June 18, 2022 4:03 am
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed infielder Tucupito Marcano on the COVID injured list. To take his place they recalled infielder Liover Peguero from Double-A Altoona. Peguero will be making his major league debut wearing number 60. He is touted as the Pirates number 5 prospect by several baseball publications. In 54 games this year in Altoona Peguero is hitting .292 with 17 doubles, 4 triples and 5 home runs with 30 RBI versus right handed pitching. In other moves, the Pirates placed outfielder efCanaan Smith-Njigba on the 60 day injured list retroactive to June 15 with a wrist injury. They selected left handed pitcher Cam Vieaux from Triple-A Indianapolis. Vieaux will also be making his major league debut wearing number 68. He has gone 3-0 with 23 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA.
June 18, 2022 4:05 am
BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) – The storm clouds never arrived at the U.S. Open. Only the stars did. Collin Morikawa leads the way in his quest for a third straight year winning a major. He had a 66 to match the low score this week at The Country Club. That gave him a share of the lead with Joel Dahmen, a popular everyman on the PGA Tour. In the group one shot behind is defending U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm and Rory McIlroy. Another shot back is Masters champ Scottie Scheffler. Morikawa, Rahm and Scheffler have won four of the last nine majors.
June 17, 2022 2:56 am
BOSTON (AP) — The Golden State Warriors are NBA champions once again, topping the Boston Celtics 103-90 for their fourth title in the last eight seasons. Stephen Curry scored 34 points for the Warriors, who claimed the franchise’s seventh championship overall. And this one completed a journey like none other, after a run of five consecutive finals, then a plummet to the bottom of the NBA, and now a return to greatness just two seasons after having the league’s worst record. For Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala, it’s a fourth championship. The first three rings came in 2015, 2017 and 2018, when Golden State was dynastic and made five consecutive trips to the finals.
June 17, 2022 2:58 am
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Flyers have hired John Tortorella as their new coach, hoping the veteran can help lead them to their first Stanley Cup since 1975. Tortorella coached Tampa Bay to a Stanley Cup title in 2004. He also coached the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks. He was fired in May 2021 after six seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Flyers finished this season with a 25-46-11 record under Alain Vigneault and Mike Yeo and were last in the Metropolitan Division.
June 17, 2022 1:53 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Minkah Fitzpatrick is staying in Pittsburgh. The Steelers have signed their star safety to a new five-year contract. NFL Network reported the deal is worth $73.6 million, which would make Fitzpatrick the highest-paid safety in the league. The 25-year-old Fitzpatrick was ready to enter the final year of his rookie contract. He has been spectacular at times since arriving in Pittsburgh in a trade with Miami in September 2019 and was selected to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro team in each of his first two seasons with the Steelers. Fitzpatrick called the signing “just the beginning” of what he hopes is a long and successful stay in the city.
June 16, 2022 3:49 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Bryan Reynolds hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the seventh inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a nine-game skid, beating the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4. Reynolds hit his 11th homer of the season after Tucupita Marcano singled with two outs off reliever Andre Pallante. Wil Crowe threw two scoreless innings in relief for the win, and David Bednar picked up his 11th save by pitching the final 2 2/3 innings. Jack Flaherty made his first appearance of the season for the Cardinals, who lost for the second time in their past nine home games. The 26-year-old right-hander worked the first three innings, allowing four runs, three earned.
June 16, 2022 3:55 am
DENVER (AP) – Andre Burakovsky scored 1:23 into overtime and the Colorado Avalanche opened the Stanley Cup Final with a 4-3 victory over the two-time defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning Wednesday night. Burakovsky ended it after the Avalanche failed to score on a power play that began late in regulation when three-time champ Patrick Maroon put the puck over the glass. Burakovsky is one of only two Avalanche players who have won the Cup. The game likely wouldn’t have even reached OT if not for big penalty kills by the Avalanche, who were 3 for 3 against Tampa Bay’s potent power play. The final kill featured a crucial save by goaltender Darcy Kuemper and a series of clears by Norris Trophy finalist defenseman Cale Makar.
June 15, 2022 12:35 pm
According to multiple reports, Minkah Fitzpatrick has agreed to a four-year extension with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The deal is reportedly worth over $18.4 million per season with $36 million guaranteed at signing. That’s the highest annual average salary and the most money guaranteed at signing for any safety in the league.
June 15, 2022 3:52 am
ST. LOUIS (AP) – Miles Mikolas was one strike from a no-hitter when he gave up a double to Cal Mitchell with two outs in the ninth inning, and the St. Louis Cardinals routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-1 to sweep a doubleheader. Mitchell drove a 2-2 curveball over the head of Gold Glove center fielder Harrison Bader and just beyond his outstretched mitt as he tried to make a running catch with his back to home plate. The ball bounced on the warning track 383 feet from the plate and over the wall in straightaway center for a ground-rule double. The hit came on the 129th pitch from Mikolas, most in the majors this season and 14 more than his previous career high set last month. The Pirates lost their ninth straight.
June 15, 2022 3:54 am
UPDATED (AP) – Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson says he’s determined to keep fighting to clear his name and insists he never committed sexual misconduct. He stood by previous comments proclaiming his innocence. Watson is facing civil lawsuits from 24 massage therapists in Texas accusing him of sexual assault and harassment. But Watson says he never assaulted, harassed or disrespected anyone. Watson was speaking for the first time since March 25, a week after the Browns signed him to a fully guaranteed $230 million contract despite his complex legal situation. Since then, his legal entanglements have grown with two more women filing lawsuits.
