OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The Ottawa Charge are returning to the Walter Cup Final for a second straight season.
Michela Cava scored at 1:12 of the second overtime to lead Ottawa to a 4-3 win over the Boston Fleet, winning the best-of-five semifinal series in four games.
Ottawa lost last year’s final to the Minnesota Frost.
The Charge will meet the winner of the Montreal Victoire-Frost series, which will be decided with Monday’s Game 5.
Sarah Wozniewicz, Rebecca Leslie and Brooke Hobson also scored for Ottawa. Goaltender Gwyneth Philips made 43 saves.
Shay Maloney, Megan Keller and Sophie Shirley scored for the Fleet. Aerin Frankel made 29 saves.
After losing the first game, Ottawa went on to win the next three. Boston had not lost three straight games all season.
Cava redirected a Katerina Mrazova shot for the winning goal.
The two teams combined for five goals in the second to tie the game 3-3 after 40 minutes.
Ottawa took a 2-0 lead early in the period. Jenner fired a sharp-angle shot from below the goal-line that deflected off Leslie’s skate as she battled to the crease. The play was reviewed, but the goal stood.
The Fleet then scored three straight in a span of 1:33 to take a 3-2 lead.
Joel Embiid pretty much begged 76ers fans not to sell their tickets and to show up for the home games during their second round matchup with the Knicks.
The team tried its best to keep New Yorkers from being able to acquire them, as well.
The organization went as far as donating tickets to local community groups in an effort to keep Knicks fans out.
Spoiler alert: It didn’t work.
“I used to think Philly was a sports town, I don’t know anymore,” Josh Hart said after the Knicks defeated the Sixers to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.
The orange and blue faithful absolutely dominated Xfinity Mobile Arena in Game 3, and it was even worse with a chance to close the series out on Sunday for Game 4.
New York fans once again showed up and showed out.
Cheers were so loud when the Knicks were welcomed to the court pregame that if you weren’t looking you would've thought the home team was being introduced.
And those cheers only grew louder and louder as the Knicks jumped out to commanding double-digit advantage behind a historic three-point shooting opening quarter.
“It’s one of the coolest things in the world hearing Knicks fans take over opposing arenas,” Jalen Brunson said.
They exploded again after Mitchell Robinson knocked both of his free throws when Philly turned to the Hack-A-Mitch strategy in an effort to slow things down late in the second quarter.
Minutes later, a contingent of Knicks fans behind the basket were shown holding up pictures of Robinson’s posterization of Joel Embiid as the big man attempted free throws on the other end.
And with the hometown fans making their way towards the exits, chants of ‘Knicks in 4’ and ‘Let’s Go Knicks’ rang throughout the area down the stretch in the blowout victory.
Philly sounded like MSG West, once again.
“I got a lot of respect for you, Knicks fans,” Mike Brown said.
“When you can take over a 'sports town,' that gives the guys so much confidence,” Hart said. “JB, myself, Mikal [Bridges] have ties here so it never felt like a road game, and they made sure to echo that.”
Tyrese Maxey – 23.5 VJ Edgecombe – 16 Joel Embiid – 14.5 Paul George – 10 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 6 Justin Edwards – 4 Dominick Barlow – 3 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain – 3 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
Well, it’s over.
The Philadelphia 76ers season comes to a close in the second round of the playoffs, with the New York Knicks completing their 4-0 sweep of the Sixers on their floor. Well, it sounded like the Knicks’ floor, but it was technically the Sixers’.
Game 4 was about as bad as it could get. The Sixers were already down more than 20 points by the close of the first frame. It just never even looked like a competitive contest. The Knicks had 81 points by halftime, holding a 24-point advantage. The Sixers players might have packed for Cancun during the break. New York sweeps Philadelphia, in Philadelphia, with a 144-114 final score in Game 4. If you are looking for a recap of the game for some sick reason, we have you covered here.
I think the reality is that we all knew this was how it would end, with a whimper. The same way this team has gone out year after year. Knocking out the Boston Celtics was nice along the way, and kudos to the players for making that happen in spite of the organizational management this season… but reality always sinks in at some point: this is not a contending team. They never were really expected to be contenders this season, but this is the harsh result of the fact that they really just aren’t. We knew it before the season even started and the organization’s front office all but confirmed it at the trade deadline.
This is where that gets you. Sure, you made the second round when you really weren’t expected to… but does it matter when this is how it ends? If nothing changes going forward?
But I digress. There will be plenty of time for all the post-mortem chatter.
For the final time of the 2025-26 season, let’s get to the Bell Ringer.
The Sixers fans
<p>(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images
The Sixers fans are going to get criticized after the crowd distribution at Game 4, with a large majority of the crowd at Xfinity Mobile Arena donning Knicks gear. I don’t think that will be fair criticism by any means.
After years of stagnation, frustrating injuries, the same roster construction issues never being resolved, the trade deadline “strategy” (if you can even call it that) this February… Even after all of that, the Philadelphia fans showed up for the end of the regular season fight to the Play-In Tournament. They showed up all regular season, through the highs and lows. They showed for that Play-In Tournament game that sent the Sixers to the actual playoffs. They showed up in the first round, and even a bit for Game 3 of this second round despite incredibly high prices to get a seat at the game.
So no, I do not blame the Philadelphia fans for not showing up for Game 4. It would have meant giving $400 per ticket to an organization that has spit in their faces just to then watch a Sixers team get immediately outplayed into a more than 25-point deficit. The only one that put in any perceivable effort was Joel Embiid, who was actively battling through his entire body being in pain throughout. Sorry, that’s just not worth the price of admission.
If this Flyers’ run (and the cheers following their elimination) has taught us anything about the fans of Philadelphia, it’s that they are just looking for something to cheer about. Effort and heart from the organization and the team. This wasn’t that. One of the many ways in which the Sixers are not the Flyers, despite having similar playoff runs on paper these past few weeks.
All of that is to say that there’s only one candidate for the final Bell Ringer of the 2025-26 season: you. You, the fans that find a way to keep being interested in and supporting this team even when it’s been really hard to. You, the fans that keep reading and commenting on our work here at Liberty Ballers even when it would be totally reasonable to be checked-out on all things Sixers. You, the sicko Philly fan that keeps caring even when all evidence tries to convince you not to.
You are the only ones worthy of the Bell Ringer here. We appreciate you.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 09: Ajay Mitchell #25 of the Oklahoma City Thunder drives to the basket against Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena on May 09, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In what’s become a far too familiar script, the Lakers fell to the Thunder in Saturday’s Game 3 and now trail 3-0. A deficit that’s never been overcome in NBA history. LA’s season is now on the brink of ending on Monday as they attempt to extend the series back to Oklahoma City in Game 4.
In Groundhog Day fashion, the purple and gold led at halftime and held momentum going into the break. It was a two-point advantage in Game 3 after a one-point advantage in Game 2. The Thunder, though, play a complete game, and it takes 48 focused minutes to even keep it close.
The ugly third quarter reared its head again, as OKC used a 33-20 period to turn a deficit into another blowout win, leading by as much as 27 and revealing just how far these two teams are from one another.
Their physicality and aggression wear on opponents, eventually breaking the Lakers’ spirit in each game. After a few back-and-forth baskets, with a tied game at 63, OKC broke out a 15-2 run.
The reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, gets the most attention, understandably, but the Lakers’ killer in this series continues to be guard Ajay Mitchell. The third quarter on Saturday was no different.
Mitchell finished 3-3 from the field with nine points, three assists and zero turnovers in the game-changing third. He hit an early three on the wing to begin the quarter, but where he’s really killed the LA is on straight-line drives, as shown below.
Watch as he runs an action with Isaiah Hartenstein and attacks the basket with a floater that settles in.
His shot puts OKC up seven, with a timeout by head coach J.J. Redick to follow.
The explosive guard finished 10-17 from the field for 24 points, ten assists with zero turnovers. He averaged over 20 for the series with 6.7 assists, burning the Lakers on any overhelp against SGA or taking over in the minutes he sat.
Labeled as the deepest team in the league going into the playoffs, OKC leveraged that all series, including in the third. They have an unending supply of quality role players to plug and play.
Shooting just 6-18 on 3-pointers in the first half, they hit 5-9 in the third, including two massive ones from sharp shooter Isaiah Joe. What looked like a strong defensive possession with closeouts led to a huge basket, quickly taking a five-point lead to eight in the clip below.
On the Lakers’ offensive end, after 57 points at halftime, they mustered just 20 in the third quarter. The Thunder adjusted and increased their physicality on the Lakers’ main ball handlers.
Austin Reaves had eight assists at halftime, getting going downhill and finding teammates either on skip passes or at the basket. OKC shut off those passing windows in the third. Watch below as LeBron James runs a ball screen at the top of the key and swings it over to Reaves in the corner.
No advantage is created as all the Thunder are in the correct defensive position on the floor. Reaves attacks the on-ball pressure from Mitchell looking to score, but is shut off at the rim by Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren. A mid-air pass is quickly stolen for one of his three turnovers in the quarter.
A few possessions later, LeBron and Reaves run their patented middle ball screen action. Mitchell gets a hand on the pocket pass to disrupt the play. Watch below as LeBron quickly looks to fling the ball to Jaxson Hayes and turns it over.
“The turnovers, I think we had five of them in the third,” Redick said postgame. “I think all of them led to them getting fast-break transition baskets. I don’t know what it ended up being, but at one point, they were 11-17 from three in the second half. You’re not getting stops, it’s harder to score.”
LeBron and Reaves combined to go just 1-5 in the third quarter with four turnovers. It’s not enough against a team you need to play perfectly against to just keep it close, let alone steal a win.
The competitive first halves in this series and the constant shots of the bench, with superstar Luka Dončić looking on helplessly, can spark interest in what this matchup would look like in a different situation.
But the reality is that LA has lost the third quarter 92-61 in this series through Game 3 with an average margin of victory of 20 points per game. No matter how you spin it, these teams are nowhere close to each other, and a long summer awaits.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 10: Chicago White Sox catcher Drew Romo (36) celebrates after hitting a double during a regular season MLB game between the Seattle Mariners and the Chicago White Sox on May 10, 2026, at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joseph Weiser/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Eduard Bazardo yielded the two runs the Chicago White Sox needed to beat the Seattle Mariners today. His 1-2 breaking ball to veteran OF Randal Grichuk floated over the heart of the plate like a miscategorized deluxe roll of conveyer belt sushi on the cheapest designated plate. Grichuk’s solo shot tied things at 1-1 in the 8th inning, and a sinker doubled to the right field wall by Drew Romo set Chicago in go-ahead position with nobody out.
It did not have to be this way.
The Mariners are in a challenging position. Their lineup is now ostensibly full health, missing only Victor Robles from their Opening Day roster to health issues. The group as constructed is an imposing one, with five above-average hitters at the top and four more (against righties) looming in the back half. On the bench, Connor Joe has delivered well, including two hits this afternoon that placed him in scoring position twice in late innings with less than two outs.
And yet, this good lineup got nearly blanked today. White Sox righty Davis Martin is no slouch, grazing on innings a season ago in his first serious run as a big leaguer for a 4.10/4.64 ERA/FIP in 142.2 frames. He’s been even better this year, albeit seeming to outpitch his stuff in a way that’s not immediately obvious. But after the first inning, where Julio Rodríguez blistered a 110.5 mph double and Randy Arozarena knocked him in with another sharp single, Seattle settled into a familiar malaise to the previous evening.
Brendan Donovan and Cal Raleigh, both recently returned from injuries, struck a few balls sharply, but for Donovan it was on the ground at a defender, and Raleigh it was yanked foul. Timing still off, injury-impacted, the outcome unmistakable. Seattle’s roster is a well-stacked series of hitters in theory, which has inconsistently been in alignment in their heat. It’s meant running out Raleigh in his worst slump as a big leaguer in the top of the order, and Donovan now in similar stead by happenstance for his first few games back.
This is the conundrum. To run out their top bats consistently while mired in these doldrums is to replicate the difficulties of the season’s earliest days, where Raleigh, Rodríguez, and Josh Naylor couldn’t find a store with hits still in stock, much less afford to purchase one. The alternative is trickier, however. To shunt Raleigh, Donovan, or whichever player is at issue in a given stretch is to say it’s likelier a less-talented player will outperform them, or even to say the player is not as talented as believed at the season’s outset. The latter option is most daunting, because it would cast more serious doubt on the club’s ultimate capacity to rebound from this mediocre first month and a half.
Today, however, they cast themselves into these questions. Without an offense that can muster more than a run on consecutive nights, they’ll lose outings like Saturday, where Luis Castillo continued to struggle, but they’ll also lose gems like today, which could have easily been a celebration of the best Logan Gilbert start in 2026. Not merely excellent, Gilbert was almost flawless, yielding just a single hit in 6.0 shutout frames, punching out nine, and excitingly showcasing the best slider he’s mustered since at least 2025. Seven whiffs and a couple called strikes on the pitch is a great thing to see, but so too was seeing Gilbert ride the bottom third and shadow of the plate with the pitch. Pulled with 87 pitches after six, it was in many ways a highly-efficient appearance by Gilbert to boot. Would that it’d been enough.
Seattle lost this game in the first inning, not getting to Martin after Julio and Randy cracked the seal, as Cal and Luke Raley each punched out. They did it again in the seventh, spoiling Joe’s leadoff double with a flaccid trio of plate appearances. Buoyed in a shaky bottom of the seventh by a stellar bit of glovework by Cole Young, whose shining play was also matched by a great dashing play from Julio Rodríguez earlier in the afternoon. The defensive moment of memory, however, came in that 8th. A softly hit blooper was well-tracked by Randy Arozarena in left field, but a full sprint catch gave way to an airmailed throw that, on target, seemed near-certain to nab Romo at the plate.
You won’t be receiving a video embed here. It would be illustrative, but if you’ve not seen the throw then it won’t add anything to your experience. I promise. Think about a tie game, a poor throw, and a one-run loss. If you can envision it, nod and clear it from your mind. The best hope is that the Mariners can do the same. They’ll try to reset with another four-game set against the Houston Astros, which balanced their ship for a time back in April.
SAN DIEGO, CA - MAY 10: Jordan Walker #18 of the St. Louis Cardinals bats during the game between the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Sunday, May 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals got a positive if not spectacular start from Kyle Leahy on Sunday, but it was Jordan Walker’s Mother’s Day moonshot that helped the Cardinals nearly beat the San Diego Padres. Almost.
If you just look strictly at the numbers, Kyle Leahy really did have a solid start on Sunday. While his bottom of the 1st inning was a bit nerve-racking, he was able to escape without allowing a run and ended up pitching the Cardinals into the 5th inning. His overall stat line was 5 full innings allowing no runs, on just 2 hits with 5 strikeouts and 4 walks. It was the walks that made a few innings uncomfortable, but job well done, Kyle. He made a crucial play in the bottom of the 5th inning when he nabbed a ball up the middle as it ended up in his glove after traveling between his legs before tossing it to Alec Burleson for the final out of the inning.
The big highlight of the game was Jordan Walker as he worked a 2-1 count in his favor against Walker Buehler before he launched a ball off of the upper deck railing of the Western Metal Supply Company building. Suffice it to say that none of those fans at that level expected to get that close to a baseball today, but Jordan gave it a high launch angle 425 foot ride. The look on Walker Buehler’s face when he saw where the ball landed is priceless.
Manager Oli Marmol turned to his bullpen in the 6th inning as Ryne Stanek was the first man up. He got off to a great start thanks in part to the fact that San Diego wasted all of their ABS challenges in the 2nd inning. Stanek shut down the Padres 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 6th inning.
JoJo Romero was given the bottom of the 7th inning task and he kept the Padres bats silent. He stayed in the game to start the bottom of the 8th inning, but was relieved by George Soriano with 1 out. He unfortunately brought up the tying run to the plate when he promptly walked Fernando Tatis Jr. on 4 straight pitches before facing the dangerous Manny Machado. Soriano fortunately struck out Machado and got Sheets out on a soft groundout to second to end the bottom of the 8th.
Riley O’Brien was brought in to shut down San Diego in the bottom of the 9th inning. A save would have given him his 12th of the season which is appropriate as that would tie San Diego Padres Mason Miller for the Major League lead. That unfortunately did not happen. It began with an innocent-looking bloop single to center by Xander Boegaerts. O’Brien was able to get Andujar and France to strike out, but Nick Castellanos connected on a 2-out, 2 strike pitch and send it over the left field wall to tie the game 2-2. Riley got Laureano to strike out to send the game into extras.
The Cardinals could accomplish nothing in the top of the 10th inning stranding the extra innings runner Burleson as Walker and Gorman struck out. Masyn Winn walked, but Fermin popped out to end the Cardinals 10th leaving the game tied 2-2.
Gordon Graceffo was brought in to keep the Padres off the board. After intentionally walking Merrill to put runners on 1st and 2nd to set up a double play, Gordon nearly hit Tatis Jr., but the ball glanced off of his bat for a strike. Tatis Jr. would eventually walk to load the bases bringing up Manny Machado. He unfortunately hit a sacrifice fly just deep enough to right center where Jordan Walker was unable to throw out the runner at the plate giving San Diego a 3-2 victory.
The Cardinals will have a quiet travel day Monday to cruise up the California coast to Sacramento before their late Tuesday night game against the city-less Athletics who are currently in first place in their division. Andre Pallante is scheduled to get the start for St. Louis. First pitch scheduled for 8:40pm central time Tuesday night.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 09: A.J. Hinch #14 of the Detroit Tigers watches batting practice prior to a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on May 09, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Detroit Tigers (18-22) vs. Kansas City Royals (19-21)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs blocks a shot by Naz Reid #11 of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first quarter in Game Three of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Target Center on May 08, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the Game Thread. Veterans of the Game Thread know how we do things around here, but for all you newbies we have a few rules. Our community guidelines apply and basically say be cool, no personal attacks, don’t troll and don’t swear too much. The rule against trolling also applies to members of this site that visit other fan sites, especially sites of the opposing team. Be polite and don’t insult your hosts.
Happy Mother’s day everyone. The Spur took back home court advantage on Friday night in Minnesota with Victor Wembenyama taking over the game, both at the star, and more importantly, at the end, where he was able to control the game despite picking up his fifth foul with 6 minutes left in the game. Both teams depended heavily on their superstar player, with Antony Edwards 32 points almost matching Wemby’s 39.
Tonight would be a great time for the Spurs to get a bigger contribution from the rest of the cast. De’Aaron Fox and Julian Champagnie made plays in clutch time, and Harper was a calming influence, but a whole team effort would reduce the anxiety of the Spurs fan base if they can put together a winning effort tonight. The Spurs would take a 3-1 series lead in the series with a win, and teams that lead 3-1 have gone on to win 95% of the time in 6 game series in NBA history. This year, 3-1 leaders have won 60% of the time, with both the Sixers and Pistons beating the odds to back to win three straight games and take their first round series, so a 3-1 deficit is not a death sentence, but it certainly is a tough spot to be in.
I think veteran players like Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell will find their shooting touch tonight in their ninth career playoff games. This could be another Game 2 style blowout, or it could be a tough toe to toe battle like games 1 and 3. Chris Finch is annoying, but he seems to be good at motivating his team and making adjustments. The Spurs have to be ready for something new tonight, and be able to adapt. Winning on the road is always difficult, and the arena will be loud tonight. Mitch might rely more on Carter Bryant, who seems to be improving game by game. If the starters can provide a dominant performance for the first three quarters, the Spurs can unleash Jordan McLaughlin on Minnesota late and make this a fun night for fans of the Silver and Black. GO SPURS GO!!
Game Prediction:
Jordan McLaughlin gets his first playoff triple double.
San Antonio Spurs at Minnesota Timberwolves, Second Round, Game 4 May 10, 2026 | 6:30 PM CT Streaming: Peacock TV: NBC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 10: Jorge Mateo #2 and Michael Harris II #23 score on a double by Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In the “he can’t keep getting away with this” starter battle, it was Bryce Elder who came out on top as the winning pitcher.
With some drama, I must say upfront. But even though Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski outlasted Elder, you’d take Elder’s final line every day.
This was a fascinating pitching duel: both Elder and Wrobleski had streaks of setting down 10+ batters in efficient and dominant ways. But the Braves managed to get to Wrobleski in a big second inning.
Matt Olson made the first out in the second, but an Austin Riley single and Michael Harris II bunt (!) put runners on for Eli White’s RBI single to make it 1-0, Braves. Sean Murphy’s forceout put runners at the corners, followed by Jorge Mateo working a walk. That set the table for the Mauricio Dubón special: a bases clearing double to make it 4-0.
Unfortunately, Wrobleski settled down after that and earned a shot to pitch a complete game. He and Elder would trade off throwing up zeroes for the next several innings.
Bryce was cruising. The vibes were good. Cy Young jokes were being made. He got two outs in the bottom of the sixth and then just… couldn’t find the zone suddenly, issuing three straight walks to load the bases. Walt Weiss prompted Murphy to chat with him on the mound a little to stall and give the bullpen more time to get ready. Things we love to see: Weiss going to Robert Suarez here in the sixth. Max Muncy worked a tense full count. Eli White, absolutely disregarding his body and physical safety, went full speed into the wall. He careened off of it. Robert Suarez held both arms up in cautious celebration. But we shouldn’t have doubted – you can’t spell elite without Eli. The inning was over.
Eli would take his next at bat but come out of the game – we await more news on his status.
The next few scoring plays would feature the long ball. Drake Baldwin’s homer in the top of the eighth was the first allowed by Wrobleski this year and made it 5-0. Tyler Kinley came in to pitch the eighth and allowed a two-run homer to Muncy to make it 5-2. Matt Olson was not about to get a Golden Sombrero here on Mother’s Day. His 14th homer of the year and Mateo’s RBI single to drive in Yaz (who wore one on the earhole, yikes) got those two runs back. Wrobleski was lifted one out shy of a complete game after hitting Yaz with pitch #100.
Bryce Elder lowered his ERA to 1.81, and Wrobleski’s went from 1.25 to 2.42.
Despite the five run cushion, Raisel Iglesias came in to finish this one out and exorcise some Mother’s Day demons. He worked a perfect ninth to secure the series win and close the book on a 6-3 West Coast road trip. Have a happy flight home, boys.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 09: Jac Caglianone #14 of the Kansas City Royals gestures to the dugout after hitting a single during the fifth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium on May 09, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Kansas City Royals have already clinched a series win and a winning homestand after taking the first two contests against the Detroit Tigers. A thrilling comeback and walk-off on Friday and a dominant Michael Wacha outing last night have propelled the Royals back to 19-21 on the season. If the season ended today, the Royals would be the final team into the field in the American League.
Noah Cameron returns to the mound after missing his Tuesday start due to lower back tightness. The lefty has had a tough start to his sophomore year, with a 5.40 ERA over his first 31.2 innings. After two really good starts to begin the year, Cameron’s last 4 have been really rough, giving up 17 runs in 21 innings pitched. Cameron’s last start came on getaway day in Sacramento. The Athletics crushed Cameron, chasing him for 9 hits, 5 runs, over 5.1 innings. That start came 10 days ago.
The Royals offense has been rather good over the last 15 games, as the Royals have won 11 of those contests. A big part of it has been lineup consistency, with a lot of the same faces getting the start. Tonight however, Salvador Perez will get the game completely off. Perez has been dealing with hip soreness, which has meant a lot of DH’ing. Today is also Salvy’s 36th birthday, along with-it being Mother’s Day. So happy birthday Captain!
Elias Diaz starts behind the plate tonight, and Nick Loftin, who’s been swinging a hot bat, starts at second base. Isaac Collins will hit cleanup with Perez out of the lineup, otherwise, everything else is rather standard for the Royals tonight.
The Tigers have had a really really bad week. Tarik Skubal had elbow surgery and is out for the foreseeable future, Framber Valdez is serving a suspension for intentionally hitting Trevor Story after the Red Sox were crushing him, and position players keep getting hurt. With all of that, they have lost 5 in a row and 10 of their last 14.
Tonight is expected to be a bullpen game for them, after last night they had an opener, with Ty Madden throwing the bulk innings. Brenan Hanifee, a 27-year-old righty gets the start of the anticipated bullpen game. Hanifee has thrown 6.2 scoreless innings so far this season. Hanifee heavily relies on a sinker but also mixes in a slider and changeup.
Here is the Tigers starting lineup behind Hanifee and the bullpen.
The Royals can sweep their third straight weekend series tonight with a win. They swept the Angels at home two weeks ago, and the Mariners in Seattle last week. A win would also put the Royals just a single game under .500, which would be the first time since they were 7-8, going into the series finale against the White Sox. Tonight is the last game of 13 straight days of baseball for the Royals. They will finally have an off day tomorrow, before taking on the White Sox and Cardinals on the road next week. Tonight’s game can be streamed on Peacock or NBCSN, first pitch is set for 6:20 p.m. CT.
May 10, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) scores against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Dodgers (24-16) dropped their second straight game with a score of 7-2 to the Braves (28-13) on Sunday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. Justin Wrobleski was one out away from a complete game, but the offense didn’t come through. They collected only seven runs in the series loss to the MLB-best Braves.
Andy Pages picked up his third base hit of the series with a two-out single against Bryce Elder in the bottom of the first. Kyle Tucker drew a walk to give the Dodgers two on and two out. Elder struck out Max Muncy to strand both runners.
The Braves struck first again, putting up a crooked number in the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. Wrobleski struggled in the fourth inning against the Braves, allowing a four-run rally that included a costly throwing mistake on a potential inning-ending double play ball.
Austin Riley’s base hit and Michael Harris II’s bunt single gave the Braves runners at first and second with one out for Eli White. White’s RBI single to center field gave the Braves the lead first, and they never relinquished it thereafter.
Mauricio Dubón doubled in three runs after a Sean Murphy force out and Jorge Mateo walk.
For the seventh time in the last 13 innings, the Dodgers went down in order again, this time versus Elder in the bottom of the fifth.
After the disaster of a second inning, Wrobleski settled in well. He struck out Matt Olson three times and kept the Braves potent offense to just four hits to that point.
The Dodgers looked to take advantage of Elder’s fading command. Back-to-back free passes from Elder in the bottom of the sixth kept the door ajar for the Dodgers. A fatiguing Elder walked Tucker to load the bases for Muncy.
Walt Weiss went to his bullpen to counter Muncy’s power at the plate with reliever and former Friar Robert Suarez.
Muncy crushed a 3-2 Suarez four-seamer to right field, but Eli White crashed into the wall face first and somehow held on to the scorched ball to end the inning and potentially save the game for Atlanta.
The Dodgers managed to get another two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh. This time they had two outs to work with and runners aboard. Suarez walked Alex Call, and Hyeseong Kim reached on catcher’s interference. Sean Murphy’s glove got in the way, and the Dodgers got their way. Dave Roberts got Shohei Ohtani to the plate with two runners on and two outs.
Ohtani grounded out to first base, his slump persisting. The Braves held Ohtani to just two hits in the series.
Max Muncy and Drake Baldwin both hit their 10th home run of the season in the eighth inning.
Drake Baldwin made it 5-0 Atlanta with a solo home run against Wrobleski in the eighth.
Muncy got a second shot at the Atlanta bullpen with a base runner on in the bottom of the eighth, and he didn’t miss this time. He clobbered the first pitch he saw from Tyler Kinney for a 420-foot two-run home run halfway up the Right Field Pavilion.
Wrobo was back out for the ninth, but Olson took advantage and sent a leadoff solo shot to right-center to make it 6-2. He was one out away from completing the game, but he beaned Mike Yastrzemski. Dave Roberts brought in Wyatt Mills for the final out in his first major-league appearance since 2022.
The Braves cashed in the hit-by-pitch and added another insurance run. Mills allowed hits to Dominic Smith and Mateo to make it 7-2.
The Dodgers now turn to the Giants for a four-game series.
Sunday particulars
Home runs: Drake Baldwin (10), Max Muncy (10), Matt Olson (14)
The Dodgers open a four-game series against the San Francisco Giants Monday night at Dodger Stadium (7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA). Roki Sasaki (1-3, 5.97 ERA, 1.67 WHIP) faces the Giants for the first time in his career. Trevor McDonald (1-0, 1.29 ERA, 7 IP). starts for San Francisco.
With opportunity knocking for some team to step up and show they were the team to beat in the East, the New York Knicks answered that door.
The Knicks slammed that door on Joel Embiid and the 76ers on Sunday before they could get their foot in the way.
In a building that sounded far more like Madison Square Garden than Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, the Knicks started 9-of-10 from 3-point range, hit 11 from beyond the arc in the first quarter, led by double-digits less than 4:30 into the game, and never looked back.
THE KNICKS HIT 11 THREES IN Q1
11 3PM is the most in a first quarter in a postseason game by any team in the play-by-play era!
New York led by 19 after the first quarter and 24 at the half — after hitting 18 first-half 3-pointers on 29 attempts (62%), tying the NBA playoff record for most 3-pointers in a half. Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns scored or assisted on 59 of the Knicks 81 first-half points.
The Knicks pushed that lead up to 30 by the middle of the third quarter, and if this were a Little League game, the mercy rule would have kicked in.
New York went on to win 144-114, sweeping Philadelphia out of the playoffs 4-0.
New York advances and will face the winner of the Detroit vs. Cleveland series, which the Pistons lead 2-1. The Knicks will head into that series on a seven-game winning streak, winning those games by an average of 26.4 points.
Philadelphia heads into a summer with a lot of questions… and no easy answers.
The Knicks return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season, but they look more dominant. Part of that was New York finally starting to use Towns as a hub in the high post, taking advantage of his passing if teams bring a double team.
As for Sunday's Game 4, there is only so much to say.
New York was red hot and focused from the opening tip, and it finished with 25 made 3s, tying the NBA record for most 3-pointers in a playoff game.
KNICKS TIE THE NBA'S POSTSEASON RECORD FOR THREE-POINTERS MADE WITH 25!
144 POINTS ARE THE MOST THEY HAVE SCORED IN THE POSTSEASON IN FRANCHISE HISTORY pic.twitter.com/AvoqtuagbU
Deuce McBride led the way with seven 3-pointers and 25 points, while Brunson had 22 points and Josh Hart and Towns each scored 17.
Joel Embiid scored 24 points, while Tyrese Maxey added 17 for Philadelphia.
The 76ers have not advanced past the second round in 25 years. On the court, this has become Maxey's team — he should make an All-NBA team this year — especially paired with VJ Edgecombe in the backcourt. The Knicks need to pivot to building around them as the future.
However, Embiid and Paul George are on the books next season for a combined $112 million and $119 million for the 2027-28 season (that assumes George picks up his player option for that season, a safe bet). Because both have injury histories and availability concerns, trading them would be difficult at best (the 76ers would likely have to send draft picks to the team taking them as a sweetener).
That's the 76ers' offseason problem. The Knicks now get to rest before the Eastern Conference Finals start.
Mostly due to another forgettable day at the plate, the Mets lost 5-1 to the Diamondbacks on Sunday in Arizona, as a once-promising road trip ended with two straight losses.
It was still a winning trip, at 5-4, but the Mets need a winning streak to begin digging out of the hole they’re in, with their 15-25 record.
Their offense continues to be their biggest problem. They scored a total of two runs in the two losses in Arizona, and their season total of 140 runs is the second-lowest in the majors, ahead of only the San Francisco Giants.
The defense hurt them as well on Sunday, as the Mets made three errors.
Here are the takeaways...
-- The Mets were dominated by lefty Eduardo Rodriguez for the second time this season.
Rodriguez held the Mets to one run over seven innings at Citi Field in early April, and he was even better on Sunday, allowing one run over 8 1/3 innings.
The Mets managed only four hits off the left-hander, two of them by backup catcher Luis Torrens.
-- Juan Soto had two chances to make a big impact on the game with runners on base, but flew out routinely against Rodriguez in both the sixth and eighth innings.
Soto is slumping badly at a time when the Mets desperately need him to carry the offense. He went 4-for-33 (.121) on the nine-game road trip, and 2-for-26 (.077) over the last seven games.
-- David Peterson had a second straight solid outing as the bulk reliever in the game, going five innings that may well have been scoreless if not for an Andy Ibanez error that led to three runs in the sixth inning.
For whatever reason, Peterson seems to pitch better out of the bullpen than as a starter. On this day he followed Huascar Brazoban and Tobias Myers, coming in to start the third inning.
He allowed four hits and, notably for him, issued no walks. He struck out three D-Backs hitters.
-- Andy Ibanez didn’t look like much of a third baseman in his debut there with the Mets -- certainly not the throwing part anyway. He made two throwing errors, both times high and wide to the home plate side, and the second one, in the sixth inning, proved crucial when the D-Backs went on to score three unearned runs to take a 5-1 lead.
Peterson had a chance to get out of the inning, but with two outs gave up three straight hits, two singles and an opposite-field triple to Ketel Marte down the line in right field, off the fence.
Ibanez is a 33-year-old journeyman utility man who has played plenty of third base over the years. He was claimed off waivers from the Athletics on April 30, and in the lineup to give the Mets an additional right-handed bat against Rodriguez.
-- Poor defense cost the Mets in the second inning when Mark Vientos failed to turn a pickoff into an out, reacting slowly to Brazoban’s throw to first, allowing Ildemaro Vargas to reach second base safely.
When Vargas took off for second early, Brazoban threw behind him to first base, but Vientos didn’t come off the bag toward the ball to shorten the distance on both the catch and the throw to second, and Vargas beat his throw to second base.
There was no error on the play but the mistake proved costly when Nolan Arenado walked and rookie Ryan Waldschmidt doubled with two outs off Tobias Myers to drive in two runs.
-- The Mets were no-hit through five innings by Rodriguez before Carson Benge hit a soft liner into center field for a single with one out in the sixth.
That led to a run when Luis Torrens followed with an opposite-field double down the right field line, scoring Benge to get the Mets on the board, trailing 2-1.
Game MVP: Eduardo Rodriguez
The left-hander is having an outstanding season, now 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA. Rodriguez had a chance to pitch the first complete game of his career, but when he gave up a bloop single to Vientos with one out in the ninth, manager Torrey Lovullo pulled him with his pitch count at 100.
The Mets return home and after an off day on Monday are back in action on Tuesday when they host the Detroit Tigers to start a three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. on SNY.
CLEVELAND, OH - MAY 9: Max Strus #2 of the Cleveland Cavaliers celebrates during the game against the Detroit Pistons during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 9, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers have fallen in five games in the second round of the playoffs the previous two years. They have a chance to avoid that specific fate this season if they can defend home court in Game 4 against the Detroit Pistons and tie the series in the process.
Cleveland’s offense came alive in Game 3 after registering just 101 and 97 points in the first two games of the series. They did this by getting to the basket and then converting in-rhythm threes that came from forcing the defense to collapse.
So far, the team that has shot better from three has won this series. In the first two games, Detroit couldn’t miss as they went 38.5% and 50% from distance. The Cavs were able to get out to a 17-point lead in Game 3 due to shooting it better from the outside, and the Pistons missed 13 straight triples. Detroit was able to climb back into the game late because they went 7-10 from three to close.
There’s been a lot of talk this series about needing to be the more physical team to win this series. At least through three games, it’s been the one who shoots better from three that prevails. We’ll see if that trend continues in Game 4.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
With their win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday, May 10, the New York Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive year. They are the first team into the NBA's final four, but they might not be on that conference finals island for long.
