Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) celebrates his three run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The third game of a wrap-around four-game series had a start time that was pushed back by three hours to accommodate some inclement weather moving through Boston. After the rains came and (occasionally) went, the Tigers won the game 6-2 while dodging raindrops, especially late in the game.
Framber Valdez made his fifth start for the Tigers, and if you Porcello-out his clunker against the Twins, he’s been sensational. But since we can’t selectively remove only one start from a record, let it just be said that he’s been, overall, pretty decent. His previous start was on April 14, a seven-inning outing against the Royals in which he only gave up one run; that was the game in which both teams combined to strike out a half-dozen times. Weird.
Facing Valdez was a fellow lefty, Garrett Crochet. He spent three years in the White Sox bullpen (and another on the shelf recovering from Tommy John surgery), had a solid year in the White Sox’ rotation, exchanged white hosiery for red for 2025, and had a fantastic season last year in Boston, leading the American League in strikeouts. He placed second in the Cy Young voting last year to you-know-who. His previous outing was, shall we say, uncharacteristic for him: eleven runs (ten earned) in 1 2/3 innings against the Twins. The Twins have early on showed a knack for beating up on top shelf southpaws.
With two outs in the top of the first inning, Matt Vierling and Dillon Dingler hit back-to-back doubles for a 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the inning Willson Contreras turned around a sinker that didn’t sink, and parked it over the Green Monster to even the score at 1-1. Trevor Story then singled and Wilyer Abreu walked, but Valdez struck out Ceddanne Rafaela to end the inning and limit the damage. He bounced back in the next inning for a 1-2-3 frame, though and went on to a really stong start.
In fact, both starters settled down for a while, with some inconsequential hits sprinkled here-and-there. But Jahmai Jones, who was in the leadoff spot against a lefty today, cracked a long home run to centre to put the Tigers up 2-1 with two out in the top of the fifth.
But the Tigers weren’t done: Gleyber Torres walked, Vierling singled, and Dingler smacked another home run to centre to make it a 5-1 game. All the runs in the fifth scored with two out, incidentally. How about Dillon Dingler, eh?
The rain occasionally intensified through the later innings, and the Fenway grounds crew did their best to make the dirt part of the field as playable as possible. Fresh rosin bags had to be delivered to the mound more than once.
Valdez finished six innings and gave up three hits, two walks and one run while striking out seven. It was good to see him increase his strikeout total today; he’s a big groundball pitcher but the strikeouts were still pretty nice nonetheless. Kyle Finnegan pitched a mostly-boring seventh, which is exactly what you want from him, particularly as it was pouring rain again by this point in the game. Will Vest’s eighth inning featured a leadoff walk, a double play, and a nice play by Hao-Yu Lee on a grounder deep down the third base line for the third out.
In the ninth Javier Báez singled to start the inning and Kerry Carpenter followed with a walk. Torres singled to right to plate Báez for a 6-1 score. After a double play, Dingler singled to left — his fourth hit of the day — and Torres tried to score all the way from first, but someone forgot to tell Torres how short that left field is and he was thrown out at the plate trying to score. Hey, the ball was sure to be wet, why not force the throw?
Connor Seabold came on for the last three outs; he gave up an infield single to Abreu, who advanced to second on defensive indifference and scored on a double by Caleb Durbin. A routine grounder to second ended things, and both teams went to their clubhouses to dry off a bit. Good win over one of the best pitchers in baseball, and the Tigers take a 2-1 lead in the series heading into Monday’s odd 11:05 am ET conclusion to this four-game set. They’re 8-2 over their last 10.
Prior to the game, Kevin McGonigle and Hao-Yu Lee got the customary trip inside the famed Green Monster to add their signatures to the enormous list of players both famous and obscure who have inked their names inside the wall.
The word crochet is the French word for “hook.” So, if you buy a crochet hook, you’re buying a hook hook, and this has been Languages Corner with JT.
The series finale goes Monday at 11:10 am EDT due to Patriots’ Day in Boston. The game is meant to coorindate with the running of the Boston Marathon.
On this day in 1810, the people of Venezuela overthrew the governor that had been appointed by Spain so they could rule the place themselves. And that was the last time anything interesting happened with the government of that country.
With Missouri baseball hoping to grab at least one win in the series, the Tigers came up just short, battling to the finish in their final game against Oklahoma on Sunday, April 19.
Left-hander Javyn Pimental set the tone early for Mizzou, working a composed opening inning that included a double play, a pair of walks and a key throwout at second to escape early traffic.
Kaden Peer provided that lone early spark with a single to left, but a batter interference call on Pierre Seals quickly ended that inning.
The Sooners struck first that same inning, with a home run to center, followed shortly by a triple and multiple hits that forced the Tigers into an early bullpen situation. Keyer Gonzalez came on in relief in the second and recorded a strikeout, but Oklahoma continued to apply pressure and added another run, making the score 4-0 before he could fully settle the inning.
Gonzalez later found his rhythm on the mound, mixing in two strikeouts and limiting damage after a defensive shift that saw Isaiah Frost and Tyler Macon switch positions.
Still, Oklahoma’s big swing came in the fourth inning, when Ian Lohse came in to relieve Gonzalez during the middle of the inning, when a three-run home run to right pushed the lead to 8–0. Sooners
Offensively, Missouri was held quite early by Oklahoma starter Cord Rager, who worked through the first five innings with eight strikeouts while allowing just one hit.
Slight Hope for Mizzou
The Tigers’ offense finally broke through in seventh inning. Kam Durnin launched a 398-foot home run for his fourth of the season to put Mizzou on the board at 8–1. Isaiah Frost followed with a single, and while the inning ended on a double play, it gave Missouri its first real momentum of the day.
Defensively, the Tigers had bright spots throughout. Juan Villareal and Kaden Drew each turned in steady relief innings, while Sam Rosand benefitted from a highlight catch by Peer in center field that took away extra bases. Isaiah Salas also worked a clean frame, allowing one hit with a double play and strikeout.
The late push came in the eighth. Peer sparked it again with a single, Eric Maisonet followed with another hit and Tyler Macon worked a walk to load the bases. Blaize Ward delivered the biggest swing of the inning with a two-run single to left, scoring Peer and Maisonet to make it 8–3. Durnin later walked to reload the bases, but the rally ended when Frost grounded out.
Mizzou added one final push with Serna reaching on a walk, Peer collecting his third hit of the day and Maisonet hitting a single to the right side scoring Serna. Although the Tigers comeback attempt stalled as Macon struck out to end the game.
What’s Next
The biggest key for the Tigers right now is clear, they need timely hitting. Mizzou has shown they can get runners on, but the next step is cashing in when it matters. If the offense can start producing in those situational spots, the upcoming series against No. 16 Arkansas could be a real turning point for the season.
That test begins Thursday, April 23, and runs through Saturday, April 25 against the Razorbacks. It won’t be easy, but with an 11-10 record at home, the Tigers will be looking to lean on familiar surroundings and try to steal the series in front of their own fans.
Before that, Mizzou gets one more tune-up, hosting Southern Illinois at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 21 at Taylor Stadium. After a stretch of road games, the Tigers finally return home, where they’ll hope the energy from the crowd can help spark the consistency this lineup has been searching for.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 18: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts to making a shot during the first half of Game One of the First Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena on April 18, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With two of the Lakers’ big three out, LeBron James finds himself once again asked to be anything and everything for the purple and gold.
That would normally be a ton of pressure to put on one player in the postseason, but LeBron is not your typical athlete.
In Game 1 against the Rockets, he didn’t throw up a bunch of shots to try to make up for the production Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves typically provide.
Instead, he activated his point guard mode and got everyone involved. LeBron had eight assists in the first quarter, which was the most assists he’s had in any quarter in his playoff career.
As the contest progressed, LeBron began looking for his shot. He dominated inside the paint and shot 9-15 from the field. James also had a pair of steals, a block, eight rebounds and the best plus-minus on the team at +11.
After the victory, LeBron talked about his role on this team and how he can help uplift the shorthanded Lakers.
“Well, for me, I got to do a little bit of everything,” LeBron said. “That’s what the job requires. So it’s being a triple threat, being able to rebound, being able to pass, being able to shoot, also defend, put myself in a position where I can bring value to this ball club, bring value to this team throughout this series.
“It’s going to be a game-to-game situation to see how the game plays out. I don’t predetermine what I’m going to do. The only thing that’s predetermined in my game is how I prepare. I’ll prepare before I get to the game and then once I get out there, it’s all about reading and reacting, understanding situations. I’ve been in every situation you could ever imagined as a basketball player, so there’s nothing that can surprise me.”
As the league’s oldest player and a four-time NBA champion, LeBron is an amazing option as your leader. He’s seen all the highs and lows and isn’t just a vocal leader but also an All-Star player producing on the court.
The Lakers had a nice break between their last regular-season game and their first playoff contest, and James was a big reason why the Lakers looked so sharp after some time off.
“He displayed great leadership throughout,” Lakers head coach JJ Redick said. “We talked all week about being connected offensively and trusting the pass and he led us there in the first half, getting 10 assists and then was able to make some scoring plays down the stretch. Just a fantastic overall game from him and he gave us all he had on the defensive end. He really exerted himself on both ends and that’s what the playoffs are.”
It’s going to be an uphill battle for the Lakers to win this series, but this was as good a start as anyone could ask for. If James can keep this up and his teammates follow, then the Lakers will maximize what they can do this postseason.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 19: Ryan Weathers #40 of the New York Yankees pitches during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, April 19, 2026 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Urakami/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The start of the game was delayed a little over three hours, but it didn’t seem to affect either the Yankees’ bats or arms. With a chance to sweep the Royals, the club did just that, flattening their onetime bitter rivals behind Ryan Weathers’ strong start and a big first inning for the lineup. The Yankees move to 13-9 with a dominant 7-0 victory on Sunday.
We got right to it once play was allowed, with leadoff hitter Ben Rice doing his job and walking, ahead of Aaron Judge:
That’s Judge’s fifth first-inning dinger of the season, more or less able to start his team with a lead before the game really starts. It’s also Judge’s ninth overall homer, second in baseball behind the currently-unconscious Yordan Alvarez, who cracked his 10th today. Austin Wells helped keep the pressure on in the first, bringing Cody Bellinger in with a sac fly after Cole Ragans walked three of four batters to load the bases. If you stuck around the Stadium through the entire delay, you were certainly rewarded with that big first inning.
Ben Rice continued to burnish his case for abolishing the platoon, taking Ragans to right field for his eighth long ball of the year, and fourth straight game with one:
This looks like a porch job, but it turns out Statcast has it a homer in 21 of the 30 MLB parks. Ben’s maturation as a hitter — and the two walks he took today — sure make him a good candidate to hit in front of Judge atop the lineup.
Trent Grisham helped the club put the game out of reach in the fifth:
For all the fun of the offense though, the real story may have been Ryan Weathers. The Yankee lefty had a second excellent start in three outings, going 7.1 innings and shutting out the Royals, albeit with a little bit of help from the defense behind him:
Getting through the first without allowing three straight home runs — although Bobby Witt Jr. did get a single in the frame — already meant we were off to a good start with Weathers, but more than one inning of work was the process. Weathers does not have a good four-seam fastball, and indeed those three home runs the Angels clocked were all center-cut heaters. Today, just 29 percent of his offerings were the #1, three points lower than that bad outing last Tuesday, and his slider/sweeper… thing was much more active, 28 percent of pitches thrown rather than 20.
It’s becoming increasingly clear that Weathers pitches best when he pitches backwards, mixing more breaking and offspeed stuff in in place of his fastball. He was able to do that today, and posted his second-best start of the year. Perhaps more importantly, it’s a second excellent start sandwiched around that Angels game, which may be the start of some consistency for the southpaw.
For all the angst of the five-game losing streak, the Yankees went 5-2 on the week and took care of business to close out the homestand. They’ll be off tomorrow before a long road trip starts in Boston Tuesday night, with Luis Gil scheduled to get the start at Fenway. First pitch from the Hub comes at 6:45pm Eastern.
ANAHEIM, CA - APRIL 19: Bryce Johnson #29 of the San Diego Padres runs to first base after hitting an RBI single in the seventh inning during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on Sunday, April 19, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Ryan Sun/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Michael King took the mound for the San Diego Padres in the final game of the three-game series against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium looking to help his team win the series. King was not at his best, but he was good enough to hold the Angels scoreless over five innings before leaving the game with a 1-0 lead. The right-hander labored through his start thanks to four walks, but he made pitches to get out of trouble. King finished with six strikeouts and just one hit allowed en route to a 2-1 win.
Michael King strikes out six batters over five innings pitched and allows just one hit against the Angels.
The San Diego offense thought Reid Detmers was going to be on the mound for Los Angeles, but prior to the start of the game the Padres learned Walbert Urena would start for the Angels in what was expected to be a bullpen game for the home team. By the time Urena walked off the mound he had completed six innings and worked into the seventh, allowing one run on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. He was charged with a second run to close the books on his outing when reliever Sam Bachman allowed an inherited runner to score in the seventh to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.
San Diego scored the first run of the game in the top of the fourth inning when Xander Bogaerts singled through the middle of the infield to score Fernando Tatis Jr. who singled to right field to start the inning. The Padres held a 1-0 lead when they scored their second run of the game in the top of the seventh when Bryce Johnson singled to left field which allowed Bogaerts to score from second base. Johnson was 2-for-3 in the game with a single, a double, an RBI and stolen base.
The Angels broke through against Kyle Hart in the bottom of the seventh inning. Los Angeles had runners at second and third with one out after an Adam Frazier sacrifice bunt. Zach Neto grounded out to shortstop, which brought a run home to cut the San Diego lead to 2-1. Hart was replaced on the mound by Bradgley Rodriguez who was able to get out of the inning without any additional damage. Rodriguez returned to the mound for the eighth inning and worked a scoreless frame to maintain the one-run lead.
The Padres were unable to add any runs in the top of the ninth, which meant Mason Miller came in to handle the bottom of the ninth. The right-hander earned his eighth save of the season striking out two of the three batters he faces to secure the win for San Diego.
Mason Miller locks down the save and extends his scoreless streak to 32.2 innings 🔥 pic.twitter.com/6xwL8OU0YF
The Chicago White Sox once again wasted no time getting on the board. First batter of the game, Chase Meidroth singled to left field. Jeffrey Springs walked Miguel Vegas and while he did K the great Munetaka Murakami, a single to Everson Pereira and an Edgar Quero sac fly made it 1-0 Southsiders.
Once again, the first inning has been a wash for the green and gold. Not only does giving up runs early put the A’s in the hole, but it also gives the opposers a less than desirable amount of confidence out of the gate.
This was on full display in the top of the 2nd as Derek Hill took Jeffrey Springs deep, followed by a two-run jack by Miguel Vargas which brought home Chase Meidroth, who once again reached base. This time via the double.
So before you can even settle into your seat with a cold one and a bag of peanuts, it’s 4-0 White Sox.
Thankfully WBC hero Darell Hernaiz has ice in his veins…
His first home run of the season puts the A’s on the board, chipping away the deficit by making it a 4-1 game.
it wouldn’t take the White Sox very long to get that run back (and then some). The great Munetaka Murakami showcased that signature “powa” once again, taking Springs deep in the top of the 5th for a two-run tater. That wouldn’t be it for the Sox in the 5th. Just two batters later, Colson Montgomery would get ahold of one. Not even Denzel Clarke had a shot at this one as it would bang against the batter’s eye.
That would be it for Jeffrey Springs. He’d get out of the inning but overall, a pretty poor performance from the guy who had been our most reliable starter to start the season. Four home runs were offered up today by Springs. You would’ve thought he was Dillon Overton with the way the ball was leaving the yard.
On the offensive side, not a whole lot of damage was done by A’s hitters against the rookie Noah Schultz. He’d also be done for the day after five innings of work with the only run surrendered being that homer by Darell Hernaiz.
Now this is where things got interesting.
Tyler Soderstrom hit a one out double in the 7th inning. Darell Hernaiz reached first after a hard fought battle with reliever Grant Taylor that resulted in a walk. After a Lawrence Butler pinch hit strike out, Zack Gelof would get ahold of one, ripping it the other way for a bases clearing triple.
That hit knocked Taylor out of the game, setting up Jacob Wilson for a battle against Jordan Leasure. An eleven pitch tug-o-war between Wilson and Leasure resulted in a pop out to catcher Edgar Quero to end the inning. But Gelof would indeed score during that at-bat on a wild pitch.
A’s reliever Mason Barnett failed to record an out to start the 8th, so the A’s turned to flame thrower Luis Medina. He’d get Derek Hill to pop out on a bunt attempt, then suffer a wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third. Everyone was on the edge of the seat for the Andrew Benintendi at-bat, where Medina battled against the lefty before striking him out on a spinner. The hard hitting Chase Meidroth would be his next victim. He’d get him to ground out to second, ending the threat and setting the A’s up for another shot at the comeback.
Unfortunately no runs were scored in the 8th by the A’s. A two out double by Carlos Cortes had them in striking distance, but he’d end up stranded there. Max Muncy put a charge in one though it’d fall just a few steps short of the warning track.
Onto the 9th inning.
A scoreless inning by reliever Scott Barlow sent the A’s to the plate for their last chance at a miracle. The bottom of the 9th got going with a one out walk to Darell Hernaiz. Lawrence Butler couldn’t get it done (once again) but Jeff McNeil was a different story. Off the bench, he’d get hit by a fastball from White Sox closer Seranthony Dominguez!
So now it’s first and second…two outs…Jacob Wilson at the plate…and he’d pop out to end the game : (
Just like that the A’s drop the series against the Chicago White Sox and fall to 11-11. What a disappointing home stand it ended up being, despite featuring flashes of promise. They’ll now head to Seattle for what should be a highly contested series. Those Mariners actually took down the Texas Rangers this afternoon and the San Diego Padres beat the Angels. Which means as of this moment, the A’s, Rangers, and Angels are in a three way tie for the division.
A’s losing on purpose so their record (11-11) could be an angel number.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 29: Michael Massey #19 of the Kansas City Royals commits a fielding error on a ball hit by Carlos Correa #4 of the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning at Target Field on April 29, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Royals defeated the Twins 3-2. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The week ended how it began, with a Kansas City loss. That is also how the entire middle went. Kansas City’s losing streak has extended to seven games and they will go home after an 0-6 road trip.
Cole Ragans’ first inning started BB, HR, BB, K, BB, BB and he still managed to get out of there with only 3 runs given up. That should make it seem like the Royals had a chance, but that 3 run lead felt insurmountable and then progressively got worse. Ben Rice, who cannot make outs, hit another home run in the second inning. Trent Grisham added the third homer in the 5th, a 3-run shot. On the day, Ragans walked 8, to set a new career high. He was charged with 7 earned runs and left his last walk on base for Mason Black to deal with. Black did get out of the inning, but by then it was pretty much over.
Ryan Weathers, on the other hand, dominated Royals hitters. Bobby singled in the first and then they waited all the way to 6th for their second hit when Elias Diaz singled to right. He was then thrown out at home on a Bobby Witt double a few batters later. Weathers ended up going 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball with 8 Ks. The team threatened to score again in the 8th to no avail. The Yankee bullpen held on to the shutout.
Mason Black had his first appearance for the Royals and it went well. No runs over 1 2/3 innings. He did allow 3 hits and a walk though, so the underlying metrics were not great. Both he and Diaz debuting with some success, are about the only bright spots on the day if you throw Bobby in there with them. This was not the least interesting baseball game I have ever watched, but it was a slog for sure.
The team will head back to Kauffman tied with the Mets for the worst record in baseball. Baltimore and the Angels will be in Kansas City for the coming week.
The Atlanta Hawks were excellent against the spread down the stretch, and despite getting crushed in the second half of Game 1 vs. the New York Knicks, they will be competitive in this series, particularly in Game 2.
My Hawks vs. Knicks parlay picks are banking on Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is coming off an uncharacteristically poor shooting night, bouncing back.
I picked the Atlanta Hawks to cover the same 5.5-point spread in Game 1, and they lost by 11. But I’m not deterred, as Atlanta has a clear path to making this one more competitive.
The Hawks were a putrid 12 of 19 from the charity stripe, falling well below their season average of 77.4%.
The New York Knicks hit 25 of 30 free throws, and Atlanta can do a better job at limiting opportunities there. The Hawks went 18-8 against the spread between the All-Star break and the end of the season, and I expect them to keep this one close as they look to avoid a 2-0 hole.
The Hawks and Knicks faced off four times this season, finishing with combined game totals of 215, 213, 210, and 253. Game 1 finished just a bucket shy of hitting the Over, and I’m betting on that extra bucket in Game 2.
Atlanta’s shooting was off, as the team hit just 44% of their field-goal attempts, and leading scorer Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with only 17 points on a miserable 6-for-17 shooting. A slightly more efficient offensive attack from the visitors should push this one to hit the Over.
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DENVER, CO - APRIL 19: (L-R) Mickey Moniak #22, Troy Johnston #20 and Brenton Doyle #9 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate after Johnston made a diving catch to end the game and secure the 9-6 win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on April 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What losing to the Colorado Rockies does to a team.
The Colorado Rockies earned their eighth win of the season last night with a close and hard fought victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers—a feat they didn’t accomplish until August last season.
The Rockies tied their number of 2025 victories against the Dodgers with a strong win on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, earning at minimum a series split and setting them up for a potential series win tomorrow night. It was also the first time in four years the Rockies have notched back-to-back-victories against the Dodgers.
Making things even worse for Los Angeles? Just a few blocks away at Ball Arena, the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Los Angeles Kings in the first game of their Stanley Cup Playoffs.
A solid bounce back for Lorenzen
Veteran righty Michael Lorenzen has had an up-and-down season so far. His last time out he gave up seven runs—though only two were earned—in just 2.2 innings. The Rockies’ biggest name of the off-season needed a bounce back, but that was a potentially tall order against a strong Dodgers lineup.
But Lorenzen delivered.
While he gave up a decent amount of contact with seven hits, he also pounded the strike zone. He gave up just one walk, the fewest since his Rockies debut back at the start of the season. Lorenzen ultimately gave up three earned runs over five innings of work and struck out three batters to set the stage for an unlikely Rockies victory.
Senzatela leads a mostly solid effort from the bullpen
It took six appearances and 12.2 innings for Antonio Senzatela to give up his first earned run of the season. The former starter’s efforts are a stark contrast to his brutal struggles last season. Three singles in the top of the sixth inning plated a run with two outs, but he was able to secure the final out thanks to a good catch deep in left field by Mickey Moniak. After a breather in between innings, Senzatela set down the side in order in the top of the seventh.
Jimmy Herget also struggled somewhat in his inning of work, though without any damage. Herget gave up two singles in the top of the eighth, but navigated a scoreless frame with a strikeout.
Where things got hairy for the pitching staff was in the top of the ninth. The Rockies had plenty of cushion to work with as Victor Vodnik—who earned the save last night—had started warming up with just a two run lead and entered the game with five.
Vodnik struggled to locate his pitches. He gave up a lead-off double to Shohei Ohtani, who advanced on a wild pitch and eventually scored via a Will Smith single. Another single and a walk had the bases loaded with just one out. Rushing cast a sharp grounder to Willi Castro at second base, but Castro was unable to cleanly come up with the ball for what would have been a game-ending double play—only getting the out at first base—and another run scored.
With runners in scoring position, 28-year-old rookie debutant Ryan Ward made contact and sent the ball to right field. Thankfully, a diving catch by Troy Johnston secured the final out and the Rockies’ victory.
After barely squeaking out a win 4-3 last night, the Rockies hauled in plenty of runs on their lines this afternoon. The Rockies scored nine runs on a whopping 15 hits against Dodgers pitching. They drove starter Roki Sasaki from the game after 4.2 innings, drove relievers Blake Treinen and Edwin Díaz from the game with neither recording a single out, and overall made the Dodgers use six different bullpen arms with a game left to play tomorrow and their next day off not coming until April 30th.
Edouard Julien, the pride of Québec City, broke out of a short slump and went 3-for-5 this afternoon. He scored once himself but more importantly drove in three runs on a bases loaded single in the eighth inning to bust the game wide open and give the Rockies plenty of cushion — cushion the bullpen ended up needing.
Kyle Karros, Moniak, and Johnston all had two hits off of Dodgers pitching. Karros hit his first home run of the season in a 2-for-3 afternoon with a walk. Moniak had an impactful hit in the seventh inning by launching his team-leading sixth home run for two runs to put the Rockies in a lead they would never relinquish. He also drove in an additional insurance run in the eighth inning.
The Dodgers now cannot win their first series against the Rockies. It will be the first series split or loss against a National League team of the season for them. The Rockies can secure a series win with a victory tomorrow night as they aim to send the folks in Dodger Blue home disappointed for the third straight game. It will be a lefty-on-lefty match-up with Justin Wrobleski slated to start for the Dodgers and José Quintana scheduled for the Rockies. First pitch is at 6:40 PM MDT.
English player wins at first playoff hole with birdie
Fitzpatrick claims second PGA Tour victory of year
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick beat the world No 1, Scottie Scheffler, in a playoff to win the RBC Heritage for the second time.
Fitzpatrick took a three-shot into the final round at Hilton Head and still held that advantage standing on the 15th tee. But playing partner Scheffler produced birdies at 15 and 16 and Fitzpatrick’s duffed chip on 18 cost him a bogey, sending him into a playoff that he looked second favourite to win.
DENVER , CO - APRIL 18: Jaden McDaniels (3) of the Minnesota Timberwolves defends Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets during the third quarter at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, April 18, 2026. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post) | Denver Post via Getty Images
Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets Date: April 20th, 2026 Time: 9:30 PM CDT Location: Ball Arena Television Coverage: NBC, Peacock
Game 1 in Denver was the kind of playoff loss that sticks with you.
Not because the Timberwolves got run off the floor. Not because they looked hopelessly outclassed. In some ways, that would have been easier to process. No, what made Saturday afternoon so maddening was that Minnesota showed us enough to make the loss feel avoidable. They came out looking like the sharper, faster, more urgent team. They built a 12-point lead. Nikola Jokic looked winded. The Denver crowd had that nervous, unsettled murmur that only comes when a favorite realizes the underdog may have actually shown up with a knife.
And then, little by little, possession by possession, whistle by whistle, the game slipped.
You can tell the story of Game 1 in two ways.
The generous version is the one Wolves fans have been angrily rehearsing ever since the final buzzer. It starts with the officiating, which was not just bad, but the kind of bad that makes you start wondering whether the refs were trying to set a record for most momentum-killing whistles in one afternoon. From the jump, it was obvious Minnesota was going to have to play this game while wearing ankle weights. Five team fouls within minutes of the opening quarter. Denver in the bonus before either team had really found an offensive rhythm. Jamal Murray living at the free-throw line like he had purchased a condo there, finishing with 16 attempts by himself, nearly matching Minnesota’s entire team total. The Nuggets shot 33 free throws to the Wolves’ 19, and in a game that was there for the taking late, that is not a side note. That is central to the story.
Then there was the Jaden McDaniels flagrant, which belonged in a museum exhibit titled How to Completely Misread a Basketball Play. Murray leapt forward, clearly initiating the contact, clearly landing inside the three line after starting his shot outside, and somehow the result was a flagrant on McDaniels. It was absurd. Worse than absurd, it was deflating. A well-defended miss converted to three points and the ball for Denver.
And yes, that stuff matters. It matters in the box score, where Denver got a pile of free points despite not shooting especially well. It matters in the defensive intensity, because once Minnesota realized every hard contest might become a foul and every foul might become an escalation, they were forced to defend with one hand tied behind their back. It matters emotionally too. You could feel the frustration building. You could see it in McDaniels shoving Jokic in the back. You could see it in the body language. You could feel a team trying not to boil over and, in the process, losing some of the edge it needed to survive.
Then there is the second part of the generous version: Anthony Edwards’ health.
Wolves fans spent the last couple of weeks convincing themselves that the late-season rest was going to be a blessing, that Ant’s knee would heal, that the version of him we would see in the playoffs would be the fresh, spring-loaded monster this team needs. And to his credit, there were flashes. He had some pop. There were moments where he attacked and you could see flashes of his greatness. But if you watched closely, you also saw the pain. The flinch on landings. The moments where he clearly was not fully himself. And when you are playing Denver, when the other side has Jokic operating at full power and Murray getting every whistle known to mankind, “not fully yourself” is a major problem.
That is the generous version.
It is also incomplete.
Because if Minnesota wants to get back in this series, it has to spend a lot less time talking about what happened to them and a lot more time correcting what they did to themselves.
The officials were awful. Edwards is clearly less than 100 percent. Both things can be true. But neither of those facts explains why the Wolves, after building that early lead, let the game turn into exactly the kind of half-court slog Denver wants. Neither of them explains the stagnant second quarter, when the pace dropped, the ball stopped moving, and the offense began to look like a collection of individual errands instead of a coordinated attack. Neither explains the third quarter, when Minnesota more or less donated the game by allowing a 17-2 run in which the offense shriveled into lazy isolation possessions and the defense cracked just enough for Denver to smell blood.
That stretch decided the game.
Not the first-quarter whistles. Not the Jaden flagrant. Not even Ant’s knee, really.
The Wolves looked like the better team when they were pushing tempo, playing in space, and forcing Denver to sprint. They looked like a team pushing Jokic to his limit, making him run, making him work, making him defend. Then they just… stopped. They let Denver catch its breath. They let the ball stick. They settled for ugly shots. They stopped making the Nuggets move defensively. They essentially invited a more composed, more experienced team back into the exact game environment it wanted.
And Chris Finch, to be honest, did not do much to stop the avalanche. That part matters too.
So now here they are, down 0-1, heading into a Game 2 that has all the emotional subtlety of a car crash. This is the swing game. Lose it, and you are asking this team to beat a very hot Denver squad four times in five games, with the Nuggets riding what would then be a 14-game winning streak. Sure, anything is possible. Kevin Garnett taught us that. But that is not a sentence you want to be clinging to when you are staring down a giant in the first round.
Game 2 is not technically must-win, but emotionally and mathematically, it sure as hell feels like it.
So with that, here are the keys to the game.
1. Push the pace.
This is non-negotiable.
The first quarter told the whole story. When the Wolves were flying, Denver looked vulnerable. Jokic looked human. He was huffing. He was laboring. He was being forced into the kind of game he does not love: one played at a pace where his genius still matters, but his conditioning gets tested and his margin for error narrows.
Minnesota cannot let this become a walking game.
The altitude is real. The temptation to conserve energy is real. But the Wolves are younger, longer, and more athletic than this Denver team, and if they are going to win this series, they have to weaponize that advantage. Every miss has to become a sprint. Every rebound has to turn into an opportunity. They need to run after makes if they can. They need to turn this into a game where Jokic has to log extra miles, not just extra touches. You beat Jokic by making him carry an exhausting burden for 48 minutes and then asking him to do it again two days later.
Minnesota eased off that pressure after the first quarter. It cannot happen again.
2. Move the ball like your season depends on it, because it kind of does
Denver’s defense is not some impenetrable wall. This is not 2004 Detroit. This is a unit that can be manipulated, stretched, and made uncomfortable, but only if you make it work.
The Wolves did not do that consistently in Game 1.
Too much of the offense became stagnant, especially once the initial burst wore off. Too many possessions ended with Ant or Julius Randle dribbling into a crowded floor and trying to solve the problem themselves. Too many possessions died before they really started. And the tragedy of it is that Minnesota has too many capable offensive pieces for that kind of nonsense to be necessary.
Donte DiVincenzo was feeling it, starting 4/4 from beyond the arc. But Minnesota never capitalized on his hot hand because the ball would not move. The Wolves are at their best when the rock is snapping around, when they force the defense to rotate twice instead of once, when the offense feels like five guys participating in the same idea instead of one guy improvising while everyone else watches.
This team cannot afford sticky offense. It needs drive-and-kick, swing-swing, relocate, attack-closeout basketball. It needs to make Denver guard every inch of the floor, every second of the shot clock.
If the Wolves do that, they will get clean looks. If they don’t, they are making life far too easy on a defense that should be under more stress than it was in Game 1.
3. Close out with purpose.
The Nuggets did not torch Minnesota from three in Game 1. In some ways, that’s the scary part.
Because if you rewatch the game, you see all kinds of open or semi-open looks that Denver simply did not cash in at its normal clip. And if you are the Wolves, that should terrify you more than it comforts you. You cannot build your survival plan around the idea that Denver will keep missing makeable shots.
The closeouts were not good enough. The urgency was not sharp enough. The Wolves were so focused on the interior pressure from Jokic that they sometimes lost the thread on the perimeter. That is understandable. It is also deadly.
Denver’s wings and guards need to feel crowded. Jamal Murray cannot be allowed to rise into clean rhythm shots. Cam Johnson cannot be casually stepping into open threes. Bruce Brown cannot be operating like this is a warmup line. If Denver is going to hit shots, fine. Make them hit them over hands, over bodies, over full-speed closeouts that force them to actually earn it.
Soft perimeter defense is how you lose to Denver in five. Contested, miserable, exhausting perimeter defense is how you make them sweat.
4. Get all three bigs involved, not just Rudy
Rudy Gobert was magnificent in Game 1. He was exactly what the Wolves needed, present, physical, engaged, and more than willing to throw his whole body into the problem that is Nikola Jokic. For all the Rudy discourse that inevitably bubbles up around playoff time, this was one of those games where he reminded everyone why he matters so much. Without him, this thing could have gotten ugly fast.
But that is also the problem.
Minnesota cannot waste that kind of Rudy game. It cannot get one-third of the frontcourt equation right and expect that to be enough. Julius Randle has to be better. He has to be more disciplined offensively, more engaged defensively, and more connected to the overall flow of the game. He cannot spend possessions trying to force his way into a contested look when a kick-out or secondary action is there waiting. He needs to keep the bully-ball aggression while stripping out the nonsense. Attack with purpose. Rebound with force. Defend like the game matters.
Naz Reid has to show up too. The bench was too quiet, and Naz is too important for that to happen. This is the exact kind of series where he can swing a quarter, with his scoring, his spacing, his size, his general Big Jelly skills. The Wolves need him aggressive, not passive. They need him hunting offense, not floating around the perimeter waiting for someone else to rescue the possession.
One big monster game from Rudy will not carry this series. Minnesota needs the three-headed monster it built for exactly this kind of matchup.
5. Anthony Edwards has to seize the series, even if he is hurting
This is the hard one, because it is the least fair and the most true.
Yes, Edwards is hurt. Yes, it is obvious. Yes, he deserves credit for playing through it. But the Wolves are not winning this series with the version of Ant they got in Game 1. They just aren’t.
He has to be better. He has to impose himself on the game offensively, and he has to do it in a way that does not devolve into desperate hero ball. He needs to attack. He needs to get downhill. He needs to draw two defenders and create for teammates. He needs to hit enough jumpers to keep Denver honest and enough free throws to keep the scoreboard moving. He needs to defend like a star who understands that this is not just about scoring.
And most of all, he needs to make everyone leave Game 2 thinking he was the best player on the floor.
That is a gigantic ask when Jokic exists. It is still the ask.
Because that is what stars are for in a series like this. Not to keep you respectable. To change what feels possible.
This is where Ant’s postseason reputation gets sharpened or stalled. If he comes out aggressive, explosive, and fully engaged on both ends, Minnesota can absolutely steal this game. If he drifts, if he settles, if the knee prevents him from attacking with conviction, then the entire burden falls on a team that has not shown enough consistency to survive without him at full tilt.
This is his moment whether it feels fair or not.
And now for the big picture.
The Wolves got a rotten whistle in Game 1. That is real. They got a less-than-healthy version of Edwards. That is real too. But none of that changes the central fact: they had opportunities, and they let too many of them slip. That is why they are down 0-1. That is why Game 2 feels like a cliff edge.
You can point at the refs. You can point at the knee. You can point at the variance. At some point, though, every finger has to turn back toward Minnesota. Because this series is still right there, but only if they decide to take hold of it. Only if they play the kind of locked-in, apex Timberwolves basketball they have teased often enough to make all of us crazy.
If they do that, if they clean up the offense, sustain the pace, support Rudy, and get a true Ant game, then they can absolutely walk out of Denver with home-court advantage and turn Target Center into a madhouse for Game 3.
If they don’t, then they have painted themselves into the corner they spent all season pretending they could always escape from later.
It is gut-check time now.
Not in theory. Not in some abstract “eventually this team will need to grow up” way.
Right now.
Monday night. Denver. Season hanging in the balance more than anyone wants to admit.
The Yankees swept the Kansas City Royals with Sunday's 7-0 win at Yankee Stadium.
Takeaways
LHPRyan Weathers arguably delivered his best start of the early season. He scattered five hits in 7.1 scoreless IP, striking out five and walking one. Weathers (1-2, 3.18 ERA) threw 66 strikes on 95 pitches and retired 12 straight at one point, including four consecutive strikeouts. After 22 frames without run support until the first inning of Sunday's game at Yankee Stadium, Weathers showed up once more with his best stuff -- and he was repaid.
RFAaron Judge's ninth home run of the season, a two-run shot to center field, ended the aforementioned run-support drought for Weathers and put the Yankees (13-9) in control as a three-run first inning ensued. (Austin Wells later added a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Cody Bellinger and giving Weathers a 3-0 lead into the second inning.) Judge's three strikeouts dampened the captain's 1-for-5 afternoon, but he ultimately changed the game with an early long ball that Weathers needed to settle in and get his first win as a Yankee.
DHBen Rice, whose leadoff walk set the table for Judge's first-inning homer, did his own damage in the second when he launched a one-out blast to right and extended the Yankees' 4-0 lead. Rice's eight home run of the young season puts him one behind Judge in a three-way tie with the Chicago White Sox's Muntaka Murakami and the St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker among the MLB's HR leaders. (The Houston Astros' Yordan Alvarez leads with 10.) With 17 combined home runs between them, Judge and Rice are becoming a top duo in the sport.
CF Trent Grisham's three-run homer in the fifth inning polished off the Yankees' 7-0 final and showed what this lineup is capable of beyond Rice and Judge at the top. Grisham's 2-for-4 day included a first-inning walk and sixth-inning single.
Who's the MVP?
Weathers, whose tone-setting start featured the type of swing-and-miss material that could be a game-changing presence in the Yankees' starting rotation.
The Yankees take Monday off before they have their first rivalry series of 2026 with the Boston Red Sox.
This week's three-game series at Fenway Park begins with Tuesday's 6:45 p.m. opener, in which RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 7.00 ERA) is set to start for New York.
Apr 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
All dressed in your Sunday best: Bryan Woo, +.21 WPA
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - APRIL 19: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers warms up in the bullpen against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on April 19, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Texas Rangers scored two runs but the Seattle Mariners scored five runs.
A dumb weird little road trip for our dumb weird little baseball team in what is shaping up to be a dumb weird little baseball season.
Brandon Nimmo singled for Texas on the game’s first pitch and then the lineup went until the sixth inning before their next base runner of the game. Can’t complain about the lack of hits with RISP when you don’t even get on base, right? *points to temple with self-satisfied grin*
Meanwhile, Seattle leadoff hitter Rob Refsnyder also had a hit on the first pitch offered to the Mariners, only his went over the fence in what would become a trend today as the Mariners hit three home runs off of Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore, two of which were of the two-run variety.
The Rangers did finally spark a rally in the top of the seventh when they loaded the bases against Seattle starter Bryan Woo. After a Josh Jung sac fly scored a run, and a Evan Carter double that scored another, the rally ended with Texas still trailing by the eventual final score.
And so the Rangers lost the game and series to finish this long West Coast trip at 4-6. Texas went 4-2 during the middle portion of the road trip but bookended their days away from home with two losses each to Los Angeles and Seattle as they return to .500 baseball.
Player of the Game: Um, er, well… Tyler Alexander tossed an inning of scoreless relief. That’s pretty cool.
Up Next: The Rangers get a day off to reacclimate to Texas before starting a series at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates beginning on Tuesday.
The first pitch of the series opener from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and will be broadcast via the Rangers Sports Network.
Mar 19, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs forwards Keldon Johnson (3) and Victor Wembanyama (1) celebrate in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images
The NBA announced the first batch of finalists for regular-season awards, and two Spurs made the cut. Unsurprisingly, Victor Wembanyama is one of the three finalists for Defensive Player of the Year, while Keldon Johnson is among the finalists for Sixth Man of the Year.
Wembanyama is the prohibitive favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year, but will have to beat out the Pistons’ Ausar Thompson and the Thunder’s Chet Holmgren, who were also named finalists. All three of the top defenses in the league are getting one representative. The biggest snub is Rudy Gobert, who kept an inconsistent Timberwolves team in the top 10 in defensive efficiency and has won the award four times in the past.
The 2025-26 Finalists for Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Things are different for Keldon Johnson. He clearly deserved to be named a finalist, but his chances are not as good as Wembanyama’s to claim the award. He’ll be competing with the Nuggets’ Tim Hardaway Jr. and the Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr., who appears to be the favorite to get the hardware. Jaquez’s edge comes in offensive production, while Johnson’s case relies heavily on team success. Either would make a good pick.
The 2025-26 Finalists for Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Anthony Edwards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Jamal Murray
The finalists for Coach of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Most Valuable Player of the 2025/26 season will be announced at halftime of the Pistons – Magic game. Mitch Johnson and Victor Wembanyama have decent chances of being named finalists in two of the categories, while it’s likely Dylan Harper is going to miss the cut on Rookie of the Year, largely because of his small role on a contending team.
Victor Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, one steal, and a league-leading 3.1 blocks per game in the 2025/26 season.
Keldon Johnson averaged 13.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while shooting 52 percent from the floor and suiting up for all 82 games.
