PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Chris Sale struck out seven in seven innings to outduel Cristopher Sánchez in a matchup of two of baseball's best pitchers, and the Atlanta Braves took advantage of an error to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 3-1 on Saturday night.
Mauricio Dubón had a pair of RBIs for the Braves, who have won four games in a row and eight of 10.
Felix Reyes homered in his first at-bat in his big league debut for the Phillies, who have dropped nine of their last 12 games. Reyes became the sixth Phillies player to homer in his first at-bat, driving a 94 mph four-seamer from Sale into the seats in right field in the second inning.
Sale (4-1) gave up five hits and walked one. Robert Suarez pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his first save.
Atlanta scored three unearned runs in the third inning against Sánchez (2-2). After striking out the first two batters in the frame, the left-hander surrendered a single to Drake Baldwin. Ozzie Albies hit a grounder to second base, but second baseman Edmundo Sosa could not handle the ball for an error. Matt Olson walked to load the bases.
Austin Riley hit a dribbler in front of the mound, but Sánchez slipped trying to field the ball and Baldwin scored to tie the game at 1. Dubón’s bloop, two-run single to center gave Atlanta a 3-1 lead.
Sánchez allowed eight hits while striking out eight and walking one in six innings.
Phillies catcher JT Realmuto left the game after the sixth inning due to lower back tightness.
The Phillies placed closer Jhoan Duran on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain.
Olson extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a seventh-inning double.
The teams wrap up their three-game series on Sunday night. Braves RHP Grant Holmes (1-1, 3.32 ERA) opposes Phillies rookie RHP Andrew Painter (1-0, 3.77).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Atlanta Braves' Jorge Mateo, top center, throws to first base for a double play over Philadelphia Phillies' Edmundo Sosa during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Philadelphia. Phillies' Brandon Marsh was out at first. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez throws during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, April 18, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Derik Hamilton)
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — San Jose Sharks teenage sensation Macklin Celebrini is open to signing a contract extension this summer after breaking the franchise record for points in a season in just his second year in the NHL.
Celebrini has one year remaining on the three-year, $2.925 million entry-level contract he signed after being drafted first overall in 2024. He is eligible to become a restricted free agent after next season but can sign an extension any time after July 1.
“I’m just open to every possibility,” Celebrini said Saturday at locker clean out day. There’s nothing really that goes into it. It goes hand in hand with me. I want to commit to this team and being here. I love it here. I’m open to whatever happens."
Under the terms of the new collective bargaining agreement, this is the last summer that players remaining with their own team can sign extensions for eight years. Starting in September, those deals will be limited to seven years.
Celebrini said he hadn't thought about whether he was interested in a long or short-term deal.
General manager Mike Grier said later that the team would like to get a deal done this summer but added that the team has another year before something needs to get done.
“We’re definitely open to it, and he’s obviously someone we want to be here for as long as possible,” he said. “We haven’t really had any talks or discussions yet, and hopefully you guys won’t know when we do. But obviously it’s something we would like to get done it at some point, but if it’s the case where we don’t get it done, it’s not the end of the world either.”
Celebrini said he has talked to 2023 No. 1 overall pick Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks about the approach. Bedard opted not to sign an extension last summer and will be eligible to be a restricted free agent this summer.
“Connor and I are pretty good friends,” Celebrini said. “I talked to him a little bit just about his situation. He approached it differently, and every guy’s situation is going to be a little bit different.”
Celebrini is coming off one of the greatest seasons ever for a teenager, even if it wasn't enough to send the Sharks to the playoffs. San Jose missed the postseason for a seventh straight season, finishing four points out of the second wild-card spot.
Celebrini had 45 goals and 70 assists with his 115 points breaking Joe Thornton's franchise record of 114 set in 2006-07 and trailing Wayne Gretzky (137 in 1979-80) and Sidney Crosby (120 in 2006-07) for the most in a season for a player before turning 20.
Celebrini's performance generated frequent “M-V-P!” chants from the crowd at the Shark Tank. Celebrini has a chance to be a finalist for the Hart Trophy given to the league's MVP alongside players such as Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon, Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov.
“Those are the guys that I’m looking to to learn from and watch them,” Celebrini said. “They’ve been around for 10-plus years so they’re the guys when I was a kid I was watching and even now I’m still trying to learn them and see what makes them successful. That would be pretty cool.”
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini (71) drives the puck as Vancouver Canucks left wing Liam Ohgren (92) defends during the third period of an NHL hockey game in San Jose, Calif., Saturday, April 11, 2026. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
