June 30, 2024 6:12 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates veteran Aroldis Chapman has earned a place in Major League Baseball history by passing Billy Wagner for the most career strikeouts by a left-handed reliever. Chapman struck out Travis d’Arnaud and pinch-hitter Sean Murphy in the ninth inning of the Pirates’ 2-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves in 10 innings. Chapman tied Wagner’s record of 1,196 by retiring d’Arnaud and then claimed the record by striking out Murphy. Chapman stared down Murphy as he walked away from the plate. Chapman said the record is the result of a lot of hard work.
June 29, 2024 3:53 am
ATLANTA (AP) — Marcell Ozuna drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in Atlanta’s five-run third inning, Charlie Morton gave up only three hits to Pittsburgh, his former home, and the Braves beat the Pirates 6-1. Austin Riley hit his ninth homer, including six in the last 14 games. The highlight for the Pirates on Friday night came in the eighth when Bryan Reynolds singled to extend his hitting streak to 24 games, the longest in the majors this season. Morton was dominant in only his second career start against Pittsburgh, where he pitched from 2009 through 2015.
June 29, 2024 3:49 am
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Orlando Cepeda, the slugging first baseman nicknamed “Baby Bull” who became a Hall of Famer among the early Puerto Ricans to star in the major leagues, has died. He was 86. The San Francisco Giants and his family announced his death Friday night and a moment of silence was held on the scoreboard at Oracle Park midway through a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cepeda had been a regular at Giants home games through the 2017 season until he dealt with some health challenges. He was hospitalized in the Bay Area in February 2018 following a cardiac event.
June 28, 2024 4:15 am
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper were elected to start in the July 16 All-Star Game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Judge led the major leagues with 3.4 million votes in the first round of fan balloting and was picked for his sixth American League start in seven All-Star Games, though he missed last year because of a sprained right big toe. Harper topped NL players and was second in the majors with 3.3 million votes. He was chosen for his eighth All-Star Game, seventh as a starter. His previous All-Star appearances came as an outfielder and designated hitter.
June 28, 2024 4:12 am
It was the dream that LeBron James first floated a few years ago, the notion of playing in the NBA alongside one of his sons. And it’s a step closer to reality now. Bronny James — the oldest son of the NBA’s all-time scoring leader — was drafted Thursday by the Los Angeles Lakers, the team that his father has played for since 2018. Bronny James was taken with the No. 55 overall pick, deep in the second round and with only three picks remaining in this year’s draft. The move doesn’t guarantee that father and son will play in a game together, but it certainly raises the possibility that it could happen in what would be an NBA first.
June 27, 2024 3:40 am
CINCINNATI (AP) — Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer, Luis L. Ortiz threw six innings of one-run ball and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-1, winning a series between the NL Central rivals for the second consecutive week. Rowdy Tellez also homered and Jason Delay drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double in the sixth inning. The Pirates took two of three from the Reds, as they did last week in Pittsburgh. Cincinnati has lost four of five and eight of 11.
June 27, 2024 3:39 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The jury began deliberations Wednesday in a class-action lawsuit filed by “Sunday Ticket” subscribers claiming the NFL broke antitrust law. The lawsuit was filed in 2015 and has withstood numerous challenges, including a dismissal that was overturned. The suit alleges the NFL broke antitrust laws when it allowed DirecTV to exclusively sell the “Sunday Ticket” package of out-of-market Sunday afternoon games airing on CBS and Fox at an inflated price and restricted competition. The lawsuit began on June 6 and featured 10 days of testimony from economists and league executives, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
June 26, 2024 4:09 pm
CINCINNATI (AP) — Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run homer, Luis L. Ortiz threw six innings of one-run ball and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-1, winning a series between the NL Central rivals for the second consecutive week. Rowdy Tellez also homered and Jason Delay drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double in the sixth inning. The Pirates took two of three from the Reds, as they did last week in Pittsburgh. Cincinnati has lost four of five and eight of 11. (Photo: AP)
June 26, 2024 3:31 am
NEW YORK (AP) — Two people with knowledge of the details say that Mikal Bridges is being traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the New York Knicks, where he will join Jalen Brunson and his other former Villanova teammates. The first trade between the New York rivals since 1983 will put Bridges in the lineup alongside Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, players who helped the Wildcats win two NCAA championships. The Knicks will pay big to get him, with ESPN reporting Tuesday that they are sending the Nets Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks and one protected pick. The deal was confirmed to The Associated Press under condition of anonymity because it is not yet official.
June 25, 2024 4:44 am
CINCINNATI — Ellie De La Cruz hit a long homer and had three RBI, Spencer Steer drove in three runs and the Cincinnati Reds routed the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-5 on Monday night. Pirates starter Bailey Falter (3-6) retired Cincinnati in order in the first three innings but ran into trouble in the fourth, eventually giving up four earned runs and five hits. Bryan Reynolds had a two-out single in the third inning to drive in the first run for the Pirates and extend his hitting streak games to 21, the longest active streak in the majors. Oneil Cruz had a two-run homer for Pittsburgh.
