game

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and it still amazes me every season how some fans are ready to throw in the towel at the first sign of distress.

So, the Dodgers’ offense has been sputtering as of late. Since April 21, a span of 12 games, they have scored two runs in a game three times, one run in a game twice and have been shut out once. They are 5-7 in that time and lost four in a row before winning Sunday.

Is that good? Of course not, but it’s nothing to get overly concerned about. Every team goes through highs and lows on offense. In that same time, they also scored 12 runs in a game and beat the Chicago Cubs, who had a 10-game winning streak, twice.

When they opened the season 15-4, they were averaging almost six runs a game. No one was bowing down and handing them the World Series trophy just for that, just like no one should write them off because of a bad stretch of games.

Let’s look at the Dodgers’ offense each year since 2017, with the number of times the team scored two runs or fewer in a game each season.

2026
Two runs: 6 times
One run: 3 times
No runs: 1 time
Season record: 21-13
Average runs per game: 5.15
Longest losing streak: 4 games

The Dodgers project to score two or fewer runs 47 times this season, which is higher than the last few seasons, but it’s a relatively small sample size and projections are a bit wonky this early. This is looking more and more like a repeat of last season. Streaky offense, erratic bullpen, solid (for the most part) starting pitching.

2025
Two runs: 13 times
One run: 16 times
No runs: 8 times
Season record: 93-69
Average runs per game: 5.09
Longest losing streak: 7 games

2024
Two runs: 15 times
One run: 14 times
No runs: 5 times
Season record: 98-64
Average runs per game: 5.20
Longest losing streak: 5 games

2023
Two runs: 12 times
One run: 14 times
No runs: 4 times
Season record: 100-62
Average runs per game: 5.59
Longest losing streak: 4 games

2022
Two runs: 12 times
One run: 13 times
No runs: 7 times
Season record: 111-51
Average runs per game: 5.23
Longest losing streak: 4 games

2021
Two runs: 22 times
One run: 14 times
No runs: 5 times
Season record: 106-56
Average runs per game: 5.12
Longest losing streak: 4 games

2020
Two runs: 7 times
One run: 2 times
No runs: 0 times
Season record: 43-17
Average runs per game: 5.82
Longest losing streak: 2 games

2020 was the COVID-shortened season.

2019
Two runs: 22 times
One run: 11 times
No runs: 6 times
Season record: 106-56
Average runs per game: 5.47
Longest losing streak: 6 games

2018
Two runs: 19 times
One run: 17 times
No runs: 8 times
Season record: 92-71
Average runs per game: 4.93
Longest losing streak: 6 games

2017
Two runs: 14 times
One run: 20 times
No runs: 8 times
Season record: 104-58
Average runs per game: 4.75
Longest losing streak: 11 games

So, there’s nothing really unusual going on so far this season. Now, if we reach May 20 or so and they still are slumping, then we can worry more. At some point, this team will age out. Mookie Betts seems to be injury prone, and Freddie Freeman has slowed some. At some point, this team will fail to make the postseason. But not this season.

The biggest obstacle this team faces is expectations. Some in the media proclaimed this the best offense in history. It was never going to be that. But it raised expectations, making them almost impossible to beat.

Heck, last season’s Dodgers went 0-6 against the Angels. They went 3-6 in one stretch, losing one of those games 16-0. They went through another stretch of the season in which they went 2-10, scored two or fewer runs seven times and averaged 3.5 runs per game. And last time I checked, they won the World Series.

So, this is nothing new.

When will Blake Snell be back?

Blake Snell, whom the Dodgers should start encasing in bubble wrap when he’s not pitching, is on a rehab assignment. In three games (two for class-A Ontario, one for triple-A Oklahoma City) he has pitched eight innings, giving up six hits, four runs and two walks while striking out 10. If all goes well, he will be back in mid-to-late May.

And who goes out of the rotation when he comes back? Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow aren’t going anywhere, so that leaves Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski and Roki Sasaki. If you go by results, then it has to be either Sheehan or Sasaki. How these guys pitch over the next couple of weeks will solidify that answer, but as for now, I’d remove Sasaki from the rotation.

Justin Turner, manager?

With three World Series titles, Dave Roberts will be Dodgers manager for a long time. But when he does step down, could Justin Turner be next?

Turner’s wife, Kourtney, recently appeared on the “Foul Territory” podcast and had this to say when asked if she believes Justin will become a manager after retiring.

“I do. I think it will be more nerve-wracking than his playing days for me, though, because I think it’s a tough job. Because if things are going well, not everyone looks to the manager. But then if there’s a decision that doesn’t pan out, I think it falls back on the manager.

“So I’ll have to stay off Twitter and all the comments for that one. I think he has such a good understanding of the game. I think he has good feel. I think he does a really good job.

“I’m always in awe when he goes to these new teams. And then I see him in the dugout the first or the second game of the season, and he’s already meshing so well. He just has that ability to reach, I think, every single guy there. And I think that’s what makes him so special.”

Turner is currently playing for Tijuana in the Mexican League.

These names seem familiar

How notable players who were with the Dodgers the last couple of seasons are doing with their new teams. Click on the player’s name to be taken to their full stats page:

Anthony Banda, Twins: 1-0, 9.00 ERA, 14 IP, 16, hits, 5 walks, 13 K’s, 50 ERA+

Austin Barnes: out of baseball (released by Mets in spring training)

Cody Bellinger, Yankees: .275/.373/.483, 142 PA’s, 8 doubles, 1 triple, 5 homers, 20 RBIs, 137 OPS+

Walker Buehler, Padres: 1-2, 5.40 ERA, 25 IP, 27 hits, 12 walks, 24 K’s, 78 OPS+

Mike Busch, Cubs: .218/.317/.339, 145 PA’s, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 2 homers, 17 RBIs, 92 OPS+

Michael Conforto, Cubs: .300/.321/.433, 38 plate appearances, 4 doubles, 5 RBIs, 150 OPS+

Caleb Ferguson, Reds: on the IL

Jack Flaherty, Tigers: 0-2, 5.90 ERA, 29 IP, 27 hits, 25 walks, 32 K’s, 74 OPS+

Jason Heyward: retired

Justin Dean, Cubs: in the minors

Tony Gonsolin: out of baseball

Kenley Jansen, Tigers: 0-2, 6.14 ERA, 6 saves, 7.1 IP, 8 hits, 4 walks, 9 K’s, 74 OPS+

Craig Kimbrel, Mets: 0-1, 4.26 ERA, 6.1 IP, 6 hits, 3 walks, 8 K’s, 100 OPS+

Michael Kopech: out of baseball

Gavin Lux, Rays: on the IL

Dustin May, Cardinals: 3-3, 5.15 ERA, 36.2 IP, 47 hits, 9 walks, 25 K’s, 75 ERA+

Zach McKinstry, Tigers: .209/.261/.326, 46 PA’s, 2 doubles, 1 homer, 5 RBIs, 62 OPS+, on the IL

James Outman, Twins: .129/.182/.194, 33 PA’s, 2 doubles, 4 OPS+

Ben Rortvedt, Mets: in the minors

Corey Seager, Rangers: .213/.315/.410, 143 PA’s, 6 doubles, 6 homers, 17 RBIs, 113 OPS+

Chris Taylor, Angels: in the minors

Justin Turner, Tijuana (Mexican League): .276/.344/.448, 32 PA’s, 2 doubles, 1 homer, 3 RBIs

Trea Turner, Phillies: .243/.304/.375, 148 PA’s, 6 doubles, 4 homers, 11 RBIs, 86 OPS+

Miguel Vargas, White Sox: .220/.359/.424, 145 PA’s, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 6 homers, 17 RBIs, 119 OPS+

Kirby Yates, Angels: on the IL

Up next

Monday: Dodgers (Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 2-2, 2.87 ERA) at Houston (TBA), 5:10 p.m. PDT, Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Tuesday: Dodgers (Shohei Ohtani, 2-1, 0.60 ERA) at Houston (Peter Lambert, 1-2, 3.52), 5:10 p.m. PDT, TBS, Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

Wednesday: Dodgers (Tyler Glasnow, 3-0, 2.56 ERA) at Houston (Lance McCullers Jr., 2-2, 6.32 ERA), 11:10 a.m. PDT, Sportsnet LA, AM 570, KTNQ 1020

*-left-handed

In case you missed it

Why Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan has ‘K ALS’ stitched into his glove

‘We’re in a little funk’: Dodgers fizzle at plate, suffer third straight loss

Ex-Dodger Alex Cora’s wild roller-coaster departure from the Red Sox explained

Shaikin: The Dodger hosting a comedy show? Stoic Will Smith. No joke

McCourt Foundation’s L.A. Marathon to city: Can you save us half a million dollars?

What Shohei Ohtani’s start against Marlins says about how Dodgers are handling his workload

And finally

Vin Scully tells a story on how a player’s career was influenced by … well, you have to see it to believe it. Watch and listen here.

Until next time…

Have a comment or something you’d like to see in a future Dodgers newsletter? Email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

ST. LOUIS — Andy Pages tapped the top of his helmet as plate umpire Chris Guccione wound up to punch him out, taking one final stab at extending the Dodgers’ scoring opportunity in the eighth inning.

The Busch Stadium scoreboard lit up with a graphic of the strike zone. The ball flew in, touching the top of the rectangle and turning it red. The call was confirmed. Strike three.

In a 7-2 loss to the Cardinals on Friday, that was one of six at-bats the Dodgers had with runners in scoring position. They didn’t record a hit in any of them.

Instead, the Dodgers (20-12) only scored on Max Muncy’s double with a runner on first in the second inning, and Kyle Tucker’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the sixth. It marked their third straight loss, scoring two or fewer runs in each.

“It’s been hard,” said left fielder Teoscar Hernández, who had a ground-ball single and a walk Friday. “Obviously, we don’t want to start the season the way we have started. But we have done a lot of work. Everybody knows this is not easy, hitting, being consistent. We just have to go up there trying to have good at-bats, create situations, put the ball in play, get on base.

“But I think we got unlucky. A lot of guys have been hitting the ball really good, right at people. But we control what we can control, and just leave the rest to baseball.”

Even amid a down stretch, the Dodgers still showed off their scoring power with a pair of 12-run performances in the last two weeks — even if one was at hitter-friendly Coors Field. And they entered Friday leading the majors with an .802 OPS. So all is not lost.

The top of the batting order, however, isn’t producing. Mookie Betts, who would be batting No. 3 in the order, has been out since early April with a strained right oblique.

Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker have had slow starts. Freddie Freeman has been in an offensive lull since taking over the No. 2 spot last week.

The Dodgers entered Friday with the top three spots in the batting order producing a .734 OPS, ranking 22nd in MLB.

The bottom half of the order, and Pages in particular, was carrying the offense early on. But when those hitters cooled, the top of the order didn’t fill the gap.

“Unfortunately, we have a lot more guys that are not swinging the bats well than that are,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And so shuffling the lineup, I just don’t think that’s a solution right now — outside of versus left versus right [pitching matchups].”

On Friday, the Dodgers scored fewer runs than the Cardinals scored in the first inning alone.

“They swung the bat better than we did,” Roberts said. “And we didn’t play well enough.”

Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan’s start went south in one at-bat.

Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan delivers during the first inning Friday against the Cardinals.

(Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)

With two outs in the first inning and runners on first and second, Sheehan worked ahead to an 0-2 count against Nolan Gorman.

Dodgers catcher Will Smith then attempted a back-pick at second base, but his errant throw bounced to the opposite side of the base and past shortstop Miguel Rojas.

With runners at second and third, Sheehan did not declare he was going to switch to throwing from the stretch instead of the hybrid position. So, he was called for a balk, bringing the first run of the game across the plate.

“Mental mistake,” Sheehan said. “I know the rule. It was just in the moment, I didn’t declare it. And, yeah, unacceptable.”

Gorman battled Sheehan to a full count. Then Sheehan left a high fastball over the plate, and Gorman sent it into the right-field stands for a two-run blast.

Sheehan bounced back with a 1-2-3 second inning. But he surrendered a solo homer to slugger Alec Burleson in the third.

By the time Sheehan exited with two outs in the fifth inning, before Gorman was due up again, he’d given up a season-high eight hits.

“I feel like we’ve been making progress and then taking a step back,” Sheehan said. “And, yeah, it’s definitely frustrating. But we know we need to work on, it’s just fixing it now.”

The Cardinals (19-13) widened their lead in the seventh inning, putting together a three-run rally against reliever Edgardo Henriquez. And the Dodgers offense never threatened a comeback.

“We’re in a little funk offensively, which is certainly obvious,” Roberts said. “But you’ve just got to keep going. I believe in the guys, the hitting coaches do, the guys do. You’ve got to keep working and know that it will click one night and we all come together. But it’s not one at-bat. It’s not one particular hitter that is bringing the group down. We’ve all got to come together and expect things to change.”

ST. LOUIS — Enough was enough.

The Dodgers entered Sunday on a four-game losing streak, with a lack of offense undermining solid performances from the pitching staff. They were on the verge of being swept by the St. Louis Cardinals, after losing a series to the Miami Marlins in Los Angeles.

“When it gets to a certain point, we do a good job of kind of nipping it,” manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 4-1 win. “And today is one of those days that … we’ve got to find a way to win a game. And whatever it takes, we’re all prepared to do that. And if you look at the track record, we’ve done well in moments like this.”

It took a second straight start of six scoreless innings from Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski, along with the bullpen holding St. Louis to one run.

That was enough to make the Dodgers’ offensive contributions count. Though it was far from an onslaught, the four runs were the most they scored in a game since Monday.

“Offensively we just haven’t been very good the last week,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said after the game. “Just call a spade a spade sometimes. There’s no way to sugarcoat it. We just haven’t been very good, and we’ve got to be better.

“Luckily, Wrobo, our starting pitching has been amazing. They deserve a lot more than they’ve gotten over the last two weeks. So it’s on us to start scoring some more runs. We know we’ll be fine. I understand you guys gotta ask these questions, but no one’s worried in here. And good to get a win on a day game, salvage a series, and hopefully start a better streak [Monday] in Houston.”

The Dodgers (21-13) still dropped the series to the Cardinals (20-14) and are 7-9 over the last 2½ weeks. They’ve won only one of their last five series.

Offense lacking power

Hyeseong Kim follows through for an RBI single in the second inning for the Dodgers against the Cardinals on Sunday.

(Scott Kane / Associated Press)

The Dodgers extended their homerless streak to six games. Since April 21, they’ve hit only three home runs.

“Very surprised,” Roberts said. “And honestly, we haven’t really come close, either. So yeah, I’m surprised. It’s a team that, we can slug. I think a little bit is some of the passivity, the carefulness. And there’s going to be some swing-and-miss there, that’s just in a lot of our hitters, anyway. But what you don’t want is guys to be careful and cautious.”

The Dodgers on Sunday got an RBI double from Andy Pages and RBI singles from Freeman, Hyeseong Kim and Alex Call.

An illness swept through the clubhouse during the slump. But one of the hitters who was hit the hardest, third baseman Max Muncy, has continued to produce.

He went 10 for 17 with four home runs in Colorado. And even after cooling slightly, he entered Sunday with a team-best .937 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over the last 11 games, then had a hit and a walk and scored.

“There are times where he probably could have and should have had some days off in the middle of this,” Roberts said. “But he hasn’t. He’s had the one day off and then a half-game. But I’m really impressed with the way he’s persevered and got to the other side of it.”

Rotation battle heating up

Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski delivers against the St. Louis Cardinals in the sixth inning Sunday.

(Dilip Vishwanat / Getty Images)

After Emmet Sheehan battled mechanical problems and gave up four runs in 4⅔ innings Friday, and Roki Sasaki authored his first quality start of the season Saturday, Wrobleski upped the ante. On Sunday, he improved his earned-run average to 1.25 over six games.

Wrobleski’s first outing of the season was in long relief, when the Dodgers needed only five starters because of days off early in the schedule. He hasn’t give up more than one run in any of his five starts since and is 5-0. And after throwing five innings in his first start, he’s pitched through at least the sixth in every game.

“He’s got a good pace to him, puts the ball in play,” Roberts said. “And obviously he’d like to get some more swing-and-miss, but those guys are swinging the bats and hitting at guys, and a lot of soft contact. I just like the way the guys stay involved behind him. And every single time he takes the baseball, we have an opportunity to win a game, most importantly.”

Efficiency and pitching to contact are Wrobleski’s calling cards, and he took that to the extreme Sunday when he navigated six innings without a strikeout.

“I had a lot of two-strike counts and they kept putting it in play,” he said with a smile. “I was, ‘All right, I’ll take the out.’”

When the time comes to clear a spot in the rotation for rehabbing left-hander Blake Snell, the Dodgers’ decision won’t be based solely on results. But Wrobleski’s strong showing to begin the season, and versatility in multiple roles, has all but guaranteed him at least a spot on the roster for the foreseeable future.

Injury updates

Dodgers minor-league affiliates have hosted a rush of rehab outings recently.

On Saturday, reliever Brusdar Graterol (shoulder surgery) played his first game since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. Throwing an inning for triple-A Oklahoma City, he retired the side in just eight pitches, recording one strikeout.

“He hasn’t pitched a whole lot in the last two, three years, so his buildup needs to be methodical,” Roberts said. “I’m looking forward to him getting going.”

Snell (shoulder fatigue) threw four innings for Oklahoma City in his third rehab start Sunday, and Brock Stewart (shoulder surgery) faced three batters after pitching on back-to-back days last week.

The Lakers understand the daunting challenge they’re about to face against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals.

Lakers coach JJ Redick referenced the great Chicago Bulls teams that won back-to-back championships in 1996 and ’97 and the Golden State Warriors teams that won titles in 2015 and ’17 when talking about the Thunder after practice Sunday.

“The Thunder is one of the greatest teams ever in NBA history,” Redick said. “It’s just the reality. They’re that good. I think our guys recognize that and respect that, and we know what kind of task we have in front of us.”

The Thunder had the best record in the regular season at 64-18. They were ranked first in defensive field-goal percentage (43.7%), first in defensive rating (106.5), first in net rating (43.7) and second in points given up per game (107.9).

They have the league’s reigning most valuable player in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is the leading candidate to repeat as MVP. He was second in scoring this season (31.1 points per game) and leads the postseason in scoring (33.8).

The Thunder just swept the Phoenix Suns in their first-round series. The Lakers eliminated the Houston Rockets in six games.

This season the Thunder beat the Lakers by an average of 29.2 points per game in sweeping the four-game set. So the Lakers are facing long odds to win this series, but they say they aren’t intimidated heading into Game 1 on Tuesday night.

“You can respect the team but you can’t fear them,” forward Jake LaRavia said. “You can’t come into the game fearing the opponent and then you’re just gonna come in and get punked. So, we respect how good this team is, but our goal is to win — win the games and win the series. So, our mindset stays the same.”

The Thunder have a reputation as a stingy defensive team — they were called for the seventh-fewest fouls per game (19) this season.

“They’re top five in every category that’s disruptive-base: steals, blocks, turnovers forced, all that stuff. And they don’t foul,” Redick said. “They somehow do all of that without fouling, which is one of the most remarkable things, I think, in NBA history.”

Gilgeous-Alexander is famous for drawing fouls. He took nine free throws per game this season, third-most in the league.

“Nobody’s been able to stop him all season,” Redick said. “So, you can hope and pray.”

Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drives against the Lakers during a Thunder win on April 2.

(Cooper Neill / Getty Images)

The Lakers had their own weapon at the free-throw line, but it’s unclear when Luka Doncic might return from injury. The All-Star point guard hasn’t played since sustaining a Grade 2 left hamstring strain against the Thunder on April 2.

Doncic was coming off a magical month, becoming the only player in history other than Michael Jordan to score 600 points in March.

Redick had no update on Doncic’s status — he remains out indefinitely.

But the Lakers got by the Rockets with LeBron James leading the way. He averaged 23.2 points, 8.3 assists and 7.2 rebounds in the six games. And star guard Austin Reaves, who also was injured in the April 2 game against the Thunder, returned to help beat the Rockets.

Still, few think the Lakers, who advanced past the first round for the first time since 2023, can get by the deep and talented Thunder.

“You could say nobody thought we were going to get past Houston, but everybody in this building believed,” Reaves said. “It’s the same mindset going into this. We obviously know the team that we’re about to face and how good they are and the problems that they can create for 48 minutes. So, we’ll have to lock in every single day, film, whatever it could be, to continue to get better and and pay attention to all the little details like they do.”

Shield AI revealed a revised planform configuration and new details about its extremely ambitious X-BAT jet-powered autonomous stealth ‘fighter’ drone at April’s Sea-Air-Space 2026 convention, as detailed by TWZ. At the event, I was able to speak at length with Armor Harris, the chief designer of X-BAT, who was keen to discuss the status of the project. You can read TWZ’s original deep dive exclusive interview with Harris that was published when X-BAT first emerged from the shadows last October here.

The tail-sitting X-BAT, designed to take off vertically and land the same way, is planned to start vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) testing before the end of this year. Harris explained how it is designed to fly combat missions under the control of the company’s Hivemind artificial intelligence “pilot” and how Shield AI has designed-in payload bays that are roughly the same size as those found on the F-35, which will enable it to carry many of the same weapons as the stealthy crewed fighter.

The X-BAT concept is aimed to disrupt not just the budding advanced autonomous drone marketplace, but parts of the fighter market too. So much hangs on the VTOL element that the airframe is designed around, so to say that a lot is riding on those tests is an understatement.

Here is the full interview from the show floor at Sea-Air-Space:

Meet The Man Behind The X-BAT Autonomous VTOL Fighter Drone

Mark Vientos hit two homers and drove in four runs and right-hander Clay Holmes allowed one run in 6⅔ innings as the New York Mets beat the Angels 5-1 on Sunday.

Holmes (4-2) allowed four hits with three walks and six strikeouts as the Mets took two of three games from the Angels and won a series for just the second time since April 7. New York also won two of three against Minnesota (April 21-23).

The Mets used Bo Bichette at shortstop Sunday, one day after Ronny Mauricio fractured his left thumb and was placed on the injured list. Shortstop Francisco Lindor also is on the injured list with a calf strain.

Jorge Soler had an RBI single for the Angels and right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-1) gave up two runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings with three walks and six strikeouts. Los Angeles had ended a season-high seven-game losing streak Saturday. The Angels are 2-12 since April 18.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Zach Neto and Mike Trout worked walks to open the game against Holmes and Soler hit a one-out run-scoring single to center.

As Holmes settled in, the Mets grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Vientos hit a towering two-run homer 427 feet, halfway up the rock pile beyond the center field fence.

The Angels were in the game until the eighth inning when Tayler Saucedo hit Brett Baty with his first pitch of the inning and was replaced by Nick Sandlin. Carson Benge had an RBI double to right for a 3-1 lead and Vientos followed with another two-run home run, this time to left.

The Mets’ outfield made a pair of spectacular plays, with left fielder MJ Melendez making a diving catch in the sixth inning and Benge making a diving catch in right for the second out of the ninth.

Up next for the Angels: RHP Jose Soriano (5-1, 0.84 ERA) will pitch in Monday’s series opener against White Sox RHP Davis Martin (4-1, 1.95 ERA).

A look at The Times’ top 25 high school baseball rankings for the Southland after the 11th week of the season:

Rk. School (Rec.); Comment; ranking last week

1. NORCO (23-3); Cougars are Big VIII League champions; 1

2. HARVARD-WESTLAKE (21-5); James Tronstein has reached eight home runs; 2

3. ST. JOHN BOSCO (22-5); Trinity League champions are starting to peak; 3

4. ORANGE LUTHERAN (20-4); Gary Morse, Cooper Sides are good one-two pitching duo; 4

5. HUNTINGTON BEACH (20-6-1); Complete game from Jared Grindlinger shows he’s playoff ready; 5

6. CORONA (19-6); Second-place finish in Big VIII League; 6

7. SIERRA CANYON (21-5); Sophomore Theo Swafford has come on strong as a hitter; 7

8. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (18-8); Knights clinched Mission League playoff spot; 8

9. AYALA (22-2); Palomares League champions; 9

10. CYPRESS (20-6); Crestview League champions; 10

11. LA MIRADA (21-6); Gateway League champions;11

12. OAKS CHRISTIAN (21-6); Co-Marmonte League champions; 13

13 GAHR (16-9-1); Bryce Morrison hitting .453; 15

14. NEWPORT HARBOR (19-9); Got a win vs. Huntington Beach; 17

15. CORONA SANTIAGO (18-10); Swept Corona Centennial to finish third in Big VIII League; 18

16. ROYAL (21-3-1); One-game lead in Coastal Canyon League; 12

17. AQUINAS (19-8); Ambassador League champions; 19

18. TEMECULA VALLEY (23-4); UCLA commit Taden Krogsgaard is coming through; 23

19. SANTA MARGARITA (15-13); Lost three games to JSerra; 14

20. BISHOP ALEMANY (17-9); Finish with two-game series vs. Sierra Canyon; 16

21. MATER DEI (13-11); Monarchs have three-game series vs. Orange Lutheran; 20

22. VILLA PARK (17-8-1); Second place in Crestview League; 21

23. ETIWANDA (17-7); Baseline League champions; NR

24. WESTLAKE (18-8); Shared Marmonte League title with Oaks Christian; 24

25. GANESHA (19-2-1); Have three games this week; 25

Captain Paige Cronin delivered a pinpoint cross onto Cloé Lacasse’s head for the game’s only goal in the 32nd minute, giving Utah (4-2-1) a win over Angel City at BMO Stadium. It was the Royals’ fourth straight victory.

In first half stoppage time, Maiara Niehues received a direct red card for violent conduct towards Lacasse. It was the first red card in club history for Angel City FC, who played down a player the entirety of the second half.

Royals goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn started her first match of the 2026 season and earned the clean sheet with four saves.

After starting the season with three consecutive wins, Angel City FC (3-3-0) have now lost three straight.

Season series: 0-4

Nov. 12, 2025, in Oklahoma City
Thunder 121, Lakers 92
Neither team was at full strength with James sidelined because of sciatica and the Thunder without Luguentz Dort and Jalen Williams. Oklahoma City still dominated behind an effortless 30-point, nine-assist night from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It was the largest defeat of the season for the Lakers until April.

Feb. 9, in Los Angeles
Thunder 119, Lakers 110
Both teams were without their MVP candidates as Gilegous-Alexander sat because of a strained abdominal muscle and Doncic was sidelined by a hamstring injury. The Thunder proved their depth and chemistry by holding off the Lakers in the fourth quarter. This was one of just eight clutch-time losses for the Lakers during the regular season.

April 2, in Oklahoma City
Thunder 139, Lakers 96
The nightmare score wasn’t as scary for the Lakers as seeing their two leading scorers injured in the same game. Reaves played through what was later diagnosed as a Grade 2 oblique muscle strain, and Doncic left in the third quarter with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. The game was expected to be a major showdown between MVP candidates and a litmus test for the Lakers, who entered with 13 wins in their previous 14 games.

April 8, in Los Angeles
Thunder 123, Lakers 87
The Lakers were without four starters and still reeling from the regular season-ending injuries suffered by Doncic and Reaves the previous week. Matching up with the Thunder again only exacerbated the emotional hangover. Redick tried to inject some energy into the group by benching veterans Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt for small mistakes early, but the coach later admitted the tactic didn’t work.

It was a brotherly battle at UCLA’s spring football game on a clear Saturday afternoon at the Rose Bowl.

At the helm of the opposing white and blue teams, respectively, quarterbacks Nico and Madden Iamaleava led the split halves of the Bruins squad during a well-attended end to the first spring camp under the direction of new coach Bob Chesney.

Fittingly, Madden tossed the go-ahead touchdown pass from near the logo to a wide-open Kenneth Moore III, putting his blue team up 24-17, the eventual final score.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen him just play football,” Nico said of his brother. “So it was fun seeing him out there operate.”

UCLA defensive back Osiris Gilbert knocks the ball out of the hand of UCLA receiver Shane Rosenthal during the spring game at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Nico’s team, with play-calling help from Bruins women’s basketball coach Cori Close throughout the second half, got to fourth-and-goal situations twice as the game wound down. One ended in a missed field goal by Mateo Orosco, who had made a 57-yarder, and the other concluded with the blue team storming the field after a pass from quarterback Ty Dieffenbach was incomplete with 10 seconds left.

The addition of the guest play-callers, Close and women’s water polo coach Adam Wright, led to a variety of trick plays throughout the game. Multiple flea-flickers went for big yards, and offensive lineman Mike McDonald took a rushing attempt as a part of the fun atmosphere that Chesney said he wanted to foster at the game.

To come up with one of the plays, Chesney said, Close messaged Rams coach Sean McVay for advice.

“We put some of those plays in so that she would be able to execute what she wanted to. She just came up a little short and I think she did a really good job of motivating her team,” Chesney said of Close’s second-half calls. “Coach Wright just really dialed it in and was able to strike when he had to and put that game away.”

Just before Moore caught his first touchdown in a Bruins uniform, he was running another deep route when he ran into a referee, breaking up what may have been an explosive play.

“Why’d you let the referee cover you?” Chesney asked, posing as a reporter during Moore’s interview.

“That was great defense,” Moore said in response, sporting a smile. “He was so stealthy.”

It had been a few years since the Bruins held a traditional spring game at the Rose Bowl, with previous coaches favoring lower-profile practices that were dubbed spring showcases. This year’s game also comes after the Bruins in February announced that the iconic Pasadena stadium would remain their home, at least this year, amid ongoing litigation over the university’s right to potentially break its lease and play home games at SoFi Stadium.

UCLA receiver Landon Ellis catches a touchdown pass in front of Jhase McMillan (23) and Curtis Gerrand (35) during the spring game at the Rose Bowl Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

Chesney said holding a traditional spring game was like a “practice run” for the upcoming season. Ahead of Saturday’s game, the Bruins stayed in a hotel together and had walk-throughs on the field as well as meetings and pretty much anything else they could do to simulate a game. Chesney and many players got their first look at the Rose Bowl lit up at night during a visit Friday.

“To get a chance to walk in here and just feel this and see all of these surroundings and the things that took place in this venue is pretty special,” Chesney said. “We addressed that a little bit last night as a team, and made sure we understand the respect that this place deserves and understand the attitude of gratitude that we should have for the ability to play here.”

Defensive back Cole Martin, a Pasadena native who was on the blue team, called this spring game “magnificent” when asked to compare it to last year’s spring football practice finale. He specifically noted playing at the Rose Bowl as a reason for the strong atmosphere and an important experience for new UCLA players.

“First time in the Rose Bowl, first touchdown as a college player, I mean, it’s awesome,” Martin said, looking at the freshman Moore. “It doesn’t get better than that.”

Walking by reporters during the game, Bob Stiles, who made a famous goal-line stop on a two-point conversion to seal UCLA’s upset win over Michigan State in the 1966 Rose Bowl, concurred. “This is fun,” Stiles said.

Running back Anthony Woods was a standout on the white team, scoring the first touchdown of the game on a six-yard run and going for multiple big gains early.

Receivers Mikey Matthews for white and Landon Ellis for blue scored the other two touchdowns on red zone crossing routes.

The other 10 points, besides the four touchdowns and field goal, were given out equally for victories in side competitions in between the first and second quarters and third and fourth quarters. Both were won by blue, aiding its seven-point win.

On defense, cornerback Osiris Gilbert broke up multiple passes and had a few hard hits, linebacker Samuel Omosigho earned a sack, and linebacker Malaki Soliai-Tui forced a fumble.

Chesney said he was happy with his team’s performance, noting penalties, like the various defensive pass interference calls, as a key area for improvement.

UCLA coach Bob Chesney pats running back Anthony Woods on the helmet during the team’s spring game at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)

“It went well,” Chesney said. “I wouldn’t say unbelievable. I wouldn’t say terrible. Most of the time, it was somewhere in between.”

Both Nico Iamaleava, for the offense, and Martin, for the defense, said the units had things to work on, but they were proud of how much they improved during spring camp. With a bit of a break before preparation for the fall ramps up, Iamaleava’s message to the team was simple: “Stay together.”

Chesney echoed the sentiment, saying building on the intensity and development from the spring, rather than starting again during the summer, will be key to the Bruins succeeding during the season.

“We’re back, baby,” Chesney said to fans right before the fourth quarter began. “We’re back.”

ST. LOUIS — Time is running out for the pitchers at the back end of the Dodgers’ rotation to prove that they should stay once left-hander Blake Snell returns from the injured list.

Right-hander Roki Sasaki strengthened his case Saturday with a quality start, despite some hiccups, as the Dodgers fell 3-2 to the Cardinals, extending their losing streak to four games.

Sasaki not only recorded an out in the sixth inning for the first season, but finished the inning to tie the deepest start of his MLB career, as he limited the Cardinals to three runs and five hits.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing. Sasaki labored early. But despite issuing two walks and hitting a batter in the first two innings, he escaped both unscathed.

No such luck in the third. Sasaki gave up back-to-back doubles to Iván Herrera and Alec Burleson, and a home run to Jordan Walker — who’s been swinging the hottest bat of any hitter this series — for a quick three runs.

Sasaki rebounded to throw three perfect innings to finish his outing.

The Dodgers’ offense, however, didn’t score until the ninth inning. Kyle Tucker and Teoscar Hernández hit back-to-back infield singles, testing Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn’s range to both sides.

Then Max Muncy shot an RBI single over the head of second baseman JJ Wetherholt. And Andy Pages drove in another run with a ground ball just past the glove of diving third baseman Ramón Urías. but their late rally stalled there.

The star-studded Dodgers lineup hasn’t scored more than two runs in a game since Monday.

Sasaki is one of three young pitchers at the back end of the rotation, along with right-hander Emmet Sheehan and left-hander Justin Wrobleski, who are competing for two spots once Snell returns.

Snell (left shoulder fatigue) is scheduled to make his third minor-league rehab start on Sunday for triple-A Oklahoma City. He’ll likely need at least a fourth before returning, manager Dave Roberts said Friday.

Sheehan gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings Friday, his velocity wavering as his delivery fell out of sync.

Wrobleski is scheduled to start Sunday, as the Dodgers try to avoid a three-game sweep. He’s pitched the best out of all three pitchers, but his proven ability as a long reliever as well could actually work against him as the Dodgers decide how to free up a spot in the rotation.

Whew. Sigh. LeBron!

History eluded. Embarrassment avoided. Belief restored.

The most secure legacy played with the most desperation. The most creaky veteran played with the most aggression. The winningest superstar played like he had everything to lose.

Wow. Gasp. LeBron!

So it went at Houston’s Toyota Center on Friday night when the Lakers, just two losses from becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a three-games-to-none lead, blew away the Rockets 98-78 to win their first-round series four games to two.

It was a night that prevented possibly the greatest meltdown in NBA history. It was a night that celebrated possibly the greatest player in NBA history.

“Started with LeBron,” Marcus Smart said. “The OG came out.”

When the shorthanded Lakers needed him most, their ageless 41-year wonder indeed showed up huge, James fighting down the lane, throwing in from deep, finding teammates like the sizzling Rui Hachimura and the surging Austin Reaves, leading with his entire massive being.

James wasn’t going to be on the wrong side of history. He wasn’t going to further stain his sterling 42-13 close-out record. He wasn’t going to let his final season end so early.

Wait a minute, this is not his final season? Not a chance. Bury any lingering doubt. After watching him dominate the youngest starting five in these playoffs Friday, it is impossible to imagine he’s going to call it quits.

He scored a game-high 28 points while enduring a team-high 37 minutes. He had eight assists, seven rebounds and only three turnovers. He even played defense, as the Lakers were a game-best plus-26 when he was on the court.

His night ended with him appropriately surrounded in the locker room by teammates who were bleating like goats. Because he’s the, well, you know.

Lakers forward LeBron James shoots over Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. during the first half of Game 6.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

“It speaks to his greatness,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said, and, yeah, somebody must be great if they can induce grown men to imitate farm animals. “To me he’s had the greatest career of any NBA player … for him to do it again and answer the bell again, it’s … baffling in some ways.”

From the frying pan to the fire, the Lakers now travel to Oklahoma City to face the defending champion Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals beginning Tuesday.

This could get real ugly, real quick.

The Lakers won’t have injured leading scorer Luka Doncic for the foreseeable future. They will be playing a Thunder team that drubbed them in the regular season, including a 43-point stomping just last month.

The Lakers don’t stand a chance. They’ll be lucky to avoid a sweep. They should quit while they’re ahead.

Which is exactly what everyone said about them before this Rockets series, before they took advantage of a Kevin Durant injury and Reaves’ return from injury, before they revealed a sense of focus and connection completely unexpected from this disjointed group.

Before James decided he wouldn’t let them lose.

“We had some obstacles obviously and I know they were without guys as well, but I thought we answered the call,” James said. “I thought we answered the challenge, and for them to allow me to lead them, that means a lot to me.”

Truly, lost in all the criticism over the last two Lakers losses was the truth that they never should have been in this position in the first place.

Consider this near miss one of James’ greatest postseason achievements. Consider his first playoff series win a huge endorsement for Redick as coach. Consider any positivity that comes from the Oklahoma City series as pure gravy.

Lakers forward LeBron James scores on an uncontested layup after blowing past the Rockets defense during the first half of Game 6.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

“For us to be written off a few weeks ago and to win a playoff series is a big deal,” Redick said. “And it speaks to the character of our team and the leaders of our team that they didn’t let go of the rope.”

James led the Lakers to a five-point lead in the first quarter, then absolutely dominated with a 14-point second quarter in which he outscored the entire Rockets team and gave the Lakers an 18-point halftime lead that never was challenged.

See if you can follow along …

James hits a fallaway. Jake LaRavia races down for a layup. Smart draws a charge. James hits a three. James hits a spinning layup. LaRavia connects on a fastbreak jam. James sinks another layup.

For those breathlessly keeping score, the Lakers began that second quarter with a 9-0 run that, dating to the first quarter, was an incredible 21-2 smackdown. At one point the Rockets missed a dozen straight shots. At another point they were 0 for 15 in the quarter.

The Rockets momentarily stopped the bleeding with six consecutive points late in the half, but on James’ last-minute trey, the Lakers finished the quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 49-31 halftime lead.

”He just has this ability to set the tone for the entire group,” Redick said. “He did that again tonight and the guys responded.”

James scored on a jump shot just seconds into the third quarter and the rout continued. Houston, which made only six baskets in the quarter, mounted a bit of a surge late in it, but Smart ended any momentum by drawing his third charge of the night.

“I love charges,” Smart said. “They’re demoralizing.”

Redick angrily called a timeout with 6:28 remaining in the game after a defensive lapse with the Lakers leading by 19. James fittingly scored on a layup immediately after the timeout, and the game was formally finished.

The Lakers’ defense was astounding, holding the Rockets to 13 points below their season low. The Lakers’ rebounding was astonishing, nearly doubling the offensive rebounds of the NBA’s best offensive rebounding team.

The Lakers offensive collective also was cool, Hachimura hitting five of seven treys, Reaves scoring 15 points with three blocked shots, and Deandre Ayton finishing a fine series with 16 rebounds.

But this was about the OG, who noted that he is finally comfortable celebrating small victories and said, “I think we should be proud of the way we handled this.”

The way he handled this.

Bleat … bleat … bleat.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — When Joel Quenneville took over the long-suffering Ducks nearly a year ago, the veteran head coach cautiously said he hoped to get his new team into contention this season for its first playoff spot since 2018.

His young, hungry Ducks made it to the playoffs, all right — and they’re clearly not just happy to be here.

After nearly winning the Pacific Division in a surprisingly strong regular season, these Ducks ended the franchise’s eight-year postseason drought — and now they’ve eliminated Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the two-time defending Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers with a six-game series victory in the first round.

Anaheim finished it off with a 5-2 victory in Game 6 on Thursday night, calmly dispatching its more experienced opponents with the poise and potency that this team has shown for long stretches this season. Quenneville could only applaud as his team took the next step on its journey.

Ducks center Leo Carlsson celebrates with left wing Chris Kreider after scoring an empty net goal during Game 6 of their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in Anaheim.

(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

“It’s a huge win,” Quenneville said. “I’m happy for the players. I’m happy for the fans. And now we’ve got a taste of playoff hockey, and I think we can feel at this moment that it’s so much fun playing games that have the meaning, and the building being as loud and excited as it is. It seems to grow from this level on.”

The future has finally arrived in Orange County, and the raucous sellout crowds that have supported this team all season long are loving the return of playoff hockey for the team that won California’s first Stanley Cup in 2007.

The Ducks also had one of the NHL’s best teams while winning five straight division titles through the middle of the 2010s, but those teams twice lost in the Western Conference finals before Anaheim fell into a rut of seven straight years without a playoff berth.

Those years of high draft picks have led to a roster with impressive high-end talent in its young core, and general manager Pat Verbeek added a slate of veteran signees to bolster it. Quenneville was the next huge piece of the puzzle, and the three-time Stanley Cup winner as a head coach has guided the Ducks to a first-round postseason upset.

“We know that (at) our best is a really good team when we’re playing the right way,” said Troy Terry, the longest-serving Ducks player since 2018. “We proved it to ourselves that we can do it consistently in a series, and our group should have a lot of confidence going forward in what makes us a good team.”

After stumbling into a 2-6-2 slump down the stretch and blowing the division lead, the third-place Ducks drew the playoff-tested Oilers in the first round. It looked like a nightmare matchup for an inexperienced team — but the Ducks were ready.

Anaheim stormed to a 3-1 series lead while pumping 20 goals past the Oilers, who looked slower and creakier than the Ducks. Edmonton showed off its postseason poise in Game 5, throttling the Ducks in a 4-1 victory and putting the onus on their inexperienced opponents to finish off the series.

And that’s exactly what the Ducks did: They scored three goals in the first period, jumped to a 4-1 lead after two, and never allowed the Oilers to get up enough momentum to seriously threaten a comeback.

“I’m just proud with the maturity level of that game,” Terry said. “For how inexperienced and young our team is, it’s exciting moving forward.”

Anaheim also got a star-making performance from defenseman Jackson LaCombe, who led the team with nine points while also leading its defensive effort against McDavid and Draisaitl. LaCombe, a late addition to the U.S. Olympic team last winter, led the Ducks with a plus-6 rating while playing 22 1/2 minutes per game and taking just one penalty.

“A lot of us young guys are learning a lot as we go along, and I thought we got better throughout the series,” LaCombe said. “It means a lot for us.”

The Ducks have extended their breakthrough season for at least another couple of weeks, and they’re relatively healthy. Their next opponent will be the Vegas Golden Knights — another experienced playoff team loaded with veterans.

The Ducks and their fans are thrilled to take the next step on this unlikely journey.

“Now we get to experience another round, and I think this is healthy for us,” Quenneville said. “We’ve got a young group that … you don’t know how they’re going to play, but you’re certainly excited what the upside is.”

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.

HOUSTON — Marcus Smart’s block. LeBron James’ dominant second quarter. Deandre Ayton’s relentless rebounding.

The individual performances in the Lakers’ ugly, but decisive, 98-78 series-clinching win over the Houston Rockets on Friday were almost too numerous for coach JJ Redick to focus on each one.

That collective spirit is also what makes him so confident heading into the Lakers’ first Western Conference semifinal appearance since 2023.

“For us to be written off a few weeks ago and to win a playoff series is a big deal,” Redick said after the Lakers polished off their first-round playoff series in six games. “And it just speaks to the character of our team and the leaders of our team. They didn’t let go of the rope.”

After winning a series in which they were underdogs for every game they won, the Lakers return to the scene of their lowest moment to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals beginning Tuesday.

The last time they were in Oklahoma City, the Lakers lost by 43 points. Their two best players sustained regular-season ending injuries, with news of Luka Doncic’s hamstring injury and Austin Reaves’ oblique strain coming on consecutive days after the loss. Still dazed from the emotional hangover, the Lakers lost their next two games.

“There was a lot of question marks,” Reaves said. “And just the way that we responded as a group, I think it just tells you a lot about the people that we have in our room. There’s no quit.”

The Lakers finished the regular season with three consecutive wins. They leapt out to a 3-0 series lead against Houston before letting doubt creep in again. After the Lakers squandered two chances to end the series, including a disappointing home loss Wednesday when Reaves returned from injury, critics wondered if the Lakers would really be the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 playoff lead.

James wouldn’t allow it.

The superstar forward dominated with 28 points on 10-of-25 shooting, seven rebounds and eight assists. He outscored the Rockets by himself in the second quarter 14-13 as the Lakers went on a 27-3 run to open a 19-point lead.

“We understand that he’s the guy that brings energy, but also we have to help him,” forward Rui Hachimura said, “especially you know, he’s old now.”

Hachimura didn’t try to suppress a smile.

Lakers forward Rui Hachimura blocks a shot by Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. during the first half of Game 6.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

The Japanese forward did his part with 21 points, including five three-pointers. Smart leapt for a jaw-dropping block against 6-foot-8 Tari Eason and drew three charges. Ayton had 16 rebounds, helping the Lakers outrebound the best rebounding team of a generation 54-45.

Ayton, often maligned for his inconsistent effort, has been a force in the postseason, averaging 11.8 points and 10.8 rebounds while often guarding Rockets All-Star Alperen Sengun one-on-one.

“He’s been saying it all year: ‘Wait till I get to the playoffs,’” Smart said of Ayton. “It’s a different side of him that fans haven’t seen, that we expect, that we know he can give. He knows it and he’s ready.”

In his second game back from injury, Reaves had 15 points on seven-of-14 shooting with three blocks. He missed all four of his three-point attempts, still searching for his shooting rhythm after a long layoff. But the way Reaves attacked his treatment and returned before the typical four- to six-week timeline was his own form of leadership, Redick said.

Reaves sometimes left his house at 7:30 a.m. and didn’t return until more than 12 hours later. He drove all over L.A. looking for different treatment options. He did everything short of following Doncic to Europe, Reaves joked.

Doncic’s status is still unknown for the beginning of the conference semifinals. He has yet to progress to live play on the court, although he recently started incorporating movement into his on-court drills instead of just stationary shooting. He is still out indefinitely.

Without the star point guard, the Lakers could confidently turn to James to steer them through choppy waters. He averaged 22.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists in the first-round series. At one point during Friday’s game, Reaves approached him to just tell him his performance was “insane.”

“I don’t think you can say in words how special he was,” Reaves said, “not just tonight but this series, this year.”

In the locker room after the game when the Lakers prepared to break their last huddle, the lights suddenly clicked off. Players started bleating, serenading James with sounds deserving of the G.O.A.T. — greatest of all time.

Ronny Mauricio hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning and the New York Mets rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Angels on Friday night in the opener of a nine-game trip.

The win — just the Mets’ fourth in their last 21 games — came a few hours after president of baseball operations David Stearns gave manager Carlos Mendoza a vote of confidence. New York has the majors’ worst record at 11-21.

Marcus Semien hit a tying two-run single in the Mets’ three-run sixth inning, which also included an RBI single by Francisco Alvarez. New York retired the final 21 Angels hitters.

Mets starter Christian Scott gave up three runs — two earned — and three hits in five innings with eight strikeouts and no walks. Huascar Brazobán (2-0) pitched a perfect sixth for the win, and Brooks Raley, Luke Weaver and Devin Williams — who got his third save — finished up as Mets relievers combined for four hitless innings.

Jorge Soler hit a two-run homer for the Angels, who lost starter Walbert Ureña in the sixth inning when he was hit in the right leg by Bo Bichette’s comebacker. It was just the second hit for the Mets off Ureña, who hadn’t given up a run through five innings before the bullpen took over.

Alvarez singled against Brent Suter to score Bichette in the sixth. Two batters later, Semien tied it 3-3 with his two-run single off Chase Silseth.

Mauricio’s one-out homer in the seventh, with an exit velocity of 111.3 mph, came off José Fermin (0-1) and was his first of the season.

The Angels’ bullpen entered with a 5.66 ERA, second worst in the American League.

Up next: Mets RHP Nolan McLean (1-2, 2.55 ERA) enters Saturday’s middle game of the three-game series after allowing one unearned run in a loss to Colorado last Sunday. Angels LHP Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.28) is making the seventh start of his return to the rotation.

So that Game 3 overtime win Friday in Houston was fun, huh?

The Lakers needed it, of course. The Lakers wanted it.

The Lakers are paying for it.

Because LeBron James hasn’t looked superhuman since playing those 45 minutes, including all five gutsy minutes of ovetime.

He hasn’t looked great.

Not even particularly good, not by his lofty standards.

And the Lakers need their not-quite-ageless wonder to be at least great to beat these Houston Rockets one more time. They need James’ best can-you-believe-he’s-41? act if they hope to close out this challenging best-of-seven first-round series without Luka Doncic.

The Lakers went up 3-0 largely thanks to James’ contributions.

After weeks of willingly playing third-wheel behind Doncic and Austin Reaves, James made it look like playing the alpha was like riding a bike in Game 1’s 107-98 victory: He got right on it and gave the Lakers 19 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds.

Then James had 28 points in the 101-94 victory in Game 2. And there was his monster effort in Game 3, when he had 29 points and 13 assists and, in overtime, a key steal and block in the Lakers’ 112-108 victory.

But James has been much more mortal in the two games since, and the Lakers have lost both.

With a chance to finish off the Rockets in Game 4 on Sunday at the Toyota Center, James had almost as many turnovers as points: eight and 10, respectively.

With a second chance to finish off the Rockets in Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, despite a second day of rest, James had a jagged performance that looked like a lot of work in the Lakers’ 99-93 loss.

He had a game-high 25 points on nine-of-20 shooting, but he missed all six of his three-point attempts. He smoked layups. And missed three of his 10 free-throws, short on those attempts like he was on many of his misses Wednesday.

And while he had only two turnovers, they were the type to turn a tide, the type we’re not accustomed to witnessing from James. That type the Lakers can’t afford for him to make.

If he were a quarterback, he could have been called for intentional grounding, he overthrew Rui Hachimura by so much in the second quarter, when the Lakers were trying — and failing — to hang onto their early lead.

And then James got rhe ball ripped away from him by Reed Sheppard, the Rockets’ 21-year-old, allegedly 6-foot-2 guard, who raced up the court for a fast break dunk with 2:22 to play. That made it 92-85 and effectively doused the Lakers’ comeback.

“Just bang-bang plays,” James said at his locker, with a shrug. “Try to flush this one … we got to be better on Friday.”

The Lakers will have just two more shots at winning a series they weren’t supposed to before it started.

Their third attempt at closing out the Rockets comes quickly, when they play Game 6 on Friday at Houston. The Lakers will need something resembling the best version of James if they’re going to win and avoid the spectacle of a Game 7 showdown Sunday.

That would bring the Lakers to the brink of becoming the first team in NBA history to blow a 3-0 series lead. It would be an unavoidable blotch at the bottom of James’ 23-season resume that otherwise is highlighted by a 3-1 comeback against the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals.

But James and the Lakers aren’t thinking about that now — or about whatever chatter is coming out of the Rockets’ now-confident camp (on Tuesday, Jabari Smith Jr. told reporters “We’re obviously the better team.”)

“Ask one of them young guys that question,” James said, unmoved. “I’m too old for that.”

But not too old — the Lakers hope — to carry them to one more victory and save them from infamy.

Ticket prices are just the start of the soaring expenses many fans will face while trying to watch World Cup games this summer.

NJ Transit is charging $150 for round-trip tickets from Manhattan to the Meadowlands (the regular price is $12.60) for the World Cup final, while host committee shuttle buses will cost $80.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is demanding $80 to ride one of the 14 express trains on the 30-mile trip from downtown Boston to Foxborough for games at Gillette Stadium. That’s more than three times the normal price.

Parking in Kansas City, meanwhile, will set you back by as much as $900, depending on the game and lot.

In Southern California, however, it will cost $1.75 to get to SoFi Stadium on a combination of buses or trains from as far away as Claremont and Simi Valley. That’s also what it costs to get to the Inglewood venue on any other day of the year; only two of the 11 World Cup cities in the U.S. are offering less expensive public transportation.

“We’re trying to make things convenient,” said Conan Cheung, the chief operations officer for the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or LA Metro, the second-largest transit agency in the country, servicing more than 305 million riders in 2025.

That’s a marked departure from the experience fans have reported ahead of this summer’s World Cup, which was marked by complaints over difficulty getting access to buy tickets, high ticket prices, shifts in seat locations after they were purchased, high fees and expensive game-day transportation.

“There’s no standardized fare set across the board,” Cheung said of World Cup transportation. “We’ve made a commitment to keep our system accessible. The way we’re planning the entire program is to ensure that we support people from the minute they decide to come to L.A. for the World Cup.

Workers are getting SoFi Stadium ready to host World Cup matches this summer.

(Eduard Cauich / Los Angeles Times )

“We also want to make sure that your excitement and your experience for the World Cup starts and ends on Metro.”

LA Metro has been able to hold costs down in part because it received $9.6 million in funding from the $100 million Congress gave the Federal Transit Administration to support transportation to and from World Cup stadiums. LA Metro is adding about 300 buses to its regular fleet to handle the additional demand, with shuttles servicing nine direct routes to SoFi and various fan zones.

Roughly 200 of those buses will lent to LA Metro from 11 regional transit agencies. Additional security officers also will be added.

“I feel prepared,” Cheung said, “but you never know what’s going to happen. We’ve done enough major special events to know that you can do all the planning in the world, but you need to make sure that you have contingencies in place and you’re prepared to pivot at a moment’s notice.”

A case in point: when Game 3 of last fall’s World Series went into extra innings, LA Metro immediately extended the operating hours for Metro buses and trains, ensuring people had rides home when the game ended just shy of midnight.

“Part of our preparedness is going through tabletop exercises,” he said. “The point is to ensure that the flow from the parking, from the transit connection and walking up made sense and was intuitive and easy to follow.”

Since Metro trains don’t run directly to SoFi, Cheung has added shuttle buses to take fans from the stations to the stadium. Portable restrooms and hydration stations will be available. And nine park-and-ride sites will be set up around L.A. and Orange counties. Reserve and pay for a parking space and everyone in your car can ride to the stadium for free. (Be sure to bring a lot of friends since the parking fees range from $59 to $102 for the June 12 opening match.)

A pair of visitors from Japan rush to catch a Metro bus in March.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Cheung said LA Metro has been preparing for the World Cup almost as long as some of the players. When Taylor Swift brought her Eras tour to SoFi in the summer of 2023, LA Metro used that as something of a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, expanding late service and adding free shuttles from nearby train stations.

That increased ridership by 25%, which meant less traffic on the roads and freeways leading to the stadium. A repeat of that could be crucial during the World Cup since five of the eight games played at SoFi are scheduled to start at noon local time.

And just as the Taylor Swift concerts prepared LA Metro for the World Cup, now the World Cup will help inform preparations for the 2028 Olympics.

“A lot of the strategies that we’re doing now — the process for working with not only local jurisdictions, state and federal agencies, as well as the other transit agencies in the regions — we’re setting up ways that are going to help not only for the Olympics and Paralympics, but anytime we need to pull together to support our communities for special events [or] natural disasters.”

For more information on LA Metro services in and around the World Cup, go to www.metro.net/riding/world-cup

⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week’s episode of the “Corner of the Galaxy” podcast.

The visit of King Charles III to the United States comes at a time of visible tension between Washington and London. His meetings with Donald Trump and symbolic engagements linked to the anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence highlight Britain’s effort to preserve a relationship that has faced increasing political strain. Rather than seeking immediate policy breakthroughs, the visit underscores a broader diplomatic strategy focused on long term stability.

Worst tensions in decades
Relations between the US and the United Kingdom are being described by analysts as the most difficult since the Suez Crisis. Disagreements over global conflicts, defence commitments, and rhetoric from Washington have created friction not only with Britain but also with other European allies.

Political differences driving the strain
Tensions have been sharpened by clashes between President Trump and Keir Starmer, particularly over foreign policy decisions such as Britain’s stance on the Iran conflict. Criticism from Washington, alongside broader disagreements within alliances like NATO, has added to the sense of divergence.

Role of royal soft power
King Charles III’s visit is less about direct political negotiation and more about reinforcing deeper ties. Through speeches, public appearances, and outreach beyond government circles, the monarch is aiming to remind Americans of the longstanding cultural, security, and historical links between the two nations. His address to Congress and symbolic messaging emphasise shared values while subtly encouraging cooperation and openness.

Beyond politics to public diplomacy
The visit targets not just policymakers but the American public. By engaging across different states and institutions, the British monarchy is working to sustain goodwill that can outlast any single administration. This reflects a strategy of insulating the broader relationship from short term political tensions.

Questioning the special relationship
The idea of a “special relationship,” first popularised by Winston Churchill, is increasingly being reassessed. Some British officials argue the term feels outdated in a changing global order, where alliances are more transactional and expectations around defence and economic contributions are rising.

Analysis
The UK’s approach reveals a calculated reliance on continuity rather than confrontation. With limited leverage over US policy decisions, London is using soft power to maintain influence and access. The monarchy provides a unique diplomatic channel that operates above partisan politics, allowing Britain to keep communication lines open even during periods of disagreement.

However, this strategy has limits. Symbolism cannot fully offset structural tensions such as defence spending gaps, diverging foreign policy priorities, or shifting global power dynamics. While royal diplomacy can ease atmospherics, it cannot substitute for alignment at the governmental level.

In the longer term, the visit illustrates Britain’s recognition that its global role depends heavily on sustaining strong ties with Washington, even in less favourable political conditions. By playing a long game, the UK is attempting to ensure that current strains do not permanently weaken one of its most important strategic partnerships.

With information from Reuters.

Marcus Smart knows what it feels like to be on the other side. The last time the Lakers guard was in the playoffs, he was helping the Boston Celtics storm back from a three-game deficit in the Eastern Conference finals to force a near-historic Game 7.

Now he’s watched the Lakers’ seemingly insurmountable three-games-to-none series lead dwindle to 3-2 after a 99-93 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena. Smart isn’t flinching.

Whether defending a three-game lead or coming back from one, Smart knows the mindset is the same.

“We really got to literally go out there and be ready to die,” Smart said Wednesday after the Lakers failed to close out the Rockets for the second consecutive game. “… When I was on the other end, that was our motto: be willing to run through a wall and sacrifice your body for the betterment of the team. And that’s what we’re going to do now.”

Lakers guard Marcus Smart knocks the ball away from Rockets guard Amen Thompson during Game 5 at Crypto.Com Arena on Wednesday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

NBA teams are 159-0 with a 3-0 lead in a best-of-seven playoff series. Only four have even pushed it to the decisive Game 7. Smart’s 2023 Boston Celtics, when they clawed back against the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, lost Game 7 at home after star Jayson Tatum turned his ankle on the first play of the game.

Hoping to avoid joining the historic list, the Lakers get a third try at vanquishing the Rockets for good in Game 6 on Friday at 6:30 p.m. PDT at Houston’s Toyota Center.

“Once we get on that plane and head down to Houston, we got to forget about it and understand what we are going for,” said LeBron James, who had 25 points and seven assists Friday. “It’s going to be even harder. Every game is hard. It’s so hard to close out a team in the postseason, to win a series, and this is our first time doing it as a unit.”

The Lakers built a three-game lead in the series despite playing without leading scorers Luka Doncic (hamstring) and Austin Reaves in the first four games. Reaves returned from a Grade 2 left oblique muscle strain Friday, scoring 22 points on four-of-16 shooting with six assists, but his presence couldn’t stop the gradual decline of the Lakers offense.

The Lakers have failed to reach 100 points in each of the last two games. From shooting 53.9% from the field and 51.7% from three in the first 10 quarters of the series, they have shot just 44.6% from the field and 29.2% from three in the last 10, excluding overtime of Game 3.

Luke Kennard, a flamethrower who scored 50 points in the first two games, has scored just eight in the last two. He was scoreless from the field Wednesday, including two missed three-pointers. A 91.2% free-throw shooter, Kennard even missed a free throw.

On the other hand, Houston has found its rhythm. The Rockets made 38.7% of their shots in the first 10 quarters — Games 1 and 2 and the first half of Game 3 — and have shot 46.3% in the 10 quarters since, excluding the Game 3 overtime period. Their three-point shooting has jumped from 30.9% to 34.1%.

“We just got to make shots,” Smart said of the offense’s struggles. “… And we’re not giving ourselves a chance by turning the ball over, which we can’t get a shot up on the rim because of that.”

The Lakers had 15 turnovers that resulted in 18 Rockets points Wednesday. The game started slipping away in the second quarter when they had five turnovers with the Rockets scoring nine points off the miscues. The Lakers let their 11-point first-quarter lead turn into a four-point halftime deficit.

Smart, who was asked to handle more ball-handling responsibilities while Doncic and Reaves were injured, had six turnovers and just two assists Friday. He called them “unacceptable.”

Rockets center Alperen Sengun yells out for the ball while Lakers guard Marcus Smart pressures the ball hander during Game 5 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

“The turnovers come in all shapes and sizes, and it’s about limiting them,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “And you certainly have to give your guys freedom to make basketball plays. I would say in general though, turnovers of aggression are OK; turnovers of passivity are not.”

The Rockets only averaged 8.5 steals per game during the regular season, but had two players in the NBA’s top 10 in total steals with guards Reed Sheppard (sixth, 122 total steals) and Amen Thompson (eighth, 119). They had three and four steals, respectively, in Game 5.

A defensive play from Sheppard stifled the Lakers’ late comeback. The Lakers trimmed a 13-point lead to three in less than three minutes. The cheer from the sold-out crowd at Crypto.com Arena was deafening when James kissed a left handed layup off the glass to pull the Lakers to within one possession with 2:59 left.

Sheppard immediately responded with a midrange jumper then picked James’ pocket on the next Lakers possession, going coast-to-coast for a two-handed dunk that pushed the lead back to seven with 2:20 remaining.

The crowd went silent.

The Lakers had that same stunning effect on a road crowd already this series when they stormed back from a six-point deficit in less than 30 seconds in Game 3. The prospect of doing it again with even larger stakes brought an excited smirk to Smart’s face.

“We knew this was going to be a tough series,” Smart said. “I think everybody knew that, and it’s turning out to be exactly what we expected. And now the fun begins.”

Lakers lose to Rockets

From Broderick Turner: An hour before tip-off of Game 5 of the first-round playoff series against the Houston Rockets, the word came down that Austin Reaves was available to play for the Lakers, his wait over, his time away with a Grade 2 left oblique strain no longer an issue for him.

Reaves missed the first four games of the series against Houston and the last five regular-season games after sustaining the injury in Oklahoma
City on April 2. He checked into the game off the bench with 5 minutes and 39 seconds left in the first quarter to a standing ovation.

Reaves proceeded to give the Lakers a lift, but the Rockets received even more elevated play , their five starters scoring in double figures and their defense on point during Houston’s 99-93 win over Los Angeles on Wednesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Even with Reaves scoring 22 points and handing out six assists and LeBron James producing 25 points and seven assists, the Lakers couldn’t close out this best-of-seven series they once had total command of just a few days ago.

The Lakers have lost the last two games and their once 3-0 lead heading to Houston with their lead down to 3-2.

“I mean, we don’t have a lot of time to dwell on it,” James said. “I mean, you can give yourself tonight, a little bit tomorrow. But … once we get on that plane and head down to Houston we got to forget about it and understand what we are going for and it’s going to be even harder.

Continue reading here

Lakers box score

NBA playoffs schedule

Lakers playoff schedule

First round
All times Pacific

at Lakers 107, Houston 98 (box score)
at Lakers 101, Houston 94 (box score)
Lakers 112, at Houston 108 (box score)
at Houston 115, Lakers 96 (box score)
Houston 99, at Lakers 93 (box score)
Friday: Lakers at Houston, 6:30 p.m., Prime Video
*Sunday: Houston at Lakers, TBD

*-if necessary

Dodgers lose to Marlins again

From Kevin Baxter: Wednesday was getaway day for Dodgers, the final game of a six-game homestand ahead of a weeklong trip to St. Louis and Houston. And that’s a good thing, first baseman Freddie Freeman said, because there are a number of players on the team that really could use a getaway, Freeman chief among them.

With Wednesday’s 3-2 matinee loss to the Miami Marlins, the Dodgers (20-11) have lost two in a row at home for the first time this season. In those two games the Dodgers scored just three runs, went four for 18 with men in scoring position and left 16 runners on base.

And the final outs Wednesday came when Freeman, batting with the bases loaded and one out, grounded into a bizarre, unassisted double play with Marlins second baseman Xavier Edwards fielding the ball, tagging Shohei Ohtani as he ran him back to first, then dragging his foot across the bag to retire Freeman.

“I hit it right at the second baseman. He tagged Ohtani and tagged first,” Freeman offered in an accurate, if hardly revelatory explanation.

Continue reading here

Dodgers box score

MLB standings

Angels lose to White Sox again

Rookie Sam Antonacci hit a tying triple with two outs in the ninth inning and Colson Montgomery had a winning single in the 10th, lifting the Chicago White Sox to a 3-2 victory Wednesday for a three-game sweep that extended the Angels’ losing streak to six.

Mike Trout hit his 10th home run of the season for the Angels, who have lost 10 of 11 and dropped to 12-20. Additionally, Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi left after two innings with left shoulder tightness.

Kikuchi gave up no runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout before exiting. His average fastball velocity dropped from 94.9 mph in the first inning to 92.8 mph in the second.

Continue reading here

Angels box score

MLB standings

Who is the Kentucky Derby favorite?

From Jay Posner: This year’s Kentucky Derby field does not appear to have a true standout. But it could have a star.

If that sounds illogical, trainer Chad Brown, who will start Emerging Market in a bid to win his first Derby, can explain.

“There’s clearly a couple horses that are deserving favorites in the race, but there’s by no means an American Pharoah in here, at least up to this point going into the race,” Brown said, referencing the 2015 Triple Crown champion. “Now, you know, whoever wins the race and goes on, maybe one emerges and turns into one of the best 3-year-olds in the last few years.”

That’s what happened last year, when Sovereignty, the third betting choice in the race, progressed from a Derby win to victories in the Belmont and Travers and was voted Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.

This year’s field is so deep, Brown said, that an argument could be made “for maybe half the horses in the field, if they ran their very, very best race and had a good trip, could win this race.”

Continue reading here

Sparks to retire a number

From Marisa Ingemi: The Sparks will retire former player DeLisha Milton-Jones’ No. 8 jersey on July 28 when the team hosts the New York Liberty as a part of the WNBA’s 30th anniversary celebration.

A three-time All-Star, Milton-Jones played 11 years for the Sparks, helping lead them to back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002.

“It’s like one of those moments where it’s Christmas, and you’re anticipating getting a gift and when the day finally is here, that feeling you can’t even describe is rather euphoric and nostalgic all at the same time, and it brings a peace about you in a way that you can’t explain,” Milton-Jones said. “Because you put so much time, energy and effort into everything that you did in that moment in your life, and now to be rewarded in this manner is just pretty big.”

Milton-Jones will be the fourth Sparks player to have her number retired after Lisa Leslie (No. 9), Penny Toler (No. 11) and Candace Parker (No. 3).

Continue reading here

NCAA men’s tournament could expand

From Steve Henson: Ever-growing power conferences are the driving force behind an impending expansion of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, which ESPN reported could be formalized within weeks and begin next season.

The field would grow from 68 teams to 76 that would include eight additional at-large teams in each tournament. The current First Four — eight teams playing four games — would expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two sites on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of the tournament. The traditional 64-team bracket would begin Thursday as usual.

Mid-majors likely are tempering any celebration. The change might not mean more invitations to the Big Dance for underdogs because the NCAA and its media partners favor large, established schools with large, established fan bases for viewership and revenue.

Continue reading here

Ducks playoffs schedule

All times Pacific

at Edmonton 4, Ducks 3 (summary)
Ducks 6, at Edmonton 4 (summary)
at Ducks 7, Edmonton 4 (summary)
at Ducks 4, Edmonton 3 (OT) (summary)
at Edmonton 4, Ducks 1 (summary)
Thursday: Edmonton at Ducks, 7 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO Max, KCOP-13
*Saturday: Ducks at Edmonton, TBD

*-if necessary

This day in sports history

1961 — LPGA Titleholders Championship Women’s Golf, Augusta CC: Mickey Wright wins her 5th major title by 1 stroke from Patty Berg & Louise Suggs.

1962 — LPGA Titleholders Championship Women’s Golf, Augusta CC: Mickey Wright wins her 8th major title in a playoff with Ruth Jessen.

1971 — The Milwaukee Bucks become the second team to register a four-game sweep in the NBA championship, beating the Baltimore Bullets 118-106.

1975 — Larry O’Brien is named the NBA’s third commissioner, following J. Walter Kennedy (1963-75) and Maurice Podoloff (1946-63). O’Brien holds the position until 1984.

1976 — Muhammad Ali wins a unanimous 15-round decision over Jimmy Young in Landover, Md., to retain his world heavyweight title.

1985 — NFL Draft: Virginia Tech defensive end Bruce Smith first pick by Buffalo Bills.

1987 — NY Islander Mike Bossy plays his final game.

1992 — The Red Wings and Canucks become the ninth and 10th teams in NHL history to rebound from 3-1 deficits to win playoff series. Detroit beats the Minnesota North Stars 5-2 in the Norris Division, while Vancouver defeats the Winnipeg Jets 5-0 in the Smythe Division.

1993 — Top-ranked Monica Seles is stabbed during a changeover in Hamburg, Germany. Guenter Parche, 38, reaches over a courtside railing and knifes Seles in the back. She has an inch-deep slit between her shoulder blades and missed the remainder of the 1993 season.

2005 — James Toney outpoints John Ruiz to win the WBA heavyweight title in New York. Toney, a former champion at three other weights, wins his third heavyweight bout, becoming the third one-time middleweight champion to take boxing’s top crown.

2010 — Tiger Woods matches the worst nine-hole score of his PGA Tour career and winds up with a 7-over 79 to miss the cut at the Quail Hollow Championship. Woods finishes at 9-over 153, the highest 36-hole total of his career. It’s the sixth time in his 14-year career he misses a cut.

2012 — Manchester City defeat Manchester United 1-0 in what is claimed to be the biggest match in the English Premier League’s history.

2014 — Anze Kopitar scores the tiebreaking goal late in the second period and Jonathan Quick makes 39 saves to cap the Kings’ comeback from three games down with a 5-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks in Game 7 of the first round. This is the fourth time an NHL team won a best-of-seven series after losing the first three games.

2015 — For the first time in 51 years, the NFL draft returns to Chicago. Florida State’s Jameis Winston is selected by Tampa Bay as the first selection.

2023 — Seattle Kraken become first NHL franchise to earn its first-ever playoff series win against reigning Stanley Cup champion, eliminating the Colorado Avalanche in seven games.

Compiled by the Associated Press

This day in baseball history

1903 — The New York Highlanders won their home opener at Hilltop Park, 6-2 over Washington.

1919 — Philadelphia’s Joe Oeschger and Brooklyn’s Burleigh Grimes pitched complete games in a 9-9, 20-inning tie. Both teams scored three runs in the 19th inning. Oeschger gave up 22 hits and walked five, while Grimes allowed 15 hits and walked five.

1922 — Charlie Robertson of the Chicago White Sox pitched a 2-0 perfect game against the Detroit Tigers. Johnny Mostil, playing left field for the only time, made two outstanding catches.

1923 — The New York Yankees sign 20-year-old prospect Lou Gehrig to a contract paying him a salary of $2,000 and a bonus of $1,500.

1940 — James “Tex” Carleton of the Brooklyn Dodgers threw a 3-0 no-hitter at Cincinnati.

1944 — In the first game of a doubleheader split, New York first baseman Phil Weintraub drove in 11 runs and player-manager Mel Ott scored six runs as the Giants beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 26-8. Brooklyn won the nightcap 5-4.

1946 — Bob Feller struck out 11 New York Yankees en route to his second of three career no-hitters, a 1-0 victory at Yankee Stadium.

1952 — Ted Williams plays his final game before leaving for military duty in Korea.

1958 —Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox became the 10th major leaguer to reach 1,000 extra-base hits in a 10-4 loss to the Kansas City Athletics at Fenway Park.

1961 — Willie Mays of the San Francisco Giants hit four home runs and drove in eight runs in a 14-4 victory over the Braves in Milwaukee. Hank Aaron hit two homers for the Braves.

1967 — Steve Barber and Stu Miller of the Baltimore Orioles combined on a no-hitter in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers in the first game of a doubleheader.

1969 — Jim Maloney of the Cincinnati Reds struck out 13 en route to a 10-0 no-hitter over the Houston Astros, the third of his career.

1986 — The Seattle Mariners strike out 16 more times in a 9-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox, to set a major league record of 36 strikeouts in two consecutive games.

1988 — New York and Cincinnati hooked up in a wild game at Riverfront Stadium, with the Mets winning 6-5 on a delayed call by first base umpire Dave Pallone. The call resulted in a $10,000 fine and 30-day suspension of Reds manager Pete Rose when Pallone accidentally poked Rose in the cheek and Rose shoved Pallone twice.

1994 — Toronto’s Joe Carter finished April with 31 RBIs to set a major league record for the month. Colorado’s Andres Galarraga finished with 30 to set a National League record.

1996 — Jeff King of the Pittsburgh Pirates becomes the third major leaguer to hit two home runs in one inning twice in his career.

2000 — Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks defeats the Chicago Cubs, 6-0, as he becomes only the third pitcher in major league history to win six games in April.

2002 — Al Leiter cruised through seven three-hit innings in the New York Mets’ 10-1 rout of Arizona to become the first pitcher to beat all 30 teams in the majors.

2005 — Major league players are asked by Commissioner Bud Selig to agree to a 50-game suspension for the first offense, a 100-game suspension for the second offense and a lifelong ban after the third offense for the use of steroids.

2008 — Julio Franco announces his retirement as a player at age 49.

2012 — Ryan Braun hit three homers and a two-run triple in Milwaukee’s 8-3 win over San Diego. No player had hit three homers and a triple in a game since Fred Lynn in 1975.

2017 — Anthony Rendon had 10 RBIs, three home runs and six hits, powering the Washington Nationals past the New York Mets 23-5. Rendon went a career-best 6 for 6 and scored five times.

2019 — CC Sabathia becomes the 17th pitcher to reach 3,000 strikeouts.

2020 — The latest event to be cancelled due to the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic is the annual Little League World Series.

2022 — Clayton Kershaw becomes the Dodgers’ all-time franchise leader for strikeouts when he fans Spencer Torkelson of the Tigers in the 4th inning. With 2,697 strikeouts, he moves past Hall of Famer Don Sutton.

Compiled by the Associated Press

Until next time…

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

CHICAGO — Rookie Sam Antonnaci hit a tying triple with two outs in the ninth inning and Colson Montgomery had a winning single in the 10th, lifting the Chicago White Sox to a 3-2 victory Wednesday for a three-game sweep that extended the Angels’ losing streak to six.

Mike Trout hit his 10th home run of the season for the Angels, who have lost 10 of 11 and dropped to 12-20. Additionally, Angels starter Yusei Kikuchi left after two innings with left shoulder tightness.

Kikuchi gave up no runs on two hits and a walk with one strikeout before exiting. His average fastball velocity dropped from 94.9 mph in the first inning to 92.8 mph in the second.

A 34-year-old from Japan, Kikuchi was an All-Star last season with the Angels. He is 0-3 with a 5.81 ERA in 31 innings over seven starts.

With the White Sox trailing 2-1, Tristan Peters was hit by a Ryan Zeferjahn pitch with one out in the ninth and scored on Antonacci’s triple.

Montgomery singled with one out in the 10th off Drew Pomeranz (0-3) for his first big league walk-off hit, giving the White Sox their second series sweep this season.

Seranthony Domínguez pitched a perfect 10th.

Former Dodger Miguel Vargas had an RBI single in the third off Mitch Farris, recalled from triple-A before the game, and Trout’s homer tied the score in the fourth.

Vaughn Grissom’s first big league homer since Sept. 7, 2022, for Atlanta gave the Angels a 2-1 lead in the seventh against Erick Fedde, who gave up five hits, struck out six and walked none in a season-high seven innings.

Up next

Angels: RHP Walbert Ureña (0-3, 4.77 ERA) takes the mound at home Friday against the New York Mets and RHP Christian Scott (0-0. 6.75).

White Sox: Rookie LHP Noah Schultz (1-1, 3.52) makes his fourth career start for the White Sox on Friday when they open a trip Friday at San Diego, which starts RHP Germán Márquez (3-1, 4.38).

Ever-growing power conferences are the driving force behind an impending expansion of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, which ESPN reported could be formalized within weeks and begin next season.

The field would grow from 68 teams to 76 that would include eight additional at-large teams in each tournament. The current First Four — eight teams playing four games — would expand to 12 games played by 24 teams at two sites on the first Tuesday and Wednesday of the tournament. The traditional 64-team bracket would begin Thursday as usual.

Mid-majors likely are tempering any celebration. The change might not mean more invitations to the Big Dance for underdogs because the NCAA and its media partners favor large, established schools with large, established fan bases for viewership and revenue.

The Power Four — the Big Ten, SEC, Big 12 and ACC — plus the Big East comprise 79 schools and continue to add rather than subtract. Even teams with conference records under .500 are usually considered more desirable additions to March Madness than mid-major potential Cinderellas.

Power conference teams play more highly regarded opponents than do mid-majors, who often struggle to schedule top opponents. That’s called strength of schedule, and advanced metrics such as KenPom, NET and Wins Above Bubble usually favor power conference schools.

It’s a bit too soon to start listing schools that likely would make the cut next March after missing out in recent years. The NCAA cautioned that the expansion is not official — yet.

“Expanding the basketball tournaments would require approval from multiple NCAA committees, including the men’s and women’s basketball committees, and no final recommendation or decisions have been made at this time,” the NCAA said in a statement.

Those final steps have been initiated, and one anonymous source told ESPN that approval by those committees “are just formalities.”

The women’s tournament would include the same expansion — and likely also favor the addition of teams from the power conferences.