Tomas Hertl scored his team-leading fifth goal of the playoffs, Martin Jones made 34 saves for his sixth career postseason shutout and the San Jose Sharks evened their second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights with a 4-0 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday night.
Marcus Sorensen and Joonas Donskoi scored in the first period to allow San Jose to play from ahead and Joe Pavelski added a power-play goal in the third to help the Sharks rebound from an overtime loss at home in Game 3.
Marc-Andre Fleury made 30 saves and Vegas failed to convert on all five power-play chances to lose for the second time in eight games this postseason.
The teams have now alternated wins through four games, heading into Game 5 on Friday night in Vegas.
GIANTS BEAT PADRES, 9-4
Giants backup catcher Nick Hundley knew he needed a triple to complete the cycle and fully intended on going for it after lacing a ball into the gap in left-center field in the sixth inning.
“And then I almost got thrown out at second,” Hundley said.
Hundley homered, doubled twice and matched his career high with four hits, Brandon Crawford broke out of a lengthy slump with three RBIs and the Giants beat the San Diego Padres 9-4 on Wednesday.
Austin Jackson added two hits and two RBIs and Derek Holland pitched five innings for his first win of the season for San Francisco.
The Giants finished 7-3 on their homestand and celebrated left-handed reliever Will Smith’s first appearance in the big leagues in nearly 19 months after undergoing Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2017. Smith pitched one scoreless inning.
“Great homestand,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said. “It was good to get another series. Guys played well. We had some big hits. Really, everybody did something today.”
Hundley had a two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning Monday night to beat the Padres. This time, the veteran backup catcher had an RBI single in the first, doubled and scored in the third, then hit a two-run homer off starter Clayton Richard (1-4) in the fourth.
A’S WIN DESPITE 16Ks
Among his variety of pitches, James Paxton discovered quickly he needed only one. His fastball was so overpowering that even though Oakland Athletics batters knew it was coming, they couldn’t catch up.
That fastball led to the finest performance of Paxton’s career with a major league-high 16 strikeouts on Wednesday night. And yet it ended up coming in a Seattle loss after the Mariners’ bullpen blew a late lead and saw the A’s rally for a 3-2 win.
It left the Mariners clubhouse filled with mixed feelings — thrilled about what Paxton did, and frustrated about blowing a game it should have won.
Paxton departed after seven innings with a 2-0 lead, then watched Jed Lowrie hit a two-run homer off Juan Nicasio in the eighth inning and Mark Canha opened the ninth with a home run against Edwin Diaz (0-1). Diaz had allowed just one earned run in 15 appearances this season.
REID FILES COLLUSION GRIEVANCE AGAINST NFL
The NFL players’ union says former San Francisco 49ers safety Eric Reid filed a grievance against the league, alleging that he remains unsigned as a result of collusion by owners.
Reid, a Pro Bowler in 2013, had joined former teammate Colin Kaepernick two seasons ago in kneeling during the national anthem to protest police brutality and racial inequality.
Kaepernick wasn’t signed for the 2017 season following his release in San Francisco. Reid continued the quarterback’s protests. The 26-year-old safety became a free agent this offseason when his rookie contract with the 49ers expired.
“Our union is aware that Eric Reid and his legal representatives filed a collusion claim, which will be heard through the arbitration process as spelled out in our collective bargaining agreement,” the NFL Players Association said in a statement Wednesday. “Our union supports Eric and we are considering other legal options to pursue.”
Kaepernick previously filed a collusion grievance that is in the discovery stage. He deposed several league owners and executives, including Commissioner Roger Goodell. Reid is using the same attorneys as Kaepernick.
A league spokesman said Wednesday: “We are abiding by the confidentiality provision of the CBA and have no comment.”
