The P-Bruins face elimination, RIFC opens its stadium — the top sports stories of the week

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10-05-2025

Here are some of The Providence Journal's most-read sports stories for the week of May 4, as supported by your subscriptions.
Providence Bruin Fabian Lysell keeps ahead of Charlotte Checkers center Rasmus Asplund in the second period.
◘The Providence Bruins hosted the Charlotte Checkers at the Amica Mutual Pavilion on Sunday, May 4, in an AHL second-round playoff game in one of the top stories of the week. The Checkers won, 2-0, putting the P-Bruins in a 2-0 hole in their best-of-five Calder Cup playoff series. Providence will need to win three straight road wins at Charlotte to advance. (The P-Bruins took that first step with a 3-2 win on Wednesday night.) On Sunday, the Checkers smothered the hosts in the first period, took a two-goal lead in the second and rode a strong third from goalie Kaapo Kähkönen. He finished off a 32-save shutout to clinch a 2-0 victory.
May 2, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Minnesota Twins designated hitter Mickey Gasper (11) warms up before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
◘A certain type of pressure was off Mickey Gasper's shoulders on a return trip to Fenway Park. His first hit in the big leagues was already in the bank. The former standout at Bryant University got it out of the way in his Minnesota Twins debut against the St. Louis Cardinals. It was an achievement that eluded Gasper through 13 games and 23 plate appearances with the Red Sox at the close of 2024. An offseason trade brought a fresh opportunity, one that continued into last Friday's opener of a three-game series. 'It's always a good feeling to be back in Boston,' Gasper said. 'Close to family, close to people who helped along the way. To get an opportunity to play at Fenway Park is always pretty special.' Gasper was traded on Christmas Eve for Twins left-hander Jovani Moran, who remains on the injured list after missing all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Boston elected to bolster its relief corps in exchange for a player who sizzled his way through the minor leagues in 2024.
Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket was filled to the brim for Rhode Island FC's home opener on May 3 against San Antonio FC, which ended in a 0-0 draw.
◘PAWTUCKET — Koke Vegas was the first to board the ship. And Maxi Rodriguez punched his ticket in Year 2. Both Rhode Island FC stars found their way to the club at different times, but for the same reason. They saw what was happening with RIFC and wanted to join. It's fitting that the two arrived in Pawtucket at Centreville Bank Stadium with lofty expectations of RIFC's long-awaited welcome party. The goalie and midfielder tandem saved the club's inaugural game on May 3 from being stolen away by visiting San Antonio FC. Vegas, falling to his left and off his line, denied a go-ahead goal by Jorge Hernández in the 62nd minute. And Rodriguez nearly delivered the game-winning redirect off a corner two minutes later. The afternoon ended with a scoreless draw, but the midfielder's prospects of his new club were true. "The stadium was a big selling point for me," Rodriguez said. "Playing in front of a crowd like that and just feeling that kind of environment, it's what I want to play in. And to be a part of it, I think there's times when it doesn't feel real. It was an incredible moment. I felt like I never ran out of energy because of the environment." RIFC hopes to its next historic moment will come sooner than later – a first win at its new home. The team will have a chance on Saturday, May 10 when they host Monterey Bay FC at 4 p.m.
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◘GLOCESTER — It was a game so nice the Ponaganset softball team had to win it twice. In what can only be described as one of the most confusing endings you'll ever see on a field started with a normal comeback — a game-tying two-run home run by Chieftains' star Maia Salvo — before chaos broke out. With Ponaganset and Portsmouth still tied at five in the bottom of the ninth, Jill Baris walked with the bases loaded to bring home the Chieftains' game-winning run that wasn't. One inning later, Ponaganset made it official when Kyla Angell smoked a ball over the center-field fence for a three-run home run, giving the Chieftains an 8-5 win over the Patriots in the wildest game you'll ever see.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 02: Triston Casas #36 of the Boston Red Sox is taken off of the field on a stretcher after a collision at first base during the second inning against the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park on May 02, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by)
◘BOSTON — Now, in what can only be described as an unfortunate turn of events, we'll get to see what the Red Sox will look like without Triston Casas in 2025. Following through on the trade talks that percolated just below the surface last offseason would have been preferable to this outcome in the May 2 game. Boston's first baseman could be facing an extended period out of action, and the organization's opportunities to replace him are now far more limited. Casas was removed in the bottom of the second inning after suffering what manager Alex Cora described as a 'significant (left) knee injury.' He was running out a tapper back to Minnesota Twins pitcher Joe Ryan in what developed into a 6-1 victory at Fenway Park. Ryan fumbled the grounder along the line toward first and threw toward the bag. Casas stumbled across and went down at the edge of the infield dirt, immediately reaching for his left knee with both hands. He remained on his back while Cora and athletic trainer Brandon Henry examined him, with a stretcher eventually wheeled out to take Casas toward a waiting ambulance and local hospital for more extensive testing.
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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: P-Bruins face elimination, RIFC opens its stadium — top sports stories