Deadspin | Nolan Gorman’s big blast offsets 3 Astros homers as Cards take opener Apr 17, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) runs to first base on a hit during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Nolan Gorman clubbed a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals plenty of breathing room as they claimed a 9-4 win in the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Astros in Houston on Friday. Gorman smacked his third homer of the season 353 feet to right field to break open a nip-and-tuck affair. He plated Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker by turning on an inside fastball from scuffling Astros reliever Bryan Abreu while countering the three solo homers the Astros hit to climb back into contention. Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy (2-2) surrendered all three homers but was otherwise effective. He allowed five hits and did not issue a walk while recording six strikeouts across five innings. Leahy stranded Yordan Alvarez in the bottom of the first and left the bases loaded in the fourth when he struck out Christian Vazquez and pinch-hitter Isaac Paredes in succession. The Cardinals spotted Leahy a 3-0 lead before the Astros rallied. JJ Wetherholt, Burleson and Walker all singled in the first off Houston right-hander Peter Lambert (0-1), the fourth consecutive pitcher making his first start for the Astros’ injury-marred rotation. Walker plated Wetherholt with his single to center for a 1-0 lead, an advantage the Cardinals upped in the third when Masyn Winn roped a two-run single that plated Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera. Lambert loaded the bases with no outs in the third before nearly escaping unscathed. He struck out Walker and Gorman and had two strikes against Winn, but could not hold the deficit to one. Lambert allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over five innings, with Herrera delivering an RBI single in the fourth that scored Pedro Pages for a 4-2 lead. Vazquez and Alvarez smacked homers off Leahy in the third, with Vazquez leading off that frame with his second home run of the season before Alvarez added his eighth three batters later. Jose Altuve led off the fifth with his third homer to shave the deficit to 4-3. But after Gorman provided the Cardinals some cushion, Herrera socked a two-run homer that scored Wetherholt in the eighth. Wetherhold scored three runs; Gorman and Herrera had three RBIs apiece. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Nolan #Gormans #big #blast #offsets #Astros #homers #Cards #opener

Deadspin | Nolan Gorman’s big blast offsets 3 Astros homers as Cards take opener
Apr 17, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) runs to first base on a hit during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Nolan Gorman clubbed a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals plenty of breathing room as they claimed a 9-4 win in the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Astros in Houston on Friday.

Gorman smacked his third homer of the season 353 feet to right field to break open a nip-and-tuck affair. He plated Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker by turning on an inside fastball from scuffling Astros reliever Bryan Abreu while countering the three solo homers the Astros hit to climb back into contention.

Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy (2-2) surrendered all three homers but was otherwise effective. He allowed five hits and did not issue a walk while recording six strikeouts across five innings. Leahy stranded Yordan Alvarez in the bottom of the first and left the bases loaded in the fourth when he struck out Christian Vazquez and pinch-hitter Isaac Paredes in succession.

The Cardinals spotted Leahy a 3-0 lead before the Astros rallied.

JJ Wetherholt, Burleson and Walker all singled in the first off Houston right-hander Peter Lambert (0-1), the fourth consecutive pitcher making his first start for the Astros’ injury-marred rotation. Walker plated Wetherholt with his single to center for a 1-0 lead, an advantage the Cardinals upped in the third when Masyn Winn roped a two-run single that plated Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera.

Lambert loaded the bases with no outs in the third before nearly escaping unscathed. He struck out Walker and Gorman and had two strikes against Winn, but could not hold the deficit to one. Lambert allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over five innings, with Herrera delivering an RBI single in the fourth that scored Pedro Pages for a 4-2 lead.

Vazquez and Alvarez smacked homers off Leahy in the third, with Vazquez leading off that frame with his second home run of the season before Alvarez added his eighth three batters later. Jose Altuve led off the fifth with his third homer to shave the deficit to 4-3.

But after Gorman provided the Cardinals some cushion, Herrera socked a two-run homer that scored Wetherholt in the eighth. Wetherhold scored three runs; Gorman and Herrera had three RBIs apiece.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Nolan #Gormans #big #blast #offsets #Astros #homers #Cards #opener

Sports news April 18, 2026

Apr 17, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; St. Louis Cardinals catcher Pedro Pages (43) runs to first base on a hit during the fourth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Nolan Gorman clubbed a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals plenty of breathing room as they claimed a 9-4 win in the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Astros in Houston on Friday.

Gorman smacked his third homer of the season 353 feet to right field to break open a nip-and-tuck affair. He plated Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker by turning on an inside fastball from scuffling Astros reliever Bryan Abreu while countering the three solo homers the Astros hit to climb back into contention.

Cardinals right-hander Kyle Leahy (2-2) surrendered all three homers but was otherwise effective. He allowed five hits and did not issue a walk while recording six strikeouts across five innings. Leahy stranded Yordan Alvarez in the bottom of the first and left the bases loaded in the fourth when he struck out Christian Vazquez and pinch-hitter Isaac Paredes in succession.

The Cardinals spotted Leahy a 3-0 lead before the Astros rallied.

JJ Wetherholt, Burleson and Walker all singled in the first off Houston right-hander Peter Lambert (0-1), the fourth consecutive pitcher making his first start for the Astros’ injury-marred rotation. Walker plated Wetherholt with his single to center for a 1-0 lead, an advantage the Cardinals upped in the third when Masyn Winn roped a two-run single that plated Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera.

Lambert loaded the bases with no outs in the third before nearly escaping unscathed. He struck out Walker and Gorman and had two strikes against Winn, but could not hold the deficit to one. Lambert allowed four runs on seven hits and one walk with eight strikeouts over five innings, with Herrera delivering an RBI single in the fourth that scored Pedro Pages for a 4-2 lead.

Vazquez and Alvarez smacked homers off Leahy in the third, with Vazquez leading off that frame with his second home run of the season before Alvarez added his eighth three batters later. Jose Altuve led off the fifth with his third homer to shave the deficit to 4-3.

But after Gorman provided the Cardinals some cushion, Herrera socked a two-run homer that scored Wetherholt in the eighth. Wetherhold scored three runs; Gorman and Herrera had three RBIs apiece.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Nolan #Gormans #big #blast #offsets #Astros #homers #Cards #opener

SRH vs CSK Live Score, IPL 2026: Chennai Super Kings looks to continue winning streak against Sunrisers Hyderabad <div><p>Welcome to the live coverage of the IPL 2026 contest between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Chennai Super Kings taking place in Hyderabad.</p><p>Both teams are level on four points apiece, but SRH finds itself fifth due to a good Net Run Rate. The winner of this contest will take a further step forward in the race for the playoffs which seems to be heating up nicely.</p></div> #SRH #CSK #Live #Score #IPL #Chennai #Super #Kings #continue #winning #streak #Sunrisers #Hyderabad

Oct 14, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Argentina forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on against Puerto Rico during the first half at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

#FIFA #World #Cup #Begins #Deadspin.com">

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Jun 3, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; A general view of the FIFA World Cup Trophy on display during the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour at American Dream. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images

It has been an undeniably strange buildup to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But in four short days, the tournament will finally begin in 16 cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. And like it or not, after swearing once again that you’re going to boycott FIFA and its questionable ways, you’re going to be eating up every second of it.
But first, you’ll need to play catch-up on what you’ve missed. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with seven frequently asked questions about the return of the world’s biggest sporting event.
Who is in the 2026 World Cup?
With 48 teams, the 2026 World Cup is the largest in the tournament’s history, up from 32 teams between 1998 and 2022. All of the usual suspects are here. Well, except for Italy. (It’s a long story.) There’s also a lot of less familiar faces and even four newcomers: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.
What is the format?
Just as they have been since 1986, teams are drawn into groups of four and will play a three-match round robin. But this time, the single-elimination knockout phase that follows will double in size to 32 teams. All 12 teams that finish first or second will advance to the bracket, as well as the eight best third-place finishers.
Who is going to win this thing?
France and Spain are oddsmakers’ favorites, with England close behind. In other words, France and Spain have the two best teams, and the sportsbooks know English people will bet with their hearts instead of their minds. Brazil, Argentina and Portugal follow close behind. History suggests the value is with Brazil and Argentina; Germany, the 2014 champs, are the only European nation ever to win a World Cup hosted in the Americas.
Do the Americans have a chance?
What do you call “a chance”? They probably won’t win, but it’s not absurd to try. If you’re going to think of it like American sports, Team USA is stronger relative to the field than 1985 Villanova or 2014 UConn was during their respective March Madness title runs. But the modern NCAA Tournament has been played more than 40 times. This will only be the 12th World Cup played with more than 16 entrants, and only the 23rd total.
Who is this Lamine Yamal guy?
Spain’s 18-year-old FC Barcelona prodigy is the most hyped teenage World Cup talent since a 17-year-old Pele led Brazil to its first World Cup title in 1958. In the 2025-26 season, Yamal scored 16 goals and assisted 11 more to help Barca to its 29th La Liga title. He already has 101 career appearances in the Spanish top flight, and will already be making his second major international tournament appearance after he helped Spain win Euro 2024.
Wait, Messi and Ronaldo are still around?

Oct 14, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Argentina forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on against Puerto Rico during the first half at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Not only are the former La Liga rivals still competing for their national teams, but they are still producing on the international stage despite moving on to lesser club leagues like MLS and the Saudi Pro League. The 38-year-old Messi led all of South American qualifying with eight goals, while the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal’s qualifying effort with five.
Where Should I Watch?
Given FIFA’s … erm, capitalistic … ticket pricing scheme, the overwhelming majority of ordinary fans will choose to watch the games at home rather than in person. But there is some good news on that front: Of the 104 World Cup matches, 70 will be available on over-the-air Fox TV for English speakers, and 92 will be broadcast over Telemundo’s Spanish-speaking airwaves. So if you are looking for an excuse to buy a digital TV antenna, this is it.

#FIFA #World #Cup #Begins #Deadspin.com">Everything You Need To Know Before The 2026 FIFA World Cup Begins | Deadspin.com

Jun 3, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; A general view of the FIFA World Cup Trophy on display during the FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour at American Dream. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-Imagn Images

It has been an undeniably strange buildup to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But in four short days, the tournament will finally begin in 16 cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico. And like it or not, after swearing once again that you’re going to boycott FIFA and its questionable ways, you’re going to be eating up every second of it.

But first, you’ll need to play catch-up on what you’ve missed. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with seven frequently asked questions about the return of the world’s biggest sporting event.

Who is in the 2026 World Cup?

With 48 teams, the 2026 World Cup is the largest in the tournament’s history, up from 32 teams between 1998 and 2022. All of the usual suspects are here. Well, except for Italy. (It’s a long story.) There’s also a lot of less familiar faces and even four newcomers: Cape Verde, Curaçao, Jordan and Uzbekistan.

What is the format?

Just as they have been since 1986, teams are drawn into groups of four and will play a three-match round robin. But this time, the single-elimination knockout phase that follows will double in size to 32 teams. All 12 teams that finish first or second will advance to the bracket, as well as the eight best third-place finishers.

Who is going to win this thing?

France and Spain are oddsmakers’ favorites, with England close behind. In other words, France and Spain have the two best teams, and the sportsbooks know English people will bet with their hearts instead of their minds. Brazil, Argentina and Portugal follow close behind. History suggests the value is with Brazil and Argentina; Germany, the 2014 champs, are the only European nation ever to win a World Cup hosted in the Americas.

Do the Americans have a chance?

What do you call “a chance”? They probably won’t win, but it’s not absurd to try. If you’re going to think of it like American sports, Team USA is stronger relative to the field than 1985 Villanova or 2014 UConn was during their respective March Madness title runs. But the modern NCAA Tournament has been played more than 40 times. This will only be the 12th World Cup played with more than 16 entrants, and only the 23rd total.

Who is this Lamine Yamal guy?

Spain’s 18-year-old FC Barcelona prodigy is the most hyped teenage World Cup talent since a 17-year-old Pele led Brazil to its first World Cup title in 1958. In the 2025-26 season, Yamal scored 16 goals and assisted 11 more to help Barca to its 29th La Liga title. He already has 101 career appearances in the Spanish top flight, and will already be making his second major international tournament appearance after he helped Spain win Euro 2024.

Wait, Messi and Ronaldo are still around?

Oct 14, 2025; Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA; Argentina forward Lionel Messi (10) looks on against Puerto Rico during the first half at Chase Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Not only are the former La Liga rivals still competing for their national teams, but they are still producing on the international stage despite moving on to lesser club leagues like MLS and the Saudi Pro League. The 38-year-old Messi led all of South American qualifying with eight goals, while the 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal’s qualifying effort with five.

Where Should I Watch?

Given FIFA’s … erm, capitalistic … ticket pricing scheme, the overwhelming majority of ordinary fans will choose to watch the games at home rather than in person. But there is some good news on that front: Of the 104 World Cup matches, 70 will be available on over-the-air Fox TV for English speakers, and 92 will be broadcast over Telemundo’s Spanish-speaking airwaves. So if you are looking for an excuse to buy a digital TV antenna, this is it.

#FIFA #World #Cup #Begins #Deadspin.com

North Carolina needed a hero to extend its season on Saturday.

The Tar Heels got just that from starting pitcher Jason DeCaro.

Facing elimination against Southern California, the Tar Heels stayed alive in the NCAA baseball tournament with a 4-0 win at home to even their Super Regional series at 1-1. And DeCaro was the star, as the righty went the distance for a complete game shutout, allowing just two hits and one walk, while striking out eight.

DeCaro was aggressive on the bump, and that paid off in a huge way as he reached an 0-2 count on 14 of the 31 batters he faced Saturday. Speaking with ESPN after the game, the first nine-inning shutout of his collegiate career, DeCaro said that was completely by design.

“Just trying to go after them, they’re a pretty aggressive bunch. We figured we’d get ahead [in the count] a good bit,” said the UNC starting pitcher.

And despite throwing over 100 pitches — 117 to be exact — DeCaro still had his velocity in the ninth inning, as he was consistently in the mid-90s during his final inning of work.

Yet the final out came on this devastating breaking ball, for a strikeout to complete the outing:

While the Tar Heels did not need much offense on Saturday, thanks to DeCaro’s stellar game, they got what they needed thanks to home runs from Colin Hynek and Erik Paulsen. Each drilled a solo shot to spark the North Carolina offense.

Their other two runs came via sacrifice flies.

But DeCaro was the story, as the righty delivered a true gem in likely his final start in front of the North Carolina faithful, as he is a likely early pick in the 2026 MLB Draft. It was also something of a redemption arc for DeCaro, who lasted just over three innings in each of his last two starts, before stepping up when UNC needed him the most on Saturday.

“We knew we had to win two games no matter what this weekend, so just keeping that mindset,” added DeCaro after the game.

The two team will meet tomorrow with a spot in the Men’s College World Series on the line.

#Jason #DeCaro #delivers #gem #UNC #avoids #elimination #USC">

mwasimuddin125 0

North Carolina needed a hero to extend its season on Saturday.

The Tar Heels got just that from starting pitcher Jason DeCaro.

“Just trying to go after them, they’re a pretty aggressive bunch. We figured we’d get ahead [in the count] a good bit,” said the UNC starting pitcher.

And despite throwing over 100 pitches — 117 to be exact — DeCaro still had his velocity in the ninth inning, as he was consistently in the mid-90s during his final inning of work.

Yet the final out came on this devastating breaking ball, for a strikeout to complete the outing:

Their other two runs came via sacrifice flies.

“We knew we had to win two games no matter what this weekend, so just keeping that mindset,” added DeCaro after the game.

The two team will meet tomorrow with a spot in the Men’s College World Series on the line.

#Jason #DeCaro #delivers #gem #UNC #avoids #elimination #USC">Jason DeCaro delivers a gem as UNC avoids elimination against USC

North Carolina needed a hero to extend its season on Saturday.

The Tar Heels got just that from starting pitcher Jason DeCaro.

“Just trying to go after them, they’re a pretty aggressive bunch. We figured we’d get ahead [in the count] a good bit,” said the UNC starting pitcher.

And despite throwing over 100 pitches — 117 to be exact — DeCaro still had his velocity in the ninth inning, as he was consistently in the mid-90s during his final inning of work.

Yet the final out came on this devastating breaking ball, for a strikeout to complete the outing:

Their other two runs came via sacrifice flies.

“We knew we had to win two games no matter what this weekend, so just keeping that mindset,” added DeCaro after the game.

The two team will meet tomorrow with a spot in the Men’s College World Series on the line.

#Jason #DeCaro #delivers #gem #UNC #avoids #elimination #USC

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez claimed his first Sunday race win of the season after holding off young Spanish compatriot Pedro Acosta to win the Hungarian MotoGP.

Francesco Bagnaia finished a distant third, while the top two in the standings, Aprilia pair Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, crashed out at the first corner.

In a battle of generations, the 33-year-old Marquez, who also won Saturday’s sprint, and 22-year-old Acosta exchanged the lead a couple of times before the veteran pulled away in the closing laps.

Marquez beat Acosta by 1.343 seconds. It was the veteran’s 100th victory across all categories and Ducati’s 100th win in the sport.

“I’m super happy,” said Marquez, who rushed back after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder and a broken foot following a crash at the French Grand Prix in early May.

“The price was expensive, but happy to have another comeback.”

The 4.8km Balaton Park circuit, which hosted its first MotoGP last year, is narrow, twisty and not conducive to overtaking. Most riders do not like it, but Marquez feels right at home. Last year, the Spaniard swept the board, taking pole position, sprint race, fastest lap and overall victory.

An additional advantage for Marquez was that Balaton Park is one of the six circuits this season that run anticlockwise. The Spaniard has always preferred left-hand corners, and they were even more helpful this weekend because he was nursing his right shoulder.

“I don’t know if I’ll have chances like this again in the upcoming races. I wasn’t feeling great on Friday, but I made a good step forward on Saturday,” he said.

Bagnaia finished 11.632 seconds behind Marquez on a factory Ducati, a ride that Acosta, who is with KTM, is widely expected to take over next season.

At the start, bikes tumbled like bowling pins going into the first corner.

Martin, who is second in the standings, locked up coming out of the short start straight, lost control and flew into the tightly bunched pack along with his bike, hitting Bezzecchi. Fermin Aldeguer of Ducati Gresini, Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse and Fabio di Giannantonio on a VR46 Ducati also went down.

Bagnaia said he saw Martin coming out of the corner of his eye.

“When I started to brake, I just saw something arriving so fast, and it was Martin arriving at double speed,” Bagnaia said.

“Maybe he was too inside and locked the front, because the new tarmac on corner one was very slippery.”

ALSO READ: F1 Monaco Grand Prix 2026: Verstappen retires on opening lap after car stalls at start

Di Giannantonio remounted and collected four points after finishing 12th.

Marquez had sped off from pole position and was already clear of the chaos behind him. Only Acosta, who narrowly avoided the wave of crashing bikes, was able to give chase and quickly closed in before moving past.

By halfway, the leading pair had pulled six seconds clear of Bagnaia.

Marquez overtook on lap 14 and held off Acosta’s immediate counter-attack before pulling clear and easing off on the final lap.

“We tried everything, it was a really good battle, I hope that everyone at home enjoyed it,” said Acosta, who is still chasing his first MotoGP victory. “The pace was good. Qualifying again was good. Back-to-back podiums, I’m quite happy.”

Ai Ogura of Trackhouse was fourth, while Luca Marini finished fifth for Honda.

Bezzecchi, Martin and Di Giannantonio remained in the top three places in the standings. Acosta climbed to fourth, while Marquez moved up to fifth.

Published on Jun 07, 2026

#Hungarian #MotoGP #Marc #Marquez #beats #Pedro #Acosta #Bezzecchi #Martin #crash #early">

Hungarian MotoGP: Marc Marquez beats Pedro Acosta as Bezzecchi, Martin crash out early Reigning world champion Marc Marquez claimed his first Sunday race win of the season after holding off young Spanish compatriot Pedro Acosta to win the Hungarian MotoGP.Francesco Bagnaia finished a distant third, while the top two in the standings, Aprilia pair Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, crashed out at the first corner.In a battle of generations, the 33-year-old Marquez, who also won Saturday’s sprint, and 22-year-old Acosta exchanged the lead a couple of times before the veteran pulled away in the closing laps.Marquez beat Acosta by 1.343 seconds. It was the veteran’s 100th victory across all categories and Ducati’s 100th win in the sport.“I’m super happy,” said Marquez, who rushed back after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder and a broken foot following a crash at the French Grand Prix in early May.“The price was expensive, but happy to have another comeback.”The 4.8km Balaton Park circuit, which hosted its first MotoGP last year, is narrow, twisty and not conducive to overtaking. Most riders do not like it, but Marquez feels right at home. Last year, the Spaniard swept the board, taking pole position, sprint race, fastest lap and overall victory.An additional advantage for Marquez was that Balaton Park is one of the six circuits this season that run anticlockwise. The Spaniard has always preferred left-hand corners, and they were even more helpful this weekend because he was nursing his right shoulder.“I don’t know if I’ll have chances like this again in the upcoming races. I wasn’t feeling great on Friday, but I made a good step forward on Saturday,” he said.Bagnaia finished 11.632 seconds behind Marquez on a factory Ducati, a ride that Acosta, who is with KTM, is widely expected to take over next season.At the start, bikes tumbled like bowling pins going into the first corner.Martin, who is second in the standings, locked up coming out of the short start straight, lost control and flew into the tightly bunched pack along with his bike, hitting Bezzecchi. Fermin Aldeguer of Ducati Gresini, Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse and Fabio di Giannantonio on a VR46 Ducati also went down.Bagnaia said he saw Martin coming out of the corner of his eye.“When I started to brake, I just saw something arriving so fast, and it was Martin arriving at double speed,” Bagnaia said.“Maybe he was too inside and locked the front, because the new tarmac on corner one was very slippery.”ALSO READ: F1 Monaco Grand Prix 2026: Verstappen retires on opening lap after car stalls at startDi Giannantonio remounted and collected four points after finishing 12th.Marquez had sped off from pole position and was already clear of the chaos behind him. Only Acosta, who narrowly avoided the wave of crashing bikes, was able to give chase and quickly closed in before moving past.By halfway, the leading pair had pulled six seconds clear of Bagnaia.Marquez overtook on lap 14 and held off Acosta’s immediate counter-attack before pulling clear and easing off on the final lap.“We tried everything, it was a really good battle, I hope that everyone at home enjoyed it,” said Acosta, who is still chasing his first MotoGP victory. “The pace was good. Qualifying again was good. Back-to-back podiums, I’m quite happy.”Ai Ogura of Trackhouse was fourth, while Luca Marini finished fifth for Honda.Bezzecchi, Martin and Di Giannantonio remained in the top three places in the standings. Acosta climbed to fourth, while Marquez moved up to fifth.Published on Jun 07, 2026 #Hungarian #MotoGP #Marc #Marquez #beats #Pedro #Acosta #Bezzecchi #Martin #crash #early

mwasimuddin125 0

Reigning world champion Marc Marquez claimed his first Sunday race win of the season after holding off young Spanish compatriot Pedro Acosta to win the Hungarian MotoGP.
Francesco Bagnaia finished a distant third, while the top two in the standings, Aprilia pair Marco Bezzecchi and Jorge Martin, crashed out at the first corner.
In a battle of generations, the 33-year-old Marquez, who also won Saturday’s sprint, and 22-year-old Acosta exchanged the lead a couple of times before the veteran pulled away in the closing laps.
Marquez beat Acosta by 1.343 seconds. It was the veteran’s 100th victory across all categories and Ducati’s 100th win in the sport.
“I’m super happy,” said Marquez, who rushed back after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder and a broken foot following a crash at the French Grand Prix in early May.
“The price was expensive, but happy to have another comeback.”
The 4.8km Balaton Park circuit, which hosted its first MotoGP last year, is narrow, twisty and not conducive to overtaking. Most riders do not like it, but Marquez feels right at home. Last year, the Spaniard swept the board, taking pole position, sprint race, fastest lap and overall victory.
An additional advantage for Marquez was that Balaton Park is one of the six circuits this season that run anticlockwise. The Spaniard has always preferred left-hand corners, and they were even more helpful this weekend because he was nursing his right shoulder.
“I don’t know if I’ll have chances like this again in the upcoming races. I wasn’t feeling great on Friday, but I made a good step forward on Saturday,” he said.
Bagnaia finished 11.632 seconds behind Marquez on a factory Ducati, a ride that Acosta, who is with KTM, is widely expected to take over next season.
At the start, bikes tumbled like bowling pins going into the first corner.
Martin, who is second in the standings, locked up coming out of the short start straight, lost control and flew into the tightly bunched pack along with his bike, hitting Bezzecchi. Fermin Aldeguer of Ducati Gresini, Raul Fernandez of Trackhouse and Fabio di Giannantonio on a VR46 Ducati also went down.
Bagnaia said he saw Martin coming out of the corner of his eye.
“When I started to brake, I just saw something arriving so fast, and it was Martin arriving at double speed,” Bagnaia said.
“Maybe he was too inside and locked the front, because the new tarmac on corner one was very slippery.”
ALSO READ: F1 Monaco Grand Prix 2026: Verstappen retires on opening lap after car stalls at start
Di Giannantonio remounted and collected four points after finishing 12th.
Marquez had sped off from pole position and was already clear of the chaos behind him. Only Acosta, who narrowly avoided the wave of crashing bikes, was able to give chase and quickly closed in before moving past.
By halfway, the leading pair had pulled six seconds clear of Bagnaia.
Marquez overtook on lap 14 and held off Acosta’s immediate counter-attack before pulling clear and easing off on the final lap.
“We tried everything, it was a really good battle, I hope that everyone at home enjoyed it,” said Acosta, who is still chasing his first MotoGP victory. “The pace was good. Qualifying again was good. Back-to-back podiums, I’m quite happy.”
Ai Ogura of Trackhouse was fourth, while Luca Marini finished fifth for Honda.
Bezzecchi, Martin and Di Giannantonio remained in the top three places in the standings. Acosta climbed to fourth, while Marquez moved up to fifth.
Published on Jun 07, 2026

#Hungarian #MotoGP #Marc #Marquez #beats #Pedro #Acosta #Bezzecchi #Martin #crash #early">Hungarian MotoGP: Marc Marquez beats Pedro Acosta as Bezzecchi, Martin crash out early