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Deadspin | Nick Martinez helps Rays dispatch Reds, his former team  Apr 22, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates with Tampa Bay Rays third base coach Brady Williams (4) after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images   Nick Martinez allowed a run on five hits over eight innings and Junior Caminero homered to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon at St. Petersburg, Fla.  Martinez (1-1) walked one and struck out five against his former team. He threw 71 strikes in 95 pitches.  The Rays averted a sweep in the three-game series and won for only the second time in six games. Caminero drove in two runs, Yandy Diaz was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Ryan Vilade was 2-for-2, scored a run, drove in a run and walked.  The Reds had their five-game winning streak snapped.  Both teams are off Thursday.  Cincinnati starter Brandon Williamson (2-2) gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.  The Rays capitalized on Williamson’s walks to the first two batters in the second by scoring three runs and sending eight batters to the plate. Ben Williamson singled in a run, Chandler Crawford brought in the second tally with a sacrifice fly and Diaz produced an RBI single.   Tampa Bay centerfielder Jonny Deluca ended the top of the third by leaping against the fence to haul in T.J. Friedl’s drive.  Caminero’s home run leading off the bottom of the third made it 4-0. He drove a 1-1 pitch to the opposite field, into the right-center-field stands an estimated 404 feet for Caminero’s sixth homer.  The Reds only managed a run in the fifth after loading the bases with none out. P.J. Higgins’ sacrifice fly made it 4-1. Friedl then bounced into a fielder’s choice as Spencer Steer was tagged out at home. Martinez then got Matt McLain on a flyout to end the half inning.  Vilade’s run-scoring in the fifth made it 5-1.  Friedl, playing center field, made a diving catch on Nick Fortes’ drive to right-center to end the sixth inning.  Caminero’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice in the seventh produced the final margin.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Nick #Martinez #helps #Rays #dispatch #Reds #team

Deadspin | Nick Martinez helps Rays dispatch Reds, his former team
Deadspin | Nick Martinez helps Rays dispatch Reds, his former team  Apr 22, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates with Tampa Bay Rays third base coach Brady Williams (4) after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images   Nick Martinez allowed a run on five hits over eight innings and Junior Caminero homered to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon at St. Petersburg, Fla.  Martinez (1-1) walked one and struck out five against his former team. He threw 71 strikes in 95 pitches.  The Rays averted a sweep in the three-game series and won for only the second time in six games. Caminero drove in two runs, Yandy Diaz was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Ryan Vilade was 2-for-2, scored a run, drove in a run and walked.  The Reds had their five-game winning streak snapped.  Both teams are off Thursday.  Cincinnati starter Brandon Williamson (2-2) gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.  The Rays capitalized on Williamson’s walks to the first two batters in the second by scoring three runs and sending eight batters to the plate. Ben Williamson singled in a run, Chandler Crawford brought in the second tally with a sacrifice fly and Diaz produced an RBI single.   Tampa Bay centerfielder Jonny Deluca ended the top of the third by leaping against the fence to haul in T.J. Friedl’s drive.  Caminero’s home run leading off the bottom of the third made it 4-0. He drove a 1-1 pitch to the opposite field, into the right-center-field stands an estimated 404 feet for Caminero’s sixth homer.  The Reds only managed a run in the fifth after loading the bases with none out. P.J. Higgins’ sacrifice fly made it 4-1. Friedl then bounced into a fielder’s choice as Spencer Steer was tagged out at home. Martinez then got Matt McLain on a flyout to end the half inning.  Vilade’s run-scoring in the fifth made it 5-1.  Friedl, playing center field, made a diving catch on Nick Fortes’ drive to right-center to end the sixth inning.  Caminero’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice in the seventh produced the final margin.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Nick #Martinez #helps #Rays #dispatch #Reds #teamApr 22, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates with Tampa Bay Rays third base coach Brady Williams (4) after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Nick Martinez allowed a run on five hits over eight innings and Junior Caminero homered to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Martinez (1-1) walked one and struck out five against his former team. He threw 71 strikes in 95 pitches.

The Rays averted a sweep in the three-game series and won for only the second time in six games. Caminero drove in two runs, Yandy Diaz was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Ryan Vilade was 2-for-2, scored a run, drove in a run and walked.

The Reds had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Both teams are off Thursday.

Cincinnati starter Brandon Williamson (2-2) gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.


The Rays capitalized on Williamson’s walks to the first two batters in the second by scoring three runs and sending eight batters to the plate. Ben Williamson singled in a run, Chandler Crawford brought in the second tally with a sacrifice fly and Diaz produced an RBI single.

Tampa Bay centerfielder Jonny Deluca ended the top of the third by leaping against the fence to haul in T.J. Friedl’s drive.

Caminero’s home run leading off the bottom of the third made it 4-0. He drove a 1-1 pitch to the opposite field, into the right-center-field stands an estimated 404 feet for Caminero’s sixth homer.

The Reds only managed a run in the fifth after loading the bases with none out. P.J. Higgins’ sacrifice fly made it 4-1. Friedl then bounced into a fielder’s choice as Spencer Steer was tagged out at home. Martinez then got Matt McLain on a flyout to end the half inning.

Vilade’s run-scoring in the fifth made it 5-1.

Friedl, playing center field, made a diving catch on Nick Fortes’ drive to right-center to end the sixth inning.

Caminero’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice in the seventh produced the final margin.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Nick #Martinez #helps #Rays #dispatch #Reds #team

Apr 22, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) celebrates with Tampa Bay Rays third base coach Brady Williams (4) after hitting a home run during the third inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Nick Martinez allowed a run on five hits over eight innings and Junior Caminero homered to lead the Tampa Bay Rays to a 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday afternoon at St. Petersburg, Fla.

Martinez (1-1) walked one and struck out five against his former team. He threw 71 strikes in 95 pitches.

The Rays averted a sweep in the three-game series and won for only the second time in six games. Caminero drove in two runs, Yandy Diaz was 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Ryan Vilade was 2-for-2, scored a run, drove in a run and walked.

The Reds had their five-game winning streak snapped.

Both teams are off Thursday.

Cincinnati starter Brandon Williamson (2-2) gave up five runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings with three walks and three strikeouts.

The Rays capitalized on Williamson’s walks to the first two batters in the second by scoring three runs and sending eight batters to the plate. Ben Williamson singled in a run, Chandler Crawford brought in the second tally with a sacrifice fly and Diaz produced an RBI single.

Tampa Bay centerfielder Jonny Deluca ended the top of the third by leaping against the fence to haul in T.J. Friedl’s drive.

Caminero’s home run leading off the bottom of the third made it 4-0. He drove a 1-1 pitch to the opposite field, into the right-center-field stands an estimated 404 feet for Caminero’s sixth homer.

The Reds only managed a run in the fifth after loading the bases with none out. P.J. Higgins’ sacrifice fly made it 4-1. Friedl then bounced into a fielder’s choice as Spencer Steer was tagged out at home. Martinez then got Matt McLain on a flyout to end the half inning.

Vilade’s run-scoring in the fifth made it 5-1.

Friedl, playing center field, made a diving catch on Nick Fortes’ drive to right-center to end the sixth inning.

Caminero’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice in the seventh produced the final margin.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Nick #Martinez #helps #Rays #dispatch #Reds #team

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Deadspin | Yordan Alvarez homers in first, Astros shut out Guardians <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-900/28784978.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28784978.jpg" alt="MLB: Houston Astros at Cleveland Guardians" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 22, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Houston Astros left fielder Yordan Alvarez (44) hits a single during the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Yordan Alvarez had three hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning, and Peter Lambert threw six shutout innings for the visiting Houston Astros in a 2-0 win against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday afternoon in the rubber game of their three-game series.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Lambert (1-1) allowed three hits while striking out eight and walking three for the Astros, who had lost five of six and surrendered at least seven runs in four of those defeats.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bibee (0-3) allowed two runs and five hits over six innings. He struck out three and walked two.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Chase DeLauter had two of the five hits for the Guardians, who had won three of four.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Alvarez came up after Carlos Correa doubled to lead off the game and fouled off a two-strike changeup before lifting a curveball into the stands in right for a 2-0 lead.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>The home run was the MLB-leading 11th of the season for Alvarez.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-7"> <p>Lambert stranded two runners in the first and again in the third. The Guardians also couldn’t take advantage of a leadoff walk in the second. George Valera was safe on an error by Astros second baseman Jose Altuve to lead off the fourth but was stranded at third.</p> </section> <section id="section-8"> <p>A right-hander, Lambert retired six of the final seven batters he faced, getting two strikeouts and a comebacker in the sixth.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>AJ Blubaugh retired the side in order in the seventh for the Astros before reliever Steven Okert got the first two outs in the eighth. Enyel De Los Santos then came in and struck out Rhys Hoskins with a runner on first to end the inning.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>De Los Santos came back out for the ninth and got Brayan Rocchio to fly out to center with two runners aboard to end the game and secure his third save.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Bibee got away with walking the leadoff batter in the third and fourth innings and then retired six in a row before Alvarez singled to lead off the sixth. Bibee stranded two runners in his final inning.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>Matt Festa, Hunter Gaddis and Erik Sabrowski each tossed an inning of scoreless relief for the Guardians.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #Yordan #Alvarez #homers #Astros #shut #Guardians

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Deadspin | LPGA stars get another shot at major title at Chevron <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-900/27581061.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/27581061.jpg" alt="LPGA: The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican - First Round" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Nov 13, 2025; Belleair, Florida, USA; Nelly Korda hits a shot on the ninth hole during the first round of The ANNIKA golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>The top five players in the women’s golf world rankings have something in common. All five have won at least one tournament since the 2026 season began, whether on the LPGA Tour or elsewhere.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Actually, that quintet of Jeeno Thitikul, Nelly Korda, Hyo-joo Kim, Charley Hull and Hannah Green shares another attribute: They’ve collected zero of the sport’s last nine major championships.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>As major season kicks off at the Chevron Championship on Thursday in Houston, the world of women’s golf waits to see if one of its star players can reassert her dominance under the brightest lights the sport has to offer.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Four of the five major winners in 2025 were first-time champions, including Mao Saigo of Japan, who birdied the first hole of an unprecedented five-way playoff (featuring Kim, among others) to win the Chevron.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>That was the event’s final year at the widely-panned Club at Carlton Woods in the Houston suburbs. Formerly played in the Coachella Valley and known as the Dinah Shore, Kraft Nabisco Championship and other titles, the Chevron will make a new home at Memorial Park Golf Course.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>The municipal course near downtown Houston is the current home of the PGA Tour’s Houston Open, renovated less than 10 years ago with consulting from Brooks Koepka. It will play as a par-72, 6,811-yard course for the ladies this week.</p> </section><section id="section-7"> <p>“It’s definitely a second-shot golf course,” Korda said. “Greens are pretty tricked out. Just depends on how it’s going to play with all the rain that they got. It can play really long where (drives are) not going to go run out or play really soft.”</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>Korda is the most recent major winner of the world’s top five, having taken the Chevron crown in 2024. But in nine major starts since, she has mixed two T2s with two missed cuts and an array of also-ran finishes.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>She began 2026 with a win at the season-opening Tournament of Champions, weather-shortened from 72 to 54 holes. World No. 1Thitikul won the next event in her native Thailand.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-10"> <p>Though only 23, Thitikul has been gunning for her first major for close to five years, collecting nine top-10s without a victory.</p> </section> <section id="section-11"> <p>“I think it’s a good thing,” Thitikul said. “If you in contention, if you without a win as well but you in contention for like maybe four, five week in a row, which mean your game is there. …</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>“If you were in contention every week, you saw your name on the top in every week, which mean your game is there and then just matter of time.”</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>England’s Hull has yet to capture a major, while Kim, a South Korean veteran who won back-to-back tournaments in March, hasn’t added to her major mantle since the 2014 Evian.</p> </section><section id="section-14"> <p>Green will be a popular pick this week as the Australian rides white-hot form into Houston. She’s won four tournaments since March 1, including a two-week sweep of the Women’s Australian Open and Australian WPGA Championship. On Sunday outside Los Angeles, Green putted her way into a playoff and then won her third LA Championship.</p> </section><section id="section-15"> <p>She said Tuesday that she plans to “ride this wave for as long as possible.”</p> </section><section id="section-16"> <p>“My putter has been very kind to me, so it’s nice to feel like all aspects of my game have actually been able to turn on at the same time, as to where last year I felt like one thing would go well and something would be really off,” Green said.</p> </section><section id="section-17"> <p>“That’s probably been the biggest difference, but obviously the inner belief has definitely been different, too.”</p> </section><section id="section-18"> <p>Green’s lone major title came when she won the 2019 Women’s PGA Championship.</p> </section><section id="section-19"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section></div> #Deadspin #LPGA #stars #shot #major #title #Chevron

#LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide">LIVE — Cincinnati vs Inter Miami: CIN v MIA updates; Messi, Suarez start for Herons; form guide  Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look for a fifth consecutive away victory on Wednesday night when they visit an FC Cincinnati side that has been settling too often for ‌draws.Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches.The Herons, who come into the match after a 4-2 win over Toronto, are third in the Eastern Conference standings, while Cincinnati, which drew its previous clash with Charlotte, sits sixth on the table.Cincinnati vs Inter Miami — Preview, CIN v MIA predicted line-ups, will Lionel Messi play?Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches, while Inter Miami is eyeing its fifth consecutive win in Major League Soccer on the road.  #LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide

Cincinnati vs Inter Miami — Preview, CIN v MIA predicted line-ups, will Lionel Messi play?

Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches, while Inter Miami is eyeing its fifth consecutive win in Major League Soccer on the road.

#LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide">LIVE — Cincinnati vs Inter Miami: CIN v MIA updates; Messi, Suarez start for Herons; form guide

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look for a fifth consecutive away victory on Wednesday night when they visit an FC Cincinnati side that has been settling too often for ‌draws.

Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches.

The Herons, who come into the match after a 4-2 win over Toronto, are third in the Eastern Conference standings, while Cincinnati, which drew its previous clash with Charlotte, sits sixth on the table.

LIVE — Cincinnati vs Inter Miami: CIN v MIA updates; Messi, Suarez start for Herons; form guide  Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will look for a fifth consecutive away victory on Wednesday night when they visit an FC Cincinnati side that has been settling too often for ‌draws.Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches.The Herons, who come into the match after a 4-2 win over Toronto, are third in the Eastern Conference standings, while Cincinnati, which drew its previous clash with Charlotte, sits sixth on the table.Cincinnati vs Inter Miami — Preview, CIN v MIA predicted line-ups, will Lionel Messi play?Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches, while Inter Miami is eyeing its fifth consecutive win in Major League Soccer on the road.  #LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide

Cincinnati vs Inter Miami — Preview, CIN v MIA predicted line-ups, will Lionel Messi play?

Cincinnati is unbeaten — with four draws — in its last six matches, while Inter Miami is eyeing its fifth consecutive win in Major League Soccer on the road.

#LIVE #Cincinnati #Inter #Miami #CIN #MIA #updates #Messi #Suarez #start #Herons #form #guide
Deadspin | Report: Netflix close to landing NFL Honors for 2027  Feb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported.  The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner.  Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC.   Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report.  Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #HonorsFeb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported.

The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner.


Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC.

Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report.

Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #Honors">Deadspin | Report: Netflix close to landing NFL Honors for 2027  Feb 5, 2026; San Francisco, CA, USA; A NFL shield logo at the NFL Honors Red Carpet before Super Bowl LX at Palace of Fine Arts. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images   Netflix is finalizing a deal to stream the NFL Honors ceremony in 2027, Front Office Sports reported.  The league’s annual awards event takes place during Super Bowl week and traditionally has aired on NFL Network as well as each year’s Super Bowl rights partner.  Netflix is reportedly “likely” become the ceremony’s exclusive broadcast partner following a ratings report estimate of 3.7 million viewers for the February 2026 primetime broadcast on NBC.   Spokespersons for Netflix and the NFL did not comment on the report.  Netflix continues to expand its relationship with the league. After airing Christmas Day doubleheaders in each of the past two seasons, multiple reports have said the streaming giant has acquired three additional NFL games during the 2026 season.  –Field Level Media    #Deadspin #Report #Netflix #close #landing #NFL #Honors

The Portland Fire’s roster doesn’t include many big-name WNBA players.

One of two expansion teams to join the league this season, their roster is headlined by strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carle Leite, and Emily Engslter, players who have never been primary options in the WNBA, and fought tooth and nail to make it.

But on Tuesday night in Portland, as streamers inundated the stands, the roster’s relative name recognition didn’t matter.

Thanks to a Sarah Ashlee-Barker game-winning putback layup, the Fire defeated the New York Liberty 98-96, toppling a veteran squad that boasts stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.

Important disclaimer: the Liberty have not been healthy to begin the season; two of their most important players — Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally — are both sidelined. Still, few would have predicted that the Fire, who fell to the Chicago Sky on opening night, would come away with their first win of the season on Tuesday against.

Bridget Carleton did everything she could to ensure it would happen. The 28-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in the expansion draft, and subsequently signed a 3-year, $3.75 million maximum contract.

Some scoffed at the size of that deal — she’d never before averaged double-figures, and while she was a strong role player for the Minnesota Lynx, she appeared to be just that: a role player.

But, in Tuesday’s win, the Fire’s Carleton vision came to fruition. The Canadian sharpshooter tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also racking up 4 steals. In her 33 minutes on the floor, the Fire outscored the Liberty by 12 points.

But the victory was far more than just Carleton’s doing.

The 22-year-old Carla Leite appears to be a rising star of her own. Leite showed flashes of potential in her rookie season on the Golden State Valkyries, but is already seeing more opportunities in Portland. She led the way with 21 points in the season opener, and followed that up with another 21-point performance on Tuesday, hitting 8 of 14 field goal attempts alongside 6 assists.

Leite’s most pivotal play came with just 27 seconds to spare, when she blew past Jonquel Jones for a clutch-time layup to tie up the ball game.

Then, it was Sarah Ashlee-Barker who quickly became a franchise hero; the second-year forward corralled Carleton’s missed three-point attempt, and beat the buzzer with the putback.

Immediately, Ashlee-Barker’s teammates piled on top of her in celebration, while the fans at Moda Center went berserk.

A Fire team that didn’t even have players just a few months ago had toppled one of the most talented squads in the WNBA.

And, the fire they played with on Tuesday night suggested it just might be the first of many big-time victories in their inaugural season.

#Portland #Fire #won #game #perfect">The Portland Fire just won their first game, and it was perfect  The Portland Fire’s roster doesn’t include many big-name WNBA players.One of two expansion teams to join the league this season, their roster is headlined by strong role players like Bridget Carleton, Carle Leite, and Emily Engslter, players who have never been primary options in the WNBA, and fought tooth and nail to make it.But on Tuesday night in Portland, as streamers inundated the stands, the roster’s relative name recognition didn’t matter.Thanks to a Sarah Ashlee-Barker game-winning putback layup, the Fire defeated the New York Liberty 98-96, toppling a veteran squad that boasts stars like Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones.Important disclaimer: the Liberty have not been healthy to begin the season; two of their most important players — Sabrina Ionescu and Satou Sabally — are both sidelined. Still, few would have predicted that the Fire, who fell to the Chicago Sky on opening night, would come away with their first win of the season on Tuesday against.Bridget Carleton did everything she could to ensure it would happen. The 28-year-old was selected No. 1 overall in the expansion draft, and subsequently signed a 3-year, .75 million maximum contract.Some scoffed at the size of that deal — she’d never before averaged double-figures, and while she was a strong role player for the Minnesota Lynx, she appeared to be just that: a role player.But, in Tuesday’s win, the Fire’s Carleton vision came to fruition. The Canadian sharpshooter tallied a career-high 26 points on 9-16 shooting, hitting 5 of 11 three-point attempts, while also racking up 4 steals. In her 33 minutes on the floor, the Fire outscored the Liberty by 12 points.But the victory was far more than just Carleton’s doing.The 22-year-old Carla Leite appears to be a rising star of her own. Leite showed flashes of potential in her rookie season on the Golden State Valkyries, but is already seeing more opportunities in Portland. She led the way with 21 points in the season opener, and followed that up with another 21-point performance on Tuesday, hitting 8 of 14 field goal attempts alongside 6 assists.Leite’s most pivotal play came with just 27 seconds to spare, when she blew past Jonquel Jones for a clutch-time layup to tie up the ball game.Then, it was Sarah Ashlee-Barker who quickly became a franchise hero; the second-year forward corralled Carleton’s missed three-point attempt, and beat the buzzer with the putback.Immediately, Ashlee-Barker’s teammates piled on top of her in celebration, while the fans at Moda Center went berserk.A Fire team that didn’t even have players just a few months ago had toppled one of the most talented squads in the WNBA.And, the fire they played with on Tuesday night suggested it just might be the first of many big-time victories in their inaugural season.  #Portland #Fire #won #game #perfect

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