Del Crandall Dies At 91

May 7, 2021 3:58 am

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. (AP) – Former Milwaukee Brewers catcher and Milwaukee Brewers manager Del Crandall has died at 91.  Crandall was one of the best defensive catchers of the 1950s and early 1960s, earning four Gold Gloves and appearing in 11 All-Star games over eight seasons.  Crandall was a member of the Braves’ 1957 World Series championship team and the 1958 squad that lost the World Series.  Bill Crandall says his father had Parkinson’s disease and died Wednesday in Mission Viejo, California.

Flyers Defenseman Suspended For Hit On Pens Friedman

May 6, 2021 3:53 am

NEW YORK (AP) – Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL on Wednesday for boarding Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Mark Friedman. Gostisbehere was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking in the third period of Philadelphia’s 7-3 home loss Tuesday night. The suspension will cost Gostisbehere $77,586.

Caps Win Battle With Rangers; Tied With Penguins

May 6, 2021 3:57 am

UNDATED (AP) – The New York Rangers weren’t too happy when Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson avoided a suspension for his role in Monday’s brawl at Madison Square Garden. They demonstrated their displeasure by engaging Wilson in a couple of melees, but the Caps rode TJ Oshie’s hat trick to a 4-2 victory over the Blueshirts.  Oshie’s first two goals came with Pavel Buchnevich in the penalty box, two days after Buchnevich was crosschecked in the back by Wilson.  Wednesday’s game had six fights in the first period, commencing with a center-ice brawl right off the opening faceoff. Wilson was involved in a fight in the opening minute and received a 10-minute misconduct later in the period.  The outcome puts the Capitals in a first-place tie with Pittsburgh in the East Division. The Caps have three games remaining, one more than the Penguins.

Pirates Snap Losing Skid In San Diego

May 5, 2021 3:51 am

SAN DIEGO (AP) – Mitch Keller tossed shutout ball into the sixth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates slipped past the San Diego Padres 2-1. Keller kept the Padres off balance by mixing his pitches effectively. He allowed two hits over 5 2/3 innings and struck out five. The right-hander entered with an 8.20 ERA after his first five outings this season. Keller also got his first major league hit, a single to right field in the fifth. Four relievers combined to give up only one run in 3 1/3 innings for the Pirates. Richard Rodriguez earned his fifth save by working a scoreless ninth.

Pens Beat Flyers, Back Atop Division

May 5, 2021 3:53 am

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Sidney Crosby scored two goals and the Pittsburgh Penguins regained first place in the East Division with a 7-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Marcus Pettersson, Jake Guentzel, Jason Zucker, Mark Friedman and John Marino also scored goals while Tristan Jarry had 30 saves for the Penguins, who moved two points ahead of idle Washington. The Capitals have two games in hand over the Penguins with one week left in the regular season.

Former Steeler Alejandro Villanueva Signs With Baltimore Ravens

May 5, 2021 2:24 am

(WPXI) – Former Pittsburgh Steeler Alejandro Villanueva has signed with the Baltimore Ravens, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported.
Villanueva’s 2-year deal with the Ravens is reportedly worth $14 million, with $8 million fully guaranteed, sources told Schefter.
Villanueva, a former Army Ranger, spent six seasons with the Steelers. The offensive tackle made it to two Pro Bowls.

Padres Ruin Anderson’s No-Hit Bid, Beat Pirates 2-0

May 4, 2021 3:51 am

SAN DIEGO (AP) – Wil Myers singled with no outs in the seventh inning to end Tyler Anderson’s no-hit bid and the San Diego Padres beat Pittsburgh 2-0, the Pirates’ fifth straight loss. Anderson kept the Padres off-balance for six innings before they broke through in the seventh. Anderson issued a leadoff walk to Manny Machado before Myers singled to right field. Until then, Anderson had allowed only three baserunners, two on walks and one on his error in the fifth inning.

Flyers Roll Over Penguins, 7-2

May 4, 2021 3:49 am

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Claude Giroux had two goals and an assist, Kevin Hayes gave Philadelphia a rare early lead, and the Flyers skated to an easy 7-2 victory over the first-place Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night.Joel Farabee had a goal and two assists and Shayne Gostisbehere, Wade Allison and Robert áalso scored for the Flyers, who snapped a three-game skid and won for just the sixth time in the last 16.Sidney Crosby and Jason Zucker scored for the Penguins, who are tied atop the East Division with Washington. Each has 71 points, but the Capitals have four games left while Pittsburgh has three.

Indy Champ Bobby Unser Dead At 87

May 4, 2021 3:54 am

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – A racing icon has passed. Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser died of natural causes at his home in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Sunday.  Unser won the Indy 500 in 1968, 1975 and 1981. His younger brother, Al, is one of only three four-time Indy 500 winners in race history. The Unser family tradition stretched to Al Unser’s son, Al Unser Jr., who won the Indy 500 in 1992 and 1994.  Bobby Unser was one of just 10 drivers to win the 500 at least three times. Unser and Rick Mears are the only drivers to win the 500 in three different decades. Unser was one of six members of the Unser family to race in the Indianapolis 500. Bobby Unser was 87 years old.

Pirates Get Swept By Cardinals

May 3, 2021 3:52 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Carlos Martínez pitched eight marvelous innings, Harrison Bader hit an early three-run homer and the St. Louis Cardinals blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 for a three-game sweep. St. Louis has won seven straight against the Pirates and is 20-6 versus Pittsburgh since the start of the 2019 season. The sweep was the second in three series for the Cardinals, who have won eight of 10 overall. Bader’s home run off rookie Wil Crowe came with one out in the second inning. Martínez allowed five hits and two walks. He struck out three and retired his final eight batters. Alex Reyes retired the side in order in the ninth for his seventh save.