The Sports Report: Dodgers increase winning streak to four games

Howdy, I’m your host, Houston Mitchell. Let’s get right to the news.

From Jack Harris: After a slow opening month marked by numerous absences in the lineup, the Dodgers were hoping to look more like themselves at the plate this week.

After all, they actually had all of themselves back.

So far this homestand, that’s been the case, with the Dodgers’ offense coming to life again Monday night in an 13-4 blowout of the Philadelphia Phillies.

In their fourth win in a row — scoring at least six runs for the third time in those four games — the Dodgers had four homers, 15 hits and a giant lead almost from the get-go, pouncing on a poor start from Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker and a subpar showing from the visiting team’s bullpen en route to matching their highest scoring output of the year.

Will Smith (a solo blast to left field), David Peralta (a three-run moonshot to right) and Jason Heyward (a solo drive to center) all went deep in the first three innings, giving the Dodgers (17-13) an early five-run lead.

Four singles and a couple of head-scratching defensive plays from the Phillies (15-15) in the fourth led to three more runs, with Freddie Freeman lining a two-run single and Smith adding an RBI knock that made it 8-1.

Then Mookie Betts added the exclamation point in the seventh, lifting a two-run homer that put the game away despite an underwhelming start from Tony Gonsolin, who went 4 2/3 innings, gave up three runs and suffered decrease velocity on all of his pitches compared with his season debut a week ago.

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Trea Turner might have stayed in L.A., but Dodgers never made him an offer

LAKERS

From Dan Woike: Pick one of the story lines. Alone, any could carry the Lakers-Warriors playoff series.

The top geographical rivalry on the West Coast, the battle between the Bay and L.A.

The generation’s two best players, LeBron James and Stephen Curry, meeting once again in the playoffs.

The admiration between James and Draymond Green.

The Hall of Fame coach from the Pacific Palisades, Steve Kerr, getting to test his legacy against the team for which he used to cheer from high up in the Forum.

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NBA PLAYOFFS
Results, schedule
All times Pacific
Conference semifinals

Western Conference

No. 6 Golden State vs. No. 7 Lakers
Tonight at Golden State, 7 p.m., TNT
Thursday at Golden State, 6 p.m., ESPN
Saturday at Lakers, 5:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Lakers, 7 p.m., TNT
*Wed., May 10 at Golden State, TBD, TNT
*Friday, May 12 at Lakers, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday, May 14 at Golden State, TBD

No. 1 Denver vs. No. 4 Phoenix
Game 1: at Denver 125, Phoenix 107
Game 2: at Denver 97, Phoenix 87
Friday at Phoenix, 7 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Phoenix, 5 p.m., TNT
*Tuesday at Denver, TBD, TNT
*Thursday, May 11 at Phoenix, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday, May 14 at Denver, TBD

Eastern Conference

No. 2 Boston vs. No. 3 Philadelphia
Game 1: Philadelphia 119, at Boston 115
Wednesday at Boston, 5 p.m., TNT
Friday at Philadelphia, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
Sunday at Philadelphia, 12:30 p.m., ESPN
*Tuesday at Boston, TBD, TNT
*Thursday, May 11 at Philadelphia, TBD, ESPN
*Sunday, May 14 at Boston, TBD

No. 5 New York vs. No. 8 Miami
Game 1: Miami 108, at New York 101
Today at New York, 4:30 p.m., TNT
Saturday at Miami, 12:30 p.m., ABC
Monday at Miami, 4:30 p.m., TNT
*Wed., May 10 at New York, TBD, TNT
*Friday, May 12 at Miami, TBD, ESPN
*Monday, May 15 at New York, 5 p.m., TNT

*-if necessary

KINGS

NHL playoffs
Results, schedule
All times Pacific

Western Conference

Edmonton [P2] vs. Kings [P3]
Game 1: Kings 4, at Edmonton 3 (OT)
Game 2: at Edmonton 4, Kings 2
Game 3: at Kings 3, Edmonton 2 (OT)
Game 4: Edmonton 5, at Kings 4 (OT)
Game 5: at Edmonton 6, Kings 3
Game 6: Edmonton 5, at Kings 4

Colorado [C1] vs. Seattle [WC1]
Game 1: Seattle 3, at Colorado 1
Game 2: at Colorado 3, Seattle 2
Game 3: Colorado 6, at Seattle 4
Game 4: at Seattle 3, Colorado 2 (OT)
Game 5: Seattle 3, at Colorado 2
Game 6: Colorado 4, at Seattle 1
Game 7: Seattle 2, at Colorado 1

Dallas [C2] vs. Minnesota [C3]
Game 1: Minnesota 3, at Dallas 2 (2OT)
Game 2: at Dallas 7, Minnesota 3
Game 3: at Minnesota 5, Dallas 1
Game 4: Dallas 3, at Minnesota 2
Game 5: at Dallas 4, Minnesota 0
Game 6: Dallas 4, at Minnesota 1

Vegas [P1] vs. Winnipeg [WC2]
Game 1: Winnipeg 5, at Vegas 1
Game 2: at Vegas 5, Winnipeg 2
Game 3: Vegas 5, at Winnipeg 4 (2 OT)
Game 4: Vegas 4, at Winnipeg 2
Game 5: at Vegas 4, Winnipeg 1

Eastern Conference

Boston [A1] vs. Florida [WC2]
Game 1: at Boston 3, Florida 1
Game 2: Florida 6, at Boston 3
Game 3: Boston 4, at Florida 2
Game 4: Boston 6, at Florida 2
Game 5: Florida 4, at Boston 3 (OT)
Game 6: at Florida 7, Boston 5
Game 7: Florida 4, at Boston 3 (OT)

Toronto [A2] vs. Tampa Bay [A3]
Game 1: Tampa Bay 7, at Toronto 3
Game 2: at Toronto 7, Tampa Bay 2
Game 3: Toronto 4, at Tampa Bay 3 (OT)
Game 4: Toronto 5, at Tampa Bay 4 (OT)
Game 5: Tampa Bay 4, at Toronto 2
Game 6: Toronto 2, at Tampa Bay 1 (OT)

Carolina [M1] vs. NY Islanders [WC1]
Game 1: at Carolina 2, NY Islanders 1
Game 2: at Carolina 4, NY Islanders 3 (OT)
Game 3: at NY Islanders 5, Carolina 1
Game 4: Carolina 5, at NY Islanders 2
Game 5: NY Islanders 3, at Carolina 2 (OT)
Game 6: Carolina 2, at NY Islanders 1

New Jersey [M2] vs. NY Rangers [M3]
Game 1: NY Rangers 5, at New Jersey 1
Game 2: NY Rangers 5, at New Jersey 1
Game 3: New Jersey 2, at NY Rangers 1 (OT)
Game 4: New Jersey 3, at NY Rangers 1
Game 5: at New Jersey 4, NY Rangers 0
Game 6: at NY Rangers 5, New Jersey 2
Game 7: at New Jersey 4, NY Rangers 0

Second round
Western Conference

Vegas [P1] vs. Edmonton [P2]
Wednesday at Vegas, TBD, ESPN
Friday at Vegas, TBD
Rest of schedule TBD

Dallas [C2] vs. Seattle [WC1]
Tonight at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Dallas, 6:30 p.m., TNT
Rest of schedule TBD

Eastern Conference

Carolina [M1] vs. New Jersey [M2]
Wednesday at Carolina, 4 p.m., ESPN
Friday at Carolina, TBD
Rest of schedule TBD

Toronto [A2] vs. Florida [WC2]
Tonight at Toronto, 4 p.m., ESPN
Thursday at Toronto, 4 p.m.,TNT
Rest of schedule TBD

*-if necessary

CHARGERS

From Jeff Miller: There was no consensus, some observers predicting it would be Dalton Kincaid while others forecast Michael Mayer or perhaps a pick in a later round.

But there was no doubt among those outside the organization that the Chargers would draft a tight end last week.

Then, the team didn’t, choosing instead to — for now — stick with the same basic core that manned the position in 2022.

After the seventh round Saturday, coach Brandon Staley explained that the draft unfolded in a way that didn’t mesh with whatever interest the Chargers had in the various tight ends available at the time.

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KENTUCKY DERBY

From John Cherwa: If you were to ask the trainers, the draw for the Kentucky Derby is really not as big a deal as everyone seems to make it. To a person they can be expected to say that they like the draw they got, even though they are selling more of a concept of confidence than anything else.

Monday’s blind pulling of post position pills and names of horses didn’t have a lot of drama although Todd Pletcher and Brad Cox have four of the six less attractive inside positions. Pletcher has three horses in the race, including the 3-1 morning-line favorite Forte, who is in a decent spot in the 15 post. Cox has four horses, including third favorite Angel Of Empire (8-1), who will break from the 14.

“It’s OK,” Cox said about Hit Show (30-1) drawing the 1, and Verifying (15-1) being handed the 2. “We’ll live with it, we have to. [Hit Show jockey] Manny [Franco] is obviously going to have to work out a trip from down in there. Same thing with Verifying. Both riders are going to have to find a way into the first turn.”

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THIS DATE IN SPORTS

1903 — 29th Kentucky Derby: Hal Booker riding Judge Himes wins in 2:09.

1904 — Laska Durnell becomes the first woman to own a Kentucky Derby starter and winner when longshot Elwood wins the 30th Run for the Roses. Elwood is also the first Derby winner whose breeder is a woman, Mrs. J.B. Prather.

1906 — 32nd Kentucky Derby: Roscoe Troxler aboard Sir Huon wins in 2:08.8.

1917 — Fred Toney of the Cincinnati Reds and James “Hippo” Vaughn of the Chicago Cubs pitch a double no-hitter for nine innings, but the Reds win 1-0 with two hits in the 10th.

1939 — Lou Gehrig of the New York Yankees does not play against the Detroit Tigers at Briggs Stadium, ending his streak of 2,130 consecutive games played.

1953 — Dark Star, a 25-1 longshot, wins the Kentucky Derby, beating 7-10 favorite Native Dancer by a head. It’s Native Dancer’s first defeat after 11 straight wins and the only defeat in 22 career starts.

1964 — Northern Dancer, ridden by Bill Hartack, wins the Kentucky Derby by a neck over Hill Rise in a race record 2:00.

1967 — The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 to win the Stanley Cup in six games.

1968 — 22nd NBA Championship: Boston Celtics beat Lakers, 4 games to 2.

1970 — Diane Crump becomes the first female jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby. Her mount, Fathom, finishes 15th in a field of 17. Dust Commander, with Mike Manganello aboard, wins the race.

1978 — 1978 NFL Draft: Earl Campbell from University of Texas first pick by Houston Oilers.

1999 — John Elway announces his retirement from the NFL.

2001 — James Hylton, a construction worker from Keizer, Ore., bowls the fifth perfect 900 series in the 106-year history of the sport.

2002 — Mike Cameron hits four homers and comes close to a record-setting fifth in leading the Seattle Mariners to a 15-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Cameron and Bret Boone become the first teammates to hit two home runs in the same inning.

2002 — Patrick Lalime becomes the 14th goalie in NHL history to record four shutouts in one postseason with his 27-save performance in Ottawa’s 5-0 defeat of Toronto.

2009 — Mine That Bird, a 50-1 shot ridden by Calvin Borel, wins the Kentucky Derby with a dynamic stretch run through the mud. Borel finds room along the rail and pulls away in one of the biggest upsets in the 135-year history of the race.

2010 — Ryo Ishikawa shoots a 12-under 58 — the lowest score on a major tour — to win The Crowns in Togo, Japan. The 18-year-old Ishikawa has 12 birdies in his bogey-free round on the 6,545-yard Nagoya Golf Club course.

2010 — Cleveland’s LeBron James becomes the 10th player in NBA history to win consecutive MVP awards.

2012 — Barcelona football player Lionel Messi breaks the European goal-scoring record with 68 goals.

2015 — American Pharoah rallies in the stretch to beat Firing Line by a length for trainer Bob Baffert’s first Kentucky Derby victory since 2002. Sent off as the 5-2 favorite by the record crowd of 170,513, American Pharoah is ridden by Victor Espinoza.

2015 — Floyd Mayweather Jr. uses his reach and his jab to frustrate Manny Pacquiao for a unanimous decision in their welterweight title bout. Mayweather remains unbeaten in 48 fights, cementing his legacy as the best of his generation.

2016 — Leicester City win the English Premier League title after starting the season at 5,000-1 odds.

2017 — Isaiah Thomas scores 53 points — the second-highest total in Celtics playoff history — to help Boston beat the Washington Wizards 129-119 in overtime and take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinals.

—Compiled by the Associated Press

And finally…

Floyd Mayweather defeats Manny Pacquiao. Watch and listen here.