September 7, 2019 3:59 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Adam Frazier capped Pittsburgh’s six-run seventh inning with a two-run triple, and the Pirates rallied to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 9-4 on Friday night. Last-place Pittsburgh scored each of its runs in the seventh with two outs. Josh Bell hit a two-run single off Andrew Miller. After run-scoring hits by pinch hitter Melky Cabrera and Jose Osuna, Frazier made it 7-4 when he tripled high off the 21-foot wall in right field. The NL Central-leading Cardinals had won six of eight. Miller (4-5), the second of three relievers in the seventh, got just one out and was charged with three runs and three hits.
September 6, 2019 2:58 am
CHICAGO (AP) – The Monsters of the Midway showed up for the NFL’s season opener. They were wearing gold, green and white. In a defensive battle also marked by sloppy offense and penalties, the Packers used the Bears’ usual trademark, a staunch D, and just enough from Aaron Rodgers on Thursday night to kick off the league’s 100th season with a 10-3 victory over their archrivals. A lack of action in the preseason clearly damaged both offenses, and Rodgers at times looked uncomfortable in the attack designed by new coach Matt LaFleur. But he is a two-time league MVP, and he hit Jimmy Graham for the game’s only touchdown in the second quarter. From there, it was an aggressive defense that would have made Vince Lombardi proud in the latest edition of the NFL’s longest rivalry, which the Packers lead 98-95-6. Green Bay has won 16 of the last 19 regular-season meetings, and Rodgers is 17-5. Chicago’s defense hardly slacked, getting five sacks – tying the most it has had against Rodgers. But it could do little with the ball and the Packers had five sacks of Mitchell Trubisky, who never found his stride. Former Bears safety Adrian Amos picked off an end-zone pass into double coverage with 1:58 remaining, the only turnover of the contest. Mason Crosby made a 39-yard field goal in the final period for Green Bay, while defending NFC North champion Chicago got a 38-yarder from Eddy Pineiro.
September 5, 2019 2:58 am
Antonio Brown says the Oakland Raiders have fined him close to $54,000 for missing a practice and walkthrough. The star receiver posted a letter on his Instagram account from general manager Mike Mayock saying that he was fined $40,000 for an unexcused absence from practice on Aug. 18 and $13,950 for skipping a walkthrough in Winnipeg on Aug. 22.
September 5, 2019 2:55 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Rafael Nadal has reached his 33rd Grand Slam semifinal and prevented Diego Schwartzman from making it to his first. Nadal beat Schwartzman 6-4, 7-5, 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium to move a step closer to a fourth U.S. Open championship and 19th major title in all, which would be just one short of Roger Federer’s record. Nadal will meet No. 24 Matteo Berrettini of Italy in the semifinals Friday.
September 4, 2019 3:48 am
DETROIT (AP) – Niklas Kronwall is retiring after 15 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings The hard-hitting defenseman announced his retirement in a video Tuesday on the team’s Twitter account, saying he would be taking a new role within the organization. Kronwall played 953 games in his NHL career and was part of the Detroit team that won the Stanley Cup in 2008. Kronwall had three goals and 24 assists in 79 games last season.
September 3, 2019 3:44 am
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) – The New York Jets have hired former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward as a full-time offensive assistant. Ward worked with the Jets during the summer as a coaching intern and impressed coach Adam Gase and his staff. The 43-year-old Ward is the Steelers’ career leader with 1,000 catches, 12,083 yards receiving and 85 touchdown catches.
September 2, 2019 4:08 am
UNDATED (AP) – Justin Verlander has become just the sixth pitcher in major league history to toss at least three no-hitters, and the first to do it twice as a visitor in the same ballpark. Verlander threw a season-high 120 pitches and faced just one batter over the minimum in tossing a gem in the Houston Astros’ 2-0 win at Toronto. He didn’t allow a base-runner after Cavan Biggio worked out a one-out walk in the first inning. Verlander struck out 14 and completed the fourth no-hitter in the majors this season by retiring Bo Bichette on a grounder to third baseman Abraham Toro. It was a fitting end to the game since Toro broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the ninth. The gem comes eight years after Verlander no-hit the Blue Jays in Toronto and 12 years after his first no-hitter. The 36-year-old also improved to 17-5 this season and lowered his ERA to 2.56.
August 31, 2019 4:08 am
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The NFL Preseason is in the books, and teams are set to have rosters trimmed to 53 players Saturday. All teams must have rosters submitted by 4:00 p.m. and a practice squad will be set within a day after that. The Steelers went 3-1 in preseason play, including to victories at home against the Buccaneers and Chiefs, and another on the Road against the Titans. There are a few positions to keep in mind as the team trims the roster, including how many wide receivers, linebackers and defensive backs the team decides to keep.
August 31, 2019 4:01 am
DENVER (AP) – Dario Agrazal pitched three-run ball into the sixth inning, Melkey Cabrera hit a three-run homer, and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 9-4 on Friday night. Starling Marte had three hits and tied a career-best with four runs scored. Josh Bell also had three hits and drove in a pair of runs, and Bryan Reynolds doubled twice and drove in a run for the Pirates, who guaranteed themselves at least a split of the four-game series. Trevor Story hit his first career leadoff homer, the seventh by a Rockies player this season and the first since Charlie Blackmon did it July 21 in New York against the Yankees. Ian Desmond had three hits, including a home run, as the Rockies fell to 2-10 in their last 12 games. Agrazal (4-3) allowed three runs on nine hits, settling down to keep the Rockies in check after Story’s leadoff homer. He walked none and struck out two.
August 30, 2019 3:45 am
DENVER (AP) – Kevin Newman had two homers among his four hits and drove in three runs, Jose Osuna also homered and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Colorado Rockies 11-8 on Thursday night. Newman homered to lead off the game, igniting a seven-run first that he capped with his second hit of the inning, a two-out RBI single that chased Colorado starter Chi Chi Gonzalez. It was the second career leadoff home run for Newman, who also did it June 27 at Houston. Adam Frazier added four hits, including a pair of run-scoring singles, and Colin Moran had two hits, including a two-run double in the Pirates’ big first inning. Trevor Williams (7-6) went seven innings and allowed three runs on seven hits in helping the Pirates win for the fifth time in seven games. He struck out six and walked none. The Pirates have won 12 of their last 16 games played in Colorado, dating to July 27, 2014. Gonzalez (0-6) trailed 3-0 before getting his first out and was down 7-0 when he exited in favor of Yency Almonte with two outs in the first in his shortest start of the season.
