DENVER (AP) — Sterlin Thompson hit a pinch single off Daniel Palencia’s 100-mph fastball in the ninth inning to give the Colorado Rockies a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
It was the seventh career RBI for Thompson, the 24-year-old rookie from nearby Longmont.
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Colorado Rockies pinch-hitter Sterlin Thompson follows the flight of his walkoff, RBI single off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Cole Carrigg fouls off a pitch from Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong follows the flight of his triple off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield flips his bat after connecting for a two-run home run off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Jacob Webb in the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield follows the flight of his two-run home run off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Jacob Webb in the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Thompson’s single to right field with runners on first and third and no outs came after Ian Happ hit a 424-foot solo home run off Antonio Senzatela in the top of the ninth to tie it. It was Happ’s team-leading 15th homer of the season.
TJ Rumfield hit his eighth homer of the season for Colorado, a two-run shot to right field for a 2-1 lead in the eighth. Rumfield had just one home run in his previous 22 games.
After blowing the save opportunity, Senzatela (6-0) picked up the win. Palencia (1-1) took the loss.
Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled in the fourth inning and scored. The hit extended Crow-Armstrong’s on-base streak to 14 games, a stretch during which he is batting .356.
The Cubs have lost 22 of their past 29 games after starting the season 27-12.
Starter Michael Lorenzen had his best outing of the season for Colorado, giving up just two hits, one earned run and a season-high seven strikeouts in five innings. In his previous four starts, the veteran right-hander had allowed 22 earned runs across 15 2/3 innings.
Shota Imanaga threw five scoreless innings for the Cubs, allowing only two hits and striking out seven.
Cubs RHP Edward Cabrera (3-3, 4.99 ERA) was set to face RHP Ryan Feltner (2-1, 4.22) on Thursday in the series finale.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Colorado Rockies pinch-hitter Sterlin Thompson follows the flight of his walkoff, RBI single off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Daniel Palencia in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' Cole Carrigg fouls off a pitch from Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga in the second inning of a baseball game, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong follows the flight of his triple off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen in the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield flips his bat after connecting for a two-run home run off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Jacob Webb in the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado Rockies' TJ Rumfield follows the flight of his two-run home run off Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Jacob Webb in the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Knicks made a record comeback from 29 points down and moved to the brink of their first championship since 1973 by beating the San Antonio Spurs 107-106 on Wednesday night.
OG Anunoby tipped in the miss of Jalen Brunson’s long 3-point attempt with 1.2 seconds remaining to complete the rally, giving the Knicks a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and three chances to win the title.
It looked impossible early, when the Spurs rolled to a 27-point halftime lead. But Brunson helped bring the Knicks back with 36 points and Anunoby finished with 33.
Game 5 is Saturday night in San Antonio.
No team had come from more than 24 points down in a finals game, when Boston did it against the Lakers in 2008, since the NBA began keeping detailed play-by-play for all four quarters in 1997. The Spurs led 81-52 in the third quarter.
The only bigger comeback on record in any playoff game was 31 points by the Los Angeles Clippers against Golden State in Game 2 of a first-round series in 2019.
The Knicks had their 13-game winning streak snapped in Game 3 and seemed headed for a second straight defeat throughout the first half, when Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs opened the biggest halftime lead by a visiting team in the finals.
But the young Spurs, who made 11 of their first 16 3-pointers, went cold in the second half, going 3 for 17 behind the arc as the Knicks outscored them 58-30.
“We got on our heels — we missed some shots,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “It’s disappointing, to say the least.”
Delirious fans inside Madison Square Garden sang along to Journey's “Don’t Stop Believin’” a few minutes after watching something that seemed almost impossible.
Wembanyama had 24 points and 13 rebounds but shot just 9 for 25 from the field.
Road teams had won the first three games, only the second time that had happened in the finals. San Antonio was well on its way to making it 4 for 4.
President Donald Trump wasn’t at this game — Taylor Swift was — but the same restrictions remained around Madison Square Garden as when he attended Game 3. That angered the Knicks, who decided not to go forward with plans to hold an outdoor watch party outside the arena.
Inside the building in the first half, there wasn’t much for the hosts to be happy about, either.
But the Knicks gave themselves a chance by limiting the Spurs to 14 points on 4-for-20 shooting in the third quarter, using a 13-0 run to get back in it and cutting it to 90-75 heading to the fourth.
These Knicks, who erased a 22-point deficit in the fourth quarter against Cleveland in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, just don’t quit. Even when the comeback seemed for naught when Stephon Castle was fouled after the Knicks had taken the lead and made two free throws to put San Antonio back ahead with 30 seconds left, the Knicks had one more rally in them.
Dylan Harper scored 21 points and De'Aaron Fox and Devin Vassell each had 18 for the Spurs, who will try to regroup and send the series back to New York for Game 6 on Tuesday.
Fans booed Wembanyama when he came on to the floor to warm up about an hour before the game and the Knicks tried to get rough with him, with Mitchell Robinson called for a flagrant foul for hitting him above the shoulders and Jose Alvarado reviewed for one after going below the belt.
Wembanyama — who was also called for a flagrant — stood up OK against the Knicks but will regret the two free throws he missed with 1:47 left and San Antonio leading 104-103.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
New York Knicks fans celebrate during a watch party inside Central Park during Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (23) and guard Josh Hart (3) celebrate after Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) and San Antonio Spurs forward Keldon Johnson (3) battle for the ball during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, right, and San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) battle for the ball during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Taylor Swift and Mariska Hargitay cheer during the second half of Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) hugs forward Og Anunoby (8) after the team's victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) embraces forward Og Anunoby after Game 4 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the San Antonio Spurs, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots as New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) and center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defend during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) tries to get a shot off during Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives past San Antonio Spurs defenders during the second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) talks with guard Stephon Castle during second half of Game 3 of the NBA Finals basketball series against the New York Knicks, Monday, June 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
