(File Photo: Source for Photo: New York Yankees pitcher Camilo Doval throws during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Thursday, July 9, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Pirates are acquiring right-handed reliever Camilo Doval from the New York Yankees in hopes of giving their struggling bullpen a boost.

Pittsburgh is sending prospects Omar Alfonso, a catcher, and Luis Cruz, an outfielder, to New York for Doval.

The 29-year-old Doval, an All-Star in 2023 when he served as the closer for the San Francisco Giants, provides Pittsburgh with a much-needed experienced arm as the Pirates try to hang around in the crowded race for a National League wild-card spot.

Pittsburgh’s bullpen has been an issue all season. The club has blown 20 saves this season, perhaps the biggest reason the Pirates entered Saturday at 55-56 despite scoring the second-most runs in the majors. The latest setback came on Friday night, when a two-run lead in the eighth inning in Cincinnati morphed into an 8-7 loss.

Doval went 3-1 with a 4.54 ERA in 44 games this season for the Yankees. He has had issues with walks recently, issuing at least one free pass in four of his last five appearances with New York, including two while taking the loss against the Chicago White Sox on July 29. Doval has only thrown 56% of his first pitches for strikes this season, among the worst first-strike percentages in the majors.

The durable Doval is one of only eight pitchers to appear in at least 60 games in each of the last four seasons.

Pittsburgh is hoping a new setting provides a fresh start. The Pirates could also use the help. The club designated former closer Dennis Santana for assignment last month and has few viable right-handed options near the back end of the bullpen.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Ryan O’Hearn (29) is helped off the field after an injury during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

O’Hearn pulled up and grabbed his left leg while running to first base on a groundout in the ninth inning on Friday night’s 8-7 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He was helped off the field by manager Don Kelly and a member of the training staff.

The Pirates signed O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million free-agent contract in January. He is batting .270 with 17 home runs and 69 RBIs in 96 games. He missed two weeks in May with a right quad injury.

O’Hearn has made 49 appearances at first base, 42 in right field, and 17 as the designated hitter. He homered three times and set a Pirates single-game franchise record with 10 RBIs against the Braves on July 7.

In other moves, the Pirates recalled right-hander Isaac Mattson from Triple-A Indianapolis, activated catcher/first baseman Rafael Flores Jr. from the IL and optioned right-hander Antwone Kelly to Triple-A.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Cincinnati Reds’ Chase Burns pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Cincinnati, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Chase Burns won his 12th straight decision and Sal Stewart hit his 24th home run as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-2 on Sunday to take three of four in the series.

Stewart tied Joey Votto for second-most homers by a Reds rookie. Votto hit 24 in 2008. Frank Robinson holds the franchise’s rookie mark with 38 homers in 1956.

Burns (13-1) is the first Reds pitcher to win 12 straight decisions since Brooks Lawrence won 13 straight in 1956.

Burns allowed one run on two hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in six innings and lowered his ERA to 2.35. It was Burns’ 17th start allowing two runs or fewer.

The game was delayed 25 minutes in the fourth while the grounds crew applied drying compound on the infield and batter’s box. Despite steady rainfall, the tarp was never brought out. Pirates manager Don Kelly was ejected after voicing his displeasure.

Pirates starter Mitch Keller (6-8) allowed three runs on four straight hits in the first inning.

Stewart’s homer into the second deck of the bleachers in left field put the Reds ahead 1-0.

JJ Bleday followed with a single and scored on a double by Tyler Stephenson, who then came home on Nathaniel Lowe’s single to make it 3-0.

Former Pirate Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a homer to make the score 4-0 in the second.

Elly De La Cruz’s third-inning single off Noah Murdock drove in two runs to make the score 7-0. Keller allowed seven earned runs and walked four in two innings.

Consecutive RBI doubles by Lowe and Dane Myers off Ron Marinaccio made the score 9-1 in the fourth.

Right-hander Camilo Doval, acquired on Saturday from the Yankees, made his Pirates debut in the eighth inning and allowed an opposite-field home run by Stephenson.

Up next

Pirates: RHP Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.56 ERA) scheduled to start Monday at Milwaukee.

Reds: RHP Brady Singer (5-10, 4.35) scheduled to start Tuesday against Oakland.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Henry Davis scores after a bases loaded walk is drawn by Bryan Reynolds during the third inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds in Cincinnati, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Braxton Ashcraft gave up two hits over five innings, while a pair of bases-loaded walks during a three-run third helped the Pittsburgh Pirates snap a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night.

Steady rain was falling in the third inning when Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott issued four walks including two with the bases loaded to Brandon Lowe and Esmerlyn Valdez to help the Pirates take a 2-0 lead.

The game was delayed one hour and 46 minutes by rain during the sixth inning.

Abbott threw 43 pitches in the third. Following his walk to Reynolds, Abbott had the grounds crew apply drying compound to the mound. His foot slipped on two of his deliveries to Valdez.

Abbott (5-7) allowed three earned runs on three hits with five walks and one strikeout on 98 pitches.

Ashcraft (11-4) retired the first eight batters and didn’t allow a hit until Nathaniel Lowe’s single with one out in the fourth.

Reds catcher Jose Trevino hit his fourth home run of the season to make the score 3-1 in the fifth. That was the only run allowed by Ashcraft, who had a walk and five strikeouts.

Marcell Ozuna doubled and scored on Henry Davis’ single to extend the Pirates’ lead to 4-1 in the sixth shortly before the game was delayed.

Carmen Mlodzinski replaced Ashcraft following the rain delay and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit with a walk and four strikeouts.

Gregory Soto pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his 14th save.

Up next

Pirates RHP Mitch Keller (6-7, 4.83 ERA) opposes Reds RHP Chase Burns (12-1, 2.40) in Sunday’s series finale.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Cincinnati Reds’ Hunter Greene pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, July 31, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Sal Stewart hit a two-run homer, had four RBIs, and scored the winning run as the Cincinnati Reds rallied to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-7 on Friday night.

Stewart’s two-run single off Wilber Dotel (1-4) in the eighth tied the score 7-7. Stewart scored the go-ahead run from third on Brandon Lowe’s fielding error.

Emilio Pagán (4-1) struck out one in one inning for Cincinnati.

The Pirates trailed 5-4 with two outs in the eighth, but three straight RBI singles by Henry Davis, Jake Mangum and Lowe put them ahead 7-5.

Reds right-hander Hunter Greene, who’s been mentioned in trade speculation, made his fifth start since coming off the injured list and allowed four earned runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Nick Gonzales’ first-inning single with the bases loaded drove in two runs to put Pittsburgh ahead 2-0.

Pirates right-hander Paul Skenes was 5-0 with a 1.38 ERA in seven career starts against Cincinnati, but he struggled on Friday. Skenes allowed five earned runs on seven hits with a season-high four walks and seven strikeouts.

He needed 36 pitches to get through the first inning. Tyler Stephenson doubled home JJ Bleday with the Reds’ first run. Stephenson scored the tying run on Nathaniel Lowe’s single.

Mangum’s third home run of the season and first since July 9 put the Pirates ahead 3-2 in the second.

Bleday tied the score 3-3 with his 19th home run on Skenes’ first offering with one out in the third.

Stewart’s home run in the fourth inning put the Reds ahead 5-3. It was his 23rd of the season, tying him with Spencer Steer for third-most for a Reds rookie, one behind Joey Votto who hit 24 in 2008.

Up next

Pirates RHP Braxton Ashcraft (10-4, 4.05 ERA) will oppose Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (5-6, 3.85) on Saturday night.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Cincinnati Reds’ Elly de la Cruz rounds the bases after single by Sal Stewart during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, July 30, 2026 in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)

CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz scored on fielder’s choice in the ninth inning to lift the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday night in the opening game of a four-game series.

Cincinnati loaded the bases against Gregory Soto (5-3) with one out. Lowe grounded softly to second for a potential game-ending double play but beat the throw as De La Cruz scored easily. De La Cruz hit three doubles, stole two bases and had an RBI.

Emilio Pagan (3-1) got the win.

Pirates opener Yohan Ramírez pitched two scoreless innings allowing one hit with a walk and four strikeouts in his first career start after 208 relief appearances, the most by a Pirates pitcher before making a start.

The previous franchise mark was set by Michael Feliz who made his first start in 2019 after 156 relief appearances.

Matt McLain, activated from the 10-day injured list on Thursday, led off the third with a single and scored on De La Cruz’s double to put the Reds ahead 1-0. Sal Stewart singled home De La Cruz to make it 2-0.

The last time he faced Pittsburgh, Rhett Lowder allowed eight earned runs in 1 1/3 innings in a 17-7 loss on May 2 at PNC Park, but he fared better on Thursday allowing two earned runs in six innings with no walks and five strikeouts.

Nick Gonzales led off the fifth with a double and later scored on Jacob Gonzalez’s sacrifice fly to cut the Pirates’ deficit to 2-1.

Brandon Lowe led off the sixth with his 22nd homer to tie the score 2-2.

Both teams loaded the bases in the seventh but failed to score. The teams combined to go 2 for 22 with runners in scoring position, with Cincinnati going 1 for 15.

Up next

Pirates RHP Paul Skenes (9-9, 3.65 ERA) opposes RHP Hunter Greene (2-2, 7.06) on Friday night.

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Pittsburgh Pirates’ Oneil Cruz steals second base against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning of a baseball game, Saturday, June 6, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz is making progress on his return to the Pirates after he suffered an injury on June 6th sliding into home plate during the team’s game against the Atlanta Braves in Atlanta.

Cruz is currently on the 60-day injured list with fourth and fifth metacarpal non-displaced fractures in his left hand and he is eligible to return as early as August 7th.

According to Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk, Cruz has resumed all baseball activities.

Cruz was slashing .264/.350/.472 through 64 games for the Pirates at the time he got injured.

(File Photo of a Police Siren Light)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Butler County, PA) Two men who died in a car crash in Butler County on Saturday have now been identified. 

The two victims of that crash were 45-year-old Garret T.V. Griffin of Cranberry and 38-year-old Cody Huffman of Harmony.

Authorities state that the car the duo was in hit a tree on Beacon Road in Penn Township and it caught fire. 

No other vehicles were involved in this crash. 

According to a Facebook post by Seneca Valley Raiders Baseball yesterday, both Huffman and Griffin were baseball coaches in the Seneca Valley School District. 

GoFundMe pages have been made to help the families of both Griffin and Huffman, and you can donate to them by clicking on the links for them below: 

• (Click here to donate) Support Cody Huffman’s family and children 

• (Click here to donate) Support the Griffin Children’s Future 

(File Photo: Source for Photo: Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez delivers in the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Justin Berl)

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Eduardo Rodríguez pitched eight shutout innings, Gabriel Moreno hit a two-run homer and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-0 on Wednesday, clinching the three-game series.

Arizona (57-52) now sits two games up on the Pirates (55-54) for the final NL wild card.

Rodríguez (10-3) struck out two while giving up five hits on 105 pitches before Brandyn Garcia closed out a hitless ninth inning for his second save of the year.

The loss marked the fifth straight against a left-handed opener for Pittsburgh, while Diamondbacks starters gave up zero earned runs in 20 2/3 innings pitched this series.

Moreno scored the game’s first runs, smashing a slider 407 feet into the lawn past the center-field wall. With the hit, he extended his on-base streak to 26 consecutive games.

Max Kepler drove in the only other score with an RBI single in the sixth inning.

Despite three consecutive three-up, three-down innings to start the game, Jared Jones (2-2) surrendered all three runs and struck out five in six innings for the Pirates.

The Pirates have been shut out in three of their last seven games. They lost 2-0 to the Yankees a week ago and 11-0 to the Cubs on Saturday.

Up next

Diamondbacks: After an off day, LHP Mitch Bratt (0-1, 6.32 ERA) takes the mound for Game 1 of a weekend series at the Cleveland Guardians on Friday against RHP Tanner Bibee (4-10, 3.89 ERA).

Pirates: Will start RHP Yohan Ramirez (6-3, 3.21 ERA) for Thursday’s opener of a four-game series at the Cincinnati Reds against RHP Rhett Lowder (3-7, 5.61 ERA).