The Orioles faced a six-run deficit and a manager nursing a foul ball to the face when things were at their lowest on Monday night. The Diamondbacks had hammered two Baltimore pitchers for seven runs in six innings. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz had exited the dugout after a foul ball off the bat of his No. 8 hitter, Jeremiah Jackson, struck his cheek and left a bloody laceration. As bleak and hopeless as all this was, the Orioles didnt let it get to them. They had 12 outs to fight, claw back and rally, but they only needed nine. Baltimore started chipping away in the bottom of the sixth. They wanted at least a couple of big hits to mount a resurgence. Fittingly, none other than Jackson delivered a grand slam to cut the Os deficit to 7-6. Albernaz hugged Jackson, who atoned for his frightening foul ball accident. Things were looking up. Still, the toughest challenge remained. Getting close is one thing, and taking the lead is another. For that, Baltimore would need a hero. Who else but Pete Alonso completed the comeback with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Alonso resurrected the Orioles with an 8-7 lead in his signature absurd style, by hitting a dinger to the only person in the stadium wearing a polar bear head because, of course, he did. Alonso, the Os new Polar Bear, turned toward his dugout, leaped into the air, and let out weeks of pent-up emotion and frustration before starting his home-run trot. For good measure, Jackson belted a solo shot in the eighth inning to pad Baltimores lead. Closer Ryan Helsley efficiently took care of business in the ninth, securing his league-leading fifth save of the year for a thrilling, come-from-behind 97 Orioles win. For the first time in a long time, the magic returned to Camden Yards. Moments like these were the reason the Os signed Alonso to a mammoth five-year, $155 million contract this past offseason. They were eager to make the second-largest total financial commitment in Orioles history for Alonso, hoping he would be the answer in high-leverage situations and the veteran leading by example. It didnt click right away for the slugging first baseman. Adversity and pressure crept into his psyche. On Friday, Alonso faced the media in a somber mood. He fought back tears. His voice wavered. In an eight-game stretch beginning April 3, Alonso went 2-for-31 with one RBI and no home runs. He had only one long ball in his first 15 games with the Orioles. His batting average plummeted to .167, and his slugging percentage dropped to .259. He was frustrated. He vowed to be better, more consistent. He badly wanted to turn it around. Now, the five-time All-Star is heating up. In Sundays 6-2 win over the Giants, Alonso went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk, two RBI and a run scored. In Mondays win over Arizona, he went 2-for-3 with another double, a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored, including that energizing go-ahead home run. When Alonso is the engine of the lineup, hes a stabilizing force that the rest of the offense can build around. He sets the tone. Now, weve seen how powerful the Orioles could become with a little maturity and belief. Despite a slew of injuries and persistent questions about the pitching staff, the Orioles have managed to win six of their last seven games. The young core is stepping up alongside Alonso. Good teams can overcome their weaknesses without letting the early part of the season spiral and devolve into a dilemma thats more concerning than it needs to be. The Os have 13 players on the injured list. But nobody could tell by the time Helsley pounded his glove on Monday night to secure the comeback win. Ace Zach Eflin exited his 2026 debut on March 31 with right elbow discomfort. A week later, his season ended after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle sustained a left foot fracture and is expected to miss significant time. Second baseman Jackson Holliday is recovering from right hamate surgery. Outfielder Tyler ONeill is on the concussion list. Over the weekend, catcher Adley Rutschman hit the IL with ankle inflammation. Right-handed reliever Andrew Kittredge is dealing with shoulder inflammation. Injuries plagued the Orioles last season on the way to a last place finish in the American League East. So far, their luck in that department hasnt been much better. But their ability to be resilient will be a key factor in times of hardship, and what we saw against a competitive Arizona club being unfazed by a pair of Nolan Arenado home runs, including a three-run blast was an encouraging turning point that has Orioles fans buzzing. If Alonso continues producing at a high level, then the Os are on a playoff-caliber trajectory. If shortstop Gunnar Henderson continues his stellar start to the season including five home runs and a .911 OPS in 16 games and the supporting cast takes steps forward, then the Os are a dangerous team. Still, remaining questions have to be addressed about Baltimores shaky pitching staff. Will they survive without Eflin? Who will step up without their ace? So far, Os starters have allowed 40 runs in 80 innings, which is ranked 17th, or slightly below average, in the major leagues. Baltimores bullpen, for all its legitimate concerns entering the season, has been surprisingly solid. The relief corps ranks in MLBs top 10 in ERA, fWAR, and strikeout percentage. Plus, there are a handful of relievers on the Os IL, indicating this encouraging group will only get stronger. Bullpens are volatile, but what their arms have shown early on is a positive foundation for the rest of the season. So far, the Orioles are imperfect but explosive. Mondays huge victory was a microcosm of their initial identity. With Alonso leading the charge, Baltimore is hinting at something bigger. It was the kind of win fans have been dreaming about for months. While their confidence is still growing, the Os magic is back. "In The Dugout" is where we provide an insider's view on the biggest and best storylines surrounding MLB's top players and teams. Deesha Thosarcovers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at@DeeshaThosar.

Atletico Madrid sent 10-man Barcelona crashing out of the Champions League and reached the final four with a 3-2 aggregate victory despite Tuesday's 2-1 quarter-final second leg defeat.

Here's how we want to see the draft play out in the AFC North

CHICAGO (AP) Shane McClanahan pitched five innings for his first win in nearly three years, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Chicago White Sox 8-5 on Tuesday night for their fourth straight victory.Ryan Vilade had three hits, including an RBI double, and scored three runs for the Rays. Ben Williamson doubled twice and drove in three runs as Tampa Bay spoiled the major league debut of White Sox starter Nick Schultz.Everson Pereira hit a three-run homer in his return from a left-ankle sprain for the only runs off McClanahan (1-1), a two time All-Star who made his third start of 2026 after missing two seasons.The 28-year-old left-hander allowed two hits and two earned runs, while striking out four and walking four. Munetaka Murakami lofted a two-run homer off Yoendrys Gmez in the ninth, then Bryan Baker got the final out for his third save.McClanahan last won on June 16, 2023, improving to 11-1 that season. He underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2023, then a nerve-related issue and operation in 2025 shut him down.Schultz (0-1), the White Sox top pitching prospect, allowed four runs on three hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-10 lefty allowed three runs two scored on his throwing error in a shaky first before settling down, and striking out four.The Rays jumped out 3-0 in the first. Schultz walked Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero with one out and Vilade's double made it 1-0.Williamson bunted back to the mound, but Schultz threw wildly to home, allowing Caminero and Vilade to score. Williamson's double in the third upped Tampa Bay's lead to 4-0. Pereira's drive in the bottom half cut it to 4-3.RBI singles by Nick Fortes and Diaz in the sixth made it 6-3. Williamson and DeLuca drove in runs in the seventh.Up nextTampa Bay RHP Jesse Scholtens (0-0, 0.00 ERA) faces Chicago RHP Sean Burke (0-1, 3.60) on Wednesday.___AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

One day after pulling his pledge from Illinois, four-star quarterback Kamden Lopati has committed to Michigan, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

From Clayton Olivers delayed move and Zach Merretts failed move, to a couple of trades that went through with mixed results.

The Patriots head coach has been at the center of a major scandal this month after photos emerged of him holding hands and embracing sports reporter Russini at an adults-only resort in Arizona.

LaMelo Ball made a layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell's attempt at a winning layup at the buzzer, and the Charlotte Hornets beat Miami 127-126 in a wild start to the NBA's play-in games, eliminating the Heat from the playoffs on Tuesday night.Ball finished with 30 points and 10 assists and Bridges had 28 points and nine rebounds as the Hornets won their first postseason home game in a decade. Coby White had 19 points, including a turnaround 3 with 10.8 second left in regulation to send the game to OT.Mitchell scored 28 points and Andrew Wiggins added 27 for the Heat, who lost Bam Adebayo to a lower back injury when Ball tripped him in the second quarter.The Hornets will travel to face the loser of Wednesdays matchup between Philadelphia and Orlando on Friday night for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is seeking its first playoff appearance in a decade.Ball's driving layup put the Hornets up by five with 26 seconds left in OT. But he made two critical mistakes after that.Tyler Herro, who scored 23 points for Miami, hit a twisting, corner 3, and Ball then turned the ball over in the backcourt and fouled Herro on a 3-point shot. Herro made all three free throws to give Miami a 126-125 lead with 8.7 seconds left.After a timeout, Ball drove the right side of the lane and made a leaning, right-handed layup to give Charlotte the lead. Miami, without any timeouts, pushed the ball up the court and Bridges chased down Mitchell to block his layup attempt, setting off a frenzied celebration.Ball flexed at midcourt as players mobbed each other.Despite the loss of Adebayo, the Heat remained in control until late in the third quarter, when White banked in a 3-pointer and then added another 3 at the top of the key as part of a 10-0 Charlotte run.White, acquired in a midseason trade with Chicago, drained another 3 in the closing seconds of the third quarter to give Charlotte a 89-83 lead.The Heat then built a 102-95 lead in the fourth quarter behind two 3s from Wiggins.The Hornets tied it when White caught an inbounds pass and made a unbalanced 3 from the corner. Herro had a chance to win it in regulation but hit the back iron on a 3-point try.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

LaMelo Ball made a layup with 4.7 seconds left in overtime, Miles Bridges blocked Davion Mitchell's attempt at a winning layup at the buzzer, and the Charlotte Hornets beat Miami 127-126 in a wild start to the NBA's play-in games, eliminating the Heat from the playoffs on Tuesday night.Ball finished with 30 points and 10 assists and Bridges had 28 points and nine rebounds as the Hornets won their first postseason home game in a decade. Coby White had 19 points, including a turnaround 3 with 10.8 second left in regulation to send the game to OT.Mitchell scored 28 points and Andrew Wiggins added 27 for the Heat, who lost Bam Adebayo to a lower back injury when Ball tripped him in the second quarter.The Hornets will travel to face the loser of Wednesdays matchup between Philadelphia and Orlando on Friday night for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte is seeking its first playoff appearance in a decade.Ball's driving layup put the Hornets up by five with 26 seconds left in OT. But he made two critical mistakes after that.Tyler Herro, who scored 23 points for Miami, hit a twisting, corner 3, and Ball then turned the ball over in the backcourt and fouled Herro on a 3-point shot. Herro made all three free throws to give Miami a 126-125 lead with 8.7 seconds left.After a timeout, Ball drove the right side of the lane and made a leaning, right-handed layup to give Charlotte the lead. Miami, without any timeouts, pushed the ball up the court and Bridges chased down Mitchell to block his layup attempt, setting off a frenzied celebration.Ball flexed at midcourt as players mobbed each other.Despite the loss of Adebayo, the Heat remained in control until late in the third quarter, when White banked in a 3-pointer and then added another 3 at the top of the key as part of a 10-0 Charlotte run.White, acquired in a midseason trade with Chicago, drained another 3 in the closing seconds of the third quarter to give Charlotte a 89-83 lead.The Heat then built a 102-95 lead in the fourth quarter behind two 3s from Wiggins.The Hornets tied it when White caught an inbounds pass and made a unbalanced 3 from the corner. Herro had a chance to win it in regulation but hit the back iron on a 3-point try.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

The United Nations' secretary general said it was "highly probable" that the negotiations would restart.