April 15, 2023 4:19 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team has reached an agreement with a historic Black church to provide it development rights to a 1.5-acre parcel near the church’s former property. Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church’s old sanctuary was demolished along with much of the surrounding Black neighborhood in the 1950s in a now-lamented urban-renewal project. The Penguins hold development rights in the area near the arena where they currently play. Bethel says public authorities compensated it in the 1950s for a fraction of its property’s value. The Penguins only came in existence a decade after that happened. But the agreement is being called “restorative justice.”
April 14, 2023 3:47 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis rookie Jordan Walker’s hitting streak ended at 12 games when he went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in the Cardinals’ 5-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 20-year-old tied the record for longest hitting streak at the start of a career by a player 20 or younger, set by Eddie Murphy, who hit in 12 straight games with the Philadelphia Athletics from Aug. 26, 1912, to Sept. 5, 1912. Carlos Santana doubled twice, and Connor Joe and Rodolfo Castro hit consecutive homers in the eighth against Génesis Cabrera.
April 14, 2023 3:49 am
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Johnny Gaudreau scored a minute into overtime and the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2, snapping a four-game losing streak and moving ahead of Chicago and Anaheim for the worst record in the NHL. Andrew Peeke and Emil Bemstrom also scored for Columbus. Michael Hutchinson stopped 34 shots. Kris Letang and Jake Guentzel scored for the Penguins, and Sidney Crosby added two assists. Tristan Jarry stopped 31 shots.
April 14, 2023 3:50 am
Two people with knowledge of the situation tell The Associated Press that a group led by Josh Harris and Mitchell Rales and including Magic Johnson has an agreement in principle to buy the Washington Commanders from longtime owner Dan Snyder. Harris and Rales are set to pay $6.05 billion for the storied NFL franchise. It’s the most money a professional sports franchise in North American has been sold for, topping the $4.65 billion paid by Walmart heir Rob Walton’s group for the Denver Broncos last year. The sale of the Commanders is pending approval from the rest of the league’s owners. That could happen as soon as their next meeting in Minnesota in May.
April 14, 2023 3:51 am
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays tied Major League Baseball’s post-1900 record of 13 consecutive wins at a season’s start, rallying to beat the Boston Red Sox 9-3 behind a seven-run fifth inning that Harold Ramirez began and capped with doubles. Tampa Bay matched the 13-0 start of the 1982 Atlanta Braves and 1987 Milwaukee Brewers. The only longer opening streak was a 20-0 start by the 1884 St. Louis Maroons of the Union Association. Playing before a crowd of 21,175, the largest at Tropicana Field since opening day, the Rays set a team record for wins at any point in a season.
April 13, 2023 3:45 am
PITTSBURGH — It’s over. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 16-year playoff streak ended Wednesday when they were eliminated from playoff contention by the New York Islanders, who beat Montreal 4-2 at UBS Arena. The Penguins squandered their chance Tuesday when they lost to the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2. New York needed only one point Wednesday. Now, the Penguins face the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday at Nationwide Arena in a meaningless game. It is the final game of the Penguins’ 2022-23 season.
April 13, 2023 2:56 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — José Urquidy scattered two hits over six innings, rookie Corey Julks hit the first home run of his big league career and the Houston Astros rolled by the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-0. Urquidy (1-0) allowed singles by Carlos Santana and Jack Suwinski as the reigning champions took two of three in their first visit to Pittsburgh since 2013. Alex Bregman homered for the second straight game for Houston. Pirates starter Rich Hill allowed two runs in six innings to fall to 0-2.
April 13, 2023 3:47 am
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Rays won their 12th straight game to start the season, one short of the major league record, as Randy Arozarena hit a three-run homer in a 9-7 victory over the Boston Red Sox. The 1987 Milwaukee Brewers and 1982 Atlanta Braves both opened 13-0, tying for the best mark in big league history. Tampa Bay’s 12-game winning streak matches the team record set in June 2004. Taj Bradley won his major league debut for the Rays. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed three runs and struck out eight over five innings. Arozarena made it 3-0 with a homer off Chris Sale in the first. Tampa Bay leads the majors with 30 home runs and has outscored opponents 92-27.
April 12, 2023 3:54 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Buddy Robinson and Andres Athanasiou scored 26 seconds apart in the third period and the Chicago Blackhawks dealt the Pittsburgh Penguins’ playoff chances a significant blow in a 5-2 win. Pittsburgh began the night needing wins in its last two games over Chicago and Columbus to extend the longest active playoff streak in major North American professional sports to 17. Instead, Petr Mrazek made 38 saves for the Blackhawks to stun the Penguins in their home finale. Florida clinched a playoff spot with Pittsburgh’s loss.
April 10, 2023 3:56 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Ji-Hwan Bae hit a game-ending three-run homer in the ninth inning, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Houston Astros 7-4. Pittsburgh led 4-2 entering the ninth, but Houston’s Chas McCormick hit a tying one-out, two-run double off closer David Bednar, who blew his first save opportunity in five chances. Rodolfo Castro led off the bottom of the ninth with a single against Ryan Pressly and pinch-hitter Andrew McCutchen singled with one out before Bae drove a 2-2 changeup 403 feet to right-center for his second career homer and first walk-off hit. Ji-Man Choi and Jack Suwinski also homered for the Pirates, who have won six of eight.
