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Deadspin | Avalanche clinch Presidents’ Trophy with narrow win over Flames  Apr 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury (18) and Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) collide in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images   Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Denver on Thursday night to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason.  MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots for Colorado. The Avalanche (54-16-10, 114 points) clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time since relocating to Colorado 31 years ago.  Carolina, with 108 points, could match the Avalanche in total points, but Colorado holds the tiebreaker between the teams by virtue of winning the season series 1-0-1.  The Avalanche also captured the top seed in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2021-22. They won the Stanley Cup the last two times they won the Presidents’ Trophy.  Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary (32-37-9, 73 points), which has dropped three of its last four games.  The Avalanche played without center Nazem Kadri, who sustained a finger injury in their 3-1 win at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Head coach Jared Bednar said before Thursday’s game he expects Kadri to return by the end of the regular season.   The game was scoreless until late in the first period when Calgary’s John Beecher took a hooking minor. Six seconds into the power play, MacKinnon sent a pass through the crease to Landeskog at the far post, and he tapped it in at 18:44.  Necas extended the lead late in the second period. He sent a pass to MacKinnon down low, got it right back, stickhandled through the slot and lifted a shot over the sprawling Wolf at 15:01.  It was his career-best 38th goal of the season.  Wolf came off for an extra skater with 3:46 remaining, and Gross scored at 17:08 to cut the deficit in half. Gross appeared to tie it 1:23 later with Wolf off again, but Colorado successfully challenged for offsides. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon scored into the empty net to extend his NHL lead in goals.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Avalanche #clinch #Presidents #Trophy #narrow #win #Flames

Deadspin | Avalanche clinch Presidents’ Trophy with narrow win over Flames
Deadspin | Avalanche clinch Presidents’ Trophy with narrow win over Flames  Apr 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury (18) and Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) collide in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images   Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Denver on Thursday night to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason.  MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots for Colorado. The Avalanche (54-16-10, 114 points) clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time since relocating to Colorado 31 years ago.  Carolina, with 108 points, could match the Avalanche in total points, but Colorado holds the tiebreaker between the teams by virtue of winning the season series 1-0-1.  The Avalanche also captured the top seed in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2021-22. They won the Stanley Cup the last two times they won the Presidents’ Trophy.  Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary (32-37-9, 73 points), which has dropped three of its last four games.  The Avalanche played without center Nazem Kadri, who sustained a finger injury in their 3-1 win at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Head coach Jared Bednar said before Thursday’s game he expects Kadri to return by the end of the regular season.   The game was scoreless until late in the first period when Calgary’s John Beecher took a hooking minor. Six seconds into the power play, MacKinnon sent a pass through the crease to Landeskog at the far post, and he tapped it in at 18:44.  Necas extended the lead late in the second period. He sent a pass to MacKinnon down low, got it right back, stickhandled through the slot and lifted a shot over the sprawling Wolf at 15:01.  It was his career-best 38th goal of the season.  Wolf came off for an extra skater with 3:46 remaining, and Gross scored at 17:08 to cut the deficit in half. Gross appeared to tie it 1:23 later with Wolf off again, but Colorado successfully challenged for offsides. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon scored into the empty net to extend his NHL lead in goals.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Avalanche #clinch #Presidents #Trophy #narrow #win #FlamesApr 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury (18) and Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) collide in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Denver on Thursday night to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason.

MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots for Colorado. The Avalanche (54-16-10, 114 points) clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time since relocating to Colorado 31 years ago.

Carolina, with 108 points, could match the Avalanche in total points, but Colorado holds the tiebreaker between the teams by virtue of winning the season series 1-0-1.

The Avalanche also captured the top seed in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2021-22. They won the Stanley Cup the last two times they won the Presidents’ Trophy.

Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary (32-37-9, 73 points), which has dropped three of its last four games.


The Avalanche played without center Nazem Kadri, who sustained a finger injury in their 3-1 win at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Head coach Jared Bednar said before Thursday’s game he expects Kadri to return by the end of the regular season.

The game was scoreless until late in the first period when Calgary’s John Beecher took a hooking minor. Six seconds into the power play, MacKinnon sent a pass through the crease to Landeskog at the far post, and he tapped it in at 18:44.

Necas extended the lead late in the second period. He sent a pass to MacKinnon down low, got it right back, stickhandled through the slot and lifted a shot over the sprawling Wolf at 15:01.

It was his career-best 38th goal of the season.

Wolf came off for an extra skater with 3:46 remaining, and Gross scored at 17:08 to cut the deficit in half. Gross appeared to tie it 1:23 later with Wolf off again, but Colorado successfully challenged for offsides. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon scored into the empty net to extend his NHL lead in goals.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Avalanche #clinch #Presidents #Trophy #narrow #win #Flames

Apr 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Avalanche center Jack Drury (18) and Calgary Flames right wing Adam Klapka (43) collide in the first period at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas had a goal and two assists each, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Calgary Flames 3-1 in Denver on Thursday night to clinch the top overall seed for the postseason.

MacKinnon set a career high with his 52nd goal, Gabriel Landeskog also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood turned away 28 shots for Colorado. The Avalanche (54-16-10, 114 points) clinched the Presidents’ Trophy for the fourth time since relocating to Colorado 31 years ago.

Carolina, with 108 points, could match the Avalanche in total points, but Colorado holds the tiebreaker between the teams by virtue of winning the season series 1-0-1.

The Avalanche also captured the top seed in 1996-97, 2000-01 and 2021-22. They won the Stanley Cup the last two times they won the Presidents’ Trophy.

Tyson Gross scored his first NHL goal in his third career game and Dustin Wolf made 38 saves for Calgary (32-37-9, 73 points), which has dropped three of its last four games.

The Avalanche played without center Nazem Kadri, who sustained a finger injury in their 3-1 win at St. Louis on Tuesday night. Head coach Jared Bednar said before Thursday’s game he expects Kadri to return by the end of the regular season.

The game was scoreless until late in the first period when Calgary’s John Beecher took a hooking minor. Six seconds into the power play, MacKinnon sent a pass through the crease to Landeskog at the far post, and he tapped it in at 18:44.

Necas extended the lead late in the second period. He sent a pass to MacKinnon down low, got it right back, stickhandled through the slot and lifted a shot over the sprawling Wolf at 15:01.

It was his career-best 38th goal of the season.

Wolf came off for an extra skater with 3:46 remaining, and Gross scored at 17:08 to cut the deficit in half. Gross appeared to tie it 1:23 later with Wolf off again, but Colorado successfully challenged for offsides. Less than a minute later, MacKinnon scored into the empty net to extend his NHL lead in goals.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Avalanche #clinch #Presidents #Trophy #narrow #win #Flames

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Life comes full circle at the Wankhede — Ravi Shastri, mother Lakshmi share emotional moment <div id="content-body-70846012" itemprop="articleBody"><p>For Lakshmi Shastri, the unveiling of the Ravi Shastri Stand at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday was not merely an honour bestowed on her son. It was a full-circle moment — one that brought back memories of train rides, packed stands, and the quiet pride of watching a young boy from Mumbai carve his place in Indian cricket.</p><p>“It means a lot to me. I feel so honoured to be present here. I would come to the Wankhade Stadium to watch him play, though I did not watch his six sixes that day (in 1985). And I never dreamt that one day I would stand before the stand that has been named after him,” Lakshmi told <i>Sportstar</i> moments after the ceremony, with her daughter-in-law Ritu and granddaughter Alekha patiently waiting for her.</p><p>“This is with God’s grace, and I do believe Ravi’s devotion, dedication, most importantly, his self-belief that he will achieve what he dreamt of. So may he go from strength to strength, extremely proud of him.”</p><p>Her words carried the weight of decades. An ardent cricket follower since the 1960s, Lakshmi has been pivotal in pushing Ravi to the limits since his formative years. Yet, Thursday’s honour had a special emotional pull, particularly because Dr Jayadritha Shastri, Ravi’s father and one of his earliest supporters, was not present, having passed away in 2007.</p><p>“Only regret is his father is not present who encouraged him. But I am sure our blessings are with him,” she said.</p><p>Lakshmi also recalled one of her fondest memories at the Wankhede, an incident her son elaborated on during his speech.</p><p>“That he mentioned already, that when we came here to watch (the Test against England in 1984), Mr. (S.K.) Wankhade was present at that time. And he welcomed us, and he took us right up to his gallery to watch, which we thought was a great gesture on his part. We will never forget that,” she said.</p><p>Ravi Shastri, during his address, expanded on that cherished moment from 1984, when he was batting in a Test against England at the Wankhede.</p><p><b>RELATED | <a href="https://sportstar.thehindu.com/cricket/domestic/ravi-shastri-diana-edulji-wankhede-stadium-stand-unveiled-fadnavis-quotes-latest-news/article70844195.ece" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Stand in honour of Ravi Shastri unveiled at Wankhede Stadium</a></b></p><p>“We had Mr. Wankhede. And he was such a cricket lover. I remember my father and mother walking up the stairs to go up into the stand. And someone told him, ‘That’s Ravi’s parents’. And I was batting on fifty. This was the Test match against England (in 1984). He called them, took them up and put them in the prime seats to watch me get a hundred,” Shastri recalled.</p><p>It was a memory that tied the past to the present — from a young cricketer’s parents being escorted to the best seats to watch a milestone, to their son now having an entire stand named after him.</p><p>Lakshmi also reflected on where Thursday ranked among her son’s achievements. “It’s one of the memorable days. The most memorable will be his six sixes and his winning the Benson & Hedges Championship, when he was crowned Champion of Champions. That will forever remain in my memory,” she said.</p><div class="inline_embed article-block-item"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A special night for the Shastris 🌟</p><p>Former India captain and coach Ravi Shastri had his biggest cheerleaders in attendance, his family, as the stand named after him was unveiled at the Wankhede Stadium. His mother, Lakshmi, reacts to the honour: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MumbaiCricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MumbaiCricket</a> | Video:… <a href="https://t.co/buNeZsvRAy">pic.twitter.com/buNeZsvRAy</a></p>— Sportstar (@sportstarweb) <a href="https://twitter.com/sportstarweb/status/2042290093193642055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2026</a></blockquote></div><p>Shastri, too, acknowledged the role his family played in his journey.</p><p>“To my family that’s present here, without their support, I don’t think I would have made it. My mother, 86, is even more obsessed with the game (than anyone else). She has watched Test cricket from the 1960s, right from (Gary) Sobers at the CCI to Clive Lloyd, and (Vivian) Richards, and her favourite was Neil Harvey. And she was a pest. You had to score every game.”</p><p>The honour held added significance for Shastri. The stand bearing his name now occupies almost the same area where, as a 12-year-old, he had watched his first Test match — against New Zealand in 1976 — as a spectator.</p><p>“The only disappointment, my father. He is not present here today, but he watched almost every game from the Garware Pavilion at that time. But he will be upstairs, he will be proud that this has happened.”</p><p>Nearly five decades later, with his mother watching from below and memories of his father lingering above, the unveiling of the Ravi Shastri Stand became not just a tribute to a cricketer, but a celebration of a family’s journey intertwined with Mumbai cricket.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 10, 2026</p></div><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> #Life #full #circle #Wankhede #Ravi #Shastri #mother #Lakshmi #share #emotional #moment

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Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa won the Paris marathon on Sunday, while Ethiopia’s Shure Demise claimed victory in the women’s category in a new course record.

The Ethiopian-born Crippa, 29, clocked a personal best of 2hr 05min 16sec for the win in the French capital.

Bayelign Teshager of Ethiopia finished second, just five seconds off Crippa, with Kenya’s Sila Kiptoo rounding off the podium (2:05:26).

The women’s race saw 30-year-old Demise smash the course record by more than a minute.

She won in 2:18:33, ahead of compatriot Misgane Alemayehu (2:19:06) and Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai (2:19:18).

Published on Apr 12, 2026

#Paris #Marathon #Yemaneberhan #Crippa #Shure #Demise #claim #victories">Paris Marathon: Yemaneberhan Crippa, Shure Demise claim victories  Italy’s Yemaneberhan Crippa won the Paris marathon on Sunday, while Ethiopia’s Shure Demise claimed victory in the women’s category in a new course record.The Ethiopian-born Crippa, 29, clocked a personal best of 2hr 05min 16sec for the win in the French capital.Bayelign Teshager of Ethiopia finished second, just five seconds off Crippa, with Kenya’s Sila Kiptoo rounding off the podium (2:05:26).The women’s race saw 30-year-old Demise smash the course record by more than a minute.She won in 2:18:33, ahead of compatriot Misgane Alemayehu (2:19:06) and Kenya’s Magdalyne Masai (2:19:18).Published on Apr 12, 2026  #Paris #Marathon #Yemaneberhan #Crippa #Shure #Demise #claim #victories

Deadspin | Athletics finding reasons to celebrate while Mets looking for answers  Apr 11, 2026; New York City, New York, USA;  Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) circles third base after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images   The Athletics went viral with a new home run celebration Saturday as they locked up a winning road trip to New York.  The mood is decidedly more downbeat for the New York Mets.  The visiting Athletics will look to complete a three-game sweep of the reeling Mets Sunday afternoon when the teams close out an interleague series.  Aaron Civale (1-0, 2.70 ERA) is slated to start for the Athletics against Freddy Peralta (1-0, 4.80) in a battle of right-handers.  Tyler Soderstrom hit two homers Saturday for the Athletics, who held off a late Mets rally to record an 11-6 victory.  The win was the fourth consecutive for the Athletics, who have trailed at the end of an inning just once in their last 33 frames dating back to Wednesday’s 3-2 win over the New York Yankees.  Bo Bichette’s RBI single in the first inning put the Mets ahead Saturday, but the Athletics went ahead for good in the second, when Denzel Clarke drew a bases-loaded walk and Lawrence Butler hit into a run-scoring fielder’s choice.  The real fun for the Athletics began in the third, when Soderstrom hit a two-run homer — the club’s first round-tripper since April 5.  Upon reaching the dugout, Butler presented Soderstrom with a gold elephant chain. Pitcher Luis Severino, who was on the Mets when they turned Grimace and Jose Iglesias’ song “OMG” into rallying cries during their run to the National League Championship Series in 2024, then placed a leather elephant mask atop Soderstrom’s head.  The Athletics repeated the ritual twice more Saturday, when Carlos Cortes hit a three-run shot in the second and when Soderstrom went deep again for a three-run homer in the eighth.  The necklace and mask will surely be in the visiting dugout Sunday when the Athletics attempt to conclude their most successful road trip in more than four years.   The Athletics haven’t lost one game or fewer on a road trip of six games or longer since Sept. 14-19, 2021, when the then-Oakland Athletics went 5-1 against the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels.  “We’re playing really good baseball against really good teams,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “We’ve got a chance to obviously sweep a series in New York, which says a lot about the team and the confidence that they have.”  The Mets appeared to be bursting with confidence during a four-game winning streak from April 3-7 that was constructed almost entirely without slugging outfielder Juan Soto, who suffered a strained right calf in the first inning of a 10-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on April 3. Soto is expected to miss up to three weeks.  But the Mets have scored just nine runs in four consecutive losses to the Arizona Diamondbacks — who won the final two games of a three-game series — and the Athletics.  New York had only four extra-base hits in the first four games of the homestand before Saturday, when Bichette, Francisco Alvarez and Jorge Polanco all homered.  Shortstop Francisco Lindor, the Mets’ longest-tenured position player, has yet to record an RBI this season but committed two mental mistakes against the Athletics. Lindor was caught off third base on teammate Jared Young’s grounder to first in the sixth inning of Friday’s 4-0 loss before he failed to cover second on Butler’s potential double-play grounder to second in the second inning Saturday.  “We’re better than that and we’ve got to fix it,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “And we will.”  Neither Peralta nor Civale factored into the decision in their previous starts last Tuesday. Peralta allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings in the Mets’ 4-3, 10-inning win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, while Civale gave up one run over five innings as the Athletics fell to the New York Yankees 5-3.  Peralta is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Athletics. Civale is 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Mets.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Athletics #finding #reasons #celebrate #Mets #answersApr 11, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) circles third base after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Athletics went viral with a new home run celebration Saturday as they locked up a winning road trip to New York.

The mood is decidedly more downbeat for the New York Mets.

The visiting Athletics will look to complete a three-game sweep of the reeling Mets Sunday afternoon when the teams close out an interleague series.

Aaron Civale (1-0, 2.70 ERA) is slated to start for the Athletics against Freddy Peralta (1-0, 4.80) in a battle of right-handers.

Tyler Soderstrom hit two homers Saturday for the Athletics, who held off a late Mets rally to record an 11-6 victory.

The win was the fourth consecutive for the Athletics, who have trailed at the end of an inning just once in their last 33 frames dating back to Wednesday’s 3-2 win over the New York Yankees.

Bo Bichette’s RBI single in the first inning put the Mets ahead Saturday, but the Athletics went ahead for good in the second, when Denzel Clarke drew a bases-loaded walk and Lawrence Butler hit into a run-scoring fielder’s choice.

The real fun for the Athletics began in the third, when Soderstrom hit a two-run homer — the club’s first round-tripper since April 5.

Upon reaching the dugout, Butler presented Soderstrom with a gold elephant chain. Pitcher Luis Severino, who was on the Mets when they turned Grimace and Jose Iglesias’ song “OMG” into rallying cries during their run to the National League Championship Series in 2024, then placed a leather elephant mask atop Soderstrom’s head.

The Athletics repeated the ritual twice more Saturday, when Carlos Cortes hit a three-run shot in the second and when Soderstrom went deep again for a three-run homer in the eighth.


The necklace and mask will surely be in the visiting dugout Sunday when the Athletics attempt to conclude their most successful road trip in more than four years.

The Athletics haven’t lost one game or fewer on a road trip of six games or longer since Sept. 14-19, 2021, when the then-Oakland Athletics went 5-1 against the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels.

“We’re playing really good baseball against really good teams,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “We’ve got a chance to obviously sweep a series in New York, which says a lot about the team and the confidence that they have.”

The Mets appeared to be bursting with confidence during a four-game winning streak from April 3-7 that was constructed almost entirely without slugging outfielder Juan Soto, who suffered a strained right calf in the first inning of a 10-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on April 3. Soto is expected to miss up to three weeks.

But the Mets have scored just nine runs in four consecutive losses to the Arizona Diamondbacks — who won the final two games of a three-game series — and the Athletics.

New York had only four extra-base hits in the first four games of the homestand before Saturday, when Bichette, Francisco Alvarez and Jorge Polanco all homered.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor, the Mets’ longest-tenured position player, has yet to record an RBI this season but committed two mental mistakes against the Athletics. Lindor was caught off third base on teammate Jared Young’s grounder to first in the sixth inning of Friday’s 4-0 loss before he failed to cover second on Butler’s potential double-play grounder to second in the second inning Saturday.

“We’re better than that and we’ve got to fix it,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “And we will.”

Neither Peralta nor Civale factored into the decision in their previous starts last Tuesday. Peralta allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings in the Mets’ 4-3, 10-inning win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, while Civale gave up one run over five innings as the Athletics fell to the New York Yankees 5-3.

Peralta is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Athletics. Civale is 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Mets.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Athletics #finding #reasons #celebrate #Mets #answers">Deadspin | Athletics finding reasons to celebrate while Mets looking for answers  Apr 11, 2026; New York City, New York, USA;  Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) circles third base after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images   The Athletics went viral with a new home run celebration Saturday as they locked up a winning road trip to New York.  The mood is decidedly more downbeat for the New York Mets.  The visiting Athletics will look to complete a three-game sweep of the reeling Mets Sunday afternoon when the teams close out an interleague series.  Aaron Civale (1-0, 2.70 ERA) is slated to start for the Athletics against Freddy Peralta (1-0, 4.80) in a battle of right-handers.  Tyler Soderstrom hit two homers Saturday for the Athletics, who held off a late Mets rally to record an 11-6 victory.  The win was the fourth consecutive for the Athletics, who have trailed at the end of an inning just once in their last 33 frames dating back to Wednesday’s 3-2 win over the New York Yankees.  Bo Bichette’s RBI single in the first inning put the Mets ahead Saturday, but the Athletics went ahead for good in the second, when Denzel Clarke drew a bases-loaded walk and Lawrence Butler hit into a run-scoring fielder’s choice.  The real fun for the Athletics began in the third, when Soderstrom hit a two-run homer — the club’s first round-tripper since April 5.  Upon reaching the dugout, Butler presented Soderstrom with a gold elephant chain. Pitcher Luis Severino, who was on the Mets when they turned Grimace and Jose Iglesias’ song “OMG” into rallying cries during their run to the National League Championship Series in 2024, then placed a leather elephant mask atop Soderstrom’s head.  The Athletics repeated the ritual twice more Saturday, when Carlos Cortes hit a three-run shot in the second and when Soderstrom went deep again for a three-run homer in the eighth.  The necklace and mask will surely be in the visiting dugout Sunday when the Athletics attempt to conclude their most successful road trip in more than four years.   The Athletics haven’t lost one game or fewer on a road trip of six games or longer since Sept. 14-19, 2021, when the then-Oakland Athletics went 5-1 against the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels.  “We’re playing really good baseball against really good teams,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said. “We’ve got a chance to obviously sweep a series in New York, which says a lot about the team and the confidence that they have.”  The Mets appeared to be bursting with confidence during a four-game winning streak from April 3-7 that was constructed almost entirely without slugging outfielder Juan Soto, who suffered a strained right calf in the first inning of a 10-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on April 3. Soto is expected to miss up to three weeks.  But the Mets have scored just nine runs in four consecutive losses to the Arizona Diamondbacks — who won the final two games of a three-game series — and the Athletics.  New York had only four extra-base hits in the first four games of the homestand before Saturday, when Bichette, Francisco Alvarez and Jorge Polanco all homered.  Shortstop Francisco Lindor, the Mets’ longest-tenured position player, has yet to record an RBI this season but committed two mental mistakes against the Athletics. Lindor was caught off third base on teammate Jared Young’s grounder to first in the sixth inning of Friday’s 4-0 loss before he failed to cover second on Butler’s potential double-play grounder to second in the second inning Saturday.  “We’re better than that and we’ve got to fix it,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “And we will.”  Neither Peralta nor Civale factored into the decision in their previous starts last Tuesday. Peralta allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings in the Mets’ 4-3, 10-inning win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, while Civale gave up one run over five innings as the Athletics fell to the New York Yankees 5-3.  Peralta is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Athletics. Civale is 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in three games (two starts) against the Mets.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Athletics #finding #reasons #celebrate #Mets #answers

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