September 30, 2021 3:52 am
UNDATED (AP) – The AL wild-card races just got a bit tighter. The Boston Red Sox are back within a game of the New York Yankees for the first wild card, with the Mariners a half-game behind the Sox and a half-game ahead of Toronto. The Red Sox’s four-game skid is over after J.D. Martinez smacked a solo homer and a two-run double in a 6-0 shutout of the Orioles. Hunter Renfroe also homered to back Nathan Eovaldi, who allowed four hits over six innings. Alex Verdugo added a two-run single in the eighth for Boston. Bo Bichette homered twice for the Blue Jays, including the tiebreaking blast in the eighth inning of their 6-5 victory over the Yankees. Marcus Semien slammed his 44th home run, breaking the single-season record for second basemen. The Jays lead the majors with 251 home runs, six off the team record. Jose Berrios retired the first 14 Yankees in order, striking out seven, before giving up three straight hits in the fifth. The Yankees had won seven in a row.
September 29, 2021 3:49 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says he’s not going to hit the panic button with the team sitting at 1-2. Tomlin says his players have to have “tough skin” and learn quickly if they want to bounce back following home losses to Las Vegas and Cincinnati. Tomlin added quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will continue to rest rather than practice on Wednesdays in order to preserve his long-term health. The 39-year-old Roethlisberger has three touchdown passes and three interceptions through three games. Pittsburgh visits Green Bay in Week 4.
September 29, 2021 3:47 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Colin Moran hit a three-run home run and drove in four runs as the Pittsburgh Pirates dealt the Cubs their seventh straight loss, rallying to beat Chicago 8-6 on Tuesday night. Moran’s homer, his 10th of the season, to deep center field in the first inning opened the scoring. The Pirates scored four runs in the sixth for a 7-6 lead. Moran singled home an insurance run in the seventh and reached base four times. Bryan Reynolds had three hits and scored three times for Pittsburgh, which won for the second time in six games.
September 29, 2021 3:51 am
UNDATED (AP) – A 17-game winning streak has allowed the St. Louis Cardinals to wrap up the second National League wild card with five days to spare. Dylan Carlson, Nolan Arenado and Jose Rondon homered to back Adam Wainwright in the Redbirds’ 6-2 victory over the Brewers. The game was tied 2-2 in the fifth until Tyler O’Neill hit a run-scoring single, his 22nd RBI in his last 20 games. Wainwright allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings for his 17th victory. He’s won his last six decisions. St. Louis was 71-69 on Sept. 11 before the winning streak, the longest in team history and the longest in the major leagues since Cleveland took 22 in a row in 2017.
September 28, 2021 3:47 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott lost the handle on the ball while being rushed in the end zone, spotted the Eagles an easy touchdown and then proceeded to dismantle them. Prescott threw for three touchdowns in his first home game since he suffered an ankle injury on the same field almost a year ago, Trevon Diggs returned an interception 59 yards for a score and Dallas dominated Philadelphia 41-21 on Monday night. Except for the fumble, Prescott was efficient, going 21 of 26 for 238 yards without an interception in the first NFC East game for both teams. Ezekiel Elliott ran for a season-high 95 yards and two touchdowns, and tight end Dalton Schultz had the first two-TD game of his career. Prescott’s first game at AT&T Stadium since the season-ending compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle in Week 5 last year against the New York Giants was also the return to full capacity, with 93,267 inside and the retractable roof open at the $1.2 billion facility.
September 28, 2021 3:44 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are reeling following a loss to Cincinnati that dropped their record to 1-2. The offensive line continues to be an issue for the Steelers. Pittsburgh allowed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to be sacked four times and struggled once again to generate anything in the running game. Roethlisberger says he still believes the Steelers have time to turn things around. The schedule is difficult, starting with a visit to Green Bay next week to face Aaron Rodgers and the Packers.
September 28, 2021 3:30 am
CINCINNATI (AP) – Joey Votto homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Cincinnati Reds pounded the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-1 to stay alive in the race for the second NL wild card. Nick Castellanos, rookie Jonathan India and Eugenio Suarez also connected as Cincinnati posted its fourth straight victory, clinching a second straight winning season. Castellanos had five RBIs, and India finished with four hits and scored four times. The Reds pulled within 5 1/2 games of idle St. Louis for the second wild card. The Cardinals need just one more win to secure the spot.
September 28, 2021 3:42 am
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Zach Aston-Reese tested positive for COVID-19 and has entered the league’s protocol, Mike Sullivan announced following Monday’s morning skate before the Penguins’ preseason opener. He may still be able to play when the Penguins open the season on Oct. 12, following the NHL’s COVID protocols.
September 27, 2021 4:00 am
The Washington Wild Things remain without a Frontier League Championship. Schaumburg took an early lead in the fifth-and-deciding game at Wild Things Park Sunday and claimed their fourth title with a 10-4 victory. Washington was a win away from a title following Friday night’s extra innings win. The Boomers, however, stayed alive with a win Saturday night in Game 4.
September 27, 2021 3:56 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Joe Burrow threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns and the Cincinnati Bengals handled the listless Pittsburgh Steelers 24-10. Burrow connected on a 17-yard strike to Tyler Boyd. He also found rookie Ja’Marr Chase for 34-yard and 9-yard scores as the Bengals (2-1) won at Heinz Field for the first time since 2015. Ben Roethlisberger completed 38 of 57 passes for 318 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Steelers.
