Sports category, Page 493
Tim Benz: Pirates’ comeback in Paul Skenes’ latest outing should slap Ben Cherington right in the face
Through his first 11 starts as a Pittsburgh Pirate, a lot went right for rookie right-hander Paul Skenes. He was 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA and was named as the National League starter for the All-Star Game. For a while on Monday night, though, Skenes looked like he was about...
Ke’Bryan Hayes bounces back from costly error to draw pivotal walk in Pirates’ comeback win
Ke’Bryan Hayes is such an elite defender that the Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman has made spectacular plays look routine, so his error on a routine grounder was something of a spectacle. When Houston Astros star Jose Altuve hit a bases-loaded grounder to Hayes with one out in the fifth inning...
Successful season ends at state tournament for Belle Vernon American Legion baseball
The best season in Belle Vernon American Legion baseball program history came to an end Monday. Northeastern scored four runs in the first three innings and held on for a 5-3 win in an elimination game of the Pennsylvania Legion State Tournament at North Allegheny. Ryan Wilson went 2 for...
Michael A. Taylor’s 3-run homer in 9th lifts Pirates to comeback win over Astros
When a late scratch forced the Houston Astros to replace their scheduled starter, it appeared the Pittsburgh Pirates had a major advantage with rookie phenom Paul Skenes on the mound. It proved just the opposite, as a pair of Astros relievers were perfect through five innings and the Pirates were...
Jets’ Aaron Rodgers gets angry after being stepped on during sloppy practiceVideo
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Aaron Rodgers was downright ticked off. The New York Jets quarterback took the snap, started to drop back — and ended up sprawled on the grass after one of his offensive linemen stepped on one of his feet. Rodgers shouted. He wasn’t hurt, but he was...
American swimmer Ryan Murphy finds out his child’s gender after winning bronzeVideo
NANTERRE, France — It’s a girl. That’s the surprise message American swimmer Ryan Murphy got from the pool deck as he looked up at his wife, Bridget Konttinen, in the stands Monday night at the Paris Olympics. Murphy won a bronze Monday in the 100-meter backstroke. As the medal ceremony...
U.S. men’s gymnastics team hopes NCAA notices after ending medal droughtVideo
PARIS — Before they stood with their arms wrapped around each other in a brotherhood forever etched into U.S. Olympic lore, Brody Malone, Frederick Richard, Asher Hong, Paul Juda and Penn State alum Stephen Nedoroscik were collegians. Yes, the dreams the members of the U.S. men’s gymnastics team had fostered...
Pirates acquire lefty reliever Jalen Beeks from Rockies
The Pittsburgh Pirates added a lefty arm to their bullpen Monday evening, acquiring 31-year-old Jalen Beeks from the Colorado Rockies. In exchange, the Pirates sent 23-year-old left-hander Luis Peralta to Colorado. Beeks has made a career-high 45 appearances this year with the Rockies, going 6-4 with a 4.74 ERA in...
A’ja Wilson dominates as U.S. women’s basketball routs JapanVideo
VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France — A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner dominated the paint and helped the U.S. win its Olympic opener as the Americans chase an unprecedented eighth straight gold medal. Wilson had 24 points, 13 rebounds and four blocked shots to help the U.S. beat Japan, 102-76, on Monday...
Plum graduate Thea Hail chasing pro wrestling dreams, NXT women’s title
Her friends and family in Plum know her as Madison Knisley. The wrestling world that watches World Wrestling Entertainment brand NXT live every Tuesday evening on the USA Network knows her as Thea Hail, one of the company’s fastest-rising stars. This Tuesday, the 2021 Plum graduate will challenge for the...
Trafford Junior American Legion baseball keeps winning
Trafford Junior American Legion team used a six-run eighth inning and stayed alive in the state tournament with a 9-3 victory against Upper Perkiomen on Monday at the White Township Complex. Caleb Kerstetter had two hits and three RBIs, while Jordan White had two hits, including a two-run single in...
5 observations as Steelers training camp ramps up intensity with pads coming on
It’s been a relatively drama-free start to the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers training camp. No holdouts or “hold-ins”. No major skirmishes. No off-field controversy. No significant injuries. (During practice, anyway). None other than the new starting quarterback, of course, has missed the entirety of camp because of a calf strain suffered...
MLB trade roundup: Cardinals add RHP Erick Fedde, OF Tommy Pham
The St. Louis Cardinals acquired right-hander Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham on Monday as part of a three-team trade that also moved hard-throwing reliever Michael Kopech to the Los Angeles Dodgers. St. Louis got Fedde and Pham from the major-league-worst Chicago White Sox, who sent Kopech to the Dodgers....
Wild sign ROY runner-up Brock Faber to 8-year, $68M extension
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin saw more than enough potential in Brock Faber’s rookie season to sign the defenseman to an eight-year, $68 million contract extension Monday. The deal doesn’t kick in until the 2025-26 season once Faber’s rookie contract expires. It comes after the...
Pirates sign 2nd-round pick Wyatt Sanford, as prep shortstop receives $2.5 million bonus
The Pittsburgh Pirates signed their second-round selection in the MLB Draft, Texas prep shortstop Wyatt Sanford. Sanford, who was signed by scout John Lombardo, received a $2.5 million bonus, per Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline, which was over the slot value of $1,984,800 for the No. 47 pick. The 6-foot-1,...
Pirates activate Bryan Reynolds, reinstate Bailey Falter, option Jack Suwinski to minors
Bryan Reynolds and Bailey Falter are back with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Jack Suwinski is headed back to the minors. The Pirates made multiple roster moves Monday before the start of their three-game series at the Houston Astros. They should get an offensive boost from Reynolds, who was activated from...
Olympic commentator canned for insulting Australian women’s swim team
Longtime Olympic commentator Bob Ballard was sent home following a sexist comment about Australia’s women’s swim team. The Eurosport pundit claimed after the Aussies won a gold medal in the 4x100m freestyle team relay that the celebratory swim squad was slow exiting the pool area because they were milling about...
Jackie Gallagher-Smith excited to be home for Senior Women’s Open
Carol Semple Thompson isn’t the only golfer in this week’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship with Pittsburgh roots. Jackie Gallagher-Smith, whose parents grew up in Johnstown, also calls Western Pennsylvania home. Her husband, Ed, was from Norvelt in Westmoreland County. “When I was driving in from the airport Sunday, I...
Olympics viewer’s guide for Tuesday, July 30: Simone Biles leads U.S. in gymnastics finalVideo
Simone Biles leads the U.S. women into the gymnastics team final as part of an action-packed slate Tuesday at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Here is a guide of what to look out for: Biles in gymnastics team final despite injury The 27-year-old Biles is in the lineup to compete in...
Canada’s Summer McIntosh wins gold in 400-meter IM for 2nd medal of OlympicsVideo
NANTERRE, France — Canadian phenom Summer McIntosh claimed the first gold medal of her just-burgeoning career Monday night with a dominating victory in the 400-meter individual medley at the Paris Olympics. The 17-year-old McIntosh collected her first medal of any color on the opening night of swimming, taking a silver...
Coco Gauff maintains perfect record at Paris Olympics despite imperfect playVideo
PARIS — Coco Gauff is making it look easy at the Paris Olympics so far, adding a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Maria Lourdes Carle of Argentina in the second round of singles Monday to her growing collection of lopsided results. So what if Gauff had more than twice as many...
QB Nate Yarnell can’t do it alone, so here are 5 units that need to step up for Pitt this season
Before compiling a list of the most important players who will populate the Beano Cook Fields when Pitt begins prepping for a new season Wednesday, we need to first identify the obvious choice for leader of the class: The quarterback, Nate Yarnell. There are several players who are as important...
Japan surges past China for Olympics men’s gymnastics team gold; Americans end drought with bronze
PARIS — Japan surged past its longtime rival China to win gold in the Paris Olympics men’s gymnastics competition Monday, and the Americans earned bronze for their first medal since 2008. It was Japan’s eighth team gold and first since Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The Japanese overtook their rivals...
Pirates trade RHP Quinn Priester to Red Sox for IF/OF Nick Yorke in swap of former 1st-rounders
The Pittsburgh Pirates have made no secret of their desire to upgrade their offense, though their first deal to do so before Tuesday’s trade deadline was for a top-10 prospect when they sent right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester to the Boston Red Sox for minor league infielder/outfielder Nick Yorke in a...
Mark Madden: NFL teams are overpaying underachieving quarterbacks, crippling their franchises
Jordan Love signed a four-year extension with Green Bay worth $55 million per. That ties him for highest average annual value among quarterbacks. Tua Tagovailoa signed a four-year extension with Miami worth $53.1 million per. That puts him fourth in average annual value. Neither Love nor Tagovailoa has played in...
