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Happy .500 de Mayo! Dbacks 9, Pirates 0

May 5, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

On the same day that manager Torey Lovullo called the entire starting rotation into his office to tell them they needed to pick up the pace, Dbacks starter Eduardo Rodriguez did just that and then some. ERod put this team on his back tonight shutting down the Pirates offense taking some of the pressure off his team and allowing them to get back to .500 on Cinco de Mayo as they beat the Pirates 9-0.

Eduardo Rodriguez was commanding all of his pitches to all parts of the zone today. His final line was 7 innings pitched, allowing only 2 hits, while walking 3, and striking out 7.  Early in the game he did a great job of getting some strikeouts on the curveball low in the zone. The curve is a pitch that ERod has not used much historically but tonight it was critical. That low curveball opened up the top of the zone for his fastball later in the game which generated a 47% whiff rate striking out 4 Pirates hitters. In the words of Jim McLennan earlier on twitter, only 2 AZ pitchers this year have thrown 7 shutout innings and Eduardo Rodriguez is both of them. Tonight’s outing lowered ERod’s season ERA down to 2.50, far and away the best of the starting rotation and I don’t even have to check.

The Dbacks offense got off to a great start in this one pushing across 2 runs in the first inning also pushing Pirates starter Bubba Chandler to 38 pitches. The Pirates actually had their bullpen up in the first and would’ve likely pulled Chandler had 1 more batter reached in the inning. Rather than continue to focus on getting the Pirates starter out of the game, the Arizona offense would proceed to have the next 7 batters get retired in order. This game was looking like it was going to be closer as the offense failed to record a hit in innings 2-5, however their patient approach would pay off in the 6th inning as they sent 9 men to the plate and scored 5 runs blowing the game open.

The offense did do a much better job tonight staying patient at the plate walking 7 times creating a lot of base traffic and setting up some timely hits. Certainly a positive sign for an offense that has been perhaps overly aggressive in recent weeks. The most timely of the hits were a pair of doubles in the 6th inning by Gabi Moreno and Geraldo Perdomo. It was also great to see some of Ketel Marte’s early season tough like start to dissipate tonight as he hit a triple, a single, scored 2 runs, and 2 RBI. Tonight was a good example of what this offense can do when they take their walks and cut down on the chase.

This was only the 2nd win of 5 or more runs this season. Certainly a welcome beginning of the homestand for a team that has played so many high leverage close games. All eyes will be on Michael Soroka tomorrow night as he faces Paul Skenes. If Soroka can get back to the form he showed earlier in the season and keep this momentum rolling in the starting rotation, that could be a big boost for this team. Perhaps we will be able to look back on today as the day the starting rotation got back on track following a timely group meeting? Let’s hope!

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Islanders’ Matthew Schaefer named finalist for Calder Memorial Trophy after historic year

New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) reacts to a goal by New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) during the first period when the New York Islanders played the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.
New York Islanders defenseman Matthew Schaefer (48) reacts to a goal by New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27) during the first period when the New York Islanders played the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY.

Matthew Schaefer’s historic rookie season is one step away from being immortalized in hardware. 

During a live broadcast of the NHL draft lottery Tuesday night, the 18-year-old defenseman was announced as a finalist for the 2026 Calder Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player “selected as the most proficient in his first year of competition in the NHL.” 

Schaefer was announced alongside Montreal’s Ivan Demidov and Anaheim’s Beckett Sennecke. 

Matthew Schaefer (48) reacts to a goal by Anders Lee (not pitured) during the first period of the Islanders’ 4-3 loss to the Blackhawks on March 24, 2026 at UBS Arena. Robert Sabo for NY Post

The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers Association members at the conclusion of the regular season. 

Schaefer has long been considered the front-runner for the award after making an immediate impact on the Islanders in more ways than one. 

After the Islanders selected Schaefer with the top pick in last year’s draft, the Ontario native endeared himself to the fanbase and the entire NHL both on the ice and off. His stardom has pulled a much-needed spotlight onto the hockey club on Long Island. 

Posting 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) over 82 games, Schaefer tied Brian Leetch’s record for the most goals by a rookie defenseman in a single season. 

After a strong first season behind the bench of the Isles’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, Rocky Thompson earned a place with the varsity club as an assistant coach, the team announced Tuesday. 

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3 takeaways from Lakers’ Game 1 loss vs. Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 5: Rui Hachimura #28 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 5, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

Well, that wasn’t a particularly encouraging loss.

Despite facing a Thunder team coming off a week of rest, the Lakers were the ones who looked out of sorts for most of Tuesday’s Game 1 loss. While they didn’t trail by 30 at halftime — an improvement over the last two trips to Oklahoma City — it never really felt like they were in the game in the second half.

That is despite closing the gap to single digits numerous times. But each one of those runs was answered immediately by OKC, which not only had the solutions to what the Lakers threw at them but also had different players step up throughout the night.

The Lakers, meanwhile, were out of viable options two injuries ago. Now, they also have to figure out what to do with Jarred Vanderbilt’s spot in the rotation after his nasty injury in the second quarter.

Let’s take a look at the three biggest takeaways from Tuesday…

The Austin Reaves conundrum

Austin Reaves was bad on Tuesday. There is no debate or conundrum there. In fact, it was one of the worst performances by a Laker in the playoffs in decades.

But this is a situation with plenty of nuance.

For one, the Lakers can’t win this series if he isn’t playing at an All-Star level. For much of this game, the Lakers were hanging around despite Reaves having one of the worst games of his career. Even an average game from him in this one would have made it a far more interesting contest.

At the same time, you can understand why Reaves isn’t playing well. There isn’t much more of a “thrown in the fire” situation than being put into two closeout games against the Rockets and then a series against the defending champions. He clearly doesn’t have his legs under him and is being forced to catch up on the fly.

Even when he was healthy, this was a defense and team Reaves struggled against. In three regular season games, he shot 42.9% from the field, 23.1% from three and had nearly as many turnovers (14) and made field goals (15).

The Lakers need Reaves to be better. It’s an incredible tall ask, but if he can’t get back to his regular season form, this is going to be a short series.

Not enough horses

LeBron James was fantastic tonight from the get-go. There was no feeling out for him in Game 1 as he was aggressive out of the gate, helped the Lakers jump out to an early lead and finished with 27 points on 12-17 shooting.

Rui Hachimura added 18 points on 7-13 shooting and 3-6 shooting from range, making it his 12th straight game of shooting over 50% from three. He continues to rise to the occasion in the playoffs.

However, after that, the Lakers lacked offensive firepower. Deandre Ayton was alright in his 27 minutes with 10 points as foul trouble limited his action. Reaves, as we discussed, was way off the mark. Marcus Smart was 4-15 and can not be relied upon for any level of consistent offense.

The Lakers’ bench, meanwhile, has been a liability all season. Only in the stretch where Rui serves as the sixth man did the team have any level of regular production from it’s reserves.

Compare that to the Thunder, who seemingly have an endless supply of role players who can step up. The Lakers made it their mission to limit Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, so you saw Chet Holmgren (24 points), Ajay Mitchell (18), and Jared McCain (12) step up at various points. Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein and Lu Dort had various big moments and plays as well.

Part of this is the Lakers being limited by injuries. But the difference in depth between these two teams is stark. The Thunder have different players they can turn to each night while the Lakers simply do not have the horses to keep up.

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Mixing up the rotation

You don’t want to overreact too much to one game, but the Lakers’ bench woes are not unique to Game 1 of this series.

Jaxson Hayes’ spot is pretty locked in as the backup center. But Luke Kennard is now on his fourth game running with seven points or fewer. Jake LaRavia had a good Game 6 but, otherwise, has struggled these playoffs, particularly offensively. And now Vando seems likely to miss at least some time.

So, does Redick look to mix things up a bit in Game 2? Bronny James provided nice minutes in the Houston series. Maxi Kleber could step into Vando’s minutes and give LA a two-big look. If you really want to get spicy, Adou Thiero is the only other athletic wing on the bench. Or Nick Smith Jr. could get some run to see if he’s got the shot going.

The Lakers have now gone four straight games without reaching 100 points. They are 1-3 in those contests. There needs to be some level of change. It’s not guaranteed to fix anything, but the Lakers can’t keep trotting out the same rotation hoping for different results.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

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Giants’ multi-homer game goes to waste as Padres light up Logan Webb

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb (62) stands on the mound during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres in San Francisco, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. , Image 2 shows Sung-Mun Song #24 of the San Diego Padres is congratulated by Manny Machado #13 against the San Francisco Giants in the fourth inning at Oracle Park on May 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
Gianrts-Padres

An early lead with their ace on the mound wasn’t enough for the Giants to beat the Padres.

Casey Schmitt clubbed his second home run in as many games, and San Francisco built on that early advantage, but Logan Webb allowed it all back and more in a 10-5 loss Tuesday night at Oracle Park.

Webb was responsible for six of San Diego’s runs, including a five-spot in the fourth inning that turned the game in the Padres’ favor after the Giants jumped ahead 4-1 after two.

He didn’t return for the fifth, his shortest start of the year — only his 11th time in 140 starts since the start of 2022 going four innings or less. Manager Tony Vitello said knee discomfort was the reason Webb departed after only 62 pitches.

Logan Webb stands on the mound during the fourth inning of the Giants’ 10-5 loss to the Padres on May 5, 2026 in San Francisco. AP

It put a damper on a night to remember for rookie catcher Jesus Rodriguez, who followed his first major-league hit and RBI in the second with a solo shot to right for his first career homer in the seventh.

San Diego brought nine men to the plate in the fourth. Only one run was in when Webb recorded the second out of the inning, but he allowed the next four Padres to reach.

Sung-Mun Song delivered the biggest hit of the inning — and the first of his MLB career — with a bases-clearing double that split Heliot Ramos in left and Drew Gilbert in center.

The six earned runs on Webb’s line were one away from a career high, raising his ERA to 5.06. It’s the highest mark he has carried this late into a season since 2021.

He had never allowed five runs in one inning at home before this season, but it has happened twice this year.

The Yankees also pounced on him for five runs in the second on their way to a 7-0 Opening Day win.

Sung-Mun Song of the San Diego Padres is congratulated by Manny Machado against the San Francisco Giants in the fourth inning at Oracle Park on May 5, 2026 in San Francisco, California. Getty Images

What it means

The Giants hit multiple home runs for only the fifth time this season, fewer than any team besides the Red Sox.

They had been unbeaten in those games but fell to 4-1 — 11-4 when getting any homers at all.

Who’s hot

Schmitt’s two-run shot stayed fair down the left field line for his team-best sixth home run of the season — his fourth in his past 10 games.

He has also hit safely in all but one of those games and now leads San Francisco in most offensive categories.

San Francisco Giants first baseman Casey Schmitt (10) and San Francisco Giants right fielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) reacts after hitting a home run during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Meanwhile, Rafael Devers extended his hitting streak to a season-long six games with an opposite-field single. He stuck in the three-hole while Vitello slotted their other struggling veterans, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, below rookie Bryce Eldridge in the lineup.

Jackson Merrill has been a thorn in the Giants’ side so far this series with five hits in nine ABs.

Who’s not

Adames struck out in his 15th consecutive game, matching the third-longest streak of his career.

While he singled and scored on Rodriguez’s knock in the third, it was just his seventh hit in 63 at-bats (.111 BA) since his last game without a strikeout.

Willy Adames fields the ball during the seventh inning of the Giants’ loss to the Padres at Oracle Park. Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Chapman came up empty in four tries and is now hitless in his past 21 at-bats.

Fernando Tatis Jr. moved down to fifth in the Padres order, the lowest he has batted since 2019, as his homerless drought to begin the season extended to 148 plate appearances with a 1-for-5 performance.

Tatis shot a double into right field and scored in San Diego’s big fourth inning, but he went down swinging against J.T. Brubaker with two on and nobody out his next time up.

Up next

RHP Adrian Houser (0-3, 7.12 ERA) gets the ball in the rubber match against RHP Matt Waldron (0-1, 9.88 ERA). First pitch is set for 12:45 p.m.

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Sung-Mun Song delivers in first start, helps Padres top Giants

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 05: Sung-Mun Song #24 of the San Diego Padres hits a single against the San Francisco Giants in the eighth inning at Oracle Park on May 05, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Sung-Mun Song made his MLB debut in Mexico City against the Arizona Diamondbacks when the San Diego Padres added him to their roster as the 27th man. Song made an appearance as a pinch runner but did not do much more than that. Song changed that in his first MLB start when he hit a two-run double to left-center field to give the Padres a 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants.

The double by Song was part of a five-run fourth inning for the Padres against Giants starter Logan Webb. San Diego entered the top of the fourth trailing 4-1, but after scoring five runs to take a two-run lead, they never looked back while earning a 10-5 win at Oracle Park Tuesday night.

Walker Buehler started on the mound for the Padres and surrendered two runs in the bottom of the first inning on a Casey Schmitt two-run home run. San Diego answered in the top of the second inning when Xander Bogaerts hit a solo home run to left field, but Buehler returned to the mound in the bottom of the second and quickly surrendered two more runs to San Francisco, giving them a 4-1 lead. Buehler settled in after the second and completed 5.1 innings allowing four runs on seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts.

The new-look Padres offense continued to apply pressure to Giants pitchers, scoring runs in the fifth, sixth and eighth innings. Jackson Merrill was 3-for-5 with two runs scored two RBI and a stolen base from the leadoff spot. Miguel Andujar batted third and finished 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, a run scored and an RBI. Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts each finished 2-for-5 batting in the fourth and sixth spots respectively with Sheets adding a stolen base and Bogaerts opening the San Diego scoring with a solo home run in the second.

Perhaps the most notable change to the Padres lineup was Fernando Tatis Jr., who moved from the first or second spot in the lineup for much of the season, all the way down to fifth. Tatis Jr. finished 1-for-5 with a run scored.

San Diego will look to win the series when the two teams meet Wednesday at 12:45 p.m.

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Minor league hockey fans throw debris on ice, refuse to leave arena after bizarre overtime goal

Hershey Bears angry fans
Hershey Bears angry fans – https://x.com/Jlass21/status/2051846746087563305/video/1

The Sweetest Place on Earth turned sour on Tuesday night when minor league hockey fans began throwing debris onto the ice after they didn’t believe a game-winning goal had been actually scored in a rivalry playoff matchup. 

Hershey Bears fans “refused to leave” Giant Center in Hershey, Pa., after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins winger Rutger McGroarty scored the deciding goal 5:03 into overtime to give his side a 4-3 win and a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-five Atlantic Division semifinal. 

The issue?

Hershey Bears fans were made after the loss. Jlass21/X

Some Bears fans didn’t believe the puck had gone in the net and became irate after the officials left the ice without reviewing the goal. They then began chucking trash onto the ice. 

Video posted to social media showed beer cans being flung onto the playing surface after both teams left the ice, with AHL reporter Tony Androckitis describing it as a “wild scene.” 

CBS21 assistant news director Tyler Jeski wrote on X that Bears fans were “bewildered at how the OT game against Wilkes-Barre ended with a shot that didn’t appear to go into the net.”

In another video, fans could be heard chanting, “Refs, you suck!” One supporter also violently banged on the glass behind one of the goals. 

Hershey Bears fans were mad after the loss. Jlass21/X

“Totally unacceptable throwing things on the ice. I saw a group of Bears fans hit with objects sitting in the 1st row. Terrible behavior,” former TV sports anchor Andrew Kalista wrote on X. 

But the replay showed that the puck did go in, despite the confusion from fans. 

An overhead shot of the goal clearly showed the puck hitting the back bar of the net and deflecting out.

The loss puts the Bears on the brink of elimination amid a battle against a rival. 

Not only do both teams call Pennsylvania home, but the Bears and Penguins are also the farm teams of the NHL’s Capitals and Penguins, respectively.

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Utah Jazz outbid this team for Jaren Jackson Jr.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - MARCH 21: Jaren Jackson Jr. #20 of the Utah Jazz smiles during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 21, 2026 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. 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 Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

According to Michael Grange, the Utah Jazz outbid the Toronto Raptors for Jaren Jackson Jr. during the trade deadline.

From Grange:

leading up to trade deadline in February, the Raptors were working hard to try and make a deal that would land them Jaren Jackson Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies before he was ultimately traded to the Utah Jazz in a package that included three first round picks, according to multiple league sources. The sticking point was finding someone to take on Jakob Poeltl’s four years and $104 million the 30-year-old has owed to him. 

It’s a good thing that the Raptors made the signing for Poeltl because it likely helped make sure that Jackson would be on the Jazz. There are always stories that come out after trade deadlines, and this is one of them. A little luck appears to have helped the Jazz with this trade. Let’s hope the luck also carries over to the upcoming lottery night.

This is also a good example of why you need to be careful with giving out big contracts to non-all-stars. Utah is in the midst of deciding on a contract with Walker Kessler. Interestingly, Kessler wants more than what the Raptors gave to Poeltl. Kessler is a better player than Jakob Poeltl, but he’s not an all-star, and $30M a year for a rim-protecting center is a tough pill to swallow and could give the Jazz real headaches down the road if Kessler doesn’t live up to the money. Now, if Kessler can continue to develop different aspects of his game, it changes things. But you could argue that Kessler and Poeltl are pretty similar players. Now that Utah is competing for as many wins as possible, the decisions they make have much bigger consequences, they have to get things right. Otherwise, you have unintended consequences down the road you can’t foresee right now.

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Mets Minor League Roundup: Nick Morabito, Ryan Clifford tally two hits, Elian Peńa homers

Nick Morabito continued his good run at the plate as Triple-A Syracuse dropped a 3-2 rain-shortened game, in six innings, to Rochester, on Tuesday night. 

Morabito notched a pair of singles in three at-bats and came around to score, raising his average to .284 and OPS to .864 through his first 30 games at Triple-A on the season, as he's 11-for-30 in his last 10 with four extra-base hits, four RBI, and eight walks.

Morabito, who turns 23 on Thursday, entered the 2026 season on the Mets' 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft and as the No. 11 prospect on Joe DeMayo's Top 30 list of Mets’ prospects.

Ryan Clifford had a single and a double with an RBI and a walk in his three times at the plate on Tuesday. Both hits were scorched: 108.1 mph off the bat and 106.1 mph.

The No. 6 prospect raised his average to .234 with a .740 OPS in 32 games this year. He's got 11 extra-base hits (five homers) with 19 RBI.

A.J. Ewing, the No. 3 prospect in the Mets’ system, went hitless on Tuesday. Through his first seven games at Triple-A, the 21-year-old is batting .440 (11-for-25) with a pair of extra-base hits and two RBI and a 1.060 OPS.

Down in Port St. Lucie, Elian Peńa smacked a three-run home run for his lone hit in five times up. The 370-foot blast was smacked 104.7 mph off the bat. The Mets’ No. 7 prospect struck out twice, but is still batting .311 with a .866 OPS through his first 26 games of the year at Single-A

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Recap: Avs take 2-0 series lead after 5-2 victory over Wild

Ball Arena welcomed Avalanche fans (and some Wild fans) for game two of the second round series between the Colorado Avalanche and Minnesota Wild, and those supporting the home club would head to the lot happy once again.

The Avalanche scored first and last tonight, and despite Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes, and Marcus Johansson’s best effort, Colorado’s star power and physicality won the night.

Nathan MacKinnon had three assists and a goal, Gabe Landeskog scored on the power play, and the Avalanche were the aggressors in the checking department.

Scott Wedgewood made some clutch saves on the kill and looked good in his 6th consecutive playoff start and victory.

On the other hand, Filip Gustavsson gave up two goals on his first two shots and didn’t appear all that comfortable for the Wild.

The Avs have Minnesota in a must-win situation now after snagging a 5-2 victory.

Let’s take a deeper look at the action of game number two!

The Game

I hardly get a bold prediction right on the Mile High Hockey Lab, but today I actually earned a ding as Martin Necas was indeed the first goalscorer of the evening. I mentioned on the program that I felt he’d been plenty creative and was due for a goal rather than a setup.

Nathan MacKinnon broke in and found Martin Necas on a drop pass, who broke toward the net and sent a backhand shot through traffic that beat Filip Gustavsson.

In the intermission report, Mark Messier said, “You need a save there,” when recapping the tally that would give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.

That lead would last all of six seconds as a broken play leading to Devon Toews and Cale Makar both covering the same Wild player.

Martin Necas was left to pick up Kirill Kaprisov, but didn’t really stand a chance in that regard.

Kaprisov would break in all alone and beat Scott Wedgewood with ease. We were tied at one.

The Colorado Avalanche power play dominated the conversation throughout the regular season (not in a good way). Still, it was on point tonight, starting with the third goal of the first period logged by Gabe Landeskog.

The tape-to-tape passes from Kadri to Makar to Necas connected with Nathan MacKinnon, who one-touched a pass from the net side to Landeskog in the bumper position. Landy left no doubt with the finish. 2-1 Avalanche, and that’s how the first period would end.

The Avalanche got an early second-period goal from deadline addition Nicolas Roy on a feed from Ross Colton to give the boys in burgundy a 3-1 lead.

Good to see Rosco get on the board for the first time this playoffs, and Nic Roy now has 4 points in the six playoff games this postseason.

Colorado hasn’t lost a game all season where they’ve held the lead heading into the third, and would add another notch to that log on the back of another power play goal, this time from Nathan MacKinnon.

Nate did well to find himself some open ice and got a fortunate bounce as his one-timer went off Yakov Trenin’s shin and in. The Avalanche would extend their lead to 4-1.

We saw a little pushback from the Minnesota Wild, who got a third-period goal from Marcus Johansson. I thought Johansson was among the Wild’s best players, and so I wasn’t surprised that he finally broke through, bringing the score to 4-2.

In the end, a not-so-smart cross-check from Karpisov would tranquilize the Wild’s comeback effort, and inevitably, Val Nichushkin would loft a puck the length of the ice and into the empty net.

The Avalanche win 5-2 in a professional, workman-like effort and improve to 6-0 in the playoffs, taking a 2-0 series lead heading to Minnesota for game three.

Takeaways

The Wild have to be disappointed in a couple of things tonight, but I’ll start with the penalties they took. Ryan Hartman’s trip in the second and Kaprisov’s cross-check to Makar’s face were killers tonight.

Hartman’s didn’t end up in a goal and neither did Kaprisov’s, oddly enough, but they did kill some much-needed momentum on completely avoidable infractions.

The Avalanche pulled the uno-reverse card and outhit the Minnesota Wild with more than a few memorable and crunching hits.

Brock Nelson caught Ryan Hartman reaching, Nathan MacKinnon bowled right over Quinn Hughes, and pasted Matt Boldy to the boards. I expect a response from the Wild in this regard in game three, so it will be important for Colorado to make the most of those three days’ rest.

Minnesota went with Filip Gustavsson tonight as a surprise replacement for Jesper Wallstedt, and it seemed to backfire a bit.

A couple of Colorado’s goals, you’d like your goalie to make a save, but Gustavsson hasn’t had a start since March and was making a habit of giving up four or more back then, so I’m confused as to what sort of jolt John Hines was expecting from that move.

It’s so shockingly odd that it leads me to speculate that something was wrong with Wallstedt. It could be as simple as he just needed a night off. Speculation aside, I’d bet the Wild go with Wallstedt for the rest of the series.

Colorado’s top guns were flying around tonight, and when that’s the case, they are a tough team to beat. It felt like the Lehkonen — MacKinnon — Necas line could score on any shift, and Gabe Landeskog still seems to find another level this time of year.

Colorado did recommit defensively, and outside of that lapse that led to Kaprisov’s goal, they were back to shutting things down. What you just read may be true, but make no mistake: Scott Wedgewood did his thing yet again.

Upcoming

The Avs will head to Minnesota for a Saturday night game three at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul for a 7 p.m. MT start time.

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

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Matt Olson’s 9th inning homer sends Braves to 3-2 win over Mariners

May 5, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (28) runs the bases after hitting a solo-home run against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

A night after letting another win slip through their fingers, the Atlanta Braves battled back to even the series in Seattle against the Mariners with a 3-2 victory on Tuesday.

In the top of the ninth, Matt Olson launched a solo homer off Mariners closer Andrés Munoz to give the Braves a 3-2 lead. Olson barreled the ball to center field, which kept cutting towards the left-center gap and cleared the fence. It was career homer No. 301 for Olson, who currently leads Major League Baseball in WAR. It ticked up a few more notches on Tuesday night.

Offense was tough to come by for the better part of eight innings for the Braves, who seldom had much action on the bases against Seattle righty George Kirby. The lone rally came in the fourth inning — just moments after Seattle had taken a 2-0 lead — as Mauricio Dubon poked a ball down the right field line to score two runners. Dubon’s double and Olson’s homer were the lone extra base hits for Atlanta on Tuesday night.

Bryce Elder was, once again, fantastic for six innings. He struck out nine Mariners and generated 17 whiffs over 93 pitches. His lone mistake was a middle-middle fastball to JP Crawford that was crushed about 15 rows deep to the right field seats, but he was excellent otherwise. Through eight starts this season, Elder owns a stellar 2.02 ERA, 3.20 FIP and 3.83 xFIP. For a pitching staff with a lot of injuries and question marks, Elder has been a pillar of consistency through the first quarter of the season.

In relief of Elder, the vaunted trio of Dylan Lee, Robert Suarez and freshly off the injured list Raisel Iglesias was nearly perfect. They recorded seven strikeouts across three innings, allowed just one soft single in the ninth to Josh Naylor.

The series will wrap up on Wednesday afternoon, and as of this writing, it seems Martin Perez may make the start in place of Grant Holmes. Whoever starts for the Braves will be opposed by righty Bryan Woo, who has pitched well the previous few years but is coming off two brutal starts in which he surrendered 13 runs across nine innings. First pitch is a much earlier 4:10 p.m. ET.

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Yankees option Elmer Rodriguez, but not before prospect fulfills dream of pitching in pinstripes

Top Yankees pitching prospect Elmer Rodriguez took the mound Tuesday night for his second career start. 

After making his major league debut in Arlington against the Rangers, Rodriguez stood across the same lineup, but this time, in front of fans at Yankee Stadium.

"Better than what I expected. It was always a dream of mine pitching here," Rodriguez said after his start. "I was excited and it was a blast... Ever since I was a little kid, I was dreaming of playing in the big and hopefully play for the Yankees, extremely blessed and thankful for the opportunity to be here and wear pinstripes."

While it was a dream come true for Rodriguez, it started like a nightmare.

Rodriguez walked the first two batters of the game and it came back to bite him. That lack of control sullied what was otherwise a strong start from Rodriguez, and it was in danger of doing so again. The Rangers took advantage of the walks to put up a three-spot before the Yankees even came to bat. 

The young right-hander had to throw 37 pitches to get out of the first frame, but Rodriguez would find his way. He settled in and was able to pitch into the fifth for the second time and the offense was able to tie the score at 3-3. Rodriguez was close to getting through the fifth, too, but the Rangers got three on base before Aaron Boone had to pull his youngster. 

Brent Headrick came in and slammed the door on Texas to put an end to Rodriguez's stat line.

"Just having a hard time getting settled. Again, though, credit to him. It could have really gotten away there," Boone said of Rodriguez's performance. "To have two long at-bats to start it and lose them both. Then a base hit right away, to limit the damage somewhat and still grind his way through it. Proud of the effort and a great learning experience. You’re in the fire there. It can go haywire really quick. He didn’t flinch. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but he battled his butt off."

"First inning wasn’t the first inning I was trying to go for," Rodriguez said. "Two walks to start the game, I can’t be doing that. Makes me go into trouble, struggled a little bit there. After that, just tried to be simple, just go there, attack and not try to do too much and it felt like it worked better."

That simplification helped Rodriguez get through the bulk of his start, and leave runners on base -- the Rangers left 12 on Tuesday. He credited going one pitch at a time and executing. 

"I got good stuff," Rodriguez said. "Just trust in myself, stay in the zone and got good results."

"He’s got good stuff. He’s a good athlete," Boone said. "I feel like he was able to slow the situation down enough. In a night where he was struggling to get the ball where he wanted consistently."  

Following Tuesday's win, the Yankees optioned Rodriguez back to Triple-A.

The move isn't shocking. It doesn't have everything to do with Rodriguez's performances but with the imminent return of Carlos Rodon,who likely pitched his final rehab start with Scranton on Tuesday night.

Although his Yankee Stadium experience was brief, the 22-year-old can use that experience and continue his development at a level where he excelled. In his four starts with Triple-A this season, Rodriguez had a 1.27 ERA and walked just seven batters, just one more than his first two starts in the bigs, so the organization knows the control is there, and if he continues to pitch well this season, Tuesday may not be the last time Rodriguez dons pinstripes.

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17-20: Chart

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - MAY 05: JP Crawford #3 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at T-Mobile Park on May 05, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The good times: J.P. Crawford, +.14 WPA

The better times: George Kirby, +.16 WPA

Don’t cry for me: Andrés Muñoz, -.32 WPA

Game Thread Comment of the Day:

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Calder Cup Playoffs: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Ties Game 3 Late Before McGroarty Wins It In Overtime

For most of the third period, it looked like the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins were going to lose Game 3 of their series against the Hershey Bears. 

They were down 3-2 going into the third and were trailing for most of the period until Avery Hayes scored the tying goal with just under three minutes left in the final frame. He let the puck rip from just above the right circle and was mobbed by his teammates along the boards. 

Goaltender Sergei Murashov had just been pulled for the extra attacker when Hayes tied the game up. 

Hershey goaltender Clay Stevenson had been making some big saves in that final frame before Hayes finally broke through. 

Before the game got to that point, WBS started fast with goals from defenseman Phil Kemp and forward Mikhail Ilyin in the first period. Ilyin scored his first AHL goal in the first period, making it a 2-0 game. 

After that, Hershey rallied to tie the game at the end of the first period before taking a 3-2 lead 37 seconds into the second period. WBS goaltender Sergei Murashov made some timely saves after allowing the third goal, keeping his team within striking distance so that Hayes could eventually tie the game. 

Overtime was needed to decide the game, and the game-winner was scored by Rutger McGroarty. McGroarty's deflection went in and out of the net so fast that Hershey players were stunned that the game was over.

Even Hershey fans were confused because they felt the puck didn't go in, but the AHL confirmed it crossed the goal line via an overhead view. 

WBS will now try to close out Hershey in Game 4 on Thursday. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

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Holmgren has 24 points to help Thunder top Lakers 108-90 in Game 1 of Western Conference semifinals

OKLAHOMA CITY — Chet Holmgren had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each added 18 points for the Thunder. The defending champions improved to 5-0 in the playoffs, despite missing 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams with an injured left hamstring for the third straight game. The Thunder shot 49.4% from the field and made 13 of 30 3-pointers.

Oklahoma City will host Game 2 on Thursday.

Los Angeles struggled to find offense without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who has missed the past month with an injured left hamstring. LeBron James scored 27 points and Rui Hachimura added 18 for the Lakers. Austin Reaves, who averaged 23.3 points in the regular season, was held to eight on 3-for-16 shooting.

Oklahoma City won all four regular-season matchups by an average of 29.3 points, and this one was only slightly closer. The Thunder held the Lakers to 41.7% shooting and forced 17 turnovers.

The Lakers ran out to a 7-0 lead, with James scoring five of the points. Eventually, the Thunder shook off the rust from an eight-day break and went up 31-26 at the end of the first quarter, despite 12 points from James.

Holmgren’s two-handed alley-oop dunk on a lob from Isaiah Hartenstein put the Thunder up 48-39. Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt injured the pinkie finger on his right hand on the play, left the game and did not return.

Oklahoma City led 61-53 at halftime, despite 16 points from James.

Mitchell, who started in Williams’ place, made a corner 3-pointer and was fouled by Marcus Smart in the final minute of the third quarter. His free throw put the Thunder up 84-72, a score that held up until the end of the period.

Alex Caruso’s fast-break dunk early in the fourth put Oklahoma City up 88-73, and the Thunder maintained control from there.

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Player Grades: Lakers vs. Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - MAY 5: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers dribbles the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round Two Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 5, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. 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 Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

In the playoffs, rotations shrink, but perhaps Lakers head coach JJ Redick will have to open his up a bit. The Lakers had only eight players who logged at least 10 minutes and with so many subpar performances, someone else needed to be called upon.

The Thunder had 10 players play more than 10 minutes and they got great production from Jared McCain. LA could’ve put Nick Smith Jr. in the game for a stretch to see if he could ignite the offense, especially in a game where Austin Reaves gave the team nothing.

Yes, it’s a gamble, but clearly every option has to be explored if the Lakers are going to pull off an upset against the Thunder.

So, let’s dive into the loss. As always, grades are based on expectations for each player. A “B” grade represents the average performance for that player.

LeBron James

36 minutes, 27 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 12-17 FG, 3-6 3PT, 0-1 FT, -6

LeBron set the tone early for the Lakers, scoring immediately, knocking down threes, and getting LA ahead 7-0. He stayed aggressive and was efficient, scoring 27 points on 12-17 shooting.

Once again, LeBron came to play and was far and away the best player in a purple and gold uniform. Hopefully, other starters follow his lead and up their game.

Grade: A

Rui Hachimura

37 minutes, 18 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 1 turnover, 1 foul, 7-13 FG, 3-6 3PT, 1-2 FT, -21

Hachimura played at his expected level. He knocked down shots and was a three-level scorer for the Lakers. Despite the disappointing loss, Hachimura reached a satisfactory level of consistency.

Grade: B

Deandre Ayton

27 minutes, 10 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 1 turnover, 4 fouls, 5-11 FG, -4

Ayton was aggressive early and had an overall nice game with a double-double. His defense against the Thunder bigs was good, and while many things went wrong for the purple and gold, Ayton wasn’t one of them.

Grade: B

Marcus Smart

32 minutes, 12 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, 2 turnovers, 3 fouls, 4-15 FG, 2-8 3PT, 2-2 FT, -10

Smart was a bit of a roller coaster. He had some great defensive moments, was fighting for loose balls and knocked down some nice shots. He also had some silly turnovers and frustrating plays, taking shots he had no business taking.

There is no room for error against the Thunder, so he has to make better decisions.

Grade: C

Austin Reaves

36 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 block, 4 turnovers, 3 fouls, 3-16 FG, 0-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, -10

Reaves was awful.

The Lakers need more from him. It’s understandable he’s not at 100%, considering he is just coming back from his Grade 2 oblique strain, but these are the defending champions.

If Reaves can’t score in bunches and Luka Dončić doesn’t return, then they have no shot of winning this series.

Grade: F

Luke Kennard

29 minutes, 7 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 turnovers, 1 foul, 1-4 FG, 1-3 3PT, 4-4 FT, -14

As the playoff intensity has increased, Luke’s production has gone the other way. He’s still the best bench player the Lakers have, but that’s kind of the problem. Nothing can be done now, as this is the team they have, so Luke just needs to be more aggressive and take advantage of the opportunities he gets.

Grade: D

Jaxson Hayes

16 minutes, 3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 2 fouls, 1-3 FG, 1-2 FT, -12

Hayes did his job in this game. He was a ball of energy and a willing and able defender. How a blocking call was overturned and became an offensive foul for Hayes in the third quarter is anybody’s guess.

Grade: B

Jake LaRavia

13 minutes, 3 points, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 turnovers, 1-2 FG, 1-1 3PT, -9

LaRavia’s offense was bad, his passes were suspect, and his defensive impact was minimal. He just isn’t playing well, and this level of competition seems a bit too much for him.

Grade: F

Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero, Nick Smith Jr., Bronny James, Dalton Knecht

Vando likely would’ve played more, but his night was cut short due to a dislocation of his right pinky. He had to exit the game, and we don’t know what his status will be moving forward.

Everyone else played for just a minute in garbage time.

JJ Redick

While I would’ve liked some other backcourt looks once it was clear Reaves didn’t have it, Redick did a solid job. The way he was able to contain Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was brilliant, and he was smart with his timeouts, using them earlier than usual when he felt that OKC was going on a run.

His ATOs were very good. He had a brilliant one drawn up at the end of the second quarter that got LeBron a clean look at the basket. James missed it, but it was an example of how Redick can find an advantage and set his team up for success.

Grade: B

Tuesday’s DNPs: Maxi Kleber

Tuesday’s inactives: Luka Dončić

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