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San Antonio vs. Minnesota, Final Score: Spurs tame Wolves in Game 3 win, 115-108

The Spurs were not fazed by Minnesota’s excessive physicality tonight and sealed the win with better execution
May 8, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) dribbles against Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) in the first half during game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

After Minnesota closed within 102-100, Victor Wembanyama, as part of a 16 point fourth quarter masterpiece, captained a 13-8 finish, and San Antonio righted the wrongs of their earlier free throw shooting woes to put away the Wolves 115-108. With Anthony Edwards inserted into the starting lineup for game 3, it was a tale of two first quarters as the Spurs surged to an 18-3 advantage and promptly ceded nearly all of it back to the Wolves in the closing four minutes. Despite the teams being knotted at 51 at the half, San Antonio was able to grab a hold of the lead through most of the second half before Wembanyama’s crunchtime takeover.

San Antonio, despite its early success, struggled for some time to find sufficient support of Wembanyama (39 points, 15 rebounds, and 5 blocks). Running mates Stephon Castle (13 points, 12 assists, and 4 rebounds) and De’Aaron Fox (17 points and 5 assists) started slowly, but both of them worked through the kinks when it mattered most. Devin Vassell (13 points and 6 rebounds) made just the right plays on both ends. Rookie Carter Bryant (6 points and 2 rebounds) made the most of his first half minutes to help the Spurs stay ever so slightly ahead of the Wolves. Keldon Johnson (11 points) worked through an ineffectual playoffs thus far and had a much-needed burst late in the third quarter. Dylan Harper (8 points and 4 rebounds) figured meaningfully in the closing minutes.

Minnesota’s Edwards (32 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists) led the way as expected with Jaden McDaniels (17 points and 7 rebounds) reprising his standout role from the Denver series. Former Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid (18 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists) had an excellent effort off the bench, while Ayo Dosummu (11 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) also helped the Wolves nearly pull off the upset.

San Antonio picked up where it left off from Wednesday night showcasing its defensive clamps – Edwards’ free throw was the only Minnesota scoring as they missed their first 11 shots. Wembanyama again set up shop in the paint and scored four early ones and netted 9 of the team’s first 11 points. The Wolves stayed glued to one point until the 5:09 mark when a Gobert tip-in roused the crowd from slumber. The Spurs reached zenith at 18-3. Despite the early San Antonio advantage, both teams shot a combined 9-for-36 (25%) over the first nine minutes, which was a foreboding lurch into Minnesota’s closing run. Gobert generated surprising offense, which emboldened Edwards to seek out his offense and the Wolves closed within 22-23 after one.

Three quick Minnesota field goals threatened to cause the Target Center to ’go crazy,‘ but the Spurs’ veterans – Wembanyama and Fox – stabilized them over several tense possessions. Bryant saw first half action and hit a pair of timely threes. Despite wresting the lead back, San Antonio left plentiful points on the board with its free throw misses. The teams fought and clawed to stay within 1-2 possesions of each other until fireworks from Minnesota and San Antonio resulted in a 51 tie at the half.

The teams put up a flurry of threes during a whirlwind third period. San Antonio remained ahead by a handful after the artillery exchange. The really interesting thing was that different players accounted for each three on both sides. The Spurs pushed their lead to as high as seven until Edwards and Dosummu connected on several quick field goals. Wembanyama, while having his left arm behind held by Gobert, swatted away Edwards’ floater with his right hand, and then the Wolves star held his right side as the center tried to run upcourt to join his tammates. After the pace slowed to a veritable crawl, San Antonio still found itself up seven going to the final 12 minutes.

Observations

  • This was the second game this series where Randle made hostile contact to Castle, and the Spurs guard was whistled for the foul. Tonight’s call, however, was overturned after review.
  • If Gobert continues to stay long stretches on the bench, that may effectively consume any meaningful Kornet minutes.
  • My friend said, “remember when Ginobili would get fouled… his hair would fly everywhere? That’s Castle” And all I could reply with was “until 2007.”
  • Does the Amazon arrow change directions depending on who’s leading?
  • It makes sense why the Spurs tried to sell tickets to people within 150 miles of San Antonio in Round 1. The Philadelphia / New York game very much sounded like a pro-Knicks crowd.
  • My three sisters and I ended our respective eulogies for my dad with ‘Go Spurs Go.’
  • Sequence of the Game #1: Several minutes in, Wembanyama swatted away Randle’s attempt, sped past other Wolves down the floor, and and converted an and-1 over McDaniels. #wemblock
  • Sequence of the Game #2: After a Reid three, Fox slithered down to the other end and got a layup over three Timberwolves.

Game Rundown

Wembanyama dunked home successive lob passes from Vassell and Castle for San Antonio’s first four points. Fox deflected a pass on the first Wolves possession. (Wembanyama’s first block looked like a goaltend but we’ll keep that between you and me.) Wembanyama’s turnaround banker made it 11-1. The only negative for the Spurs was getting into the foul bonus in less than five minutes. Johnson’s catch-and-shoot triple made it 14-1. Reid’s three caused Mitch Johnson to burn his late period timeout. Gobert’s second and third buckets kickstarted a 9-0 run late in the stanza. Vassell’s floater salvaged a series of fraught moments. Edwards went on a personal twelve point explosion to draw Minnesota within one.

Another Wembanyama lob provided momentary relief from the Wolves’ onslaught – as Edwards, Reid, and McDaniels connected early on in the second period. Bryant hit a corner three to put San Antonio ahead for mere seconds. Bryant’s next one – a shotclock beating three – put the Spurs back up four. Minnesota again drew San Antonio into the foul bonus halfway through. Right as I was muttering to myself that he was settling for too many threes, Castle’s pull-up jumper in the paint put the Spurs up six. An offensive foul on Reid – who elbowed Kornet in the face – was overturned due to the Spurs’ center holding with his left hand. San Antonio challenged an offensive foul whistled on Castle and it was unfortunately upheld. Reid’s corner three put Minnesota back up. but Castle drew Reid’s third foul shortly after. After Castle swiped it clean from Randle, Fox hit his second straight field goal, but that was matched by a McDaniels three tying the game at 51.

Dosummu replaced Mike Conley in the starting lineup, and San Antonio made some decent stops to start the second half. Threes from Castle and Wembanyama put the Spurs up six. After the Wolves bigs used Wembanyama as a punching bag, the referees finally whistled Randle for an offensive foul on an elbow extension. Vassell threw down a thunderous lefty jam seconds later. Edwards hit two baseline floaters and Dosummi followed with a corner three. Castle and Kornet ran pick and roll action to get the center a runner. Harper took a shot to the head on a loose ball situation and stayed down on the court for minutes, while Castle and McDaniels were assessed technicals. San Antonio got into the foul bonus but continued to put up ‘1-for-2s.’ Johnson paired two freebies with a wing three and the Spurs were relieved to head to the fourth up 86-79.

For the Wolves fan’s perspective, please visit Canis Hoopus.

San Antonio stays in the Twin Cities for Game 4 with Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night at 6:30 PM CDT on NBC.

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Ginkel and the offense waste Nelson’s gem in extra innings loss to Mets

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 08: Manager Torey Lovullo #17 takes the ball from relief pitcher Kevin Ginkel #37 of the Arizona Diamondbacks during a pitching change in the 10th inning against the New York Mets at Chase Field on May 08, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Game Summary

Let’s look back at another close loss for the 2026 Diamondbacks – or don’t and just skip straight to venting in the comments if you wish. For those of you still here, away we go.

Ryne Nelson put together his second straight strong start in May after scuffling through the month of April. He became the third of four Snakes’ starters to pitch into the 7th inning after Torey Lovullo pulled all of his starters into the office and told them they needed to be better. Well, the have been better. Much better. But Torey’s club has lost 3 of the the 4 ballgames since anyway. Tonight, Nelson was very efficient, sticking in and around the strike zone all night and finishing with 2 hits allowed, 7 strikeouts and a lonely walk to the last hitter he faced in 6.2 innings. Nelson’s one crime was a leadoff homer he allowed to Mark Vents in the top of the 2nd inning. After that, he was nails, including a run of 14 straight hitters retired before his walk with 2 outs in the 6th that ended his night. Nelly is looking much more like the pitcher he was for the bulk of 2024-25, which is great news for the 2026 D-backs.

The bullpen was also great, until it wasn’t. Juan Morillo and Brandyn Garcia put in excellent outings to keep the game in reach for the Snakes, but Kevin Ginkel came in for the 10th a gave up back-to-back doubles and a bunt single before finally getting an out before handing the ball to Torey. Jonathan Loaisiga promptly got 2 ground outs to end the frame.

Normally, 2 earned runs wouldn’t sink you, but the Diamondbacks offense right now is not normal. Tonight’s 1-run squeaker by the offense makes it 5 games in their last 9 in which they’ve been held to 2 runs or less. Unsurprisingly, they are 0-5 in those games. Nolan Arenado had a leadoff homer to match Mark Vientos in the 2nd, but after that, it was mostly crickets. They had opportunities, sure, but the good guys went 0-5 with RISP and left 8 on base. To be fair, Nolan McLean is a tough customer, but this is no longer a one-off. Hopefully the offense comes back to life soon, but as we Diamondbacks fans are conditioned to expect, when the offense figures it out, one of the bullpen or starting pitching – or both – will collapse.

Oh well. I’ll still be there to watch it all go down with you all here on the ‘Pit. The Waldschmidt era has arrived and Alek Thomas is out the door. I have a feeling that AT’s exit is only the first in a series of moves the D-backs will begin to make if they don’t figure things out quickly, overhauling much of the regulars we’ve had in the org over the past few years. Buckle up folks!

Loss Probability and Box Score

Outside the Box Score

  • After Gabi blew an ABS challenge on the first pitch of the game, Nelson came back and struck out Juan Soto on the next 3 pitches, culminating with a whiff on a 98mph fastball right at the top of the zone.
  • No bearing on the outcome of the game whatsoever, but a gentleman wearing a Dodgers hat caught Nolan Arenado’s home run ball in the third. He was clearly stoked about catching a home run ball. It’s great that no matter who your team is, catching a ball will turn you giddy.
  • DBacks fandom collectively held its breath at the end of the top of the third inning when Corbin Carroll made a fantastic catch fading/jumping into the right field fence. It looked like maybe his throwing hand was hurt since he was holding in close to his hip and then gave a little hop with a grimace as he ran back in to the dugout. Corbin had his helmet on in the dugout getting ready to hit the next inning so hopefully just a stinger that won’t cause any future issues.
  • Ildemaro Vargas made a very good diving play at second base to take a hit away from the Mets to lead off the fourth. He quickly spun around through to first while barely getting off the deck. Fernandez, for his part, did well to corral the throw far to the fair side of the bag and complete the putout.
  • The television broadcast showed a graphic during Corbin’s second AB of the game that showed the difference between his OPS in games the DBacks win vs. games they lose. His OPS is north of 1.300 in wins and around .400 when they lose, the largest gap in MLB so far this year. Corbin is our motor.
  • Ryne Nelson only had 64 pitches at the end of 5 innings. Looking extremely efficient, with only one 3-ball count through those 5 innings per the broadcast, and a Zone% of 58% (for comparison, Nolan McLean was at 49%).
  • Jose Fernandez was called out on strikes in the fifth on a curveball that looked pretty far outside, but already being down a challenge thanks to Gabi’s first pitch decision, made the decision to not risk the team’s final challenge at the halfway point of the game. Bummer as it would have brought up a full count with a runner on first and only 1 out instead of being the 2nd out of the inning.
  • Ryne Nelson owned Juan Soto all night long. 2 strikeouts and a lazy fly out and he didn’t look comfortable in the box all game.
  • The common refrain when something, anything, goes wrong for the Diamondbacks pitching late in the game, is that Torey was late with his hook for the pitcher. Tonight, he got up Morillo midway through the 7th and after Nelly had back-to-back full counts – with the second one resulting in a walk – Torey went out and got his starting pitcher after 6.2 stellar innings of work. Juan Morillo made quick work of Marcus Semien to strand the runner and, unfortunately, guarantee Nelson would get a No Decision for his work tonight.
  • Luis Torrens, the Mets catcher tonight, took a foul ball straight off the bottom of his mask from the bat of Jose Fernandez. He was down for several minutes and was clearly in pain based on his reaction to the Mets trainer prodding around his jaw and chin, but – as most catchers are – he’s tough as nails and got the mask back on got back behind the plate. I don’t know if I could mentally get through a full season as a Major League catcher. My hats off to them, that is a brutal position.
  • The Diamondbacks finally got to face someone other than Nolan McLean in the 7th inning, and the Rattle of the lineup went walk, single, walk with 2 outs to bring up Domo with a chance to put the Serpientes ahead for the first time of the night. Unfortunately, Gerry rolled over to first base for an easy out to end the threat.
  • Ryan Waldschmidt, fresh off the bus from Reno, came in as a pinch-hitter for ADC with 2 out in the 8th for his first AB in the Majors and spanked single that fell at the feet of Juan Soto for his first career hit in the Bigs. Congratulations on the first of many hits Waldy!
  • The Mets had runners at the corners with 1 out in the 10th and smartly had Semien steal second to remove the threat of the double play. Good thing for them as the next ball in play was a soft grounder right back to Jonny Lasagna, but since the Mets were running on contact, the Snakes got an easy out at the plate for the 2nd out of the inning and then Jonny induced a soft grounder to Arenado to finish the extra frame. Too bad it was 2 runs too late.

Comment of the Game

The GameDay Thread was very well attended with several topics touched on outside the ballgame (per usual). A final tally of 413 comments at time of publishing. Comment of the Game tonight is awarded to chwalter for this gem:

Coming Up

The Diamondbacks face the Mets for the second game of this 3-game set tomorrow evening with a 4:15pm first pitch televised on FOX. Righthander Clay Holmes (4-2, 1.69 ERA) will take the mound for New York and Merrill Kelly (1-3, 9.95 ERA) takes the ball for the good guys looking to show signs of life. Here’s to Merrill returning to his Mainstay form.

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Marner’s first playoff hat trick propels Golden Knights to 6-2 rout of Ducks and 2-1 series lead

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mitch Marner had three goals and an assist in his first career playoff hat trick, and the Vegas Golden Knights routed the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 on Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in their second-round series.

Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist and Brayden McNabb scored a short-handed goal as the Golden Knights stormed to a 5-0 lead after two periods, silencing a sellout crowd in Orange County and erasing memories of their rough offensive outing in Game 2.

Carter Hart made 30 saves as Vegas moved halfway to the Western Conference finals while sending the upstart Ducks to the worst loss of their first postseason in eight years.

Game 4 is Sunday night in Anaheim.

Marner got his natural hat trick in the first two periods, giving him six goals in the past four games of his first playoff run with his new team. The longtime Maple Leafs forward delivered Vegas’ first four-point playoff performance since 2019 and prompted a few hats to be thrown onto the ice when he slipped his third goal under Ville Husso with 2:04 left in the second.

Marner’s three goals were more than he scored in last spring’s entire 13-game playoff run with Toronto, where the Ontario native frequently got criticism for not delivering in the postseason.

Rookie forward Beckett Sennecke and Chris Kreider scored in the third period for the Ducks, who got embarrassed in their team’s first home game in the second round since 2017.

Lukas Dostal gave up three goals on eight shots in a rough first period before Husso replaced him, but Anaheim lost at home for the first time in four games this spring.

Vegas captain Mark Stone didn’t play in the third period after apparently incurring a lower-body injury in the first period.

Theodore put Vegas ahead 66 seconds after the opening faceoff with his 20th postseason goal off a clever assist from Jack Eichel. The Ducks drafted Theodore in 2013, but former general manager Bob Murray traded him to Vegas in 2017 in a questionable scheme to keep defenseman Josh Manson in the expansion draft.

The 35-year-old McNabb then scored the third short-handed goal of his 14-year NHL career when he crossed up Dostal with a fluttering shot.

Marner capped the Knights’ stellar first period with his fourth playoff goal on a power play when Dostal couldn’t control a rebound. Marner got another midway through the second period, tapping in a pass from Theodore while the Ducks stood around watching.

Brett Howden put his sixth playoff goal into an empty net with 1:56 left.

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Canadiens beat Sabres 5-1 as Alex Newhook scores twice to tie series 1-1

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Alex Newhook had two goals, again providing Montreal with some much-needed secondary scoring, and the Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 5-1 on Friday night to even their second-round playoff series at one game apiece.

Mike Matheson, Alexandre Carrier and Nick Suzuki, with an empty-netter, also scored for the Canadiens. Rookie goalie Jakub Dobes made 27 saves, and Montreal extended its trend of alternating wins and losses after doing so in a seven-game first-round series win over Tampa Bay.

Montreal advanced to the second round on Newhook’s game-winner 11:07 into the third period of a 2-1 series-clinching win on Sunday. Meantime, the Canadiens’ top offensive threats continue to struggle. Cole Caufield extended his point drought to five games, while Juraj Slafkovsky has one assist in his past eight outings.

Zach Benson scored for Buffalo, but Alex Lyon allowed four goals on 27 shots. He previously allowed seven goals in six-plus appearances since replacing Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, who was was pulled after two periods in a 4-2 loss to Boston in Game 2 of their first-round series.

The series shifts to Montreal for Game 3 on Sunday night.

GOLDEN KNIGHTS 6, DUCKS 2

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mitch Marner had three goals and an assist in his first career playoff hat trick, and Vegas routed Anaheim to take a 2-1 lead in their second-round series.

Shea Theodore had a goal and an assist and Brayden McNabb scored a short-handed goal as the Golden Knights stormed to a 5-0 lead after two periods, silencing a sellout crowd in Orange County and erasing memories of their rough offensive outing in Game 2.

Carter Hart made 30 saves as Vegas moved halfway to the Western Conference finals while sending the upstart Ducks to the worst loss of their first postseason in eight years.

Game 4 is Sunday night in Anaheim.

Marner got his natural hat trick in the first two periods, giving him six goals in the past four games of his first playoff run with his new team. The longtime Maple Leafs forward delivered Vegas’ first four-point playoff performance since 2019 and prompted a few hats to be thrown onto the ice when he slipped his third goal under Ville Husso with 2:04 left in the second.

Marner’s three goals were more than he scored in last spring’s entire 13-game playoff run with Toronto, where the Ontario native frequently got criticism for not delivering in the postseason.

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Mets' bats come to life in 10th, rally to open series with 3-1 win over Diamondbacks

The Mets came alive late to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-1 in extra innings on Friday night at Chase Field.

Here are some takeaways...

- Nolan McLean was a bit shaky, but he rebounded nicely following the shortest outing of his career. The crafty right-hander was hurt by a solo homer leading off the bottom of the second, but was otherwise solid, holding Arizona to a walk and two other hits across six innings of work. 

McLean struck out six batters on the night, including two in a strong final frame. 

- Unfortunately for McLean, the Mets' offense couldn't get much of anything going against Ryne Nelson for the second time this season. Mark Vientos' solo homer in the top of the second was their lone tally on the board, which the righty followed by giving up a leadoff single in the third, then retiring the next 14 Mets he faced.

A Carson Benge two-out walk in the seventh ended that stretch and chased Nelson from the game. 

- Vientos' homer continued a positive stretch at the plate for the slugging infielder after his dreadful spring training and start to the season. The blast that left the bat at a whopping 104 mph and traveled 401 feet was his fifth on the year and gave him seven RBI since the calendar flipped to May. 

- Luis Torrens had a bit of a scare in the bottom of the seventh, as he took a 97.1 mph Jose Fernandez foul ball directly off the bottom of his catchers mask. The veteran backstop was visibly shaken up as he was checked out by the Mets' trainer, but he was able to remain in the ballgame.

- Back in Arizona, an amped up Luke Weaver easily retired the first two batters he faced. The right-hander allowed the next three batters to reach, loading the bases with two walks and a hit, but he was able to get Geraldo Perdomo to roll over to first to escape the jam with the game still even. 

- Brooks Raley gave up a two-out pinch-hit single to Arizona top prospect Ryan Waldschmidt in his first career at-bat, but then was helped out by a terrific diving stop by Marcus Semien and Vientos scoop at first to end a scoreless eighth. 

- Devin Williams made quick work of the D-backs in the bottom of the ninth, then the Mets' bats wasted no time cashing in the ghost runner in the 10th. Vientos laced a first-pitch double to bring in the go-ahead run, then Carson Benge followed that with a run-scoring ground-rule double of his own. 

- New York wasted a first-and-third with no out opportunity to cash in more, but Tobias Myers was able to come on and needed just 10 pitches to lock down the first save of his career. 

- The Mets improved to 5-2 through seven games of their nine-game road trip.

Game MVP: Mark Vientos

The red-hot slugger accounted for the majority of New York's offense. 

Highlights

What's next

Clay Holmes looks to continue his phenomenal start to the season as he faces off with Merrill Kelly on Saturday at 7:15 p.m.

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Ducks can't stop Mitch Marner and Golden Knights in Game 3 loss

Anaheim, CA - May 08: The Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb.
Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb celebrates after scoring past Ducks goalie Lukas Dostal in the first period of the Ducks' 6-2 loss in Game 3 on Friday night at Honda Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

How do you stop a flock of high-flying Ducks? You clip their wings.

Also, unleash Mitch Marner.

At least that was the remedy the Vegas Golden Knights used Friday to rout the Ducks 6-2 in Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinal, taking a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, which continues Sunday at Honda Center.

Half the goals came from Marner, who also had an assist. Defensemen Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb and winger Brett Howden had the other goals — with Howden’s coming into an empty net — handing the Ducks their first loss in four games at home this postseason.

Read more:'We kept the momentum.' Beckett Sennecke, Leo Carlsson power Ducks to Game 2 win over Vegas

Beckett Sennecke and Chris Kreider scored in the third period for the Ducks. But by then the game was all but decided, with Vegas scoring three first-period goals — on just eight shots — and never looking back.

“It wasn't a great start,” Alex Killorn said. “It's tough to win a game when you put yourself in spots like that. The kind of mistakes that we made are not typical of our team.

“But it’s a seven-game series.”

The fast start followed two games in which the plodding Golden Knights watched the Ducks skate rings around them. So they got physical Friday, using an aggressive forecheck to ground the speedy young Ducks. Vegas also did a good job in the first two periods of limiting the Ducks’ possession time in the offensive zone.

“They're a bigger team, and that's how they play,” Jackson LaCombe said. “They’re experienced too. They played well tonight and we just have to match that the next game.”

Vegas, which never led in Game 2, went in front 66 seconds into Game 3 when Theodore, who started his NHL career in Anaheim, got past Ducks winger Cutter Gauthier to the puck on the inside edge of the right circle and beat Lukas Dostal cleanly on the first shot of the night.

Vegas players celebrate after a goal against the Ducks in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Vegas players celebrate after a goal against the Ducks in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals at Honda Center on Friday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Jack Eichel got an assist on the goal, his 10th of the postseason.

With Eichel in the penalty box for hooking, McNabb, a former King, doubled the lead with a shorthanded goal less than eight minutes before the first intermission, banging a shot from the center of the left circle just inside the far post.

The Golden Knights killed two penalties on the night and have killed all 11 Ducks power plays in the series.

Marner took advantage of a fortunate bounce to make it 3-0 on a power-play goal with five seconds left in the first period. A shot from Colton Sissons on the right wing ricocheted off Ducks defenseman Jacob Trouba and went straight to Marner, who was charging into the slot.

Marner took a couple of whacks at the puck before finally getting it past Dostal.

“That goal certainly was the killer,” Ducks coach Joel Quenneville said. “They were desperate. They were hungry.”

Ducks coach Joel Quenneville shouts from the bench during the team's 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.
Ducks coach Joel Quenneville shouts from the bench during the team's 6-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Dostal wouldn’t see another shot, with Ville Husso taking over in goal to start the second period. It seemed like a quick hook for Dostal, who came within a few seconds of the Ducks’ first shutout of the season in a 3-1 win in Las Vegas on Wednesday. The change didn’t work, with Marner extending the lead on his next shot midway through the second period.

Marner then completed the hat trick with 2:04 left in the second period, taking a backhand pass from William Karlsson behind the net and skating untouched toward the left circle before beating Husso with a quick snap shot.

A chorus of boos from the sellout crowd at Honda Center chased the Ducks to the locker room after the second period. Sennecke responded, diving headfirst between two defenders and into the crease to knock in the rebound of a Killorn shot from the far edge of the right circle for the Ducks’ first goal 6:30 into the third.

Kreider scored with less than five minutes left.

“I think that there's a lesson to take out of today's game: it's only going to get harder,” Quenneville said. “Every single game, it’s not going to get any easier. So let's get ready to go to war.”

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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JJ Wetherholt’s Little League Grand Slam Lifts Cardinals Over Padres 6-0

May 8, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt (26) scores during the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

It was an electric night in San Diego as a brilliant start by Michael McGreevy and a “Little League grand slam” from JJ Wetherholt led the St. Louis Cardinals to another victory over the San Diego Padres.

It would be easy to start drawing some conclusions that are likely overreactions from Friday night’s game between the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres. Let’s start with the possibility that Michael McGreevy is the current ace of the Cardinals staff. He held the Padres hitless until the bottom of the 4th inning when Jackson Merrill managed a single off of him. It’s also probably too early to start thinking of the Cardinals as a team of destiny but there was another sign that might be the case based on what happened in the top half of the 5th inning.

For the first 4 innings, Ivan Herrera was the only Cardinal with a hit (and he had four of them on the night), but it wasn’t until the 5th inning that the Cardinals started mounting a serious threat (which they followed through on admirably). Masyn Winn singled to start off the top of the 5th. Nathan Church reached on an infield single and Masyn advanced to second. After Prieto struck out, Victor Scott II drew a walk to load the bases and that brought up JJ Wetherholt who did not disappoint. In typical JJ fashion, he did something productive that turned into a play that broke the game open. On the third pitch of his at-bat, he ripped a single to right field which went under the glove of Fernando Tatis Jr. and it was off to the races.

Technically, it was a single and a 3-base/2-run error, but for the rest of us, it was a Little League grand slam that gave the Cardinals a 4-0 lead with JJ getting credited for 2 RBI’s. St. Louis wasn’t done, either. Ivan Herrera snuck another single between third base and short followed by a double that was lanced down the left field line by Alec Burleson which advanced Herrera to third. Jordan Walker followed that with a nice 4-pitch walk to load the bases again and Nolan Gorman came through with a single to score Herrera that made it 5-0 Cardinals. Masyn Winn managed a sacrifice fly to score Burleson and make it 6-0 St. Louis. The Rally Dawg had to be proud of the Cardinals 5th inning.

The real story Friday night was Michael McGreevy. Six innings allowing just 1 hit and no runs with 9 strikeouts and just 2 walks is ace stuff. He did not allow the Padres to create any kind of momentum. Big offense from the Cardinals grabbed the headlines, but Michael McGreevy’s performance deserves its own standing ovation.

Gordon Graceffo pitched a solid inning of relief in the bottom of the 7th and also pitched the bottom of the 8th allowing no Padres baserunners. A nice bounce-back from his last outing. Ryne Stanek was brought in to close out the Padres in the 9th inning and he did it without drama giving Riley O’Brien a night of rest. Cardinals pitchers collectively threw a 1-hit shutout. Very nice.

Dustin May will get the Saturday night start at Petco Park for the Cardinals as he’ll do battle with Randy Vásquez who will take the mound for the Padres. First pitch is set for 6:15pm central time and the musical chairs broadcast schedule has the game being broadcast on Fox Saturday night.

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Jalen Brunson gives Knicks, Mike Brown the ‘blanket’ they need

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after he hits a 3-point during the fourth quarter of Game 3 on May 8, 2026, Image 2 shows Jalen Brunson delivered a Game 3 gem for the Knicks on Friday
Jalen Brunson

PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Brunson had Knicks coach Mike Brown referencing “Peanuts” to describe his impact. 

The Knicks trailed by as many as 12 points in the first quarter of their 108-94 Game 3 win over the 76ers on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Brunson had started the game 0-for-4 and finished that first quarter 2-for-8. It looked like, without OG Anunoby, this was a night where the 76ers could make it a series. 

But Brown never worried. Brunson is the security blanket that makes him feel at peace. 

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) reacts after he hits a 3-point during the fourth quarter of Game 3 on May 8, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post

“What’s the dude’s name on Snoopy? Linus? He’s got a blanket? I’m Linus and Jalen is my blanket,” Brown said. “He helps me relax a lot of different times throughout the course of the game. That’s what great players do. They keep you poised, they make the game easier for everybody else, and they help you get through the [tough] stretch.” 

Brunson responded with 10 points in the second quarter as the Knicks turned their deficit into a double-digit lead. He had nine points in both the third and fourth quarters and finished with a game-high 33 points on 11-for-22 shooting from the field. That means that after the first quarter, he went 9-for-14 from the field. 

He also added nine assists for good measure. 

Jalen Brunson delivered a Game 3 gem for the Knicks on Friday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Without Anunoby’s scoring impact, and with Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench for large stretches due to foul trouble, Brunson had to carry the offense for long spells. 

The 76ers have not figured out an answer to slowing down Brunson this series. VJ Edgecombe was his primary defender on Friday, and Brunson went 5-for-8 against him, per the league’s official tracking stats. Kelly Oubre guarded him second-most, and Brunson torched him — he went 4-for-5 against him. 

Jalen Brunson takes a trey during Game 3. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

At one point Kelly gestured with his hands to poke fun at Brunson’s big head — something he mentioned earlier in the series. Poking the bear certainly didn’t work. 

“His usage is very high,” Oubre said. “It’s tough on VJ, it’s tough on me to just pick him up [full court] every single possession. … JB’s a great player and he’s gonna figure out how to be effective, because his team needs him to be.” 

The 76ers tried doubling him. They tried picking him up full court. None of it worked. 

When Brunson is in rhythm, there is little that ever slows him down. 

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Karl-Anthony Towns’ foul trend becoming a Knicks issue

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) passes the ball as Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) defends.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) passes the ball as Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) defends.v

PHILADELPHIA — For the second straight game, foul trouble limited Karl-Anthony Towns’ production. 

It didn’t hurt the Knicks in their 108-94 Eastern Conference semifinal victory Friday night, but it remains a worrisome trend. 

Towns only logged 26 minutes because of foul trouble after playing just 27 minutes in Game 2. 

Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) passes the ball as Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) defends during Game 3 on May 8, 2026. Jason Szenes for the New York Post

Asked if he was frustrated by the officiating, Towns responded, “What do you think?” 

There was one call that could’ve gone either way. With 8:20 remaining in the first half, Joel Embiid was called for a loose ball foul against Towns. The 76ers challenged the call, and it was reversed. Towns was assessed his third and sat the rest of the half. 

“I’m not surprised at anything anymore,” he said. 

Towns ended the evening with eight points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. 

Josh Hart is going to play through the pain.

He suffered a sprained left thumb in Game 2, but finished the contest and started Game 3 on Friday night. 

“It’s something I’ll revisit in the offseason,” he said before notching 12 points, 11 rebounds and three assists in 40 minutes. “There’s people that played through this and people who played through it and got a championship. Something that’s doable.”

76ers forward Paul George steals the ball from New York Knicks guard Josh Hart. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

An X-ray revealed it wasn’t broken, and Hart doesn’t see the point of an MRI exam. Hart had the thumb taped up for the game. 

He is having a strong postseason, averaging 9.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals. Hart went 0-for-4 from 3-point range Friday, but when asked about the thumb, said it was a non-issue. 

“Thumb’s cool,” he said.  

Embiid returned for Game 3 after being held out of Wednesday’s Game 2 with a sprained ankle and hip soreness. Embiid missed the first three games of the playoffs after undergoing emergency appendectomy late in the regular season.

Embiid scored 18 points on 7-for-17 shooting, along with six rebounds, five assists and three blocks. ks. 

Miles McBride started in place of the injured OG Anunoby and scored three points in 21 minutes. 

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Purple Row After Dark: Post-Playing Pursuits

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 02: Charlie Blackmon #19 and DJ LeMahieu #9 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate defeating the Chicago Cubs 2-1 in thirteen innings to win the National League Wild Card Game at Wrigley Field on October 2, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images

For the first time in 15 seasons, second baseman DJ LeMahieu finds himself without a Major League team. After injury plagued 2024 and 2025 campaigns, the former Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award winner is a free agent.

LeMahieu, 37, spent seven seasons as the franchise second baseman for the Colorado Rockies. While donning the purple pinstripes he won three Gold Gloves, was a two-time All-Star, and even took home the 2016 batting title when he hit .348/.416/.495 while being worth 5.5 wins above replacement.

After the 2018 season LeMahieu left Colorado as a free agent and joined the New York Yankees. In the Bronx he won another batting title, two Silver Slugger Awards, a fourth Gold Glove, and made his third All-Star appearance.

LeMahieu has yet to officially announce his retirement and is still open to playing opportunities. In the meantime, he is exploring his next steps in his baseball life: coaching.

The Royal Oak Leprechauns, a collegiate wood bat team in LeMahieu’s native Michigan, have announced that LeMahieu will be the team’s manager for the 2026 season.

“DJ has been hands-on throughout the entire offseason, and that’s meant everything to our staff,” Leprechauns general manager Danny Weiss said Wednesday. “As he steps into the field manager role, that same commitment carries over to the players he leads. He cares deeply about building a culture players want to be part of — and that’s going to set the standard for everything we do in 2026 and beyond.”

LeMahieu has been a long-time financial backer and supporter of the Leprechauns.

With his move into managing, LeMahieu joins a list of former Rockies players who pursued managerial efforts after their playing career.

  • Former third baseman and current special assistant Vinny Castilla has managed in his home country of Mexico.
  • 1993 Opening Day catcher Joe Girardi has been the skipper for the Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies.
  • Former shortstop Walt Weiss managed the Rockies for a few seasons and took over for longtime Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker this season.

Plenty of other former Rockies over the years have pursued Major League or collegiate coaching careers after they hung up their cleats.

What current or former members of the Colorado Rockies do you think would make a good manager or coach? Let us know in the comments!

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The NBA is not ready for the Jazz if they win the NBA lottery

CINCINNATI, OHIO - MARCH 3: AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars looks on during the game against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Fifth Third Arena on March 3, 2026 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

This Mother’s Day is probably the most consequential Mother’s Day in Utah Jazz history (I haven’t checked, I’m guessing, okay). The thing the NBA doesn’t realize is that it’s going to be consequential for the entire league, as well.

Utah, even if they somehow lost their pick this year, would still be a playoff contender. While the league was punishing the Jazz for doing things everyone else was doing, the Jazz were doing something only Jazz fans saw: playing winning basketball.

Utah started the season with a blowout win over the Los Angeles Clippers and went on to post some impressive wins throughout the season. Here are some playoff teams Utah won against: Clippers, Suns, Celtics, Rockets, Pistons, Spurs, Cavaliers, Timberwolves, Heat, and Warriors. Each one of these drove me crazy throughout the season, by the way. And the reason they had to start tanking earlier than the apparent unspoken rules allow was that the Jazz had a breakout season from Keyonte George and improved play across the roster. Utah had Cody Williams looking like a rotation player, they found a real player in Blake Hinson, they revived Jusuf Nurkic, and even had games where Kevin Love shot the lights out and turned needed losses into wins. Nothing this season was predictable, but the one thing that was consistent was the level of effort demanded by Will Hardy, along with an offense that consistently set players up to succeed.

The biggest question is the defense, but adding Jaren Jackson Jr., who will play alongside Walker Kessler (potentially), and that should, at the very least, create an identity of rim protection and size if they’re combined with Lauri Markkanen as well. There’s a very reasonable expectation that Utah’s defense should at least be top-15 with the personnel on the floor. Can Will Hardy lead them to that? Utah’s size will go a long way to making that happen.

But there’s some real upside with this roster that makes next year fascinating. What if Keyonte George takes another leap? What if Walker Kessler signs a contract he and the Jazz are happy with and plays at an all-defense level? What if the defense is better than expected and is in the top-10?

Those are the questions we’re asking before we even get to the lottery, which brings up the biggest question of all.

What if the Jazz win the lottery?

You add a star to this core, and you have a team set for far more than just the playoffs. The Jazz go from playoff team to borderline contender, maybe more. They may not be quite ready to win the finals, but that’s not out of the question. And that’s the thing that makes this lottery so important. The variable is crazy here, and the NBA is not ready for just how good the Jazz will be.

The question for you is, how good do you think the Jazz will be if they win the lottery?

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Knicks stepped up in OG Anunoby’s Game 3 absence: ‘Team effort’

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges #25 attempts a shot during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Image 2 shows New York Knicks guard Landry Shamet (44) and Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) battling for a loose ball during an NBA playoff game, Image 3 shows New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby #8 after hitting a three-point shot

PHILADELPHIA — OG Anunoby’s absence left massive shoes to fill.

The Knicks were fully up for the challenge.

They got help from the starting lineup, as Mikal Bridges finished with 23 points — his second-highest output of the postseason. They got help from the bench, as Landry Shamet — who had been out of the rotation previously — stepped up with 15 points and helped close the game.

There were bigger responsibilities up-and-down the roster. And the Knicks fulfilled them en route to their 108-94 Game 3 win over the 76ers on Friday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena, which gave them a 3-0 series lead.

“It was definitely a team effort,” Jalen Brunson said. “Obviously, we want everyone back healthy. But it was important for everyone to step up and have the right mindset. To do whatever you gotta do to win.”

Friday was too soon for Anunoby, who was out with the right hamstring strain he suffered in Game 2. Subsequent imaging revealed that it is a “very minor” strain, The Post’s Stefan Bondy previously reported, and he is considered day to day with confidence he should not miss much time.

The Knicks would not elaborate Friday whether Anunoby is able to run or what he is actually able to do on the court.

Mikal Bridges goes up for a shot during the Knicks’ 108-94 Game 3 win over the 76ers on May 8, 2026 in Philadelphia. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Miles McBride started in place of Anunoby, but he struggled with his shot. It was Shamet who was more effective helping to fill the void, and he ended up playing more than McBride — 26 minutes compared to 21. Shamet went 5-for-6 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range.

“Landry hadn’t played a drop all playoffs,” coach Mike Brown said. “I think the first game, he was in the rotation and then the second game a little bit, then he was out. That’s six, seven games that he hadn’t seen significant minutes on the court. Landry was huge for us tonight. He was huge on both ends of the floor.

Landry Shamet (44) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) battle for a loose ball during the Knicks Game 3 road win over the 76ers. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“We needed a spark from somebody when we were down and they hit us in the mouth and Landry gave it to us.”

Anunoby has arguably been the Knicks’ most consistent player this postseason, averaging 20.3 points on stellar 61.9 percent shooting from the field and 53.8 percent shooting from 3-point range. His defense — on Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu in the first round against the Hawks and primarily Paul George in this second-round series against the 76ers — has been superb.

Without Anunoby, Bridges at times had to slide down and guard George and was extremely effective. After scoring 15 points in the first quarter, George went scoreless the rest of the way and missed all nine shots he took.

OG Anunoby reacts after he hits a three-point shot in the Knicks’ Game 2 win over the 76ers. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“Everyone picked it up,” Josh Hart said. “It’s one of those things where it’s next man up. Obviously we say that but that just means it’s more opportunity for guys. Mikal did an amazing job. Deuce [McBride] gave us what he had. Landry, the ultimate professional, giving us big minutes offensively and defensively. We responded well to that adversity.”

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Knicks fans take over Philadelphia during statement Game 3 victory

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows Fans cheer at a sporting event, with two men in the foreground waving white towels, Image 2 shows Crowd cheering during a sports game, with a man in a white
Knicks fans

Despite the 76ers’ best efforts, they couldn’t keep Knicks fans out of Philadelphia.

Scores of Knicks supporters made the trek to Pennsylvania to see their team roll to a 108-94 Game 3 win over the Sixers to take a 3-0 second-round series lead.

Not only were the blue-and-orange supporters cheering on the Knicks, but there were audible boos inside Xfinity Mobile Arena when 76ers star Joel Embiid went to the foul line.

Moreover, there were cheers when he missed a shot from the charity stripe.

Timothee Chalamet smiles during the game during Round 2 Game
3 of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at the Wells Fargo
Center in Philadelphia on May 8, 2026. NBAE via Getty Images

Fans in the lower bowl were seen waving towels and chanting “Let’s go Knicks” as the victory became inevitable in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.

The group of fans, as they exited arena were yelling a few things in exultation, including a “f–k Embiid” chant and “Knicks in four.”

Much like celebrity row at Madison Square Garden, the stars and A-listers came down to Philadelphia.

That included Knicks superfans Timothée Chalamet, Ben Stiller, Spike Lee and Fat Joe, who were all shown on the Amazon Prime broadcast with smiles as New York rolled in the second half.

The 76ers, before Game 3, donated 500 tickets for each of the remaining home playoff games this round in hopes of keeping their home, well, a home.

Rapper Fat Joe watching the game in the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Kelly Oubre Jr., who led Philly with 22 points, was asked how his team handled the throngs of supporters for the visiting squad.

He said that the arena was going to be loud no matter what and that’s it up to his group to keep the focus on what matters.

“I could say something that could get clickbaited, but I’m not. At the end of the day, we’re the show on the court. We’re not necessarily focused on the crowd, the things like that,” Oubre said. “Obviously, we need it. We love it and we love our fans. But at the end of the day, we have to lock in on our task. We have to figure out our game plan, just have a tight huddle.

Film director, producer, star cheers on after a New York Knicks score against the Philadelphia 76ers during the third quarter of game three of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

“No matter what, it’s loud. It’s kind of the same no matter who the crowd is cheering for. It’s loud. We have to be focused on the task at hand and just kind of have a short-term memory when it comes to things like that.”

What matters for Philadelphia now is the 3-0 hole, as one more loss would end the season.

Whether one 76ers fan’s ploy to increase Amtrak ticket prices for Knicks fans for Sunday remains to be seen.

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Rockies 9, Phillies 7 (F/11): Colorado survives a wild night in Philly

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 08: Chase Dollander #32 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Colorado Rockies and the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Friday, May 8, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Derik Hamilton/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

For seven innings, the Rockies looked like they had finally found the easy version of a win.

Then the game lost its mind.

Colorado built a 6-0 lead, gave it all back in one disastrous inning, survived repeated late showdowns with Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, and still found a way to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-7 in 11 innings Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.

This was not a baseball game so much as an emotional endurance test.

One night after a thrilling win, the Rockies delivered another chaotic, resilient performance. They are still flawed enough to create their own disasters. But increasingly, they are also showing they can fight through them.

Colorado improved to 16-23 with the win. Philadelphia fell to 17-22.

Dollander sets the tone

The Rockies scored first without a hit.

Jordan Beck walked to open the game, moved to second on a Tyler Freeman groundout, took third on a wild pitch, and scored when TJ Rumfield grounded out to first.

That was enough for an early lead.

Then Chase Dollander made it feel bigger.

The right-hander attacked Philadelphia with upper-90s and triple-digit velocity. He looked calm. He worked with traffic. He did not always command the baseball, but he kept the Phillies from doing much with it.

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Dollander used six pitches, leaning mostly on his four-seam fastball and sinker while mixing in his slider, curveball, sweeper and changeup. The stuff was real. So was the occasional scattershot command. He threw 41 balls among his 89 pitches, which helped explain the five walks.

Still, Philadelphia managed only three hits against him.

His fifth inning was the best example. Bryson Stott drew a leadoff walk and moved into scoring position. Dollander fielded a soft comebacker himself, then struck out Justin Crawford and Trea Turner to strand him.

The sixth made the line messier. Schwarber punished Dollander’s first real mistake with a solo homer to right. Harper walked on four pitches. Dollander nearly limited it there, getting Adolis García to fly out and Brandon Marsh to hit into a forceout, but J.T. Realmuto followed with an RBI double to make it 6-2.

Jaden Hill entered and got Stott to pop out.

Dollander finished with 5.2 innings, three hits, two runs, five walks and five strikeouts. His ERA rose to 3.35.

For long stretches, Dollander felt like an ace, even if he did not always look as sharp as one.

The Rockies make contact count

Colorado broke the game open in the fourth.

Rumfield led off with a single. Hunter Goodman followed with the swing that changed the night.

Goodman’s approach is not subtle: he swings violently, and he swings often. But when he squares one up, the damage is immediate. Jesús Luzardo found that out when Goodman launched a two-run homer to make it 3-0, part of a 4-for-5 night that gave the Rockies damage and length in the middle of the lineup.

Brenton Doyle walked. Willi Castro reached on a bunt single. Kyle Karros ripped a two-run double. Ezequiel Tovar added a good piece of hitting with an RBI single up the middle.

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That made it 6-0.

Luzardo’s Jekyll-and-Hyde season continued. He struck out six through three innings. Then the fourth swallowed him whole. The Phillies left-hander exited after just three-plus innings, charged with six runs on six hits, three walks and a homer. His ERA rose to 5.98.

The Rockies struck out 16 times as a team. That is usually a problem.

On Friday, it was not the whole story. Goodman went 4-for-5 with a homer. Freeman and Castro each had two hits. Karros doubled. The Rockies stole four bases and kept adding pressure whenever the game gave them an opening.

Still, after Freeman’s solo shot made it 7-2 in the seventh, the offense went quiet for a while.

The game flips in the eighth

The warning came in the sixth.

Schwarber punished Dollander’s first real mistake with a 415-foot solo homer to right. It was loud. It was also survivable.

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The eighth was not.

Brennan Bernardino had delivered one of the biggest outs of the night to end the seventh, striking out Schwarber with a sweeper to strand a runner and keep the Rockies ahead by five. Then Bernardino came back out for the eighth, and the game started to slip.

Harper singled. García walked. Marsh singled home a run.

Then Jimmy Herget entered.

For a moment, it looked like he might stop it. Herget struck out Realmuto for the first out. Then Stott doubled home two runs, cutting the lead to 7-5.

Then Crawford delivered the gut punch.

With two outs, Crawford hit a two-run homer to right-center. Tie game. The 6-0 lead was gone. The 7-2 lead was gone. Most of the good baseball Colorado had played suddenly felt very far away.

One inning changed everything.

Vodnik restores order

The Rockies had a chance in the ninth.

Brett Sullivan was hit by a pitch. Jake McCarthy entered as a pinch-runner. McCarthy stole second with two outs.

Freeman had the chance. He is a hitter the Rockies trust to put the ball in play. He fought through a tense at-bat, fouled off tough pitches, and then struck out. McCarthy stayed at second.

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That sent the game to the bottom of the ninth.

Every Rockies fan watched while gripping the couch. Victor Vodnik made sure they could let go for a moment.

Vodnik struck out Schwarber, got Harper to line out to left, then punched out García. That sent the game to extras.

Then he came back out for the 10th and did it again.

The automatic runner started at second. Colorado intentionally walked Marsh to create force plays. Vodnik got Realmuto to fly out, Stott to pop out, and Edmundo Sosa to line out.

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Two scoreless innings. No hits. Two strikeouts.

After the bullpen nearly gave the game away, Vodnik gave it back to the Rockies.

The Rockies answer in the 11th

The Rockies did not fold.

After watching a six-run lead disappear, Colorado found another push in the 11th. Troy Johnston, pinch-hitting for Karros, ripped an RBI double into right field to score the automatic runner and put the Rockies back in front.

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McCarthy kept it going.

Inserted earlier as a pinch-runner, McCarthy had already stolen a base in the ninth. In the 11th, he delivered with his bat, lining an RBI single into center to score Johnston and extend Colorado’s lead to 9-7.

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Shutting the door

That gave Juan Mejía two runs to work with.

Extra innings do not offer soft landings, and Crawford immediately made sure the pressure returned. Crawford, the same hitter who tied the game in the eighth, singled to put runners on the corners with one out.

That brought up Schwarber.

The winning run. Just one easy swing and it is over.

This was the at-bat that could have flipped the whole thing again. Mejía did not pitch around it. He attacked Schwarber with power, reached back for a fastball above the zone, and got the Phillies slugger to check his swing at a pitch he could not do anything with. Strike three.

But the pressure remained.

Harper was up. Of course.

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Mejía got him to ground out to second. Game over.

They survived the game they created

The Rockies nearly gave it away.

They did not.

For seven innings, they looked like they had found the easy version of a win. Then the game lost its mind, and for a while, it looked like Colorado might follow it there.

Instead, the Rockies answered.

They survived the collapse. They survived Schwarber. They survived Harper. They survived themselves.

Up next

The Rockies will try to keep the momentum going Saturday at Citizens Bank Park.

Kyle Freeland is scheduled to start for Colorado. He enters at 1-3 with a 5.04 ERA and 24 strikeouts. Philadelphia will counter with Aaron Nola, who is 2-3 with a 5.06 ERA and 40 strikeouts.

First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. MDT. After two straight chaotic wins, the Rockies will look to keep rolling in the second game of the series.

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White Sox fall to Mariners in 12-8 slugfest

Sean Burke struggled early in a tough outing on Friday night. | MLB Photos via Getty Images

What appeared to be a pitcher’s duel between two young pitchers quickly turned into a game of “first to 10.” After sitting down the Seattle Mariners in order and going into the second inning with a lead thanks to another Munetaka Murakami tank, things quickly unraveled for the White Sox, as they dropped the opener of the homestand, 12-8.

A single and walk started the second inning before starter Sean Burke struck out JP Crawford but threw a wild pitch in the process. While he got Luke Raley to go down swinging, he walked another batter before hitting Cole Young to force in a run. Burke got out of the inning, but things didn’t get much better from there.

After the Good Guys went down in order in the second, Burke got two quick outs before the Mariners inflicted some major damage. Two quick singles and a walk loaded the bases before Raley strolled to the plate. He would not be made a fool twice and made Burke pay for a lazy fastball down the middle, swatting it over the fence to give Seattle a 5-1 lead.

In the past, a four-run deficit was enough to make the White Sox pack up their bags for Saturday, but this team is different. After Sam Antonacci brought in Tristan Peters on a single and two consecutive walks, Colson Montgomery came up to the plate. Montgomery did his best Lee Corso impression saying “not so fast, my friend” as his bases-clearing double tied the game at five heading into the fourth.

The bats for both teams finally cooled for a bit, as the next eight straight were retired before Julio Rodriguez left his mark on the game with a solo shot of his own to give Seattle another lead, 6-5. Thanks to Drew Romo’s ability to catch the Mariners stealing in a manner that would make Paul Blart blush, only one run crossed the plate as reliever Sean Newcomb was able to get out of trouble.

A leadoff double by Chase Meidroth in the bottom of the sixth put the Sox in a great position to equalize, but unlike Denzel Washington in any of the three movies, the White Sox couldn’t finish the job.

The stalemate continued into the top of the seventh when yet again the Mariners caused trouble with two outs. A single and a walk set the stage for Raley yet again, and he gave everyone in attendance déjà vu by mashing his second homer on another lazy fastball over the plate. Again, the lead climbed to four runs and this time, Chicago didn’t have enough in the tank to fight back. A Josh Naylor three-run homer in the eighth gave the Mariners a 12-5 lead and all but put the game to bed.

While the White Sox were able to put three more runs on the board over the final two innings, it was all for nothing as the Mariners held on for the 12-8 victory. In a game that saw both starting pitchers look incredibly shaky, it was the Mariners bullpen that outpitched their Chicago counterparts and escaped Rate Field happy.

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