January 17, 2023 4:05 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Frank Thomas, a three-time All-Star with his hometown Pittsburgh Pirates who later became the top hitter on the expansion New York Mets, has died at age 93. Both teams announced Thomas’ death. The Mets said he died Monday morning in Pittsburgh. No cause was given. Thomas played 16 seasons in the major leagues from 1951-66, the first eight for Pittsburgh, where he was born. He batted .266 overall with 286 home runs and 962 RBIs, finishing fourth in the 1958 NL MVP race. Thomas batted cleanup for the Mets in their first game in 1962 and led that lovable laughingstock team with 34 homers and 94 RBIs. Nicknamed “The Original,” Thomas was a big hit in uniform at Mets Old-Timers’ Day last summer.
January 16, 2023 3:48 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – Sam Hubbard returned Tyler Huntley’s fumble 98 yards for a tiebreaking touchdown in the fourth quarter, helping Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Baltimore Ravens 24-17 in an AFC wild-card game. Facing third-and-goal at the 1 with about 12 minutes left, Huntley tried to go over the top of the line for the go-ahead score. But he was stood up by Germaine Pratt and stripped by fellow linebacker Logan Wilson. The ball went right to Hubbard at the 2, and the defensive end took off down the field for the longest fumble return for a touchdown in NFL postseason history.
January 16, 2023 3:50 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Daniel Jones passed for 301 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 78 yards in his first career playoff game for the New York Giants in a 31-24 victory over Minnesota in the wild-card round. The Vikings took their first loss in a one-score game of the season. Saquon Barkley rushed for two scores including the tiebreaker midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants defense finished off the franchise’s first playoff win since the Super Bowl 11 years ago. The Giants advanced to play at No. 1 seed and division rival Philadelphia.
January 16, 2023 3:52 am
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) – Josh Allen shrugged off a three-turnover outing by throwing two touchdown passes 3:11 apart in the third quarter, and rallying the Buffalo Bills to a 34-31 win over the injury-depleted Miami Dolphins in an AFC wild-card matchup. Cole Beasley scored the go-ahead touchdown with a 6-yard catch, and Gabe Davis extended the lead to 34-24 with a 23-yard TD reception in a game where Buffalo squandered an early 17-0 lead.
January 15, 2023 1:24 am
The Burgettstown wrestling team won four individual championships, had two more finalists and two other medalists as the Blue Devils rolled to a comfortable win in their own open wrestling tournament. Parker Sentipal, Gaven Suica, Joey Sentipal and Joseph Baronick won their weight class titles, helping Burgettstown to a nearly 100-point victory in the team standings, finishing with 238 points in the two-day tournament. Meadville (167), Grove City (160) and Sharpsville (139), all out of District 10, took the next four team spots, claiming five individual titles. Bentworth (1 champion, Chris Vargo), North Hills, Ringgold (1-Jake Conroy), Central Valley (2-Antonio Boni, Brenan Morgan) and West Greene round out the top 10. Chartiers-Houston’s Jessie Orbin won the other individual championship.
January 15, 2023 7:41 am
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Frederik Andersen stopped 33 shots and overcame a mishap in the third period as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 2-1. Brady Skjei and Jalen Chatfield scored for the Hurricanes, who’ve won two in a row since a four-game skid. Rickard Rakell scored on a third-period power play for the Penguins, who were trying to win for the third time in four games. Casey DeSmith had 34 saves.
January 15, 2023 7:42 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Nike Sibande came off the bench to score a season-high 21 points and grab six rebounds to help Pittsburgh hold off Georgia Tech 71-60. Sibande has scored in double figures off the Panthers’ bench in three of their last four games, including a 16-point effort in a 68-65 win over No. 11 Virginia.
January 15, 2023 7:41 am
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Damar Hamlin visited with teammates at the Bills’ facility on Saturday for the first time since being discharged from a Buffalo hospital. The visit came 12 days after the Bills safety went into cardiac arrest and needed to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati. Bills linebacker Matt Milano posted a photo on his Instagram account of a smiling Hamlin shaking hands with a teammate. A person with direct knowledge of Hamlin’s schedule confirmed to The Associated Press the player’s visit. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because Hamlin has kept his schedule and recovery private.
January 14, 2023 4:09 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Mark Scheifele scored twice and the Winnipeg Jets raced by the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 on Friday night. Scheifele’s first goal with 2:02 left in the second off a pretty feed by Blake Wheeler put the Jets ahead 2-1. Nikolaj Ehlers doubled the advantage 22 seconds later to send surging Winnipeg to its seventh win its last eight games. Drew O’Conner scored his second of the season for Pittsburgh. The Penguins have just three wins in their last 10 games are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference as they reached the season’s midway point. (Photo: AP)
January 14, 2023 4:09 am
Looks like Andrew McCutchen will be back in black and gold. According to reports, the now 36 year old is returning to the Pirates on a free agent contract. Various outlets are reporting the deal which is pending a physical. No official word yet from the Pirates. McCutchen was the Buc’s first round pick in the 2005 MLB draft. He spent nine seasons in Pittsburgh from 2009 to 2017. He won the National League MVP Award in 2013. Since leaving the Pirates, he has played for the Giants, Yankees, Phillies and spent last season with Milwaukee. McCutchen hit .237 with 17 Home Runs and 69 RBI with the Brewers.
