Sports News Roundup: Back-to-back HRs in 9th send Reds past Nats; Red Sox look to pick up steam in opener against A's and more

Benson followed with a homer to left-center before Encarnacion-Strand ended an 0-for-12 slump with his solo shot. Yankees, Diamondbacks clash after opening-weekend success The Arizona Diamondbacks will host the New York Yankees on Monday night in an early season interleague matchup, a meeting between two confident clubs through their first series of the year.

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

MLB roundup: Back-to-back HRs in 9th send Reds past Nats

Will Benson tied the score with a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth and Christian Encarnacion-Strand lined a solo homer to left to complete the rally as Cincinnati Reds edged the visiting Washington Nationals 6-5 on Sunday. Just one strike from defeat, Jonathan India won a 10-pitch encounter with Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan (0-1) by driving a double down the left-field line. Benson followed with a homer to left-center before Encarnacion-Strand ended an 0-for-12 slump with his solo shot.

Yankees, Diamondbacks clash after opening-weekend success

The Arizona Diamondbacks will host the New York Yankees on Monday night in an early season interleague matchup, a meeting between two confident clubs through their first series of the year. New York enters play as a winner of its first four games, earning a sweep in its season-opening series in Houston over the Astros. It is the first 4-0 start for the Yankees since 2003 and just the fourth since 1950.

Red Sox look to pick up steam in opener against A's

Two teams that used strong starting pitching as the foundation for series-ending wins in their most recent outings will look for more of the same Monday night when the Boston Red Sox visit the Oakland Athletics. A pair of tall Missouri natives are the projected starters for the opener of the three-game series, as 6-foot-5 right-hander Tanner Houck of the Red Sox will square off against 6-7 righty Joe Boyle of the A's.

NBA roundup: Thunder edge Knicks, clinch playoff berth

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander drained a go-ahead fallaway jumper with 2.6 seconds left and then helped produce a defensive stop just before the buzzer on Sunday night for the Oklahoma City Thunder, who clinched a playoff spot with a 113-112 victory over the host New York Knicks. It marks Oklahoma City's first playoff berth since 2020, when the Thunder fell to the Houston Rockets in the first round.

Zach Edey's career day powers Purdue past Tennessee, into Final Four

DETROIT -- The Purdue guards fed the big man again and again. On Easter, 7-foot-4 Zach Edey feasted on Tennessee's undersized big men and satisfied the Boilermakers' hunger for a long-sought Final Four berth. Edey dominated inside with a career-high 40 points and 16 rebounds and Purdue advanced to the Final Four for the first time in 44 years with a 72-66 victory over Tennessee in the Midwest Region final on Sunday afternoon.

Commanders sign WR Olamide Zaccheaus, RB Jeremy McNichols

The Washington Commanders announced the signings Monday of wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus and running back Jeremy McNichols. Terms were not disclosed. Zaccheaus, 26, joins his third team in three years. He caught 10 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games (one start) for the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles in 2023.

Guardians' Triston McKenzie aims for fresh start vs. Mariners

The Cleveland Guardians expected a lot out of Triston McKenzie last season. Instead, they got just four starts between a pair of lengthy stays on the injured list.

Bulls bid for season sweep of Hawks

The race for playoff positioning will intensify on Monday night when the Chicago Bulls host the Atlanta Hawks in a battle for home court in the NBA play-in tournament. The Bulls sit in ninth place and the Hawks are 10th in the Eastern Conference, and the two likely will play in the opener of the play-in tournament. But the No. 9 team will host the game, in which the loser is eliminated.

Giants seek to test mettle vs. Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers added to their roster early, the San Francisco Giants made significant adjustments late, and now the longtime rivals can size each other up when they meet for the first time this season Monday night in Los Angeles. Shohei Ohtani was the prize both teams wanted, with the Dodgers signing the two-way phenom to a 10-year, $700 million contract. Los Angeles also signed Teoscar Hernandez to a super-charged lineup, while right-handers Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were added to a rebuilt rotation.

Denny Hamlin wins at Richmond after late caution flag

Virginia native Denny Hamlin ran away in a green-white-checker shootout to win the NASCAR Cup Series' Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond (Va.) Raceway on Sunday night. After Bubba Wallace brought out a caution by spinning Kyle Larson with two laps to go and Martin Truex Jr. seemingly headed to victory, the 16 lead-lap cars pitted with Hamlin emerging as the leader, followed by Joey Logano and Larson.

(With inputs from agencies.)