saved just five of eight shots before he was pulled after the first period. Ville Husso was inserted in Dostal’s spot and saved 17 of 19. In Vegas’ net, Carter Hart got the nod and stopped 31 of 33 shots.
This game opened poorly for the Ducks and didn’t get any better for the duration. Possession numbers were fairly even, but defensive lapses, stale offense, and sub-optimal goaltending sent the Ducks into too great a hole to climb out of.
The Ducks continue to struggle on the power play and have now given up more goals while on the man-advantage than they’ve scored. Carter Hart is establishing himself as a capable big game goaltender, but the Ducks and his team’s defensive structure are also making his life easy.
“We certainly knew they were going to come play their best game, and they were better,” Quenneville said after the game. “They had the puck way more in the offensive zone; they spent some time in our end. I didn’t mind the start til they scored, and we lost some momentum there. Getting that third one at the end of the period certainly was a killer, and that was basically the game.”
Lukas Dostal-The numbers will illustrate that Dostal ended the first period with a .625 SV% and -1.82 goals saved above expected. Of the three goals he let in, the only one that could be considered soft was the second, a shorthanded shot from the left dot by Knights’ defenseman Brayden McNabb. The shot was unscreened and didn’t appear to be tipped. It was, however, unconventional, as it was a pre-composite stick style drag wrist shot, and McNabb didn’t fully follow through: a change-up of sorts and an awkward shot for Dostal to stop. It’s one he needed to stop, nonetheless.
The first goal was completely screened by Ducks center Ryan Poehling, and the third pinballed around and off of Dostal, leaving him scrambling and attempting to react before Mitch Marner buried from the left post.
Cycle-The Ducks generated a fair amount of shots (33) and shot attempts (55), but the majority of them were from the perimeter, blocked, didn’t produce rebounds, or were seen by Hart the whole way. The Ducks insisted on feeding pucks low to high and funneling them toward the crease. The success they found late in the game came when they were generating shots from below the dots and/or finding soft ice in the mid-slot, away from the crease.
While possession time wasn’t discouraging, the Ducks may look to add wrinkles of forward movement, skating with the puck from low to high and activating defensemen down the wall, involving more offensive talent while drawing Vegas’ Goliath defenders away from the net front.
Lineup-The Ducks played disciplined and detailed with this lineup in Game 2, but the offensive limitations were apparent when they were desperate to get back into the game and craved different ways to generate offense. Mason McTavish is a highly-paid, highly-skilled, offensive player who very probably doesn’t win the Ducks this hockey game, but having him in the lineup wouldn’t have made them worse defensively.
The Ducks will look to even the series on Sunday and avoid a 3-1 deficit to a Vegas team that appears as confident as they are talented from the net out.
Ducks Prospect Tarin Smith Commits to University of Minnesota for 2026-27
Takeaways from the Ducks 3-1 Win over the Golden Knights, Series Tied 1-1
Most of the time, hockey is a game of momentum– both teams control play in stretches and chase the game in others, and whoever handles those swings best goes on to win the game. But sometimes, a team grabs the bull by the horns and doesn’t let go until the game is completely out of reach.
That’s exactly what the Vegas Golden Knights did on Friday night. They rolled into Honda Center, scored 66 seconds in, and made the Anaheim Ducks look like a beer league club for two periods of hockey. The Ducks broke Hart’s shutout bid, but it was too little too late, and the Golden Knights won Game 3 6-2.
The Golden Knights broke the ice just 66 seconds into the first period. Mark Stone entered the zone, rolled away from John Carlson’s check, and worked the puck deeper for Jack Eichel. Eichel found Shea Theodore in the slot, and the defenseman snuck a wrister past Lukáš Dostál for his third goal of the postseason.
Jack Eichel finds Shea Theodore in the slot, and the Duck hunter does his part to silence the crowd early.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 9, 2026
1-0, Golden Knights
pic.twitter.com/uw97aeyBsZ
The Golden Knights doubled their lead at 12:13 in the first while shorthanded. Mikael Granlund turned the puck over, and Mitch Marner took it back the other way. Marner entered the zone, pulled up, and left the puck for Brayden McNabb, who rolled around John Carlson and beat Lukáš Dostál far-side.
The VGK penalty kill continued to outscore the opposing power play. Brayden McNabb gets in on the fun.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 9, 2026
2-0, Golden Knights
pic.twitter.com/uBXBYfKLDq
Hertl drew a penalty late in the first period, and the Golden Knights extended their lead on the ensuing power play. Jacob Trouba blocked Mitch Marner’s shot point-blank; Lukáš Dostál denied Pavel Dorofeyev on the rebound, and Marner finally got it to go on the third attempt.
Mitch Marner says thanks for coming. Gets his own rebound on the power play and this is getting ugly.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 9, 2026
3-0, Golden Knights
pic.twitter.com/vNEeJDSgpw
Joel Quenneville made a goaltending change to start the second period, swapping Lukáš Dostál for Ville Husso. Unfortunately for the Ducks, the Golden Knights were even better in the second, and this change did little to spark a comeback. They generated nine high-danger scoring chances while holding Anaheim to two.
The Golden Knights added to their lead at 9:19 in the second. Jack Eichel led an odd-man rush up ice, entered the zone, and found Brett Howden at the point. Howden one-touched a pass to Shea Theodore in the middle of the ice, and the defenseman rolled into the slot. Theodore avoided the stick of Alex Killorn and threaded a pass to Mitch Marner, who crashed the net and tucked the puck in.
Mitch Marner shows off his hands in tight, tucks in a second… and waves to the Ducks fans.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 9, 2026
4-0, Golden Knights
pic.twitter.com/c06XKhEMFq
The Golden Knights made it a five-spot at 17:56 in the second. Ivan Barbashev won a board battle, and William Karlsson got to the loose puck. Karlsson protected the puck, circled behind the net, and dropped a pass back for Mitch Marner. Marner slammed on the brakes, rolled out towards the left circle, and snuck a shot past Ville Husso short-side.
So, I think Karlsson and Marner might stick together for a bit. Mitch completes the hatty and registers his fourth point of the night!
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 9, 2026
5-0, Golden Knights
pic.twitter.com/5trSs71JH4
In the third period, the Golden Knights appeared to take their foot off the gas. The Ducks are a young, dangerous team, and they used their speed to take advantage of a team trying to coast to the finish line.
The Ducks got on the board at 6:30 in the third. Beckett Sennecke prevented Noc Dowd from flying the zone, held the puck in, and zipped a cross-ice pass to Alex Killorn. Killorn snapped it to Granlund at the point, who rolled deeper into the zone. Granlund passed it back to Killorn, who fired a one-timer that squeaked through Carter Hart. Rasmus Andersson and Colton Sissons tried to clear, but Sennecke dove for the loose puck and chipped it home.
A blast from Alex Killorn squeaks by Carter Hart, and Beckett Sennecke dives to punch in the loose puck.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 9, 2026
5-1, Golden Knights
pic.twitter.com/teI0ESY0OY
The Ducks added another at 15:09 in the third. Leo Carlsson raced up ice with the puck, entered the zone, and flew around Pavel Dorofeyev and avoided Jack Eichel’s poke check. Carlsson worked it deeper for Troy Terry; Terry drifted behind the net and found Chris Kreider all alone in the slot.
Leo Carlsson does Leo Carlsson things, and Terry and Kreider connect on a bang-bang play.
— Hannah Kirkell (@h_kirk6) May 9, 2026
5-2, Golden Knights
pic.twitter.com/010obd5iH6
Down by three, the Ducks pulled Ville Husso for the extra attacker with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. They generated a few good looks and managed four shots on goal, but the mountain proved to be too steep to climb. Brett Howden hit the empty net at 18:04 in the third, and the Golden Knights rolled to a 6-2 win.
1. Don’t look now– Mitch Marner is the postseason leader in points and tied for the lead in goals. In his last four games, Marner has six goals and nine points.
“I try to always be an energizer guy, a guy that goes out there and brings a lot of passion and energy to games,” said Marner following the win. “It’s always nice to contribute, but at the end of the day, you just want to win games.”
Marner, of course, remained humble after his four-point performance. Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella, however, had no issue singing his praises.
“I think he’s a hell of a hockey player,” said Tortorella postgame. “I think he’s very cerebral and very confident in what he brings. You know, people give him s— all the time about playoffs and this and that, and I don’t think it bothers him a lick. He just plays.”
2. Another day, another perfect penalty kill. The Golden Knights have killed off 26 of the last 27 penalties, and haven’t allowed a power play goal since Game 3 against the Utah Mammoth. Thanks to Brayden McNabb’s shorthanded tally, the Golden Knights’ penalty kill has outscored their opponents’ power plays 3-to-1 this postseason.
3. A concerning loss overshadows the dominant 6-2 win. Mark Stone was not on the bench to start the second period, and, despite returning for a brief time, didn’t play another shift. Before exiting the game, Stone recorded an assist and finished the night with 4:24 TOI.
As this is the postseason, John Tortorella was tight-lipped postgame and provided no update on the Golden Knights’ captain.
New York Knicks (53-29, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (45-37, seventh in the Eastern Conference)
Philadelphia; Sunday, 3:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Knicks -1.5; over/under is 212.5
EASTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Knicks lead series 3-0
BOTTOM LINE: The New York Knicks look to clinch the series over the Philadelphia 76ers in game four of the Eastern Conference second round. The Knicks defeated the 76ers 108-94 in the last matchup on Friday. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 33 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. led the 76ers with 22.
The 76ers are 9-7 against division opponents. Philadelphia ranks sixth in the Eastern Conference with 16.9 fast break points per game led by VJ Edgecombe averaging 8.0.
The Knicks are 14-3 against opponents from the Atlantic Division. New York is third in the Eastern Conference allowing just 110.1 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.
The 76ers average 12.3 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.6 fewer makes per game than the Knicks give up (13.9). The Knicks average 14.2 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.8 more makes per game than the 76ers allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Quentin Grimes is scoring 13.4 points per game and averaging 3.6 rebounds for the 76ers. Tyrese Maxey is averaging 24.4 points and 4.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Brunson is scoring 26.0 points per game and averaging 3.3 rebounds for the Knicks. OG Anunoby is averaging 2.1 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: 76ers: 4-6, averaging 102.0 points, 38.8 rebounds, 21.0 assists, 5.4 steals and 4.0 blocks per game while shooting 44.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.9 points per game.
Knicks: 7-3, averaging 115.6 points, 43.9 rebounds, 25.4 assists, 8.9 steals and 4.4 blocks per game while shooting 50.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 100.6 points.
INJURIES: 76ers: None listed.
Knicks: OG Anunoby: day to day (hamstring).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (49-33, sixth in the Western Conference)
Minneapolis; Sunday, 7:30 p.m. EDT
LINE: Spurs -4.5; over/under is 215.5
WESTERN CONFERENCE SECOND ROUND: Spurs lead series 2-1
BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs visit the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference second round with a 2-1 lead in the series. The Spurs won the last meeting 115-108 on Saturday, led by 39 points from Victor Wembanyama. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 32.
The Timberwolves are 31-21 against Western Conference opponents. Minnesota is sixth in the Western Conference with 33.0 defensive rebounds per game led by Rudy Gobert averaging 7.5.
The Spurs are 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is fourth in the Western Conference with 16.3 fast break points per game led by Julian Champagnie averaging 3.0.
The Timberwolves' 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are just 0.8 more made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Spurs allow. The Spurs average 13.6 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.5 more made shots on average than the 12.1 per game the Timberwolves allow.
TOP PERFORMERS: Julius Randle is averaging 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds and five assists for the Timberwolves. Naz Reid is averaging 1.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
Wembanyama is averaging 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 3.1 blocks for the Spurs. De'Aaron Fox is averaging 18.6 points and 6.2 assists over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Timberwolves: 6-4, averaging 111.1 points, 47.3 rebounds, 24.9 assists, 6.1 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 45.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.1 points per game.
Spurs: 7-3, averaging 116.9 points, 46.5 rebounds, 25.9 assists, 7.7 steals and 7.7 blocks per game while shooting 48.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 105.5 points.
INJURIES: Timberwolves: Donte DiVincenzo: out for season (leg).
Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Rafael Devers might have found his groove again.
Devers has homered in back-to-back games after cracking a 93.2-mph sinker from Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski into a 399-foot fly ball just over center in a 5-2 win on Friday, May 8.
He also added an RBI on a 2-for-4 batting night.
The Giants are now 15-23, but still at the bottom of the NL West standings. Devers hasn't had the best start to the 2026 season. He entered Friday with a batting stat line of .221/.265/.329.
After Friday, Devers has a .229 batting average, .271 OBP and .354 SLG in 37 games. He's accounted for four homers, 12 runs and 16 RBIs in 2026.
But his recent games could be a sign of good things ahead for Devers and the Giants. Over his last seven games, Devers has registered a .350 batting average, slugging 7-for-20. In that span, he hit two home runs and had 5 RBIs on a .391 OBP, .750 SLG and 1.141 OPS.
San Francisco hasn't had the ideal start to the season. It came with attention, not necessarily expectation, with the team taking a chance on signing a manager with zero major league experience.
The Giants hired Tony Vitello, whose previous experience came as a successful collegiate baseball coach at the University of Tennessee. He won a national championship in Knoxville.
USA TODAY Sports gave the Giants a D+ grade for their performance after a month, which has seen an inability to score runs, hit the ball or close games.
But the 'black and orange' could see brighter horizons coming soon with their win against the Pirates.
Devers playing up to his $27.5 million contract in 2026, could be a sign things are turning around. San Francisco will need him. The Giants have Devers under contract until 2033, paying him $28.5 million per year.
Devers balling out makes nearly everyone in the Bay Area happy. Let's see if this is the version of Devers that keeps showing up for the Giants.
Check out the San Francisco Giants vs. Pittsburgh Pirates highlights from Friday, May 8.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Has Giants slugger Rafael Devers found his groove after slow start?
In desperate need of someone to step up and carry their extremely shorthanded offense, Mark Vientos continues to be the man for the Mets.
Vientos has enjoyed a strong start to the road trip, and he delivered again on Friday.
The slugger opened the scoring in the ballgame, crushing a third pitch slider from Ryne Nelson 401 feet deep to left-center for his fifth home run of the season.
New York’s offense went silent after that, until Vientos was able to come through once again in the latter innings.
After Devin Williams pieced together a eight-pitch bottom of the ninth, Vientos immediately cashed in the ghost runner, ripping the first pitch he saw for a go-ahead double.
Carson Benge immediately followed that with a big insurance run, and then Tobias Myers put the finishing touches on the victory with a 1-2-3 bottom-half.
“It felt pretty good,” Vientos said postgame. “I felt like the at-bats I put together were pretty good, I’m just happy that I was able to come through in both of those spots.”
The righty slugger has finally started to look more like himself at the plate after a dreadful spring training and start to the regular season.
He’s now hitting .261 with three doubles, three homers, five runs scored, 10 RBI, a .333 on-base percentage, and a .855 OPS over his last 13 games.
“The more he gets the results, the more you’re going to see that,” Carlos Mendoza said. “When he gets going he gets locked in and mentally it helps him big-time -- he’s a very good hitter and it’s good to see him getting results.”
“I feel good right now for sure,” Vientos added. “Just gotta keep stacking the days and continue to be consistent.”
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers clawed and scrapped their way to some offense against Chris Sale to get the better of the Atlanta Braves 3-1 in Friday night’s series opener between perennial National League powerhouses at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers had only five hits in seven innings against Sale, but made them count. Teoscar Hernández singled and Kyle Tucker doubled him home in the second inning. Miguel Rojas reached on an error in the fifth inning, then with two outs Shohei Ohtani singled him home for the first Los Angeles lead of the evening.
Then, Freddie Freeman and his newer closed stance provided insurance with a solo home run in the sixth inning, his third consecutive game with an extra-base hit, and fourth in the last five.
That was Freeman’s first home run since April 6, snapping a string of 114 plate appearances without a long ball. Freeman now has 100 home runs with the Dodgers, the 37th player to hit that many with the franchise.
“I would have taken a broken-bat bloop against Chris,” Freeman said. “He’s one of the toughest left-handed pitchers you can face. He’s coming from behind you.”
All three Dodgers run-scoring hits off Sale were by left-handed batters, against whom Sale had allowed only seven hits in 38 at-bats all season before Friday, none with anyone on base.
“That guy was phenomenal. He’s one of the game’s best and has been for quite some time,” manager Dave Roberts said of Sale. “For us to scrounge and scrape and get a couple of points, was big.”
The specter of potentially losing a rotation spot once Blake Snell is activated on Saturday no longer loomed after Tyler Glasnow was placed on the injured list on Friday. Though the immediate pressure lessened, Emmet Sheehan still looked to turn things around after allowing a pair of home runs in a loss last Saturday in St. Louis.
Holding velocity through the game has been an issue for Sheehan this season. He threw a fastball 97 mph in the first inning, his fastest pitch of the year, and averaged 96.1 mph in the opening frame. Sheehan’s average velocity still waned in his start, down to 92.4 mph in the fourth inning and 93.1 in the fifth. But he was effective enough to induce 14 swinging strikes (eight on the fastball) and strike out seven, with just one walk.
“There’s certainly some things we’re trying to figure out and tap into to increase [velocity], but at the end of the day it’s about getting outs,” Roberts said before the game.
Sheehan got 14 outs, and was pulled in a 1-1 tie with two outs in the fifth with runners at the corners and lefty Matt Olson at the plate. Southpaw Alex Vesia got Olson to fly out to end the frame.
After the game, Roberts said, “I thought Emmet threw the ball as well as he’s been throwing the ball all year, as far as stuff, compete. He did everything we had hoped.”
Friday’s stellar matchup was close throughout, and also featured a few defensive highlights. Austin Riley doubled to the left field wall in the fourth inning, but a perfect relay from Hernández to Rojas to Will Smith nailed Michael Harris II at the plate, an out call upheld by replay review.
In the bottom of the fourth, a sure single to shallow left field by Tucker was instead plucked out of the air by shortstop Jim Jarvis in just his second major league game. Charley Steiner on the Dodgers radio call said of the spectacular catch, “It was as if he was diving into the pool.”
After using six relievers to cover the final eight innings on Wednesday, the Dodgers followed Thursday’s off day with five pitchers to get the final 13 outs on Friday, nearly all of them through stress.
Vesia stranded Sheehan’s two runners in the fifth. Kyle Hurt allowed two singles before pitching a scoreless sixth. Will Klein stranded a seventh-inning walk, then was pulled after a leadoff single in the eighth, trying to pitch a second inning. Brock Stewart walked a batter of his own, then stranded those two runners to finish the frame.
Tanner Scott however pitched a clean ninth to close out the win, earning his third save of the season.
Home run: Freddie Freeman (4)
WP — Alex Vesia (1-0): 1 up, 1 down
LP — Chris Sale (6-2): 7 IP, 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 7 strikeouts
Sv — Tanner Scott (3): 1 IP, 1 strikeout
The Dodgers and Braves are back at it on Saturday night (6:10 p.m., SportsNet LA), with Blake Snell on the mound for his season debut against Spencer Strider for Atlanta.
Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch called out referee Tony Brothers following his team's Game 3 loss to the San Antonio Spurs, taking umbrage with what he called Brothers' "completely unprofessional behavior."
Brothers, the longtime NBA ref, and Finch got into it during a timeout, with players and staff holding Brothers back, while Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards walked Finch away.
"I'm not sure I've seen players hold a referee back from their head coach before..." a reporter began to ask after the game, before Finch cut in: "Pretty unprofessional, huh?"
Tony Brothers and Chris Finch during the last timeout lolpic.twitter.com/YyTER8FsGP
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 9, 2026
He then went in on Brothers.
Finch said he was frustrated over what he perceived as an intentional delay in being granted a timeout.
"I wanted the timeout. I had called it 3 seconds earlier and I wanted the timeout," Finch said. "I said 'I want my 3 seconds back,' ... because he clearly heard me. He looked my way, ignored me, went on with the play ... almost cost us a turnover. So, and then, you know, he lost it.
"Then I went to ask him where the ball was going to be taken in and he screamed at me for that. So, completely unprofessional behavior by him."
Chris Finch on his interaction with Tony Brothers:
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) May 9, 2026
"I wanted the timeout and I said I want my 3 seconds back. He clearly heard me. He lost it. Then I went to ask him where the ball was gonna be taken in and he was screaming at me for that. So completely unprofessional behavior… https://t.co/2EzXqtpM7spic.twitter.com/zLImoRFTAX
Edwards downplayed the incident after the game, saying it's all part of "competition at the highest level."
"We want to win. Finchy wants to win. Tony Brothers is Tony Brothers. We all love him, so it's all good here," Edwards said.
Edwards scored 32 points, but Spurs star Victor Wembanyama scored 39 to lead the way to a 115-108 victory that gives San Antonio a 2-1 lead.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chris Finch rips Tony Brothers for 'unprofessional behavior'