Red Hot Royals Come To PNC Park

April 27, 2021 3:51 am

UNDATED (AP) – Jarrod Dyson doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 to complete a four-game sweep on the road for the first time in nearly 22 years.  The Royals have won a season-high five straight and own the best record in the American League at 14-7. Detroit has the worst record in the majors at 7-16 after losing 10 of 11 games and is off to its worst start since 2003. Brad Keller earned the win after giving up two runs over six innings.

Upper St. Clair Native Sean Lee Retires

April 27, 2021 3:54 am

DALLAS (AP) – Sean Lee is retiring after the linebacker spent all of his 11 mostly injury-plagued seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. The 34-year-old says it is “my time to walk away.”  Lee is eighth in team history with 995 tackles. He led all NFL linebackers through his first six seasons. That was despite missing all of 2014 after tearing a knee ligament in the offseason. A second-round pick out of Penn State in 2010, Lee is fourth among Dallas linebackers with 14 interceptions. His 22 tackles against the New York Giants in 2016 are a club record.

Steelers Focused On Draft

April 27, 2021 3:50 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t appear to be in the market for a quarterback heading into the draft. The Steelers have four under contract for 2021 after signing 2019 first-round pick Dwyane Haskins and bringing back Josh Dobbs to back up Ben Roethlisberger and Mason Rudolph. General manager Kevin Colbert hinted the team may be more focused on the offensive line with the 24th overall pick. Colbert called the class for center “unusually deep.” The Steelers have a massive need at center following Maurkice Pouncey’s retirement in February.

Penguins Blank Boston

April 26, 2021 3:52 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Tristan Jarry made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season and Jake Guentzel scored in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 1-0 victory over the Boston Bruins on Sunday. Jarry has won his last four decisions, including a sloppy 7-6 home win against New Jersey last week, in which he allowed six third-period goals. He rebounded two nights later against the Devils and has earned a point in 11 of his last 12 starts. Guentzel scored his 21st at 4:03 of the third period to help the Penguins win their fourth straight.

Pirates Beat Twins; Complete 6-3 Road Trip

April 26, 2021 3:49 am

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Gregory Polanco homered among his three hits, the Pittsburgh bullpen tossed five strong innings, and the Pirates beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 Sunday. Adam Frazier also had three hits as Pittsburgh finished a nine-game road trip 6-3. The Pirates have won three of four and five of seven. Minnesota, 2-11 in its last 13 games, is tied with Detroit for fewest wins in the American League. Nelson Cruz homered.

Keselowski Nails Down Close Win

April 26, 2021 3:54 am

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) – Brad Keselowski finally got that last-lap victory, winning in overtime Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.  Keselowski is the ninth driver to win through 10 NASCAR Cup races this season. He avenged the embarrassing Team Penske gaffe in the season-opening Daytona 500 when he and teammate Joey Logano triggered a last-lap crash.  Keselowski led just one lap in a race that featured 35 lead changes among 27 drivers.  William Byron was second, Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell third and Kevin Harvick a season-high fourth.

Penguins Sweep 3-Game Series Against Devils

April 25, 2021 7:37 am

PITTSBURGH — — Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust each scored their 20th goal of the season, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New Jersey Devils 4-2 on Saturday. Crosby got an empty-netter with 0.1 seconds to play. His goal came following a tense net-mouth scramble in which the Devils nearly tied the game. Crosby surpassed Evgeni Malkin and Mario Lemieux for the most 20-plus goal seasons in franchise history. He’s the 36th player in NHL history to have 13 or more 20-plus goal seasons. Jeff Carter, who was acquired by Pittsburgh in an April 12 trade with the Los Angeles Kings, scored his 10th of the season and second in three games. Casey DeSmith stopped 34 shots and Jared McCann scored a power-play goal for the Penguins, who have 13 wins and points in 15 of their last 18 games overall. Pittsburgh completed a three-game series sweep of New Jersey. The Penguins, who have points in their last nine home games, have nine wins in their last 12 games against the Devils.

Pirates Top Twins As Interleague Play Continues

April 25, 2021 7:38 am

MINNEAPOLIS — Michael Perez had three hits and three RBI, helping Trevor Cahill and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Minnesota Twins 6-2 on Saturday. Cahill (1-2) permitted one run and two hits in six innings. The right-hander retired the Twins in order in five of his innings. It was Cahill’s longest outing since he also worked six innings for the Angels at Baltimore on May 10, 2019. It also was his first win for the Pirates after two rough starts that left him with a 9.69 ERA going into the game. Minnesota lost for the 10th time in 12 games. Michael Pineda (1-1) allowed five runs, four earned, and six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Jake Cave had two of the Twins’ three hits.

Westminster Wins First-Ever PAC Football Championship

April 24, 2021 4:10 am

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. – The Westminster football team won their first-ever Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship with a 27-20 win over Washington & Jefferson at home Friday night. The Titans led 14-0 early in the first quarter and 14-10 at halftime. The Presidents took their first lead of the game (17-14) with a blocked punt and recovered the ball in the end zone late in the third quarter. Westminster, however, did not flinch as junior quarterback Cole Konieczka tossed a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns (a 13-yarder to junior tight tend Bryce Sallack and a 7-yarder to senior Ian Valente) to put Westminster back in the lead for good. The Titan defense once again rose to the occasion with four forced turnovers, including a 43-yard strip-sack and fumble-return by junior Ian Barr for the game’s opening touchdown. Barr added a sack and two forced fumbles. Junior Bryce Thomas and sophomores Luca Botti and Nicholas Treloar each had an interception. Westminster had seven sacks, led by junior Brayden Thimons with a career-high four – the most sacks in a single game by a Titan since the stat was kept. Thimons also had a game- and career-high 11 tackles, followed by Thomas with a season-high eight.

Happ Holds Bucs Hitless into 8th Inning

April 24, 2021 4:11 am

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Minnesota left-hander J.A. Happ pitched no-hit ball until Jacob Stallings doubled with one out in the eighth inning, as the Twins beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0. The 38-year-old Happ was removed after the hit by manager Rocco Baldelli with the two-run lead. Tyler Duffey and Taylor Rogers finished the one-hitter as the Twins won for just the second time in their last 11 games. Willians Astudillo and Jake Cave each hit their first home runs of the season for Minnesota. That spoiled another stellar start by Pittsburgh’s JT Brubaker.