WJPA Sports

Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey says he broke his wrist on the first defensive series of Sunday’s win over the Bengals at Acrisure Stadium.   Ramsey, however, has not bee ruled out for Thursday night’s game in Cleveland.  According to the injury report, he was a limited participant in Tuesday’s walk-thru practice.  He has a cast covering his right hand.  Coach Mike McCarthy predicted earlier in the week that Ramsey would try everything possible to play.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby continues to show no signs of slowing down as he enters his 22nd NHL season. The longtime Pittsburgh Penguins captain is still grinding through intense practices while preparing for the season opener against Philadelphia. Crosby remains passionate about the game. Despite being in the final year of his contract, Crosby is in no hurry to sign a new deal, focusing instead on listening to his body and maintaining his performance level. With 1,761 career points, Crosby is close to moving up the all-time scoring list but insists that personal milestones are not his motivation.

Padres Rout Cubs
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Fernando Tatis Jr. hit the first leadoff homer in Padres playoff history on the Cubs’ first pitch, Michael King took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and San Diego rolled to an 8-0 victory over Chicago in their NL Wild Card Series opener on Tuesday night. Manny Machado also homered in the first inning and added an RBI double in the third during an emphatic opening statement by the 91-win Padres. Xander Bogaerts also homered off Cubs starter Matthew Boyd, and Jackson Merrill added a two-run single later. San Diego provided more than enough support for King, who struck out eight over seven stellar innings while thoroughly throttling the majors’ highest-scoring team.

White Sox Take Opener Against Astros
HOUSTON (AP) — Colson Montgomery hit a solo homer and Sam Antonacci drove in two runs to lead the Chicago White Sox over the Houston Astros 6-3 in Game 1 of an AL Wild Card Series. The White Sox, in the postseason for the first time since 2021, made a remarkable turnaround this year to become the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth. They had lost 100 games three straight seasons, including 121 defeats in 2024, setting the record for most losses since 1899.

Riley’s 3-Run Homer Rallies Braves Past Phillies
ATLANTA (AP) — Austin Riley hit a three-run homer off All-Star closer Jhoan Duran in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves rallied past the Philadelphia Phillies 5-3 on Tuesday in the opener of a best-of-three National League Wild Card Series. Duran, who allowed just two homers in 61 regular-season games, gave up a single to Michael Harris II before hitting Ozzie Albies with a pitch. Riley drove the go-ahead blast over the wall in right-center field. Harris had three hits. Braves ace Chris Sale dueled for much of the game against left-hander Jesus Luzardo, who was sharp after missing the last couple weeks of the regular season with left shoulder inflammation.

Yankees Shut Out Red Sox
NEW YORK (AP) — Cam Schlittler pitched another playoff gem against the Boston Red Sox, and Ben Rice also burned their hometown team with a late grand slam and six RBIs as the New York Yankees opened this Wild Card Series rematch with a 9-0 victory. With the Yankees minus star slugger Aaron Judge because of a calf injury, Rice homered twice, doubled and finished with four hits to power the offense. No. 9 batter Austin Wells drove in two runs for New York, and 21-year-old rookie George Lombard Jr. had three hits in his postseason debut. Rice and Schlittler were both raised among Red Sox fans in Massachusetts and went to college in New England before getting plucked by the Yankees out of Boston’s backyard in baseball’s amateur draft.