August 23, 2024 4:28 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Paul Skenes struck out nine in six dominant innings, Bryan De La Cruz hit a three-run double during a six-run fifth inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 7-0. Skenes (8-2), the rookie who started last month’s All-Star game, allowed just two hits and one walk after going 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA in his previous three starts. Ben Heller pitched two innings and Chris Stratton worked the ninth to finish the five-hit shutout. The Reds were blanked for the 11th time this season. Nick Lodolo (9-6) took the loss.
August 23, 2024 4:33 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Russell Wilson will start the Pittsburgh Steelers preseason finale against Detroit. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says Wilson and all healthy starters will see action against the Lions, though Tomlin declined to get into specifics on how long Wilson or any of the other regulars might play. Tomlin added there has been “no change” to the depth chart at quarterback, where Wilson has been listed ahead of Justin Fields since training camp began even though Wilson’s availability has been limited because of a calf injury.
August 23, 2024 4:35 am
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Anthony Richardson led a touchdown drive on his first series against Bengals backups, but the rest of his night was a struggle, even though the Colts won the preseason game 27-14. The Indianapolis quarterback got his first significant chunk of playing time with the rest of the offensive starters and showed he still has work to do on his accuracy and consistency. The fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft played the first five offensive series, finishing 8 for 14 for 86 yards. In other action, Backup quarterback Tyson Bagent ran for a touchdown on the opening drive of the Bears’ game against the Chiefs on Thursday night, and they went on to win 34-21 in a preseason finale in which both teams sat nearly all their starters. The game was halted briefly after the first play of the second half, when Chicago cornerback Douglas Coleman III made a tackle along the Kansas City sideline and lay motionless on the ground. He was tended to by doctors as players from both teams took a knee, and eventually was immobilized on a stretcher and driven out of Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs open the season Sept. 5 against Baltimore. The Bears play Tennessee in their opener three days later.
August 23, 2024 4:30 am
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — The Winning Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins are swapping forwards who were both first-round NHL draft picks. The teams announced the trade Thursday. The Jets are getting Brayden Yager, who spent last season helping Moose Jaw win the Western Hockey League title. The Penguins will receive American Rutger McGroarty, who played college hockey at Michigan this past season. McGroarty was also a captain for the U.S. team at the world junior championships and helped the team win gold.
August 22, 2024 4:31 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Wyatt Langford’s single scored pinch-runner Ezequiel Duran with two out in the ninth inning, giving the Texas Rangers a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jonah Heim and Adolis García singled off David Bednar (3-6) to open Texas’ half of the ninth. Duran, running for Heim, advanced to third on a flyout to deep right field by Nathaniel Lowe. Bednar struck out Josh Jung on a 3-2 fastball after García stole second base. Langford then laced an RBI single to center field. Kirby Yates pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Rangers. The Pirates went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, left 10 runners on and struck out 16 times. They’ve lost three of their last four games.
August 22, 2024 4:29 am
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Linebacker Markus Golden has announced his retirement after nine NFL seasons, mostly with the Arizona Cardinals. Golden was a second-round pick by Arizona out of Missouri in 2015. He had 51 career sacks, including a career-best 12 1/2 for the Cardinals in 2016. He spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, playing 16 games with four sacks. Pittsburgh placed the 33-year-old Golden on the reserved/retired list on Aug. 9. Golden also played for the New York Giants in 2019 and the first half of 2020. New York then traded him back to Arizona and he remained with the Cardinals through 2022.
August 22, 2024 4:34 am
CLEVELAND (AP) — Deshaun Watson is dealing with what the Browns describe as “general arm soreness.” That development could impact whether Cleveland’s quarterback makes his preseason debut this week. The Browns stopped Watson from throwing during Wednesday’s practice. Coach Kevin Stefanski said he’s not “overly concerned” by the soreness. Watson had shoulder surgery in November to repair a fracture that ended his second season with Cleveland after six starts. Stefanski has not decided if or how much Watson will play on Saturday when the Browns visit Seattle Seahawks. Also, Browns running back Pierre Strong Jr. has been released from a hospital after suffering a rib injury in practice.
August 22, 2024 4:33 am
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Rookie Bo Nix was informed Wednesday that he’d won the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback job. That means he’ll be the 14th different player to start at quarterback for the Broncos since Peyton Manning retired in 2016. Nix was the 12th player and sixth quarterback selected in the 2024 NFL draft. He started 61 games at Auburn and Oregon, which is the most by a quarterback in NCAA history. Nix beat out incumbent Jarrett Stidham and trade acquisition Zach Wilson, whom the Broncos acquired from the New York Jets in April.
August 21, 2024 6:06 pm
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Wyatt Langford’s single scored pinch-runner Ezequiel Duran with two out in the ninth inning, giving the Texas Rangers a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Jonah Heim and Adolis García singled off David Bednar (3-6) to open Texas’ half of the ninth. Duran, running for Heim, advanced to third on a flyout to deep right field by Nathaniel Lowe. Bednar struck out Josh Jung on a 3-2 fastball after García stole second base. Langford then laced an RBI single to center field. Kirby Yates pitched a perfect ninth inning for the Rangers. The Pirates went 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position, left 10 runners on and struck out 16 times. They’ve lost three of their last four games.
August 20, 2024 4:30 am
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Mitch Keller limited Texas to three singles through seven-plus innings following his two poorest starts of the season to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 4-0 win over the Rangers. Keller (11-7) struck out nine to equal a season high and walked none while throwing 98 pitches as the Pirates won for the fourth time in their last six games following a season-long 10-game losing streak. The Rangers’ Cody Bradford (4-1) matched a career high with eight strikeouts over seven innings while allowing five hits. But four of the hits came in the fourth inning when the Pirates scored three runs.
