Alexis Ramirez went three for four and drove in five runs and UCLA cruised to the NCAA Super Regionals with a 12-1 dismantling of UC Santa Barbara on Sunday in the Los Angeles Regional.
The ninth-seeded Bruins (52-10) travel to face eighth-seeded South Carolina next weekend. UCLA is chasing its ninth Women’s College World Series berth in the last decade. In going 3-0 in this weekend’s regional play, UCLA outscored it opponents 31-2. UCLA started the weekend with a 9-1 win over the Gauchos (36-26) on Friday.
Ramirez started the hit parade driving in the game’s first two runs. UCLA scored four runs in the first and second innings, three in the fourth and the game was mercy-ruled after the Gauchos came up empty in the bottom of the fifth.
Taylor Tinsley moved her season record to 14-4 pitching four innings, surrendering just three hits and one unearned run. She struck out six and didn’t give up a walk.
Malaya Johnson (24-12) took the loss for UC Santa Barbara giving up six hits and six earned runs in an inning of work.
Ainsley Waddell singled to center field to score Alexa Sams in the bottom of the second for the Gauchos’ run.
Records aren’t supposed to matter in Derby matches. When you’re facing your most bitter rival, the past is just that — the past.
So it meant nothing that the defending MLS Cup champion entered Sunday’s El Tráfico winless in 13 matches while LAFC was unbeaten in six straight.
“That all becomes irrelevant,” LAFC coach Steve Cherundolo said. “Those games are kind of isolated on their own.”
Perhaps it was fitting, then, that LAFC and the Galaxy played to a 2-2 draw in front of a crowd of 23,083 at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The draw kept LAFC (6-4-4) unbeaten since April 5. For the Galaxy (0-10-4), the tie ended a five-game losing streak — their longest since 2020 — but it also extended their winless one to 14 matches, the worst start in franchise history and the worst ever for a reigning MLS champion.
With playmaker Riqui Puig, who hasn’t played since undergoing surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament last December, looking on, the Galaxy attacked from the start and were rewarded in the sixth minute when Reus knocked in the rebound of a Gabriel Pec shot that LAFC keeper Hugo Lloris had stopped. The goal was the second of the season for Reus and it marked just the third time in 14 MLS games that the Galaxy had scored first.
But the lead didn’t last long, with Bouanga tying the score by lining a right-footed shot from about 30 yards into the side netting at the far post in the 13th minute. The goal was Bouanga’s seventh in seven games and was one he celebrated with a trademark front flip.
Former Galaxy midfielder Mark Delgado, who got his team-leading fourth assist on the play, chose not to celebrate the goal against his old team.
LAFC went in front five minutes into the second half when a low through ball from Ryan Hollingshead split Galaxy center backs Maya Yoshida and Emiro Garces and found Ordaz cutting into the penalty area. After catching up to the ball, Ordaz used his first touch to lift a left-footed shot by Galaxy keeper John McCarthy for his third goal of the season and the second in three starts.
The Galaxy appeared to even the game on a brilliant counterattack goal from Pec in the 78th minute, but after a long video review referee Drew Fischer ruled Pec was offside.
The Galaxy refused to quit and were rewarded when Reus chipped in a free kick from just outside the box in the 87th minute, giving the Galaxy their first point in a month — a point McCarthy saved with a brilliant goal-line stop of Hollingshead’s back-heel try deep in stoppage time.
The infected have learned to stalk and sprint. The Cordyceps fungus is now airborne. And Joel (Pedro Pascal) isn’t immortal. The first five episodes of “The Last of Us” offered up several new threats and at least one major death. Deep into its second season, HBO’s series adaptation of the popular video game remains true to its namesake by sending its protagonist Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and her partner Dina (Isabela Merced) on a revenge mission from their fortified compound in Wyoming to the wilds of Seattle. Their aim is to find Joel’s killer, Abby (Kaitlyn Dever). But the Pacific Northwest presents challenges beyond cauliflower-headed flesh eaters and deadly mean girls. The brutal conflict between the Washington Liberation Front and the primitive religious cult the Seraphites makes Ellie’s mission all the more dangerous and complex — and the show’s imagery more gruesome.
Episode 6 brought Joel back from the dead in a series of flashbacks that gave insight into his unique parenting skills, revealed the event that triggered the rift between Joel and Ellie and uncovers what happened to therapist Gail’s (Catherine O’Hara’s) husband, Eugene (Joe Pantoliano). While on patrol, Eugene was bitten by the infected. Ellie made Joel promise he would not kill Eugene until he had the chance to say goodbye to his wife. But when Ellie leaves for a moment to retrieve their horses, Joel breaks the promise.
Like Episode 3 of Season 1, Sunday’s installment of the series was the rare episode that deviated from the game’s narrative to tell a deeper story about the characters. Beginning at Ellie’s 15th birthday and moving through subsequent ones, the episode chronicled the shifting dynamic in the main characters’ father-daughter relationship, from a tight bond between orphan and her adopted protector to near estrangement.
Lorraine Ali, Tracy Brown and Mary McNamara gathered to discuss the latest episode of the spore-filled thriller.
The source of tension between Gail (Catherine O’Hara) and Joel (Pedro Pascal) is revealed in Episode 6.
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
Ali: “The Last of Us” features flesh-eating zombie-like things and death-worshipping cults, but I love that the true terror at the heart of Season 2 is the prospect of parenting a teen. The theme at the core of Episode 6 was largely centered on the fraught father-daughter dynamic between Joel and Ellie and the dangers of passing down generational trauma. We even get some backstory on Joel’s rough childhood, though I wish there had been more on that front.
What we do get a lot more of is Ellie’s hostility toward Joel, and it’s exhausting in ways that the showrunners probably never intended. Naturally there is plenty of ire in Ellie as she hurtles toward adulthood in a hopeless hellscape with an assassin/guardian who’s repeatedly lied to her. But now that she’s the lead character of the series, I need more from Ellie than just one or two gears of rage and scorn, especially given the complexity of their relationship.
Joel killed to save her and doomed humanity in the process! A bond forged in such tragedy should inspire a truckload of emotions, even in a defiant teen who’s still clumsy at expressing her feelings. But that depth or nuance just wasn’t there for me, even when the series cued us up for such moments. The flashbacks to Ellie’s birthday celebrations with Joel felt like explainers of how the two grew apart as opposed to emotional snapshots that captured the roots of their estrangement. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the surprising depth and beauty of Season 1? I miss the terror and joy of that abandoned mall.
Brown: It’s interesting that you mention the abandoned mall, Lorraine, because I think that’s what it all comes back to for Ellie. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve spent many hours playing as Ellie in “The Last of Us” games, or because I understand what it’s like to be an angsty teenager much more than being a parent, but I thought Episode 6 did help shed some light on Ellie and Joel’s behaviors and dynamic.
Back in Episode 4, while trying to explain her immunity to the Cordyceps fungus to Dina, Ellie mentions that there are a lot of the times she wishes she wasn’t immune. In this latest episode, we learn that one of the reasons Ellie is angry with Joel is because he lied to her about what happened back in Salt Lake City with the Fireflies. But she’s also mad at him because he took away the one thing she thought could give her life and immunity purpose. “My life would have mattered, but you took that from me,” she says to him on their porch, in what appears to have been their very last conversation.
We know that Joel’s been shaped by the guilt of not being able to save his daughter Sarah at the start of the outbreak. For Ellie, I think the loss that’s affected her the most is Riley and the guilt of surviving their trip to that abandoned mall. If she wasn’t immune, Ellie would have died that day with her best friend and first love. Because she didn’t, she needed something to help justify why she’s still alive. What greater meaning could someone find for their life in a world ravaged by a pandemic than to be the reason humanity is able to find a cure?
McNamara: I’m grateful for the episode if only because it gave my own teenagers what they wanted most — more Pedro Pascal. (I miss him too but with much less passion.) But as you say, Tracy, survivor’s guilt is real and now Ellie is eyeing another emotional burden — Joel was killed for actions he took to save her life.
Revisiting Ellie’s birthdays was very touching, bridging the changes in both characters. How the hard-edge Joel from Season 1 became the softly anguished therapy patient of Season 2. Why Ellie was so rude and dismissive toward him. She knew all along that he had lied to her about Salt Lake City, and he suspected she knew — the presents, especially the trip to the science and natural history museum, seemed equally motivated by love and penance.
On one of Ellie’s birthday’s, Joel takes her to a science and natural history museum.
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
I also loved their time in the the space portion of the museum because it underlined the vagaries of human history — this is not the first advanced civilization to fall, leaving ruins behind. Joel remembers when humans traveled to the stars (and had the resources to build museums); for Ellie, a journey from Wyoming to Seattle is just as fraught. They were always essentially time-travelers in each others lives.
But most important for me, this episode resolved just how Ellie had left it with Joel before Abby ruined everything. The truth was finally spoken — both Joel’s and Ellie’s. That she didn’t think she could forgive him but she wanted to try. That he was taken from her before she could find her way to forgiveness must certainly drive some of the rage, no?
Ali: OK, I officially feel hard-hearted, especially since we’re discussing an episode designed to plumb the characters’ and viewers’ emotions. I’m glad Season 2 is connecting with you both, and millions more HBO and Max subscribers. Or is it HBO Max? Or plain old HBO? Regardless, this round of the series is not resonating with my adult, parenting self or my inner sullen teen, i.e. the part of my being that guides many of my rash decisions and dictates my slouchy posture. That said, I do love the chemistry between Ellie and Dina. Their love and fierce loyalty toward one another is a high point of Season 2. And it looks like they’re now going to be parents.
Brown: As Ellie says, she’s going to be a dad! The way Ellie and Dina’s relationship developed over the course of the season has been one of my favorite differences between the show and the game. But speaking of the game, the birthday trip to the museum and the porch conversation where Ellie tells Joel she wants to try to forgive him that Mary mentioned are both big flashback moments directly adapted from “The Last of Us Part II” with some minor changes. In the game, Ellie and Joel spend time checking out a dinosaur exhibit before getting to the space exploration exhibit, which I admit I’m a little sad we did not get to see. And Ellie confronting Joel about the truth of what happened in Salt Lake is a separate moment long before the porch conversation in the game.
Eugene (Joe Pantoliano) is shot by Joel after he is bitten, breaking his promise to Ellie to let him live to say goodbye to his wife, Gail. It’s a change from the video game, where the character dies of natural causes.
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
One major difference between “The Last of Us Part II” and the show is the storyline involving Eugene and Gail. The Eugene in the game was a resident of Jackson who lived out his life until he died of natural causes in his 70s, which is something the younger generation can only dream of. Gail, on the other hand, is an original character, and my response to her introduction was mostly “hooray Catherine O’Hara, hooray therapy.” Catherine O’Hara is always a delight and it’s clear everybody living in the world of “The Last of Us” could use some therapy. But in Episode 6 we see that Eugene and Gail’s story also serves as a flashpoint in Joel and Ellie’s estrangement.
We already knew Joel had killed Eugene from his therapy session with Gail earlier in the season, but what did you think about that whole sequence, Mary? Did it affect your understanding of Joel or Ellie in any way?
McNamara: Well, I have to say that was an example of bad parenting. The patrol has rules, tough but necessary for the safety of the community. Ellie (who is, hello, freaking immune) wanted to bend them. Classic parent/child face-off. But instead of just saying “no” to her and “any last words?” to Eugene before shooting him, Joel allowed her believe she was getting her way, which was just dumb. Of course he was going to shoot Eugene; he had to shoot Eugene. But it honestly did not make sense to lie about it, especially when the lie would be exposed almost instantly. Sometimes a parent just has to be the bad guy, even if it means making Catherine O’Hara really mad at you.
And though I agree with you both about the energy of Ellie and Dina offering love in place of vengeance during their excursion to Seattle, I wish the writers could have figured out a way to bring O’Hara along.
You only get one shot at a first impression — and for the Sparks, led by a first-year coach and a new superstar, Sunday marked the home crowd’s first glimpse of the new-look squad inside Crypto.com Arena.
With high aspirations, including a return to the playoffs, the Sparks faced an early litmus test in the Minnesota Lynx — a perennial contender and last year’s WNBA runner-up, led by one of the league’s elite talents in Napheesa Collier.
The Sparks showed they are clearly capable of competing for a playoff spot with their energetic and cohesive play, but their 89-75 loss to Minnesota also demonstrated they’re still behind the league’s elite teams.
In the first half, the Sparks (1-1) went toe-to-toe with the Lynx. They trailed 46-45 at halftime, an encouraging start for a team learning to gel under new leadership while facing a battle-tested opponent returning five starters from last year’s Finals run.
Dearica Hamby led the charge on the offensive glass, relentlessly converting at the free-throw line. She led the Sparks with 20 points and 10 rebounds for her second straight double-double.
Azurá Stevens was unshaken on catch-and-shoot looks, confidently letting it fly on her way to a team-high 21 points. Rickea Jackson added a physical presence, attacking defenders and establishing herself in the lane.
But by the start of the fourth quarter, the Sparks trailed by eight. They mounted a brief comeback, sparked by a Kelsey Plum steal that led to a transition layup, cutting the deficit to 80-75. A gritty defensive stand followed, with rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker and Collier hitting the deck for a loose ball, setting up another Sparks possession.
But missed opportunities on the offensive end allowed the Lynx (2-0) to regain momentum and push the lead to double digits — a margin that proved too much to overcome.
Already shorthanded, the Sparks suffered another blow when Jackson went down after a hard collision late in the third quarter. She remained on the floor for a few minutes before walking off with the help of trainers. Jackson watched the rest of the game from the bench.
Stevens was a much-needed contributor, showcasing the skills she worked on during the offseason, notably her improved three-point shooting. She scored 12 of the team’s first 17 points, making her first trio of three-point attempts to give the Sparks an early lead.
Defensively, Stevens drew the tough assignment of containing Collier, a matchup nightmare for the entire Sparks unit. Coming off a 34-point outing Friday that tied her career high, Collier scored 23 points.
The Sparks leaned heavily on Plum in their season-opening win Friday against Golden State, logging 40 minutes — a workload coach Lynne Roberts called “unsustainable.” To lighten the load, Roberts turned to Barker for critical minutes at the point.
While Barker wasn’t stellar offensively, she played 24 minutes and brought a much-needed jolt of defensive energy. Plum finished with 18 points and five assists.
It marked Barker’s first game at Crypto.com Arena — a milestone for the self-proclaimed “Mamba Mentality” disciple, stepping up for a depleted backcourt. With just four healthy guards available, the team continues to navigate Rae Burrell’s absence as she recovers from a knee injury that is expected to keep her out six to eight weeks.
Match of the Day 2 celebrates a perfect final game in a Leicester shirt for the “inspirational” Jamie Vardy as he scores his 200th goal for the club in his 500th appearance as the Foxes beat Ipswich 2-0 in the Premier League.
Penelope Hocking and Caroline Conti both scored in the first half to lift Bay FC to a 2-0 victory over Angel City on Saturday.
Hocking opened the scoring with a rising shot from inside the box after a pass from Taylor Huff in the 23rd minute. It was Hocking’s second goal of the season and her second in consecutive weeks.
The referee awarded a penalty kick to Bay FC after Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson came off her line and brought down Huff in the 26th minute. Conti converted the penalty for her second goal of the season.
Bay goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz made four saves and picked up her third shutout.
Angel City were without defender Savy King, who is on medical leave after undergoing surgery for a heart abnormality. King collapsed in the second half of Angel City’s 2-0 win over the Utah Royals last weekend.
Before kick-off at PayPal Park, both Bay FC and Angel City wore shirts with ‘SK3’ printed on the front as a tribute to King. Angel City captain Sarah Gorden also held up King’s jersey during the team photo.
The win snapped a three-game winless streak for Bay (3-4-2). Angel City (4-3-2) has lost all three of its meetings with Bay FC.
There was pure joy as Canon King ran toward his Venice High teammates standing outside the dugout after touching home plate to complete a home run. He launched a group chest bump with Dylan Johnson, who went tumbling through the dirt like a kid playing in a sandbox.
“This feels great,” King said later. “We’ve worked so hard for four years.”
Venice (27-2) is tantalizingly close to earning a trip to Dodger Stadium to play for the City Section Open Division baseball championship. The Gondoliers play Sylmar at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Cal State Northridge in the semifinals. The other matchup as part of a doubleheader has El Camino Real facing Birmingham at 3 p.m.
In many ways, these two games impose far more pressure on players than reaching the championship game, because each player so badly wants to make it to Dodger Stadium to fulfill dreams of a lifetime.
“It’s magical,” King said.
To see King’s smile and excitement last week after hitting his sixth home run in a 4-1 playoff win over Chatsworth offered a hint of his value and importance to a surging Gondoliers team. He’s a three-time Western League MVP.
He’s committed to Cal State San Marcos, has gotten all A’s for four years on his report card except for one B in chemistry freshman year and one B in AP Spanish. He’s a born leader and “loves” being named Canon by his father, a high school teacher and former amateur rapper whose best friend had Canon as his last name.
“The energy is infectious,” he said of the team’s success. “It’s all coming together. Our team chemistry has been high. Our practices have been so productive.”
Canon King of Venice hit his sixth home run last week against Chasworth.
(Craig Weston)
Coach Kevin Brockway has 16 seniors on the roster. The Gondoliers haven’t won an upper division championship since 1972 and are trying to follow the same improbable path as last year’s champion, Bell, which hadn’t been to a final since 1953.
Venice was given the No. 1 seed even though El Camino Real and Birmingham came from the stronger West Valley League. But the Gondoliers went 18-0 in the Western League and have the defensive prowess to do well, with a solid catcher in Charlie Nisbet, a dependable shortstop in Daniel Quiroz and King in center field.
Sylmar, the Valley Mission League champion, went to Dodger Stadium two years ago for the Division I championship game. Pitcher Alex Martinez remembers starting at third base as a freshman.
“It’s crazy,” he said of the atmosphere. “Overwhelming for sure. It looks different, even when the ball is up in the air. It blends in.”
He threw a shutout last week in Sylmar’s Open Division win over Cleveland. Coach Ray Rivera has come to rely on him as a pitcher and hitter.
“He trusts me with the ball and in special situations,” Martinez said.
He thinks the Spartans are coming into Tuesday’s game feeling good about themselves.
“This team is special this year,” he said. “This team can beat anyone if we play our game.”
Venice knows the challenge ahead, first having to get past Sylmar, then one of the two West Valley League powers, El Camino Real or Birmingham.
Whatever happens, King is ready, though he’s thankful the games are 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Gondoliers don’t do well with morning games.
“We’re notorious for Saturday morning games,” he said.
He’ll get everyone to go to bed early the night before. None of them will sleep well anyway thinking of the possibilities.
“Surreal,” is how King put it if the Gondoliers can make it to Dodger Stadium on Saturday.
The crack of the ball off Jordan Woolery’s bat in the first inning sent a sharp, resounding message — the Bruins weren’t going to let their opponent dictate the tone this time.
Woolery, UCLA’s RBI leader, went two for three with a three-run homer, a triple and five RBIs to lead the Bruins to a 10-0, six-inning shutout over San Diego State in Game 2 of the Los Angeles Regional on Saturday afternoon.
The No. 9 Bruins (51-10) cruised into Game 6 of the regional, where they’ll have a chance to clinch a spot in the Super Regionals with one more win. Their opponent has yet to be determined for Sunday’s 4:30 p.m. PDT first pitch.
It was a complete role reversal. Just a day after UCLA’s bats stayed quiet through the first four innings in an eventual victory over UC Santa Barbara, the Bruins opened their second regional matchup with intent.
On the first pitch, Jessica Clements ripped a leadoff double. One pitch later, Savannah Pola dropped down a bunt and, spotting an uncovered second base, the speedy second baseman turned it into a heads-up double.
With runners in scoring position, Jordan Woolery did what’s become second nature — she brought them home, and did so with a bang.
Staying patient in the box, Woolery worked the count full, waiting for a pitch she could drive. She then clobbered a high fly ball that just cleared the glove of San Diego State center fielder Julie Holcomb, sailing over the wall for a three-run homer.
A candidate for national player of the year, Woolery is one of UCLA’s most consistent threats near the top of the lineup. She entered the regional ranked fifth in the nation with 75 RBIs — the second-highest single-season mark in program history.
Woolery added another RBI later, legging out a triple after a diving attempt by the Aztecs’ right fielder missed and the ball skipped past, allowing Clements to score. The hit brought her total to six RBIs for the weekend.
In an encore to her heroics at the plate and dominance in relief the night before, Kaitlyn Terry took the mound with poise and command. The left-hander turned in a smooth outing, giving up only two hits and one walk while striking out five.
Her only trouble came in the bottom of the third. A walk, an infield single and a fielding error loaded the bases, giving San Diego State a prime chance to take the lead. But Terry stayed composed.
After recording two outs, Terry dug in for a seven-pitch battle with Angie Yellen — and won, inducing a routine groundout to end the inning and preserve the Bruins’ lead.
From there, she settled in and found her rhythm, retiring nine straight batters and striking out three, earning the complete-game shutout victory.
A six-run rally in the sixth inning sealed the game via the run rule. Kaniya Bragg opened the onslaught with a two-run double, followed by an RBI single to right field from Terry. Then, just like the night before, Megan Grant delivered the finishing blow — a two-run triple that slammed high off the center-field wall, narrowly missing a three-run homer.
With the win, the Bruins notched back-to-back mercy-rule victories — their 27th of the season, extending a program record.
New York’s 38-point victory against Boston Celtics in Game 6 was the largest win in Knicks playoff history.
Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby each scored 23 points as the New York Knicks reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000 by steamrolling the visiting Boston Celtics 119-81 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
Mikal Bridges had 22 points and Karl-Anthony Towns added 21 points and 12 rebounds for third-seeded New York, which led by as many as 41 points on Friday. The Knicks wrapped up the best-of-seven series with the largest winning playoff margin in franchise history.
“There’s more to go,” Bridges said. “We’re not done. We came out there tonight and played hard and handled business. But our season is not over. We have much more to go.”
New York surpassed a 36-point playoff victory over the Milwaukee Bucks in the decisive Game 5 of the 1970 Eastern Division finals.
Josh Hart contributed 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists to record New York’s first postseason triple-double since Walt Frazier accomplished the feat in 1972.
“I want to congratulate the Celtics on a terrific season,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Unfortunate injury to Jayson Tatum. They’re a terrific organisation, ownership, front office, Joe Mazzulla is a terrific coach, great players.
“They’re not going to hand you anything. You have to earn it.”
The Knicks will open the conference finals at home against the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers on Wednesday.
Defending NBA champion Boston was led by Jaylen Brown, who had 20 points, six rebounds and six assists before fouling out late in the third quarter. The Celtics were again short-handed after losing Tatum to a ruptured right Achilles during Game 4 on Monday.
“Upset or not, we beat a great team,” Brunson said. “They obviously lost a huge piece (in Tatum). The way they came out in Game 5, they’re still a good team. Regardless of what anyone thinks – upset or not – we’re just happy to come out of the series with a win and now we’ll prepare for another team.”
Jalen Brunson #11 of the New York Knicks drives to the basket during the game against the Boston Celtics during Game 6 [Brian Babineau/Getty Images via AFP]
New York shot 46.2 percent from the field, including 16 of 45 (35.6 percent) from 3-point range. The Knicks held a 55-36 rebounding advantage.
Payton Pritchard scored 11 points and Al Horford added 10 for Boston, which shot 36 percent and was 12 of 40 (30 percent) from 3-point range.
The score was tied at 16 before the Knicks began pulling away.
New York led 26-20 at the end of the first quarter and then opened the second with a 16-4 surge to open up an 18-point lead midway through the period.
After Boston’s Luke Kornet interrupted the burst with a three-point play, the Knicks rattled off 16 of the next 21 points to take a 58-32 lead on a putback dunk by Miles “Deuce” McBride with 1:31 left.
McBride buried a 3-pointer as time expired in the half for a 64-37 lead at the break. That marked New York’s largest halftime advantage at the break since leading the Los Angeles Lakers 69-42 in Game 7 of the 1970 Finals, won by the Knicks.
“You win a championship and you have that target on your back from Day 1,” Celtics guard Derrick White said of falling well short of winning back-to-back NBA titles. “There’s ups and downs through every season. This part sucks and we didn’t complete the goal that we set out to get.”
The contest was effectively over when Brown fouled out with 2:50 left in the third quarter and Boston down by 33. Anunoby poured it on with consecutive 3-pointers to end a 10-0 push as the margin went above 40 at 92-51 with 1:51 remaining in the third.
“They played better than we did,” Mazzulla said. “I’m happy for Thibs [Thibodeau]. He’s been coaching for a long time. That’s the biggest thing. You pay your dues, you put forth everything. That guy is a lifer. He’s what a coach is all about and he deserves it. And they deserve it as a team. You got to take your hat off to them.”
New York Knicks fans celebrate after their team won Game 6 of the NBA playoffs against the reigning champions Boston Celtics outside Madison Square Garden in New York on May 16, 2025 [Leonardo Munoz/ AFP]
With UCLA’s bats quiet early, Kaitlyn Terry stepped into the batter’s box looking to ignite a two-out rally — and with one swing she brought the Bruins to life.
Terry, a right fielder and left-handed pitcher, hit a three-run home run in the second inning to jump-start UCLA’s 9-1 win over UC Santa Barbara in six innings in the opening round of the Los Angeles Regional on Friday.
The No. 9 Bruins (50–10) advanced to Game 3 of the regional, where they’ll face the winner of Arizona State and San Diego State at 2 p.m. PDT Saturday.
Before the season, coach Kelly Inouye-Perez stressed that a UCLA championship push had to start with securing a regional at Easton Stadium — and taking care of business once there.
UCLA is chasing its ninth Women’s College World Series berth in the past decade, but early on Friday, the path looked shaky. Instead of a confident march into the postseason opener, it felt like déjà vu for a moment — a flashback to the haunting 2023 regional, when the Bruins dropped their first game and ultimately fell short of a trip to Oklahoma City.
The Bruins squandered early opportunities uncharacteristic of the nation’s No. 2 run-scoring lineup.
Trailing in the second inning, Alexis Ramirez reached base on a hit up the middle, then stole second. After advancing on a groundout, she was caught in a rundown between third and home. Still, UCLA had a chance to even the score with runners on first and second, but Terry flied out to end the inning.
UCLA pitcher Taylor Tinsley delivers against UC Santa Barbara in the Los Angeles Regional on Friday.
(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Terry found herself in a similar situation two innings later, and she delivered.
With two outs in the fourth, Kaniya Bragg reached first on a hit-by-pitch. Batting for the first time this season, Taylor Stephens followed with a slow roller into right field — just soft enough for Bragg to beat the tag at third while Stephens stepped onto second.
On the next pitch, Terry crushed a home run to center field.
Taylor Tinsley, an All-Big Ten first team selection, gave up three hits and one walk while striking out one. Her only blemish came in the second inning, when she gave up a run on an RBI single by UCSB catcher Delaina Ma’ae.
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1.UCLA’s Jordan Woolery fields the ball at third base against UC Santa Barbara on Friday.2.UCLA infielder Kaniya Bragg fields the ball.3.UCLA’s Megan Grant celebrates after hitting a game-ending home run in the sixth inning.(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
A pair of home runs in the sixth inning ended the game via the mercy rule. Jessica Clements hit a three-run home run. That was followed by a walk and steal from Savannah Pola, who was driven in by Jordan Woolery’s RBI single. Megan Grant ended the game with a two-run blast to left-center field.
UCLA, which finished its first season in the Big Ten tied for second with Nebraska, has won 26 games by mercy rule this season.
A game between Angel City and the Utah Royals should not have continued after Savy King collapsed on the field and had to be hospitalized, the National Women’s Soccer League said Friday.
The league said it came to the conclusion after reviewing its protocols and listening to feedback from stakeholders. There were persistent questions this week about the league’s procedures.
A league statement expressed regret for allowing last Friday’s match in Los Angeles to go on after the 20-year-old Angel City defender was carted off the field while shaken players and fans looked on.
“The health and well being of the entire NWSL community remains our top priority, and in any similar situation going forward the game should and would be abandoned,” said the statement.
The NWSL Players Assn. was among those that said the match should have been suspended after King’s collapse in the 74th minute. The players’ union issued a statement Friday saying it was grateful the league listened to the concerns.
“The league’s acknowledgment that the game should have ended — and its commitment to adopting this protocol for the future, should it ever be needed — represents a meaningful step forward,” the NWSLPA said. “It’s a change made possible by the strength and unity of our players. Player safety is not a slogan. It is a practice.”
The NWSL said earlier this week that it was reviewing its protocols. The league ultimately makes the decision when it comes to suspending, canceling or postponing games.
NWSL rules for 2025 state that the league “recognizes that emergencies may arise which make the start or progression of a Game inadvisable or dangerous for participants and spectators. Certain event categories automatically trigger the League Office into an evaluation of whether delay or postponement is necessary.”
Angel City interim coach Sam Laity said Friday it had been a challenging week for the team, but he was grateful for the medical professionals who treated King and all those from around the league who reached out in support.
“I think everybody’s very relieved to hear that Savy’s surgery was successful and the outlook for the future is very positive,” he said. “And in terms of the game continuing, I agree with the statements that the league recently made, and they’re working to ensure that this type of situation is dealt with in a different fashion moving forward.”
King was the second-overall pick in the 2024 NWSL draft by expansion Bay FC and played 18 games for the club. She was traded to Angel City in February and had started in all eight games for the team this season.
Manager Dave Roberts was asked the other night about the “difficult decision” the Dodgers will have to make on Kim when utilityman Tommy Edman and outfielder Teoscar Hernández return from the injured list in the next couple of weeks, but nothing about this decision should be difficult.
Kim will still belong in the major leagues.
There won’t be enough at-bats for him?
The Dodgers have to find them.
He can gain more experience in the minors?
A 26-year-old who played seven-plus seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization before he signed with the Dodgers, Kim isn’t a typical rookie.
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said part of the reason catcher Dalton Rushing was called up this week was because of the competition in the National League West?
The same logic should be applied to Kim’s situation.
Make liberal use of the injured list. Release Chris Taylor. Do whatever is necessary for Kim to remain in Los Angeles.
“How he’s playing,” Roberts acknowledged, “certainly helps his case.”
Shohei Ohtani homered twice in a 19-2 victory over the Athletics at Dodger Stadium on Thursday night. Both times, Kim was on base.
Ohtani, who leads off for the Dodgers, drove in only 10 runs in his first 30 games of the season. The bottom of the order wasn’t hitting or drawing walks
In the first 12 games Ohtani played since Kim was called up from triple-A Oklahoma City, Ohtani collected 18 runs batted in.
Kim batted eighth or ninth in each of the eight games he started through Thursday, and he’d already been driven home by Ohtani five times. The only player Ohtani has driven in more this season: Ohtani.
“A lot easier to pitch to Shohei when nobody’s on base,” Roberts said. “Recently, certainly with Kim and his ability to get on base, there’s always traffic.”
Kim entered the Freeway Series opener on Friday batting .429, a pleasant surprise considering he looked completely overmatched at the plate in spring training. His ability to make contact has enhanced his greatest weapon, his legs.
“He’s really talented,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “He can do a lot of really special things that you can’t see from a lot of players.”
That game-changing speed was on display in just his second major league game when he was deployed as a ninth-inning pinch runner with a one-run deficit against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. Kim stole second base and reached third on a dropped third strike, positioning him within 90 feet of the tying run. The next two batters struck out and the Dodgers lost the game, but the cameo performance was a preview of what was to come.
In his first 12 major league games, Kim stole three bases and plated nine runs. Three of his first 12 hits were infield hits.
“I tried to figure out what my role is in this organization, and I’m just trying to control what I can control,” Kim said through an interpreter.
Dodgers coaches also believe Kim’s speed has influenced how opponents attack Ohtani. One particular example that was cited was Ohtani’s three-run, ninth-inning home run in a 14-11 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 9.
Kim was on second base and Michael Conforto was on first when Ohtani came to the plate with one out and the score level, 11-11. Walking Ohtani would have moved the go-ahead run to third base, and with Kim’s speed, any ball put in play by the next batter would have likely resulted in a run. Diamondbacks reliever Ryan Thompson pitched to Ohtani, who launched a 1-2 pitch into the stands in right-center.
“With the speed dynamic [of Kim], it creates stress,” Roberts said. “He can steal a base, go first to third. It certainly opens some things up for the top of the order.”
The Dodgers have scored an average of 7.3 runs per game since Kim joined the team. In the process, he’s become a beloved figure in the clubhouse, overcoming a language barrier to form bonds with a wide range of players that includes everyone from Ohtani to Mookie Betts.
“That started in spring training,” Muncy said. “He was there with a couple of us and just immediately fit right in. He likes to have fun. He’s always smiling, he’s always laughing. He’s really fun to have out there.”
With a three-year deal that could be extended by the Dodgers for an additional two seasons, Kim figures to be a part of their future. But he’s already a reason for why they’re clicking now, and the returns of Edman and Hernández shouldn’t change that.
Julian Strawther provides the spark off the bench, and even loses a tooth, as Nuggets force Game 7 against Thunder.
Now this was finally a role Julian Strawther could sink his teeth into, even if it cost him one.
Playing meaningful extended minutes for the first time in the series, the Denver Nuggets guard provided a spark off the bench as he scored all 15 of his points in the second half on Thursday night. His big game helped propel Denver to a 119-107 victory over the Thunder and force a Game 7 on Sunday in Oklahoma City.
“That’s the moment you dream of when you’re a little kid – come to the game, having all the guys believe in you, find you in your spots and be able to just make an impact on the game,” said Strawther, a second-year player out of Gonzaga.
Strawther certainly left it all on the floor, including a tooth (a prosthetic one) that happened to pop out in the fourth quarter when he took contact from an Oklahoma City player. He tried to get the officials to stop play long enough to gather it up. But the action was already heading the other way.
A ball boy scooped it up for him in a towel and returned it to the bench. By the time Strawther addressed the media following the game, he had it back in place.
He explained that after he lost a baby tooth as a kid, the adult version – located on the right side next to his front tooth – never grew in.
“We got it back,” Strawther said.
Julian Strawther (3) of the Denver Nuggets reacts to being called for fouling Luguentz Dort (5) of the Oklahoma City Thunder [Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post via Getty Images]
Just like that, the Nuggets are going back to OKC. It was their sole mission after frittering away a fourth-quarter lead and losing there in Game 5.
The Nuggets’ bench made a big impact behind the play of Strawther, Russell Westbrook (eight points) and Peyton Watson (four).
Sure, the reserves of the Thunder outscored them 32-27. Before Thursday, though, the average production of the bench was 34-22 through five games in favour of the Thunder.
“(Julian) was amazing,” said Nikola Jokic, who had 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. “He had the big points, the big moments of the game.”
Strawther finished 3 of 4 from 3-point range and 4 of 4 from the line. Above all, he helped the Nuggets maintain their momentum in the fourth quarter as Jokic sat on the bench to get some valuable rest. Strawther played 19 1/2 minutes, his playoff high.
This after being limited to 14 minutes combined over the last three games, including a “DNP” – did not play – in Game 3. Interim coach David Adelman told him to stay ready.
He listened.
“Understanding that there’s a night that I may not check in at all,” Strawther explained. “And there’s a night like tonight where he’s going to ride with me.
“Me and (Adelman) have had a transparent relationship through these playoffs, and I’m really appreciative for him throwing me out there tonight.”
His role may increase even more depending on the status of Aaron Gordon, who hurt his left hamstring late in the game.
“I feel OK. We’ll see,” Gordon said after the game. “I’m going to start the recovery process now, to make sure I’m ready for a Game 7.”
Another player who found a groove was banged-up forward Michael Porter Jr., who was 4 of 9 for 10 points. He’s been dealing with a sprained left shoulder.
“For me, with what I’ve been through, there’s so much extra things I have to be on top of,” explained Porter, who said he had a lidocaine injection in his shoulder before Game 6 and plans to have another leading into Sunday. “Since I hurt my shoulder I’m not able to be on top of things like I want to … I don’t feel as comfortable and confident in my shot as I want to feel throughout these playoffs.
“But I’m still out there and still trying to space the floor and shooting it when I’m getting it, whether it goes in or out. I just have to stay confident.”
On the most basic level, “Stick” is about a prematurely washed-up golfer who takes a teen prodigy under his wing and on the road. Off they go in an RV to hit some big amateur tournaments, accompanied by the kid’s mother and the old pro’s irascible buddy. The kid gets to fall in love with a free-spirited lass. Adventures are had. Lessons are learned.
But very little about golf takes place on a basic level (except maybe in “Caddyshack”). The sport is rife with metaphors. Lay up or go for broke? (see also, “Tin Cup.”) Keep your cool under pressure or lose it in the sand trap? So it makes sense that “Stick,” premiering June 4 on Apple TV+, uses the game of golf to take a swing at the game of life.
The wash-up, Pryce Cahill (played by Owen Wilson), seeks redemption. Years back, he flipped out on the course, and his life has been in free fall since — he and his wife (Judy Greer) are getting a divorce, and their home is being sold. But then he meets the 17-year-old prodigy, Santi (newcomer Peter Dager), who he sees as the key to a second chance. Santi, meanwhile, knows he’s good; when he pummels a ball, it sounds like a sonic boom. But his first coach was his hard-ass, now-vanished dad, and Santi now has trouble taking golf seriously or respecting his elders.
These human elements intrigued series creator Jason Keller far more than anything that might happen on the links. “I love golf, but I’m not good at it,” he said. “I am routinely frustrated by it.”
Owen Wilson, left, Judy Greer and Peter Dager in a scene from “Stick.”
(Apple)
Frustration, of course, is a universal quality. So is disappointment. These are the elements that pushed Keller, who wrote the screenplay for the 2019 movie “Ford v Ferrari,” to create “Stick.”
“Long before the story was set on a golf course, I was really interested in exploring a character who had not lived up to expectations,” he said. “I was interested in characters that had great promise but ultimately didn’t achieve that promise. What happens to somebody afterward? How do they react to that? Do they let themselves be defined by not achieving that level, or do they try to reconcile that? Does it motivate them to excel in other areas of their life?”
Wilson, who also readily admits his golf game isn’t the strongest — “My dad and my brothers played, but I was always intimidated by it” — sees another key parallel to life: As much as you seek perfection, you can never achieve it.
“There’s a little bit of a chess thing with golf, in that you can never really master it,” he said. “That can feel like life too. People talk about Tiger Woods winning the Masters by like 12 strokes and deciding his swing isn’t quite right. Pryce talks about how the game takes and takes and takes. I think people feel that way about life as well.”
Mariana Treviño, the Mexican actor who plays Santi’s mom, Elena, agrees that “Stick” is about dealing with hardships. “Elena is in a moment in her life where she had a big disappointment,” she said. “Her family broke down. Sometimes in life when something very strong happens to you, you just kind of shut out from the world. You think that you’re going to protect that wound by just not moving too much from a place, or not directly confronting something that is painful.”
“Long before the story was set on a golf course, I was really interested in exploring a character who had not lived up to expectations,” said “Stick” creator Jason Keller.
(Matt Seidel / For The Times)
If this all sounds a tad serious, “Stick” really isn’t. As with most anything starring Wilson, whose Texas/California cool works just fine in the series’ Indiana setting (Keller hails from Indianapolis), “Stick” feels easy and breezy even when it gets into heavy-ish themes. The tone suggests a riff on “Ted Lasso” but with golf instead of soccer.
Wilson and Marc Maron, who plays Pryce’s grumpy, long-suffering best bud (who is dealing with grief of his own), keep up the steady banter of two guys who know each other’s foibles and try to resist the urge to poke them. Zero, Santi’s new friend and life guru played by Lilli Kay, is a self-described “genderqueer, anticapitalist, postcolonial feminist,” and the series manages to have fun with her without making fun of her.
Elena, meanwhile, is mildly suspicious of the whole endeavor, but she finds the aging white golfers amusing. She also likes the cash Pryce has thrown her way for the privilege of coaching her son.
Put them all together in an RV, and on a series of golf courses, and you’ve got the makings of a modern family comedy. Except most of the “family” aren’t related.
“They’re a sort of a found family, and they are all very different personalities,” Keller said. “But ultimately they are what each other needed, and none of them knew it. I think that’s the beauty and the fun and the heart of the show. We’re watching a group of people that don’t fit together at first, and then they realize they needed each other. I hope that warmth and the feel-good element of that is felt by audiences.”
“They’re a sort of a found family, and they are all very different personalities,” said Jason Keller about the characters. “But ultimately they are what each other needed, and none of them knew it.” Lilli Kay, left, Mariana Treviño, Judy Greer and Marc Maron in “Stick.”
(Apple)
But that sense of major disappointment, and the question of how to turn the page, still lingers over the story. Keller is intimately acquainted with that kind of challenge.
He was 25, newly arrived in Hollywood, when doctors discovered a benign brain tumor. It was successfully removed, but the subsequent nerve damage meant Keller had to retrain his brain to let him walk again. Now 56, he says he “didn’t realize what a gift that hard experience was. I became very grateful for being physically healthy.”
Keller used that sink-or-swim experience to write his “Stick” characters. “Everybody has a point in their life that just brought them to their knees,” he said. “It could be a divorce or the death of a loved one. We all face these personal tragedies or challenges. What do you do with them after you go through ’em and survive ’em? That’s the real question.”
Even Santi, the youngest character in “Stick,” has been burned by life. “He’s scared, and he has every reason to be,” Dager said. “His father left him.” And he responded by building a hard shell and walking with a swagger.
Dager embraced the whole package. “I fell in love with his past but also his soul and the way he protects himself with the humor he uses as a defense mechanism,” Dager said. “And then once we get to know him and he starts to fall in love and he starts to trust people, you really see the kid. You see who he actually wants to be.”
And if you do happen to be a golfer, if you know a birdie from an eagle, an iron from a wood, “Stick” doesn’t skimp on the sports stuff. It might even inspire you to go out to the garage and excavate that moldering set of clubs. Or not.
“The golfers I’ve shown it to have connected to it and appreciated it at the level of the sport,” Keller said. “And the others who have seen it who are not golfers seem to be responding to it at a purely emotional character level. I think they’re connecting to it. We’ll see if we got it right. I hope we did.”
Julius Randle scored 29 points on 13-for-18 shooting, and the Minnesota Timberwolves held on for a 121-110 win over the Golden State Warriors to clinch their Western Conference second-round playoff series in Minneapolis.
Anthony Edwards finished with 22 points and 12 assists for Minnesota, which won the best-of-seven series in five games. The Timberwolves advanced to the conference finals, where they will await the winner of the series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Denver Nuggets.
“It’s great,” Randle said on Wednesday night. “We’ve had a season full of adversity. Coach (Chris Finch) said at the end of the regular season that we didn’t do anything as far as trades or firing coaches. We just stuck together, and we got through it together.
“I’m super proud of our team, everybody that stepped up in some type of way this year. We got win No. 8 (in the playoffs). We’ve got to keep going.”
Brandin Podziemski scored 28 points on 11-for-19 shooting to lead Golden State. Jonathan Kuminga added 26 points off the bench, and Jimmy Butler III chipped in 17 points and six assists.
“It was a fight,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I’m really proud of our guys. They hung in there and they battled the whole way through.
“(It was) quite a turnaround in our season from where we were a few months ago to giving ourselves a chance and having a swing at the plate for some real chances to go deep. We were right there. Obviously, it didn’t go our way. The Wolves were great, they deserved it. But I’m very proud of our team.”
Stephen Curry, centre, of the Golden State Warriors watches from the bench against the Minnesota Timberwolves during Game 5 [Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images via AFP]
The Warriors dropped their fourth straight game without Stephen Curry, who watched in street clothes from the bench. Curry injured his left hamstring in the series opener after leading Golden State to a first-round playoff series win over the Houston Rockets.
Kerr said of the challenge of playing without Curry, “Injuries are part of the playoffs. I learned a long time ago that the playoffs are really about health and then just guys stepping up and making some big shots, big plays in key games. That’s what decides every series.
“We’ve been on both ends of that. It’s just part of it. There’s no sense in dwelling on it, and I don’t want to take anything away from what Minnesota just accomplished.”
The Timberwolves led by as many as 25 points late in the third quarter. Randle dribbled the ball from one end of the court to the other and finished with a running layup to give the Timberwolves a 93-68 edge with 1:01 remaining in the third.
The Warriors made a determined push in the fourth quarter to cut the deficit to nine. Moses Moody drained a 3-pointer to bring Golden State within 99-90 with 7:11 to play.
Edwards helped Minnesota regain a double-digit advantage moments later. He knocked down a 3-pointer to put the Timberwolves on top 102-90, and Jaden McDaniels increased the lead to 14 points with a steal and a layup with 6:36 remaining.
“The team has come together at the right time and is playing its best basketball,” Finch said.
The Timberwolves led 62-47 at the half.
Golden State trailed 45-42 after Podziemski made a jump shot with 4:11 left in the half.
Minnesota closed the second quarter on a 17-5 run to grab a 15-point lead. Randle finished the first-half scoring with a three-point play after making a layup and drawing a foul.
The Timberwolves shot 62.8 percent (49 of 78) overall and 41.9 percent (13 of 31) from beyond the arc. The Warriors shot 43.3 percent (39 of 90) from the field and 28.2 percent (11 of 39) from 3-point range.
Minnesota’s Julius Randle #30 scored 29 points on 13-for-18 shooting in Game 5 [Noah Graham/Getty Images via AFP]
Celtics rebound to win Game 5 without Tatum
In an earlier playoff fixture on Wednesday, Derrick White scored a game-high 34 points and the Boston Celtics extended their season by beating the visiting New York Knicks 127-102 in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference second-round series.
The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 heading into Friday’s Game 6 in New York.
White shot 7-for-13 from 3-point territory and made nine of his 11 free-throw attempts. Boston sank 22 of its 49 shots from behind the 3-point arc (44.9 percent) and outscored New York 68-43 in the second half.
The Celtics received 26 points, 12 assists and eight rebounds from Jaylen Brown. Luke Kornet added 10 points, nine rebounds and seven blocked shots and Payton Pritchard came off the bench to make five 3-pointers and score 17 points.
“We made winning plays on both ends of the floor,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “They made enough plays to win. Gave us another chance to play.”
It was Boston’s second playoff game without All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, who had surgery on Tuesday to repair a ruptured right Achilles tendon.
Josh Hart scored a team-high 24 points for New York, which shot 29-of-81 from the field (35.8 percent). Jalen Brunson collected 22 points and six assists, but he fouled out with 7:19 to play. Brunson was called for his fifth foul with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter.
“That we didn’t play for 48 minutes,” said Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau when asked what stood out on Wednesday. “We didn’t play tough with the lead. Can’t afford to do that.”
Boston Celtics guard Derrick White, left, controls the ball while New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) defends in the second half during Game 5 of their second round NBA Playoff series at TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, US on May 14, 2025 [Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images via Reuters]
YouTube is getting another piece of the NFL by landing its first exclusive live pro football broadcast in the first week of the season.
The streaming platform will have worldwide rights to the Sept. 5 meeting between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs from São Paulo, Brazil. The teams will face off at Corinthians Arena, home to Brazilian soccer team SC Corinthians.
YouTube is already the home for the NFL’s Sunday Ticket package, which for an annual fee gives fans access to network TV game telecasts outside of their home markets. The Brazil game will be available free to all YouTube users.
Although the NFL has a multiyear media rights deal with Fox, NBCUniversal, CBS, ESPN and Amazon, the league has managed to peel off games for streaming. Netflix landed two Christmas games last season and will be back in the 2025-26 season.
While the NFL values the reach that its traditional TV partners continue to provide, the league is aware that the younger viewers are turning to streaming platforms — especially YouTube — for video content. Executives have made it clear that they need to reach those consumers to replenish its fan base going forward into the future.
YouTube will team up with the NFL for a multiyear deal for the annual Super Bowl Flag Football Game. The event scored more than 6 million live views when YouTube first presented it in February. The game’s teams were led by YouTube stars IShowSpeed and Kai Cenat.
SAN DIEGO — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a two-run 430-foot walk-off homer to centerfield to give the San Diego Padres a comeback 6-4 victory over the Angels on Tuesday night.
Tatis dropped the bat emphatically and watched the ball fly after he connected on a cutter against Angels closer Kenley Jansen (0-2), who took the loss.
Padres reliever Jason Adam (4-0) earned the win with a scoreless ninth.
Matthew Lugo hit a pinch-hit two-run homer in the seventh to give the Angels a 4-2 lead. Lugo’s homer followed an RBI double in the seventh by Jo Adell, igniting a three-run rally after the Angels had two outs and no baserunners.
Angels starter José Soriano gave up two unearned runs and four hits in seven innings.
Padres starter Dylan Cease pitched 6 2/3 innings, giving up two runs and five hits while striking out 10.
The Padres ended their two-game losing streak and finally beat the Angels, who had won their last four games over San Diego dating back to last season.
Key moment
With the score tied 4-4 in the ninth, Elias Díaz earned a full count walk to lead off the inning against Jansen. Tatis followed with his walk-off homer.
Key stat
Padres hot-hitting Jackson Merrill came into the game with six straight multihit games and hits in 14 of his last 15 games. Merrill was 0 for 4 Tuesday, including two deep flyouts to the wall. Tatis has hit safely in 23 of his last 26 games.
Up next
The Angels’ Randy Vásquez (2-3, 3.76 ERA) starts Wednesday night in the finale of the three-game series. Kyle Hendricks (1-4, 5.30) will be on the mound for the Padres.
The Chargers’ season opener in Sao Paulo, Brazil, will be the NFL’s first game streamed exclusively on YouTube, the league announced Tuesday, further expanding the NFL’s streaming footprint to include the ubiquitous free video platform.
Despite now having a home team and TV partner for the matchup, the Chargers’ opponent was the only piece of the NFL’s seven-game international slate that was not announced Tuesday. Front Office Sports reported the Chargers will face AFC West rival Kansas City on Sept. 5 at Arena Corinthians. The Chiefs have won seven consecutive games against the Chargers while becoming one of the league’s most popular TV draws.
Kansas City star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce were at the center of the NFL’s expanded streaming influence last year as the Chiefs played in the league’s Christmas Day takeover of Netflix. The doubleheader that also featured Houston playing Baltimore drew an average of 26.5 million viewers, which made them the most-streamed NFL games in U.S. history. But the ratings lagged slightly behind recent linear broadcasts. In 2023, the NFL boasted its most-watched Christmas Day game since 1989 with the Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders drawing 29.2 million viewers on CBS.
Last season, the Chargers faced the Arizona Cardinals in a “Monday Night Football” game that was the first ESPN+ exclusive to not be included in the international series.
Played as the second game of a staggered doubleheader that featured a matchup between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Baltimore Ravens, the Chargers’ loss to the Cardinals attracted less than 2 million viewers, according to NBC’s Pro Football Talk, which made it the least-watched NFL game since 2008.
Putting a star-studded division matchup at a neutral site on Friday of Week 1 would remove a marquee game from the Chargers’ SoFi Stadium slate. While local fans would miss the highly anticipated rivalry game, the Chargers will still host the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and NFC rookie of the year Jayden Daniels, the San Bernardino native who led the Washington Commanders to their first NFC championship game appearance since 1991 last season.
The home schedule also features AFC West counterparts Las Vegas and Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh and Minnesota. On the road, the Chargers will play their three AFC West rivals, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Dallas, the New York Giants and Miami.
The remainder of the schedule will be released Wednesday at 5 p.m. PDT.
Rose had been exiled from the sport since 1989, after he was found by then-commissioner Bart Giamatti (yes, the father of actor Paul Giamatti) to have been betting on his team’s games while he was manager of the Cincinnati Reds. Rose died Sept. 30, 2024, at age 83.
Rose’s daughter, Fawn Rose, filed a petition for reinstatement Jan. 8 and met with current MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. In February, President Trump advocated for the lifetime ban to be lifted in a social media post, then met with Manfred in April to discuss the matter.
Jeffrey Lenkov, a Los Angeles lawyer who represented Rose at the time of his death and prepared the petition pro bono, told The Times the decision was the result of several years of working with Manfred and his executive team.
“The Rose family and I are extremely overjoyed at the wisdom, courage and compassion exhibited by the commissioner,” Lenkov said. “The reinstatement in and of itself is a historic moment because many people, including Pete at times, thought the ban would never be lifted.
“Getting into the Hall of Fame on his merits is an opportunity he wanted and should be able to receive now.”
Cincinnati Reds player-manager Pete Rose hits a line drive single to break Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record in 1985.
(Associated Press)
From his 24-year career that resulted in more MLB hits — 4,256 — than any other player in history to his lifetime ban, Rose’s saga was as complex and sad as it was triumphant. Pete Rose Night will take place Wednesday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, and the decision to lift the ban undoubtedly will elevate the mood.
Here is a look at key elements of his rise, fall and potential inclusion in the Hall of Fame.
Will Rose immediately be inducted into the Hall of Fame?
No. Barring an unforeseen exception, a three-year waiting period will apply before Rose can be put on the ballot because the committee that could vote him in doesn’t convene until December 2027 to consider candidates for induction in the summer of 2028.
Rose remains ineligible to be voted in by the Baseball Writers Assn. of America because its ballot includes only candidates whose playing careers ended no more than 15 years prior to the election. Players are eligible to be voted into the Hall of Fame by the baseball writers five years after they retire. However in 1991, two years after Rose was banned from baseball and months before he was set to make the ballot, the Hall’s board of directors passed a rule prohibiting anybody on the ineligible list from being a candidate for induction.
Now that he is eligible, his case will be reviewed by the 16-member Classic Baseball Era Committee that evaluates players who made their greatest impact before 1980. Rose would qualify for consideration because his 24-year career began in 1963.
The committee voted in Dick Allen and Dave Parker this year. When it convenes again to vote for 2028 induction, Rose would need an aye from a 75% majority — 12 of the 16 members.
What did Rose do to deserve a lifetime ban?
Since before the 1919 Black Sox Scandal resulted in Shoeless Joe Jackson and other players being banned for life for taking money from gamblers and throwing games, Major League Baseball has had a rule against gambling to protect the integrity of the game. Rule 21(d) is posted in every clubhouse and states: “Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible.”
Rose bet on the Cincinnati Reds when he was the team’s player-manager in 1985 and ‘86, and the manager in ’87. An MLB investigation headed by lawyer John Dowd resulted in a 225-page report released in 1989 that named men that Rose allegedly placed bets with and cited evidence that Rose bet on Reds games.
Cincinnati Reds manager Pete Rose before a spring-training game March 22, 1989, after the Commissioner’s Office investigation into his gambling was released.
(John Swart / Associated Press)
After denying for nearly 15 years that he bet on baseball, Rose admitted it in his 2004 book, “My Prison Without Bars,” written with Rick Hill. Later, he would sign and sell baseballs with the inscription, “Sorry I bet on baseball.” The balls currently go for $200 to $400 apiece online.
Born and raised in Cincinnati, Rose began gambling as a youngster when his dad took him to a local racetrack. By the time he reached the big leagues, he bet on college and pro basketball and pro football in addition to the horses.
“On Feb. 5, 1986, I wrote three checks for eight grand each to cover my losses on the NFL playoffs,” Rose wrote. “The NFL turned into March Madness, which turned into the NBA playoffs, which always turned into the skids.
“I always lived by one hard and fast rule: You don’t bet on baseball. But for the first time in my life, I was no longer playing baseball, just managing. A part of me was still looking for ways to recapture the high I got from winning batting titles and World Series. If I couldn’t get the high from playing baseball, then I needed a substitute.
“I can’t honestly remember the first time I bet on baseball. But I remember the first time I spoke openly about it. I was sitting in my living room, watching the 1986 playoffs between the Mets and the Astros. I had a group of friends over for the game. Without even thinking of the consequences, I said, ‘Betting on the playoffs makes the games more exciting to watch.’ ”
Rose’s immense popularity in his hometown began to erode when the Dowd Report was made public on June 27, 1989.
“Forever and ever and ever, the people here have been solidly behind Pete,” Marty Brennaman, longtime broadcaster for the Reds, told The Times’ Bill Plaschke. “This is the most provincial city I’ve lived in. I can’t imagine a more provincial city.
“But now, there is a segment of the population where, if they haven’t completely gone the other way against Pete, there is at least an element of doubt in their minds. People are becoming divided.”
Longtime Cincinnati historian Dan Hurley insisted the public reaction was even harsher.
“I think the reaction finally is, ‘Hey, they got him,’ ” Hurley said of Rose. “And for us, that’s not very pleasant.”
Rose does have his supporters within baseball. Terry Francona, his former teammate who is in his first season as Reds manager, recently said, “If he’s not in the Hall of Fame, there isn’t one.”
Why the change of heart by MLB?
Pete Rose speaks at a news conference in Las Vegas after MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said he has no intention of altering Rose’s lifetime ban from baseball.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Rose first petitioned for reinstatement in 1997 when Bud Selig was commissioner. Selig didn’t meet with Rose until 2002 and did not rule on the issue before he retired in 2006. Manfred rejected a second petition by Rose in 2015, saying, “Mr. Rose has not presented credible evidence of a reconfigured life either by an honest acceptance by him of his wrongdoing, so clearly established by the Dowd Report, or by a rigorous, self-aware and sustained program of avoidance by him of the circumstances that led to his permanent eligibility in 1989.
“Absent such credible evidence, allowing him to work in the game presents an unacceptable risk of a future violation by him of Rule 21, and thus to the integrity of our sport. I, therefore, must reject Mr. Rose’s application for reinstatement.”
The fact that Rose died in September created an opportunity to revisit his status. If the permanently ineligible list exists to prevent a person who poses a threat to the integrity of the game from working in baseball, could that status change when the person is no longer living?
Roses adorn the statue of Pete Rose at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati after the all-time hits leader died.
(Kareem Elgazzar / Associated Press)
That argument was made in the December petition by Rose’s family, and Manfred took it into consideration.
“The decision was very complex and it’s not easily said that it could have been done during his lifetime,” Lenkov said. “MLB had a lot of factors to work through. They had to be receptive to listening for a number of years on this issue, and they did.
“Pete in his lifetime felt he had done his time, paid the price. I believe he lived with a scarlet letter on him because of it. His punishment was substantial.”
The relationship between gambling and professional sports — including MLB — has evolved dramatically in recent years. Sports betting is legal in 40 states, and the American Gaming Assn. estimates that its total economic impact is $328 billion a year and revenue from it exceeded $115 billion in 2024.
Yet restrictions still apply, again to protect the integrity of the game. Can a baseball player, coach or umpire bet on March Madness brackets, the Super Bowl or participate in a fantasy football league? Yes. Can they bet on anything — baseball or otherwise — through illegal or offshore bookmakers? No.
What was President Trump’s role in the reinstatement?
Seemingly out of nowhere, the president injected himself into the conversation. Even before the family’s petition for reinstatement had become public, Trump posted a bombastic message on Truth Social on Feb. 28 that read:
“Major League Baseball didn’t have the courage or decency to put the late, great, Pete Rose, also known as ‘Charlie Hustle,’ into the Baseball Hall of fame. Now he is dead, will never experience the thrill of being selected, even though he was a FAR BETTER PLAYER than most of those who made it, and can only be named posthumously. WHAT A SHAME!
“Anyway, over the next few weeks I will be signing a complete PARDON of Pete Rose, who shouldn’t have been gambling on baseball, but only bet on HIS TEAM WINNING. He never betted against himself, or the other team. He had the most hits, by far, in baseball history, and won more games than anyone in sports history. Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy ass, and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame!”
No evidence has surfaced of Rose betting on the Reds to lose. After confessing in his book that he bet on baseball, he emphasized that point.
“I bet on my own team to win,” Rose told NJ.com. “That’s what I did in a nutshell. I was wrong, but I didn’t taint the game. I bet on my team every night because that’s the confidence that I had in my players. And I was wrong.”
A pardon wasn’t necessary for Manfred to reinstate Rose, although in 1990 Rose served five months in prison after pleading guilty to tax evasion.
Trump met with Manfred at the White House on April 16, but neither man spoke publicly about what they discussed. MLB issued a statement that said, “President Trump is a longtime fan of baseball. As he has done in the past, Commissioner Manfred was pleased to visit the White House again to discuss issues pertaining to baseball with the president.”
What are Pete Rose’s Hall of Fame credentials?
Cincinnati Reds player-manager Pete Rose is congratulated by his teammates after he broke Ty Cobb’s hitting record in Cincinnati on Sept. 11, 1985.
(Associated Press)
Rose broke Ty Cobb’s career hits total of 4,189 in 1985 and finished with 4,256. That alone would be enough for entry into the Hall of Fame, but Rose also was named National League Rookie of the Year in 1963 and the NL Most Valuable Player in 1973. He won three batting titles and three World Series titles — two with the Reds in 1975 and ’76 and one with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980.
Rose batted .303 with an on-base percentage of .375, earning the nickname Charlie Hustle because he sprinted to first base even on a walk. He led the NL in hits seven times, doubles five times, and in 1978 put together a 44-game hitting streak, second in baseball history to Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game streak.
Rose played in more games (3,562), had more plate appearances (15,890) and more at-bats (14,053) than any other player.
Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell. A belated Happy Mother’s Day to all you mothers out there.
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Sometimes it appears a dark cloud is constantly following a player, sort of like Joe Btfsplk or is just hapless where nothing ever seems to go right, like Charlie Brown. or there’s just doom and gloom whenever they are around, like Eeyore.
The first time I remember it is during the 1988 season, when it seemed for a couple of months that this would happen in every at-bat by Jeff Hamilton: fastball down the middle, taken for strike one; fastball down the middle, takes for strike two; curveball in the dirt, swung on and missed, strike three.
This season, that player for the Dodgers is Michael Conforto.
We haven’t talked much about Conforto, so let’s do a little background on him.
Conforto was born March 1, 1993 in Seattle. He was a star at Oregon State and was taken by the New York Mets in the first round (10th overall pick) of the 2014 draft. He reached the majors quickly, appearing in 56 games with the Mets in 2015. The Mets lost in the World Series that season, but Conforto became only the third player to play in the Little League World Series, College World Series and Major League World Series (the other two: Ed Vosberg and Jason Varitek). His breakthrough season was 2017, when he hit .279/.384/.555 with 20 doubles and 27 homers in 444 plate appearances and made the All-Star team. His power numbers began to dip a bit, but were still solid (28 homers in 638 plate appearances in 2018, 33 in 648 plate appearances in 2019), but he was a solid major leaguer. Let’s take a look at his OPS+ each season:
You’ll notice 2022 is not represented. Before the 2021 season, Conforto turned down a $100-million contract extension. That turned out not to be wise. Conforto had an off year by his standards, hitting .232/.344/.384 with 14 homers in 479 plate apperances. He became a free agent after the season and signed with… no one. His agent, Scott Boras, said Conforto injured his shoulder while working out in January, 2022, had surgery and would not play at all that year.
In January 2023, Conforto signed a two-year, $36-million deal with the Giants. He hit .239/.334/.384 in 2023 with 14 doubles and 15 homers in 470 plate appearances and .237/.309/.450 last season with 27 doubles and 20 homers in 488 plate appearances. The Dodgers signed him for one-year, $17-million, and he started off well. After his first six games, he was hitting .368 with four doubles and a homer. Then, the roof caved in.
From April 4-May 9, Conforto was eight for 93, good for an .086 batting average. And he struck out 34 times. Because he also walked 15 times in that span, he scored 12 runs, which may be a record for a guy who went eight for 93.
Last week, Conforto talked to our Jack Harris and said, “This game will kick you down. It will kick you when you’re down. It can be cruel. So sometimes, you just have to lean on what you know you are as a player, and all the support you have around you … and keep going straight ahead, keep working. … I think we’re right on the edge of getting things back. There’s just been a few of them where, you hit it [well], you look up and there’s somebody there. It just seems to happen more when you’re not going right.”
Dave Roberts: “It’s still easy to bet on him because the head is still there, the work is still there. “He’s just got to keep taking good at-bats, and they’ll fall. A guy that’s been around for so long, I think he can handle this five weeks of adversity.”
The luxury of the Dodgers having such a good team is they can afford to give someone like Conforto a longer chance than most other teams could. James Outman could have taken some playing time from him, but Outman is one for 15 since returning from the minors, while Kiké Hernández and Chris Taylor haven’t exactly been candidates for the Silver Slugger this year either. Conforto has three hits in his last six at-bats. Not a sign that the slump is over, but a step in the right direction.
The Dodgers play the long game, which can be frustrating for fans. The Dodgers are very patient with players and have been for quite a while now. It should come as no surprise that they will give Conforto ample time to rediscover his offense. They have the best record in baseball and can afford to be patient.
By the way, Conforto’s mother, is Tracie Ruiz Conforto, who won gold medal in the solo and duet synchronized swimming event at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
Good news…
Clayton Kershaw made what is hoped to be his final rehab start, pitching four innings while giving up two runs, two hits, two walks and striking out two for triple-A Oklahoma City. If all goes well, he will come off the IL and start against the Angels on Sunday at Dodger Stadium.
Tyler Glasnow has started playing catch again as he tries to return from shoulder inflammation.
… Bad news
Blake Snell was supposed to start throwing again Sunday, but did not because of discomfort in his pitching shoulder. Glasnow and Snell will be checked by doctors on Monday, but this isn’t a good sign for Snell.
Ouch!
Just imagine being a Rockies fan. They haven’t made the postseason since 2018 (when they were swept in the first round) and haven’t won a postseason game since 2009. They lost to the Padres on Saturday, 21-0. And Sunday they fired their manager, Bud Black, before they beat the Padres 9-3. That “improved” their record to 7-33, before they lost Monday to drop to 7-34, which means they are on pace to finish 28-134, which I’m guessing would not be a good enough record to sneak into the postseason as a wild-card team. Their GM, Bill Schmidt, blames a lot of it on injuries. But it can’t be too fun to be a fan of the Rockies lately.
Also, just as a reminder that the Dodgers aren’t the only team that struggles at times, the Padres bullpen has given up 29 runs in its last 16 innings, including six runs in the ninth inning at home against the Angels on Monday.
All-time leaders
The Dodgers’ all-time leaders in OPS+, minimum 1,000 plate appearances
Franchise 1. Dan Brouthers, 172 2. Gary Sheffield, 160 2. Mike Piazza, 160 4. Freddie Freeman, 157 4. Jack Fournier, 157 6. Reggie Smith, 152 7. Pedro Guerrero, 149 8. Lefty O’Doul, 145 9. Babe Herman, 144 9. Hanley Ramirez, 144 9. Jim Wynn, 144
Los Angeles only 1. Gary Sheffield, 160 1. Mike Piazza, 160 3. Freddie Freeman, 157 4. Reggie Smith, 152 5. Pedro Guerrero, 149 6 Hanley Ramirez, 144 6. Jim Wynn, 144 8. Mookie Betts, 143 9. Duke Snider, 136 10. Justin Turner, 133
Is there a top 10 Dodgers list you’d like to see Email me at [email protected] and let me know.
These names seem familiar
A look at how some prominent Dodgers from the last few seasons are doing with their new team (through Sunday). Click on the player name to be taken to the baseball-reference page with all their stats.
From 1929, all-time Dodgers great Dazzy Vance talks pitching. Watch and listen here.
Until next time…
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