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Will Warren throws first clunker of season, Yankees bats silenced in 6-1 loss to Rangers

The Yankees bats were shut down by Nathan Eovaldi and Will Warren had his first bad start of the season as New York fell to the Rangers, 6-1, on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

New York had just three hits as Eovaldi has now allowed just one run across 15.0 IP in his last two starts, both against the Yankees.

Here are the takeaways....

-The Rangers took a first-inning lead for the second straight game. This time, Corey Seager launched a 3-0 pitch fromWarren and dumped it over the right field wall to give Texas a 1-0 lead. 

The Rangers threatened again in the second, with back-to-back two-out singles, but Warren got Andrew McCutchen to strike out to end the inning. Warren couldn't keep the Rangers off the scoreboard in the third, however, after he walked Brandon Nimmo to lead off and Ezequiel Duran drove him in with a double that split the outfielders. Three batters later, Evan Carter drilled a hanging sweeper over the right field wall to give the Rangers a 4-0 lead.

Warren just didn't have it, tossing 90 pitches (52 strikes) across four innings, allowing six runs on seven hits. He struck out seven but he tied a season high with three walks. 

It's the first time this season Warren has allowed more than two earned runs in a start. 

-On the opposite side, Eovaldi continued his personal dominance of the Yankees. Last week, Eovaldi pitched seven scoreless innings against the Yankees, allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out seven. Wednesday was more of the same. Eovaldi went 5.2 innings without allowing a run until Aaron Judge launched his 15th homer of the year, and now leads the league in homers. 

From there, Eovaldi continued his dominance, pitching eight innings, allowing just one run on three hits and striking out eight batters. Over his last nine games against the Yankees, Eovaldi has pitched to a 1.65 ERA, striking out 53 batters and walking only 11 across 59.2 innings pitched (h/t Katie Sharp).

-Yerry de los Santos was the first arm out of the pen, and he ate some much-needed innings. In his first game back after being called up, de los Santos pitched 3.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit, one walk and striking out five batters. 

Ryan Yarbrough followed de los Santos and delivered five outs without allowing a hit.

-Cody Bellinger continued his hot hitting, lining a single in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to eight games. He finished 1-for-3 with a walk.

-Jose Caballero went 0-for-2, with a hit by pitch. Eovaldi plunked Caballero with a curveball that hit him above the left elbow. The Yankees shortstop was looked at after he was in visible pain, but stayed in the game. 

Game MVP: Nathan Eovaldi

The Rangers lineup woke up, but Eovaldi didn't need much on this night.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Rangers wrap up their three-game series with a Thursday matinee game at the Stadium.

Ryan Weathers (2-2, 3.03 ERA) will take the mound against Mackenzie Gore (2-2, 4.67 ERA).

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Washington Nationals make a statement with a 15-2 blowout win over the Twins

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 05: CJ Abrams #5 of the Washington Nationals hits an RBI single against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Nationals Park on May 5, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The first nine Nationals hitters of the game were retired, and it felt like it would be another game where the offense would struggle. However, the Nats were able to flip some sort of crazy switch and put an absolute beating on the Twins. They scored 15 runs in a game where 6 Nats hitters had multi-hit games. 

This Nats team has been a real Jekyll and Hyde group to start the season. They can look flat and then just pounce suddenly. When you have guys like CJ Abrams and James Wood in the lineup, good things can happen in a hurry.

Speaking of Abrams, he was in the middle of everything tonight for the Nats. He went 3 for 5 with two doubles and a grand slam to cap off the win in the 9th. The Nats shortstop truly looks like he is blossoming into that star player we know he can be. We have seen hot starts from Abrams before, but I am not sure we have seen him this locked in for this long before.

You could have never guessed what the final score of this game was going to be after the first three innings. The lineup looked absolutely perplexed by Bailey Ober, the Twins massive soft tossing righty. He had Nats hitters guessing wrong every time in those first three innings. However, James Wood and CJ Abrams cracked the case in the fourth and the boys never looked back.

While the Nats were working to solve the puzzle that was Bailey Ober, Miles Mikolas was doing a good job keeping the boys in the game. This was Mikolas’ best start of the season. He pitched into the 6th inning and kept the ball on the ground all night long. The veteran’s velocity was up in this one and he was fooling Twins hitters not named Matt Wallner all night.

After a miserable start to the season where Mikolas looked truly cooked, he has done a good job steadying the ship. The Nats helped him get his confidence back in shorter spurts behind an opener, but now they are starting to let him loose. Hopefully this same approach can get Zack Littell back on track as well. Mikolas also got a nice reception from the home fans as he left the ball game, which was nice to see.

The pitching has been significantly better over the past couple of weeks. However, that has coincided with the offense taking an inevitable step back. Tonight, the Nats got the good pitching and the good hitting. There were so many heroes tonight that I will not be able to shout all of them out.

However, one guy I do want to mention is Brady House. There has been quite a bit of discourse in the Nats community about House over the past few days. He had not been playing as regularly, and his defense has been very suspect this season. However, he got his chance to play today and responded in a big way.

House went 2 for 5 with a double, a homer and three RBI’s. I will say that he got some absolute hangers tonight, but he did not miss them. The home run he hit to straightaway center was an absolute bullet. When he is at his best like he was tonight, House can hit lasers all over the yard.

Brady House has been known in the Nats world for so many years now, it is easy to forget that he is still just 22 years old. Will he be the Nats long term answer at third? I am not sure, he needs to clean a lot of things up. However, the youngster has plenty of talent and showed his upside tonight.

Overall, it was an unbelievable performance from the Nats. They will look to secure a series win tomorrow afternoon with Jake Irvin on the mound. Hopefully the offense did not get all the runs out of their system tonight. They are facing a struggling Twins starter in Simeon Woods-Richardson, so I hope the offense can take advantage of that. We also saw what happens when this offense can get to the underbelly of the Twins bullpen.

I have faith in the Nats getting the series win tomorrow, but that faith can be a scary thing. Whenever I believe in this team, they fall on their face and whenever I get down on this group they put up 15 runs like tonight. The 2026 Nationals are an absolute roller coaster, and I think it is a fun ride, but I cannot tell.

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Knicks claw past Joel Embiid-less 76ers in tense Game 2 victory

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns #32, driving to the basket over Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George #8, in the 4th quarter, Image 2 shows Jalen Brunson celebrates hitting a 3-pointer during Game 2 against the 76ers on May 6, 2026, Image 3 shows Mikal Bridges #25 reacts after he slams the ball during the second quarter
Knicks win game 2

It had been a struggle and a slog all game. This was a whole different vibe than what existed the past few games. 

The Knicks had trailed after the first, second and third quarters. The 76ers were playing more freely — and more efficiently — without Joel Embiid. Jalen Brunson was having a clunker. 

Then the NBA’s best fourth-quarter team emerged. 

It’s something that had not been needed for some time. Two straight historic blowouts meant Knicks starters hadn’t played a single minute of the fourth quarter the past two games. 

There were no records this time. There was no extended garbage time. It was the first late-game test for the Knicks since the middle of the first round. And they aced it. 

With the game in the balance, the Knicks put their foot down and took over with a 108-102 win over the 76ers in Game 2 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden to take a commanding 2-0 series lead. 

Jalen Brunson celebrates hitting a 3-pointer during Game 2 against the 76ers on May 6, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“It was just us executing, being disciplined,” Karl-Anthony Towns said. “Finding a way to get a gritty win. Something that, for better or for worse, haven’t been in our cards the last four games. But this showed a lot about our locker room and our team.” 

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns driving to the basket over Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

After the 76ers took a 3-point lead with 6:52 left in the game, the Knicks closed with a 12-3 run. Brunson had six of those points — on two jumpers and a pair of free throws. Josh Hart drilled a 3-pointer, Mikal Bridges hit a midrange jumper and Miles McBride had a free throw in that stretch. The 76ers, meanwhile, went 1-for-10. 

And the Knicks largely did it without OG Anunoby, who had been terrific but was in the locker room with a suspected hamstring injury down the stretch. 

In total, the Knicks outscored the 76ers by seven in the fourth quarter, holding them to just 12 points. Once the Knicks took the lead — which was the 25th lead change of the game, the most in a playoff game in 13 years — they never relinquished it. 

It was something unique so far this postseason. The Knicks had actually lost both close games they were in previously — Games 2 and 3 against the Hawks. All their wins had been blowouts. 

Without Embiid, it meant a faster and more connected 76ers offense, and the Knicks struggled with it. For three quarters, at least. 

Mikal Bridges reacts after he slams the ball during the second quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Maxey had 21 points after three quarters, but finished with 26. Paul George had 19 after three quarters, and went scoreless after that. Edgecombe had 17 after three quarters and also went scoreless in the fourth quarter. Bridges’ defense, in particular, was excellent on Maxey down the stretch. 

“At the end of the day, it came down to who’s gonna get more stops in that fourth quarter,” coach Mike Brown said. “They missed some shots, we know that, but to have them only score 12 points in that fourth quarter is huge.” 

Brunson finished with a team-high 26 points — eight of which came in the fourth quarter — along with six assists. 

Towns was dominant — but the only thing that stopped him was himself. He picked up his second foul with 4:29 left in the first quarter, picked up his third foul less than a minute after checking back into the game to start the second quarter and picked up his fourth foul with 4:31 left in the third quarter. And he didn’t even have Embiid to deal with on the defensive end. 

It meant he was limited to 27 minutes. But when he was actually on the floor, the 76ers had no answer. He finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Eleven of those points came in the third quarter. 

And without Mitchell Robinson, who was out with an illness, Towns’ foul trouble meant minutes for Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan. But Hukporti picked up four fouls in seven minutes, forcing Brown to give Landry Shamet his first meaningful minutes — since the middle of the first round — in a small-ball lineup. 

Anunoby, before exiting, continued his superb postseason with 24 points on 9-for-17 shooting from the field. But it’s a major concern that he may now have to miss time. 

Bridges finished with 18 points, continuing his resurgence since his first-round benchings. Hart had just five points but added seven rebounds and six assists. 

Jalen Brunson after hitting a jump shot to give the Knicks a lead in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“Most importantly, staying poised and staying composed,” Brunson said. “Just figuring out one play at a time, one stop at a time. Not looking too far ahead. When they make a basket, when they go up one, when we take the lead back, just focusing and paying attention to the details. 

“Find a way to make the next play on either side of the ball.” 

No Embiid meant the Knicks had no defensive weak link to torment. They shot just 26.9 percent from 3-point range as a team. The shot selection overall was worse. 

But they were at their best when their best was needed. That’s their specialty.

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Embiid-less Sixers show fight but run out of gas, fall down 2-0 with Game 2 loss to Knicks

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 6: VJ Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball during the game against the New York Knicks during Round Two Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 6, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

NEW YORK — Shooting 4-of-19 from the field in the fourth quarter isn’t going to get it done.

The Sixers ran out of steam, falling 108-102 to the New York Knicks in Game 2, falling to an 2-0 series deficit.

Tyrese Maxey started the game great as a scorer but struggled taking care of the ball. He finished with 26 points shooting 9-of-22 from the field along with six assists and six turnovers. Paul George had another three-point heater to start the game but cooled off, going for 19 points shooting 7-of-18 from the floor along with six rebounds and four assists.

VJ Edgecombe was also great with the exception of turnovers, finishing with 17 on 6-of-13 shooting along with five rebounds, three assists and four turnovers. Kelly Oubre Jr. had 19 as well while Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26.

Joel Embiid was ruled out earlier in the day with an ankle sprain and hip soreness. Mitchell Robinson was also a late scratch with an illness.

Here are some thoughts from MSG.

First Quarter

  • George was certainly feeling it to start the game. After the Knicks’ first miss he got up the floor quick, catching the outlet pass from Andre Drummond and setting up Kelly Oubre Jr. for an open dunk. He walked into a couple pull-up jumpers and buried them both. A turnover followed by a flagrant foul called on Oubre gummed up the Sixers’ offense a bit, but as soon as the ball found George again he buried two more threes.
  • It wasn’t the easiest start for Drummond, who picked up two fouls in his first six minutes of play. Four of the Knicks’ first six baskets of the game came right at the rim as he had his hands full with Karl-Anthony Towns. There were also a couple possessions early on where the Sixers’ defense was so keyed in on Brunson or Towns they lost OG Anunoby cutting wide open to the basket. Like Drummond, Towns was also called for a moving screen. Quentin Grimes was able to send him to the bench with two fouls, drawing the second on a drive.
  • The George heater was much needed, but no one needed to see a pair of open threes go down more than Oubre. On top of that he was also able to steal the ball from Brunson as the Sixers started off much better against him, forcing him to miss his first three shots. While the threes were falling for the Sixers, they shot 4-of-8 on twos, missed three free throws, and turned the ball over four times in the quarter. That meant Grimes’ three to close the quarter only gave them a slim two-point lead.

Second Quarter

  • Towns came back, but had to sit immediately when Maxey was able to draw his third foul. That put the Knicks’ big rotation in trouble with Ariel Hukporti also picking up three in less than four minutes of action. Speaking of, Adem Bona was one of several Sixers to look better to start this one. He had two impressive recovery blocks, one on Brunson and the other on Jose Alvarado.
  • As he needed to be, Maxey was much more aggressive to start — his seven free throws (one technical) in the first half were a big part of getting New York’s bigs in foul trouble. Some of the jumpers he was settling for were certainly tough looks but he was getting them to go. Defensively, the help he and the other perimeter defenders were showing on Brunson were making it much harder on him at any point in Game 1.
  • Drummond was already struggling in his second shift, allowing the Knicks to get their first four second chance points of the night. When the Knicks went to a center-less lineup they started running circles around the Sixers’ defense. They ripped off a 6-0 run that tied the game before Nick Nurse called a timeout and went back to Bona.
  • For as brilliant as Maxey was scoring the ball there were just too many passes he had in the first that were just a step too late. He accounted for three of the Sixers’ nine turnovers at the break. The Knicks’ defense had also forced the Sixers into a lot of tough jumpers, some of which didn’t come close to falling. Edgecombe was able to drill a three right before the half, but Bona bulldozed Brunson trying to crash the glass, picking up a brutal third foul of the night. Luckily, Brunson split the pair so the Sixers were able to cling to a one-point lead at the break.

Third Quarter

  • The passes the Sixers were trying to execute were real mid-February game level of sloppiness. Edgecombe’s inbounds to no one at the beginning of the second half at least wasn’t a live ball turnover, so they didn’t give the Knicks another fast break. The hot three-point shooting remained as Edgecombe and George each drilled one early in the half. Maxey was able to get a nice layup taking Brunson off the dribble.
  • Towns had a response just about every time, drawing fouls three and four on Drummond in the process. Bona checked in and picked up his fourth when Towns caught him with a rip through. A few minutes later a Towns drive was able to draw Bona’s fifth. Dominick Barlow checked in for the first time with a little less than five left in the third.
  • Offensively the Sixers were leaving too many points on the board for how much of a struggle it was to get stops. They still struggled to cut down on bad looking turnovers, and Grimes let a wide open layup slip through his hands when he couldn’t corral the pass to him.
  • The sloppiness caught up with their shotmaking ability as they went nearly four minutes without a field goal. It was snapped by Barlow being able to get open in the dunker. Edgecombe briefly re-took the lead with a three, but just after that happened George picked up his fourth foul of the night. Allowing two offensive rebounds in the same possession led to a huge Anunoby three. Another find of Barlow in the dunker and Grimes getting to the line pulled the Sixers back in front by one after an even quarter.

Fourth Quarter

  • The Barlow minutes continued to look great as Edgecombe was able to hit him on a roll to start the quarter. Despite the Knicks turning it over on their following two possessions the Sixers weren’t able to take advantage as George’s jumper had cooled off.
  • Coming off another missed midranger by PG, the Sixers desperately needed some defense and they got it when George was able to strip Towns, then Barlow was able to block an Anunoby three. After trading five points the Knicks gave the Sixers three empty possessions Philly was unable to capitalize on. Maxey and Edgecombe each missed wide open threes too — they just couldn’t make ‘em pay.
  • In the moment that felt like a massive missed opportunity, even more so when the Sixers again looked like they had run out of gas, despite a timeout happening after every other play down the stretch. The six-point lead the Knicks had been able to stretch it out to suddenly felt insurmountable as the Sixers went over five minutes without scoring.
  • The Sixers had one last gasp for air when Barlow nabbed a steal with 2:19 remaining, but gave it right away when Barlow turned it over on the ensuing possession. They forced a missed corner three and Maxey got to the line, but another split only allowed him to cut it to five. The teams traded baskets before a rushed George three missed with 25 seconds remaining, ultimately sinking them. A tough loss to stomach off the heels of the Embiid news.
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Every day, in every way: Phillies 6, Athletics 3

The Mattingly-resurgent Philadelphia Phillies (17-20), they of “8-2 in last ten games” fame, removed another monkey off their backs as they defeated lefty, Jeffrey Springs, and the Athletics (18-18) by a score of 6-3 on Wednesday night, their first victory against a left-handed starter in 11 tries this season.

It was Zack Wheeler’s first home start of the year and he put forth another quality effort, the third straight to open his 2026 campaign. He allowed three runs across six and a third innings of work.

The A’s led for eight innings before the Phillies offense erupted against Springs’ relief corps in the bottom of the eighth.

Kokomo’s own, Jack Perkins, walked Kyle Schwarber to begin the frame and erstwhile divisional nemesis, Jeff McNeil, committed his second and the A’s eighth-as-a-team error of the season on an errant throw to second on a fielder’s choice from a Bryce Harper grounder to put two men on with no outs.

A single by Adolis Garcia, his second hit of the night after a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth, loaded the bases. Edmundo Sosa, in turn, got his second hit of the night after swinging at all seven pitches he faced for a go-ahead two-RBI single. An RBI single by Brandon Marsh and an RBI groundout by Justin Crawford completed the four-run barrage.

Brad Keller loaded the bases in the top of the ninth via a single by McNeil and walks to Lawrence Butler and Nick Kurtz, but he got Jacob Wilson to swing for weak contact on the first pitch to end it.

Tim Mayza, Jose Alvarado and Orion Kerkering held the A’s at bay in relief of Wheeler.

The Phillies will take their third stab at a five-game winning streak as they go for the sweep tomorrow night. Andrew Painter will be opposed by A’s right-hander, J.T. Ginn.

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Glass cleaner: Karl-Anthony Towns dislodges ball behind backboard after Andre Drummond can't

NEW YORK (AP) — When the ball got stuck behind the basket in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on Wednesday night, the New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns proved that if you want something done right, you've got to do it yourself.

The 76ers' Andre Drummond failed on a few attempts to dislodge the ball, drawing loud boos from the crowd at Madison Square Garden. Towns then took over and did it himself on the first try, getting raucous cheers from fans — including actor Timothée Chalamet.

Towns had just been fouled and the ball got stuck between the backboard and what appeared to be camera equipment mounted to the back of it. With the stick end of the broom that's used to clean the court, Philadelphia guard Tyrese Maxey first tried to move the ball before realizing a taller man was needed.

Drummond was unable to finish the job, so Towns — who had been waiting at the free-throw line to get the ball so he could shoot — eventually left his spot to get it himself.

A few minutes later, the ball got stuck in the exact same spot. A fan shooting for $75,000 from halfcourt launched his heave over the backboard and it landed there.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

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Red Sox 4, Tigers 0: Flaherty better; bats and defense, not so much

May 6, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) delivers in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers had one goal in mind on Wednesday evening: salvage one win from a three-game home series against the Boston Red Sox. It wasn’t meant to be, though, as the Crimson Hosiery completed the sweep with a 4-0 shutout victory.

Making the start for the Tigers tonight was Jack Flaherty, whose troubles have been well-documented. His previous start, against the Rangers, did not go well: he didn’t make it out of the fourth and had trouble finding the plate as, as we’ve seen before, an inning spins wildly out of control for him. I feel for the guy; he’s been open about the sorts of things he’s been battling when he’s on the mound.

The ageless Sonny Gray started for Boston. He’d been on the shelf since a short start against the Tigers in Boston on April 20, and had only pitched in a simulated game before taking the mound tonight. He had a lot of great years in Oakland, then has bounced around a bit since then. But he’s been pretty reliable striking guys out, not walking too many, and keeping the ball in the yard — plus, has more pitches than a struggling Hollywood screenwriter.

Flaherty started off great, striking out the first five batters he faced with pinpoint control. But, as has been the case too often, a bit of adversity opens up into a whole lot of trouble: in the third an infield single and a hit-batsman was followed by a double, Dillon Dingler doing yeoman’s work behind the plate corralling some pitches in the dirt. When the Red Sox were making contact it was generally hard as well, and you had to think, well, here we go again. A sacrifice fly made it 2-0, and Flaherty managed to limit the damage.

Going back in time to the bottom of the second, a Riley Greene double and a pair of walks to Zach McKinstry and Spencer Torkelson loaded the bases with two out. Jace Jung lifted a shallow fly ball to right field and Wilyer Abreu made a sliding grab to save at least one run, probably two.

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The Tigers put together another threat in the bottom of the third when back-to-back singles by Colt Keith and Greene put two runners on, but Dingler struck out and the inning was over.

Flaherty got into trouble again in the fourth: Trevor Story, who is apparently fine after getting a fastball in the back on Tuesday night, popped out to Torkelson at first who made a nice play against the netting. But then a single and a four-pitch walk put a pair on, and after a strikeout for the second out, a grounder to third went right past Keith on a play he should’ve made and both runners scored for a 4-0 Boston lead.

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But then Flaherty struck out the side in the fifth inning so, as the kids these days say, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ . That was the end of his night, and his final line went thusly: 5 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 10 K. I forget what the word for a unique starting pitcher’s line is — “boxscorigami” would be great if that isn’t already it — but if that’s such an instance, I wouldn’t be surprised. Except for those hiccups and when his defence let him down, at this point? I’ll take it. I assume people have a lot to say about Flaherty and his start tonight; feel free to give your opinion. (Let’s face it, you folks never need to be asked twice to give your opinion! But we dig that around here.)

Drew Anderson took over in the top of the sixth, and he had his changeup — the “kick-change” he’d honed in South Korea which acts like a split-fingered fastball — working nicely. He got a pair of strikeouts on it in the sixth, along with another on a curveball.

In the seventh, though, Anderson twice was ahead of a hitter 0-2 and ended up walking him, with the Scarlet Stockings getting runners on the corners with one out. He walked another after being up 1-2, leaving with the bases loaded and one out; Brant Hurter was then brought into the second-stickiest situation there is. Abreu had a big swing at a sweeper for the second out, and Story grounded out sharply to shortstop for the third out, and Hurter admirably got the job done.

In the bottom of the seventh Zach McKinstry walked with one out against rookie righty Tyler Samaniego, but Torkelson struck out and Wenceel Pérez flew out to centre.

Kyle Finnegan took over for Hurter to start the eighth; he’s had a bunch of good outings lately. He walked a pair of batters with one out to get in a bit of a jam, but he turned a comebacker into a 1-4-3 double play to end the inning.

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In the past couple of years, this would be the time the Gritty Tigs would make an appearance: behind a bit, top of the order up? Kevin McGonigle lined out to right, but a pair of walks to Matt Vierling and Keith put two runners on… alas, Greene and Dingler both struck out on high cutters, and that was that for the eighth. And the Tigers capped it off by going meekly 1-2-3 in the ninth to complete the sweep.

Final score: Red Sox 4, Tigers 0

“This is a simple game.”

“You throw the ball, you hit the ball, you catch the ball.”

YOU GOT IT?!

Numbers and Notes

  • Dillon Dingler’s walk-up song: “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks.
  • Dillon Dingler’s uniform number: 17.
  • If a Tiger hitter ever wears the number 96 — nobody has yet — I hope they go with “96 Tears” by Michigan’s own ? and the Mysterians as they come to the plate.
  • Jack Flaherty struck out the first five batters he faced, and the last four batters he faced. Has that ever been done before? Someone call Jayson Stark!
  • Old Friend™ Matthew Boyd injured himself while playing with his kids at home. I hear ya, Matty.
  • On this day in 1889 the Eiffel Tower was officially opened to the public as part of the Universal Exposition in Paris (a world’s fair). It was originally going to only be a temporary structure during the Exposition and then torn down, but I guess people seemed to like it enough to keep it around.
  • The Royals’ ace, Cole Ragans, left tonight’s game against the Guardian with what is described as elbow/triceps soreness. It’s not safe out there, kids.
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Young settles in, Orioles take series with 7-4 win over Miami

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MAY 06: Blaze Alexander #23 of the Baltimore Orioles slides into third base after hitting a triple against the Miami Marlins in the eighth inning of the game at loanDepot park on May 06, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For the second consecutive game, the Orioles jumped ahead with three-runs in the first inning. Unfortunately, for the second consecutive game, Baltimore failed to hold its early lead. The Birds gave three back in the first, but Brandon Young found his groove. The offense kept its foot on the gas, and Young delivered a quality start in a 7-4 Orioles win over Miami.

Leadoff hitter Gunnar Henderson went down swinging, but a wild Eury Pérez got the rally started. Pérez walked Taylor Ward on four pitches and plunked Adley Rutschman to put two on for Pete Alonso. Alonso fell behind 0-2 before turning on a 99 MPH fastball. The slugger launched the ball 407 feet to left center, and the Orioles held a 3-0 advantage before Brandon Young took the mound.

Young needed only four pitches to record the first two outs, but the Fish used some two-out lightning to get right back into the game. Young came within one strike of a clean inning, but former Oriole Connor Norby worked a six-pitch walk.

Kyle Stowers followed with a base hit to right that put two on for center fielder Jakob Marsee. Young jumped ahead 0-2 before Marsee punched a two-run double to left field. Young got ahead 1-2 on Christopher Morel before losing the designated hitter for the second walk of the inning. Owen Caissie followed, fell behind 0-2, and proceeded to even the game at three with a base hit up the middle. Young finally ended the inning by getting Joe Mack to ground out on a 2-1 curveball.

Both Young and Pérez responded by posting zeros in the second and third innings, but Baltimore found a way to break through in the fourth. Leody Taveras legged out a two-out double, and Dylan Beavers followed with a ground-rule double that gave Baltimore a 4-3 lead.

It felt nice to have the Orioles be the team striking with two outs, and the trend continued in the fifth. Ward earned another free pass, and Adley Rutschman worked the count full before absolutely ripping a ball to right field. Ward, already on the move with the 3-2 count, scored with ease to make it 5-3.

Meanwhile, Young found his footing. The 27-year-old became more intentional with his pitches and gained better command of the strike zone as the game progressed. After allowing three hits and three walks in the first two innings, Young limited Miami to only one single over his final four frames. He notched a quality start with 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, and 5 K.

Ward took his third walk of the game with one out in the seventh, and Rutschman followed with another hard-hit double. The insurance run came in handy when Grant Wolfram allowed a run in the bottom half of the inning. Baltimore extended the lead to three thanks to an opposite-field single by Samuel Basallo and a two-out triple by defensive replacement Blaze Alexander.

Anthony Nunez replaced Wolfram and struck out Norby to end the seventh. The rookie returned and tossed a clean eighth inning to setup Rico Garcia in a save situation. Garcia allowed a leadoff walk before generating a double play ball and striking out Javier Sanoja to end the game.

Young and the Orioles could have spiraled after the three-run first, but Baltimore carved out a true team win. Young demonstrated an ability to make adjustments, and the O’s offense scored in four of the final six innings. Nunez bounced back after allowing a pair of runs last night, and Garcia delivered a drama-free save after recording four outs on Tuesday.

Alonso got the party started with the Earl Weaver special, and Rutschman reached base four times. Henderson finished 0-for-5 with three strikeouts, but Beavers and Alexander both came through with big hits.

Young made a strong case, but maybe you’d like to go off the board. Let us know your pick for the Most Birdland Player of the Day in the comments below!

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Red Sox 4, Tigers 0; Boston stays hot to sweep Detroit

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - MAY 06: Sonny Gray #45 of the Boston Red Sox throws a first inning pitch against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 06, 2026 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Red Sox look like a totally different team the last few days, or at least the one playing with real momentum. The Tigers certainly didn’t amid a .500 start and the loss of Tarik Skubal for two to three months.

The latest victory showed progress in all areas of the game for the Red Sox as they moved to 6-4 under interim manager Chad Tracy. 

Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday’s series finale.

OFFENSE SURGING

The usually thump-less offense kept the line moving with momentum throughout the series. Boston tallied 14 runs over the three nights in Detroit. 

The Red Sox posted a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings. Carlos Narvaez had a productive night and the weight coming off the players after a few strenuous weeks is getting rather visible by the day. 

The improvement of the bats is a big reason the Red Sox are closing in on the .500 mark. 

ROTATION WELCOME BACK

Sonny Gray operated efficiently on a pitch count and gave the Red Sox five shutout innings in his first start since April 20. With Garrett Crochet still on the IL and further information waiting on Ranger Suarez, the rotation needed a step back toward normalcy.

Gray certainly provided that with just four hits allowed and a pair of strikeouts.

The bullpen finished the job in the staff’s fifth shutout of the season, tied for the most in baseball.

BROOMS!

The Red Sox swept the series in Detroit, marking the first occasion for Boston in 2026. Despite the frustrating start to the season, the team still got a sweep a month earlier than the 2025 team.

Boston’s sweep of the New York Yankees (immediately followed by the Rafael Devers trade) didn’t come until mid-June.

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Cubs Minor League Wrap: Pedro Ramírez walks it off for Iowa

Mar 17, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Chicago Cubs third baseman Pedro Ramirez against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Right-hander Vince Velazquez has rejoined the Iowa Cubs.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs embargoed the Columbus Clippers (Guardians), 3-2 in 11 innings.

Charlie Barnes pitched the first five innings without allowing a run. Barnes allowed four hits, walked one and struck out four.

Luke Little pitched the two extra innings. He let the automatic runner score in the tenth, but he kept Columbus off the board in the eleventh and got the win. The final line on Little was one unearned run on one hit over two innings. He walked one and struck out two.

The I-Cubs managed just four hits today and only one infield single before the eighth inning. But third baseman Pedro Ramírez singled home the winning run in the bottom of the eleventh. He was 1 for 4.

Owen Miller had two of those four hits. He went 2 for 3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Here’s Ramírez’s game-winning single. As you can see, it would have been a double had the winning run not been on third.

Here’s a run-saving play on defense by Ramírez. He can do it all.

A nice throw on defense by right fielder Kevin Alcántara.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies were rained out. They’ll try to play a doubleheader on Friday.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs turned the screws on the Lansing Lugnuts (Athletics), 3-1.

Koen Moreno allowed just two hits over four scoreless innings to start the game. Moreno struck out five and walked two.

Jackson Brockett pitched the next two innings and got the win. Brockett was outstanding and retired all six batters he faced, striking out five of them. The other one grounded out on an 0-2 pitch.

JP Wheat retired the side in order in the seventh. He then came out to pitch the eighth and after retiring the first batter on a foul pop, put two men on with a single and a hit batter. At that point Ethan Bell relieved Wheat and while he allowed one runner inherited from Wheat to score, he went the rest of the way for the save.

The final line on Bell was no runs on two hits over 1.2 innings. He struck out four and walked one.

South Bend scored all three runs in the sixth inning and two of them came on a home run by DH Cole Mathis. It was Mathis’ second home run for South Bend and ninth overall. Mathis was 1 for 3 with a walk.

Right fielder Kade Snell singled right after Mathis’ home run. He then stole second and scored on a Drew Bowser double. Snell’s final line was 2 for 4 with a steal. Bowser went 2 for 4 with the double.

Highlights.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans were pinched by the Hickory Crawdads (Rangers), 4-2.

Pierce Coppola dominated the Crawdads in his first appearance of the year. He threw four scoreless innings and allowed just two hits. Coppola struck out five and walked no one.

Edwardo Melendez relieved Coppola got the loss after giving up two runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Melendez’s final line was four runs on four hits over two innings. Two of the four hits were solo home runs. Melendez walked two, hit two batters and struck out one.

Left fielder Geuri Lubo tripled home Michael Carico in the fourth inning for the first run of the game. Lubo went 2 for 4 and Carico was 0 for 2 with two walks.

Catcher Logan Poteet hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth to close out the Pelicans scoring. It was his fourth home run this year. Poteet was 1 for 4.

Geuri’s triple.

ACL Cubs

Off day.

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After Yankees cut him, DJ LeMahieu is back on the baseball field

For almost a year, DJ LeMahieu disappeared. The two-time batting champion was unceremoniously cut by the New York Yankees after injuries took their toll. Last month, LeMahieu posted a note on social media thanking the Yankees for his time there, but no clue what his future plans were.  

Now, it seems LeMahieu has found his next chapter right in his own backyard.  

LeMahieu was named manager of the Royal Oak Leprechauns, the team announced Wednesday. He has financially supported the Michigan-based collegiate wood-bat team for years, helping players in his native Metro Detroit region.  

A three-time MLB All-Star (2015, 2017, 2019) LeMahieu was one of the most versatile infielders of his generation. He won four Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers and batting titles in each league, making him one of two players in MLB history to accomplish that feat. 

LeMahieu, 37, is a Bloomfield Township, Michigan, native who starred at Brother Rice High School, where he was an All-American before going to LSU and winning the 2009 College World Series. He was originally drafted by his hometown Detroit Tigers out of high school in 2007 but chose college instead. He was drafted in the second round in 2009 by the Chicago Cubs.

After 15 seasons in the majors, the Yankees designated him for assignment last July, ending a seven-year run in New York. He never signed with another club and never announced his intention to retire. He posted a vague note to Instagram last month thanking the Yankees for his time there.

Now, he is stepping into a dugout for the first time, managing in the same organization where he began as a donor and board member. The league helps college players prepare for professional baseball and exposes them to MLB team scouts.  

LeMahieu began supporting the Leprechauns as a primary donor in 2020, funding the numerous renovations to Memorial Park, before transitioning to role of team president. More than $500,000 was initially invested in the field and scoreboard through his backing. He has been active in the Metro Detroit baseball scene even while playing in the big leagues. He owns the area’s premier training facility that serves as the home field for his Brother Rice team.  

The Leprechauns' season opens May 25 at home.  

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: DJ LeMahieu back in baseball after getting cut by Yankees

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Karl-Anthony Towns rescues stuck ball in funny moment during 76ers-Knicks

The tension during Game 2 of the Philadelphia 76ers vs. New York Knicks series briefly melted away in a lighthearted moment during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden.

The ball got stuck in the framing below the shot clock with 7:54 to go in the third, with the Sixers leading 74-71. Philadelphia big man Andre Drummond, listed at 6-foot-11, was handed a floor mop but his attempts to dislodge the ball with it proved to be unsuccessful.

Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns, listed at 7-foot, took the mop from Drummond and managed to dislodge the ball on his first attempt, to great cheers from the Madison Square Garden crowd.

The 76ers, playing without Joel Embiid, led 90-89 after three quarters but the Knicks went on to win 108-102. New York now holds a 2-0 lead.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karl-Anthony Towns saves ball in funny moment during 76ers vs Knicks

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A’s Blow Late Lead, Fall To Phillies 6-3

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 05: Nick Kurtz #16 of the Athletics at bat during the game against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 5, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

This one stings. The Athletics had the lead for the majority of the game in Philadelphia this evening but a late-inning rally by the Phillies sunk the A’s as they dropped their second straight contest and their third in the last four games. Now back at .500 the team has got to get a win tomorrow in the series finale if they want to avoid the sweep. Still in first place though!

On the bump for the A’s this evening was left-hander Jeffrey Springs. The veteran came into the season on an absolute hot streak but got hit around the last couple times out. He also had to depart his most recent outing with a hip issue so the fact that he was even available for the start tonight was a positive.

For the first few innings tonight Springs was on his game and looked like the arm from earlier this season. He spread out a couple hits allowed over the first four frames but otherwise kept the Philly offense from getting any sort of rhythm or rally going.

Meanwhile the offense for the Athletics was facing Philadelphia ace Zack Wheeler. The right-hander had only just returned from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery but looked like the Wheeler we’ve all grown accustomed to seeing over the years. And for the first couple innings tonight the A’s looked like they would be the latest team to experience the return of Wheeler.

The bats broke through against the right-hander in the third inning. Lawrence Butler, manning center field tonight, drew a leadoff walk to start the frame then advanced to second on a productive out. With two outs though the A’s would need a big two-out base hit. And that’s just what they got from shortstop Jacob Wilson, who brought Butler home with an RBI single the other way to right field:

Wilson would finish the day 1-for-5 but that hit was a big one to get the scoring started. That run also probably doesn’t score without some nice sliding from Butler coming into home plate:

The A’s added on another run against Wheeler a couple innings later with another two-out rally. After the first two batters of the fifth went down right-handed hitter Zack Gelof, who was playing third base tonight for the first time in the major leagues, laced a two-out double to put a runner in scoring position and flip the lineup. That meant Nick Kurtz, who was playing in his home town with his dad in attendance, got a chance to pad the lead and he did that with his own RBI base knock to bring home Gelof:

That base hit also extended Kurtz’s on-base streak, tying former Athletic Matt Chapman’s 30-game mark from 2018. Still a long ways to go to reach Mark McGuire’s franchise-record 62 straight games reaching base, but he’s almost half way!

Kurtz would also steal a bag later in this one, his fourth of the season which is tied for the team lead with Butler.

The Phillies finally broke through against Springs in the bottom half of that frame. A leadoff triple all but ensured that and a groundout prevented Springs from getting his shutdown inning. Still, the A’s were in the lead and it was only the first run allowed from the lefty all evening.

It didn’t take long for the A’s to get that run back though. Leading off the top of the sixth was left fielder Tyler Soderstrom, and he got ahold of the second pitch from Wheeler and delivered a solo home run to left field to push the lead back to two:

That was Sodey’s fifth long ball of the season and that’s his second in the past three games. After a slow-ish start to the year, could the lefty slugger be getting hot?

Now with a two-run lead again Springs went back out there for the start of the sixth at just 64 pitches. After getting Bryce Harper to ground out to start the inning he got tagged on the first pitch to outfielder Adolis Garcia, who delivered a solo blast to halve the A’s lead to 3-2. Another single on the very next pitch and Mark Kotsay had seen enough. At just 75 pitches Springs’ evening was over as he made way for right-handed reliever Justin Sterner.

  • Jeffrey Springs: 5 1/3 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 75 pitches

A quality bounce back outing from Springs, but it only lowered his season ERA a few points to 3.85 in eight starts. He departed with the lead and probably deserved a W on his score card tonight. His next start lines up to be next week in the series-opener at home against the Cardinals.

Sterner got the final two outs of the frame without any added drama and we were off to the seventh. Only nine outs to go. Next up was Jack Perkins, who had a perfect frame with a pair of strikeouts. Looking to roll the dice Kotsay decided to send him out for a second inning of work, a decision that almost immediately backfired.

A leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth is just asking for trouble but Perkins did just that against slugger Kyle Schwarber. An error by Jeff McNeil at second base didn’t help matters but another single loaded the bases with no outs for the Phillies. Danger territory for any pitcher and they made Perk pay tonight. Philly second baseman Edmundo Sosa had the biggest hit of the night for the home team, driving a single to center field that brought home two runners and gave the Phillies their first lead of the game.

It was only a one-run deficit though so the bullpen needed to keep it from getting out of hand. After a lineout it was lefty Hogan Harris’ turn to pitch and he didn’t have much better success, allowing a pair of singles and an RBI ground out to push the score to the eventual 6-3 final.

The A’s didn’t go quietly in the ninth, loading the bases and bringing up Wilson with the tying-run on first base. Unfortunately he went after the first pitch of the at bat and weakly grounded out to the pitcher on a pitch up and in, ending the game and securing the Athletics’ second straight loss in Philadelphia.

This one is tough to swallow. The A’s wasted a quality performance from Springs tonight. The offense had some moments but it’s hard to win games when you are getting out-hit seven to 12. The bullpen struggles cost them tonight and one has to wonder if the lack of set roles is affecting the young arms that make up the relief unit. Structure is good for the youth.

We have one final chance to steal a win in Philly this year. It’ll be right-hander J.T. Ginn on the mound for the visiting squad as he prepares for his sixth start. He had his first real adversity in his previous outing when he allowed five runs to score against the Guardians in a loss. The 26-year-old will be looking for a bounceback performance against a Philly squad that has scored 15 runs in the two games of this series. Ginn will be opposed by Philly’s own young pitcher in Andrew Painter, who will bring a 5.28 ERA into the series finale. The A’s are still in first place, but they’re back at the .500 mark so a win in the finale would do wonders for the team’s morale before heading to Baltimore this weekend.