For six-plus innings Thursday night, Nolan McLean dazzled at Citi Field. He allowed just a pair of hits and his stuff was especially filthy, as Arizona hitters were largely overmatched.
But lefty Eduardo Rodríguez was nearly as good for the Diamondbacks, and when McLean faltered in the seventh inning, Luke Weaver came in and got knocked around, as the Mets lost their second straight, 7-1.
McLean’s performance was about the only thing that went right for the Mets on another chilly night in Queens.
The right-hander faced just two batters over the minimum heading into the seventh before a leadoff walk to Geraldo Perdomo to start the inning. After a strikeout of Adrian Del Castillo, McLean’s eighth of the night, he gave up a single to Jose Fernandez and was yanked after a career-high 100 pitches.
And that’s when the game was lost, with the bullpen and defense falling apart late.
A dejected Luke Weaver heads back to the dugout during the seventh inning of the Mets’ 7-1 blowout loss to the Diamondbacks on April 9, 2026 at Citi Field. Robert Sabo for New York Post
Weaver entered having allowed just three base runners in five innings over five appearances, but he gave up a game-tying double to right to pinch-hitter Gabriel Moreno that Brett Baty couldn’t catch up to. Baty, still new to right field, pulled up short of the fence in right and the ball hit off the fence.
“I felt I got a good read on it and tried to get back there [quickly] to find the wall,’’ said Baty, who added it was the first time he’s had a play like that. “I’m still working hard to get some experience with wall balls. … I think they’re extremely hard, but I’m gonna do everything I can to catch those. I’ll run through the wall if I have to.”
Hopefully it doesn’t come to that. But in this one, the inability to come up with a catch led to a loss, as Alek Thomas then grounded to first with the infield in and Mark Vientos made a poor throw home, which allowed Fernandez to score to give Arizona the lead.
Luke Weaver (back left) looks on as Alek Thomas dives safely into home on a tripe by Jorge Barrosa during the seventh inning of the Mets’ loss to Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Robert Sabo for New York Post
A Tim Tawa sacrifice fly added another run, and Jorge Barrosa continued the rally with a triple to right to make it 4-1.
Weaver left to a chorus of boos following the four-run outburst.
Luis García was even worse, as the right-hander gave up three runs in the eighth, with the Diamondbacks putting the game away.
The lineup didn’t give the pitchers any margin for error, mostly silent outside of one swing from Luis Robert Jr. in the bottom of the first. His two-out solo homer was the first earned run scored off Rodríguez this year — and the last the Mets would score on the night.
Nolan McLean, who allowed just two runs in his start, celebrates after getting out of the sixth inning of the Mets’ loss to the Diamondbacks. Robert Sabo for New York Post
They threatened with two outs in the third when Bo Bichette singled and Robert walked. Vientos followed with a liner up the middle, but second baseman Ketel Marte was shaded that way and made the catch.
Another potential rally arose in the fifth. Tyrone Taylor opened with a double to left and moved to third on Francisco Lindor’s grounder to shortstop. After Bichette walked, Rodríguez got Robert looking and Vientos grounded out to third to keep it a one-run game.
Still, the Mets held the lead to open the seventh and had their high-leverage relievers ready to go. But Weaver and García combined to give up five runs while getting just three outs.
Luis Robert Jr. celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of the Mets’ blowout loss to the Diamondbacks. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Weaver said his tough outing was more painful considering how well McLean pitched.
“It adds a little more sting,’’ Weaver said. “He deserved the win there.”
The Celtics dared Josh Hart to beat them. He obliged.
After a miserable first half, Hart caught fire down the stretch of Thursday’s 112-106 victory over the Celtics — burying his open and contested looks to the delight of an enthusiastic MSG crowd.
“Their game plan was to let him shoot,” coach Mike Brown said, “and he stepped up and he knocked down big shots.”
Josh Hart puts up a 3-point shot as Jayson Tatum jumps to defend during the second quarter of the Knicks’ 112-106 win over the Celtics on April 9, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Hart scored 15 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter, burying all three of his trey attempts while suppressing Jayson Tatum on the other end with pressure defense. He was the unlikely hero following his dud of a first half, with Hart going into the break with more turnovers than points.
The final five minutes was a much different story, pushing the third-seeded Knicks to within two games of Boston for second in the East — and one game above the No. 4 Cavs. For the Knicks, a first-round series against either Toronto or Atlanta is now the most likely scenario.
“The Hart-breaker comes through,” Karl-Anthony Towns said.
Asked if he was surprised defenses are still leaving him open despite shooting over 40 percent on 3s this season, Hart replied, “It all depends. For me, I always talk about how I’m the fifth option, sixth option. My thought process always is, how can I get these guys easy shots, get these guys involved, get them feeling good? Am I surprised with that? Nah, because I don’t go out there, like, you know what, I’m going to shoot seven, eight 3s. That’s not really my cup of tea. But when I’m open, I know I’ve got to shoot those shots. But they’re probably looking like he might shoot three or four, so let him have that.”
Whatever the reason for Boston’s strategy, it backfired. The Celtics also had no answer for the Towns-Jalen Brunson two-man game, which has emerged this week as a powerful force.
Just like three nights earlier in a victory over the Hawks, the Knicks worked Towns and Brunson in halfcourt sets. Pick-and-rolls, pick-and-pops, preferable switches.
Jalen Brunson drives to the basket as Sam Hauser defends during the third quarter of the Knicks’ win over the Celtics. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
It turned into an unstoppable strategy as the Knicks (52-28) moved one step closer to clinching third in the East while keeping alive their hopes of supplanting Boston at No. 2.
“We’re running it a little bit more than what we were doing before,” Brown said of the Towns-Brunson pick-and-roll. “And guys are getting a rhythm. Guys are getting a rhythm at the right time.”
Brunson picked up five of his 10 assists in the fourth quarter, finishing with 25 points. Towns had 16 points and 12 rebounds. So while Hart got the biggest bouquet Thursday, Towns and Brunson were the catalysts.
Karl-Anthony Towns reacts after a foul was called on OG Anunoby during the third quarter of the Knicks’ win over the Celtics. Getty Images
“I just think [myself and Brunson] had convos in the last few days and those convos are showing up in the game, especially in the last two fourth quarters,” Towns said. “In high-pressure situations, we’ve leaned on each other and trusted each other in those situations and it’s been very good for our team.”
The Celtics (54-26) were playing without their top star, Jaylen Brown, who sat with Achilles tendinitis. His DNP felt hypocritical after Brown spent months needling the Knicks and their fans, including a comment just this week about seeking revenge for last year’s elimination.
Of course, revenge for the Celtics can only be accomplished in the playoffs, and Brown’s absence theoretically provided an easier avenue to face the Knicks in the second round.
But there were other reasons for Brown to rest. First, the Achilles soreness has been an ongoing issue for him this season. Also, Thursday’s game was the first in a back-to-back set and the Celtics have previously alternated rest days for Brown and Tatum. So don’t be surprised if Tatum sits Friday’s game against the Pelicans.
And lastly, Tatum characterized Thursday’s game as an emotional hurdle to clear after tearing his Achilles on the Garden court almost a year ago. It was his first time returning to the spot of the injury. He apparently needed MSG redemption more than Brown.
“Obviously, at some point I knew I would have to get over that hurdle and play there again,” Tatum said. “So, it’s going to have to be this Thursday.”
If Tatum cleared a mental hurdle, it didn’t help with his shot. He was off and particularly struggled down the stretch while guarded by Hart, finishing with 24 points on 7-of-22 shooting. The Celtics were outscored by 16 points in his 40 minutes. But the Knicks were killed by Payton Pritchard, who went off for 23 points with six assists on 10-of-20 shooting. When the Knicks threatened to pull away in the third quarter with a 13-point lead, Pritchard dragged the Celtics back.
It led to a nip-and-tuck fourth quarter, with the deficit never hitting double digits for the final 18 minutes. In the end, the Towns-Brunson tandem — along with efficient shooting from Hart — carried the result.
MONTREAL (AP) — Cole Caufield became the first Montreal player to score 50 goals in a season in more than three decades and Juraj Slafkovsky scored a tiebreaker with just over a minute remaining as the Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in a fight-filled game Thursday night.
Slafkovsky scored his 30th at 18:56 of the third period and Nick Suzuki had two assists to raise his season total to 70 for Montreal (47-22-10). Jakub Dobes made 17 saves for his seventh consecutive win.
Darren Raddysh scored for Tampa Bay (48-25-6), which lost its third straight game. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 19 shots.
Caufield beat Vasilevskiy with a wrist shot at 6:29 of the second period for the milestone goal in front of a frenzied crowd at the Bell Centre that included Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Caufield became the seventh Canadiens player to hit the 50-goal mark, and the first since Stéphane Richer in 1989-90.
Raddysh tied the game with 1:51 remaining in the third period with the goalie pulled before Slafkovsky scored with 64 seconds left on a pass from Suzuki.
The Canadiens, Lightning and Buffalo Sabres are locked in a three-way race for first place in the Atlantic Division with three regular-season games remaining for Montreal and Tampa Bay, and two left for Buffalo. Montreal moved two points ahead of Tampa Bay and two behind Buffalo for the division lead.
The game featured several scrums after the whistle, a spirited fight between Montreal’s Josh Anderson and Tampa Bay’s Declan Carlile, and seven 10-minute misconducts — culminating in 126 penalty minutes. The second period alone had more than 100, with players packing in to both penalty boxes.
Up next
Lightning: At the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon.
Canadiens: Host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 9: Jalen Brunson #11 and Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks laugh after the game against the Boston Celtics on April 9, 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
If the games will be anything like tonight’s affair, a Knicks-Celtics playoff series would be a gift from the basketball gods, no?
Tonight, the Boston Celtics (54-26) came into Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks (52*-28). While Boston has essentially locked up the No. 2 seed, the Knicks are fighting to hold off the Cavaliers for the third spot. However, this marked Jayson Tatum’s big return to Madison Square Garden after rupturing an Achilles tendon here last postseason, and even without the injured Jaylen Brown, the Celtics were determined to win this one for the Tater. The Knicks had other ideas.
Behind a nuclear performance from Josh Hart down the stretch—he went 5-of-7 from three, with three of those bombs coming in the fourth quarter—New York sent Boston back to Beantown with a bruised bottom. Final score: Knicks 112, Celtics 106.
The Knicks funneled their offense through Mikal Bridges (10 PTS, 6 ASTS, +17) to start the game, and he hit three straight buckets to give them a 7-0 lead. From there, Tatum (24 PTS, 14 RBS, 8 ASTS) quickly steadied things for the visitors, scoring, rebounding, and evened the scoreboard. Boston’s edge came from second chances and depth. Neemias Queta (10 PTS, 10 RBS) crashed the glass, and Payton Pritchard (23 PTS) chipped in off the bench to help swing momentum in the wrong direction.
Even with similar shooting splits (48% vs. 44%), the Celts doubled the Knicks in paint points (14–6) and earned extra possessions with a 4–1 edge in offensive boards. The Knicks actually shot better from beyond the arc (40% vs. 25%), but they failed to create enough interior pressure or ball movement. Jalen Brunson (25 PTS, 10 AST, 1 TOV) kept the Knicks close with a three-pointer and free throws, scoring 10 points in the quarter to narrow the score at the break, 29-26.
The second quarter began with a scrappy, uneven stretch, marked by misses, blocks, and squandered possessions on both sides, before our heroes found their rhythm. OG Anunoby (13 PTS) knocked down a three, while Mitchell Robinson (7 PTS, 7 RBS, 3 STL, 1 BLK) brought much-needed interior intensity and finished an alley-oop to push the hosts ahead. Off the bench, Miles McBride provided some lift with a timely three, a steal, and two dimes.
Pritchard continued to be a pest on both ends, while Queta built on his rebound total. When Brunson returned mid-quarter, he worked with Karl-Anthony Towns (16 PTS, 12 RBS) in the pick-and-roll to spark a rally and pull the game even. At halftime, New York held the thinnest of leads, 54-53.
Through the first 24, the Knicks were the cleaner, more efficient team. They shot 48% overall and 33% from three (versus 39% and 24%). Boston stayed close through volume, using eight offensive rebounds, a +8 edge on the glass, and near-perfect free-throw shooting. New York moved the ball better (14–9 in assists) and turned around their paint scoring in the second quarter. At the break, Captain Brunson led all scorers with 16, while Payton Pritchard had 15 on 7-of-12 shooting.
Josh Hart (26 PTS, 10-15 FG) nailed two triples, Bridges and Anunoby canned some of their own, and the Knicks extended their lead to 11 early in the third period. Towns was more active on the glass and added second-chance points, helping New York build what looked like a stable cushion. But Boston is too good to be counted out so early. Tatum kept the Beantown Bums on New York’s heels with a mix of midrange scoring, a triple, and steady rebounding. Then, gradually, Pritchard took over the quarter. The Human Milk Dud swished multiple threes, finished inside, and set up others, while Baylor Scheierman (20 PTS) and Nikola Vučević (10 PTS, 5 RBS) added timely threes to erase the deficit and regain the lead. By the end of the quarter, Boston had snuck ahead by two, 83-81.
We’re finally at the point where we don’t got shit our pants every time Mitchell Robinson hits the floor.
The guests came out swinging in the fourth, with buckets from Scheierman and Tatum. The hosts stayed close behind Jordan Clarkson’s (8 PTS) brief scoring burst, but missed looks from Miles McBride and Landry Shamet stalled their offense. The energy finally shifted when the starters returned, Josh Hart immediately hit a three-pointer, and the Knicks took off on a run that flipped the lead.
The game saw-sawed from there. Pritchard and Scheierman kept knocking down buckets, but Brunson was cool and collected in the driver’s seat, scoring on a step-back three, getting to the line, and setting up Hart for a key layup. A reinvigorated Towns added a three, a dunk, and a steal, while Tatum faltered late with turnovers and a missed layup. The All-Star would finish with six turnovers and a team-worst -16 plus-minus.
Amazon flashed a graphic showing the Boston Celtics at 15–16 in clutch games and the New York Knicks at 20–13. The way these teams ripped at each other, it felt like the decision could go either way. Down the stretch, though, it was a different roommate, Mr. Josh Hart, stepping into the Captain Clutch role. He scored 15 points in the fourth, including eight in the final two minutes and a pair of dagger threes that sealed a 3–1 season series win for the good guys.
JOSH HART COMES UP BIG IN THE CLUTCH!
Extends the lead to 5 with 42.4 to go. Seals the deal at 14.6.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 26: Jarrett Allen #31 (C) celebrates with Jaylon Tyson #20 and Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during player introductions before the game against the Orlando Magic at Rocket Arena on January 26, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. 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 are balancing getting reps together before the playoffs and trying to go into the postseason completely healthy. On Wednesday, that meant playing all available players in a game that doesn’t have too much significance for the Cavs in the standings. On Friday, that means resting several key players in their rematch with the Atlanta Hawks.
The Cavs will be without the services of Donovan Mitchell (right ankle injury management), Jarrett Allen (right knee injury management), and Sam Merrill (left hamstring injury management). This is in addition to Thomas Bryant missing the game with a left calf strain.
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Cleveland didn’t go with a vanilla game plan in their win on Wednesday. There’s reason to believe they’ll go for it again, just with fewer key contributors available.
No one is 100% at this time of the season, but it is fair to point out that Allen and Merrill have been playing through injuries recently.
Allen hasn’t looked like himself since returning to the lineup from a knee injury that kept him out for a few weeks. He mentioned after his return to the lineup from that injury that he was playing through some pain. Given how important he is to the Cavs’ playoff ceiling, it would make sense to rest him until the playoffs begin next weekend.
Merrill has also been fighting through various injuries throughout the season. The hamstring injury is just the one listed on the injury report right now.
Whether or not Mitchell is as injured as the other two is unknown. He twisted his ankle on Sunday in the win over the Indiana Pacers, but has since denied that he was injured in any way. Resting a star player for a game like this makes sense. I’m not sure it’s worth reading into too much.
The Cavs do have some good news on the injury front. Jaylon Tyson has been upgraded to questionable. He could make his return to the lineup on Friday. On Wednesday, head coach Kenny Atkinson said that the reason he wasn’t playing then was more related to conditioning than any concerns about the toe.
The Hawks will be fully healthy, except for Jock Landale, who will miss the game with a right high ankle sprain.
If Wednesday’s offensive disappointment was pinned on Ryan McMahon, who heard boos on a rough day during a rough start, Austin Wells might have been the face of Thursday’s frustration.
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What amounted to the Yankees’ best rally of the game — putting two runners on base in the seventh inning, Giancarlo Stanton drawing a walk and Ben Rice connecting for the club’s first hit of the afternoon — ended with Wells flying out on an afternoon the Yankees fell 1-0 to the A’s in The Bronx.
The entire bottom of the order is an early problem for the Yankees, but the struggles of Wells stand out in part because he is not experimenting with a radically different stance (like McMahon) or serving as a fill-in until a reinforcement arrives (like José Caballero) or owning a stellar track record that suggests he will come around (like Jazz Chisholm Jr.).
Wells arrived in the majors a couple of years ago with a reputation as a strong hitter who needed to work on his catching defense. He has emerged as an excellent framer and game-caller, but his bat has only flashed the kind of hitter he can become.
Austin Wells (28) hits a double during the seventh inning on April 7, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Those flashes have not appeared in the early going this season. Since tallying two hits on Opening Day, Wells has gone 3-for-27 with two singles, a double, four walks and 11 strikeouts.
In a reminder that the season is still in its infancy, Wells shrugged off the slump and was happy with the process that he feels will yield results.
“I feel pretty good [at the plate],” said Wells, who swung through a fastball for a strikeout in the third, grounded out in the fifth and made decent contact with his seventh-inning flyout. “Swinging at the right pitches. I’m just not getting much results. So, keep going.”
His manager, too, thought Wells’ swings were improving even if they were ending similarly.
Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) after hitting a double in the seventh inning against the Athletics on Tuesday. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
“A little better, actually. He’s been one of those guys struggling a little bit,” Aaron Boone said after the Yankees were shut out for the first time this season. “The last AB there, where we had a couple runners on, I thought he put together a pretty good at-bat and got some good swings off.”
The Yankees are only about 7 percent of the way into their season, and early April numbers often are forgotten. Plus, the Yankees are generally winning and Wells’ mind and defense are significant factors in the club’s rotation excellence thus far.
But the Yankees also consistently praise what J.C. Escarra can become and insist that Rice could be a major league catcher. So if Wells does not hit, there are other options.
“I feel like there’s been some games where he’s had some quality at-bats,” Boone said, “but obviously we got to get it more consistent, start getting some results. Obviously, he’s a guy that drives the ball as well.”
Knoxville Smokies infielder Jefferson Rojas (2) slides away from home plate after being called out during Opening Day for the Knoxville Smokies at Covenant Health Park against the Birmingham Barons on April 3, 2026. | Angelina Alcantar/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Iowa Cubs
Rained out. Doubleheader starting at 5:08 tomorrow.
The Trash Pandas jumped all over Smokies starter Luis Martinez-Gomez with two runs in the first, one in the second and two more in the third. The final line on Martinez-Gomez was five runs on five hits over four innings. He walked two, struck out one and gave up a two-run home run in the third inning.
Vince Reilly pitched the eighth and ninth innings and got the win. He did not allow a hit or a run, although he did walk one. He faced the minimum thanks to a fantastic diving catch and double play by third baseman Karson Simas. Reilly struck out two.
The Smokies trailed this game 7-0 after five and a half innings, but they scored three in the bottom of the sixth and five in the bottom of the eighth to stage an improbably comeback.
First baseman Devin Ortiz hit a three-run double in the sixth. He also chipped in an RBI single in the eighth. His final line was 2 for 4 with the double and four RBI. He scored once.
Shortstop Jefferson Rojas hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to give the Smokies the lead. It was Rojas’ third home run this year. He was 1 for 4 with a walk.
Left fielder Jordan Nwogu went 2 for 4 with a triple.
Here’s the Rojas home run.
Jefferson Rojas goes the other way on a 3-run home run to give the Smokies an 8th-inning lead.
He is 9-for-27 with 3 HR, 2 2B, and 10 RBI through his first 6 games.
Great to see him having success in Double-A after his struggles at the level last year. pic.twitter.com/Pi6Iw5OG3n
Kevin Valdez made his season debut tonight by pitching 3.2 scoreless innings to start the game. Valdez allowed three hits. He struck out five and walked two.
Ethan Flanagan’s season debut could have gone better. After Grayson Moore gave up two runs in relief and South Bend tied it back up, Flanagan gave up three runs on five hits over 2.1 innings. Two of the five hits were home runs. Flanagan walked two and struck out three.
Catcher Owen Ayers hit his first South Bend home run with the bases empty in the fourth. He also singled and scored in the eighth. Ayers went 2 for 3 with a walk and the two runs scored.
Second baseman Drew Bowser tied it up 2-2 with a solo home run in the seventh. Bowser went 1 for 4.
Third baseman Reginald Preciado went 3 for 4. He singled home Ayers in the eighth.
Rowell Arroyo came on to pitch the sixth inning and allowed a runner to go to third with one out after fielding a dribbler in front of the mound and throwing the ball down the right line. The runner would score the only run of the game on a fielder’s choice. The final line on Arroyo was one unearned run on one hit over two innings. He walked two and struck out one.
Second baseman Jose Escobar singled to lead off the sixth inning. That was the only Pelicans hit of the game. Escobar was 1 for 3.
Josiah Hartshorn had the night off, so that didn’t help the offense.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 9: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks on April 9, 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 Boston Celtics traveled to New York to play the Knickerbockers for their 79th game of the season. Boston needed just a single win to secure a second place birth in the Eastern Conference playoffs. In a classic regular season contest, both team’s had runs and chances to close it out, but it was the Knicks who prevailed downt he stretch, 112-106.
Prior to the tip, Jaylen Brown was ruled out of the clash with left Achilles tendinitis. The starting five for Boston would be Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Neemias Queta, Jordan Walsh, and Jayson Tatum. Jayson Tatum would return to the scene of his traumatic knee injury last season. For the Knicks, they started OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and Jalen Brunson.
Mikal Bridges hit the game’s first three shots as the Knicks jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead. Tatum scored Boston’s first two points of the game with a steal at half court and a layup. Tatum spun on Josh Hart and was fouled driving to the cup on another layup. Jordan Walsh got the nod ahead of Baylor Scheierman, who filled in for Jayson Tatum for much of the year; he hit his first three-pointer from the corner, game tied at 7.
Both teams traded buckets before Queta scored inside off a Tatum lob, with the C’s up 13-11 with 6 minutes to go in the quarter. Tatum had the ball in his hands for most of the first quarter and was picking apart the Knicks’ D. Derrick White had a pull-up jumper for his first two of the game. Payton Pritchard entered the game for Tatum and immediately hit his first shot, Boston up by 6 points, 19-13.
The Knicks were having a rough shooting start; they were just 5 of 13 to start the game and just 1 of 7 from downtown. Pritchard was having an early impact; his three quick buckets gave him the confidence to start talking trash at center court, presumably in the direction of Spike Lee. Pritchard drained a triple as the shot clock expired in the first quarter.
The Knicks rallied to start the second quarter with some good minutes from bench players Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet, and Jordan Clarkson. They took the lead back 31-35 with nine minutes to play in the first half. Boston was just 0-4 to start the third; Pritchard finally broke the drought with a back-cut score.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 9: Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks on April 9, 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
Boston countered the Knicks with a nice 7-0 run, Sam Hauser draining a triple to make it all square at 40 apiece. Both teams slogged it out to finish the half, a very even contest. Brunson was the driving force for the Knicks with 16 first-half points; OG Anunoby had 10 points for the home team. For Boston, Tatum was filling the stat sheet; he had 10 points, 9 boards, and 4 assists. Payton Pritchard was the team’s leading scorer at halftime, with 15 points on 7-12 shooting. It would finish New York with 52 points and Boston with 51 points at the half.
New York was white hot to start the third; they reeled off 4 straight three-pointers as Boston was struggling to stay with the open shooters. Joe Mazzulla burned a timeout at the 9-minute mark, the Knicks starting to pull away from Boston 57-66. NY got the lead out to 13 points, Mazzulla needing to call another timeout, as KAT was starting to attack the bucket and Boston’s D was starting to fall apart.
Boston finally got going in the third, with Tatum and Pritchard fueling the C’s to a 10-0 run. Vooch got in on the act, hitting his first three-pointer of the game. Baylor Sheierman had a dagger triple on the break, Tatum finding him with a deft pass out wide on the left wing, Boston down just 4 points with 3 minutes to go in the third, 72-76.
A Nikola Vucevic triple got it back to just one point; a play later, Pritchard laced his 21st point of the game with a triple, Boston up by 2 points, 78-76. Both teams once again traded buckets after going on mini runs, setting up the game for a big fourth quarter, with Boston by just 2 points, 83-81.
Baylor Scheierman was showing out in the Big Apple 🍎; he hit his fourth triple of the game to start the fourth quarter on a relocation triple. Tatum returned to the game, replacing DWhite. Boston’s bench was outstanding in this game; they had 43 points compared to the Knicks’ 18. Tatum had 6 straight points for the road team, Boston up 92-87 with a ton of time to go.
A Josh Hart corner triple cut Boston’s lead back to 2 points; it was very rowdy at MSG. New York was leading the battle in the paint with KAT and Robinson; they had 38 points to Boston’s 28 points.
Apr 9, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) high fives Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
Scheierman laced another triple for Boston, KAT hit back with one of his own, the lead see-sawing, Knicks up by 1 point, 98-99. Baylor’s fifth three-pointer of the night had the New York crowd stunned, both team’s throwing hay makers.
Turnovers started to hurt the C’s for Boston late, but Baylor Scheierman was still hawt, he nailed yet another three-pointer to give Boston the lead back. Scheierman had 24 points from Boston bench but it was a one point game with the Knicks ahead and a minute and a half to go.
Derrick White rimmed out a triple with a minute to go in the game he struggled all game with just one made field goal, Josh Hart converted his to make it a 5 point game, 104-109 New York. Nikola Vucevic converted on a offensive rebound to cut it to 3 points. Josh Hart hit his fifth three-pointer to seal it. Boston drop a heart breaker with their All-NBA player Jaylen Brown watching on.
Boston will next play the NOLA Pelicans tomorrow at home at 7:30pm EST.
In what felt like a playoff atmosphere, the Knicks held on to a 112-106 win over the Celtics on Thursday night at MSG.
Josh Hart scored 15 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter to lead New York to a big win against their conference rivals. With the win, the Knicks remain within reach of the Celtics for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Knicks (52-28) have surpassed the win total from last season with two games to go.
Here are the takeaways...
-The Knicks' plan to start was to attack in transition, with Mikal Bridges scoring the first seven points of the game. The Celtics responded with a 9-0 run to tie the game with good defense and offensive rebounding. Boston would build a seven-point lead midway through the first frame thanks to outhustling the Knicks and getting every 50-50 ball, but New York would make their run.
The first quarter ended with Payton Pritchard and Jalen Brunson trading threes in the final minute as the Celtics led 29-26 at the end of one.
Pritchard was the catalyst for the Celtics' offense in the first. He put up 11 points in six minutes off the bench to lead the team. The Knicks were shooting just 34 percent when Boston had their biggest lead, but bounced back and finished the frame with 45 percent shooting. Brunson led the team with 10 points.
-The Knicks got out to a 7-0 run to start the second (10-0 run from the end of the first) to retake the lead. Both offenses will settle down, as they traded leads throughout the quarter. Karl-Anthony Towns wouldn't get his first points until midway through the second, but it wouldn't be his last. The two-man game between him and Brunson was effective and helped give the Knicks a five-point lead in the waning minutes, but a late surge by the Celtics helped them to trail by just one at halftime.
Pritchard (15) and Tatum (10) led the Celtics as they outrebounded the Knicks 29-25 after two quarters. Brunson (16) and OG Anunoby (10) led the Knicks in scoring.
-The Knicks built up a nine-point lead in the opening minutes of the third because of the three-point shot. That lead would balloon to 13 as Towns started to take over the game with his rebounding and drives to the basket. The Celtics responded after a timeout halfway through the third with a 10-0 run as their threes began to fall. That run extended to 19-4 as they retook the lead with two minutes remaining. Boston took that momentum to end the third with an 83-81 lead.
-The Celtics would get out to a seven-point lead early in the fourth as the Knicks could not get a stop. The Knicks made a run of their own to cut the deficit to two points with seven minutes remaining. Both teams traded buckets with New York taking advantage of Boston's turnovers to hold a 106-104 lead with 1:26 remaining in the game.
Hart hit two threes in the final minute to help the Knicks pull out the win.
-Hart finished with 26 points on 10-for-15 shooting (5 of 7 from three). Towns posted 16 points and 12 rebounds while Brunson had 25 points and 10 assists.
-The Celtics were without Jaylen Brown, and Tatum returned to MSG for the first time since tearing his Achilles in the playoffs last year. Tatum finished with a team-high 24 points on 7 of 22 shooting, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Pritchard scored 23 points in 35 minutes off the bench. Baylor Scheierman helped keep the Celtics in the game in the fourth with his three-point shooting. He finished with a season-high 20 points and went 6 of 7 from downtown.
Game MVP: Josh Hart
Hart's scoring in the second half, and especially in the fourth, pushed the Knicks over the top. His defense on Tatum also helped finish up the win.
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Fabian Zetterlund scored a pair of goals and the Ottawa Senators moved closer to securing a playoff berth with a 5-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday night.
The Senators hold the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, leading the New York Islanders by three points with three games remaining. Ottawa plays at New York on Saturday. The Senators are two points back of Boston for the first East wild card.
With their third straight win, the Senators (42-27-10) wrapped up their five-game homestand with a 4-1-0 record, with the lone loss coming against Minnesota.
Drake Batherson, Artem Zub and Claude Girot also scored for Ottawa, and Linus Ullmark made 21 saves. Jesper Boqvist scored for the defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers, who have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Ottawa added reinforcement to its blueline, with Thomas Chabot returning exactly two weeks after having surgery for a broken arm. Chabot was initially expected to miss four to eight weeks.
Ottawa took a 3-0 lead 3:03 into the third period. Zub grabbed a rebound of a shot by Jake Sanderson and snapped a shot to the far side to beat Sergei Bobrovsky, who stopped 25 shots.
The Panthers finally solved Ullmark at 14:17 of the third. A.J. Greer found Boqvist at the top of the slot and Boqvist squeezed a shot under Ullmark’s right arm.
Giroux added an empty-netter with 3:17 remaining to put any hope of a comeback out of reach. Nineteen seconds later, Zetterlund scored his second of the game.
The Senators have outscored opponents 17-6 during their three-game winning streak.
Florida recalled defensemen Marek Alscher and Ludvig Jansson from their American Hockey League affiliate. The two made their NHL debuts.
Up next
Panthers: At Toronto on Saturday.
Senators: Visit the Islanders on Saturday as they seek to solidify their playoff position.
BROOKLYN, NY - APRIL 9: Ben Saraf #77 of the Brooklyn Nets dribbles the ball during the game against the Indiana Pacers on April 9, 2026 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
I arrived at the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush a bit earlier than usual this afternoon. With 15 minutes to spare before doors opened up, I sat down outside Fini Pizza and inhaled a pepperoni slice. I felt a clam breeze as the sun shined down on me through the oculus. I heard birds chirping even as The Strokes hummed through my ear buds.
And for a brief moment, I forgot all about “tanking” despite being a mere 10 feet from its epicenter this week.
Like we did on Sunday and Tuesday, we’ll call tonight’s game what it was. Jordi Fernández is right each time he insists that all minutes at the NBA level matter, but the only concrete, tangible thing to be gained tonight were better odds to land a top pick in the upcoming draft lottery. The Nets came into tonight with only a half game cushion between them and the threshold for top odds at the number one overall pick this summer. The visiting Indiana Pacers sat two games ahead.
Both teams knew what was at stake, despite whatever rhetoric they’ve used to describe their rotations over the past few weeks.
This time, Brooklyn sat Nolan Traoré (rest), Josh Minott (left ankle soreness), Terance Mann (right patella tendinosis), Noah Clowney (left ankle injury management), Ziaire Williams (left foot tenosynovitis/bursitis), and Nic Claxton. They joined the expected crew of Danny Wolf (ankle), Michael Porter Jr. (hamstring), Day’Ron Sharpe (thumb), and Dëmin (foot), leaving Brooklyn with eight inactives.
The Pacers sat Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith , Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, Ivica Zubac, Johnny Furphy, Kobe Brown, Ben Sheppard, and of course, Tyrese Haliburton.
Yeah, they even sat their head coach, in a sense. Rick Carlisle missed tonight’s game and will miss the next to attend a school event for his daughter.
But tonight was also the home finale, and Fan Appreciation Night. For as much flack as this Brooklyn crowd gets for the hospitality it extends to visiting teams, seated fans for teams like this, at this point, in this kind of a season, are difficult to come by. Even if they were tourists simply looking to experience our city’s game at a discount, casuals hoping to score a Steph Curry or Luka Doncic autograph, or true team supporters, they were here, and deserve a nod for that.
“Yeah, I mean the loyalty and the support has been amazing, especially going into a season that we didn’t win a lot of games, but all our guys worked and played hard, got better, and to feel the support for what we’re trying to do and the plan we have is pretty special,” Fernández said pregame. “So, I appreciate them showing up, and the way we play is because we feel that support.”
Indeed, you’d like to see Brooklyn give them a show even with the understudies taking center stage.
If only it were that simple.
The Nets dipped deeper into their organizational rotation tonight than they have all season. Even though Jalen Wilson and Drake Powell have been part of the regular rotation at times this year, they came off the bench. Ben Saraf started alongside Tyson Etienne, Malachi Smith, E.J. Liddell, and Tre Scott. The Pacers took a similar approach, bringing Obi Toppin and Jay Huff off the bench.
Brooklyn lost the first quarter 31-14, shooting just 5-21 from the field. The Nets once more played without a true center tonight, and it showed. Brooklyn lost on the glass 21-12 in the opening frame, where Indiana also outscored them in the paint 20-6. Another quarter of play only ballooned those ratios. The Pacers went into the break up 65-37, up 46-20 in the paint, and 38-19 on the boards.
At that point, Obi Toppin was our only scorer with double digit points, putting up 14 on 5-7 shooting. Neither Chaney Johnson nor Ochai Agbaji, the only guys who might’ve had a chance to stop the bleeding inside, played any minutes this evening.
Nevertheless. Brooklyn opened up the third with 12-0 start in paint scoring. Rather than getting some taller reinforcements, the Nets simply started driving more often on an Indiana defense that either stopped caring in the second half or Brooklyn simply didn’t challenge enough in the first.
“He does a great job of getting into the paint with the ball, and that’s very important, because he draws a lot of attention” Fernández said of Saraf. “Now, he’s getting comfortable with making better decisions, whether it’s to score or to find shooters. He ended up with six assists and two turnovers, which is elite, and that’s a night that we didn’t make any shots. Just imagine if we make a couple.”
Also, Toppin and Huff weren’t in the game for that stretch, which saw the Nets slightly cut into the lead with an extended 18-11 run. Tank commanders might’ve started sweating had Toppin and Huff not come back in, but they did around halfway through the third, and once again started BBQ-chickening Brooklyn inside. The Pacers still ended up winning the period and put their lead back at 26 entering the fourth. After Brooklyn’s 12-0 start to the third in paint scoring, Indiana only lost the period there by 24-20 margin.
The Nets couldn’t conjure up another fake comeback after that. There are few things more disheartening for a team to go through than a possession where you drive, force a collapse, put the defense in a blender, kick for an open three, and then clank it off the side iron, and the Nets had about four of those in the final period’s first five minutes. They ended up posting .385/.211 splits for the game, which won’t get it done, even against a fellow basement dweller.
“I thought the effort and the purpose was there,” Fernández said. “We took the right shots. They just didn’t go in.”
So, both teams quietly strolled to the finish line down the stretch of the fourth. Amidst it all, E.J. Liddell waltzed into a career night where he led the Nets with 26 points and 10 rebounds while shooting 10-16 from the field. Ben Saraf followed with a 19/6/5 game. Tyson Etienne added 14 points, four assists, and four rebounds while shooting 3-7 from deep in the loss.
Once more, even if the on-court Nets weren’t after that, it’s what they should’ve been, with respect to the franchise’s long term outlook.
And in terms of leaving a better, final impression on the fans? It’s not like we don’t all have TVs and there aren’t two more games left.
Bottom line: The Nets remain in third place in the race to the bottom, a game behind of the Pacers, a game ahead of the Jazz. Meanwhile, the Wizards lost to the Bulls and clinched the worst record this season.
Final: Indiana Pacers 123, Brooklyn Nets 94
Sean Marks Speaks
As part of YES Network’s season-ending interviews with players, coaches and staff, Sean Marks sat down for a brief interview on the upcoming Draft Lottery, which is a month from Friday. The Nets GM laid out the importance of the lottery pick…
Marks made an interesting comment when talking about this year’s team and its youth. He noted that not only was the 2025-26 roster the youngest in the NBA this year. They were also the youngest NBA team in 20 years. He noted that next year’s squad will also be young, but not as young at this one.
Milestone Watch
E.J. Liddell had his first career double-double tonight against Indiana with 26 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. He has scored 15+ points in three straight games from 4/5-9 after his previous career best was 10 points on 3/14/26 at PHI.
Liddell also became the first Net with 25+ PTS and 10+ REB in an NBA game after playing in the G League that season. It was his third straight game with a career high in points after logging 15 vs WAS (4/5) and 21 vs MIL (4/7).
Injury Update
Nic Claxton gave his exit interview for the season pregame tonight. He came out with his right pinky finger in splint. He mentioned that he doesn’t expect (or want) to have surgery on it.
“No, I don’t think so,” he said when asked if he’d go under the knife. “Give it some time to rest. I think it’ll heal up. Not trying to have any procedures.”
Claxton also said that he recently had an MRI on the finger and intends to take “proper precautions.” We’ll have more on his exit interview later on.
Next Up
The Nets will complete their final back-to-back of the season, flying to Milwaukee for a penultimate game vs the Bucks. Like on Tuesday, expect the household names to sit this one out. It’ll tipoff at 8:00 p.m.
NEW YORK (AP) — Matthew Schaefer tied the NHL record for goals by a rookie defenseman, and the Islanders defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-3 on Thursday night in Peter DeBoer’s first game as New York’s coach.
Cal Ritchie had a goal and an assist, and Ilya Sorokin finished with 13 saves as the Islanders snapped a four-game skid. Brayden Schenn, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Emil Heineman also scored, and Tony DeAngelo added two assists.
DeBoer was hired Sunday after the Islanders fired Patrick Roy amid a late-season slide that saw the team lose seven of 10 games. New York remains in contention for a wild-card playoff spot, trailing Ottawa by three points with three games left.
Steven Lorentz, Easton Cowan and Morgan Rielly scored for Toronto. Artur Akhtyamov made 39 saves for the Maple Leafs, who lost their fifth straight.
Schaefer’s goal midway through the second period was his 23rd of the season to match Hall of Famer Brian Leetch’s record for a rookie defender, set in 1988-89 for the New York Rangers. His shot through Akhtyamov’s legs put the Islanders ahead 3-2.
Heineman scored late in the second for a two-goal advantage, and Ritchie added a power-play goal midway through the third period to put the game out of reach.
New York scored twice in the first five minutes to open the DeBoer era.
Schenn opened the scoring at 2:08 of the first period, finishing a feed from Ritchie on a delayed penalty. Pageau added a goal later in the period, depositing his own rebound to extend the Islanders’ lead to 2-0.
NEW YORK (AP) — Obi Toppin had 26 points and nine rebounds and seven Indiana players scored in double figures as the Pacers snapped a three-game skid with a 123-94 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.
The Pacers (19-61) won for the fifth time in 27 games. Indiana was without head coach Rick Carlisle, who missed the first of two games to attend his daughter’s spring formal. Lloyd Pierce handled the coaching duties.
Micah Potter had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Ethan Thompson added 15 points and Jarace Walker and Jay Huff each added 14. Jalen Slawson and Quenton Jackson finished with 12 points apiece.
E.J. Liddell led the Nets (20-59) with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Ben Saraf scored 19 point and Tyson Etienne added 14 for Brooklyn, which shot 37 for 96 (37%) from the field and had its two-game winning streak halted.
The Pacers raced to a 31-14 lead in the first quarter, led 63-37 at half and carried a 26-point (98-72) advantage into the fourth quarter.
Marcus Semien | (Photo: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)
It seemed like a solo home run might be enough. With Nolan McLean already having put up six zeroes, the Mets had a 1-0 lead as the seventh inning began thanks to a solo home run by Luis Robert Jr. in the bottom of the first.
McLean was dealing at the time, but he appeared to tire a bit in the top of the seventh. He issued a leadoff walk, got his eighth and final strikeout of the night, and gave up a single to put runners on first and second. Carlos Mendoza turned to Luke Weaver, who immediately gave up a game-tying double to right field. If the Mets had an experienced right fielder at the position, there’s a chance the ball would’ve been caught. But Baty didn’t come close.
With runners on second and third, Alek Thomas hit a sharp ground ball to first base with the infield in. Mark Vientos fielded it nicely, but he absolutely butchered his throw home as the go-ahead run scored. If not for a great pick by Luis Torrens on the throw, another run might have scored on the play.
But a sac fly plated the Diamondbacks’ third run of the inning, and a Jorge Barrosa triple scored Arizona’s fourth run of the frame. Two of those runs were charged to McLean, while Weaver got full credit for the other two.
The Mets’ bats remained silent from there, but Mets reliever Luis Garía dampened spirits further by serving up three runs in the top of the eighth. Richard Lovelady threw a scoreless ninth and wound up being the only Mets pitcher who appeared in the game but wasn’t charged with a run.
With that, the Mets are 7-6 to start the season, and they’re set to host the don’t-call-us-Sacramento A’s for a three-game series this weekend.
Big Mets winner: Nolan McLean, +28% WPA Big Mets loser: Luke Weaver, -51% WPA Mets pitchers: -28% WPA Mets hitters:-22% WPA Teh aw3s0mest play: Luis Robert Jr. hits a solo home run in the first, +11% WPA Teh sux0rest play: Gabriel Moreno hits a game-tying double in the seventh, -28% WPA
Nolan McLeandelivered a brilliant start, but after exiting with two runners on base in the seventh, the bullpen couldn't hold a one-run lead as the Mets fell 7-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night at Citi Field.
The young right-hander was tremendous through six scoreless frames protecting a 1-0 lead, but was charged with two runs as part of a four-run seventh inning as Luke Weaver had his first bad outing of the season and spoiled what had been a dominant showing. McLean's final line: 6.1 innings, two runs on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts on 100 pitches (64 strikes).
McLean lost the rematch of the WBC final in what had been a real pitchers' duel as the D-backs’ Eduardo Rodriguez took the win, allowing one run over 6.0 innings on five hits and two walks, thanks to three strikeouts and holding the Mets to 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. And on a cold night, the Mets’ bats were colder, with just one hit (a single) over the final four innings.
New York fell to 7-6 on the year as Arizona improved to that same mark by taking the last two games of the series in Queens.
Here are the takeaways...
- The final numbers really don't tell just how good McLean was to start the game. He got three-straight groundballs to the right side of the infield in a 12-pitch first that saw him throw 10 sinkers to good effect against the left-handed bats at the top of Arizona’s lineup. Jose Fernandez, the first righty McLean faced, got jammed on a 3-1 sinker that was off the inside corner but muscled it for a one-out double in the second. McLean stranded him, getting ex-Met James McCann fishing on a curveball and Alek Thomas to bounce out.
McLean made it five straight retired, adding a strikeout looking as he froze Jorge Barrosa on a sinker that saw the visitors lose an ABS challenge. A leadoff walk in the fourth ended that run, but was erased on a 1-6-3 double-play before McLean froze lefty Adrian Del Castillo with a sinker that moved over a foot right onto the inside corner.
The 24-year-old added two more strikeouts in the fifth on six-straight pitches, first bambooziling McCann on a sweeper away and freezing Thomas on a sinker on the inside corner. A bloop single off the end of the bat opened the sixth and McLean dug deep as he battled and won. A flyout to center, a strikeout looking as the curveball at the knees wiped out Arizona’s last challenge, and then another nasty sinker in and at the knees got a roar from the right-hander as he bounded off the mound with his seventh strikeout on his 85th pitch of the game.
McLean’s night came to an end in the seventh as he walked the leadoff man and gave up a one-out single up the middle, a liner off the end of Fernandez’s bat. And that proved costly.
Through three starts of the season, McLean has allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits, six walks, and one hit batter with 20 strikeouts (16.2 innings).
- Weaver fell behind pinch-hitter Gabriel Moreno, before a low-and-away changeup was driven off the wall in right field over Brett Baty's head for an RBI double. The ball was hit hard and carried on Baty might have been caught by a more experienced outfielder. The baserunners seemed surprised it got over Baty's head as both were ready to tag up on the play.
Arizona had the lead when Mark Vientos spiked his throw home after fielding a sharp grounder to first. After a sac fly, Barrosa turned on an inside fastball and yanked it into the right-field corner for an RBI triple to make it a four-run seventh.
- Luis Robert Jr. gave the Mets an early 1-0 lead, turning a 2-0 cutter on the inside corner for a towering 412-foot bomb to right field. Robert came into the game with six hits in his last 14 at-bats (all singles) before just smoking the Rodriguez offering 109.8 mph off the bat.
After walking his second time up, his 11th free pass of the year, Robert got caught looking at a sinker at the knees with runners on the corners and one out in the fifth, losing the Mets’ first ABS challenge in the process. He finished 1-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts.
- Francisco Lindor entered the night in a funk, 7-for-47 with three extra-base hits, zero RBI, and a 77 wRC+ through 12 games. He went hitless in three at-bats against Rodriguez before muscling a ball off his hands into right for a two-out single off reliever Taylor Clarke.
- Bo Bichette, entered the game 5-for-13 against Rodriguez with a .923 OPS, lofted a two-out single into center with two down in the third. He added a walk and finished 1-for-3.
- Marcus Semien, after striking out his first time up, lined a leadoff single into left to start the home half of the fourth, but was left out there. He finished 1-for-4.
- Baty, the lone lefty in the Mets’ lineup, hustled out an infield hit to first with two down in the second and then stole second base, but was left stranded. He was 1-for-4 with a strikeout.
- Vientos, who made a nice play at first to end the first, looked to have a two-out hit with two men on in the third, but second baseman Ketel Marte was perfectly placed to snag the liner. He stranded runners at the corners to end the fifth, with a groundout to third. He went hitless in four at-bats with a strikeout.
- Tyrone Taylor, after getting the benefit of the doubt on a close 2-2 pitch, ripped a double that one-hopped the wall in left to start the fifth. He went 1-for-2 before being lifted for pinch-hitter Jared Young in the seventh. (Young grounded out.)
- Francisco Alvarez, who was DHing, caught looking at a good Rodriguez changeup that just caught the corner low and away and flied out to the edge of the track in right on a well-struck ball in the fourth. He went 0-for-4.
- Luis Torrens went 0-for-4, including a hard-hit liner right at the left fielder.
- Luis Garcia got touched up in the eighth with a double into the right field corner and an RBI double that one-hopped the wall in left, sandwiched around a walk. After a run-scoring groundout, Moreno hammed a Garcia sweeper into the gap in left-center for his second RBI double in as many at-bats.
Richard Lovelady closed things out by getting all five batters he faced.
Highlights
Luis Robert Jr. with his second homer of the year to get the Mets on the board! pic.twitter.com/xz2FVZydGz
