December 6, 2022 3:49 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – A person familiar with the negotiations says Justin Verlander has agreed to an $86.7 million, two-year contract with the New York Mets. The deal reunites the AL Cy Young Award winner with Max Scherzer and gives the Mets a high-profile replacement for Jacob deGrom. The deal includes a vesting third-year option, according to a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because there was no announcement. Verlander leaves World Series champion Houston to step in for deGrom, who agreed to a $185 million, five-year contract with Texas last week. It also puts Verlander on the same team as Scherzer after they played together with the Tigers from 2010-14. Verlander turns 40 in February.
December 6, 2022 3:50 am
Quarterbacks Stetson Bennett of Georgia, Max Duggan of TCU, C.J. Stroud of Ohio State and Caleb Williams of Southern California are the finalists for the Heisman Trophy. The award given to the outstanding player in college football is determined by a vote of more than 900 sports journalists and past winners. It will be presented Saturday night at the Lincoln Center in New York. Williams and Stroud also are finalists for the Maxwell Award as the top performer in the college game. Williams, Stroud and Duggan also are up for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.
December 5, 2022 3:54 am
ATLANTA (AP) – Kenny Pickett tossed a 17-yard touchdown pass to Connor Heyward, Matthew Wright kicked four field goals and the Pittsburgh Steelers made it two wins in a row for the first time this season. They held off the Falcons 19-16 before thousands of towel-waving fans in Atlanta. Coming off a Monday night victory at Indianapolis, the 5-7 Steelers finally put together a winning streak in what has been a tough rebuilding year in Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Atlanta squandered an opportunity near the goal line for the second week in a row. This time, a holding penalty wiped out a potential game-winning touchdown.
December 5, 2022 3:58 am
BALTIMORE (AP) – Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is not expected to miss significant time after injuring his knee in a 10-9 win over Denver. Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said Jackson may not return in time for next week’s game against Pittsburgh, but he shouldn’t be far off. Backup Tyler Huntley appears far more comfortable in his role as stand-in for the 2019 NFL MVP after guiding Baltimore to a win against the Broncos. Jackson missed the final four games of the 2021 season with an ankle injury, and Baltimore lost every one of them.
December 5, 2022 3:59 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – Joe Burrow threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, Samaje Perine rushed for a season-high 106 yards and the Cincinnati Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs 27-24 in their first meeting since the Bengals prevailed in last season’s AFC championship game. Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs missed their chance to avenge two losses to Burrow and Cincinnati last season. The Bengals beat the Chiefs last Jan. 2 to clinch the AFC North title, then won four weeks later in overtime to advance to the Super Bowl. On Sunday, Burrow threw a go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass to Chris Evans with 8:54 remaining.
December 5, 2022 3:55 am
HOUSTON (AP) – Deshaun Watson signed autographs, posed for selfies, ignored the boos and earned a sloppy win. Again, he declined to express remorse for behavior that earned him an 11-game suspension. Back in his old home to play his first game in 700 days, Watson showed plenty of rust in his debut with Cleveland but the Browns didn’t need him to do much in a 27-14 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday. After signing jerseys for Texans and Browns fans and taking pictures with a few more before the game, Watson was overwhelmed with boos once it started. He heard jeers before each snap in the first half and for much of the afternoon.
December 5, 2022 3:57 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling were passed over by a Baseball Hall of Fame committee that elected former big league slugger Fred McGriff to Cooperstown on Sunday. It was the first time that Bonds, Clemens and Schilling had faced a Hall committee since their 10th and final appearances on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot. Bonds and Clemens have been accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, and support for Schilling dropped after he made hateful remarks toward Muslims, transgender people, reporters and others.
December 3, 2022 12:31 am
Quarterback Braden Laux ran for 135 yards and a pair of touchdowns, leading Belle Vernon past Central Martinsburg, 21-17, Friday night. Anthony Crews returned the opening kickoff 68 yards to put the Leopards up early. Laux sprinted 42 yards for a touchdown moments later. Central put three drives together to close the first half, getting a touchdown from Jeff Hoenstine to Shalen Yingling, a Hoenstine 30-yard scoring run plus a 28-yard field goal by Hunter Smith, taking a 17-14 lead into the lockerroom. Belle Vernon’s defense came up with a pair of takeaways by Chase Ruokonen (fumble, interception) plus a pair of fourth-down stops in the games final six minutes. Laux put Belle Vernon back in front to stay, scoring from 3-yards out with 2:52 left in the third quarter. He set up the short touchdown with a weaving 58-yard run two plays earlier. The Leopards had a chance to put the game away earlier, following their first fourth-down stop, but fumbled a handoff on second down, giving the Dragons one last chance. Belle Vernon will play Neumann-Goretti, a 20-17 winner over previously unbeaten Wyomissing winner next Saturday afternoon.
PIAA Semifinals
3A Belle Vernon 21, 6-1 Central Martinsburg 17
5A Pine-Richland 34, 3-1 Cocalico 12
4A Aliquippa 31, 11-1 Allentown Central Catholic 10
2A 8-1 Westinghouse 26, Steel Valley 7
1A Union 46, 9-1 Port Allegany 36
December 4, 2022 8:00 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Kasperi Kapanen scored his second career hat trick and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the St. Louis Blues 6-2. Bryan Rust had a goal and three assists, Jason Zucker had a goal and two assists, Sidney Crosby also scored and Evgeni Malkin added three assists to help the Penguins win their second straight and seventh in the last nine. Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots for the Penguins. Pavel Buchnevich and Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Blues, who have lost three straight and five of six after a seven-game win streak. Jordan Binnington gave up four goals on 17 shots before being pulled in the opening minute of the second period. Thomas Greiss had 19 saves in relief.
December 4, 2022 8:05 am
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds has requested a trade ahead of baseball’s winter meetings. Reynolds hit .262 with 27 homers and 62 RBIs in 145 games last season, but Pittsburgh finished with a 62-100 record. In Reynolds’ four years with the team, the Pirates are 211-335 for a .386 winning percentage. Reynolds, who turns 28 in January, likely would be an attractive trade option for a contender looking for an outfielder at the winter meetings next week in San Diego. But it doesn’t sound as if Pittsburgh is inclined to let him go.
