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Carson Benge keeps making his Mets case with another run-scoring hit

New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (93) hitting an RBI single against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning of a Spring Training game.
Mar 13, 2026; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (93) hits and RBI single against the Washington Nationals during the fifth inning hits at...

Observations from Mets spring training on Friday:

Steady Benge

Carson Benge went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the Mets’ split squad 8-3 victory over the Nationals in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Benge, who is attempting to win the starting right field job, owns an .858 OPS this spring.

Carson Benge hits an RBI single during the Mets’ March 13 game. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Hudson plunge

Lefty reliever Bryan Hudson allowed two earned runs, two hits and one walk against the Nationals over two-thirds of an inning.

Hudson is competing for a bullpen spot.

Caught my eye

Clay Holmes induced eight groundouts over five innings in his relief appearance against the Marlins in Port St. Lucie.

Saturday’s schedule

Freddy Peralta is scheduled to face the Astros in West Palm Beach.

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Yankees News: Gerrit Cole focused as he continues comeback

TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 27: (EDITORS NOTE: This image has been converted to black and white) Gerrit Cole #45 of the New York Yankees works out during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 27, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Athletic | Brendan Kuty: Having missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Gerrit Cole is on the comeback trail. The Athletic got a chance to shadow him as he worked out as part of his ongoing rehab, getting a look into the mad man — I say with affection — that is Gerrit Cole.

FanGraphs | Eric Longenhagen and Brendan Gawlowski: Spring training is always a time not only for players to get ready for their upcoming season, but also for us as fans to get a glimpse of the future. Here’s another look at some of that future with another set of Yankees’ prospect rankings, this time from FanGraphs.

New York Daily News | Gary Phillips: With their tall frames and nasty repertoires, Yankees’ prospect Carlos Lagrange gets a decent amount of comparisons to former Yankees’ relief ace Dellin Betances. However, Betances himself thinks Lagrange could be even better, and that he could do something that Betances couldn’t quite: stick as a major league starter.

ESPN | Jeff Passan: We’re entering the final weeks of spring training, which means plenty of people are starting to look ahead to the start to the action that counts. Here is a preview of 2026 for all 30 MLB teams from Jeff Passan, featuring some possible breakout stars, including one for the Yankees mentioned right above.

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Jaden Bradley’s buzzer-beater lifts Arizona past Iowa State 82-80 in Big 12 semis

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Arizona’s Jaden Bradley answered a tying 3-pointer by Iowa State guard Tamin Lipsey with a fall-away jumper at the buzzer, sending the second-ranked Wildcats to an 82-80 victory over the No. 7 Cyclones in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals Friday night.

Bradley finished with 15 points, and Anthony Dell’Orso matched a career-best with six 3-pointers and scored 26 points for the tournament’s top seed. The Wildcats (31-2) advanced to play fifth-ranked Houston in Saturday night’s championship game.

Ivan Kharchenkov also had 17 points for Arizona. Tobe Awaka added 10 points and 10 rebounds.

It looked as if the game was headed to overtime after Lipsey, who had been 1 for 10 from the field, drilled a 3-pointer from the wing with 15.2 seconds to go. Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd chose not to call a timeout and Bradley calmly walked the ball up the floor, then drove to his right and hit the winner before his teammates jumped from the bench on top of him.

Milan Momcilovic matched a career-high eight 3-pointers and scored 28 points for the No. 5 seed Cyclones (27-7). All-Big 12 forward Joshua Jefferson had 21 points, Killyan Toure added 12 and Lipsey finished with eight points and seven assists.

NO. 1 DUKE 73, CLEMSON 61

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Cameron Boozer had 24 points, 14 rebounds and five assists and Duke ran out to a 19-point halftime lead and held on to beat Clemson to advance to the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament championship game.

Cayden Boozer, who is starting for the injured Caleb Foster, set a career high with 16 points and Nikolas Khamenia chipped in with 14 points for the Blue Devils.

Duke (31-2) will play for its second straight ACC Tournament title and third in the last four years on Saturday night against No. 10 Virginia, an 84-62 winner over Miami in the other semifinal.

RJ Godfrey had 18 points for Clemson (24-10).

Cameron Boozer, the ACC player of the year, showed off his diverse skillset, scoring from the low post, mid-range and from deep where he knocked down three 3s. He even ran the point at times and was dominant on the boards, helping Duke outrebound Clemson 41-27.

NO. 3 MICHIGAN 71, OHIO ST. 67

CHICAGO (AP) — Aday Mara scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half, helping Michigan hold off Bruce Thornton and Ohio State for a victory in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.

Elliot Cadeau had 15 points, seven assists and three steals for Michigan in its fifth consecutive win. Trey McKenney scored 12 points, and Morez Johnson Jr. finished with 11.

Mara anchored a strong defensive effort that shut down Ohio State in the final minutes. It was the first game of the tournament for the top-seeded Wolverines (30-2), while the Buckeyes (21-12) advanced with a 72-69 victory over Iowa on Thursday.

Michigan is going for its second straight Big Ten tourney title and fifth overall. It will face No. 23 Wisconsin on Saturday after the Badgers rallied for a 91-88 overtime win over No. 9 Illinois in the second quarterfinal of the day.

Thornton scored 22 points for Ohio State, and Devin Royal had 13. It was the Buckeyes’ third loss of the season against the Wolverines.

Ohio State grabbed its first lead of the game when Royal’s 3-pointer from the top of the key made it 61-60 with 5:40 left.

Mara’s layup lifted Michigan to a 67-64 advantage with 2:56 to go. Royal and Thornton then missed jumpers for Ohio State before Yaxel Lendeborg made a free throw for the Wolverines with 1:24 remaining.

The Buckeyes pulled within two on Royal’s two foul shots in the final seconds, but Lendeborg responded with two free throws to help close it out.

Lendeborg, the Big Ten player of the year, was held to six points. But he also had six assists and five rebounds.

NO. 4 FLORIDA 71, KENTUCKY 63

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Alex Condon scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and Florida took the first step toward defending its Southeastern Conference Tournament title by beating Kentucky in the quarterfinals.

The Gators (26-6) never trailed and were tied only once while winning their 12th straight game. The regular-season SEC champions, who are seeking a sixth tournament title overall, will play No. 22 Vanderbilt in Saturday’s semifinals.

Thomas Haugh added 13 points for Florida, and Xaivian Lee had 11.

Kentucky (21-13) now has one more loss all-time (32) than titles (31) in this tournament. The ninth-seeded Wildcats played their third game in as many days after opening the tournament Wednesday morning, a first for a program that last won this event in 2018.

Denzel Aberdeen led Kentucky with 17 points, reserve Mouhamed Dioubate scored 14 and Otega Oweh added 10.

NO. 5 HOUSTON 69, NO. 14 KANSAS 47

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kingston Flemings scored 21 points, fellow freshman Chris Cenac Jr. had 17 points and 14 rebounds, and Houston rolled past poor-shooting and lackluster Kansas in the semifinals of the Big 12 Tournament.

The second-seeded Cougars (28-5) held the third-seeded Jayhawks without a field goal for more than 10 minutes at point in the game, ultimately breezing into another championship matchup with second-ranked Arizona on Saturday night.

Houston beat the Wildcats 72-64 last year for its first Big 12 Tournament title.

Darryn Peterson had 14 points to lead the Jayhawks (23-10), who had beaten the Cougars in their only regular-season matchup. But the Jayhawks were a whole lot better that night in Allen Fieldhouse than they were at T-Mobile Center, where they were 6 for 31 from the field in the second half and shot 24.6% overall in their lowest-scoring game of the season.

NO. 6 UCONN 67, GEORGETOWN 51

NEW YORK (AP) — Braylon Mullins scored 15 of his 21 points in the first half, Jayden Ross hit a couple of momentum-stunting 3-pointers in the second, and UConn defeated Georgetown to set up a showdown of the top two seeds in the Big East Tournament final.

The second-seeded Huskies (29-4) will face regular-season conference champion and 13th-ranked St. John’s in the title game Saturday night after the Red Storm beat Seton Hall 78-68 in the other semifinal.

Like St. John’s, UConn has yet to trail in either of its first two games this week at Madison Square Garden. Mullins scored five of the team’s first seven points to go up 7-0, and the closest 11th-seeded Georgetown (16-18) got after that was down three at the 7 1/2-minute mark.

UConn led by 11 at halftime, despite not attempting a free throw to that point, and finished with assists on 21 of its 28 field goals. Without leading scorer KJ Lewis, who was ruled out for the season with a left ankle injury, the Hoyas were ultimately overmatched by a stacked opponent they played tight in January and again in February.

UCLA 88, NO. 8 MICHIGAN STATE 84

CHICAGO (AP) — Donovan Dent had 23 points and 12 assists, Trent Perry added 22 points and UCLA held off Michigan State in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals despite losing star Tyler Bilodeau to a leg injury.

Bilodeau had to be helped off the court late in the first half and spent the second on the sideline with his right knee wrapped. The Bruins led by 15 early in the second half and withstood several big pushes down the stretch to advance to a semifinal matchup with No. 18 Purdue, which beat No. 11 Nebraska 74-58.

They were clinging to an 82-80 lead when Brandon Williams scored on a fast-break layup to make it a four-point game with 25 seconds remaining. Carson Cooper made a layup for Michigan State with 12 seconds left. UCLA’s Trent Perry immediately answered with two free throws.

Jeremy Fears Jr. then drove for a layup to cut it to 86-84 with six seconds remaining. But Perry sealed the win with two free throws.

NO. 10 VIRGINIA 84, MIAMI 62

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Virginia beat Miami to advance to the ACC Tournament championship game for the first time since 2023.

Mailk Thomas scored nine of his 15 points in the second half for the Cavaliers, who improved to 29-4 under first-year coach Ryan Odom.

Tru Washington scored 13 points and Shelton Henderson added 12 for Miami, which shot just 39% from the field and was outrebounded 35-24.

Virginia broke open a tightly contested defensive game with a 13-2 run over the final 2:47 of the first half for a 38-23 lead at the break. Chance Mallory closed out the run with a running 3-pointer to beat the buzzer following a Miami turnover.

The Hurricanes never recovered.

The lead grew to 18 points six minutes into the second half as Miami struggled to find lanes to attack the basket against the taller Cavaliers. Miami couldn’t hit from deep, missing 10 of its first 11 shots from behind the 3-point line.

NO. 18 PURDUE 74, NO. 11 NEBRASKA 58

CHICAGO (AP) — Fletcher Loyer scored 19 points, Braden Smith collected 10 more assists and Purdue beat Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.

C.J. Cox and Oscar Cluff each had 12 points for the Boilermakers, and Trey Kaufman-Renn finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Smith set a Big Ten Tournament record and matched a career high with 16 assists in an 81-68 victory over Northwestern on Thursday. The senior guard needs 22 more assists to break Bobby Hurley’s NCAA record of 1,076 assists in 140 games for Duke from 1989-93.

Purdue (25-8) advanced to the Big Ten semifinals for the fourth time in the last five years, bouncing back nicely after closing the regular season with four losses in six games. It will play UCLA on Saturday.

Pryce Sandford scored 15 points for Nebraska, which dropped to 6-14 all-time in the Big Ten tourney. Rienk Mast finished with 11.

NO. 13 ST. JOHN'S 78, SETON HALL 68

NEW YORK (AP) — Zuby Ejiofor scored 20 points and St. John’s beat Seton Hall to reach the Big East Tournament title game for the second consecutive season.

Joson Sanon added 15 points off the bench for the defending champion Red Storm (27-6), who will face sixth-ranked and second-seeded UConn on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

St. John’s, outright regular-season champions each of the past two years, has never won back-to-back Big East Tournament crowns. The program has advanced to the semifinals in all three seasons under Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino after failing to do so at all from 2001-23.

Bryce Hopkins had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Johnnies, who improved to 10-1 as the top seed in this event. Dillon Mitchell provided 13 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Budd Clark paced the fourth-seeded Pirates (21-12) with 17 points and 11 assists. Seton Hall was trying to reach the final for the first time since a 74-72 loss to Villanova in 2019.

St. John’s has won six straight matchups in the Hudson River rivalry, its longest streak since winning 15 in a row from 1982-88.

MISSISSIPPI 80, NO. 15 ALABAMA 79

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — AJ Storr scored 17 points, Ilias Kamardine added 16 and 15th-seeded Mississippi upset second-seeded Alabama in the Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinals.

Mississippi (15-19) won for the third time in three days in the tournament after losing 12 of the final 13 regular-season games. The Rebels advanced to the semifinals Saturday against the winner of the final quarterfinal matchup between No. 17 Arkansas and Oklahoma.

Labaron Philon led Alabama (23-9) with 28 points. Aden Holloway added 18 points and Aiden Sherrell had 14. Philon was five for seven from 3-point range and shot 9 of 16 overall.

Philon cut Mississippi’s lead to a point with two free throws with 13.4 seconds remaining. Mississippi’s Eduardo Klafke missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 9.4 seconds remaining. Alabama went the other way on the rebound, but turned the ball over under its own basket.

NO. 23 WISCONSIN 91, NO. 9 ILLINOIS 88, OT

CHICAGO (AP) — Nick Boyd scored a career-high 38 points, John Blackwell added 31 and Wisconsin rallied from 15 down in the second half to beat Illinois in overtime in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.

It was tied at 80 in overtime when Boyd scored in the paint and Austin Rapp nailed a 3 to give Wisconsin a five-point lead with 2:33 remaining.

The Badgers were up by four with about a minute left when Boyd rebounded a missed 3 by Rapp. That led to two free throws for Blackwell, making it 87-81 with 46 seconds left.

Illinois got within 90-88 on David Mirkovic’s layup with six seconds remaining. Wisconsin’s Braeden Carrington then missed a free throw and hit the second to make it a three-point game before Illinois’ Keaton Wagler missed a long 3 at the buzzer.

The Badgers (24-9) advanced to the semifinals against No. 3 Michigan on Saturday. The Wolverines, seeking their second straight Big Ten Tournament title, held off Ohio State 71-67.

Boyd surpassed his previous high of 36 points in a win against Providence on Nov. 27. Blackwell, coming off a career-best 34 a day earlier against Washington, became Wisconsin’s all-time leading scorer in Big Ten Tournament games with 144 points.

NO. 22 VANDERBILT 75, NO. 25 TENNESSEE 68

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Duke Miles scored a season-high 30 points as Vanderbilt beat Tennessee to advance to the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinals.

The fourth-seeded Commodores (25-7) came in with its highest seeding since winning the 2012 SEC Tournament. They will play regular-season SEC champ Florida, a 71-63 winner over Kentucky, on Saturday.

Tyler Tanner added 19 points for the Commodores, who won their third straight.

No. 25 Tennessee (22-11) lost to Vanderbilt for the second time in a week and leaves well short of the tournament title game where the Vols lost to Florida last year.

Ja’Kobi Gillespie led Tennessee with 21 points. Nate Ament, who had 27 points in the second round, missed his first eight shots. He finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds. J.P. Estrella added 12 points and Jaylen Carey 10.

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Takeaways: Turnovers Costly As Penguins Fall To Golden Knights, 6-2

It's become quite a story that these Pittsburgh Penguins have been scratching and crawling their way to points without their two best players in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and during their toughest stretch of the 2025-26 season. 

Unfortunately, they hit a bit of a roadblock - and it was mostly self-inflicted.

On Thursday, the Penguins lost their second game of their five-game road trip, 6-2, to the Vegas Golden Knights, and it was largely the result of turnovers. Of course, the Penguins weren't the only ones credited with a lot of giveaways - they had 17, while Vegas was credited with 23 - but it just so happened that nearly every mistake ended up in the back of their net. 

On the goal that opened the scoring, Vegas took advantage of both a misplay by Penguins' defenseman Parker Wotherspoon and a case of overskating by Erik Karlsson, and Braeden Bowman found Colton Sissons crashing the net front to get the Golden Knights out to a 1-0 lead. And this was despite the Penguins getting the majority of chances, even if the chances that Vegas was getting were grade-A.

And they continued to get those chances in the second. After transitioning the puck into the offensive zone, Vegas was cycling, and it eventually found its way to defenseman Kaedan Korczak in the high slot, who got it to Pavel Dorofeyev down low for his 31st of the season on a top-shelf shot. 

But the Penguins had a response this time. With around eight and a half minutes to go in the middle frame, the Penguins' first line of Rickard Rakell, Egor Chinakhov, and Bryan Rust was cycling and dominating possession in the offensive zone, and they were eventually rewarded when Rust put a perfect shot-pass on the stick of Rakell, who was waiting at the backdoor, to make it 2-1. 

However, Mitch Marner responded less than a minute later with a strong individual effort after he and Dorofeyev gained the zone, and Marner got behind Egor Chinakhov to accept a pass as he was walking across the net front to make it 3-1. The Penguins did respond before the end of the period, though, when Anthony Mantha found Ben Kindel with a perfect seam pass on the doorstep - and they appeared to be going into the third period with some momentum.

But then, the third period was one of the Penguins' worst of the season. Dorofeyev registered his second of the game as well as his third point on the night after Wotherspoon turned the puck over near the offensive blue line in an attempt to get the puck to forward Ville Koivunen, and the Knights broke on a three-on-one opportunity. Marner - breaking down the left side - found Dorofeyev in the low slot area, and he didn't miss, making it 4-2. 

Less than two minutes later, Vegas scored off the rush again, courtesy of Jack Eichel, and defenseman Brayden McNabb added an empty-net goal with less than a minute remaining in regulation to give the Golden Knights the keys to a 6-2 victory.

Penguins Recall Big Defenseman, Send Another On AHL Conditioning LoanPenguins Recall Big Defenseman, Send Another On AHL Conditioning LoanWith the Pittsburgh Penguins' injury woes mounting, they made another move to shore up their blue line for the rest of their Western road trip.

Here are a few thoughts and observations:

- What a rough game for Wotherspoon. He ended up a minus-2 on the evening and was credited with a team-high three giveaways, and it could have been a whole lot worse. 

He has been a revelation for the Penguins this season, and he has also been the perfect partner for Erik Karlsson. However, his play since the Olympic break has declined a little bit, and it's been especially noticeable in the last handful of games. But the Vegas game takes the cake as his worst of the season.

It's worth noting that the most games Wotherspoon had ever played in an NHL season prior to this one was 55 with the Boston Bruins last season. He has logged 65 for the Penguins this season, meaning he has played in every game this season.

I'm not saying the grind of the schedule or fatigue is a factor here for sure, but there are mild signs of concern right now for him. Again, he's been spectacular for most of the season, and this could very well just be a rough stretch of games. 

But maybe that fatigue is setting in just a bit.

Opinion: 'No Quit' Mentality Shows Why These Penguins Are DifferentOpinion: 'No Quit' Mentality Shows Why These Penguins Are DifferentThe Pittsburgh Penguins keep finding new ways to collect points and win hockey games this season - and it speaks to a no-quit mentality that differentiates them from teams past.

- Koivunen has looked a heck of a lot more comfortable in during this stint than he has at any other point this season. That said, there are still times where you can tell he isn't reading the game at NHL speed, and he does get knocked off the puck quite a bit.

It appears he still needs to add some size, and his play on the wall when Wotherspoon attempted to get him the puck wasn't the best, either. I'm far from giving up on Koivunen, but if he is going to be an effective player at the NHL level, he needs to improve some fundamental aspects of his game first.

- On a positive note, it was another good game from the Penguins' top line of Rickard Rakell, Egor Chinakhov, and Bryan Rust as well as the third line of Ben Kindel, Elmer Soderblom, and Avery Hayes. 

I like the look of both of these lines right now and how much they've been able to generate. They - like everyone else - have had their moments defensively, but they're carrying play in the offensive zone on most nights.

4 Penguins Who Have Stepped Up Big Without Crosby, Malkin4 Penguins Who Have Stepped Up Big Without Crosby, MalkinOne look at the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' schedule in the month of March was enough for a whole lot of people to question whether or not a team that was - according to outside noise - supposed to be a lottery team would be able to sustain playoff-level hockey.&nbsp;

- It was not, however, a good night for the fourth line, which is very uncharacteristic. A Connor Dewar turnover led to Marner's goal, and the line was on the ice for three goals against - all of which were semi-consequential in the result.

They've been great for the vast majority of the season, but it was not their night at all.

- Silovs was not particularly good, either. He surrendered five goals on 16 shots, and he never looked all that comfortable between the pipes, as he was deep in his net and reading plays poorly. I especially didn't love how he played Dorofeyev's second goal. 

He has been really, really good for the Penguins in the back half of this season, and he's known to have a clutch gene. The defense in front of him was not doing a good job, either, against Vegas, but he needs to get back on track fast if the Penguins hope to make the playoffs.

Penguins' GM Kyle Dubas Hits Big Career MilestonePenguins' GM Kyle Dubas Hits Big Career MilestonePittsburgh Penguins' general manager and president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas hit a career milestone during Tuesday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

- Speaking of making the playoffs: lucky for the Penguins, it was a pretty good night on the scoreboard for them. The New York Islanders lost in regulation. As did the Carolina Hurricanes, the Detroit Red Wings, and the Boston Bruins. The Columbus Blue Jackets lost in overtime, which did bring them to within two points of Pittsburgh.

They need to simply survive this stretch without both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, and so far, they've managed to do that. They've earned exactly half the available points with Crosby out (3-3-3) and Malkin out (1-1-2), and they're still clinging onto second in the Metropolitan Division. 

Saturday will mark the final game of Malkin's five-game suspension, and Crosby is practicing with the team during morning skates on the road (the team does not have any practices on off-days due to travel). If they can manage to win one more on Saturday against the Utah Mammoth, that will help them tremendously, and it will set them up nicely for both players' imminent returns. 

Every point matters, and the Penguins need to keep collecting as many as possible. 

'Find A Way To Write Our Own Story': After Quiet Deadline, It's Time To See What These Penguins Are Made Of'Find A Way To Write Our Own Story': After Quiet Deadline, It's Time To See What These Penguins Are Made OfKyle Dubas and his Pittsburgh Penguins were relatively quiet at the NHL trade deadline - which speaks to the GM's belief in his current group of players.

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

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Raptors rally past Suns 122-115 as Brandon Ingram scores 36

TORONTO (AP) — Brandon Ingram scored 36 points, RJ Barrett added 22 and the Toronto Raptors rallied to beat Phoenix 122-115 on Friday night, snapping the Suns’ winning streak at four.

Jalen Green scored 34 points for Phoenix, matching his career high with eight 3-pointers, and Devin Booker added 31 points, but the Suns couldn’t hold on after leading by 10 in the fourth quarter.

Immanuel Quickley scored 17 points for Toronto. Scottie Barnes had 14 and Ja’Kobe Walter 12 as the Raptors won for the first time in three games.

Grayson Allen scored 15 points for the Suns.

Toronto trailed 105-95 with 8:12 left in the final period but turned it around with a 13-2 spurt capped by Barrett’s 3-pointer with 3:35 remaining.

Royce O’Neal stopped the run by making a 3 with 2:36 left but the Suns didn’t score again until Booker made three free throws with 24 seconds remaining.

CAVALIERS 138, MAVERICKS 105

DALLAS (AP) — Evan Mobley matched his season high with 29 points, Donovan Mitchell had 24 and Cleveland beat Dallas in the opener of a home-and-home series.

Mobley had 16 points in the first quarter and was already up to 23 by halftime, the second-highest scoring half of his career. He went 12 for 15 from the field and grabbed seven rebounds while playing just 23 minutes.

James Harden finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Cavaliers, who shot 61.5% from the field and were 18 for 38 (47%) from 3-point range.

Cooper Flagg scored 25 points for the Mavericks, who were coming off a victory in Memphis that snapped an eight-game losing streak. Naji Marshall had 17 points.

PISTONS 126, GRIZZLIES 110

DETROIT (AP) — Jalen Duren had 30 points and 13 rebounds and Cade Cunningham added 17 points and 15 assists as Detroit handed Memphis its seventh straight loss.

The Pistons have won their last three games by an average of 25.3 points after a season-worst four-game losing streak.

Marcus Sasser had 16 points for the Pistons, which had seven players in double figures.

Javon Small led the Grizzlies with 23 points while Ty Jerome had 21. Taj Gibson made his season debut for the Grizzlies after signing with them in late February. The 40-year-old played nearly 12 minutes with three points and three rebounds.

Detroit led 98-84 at the end of three quarters, thanks to 26 points from Duren, and quickly moved the advantage to 22 before coach J.B. Bickerstaff emptied the bench.

KNICKS 101, PACERS 92

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Jalen Brunson finished with 29 points and nine assists, OG Anunoby added 25 points and eight rebounds, and New York beat Indiana.

Mitchell Robinson had a career-high 22 rebounds to go with 12 points as last year’s Eastern Conference runner-up won its second straight and its sixth game in nine contests. The Knicks are still fighting to earn a top-four seed and home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Jarace Walker scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead the Pacers. Aaron Nesmith had 12 points as injury-riddled Indiana lost its 12th straight. Ivica Zubac added 11 points and eight rebounds in his second game with Indiana since being acquired in a February trade.

ROCKETS 107, PELICANS 105

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant hit a go-ahead 18-footer with 7.6 seconds left and Houston outlasted New Orleans to move into third place in the crowded Western Conference.

Durant scored 32 points two nights after matching his season low with 11 in a blowout loss at Denver. Against the Pelicans, he was 13 of 24 from the field and had six rebounds and five assists.

Amen Thompson added 23 points for Houston in the opener of five-game homestand. Reed Sheppard scored 18 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16.

Dejounte Murray led New Orleans with 35 points, but stepped out of bounds with the Pelicans up a point with 13 seconds remaining. After Durant put the Rockets ahead, Zion Williamson threw the ball out of bounds, and Durant hit two free throws to put it away.

TRAIL BLAZERS 124, JAZZ 114

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson each scored 25 points, Donovan Clingan had 21 points and 15 rebounds and Portland beat Utah.

With Golden State’s loss to Minnesota, the Trail Blazers moved within a half-game of the Warriors for the ninth seed in the Western Conference.

Brice Sensabaugh led Utah with 31 points.

After Utah jumped out to a 33-15 lead, the Trail Blazers found their footing and went on a 27-5 run to take control.

Portland’s Sidy Cissoko’s 3-pointer hit back-to-back 3-pointers to open the second to make it 38-34, part of a 14-0 run to open the periodr. Portland took its first lead on a 3-pointer by Holiday, and led 66-58 at halftime.

The Jazz made several runs to cut into the lead in the second half. A layup by Oscar Tshiebwe made it 91-89 with 2:01 left in the third quarter, but that was as close as the Jazz would get.

TIMBERWOLVES 127, WARRIORS 117

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Anthony Edwards scored 42 points and Minnesota held off injury-plagued Golden State.

Edwards shot 13 for 22, made all 12 of his free throws and also had eight rebounds and five assists, while Rudy Gobert contributed 18 points and nine rebounds in what coach Chris Finch considered a must-win game. The Wolves snapped a three-game skid — all of those double-digit defeats, including 153-128 at the Clippers on Wednesday — following a five-game winning streak.

Gui Santos’ 3-pointer followed by a dunk by Malevy Leons cut Minnesota’s lead to 109-102 with 8:37 left but Golden State couldn’t do much more.

Brandin Podziemski scored 25 points for the Warriors, who scratched Draymond Green less than an hour before tipoff because of a lower back injury. Kristaps Porzingis moved into the starting lineup in his place as the Warriors used their 33rd different starting five, and it was Porzingis’ first start since being acquired by Golden State at the trade deadline from Atlanta. He finished with 20 points.

CLIPPERS 119, BULLS 108

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points, Bennedict Mathurin had 26 and Los Angeles extended its winning streak to four games with a victory over Chicago.

Jordan Miller added 14 points to help the eighth-place Clippers win for the seventh time in eight games to solidify their hold on a spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament. After starting the season 6-21, Los Angeles is a season-best two games over .500 at 34-32.

Leonard scored at least 20 points for the 44th consecutive game to tie Bob McAdoo’s franchise record set for the Buffalo Braves in 1974-75.

The Clippers were without trade-deadline acquisition Daruis Garland, who was listed with left toe injury management on the front end of a back-to-back.

Josh Giddey had his 11th triple-double of the season for the Bulls with 20 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Tre Jones scored 21 points and Matas Buzelis added 18 as the Bulls went 2-3 on a West Coast trip.

Chicago shot 44.2% from the floor and 29.3% from 3-point range while falling to 3-4 following an 11-game losing streak.

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Austin Wells' only swing of the bat puts the Dominicans in WBC record book and semifinals

MIAMI (AP) — Austin Wells' only swing of the bat put the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic record book and the semifinal round.

Wells hit a game-ending three-run homer in the seventh inning Friday night that stopped the contest under a tournament rout rule as the Dominican Republic beat South Korea 10-0 to reach the WBC semis.

Wells' homer was the 14th for the Dominicans in the tournament, tying the tournament record set by Mexico in 2009. Wells, who also homered in a 12-1 pool victory over the Netherlands on Sunday, drove a first-pitch cutter from Hyeong Jun So off the front of the second deck in right.

“Trying to win today and be able to move to the next round was the goal,” Wells said. “Being able to help out today and be part of it was a lot of fun. Definitely a special moment.”

With a lineup of stars including Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Fernando Tatis Jr, Wells has quickly adjusted to the team. And, when the star sluggers did their damage without the long ball against South Korea, it was Wells who went deep.

The homer also tied Wells with Soto, Guerrero, Tatis, Junior Caminero and Oneil Cruz.

“The experience has been incredible. It’s been an unbelievable honor being able to represent my family and the country of the Dominican,” said Wells, who was born in Arizona to a mother of Dominican descent. “It’s something that I’m never going to forget and hopefully I’ll have the opportunity again.”

During its power barrage through the first four games, the Dominicans have displayed viral-worthy bat flips and exuberant group celebrations when they complete their trot around the bases. But, Wells has been more subdued.

“I haven’t been one for big bat flips in my career,” Wells said. “I’m taking notes. A lot of the times I just black out when I hit a home run. It’s been hard for me to show some sort of emotion. Maybe next time.”

The Dominicans reached the semifinal round for the first time since the tournament championship game in 2013. Now, they will have the opportunity to move past Mexico and claim the homer record as their own — and move a step closer to another title — when they face the United States on Sunday in Miami.

“This is something special for us because we are a very united team, compact team,” Caminero said. “You can feel the emotion, the energy in the clubhouse. We work as a team. This is something very special to us. Now we have to focus on the next rival on Sunday, and to continue playing like we have been doing so far.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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Arkansas men, Illinois women grab first-day lead at D-I indoor track and field championships

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — The Arkansas men and Illinois women sit on top after Friday's opening day of the Division I men’s and women’s indoor track and field championships at Randal Tyson Track Center.

Arkansas' men lead with 14 points, one more than both Virginia and Kansas. Texas A&M is fourth with 12 points and Kansas State follows with 10.

Ryan Johnson launched 84 feet, 1 1/2 inches to set a new meet record in the men’s weight throw and earn Iowa’s first title in the event.

Oregon’s Peyton Bair dominated the competition on Day 1 in the heptathlon with 3,675 points, only trailing collegiate record holder Kyle Garland’s pace from the 2023 indoor championships.

New Mexico's Habtom Samuel edged fellow junior Marco Langon of Villanova to win the 5,000 meters. Samuel finished in 13 minutes, 36.58 seconds to Langon's 13:36.98.

Kansas junior Ashton Barkdull won the pole vault, clearing a personal best 19 feet, 0 1/4 inches on his second try. Texas A&M senior Aleksandr Solovev finished second after clearing the height on this third attempt.

Reinhardt Harrison, Josiah Johnson, Tor Hotung-Davidsen and anchor Colin Sahlman led Northern Arizona to a first-place finish in the distance medley relay with a time of 9:19.95.

Tarleton State's Likesh Sathyanathan leaped a personal best 26-11 1/4 to win the long jump. Runner-up De'Aundre Ward of Southern Miss fell short by 1/4 inch.

Auburn's Ja'Kobe Tharp ran the second fastest 60-meter hurdles in NCAA history, clocking in at 7.36 seconds during Friday's preliminaries. Florida's Grant Holloway set the record at 7.35 seconds in the 2019 indoor championships.

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On the women’s side, Illinois totaled 30 points to grab the first-day lead, 10 better than second-place Oregon. Florida (14), BYU (13) and Minnesota (10) round out the top five.

Freshman Liisa-Maria Lusti became the second Oregon woman to win the pentathlon — first since Brianne Theisen-Eaton in 2012 — with a season-best 4,498 points. Lusti outpaced Illinois’ JaCieonna Gero-Holt in the 800 meters by one spot to hold off her fellow freshman. Gero-Holt became the school’s highest finisher in the event with a school record point total of 4,466.

Illinois junior Sophia Beckmon won the long jump with a mark of 21-9 — after finishing fifth in the event last season. It placed the All-American second all-time in Illinois’ indoor long jump history.

BYU freshman Jane Hedengren cruised to a first-place finish in the 5,000 meters, setting a facility record with a time of 15:00.12.

Oregon anchor Wilma Nielsen pulled away over the final 1,600 meters to help Oregon win the distance medley relay with a time of 10:48.76. South Carolina finished second in 10:49.69. Juliet Cherubet ran the first leg for the Ducks, followed by Lakely Doht-Barron and Silan Ayyildz.

Minnesota's Anthonett Nabwe won the women's weight throw with the sixth longest heave in collegiate history at 82-5.

Both championships conclude Saturday.

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AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

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Austin Reaves says Lakers are ‘different team’ when Deandre Ayton is at his best

LOS ANGELES, CA - FEBRUARY 5: Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Deandre Ayton #5 of the Los Angeles Lakers high five during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 5, 2026 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. 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 Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images

It’s very clear how good Deandre Ayton can be. He was picked No. 1 in the same draft as Luka Dončić because he can dominate as a scorer, rebounder and even as a defender.

When he reaches those heights, he flirts with his maximum potential. But when he falls short of that quality, it’s equally disappointing.

During the Lakers’ current homestand, Ayton has been the best version of himself. Against the Wolves, he had 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Lakers dominated Minnesota.

After the win, Austin Reaves talked about how much Ayton matters to this team.

“He was a monster…” Reaves said. “He was the only person scoring for us efficiently and then just being high energy on the other end. Just doing what he does and that’s what we need him to do. When he does that, we’re a different team. We’re thankful to have him.”

While Ayton has had moments of disappointment, he’s still the starting center for the Lakers. When he registers a double-double as he did against Minnesota, the Lakers dominate. During the 20 times this year, Ayton has accomplished this feat, LA is 17-3 in those contests.

So, getting Ayton producing puts the Lakers in a position to win.

“I think he was very locked in today,” Dončić said after the win over the Wolves. “He was huge for us today. We need to encourage him to keep doing like that. When he plays like that, it helps as well.”

While Ayton is oozing with talent, he seems to be a player who needs the encouragement Luka is talking about. He’s a big who needs to get fed the ball and feel involved so he can bring his best. The Lakers have done big and small things to keep him engaged. A clear example of this is them making t-shirts for Ayton that encourage him to be a lion.

Ayton followed up his performance against the Wolves with an equally impressive game against the Bulls. He earned another double-double, and the Lakers won again, making them the third seed in the West.

Sure, Ayton can be frustrating and inconsistent at times, but his dominance raises the ceiling for this team. When he’s at the top of his game, he is far and away the best center on the team. And with the West featuring players like Nikola Jokić and Rudy Gobert on playoff teams, Ayton can help neutralize them with his game.

Hopefully, his current stretch of good games will lead to more productive performances from Ayton as the Lakers enter the home stretch of the season.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.

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Blues rally from 2-0, beat Oilers 3-2 on Robert Thomas' OT goal with 9 seconds left

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Robert Thomas scored on a wrist shot with nine seconds left in overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

The Blues trailed 2-0 midway through the third period but goals by Pius Suter with 7:38 to play and Cam Fowler with 3:46 left in regulation tied it at 2-all.

Fowler also had an assist and Joel Hofer made 36 saves to help St. Louis win for the sixth time in their last seven games. With the win the Blues pulled within five points of a wild-card playoff spot. Hofer is now 8-2-2 in his last 12 starts.

Kasperi Kapanen gave Edmonton the lead with 4:19 to play in the second period and Connor McDavid scored his 37th goal of the season to make it 2-0 9:56 into the third period. Connor Ingram had 22 saves.

The Oilers went scoreless on the power play in three chances.

The Oilers, in third place in the Pacific Division, finished a four-game road trip 2-2.

KINGS 3, ISLANDERS 2

NEW YORK (AP) — Adrian Kempe scored his team-leading 26th goal of the season and Los Angeles held off New York.

Trevor Moore and Anze Kopitar also scored for the Kings and Darcy Kuemper stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced.

Emil Heineman scored twice for the Islanders, and Ilya Sorokin made 24 saves. Bo Horvat added two assists.

Kempe scored on a wrist shot with 1:32 remaining in the first period to put the Kings up 3-0. Kempe now has five goals and four assists in his last six games.

After the game, the Islanders stayed on the ice and shook hands with Kings captain Kopitar, who is playing in his 20th and final season in the NHL.

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A.J. Minter ‘felt like I let the team down’ with his Mets injury — and he’s ready to change that

New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter throws during Spring Training.
A.J. Minter throws during the Mets' Feb. 10 spring training session.

PORT ST. LUCIE — A.J. Minter departed the mound at Nationals Park last April 26 knowing something was wrong, but also fairly certain he hadn’t injured himself too badly.

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Even after the adrenaline subsided in the clubhouse and the initial burst of pain kicked in, the Mets reliever was thinking in terms of when he might be returning to the mound.

“I didn’t think it was going to be a season-ending injury,” Minter said this week.

Minter had completely torn a lat muscle from the bone and needed surgery.

His season was finished after only 13 appearances with his new team following his arrival on a two-year contract worth $22 million.

And so, for a second straight spring training the veteran lefty is rehabbing.

Last year it was the labrum in his hip, following surgery in 2024 with the Braves.

Minter, 32, has also undergone Tommy John and thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in his career.

A.J. Minter throws during the Mets’ Feb. 10 spring training session. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

“But this by far has been the easiest rehab process,” Minter said. “I’ve had it all, but this has been about getting the shoulder strong again.”

Minter threw a third live batting practice session this spring Friday.

He’s hopeful of maybe pitching in a Grapefruit League game before the Mets break camp, but regardless won’t pitch for the team for at least the season’s first month.

It’s a potential May addition to which manager Carlos Mendoza can look forward after the team struggled to compensate for Minter’s absence last season.

Brooks Raley, who returned at midseason following Tommy John surgery rehab, bolstered the lefty relief in the second half, but for two months the Mets shuffled a group that included Genesis Cabrera, Jose Castillo and Richard Lovelady before acquiring Gregory Soto from Baltimore before the trade deadline. Soto pitched to underwhelming results and wasn’t re-signed.

“Some of the guys that were there did their part, but [Minter’s absence] was a big blow for us,” Mendoza said. “We felt it while Minter was down.”

A.J. Minter throws a pitch during the Mets’ April 2025 game. Corey Sipkin for the NY Post

The Mets fell one victory short of the playoffs, a fact that torments Minter, who wonders if he could have provided a needed boost.

“I felt like I let the team down,” Minter said. “I knew they were counting on me, and it was definitely hard to watch them. I stayed in New York all year and just wanted to be around the guys, new team, new organization, just continue to build that bond with everyone. I felt it was my job to come in and help this team win, so when you can’t do that it’s frustrating.

“But I worked super hard this offseason and my goal is to come in here and continue to do the same. I can’t help the team if I am hurt, so the first job is just to feel healthy and stay healthy.”

Minter said his fastball is topping out in the 92-93 mph range, slightly below where he wants it.

But he also recognizes where he is in the calendar compared to his teammates.

“Of course, I want to throw harder than that, but I would say I’m a month behind everyone,” Minter said. “If you told me I was throwing 92-93, showing up to spring training … I’m competitive, I want the velocity, but I think we’re in a good spot.”

Raley has returned to give the Mets one dependable lefty reliever.

Beyond that it’s unclear if the team will carry a secondary option to begin the season.

The primary candidate for that spot is Bryan Hudson, who was acquired in a trade with the White Sox for cash considerations just before the start of camp.

“I wouldn’t put it as we’re looking for a second lefty,” Mendoza said, noting that both Devin Williams and Luke Weaver have strong crossover numbers. “I think it’s whatever we feel is going to be best by the time we break camp here.”

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Team USA survives Canada scare as Dominican Republic awaits in WBC semifinal

An image collage containing 3 images, Image 1 shows David Bednar #53 of Team United States reacts to striking out against Team Canada during the seventh inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas, Image 2 shows United States center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) reacts with first base coach George Lombard (23) after hitting an RBI single during the sixth inning against Canada during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park, Image 3 shows Aaron Judge #99 and Bryce Harper #24 of Team United States celebrate after scoring against Team Canada during the third inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas
USA Canada WBC

Mark DeRosa, at least for now, is off the hook.

An elimination that would have been humiliating has been avoided. If Team USA did not play like a juggernaut, it at least played well enough to advance without any external help this time. 

All the Americans needed to get back on track was a matchup with a nation that shares a land border and has recently doubled as a punching bag. 

The United States — a country that boasts 29 major league clubs — faced off against Canada — a country that has one — and survived a scare from its northern neighbors, 5-3, in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals Friday night in Houston. 

“The crowd really got into it. … It was absolutely electric,” Yankees reliever David Bednar told Fox Sports after escaping a seventh-inning jam, the back of the USA bullpen proving to be the difference. 

United States center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) reacts with first base coach George Lombard (23) after hitting an RBI single during the sixth inning against Canada on March 13, 2026. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s a clean sweep for the U.S., whose men’s and women’s hockey teams beat Canada in the gold medal games at the Winter Olympics last month. The Los Angeles Dodgers, too, triumphed over the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series last year. In the WBC, the Americans have won five straight times against the Canadians, including a 12-1 beatdown in 2023. 

Team USA moves on to what arguably is the showdown of the tournament: a semifinal Sunday against the Dominican Republic, which knocked off South Korea in its quarterfinal that ended in a mercy rule-inducing homer from the Yankees’ Austin Wells.

The Dominican lineup owns the muscle and star power to keep up with the Americans, an onslaught of Fernando Tatis Jr., Ketel Marte, Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado, Junior Caminero and Julio Rodríguez, just to name a few. 

Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper of Team United States celebrate after scoring against Team Canada during the third inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Getty Images

Awaiting on the mound will be Paul Skenes, first of the Air Force Academy and now the best arm the Americans have to throw. 

The game will take place in the international melting pot that is Miami, which will be far more fired up than during Marlins games. 

“I expect it to be, like, one of the greatest games of all time,” DeRosa told reporters of a matchup that will pit a businesslike Team USA club against a bat-flipping group of Dominican players. 

David Bednar of Team United States reacts to striking out against Team Canada during the seventh inning at Daikin Park on March 13, 2026 in Houston, Texas. Getty Images

“It’s fun. It’s exciting,” Aaron Judge (1-for-3 with a double and walk) told reporters of the flashier Dominican style of play. “I know the fans definitely love it. But I try not to look at what other teams are doing, what other people are doing. I focus on what we got here. We got a special group of guys that love to play this game.” 

As a reminder: This stage is single elimination, so another Game 7 awaits. A loss to the Dominican Republic would be disappointing, sure, but not shameful or mortifying. The Americans had earlier flirted with both. 

Just about forgotten now is the heated debate around DeRosa, who claimed he misspoke in stating that his club already had clinched a spot in the knockout stage prior to its fourth game in group play. Team USA then fielded a lineup without several of its best players and lost to Italy, requiring (and then receiving) some help to advance. 

Friday, the Americans received yet another gift. A country known for its politeness delivered with a, well, favour that cracked the game open. 

The WBC bracket after the first games of the quarterfinal round. New York Post

In the third inning of a game Team USA led by one, Bryce Harper, Judge and Kyle Schwarber reached to load the bases with two outs. Alex Bregman hit a ground ball to the left side that a diving Abraham Toro stabbed. A good throw would have cut down Bregman, ended the frame and kept the contest close, but the Royals infielder airmailed the throw to give the Americans a three-run cushion. 

That cushion ballooned to five runs, but Canada scored three times (including a two-run homer from Guardians standout Bo Naylor in the sixth) and put the tying run in scoring position without an out against Bednar in the seventh. 

The gutsy Yankees reliever, though, bore down. He went down, 3-1, to Josh Naylor before fighting back and inducing a pop-up. He used a big-time curveball to punch out Tyler O’Neill then a splitter to escape against Owen Caissie. Bednar hopped and smacked his right hand into his glove as he walked to the dugout after throwing 26 of the most pressurized pitches you can throw on March 13. 

Former Yankees prospect and current Red Sox weapon Garrett Whitlock pitched a scoreless eighth and Mason Miller was dominant for the ninth in a game the Americans survived because of their defense — which did not make the mistake that the Canadians did — and their pitching and not a lineup that has yet to be overwhelming. 

United States relief pitcher Mason Miller (19) and catcher Cal Raleigh (29) react after defeating Canada during a quarterfinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic at Daikin Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I don’t think this entire time in Houston has been all that pretty,” Pete Crow-Armstrong told Fox Sports. “But I think we know what we have in this clubhouse. … I think it’s just most important that when it’s not always the easiest or the cleanest, we’re still getting the job done, some way, somehow. 

“We’re looking to really wake up one of these days soon.”

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WBC: USA advances to semis, Shohei Ohtani builds up pitching

MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 12: Shohei Ohtani #16 of Team Japan speaks at a press conference during an official workout day at loanDepot park on March 12, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Gene Wang - Capture At Media/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The United States advanced to the semifinals of the World Baseball Classic with a 5-3 win over Canada at Daikin Park in Houston on Friday night.

Will Smith, who has been splitting catching duties with Cal Raleigh, did not play on Friday. Clayton Kershaw did not pitch in any of the first five games of the tournament, and he’s expected to be replaced on Team USA’s roster in favor of Jeff Hoffman for the next round.

The earlier game Friday was a blowout, with the Dominican Republic shutting out Korea 10-0.

Former Dodgers pitcher Hyun-jin Ryu got through the first inning unscathed, but it was mostly landmines for him in the second inning, with two walks, three hits, and three runs to end his start after only five outs. The Dominican Republic followed with a four-run third inning, then Austin Wells ended things with a three-run home run in the seventh inning, providing the requisite 10-run lead that late in the game to invoke the mercy rule.

Hyeseong Kim, who missed the last game of pool play in Tokyo after injuring his left hand on a slide into second base, was back in the lineup Friday for Korea, but he struck out in both at-bats. Now, he’ll be back to the Dodgers soon to resume his battle for an opening day roster spot.

Team USA will take on the Dominican Republic in the first WBC semifinal, on Sunday night at loanDepot Park in Miami.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto will be on the mound and Shohei Ohtani in the lineup as designated hitter for Japan in their quarterfinal matchup with Venezuela on Saturday night. Ohtani won’t pitch in the WBC, but he continues to build up toward the regular season, including pitching four simulated innings on Thursday in Miami.

Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior talked with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register about Ohtani’s pitching progression:

“We get Trackman reports. We know how many pitches he’s thrown, we know the velocity, we have a general idea of the movements. We get some cellphone videos and stuff from Will Ireton (who is working with Team Japan during the tournament) and Possum (Yosuke Nakajima, a Dodgers trainer), who was in Tokyo as well.

“We’ve been able to track what’s going on and talk with Will to see how he’s responding. That’s kind of how we’re staying in touch.”

Friday scores
  • Dominican Republic 10, Korea 0 (7 innings)
  • United States 5, Canada 3
Saturday schedule
  • Italy vs. Puerto Rico, 12 p.m. PT (FS1)
  • Japan vs. Venezuela, 6 p.m. (Fox)
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Robert Thomas scores with 9 seconds left in OT as the Blues beat the Oilers 3-2

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Robert Thomas scored on a wrist shot with nine seconds left in overtime to give the St. Louis Blues a 3-2 come-from-behind win over the Edmonton Oilers on Friday night.

The Blues trailed 2-0 midway through the third period but goals by Pius Suter with 7:38 to play and Cam Fowler with 3:46 left in regulation tied it at 2-all.

Fowler also had an assist and Joel Hofer made 36 saves to help St. Louis win for the sixth time in their last seven games. With the win the Blues pulled within five points of a wild-card playoff spot. Hofer is now 8-2-2 in his last 12 starts.

Kasperi Kapanen gave Edmonton the lead with 4:19 to play in the second period and Connor McDavid scored his 37th goal of the season to make it 2-0 9:56 into the third period. Connor Ingram had 22 saves.

The Oilers went scoreless on the power play in three chances.

The Oilers, in third place in the Pacific Division, finished a four-game road trip 2-2.

Thomas now has points in nine consecutive games.

The Blues had trouble generating shots early and went 19:48 without a shot from the first period into the second.

Leon Draisaitl had an assist on Kapanen's goal and now has an eight-game points streak (five goals, 11 assists). Evan Bouchard's nine-game point streak came to an end.

Edmonton's Ryan Nugent-Hopkins didn't play to deal with a personal matter, the team said.

Up next

Oilers: Return home to play Nashville on Sunday.

Blues: Open a three-game road trip at Winnipeg on Sunday.

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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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Rookie Peyton Anderson helps Frost cruise to 4-1 victory over Torrent

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Rookie Peyton Anderson scored her first career goal to spark the Minnesota Frost to a 4-1 victory over the Seattle Torrent on Friday night in the PWHL.

Minnesota (8-3-3-4) needed just 2:30 to grab the lead when Anderson used assists from Élizabeth Giguère and Claire Butorac to score. It was the first assist this season for Giguère and the second for Butorac.

The Frost took a 2-0 lead with 2:32 remaining in the first on Abby Hustler's third goal this season. Kendall Cooper notched her 10th assist and Grace Zumwinkle collected her fifth.

Minnesota went up 3-0 with 4:38 remaining in the second period when Klára Hymlárová scored for the second time this season. Britta Curl-Salemme picked up her 11th assist and Kelly Pannek added her eighth.

Seattle (5-1-2-10) cut it to 3-1 with 8:19 remaining on a power-play goal by Lexie Adzija. Anna Wilgren earned her fifth assist and Danielle Serdachny her fourth on Adzija's fourth goal of the season.

Taylor Heise sent a shot into an empty net in the final minute to complete the scoring with her fifth goal. Heise joins Alex Carpenter and Marie-Philip Poulin as the only players in the league’s first three seasons to top 20 points in back-to-back campaigns.

The two-time defending champion Frost became the first team to beat an opponent by three or more goals in three consecutive matches after posting a 3-0 victory in Seattle and a 6-2 victory at home earlier this season.

Maddie Rooney finished with 28 saves in goal for the Frost.

Corinne Schroeder saved 27 shots for the Torrent in the first of five straight games away from home for the first-year club.

The Frost had a 23-11 advantage in shots through the first 40 minutes, but the Torrent outshot Minnesota 18-8 in the final period.

Minnesota's 20 first-period goals this season trails only the 21 of Ottawa. Seattle has allowed 19 first-period goals, tied with New York for the most in the league.

Up next

Seattle: At Toronto on Sunday.

Minnesota: Hosts New York on Sunday.

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AP women’s hockey: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-hockey

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Rockets outlast Pelicans 107-105 to move into 3rd place in West

HOUSTON (AP) — Kevin Durant hit a go-ahead 18-footer with 7.6 seconds left and the Houston Rockets outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans 107-105 on Friday night to move into third place in the crowded Western Conference.

Durant scored 32 points two nights after matching his season low with 11 in a blowout loss at Denver. Against the Pelicans, he was 13 of 24 from the field and had six rebounds and five assists.

Amen Thompson added 23 points for Houston in the opener of five-game homestand. Reed Sheppard scored 18 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. had 16.

Dejounte Murray led New Orleans with 35 points, but stepped out of bounds with the Pelicans up a point with 13 seconds remaining. After Durant put the Rockets ahead, Zion Williamson threw the ball out of bounds, and Durant hit two free throws to put it away.

Murray was 14 of 18 from the field, hitting 4 of 5 3 pointers.

Williamson had 21 points. The Pelicans had won won two straight and three of four.

Up next

Pelicans: Host Dallas on Monday night.

Rockets: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday and Wednesday nights.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba