Sports
Reinvigorated Mookie Betts provides the spark in Dodgers' blowout win over Padres
This time, Mookie Betts did not take a hard left-hand turn between first and second base and start jogging toward the third-base dugout in Petco Park.
One night after the Dodgers right fielder thought he was robbed of another home run by San Diego Padres left fielder Jurickson Profar, a misunderstanding that resulted in an awkward trot that included a U-turn from the back of the mound to second base, Betts took a more traditional route around the bases in the first inning Wednesday night.
That’s because there was little doubt his 401-foot shot off Padres starter Dylan Cease would clear the center-field fence, the homer setting the tone for an 8-0 National League Division Series Game 4 victory over the Padres that tied the best-of-five series at two games apiece and set up a winner-take-all Game 5 in Dodger Stadium Friday night.
“When you come on the road, you can’t just book a homer or a crooked number in the first inning — hitting is still hard,” Roberts said. “But for us to strike first, to get to Cease early, to get to their bullpen, obviously it gave us momentum. And it started with Mookie right there.”
It did not end there for Betts, who followed Shohei Ohtani’s two-out RBI single in the top of the second by slapping reliever Bryan Hoeing’s first pitch into right field for a clutch RBI single and a 3-0 Dodgers lead.
It marked the second straight game in which Betts hit a home run and a single in his first two at-bats, though his two-hit effort on Tuesday night came in a 6-5 Game 3 loss. Will Smith also hit a game-breaking two-run homer in the third inning, and Gavin Lux hit a tack-on two-run shot in the seventh.
“Mookie has been big,” Roberts said. “Obviously, we’ve got a lot of good players, but it’s not on one player, clearly, and today Mookie shined. [Tuesday] night, Mookie shined. And Will had a big hit.
“That’s the great thing about having good players. They don’t need to do anything more than they’re capable of. They just have to do what their abilities allow for. And that’s what they did tonight.”
Mookie Betts follows through on his solo home run in the first inning Wednesday against the Padres.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
That was the gist of Roberts’ message to Betts during Monday’s off-day workout, after Betts had gone hitless in four at-bats in Sunday’s 10-2 Game 2 loss to extend a playoff slump in which he hit .068 (three for 44) in 12 games dating to Game 4 of the 2021 NL Championship Series, including 0 for 11 in last season’s NLDS loss to Arizona.
There was so much noise rattling around in Betts’ head and he was feeling so much negative energy from Dodgers fans and the media that he decided to unplug from the outside world.
“I had to turn off all social media because that was all negative,” Betts said. “I had to get some positive vibes in me, and my team did it.”
Roberts stressed to Betts on Monday that he didn’t need to be a playoff superhero, that being Mookie was enough.
“When you look at [great] postseason performers, it’s not that they over-performed their career stat line from the regular season — what they’ve done [in the playoffs] is what they’ve done in the regular season,” Roberts said Monday.
“But on that stage they’re considered [great] postseason players. So in this case, all we expect is for Mookie to be the same player he is in the regular season. And that’s it.”
Those words apparently got lost amid the estimated 300-400 swings Betts took in the batting cage Monday.
“I don’t even remember Doc’s message on Monday, to be honest, it seems like it was so long ago,” Betts said. “I think I just needed to see one fall, man, and to get a little confidence. My teammates did an amazing job trying to instill confidence in me.”
One teammate who has been in Betts’ ear constantly is infielder Max Muncy, whose locker is next to Betts’ in the Dodgers home clubhouse.
“When they walk Shohei to pitch to him and he gets a big hit, I tell him, ‘Hey, you’re getting paid $400 million too, bro, you’re still one of the best players in the game,’ ” Muncy said. “Sometimes you’ve just got to give them a reminder.”
In case Betts forgot, he is an eight-time All-Star, a six-time Gold Glove Award winner and the 2018 American League most valuable player who starred on both sides of the ball while leading the Boston Red Sox to the 2018 World Series title and the Dodgers to the 2020 World Series title.
“I know he’s had his struggles in the postseason, but he’s still one of the best players in baseball,” Muncy said. “He’s been an unbelievable postseason player in the past. He had a rough stretch. I think the biggest thing for him was getting out of his head. Now that he’s had a couple of hits, he can get back to being Mookie Betts.”
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Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley sounded off on the frenzied reactions to the U.S. men’s hockey team getting invited to the White House by President Donald Trump.
Trump talked to the Olympic gold medal-winning team immediately after they defeated Canada in overtime last weekend. He said they would be invited to his State of the Union address and added that he needed to invite the women’s team as well or he would be “impeached.”
Charles Barkley sits courtside against the Minnesota Timberwolves during an NBA Cup game at Mortgage Matchup Center on Nov. 21, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Trump critics took the joke as a shot at the women’s team, which sparked questions from NHL and Professional Women’s Hockey League reporters as the players returned to their respective club teams.
“I’m proud of the United States men. I’m proud of the United States women. You should have invited both of them to the White House, but it shouldn’t have been disrespect, misogyny,” Barkley said on the “Steam Room” podcast. “Like, yo, man, why do y’all have to mess everything up? Everything isn’t Democrat, Republican, conservative, liberal. That’s why we got this divided, screwed up country. Stop it man. Because, you know, the public, they’re idiots. They’re fools. They can’t think for themselves. I know y’all say stuff to trigger them. Y’all say stuff and y’all know they’re going to be fools.”
Barkley lamented that the average person would get riled up over the supposed controversy.
The U.S. team poses for a group photo after defeating Canada in the men’s ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (Luca Bruno/AP Photo)
“We don’t have to fall for stupidity. But we do – that’s my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them. Just because they want us to be stupid. We don’t have to be stupid. He should have invited both teams to the White House. Simple as that. Guys who didn’t want to go shouldn’t have to explain why they didn’t go.”
The former Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets and Phoenix Suns star made clear he would go to the White House regardless of whether Trump was in office.
“I’ve said this before, I’m not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go. I’m not a Trump guy – I want to make that clear. But I respect the office,” Barkley said. “He’s the president of the United States. But if guys don’t want to go, I understand that too. It doesn’t have to be a talking point. It doesn’t have to be un-American.
Megan Keller (5) celebrates with a flag alongside Cayla Barnes (3) of Team United States after scoring the game-winning goal in overtime during the women’s gold medal match against Canada on Day 13 of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 19, 2026. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
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“I just wish y’all would stop falling for the stupidity.”
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Three years ago, as a 14-year-old freshman, Slava Shahbazyan made it to Bakersfield for the state wrestling championships.
“It was good to get experience that young,” he said.
Then came Saturday night when he had a breakthrough moment, winning the state 165-pound championship as a 17-year-old senior for Birmingham High.
“It means everything to me,” he said. “It took four years.”
Shahbazyan, who transferred from Chaminade after his sophomore year, is set to attend Stanford and still in the hunt to be valedictorian at Birmingham. Coach Jimmy Medeiros said he was close to winning last season before finishing fourth.
“He got a lot better,” Medeiros said.
Shahbazyan has been wrestling since he was 8. “My father loves wrestling,” he said.
Two St. John Bosco wrestlers, Jesse Grajeda at 144 pounds and Michael Romero at 150 pounds, also won state titles.
Here’s the link to complete results.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
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Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder died this weekend, the team’s head coach Deion Sanders confirmed on Sunday with a social media post.
“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones,” Sanders wrote on social media. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”
Ponder was 23 years old.
Details of Ponder’s death are not yet known.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against TCU Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)
Ponder, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal caller, joined the Buffaloes and “Coach Prime’s” program in 2024 after spending time at Bethune-Cookman before making his way to Boulder.
Last season, Ponder played just two games for the Buffaloes while serving in his backup role. He recorded two rush attempts and one pass attempt.
The Opa Locka, Fla., native also received tribute from a fellow quarterback with the Buffaloes, Colton Allen.
Bethune-Cookman QB Dominiq Ponder takes a snap during the Wildcats’ spring game Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Daytona Stadium. (IMAGN)
“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote on Instagram. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”
Ponder was going to be a part of Colorado’s spring practices, which are set to begin on Monday. It’s unknown if Sanders will postpone the start due to Ponder’s passing.
Ponder also received a tribute from the University of Central Florida.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warm up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (Tyler Tate/AP Photo)
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“Our prayers are with Dominiq and the Ponder family along with all in the Colorado football program,” the university’s football account on X wrote.
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