×
Deadspin | Lakers empty the bench in lopsided win over lowly Jazz  Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz guard John Konchar (55) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton each posted 22-point, 10-rebound double-doubles on Sunday to help the Los Angeles Lakers earn a 131-107 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz in the regular-season finale.  LeBron James completed his 23rd regular season, finishing with 18 points in 17 minutes for the Lakers (53-29), who will be the No. 4 seed in next week’s Western Conference playoffs and face the Houston Rockets in the first round. Dalton Knecht scored 17 points, Nick Smith Jr. added 12 and Bronny James chipped in 11 for Los Angeles, which finished with its most victories in a season since the 2010-11 campaign (57).   Marcus Smart had five points and 10 assists as the Lakers won their third straight.  Oscar Tshiebwe led Utah (22-60) with 29 points and 17 rebounds, while Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh added 15 points apiece. Cody Williams and Bez Mbeng both scored 14 points and Blake Hinson had 10 for the Jazz, who recorded their second 60-loss season in franchise history and their second in as many years.  Utah trimmed its 17-point halftime deficit to 12 when Tshiebwe and Mbeng combined for a 7-0 Jazz spurt.  The Lakers finished the third with seven straight points, including Bronny James’ 3-pointer to send Los Angeles into the fourth with a 95-74 advantage.   After Williams’ layup cut Utah’s deficit to 19, Knecht buried consecutive triples and Jarred Vanderbilt dunked to extend the lead to 107-80 with 8:22 remaining. Reserve Chris Manon’s layup with 3:30 left ensured that all 14 Los Angeles players scored in the lopsided win.  Los Angeles grabbed its first double-digit lead midway through the first quarter, as LeBron James’ layup gave the Lakers a 21-10 edge. James had 10 first-quarter points to help Los Angeles take a 32-22 lead into the second.  Mbeng’s 3-pointer pulled Utah within nine, before Smith and Jake LaRavia each drilled triples to stamp a 9-2 Los Angeles run, pushing the lead to 54-38.  Hachimura’s third trey of the opening half was followed by James’ layup, giving the Lakers a 62-45 halftime lead. Hachimura and James each scored 18 points apiece in the first half, while Sensabaugh’s 15 paced Utah.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Lakers #empty #bench #lopsided #win #lowly #Jazz

Deadspin | Lakers empty the bench in lopsided win over lowly Jazz
Deadspin | Lakers empty the bench in lopsided win over lowly Jazz  Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz guard John Konchar (55) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton each posted 22-point, 10-rebound double-doubles on Sunday to help the Los Angeles Lakers earn a 131-107 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz in the regular-season finale.  LeBron James completed his 23rd regular season, finishing with 18 points in 17 minutes for the Lakers (53-29), who will be the No. 4 seed in next week’s Western Conference playoffs and face the Houston Rockets in the first round. Dalton Knecht scored 17 points, Nick Smith Jr. added 12 and Bronny James chipped in 11 for Los Angeles, which finished with its most victories in a season since the 2010-11 campaign (57).   Marcus Smart had five points and 10 assists as the Lakers won their third straight.  Oscar Tshiebwe led Utah (22-60) with 29 points and 17 rebounds, while Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh added 15 points apiece. Cody Williams and Bez Mbeng both scored 14 points and Blake Hinson had 10 for the Jazz, who recorded their second 60-loss season in franchise history and their second in as many years.  Utah trimmed its 17-point halftime deficit to 12 when Tshiebwe and Mbeng combined for a 7-0 Jazz spurt.  The Lakers finished the third with seven straight points, including Bronny James’ 3-pointer to send Los Angeles into the fourth with a 95-74 advantage.   After Williams’ layup cut Utah’s deficit to 19, Knecht buried consecutive triples and Jarred Vanderbilt dunked to extend the lead to 107-80 with 8:22 remaining. Reserve Chris Manon’s layup with 3:30 left ensured that all 14 Los Angeles players scored in the lopsided win.  Los Angeles grabbed its first double-digit lead midway through the first quarter, as LeBron James’ layup gave the Lakers a 21-10 edge. James had 10 first-quarter points to help Los Angeles take a 32-22 lead into the second.  Mbeng’s 3-pointer pulled Utah within nine, before Smith and Jake LaRavia each drilled triples to stamp a 9-2 Los Angeles run, pushing the lead to 54-38.  Hachimura’s third trey of the opening half was followed by James’ layup, giving the Lakers a 62-45 halftime lead. Hachimura and James each scored 18 points apiece in the first half, while Sensabaugh’s 15 paced Utah.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Lakers #empty #bench #lopsided #win #lowly #JazzApr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz guard John Konchar (55) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton each posted 22-point, 10-rebound double-doubles on Sunday to help the Los Angeles Lakers earn a 131-107 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz in the regular-season finale.

LeBron James completed his 23rd regular season, finishing with 18 points in 17 minutes for the Lakers (53-29), who will be the No. 4 seed in next week’s Western Conference playoffs and face the Houston Rockets in the first round. Dalton Knecht scored 17 points, Nick Smith Jr. added 12 and Bronny James chipped in 11 for Los Angeles, which finished with its most victories in a season since the 2010-11 campaign (57).

Marcus Smart had five points and 10 assists as the Lakers won their third straight.

Oscar Tshiebwe led Utah (22-60) with 29 points and 17 rebounds, while Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh added 15 points apiece. Cody Williams and Bez Mbeng both scored 14 points and Blake Hinson had 10 for the Jazz, who recorded their second 60-loss season in franchise history and their second in as many years.

Utah trimmed its 17-point halftime deficit to 12 when Tshiebwe and Mbeng combined for a 7-0 Jazz spurt.


The Lakers finished the third with seven straight points, including Bronny James’ 3-pointer to send Los Angeles into the fourth with a 95-74 advantage.

After Williams’ layup cut Utah’s deficit to 19, Knecht buried consecutive triples and Jarred Vanderbilt dunked to extend the lead to 107-80 with 8:22 remaining. Reserve Chris Manon’s layup with 3:30 left ensured that all 14 Los Angeles players scored in the lopsided win.

Los Angeles grabbed its first double-digit lead midway through the first quarter, as LeBron James’ layup gave the Lakers a 21-10 edge. James had 10 first-quarter points to help Los Angeles take a 32-22 lead into the second.

Mbeng’s 3-pointer pulled Utah within nine, before Smith and Jake LaRavia each drilled triples to stamp a 9-2 Los Angeles run, pushing the lead to 54-38.

Hachimura’s third trey of the opening half was followed by James’ layup, giving the Lakers a 62-45 halftime lead. Hachimura and James each scored 18 points apiece in the first half, while Sensabaugh’s 15 paced Utah.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Lakers #empty #bench #lopsided #win #lowly #Jazz

Apr 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) shoots the ball against Utah Jazz guard John Konchar (55) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton each posted 22-point, 10-rebound double-doubles on Sunday to help the Los Angeles Lakers earn a 131-107 victory over the visiting Utah Jazz in the regular-season finale.

LeBron James completed his 23rd regular season, finishing with 18 points in 17 minutes for the Lakers (53-29), who will be the No. 4 seed in next week’s Western Conference playoffs and face the Houston Rockets in the first round. Dalton Knecht scored 17 points, Nick Smith Jr. added 12 and Bronny James chipped in 11 for Los Angeles, which finished with its most victories in a season since the 2010-11 campaign (57).

Marcus Smart had five points and 10 assists as the Lakers won their third straight.

Oscar Tshiebwe led Utah (22-60) with 29 points and 17 rebounds, while Ace Bailey and Brice Sensabaugh added 15 points apiece. Cody Williams and Bez Mbeng both scored 14 points and Blake Hinson had 10 for the Jazz, who recorded their second 60-loss season in franchise history and their second in as many years.

Utah trimmed its 17-point halftime deficit to 12 when Tshiebwe and Mbeng combined for a 7-0 Jazz spurt.

The Lakers finished the third with seven straight points, including Bronny James’ 3-pointer to send Los Angeles into the fourth with a 95-74 advantage.

After Williams’ layup cut Utah’s deficit to 19, Knecht buried consecutive triples and Jarred Vanderbilt dunked to extend the lead to 107-80 with 8:22 remaining. Reserve Chris Manon’s layup with 3:30 left ensured that all 14 Los Angeles players scored in the lopsided win.

Los Angeles grabbed its first double-digit lead midway through the first quarter, as LeBron James’ layup gave the Lakers a 21-10 edge. James had 10 first-quarter points to help Los Angeles take a 32-22 lead into the second.

Mbeng’s 3-pointer pulled Utah within nine, before Smith and Jake LaRavia each drilled triples to stamp a 9-2 Los Angeles run, pushing the lead to 54-38.

Hachimura’s third trey of the opening half was followed by James’ layup, giving the Lakers a 62-45 halftime lead. Hachimura and James each scored 18 points apiece in the first half, while Sensabaugh’s 15 paced Utah.

–Field Level Media

Source link
#Deadspin #Lakers #empty #bench #lopsided #win #lowly #Jazz

Previous post

IPL 2026: RCB sheds old inhibitions to emerge as modern T20 behemoth <div id="content-body-70856603" itemprop="articleBody"><p>In 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally shed its Indian Premier League (IPL) title drought. Rajat Patidar’s men have since begun the 2026 season with similar assurance, winning three of their first four matches.</p><p>Their 18-run win against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday was further evidence that a side long associated with on-field struggles has quietly transformed itself into a clinical and well-rounded T20 team.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Lessons from the past</h4><p>It is easy to say in retrospect, but there were signs that RCB could turn its fabled fortunes around. The 2025 title win came after a mega-auction reset, but in the five preceding seasons (2020 to 2024), RCB qualified for the playoffs four times, building a base of consistency even without silverware.</p><p>The last of those playoff appearances, in 2024, came on the back of a borderline miraculous run. The side recovered from losing seven of its first eight league matches by winning its next six in a row to sneak into the final qualification spot, before losing the Eliminator to Rajasthan Royals.</p><p>That turnaround was driven by a clear shift in approach with the bat. Over that run, its run rate rose from 9.16 in the first eight matches to 10.23 in the final seven, while scoring rates across all three phases increased significantly.</p><p>More importantly, the middle-overs slowdown disappeared almost entirely, with batters continuing to attack and maintaining a far more even scoring pattern through the innings.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Life in the fast lane</h4><p>Since 2025, the personnel have changed entirely, barring Virat Kohli and Patidar, but the attacking intent has not waned. RCB has struck at 9.63 with the bat and maintained a consistent scoring rate throughout the innings.</p><p> (insert – <iframe title="Fig. 1: Royal Challengers Bengaluru's run-rates by phase of innings" aria-label="Line chart" id="datawrapper-chart-cV5yL" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/cV5yL/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="488" data-external="1"></iframe>) </p><p>While none of its phase-wise run rates — 9.36 in the PowerPlay, 9.04 in the middle overs, and 11.42 at the death — are the very best in the league, they all rank in the top half, underlining the consistency of the batting unit.</p><p>Leading the way is the opening pair of Phil Salt and Kohli. Salt, picked for Rs. 11.50 crore after his performances in Kolkata Knight Riders’ 2024 title-winning campaign, is one of the most aggressive PowerPlay batters in world cricket. He complements the more measured Kohli, who has nevertheless found an extra gear.</p><p>Together, the pair has put on 731 runs (the third-most of any opening pair) at an average of 43 and a run rate of 10.34 since the start of 2025, combining volume with tempo to give RCB a strong platform.</p><p>Unlike the RCB sides of the past, the burden of run-scoring has not rested on a handful of players. Over the 2025 season, 10 different batters have scored half-centuries for the team.</p><p>Equally impressively, among frontline batters who have faced at least 10 balls since the start of the 2025 season, all but two have struck at over 140.</p><p> (insert – <iframe title="Fig. 2: Royal Challengers Bengaluru batters' strike-rates (min. 10 balls)" aria-label="Bar Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-fIZPb" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/fIZPb/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="516" data-external="1"></iframe>) </p><p>RCB’s batting line-up has thus been remodelled into one that bats deep, scores quickly, and produces contributions across the order. Perhaps more significantly, RCB has shown early signs of correcting a key weakness. In 2025, it won seven of eight matches while chasing, compared to five in eight batting first; in 2026, two of its three wins have already come while setting a target.</p><h4 class="sub_head">The early bird gets the worm</h4><p>If the batting has been solid without being exceptional, the bowling in the PowerPlay has been dominant. No team has taken more wickets in the first six overs than RCB’s 34. It also leads in average (30.94), strike rate (20.1), and dot-ball percentage (45.1%), while ranking second in economy (9.22).</p><p>This dominance is driven by the pairing of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who account for 20 of those 34 wickets. Interestingly, for two bowlers known for extracting movement with the new ball, their best work has come in the latter half of the PowerPlay.</p><p> (insert – <iframe title="Fig. 3: Royal Challengers Bengaluru dominates the PowerPlay" aria-label="Grouped Bars" id="datawrapper-chart-iTwOQ" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/iTwOQ/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="629" data-external="1"></iframe>) </p><p>Twelve of those wickets have come in that phase, and the team’s 18 wickets between overs four and six are comfortably the best in the league.</p><p>Those early breakthroughs have often dented top-heavy batting units and set the stage for the spinners through the middle overs. While RCB’s spinners take relatively fewer wickets, they have been effective, as seen in Krunal Pandya’s three-wicket haul in the 2025 final against Punjab Kings.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Sharing the experience around</h4><p>After the 2025 mega-auction, RCB released videos outlining its strategy. In one of them, Director of Cricket Mo Bobat spoke about prioritising spending on the starting XII and building a strong Indian core.</p><p>That approach aligned with a broader trend: experienced teams tend to win IPL finals. Since 2022, only two players in their maiden IPL season have featured for a title-winning side in a final.</p><p>RCB also identified a lack of experience in its Indian contingent in 2024, with Kohli and Dinesh Karthik accounting for 65 per cent of the IPL caps among Indian players.</p><p>The auction strategy reflected that insight. The franchise invested heavily in an Indian core, bringing in Bhuvneshwar (Rs. 10.75 crore), Krunal (Rs. 5.75 crore), Jitesh Sharma (Rs. 11 crore), and Devdutt Padikkal (Rs. 2 crore).</p><p>None of them dominated pre-auction chatter, and even the most expensive among them went for less than half of what Rishabh Pant commanded. Despite entering the auction with the second-highest purse (Rs. 83 crore), RCB signed just one marquee player.</p><p>Yet, this group proved crucial in raising the team’s floor, using experience and clarity to bridge the gap between its best and worst performances, a long-standing issue for the franchise. Each also delivered match-winning contributions at key moments.</p><h4 class="sub_head">A well-constructed T20 team</h4><p>Everything came together on that night at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The planning, clarity, and execution aligned as RCB emerged as IPL champion for the first time.</p><p>Beyond the narrative of a drought ending, this is also a story of how a well-constructed team, built on sound principles and a clear understanding of modern T20 cricket, came into being.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 13, 2026</p></div> #IPL #RCB #sheds #inhibitions #emerge #modern #T20 #behemoth

Next post

IPL 2026: RCB sheds old inhibitions to emerge as modern T20 behemoth <div id="content-body-70856603" itemprop="articleBody"><p>In 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally shed its Indian Premier League (IPL) title drought. Rajat Patidar’s men have since begun the 2026 season with similar assurance, winning three of their first four matches.</p><p>Their 18-run win against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday was further evidence that a side long associated with on-field struggles has quietly transformed itself into a clinical and well-rounded T20 team.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Lessons from the past</h4><p>It is easy to say in retrospect, but there were signs that RCB could turn its fabled fortunes around. The 2025 title win came after a mega-auction reset, but in the five preceding seasons (2020 to 2024), RCB qualified for the playoffs four times, building a base of consistency even without silverware.</p><p>The last of those playoff appearances, in 2024, came on the back of a borderline miraculous run. The side recovered from losing seven of its first eight league matches by winning its next six in a row to sneak into the final qualification spot, before losing the Eliminator to Rajasthan Royals.</p><p>That turnaround was driven by a clear shift in approach with the bat. Over that run, its run rate rose from 9.16 in the first eight matches to 10.23 in the final seven, while scoring rates across all three phases increased significantly.</p><p>More importantly, the middle-overs slowdown disappeared almost entirely, with batters continuing to attack and maintaining a far more even scoring pattern through the innings.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Life in the fast lane</h4><p>Since 2025, the personnel have changed entirely, barring Virat Kohli and Patidar, but the attacking intent has not waned. RCB has struck at 9.63 with the bat and maintained a consistent scoring rate throughout the innings.</p><p> (insert – <iframe title="Fig. 1: Royal Challengers Bengaluru's run-rates by phase of innings" aria-label="Line chart" id="datawrapper-chart-cV5yL" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/cV5yL/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="488" data-external="1"></iframe>) </p><p>While none of its phase-wise run rates — 9.36 in the PowerPlay, 9.04 in the middle overs, and 11.42 at the death — are the very best in the league, they all rank in the top half, underlining the consistency of the batting unit.</p><p>Leading the way is the opening pair of Phil Salt and Kohli. Salt, picked for Rs. 11.50 crore after his performances in Kolkata Knight Riders’ 2024 title-winning campaign, is one of the most aggressive PowerPlay batters in world cricket. He complements the more measured Kohli, who has nevertheless found an extra gear.</p><p>Together, the pair has put on 731 runs (the third-most of any opening pair) at an average of 43 and a run rate of 10.34 since the start of 2025, combining volume with tempo to give RCB a strong platform.</p><p>Unlike the RCB sides of the past, the burden of run-scoring has not rested on a handful of players. Over the 2025 season, 10 different batters have scored half-centuries for the team.</p><p>Equally impressively, among frontline batters who have faced at least 10 balls since the start of the 2025 season, all but two have struck at over 140.</p><p> (insert – <iframe title="Fig. 2: Royal Challengers Bengaluru batters' strike-rates (min. 10 balls)" aria-label="Bar Chart" id="datawrapper-chart-fIZPb" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/fIZPb/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="516" data-external="1"></iframe>) </p><p>RCB’s batting line-up has thus been remodelled into one that bats deep, scores quickly, and produces contributions across the order. Perhaps more significantly, RCB has shown early signs of correcting a key weakness. In 2025, it won seven of eight matches while chasing, compared to five in eight batting first; in 2026, two of its three wins have already come while setting a target.</p><h4 class="sub_head">The early bird gets the worm</h4><p>If the batting has been solid without being exceptional, the bowling in the PowerPlay has been dominant. No team has taken more wickets in the first six overs than RCB’s 34. It also leads in average (30.94), strike rate (20.1), and dot-ball percentage (45.1%), while ranking second in economy (9.22).</p><p>This dominance is driven by the pairing of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who account for 20 of those 34 wickets. Interestingly, for two bowlers known for extracting movement with the new ball, their best work has come in the latter half of the PowerPlay.</p><p> (insert – <iframe title="Fig. 3: Royal Challengers Bengaluru dominates the PowerPlay" aria-label="Grouped Bars" id="datawrapper-chart-iTwOQ" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/iTwOQ/1/" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" style="width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;" height="629" data-external="1"></iframe>) </p><p>Twelve of those wickets have come in that phase, and the team’s 18 wickets between overs four and six are comfortably the best in the league.</p><p>Those early breakthroughs have often dented top-heavy batting units and set the stage for the spinners through the middle overs. While RCB’s spinners take relatively fewer wickets, they have been effective, as seen in Krunal Pandya’s three-wicket haul in the 2025 final against Punjab Kings.</p><h4 class="sub_head">Sharing the experience around</h4><p>After the 2025 mega-auction, RCB released videos outlining its strategy. In one of them, Director of Cricket Mo Bobat spoke about prioritising spending on the starting XII and building a strong Indian core.</p><p>That approach aligned with a broader trend: experienced teams tend to win IPL finals. Since 2022, only two players in their maiden IPL season have featured for a title-winning side in a final.</p><p>RCB also identified a lack of experience in its Indian contingent in 2024, with Kohli and Dinesh Karthik accounting for 65 per cent of the IPL caps among Indian players.</p><p>The auction strategy reflected that insight. The franchise invested heavily in an Indian core, bringing in Bhuvneshwar (Rs. 10.75 crore), Krunal (Rs. 5.75 crore), Jitesh Sharma (Rs. 11 crore), and Devdutt Padikkal (Rs. 2 crore).</p><p>None of them dominated pre-auction chatter, and even the most expensive among them went for less than half of what Rishabh Pant commanded. Despite entering the auction with the second-highest purse (Rs. 83 crore), RCB signed just one marquee player.</p><p>Yet, this group proved crucial in raising the team’s floor, using experience and clarity to bridge the gap between its best and worst performances, a long-standing issue for the franchise. Each also delivered match-winning contributions at key moments.</p><h4 class="sub_head">A well-constructed T20 team</h4><p>Everything came together on that night at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The planning, clarity, and execution aligned as RCB emerged as IPL champion for the first time.</p><p>Beyond the narrative of a drought ending, this is also a story of how a well-constructed team, built on sound principles and a clear understanding of modern T20 cricket, came into being.</p><p class="publish-time" id="end-of-article">Published on Apr 13, 2026</p></div> #IPL #RCB #sheds #inhibitions #emerge #modern #T20 #behemoth

Deadspin | Rafael Devers homers to power Giants past Pirates  May 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (16) looks toward the dugout after hitting a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images   Robbie Ray threw six effective innings, Luis Arraez broke open a close game with a two-run single in the seventh and the San Francisco Giants opened a three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 5-2 victory Friday night.  Rafael Devers homered, singled and scored twice for the Giants, who had lost eight of their previous nine games.  After Devers and Pittsburgh’s Marcell Ozuna traded solo homers in the early going, San Francisco took the lead for good against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski (2-3) in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Heliot Ramos.  The homers were the fourth of the season for both Devers and Ozuna.  The score remained 2-1 until Drew Gilbert drove in Willy Adames with a single in the seventh. Three batters later, Arraez stroked his single to right, sending Gilbert and Ramos home to complete San Francisco’s scoring.  Ray (3-4) left a 2-1 game after throwing 93 pitches in his six innings. He gave up four hits and four walks while striking out seven in ending a personal three-game losing streak.  After Keaton Winn and Matt Gage threw a hitless inning apiece, the Pirates made things interesting against Caleb Kilian in the ninth.   Pittsburgh got within 5-2 on a one-out, RBI single by pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz, before Kilian got Brandon Lowe to pop up and pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn to ground to third when both represented the potential tying run.  In losing for the third time in his last four starts, Mlodzinski allowed just two runs and seven hits in his six innings. He struck out one and didn’t walk anyone.  Adames, Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee joined Devers with two hits apiece for the Giants, whose 12 hits were the team’s most since 13 in a 10-inning loss at Philadelphia last Thursday.  Ozuna added a single to his home run for the Pirates, who totaled just five hits. The loss was just Pittsburgh’s second in its last seven games.  The homers by Devers and Ozuna, and a double by Ramos, were the only extra-base hits of the contest.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Rafael #Devers #homers #power #Giants #PiratesMay 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (16) looks toward the dugout after hitting a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

Robbie Ray threw six effective innings, Luis Arraez broke open a close game with a two-run single in the seventh and the San Francisco Giants opened a three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 5-2 victory Friday night.

Rafael Devers homered, singled and scored twice for the Giants, who had lost eight of their previous nine games.

After Devers and Pittsburgh’s Marcell Ozuna traded solo homers in the early going, San Francisco took the lead for good against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski (2-3) in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Heliot Ramos.

The homers were the fourth of the season for both Devers and Ozuna.

The score remained 2-1 until Drew Gilbert drove in Willy Adames with a single in the seventh. Three batters later, Arraez stroked his single to right, sending Gilbert and Ramos home to complete San Francisco’s scoring.

Ray (3-4) left a 2-1 game after throwing 93 pitches in his six innings. He gave up four hits and four walks while striking out seven in ending a personal three-game losing streak.


After Keaton Winn and Matt Gage threw a hitless inning apiece, the Pirates made things interesting against Caleb Kilian in the ninth.

Pittsburgh got within 5-2 on a one-out, RBI single by pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz, before Kilian got Brandon Lowe to pop up and pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn to ground to third when both represented the potential tying run.

In losing for the third time in his last four starts, Mlodzinski allowed just two runs and seven hits in his six innings. He struck out one and didn’t walk anyone.

Adames, Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee joined Devers with two hits apiece for the Giants, whose 12 hits were the team’s most since 13 in a 10-inning loss at Philadelphia last Thursday.

Ozuna added a single to his home run for the Pirates, who totaled just five hits. The loss was just Pittsburgh’s second in its last seven games.

The homers by Devers and Ozuna, and a double by Ramos, were the only extra-base hits of the contest.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Rafael #Devers #homers #power #Giants #Pirates">Deadspin | Rafael Devers homers to power Giants past Pirates  May 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (16) looks toward the dugout after hitting a home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images   Robbie Ray threw six effective innings, Luis Arraez broke open a close game with a two-run single in the seventh and the San Francisco Giants opened a three-game home series against the Pittsburgh Pirates with a 5-2 victory Friday night.  Rafael Devers homered, singled and scored twice for the Giants, who had lost eight of their previous nine games.  After Devers and Pittsburgh’s Marcell Ozuna traded solo homers in the early going, San Francisco took the lead for good against Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski (2-3) in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Heliot Ramos.  The homers were the fourth of the season for both Devers and Ozuna.  The score remained 2-1 until Drew Gilbert drove in Willy Adames with a single in the seventh. Three batters later, Arraez stroked his single to right, sending Gilbert and Ramos home to complete San Francisco’s scoring.  Ray (3-4) left a 2-1 game after throwing 93 pitches in his six innings. He gave up four hits and four walks while striking out seven in ending a personal three-game losing streak.  After Keaton Winn and Matt Gage threw a hitless inning apiece, the Pirates made things interesting against Caleb Kilian in the ninth.   Pittsburgh got within 5-2 on a one-out, RBI single by pinch-hitter Spencer Horwitz, before Kilian got Brandon Lowe to pop up and pinch-hitter Ryan O’Hearn to ground to third when both represented the potential tying run.  In losing for the third time in his last four starts, Mlodzinski allowed just two runs and seven hits in his six innings. He struck out one and didn’t walk anyone.  Adames, Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee joined Devers with two hits apiece for the Giants, whose 12 hits were the team’s most since 13 in a 10-inning loss at Philadelphia last Thursday.  Ozuna added a single to his home run for the Pirates, who totaled just five hits. The loss was just Pittsburgh’s second in its last seven games.  The homers by Devers and Ozuna, and a double by Ramos, were the only extra-base hits of the contest.  –Field Level Media   #Deadspin #Rafael #Devers #homers #power #Giants #Pirates

Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament Of Champions 2026 - Round Three
Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament Of Champions 2026 - Round Three

ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JANUARY 31: Taylor Twellman plays his shot from the first tee during the third round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions 2026 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
Getty Images

#Taylor #Twellman #credits #golf #saving #life">Taylor Twellman credits golf for saving his life  ORLANDO, FLORIDA – JANUARY 31: Taylor Twellman plays his shot from the first tee during the third round of the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions 2026 at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club on January 31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) Getty Images  #Taylor #Twellman #credits #golf #saving #life

Post Comment