Lightning's Second Straight Road Win
The Washington Capitals are currently in familiar territory that they want nothing to do with after Thursday's home game. Despite going a period and a half without a shot on goal, the Tampa Bay Lightning evened the series at two-apiece with a 4-2 win at Capital One Arena in Game 4. Andrei Vasilevskiy had 36 saves, while Alex Killorn scored the tiebreaking goal with eight minutes left in regulation, as the Lightning won their second straight after falling behind 2-0 with two home losses to begin the Eastern Conference Finals. The loss for the Capitals drops them to 3-5 on their home ice this postseason, but they have been saved with their 7-1 road record in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vasilevskiy has overcome a slow start to the series, as he has given up four total goals in Games 3 and 4 after surrendering a total of 10 goals in the first two games of the series. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice for both of the Capitals' goals, as Dmitry Orlov and Alex Ovechkin recorded the assists on those tallies. They did give themselves plenty of opportunities to win this one and stay ahead, as they out-shot the Lightning, 38-20, in the loss. The Lightning did score twice on their first five shots of the game, as Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos got early goals. Anthony Cirelli would add an empty-netter late in the third period, as the Lightning can take the series lead on their home ice in Saturday's Game 5.
Price Goes the Distance in Red Sox Win
David Price has had a rocky time in Boston when it comes to injuries, and that recently hit him when he missed a week due to carpal tunnel syndrome in his pitching hand. He looked to be fully over that condition on Thursday night, as he pitched a complete game in the Boston Red Sox' 6-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Price had a shutout going in to the ninth inning, as he only allowed five hits and struck out eight without walking a batter. Manny Machado finally got to him with a two-run home run for the only two runs on the night for the Orioles. J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts both went deep on the night to support Price, who improved to 4-4 by winning consecutive starts for the first time this season. Andrew Susac led off the ninth with a double before Machado's long ball, spoiling Price's shutout attempt. The left-hander did give up a pair of doubles to Danny Valencia, but the Orioles could not do anything with those and have now lost three of their past four games. Kevin Gausman gave up all six runs for the Orioles in 4.1 innings, as he struck out six and walked two in his third loss of the season. The Red Sox were very aggressive from start to finish, stealing five bases on the night to put continuous pressure on the Orioles. These two teams still have three more games to play this weekend at Fenway Park, including on Friday night.
Rockies Get Past Giants in Extras
The Colorado Rockies are inching closer and closer to first place in the NL West with the Arizona Diamondbacks' recent struggles, and a division road win was just what they needed to to stay hot. Carlos Gonzalez had the game-winning, two-run single in the 12th inning to lift the Rockies past the San Francisco Giants, 5-3 on Thursday night. The game got more and more intense the later it got, including Giants manager Bruce Bochy and shortstop Brandon Crawford getting ejected after Crawford was called out on strikes in the bottom of the 12th. Gonzalez's game-winning hit came off of reliever Cory Gearrin, but it was Pierce Johnson who suffered the loss after allowing the leadoff runner to reach in that inning. Jake McGee pitched two scoreless innings to earn his first win for the Rockies, who got the 16th save from Wade Davis with a perfect 12th inning. Colorado did threaten in the 10th inning on singles from both Nolan Arenado and Gerardo Parra, but Tony Watson got Gonzalez to ground out. They would put more pressure on in the 11th on a Trevor Story single that never scored, as they went on to complete a scoring opportunity in the decisive 12th. The Rockies had taken a 3-0 lead on Daniel Castros' two-run double and pitcher, Chad Bettis's RBI single, but Brandon Belt would quickly tie it with a three-run shot in the sixth. This was the first meeting of the season between these two teams, and they have three more at AT&T Park in their four-game weekend series.
The Washington Capitals are currently in familiar territory that they want nothing to do with after Thursday's home game. Despite going a period and a half without a shot on goal, the Tampa Bay Lightning evened the series at two-apiece with a 4-2 win at Capital One Arena in Game 4. Andrei Vasilevskiy had 36 saves, while Alex Killorn scored the tiebreaking goal with eight minutes left in regulation, as the Lightning won their second straight after falling behind 2-0 with two home losses to begin the Eastern Conference Finals. The loss for the Capitals drops them to 3-5 on their home ice this postseason, but they have been saved with their 7-1 road record in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Vasilevskiy has overcome a slow start to the series, as he has given up four total goals in Games 3 and 4 after surrendering a total of 10 goals in the first two games of the series. Evgeny Kuznetsov scored twice for both of the Capitals' goals, as Dmitry Orlov and Alex Ovechkin recorded the assists on those tallies. They did give themselves plenty of opportunities to win this one and stay ahead, as they out-shot the Lightning, 38-20, in the loss. The Lightning did score twice on their first five shots of the game, as Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos got early goals. Anthony Cirelli would add an empty-netter late in the third period, as the Lightning can take the series lead on their home ice in Saturday's Game 5.
Price Goes the Distance in Red Sox Win
David Price has had a rocky time in Boston when it comes to injuries, and that recently hit him when he missed a week due to carpal tunnel syndrome in his pitching hand. He looked to be fully over that condition on Thursday night, as he pitched a complete game in the Boston Red Sox' 6-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Price had a shutout going in to the ninth inning, as he only allowed five hits and struck out eight without walking a batter. Manny Machado finally got to him with a two-run home run for the only two runs on the night for the Orioles. J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts both went deep on the night to support Price, who improved to 4-4 by winning consecutive starts for the first time this season. Andrew Susac led off the ninth with a double before Machado's long ball, spoiling Price's shutout attempt. The left-hander did give up a pair of doubles to Danny Valencia, but the Orioles could not do anything with those and have now lost three of their past four games. Kevin Gausman gave up all six runs for the Orioles in 4.1 innings, as he struck out six and walked two in his third loss of the season. The Red Sox were very aggressive from start to finish, stealing five bases on the night to put continuous pressure on the Orioles. These two teams still have three more games to play this weekend at Fenway Park, including on Friday night.
Rockies Get Past Giants in Extras
The Colorado Rockies are inching closer and closer to first place in the NL West with the Arizona Diamondbacks' recent struggles, and a division road win was just what they needed to to stay hot. Carlos Gonzalez had the game-winning, two-run single in the 12th inning to lift the Rockies past the San Francisco Giants, 5-3 on Thursday night. The game got more and more intense the later it got, including Giants manager Bruce Bochy and shortstop Brandon Crawford getting ejected after Crawford was called out on strikes in the bottom of the 12th. Gonzalez's game-winning hit came off of reliever Cory Gearrin, but it was Pierce Johnson who suffered the loss after allowing the leadoff runner to reach in that inning. Jake McGee pitched two scoreless innings to earn his first win for the Rockies, who got the 16th save from Wade Davis with a perfect 12th inning. Colorado did threaten in the 10th inning on singles from both Nolan Arenado and Gerardo Parra, but Tony Watson got Gonzalez to ground out. They would put more pressure on in the 11th on a Trevor Story single that never scored, as they went on to complete a scoring opportunity in the decisive 12th. The Rockies had taken a 3-0 lead on Daniel Castros' two-run double and pitcher, Chad Bettis's RBI single, but Brandon Belt would quickly tie it with a three-run shot in the sixth. This was the first meeting of the season between these two teams, and they have three more at AT&T Park in their four-game weekend series.
