MONTREAL (AP) — Zach Benson broke a tie on a third-period power play on his 21st birthday and the Buffalo Sabres beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Tuesday night in Game 4 to even the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Benson took a pass in the slot from Josh Doan, kicked the puck to his stick and put a backhander past goalie Jakub Dobes at 4:41 of the third. The goal came with Jake Evans off for holding Peyton Krebs.
Game 5 is Thursday night in Buffalo, with Game 6 in Montreal on Saturday night. The series winner will face Carolina in the Eastern Conference final. The Hurricanes swept both of their series.
Tage Thompson tied it for Buffalo in the second period with a fluke goal and also had an assist. Defenseman Mattias Samuelsson opened the scoring and Doan had two assists.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen replaced Alex Lyon in goal after the Sabres dropped Games 2 and 3, making 28 saves in his first action since being pulled in the third period of a Game 2 loss to Boston in the first round.
Alex Newhook and Cole Caufield scored for Montreal. Dobes stopped 19 shots.
GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, DUCKS 2, OT
LAS VEGAS (AP) —Pavel Dorofeyev scored his second goal of the game at 4:10 of overtime to give Vegas a victory over Anaheim, moving the Golden Knights a victory away from advancing to the Western Conference final.
Game 6 of the second-round series is Thursday night at Anaheim.
The Golden Knights can reach the conference final for the first time since winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. Anaheim, making its first playoff appearance in eight years, will try force a Game 7 back in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Tomas Hertl had gone 29 games going back to the regular season without a goal, but now has two in two games. He also had the primary assist on Dorofeyev’s power-play goal in the first period. Jack Eichel had two assists, including the primary one on the winner.
Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev, right, celebrates with teammates after scoring a game-winning goal against the Ducks Tuesday in Las Vegas. (Candice Ward / Associated Press)
The Ducks are a loss away from summer after Pavel Dorofeyev scored 4:10 into overtime, giving the Vegas Golden Knights a 3-2 victory in Game 5 of the teams’ second-round playoff series Tuesday. Dorofeyev, who also scored on a power play in the first period, batted a Jack Eichel pass just inside the left post to end the longest game of the series.
With the win, Vegas leads the best-of-seven series three games to two heading into Game 6 on Thursday in Anaheim, where the Ducks’ season could end.
The Ducks’ Beckett Sennecke and Dorofeyev exchanged power-play goals in the first period while the Golden Knights' Tomas Hertl and Anaheim’s Olen Zellweger scored in the third, with Zellweger’s goal with 3:05 to play sending the game to overtime.
Anaheim struck first, with Sennecke opening the scoring midway through the first period. But the goal proved costly since the Ducks traded the score for forward Ryan Poehling, who took a vicious hit from defenseman Brayden McNabb along the boards nine minutes into the game. McNabb drew a five-minute interference penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct on the play, allowing Sennecke to bang in his second power-play goal in as many games 3 ½ minutes later.
It was Sennecke’s fifth score of the playoffs and the third power-play goal in five tries allowed by Vegas’ once-formidable penalty kill but the Ducks lost Poehling for the night.
Two minutes later, Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal, who arguably played his best game of the series, made a big play to preserve the lead, reaching out to take the puck off the stick of Vegas winger Mitch Marner at the end of a breakaway. Pavel Mintyukov was whistled for slashing at the end of the play, however, giving Vegas a power play of its own and Dorofeyev quickly converted, scoring on a wrist shot from between the circles for his second man-advantage goal in as many games.
Eichel got an assist on the tying goal, his league-leading 13th of the playoffs.
Vegas would later go down a man as well, losing Dorofeyev for much of the second period after he was drilled by a Jackson LaCombe slap shot. The Russian was attended to by a trainer, then helped to the bench but he returned to the ice just before the second intermission and would up winning the game.
The Ducks peppered Vegas goalie Carter Hart with 17 shots in a scoreless second period that saw the Golden Knights go nearly eight minutes without putting the puck on goal.
Vegas was more active in the opening minutes of the third period and that paid off when Hertl corraled a loose puck just outside the crease and whacked it by Dostal to put the Golden Knights in front. The play started with defenseman Rasmus Andersson firing the puck on goal from the right-wing boards following a faceoff. Dostal made the stop but the rebound hit the skate of Ducks defenseman Ian Moore and bounced to Hertl, who nudged it into the net as he tumbled to the ice.
Zellweger, given a ton of space inside the left circle, evened the score by lining a wrist shot over Hart’s left shoulder and off the crossbar late in the period. Zellweger made his playoff debut in Game 4 and contributed an assist before scoring his first postseason goal.
May 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) reacts during the fifth inning as San Francisco Giants catcher Eric Haase (18) runs the bases after hitting his second one run home run of the game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers are piling up bad losses, and this time the slumping offense had company. Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed three home runs for the first time in Major League Baseball in a 6-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Yamamoto struck out eight and walked none through six innings, to that point allowing only four hits. Three of them were solo home runs, all hit with two outs, including two by Giants catcher Eric Haase. It’s the first time in 67 MLB appearances, including 66 starts that Yamamoto allowed three home runs. He had only allowed two home runs in a start five times, none this year before Tuesday.
San Francisco with those three home runs rank 28th among 30 teams with 30 home runs this season.
But at only 84 pitches through six innings, Yamamoto started the seventh. He was immediately greeted with a double by Heliot Ramos and a single by Willy Adames. One out later, Yamamoto left with those two runners on, in favor of Blake Treinen.
Drew Gilbert popped up a bunt that landed and wasn’t fielded cleanly by charging first baseman Freddie Freeman for one run, then Andy Pages made a leaping catch at the center field wall, eerily close to a third home run for Haase. Then Jung Hoo Lee doubled home two, adding the type of insurance runs the Dodgers can only dream of lately.
Failure to launch
Things looked promising in the first inning, loading the bases on two hits and a hit batter with one out.
Will Smith smashed a drive to the right field wall near the bullpen, and just like Max Muncy on Sunday was robbed by a fantastic catch. This time, Lee did the honors, which prevented multiple runs from scoring but at least Shohei Ohtani scored on the sacrifice fly.
“We do need to get better. We are not performing up to expectations,” manager Dave Roberts said of the offense before the game. “The work’s been consistent, the expectation for it to turn is important, too.
It was only one run, but it was at least something, including just the second time the Dodgers scored in the first inning in their last 13 games. And it marked the first time Los Angeles scored first in their last seven home games.
But they didn’t much else against Giants starter Adrian Houser, who entered Tuesday 121st in ERA (6.19) and 118th in xERA (5.53) among 132 major league pitchers with at least 30 innings. Opponents against Houser this season were hitting .298/.348/.543 entering Tuesday, but the Dodgers managed only two runs and three hits off him in 5 2/3 innings.
One positive is two of those three hits were by Ohtani, including a home run hit to left center field, his first long ball since April 26, with 52 plate appearances in between.
“Fatigue is bleeding into the mechanics,” Roberts said. “Most players get that toward the end of the summer. Now I’m learning with Shohei, it’s probably showing itself a little earlier, as far as the tax on pitching and all that comes with it, to the hitting, too.”
Baseball hinges on the battle between batter and pitcher, and Ohtani as a two-way player is involved in more of those interactions than any other player in the sport. He’s faced 145 batters as a pitcher this season and has now batted 185 times. That’s 330 total plate appearances for Ohtani, 36.3 percent more than the next-most, Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara at 242 batters faced.
The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out again in the eighth inning, but Muncy struck out looking against southpaw Sam Hentges, followed by Pages flying out to left against right-hander Caleb Kilian. No runs cashed in.
The Dodgers offense has been held to three or fewer runs 10 times in their last 13 games, including each of their last five. Most of that stretch has come with pretty good pitching, but that hasn’t been the case during this current four-game losing streak, giving up seven, seven, nine, and six runs.
“It’s just unfortunate when you’re not putting up crooked numbers,” Roberts said. “It’s just hard when the margin is thin, and right now it’s been thin. It’s hard for the bullpen to be perfect, it really is.”
Tuesday particulars
Home runs: Shohei Ohtani (7); Erik Haase 2 (2), Harrison Bader (2)
Shohei Ohtani will take the mound for his seventh pitching start of the season on Wednesday (7:10 p.m.; SportsNet LA, MLB Network), but he won’t hit. Left-hander Robbie Ray starts for San Francisco.
Shea Langeliers rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park. | Getty Images
After a 3-3 six-game road trip, the Athletics return home tonight to take on the National League Central’s St. Louis Cardinals. Jeffrey Springs will take them mound tonight for the A’s against Andre Pallante for St. Louis.
The Cardinals teed off against Springs starting with the lead-off batter. Four hits and a walk later the Cardinals put a four-spot on the scoreboard in the first. It took Springs 32 pitches to get out of the inning. In the bottom of the second, Darrel Hernaiz singled, and after fouling a pitch off his ankle Jeff McNeil singled also. Nick Kurtz made it three in a row and his came with an RBI. Shea Langeliers drove in both McNeil and Kurtz with a double to the wall. At the end of two, the A’s trailed the Cards 4-3.
Springs settled down after that first inning and finished five keeping the Cards off the board the rest of the way. His final line was 5.0 innings, seven hits, four earned runs with three walks and five strikeouts. Joel Kuhnel entered in the sixth and promptly gave up a 2-run homer to JJ Wetherholt, giving the Cards a 6-3 lead. Brooks Kriske entered the game and got the final out of the inning. He pitched a 1-2-3 seventh and after getting an out in the eighth, left the game with an injury. Scott Barlow entered the game to replace Kriske.
Shea Langeliers opened the eighth inning with a monster homer, the 100th of his career to tighten the score to 6-4.
Mark Leiter Jr. came in to pitch the ninth. He set the Cards down in order giving the A’s a shot in the ninth to tie or take this game. Lawrence Butler led off with a 4-pitch walk. Jonah Heim pinch hit and ground into a double play. McNeil ground out to the pitcher to end the game. Disappointing and a bit surprising that today’s big league call up Henry Bolte didn’t see any action. Let’s see if he makes it into tomorrow’s starting lineup.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - MAY 12: Keldon Johnson #3 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts behind Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first quarter in Game Five of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs at Frost Bank Center on May 12, 2026 in San Antonio, Texas. 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 Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves entered Game 5 in San Antonio with a chance to retake control of their Western Conference Semifinals series. A win would have snatched back home-court advantage, put the Spurs on the brink of elimination, and set up a Friday night closeout opportunity at Target Center.
Unfortunately, none of that happened.
Instead, Minnesota walked out of Frost Bank Center as the victim of another massive road blowout, their second such collapse in San Antonio in this series. And now the Wolves find themselves staring at the edge of the cliff. Not near it. Not wandering vaguely in its direction. Standing right on it.
We all knew Game 5 mattered. This was the hinge game. The winner would take control of the series. The loser would spend the next 72 hours trying to convince themselves that everything is fine while very clearly knowing the opposite. For Minnesota, the frustrating part is that this wasn’t a game where they simply got steamrolled from the opening tip and never found a pulse. They had chances. They had openings. They had moments where the door cracked open just enough for hope to creep in.
Then the Spurs slammed it shut. Every single time.
Quarter 1
The night started about as poorly as it could have for Minnesota, mostly because Wembanyama came out looking like a man who had spent the past two days brooding about his Game 4 ejection. He scored 18 points in the first quarter, putting his stamp on the game immediately and reminding everyone that the Flagrant 2 did not remove him from the series permanently.
At one point, the Wolves trailed by 13, but then Wembanyama went to the bench, and Minnesota actually found a rhythm. The Wolves rallied, cut the deficit to four, and for the first time all night it felt like maybe they had weathered the initial storm. That became the theme of the evening: San Antonio would build a lead, Minnesota would claw back, and then, just as the Wolves seemed ready to steady themselves, the Spurs would punch them back down the stairs.
Quarter 2
The second quarter began with Minnesota trailing by only four, which felt like a small victory considering Wembanyama had just dropped 18 in the opening frame. There was a world where the Wolves took that survival act, turned it into momentum, and started dragging the game into the kind of mud fight that has served them well throughout these playoffs.
That world lasted about two minutes.
The Spurs quickly pushed the lead back to 12, and although Minnesota largely held serve for the rest of the quarter, the offense never really solved anything. Their saving grace was that they did a better job on Wembanyama, holding him to only three points in the period. Unfortunately, it didn’t matter nearly enough because San Antonio’s defense had Minnesota stuck in neutral as the Wolves mustered only 17 points. The ball movement wasn’t sharp. The Wolves were not getting enough easy looks, and when they did get chances, they weren’t consistently turning them into points.
By halftime, Wembanyama had 21 points. The Wolves had zero players in double figures. Ayo Dosunmu led Minnesota with nine points, while Anthony Edwards and Naz Reid each had eight. That is not the box score of a team in control of a massive playoff game. That is the box score of a team searching for someone, anyone, to grab the wheel.
Quarter 3
The Wolves began the second half down 59-47. A 12-point hole on the road in a pivotal playoff game is not ideal, but it is not insurmountable. There was still a chance for the Wolves to make the kind of second-half push that changes the tone of a series. And when the third quarter opened, it briefly looked like they might actually do it.
Minnesota came out of halftime with real force, ripping off a 14-2 run and tying the game at 61-61. Suddenly Frost Bank Center got tight, the Spurs looked a little rattled, and the Wolves appeared poised to take control. With the game tied, Edwards had a chance to give Minnesota its first lead since the opening minutes.
His shot rimmed out.
And it was all downhill from there.
Everything began to unravel. San Antonio answered with an 11-2 run, and the Wolves gave back everything they had just spent all that energy earning. Jaden McDaniels picked up his fourth foul during that stretch, sending him to the bench, and Minnesota’s defense cratered almost immediately. The Wolves tied the game and forced the Spurs to feel pressure, but just moments later, they were watching that pressure boomerang right back into their own chest.
The rest of the third quarter was a disaster. After opening the half on that 14-2 run, Minnesota was outscored 30-12 the rest of the way. That kind of swing is how playoff games turn into crime scenes. It was fueled by all the stuff that has killed the Wolves in this series when things have gone sideways: poor defense, sloppy turnovers, careless possessions, San Antonio transition buckets, and far too many second-chance opportunities where Minnesota simply could not secure the ball and end the possession.
The Wolves had done the work to climb out of a hole, then immediately handed the shovel back to the other guy.
Quarter 4
In the final frame, Minnesota quickly found itself down 93-73.
Still, because this team apparently enjoys putting its fans through emotional turbulence, the Wolves teased one more comeback. They opened the fourth on an 8-0 run, cutting the deficit to 12 with 9:30 remaining. For a brief moment, you could feel the old familiar hope trying to crawl back into the room. Maybe they had one more miracle. Maybe the Spurs would tighten up. Maybe Edwards would catch fire. Maybe the Wolves would find the same late-game magic that saved them in Game 4.
It was only a tease.
The dam broke from there. Minnesota drowned in turnovers, San Antonio turned those mistakes into transition chances, and the Wolves completely lost the ability to keep the Spurs from plowing through them. Every time Minnesota tried to build something, San Antonio had an answer. Every time the Wolves clawed back, they slipped. Every time there was a chance to change the game, they failed to seize it.
And that’s the frustrating part of Game 5. It wasn’t just that the Wolves lost. It was that they were repeatedly handed moments where the game could have shifted, and they could not hold on to the rope.
Now their season is dangling by a thread.
Game 6 is Friday night at Target Center, and the Wolves face elimination. That alone should change the temperature of everything. The luxury of “next game” is gone. The margin for error has been burned. The runway is officially down to one game at a time.
Win at home, and the Wolves earn the right to return to San Antonio for Game 7, where they would have to conquer a building that has been an absolute house of horrors in Games 2 and 5. Lose, and the 2025-26 Timberwolves season is over.
That is the mountain in front of them. And standing on top of it is Wembanyama, swatting away everything in sight.
The Wolves have roughly 72 hours to find answers. They need to figure out how to survive Wembanyama’s opening punches without immediately falling behind. They need to find an offense that doesn’t vanish for full quarters. They need Edwards, Randle, McDaniels, Naz, Ayo, Rudy, everyone, to be sharper, tougher, and more connected than they were in Game 5. They need to rebound with desperation. They need to defend without collapsing. They need to stop feeding San Antonio transition chances with sloppy turnovers. They need to remember the team that stormed back in Game 4 and not the one that let go of the rope in San Antonio.
Because that’s what Game 5 was.
A tug of war.
Minnesota pulled itself back into the fight more than once. Cut 13 to four. Cut 12 to a tie. Cut 20 to 12. Each time, the opportunity was there. Each time, the Wolves had a chance to dig in and pull.
Each time, they let go.
Now there are no more chances to let go.
Friday night, they either grip the rope with everything they have, or the season slips away.
Up Next
The Timberwolves will look to keep their season alive on Friday night for Game 6 of this Timberwolves-Spurs series. It is back to another late-night tipoff as the game begins at 8:30 PM CT. Fans can watch the game on Amazon Prime Video.
CHICAGO, IL - MAY 12: AJ Dybantsa shoots the ball during the 2026 NBA Draft Combine on May 12, 2026 at Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois. 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 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
It’s been a big day for the top prospects in the NBA draft, and there were some surprising results for the prospects the Utah Jazz will be looking at in the Draft. Here are some of the most important highlights.
AJ Dybantsa
A lot of eyes were on Dybantsa as he came into the draft combine to see what his measurements would be. Those measurements looked great, and so the focus would turn to how well he did in the drills and stations. The biggest wow factor came with his vertical.
That 42” vertical is fantastic! There’s a lot of debate right now between Dybantsa and Peterson, and this type of athleticism is the type of thing that could give the edge to Dybantsa at #1. Dybantsa’s shooting wasn’t as impressive as others, but with his mix of size and athleticism, it’s easy to see just how high his ceiling is.
Darryn Peterson
The debate between Peterson and Dybantsa is going to be fun, and the Wizards may not make a decision until Adam Silver walks to the podium. The argument for Darryn Peterson will be his elite skill level. Peterson had solid drill numbers and vertical, though not eye-popping. But what really shone was his elite scoring ability. Peterson’s spot-up shooting drill showcased just how effortless it is for him to score.
Darryn Peterson went 19-25 in the spot-up shooting drill, one shy of Bennett Stirtz’s top spot. Such an effortlessly elite shooter: pic.twitter.com/z28TGnEiwF
Peterson is likely going to be elite in his workouts, but you can tell a lot from a guy who almost looks bored knocking down threes. There’s a chance that Peterson could be the scoring champion in the league and do it pretty easily.
Cam Boozer
One thing that has always been clear about Cam Boozer is the high level of basketball he plays. He’s basically good at everything, and that showed today. He shot the ball at the same level as Darryn Peterson in his spot-up drill, for example.
Cam Boozer shot 19/25 in the 3PT spot up drill, ranking him 3rd among all prospects.
He also had good measureables and moved well. He likely solidified himself as the third pick, and we’ll see if what he did may have swayed either the Jazz or the Wizards.
Caleb Wilson
Caleb Wilson had solid production during the combine, but it wasn’t at a level that makes me think he might make a surprise appearance in the top-3. His vertical was a very good 39.5 inches. Really good, but not as good as the 42 inches from AJ Dybantsa.
Caleb Wilson had an unofficial max vertical leap of 39.5 in., 5th-best among prospects so far. Rare bounce for a player his size (6’10”). pic.twitter.com/iMpWMW5apf
What might really sway GMs about Wilson is his personality and interviews. He has real confidence and a chip on his shoulder to win games. That all showed up at North Carolina with his elite defensive ability.
Caleb Wilson on what he will bring to a team.
“I will change your franchise, your culture, your program, your city. I did that at North Carolina.” pic.twitter.com/euEFcN0nMo
Wilson is the type of guy who can be a 1st-team all-defense guy. His measurements didn’t do anything to dissuade that idea.
It was a good day for the top prospects in this upcoming draft. If anything, it just made things more difficult for GMs who are still deciding what they want to do.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 12: JJ Wetherholt #26 of the St. Louis Cardinals celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park on May 12, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals offense was great out of the starting gate early grabbing a quick 4-0 lead and Andre Pallante’s start was just good enough Tuesday night in Sacramento as the Cardinals offense gave them a 6-4 victory.
The Athletics starter Jeffrey Springs threw 26 pitches before recording an out in the first inning as the St. Louis Cardinals got to him early. It started with a JJ Wetherholt walk followed by a single from Ivan Herrera who executed a hit-and-run to perfection giving the Cardinals a first and third scoring threat from the get-go. Jordan Walker followed that with a smart single to left-center giving the Cardinals a fast 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals weren’t done in the first. After Alec Burleson struck out and Winn popped out, Jose Fermin came through with a clutch two-out double to center scoring Walker and Herrera giving St. Louis a 3-0 lead. Yohel Pozo followed his clutch RBI’s with one of his own with a single to score Fermin making it a 4-0 Cardinals score.
Andre Pallante would allow the Athletics back into the game in the bottom of the 2nd inning allowing a two-out rally that was extended by a challenge at first base that went the Athletics way on a single by Hernaiz. McNeil followed that with a single and then Nick Kurtz ripped a hard single up the middle to left-center scoring Hernaiz cutting into the Cardinals lead 4-1. Langeliers came through with a two-out double scoring both McNeil and Kurtz shaving the St. Louis lead to just 1 at 4-3.
The Cardinals extended their lead in the 6th inning when Nolan Gorman singled to right and then JJ Wetherholt did JJ Wetherholt things by jolting a no-doubt home run over the right field wall for his 8th home run of the season making it 6-3 Cardinals! Wetherholt added a single later going 2-4 for the night.
Andre Pallante’s final stat line was a respectable 5 innings giving up 4 hits and 3 earned runs with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks. He was relieved by Ryne Stanek who came in to pitch the bottom of the 6th inning. He walked one, but kept the Athletics scoreless which was the goal. JoJo Romero pitched the bottom of the 7th inning and had no problems with even Nick Kurtz getting the Athletics 1-2-3. George Soriano was the Cardinals 8th inning hall monitor. Unfortunately, he served up a gargantuan 448 foot blast to Nick Langeliers who hit a ball onto the roof of the visitor’s clubhouse in Sacramento cutting the Cardinals lead to 6-4. Even Soriano outs were hard hit as Victor Scott II made a fine play on a deep fly by Soderstrom. Rooker popped out to right and then Cortez ripped a double down the right field line to bring the tying run up to the plate in the form of Zack Gelof who flyed out to deep left center limiting the damage to just 1 Athletic run.
Riley O’Brien was tasked with taking care of the Athletics in the bottom of the 9th inning and trying to not replicate the final game of the San Diego series when he gave up a two-out, two-strike game tying home run. Riley walked the first batter on four pitches bringing the tying run up to the plate. He threw his first strike on his 6th pitch. Fortunately, the 8th pitch was a ground ball to JJ Wetherholt that he and Masyn Winn turned into a double play. Riley O’Brien then locked down the Athletics by retiring Jeff McNeil to give the Cardinals a 6-4 victory.
The St. Louis Cardinals California vacation continues Wednesday night as Matthew Liberatore will start the game for St. Louis. J.T. Ginn will take the mound for the Athletics. First pitch at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park is scheduled for 8:40pm central time and the game will be televised on Cardinals.tv.
Decorated coach to remain with club in advisory role after 2027
Penrith assistant Peter Wallace to take over in job in 18 months
Ivan Cleary has 18 months remaining in his current role at the Penrith Panthers before the four-time premiership-winning NRL coach steps aside and his assistant Peter Wallace takes over.
The 55-year-old announced on Wednesday he would not renew his contract when it expires at the end of next season, but will remain in Penrith in an advisory role beyond 2027.
MESA, ARIZONA - MARCH 21, 2026: Kane Kepley #20 of the Chicago Cubs runs out a fly ball during the eighth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the San Diego Padres at Sloan Park on March 21, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Smokies catcher Owen Ayers was named Southern League Player of the Week.
Right-hander Kenten Egbert went back to High-A South Bend after a brief trip to Triple-A Iowa.
Right-hander Frankie Scalzo Jr. went back to Double-A Knoxville from Iowa.
Right-handers Corbin Martin and Yacksel Rios joined Iowa.
Paul Campbell started and took the loss. He was tagged for five runs on seven hits over 3.2 innings. Campbell walked four and struck out four.
Most of the I-Cubs offense came from third baseman BJ Murray, who was a perfect 3 for 3 and was hit by a pitch. He scored one run.
Not much in the way of highlights here—no extra base hits and the three runs scored on a passed ball, sac fly and an error. But here’s a nice bit of defense from second baseman Pedro Ramírez.
Starter Yenrri Rojas gave the Smokies 74 pitches and 3.1 innings. In that time he allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits. Rojas struck out four, walked one and hit one batter.
Tyler Ras pitched the next 1.2 innings and earned the win, since Rojas didn’t go five. Ras retired all five batters he faced, striking out two of them.
After Marino Santy pitched two innings of scoreless relief, Vince Reilly took it home the rest of the way with a two-inning save. Reilly allowed no hits and two walks. He struck out four.
Second baseman Karson Simas drove the first pitch of the game over the left field wall for his fourth home run this season. Simas was 1 for 4 with a walk and two runs scored.
After the Clingstones tied it up in the bottom of the first, right fielder Alex Ramirez put the Smokies up for good with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. It was his second home run this season. Ramirez went 2 for 4 with a sac fly. He scored twice and had four runs batted in, thanks to a two-run single in the ninth.
DH Andy Garriola clubbed his eighth home run this year with no one one in the top of the eighth. Garriola was 2 for 5 with a double and the home run.
First baseman Edgar Alvarez had a pair of doubles in a 2 for 5 game. He had one RBI.
Center fielder Carter Trice was 3 for 5 with a double.
Koen Moreno started and did not allow a single hit over four innings. He did give up one run thanks to three walks, a hit batter and a balk. Moreno struck out six.
Grayson Moore threw the next two innings, didn’t allow a run and got the win. Moore gave up one hit. He struck out two and walked no one.
Center fielder Kane Kepley hit his first South Bend home run in the top of the second inning with two men on. Kepley finished the game 2 for 5 with a walk and a steal. He scored twice.
First baseman Cole Mathis doubled twice in a 3 for 5 night. He scored once and had one run batted in.
Catcher Justin Stransky was 2 for 3 with two walks. He scored twice.
DH Cameron Sisneros was 2 for 5 with two runs batted in. He also scored one run.
RBI double for Mathis. He’s slugging .535 in 19 games since his promotion from Myrtle Beach.
David Bracho gave the Pelicans a strong start. Bracho allowed just one unearned run on two hits over four innings. Bracho walked three and struck out five. He also pitched an immaculate inning in the third.
Hayden Frank pitched the next three innings and coughed up the lead after allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out six and walked two.
Victor Zarraga gave up a run in the top of the ninth and got the loss. Zarraga’s final line was one run on one hit and three walks over two innings. He struck out two.
The game-tying home run and go-ahead RBI single in the ninth were hit by Augusta’s Tate Southisene, the younger brother of the Cubs’ Ty, who was just promoted from Myrtle Beach to South Bend.
First baseman Michael Carico was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the bottom of the first inning.
DH Josiah Hartshorn was a perfect 1 for 1 with four walks. Hartshorn scored once.
LOS ANGELES — "Amazing. You couldn't have scripted it better."
The words of legendary Los Angeles wordsmith O'Shea Jackson echoed over the Spectrum Sportsnet LA broadcast as Shohei Ohtani rounded the bases, waving both hands in the air with an undeniable look of relief on his face as he finally put an end to his prolonged home run drought on May 12 at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers commentary team of Joe Davis and Orel Hershiser gave Ice Cube — who was in the booth after throwing out the first pitch on his bobblehead night — the opportunity to analyze Ohtani's homer, and it didn't disappoint.
"He lined that up, sent it right down the middle of the plate. Right where he loves it," Ice Cube said on the call. "And he smacks this thing all the way, goes yard."
Ohtani turned toward his teammates and motioned for the ball once he got back to the dugout, a lighthearted jab from the reigning back-to-back National League MVP toward himself, acknowledging his slump at the plate.
That third-inning tiebreaking solo shot off of San Francisco Giants starter Adrian Houser was Ohtani's first since April 26 — in 52 total plate appearances — against the Chicago Cubs. It was only his second in his last 112 plate appearances dating back to April 12 against the Texas Rangers. It's an unusual cold streak from the player who's hit more than 50 home runs in each of the last two seasons.
It had gotten to the point that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he's giving his two-way star the night off from hitting on May 14 and leaning toward the same decision for his scheduled start on the mound on May 13. If that does end up being the case, it would be the first time Ohtani goes back-to-back nights out of the lineup (for non-paternity leave or injury reasons) since 2021 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
But for Roberts, it's worth it to possibly give him some extra rest as he tries to balance the workload of being a full-time starting pitcher and hitter for the first time in nearly three years.
"I think the fatigue is starting to bleed into the mechanics," Roberts said pregame. "I think that most players get that towards the end of the summer and now I'm learning, managing Shohei, it's probably showing itself a little earlier, as far as the tax on pitching — and all that comes with it — to the hitting, too."
But for one night at least, Ohtani began to show some signs of finally breaking through.
San Diego, CA - May 10: Nick Castellanos #21 of the San Diego Padres is dunked by Gavin Sheets #30 after a 3-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park on May 10, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images via Getty Images)
Baseball fans for all teams tend to get tunnel vision during the season. We focus so much on the good and bad with our own team that we forget that many other fan bases are experiencing the same ups and downs. With a 24-16 record and an offense that ranks in the bottom five in multiple categories, the San Diego Padres remain in first place in the National League West with the latest loss by the Evil Empire to the North.
It would be hard to find a Padres fan that feels sorry for the Los Angeles Dodgers or their fans, far from it. The standard stats, as well as the advanced stats, tell you that there is no way this Padres team should be sitting atop any division in MLB. Those stats make it easy to focus on what is wrong with this team. The fact they are doing enough things right to maintain a winning record, and squeak out late rallies to win games, is easy to ignore many days.
Playing in San Francisco against the Giants, the Padres took 2-of-3, scoring 10 runs in the second game. They squeaked out a win in the third game with late heroics and lost a close first game after only getting three hits.
Coming home to play a four-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Padres lost the first two games. The second loss was memorable for rookie JJ Wetherholt’s Little League grand slam which came off an error by Fernando Tatis Jr. The Padres were one-hit in that contest while being shutout.
The final two games were again close affairs with more late-inning heroics to come back and win in the 10th inning of the series finale. They ended up with a winning week despite getting only 14 hits combined in the four games against the Cardinals and three hits in the first Giants game. The offensive outbreaks are welcome but rare.
Offensive futility
With a record that ranks fifth in MLB, the Padres’ .223 batting average ranks 28th in baseball. Their .667 OPS is 27th while their OBP of .297 is 28th. The slugging percentage barely climbs out of the lower five at 24th, sitting at .370.
Manny Machado summed it up best in his post-game interview after the series finale versus the Cardinals. “Yeah, we need to hit, I mean, you know, look, it’s obvious. We’re not hitting. It’s obvious, but we’re getting things done, man.”
They have a problem with starting pitchers. Starters mostly look like Cy Young early in games. Opposing starters have thrown 20 quality starts against the Padres (five innings or more, three runs or less) over their 40 games. The Padres starters have put them in holes for a few of those games, but the real issue is that they average less than three runs in the first six innings of games. That ranks 24th in MLB, and just seven of those pitchers have an ERA under 4.00.
Jackson Merrill batting leadoff
Centerfielder Jackson Merrill is the latest player to shoulder the responsibilities of the Padres’ lead-off hitter. After Tatis Jr. and Ramon Laureano both had opportunities, Merrill has had the job beginning the second game of the Giants series. Over those six games, his OBP is .387 versus his .303 OBP over the season. He is chasing less and seems to be focusing more on longer at-bats. Six of his 15 walks this season have come while leading off.
Mason Miller and Craig Stammen
In the Saturday win against the Cardinals, Mason Miller was needed in the eighth inning to get the last out after Adrian Morejon was unable to finish it off. Miller came back out in the ninth inning to finish his 12th (MLB leading) save of the 2026 season. It was not easy.
Miller struggled with fastball command and walked two while also unleashing a wild pitch. As a result, it took four outs to get the save, and he got those on four strikeouts. The third strikeout was the wild pitch, and Cardinals pinch-hitter Yohel Pozo reached first base safely when Freddy Fermin couldn’t corral it. Miller struck out Wetherholt for the last out.
Miller became the latest Padres pitcher to need four outs to get out of an inning. The last one before him?
Craig Stammen in 2021 while pitching in relief for the Padres.
Nick Castellanos finds his groove
The Padres signed Nick Castellanos during Spring Training after the Philadelphia Phillies released him. He is being paid league minimum ($780,000) by San Diego, with the Phillies paying the bulk of his $20 million salary. His role with the team has been to provide a bat off the bench and relieve regulars in need of rest. Castellanos does not have a good defensive position. Even during his best years, his defensive metrics have been subpar in any position he has played. This is the first time in his career that he has played this infrequently, and it has required adjustments on his part.
That makes what he did on Sunday against Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien all the more notable. His line for the season so far, .192/.231/.329 in 73 at-bats, does not induce confidence. His home run in the ninth inning of that game tied the score and gave the Padres a chance to come from behind, yet again, for the win.
He even broke his bat and had to borrow one from Tatis Jr., after the 1-2 pitch, to complete his at-bat. Presumably, it was the same bat Tatis used for his longest out of the game, a 395-foot drive with an exit velocity of 106 mph that was caught at the wall.
Castellanos fought off sinkers clocked at 98 mph and sweepers that hugged the corners of the plate over his nine-pitch at-bat. After going down 0-2 with the first two pitches, Castellanos took a ball and then fouled off two more close pitches before taking two more balls to get to a full count. He fouled off another sinker then launched the last sinker over the left field wall to tie the game.
Castellanos has not hesitated to explain how this adjustment has been a challenge for him. “When I’ve been at my best is when, like, you just kind of fall into autopilot with the season and there’s not a lot of thinking that is involved. You wake up, you know what lies ahead. So learning how to navigate not knowing what your day is going to look like or what’s gonna be asked of you is an adjustment.”
Walker Buehler finds some rhythm
Starter Walker Buehler had his best start as a Padre against the Cardinals on Sunday. He went six innings on three hits and no walks allowed. His one mistake was an elevated pitch that traveled to the top balcony of the Western Metal Building, and that followed a single hit by the batter before. Buehler threw 17 first-pitch strikes to the 21 batters he faced and used all seven of his pitches, including a 95-mph fastball.
Lucas Giolito update
RHP Lucas Giolito made what could be his last start in the minor leagues on Sunday for the San Antonio Missions. Over six innings and 74 pitches, Giolito allowed three hits and one run with three strikeouts in his best outing in the minors. It was his fourth start, and he must be activated by Saturday per his contract. It is possible he could see action with the Padres this week against Seattle. When Giolito is activated, the Padres will need to make a roster decision regarding one of their other pitchers. With Germán Márquez already on the injured list, there is another tough choice to be made.
Injury updates and roster changes
Starter Joe Musgrove was moved to the 60-day IL to accommodate the promotion of catcher Rodolfo Durán to the Padres. Duran was needed when Luis Campusano fouled a pitch off his toe and was unable to play, being placed on the 10-day IL on May 7.
RHP Jhony Brito was sent to the ACL Padres to begin his rehab from the UCL surgery last year.
Infielder Will Wagner was activated off the injured list and assigned to the El Paso Chihuahuas.
Reliever Yuki Matsui was activated off the IL and reliever Kyle Hart was optioned to El Paso.
IF Sung-Mun Song was promoted to the Padres when 2B Jake Cronenworth was placed on the 7-day injured list with Concussion symptoms.
Note: This story was written prior to the results of the series opener between the Padres and Brewers on Tuesday.
Ewing filled the box score, going 1-for-2 with a triple, three walks, two RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base. His energy was present from the start and he even became the first player in Mets franchise history to triple in their debut.
The 21-year-old walked in his first plate appearance on seven pitches with runners on first and second base and one out. The walk paid off as New York was able to add a run on a groundout. And it was that plate discipline that impressed manager Carlos Mendoza the most, even saying Ewing was "pretty much perfect at the plate" in his first big league game.
"Pretty impressive," Mendoza said. "From the very beginning, the first at-bat, the quality of the at-bat, the takes, not panicking, just under control. He got ahead and was still able to take pitches close to the strike zone. And just the way he was taking them. There was rhythm; he's on time. Pretty good idea. Obviously, something that we've seen in the past, the way he controls the strike zone.
"But man, he was pretty much perfect at the plate today and it was just good to see that."
Ewing flied out in his second at-bat, but then walked again in the bottom of the sixth inning and stole second base to get the team going. It was just the spark New York needed, as they'd go on to score three runs in the frame and take a 6-2 lead.
Mendoza continued to compliment Ewing's strike zone discipline and his ability to stay "under control" at the plate, something not too common for young players, let alone those playing in their first game.
"Yeah, I don't think you see that right out the gate," Mendoza said. "You see that from players coming up through the system and you know they have pretty good understanding of the strike zone. But not until you get here and the quality of the pitching, obviously. You're going to be jumpy at times.
"Today, he was just under control from the very beginning. Like I said, it's pretty impressive. Didn't give up any at-bats away, that's the other thing. And it's the 3-1 takes with runners in scoring position, not trying to do too much, like it's just under control. And you don't see that from players when they first get to the league."
To Ewing, that's just who he is as a player.
"I just think that's kind of part of my identity as a hitter," Ewing said. "I'm patient, I see a lot of pitches, and I make pitchers work hard."
It took the former fourth-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft until his fourth at-bat to get his first hit, but the wait was worth it. Ewing tripled down the right field line in the bottom of the seventh inning to score Brett Baty from first base, putting the Mets up 7-2. He added that it "was pretty cool" that he started both Triple-A and the majors with a triple.
That type of energy was exactly what the team had been needing. And while it could be what helps the Mets turn things around this season, Mendoza isn't putting the weight of it on the rookie's shoulders.
"We're going to need him and everyone in that room, it's not fair to put it just on him," Mendoza said. "The fact that he's able to keep the line moving, give you quality at-bats. With him right now hitting at the bottom of the order, the more we can turn that lineup over, we're going to have chances to score runs. Like I said, we're going to need him and everyone in there."
Ewing added on providing a spark: "I think energy's always great, but I'm just here to play baseball and do my job and that's just be the player I am."
He and the Mets will keep taking it day by day as they look to get out of the bottom of the standings. But for now, Ewing is taking it all in and said the best part of his debut was being part of the "great atmosphere."
"Probably the win at the end, but just looking around when I got on first base for the first time. That was when it kind of hit," Ewing said.
Sep 6, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Sean Murphy (12) makes a catch during the game against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images
The #Braves today signed free agent C Sandy León to a major league contract and placed C Sean Murphy on the 10-day injured list, backdated to May 11, with a fractured left middle finger. Atlanta today also selected OF José Azócar to the major league roster after optioning INF Jim…
Murphy suffered the injury during a play against the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was just his fourth game back after previously rehabbing a hip injury, continuing what has been an injury-plagued season for the Braves backstop.
The club also announced that catcher Sandy León signed a major league deal, OF José Azócar was selected to the major league roster, and INF Jim Jarvis was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
More Braves News:
Mike Yastrzemski was the star of the show in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Chicago Cubs.
The New York Yankees placed infielder Jose Caballero on the 10-day injured list with a finger fracture. In a corresponding move, the club recalled shortstop Anthony Volpe.
The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired center fielder Alek Thomas from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a minor league outfielder. The Diamondbacks designated Thomas for assignment last week.
The Philadelphia Phillies signed outfielder Dylan Carlson to a minor league deal. Carlson was previously on a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs but was recently released.
From the Feed:
The Braves paid special tribute to Ted Turner and Bobby Cox ahead of Tuesday’s contest.
The Braves limited the Cubs to just one hit on Tuesday; cast your vote here for Braves Player of the Game.
The finalists for the annual Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year award were announced on Tuesday, and somehow, Pittsburgh Penguins president/general manager Kyle Dubas wasn't one of them.
All three have done a great job with their respective teams, but it's still crazy that Dubas wasn't even a nominee for this award after the work he did over the last year to turn the Penguins from what many expected to be a bottom-five team into a playoff team.
For starters, he hired Dan Muse as head coach after the 2024-25 season ended, and it's already been one heck of a hire. He did an outstanding job with the veterans and the younger players, while the special teams units were also fantastic. Muse was eventually named a finalist for the Jack Adams Award.
Switching gears a little bit, basically all of the roster moves that Dubas made last summer and during the 2025-26 season were home runs. He signed Anthony Mantha to a one-year "prove it" deal, and he went on to have the best season of his career, compiling 33 goals and 64 points. Yes, he didn't play well in the playoffs, but it was still a great signing.
Justin Brazeau and Parker Wotherspoon were also brought in on cheap deals during free agency last summer and, like Mantha, had their best individual seasons. Brazeau lit the league on fire to start the season and finished with 17 goals and 34 points in 64 games.
Wotherspoon was a great fit on the top defensive pair with Erik Karlsson and was the Penguins' most reliable defenseman on the left side. He was strong in his own zone and was also one of their most physical players.
Penguins president/general manager Kyle Dubas. Photo credit: Kelsey Surmacz, The Hockey News
Dubas traded for goaltender Arturs Silovs from the Vancouver Canucks and only gave up forward Chase Stillman and a fourth-round pick. Silovs was up-and-down during the regular season, but lived up to his name as a big-game goalie in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He drafted Ben Kindel, who went on to have a better rookie season than anyone expected, finishing with 17 goals and 35 points. Bill Zonnon is also on the way after scoring his first AHL goal on Tuesday, and Will Horcoff had a strong freshman season for the University of Michigan.
Goaltender Tristan Jarry got off to a solid start with the Penguins this season, winning nine of the 14 games he played. He was still in the third year of a five-year contract, making $5.375 million per season, and Dubas still found a way to get out of the deal. He shipped Jarry and forward Sam Poulin to the Edmonton Oilers for fellow goaltender Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak, and a 2029 second-round pick.
Skinner was serviceable for the Penguins down the stretch and into the playoffs. Kulak was playing solid with Letang before he was later flipped to the Avalanche for fellow defenseman Sam Girard and a 2028 second-round pick. Girard was up-and-down with the Penguins after the trade and will have an opportunity to show more once the 2026-27 season starts in October. Overall, it's still tidy business by Dubas.
How about sending a second-round pick, a third-round pick, and forward Danton Heinen to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Egor Chinakhov? Chinakhov needed a change of scenery and fit the Penguins like a glove, compiling 18 goals and 36 points in 43 games after the trade. He was fantastic with Evgeni Malkin and Tommy Novak and is set to get a new contract this summer.
Elmer Soderblom was acquired by Dubas just before the trade deadline and was a great fit in the bottom six. He racked up five goals and 10 points in 20 games after coming over from the Detroit Red Wings, using all of his 6'8 frame to his advantage. His board play was also impressive, as was his ability to protect the puck.
Soderblom is expected to be a mainstay in the Penguins' bottom six next season and potentially future seasons as well.
Anthony Volpe returned to the Yankees roster Tuesday after the team placed Jose Caballero on the IL with a fractured finger, but what seemed inevitable before the season started wasn't the case.
The young shortstop underwent offseason shoulder surgery that delayed his 2026 season, but after his rehab assignment was complete, the Yankees decided to keep Volpe in the minors. The decision was made a little easier thanks to Caballero's hot start to the season.
But now that Volpe is back in the Yankees clubhouse, he's ready to get his year started.
"Feels good to be back, see everyone and I’m ready to go," Volpe said after the Yankees' win over the Orioles. "Ready to get going. This is my start. Took a lot to get back here. Now that I’m here, I’m ready to go and take it from here."
Volpe was not in the starting lineup Tuesday as he was still en route to Baltimore when his call-up was made official, but he'll likely get the start in Wednesday's series finale.
He'll look to show off some of the tools that made him the Yankees' top prospect and a promising young big leaguer. He'll definitely want to flush his offensive numbers in the minors this season. In 18 games between Double-A and Triple-A, Volpe is batting .221 with an OPS of .570 to go along with one home run, two doubles and eight RBI.
Along with the emergence of Caballero, Volpe's paltry offensive numbers during rehab didn't help his case to return. The 25-year-old understands the business and is ready to move forward.
"What’s happened has happened," he said. "I put a lot of work to feel this good and come back, and go and help this team. I’ve been able to process, do everything and it’s just back to work. We have a really good club. It feels great to be back. Just take it from here on out."
Volpe said it meant a lot that his teammates, including Aaron Judge, reached out to him during this time and that he's more motivated now that he's back.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said before Tuesday's game that Caballero will be the starting shortstop when he returns from the IL, which Caballero said he only plans to be out for the maximum 10 days. Volpe was asked whether he feels he has an opportunity to change the organization's mind about him starting, the shortstop smiled before answering.
"If I learned anything out of all this, there are things I can’t control and things I can," Volpe said. "We have a game tomorrow and that’s what I’m focused on. Throughout this whole thing, it’s been day to day, how to get better, how to improve and that’s what I’m focused on."
Last season was arguably Volpe's worst as a pro. He batted .212 with an OPS of .663, and although his power numbers rose from the previous year, his OBP (.272) and stolen bases (18) were career lows. Not to mention his career-high 19 errors in the field.
