September 15, 2019 10:28 am
CHICAGO (AP) – Kris Bryant and rookie Nico Hoerner each homered among three hits, and the Chicago Cubs went deep four times to set a club record with 237 home runs as they pounded the Pittsburgh Pirates 14-1 on Saturday. Bryant hit a two-run shot in the fourth and had four RBIs. Hoerner’s second homer in two days, a three-run drive in the sixth, broke the Cubs’ old mark of 235, established in 2004. Ben Zobrist and Victor Caratini added solo shots as the Cubs used a second straight big day at the plate to strengthen their bid for a fifth straight postseason berth. Chicago has outscored Pittsburgh 31-9 in the first two games of the series and won three straight overall. Chicago entered in the second NL wild card spot, one game ahead of Milwaukee and four games behind NL Central-leading St. Louis. The Cardinals hosted the Brewers on Saturday night. Kyle Hendricks (11-9) allowed a run on seven hits in six innings while walking one for his third straight solid outing. He has a 1.52 ERA in the span. Nicholas Castellanos doubled twice to take over the major league lead with 52 and drove in three runs. Anthony Rizzo had two RBIs and was one of four Chicago batters hit by pitches. Bryant’s two-run shot to the left-center basket in the fourth inning was his 29th homer this season. It was the 136th of his career, tying him with Ernie Banks for the most by a Cubs player in his first five seasons. Playing in his sixth game since joining the Cubs on Monday, Hoerner improved his batting average to .417. James Marvel (0-2) allowed seven runs on nine hits in four innings in his second major league start. Kevin Newman had a single, double and triple. Both benches cleared briefly in the sixth after pinch-hitter David Bote ducked into a high pitch from reliever Clay Holmes and was hit on the shoulder. Bote, the fourth Cubs batter plunked, shouted at Holmes before going to first and the teams returned to their dugouts without an altercation.
September 13, 2019 3:58 am
UNDATED (AP) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers showcased a strong defense and a balanced attack in earning their first win of the season. Peyton Barber ran for 82 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries as the Bucs silenced the Panthers, 20-14 at Carolina. The Panthers had a 12-10 lead until Barber furnished a 16-yard rushing TD with 4:20 remaining in the third quarter. Jameis Winston was 16 of 25 for 208 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions to help Tampa Bay bounce back from their 31-17 loss to the 49ers in the season opener. Chris Godwin was Winston’s prime target with seven receptions for 121 yards and a score. Carolina had a chance to pull out the win until Christian McCaffrey was stuffed short of the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the 2 on the Panthers’ final drive.
The Bucs didn’t allow a touchdown as the Panthers settled for four Joey Slye field goals and a fourth-quarter safety for their points. Christian McCaffrey was held to 37 yards on 16 carries, and Cam Newton completed just 25 of his 51 passes for 333 yards.
September 13, 2019 3:52 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping to iron out their defensive problems ahead of a Week 2 visit from Seattle. The Steelers allowed New England star Tom Brady to rack up 341 yards and 3 touchdowns in a Week 1 blowout win. Defensive coordinator Keith Butler put the blame on the coaching staff for not getting the players up to speed in time. Pittsburgh should get starting safety Sean Davis back after Davis missed the opener with an ankle issue.
September 12, 2019 3:56 am
UNDATED (AP) – Wide receiver Antonio Brown went through his first practice with the New England Patriots yesterday. Brown wore a No. 1 jersey and a visor with his helmet while going through warmup drills with teammates during the small portion of practice that was open to the media. He has worn No. 84 throughout his previous nine NFL seasons, but that number is currently being worn by Patriots tight end Ben Watson. Wednesday’s workout was held one day after Brown’s former trainer filed a civil lawsuit in Florida accusing him of sexually assaulting her on three occasions. Britney Taylor filed the suit and says she will cooperate with the NFL and any other agencies. Patriots coach Bill Belichick declined to comment on additional questions about Brown other than to say the team takes the allegations very seriously. Belichick also sidestepped questions about Brown’s status for Sunday’s game in Miami.
September 12, 2019 3:41 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Donte Moncrief is looking to bounce back after a rocky debut in a loss to New England. Moncrief only caught three of the 10 passes Ben Roethlisberger threw his way, finishing with a paltry 7 yards receiving as the Steelers were drilled 33-3. Moncrief says Roethlisberger made it a point to tell him after the game he hasn’t lost faith in him and plans to look Moncrief’s way just as much when Seattle visits in Pittsburgh’s home opener.
September 10, 2019 3:39 am
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Southern California athletic director Lynn Swann has resigned after three years in charge at his alma mater. Dave Roberts will serve as interim athletic director. USC’s athletic department has faced several setbacks during Swann’s say, notably involvement in the widespread college admissions scandal. The 67-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver was hired in 2016 despite no significant experience in athletic administration.
September 9, 2019 12:29 pm
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – The Jacksonville Jaguars have acquired quarterback Josh Dobbs in a trade with Pittsburgh, giving them a backup while Nick Foles recovers from a broken collarbone. The Jaguars gave up a fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft for Dobbs, who was in his third season with the Steelers. He was a fourth-round pick in 2017. He has played in five career NFL games, completing 6 of 12 passes for 43 yards and an interception. He will back up rookie Gardner Minshew, who completed 22 of 25 passes for 275 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception, in his NFL debut Sunday. Foles broke his left clavicle on the team’s 10th offensive play of the season. He was hit and landed on while throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass to DJ Chark.
September 8, 2019 7:15 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Marcell Ozuna hit a three-run homer to break out of his slump and Adam Wainwright pitched seven strong innings, helping the St. Louis Cardinals maintain their lead atop the NL Central with a 10-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night. The Cardinals entered the day 2 1/2 games ahead of Chicago for the division lead. After Dexter Fowler opened the scoring with an RBI single earlier in the third inning, Ozuna connected against Steven Brault (4-4) for his 26th home run of the season and a 4-0 lead. The cleanup hitter also walked twice after having two hits in his 35 at-bats. Wainwright (11-9) helped himself with a double and single while lasting seven innings for the second straight start. He gave up one run and six hits. Starling Marte drove in the Pirates’ run with a single in the third. He had three RBIs and four hits, including a first-inning triple Saturday, in seven at-bats in two games since missing the previous two with a leg injury. Tommy Edman and Harrison Bader chased Brault with a pair of RBI singles that extended the lead to 6-1 in the sixth. Brault allowed six runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings with two walks, a balk, a wild pitch and a hit batter. Brault hadn’t given up more than four runs in 15 appearances – 13 starts- ) since May 12, when St. Louis also tagged him for six in 3 2/3 innings before losing 10-6. Paul DeJong tacked on two more runs with a double off Clay Holmes, making it 8-1 in the seventh. Bader hit an RBI double in the ninth before Andrew Knizner scored on a groundball to cap it. Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single to center in the ninth inning. His career best string is 16 games.
September 8, 2019 7:14 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Kenny Pickett passed for a career-high 321 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown to Maurice Ffrench, to lead Pittsburgh to a 20-10 win over Ohio on Saturday. A week after getting sacked four times and barely completing half of his attempts in a loss to Virginia, Pickett fared far better in his second game trying to run new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple’s pass-heavy offense. Pickett completed 26 of 37 passes and looked far more comfortable against the Bobcats. Ffrench finished with 10 receptions for 138 yards. His long catch-and-run early in the second quarter gave Pitt (1-0) a 10-point lead the Panthers never came close to squandering. A.J. Davis ran for 89 yards for Pitt and Vincent Davis added 50 on the ground, including his first career touchdown that put the Panthers up 17-0. That was more than enough cushion for a defense that kept the Bobcats (1-1) in check. Defensive tackle Jaylen Twyman finished with three of Pitt’s six sacks as the Panthers never let Ohio quarterback Nathan Rourke get going. Rourke hit on 15 of 27 passes for 177 yards and couldn’t make anything happen with his legs. Rourke, who ran for 75 yards in Ohio’s season opener against Rhode Island, finished with minus-43 yards on the ground. The Bobcats finished with 35 yards rushing on 29 attempts, with no rush gaining more than eight yards. Ohio’s only real push came late in the third quarter when De’Montre Tuggle’s 7-yard touchdown run drew the Bobcats within 10. Ohio would get no closer. The Bobcats managed just one first down over their final three drives and Pitt’s size advantage up front wore Ohio down. The Panthers took over at the Pitt 7 with 7:05 remaining and never let the Bobcats get the ball back, bleeding the clock behind an offensive line that pushed Ohio around until the clock hit zero.
September 7, 2019 4:02 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Pittsburgh will try to avoid its first 0-2 start since 2005 when Ohio visits Heinz Field. The Panthers are coming off a 30-14 loss to Virginia in the season opener. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi says he’s encouraged by what he saw against the Cavaliers despite the 16-point margin. Ohio is coming off a solid victory over Rhode Island in its opener. The Bobcats are led by coach Frank Solich, who was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, a short drive from Heinz Field.
