TORONTO, ON - April 7 Jesus Sanchez (12) of the Jays is safe at second in the second on a double as Hyeseong Kim (6) of the Dodgers can't apply the tag in time.The Toronto Blue Jays played the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Rogers Centre in MLB baseball actionApril 7 2026 Richard Lautens/Toronto Star (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
But hey, at least nobody seems to have gotten hurt.
Kevin Gausman had a strong first two innings. He walked Shohei Ohtani to start the game, but then retired the next six Dodgers. They go to him in the third, though. Hyeseong Kim lead offf with a line double to centre, then Alex Freeland laid down a sac bunt that he actually beat out to put men on the corners. An Ohtani single cashed one runner, and a Will Smith fielder’s choice plated another, staking LA to a 2-0 lead. He bounced back, getting out of that inning and retiring the side in the fourth.
LA added on in the fifth. Kim walked, then advanced to second on what looked to me like a pretty questionable balk call. John Schneider protested and got himself tossed. It was an extremely quick hook, before Schneider appeared to even raise his voice. Either home plate ump Dan Marzel is having a bad day, or Schneider said something to get the heave and try to fire up the troops. Anyway, that set Kim up to come home to score on a Freeland line single. Gausman was able to stop the bleeding there, getting a strikeout and a pair of fly outs.
Freddie Freeman opened the sixth with a ground ball single. Gauman got Teoscar Hernandez swinging, but another ground single by Andy Pages knocked him out of the game. Mason Fluharty got the call to face the lefty Max Muncy, grounding him out and then getting Kim swinging to preserve the margin at three. Overall it wasn’t a great outing for Gausman, but it was serviceable. He allowed three runs over 5.1 innings, conceding five hits and two walks with five Ks.
On the other side, a lineup that’s been struggling for a week did not show signs of breaking out against Yoshinobu Yamamoto early on. He struck out the side in the first, then erased a Jesus Sanchez double with a couple pop outs and another K in the second. He got back to facing the minimum at that point, retiring a full turn of the lineup in order over the next three innings. Andres Gimenez broke the streak, leading off the sixth with a soft single to right. One batter later, George Springer lined a double to the wall in right to finally get the Jays on the board. A Daulton Varsho walk put the tying run aboard, but a pair of ground outs prevented them from capitalizing.
Fluharty came back out to start the seventh, giving up a double to Freeland but then getting Ohtany to fly out and striking out Kyle Tucker. That was the end of his night, as Louis Varland was summoned to handle the rightie Will Smith. He got his man, with a harmless fly to right.
Moto on Moto violence opened the bottom of the seventh, as Kazuma Okamoto won a challenge to stay alive and then took a Yamamoto fastball off the wall in centre for a double. Ernie Clement followed by bunting for a single, which knocked the Dodgers starter out of the game. Reliever Alex Vesia walked pinch hitter Davis Schneider, loading the bases. It would be another squandered opportunity, though, as a pair of soft fly outs and a strikeout ended the inning.
Varland came back for the eighth, retiring the side with a pair of Ks. Blake Treinen didn’t strike anyone out in the bottom half, but he didn’t give up a base runner either.
The Dodgers added an insurance run in the ninth. Jeff Hoffman got the first two batters swinging. Freeland hit a soft grounder into the second base hole. Vlad made a play on the ball but missed his throw to the bag to allow Freeland to reach. Brandon Valenzuela backed him up, but tried a sneak throw to get Freeland stepping off first and sailed the throw into right, allowing the runner to advance. A Kyle Tucker single scored him before Hoffman got a pop out to end the inning. They didn’t wind up needing the extra breathing room, as closer Edwin Diaz worked around a walk to Clement and a Gimenez line single to escape the bottom of the ninth without the Jays managing to close the gap.
Jays of the Day: Clement (0.10)
Less so: Gausman (-0.12), Vlad (-0.13), Valenzuela (-0.18 and an error)
Mercifully, we only have one more against LA and then an off day. They’ll have to deal with Shohei Ohtani (1-0, 0.00), but they do get to send Dylan Cease (0-0, 2.79) out themselves. First pitch goes at 3:07pm ET.
TORONTO, ON - April 7 Jesus Sanchez (12) of the Jays is safe at second in the second on a double as Hyeseong Kim (6) of the Dodgers can't apply the tag in time.The Toronto Blue Jays played the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Rogers Centre in MLB baseball actionApril 7 2026 Richard Lautens/Toronto Star (Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images) | Toronto Star via Getty Images
But hey, at least nobody seems to have gotten hurt.
Kevin Gausman had a strong first two innings. He walked Shohei Ohtani to start the game, but then retired the next six Dodgers. They go to him in the third, though. Hyeseong Kim lead offf with a line double to centre, then Alex Freeland laid down a sac bunt that he actually beat out to put men on the corners. An Ohtani single cashed one runner, and a Will Smith fielder’s choice plated another, staking LA to a 2-0 lead. He bounced back, getting out of that inning and retiring the side in the fourth.
LA added on in the fifth. Kim walked, then advanced to second on what looked to me like a pretty questionable balk call. John Schneider protested and got himself tossed. It was an extremely quick hook, before Schneider appeared to even raise his voice. Either home plate ump Dan Marzel is having a bad day, or Schneider said something to get the heave and try to fire up the troops. Anyway, that set Kim up to come home to score on a Freeland line single. Gausman was able to stop the bleeding there, getting a strikeout and a pair of fly outs.
Freddie Freeman opened the sixth with a ground ball single. Gauman got Teoscar Hernandez swinging, but another ground single by Andy Pages knocked him out of the game. Mason Fluharty got the call to face the lefty Max Muncy, grounding him out and then getting Kim swinging to preserve the margin at three. Overall it wasn’t a great outing for Gausman, but it was serviceable. He allowed three runs over 5.1 innings, conceding five hits and two walks with five Ks.
On the other side, a lineup that’s been struggling for a week did not show signs of breaking out against Yoshinobu Yamamoto early on. He struck out the side in the first, then erased a Jesus Sanchez double with a couple pop outs and another K in the second. He got back to facing the minimum at that point, retiring a full turn of the lineup in order over the next three innings. Andres Gimenez broke the streak, leading off the sixth with a soft single to right. One batter later, George Springer lined a double to the wall in right to finally get the Jays on the board. A Daulton Varsho walk put the tying run aboard, but a pair of ground outs prevented them from capitalizing.
Fluharty came back out to start the seventh, giving up a double to Freeland but then getting Ohtany to fly out and striking out Kyle Tucker. That was the end of his night, as Louis Varland was summoned to handle the rightie Will Smith. He got his man, with a harmless fly to right.
Moto on Moto violence opened the bottom of the seventh, as Kazuma Okamoto won a challenge to stay alive and then took a Yamamoto fastball off the wall in centre for a double. Ernie Clement followed by bunting for a single, which knocked the Dodgers starter out of the game. Reliever Alex Vesia walked pinch hitter Davis Schneider, loading the bases. It would be another squandered opportunity, though, as a pair of soft fly outs and a strikeout ended the inning.
Varland came back for the eighth, retiring the side with a pair of Ks. Blake Treinen didn’t strike anyone out in the bottom half, but he didn’t give up a base runner either.
The Dodgers added an insurance run in the ninth. Jeff Hoffman got the first two batters swinging. Freeland hit a soft grounder into the second base hole. Vlad made a play on the ball but missed his throw to the bag to allow Freeland to reach. Brandon Valenzuela backed him up, but tried a sneak throw to get Freeland stepping off first and sailed the throw into right, allowing the runner to advance. A Kyle Tucker single scored him before Hoffman got a pop out to end the inning. They didn’t wind up needing the extra breathing room, as closer Edwin Diaz worked around a walk to Clement and a Gimenez line single to escape the bottom of the ninth without the Jays managing to close the gap.
Jays of the Day: Clement (0.10)
Less so: Gausman (-0.12), Vlad (-0.13), Valenzuela (-0.18 and an error)
Mercifully, we only have one more against LA and then an off day. They’ll have to deal with Shohei Ohtani (1-0, 0.00), but they do get to send Dylan Cease (0-0, 2.79) out themselves. First pitch goes at 3:07pm ET.
The Pacers have the league's second-worst record and have lost three straight. They're just 4-22 in their last 26 games during an injury-plagued season in which All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton has not played a game after tearing his Achilles tendon during Game 7 of last year's NBA Finals.
Lloyd Pierce will coach the team when they play Thursday in Brooklyn and host Philadelphia on Friday. Indiana closes out the season by hosting the Eastern Conference's top seed Detroit, which also gave Carlisle his first head coaching job in 2001-02.
“Abby has an event at school and so Herb (Simon) and Kevin (Pritchard) cleared me to do that,” Carlisle said, referring to the Pacers team owner and president of basketball operations. “So Lloyd has the team for the next couple of games and I'll be back Sunday.”
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 28: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks posts up against Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2025-26 Emirates NBA Cup in the second quarter at State Farm Arena on November 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Paras Griffin/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers don’t have much to play for with three games left in the season. Their playoff seeding seems mostly set. But as of now, it appears they’re going to give it their best shot in what could be their first-round opponent — the Atlanta Hawks.
Anything bought from the links helps support Fear the Sword. You can also shop all of Homage’s Cavs gear HERE. The link to the 2016 championship shirt HERE.
The 2025 Mets had a terrible time turning around games late. Through 11 games of the 2026 season, the Mets are showing a penchant for late-inning drama.
“We’re gonna continue to grind at-bats, and it’s a good feeling in the dugout. Understanding that we get one guy on, we got the ability to keep the line moving. And it’s good to see it this early,” he said of the comeback culture being established in the season’s first fortnight.
Mendoza called last year’s stats – which had the Mets going 0-70 when trailing after eight innings – “crazy.”
“It’s hard to explain, it’s baseball,” the skipper said. “Here we are within the first 10, 11 games, coming back, it’s good to see.
“I think it’s guys trusting each other, trusting their preparation, their game plan, not panicking, and just continuing to have fun, and continue to have good at-bats.”
And part of being able to come back is the bullpen keeping the game close. On Tuesday, the Mets’ final four relievers came into the game looking to keep the deficit to one run, and they delivered five shutout innings, capped by Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in the ninth and 10th.
"They are used to pitching in high-leverage situations,” Mendoza said of Williams and Weaver. “That's what we brought them in for, to lock games down, to keep games in there for us, and today was a perfect example.”
So far, the bullpen has allowed just seven runs over its first 43.1 innings, second-fewest in baseball, and is holding opponents to a .213 average, seventh-lowest.
Pushing the right buttons
The decision to send up Ronny Mauricio in the 10th may have been Mendoza’s best call of the day, but it only came about because he pushed the right button earlier in the game, too.
On Sunday, Jared Young was called upon to fill in for Brett Baty and make just his second-ever start in the outfield. He went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and collected an outfield assist before he was substituted for pinch-hitter Luis Torrens, who hit the game-winning two-RBI double.
On Tuesday, he was called who was called upon to pinch-hit with runners on the corners and one out in the eighth inning and came through with the game-tying sacrifice fly.
“He’s gonna continue to give you professional at-bats,” Mendoza said, adding that it was likely just the wind that kept Young’s fly ball to right from being a three-run home run. “It’s one of those nights that that ball doesn’t go out, but it was like 107 [mph off the bat] with a 39 [degree launch angle]. That ball should be in the bullpen.”
“He’s a pro,” the skipper continued. “He’s another guy that understands his role. Another guy that, even though his name is not in the lineup, he knows opportunities are coming.”
Mendoza said that with the Diamondbacks’ righty-heavy bullpen, there were a couple of pitchers he was targeting who would present matchup troubles for his righty batters. Jonathan Loáisiga was one of them, which is why he lifted Mark Vientos, who has been swinging a hot bat himself, for Young in that situation.
“You watch the inning unfold,” he said, mentioning hits from lefties Jorge Polanco and Baty, “the game is basically telling you to continue to trust your guts there.”
“And as hard as it is to take the bat away from Mark,” the skipper added, “it’s first and third, double-play is in play, Loáisiga is a big-time groundball pitcher. You got a pretty good left-handed bat off the bench, I felt like I needed to do it. I’m glad he got the job done.”
Hold onto your hats
The Mets moved the start time of Tuesday’s game up by three hours because of the expected cold temperatures and windy conditions, but there was no escaping the cold and wind even with the mid-afternoon first pitch.
“Tough conditions overall,” Mendoza said. “With how windy it was, that ball was moving pretty much everywhere.”
“Crazy,” starter Freddy Peralta said of the conditions. “It was a battle. From the first pitch of the game, I knew. I was a little uncomfortable. But it’s gonna happen. We’re gonna have days like that.”
Was it the wind or the cold? “It was a little bit of everything,” the starter said, “but it was more the wind. It was coming straight from [behind] home plate to me, but I was trying to make adjustments.”
Weaver said it is all part of the game.
“The winds kinda blowing in pretty hard in your face,” Weaver said. “I don’t know. I’m in a box most of the game, so the heat is on and it feels pretty good until you get out into the climates. You’re really hoping to be efficient.
“But at the end of the day, it’s early in the season, you know you’re gonna get this every year. And then it’s gonna get really hot and then we’re gonna complain about that, too. And then we’ll get to September and we’ll be right back to where we started. Just happy to be here.”
The 2025 Mets had a terrible time turning around games late. Through 11 games of the 2026 season, the Mets are showing a penchant for late-inning drama.
“We’re gonna continue to grind at-bats, and it’s a good feeling in the dugout. Understanding that we get one guy on, we got the ability to keep the line moving. And it’s good to see it this early,” he said of the comeback culture being established in the season’s first fortnight.
Mendoza called last year’s stats – which had the Mets going 0-70 when trailing after eight innings – “crazy.”
“It’s hard to explain, it’s baseball,” the skipper said. “Here we are within the first 10, 11 games, coming back, it’s good to see.
“I think it’s guys trusting each other, trusting their preparation, their game plan, not panicking, and just continuing to have fun, and continue to have good at-bats.”
And part of being able to come back is the bullpen keeping the game close. On Tuesday, the Mets’ final four relievers came into the game looking to keep the deficit to one run, and they delivered five shutout innings, capped by Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in the ninth and 10th.
"They are used to pitching in high-leverage situations,” Mendoza said of Williams and Weaver. “That's what we brought them in for, to lock games down, to keep games in there for us, and today was a perfect example.”
So far, the bullpen has allowed just seven runs over its first 43.1 innings, second-fewest in baseball, and is holding opponents to a .213 average, seventh-lowest.
Pushing the right buttons
The decision to send up Ronny Mauricio in the 10th may have been Mendoza’s best call of the day, but it only came about because he pushed the right button earlier in the game, too.
On Sunday, Jared Young was called upon to fill in for Brett Baty and make just his second-ever start in the outfield. He went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and collected an outfield assist before he was substituted for pinch-hitter Luis Torrens, who hit the game-winning two-RBI double.
On Tuesday, he was called who was called upon to pinch-hit with runners on the corners and one out in the eighth inning and came through with the game-tying sacrifice fly.
“He’s gonna continue to give you professional at-bats,” Mendoza said, adding that it was likely just the wind that kept Young’s fly ball to right from being a three-run home run. “It’s one of those nights that that ball doesn’t go out, but it was like 107 [mph off the bat] with a 39 [degree launch angle]. That ball should be in the bullpen.”
“He’s a pro,” the skipper continued. “He’s another guy that understands his role. Another guy that, even though his name is not in the lineup, he knows opportunities are coming.”
Mendoza said that with the Diamondbacks’ righty-heavy bullpen, there were a couple of pitchers he was targeting who would present matchup troubles for his righty batters. Jonathan Loáisiga was one of them, which is why he lifted Mark Vientos, who has been swinging a hot bat himself, for Young in that situation.
“You watch the inning unfold,” he said, mentioning hits from lefties Jorge Polanco and Baty, “the game is basically telling you to continue to trust your guts there.”
“And as hard as it is to take the bat away from Mark,” the skipper added, “it’s first and third, double-play is in play, Loáisiga is a big-time groundball pitcher. You got a pretty good left-handed bat off the bench, I felt like I needed to do it. I’m glad he got the job done.”
Hold onto your hats
The Mets moved the start time of Tuesday’s game up by three hours because of the expected cold temperatures and windy conditions, but there was no escaping the cold and wind even with the mid-afternoon first pitch.
“Tough conditions overall,” Mendoza said. “With how windy it was, that ball was moving pretty much everywhere.”
“Crazy,” starter Freddy Peralta said of the conditions. “It was a battle. From the first pitch of the game, I knew. I was a little uncomfortable. But it’s gonna happen. We’re gonna have days like that.”
Was it the wind or the cold? “It was a little bit of everything,” the starter said, “but it was more the wind. It was coming straight from [behind] home plate to me, but I was trying to make adjustments.”
Weaver said it is all part of the game.
“The winds kinda blowing in pretty hard in your face,” Weaver said. “I don’t know. I’m in a box most of the game, so the heat is on and it feels pretty good until you get out into the climates. You’re really hoping to be efficient.
“But at the end of the day, it’s early in the season, you know you’re gonna get this every year. And then it’s gonna get really hot and then we’re gonna complain about that, too. And then we’ll get to September and we’ll be right back to where we started. Just happy to be here.”
The 2025 Mets had a terrible time turning around games late. Through 11 games of the 2026 season, the Mets are showing a penchant for late-inning drama.
“We’re gonna continue to grind at-bats, and it’s a good feeling in the dugout. Understanding that we get one guy on, we got the ability to keep the line moving. And it’s good to see it this early,” he said of the comeback culture being established in the season’s first fortnight.
Mendoza called last year’s stats – which had the Mets going 0-70 when trailing after eight innings – “crazy.”
“It’s hard to explain, it’s baseball,” the skipper said. “Here we are within the first 10, 11 games, coming back, it’s good to see.
“I think it’s guys trusting each other, trusting their preparation, their game plan, not panicking, and just continuing to have fun, and continue to have good at-bats.”
And part of being able to come back is the bullpen keeping the game close. On Tuesday, the Mets’ final four relievers came into the game looking to keep the deficit to one run, and they delivered five shutout innings, capped by Devin Williams and Luke Weaver in the ninth and 10th.
"They are used to pitching in high-leverage situations,” Mendoza said of Williams and Weaver. “That's what we brought them in for, to lock games down, to keep games in there for us, and today was a perfect example.”
So far, the bullpen has allowed just seven runs over its first 43.1 innings, second-fewest in baseball, and is holding opponents to a .213 average, seventh-lowest.
Pushing the right buttons
The decision to send up Ronny Mauricio in the 10th may have been Mendoza’s best call of the day, but it only came about because he pushed the right button earlier in the game, too.
On Sunday, Jared Young was called upon to fill in for Brett Baty and make just his second-ever start in the outfield. He went 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and collected an outfield assist before he was substituted for pinch-hitter Luis Torrens, who hit the game-winning two-RBI double.
On Tuesday, he was called who was called upon to pinch-hit with runners on the corners and one out in the eighth inning and came through with the game-tying sacrifice fly.
“He’s gonna continue to give you professional at-bats,” Mendoza said, adding that it was likely just the wind that kept Young’s fly ball to right from being a three-run home run. “It’s one of those nights that that ball doesn’t go out, but it was like 107 [mph off the bat] with a 39 [degree launch angle]. That ball should be in the bullpen.”
“He’s a pro,” the skipper continued. “He’s another guy that understands his role. Another guy that, even though his name is not in the lineup, he knows opportunities are coming.”
Mendoza said that with the Diamondbacks’ righty-heavy bullpen, there were a couple of pitchers he was targeting who would present matchup troubles for his righty batters. Jonathan Loáisiga was one of them, which is why he lifted Mark Vientos, who has been swinging a hot bat himself, for Young in that situation.
“You watch the inning unfold,” he said, mentioning hits from lefties Jorge Polanco and Baty, “the game is basically telling you to continue to trust your guts there.”
“And as hard as it is to take the bat away from Mark,” the skipper added, “it’s first and third, double-play is in play, Loáisiga is a big-time groundball pitcher. You got a pretty good left-handed bat off the bench, I felt like I needed to do it. I’m glad he got the job done.”
Hold onto your hats
The Mets moved the start time of Tuesday’s game up by three hours because of the expected cold temperatures and windy conditions, but there was no escaping the cold and wind even with the mid-afternoon first pitch.
“Tough conditions overall,” Mendoza said. “With how windy it was, that ball was moving pretty much everywhere.”
“Crazy,” starter Freddy Peralta said of the conditions. “It was a battle. From the first pitch of the game, I knew. I was a little uncomfortable. But it’s gonna happen. We’re gonna have days like that.”
Was it the wind or the cold? “It was a little bit of everything,” the starter said, “but it was more the wind. It was coming straight from [behind] home plate to me, but I was trying to make adjustments.”
Weaver said it is all part of the game.
“The winds kinda blowing in pretty hard in your face,” Weaver said. “I don’t know. I’m in a box most of the game, so the heat is on and it feels pretty good until you get out into the climates. You’re really hoping to be efficient.
“But at the end of the day, it’s early in the season, you know you’re gonna get this every year. And then it’s gonna get really hot and then we’re gonna complain about that, too. And then we’ll get to September and we’ll be right back to where we started. Just happy to be here.”
Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
It wasn’t always easy, but the Dodgers took an early lead and never relinquished it, beating the Jays 4-1. For the third time in a row, following in the footsteps of their two games versus Kevin Gausman in last year’s World Series, the Dodgers scored exactly three runs against the Blue Jays starter. After the outburst of 14 runs in the previous win, a performance like that from Gausman has its value for Toronto, but going up against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it wasn’t quite enough for the home team to avoid their sixth straight defeat.
Standing out defensively since his call-up replacing the recently injured Mookie Betts, Hyeseong Kim got the scoring started in the third inning—Kim doubled off Gausman and came around to score on a massively long single off the wall from Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers’ DH hit the ball with such force that when it came off the wall, he had no choice but to stand pat at first on what looked like an extra-base hit. Los Angeles added one more run when Will Smith was able to avoid the double play, hitting with one out and runners at the corner.
Unlike in the two World Series games, Gausman couldn’t get the quality start, removed after a pair reached in the sixth with still a manageable pitch count at 84. Facing this lefty-heavy Dodger lineup, the Blue Jays went to Mason Fluharty, who got Max Muncy and Kim to close the threat.
The thing about an apparent dominant win due to great pitching is that you’re still always on edge. Through five innings, Yoshinobu Yamamoto had been spotless, and the only hitter to reach base did so as Kyle Tucker misjudged a deep fly ball, resulting in a double to Jesús Sánchez that should’ve been an out. In the sixth, Yamamoto dialed up the excitement meter—George Springer hit an RBI double, and one walk later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came up as the go-ahead run at the plate. Perhaps a bit anxious for a signature moment, Vladdy hacked at a well-located splitter down and away for a harmless forceout, quickly followed by another groundout to end the inning.
While the Jays chose to err on the side of caution in the sixth when Gausman was laboring, the Dodgers pushed the envelope with Yamamoto, a decision that ultimately proved ill-advised. Yamamoto became the first Dodger starter to pitch into the seventh inning, but failed to record an out in it. After an overturned strike-three call on Kazume Okamoto, the Blue Jays third baseman hit a double and advanced to third on a bunt single from Enie Clement. Those would be the two hitters Yamamoto would face in the seventh before Alex Vesia would come in for his 300th appearance as a Dodger, few bigger than this one. Vesia loaded the bases with a walk before retiring three straight and stranding his inherited runners. A lazy fly ball wasn’t enough for the slow Okamoto to try and score from third; a strikeout later, and all that stood in the way of Vesia preserving the 3-1 lead was George Springer. Dave Roberts had Blake Treinen warming in the bullpen and could’ve gone for the righty-righty matchup, but he trusted Vesia, who rewarded that trust with another flyout.
Given the drama of innings six and seven, the Dodgers added a much appreciated insurance run in the ninth—Alex Freeland advanced to second on an infield single courtesy of some sloppy defense from the Jays, Ohtani was intentionally walked, and Kyle Tucker overcame his three strikeouts in the previous at-bats to drive him in. Edwin Díaz did allow a couple of hitters to reach in the ninth, bringing up the tying run, but a strikeout to Tyler Heineman sealed the win.
An important note about this game is that in the fifth inning, right before the Dodgers scored their third run, John Schneider was ejected for arguing a balk call on Gausman. Contextualizing this moment, Schneider and the Jays are not only coming off a blowout defeat against the Dodgers but also a shocking sweep at the hands of the White Sox in their previous series.
The Dodgers will meet a familiar foe in an unfamiliar territory. Looking for his first win since joining the Blue Jays, Dylan Cease will square off against Shohei Ohtani in the final game of this road trip for the Dodgers. Be ready for an early start with the first pitch set for 12:07 pm (PT).
Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
It wasn’t always easy, but the Dodgers took an early lead and never relinquished it, beating the Jays 4-1. For the third time in a row, following in the footsteps of their two games versus Kevin Gausman in last year’s World Series, the Dodgers scored exactly three runs against the Blue Jays starter. After the outburst of 14 runs in the previous win, a performance like that from Gausman has its value for Toronto, but going up against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it wasn’t quite enough for the home team to avoid their sixth straight defeat.
Standing out defensively since his call-up replacing the recently injured Mookie Betts, Hyeseong Kim got the scoring started in the third inning—Kim doubled off Gausman and came around to score on a massively long single off the wall from Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers’ DH hit the ball with such force that when it came off the wall, he had no choice but to stand pat at first on what looked like an extra-base hit. Los Angeles added one more run when Will Smith was able to avoid the double play, hitting with one out and runners at the corner.
Unlike in the two World Series games, Gausman couldn’t get the quality start, removed after a pair reached in the sixth with still a manageable pitch count at 84. Facing this lefty-heavy Dodger lineup, the Blue Jays went to Mason Fluharty, who got Max Muncy and Kim to close the threat.
The thing about an apparent dominant win due to great pitching is that you’re still always on edge. Through five innings, Yoshinobu Yamamoto had been spotless, and the only hitter to reach base did so as Kyle Tucker misjudged a deep fly ball, resulting in a double to Jesús Sánchez that should’ve been an out. In the sixth, Yamamoto dialed up the excitement meter—George Springer hit an RBI double, and one walk later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came up as the go-ahead run at the plate. Perhaps a bit anxious for a signature moment, Vladdy hacked at a well-located splitter down and away for a harmless forceout, quickly followed by another groundout to end the inning.
While the Jays chose to err on the side of caution in the sixth when Gausman was laboring, the Dodgers pushed the envelope with Yamamoto, a decision that ultimately proved ill-advised. Yamamoto became the first Dodger starter to pitch into the seventh inning, but failed to record an out in it. After an overturned strike-three call on Kazume Okamoto, the Blue Jays third baseman hit a double and advanced to third on a bunt single from Enie Clement. Those would be the two hitters Yamamoto would face in the seventh before Alex Vesia would come in for his 300th appearance as a Dodger, few bigger than this one. Vesia loaded the bases with a walk before retiring three straight and stranding his inherited runners. A lazy fly ball wasn’t enough for the slow Okamoto to try and score from third; a strikeout later, and all that stood in the way of Vesia preserving the 3-1 lead was George Springer. Dave Roberts had Blake Treinen warming in the bullpen and could’ve gone for the righty-righty matchup, but he trusted Vesia, who rewarded that trust with another flyout.
Given the drama of innings six and seven, the Dodgers added a much appreciated insurance run in the ninth—Alex Freeland advanced to second on an infield single courtesy of some sloppy defense from the Jays, Ohtani was intentionally walked, and Kyle Tucker overcame his three strikeouts in the previous at-bats to drive him in. Edwin Díaz did allow a couple of hitters to reach in the ninth, bringing up the tying run, but a strikeout to Tyler Heineman sealed the win.
An important note about this game is that in the fifth inning, right before the Dodgers scored their third run, John Schneider was ejected for arguing a balk call on Gausman. Contextualizing this moment, Schneider and the Jays are not only coming off a blowout defeat against the Dodgers but also a shocking sweep at the hands of the White Sox in their previous series.
The Dodgers will meet a familiar foe in an unfamiliar territory. Looking for his first win since joining the Blue Jays, Dylan Cease will square off against Shohei Ohtani in the final game of this road trip for the Dodgers. Be ready for an early start with the first pitch set for 12:07 pm (PT).
Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
It wasn’t always easy, but the Dodgers took an early lead and never relinquished it, beating the Jays 4-1. For the third time in a row, following in the footsteps of their two games versus Kevin Gausman in last year’s World Series, the Dodgers scored exactly three runs against the Blue Jays starter. After the outburst of 14 runs in the previous win, a performance like that from Gausman has its value for Toronto, but going up against Yoshinobu Yamamoto, it wasn’t quite enough for the home team to avoid their sixth straight defeat.
Standing out defensively since his call-up replacing the recently injured Mookie Betts, Hyeseong Kim got the scoring started in the third inning—Kim doubled off Gausman and came around to score on a massively long single off the wall from Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers’ DH hit the ball with such force that when it came off the wall, he had no choice but to stand pat at first on what looked like an extra-base hit. Los Angeles added one more run when Will Smith was able to avoid the double play, hitting with one out and runners at the corner.
Unlike in the two World Series games, Gausman couldn’t get the quality start, removed after a pair reached in the sixth with still a manageable pitch count at 84. Facing this lefty-heavy Dodger lineup, the Blue Jays went to Mason Fluharty, who got Max Muncy and Kim to close the threat.
The thing about an apparent dominant win due to great pitching is that you’re still always on edge. Through five innings, Yoshinobu Yamamoto had been spotless, and the only hitter to reach base did so as Kyle Tucker misjudged a deep fly ball, resulting in a double to Jesús Sánchez that should’ve been an out. In the sixth, Yamamoto dialed up the excitement meter—George Springer hit an RBI double, and one walk later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came up as the go-ahead run at the plate. Perhaps a bit anxious for a signature moment, Vladdy hacked at a well-located splitter down and away for a harmless forceout, quickly followed by another groundout to end the inning.
While the Jays chose to err on the side of caution in the sixth when Gausman was laboring, the Dodgers pushed the envelope with Yamamoto, a decision that ultimately proved ill-advised. Yamamoto became the first Dodger starter to pitch into the seventh inning, but failed to record an out in it. After an overturned strike-three call on Kazume Okamoto, the Blue Jays third baseman hit a double and advanced to third on a bunt single from Enie Clement. Those would be the two hitters Yamamoto would face in the seventh before Alex Vesia would come in for his 300th appearance as a Dodger, few bigger than this one. Vesia loaded the bases with a walk before retiring three straight and stranding his inherited runners. A lazy fly ball wasn’t enough for the slow Okamoto to try and score from third; a strikeout later, and all that stood in the way of Vesia preserving the 3-1 lead was George Springer. Dave Roberts had Blake Treinen warming in the bullpen and could’ve gone for the righty-righty matchup, but he trusted Vesia, who rewarded that trust with another flyout.
Given the drama of innings six and seven, the Dodgers added a much appreciated insurance run in the ninth—Alex Freeland advanced to second on an infield single courtesy of some sloppy defense from the Jays, Ohtani was intentionally walked, and Kyle Tucker overcame his three strikeouts in the previous at-bats to drive him in. Edwin Díaz did allow a couple of hitters to reach in the ninth, bringing up the tying run, but a strikeout to Tyler Heineman sealed the win.
An important note about this game is that in the fifth inning, right before the Dodgers scored their third run, John Schneider was ejected for arguing a balk call on Gausman. Contextualizing this moment, Schneider and the Jays are not only coming off a blowout defeat against the Dodgers but also a shocking sweep at the hands of the White Sox in their previous series.
The Dodgers will meet a familiar foe in an unfamiliar territory. Looking for his first win since joining the Blue Jays, Dylan Cease will square off against Shohei Ohtani in the final game of this road trip for the Dodgers. Be ready for an early start with the first pitch set for 12:07 pm (PT).
TORONTO (AP) — Scottie Barnes scored 25 points, Brandon Ingram finished with 23 and the Toronto Raptors beat Miami 121-95 on Tuesday night, an outcome that locked the Heat into the play-in tournament for a fourth consecutive season.
Jakob Poeltl scored 17 points for the Raptors (44-35), who moved within a game of idle Atlanta for the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase. Toronto is aiming for its first playoff trip since 2022 and leads Philadelphia (43-36) by one game in the race for the sixth and final guaranteed berth in the East.
RJ Barrett scored 16 and Jamal Shead had 11 assists off the bench for Toronto.
A 19-2 run by the Raptors in the first half turned a two-point deficit into a 13-point lead, and Toronto maintained the double-digit margin virtually the entire rest of the way.
Andrew Wiggins scored 24 points for Miami (41-38), which now likely needs to win its final three games to have any realistic chance of escaping the No. 10 seed going into the play-in tournament for a second consecutive year.
Tyler Herro and Norman Powell each scored 14 for the Heat. Bam Adebayo — who had an 83-point game for Miami last month against Washington — was held to seven points on 2-for-14 shooting, and the Heat lost for the ninth time in their last 12 games.
Toronto improved to 3-0 against the Heat this season. The Raptors have swept Miami in a season series only twice before — going 4-0 against the Heat in 2007-08 and 2018-19 — and will aim to do so again on Thursday when the teams finish a two-game series in Toronto.
The Raptors improved to 13-4 against Southeast Division teams this season.
The Florida Panthers continued their final road trip of the season on Tuesday night when they visited the Montreal Canadiens.
Florida played some solid hockey against the playoff-bound Habs, but couldn’t hold a late lead, ultimately losing 4-3 to Montreal in a shootout.
A strong start by the Panthers was rewarded with the game’s opening goal.
Already outshooting Montreal 6-1, Florida took the lead after Donovan Sebrango carried the puck through the neutral zone and into Montreal’s end before firing a long wrist shot that was stopped by Jakub Dobes.
The rebound went off his right pad and straight to Carter Verhaeghe, who one-timed the puck into the net to put Florida up 1-0 at the 9:23 mark of the opening period.
It was a lead that held until just past the intermission.
With Tobias Bjornfot in the penalty box for slashing, Montreal rookie Ivan Demidov one-timed a pass from Cole Caufield past the blocker of Daniil Tarasov and into the net, knotting the score at one just 54 seconds into the middle frame.
Cole Reinhardt’s fifth tally of the season gave the Cats their lead back late in the period.
Catching up to the puck in Montreal’s zone with nobody between him and the goaltender, Reinhardt held the puck until Dobes committed, then extended his arms and wrapped the puck around the sprawled out goalie and into the net with 6:17 on the clock.
The score remained 2-1 until another Montreal scored on a delayed penalty early in the third period.
With six attackers on the ice, Phillip Danault picked up a loose puck in the slot and wired a wrist shot past Tarasov, knotting the game at two with 13:38 remaining.
This time, the Panthers answered in quick fashion.
Just 87 seconds later, Eetu Luostarinen got his stick on a long shot by Gus Forsling and deflected the puck over Dobes, putting Florida right back in front 3-2.
The Panthers held their lead until the final seconds, when Nick Suzuki caught Tarasov out of position and tied the game with just 20.1 to go.
Overtime solved nothing, so the game went to a shootout.
Goals by Cole Caufield and Alex Texier would be more than enough as Montreal picked up the bonus point.
Photo caption: Apr 7, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Florida Panthers goalie Daniil Tarasov (40) stops Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson (8) and teammate forward Juraj Slafkovsky (20) during the second period at the Bell Centre. (Eric Bolte-Imagn Images)
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 07: Porter Martone #94 of the Philadelphia Flyers skates against Jack Hughes #86 of the New Jersey Devils during the first period at Prudential Center on April 07, 2026 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) | Getty Images
That’ll do it for the 2025-26 New Jersey Devils.
We’ve all known this season has been over for a long time now, but tonight’s 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers sealed the deal. Thanks to this loss plus an Ottawa Senators win out of town, the New Jersey Devils have officially been eliminated from postseason contention this season. It was only a matter of time.
In their first game after general manager Tom Fitzgerald was fired, the Devils had a chance to show some fire and pride. Not just as a show of respect to their former GM, not just as a way to show they feel bad they got someone fired, but also because they had a chance to put a major dent in a hated rival’s playoff hopes. Philadelphia came in having won 14 of their last 20 games, which has vaulted them into playoff position for the first time in a while. Their hold on a postseason spot is very tenuous though, and a loss this evening would’ve caused some damage. Instead, Jacob Markstrom allowed a goal on the second shot he faced, then allowed another one in the blink of an eye, and it was all over from there.
To the Devils’ credit, after they went down 2-0 in the opening minutes, they really turned it on and smothered the Flyers through the rest of the first period. They pulled to within 2-1 thanks to a Cody Glass deflection goal off a Jonas Siegenthaler shot. But that was as close as they would get. New Jersey went to the man-advantage early in the second period, couldn’t score, then managed to get Jesper Bratt on a breakaway on which he missed the net, and the Flyers followed all that very shortly after with two quick goals. It was the perfect microcosm of this game and this season. The rest of the game was muddy and messy and uneventful, just like the Flyers wanted it. An empty-netter in the dying minutes was the final dagger.
If there’s one bit of cope I can offer, it’s that Philadelphia might learn all the wrong lessons from this run that they’ve found themselves on since the Olympic break. Despite the fact that they may play postseason hockey this year, this is still not a particularly good team. They have some young talent for sure, but aside from maybe Matvei Michkov, no one that I think is truly elite. Meanwhile their coach, Rick Tocchet, is a pretty bad head coach. The only reason they are in this position is because journeyman Dan Vladar has put up a wildly fluky .908 save percentage since the break. Does anyone truly believe that Dan Vladar is that good? So instead of continuing their rebuild – which I admit is starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel – they might let a random hot stretch from a career backup goalie influence them to cut corners and accelerate their rebuild to the detriment of their long-term ceiling.
But that’s about all I can offer you tonight, and really, how sad is that? The Devils started this season so well, then spent months stuck in a slow-motion car crash, then frantically tried to climb back into the playoff race after the Olympics, only to fall short when it mattered most.
On a night where this team was playing its first game after their general manager got fired, there was a chance to show some professional pride. Sadly, that didn’t happen. The Devils are in a transitional period at the moment, the liminal space between one general manager’s vision and another’s. In between, in this one-game sample size, we have been treated to some thoroughly uninspired hockey. It’s what we’ve become accustomed to this season.
We can only hope that next year will be different.
Thanks to the loss tonight, the Devils have officially been swept in the season series by the Flyers. If you just read that and thought to yourself “Huh, that seems rare. I wonder when the last time that happened was”, then I can tell you you’re not alone. I thought the same thing. So I did a little digging, and based on my amateur research, I found that the New Jersey Devils have not been swept in the season series by the Philadelphia Flyers since…
…1983-84.
Anyone is welcome to fact-check me on this, but I believe this to be correct after going through the historical stats on Hockey Reference. Granted, this season’s sweep comes with a bit of an asterisk because they only played three games against one another. In many, many seasons, the Devils and Flyers would play upwards of five times per season. In that 1983-84 campaign, they matched up seven times. Going 0-for-7 is true ineptitude.
But so is this. Even in the worst of years, the Devils could always count on getting at least a win against the Flyers. Not this time. Better luck next year.
Backbreaking
I can’t imagine how mentally taxing it must be to play in front of Jacob Markstrom. He has an uncanny ability to put his team behind the eight ball as fast as humanly possible. Since he came to the Devils, Markstrom has allowed a goal on the first shot he’s faced a truly unnerving amount of times. Tonight he allowed a goal on the second shot he faced, which is morbidly hilarious progress I suppose. Granted, the goal he allowed on that second shot tonight was way more on Jonas Siegenthaler than Markstrom, but he still failed to rise to the occasion and make a big save when his team needed it.
In addition to his penchant for handing opposing teams an early lead, his style of play is just so chaotic as well. He flops himself out of position so frequently that I’m beginning to suspect he has a phobia of blue paint. It’s tough to play in front of a goalie when you have no idea where he might be at any given second.
To me, it’s so reminiscent of Mackenzie Blackwood. I know it’s popular to look at his success in Colorado and conclude that New Jersey gave up on him too quickly. I disagree, though I might agree with the argument that New Jersey’s goalie coaching and organizational development ruined him to a certain extent. But while Blackwood was in New Jersey, he had a knack for allowing the softest goals you’ll ever see. It was a common joke that New Jersey would outshoot a team something like 40-18 but lose the game 4-3 when Blackwood was minding the net. He might not be a perfect stylistic match for Markstrom, but their abilities to put their teams in bad positions is almost one-to-one.
I would not be surprised if the skaters in front of Markstrom feel an extra mental burden playing with him. Squeezing the stick, walking on egg shells, sitting on pins and needles…whatever your idiom of choice, it probably applies. The feeling of dread and emotional defeat that sets in when they see Markstrom allow another soft, early goal must be overwhelming.
Don’t Get So Defensive
Since the heights of the 2022-23 season, the Devils reworked their blue line in a big way. Former general manager Tom Fitzgerald made a concerted effort to move away from speedy puck movers like Damon Severson and John Marino and move toward hulking stay-at-home defensemen like Johnny Kovacevic and Brenden Dillon. Jonas Siegenthaler belongs in that latter camp too, but his acquisition came long before this shift so I can’t get on Fitzgerald too much for that.
Still, the difference is clear, and it’s cost New Jersey a ton of offense over the years. This wouldn’t be a huge problem if all these defensive defensemen were, you know, good at defending. But the truth is, they haven’t been able to defend anywhere close to good enough. Siegenthaler embarrassed himself on the first goal tonight. Kovacevic was torched on the fourth goal. Dillon was reasonable tonight, and he’s probably been the best of the three, but locker room leadership aside, Dillon just doesn’t provide much value at this point in his career.
In today’s NHL, it’s very hard for a defenseman to provide value as solely a defensive stopper. It’s even harder to do that if you’re a defensive ace in name and reputation only. Whoever the next GM of the Devils is, they need to find a way to jettison the offensive anchors on the blue line. Tonight was example number one billion of why they need to go.
That’s Baseball Hockey, Suzyn
One random thought that occurs to me after tonight’s mess:
The Devils currently have 40 wins. They have four games remaining. As poorly as they played tonight and as disappointing as this season has been, I think there’s a reasonable chance they win two of their last four to get to 42 wins on the season…the exact same amount as the playoff-bound 2024-25 New Jersey Devils.
Last year’s team finished with 91 points and secured third place in the Metropolitan Division. This year’s team can max out at 91 if they run the table, and even if they do, they will still finish way out of the postseason picture. Funny(?) how things work sometimes.
Next Time Out
The Devils are back at it on Thursday when they play host to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It will be the final division game of the year. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00pm.
Your Take
You know what to do. Leave your comments below. As always, thanks for reading.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 5: Elly de la Cruz #44 and teammate Matt McLain #9 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrate the team's win following the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on April 5, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sandy Alcantara was the runaway winner of the National League Cy Young Award back in 2022 and, when right, remains one of the elite pitchers in all of Major League Baseball.
Since then, though, he’s had his share of hurdles. Tommy John surgery cost him all of the 2024 season, and his 2025 season – while thorough with 174.2 IP – featured a shell of his former self as command issues left him pitching from behind in counts like never before.
On Tuesday night vs. the Cincinnati Reds, though, Sandy looked every bit the part of his former self. For eight innings, he held Cincinnati scoreless, and did so in efficient enough fashion that he was brought back out for the Top of the 9th having allowed just a pair of hits all night. That changed immediately with a Matt McLain double with 1-out, and after Alcantara walked Elly De La Cruz the Marlins manager opted to turn to his bullpen with his ace at 95 pitches and the Marlins holding a perilous 2-0 lead.
The Reds proceeded to feast.
A double steal, a Sal Stewart sac fly, and a wild pitch by reliever Anthony Bender later and the game was tied a 2-2. And after Emilio Pagán flirted with (and avoided) disaster in the Bottom of the 9th, Cincinnati exploded for four runs in the Top of the 10th to seize a commanding lead.
Graham Ashcraft allowed the Manfred Man to score in the Bottom of the 10th, but no more, and Cincinnati walked away with a 6-3 victory after spending most of the day under the thumb of one of the best arms in the sport.
Other Notes
Despite his white-hot spring, McLain entered play on Tuesday with just a lone extra-base hit to his name during the 2026 season. He doubled twice in this one, though, driving in a pair of runs and scoring once to take home the Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game award for the evening. One double came in the 9th, the other with runners on in the 10th…that’s #clutch!
Andrew Abbott was mostly solid in his start He fired 5.1 IP and scattered 6 hits and a pair of walks, yielding a pair of runs while striking out two on 91 pitches.
Jose Franco, meanwhile, was nails out of the bullpen. He tossed a pair of hitless, scoreless frames.
Nate Lowe got a crucial hit in the Top of the 10th to give the Reds a 3-2 lead after coming in off the bench earlier in the game. He effectively replaced Ke’Bryan Hayes in the lineup (with Sal Stewart sliding over to 3B) in a prime example of just how deep this Reds bench truly is right now.
The back of Hayes’ baseball card shows him hitting .107/.167/.107 with zero extra-base hits so far this season.
The Reds are 8-3 on the season and almost, almost have a net zero run differential. If the pesky Pirates would just stop winning, they’d have the NL Central lead outright!
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - APRIL 5: Elly de la Cruz #44 and teammate Matt McLain #9 of the Cincinnati Reds celebrate the team's win following the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on April 5, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Sandy Alcantara was the runaway winner of the National League Cy Young Award back in 2022 and, when right, remains one of the elite pitchers in all of Major League Baseball.
Since then, though, he’s had his share of hurdles. Tommy John surgery cost him all of the 2024 season, and his 2025 season – while thorough with 174.2 IP – featured a shell of his former self as command issues left him pitching from behind in counts like never before.
On Tuesday night vs. the Cincinnati Reds, though, Sandy looked every bit the part of his former self. For eight innings, he held Cincinnati scoreless, and did so in efficient enough fashion that he was brought back out for the Top of the 9th having allowed just a pair of hits all night. That changed immediately with a Matt McLain double with 1-out, and after Alcantara walked Elly De La Cruz the Marlins manager opted to turn to his bullpen with his ace at 95 pitches and the Marlins holding a perilous 2-0 lead.
The Reds proceeded to feast.
A double steal, a Sal Stewart sac fly, and a wild pitch by reliever Anthony Bender later and the game was tied a 2-2. And after Emilio Pagán flirted with (and avoided) disaster in the Bottom of the 9th, Cincinnati exploded for four runs in the Top of the 10th to seize a commanding lead.
Graham Ashcraft allowed the Manfred Man to score in the Bottom of the 10th, but no more, and Cincinnati walked away with a 6-3 victory after spending most of the day under the thumb of one of the best arms in the sport.
Other Notes
Despite his white-hot spring, McLain entered play on Tuesday with just a lone extra-base hit to his name during the 2026 season. He doubled twice in this one, though, driving in a pair of runs and scoring once to take home the Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game award for the evening. One double came in the 9th, the other with runners on in the 10th…that’s #clutch!
Andrew Abbott was mostly solid in his start He fired 5.1 IP and scattered 6 hits and a pair of walks, yielding a pair of runs while striking out two on 91 pitches.
Jose Franco, meanwhile, was nails out of the bullpen. He tossed a pair of hitless, scoreless frames.
Nate Lowe got a crucial hit in the Top of the 10th to give the Reds a 3-2 lead after coming in off the bench earlier in the game. He effectively replaced Ke’Bryan Hayes in the lineup (with Sal Stewart sliding over to 3B) in a prime example of just how deep this Reds bench truly is right now.
The back of Hayes’ baseball card shows him hitting .107/.167/.107 with zero extra-base hits so far this season.
The Reds are 8-3 on the season and almost, almost have a net zero run differential. If the pesky Pirates would just stop winning, they’d have the NL Central lead outright!
