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Yankees’ Cody Bellinger bounces back after defensive flop with offense-sparking home run

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) is greeted by his teammates in the dugout after he scores on his two-run homer during the 5th inning when the New York Yankees played the Miami Marlins Saturday, April 4, 2026, Image 2 shows Cody Bellinger is pictured during the Yankees' game April 4, Image 3 shows The Yankees committed a brutal error during their game against the Marlins on April 4

Cody Bellinger has had himself an action-packed past two days.

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It started with his circus catch in left field in Friday’s win, when he somehow snagged a ball he’d already dropped.

And it continued in Saturday’s 9-7 win, as Bellinger was first involved in a costly slapstick play that cost the Yankees a run before he made up for it with a homer that helped get them back in the game.

He finished it off with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

It was Bellinger’s first home run of the young season and sparked a comeback that saw the Yankees erase what had been a four-run deficit.

“It gave us that spark we needed,’’ Giancarlo Stanton said. “It turned us on a little bit. We started getting on base a lot more from there.”

Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) is greeted by his teammates in the dugout after he scores on his two-run homer during the 5th inning when the New York Yankees played the Miami Marlins Saturday, April 4, 2026. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Before that, though, there was an uncharacteristic blunder.

Already trailing 3-0 in the top of the fourth — and with Paul Blackburn having replaced the ineffective and inefficient Ryan Weathers — Agustin Ramirez reached on a two-out infield single to third.

Jakob Marsee followed with what seemed to be a relatively harmless flare single to shallow left off Blackburn, but that’s when things got interesting.

José Caballero and Ryan McMahon both chased after the ball before it landed in front of Bellinger.

The Yankees committed a brutal error during their game against the Marlins on April 4. Screengrab via X/@TalkinYanks

With no one covering third base, Ramirez raced toward the bag, as McMahon tried to recover and get back. Still on the run, McMahon tried to catch Bellinger’s throw — which was off the bag — and it went into foul territory as the Yankees scrambled after it.

Ramirez scored on the play — no one was at the plate, either — to give Miami a four-run lead, with Marsee moving to second.

“Just an awkward play with the shift on,’’ Bellinger said. “[McMahon] had to run a long way to third and my ball sailed.”

Blackburn whiffed Otto Lopez to avoid further damage.

Cody Bellinger is pictured during the Yankees’ game April 4. Screengrab via X/@TalkinYanks

It was an ugly anomaly for the Yankees, who had played relatively strong fundamentally to get off to a strong start to the season.

And then Bellinger got the offense going.

The Yankees had just one hit against Miami right-hander Max Meyer before Aaron Judge’s two-out single in the fifth.

Bellinger followed with a shot to right-center to cut the Yankees deficit to 4-2 and get Meyer out of the game.

“Meyer was throwing the ball well and all of a sudden it was a shot in the arm and we were right back in the game,’’ Aaron Boone said.

The Yankees then feasted on Miami’s bullpen and held on for another victory.

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How to watch Cardinals vs. Tigers: TV/streaming info, schedule, preview, starting pitchers

In a matchup of teams off to 4-4 starts, Sunday Night Baseball on NBC and Peacock will feature the St. Louis Cardinals facing the Detroit Tigers in the finale of a three-game series at Comerica Park.

Righthander Kyle Leahy is expected to start for St. Louis, matching his total starts from last season (when he made 61 appearances in relief).

The Tigers have recalled righthander Keider Montero from Triple-A Toledo to make the start for Detroit. Justin Verlander, was scheduled to start for the Tigers, but the 43-year-old righthander was placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 1) with left hip inflammation, scuttling plans for his first start at Comerica Park for the Tigers since 2017.

Detroit has won the first two games of the series, a 4-0 win on Friday and an 11-6 victory Saturday.

See below for additional information on how to watch the Cardinals vs. Tigers and a breakdown of the game. Also check out the schedule for the MLB on NBC and Peacock. There will be 27 prime-time MLB games featured across NBC, Peacock and NBCSN in 2026. NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

How to watch St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers:

  • When: Sunday, April 5
  • Where: Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan
  • Time: 7 p.m. ET (7:20 p.m. first pitch)
  • TV: NBC
  • Live Stream: Peacock

Who are the announcers for Cardinals-Tigers?

Jason Benetti will provide play-by-play alongside Brad Thompson (who spent most of his six MLB seasons from 2005-2010 as a relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals) and Andy Dirks (an outfielder and designated hitter for the Tigers from 2011-2013). Ahmed Fareed will host the pregame show with analyst Dexter Fowler.

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Detroit Tigers preview:

The Cardinals won their first two series, winning twice in three-game sets against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and New York Mets.

St. Louis is trying to snap a playoff drought that dates to 2022 and avoid missing the postseason for four consecutive years for the first time since 1995.

After several offseason trades of veterans, the Cardinals entered the 2026 season with the youngest active roster in MLB. First baseman Alec Burleson and catcher Pedro Pages, both 27 years old, were the oldest players in the Opening Day lineup. Outfielder Lars Nootbaar, 28 and in his 6th year with St. Louis, is the longest tenured active player on the team but is out after offseason heel surgeries.

Before opening this series with two victories, the Tigers had dropped four consecutive, including a sweep by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Detroit's offense has been off to a slow start, and the Tigers were shut out twice in the first six games.

Two-time All-Star outfielder Riley Greene got off to a 5-for-25 start after leading the Tigers with 155 hits, 36 homers and 111 RBI last year. Outfielder Kerry Carpenter also struggled in the first six games (2 for 22) after a career-high 26 homers last year.

Detroit has lost in the ALDS for the past two seasons and is seeking to return to the ALCS for the first time in 13 years.

How to watch MLB on NBC and Peacock:

Sunday Night Baseball will make its debut March 29 with the Guardians vs. Mariners. The 18-game MLB Sunday Leadoff schedule will begin May 3, with the defending AL champion Toronto Blue Jays visiting the Twins in Minnesota. On Sunday, July 5, all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock and NBC as part of a special all-day “Star-Spangled Sunday” showcase.

NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.

MLB: World Series-Los Angeles Dodgers at Toronto Blue Jays
MLB Returns to NBC and Peacock in 2026: Full schedule announced
From an MLB Opening Day doubleheader on March 26 to the Wild Card round of the playoffs, NBC Sports’ 2026 schedule delivers wall-to-wall coverage.
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Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You'll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.

MLB on NBC 2026 schedule:

Click here to see the full list of MLB games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

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Nuggets end Spurs' win streak with 136-134 win in OT

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic had 40 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds, Christian Braun added 21 points and the Denver Nuggets beat San Antonio 136-134 in overtime Saturday to snap the Spurs’ 11-game winning streak.

Cameron Johnson scored 17, Jamal Murray finished with 15 points and 10 assists and Aaron Gordon scored 15 for the Nuggets.

Gordon scored with 6.2 seconds left in regulation to tie the game, then forced Victor Wembanyama into a miss on the final shot of regulation.

Wembanyama finished with 34 points, 18 rebounds, seven assists and five blocked shots for the Spurs, who lost for only the third time in their last 30 games.

Stephon Castle scored 20 points for San Antonio, while Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie each scored 18 for the Spurs.

HEAT 152, WIZARDS 136

MIAMI (AP) — Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 32 points before dashing out to fly to the NCAA women’s basketball title game, Kel’el Ware finished with 24 points, 19 rebounds and seven blocks, and Miami rolled past Washington.

Bam Adebayo — who scored 83 points in Miami’s last game with Washington — faced a triple-team on his first possession and scored 14 for Miami. Andrew Wiggins had 21 and Pelle Larsson scored 16 for the Heat. Adebayo also had nine rebounds and seven assists.

Miami reached 150 points for the third time in franchise history. It scored 153 against New Orleans last April 11 — and finished with 150 against the Wizards in Adebayo’s 83-point night on March 10.

Will Riley scored 31 for Washington, which has reached the 60-loss mark for the third straight season. Sharife Cooper scored 20 for the Wizards, who trailed by as many as 35 at one point.

PISTONS 116, 76ERS 93

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tobias Harris scored 19 points, and Daniss Jenkins added 16 points and 14 assists as Detroit beat Philadelphia to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The last time the Pistons (56-21) were the top seed in the East was in 2006-07. They have already clinched the Central Division title for the first time since 2007-08.

Jalen Duren added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Ausar Thompson had 14 points for the Pistons, who have won 12 of their last 15 games.

Both Duren (illness) and Harris (left knee contusion) had been listed as questionable. The Pistons are 8-2 in the 10 games that Cade Cunningham has missed with a collapsed left lung.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 23 points. Paul George scored 20 points, and VJ Edgecombe added 19. George has averaged 25.8 points in six games since returning from a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy.

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Knicks’ Miles McBride striving for return to pre-injury form before playoffs

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) watches his jump shot alongside Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12), Image 2 shows Miles McBride of the New York Knicks (right) and a Chicago Bulls player (left) on the court during an NBA game

Miles McBride is against the clock to get back to his best before the postseason starts. 

He’s played three games now after missing the previous 28 following surgery to repair a sports hernia. It’s imperative across these last four regular-season games that he gets back as close to how he was playing before the surgery. 

McBride was enjoying a career-year before being sidelined, averaging 12.9 points per game and shooting a stellar 42.0 percent from 3-point range.

He was the Knicks’ most — or joint-most, along with Mitchell Robinson — important contributor off the bench, and also represented one of the Knicks’ best point-of-attack defenders. He had the team’s best net rating at 10.3 points. 

His first two games back, though (losses against the Thunder and Rockets), he struggled with his shot — going a combined 1-for-12 from the field and 1-for-8 from deep.

Then he rested during a win over the Grizzlies, and in Friday’s rout of the Bulls, he took all 3-pointers and went 2-for-4, representing a step in the right direction. 

Having been out so long, what’s the toughest part of getting back up to speed? 

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) gestures after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, April 3, 2026, in New York. AP

“Everything, honestly,” McBride said. “It’s a tough thing to be out so long, having a surgery in the middle of the season.”

There was also a brief concern of a setback — during that Thunder game, McBride played just 11 minutes before aggravating the injury while diving for a loose ball. He grabbed at his groin area, limped into the locker room and did not return. 

New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) watches his jump shot along side Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (12) during the second half when the New York Knicks played the Phoenix Suns Saturday, January 17, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, NY. Robert Sabo for NY Post

But the worst fears were avoided when he was able to return one game later against the Rockets. 

“It’s really just a part of the recovery process,” McBride said. “It’s just kind of like a tweak, and it’s a painful tweak. It’s not necessarily as bad, it’s just sometimes you can’t really do anything about it. 

“It’s like someone stabbing your groin, hip and ab at the same time. It’s not fun. But I’ll get back right.” 

During Wednesday’s win over the Grizzlies, OG Anunoby briefly was in some discomfort with his wrist. On the bench, Jordan Clarkson pretended to sprinkle healing dust on Anunoby’s wrist.

Anunoby returned and finished with 25 points. 

“Jordan healed my wrist,” Anunoby said. “It was crazy. I’m very thankful.”

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4-4 – A difference in defense as Rangers fall 2-0 to Reds

Apr 4, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers new wearable food item named the Ninth inning rally sombrero before the game between the Texas Rangers and Cincinnati Reds at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers didn’t score but the Cincinnati Reds scored two runs.

Kumar Rocker had a wait some tens days to make his season debut and he was immediately greeted with perhaps the worst defensive inning by the Rangers so far this season, and that includes a game in Philadelphia where a dropped easy popup nearly cost them a win.

After a ground out to start the evening, Rocker allowed a hard hit single off the bat of Matt McLain that Josh Jung couldn’t field with McLain moving to second on a wild pitch. McLain scored the game’s first run when Elly De La Cruz dropped a broken bat single just beyond the reach of Corey Seager before he himself scored from first on a single to right field.

De La Cruz is one of the planet’s fastest humans, and he was moving on the pitch, but the sequence that saw him score seemed like a preventable play as right fielder Brandon Nimmo tossed the ball into second base as De La Cruz just never stopped running.

One batter later, Eugenio Suarez reached via an error by Josh Smith and the Rangers were lucky that the Reds didn’t add to their early 2-0 lead as Rocker got out of the inning with two outs on the next three pitches.

An infuriating start to the game only became an infuriating rest of the game as the leather-aided two runs proved all Cincinnati would need as their own fielders were all doing their best Roberto Clemente and Brooks Robinson impressions with solid plays all over the field to snuff out hard contact from Texas.

In the end, the poor defense cost the Rangers but they also scored zero runs and had a total of four hits. Welcome back to The Shed indeed.

Player of the Game: Despite the loss, Rocker allowed just the two first inning runs on six hits, a walk, and three strikeouts over five innings. While he was only given 80 pitches to work with after sitting around for basically two weeks, Rocker did well in his season debut.

A couple of things in particular that were encouraging about Rocker’s outing include the former first-rounder showing a solid changeup that was eliciting weak contact. And, after McLain reached third with no outs in the top of the 5th, following a single and an error on a steal attempt, Rocker buckled down and made some of his best pitches of the night to keep McLain stranded and keep Texas within bloop-and-blast territory.

Unfortunately, the blast never came and the Rangers have their first three-game losing streak of the season.

Up Next: The Rangers and Reds close out this series tomorrow with Texas hoping to avoid a sweep and with RHP Jack Leiter making his 2026 home debut opposite RHP Chase Burns for Cincy.

The Sunday afternoon first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 1:35 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.

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Pistons beat 76ers 116-93 and clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tobias Harris scored 19 points, and Daniss Jenkins added 16 points and 14 assists as the Detroit Pistons beat the Philadelphia 76ers 116-93 Saturday night to clinch the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

The last time the Pistons (56-21) were the top seed in the East was in 2006-07. They have already clinched the Central Division title for the first time since 2007-08.

Jalen Duren added 16 points and seven rebounds, and Ausar Thompson had 14 points for the Pistons, who have won 12 of their last 15 games.

Both Duren (illness) and Harris (left knee contusion) had been listed as questionable. The Pistons are 8-2 in the 10 games that Cade Cunningham has missed with a collapsed left lung.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 23 points. Paul George scored 20 points, and VJ Edgecombe added 19. George has averaged 25.8 points in six games since returning from a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy.

The 76ers played without Joel Embiid, who was ruled out with right oblique injury maintenance/illness in the second half of a back-to-back. The Sixers had won eight of their last 11.

The teams went back and forth in the first half, the Pistons leading by 10 points after one quarter before the 76ers tied the game in the second. A 15-4 run to end the first half gave Detroit control, and the Pistons stretched their lead to 26 points in the second half.

Up next

Pistons: Visit Orlando on Monday.

76ers: Start a three-game trip in San Antonio on Monday.

___

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

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Will Riley Shines In Yet Another Washington Blowout

MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 04: Jaime Jaquez Jr. #11 of the Miami Heat draws a foul from Will Riley #27 of the Washington Wizards during the fourth quarter at Kaseya Center on April 04, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Washington Wizards had a strong defensive effort, holding Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo to 69 points fewer than he scored the last time these teams faced each other.

Editor’s Note:The Wizards allowed more than 150 points for a second straight game and the 15th time in franchise history.

Kevin’s Note: Hey, their defensive rating was six points per 100 possessions better than their last game — they’re IMPROVING!

Yeah, so it wasn’t a strong defensive effort. In fact, it was a downright lousy one, both in terms of mental and physical, and in terms of execution even when their was good effort. In fairness, I don’t know how anyone could be expected to give all-out effort when everyone knows the team really-really-really wants to lose.

In this one, the game was close through the first quarter before the Heat took control in the second period. The avalanche grew throughout the third quarter with Miami’s lead reaching as a high as 35. Bench clearing and classic slacking off contributed to a phony “comeback” in the fourth, which trimmed the final margin to a semi-respectable (looking) 16 points.

Will Riley dunks during the Washington Wizards loss to the Miami Heat. (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Some positives:

  • Another impressive game from Will Riley, who scored 31 points on 12-17 shooting and had 5 steals. He even got a couple buckets using his elongated hesi-dribble. Seriously though, Riley scored in an array of ways, including crafty moves off the bounce to create space, finishing over size, attacking the paint, and hitting catch-and-shoot jumpers.
  • Justin Champagnie had 12 points and 10 rebounds in 21 minutes. He shot 4-9 from the field, which is kinda impressive considering three of those misses were blocks by Heat big Kel’el Ware.
  • JuJu Reese grabbed nine rebounds in 11 minutes of action.
  • Sharife Cooper had 20 points and 7 assists.

Thoughts & Observations

  • On the first possession of the game, the Heat went to Bam Adebayo in the post and Washington triple-teamed him — something they didn’t do until the fourth quarter of that 83-point night Adebayo had a few weeks ago.
  • A question I jotted several times throughout the watch was why the Wizards kept trying to attack Bam Adebayo and Davion Mitchell in iso situations. These are two of the NBA’s best defenders in those situations, and the Wizards players are not exactly accomplished one-on-one experts. I mean, Mitchell’s nickname is “Off-Night” for a reason. Pick your spots, guys.
  • Check out the possession at 6:45 of the first quarter for a demonstration of Riley’s skill and craft. This was the play where he caught the ball in the corner against an aggressive ball-denial effort and went instantly into a spin into a dribble drive that got him a layup. I liked the decisiveness — just an instantaneous attack that left no time for a help defender to get there.
  • I remain not a fan of Washington’s penchant for whoever brings the ball up the floor going straight into a jumper after zero passes and running no actions. In transition or a trailing situation, a catch-and-shoot three is a great shot. Maybe this gives me “Old Man Yells At Cloud” status, but in a halfcourt setting against a defense that’s back and matched up, I’d prefer they run something instead of launching immediately.
  • Plays like the one at 4:43 of the second quarter are why I still have hope that Bilal Coulibaly can become something special in the relatively near future. On that play, he drove left on Adebayo and got to a soaring lefty finish. It was an impressive play.
  • I very much liked the set piece Washington ran to start the second half. Anthony Gill set a pindown for Riley. Bub Carrington then made an “entry” pass to Gill, who followed Riley to the top — kind of a very high horns set — for a “get” action (Carrington followed his pass) dribble hand-off. Because Gill received the “entry” so high, Miami’s Mitchell had to go under the screen, and Carrington was left with a wide open three.

Four Factors

Below are the four factors that decide wins and losses in basketball — shooting (efg), rebounding (offensive rebounds), ball handling (turnovers), fouling (free throws made).

The four factors are measured by:

  • eFG% (effective field goal percentage, which accounts for the three-point shot)
  • OREB% (offensive rebound percentage)
  • TOV% (turnover percentage — turnovers divided by possessions)
  • FTM/FGA (free throws made divided by field goal attempts)
FOUR FACTORSWIZARDSHEATLGAVG
eFG%55.2%67.2%54.5%
OREB%30.4%27.0%26.0%
TOV%8.3%12.9%12.7%
FTM/FGA0.1790.2900.207
PACE10899.3
ORTG125140115.7

Stats & Metrics

PPA is my overall production metric, which credits players for things they do that help a team win (scoring, rebounding, playmaking, defending) and dings them for things that hurt (missed shots, turnovers, bad defense, fouls).

PPA is a per possession metric designed for larger data sets. In small sample sizes, the numbers can get weird. In PPA, 100 is average, higher is better and replacement level is 45. For a single game, replacement level isn’t much use, and I reiterate the caution about small samples sometimes producing weird results.

POSS is the number of possessions each player was on the floor in this game.

ORTG = offensive rating, which is points produced per individual possessions x 100. League average so far this season is listed in the Four Factors table above. Points produced is not the same as points scored. It includes the value of assists and offensive rebounds, as well as sharing credit when receiving an assist.

USG = offensive usage rate. Average is 20%. Median so far this season is 17.7%.

ORTG and USG are versions of stats created by former Wizards assistant coach Dean Oliver and modified by me. ORTG is an efficiency measure that accounts for the value of shooting, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers. USG includes shooting from the floor and free throw line, offensive rebounds, assists and turnovers.

+PTS = “Plus Points” is a measure of the points gained or lost by each player based on their efficiency in this game compared to league average efficiency on the same number of possessions. A player with an offensive rating (points produced per possession x 100) of 100 who uses 20 possessions would produce 20 points. If the league average efficiency is 115, the league — on average — would produced 23.0 points in the same 20 possessions. So, the player in this hypothetical would have a +PTS score of -3.0.

Players are sorted by total production in the game.

WIZARDSMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
Will Riley378316618.3%7.7203-3
Sharife Cooper255714526.3%4.31526
Justin Champagnie214615121.3%3.5182-12
Jamir Watkins194317216.9%4.014313
Jaden Hardy255611624.0%0.11013
Bilal Coulibaly25579521.1%-2.477-20
Julian Reese102412712.4%0.31355
Anthony Gill225014712.1%1.960-23
Bub Carrington27618721.6%-3.831-25
Tre Johnson25578621.9%-3.7-20-17
Leaky Black41007.4%-0.8-127-7
HEATMINPOSSORTGUSG+PTSPPA+/-
Kel’el Ware368115617.7%5.72117
Jaime Jaquez Jr.327214826.1%6.21951
Andrew Wiggins265916520.0%5.818924
Bam Adebayo245514920.1%3.616625
Davion Mitchell265814415.9%2.613819
Pelle Larsson245411526.0%-0.111227
Kasparas Jakucionis286312022.6%0.691-2
Simone Fontecchio194317411.3%2.813212
Dru Smith122711917.2%0.2135-15
Keshad Johnson1125118.0%0.35551
Nikola Jovic132910316.5%-0.619-19
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Recap: Wedgewood with the shutout as Avs beat Dallas 2-0

Apr 4, 2026; Dallas, Texas, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Martin Necas (88) and center Nathan MacKinnon (29) celebrate after Necas scores the game winning goal against the Dallas Stars during the third period at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars squared off in a crucial matinee at American Airlines Center in Dallas, and it was Colorado who finally stole the first regulation win of the season series—pushing their quest for NHL and Central Division supremacy even further.

Brent Burns hit his 1,000th consecutive game, and the veteran forward-turned-defenseman logged a solid 18+ minutes on ice to help deliver the victory.

It was a low-scoring, gritty, playoff-style battle, but Martin Necas finally tucked away the game-winner midway through the third, and Nathan MacKinnon inevitably buried his career-high-tying 51st goal into the empty net. That sealed Colorado’s crisp 2-0 triumph over the Stars.

The Game

Most of the afternoon felt like a tight-checking chess match, with both Casey DeSmith and Scott Wedgewood making timely saves to keep it locked at 0-0 through two periods. Neither side was willing to blink.

In fact, this was one of the rare games all season with zero power plays goals for either team—a likely sneak preview of the grind we’ll see once the playoffs arrive.

The breakthrough finally came when Artturi Lehkonen found Martin Necas on a slick back-door play, putting the Avalanche up 1-0.

Necas cashing in on what might be the biggest regular-season goal of the year felt like the perfect cherry on top—right before MacKinnon’s empty-netter put the game to bed for good.

Takeaways

Coming off one of their ugliest performances of the season (probably the worst) against the Vancouver Canucks, it was huge to see the Avs respond with a complete, shut-down victory against their fiercest rival.

We called for a regulation win with a power-play goal on Friday’s Mile High Hockey Lab, but in hindsight, we should’ve just asked for the regulation W. Every other meeting between these two in 2025-26 had gone to OT or a shootout—so credit to Colorado for finally stealing the lone regulation victory of the regular season series.

Dallas rolling with DeSmith gave their fans a ready-made excuse, but when you get blanked, the finger has to point somewhere—and Scott Wedgewood was outstanding again. He now has three shutouts this season, all against divisional foes.

Big respect to Dallas for honoring Brent Burns and his 1,000th straight game the way they did. When you consider he started that insane streak after already playing 600 games, it’s truly remarkable. That’s something worth celebrating no matter which jersey he’s wearing.

Upcoming

It’s a quick turnaround for the Avalanche, who now welcome the St. Louis Blues tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m. MT.

Let us know what you thought of this contest in the comments!

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Jake Bird’s Triple-A stint helped build strengths ahead of promising Yankees start

New York Yankees pitcher Jake Bird (59) throwing a pitch during the 7th inning against the Miami Marlins.
New York Yankees pitcher Jake Bird (59) throws a pitch during the 7th inning against the Miami Marlins.

When Jake Bird arrived in a trade from the Rockies at last year’s deadline, he was looking forward to finding out what made the Yankees so good at making relief pitchers better.

One example he was keenly aware of when he was in Colorado was another right-hander who had come to the Yankees and turned his career around: Luke Weaver.

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“What Luke had done really stood out,’’ Bird said. “To go from struggling to starring in the playoffs here and then continue to have success, that made an impression, in particular.”

Bird’s time as a teammate with Weaver proved to be quite short, as Bird was almost immediately sent to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after getting to the Yankees because of his ineffectiveness.

“I was excited to pick his brain, but I didn’t get a chance to talk to him that long,’’ Bird said.

Instead, Bird made the most of what turned out to be an extended run with SWB, where he reconnected with the team’s pitching coach, Spencer Medick, whom Bird met briefly when Medick still worked with Driveline.

New York Yankees pitcher Jake Bird (59) throws a pitch during the 7th inning against the Miami Marlins. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

“I had talked to Spencer about pitch design and knew he was a smart guy,’’ Bird said. “The whole organization is good at finding what makes guys good.”

For Bird, his focus changed after getting sent down to the minors.

“When I first got here, it was kind of ‘Do your thing,’ ” Bird said. “But when I went down, it was more about working on my stuff to at least get back to earlier last season.”

So his shaky performance — or worse — at SWB following the trade didn’t shatter his confidence.

New York Yankees pitcher Jake Bird (59) throws a pitch during the 7th inning against the San Francisco Giants. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post

“You never want to [struggle], no matter where you are,’’ Bird said. “But I knew they were helping me build my strengths and improve my weaknesses.”

The results have been excellent so far this year.

After another strong performance in Friday’s win over Miami, Bird entered Saturday having allowed just one hit — and no walks — while striking out five in 4 ¹/₃ innings this season.

“They had thoughts on my repertoire [at SWB] and presented it through a lens of who I was as a pitcher,’’ Bird said.

Bird’s stuff has intrigued teams in the past — which is what led the Yankees to acquire him despite poor overall numbers.

Perhaps he’s now pitching at the level organizations had believed he’d get to and showing what his ceiling could be.

“I don’t think about that,’’ Bird said. “I just want to find out and be the best I can be and have the right approach… It’s been a decent start for me, but I think there’s a lot of room to improve.’’

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Dan Hurley booed at Final Four after UConn win: 'I don't know what they're booing'

Dan Hurley led UConn to its third Men's NCAA Tournament championship game appearance in the last four seasons after the Huskies' 71-62 Final Four win vs. Illinois on Saturday, April 4.

But before he could even get off the court at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, the two-time national championship coach was booed by fans in the stands.

"Are they booing?" Hurley said halfway through a response to a question from CBS Sports sideline reporter Tracy Wolfson. "I don't know what they're booing."

REQUIRED READING: UConn vs Illinois final score, highlights: Huskies hold off Fighting Illini in Final Four

The boos, presumedly from Illinois' fans in the stadium, aren't the first directed at the Huskies coach. He's often greeted with similar gestures and jeers from opposing fan bases due to his animated and passionate behavior on the sidelines.

Indeed, cameras caught boos on the broadcast heading into the under-12 media timeout in the second half after Hurley showed his displeasure for an offensive foul against UConn forward Eric Reibe.

"I get much more of a bad reaction from people, I think, on social media than when I meet regular people," Hurley said Friday, April 3 at the Final Four. "Because anytime I meet regular people, they look at me and they start laughing or they start smiling. Or (say), 'You're the guy from the video. You look a little crazy, but I think you're a good egg.'"

Here's what Hurley said of the boos he received:

"It's not who I really am, you know, as a human being. There's people that write articles about me. Some of you may be standing here. I know that there was someone in there that just wrote one about me, that they rarely come to my games. They never spend time around our program," Hurley said. "They have no idea. They take viral clips of things they see at a game, and then they attack me, either personally or my coaching style. And I think it's a joke. I think that's lazy media. They don't know who I am."

Saturday's win moved Hurley to 5-0 in the Final Four with the Huskies and 18-3 overall in the Men's NCAA Tournament.

Now Hurley will look to add his name to more March Madness records with another title on Monday, April 6.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dan Hurley greeted with boos after UConn Final Four win over Illinois

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Embiid-less Sixers struggle in second half of loss to Pistons

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 04: Tobias Harris #12 of the Detroit Pistons drives against Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 04, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images

It’s always easier to predict a split back-to-back than actually go through it.

The Sixers fell 116-93 to the Detroit Pistons Saturday night, completing the season series sweep.

They are now 43-35 and will drop back a half game behind the Toronto Raptors for the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Tyrese Maxey steadily put up 23 points and two assists going 8-of-17 from the field. Paul George opened the game on fire, going for 20 points and five rebounds on 7-of-14 shooting.

VJ Edgecombe fought his way to 19 points shooting 7-of-18 from the field along with six rebounds. Tobias Harris led the Pistons with 19.

Joel Embiid (oblique injury management) and Johni Broome (meniscus tear) were out for Philadelphia while the Pistons were missing Cade Cunningham (lung) and Isaiah Stewart (calf strain).

Here are some thoughts at the buzzer.

First Quarter

  • A much different offensive start than the night before, but again it was George leading the way with his aggression. He got to the basket and drew a foul to get the Sixers their first points of the night before hitting three jumpers. Detroit made their first eight shots of the game. Harris was drawing boos on every touch. He got on the board at the line as well before cutting for a dunk and knocking down a jumper.
  • Even when the Pistons finally missed a shot, they were able to tip back the offensive rebound. It was at the 6:03 mark of the quarter that the Sixers got their first proper stop of the game. The decision to start Andre Drummond hadn’t paid off defensively, but at least he had a couple offensive rebounds and a putback early himself. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Pistons took 57% of their shots at the rim — the league average is just 31.4%.
  • Some calls were definitely debatable, but the Sixers didn’t do a great job of defending without fouling. They put the Pistons on the line 12 times in the quarter. Maxey, for example, hitting the forearm of Daniss Jenkins shooting a three was one the Sixers really couldn’t afford. Even with Maxey putting up 14 points in the first, the Sixers trailed by 10.

Second Quarter

  • It took a couple of possessions, but the Sixers finally got their hands in some passing lanes and were able to get stops. Detroit wasn’t just walking into wide open baskets. George was able to deflect and steal a pass, leading to an Adem Bona basket that capped off a 7-0 Sixers’ run.
  • Another big reason for the run was George continued to be a microwave scorer. Edgecombe had some aggressive drives for the first time all night, but George’s inability to miss a jumper was the Sixers’ engine. He got his 18 in the first half having only missed one shot.
  • Unfortunately the Sixers’ bench took a hit as they were fighting back in this game. Cam Payne pulled something in his leg trying to chase down a loose ball. He immediately subbed out and was ruled out later in the night with a hamstring strain.
  • Playing most of the first quarter meant the Sixers had to play most of the closing stretch without George. The drop off was again more noticeable on the defensive end. The Pistons were able to create some space. Old friend Bball Paul took Drummond off the dribble before Duncan Robinson made his first two threes of the night, helping the Pistons push their lead back up to 11.

Third Quarter

  • The Sixers continued to have solid offense coming out of the half. Edgecombe set up Drummond wide open in the dunker spot and Maxey got himself a couple of baskets. Detroit’s size continued to overwhelm them on the other end though. Once Ausar Thomspon got open on a roll the Sixers couldn’t do anything to stop his lobs. Thompson to this point was also leading the Pistons in offensive rebounding as they were pulling down half of their misses.
  • The game started to get out of hand for the Sixers when their offense went cold. They went scoreless for over four minutes. George was finally unable to make every jumper while the Pistons defense keyed in on Maxey. Nick Nurse angrily called a timeout as the Pistons took their largest lead of the game at 19.
  • The Sixers started to string stops together coming out of that timeout, but not before a trip to the line for Jalen Duren and a three from Harris. Maxey and Edgecombe continued to attack but the Sixers’ offense was extremely top heavy in this one. The only baskets in the third not scored by those two or George was the dump off to Drummond and a putback by Bona. After eating into the lead a bit, a jumper by Ron Holland kept the Pistons up by 14.

Fourth Quarter

  • With Kelly Oubre Jr. back in the starting lineup and Payne going down with an injury, the only hope for bench scoring was Quentin Grimes, who unfortunately, didn’t have it. Not only was he scoreless, but his turnover directly led to the Pistons first basket of the fourth after they had been kept off the board for a couple of minutes. 
  • The Sixers used their last gasp of this game to try a small lineup with Dominick Barlow as the five so that they could switch everything. They blew a switch on the first inbound coming out of the timeout, immediately giving up a wide open layup. Less than two minutes later and the white flag was raised. This wasn’t an easy game to stomach, but one more affordable to drop after their win over the Timberwolves.
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UConn has held Illinois to its three lowest point totals of the past three seasons

Illinois men's basketball entered the 2026 Final Four with the most statistically decorated offense in the country, an explosive and dynamic group that regularly blitzed past opponents.

In the national semifinals, though, the Fighting Illini ran into a team that's quickly starting to become their kryptonite.

In a 71-62 loss to UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, coach Brad Underwood's team shot just 33.9% from the field and 23.1% from 3-point range, making only six of its 26 shots from beyond the arc.

REQUIRED READING: UConn beats Illinois in Final Four, will play for third national title in 4 years

The fact that the underwhelming performance came against Dan Hurley and the Huskies shouldn't come as a surprise.

The 62 points were the Illini's third-fewest in a game the past three seasons, according to research from ESPN. The only games ahead of it on that list both came against UConn, as well — a 52-point effort in a blowout loss in the Elite Eight in 2024 and 61 points in a Nov. 28 loss to the Huskies in Madison Square Garden earlier in the 2025-26 season.

Even after April 4's disappointing outing, Illinois is still No. 2 in Division I in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Much of the Illini's production came from two players — freshman superstar Keaton Wagler and big man Tomislav Ivisic, who had 20 and 16 points, respectively. Outside of that duo, Illinois made just eight of its 29 field-goal attempts (27.6%).

With the win, UConn advanced to the national championship game, where it will play on Monday, April 6 against either Michigan or Arizona.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UConn has held Illinois to its three lowest point totals of the past three seasons

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NC State walks off Notre Dame, 7-6, to complete series sweep

RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 15: The NC State Wolfpack bench celebrates the double during the college baseball game between the Boston College Eagles and the NC State Wolfpack on March 15, 2026 at Doak Field at Dail Park in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

It’s been a rough couple of weeks for NC State baseball, as you may have noticed. Some close games go the wrong way, you get a bit of a slump at the plate, and next thing you know it’s panic, panic everywhere. Such is baseball season. Fortunately, it’s the first week of April.

NC State put a seven-game losing streak to bed with a 7-3 win over Notre Dame on Thursday night thanks to strong work from Ryan Marohn and Anderson Nance. The Pack clinched the series the next time out with another 7-3 win, this one highlighted by Ryder Garino and Cooper Consiglio out of the pen—they struck out 10, walked just one, and gave up one run in 4-1/3 IP.

Saturday was Dude Day, and he was excellent, throwing 7-2/3 of one-run ball. NC State took a 5-1 lead into the ninth inning, and then promptly gave up five runs because this is just how baseball works sometimes, and then scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth to win the game, because this is just how baseball works sometimes.

Ty Head was the hero.

Scientists have been trying for centuries to explain how baseball works*, but no one can do it. It simply can’t be done. What can you say about this? It’s another result in the middle of a long, grueling season, no more or less definitive than the one that came prior to it. It’s nice to get even in league play, though.

(*Bill James since like 1985.)

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Mariners Game #9 Preview and Discussion: SEA at LAA, 4/4

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MARCH 29: Emerson Hancock #26 of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park on March 29, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Here’s something I never thought I’d say: I am excited to watch Emerson Hancock pitch tonight.

The Mariners look to win their first series of the season Saturday against the Angels. They won Friday’s opener 4-0 in a long, frustrating, 10-inning game that didn’t really get going until the end. The bats did eventually come alive, just in time to ruin the Angels’ home opener.

Hancock will take the mound looking to make it two in a row for the Mariners and for himself. Hancock threw six no-hit innings last week against the Guardians, striking out nine in the process. He seemed to pick right up where he left off after switching to the bullpen at the end of last year, with improved velocity capable of generating a competitive number of whiffs.

One change he made in that first start was lowering his arm slot even further, continuing his trend from his brief days as a reliever. The improved Stuff+ numbers held in his first start of 2026. With three kinds of fastballs, a changeup, and a sweeper — all thrown from a low arm slot — Hancock now has all the makingss of a contemporary starter, even if “just OK” velocity limits him to a mid-rotation arm. There’s still a lot more to prove, of course, but the lack of depth in the Mariners’ rotation last year is what kept them from a more impressive win total. Hancock pitching anywhere above replacement level would be a crucial development early in 2026.

The Mariners will face Angels’ righty Jack Kochanowicz, who Jake Mailhot covered in our series preview. Brendan Donovan is out of the lineup after exiting Friday’s game with a leg injury after stepping awkwardly on first base while trying to leg out a grounder. Leo Rivas takes his place at third, and Luke Raley moves up to the leadoff spot.

Lineups

News

Brendan Donovan has been announced as day-to-day with a groin injury. He got imaging yesterday and the team will review before offering an update. He is not in tonight’s lineup.

Brennen Davis (hamstring) and Victor Labrada (oblique) have been activated in Tacoma. Both are expected to play tonight.

Game Info

First pitch: 6:38 PM PDT
TV: Mariners TV. For how to watch, Kate’s got the details.
Radio: Seattle Sports (710 AM)

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Mookie Betts’ injury offers unpleasant reminder: Dodgers are old

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Dodgers are old.

That is their reality, and that will remain their reality, regardless of what a scheduled MRI examination reveals about the lower-back pain that forced Mookie Betts out of a 10-5 win over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Betts could be bound for the injured list only eight games into the season, and that should renew concerns of what could happen to this team.

Because if the upcoming months don’t unfold as the Dodgers envision, age will be the main reason why.

The 33-year-old Betts could be bound for the injured list only eight games into the season. Getty Images

Just when the Dodgers looked as if they were off and running, and they literally were, Betts’ premature departure offered an unpleasant reminder of how Project Three-Peat could unravel.

With Kyle Tucker in front of him at second base, Betts was on first in the top of the first inning when Freddie Freeman lined a ball into the right-center field gap. Tucker scored, and so did Betts, who upon returning to the bench was complimented by manager Dave Roberts for the walk he drew. Roberts was later informed there was a problem.

“He felt it as he was running,” Roberts said.

Roberts described the injury as “certainly more moderate than significant” but said Betts is “unlikely” to play in the series finale against the Nationals on Sunday. The manager also acknowledged how this could be a setback for Betts.

“Any time you miss, it’s going to take some time to kind of get your footing,” Roberts said.

Roberts described the injury as “certainly more moderate than significant” but said Betts is “unlikely” to play in the series finale against the Nationals on Sunday. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That’s less than ideal for Betts, who was coming off a down year.

What was particularly striking about Betts’ back problem was how it seemed to come out of nowhere. Ignore his .179 batting average. Betts was back.

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He looked as if he regained whatever muscle mass he lost when he contracted norovirus early last season, particularly in his upper body.

He displayed his old power, homering the opposite way at Dodger Stadium and sending a ball into the visiting bullpen at Nationals Park. His play at shortstop was better than it had ever been, enough to where an uninformed observer probably wouldn’t guess he was a converted outfielder.

“Disappointed for him because we were sort of starting to get going a little bit, and the way he’s playing defense, and he’s a big part of what we do,” Roberts said.

He looked as if he regained whatever muscle mass he lost when he contracted norovirus early last season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But as much as Betts prepared himself for this marathon of a season, he encountered a formidable obstacle in a 270-foot sprint 

Age does that to a player, and Betts isn’t the only important player on the team who is closer to the end of his career than the start.

The Dodgers made concerted efforts to turn back the clock, the front office instructing players to focus on recovering in the offseason and the players ensuring they reported to camp in better shape.

Teoscar Hernandez, 33, is lighter than he was last year, the benefits of which were shown on Friday when he legged out a couple of infield singles. Max Muncy, 35, also lost weight and looks to be moving better.

Freddie Freeman, 36, has hit into some bad luck, which is why he’s batting only .242. But he’s back to hitting line drives and his defense at first base is at the level it was when he first signed with the Dodgers. Miguel Rojas, 37, looks as if he’s prepared to take over as the team’s primary shortstop while Betts is sidelined.

But what happened to Betts is a reminder of how quickly any of that can change, underscoring the importance of Roberts’ practice of giving his veterans occasional days off. On Saturday, that veteran was Hernandez, who was replaced in the lineup by Alex Call.

The Dodgers have the best player in baseball in Shohei Ohtani. They have the most powerful offense in the major leagues. They have a rotation that includes four Cy Young-caliber starters.

But they also have several key players who are old, and the question regarding them isn’t if they will eventually fall apart but when. The World Series is in six-plus months. As much as they have worked to ensure they will hold up between now and then, one man is already down.