Morning everyone and welcome to a Test that has somehow dribbled into a fourth day. We’ve had a wicket roughly every four overs, but the rain gods have allowed only five sessions’ play. England are well on top, yet they could still lose.
They need five more wickets before New Zealand score 199 more runs. So far, between the showers, the New Zealanders have managed only 168 for 15 wickets, so 199 for four may sound like a stretch. But they’ve got more batting left than you’d think because they sent in a nightwatchman, way back on Friday evening.
Between Games 2 and 3 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final, professional wrestler and viral black magic guru Danhausen put a curse on the Carolina Hurricanes. This curse came in the form of a Cameo, so the validity of the hex is up for debate, but the Vegas Golden Knights certainly played like a team aided by a supernatural entity.
Or, at least, they played like a team with a supernatural entity watching over them for two periods.
In the National Hockey League, no lede— er, lead— is safe. The debatably-cursed Hurricanes came all the way back in the third, scoring three goals in 39 seconds and finding the equalizer on a late-game power play with their goalie pulled for the extra attacker.
The Hurricanes had all the momentum heading into overtime. Teams that trailed by at least four goals in a Stanley Cup Final game were 0-108, but after that miraculous comeback, they had the opportunity to establish themselves on the right side of history.
And that’s when they felt the full force of Danhausen’s curse.
The Golden Knights have a 2-1 lead in the series, which is a familiar position for them to be in. They have not trailed in a series since Game 3 in the First Round, and thanks to Danhausen’s curse, they may never trail in a series again this postseason.
In the second period, the Golden Knights scored four goals in a span of 6:26. Three of these goals came courtesy of Mitch Marner, who recorded a natural hat trick in just six minutes and ten seconds. Marner’s natural hat trick broke a 69-year-old record to become the fastest in Stanley Cup Final history.
The previous record holder was none other than Maurice “Rocket” Richard, who recorded a six-minute, twenty-one-second hat trick in Game 1 of the 1957 Stanley Cup Final.
Marner has been the driving force behind the Golden Knights’ postseason run, and he continues to put the team on his back when they need him most. He recorded four points tonight, ten shots on goal, three hits, and was a +3 in 27 minutes of ice time.
“You need all five guys on the ice to all be on the same page, and I thought our line did a really good job of that throughout the entire night,” said Marner following the 5-4 overtime win. “I thought our line played a really good game throughout all 3 periods— uh, all five, I guess. I thought we did a really good job of just advancing pucks, winning battles down low, and making plays.
“I thought we had good looks all night from all three of us,” Marner finished. “I got put in good areas by my teammates, and I was happy enough to finish them off.”
2. Hold On, Partner, I Am Overstimulated
Following a dramatic Game 1, John Tortorella said he expected the whole series to be equally back-and-forth. I don’t think he had any idea just how right he’d be.
The Golden Knights kicked off the scoring with two goals that came 16 seconds apart. They added another less than four minutes later, and a fourth that came 2:20 after that.
In the third period, the Hurricanes rode a momentum wave of their own, scoring the fastest three goals in Stanley Cup Final history. Their second goal came 26 seconds after their first; their third, 13 seconds after the second.
“[It was] a crazy game,” said Mitch Marner postgame. “I’m really happy with how our group responded, staying calm in the moment. Going into overtime, we just trusted the calmness and went out there and kept doing what we were doing.”
This is just the fifth Stanley Cup Final over the last 45 years to have each of the first three games decided by a goal. But, hey– won’t somebody please think of the ratings?
3. Shea Theodore and the Shawshank Redemption
Most of the spotlight tonight is pointed at Mitch Marner for his second-period heroics, and understandably so. Brayden McNabb, too, is rightfully getting his flowers for returning to the lineup less than 48 hours after taking an 87-MPH slapshot to the face.
Not enough is being said about Shea Theodore, who played 39:09 in this double-overtime thriller, provided an assist, and sent the fans home happy by scoring the game-winning goal. He blocked three shots, recorded three shots on goal, and was a +3.
Of course, Theodore also took an untimely penalty leading to Carolina’s game-tying goal. With 2:55 remaining in regulation, he flipped the puck over the glass and had to watch as Andrei Svechnikov tied it on a late power play.
In the end, his late-game penalty doesn’t matter. When his team needed a hero, Theodore stepped up and donned the cape in double overtime.
Theodore’s game-winner wasn’t the prettiest of his career. It took a lively bounce off the end boards, hopped into Brandon Bussi’s skate, and ricocheted into the back of the net.
“It’s exactly the way I planned,” joked Theodore following the 5-4 overtime win. “Obviously, you want to be the guy that scores, but at the same time, you just want to play well, carry the play, and be smart defensively… Just get things to the net, and sometimes good bounces happen.
“I was pretty gassed there towards the end,” Theodore finished. “I was just relieved that the game was over and that we got the win.”
Not necessarily fans of the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes, because they're probably still catching their breath after another wild series of twists and turns.
But hockey fans, in general.
How many thought that this series would be a defensive slog with both teams so capable of limiting opponents' chances?
Instead, it has been crazily unpredictable with 25 total goals over three games and comebacks galore. The first two games produced something never done before in the Stanley Cup Final when each team had a multigoal comeback. And then Carolina overcame a 4-0 deficit to force overtime before falling in the second overtime.
He hadn't played a second of the postseason before replacing Frederik Andersen after the second intermission. But he quickly had to stop Marner's penalty shot and make other tough saves to allow Carolina to get back into the game. He can't be faulted for the fluke goal he allowed in the second overtime.
Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb
He went to the hospital and needed 20 to 30 stitches after getting hit by a puck in Game 2. He returned for Game 3 and wasn't eased back in. He played nearly 36 minutes and had two assists, including on the game-winner. That's five assists in two full games for a player mostly known for the defensive side of his game.
ABC's Dave Jackson
The former referee and ABC/ESPN's NHL rules expert was kept busy. There were two disallowed goals early in the second period and then Jackson explained why John Tortorella shouldn't challenge Andrei Svechnikov's tying goal. The Golden Knights coach didn't.
LOSERS
The way the game ended
Once you reach the second overtime, it's usually not going to be a brilliant play that ends the game. But Shea Theodore's goal is about as fluky as it gets. His shot hit the back boards and went in off Bussi. Doesn't seem a fitting way to end a game that had so much going for it.
Carolina's Andersen and Vegas' Carter Hart were stellar in earlier rounds. Less so in the Final. They both have played a lot more consecutive games than they usually do. There are two days off until Game 4. Maybe the rest will help. Or does coach Rod Brind'Amour start Bussi in Game 4?
Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker
He started Marner's hat trick with an own goal, accidentally deflecting the forward's centering feed into the net. Later, he broke the stick with which Marner set the record.
Sean Walker broke Mitch Marner's hat trick stick, but Mitch still made sure to collect it 😅 pic.twitter.com/tFCY4BfC5m
William Carrier, the former Golden Knight who was cheered during introductions, had to leave the game after a check. K'Andre Miller was working with a trainer earlier in the game. Jalen Chatfield fell awkwardly though a bench door when it opened as he was checked. Carrier's injury seemed the most serious.
A 98 mph offering from Misiorowski got away from him, hitting the Rockies' Tyler Freeman flush in the helmet. Both players seemed shaken by the incident and Freeman exited the game after being attended to by trainers.
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 7, 2026
Freeman did walk off the field under his own power.
His manager, Warren Schaeffer, painted a positive outlook for Freeman after the game.
"He took it about as good as I think anybody can take 101 (miles per hour) off the helmet," Schaeffer said, per the Denver Post. "Obviously, it didn’t feel good, but he seems fine."
The San Diego Padres organization again has two teams in the Domincan Summer League (DSL). The players live and train on the campus of their Domincan Academies and play their games on the grounds of the the team-operated training sites and academies.
Padres Gold and Padres Brown began playing on June 1 with several top international prospects on the roster(s). Padres scouts and executives have signed dozens of players during the international signing period that began on Jan. 15. If you check the Padres transactions in the roster section of the website, you will see many more have been signed over past months.
All of these players fall within the criteria of at least 16 years old and turn 17 before Sept. 1 of the signing year. They come from everywhere outside of the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico and the DSL is the location where most begin their professional careers.
The Padres have a $5.94 million bonus pool for this signing class that runs until Dec. 15. Three of the top 100 international prospects as ranked by MLB Pipeline signed with the Padres. They are all currently on the roster in the DSL. There are also three other prospects playing this year that are considered high reward players. One is a holdover from the 2025 class that also featured three other players currently ranked on the Padres top 100 prospects list.
2025 class prospects to watch
SS/3B Deivid Coronil, No. 25, is an 18-year-old from Venezuela who played in the DSL last year and is currently not active on any team. He is most likely still in Arizona in a development program.
SS/2B Jhoan De La Cruz, No. 21, is an 18-year-old from the Dominican Republic (DR) and played last year in the DSL. He is currently playing for the ACL Padres at shortstop, second base and DH.
RHP Lan-Hong- Su, No. 16, is a 19-year-old from Taiwan who is with the ACL Padres after not playing in 2025 (he signed in Oct. 2025). He has already made a splash by skipping the DSL and has started three games for the ACL team with a 1.29 ERA in seven innings.
LHP Carlos Alvarez, is not a top 30 prospect after struggling in his DSL debut last year. At 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, Alvarez is still only 18 years old. Command and control are the big issues for him, and he still has plenty of time to work through them and develop.
2026 top prospects in the DSL
The Padres signed 17-year-old Cuban shortstop Joniel Hernandez, the No. 13 rated international prospect on MLB Pipeline, for a $1.4 million bonus. At 6-1 and 180 pounds, the potential for a five-tool player is there. If he grows out of his shortstop position, he could be moved to center field. He is currently on the DSL Gold roster.
LHP Diego Serna, 17, is the No. 20 prospect for the Padres and is from Mexico. He has international experience after pitching for Mexico in the 2024 U-15 World Cup. He is considered the best lefty prospect in the international class. At 6-3 and 205, Serna still has time to grow and currently has a low-90’s fastball with a slider and changeup. Serna is pitching for DSL Gold.
SS/3B Timothy Mogen, 17, is from Curacao and stands 6-4 and 170 pounds. He was noted by Baseball America as one of the top athletes outside of the top rankings that should be watched. He has speed, a plus-arm and power potential. He is currently on the DSL Gold roster.
RHP Yoel Duarte is out of Venezuela and recently changed from the shortstop position to pitching. He was clocked to have a mid-90’s fastball from the go and tops out at 98 mph. At 6-3 and 185 pounds, the 17-year-old still has projectible development and is still learning. He is on the DSL Brown roster.
Catcher Jhonneiker Leon is a 17-year-old out of Venezuela. He is 6-1 and 210 with a plus-arm and already possesses plus-power with his bat. He is on the DSL Gold roster.
RHP Jordan Perez is a Cuban 17-year-old that has a low-90’s fastball, a curveball and a developing third pitch. He is 6-1 and 175 pounds and is more polished that many of the other inexperienced pitchers around him. He is on the DSL Gold roster.
The DSL season typically runs a 72-game schedule and ends in August. The Padres DSL Gold team won the championship last year and will fight to keep the DSL Cup. Updates will be included in the weekly minor league updates on Gaslamp Ball.
Jun 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) makes a save on a penalty shot by Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) during the third period in game three of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
“In this town, your luck can change just that quickly.“
I was inside the Lenovo Center after that abysmal second period of Thursday night. How could we feel any worse after that period?
Then here comes the second period of Game 3.
Time to flush it. Reset. What can the Carolina Hurricanes do to prepare for Game 4?
A big save and some hustle changed the direction of Saturday night. And hopefully the series.
Is this the first time that a double overtime loss was not heartbreaking?
Carolina lost 5-4 Saturday night, but the tenacity of this team has the Caniacs hopeful.
The game started tight and stayed that way throughout the first period. The Canes had the standard lines at the start of the game, but switched them to the combinations of the third period of Game 2 soon after the start of the game.
The first scoring chance came at the 13-minute mark. Seth Jarvis, skating with Jordan Staal and Nikolaj Ehlers, found the Captain behind the Vegas defense on a transition rush. Jarvis put it right on Staal’s stick, and the redirect went right into Carter Hart’s breadbasket.
Jalen Chatfield left the bench with about five minutes left with an apparent wrist injury after his stick got wedged against the boards and a Golden Knights player.
The next Grade A for Carolina was a K’Andre Miller headman pass to Jarvis. He created space, dangled the puck, and put one right off the mask of Hart. It was clear from that play that Jarvis had gotten his confidence back.
Chatfield returned to the ice just as William Carrier went back to the locker room. After a hit on Vegas, Carrier was holding his elbow in discomfort.
Near the end of the period, another great scoring chance started with a great defensive play by Miller. After breaking up a Vegas pass, he got up to 20 miles an hour on the right wing to put an uncontested backhander on Hart.
The Golden Knights had zero shots on goal for the last 15:13 of the first. The Hurricanes were able to control more possession as the period went on, closing with a +7 in Corsi as the first period ended.
The game completely flipped in the second.
Just 36 seconds into the period, Carolina pinched on Brett Howden, but he was able to chip it to a streaking Mark Stone, who put it past Frederik Andersen on a breakaway.
After a challenge by the Canes, it was determined that Howden was offside and the goal was removed.
In what would be the last sustained offensive play by the Hurricanes in the period, Carolina was able to get a couple of good chances after the Vegas goal was waved off, including Taylor Hall all alone in the high slot.
Just a couple of minutes later, a bounce off the end boards led to a Jack Eichel goal. The Canes challenged again, and it was determined that Ivan Barbashev interfered with Andersen by colliding with his head in the crease. Another Vegas goal was waved off.
After that disallowed goal, the Golden Knights cranked the pressure to 11 and never let up.
At the 9:44 mark, the Hurricanes had an awful penalty for too many men on the ice. This was not one of those bench infractions where the puck gets hit near the bench as the players are making a change. All six players were down the ice, a glimpse of how the Canes were starting to overplay and be out of position.
Just 10 seconds into the penalty, Vegas made Carolina pay. Jaccob Slavin pressured the defender, and Chatfield did not collapse into the slot, leaving Tomas Hertl wide open above the crease for an easy one-timer.
Just 16 seconds later, a blind pass by Mitch Marner to the slot bounced off Sean Walker’s stick and into the back of the net.
And just like that, the Canes were officially down 2-0.
After this point, Carolina stopped skating for the puck and stopped putting pressure on Vegas. The Canes were reaching, coasting, and frankly, stopped hustling.
With five and a half minutes left in the second, the Hurricanes failed to clear and ended up falling all over themselves. Marner gathered the loose puck, was alone in the slot, and deked Andersen out of his skates for his second goal of the night.
Andersen came up big on a breakaway at the 3:26 mark due to the Canes pressing and overplaying the puck. But just 20 seconds later, Marner ripped a slapshot from the top of the circle and beat Andersen blocker side for the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Final history.
Brandon Bussi relieved Andersen to start the third period. Bussi had not seen the ice since a win against the New York Islanders on April 14.
Soon after the start of the period, the Canes announced Carrier would not return to the game due to an upper-body injury, likely his arm or elbow, sustained during a hit in the first.
Just three minutes into the third, Carolina had its first chance on the power play. Only 45 seconds elapsed until Marner had a shorthanded breakaway, and Sebastian Aho had to chop away to negate the chance.
Marner was awarded a penalty shot. Bussi was patient and denied Marner’s golden chance for his fourth goal of the game.
After that terrific save, Bussi and the Canes settled down. Carolina started doing the small things, blocking shots and getting man-to-man pressure, and it culminated with the Hurricanes finally being rewarded.
Jarvis outplayed the Vegas defender in the corner, got the puck to Jordan Martinook, and his patience against Hart got the Hurricanes on the board.
Just 26 seconds later, Aho won an individual battle and found a streaking Taylor Hall in the middle of the ice for the second Carolina goal of the game.
And 13 seconds after that, the Hurricanes scored again. Off the faceoff, Eric Robinson hustled to gather the puck, got it to Slavin, and Staal tipped it in to tie the game.
The Canes scored the fastest three goals in Stanley Cup Final history, tallying three in just 39 seconds.
And all of a sudden, there was a new game in Las Vegas.
With eight minutes to go, Jarvis clipped the puck out of a play, and after a conference by the referees and linemen, the Golden Knights were on the power play. Carolina got the best chance during that sequence off a hustle play by Staal during a shorthanded attempt.
Bussi stood tall during a burst with under six minutes to play, giving the Canes a chance down a goal.
With just under five minutes to play, the Hurricanes were putting the pressure on the Golden Knights. Noah Hanifin fell into his own goaltender, and Vegas retaliated against the flop with Rasmus Andersson climbing a ladder and tackling Staal from behind. Surprisingly, no penalties were called, and play continued.
Veteran defenseman Shea Theodore lofted the puck out of play with 2:55 left in the third, and the Canes were on the power play.
After Carolina controlled the play in the offensive end, the extra attacker was sent out for the six-on-four advantage after the Canes returned to the Knights’ end of the ice.
A key keep by Aho led to Staal putting it on net, and Andrei Svechnikov pushing it to the back of the net.
A theme of the game was reviews, and the officials huddled to make sure Ehlers did not interfere with Hart. Nic Dowd shoved Ehlers into the back of the net, and another cut-and-dry review ended with the Hurricanes completing one of the most historic third-period comebacks in NHL history.
If you want to be simplistic, the first overtime was split into three stanzas. The Hurricanes came out of the locker room ready, controlling the play for the first third of the game.
Vegas did not register a shot on goal until the 9:53 mark of the period. But once they got going, the Knights put pressure on the Canes and had a couple of great chances.
As the period wound down, Carolina regained momentum. The best chance of the period was a Jarvis tip with 3:30 to go. He had a great feed, but just could not put the puck on net.
The Canes controlled most of the play during the first overtime period, but were outshot 7-6.
From the start of the second overtime, the best plays were by Bussi. Knowing that the Canes were dominating in the faceoff circle, Bussi made an extra effort to cover the puck and slow the game down.
Despite a couple of chances, this game was determined by some puck luck. Just over five minutes into double overtime, an errant Theodore shot bounced off the end boards, was not able to be corralled by Martinook, and deflected off Bussi’s skate into the net.
Down 4-0 heading into the third period, the Hurricanes were down and out. The team did not complete the comeback, but forcing overtime was historic.
Two goals were puck luck, two were defensive collapses, and one was a goalie needing to make a save.
The Hurricanes must take the extra day off to fix two of those, and the other must come from the player between the pipes.
Carolina is back in action on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, at 8:00 PM on ABC.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 6: Kyle Karros #12 of the Colorado Rockies walks off the field after a 7-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on June 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Coming into tonight’s matchup, it felt like the Colorado Rockies had an uphill battle to fight against the red hot Milwaukee Brewers and their flamethrowing ace Jacob Misiorowski. The Miz leads the league in strikeouts while the Rockies offense is bottom-five in that department.
The game seemed like it would hang on starting pitching even more so because of concerns around Zach Agnos and his return to the majors. He got roughed up in his last two bullpen appearances, giving up seven runs in each.
On paper, it felt like the Rockies could be susceptible to giving up a lot of runs early and like they might not be able to get many baserunners on, falling into a deep hole.
Those things didn’t quite play out that way. Agnos didn’t last long, but was able to minimize the early damage. Misiorowski posted eight strikeouts and was as formidable as expected. The Rockies were able to put him in a couple of somewhat vulnerable positions, but couldn’t capitalize on his (limited) mistakes. The bullpen allowed the game to get out of hand in the late innings and a slew of solo homers broke the game open in the late innings.
A busy three innings for Agnos
Agnos made his first start since May 21st. He performed considerably better in that lone start than he has as a bullpen arm lately. Luckily, that trend continued tonight, although he wasn’t flawless.
After getting the first two batters to line out and ground out, Agnos couldn’t notch the final out and gave up a solo home run to Brice Turang.
Agnos followed that with a walk to Jake Bauers before escaping the inning down 1-0.
The second inning was essentially identical. Agnos got through the first two batters fairly easily before giving up another solo shot, this time to David Hamilton. After Hamilton, Agnos walked Christian Yelich and then secured the third out.
Agnos only lasted three innings in his first game back after being recalled to the majors, finishing his day after 57 pitches, surrendering three hits (including the two homers), three walks, and one strikeout. Blas Castaño entered the game to start the fourth inning, down 2-0.
A “challenging” night for Castaño (in a good way!)
Castaño was a bright spot for the Rockies bullpen, both in how he pitched and how he delivered on some strategic ABS challenges.
Challenges from pitchers have been few and far between this season. Castaño joined the club and — rightfully — called for one to work out of a jam in the fourth. With runners on first and second, Castaño challenged a called ball on a 3-2 count, which was overturn to convert a walk into an inning ending strikeout to keep the game at 2-0.
Later, in the sixth inning, another Rockies challenge overturned a Castaño pickoff attempt at first that was initially called safe.
Castaño posted 2.2 scoreless innings, with three hits and two strikeouts. In his postgame comments, manager Warren Schaeffer noted that, “Blas has been really good for us. Attacking the strike zone, pitching with energy, a firm heater. Throwing strikes, throwing strikes, throwing strikes. I like how he pitches.“
Pitching and defense kept Colorado in it, briefly
Castaño’s performance and some nice defensive plays kept the Rockies hanging around. The offense finally broke through and got on the board in the bottom of the fifth.
Edouard Julien reached base on a throwing error, taking second. Then, Misiorowski gave up just his fourth hit with a running in scoring position this season (he was 3-for-35 before that), as a Kyle Karros double brought Julien home to bring the game to 2-1.
Through six innings, the Rockies only trailed by one in a low-scoring affair. It looked, for those few fleeting moments, like the Rockies bats might be able to chip away at Misiorowski.
The Rockies best opportunity to get over on Misiorowski came in the bottom of the sixth. Jake McCarthy singled to start things off and moved to second on a wild pitch. In a scary situation, Tyler Freeman was hit in the helmet with a 98 MPH cutter. He was thankfully up and alert after, but exited the game immediately.
Misiorowski got the next out before walking Hunter Goodman to load the bases. With Misiorowski rattled and ducks on the pond with just one out, the Rockies were in prime position to take the lead, or at least tie it up. Unfortunately, Troy Johnston went on to fly out to shallow left and Ezequiel Tovar grounded out to second.
Schaeffer later lamented the lack of a conversion there: “That’s right where we want to be. Just didn’t cash in tonight.”
Heat and K’s from the Miz
Th Rockies offense made a lot of contact early in the game, taking only one strikeout through the first two innings. Schaeffer talked about that plan to attack Misiorowski’s fastball: “You know he’s gonna throw a bunch of ‘em, and you don’t wait a guy like that out. You attack him.”
Even though Colorado limited the strikeout damage early, Misiorowski was still able to get through the first few innings with a very low pitch count. He logged a handful of one or two pitch outs with the Rockies attacking so aggressively.
Misiorowski is piling up quality starts, doing so in the last five straight games coming into tonight. You can make that six. He looked sharp through his seven innings pitched, giving up only four hits and one run (unearned), finishing with eight strikeouts. His season ERA drops from 1.65 to 1.50.
The Miz brought lots of firepower. On his 98 pitches thrown, more than half were over 100 MPH. Of note, he threw a meteor that would have given him the fastest pitch thrown this season. San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller currently holds that record at 103.8 MPH. Misiorowski almost nabbed the lead tonight, tossing a 103.7 MPH fastball.
Bullpen decisions prove costly (again)
Aside from Castaño looking sharp, the rest of the bullpen allowed the Brewers to expand their lead.
Castaño was removed in the in the top of the sixth after throwing 45 pitches, with two outs and a runner on first. Brennan Bernardino entered the game and worked into a jam immediately, giving up a single and putting runners on the corners. He was able to escape, striking out Jackson Chourio.
Bernardino wouldn’t fare as well in the seventh, giving up a dinger to William Contreras, followed by a couple more runs to bring the game to 5-1, with Bauers and Blake Perkins scoring on a fielding error.
In another fun bright spot, TJ Shook entered the game and got his first major league strikeout. In a less fun sad spot, Shook gave up two more homers, one to Turang (his second of the night) and one to Bauers.
The Rockies kept things close for a while against an impeccable starter, but the Brewers hit the most home runs they have all season as the bullpen got picked apart.
Up Next
It’s a Dinger giveaway day at the ballpark! Fans will walk away their favorite purple triceratops in “bobblehead” form, but complete with 360 degree spinning action!
As for the game itself, the Rox and the Brew Crew will conclude the three-game series on Sunday afternoon with a 1:10 p.m. first pitch, with the Rockies looking to avoid the sweep.
Kyle Freeland will take the mound for Colorado, entering with a 1-6 record and an 8.06 ERA across 10 starts. For the Brewers, Shane Drohan gets the start, boasting a 2-1 record and a 2.87 ERA in 12 games with two starts.
The Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and Carolina Hurricanes has made plenty of NHL history through the first three games.
Vegas leads 2-1 after blowing a four-goal lead but winning Game 3 on Saturday night in double overtime.
Here's a look at Vegas-Carolina by the numbers:
5
Stanley Cup Final series over the past 45 years in which each of the first three games was decided by a goal.
3
Goals scored by Mitch Marner during a 6:10 stretch in Game 3, the fastest hat trick in the final. Montreal’s Maurice Richard had the previous record at 6:21 in 1957.
3
Goals scored by Carolina in 39 seconds, the fastest by a team in the final. The previous record was three in 56 seconds by the Canadiens in 1954.
10
Goals by Marner in 19 games during this run with Vegas after scoring 13 in his first 70 playoff games with Toronto.
49
Shifts skated by Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb in Game 3 for a total of 35:47, two days after taking a puck to the face off an 87.3 mph shot from Carolina’s Nikolaj Ehlers.
45
Years since more goals were scored in the first three games of a final. Vegas and Carolina combined for 28, the most since the New York Islanders and Minnesota North Stars scored 30 in Games 1-3 in 1981.
4
Points in the second period of Game 3 for Marner, the most in a game in the final since Frank Foyston of the Seattle Metropolitans in 1919. That series was not completed and the Stanley Cup not awarded because of the Spanish flu pandemic.
1
Year to the date since the last time a Cup final game went to double overtime. Florida beat Edmonton in Game 2 in 2025 on Brad Marchand's goal on the way to being back-to-back champions.
1
Loss in overtime this playoffs for the Hurricanes, who won their previous six. Carolina also fell to 6-1 on the road.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JUNE 02: Bo Bichette #19 of the New York Mets looks on against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on June 02, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets were quiet offensively again tonight in a game where the top of the lineup did not hit much and lost 3-2 to the Padres. Nolan McLean struggled with walks but only allowed one run again.
In the second inning, Marcus Semien walked, and A.J. Ewing hit a single into right field, bouncing it off of first base. Brett Baty followed up two batters later by smacking an RBI single past second base into center field, allowing Semien to score. In the bottom of the second, Nolan McLean allowed a two-out walk to Xander Bogaerts after retiring the first five batters he saw. However, McLean assisted Jared Young in ending the inning when Miguel Andujar grounded out during the next at-bat.
In the third inning, McLean walked the leadoff hitter, Sung-Mun Song, who promptly stole second base. After Freddy Fermin bunted for a pop out, McLean threw a pitch to Fernando Tatis, Jr and stumbled, landing awkwardly. Thankfully, he was okay, but Tatis then tapped a single that bounced off of second base and angled into right field, scoring Song and tying the game. McLean allowed another two-out walk, this time to Ty France. McLean stranded both runners in the end, but his pitch count soared during the third inning.
Semien hit a ground ball to left field for a single in the fourth inning, only to be caught stealing during the next at-bat. Ewing walked and tried to steal, but Mark Vientos struck out, ending the inning, which was made confusing when Fermin threw to second base anyway.
In the fifth inning, McLean allowed a single from Song, and then a sacrifice bunt from Fermin moved Song to second base. Tatis smacked a single on a ground ball that Bo Bichette stopped from turning into an RBI, to the detriment of his left shoulder. After an injury delay and despite his obvious pain, Bichette stayed in the game. Song stayed at second base until Jackson Merrill flied out and Song moved to third. Tatis tried to steal second base, and Luis Torrens faked a throw. Song tried to steal home, as he realized what was happening too late. He turned around, but was ultimately caught stealing in a rundown with throws from Torrens to Baty to McLean. Bichette ultimately led off the top of the sixth inning with a groundout.
Semien led off the seventh inning with a home run, and Austin Warren came into the bottom of the seventh to replace Nolan McLean, who had worked the first six innings and improved his record of 100 pitches in a game to 101 pitches in a game. Warren allowed a single from Song, and sort of fell down, and Fermin capitalized immediately by hitting his first home run of the season. Tatis flied out to end the inning, but the damage was done: Padres 3, Mets 2.
In the top of the eighth, Torrens grounded out for the first out. Carson Benge lined a single into right field, and Bichette followed up with a single into center field. Unfortunately, the momentum ended there when Juan Soto hit directly to Song, who turned a double play to Bogaerts to get Benge out at second. In the top of the ninth, Ewing worked a two-out walk to bring up Vientos, who struck out to end the game with a Padres win.
The Mets will try to take the rubber game tomorrow at Petco Park, with Sean Manaea likely to take on a role against Randy Vásquez.
Big Mets winner: Nolan McLean, +22.0% WPA Big Mets loser: Austin Warren, -38.0% WPA Mets pitchers: -16.0% WPA Mets hitters: -34.0% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Marcus Semien hits a home run in the top of the seventh, + 20.5% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Fernando Tatis, Jr. singles on a ball that bounces off second base, Sung-Mun Song scores -10.7% WPA
Jun 6, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Mitch Marner (93) and center William Karlsson (71) celebrates a goal by defenseman Shea Theodore (not pictured) against the Carolina Hurricanes during the second overtime in game three of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Shea Theodore scored at 5:38 of the second overtime, avoiding what could have been a potentially devastating loss for the Golden Knights after they blew a four-goal lead, and Vegas beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-4 on Saturday night for a 2-1 series lead.
Theodore’s goal went in off goalie Brandon Bussi’s skate. It came long after teammate Mitch Marner had the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Final history.
The teams take two days off before meeting in Game 4 on Tuesday night in Las Vegas. Teams that take a 2-1 series lead in the final went on to win the Cup 46 of 57 times, or 80.7%.
Carolina had been 6-0 in overtime this postseason. The Hurricanes were trying to become the first team to win after trailing by at least four goals in the third period, but now clubs in that situation are 0-109.
“We just left our foot off the gas,” Theodore said on the ABC broadcast. “I think we have to be sharper in the third, but I liked the resiliency out of our group. I liked the way we started that second overtime, and I felt like we were more on our toes.”
This was the 10th time the first three games of a Cup Final were decided by a point. The last time was in 2016 between Pittsburgh and San Jose.
The Golden Knights seemed to have it in hand after scoring four times in the second, including a natural hat trick by Marner.
But Jordan Martinook, Taylor Hall and Jordan Staal scored goals for the Hurricanes. Their goals, occurring 39 seconds apart, are the fastest in a Cup Final game.
Andrei Svechnikov jammed in a puck on a six-on-four power play with 1:42 left to force overtime.
Marner’s scoring outburst came over a 6:10 stretch of the second period, and he had four points in the period. He had the secondary assist on Tomas Hertl’s goal midway through the period.
The last time a player had four points in a period of the Cup final was in 1919 when Frank Foyston of the Seattle Metropolitans pulled off that feat.
Marner nearly added to the total in the third period, but failed to capitalize on a breakaway and a penalty shot. Those missed chances came back to bite the Golden Knights.
The Hurricanes made the comeback after changing goalies to open the third, going with Bussi, who made 18 saves. Frederik Andersen had given up those four goals on 16 shots.
Carolina also rallied without forward and former Golden Knight William Carrier, who had an upper-body injury in the second period.
Vegas’ Carter Hart stopped 29 shots.
Vegas twice thought it took the lead early in the second period, but the Hurricanes successfully challenged both goals to keep the game scoreless.
Mark Stone’s goal from the slot 36 seconds into the period was overturned when Brett Howden was determined to be offside after a video review. Another review wiped off Jack Eichel’s rebound goal four minutes in when Rasmus Andersson was called for goalie interference.
It’s not the first time this series went against the Golden Knights.
An unsuccessful video challenge by Vegas coach John Tortorella in Game 2 on Thursday night led to a power-play goal by Staal, whose goal helped the Hurricanes rally to win 4-3 in overtime.
The Golden Knights received a major boost when defenseman Brayden McNabb took the ice. He took a puck in the face in the first period Thursday night at Carolina and didn’t return to the game. McNabb, who had on a cage to protect his face, is Vegas’ best defensive defenseman. He was on the first defensive pair with Theodore.
This series has been, if anything, unpredictable.
Each team blew two-goal leads in the first two games, with the Golden Knights rallying in the opener and Hurricanes responding with a Game 2 victory in overtime.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases after hitting a home run in the first inning of a 9-2 win over the Angels at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers spent so long racking up an insurmountable lead in the first inning that starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto resorted to throwing a ball against the back of the dugout to stave off rust.
He also went to the batting cages to keep his arm moving, tossing weighted PlyoCare balls.
As he worked, the Dodgers scored all of the runs they would need and more to defeat the Angels 9-2 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. The chasm between the Freeway Series rivals was on display.
“That’s a lot of fun,” Dodgers rookie Ryan Ward said of the first-inning onslaught. “You can feel them start to speed up a little bit, and we’re starting to calm down and enjoy it. And it’s easy to pass it along when you have a lot of runners on, and then just keep it going.”
The one-run lead the Angels (24-41) had jumped out to in the top of the inning — when a leaping center fielder Andy Pages couldn’t quite reel in Oswald Peraza‘s deep line drive for an RBI triple — was long forgotten after the Dodgers rallied for nine runs in the first.
Andy Pages celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a two-run home run as part of a nine-run first inning for the Dodgers. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
It was the most runs the Dodgers scored in a single inning in nearly five years, matching their seventh-inning rally against the Nationals on July 2, 2021.
The Dodgers (42-23) helped themselves with a show of power. Pages drove in the first two runs by crushing a center-cut changeup from Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz over the left-field wall.
Judging by his stroll out of the batter’s box, Pages seemed to know it was a homer on contact.
The ball had so much loft that reliever Blake Treinen parked under it in the bullpen and caught it with his hat. His fellow relievers mobbed him in an impromptu mosh pit.
“The homer by Andy to answer back was big, kind of put to bed any type of momentum they had at the top of the first,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And then after that, just the hits kept coming, just good at-bats.”
Later in the same inning, after the lineup turned over, Shohei Ohtani also notched a two-run homer, for his second hit. In between, rookie Ryan Ward hit a two-run double off the wall.
The Dodgers brought 12 batters to the plate and recorded six hits in a row — seven total.
The Angels’ shoddy defense exacerbated the scoring spree. They had a chance to get out of it just four runs into the rally.
Kochanowicz had faced eight hitters and only recorded one out when Angels manager Kurt Suzuki turned to his bullpen.
Veteran left-hander Brent Suter jogged in with the bases loaded. Immediately, Suter got Alex Freeland to hit a ground ball to shortstop Zach Neto, for what should have been an inning-ending double play.
Instead, Neto’s throw across his body sailed past second and into foul territory on the other side of the diamond. By the time Angels right fielder Jo Adell collected the ball and threw to the cutoff man, three runs had scored.
“We always say, you can’t give good teams extra outs,” Roberts said. “And so, to give us extra outs just makes us really tough to beat.”
Ohtani was up next. And in a two-strike count, he stayed inside a sinker to launch his two-run blast to left-center field.
The Angels’ defense didn’t fare much better in the second, although Suter navigated a pair of misplays — Neto muffed a one-hopper up the middle, which was ruled a single, and third baseman Donovan Walton overthrew first on a chopper — to escape without the Dodgers extending their lead.
Yamamoto retired 22 straight en route to eight innings of two-hit ball.
“I was given a big lead,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “So what I was trying to do was focus on my execution and also be fine, precise with my location, the height and location of my pitches.”
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers against the Angels in the first inning Saturday at Dodger Stadium. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
The lead also gave him a chance to experiment.
“You get up big like that, you don’t want to get too cute to an extent,” catcher Dalton Rushing said. “But you also want to understand and see what he’s capable of. ... For him, it’s so easy, because he has eight pitches that he can throw wherever he wants. Obviously it’s fun to work with him. We tried a few new tricks, and we’ll carry them over into his next one.”
While Yamamoto gave the Dodgers bullpen a rest, Roberts used the early blowout to give first baseman Freddie Freeman some rest.
Freeman, who has played in 62 of the Dodgers’ 65 games, left after the top of the fourth inning, replaced by Miguel Rojas.
The Angels had time to chip away, but they didn’t score again until Neto’s solo homer off Dodgers reliever Jack Dreyer in the ninth inning.
The contrast was glaring.
Rams defensive end Myles Garrett throws out the ceremonial first pitch Saturday at Dodger Stadium. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
Smith scratched
Dodgers catcher Will Smith was scratched from the lineup because of a stiff neck, Roberts said. The issue “came out of nowhere,” Roberts said, pointing to a “bad night’s sleep or a bad pillow.”
“He was going to play two out of three [against the Angels] regardless,” Roberts said. “So it’s nice that we could kind of tap Dalton on the shoulder and get him in there.”
Roberts said he expects Smith will return to the lineup Sunday.
Injury update
Right-handed reliever Brock Stewart (left foot bone spur) is progressing after a setback a week and a half ago stymied his throwing progression.
The last time Stewart threw live batting practice, he aggravated the injury by running afterward. But throwing to hitters Saturday went better. He’s scheduled to throw one more live BP session before going out on a minor-league rehab assignment, Roberts said.
Roster moves
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow smiles on the field before the Dodgers' 9-2 win Saturday against the Angels at Dodger Stadium. (Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers added right-hander Nick Frasso to the 40-man roster and transferred right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back spasms) to the 60-day injured list.
The team originally expected Glasnow to avoid the IL altogether, but his back issues have persisted. He remains shut down from throwing after a flare-up.
“He wants to get cranking again,” Roberts said, “but the doctors just aren’t allowing it and the body is not allowing for it right now.”
The Dodgers also traded left-hander Antoine Kelly, whom they signed to a minor-league deal in November to the Cubs.
Shea Theodore was the hero for the Vegas Golden Knights, but his winning tally in double overtime will hardly be remembered as the prettiest goal in NHL history. Theodore fired a shot from near the blue line that rocketed off the end boards. Carolina's Jordan Martinook was unable to corral it and it struck Hurricanes goalie Brandon Bussi's skate, going into the net.
It was a brutal break for Bussi and the Hurricanes. The rookie goalie was inserted for starter Frederik Andersen to start the third period with the Hurricanes down 4-0.
Carolina erased that 4-0 deficit in the third, thanks in part to a record three goals in just 39 seconds before the 'Canes added a late power play equalizer that sent the game to OT. Bussi stopped the first 18 shots he faced, but Theodore's bizarre goal got through to give the Golden Knights a 2-1 series lead.
Game 3 of this high-scoring series is set for Tuesday, June 9 (8 p.m. ET, ABC).
The Mets got a gutsy six-inning performance from Nolan McLean, but couldn't hang on to a late one-run lead, falling to the Padres 3-2 in San Diego on Saturday night.
New York (28-36) managed six hits and two walks, but couldn't capitalize on chances, leaving five on base and going 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position. San Diego (33-30) closer Mason Miller, who allowed a run in the ninth in Friday's game, slammed the door shut in the ninth for his 18th save of the year, snapping the Padres' six-game losing skid.
Here are the key takeaways...
- McLean started sharply, getting Fernando Tatis Jr. swinging at a 97 mph sinker and Jackson Merrill looking at a 96 mph heater down the pipe in a 1-2-3 first, and Gavin Sheets staring at a 96 mph sinker right over the plate in the second.
But McLean was having to work a bit, throwing 34 pitches to get the first six outs, as the command of his breaking pitches was a bit spotty. The young right-hander issued his second walk of the night to start the third, and it bit him when Tatis bounced a one-out single off of second base into right field to level the score. After another walk put two on with two outs, McLean got Manny Machado swinging at a good curveball below the zone to close the 28-pitch inning.
The righty rebounded with a quick fourth, getting Xander Bogaerts looking at a good sinker on the outside corner in the process.
McLean got into trouble in the fifth, but good defense kept the Padres off the board. After a bloop single, McLean did well to field the sacrifice bunt and get the out at first. Next, Bo Bichette made a fine diving stop in the hole at short to keep the runner at second on an infield hit. And with two down and runners on the corners, LuisTorrens’ pump-fake on the steal attempt caught Sung-Mun Song too far off third base to end the inning.
At 91 pitches, Carlos Mendoza sent McLean back out for the sixth and the 24-year-old rewarded his skipper, getting San Diego 1-2-3 to close his line: one run on three hits, three walks, five strikeouts on 101 pitches (62 strikes). He was in line to grab a win, but things didn't break his way.
- Austin Warren, looking to protect a one-run lead, was the first man out of the bullpen and, after getting two quick outs, allowed an infield hit when he couldn’t scoop a bleeder down the first base line. On the very next pitch, Freddy Fermin – the Padres catcher who twice bunted with a runner on first and nobody out and entered the game with 13 hits in 103 at-bats – turned on a 94 mph sinker on the inside corner for a 366-foot go-ahead two-run shot to left, his first of the season. (Warren stayed on for a quick eighth, but the damage was done.)
- After giving up the lead, the Mets got something cooking with one out in the eighth against righty reliever Jason Adam as Carson Benge popped a single over first base and Bichette followed with a sharply hit liner up the middle to put two on for Juan Soto.
But San Diego, one of the best defensive teams in baseball, came up trumps as a 100.9 mph liner turned into a double-play as Song ranged to his right to just make a grab with an outstretched arm before flipping to catch Benge off second.
Benge finished 1-for-4 with a strikeout looking, Bichette 1-for-4 with a strikeout swinging, and Soto went hitless in four at-bats, including a strikeout swinging against left-handed reliever Adrian Morejon.
- Marcus Semien, who worked a walk his first time up, pulled a first-pitch single to left with one down in the fourth, but got caught trying to steal second three pitches later.
Semien made up for that by ambushing Padres reliever Bradgley Rodriguez in the seventh, smacking the first pitch of the frame for a go-ahead home run. The 98 mph sinker was right down the pike and the second baseman launched it 394 feet (101.5 mph) over the fence in the left-center gap, his seventh long ball on the year and fourth in the last 11 games. He finished 2-for-3 with a walk.
- Brett Baty, coming off a two-hit game on Friday, put the Mets on top with a two-out RBI single up the middle in the second. Finished 1-for-3.
- A.J. Ewing got the Mets going with a stinging single (106.4 mph off the bat) into right to put two aboard and one down in the second and later came around to score the first run. Ewing lost the Mets’ first challenge on a close pitch on the corner, but still managed to work a two-out walk in the fourth, his 10th free pass in 24 games. He went 1-for-2 with a strikeout and two walks, the latter a terrifically worked one against Miller with two outs in the ninth.
- Mark Vientos, who has been in a huge funk, had an RBI chance his first time up, but swung through a hanging Griffin Canning slider above the zone. He went down swinging on a 3-2 slider off the outside corner to end the fourth and swinging at a breaking pitch from Miller to end the ballgame, to finish hitless in four at-bats with the three strikeouts. Vientos is now 6-for-46 (.130) in the last 14 games with 15 strikeouts and no walks.
- Torrens tapped out to the pitcher to strand runners on the corners his first time up. Finished 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
- Jared Young went hitless in four trips to the plate with a pair of strikeouts.
- On the diving play at short, Bichette immediately began to wince and grabbed at his left shoulder after back-handing the ball. Mendoza came out of the dugout with the team's athletic trainer to check on the shortstop, but Bichette told the pair he was fine and remained in the game.
"He's fine," Mendoza said after the game. "Hopefully, he wakes up tomorrow [feeling fine], but you look at his swing after the diving play, there was no hesitation. He looked normal there. I'm anticipating him being fine for [Sunday]."
The three-game set concludes with Sunday's 4:10 p.m. first pitch on SNY.
New York will use Huascar Brazobán as an opener. San Diego will send out right-hander Randy Vasquez (3.31 ERA, 1.224 WHIP in 65.1 innings), a player they got from the Yankees in the Soto deal.
Jun 6, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages (44) runs to the dugout with designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) after hitting a two run home run against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers had their best scoring inning in five years in yet another lopsided defeat of the Angels, 9-2 on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.
The first six Dodgers got hits off Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz, who retired only one of his eight batters faced. By the time he departed after 38 pitches, the Dodgers led 4-0 but the bases were still loaded. Alex Freeland reached on a fielder’s choice, and a throwing error by shortstop Zach Neto helped facilitate all three runners scoring on the play.
Shohei Ohtani, who singled to open the frame, punctuated the inning with a two-run home run off Brent Suter, making it 9-1.
Yamamoto actually trailed by a run after the top of the first, when a two-out infield single was cashed in by an Oswald Peraza triple that was off the glove of a leaping Andy Pages in center field. Any misgivings about Pages not making the catch were washed away by his 394-foot home run into the Dodgers bullpen to give Yamamoto a 2-1 lead.
On the season, Yamamoto has allowed 23 earned runs in his 12 starts, with eight of them scoring in the first inning, his worst frame of the season with a 6.00 ERA. But he settled down and then some on Saturday. After the triple, Yamamoto retired 22 Angels in a row and completed eight innings on only 93 pitches in his longest outing of the year.
Yamamoto, who allowed three runs over his last four starts, has lasted at least seven innings a team-leading five time this season.
The Dodgers this season have beaten the Angels in all five meetings, outscoring the Halos 41-5.
Saturday particulars
Home runs: Andy Pages (14), Shohei Ohtani (11); Zach Neto (11)
The Dodgers conclude their 2026 engagement with the Angels on Sunday afternoon (1:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, KCOP channel 13), with Emmet Sheehan on the mound against José Soriano.
DENVER, CO - JUNE 6: Starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on June 6, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Jacob Misiorowski is approaching his one-year anniversary of his Brewers debut. Tonight, he showed just how much growth he has made in that year.
Before Misiorowski could take the field, the Brewers staked him to an early lead. That came from Brice Turang, who hit the first pitch he saw 444 feet out to center field at 105.5 mph. The Brewers had a 1-0 lead early.
In the next inning, again with two outs, the Brewers added another solo home run. This came from David Hamilton, who also hit one out to center, though this one only went 426 feet with a 102.4 mph exit velocity.
Early on, Misiorowski depended on his defense more than his strikeouts. He didn’t record a strikeout in the first, then struck out his first batter in the second. There was a scary moment when Troy Johnston hit a ground ball right back at Misiorowski, and it deflected off his calf. After a check from the trainers, he was fine and remained in the game. The next pitch was a double-play ball from Exequiel Tovar that ended the inning.
Misiorowski was efficient through his first four innings. He had a clean third inning with a strikeout. In the fourth, he walked a batter but had another clean inning. He needed just 40 pitches for his first four innings.
The Brewers’ lead would be challenged in the bottom of the fifth, partially because of some sloppy defense. With two outs, Edouard Julien with a ground ball right to Joey Ortiz. He rushed the throw, and it was wide and past Andrew Vaughn. That allowed Julien to reach second. It was initially ruled a single and error, but later changed to just an error.
In the next at-bat, Kyle Karros hit a ball down the right field line. It would have been a single had Sal Frelick played it safely, but he misplayed it and the ball went to the wall. That turned it into a double that scored Julien (who might have scored on a single anyway). Misiorowski followed it up with a strikeout of Brett Sullivan, but the Rockies closed the gap to 2-1.
While the Brewers had built an early two-run lead, they missed opportunities to blow it open early. In the first, the Brewers had runners at first and second following the Turang home run, but did not score either. They had runners at first and second again in the fourth, but a strikeout of Jackson Chourio ended that inning.
Frelick drew a walk to start the sixth, but the Rockies picked him off first (following a video review). It would end up being a big review after Hamilton and Christian Yelich hit back-to-back singles, putting runners at first and third. Chourio struck out again to end that inning. The Brewers had a baserunner in each of the first six innings, but their only runs were the solo home runs.
The bottom of the sixth is where Misiorowski really started to struggle. Jake McCarthy led off the inning with a single. Next up was Tyler Freeman. On a 1-1 count, he threw a 98.6 mph cutter that hit Freeman squarely in the left side of his head. Freeman was shaken up and Misiorowski was rattled by it as well. After trainers checked on Freeman, he walked off the field on his own, with Sterlin Thompson entering to pinch-run. Pitching coach Chris Hook also talked to Misiorowski during this to help settle him down after that.
After TJ Rumfield flew out, Hunter Goodman drew a walk to load the bases with one out. It was looking rough for Misiorowski, but he recovered. Johnston swung at the first pitch he saw and flew out to Bauers in shallow left, which prevented McCarthy from tagging and scoring. Two pitches later, Tovar grounded out to Turang, who threw to Vaughn at first for the out. Misiorowski was out of the inning, but needed an additional 36 pitches between the fifth and sixth innings.
The Brewers’ offense would finally break through in the seventh. It started with a William Contreras solo home run off Brennan Bernardino, increasing the lead to 3-1.
After that, Bauers drew his fourth walk of the game, and Vaughn singled to put runners at first and second. Blake Perkins would pinch hit for Vaughn, and on the first pitch of the next at-bat, both runners ran with big leads. Both were safe to move runners up to second and third. Two pitches later, Frelick hit a ground ball to Rumfield, who bobbled it. Both runners scored and Frelick reached on the error.
The lead was up to 5-1 and Bernardino was pulled for TJ Shook. Ortiz hit a single off Shook, but the Brewers couldn’t build any more as Shook struck out Hamilton and Yelich.
Following a long layoff, Misiorowski came back out for the seventh inning. He started with a strikeout of Julien, but then walked Karros and allowed a single to Sullivan. At this point, Aaron Ashby was warming up, but Misiorowski told manager Pat Murphy in the dugout that he wanted to stay in the game. Misiorowski proved he could handle it, striking out McCarthy and Thompson to end the inning. It took 22 pitches but he got through the seventh.
While it might have been a night below Misiorowski’s recent standards, he still had a strong game. He allowed just one unearned run in seven innings. The Rockies did get their baserunners as Misiorowski allowed four hits and walked three. However, Misiorowski kept them mostly in check and added another eight strikeouts. He also maxed out at 103.7 mph, the fastest pitch thrown by a starter under pitch tracking.
Not wanting to waste his night, the Brewers offense added on more in the eighth. Turang remained hot with his second home run of the day, this one a solo home run to left field.
Two batters later, Jake Bauers recorded his first hit of the night following four walks. It might have been a pop-up fly ball in most parks, but in Colorado, it was a home run to left field. The Brewers now had a 7-1 lead.
Grant Anderson entered the game in relief in the eighth inning, just two days after taking a line drive off his arm. He walked a batter in the eighth but otherwise had a clean inning, striking out one. Drew Rom made his debut in the ninth, allowed a ground-rule double but that was all as he struck out two. A foul pop-up caught by Contreras ended the game.
As a team, the Brewers collected 13 hits and six walks. Bauers reached base all five times, hitting a home run to go with his four walks. Hamilton had a 4-for-5 day at the plate. Contreras, Turang, and Yelich added two-hit days as well. The only hitless starters were Frelick (who drew a walk and batted in a run) and Chourio (who went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts). Five of the Brewers’ hits were solo home runs. This all happened despite the team going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and leaving 12 on base.
This sets up a chance to sweep tomorrow afternoon in Colorado. Shane Drohan will face Kyle Freeland, with first pitch at 2:10 p.m.
