October 28, 2019 3:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – It’s been 86 years since Washington baseball fans witnessed a World Series home win by one of their three major league teams. The wait continues. The Houston Astros have a three-games-to-two lead in the Fall Classic after beating the Nationals in Washington for the third straight night, 7-1. The Astros took the three games in DC by a combined 19-3 margin after dropping the first two games at home. It was a redemption game for Gerrit Cole, who dropped the series opener to end his 19-game winning streak. Cole was terrific in this one, limiting the Nationals to three hits while striking out nine over seven innings. Cole blanked the Nats until Juan Soto homered with one out in the seventh to trim Houston’s lead to 4-1. The Nationals banged out a trio of two-run homers while outhitting the Nationals, 10-4. Yordan Alvarez opened the scoring with a second-inning homer and finished 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Carlos Correa added a two-run blast in the fourth, and George Springer capped the scoring with his second homer of the series. Joe Ross was pressed into service when scheduled starter when ace Max Scherzer couldn’t lift his arm Sunday morning. Scherzer says he underwent treatment after the neck spasms started a few days earlier. Ross was reached for four runs and five hits over five innings. Game 6 is Tuesday in Houston.
October 27, 2019 7:58 am
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) – Sean Clifford threw four touchdown passes and No. 6 Penn State had little trouble shutting down Michigan State’s anemic offense in a 28-7 victory. The Nittany Lions avenged close losses to Michigan State from each of the past two seasons. The Spartans wrapped up a dreadful stretch in which they lost to Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State by a combined score of 100-17.
October 27, 2019 7:53 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – The World Series is all even at two games apiece after Alex Bregman and the Houston Astros cruised to victory in Game 4 at Washington. Bregman was 3-for-5 with a grand slam and had five RBIs as the Astros blasted the Nationals, 8-1. Bregman cleared the bases in the seventh inning to cap the scoring. Robinson Chirinos homered for the second straight night, a two-run blast off losing pitcher Patrick Corbin to make it 4-0 in the fourth inning. Michael Brantley had three hits and scored twice for the Astros, who have taken the first two games in Washington by a combined 12-2 margin after being outscored 17-7 in back-to-back losses to the Nationals in Houston. Winning pitcher Jose Urquidy gave the Astros their best starting performance of the series so far, outdoing Gerrit Cole, Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke . Urquidy was reached for just two hits and no walks while striking out four over five scoreless innings.
Corbin left after six innings, charged with four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Bregman and Yuli Gurriel jumped on Corbin with RBI singles in the top of the first. Washington’s only run came on a bases-loaded grounder by Juan Soto in the sixth. Game 5 is Sunday in Washington.
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.
