ATLANTA — Alex Verdugo shook his head when reminded the Atlanta Braves are 2-0 since he was recalled this week.

“I’m not taking credit for it yet,” Verdugo said.

Even so, Verdugo’s four hits and two runs scored in Saturday night’s 4-3 win over the Minnesota Twins provided evidence he has given a spark to the offense as the team’s new leadoff hitter and starting left fielder.

The Twins lost for the second straight time to start this three-game series, and have lost 6 of 9 overall to fall to 7-14 this season. The series concludes with a noon start on Sunday.

With Verdugo in the lineup, the Braves have posted back-to-back wins for the first time this season. Verdugo’s four hits included two doubles and a sixth-inning single that drove in the go-ahead run.

“It feels good,” Verdugo said. “Obviously, being at the top of the lineup, kind of instantly thrown into it, get on base, have good at-bats, things like that. And I think for me it feels good to get some hits.”

Verdugo’s single off Brock Stewart — activated from a rehab assignment before the game — drove home Nick Allen with the go-ahead run. Verdugo was recalled on Thursday to help boost a slumping offense after signing a $1.5 million, one-year contract on March 20.

Twins right-hander Justin Topa made his first big league start after 102 relief appearances with Milwaukee, Seattle and Minnesota. He gave up a single to Verdugo to start the game, one of three hits he allowed, and Verdugo came around to score on a double by Matt Olson.

Topa pitched one inning before Simeon Woods Richardson (1-2) entered the game and pitched the next 4⅓ innings, allowing three runs on seven hits that included a solo home run by Michael Harris II that tied the game, 3-3, in the sixth inning.

Bryon Buxton was 3 for 4 with a triple and RBI single, and rookie Luke Keaschall singled and scored in his second major league game. Carlos Correa homered off of Atlanta starter Chris Sale to tie the game 2-2 in the fourth inning.

In his first two games, Verdugo has started in left field with Michael Harris II in center and Jarred Kelenic in right field. When asked after Saturday night’s game what he expected when Verdugo was added to the roster, manager Brian Snitker said, “Just professional at-bats, good at-bats, which he’s done already.”

Added Snitker: “It’s kind of why we’re excited about getting him here.”

The left-handed hitting Verdugo has a career batting average of .272. He could retain a starting job even after 2023 NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. returns from surgery to repair his torn left ACL, perhaps in May.

The 28-year-old Verdugo hit .233 with 13 homers and 61 RBIs for the New York Yankees in 2024 following four seasons with Boston. He had an $8.7 million base salary last season and earned $50,000 in performance bonuses for plate appearances.

Snitker hopes Verdugo’s disciplined at-bats have an impact on others in the lineup.

“He gives me a lot of information from his first at-bat,” Harris said. “It helps me out as another lefty.”

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The Gophers men’s basketball program had a visit with a top in-state recruit scheduled for Monday. They didn’t make it that far.

Orono guard Nolan Groves committed to Texas Tech on Saturday. The reigning Gatorade Player of the Year shared the news on social media while visiting Lubbock this weekend.

The Gophers appeared to have a shot at Groves after the 6-foot-5 shooting guard de-committed from Yale last week. Minnesota, Wisconsin and Texas Tech quickly offered scholarships to Groves, who led the state of Minnesota at 34.1 points per game during the 2024-25 high school season.

Texas Tech has now snagged a player away from the Gophers in consecutive years, with Elijah Hawkins transferring to the Red Raiders before last season. The point guard then helped Texas Tech reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in March.

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LOS ANGELES — Minnesota knew all week what approach it would need to beat the defense the Wolves were sure the Lakers would employ in this series.

Los Angeles would clog the paint to cut off driving lanes, leaving a number of open shooters out on the perimeter. It was on the Wolves to knock the triple tries down.

Anthony Edwards laid it out simply on Wednesday.

“We all gotta be on the same page,” the guard said. “At this point in the season, it don’t matter who gets 20 points, 30 points. It don’t matter if I have five points. It don’t matter if Julius has five points. Some nights it might be Naz gets 30. This whole series Jaden might average 25. It doesn’t matter who gets all the buckets and shots, man. We gotta be willing to shoot the ball, no matter if we making or missing shots. We gotta be confident.”

They were nothing if not that in Game 1 on Saturday.

Trailing by seven after one frame, Minnesota exploded offensively over the final three quarters to trounce the Lakers, 117-95.

And Jaden McDaniels had 25 points. Naz Reid had 23. Edwards had 22 and Randle had 16.

Minnesota drilled 21 triples on a night where it shot 51 percent from deep. Most of those looks were open.

“Once we settled into the gameplan and offensively, picked up our pace and our decision making and the concepts that we had been focusing on, things started coming together,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said.

The entire offense opened up to start the second frame, when Reid and Donte DiVincenzo injected pace into the game both through getting up and down the floor, but also with heavy ball and player movement in the half court.

“Outstanding job by those guys coming in and giving us a jolt at the right time,” Finch said.

The Lakers have savvy players who can play good team defense when set, but Minnesota was able to move the slower bodies via passing and cutting, which caused the Lakers’ defense to largely collapse.

Edwards missed the final half of the third quarter after leaving the contest with cramps, but he returned early in the final frame. Los Angeles trailed by 26 at one point in the third, but trimmed its deficit to 12 points in the fourth quarter as Luka Doncic, who had a game-high 37 points, but just one assist, went on another of his numerous flurries in the game.

But Edwards and Randle hit a couple tough jumpers to stem the tide, and Minnesota eventually put the game to bed to grab a 1-0 series lead.

Game 2 is in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

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Minnesota United extended its unbeaten streak to eight matches Saturday, but a second straight scoreless draw doesn’t add much momentum.

The Loons’ 0-0 result with shorthanded FC Dallas at Allianz Field followed a goalless game in Toronto last weekend. Minnesota has managed four wins and four ties in the run.

Still, MNUFC (4-1-4, 16 points) has equaled its club record-best unbeaten run from September-November 2020.

Here are three takeaways:

Attack gone cold

After scoring multiple goals in four straight matches, the Loons have gone two straight games without scoring.

Strikers Tani Oluwaseyi (five goals) and Kelvin Yeboah (four goals) were among the hottest tandem in the league but have cooled off significantly.

In the 73rd minute, Carlos Harvey sent in a great cross to the back post. Oluwaseyi came sliding in at the back post, but his shot was off frame. That served as the Loons best chance of the evening.

Caught a break

FC Dallas’ two most-dangerous attackers didn’t start Saturday: striker Petar Musa was out with an ankle injury and central attacking midfielder Luciano Acosta was on the bench based on coach Eric Quill’s decision. Acosta subbed in during the 63rd minute and his header was denied by Dayne St. Clair in the 78th minute.

The pair of Designated Players have each scored three goals this season, with Musa adding three assists. Not taking better advantage of their lesser, nonexistent roles will sting for MNUFC.

Dallas (3-3-3, 12 points) also had two other key players out in Marco Farfan and Sebastian Lletget; both have leg injuries.

Three makes a trend

The Loons used the same starting XI for the third straight game Saturday: Oluwaseyi, Yeboah; Joaquin Pereyra, Robin Lod, Wil Trapp; Joseph Rosales, Nicholas Romero, Michael Boxall, Jefferson Diaz, Bongi Hlongwane; St. Clair.

Consistency is good, but it’s also indicative of a lack of competition for spots, especially in midfield and at forward.

Injuries to Hassani Dotson and Owen Gene cut down on options in midfield, and a lack of form for Sang Bin Jeong help make the forward choices easy.

In a scoreless game, midfielder Sam Shashoua was the only attacking option brought in for the Loons in the 65th minute.

Three tidbits

Louisville City head coach Danny Cruz — whose USL Championship team will play MNUFC in U.S. Open Cup on May 7 — was initially included in United’s coaching search that produced Eric Ramsay. … Among the four Loons on loan, Alejandro Bran has played much more for Costa Rican club Alajuelense than any of the three others: (Matus Kmet with Gornik Zabrze in Poland), Jordan Adebayo-Smith (Detroit City) and Roman Torres (Birmingham City). Kmet hasn’t played since March. … MNUFC has been promoting its assistant coaches much more than in seasons past, with a video feature on Cameron Knowles this week and postgame breakdowns with Dennis Lawrence on a weekly basis.

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