May 8, 2022 5:48 am
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Anyone anticipating a return to normalcy in the Kentucky Derby got a dose of crazy Saturday when an 80-1 shot came charging up the rail to win at Churchill Downs. With favorite Epicenter and Zandon engaged in a duel at the front, Rich Strike stole the show with the second-biggest upset in the Derby’s 148-year history. The chestnut colt beat 4-1 favorite Epicenter by three-quarters of a length. Zandon finished another three-quarters of a length back in third. Rich Strike paid $163.60 Only Donerail in 1913 had a higher payout of $184.90. Rich Strike wasn’t even in the Derby until Friday when Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas scratched Ethereal Road, making room for the chestnut colt who had just two previous wins in his career. “We found out about 30 seconds before the deadline on Friday,” owner Rick Dawson said. “It put us in the race and really we always felt if we just got in we’ve got a shot.”
May 7, 2022 3:57 am
Friday’s Pirates game against Cincinnati was postponed because of rain. It has been rescheduled as part of a split doubleheader on Thursday, July 7. The make-up game from Friday will be July 7 at 2:10 p.m., and the originally scheduled July 7 game will begin at 7:10 p.m. Weather permitting, the Pirates will try to take on the Reds as part of a doubleheader today, and you can hear that action starting at 12:10 p.m. on WJPA 1450 AM.
May 7, 2022 4:02 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith will miss the rest of the postseason after he had core surgery. DeSmith exited in the second overtime of Pittsburgh’s 4-3 victory in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series against the New York Rangers. DeSmith’s injury leaves Louis Domingue as the starter as the series shifts to Pittsburgh. Domingue earned the victory in Game 1 but took the loss after allowing five goals on 40 shots in Game 2. The Pens take on the Rangers at PPG Paints Arena tonight at 7:00 p.m. for Game 3 of the first-round series.
May 7, 2022 3:59 am
(AP) – The last three runnings of the Kentucky Derby have been anything but normal. Maximum Security crossed the line first only to get disqualified for interference in 2019. The first Saturday in May became the first Saturday in September in 2020, thanks to the pandemic. And 2021 saw Medina Spirit winning the race, trainer Bob Baffert subsequently getting embroiled in yet another drug-testing scandal, the horse dying in December following a workout and then getting stripped of the Derby win early this year. Expect more unexpected on Saturday at Churchill Downs when the Triple Crown season gets underway.
May 6, 2022 2:19 am
Softball
Mt. Lebanon rallied with a four-run seventh inning to beat Canon-McMillan, clinching the outright 6A Section 1 title, the Blue Devils’ first since their PIAA title season of 2010. Chartiers-Houston’s win capped an unbeaten run to the 2A Section 1 championship. Only a handful of make-up games remain to be played. Playoff spots have been clinched by Canon-McMillan & Peters Township (6A), Trinity (5A), Chartiers-Houston, Burgettstown, Fort Cherry, Chaleroi & Bentworth (2A).
Mt. Lebanon 9, Canon-McMillan 8
Elizabeth-Forward 7, Ringgold 0
Southmoreland 7, McGuffey 2
Chartiers-Houston 20, Aliquippa 0
Beth-Center 10, Wash High 9
Charleroi 4, Carmichaels 0
Baseball
Trailing 1-0 since the first, McGuffey plated three runs in the fifth inning, then held off a Waynesburg rally, clinching a 3A Section 4 playoff spot. Charleroi can also qualify with a win Monday section leader Yough. Seton-La Salle edged Burgettstown to sweep the two-game series, clinching a share of the 2A Section 4 title. Several sections have full slates of games set for Monday/Tuesday with a couple make-up games also left to play. Playoff spots are in hand for Peters Township (5A), McGuffey (3A), California, Bentworth, Beth-Center, Burgettstown & Fort Cherry (2A) and Avella (1A). Ringgold (4A), Charleroi (3A) and Chartiers-Houston (2A) are still alive. The Rams need a number of things to happen to qualify, including sweeping section leader West Mifflin. The Cougars qualify only with a win at Yough Monday. The Bucs make the post season with any win (vs. Fort Cherry) or any Brentwood loss (vs. Seton-La Salle).
McGuffey 3, Waynesburg 2
Seton-La Salle 2, Burgettstown 1
Ft. Cherry 9, Carlynton 5
May 6, 2022 3:52 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Artemi Panarin and Frank Vatrano each had a goal and two assists and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in Game 2 on Thursday night to even the best-of-seven first-round series. Chris Kreider, Andrew Copp and Ryan Strome also scored for the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin made 39 saves two nights after stopping 79 shots in a triple-overtime loss in Game 1. Sidney Crosby had a goal and an assist, and Jake Guentzel also scored for the Penguins. Louis Domingue, getting the start after replacing the injured Casey DeSmith in the second overtime of Game 1, finished with 34 saves. Game 3 is Saturday night in Pittsburgh.
May 6, 2022 3:55 am
UNDATED (AP) – A new book on Phil Mickelson says government auditors found his gambling losses totaled more than $40 million in a four-year period. Alan Shipnuck writes that the federal audit occurred during the investigation of Mickelson’s role in an insider trading scheme that sent Billy Walters to prison. Shipnuck’s previous excerpt shed light on Lefty’s involvement with a Saudi-funded golf league run by Greg Norman. Mickelson has not said if he will defend his title in the PGA Championship in two weeks.
May 4, 2022 11:43 pm
Softball
Charleroi hit two home runs in the ninth inning to beat Bentworth but the Bearcats still clinched a 2A playoff spot, thanks to Frazier’s win over California. Fort Cherry lost to Burgettstown but clinched a 2A berth when Chartiers-Houston dominated Carlynton. Trinity wrapped up the outright section title with a comfortable home win. Thursday afternoon, we’ll have the Mt. Lebanon at Canon-McMillan game on WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here starting at 4:05 pm. A Mt. Lebanon win gives the Blue Devils the 6A Section 1 title outright. The Big Macs grab a share of the crown with a win, pulling themselves and Bethel Park into a three-way tie the Mt. Lebanon.
Charleroi 5, Bentworth 3 (9)
Frazier 19, California 0
Carmichael vs. Beth-Center
Chartiers-Houston 15, Carlynton 0
Burgettstown 15, Fort Cherry 0
Baldwin 10, Peters Township 0
Trinity 17, Upper St. Clair 2 (4)
Ringgold at Elizabeth-Forward, PPD
McGuffey at Southmoreland, PPD
Baseball
Bentworth took advantage of eight Washington errors to beat the Little Prexies. The loss eliminates WHS from the playoff race. We’ll have the Waynesburg / McGuffey game on WJPA-AM (1450) or Listen Here starting at 6:50 pm. McGuffey earns a playoff berth with a win. The Highlanders are eliminated with a loss
Bentworth 10, Wash High 4
Carmichaels at Beth-Center, PPD to Monday
Seton-La Salle at Burgettstown, PPD to Thursday
Ft. Cherry at Carlynton (suspended Tuesday), PPD to Thursday
Baldwin 11, Canon-McMillan 1
May 5, 2022 3:53 am
DETROIT (AP) – Bryan Reynolds doubled in Pittsburgh’s two-run seventh inning, and the Pirates beat the Detroit Tigers 7-2 to split a doubleheader. The Tigers won the first game 3-2 with the help of two key errors by the Pirates. After pitching 4 2/3 scoreless innings in the first game, the Tigers’ bullpen struggled in the nightcap. Gemel had five hits in across the two games. Tigers reliever Drew Hutchinson (0-2) got the loss in the second game, while Alex Lange got the win in the first. Pirates reliever Zach Thompson got the win in the first game, and Bryse Wilson was charged with the loss.
May 5, 2022 3:56 am
NEW YORK (AP) – The Pittsburgh Penguins went into the playoffs knowing they’d be without starting goalie Tristan Jarry for at least the first couple of games. They lost backup Casey DeSmith to an injury late in the second overtime of the opening game against the Rangers. Now, their postseason hopes could depend on their No. 3 goalie, 30-year-old Louis Domingue. He stepped in and finished with 17 saves as the Penguins won 4-3 when Evgeni Malkin scored on a deflection in the third overtime. Game 2 is Thursday night in New York. The Penguins have called up 23 year old Alex D’Orio from Wilkes-Barre.
