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Al Ahli slams refereeing in Saudi Pro League, Ivan Toney alleges favouritism Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli said that it is dissatisfied with the refereeing decisions during its match against Al Fayha on April 8, while its forward Ivan Toney implied that the officials are favouring certain clubs.In a statement on Thursday, the team said, “The referee’s decisions had a direct impact on the flow of the game and its final outcome, which in turn affected the team’s position in the title race.”Toney scored to take the lead, and Fayha’s Jason equalised before Al Ahli had two penalty appeals for handball turned down by VAR. The result left the side in third place on the table with 66 points from 28 games, four adrift of leader Al Nassr, which has played a game less.ALSO READ | Messi’s Argentina to face Honduras, Iceland in World Cup warm-ups“Such errors raise legitimate concerns regarding the referee selection process and the criteria applied, particularly given the high technical and competitive level of the Saudi Roshn League. Al-Ahli Club Company calls for access to the recordings and communications between the referees and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), as well as their interactions with the team’s players during the match. It also requests clear explanations for all refereeing incidents where decisions were not correctly made,” it added.Following the match, Toney vented out his feelings to Saudi media outlet Thmanyah, alleging that the fourth official told him to “focus on the Asian Champions League” instead of the league.“I don’t know if the referee turned off his microphone before he said what he told me: ‘Focus on the Asian Champions League.’ This is why we need the audio recordings to be released, so the fans can see the truth,” he said.“We know who (the decisions are helping). Who are we chasing? If decisions go our way, we have a good chance, but if they continue like this it will be tough,” Toney added.Published on Apr 10, 2026 #Ahli #slams #refereeing #Saudi #Pro #League #Ivan #Toney #alleges #favouritism

Al Ahli slams refereeing in Saudi Pro League, Ivan Toney alleges favouritism

Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli said that it is dissatisfied with the refereeing decisions during its match against Al Fayha on April 8, while its forward Ivan Toney implied that the officials are favouring certain clubs.

In a statement on Thursday, the team said, “The referee’s decisions had a direct impact on the flow of the game and its final outcome, which in turn affected the team’s position in the title race.”

Toney scored to take the lead, and Fayha’s Jason equalised before Al Ahli had two penalty appeals for handball turned down by VAR. The result left the side in third place on the table with 66 points from 28 games, four adrift of leader Al Nassr, which has played a game less.

ALSO READ | Messi’s Argentina to face Honduras, Iceland in World Cup warm-ups

“Such errors raise legitimate concerns regarding the referee selection process and the criteria applied, particularly given the high technical and competitive level of the Saudi Roshn League. Al-Ahli Club Company calls for access to the recordings and communications between the referees and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), as well as their interactions with the team’s players during the match. It also requests clear explanations for all refereeing incidents where decisions were not correctly made,” it added.

Following the match, Toney vented out his feelings to Saudi media outlet Thmanyah, alleging that the fourth official told him to “focus on the Asian Champions League” instead of the league.

“I don’t know if the referee turned off his microphone before he said what he told me: ‘Focus on the Asian Champions League.’ This is why we need the audio recordings to be released, so the fans can see the truth,” he said.

“We know who (the decisions are helping). Who are we chasing? If decisions go our way, we have a good chance, but if they continue like this it will be tough,” Toney added.

Published on Apr 10, 2026

#Ahli #slams #refereeing #Saudi #Pro #League #Ivan #Toney #alleges #favouritism

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Saudi Pro League club Al Ahli said that it is dissatisfied with the refereeing decisions during its match against Al Fayha on April 8, while its forward Ivan Toney implied that the officials are favouring certain clubs.

In a statement on Thursday, the team said, “The referee’s decisions had a direct impact on the flow of the game and its final outcome, which in turn affected the team’s position in the title race.”

Toney scored to take the lead, and Fayha’s Jason equalised before Al Ahli had two penalty appeals for handball turned down by VAR. The result left the side in third place on the table with 66 points from 28 games, four adrift of leader Al Nassr, which has played a game less.

ALSO READ | Messi’s Argentina to face Honduras, Iceland in World Cup warm-ups

“Such errors raise legitimate concerns regarding the referee selection process and the criteria applied, particularly given the high technical and competitive level of the Saudi Roshn League. Al-Ahli Club Company calls for access to the recordings and communications between the referees and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), as well as their interactions with the team’s players during the match. It also requests clear explanations for all refereeing incidents where decisions were not correctly made,” it added.

Following the match, Toney vented out his feelings to Saudi media outlet Thmanyah, alleging that the fourth official told him to “focus on the Asian Champions League” instead of the league.

“I don’t know if the referee turned off his microphone before he said what he told me: ‘Focus on the Asian Champions League.’ This is why we need the audio recordings to be released, so the fans can see the truth,” he said.

“We know who (the decisions are helping). Who are we chasing? If decisions go our way, we have a good chance, but if they continue like this it will be tough,” Toney added.

Published on Apr 10, 2026

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Deadspin | Kevin Durant scores 29 as Rockets hold off 76ers for 8th straight win <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28695013.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28695013.jpg" alt="NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Houston Rockets" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) shoots against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Erik Williams-Imagn Images <!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Kevin Durant scored a game-high 29 points and drilled a critical late 3-pointer that helped the host Houston Rockets fend off the hard-charging Philadelphia 76ers 113-102 on Thursday.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>The Rockets extended their winning streak to eight games but had to sweat out the final minutes. The 76ers (43-37) shaved a 28-point third-quarter deficit to 107-102 when VJ Edgecombe followed a pair of missed free throws by Durant with a short jumper with 1:36 to play.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>However, Durant nailed a 3-pointer on the next possession to settle the game for the Rockets (51-29) once and for all.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson added 19 points apiece for Houston while Tari Eason added 15 points and eight rebounds off the bench. Alperen Sengun (12) and Josh Okogie (10) combined for 22 rebounds.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>The 76ers played without Joel Embiid, who underwent an emergency appendectomy earlier on Thursday. Tyrese Maxey paced Philadelphia with 23 points while Edgecombe added 21 points, six rebounds and a game-high eight assists. Andre Drummond grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>The 76ers have dropped three straight games and four of six.</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>Eason sank a 3-pointer with 2:44 remaining in the third that pushed the Rockets to a 96-68 lead. But the 76ers, behind reserve Quentin Grimes (20 points), engineered a stunning rally in the fourth, starting with a 16-0 run that included the Rockets going scoreless for more than four minutes.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>After turning a 9-0 spurt into a 17-10 lead, Houston added a 13-3 blitz capped by a Thompson dunk that pushed the margin to 33-20. The 76ers committed three turnovers during the second Houston run and had six total in the opening period that the Rockets converted into 12 points.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>The Rockets entered the second with a 35-26 advantage and continued to extend that margin. Reed Sheppard sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers around a Durant field goal that lifted Houston to a 65-47 lead with 3:47 left in the half, and the Rockets opened a 23-point cushion before Maxey caught fire.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Maxey, held scoreless in the first quarter, tallied 15 points in the second, including the final eight for the 76ers in the half. His consecutive treys down the stretch cut the deficit to 73-56 entering halftime.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Kevin #Durant #scores #Rockets #hold #76ers #8th #straight #win

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Back in 2024, the Cleveland Cavaliers sat out players in their final regular-season game to secure the four seed and face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The plan kinda worked for Cleveland, as they did advance to the second round after a tough seven-game battle against the Magic. Boston took care of Cleveland in five games in the next round, so that plan didn’t work, but the Pacers, whom they were trying to avoid, did run through the bottom half of the East and found themselves in the Conference Finals.

Fast forward to today, and Cleveland finds themselves in a very similar situation. They trail the Knicks by a half-game and a tie-breaker for the three seed. If you put truth serum in the veins of the Cavs and Knicks, I’m sure both teams would rather be the four seed and face the Pistons in a projected second-round matchup.

Boston is loaded with star talent and guys who have won playoff games before. Detroit has had a tremendous season, but with Cade Cunningham just now returning from a collapsed lung and the lack of a second superstar, Boston is simply a tougher draw in the playoffs. Jalen Duren has been great for the Pistons this year, but he’s not nearly as valuable as any of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, or Derrick White.

Cleveland is projected to play the Hawks in the first round if nothing changes, and that’s a team they match up well with. They lack physical interior play that Cleveland struggles with, and that showed in Wednesday’s face off between the two squads.

Will teams battle for the No. 3 seed?

Honestly, I expected Cleveland to rest most of their guys in this one. The Cavs have been battling small injuries all season long, and it felt like a great time to rest their guys; however, they decided to change the culture. Cleveland played their core four of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, and looked very solid in a playoff-like atmosphere.

This new core has played only 64 minutes together this season; they need all the reps they can get before the end of the year. Worrying about your seeding is something that bad teams do. When you’re in the playoffs, you have to beat whoever’s in front of you. Worrying about seeding when you’ll have to face great teams regardless is a loser’s mentality.

Between the media calling Allen and Mobley soft, and them also languishing in Harden’s playoff failures, this team has enough working against them. It’s good to see them putting their heads down and letting the cards fall as they may.

#Cavaliers #Playing #Seeding #Game #East #Deadspin.com">Why the Cavaliers Are Done Playing the Seeding Game in the East | Deadspin.com Back in 2024, the Cleveland Cavaliers sat out players in their final regular-season game to secure the four seed and face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The plan kinda worked for Cleveland, as they did advance to the second round after a tough seven-game battle against the Magic. Boston took care of Cleveland in five games in the next round, so that plan didn’t work, but the Pacers, whom they were trying to avoid, did run through the bottom half of the East and found themselves in the Conference Finals.Fast forward to today, and Cleveland finds themselves in a very similar situation. They trail the Knicks by a half-game and a tie-breaker for the three seed. If you put truth serum in the veins of the Cavs and Knicks, I’m sure both teams would rather be the four seed and face the Pistons in a projected second-round matchup.Boston is loaded with star talent and guys who have won playoff games before. Detroit has had a tremendous season, but with Cade Cunningham just now returning from a collapsed lung and the lack of a second superstar, Boston is simply a tougher draw in the playoffs. Jalen Duren has been great for the Pistons this year, but he’s not nearly as valuable as any of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, or Derrick White.Cleveland is projected to play the Hawks in the first round if nothing changes, and that’s a team they match up well with. They lack physical interior play that Cleveland struggles with, and that showed in Wednesday’s face off between the two squads.Will teams battle for the No. 3 seed?Honestly, I expected Cleveland to rest most of their guys in this one. The Cavs have been battling small injuries all season long, and it felt like a great time to rest their guys; however, they decided to change the culture. Cleveland played their core four of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, and looked very solid in a playoff-like atmosphere.This new core has played only 64 minutes together this season; they need all the reps they can get before the end of the year. Worrying about your seeding is something that bad teams do. When you’re in the playoffs, you have to beat whoever’s in front of you. Worrying about seeding when you’ll have to face great teams regardless is a loser’s mentality.Between the media calling Allen and Mobley soft, and them also languishing in Harden’s playoff failures, this team has enough working against them. It’s good to see them putting their heads down and letting the cards fall as they may. #Cavaliers #Playing #Seeding #Game #East #Deadspin.com

with Cade Cunningham just now returning from a collapsed lung and the lack of a second superstar, Boston is simply a tougher draw in the playoffs. Jalen Duren has been great for the Pistons this year, but he’s not nearly as valuable as any of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, or Derrick White.

Cleveland is projected to play the Hawks in the first round if nothing changes, and that’s a team they match up well with. They lack physical interior play that Cleveland struggles with, and that showed in Wednesday’s face off between the two squads.

Will teams battle for the No. 3 seed?

Honestly, I expected Cleveland to rest most of their guys in this one. The Cavs have been battling small injuries all season long, and it felt like a great time to rest their guys; however, they decided to change the culture. Cleveland played their core four of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, and looked very solid in a playoff-like atmosphere.

This new core has played only 64 minutes together this season; they need all the reps they can get before the end of the year. Worrying about your seeding is something that bad teams do. When you’re in the playoffs, you have to beat whoever’s in front of you. Worrying about seeding when you’ll have to face great teams regardless is a loser’s mentality.

Between the media calling Allen and Mobley soft, and them also languishing in Harden’s playoff failures, this team has enough working against them. It’s good to see them putting their heads down and letting the cards fall as they may.

#Cavaliers #Playing #Seeding #Game #East #Deadspin.com">Why the Cavaliers Are Done Playing the Seeding Game in the East | Deadspin.com

Back in 2024, the Cleveland Cavaliers sat out players in their final regular-season game to secure the four seed and face the Orlando Magic in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The plan kinda worked for Cleveland, as they did advance to the second round after a tough seven-game battle against the Magic. Boston took care of Cleveland in five games in the next round, so that plan didn’t work, but the Pacers, whom they were trying to avoid, did run through the bottom half of the East and found themselves in the Conference Finals.

Fast forward to today, and Cleveland finds themselves in a very similar situation. They trail the Knicks by a half-game and a tie-breaker for the three seed. If you put truth serum in the veins of the Cavs and Knicks, I’m sure both teams would rather be the four seed and face the Pistons in a projected second-round matchup.

Boston is loaded with star talent and guys who have won playoff games before. Detroit has had a tremendous season, but with Cade Cunningham just now returning from a collapsed lung and the lack of a second superstar, Boston is simply a tougher draw in the playoffs. Jalen Duren has been great for the Pistons this year, but he’s not nearly as valuable as any of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, or Derrick White.

Cleveland is projected to play the Hawks in the first round if nothing changes, and that’s a team they match up well with. They lack physical interior play that Cleveland struggles with, and that showed in Wednesday’s face off between the two squads.

Will teams battle for the No. 3 seed?

Honestly, I expected Cleveland to rest most of their guys in this one. The Cavs have been battling small injuries all season long, and it felt like a great time to rest their guys; however, they decided to change the culture. Cleveland played their core four of Donovan Mitchell, James Harden, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen, and looked very solid in a playoff-like atmosphere.

This new core has played only 64 minutes together this season; they need all the reps they can get before the end of the year. Worrying about your seeding is something that bad teams do. When you’re in the playoffs, you have to beat whoever’s in front of you. Worrying about seeding when you’ll have to face great teams regardless is a loser’s mentality.

Between the media calling Allen and Mobley soft, and them also languishing in Harden’s playoff failures, this team has enough working against them. It’s good to see them putting their heads down and letting the cards fall as they may.

#Cavaliers #Playing #Seeding #Game #East #Deadspin.com

Rajasthan Royals batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi on Friday struck a 15-ball half century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.

This equals his own record of the joint second-fastest fifty that he scored against Chennai Super Kings earlier this season.

Suryavanshi and Jake Fraser-McGurk are the only two batters to notch up two 15-ball fifties in the IPL. Yusuf Pathan, Sunil Narine and Nicholas Pooran are the only other batters to have achieved this feat.

Led by the teenage prodigy’s effort, Rajasthan put up 97 runs in the first six, the side’s best haul in the PowerPlay.

Published on Apr 10, 2026

#IPL #Vaibhav #Suryavanshi #scores #15ball #fifty #RCB">IPL 2026 – Vaibhav Suryavanshi scores 15-ball fifty against RCB Rajasthan Royals batter Vaibhav Suryavanshi on Friday struck a 15-ball half century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.This equals his own record of the joint second-fastest fifty that he scored against Chennai Super Kings earlier this season.Suryavanshi and Jake Fraser-McGurk are the only two batters to notch up two 15-ball fifties in the IPL. Yusuf Pathan, Sunil Narine and Nicholas Pooran are the only other batters to have achieved this feat.Led by the teenage prodigy’s effort, Rajasthan put up 97 runs in the first six, the side’s best haul in the PowerPlay.Published on Apr 10, 2026 #IPL #Vaibhav #Suryavanshi #scores #15ball #fifty #RCB

Deadspin | Padres continue series vs. Rockies after Xander Bogaerts slam: ‘It’s huge’ Apr 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) runs the bases after hitting a walk-off grand slam home run against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Valente Bellozo (not pictured) in the twelfth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images It would be hard to start a homestand in a more dramatic fashion than the San Diego Padres’ Xander Bogaerts did Thursday night. The veteran shortstop hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift the Padres to a 7-3 win over the Colorado Rockies in the opener of the teams’ four-game series. Bogaerts and host San Diego will aim for an encore on Friday night when they try to secure their sixth win in the past seven games. “It’s huge, you know? I just tried to get a good swing on it, and it was probably my best swing of the year,” Bogaerts said of the team’s first walk-off slam since Manny Machado did it to the Texas Rangers in August 2020. The Padres spent much of Thursday night scuffling offensively against what lately has been a good Colorado pitching staff. They managed just five hits in the first nine innings before taking advantage of the automatic runner to score six runs in extra frames. That included Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th and Luis Campusano’s two-out RBI double in the 11th that extended the game, giving Bogaerts a chance to be the hero an inning later. “Those guys are playing good ball, and we battled all night,” Bogaerts said. “Man, what a way to start a homestand.” One byproduct of a 12-inning game is that both teams could use length from their starting pitchers on Friday. San Diego right-hander Walker Buehler (0-1, 9.45 ERA) hasn’t yet provided that, failing to make it past the fourth inning in his first two outings. He lasted only 2 2/3 innings Sunday during the team’s 8-6 win in Boston, giving up four runs and three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Buehler is 7-4 with a 4.71 ERA in 23 career games (19 starts) against the Rockies. Colorado will counter with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 1.69 ERA), who’s coming off a 4-1 win Sunday against Philadelphia. Sugano sailed through six innings, allowing four hits and a run while walking one and striking out five. This will be his first career start against the Padres. The Rockies might be without catcher Hunter Goodman, their one All-Star last year, after he sustained lacerations on his right middle finger when he was hit by a 95 mph fastball from Randy Vasquez in the sixth inning Thursday night. Goodman tried to stay in the game and run but walked off the field after seeing blood dripping off his finger. Manager Warren Schaeffer said X-rays were negative and hopes Goodman won’t miss much playing time. Still, the Rockies have shown definite signs of improvement after a dreadful 2025. Their lineup appears deeper than last year, and the pitching staff has looked more than viable against some good lineups early. Goodman credited Schaeffer for the early turnaround, which included a four-game winning streak before the loss on Thursday. “The vibe’s totally switched,” Goodman said. “The energy that (Schaeffer) brings every day just rubs off on us.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Padres #continue #series #Rockies #Xander #Bogaerts #slam #hugeApr 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) runs the bases after hitting a walk-off grand slam home run against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Valente Bellozo (not pictured) in the twelfth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

It would be hard to start a homestand in a more dramatic fashion than the San Diego Padres’ Xander Bogaerts did Thursday night.

The veteran shortstop hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift the Padres to a 7-3 win over the Colorado Rockies in the opener of the teams’ four-game series.

Bogaerts and host San Diego will aim for an encore on Friday night when they try to secure their sixth win in the past seven games.

“It’s huge, you know? I just tried to get a good swing on it, and it was probably my best swing of the year,” Bogaerts said of the team’s first walk-off slam since Manny Machado did it to the Texas Rangers in August 2020.

The Padres spent much of Thursday night scuffling offensively against what lately has been a good Colorado pitching staff. They managed just five hits in the first nine innings before taking advantage of the automatic runner to score six runs in extra frames.

That included Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th and Luis Campusano’s two-out RBI double in the 11th that extended the game, giving Bogaerts a chance to be the hero an inning later.

“Those guys are playing good ball, and we battled all night,” Bogaerts said. “Man, what a way to start a homestand.”


One byproduct of a 12-inning game is that both teams could use length from their starting pitchers on Friday. San Diego right-hander Walker Buehler (0-1, 9.45 ERA) hasn’t yet provided that, failing to make it past the fourth inning in his first two outings.

He lasted only 2 2/3 innings Sunday during the team’s 8-6 win in Boston, giving up four runs and three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Buehler is 7-4 with a 4.71 ERA in 23 career games (19 starts) against the Rockies.

Colorado will counter with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 1.69 ERA), who’s coming off a 4-1 win Sunday against Philadelphia. Sugano sailed through six innings, allowing four hits and a run while walking one and striking out five. This will be his first career start against the Padres.

The Rockies might be without catcher Hunter Goodman, their one All-Star last year, after he sustained lacerations on his right middle finger when he was hit by a 95 mph fastball from Randy Vasquez in the sixth inning Thursday night.

Goodman tried to stay in the game and run but walked off the field after seeing blood dripping off his finger. Manager Warren Schaeffer said X-rays were negative and hopes Goodman won’t miss much playing time.

Still, the Rockies have shown definite signs of improvement after a dreadful 2025. Their lineup appears deeper than last year, and the pitching staff has looked more than viable against some good lineups early.

Goodman credited Schaeffer for the early turnaround, which included a four-game winning streak before the loss on Thursday.

“The vibe’s totally switched,” Goodman said. “The energy that (Schaeffer) brings every day just rubs off on us.”


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Padres #continue #series #Rockies #Xander #Bogaerts #slam #huge">Deadspin | Padres continue series vs. Rockies after Xander Bogaerts slam: ‘It’s huge’ Apr 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) runs the bases after hitting a walk-off grand slam home run against Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Valente Bellozo (not pictured) in the twelfth inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images It would be hard to start a homestand in a more dramatic fashion than the San Diego Padres’ Xander Bogaerts did Thursday night. The veteran shortstop hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 12th inning to lift the Padres to a 7-3 win over the Colorado Rockies in the opener of the teams’ four-game series. Bogaerts and host San Diego will aim for an encore on Friday night when they try to secure their sixth win in the past seven games. “It’s huge, you know? I just tried to get a good swing on it, and it was probably my best swing of the year,” Bogaerts said of the team’s first walk-off slam since Manny Machado did it to the Texas Rangers in August 2020. The Padres spent much of Thursday night scuffling offensively against what lately has been a good Colorado pitching staff. They managed just five hits in the first nine innings before taking advantage of the automatic runner to score six runs in extra frames. That included Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th and Luis Campusano’s two-out RBI double in the 11th that extended the game, giving Bogaerts a chance to be the hero an inning later. “Those guys are playing good ball, and we battled all night,” Bogaerts said. “Man, what a way to start a homestand.” One byproduct of a 12-inning game is that both teams could use length from their starting pitchers on Friday. San Diego right-hander Walker Buehler (0-1, 9.45 ERA) hasn’t yet provided that, failing to make it past the fourth inning in his first two outings. He lasted only 2 2/3 innings Sunday during the team’s 8-6 win in Boston, giving up four runs and three hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Buehler is 7-4 with a 4.71 ERA in 23 career games (19 starts) against the Rockies. Colorado will counter with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (1-0, 1.69 ERA), who’s coming off a 4-1 win Sunday against Philadelphia. Sugano sailed through six innings, allowing four hits and a run while walking one and striking out five. This will be his first career start against the Padres. The Rockies might be without catcher Hunter Goodman, their one All-Star last year, after he sustained lacerations on his right middle finger when he was hit by a 95 mph fastball from Randy Vasquez in the sixth inning Thursday night. Goodman tried to stay in the game and run but walked off the field after seeing blood dripping off his finger. Manager Warren Schaeffer said X-rays were negative and hopes Goodman won’t miss much playing time. Still, the Rockies have shown definite signs of improvement after a dreadful 2025. Their lineup appears deeper than last year, and the pitching staff has looked more than viable against some good lineups early. Goodman credited Schaeffer for the early turnaround, which included a four-game winning streak before the loss on Thursday. “The vibe’s totally switched,” Goodman said. “The energy that (Schaeffer) brings every day just rubs off on us.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Padres #continue #series #Rockies #Xander #Bogaerts #slam #huge

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