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Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz praises ‘powerful giant’ after helping save season: ‘His name is Jesus Christ’

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Yankees reliever Fernando Cruz praises ‘powerful giant’ after helping save season: ‘His name is Jesus Christ’


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In the biggest inning of his life, Fernando Cruz came through.

The New York Yankees were tied with the Boston Red Sox, 3-3, in the top of the seventh when Cruz came in with runners on first and second with nobody out.

Cruz finessed his way into not allowing a Red Sox runner to cross the plate, keeping the score tied. The Yanks eventually took the lead the following inning before forcing a decisive Game 3 on Thursday night in the Bronx.

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New York Yankees relief pitcher Fernando Cruz (63) reacts after getting the final out in the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series of the 2025 MLB Postseason against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.  (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

Cruz entered this season with a 4.52 ERA but pitched to a 3.56 ERA, becoming a high-leverage reliever for the Bronx Bombers.

After getting Trevor Story to fly out to Trent Grisham with the bases loaded, Cruz went crazy in celebration. After the game, Cruz credited his faith for helping him get out of the tough jam.

“I have a powerful giant on my side, his name is Jesus Christ. I will deliver for Him, first of all,” Cruz said.

“It’s time to compete. It’s time to go after –  just compete. I grab the ball, grab that white thing, and let’s go — you vs. me.”

Fernando Cruz celebrating

New York Yankees relief pitcher Fernando Cruz (63) reacts after getting Trevor Story to fly out in the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series of the 2025 MLB Postseason against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.  (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

2025 MLB PLAYOFF BRACKET: SCHEDULE, SCORES FOR FINAL DAY OF WILD CARD SERIES

Cruz caught a bunt attempt before Nick Sogard flied out to left. Jazz Chisholm Jr. saved a run by laying out on Masataka Yoshida’s infield hit, and then Story flied out to center to end the frame.

Austin Wells delivered the game-winning hit with a single, as Chisholm scored all the way from first after getting a head start on the 3-2 count.

Thursday marks the fifth do-or-die game between the Yanks and Sox in their history, joining the AL East championship in 1978, Game 7 in both 2003 and 2004, and the Wild Card Game in 2021. The Yankees won the first two, but Boston has taken home the last pair of games.

Fernando Cruz going to dugout

New York Yankees relief pitcher Fernando Cruz (63) celebrates after getting the final out in the top of the seventh inning of Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series of the 2025 MLB Postseason against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.  (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

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First pitch is at 8:08 p.m. ET.

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Michigan’s Richard repeats as NCAA men’s all-around champion

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Michigan’s Richard repeats as NCAA men’s all-around champion


CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Michigan’s Fred Richard won his second straight all-around individual crown Saturday night, and Cooper Kim and Jun Iwai each won individual titles to lead Stanford to its sixth NCAA men’s gymnastics championship since 2019.

Richard took home silver in the floor and parallel bars as he ran away with his third all-around individual national championship with a score of 83.598. Nebraska’s Max Odden (78.698) was second, 0.432 ahead of third-place Kristian Grahovski of Ohio State.

Stanford had 329.825 points, second-place Oklahoma finished with 328.495 and Michigan — the defending national champion — was third with 324.857. Asher Hong (14.300) took silver and Nick Kuebler (14.166) bronze on the rings in the final rotation to seal it for the Cardinal. Asher Cohen finished with a 14.500 to become the first Nebraska gymnast to win the rings since Jim Hartung in 1982.

Stanford claimed the program’s 11th national gymnastics championship; the Cardinal have won at least one NCAA team title for 50 straight seasons, since the men’s water polo team beat UCLA 13-12 for the national championship on Nov. 28, 1976. The next longest active streak is North Carolina’s seven straight years with at least one team title.

Iwai had a 14.433 on the vault, tied with Nebraska’s Tyler Flores for first. Landen Blixt of Michigan was third (14.366).

Flores, Nathan Roman (14.800 on the parallel bars) and Kelton Christiansen (14.400, high bar) each won individual titles for the second-place Sooners.

Kim scored a 14.466 to win gold on the floor to beat Richard (14.400). Kuebler and Tate Costa of Illinois finished third with 14.166.

Brandon Dang (Illinois) won the pommel horse with a score of 14.700, Michigan’s Aaronson Mansberger was second (14.566) and Colby Aranda of Oklahoma finished third with 14.133 points.



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Mets in free fall after losing 10th straight game

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Mets in free fall after losing 10th straight game


CHICAGO — The New York Mets will have to defy the odds if they plan on making the postseason this year after dropping their 10th consecutive game on Saturday, a 4-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Only three teams in the divisional era (since 1969) have made the postseason after a double-digit losing streak — including last year’s Cleveland Guardians.

“No one is going to feel sorry for us,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the latest defeat. “We have to keep going. We haven’t been playing good baseball. We have 5½ months ahead. We have the opportunity to write our own story.”

The Mets say they can’t point to any single thing which has led them to their longest April losing streak in franchise history. They certainly aren’t hitting enough, scoring just 18 runs during the streak, the fewest for them over 10 games since June 3-5, 2018.

They’re also making bad pitches, like the one reliever Brooks Raley made to pinch hitter Carson Kelly in the sixth inning Saturday. Kelly deposited Raley’s first pitch cutter into the left-field bleachers for a three-run home run, breaking a 1-1 tie. The Cubs cruised to victory from there.

“We haven’t been able to put together a complete game,” Mendoza said. “It’s either the offense or starting pitching, like not making [that] pitch, not making a play, not getting a big hit. Just having a hard time playing a complete game right now.”

Mendoza’s job is seemingly safe after president of baseball operations David Stearns said Friday he thought his third-year manager was doing a good job and is putting players in a position to succeed. Of course, things can change if the losses continue to pile up for the Mets, who missed the postseason last year after a disastrous second half.

The team is trying not to focus on the negative this early in the season.

“It’s a big boy league,” infielder Marcus Semien said. “There is no time to dwell on tonight. Tomorrow is a new day … It’s as simple as showing up tomorrow with a good attitude. Hopefully other guys see a smile on my face when I show up.”

Semien and Mendoza offered up few solutions to the team’s plight, though getting All-Star Juan Soto back from a calf injury should help. But that won’t happen for a few more days. With DH Jorge Polanco (wrist) on the shelf as well, the Mets will need others to step up.

A late winter overhaul by Stearns led to a positive feeling about the team entering this season. But those additions, like Saturday’s starter Freddy Peralta, haven’t produced enough. Third baseman Mark Vientos did hit a long home run in the loss but New York’s offense was mostly quiet the rest of the day.

Mendoza was asked how he thought Mets fans were feeling right now.

“They have the right to be pissed and frustrated,” he said. “They care. Just like we do. … I understand how they’re feeling. I’d be pissed too, if I was a fan. I’m pissed. They’re pissed.”

The 10-game losing streak is the longest in April since the 2023 White Sox. The loss has the Mets 6½ games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East, an unusually large deficit for this time of year.

“It’s frustrating to lose baseball games and when you lose this many in a row, it compounds,” Semien said. “The game does not own you any wins. You have to go out and get it.”

The Mets rank in the bottom half of the league in most offensive and pitching categories, including home runs. They’ve hit just 15 this season, only ahead of the San Francisco Giants for fewest in the National League. Their starting pitching isn’t much better, ranking 21st in ERA.

The team is hoping Sunday will bring them different results.

“We have to do something to get in the W column,” Semien said. “No one is showing up thinking about how it’s going to happen again. We’re thinking about how we’re going to win.”

Mendoza added: “Were putting ourselves in a hole right now. There is only one way to [get out of] it. Come back tomorrow, ready to go.”

ESPN Research contributed to this report.



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Bron Breakker crushes Seth Rollins with two spears in epic return at WrestleMania 42

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Bron Breakker crushes Seth Rollins with two spears in epic return at WrestleMania 42


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Seth Rollins was supposed to be going up against Gunther at WrestleMania 42 on Saturday night but he wasn’t expecting a freight train to run through him.

Rollins appeared to be in the driver’s seat toward the end of the match. He hit Gunther with a pedigree on the announce table and followed up with a storm. All he had to do was get Gunther back in the ring and finish the job. As the referee tended to Gunther, a wild Bron Breakker appeared.

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Bron Breakker performs during WrestleMania 42 Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (WWE)

Breakker ran down the side of the entrance ramp at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas at full speed and tore through Rollins with a gnarly spear. He rolled Rollins back in the ring, spat on him and waited for Gunther to finish the job.

Gunther put Rollins in a sleeper hold, forcing “The Revolutionary” to tap out.

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Wrestler Gunther with arm raised by referee at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas

Gunther has his arm raised by the referee after defeating Seth Rollins during their match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Gunther walked to the back as the winner. Breakker was hung around to pick apart the scraps.

Breakker sprinted back down the ramp and hit Rollins with another crushing spear, stunning the crowd.

Breakker has been out of action for a few weeks with an injury, likely costing him a match of some kind at WrestleMania 42. Nevertheless, he still had bad blood with Rollins as their rivalry turned up a notch.

Seth Rollins entering arena at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas

Seth Rollins enters the arena before his match against Gunther on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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This will not be the last of Breakker and Rollins. On the flip side, Paul Heyman will now owe Gunther a favor. It’ll will be interesting to see how the favor gets cashed in.



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