October 26, 2019 3:57 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Surging Pittsburgh will try to put together its first five-game winning streak since 2009 when the Panthers host struggling Miami. Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett says the Panthers have grown comfortable playing in close games. The Panthers are 4-1 in games decided by eight points or fewer. Miami, by contrast, has struggled when things get tight. The Hurricanes’ four losses have come by a combined 21 points. Pitt upset the Hurricanes 24-14 in their last visit to Heinz Field in 2017.
October 26, 2019 3:56 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Home-field advantage has meant nothing so far in this World Series. The Houston Astros are within two games to one after getting a strong performance from their bullpen in a 4-1 victory over the Nationals in Washington. Houston bounced back after dropped the first two games at home by a combined 17-7 margin, including a 12-3 loss in Game 2. The Astros received two-hit ball from their relievers over the final 4 1/3 innings. Josh James got it going by striking out Ryan Zimmerman with runners on second and third to and the fourth inning, keeping the Astros ahead, 3-1. Will Harris retired all five batters he faced and Roberto Osuna worked a one-hit ninth to get the save. Houston’s bullpen shut the door after Zack Greinke was reached for one run and seven hits over 4 2/3s. Michael Brantley delivered a pair of RBI singles and Jose Altuve was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Robinson Chirinos added a solo homer in the sixth to make it a 4-1 game and chase Nats starter Anibal Sanchez, who allowed 10 hits over 5 1/3 innings. Victor Robles laced an RBI triple in the fourth for the Nationals, who saw their eight-game postseason winning streak come to an end. It was the first World Series game in Washington since 1933, when the Senators hosted the New York Giants. The Nationals will send Patrick Corbin to the mound in Game 4 on Saturday against Jose Urquidy , although Houston manager AJ Hinch expects to make heavy use of his bullpen.
October 24, 2019 3:45 am
HOUSTON (AP) – Strong pitching and a tsunami of late-inning offense have allowed the Washington Nationals to head home with a two-games-to-none lead in the World Series against the Houston Astros. The Nats erupted for 10 runs over their last three at-bats and rolled to a 12-3 rout of the Astros. Kurt Suzuki’s solo homer broke a 2-2 tie and ignited the Nationals’ six-run seventh off losing pitcher Justin Verlander and Ryan Pressly. Asdrubal Cabrera and Ryan Zimmerman followed with two-run singles to give Washington a six-run cushion, and the lead continued to grow with Adam Eaton’s two-run blast in the eighth. Cabrera capped his three-RBI night with a run-scoring single later in the eighth, and Michael A. Taylor went deep for a solo shot in the ninth. Anthony Rendon doubled home a pair just three batters into the game to put Washington ahead. The Astros immediately responded as Alex Bregman ended a 3-for-22 skid with a two-run blast in the bottom of the first off winning pitcher Stephen Strasburg. Strasburg struck out seven and worked around seven hits to improve to 4-0 this postseason. Verlander was reached for four runs and seven hits over six-plus innings to fall to 1-3 in the postseason. Two of his three walks came around to score. The Nationals have won eight straight since falling behind two games to one against the Dodgers in the NL Division Series. Game 3 is Friday in Washington.
October 24, 2019 3:39 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line is regrouping without injured star Stephon Tuitt. Tuitt tore his pectoral muscle in the first quarter of a victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 13 and is out for the season. The Steelers will turn to veteran Tyson Alualu, Javon Hargrave and maybe rookie Isaiah Buggs to fill in during Tuitt’s absence.
October 23, 2019 8:03 am
WPIAL Girls Volleyball Playoffs began Tuesday with 1A & 2A preliminary matches. Avella was the only local winner, blanking Rochester to advance to the Round of 16.
Click for Girls WPIAL Volleyball Brackets
Preliminary Round
2A South Park 3, Beth-Center 0
1A Riverview 3, California 1
1A Avella 3, Rochester 0
First Round, Thursday, Oct. 24
2A #11 Waynesburg vs. #6 Avonworth, 7:30 pm at Avonworth
1A #13 Burgettstown vs. #3 Carmichaels, 6 pm at Fort Cherry
1A #2 Fort Cherry vs. Avella, 7:30 pm at Fort Cherry
Quarterfinals, Monday, Oct. 28
4A #3 Canon-McMillan vs. Shaler/Penn-Trafford winner, 7:30 pm at Canon-McMillan)
October 22, 2019 3:41 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph is eager to get back to work following a concussion he suffered earlier this month that briefly left him unconscious. Rudolph spent nearly two weeks in the NFL’s concussion protocol after taking a hit to the head from Ravens safety Earl Thomas. He says the hit “shut off” his brain but that he feels like he responded quickly. Rudolph plans to return to the lineup when Pittsburgh hosts Miami on Oct. 28.
October 21, 2019 3:44 am
UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers backup linebacker Anthony Chickillo is facing multiple misdemeanor charges after being arrested early Sunday. According to court documents, Chickillo was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police and charged with simple assault, property damage and harassment. The 26-year-old was released on $10,000 unsecured bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 30. Team spokesman Burt Lauten said the team is aware of the incident and is still gathering information. Chickillo, a five-year veteran, has one tackle and half a sack in three games for the Steelers this season, playing primarily on special teams. The Steelers did not play this week. The players were given the weekend off by the team. Pittsburgh is scheduled to return to practice on Monday. The Steelers (2-4) host winless Miami on Oct. 28.
October 20, 2019 7:56 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Caleb Lewis threw for a touchdown, Terrence Stephens Jr. ran for one, and Robert Morris rallied to beat Wagner 21-13 on Saturday. Robert Morris (3-4) is 2-0 in the Northeastern Conference for the first time 2011. Down 10-7 at halftime, the Colonials grabbed the lead for good when freshman Tiheem Crocker blocked Eric Silvester’s punt attempt. DeJaun Dandridge recovered the ball at Wagner’s 25-yard line and ran it in for the score. It’s the second straight game in which the Colonials rallied from a halftime deficit. Robert Morris linebacker Aniello Buzzacco, Thomas Neal, Garrett Fairman and Brady Ours combined to make 30 tackles, 12 solo. Christian Alexander-Stevens led Wagner (1-6, 1-1) with 213 yards passing and a touchdown. After playing its last four games on the road – and winning three of them – the Colonials will be home for four of their final five contests.
October 19, 2019 3:38 am
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) – Kenny Pickett threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns, one of them coming on a trick play to put Pittsburgh ahead for good, and the Panthers beat Syracuse 27-20 on Friday night for their fourth straight win. Pittsburgh (5-2, 2-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) had won its previous three, by a combined seven points, and two of those victories came in the final minute. Syracuse falls to 0-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the only team in the Atlantic Division without a win.
October 17, 2019 3:45 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Brandon Tanev scored a short-handed goal in overtime and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat Colorado 3-2 on Wednesday night, the first loss of the season for the Avalanche. Tanev, Pittsburgh’s biggest free-agent pickup in the offseason, scored his first goal with the Penguins at 3:57 of overtime. He swooped into the zone short-handed and threw a shot on goal that went between Philipp Grubauer’s pads. Colorado forward Gabriel Landeskog knocked the puck into the net, giving Pittsburgh its fourth straight win for the first time since an eight-game winning streak last season. The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby continued a season-long, seven-game point streak, scoring his fourth goal of the season. Jake Guentzel added to his six-game point streak with his fifth goal in four games. Matt Murray made 26 saves. The Avalanche, the NHL’s last unbeaten team, looked to start the season with six straight wins for the first time since 2013-14. The best start in franchise history came during the 1985-86 season, when the team was located in Quebec and the Nordiques opened 7-0. Nathan MacKinnon scored his third for Colorado, off an assist from Mikko Rantanen. Both have a six-game point streak to open the season. Matt Calvert also scored, and Grubauer stopped 30 shots. MacKinnon tied the game at 2-2 at 2:56 of the third period. Alone in the slot, MacKinnon took a pass from Rantanen and flipped a wrist shot past Murray. Pittsburgh played without five of its top nine forwards. Jared McCann missed the game with a lower-body injury, forcing defenseman Juuso Riikola to play left wing on the team’s fourth line. Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bjugstad have been out for five games, while Alex Galchenyuk missed his fourth on Wednesday. All have lower-body injuries. Bryan Rust has been out since the start of the season with an upper-body injury. Calvert opened the scoring 3:16 in. He beat Murray with a shot to the glove side on a pass from Matt Nieto. Crosby evened the score at 17:22 of the first on an individual effort with the teams at 4-on-4. He chipped the puck past Erik Johnson along the boards, worked around Samuel Girard in the slot and backhanded a shot past a fallen Grubauer. Guentzel gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 lead at 15:30 of the second. He took a pass from Crosby, pulled the puck under Ryan Graves’ stick and flicked a wrist shot over Grubauer’s shoulder.
