July 20, 2023 2:12 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ji Man Choi and Jared Triolo hit two-run singles in a five-run seventh inning helped by an overturned call, and the Pittsburgh Pirates rallied from a four-run deficit to beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-5 and stop a five-game losing streak. Pittsburgh trailed 4-0 in the fifth before Nick Gonzales’ run-scoring single and Jake Suwinski’s RBI double against Aaron Civale. The seventh was extended when a video review determined Bryan Reynolds beat the throw to first, avoiding an inning-ending double play. Choi and Triolo followed with their run-scoring base hits.
July 20, 2023 1:36 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Coming off a breakout season, outside linebacker Alex Highsmith has signed a new contract that will keep him with the Pittsburgh Steelers for the next five seasons. The two sides announced the deal on Wednesday, a week before the team reported to training camp. The 25-year-old Highsmith was in the final year of his rookie contract and this will extend it through 2027. A third-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, Highsmith has played in 49 career games, starting 38. He has 179 tackles, 110 of them solo stops. He led the team with a career-high 14 1/2 sacks last season.
July 20, 2023 4:32 am
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets reported for training camp Wednesday with massive expectations and plenty of cameras watching their every move. They’ve got Super Bowl goals and are the subject of this year’s “Hard Knocks” series, adding to what was already expected to be a summer in the spotlight. Cornerback D.J. Reed said the energy feels different from last year and there’s more excitement. Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams said Rodgers brings a spark to everyone. The Jets are trying to end a 12-year postseason drought that is the longest active skid in the NFL.
July 20, 2023 4:31 am
HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Matthew Jordan not only hit the opening tee shot in the British Open, he has set the early target. Jordan has been a member at Royal Liverpool since he was a teenager. The R&A selected him to get the 151st Open started. And then he took it from there. Jordan had three birdies on the front nine and reached 2-under par at the turn. Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka are among those also playing in the morning. Rory McIlroy plays in the afternoon. No one has reached 3 under so far.
July 19, 2023 2:21 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Right-hander Paul Skenes, taken by Pittsburgh with the first pick in this month’s amateur draft, agreed to a contract that includes a $9.2 million signing bonus. The amount is the highest for a drafted player, topping the $8,416,300 Detroit agreed to with first baseman Spencer Torkelson, the top pick in 2021. Skenes helped LSU to this year’s NCAA title after transferring from Air Force. He was selected Most Outstanding Player of the College World Series after going 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in 19 starts with 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3. innings.
July 18, 2023 4:33 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Josh Naylor homered twice, including a three-run shot that keyed a five-run first inning against All-Star Mitch Keller, and drove in six runs and the Cleveland Guardians rolled to a 10-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Naylor’s first homer gave the Guardians a 4-0 lead with none out in the first inning after Keller had thrown just seven pitches. Keller was making his first appearance since pitching one inning in last week’s All-Star Game in Seattle. In the ninth, Naylor connected again for a two-run blast, his 15th of the season, off Yohan Ramirez.
July 19, 2023 4:37 am
The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping their strong end to the 2022 season carries over into 2023. The Steelers won seven of their final eight games last season to finish 9-8. Pittsburgh spent the offseason beefing up the protection in front of Pickett, signing veteran guard Isaac Seumalo and drafting tackle Broderick Jones in the first round. The back end of the defense also received an overhaul, with veteran defensive back Patrick Peterson signing a two-year deal in free agency. Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts take over at inside linebacker, a position that was a weakness at times in 2022.
July 18, 2023 4:37 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Josh Naylor had three RBIs with a home run and a double, helping the Cleveland Guardians rout the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-0 to end a four-game losing streak. Naylor’s sixth-inning RBI double extended his hitting streak to eight games and gave Cleveland a 5-0 lead. He drove a Yohan Ramirez sinker over the left-field wall in the seventh for a nine-run lead, the last of the Guardians’ trio of two-run homers. Steven Kwan added an RBI single in the eighth and Myles Straw had a run-scoring infield single in the ninth. Cleveland had totaled 10 runs during its four losses. Quinn Priester (0-1), the fourth-ranked prospect in the Pirates’ system, allowed seven runs and seven hits over 5 1/3 innings in his major league debut . “Just kind of getting the feel,” Priester said. “Feeling that confidence, feeling the game situation and learning. Ultimately I might have failed a little bit tonight, but those failures are gonna push me to get better. Endy Rodríguez, ranked third, also debuted to catch Priester in a battery often used at Triple-A Indianapolis. He was 0 for 4 and struck out three times.
July 18, 2023 4:39 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. is on pace to do more than just join an elite 40-40 club in baseball history. The Braves outfielder is threatening to obliterate the previous high mark for power-speed combination in a season. Of the four players who have delivered seasons with at least 40 homers and 40 stolen bases, none accomplished the feat with more than 46 steals. Acuña is on pace for 41 homers and 77 steals. He could become the charter member of baseball’s 40-50, 40-60 and 40-70 clubs. Acuña’s 23 homers and 43 steals are big reasons the Braves boast the majors’ best record.
July 17, 2023 4:38 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Michael Conforto and Patrick Bailey hit two-run doubles in a five-run 10th inning, and the San Francisco Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-4 to finish a three-game sweep and extend their winning streak to five. Pittsburgh tied the score 3-3 in the eighth when Andrew McCutchen singled in his first game off the injured list and came home on Jared Triolo’s sacrifice fly. With automatic runner Casey Schmitt on second, Wilmer Flores singled off Yerry De Los Santos starting the 10th and Joc Pederson hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly. Conforto doubled to the right-center gap for a 6-3 lead.
