
By SuperWest Sports Staff
Sports
Vikings Suddenly Have One of NFL’s Most Intense Roster Battles
Kyler Murray signed with the Minnesota Vikings in March, and most expect him to win the QB1 job this summer somewhat handily. But not so fast, says Bleacher Report.
Minnesota’s QB1 mystery now headlines a deeper summer competition.
The Vikings will feature a Top 10 roster battle this summer at training camp, according to Kristopher Knox, which will make for must-see television if J.J. McCarthy has taken the next developmental step.
The Murray-McCarthy Battle Gets National Attention
Murray or McCarthy. Who you got?
BR: Vikings Have a Top 10 Summer Roster Battle
Knox revealed the 10 most intense summer camp battles around the bend, and the Vikings’ quarterbacks were mentioned.
He wrote while ranking Minnesota at No. 6 on his list, “McCarthy missed his entire rookie season following knee surgery and only had occasional moments of good play in 2025. As is the case in Atlanta, McCarthy will have to beat out another former first-round pick if he hopes to establish himself as the Minnesota Vikings’ franchise quarterback.”
“The Vikings added 2019 first overall pick Kyler Murray, who was cut by the Cardinals early this offseason. He was a Pro Bowl quarterback early in his career, but despite having tremendous dual-threat potential, he failed to bring stability to Arizona’s QB position.”
Vikings players and coaches have spoken as if Murray is the QB1 frontrunner, though not long ago, the team put all its eggs in McCarthy’s basket.
Knox continued, “While Max Brosmer and Carson Wentz are also in Minnesota’s quarterback room, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has made it pretty clear that he expects a battle between McCarthy and Murray.”
“Players like Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and Aaron Jones Sr. — not to mention the quarterback-friendly offense of Kevin O’Connell — are why Murray has a real chance to revitalize his career with the Vikings. If he doesn’t do that, maybe he’ll push McCarthy to become a dependable starter.”
Murray as Heavy Frontrunner
Listen, Murray didn’t sign with the Vikings to be somebody’s backup quarterback. There’s a popular misnomer that Murray’s career is flailing, as evidenced by widespread comparisons to Baker Mayfield before his relationship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and to Sam Darnold with the Vikings.
The problem? That comparison just doesn’t hold water. From 2019 to now, Murray has far outshone anything that Mayfield or Darnold did before their careers stalled. The Cardinals just made a strange decision to get rid of him after no playoff wins in seven seasons.
While McCarthy could, in theory, score a summer upset, you should interpret Murray as the firm and absolutely frontrunner to be Minnesota’s QB1 in 2026.
Vikings All-Pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson said two weeks ago about the impending quarterback competition: “It’s really good to get some good talent in the room to give a little spark in that room to see a competitive edge and from those guys to really lock in and to do what we’re expecting them to do, which is to come in and to be that guy. And we need that one guy for this team.”
“So I’m definitely excited for that room, excited to see what those guys have in store for us in training camp.”
McCarthy Cannot Be Ruled Out
There is a world, however, where McCarthy quietly worked on his mechanics all offseason, arriving at training camp this summer ready to effectuate his 1st-Round draft stock from two years ago. That happens — players taking a bit longer than usual to develop.
In this scenario, Murray would have to waltz into Eagan with some degree of nonchalance, expecting to be the QB1 while McCarthy just looks too good to be left on the bench. An injury could also rattle the summer festivities, promoting McCarthy by default, with fans hoping he’s ready for the regular season.
It’s worth noting that life will always be easier for the Vikings if McCarthy stays healthy and balls out. It would make the original 2024 plan look wise and non-faulty.
The Other Vikings Camp Battles
As always, Minnesota will have more than one camp battle, and if one buys that Murray will win the QB1 title outright, the quarterback battle may not be much of a thing by the time August arrives.
Still, these roster battles will unfold:
- OLB3: Bo Richter vs. Tyler Batty vs. Free Agent Signing
- Center: Blake Brandel vs. Michael Jurgens vs. Gavin Gerhardt
- Safety: Theo Jackson vs. Jay Ward
- NT: Domonique Orange vs. Levi Drake Rodriguez
- Punter: Johnny Hekker vs. Brett Thorson
- RB3: Demond Claiborne vs. Zavier Scott
And, depending on the outcome of summer free agency, the Vikings could have a veteran wide receiver to compete with second-year speedster Tai Felton at WR3.
Training camp is less than three months away.
Sports
Macau ends campaign with stunner over Phoenix

Macau Black Knights’ Jenning Leung during a game against Phoenix Fuel Masters in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Macau Black Knights didn’t have the best campaign in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, but that didn’t stop them from making noise in their final game of the conference.
The eliminated Macau stunned the playoff-hungry Phoenix, 105-98, at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday to shake up race for quarterfinals positioning.
“I’m feeling like we just ended on a great note,” coach Marcus Elliott said. “Everybody was hyped, everybody was cheering on each other, our morale is high and we’re looking forward to seeing what’s next but to end on this note is perfect.”
With the Black Knights’ victory, the Fuel Masters dropped to a 6-5 record for a three-way tie at fifth place alongside TNT and Magnolia.
After leading by as much as 20, the Black Knights found themselves trailing in the fourth quarter, 89-83.
Macau, though, pulled the rug out from under Phoenix with an 18-4 run capped by layup from Jenning Leung with 2:40 to play for a decisive 101-93 lead.
Leung top-scored for the guest team with 32 points, five assists, three rebounds, two steals and two blocks. Ramon Cao fired 23 while import Tony Mitchell tallied a double-double 13 points and 24 rebounds.
Elliott said they will be more than happy to participate again if invited again by the PBA.
“We’re looking forward to the future, we’ll see what happens, we’ll build a strong relationship with management and see what happens next, really,” the player-turned-coach said.
Phoenix played without star Ricci Rivero due to a hand injury.
Ken Tuffin led the Fuel Masters with 27 points. Johnathan Williams III had 20 points and 22 boards while Jason Perkins registered 20 and 10.
Sports
Away W-L Records for Top Football Programs in the West
Away-game victories are what set the best college football program apart and often correlate with championship teams.
The tables below show the wins, losses, and win percentages for the region’s top programs over the last five seasons.
They are preceded by a breakdown of those stats by program.
Breakdown of Away Win-Loss Records by Program from 2021-2025
| Win % | Team | Away Win | Away Loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| 84.0 | Oregon | 21 | 4 |
| 64.3 | BYU | 18 | 10 |
| 61.3 | Boise St | 19 | 12 |
| 55.2 | Utah | 16 | 13 |
| 54.8 | Fresno St | 17 | 14 |
| 53.9 | Air Force | 14 | 12 |
| 53.1 | UNLV | 17 | 15 |
| 52.0 | Washington | 13 | 12 |
| 51.9 | UCLA | 14 | 13 |
| 48.0 | USC | 12 | 13 |
| 45.2 | Utah St | 14 | 17 |
| 44.4 | SDSU | 12 | 15 |
| 42.3 | ASU | 11 | 15 |
| 38.5 | Arizona | 10 | 16 |
| 37.0 | WSU | 10 | 17 |
| 34.5 | Wyoming | 10 | 19 |
| 31.0 | Cal | 9 | 20 |
| 29.6 | Ore St | 8 | 19 |
| 29.0 | New Mexico | 9 | 22 |
| 28.6 | SJSU | 8 | 20 |
| 25.0 | Stanford | 7 | 21 |
| 23.3 | Nevada | 7 | 23 |
| 22.6 | UTEP | 7 | 24 |
| 21.4 | Colorado | 6 | 22 |
| 21.4 | CSU | 6 | 22 |
| 20.7 | Hawai’i | 6 | 23 |
2025 Away Win-Loss Records
| Team | Away Win | Away Loss | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 5 | 0 | 100.0 |
| BYU | 5 | 1 | 83.3 |
| Utah | 5 | 1 | 83.3 |
| UNLV | 5 | 2 | 71.4 |
| Fresno St | 4 | 2 | 66.7 |
| Arizona | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| ASU | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| Washington | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| Boise St | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| New Mexico | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| SDSU | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Cal | 3 | 4 | 42.9 |
| Hawai’i | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| USC | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| Air Force | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| Nevada | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| UCLA | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| UTEP | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Utah St | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| WSU | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Wyoming | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Colorado | 0 | 5 | 00.0 |
| CSU | 0 | 5 | 00.0 |
| Ore St | 0 | 5 | 00.0 |
| SJSU | 0 | 6 | 00.0 |
| Stanford | 0 | 6 | 00.0 |
2024 Away Win-Loss Records
| Team | Away Win | Away Loss | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 5 | 0 | 100.0 |
| UNLV | 6 | 1 | 85.7 |
| Boise St | 5 | 1 | 83.3 |
| BYU | 5 | 1 | 83.3 |
| ASU | 4 | 2 | 66.7 |
| Colorado | 4 | 2 | 66.7 |
| UCLA | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Utah | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| New Mexico | 3 | 4 | 42.9 |
| Cal | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| CSU | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| SJSU | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| WSU | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| Air Force | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| Fresno St | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| Wyoming | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| Arizona | 1 | 4 | 20.0 |
| Hawai’i | 1 | 4 | 20.0 |
| Ore St | 1 | 4 | 20.0 |
| USC | 1 | 4 | 20.0 |
| Nevada | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| SDSU | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Stanford | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Utah St | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| UTEP | 1 | 6 | 14.3 |
| Washington | 0 | 5 | 00.0 |
2023 Away Win-Loss Records
| Team | Away Win | Away Loss | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 5 | 0 | 100.0 |
| Oregon | 4 | 1 | 80.0 |
| Arizona | 4 | 2 | 66.7 |
| UNLV | 4 | 2 | 66.7 |
| Air Force | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| Stanford | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| USC | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| Cal | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Fresno St | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Ore St | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| SJSU | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Utah St | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| UCLA | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Boise St | 3 | 4 | 42.9 |
| Utah | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| Colorado | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| New Mexico | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| UTEP | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| ASU | 1 | 3 | 25.0 |
| SDSU | 1 | 4 | 20.0 |
| Wyoming | 1 | 4 | 20.0 |
| BYU | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| CSU | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Hawai’i | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Nevada | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| WSU | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
2022 Away Win-Loss Records
| Team | Away Win | Away Loss | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 4 | 1 | 80.0 |
| USC | 4 | 1 | 80.0 |
| UCLA | 3 | 1 | 75.0 |
| Boise St | 4 | 2 | 66.7 |
| BYU | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| Ore St | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| Washington | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| WSU | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| Fresno St | 4 | 3 | 57.1 |
| Air Force | 2 | 2 | 50.0 |
| Utah | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Wyoming | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Arizona | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| SDSU | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| Utah St | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| SJSU | 1 | 4 | 20.0 |
| ASU | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| CSU | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Stanford | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Nevada | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| UNLV | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| UTEP | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Cal | 0 | 5 | 00.0 |
| Colorado | 0 | 6 | 00.0 |
| Hawai’i | 0 | 6 | 00.0 |
| New Mexico | 0 | 6 | 00.0 |
2021 Away Win-Loss Records
| Team | Away Win | Away Loss | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 5 | 0 | 100.0 |
| SDSU | 5 | 0 | 100.0 |
| Utah St | 7 | 0 | 100.0 |
| BYU | 4 | 1 | 80.0 |
| UCLA | 4 | 1 | 80.0 |
| Boise St | 4 | 2 | 66.7 |
| Fresno St | 4 | 2 | 66.7 |
| Oregon | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| WSU | 3 | 2 | 60.0 |
| Nevada | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Utah | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| Wyoming | 3 | 3 | 50.0 |
| ASU | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| Stanford | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| USC | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| Washington | 2 | 3 | 40.0 |
| CSU | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| SJSU | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| UTEP | 2 | 4 | 33.3 |
| Hawai’i | 2 | 5 | 28.6 |
| Cal | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| New Mexico | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Ore St | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| UNLV | 1 | 5 | 16.7 |
| Arizona | 0 | 5 | 00.0 |
| Colorado | 0 | 5 | 00.0 |
Sports
Stern Idol conquers 2026 Brierly Steeplechase under hefty 75kg
Steven Pateman had trainer Ciaron Maher’s pre-race guidance resounding as he rode Stern Idol to the bottom of the incline in the Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool.
On Tuesday’s $2.10 elect at the Tozer Road double, Pateman handled the 3450m steeplechase, the marquee attraction on day one of the three-day Warrnambool Carnival.
“When I’m in a race, I can hear Ciaron’s instructions in the back of my mind,” Pateman told racing.com.
“And Ciaron actually said, don’t be dragging him around that turn, a big horse and with that recent rain on the ground.
“He did slip a little bit on the ground, and it was probably lucky that Aaron Lynch booted up (on Castrofrancaru), and I didn’t start pulling him around.”
Tuesday saw Stern Idol pack a current record 75kg to secure the win, exceeding his 73kg carry from the victorious 2024 edition.
Having led to the hill’s base before being headed, Stern Idol seized control again with 1000m to go and held on for a 4-½ length margin over Hit The Road Jack ($2.60), followed by Castrofrancaru ($15) another 2-½ lengths adrift in third place.
Pateman explained that the gelding got a surge when overtaken beyond the Tozer Road double.
“Once they headed him, he said ‘hang on a minute’,” Pateman said.
“He felt like he had 55 kilos on his back, not 75 (kg). He’s a big unit and I’m just lucky.
“He’s super special.”
Maher has a special affinity for Warrnambool returns yearly, having developed there first as a jumps pilot and then managing a compact group at the beach town.
His stable ranks among Australia’s elite in size, but his fondness for jumpers persists, evidenced by Stern Idol delivering his fifth Brierly Steeplechase victory.
Maher owned up to nerves watching the placers dart inside Stern Idol onto the true course but applauded Pateman’s steadiness.
“I was a bit nervous at the bottom of the hill, but Steve was cool, calm and collected,” Maher said.
“He’s been such a good horse over a number of years, and it is a credit to the entire team and the owners as well.”
Discover leading racing betting markets for the Brierly Steeplechase at trusted sites.
Sports
Yellow Brick triumphs in 2026 The Archer at Rockhampton
A short wait was all Tony and Maddysen Sears needed to endure before their stable ace Yellow Brick secured The Archer at Rockhampton, making the delay entirely justified.
The $1 million showcase race, planned for Sunday, faced a rescheduling due to track troubles in the home straight sections – areas at 200m, 150m and 80m were heavy, unlike the good stand elsewhere.
With jockey Tommy Berry still in place for the new date, he guided the $3.40 top pick away from interference on the bend, leaving the Group 1 runner with plenty of runway in the long Rockhampton finish.
Local runner Cherry Rose hit the front strongly entering the final 300m, however class held firm as Yellow Brick powered to a length victory ahead of Anemacore ($19), Boomtown Boss ($10) just a head behind in third.
Maddysen Sears, partnered with her father in the stable, shared that the win carried deep emotion for the family featuring their banner carrier, who boosted earnings above $3.7 million with his tenth success.
“It’s just really special,” Sears said.
“My grandma’s here to watch, all my family come out to do it.
“We brought the right horse up and someone told me a couple of days before, a very good trainer in Melbourne said he’s going to win for fun and he did.
“He’s the pivotal horse for my career. Anyone that knows me, knows my family, this horse is this horse is so special.”
Berry expressed ongoing assurance in the mount, crediting a leading rider for the opportunity aboard Yellow Brick up north.
“They just wanted me to make sure I got room,” Berry said of the instructions.
“He’s a big horse and he takes a little bit of winding up, but it was a good effort today. Because he was first up and he was a little bit keen in the run and being on the fresh side.
“Great effort by the team to get him ready, to get him ready twice too for today. It was worth coming back for, for the second time.
“He’s definitely got a good carnival ahead. They’ve got some nice races mapped out for him. Thanks to James McDonald, he’s the one who got me up here, so I’ll try and keep it, and you can ride something else from now on, that’d be nice.”
Visit betting sites to find racing odds for The Archer.
Sports
Sabres vs. Canadiens prediction, odds, time: 2026 NHL playoff second-round picks for Wednesday, May 6
A second-round series in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs gets underway on Wednesday as the Buffalo Sabres host the Montreal Canadiens. Buffalo (50-23-9) defeated Boston in six games in the first round for its first series win since 2007. Montreal (48-24-10) knocked off Tampa in seven games in a series in which the teams alternated wins throughout. This is the eight postseason matchup between these franchises, with Montreal holding the 4-3 series edge.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. ET from KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. These teams split their four regular-season matchups. The latest Canadiens vs. Sabres odds have Buffalo as the -130 favorite on the money line (risk $130 to win $100), while the over/under for total goals scored is 5.5. Before making any Sabres vs. Canadiens picks, check out the NHL predictions and betting advice for Canadiens vs. Sabres from the SportsLine Projection Model.
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The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times. The model entered the second round of the 2026 NHL playoffs with a +668 return on top-rated money-line NHL picks. Anyone following its NHL betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
Now, the model has simulated Canadiens vs. Sabres 10,000 times and just revealed its coveted NHL picks and betting predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NHL odds and trends for Sabres vs. Canadiens:
|
Canadiens vs. Sabres money line: |
Sabres -130, Canadiens +109 |
|
Canadiens vs. Sabres over/under: |
5.5 goals |
|
Canadiens vs. Sabres puck line: |
Sabres -1.5 (+187) |
|
Canadiens vs. Sabres picks: |
|
|
Canadiens vs. Sabres streaming: |
Fubo (Try for free) |
Top Canadiens vs. Sabres predictions
After 10,000 simulations of Sabres vs. Canadiens, SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total (5.5). Each of their four regular-season matchups had at least six total goals scored, but these high-scoring affairs date back beyond that. At least six goals have been scored in eight straight meetings between these teams, with an average of 7.3 combined goals over this span.
Both teams saw Game 1 of their first-round series eclipse the total. Jakub Dobes of Montreal ranks just 29th in GAA, but Buffalo’s Alex Lyon isn’t much better at 28th. The model projects Cole Caufield and Tage Thompson to combine for 1.02 goals, on average, while there are five others in this game forecasted to have at least 0.30 goals. The sims call for 5.9 combined goals, making the Over the value play in over-under betting. See the model’s Canadiens vs. Sabres predictions at SportsLine.
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How to make Sabres vs. Canadiens picks
After simulating each shift of Canadiens vs. Sabres 10,000 times, the model also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NHL picks.
So who wins Sabres vs. Canadiens, and which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Canadiens vs. Sabres money line to back, all from the model that has returned over $550 on top-rated NHL picks, and find out.
Sports
Thunder crush Lakers in series opener
OKLAHOMA CITY — Chet Holmgren had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and the Oklahoma City Thunder routed the Los Angeles Lakers 108-90 on Tuesday night in Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal series.
Canada’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Ajay Mitchell each added 18 points for the Thunder. The defending champions improved to 5-0 in the playoffs, despite missing 2025 All-Star Jalen Williams with an injured left hamstring for the third straight game. The Thunder shot 49.4 per cent from the field and made 13 of 30 three-pointers.
Oklahoma City will host Game 2 on Thursday.
Los Angeles struggled to find offence without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who has missed the past month with an injured left hamstring. LeBron James scored 27 points and Rui Hachimura added 18 for the Lakers. Austin Reaves, who averaged 23.3 points in the regular season, was held to eight on 3-for-16 shooting.
Oklahoma City won all four regular-season matchups by an average of 29.3 points, and this one was only slightly closer. The Thunder held the Lakers to 41.7-per-cent shooting and forced 17 turnovers.
The Lakers ran out to a 7-0 lead, with James scoring five of the points. Eventually, the Thunder shook off the rust from an eight-day break and went up 31-26 at the end of the first quarter, despite 12 points from James.
Holmgren’s two-handed alley-oop dunk on a lob from Isaiah Hartenstein put the Thunder up 48-39. Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt injured the pinkie finger on his right hand on the play, left the game and did not return.
Oklahoma City led 61-53 at halftime, despite 16 points from James.
Mitchell, who started in Williams’ place, made a corner three-pointer and was fouled by Marcus Smart in the final minute of the third quarter. His free throw put the Thunder up 84-72, a score that held up until the end of the period.
Alex Caruso’s fast-break dunk early in the fourth put Oklahoma City up 88-73, and the Thunder maintained control from there.
Sports
How an hour-long putter fitting found me the right flatstick
Sports
Rajakovic Reflects on Season
Rajakovic Reflects on Season
Sports
D-backs support Eduardo Rodriguez’s gem, blank Pirates
May 5, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez (57) throws against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Eduardo Rodriguez tossed seven scoreless innings and Geraldo Perdomo had a two-run double during a five-run sixth inning as the Arizona Diamondbacks notched a 9-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night at Phoenix.
Rodriguez (3-0) allowed two hits and three walks while striking out seven as he matched his longest outing of the season. He also threw seven shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves during a no-decision on April 3.
Jonathan Loaisiga pitched a flawless eighth and Brandyn Garcia fanned two in a perfect ninth to complete the two-hitter.
Ketel Marte had two hits, two RBIs and scored twice, Gabriel Moreno had two hits and one RBI and Adrian Del Castillo drove in two as Arizona broke a four-game losing streak while winning for just the fourth time in 13 games.
The Pirates were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position while seeing their three-game winning streak halted.
Bubba Chandler (1-4) allowed two runs and two hits over five innings to lose his third consecutive start. He walked a season-worst six and struck out four.
The Diamondbacks scored twice in the first inning.
Marte hit a one-out triple and Corbin Carroll walked. Del Castillo hit a sacrifice fly to score Marte and Ildemaro Vargas ripped a double to center to score Carroll. Meanwhile, Rodriguez was mowing down Pirates until Jared Triolo doubled to left with two outs in the fifth for Pittsburgh’s first hit.
The only other hit Rodriguez allowed was Konnor Griffin’s one-out double in the seventh that high way high up the center field fence.
Arizona broke the game open in the sixth as Yohan Ramirez walked Lourdes Gurriel Jr. with one out and hit Nolan Arenado with a pitch.
Moreno followed with an RBI double to make it 3-0 and Alek Thomas followed with a walk. Perdomo then hit his double just inside the right field line to push the margin to five. Marte knocked in a run on a fielder’s choice with Thomas scoring when the throw from Griffin was wide of the plate. Carroll followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0.
In the eighth, Thomas led off with a double against Dennis Santana and scored on Marte’s single to right. Del Castillo had a RBI single later in the inning.
Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly served an automatic one-game suspension due to reliever Chris Devenski being ejected from Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. Bench coach Kris Negron ran the team on Tuesday.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Lookman Eyes Nigerian Champions League History Against Arsenal
Ademola Lookman will hope to make Nigerian football history when he steps onto the pitch at the Emirates Stadium tonight as Atlético Madrid face Arsenal in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final clash.
The first leg in Spain ended 1-1, leaving both teams with everything to play for as Atlético chase their first Champions League final appearance since 2016.
Lookman now has the chance to become the first Nigerian player since John Obi Mikel to reach and possibly win the final of Europe’s biggest club competition.
Mikel achieved the feat in 2012 when he played every minute as Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich in the final. Before him, Nigerian legends Finidi George and Nwankwo Kanu also reached the final with Ajax in the 1990s.
The Super Eagles winger has enjoyed a strong start to life at Atlético since joining the club in January. He has scored seven goals and provided four assists in 18 matches.
Lookman was one of Atlético’s best players in the first leg. He caused problems for Arsenal’s defence throughout the game and created several chances, although he could not find the net.
Atlético manager Diego Simeone is expected to set his team up to defend deeply and attack on the counter, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta will likely rely on possession football at home.
Lookman’s speed and direct style could be important for Atlético on the break. He is also expected to face a difficult battle against Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka on the flank.
Interestingly, Lookman has never scored or provided an assist in six previous matches against Arsenal during his time with Everton, Fulham, Leicester City, Atalanta and Atlético Madrid.
However, his recent form has given Atlético supporters hope that he can finally make his mark against the Gunners on one of the biggest nights of his career.
The winner of the tie will book a place in the UEFA Champions League final in Budapest on May 30.
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