June 22, 2024 8:45 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Josh Lowe homered twice, including a three-run blast in the sixth that broke open a close game, and the Tampa Bay Rays breezed past tye Pittsburgh Pirates 10-3 on Friday night. Lowe hit a solo shot to right off Luis Ortiz in the third inning and went deep again with two aboard in the sixth to give the Rays a rare breather amid a string of tight finishes. Ben Rortvedt added three hits, including a three-run homer in the ninth. Jose Siri also had three hits and made a pair of spectacular catches in center. He chased down a line drive to left-center by Nick Gonzales leading off the second and ended the game by robbing Jack Suwinski of extra bases with a leaping grab at the wall. Bryan Reynolds hit his 11th homer of the season to push his hitting streak to a career-best 18 games. The left fielder is hitting .342 in June. Suwinski had an RBI double for Pittsburgh and Ke’Bryan Hayes added an RBI single. Pittsburgh managed just five hits and only two over the final five innings. Carmen Mlodzinski (1-3) gave up a run in the first 1 2/3 innings before giving way to Ortiz. The right-hander who had hoped to make the starting rotation out of spring training has thrived in a long relief role this season but struggled on a steamy night with temperatures in the mid-90s. Tampa touched Ortiz for six runs on 10 hits in four innings. He failed to retire the Rays in order once and things got out of hand in the sixth. The loss came on a day Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said he’s given general manager Ben Cherington the green light to seek trades that will help an offense that has kept the Pirates from emerging from a crowded if underwhelming NL Central pack.
June 22, 2024 4:24 am
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Leon Draisaitl made his first major impact in the Stanley Cup Final, and the series is heading back to South Florida. Draisaitl set up Warren Foegele’s early goal, Adam Henrique and Zach Hyman scored and the Edmonton Oilers forced a Game 7 by beating the Florida Panthers 5-1 in Game 6. They are the first team to tie the final after falling behind 3-0 in the series since the Detroit Red Wings in 1945. They have the chance Monday night in Sunrise to join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs as the only NHL teams to come all the way back from that deficit to hoist the Stanley Cup.
June 21, 2024 2:16 am
The 2024 Pony League World Series has a new title sponsor. Southpointe-based Printscape has put its name on the annual tournament that brings teams from across the country and from around the world to Washington County. It replaces Dicks Sporting Goods. Printscape owner John Dziak called the move a “no brainer”. The company has been a long supporter of the tournament for years. World Series Tournaments, Inc President and Chairman Nathan Voytek only half-jokingly said the deal is especially great given all the signage needed at Lew Hays Pony Field. Voytek says they are “ecstatic to have Printscape on board”. He cited their “commitment to our community and athletics”. Printscape also has the naming rights to the Arena in Southpointe. The Pony League World Series will be played from August 9 through the 14th. Washington County Chamber of Commerce President Jeff Kotula says the annual event means some $6 million in economic impact for the County with 30,000 people visiting each year.
June 21, 2024 4:36 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates are starting to gain momentum thanks to a pitching staff that is coming of age. Mitch Keller, Colin Holderman and David Bednar combined to shut out the Cincinnati Reds as the Pirates took two of three from their NL Central rivals. The 1-0 win marked Pittsburgh’s fourth shutout in June. The Pirates have needed to rely on their pitching to keep them hovering around .500 while the offensive searches for a spark. Keller says the pitching staff’s willingness to share information and ideas has helped the group become close in a short period.
June 21, 2024 4:34 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Alex Nedeljkovic is getting his wish. He’s staying in Pittsburgh. The Penguins have re-signed the veteran goaltender to a two-year deal that carries an average annual value of $2.5 million. The 28-year-old Nedeljkovic went 18-7-7 with a 2.97 goals-against average in 38 games for the Penguins last season. The team relied on him heavily down the stretch and his play helped fuel a late-season surge that nearly carried Pittsburgh to the playoffs.
June 21, 2024 4:37 am
The NCAA has presented a plan to Division I conference commissioners that would expand the lucrative men’s and women’s basketball tournaments by four or eight teams alongside an option to leave each field at 68 teams. If approved, the NCAA would keep its 64-team bracket but would add play-in games involving the 10 through 12 seeds. The earliest the NCAA Tournament could expand would be the 2025-26 season and more meetings are scheduled. The men’s tournament last expanded in 2011 when it went from 64 to 68 teams. The women’s tournament matched that in 2022.
June 20, 2024 2:15 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Reynolds hit a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Cincinnati Reds 1-0. Reynolds pounced on an 80 mph changeup from Nick Martinez and sent it just over the wall in center field for his 10th homer of the season as the Pirates took two of three from Cincinnati. Colin Holderman retired the three batters he faced in the eighth after coming on for a brilliant Mitch Keller. David Bednar worked a perfect ninth for his 16th save. Cincinnati starter Hunter Greene tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings for the Reds.
June 20, 2024 4:37 am
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — A mural honoring baseball Hall of Famer Willie Mays has been unveiled in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. Mays died Tuesday at the age of 93. The mural depicts a smiling “Say Hey Kid” and his bevy of athletic accomplishments. It was created by artist Chuck Styles ahead of Thursday’s game between Mays’ longtime team, the San Francisco Giants, and the St. Louis Cardinals at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham. The game is intended to honor the Negro Leagues, where Mays began his career in 1948. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol says the game becomes even more meaningful after Mays’ death. Tributes to Mays poured in from around the country on Wednesday.
June 20, 2024 4:36 am
CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan says the difficulty in finalizing a deal with the Saudi backers of LIV Golf isn’t a reason for concern. Monahan says it is still a great opportunity for the tour. It’s been more than a year since the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia announced a deal aimed at bringing peace to a sport torn apart by the departures of dozens of players for LIV Golf. The original deadline passed with no agreement. Monahan gave few specifics but said recent meetings have been very productive.
June 18, 2024 4:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Nick Lodolo allowed one run in seven innings to win a fifth straight start, Santiago Espinal hit a two-run homer and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1. Lodolo (8-2) struck out eight without issuing a walk and gave up four hits. Espinal put the Reds ahead in the fifth inning, driving a fastball from Bailey Falter just over a leaping Bryan Reynolds at the wall. Alexis Díaz struck out one in a perfect ninth inning for his 16th save. Falter (3-5) surrendered two runs on seven hits in seven innings.
