July 6, 2022 3:48 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Rookie outfielder Jack Suwinski hit his 14th home run and the Pittsburgh Pirates spoiled Jameson Taillon’s return to PNC Park with a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees. Taillon lost for the first time since April 11 after giving up a solo shot to Daniel Vogelbach in the first inning and a two-run homer just over the center-field wall by Suwinski in the fourth. Taillon, who spent more than a decade in the Pirates’ organization before being traded to New York in 2021, was pulled with one out in the sixth after allowing five runs and six hits with five strikeouts.
July 6, 2022 3:52 am
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) – The San Jose Sharks have hired longtime NHL forward Mike Grier to become the first Black general manager in NHL history. Grier fills the spot that opened when Doug Wilson stepped away for health reasons earlier this year. Grier spent three of his 14 seasons in the NHL with the Sharks from 2006 to 2009 and he has spent the past decade filling various roles as a coach and scout around the league. He was most recently the hockey operations advisor for the New York Rangers.
July 6, 2022 3:50 am
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) – Novak Djokovic erased a two-set deficit against 10th-seeded Jannik Sinner to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals for the 11th time. Djokovic came back to win 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 at Centre Court. It is his 26th consecutive victory at the All England Club. Djokovic is pursuing a fourth straight title at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament and seventh overall. He will face Cam Norrie of Britain in the semifinals. Norrie won a five-setter against David Goffin to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal. Third-seeded Ons Jabeur and Tatjana Maria also reached their first Grand Slam semifinals with victories on Tuesday.
July 5, 2022 3:47 am
The NHL draft in Montreal this week is being conducted in person for the first time since 2019 after the coronavirus pandemic forced the past two events to be held remotely. With prospects again in attendance, it opens the age-old question of whether it’s worth going for some at risk of not hearing their name called through the seven-round draft. Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane recalls almost giving up. He sat in the stands through 12-plus rounds over two consecutive summers before finally getting selected 166th overall by Calgary in the 2015 draft in Florida.
July 5, 2022 3:46 am
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) – Nick Kyrgios has reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal in 7 1/2 years with a five-set victory at Wimbledon over Brandon Nakashima of the United States. Kyrgios repeatedly was visited by a trainer to massage his right shoulder. The unseeded 27-year-old Australian hit 35 aces and pulled out the 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-2 win at Centre Court after more than three hours. He was much calmer and quieter than during and after his previous match against No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas. Kyrgios repeatedly argued with the chair umpire in that win and was later fined $4,000 for cursing aloud. He also was docked $10,000 after his first-round match.
July 4, 2022 3:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Brandon Woodruff struck out eight in six scoreless innings, steering the Milwaukee Brewers to a 2-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Woodruff gave up six hits, which was his most since May 9. But it was his fifth straight start without allowing more than two earned runs. Omar Narvaez hit a two-run home run in the fifth inning. Josh Hader struck out two and got Bryan Reynolds to fly out with the bases loaded in the ninth for his 25th save. Milwaukee outscored Pittsburgh 32-17 in the four-game series, but earned only a split.
July 4, 2022 3:47 am
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) – Novak Djokovic found himself locked in a tight fourth-round match at Wimbledon against a wild-card entry making his Grand Slam tournament debut. They were even at a set apiece after about 1 1/2 hours of play. But Djokovic soon was in control and ended up winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 on Sunday night. There have been many surprises and new faces at this tournament. Djokovic just keeps winning and is moving closer to a fourth consecutive title at Wimbledon and seventh overall. He also is seeking a 21st major championship overall. This was the first time that Wimbledon is a planned 14-day tournament with play scheduled for the middle Sunday.
July 4, 2022 3:42 am
SILVIS, Ill, (AP) – J.T. Poston completed a wire-to-wire victory Sunday in the John Deere Classic for his second PGA Tour title and a spot in the British Open. Three strokes ahead entering the day at TPC Deere Run, Poston closed with a 2-under 69 for a three-stroke margin over fellow British Open qualifiers Christiaan Bezuidenhout and Emiliano Grillo. Poston finished at 21-under 263. He opened with rounds of 62, 65 and 67. Bezuidenhout shot a 66, and Grillo had a 69. Christopher Gotterup, the former Rutgers player in the field on a sponsor exemption, had a 66 to tie for fourth at 17 under with Scott Stallings.
July 3, 2022 7:49 am
PITTSBURGH — Oneil Cruz collected his 12th RBI in 13 games this season to help Pittsburgh Pirates bounce back from a blowout loss with a 7-4 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday night. The 23-year-old prospect put the Pirates up 4-1 with two outs in the fourth on a 392-foot solo blast to right with a 112.3 mph exit velocity that chased Brewers starter Aaron Ashby. Cruz has at least one RBI in eight games since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis on June 20, and at least one in each of his first nine games at PNC Park. Cruz also used his glove to help Pirates right-hander Bryse Wilson (1-4) pick up his first win since Sept. 18, 2021. The shortstop stretched every bit of his 6-foot-7 frame to snag a line drive from Christian Yelich with two men in scoring position before trotting to third, finishing a double play to end the second inning. Wilson (1-4) was called up from Triple-A Indianapolis to make the start and allowed two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts over six innings. Pittsburgh has taken two of three in the four-game set, despite losing 19-2 on Friday.
July 3, 2022 7:51 am
SILVIS, Ill. (AP) — J.T. Poston made up for two back-nine bogeys with an eagle on the par-5 17th, shooting a 4-under 67 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the John Deere Classic. Trying to complete a wire-to-wire victory after tying for second last week in the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, Poston made a 13 1/2-foot eagle putt on 17. He had a 19-under 194 total at TPC Deere Run. Playing partner Denny McCarthy birdied the final two holes for a 66 to join Scott Stallings (64) and Emiliano Grillo (65) at 16 under.
