OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt injured his right pinkie when he attempted to block a dunk by Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren during Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinal matchup on Tuesday night.
Vanderbilt swiped at Holmgren behind the play and hit his finger on the backboard. Holmgren made the dunk to put the Thunder up 48-39 with 5:57 left in the second quarter.
Vanderbilt bent over while holding his hand and he left the game. Several players on the Thunder bench immediately looked away at the sight of the injury.
The Thunder led 61-53 at halftime.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Los Angeles Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, center, goes up for a shot as Oklahoma City Thunder's Jared McCain (3) and Alex Caruso, second from left, defend in the first half of Game 1 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Tuesday, May 5, 2026 in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Michael Massey hit a go-ahead two-run homer, Isaac Collins also went deep and the Kansas City Royals pushed their winning streak to five with a 5-3 victory over the AL Central-rival Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday night.
Stephen Kolek allowed a three-run shot by Rhys Hoskins but little else over six innings in his season debut. The right-hander strained his oblique in his first start of spring training, but Kolek had pitched well in four rehab starts at Triple-A Omaha before the Royals had him make a spot start for Noah Cameron, who's dealing with some lower back tightness.
Nick Mears and Daniel Lynch IV handled a scoreless inning apiece in relief for Kansas City, and Lucas Erceg worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to earn his third save in four games and 10th of the season.
The Guardians' Gavin Williams (5-2) allowed five runs and eight hits with two walks while losing for the first time since March 27, when the Mariners beat him in the second game of the season. Williams had since won five decisions covering six starts.
The Royals jumped to a 2-0 lead on Salvador Perez's single in the first, but the Guardians pulled ahead in the fourth. With two runners aboard, Hoskins sent a 2-1 pitch from Kolek clanking off the left-field foul pole just above the outfield padding for a 3-2 lead.
Massey answered with his two-run homer in the bottom half, though. The 392-foot drive off Williams' 2-2 pitch came moments after Guardians catcher Bo Naylor had challenged a called ball, which would have produced a strikeout had he been successful.
Collins added his homer in the sixth inning, giving him a 3-for-3 night but leaving him a triple short of the cycle.
LHP Joey Cantillo (1-1, 3.67 ERA) starts for Cleveland on Wednesday night. LHP Cole Ragans (1-4, 5.29) starts for Kansas City.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
Kansas City Royals pitcher Stephen Kolek throws to a Cleveland Guardians batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Gavin Williams delivers to a Kansas City Royals batter during the first inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
Cleveland Guardians left fielder Angel Martínez, left, makes the catch while colliding with center fielder Steven Kwan (38) as they both go after a fly ball by Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey during the second inning of a baseball game in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey, celebrates his two-run home run with Kyle Isbel, left, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey, reacts as he celebrates his two-run home run as he crosses home plate near Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor, left, during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians in Kansas City, Mo., Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)
