August 21, 2020 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Unbeaten Shane Bieber racked up 11 more strikeouts and combined with four relievers on a seven-hitter Thursday night as the Cleveland Indians blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 to win their sixth in a row and sweep the three-game series. The right-hander scattered six hits and did not walk a batter in six innings before being lifted after his pitch count reached 99. Bieber raised his season strikeout total to a major league-best 65 in 40 2/3 innings, an average of 14.4 per nine innings. Oliver Perez, Nick Wittgren, James Karinchak and Brad Hand finished the shutout.
August 21, 2020 2:27 am
Pittsburgh Pirates President Travis Williams has tested positive for COVID-19. Williams says he has followed all critical health and safety protocols and upon the onset of his symptoms, he immediately isolated himself and got tested. At this point, Williams says there are no other known positive tests within the Pirates organization.
August 21, 2020 3:55 am
The New York Islanders are into the second round of the NHL playoffs for the second consecutive year on the strength of their trademark structure and plenty of young skill players. Barry Trotz coached the Islanders past the team he led to the Stanley Cup in 2018 by getting them to play to their identity in four of five games. That identity puts New York in strong position whether it next faces the Boston Bruins or Philadelphia Flyers. Talented playmakers like Anthony Beauvillier and Matt Barzal give the Islanders the kind of firepower to go even deeper in the postseason.
August 20, 2020 3:55 am
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman has been suspended from working Cincinnati’s games after using an anti-gay slur on air. Brennaman used the slur moments after the Fox Sports Ohio feed returned from a commercial break before the top of the seventh inning in the first game of a doubleheader at Kansas City. Brennaman did not seem to realize he was already on air and later apologized. The 56-year-old Brennaman was pulled from the broadcast in the fifth inning of the second game. The Reds say they will “be addressing our broadcasting team in the coming days.”
August 20, 2020 3:53 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Cleveland’s Aaron Civale struck out six and didn’t issue a walk while picking up the first complete game of his young career as the Indians pushed their winning streak to five with a 6-1 win over Pittsburgh. Civale allowed just five hits and narrowly missed a shutout when Pittsburgh pushed across a run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth. Carlos Santana hit his second three-run home run in as many games for the Indians. Domingo Santana added a bases-clearing triple as the Indians improved to a season-best six games over .500.
August 20, 2020 3:50 am
TORONTO (AP) – Nick Suzuki buried the winner 22 seconds after Philadelphia tied it in the third period, Brendan Gallagher snapped a goal drought and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Flyers 5-3 on Wednesday night in Game 5 to stave off elimination in the first-round playoff series. Joel Armia scored twice for the Canadiens, Phillip Danault sealed it into an empty net, and Carey Price made 26 saves. Brett Kulak and Jonathan Drouin each had two assists, and Suzuki also had a helper. Game 6 is Friday. Jakub Voracek scored twice for the Flyers – both on a five-minute power play in the second period – and added an assist, and Joel Farabee had the other goal. Carter Hart, coming off back-to-back shutouts, made 28 saves.
August 19, 2020 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Carlos Santana hit a towering, three-run homer in the 10th inning and drove in a career high-tying five runs to lift the Cleveland Indians to a 6-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. With one out and the score tied at 3, Santana’s drive sailed high over the foul pole and landed at the top of the left field rotunda at PNC Park. The Pirates argued that the ball had curved foul, but the umpire’s call stood following a video review. Cleveland won its fourth straight game. At 4-15, Pittsburgh has the worst record in the major leagues.
August 19, 2020 3:53 am
TORONTO (AP) – Carter Hart stopped 29 shots for his second straight shutout, Michael Raffl and Phil Myers each scored and the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 on Tuesday to take a 3-1 lead in their Eastern Conference playoff series. The top-seeded Flyers can wrap up the series in Game 5 on Wednesday. The Flyers haven’t advanced to the second round of the playoffs since 2012. Hart became the youngest goalie in Flyers history to notch a shutout in Game 3 on Sunday at 22 years, 3 days and followed it up with another stellar effort against the Canadiens.
August 19, 2020 4:04 am
TORONTO (AP) – Alex Ovechkin scored twice, including the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and the Washington Capitals rallied from two goals down to beat the New York Islanders 3-2 and avoid a sweep in their first-round series. Evgeny Kuznetsov also scored for Washington and Braden Holtby stopped 24 shots. Mathew Barzal and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored in the first period to give New York a 2-0 lead. Semyon Varlamov finished with 26 saves. Ovechkin’s second of the night 3:40 into the third period gave the Capitals their first lead. It was their first goal of the series scored after the second period. Game 5 is Thursday.
August 19, 2020 3:57 am
UNDATED (AP) – Hockey Hall of Famer and Winnipeg Jets standout Dale Hawerchuk has died at 57 following a battle with cancer. Hawerchuk scored 45 goals and collected 103 points as a rookie after being selected first overall in the 1981 draft, helping the Jets make the playoffs after winning just 11 games the previous season. He held most club scoring records after nine seasons with the Jets, contributing with 379 goals and 929 points in 713 games. Hawerchuk later spent five seasons with the Sabres before stops in St. Louis and Philadelphia. He ended his career with 518 goals and 1,409 points in 1,188 games over 16 seasons.
