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Spiraling Angels botch double play, sealing loss to Athletics

The Athletics' Zack Gelof safely steals second base in front of the Angels' Zach Neto during the seventh inning.
The Athletics' Zack Gelof safely steals second base in front of the Angels' Zach Neto during the seventh inning Thursday night at Angel Stadium. (Luke Hales / Getty Images)

The Angels led for five innings before crumbling late en route to a 10-inning, 3-2 loss to the Athletics on Thursday night at Angel Stadium, all in front of a sparse crowd featuring fiery “sell-the-team” chants from shirtless fans in the upper deck.

With the bases loaded and one out in the top of the 10th, the A’s Zack Gelof hit into a fielder’s choice groundout off reliever Ryan Zeferjahn.

Angels second baseman Adam Frazier had trouble getting the ball out of his glove after catching shortstop Zach Neto’s throw. That allowed Nick Kurtz to reach home as the go-ahead run.

Gelof was initially called out, but the A’s won the challenge — and ultimately the game 3-2.

“Yeah, [Frazier] looked like he just couldn’t get the ball out of his glove,” Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said. “You know, one of those things where the ball got in, and he was doing everything right to turn it, just couldn’t get out of his glove.”

Bare chested fans wave their shirts in right field during the seventh inning of the Angels' loss to the Athletics.
Bare chested fans wave their shirts in right field during the seventh inning of the Angels' loss to the Athletics on Thursday at Angel Stadium. The fans chanted for Angels owner Arte Moreno to "sell the team." (Luke Hales / Getty Images)

The Angels were unable to tie against A’s reliever Mark Leiter Jr., who earned the save, despite having runners on the corners and zero outs in the bottom half of the frame. Zeferjahn (2-2) took the loss.

Nolan Schanuel gave the Angels a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a two-run homer. But the Angels’ offense, which has been outscored 84-32 since a May 9 loss in Toronto, continued to struggle.

“They believe,” Suzuki said of the Angels’ spirit, specifically on offense. “Every inning, you got all the guys — they’re all up there, rooting guys on and believing that we’re going to put up runs, and really, we’re just not. And it’s not for a lack of effort; it’s not for a lack of anything like that. We just need to find ways to score runs, that’s all.”

The Athletics took advantage of the small deficit, as Darell Hernáiz and Nick Kurtz hit RBI singles in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively, to tie the game and force extras.

Angels starter José Soriano surrendered two runs and six hits over 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts. A’s starter Luis Severino surrendered two runs on three hits over seven frames with 10 strikeouts.

“I’ll take away the positive things,” Soriano said. “[I] got into the seventh, but couldn’t complete the inning, but I feel good (about) the way I pitched today. I helped the team the most I can … I control what I could control … I battled; I feel good about that.”

Read more:Athletics rally to beat the Angels in extra innings

After failing to split the four-game series with the AL West-leading A’s, the Angels have dropped four consecutive series and hold an MLB-worst 17-34 record.

That has prompted a growing group of fans to gather shirtless in the upper deck at Angel Stadium and chant that owner Arte Moreno should “sell the team.” The chants could be heard on the Angels’ TV broadcast.

The players, meanwhile, are trying to string together enough good plays to score more wins.

“Really just trying to get the rhythm going of just piling on good at-bat after good at-bat after good at-bat,” Angels right fielder Jo Adell said. “We just haven’t really had that rhythm. It’s like a good at-bat here, and we struggle to kind of pile up after one another and get that rhythm going. We’re hoping to, at some point, find what that is; we’ve had it, we know what it is. But it’s just one of those things, baseball can kind of just slip away from you.”

The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for the Angels. The Angels host the Rangers (24-25), who are a close second in the AL West and riding a two-game winning streak.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Knicks vs. Cavs Game 2 takeaways: Jalen Brunson, Knicks finding ways to win

NEW YORK — The New York Knicks are now two victories away from reaching their first NBA Finals in 27 years.

The Knicks handled the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday, May 21 in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, 109-93, and they unlocked a different way to win: it was role players who carried the day.

All five New York starters hit double-figures in scoring, with Josh Hart, who had struggled earlier this postseason, scoring a team-high 26 points. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges each scored 19, with Brunson notching a playoff career-high 14 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns added 18.

Here are takeaways from Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals:

In a dangerous sign for Cleveland, the Knicks are finding different ways to win

Jalen Brunson was a perfect example of that. After igniting in Game 1 for 38 points, the Cavaliers threw double-teams at him Thursday night, determined to make anyone but Brunson beat them.

It didn’t work.

Brunson responded with calm and poise and facilitated the offense, dishing out a playoff career-high 14 assists. Some of that was by default; in the first half, his shot wasn’t dropping, and he headed into intermission just 1-of-6, with 2 points. At that point, however, he already did have 5 assists.

Credit New York’s role players — Josh Hart chief among them — for draining shots when the ball found them, but Brunson masterfully leveraged Cleveland’s added pressure into easier offense for his teammates. The Cavaliers even resorted to face-guarding Brunson in the second half the full 94 feet of the court.

“If you don’t send a second guy at (Brunson), he’s got a pretty good chance at scoring it,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said after the game. “If you send the second guy at him, he’s going to make the game easier for his teammates. He’s going to find them. They just have to step up and make shots.

“MVP candidate like Jalen is, you gotta make the game easier for everybody else.”

The New York Knicks' Jalen Brunson fights for a rebound against the Cleveland Cavaliers during Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on May 21, 2026.

And once New York’s role players started hitting those shots, that only spaced the floor better for Brunson to take over. In the second half, he shot 6-of-10 for 17 points, while adding 9 assists.

The most positive thing for the Knicks is that this adjustment seemingly came up on the fly, when the Cavaliers tried those tweaks in coverages, all of which shows that New York is capable of outmaneuvering Cleveland.

“I think it’s an advantage for us learning how to play differently,” Brunson told reporters after the game. “There’s going to be times when one game plan is going to be different than the next. Being able to adjust and learn on the fly and adjust on the fly is something that we need to continue to get better at, but I think we’ve been doing a great job of it. I think we just need to continue to be open to figure out how we can win the next game.”

The Cavaliers have no answers when New York goes on runs

In Game 1, it was a 30-8 blitz in the fourth quarter. Thursday night, it was 18 unanswered in the third. Either way, through two games in the Eastern Conference finals, the Cavs have no blueprint to halt these explosive Knicks runs.

They have coincided with cold stretches from Cleveland’s offense, but Knicks coach Mike Brown spoke after the game about destabilizing the Cavalier defense with pace.

The Cavaliers cross-match on defense, which means that they have specific defensive assignments for each player. The issue that can come up is when a team likes to get out into open space in transition, which can force Cavaliers players to scramble to find their man. During that third quarter run, the Knicks exploited that.

“We have to play fast so we’re not going against a set defense all the time,” Brown said. “If you’re a team that cross matches, and you get out in transition, it’s going to be hard for you to find the right bodies. That’s how we’re going to have to play. We’re going to have to play fast versus their cross matches to see if we can get something early in transition.”

How can the Cavaliers combat that? It helps, for one, to make shots. Cleveland shot just 38.8% from the field Thursday night. But the Cavaliers need to be hyper-disciplined in getting back to slow New York down; they need to avoid complaining to officials if they think they’ve been fouled and they need to sprint back to their assignments.

It’s easier said than done, especially when considering the residual fatigue the Cavaliers might be feeling after needing a pair of seven-game series to get here.

MORE: 'Knicks in 4' a real possibility of Cavaliers can't flip the script

The Cleveland bench, at some point, needs to show up

With the length that the Knicks have at wing, it makes it difficult at times for Donovan Mitchell and James Harden to score. Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said he was pleased with the process that generated Cleveland’s shots and complimented the team’s shot selection. The issue was that they just didn’t fall.

A lot of that came from the bench, which scored just 17 points on 5-of-24 shooting (20.8%) before Atkinson conceded the game and emptied the bench with 1:15 left.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to put the ball in the hole,” Atkinson said. “Tonight we didn’t.”

Max Strus and Sam Merrill, Cleveland’s two snipers, shot just 1-of-11 (9.1%) from 3-point range.

Poor shooting nights happen in the NBA. The Cavaliers simply cannot afford another one like this.

The series now shifts to Cleveland, where the Cavaliers are 6-1 this postseason. Perhaps that might be the spark that gets the Cavs bench going in a must-win Game 3 on Saturday night.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Knicks vs Cavaliers Game 2 takeaways as New York grabs 2-0 series lead

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Mitchell Robinson brutal Knicks free-throw shooting making him unplayable

New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson #23 speaking to Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell #45.
Mitchell Robinson talks to Donovan Mitchell during the Knicks' May 21 game.

At the moment, one must search for areas of concern for the Knicks.

But there is one glaring issue.

Mitchell Robinson, who went 0-for-4 from the free-throw line, was again neutered by Hack-a-Mitch during the Knicks’ 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.

Across the first two games of the series, Robinson is a combined 2-for-12 from the free-throw line.

For the whole postseason, he is 13-for-41.

That’s just not tenable.

It is making Robinson, who can be extremely impactful, almost unplayable.

He logged just 13 minutes Thursday — and only three minutes in the second half.

Mitchell Robinson talks to Donovan Mitchell during the Knicks’ 109-93 Game 2 in over the Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg

He played 14 minutes in Game 1.

Even playing him at the starts of quarters, when the Cavs can’t do Hack-a-Mitch unless they want to play a significant portion of the quarter in the penalty, isn’t a solution.

Anytime Robinson attempts a putback or a dunk — particularly on lobs — the Cavs just foul him and send him to the line.

Before Friday’s game, Robinson said he plans to reveal a whole new version of himself.

Mitchell Robinson prepares to shoot a free throw during the
Knicks’ May 21 win. NBAE via Getty Images

“Last post before I delete this app,” Robinson wrote on Facebook on Thursday afternoon. “I finally have changed my [phone] number for many reason [sic]…as I fight through and keep fighting in this playoffs run my focus have to go to another level. This is the start of a new chapter in my life. Love and will miss y’all…. Mitch out.” The new chapter so far contains the same old problem.

Coach Mike Brown again raved about Jose Alvarado’s leadership on the bench.

“We actually pointed it out to our group in practice,” Brown said. “You watch the film, he’s uplifting the entire team when he’s on the bench. He’s always talking in a positive way. He’s showing our young guys that you can impact the game if you’re present, because Jose’s always present.“You’re using your voice and your energy, guys feel that on the floor. Jose’s been phenomenal.”

Tuesday was ESPN’s most-watched Eastern Conference finals Game 1 since 2018, the network announced.

It had an average audience of 7.1 million viewers and peaked at 8.9 million viewers.

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Jalen Brunson adjusts to play a different — and important — Knicks role in Game 2 win

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 drives to the basket as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell #45 gives chase in the 2nd quarter.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson drives to the basket as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell gives chase in the second quarter on May 21, 2026.

Jalen Brunson refused to let the Knicks lose Tuesday, almost single-handedly delivering a franchise playoff-record 22-point fourth-quarter comeback. 

Two days later, the Cavaliers forced the ball out of his hands, so he adjusted. Instead of pouring in another 30-point performance, he distributed a playoff career-high 14 assists, as the Knicks took a commanding 2-0 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals. 

“It just shows that he plays the right way,” Mikal Bridges said after the Knicks’ thorough 109-93 victory at a rocking Garden. “If you’re not going to send a double-team, I think it’s an advantage for him. If you send a double-team, he’s going to read and react and find the open guy. Ever since I’ve known him, he plays the right way. 

Jalen Brunson drives on Donovan Mitchell during the second quarter of the Knicks’ 109-93 Game 2 win over the Cavaliers on May 21, 2026 at the Garden. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

“Kudos to him, how he works, and his understanding of the game. If you’re going to come [double-team him], he’s going to make you pay and that’s what makes him great.” 

Brunson only scored two points in the first quarter and finished with 19. It equaled his second-lowest point total of the postseason. He was still impactful in creating for his teammates, getting the ball to the right man in the right spots. 

“They were sending two to the ball, and I was able to find my teammates and we were knocking shots down,” Brunson said. “Just trying to create an advantage and trusting them and having them make a play.” 

Jalen Brunson looks to make a move on Donovan Mitchell in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ Game 2 win over the Cavaliers.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

Added coach Mike Brown: “They’re sending double-teams at him, and he had 14 assists. He did what he’s supposed to do.” 

Perhaps the best example was Josh Hart, his former Villanova teammate and close friend. Hart was benched at the end of Game 1 and struggled early in Game 2. Brunson kept finding him, and on one fast break set him up for a dunk when he could’ve gone in for a layup. It was a way to boost Hart’s confidence on his way to a team-high 26 points. 

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“I’m really not trying to look for him. He just happens to be open. So I give him the ball,” Brunson joked before turning serious. “I have the utmost confidence in him, watching the things he does after practice, his routine and everything. He works hard. I know we joke around a lot, but he does work hard.”

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The 9th Inning Heroics Continue: Dbacks 2, Rockies 1

May 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll (7) is doused with gum by Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (12) after hitting a walk off single against the Colorado Rockies during the ninth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

On Thursday night, the Arizona Diamondbacks were able to begin the weekend series against the Colorado Rockies with a walkoff win to push the team’s winning streak to a season-long 5 games. This team has now won 9 of their last 12 games.

This game was won due to the continued success of this Arizona pitching staff. Eduardo Rodriguez continued his run as the ace of this staff throwing 7 scoreless innings tonight. The 7 scoreless innings tonight drop his season ERA to a minuscule 2.24 as he continues to be the leader of this rotation. ERod continued his approach mixing up his pitches more this season vs previous seasons and getting lots of ground balls because of it. It has been such a massive development for this team continuing to get so much length from their starting rotation. Cant be overstated the importance of this.

Another equally enormous performance tonight came from Kevin Ginkel in the 8th inning getting out of a bases loaded 1 out jam and keeping it a tie game at 1-1. Juan Morillo began the inning, and after getting some planned rest and not throwing much the past week appeared very rusty. Morillo loaded the bases and then hit the batter walking in a run and putting this bullpen in a precarious position. Fortunately, Kevin Ginkel came in and completely overpowered the next 2 Rockies hitters keeping the score where it was and giving the team a chance to win the game. Kevin Ginkel regaining the dominant form we have seen from him in previous seasons has been such a massive development in the early going for this team.

The offense really was disappointing tonight. The Rockies threw a starter who had never even started a professional game in his career before, and he held the Dbacks offense scoreless through 5 innings while only allowing 2 baserunners. Definitely not what you would expect, but the Dbacks hitters continued to chase pitches outside of the zone playing right into the pitcher’s hands.

Dbacks hitters were able to draw 8 walks, mostly off the Rockies bullpen, but the Dbacks were still only able to score just 2 runs despite all of the free passes.

Good teams can win baseball games in multiple ways, and this team this season has shown the ability to win slugfests as well as the pitching duels like we saw tonight. This is definitely an encouraging development from my perspective as it has seemed like in year’s past this team could only win games by bludgeoning teams to death with offense. The Dbacks will look to keep the momentum going tomorrow night as they will give the ball to Michael Soroka.

The biggest negative for me of this game, was the reporting from Bob Nightengale during the game that this was the smallest crowd at Chase Field since May of 2023 at just 14,761 fans. C’mon guys! We have got to do better than that! Especially when this team is winning games! I would greatly encourage people to try and show up to the ballpark this holiday weekend and give these guys some energy at home! They deserve it! Especially with the big replica jersey giveaway this weekend. LFG!

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Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs Game 3 preview: Three things to look for, including who is heathy

For two games, this series has been everything.

Two high-level, high-skill, deep, elite teams, both brilliantly coached, playing with urgency on every possession because they understand if they don't, it will be the end of their season.

While the scene shifts to San Antonio for Game 3, nothing else is going to change — these two teams recognize in each other an equal, a genuine contender, and someone they don't really like. The intensity with which this series has been played is fantastic.

Game 3 is Friday night at 8:30 p.m. ET, and you can watch it on NBC or stream it on Peacock. Here are three things to look for in this game.

1) Who is healthy?

I hate that this has to be the No. 1 item, but with key starters from both teams possibly out, it has to be discussed.
San Antonio has been without De'Aaron Fox for the first two games of this series and his replacement as a starter, Dylan Harper, left Game 2 game in the third quarter with what the team is now calling adductor soreness.

Officially, both Spurs players are questionable for Game 3.

Fox was a game-time decision for Game 2 after going through warmups, expect that pattern to continue. Harper’s adductor issue is similar to a hamstring strain in that it's a very easy muscle to reinjure if not fully healed, so it wouldn't be a surprise if the rookie misses at least a game or two.

For the Thunder, Jalen Williams is also officially questionable with left hamstring soreness. He will be a game-day decision and is day-to-day, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.

Williams appeared to reinjure the left hamstring in the first quarter of Game 2, the same hamstring that kept him out half of the Thunder's first-round series against the Suns and the entire series against the Lakers. While the Thunder have been without Williams for much of the season and kept winning, they need him in this tight a series.

Oklahoma City came into this series with a depth advantage, and that could start to show as this series keeps going. San Antonio's starters have played more than 40 minutes together this series, while Oklahoma City doesn't have a lineup that has played more than 15 minutes. The Spurs have five players who have logged at least 70 minutes through two games (Game 1 going to double OT helped spike that), while Oklahoma City has just one in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That's just something to watch, especially if both teams are without key rotation players this series.

2) Can San Antonio reduce their turnovers?

These are the statistics that define the series through two games.

Turnovers: San Antonio 44, Oklahoma City 25.
Points off turnovers: Oklahoma City 55, San Antonio 27.
Part of this ties into item No. 1 on this list. With starting point guard Fox missing both games due to a high ankle sprain suffered against the Timberwolves last round, and Dylan Harper missing much of the second half of Game 2, a huge shot creation load has fallen on the shoulders of Stephon Castle — and he has 20 turnovers through two games. While Castle is an All-Star level shot creator — and incredibly good for a second-year player — it's a lot to ask. Especially going up against the high-pressure Oklahoma City defense that was the best in the league this season, and forced the second-most turnovers.

Both Oklahoma City and San Antonio have struggled with half-court offenses this series when they face set defenses, and both have thrived when they can get out and run in transition. Give the Thunder too many easy buckets off steals or other turnovers, and it becomes hard for the Spurs to score enough to keep up.

3)Is this another Wembanyama game?

Oklahoma City's Isaiah Hartenstein did as good a job as humanly possible on Victor Wembanyama in Game 2, and the Frenchman still had 21 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks. In a game where the officials let it get physical, Hartenstein walked right up to that line and, in doing so, forced Wembanyama to work hard for every inch of the court.

If Game 3 is called more tightly, it's advantage Wembanyama. Also, back at home, expect more energy from Wembanyama, fueled by that home crowd.
Put simply, if Wembanyama looks more like the Game 1 version of himself than the Game 2 version, everything else we've written in this story may not matter — he can take over a game like nobody else. And if he does, the Spurs will be in charge of the series again.

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Yankees option prospect Spencer Jones as Jose Caballero's return looms

The Yankees needed to make a tough decision to bring Gerrit Cole and Jose Caballero back from the IL and optioning prospect Spencer Jones was the solution.

The team announced late Thursday that Jones and RHP Yovanny Cruz were optioned back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The corresponding moves were not announced, but with Cole slated to start Friday's series opener against the Rays and Caballero's 10-day IL stint set to end, those are the likely changes to the roster.

For Jones, the call-up felt like a long time coming for the 25-year-old. With his power numbers opening eyes in the minors, 35 long balls in 2025 and 11 this year, many wanted to see if his skills could translate with the Yankees. But the outfielder just couldn't get it going in his time in pinstripes.

In 10 games in the bigs, Jones had four hits (all singles) in 24 at-bats, with three walks, two RBI and a stolen base. He also struck out 12 times, an issue the slugger has had his entire professional career.

Across 33 games in Triple-A this season, he has struck out 46 times in 120 at-bats. He had 179 punchouts in 438 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A. 

Cole will take the spot of Cruz, 26, who made his MLB debut on Wednesday against the Blue Jays. The right-hander was electric, striking out three batters in his two innings of work. On Thursday, Cruz wasn't as effective. He allowed a hit and hit a batter while getting just one out. 

He'll return to the minors, where he held a 3.00 ERA and struck out 23 batters in 18.0 IP across 15 appearances with the RailRiders. 

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Diamondbacks 2, Rockies 1: Duel of the Fates

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 21: Zach Agnos #36 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the first inning of the MLB game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Jeremy Chen/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Offense was tough to come by as the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks squared off in the desert to kick off the series. A spectacular pitching duel highlighted the night as the Rockies ended up losing 2-1 on a Diamondbacks walk-off single.

The Amazing Agnos

Making his first start since high school, Zach Agnos was incredible on the mound. Coming into the game, the Rockies were hoping to get at least four innings out of Agnos, but got much more than that. Showing command of all his pitches, Agnos kept the Diamondbacks off balance as he worked quickly and efficiently, firing 71 pitches, 49 for strikes, over five innings of work while collecting four strikeouts and allowing just one walk, just the third Rockie all-time to have that stat line in his first career start. He also induced three groundouts and six flyouts. The baserunner for Arizona didn’t come until Adrian Del Castillo drew a one-out walk, and the lone hit Agnos gave up was a soft line drive by Ketel Marte with two outs in the same inning.

While it wouldn’t have been great for him to get more run support and leave with a lead instead of a 0-0 tie, the fact that he matched the veteran Eduardo Rodriguez pitch-for-pitch through five innings is a major feather in his cap and may warrant another start in five days.

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A Threatening Rattle

The Rockies then turned to Blas Castaño, who had impressed in his Rockies debut against Arizona last Sunday, out of the bullpen to start the sixth inning.

Things got a little hairy out of the gate as Castaño walked Ryan Waldschmidt and surrendered a single to Marte to put runners on the corners. Corbin Carroll then grounded into a force out, thanks to a nifty play by Chad Stevens, that drove in the run to give the Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead. Castaño then dug himself into a bit more of a hole as he loaded the bases by walking Geraldo Perdomo and hitting Nolan Arenado with a pitch. Stevens again came through defensively to start a double play off the bat of Ildemardo Vargas to end the inning.

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The Diamondbacks threatened in the following inning as Castaño allowed a single and a walk. He managed to get Waldschmidt to strike out for the second out and then got Marte to hit a ball on the ground to first base. Willi Castro had a peculiar play as he just needed to touch the bag, but seemed to forget how many outs there were and turned to fire to second base to try and turn a double play. Luckily, Ezequiel Tovar was able to cover the bag for the force out.

The Amazing Rodriguez

As good as Agnos was for the Rockies, Rodriguez was just as good for the Diamondbacks and then some. The Rockies didn’t get their first base runner until the fourth inning, courtesy of a walk by Castro, and didn’t get their first hit until the fifth inning. Rodriguez ended up going seven innings, allowing just four hits while striking out four. He threw 63 of his 99 pitches for strikes and induced a whopping 10 ground-outs, including a couple of crucial double-play balls.

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The Rockies’ best chance to score against him came in the fifth inning. Tovar led off the inning with a double to right field. Kyle Karros then ripped a ball to third base and was robbed of a hit by Arenado, who was playing even with the bag, anticipating a bunt. Jake McCarthy then reached on an infield single to put men on the corners with one out. Braxton Fulford then laid down a bunt in front of the mound for a squeeze play, but it went right to Rodriguez, who then flipped it to the plate to get Tovar. Troy Johnston then flew out to end the inning.

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Rox Equalize

Once Rodriguez was out of the game, the Rockies found some momentum against reliever Juan Morillo, who hadn’t allowed a run since May 2. Johnston got things started with a one-out single and was followed by a pinch-hit single from TJ Rumfield, and another Castro walk to load the bases. The birthday boy, Tyler Freeman, was then hit by a pitch to drive in the run and tie the game up 1-1 and keep the bases loaded.

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Kevin Ginkel then entered the game on the mound with the Rockies looking for the big hit to take the lead. Unfortunately, Hunter Goodman popped out softly to the catcher, and Tovar grounded out to third base to end the inning.

Tough Luck Loss

After Seth Halvorsen escaped the eighth without giving up a run, Juan Mejia wasn’t as lucky in the bottom of the ninth. Having allowed two walks in the inning, Mejia was close to sending the game to extra innings as he faced Corbin Carroll with two outs. Carroll won the batter, however, sending a ball into right field that Freeman was unable to send home to catch the winning run.

The Rockies managed six hits in the game, but went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. They struck out six times and had two walks. The Diamondbacks only had four hits and went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, walks turned out to be a huge difference maker as the Rockies’ bullpen issued seven walks after Agnos departed.

Up Next

The series continues on Friday with Tomoyuki Sugano (4-3, 4.02 ERA) taking the mound for Colorado. Michael Soroka (6-2, 3.49 ERA) will take the pill for Arizona. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 am MDT.

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Knicks' Mike Brown effusive of Josh Hart, compares him to Andre Iguodala: 'Those dudes are winners'

Looking at the box score of the Knicks’ Game 1 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, it would appear Josh Hart had a bad game. 

Not only did he shoot below 50 percent from the field and 20 percent from downtown, Hart had two turnovers, played just 31 minutes of a game that went to OT, and had a plus/minus rating of -23, meaning when he was on the court, New York was outscored by 23 points.

In Thursday’s Game 2, Hart, on the surface, played much better. He scored 26 points, including going 5-for-11 from three-point range, with seven assists and four rebounds and added two steals to one turnover. His plus/minus rating was +18.

It’s true that Hart definitely had a better game on Thursday than he did on Tuesday, but he doesn’t necessarily believe he had a bad game in Game 1.

“I’m never a huge analytics guy,” he said on Thursday night. “At a certain point, they’re a lamp post to a drunk person – you can lean on them but it won’t get you home. At a certain point, you gotta have a good feel for the game.”

While Hart’s analogy, which drew incredulous laughter by not only reporters but Karl-Anthony Towns, who was sitting right next to him, is certainly interesting, head coach Mike Brown agrees with the sentiment that Hart is more than just his stat sheet.

“He does so many little things that don’t show up on the box score,” Brown said. “I mean obviously, he shot well tonight, he scored 26 points, he had seven assists, one turnover, but he does so much more.”

To truly appreciate Hart’s impact on the game, one must look past just his stats and actually watch what Hart does on the court.

Sometimes that means simply defending the other team’s biggest player. Maybe it’s a recovered loose ball at a pivotal moment in the game that completely shifts the momentum, or perhaps it’s just something he says to his teammates in the huddle.

Whatever Hart does, Brown notices and doesn’t take it for granted. Brown even compared Hart to another player he coached while he was with the Golden State Warriors: Andre Iguodala.

“They’re different players, but they’re similar players because Andre is edgy too,” Brown said. “And Andre is a hell of a player and he does so many little things that if you’re not careful, you won’t appreciate them. It’s the same with Josh.”

Iguodala spent 19 seasons in the NBA, but other than a few really good seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers in the mid-2000s, his numbers never exactly jumped off the page.

During the Warriors’ dynasty in the mid-2010s, Iguodala hardly ever started, yet he impacted the game so much that he actually won NBA Finals MVP in 2014-15 while averaging just 10.4 points per game during the playoffs.

Thursday’s offensive output notwithstanding, Hart is very similar for the Knicks, which is exactly why he has earned Brown’s benefit of the doubt.

“Because he’s so impactful as a connector, I gotta give him probably more leash than anybody else,” Brown said. “I gotta let him go be him and get out of his way. 

“And that’s hard sometimes as a coach because you’re looking at X’s and O’s and you want everything to be perfect and you’re looking at the box score and you’re looking at this and with Josh and with Andre, all that s— should be thrown out the window because those dudes are winners.”

Hart appreciated the high praise and comparison to a potential Hall of Famer, but his focus continues to be solely on winning.

“Iggy was a hell of a player, I don’t know if I’m at that level, but I just try and go out there and play my game,” Hart said.

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Mets’ Kodai Senga to pitch in first rehab game since inflamed spine injury

An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Kodai Senga is scheduled to pitch Friday for Single-A St. Lucie, his first minor league rehab appearance since the team placed him on the injured list

WASHINGTON — Kodai Senga’s rehab is moving to the game phase.

The Mets right-hander is scheduled to pitch Friday for Single-A St. Lucie, his first minor league rehab appearance since the team placed him on the injured list April 27 with lumbar spine inflammation.

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Senga, according to manager Carlos Mendoza, will throw 50-60 pitches, a maximum of four innings. It’s still too early, Mendoza said, to know if Senga will need the full 30-day rehab window.

It’s been a rough start to the season for Senga, who owns a 9.00 ERA in five starts. Senga’s lumbar inflammation was diagnosed after a third straight subpar outing in April.

He is one of two pitchers who began the season in the Mets rotation now on the IL (Clay Holmes, with a fractured right fibula, is the other).

Another starting pitcher, Sean Manaea, has been relegated to mop-up duty in the bullpen.

Kodai Senga is scheduled to pitch Friday for Single-A St. Lucie, his first minor league rehab appearance since the team placed him on the injured list. Corey Sipkin for New York Post

The Mets have received mixed results from reinforcements from Syracuse. Christian Scott has pitched to a 4.12 ERA in five starts.

Zach Thornton debuted for the team on Wednesday and allowed four earned runs over 4 ¹/₃ innings.

Mark Vientos made a highlight-reel play at first base with a diving stop in the fifth inning that retired CJ Abrams for the final out and prevented the tying run from scoring in the Mets’ 2-1 victory over the Nationals.

“You have to give him a lot of credit because he continues to work every day with the coaching staff and he’s gotten so much better,” Mendoza said. “He’s comfortable. That wasn’t an easy play. It was a bullet and then he got a good first step on it. Overall, the awareness on bunt plays, there’s a lot that he is doing right.”

A.J. Minter’s potential last rehab appearance is scheduled for Saturday with Syracuse.

The lefty reliever, who had hip discomfort after rehabbing from lat surgery, hasn’t pitched for the Mets since April 2025.

Tobias Myers will start Friday’s game in Miami, the team announced. 

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Canadiens pounce on Hurricanes early in 6-2 win to open Eastern Conference Final

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Montreal Canadiens never flinched in winning two Game 7s on the road to reach the Eastern Conference Final. Opening on the road again was no different, even against a well-rested top seed that had yet to lose in the postseason.

The Canadiens pounced for four first-period goals on slow-starting Carolina — coming off the longest postseason break in more than a century — and beat the Hurricanes 6-2 on Thursday night.

“We knew we could come in here and try to get off to a good start to the series,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said after a three-assist night. “We’re happy with the result, but they’re definitely going to be better than what they were tonight.”

Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault scored in the opening four minutes, Alexandre Texier followed four minutes later, and Ivan Demidov finished a breakaway for a shocking 4-1 lead midway through the opening period. That came against a team that hadn’t allowed more than two goals in an 8-0 playoff start.

Juraj Slafkovksy scored twice in the third period for Montreal, the second on a late empty-netter, while Jakub Dobes had 24 saves.

Game 2 is Saturday night.

The Hurricanes were the first team to sweep their first two playoff rounds since the NHL went to best-of-seven series in all four rounds in 1987. But that led to a lengthy break of 11 days, the longest rest for any team before starting the next playoff run since at least 1920, while waiting on the Canadiens to battle their way past Tampa Bay and Buffalo.

That led to the rest-versus-rust discussion about the Hurricanes, along with how well the Canadiens would pivot from those to-the-limit wins.

And outside of Seth Jarvis beating Dobes just 33 seconds in, the Canadiens answered that question resoundingly in those opening minutes to extend Carolina’s misery in this round.

“I didn’t think we were very sharp, to put it bluntly,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Our top guys had tough nights. That’s not going to work at this time of the year.”

Much of Carolina’s success comes from pressuring opponents in the offensive zone and minimizing chances going the other way. But Montreal effectively moved the puck out of danger against Carolina’s aggressive pressure early, setting up clean breakouts, open-ice space and multiple breakaway chances at Frederik Andersen.

“The execution was there right off the bat,” Canadiens center Jake Evans said.

Danault’s goal was a full-speed breakaway right up the middle off a feed from Alexandre Carrier, while Demidov went forehand-backhand-forehand to beat Andersen for the 4-1 lead with 8:28 left in the first.

Andersen was leading the postseason in goals-against average (1.12) and save percentage (.950), but finished with just 16 saves.

Eric Robinson also scored for Carolina, which is in the Eastern final for the third time in four years and fourth time in the current eight-season playoff run under Rod Brind’Amour. But the Hurricanes are now 1-13 in those games, including sweeps against Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023.

Carolina’s loss meant the two Stanley Cup favorites both lost the opener of the conference finals. Colorado lost at home to Vegas on Wednesday night.

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Utah Jazz Mock Draft Roundup

LAWRENCE, KANSAS - JANUARY 31: Forward AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars controls the ball as he is defended by guard Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse on January 31, 2026 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The NBA Draft is getting closer, and the mixed signals are flying right and left, and it’s hard to know for sure what the Utah Jazz might do at #2. Everything obviously depends on what the Washington Wizards do at #1. The odds makers at FanDuel have the Wizards at -320 to take AJ Dybantsa with the first pick, +280 to pick Darryn Peterson with the second pick, and Cameron Boozer at +1200. If you believe those odds, then it’s clear that the Wizards are looking to take Dybantsa, but do the latest mocks have him going there? And who will the Jazz take if AJ Dybantsa isn’t on the board?

We’ve seen a lot of intel that the Jazz are high on Darryn Peterson, but we’ve also seen reports that they’re considering Cam Boozer as well. With so many different reports out there, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s posturing from the different GMs. Let’s take a look at the most prominent mock drafts and who they have the Jazz taking.

MockPick #1 – Washington WizardsPick #2 – Utah JazzPick #3 – Memphis GrizzliesPick #4 – Chicago Bulls
SB NationAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
AthleticAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
ESPNAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
YahooAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
The RingerAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson
CBS SportsAJ DybantsaDarryn PetersonCameron BoozerCaleb Wilson

It appears that there is a little bit of a consensus on the top-4 picks. Normally, it seems like there’s at least some sort of deviation, but not here, not this season. This is probably what happens on draft night, but you never know when one GM makes some sort of surprise move. Maybe an individual workout goes badly, or maybe an unforeseen problem arises during a team interview. Barring anything crazy like that, it looks like Darryn Peterson is going to be on the Utah Jazz come June.

It’s an incredible win for the Utah Jazz to come out of this draft with a tier-1 prospect like Darryn Peterson. He’s considered by many to be the most talented prospect in the draft, and somehow he’s going to the Jazz at #2. In most drafts, getting the second pick can be a devastating thing. It can be the first loser of the draft type of feeling. For Utah, not this time. Darryn Peterson has the talent to be the type of offensive talent that can lead a team all the way to the Championship. On top of that, he’s joining a team that was already good enough to make the playoffs next season. It has taken time for Jazz prospects to join the starting lineup, but Peterson is so talented that it’ll be hard to justify not starting him.

It’s time to get excited, Jazz fans. This has literally never happened before, and the upcoming season looks like the beginning of a chapter with real championship potential.

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Jalen Brunson makes life easier for Knicks with playoff career-high 14 assists in Game 2 win

After the monster game Jalen Brunson had in the Knicks' improbable comeback win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavaliers knew they had to change their game plan. 

Instead of letting Brunson do his thing and shutting down the other scorers, Cleveland focused their energy and defense on stopping the Knicks captain. That, however, also didn't work as Brunson dished a playoff career-high 14 assists in the Knicks' 109-93 Game 2 victory on Thursday night. 

"That’s what great players do. They read the game and the game dictated that," Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters after the game. "Obviously, we were loaded up more toward him and he found other guys. We gotta find that balance. But 14 assists, credit to him. [We] took away some of the scoring options, blitzed him, gave him different looks. He made the right reads, right plays."

"As an MVP candidate, Jalen Brunson's job is to make the game easier for his teammates," Mike Brown said. "That's what he did."

Brunson scored two points on just 1 of 3 shooting in the first quarter, deferring to Karl-Anthony Towns (seven points) in the opening frame. The second quarter was more of the same, dishing three assists as Josh Hart and OG Anunoby scored a combined 15 points while Brunson went scoreless in the quarter on 0-for-3 shooting.

While Brunson's scoring increased in the second half (17 points on 6 of 10 shooting), he made nine assists in the third and fourth quarters.

"They were presenting two to the ball and I was able to find my teammates and they were knocking shots down," Brunson said after the game. "Just trying to create an advantage by putting two on the ball and trusting them and having them make the play."

And Brunson's teammates rewarded that trust. Hart went for a team-high, and playoff career-high, 26 points, while Towns (18), Anunoby (14) and Mikal Bridges (19) all scored in double-figures to help give the Knicks a 2-0 series lead. 

"He had a huge offensive game the last game, so we knew they would come in with a different game plan," Hart said of Brunson's game. "That shows the confidence he has in us and the depth of team we have… We can win a game with him scoring 10, 12 points but having 14 assists, getting guys involved. Shows the character of the team, character of him. Shows we can win games in different ways."

"Just shows that he plays the right way. If you’re not going to send the double team, it’s an advantage for him. If you send the double team, he will read and react and find the open guy," Bridges said. "He plays the right way. Ever since I known him, he plays the right way… If you’re going to keep helping off, he’s going to make you pay and that’s what makes him great."

Game 2 gave another example of how this Knicks team has been able to adapt to any team and any scenario. It feels like forever ago that the Knicks were down 2-1 in their first-round series with the Hawks before the team started running the offense through Towns. That continued during the four-game sweep of the 76ers, and after that strategy didn't work on Cleveland in Game 1, Brunson took over to steal the victory.

And now, Brunson was the facilitator.

"It’s an advantage for us. Learning how to play differently," Brunson said of the Knicks' ability to be versatile. "There will be times where one game plan will be different from the next. Being able to adjust and adjust on the fly is something we need to continue to get better at. We just have to continue to be open to figure out how we can win the next game."

What will the Knicks do in Game 3? Whatever it is, the Cavaliers will have their hands full trying to prepare for multiple looks from Brunson and the Knicks.

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Calder Cup Playoffs: Springfield Staves Off Elimination, Forces Game 5 Against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had a chance to eliminate Springfield in Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Final on Thursday night, but it wasn't meant to be.

It looked like WBS took the lead in the first period with a goal by Harrison Brunicke but it was disallowed due to goalie interference. The officials felt that Gabe Klassen made contact with Springfield goaltender Georgii Romanov and took the goal away.

However, Inside AHL Hockey's Tony Androckitis noticed via replay that it was Romanov who swept Klassen's leg at the top of the crease. 

Take a look:

WBS lost all the momentum after that disallowed goal and couldn't get back to its game. Springfield eventually opened the scoring in the second period, thanks to Dillon DUbe. He scored a power play goal with less than four minutes left in the middle frame.

The Thunderbirds took that one-goal lead into the third period before making it 2-0 with 13:12 left. 

The Penguins couldn't get anything going for the rest of the game and ultimately lost by that same score. The series is now even at two games all, meaning there will be a winner-take-all Game 5 back in WBS on Saturday.

Whoever wins Saturday's game will advance to the Eastern Conference Final. Puck drop is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!  

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'Knicks in 4' a real possibility of Cavaliers can't flip the script

NEW YORK — The Cleveland Cavaliers have a Jalen Brunson problem. As well as a James Harden problem. Plus a shooting problem. And a bench problem.

Problems like those, no matter how much coaches can sugarcoat it, can’t exactly be solved overnight, and Cleveland heads home to the shores of Lake Erie down 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals, and they are two more dreadful performances from enjoying the early vacation spot south of the border reserved for teams that don’t meet their season’s goals.

Thursday night’s performance at Madison Square Garden, a 109-93 loss, was much more than a Game 1 hangover. With the rabid crowd screaming “Knicks in 4” as the fourth-quarter seconds wound down, New York is just two victories away from its first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, when they lost in five games to the San Antonio Spurs. The Knicks' most recent championship banner is from 1973, and breaking that five-decade drought is more realistic than ever, barring a total collapse in the next week.

New York has now won nine straight playoff games. When the Boston Celtics won the 2024 title, they won 10 consecutive postseason games.

After blowing a 22-point lead in Game 1 and inexplicably using no timeouts as his team was getting blitzed to the tune of a 44-11 run over the first 12 minutes of regulation and overtime, Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson was criticized for keeping timeouts for no reason, but this time in Game 2, whether he used them or not, there was nothing he could have done that would have stopped New York. 

Brunson put together a 38-point masterclass in Game 1, bringing the Knicks back from the brink of an embarrassing performance. His Game 2 performance was much more subtle but no less effective, with 19 points and 14 assists.

From the outset, it was clear that Cleveland’s defensive strategy was to clamp down on Brunson and force him into getting the ball out of his hands early in the shot clock. Instead, the three-time All-Star flipped the script, dishing off to open teammates who rewarded him with their sharpshooting, and the team shot 52 percent for the night.

The beneficiaries of Brunson’s playing calm, controlled floor general instead of deadly clutch assassin were Josh Hart — who led five Knicks starters in double figures, scoring a playoff career-high 26 points and hitting five three-pointers — and Karl-Anthony Towns — with a strong 18-point, 13-rebound performance. Hart was not a factor in Game 1 and was on the bench for the most part as New York made their epic comeback.

"I don't have an ego, that got burned out of my heart a long time ago,” Hart said after the game.

Knicks head coach Mike Brown didn’t argue with that assessment.

“It's just who Josh is. He's a gamer,” Brown said. “He knew what he had to do in terms of the adjustments he needed to make in order to be effective, not just for him but for the team."

Cleveland couldn’t take advantage of several opportunities to make the game tilt in their favor. Brunson only scored two points in the first half, but Cleveland was down four going into halftime.

But the Knicks essentially put the game away with an 18-0 run in the third, led by Brunson, who started the quarter with a 3-pointer, a driving turnaround 10-foot jumper, and another layup around a flat-footed Harden.

The Cavaliers got no closer than seven points the rest of the game, and even when the Knicks went the first three and a half minutes of the fourth quarter without scoring and were in the foul bonus with nine minutes left, the shooting woes continued, and when a 3-pointer by OG Anunoby, who had 14 points, found nothing but nylon to break the scoring drought the deflated Cavaliers all but waved the white flag.

The New York Knicks' Josh Hart and Cleveland Cavaliers' Max Strus get tangled under the basket during Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on May 21, 2026.

The Cavaliers shot 38.5%, including 9-35 from three, and were outscored in the paint by 18 points.

“We didn’t shoot the ball well,” an astute Atkinson said after the game. “I thought we had a lot of good looks from three. I thought our process was good. At the end of the day, you have to put the ball in the hole.”

At this point, you can pick a reason why the Cavaliers’ problems are amplified since the 7:52 mark in the fourth quarter of Game 1, where they had a 93-71 lead. Harden’s disappearing act is the most notable. He had 12 points in the first half, six in the second, and for the most part seemed uninterested in keeping any Knicks ball handler in front of him. Donovan Mitchell, who scored 26 points in the loss, can only do so much, and Cleveland’s basic four-man bench rotation went 5 for 24 from the field, not making a dent in the scoreboard during their time on the floor.

Evan Mobley got off to a hot start, scoring 14 points in the first half, including 10 in the first quarter. But that was it for his night on the offensive end, as he didn’t attempt a single shot in the second half.  

With their season teetering on the brink of elimination, Cleveland needs to put together a complete Game 3 performance on Saturday, or it will be more of the same disappointing results.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cavaliers have problems to solves to avoid playoff disappointment