Cincinnati Reds: Conforto’s HR gives Cubs 5-4 walk-off win at Wrigley…

CHICAGO — A game that should have been the highlights of the young careers of starting pitcher Chase Petty and Blake Dunn turned into a game that’s the lowlight of Emilio Pagán’s season so far.

After Petty and Dunn, two recent call-ups, provided a spark and helped the Reds establish a lead heading into the bottom of the ninth inning. But then, Emilio Pagán allowed a walk-off homer to pinch-hitter Michael Conforto as the Cubs beat the Reds, 5-4, on Monday, May 4, at Wrigley Field. newsindata.com

“Nothing has changed as far as our mindset as a team,” Pagán said. “We know we’re really good. We played a lot of close ballgames. Quite honestly, I haven’t held up my end of the bargain. As painful as today is, I feel like I’m getting really close to being who I can be. I made two mistakes today, and they both got hit.”

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First, Pagán left a splitter right down the middle to Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong in a two-strike count. Crow-Armstrong hit a towering fly ball to center field. Fighting the ivy, Myers couldn’t complete the catch.

“He’s fighting the wall and the basket,” Reds manager Terry Francona said “He took a jab step. You could see where he just kind of lost it off the side of his glove.”

Pagán’s next mistake was the fastball right down the middle to Conforto that won the Cubs the game.

“He just made a mistake,” Francona said. “Sometimes, it’s more than just what you’re doing on the mound. If the first play gets made, we’re probably shaking hands. I’m not blaming Dane. I’m just saying that’s a part of the game.”

Despite the loss, Petty’s performance gave the Reds something to be excited about.

He has faced a lot of adversity in a very young career. Last year, he debuted as the youngest starting pitcher in MLB and posted a 19.50 ERA in three appearances. He had a lot of work to do, and Monday was a sign that he’s trending in the right direction.

Petty, one of the Reds’ top starting pitching prospects, allowed three runs in 5 ⅔ innings.

“I tried to stay poised,” Petty said. “Stay within myself and do what this team needed me to do.”

On a big picture level, it was a big step forward for the 23-year-old. But on a one-game level, the two walks that Petty allowed in the fourth inning were a turning point after they were following by a three-run homer from Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki.

“The fourth inning, I wish I could get that back,” Petty said. “Free bags kill. If that doesn’t happen, we win that ballgame.”

Dunn, in the game as a pinch-runner, showcased his elite speed and scored from second base on a bang-bang play at the plate. That could have turned into a triumphant moment for the Reds against the first-place Cubs, but the result didn’t hold in the ninth.

“I know I have good stuff,” Pagán said. “I will pitch better. I will be better.”

EA Sports UFC 6 has released its first trailer, showcasing several highly anticipated matchups.

Last month, Alex Pereira and Max Holloway were confirmed as the game’s cover stars ahead of its 19 June release date.

The so-called “cover curse” is already being talked about, especially with the game dropping so soon after the White House event, where Pereira is a major part of the build-up.

This comes just days after Holloway’s fight against Justin Gaethje at UFC 300, where ‘Blessed’ delivered one of the year’s best knockouts to claim the BMF title at lightweight. UFC flyweight champion Alexa Grasso will feature as a special guest commentator for women’s fights in UFC 6.

While Tyson Fury and Muhammad Ali were available as pre-order bonuses for UFC 5, Amanda Serrano and Claressa Shields are expected to be added through post-launch updates this time around. The full roster will be revealed over the next few weeks before pre-orders open on May 31 for PlayStation and Xbox Series X/S.

UFC 6 trailer sees Alex Pereira stop Ciryl Gane, while Max Holloway avenges Conor McGregor defeat

As both fighters appear on the EA Sports UFC 6 cover, it’s no surprise that Alex Pereira and Max Holloway feature prominently in the game’s debut trailer.

The promo kicks off with a simulated fight between Holloway and Conor McGregor, a rematch reportedly being lined up for the main event of UFC 329 in July.

In the opening segment, Holloway drops and finishes ‘The Notorious’, avenging his previous loss to one of MMA’s most recognisable names.

Later in the video, Pereira secures a similar outcome against his next opponent, Ciryl Gane. The footage shows Gane initially having the upper hand before ‘Poatan’ turns things around.

Pereira’s turnaround is highlighted by an enthusiastic call from commentator Jon Anik as he lands the decisive blow against Gane.

The trailer also showcases several new cutscenes for career mode and brief highlights from other matchups across the game. In one sequence, Ilia Topuria is seen landing heavy punches against Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett, and Arman Tsarukyan—although some fans expected him to be on the cover instead.

The closing shots feature Randy Couture, who will be available as a pre-order bonus through the fighter pass.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in mid-December. When the Chiefs take the field in September for their Week 1 game, will their quarterback be able to play?

Mahomes continues to received rave reviews as he recovers from that injury. The quarterback played into that in March, posting a video in which he’s already throwing just months after surgery. Chiefs coach Andy Reid then added fuel to that fire Saturday, revealing Mahomes should be able to take part in OTAs.

On Monday, another big voice spoke highly of Mahomes’ recovery. Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said Mahomes was “way ahead of schedule,” during an interview on Sirius XM NFL Radio.

Veach said he wouldn’t be shocked if Mahomes wanted to be “full go” when the team starts training camp, per For The Win.

“I will say this, I think it wouldn’t surprise you guys, the way it’s been really inspiring to just see, in my mind, I’ve been there before with Pat [Mahomes], he had that dislocated knee [in 2019] and worked his tail off, and came back in three weeks. I knew this bump in the road wouldn’t slow him down at all," Veach said. “But, I mean, this guy has been in the building. Especially for a player who has accomplished everything, can do anything he wants, he can hire his own trainers, he can be wherever he wants. He’s in our building every single day. And even when he goes away for a few days, say to Dallas for a weekend with his family, he takes one of our trainers with him.

“So, needless to say, he’s way ahead of schedule. I think the biggest challenge we’re going to have is protecting him against himself, because I’m sure when we get to St. Joseph, Missouri, for training camp, he’s going to want to be full go. But we’re going to have to hold him back a little. And, again, I don’t want to put a timetable on it. But I think you guys know the kind of person and competitor Pat is, and I would just say, we’re in a really good place right now.”

It’s unclear whether the team will allow Mahomes to fully return at that point. Veach said “protecting [Mahomes] against himself” would be a big challenge for both the quarterback and the team. While it sounds like everything has gone well with Mahomes’ recovery, the team doesn’t want to risk further injury by pushing Mahomes back into action too quickly.

If Mahomes were able to return in Week 1, it would be rare, but not unprecedented. Former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson did exactly that during the 2012 NFL season. The previous year, Peterson tore his ACL in December — roughly 10 days after Mahomes sustained his injury. Despite that, Peterson returned in time for Week 1 in 2012 and went on to rush for over 2,000 yards and win the MVP award.

That’s very obviously not the expectation for players coming back from ACL injuries. Still, given Mahomes’ quick recoveries in the past, that timeline can’t be ruled out for the two-time MVP.

Getting Mahomes back quickly would go a long way toward the Chiefs re-establishing themselves as contenders in 2026. Even with Mahomes, that could prove challenging. The team struggled when Mahomes was healthy last year, finishing 6-11.

If Mahomes is unable to return in Week 1, the team will turn to former Chicago Bears first-round pick Justin Fields, which it acquired in an offseason trade with the New York Jets.