July 28, 2025 4:26 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bubba Wallace became the first Black driver to win a major race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval, surviving a late rain delay, two overtimes, concerns over running out of fuel and a hard-charging Kyle Larson on Sunday in the Brickyard 400. The third NASCAR Cup victory of Wallace’s career was also his most significant — his first win at one of the series’ four crown jewel races. It snapped a 100-race winless streak that dated to 2022 at Kansas. He also won at Talladega in 2021, but this milestone victory also gave him a playoff spot. No Black driver has won the Indianapolis 500, and Formula 1 raced on the track’s road course. And while the final gap was 0.222 seconds, Wallace didn’t reach victory lane without some consternation.
July 27, 2025 8:53 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew Heaney and five relievers combined on a four-hitter, Oneil Cruz hit his team-leading 17th home run and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0 on Saturday night. Heaney (5-9) pitched five innings and allowed two hits with four strikeouts and no walks. It might have been his last start for the last-place Pirates, with Heaney on an expiring contract and the trade deadline Thursday. Randal Grichuk was traded mid-game by the Diamondbacks. David Bednar worked a perfect ninth inning for his 100th career save and 16th this season. Cruz’s two-run homer in the second inning carried 410 feet to right-center field and accounted for all the scoring. It came after Tommy Pham reached base on third baseman Eugenio Suarez’s fielding error. The two teams meet Sunday afternoon, Paul Skenes expected to get the start for the Pirates.
July 26, 2025 7:30 pm
Washington, PA — After stringing 4-5 favorite Twisted Destiny out for the first three-eighths of the mile, Prince Hal Hanover took full advantage of a pocket trip behind a pressured pace and rallied up the open stretch to narrowly capture the $385,000 Grade 1 Adios Pace for the Orchids, held Saturday at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows. Todd McCarthy wasted no time, pushing forward from post eight and seating Sippinonsearoc (driven by Yannick Gingras) in the pocket through a :26 first quarter. Meanwhile, Twisted Destiny (Dexter Dunn) was parked wide of Rick Wink after being out-sprinted to the first turn and was kept wide on his advance to the front. Twisted Destiny ultimately worked clear of Prince Hal Hanover with just under a lap to go, was stung to the half in :53.3, and faced pressure from 86-1 outsider Makes Sense heading to three-quarters in 1:21.2. Off the corner for home, Twisted Destiny responded to Makes Sense’s challenge, but Prince Hal Hanover set sail up the open stretch to strike the front in the final sixteenth and seal a lifetime-best 1:48.1 win. Swingtown (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) rallied belatedly around failed cover to just nab Twisted Destiny for runner-up honors. Dr. Ian Moore trains Prince Hal Hanover, now a five-time winner from 19 starts with $708,954 in career earnings.
July 26, 2025 5:08 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ryne Nelson and two relievers combined for a one-hitter, Eugenio Suarez had a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the 11th inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0 on Friday night. Nelson surrendered a triple by Tommy Pham off the Clemente Wall in right field with two outs in the second — the ball glancing off right fielder Corbin Carroll’s glove before hitting the wall and bounding away — during his six innings of work. Anthony DeSclafani (1-1) followed with four hitless innings of his own. Kevin Ginkel left the tying run on third in the 11th for his third save. Suarez, who is the subject of active trade speculation with the deadline approaching next week, lofted a fly ball of Braxton Ashcraft (2-1) just deep enough near the line in right in the top of the 11th to score Carroll. The Pirates wore a throwback uniform combination to honor former outfielder Dave Parker, who will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend. Their performance at the plate didn’t exactly bring back visions of “The Cobra” as baseball’s lowest scoring team saw its three-game winning streak end. Pittsburgh starter Mike Burrows retired the first 10 batters he faced and allowed just three singles over six scoreless innings of work before giving way to the bullpen.
July 25, 2025 4:21 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Aaron Rodgers era in Pittsburgh got off to an inauspicious start. The star quarterback’s first pass of training camp was picked off by a teammate. The 41-year-old four-time NFL MVP shrugged off the mistake, saying he’s going to take some chances, particularly during practice. Rodgers says he’s embracing the chance to bond with his new teammates during the club’s three weeks at Saint Vincent College. He says the work they do to get to know each other off the field can pay dividends on the field.
July 25, 2025 4:28 am
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Jets quarterback Justin Fields has a dislocated toe on his right foot and will be evaluated daily by the team. The announcement came after Fields limped off the practice field Thursday morning and was carted into the facility. This eased initial concerns about him missing significant practice time. Fields, in his first season with the Jets, signed a two-year, $40 million contract in March. Coach Aaron Glenn urged fans to remain calm, emphasizing the team’s depth with veteran Tyrod Taylor as backup. The Jets also have Adrian Martinez and rookie Brady Cook on the roster.
July 25, 2025 4:24 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Trump has signed an executive order directing federal authorities to clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of their schools. The move aims to establish clearer national standards in the NCAA’s name, image, and likeness era. The order seeks to address the chaotic landscape of college sports, where athletes can now earn income from endorsements and schools can pay them directly. Trump’s order also calls for preserving scholarships and roster spots for non-revenue sports and asks the Justice Department to protect athletes’ rights.
July 25, 2025 4:23 am
LONDON, Ontario (AP) — An Ontario judge has acquitted five former members of Canada’s world junior hockey team in their sexual assault case, saying the complainant’s allegations lacked the credibility needed to justify the charges. Superior Court Justice Maria Carroccia said Thursday that prosecutors could not meet the onus of proof for the charges against Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dube and Callan Foote. All five players had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault in the encounter that took place in a London, Ontario, hotel room in the early hours of June 19, 2018.
July 24, 2025 2:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Spencer Horwitz hit his first career grand slam and Bailey Falter matched a career-high with eight strikeouts to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-1 win and sweep of the Detroit Tigers. Horwitz drove a two-out cutter from Troy Melton 416 feet to center-field to make it 5-0. Andrew McCutchen opened the scoring in the first with his ninth homer of the season. Bryan Reynolds led off with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly from Oneil Cruz in the third inning. Matt Vierling provided Detroit’s lone run with a single in the seventh that scored Spencer Torkelson. (Photo: AP)
July 24, 2025 4:36 am
LATROBE, Pa. (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers have arrived at training camp with a far different team than the one that was blown out in the playoffs in Baltimore in January. Newcomers Aaron Rodgers and Jalen Ramsey are in. Stars such as Minkah Fitzpatrick and George Pickens are out following an uncharacteristically busy offseason for one of the NFL’s most stable franchises. General manager Omar Khan says the team’s performance over the past few years hasn’t been good enough and that it was time to shake things up.
