PHILLY SPORTS CORNER- PHILLIES, NBA, NHL

- Key win for the Phillies Sunday afternoon. Had to finally beat the Mets and a division foe. Phils stay a game behind Atlanta in NL East. Nola goes 6-1. Nick Williams was  the hero by blasting a pinch-hit 3-run homer. Ramos closes in 9th inning in favor of Neris. Shaky outing but I'll take Ramos any day. Dominguez again excels in set-up role, getting thru Mets' heart of order. What will it take to give the kid a shot at closer's role?

- Early on  Sunday's ballgame looked too familiar. Runners left on base, no clutch hitting by Phillies. They did get Jacob deGrom out of the game after only one inning. He labored in the first, throwing over 40 pitches.

- The home stand finished with a 5-1 record. The upcoming road trip is for the birds, as the Phils take on the Orioles and Cardinals. Baltimore is in last in AL East, but are playing better. Manny Machado, hopefully a future Phillie, is playing well. Pivetta and Valasquez go at Camden Yards. St. Louis is lurking near the top in NL Central, as always. A four-game series with the Cards in Baseball Heaven should be an interesting weekend. Arrieta and Nola both pitch in St. Louis, which give the Phillies a good shot of at least earning a split in the series.

- Look out! The Nationals swept their four-game series at Arizona against the Diamondbacks. They remain only 1/2 game behind the Phils. When the Phillies blew a game a week ago Sunday at Washington, it gave the Nats momentum to win 6 of 7 on the West Coast. Washington comes home but have the red-hot Yankees ( a World Series preview?)  and disappointing Dodgers at home this week. Even on the road, I like the Phillies' chances against t the cellar-dweller Orioles than the first place Yanks.

- The Celtics destroyed the Cavs in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals over the weekend. I really didn't care after the Sixers' disappointing exit from the playoffs. I'm waiting for the draft lottery soon and the actual draft itself in June.

- I wanted to watch some NHL playoff hockey, but couldn't find the game. Is hockey still that minor league that playoff games aren't on a major network? Anyway, Washington beat the Lightning twice in Tampa Bay and took solid control of the series. A Caps- Jets Stanley Cup final ahead?

- Great news that sports betting will now be legal. Wondering if the existing casinos in Pennsylvania will now make a sports betting area for gamblers?Nice to know that if you want to lay a bet on the Eagles, you don't have to fly all the way to Vegas or hook-up with your local bookie.