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.
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
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.
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.
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.
October 20, 2019 8:00 am
HOUSTON (AP) – Jose Altuve has powered the Houston Astros into their second World Series in three seasons. Altuve launched a tiebreaking, two-run homer off Aroldis Chapman in the bottom of the ninth to give the Astros a 6-4 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. The blast came a half-inning after DJ LeMahieu belted a two-run homer to knot the score. It appeared the game would go to a 10th inning after Chapman retired his first two hitters. But George Springer kept the ninth inning alive with a walk before Altuve wrapped up the third pennant in Astros history and set up a meeting with the Washington Nationals in the Fall Classic. The Yankees chipped away after Yuli Gurriel’s three-run homer put Houston ahead 3-0 in the first inning. The Yankees got within 3-2 on Gio Urshela’s solo shot in the fourth, but Altuve provided an insurance run for the Astros by scoring on Alex Bregman’s grounder in the sixth. Altuve scored three of the Astros’ six runs and had two of their six hits. Robert Osuna got the victory despite surrendering LeMahieu’s bomb. The outcome would allow Houston manager AJ Hinch to start Gerrit Cole in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday. Cole is 19-0 in his last 25 starts since a May 22 loss to the White Sox.
October 20, 2019 7:55 am
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (AP) – Sean Clifford threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead No. 7 Penn State to a 28-21 win over No. 16 Michigan on Saturday night. The Nittany Lion quarterback hit KJ Hamler on 25- and 53-yard scoring strikes and hooked up with tight end Pat Freiermuth for a 17-yard touchdown in a game Penn State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) never trailed. Hamler, who had a 100-yard kickoff return to start the second half called back on a holding penalty, finished with six catches for 108 yards. The Wolverines battled back from a 21-7 halftime deficit and with just over two minutes to play, had a chance to tie the game on fourth-and-goal from Penn State’s 3. But Michigan wideout Ronnie Bell dropped what would’ve been the tying touchdown with Penn State safety Lamont Wade playing tight coverage. The Nittany Lions took control of the game early. Clifford hooked up with Jahan Dotson for 37 yards to set up the scoring toss to Freiermuth who beat Khaleke Hudson in coverage. Penn State went up 14-0 on its next drive when Clifford scored on a 1-yard run made easier by a 44-yard rush from Ricky Slade. It got easier when back-to-back Michigan offside penalties moved the ball to the 1. Tariq Castro-Fields intercepted a Shea Patterson screen pass midway through the second quarter and Clifford arced his second touchdown pass to Hamler five plays later to make it 21-0. The Wolverines cut Penn State’s lead to 21-7 with an eight-play drive that burned 4:27 before halftime. It ended with Zach Charbonnet beating Penn State defenders to the end zone on a 12-yard run. Charbonnet added another 12-yard run with 1:05 left in the third to make it 21-14. Patterson, who completed 24 of 41 passes for 276 yards, plunged in from a yard out to cap the scoring in the fourth.
October 20, 2019 7:53 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 shots against his former team, leading the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night. Fleury recorded his 445th win, tying Terry Sawchuck for seventh on the NHL career list. Fleury, who made his second career start for Vegas against the Penguins in Pittsburgh, also registered his 57th career shutout. The Golden Knights won for the fourth time in five games. Paul Stastny scored his fourth of the season, a power-play goal in the second period, and William Karlsson and Mark Stone added empty-netters in the final 90 seconds. Fleury kept the puck out with a sliding cross-crease shoulder save on Juuso Riikola’s power-play chance in the third period. Pittsburgh had several quality chances during another third-period power play, but came up empty against Fleury. Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese hit the crossbar earlier in the period. Tristan Jarry made 21 saves for Pittsburgh, which had won five in a row. The Penguins played without six regulars, including five of their top nine forwards and a defenseman from their No. 1 pairing. Jared McCann was held out after he scored in Friday’s home win against Dallas. He has missed two of the team’s last three games after also sitting out on Wednesday. Defenseman Brian Dumoulin was a late scratch after taking pregame warmups. Forwards Evgeni Malkin, Alex Galchenyuk, Nick Bjugstad and Bryan Rust are all on injured reserve. Fleury allowed five goals on 38 shots in a 5-4 loss against the Penguins in his initial return to Pittsburgh on Feb. 6, 2018. He didn’t start when Vegas last played in Pittsburgh on Oct. 11, 2018. Fleury, the No. 1 overall pick in 2003, spent his first 13 seasons in Pittsburgh and helped the Penguins win three Stanley Cup titles before Vegas selected him in the 2017 expansion draft. Fans gave Fleury a loud ovation as soon as he hit the ice for pregame warmups. Fleury chatted with several former teammates prior to the game, including starting goaltender Matt Murray, who had the night off. Fleury also playfully threw passes to Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and defenseman Kris Letang during pregame warmups. Fleury made a sharp first-period pad save on a Patric Hornqvist one-timer during a Pittsburgh power play. Letang hit the post on Fleury’s blocker side later in the period. Vegas opened the scoring after Aston-Reese was whistled for goaltender interference on Fleury. Stastny one-timed a Cody Glass pass into a partially open net at 3:48 for his fourth goal in five games.
October 19, 2019 7:43 am
Canon-McMillan clinched a Class 6A playoff berth despite losing to Central Catholic. Peters Township knocked off Bethel Park to stay in a first-place tie with Allegheny 8 Conference co-leader Moon. Burgettstown edged Brentwood to win the Three Rivers Conference championship. Wash High stayed unbeaten and will play McGuffey next Friday for the Century Conference title. West Greene capped a clean run to the Tri-County South championship while California beat Chartiers-Houston to win a playoff spot and eliminate the Bucs in the process. All told, seven of the 14 Washington County teams have qualified for the WPIAL playoffs. West Greene is the only Greene County playoff qualifier.
October 18, 2019 3:47 am
NEW YORK (AP) – George Springer and Carlos Correa each hit three-run homers and the Houston Astros got another wild ace off the hook to beat the sloppy New York Yankees 8-3 Thursday night and reach the cusp of a second World Series visit in three years. The Astros lead the AL Championship Series 3-1, putting the 2017 World Series winners on the brink of a showdown with the NL champion Washington Nationals. Houston still has Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole queued up for this series, and the Yankees will have to beat both to survive. Verlander will start Game 5 on Friday night against James Paxton.
