Ronny Mauricio had a three-home run night for the Syracuse Mets on Tuesday in a 12-3 road win over the Worcester Red Sox.
The three-homer night by Mauricio was the 17th time in franchise history a Syracuse player has done it and the first since Trayce Thompson homered three times in a game on May 17, 2024.
It has continued Mauricio’s strong start to the minor league season.
Ronnie Mauricio hits his first of three home runs for the Syracuse Mets in their 12-3 road win over the Worcester Red Sox @MILB/X
His first home run of the night came in the top of the fourth when Mauricio sent a blast to right-center field on a 1-0 slider from Red Sox pitcher Isaac Coffey.
Mauricio hit his second of the evening when he sent a ball over the center field wall in the top of the fifth inning for a two-run homer that helped the Mets open up a 5-0 lead.
Three innings later, he completed the hat trick when he sent another ball to center field, which struck a screen, to give the Mets a 12-1 lead.
Mauricio now has five home runs in his last four games and six total homers since the start of the minor league season.
The third baseman has 17 hits on the season, with 13 RBIs, five stolen bases and a batting average of .315.
Ronny Mauricio rounds the bases after his second home run on Tuesday. @MILB/X
It’s been a wild ride to start the 2026 MLB season for Maurio. He was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse after a strong spring down in Port St. Lucie.
The Mets then called him up on April 6 after Juan Soto was put on the injured list and the next day, he recorded his first career walk-off hit in a win over the Diamondbacks.
Third baseman Ronny Mauricio celebrating after hitting a walk-off single in the Mets’ win over the Diamondbacks earlier in the season. Robert Sabo for NY Post
It was the Mets’ last win as the big club extended their losing streak to 12 games with a 5-3 loss to the Twins at Citi Field on Tuesday night. They have scored one run of less six times during that stretch.
Mauricio was optioned back to Syracuse on April 13 in order to make room for Tommy Pham on the MLB roster.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - APRIL 08: Moisés Ballesteros #25 of the Chicago Cubs bats against the Tampa Bay Rays during a game at Tropicana Field on April 08, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s another Tuesday evening here at BCB After Dark: the coolest club for night owls, early risers, new parents nd Cubs fans abroad. Come on in and sit with us. New friends or old, all are welcome. The dress code is casual. We’ve still got a few tables available. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night I asked you what the Cubs should do with Jordan Wicks after he returns from the injured list. The majority of you said “Leave him in Iowa” as 56 percent voted for that. Another 34 percent thought he should go into the Cubs depleted bullpen.
On Tuesday nights I don’t normally do a movie essay, but I always have time for jazz and that time is now. You can skip ahead if you wish.
Today we’re continuing our series on Chicago jazz in anticipation of International Jazz Day in Chicago on April 30. This is Chicago’s own saxophonists Clifford Jordan and Von Freeman at the Chicago Jazz Festival in 1988. This sax battle features Willie Pickens on piano, Dan Shapera on bass and Robert Shy on drums.
Welcome back to those of you who skip all that jazz.
Since Moisés Ballesteros, also known by the nickname “Mo Baller,” was called up to the majors for good last September, he’s done nothing but hit. So far in his career, he’s hitting .333/.405/,529 with five home runs in 39 games. When you throw out his numbers from his first stint in the majors last May, the numbers are even better.
This year, Mo Baller is hitting .378/.420/.600 with three home runs in just 50 plate appearances. I don’t need to tell you that’s elite production. Those are the kinds of numbers where you don’t care whether or not he ever learns to be a catcher. You just stick him in the lineup at designated hitter and let him do his thing.
The problem with this, of course, is that the Cubs aren’t just sticking him at DH and letting him do his thing. Ballesteros is being strictly platooned, playing only against right-handed pitching. So far, manager Craig Counsell’s strategy has been to start Ballesteros against right-handers and then pull him for a pinch-hitter (usually Matt Shaw or one of the other two catchers) if the other team brings in a left-handed reliever to face Ballesteros. Then Counsel goes to Michael Conforto as the DH if a right-handed pitcher comes in later.
So far, this strategy has worked. Saturday’s game was the best example, and I know some of you grumbled when Counsell pinch hit for Ballesteros in the sixth inning. Of course, everyone who did happily reversed themselves when Carson Kelly hit a pinch-hit three-run home run, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it was the right call in the situation. Sometimes in baseball, the wrong call works out and the right call fails.
So far, Ballesteros is hitting .405 with a .447 on-base percentage against right-handers and .000 with the same on-base percentage against lefties. Of course, that’s only three at-bats against lefties. Counsell has been pretty strict about not letting Mo Baller face a lefty.
Ballesteros has mixed success facing left-handed pitching in the minor league. Last year in Iowa versus left-hnaded pitching, Ballesteros managed to hit just .230/.296/.281 in 152 plate appearances. That would argue that Counsell is doing the right thing by sitting him. But in 2024, between Iowa and Tennessee, Ballesteros was actually better against left-handers than right-handers. He hit .302 with a .356 OBP against lefties in 2024 and “just” .285 with a .354 OBP versus right-handers. So there is some evidence that Ballesteros can hold his own versus left-handed pitching if given the chance.
Should Counsell let Ballesteros face more left-handed pitching? No one is arguing Ballesteros should be starting everyday, against both lefties and righties. At least not at this stage of his career. What I am asking is whether you think that Counsell should be less aggressive in pinch-hitting for Ballesteros mid-game. Letting him get some at-bats against lefties would serve two purposes. The first is that it would give him more experience facing lefties, which he needs if he’s going to be an everyday DH. The second would be that it would leave Ballesteros in the lineup for the late innings if the opposing team goes to an right-handed reliever later on.
Of course, the argument against this is that what Counsell is doing now appears to be working. Having Michael Conforto on the bench lessens the risks of pinch-hitting for Ballesteros.
So what would you do with Mo Baller? Would you let him at least get his feet wet against lefties? Or would you just stick with what Counsell is doing now? Again, we’re not asking if Ballesteros should start every game, just whether or not Counsell should not automatically pinch-hit for him mid game. Maybe get a rare start against a left-handed pitcher.
Thanks for stopping by tonight. We’re always glad to see you stop by. Please get home safely. Don’t forget anything around your table. Recycle any cans and bottles. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow evening for more BCB After Dark.
Apr 21, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tanner Banks (58) leaves the field after the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Phillies have had their share of poorly pitched ballgames this season. While they have had games in which they’ve given up more runs, there’s a case that this was actually their worst pitched game of the season. The Phillies’ pitching staff gave up 12 hits, walked ten batters, and hit two others for good measure. The pitchers and the strike zone were not in sync all night. There were several instances in which pitchers looked either scared to throw a strike or simply had no idea where the strike zone actually was.
The only reason the game wasn’t more of a blowout was because Cubs left a staggering 17 runners on base. But that ultimately didn’t matter as the Cubs still scored enough runs to hand the Phillies a 7-3 defeat, their seventh loss in a row.
Jesus Luzardo got the start for the Phillies, and had a relatively uneventful first inning, giving up a mere single. In the second, he allowed two hits but stranded them both. Because he apparently likes patterns, in the third, Luzardo put three runners on bases thanks to two walks and a hit batter, but he once again was able to strand them all.
After stranding two more in the fourth, Luzardo put two runners aboard in the fifth. Rob Thomson decided that Luzardo had pressed his luck far enough and called upon Orion Kerkering to record the final out of the inning. Kerkering was notoriously bad with inherited runners in 2025, and that was again a problem on Tuesday night. He walked the first two batters he faced to put the Cubs up 1-0.
The Phillies had done little on offense up to that point, but when Kyle Schwarber hit a solo home run in the sixth to make it 1-1, you might have thought it would be deflating for the Cubs.
Any deflation was countered by the ineffectiveness of Tanner Banks in the bottom of the sixth. Banks gave up three hits and walked two batters, and the Cubs went up 3-1.
Tim Mayza followed Banks, while he threw more strikes than the others, two of those strikes went over the fence courtesy of Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki, and the Cubs established a 6-1 lead.
The Phillies got two runs thanks to a Bryce Harper home run in the eighth, but Jose Alvarado handed one of them right back. Alvarado walked a batter, gave up two hits, threw a wild pitch, and then hit a batter before being pulled with what was reported as a back spasm.
The Phillies showed a little bit of life in the ninth. They got a few runners aboard, and Alec Bohm got one home on a sacrifice fly. They actually had the tying run at the plate in the form of Trea Turner. But anyone familiar with Turner’s game knew how that was going to go. Sure enough, Turner weakly popped up to end the game.
They’ll be back in action Wednesday night when Taijuan Walker will get the ball after an opener. While that doesn’t sound promising, the Phillies pitchers on Tuesday set the bar extremely low. Let’s see if Walker and company can clear it.
BOSTON, MA - APRIL 21: Tyrese Maxey #0 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on April 21, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. 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 Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) | Getty Images
2025-26 Sixers Bell Ringer season standings:
Tyrese Maxey – 22.5 VJ Edgecombe – 15 Joel Embiid – 11.5 Paul George – 8 Kelly Oubre Jr. – 5 Justin Edwards – 4 Andre Drummond – 3 Quentin Grimes – 3 Jared McCain :’( – 3 Dominick Barlow – 2 MarJon Beauchamp – 2 Adem Bona – 1 Porter Martone – 1 Cam Payne – 1 Jabari Walker – 1 Trendon Watford – 1 15th roster spot – 1
TD Garden might have been rocking for Game 1, but it was as silent as a library to close Game 2.
The first-round playoff series between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics is tied 1-1 after the Sixers pulled off a massive 111-97 victory over the hosting Celtics Tuesday night.
Though, for a moment, it looked like this one might have been over as quickly as Game 1 was, with the Sixers going on a scoring drought of over four and a half minutes in the first frame, allowing Boston a 16-0 run. To make matters worse, they were without Edgecombe briefly after the rookie took a hard fall onto his back going for a defensive rebound early in the game.
He returned to the game, thankfully, and went on an absolute tear in the second quarter. That’s where this one changed. The rookie poured in 16 points on stellar 6-for-9 field goal and 4-for-5 long range shooting in the second, leading the Sixers back within reaching grasp of the Celtics and even helping his squad to an eight-point halftime lead, their largest of the game.
The Sixers would never trail again in this one, though it did come close a few times. After an up and down third period within which Boston nearly pulled back even, Philadelphia tightened up a bit towards the end of the frame to carry a seven-point lead into the fourth. After what had been a bit of a quiet Tyrese Maxey performance through three quarters became all about the guard in the final period when he burst for 12 points, including timely triples to pull away from the Celtics for good.
This wasn’t just a win. This was a great win. The Sixers looked strategic and in control, not reactive and desperate the way they did in Game 1. Even when Philly would hit a cold spurt or would let Boston claw back in a bit, they simply rode the waves, tried to minimize the damage and punched back again. That’s how this is going to have to be if the Sixers want to keep battling this tough Celtics squad.
The Sixers bring a 1-1 series tie back home to South Philadelphia for Games 3 and 4, with Game 3 coming up at Xfinity Mobile Arena on Friday evening.
<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
It was looking like VJ Edgecombe’s night might be cut very short when he headed to the locker room briefly in the first period after taking a hard fall going up for a defensive board. Thankfully, he was able to return to the game towards the end of that opening frame. And I mean thankfully, because the rookie went red hot from there.
After a two-bucket, four-point first from Edgecombe, he poured in 16 points in the second period. These weren’t gimmie plays, either. The rookie was using his active defense, rebounding, speed, footwork and smooth jumpers to help the Sixers claw back in to this one after they let Boston on a 16-0 run in the first. Edgecombe shot 6-for-9 from the floor and 4-for-5 from long range in a damn-near heroic second that saw the Sixers take an eight-point lead into the break.
After another brief exit to the locker room and some time on the stationary bike in the third frame, Edgecombe got right back to business again, battling for boards and sinking a timely triple just as the Celtics were back within three points. He ended up tacking on 10 points towards his total in the second half.
This kid is an absolute star in the making — maybe even a bit of a star already. Perhaps his regular season wasn’t always as flashy as Cooper Flagg’s or Kon Knueppel’s, but Edgecombe has proven time and time again that you can count on him in the clutch and that he’s ready to perform in some of the biggest moments this game has to offer. I’ll take that from a 20-year-old rookie any day of the week.
He finished the game with 30 points on 12-for-20 field goal and 6-for-10 long range shooting along with 10 rebounds (four offensive), two assists and two steals. He is the youngest player in NBA history to reach a 30-point, 10-rebound double-double in a playoff game.
Gotta shout out VJ Edgecombe tonight, who looked nothing like a rookie in his second ever playoff game. He's the youngest player in NBA playoff history with a 30-PT, 10-REB game.
<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
It was an up and down night for Tyrese Maxey, with the peaks coming fortunately exactly when they were needed. It felt like the guard was deferring way too much, forcing passes that weren’t always there instead of just taking the shots he should have himself. It led to a quieter (by his standards) first three quarters of basketball, with Maxey putting up 17 points on 7-for-19 field goal shooting in that time.
Things changed quickly when Maxey had an extremely timely scoring burst in the fourth, sinking back-to-back triples. Those six points could not have come at a better time, with the Celtics clawing their way back within just two points of the Sixers with time winding down. The threes were the beginning of the end for Boston, with the Philly lead then expanding to nine points before surging into an insurmountable double-digit deficit they couldn’t come back from.
Maxey ended up with 12 points in a pivotal fourth quarter, including three triples. And he was feeling damn good about how he was closing this one out. Just look at this move, finish and reaction from him.
Maxey finished the game with 29 points, shooting 5-for-12 from long range, with four rebounds, nine assists and two steals. It could be game-changing to have Maxey bring the aggression and attitude he closed Game 2 with back home to South Philadelphia for Game 3.
After a bit of an up-and-down game, Tyrese Maxey absolutely came alive in Q4 to put the Celtics away. 12 massive points from some truly insane buckets from the All-Star.
<p>(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images
Paul George put forth quite a lackluster effort overall in Sunday’s Game 1, but tonight started off much smoother. George went to work in isolation early and hit two quick jumpers in the first few minutes of Game 2. From there, he looked damn solid on both ends of the floor all night minus one little stumble for a few possessions in the third.
This wasn’t a constant domination from PG, but he was ready to fill in the gaps when the Sixers really needed him to. It was a lot of smaller bursts, and they were extremely timely ones. Just when Philadelphia would go a little bit cold or the Celtics would go on a run, it seemed to frequently be George who would bury a bucket to calm the Boston crowd and get Philadelphia back on track. When he wasn’t doing that, he was commanding the offense and setting up other Sixers with solid shot opportunities, waiting for the Celtics’ defense to collapse in on him before kicking out to teammates.
All of that offensive contribution on top of his usual defensive talents went a long way in Game 2, even if it was seemingly in spurts spread throughout.
George finished the night with 19 points on 7-for-13 field goal and 2-for-5 long range shooting. He also had four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block.
Another video from Sixers-Celtics Game 2, looking at Paul George. In addition to his typical solid defense, PG hit some timely buckets + had a few great assists, taking advantage of the C's def collapsing in on him.
<p>(Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)</p><br> | NBAE via Getty Images
This is more of a shoutout than a true Bell Ringer contender, as the other guys’ contributions were just undoubtedly more impactful, but Kelly Oubre Jr. deserves some kudos for Game 2. It wasn’t perfect, but he helped when called upon.
After a quiet first half scoring just two points, Oubre had a little burst of scoring along with some solid defensive pressures that helped keep the Sixers going while Edgecombe was on the sideline and Maxey was still a bit too passive. Like George, Oubre’s contributions were incredibly timely, coming just when Philadelphia needed someone to fill the gap the most. He put up seven points in quick succession in that third period stint, possibly his most crucial buckets as they helped maintain and build on a lead the Celtics were desperately chipping away at. He added one more big bucket in the fourth, a triple with just four minutes remaining that extended the Sixers lead from 10 points to 13, completing an 11-0 run for Philly and pushing Boston to use a timeout to try to stop the bleeding. It didn’t work.
Oubre finished this one with 12 points on 5-for-10 field goal shooting (two triples) with five rebounds.
Victor Wembanyama hit his head hard on the floor after tripping during a drive in the second quarter of the San Antonio Spurs’ Game 2 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2026 NBA Playoffs. Wembanyama exited the game, and it not return. The Spurs superstar is in concussion protocol, and his status for the upcoming games of the series will be in question. Wembanyama was diagnosed with a concussion after the game.
The Trail Blazers beat the Spurs, 106-103, to even the series at 1-1. Wembanyama only played 12 minutes and scored five points before the injury.
Wembanyama suffered the injury while he was driving hard to the rim against Portland’s Jrue Holiday. It looked like Holiday “pulled the chair” — a long-time NBA move where the defender steps back and causes an out-of-control ball handler to fall. Wembanyama has a long way to fall at 7’5 in shoes, and he unfortunately took an awkward tumble that resulted in a major blow to the head. Watch the play here:
Victor Wembanyama hits his head hard on the floor, after the drive and spin move on Jrue Holiday.
He looks dazed and confused, the Spurs take a timeout and he heads to the locker room. With replays. pic.twitter.com/hrEAKkEDMb
A concussion typically keeps an NBA player out for at least 7-10 days, and we know some can last much longer. Head trauma isn’t something anyone should rush back from.
Wembanyama will have to be in recovery for 48 hours. Then, he’ll have to be symptom free, and cleared for a return to play by both team and league doctors, per Shams Charania.
Wembanyama was incredible in his playoff debut in Game 1, popping off for 35 points in 33 minutes while dominating defensively like always. He’s playing as well as anyone in the world right now, and losing him for an extended period would throw a wrench in the Western Conference Playoffs.
The series returns to Portland for Game 3 on Friday. Game 4 will be Sunday in Portland. The series returns to San Antonio for Game 5 the following Tuesday, and then Game 6 is on two nights later, and Game 7 is two nights after that.
This is just awful timing for the Spurs. It’s not the type of injuries that team doctors should allow him to play through. With the series tied 1-1, there will be pressure to get back onto the court, but Wembanyama needs to remember to protect his health.
Apr 21, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (0) shoots over San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) during the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Everything was well coming into this game, with the Spurs up 1-0 in the first round against the Portland Trail Blazers and Victor Wembanyama receiving his Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Then, there was the game. After a rough start, the Spurs fought back from a double-digit deficit only to lose Wemby to a possible concussion early in the second quarter. They still fought and gutted it out, and everything seemed to open up in the fourth quarter as they got out to a 14-point lead with under nine minutes to go. Unfortunately, the Blazers got hot from three, and poor free-throw shooting came back to bite the Spurs as they lost 103-106.
De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Caslte and Devin Vassell combined for 51 inefficient points, while Luke Kornet did an admirable job filling in for Wemby with 10 points and 9 rebounds and was very much a case if “box score plus-minus don’t lie”, as he was at +29 before the game-ending Portland run. They were able to hold Deni Avdija relatively in check with 14 points on 5-13 shooting, but Scoot Henderson exploded for 31 points on 11-17 shooting, 5-9 from three.
Observations
Random question: have the Spurs ever had two playoff games in a row in which it was cool outside? For those who haven’t been here, South Texas has very short, mild winters and long, hot summers, with spring and fall being fleeting. While it isn’t typically hot yet in April, it is warm with highs typically in the 80’s (Fahrenheit, of course). Cool fronts do occur, but needing anything beyond short sleeves across two Spurs playoff games is new to me.
The Blazers’ goal coming into this game was to get more players involved on offense, and they did just that with four players scoring as they went on a 13-0 run after the Spurs took an early 4-2, while the Spurs struggled with turnovers and deflections against Portland’s feisty defense. Also, unlike Game 1, the Spurs couldn’t keep Donovan Clingan off the offensive glass, with no one boxing him out when Wemby went for blocks. Fortunately, Castle briefly got going, scoring 7 straight points to cut into what had been a 13-point lead, and the Spurs took advantage of Portland’s starters resting to retake the lead 28-27 with an 18-5 run to close the quarter.
I’ll be honest, I kind of forgot about Scoot Henderson before the last couple of weeks. After all the hype coming into the 2023 Draft that had some (including himself) claiming he had a higher ceiling than Wemby, he had a rough rookie season and has dealt with injuries much of the last two. However, he showed what the hype was about with 13 points on 4-5 shooting in the first quarter, and he stayed hot all night.
Like many teams, Portland’s new plan with Wemby was to put a smaller, stronger player on him, in this case Jrue Holiday. As a result, he was not as loose and free to move around like he did in Game 1. Early in the second quarter, Holiday pulled the chair on him and he fell, stayed down and appeared dazed. Replay showed he smacked his chin the court and may have briefly lost consciousness. He ran back to the locker room and did not return after entering concussion protocol.
After his exit, the Spurs got down by five a few times but regained their composure, and in ways played much looser on offense since Portland’s defensive plan no longer applied. Kornet stepped up well in Wemby’s absence, and it was a little harder for the Blazers to get offensive rebounds since he was staying down and boxing out Clingan. The game was tied at 57 at the half despite the drama.
I had to watch some on mute in the third quarter. All night it felt like Reggie Miller and Mike Tirico were rooting for Portland, and outside of one instance in the second quarter when Reggie laughing at a weak foul called on Julian Champagnie, asking what happened to playoff basketball, it felt like they were reviewing and critiquing every questionable call against the Blazers but not the Spurs. It was eventually too distracting.
So far, in both games it feels like Portland is getting the benefit of the doubt on loose ball fouls, offensive fouls, and of course Avdija doing his best SGA impression. Mitch Johnson finally had enough and challenged a call that would have been Champagnie’s fifth foul in the third quarter. Shaedon Sharpe had pushed him into Henderson, but they called the foul on Champagnie. It was a successful challenge. (Oh, and I did un-mute for this part, and Reggie somehow didn’t think it would be successful.)
Another spate of injuries hit in the fourth quarter, with Harrison Barnes exiting after hurting his wrist in a collision with Avdija, and a play later, Dylan Harper and Clingan both existed with with thumb injures after getting tangled up (in Harper’s case, the same thumb that was already hurt). Fortunately, Harper soon returned.
The offense opened up for the Spurs in the fourth, and they got the lead up to 14 on a Kornet reverse dunk and-1. Unfortunately, what could have been a run that put things away did not because the Spurs struggled at the line all night. They were 15-22 at that point and finished 2o-28, which gave the Blazers room to come back, and they did on a Holiday put-back with 2 minutes left. The Spurs had several chances to retake the lead after that, but the offense bogged down and they never got another good shot off. Robert Williams stretched the lead to three with 12 sec left on a putback dunk, and Vassell couldn’t hit a desperation three at the buzzer after a round of the foul game to force overtime.
Kade Snell 3 Homerun, LSU Tigers take on Alabama Baseball in Baton Rouge, LA. Thursday, April 17, 2025. | SCOTT CLAUSE / USATODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Pelicans pitcher Mason McGwire was named Minor League Pitcher of the Week. That’s for all the minors.
Catcher Owen Ayers was named Midwest League Player of the Week. He was also promoted to Double-A Knoxville.
For the second-straight week, Smokies right-hander Grant Kipp was named Southern League Pitcher of the week.
Corner infielder Cole Mathis was promoted from Low-A Myrtle Beach to High-A South Bend.
Shortstop Geuri Lubo was promoted to South Bend from rookie ball Mesa Cubs.
Right-handed pitchers Daniel Avitia and Connor Knox were both promoted to South Bend from Mesa.
Catcher Miguel Useche was demoted from Knoxville to South Bend.
South Bend third baseman Brian Kalmer was released.
Starter Paul Campbell took the loss after getting knocked around for seven runs, six earned, on nine hits over 4.2 innings. He struck out two and walked one.
All three I-Cubs runs came on a three-run home run by left fielder Dylan Carlson in the fourth inning. Carlson was 1 for 4.
Third baseman BJ Murray went 3 for 4 with a double.
Right fielder Chas McCormick was 2 for 3 with a double and one run scored.
All four runs in this game scored in the top of the second inning off of Smokies starter Nick Dean. Dean allowed four runs on five hits over three innings. He walked two and struck out three.
Dawson Netz tossed three innings of scoreless relief, giving up just one hit and one walk. Netz struck out four.
DH Andy Garriola went 2 for 4 with a double.
Shortstop Karson Simas was 2 for 4.
Owen Ayers’ Double-A debut was rough. He was 0 for 4 with one strikeout, but the worst part was that he was called for catcher’s interference twice.
Kevin Valdez started and put the Cubs in an early hole by surrendering five runs on eight hits over three innings. He struck out four and walked one.
South Bend fought back and took a 10-6 lead after scoring five runs in the top of the eighth. But Nate Williams came on to pitch the bottom of the eighth and couldn’t retire a batter. So Ethan Bell relieved Williams and allowed two inherited runners to score, which tied the game up 10-10. But Bell got the win after South Bend scored six runs in the top of the ninth.
The final line on Williams was four runs, two earned, on three walks. For Bell, it was no runs on one hit over two innings. He struck out two and walked one.
Shortstop Miguel Olivo hit his first South Bend home run, a solo home run in the third. Olivo went 2 for 3 with two walks. He scored five times and drove in two.
Right fielder Kade Snell was 2 for 4 with a walk and three RBI.
Third baseman Matt Halbach went 2 for 6 with an RBI double and a two-run single in the ninth.
Left fielder Reginald Preciado was 2 for 4 with two walks and two runs scored.
First baseman Cole Mathis was 1 for 6 in his South Bend debut, but he hit a three-run double in the eighth.
Dominick Reid started for the Birds and took the loss after he gave up three runs on five hits over three innings. All three runs came in the second inning. Reid walked two and struck out one.
Right fielder Josiah Hartshorn was 2 for 5 with an RBI single in the seventh inning.
First baseman Michael Carico was 1 for 4 with a hit-by-pitch and a stolen base. He also drove in a run in the seventh with a single.
Canaries coach compares 22-year-old to young Erling Haaland
Australian’s red-hot form is boost for Tony Popovic before World Cup
Australian striker Mo Touré has earned comparisons to a young Erling Haaland, after he bounced back from a missed penalty to continue his sizzling goalscoring run with a ninth goal in just 10 games since joining English Championship side Norwich.
Touré’s fourth goal of the week, following a second hat-trick of his short Norwich career on the weekend, was a rocket that went in off the underside of the bar and set up a 2-1 win over Derby County.
Apr 21, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Texas Rangers center fielder Evan Carter (32) catches a fly ball hit by Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (not pictured) to end the fifth inning wth runners in scoring position at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
The Texas Rangers scored five runs while the Pittsburgh Pirates scored one run.
Talk about branching paths.
With the Rangers holding a scant 2-1 lead with two outs in the top of the fifth and with two Buccos on the bags for Pittsburgh, Texas hurler Kumar Rocker was nearing that point in the game where he often runs out of bullets. It was at this moment that the fate of tonight’s game was basically decided in an instant.
You’ve heard AJM speak on the most momentum shifting play in baseball, the two-out, three-run home run. Well, Pittsburgh all but enjoyed such an occasion when Oneil Cruz sent one deep to left-center for what looked like his 7th dong of the year, a surely crippling shot.
However, Rangers center fielder Evan Carter sprouted wings and robbed Cruz of providing Pittsburgh with a 4-2 lead as the game was exiting the middle innings.
Who knows what could or would have happened if Carter hadn’t stolen from the Pirates in broad rooflight, right in front of their stunned bullpen.
Would Rocker have been lifted having disappointedly coughed up the lead even though he appeared on his way to a stellar start?
Would an already overworked bullpen be forced to continue eating more innings as this homestand begins?
Would the softer underbelly of the ‘pen be called in, potentially allowing Pittsburgh to blow the game open further?
Would the bats have stayed quiet with all the air squeezed out of the balloon on one swing of Cruz’s bat?
We’ll never have to understand the mysteries of that other universe as Carter showed us the newest most momentum shifting play in baseball.
Buoyed by Carter, the Texas lineup put together a three-run bottom of the inning to turn what could have been a 4-2 deficit into a 5-1 lead that would eventually become the final score. With the win, the Rangers begin their homestand and this series with a victory as they climb back over the .500 hurdle.
Player of the Game: While Carter certainly had the play of the game with his home run thievery, Rocker did collect 17 other outs during his six innings of one run work which deserves a hat tip.
The former Vandy first-rounder was aided by Carter, sure, but he also ultimately allowed just the one run on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts in his first Quality Start of the year and first big league start in which he made it beyond five innings since 6.1 innings against the Detroit Tigers in mid-July of last season.
Up Next: More Pirates and Rangers with RHP fellow Vandy Boy Jack Leiter next up for Texas opposite RHP Braxton Ashcraft for Pittsburgh.
The Wednesday evening first pitch from The Shed is scheduled for 7:05 pm CDT and will be aired on the Rangers Sports Network.
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen hypes the crowd prior to the first period in Game 2 of a first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff series between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins Tuesday, April 21, 2026.
As if Sabres fans didn’t have enough to lose their minds over as Buffalo’s NHL team looked to take a 2-0 series lead over the Bruins, Josh Allen did his darndest to hype the crowd up even more at KeyBank Center.
Allen was in attendance for Game 2 on Tuesday night and was the honorary person to bang the drum to get a “Let’s Go Buffalo” chant going.
Josh Allen hypes the Buffalo crowd before the first period of the Sabres’ 4-2 home loss to the Bruins in Game 2 on April 21, 2026. AP
Not only did the Bills’ star quarterback do that, but he also chugged a bear to the delight of the crowd, electrifying the building even more.
After three rounds of getting the chant going, he flipped the mallet that he used to beat the drum and pulled out a Corona Extra to start chugging.
Allen then slammed the can to the ground and raised his arms in the air to motivate the crowd to cheer even louder.
The former MVP had been in town for the team’s voluntary minicamp and had told reporters on Monday that he was “hoping to” be at Game 2 of the Sabres series with the Bruins.
Allen could feel the buzz in the city over the excitement surrounding the Sabres’ playoff run.
“I think just for the city of Buffalo, I think it’s a better place when the Sabres are playing well, and it being the first playoff game in, was it 15 years?” Allen said, according to Syracuse.com.
“We talked about ‘One Buffalo’ for the longest time and it’s been fun to watch them progress, and now going into these playoffs rolling,” Allen also said.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen chugs a beer to hype up the crowd before the first period of the Sabres’ 4-2 home loss to the Bruins in Game 2. AP
The Sabres had gone into Game 2 coming off a dramatic come-from-behind win in the first game that saw the Bruins blow a two-goal lead in the third period.
Buffalo scored four goals in the final 10 minutes of the game to erase the deficit.
But unfortunately, for Buffalo, they couldn’t match its Game 1 heroics on Tuesday night as the Sabres fell 4-2 to the Bruins in Game 2.
LOS ANGELES — When asked pregame about his team's defensive struggles in Game 1 against the Lakers, Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka brought the topic back around to his team's offensive struggles and how that set up the defense for failure. Houston scored just 98 points on 37.6% shooting, falling 0-1 to the Lakers in this first-round series.
Kevin Durant should help with that. He has been cleared to play in Game 2 after missing Game 1 with a knee contusion. He will start, and Udoka said there was no minutes restriction.
All season long, Durant's shooting and his gravity have opened up what can be a clunky Rockets offense at times. Durant averaged 26 points a game this season, shooting 41.3% from 3-point range, plus dishing out 4.3 assists a night. He's a challenge for any defense.
"Well, he's the fifth leading scorer of all time," Lakers coach JJ Redick said of Durant. "He's done it at a high level for so long. He's one of the greatest players ever, he's one of the most gifted scorers you've ever seen, and really just a fantastic basketball player. If he shoots, you feel like it's going every time."
Durant was frustrated to be out for a fluky thing — he bumped knees with a teammate in practice last week — especially coming off a season when he missed just four games, Udoka said. How his knee is feeling and how it impacts his shots and movement remain to be seen, but just having him out there makes the Rockets that much more dangerous in a Game 2 they really need.
Apr 21, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman David Hamilton (6) hi-fives teammates after scoring a run against the Detroit Tigers during the seventh inning at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images
The Milwaukee Brewers began a three-game series with the Tigers in Detroit on Tuesday night, and things couldn’t have gone much better for the Crew. Even after a few close calls on the pitching side early, the Brewers pulled away late with some insurance in the seventh before a big eighth inning to win 12-4.
With Keider Montero on the mound for Detroit, he started things off with a harmless inning, working around a two-out single from Jake Bauers. Lefty Kyle Harrison, making his first start in 10 days, hit Gleyber Torres with a pitch before a passed ball by William Contreras allowed Torres to move to second. Harrison settled in from there, recording a lineout from rookie Kevin McGonigle before getting Matt Vierling to fly out.
The Brewers put together some offense in the second, as Garrett Mitchell reached on an infield single (he was initially called out, but the call was overturned upon review), Luis Rengifo walked, and Sal Frelick singled to bring Mitchell in. David Hamilton followed with a bunt single to load the bases. After Blake Perkins struck out, Brice Turang singled home two more.
Turang found himself caught in a rundown between first and second, and Hamilton was thrown out trying to score as Turang tried to get out of the pickle. Contreras flew out to end the inning, but Milwaukee was out to a 3-0 lead.
Harrison allowed a pair of singles in the second but got out of the jam with a strikeout and flyout before Montero bounced back for a 1-2-3 inning in the third.
Harrison once again dealt with traffic in the third. After Perkins very casually robbed what would have been a homer by Jahmai Jones, Harrison allowed a two-out double to McGonigle before walking Matt Vierling. With Dillon Dingler — Detroit’s home run leader — representing the tying run, Harrison set him down with a strikeout to hold the 3-0 lead.
For the fourth consecutive inning to begin the evening, Harrison dealt with traffic as he loaded the bases with a pair of walks and a single. That marked the end of the night for him, as he lasted just three-plus frames on 72 pitches, allowing four hits and three walks, striking out three. Grant Anderson took over from there and immediately got Javier Báez to roll over into a 6-4-3 double play, allowing a run to score but putting the Crew in a good position to escape with minimal damage. Kerry Carpenter pinch-hit for Jones and proceeded to strike out, as Anderson walked the tightrope to keep the lead at 3-1 through four.
Anderson also got the fifth inning, working around a single and recording another double play. Trevor Megill took over in the sixth and recorded a quick 1-2-3 inning as he’s looked much better in his last few outings after being demoted from the closer role last week.
You may have noticed I haven’t mentioned Milwaukee’s offense in a minute. That’s because while all of this was happening, they had four consecutive 1-2-3 innings in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. That would continue with two outs — both hard-hit flyouts to the warning track — to begin the seventh as they stretched to 15 consecutive at-bats without reaching base, but Hamilton brought the streak to an end with a single.
Perkins followed with a walk, and after an E1 by reliever Enmanuel De Jesus on a pickoff attempt at second, Turang made him pay and singled Hamilton in to extend the lead to 4-1. Contreras then hit another run-scoring single to make it 5-1 before the inning came to an end on a Bauers groundout.
Aaron Ashby took over for Megill in the bottom of the inning and worked around a pair of walks while recording two strikeouts.
Then things unraveled for Detroit.
Gary Sánchez started the eighth with a triple(!), just the fourth of his career and his first since 2024 (also with the Brewers). Not to be outdone, the rest of the inning went as follows:
With a 12-1 lead, Jake Woodford took over for Ashby to close things out. Joey Ortiz, in as a defensive replacement, had an error, but Woodford worked around it for a scoreless eighth.
Detroit’s backup catcher, Jake Rogers, took over on the mound in the ninth and — after striking out Rengifo on a 61.5-mph eephus — worked around two singles for a scoreless inning.
The Tigers finally found some life in the bottom of the ninth, but it was a case of too little, too late. With two outs and a runner on, Wenceel Pérez and McGonigle both singled, and Vierling doubled to cut the score to 12-4 before Dingler flew out to end the game.
It was a strange night for the Brewer offense, as they recorded 16 hits (no homers, just three extra-base hits) and three walks wrapped around 15 consecutive outs in the middle of the game. Hamilton had his best game as a Brewer, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Turang went 2-for-5 with a team-high four RBIs, and Contreras, Bauers, and Mitchell each had a pair of hits.
On the mound, Anderson picked up the win as he went two scoreless innings, allowing just one of three inherited runners to score. Megill and Ashby each had a scoreless inning in relief, while Woodford had a scoreless eighth before slipping up a bit in the ninth, allowing three runs on four hits.
The Brewers are back at it tomorrow as they’ll look to secure another series win. Chad Patrick gets the start, with former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize starting for Detroit. First pitch is at 5:40 p.m. CT.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 21: Byron Buxton #25 of the Minnesota Twins is congratulated by teammate Royce Lewis #23 after Buxton hit a two run home run in the sixth inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on April 21, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With the Twins trying to avoid extending their losing streak to 5, Simeon Woods Richardson was tasked with out-dueling the Mets Nolan McLean. The assignment proved to be difficult, as McLean would take a perfect game into the 6th inning. Meanwhile, old nemesis Francisco Lindor smashed a 3-run homer in the third off of SWR, in what looked like, at the time, a killing blow. The next two innings for Simeon went by scoreless, but as McLean continued to deal, it was looking like it would be the Mets that would end their 11 game losing streak.
However, Matt Wallner broke up the perfect game and no-hitter with a single to left leading off the 6th inning. Then, two outs later, Byron Buxton blasted his 4th home run of the year to get the Twins within 1. In the 7th, a Kody Clemens double followed by a Luke Keaschall single tied the game.
The game remained tied until the top of the 9th, with Anthony Banda, Justin Topa, and Cole Sands tossing scoreless innings after SWR exited. Josh Bell and Ryan Jeffers led off with walks. Then Clemens laid down a sacrifice bunt up the first baseline and Vientos tried to get the out at 3rd but failed, loading the bases. Keaschall hit a single past the drawn-in infield for an RBI, then Wallner walked to force in another run to make it 5-3, Twins.
Austin Warren relieved Devin Williams, striking out the next three Twins, but the damage was done. Cole Sands pitched a shutout 9th to end the 4-game losing streak, and extend the Mets losing streak to 12.
Birmingham never wins the West Valley League baseball championship. But the Patriots are certainly putting themselves within striking distance of first-place El Camino Real.
They remained one game behind El Camino Real after an 8-0 win over Granada Hills on Tuesday in which Carlos Acuna gave up one hit in six innings and struck out 11. He also had two hits. Sebastian Valadez and Toni Mendoza each had two hits and two RBIs.
El Camino Real and Birmingham play a two-game series beginning April 29.
Harvard-Westlake 2, St. Francis 0: Junior Justin Kirchner threw six scoreless innings with 14 strikeouts and Ira Rootman had a home run and two RBIs.
Loyola 9, Bishop Alemany 3: Sophomore Austin Junk had a three-run home run and double and Luca Marucci also homered in the Cubs' Mission League win. Mikey Martinez homered for Alemany.
Chaminade 12, Crespi 5: Bronson Jackson, Isaiah Hearn and Robby Morgan each hit home runs in the Mission League win. Kystan Bell had three hits for Crespi.
St. John Bosco 6, Servite 0: Julian Garcia showed off overpowering stuff, striking out 12 with no walks while giving up two hits to help the Braves (17-5, 9-1) remain in first place in the Trinity League. Jaden Jackson had two hits and two RBIs.
Orange Lutheran 6, Santa Margarita 3: The top-ranked Lancers scored four runs in the seventh to overcome a 3-2 deficit. Hamilton Friedberg had three hits and three RBIs and CJ Weinstein added three hits.
Mater Dei 6, JSerra 5: Logan Miller had two hits and two RBIs for the Monarchs. Blake Bowen, Brise Boop and Owen Mescall hit home runs for JSerra.
Newbury Park 6, Calabasas 5: Jack Laubacher had two hits and three RBIs in the Panthers' eight-inning win.
Westlake 5, Thousand Oaks 3: The Warriors stayed in first place in the Marmonte League. Jaxson Necklen hit two home runs and Blake Miller added a home run, double, single and two RBIs.
Newport Harbor 8, Fountain Valley 1: Gavin Guy threw six innings in the Sunset League win.
Huntington Beach 6, Los Alamitos 3: Jared Grindlinger hit two doubles to keep Huntington Beach unbeaten in the Sunset League.
Gahr 2, Warren 1: Andres Gonzalez hit a two-run home run in the first inning for Gahr.
La Mirada 6, Downey 1: Michael Burgueno went four for four and Jacob Oropeza contributed two doubles.
San Clemente 4, Aliso Niguel 1: Bob Erspamer gave up two hits with six strikeouts in a complete game.
Villa Park 5, Anaheim Canyon 2: Jack McGuire struck out 10. Aidan Young had two hits and two RBIs.
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