Steelers Overcome Slow Start, Drop Dolphins

October 29, 2019 3:43 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are the latest team to hang an “L” on the Miami Dolphins.  James Conner ran for 145 yards and a touchdown, and Mason Rudolph overcame a shaky start to guide the Steelers’ offense to a 27-14 victory over the winless Dolphins. Rudolph completed 20 of 36 passes for 251 yards, including a 45-yard touchdown to rookie Diontae Johnson late in the second quarter and a 26-yard strike to JuJu Smith-Schuster in the third.  Former Dolphin Minkah Fitzpatrick picked off Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick twice and the 3-4 Steelers forced four turnovers in all to avoid an embarrassing loss.  The Dolphins failed to score after building a 14-point lead in the first quarter. Ryan Fitzpatrick passed for 190 yards with two touchdowns and two picks for Miami, which is 0-7 for the first time in eight years.

LSU #1 Ahead Of ‘Bama, Ohio State

October 28, 2019 3:56 am

UNDATED (AP) – The No. 1 vs. No. 2 game between Alabama and LSU in two weeks looks set, though the order of the Crimson Tide and Tigers changed in the AP Top 25 in one of the closet votes ever.  Heading into an off date for both teams, LSU flip-flopped with Alabama to become the new No. 1 in The Associated Press college football poll. The Tigers received 1,476 points, two more than Alabama, for the closest margin between 1 and 2 since No. 1 Florida State was two points ahead of Auburn on Oct. 5, 2014.  No. 3 Ohio State was not far behind with 1,468 points. Eight points separating first from third is the fewest in the regular season since Dec. 3, 1979, when No. 1 Ohio State was 10 points ahead of No. 3 Southern California, with Oklahoma in between, two back of the Buckeyes.  Alabama received the most first-place votes this week with 21. LSU and Ohio State both got 17 first-place votes. No. 4 Clemson received seven first-place votes.

Penguins Snap Losing Skid With Win Over Stars

October 27, 2019 7:57 am

DALLAS (AP) – Matt Murray made 25 saves for his first shutout of the season, Dominik Kahun and Bryan Rust scored in the third period, and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Dallas Stars 3-0 Saturday night.  Brandon Tanev added an empty-net goal with 1:14 to play. Kahun’s first goal came in his 12th NHL game. Rust was playing in his first game this season after being injured in the final preseason game. Both goals came from near the net against Ben Bishop, who stopped 24 shots. The Penguins totaled only 11 shots on goal in the first two periods but outshot Dallas 16-3 in the third. On the first goal, Bishop whiffed at clearing the puck from behind the net. Kahun passed out to Sam Lafferty, whose shot trickled under the supine Bishop. Kahun knocked the puck in from the right side at 7:29. The second came 1:38 later, when Rust scored amid a scramble in front.  Murray made glove saves to stop Denis Gurianov and Jamie Benn in the first. Pittsburgh’s Dominik Simon had a clear shot from the right faceoff circle, but it went off Bishop’s chest. Dallas had a flurry with seven minutes left in the second period, but Murray stopped a short-range shot by Alexander Radulov and a wrist shot by Justin Dowling after he had shot wide and retrieved the puck.

Pitt Drops Homecoming Game To Miami

October 27, 2019 7:55 am

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Jarren Williams hit K.J. Osborn for a 32-yard touchdown pass with 58 seconds remaining to rally Miami to a 16-12 victory over Pittsburgh. Williams, who entered midway through the fourth quarter for starter N’Kosi Perry, drove the Hurricanes 62 yards in nine plays, the last a short toss to Osborn that Osborn turned into his fifth touchdown of the season. Pitt’s last-gasp drive ended with a pair of dropped passes, a sack and a wayward throw by Kenny Pickett on fourth down.

Pens Trade Erik Gudbranson To Ducks

October 26, 2019 4:09 am

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Officials with the Pittsburgh Penguins confirm that defenseman Erik Gudbranson has been traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for forward Andreas Martinsen. The trade also includes a 2021 seventh-round pick. Martinsen will report to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He played one game in the AHL this season for the San Diego Gulls Martinsen has played 152 career games at the NHL level for the Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens and the Chicago Blackhawks. He has nine goals, 14 assists and 110 penalty minutes during his NHL time. His best season was as a rookie in Colorado in 2015-16 when he played 55 games and scored four goals. He was just the eighth Norwegian player to appear in an NHL game.

Phillies To Name Girardi As New Manager

October 25, 2019 3:49 am

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The Philadelphia Phillies hired former Yankees manager Joe Girardi to replace Gabe Kapler on Thursday. Girardi will be introduced at a news conference on Monday. Kapler was fired after an injury-depleted team went 81-81 despite significant offseason additions highlighted by Bryce Harper’s arrival. Girardi led New York to its 27th World Series title, beating the Phillies in six games in 2009.

WPIAL Volleyball First Round Thursday

October 24, 2019 8:05 am

Seven volleyball teams from Washington/Greene County were alive in the WPIAL playoffs at the start of the day Thursday. Three remain: Carmichaels, Fort Cherry and Canon-McMillan. Avella, Burgettstown, Jeff-Morgan and Waynesburg were all eliminated.

Click for Girls WPIAL Volleyball Brackets
First Round, Thursday, Oct. 24
1A Carmichaels 3, Burgettstown 0
1A Vincentian Academy 3, Jeff-Morgan 1
1A Fort Cherry 3, Avella 0
2A Avonworth 3, Waynesburg 2

Quarterfinals, Monday, Oct. 28
4A #3 Canon-McMillan vs. Shaler, 7:30 pm at Canon-McMillan

Quarterfinals, Tuesday, Oct. 29 (sites/times to be determined)
1A #4 Carmichaels vs. #5 Geibel
1A #2 Fort Cherry vs. #7 Vincentian Academy

Cole vs. Scherzer In World Series Opener

October 22, 2019 3:50 am

HOUSTON (AP) – The Houston Astros say Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke  will follow Gerrit Cole in their rotation for the World Series against the Nationals, with Game 4 to serve as a bullpen day.  Cole and Verlander were 20-game winners this season, and Cole is 19-0 in 25 starts since a loss to the White Sox on May 22. Greinke will get a chance to hit in Washington after batting .280 with three home runs and eight RBIs in 56 plate appearances this year.  Washington ace Max Scherzer will oppose Cole in the series opener Tuesday night in Houston.

MLB Umpire Cooper Dies

October 21, 2019 3:49 am

UNDATED (AP) – Major league umpire Eric Cooper has died at 52 after having a blood clot.  Cooper became a regular big league ump in 1999 and worked the AL Division series between the Yankees and Twins two weeks ago. He had knee surgery earlier in the week and was recuperating at his father’s home in Iowa.  Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Cooper’s death Sunday.

Ravens Win; Bengals Lose Again

October 21, 2019 3:46 am

Lamar Jackson ran for 116 yards and a touchdown while also making key throws when necessary in leading the Ravens past the Seahawks, 30-16. The second-year quarterback ran for an eight-yard touchdown late in the third quarter on fourth-and-2 to give the 5-2 Ravens the lead. Russell Wilson was 20 of 41 passing for 241 yards and an eight-yard TD in the first quarter to Tyler Lockett. Seattle slipped to 5-2. Meanwhile, Gardner Minshew threw a short scoring pass that put the Jaguars ahead 17-10 early in the fourth quarter of a 27-17 victory over the winless Bengals. Yannick Ngakoue returned an interception 23 yards to clinch the win as Jacksonville left Cincinnati with an 0-7 record for the first time in 11 years. The Bengals managed only 33 yards rushing, all by quarterback Andy Dalton.