ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Mark Vientos hit two homers and drove in four runs and right-hander Clay Holmes allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings as the New York Mets beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 on Sunday.
Holmes (4-2) allowed four hits with three walks and six strikeouts as the Mets took two of three games from the Angels and won a series for just the second time since April 7. New York also won two of three against Minnesota (April 21-23).
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New York Mets' Mark Vientos gestures in the dugout after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz throws to a New York Mets batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
New York Mets' Mark Vientos gestures after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
New York Mets' Mark Vientos tosses his bat after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
The Mets used Bo Bichette at shortstop Sunday, one day after Ronny Mauricio fractured his left thumb and was placed on the injured list. Shortstop Francisco Lindor also is on the IL with a calf strain.
Jorge Soler had an RBI single for the Angels and right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-1) gave up two runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings with three walks and six strikeouts. Los Angeles had ended a season-high seven-game losing streak Saturday. The Angels are 2-12 since April 18.
The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Zach Neto and Mike Trout worked walks to open the game against Holmes and Soler hit a one-out run-scoring single to center.
As Holmes settled in, the Mets grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Vientos hit a towering two-run homer 427 feet, halfway up the rock pile beyond the center field fence.
The Angels were in the game until the eighth inning when Tayler Saucedo hit Brett Baty with his first pitch of the inning and was replaced by Nick Sandlin. Carson Benge had an RBI double to right for a 3-1 lead and Vientos followed with another two-run home run, this time to left.
The Mets' outfield made a pair of spectacular plays, with left fielder MJ Melendez making a diving catch in the sixth inning and Benge making a diving catch in right for the second out of the ninth.
Mets: New York has not named a starter for their series opener in Colorado against RHP Tomoyuki Sugano (3-1, 2.84 ERA) on Monday.
Angels: RHP Jose Soriano (5-1, 0.84 ERA) will pitch in Monday’s series opener against White Sox RHP Davis Martin (4-1, 1.95 ERA).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Mets' Mark Vientos gestures in the dugout after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
Los Angeles Angels pitcher Jack Kochanowicz throws to a New York Mets batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes throws to a Los Angeles Angels batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
New York Mets' Mark Vientos gestures after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
New York Mets' Mark Vientos tosses his bat after hitting a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens made the most of their limited opportunities.
Alex Newhook broke a tie with 8:53 left and Montreal — with only nine shots on goal — outlasted the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 7 on Sunday night to end the thrilling first-round series.
The Canadiens will face the Buffalo Sabres in the second round after finishing off their first series victory since losing the Stanley Cup Final to Tampa Bay in 2021. Game 1 is Wednesday night in Buffalo.
Rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes made 28 saves and Nick Suzuki got his first goal of the series for Montreal. The Canadiens are the first team to win a playoff game with fewer than 10 shots on goal since shots were first tracked in the 1959-60 season.
“Sometimes you win the game and not the score,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “When it's Game 7, there's no moral victory.”
Each game of the series was decided by one goal and four went to overtime. The score was tied or within one goal for all but six minutes in the seven games.
“It's a tough building to play in, it's a chaotic environment out there,” Suzuki said. “We've been a good road team all season. We knew we had to come in here and anything can happen in a Game 7.”
The Lightning were eliminated in the first round for the fourth straight season after falling two wins short of a Stanley Cup three-peat in 2022.
Tampa Bay’s tough defense held the Canadiens without a shot for nearly 27 minutes from the first period into the third and just four through two periods. Brandon Hagel made an outstanding, sliding stick save with an open net in the final minute but the Lightning couldn't get the tying goal during a 6-on-5 and 6-on-4 for the final six seconds.
Montreal got a couple lucky bounces to score twice on its first eight shots on goal.
After Lane Hutson fired a slap shot that went wide and bounced back out, Newhook backhanded the puck out of the air and in off Andrei Vasilevskiy’s pad and his backside.
“Great hand-eye coordination by Newy,” Suzuki said. “He's been a big-game player. I'm definitely happy for him.”
Playing in front of their 461st consecutive sellout crowd and hundreds more fans watching from Thunder Alley outside Benchmark International Arena, the Lightning lost for the 11th time in their last 13 playoff games at home, including three times in this series.
“You can't lose three at home,” Hagel said.
The Canadiens didn’t have a shot on net in the second period despite two power-play chances. They became the first team to have zero shots in a playoff period since Pittsburgh in Game 1 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Finals against Nashville.
Dominic James tipped in Charle-Edouard D’Astous’ one-timer from just inside the blue line to tie it at 1 on a power play in the second period.
Suzuki opened the scoring 1:21 left in the first. After scoring 29 goals in the regular season, Suzuki needed a lucky bounce to get one. His redirection of Kaiden Guhle’s slap shot was heading wide but the puck hit Lightning defenseman J.J. Moser and went in.
Montreal’s Martin St. Louis, a Hockey Hall of Famer whose No. 26 is retired by the Lightning, became the fifth player to appear in a Game 7 for a team and coach against them in another.
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Tampa Bay Lightning center Gage Goncalves (93) reacts after the team lost to the Montréal Canadiens in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Montréal Canadiens center Phillip Danault (24) leads the team through the handshake line after the Canadiens defeated the Lightning in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Montréal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with defenseman Lane Hutson (48) during the third period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Montréal Canadiens players celebrate after the team defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Montréal Canadiens center Alex Newhook (15) is mobbed by teammates, including Nick Suzuki (14) after scoring against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Brandon Hagel (38) gets around Montréal Canadiens right wing Zachary Bolduc (76) during the second period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning center Gage Goncalves (93) gets off a shot against Montréal Canadiens defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) during the second period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Montréal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson (48) takes down Tampa Bay Lightning center Yanni Gourde (37) in front of goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) during the second period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Charle-Edouard D'Astous (51) knocks down Montréal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (93) during the first period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Montréal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with defenseman Kaiden Guhle (21) during the first period in Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Sunday, May 3, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
