With depleted bullpen, the Pirates promote right-hander Wilber Dotel for his MLB debut
Wilber Dotel was scheduled to start for Triple-A Indianapolis at Omaha when the 23-year-old right-hander got word that he had been scratched during pregame workouts. Dotel had to hurry to pack his bags and take an early morning flight to Pittsburgh so he could be at PNC Park in time...
Penn-Trafford grad Mia Smith surpasses 400 strikeouts at Pitt-Johnstown
After her sophomore season, Mia Smith began to believe the record could be hers, but it would take a lot more than showing up in the circle. The former Penn-Trafford ace zeroed in on the all-time strikeout record at Pitt-Johnstown like she does the strike zone itself. She painted corners...
Former Pitt star Kyle Louis awaits NFL Draft, ready to embrace any role at next level
All that’s left for Kyle Louis to do is wait. Louis possesses two years’ worth of game film and highlights at Pitt, he played in the Senior Bowl in February, went through the NFL Combine, interviewed with coaches and scouts across the league and partook in the Panthers’ pro day...
‘It’s a special place’: Steelers special teams coach Danny Crossman happy to be back in Pittsburgh
Danny Crossman enjoyed life in Pittsburgh during his college years, so he happily said yes to a coaching job that brought him back here. A former cornerback at Pitt, Crossman accepted a job offer from Mike McCarthy in February to become the Steelers’ special teams coordinator. Early in the hiring...
How many fans have attended the NFL Draft at past host cities?
The NFL Draft has grown into a destination event with between 500,000 and 700,000 fans expected to attend the festivities April 23-25, at Acrisure Stadium and Point State Park. Here’s a look at past host cities’ estimated attendance: 2015, Chicago, 200,000 2016, Chicago, 225,000 2017, Philadelphia, 250,000 2018, Dallas, 200,000...
Amid strong group of safeties, Oregon’s Dillon Thieneman stands out with preparation
Each day during this past season while playing for Oregon, Dillon Thieneman woke up at precisely 5:20 a.m. On Mondays, Thieneman would break down film on an upcoming opponent’s tendencies on early downs and in the running game. One of this upcoming NFL Draft’s top safety prospects, Thieneman’s Tuesday film...
Game commission seeks entries for 2027 wildlife art contest
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is looking for artists’ best portraits of a Pennsylvania shorebird. The agency is seeking entries for its 2027 Working Together for Wildlife art contest. The featured category is shorebirds, and unlike in previous years, the 2027 contest is restricted to paintings. One or more shorebirds can...
Minor league report: Penguins, Sergei Murashov shut out AmericansVideo
Goaltender Sergei Murashov made 27 saves for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins who closed out the regular season with an 8-0 shutout of the Rochester Americans at Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. The result was Murashov’s fourth shutout of the season and improved his record to 29-9-4. Forward Rutger McGroarty had...
Tim Benz: Forget ‘Flip the Script.’ After Game 1 loss, the Penguins need a playoff rewriteVideo
The Penguins “Flip the Script” rallying cry for the playoffs is quickly taking on a different tone. Because after the team’s 3-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in the postseason opener Saturday night, that script is going to need a total rewrite. “We were just off in a lot of...
‘We need to regroup’: Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin preaches need for reset ahead of Game 2Video
Inside the Pittsburgh Penguins’ locker room late Saturday night, there was a lot of agreement in the postgame takeaways offered by players. After the Penguins dropped the opening contest of their first-round series to the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2, at home, the consensus centered around improvements being required before Game 2...
Kennard scores 27, LeBron leads Lakers to surprising 107-98 win over Rockets in playoff opener
LOS ANGELES — Luke Kennard scored a career playoff-high 27 points, LeBron James had 19 points and 13 assists and the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers capitalized on Kevin Durant’s injury absence for a 107-98 victory over the Houston Rockets in the opener of their first-round playoff series Saturday night. Deandre...
Albert Dikwa scores twice, including just 2 minutes into the game, to lead Riverhounds
Heavy rains and gray clouds lingered hours before kickoff between the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and visiting Detroit City FC, as both teams got set to meet for the first time since last year’s USL Championship Eastern Conference semifinal that was won by the local 11, 1-0, in regulation. The dark clouds...
Penguins bumble through Game 1 loss to Flyers
One of the people partly responsible for several of the Stanley Cup banners that hang from the rafters of PPG Paints Arena had a nuanced, measured and calming assessment of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 3-2 home loss to the rival Philadelphia Flyers in Game 1 of their first-round series Saturday. Rick...
Playoff drought over, Sabres seek to rekindle rivalry with 1st-round matchup against Bruins
BUFFALO, N.Y. — At 26, Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin is too young to appreciate the intense playoff rivalries Buffalo once enjoyed with various opponents. A 14-season playoff drought has a way of thinning whatever bad blood once existed between the Sabres and former rivals such as Ottawa, Philadelphia, Montreal and...
Cedric Mullins hits 2-run homer in 13th to lift Rays past Pirates in rain-delayed marathon
A game that started ahead of schedule with a sellout crowd for Paul Skenes and the bobblehead giveaway celebrating the National League Cy Young Award winner ended six-plus hours later with a whiff. Cedric Mullins sent Yohan Ramirez’s 2-0 fastball 403 feet over the right-field wall for a two-run homer...
‘It’s electric’: Penguins vs. Flyers 1st playoff matchup draws rowdy, excited fans to Pittsburgh
Soaked Pittsburgh Penguins fans clamored at the doors of PPG Paints Arena on Saturday, waiting to be let in to the Stanley Cup playoff opening game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Stormy weather in the evening broke up a sunny and warm afternoon and left Jackson Butler and his friends standing...
Brunson, Towns lead Knicks past Hawks in Game 1 of series
NEW YORK — Jalen Brunson scored 28 points, Karl-Anthony Towns had 19 of his 25 in the second half and the New York Knicks beat the Atlanta Hawks, 113-102, on Saturday night in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. OG Anunoby added 19 points, and Josh Hart had...
Boldy has 2 goals, assist as Wild overwhelm Stars to open series
DALLAS — Matt Boldy had two goals with an assist, Joel Ericksson Ek scored two power-play goals and rookie goalie Jesper Wallstedt stopped 27 shots in his postseason debut to help the Minnesota Wild beat the Dallas Stars, 6-1, on Saturday in Game 1 of their Western Conference playoff series....
Bengals get star DT Lawrence from Giants for 10th overall pick
The Cincinnati Bengals have acquired three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence from the New York Giants for the 10th overall pick in next week’s NFL draft, two people with knowledge of the trade told the Associated Press on Saturday night. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the...
Pirates farm report for April 18, 2026: Rafael Flores Jr. hits 1st homer in Indianapolis win
INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 6-14) thumped Omaha (Royals), 11-3. 1B Rafael Flores Jr. (.206) went 2 for 3 with a double, his first home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. LF Tyler Callihan (.239) went 3 for 4 with a double and his first homer, a two-run shot. DH Enmanuel...
Kyle Larson returns to Kansas hoping to end 32-race drought
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — It has been nearly a year since two-time champion Kyle Larson reached victory lane in the NASCAR Cup Series. He knows the way to the one at Kansas Speedway quite well. That was the site of his last victory in NASCAR’s top series — and two...
Mitchell scores 32 as Cavaliers defeat Raptors in Game 1 of East 1st-round series
CLEVELAND — Donovan Mitchell scored 32 points, Max Strus had 24 off the bench and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Toronto Raptors, 126-113, on Saturday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. James Harden had 22 points and 10 assists, and Evan Mobley had 17 and seven...
Murray, Jokic lead Nuggets to win over Timberwolves in opener of 1st-round series
DENVER — Jamal Murray scored 30 points, going 16 of 16 from the free-throw line, and Nikola Jokic had a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets shook off a sluggish start to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116-105, on Saturday in the opener of their first-round playoff series. Jokic had 25 points,...
Fitzpatrick overcomes slow start, leads Scheffler by 3 at Hilton Head
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — Matt Fitzpatrick had a slow start that brought Scottie Scheffler back into the mix Saturday until holing two shots from off the green on the back nine that sent him to a 3-under-par 68 and a three-shot lead in the RBC Heritage. Scheffler, the world’s...
Stankoven, Hall, Andersen help Carolina top Senators to open NHL playoffs
RALEIGH, N.C. — Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall scored, and Frederik Andersen came through with a big third-period performance in net to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators, 2-0, on Saturday to open their first-round playoff series. Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour had gone with Andersen’s veteran experience as...
