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Dodgers capitalize on gift to even series with Padres

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 19: Alex Call #12 of the Los Angeles Dodgers scores a run ahead of the tag by Freddy Fermin #54 of the San Diego Padres during the ninth inning at Petco Park on May 19, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The first two games this season between the teams with the two best records in the National League West have been close, hard-fought battles going down to the wire. After not scoring in the series opener, the Dodgers found just enough offense on Tuesday and capitalized on an absolute gift from the most dominant closer in baseball to beat the San Diego Padres 5-4 at Petco Park.

Mason Miller was wild on Monday, walking his first two batters in the ninth inning before getting the final three outs to close out the 1-0 San Diego win. Max Muncy worked a one-out walk against Miller in the ninth inning on Tuesday, then was replaced by pinch-runner Alex Call.

Call took off for second base on Miller’s first movement, but it coincided with Miller delivering a pickoff throw to first base. Ordinarily, Call would have been dead to rites, except that Miller’s cannon of a throw got by, just off the glove of Ty France and down the right field line, allowing Call to get to third base.

Andy Pages fell behind 0-2, then fouled off four more pitches, working the count even before driving a fastball just deep enough to right field to score Call with the winning run on a very close play at the plate. That’s pretty much been the margin for things through two games of the series.

Freddie Freeman has been battling an illness the last few days, manager Dave Roberts told reporters in San Diego before the game. But the first baseman went from under the weather to over the left field wall against Griffin Canning in the first inning for a two-run home run to not only get the Dodgers on the board but also snap a personal string of 16 hitless at-bats (with five walks) dating back to last Wednesday.

Freeman homered again in the sixth inning, this time to right field off reliever Jeremiah Estrada to tie the game at four apiece. It’s the first multi-homer game this season for Freeman, and his third game in 2026 with two extra-base hits.

Shohei Ohtani doubled and scored in the first inning, then doubled again to lead off the eighth, setting up a golden opportunity.

With Ohtani on third base and one out, Freeman chased a 3-1 fastball outside the strike zone, then struck out swinging against Padres left-hander Adrián Morejón, who then got ahead of lefty Kyle Tucker 0-2 before inducing a tapper back to the box to end the Dodgers’ wasted threat.

Ohtani has reached base multiple times in each of his last six games, during which he’s 12 for 23 with six extra-base hits and six walks, good for a .522/.621/.913 batting line.

Trouble with the fastball

Emmet Sheehan got the first two batters in the bottom of the first and was ahead in the count 1-2 on Gavin Sheets before walking him. Then Manny Machado clobbered a middle-middle fastball on a full count for a two-run home run of his own. The Padres third baseman was in his own slump, with just three hits in 29 at-bats between home runs.

Miguel Andujar took advantage of another Sheehan meatball in the third inning, cashing in an infield single by Fernando Tatis Jr. for another two-run home run, the second homer of the series for Andujar.

Sheehan nearly allowed another two-run home run on a fastball to Ty France in the fourth inning, but it was hit to one of the deepest parts of the park in right center field, and needed a bounce to get over the fence. What would have easily scored Jackson Merrill from first base instead was a ground-rule double, forcing Merrill back to third base. Sheehan was able to escape the damage with an inning-ending groundout.

The Padres swung at 19 of Sheehan’s 28 fastballs and didn’t miss once, and his day was done after four runs in four innings at just 67 pitches, not allowed to see the top of San Diego’s lineup a third time.

Sheehan’s early exit led to some earlier appearances for the Dodgers’ most trusted relievers, such that Alex Vesia, Blake Treinen, and Tanner Scott were used in tight spots in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.

That left the ninth inning for Will Klein, who struck out France and retired all three batters he faced to preserve the win and earn his first career save. Edgardo Henriquez and those four Dodgers relievers combined to get the final 15 outs in scoreless fashion, allowing one hit and three walks, with four strikeouts.

Tuesday particulars

Home runs: Freddie Freeman 2 (6); Manny Machado (7), Miguel Andujar (5)

WP — Tanner Scott (1-1): 1 1/3 IP, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

LP — Mason Miller (1-1): 2/3 IP, 1 unearned run, 1 walk

Sv — Will Klein (1): 1 IP, 1 strikeout

Up next

Shohei Ohtani takes the mound in the final game of the series, the road trip, and this stretch of 13 game days in a row on Wednesday evening (5:40 p.m., SportsNet LA), with right-hander Randy Vásquez starting for San Diego.

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Landry Shamet's fourth-quarter defense inspires Knicks in Game 1 victory: 'He was the difference in the ballgame'

It was a quarter to remember for Landry Shamet and the Knicks.

Down 22 points to the Cavaliers with less than eight minutes to go in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Shamet helped New York orchestrate their largest comeback victory in franchise playoff history.

While Jalen Brunson exploded for 15 points to lead the comeback, Shamet's defense and clutch shot-making gave the Knicks captain some help in the team's improbable 115-104 victory in overtime on Tuesday night.

"Landry Shamet was great. He was great on both ends of the floor. He came up big," head coach Mike Brown said after the win. "You’re not going to stop a guy like Donovan Mitchell. Landry tried like heck to make him work. He was fantastic. He was the difference in the ballgame tonight on both ends of the floor."

"He played big time," Brunson said of Shamet. "He's up to any task that you put in front of him. He's been that player for us, and we have the utmost faith in him."

The Cavaliers star went for a team-high 29 points, but in the final frame, he scored just three on 1 of 4 shooting thanks to Shamet. 

"He didn’t just change the game with the clutch shots, but defensively bringing energy," Miles McBride said of Shamet. "Getting hands on deflections and picking up full court. Things like that inspires the whole team." 

For Shamet, he credited Game 1's defense on Mitchell on the Knicks' depth. Shamet played just three minutes through the first three quarters -- all in the first half -- so he had the energy to stay with Mitchell in the fourth.

"One of the luxuries of our team is we got a lot of really good primary on-ball, primary off-the-ball defenders. Team defenders," Shamet explained. "I didn’t really play the first three quarters and then you throw fresh legs at someone whose got it going. Just come in try to compete, be physical, take advantage that I didn’t play. Use the energy that I had. That's really it. Compete, communicate, make it hard on him. He's a helluva player.

"We expect him to have a good game against us. Gotta give him his credit, he really hurt us. We have to make adjustments. We were connected, played hard and was physical." 

Although the Knicks applauded Shamet's defense in the fourth quarter, he made some timely shots, including a three-pointer with less than a minute to go that tied the game at 99 apiece. Shamet said he was saying "just stay down" as it rattled around the rim before going through the hoop. 

"I didn’t realize at the time that one would have tied up," Shamet said of the shot. "That's where you kinda want to be. When you're flowing, you don't want to be thinking about things. The ball found me, I was open in transition, let the ball fly and it went in."

Shamet would also make an open three in overtime after Brunson found him, which put the Knicks up nine with 1:49 remaining, and essentially sealed the win for New York. That play embodied Brown's mindset, and when the first-year Knicks coach was asked why he went with Shamet in the fourth, he said he wanted a shooter on the perimeter against the Cavs defense, who play big. And if Cleveland decided to put a bigger defender on Shamet, he would exploit it. 

He also needed to space the floor while Brunson continued to dissect the defense in the paint.

"Defensively, Landry’s a big guard, he’s physical, and he can defend without foul," Brown said. "To play him, knowing they will pack the paint when Jalen comes and the sprays are going to be there. And that’s what we decided to do."

There was a point in the fourth when the team was still down 17 in the fourth and Shamet was visibly trying to fire up his teammates. Shamet said he knew it was a turning point in the game and that they had to go for it.

"If you’re going to make it run, that’s when you have to do it," Shamet said. "Might as well throw your best punch at that point, do what you can. You have to leave it all out there, especially this time of the year. That’s what we did. We have a group that didn’t flinch at the deficit. We made something happen."

The Knicks look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead when they host the Cavs against on Thursday night.

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Delirious Knicks fans already have NBA Finals opponent in mind after Game 1 rally: ‘We want Wemby!’

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Knicks fans watched the game from outside MSG, Image 2 shows New York Knicks fans celebrate their team's 115-104 overtime win outside Madison Square Garden, Image 3 shows The Knicks fans were all smiles after the win
Knicks fans

The Knicks won Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in the most inconceivable of fashions, so it’s no surprise their fans were on a high.

But in their exultation outside Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, the Knicks faithful might’ve gotten a little too ahead of themselves.

The area outside the Garden is always a party after a Knicks playoff win, and Tuesday night was no different after a 115-104 overtime victory over the Cavaliers. But some Knicks fans were already thinking about an NBA Finals opponent.

“We want Wemby!” some fans on the plaza chanted in unison, referring to Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama, whose team has a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference finals over the Thunder.

Some exuberant fans in another chant yelled out, “Knicks in four.”

If the Knicks do end up playing the Spurs in the 2026 NBA Finals, New York does bring in a championship edge over San Antonio from this season. The Knicks beat the Spurs, who were limiting Wembanyama’s minutes, in the NBA Cup final in mid-December.

Knicks fans celebrate their team’s 115-104 overtime win outside Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026. James Keivom for NY Post
The Knicks fans were all smiles after the win. James Keivom for NY Post
Knicks fans watched the game from outside MSG. James Keivom for NY Post

The two teams split the other two games in the regular season, with each squad winning at home.

But the Knicks will still have to get past a Cavaliers team, which did luck vulnerable after blowing a 22-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell led the way with 29 points, but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t pull back any punches after the loss.

“We lost, we f–king blew it,” he told reporters.

San Antonio would have to get past the defending champion Thunder to make a Knicks-Spurs 1999 NBA Finals rematch happen, too. That series resumes on Wednesday.

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23-27: Chart

May 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Fans in the upper right field seats wave their shirts and cheer following a strikeout by the Chicago White Sox against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

White Sox 2, Mariners 1

My mood when I volunteered to do the chart in the eighth inning: Bryce Miller, +0.30 WPA
My mood now: Andres Muñoz, -0.56 WPA

Game thread comment of the day:

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Giancarlo Stanton stuck in Yankees holding pattern after dissappointing MRI exam

Giancarlo Stanton in a New York Yankees uniform and batting helmet.
Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) looks on against the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning at Tropicana Field.

The good news for the Yankees is that Giancarlo Stanton feels better than his MRI exam looks.


The bad news is that the MRI overrules what the veteran DH is feeling.

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And so Stanton remains in a holding pattern after repeat imaging last week revealed that there is still a low-grade strain lingering in his right calf, keeping him from getting the clearance to ramp up a running program that he needs to do before he returns.

“Calves are very interesting and history [factors in],” Stanton said Tuesday before the Yanks’ 5-4 win over the Jays. “Just got to be careful of not making it much longer than it needs to be.”

Stanton, who has missed time with calf strains before, has been hitting every day in the cage and off the Trajekt machine, which should keep him close to game ready once he starts running.

He has also been doing plyometric exercises, which he said are “explosive enough to be running, just not the continuous [motion].”

Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) looks on against the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth inning at Tropicana Field. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

But the Yankees are being cautious and will likely get another MRI to make sure he is fully healed before he advances to running.

“I don’t want to be out,” said Stanton, who has been on the IL since April 28. “I want to be back as soon as possible.”

Austin Wells returned to the lineup Tuesday after J.C. Escarra had started back-to-back games behind the plate and went 0-for2.

Wells has struggled at the plate at the plate all season, but especially of late, entering the day 3-for-32.

“It does feel like his work’s been really good behind the scenes,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He has the equipment to get out of it. But in these times, you got to just be process-driven and think small. It’s about really just, as much as you can, focus on the quality of the at-bat and trust that your ability over time will net you results. He’s very capable of that. The good thing is he’s been tremendous behind the plate”

José Caballero took batting practice on the field Tuesday, continuing to do ramp up baseball activities in hopes of missing just the minimum 10 days on the injured list with a fracture in his right middle finger.

He is first eligible to return on Friday.

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The Yankees promoted righty reliever Eric Reyzelman to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Tuesday after a strong start to the season at Double-A.

After struggling at SWB last year and then undergoing a microdiscectomy late in the season, the 24-year-old struck out 32 and walked only four across 17 ¹/₃ innings with Double-A Somerset, even touching 100 mph at times. 

If Reyzelman carries over his success to Triple-A, he could enter the conversation of giving the Yankees help in the bullpen before long.

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Game 1 – Knicks 115, Cavs 104 (OT): Scenes from the greatest playoff comeback in franchise history

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 19: Josh Hart #3 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks react to a call as Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the first quarter in Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 2026 in New York City. 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 Sarah Stier/Getty Images) | Getty Images

I’m speechless. Wordless.

The Knicks closed Game 1 of the conference finals against Cleveland on a 44-11 run, turning a 21-point deficit with less than eight minutes left in the fourth quarter into a 115-104 overtime win, the biggest postseason comeback in franchise history. I’ve seen more than 200 Knick playoff games. I’ve never seen one more dramatic. The game chart literally looks like the map for a three-act drama.

Image credit: nba.com

About ten minutes in, we left the old world (the Cavs getting ahead early) for the new (the Knicks leading most of the rest of the first half. That’s not really “new” in that the Knicks have been leading for weeks, but they haven’t played in over a week, so it’s their newest lead in a while).

Then the long, dark turn from the end of the second act through the third, as multiple forces conspire to pit our hero against impossible odds. The climax: the end of regulation/first few minutes of overtime, as it became clear the Cavs were toast. The lights weren’t too bright this time. They just got punched in the face. Over and over. They couldn’t stop the bleeding.

Very much relatedly, they couldn’t stop Jalen Brunson; even among the sparkling lights of his legendary playoff performances, tonight may go down as the crown jewel. When the Knicks were at their low point, he locked in on attacking James Harden, the Hasabeard and the Cavaliers had no answer for him, and by the time they knew what hit them the Knicks were dribbling out the last seconds of their overtime win.

This wasn’t the scoreboard porn we were spoiled by against Atlanta and Philadelphia, but as dominance goes, 44-11 over a de facto quarter takes a backseat to nobody. Early on Cleveland showed a lot of the good energy they showed winning Sunday in Detroit, but double-digit turnovers by intermission kept them from sustaining anything good.

The Knicks were ahead most of the first half, but for much of the game while players for both teams looked fatigued or rusty, Donovan Mitchell looked shot out of a cannon. Drilling from deep, deflections, dashing out in transition, diming: Spida was weaving his web everywhere.

There’s a bit of a Sinister Six energy to these Cavs. Mitchell, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley are the three villains who come together to plot their revenge against a shared enemy. Max Strus (2023 Heat) and Thomas Bryant (last year’s Pacers) are former villains just down to help bring the pain. Harden looks like a comic book villain; there’s a cartoonish quality to his tattletale ref-baiting brand of ball.

The Cavs began to pull away after halftime, when the Knicks found themselves piling up the giveaways. The hope is make a run late in the third to set up some momentum for the fourth. Reader, they did not.

Could they come out for the final frame all fired up and foaming at the mouths, and run down the non-fake comeback? Thankfully there was no foaming. There was Brunson, lofting his artworks high off glass, draining floaters, finding others. There was Anunoby, in his first action in two weeks, grabbing every defensive rebound in sight. Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet hitting 3 after game-tying 3 after game-clinching 3.

As the game ticked under the eight-minute mark and the Knicks trailed by 22, I did the math in my head: get it down to 12 with four minutes left. That gives you a realistic shot. By the four-minute mark, the Knicks had cut it to eight. And there was no reason to think they were close to finished. The Knicks looked like a bolt of lightning was coursing through all five of them.

If this were a boxing match, the Cavs would have spent the rest of the fight tying the Knicks up and falling into the ropes, begging the ref to help them run out the clock. Mitchell became, if not a pacifist, passive. There was never an inkling of a response from the visitors. Once the Knicks started swinging, the Cavs were a punching bag.

The Knicks did what they had to do, in a manner that will only deepen their self-confidence while challenging the Cavs to re-examine theirs. And since we want our main character to show some kind of growth along the way, here’s a welcome reversal from 2025 (and 2024, for different reasons): the Cavs, 48 hours after a Game 7 in Detroit that capped an every-other-day two week series, used an eight-man rotation for a 53-minute conference final game.

Fresh off eight days off, the Knicks rolled nine-deep, nine-plus counting Jose Alvarado’s short stint out of the bullpen. Something to keep an eye on going forward?

Keep your eye on P&T Wednesday for Russell Richardson’s recap. Till then, I’m gonna sit in my recliner (the one I did not flinch in once Brunson started scoring — I know my role and my superstitious ass plays it well), rewind to the start of the fourth quarter, click “play” and let the magic linger. Long as it likes.

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New York comes back from 22 down in fourth to take Game 1 in OT behind 38 from Brunson

This will be remembered as one of the epic comebacks in the storied history of the New York Knicks.

This will also be remembered as one of the epic collapses in a too-long history of collapses by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Cleveland took command of Game 1 in the second and third quarters, stretching their lead out to 22 on a James Harden free throw with 7:52 left in the fourth quarter.

From that point on (and including overtime), the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers 44-11, shooting 75% from the floor, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range, and Jalen Brunson scored 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting — primarily attacking James Harden in isolation — plus had four assists. Meanwhile, Cleveland shot 22.2%, was 2-of-11 from 3, and turned the ball over six times.

"I think the common denominator was us still believing in each other, us still playing, still fighting, just chipping away," Brunson said in his postgame TNT interview, after admitting he didn't know what happened in those final seven minutes. "Kept getting stops, kept running, got a couple lucky shots to go in, but we just kept fighting."

The result was a 115-104 overtime win that changed the entire tenor of this series and put New York up 1-0 at home, with Game 2 on Thursday in Madison Square Garden — which was rockin' during the comeback.

There were a few things that fueled the turnaround.

• Brunson started getting isolated on Harden and attacking. Cleveland gave up incredibly soft switches to allow Brunson to get the defender he wanted, then didn't send help during the entire 18-1 run at the start of the comeback that changed the game. Eventually, the Cavs started to blitz and double-team Brunson off that pick, but he made the pass to the open man, the ball found shooters and New York finally started knocking down its 3-pointers.
• Knicks coach Mike Brown realized Josh Hart was having a rough night and was not a good matchup against the Cavaliers starters (he was -23 for the game), so Brown did what a good coach does in the playoffs: He benched Hart for much of the fourth quarter run. In the playoffs, coaches have to be ruthless, even if it's a guy like Hart who is the heart and soul of this team. It's about winning.

• Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson left Harden in for the entire end of the game. Not only was he getting torched on defense, but Harden also shot 1-of-5 in that final stretch of the game, including missing all three attempts from beyond the arc.

• Cleveland went away from the passing and ball movement that got them a 22-point lead in the first place, trying to play slow and eat clock, falling back on Harden and Mitchell isolation.

For the game, Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 29 points, and his playmaking and scoring helped the Cavaliers look dominant for the middle stretch of this game. Evan Mobley added 15 points and 14 rebounds, plus had three blocks, but shot 6-of-16 from the floor against the tall Knicks front line of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson.

Mikal Bridges had a strong game for the Knicks with 18 points, while OG Anunoby, Hart and Towns each had 13 (and Towns also had 13 rebounds).

There are things Cleveland can take away from this game. In the second and third quarters, they outscored the Knicks 67-46, shooting 53.3% overall and hitting 10-of-23 (43.5%) from 3. Mitchell led the way with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in that stretch.

In that stretch, the Cavaliers got whatever they wanted on offense. Because the Knicks would double Mitchell or Harden, the Cavs' stars would pass to the screener on the short roll, and then the ball would fly around and find open shooters or cutters. This was one key reason why the Cavaliers traded for Harden at the February deadline: his passing.

But Harden is a double-edged sword, and the Cavaliers trail 1-0 in this series because of it.

And the Knicks are full of confidence that they can repeat what worked so well at the end of the game.

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James Wood's inside-the-park grand slam sparks rally, helps Nationals defeat Mets 9-6

WASHINGTON (AP) — James Wood hit the majors’ first inside-the-park grand slam since 2022, and the Washington Nationals rallied from an early five-run deficit Tuesday night to defeat the New York Mets 9-6.

José Tena also homered for Washington, which avoided its first three-game skid since April 22-24.

Bo Bichette homered twice and drove in four runs and Juan Soto also went deep for New York, which had won six of seven.

Down 5-0, the Nationals loaded the bases with two outs in the second inning. Mets starter Nolan McLean (2-3) threw a first-pitch sweeper to Wood, who lofted it to deep left.

It glanced off the arm of the leaping Nick Morabito and caromed into center. Wood scampered around the bases in 15.15 seconds and dove into the plate well ahead of the throw for his first career grand slam.

It was the Nationals’ second inside-the-park grand slam since the franchise moved to Washington in 2005. Michael A. Taylor hit one on Sept. 8, 2017, at home against Philadelphia. It was the ninth inside-the-park grand slam since 1994 and the first since Toronto’s Raimel Tapia did it on July 22, 2022.

Tena led off the third with a homer to the Mets’ bullpen in left. CJ Abrams scored the go-ahead run on catcher Luis Torrens’ passed ball later in the inning, and Jorbit Vivas’ sacrifice fly made it 7-5.

Washington tacked on two unearned runs in the fourth thanks to errors by second baseman Marcus Semien and Torrens.

Bichette hit two-run homers off Washington starter Foster Griffin (5-2) in the first and second innings. It was Bichette’s 10th career multi-homer game and first since signing with New York in January.

Griffin allowed five runs in five innings and struck out five.

Richard Lovelady pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his third save.

McLean surrendered nine runs — six earned — in 5 2/3 innings.

Morabito, making his major league debut, was 0 for 3 and was hit by a pitch.

The game was delayed 46 minutes at the start because of the threat of rain.

Up next
Washington’s RHP Zack Littell (2-4, 6.10 ERA) starts the third game of the series Wednesday. New York has not announced its pitching plans.

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White Sox Minor League Update: May 19, 2026

PEORIA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 24, 2026: Jacob Gonzalez #89 of the Chicago White Sox bats during the seventh inning of a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium on February 24, 2026 in Peoria, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
Jacob Gonzalez launches his 15th home run of the season during Charlotte’s 5-4 win over Gwinnett. | (David Durochik/Getty Images)

Charlotte Knights 5, Gwinnett Stripers 4
The Knights (23-23) blasted their way to an early five-run cushion, then survived a late Gwinnett rally for a close win thanks to another shutdown appearance from Ben Peoples. Jonathan Cannon turned in a solid start despite some wild command, allowing just one run over five innings while working around four walks and punching out four.

Offensively, the Knights brought the thunder early, with Jacob Gonzalez launching his 15th homer in the second before Oliver Dunn, Korey Lee, and Austin Hays all went deep in a span of two innings to bury Gwinnett under a pile of baseballs leaving the yard. Braden Montgomery kept his heater alive as well, ripping an RBI double in the third after Rikuu Nishida swiped second following a bunt single. Montgomery’s bat keeps looking more and more ready for the next challenge.

Things got unnecessarily sweaty late when Gwinnett came back within one against Tyler Schweitzer, but Peoples once again looked like the steadiest arm in the building, escaping ninth-inning trouble with the help of a gorgeous game-ending relay from Gonzalez and Lee to cut down the tying run at the plate.

Who was the Knights MVP?
 
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Who was the Knights Cold Cat?
 
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Biloxi Shuckers 4, Birmingham Barons 3
The Barons (16-24) let a winnable game slip away, falling in walk-off fashion after Biloxi pieced together a messy ninth inning against Jairo Iriarte. Birmingham struck out 12 times and managed just five knocks, with Alec Makarewicz responsible for two of the Barons’ five hits. The DH crushed his eighth homer of the season in the fourth while Calvin Harris chipped in with a game-tying RBI single in the fifth. Their final tally came in the sixth on an RBI single by Anthony DePino.

Lucas Gordon battled through five innings, surrendering three runs on five hits. The bullpen nearly bailed everybody out, as Phil Fox and Jackson Kelley combined for three scoreless innings to keep the game tied entering the ninth. Then came the unraveling: a hit batter, a walk, a bunt single, and finally a soft liner that dropped into left to end it. Birmingham had chances late, including runners at second and third in the seventh and the tying run in scoring position again in the ninth, but the bats couldn’t deliver the one clean swing they needed.

Who was the Barons MVP?
 
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Who was the Barons Cold Cat?
 
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Winston-Salem 13, Greensboro Grasshoppers 9
The Dash (24-16) treated Greensboro pitching like a batting-practice machine, piling up 16 hits and three homers. After starter Gabe Davis labored through 3 2/3 innings filled with traffic and wild pitches, the Dash offense simply decided to outscore the problem.

The avalanche started in the third when Alex Ungar launched a two-run shot before Grant Magill punched a two-run single and George Wolkow demolished a three-run homer to cap a seven-run explosion. Wolkow stayed scorching hot all night, finishing a double shy of the cycle, while Boston Smith added a three-run nuke of his own in the sixth after Greensboro gifted the Dash extra baserunners with a pair of hit batters. Winston-Salem went 4-for-12 with RISP, with Caleb Bonemer, Ely Brown, Smith, Wolkow, and Ungar all collecting multi-hit games.

The bullpen wasn’t exactly stress-free, but Seth Keener brought some badly needed order to the madness through the middle frames, firing 2 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings to stabilize the game and earn the win. Even after the Grasshoppers made some noise with a pair of homers and nine runs, the Dash offense had already done enough damage to survive.

Who was the Dash MVP?
 
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Who was the Dash Cold Cat?
 
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Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 3, Myrtle Beach Pelicans 1
Riley Eikhoff was the early headline, slicing and dicing the Pelicans for six innings of one-hit, shutout work, earning himself a quality start. He only allowed a double, gave up no walks, and struck out three.

The Ballers’ (19-21) offense broke through in the fourth when Abraham Núñez walked, swiped second and third like he owned the place, and jogged home on a Stiven Flores sac fly. Ballers up 1-0.

In the sixth inning, Kanny tacked together a few insurance runs when Núñez drew another walk, Billy Carlson slapped a single to right, and Javier Mogollón smoked an RBI double. Then Stiven Flores added on another tally with a fielder’s choice. Myrtle Beach finally got on the board in the seventh off Choyce Diffey, but the Ballers’ defense helped him out when Jaden Fauske gunned down Jose Escobar trying to stretch an RBI single. Landen Payne and Jordan Morales handled the rest, locking down the win.

Who was the Ballers MVP?
 
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ACL Royals 6, ACL White Sox 4 (7 innings)
KC spent the first two innings turning free baserunners into runs thanks to walks, hit batters, and stolen bases, grabbing an early 2-0 lead. Efren Teran got things rolling for the Sox (4-8) with a solo homer in the fourth, then Alejandro Cruz’s bunt single and hustle forced an error that helped tie the game 2-2 in the fifth.

The Sox had a golden opportunity to take control in the sixth after loading the bases with two outs, but everybody was left stranded, and the game was still tied. Naturally, the Royals immediately made them pay. A backbreaking three-run triple was the key to a four-run inning that flipped the game for good. To the Sox’s credit, they didn’t completely fold. Teran crushed his second homer of the night — a two-run shot in the seventh to cut the deficit to two, but the late rally fizzled there. The lineup finished with just five hits, while the pitching staff handed out eight walks and two hit batters.

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ACL Athletics 2, ACL White Sox 1 (Monday, May 18 — 7 innings)
The ACL Sox managed just five hits and spent most of the night knocking baseballs right into gloves. After the A’s scratched across a first-inning run, José  Mendoza answered immediately in the second by launching his second homer of the year to left center, briefly tying things up. That would be the Sox’s lone breakthrough, though, as the offense went ice cold the rest of the way, closing the night with 13 ground-ball outs and only one baserunner after the fourth inning.

The Athletics took the lead in the third on an unearned run after a pair of Sox errors and an RBI single. Despite Orlando Suarez and Reudis Diaz combining for 3 2/3 scoreless relief frames after that, the lineup couldn’t do anything. A few Sox positives are that Jurdrick Profar flashed some leather with several smooth plays at second, while catcher Landon Hodge cut down a runner on the bases in an otherwise frustrating night for the offense.

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Filthy OT Goal From Michael Brandsegg-Nygård Keeps Griffins Alive

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

Forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, the first round (15th overall) pick of the Detroit Red Wings in the 2024 NHL Draft, demonstrated a flair for the dramatic on Tuesday evening. 

Brandsegg-Nygård came through for the Griffins in a do-or-die Game 3 against the Chicago Wolves, scoring the overtime game-winning goal in dramatic fashion. 

He took the puck in the neutral zone, skated over the blue line and then dangled around Wolves defenseman Ronan Steely before beating goaltender Cayden Primeau with a backhand shot, giving Grand Rapids the 4-3 win. 

It was his fourth tally of the playoffs. 

The Griffins are now 1/3 of the way toward winning the series, and they have no choice but to win two more consecutive games to remain alive in the Calder Cup Playoffs. 

Brandsegg-Nygård was one of three rookies to make the Red Wings' roster out of Training Camp and the pre-season in 2025-26, along with Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Emmitt Finnie; he played in 12 games and registered an assist before being returned to the Griffins. 

Both Carter Mazur and John Leonard, both of whom played multiple games this season with the Red Wings, gave Grand Rapids a 2-0 lead in the first period. However, Chicago would knot the score courtesy of goals from Domenick Fensore and Justin Robidas before taking the lead in the second period after a tally from Felix Unger Sorum. 

But Tyler Angle responded less than two minutes later with his first goal of the postseason, re-tying the game. 

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

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Picking up the win in net was Michal Postava, who made 17 saves and also picked up a secondary assist on Mazur's goal. Meanwhile, Primeau was strong for Chicago, making 42 saves. 

Game 4 between the Griffins and Wolves is scheduled for Thursday evening at Allstate Arena. 

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Dave Portnoy puts jinx on Cavaliers during epic Knicks comeback: ‘I’ll own it’

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Dave Portnoy started celebrating the Knicks' demise in Game 1 a little too early, Image 2 shows Jalen Brunson drives to the basket during the Knicks' comeback win against the Cavaliers, Image 3 shows Knicks fans react outside Madison Square Garden as they watch a televised broadcast of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks on Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Dave Portnoy; Jalen Brunson; Knicks fans

Do Cavaliers fans have Dave Portnoy to blame for their team’s implosion in the fourth quarter as the Knicks defeated Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals? 

Cleveland held an extensive lead when the Barstool Sports founder seemed to tempt fate, posting a sarcastic message on X, telling Knicks fans to “keep your head up.”

“As somebody who won a ton of Eastern Conference finals I want to tell Knicks fans not to give up,” wrote Portnoy, who is a well-known Celtics fan. “That looked like a rust game to me. Plus probably over confident after beating a pathetic Sixers team. Long series. Keep your head up. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. You guys aren’t that good but you can still win this thing. Chin up.”

Knicks fans react outside Madison Square Garden as they watch a televised broadcast of Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. James Keivom for NY Post

The Knicks proceeded to go on a stunning run in the final quarter, erasing a 22-point deficit in the final eight minutes before pulling away in overtime for a 115-104 win. 

Portnoy later followed up the post with one noting that the Knicks had gone on an 18-1 run “since this tweet by the way.”

“I’d also like to point that many people would delete the below tweet, but that is not my style. I will own it. Leaders lead. Credit to me for being accountable,” Portnoy later wrote on X.

Dave Portnoy started celebrating the Knicks’ demise in Game 1 a little too early. Dave Portnoy/X

The Knicks’ miracle kicked off the team’s second consecutive trip to the conference finals after not having reached the series since 2000. 

Dating back to the 1996-97 season, the Knicks were 0-277 when they trailed by at least 22 points in the fourth quarter of a regular season or playoff game prior to Tuesday’s Game 1 win. 

Jalen Brunson drives to the basket during the Knicks’ comeback win against the Cavaliers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Jalen Brunson finished the game with 38 points as he helped lift the Knicks to victory and a 1-0 series lead. 

Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

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Player Grades: Cavs vs Knicks Game 1 – A complete, utter disaster

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 19: James Harden #1 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers high five during the game against the New York Knicks during Game One of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. 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 Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

The Cleveland Cavaliers just had a total meltdown in Madison Square Garden. They did a whole lot of great things before the final seven minutes. That will make it hard to grade, so bear with me here.

All grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Donovan Mitchell

29 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 steals, 1 block, 4 turnovers

It must feel nice to get away from the wrestling matches that Mitchell had to endure against Toronto and Detroit. Mitchell nestled into a comfortable rhythm against a skilled but less physically imposing defense in New York.

Mitchell was in a groove. He scored 26 points by the third quarter by getting to his spots and pushing the Knicks’ shoddy rim protection to the brink. They had no answer for him once he got to the basket and couldn’t contain him at the point of attack. Mitchell made good reads as a playmaker (for the most part) and also racked up 6 steals in a fantastic three quarters.

Then the fourth quarter happened.

Mitchell’s process went out the window as the ball stopped moving. He dribbled, or stood in the corner motionless, as the Cavs offense sputtered out of control. He didn’t contribute to their collapse defensively, but he didn’t help either

Grade: F (A- before the 4th)

James Harden

15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 6 turnovers

This was a disaster through and through.

Even before the fourth quarter, Harden had started this game on shaky ground with some unbelievably lazy turnovers. A 30-foot pass that was easily picked off by Mitchell Robinson. Another cross-court bomb that went straight out of bounds. And, being loose with the ball at halfcourt and getting ripped for a layup.

But it only got worse.

Harden was the primary target of New York’s comeback. The Knicks put him in action and scored seemingly every time. Jalen Brunson didn’t even notice he was there. That’s partly because Harden himself didn’t look interested in being there himself.

Grade: F–

Evan Mobley

15 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks

Mobley played one hell of a game before the fourth quarter. He took Karl-Anthony Towns out of his rhythm and helped the Cavs set a strong defensive tone. What happened during the collapse was largely outside of Mobley’s control. He couldn’t help on Brunson’s drives, and had nothing to do but watch as Harden and Mitchell drained the shot clock on the other end.

The Cavs grew stagnant in the fourth quarter. That’s always been the worst version of them. The ball hardly touched Mobley’s hands unless it was a bail-out three-point attempt. That’s not what you want to see happen. But he also can’t control what Harden and Mitchell choose to do with the ball.

Grade: C+

Jarrett Allen

10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Allen was on his way to redemption.

Madison Square Garden is where this nightmare first started for Allen. Since then, he’s had quite a lot of success, in my opinion. But this building was always where he’d have the most to gain or lose. So far, Allen has held up his end of the bargain.

Allen grabbed 5 offensive rebounds through the first three quarters, more than the entire Knicks roster. Totally flipping the tables on what happened to him in 2023 by beating everyone else to the ball over and over again. He dominated the paint and had New York searching for answers.

Similar to Mobley, what happened in the fourth quarter is far more on the guards and coaching than anything the bigs could have controlled.

Grade: B-

Dean Wade

10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists

For a guy who sometimes goes multiple games without looking at the basket, this was a pretty sweet performance.

Wade has always been a good shooter. It’s part of the reason why it’s frustrating when he doesn’t shoot. Tonight, however, Wade was appropriately aggressive and let it fly for three three-pointers, including a four-point finish. That should have been more than enough to win.

However, the Cavs failed to reap any of the rewards of having Wade out there for his defense. They conceded the switch, allowing Brunson to draw the switch on Harden. The rest is history.

This is more on Kenny Atkinson for the game plan than it is on Wade for allowing the switch. For that, I won’t dock him.

Grade: B+

Max Strus

8 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal

Strus would have blown the lid off this game if he had it going from downtown. His 2-6 shooting is tough considering the quality of looks he had. But make no mistake, Strus brought his usual impact on all of the margins. He arguably should have been out there in place of Harden during the fourth quarter.

Grade: C+

Dennis Schroder

3 points, 5 assists, 1 steal, 0 turnovers

Schroder’s first stint was a disaster. The Knicks were completely ignoring him, and he shot just 1-6 on those opportunities.

But the Cavs adjusted in the second half. Schroder wisely cut into open space when he was ignored, and that caused the Knicks to panic once he caught the ball. This led to timely assists to Sam Merrill and Jarrett Allen. Schroder finished with 5 assists and 0 turnovers

Still, a 1-9 shooting night isn’t going to cut it.

Grade: D-

Sam Merrill

12 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 steal

The Knicks played with fire by helping off of Merrill multiple times, and he let them feel the heat. It wasn’t a barn burner or anything, but Merrill hit timely shots and pushed the Cavs to a dominant third quarter that should have given them a large enough cushion to close things in the fourth.

Again, what happened after was not his fault. Merrill fought like hell and nearly hit the winning shot at the end of regulation. It should have never even gotten to that point.

Grade: B

Keon Ellis

2 points, 2 turnovers

Ellis only played a brief stint and looked out of sorts. He settled in a bit towards the end, but never got back on the floor to truly test that.

Grade: D

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Charles Barkley eviscerates Cavaliers for epic Game 1 ‘choke job’ against Knicks: ‘Like dummies’

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Jalen Brunson goes up for a layup against the Cavs in Game 1, Image 2 shows Two basketball players, one in a black jersey and one in a white jersey, standing on a court, Image 3 shows Four men in suits sitting at a desk on the set of

The Cavaliers led the Knicks by 22 points with less than eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter on Tuesday night.

Somehow, someway, that lead did not hold. And the Cavaliers did not win.

The Knicks mounted a rally for the ages in a 115-104 overtime win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals at Madison Square Garden. And after the game, Charles Barkley tore the Cavaliers to shreds for their performance.

Barkley said he doesn’t love to call out teams or people for doing a collapse like that, but he called it a “damn choke job.”

“Oh yeah, hell yeah, that was a choke job. Hell yeah. Hell yeah, that was a choke job. No, that was a choke job. Come on, man,” Charles Barkley said on the “Inside the NBA” postgame show on ESPN. They started taking the air out of the ball with six minutes to go like dummies.”

Cleveland led by two at halftime and then outscored the Knicks 35-23 in third quarter.

After James Harden hit the first of two free-throw attempts with 7:52 left in the fourth, the Cavs led 93-71 and looked well on their way to taking Game 1 on the road.

Whether Harden’s missing the second shot from the line changed the momentum or not, the Knicks rallied to tie the game with 19.3 seconds left.

Mikal Bridges and the Knicks rallied to a 115-104 overtime win over James
Harden and the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at Madison Square Garden. Jason Szenes for the New York Post
Jalen Brunson goes up for a layup during the Knicks’ Game 1 win. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

The Knicks then outscored the Cavs 14-3 in overtime as an overjoyed crowd seemed as if it would blow the roof of the Garden.

Harden finished the night with 15 points on 5-of-16 shooting and just 1-for-8 from 3-point range. As a team, Cleveland went 16-of-50 from beyond the arc.

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The Cavaliers can try to get over this “choke” in Game 2 on Thursday night.

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Heroes, zeros from Knicks’ Game 1 win over Cavaliers: James Harden had night to forget

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows James Harden, who had a rough Game 1, reacts after scoring during the third quarter of the Knicks' 115-104 Game 1 overtime win over the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at the Garden

Heroes and zeros from the Knicks’ 115-104 Game 1 win over the Cavaliers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden:  

Hero

Quiet for three quarters, Jalen Brunson threw on his Superman cape when the situation was its most dire.

He scored 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, carrying the Knicks to a comeback from 22 points down.

His jumper with 19.3 seconds left in regulation forced overtime, and his assist on a Landry Shamet 3-pointer with 1:49 to go iced the dramatic Game 1 victory.

Brunson finished with 38 points on 15-for-29 shooting — his fourth 30-point effort of this postseason.

He also had six assists.

Zero

James Harden had more turnovers (six) than field goals (five).

He also shot 5-for-16 from the field and came up small late in regulation and overtime.

James Harden, who had a rough Game 1, reacts after scoring during the third quarter of the Knicks’ 115-104 overtime win over the Cavaliers on May 19, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Unsung hero

OG Anunoby’s return didn’t result in Shamet being glued to the bench.

With Josh Hart struggling, coach Mike Brown called on Shamet, and he provided a major jolt with nine points on three 3-pointers, and terrific defense on Mitchell. 

In the 16 minutes Shamet was on the floor, the Knicks outscored the Cavaliers by 20 points. 

Key stat

22: The Cavaliers lead in the fourth quarter.

Quote of the night

“I’m definitely thankful, because they could’ve walked out if they wanted to,”

— Jalen Brunson on the Garden crowd’s role in the comeback.