August 16, 2026 7:50 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Islam Makhachev sets a UFC record with his 17th straight victory, defeating Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330 on Saturday night. Makhachev, who hasn’t lost since 2015, won the welterweight crown in 2025 and successfully defended it for the first time. Mackenzie Dern also defended her 115-pound title with a unanimous decision over Gillian Robertson. Edson Barboza retired after a loss to Esteben Ribovics, ending a career that began in 2009. UFC returned to Philadelphia for the first time since 2019, with local fighter Jeremiah Wells winning by submission.
August 15, 2026 3:23 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit a three-run home run and rookie Rafael Flores Jr. homered for the third time in two days to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night. Lowe’s homer came in the fifth inning off Jovani Moran and landed in the right-field stands, extending the Pirates’ lead to 7-2 as they won back-to-back games for the first time since July 26-27. Flores hit a solo shot off Jake Bennett (7-6) in the second to open the scoring after connecting twice Thursday in a 13-1 win at Miami.
August 15, 2026 3:30 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Nick Gonzales was struck on the helmet by a pitch from Jovani Moran in the fifth inning and left Pittsburgh’s game against the Boston Red Sox. Gonzales, who entered the day third in the NL in hitting, sustained a facial contusion and was replaced by pinch-runner Jacob Gonzalez. The Pirates said Gonzales is day-to-day. The 27-year-old went 0 for 2, dropping his batting average to .307 in 118 games. He also has six home runs and a career-high 53 RBIs
August 15, 2026 3:27 am
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler birdied the first five holes and shot a 9-under 61 on Friday to take a three-stroke lead in the FedEx St. Jude Championship. The top-ranked Scheffler had 11 birdies and two bogeys in 100-degree heat at TPC Southwind in the playoff opener. He had an 11-under 129 total. Scheffler tied the tournament course record. He has played the TPC Southwind more times (seven) without winning than any other course on the PGA Tour. Viktor Hovland and Sungjae Im were tied for second at 8 under. Hovland had a 64, and Im shot his second 66. Scheffler entered the week with a 794-point lead over Matt Fitzpatrick in the FedExCup standings. Fitzpatrick was 3 under after a 67.
August 14, 2026 4:19 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Rookie Drew Allar threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as the Pittsburgh Steelers dropped the Green Bay Packers 28-9 in the preseason opener for both teams. Allar was a third-round pick from Penn State. He completed 10 of 13 passes for 154 yards, including short scoring tosses to Kaden Wetjen and Riley Nowakowski. Will Howard also impressed for Pittsburgh, guiding the Steelers to a touchdown late in the first half. Green Bay’s Jordan Love completed 3 of 5 passes while making a brief appearance. Pittsburgh star Aaron Rodgers watched from the sideline while the competition to serve as his backup heated up.
August 14, 2026 4:21 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Elandon Roberts is back with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team has signed the veteran linebacker to a one-year deal. Roberts, 32, spent two seasons with the Steelers in 2023 and 2024 before playing for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025. Roberts has 694 tackles, 14 1/2 sacks, and one interception in his 10-year career. He won two Super Bowls with New England in 2016 and 2018 before moving to Miami and then Pittsburgh. Former Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin described Roberts as a “tooth chipper” for his physical play. Roberts joins an inside linebacker group with Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, and Cole Holcomb.
August 14, 2026 2:47 am
MIAMI (AP) — Braxton Ashcraft threw a complete-game three-hitter, Rafael Flores had a pair of three-run homers and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Miami Marlins 13-1. Jared Triolo and Jacob Gonzalez also went deep for the Pirates, who snapped a three-game skid. Pittsburgh’s Jake Mangum went 3 for 4 with three runs scored. Ashcraft struck out 10 and walked one in his 85-pitch outing. The Pirates’ Nick Gonzales had a walk and two singles. His two singles increased Gonzales’ multi-hit games to a major league-leading 48
August 14, 2026 4:23 am
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jordan Spieth finally got a low score at just the right time. Spieth was bogey-free for a 65 that makes him part of a five-way tie for the lead in the FedEx St. Jude Championship. Michael Thorbjornsen, Michael Kim, Jake Knapp and Kurt Kitayama also share the lead. Tommy Fleetwood and Hideki Matsuyama are among seven players one shot behind. The playoff opener is all about moving into the top 50 in the FedEx Cup and advancing to the BMW Championship next week. Spieth has missed out the last two years. A top-50 spot assures all the signature events next year.
August 13, 2026 2:00 am
Due to persistent inclement weather and unsafe playing conditions, the championship game of the 2026 PONY League World Series has been cancelled. Organizers said they determined that the field was unplayable. Out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the players and all involved, the game between Chinese Taipei and Washington County, PA was called off. The Asia-Pacific Zone team is leaving town Thursday morning and there is no opportunity to play the game. This cancellation comes on the heals of the decision to eliminate four 1-loss teams after Tuesday’s game could not be played on the natural grass field. Abe Key, President of PONY Baseball, said that this is the first time in the seventy-five-year history of the league that they have had to make this decision. He offered apologies to all involved and said, “sometimes, Mother Nature does not cooperate.”
August 12, 2026 4:16 am
MIAMI (AP) — Griffin Conine and Heriberto Hernández homered and Janson Junk worked six solid inning as the Miami Marlins extended their winning streak to four games with an 8-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Junk (6-7) allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and a walk in six innings. Tyler Zuber, Calvin Faucher and Victor Vodnik each pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Miami (62-59) is 38-24 at home. It is the team’s best 62-game run at home since 2003, when it won its second World Series. The Marlins trail the Phillies and Diamondbacks by 1 1/2 games for the final NL wild card.
