PHILADELPHIA – If you're waking up on Saturday morning feeling good about the Knicks’ prospects in this postseason, you can thank Mikal Bridges.
Bridges' defense on Tyrese Maxey has one of the biggest factors in this Knicks-Sixers series.
Maxey is averaging 18.6 points over three games against the Knicks -- that’s 10 points fewer than his regular-season average, he’s 2-for-12 from beyond the arc, and has 12 turnovers.
That’s nearly double his regular-season average.
Bridges isn’t the only Knick defending Maxey, but he’s drawn the assignment most often, and he’s aced it.
“He’s doing an amazing job. That’s a tough task, a tall order. The way he is able to maneuver and navigate screens, do all those things, and on top of that, give us good shots, good minutes and a good quality of executing on the offensive end is great,” Josh Hart said after New York’s Game 3 win.
Bridges is chasing Maxey all over the floor; defending him on and off the ball, stifling his backdoor cuts.
While doing all of that, the much-maligned Bridges has also found a way to impact the other end of the floor.
He had 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting in Game 3. That’s four straight games with at least 17 points. He’s hit 69 percent of his shots in that span.
Quite a bounce back from Game 3 of the Hawks series, when Bridges went 0-for-4 with four turnovers.
“Kal is one of those guys, I never worry about him because he’s going to bring it every game. He’s going to take each matchup personal,” Hart said. “When he gets into that mindset and that mode he’s a heck of a player.”
ROBINSON ROLLING
You may not see it in the box score, but Mitchell Robinson impacted Game 3 in a big way on both ends of the floor.
Keeping possessions alive on the offensive glass. Forcing the Sixers to chase him into the paint as a roller in pick-and-rolls. Defending Joel Embiid. A mind-bending dunk on Joel Embiid.
The Knicks outscored the Sixers by 16 in Robinson’s 19 minutes.
Maybe most importantly, he made four of his eight free-throw attempts. He went 2-for-4 when Philadelphia intentionally fouled him late in the third quarter.
“It feels real good,” Robinson said after the game.
Robinson was in the gym at 9:30 on Friday morning, working on his free throws with Knicks shooting coach Peter Patton.
The work obviously paid off. One element helping Robinson from the line? Spinning the ball before his attempt.
“Once I do it, instead of rushing it it kind of gives me a quick little breath and then go into it instead of just flinging it up there,” Robinson said.
“It helps a lot,” he said of the spin. “Keeps the ball not moving in my hand once I catch grip and just go into it.”
Freddie Freeman belts a solo homer in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Braves on May 8, 2026 in Los Angeles. AP
On the other, a red-hot Atlanta Braves squad that arrived in Los Angeles tied for the most early-season wins in the majors.
Both teams possess high-powered offenses, with the Braves leading baseball in runs scored and the Dodgers topping all clubs in OPS.
Both teams have talented pitching staffs, the Dodgers ranking second in ERA and the Braves led by former Cy Young winner Chris Sale.
On Friday, they each topped it off by turning one spectacular defensive play after the next.
“Tonight,” manager Dave Roberts said, “was a typical sort of October game.”
A typical game, with a typical result, as the Dodgers did what they usually do in high-profile matchups by grinding out a 3-1 win to take the series-opener at Dodger Stadium.
“For me, it’s a pretty good win,” veteran infielder Miguel Rojas said. “Because it keeps telling us that we are ready for the big picture.”
Friday was decided on the margins, ultimately coming down to one costly mistake and one big swing.
Chris Sale allowed three runs, two earned, over seven innings in the Braves’ loss to the Dodgers. AP
With the score tied 1-1 in the fifth inning, Braves rookie shortstop Jim Jarvis –– fresh off a stunning diving catch in the bottom of the fourth and his first career hit in the top of the fifth –– airmailed a throw into the dugout that put Rojas on second base.
Three batters later, Shohei Ohtani snuck a two-out ground-ball through the infield for a go-ahead RBI single.
“Two-out hits, we gotta get those,” Roberts said. “Especially against a guy like Sale.”
In the sixth, the Dodgers would stretch their advantage, when Freddie Freeman capitalized on a rare misfire from the 37-year-old left-hander. In a 0-1 count, Sale left a fastball over the heart of the plate. With his biggest swing in weeks, Freeman clobbered it to center for his first home run since April 6.
“I would’ve taken a broken-bat bloop against Chris,” Freeman joked. “Probably the toughest lefty you’re going to face in this game as a left-handed hitter.”
Shohei Ohtani snuck a two-out ground-ball through the infield for a go-ahead RBI single in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ win over the Braves. AP
That was enough to give the Dodgers (24-14) some breathing room. And after a 4 ⅔-inning, one-run start from Emmet Sheehan, they got 5 1/3 scoreless innings from the bullpen to close it out.
It started with Alex Vesia, who stranded a pair of runners he inherited from Sheehan in the fifth. Kyle Hurt came on next, gave up back-to-back singles to lead off the sixth, then escaped the jam in his highest-leverage appearance so far this season.
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From there, Will Klein and Brock Stewart built a bridge to the ninth inning. Then, Tanner Scott emerged for his third save.
“You gotta prevent runs and use the arms in the ‘pen that you got,” Roberts said. “And we prevented runs tonight and got just enough hits.”
There were other key moments mixed in along the way. Like a perfect relay play from Teoscar Hernández and Rojas to gun down a runner at home in the fourth. Or Rojas winning a foot race to second base –– despite playing through some leg pain he suffered earlier in the game –– before absorbing a collision with a baserunner. Or Dodgers pitching holding the Braves (26-13) to just a 1-for-10 mark with runners in scoring position overall.
And though the Dodgers didn’t exactly solve Sale in a seven-inning, seven-strikeout start, they ultimately didn’t have to. Instead, they were simply a little better in every other phase –– finding a way to win on a night full of shades to the fall.
After a 4 ⅔-inning, one-run start from Emmet Sheehan (above), the Dodgers’ relief corps combined for 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball in their win over the Braves. AP
What it means
That, when facing premier competition, the Dodgers can win in a number of ways.
After all, the team was out-hit 9-5 on Friday. Sale easily outshined Sheehan, who continued to battle fluctuating fastball velocity, on the mound.
Yet, as the club has done so often over the past two Octobers, they prevailed nonetheless.
“We obviously put together a really quality, quality game played today,” Freeman said.
Who’s hot
The Dodgers got on the board Friday courtesy of Kyle Tucker, who continues the slow process of turning his season around.
With two outs in the second, Tucker was facing a 1-2 hole against Sale when he got a shin-high slider over the outer edge of the plate.
He was early with his swing, but rode the pitch out and somehow got the barrel to it, pulling a double down the right-field line to erase an early 1-0 deficit.
The hit marked Tucker’s seventh double in his last 14 games (a stretch that also includes a home run), and helped him raise his batting average to .288 in that time.
The Dodgers got on the board Friday courtesy of Kyle Tucker, who continues the slow process of turning his season around. AP
The $240 million signing is still hitting just .254 on the season with a sub-.750 OPS, but he’s at least been contributing more regularly since being dropped down the lineup.
Who’s not
With Mookie Betts out on a rehab assignment and set to rejoin the Dodgers on Monday, a potentially difficult roster decision is on the horizon.
In a rare chance to start Friday, utilityman Santiago Espinal didn’t exactly help his cause.
While Espinal worked a couple long at-bats against Sale, he only turned one of them into a hit. And even then, he got himself thrown out trying to stretch for an ill-advised hustle double on an opposite-field line drive.
Espinal, a former All-Star looking to revive his MLB career with the Dodgers this year, is now batting just .200. It’s possible that, when Betts returns, the Dodgers will opt to send one of Hyeseong Kim or Alex Freeland back to the minors, where they could get more regular playing time.
But both of them have been productive lately, raising the possibility that the Dodgers could cut Espinal loose in the next few days.
Up next
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell will make his season debut Saturday night, after missing the start of the campaign recovering from offseason shoulder fatigue. The Braves will turn to former All-Star Spencer Strider, for what will be only his second start of the year since returning from an oblique strain.
PHOENIX — The Mets waited until the 10th inning to start the party Friday night.
After totaling only two hits over the first nine innings, they awoke from their desert siesta with an energetic extra frame for a 3-1 win over the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
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“It’s a good thing we stayed locked in until the last inning,” Mark Vientos said of the team’s extended wait for hits.
Vientos and Carson Benge each delivered run-scoring doubles in the 10th before Tobias Myers got the final three outs for his first major league save. The Mets won for the fifth time in seven games on the road trip, capitalizing on a strong Nolan McLean start and bullpen performance behind him.
Vientos’ double against Kevin Ginkel leading off the 10th — he homered earlier — brought in the automatic runner. Benge, moved up to fifth in the lineup for the first time in his major league career, doubled on a 1-2 slider to provide the cushion.
“I am always confident at the plate — I feel good right now for sure,” Vientos said. “I just have to continue to be consistent.”
In a rebound performance from his shortest start of the season, McLean allowed one earned run on three hits, one walk and a hit batter over six innings with six strikeouts, departing after 100 pitches (matching a season high). McLean lasted just four innings against the Angels in the Mets’ loss last Saturday.
“My job is to get as deep into the game as I can every time I go out,” McLean said. “I was disappointed last time out against the Angels not doing that, so it was pretty important to do today.”
He began the day tied for fourth among NL pitchers with 51 strikeouts, seventh in WHIP (0.94) and ninth in opposing batting average (.184).
Mark Vientos rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the second inning of the Mets’ 3-1, 10-inning win over the Diamondbacks on May 8, 2026 at Chase Field. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Vientos’ third homer on the road trip gave the Mets a 1-0 lead in the second. Vientos hammered a cutter from Ryne Nelson over the left field fence for his fifth homer this season. He hit two against the Angels on Sunday before going 1-for-12 in three games in Colorado.
“The more he continues to get results, you are going to see [confidence] from him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “This is a guy that when he gets going, he gets locked in mentally.”
Nolan Arenado took McLean deep on the second pitch in the bottom of the inning to tie it 1-1. The blast was the first allowed by McLean in his last three outings.
Francisco Alvarez singled leading off the third, but was left stranded as Bo Bichette’s shot to the right field fence was snagged on a jump by Corbin Carroll for the final out. Alvarez’s single was the Mets’ last hit until Vientos delivered in the 10th inning.
Carson Benge celebrates after hitting an RBI ground rule double in the 10th inning of the Mets’ road win over the Diamondbacks. Getty Images
McLean plunked Carroll leading off the fourth before getting Adrian Del Castillo to ground into a double play and retiring Arenado.
In the fifth, McLean walked Gabriel Moreno with one out, but struck out Jose Fernandez and retired Jorge Barrosa to keep the game tied. The D’backs were without Katel Marte — a late scratch because of illness — adding Fernandez to the lineup at second base.
Ildemaro Vargas’ single in the sixth was only the D’backs’ third hit against McLean. On his 95th pitch of the night, McLean retired Carroll before concluding his night by striking out Del Castillo.
Benge walked with two outs in the seventh, snapping a streak of 14 straight retired by Nelson following Alvarez’s single.
Juan Morrillo entered following the walk to Benge and got Marcus Semien to pop out on the first pitch.
Luke Weaver walked Moreno with two outs in the seventh and Fernandez singled following a delay (Luis Torrens got smacked with a foul ball off the face mask and was examined).
Nolan McLean celebrates after recording the final out in the sixth inning of the Mets’ 10-inning road win over the Diamondbacks. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Weaver walked Barrosa to load the bases before retiring Perdomo to escape.
Brooks Raley got two fast outs in the eighth before allowing a single to Ryan Waldschmidt in his first major league at-bat. The lefty retired Arenado for the third out.
Devin Williams needed just eight pitches to retire the side in the ninth. Mendoza was asked if he considered sticking with his closer for the 10th rather than use Myers, who worked a perfect inning.
“We talked about it,” Mendoza said. “But then at the end, how much we have been using these guys, I just decided to go with Tobias there, but we did discuss it.”
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - MAY 08: Dylan Harper #2 of the San Antonio Spurs knocks the ball away from Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth 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
Game 3 between the Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs got off to a weird start at Target Center. Minnesota had an incredibly difficult time putting the ball in the basket, missing its first 12 shots and committing four turnovers, going down 11-1 to start the game.
The Wolves didn’t get their first field goal until nearly seven minutes into the game when Rudy Gobert put back a miss by Anthony Edwards. Before that basket, the Wolves were down by 15 points and seemed to be trending toward a second straight blowout loss.
Just like it has so often this season, though, the Wolves immediately turned it around. They closed the quarter, making seven of their last eight shots while on a 19-5 run.
The last make came at the buzzer from Edwards to put his team down by just a single point.
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) May 9, 2026
The Timberwolves opened the second quarter with buckets from Edwards and Naz Reid, suddenly up by three points. Edwards scored a total of 13 points in the first quarter and 19 in the first half. More importantly, for the first time in this series, he looked like his superstar self.
In the previous round against the Denver Nuggets, that would be the point in the game when their opponent would fold. The Spurs, instead, stopped the slide right there and took the lead back late in the second quarter.
The Wolves weren’t satisfied with just one buzzer-beater in the first half, though, as Jaden McDaniels knocked down a left-wing 3-pointer to send the game into halftime with a tied score.
In the second half, the two teams leaned into their advantages. The Spurs pushed the ball multiple times off of made baskets by the Wolves and blitzed Edwards with two defenders to get the ball out of his hands.
The Wolves used their strength advantage to outscore the Spurs 30-12 on second chance points while draining eight 3-pointers in the second half to keep the game close.
The game remained incredibly close until the final moments of the game. Following a Finch timeout with five minutes left, and a dustup with Crew Chief Tony Brothers, the Wolves found themselves down two with the ball. The game swung on the next couple of possessions.
Coming out of the timeout, Edwards missed a contested stepback 3-pointer while Dylan Harper beat Julius Randle backdoor to put the Spurs up by four. The next possession, Ayo Dosunmu missed a floater, and after a timeout of their own, Wembanyama drained a turnaround fadeaway over Gobert to put his team up by six.
The Timberwolves responded with a 3-pointer from Reid, only for Wembanyama to hit the dagger on the other end as he put in his third make from deep of the game to put the Spurs back up by six.
The Wolves fought back but were never able to get the game close again, falling 115-108 in Game 3 and dropping the series 2-1.
Wembanyama was incredible in this game as he put up 39 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks (the first of which should have been called a goaltend) while holding the Wolves to just 38 points in the paint. 16 of Wembanyama’s points came in the fourth quarter.
Edwards has his best game of this postseason with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists while playing 40 minutes in the game.
Randle was the sore spot in this game for Minnesota, as he had 12 points on 3-12 shooting and did not have a single assist in the game. McDaniels also had a poor shooting night as he went 5-22 from the field en route to 17 points.
This series was always going to be a tough, incredibly tough one for the Timberwolves. They are missing one of their starters, Donte DiVincenzo, his replacement, Ayo Dosunmu, is not 100 percent, and they are going up against a 62-win team with a seven and a half foot alien.
The Wolves have played well in this series. The 38-point loss in Game 2 is an obvious disaster, but in Games 1 and 3, they have shown the ability to beat this Spurs team.
What will be required from them now, if they want to win this series, is that they will need to play better than just good. They will need to play great and will need to do it for an entire 48 minutes three more times in the next four games.
They can’t fall behind double-digits early because the offense doesn’t know what to do, they can’t let the Spurs beat them down the floor multiple times after made shots, and they need to execute better down the stretch when the opponent is hard-doubling Edwards.
In this era of Timberwolves basketball, they have always responded after games like these last two. Whenever it seems like a series or a season is slipping away, they come back with their best basketball.
Game 4, like it usually is, will be a big swing point in this series. A loss might signal the end of the season, while a win puts the Wolves in a good spot to advance to their third consecutive Western Conference Finals.
The blueprint is there for the Wolves to get back into this series; now they just have to execute.
Up Next
This Timberwolves-Spurs series resumes on Sunday with Game 4 on Mother’s Day as the Wolves look to even up the series at 2-2. The game will begin at 6:30 PM CT, and fans can watch the game on both NBC and Peacock.
MINNEAPOLIS — Victor Wembanyama delivered another masterpiece with 39 points, 15 rebounds and more game-wrecking defense for the San Antonio Spurs, who took a 2-1 lead in the second-round NBA playoff series with a 115-108 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.
Wembanyama went 13 of 18 from the floor and 10 of 12 from the line, adding five blocks and a full night of paint deterrence as the Spurs won their second straight game after dropping the opener at home.
De’Aaron Fox scored 17 points, and Stephon Castle had 13 points and 12 assists with a team-high plus-17 rating.
Anthony Edwards had 32 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves, whose defense kept them alive after a woeful start but allowed the Spurs to shoot 6 for 10 from 3-point range in the pivotal third quarter.
Minnesota will host Game 4 on Sunday night. The series shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday.
Jaden McDaniels drew Wembanyama’s fifth foul with 6:18 left and brought the Wolves within 99-98 on pair of free throws, but the Spurs never trailed in the second half despite never leading by double digits.
Wembanyama didn’t flinch despite the foul risk, finishing with 16 points in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer that answered Reid’s pushed San Antonio’s lead to six with 3:06 to go. Reid tried another one near the end of the shot clock on the next possession that hit the rim and Wembanyama rebounded.
Edwards, who showed Minnesota yet again his swift healing ability by returning from a deep bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee after just one week to make the start of the series, had 22 points in the first half to help them snap back from an early 18-3 deficit.
The Wolves missed their first 12 shots and didn’t get a basket to go down until Rudy Gobert’s putback with 6:52 had elapsed, but unlike in the 133-95 drubbing they took in Game 2 on Wednesday they had the defensive intelligence and tenacity at the ready to make up for the long shooting lulls.
Edwards hit a buzzer-beating 31-footer at the end of the first quarter, and McDaniels swished a 3-pointer from the wing to end the first half with a 51-all tie.
McDaniels and Julius Randle were the most affected by Wembanyama’s presence, unable to get their short-range and rim-attacking game going. They shot a combined 8 for 34 from the floor.
PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 08: Mark Vientos #27 of the New York Mets reacts during the game between the New York Mets and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Mets defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 in ten innings in Phoenix, coming out on top of a pitchers’ duel in the desert.
The Mets and Diamondbacks traded solo homers in the second inning and the scoring came to a screeching halt after that. Mark Vientos launched a towering shot to left center in the top of the second off Ryne Nelson and the Diamondbacks responded via a Nolan Arenado blast off a Nolan McLean sinker in the bottom of the frame.
Both starting pitchers settled into a nice rhythm after that. Corbin Carroll made an excellent play up against the wall in right field on a deep Bo Bichette fly ball in the third that kept the Mets from building any momentum. But Nolan McLean put forth an incredibly strong effort, striking out six in six solid innings, yielding just the one run on three hits.
The Diamondbacks’ best chance to pull ahead came in the seventh inning against Luke Weaver, who entered the game in relief of McLean. The Snakes mounted a two-out rally against Weaver that began with a walk to Gabriel Moreno, aided by a smart challenge by Moreno on the second pitch of the plate appearance, which was called a strike, but turned out to be outside by a fairly significant margin. Jose Fernandez singled and then Jorge Barrosa walked to load the bases and put the go-ahead run 90 feet away, but Weaver escaped the jam, inducing an inning-ending ground ball off the bat of Geraldo Perdomo.
The Mets had a crisp defensive game and no play was better than the diving play by Marcus Semien to rob Arenado of his second hit of the night in the eighth. With two outs and the go-ahead run on first base, Semien laid out to quash the rally and help Brooks Raley through a scoreless eighth. Devin Williams followed with an impressive 1-2-3 ninth punctuated by a strikeout to send the game to extra innings. Meanwhile, the Mets’ bats were quiet against the Diamondbacks’ bullpen until the tenth when they finally broke through.
Mark Vientos got things started by ripping the first pitch he saw from Kevin Ginkel into left field to score the ghost runner Brett Baty and give the Mets the lead. Vidal Bruján then came in the game as a pinch runner for Vientos. Carson Benge followed with a ground rule double to left-center to score Bruján and extend the Mets’ lead to two runs. Marcus Semien kept the rally going with a heads up bunt single down the third base line; it was a perfectly executed bunt that caught Nolan Arenado unaware, as he was playing back. Ginkel then finally recorded the first out the inning via a strikeout of MJ Melendez and Jonathan Loáisiga came in the game. The Mets still seemed poised for a huge inning when Semien stole second base to put runners on second and third with still only one out, but then Francisco Alvarez hit a grounder back to the mound and Carson Benge was nabbed at home for the second out. And Luis Torrens grounded out to third to end the inning, but the Mets had their first lead since the second.
Tobias Myers came into the game in the bottom of the tenth tasked with protecting the two-run lead and successfully did so to earn the first save of his major league career. Myers retired the Diamondbacks in order, including two strikeouts to emphatically close the door on the Mets’ fifth victory in the last six games as they attempt to claw their way back to .500. The Mets will try for their third straight series victory tomorrow night with their ace Clay Holmes on the mound, facing off against the struggling Merrill Kelly.
Big Mets winner: Mark Vientos, +44% WPA Big Mets loser: Juan Soto, -14% WPA Mets pitchers: +68% WPA Mets hitters: -18% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Mark Vientos’ RBI double in tenth, +38.3% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Nolan Arenado’s game-tying home run in the second inning, -10.9% WPA
With the Mets and Diamondbacks tied at one apiece in the bottom of the ninth, Devin Williams came on and needed just eight pitches to push the game to extra innings.
New York’s offense had gone quiet since the top of the fourth, but they wasted no time cashing in their ghost runner, as Mark Vientos doubled on the first pitch of the 10th.
Carson Benge then continued his recent hot-stretch at the plate, tacking on a huge insurance run with a ground-rule double into the left-center gap.
With a two-run advantage and a low pitch count there had been some thought that Williams would come back out for the save, however, that wasn’t the case.
Carlos Mendoza instead called upon Tobias Myers.
“We talked about it,” the skipper admitted. “But then at the end with how much we’ve been using these guys so far this year, I just decided to go to Tobias -- but we did discuss it.”
And in the end, the decision paid off, as Myers needed just 10 pitches to set the Diamondbacks down in order in the bottom of the tenth and secure the victory.
It was a much-needed bounceback outing after the righty after he was knocked around by the Rockies for four runs in just 0.2 of an inning his last time out.
This was also Myers’ first career save.
“He showed the ability to bounce back,” Mendoza said. “I like his ability to throw strikes, I like the changeup against lefties, the fastball at the top, and he’s been really solid for us no matter what we’ve asked him to do.
“Whether it’s an opener, as a multi-inning guy, today getting the last three outs -- it was just good to see.”
NRL coach undecided on plan for next season in light of medical condition
Rugby league veteran turns spotlight on return to form in Wests Tigers clash
Craig Bellamy is staying private about his illness, the veteran Melbourne coach wanting the spotlight to remain on the Storm rather than his health.
Bellamy fronted the media at AAMI Park ahead of the Storm’s Sunday afternoon clash with Wests Tigers, with the side looking to stop a record-extending seven-match losing streak.
Smokies catcher Owen Ayers (6) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during a minor league baseball game between the Knoxville Smokies and Birmingham Barons at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tennessee., on May 7, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/ News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Right-hander Frankie Scalzo Jr. was promoted to Triple-A Iowa from Double-A Knoxville.
I-Cubs catcher Christian Bethancourt went on the bereavement list.
Starter Doug Nikhazy didn’t fool anyone early, as he gave up two runs in the first on two solo home runs and four more in the second on a grand slam. But he settled down and pitched two more scoreless innings. His final line was six runs on six hits over four innings. Nikhazy walked three and struck out three.
Ryan Jensen threw the fifth inning and got the win. He allowed a two-out walk, but no other baserunners. Jensen struck out two.
Vince Velazquez came out to pitch the next three innings and allowed just one run from the sixth to the eighth innings. But then Velazquez came out to pitch the ninth. Then this happened.
The injuries just keep coming. Vince Velasquez was making his first appearance with the @IowaCubs since his outing at Dodger Stadium on April 25. He just went down in a heap after throwing a pitch in the top of the ninth. Immediately stood up and walked into the dugout.
So Velazquez ended up being charged with four runs on two hits and five walks over 3+ innings. Gabe Klobosits came on to relieve Velazquez and he allowed two inherited runners to score, one batter whose walk was charged to Velazquez to score, and two more runs of his own. But Iowa’s six-run lead in the ninth was enough to withstand a five-run top of the ninth.
Left fielder Owen Miller homered twice tonight. The first one was with two on in the fourth. The second one was a solo home run in the eighth. It was his first two home runs of the year. Miller went 3 for 5.
Center fielder Justin Dean connected for a solo home run in the fifth. Dean was 2 for 5 with a walk and two runs scored. The home run was Dean’s second this season.
Catcher Eric Yang also homered with the bases empty in the sixth, his second on the campaign. Yang went 1 for 5.
Third baseman Pedro Ramírez was 3 for 4 with a double and he was hit by a pitch. Ramírez scored twice and drove home one.
First baseman Jonathon Long went 3 for 4 with a walk. He scored two runs and had two RBI.
Shortstop Scott Kingery was 2 for 4 with a double and a walk. He scored once.
The Knoxville Smokies swept a doubleheader from the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 8-1 and 3-2.
Brooks Caple had a strong Smokies debut, throwing 3.2 scoreless innings. Caple allowed two hits, walked two and struck out six.
Marino Santy took over for Caple in the fourth and got the win. Santy allowed one run on two hits over 2.1 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
The Smokies scored eight runs in this game on only one hit, thanks to ten walks, a hit batter and two wild pitches. At one point in the fourth inning the Smokies were winning 5-0 and being no-hit. But catcher Owen Ayers cleared the basses with a three-run triple, the only hit of the game for Knoxville. Ayers was 1 for 2 with a walk and a stolen base. He scored once.
In game two, Dawson Netz completely shut down the Barons for five innings. He gave up no runs and no hits. He did walk two while striking out six as he improved his record to 2-0.
Tyler Santana pitched the final two innings and the no-hitter was broken up with a leadoff single in the seventh. Santana ended up giving up two runs on three hits over two innings as he picked up the save. Santana walked one and struck out one.
Left fielder Jordan Nwogu had an RBI single in the third inning (where a second run scored on an error) and an RBI single in the fifth. Nwogu was 2 for 3.
Starter Kevin Valdez gave up two solo home runs to Bobby Boser. Otherwise, his final line was three runs on seven hits over 3.1 innings. Valdez walked two and struck out one.
The win went to Kenyi Perez, who relieved Valdez in the fourth. Perez faced six batters. Five of them he struck out. He walked the other one.
Ethan Flanagan was on the mound after that for a four-inning save. Flanagan allowed seven runs on three hits. He struck out five and walked one.
Left fielder Christian Olivo had a magic night in South Bend. Olivo was a perfect 4 for 4 with a walk and two home runs. The first one was a three-run home run in the fifth and the second one was a two-run blast in the sixth. Olivo now has four home runs this year. Olivo had six total RBi and scored three times.
Second baseman Alex Madera was 3 for 5. He scored twice and drove in two.
Right fielder Leonel Espinoza went 2 for 5. He scored once and had one run batted in.
Shortstop Ty Southisene was 2 for 5 with one run scored.
Dominick Reid turned in a dominant start. He allowed no runs on just one hit over five innings. Reid walked no one, although hid did hit two batters, and struck out six.
Daniel Avita pitched the next three innings and he permitted two runs on three hits. He walked one and struck out five.
The win went to Jordan Henriquez, who retired all six batters he faced in the ninth and tenth innings. He struck out four.
The Pelicans blew this game open with a four-run top of the tenth. Center fielder Alexy Lumpuy plated the automatic runner with a single. Lumpuy went 2 for 5 and scored once.
But the big blow in the tenth was a two-run double by second baseman Jose Escobar. Escobar was 2 for 5.
Both Pelicans runs in regulation came on solo home runs. Left fielder Darlyn De Leon homered in the second inning. He went 1 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.
In the third inning, right fielder Josiah Hartshorn cracked his fourth home run of the year. Hartshorn went 2 for 4. He was also hit by a pitch and stole a base.
Kaleb Wing’s second pro start didn’t go as well as the first. Wing took the loss after giving up three runs on four hits over 4.2 innings He did strike out eight and walked only two.
At this point, that’s good enough for the Giants, who staved off sole possession of the majors’ worst record Friday with a 5-2 win to start their series against the Pirates.
Robbie Ray walked four batters and was at 72 pitches through three innings, but the Giants’ starter buckled down to complete six frames.
Despite walking the bases loaded in the third, Pittsburgh’s only damage against the left-hander came on a solo shot from Marcell Ozuna.
Robbie Ray walked four batters and was at 72 pitches through three innings, but the Giants’ starter buckled down to complete six frames. APRafael Devers was the solo proprietor of runs for the home team until San Francisco finally broke through Getty Images
Rafael Devers was the solo proprietor of runs for the home team until San Francisco finally broke through for some insurance in its third scoring opportunity of the evening.
Devers’ fourth home run of the season — his second in as many games — matched Ozuna blast-for-blast to tie the score at 1 in the bottom of the second. He singled and scored in his next at-bat to give the Giants a 2-1 lead that would hold up for Ray’s third win in nine starts.
San Francisco added on to its advantage with three runs off the Pirates’ bullpen in the seventh. The rally was started by another slumping slugger, Willy Adames, who added a second knock for his second multi-hit game since April 17.
It proved to be necessary insurance as the Pirates plated one run and brought the tying run to bat in the ninth. Caleb Killian was able to get out of the jam to earn his second save of the season.
Devers’ fourth home run of the season — his second of the home stand — matched Ozuna blast-for-blast to tie the score at 1 in the bottom of the second. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
What it means
Ray had been the recipient of some of the lowest run support in the majors (2.72 per game) but got more than enough against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski.
With the Rockies’ extra-innings win over the Phillies, the Giants had to win to keep pace — with the second-worst team in the sport. Thanks to Colorado, San Francisco’s negative-42 run differential isn’t bottom of the barrel. That distinction belongs to the Phillies (minus-44).
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The further away from April the schedule moves, the more Devers is beginning to look like himself. The slugger has officially begun to come out of a season-long slumber over his past eight games, recording hits in all of them while batting .346 (9-for-26) with a 1.041 OPS.
The most encouraging sign might be the pitches Devers is doing damage against. Both his home runs this week have come against fastballs. Over the course of his hitting streak, Devers is batting 6-for-14 against the hard stuff, a vast improvement over his .269 start to the season.
“When he gets going, we start rolling,” Ray said. “If he’s feeling good in the box, if he’s taking at-bats like that, he can carry a team. It’s good to see.”
The five-spot represented one of the best scoring outputs for the Giants this season. AP
Who’s not
The five-spot represented one of the best scoring outputs for the Giants this season — only the second time in their past 10 games they reached that modest total.
But it was hardly an all-you-can-eat buffet for their bats.
Most notably: A group that has taken, by far, the fewest walks in the majors went its third game in a row without working a free pass from an opposing pitcher.
There have only been 12 such stretches previously in the bicoastal history of the franchise. It has happened just once — early on in 2009 — dating back to 1976.
The Giants will try to win consecutive games for the first time since the end of their last home stand. RHP Landen Roupp (5-2, 3.18) gets the ball against RHP Braxton Ashcraft (1-2, 3.02). AP
Still, San Francisco had no shortage of runners and still managed strand five on base.
The Giants haven’t done much hitting or running — last in the majors in both runs and stolen bases — but executed both at the same time to perfection in the third to give them runners at the corners. Luis Arraez rolled over into an inning-ending double play.
The following inning, Casey Schmitt and Devers led off with a pair of knocks, giving the Giants runners at the corners and nobody out. Schmitt was thrown out at home when he broke on contact on a grounder to third from Matt Chapman.
That was only the first out of the inning. The frame came to a close when Chapman, for no apparent reason, got caught between second and third on a single to center from Heliot Ramos. Devers, at least, was able to touch home plate before Chapman was tagged out.
Up next
The Giants will try to win consecutive games for the first time since the end of their last home stand. RHP Landen Roupp (5-2, 3.18) gets the ball against RHP Braxton Ashcraft (1-2, 3.02).
Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan delivers during the first inning of a 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Here an eight-figure salary, there an eight-figure salary, seemingly everywhere an eight-figure salary. There are not too many nights when you can point to a position and say the man playing a certain position for the Dodgers makes $17 million less this season than the opposing player at the same position.
This was one of them. The Atlanta Braves are paying Chris Sale, the nine-time All-Star, $18 million this season. The Dodgers are paying Emmet Sheehan a little less than $1 million.
You might not have bet on this outcome in the sports books or prediction markets: The Dodgers won.
Not because your home team has suddenly become a plucky underdog, even if the Braves (26-13) have a better record. The Dodgers (24-14) dented Sale for three runs in seven innings — one on a home run by Freddie Freeman ($27 million this year), one on a double by Kyle Tucker ($55 million), and one on a single by Shohei Ohtani ($70 million).
“I know the guys think a win is a win,” infielder Miguel Rojas said, “but knowing that we’re facing (the team with) the best record in the league now and those guys have been playing really good, the bullpen showed that they took the ball and knew what they were going to face.
“For me, it’s a pretty good win, because it tells us we are ready for the big picture.”
Two of the Dodgers’ pitching stars on Friday arrived in Los Angeles together, in a little-noticed trade that now stands out as one of Andrew Friedman’s most underrated. In the fifth inning, Alex Vesia relieved Sheehan and induced a two-on, two-out fly out from Matt Olson, who might be the National League’s most valuable player to date.
In the sixth inning, Kyle Hurt stranded two runners on base to complete a scoreless inning and lower his earned-run average to 0.90. In 2021, Friedman acquired Vesia and Hurt from the Miami Marlins for middle reliever Dylan Floro.
Dodgers reliever Kyle Hurt celebrates after striking out Atlanta's Mike Yastrzemski with two runners on base in the sixth inning Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“There’s just real confidence now,” Roberts said. “There’s always been talent.”
Will Klein, Brock Stewart and Tanner Scott finished off the Braves on a night the bullpen delivered 4⅓ shutout innings.
Vesia’s one-batter, one-out performance earned him his first victory of the season, with Scott working the ninth for the save.
Each team scored once in the second inning, with the Dodgers adding an unearned run in the fifth on the Ohtani single and a final run in the sixth on Freeman’s fourth home run — and first since April 6.
In 12 career at-bats against Sale, Freeman has two home runs. Teoscar Hernández is the only other player on the Dodgers’ current roster ever to homer off Sale.
For a left-handed hitter like Freeman, Sale combines a power fastball with a funky delivery.
Freddie Freeman, left, celebrates with Miguel Rojas after hitting his 100th home run as a Dodger on Friday against the Atlanta Braves. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“He’s probably the toughest lefty you are going to face in this game, as a left-handed hitter,” Freeman said. “He’s coming from behind you.”
It is not that Sheehan outpitched Sale. But Sheehan pitched well enough, against a very good opponent and a very good opposing pitcher, for the Dodgers to consider this progress.
“I thought Emmet threw the ball as well as he’s thrown the ball all year, as far as stuff and compete,” Roberts said. “What he gave us was what we needed.
“I think it’s something for Emmet to build on.”
Sheehan fired his fastballs from 94-96 mph in the first three innings, and six of his first eight outs were strikeouts. His fastball velocity dropped into the 92-93 mph range in the fourth and fifth inning, and four of his final eight batters reached base.
“I think it’s just being more consistent with my mechanics,” Sheehan said. “Obviously, trying not to think about that out there but, yeah, I definitely wish I could have held it a little better.”
Atlanta's Michael Harris II reacts after being tagged out by Dodgers catcher Will Smith on a throw from Teoscar Hernández in the fourth inning Friday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The line was good enough: one run over 4⅔ innings, with one walk and seven strikeouts. How long the Dodgers might stick with a pitcher with a 4.79 ERA could be determined by how long Tyler Glasnow stays on the injured list. Glasnow hit the IL Friday because of back spasms, so the question of whom the Dodgers drop from the rotation to make room for Blake Snell is moot for now. The Dodgers plan to activate Snell from the injured list Saturday and start him against the Braves.
The Dodgers hope to activate shortstop Mookie Betts from the IL Monday, and the question of whom the Dodgers drop from their roster could be determined in part by the status of Rojas, who left the game in the eighth inning.
Rojas slipped getting out of the batter’s box in the second inning and said he had “kind of a dead leg” sensation after being hit while taking a throw at shortstop in the sixth. He said he expected to be “fine” going forward.
Nolan McLean endured the shortest outing of his career, his last time out, lasting just four innings as he was knocked around a bit by the Los Angeles Angels.
The young righty was able to bounce back nicely Friday against the Diamondbacks, though.
McLean didn’t have his best stuff, but he still gave the Mets six solid innings.
“My job is to get as deep into the game as I can every time I go out,” he said postgame. “I was disappointed in myself last time not being able, so it was pretty important for me today.”
McLean worked around a two-out Corbin Carroll double in the first, but then served up a Nolan Arenado homer on just the second pitch of the bottom of the second.
The crafty right-hander found his footing from there, retiring the next six hitters he faced before hitting Carroll with a pitch leading off the bottom of the fourth. McLean immediately rolled a double-play, though, to put up another zero.
He was able to evade a walk in the fifth and then a single in the sixth, ending his night with just the one run allowed on three hits and a walk while striking out eight Arizona hitters.
“He was pretty solid,” Carlos Mendoza said. “He did a good job pacing himself -- the sinker was good when he needed it, the breaking ball, the sweeper, the curveball, and when he needed to let it eat, he put some on it with the velo.
“He found a way to give us six good innings, so pretty solid there -- just the execution, strike-throwing, the attack, the way he was using all of his pitches, he was pretty good today.”
The Mets' bats couldn't back him up, but they finally came back to life in the 10th to rally for the series-opening win.
May 2, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) during the seventh inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Dodger Stadium has been a house of horrors for the Braves over the years, and it continued to be so on Friday night as they lost yet again, 3-1. Atlanta had chances to score in seemingly every inning and just couldn’t get the big hit to swing the game. They ended the night 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position with 10 runners left on base.
Yikes.
The lone run came by way of an Austin Riley single up the middle in the second to score Michael Harris. It seemed like more could be on the way, but back-to-back strikes from Mike Yastrzemski and Jim Jarvis promptly ended the threat.
Shortly after the Braves took the lead, the Dodgers quickly responded with an RBI double from Kyle Tucker to tie it up. In the fifth, LA took the lead with a Shohei Ohtani single to make it 2-1. And in the sixth, Freddie Freeman homered to make it 3-1. And that’s all she wrote.
Chris Sale was really strong for seven innings; he deserved a better fate tonight. He struck out seven, didn’t walk anyone, and scattered five hits. One of the three runs he allowed was unearned as Jarvis uncorked a wild throw that ultimately plated the go-ahead run. Aaron Bummer threw a clean 8th inning against the top of LA’s lineup, an encouraging sign.
The series continues Saturday night and all eyes will be on Spencer Strider, who needed 80+ pitches in his season debut to record 10 outs. Strider will be opposed by Blake Snell, who may be a bit limited as he makes his season debut a little earlier than expected. First pitch will be an hour earlier at 9:10 p.m. ET.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Brunson scored 33 points and sealed the game with big buckets late to the delight of roaring Knicks fans, leading New York to a 109-94 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night for a 3-0 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.
With 2016 and 2018 Villanova national championship banners hanging in the rafters, the so-called Nova Knicks all took turns taking the fight out of the Sixers in the fourth quarter, turning a four-point lead into another double-digit victory
Josh Hart had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Mikal Bridges added 23 points, pushing the Knicks and first-year coach Mike Brown within one victory of their second straight conference finals appearance.
The Knicks have the luxury not to rush back forward OG Anunoby, who’s averaging 21.4 points per game in the postseason. He sat out with a strained right hamstring and remains day to day.
Joel Embiid scored 18 points for the Sixers in his return after he missed Game 2 with a sprained right ankle and a sore right hip.
SPURS 115, TIMBERWOLVES 108
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Victor Wembanyama delivered another masterpiece with 39 points, 15 rebounds and more game-wrecking defense for San Antonio, who took a 2-1 lead in the second-round NBA playoff series with a victory over Minnesota.
Wembanyama went 13 of 18 from the floor and 10 of 12 from the line, adding five blocks and a full night of paint deterrence as the Spurs won their second straight game after dropping the opener at home.
De’Aaron Fox scored 17 points, and Stephon Castle had 13 points and 12 assists with a team-high plus-17 rating.
Anthony Edwards had 32 points and 14 rebounds and Naz Reid added 18 points and nine rebounds for the Wolves, whose defense kept them alive after a woeful start but allowed the Spurs to shoot 6 for 10 from 3-point range in the pivotal third quarter.
Minnesota will host Game 4 on Sunday night. The series shifts back to San Antonio for Game 5 on Tuesday.
Jaden McDaniels drew Wembanyama’s fifth foul with 6:18 left and brought the Wolves within 99-98 on pair of free throws, but the Spurs never trailed in the second half despite never leading by double digits.
Wembanyama didn’t flinch despite the foul risk, finishing with 16 points in the fourth quarter. His 3-pointer that answered Reid’s pushed San Antonio’s lead to six with 3:06 to go. Reid tried another one near the end of the shot clock on the next possession that hit the rim and Wembanyama rebounded.
Edwards, who showed Minnesota yet again his swift healing ability by returning from a deep bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee after just one week to make the start of the series, had 22 points in the first half to help them snap back from an early 18-3 deficit.
Game 3 between the Knicks and 76ers was physical, as you would expect from a series between these two rivals, especially with their recent playoff history.
While the first two games had their share of high-intensity moments, the opening few quarters of Friday's matchup felt like the pressure was turned up to 11. Both teams were jawing at the officials for every foul and no-call, and that includes Sixers star Joel Embiid.
Embiid, of course, is often seen as the villain whenever the Knicks and Sixers meet, and Friday was no exception. After he missed Game 2, the big man returned to the Sixers to try and stave off a 0-3 hole in the series. And while Embiid provided what he could in his 35 minutes (18 points, six rebounds, five assists), it just wasn't enough as the Knicks won 108-94.
After the game, Embiid was asked a gamut of questions regarding the loss. Then he was asked about the officiating and whether he felt the refs were letting some fouls go.
"I’m not sure. Maybe it was let go on our end," Embiid said. "They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We're not a team that shoots a lot of threes. We attack, put the ball on the ground. So, yeah, I don't know.
"I guess it's good when New York wins, so we've just got to have that mentality of just not fouling, I guess, and being smart enough to not put ourselves in a position where they're going to take advantage of it."
Joel Embiid was asked about the way tonight's game was officiated and whether or not the officials let more things go tonight:
"They shot 32 free throws, we had 16. We're not a team that shoots a lot of threes. We attack, put the ball on the ground. I don't know.
While the Knicks did wind up shooting 32 free throws to Philly's 16, New York did not shoot a free throw until the second quarter. Mitchell Robinson shot four thanks to the "hack-a-Mitch" strategy the Sixers used.
But Embiid wasn't the only one asked about the officiating. Karl-Anthony Towns, who committed five personal fouls, was asked and intimated his frustrations. One moment in particular saw Embiid called for a foul under the basket when both big men collapsed to the ground trying to box each other out. Philadelphia would challenge and win, reversing the call and giving Towns his third foul in the second quarter and forcing him to the bench.
Towns was asked whether he was surprised by the reversal, and he answered, simply, "I'm not surprised at anything anymore."
In Game 1, the Sixers had the free-throw advantage, 34-17. The next game saw was more even when Embiid wasn't playing, as the Sixers had a 28-25 advantage from the charity stripe.
How will the officiating be in Game 4? The Knicks will look to close out the series on Sunday in Philadelphia while the Sixers hope to force Game 5.
