Auburn scores 83.2 points while outscoring opponents by 14.0 points per game. The Gators' record in SEC action is 17-4. Florida has a 2-1 record in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
Glazed Carlos Alcaraz perfect for the online world but still jarringly human
One clip has been watched 25m times but a Netflix documentary shows him in his childhood bedroom with Wimbledon trophy
There’s a Carlos Alcaraz clip on YouTube that has to date been viewed 25m times. The whole thing is a seven-second loop of him catching a ball on his racket at Wimbledon. Currently it also has well over a thousand comments, engaged in a constantly shifting battle for most-liked, most-approved, most gushingly enthused-over.
You probably shouldn’t click on it because it is also addictive, a perfect moment of perfect Alcaraz, another endlessly replicating needle-prod of pleasure into your overstimulated brain.
Continue reading...Dwight Howard reportedly elected to Hall of Fame on first ballot
We know Carmelo Anthony is going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. As he should be.
Dwight Howard is going to join him. While the official announcement will not come until this weekend, ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news that we all expected. Howard essentially confirmed the news on X.
I want KG , Shaq, and Kareem to walk me out #hof
— Dwight Howard (@DwightHoward) April 5, 2025
While younger NBA fans may only remember Howard from his time with the Lakers and after, that version was a shell of one of the best big men in the NBA for a decade. Howard was arguably the best defender of his generation, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, an eight-time All-NBA player, and an eight-time All-Star who won an NBA ring in the bubble with the Lakers.
Howard and Anthony were locks to make the Hall of Fame. Sue Bird is also eligible and should be an unquestioned lock. Others eligible to make the Hall of Fame this weekend include Maya Moore, the 2008 USA Basketball men's Olympic team (which included Anthony and Howard), Marques Johnson, coaches Billy Donovan and Mark Few, and Heat owner Micky Arison.
In Midst Of Whirlwind Season, St. Ivany Regains Confidence
It has been a whirlwind year for Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany.
Last May, he signed a three-year extension with Pittsburgh worth $775,000 annually at the NHL level. He made the NHL club out of training camp, and - after struggling through the first month of the season - he was optioned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) on Dec. 3 to find his game again.
And just four days after his re-assignment, he went down with an injury that kept him out of the lineup for almost two months. It took him a while to get back to 100 percent, both physically and mentally.
Now? St. Ivany is fully healthy and ready to capitalize on the opportunity in front of him and the rest of the squad in WBS. In 32 games with WBS this season, he has a goal and 11 points and is a plus-4, and he has spent a lot of time on the top pairing with Sebastian Aho.
"Injury was unfortunate, and it took a little time to get back," St. Ivany said. "The first, maybe, five or six games after not playing, it was a little bit of finding myself. And then, I feel like I started to string together a lot of games, and I'm having a really good time here."
St. Ivany spent 19 games at the NHL level to start the season, registering just one point. But it wasn't the production that failed to mirror what the Penguins' coaching staff saw in the 6-foot-4, 205-pound blueliner last season.
A lot of the shortcomings in St. Ivany's game in the earlygoing this season were in the defensive details that he seemed to handle with a high degree of confidence and execution in 2023-24 to pair with his physicality and skating ability.
Unfortunately, his slow start to the season was a bit of a blow to that confidence, and the coaching staff saw an opportunity to allow him to try and find that again at the AHL level. So they made the difficult decision to option him.
"When I got sent down, it was just a little bit about confidence," St. Ivany said. "I feel like my game kind of dipped a little bit. The conversations with [the coaching staff] were just that it's hard as a younger player to re-find that in their experience. And they found that going down to the AHL and playing a lot more minutes is when you can start to develop. So, for me, it's just about keeping it simple, defending hard, using my feet, and then, it's just building confidence."
St. Ivany admitted that the initial disappointment of being sent down did affect him a bit, especially given his situation coming out of the summer.
"I mean, this past summer, signing a three-year contract like I did, it was with the idea that I'd have some runway to make it to the NHL," he said. "So, obviously, it's disappointing when you get sent down because it's everyone's dream to be there, but you can't feel too sorry for yourself for too long.
"I just got back at it and started working. I love the game, so it doesn't really matter where I play. I'm going to have fun doing it."
McGroarty Scores First NHL Goal In Penguins 5-4 Overtime Loss To BluesThe Pittsburgh Penguins' 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday - which gave the Blues their whopping 11th straight win - obviously wasn't the desired result.
And it's evident that St. Ivany - like everyone else in Wilkes-Barre - is certainly having fun. The team culture in WBS is top-notch, as pretty much every player at the team's practice in Pittsburgh on Thursday echoed the same sentiments about how tight-knit the team is. St. Ivany was one of them.
"It's great," he said. "Some guys I played with last year, so I have familiarity there. But then, the other guys... it just feels like a college team, almost. Everyone's young, and everyone's loving coming to the rink, and it just makes playing really easy when you're playing with your best friends.
"So, I've had a great time. I feel like, down the stretch here, we've started to gel together a lot. The best teams, they have that kind of chemistry off the ice... and I feel like we definitely have that."
The chemistry that the crop of players in WBS has built is clear, and it shows in the results. The team has already clinched a berth in the Calder Cup playoffs, and they are currently vying for a first-round bye down the final stretch of the regular season.
But, at the end of the day, there is still a much bigger picture, and the guys on that team are aware of it. St. Ivany is, too.
Many of the players on what is regarded as one of the best teams WBS has had in the past couple of decades are on the brink of NHL readiness. For many of them, the work that they're putting into developing a winning culture is something they hope to carry over as they transition to the NHL level.
'We Have A Close Team': WBS Penguins Practice In Pittsburgh, Talk Chemistry Of GroupThe Penguins took to the ice for practice on Thursday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa.
St. Ivany mentioned all the photos on the wall in WBS of players like Bryan Rust, former Penguin Jake Guentzel, and Tristan Jarry - who were part of successful AHL teams when they went through the system - and that they're in the NHL for a reason.
He knows that a championship-hungry mindset is something that they have to maintain as both a collective unit and as individuals - especially as they start to populate the NHL roster in the coming seasons.
So this Calder Cup run is vitally important to them.
"It's no surprise that when you win at the AHL level, it usually translates to the NHL level," St. Ivany said. "So, I think for us, it's just building that winning culture. And, hopefully - when we all make the jump up - it's able to translate to the next level."
Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
Doncic and James star as Lakers beat Pelicans
Luka Doncic and LeBron James helped the Los Angeles Lakers to a comfortable victory against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Doncic put on a game-high 35 points with team-mate Austin Reaves adding 30, while James scored 27 points with eight assists in a 124-108 win.
The Lakers bounced back from defeat against the Golden State Warriors to further boost their hopes of a top-four finish in the Western Conference.
It is the sixth successive win for the Lakers over the Pelicans, including three victories this season.
Elsewhere, Western Conference leaders the Oklahoma City Thunder, who host the Lakers in back-to-back games on Sunday and Tuesday, saw an 11-game winning streak ended against the Houston Rockets.
Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun combined for 65 points to triumph 125-111 in Houston.
The Boston Celtics set a new record for the number of three-pointers scored in a single season during their 123-103 win over the Phoenix Suns.
Boston, the defending NBA champions, scored 14 at TD Garden to take their overall tally to 1,370, eclipsing the previous record of 1,363 set by the Golden State Warriors in 2022-23.
Game Day Preview: The Calgary Flames vs The Vegas Golden Knights
The Calgary Flames (36-27-12, fourth in the Pacific Division, five points away from the second wild-card spot) will host the Vegas Golden Knights (45-22-8, first in the Pacific Division, 79.9% to win Division).
This will be the third of four meetings between the two teams. Vegas dominated both previous matchups
This will be a big test for the Flames who are coming off a comfortable and a morale-lifting 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. While that was a matchup the Flames were expected to win, the Knights are a completely different beast. The Knights have already locked in their playoff spot, and are looking to clinch the Pacific division title. They have tremendous offensive power with the likes of Mark Stone, Conn Smythe Trophy candidate Jack Eichel and two-way defenseman Shea Theodore. This Vegas team comes into Thursday with the best power play percentage overall AND in the last 30 days. Talk about pressure…
But let’s think positive: A win for the home side will be a MASSIVE game-changer.
And it can happen. This season, the Flames have registered wins against teams like Winnipeg and Washington, the two teams who are on their way to owning the best records in their respective conferences.
There is plenty to be optimistic about in this game.
HEAD 2 HEAD
Based on both prior games this season, the Calgary Flames have the eighth-worst save percentage against the Vegas Golden Knights at even-strength situations. While the Flames did go 5-of-6 (83.33%) on the PK, Dan Vladar (who was the goalie in both those games) will be rested according to pre-game reports to make way for Dustin Wolf to be in goal. We’ve only had good things to say about him.
But no matter who is the goalie, the Knights offense love dishing shots on them as Vegas unloaded Vladar with 37.5 shots per game, the third-most shots on goal to any team all season.
On the other side, the Flames having been shutout in both games against the Knights. In fact, they are the ONLY team in the league to have yet to score against Vegas.
It doesn’t take much to figure out that if there is a “prove it” game for the Flames offense to break out in, this is that game. Especially, for their power play unit…. and especially for a team that wants to prove that they belong in the playoff picture.
But it might be an uphill battle considering that Calgary has dispensed only 23.5 shots on goal per game to the Knights, the second-worst to any team this season.
TALE OF THE TAPE (SKATERS)
TALE OF THE TAPE (GOALIES)
PLAYOFF ODDS
With the Flames the lone team in this game looking to clinch a playoff spot, the following chart shows how those odds will pan out depending on the result:
Calling this a tough game is definitely an understatement, and prior history suggests the Knights probably have marked this as a win. Calgary faithful need to pack the Saddledome and really get loud and rally the Flames to squeeze out a W.
Desperate to avoid play-in, Clippers blow out Mavericks for 10th win in 12 games
Simply put, the Clippers' goal is to “make the playoffs,” coach Tyronn Lue said, and not be a play-in team.
The Clippers moved closer to that goal Friday in a 114-91 rout of the Dallas Mavericks at the Intuit Dome.
Having won 10 of their last 12 games, the Clippers are putting themselves in position to potentially avoid the play-in the tight Western Conference playoff race.
At 45-32, the Clippers are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Memphis Grizzlies, one game behind the fifth–seeded Golden State Warriors. The Clippers are seventh in the West with five games left in the regular season, three against teams jockeying to secure a playoff berth at sixth or higher.
Read more:Kawhi Leonard leads Clippers to a dominant win over the Pelicans amid playoff push
“Everyone is in a playoff mode already,” said Clippers center Ivica Zubac, who was strong again with 14 points and 13 rebounds. “Everyone is trying to stay out of the play-in. You don’t want to depend on one game or two games for your seed, for your chances to get into the playoffs. You want to get out of it. You want to make that top six so everyone is fighting for the playoff spots.
“Everyone is treating every game like the playoffs. Honestly, it’s fun. I think what the NBA did with that play-in, I think it’s a really good thing. It’s very competitive and it’s been good. The last few weeks have been fun. You just kind of lock in, treat it as a playoff game, a must-win, and I’m sure other teams are like that too.”
Against a depleted Dallas team, the Clippers built a 35-point lead and basically coasted. Six Clippers scored in double figures and none played more than 32 minutes.
Kawhi Leonard led the way with 20 points on eight-for-17 shooting with six rebounds and two assists.
Norman Powell was solid, finishing with 14 points and shooting two for five from three-point range to give him a career-high 172 threes this season.
James Harden had 13 points and five assists.
“Going into the playoffs playing well, that’s our main goal,” Lue said. “We know a lot of teams are jumbled up right now. So, we just got to take care of business, a game at a time and try to separate ourselves the best we can.”
In Lue’s eyes, the Clippers are meeting the moment at a critical time.
“I see them responding,” Lue said. “I think the last 10 games we played so far have been playoff games. Like, we have to win pretty much every game. Like, to solidify that sixth spot, we understand that and our guys understand that. So, going into the playoffs, we’ve had these games for like our last 15.
"So, it should be good for us, just having that intensity, having that understanding and awareness that tonight, every night is an important game to try to make the playoffs.”
Read more:Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell lead Clippers to win over Magic
The Clippers host the Mavericks again Saturday. Leonard, who played 24 minutes Friday, hasn’t played in back-to-back games since returning from a right knee injury. He told reporters he wasn’t talking after the game but would “double up” on his media obligations Saturday night.
That seemed to suggest Leonard might play Saturday.
“He’ll be evaluated tomorrow,” Lue said.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Luka Doncic rediscovers his scoring touch, leading Lakers to win over Pelicans
Jaxson Hayes tapped Luka Doncic on the leg. Maxi Kleber walked by and quietly did the same. And Markieff Morris plopped down next to his teammate and put his arm on the back of Doncic’s chair.
The entire time the Lakers' star guard just stared blankly ahead. The joy he brought since getting comfortable in Los Angeles disappeared, a miserable 0 for 7 first shift compounding upon a performance he called “unacceptable” the night before in a loss to the Golden State Warriors.
With the Lakers playing one of the worst teams in the league in the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, Doncic was getting scorched by pesky guard Jose Alvarado and was plainly frustrated.
Read more:Lakers show fight, but Luka Doncic's 'unacceptable' struggles prove costly in loss to Warriors
But when he checked back in during the second quarter, the Lakers had found a little footing and traces of rhythm, and he cut backdoor to score his first basket on an easy layup.
The Lakers weren’t perfect the rest of the way in a 124-108 win in their penultimate home game of the regular season, but they certainly weren’t smothered in the dark cloud that covered Doncic for much of the previous two games.
And as they worked their way through his slump, the Lakers did the kind of things they’ll certainly need in bulk as they prepare for back-to-back games against the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
The game came amid discussion surrounding a worrisome stat for the Lakers (47-30) — the team actually had been outscored by 24 points in the 320 minutes Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves had shared the court.
“I don't make a ton of it,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said before the game. “I don't think the expectation, at least internally for us, was we're going to be the 2016-2017 Warriors or this year's Oklahoma City Thunder. We didn't expect that. So the disjointedness of an in-season trade is there.
“Those guys, I think, are committed to making it work with each other when they're on the court. ... They're committed to making it work when there are two of them on the court or one of them is on the court. It's a work in progress. We all knew that was gonna be the case."
In the best moments Friday, the trio looked almost unstoppable. James found Reaves in the corner on a no-look pass for a three-pointer. Doncic hit James underneath the basket for an easy bucket. And in the game’s biggest highlight, Reaves led a fast break in the middle of the court with Doncic running to the right and James to the left, flipping the ball behind his back before connecting with James on a lob for a dunk.
The three have been pretty dominant when playing together in recent games. Against the Warriors, despite Doncic’s struggles, the Lakers were plus-13.9 points per 100 possessions with James, Reaves and Doncic on the court. Against Houston earlier in the week, the Lakers were plus-20.8 when they played.
They all had their moments of dominance against the Pelicans (21-56). Doncic finished with 35 points, looking like a player who recaptured his mojo. Reaves continued his play as one of the league’s top complementary scorers, finishing with 30 points on only 13 attempts. And James, who said he’s feeling his best since injuring his groin, scored 27 and had eight assists.
The win, combined with Denver’s loss to the Warriors, has the Lakers third in the West.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Jaxson Hayes with the big dunk
Jaxson Hayes with the big dunk, 04/04/2025
Maryland freshman big man Derik Queen says he’s entering the NBA draft
Star freshman Derik Queen of Maryland says he's entering the NBA draft. Queen made the announcement on ESPN. The talented big man averaged 16.5 points this season, and his bank shot at the buzzer gave the Terrapins a one-point win over Colorado State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Islanders Up Next In Alex Ovechkin's Pursuit Of Breaking Gretzky's All-Time Goal REcord
As the New York Islanders prepare to host the Washington Capitals on Sunday at 12:30 ET, Alex Ovechkin comes in looking to make NHL history.
After a two-goal game on Friday, he looks to stand alone as the NHL’s all-time leader in goals.
Ovechkin lit the lamp in the first period to score his 893rd career goal to move within one of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record:
Is two more too much to ask for? pic.twitter.com/3Bmg2K2RKH
— x - Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 4, 2025
In the third period, Ovechkin scored a power-play goal from his left dot office to tie The Great One:
An incredible moment in @Capitals history shared by the best duo in hockey.
— Monumental Sports Network (@MonSportsNet) April 5, 2025
👂 Listen in to @JoeBpXp & @Laughlin18 for @ovi8's record tying goal from the MNMT broadcast booth.
#Gr8Chase by @Venture_Global | #ALLCAPSpic.twitter.com/V3ZvLlKdxL
The league and fans have taken full notice of the occasion, with Sunday poised to be a big day as history is on the doorstep.
As of Friday night, the cheapest tickets to get in on Ticketmaster cost well over $1,000, with prices skyrocketing after Ovechkin got his first goal on Friday. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Gretzky will also be in attendance for a potential on-ice ceremony.
The Islanders and Capitals drop the puck on Sunday at 12:30 p.m. The game will be available nationally on TNT, TruTV, and Max.
Matthew Page wrote this story.
Shorthanded Panthers hope to snap losing skid, in Ottawa for matchup with playoff-hopeful Senators
The Florida Panthers are hoping a couple days off will help cure whatever is ailing them.
Florida arrives at Canadian Tire Centre for a battle with the Ottawa Senators having lost each of their past three games.
After dropping a home-and-home with the Montreal Canadiens, the Panthers saw their latest third period lead vanish on Wednesday night in Toronto.
The down week has cost the Cats their spot atop the Atlantic Division, as they now sit in third place, four points behind the Maple Leafs and one behind Tampa Bay.
All three teams have seven games remaining on their respective regular season schedules.
Florida will also be playing quite a bit shorthanded, missing Sasha Barkov, Nico Sturm, Dmitry Kulikov and Matthew Tkachuk due to injury. Aaron Ekblad is also out until Game 3 of the playoffs due to a suspension.
Ottawa, meanwhile, has solidified their spot in the Wild Card race thanks to an 11-3-1 March run.
Entering Saturday with a seven-point cushion on the New York Rangers, the first time out of the playoffs, the Senators can close to within four points of the Panthers with a regulation win.
Game on. Don't forget, it's a 2 p.m. ET puck drop.
Here are the Panthers projected lines and pairings for Saturday’s scrum with the Sens:
Jesper Boqvist – Sam Bennett – Sam Reinhart
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Brad Marchand
Carter Verhaeghe – Evan Rodrigues – Mackie Samoskevich
A.J. Greer – Tomas Nosek – Jonah Gadjovich
Gus Forsling – Seth Jones
Niko Mikkola – Nate Schmidt
Jaycob Megna – Uvis Balinskis
Scratches: Sasha Barkov, Nico Sturm, Dmitry Kulikov
LATEST STORIES FROM THE HOCKEY NEWS - FLORIDA
The Hockey Show: Playoff chases, Islanders mess and Roy's Sidney Crosby podcast
Panthers captain Sasha Barkov day-to-day with injury after missing game in Toronto
Three takeaways: Panthers shots not getting through, Bobrovsky hits another milestone
Panthers center Sam Bennett reaches new career high in points
Reeling Panthers drop third straight game, falling 3-2 in Toronto
Who is Azzi Fudd? Height, parents, more to know of UConn women’s basketball star
Who is Azzi Fudd? Here's everything to know about the UConn star, from her height to her college stats:
Alex Ovechkin Ties Wayne Gretzky's Goal Record; Blackhawks Lose 5-3
The Chicago Blackhawks took on the Washington Capitals on Friday night in DC. The game was between a President's Trophy candidate and a lottery team. However, it had a lot more juice because of The Great Chase.
Alexander Ovechkin entered Friday with 892 career goals, which was two shy of Wayne Gretzky's record. Of course, it was "business as usual" mentality for the Blackhawks, but it was hard to avoid thinking about what was at stake.
You don't go into an NHL game thinking a specific player would have a hat trick but with Ovechkin, you can never rule it out.
It only took him 3:52 to get his first of the game and 893rd of his career. His 40th goal of the season was to take a 1-0 lead. Ovechkin's 14 40-goal seasons are the most in NHL history.
After that, the Blackhawks scored two straight goals. Tyler Bertuzzi and Frank Nazar were the scorers who gave Chicago a 2-1 lead. On the Nazar goal, Oliver Moore earned his first career NHL point with an assist.
Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XOliver Moore gets his first NHL point on this Frank Nazar goal ‼️Just under the mid-way point of the second period, the Blackhawks and Capitals exchanged goals. Martin Fahervary scored to tie the game and Philipp Kurashev scored ten seconds later for the lead right back.
In the third period, Dylan Strome was credited with an own goal as Connor Murphy hit it into his own net. This mistake by Murphy kept Ovechkin from scoring his second of the game as he was on the doorstep by the loose puck.
Ovechkin would eventually get that second goal just a few minutes later to tie Wayne Gretzky's record. His 894th career goal was celebrated as every Capital player spilled over the bench to hug their teammate. The building was as loud as a home Stanley Cup victory.
Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XAlex Ovechkin has tied Wayne Gretzky's record for the most goals scored in NHL history with 894 career goals.Ryan Leonard scored his first career NHL goal into the empty net and the Capitals won the game 5-3. Ovechkin had multiple chances on net when he needed one more to break the record but Spencer Knight stood tall.
Once the game was over, the Blackhawks stayed out on the ice to shake Ovechkin's hand. Now, he will attempt the break the record against the New York Islanders on Sunday night.
Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) on XRespect.The Blackhawks played the Capitals, one of the best teams in the NHL, hard all game. They stayed with them until Ovechkin gave them the lead in the third. Their speed, skill, and youth are on full display to end the season despite the results.
Oliver Moore collected his first career point and it took him no time to get his second. The speedy forward is capable of creating with a hard forecheck, which was evident on Friday.
Chicago's next game is against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday evening. They will go from trying to stop Alexander Ovechkin to trying to stop Sidney Crosby. That is never a fun stretch.
Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game-day coverage, player features, and more.
'Attacking' Tylor Megill, effective bullpen accent 'electric' Mets home opener
Tylor Megill was just the opening act and a supporting player in the Mets' 5-0 win in their home opener on Friday at Citi Field. But the right-hander delivered a second-straight solid outing and set the table for the fireworks around him before exiting stage left.
“Just exciting. Full crowd today, electric, energy was great,” Megill said after delivering 5.1 innings of two-hit, three-walk ball with four strikeouts. “That’s what makes it super fun when all the fans show up, and they’re all chanting hard and we’re playing great, as well.”
Megill, who again went heavy on his fastball, slider, and sinker in his second start of the season, got fewer called strikes and whiffs than he did a week ago in Houston but was just as effective.
Carlos Mendoza liked the mix of pitches and the right-hander “keeping it simple” and “attacking hitters,” which was a key for him in his debut.
“I thought he used all of ‘em today in a good way,” the manager said of Megill’s arsenal. “But I think it comes down to throwing strikes and staying on the attack.”
After throwing two curveballs last week, Megill threw nine on Friday, getting two whiffs on four swings.
“It’s completely different from where it was last year. It’s a lot harder and sharper,” he said. “I used it a few times today for strikeouts today against the lefties. And then threw some good ones to righties.
“I think it’s just good for change of pace, change of eyes. I think it’s pretty important.”
After an 11-pitch first, Megill put himself into a spot of bother early and had to dig out of a hole after Pete Alonso gave him a 2-0 lead to work with.
With two down in the second, Megill surrendered a triple to George Springer and walked Will Wagner on a full count. That’s when pitching coach Jeremy Hefner came out to give the starter a moment, having already thrown 21 pitches in the frame.
“He slowed the game down and made pitches when he needed to,” Mendoza said, adding that Hefner’s visit helped “put him in a better position there, and he went out there and executed.”
Megill got Ernie Clement to pop out in foul territory on a 95 mph fastball above the zone to end the threat.
Could he have drawn the day up any better? “A little more efficient with the pitching,” the starter said with a smile. “Did the job.”’
He added: “Full bullpen killing it. Offense killing it. It was pretty perfect ball game today.”
Mets' 'pen spells relief
“We like the guys that we got there, and they keep doing their jobs,” Mendoza said of the Mets’ bullpen after his relievers delivered 3.2 scoreless innings allowing two hits and no walks while striking out six.
Of course, it is pretty simple for the first part of that sentence to be true when the second part is this apparent.
Through seven games, Mets relievers have posted a 1.40 ERA (second lowest in MLB), a 0.97 WHIP (sixth lowest), and are holding opponents to a .178 batting average (tied for fourth lowest) over 25.2 innings. The 'pen has a 24 to 9 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
“There’s a lot of different looks, a lot of different pitch types, righty, lefties, and the biggest thing is coming into the game and attacking the strike zone,” the manager said. “They’re doing that.”
The first man out of the bullpen on Friday was Reed Garrett, and he had no easy task as Megill departed following back-to-back one-out walks. But the right-hander needed just eight pitches to get Andrés Giménez and Alejandro Kirk swinging.
“Reader comin' in and just dealing,” Megill said.
“He’s done it before, he keeps doing it,” the skipper added. “I like his pitches, obviously, his ability to slow the game down. Having the awareness of the situation, whether you’re trying to make a guy chase, you’re trying to get a ground ball.”
Garrett induced four whiffs, with the splitter working as the put-away pitch both times.
“This is a guy that can get righties, get lefties, get ground balls, can get swing and misses with a lot of his pitches, and he’s done that. He’s a big part of that bullpen, and he’ll continue to play a huge role.”
It was a big day for one of those relievers: childhood Mets fan Max Krannick, who again provided two innings to protect the rest of the arms.
“Krannick continues to do a helluva job on a day where we needed him to finish that game, he ended up doing that,” Mendoza said. “That goes a long way when you’re protecting the bullpen the way they’re doing. Whether it’s a [Huascar] Brazobán, whether it’s [José] Butto going multiple innings the other day, today Krannick.”
So far, that trio has provided 14.1 innings and allowed just four hits over eight scoreless outings.
“We’re gonna need all of them,” Mendoza continued. “And they’re all doing their job and their parts. And that’s good to see.”