Pirates Blank Dodgers

June 5, 2024 4:29 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Jared Jones pitched six shutout innings and Jack Suwinski homered after being called up from the minor leagues as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 1-0. Jones (4-5) allowed three hits to the NL West-leading Dodgers while striking out six and walking three. Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani went 1 for 4, striking out twice and grounding into a double play. Hours before the game, Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, pleaded guilty to bank and tax fraud in a Santa Ana, California, courtroom and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani to pay off sports betting debts. The Dodgers lost for the second time in seven games. The Pirates had dropped four of their previous six games.

Tucupita Marcano Banned For Life

June 5, 2024 4:28 am

NEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano was banned from baseball for life for betting on the sport and four others were suspended for one year by Major League Baseball in the game’s biggest gambling scandal in decades. MLB said Marcano placed 387 baseball bets totaling more than $150,000 in October 2022 and from last July through November with a legal sportsbook. He became the first active player in a century banned for life because of gambling. Oakland Athletics pitcher Michael Kelly was suspended for one year for betting on baseball while in the minor leagues and a three minor leaguers also were banned for one year for betting on big league games: pitchers Jay Groome of San Diego and Andrew Saalfrank of Arizona, and infielder José Rodríguez of Philadelphia.

Gauff & Swiatek Will Meet In French Open Semifinals

June 5, 2024 4:33 am

PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff and defending champion Iga Swiatek have set up a showdown in the French Open semifinals. Gauff came back to defeat Ons Jabeur 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in Tuesday’s first quarterfinal. Swiatek followed with a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova to stretch her Roland Garros winning streak to 19 matches as she seeks a fourth title in five years in Paris. Swiatek is ranked No. 1 and Gauff is No. 3. Gauff is the reigning U.S. Open champion and made it to the final four at the Australian Open in January. Swiatek has won 10 of their 11 previous meetings.

PIAA Softball/Baseball Monday

June 3, 2024 12:01 am

Avella baseball, Bentworth, Chartiers-Houston and Carmichaels softball each won opening round PIAA playoff games Monday, advancing to Thursday’s quarterfinals.  Burgettstown baseball & West Greene softball lost and were eliminated.

The Avella win comes in the Eagles’ first-ever appearance in the PIAA playoffs. Bryce Wright, Isaiah Bradick, Westley Burchianti and Brayden Fuller each had three hits for Avella.  The Bearcats are in the state tournament for just the second time. Kylie Glaze hit a two-run home run, Sydney Gonglik homered, scored twice and struck out 14 batter in Monday’s PIAA win, the first ever for the Bearcats. Winning pitcher Meadow Ferri singled in the go-ahead run leading Chartiers-Houston to a spot in the quarterfinals. Ferri fanned nine Belin batters.  PIAA Brackets:  Softball   Baseball

Monday, June 3
PIAA 1st-Round Softball

1A Chartiers-Houston 2, Berlin-Brothersvalley 1
1A Carmichaels 2, Cambridge Springs 1 (8 innings)
1A Claysburg-Kimmel 6, West Greene 1
2A Bentworth 4, Everett 1

PIAA 1st-Round Baseball
2A Redbank Valley 5, Burgettstown 4
1A Avella 12, West Middlesex 9

Former Pirate Tucupita Marcano Faces Possible Lifetime Ban

June 4, 2024 4:27 am

NEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres infielder Tucupita Marcano is under investigation by Major League Baseball for allegedly betting on baseball and could be subject to a lifetime ban, according to a person familiar with the probe. MLB is looking into allegations Marcano bet on games involving the Pittsburgh Pirates while on the team’s injured list last season, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Marcano, 24, has not played since tearing his right ACL last July 24. He was claimed by the Padres off waivers on Nov. 2 and placed on the 10-day injured list March 19.

Tigers To Retire Jim Leyland’s #10

June 4, 2024 4:29 am

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jim Leyland’s No. 10 will be retired by the Detroit Tigers during a ceremony on Aug. 3. His will be the 10th number retired by the team. The 79-year-old Leyland will be inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame next month, the 23rd manager in the hall. He won 1,769 regular-season games over 22 seasons, leading the Tigers to a 700-597 record from 2006-13 and a pair of American League pennants in 2006 and 2012. His wins are third among Detroit managers, trailing Sparky Anderson’s 1,331 and Hughie Jennings’s 1,131.

Penn State Found ‘Friction’ Between Franklin & Team Doctor

June 4, 2024 4:31 am

An internal review by Penn State in 2019 found evidence of “friction” between football coach James Franklin and a now-former team doctor. However, it could not determine whether Franklin violated NCAA rules or Big Ten standards by interfering with medical decisions. The 15-page document from Penn State’s office of ethics and compliance was obtained by The Associated Press. Last week, a Pennsylvania jury awarded $5.25 million to Dr. Scott Lynch after he won a lawsuit against the hospital that employs him. The report left undetermined if actions by Franklin or anyone else at Penn State broke rules. It recommended further inquiry.

Pirates Fall To Blue Jays

June 3, 2024 4:34 am

TORONTO (AP) — Daniel Vogelbach had two hits and two RBIs, Chris Bassitt pitched five innings to remain unbeaten in five career starts against Pittsburgh and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Pirates 5-4. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Davis Schneider each had an RBI and Daulton Varsho scored twice as the Blue Jays took two of three from Pittsburgh. Yimi García pitched around Rody Tellez’s two-out RBI single in the ninth for his third save in four chances. Tellez reached base four times and drove in all four runs, but the Pirates lost for the fourth time in six.

Oilers Top Stars, Will Face Florida In Stanley Cup Final

June 3, 2024 4:37 am

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Connor McDavid had a goal and an assist in the opening period to get Edmonton going, Stuart Skinner stopped 34 shots for his hometown team and the Oilers capped an improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final by beating the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Sunday night. Zach Hyman also scored — like McDavid, on a first-period power play — and Evan Bouchard had two assists for the Oilers, who won the Western Conference final in six games and will play for the Cup for the first time since 2006. They’ll be heading to Florida for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, that series set to open on Saturday night. Mason Marchment scored midway through the third period for Dallas, which wasted a 2-1 series lead.

Caitlin Clark Held To Just 3 Points

June 3, 2024 4:39 am

NEW YORK (AP) — Caitlin Clark had just one basket and three points in the worst game of her young pro career, and the New York Liberty routed the Indiana Fever 104-68 on Sunday night. Betnijah Laney-Hamilton scored 20 points and Jonquel Jones added 18 for the Liberty, who were nearing the end of the easy win when Clark left the game and Aliyah Boston departed a few minutes later after an awkward fall. Clark shot 1 for 10 and had five assists. The No. 1 pick in the draft played the first few minutes of the fourth quarter before exiting, holding her ear for a little bit as she left the court.