Thunder, Spurs set for winner-take-all game 7 in conference finals

San Antonio Spurs (62-20, second in the Western Conference) vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (64-18, first in the Western Conference)

Oklahoma City; Saturday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Thunder -3.5; over/under is 212.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: Series tied 3-3

BOTTOM LINE: The San Antonio Spurs visit the Oklahoma City Thunder in game seven of the Western Conference finals. The Spurs defeated the Thunder 118-91 in the last matchup on Friday. Victor Wembanyama led the Spurs with 28 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 15.

The Thunder are 41-11 against Western Conference opponents. Oklahoma City ranks third in the league with 34.6 defensive rebounds per game led by Chet Holmgren averaging 7.0.

The Spurs have gone 36-16 against Western Conference opponents. San Antonio is second in the Western Conference with 47.0 rebounds per game led by Wembanyama averaging 11.5.

The Thunder's 13.8 made 3-pointers per game this season are only 0.8 more made shots on average than the 13.0 per game the Spurs give up. The Spurs are shooting 48.3% from the field, 4.6% higher than the 43.7% the Thunder's opponents have shot this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 31.1 points and 6.6 assists for the Thunder. Holmgren is averaging 15.1 points over the last 10 games.

Stephon Castle is scoring 16.6 points per game and averaging 5.3 rebounds for the Spurs. Wembanyama is averaging 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Thunder: 7-3, averaging 113.9 points, 41.2 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 10.6 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.3 points per game.

Spurs: 6-4, averaging 116.7 points, 48.7 rebounds, 25.5 assists, 9.0 steals and 7.0 blocks per game while shooting 46.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 108.8 points.

INJURIES: Thunder: Ajay Mitchell: out (calf), Jalen Williams: out (hamstring), Thomas Sorber: out for season (knee).

Spurs: David Jones Garcia: out for season (ankle).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

“Welcome to the Machine” Hurricanes Advance to Stanley Cup Final, Defeat Canadiens 6-1

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 29: The Carolina Hurricanes pose with the Prince of Whales Trophy following a 6-1 victory over the Montréal Canadiens in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Lenovo Center on May 29, 2026 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images

After the game 4 win over Montreal with a 4-0 score, Carolina Captain Jordan Staal was quoted as saying that his team was “playing like a machine”.

Well, the machine kept on running without so much of a hiccup as they finished off the Eastern Conference Final series with a 6-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night.

After dropping game one, they finished up with four straight wins to close things out in five games. Their postseason record is now an amazing 12-1. Only three other teams in the modern era have accomplished this.

The Canes jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and never looked back. They outshot the Habs 15-4 and outhit them 10-4 in that key period.

Carolina’s second line continued to do the major damage as Taylor Hall, Jackson Blake, and Logan Stankoven contributed. Stankoven and Hall both had a goal and two assists while Blake chipped in with a goal and an assist.

Goalie Frederik Andersen had 23 saves on 24 shots and earned his 12th win of the postseason. It was an emotional night for Andersen, who considered the late Claude Lemieux like “family”. Lemieux also served as his agent.

The home team got things rolling about midway through the first period when Taylor Hall knocked in a puck from in close. The Canadiens challenged the goal for goaltender interference because Stankoven had taken the puck into the net and brushed Dobes. Apparently, the refs didn’t think there was enough contact to overturn the goal so the score stood.

About six minutes later, Stankoven would snipe one off a pass from Hall and it was 2-0.

Just a minute and change after that, Eric Robinson broke in alone and got another one past Dobes and it was 3-0. It was Robinson’s third goal of the playoffs.

At 7:19 into the second period, Jackson Blake knocked in a rebound off a Hall shot and the pressure was off at 4-0. Media members started making plane reservations to Vegas.

Just before the end of the period, Shayne Gostisbehere scored a powerplay goal when he snuck behind the Montreal defense to tap in a Seth Jarvis pass. At the end of the second, it was 5-0.

At this point, the partisan Carolina crowd was serenading the arena by singing “ole’ ole’ ole’ ” as a (tribute) to Montreal fans.

The Habs ruined Andersen’s shutout bid with a powerplay goal late in the game by Cole Caulfield, but Seth Jarvis would close out the scoring on an empty-netter.

The Canes will take Saturday off before preparing for the next series against the Las Vegas Golden Knights which starts Tuesday night at the Lenovo Center. We will have much more about that coming up.

After the game during interviews, each player to a man was very business like as they knew they had another tough task before them.

Game Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/GS030315.HTM

Event Summary – https://www.nhl.com/scores/htmlreports/20252026/ES030315.HTM

Interviews – https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/0ooz4291rrb3ld5ujaf3d/ACOQahJeYtuujlOBt7OWbRg?rlkey=aa0m2dn4482jqnggu5xbartot&e=1&st=4lsqr73l&dl=0

Diamondbacks 6, Mariners 7: Missed Opportunities

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 29: Julio Rodriguez #44 of the Seattle Mariners celebrates with JP Crawford #3 after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at T-Mobile Park on May 29, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Game Summary

Full recap to follow shortly. Feel free to vent on the close loss in the comments!

Loss Probability and Box Score

Outside the Box Score

  • Geraldo Perdomo’s poor batted ball luck continued in the first inning tonight where he lined into a double play. It took a very acrobatic play to record the out, with Cole Young throwing his gloved hand up and deflecting the ball straight up in the air where he was able to better collect himself and then make the catch and throw to first and double off Carroll.
  • Julio Rodriguez 2-run homer off Gallen in the 3rd came after Gallen got 2 quick outs and then walked JP Crawford on a full count. Off the bat, it looked like it might be a double into the corner based on the extremely low trajectory. Baseball Savant registered the homer as having a 16* launch angle which is tied for the lowest trajectory launch angle for a non-inside-the-park-homer this year with Vladimir Guerrero.
  • Zac Gallen was the beneficiary of excellent defensive decision-making and perfect alignment after getting into a little trouble in the bottom of the 4th. With runners at 1st and 2nd and no out, there was a fly ball to deep center field which was going to allow Arozarena to advance to third easily. Instead of getting greedy and trying to throw out Arozarena at third, Waldschmidt made the catch and then fired in to second base, keeping the trail runner at first. The very next hitter smoked a line drive right over Gallen’s head, but Perdomo was positioned right behind second base and was able to field the ball and record the 6-3 double play to get the Snakes out of the inning.
  • Diamondback defense saved Zac Gallen from further injury in the fifth, as well, when Josh Naylor smoked a deep fly ball to right center field. Naylor stood in the batter’s box and admired his handiwork as the ball…smacked off the top of the wall and back towards centerfield. Waldschmidt picked up the ball and threw in to Ketel Marte who quickly pivoted and fired a strike to Gerry who applied the tag on Josh Naylor just before he slid into second.
  • Gabi Moreno gave the Snakes some life in the 6th when he smoked a 2-run double on the 7th pitch of his AB off the base of the center field wall to score Carroll and Domo. The ball ‘lodged’ at the base of the wall, but fortunately everyone was advancing no more than 2 bases on the play anyway so we weren’t victims of ground rules for the second series in a row.
  • Waldschmidt came up with Gabi at second base and got a hit, but he hit the ball too hard for Gabi to score. Waldy smoked a single into left field at 108mph and Gabi had to stop at third. 
  • Nolan Arenado reintroduced himself to the team after missing a game and not starting tonight with groin tightness. The very first pitch he saw he fouled off his foot. Welcome back, but Ouch! 
  • The Diamondback defense was aided by the field to start the bottom of the 8th when Randy Arozarena hit a sharp grounder back up the middle. The ball went straight through Jonny Lasagna’s legs and looked destined to be a hit. Ketel was ranging over from second and looked like he might be able to dive to keep the ball on the infield but likely wouldn’t have enough time to pick back up and throw to first, but in a twist, the ball hit perfectly off the second base bag and bounced chest high to Ketel who, to his credit, adjusted well and then rifled a throw across his body directly to Vargas at first for the out. On his way back to the dugout, Arozarena looked back out to the field and shared a laugh with Ketel. Baseball is hard; it’s good to see competitors laughing together after plays like that.
  • Josh Naylor gave us a flashback to old times when he muffed a barehanded fielding attempt in the 9th inning that resulted in the tying run scoring.

Comment of the Game

The GameDay Thread was certainly….interesting tonight. A final tally of 396 comments at time of publishing with Comment of the Game by popular vote awarded to Dano_in_Tucson for his lineup advice to Torey:

Coming Up

The Diamondbacks face the Mariners for the second game of this 3-game set tomorrow evening with a 7:10pm first pitch Arizona time. Righthander Bryan Woo (4-3, 3.82 ERA) will take the mound for Seattle and Ryne Nelson (2-3, 4.65 ERA) takes the ball for the good guys. Hopefully Ryno can get the starting pitching back on track after Gallen’s hiccup tonight.

A’s No Match for Yankees in Series-opener Defeat

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 29: Tyler Soderstrom #21, Alika Williams #12, and Zack Gelof #20 of the Athletics misplay a ball hit by Ben Rice #22 of the New York Yankees in the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park on May 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Athletics and New York Yankees kicked off a three-game weekend series tonight in Sacramento. The A’s entered the game trying to end a three-game losing streak, while the Yankees sought to make it five-straight wins. The “Bronx Bombers” took the lead before most fans had reached their seats and did not look back, earning a blowout 8-2 victory over the A’s in a game they dominated in all facets.

Early Action

A’s starting pitcher Luis Severino gave up runs in the first inning for a second-straight outing, but this time he was not helped by his defense. A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz made a throwing error allowing Yankees designated hitter Ben Rice to reach safely. Rice advanced to second on Severino’s balk and then scored on Aaron Judge’s RBI single to give the Yankees an immediate lead. A few batters later, with two on and two outs, Yankees’ first baseman Paul Goldschmidt hit his sixth home run of the season, a three-run blast just over the left field wall to give the visitors a 4-0 lead after the first half inning of the game. All four runs were unearned, yet that three-run home run really stung.

In the bottom of the first, the A’s got a run back. Kurtz atoned for his error by hitting his ninth home run of the season, a solo blast to left-center field.

Yankees Extend Their Lead

In the second inning, Severino got hurt warming up, exiting his start with right arm soreness. Apparently, he has been dealing with shoulder soreness, which is why his start got pushed back to tonight. Maybe it should have been pushed back a bit longer to prevent a bullpen game to open the series.

Left-hander Jose Suarez replaced him on the mound. The Yankees’ offense went right back to work. They got three-straight hits with Rice’s RBI single pushing their fifth run across home plate. Suarez escaped the inning, limiting the damage to one run.

A’s Offense Stalls

Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom worked a walk to begin the A’s half of the second. Center fielder Henry Bolte singled to left, advancing his teammate to second base. The A’s rally fizzled out from there as back-t0-back groundouts with runners in scoring position erased the momentum they had built at the start of the frame.

Yankees’ Offense On Fire

Suarez only pitched one inning. A’s reliever Joel Kuhnel replaced him in the third. He gave up third baseman Ryan McMahon’s sixth home run of the season, a two-out solo shot to right-center. The Yankees added a seventh run in the fourth, courtesy of Judge’s RBI groundout. Through four innings, the Yankees scored at least one run in every inning.

Gelof Not Coming up Clutch

In the bottom of the fourth, Soderstrom and Bolte strung together two-straight singles with two outs. Alas, Rodòn got Gelof to fly out, completing a third-straight scoreless inning. Gelof has twice failed to come through in prime run-scoring opportunities for the hosts this evening. Left-handed reliever Hogan Harris answered by recording the first scoreless inning by an A’s pitcher in the fifth.

Yankees in Cruise Control

With a six-run cushion, Rodòn cruised through six innings of one-run ball, limiting the slumping A’s offense to only four hits. In the seventh, the Yankees extended their lead to seven runs via their third home run of the game. Rice blasted his 17th home run of the season against new A’s reliever Scott Barlow. He finished with three hits in five at-bats and was a triple shy of the cycle.

Cortes’ Magic Wearing Off?

Bolte was one of the few positives for the A’s tonight. He recorded three singles in four at-bats, the last one coming off Yankees’ left-handed reliever Brent Headrick in the seventh. After his third single, he moved up a base on Gelof’s first of two hits in this game.

With the bases loaded, Yankees manager Aaron Boone replaced Headrick with right-handed reliever Fernando Cruz. A’s manager Mark Kotsay countered by bringing Carlos Cortes off the bench to pinch hit for Darell Hernaiz. Cruz won the matchup, inducing an inning-ending 1-2-3  double play as the A’s failed yet again with runners in scoring position and less than two outs.

That outcome was indicative of the A’s teamwide offensive struggles not only tonight, but this whole week. The Athletics’ recent offensive ineptitude during home games remains perplexing, especially considering that visiting teams seem to take full advantage of the hitter-friendly ballpark to score runs in bunches.

The A’s offensive struggles carried over to defense. In the ninth, three A’s defenders collided trying to cleanly field Rice’s catchable pop-up that somehow ended up on the grass.

The A’s got a consolation run off former A’s pitcher Paul Blackburn in the ninth. Gelof’s RBI single scored designated hitter Brent Rooker, who started the rally with an infield single, for the A’s second run of the night. Blackburn buckled down, retiring the next two hitters to seal the Yankees fifth straight win and doom the Athletics to further misery.

The A’s have been outscored 30-6 during this woeful, winless late May homestand. Additionally, they have committed 15 errors in their past 17 games. Currently riding a four-game losing streak that has dropped their record to 27-30, the vibes are not good for this team. As a result, something must be done sooner than later to restore some positivity and turn things around before the team’s 2026 season spirals completely out of control.

The Athletics will look to snap their losing skid and even up this series tomorrow evening. Right-hander J.T. Ginn, who is 2-3 with a 3.19 ERA, will look to play stopper. The A’s need him to pitch at least five or six innings in the wake of the bullpen having to cover eight innings today. The Yankees will counter with left-hander Ryan Weathers, who is 2-2 with a 3.14 ERA.

Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen wins Game 5 while mourning Claude Lemieux

Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen was playing with a heavy heart in Game 5 after the death of his agent, four-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux.

Andersen came up with one of his better efforts of the Eastern Conference finals, stopping 23 shots in a 6-1 win that sent the Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. It's also Andersen's first trip.

"I can't talk enough good things about this team and the way they've supported me," he told TNT. "It's been awesome."

Lemieux died at 60 on Thursday, three days after he took part in the Canadiens' torch-bearing ceremony before Game 3 at Montreal's Bell Centre.

Though Lemieux identified with the Canadiens as the team that drafted him and where he won his first Stanley Cup as a rookie, he had ties with the Hurricanes. In addition to having Andersen as a client, his son Brendan played for Carolina during the 2023-24 season. The Hurricanes paid tribute to Claude Lemieux before Friday's game.

Asked what Lemieux would say if he were still here, Andersen told TNT that his agent would tell him, "Just go get it."

"He's the ultimate competitor and he's got the biggest heart," the goalie said. "He wanted so much for me and this team."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Frederik Andersen wins clinching Game 5 while mourning Claude Lemieux

My Arsenal devotion began with watching them lose in a South African cinema

As a boy in the apartheid era I saw footage of the Gunners beaten in the 1969 League Cup final – on Saturday I will attend the Champions League showpiece with my son

I fell for Arsenal in the white‑and-black world of apartheid, where television was banned as a tool of communist propaganda and the club of my dreams was 6,000 miles away and mostly invisible to me. So it feels fitting that a surreal love story that began for a small boy in South Africa in 1969 will reach a new peak on Saturday night in eastern Europe. This 65-year-old Arsenal fan and his 25-year-old son, who is just as besotted by the Gunners, will be at the Champions League final in Budapest as we face the dazzling powerhouse of Paris Saint-Germain.

It’s the final game of Arsenal’s tumultuous grind of a season and we are as exhausted as we are still euphoric. We will remember that my last game of this campaign could have been Swindon’s 2-1 home defeat by Chesterfield in League Two. I have had my share of pain with Arsenal; but it would have been a far deeper burden to have spent 57 years supporting Swindon.

Continue reading...

Paul Goldschmidt hits a 3-run homer and the Yankees beat the A’s 8-2 for their 5th straight win

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Paul Goldschmidt hit a three-run homer, Ryan McMahon and Ben Rice also went deep, and the New York Yankees beat the Athletics 8-2 on Friday night for their fifth straight victory.

Goldschmidt connected in the first inning against Luis Severino (2-6) to stake the Yankees to a 4-0 lead and they rolled from there behind a strong outing from Carlos Rodon (1-2) for the win. Rodon allowed one run and four hits in six innings.

Aaron Judge added two RBIs for New York and Rice moved into a tie with Judge for the team lead with 17 homers on the season.

The Yankees outscored the opposition 36-6 during this current winning streak.

The A’s lost their fourth straight on this homestand and also might have lost Severino to an injury. Severino was grimacing after throwing warmup pitches before the second inning and called for manager Mark Kotsay to come to the mound with an athletic trainer. He left the game with what was described as a sore right arm.

The game didn’t get off to a good start for Severino, who allowed four unearned runs in the first inning to fall to 0-3 in four career starts against his former team.

After Rice reached on an error by first baseman Nick Kurtz, Severino allowed an RBI single to Judge and the homer to Goldschmidt. Severino has allowed 19 runs — 15 earned — in 13 2/3 innings in four starts against New York.

Kurtz hit a solo homer for the A’s, who have been outscored 30-6 during this four-game losing streak.

The A’s have gone 13 straight games without getting a win from a starting pitcher with starters going 0-9 with a 5.64 ERA during that stretch.

Up next

LH Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.14 ERA) was set to start the second game of the series for the Yankees against RH J.T. Ginn (2-3, 3.19).

Dodgers beat Phillies as Justin Wrobleski strikes out 9 and Los Angeles hits 4 homers

LOS ANGELES — Justin Wrobleski took a no-hitter into the sixth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers got home runs from Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith in a 4-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night.

Wrobleski (7-2) struck out a career-high nine against no walks in seven innings. The 25-year-old left-hander struck out the side in the first — setting down big boppers Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner and Bryce Harper — and the fifth innings.

In the sixth, Schwarber homered 411 feet to dead-center with two outs for the first hit and run off of Wrobleski in a rematch of last year’s National League Division Series. The Dodgers won 3-1 on the way to their second straight World Series championship.

Tanner Scott retired the side in the ninth for his fifth save.

The NL West-leading Dodgers won their sixth in a row for the first time since reeling off seven straight from April 26-May 3 last year.

Freeman hit an opposite-field shot on the first pitch from Zack Wheeler (4-1) in the first. Muncy went deep in the second and Ohtani homered into the Phillies’ bullpen in right in the third. Smith made it 4-0 with his solo shot in the fifth.

With retired three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw watching from the front row, Wrobleski’s only baserunner before Schwarber’s homer came on an error by right fielder Kyle Tucker in the fourth.

Turner was safe at first and advanced to second on Tucker’s error. Tucker and center fielder Andy Pages appeared to miscommunicate on Turner’s ball to the warning track. Wrobleski retired the next two batters to end the inning.

The Phillies’ other run came on Steward Berroa’s two-out single in the eighth off reliever Edgardo Henriquez.

Up next

Phillies LHP Jesús Luzardo (4-4, 4.38 ERA) starts Saturday against Dodgers RHP Roki Sasaki (3-3, 4.93).

Wroad block: Dodgers 4, Phillies 2

May 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies (29-28) played their first game in Chavez Ravine since they were eliminated in the National League Divisional Series last October and fell 4-2 to the Los Angeles Dodgers (37-20) on Friday night.

Four of the five hits allowed by Zack Wheeler (4-1) were solo home runs to Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith, which accounted for the entirety of the Dodgers’ runs on the night.

Dodgers’ lefty, Justin Wrobleski (7-2), hurled nine of the Dodgers’ 11 K’s and carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning, though the Phillies did get a runner on in the fourth when a fly ball hit by Trea Turner was fumbled by Kyle Tucker for a two-base error. With two outs in the top of the sixth, Kyle Schwarber denied the no-hitter and the shutout with his major league-leading 22nd home run.

In the top of the eighth, the Phillies did muster two hits and a run off Dodgers’ reliever, Edgardo Henriquez, via a Brandon Marsh double and a first-as-a-Phillie RBI single by Steward Berroa, who was promoted to the big league club in favor of Otto Kemp earlier in the day.

Dodgers’ lefty, Alex Vesia, came in with Schwarber at the plate as the tying run and struck him out to end the inning.

This is only the second time in his career that Wheeler has surrendered four homers in a start, the first also coming as a Phillies in June of 2024 against the Orioles. He has never surrendered more than two in any other game.

Andrew Painter (1-5) faces a tall task against Roki Sasaki (3-3) in the middle game of the series tomorrow night.

Munetaka Murakami injury update: White Sox star likely to miss time

Munetaka Murakami left the Chicago White Sox’s 4-3 victory against the Detroit Tigers in the third inning on Friday, May 29, with hamstring tightness.

He hit the ball to center field and ran through first base before he was seen reaching for his hamstring. White Sox manager Will Venable, the team’s medical staff and Murakami’s interpreter, Kenzo Yagi, all ran onto the field after the play.  

After the game, Venable called Murakami's injury a "little hamstring strain on the initial evaluation” and said the first baseman will likely miss time. "Probably a couple weeks," Venable said.

Murakami is expected to get more imaging done Saturday.

Venable wouldn’t commit to an official decision when asked whether Murakami would be placed on the injured list.

The Japanese star declined to talk with the media after the game, but a White Sox spokesperson stated that he would be available to talk before Saturday’s game.

The White Sox entered Friday’s game with the fourth-best record in the American League. Chicago now has a 30-27 overall record after its walk-off win in 10 innings.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Munetaka Murakami injury update: Latest news on White Sox star

Yankees bats stay hot, Carlos Rodon cruises in 8-2 win over Athletics

The Yankees mashed three home runs and Carlos Rodon pitched his best game since coming off the IL as New York defeated the Athletics, 8-2, on Friday night in West Sacramento.

Here are the takeaways...

-The Yankees bats got to old friend Luis Severino early as an Aaron Judge single knocked home Ben Rice, who reached on an error and advanced to second on a balk, to give them the lead. With two outs and two on, Paul Goldschmidt capped off the big first inning with a three-run blast (380 feet, 99.5 mph exit velocity) on a sweeper that the veteran got around on.  

Severino would leave the game warming up for the top of the second with what the team called right arm soreness, but the Yankees would get to the A's bullpen, too. Rice drove in a run in the second with a single and Ryan McMahon launched his 150th career home run in the third to give New York a 6-1 lead. 

Rice wasn't done. He hit his team-tying 17th bomb of the year in the seventh and finished 3-for-5, a triple short of the cycle.

-Judge went 1-for-4 with the RBI single and an RBI groundout, while Jose Caballero, starting at shortstop instead of Anthony Volpe, finished 2-for-4 with a run scored. 

The Yankees had 11 hits and the only starters to not get a hit were Jazz Chisholm Jr. (0-5) and J.C. Escarra (0-4). 

-Rodon was on the mound, making his fourth start since returning from the IL and had to grind it out at first. He allowed a solo shot to Nick Kurtz in the first, and the A's had runners on second and first with no outs in the second, but the southpaw worked out of the jam without allowing a run. 

Rodon would scatter baserunners but got stronger as the game went along. He finished up pitching six innings (93 pitches) while allowing just one run on four hits and two walks, while striking out three batters. 

-The Yankees bullpen was up and down, as per usual. Brent Headrick allowed the A's to load the bases with one out in the seventh, before Fernando Cruz bailed Headrick out, getting an inning-ending double play to end the threat. 

Paul Blackburn pitched a clean eighth inning but got into trouble in the ninth, allowing a run on two hits and a walk, but got the final out to start the weekend series on a winning note.

Game MVP: Carlos Rodon

While the offense continued to give plenty of run support, the A's lineup threatened early on and Rodon kept them at bay to make this a laugher. 

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees continue their three-game series in Sacramento on Saturday. First pitch is set for 10:05 p.m.

Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.14 ERA) will take the mound against J.T. Ginn (2-3, 3.19 ERA). 

Dodgers hit 4 solo homers, hand Zack Wheeler first loss

May 29, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) celebrates with center fielder Andy Pages (44) after scoring against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Dodgers (37-20) launched four solo home runs in a 4-2 win over the Phillies (29-278) ace Zack Wheeler Friday night at Dodger Stadium in the opener of a three-game weekend series. 

Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski earned the win by pitching one of the best starts of his career. He struck out nine and allowed just one earned run.

The Dodgers flexed their power with home runs from Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, and Will Smith. Wheeler took his first loss of the season after giving up all four runs over six innings, while Kyle Schwarber provided a solo home run for the Phils in the loss.

Wheeler had been absolutely dominant this season, carrying a microscopic 1.67 ERA and allowed only one home run going into Friday’s game. The Dodgers hit four solo home runs against the Philly ace, serving him up his first loss of the season.

Wrobleski struck out the side in the first inning for the first time in his career. He struck both Schwarber and Trea Turner looking to open the game, and Bryce Harper went down swinging. His fastball velocity was quite a bit faster than his career average in the frame.

Wheeler struck out Ohtani to open his night. Freeman continued to find success in his career against Wheeler and blasted a solo home run against him to the left field corner. That was Freeman’s third career homer off Wheeler.

Muncy also took Wheeler deep with one out in the bottom of the second to make it 2-0 Dodgers.

Ohtani crushed his 10th home run of the season in the third against Wheeler, a solo blast to right field.

The Dodgers had already collected three home runs in the game before the Phillies could even muster a base runner against Wrobleski through four innings.

The Phillies did catch a break with one out in the top of the fourth after a defensive miscue in the outfield allowed Turner to reach second base. Kyle Tucker was tagged with the error when the ball dropped between himself and Andy Pages. The Phillies failed to cash in on the mistake.

Wrobleski continued to cruise through the order working quickly. He picked up a career-high eighth strikeout when he whiffed Brandon Marsh to cap off five hitless innings.

Will Smith took a Wheeler sinker for a ride over the right center wall for the fourth solo home run of the night for the Dodgers.

The usual culprit, Schwarber, was the one who broke up Wrobleski’s no-hit bid with a two-out solo home run in the sixth.

The Dodgers bullpen allowed a rare run in the top of the eighth after Wrobleski ended his night. Edgardo Henriquez allowed two hits and a run before Dave Roberts went to Alex Vesia to face Schwarber who represented the tying run at the plate.

Channeling that Bobblehead Night energy, Vesia reared back and struck out Schwarber swinging on a full count to keep it a two-run game into the ninth.

Tanner Scott got the ball in the ninth and sent the Phillies down in order. He struck out Harper who fanned three times on the night and secured his fifth save of the year.

Friday particulars

HRs — Freddie Freeman (8), Max Muncy (13), Shohei Ohtani (10), Will Smith (6), Kyle Schwarber (22)

WP— Justin Wrobleski (7-2): 7 IP, 1 hit, 1 run, no walks, 9 strikeouts (88 pitches)

LP— Zack Wheeler (4-1): 6 IP, 5 hits, 4 runs, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts (90 pitches)

SV— Tanner Scott (5): 1 IP, 1 strikeout

Up next

Roki Sasaki (3-3, 4.93 ERA, 1.42 WHIP) starts the second game of the series against the Phillies at (7:10 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA). Lefty Jesús Luzardo (4-4, 4.38 ERA 1.28 WHIP) counters for Philly.

Rockies 8, Giants 6: Tovar walks off Giants after wild ninth-inning comeback

May 29, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar (14) celebrates his two run walk off home run with right fielder Troy Johnston (20) in the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Rockies came home trying to end a losing streak against a reeling division opponent. They did it by turning a frustrating offensive night into their first walk-off win of the season.

Colorado beat San Francisco 8-6 on Friday at Coors Field, improving to 21-37 while dropping the Giants to 22-35. The Rockies trailed 4-1 in the eighth and 6-3 in the ninth before Hunter Goodman tied the game with a three-run homer and Ezequiel Tovar ended it with a two-run shot.

Tovar drove in four runs with homers in the eighth and ninth. Goodman drove in three on the game-tying blast. Juan Mejia, despite allowing two runs in the top of the ninth, got the win. Caleb Kilian took the loss after allowing five runs in the ninth.

Lorenzen bends in the middle innings

Michael Lorenzen’s first two innings were clean enough. He struck out Casey Schmitt in the first, worked a clean second, and helped himself with a good play on Matt Chapman’s soft comebacker.

San Francisco started getting to him in the third. Bryce Eldridge doubled to left, moved to third on Harrison Bader’s flyout, and scored on Willy Adames’ sacrifice fly. Adames’ out was hit 416 feet at 101.4 mph, a sign the Giants were starting to square Lorenzen up.

The fourth brought the damage. Rafael Devers opened with a walk, but Lorenzen got Chapman to hit into a forceout. Jung Hoo Lee followed with a single to right, putting runners on the corners, and Daniel Susac gave San Francisco a 2-1 lead with a sacrifice fly to center.

Lorenzen then walked Eldridge, moving Lee into scoring position. Bader followed with a 98.6 mph two-out ground-ball single to right, scoring Lee and moving Eldridge to third. That made it 3-1 and ended Lorenzen’s night.

Lorenzen finished with three runs allowed on five hits, two walks, and two strikeouts over 3.2 innings. His ERA rose to 7.22. He threw 70 pitches and used six offerings, led by 22 cutters. His velocity ranged from 81.9 to 96.4 mph.

Webb keeps the Rockies from cashing in

Logan Webb was not efficient in his return from the injured list, but he kept the Rockies from turning traffic into runs.

Colorado’s first run came in the second. Tovar walked, and Edouard Julien followed with a sharp single to center. It was Julien’s first hit in 35 at-bats, snapping an 0-for-34 skid and keeping him one hitless at-bat shy of the Rockies’ record.

With runners on the corners, Julien broke for second but stopped short of the bag as Luis Arráez moved to cover. Arráez threw home, and Tovar slid in safely on the delayed steal. Julien still reached second, and the Rockies had a 1-0 lead.

They had chances after that but did not finish them.

Tyler Freeman singled in the third but was caught stealing. The Rockies rebuilt the inning with a TJ Rumfield single and a Goodman walk, but Troy Johnston flew out. In the fourth, Tovar reached on Webb’s throwing error and advanced to third, but Lee ran down Kyle Karros’ liner in right and crashed into the wall to end the inning. In the fifth, Freeman was hit by a pitch and Goodman doubled after Webb exited, putting two runners in scoring position. Colorado came away empty again.

Webb allowed one run on three hits and three walks over 4.1 innings, striking out five and lowering his ERA to 4.82. He threw 86 pitches, only 28 for strikes in the zone, but the Rockies still swung 38 times. Webb leaned on five pitches, led by 27 sinkers and 23 cutters. Colorado managed only three hard-hit balls against him and put six balls on the ground.

Hill and Halvorsen hold the line

Jaden Hill kept the game from getting away after Lorenzen exited.

Hill entered with two outs in the fourth and got Adames to fly out with two runners aboard. In the fifth, Schmitt hit a hard one-out double, but Hill answered with back-to-back swinging strikeouts of Devers and Chapman. Both came on fastballs, including a 97.9 mph fastball that Devers swung through.

Hill finished with 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. His ERA dropped to 2.61.

Welinton Herrera opened the sixth and ran into traffic. Lee singled, and after Susac flew out, Eldridge walked. Seth Halvorsen entered with two on and one out and gave the Rockies one of their best pitching sequences of the night — Back-to-back strikeouts of Bader and Adames to end the frame.

Halvorsen worked around a two-out Devers single in the seventh with help from his defense. Tovar made a leaping catch on Arraez’s liner, and Freeman made a diving catch in right on Schmitt. Halvorsen then got Chapman to fly out.

Herrera was charged with one hit and one walk while recording one out. Halvorsen followed with 1.2 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.

The comeback arrives late

San Francisco added a run in the eighth against Keegan Thompson without much force. Lee led off with a soft double down the third-base line, Susac bunted him to third, and Eldridge brought him home with a sacrifice fly to center. Thompson struck out Bader to end the inning, but the Giants led 4-1.

Colorado answered against Keaton Winn, who entered with a 1.82 ERA and had been one of San Francisco’s better bullpen arms. Johnston opened the bottom of the eighth by swinging at the first pitch and dropping a soft single into center. Willi Castro flew out, but Tovar attacked a first-pitch 95.3 mph fastball and drove it 441 feet to dead center.

The two-run homer cut the deficit to 4-3.

The Giants pushed the lead back out in the ninth. Mejia got Adames to ground out, then hit Arraez with a 98.5 mph fastball. Schmitt lined out, but Devers tripled to right on a ball deflected by Jake McCarthy in center, scoring Arraez. Chapman followed with an RBI single to right, making it 6-3. Lee singled before Susac flew out to end the inning.

That gave the Rockies one more chance, and they did not waste it.

Kilian replaced Winn to start the bottom of the ninth, and Drew Gilbert entered in center field. McCarthy opened with a ground-ball single back to the mound. Freeman followed with a line-drive single to center, moving McCarthy to second. Rumfield flew out to right, allowing McCarthy to reach third.

Goodman came up as the tying run and drove a ball down the left-field line.

The umpires reviewed the home run call, and the ruling stood. Goodman’s 13th homer of the season tied the game at 6-6.

Johnston struck out for the second out, but Castro singled to right. Tovar followed with his second homer in as many innings, a two-run shot to left that gave the Rockies an 8-6 win.

It was the Rockies’ first walk-off win of the season.

Final thoughts

Tovar was the best player on the field tonight. He made several solid defensive plays, scored the Rockies’ first run on the delayed steal, hit the two-run homer in the eighth, and ended the game in the ninth. He finished 2-for-4 with two homers and four RBI.

Goodman had already doubled in the fifth before tying the game with his three-run homer in the ninth. Julien’s single snapped an 0-34 streak. Hill continued to pitch well, and Halvorsen’s two strikeouts in the sixth kept the Rockies close enough for the late comeback to matter.

The Rockies still left chances on the field. They went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. But they also finished with 13 hits, played clean defense, and finally got the late swings they had been missing.

Mejia earned the win despite allowing two runs in the ninth, moving to 1-4 with a 5.13 ERA. Kilian took the loss for San Francisco, falling to 1-3 with a 3.96 ERA.

Up next

The Rockies continue their series against the Giants on Saturday at Coors Field. Ryan Feltner is scheduled to start for Colorado against San Francisco right-hander Adrian Houser.

Feltner enters at 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA and 17 strikeouts, while Houser comes in at 2-4 with a 5.30 ERA and 31 strikeouts. First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. MDT.


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Cubs Minor League Wrap: I-Cubs stop Indy, 8-3

HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 08: BJ Murray #7 of the Great Britain in action during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game between Great Britain and Italy at Daikin Park on March 08, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Right-hander Tyler Beede went from Triple-A Iowa to the Development List.

South Bend right-hander Nate Williams also went to the Development List.

Knoxville first baseman Edgar Alvarez was placed on the Restricted List. No, I don’t know why.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs mauled Indianapolis (Pirates), 8-3.

Four Iowa pitcher combined to allowed just three hits. Starter Paul Campbell went four innings and gave up no runs on just one hit. Campbell struck out four and walked no one.

Luke Little pitched the fifth inning, retired the side in order and got teh win because Campbell didn’t go five innings. Little did not strike anyone out.

Shortstop Owen Miller was a perfect 4 for 4 with a triple and a walk. Miller scored two runs and drove home one.

Third baseman BJ Murray went 3 for 5 with a double and a triple. Murray scored three runs and had one RBI.

DH Christian Bethancourt was 2 for 5 with a two-run double in the fifth.

Left fielder Chas McCormick went 2 for 5 with two RBI, one on a first inning single and one on a single in the sixth. McCormick scored once.

Bethencourt’s two-run double.

An RBI double for Murray.

Knoxville Smokies

Rained out in Chattanooga. Doubleheader tomorrow.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs were cooked by the Ft. Wayne TinCaps, 9-8. The loss snapped South Bend’s eight-game win streak.

Starter Jostin Florentino gave up a solo home run in the second inning and no other runs. Florentino’s final line was one run on two hits over three innings. Florentino did walk five batters while striking out two.

South Bend had an 8-5 lead going into the top of the ninth when Grayson Moore was summoned from the bullpen for the save. Unfortunately, Moore was only able to retire one batter while the other five batters he faced combined for a solo home run, a single and three doubles. Moore got the loss after allowing four runs on five hits over just one-third of an inning. Moore struck out one.

It looked like South Bend was going to cruise to an easy win when they scored seven runs in the first inning, six of them coming off the Padres’ number-two prospect (per Baseball America) Kash Mayfield.

First, center fielder Josiah Hartshorn hit a two-run bomb, his second South Bend home run and seventh overall. Hartshorn was 1 for 5 tonight.

Later on in the first, first baseman Drew Bowser hit a grand slam, his second home run of the year. Bowser was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Left fielder Miguel Useche went 3 for 4 with a walk. He drove in one run and scored on the grand slam.

Hartshorn’s and Bowser’s home runs.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans clipped the wings of the Wilson Warbirds (Brewers), 11-10.

Starter David Bracho pitched the first 3.2 innings and gave up four runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out two.

Hayden Frank allowed two runs in the seventh inning and was allowed to start the ninth inning with a four-run lead. However, he loaded the bases with only one out and was pulled for Aiden Moffett. Moffett then walked four of the next five batters to drive in all three inherited runners and one of his own. But then he got a strikeout to end the game and collect a very ugly save.

The final line on Frank, who was the winning pitcher, was five runs on five hits over 3.1 innings. Frank walked five and struck out three.

Moffett’s final line was one run on no hits and four walks. He struck out two in two-thirds of an inning.

Right fielder Eli Lovich hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning, his seventh of the year. Lovich went 3 for 4 with a double, the home run and four total RBI.

First baseman Edward Vargas was 3 for 5. He scored twice and had one RBI.

Catcher Jairo Díaz was 2 for 4 with a walk and a double. He scored one time.

Left fielder Darlyn De Leon went 2 for 4 with a walk. He scored two runs and drove home one.

Everyone in the Pelicans lineup had at least one hit.

A great catch in center field by Alexey Lumpuy, who was 1 for 5 with an RBI double and one run scored.

The second home run in two days for Lovich.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Guardians, 11-7.

Right fielder Jeury Ramírez hit two home runs.

Mets' bullpen comes up big in extra innings win against Marlins

The Mets needed seven pitchers to get through 10 innings in their 9-7 win on Friday night against the Miami Marlins and a few guys stood out in particular.

With two outs in the fifth and the tying run at second base, A.J. Minter entered for Freddy Peralta in just his second appearance for New York since he returned from the injured list. Minter looked in mint form, striking out two over his inning of work to give him four strikeouts in two innings this season.

And although the Mets’ bullpen has been one of their saving graces this year, having Minter back in the fold after more than a year away from the team has already been a game-changer.

“Huge, especially when you’re facing a lineup like the Marlins where there’s a lot of left-handed hitters on a night where you’re probably trying to stay away from your other lefty, which is [Brooks] Raley,” manager Carlos Mendoza said about Minter’s role. “For me, to be able to continue to play the matchups in those middle innings without having to worry about what’s gonna happen when the next at-bat comes in. 

“Those guys, they’re in a good place and for us to have those guys every time they’re available, we’re gonna be pretty good back there.”

Minter was originally signed two offseasons ago to be New York’s left-handed setup man in front of Edwin Diaz. And while the lefty will certainly get some late-inning work at some point this season to help bridge the gap to closer Devin Williams, Mendoza is fine with getting Minter’s feet wet a little before throwing him into the deep end.

Plus, on a night where the Mets were trying not to use Raley, the perfect situation for Minter arose.

Speaking of Raley, the veteran left-hander also checked into the game, striking out the final batter of the seventh inning for his only out of the night – exactly how Mendoza planned it.

“Today was a day like if he was in the game it was gonna be for a batter or two,” the skipper said. “I was trying to avoid that situation, but the game called for [it]. With two outs, tying run on second base, there was a lefty coming up and that was it right there.”

But perhaps the most important outing of them all was from Austin Warren who kept the game tied in the 10th inning with a 1-2-3 inning, including a strikeout. Warren’s appearance allowed New York to win it in the bottom half on MJ Melendez’s two-run homer.

In his second season with the Mets after a cup of coffee with the big league team in 2025, Warren has been dynamite. In fact, in 56 career appearances, the reliever has a 2.48 ERA and has been a godsend for New York after not cracking the Opening Day roster.

“Huge, and today [was] another example there,” Mendoza said about the job Warren has done. “Extra innings, runner at second base and the situation is not too big for him and he goes out there and just makes pitches and slows the game down, doesn’t try to do too much, sticks to what makes him who he is. 

“[He’s] not afraid to spin the baseball and then uses the fastball effectively when he needs to and he got a huge three outs for us.”

On the other side, Tobias Myers had a rough eighth inning after allowing a game-tying two-run homer to Owen Caissie. In a bit of a surprise move, Myers will reportedly be optioned to the minors after the game as the Mets need a fresh arm for Saturday’s game after using seven pitchers on Friday.

A corresponding move has yet to be made.

“At this level, whatever it takes day in and day out,” Mendoza said. “We’ll worry about tomorrow, tomorrow and I’m glad that the boys came through today.”