For the final 27 minutes of Game 7, the Cleveland Cavaliers that a lot of people expected to show up in Game 1 — the one with more talent than their Toronto opponents — finally showed up.
In the final three minutes of the second quarter through the end of the third quarter, the Cavaliers shot 51.5% from the floor, hit 38.5% of their 3-point attempts, grabbed 10 offensive rebounds and turned them into 14 points, and forced seven turnovers that became 14 points the other way. In that same stretch, Toronto shot 29.2% from the field and was 1-of-8 from 3.
By the end of that, the Cavaliers had turned a nine point deficit into a 19 point lead, and the game was all but over. Toronto made a push in the fourth but never got the deficit down to single digits, and Cleveland cruised to a 114-102 Game 7 win.
With the victory, the Cavaliers advance and will travel to Detroit to take on the No. 1 seed Pistons on Tuesday night for the start of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The star of this game for Cleveland was big man Jarrett Allen, who stepped up with Evan Mobley in foul trouble and finished with 22 points, 19 rebounds (eight of those offensive), three blocks and a couple of steals.
Donovan Mitchell added 22 points for the Cavaliers and James Harden, after a slow start, scored 18.
Scottie Barnes had a strong game for the Raptors with 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting, plus nine rebounds. RJ Barrett added 23 points, but shot just 9-of-25 to get there. As a team, Toronto shot 29% from 3-point range for the game.
In the first half, it looked like the Cavaliers might be plagued by the things that slowed them all series. Cleveland had 13 turnovers leading to 14 Toronto points in the first half, and that, combined with the Cavaliers' starting 4-of-15 from beyond the arc, had the Raptors leading the whole way, by as many as 10. It was only getting to the free-throw line that was keeping the Cavaliers within striking distance.
And they did strike — an 11-2 run to end the half tied the game up, and it was 49-49 at the break. That was where the Cavaliers started to turn everything around.
Cleveland started the third quarter with a 9-0 run, five of those from Mitchell. Toronto started the third 3-of-12 from the floor, but the bigger issue was the five quick turnovers that had the Cavaliers running the other way.
Max Strus stripped Scottie Barnes and tossed ahead to Jarrett Allen for the SLAM.
Anthony Kay did the best he could to secure a series sweep, but fell short. | David Frerker-Imagn Images
If you had told me about six weeks ago how disappointed I would be at the Sox losing a 4-3 nailbiter and failing to complete a series sweep against one of the National League’s better teams, I probably would’ve told you that it was a good thing.
And I would be correct! While today’s tight 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Padres was certainly a frustrating one to watch, it speaks volumes that I actually expected them to have a chance to win, even after falling behind in the middle innings. They aren’t exactly the Cardiac Bears of this past fall, but if this game gave me anything, it’s that the late innings of a close game are no longer completely futile for the White Sox.
That might seem like backhanded praise, but when it comes to the post-2021 White Sox there haven’t been many avenues for giving them credit without a healthy dollop of criticism. What may seem like a baseline to many other franchises — still hanging around .500 as we get close to a third of the way through the season — seems like excellence to us. That might be embarrassing to some degree, but then again, if you care about being embarrassed, the White Sox are unequivocally the wrong team to get behind.
As has been much the case lately, pitching wasn’t much to blame for today’s tally in the loss column. At the same time, we’re getting to the point in the season where it becomes easy to understand who exactly you do or do not want on the mound at any given time. And as stellar as the Sox pitching staff has been as of late, Griffin Canning gave the kind of performance that would likely make fans wish the South Siders had landed him to fill out the back of their rotation rather than Anthony Kay. Kay has had his moments, and he’s giving the team a chance to win, but after a bit less than a month and a half of play, it seems clear that even a highly successful campaign across the Pacific isn’t quite enough to make a pitcher who can actually get through a big league lineup more than twice.
To be fair, Kay did hold serve plenty well early on, keeping San Diego off the board long enough for backup catcher Drew Romo to continue his best Seby Zavala impression and get the Sox offense rolling early.
Unfortunately, the lefty then provided another few reminders of why it’s been a few years since he consistently threw the ball in an American time zone, as he wasted little time in giving the lead back up thanks to two homers within a span of three plate appearances to homers from Miguel Andujar and San Diego’s third baseman, who Sox fans might be familiar with as the cousin of franchise legend Jon Jay and brother-in-law of noted Chicago slugger Yonder Alonso.
Canning was locked in after Romo’s dinger, but Sox hitters managed to get him out of their faces after five innings. At that point they were confronted with lefthander Adrián Morejón, who probably made them wish they were still facing Canning given Morejón’s bevy of 100 mph sinkers against which Sox hitters had virtually no chance.
There was one member of the Sox who seemed unfazed by Morejón’s electric stuff, as Derek Hill reminded us all that he’s more than a defensive replacement by smashing a home run to deep left-center field to tie things up at three in the seventh inning.
That’s when Jordan Leasure came into the game. While I have been a fan of Leasure since his acquisition, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to deny that the man is simply not the candidate for holding leads or preserving close games. On this day, however, Leasure did his job. It was the combo of righty Tyler Davis and lefty Bryan Hudson — both of whom have admittedly been outstanding, to this point — that did the damage in this one. Davis allowed the first runs of his big league career at a rather inopportune time, allowing a walk and a pair of singles in a manner that gave Xander Bogaerts the chance to put the Padres ahead with just a few outs to play.
It goes without saying that given the presence of Mason Miller, the Padres are probably the last team in the league you want to be playing a close game against in the late innings. Although the Sox did manage to scratch across a baserunner thanks to Tristan Peters poking a scrappy single to right field, that was all the ink the Sox had in their pen this series. Miller had little trouble retiring everyone else he faced to secure a win for the Friars.
The squad will be staying out west for the rest of the week, as they now head north to Anaheim for another three-game set with the Angels. We’ll see you for that one tomorrow night, at 8:38 p.m. Central time!
Korey Lee drove in the tying run and had the walk-off RBI to lead the Knights to a win. | Laura Wolff/Charlotte Knights
The big news today came from a player participating in very likely his last game in Double-A: Braden Montgomery, South Side Sox’s No. 1 White Sox prospect, is joining the Triple-A Charlotte Knights on his way up to the South Side. Montgomery has been outstanding so far in 2026, slashing .313/.429/.606 and hitting six homers after putting up just 12 all of last season. Montgomery’s rise through the system has been swift: The former Boston first-rounder made his pro debut at Kannapolis in 2025, and traversed three levels (up to Double-A) over the course of the summer. His Spring Training work with the White Sox impressed, and it was somewhat surprising that he was reassigned to Birmingham to begin 2026. But he’s headed east to Charlotte now, and the countdown for his debut on the South Side — almost certainly to come later this year — is officially on.
Charlotte Knights 10,Gwinnett Stripers 9 The Knights (16-17) ended up splitting the series with the Stripers (20-13) after a walk-off win Sunday, 10-9, despite the Charlotte pitching being a little rough round the edges. Lefthander Hagen Smith slightly struggled through the first inning after loading the bases with all three of his walks on the day, and a two-run single marked the lone hit he gave up to give Gwinnett an early two-run lead. Smith settled in after that and was solid for his remaining pair of frames and ended up striking out three and was able to maintain a sub-3.00 ERA, now sitting at 2.82 after seven starts and 22 1/3 innings.
Charlotte’s bullpen also wasn’t on its A-game, and every pitcher who appeared on Sunday surrendered at least one run. Jonathan Cannon allowed the most runs out of the pen (three) in three innings of relief, and is sitting at a 11.85 ERA in 13 2/3 innings (four games) — woof. The Knights offense had taken a one-run lead in the bottom of the second with RBI doubles from Josh Breaux and Jacob Gonzalez — an exclamation point to Gonzalez’s three-hit day — but Gwinnett tied it up in the fourth and the arm barn fumbled the lead shortly thereafter.
That brings us to today’s hero: Korey Lee. Not only did Lee join Gonzalez in the three-hit club, but he capped off a five-run eighth inning with a solo homer to give Charlotte a one-run lead, 9-8. Unfortunately, Zach Franklin gave up a solo homer to Rowdy Tellez in the top of the ninth to tie the game at nine, blowing the save.
But Lee struck again in the bottom of the ninth, walking the game off on a bases loaded, line-drive single up the middle, 10-9, saving Franklin’s outing by gifting him the win.
Birmingham Barons 10, Chattanooga Lookouts 9 They didn’t take the same route there, but the Barons (13-14) and Lookouts (18-9) ended up with the same score as the Knights, with Birmingham outlasting first-place Chattanooga to win the series and their third in a row, 10-9. Two five-run innings for the Barons carried them through to the end, but the bullpen threatened to hand the lead over to the Lookouts.
For four innings, Connor McCullough shut Chattanooga down with just three hits, a walk, and two strikeouts, and the pen had started out strong with one clean inning but essentially spoiled his start.
The sixth inning, especially, was a complete mess. It took three pitchers to get out of the inning after the Lookouts dropped a six-spot to take a one-run lead. Lefthander Jacob Heatherly was responsible for four of the runs, only getting one out before being replaced by Eric Adler. Two more scored off of Adler, receiving the blown save after giving up the lead, also only recording one out before Chase Watkins came in to clean it up and get the third out. Watkins would end up with the win, thanks to the Birmingham hitters exploding for another five runs the very next inning, which set up Nick Altermatt for his first save of the season.
Before officially being promoted to the Triple-A Knights later in the day, Braden Montgomery was 1-for-4 with a run scored, finally making the jump to the next level with an outstanding 1.035 OPS to start the season. The RBI leader for today, however, Wilfred Veras after a three-run homer. And it was another forgotten prospect, Jacob Burke, who tallied three hits for the second day in a row (3-for-5) while driving in two.
Overall the Barons went 6-for-13 with RISP and left six on base, while outhitting the Lookouts, 9-7, and stealing three bases in four attempts.
Greensboro Grasshoppers 8, Winston-Salem Dash 6 The Dash (16-11) were outhit 12-9 by the Grasshoppers (16-11), and a rocky defense committing three errors that led to three unearned runs ended up being the difference in the W-S defeat. The loss was charged to righthander Jake Curtis after Greensboro tagged him for five runs on six hits, though just two of those runs were earned; the home run he gave up hurt a bit more and almost negated his six Ks. Winston-Salem’s bullpen performance wasn’t terrible and at least the final three runs were earned, but the two additional runs that Garrett Wright relinquished were the nail in the coffin for the Dash.
Both Kyle Lodise and Kaleb Freeman drove in a pair of runs each for the Winston-Salem offense, while Anthony DePino stayed hot at the plate with another multi-hit day. The Dash definitely had their chances to win, but went just 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left a whopping 14 runners on base. Caleb Bonemer reached base four times, going 1-for-3 with three walks, and while his error didn’t cost a run this time around, he’s committed seven now this season. He’s fielding just .900 at third base, and .895 at short. Let’s get that glove worked in, Caleb!
Kannapolis Cannon Ballers 7, Augusta GreenJackets 6 Luckily for the Cannon Ballers (10-17) bullpen, the bats sparked early with a four-run first inning and posted 12 hits on the day, providing much-needed run support to defeat the GreenJackets (14-13), 7-6. After a very slow start to the year, the Ballers have finally won a series and reached double-digit wins in 2026. When times are tough, it’s the little things …
Kannapolis rolled with a bullpen game Sunday, and lefthander Jackson Nove began the game with two scoreless innings while striking out three, but the next two relievers allowed six runs across the next five innings, including three homers that nearly blew the lead for the Ballers. Even though he surrendered four runs in his four innings of relief, Trey Cooper still was awarded a hold, and Jordan Morales secured the win after his final two scoreless innings.
The offense did just enough to maintain the lead, because as a team they were brutal with runners in scoring position (2-for-15), and left 10 runners in base. RBIs were scattered across six different players, but Javier Mogollón was excellent at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two doubles on the day, and was a menace on the basepaths with two stolen bases. Seven of the Dash’s 12 hits were for extra bases, including three solo homers, a triple,and three doubles, putting them in a solid position to win.
Mitchell Robinson and Joel Embiid will meet again in another Knicks-76ers playoff series.
At least publicly, Mitchell Robinson isn’t holding a grudge against Joel Embiid.
When the Knicks and the 76ers met in the playoffs two years ago, Embiid’s flagrant foul, in which he grabbed Robinson’s left leg while he was airborne, eventually cut Robinson’s postseason short.
Then-teammate Donte DiVincenzo called it a dirty play.
Asked about it Sunday, Robinson took the high road.
“I don’t [think he’s a dirty player]. I really don’t live in the past,” he said, as the Knicks prepared to host the 76ers for Game 1 of the second-round series. “It is what it is. I just move on.”
Robinson is focused on slowing down the superstar center and helping the Knicks return to the Eastern Conference finals.
He will have a major role, not only defending Embiid, but as one of the key pieces to the Knicks defense overall.
In the opening-round series against the Hawks, the 7-footer was terrific, averaging 6.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and a block in 14 minutes per game.
Mitchell Robinson addresses reporters during a May 3 press conference. Robert Sabo for the NY Post
The Knicks outscored the Hawks by 20.5 points per 100 possessions with Robinson on the floor.
Embiid is coming off a strong series himself, averaging 28 points and nine rebounds after missing the first three games of the playoffs following emergency surgery for appendicitis late in the regular season.
“He’s a great player, and it’s fun playing against him,” Robinson said.
Asked the key to defending Embiid, Robinson said: “Watch out for fouls.”
In Game 6, the Knicks destroyed the Hawks, winning by a franchise playoff-record 51 points.
Joel Embiid prepares to shoot a free throw during the 76ers’ May 2 game against the Celtics. NBAE via Getty Images
Robinson wasn’t around for the on-court celebration.
“Two grown men playing competitive basketball, kind of the nature of this game,” Robinson said.
He was also fined $50,000, in part for a social media post in which he mocked Daniels by retweeting a reel of an AI singing rodent that included graphic lyrics.
Joel Embiid grabbed Mitchell Robinson’s leg during a 2024 playoff game. Screengrab via X/@BigKnickEnergy_
He received a call from the league office about it.
“Honestly, I forgot,” Robinson said when asked the nature of the conversation. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
“He can be big. Mitch is unique, so no matter who we play, Mitch is extremely important to what we’re trying to do, the way he offensive rebounds, the way he’s a vertical threat in the pick-and-roll game, the way he protects the rim, his versatility guarding,” coach Mike Brown said. “All that stuff is extremely important for us in this series. We need him to bring it at a high level, as well as everybody else.”
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 27: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons hugs Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers after the game on October 27, 2025 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan. 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 2025 NBAE (Photo by Brian Sevald/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Pistons didn’t look like the juggernaut they were in the regular season in the first four games of their first-round series against the Orlando Magic. All of the concerns about their offense not being able to translate to the playoffs were validated. That was, until things changed in the last three games.
Whether or not you want to attribute the Pistons’ coming back from their 3-1 deficit to their grit and determination or if you want to chalk it up to the Magic folding is up to you. Both views are valid. What we can confidently say is that there are ways that this Pistons team will really push the Cavs.
Detroit had the second-best defense in the league throughout the regular season. That is mostly attributed to their ability to keep teams from getting to the basket. They limited their opponents to the fifth-fewest shots at the rim throughout the year. And when they did allow a look in the restricted area, teams converted on only 62.8% of those attempts, which is the second-best percentage in the league.
Their biggest strength carried over to the playoffs. The Pistons had the best defensive rating in the first round (103.2). The principles that made them so formidable in the regular season were present against Orlando. The Magic converted only 56.2% of their looks at the rim.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the Donovan Mitchell NBA Jam shirt is HERE.
This is one of the areas Toronto had success with against the Cavs in the first round. They kept Mitchell from getting into the lane, effectively making him an outside shooter. He wasn’t able to make them pay for that strategy, which is one of the reasons the offense struggled as much as it did.
Detroit presents a lot of those same issues. If you can keep Mitchell from getting to the basket, offense becomes a lot more difficult for Cleveland.
At the same time, Detroit doesn’t have a defender as equipped as Scottie Barnes was at staying in front of Mitchell. Barnes’s combination of size and length disrupted Mitchell in a way we haven’t seen before in the postseason. Even if Detroit has a better overall defense, Mitchell should be able to get going a little bit easier than he did in the first round.
The Pistons’ offense has been the big concern all year. The first round didn’t do anything to dispel those worries.
Detroit’s offense became stagnant in the half-court against Orlando. They weren’t able to get the three-ball to fall, Jalen Duran’s easy offense dried up, and everything fell on Cade Cunningham’s shoulders.
Cunningham is one of the best players in the league and showed why in the second half of the first round. He single-handedly willed his team to victory as he recorded 45, 32, and 32 points in the three elimination games.
Dean Wade will once again play a huge role for the Cavs in the second round. He’ll be tasked with keeping the other team’s best player under wraps. Wade handled that assignment well when he was matched up against Brandon Ingram and Barnes. Cunningham is much better than both, considering his incredible playmaking ability.
If you can keep Cunningham in check, the Pistons’ offense can fall apart quite quickly, as we saw in the first half of the first round. Tobias Harris, Daniss Jenkins, and Caris LeVert are fine role players, but they aren’t elite secondary creators. That, combined with the lack of outside shooting, makes them way too dependent on one player than you’d ideally like.
Still, this will be a dog fight. The Cavs have struggled mightily with physical and aggressive teams in the playoffs. Detroit will be the grittiest and toughest team this core has ever faced. Even though the Pistons aren’t a perfect team and may not be a true title contender, they will give the Cavs all they can handle. Expect this series to go long.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - MARCH 03: James Harden #1 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket around Cade Cunningham #2 of the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter at Rocket Arena on March 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 113-109. 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 Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers might’ve saved this era of basketball with a Game 7 victory over the Toronto Raptors. However, they won’t have long to celebrate that victory. They’ll be back in action right away as they start the second-round series against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday evening.
Here’s how the schedule looks:
Game 1 in Detroit: Tue., May 5 at 7 PM on NBCSN and Peacock
Game 2 in Detroit: Thur., May 7 at 7 PM on Prime Video
Game 3 in Cleveland: Sat., May 9 at 3 PM on NBC and Peacock
Game 4 in Cleveland: Mon., May 11 at 8 PM on NBC and Peacock
Game 5 in Detroit: Wed., May 13, time and TV TBD
Game 6 in Cleveland: Fri., May 15, time and TV TBD
Game 7 in Detroit: Sun., May 17, time and TV TBD
Games five through seven will only be played if necessary.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Let ‘Em Know shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
There’s only one day between each game in this series. That could be difficult for both teams that are coming off grueling seven-game series in the first round, with each ending on Sunday.
This is expected to be a close series. They split their four games in the regular season.
The Cavs prevailed in their first meeting in October, 116-95, in a game that was much more lopsided than the final score accurately indicates. Donovan Mitchell scored an effortless 35 points in the victory.
Detroit came back and won the next two.
On Jan. 4, the Cavs had a chance to win late, but Ausar Thompson won the game with an offensive rebound and putback to secure a 114-110 victory. In February, the Pistons took care of a skeleton-crew Cavs team in a crazy overtime win.
Finally, the Cavs won their last meeting of the season in March 113-109 without Mitchell. James Harden had 18 points and seven assists in the victory.
We’ll see how the postseason shakes out when the series starts in a few days.
Jasson Domínguez of the New York Yankees looks on after hitting a two-run home run.
Jasson Domínguez provided another glimpse Sunday of what’s tantalized the Yankees since they signed him as an international free agent nearly seven years ago.
The switch-hitting 23-year-old, who’s been unable to prove he’s a full-time major league player, doubled twice and hit his first homer of the season in an 11-3 win over the Orioles.
After going hitless in his first two at-bats, Domínguez doubled down the left field line and scored the go-ahead run in what was then a close game in the sixth.
Then came a two-run homer, from the left side, to spark a seven-run inning in the eighth, which Domínguez capped by doubling again from the right side.
The Yankees have been waiting for years for Domínguez to hit consistently from that side of the plate, despite having grown up a right-handed hitter.
“That’s his natural side,” Aaron Boone said. “When you see him hit or take BP, you see it’s not an unnatural move.”
Jasson Dominguez had a hit from both sides of the plate in the same inning on Sunday. AP
Domínguez has pummeled the ball right-handed in his month at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season, but has never produced enough from that side to warrant being an everyday player at the major league level.
With Cody Bellinger in left field and Trent Grisham in center, Domínguez found himself at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre again this season.
There remain not only doubts about hitting righty, but also on defense.
Before the game, Boone said he would look to get Aaron Judge a DH day at some point this week, with Domínguez now serving as the fourth outfielder after losing Randal Grichuk.
Domínguez said his three-hit game Sunday was “awesome” and that he’s been working to get more comfortable hitting right-handed.
He’s been down this road before, having first come up to the Yankees late in 2023.
“Adversity is always tough, but that’s what I’ve got to do,” Domínguez said. “I’ve got to do my job.”
A performance like the one Sunday, he said, “definitely helps.” It was the second time in his career he’s had a hit from both sides of the plate in the same inning.
Domínguez is the only Yankee to do that since Mark Teixeira did it in 2016.
The Mets have been looking for this type of response all season.
Just hours after wasting a handful of opportunities in a walk-off extra-inning loss to the Angels, New York answered right back with a huge 5-1 victory on Sunday.
That gave them just their second series win since April 5, and their fourth of the season.
“Last night was a tough one for us,” Carlos Mendoza said. “I’m glad that we were able to turn the page and come back with the quick turnaround and just got out and get the job done -- it was good to see.”
“That’s the name of the game,” Mark Vientos added. “Just putting yesterday behind us and focusing on the next.”
Vientos accounted for the majority of the Mets' offense on Sunday, putting together a much-needed power display with a pair of long two-run homers.
He’s now hitting .275 with five XBH's a .891 OPS over his last 12 games.
Clay Holmes was massive as well, continuing his ace-like start to the season, delivering 6.2 innings of one-run ball.
Holmes and the bullpen were helped by the Mets' defense all day, with the most notable play being Carson Benge's spectacular diving catch in the bottom of the ninth.
"I thought we played a pretty good game defensively," Mendoza said.
"A guy like me, I need the defense," Holmes added. “Just to see them out there giving it everything they have and working like they are -- it was fun and really good to see."
The all-around effort certainly was encouraging, but still sitting at 12-22, the Mets know they'll need more of the same moving forward as they look to get things trending back in the right direction.
"The only thing it does is make our flight happier, that's about it," Vientos said. "We've got to win tomorrow."
"That's what it's going to take," Mendoza added. "One series at a time, one game at a time."
May 3, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (31) goes for a loose ball against Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (4) during the first half of game seven in the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Eight years of building led to the most expensive roster in the league that traded for a 36-year-old former All-Star at the deadline just to save this season. Dropping this game would’ve been an indictment of every decision the front office made that led to this point, as well as the players who once again got bounced in the playoffs by a lower-seeded team.
However, judgment day has been cancelled. Or at the very least, it’s been put off for at least a week.
It wasn’t pretty in the first half, but a strong response in the second half was enough to close out a plucky Raptors team in seven games, 114-102. It should’ve never gotten to this point, but the Cavs did what they needed to grab a win. And at this point, that’s all that matters.
As has been the case throughout most of this series, the Cavs started poorly. Jarrett Allen missed a wide-open dunk on Cleveland’s first offensive possession. That set the tone for what became a disastrous first quarter.
Toronto was once again the aggressor. They jumped out to an early 10-point lead behind seven early points from certified Cavalier killer Jamal Shead.
This continued in the second quarter.
Toronto held a nine-point advantage with 2:41 left in the first half, but the Cavs erased it just before the break. A 11-2 run, capped off by a Jaylon Tyson triple, evened things up and gave Cleveland momentum for the first time all evening.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can buy the Jarrett Allen Fro shirt HERE. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE.
That carried over into the third quarter. The Cavs registered the first nine points of the second half. In total, the Cavs had a 20-2 run that flipped a nine-point deficit into a nine-point advantage.
Evan Mobley picked up his fourth foul just four minutes into the half. That meant that the Cavs would have to rely on Jarrett Allen for likely the remainder of the third quarter.
However, what looked like a lifeline for a Raptors team that was losing momentum was actually the final nail in the coffin for their season.
Allen, who’s been much maligned for not showing up in the biggest moments, put the game away. He was the best player on either team all night — that showed up most in the third quarter. He single-handedly squashed the Raptors’ hopes every time they had something positive going their way.
Defensively, Allen was everywhere. He shut down seemingly every drive to the basket by providing great contests without fouling and was there to clean up the glass when Toronto missed.
Offensively, Allen dominated the paint in all the ways you want him to. He forcefully attacked the basket every time he had a runway to do so. And when another Cavalier had the audacity to take a shot, Allen was there to clean up the mess if they missed.
In the end, he registered 14 points and 10 rebounds in the third quarter with five coming on the offensive end in the third quarter. By contrast, the Raptors as a team had just 19 points and eight rebounds in the third.
Allen’s efforts allowed the Cavs to win the third 38-19.
The Raptors didn’t roll over in the fourth. They cut what was a 22-point deficit to 11, but they weren’t able to get closer than that.
Allen led the way with 22 points and 19 rebounds on 7-11 shooting in what was an all-around team effort.
Cleveland received positive contributions from nearly everyone who stepped on the floor. Sam Merrill poured in 13 points on 3-7 outside shooting. Max Strus provided hustle and grit, which led to him leading the team in plus/minus by being a +20. Jaylon Tyson supplied great energy on both ends and hit some momentum-changing shots.
These contributions were much needed on a night when the Cavs’ backcourt wasn’t the best version of themselves.
Donovan Mitchell was held to 22 points or less for the fourth time this series. He had 22 on 9-20 shooting.
James Harden kept the offense on schedule and did a good job of taking care of the ball. However, he didn’t have his most efficient day shooting as he went 3-9 from the field. Nearly all 18 of his points came at the free-throw line, where he went 11-13.
Scottie Barnes and RJ Barrett led the way once again for Toronto. Barnes paced the team with 24 points on 8-14 shooting to go along with six assists. Barrett put in 23 points and six assists in the loss.
The win keeps the season alive. They’ll head to take on the 60-win Detroit Pistons, led by former Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, in the second round. That series starts in Detroit on Tuesday at 7 PM.
Well, it’s finally happened. The San Francisco Giants have backed into the perfect opportunity to recall their top hitting prospect, left-handed hitting DH/1B Bryce Eldridge, along with one of their more intriguing ones, right-handed hitting C/3B/1B/DH Jesús Rodríguez. It’s desperation season already for the Giants and we’re all about to find out if these youngsters will sink or swim.
Buster Posey didn’t have very many levers to pull to try to improve a moribund lineup, but Eldridge’s .963 OPS in 30 games and Rodríguez’s .840 in 24 games for Triple-A Sacramento are solid. It’s also the obvious move at this point, as the chances of the team making the postseason seem to be on the verge of transitioning from “probably not” to “longshot.” They need more and better contact, more on base-ability, and, of course, more power. In theory, both players check all three boxes.
Eldridge is 5th in the PCL for batting average (.333), Rodríguez is 7th (.330).
Eldridge is 2nd in OBP (.445), Jesús Rodríguez is 15th (.400)
Eldridge’s OBP is 5th, Rodríguez’s is 20th.
Of course, they’re not without their flaws. Our managing editor, Brady, doesn’t feel that Eldridge is quite ready at this point for a very simple reason: a 30% strikeout rate. It is the result of plenty of swing and miss in his game (22nd percentile in Whiff rate). The rest of his Statcast profile reminds of Rafael Devers, too. Plenty of swing and miss in the strike zone. Does that make this recall premature? Probably. But the Giants are desperate. And the fans ought to be, too. At this point we’re watching a really bad Marvel movie and only some random cameos are going to rescue the feeling of wasted effort investing in this team. The Giants will be playing at home against the Padres, who will be throwing three straight right-handed starters and, as a staff, are middle of the pack in terms of strikeouts per game. So, Eldridge is getting a nice setup.
Rodríguez doesn’t make consistently hard contact (33% Hard Hit rate — 32nd percentile) despite making lots of it (90% zone contact rate — 89th percentile). It also remains to be seen just how versatile he is as a catcher and corner infielder and whether or not Tony Vitello will deploy him in that way (he can just ask Christian Koss what good being a Swiss Army Player has done him).
This might be a downbeat post about what should be some exciting news. On the one hand, the Giants have two promising prospects to call up; but, on the other hand, those players will be expected to give a team filled with All-Star veterans a season-saving transfusion of talent. It’s far from the front office’s plan they devised in the offseason, but maybe the ones being made out of necessity will prove better in the long run than these best laid ones through which we’re presently suffering.
A day later, he became a one-man rally for the team.
“I think the work behind the scenes is for sure showing these past two days,” Vientos said after smashing a pair of two-run homers in the Mets’ 5-1 victory over the Angels on Sunday. “I have been seeing the ball great all season. I think I have been just missing stuff, and I didn’t miss those two pitches today.”
Vientos’ homer in the fourth following Carson Benge’s walk gave the Mets a 2-1 lead.
In the eighth, Benge doubled in a run before Vientos again went deep.
Mark Vientos connects on a home run during the Mets’ May 3 win. AP
The outburst was welcomed by a slumping player and team.
Vientos entered the day with a .650 OPS and had not homered since April 18.
He’s become a regular in the lineup due to the Mets’ mounting casualties.
“We have seen that,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We haven’t seen that in a while, but when [Vientos] gets hot, he can carry a team. That’s the power and the hitting that he’s capable of, and I am glad he came through for us today.”
The start time of Monday’s game in Colorado has been moved up three hours to 5:40 p.m. ET due to weather concerns.
Mendoza indicated the plan is to utilize David Peterson in a relief role behind an opener Monday against the Rockies.
The lefty Peterson returned from the bullpen to a starter’s role last Wednesday and struggled against the Nationals, allowing seven earned runs over 3 ²/₃ innings.
Peterson did not pitch during the Rockies’ three-game sweep of the Mets just over a week ago.
There were 24 NHL teams at the start of the 1992-93 season. When Gary Bettman took over as commissioner of the National Hockey League in early 1993, he had a vision. He wanted to bring hockey to non-traditional markets, and he wanted those teams to experience great success.
It didn’t happen overnight– for years, poor management and low attendance made these teams the punchline of every joke around the league– but Bettman’s dream has finally become a reality. There are 32 teams in the NHL, 10 of which are based in non-traditional markets. And as for success, five of the last six Stanley Cup Champions have hailed from non-traditional markets.
The Vegas Golden Knights were perhaps the greatest of Bettman’s many accomplishments. He’d long since wanted to put an NHL team in Las Vegas, and finally got his wish in 2016. The team’s success speaks for itself– they made the playoffs in their first season, and won the Stanley Cup in their sixth.
In 2026, the Golden Knights are no longer the new kids on the block. In 2024, the Arizona Coyotes relocated to Salt Lake City; now, all eyes are on the Utah Mammoth.
In a poetic turn of events, the Golden Knights drew the Mammoth in Utah’s first-ever postseason run. Ultimately, the Golden Knights proved they’re still the team to beat, eliminating their opponent in six games. But in those six games, the Mammoth made their mark, impressing the Golden Knights with their play and their fans.
“It was a really cool experience playing there; it was a pretty rowdy building,” said defenseman Noah Hanifin. “I think it’s good for the league. It’s good for the game, and there’s a bright future there.”
“It was a lot of fun playing in Utah,” agreed forward Brett Howden. “The crowd is so good. They’re really into the game, which is really fun… And their stands, they’re really over top of you, so you can really feel them. But yeah, it was really cool. It was fun.”
As many teams do during the postseason, the Delta Center provided every Mammoth fan with a rally towel, and the resulting scenes were electric.
“Me and Keegan [Kolesar] both said it kind of reminded us of the Winnipeg series,” Howden said. “When we played there, they had the White Out, and they all had the white towels. So, it kind of had the same vibe.”
Following the series win, several Golden Knights players acknowledged how much they enjoyed getting to experience a team’s first postseason run. They also drew comparisons between Utah and Vegas’ early days.
“It was awesome, it was really cool to see,” said Noah Hanifin. “I remember when Vegas [entered the league], and just what a cool environment it was to play in, and how much pride and passion the fans had, and I felt the same way in Utah.”
Brett Howden also compared playing in Salt Lake City to the times when he played in Vegas as a visitor.
“When I wasn’t with Vegas, we’d come to play here, and it was just so much fun,” he said. “Like, the crowd was so engaged, and it made it a lot of fun as an away team.
“It’s even better as a home team playing here,” Howden added with a wry smile.
The Golden Knights will visit one of the first non-traditional hockey markets in the Second Round. The Anaheim Ducks, who entered the league in 1993, are back in the postseason for the first time since 2017. Southern California hasn’t exactly become an arctic tundra in the 33 years since the Ducks entered the league– but that means very little, as is the case in Vegas.
“I’ve seen some of the games in Anaheim, and it looks like they’ve got a great crowd,” said Howden.
GLENDALE, AZ - MARCH 16: Kyle Karros #80 of the Colorado Rockies signs autographs prior to the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on Sunday, March 16, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another Sunday afternoon home game for the Colorado Rockies meant another autograph Sunday, where fans can head down to the first-base side to get pre-game signatures from a handful of Rockies. This has been a fan favorite for many years at Coors, drawing lines that extend up the rows and into the concourse.
I partook in some autograph Sundays over the years when I was younger. (I’ve still got a Clint Barmes signed hat in my collection.) In recent years, I’ve really enjoyed getting a Mystery Bag during the Rockies’ Wives Charity Night and seeing whose autographed baseball I’d find.
I’ve got a few most-cherished autographs from over the years:
Having the same last name, my favorite player when I was a six-years-old Rockies die-hard was Neifi Perez. I was able to meet him before a game to get a signed ball, which blew young me away.
While I don’t seek out and ask for autographs as much now that I’m older (there’s something about crossing the threshold where you’re suddenly older than your favorite team’s prospects), I saw Germán Márquez practicing during my first trip to Scottsdale a few years ago, and I had him sign my spring training souvenir ball to mark the occasion.
Finally, one of my family’s prized possessions is a signed photo of the iconic Todd Helton picture from the 2007 Rocktober NLCS win that was gifted to my dad from a boss. This is technically his, so I can’t necessarily claim it as something that I own. But, to be fair, I think it’s cool enough that the whole family can be in awe of it.
So whether it was a ball you got signed yourself, something that was passed down to you, an autographed jersey you bought, something from one of history’s greats or a current favorite, or a signature on a random item because it’s all you had during a chance encounter, what’s your favorite baseball autograph in your collection?
Or, if you’re not so into autographs, what’s your favorite piece of baseball memorabilia you own?
DETROIT, MI - MAY 03: Texas Rangers Evan Carter (32) bunts a pitch foul during the game between Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers on May 3, 2026 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MI (Photo by Allan Dranberg/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored one run but the Detroit Tigers scored seven runs.
Looks like I picked the right day to not be subscribed to the 20th different service that MLB has shoved exclusive games on.
The Rangers had a guy striking out everyone and perfect into the fifth inning against a team going with a bullpen game and still got blown out.
After winning the first game of this series, the Rangers scored two runs combined in the next two games to kick off this road trip with a series loss.
Player of the Game: I don’t care that it says Jack Leiter allowed five runs in this game. Sorry, Jack.
Up Next: The Rangers take tomorrow off to cancel their streaming service trials before beginning a series against the Yankees at The Bronx on Tuesday evening.
May 3, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson (20) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Texas Rangers in the fifth inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
The Detroit Tigers bullpen put together a really impressive game as six different relievers handled the Rangers without much trouble. Meanwhile, Spencer Torkelson supplied some power, and a parade of soft hits that found holes helped them pile up the runs and win this series two games to one on Sunday night.
The Tigers have a penchant for making a series of odd but ultimately inconsequential moves, and we got an interesting set on Sunday before this game got underway. Zack Short was added to the 40-man roster, RHP Grant Holman was designated for assignment, Short was called up, and Jace Jung was sent back to Triple-A Toledo. Explanation? I’m not sure I have one for you.
Gleyber Torres is day-to-day with what sounds like a minor oblique strain, so the Tigers need help at second base, but Jace Jung has always been a second baseman and only recently switched to playing mostly first base. If he can’t play second base, it’s hard to explain why he wasn’t the one DFA’d, particularly as the pitching staff being banged up is a bigger concern, but these were choices, and they were made. So Zack Short is here to mostly ride the bench for a few days while Torres tries to get his side loosened up. Zach McKinstry is healthy and should be back any day now, and a pitcher they liked enough to claim three weeks ago in Grant Holman was cut loose, soon to be followed by Shorty again.
Meanwhile, the Tigers would go with a bullpen game in Casey Mize’s regular spot, with left-hander Tyler Holton leading the way. And Hao-Yu Lee started at second base.
Tyler Holton has been shaky early on this season, but he actually has a bit more velocity than usual, sitting 91-92 mph more consistently. Brandon Nimmo greeted him with a single up the middle to start the game, but Andrew McCutcheon flew out shallowly to Wenceel Pérez in right field. Holton spun four straight well located sweepers in to Corey Seager and struck him out. That was nice to see, and that was also the end of Holton’s outing. Having faced the tough left-handed Seager, he gave way to right-hander Brenan Hanifee. Pitching chaos is back for an encore, though probably a short one.
Hanifee got ahead of Josh Jung 0-2, but then a sinker up got slapped to right field for a single. He got ahead of Jake Burger 0-2 as well, and this time finished him off with a good slider for strike three.
Jack Leiter was on the mound for Texas, and he quickly popped out Kevin McGonigle on a first pitch fastball, continuing a peculiar trend with McGonigle the last few games, and punched out a scuffing Matt Vierling, and then Colt Keith as well.
Hanifee got the left-handed Evan Carter to ground out to Keith at third. Hanifee got ahead of Duran with good sinkers, and then got a groundout to McGonigle for the second out. A good changeup to the left-handed hitting Josh Smith got a weak flyout to end the inning as Brant Hurter started getting loose. So the lynchpin of the strategy at this point appeared to be getting a left-handed reliever in against Corey Seager, and otherwise just play it by ear.
Young Mr. Leiter, son of Al, of course, was looking about the best I’ve seen him to start this one, and that didn’t bode well for the Tigers early on. He bullied his way trhough Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Kerry Carpenter with a mix of well located 98 mph heaters and good sliders and curveballs.
Hanifee quickly got catcher Kyle Higashioka to fly out, and then gave way to Brant Hurter as the top of the Rangers order came up for the second time with Nimmo and Seager both hitting left-handed with McCutcheon between them. Hurter dispatched Nimmo with well located sinker up for a called strike three. Hurter threw his sweeper and changeup for strikes against McCutcheon, keeping the sinker out of the zone. In a 2-2 count, a sinker up got a pop-up to Lee at second base. So far, the plan was going according to, err, the plan.
Leiter continued to function as a precision buzzsaw in the third. Pérez grounded out, and Lee whiffed at 99 just off the outer edge after falling behind in the count. Jake Rogers lifted a routine fly ball, and it was on to the fourth. A tendency to hang breaking balls has hurt Leiter’s numbers early this season, but there was no sign of that yet and he was getting ahead in count after count early on, retiring all nine Tigers the first time through the order.
That’s fine though, we have Brant Hurter. The big lefty carved up Seager on three pitches, whiffing him on a sweeper for the strikeout. Jung popped out to Torkelson down the right field line. Hurter was hitting all his spots as well, getting a pair of whiffs on good changeups from Burger. The meat patty in question fought off another changeup, and took a fourseamer up and away from a 1-2 count. Hurter missed with a sweeper, and then got a routine grounder to third for the final out.
Leiter finally missed with strike one to McGonigle, but worked back ahead in the count. Kevin missed a meatball of a curve right down the middle and fouled it off. Eventually, a high fastball got a weak fly out to retire McGonigle. Vierling got ahead 2-1, but grounded out on a slider down and away. Keith got a first pitch ball, but Leiter dropped a changeup on the inside corner down. Keith blew a challenge on that and was wrong, and eventually lined out to center field. 12 up, 12 down.
Hurter remained up to the challenge, quickly getting a soft grounder from Carter to start the fifth. McGonigle made a nice play charging that one to get the out. Two more good pitches got Duran on a roller than McGonigle again read and reacted to perfectly to get the speedy baserunner. Smith singled to right field with two outs. Hurter missed up and away with two sinkers against Higashioka, and walked the catcher on four straight pitches. This was the first trouble for either side in the game. Hurter missed with a sweeper against Nimmo, and that was five straight balls from the big lefty. Ricky Vanasco was warming, but the Tigers wanted Hurter to get through Nimmo, McCutcheon, and Seager again, ideally. Hurter fell behind 2-1, but a good sinker got a soft tapper back to Hurter, and he tossed to Torkelson to escape the jam.
Leiter finally showed a sign of weakness, walking Riley Greene on four straight pitches to lose the perfect game attempt. You can’t show weakness around a Tigers. Ok, frankly it doesn’t matter what you do if a Tiger is coming after you, but I digress…Two fastballs for strikes to Torkelson followed, but you remember what I said earlier about the occasional mistake hanger? Leiter hung a slider up in the zone 0-2, and Torkelson crushed it to left for a two-run shot. 2-0 Tigers.
Carpenter struck out, and McCutcheon made a great play on a drive from Pérez to right. Lee fouled off a pair of fastballs to fall behind 0-2, and a slider down and away got the whiff. Still, the Tigers had one hit but it was the one that counted in this one so far.
McCutcheon singled up the middle on a first pitch sinker to start the sixth. That brought up Seager, with Vanasco ready to take over afterwards. Hurter got ahead 0-2 and got a grounder to Torkelson who turned a slick 3-6-3 double play, and that was well as Vanasco has only a handful of major league innings with the Dodgers and Tigers. Really nice throw to second from Tork on that one. Hurter finished with three innings of scoreless ball and a fine job overall.
Vanasco is a long-strider with big extension, sitting 94-95 mph with a pretty average fastball, but he packs a really good power curve and a quality changeup. He got Smith to ground one to McGonigle’s left, but the shortstop threw it away despite having plenty of time. Would Vanasco crumble? No, he got ahead of Burger and then was supposed to throw a fastball up and away. Instead, he sprayed a 95 mph heater under Burger’s hands and got the whiff anyway. Nicely done. Vanasco still hasn’t given up a run this year.
Leiter got up 0-2 on Jake Rogers, but the Tigers catcher smoked a line drive to center field. Carter dove and missed on it and the ball rolled deep toward the wall as Rogers cruised around to third with a triple. Leiter got ahead of McGonigle 0-2 as well, but Leiter hung a changeup and Kevin did Kevin things, lining an RBI single to right field. 3-0 Tigers. Viering took a called strike three. Keith chopped one back to Leiter and he made a nice barehanded play to barely throw out the Tigers’ third baseman. Riley Greene grounded out, and we were on to the seventh.
Vanasco got Carter on a routine flyout to open the seventh, but Duran reached out and flicked a curveball on the outer edge just fair down the left field line for a double. Vanasco walked Smith, and then yanked a fastball that Rogers couldn’t quite corral, advancing the runners to second and third. Fortunately, he bounced back with a pair of well located fastballs to Highashioka, and eventually got a nubber down to Torkelson for the second out, though Duran scored. So it was a 2-1 game, and Kyle Finnegan was warmed up, but Vanasco stayed soft against Nimmo and got a foul tip into the glove with a nice changeup for strike three. 3-1 Tigers. There was nothing hard hit, and Vanasco struck out two while collecting four outs. Perfectly fine return to the major leagues for him.
Leiter was at 81 pitches coming out to start the bottom of the seventh. Torkelson battled him through a long at-bat eventually struck out. Carpenter watched Leiter shift to soft stuff and was ready for a first pitch changeup, flicking a little line drive single to right field. Leiter missed with three straight to Pérez, but grounded one to first on a play that Burger bobbled, but then recovered to get the out. Leiter was now at 95 pitches as Hao-Yu Lee dug into the batter’s box. Lee got behind 0-2, but took a pair of balls and then chopped one off of Smith’s glove at second and into right field for an RBI single. 4-1 Tigers.
That was it for Leiter, as old friend Todd the Painter, aka Tyler Alexander took over. Impressive stuff from Leiter, but he still just has that little flaw of a budding ace who sometimes goes a little haywire at the first sign of adversity. Still, he punched out 10 Tigers, and there were at best three hard hit balls all night. Nice job by the Tigers of battling him and coming through on their few opportunities.
Jake Rogers and Alexander nodded to one another as old battery mates. Jake then dumped a bloop single into right field as Lee raced from first to third. Kevin McGonigle pulled a bouncer down the right field line and over Burger for an RBI single. McGonigle feels like he’s in a tiny slump the last few games and it’s still 1 or 2 hits and an RBI or two every night. Ridiculous.
Rogers purposefully made a big turn around third base, attracting Burger’s attentions, and the Rangers bought it, throwing to third, where they really had no shot. Rogers was easily back safe, and McGonigle adroitly understood the assignment, sprinting to second base. That cost the Rangers a run, as Matt Vierling floated a dying quail into shallow right center field and just out of Carter’s reach. Both runs scored, and suddenly it was 7-1 after Colt Keith grounded out to end the inning.
You know what they say, if you can’t hit it really hard, hit it really soft. This principle applied to the whole inning.
Kyle Finnegan struck out a pinch-hitting Alejandro Osuna to start the eighth. Corey Seager singled, but Jung grounded into a force of Seager at second, escaping a double play only after challenging the call at first base successfully. Burger flew out to Vierling in center to end the frame.
Gavin Collyer took over from Alexander in the bottom of the eighth, whiffing Greene on a cutter to start things off and then striking out Torkelson as well. Carpenter fought off a slew of two strike pitches and worked the count full, but eventually popped out on the infield to send this to the ninth.
Burch Smith took over to close this out, and got Carter to fly out to Greene to start the inning. Matt Vierling made a nice diving play on a Duran sinking line drive for the second out. Josh Smith hit a little flare to left and Greene had to go to the ground and it rattled in and out of his glove for a single. Smith regrouped and got Higashioka on a groundout to Lee to put this one away.
The Tigers are 18-17, tied with Cleveland for the divisional lead. They’ll welcome in the Boston Red Sox for a set starting on Monday night. The entire AL Central is currently bunched within three games of one another.
We’d like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the Detroit Pistons who rallied back from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Orlando Magic in a dominant 116-94 victory at Little Caesar’s Arena on Sunday afternoon. Heck of a comeback as the Pistons advance to the second round.
