Rockets survive without Kevin Durant, dominate Lakers in Game 4 after Deandre Ayton's ejection to avoid sweep
Rockets dominate Lakers 115-96 in Game 4, avoiding a sweep without Durant

The Chicago Cubs lost 6-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers, with Shota Imanaga using his sweeper pitch more frequently. Despite early struggles, Imanaga managed to settle down, but the Cubs' offense was ineffective, recording only four hits.
LOS ANGELES â Shota Imanaga isnât known for throwing his sweeper much.
The sweeper has accounted for only 14% of his pitches thrown this year, well behind his four-seam fastball and splitter usage. However, it became one of his go-to pitches Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he didnât have a great feel for his best two pitches early. Imanaga uncharacteristically walked three batters in the Cubsâ 6-0 loss at Dodger Stadium, including two in the Dodgersâ three-run first inning.
Imanaga hadnât issued two walks in an inning in more than a year, spanning 154 innings to April 15, 2025, against the Padres. He settled in after shaky command in the opening frame, but the Cubs offense couldnât get anything going, finishing with just four hits.
âHe certainly pitched well after that,â manager Craig Counsell said. âAnd he got us in the game, and if anything, thereâs never really a consolation, but weâve freshened up some bullpen guys and should be in good shape (next series).â
The uptick in Imanagaâs sweeper usage Sunday, accounting for 29% of his pitches, was a cue in helping him get back on line with the rest of his repertoire.
âI want to make that adjustment and limit those runs in the first inning for the next start,â Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry.
The Cubs (17-11) dropped the series to the Dodgers after taking the first game Friday with a comeback victory that extended their winning streak to 10 games, their longest since 2016. As they head to San Diego for a three-game set against the Padres beginning Monday, here are three takeaways from the Cubsâ series loss to the defending World Series champions.
The Cubs canât seem to get through a series without another injury impacting the bullpen.
Left-hander Riley Martin was placed on the 15-day injured list Sunday with left elbow inflammation. The severity of Martinâs injury isnât yet known. He will return to to be examined and undergo imaging. The Cubs should have better clarity early this week.
Shota Imanaga struggled early, walking three batters and allowing three runs in the first inning, but he improved later in the game.
Imanaga increased his sweeper usage to 29% during the game, up from just 14% for the season.
The Chicago Cubs lost the series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, culminating in a 6-0 defeat.
Manager Craig Counsell noted that Imanaga pitched well after his shaky start and helped keep the team in the game.
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In corresponding moves, left-hander Charlie Barnes and right-hander Yacksel RĂos were called up from Triple-A Iowa and right-hander Vince Velasquez, who threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings in Saturdayâs loss, was designated for assignment to open a 40-man spot for RĂos. The Cubs now have six relievers and 12 players from their 40-man roster on the IL.
âThe next guyâs got to do his job, thatâs kind of where weâre at with this,â Counsell said Sunday. âWeâve had a number of guys get opportunities, weâve got guys coming back soon, and so thatâs a good thing. But again, the injuries have an effect eventually.â
Veteran right-hander Phil Maton will be activated from the IL during the Cubsâ upcoming series in San Diego. Right-hander Ethan Roberts (laceration on right middle finger) is also nearing a return. He made a rehab appearance at Triple A on Saturday and will make one more outing with Iowa before rejoining the team. Daniel Palencia (left lat strain) has a big bullpen session on Tuesday in San Diego, which will determine his next steps and how close their closer is to coming back.
âWeâre dealing with a real challenge from a bullpen standpoint, and Iâll give guys credit, weâve had a lot of unexpected performances out of guys that have really helped,â president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said Saturday. âBut we do need to stabilize and get healthy.
âWeâve put Iowa in a tough spot a lot because weâre just constantly getting arms from them, and I feel badly about that, but thatâs what has to happen and weâve had some tough breaks.â
In both of the Cubsâ losses to the Dodgers, they had opportunities to cut into the deficit by putting runners on base but failed to cash in.
The Cubs went 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position Saturday and Sunday while leaving 19 on base. Their best chances Sunday came in the first two innings when the Cubs had runners on. But both times, Dodgers starter Justin Wrobleski recovered from falling behind 3-0 to Seiya Suzuki and Nico Hoerner, respectively, to strike them out in the first and second innings.
Hoernerâs sequence was especially tough. The Cubs loaded the bases and had their best contact hitter up with one out. Hoerner thought he had drawn a run-scoring walk, challenging the 3-1 pitch, but the Automated Ball-Strike System showed Wrobleskiâs fastball just touched the up-and-away corner. He followed with a fastball up and out of the zone and got Hoerner to chase for the strikeout.
âThose were our big opportunities, you need to kind of reverse one of those situations and we get runs on the board,â Counsell said.
The Cubsâ approach has largely been solid this season, often yielding plenty of run-scoring chances on a daily basis. Through Sundayâs game, the Cubsâ 337 plate appearances with RISP lead MLB. More often than not, it should result in runs despite falling short Saturday and Sunday.
âWe just didnât execute and come through in those moments and thatâs what this team does, is we come through in those moments and today was a day we just didnât,â catcher Carson Kelly said. âWe just continue to have good at-bats and continue to put pressure on defenses and the pitching staff.â
Imanaga and right-handers Colin Rea and Javier Assad are known for their command around the strike zone.
They donât possess the most elite pure stuff, but their success often comes from limiting walks and getting soft contact hit into an elite Cubs defense. The Dodgers, though, tested the trio over the weekend. They didnât chase out of the zone much, forcing them to stay more in the zone. And when they made a mistake, too often they were punished for it or got runners on via a walk.
âYou canât walk people, you canât give them free bases, you just have to make them hit their way on,â Counsell said. âBut they also make you throw quality pitches. And in the first (Imanaga) just didnât quite have enough quality pitches, that leads to two walks and then a couple hits, and youâre playing from a hole.â
The Cubsâ pitching staff has collectively been good at limiting walks this season, and their 8.3% walk rate is tied for fifth best in the majors. A patient Dodgers lineup challenged them, however.