The Knicks did what they were supposed to do -- get past the Atlanta Hawks in the first round of the playoffs. In that sense, Thursday's rout of the Hawks in Game 6 at State Farm Arena to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals shouldn't be all that impressive.
However, after falling behind 2-1 in the series and things looking a little scary, New York stormed back to win three straight, all by double-digit margins, with Thursday's victory being the most memorable (and lopsided).
Leading 40-15 after the first quarter and 83-36 at halftime -- the largest halftime lead in NBA playoff history -- the Knicks got contributions up and down the roster. One of those contributors was Mikal Bridges, who finally broke out of an offensive slump and finished with 24 points, five rebounds, three assists and a block in 27 minutes.
It was the most points Bridges scored during the series. He entered the game averaging 7.2 points per game in the series after averaging 14.4 points per game in the regular season, which was already his lowest scoring output since 2021-22.
In fact, his 12 shot attempts in Game 6 were just one less than his previous three games combined.
"Just doing whatever it takes to win," he said. "That’s pretty much it. Just go do it for those guys."
The re-emergence of Bridges gives the Knicks another weapon offensively and is a good sign that he's once again being aggressive, but still efficient, with his shots. He went 10-for-12 on Thursday, including 2-for-2 from deep.
Head coach Mike Brown was ecstatic seeing Bridges return to the kind of player that he can be and praised him not only for his offense, but his defense as well, which has always been a strength of his.
"It was great. He just did what he's capable of doing," Brown said. "Is he gonna go 10-for-12 every night? No, but he was aggressive. He took great shots.
"I wouldn't let it go unnoticed that his defense was phenomenal. Not only was his defense phenomenal, but rebounding. A guy like Mikal should average 5-7 rebounds a game at his size if he's playing 30-plus minutes. He had five, so it was a big night on both ends of the floor by Mikal."
While Bridges only averaged 3.8 rebounds per game during the regular season, on par with his career average, it shrunk to 1.4 rebounds per game in the first five games of this series as he struggled to get anything going to help the team.
That's what makes his performance on Thursday so inspiring; not only did Bridges get things back on track, but it led to a huge win and a preview of what the Knicks can look like at full strength.
Still, even during the rough times, Bridges believed things would turn around and says he didn't let it affect his confidence.
"Feel like I’m always confident. Just happy to go out there and get a win," he said.
With that win, New York will now face either the Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers, who are headed to a Game 7 in their own series, in the second round of the playoffs. No matter who the Knicks face, they'll need Bridges to be as aggressive as he was on Thursday to give them another option on offense.
With Bridges and OG Anunoby, who had 29 points on Thursday, real threats to score consistently, that completely opens up what New York is able to do offensively and could lead to a few more games that look like Game 6.
Apr 26, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) dribbles the ball as Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (28) defends during the third quarter during game four of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
We’re at the point in the series where the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers are familiar with one another.
There’s not much that either team can do to surprise the other. Truly, it comes down to which team can successfully impose their will and identity into the proceedings.
We know that the Lakers want LeBron James and Austin Reaves to run the offense, attack the defense, and find open shooters. In Games 1 and 2, that strategy (sans Reaves, of course) worked like a charm. The Lakers collectively turned into prime Ray Allen and Houston’s impotent offense couldn’t keep pace.
The Rockets, on the other hand, want to muck up the game and make it physical. The 99-93 final score in Game 5 in basically Ime Udoka’s wet dream. And as we’ve discussed a few times this season, the Rockets can play without Kevin Durant easier than they can without Amen Thompson or Jabari Smith Jr. After all, without KD, the Rockets can just revert to the team they were last year. Almost every player on the roster had a front row view for that squad. And the two guys that didn’t, Josh Okogie and Dorian Finney-Smith, play that style of basketball already.
I’ve heard a lot of “Houston is better without Durant” talk lately. And while it’s clear that this team is playing better on both ends in the last two games, it bears reminding that last year’s Houston team had a humongous offensive hole in late-game situations. With KD out, that outlet is gone. And if felt like Houston started to figure out how to operate in the clutch with Durant as the season went on. The New Orleans and Golden State games come to mind.
With another win, the Rockets get us closer to the scenario I laid out before Game 4: that is, that the most Rockets thing would be to force a Game 7, lead it late, and then blow the lead in the most heartbreaking way imaginable.
So I can’t decide which way to lose this series would be the most 2026 Rockets. I’m hoping for the sweet release of death when it comes to this season, so we know that won’t happen easily. Either the Rockets will once again blow a big lead just for old time’s sake, OR they will fight back in this series and win the next three games. They will look really good and give Rockets fans hope that they’ll become the first NBA team to ever overcome a 3-0 deficit. They’ll be up 20 in the fourth quarter of Game 7. Staples Center will be dead silent. Luka Doncic will be on the bench. Austin Reaves will not be 100%. LeBron James will look old and defeated by Father Time.
And then Luke Kennard will hit a 3. Then Marcus Smart and Rui Hachimura will hit a couple. Jaxson Hayes will throw down a dunk and the lead will be single digits and the building will be rocking. LeBron will return, having gotten plenty of rest after JJ Reddick had originally thrown in the towel. And Houston will lose in overtime.
ATLANTA — It was reminiscent of those games in a driveway when an older brother bullied his younger brother, when he’d let him dribble around a bit before swatting his shot or stealing the ball away effortlessly.
That’s what the Knicks defense looked like against the Hawks as they bludgeoned them 140-89 in Game 6 on Thursday night to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
They suffocated the Hawks from the opening tip, recording seven steals and three blocks — and forcing eight turnovers — in the first quarter.
Ariel Hukporti (left) blocks Jalen Johnson’s shot during the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 140-89 Game 6 series-clinching win over the Hawks on April 30, 2026 in Atlanta. Brett Davis-Imagn Images
They held the Hawks to just 6-for-16 shooting from the field and 1-for-6 shooting from 3-point range in that first quarter. And by the end of it, they led by 25 — which quickly doubled in the second quarter.
For the game, the Knicks held the Hawks to 37.8 percent shooting from the field and 25.7 percent shooting from 3-point range. They recorded an absurd 16 steals along with six blocks.
“We were able to get stops, run in transition, get layups,” Jalen Brunson said. “It really came down to our defense. It allowed us to play fast. Allowed us to play in transition. And we made shots.
“Most importantly, it shows us what we’re capable of defensively. I think that’s really important.”
Josh Hart, who was questionable for the game with a back injury, once again guarded CJ McCollum and completely neutralized him. McCollum was just 1-for-5 from the field when Hart guarded him, per the league’s official tracking stats. In total, McCollum finished with just 11 points on 4-for-13 shooting from the field.
The Knicks’ ability to stop McCollum in the final three games was central to completely changing the course of the series.
“I think I had good physicality,” Hart said. “I was able to force him into some tough shots. I was just trying to make life hard for him. Obviously, that’s a guy that’s got a lot of buckets in this league. That was something I thought, after Game 1 and Game 2 he kind of went off and kind of took over the game, that’s the matchup that I wanted going into Game 3 and after. I’ve had some conversations with the coaches about not taking me off him and those kinds of things.”
In truth, their defense as a whole helped them respond to a 2-1 series deficit with three straight routs. Across those last three games, the Knicks held the Hawks to just 102-for-248 (41 percent) shooting from the field and forced them into 47 turnovers.
Even during the first three games of the series, the Knicks never really let Jalen Johnson or Nickeil Alexander-Walker get going. It was McCollum who was hurting them.
Once they figured that out, this matchup turned into a mismatch.
ATLANTA, GA - MARCH 21: Jonathan Kuminga #0 of the Atlanta Hawks smiles during the game against the Atlanta Hawks on March 21, 2026 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Let’s be real. The moment Jonathan Kuminga’s Atlanta Hawks drew the New York Knicks in the first round, Dub Nation collectively pulled up a lawn chair, cracked open something cold, and started taking notes like this was a scouting combine. And honestly? Fair. That’s what we do. That’s what we’ve always done with the ones who got away, or got traded, or got complicated.
The Hawks are out. The Knicks closed them out 140-89 tonight, and that final score is less a basketball game and more a statement. Atlanta shot 37.8% from the field as a team. They turned the ball over 19 times. They gave up 35 fast break points. They were down 47 at halftime, the largest halftime deficit in NBA playoff history.
Kuminga finished with 11 points on 3-of-7 shooting in 23 minutes. It was the game summary you’d write for someone who showed up but had nowhere to go. And that, right there, is the whole series in miniature.
Because here’s what actually happened across six games if you’re being honest about it. In Game 1, eight points on 3-of-7 in a loss. In Game 2 at MSG, 19 points on 7-of-12, two steals, a block, the kind of performance that made Atlanta feel like they’d actually gotten something real at the deadline. In Game 3, 21 points on 9-of-14, 64.3% from the field, the Hawks won again, and every “Kerr was holding him back” account on X was posting highlights with the fire emoji.
Jonathan Kuminga’s last 2 games in the PLAYOFFS vs the Knicks:
Former Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga has helped the youthful Hawks compete with the favored Knicks in their playoff series: “He’s really taken our team to another level.” https://t.co/3AEgP0xw6M
Then Game 4 arrived and Kuminga went 3-of-10, 0-of-6 from three, 10 points. Game 5, 17 minutes, 13 points, another blowout loss. Game 6, tonight, 11 points and the season over.
The series totals read fine on the surface: 13.7 points per game, 49.1% from the field, 3.3 rebounds in 25.8 minutes. Those are serviceable numbers for a bench piece on a team that made the playoffs as a six seed. But the three-point shooting was 19% on the series. Four-of-21. That number matters because it kept defenses from having to fully commit to stopping him, and every time Atlanta needed him to be the tiebreaker in a close game, the results were volatile in exactly the ways they were in Golden State.
Warriors fans already know this pattern by heart. The Kuminga experience has always been: two or three games where the ceiling shows itself so clearly you start doing the math on what a max extension would look like, followed by two or three games where the floor reminds you why the math was always complicated. He’s a very young man, the athleticism is still a genuine weapon, and his transition game and paint pressure gave the Knicks real problems in the wins. None of that goes away. The talent is not in question.
What this series confirmed is that the debate Warriors fans have been having for two years is not one that six playoff games just resolved. Both sides got their evidence. The people who thought he was misused got Games 2 and 3. The people who thought the inconsistency was the real story got Games 4, 5, and 6. Everyone walks away from this exactly as convinced as they walked in.
Jonathan Kuminga was -44 in 22 minutes.
The lowest plus/minus off the bench in a playoff game in the play-by-play era. pic.twitter.com/JGvYsxIxOY
That’s the most Kuminga outcome possible. A series that answered nothing cleanly because the player and the situation hasn’t answered it yet. The Warriors moved on. Kuminga moved on. The Knicks won. And Dub Nation will keep glancing over the fence, because that’s just what fans do with lottery picks they spent years watching grow up in their building.
The verdict on Jonathan Kuminga isn’t written yet. But six games against New York told us exactly who he still is: a player you just gotta tune in to see, even if you’re not sure what’s gonna happen next.
Jokic, the three-time NBA MVP, got into it with the Timberwolves' Jaylen Clark, who was called for a personal foul with 9:47 to go. Clark shoved Jokic, and Jokic shoved Clark back. Clark pulled at Jokic as he fell, and things escalated from there.
Naz Reid also got involved, shoving Jokic in the back.
Cooler heads eventually prevailed and the players were all separated. After review, Jokic, Clark and Reid were all hit with technical fouls. That resulted in one free throw for the Nuggets.
Apr 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher James McCann (8) throws a pitch in the eighth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
If you had told me before the series that James McCann would throw out runners in two of the three games, that would have told you all you needed to know about how it would go for the Diamondbacks.
Arizona’s starting pitching skid continued on Thursday, as the once red-hot Michael Soroka unraveled against Milwaukee’s pesky offense. Soroka allowed eight earned runs in just four innings, and the D-backs dropped the rubber game of the series, 13-1.
Soroka entered the day with a sparkling 2.60 ERA but left with it ballooned to 4.70. His velocity was down nearly a full tick, and his trademark slurve wasn’t generating the usual swing-and-miss. The clunker put the D-backs in a deep hole early — they trailed 6-0 by the third inning. If this team wants to remain competitive, the starting rotation is going to need to make an adjustment, and it has to happen quickly.
Offensively, Arizona couldn’t generate much of anything. Being down by six runs in the third inning is mentally daunting, and it showed. Hitters started pressing, trying to do too much instead of staying within themselves.
The lone bright spot was once again Ildemaro Vargas (sorry, not Bonds), who collected two hits and extended his hitting streak to 26 games dating back to last season. That ties him with Paul Goldschmidt for the second-longest streak in franchise history.
What stung the most in this series was how the D-backs got beat at their own game. When Arizona is at its best, it wins by applying constant pressure on offense, playing airtight defense, and getting solid pitching. Prior to Ryne Nelson’s blow-up start, the rotation had posted a collective 3.40 ERA, and the bullpen had looked better than expected. There were warning signs that the staff might have been slightly overperforming relative to the underlying metrics, but it’s safe to say no D-backs fan saw things unraveling this badly, this fast.
The Diamondbacks now head to Chicago to face the Cubs and their potent offense at the historic confines of Wrigley Field. Given how well Chicago’s lineup has been swinging the bats this season, this upcoming series could get ugly quickly if the starting pitching doesn’t figure things out in a hurry.
OG Anunoby helped the Knicks defeat the Hawks in Game 6 on Thursday.
ATLANTA — OG Anunoby entered this postseason as one of the league’s most invaluable supporting players.
He left the first round with the look of a leading man.
In a first-round matchup featuring multiple All-Stars on both sides, Anunoby emerged as the series’ standout player.
In the Game 6 clincher, the 28-year-old elevated his game again, leading the Knicks with 29 points, seven rebounds, two assists and four steals while shooting 11-of-14 from the field (4-of-6 from 3) in 29 minutes of the 140-89 win at State Farm Arena.
Anunoby — who had 26 points, four steals and seven rebounds while helping the Knicks set a playoff record by amassing a 47-point halftime lead — finished the series averaging 21.5 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.8 steals while shooting over 61 percent from the field and better than 60 percent on 3-pointers (17 of 28).
“[He was] just doing everything — scoring, defense, rebounding, making plays,” said Mikal Bridges, who was nearly as phenomenal, adding 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting from the field. “He’s doing everything out there and that’s what we need. And I think he’s gonna continue to do that for us.”
OG Anunoby dunks the ball during the Knicks’ 140-89 Game 6 series-clinching win over the Hawks on April 30, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg
It is impossible to overstate Anunoby’s importance since he arrived from Toronto less than three years ago in a deal that sent RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley north of the border.
His impact was obvious immediately: The Knicks won 20 of their first 23 games with one of the league’s best defenders, then blew a 2-0 lead in the 2024 Eastern Conference semifinals after Anunoby suffered a hamstring injury.
Last season, he was an integral part of the Knicks’ first conference finals run in a quarter-century, averaging 16.3 points, 2.0 steals and 1.2 blocks during the playoffs while helping slow Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the second-round upset of the Celtics.
This season, Anunoby gives the Knicks legitimate reason to believe they might make the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
After putting up a total of 39 points, 20 rebounds, three steals and two blocks in the Knicks’ previous two wins, the 6-foot-7 wing came out swinging, ensuring Atlanta’s home court provided no advantage.
It is hard to believe — and harder to remember — but the Hawks led 11-9 four minutes into the game.
OG Anunoby celebrates after the Knicks’ Game 6 series-clinching win over the Hawks on April 30. Charles Wenzelberg
Anunoby then hit back-to-back 3s, and quickly followed with back-to-back steals, giving the Knicks a lead that would soon balloon into the unimaginable.
“OG was phenomenal,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “And he rebounded his behind off.”
Anunoby finished the first quarter with 14 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals, making all but one of his seven shots from the field.
In the second quarter, Anunoby continued leading the charge, inspiring Garden-like “O-G” chants from the countless Knicks fans in attendance.
“We just came out with intensity,” said Anunoby, who posted a team-best plus-42 rating. “We were ready to play from the very jump … We know what we’re capable of. We know we’re a great team. We just need to continue to do it.”
Anunoby took just three shots in the second half, leaving with 5:24 remaining in the third quarter — the Knicks held a 103-52 lead — while leaving the nine-year veteran wondering when was the last time he’d been part of such a blowout.
“I don’t know,” Anunoby said. “Maybe high school or something.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 28: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics looks on during the second half of Game Five of the First Round of the NBA Eastern Conference Playoff at TD Garden on April 28, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
PHILADELPHIA — Jayson Tatum never checked back into the game after subbing out with four minutes to play in the third quarter in the Celtics’ 106-93 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.
He appeared to have ice and a wrap on his left calf on the bench, and was on the bike in the tunnel for most of the fourth quarter.
But at the postgame podium on Thursday night, Tatum downplayed the significance of that scene.
“You guys probably saw when I went to the back, saw me on the bike, my leg just was a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter,” Tatum said. “But just kind of assessing the moment, the game was a little out of reach.”
Jayson Tatum on his leg:
“You guys probably saw when I went to the back, saw me on the bike, my leg just was a little stiff when I came out third quarter.”
“But just kind of assessing the moment, the game was a little out of reach.”
The rest of the Celtics starters subbed out of the game two minutes into the fourth quarter, joining Tatum on the sidelines. That bench unit, headlined by Payton Pritchard, Ron Harper, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, and Luka Garza, shaved 9 points off the deficit.
Tatum said he does not expect his leg stiffness to impact his availability in Saturday’s must-win Game 7.
“I expect to play,” Tatum said. “It was my other leg, not the one I injured last year. I mean, I wasn’t like overly concerned. Shit, I came out at four minutes, like I was supposed to. Just kind of assessed the game — he took the starters out fairly early in the fourth quarter.”
The Knicks' 140 points are the most in a postseason game in franchise history, but the dominating performance goes beyond that. New York built the largest halftime lead in NBA Playoff history (47) and then had the biggest lead in a playoff game in the play-by-play era (61).
And the coaches and players of the Knicks would tell you, it happened on both ends of the floor.
"We had to keep them off the glass and keep them off transition," coach Mike Brown said of the game. "Our guys did a good job of that tonight. Eight fastbreak points, 11 offensive rebounds…14 second chance points. It’s a good night for the two key areas we’ve been talking about the whole series."
"Most importantly, it shows us what we're capable of defensively," Jalen Brunson said of the performance. "I think that's really important. We still have a long road to travel and staying locked in, and knowing what we’re capable of is important."
The Knicks defense held Atlanta to 38 percent shooting (26 percent from three) for the game, collecting 16 steals, six blocks and forcing 19 turnovers in the process.
What got the Knicks started was a terrific first quarter. They outscored the Hawks 40-15, shooting 70 percent from the field compared to Atlanta's 38 percent, but that defensive intensity shone. They forced eight turnovers and stole seven passes.
It was a type of play you see from a team that is trying to stave off elimination, not look to clinch a series. But that's what made Thursday night effective for the Knicks, they utilized that "desperate" mindset early on.
"Our mindset is to go out there and play desperate," Mikal Bridges said. "They’re a really good team, good coach and couldn't let them get confidence, especially at home. Go out there and play desperate."
"Everybody was locked in on the task at hand," Josh Hart said of the start. "We were locked in, man...we were focused on having a great attention to detail, coming out and closing the game out. That’s how we approached the game from the start and set the tone.”
The Knicks' first quarter was tremendous, but it bled into the second frame. New York went out to a 63-11 run from 8:10 in the first quarter to 4:39 in the second quarter.
That helped them go into halftime with a 47-point lead and build that to 61 points in the third quarter.
"It’s hard to replicate, duplicate. However, you want to say it. But our guys, their connectiveness right now is off the charts," Brown said. "When you lock in to the detail and you’re connected like that, when you’re as talented and versatile as that group, you have a chance to do that."
"It speaks volumes about our team," said Karl-Anthony Towns, who posted his second triple-double of the series on Thursday. "When we’re locked in, playing close to our vest, we’re really really good. It’s about finding that version of us consistently in a seven-game series. Tapping into that version of us more often than not."
The Knicks will hope to take this momentum into the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where they'll meet either the Celtics or 76ers for another seven-game series.
Whoever they wind up facing, the Knicks know what they are capable of and are now looking forward to the next round.
"It shows the kind of team that we are, what we can be," Hart said of the dominant win. "We knew we kinda gave two games away, so we wanted to come out and close out the series today. And build off of it."
The Minnesota Wild knocked out the Dallas Stars in the first round with their 5-2 win in Game 6. With this, the Wild are moving on to the second round.
A former Sabres forward helped play a role in the Wild's win, as Marcus Foligno recorded an assist.
Foligno picked up the primary helper on star defenseman Quinn Hughes' game-opening goal for Minnesota. It was a nice assist from Foligno, too, as he set up Hughes beautifully while on the rush.
With this assist, Foligno ended the series against the Stars with two points and a plus-2 rating in six games. Overall, the former Sabres forward played well for the Wild this series and will be looking to keep this kind of play up for Minnesota in the second round from here.
Foligno was selected by the Sabres with the 104th overall pick of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. In six seasons with the Sabres from 2011-12 to 2016-17, he had 49 goals, 67 assists, 116 points, and 1,023 hits. Since his time with the Sabres ended, he has spent each of the last nine seasons with the Wild.
Smokies infielder Jefferson Rojas (2) misses the ball during a Knoxville Smokies game against the Trash Pandas at Covenant Health Park in Knoxville, Tenn., on April 10, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Arizona Complex League starts on Saturday, so there’s some movement in anticipation of that. The Iowa Cubs also got some (probably) temporary reinforcements.
Right-hander Vince Velazquez has elected free agency.
Right-hander Jace Beck was promoted to Triple-A Iowa from Double-A Knoxville.
Outfielder Jeury Ramirez was promoted from the Dominican Summer League Cubs-Red to Iowa.
Outfielder Freiker Betencourt was promoted from DSL Cubs-Red to Iowa.
Right-hander Jubrayker Salaya moved from DSL Cubs-Red to Iowa.
Right-hander Ben Johnson was demoted to High-A South Bend from Knoxville.
Second baseman Darlyn De Leon was promoted to Low-A Myrtle Beach from the ACL Cubs.
Outfielder Derik Alcantara was sent down to Mesa from Myrtle Beach.
Please note that the Cubs did not fly those players out of the Dominican Republic and send them to Iowa. They were in Arizona to be activated for Saturday’s season opener for Mesa and the Cubs just sent them to Iowa to fill out their roster. Presumably they will soon be sent back down to Mesa. None of those DSL players played for Iowa tonight.
It wasn’t a bad start for Charlie Barnes, but he got the loss as Iowa couldn’t score. Barnes’ final line was three runs on just two hits over five innings. He did walk three and hit one batter while striking out four.
Luke Little, Ethan Roberts and Tyler Beede all threw one inning of relief without allowing a hit or a run. Roberts retired the side in order in the seventh, striking out one. He somehow took 23 pitches to get those three batters out. Fifteen were strikes.
The I-Cubs outhit the Saints 8 to 2, but were outscored 3 to 1. First baseman Jonathon Long singled home third baseman James Triantos in the eighth inning. Both players were 2 for 4.
Long’s RBI single was pretty much it for the highlights for Iowa.
Grant Kipp started game one and took the loss after he allowed one run in the first inning and two more in the second. Kipp’s final line was three runs on four hits over 1.2 innings. Kipp walked three and struck out two.
Knoxville only had two hits in game one. Center fielder Jordan Nwogu was 0 for 1 with two walks and he scored the only Smokies run of the game on an Owen Ayers sac fly in the sixth.
Shortstop Jefferson Rojas was 1 for 3 with a double.
Three pitchers combined on a two-hitter in game two. Starter Dawson Netz pitched four innings and allowed no runs and one hit. Netz struck out seven and walked just one.
Luis Rujano threw the next two innings and got the win because Netz only went four innings. Rujano gave up one run on hit—a double by the first batter he faced in the fifth. Rujano struck out one and walked no one.
Vince Reilly retired the side in order in the seventh. He struck out one.
Third baseman Jefferson Rojas was 2 for 5 with an RBI double.
First baseman Edgar Alvarez went 2 for 4 with one run scored.
Second baseman Ed Howard was 2 for 4 with an RBi single in the second inning. He also scored on the Rojas double.
Center fielder Jordan Nwogu was a perfect 1 for 1 with three walks. He was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for an RBI. Nwogu also scored one run.
Koen Moreno started and got the loss. Moreno surrendered four runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings. Moreno struck out five and walked on.
Leonel Espinoza came into the game when Reginald Preciado left the game after getting hit by a pitch. Espinoza went 2 for 2 with a double and a solo home run in the eighth. It was his second home run this year.
Edwardo Melendez started and went four innings, allowing just one unearned run on one hit. Melendez struck out four and walked just one.
The win went to Victor Zarraga because Melendez didn’t go five. Zarraga relieved Melendez and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits. Zarraga did walk three and struck out six.
Braylon Myers pitched the final 1.2 innings and got his first career save. Myers did not allow a run or a hit, but he did walk two while striking out three.
The Pelicans scored all four runs in the second inning.
Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 2 for 4 with a two-run double.
First baseman Michael Carico was 2 for 4 and scored one run.
Left fielder Eli Lovich was 2 for 4 and scored one run.
The night after reader holycow8498 pointed out that right fielder Josiah Hartshorn had a 21-game on-base streak to start his professional career, Hartshorn was 0 for 4, snapping the streak.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 30: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 30, 2026 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Twins finally found the solution to their bullpen: just score enough that they can’t ruin it. Byron Buxton did everything he could, and this time, the rest of the lineup was able to deliver the key hits they’ve been lacking these past two weeks.
It was a pitcher’s duel early, with both teams only getting two baserunners through the first three innings. I wouldn’t say either Bailey Ober or Toronto starter Kevin Gausman had their best stuff, but the vets were mixing pitches and keeping opposing batters off balance.
I’ll focus the rest of this recap on the lineup, who deserve their flowers, but I want to again give a shoutout to Ober who keeps finding ways to get things done. What he’s doing is completely unprecedented in the modern game, which makes me skeptical he can keep it up, but he keeps delivering solid start after solid start. His average fastball velocity of 88 MPH is the slowest in the game by a healthy margin. The average four seamer from a righty averages 95.1 MPH. His strikeouts are down, his walks are up, but by golly he just keeps posting quality starts. I’ll take whatever we can get at this point.
Despite Ober’s wizardry, Daulton Varsho and the Jays finally struck in the fourth inning with a solo shot off of Ober. But for the first time in weeks, the Twins were ready to respond.
Trevor Larnach got the Twins their first non-Buxton leadoff baserunner. And then future All-Star Ryan Jeffers took command of the game. Jeffers fought off a bunch of tough pitches and finally got a fastball down the heart of the plate on pitch number 8. He gave the Jays’ bullpen a little souvenir for their troubles. 2-1 Twins.
Since we all can see the future, we know the Twins technically didn’t need another run but given the state of literally every single reliever in the organization, no one watching was comfortable with a one run lead. Luckily, we have the aforementioned Buxton, who is quite good at bashing baseballs. Buck’s solo dong in the sixth inning was his eighth of the season, all of which have come in the past two weeks. Safe to say we’re in the midst of another patented Buxton hot streak. Austin Martin plated one more in the frame with a clutch, two-out single.
Just to really cover their bases, Buxton got one final rally going in the 8th. A Buck single and a throwing error (largely caused by Buck’s speed) put two on for Josh Bell, who was able to deliver a clutch, two-run single of his own. Walks to Austin Martin and Kody Clemens left them juiced for Luke Keaschall, who brought in one final insurance run on a sac fly. With a six run lead, the lineup decided that the bullpen could (probably) handle it from there.
Twins win!
STUDS
Byron Buxton: 3-4, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI
Ryan Jeffers: Go-ahead 2 run dong
Bailey Ober: 6 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 2 K
The bullpen!: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB
DUDS
NO DUDS TWINS WIN!!!
Comment of the game goes to Zach for being the real winner tonight.
The Twins close out April at 14-18, but are just two games back of the AL Central. They are also one of just five teams in the American League with a positive run differential, alongside the Tigers, Yankees, Mariners, and Rangers. The bullpen makes it extraordinarily hard to believe, but the Twins are still very much in this race with the first full month of the season in the books.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kyle Schwarber hit a tying double with two outs in the ninth inning, Alec Bohm delivered with his glove and bat in the 10th, and the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the San Francisco Giants 6-5 on Thursday night to sweep their split doubleheader.
Philadelphia trailed in the ninth inning of both games before rallying for two walk-off wins on the same day for the first time since July 24, 1998, a pair of 12-inning victories against the Florida Marlins.
Schwarber homered in the first inning of each game. Trea Turner launched a leadoff shot on Adrian Houser’s first pitch in the nightcap, and Schwarber followed with a 446-foot drive to right-center for his 11th homer this season.
Jung Hoo Lee put the Giants ahead 5-4 in the ninth with a two-out RBI single against José Alvarado, but pinch-hitter Brandon Marsh doubled off Keaton Winn to open the bottom half. Garrett Stubbs walked and Turner grounded into a double play before Schwarber, who was 4 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, doubled to right field on a full-count splitter.
San Francisco had runners at the corners with none out in the 10th when Game 1 winner Chase Shugart (2-0), the seventh pitcher used by the Phillies in a bullpen game, struck out Matt Chapman. Bohm then made a diving grab of Luis Arraez’s line drive to third base, and Casey Schmitt flied out.
In the bottom half, Bryson Stott’s sacrifice bunt moved automatic runner Adolis García from second to third. Bohm, batting .151 this year, won it with a sacrifice fly to center against Matt Gage (2-1).
After sweeping the three-game series, the Phillies (12-19) are 3-0 since interim manager Don Mattingly took over after Rob Thomson was fired Tuesday. Philadelphia won the doubleheader opener 3-2 when Stott’s tying triple keyed a two-run rally in the ninth.
Shugart became the first big league pitcher to win both games of a doubleheader since Minnesota’s Brian Duensing at the Chicago White Sox on Aug. 9, 2013. The previous Phillies pitcher to accomplish the feat was Terry Adams at Cincinnati on Sept. 21, 2002.
Arraez tied it 4-all with a two-run single in the seventh, following a 24-minute rain delay in the sixth.
Up next
Giants LHP Robbie Ray (2-3, 2.70 ERA) pitches Friday at Tampa Bay.
Philadelphia begins a four-game series in Miami, with RHP Zack Wheeler (0-1, 3.60) tentatively scheduled for Friday night.
As time wound down in the play-in round and it was clear Philadelphia was about to advance to the playoffs, the 76ers faithful chanted "We Want Boston." Celtics fans were ready. As Boston celebrated its Game 4 win in this series, its fans mocked Philadelphia fans chanting "We Want Boston."
Be careful messing with the basketball gods, they are fickle.
There will be a Game 7 in Boston on Sunday — and the 76ers fans returned the favor, again changing "We Want Boston" at the end of their Game 6 win Thursday.
For the second game in a row, the 76ers played strong perimeter defense (holding Boston to 12-of-41, 29.3%, from 3-point range), plus got 30 points from an aggressive Tyrese Maxey, and had another strong outing from Joel Embiid in just his third game back from an appendectomy.
Philadelphia picked up a comfortable Game 6 win, 106-93, forcing a Game 7 on Saturday back in Boston.
For a couple of games now, the 76ers have done a good job of playing classic playoff basketball — they hunted mismatches for their stars in Maxey, Embiid and Paul George. The result was George scoring 23 on Thursday night, including going 5-of-9 from 3-point range, while Embiid finished with 19 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists.
On the flip side, Boston is playing slower than they want (or need to), missing their 3s, and their stars — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — have not been able to take advantage of mismatches, or when Embiid is in drop coverage. The ball has stuck for them for the last couple of games. Brown finished the night with 18 points on 7-of-17 shooting, while Tatum had a more efficient 17 points on 13 shots, with 11 rebounds. Payton Pritchard had 14 off the bench for Boston. Boston led after one quarter, 23-20, behind nine points and nine boards from Tatum. Then, in the second quarter, Maxey woke up. Philadelphia led by nine at the half, 58-49, thanks to Maxey, who scored 13 in the second quarter and 21 in the half. He was doing it from everywhere, shooting 4-of-7 in the paint and 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the first half. Also in the second quarter, VJ Edgecombe did this.
However, the real difference in the first half was the 76ers' active perimeter defense, which chased the Celtics off the line — Boston went 6-of-15 from 3, but were 12-of-23 inside the arc and had nine turnovers.
In the face of that pressure, Jaylen Brown dominated the ball and it ground things down. He had five turnovers, wasn't consistently finding teammates, and on the other end he got back-cut multiple times.
In the third quarter, it was more of the same, and the 76ers started to pull away, leading by as many as 21.
Down 23 with 10 minutes left in the game, a frustrated Joe Mazzulla rolled out a Ron Harper Jr., Scheierman, Luka Garza, Jordan Walsh, and Pritchard lineup — and it worked. At first. They went on a 9-0 run and cut the lead down to 14 because the bench unit played fast and moved the ball, something the starters were not doing.
However, Maxey and the starters restored order and that was the ballgame.
Apr 30, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) showers infielder Alec Bohm (28) after the game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Seven straight splitters to Kyle Schwarber before he ripped a two-out, game-tying double that eventually led to another Philly win in 10 innings — the first time an MLB team has walked-off twice in a doubleheader in 22 years.
April 30th was really really so close to being a pretty dang good day. Two ball games, two leads in the 9th. 19 innings packed with some promising Giants baseball that ultimately has to get dumped into the toilet bowl and flushed.
This was so close to being a joyous, insightful recap about a 5-4 win, rather than an incoherent rant about a 6-5 palm-to-the-face loss. I still want to salvage something from the wreckage. Anything, really. Look, see, the offense was kind-a doing their job. 5 total runs scored. They erased a two-run deficit twice to put themselves in position to win in the 9th inning. Luis Arraez and Jung Hoo Lee each came through with clutch 2-out RBIs. The line-up out-hit the Phillies 13 to 9 and walked 5 times. A Giants batter hit with a runner in scoring position in seven of 10 innings. Two sacrifice flies!
All silver linings that as I sit here at my desk really really tired after a day of teaching and an evening of watching gut-punching baseball and a later-evening of writing with another day of teaching looming in the morning, I realize are not silver linings at all — rather instruments of torture.
There is no sunshine behind clouds. All clouds do is piss rain, postpone games and delay the inevitable. Spring has sprung a leak. Two deficits erased, more like two blown leads, aided by free bases, conviction-less offerings, and 2-out RBIs handed-out by relievers. 18 baserunners, 15 at-bats with a runner in scoring position, and all the offense could manage was two run-scoring hits with two sacrifice flies. All those opportunities lost. Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman all struck out twice each. Heliot Ramos followed his 3-hit afternoon with a 4 K evening.
And not to harp on this — but seven splitters in a row? Did we learn nothing from Ryan Walker’s stubbornness? And why was Keaton Winn even pitching to Schwarber in the first place? Schwarber had hit two homers on the day, and San Francisco arms had yet to get him out in the game. Winn had already thrown 1.2 innings and gave up a lead-off double in the 9th. Lefty Matt Gage was up in the bullpen. Instead of going for the left-on-left match-up, manager Tony Vitello stayed put, and the Winn-Bailey battery waffled between wanting to pitch to the slugger or not. The first two pitches were nowhere near the zone, then his splitters started creeping into bashin’ range, keeping Schwarber at the plate — which was the last place the Giants wanted him to be. Would it have been better to put the winning run on base, and face Bryce Harper? Was the thinking that the splitter had the best chance of eliciting chase, or poor contact, or keeping a ball in play on the ground? But there’s a point where an off-speed isn’t off speed anymore, and by the last one Winn threw, Schwarber was well-timed to it, got down on one knee and golfed it into right.
And why didn’t Drew Gilbert score from second on Ramos’s single in the 10th?
The ball ricocheted off Bryson Stott’s glove and rolled into no man’s land in shallow center — Gilbert would’ve scored easily, but third base coach Hector Borg decided to hold him at third. Did Borg lose track of the ball? Did he throw the stop sign up too early? Add ‘em to the list of exasperating questions!
During the postgame wrap, Ron Wotus referred to this as “a broken play” in which the action goes awry and the normal functions of a play get thrown out the window. Though it was possible Borg didn’t see the ball, Wotus — who knows a thing or two about coaching third — figured he threw up the stop sign with an abundance of caution. He had to make a split-second decision. There were no outs, the 2-3-4 hitters were due up. Wonky things happen on wonky plays, why risk getting thrown out at home? Turns out the Giants didn’t have the luxury of those precautions. Chapman struck out on a sinker out over the plate, Luis Arraez lined out…and that was basically the game.
So maybe Borg’s stop sign made some baseball sense — it’s just this team that doesn’t make baseball sense.
With the offense being so hit-or-miss, hot-or-cold, nothing feels guaranteed. Playing it safe doesn’t work. Scrap that philosophy, load up at the buffet, grab what ya can carry off the sale rack, take the money and run. Runners at the corners and nobody out is just as much a crap shoot as two-out and runner on second. Luis Arraez can dump an 0-2 change-up into right, or he can slap a liner right into the outstretched glove of Alec Bohm. Or if it’s Willy Adames at the plate, he can strike out on three pitches or four.
But we should’ve known it was going to end this way. Omens of disappointment announced themselves from the very beginning.
Trea Turner and Schwarber were up front about what was in store for Giants fans with back-to-back homers in the 1st inning off Adrian Houser.
While I’m glad, deep down…somewhere, that the Giants made things a little more interesting, my Thursday evening would’ve certainly been much simpler if that early 2-0 score held. Houser would’ve been the story, and what I wrote before the late-inning meltdown would’ve been much more relevant.
I already had a headline too: “Burning Down the Houser.” Great stuff. This is what I wrote.
Adrian Houser is made of straw and sticks. He’s been structurally unsound up on the hill, blown down by the slightest huff and puff from an opposing offense. The mound is nothing more than shifting sand beneath his feet, ground impossible to put one’s faith in. Houser entered Thursday’s start with a 7.36 ERA over his first five starts of the 2026 season, with a -10 Pitching Run Value. He had given up at least 4 earned runs in all but his first start and was still looking for answers to his 11-hit, 8-run thrashing by the Marlins when he took the mound in Philadelphia. Tipping pitches? Sure, man, maybe…or based on the first pitch solo shot by Trea Turner, it’s less that he’s tipping, and more that he’s just throwing. Throwing the baseball has really just not worked for Houser this past month. It’s time to tear down, to restructure and rebuild — if that fact wasn’t clear beforehand, it became obvious after Kyle Schwarber chased Turner’s solo shot with an absolute tank to deep right center.
Two batters into the game, two runs already in. Burn it all down, and Houser did. Right in the middle of the diamond, he burst into flames, becoming engulfed in a cleansing fire, and was reduced to ashes. Like a phoenix, he reformed in front of our eyes. A new man with gritted teeth, and a hardened, Clint Eastwood visage of determination. Or something like that. Houser didn’t become Dirty Harry, but he started getting hitters out. Batters no longer felt lucky to face him. A front door sinker froze Bryce Harper at the top of the zone. Two groundouts stranded Justin Crawford in the 2nd after his one-out triple that missed another solo home run by a couple of feet. The next Phillies hit off Houser wouldn’t come until two outs in the 5th. After walks to Schwarber and Harper in the 3rd, he got Adolis Garcia to ground into an inning-ending double play, then made a nice recovery play after taking a comebacker off his hip as part of an 8-pitch 4th. He dropped a wicked 0-2 curveball on Garrett Stubbs for the second out in the 5th before Turner punched a single up the middle, chasing Houser from the hill, before coming around to score three batters later.
The 4.2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 HR isn’t quite a .44 magnum of a pitching line, but considering how poorly Houser has pitched, and how poorly his afternoon started, those particular results are a decent step forward. He held the line long enough for the Giants offense to piece themselves back into the game. The third run earned was hardly his fault considering Turner essentially walked around the bases with Ryan Borucki on the hill.
At just 68 pitches, and it being Philadelphia’s first hit since the 2nd, it did seem like a quick trigger by Vitello. Then again, take a moment to think about it, and the decision was pretty understandable. Don’t be swayed by recency bias. Houser pitched well for three innings. Did we truly believe he had been rebuilt, or reborn? Did we want to see him face off against Schwarber for a third time if the homer in the first still hadn’t returned to earth? And with lefty specialist Ryan Borucki, why give Houser more rope to potentially trip himself on? The button was there, rosy red and flashing, and Vitello punched it. Many of us would have.
Having not pitched in six days, Borucki was well-rested and well-rusted. He was holding the baseball but didn’t seem to be in control against Philadelphia’s power lefties. With count leverage, Schwarber flipped a hustle double to left field. Harper then walked on four pitches to bring up the right-hander Adolis Garcia, who sawed a 3-2 slider into left for a 2-run single to regain the lead.
Soon after a passing spring shower relieved itself over south Philly postponing the game for half-an-hour. Some Giants fans may have preferred it if the grounds crew had just kept the tarp on the field and called the game then.
