PHOENIX (AP) — Eduardo Rodriguez came within two outs of his first major league complete game, Ryan Waldschmidt had his first three big league RBIs and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the hapless New York Mets 5-1 on Sunday.
Rodriguez (4-0) took a no-hit bud into the sixth inning and allowed four hits in 8 1/3 innings, earning an standing ovation as he walked off the field following Mark Vientos' bloop single. Rodriguez struck out four and walked three.
The last-place Mets opened their nine-game road trip 5-2 and closed it with a thud.
New York had four hits — 12 in the three-game series — and three errors, dropping to 15-25. Third baseman Andy Ibáñez had two throwing errors, the second setting up Ketel Marte's two-run triple in the sixth inning that put Arizona up 5-1.
Slugger Juan Soto went 0 for 3 and finished the trip 4 for 33 with two RBIs. Soto and Bo Bichette were 0 for 20 in the series.
Rodriguez has been stellar to start his third season in Arizona, pitching seven scoreless innings against the Padres his last start.
The left-hander didn’t allow a baserunner until walking Soto opening the fourth inning and no hits until Carson Benge's bloop single with one out in the sixth. Luis Torrens followed with a run-scoring double just inside the line in right.
Rodriguez had never pitched into the ninth inning in the major leagues.
Waldschmidt had a pinch single in his first big league at-bat on Friday and had eight putouts in center on Saturday, most in a first big league start in Diamondbacks history.
Waldschmidt continued his trend of firsts with his double to the gap off Tobias Myers in the second inning after Mets opener Huascar Brazobán (2-1) walked the first two batters. Waldschmidt added a bloop RBI single in the sixth.
RHP Freddy Peralta (2-3, 3.12 ERA) pitches the opener of a three-game series against Detroit on Tuesday. RHP Michael Soroka (4-2, 4.14) starts the opener of Arizona's three-game series at Texas on Monday.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
New York Mets center fielder Tyrone Taylor dives for a ball hit by Arizona Diamondbacks' Ryan Waldschmidt in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Arizona Diamondbacks' Ryan Waldschmidt hits an RBI single against the New York Mets in the sixth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez throws against the New York Mets in the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and the New York Knicks are back in the Eastern Conference finals, tying the NBA postseason record with 25 3-pointers in front of a raucous crowd rooting for the road team and rolling past the Philadelphia 76ers 144-114 on Sunday to sweep the second-round series.
Deuce McBride hit seven 3-pointers, going 4 for 4 in the first quarter when the Knicks had another record with 11, and scored 25 points. Brunson had 22 points and Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns each scored 17 in the Knicks' latest lopsided playoff victory.
The Knicks advanced to the East finals for the second straight season and will play the winner of the Cleveland-Detroit series. The Pistons lead the series 2-1.
The Knicks last season reached the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years before losing to Indiana. The Knicks then fired coach Tom Thibodeau, and replaced him with Mike Brown, who has guided them to seven straight playoff wins, starting with the last three games against Atlanta.
Knicks fans made a habit of scooping up tickets by the thousands at the Sixers' arena for playoffs games over the years, and in Game 4, they may have made the loudest statement yet. Knicks fans raised brooms outside the arena and waved “Always Knicks” towels once inside, all while noisily neutering what few Sixers fans that didn't make a few extra bucks on the secondary market and stuck around.
The 76ers' franchise failed to stop Knicks fans in their effort to buy tickets.
The 76ers were greater failures in trying to stop the Knicks on the floor.
Game 4 was a laugher from the tip, with the Knicks using the 3-point arc as a starting point for their personal pop-a-shot game.
With Knicks fans on their feet and exclaiming “Deuuuce," McBride hit one, two, three, four — four! — 3-pointers in succession for the fast 20-6 lead and the Sixers were already on their heels. McBride became the first Knick (since play-by-play tracking began in 1997) to hit four 3s in the first quarter of a playoff game.
New York's 3-point records were just heating up.
Brunson added two in the first quarter (six total) to help make the Knicks 11 of 13, which tied the NBA mark for most makes in a quarter.
The Knicks totaled 18 3s in the first half to score 54 points off the long ball, compared to 57 total for the 76ers. Overall, that was an 81-57 lead and helped power the Knicks toward their first best-of-seven series sweep since the 1999 East semis against Atlanta.
The Knicks scored 80-plus points in the first half twice in five road playoff games this season.
The second half was a mere formality, and the Sixers are headed home after a gutsy 3-1 series comeback to beat Boston in the first round.
Joel Embiid ended another injury-riddled season with 24 points, Tyrese Maxey had 17 and the Sixers still have not advanced out of the second round since 2001.
If the sweep and the Knicks' fan takeover didn't saddle the Sixers with enough bad news, there was one final cutting blow to the ego — Philadelphia's two first-round 2018 draft picks are still playing: Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet, of course, for the Knicks.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
New York Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns, from left, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid during the first half of Game 4 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
New York Knicks' fans cheer during the first half of Game 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
New York Knicks' fans hold up a photo as Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid takes a free-throw shot during the first half of Game 4 against the New York Knicks in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
New York Knicks' Miles McBride, left, and Jalen Brunson celebrate during the first half of Game 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
New York Knicks' Miles McBride, left, and Jalen Brunson celebrate during the first half of Game 4 against the Philadelphia 76ers in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
