August 26, 2023 3:37 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Mitch Keller pitched eight scoreless innings and the Pittsburgh Pirates scored twice in the first inning before holding on to beat the Chicago Cubs 2-1. Keller (11-8) allowed four hits and one walk while striking out six in a 94-pitch outing. The All-Star won back-to-back starts for the first time since May 26 and 31. The Cubs lost for the second time in seven games. They entered play Friday holding the second National League wild card and trailing first-place Milwaukee by three games in the NL Central.
August 26, 2023 3:41 am
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — The Big Ten says it will require its football teams to provide an availability report of its players to the conference office no more than two hours before their games kickoff. The move is part of the league’s efforts to safeguard the integrity of games with legalized gambling becoming pervasive. No other Power Five conference has a league-wide availability report. College sports has been hit with multiple gambling related scandals this year, including in the Big Ten where several Iowa athletes in multiple sports are facing NCAA discipline for online gambling on sporting events.
August 25, 2023 4:39 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Kenny Pickett led two touchdown drives and showed he and the Pittsburgh starters are ready for real games as the Steelers overpowered the Atlanta Falcons’ backups 24-0 in the final preseason game for both teams. Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren ran for touchdowns to cap the only drives led by Pickett, who completed 4 of 4 passes for 86 yards in his short but productive playing time. The Steelers scored touchdowns on each of their five preseason possessions led by Pickett. Falcons coach Arthur Smith held out his starters, and his backups were overwhelmed on both sides of the ball when matched with Pittsburgh’s first-team units.
August 25, 2023 4:42 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Ian Happ hit a go-ahead single in the 10th inning, lifting the Chicago Cubs to a 5-4 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night. Nico Hoerner grounded to short to move automatic runner Mike Tauchman to third before Dansby Swanson walked and took second on a wild pitch. Happ then dropped a single into right, driving in Tauchman with Swanson scoring when right fielder Connor Joe bobbled the ball. Chicago, at 67-60, has won five of six to pull to three games back of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.
August 25, 2023 4:43 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — A person with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg has decided to retire. The 2019 World Series MVP has had his career derailed by injuries. Strasburg last pitched in June 2022 and has thrown only 528 pitches since signing a $245 million, seven-year contract in December 2019. An announcement is expected sometime next month. His decision was first reported by The Washington Post.
August 24, 2023 4:43 am
PITTSBURGH — As Oneil Cruz works his way back from a left ankle fracture, his rehab has stalled after experiencing general left foot soreness. Pirates Director of Sports Medicine Todd Tomczyk provided the update to the media at PNC Park on Wednesday afternoon. Tomczyk noted that the long-term prognosis is still positive and the soreness is not uncommon for an athlete coming off of a traumatic injury. Cruz started a running program about two weeks ago but has experienced soreness over the last 7-10 days. The Pirates decided to take a pause.
August 24, 2023 2:58 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Richie Palacios had a career-best three hits and drove in two runs, and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-4 to avoid a three-game sweep. Palacios capped a three-run first inning with a two-run double, singled in his next two at-bats and walked in the ninth. The 26-year-old had his first three-hit performance in 61 major league games. The last-place Cardinals had lost six of seven and were outscored 17-4 in the first two games of the series. Winning pitcher Zack Thompson gave up two runs on six hits with five strikeouts in five innings. His outing was ended by a 92-minute rain delay.
August 24, 2023 4:39 am
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won’t pitch for the rest of the season because of a torn ligament in his right elbow, Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian said Wednesday night. The Angels don’t yet know whether the major league homers leader and 10-game winner will need surgery to repair the UCL ligament nearly five years after the two-way superstar had his first Tommy John surgery in late 2018 following his AL Rookie of the Year season. Ohtani left the mound abruptly Wednesday in the second inning of his start against Cincinnati in the opener of a doubleheader. The injury will have a massive effect on baseball’s free agent market this winter with Ohtani headed to free agency.
August 24, 2023 4:38 am
TORONTO (AP) – The Toronto Maple Leafs signed star center Auston Matthews to a four-year deal, $53 million contract extension. The deal carries an average annual value of $13.5 million, which will make Matthews the league’s highest-paid player beginning in 2024-25, surpassing Colorado star Nathan MacKinnon’s $12.6 AAV. Matthews has one season left on his current contract – a five-year, $58.2 million pact signed in February 2019 – that could have walked him into unrestricted free agency next summer.
August 22, 2023 4:35 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen’s two-run homer capped a five-run fifth inning against struggling Adam Wainwright, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3. Wainwright remained stuck on 198 career wins a day after accruing his 18th year of major league service time. He is 0-8 with a 12.56 ERA in his last nine starts. St. Louis catcher Willson Contreras and manager Oliver Marmol were ejected in the seventh inning for arguing balls and strikes, and rookie Jordan Walker was tossed in the eighth, his first career ejection. The last-place Cardinals have lost six of seven.
