Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (15) dribbles the ball against Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake LaRavia (12) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Houston Rockets will look to bounce back tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers.
In Game 1, Houston was definitely off their game without Kevin Durant. The injury clearly happened late in the week and threw the Rockets off their game. It added immediate pressure to a series in which Houston is favored thanks to LA’s injuries. Now, the momentum is with LA as they’ve seen the formula for beating Houston: defend like hell and let LeBron James do LeBron James things. Can they do that 16 times? No. But three more is definitely feasible.
Houston has to play better in Game 2. James wrote a great piece on it, and I agree with his salient points. The Rockets have to get better shots in their offense and make them. With two days off to process their mistakes in Game 1, let’s hope that Houston makes adjustments and has counters to some of LA’s schemes. Maybe in this game Houston won’t allow Luke Kennard to do the one thing he can do at an elite level.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 20: Max Muncy #13 and Dalton Rushing #68 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate their 12-3 win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Three fielding errors, a balk and a wild pitch by the Rockies — along with a shutdown performance from L.A.‘s reliever-turned-starter Justin Wrobleski — helped the Dodgers (16-6) defeat Colorado on Monday night and settle for a series split.
Max Muncy hit two homers, making it four in the series, and Colorado fans will not be sad to see him leave town. The Rockies (9-14) couldn’t come up with the rally or clutch hit they needed, going 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and leaving nine runners on base in the game.
Quintana’s Command Improves, But D struggles
On the bright side, José Quintana only walked one batter in five innings compared to the eight he’d walked in eight innings in his first two outings. The bad news is that Kyle Karros had a fielding error that gave way to a two-run third inning. Quintana also got in his own way, getting called for a run-scoring balk in the fourth. Instead of inducing an inning-ending double play, it scored a run and helped the Dodgers take a 5-1 lead.
In the first inning, Quinanta was also charged with an error when he couldn’t catch a lob from Troy Johnston to allow Shohei Ohtani to reach. Luckily, it didn’t turn out to hurt Quintana as Ohtani was stranded at third. What did hurt Quintana was giving up back-to-back solo homers to Muncy and Miguel Rojas in the second inning to give the Dodgers a lead (2-1) that they never lost.
On the night, Quintana (0-2, 6.53 ERA) gave up six runs, only four earned, on eight hits and one walk with one strikeout in five innings. Quintana started the sixth inning, but gave up singles to Muncy and Rojas to start the frame and got the hook from manager Warren Schaeffer. In the postgame press conference, Schaeffer called the game “a night to forget.”
Gordon Also Scores Own Goal
Tanner Gordon relieved Quintana and was also his own worst enemy. While he almost escaped damage despite inheriting two runners, he intentionally walked Ohtani after getting two outs, but then accidentally walked Alex Call to walk in a run and make it 6-1.
In the seventh inning, Gordon made a fielding error when he couldn’t scoop up a bunt by Rojas, which allowed Andy Pages to score and increase L.A.‘s lead to 7-1. In the eighth, Gordon threw a wild pitch, which allowed Ohtani to move from second to third and then come around to score on a Teoscar Hernández single.
While Gordon recorded six strikeouts, he didn’t have the same swing-and-miss magic he had in his season debut when he threw four scoreless innings on April 15 against Houston. Instead, the Dodgers teed off on Gordon with Dalton Rushing hitting two homers and Muncy adding his second of the day.
When all was said and done, Gordon (7.04 ERA) gave up six runs on seven hits with three walks.
Rockies Score First
It’s hard to believe, but the Rockies actually jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Jordan Beck led off with a double and Brenton Doyle followed with another double to bring him home and put the Rockies up 1-0.
Then Wrobleski took over and gave up zero runs in the next six innings. The Rockies only got six hits in innings two through seven, struck out three times and didn’t draw a walk. Wrobleski is now 3-0 on the season with a 1.88 ERA in 24 innings.
The offense did better as soon as Wrobleski left the game. In the eighth inning, TJ Rumfield earned a stroll through the dugout in the purple coat when he sent an Edgardo Henriquez slider 440 feet to the second deck in the right field stands. It was Rumfield’s third homer of the season.
Beck, taking advantage of a left-handed pitcher, went 3-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and a run scored from the leadoff spot. All three of his hits came against Wrobleski. Willi Castro and Brett Sullivan each added two hits for the Rockies.
Up Next
The Rockies will now host the San Diego (15-7) for a three-game series beginning Tuesday. The Padres swept the Rockies in a four-game series earlier in April. On Tuesday, RHP Randy Vásquez (1-0, 2.49) will get the start for San Diego. The Rockies have yet to announce their starter.
After dropping Game 1 at home in rather unceremonious fashion, the Pittsburgh Penguins entered Game 2 against the Philadelphia Flyers in what was as close to a must-win situation as they could get without actually being in involved in an elimination game.
In Game 2, the Flyers ousted the Penguins, 3-0, in yet another frustrating, disjointed effort by the team. Pittsburgh was able to generate a bit more in terms of shots, as they outdid Philly in that department with a 27-23 advantage, but it was not nearly enough to rattle Dan Vladar, who earned his second-straight win between the pipes for the Flyers.
"You have to give [Vladar] credit. He made some big saves as well," Penguins' head coach Dan Muse said. "But we can be doing things here to be getting better quality. Better quality, and just more in general. So that falls on us."
The game was, once again, scoreless after one, and there wasn't a whole lot of space out there - especially in the neutral zone - to begin this game. There were only seven total shots on goal in the first period, and Philadelphia was credited with five of them. This was despite the fact that the Penguins had three power play opportunities.
And, just like Game 1, much was the same for the first half of the second period, even if the Penguins did generate some chances. Bryan Rust hit iron a few minutes in, and Egor Chinakhov had an opportunity from the slot that he simply just whiffed on.
After the Penguins failed to score during that stretch, it was only a matter of time before the Flyers took advantage of mistakes. About 13 minutes into the second, A TV timeout gave the Flyers a chance to reset after a strong wave of o-zone pressure from the Penguins, and they were able to generate a strong shift in the offensive zone for, really, the first time in the middle frame. The result was a Porter Martone goal on a nice seam pass across the low slot from Travis Konecny, and the Flyers took the 1-0 lead.
However, Luke Glendening took a cross-checking penalty a couple of minutes later, putting the Penguins on their fourth power play at a crucial moment in the game. They could not get anything generated, and conversely, Philadelphia pressured in the Penguins' zone on the penalty kill. Garnet Hathaway essentially had a tap-in opportunity from Owen Tippett due to some blown coverage by the Penguins' second unit, and the shorthanded goal put the Flyers up, 2-0.
That was, really, the nail in the coffin. The Penguins did generate some good looks in the third period, but it was simply not enough, and Glendening added the empty-netter with two minutes remaining in regulation.
"When we sustained some zone time, when we moved the puck to open areas and separated ourselves a little bit from their tight checks - and, you know, their good defensive work - something will eventually open up," Erik Karlsson said. "It's really hard to defend in this league with the way everybody's skating these days, and we just don't do enough of it.
"Come the end of the second to third period, you knew they have a little bit more energy than we do, and that starts right from the beginning."
The Penguins will head to Philadelphia to face the Flyers in Game 3 on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh trails in the series, 2-0.
- This power play is their undoing right now, and it's a serious problem.
The Penguins' man advantage is now 0-for-7 in this series, and it has cost them momentum in both of these hockey games. They had plenty of chances to establish an early lead in the first period, and they were barely able to set up against a bottom-10 penalty kill during the regular season. And, when they did, they either missed the net or attempted an ill-advised pass.
They had one shot across five power plays today. That's simply not good enough. Philadelphia legitimately generated more on the penalty kill against them. The unit is entirely disjointed, there's way too much perimeter play, and they're fumbling way too many opportunities to get pucks on net.
And, as the cherry on top, the shorthanded goals continue to be a legitimate problem from this unit.
"I said it before. I think there's different things every time, but there has to be awareness on the power play," Muse said. "It doesn't matter who you're out there against. Which team. They get the puck, they're going to be on the attack, and I think we have to have awareness of what's behind us."
I don't know if there is a quick fix for the power play, whether personnel-wise or strategy-wise. But something needs to change between Game 2 and Game 3; otherwise, it could very well be the primary reason they get eliminated.
- Once again, Stuart Skinner was outstanding in this game, and he deserves a lot more support from the team in front of him.
He made a ten-bell save on a shorthanded 2-on-0 opportunity during the third period on Glendening that would have given the Flyers two in the game and an earlier 3-0 lead. He stopped a third-period penalty shot by Owen Tippett to continue giving his team a chance to come back in this one. He made a lot of key saves in the second period as well.
For the first time in a while during the playoffs, the Penguins are actually getting really solid goaltending. Skinner is literally doing everything he can to keep them in this series.
Once again, he has earned the next start. This series could be looking much, much uglier right now without him, and if there's a silver lining through these first two, that's it. If the Penguins can simply start scoring goals, they should be in good shape.
Stuart Skinner makes a great stop to keep the Penguins within two.
- And the Penguins won't start scoring goals if their top-six can't figure things out.
Sidney Crosby has not looked anything close to himself in these first two games, and the case is the same with Rust, Karlsson, Tommy Novak, and Evgeni Malkin. Even Chinakhov looks off. Everything about the top-six is off, and trickling further down the lineup, too, I don't think Anthony Mantha or Connor Dewar have played particularly well, either.
Muse did adjust the lines in the third period for good, slotting Rickard Rakell back up with Crosby and Rust and Chinakhov back alongside Malkin and Novak, and that seemed to help a little bit. But, simply put, if these guys can't get going, the Flyers are going to make quick work of this series.
It's easy to tell frustration is starting to boil over. Tensions were high throughout the game, and especially at the end, when Mantha, Kris Letang, Noel Acciari, and Parker Wotherspoon were all assessed misconducts.
They need to turn the page, work it out in practice Tuesday, and not let the frustration seep into the next one.
"There should be frustration," Muse said. "We should be frustrated. We just lost two games at home, and so I think with frustration comes, 'How are you going to respond?' I would hope every single guy in that room, entire staff... nobody's happy right now. Nobody should be.
"Tomorrow, we're going to have to make a decision in terms of, are we going to stay with this? Stay with what we want to do? Get to our game, which we haven't gotten to in two games? Or are we going to let frustration continue to boil over into the next one? That's a choice that we, together, and all of us, including myself, are going to make here, hopefully, in the next 24 hours."
The New York City native provided a spark off the bench, although it wasn’t enough, as the Knicks lost home-court advantage in this first-round series. They dropped Game 2, 107-106, blowing a 12-point fourth-quarter lead to the Hawks at the Garden.
Acquired at the trade deadline from the Pelicans, Alvarado fell out of the rotation late in the season. But with Miles McBride and Landry Shamet struggling, coach Mike Brown went to Alvarado.
In nine minutes, the pesky guard had three assists and two rebounds and the Knicks outscored the Hawks by five.
Knicks guard Jose Alvarado #5 and Atlanta Hawks guard Gabe Vincent #4 face off during the third quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
In his second game as a Knick, Alvarado scored 26 points. He was going to be a major factor, until he wasn’t. The former Christ the King and Georgia Tech star fell out of the rotation. His minutes dried up.
Alvarado didn’t pout. He stayed ready.
“I’m good. I’m chilling. I’m ready for my moment. I’m ready for my name to get called, whenever it is,” Alvarado said recently. “Like you said, I started off here high. That was the best way to start. So there’s only one way to go — down. We just stay there mentally. This is my home team. I love the organization, I love the Knicks. So just whenever it’s Jose’s time, whenever that time is, I’m ready.”
Miles McBride #2 sets a pick for New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado #5 during the second quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Four years ago, Alvarado was great in the playoffs, frustrating Chris Paul in a first-round series matchup with the Suns.
Two years later, Alvarado’s Pelicans were swept out of the first round by the Thunder and he struggled. He believes this is different.
“Obviously, I’ve been in the playoffs, but never — no disrespect to any other team — one that’s championship caliber,” Alvarado said. “I see what they’re seeing. We can get to that level. We’re really good. We just need to lock in on the details and stay like that. What really is in our way is ourselves. We just got to stay consistent and confident in who we are.”
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 20: Kyle Isbel #28 of the Kansas City Royals leaps for a ball that sails over the wall for a grand slam by Leody Taveras #30 of the Baltimore Orioles during the 12th inning of the game at Kauffman Stadium on April 20, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
That game was NOT how you overcome the bad vibes of a losing streak. The Royals were one strike away from a win, from ending this misery. They could not make it happen despite having all the opportunities in the world.
The Orioles did not reach third base until the ninth inning. They did not hold a lead until the 11th inning. The Royals left a bajillion guys on base. You wouldn’t guess that from just looking at the final score. The Orioles did NOTHING for the first eight innings. But luckily for them, it doesn’t matter, exactly, when you score, or how many baserunners you have, as long as you have more runs than the other team when the last guy finishes hitting. Only one team was capable of that tonight.
Despite their five-run offensive output, most of which came in extras, the Royals had tons of opportunities for more. They EASILY could have put this game away in regular time. They should have!
In the bottom of the first inning, the Royals loaded the bases with only one out, Carter Jensen up to bat. He hit into a double play to end the threat. In the second inning, they added two singles after Jac’s home run but got nothing else. In the third inning, they loaded the bases again, this time with no outs. Michael Massey hit a comebacker to the pitcher, who got the force at home. Two strikeouts ended that threat. In the sixth, they again loaded the bases and got nothing. Runners at first and second in the 7th, again nothing.
In the 10th inning, with the added advantage of starting with a guy on second base with no outs, the Royals still found a way to squander it. After a Nick Loftin walk, Cags hit a routine fly ball to center field. Lane Thomas was the extra inning runner, and he tagged up as normal. The throw got by the third baseman, and Thomas decided to take off for third. The Orioles defense recovered and tagged him out on the slide. Isaac Collins grounded out to end that nonsense.
The Royals plated their second run in the bottom of the 11th with their life on the line. Kyle Isbel finally put down the bunt he had been trying to put down all game to move the Manfred Man, Collins, from second to third. Down to the last strike, Bobby Witt Jr managed a single to bring him in and tie the game. It still seemed harder than it should have been.
It took until the 12th inning for the Royals to actually do something with the bases loaded. A single and a walk loaded the bases for Nick Loftin, who pulled a grounder past the diving third baseman for a double. All three runners scored. Too little, too late.
The Royals went 5-for-21 (!!!!) with runners in scoring position and left 16 (!!!!) on base. Orioles starter Kyle Bradish allowed 10 hits and 3 walks in 5 and 1/3 innings! And yet, somehow, the only run he gave up was Cags’ solo homer.
Speaking of Jac’s homer – hoo wee. This was one of the few positives of the game, so let me talk about it for a bit. Jac sent that ball into next week. Bradish had a clear plan to go after Cags – backdoor breaking pitches. Cags managed to lay off a bunch of them, but not completely, throughout the game. For whatever reason, Bradish abandoned that plan for one pitch and left a fastball up and over the plate. Cags put a murderous swing on that ball and hit it 437 feet beyond the center field wall. Beautiful. I hope to see many years of those things. Worth noting – Cags laid off the breaking junk in his third plate appearance against Bradish and walked.
But back to the rest of the game – it was pretty frustrating to watch that offensive performance, gotta be honest. They just kept stalling out over and over again. It wasn’t any one thing either, to me. They had bloops, blasts, help from the Orioles defense, and more. The Orioles did everything in their power to give up 10 runs in the first nine innings of the game, not 1. The Royals *have* to take advantage of these opportunities as the season goes on.
The Royals pitchers, up until the dang ninth inning, did their part. Seth Lugo absolutely carved up the Orioles hitters over seven complete innings. He walked four guys in those seven innings, but he gave up only one hit, which was after a pickoff in the first inning. Lugo finished with seven strikeouts in a kitchen-sink-type outing. He was great. Matt Strahm followed by striking out the side in the eighth. He got a borderline ball overturned in his favor when Jensen challenged – it was about as close as it gets to a ball while still being called a strike. Like I mentioned before, through 8 innings, the Orioles had never touched third base.
Too bad Erceg couldn’t throw strikes in the ninth and blew it. He walked Gunnar Henderson and managed to pick him off (like Lugo did earlier). Then he walked Taylor Ward. He got a forceout to put the situation at two outs and a man on first, with Pete Alonso up. Erceg induced a couple check swings from Alonso, but alas none was called a swing. I guess you can argue all you want about the check swing calls. I don’t know. Felt like the Royals should have won the game before that!
Alonso walked. Jensen called for an ABS challenge against Basallo, the next hitter, but failed. Erceg put a fastball down the pipe that Basallo smacked into the gap to bring in the first Orioles run of the game (and the first time any Oriole touched third), which felt like it ended the Royals hopes for a win because the rest of the bullpen could not keep it together. Daniel Lynch IV did his job but was pulled after 12 pitches. Schreiber and Lange unraveled from there, including the dang 12th inning grand slam.
Look, this was terrible. The morale will not improve tonight. The vibes will not improve tonight. The hole is deeper. The Orioles and Royals will play again tomorrow. Eat Arby’s.
Apr 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (29) celebrates with team mates after scoring in the twelfth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The Orioles offense has done it again. Don’t ask me for the definition of “it” in this context because the answer to that remains unclear early in the 2026 season. What is certain for tonight is this: The Orioles could have lost another stupid, frustrating game full of futility and easily-avoidable mistakes. They were one strike away from that exact outcome. Long afterwards, even after taking a five-run extra-innings lead, they were one swing away from that outcome. Still, when the dust settled, the O’s beat the Kansas City Royals by a 7-5 score in 12 innings.
This was a game that, in a lot of ways, the Orioles deserved to lose. One reason that they deserved to lose is that Gunnar Henderson led off the game with a walk and got picked off. Henderson led off the ninth inning with a walk and got picked off. In between these two bungled appearances on the bases, the entire remaining Orioles lineup collected exactly one hit: A double by Taylor Ward immediately after Henderson’s first pickoff.
Another reason that the Orioles deserved to lose this one is that starting pitcher Kyle Bradish had another tough night. Unlike his last tough game, where he was battered in the earned runs column, it wasn’t so bad this time. The ugly number is the hits column, with Bradish allowing ten hits over 5.1 innings. Ten hits! And he walked three guys too. That’s a lot of baserunners. Through all of this, he allowed just one single run, a solo home run hit by Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone. It could have been worse. Against any other team, perhaps it would have been. On Monday night, it was enough to keep the Orioles in the game.
Even with that effort, it very nearly didn’t matter that Bradish kept the Orioles in the game. The Orioles offense did very nearly nothing, and they were down to their last out with the tying run only as far as first base. Pete Alonso kept the line moving, bringing up rookie catcher Samuel Basallo. We’ve seen Basallo have problems so far this season. He was down to his last strike but instead of striking out, he lined a fat pitch by Royals closer Lucas Erceg into left field, scoring Dylan Beavers and putting the Orioles back in the game.
The teams traded zeroes in the tenth and traded runs in the eleventh. The Orioles managed to score their zombie runner – or Manfred Man, or however you like to call it – as Beavers delivered an RBI hit with two outs in the top of the inning. It’s a good thing he did, too, because Anthony Nunez wasn’t able to put up a zero in the bottom half. After getting two outs, he had put two strikes on Bobby Witt Jr. but could not execute the put-away pitch, and Witt got a game-tying hit of his own. Nunez closed the door from t here.
It’s rare to see the twelfth inning these days. These two teams deserved it on Monday night. That is not complimentary. Basallo, the ninth inning hero, promptly came through as he led off the twelfth with an almost-identical line drive that scored pinch runner Coby Mayo. Jeremiah Jackson followed with a single, then Weston Wilson, after attempting to sacrifice bunt earlier in the plate appearance, drew a walk to load the bases.
This brought up Leody Taveras, hitless on the evening. Taveras has improbably been one of the better Orioles hitters so far. He came through once again on Monday night, walloping a pitch to the deepest part of center field in Kauffman Stadium. A grand slam! This despite the heroic leaping effort of Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel. The Orioles had a 7-2 lead just like that.
This ought to have been a comfortable lead, except for one thing: These are the 2026 Orioles. Their options for pitching the twelfth were few and they called upon rookie Cameron Foster. I don’t feel like doing the play-by-play of his inning because it’s late and I’m tired but you can see it in the final score: The Orioles had a 7-2 lead and they only won by two runs. Geez, dude. The game ended with the tying run at the plate for Kansas City. There’s no call for that. Even so, Foster’s performance wasn’t enough to revive the reeling Royals. He got three outs before giving up five runs. He only gave up three (and only two were earned). The game ended. The Orioles won. Sheesh.
These two teams will be back at it again on Tuesday night. That feels more like a threat than a neutral piece of information, but there we have it. Weather permitting, they will play again, and again after that on Wednesday. Shane Baz and Kris Bubic are the scheduled starting pitchers as the series continues at 7:40 Eastern time. Try scoring some runs before the ninth inning this time, Orioles. Try to keep scoring after you’ve scored once.
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It is a longtime tradition on Camden Chat after a win to deem a player the Most Birdland Player of the game, for someone who has made the most fun contribution to the win. Sometimes that’s the same thing as the Most Valuable Player of the game, sometimes it’s not. This used to be decided by poll, but we have lost that capability due to technical changes out of our control. So, it’s up to you to nominate your picks in the comments. Who’s your MBP? Choose wisely or be lightly mocked!
The Atlanta Hawks outscored the Knicks by 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a 15-6 run through the final 4:46, to steal Game 2 and stun New York for Monday's 107-106 upset at MSG.
"I think we just kept competing," Quin Snyder said of Atlanta's comeback. "Over the course of a game, if you don't let up and you don't give into that, you have an opportunity to have more success late if you just kind of hang in there. We know they're such a good team, and they're so hard to guard offensively.
"I think our guys understand that, when they do score, you just can't get discouraged. You just need to keep trying to raise your level. We had a hard time on the defensive glass. Those plays can really be deflating. But I thought we responded to those as well. We never quite figured it out, but we dug in in other aspects of the game."
After CJ McCollum's two missed free throws with five seconds left in the fourth quarter, Josh Hart's rebound and pass to Mikal Bridges gave the Knicks a chance at the horn but came up short.
"The reality of it is it's why these things are seven-game series," said Mike Brown. "You've got to keep taking it one possession, one quarter, one game at a time. Atlanta did what they wanted to do -- they came in here, they took one from us at home and, in my opinion, you've got to be able to win on the road if you expect to get where you want to go to. For us, we've got to win on the road."
The Knicks commanded a 32-23 first quarter, entered halftime up 61-54 and held a largest lead of 80-66 at the third quarter's 6:15 mark after Karl-Anthony Towns' tip-in layup.
"This was a game we should've won and, in the playoffs, you can't give away games," said Hart, whose 15-point, 13-rebound double-double went to waste. "So, we've all got to make sure we all locked in watching film of it, get better and go in and battle for Game 3."
Starting with Thursday's 7 p.m. Game 3, the third-seeded Knicks' first-round series heads to Atlanta with new life for the sixth-seeded Hawks. The best-of-seven set remains in Atlanta for Saturday's 6 p.m. Game 4 before returning to MSG next Tuesday.
"We've been in this situation before," Hart said. "Obviously, everyone is frustrated with this loss and we're going to go into Game 3 with great attention to detail and a great focus for a full 48. We've got high-character guys who respond well."
Max Muncy, left, celebrates with Miguel Rojas after hitting a home run in the second inning of the Dodgers' 12-3 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday night. Rojas homered on the next at-bat. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
The Dodgers escaped the House of Mile High Horrors, salvaging a split against the less-talented Colorado Rockies despite playing the coldest game in franchise history, reliever Blake Treinen getting hit in the head by a batted ball during batting practice.
And most significantly, reporting Monday that star closer Edwin Díaz will have surgery to remove “loose bodies” in his right elbow, likely sidelining him for three months.
But the fourth and final game at Coors Field was more normal, more like it. More like the Dodgers, who dominated, 12-3.
They piled up 15 hits, five of them home runs and scored in every inning but the first and fifth.
Among the Dodgers’ many highlights: Miguel Rojas pumping his fists running to first base after smacking his 1,000th hit through the hole to left field in the same ballpark where he got his first hit in 2014.
“Not many people could have thought that I was going to have an opportunity to play this long in the game,” said Rojas, who lost his father, Miguel “Micky” Rojas Sr., to a heart attack earlier this month.
“I never let anybody put a ceiling on top of my head,” added Rojas, who went three for three to push his career hits total to 1,001. “I kept going through those ceilings that they put above me. It was all about taking that label away from my head, that I was a defensive replacement guy, defensive-first guy. ‘He can’t hit, he’s just gonna play shortstop...' That's why 1,000 hits for me means a lot.”
Miguel Rojas celebrates after hitting a home run for the Dodgers in the second inning Monday against the Rockies. (Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)
A power surge also electrified the crowd of 27,261, another pro-Dodgers assembly.
The Dodgers (16-6) hit back-to-back home runs for the first time this season. Those came in the second inning, when Nos. 6 and 7 hitters Max Muncy and Rojas — who Roberts flipped in the lineup just before the game — hit solo shots to put their team in front, 2-1.
Muncy added another long ball in the ninth, yanking his eighth home run of the season 397 feet into the left field to make it 10-2 — and career multi-homer game No. 22, as well as No. 5 at Coors Field and No. 3 this season.
And then there was Dalton Rushing, who got in the lineup at first base instead of catching, playing solidly in the field in place of Freddie Freeman — and continuing to smolder at the plate, hitting his sixth and seventh home runs in just his 26th and 27th at-bats this season.
Rushing’s 385-foot blast to left field and Teoscar Hernández’s RBI single made it 9-1 in the eighth. And Rushing’s two-run, 421-foot bomb in the ninth made it 12-2 and gave him his second career multi-home run game.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani rounds third base on his way to scoring in the third inning against the Rockies on Monday. Ohtani extended his on-base streak to 52 games. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press)
Oh, and Shohei Ohtani. He extended his consecutive on-base streak to 52 with a single to right in the third, when the Dodgers pushed the lead to 4-1. That moved him within one game of Shawn Green’s mark, which is second all time among Dodgers. Ohtani also stole his first base of the season.
“It’s a tremendous streak,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “It’s hard to get on base — certainly when everyone’s trying to target you. This streak is one of the great ones.”
The Rockies (9-14) even contributed to the Dodgers’ cause, with three errors and an ill-timed balk on starter José Quintana that not only erased a double play but brought home Muncy to make it 5-1 in the fourth.
On the mound, starter Justin Wrobleski shut down a Rockies team that just scored a combined 13 runs on their two wins against the Dodgers.
Working quickly, Wrobleski pitched seven innings, worked in a splitter for the first time this season and yielded eight hits but just one run. That came before he got his first out, when Jordan Beck and Brenton Doyle opened with consecutive doubles.
Dodgers starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski delivers during the first inning against the Rockies on Monday night. (Justin Edmonds / Getty Images)
After that, sharp defensive plays by Rushing and second baseman Santiago Espinal got the Dodgers out of the first inning. The Rockies didn’t threaten again against Wrobleski until the fifth, when they put runners on the corners with one out but couldn’t score.
The 25-year-old Wrobleski has given up just two runs in 20 innings through three starts — all wins — this season.
“I'm going out there trying to do the same thing every time, and that's fill the zone and create contact and see what happens,” a gracious Wrobleski said. “So, yeah, I think we've done a great job. Will's done a great job back there calling it. The defense has been really good. The analytics people, with the positioning of everybody, really good.”
The Rockies’ only other runs came on TJ Rumfield’s 440-foot home run in the eighth, and in the ninth, when they scored one run on Jake Eder, the reliever who made his Dodgers debut after being called up in place of Díaz.
DENVER –– What’s the best way for the Dodgers to work around an elbow injury to closer Edwin Díaz?
How about by building leads so big, they don’t even have a save situation come the ninth inning.
That’s what happened Monday in a 12-3 blowout of the Colorado Rockies, helping the Dodgers salvage a four-game series split at Coors Field after suffering losses the previous two days.
Justin Wrobleski got the start on the mound against the Rockies. AP
Before the game, all the attention was on Díaz, who the team announced is undergoing elbow surgery this week to remove loose bodies that had caused his early-season velocity to dip.
In his absence, manager Dave Roberts said the Dodgers (16-6) will go closer-by-committee when it comes to ninth-inning save situations. For one night, however, he didn’t have to make such a decision.
Instead, the lineup built an insurmountable lead, bludgeoning veteran left-hander José Quintana for six runs in his start en route to scoring in all but two innings overall.
“I think we needed to bounce back,” veteran infielder Miguel Rojas said, “especially after the last couple days.”
The onslaught began with back-to-back second-inning home runs from Max Muncy and Rojas, propelling that duo to a combined 7-for-7 performance from the Nos. 6-7 spots that was punctuated by another Muncy homer in the ninth.
Max Muncy rounds the bases after smacking a home run. AP
Shohei Ohtani extended his on-base streak to 52 games, reaching base three times on a single and two walks.
Dalton Rushing also belted his sixth and seventh home runs of the season, putting him stunningly one off the National League lead (for which Muncy is tied with eight) despite having just 27 at-bats all year.
All of that meant, once the Dodgers finally turned things over to the bullpen, relievers Edgardo Henriquez and newly-recalled Jake Eder didn’t face anything close to stress.
By that point, the team had already long pulled away.
For one night, at least, Díaz was not missed.
Miguel Rojas celebrates his home run while rounding the bases. Getty Images
What it means
Splitting a four-game set with the rebuilding Rockies (9-14) will go down as a disappointing result for the Dodgers.
Still, by winning on Monday, they avoided what would’ve been their first series defeat to Colorado since 2022 –– improving to 12-0-4 in their last 16 meetings against their NL West division foe.
“We had two games in the middle where we missed some opportunities,” Muncy said. “But overall I thought we played pretty good. I think the team’s in a great spot.”
This season, the Dodgers have dropped just one of their first seven series, remaining unbeaten since the Cleveland Guardians took two of three from them during the opening homestand.
Who’s hot
Rojas’ second-inning blast might have been his first home run of the season. But it was not his most meaningful swing of the night.
That came in the fourth, when he lined a single to left field for the 1,000th hit of his 13-year career.
The accomplishment was not lost on Rojas, who pumped his fists and looked to the skies as he trotted up the first-base line. The Dodgers made sure to get the ball returned to the visiting dugout, too, where Roberts playfully pretended to throw it in the stands.
“Not many people could have thought that I was going to have an opportunity to play this long in the game,” said Rojas, who at 37 years old is planning to retire after this year.
But, he added, “I never let anybody put a ceiling on top of my head. I kept going through those ceilings that they put above me. It was all about taking that label away from my head, that I was a defensive replacement guy, defensive-first guy. ‘He can’t hit. he’s just gonna play shortstop. He’s here because of his defense.’ That’s why 1,000 hits for me means a lot.”
By night’s end, Rojas had hit No. 1,001, as well, finishing 3-for-3 –– in addition to dropping down a run-scoring sacrifice bunt –– to continue what has been a strong start to his final season. In 13 games, he is now batting .382 with a .950 OPS.
Who’s not
The Rockies’ defense, which did not help the team’s cause on an embarrassingly ugly night.
The club committed three errors and two that directly led to runs, including a seemingly routine grounder to third baseman Kyle Karros in the third inning that spun away from him to aid a two-run rally.
There was also a costly balk in the fourth from Quintana –– who appeared to have escaped a bases-loaded jam on a lineout double-play from Ohtani, only for the third base umpire to rule he had twitched before the pitch, forcing in another score as the Dodgers pulled away.
Up next
The Dodgers were headed to the airport postgame to catch a flight to San Francisco, where they will begin their first series of the season against the rival Giants on Tuesday night. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-1, 2.10 ERA) will face Landon Roupp (3-1, 2.38 ERA) in the opener.
DENVER, CO - APRIL 20: Starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski #70 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on April 20, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A dozen runs was more than enough with the way Justin Wrobleski pitched, but the Dodgers decided to err on the side of caution with one of their most complete offensive efforts of the year, running away with a 12-3 win in Colorado. It’s been an unusually productive early start to the season against left-handed pitchers for Max Muncy—that’s how the scoring got started for the Dodgers, with the veteran third baseman going deep for the third time this season against a southpaw, already only one short of his season total in 2025.
When Wrobleski pitched eight scoreless innings against the Mets last week, it felt unlikely that he would find those heights once again in his next start, and to a great extent, he was just as impressive against the Rockies. One run in the first on a Brenton Doyle RBI double would be all that Wrobleski would allow in seven innings with just three strikeouts and no walks. Colorado managed their fair share of hits against Wrobleski, but the southpaw elevated his game with runners in scoring position, allowing just 2 hits in nine opportunities.
The Rockies didn’t have a lot of time leading this one, as Muncy and Miguel Rojas went back-to-back in the second inning to help the Dodgers take a lead they’d maintain for the rest of this game.
Due to certain key absences, the Dodgers had a lineup that was as specifically designed to mash a left-hander as this team could put out, with Alex Call, Santiago Espinal, and Rojas all getting starts. It paid off as that trio combined for five of the Dodgers’ first ten hits. Rojas, in particular, stole the spotlight by reaching his 1,000th career hit with a single in the fourth.
Producing enough offense on their own to control this game, the Dodgers also experienced a helping hand from the Rockies multiple times. First, the Rockies misplayed a routine ground ball in the third, preventing them from completing a double play—instead, Will Smith reached on an error, a run scored, and quickly thereafter, one more came across on a Teoscar Hernández double play to make it a 4-1 game.
Only an inning later, it was the starter’s turn to screw up. Quintana found himself facing the humongous challenge of an at-bat against Shohei Ohtani with the bases loaded, and then he induced what appeared to be a double play ball, but not before a balk moved every runner over. Ohtani would eventually ground out again, and Alex Call didn’t capitalize on the opportunity, but they kept on coming.
In the sixth, after Quintana had left the game, it was a bases-loaded walk from Call to make it 6-1. It didn’t matter that Los Angeles stranded three runners in that frame because in the seventh, one more came across on a Miguel Rojas bunt that resulted in a pitching error. In the late innings, the ball began flying out once again, with Muncy going deep for the second time and Dalton Rushing hitting a couple of homers to take his season tally to seven.
It’s wild to consider that this could’ve been an even bigger slugfest for a Dodgers team that went 3 for 15 with runners in scoring position—one whose four of the five home runs were all solo shots, with hitters sixth through seventh going 11 for 17.
Game particulars
Home runs— 2 Max Muncy (8), Miguel Rojas (1), 2 Dalton Rushing (7), T.J. Rumfield (3)
Continuing a road trip that marks first visits to familiar ballparks, the Dodgers will return to California to face the Giants at Oracle Park. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who’s hitting on all cylinders, will take on the youngster Landen Roupp, coming off a terrific start in Cincinnati. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. PT.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 18: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dunks over Jakob Poeltl #19 of the Toronto Raptors during the second quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena on April 18, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers rode their three best players (Mitchell, Mobley, and Harden) for 83 points to take a 2-0 series lead over the Toronto Raptors.
Let’s go over today’s winners, because there were no losers.
WINNER – BAGcourt
It was somewhere between Donovan Mitchell’s second windmill gather and James Harden’s third step-back jumper of the game that I realized how lucky Cavs fans are to be watching a backcourt with this level of technical craft.
The Raptors altered their defensive approach from Game 1. Rather than earnestly trying to defend Mitchell or Harden individually, they opted to send multiple defenders and apply maximum pressure on the ball. That had benefits, as it partially took the rock out of the guard’s hands and put pressure on other Cavaliers to make plays.
If only it were that easy to take Mitchell and Harden off the board.
Sure, the Raps could win a possession every once in a while. But the sheer scoring ability of Mitchell and Harden made it impossible for Toronto to contain them. The Cavs guards hit shot after shot, often times launching it over multiple defenders and finding the bottom of the basket anyway.
“I still go crazy sometimes wanting him [Mitchell] to pass the ball, and then he hits a crazy shot,” said Kenny Atkinson after the game. “There’s a couple of times where Don has it in iso, and the defense is crashing, so he just throws it to James.”
Harden isn’t overly bothered by physicality at the point of attack. He has a bulky enough frame to withstand punishment and dish it back out. Meanwhile, Mitchell is too much of a blur to keep boxed up. He might run into a wall at times — but resetting the offense and attacking again ensured he’d find an opening on the second attempt.
The Cavs starting backcourt has combined for 112 points through the first two games of this series. If you’re thinking that’s too much to withstand, you’re correct.
WINNER – Defending Ingram
Playoff basketball grants you the opportunity to zero in on an opponent more than you can during the frenzied 82-game schedule of the regular season. That’s proven to be bad news for Brandon Ingram so far in this series.
The Cavs have entered the series with a plan to keep Ingram from beating them. They’ve sicked Dean Wade on him to match his length, and are top-locking Ingram with the dual bigs of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to deter throwing him the ball over the top. This has mostly stripped away any chance of getting Ingram into his sweet spots — and everyone on Cleveland has done a fantastic job of getting into Ingram’s chest and pushing him away from the action.
And that’s before you even get to his shot attempts.
This is Brandon Ingram's shot chart, and this is Ingram's 4 shots within the restricted area.
Was Ingram's lack of free-throws a lack of fouls called, a lack of aggressive or a Cavaliers defense that forced him off his spots and away from the rim? https://t.co/S26fyN9S7apic.twitter.com/BZRJO8JeEv
Cleveland’s worked relentlessly to stop Ingram from putting up a shot. As a result, he only took one field goal attempt in the second half of Game 1. But even when Ingram was able to fire away, the Cavs were draped all over him, ensuring it would be a difficult attempt. That was on full display tonight as BI finished with 7 points on 3-15 shooting. He also had 5 turnovers.
There’s only so much you can do to take away a 6’8” shot-maker like Ingram. But so far, the Cavs have done as well as you can.
LOSER – Bench Support
This game might have looked different if the Cavalier bench had been more present. They were kept dormant for most of the night, shooting a combined 3-16 going into the fourth quarter. Only Sam Merrill, Max Strus, and Dennis Schroder had bought a bucket. None of them had more than one field goal between the three of them.
As a result, Cleveland’s bench was being outscored 35-8 through the first three quarters. That’s a big enough disparity to keep Toronto in the game despite the Cavaliers leading the entire way.
We know this bench is capable of more. Strus himself put up 24 points in Game 1, while Merrill, Tyson, and Ellis have all had big games previously. Even Schroder is crafty enough to get to the basket more frequently than he did tonight.
A pair of triples from Merrill and Tyson to start the fourth quarter delivered a wave of relief. Later, Strus would join them with a three-pointer of his own. In just three possessions, they more than doubled the bench’s total output. That was enough for me to finally breathe out.
Still, earlier support from anyone on the second unit could have put this game out of reach long before the fourth quarter.
WINNER – Evan Mobley
Now this is the version of Evan Mobley that can help Cleveland win a championship.
I don’t think we need to dump the ball to Mobley and ask him to play like a proto-guard or modern wing. He’s proven to be most effective (and comfortable) as a play finisher. If James Harden and Donovan Mitchell are on the team setting him up, then I don’t see why this is a problem.
Mobley scored 25 points on 11-13 shooting. He routinely buried smaller defenders under the basket and used his athleticism to leap over the top for alley-oop finishes. The Raptors had an impossible task of containing Cleveland’s backcourt without sacrificing their backline of defense. That gave Mobley free rein to dominate.
“He’s in a phenomenal place physically, and then mentally, confidence-wise, he’s in a great flow,” said Atkinson after the game. “You look at the box score, and it’s like man, he’s 11-13 for 25 points.”
All the while, Mobley gave the Raptors no salvation on the other end of the floor. It’s difficult to navigate a DPOY-caliber talent like Mobley when he’s patrolling the paint and ignoring some of Toronto’s non-shooters. He’s able to roam the floor and deter the Raps from settling into a groove offensively.
Apr 20, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners right fielder Dominic Canzone (8) runs the bases after hitting a solo-home run against the Athletics during the second inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
NHL hits leader Yakov Trenin had to go to the dressing room after absorbing a massive hit on Monday, April 20.
The Minnesota Wild forward had just received a pass as he skated up ice when the Dallas Stars' Colin Blackwell stepped into him with a clean hit and sent him flying. Trenin was down on the ice for several minutes as trainers came out to tend to him and hold a towel to his face.
He eventually got up and started skating off the ice with assistance, then by himself.
Trenin was the NHL's leader in hits during the regular season with 413. He had 13 hits in Game 1, a 6-1 Minnesota rout.
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 20: CJ McCollum #3 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket during the game against the New York Knicks during Round One Game Two of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 20, 2026 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Knicks (1-1) had this one in their hands—until they didn’t. Up eight with under six minutes to play and in control most of the night, New York fell apart down the stretch, getting outscored 28-15 in a grisly fourth-quarter collapse. A string of empty trips, an impressive performance by CJ McCollum, and a late sequence of missed opportunities flipped what looked like a guaranteed win into a 107-106 loss. Rather than heading to Atlanta (1-1) with a commanding lead, they’ll carry this choke job with them when they face the Hawks in Game Three on Thursday.
Both teams brought extra defensive intensity to start the game. Karl-Anthony Towns (18 PTS, 8 RBS) and Dyson Daniels (6 PTS, 2 STL, -15) took turns blocking shots, and Jalen Johnson (17 PTS, 8 RBS) coughed up an early turnover. Towns, Josh Hart (15 PTS, 13 RBS), and Mikal Bridges (10 PTS, 3-10 FG) got buckets to get our heroes cooking. Daniels and Onyeka Okongwu (15 PTS, 8 RBS) contributed for the Birds, but the offense never quite found rhythm.
On one sequence, OG Anunoby (14 PTS, 8 RBS, 2 STL) jumped a passing lane for a steal, leading to a transition three from Jalen Brunson (29 PTS, 7 AST, 10-26 FG) to make it 15-9 and force Quin Snyder to call a timeout.
Hart was a steady engine, while Brunson worked his way through a slow start, missing five of his first seven shots. For Atlanta, Daniels and CJ McCollum (32 PTS, 12-22 FG) contributed, but Johnson’s two turnovers and uneven execution stalled any momentum.
Late in the frame, the chippiness of the game boiled over. Mitchell Robinson, in for Towns, steamrolled Daniels on a screen, and while the Hawk was on the floor, Robinson walked the length of him. The Aussie took exception, and some shoving ensued. The refs reviewed it and assessed a technical on Mitch for taunting.
New York controlled the period by owning the paint and the glass, outscoring their foes 20-6 in the paint and outrebounding them 15-4. The Hawks hit 50% of their threes but failed to generate second chances, while the Knicks distributed the ball cleanly, with 10 assists on 13 makes. With Bridges scoring eight points, New York led by 11 before finishing the quarter up, 32-23.
Atlanta made its push with the second unit. With their reserves on the floor, New York lost the lead, allowing a 13-2 run that was capped by a Jonathan Kuminga pick-six.
Order returned to the universe at last when the starters came back. Brunson steadied things with a floater and a pull-up three, and Anunoby added a key three to stretch the lead again. Late in the half, McCollum kept Atlanta close with a string of tough shots, including another three and a driving bucket. New York had a response each time, though.
After Nickeil Alexander-Walker (9 PTS) blocked Brunson on a late-quarter drive, Cap inbounded the ball to Bridges, who swished it as the clock expired to give the home team a 61-54 lead at halftime.
Through the half, the Hawks shot it better from three (44% to 29%), but the Knicks doubled them in the paint (32-16) and ruled the glass (25-13 rebounds). As in the first game, KAT was quiet in the first half, scoring just four points on three shots. For Atlanta, Johnson was equally stymied, scoring four points on 0-of-4 shooting. McCollum led all scorers with 18, while Brunson had 11 for the good guys.
New York seized control right out of halftime with a quick burst. Josh Hart hit a three, Karl-Anthony Towns followed with one of his own, and the ’Bockers dominated the glass with a string of offensive rebounds and putbacks. After OG Anunoby dunked a Jalen Brunson feed, the lead stretched to 14 and had Atlanta reeling.
Hart and Bridges were doing a number on Johnson and Walker, respectively, limiting them to a combined 5-of-18 shooting through three quarters and five turnovers. The Hawks’ offense mostly fizzled, save for McCollum, who was carrying the team on his veteran shoulders. He pieced together a small run with a layup, free throws, and a floater—and mixed it up with Jose Alvarado, with their close talking earning them offsetting techs. With all the starters now in double digits and Towns clicking with the offense (scoring 11 of his 18 points in Q3), New York took a 91-79 advantage into the final frame. The Garden was rocking.
Atlanta kicked off the quarter with buckets from Corey Kispert and Onyeka Okongwu, prompting a timeout from Mike Brown. Timely hoops from Jordan Clarkson and OG Anunoby gave the hosts some breathing room, but the visitors chipped the deficit to four as Jalen Johnson finally got involved. When Jalen Brunson hit two free throws and a short floater, the Knicks were back up eight with five-and-a-half minutes left.
Jonathan Kuminga gave the Hawks life, leading a 12-4 run with help from Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Johnson. Meanwhile, New York clung to a one-point lead after misses from Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and Brunson. Mikal Bridges, who couldn’t buy a bucket in the second half, picked off a CJ McCollum pass to preserve that slim lead, and Brown called another timeout with 2:43 on the clock. At that point, Atlanta had outscored New York 20-9 in the quarter.
When McCollum went high off the glass to get his shot over Towns, his layup gave Atlanta a 101-100 lead with two minutes to go. At the other end, Anunoby missed two free throws. McCollum followed with a floater to push the lead to three, but Captain Clutch answered with a three to tie it with 1:21 left.
A Hart deflection brought the crowd to its feet, but Brunson missed a midrange look, and McCollum struck again. Brunson missed another jumper, leading to Johnson sprinting the floor for a dunk that felt like a backbreaker. With 10 seconds left, New York trailed by four.
Out of a timeout, Brunson created space and buried a three with nine seconds remaining, making it a one-point game.
Hart fouled McCollum with six seconds left, and he missed both free throws. Hart secured the rebound and pushed to Bridges, but Bridges hesitated near the arc, unsure of the situation, and settled for a rushed 12-footer that missed. There was time to attack the rim. Mike Brown could’ve called a timeout. Woulda, shoulda, coulda. That gross sequence capped a brutal 28-15 fourth-quarter collapse and a game that had been in hand through most of the night. Yuck.
Apr 20, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) throws to first base in the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
We’ve all had that moment when we’ve spotted an open parking space, only to loop around and realize someone else slid into it before you got there. Thursday night’s Tampa Bay Rays game against the Cincinnati Reds had a similar feeling. Every time the Rays looked like they had an opening, Cincinnati beat them to it with a timely swing, a key defensive play, or a mistake Tampa Bay could not get ahead of.
In the end, the Reds had handed the Rays a 6-1 loss, and the frustrating part was not that Tampa Bay never had a chance. It was that they had a few. A pretty good one in the first inning, especially. A couple more scattered later. But the baseball gods are not especially generous to teams that waste baserunners, and the Rays spent most of this game learning that lesson the hard way.
Jesse Scholtens got TJ Friedl to flyout to start the night, but then Matt McLain doubled and Elly De La Cruz moved him over to third with a groundout. That brought up Sal Stewart, who did exactly what hitters should do when you give them a pitch across the center of the plate. He sent a two-run homer out to center, and just like that the Rays were playing from behind before the bottom of the first even arrived.
To their credit, the Rays came out swinging in the bottom half. Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero singled. Jonathan Aranda walked and the bases were loaded, nobody out. These are the moments when fans turn to other fans and say something along the lines of, “Alright, here we go.”
And then the Rays scored just one run.
Yandy Díaz drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Simpson and cut the Reds lead to 2-1, which was helpful, sure, but also felt like leaving a buffet with one dinner roll and an appetite. Jake Fraley struck out. Cedric Mullins struck out. Nick Fortes grounded into a force play. Bases loaded, no outs, one run. That was the first big opening, and probably the biggest one, and the Rays let it pass right by.
The second inning was quieter, although Taylor Walls did provide one of the more exciting defensive highlights of the night with a diving stop on Tyler Stephenson’s grounder. Unfortunately, the Rays followed that nice moment with a quick bottom half, and the game settled into an uncomfortable rhythm. Tampa Bay would make a play, maybe get a man on, hint at something, and then Cincinnati would slam the door before anything could really develop.
The third inning was when De La Cruz started making his presence known for the Rays.
After Friedl doubled again, the Reds got another chance, and De La Cruz made sure it counted. His two-out RBI single to right scored Friedl and stretched the lead to 3-1. That alone stung, but the rest of the inning and the bottom half added a little extra irritation, because De La Cruz kept popping up in the middle of things. In the bottom of the third, Caminero hit a grounder that looked like it had some potential, only for De La Cruz to make a diving stop and throw him out. A few pitches later, Yandy Díaz grounded into a double play, and another inning disappeared.
Elly De La Cruz couldn't stop smiling after he robbed Junior Caminero of a hit.
That was really the shape of the middle innings. Jake Fraley doubled in the fourth and made it to third with one out, but the Rays could not bring him home. Chandler Simpson singled in the fifth, and again nothing came of it.
Then came the sixth, and that was where frustrating turned into self-inflicted.
Sal Stewart popped out to start the inning, but Eugenio Suárez singled and Spencer Steer was hit by a pitch. One out, two on, game still technically within reach. Then Tyler Stephenson hit a ground ball to Caminero at third. In that situation, with the lead runner there for the taking, the play is in front of you before the ball is even hit.
Instead, Caminero threw to first.
Junior Caminero forgets the amount of outs and throws it to 1st instead of going for the double play
Yes, it got an out. No, it was not the right out. Suárez moved to third, Steer moved to second, and the Reds suddenly had two runners in scoring position with two outs instead of a much cleaner situation. Moments later, Rece Hinds lined a two-run double to left, and the score jumped to 5-1. That decision mattered, and the Reds cashed it in immediately.
That, at least, brought the one good moment of the night for Tampa Bay.
With the inning still going, the Rays turned to Trevor Martin for his major league debut. Not exactly the easiest welcome package. A real game, real trouble, and a chance to keep things from getting uglier.
Martin mostly did that. He got out of the sixth, then came back in the seventh and struck out McLain for his first major league punchout, which was an easy moment to enjoy in an otherwise frustrating game. He also delivered a wild pitch later in the inning that allowed a run to score, so it was not a spotless debut. Still, he gave the Rays a decent first look at a pitcher making his debut under less-than-ideal circumstances. It did not change the outcome, but it did give Tampa Bay at least one small positive to take out of the night.
Trevor Martin’s father had never flown on a plane before. He was waiting until the fall for Trevor and his fiancé Hanna’s wedding to take that first trip airborne. His son’s call up forced his hand. Michael boarded a flight from Oklahoma to Tampa this morning to catch Trevor’s… pic.twitter.com/Y5OEsJNAEU
The Rays went quietly in the eighth, apart from an Aranda walk. There was a small push in the ninth when Jake Fraley walked, Richie Palacios singled, and Walls drew a walk to load things up a bit with two outs, but Chandler Simpson lined out to first to end it with another opening, another closed window.
With the loss, the Rays drop to 4-9 against NL Central teams to start the season, compared to 8-1 against AL teams. They might be happy when the schedule shifts away from the division.
First, they still have two more games to finish this series, as they try again tomorrow, with LHP Steven Matz scheduled to start for the Rays, opposite RHP Chase Burns for the Reds, at 6:40 pm.
