MILWAUKEE (AP) — Bryan Reynolds went 5 for 5 with a homer and two doubles, Mitch Keller threw six shutout innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 8-6. Jack Suwinski and Yasmani Grandal hit two-run homers for the Pirates. Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers delivered his first career grand slam. The Brewers nearly came all the way back after trailing 7-2 in the eighth inning. Milwaukee’s Rhys Hoskins left the game after getting injured while running to first base on a second-inning single. Series continues tonight. Pregame at 6:05pm. First pitch at 6:40pm on AM1240 & 96.5FM.
DALLAS (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 34 points, and the Oklahoma City Thunder overcame a Dallas franchise playoff record of 13 blocks, rallying for a 100-96 victory to even their Western Conference semifinal series at 2-2. Chet Holmgren and Lu Dort hit a clutch 3-pointer apiece late, and Jalen Williams drove for a dunk and a 94-91 lead with 1:29 remaining as Dallas players and coaches screamed for a double-dribble call. The teams split a pair on each other’s home court. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Oklahoma City. The Mavericks’ last chance to tie came with 10.1 seconds left when trailing by two, Luka Doncic had two free throws. But the Dallas superstar missed the first.
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jayson Tatum scored 33 points with LeBron James watching from a courtside seat and the Boston Celtics beat the severely short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers 109-102 in Game 4 to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their East semifinal series. Jaylen Brown added 27 for the Celtics, who can close out Cleveland with a win in Game 5 on Wednesday at home. The Cavs got pushed to the brink of elimination with Donovan Mitchell and Jarrett Allen out with injuries. It was nothing new for a Cleveland team that dealt with injuries all season, but it was a big ask. Tatum added 11 rebounds and five assists. Darius Garland scored 30 and Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert 19 apiece for the Cavs.
NEW YORK (AP) — Jordan Staal and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored 3:06 apart in the third period, and the Carolina Hurricanes got four goals in the third period for a 4-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5, staving off elimination for the second straight game. Jordan Martinook and Martin Necas also scored in the Hurricanes’ big third period, and Frederik Andersen — starting for the fourth time in five games in this series and ninth time in 10 games in the postseason — had 20 saves. Jacob Trouba scored a short-handed goal and Igor Shesterkin stopped 24 shots for New York, which has lost two straight after taking a 3-0 series lead. Game 6 is Thursday night in Raleigh, North Carolina.
DENVER (AP) — Wyatt Johnston scored twice on the eve of his 21st birthday as the Dallas Stars pushed Colorado to the brink of elimination with a 5-1 win in Game 4 that came hours after Avalanche standout Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months. Dallas can close it out at home in Game 5 on Wednesday. Miro Heiskanen and Evgenii Dadonov also scored, while Sam Steel added an empty-net goal. Jake Oettinger made 24 saves. Before the game, the National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players’ Association announced that Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Maggie Flaherty and Denisa Krizova each scored in the second period and Minnesota beat Toronto 2-0 in Game 3 of the Professional Women’s Hockey League semifinal series. Minnesota, which trails the best-of-five series 2-1, hosts Game 4 on Wednesday. Minnesota ended a seven-game losing streak, while Toronto had a six-game winning streak snapped. Toronto had won the previous five games against Minnesota since losing 3-1 at Xcel Energy Center on Jan. 10. Maddie Rooney made 18 saves for Minnesota for her third shutout of the season. Flaherty scored Minnesota’s first playoff goal with 17:48 left in the second period, ending a seven-period scoreless stretch and breaking Kristen Campbell’s shutout streak. Krizova doubled the lead midway through the second by poking in a loose puck.