SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Victor Wembanyama had 17 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks, and the San Antonio Spurs never trailed in eliminating the Portland Trail Blazers with a 114-95 victory Tuesday night in Game 5 of their first-round playoff series.
De'Aaron Fox had 21 points, Julian Champagnie added 19 and Dylan Harper scored 17 for the Spurs, who led by as many as 28 in winning their third straight game in the best-of-seven series to advance to the second round.
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San Antonio Spurs forward/guard Keldon Johnson (3) goes to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) defends during the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Portland Trail Blazers center/forward Robert Williams III (35) scores past San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) goes to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, left, and Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) defend during the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts with guard/forward Devin Vassell (24) during the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Portland Trail Blazers, in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
“We didn’t want to go back to Portland,” Champagnie said. “That was kind of the emphasis for the guys on the team. We just didn’t want to fly back to Portland. It's a four-hour flight. So being up 3-1 and playing at home, it’s a good chance to close it out and not go back. So, that was all of the motivation we needed tonight.”
San Antonio advances to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since 2017, when it beat the Houston Rockets before losing Kawhi Leonard to an ankle injury and then getting swept by Golden State in the conference finals.
The Spurs will face the winner of the series between the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves. The Timberwolves lead that series 3-2, with Game 6 scheduled for Thursday.
Leonard’s injury and subsequent trade led to a rapid descent in the Spurs’ fortunes. That futility allowed San Antonio to draft Wembanyama, and the 7-foot-4 center from France was stellar in closing out the Blazers.
“It’s extremely difficult,” Portland coach Tiago Splitter said of Wembanyama's defense. “You've got to do a lot of tricks and try to set back screens and seals and spin actions. It's not easy, because he can contest the 3 and the rim at the same time, basically. He's going to create a lot of problems for a lot of teams for a long time.”
Portland cut its deficit to 91-82 with eight minutes remaining following an 11-0 run. But the Spurs stuffed the rally, including Wembanyama sending Deni Avdija’s floater off the top of the backboard and into the crowd in the final minutes.
Avdija finished with 22 points, but was 1 for 6 from 3-point distance as the Trail Blazers shot 23% from long range.
Portland’s Scoot Henderson scored five points. He was limited to 10 points after a skirmish with Harper in the final minute of the third quarter in San Antonio’s 120-108 win in Game 3 on Saturday.
It was one of several skirmishes during a physical and chippy series between the second-seeded Spurs and No. 7 seed Trail Blazers.
Coach Mitch Johnson said the Spurs could not afford another early double-digit deficit as they had in the third and fourth games. San Antonio responded by charging to a 17-4 start, fueled by a pair of 3-pointers and eight points from Champagnie.
“It’s never perfect, of course, but that’s exactly what we said we wanted to do before the game,” Wembanyama said.
Champagnie finished 5 for 7 from long distance and San Antonio shot 40% from 3-point territory.
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San Antonio Spurs forward/guard Keldon Johnson (3) goes to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) defends during the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Portland Trail Blazers center/forward Robert Williams III (35) scores past San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) goes to the basket as Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, left, and Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) defend during the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Victor Wembanyama (1) reacts with guard/forward Devin Vassell (24) during the second half in Game 5 of a first-round NBA playoffs basketball series against the Portland Trail Blazers, in San Antonio, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Nick Martinez pitched three-hit ball into the eighth inning, Jonathan Aranda drove in a run for the third straight game and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Cleveland Guardians 1-0 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to six games.
The Rays are 13-1 against American League opponents this season, matching the 1987 Milwaukee Brewers, 1984 Detroit Tigers, 1981 Oakland Athletics and 1966 Cleveland Indians for the best start versus AL competition.
Cleveland second baseman Travis Bazzana, the top pick in the 2024 amateur draft, went 0 for 2 with two walks in his major league debut.
The Guardians have dropped four straight and five of six.
PHILLIES 7, GIANTS 0
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Don Mattingly won his first game as Philadelphia’s interim manager, as Jesús Luzardo threw seven innings to lead the last-place Phillies past San Francisco.
Luzardo allowed two hits, struck out eight and walked none, just two starts after the lefty allowed nine runs and 12 hits against the Cubs.
Brandon Marsh hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth off Giants starter Tyler Mahle (1-4) and the Phillies tacked on four more runs in the sixth. Bryce Harper hit an RBI double and Adolis Garcia ripped a two-RBI double to right-center in the inning.
Trea Turner had four hits.
Mahle gave up five runs in five innings.
ORIOLES 5, ASTROS 3
BALTIMORE (AP) — Pete Alonso homered, Adley Rutschman drove in two runs, and Baltimore defeated Houston.
Shane Baz allowed one run in 5 2/3 innings to earn his first victory since Baltimore acquired him from Tampa Bay in December as the Orioles won the opener of a three-game series.
Brice Matthews hit his first home run since March 30 as part of a three-hit night for Houston, which fell to 11-19 and is tied for a season-high eight games under .500. The Astros were was 2 for 14 with runners in scoring position.
REDS 7, ROCKIES 2
CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz homered and drove in four runs and Chase Burns reached 100 strikeouts faster than any other Cincinnati pitcher as the Reds beat Colorado.
De La Cruz sandwiched a pair of RBI singles around a two-run homer by Spencer Steer — his fifth — for a 4-1 lead in the third inning. De La Cruz then hit his team-leading 10th homer in the eighth after a base hit by Dane Myers, giving the Reds a 6-2 lead. He finished 3 for 4 with two steals.
Burns (3-1) issued a game-opening walk to Edouard Julien and then struck out the side. He struck out TJ Rumfield swinging for the third out and his 100th strikeout in 72 1/3 innings.
Burns matched his season high with nine strikeouts, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk in six innings. He threw 97 pitches and left after striking out Kyle Karros with one out and runners on second and third and retiring Ezequiel Tovar on a flyout.
BLUE JAYS 3, RED SOX 0
TORONTO (AP) — Trey Yesavage pitched into the sixth inning in a sharp season debut, Kazuma Okamoto drove in two runs and Toronto beat the Boston.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added an RBI single as Toronto stopped Boston’s season-best winning streak at three games and handed Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy his first loss since replacing Alex Cora, who was fired on Saturday.
The Red Sox failed to hit at least one home run for the first time in six games.
CARDINALS 11, PIRATES 7
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nolan Gorman homered and drove in three runs and Alec Burleson and Jordan Walker drove in three runs apiece to lead St. Louis to a win over Pittsburgh.
JJ Wetherholt and Ivan Herrera, the top two hitters in the Cardinals’ batting order, scored three runs each. Burleson, Walker and Masyn Winn each finished with two hits.
Gorman opened the scoring with a homer leading off the second, his fourth of the season. Victor Scott II started a two-run second with his first home run of the season before Wetherholt doubled and scored a single by Walker.
The Cardinals extended their lead to 6-0 in the fifth when Burleson doubled in a run and Walker and Gorman followed with consecutive sacrifice fly balls.
Kyle Leahy (3-3) allowed three runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. The Pirates scored all three runs in the sixth on homers by Oneil Cruz and a two-run shot by Ryan O’Hearn, cutting their deficit to 6-3.
BRAVES 5, TIGERS 2
ATLANTA (AP) — Martín Pérez threw five scoreless innings and Atlanta beat Detroit for their 11th win in their last 13 games as the Tigers lost starter Casey Mize to an injury in the third inning.
Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer and Ronald Acuña Jr. was 2 for 3 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Mike Yastrzemski was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Pérez (2-1), who was designated for assignment by the Braves earlier this season but then re-signed, gave up two hits and four walks while striking out five. He lowered his ERA to 2.22.
Mize (2-2) was removed after straining his groin covering first base on a ground ball to first baseman Spencer Torkelson. He lasted 2 1/3 innings during which he gave up two runs, three hits and a walk while striking out three.
METS 8, NATIONALS 0
NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto hit a two-run homer that capped a seven-run fourth inning and New York breezed to a victory over Washington.
Bo Bichette also homered and drove in two runs, and Clay Holmes combined with two relievers on a three-hitter as the banged-up Mets (10-19) won for only the third time in 18 games — perhaps taking a little heat off manager Carlos Mendoza.
Before the game, Mendoza said Soto is dealing with left forearm tightness. An MRI came back clean, but the left fielder has been the designated hitter in all six games since he returned last Wednesday from a right calf strain.
BREWERS 13, DIAMONDBACKS 2
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Sal Frelick hit a solo shot to end Milwaukee’s stretch of seven straight games without a homer and Tyler Black went 3 for 5 with three RBIs as the Brewers trounced Arizona.
Milwaukee broke the game open by scoring eight runs in the sixth off reliever Andrew Hoffmann, whose earned run average rose from 2.38 to 8.49.
Arizona’s Ildemaro Vargas singled in the eighth inning and has hit safely in all 21 games he has played this season. Vargas actually has a 24-game hitting streak if his last three games from 2025 are included.
MARINERS 7, TWINS 1
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Julio Rodriguez hit three doubles, scored twice and drove in two runs, and Josh Naylor had a homer and four RBIs on Tuesday night as Seattle beat Minnesota.
Four Seattle relievers combined to retire the last 12 Twins hitters. Eduard Bazardo (2-1) pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
Minnesota starter Joe Ryan (2-3) gave up two runs in six-plus innings. Byron Buxton homered and singled for the Twins, who have lost 10 of 12.
YANKEES 3, RANGERS 2
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Cam Schlittler struck out eight over six scoreless innings in a duel with Texas ace Jacob deGrom, Aaron Judge homered in his third consecutive game and New York held on for a win over the Rangers.
Judge scored from first base on Cody Bellinger’s first-inning double and Austin Wells had a solo homer in the seventh as the Yankees won for the 10th time in 11 games and secured consecutive series victories in Texas by winning the first two against the Rangers after taking two of three in Houston.
Judge’s shot leading off the ninth was his 12th, tying him with Munetaka Murakami of the Chicago White Sox for the major lead lead. It also was the difference in the game.
Yankees closer David Bednar gave up a run-scoring triple to Danny Jansen and an RBI single to Josh Jung after the ninth started with third baseman Ryan McMahon’s throwing error. But then Bednar got Cory Seager to ground into a game-ending double play for his ninth save this season and second of the series.
WHITE SOX 5, ANGELS 2
CHICAGO (AP) — Drew Romo hit the first two home runs of his career — one from each side of the plate — as Chicago beat Los Angeles.
Colson Montgomery homered in the second off Angels starter José Soriano (5-1), ending his shutout streak at 25 2/3 innings. The right-hander gave up three runs and six hits over five innings, raising his major league-leading ERA from 0.24 to 0.84.
Davis Martin (4-1) outpitched Soriano, allowing one run and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings. Martin struck out seven and walked one.
Sean Newcomb fanned three in 1 1/3 scoreless innings and Seranthony Domínguez worked a hitless ninth for his seventh save.
Josh Lowe homered and Jo Adell had an RBI single for the Angels, who have lost five straight and nine of 10.
CUBS 8, PADRES 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong hit a three-run homer and Chicago beat San Diego to stop their three-game slide.
Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner each had a two-run double for the Cubs. Edward Cabrera (3-0) pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits while striking out seven.
Chicago relievers Hoby Milner and Ryan Rolison combined for 3 1/3 hitless innings.
Xander Bogaerts launched a solo homer for San Diego. Ty France and Luis Campusano each had an RBI single.
ROYALS 4, ATHLETICS 1, 10 INNINGS
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Bobby Witt Jr. hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning, Salvador Perez had a solo shot and Kansas City beat the Athletics for their fourth straight victory.
Witt drove a 1-0 pitch from Justin Sterner (1-3) to right-center with automatic runner Nick Loftin on second base and Kyle Isbel on first after he beat out a popped-up bunt that failed to advance the runner. Witt extended his hitting streak to nine games with his second home run, after Perez homered for the fifth time to tie it 1-all in the sixth.
The A’s loaded the bases in the bottom of the 10th, but Lucas Erceg retired Darell Hernaiz on a liner to second for his seventh save in nine opportunities.
MARLINS 2, DODGERS 1
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Janson Junk scattered three hits over six scoreless innings in outdueling Shohei Ohtani, and Miami edged Los Angeles to snap a three-game skid.
It was the first time since July that Junk (2-2) threw six shutout innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked one.
Ohtani (2-1) started on the mound without being in the Dodgers’ batting order for the second time in three weeks. The two-way superstar gave up two runs, one earned, and five hits in six innings. He struck out nine and walked three while pitching on five days’ rest for the first time this season.
Tyler Phillips worked the ninth to earn his second save, one night after blowing one.
Tampa Bay Rays' Taylor Walls, right, steals second base as the throw gets past Cleveland Guardians shortstop Brayan Rocchio, left, in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Cleveland, Tuesday, April 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
