June 12, 2025 4:35 am
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — The star of this U.S. Open is Oakmont. Rory McIlroy had a peaceful start to his final day of practice with the sun rising on the horizon. The chaos begins when the score starts to count in the opening round Thursday. Oakmont is reputed to be the toughest course in the land. The U.S. Open prides itself on being the toughest test in golf. Scottie Scheffler is the favorite. He’s coming off three wins in his last four starts. That includes the PGA Championship. U.S. Open official says they don’t try to protect par. Oakmont usually does that for them.
June 12, 2025 2:40 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Andrew McCutchen hit a milestone three-run home run in the fifth inning to help the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Miami Marlins 5-2 on Wednesday. McCutchen’s shot to left-center field off Cal Quantrill was his sixth of the season and 241st in 12 seasons with the Pirates, moving him past Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente into third place on the franchise’s career list. Willie Stargell (475) and Ralph Kiner (301) are ahead of McCutchen. The homer put the Pirates ahead 4-0 after they scored a run on catcher Nick Fortes’ throwing error in the second inning. Pittsburgh took two of three in the series, went 6-3 on the homestand and sent the Marlins to their eighth loss in 10 games. Bailey Falter (5-3) allowed one run — on rookie Heriberto Hernandez’s first career homer — on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The left-hander is 4-0 with a 1.61 ERA in eight starts since the beginning of May.
June 12, 2025 4:32 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — New Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf is quickly making an impression. Metcalf nearly chased down safety Minkah Fitzpatrick on an interception return during the first day of minicamp. The play echoed Metcalf’s memorable 90-yard sprint to tackle Arizona’s Budda Baker five years ago. Metcalf says it doesn’t matter this it was only practice, running after a defender who gets his hands on the ball is part of the job. Metcalf is the unquestioned leader of Pittsburgh’s mostly young wide receiver group. The 27-year-old says he plans to lead by example but also considers himself an “open book” to more inexperienced players such as Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson.
June 12, 2025 4:38 am
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bennedict Mathurin scored 27 off the bench, Tyrese Haliburton scored 22 and the Indiana Pacers reclaimed the lead in the NBA Finals by beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 in Game 3 on Wednesday night. Haliburton also had 11 assists and nine rebounds for the Pacers, who got 21 points from Pascal Siakam and enjoyed a whopping 49-18 edge in bench points on their way to a 2-1 lead in the series. The Pacers, who lost Game 2 in Oklahoma City, improved to 10-0 in mid-March in the game immediately following a loss. Jalen Williams scored 26 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 24 and Chet Holmgren had 20 for the Thunder, who led by five going into the fourth.
June 10, 2025 4:32 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sandy Alcantara struck out six in six shutout innings, and the Miami Marlins edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2. Alcantara allowed three hits and walked one in his first win since April 12. The 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner went 0-7 with a 9.07 ERA in his previous nine starts. Calvin Faucher worked around a two-on, no-out jam in the ninth for his fifth save as the Marlins won for just the second time in nine games. Ke’Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz homered for the Pirates, who had won four in a row.
June 11, 2025 4:28 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers says his decision to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers is centered on his love for the game. The four-time NFL MVP signed a one-year deal to join the Steelers earlier this month and joined his new teammates on the field for the opening day of minicamp. The 41-year-old Rodgers spent most of his time getting to know his surroundings, but head coach Mike Tomlin said Rodgers is the team’s starting quarterback. Rodgers said the decision to come back for a 21st season was not driven by ego but what was best for his soul. Rodgers also added another ring to his collection before he even signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The four-time NFL MVP quarterback and Super Bowl champion said Tuesday after his first practice with the Steelers that he got married “a couple months ago.” Rodgers wore a wedding ring when he signed with the Steelers and again during drills on Tuesday. Rodgers has revealed little about his bride. During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” last fall, he mentioned he was dating a woman named Brittani but offered no other details.
June 11, 2025 1:12 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Aaron Rodgers might be ready to take the practice field for the Pittsburgh Steelers. T.J. Watt is not. The star outside linebacker skipped the start of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. Watt likely is eyeing a new deal as he enters the final year of his current contract. The seven-time Pro Bowler and 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year signed a four-year extension in September 2021 that was scheduled to pay him $112 million and made him the highest-paid defender in the league at the time. That number has been eclipsed several times over the last four years, including by Cleveland star Myles Garrett, who signed a deal in March that made him the most well-compensated non-quarterback in the league at $40 million a season. The decision to skip mini-camp is a change from Watt’s approach in 2021, when he did a “hold in” during both mini-camp and training camp before agreeing to a contract on the eve of the regular season. “We expect him back at some point,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said Tuesday. “We don’t get caught up (in that) … He’s going to be in good shape (whenever he arrives).”
June 11, 2025 4:35 am
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Scottie Scheffler has been such a big favorite in golf that he had to get rid of his Venmo account. Turns out he was getting requests from fans who either paid him a few bucks for their betting wins or were asking for refunds. Scheffler is the overwhelming favorite again at the U.S. Open for good reason. He’s coming off three wins in his last four tournaments by a combined 17 shots. And he has the kind of tee-to-green dominance that works well at a U.S. Open test like Oakmont. Scheffler doesn’t care about odds. He says everyone starts even on Thursday.
June 9, 2025 1:00 am
Neshannock scored 9 runs in the first inning and never looked back as the Lancers eliminated Chartiers-Houston from the PIAA 2A softball playoffs Monday afternoon. The first three batters for Neshannock combined for 8 hits on the day after going 1-for-10 in the WPIAL final 11 days ago. The Lancers put the run rule into effect with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, all scoring after two outs. The Bucs only run came on an RBI triple by Lauren Rush in the third, the only CHHS hit against Addy Frye. The senior struck out 10 batters in the game, helping to secure Neshannock’s 51st straight win and a third trip to the state championship game.
West Allegheny committed five errors and Penn-Trafford took full advantage, as the Warriors earned a second finals berth in the past six years. Penn-Trafford blew open a 1-run game with five consecutive singles in the third, eventually plating five runs in the inning, more than enough to win in the semis for the second time in three tries. PIAA Softball Brackets PIAA Baseball Brackets
2A Neshannock 12, Chartiers-Houston 1, 5 innings
5A Penn-Trafford 8, West Allegheny 2
June 10, 2025 4:27 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Reynolds hit a bases-loaded triple to cap a four-run third inning as the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the skidding Miami Marlins 10-3 for their season-high fourth straight win. Reynolds put the Pirates ahead 4-1 with a line drive to right-center field off Eury Pérez, who was making his first major league start since Sept. 20, 2023, after recovering from Tommy John surgery. Reynolds’ hit came after Andrew McCutchen had an RBI infield single. All nine Pirates starters had hits, and McCutchen and Adam Frazier paced a 15-hit attack with three each.
