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Raptors rally past Suns 122-115 as Brandon Ingram scores 36

TORONTO (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 36 points, RJ Barrett added 22 and the Toronto Raptors rallied to beat Phoenix 122-115 on Friday night, snapping the Suns’ winning streak at four.

Jalen Green scored 34 points for Phoenix, matching his career high with eight 3-pointers, and Devin Booker added 31 points, but the Suns couldn’t hold on after leading by 10 in the fourth quarter.

Immanuel Quickley scored 17 points for Toronto. Scottie Barnes had 14 and Ja’Kobe Walter 12 as the Raptors won for the first time in three games.

Grayson Allen scored 15 points for the Suns.

Toronto trailed 105-95 with 8:12 left in the final period but turned it around with a 13-2 spurt capped by Barrett’s 3-pointer with 3:35 remaining.

Royce O’Neal stopped the run by making a 3 with 2:36 left but the Suns didn’t score again until Booker made three free throws with 24 seconds remaining.

CAVALIERS 138, MAVERICKS 105

DALLAS (AP) — Evan Mobley matched his season high with 29 points, Donovan Mitchell had 24 and Cleveland beat Dallas in the opener of a home-and-home series.

Mobley had 16 points in the first quarter and was already up to 23 by halftime, the second-highest scoring half of his career. He went 12 for 15 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds while playing just 23 minutes.

James Harden finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Cavaliers, who shot 61.5% from the field and were 18 for 38 (47%) from 3-point range.

Cooper Flagg scored 25 points for the Mavericks, who were coming off a victory in Memphis that snapped an eight-game losing streak. Naji Marshall had 17 points.

PISTONS 126, GRIZZLIES 110

DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Duren had 30 points and 13 rebounds and Cade Cunningham added 17 points and 15 assists as Detroit handed Memphis its seventh straight loss.

The Pistons have won their last three games by an average of 25.3 points after a season-worst four-game losing streak.

Marcus Sasser had 16 points for the Pistons, which had seven players in double figures.

Javon Small led the Grizzlies with 23 points while Ty Jerome had 21. Taj Gibson made his season debut for the Grizzlies after signing with them in late February. The 40-year-old played nearly 12 minutes with three points and three rebounds.

Detroit led 98-84 at the end of three quarters, thanks to 26 points from Duren, and quickly moved the advantage to 22 before coach J.B. Bickerstaff emptied the bench.

KNICKS 101, PACERS 92

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jalen Brunson finished with 29 points and nine assists, OG Anunoby added 25 points and eight rebounds, and New York beat Indiana.

Mitchell Robinson had a career-high 22 rebounds to go with 12 points as last year’s Eastern Conference runner-up won its second straight and its sixth game in nine contests. The Knicks are still fighting to earn a top-four seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Jarace Walker scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith had 12 points as injury-riddled Indiana lost its 12th straight. Ivica Zubac added 11 points and eight rebounds in his second game with Indiana since being acquired in a February trade.

ROCKETS 107, PELICANS 105

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant hit a go-ahead 18-footer with 7.6 seconds left and Houston outlasted New Orleans to move into third place in the crowded Western Conference.

Durant scored 32 points two nights after matching his season low with 11 in a blowout loss at Denver. Against the Pelicans, he was 13 of 24 from the field and had six rebounds and five assists.

Amen Thompson added 23 points for Houston in the opener of five-game homestand. Reed Sheppard scored 18 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16.

Dejounte Murray led New Orleans with 35 points, but stepped out of bounds with the Pelicans up a point with 13 seconds remaining. After Durant put the Rockets ahead, Zion Williamson threw the ball out of bounds, and Durant hit two free throws to put it away.

TRAIL BLAZERS 124, JAZZ 114

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson each scored 25 points, Donovan Clingan had 21 points and 15 rebounds and Portland beat Utah.

With Golden State’s loss to Minnesota, the Trail Blazers moved within a half-game of the Warriors for the ninth seed in the Western Conference.

Brice Sensabaugh led Utah with 31 points.

After Utah jumped out to a 33-15 lead, the Trail Blazers found their footing and went on a 27-5 run to take control.

Portland’s Sidy Cissoko’s 3-pointer hit back-to-back 3-pointers to open the second to make it 38-34, part of a 14-0 run to open the periodr. Portland took its first lead on a 3-pointer by Holiday, and led 66-58 at halftime.

The Jazz made several runs to cut into the lead in the second half. A layup by Oscar Tshiebwe made it 91-89 with 2:01 left in the third quarter, but that was as close as the Jazz would get.

TIMBERWOLVES 127, WARRIORS 117

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 42 points and Minnesota held off injury-plagued Golden State.

Edwards shot 13 for 22, made all 12 of his free throws and also had eight rebounds and five assists, while Rudy Gobert contributed 18 points and nine rebounds in what coach Chris Finch considered a must-win game. The Wolves snapped a three-game skid — all of those double-digit defeats, including 153-128 at the Clippers on Wednesday — following a five-game winning streak.

Gui Santos’ 3-pointer followed by a dunk by Malevy Leons cut Minnesota’s lead to 109-102 with 8:37 left but Golden State couldn’t do much more.

Brandin Podziemski scored 25 points for the Warriors, who scratched Draymond Green less than an hour before tipoff because of a lower back injury. Kristaps Porzingis moved into the starting lineup in his place as the Warriors used their 33rd different starting five, and it was Porzingis’ first start since being acquired by Golden State at the trade deadline from Atlanta. He finished with 20 points.

CLIPPERS 119, BULLS 108

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, Bennedict Mathurin had 26 and Los Angeles extended its winning streak to four games with a victory over Chicago.

Jordan Miller added 14 points to help the eighth-place Clippers win for the seventh time in eight games to solidify their hold on a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. After starting the season 6-21, Los Angeles is a season-best two games over .500 at 34-32.

Leonard scored at least 20 points for the 44th consecutive game to tie Bob McAdoo’s franchise record set for the Buffalo Braves in 1974-75.

The Clippers were without trade-deadline acquisition Daruis Garland, who was listed with left toe injury management on the front end of a back-to-back.

Josh Giddey had his 11th triple-double of the season for the Bulls with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Tre Jones scored 21 points and Matas Buzelis added 18 as the Bulls went 2-3 on a West Coast trip.

Chicago shot 44.2% from the floor and 29.3% from 3-point range while falling to 3-4 following an 11-game losing streak.

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Austin Wells' only swing of the bat puts the Dominicans in WBC record book and semifinals

MIAMI (AP) — Austin Wells' only swing of the bat put the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic record book and the semifinal round.

Wells hit a game-ending three-run homer in the seventh inning Friday night that stopped the contest under a tournament rout rule as the Dominican Republic beat South Korea 10-0 to reach the WBC semis.

Wells' homer was the 14th for the Dominicans in the tournament, tying the tournament record set by Mexico in 2009. Wells, who also homered in a 12-1 pool victory over the Netherlands on Sunday, drove a first-pitch cutter from Hyeong Jun So off the front of the second deck in right.

“Trying to win today and be able to move to the next round was the goal,” Wells said. “Being able to help out today and be part of it was a lot of fun. Definitely a special moment.”

With a lineup of stars including Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr, Wells has quickly adjusted to the team. And, when the star sluggers did their damage without the long ball against South Korea, it was Wells who went deep.

The homer also tied Wells with Soto, Guerrero, Tatis, Junior Caminero and Oneil Cruz.

“The experience has been incredible. It’s been an unbelievable honor being able to represent my family and the country of the Dominican,” said Wells, who was born in Arizona to a mother of Dominican descent. “It’s something that I’m never going to forget and hopefully I’ll have the opportunity again.”

During its power barrage through the first four games, the Dominicans have displayed viral-worthy bat flips and exuberant group celebrations when they complete their trot around the bases. But, Wells has been more subdued.

“I haven’t been one for big bat flips in my career,” Wells said. “I’m taking notes. A lot of the times I just black out when I hit a home run. It’s been hard for me to show some sort of emotion. Maybe next time.”

The Dominicans reached the semifinal round for the first time since the tournament championship game in 2013. Now, they will have the opportunity to move past Mexico and claim the homer record as their own — and move a step closer to another title — when they face the United States on Sunday in Miami.

“This is something special for us because we are a very united team, compact team,” Caminero said. “You can feel the emotion, the energy in the clubhouse. We work as a team. This is something very special to us. Now we have to focus on the next rival on Sunday, and to continue playing like we have been doing so far.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Arkansas men, Illinois women grab first-day lead at D-I indoor track and field championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas men and Illinois women sit on top after Friday's opening day of the Division I men’s and women’s indoor track and field championships at Randal Tyson Track Center.

Arkansas' men lead with 14 points, one more than both Virginia and Kansas. Texas A&M is fourth with 12 points and Kansas State follows with 10.

Ryan Johnson launched 84 feet, 1 1/2 inches to set a new meet record in the men’s weight throw and earn Iowa’s first title in the event.

Oregon’s Peyton Bair dominated the competition on Day 1 in the heptathlon with 3,675 points, only trailing collegiate record holder Kyle Garland’s pace from the 2023 indoor championships.

New Mexico's Habtom Samuel edged fellow junior Marco Langon of Villanova to win the 5,000 meters. Samuel finished in 13 minutes, 36.58 seconds to Langon's 13:36.98.

Kansas junior Ashton Barkdull won the pole vault, clearing a personal best 19 feet, 0 1/4 inches on his second try. Texas A&M senior Aleksandr Solovev finished second after clearing the height on this third attempt.

Reinhardt Harrison, Josiah Johnson, Tor Hotung-Davidsen and anchor Colin Sahlman led Northern Arizona to a first-place finish in the distance medley relay with a time of 9:19.95.

Tarleton State's Likesh Sathyanathan leaped a personal best 26-11 1/4 to win the long jump. Runner-up De'Aundre Ward of Southern Miss fell short by 1/4 inch.

Auburn's Ja'Kobe Tharp ran the second fastest 60-meter hurdles in NCAA history, clocking in at 7.36 seconds during Friday's preliminaries. Florida's Grant Holloway set the record at 7.35 seconds in the 2019 indoor championships.

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On the women’s side, Illinois totaled 30 points to grab the first-day lead, 10 better than second-place Oregon. Florida (14), BYU (13) and Minnesota (10) round out the top five.

Freshman Liisa-Maria Lusti became the second Oregon woman to win the pentathlon — first since Brianne Theisen-Eaton in 2012 — with a season-best 4,498 points. Lusti outpaced Illinois’ JaCieonna Gero-Holt in the 800 meters by one spot to hold off her fellow freshman. Gero-Holt became the school’s highest finisher in the event with a school record point total of 4,466.

Illinois junior Sophia Beckmon won the long jump with a mark of 21-9 — after finishing fifth in the event last season. It placed the All-American second all-time in Illinois’ indoor long jump history.

BYU freshman Jane Hedengren cruised to a first-place finish in the 5,000 meters, setting a facility record with a time of 15:00.12.

Oregon anchor Wilma Nielsen pulled away over the final 1,600 meters to help Oregon win the distance medley relay with a time of 10:48.76. South Carolina finished second in 10:49.69. Juliet Cherubet ran the first leg for the Ducks, followed by Lakely Doht-Barron and Silan Ayyildz.

Minnesota's Anthonett Nabwe won the women's weight throw with the sixth longest heave in collegiate history at 82-5.

Both championships conclude Saturday.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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Austin Reaves says Lakers are ‘different team’ when Deandre Ayton is at his best

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers high five during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 5, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It’s very clear how good Deandre Ayton can be. He was picked No. 1 in the same draft as Luka Dončić because he can dominate as a scorer, rebounder and even as a defender.

When he reaches those heights, he flirts with his maximum potential. But when he falls short of that quality, it’s equally disappointing.

During the Lakers’ current homestand, Ayton has been the best version of himself. Against the Wolves, he had 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Lakers dominated Minnesota.

After the win, Austin Reaves talked about how much Ayton matters to this team.

“He was a monster…” Reaves said. “He was the only person scoring for us efficiently and then just being high energy on the other end. Just doing what he does and that’s what we need him to do. When he does that, we’re a different team. We’re thankful to have him.”

While Ayton has had moments of disappointment, he’s still the starting center for the Lakers. When he registers a double-double as he did against Minnesota, the Lakers dominate. During the 20 times this year, Ayton has accomplished this feat, LA is 17-3 in those contests.

So, getting Ayton producing puts the Lakers in a position to win.

“I think he was very locked in today,” Dončić said after the win over the Wolves. “He was huge for us today. We need to encourage him to keep doing like that. When he plays like that, it helps as well.”

While Ayton is oozing with talent, he seems to be a player who needs the encouragement Luka is talking about. He’s a big who needs to get fed the ball and feel involved so he can bring his best. The Lakers have done big and small things to keep him engaged. A clear example of this is them making t-shirts for Ayton that encourage him to be a lion.

Ayton followed up his performance against the Wolves with an equally impressive game against the Bulls. He earned another double-double, and the Lakers won again, making them the third seed in the West.

Sure, Ayton can be frustrating and inconsistent at times, but his dominance raises the ceiling for this team. When he’s at the top of his game, he is far and away the best center on the team. And with the West featuring players like Nikola Jokić and Rudy Gobert on playoff teams, Ayton can help neutralize them with his game.

Hopefully, his current stretch of good games will lead to more productive performances from Ayton as the Lakers enter the home stretch of the season.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Blues rally from 2-0, beat Oilers 3-2 on Robert Thomas' OT goal with 9 seconds left

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Robert Thomas scored on a wrist shot with nine seconds left in overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

The Blues trailed 2-0 midway through the third period but goals by Pius Suter with 7:38 to play and Cam Fowler with 3:46 left in regulation tied it at 2-all.

Fowler also had an assist and Joel Hofer made 36 saves to help St. Louis win for the sixth time in their last seven games. With the win the Blues pulled within five points of a wild-card playoff spot. Hofer is now 8-2-2 in his last 12 starts.

Kasperi Kapanen gave Edmonton the lead with 4:19 to play in the second period and Connor McDavid scored his 37th goal of the season to make it 2-0 9:56 into the third period. Connor Ingram had 22 saves.

The Oilers went scoreless on the power play in three chances.

The Oilers, in third place in the Pacific Division, finished a four-game road trip 2-2.

KINGS 3, ISLANDERS 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored his team-leading 26th goal of the season and Los Angeles held off New York.

Trevor Moore and Anze Kopitar also scored for the Kings and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced.

Emil Heineman scored twice for the Islanders, and Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves. Bo Horvat added two assists.

Kempe scored on a wrist shot with 1:32 remaining in the first period to put the Kings up 3-0. Kempe now has five goals and four assists in his last six games.

After the game, the Islanders stayed on the ice and shook hands with Kings captain Kopitar, who is playing in his 20th and final season in the NHL.

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A.J. Minter ‘felt like I let the team down’ with his Mets injury — and he’s ready to change that

New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter throws during Spring Training.
A.J. Minter throws during the Mets' Feb. 10 spring training session.

PORT ST. LUCIE — A.J. Minter departed the mound at Nationals Park last April 26 knowing something was wrong, but also fairly certain he hadn’t injured himself too badly.

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Even after the adrenaline subsided in the clubhouse and the initial burst of pain kicked in, the Mets reliever was thinking in terms of when he might be returning to the mound.

“I didn’t think it was going to be a season-ending injury,” Minter said this week.

Minter had completely torn a lat muscle from the bone and needed surgery.

His season was finished after only 13 appearances with his new team following his arrival on a two-year contract worth $22 million.

And so, for a second straight spring training the veteran lefty is rehabbing.

Last year it was the labrum in his hip, following surgery in 2024 with the Braves.

Minter, 32, has also undergone Tommy John and thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in his career.

A.J. Minter throws during the Mets’ Feb. 10 spring training session. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

“But this by far has been the easiest rehab process,” Minter said. “I’ve had it all, but this has been about getting the shoulder strong again.”

Minter threw a third live batting practice session this spring Friday.

He’s hopeful of maybe pitching in a Grapefruit League game before the Mets break camp, but regardless won’t pitch for the team for at least the season’s first month.

It’s a potential May addition to which manager Carlos Mendoza can look forward after the team struggled to compensate for Minter’s absence last season.

Brooks Raley, who returned at midseason following Tommy John surgery rehab, bolstered the lefty relief in the second half, but for two months the Mets shuffled a group that included Genesis Cabrera, Jose Castillo and Richard Lovelady before acquiring Gregory Soto from Baltimore before the trade deadline. Soto pitched to underwhelming results and wasn’t re-signed.

“Some of the guys that were there did their part, but [Minter’s absence] was a big blow for us,” Mendoza said. “We felt it while Minter was down.”

A.J. Minter throws a pitch during the Mets’ April 2025 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

The Mets fell one victory short of the playoffs, a fact that torments Minter, who wonders if he could have provided a needed boost.

“I felt like I let the team down,” Minter said. “I knew they were counting on me, and it was definitely hard to watch them. I stayed in New York all year and just wanted to be around the guys, new team, new organization, just continue to build that bond with everyone. I felt it was my job to come in and help this team win, so when you can’t do that it’s frustrating.

“But I worked super hard this offseason and my goal is to come in here and continue to do the same. I can’t help the team if I am hurt, so the first job is just to feel healthy and stay healthy.”

Minter said his fastball is topping out in the 92-93 mph range, slightly below where he wants it.

But he also recognizes where he is in the calendar compared to his teammates.

“Of course, I want to throw harder than that, but I would say I’m a month behind everyone,” Minter said. “If you told me I was throwing 92-93, showing up to spring training … I’m competitive, I want the velocity, but I think we’re in a good spot.”

Raley has returned to give the Mets one dependable lefty reliever.

Beyond that it’s unclear if the team will carry a secondary option to begin the season.

The primary candidate for that spot is Bryan Hudson, who was acquired in a trade with the White Sox for cash considerations just before the start of camp.

“I wouldn’t put it as we’re looking for a second lefty,” Mendoza said, noting that both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver have strong crossover numbers. “I think it’s whatever we feel is going to be best by the time we break camp here.”

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Team USA survives Canada scare as Dominican Republic awaits in WBC semifinal

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows David Bednar #53 of Team United States reacts to striking out against Team Canada during the seventh inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas, Image 2 shows United States center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) reacts with first base coach George Lombard (23) after hitting an RBI single during the sixth inning against Canada during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park, Image 3 shows Aaron Judge #99 and Bryce Harper #24 of Team United States celebrate after scoring against Team Canada during the third inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas
USA Canada WBC

Mark DeRosa, at least for now, is off the hook.

An elimination that would have been humiliating has been avoided. If Team USA did not play like a juggernaut, it at least played well enough to advance without any external help this time. 

All the Americans needed to get back on track was a matchup with a nation that shares a land border and has recently doubled as a punching bag. 

The United States — a country that boasts 29 major league clubs — faced off against Canada — a country that has one — and survived a scare from its northern neighbors, 5-3, in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals Friday night in Houston. 

“The crowd really got into it. … It was absolutely electric,” Yankees reliever David Bednar told Fox Sports after escaping a seventh-inning jam, the back of the USA bullpen proving to be the difference. 

United States center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) reacts with first base coach George Lombard (23) after hitting an RBI single during the sixth inning against Canada on March 13, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s a clean sweep for the U.S., whose men’s and women’s hockey teams beat Canada in the gold medal games at the Winter Olympics last month. The Los Angeles Dodgers, too, triumphed over the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series last year. In the WBC, the Americans have won five straight times against the Canadians, including a 12-1 beatdown in 2023. 

Team USA moves on to what arguably is the showdown of the tournament: a semifinal Sunday against the Dominican Republic, which knocked off South Korea in its quarterfinal that ended in a mercy rule-inducing homer from the Yankees’ Austin Wells.

The Dominican lineup owns the muscle and star power to keep up with the Americans, an onslaught of Fernando Tatis Jr., Ketel Marte, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero and Julio Rodríguez, just to name a few. 

Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper of Team United States celebrate after scoring against Team Canada during the third inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Getty Images

Awaiting on the mound will be Paul Skenes, first of the Air Force Academy and now the best arm the Americans have to throw. 

The game will take place in the international melting pot that is Miami, which will be far more fired up than during Marlins games. 

“I expect it to be, like, one of the greatest games of all time,” DeRosa told reporters of a matchup that will pit a businesslike Team USA club against a bat-flipping group of Dominican players. 

David Bednar of Team United States reacts to striking out against Team Canada during the seventh inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Getty Images

“It’s fun. It’s exciting,” Aaron Judge (1-for-3 with a double and walk) told reporters of the flashier Dominican style of play. “I know the fans definitely love it. But I try not to look at what other teams are doing, what other people are doing. I focus on what we got here. We got a special group of guys that love to play this game.” 

As a reminder: This stage is single elimination, so another Game 7 awaits. A loss to the Dominican Republic would be disappointing, sure, but not shameful or mortifying. The Americans had earlier flirted with both. 

Just about forgotten now is the heated debate around DeRosa, who claimed he misspoke in stating that his club already had clinched a spot in the knockout stage prior to its fourth game in group play. Team USA then fielded a lineup without several of its best players and lost to Italy, requiring (and then receiving) some help to advance. 

Friday, the Americans received yet another gift. A country known for its politeness delivered with a, well, favour that cracked the game open. 

The WBC bracket after the first games of the quarterfinal round. New York Post

In the third inning of a game Team USA led by one, Bryce Harper, Judge and Kyle Schwarber reached to load the bases with two outs. Alex Bregman hit a ground ball to the left side that a diving Abraham Toro stabbed. A good throw would have cut down Bregman, ended the frame and kept the contest close, but the Royals infielder airmailed the throw to give the Americans a three-run cushion. 

That cushion ballooned to five runs, but Canada scored three times (including a two-run homer from Guardians standout Bo Naylor in the sixth) and put the tying run in scoring position without an out against Bednar in the seventh. 

The gutsy Yankees reliever, though, bore down. He went down, 3-1, to Josh Naylor before fighting back and inducing a pop-up. He used a big-time curveball to punch out Tyler O’Neill then a splitter to escape against Owen Caissie. Bednar hopped and smacked his right hand into his glove as he walked to the dugout after throwing 26 of the most pressurized pitches you can throw on March 13. 

Former Yankees prospect and current Red Sox weapon Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller was dominant for the ninth in a game the Americans survived because of their defense — which did not make the mistake that the Canadians did — and their pitching and not a lineup that has yet to be overwhelming. 

United States relief pitcher Mason Miller (19) and catcher Cal Raleigh (29) react after defeating Canada during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I don’t think this entire time in Houston has been all that pretty,” Pete Crow-Armstrong told Fox Sports. “But I think we know what we have in this clubhouse. … I think it’s just most important that when it’s not always the easiest or the cleanest, we’re still getting the job done, some way, somehow. 

“We’re looking to really wake up one of these days soon.”

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WBC: USA advances to semis, Shohei Ohtani builds up pitching

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 12: Shohei Ohtani #16 of Team Japan speaks at a press conference during an official workout day at loanDepot park on March 12, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The United States advanced to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic with a 5-3 win over Canada at Daikin Park in Houston on Friday night.

Will Smith, who has been splitting catching duties with Cal Raleigh, did not play on Friday. Clayton Kershaw did not pitch in any of the first five games of the tournament, and he’s expected to be replaced on Team USA’s roster in favor of Jeff Hoffman for the next round.

The earlier game Friday was a blowout, with the Dominican Republic shutting out Korea 10-0.

Former Dodgers pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu got through the first inning unscathed, but it was mostly landmines for him in the second inning, with two walks, three hits, and three runs to end his start after only five outs. The Dominican Republic followed with a four-run third inning, then Austin Wells ended things with a three-run home run in the seventh inning, providing the requisite 10-run lead that late in the game to invoke the mercy rule.

Hyeseong Kim, who missed the last game of pool play in Tokyo after injuring his left hand on a slide into second base, was back in the lineup Friday for Korea, but he struck out in both at-bats. Now, he’ll be back to the Dodgers soon to resume his battle for an opening day roster spot.

Team USA will take on the Dominican Republic in the first WBC semifinal, on Sunday night at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the mound and Shohei Ohtani in the lineup as designated hitter for Japan in their quarterfinal matchup with Venezuela on Saturday night. Ohtani won’t pitch in the WBC, but he continues to build up toward the regular season, including pitching four simulated innings on Thursday in Miami.

Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior talked with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register about Ohtani’s pitching progression:

“We get Trackman reports. We know how many pitches he’s thrown, we know the velocity, we have a general idea of the movements. We get some cellphone videos and stuff from Will Ireton (who is working with Team Japan during the tournament) and Possum (Yosuke Nakajima, a Dodgers trainer), who was in Tokyo as well.

“We’ve been able to track what’s going on and talk with Will to see how he’s responding. That’s kind of how we’re staying in touch.”

Friday scores
  • Dominican Republic 10, Korea 0 (7 innings)
  • United States 5, Canada 3
Saturday schedule
  • Italy vs. Puerto Rico, 12 p.m. PT (FS1)
  • Japan vs. Venezuela, 6 p.m. (Fox)
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Robert Thomas scores with 9 seconds left in OT as the Blues beat the Oilers 3-2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Robert Thomas scored on a wrist shot with nine seconds left in overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

The Blues trailed 2-0 midway through the third period but goals by Pius Suter with 7:38 to play and Cam Fowler with 3:46 left in regulation tied it at 2-all.

Fowler also had an assist and Joel Hofer made 36 saves to help St. Louis win for the sixth time in their last seven games. With the win the Blues pulled within five points of a wild-card playoff spot. Hofer is now 8-2-2 in his last 12 starts.

Kasperi Kapanen gave Edmonton the lead with 4:19 to play in the second period and Connor McDavid scored his 37th goal of the season to make it 2-0 9:56 into the third period. Connor Ingram had 22 saves.

The Oilers went scoreless on the power play in three chances.

The Oilers, in third place in the Pacific Division, finished a four-game road trip 2-2.

Thomas now has points in nine consecutive games.

The Blues had trouble generating shots early and went 19:48 without a shot from the first period into the second.

Leon Draisaitl had an assist on Kapanen's goal and now has an eight-game points streak (five goals, 11 assists). Evan Bouchard's nine-game point streak came to an end.

Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins didn't play to deal with a personal matter, the team said.

Up next

Oilers: Return home to play Nashville on Sunday.

Blues: Open a three-game road trip at Winnipeg on Sunday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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

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Rookie Peyton Anderson helps Frost cruise to 4-1 victory over Torrent

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Rookie Peyton Anderson scored her first career goal to spark the Minnesota Frost to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Torrent on Friday night in the PWHL.

Minnesota (8-3-3-4) needed just 2:30 to grab the lead when Anderson used assists from Élizabeth Giguère and Claire Butorac to score. It was the first assist this season for Giguère and the second for Butorac.

The Frost took a 2-0 lead with 2:32 remaining in the first on Abby Hustler's third goal this season. Kendall Cooper notched her 10th assist and Grace Zumwinkle collected her fifth.

Minnesota went up 3-0 with 4:38 remaining in the second period when Klára Hymlárová scored for the second time this season. Britta Curl-Salemme picked up her 11th assist and Kelly Pannek added her eighth.

Seattle (5-1-2-10) cut it to 3-1 with 8:19 remaining on a power-play goal by Lexie Adzija. Anna Wilgren earned her fifth assist and Danielle Serdachny her fourth on Adzija's fourth goal of the season.

Taylor Heise sent a shot into an empty net in the final minute to complete the scoring with her fifth goal. Heise joins Alex Carpenter and Marie-Philip Poulin as the only players in the league’s first three seasons to top 20 points in back-to-back campaigns.

The two-time defending champion Frost became the first team to beat an opponent by three or more goals in three consecutive matches after posting a 3-0 victory in Seattle and a 6-2 victory at home earlier this season.

Maddie Rooney finished with 28 saves in goal for the Frost.

Corinne Schroeder saved 27 shots for the Torrent in the first of five straight games away from home for the first-year club.

The Frost had a 23-11 advantage in shots through the first 40 minutes, but the Torrent outshot Minnesota 18-8 in the final period.

Minnesota's 20 first-period goals this season trails only the 21 of Ottawa. Seattle has allowed 19 first-period goals, tied with New York for the most in the league.

Up next

Seattle: At Toronto on Sunday.

Minnesota: Hosts New York on Sunday.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

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Rockets outlast Pelicans 107-105 to move into 3rd place in West

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant hit a go-ahead 18-footer with 7.6 seconds left and the Houston Rockets outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans 107-105 on Friday night to move into third place in the crowded Western Conference.

Durant scored 32 points two nights after matching his season low with 11 in a blowout loss at Denver. Against the Pelicans, he was 13 of 24 from the field and had six rebounds and five assists.

Amen Thompson added 23 points for Houston in the opener of five-game homestand. Reed Sheppard scored 18 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16.

Dejounte Murray led New Orleans with 35 points, but stepped out of bounds with the Pelicans up a point with 13 seconds remaining. After Durant put the Rockets ahead, Zion Williamson threw the ball out of bounds, and Durant hit two free throws to put it away.

Murray was 14 of 18 from the field, hitting 4 of 5 3 pointers.

Williamson had 21 points. The Pelicans had won won two straight and three of four.

Up next

Pelicans: Host Dallas on Monday night.

Rockets: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday and Wednesday nights.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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NHL Player Safety gets Radko Gudas suspension wrong | Opinion

The NHL Player Safety department blew it with Friday's five-game suspension of Radko Gudas for kneeing Auston Matthews and ending his season.

And it blew it once it had announced that the Anaheim Ducks captain was having a phone hearing rather than being offered an in-person hearing.

An in-person hearing would have allowed the league to suspend Gudas six games or more. A phone hearing carries a maximum of five games. The defenseman was going to miss the next game anyway. A delayed hearing would have given the league a chance to find out the severity of the Maple Leafs captain's injury.

The rule is you suspend for the nature of the infraction and then you factor in if there was an injury. But the full extent of the injury wasn't known when Player Safety's announcement about holding a hearing went out on social media at 9:44 a.m. ET. Matthews didn't get an MRI until the afternoon and the Maple Leafs put out their release at 7:23 p.m. ET, a little more than an hour before the suspension was announced.

So, let's compare the actions and history of Gudas and the last person to receive a five-game suspension: Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin, also after a phone hearing.

Malkin lost his temper this month after being cross-checked and gave a hard slash to the side of Buffalo Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin's head. Reckless? Yes. Deserving of a suspension? Yes. Dahlin finished the game, however.

NHL Player Safety noted in its video that Gudas was "in control of this play." It said he led with his knee when approaching Matthews and when he wasn't lined up properly to deliver a full-body hit, he "leans toward contact with Matthews in a way that results in a forceful, dangerous and direct knee-on-knee collision."

Matthews grabbed at his knee after he fell and needed assistance to get off the ice. He was done for the game and, it turns out, for the season.

Now, look at their histories. Malkin had been suspended two previous times for a total of five games, the last one in 2022 for a stick infraction. He also was fined recently for a stick infraction.

Gudas has been suspended four times for a total of 21 games, one of them for 10 games in 2017. As the video noted, the last one was seven years ago. That's well before Malkin's last infraction, but the history is still bad.

Matthews' agent, Judd Moldaver, said he was "disappointed and shocked" by the ruling.

"A phone hearing and 5 games is laughable and preposterous," he said in a statement to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. "While the process is set in our CBA, that this was the discipline is reckless and ridiculous. This decision results in a further loss of confidence in the disciplinary process for all players. Players and fans deserve better. The Player Safety Department should be suspended.”

Player Safety has to be able to defend its ruling on appeal. But there have been instances of in-person hearings being offered and suspensions of less than six games being handed down, such as Morgan Rielly getting five games in 2024.

Malkin deserved his five-game suspension. Considering the severity of Matthews' injury, Gudas might have deserved more.

But the NHL didn't get a chance because it boxed itself in when it announced the type of hearing.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Radko Gudas suspension length a failure by NHL Player Safety

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Tennessee powers past Georgia, 7-4

Tennessee infielder Manny Marin (4) hits the ball during a NCAA regional baseball game between the Tennessee Volunteers and Cincinnati Bearcats at Lindsey Nelson Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on May 31, 2025. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Offensive struggles were the story for Tennessee over the last week, but over the last couple of games, the Volunteer bats have delivered. Coming off of a 20-2 explosion against Tennessee Tech, the Vols delivered again this evening in Athens to open SEC play.

Taking on No. 6 Georgia, Henry Ford got things rolling in the top of the 3rd with a 2-run single back up the middle. Teagan Kuhns was rolling along until the 5th, where trouble struck. A solo shot from Ryan Black got the Bulldogs on the board, but Georgia wasn’t done. A string of hits would end up scoring three more runs, ending Kuhns’ night on the mound and giving the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead.

Tennessee would put two on in the next inning, and Manny Marin delivered a key hit to tie things up. It was a 2-run double, which ended up chasing Georgia starter Joey Volchko.

Tied at 4-4, the Tennessee bats came alive.

It was Henry Ford — then Stone Lawless — then Manny Marin — each hitting solo shots to build the Tennessee lead out to 7-4 in the 7th and 8th innings.

Brandon Arvidson took over on the mound for Tennessee and shut things down for the rest of the night. Following Kuhns, Arvidson went 4.1 innings, giving up just two hits and striking out four. Following Tennessee’s three solo homers, Arvidson would be credited with the victory — his first of the season.

Tennessee moves to 14-4 on the season and now just a win away this weekend from clinching their first SEC series. It would be quite the statement weekend for Josh Elander’s group, doing this against a top ten team on the road. We’ll see if this offense can keep that momentum going on Saturday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. ET.

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Kings 3, Islanders 2: This comeback falls short

Next. | NHLI via Getty Images

The Islanders kicked off an important mini-homestand with their second loss to the Los Angeles Kings in eight days. This one was closer than the deceptive 5-3 loss in Los Angeles, but it didn’t look headed that way when the Isles fell behind 3-0 in the first period.

That’s the second game in a row they fell behind 3-0, but this time they couldn’t erase the deficit.

[NHL Gamecenter | Game Summary | Event Summary | Natural Stat Trick]

The Kings’ third goal came on a rare consequence/turnover by Matthew Schafer trying to do too much, attempting to get through two players who cut him off in the neutral zone. We haven’t seen that happen too often, which is a big reason he has license to try things, but it was a damaging nail late in the first.

After Patrick Roy restored the top line of Mat Barzal with Bo Horvat and Emil Heineman, Heineman brought them close, with a redirection in the second period and another deflection goal early in the third to provide some hope.

But it wasn’t to be.

The Isles outshot L.A. 11-4 in the third period and had one final offensive zone faceoff opportunity with a few seconds left — 6-on-4 thanks to Scott Laughton comically throwing everything including the kitchen sink to prevent an equalizer with six seconds to go. His two minors there were worth the risk, though had the Isles equalized they would’ve headed to OT with a 4-on-3.

It’s all moot though.

Both teams were 0-3 on the power play, though that was a full six minutes for the Kings (and eight shots) and just over four minutes for the Isles (and two shots) since their final one was with seconds left to go.

The Isles lost with Ilya Sorokin in the crease and will need to produce more in front of David Rittich against one of his former teams tomorrow at home against the Flames. We’ll see what the lineup and lines are for that one; Anthony Duclair and Kyle MacLean remained the scratches tonight. Max Shabanov got a second game in a row in the lineup, but just 7:12 total ice time after all the special teams play.

Kopitar Farewell

This was the last meeting with Anze Kopitar, a sure Hall of Famer who is retiring after the season. His goal moves him one point away from tying Marcel Dionne for the Kings franchise record, so hopefully he gets there and takes the title from an all-time legend who nonetheless carries the distinct Stench of Ranger.

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Toronto Raptors respond to critique with clutch win

Mar 13, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Raptors forward RJ Barrett (9) reacts after making a three point basket against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Back from their disappointing Houston/New Orleans road trip and in Toronto to face the Phoenix Suns on Friday, the Raptors had a lot of people to answer to. Their last game was a horrible loss against the Pelicans, made even worse by a late-game scuffle that drew a ton of online criticism.

The Raptors were called everything from fightless to directionless, and some of it has merit (especially the criticisms about the ceiling of this roster). They fell out of the top six in the standings, are clinging to a play-in spot, and their chemistry is being questioned. What else could go wrong? A locker room illness, anyone?

Yeah, to top it all off, Scottie Barnes went into the Phoenix game Friday fighting an illness that’s been making its way through the locker room.

Despite all of this, Darko Rajakovic was in a pretty good mood on Friday afternoon. He’s always a glass half full kinda guy, but today, especially, the strategy in responding to the noise was to be incredibly optimistic. He not only said the Raptors were exactly where they needed to be, but he even went so far as to say he was happy about where they find themselves right now — seeing a bit of adversity.

The Raptors found themselves chasing the Suns for a lot of tonight’s game. Barnes had a quiet night, his illness obviously slowing him down a bit, but Brandon Ingram was able to pick up the slack. Unfortunately for the Raptors, outside of their starting lineup, no one was really able to give them anything. Fortunately for the Raptors, their starters did enough to keep them in it late in the game. Amid Barnes being ill, Ingram and RJ Barrett led the team, and Quickley was solid.

In the end, the Raptors figured out how to close a tight game on the winning side, something they haven’t seemed to be able to do in recent weeks. A mix of strong action on the defensive glass, clutch shooting from Ingram and Barrett, and some of the grit they were missing on the road came into play as the Raptors were able to win their game, 122-115, over the Phoenix Suns. It was more of a sigh of relief than a huge celebration, and knowing this Raptors team, they will quickly shift focus into bringing whatever good energy they created today into their next game.

Ingram, in particular, was phenomenal. He scored 36 points on 13-20 shooting from the field. A few of those shots came in the clutch, when the Raptors needed him most. After the game, Darko mentioned Ingram was being exceptionally communicative with his teammates, stepping up to lead the team.

“This is what Brandon expects from himself, and what we expect from Brandon,” Darko said of Ingram’s 36-point showing tonight.

Barrett was also key in the clutch in this win. “It felt good to win in the way that we want to,” Barrett said after he scored 22 points on 9-16 from the field.

I feel like this season has come in phases. There was the shiny and new phase — seeing Ingram integrated into the team. There was the wild hype phase — when they went on that wild winning streak. Then came the adjusting expectations phase — realizing this team was playing ahead of their true current capabilities and adjusting accordingly. Some might call this current phase a slump, but I think it’s more of a time to start thinking about what’s next and what needs to be changed so that we continue to see improvement next season. When you stop catastrophizing and realize how far the Raptors have come this year alone, it’s easier to swallow a slump month… but that can’t last too long. In order for people to maintain patience with this rebuild, next season needs to continue to progress.

As we head into the final weeks of the NBA season, some glaring problems arise with this Raptors team. Their lack of bench offence and the Poeltl problem stood out tonight, to me. You’re getting nothing from guys like Gradey Dick and Jamison Battle, who are supposed to be off-the-bench shooters. Things would be better if Murray-Boyles were playing, but he’s hurt. Ja’Kobe has been great, but his 10 points can’t carry the bench.

In the starting lineup, Ingram is undeniably a star, as is Scottie Barnes — even if he didn’t have the best “flu game” tonight. To me, the last piece of the core trio is Barrett, who is solid when he needs to be and when he is healthy. He can get you 20 points a night pretty effortlessly, is efficient, and fits well on the court with Barnes and Ingram. Quickley has been pretty good as of late, but there is still the question of whether a more dynamic point guard would boost this team into actually being good enough to be mainstays in a playoff conversation. When he gives you 15 points, though, you can’t complain too much.

It’s Jakob Poeltl who seems to be the most glaring problem in the Toronto Raptors’ core. Your big man giving you 6 points in a game isn’t all that acceptable. Is the difference between this team being just big and them being great having a star center on the roster? Would a capable big man turn this team into a contender? Regardless, Poeltl’s lack of oomf is a glaring eyesore on an otherwise decent performance from the Raptors starters Friday night.

With 16 games left in the regular season, the Raptors need every win they can get. They’ll have another chance to improve from the slump of the beginning of March when they play a Sunday matinee game against the Detroit Pistons.